| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08965140B1 |
Method and apparatus for encoding mixed content image sequences
A method and apparatus for encoding a frame from a mixed content image sequence. In one embodiment, the method, executed under the control of a processor configured with computer executable instructions, comprises (i) generating, by an encoding processor, an image type mask that divides the frame into an unchanged portion, an object portion and a picture portion; (ii) producing lossless encoded content, by the encoding processor, from the object portion and the image type mask; (iii) generating, by the encoding processor, a filtered facsimile from the frame, the filtered facsimile generated by retaining the picture portion and filling the unchanged portion and the object portion with neutral image data; and (iv) producing, by the encoding processor, lossy encoded content from the filtered facsimile. |
| US08965136B2 |
Pattern detection based on fractal analysis
Various systems, methods, and programs embodied in computer-readable mediums are provided for the detection of patterns. In one embodiment, a pattern detection method is provided that comprises the step of performing a fractal analysis of a pattern to generate a plurality of scaling parameters from a fractal associated with the pattern in a computer system. In addition, the method further comprises the step of detecting a degree of organization in the pattern by examining a degree of equality among the scaling parameters of the fractal in the computer system. |
| US08965135B2 |
Flexible cadence follower for film in video
A system for cadence break detection is provided. The system includes a field system receiving a plurality of fields of image data. A threshold system generates a cadence break signal if a difference in two fields exceeds a predetermined threshold. A sequence system generates the cadence break signal if a sequence of differences between the plurality of fields does not match a predetermined sequence. |
| US08965130B2 |
Flexible computer vision
Methods and apparatus for image matching using local features, in particular a method and apparatus for flexible interest point computation. The method involves producing multiple octaves of a digital image, wherein each octave of said multiple scale octaves comprises multiple layers; initiating a process comprising detection and description of interest points, wherein said process is programmed to progress layer-by-layer over said multiple layers of each of said multiple octaves, and to continue to a next octave of said multiple octaves upon completion of all layers of a current octave of said multiple octaves; upon the detection and the description of each interest point of said interest points during said process, recording an indication associated with said interest point in a memory, such that said memory accumulates indications during said process; and upon interruption to said process, returning a result being based at least on said indications. |
| US08965129B2 |
Systems and methods for determining and displaying multi-line foreign language translations in real time on mobile devices
The present invention is related to systems and methods for translating language text on a mobile camera device offline without access to the Internet. More specifically, the present invention relates to systems and methods for displaying text of a first language and a translation of the first language text into a second language text which is displayed in real time in augmented reality on the mobile device. The processing can use a single line or a multiline algorithm designed with a plurality of processing innovations to insure accurate real-time translations without motion jitter. The invention may be used to help travelers in a foreign country with difficulties in reading and understanding text written in the local language of that country. The present invention may be utilized with wearable computers or glasses, producing seamless augmented reality foreign language translations. Some embodiments are particularly useful in translations from Asian languages to English. Some embodiments are especially optimized to translate multiple lines of foreign language text. |
| US08965125B2 |
Image processing device, method and storage medium for storing and displaying an electronic document
Character code data and vector drawing data are both listed and provided in a re-editable manner. Electronic data is generated in which information obtained by vectorizing character areas in an image and information obtained by recognizing characters in the image are stored in respective storage locations. As for the electronic data generated in this manner, because character code data and vector drawing data generated from the input image are both presented by a display and edit program, a user can immediately utilize the both data. |
| US08965123B2 |
System and method for processing image for identifying alphanumeric characters present in a series
A system and a method for identification of alphanumeric characters present in a series in an image are disclosed. The system and method captures the image and further processes it for binarization by computing a pattern of the image. The generated binarized images are then filtered for removing unwanted components. Candidate images are identified out of the filtered binarized images. All the obtained candidate images are combined to generate a final candidate image which is further segmented in order to recognize a valid alphanumeric character present in the series. |
| US08965120B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method of controlling the same
Disclosed is an image processing apparatus for converting an original image. Processing of blurring an input original image is performed to generate a blurred image. A difference image that is the difference between the original image and an adjusted image obtained by adjusting the density of the blurred image is generated. The difference image and the original image are composited based on the density of the difference image and the density of the original image. This allows to easily obtain a painting-like effect even in, for example, a low-contrast portion of an image. |
| US08965119B2 |
Color balance tools for editing images
Some embodiments provide a method for color balancing an image. The method receives a first selection of a first mode of a color balance tool that includes several different color balance modes. Each color balance mode is for applying color balance operations to the image. The method uses the first mode of the color balance tool to apply a first set of color balance operations to the image. The method receives a second selection to switch from the first mode to a second mode of the color balance tool. The method uses the second mode of the color balance tool to apply a second set of color balance operations to the image. |
| US08965118B2 |
Reducing chromatic aberration
A system and method for reducing chromatic aberration by aligning pixel in a color channel according to displacement from corresponding pixels in another color channel. In particular, the system calculates a feature, such as intensity, for a first block of pixels in a first color channel of an image. The feature is calculated for a second block of pixels in a second color channel of the image. Displacement is estimated between the first color channel and the second color channel by comparing the feature for the first block and the feature for the second block. At least a portion of the first color channel is aligned with at least a portion of the second color channel based on the estimated displacement. |
| US08965117B1 |
Image pre-processing for reducing consumption of resources
Embodiments of the subject technology provide methods and systems of image pre-processing for improving the accuracy of optical character recognition (OCR) and reducing the power consumption on a given computing device (e.g., mobile computing device). The subject technology, in some examples, classifies an image received from a camera of a mobile computing device into one or more classes: 1) normal background, 2) textured background, 3) image with text, 4) image with barcode, 5) image with QR code, and/or 6) image with clutter or “garbage.” Based on the classes associated with the image, the subject technology may forgo certain image processing operations, when the image is not associated with a particular class, in order to save resources (e.g., CPU cycles, battery power, memory usage, etc.) on the mobile computing device. |
| US08965116B2 |
Computer-aided assignment of ratings to digital samples of a manufactured web product
A computerized rating tool is described that assists a user in efficiently and consistently assigning expert ratings (i.e., labels) to a large collection of training images representing samples of a given product. The rating tool provides mechanisms for visualizing the training images in an intuitive and configurable fashion, including clustering and ordering the training images. In some embodiments, the rating tool provides an easy-to-use interface for exploring multiple types of defects represented in the data and efficiently assigning expert ratings. In other embodiments, the computer automatically assigns ratings (i.e., labels) to the individual clusters containing the large collection of digital images representing the samples. In addition, the computerized tool has capabilities ideal for labeling very large datasets, including the ability to automatically identify and select a most relevant subset of the images for a defect and to automatically propagate labels from this subset to the remaining images without requiring further user interaction. |
| US08965110B2 |
Device and method for measuring diameter of cylindrical object
Imaging a cylindrical object, left and right viewpoint images are stored to a data memory. To calculate a diameter D of the cylindrical object, a pair of measurement points designated on outlines of the left viewpoint image and corresponding points that are set on outlines of the right viewpoint image in accordance with measurement points are used. While one of the measurement points is fixed on the outline, the other measurement point is scanned on the other outline, such that the distance between the pair of measurement points is minimized. The positions of the corresponding points are updated in synchronization with this. Whenever the corresponding points are updated, the diameter D is calculated, and a minimum value of the calculated diameters is determined as the diameter D of the cylindrical object. |
| US08965108B2 |
Method and system of automatic determination of geometric elements from a 3D medical image of a bone
The invention relates to an automated method for precise determination of the head center and radius and the neck axis of an articulated bone from acquired 3D medical image of an articulation, comprising the following steps: i) determining, from a 3D image of the bone, an approximate sphere (SFO) of the head of the bone that substantially fits the spherical portion of the head of the bone; ii) constructing from the 3D image and the approximate sphere (SFO), a 3D surface model (S) of the bone; iii) determining, from the 3D surface model (S) and from the approximate sphere (SFO), an approximate neck axis (AXO) of the neck of the bone; iv) determining, from the 3D surface model (S) and the approximate sphere (SFO), a precise sphere (SF); v) determining, from the 3D surface model (S), the precise sphere (SF) and the approximate neck axis (AXO), a precise neck axis (AX1). |
| US08965105B2 |
Image processing device and method
An image processing device includes; a first detecting unit that inputs a first image and a second image and detects a first positional aberration between the first image and the second image; a correcting unit that corrects the first positional aberration detected by the first detecting unit in the first image; a second detecting unit that detects a direction of the second positional aberration between the corrected first image and the second image; and a determining unit that determines an image orientation at the display of the first image and the second image based on the detected direction of the second positional aberration relating the trial image corresponding to the sparsest blur kernel to the target image. |
| US08965102B2 |
System and method for defect analysis of a substrate
The present disclosure provides a method including providing a first image and a second image. The first image is of a substrate having a defect and the second image is of a reference substrate. A difference between the first image and the second image is determined. A simulation model is used to generate a simulation curve corresponding to the difference and the substrate dispositioned based on the simulation curve. In another embodiment, the scan of a substrate is used to generate a statistical process control chart. |
| US08965101B2 |
Seed sorter
A seed sorter system is operable to sort seeds based on one or more characteristics of the seeds. The system includes a seed loading station operable to isolate individual seeds from a plurality of seeds and load the isolated seeds into a seed tray, an imaging and analysis subsystem operable to collect image data of at least a top portion and a bottom portion of each of the seeds in the seed tray and determine one or more characteristics of each of the seeds, a seed off-load and sort station operable to remove the seeds from the seed tray and sort the seeds to desired receptacles based on the determined one or more characteristics of the seeds, and a seed transport operable to move the seed tray between the seed loading station, the imaging and analysis subsystem, and the seed off-load and sort station. |
| US08965094B2 |
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy pulse sequence, acquisition, and processing system and method
Systems and methods are provided for processing a set of multiple serially acquired magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) free induction decay (FID) frames from a multi-frame MRS acquisition series from a region of interest (ROI) in a subject, and for providing a post-processed MRS spectrum. Processing parameters are dynamically varied while measuring results to determine the optimal post-processed results. Spectral regions opposite water from chemical regions of interest are evaluated and used in at least one processing operation. Frequency shift error is estimated via spectral correlation between free induction decay (FID) frames and a reference spectrum. Multiple groups of FID frames within the acquired set are identified to different phases corresponding with a phase step cycle of the acquisition. Baseline correction is also performed via rank order filter (ROF) estimate and a polynomial fit. Sections of the ROF may be excluded from the polynomial fit, such as for example sections determined to be associated with relevant spectral peaks. |
| US08965092B2 |
Method and apparatus to determine acquisition parameters in dual-energy tomosynthesis
In a control method and a control unit to control a high-energy, tomosynthesis scan in a contrast agent-assisted dual-energy tomosynthesis, image data of a first tomosynthesis scan are evaluated in order to determine the respective greyscale values for all volume segments. A tube current-time product value for every greyscale value is stored in a memory. For every projection angle, a calculation unit can thereupon calculate a tube current-time product value and acquisition parameters and result with which the second high-energy tomosynthesis scan is controlled. |
| US08965087B2 |
System and method of predicting future fractures
Methods of predicting fracture risk of a patient include: obtaining an image of a bone of the patient; determining one or more bone structure parameters; predicting a fracture line with the bone structure parameter; predicting a fracture load at which a fracture will happen; estimating body habitus of the patient; calculating a peak impact force on the bone when the patient falls; and predicting a fracture risk by calculating the ratio between the peak impact force and the fracture load. Inventive methods also include determining the effect of a candidate agent on any subject's risk of fracture. |
| US08965084B2 |
Blood flow computation in vessels with implanted devices
A method for modeling blood flow through a flow diverter includes receiving a medical image containing blood vessels. Vessel geometry is extracted from the received medical image. Inlets and outlets are tagged within the extracted vessel geometry. A desired flow diverter is selected. A model of the selected flow diverter is generated within the imaged blood vessel, the model representing the flow diverter as a tube having a porous surface characterized by a viscous resistance and an inertial resistance. A course of blood flow though the flow diverter is predicted based on the generated model, the extracted vessel geometry, and the tagged inlets and outlets. |
| US08965081B2 |
Method for acquiring hair characteristic data and apparatus for acquiring the same
A method for acquiring hair characteristic data includes an image acquiring step and a data acquiring step. The image acquiring step acquires a cross-sectional image of a human hair 50, in which plural types of fibrous tissues (ortho cell 52a, para cell 52b) constituting cortex cells 52 contained in the human hair 50 are visualized so as to be distinguishable from each other. The data acquiring step acquires numerical information indicating a distribution state of the visualized plural types of fibrous tissues (ortho cell 52a, para cell 52b) from the cross-sectional image. |
| US08965080B2 |
Perfusion imaging
A method includes executing, via a data analyzer (122), computer executable instructions that select, without user interaction, a processing protocol (212) from an electronic repository (210) of protocols based on imaging data and non-imaging data corresponding to the patient, processing, via the data analyzer (122), functional imaging data for a subject with the selected processing protocol (212) under a first processing mode, and performing a plausibility check on the processed data. |
| US08965076B2 |
Data processing system and methods
Methods and systems for analysis of image data generated from various reference points. Particularly, the methods and systems provided are useful for real time analysis of image and sequence data generated during DNA sequencing methodologies. |
| US08965064B2 |
Systems and methods for capturing artifact free images
The present disclosure is directed towards methods and systems for capturing artifact-free biometric images of an eye. The eye may be in motion and in the presence of partially-reflective eyewear. The method may include acquiring, by a first sensor, a first image of an eye while the eye is illuminated by a first illuminator. The first image may include a region of interest. The first sensor may be disposed at a fixed displacement from the first illuminator and a second sensor. The second sensor may acquire, within a predetermined period of time from the acquisition of the first image, a second image of the eye. The second image may include the region of interest. An image processor may determine if at least one of the first and second images include artifacts arising from one or both of the first illuminator and eyewear, within the region of interest. |
| US08965057B2 |
Scene structure-based self-pose estimation
Pose estimation is performed using a scene structure captured in a query image and reference images from a database. Each of the reference images has an associated position estimate. Direction vectors are generated that describe directions between an unknown position of a camera center for the query image and a reference camera center for each reference image based on the query image and the plurality of reference images. The direction vectors may be generated using, e.g., homographies, essential matrices, or fundamental matrices. A pose estimation with six degrees of freedom is determined using the direction vectors and the associated position estimate for each reference image. The pose estimation, for example, may be determined by solving a three-point pose problem using the direction vectors and the associated position estimate for each reference image. |
| US08965054B2 |
Method and system for edge detection
A method executed by a computer system for detecting edges comprises receiving an image comprising a plurality of pixels, determining a phase congruency value for a pixel, where the phase congruency value comprises a plurality of phase congruency components, and determining if the phase congruency value satisfies a phase congruency criteria. If the phase congruency value satisfies the phase congruency criteria, the computer system categorizes the pixel as an edge pixel. If the phase congruency value does not satisfy the phase congruency criteria, the computer system compares a first phase congruency component of the plurality of phase congruency components to a phase congruency component criteria. If the first phase congruency component satisfies the phase congruency component criteria, the computer system categorizes the pixel as an edge pixel, and if the first phase congruency component does not satisfy the phase congruency component criteria, categorizes the pixel as a non-edge pixel. |
| US08965050B2 |
Behavior analysis device
A behavior analysis device has an object extraction portion that processes a frame image of an imaging area being imaged by an imaging device and extracts an object being imaged, a position detection portion that detects a position in the imaging area, for each object extracted by the object extraction portion, a posture estimation portion that estimates an posture of the object, for each object extracted by the object extraction portion, and a behavior determination portion that determines a behavior of the object, for each object extracted by the object extraction portion, based on the position in the imaging area that is detected by the position detection portion and the posture estimated by the posture estimation portion. |
| US08965049B2 |
Function extension device, function extension method, computer-readable recording medium, and integrated circuit
An object recognition unit recognizes, from real-space video data, a body included in the video data. A function setting unit retains function information in which is prescribed a function configured from a pair of operation and processing that can be set for each type of body. In addition, the function setting unit sets, to each body recognized by the object recognition unit, a function that can be set, based on the type of each body. A selection determination unit determines a selected body selected by a user as the body to be operated among the respective bodies recognized by the object recognition unit. An operation determination unit determines the operation that the user has performed on the selected body. A processing determination unit 1107 determines the processing for the operation that has been determined by the operation determination unit among the operations configuring the function set by the function setting unit. |
| US08965047B1 |
Selective viewing of a scene
Among other disclosed subject matter, a computer-implemented method for performing selective viewing of a scene includes acquiring an image of a real scene using a camera. The method includes identifying, in the acquired image, a first object in the real scene located on a first side of a virtual plane defined for the real scene and a second object located on a second side of the virtual plane. The method includes modifying the acquired image by removing image content corresponding to the identified first object, wherein image content corresponding to the identified second object is not removed based on the second object being located on the second side. The method includes displaying the modified acquired image for a person to view the real scene. |
| US08965045B2 |
Image capture
An apparatus including a processor configured to move automatically a sub-set of pixels defining a target captured image within a larger set of available pixels in a direction of an edge of the target captured image when a defined area of interest within the target captured image approaches the edge of the target captured image and configured to provide a pre-emptive user output when the sub-set of pixels approaches an edge of the set of available pixels. |
| US08965038B2 |
Steganalysis with neighboring joint density
Systems and methods for detecting hidden messages and information in digital files are described. In an embodiment, a method of detecting steganography in a compressed digital image includes extracting neighboring joint density features from the image under scrutiny. Steganography in the image may be detected based on differences in a neighboring joint density feature of the image. |
| US08965033B2 |
Acoustic optimization
Apparatus and methods are disclosed for acoustic optimization. An example playback device includes a first transducer to at least one of output sound waves and receive sound waves, a second transducer to at least one of output sound waves and receive sound waves, and an acoustic grille positioned in relation to the first transducer, where the acoustic grille is to reflect sound waves received at a first angle of incidence. |
| US08965029B2 |
Headphone
A headphone includes a housing having a storage space in the interior thereof and a driver unit provided within the storage space movably with respect to the housing. |
| US08965023B2 |
Garment with built-in audio source wiring
An audio source system may be built into a garment to provide wiring from an audio source to earplugs. The wiring is brought from a point of connection to the audio source such as at a pocket and is then brought to the garment opening by tubes such as may be sewn with normal seams in construction of the garment such as side seams, sleeves seams and shoulder seams, and then into a channel at the opening, which may be a simple neck opening or a collared opening or a hood (in which the channel extends around the hood opening). An auxiliary wiring may be connected to allow a second hearing device such as ear buds or earphones. Wiring may be equipped with spring biased coils to allow stretching. |
| US08965021B2 |
Subcutaneous piezoelectric bone conduction hearing aid actuator and system
An implantable bone-conduction hearing actuator based on a piezoelectric element, such as a unimorph or bimorph cantilever bender, is described. Unlike other implantable bone conduction hearing actuators, the device is subcutaneous and once implanted is entirely invisible. The device excites bending in bone through a local bending moment rather than the application of a point force as with conventional bone-anchored hearing aids. |
| US08965020B2 |
Sound processors with light transmissive seals and implantable cochlear stimulation systems including the same
Sound processors with light transmissive seals and systems including such sound processors are disclosed. A seal, formed in part from substantially translucent material and having at least a portion of the substantially translucent material associated with the housing exterior of the sound processor, transmits light from a light emitter carried within the housing to indicate an operational aspect of the sound processor. |
| US08965018B2 |
Power supply voltage from class D amplifier
The present invention relates to a hearing aid comprising a receiver and signal processor circuitry operatively connected hereto. The signal processor circuitry comprises amplifying means (e.g., a Class D amplifier) adapted to generate a switched output voltage for driving the receiver of the hearing aid. Moreover, a power supply unit is included and is adapted to generate a DC output voltage from the switched output voltage. The present invention further relates to an associated method for generating a DC output voltage. |
| US08965015B2 |
Signal processing method, system, and apparatus for 3-dimensional audio conferencing
The present invention discloses a signal processing method, system and apparatus for 3-dimensional (3D) audio conferencing. The implementation is: a server obtains at least one audio stream relative to one terminal; the server allocates identifiers for the obtained at least one audio stream relative to the terminal; and the server combines the obtained at least one audio stream and the identifiers of the at least one audio stream and sends the combination to the terminal. With the technical solution of the present invention, the issue of excessive transmission channels required in the prior art is resolved and the terminal is capable of determining the sound image positions of other terminals freely. |
| US08965010B2 |
Multi-stage amplifiers to reduce pop noise
An amplifier (50) for voice or audio signals, and particularly for headset applications, uses a low gm amplifier (54) for initially charging an output node (OUT) at the beginning of a power-on phase. After charging the output node, a main amplifier (56) is enabled to amplify the voice or audio signal. At power-down, a sample-and-hold circuit (58) drives an output transistor to discharge an AC coupling capacitor (20). Thus, spikes at the output node are eliminated and an external filtering capacitor is not needed. |
| US08965004B2 |
Method for acquiring audio signals, and audio acquisition system thereof
Method for acquiring audio signals is described, wherein a microphone probe (11) equipped with a plurality (Y) of microphone capsules (B) detects a plurality of audio signals, and wherein said detected audio signals are combined together in order to obtain a virtual microphone signal. The latter is generated as a function of characteristic probe data (IRs) measured during a probe characterization step, wherein the signals detected by each microphone capsule (B) are measured following a corresponding predetermined test signal. An audio acquisition system is also described which allows to implement the method. |
| US08964995B2 |
Acoustic diagnosis and correction system
An acoustic monitoring system includes a portable acoustic detection device, a sound analysis device and a confidence level device. The portable acoustic detection device is capable of receiving sound at one or more locations near a sound-producing device. The sound analysis device receives the sound from the portable sound detection device, determines a diagnosis based on a comparison between the sound and pre-recorded sound data, and outputs the diagnosis to the portable acoustic detection device. The sound analysis device also determines a corrective action for inhibiting the sound, which is also output to the portable sound detection device. The confidence level device determines a confidence level of the diagnosis indicating a likelihood that the diagnosis is successfully diagnosed. |
| US08964994B2 |
Encoding of multichannel digital audio signals
A method for coding a multi-channel audio signal representing a sound scene comprising a plurality of sound sources is provided. This method comprises decomposing the multi-channel signal into frequency bands and, per frequency band, obtaining directivity information per sound source of the sound scene, the information being representative of the spatial distribution of the sound source in the sound scene, of selecting a set of sound sources of the sound scene constituting principal sources, of matrixing the selected principal sources to obtain a sum signal with a reduced number of channels and, of coding the directivity information and of forming a binary stream comprising the coded directivity information, the binary stream being transmittable in parallel with the sum signal. A decoding method is also provided that is able to decode the sum signal and the directivity information to obtain a multi-channel signal, to an adapted coder and an adapted decoder. |
| US08964992B2 |
Psychoacoustic interface
An audio imaging method and cognition interface for two-loudspeaker playback is intended for use with standard stereo recordings. The process applies new azimuth-based equalization and phase measurements specifically derived for stereo playback while faithfully interfacing with and eliciting human psychoacoustic localization responses via the Fletcher-Munson loudness effect. The process accurately recovers and reproduces three-dimensional sonic image locations inherently encoded in standard recordings so that a listener may accurately perceive the three-dimensional sound. Sound images are reproduced in at least the forward 180° free-field environment of the listener. The apparatus is designed to allow reproduction of atypical recordings made with closely-spaced microphones if desired. |
| US08964990B1 |
Automating key rotation in a distributed system
A material set, such as an asymmetric keypair, is processed using an associated workflow to prepare the material set for activation and/or use. In one embodiment, a material set is generated and information about the material set is communicated to a workflow manager. Based at least on the information, the workflow manager generates a workflow that when accomplished will allow the material set to be activated and/or used. In another embodiment, a service provider provides a key manager, workflow manager and destination for the key, such as a load balancer that terminates SSL connections. A key can be generated by the key manager, sent through the workflow manager for processing (potentially communicated to third parties such as a certificate authority, if needed) and installed at a destination. |
| US08964985B2 |
Recovery from decryption errors in a sequence of communication packets
A method in a receiver includes receiving from a transmitter a sequence of communication packets, which carry data encrypted with an encryption scheme. The encryption scheme depends on a counter value that is incremented independently by each of the transmitter and the receiver. Attempts are made to decrypt the data of a received packet multiple times using different, respective counter values, to produce multiple respective decrypted outputs. A decrypted output in which the data has been decrypted correctly is identified, the counter value is corrected, and the data of the received packet is recovered from the identified decrypted output. |
| US08964982B2 |
Cryptographic system, cryptographic communication method, encryption apparatus, key generation apparatus, decryption apparatus, content server, program, and storage medium
A cryptographic communication technology that is based on predicate encryption and that can operate flexibly is provided. A conversion rule information pair is determined in advance, which has attribute conversion rule information prescribing a conversion rule for converting attribute designation information to attribute information used in a predicate encryption algorithm and predicate conversion rule information prescribing a conversion rule for converting predicate designation information to predicate information used in the predicate encryption algorithm. One kind of conversion rule information included in the conversion rule information pair is used to obtain first attribute information or first predicate information from input information. The first attribute information or the first predicate information is used for encryption. Encryption information is decrypted with a decryption key generated by using second attribute information or second predicate information obtained from user information by using the other kind of conversion rule information. |
| US08964979B2 |
Identification and handling of data streams using coded preambles
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to identification and handling of data streams using coded preambles. An embodiment of an apparatus includes an interface with a communication channel, transmitter coupled with the interface to transmit one or more data streams via the interface, and a processing element, the processing element to receive one or more data streams for transmission. Upon receiving multiple data streams for transmission of a first type of data, including a first data stream and a second data stream for transmission of the first type of data, the processing element is to select a first preamble for the first data stream and a second preamble for the second data stream, where the first preamble is distinguishable from the second preamble. |
| US08964970B1 |
Phone
An internet protocol telephony device powered by a tablet computer affixed to a housing. The housing includes any of a speaker, a microphone and a camera that are operatively connected to the tablet computer. A handset is also operatively connected to the tablet to offer traditional feeling communication hardware. The tablet offers additional internet and intranet based functionality. |
| US08964968B2 |
System, voice cable assembly, and method for voice communication
Disclosed is a system for voice communication that includes a power supply assembly, at least one handset configured to transmit voice signals, a voice cable assembly communicably coupled with the power supply assembly and the at least one handset, and a main terminal communicably coupled with the voice cable assembly. The voice cable assembly includes a cable harness configured to receive a predetermined power from the power supply assembly and to receive voice signals from the at least one handset. Also, the voice cable assembly includes a voice cable circuit card assembly communicably coupled with the cable harness to receive the predetermined power and the voice signals from the cable harness. The voice cable circuit card assembly is configured to adapt the voice signals by utilizing the predetermined power in order to match a predefined voice requirement. Further disclosed are a voice cable assembly and a method for voice communication. |
| US08964965B1 |
Smart capture
A system for updating a network accessible address book for a user is disclosed. The system includes a network address reference detection agent that detects a network address reference resulting from user interaction with a network addressable device. Network address references include e-mail addresses, SMS addresses, and telephone numbers. After the network address reference detection agent detects an event, a user identity data store is accessed. The user identity data store provides a reverse-lookup of one or more profile elements based upon the network address reference detected by the network address reference detection agent. The system also includes a capture agent for evaluating a business rule based at least on the network address reference. If the business rule is satisfied, the capture agent provides a prompt as to whether the one or more profile elements should be added at least in part to the network accessible address book for the user. |
| US08964964B2 |
Interruptible work reassignment
A contact center is described along with various methods and mechanisms for administering the same. The contact center proposed herein provides the ability to, among other things, mark a work item as interruptible. The work item may receive an interruptible marking when the work item is assigned to an adequately-matched agent rather than a well-matched. Processing of the work item by the adequately-matched agent may be interrupted if the well-matched agent becomes available prior to the work item being completed by the adequately-matched agent. |
| US08964956B2 |
System and method for integrated compliance and contact management
A method and system for integrating compliance and contact management between an origin and destination. An integrated control system can receive or initiate a request for a first communication contact type (e.g. phone call) between an origin and destination, the request including a first destination identifier (e.g. phone number). Depending on applicable mediation rules and lists of prohibited and exempted destination identifiers for the first communication contact type, the connection is either prohibited or allowed. If the first communication contact type is prohibited, a request for an alternate communication type (e-mail, mail, or facsimile) is sent to the same destination based on alternate destination identifiers. The integrated control system will either prohibit or allow the requested alternate communication contact based on one or more applicable mediation rules and lists of prohibited and exempted destination identifiers for each alternate communication contact type. A destination may then “opt-in” to other communication types, including the first communication type, and all mediation rules and lists for each destination identifier associated with the destination can be updated appropriately. |
| US08964955B2 |
Presence-based message waiting indicator and missed calls
Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for using a presence-based network to provide call notification information. According to one embodiment, a method of providing information related to a communication can comprise receiving a publication of one or more presence attributes. The one or more presence attributes can comprise at least one attribute indicating call notification information. A presence profile can be associated with an entity. For example, the entity can comprises a recipient of the communication. The presence profile can be updated based on the received presence attributes. The attribute indicating call notification information can be provided to one or more subscribers to the presence information such as the entity associated with the presence profile, another party to the communication, another authorized principal, etc. |
| US08964953B2 |
Incremental valuation based network capacity allocation
A bid-based network sells network capacity on a transaction-by-transaction basis in accordance with bids placed on transactions. A transaction is the transmission of a quantum of data across at least some portion of the network, where the quantum of data can be as small as a single packet. Bids for network capacity are ranked in order of monetary value, or other criteria relevant to the network service provider. The amount charged to the highest bidder is based on the maximum bid of the next highest bidder. Bids are evaluated on a real-time basis at the time when the link is ready to transmit data. An automated system makes individual bids at each link through which data is transmitted and can take into account additional criteria that can be specified as part of the bid information, including latency and routing requirements. Bid information is passed with data through the network. |
| US08964951B1 |
Apparatus and methods for telecommunication authentication
The present invention is related to telecommunications, and in particular to systems and methods of using telecommunication services for user authentication. Account information is stored for a user, the account information including at least a first phone number associated with the user. A user order is received. A verification phone call is received from the user, the call including charge phone number information. The charge number information is compared to the first phone number to authenticate that the user is associated with the first phone number. Based at least in part on the comparison, the user order is selectively caused to be fulfilled. |
| US08964944B2 |
Systems, methods, and devices for testing communication lines
The invention generally relates to systems, devices, and methods for testing communication lines. In certain aspects, the invention provides systems and devices that include a digital/analog converter configured to operate with a computer processor and memory to send or receive an analog signal over a communication line that includes a plurality of signals having known frequencies. Inbound receiving sub-systems or devices sample the analog signal and measure a quality of the sampled, digital signal to evaluate the communication line. The key differentiator is the recognition that the human mouth and ear are intrinsically analog without encryption. By locating the test device as close to the user as possible, this system incorporates testing of complex communication streams including numerous variables and transforms (e.g. encryption, Analog to digital, Voice over IP, packet switching, ATM, SONET). Ultimately, it provides a simple interface to convert qualitative analysis to quantitative (numerical) analysis. |
| US08964943B2 |
Polymer layer on X-ray window
An x-ray window includes a mount with a support frame and an aperture. A window film has a stack of layers including: a thin film layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of diamond, graphene, diamond-like carbon, beryllium, and combinations thereof; a boron hydride layer; and a polymer layer. The window film, including the thin film layer, the boron hydride layer, and the polymer layer, extends across the aperture and is supported by the support frame. The window film is attached to the support frame, defining a sealed joint. The layers are capable of withstanding a differential pressure of at least 1 atmosphere. The window film is substantially transmissive to x-rays having an energy in the range of 100-20,000 electronvolts. |
| US08964942B2 |
Imaging system using multisource collimation and a method assembly and system for providing multisource collimation
Disclosed is a collimator assembly for a multi-radiation-source medical imaging system (e.g. CT) and a medical imaging system utilizing the collimator. According to some embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a collimator assembly including at least two apertures, which apertures are adjustable substantially synchronously by one or more actuators. |
| US08964939B2 |
Radiation detection device, radiation image acquiring system, radiation inspection system, and radiation detection method
A radiation image acquiring system is provided. An X-ray image acquiring system irradiates X-rays to a subject from an X-ray source, and detects X-rays transmitted through the subject. The X-ray image acquiring system includes a first detector for detecting X-rays that are transmitted through the subject to generate first image data, a second detector arranged in parallel to the first detector with a dead zone region sandwiched therebetween, for detecting X-rays that are transmitted through the subject to generate second image data, and a timing control section for controlling detection timing of the second detector based on a dead zone width of the dead zone region so that first image data to be generated by the first detector and second image data to be generated by the second detector mutually correspond. |
| US08964937B2 |
Methods and systems in radiotherapy
A method of operating a radiotherapy system, comprising: receiving a treatment plan to be carried out using the radiotherapy system; detecting if there is a fault in a component of the radiotherapy system; determining whether the component is needed for delivery of the treatment plan; and if the component is not needed for delivery of the treatment plan, allowing the radiotherapy system to execute the treatment plan. |
| US08964924B2 |
Method and device for clock recovery
A method and a device for processing a signal determine a timing phase over an observation interval of an input signal. A frequency estimation is determined based on the timing phase. A phase correction is determined for the observation interval based on the timing phase and the frequency offset. Then the phase correction is used to adjust the timing of the input signal. Also, a communication system with at least one such device is described. |
| US08964919B2 |
System and method for determining a time for safely sampling a signal of a clock domain
A system and method are provided for determining a time for safely sampling a signal of a clock domain. In one embodiment, a phase estimate of a first clock domain is calculated based on a relative frequency estimate between a second clock domain and the first clock domain and, based on the phase estimate, a first time during which a signal from the first clock domain is unchanging such that the signal is capable of being safely sampled by the second clock domain is determined to generate a first sampled signal in the second clock domain. Additionally, an updated phase estimate is calculated, and, based on the updated phase estimate, a second time during which the signal from the first clock domain is changing such that the signal is not capable of being safely sampled by the second clock domain is determined. During the second time the first sampled signal in the second clock domain is maintained. |
| US08964918B2 |
IC first, second communication circuits each with three communication states
Data is communicated through two separate circuits or circuit groups, each having clock and mode inputs, by sequentially reversing the role of the clock and mode inputs. The data communication circuits have data inputs, data outputs, a clock input for timing or synchronizing the data input and/or output communication, and a mode input for controlling the data input and/or output communication. A clock/mode signal connects to the clock input of one circuit and to the mode input of the other circuit. A mode/clock signal connects to the mode input of the one circuit and to the clock input of the other circuit. The role of the mode and clock signals on the mode/clock and clock/mode signals, or their reversal, selects one or the other of the data communication circuits. |
| US08964915B2 |
Method and apparatus for improving communication rate
A method and an apparatus are provided for improving a communication rate, which are used in a terminal working in a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) state. The method includes: obtaining strength of a first signal received in a first path connected to a first antenna and strength of a second signal received in a second path connected to a second antenna; and adjusting the first path or/and the second path according to a difference between the strength of the first signal and the strength of the second signal, so as to reduce an unbalance degree between the first path and the second path, thereby improving the communication rate. By adopting the present invention, improvement of a rate of an antenna may be achieved by adjusting a balance between the first and second paths. |
| US08964914B2 |
Device, system and method of combining received wireless communication signals
Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of combining received wireless communication signals. For example, a device may include a radio-frequency (RF) combiner to combine first and second wireless communication RF signals of a wireless communication frame received via first and second respective antennas, into a combined signal; and a base-band phase estimator to estimate a phase difference between the first and the second antennas, and to provide to the RF combiner a feedback corresponding to the phase difference, wherein the radio-frequency combiner is to combine the first and the second RF signals according to the feedback. |
| US08964913B1 |
Apparatus and method for selecting antennas based on peak-to-average ratios of received signals
A circuit includes a multiplexer, a first measurement device, and a decision device. The multiplexer is configured to receive signals from antennas, where the signals include (i) a first signal received from a first antenna of the antennas, and (ii) a second signal received from a second antenna of the antennas. The first measurement device is configured to (i) determine a first peak-to-average ratio based on the first signal, and (ii) determine a second peak-to-average ratio based on the second signal. The decision device is configured to, based on the first peak-to-average ratio and the second peak-to-average ratio, signal the multiplexer to select one of the antennas. |
| US08964912B2 |
Adaptive timing recovery via generalized RAKE reception
A method and apparatus for determining operating modes in a receiver is described herein. A delay searcher in the receiver detects a signal image in the received signal. When the receiver is a RAKE receiver, a plurality of RAKE fingers coherently combine time-shifted versions of the received signal at different delays. Alternatively, when the receiver is a chip equalization receiver, an FIR filter coherently pre-combines the signal images in the received signal. A processor determines delays. In particular, the processor generates a first signal quality metric for a single-delay receiver mode, and generates a second signal quality metric for a multi-delay receiver mode. Based on a comparison of the first and second signal quality metrics, the processor selects the single-delay or the multi-delay receiver mode for processing the signal image. |
| US08964911B1 |
Method and apparatus for measuring interference in a communication system
Systems, methods, apparatus, and techniques are provided for receiving signals over a communications channel, generating a plurality of successive estimates of instantaneous interference present in the communications channel at a respective plurality of samples based on the received signals, producing an average interference estimate of the interference channel based on the plurality of successive estimates, and producing a decoded codeword based on i) the average interference estimate and ii) the received signals. |
| US08964909B2 |
Maximizing data rate by adjusting codes and code rates
The present invention provides for making code rate adjustments and modulation type adjustments in a pseudonoise (PN) encoded CDMA system. Coding rate adjustments may be made by changing the number of information bits per symbol, or Forward Error Code (FEC) coding rate. A forward error correction (FEC) block size is maintained at a constant amount. Therefore, as the number of information bits per symbol are increased, an integer multiple of bits per epoch is always maintained. The scheme permits for a greater flexibility and selection of effective data rates providing information bit rates ranging from, for example, approximately 50 kilobits per second to over 5 mega bits per second (Mbps) in one preferred embodiment. |
| US08964907B2 |
Multi-protocol communications receiver with shared analog front-end
According to an example embodiment, a communications receiver may include a variable gain amplifier (VGA) configured to amplify received signals, a VGA controller configured to control the VGA, a plurality of analog to digital converter (ADC) circuits coupled to an output of the VGA, wherein the plurality of ADC circuits are operational when the communications receiver is configured to process signals of a first communications protocol, and wherein only a subset of the ADC circuits are operational when the communications receiver is configured to process signals of a second communications protocol. |
| US08964905B1 |
Low power serial link
The present invention relates to a low power serial link employing differential return-to-zero signaling. A receiver circuit consistent with some embodiments includes an input circuit for receiving differential serial data signals that form a differential return-to-zero signaling and a clock recovery circuit. The clock recovery circuit is coupled to the input circuit and includes a logic gate configured to generate a clock signal by using said differential serial data signals. |
| US08964903B2 |
Methods and apparatus for synchronization in multiple-channel communication systems
Methods and apparatus for processing multichannel signals in a multichannel receiver are described. In one implementation, a plurality of demodulator circuits may provide a plurality of outputs to a processing module, with the processing module then simultaneously estimating noise characteristics based on the plurality of outputs and generating a common noise estimate based on the plurality of outputs. This common noise estimate may then be provided back the demodulators and used to adjust the demodulation of signals in the plurality of demodulators to improve phase noise performance. |
| US08964902B2 |
Method and apparatus for eliminating direct current offset
The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for eliminating direct current offset. The method comprises the steps of: calculating Euclidean distances between every two demodulation symbols of a plurality of demodulation symbols based on Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) modulation; determining four sets from the plurality of demodulation symbols in accordance with the Euclidean distances between the demodulation symbols, each set corresponding to a modulation direction for the QPSK modulation; performing Euclidean distance weighted summation on the determined four sets respectively, and selecting a demodulation symbol with the minimum weighted summation value from each set as a rough estimation point for the QPSK modulation, so as to obtain four rough estimation points; re-determining four sets from the plurality of demodulation symbols in accordance with the Euclidean distances between the demodulation symbols and the rough estimation points; performing Euclidean distance weighted summation on the re-determined four sets respectively, and selecting a demodulation symbol with the minimum weighted summation value from each set as a precise estimation point; and performing direct current offset calculation and compensation in accordance with the precise estimation points. The present invention can improve the demodulation performance of a system. |
| US08964900B2 |
Receiving apparatus, receiving method, and program
Disclosed are a receiving apparatus, a receiving method, and a program capable of shortening time taken in tuning. A broadband signal where a plurality of signals is arranged is received. Control information used to extract a predetermined signal from the broadband signal is obtained from the broadband signal. The obtained control information is stored. After the control information is stored, the stored control information is read when a predetermined signal is extracted from the broadband signal. The predetermined signal is extracted from the broadband signal based on the read control information. This technology is applicable to a receiving apparatus that receives a signal according to a DVB-C2 standard. |
| US08964895B2 |
WLAN transmitter having high data throughput
A wireless local area network (WLAN) transmitter includes a baseband processing module and a plurality of radio frequency (RF) transmitters. The processing module selects one of a plurality of modes of operation based on a mode selection signal. The processing module determines a number of transmit streams based on the mode selection signal. The processing of the data further continues by converting encoded data into streams of symbols in accordance with the number of transmit streams and the mode selection signal. A number of the plurality of RF transmitters are enabled based on the mode selection signal to convert a corresponding one of the streams of symbols into a corresponding RF signal such that a corresponding number of RF signals is produced. |
| US08964892B2 |
Apparatus and method for operating a transmitter
A linear transmitter includes a closed loop feedback path to maintain linearity of a power amplifier subsystem. The closed loop feedback path provides RF injection of one or more reference RF carrier signals (172, 174) combined with a radio frequency (RF) feedback signal (149) to generate a feedback RF error signal (173). A narrowband receiver (170) continuously monitors stability of the feedback RF error signal (173). A loop phase adjusting circuit (188) generates phase adjustments (189) to compensate for instabilities in the closed loop feedback path thereby maintaining stability of the PA RF output signal (146). |
| US08964889B2 |
Device and method for precoding vectors in a communication system
A device and method for precoding vectors in a communication system is provided. A transmitter may precode a data vector using information regarding a communication channel prior to transmitting the data vector. The transmitter may precode the data vector in a manner that reduces an energy value of a resulting transmit data vector so as to minimize interference in a received signal at a receiver. The transmitter may perturb entries of the data vector one-by-one in an iterative fashion until a minimum in an energy value of the transmit data vector is obtained. |
| US08964887B2 |
Wireless transmission device, wireless transmission method, wireless transmission program, and wireless communication system
A wireless transmission device is characterized by including: first interference suppression processing means 71 for generating an interference suppression transmission signal for partially suppressing leakage power of a signal to an interference avoidance band by frequency-domain processing for the signal in a partial frequency band of transmission signals; and second interference suppression processing means 72 for generating an interference suppression transmission signal for suppressing leakage power of a signal to the interference avoidance band by time-domain processing for the signal in a partial or entire frequency band of transmission signals. |
| US08964882B2 |
Method of determining precoding matrix and corresponding communication methods and devices
In order to improve the performance of the precoding scheme for closely-spaced cross-polarized CLA antennas, the invention proposes a new precoding codebook and precoding matrix. The invention also proposes a method for determining precoding matrix based on the new precoding codebook, and corresponding method and device for communicating by using this precoding matrix. The precoding codebook and matrix proposed in the invention has better performance. |
| US08964878B2 |
Method for transmitting channel quality information in a multiple input multiple output system
A method is provided for transmitting channel quality information (CQI) in a MIMO system. A method for allowing a receiver to feed back a CQI value to a transmitter in a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) system includes receiving a transmission (Tx) pilot signal for each Tx antenna from a base station (BS), measuring a first CQI value of a first codeword and a second CQI value of a second codeword on the basis of the pilot signal, and transmitting the first CQI value of the first codeword and the second CQI value of the second codeword to the base station (BS), wherein at least one of the first and second CQI values includes specific information capable of indicating a transmission restriction status of a corresponding codeword. |
| US08964876B2 |
Error compensation transceiver system
A method of compensating for an error and a transceiver system using the method. The method includes determining whether a distortion occurs in data received by a receiving unit; if it is determined that the distortion occurs in the received data, changing at least one of a plurality of transmission parameters of the received data by one step; transmitting the received data using the changed at least one transmission parameter in a transmitting unit; and repeatedly performing the determining, the changing, and the transmitting until it is determined that the distortion does not occur in the received data. |
| US08964873B2 |
Radio communication for reducing the signaling amount in selecting a plurality of beams in pre-coding for enhancing throughput
The signaling amount in selecting a plurality of beams is reduced in pre-coding to enhance throughput. When notification of a beam number is provided in a feedback signal from an user equipment to a radio base station, a superior beam number, having a high quality rank with small time variation, is bound up and fixed for a predetermined time period and notification of only a inferior beam number is provided within the predetermined time period. For example, to select three beams among six beams, first, notification of the superior two beam numbers (beam numbers ‘b’ and ‘c’) is provided. These beam numbers are fixed for a predetermined time period and then notification of only the inferior one beam number (beam number ‘e’) is provided within the predetermined time period. Thus, the signaling amount for providing beam number notification is reduced. |
| US08964871B2 |
Codebook based downlink multi-user interference alignment scheme
A method for operating a receiver having multiple receive antennas to process a signal from a first affiliated transmitter and align interference from a second interfering transmitter includes providing a codebook of predefined matrices. Each predefined matrix has an identifier associated therewith. A first channel matrix and a second channel matrix are assembled for the first and the second transmitters. An equivalent direct channel matrix is determined from the first and second channel matrices, and predetermined reference vectors are selected from a plurality of predetermined vectors. A predefined matrix is selected from the codebook based upon the equivalent direct channel matrix and an identifier for the predefined matrix is fed back to the first transmitter. A signal is received and decoded using a combining matrix derived from the predetermined reference vectors and an inverse of the second channel matrix, thereby reducing interference from the interfering transmitters. |
| US08964866B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting signals using codebooks in a wireless communication system that supports multiple antennas
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for transmitting signals using codebooks in a wireless communication system that supports multiple antennas. A method in which a base station transmits downlink signals according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises the following steps: receiving a first precoding matrix indicator (PMI) and a second precoding matrix indicator from a terminal; determining a first matrix (W1) from a first codebook including precoding matrixes indicated by the first PMI, determining a second matrix (W2) from a second codebook, including precoding matrices indicated by the second PMI, and determining a precoding matrix (W) based on the first matrix (W1) and second matrix (W2); performing precoding on one or more layers, to which the downlink signals are mapped, using the determined precoding matrix (W); and transmitting the precoded signals to the terminal. Each of the precoding matrices included in the first codebook is a block diagonal matrix, and one block has, as compared to the other block, a form multiplied by a predetermined phase value. |
| US08964862B2 |
Transmission method and system
A method for transmitting digital data via a line includes the steps of providing a clock signal and of transmitting the digital data in synchrony with the clock signal, the clock signal having a frequency that is variable over time. |
| US08964859B2 |
3D video decoding apparatus and 3D video decoding method
A 3D decoding apparatus according to the present invention includes: a decoding unit which decodes left-eye and right-eye code signals to generate left-eye and right-eye decode signals; an error determining unit which determines an error of the left-eye and the right-eye code signals; an output determining unit which determines, when there is an error in one of the left-eye and the right-eye code signals, whether the one of the code signals that is determined as including an error has an error data mount equal to or greater than a first threshold; and an output unit which outputs neither the left-eye nor the right-eye code signal when the error data amount is smaller than the first threshold, and outputs only the decode signal obtained by decoding the other of the code signals when the error data amount is equal to or greater than the first threshold. |
| US08964856B2 |
Digital broadcasting system and method of processing data in digital broadcasting system
A digital broadcasting system and a data processing method are disclosed. A receiving system of the digital broadcasting system includes a receiving unit, an SI handler, and a decoding unit. The receiving unit receives broadcast signals including mobile service data and main service data. Herein, the mobile service data may configure a data group, and the data group may include a signaling information region in some of a plurality of data regions. Also, the signaling information region may include TPC signaling data and FIC signaling data. The SI handler acquires channel configuration information of the mobile service data from the broadcast signal using pre-decided IP access information, and extracts encoding format information for each IP stream component within a corresponding virtual channel service RTP-packetized and received from the acquired channel configuration information. The decoding unit decodes the mobile service data of the corresponding IP stream component based upon the extracted encoding format information. |
| US08964849B2 |
Multi-level significance maps for encoding and decoding
Methods of encoding and decoding for video data are described in which multi-level significance maps are used in the encoding and decoding processes. The significant-coefficient flags that form the significance map are grouped into contiguous groups, and a significant-coefficient-group flag signifies for each group whether that group contains no non-zero significant-coefficient flags. If there are no non-zero significant-coefficient flags in the group, then the significant-coefficient-group flag is set to zero. The set of significant-coefficient-group flags is encoded in the bitstream. Any significant-coefficient flags that fall within a group that has a significant-coefficient-group flag that is non-zero are encoded in the bitstream, whereas significant-coefficient flags that fall within a group that has a significant-coefficient-group flag that is zero are not encoded in the bitstream. |
| US08964848B2 |
Motion vector calculation method
When a block (MB22) of which motion vector is referred to in the direct mode contains a plurality of motion vectors, 2 motion vectors MV23 and MV24, which are used for inter picture prediction of a current picture (P23) to be coded, are determined by scaling a value obtained from averaging the plurality of motion vectors or selecting one of the plurality of the motion vectors. |
| US08964845B2 |
Merge mode for motion information prediction
In one embodiment, for a current block of a first frame of digital image data, a list of motion vector prediction information for the current block is populated with candidate motion vector prediction data that includes default motion vector prediction data. In another embodiment, at least a portion of a coded video bitstream is received and a merge flag for a current block in a current frame is decoded. After the merge flag is decoded, at least one merge candidate for the current block is determined. |
| US08964843B2 |
Image processing method, image processing apparatus and computer readable storage medium
An image processing method includes: a frame selection step for selecting a base frame and a reference frame; an image displacement amount calculation step for calculating an image displacement amount between the reference frame and the base frame; a weighting coefficient generation step for generating a weighting coefficient using at least one of an encoding type of the reference frame and the motion information of the encoded moving image data; and an image quality improvement step for improving an image quality of the base frame using the image displacement amount calculated in the image displacement amount calculation step and the weighting coefficient generated in the weighting coefficient generation step. |
| US08964838B2 |
Video coding system using sub-channels and constrained prediction references to protect against data transmission errors
A coding technique is disclosed in which frames of a video sequence are assigned to one of a plurality of sub-channels to be transmitted to a decoder. The frames are coded according to predictive coding techniques such that ordinarily prediction references of the frames in each sub-channel only reach the reference frames that occur within the same sub-channel. Thus, if transmission errors arise with respect to one sub-channel, decoding may occur for another sub-channel until the transmission error is detected and corrected. |
| US08964837B2 |
Regional film cadence detection
The temporal sampling pattern of a sequence of images that represents a moving scene is classified into classes of temporal sampling patterns including “film”, “video” and “still”. Pixels in each image in the said sequence are classified according to the relationship between signed inter-image pixel-value differences f1 and f2 between that image and, respectively, the preceding and succeeding images in the sequence. An initial classification for each pixel may be refined in accordance with the relative numbers of pixels of the image initially classified into each class. |
| US08964835B2 |
Feature-based video compression
Systems and methods of processing video data are provided. Video data having a series of video frames is received and processed. One or more instances of a candidate feature are detected in the video frames. The previously decoded video frames are processed to identify potential matches of the candidate feature. When a substantial amount of portions of previously decoded video frames include instances of the candidate feature, the instances of the candidate feature are aggregated into a set. The candidate feature set is used to create a feature-based model. The feature-based model includes a model of deformation variation and a model of appearance variation of instances of the candidate feature. The feature-based model compression efficiency is compared with the conventional video compression efficiency. |
| US08964834B2 |
Method and apparatus for adaptively encoding and decoding a quantization parameter based on a quadtree structure
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for encoding/decoding an image, and to a method and apparatus for recording a quantization parameter differential value based on a quadtree segmentation in a largest coding unit (LCU), and adaptively predicting a quantization parameter value based on context information of a neighboring coding unit (CU). The method and apparatus for encoding/decoding a quantization parameter based on a quadtree structure may effectively present block information having a quantization parameter differential value based on segmentation information of a CU, and may perform an adaptive prediction of a quantization parameter value using the context information of the neighboring CU such as a block size, block segmentation, quantization parameter value, and the like. |
| US08964832B2 |
Offset type and coefficients signaling method for sample adaptive offset
This disclosure describes techniques for performing sample adaptive offset signaling and coding in a video coding process. Techniques of the disclosure include both a merge-based and prediction-based signaling process for sample adaptive offset information (i.e., offset values and offset type). The techniques includes determining offset information for a current partition, comparing the offset information of the current partition with offset information of one or more neighbor partitions, coding a merge instruction in the case that the offset information of one of the one or more neighbor partitions is the same as the offset information of the current partition, and coding one of a plurality of prediction instructions in the case that the offset information of the one or more neighbor partitions is not the same as the offset information of the current partition. |
| US08964830B2 |
System and method for multi-stream video compression using multiple encoding formats
A computer-implemented system and method are described for performing video compression. For example, a method according to one embodiment comprises: encoding a plurality of video frames or portions thereof according to a first encoding format, the first encoding format being optimized for transmission to a client device over a current communication channel; transmitting the plurality of encoded video frames or portions to the client device over the communication channel; concurrently encoding the first plurality of video frames according to a second encoding format, the second encoding format having a relatively higher-quality compressed video and/or a lower compression ratio than the first encoding format; storing the first plurality of video frames encoded in the second encoding format on a storage device; and making the first plurality of video frames encoded in the second encoding format available to the client device and other client devices for playback of the video stream. |
| US08964828B2 |
Power and computational load management techniques in video processing
Techniques for managing power consumption and computational load on a processor during video processing and decoding are provided. One representative embodiment discloses a method of processing a data stream that includes video data. According to the method, one or more protocols used to create the data stream are identified. The various parsing and decoding operations required by the protocol are then identified and managed based on the available electrical power or available processing power. Another representative embodiment discloses a method of processing a data stream that includes video data. According to the method, one or more protocols used to create the data stream are identified. The various parsing and decoding operations required by the protocol are then identified and managed based on a visual quality of the video or a quality of experience. |
| US08964827B2 |
Adaptation of equalizer settings using error signals sampled at several different phases
An apparatus includes an error sample generating circuit and an adaptation circuit. The error sample generating circuit is generally configured to generate error samples at a plurality of phases. The adaptation circuit may be configured to adjust one or more equalizer settings based upon a data sample and the error samples. |
| US08964816B2 |
Re-configurable receiver architecture for cable transmission
A configurable transceiver and method of operation are disclosed that may dynamically switch between a direct-conversion mode and a direct-sampling mode based, at least in part, upon a frequency component of a receive and/or transmit signal. When in the direct-conversion mode, the transceiver may operate as a direct-conversion transceiver, and when in the direct-sampling mode, the transceiver may operate as a direct-sampling transceiver. For some embodiments, a frequency of the receive signal and/or the transmit signal may be compared with a predetermined frequency threshold value to generate a mode signal, and the mode signal may be used to select between the direct-conversion mode and the direct-sampling mode. |
| US08964807B1 |
Magnesium based gettering regions for gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode devices
In an example, the present invention provides a gallium and nitrogen containing laser diode device. The device has a gallium and nitrogen containing substrate material comprising a surface region, which is configured on either a non-polar ({10-10}) crystal orientation or a semi-polar ({10-10} crystal orientation configured with an offcut at an angle toward or away from the [0001] direction). The device also has a GaN region formed overlying the surface region, an active region formed overlying the surface region, and a gettering region comprising a magnesium species overlying the surface region. The device has a p-type cladding region comprising an (InAl)GaN material doped with a plurality of magnesium species formed overlying the active region. |
| US08964799B2 |
Q-switching-induced gain-switched erbium pulse laser system
The present invention relates to a Q-switching-induced gain-switched erbium pulse laser system, capable of generating erbium laser pulses within the 2.5 μm to 3.0 μm wavelength region, by means of Q-switching operation at 1.6 μm. At first, an Er3+-doped gain medium is pumped and Q-switched at the wavelength region from 1.58 μm to 1.62 μm, so that a Q-switched pulse is formed from the Er3+-doped gain medium. The Q-switched pulse results in an instant positive population inversion between the levels 4I11/2 and 4I13/2 of the Er3+-doped gain medium, followed by a gain-switched laser pulse at the wavelength region from 2.5 μm to 3.0 μm. |
| US08964796B2 |
Structure for electron-beam pumped edge-emitting device and methods for producing same
A semiconductor light emitting device includes a light guiding structure, a light emitting layer disposed within the light guiding structure, and a structure for discharging excess electric charge within the device. The device may be excited by an electron beam, as opposed to an optical beam, to create electron-hole pairs. The light emitting layer is configured for light generation without requiring a p-n junction, and is therefore not embedded within nor part of a p-n junction. Doping with p-type species is obviated, reducing device loss and permitting operation at a short wavelengths, such as below 300 nm. Various structures, such as a top-side cladding layer, are disclosed for discharging beam-induced charge. A single device may be operated with multiple electron beam pumps, either to enable a relatively thick active layer or to drive multiple separate active layers. Cooperatively curved end facets accommodate for possible off-axis resonance within the active region(s). |
| US08964795B2 |
Asynchronous pipelined interconnect architecture with fanout support
Circuits comprising an asynchronous programmable interconnect with fan out support that include a multi-port switch and a first and second buffer-switch circuit, and methods of forming such circuits, are provided. Additional circuits and methods are disclosed. |
| US08964791B2 |
Method and system for low power transmission and data alignment
A method and apparatus automatically maintains a JESD204 serial data link (252) as active by using an idle signal (254) and multiplexer selection circuit (247) to selectively switch signal data samples (246) and dummy samples (0, . . . 0) onto a serial interface input to a JESD module (248) for serialization into a plurality of symbols for transmission over the JESD204 serial data link (252) in response to a transmit clock signal (253) so that serialized symbols generated from signal data samples are transmitted when there are signal data samples available, and serialized symbols generated from dummy samples are transmitted when there are no signal data samples available. |
| US08964786B2 |
Communications in beacon-enabled networks
Systems and methods for designing, using, and/or implementing communications in beacon-enabled networks are described. In various implementations, these systems and methods may be applicable to power line communications (PLC). For example, a method may include identifying one of a plurality of orthogonal superframes. The identified superframe may include beacon slots and contention access period (CAP) slots. The beacon slots may follow a sequence of two or more frequency subbands, and the CAP slots may follow the same sequence of two or more frequency subbands. Also, the sequence of two or more frequency subbands may be distinct from other sequences of two or more frequency subbands followed by other beacon slots and CAP slots within others of the plurality of available superframes. The method may then include communicating with another device using the identified superframe. |
| US08964780B2 |
Sounding in multicarrier wireless communications
A wireless device transmits one or more sounding reference signals in parallel with transmission of at least one of a first preamble and a first packet. The wireless device is configured to not transmit a first sounding reference signal if at least one of the following conditions is satisfied: a) the first sounding reference signal transmission and a second preamble transmission coincide in the same subframe of the same cell group, b) the wireless device has insufficient power to transmit the first sounding reference signal in parallel with at least one of a third preamble and a second packet. |
| US08964776B2 |
Shared use of time slots
The invention relates to a network comprising at least one first client and at least two second clients connected to the first client by a message transmission device, wherein the network is configured such that there is communication between the first client and the second clients in a communication time slot and data can be transmitted between the first client and the second clients in the communication time slot, said communication time slot having at least one first message time slot and one second message time slot, wherein the first message time slot can be used by a selected second client to transmit a message to the first client and the second message time slot can be used by a plurality of second clients to transmit a message to the first client. |
| US08964773B2 |
Method and system for establishing cooperative routing in wireless networks
A system and method is presented for establishing relayed communications involving (1) sending a request message from a source node to a destination node through a plurality of intermediate nodes, (2) receiving the request message at the destination node, and (3) sending an acceptance message from the destination node to the source node through at least a subset of the intermediate nodes, wherein an intermediate node relays the request or acceptance message by receiving the message and re-transmitting the message, and wherein the intermediate node is capable of receiving the message from more than one other intermediate node. |
| US08964770B2 |
Managing mapping in networks
A method for managing mapping in a network includes: programming mapping relationships between a VSAN and a VLAN of a fabric in advance, which include mapping relationships between VSANs and VLANs programmed in advance for each FCoE switch needed by the fabric; obtaining mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs configured currently for all the FCoE switches of the fabric, when obtained mapping relationships are inconsistent with the programmed-in-advance mapping relationships, automatically updating mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs configured in FCoE switches corresponding to the inconsistent mapping relationships, and/or mapping relationships between the VSANs and the VLANs programmed in advance for the FCoE switches corresponding to the inconsistent mapping relationships. |
| US08964769B2 |
Networked computer telephony system driven by web-based applications
A networked telephony system and method allow users to deploy on the Internet computer telephony applications associated with designated telephone numbers. The telephony application is easily created by a user in XML (Extended Markup Language) with predefined telephony XML tags and easily deployed on a website. The telephony XML tags include those for call control and media manipulation. A call to anyone of these designated telephone numbers may originate from anyone of the networked telephone system such as the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone System), a wireless network, or the Internet. The call is received by an application gateway center (AGC) installed on the Internet. Analogous to a web browser, the AGC provides facility for retrieving the associated XML application from its website and processing the call accordingly. The architecture and design of the system allow for reliability, high quality-of-service, easy scalability and the ability to incorporate additional telephony hardware and software and protocols. |
| US08964768B2 |
VLAN numbering in access networks
The invention relates to VLAN numbering in access networks. |
| US08964767B2 |
Packet processing in federated network
Some embodiments provide a novel method for forwarding a packet at a managed switching element in a first domain. The method receives a packet from a local machine. The method encapsulates the packet with a first context identifier that identifies a first logical port of a first logical switching element that couples to machines in both the first domain and a second domain. The first logical port maps to a destination address of the packet. Based on a mapping of the first logical port to a second logical port of a second logical switching element that couples to machines in only the first domain, the method encapsulates the packet with a second context identifier that identifies the second logical port. The method transmits the twice-encapsulated packet out of a port of the managed switching element based on the second context identifier. |
| US08964765B2 |
Mobile handheld multi-media gateway and phone
A system and method for providing a mobile handheld multi-media gateway and phone. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise a first communication interface module that is adapted to communicatively couple the mobile telephone to a mobile telephone communication network. A second communication interface module may be adapted to communicatively couple the mobile telephone to a computer communication network. At least one module may utilize the second communication interface module to communicate with the computer communication network to establish an independent network presence for the mobile telephone on the computer communication network. The mobile telephone may, for example, be established as an autonomous addressable device on the computer communication network. |
| US08964762B2 |
Timing re-synchronization with reduced communication energy in frequency hopping communication networks
In one embodiment, a battery-operated communication device “quick-samples” a frequency hopping sequence at a periodic rate corresponding to a substantially low duty cycle, and is discovered by (e.g., attached to) a main-powered communication device. During a scheduled sample, the main-powered communication device transmits a control packet to be received by the battery-operated communication device, the control packet containing timing information and transmitted to account for worst-case clock drift error between the two devices. The battery-operated communication device responds to the control packet with a link-layer acknowledgment containing timing information from the battery-operated communication device. Accordingly, the two devices may re-synchronize their timing based on the timing information in the control packet and acknowledgment, respectively. |
| US08964760B2 |
Interprocessor communication system and communication method, network switch, and parallel calculation system
A network switch transfers data, which are to be transferred between nodes, in a time-division multiplex manner after allocating the data to slots, which are created by dividing a unit of time into a plurality of sections. An input unit includes a selection unit that selects a buffer unit according to an input slot in order to transfer the data input from the input port to the buffer unit, an input slot correspondence management table that stores a correspondence relationship between the input slots and the buffer units, and input port management information used to control a communication bandwidth of the input port. An output unit includes a multiplexing unit that selects the buffer unit according to an output slot in order for data, which is to be output to the output port, to be transferred from the selected buffer unit to the output port, an output slot correspondence management table that stores a correspondence relationship between the output slots and the buffer units, and output port manage information used to control a communication bandwidth of the output port. |
| US08964759B2 |
Method for direct access to information stored in nodes of a packet switching network
Method for direct access to information stored in the nodes of a packet switching network comprises the steps of: collecting the pointers, corresponding to which the information required for processing the packets belonging to one and the same flow is stored in each node of the network;—constructing a distributed linked data structure (DLDS) in which the pointers are contained inside packets (PI, P2, P3) that traverse the DLDS-aware routers constituting the path between sender (A) and receiver (B) of the flow;—use of the DLDS data structure for direct access to the information stored in a DLDS-aware router, using a pointer of the DLDS contained in the packet in transit;—selection of the pointer of the DLDS contained in the packet in transit based on its position inside said packet, said position being equal to the serial number of the DLDS-aware router in the flow path, and checking of validity by consistency tests. |
| US08964756B2 |
Signaling control method and system for service establishment based on G.709
A signaling control method for service establishment based on G.709 is provided in the present invention, including: a control plane obtaining routing information of an end-to-end service to be established, information of a gateway network element passed by end-to-end service routing and a multi stage multiplexing capability selected for the gateway network element, initiating an end-to-end connection establishment process, and sending an end-to-end connection establishment signaling to nodes passed by the end-to-end service routing, wherein, the end-to-end connection establishment signaling contains the multi stage multiplexing capability selected for the gateway network element passed by the end-to-end service routing, and a corresponding multi stage multiplexing capability is configured on the gateway network element. A signaling control system for service establishment based on G.709 is also provided in the present invention. In the method and system, the interconnection between old devices and new devices is better implemented. |
| US08964753B2 |
Transformation of bi-directional packet flow
A network packet includes a packet key that includes one or more source-destination field pairs. Each source-destination field pair that is included in the one or more source-destination field pairs includes a source field and a destination field. For each selected source-destination field pair, included in the one or more source-destination field pairs, a first section and a second section are selected in the packet key. A source field value is extracted from the source field and a destination field value is extracted from the destination field of the selected source-destination field pair. |
| US08964749B2 |
Method, device and system for establishing a pseudo wire
A method, a device and a system for establishing a Pseudo Wire (PW) are provided. The method includes: receiving, by a switching node, a control message; constructing a first control message according the first FEC information and the routing information in the control message, and sending the first control message to a second terminal node; constructing, by the second terminal node, a second control message, where the second control message includes the second FEC information and the second routing information, and the second FEC information carries identification information of the first terminal node; and sending the second control message to the switching node. In the method, it is unnecessary to manually configure a PW routing table on the switching node or establish a PW routing table dynamically through a routing protocol, and it is unnecessary to configure mapping relations between PW segments manually. This method achieves robust maintenance. |
| US08964748B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for performing flow compilation packet processing
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for performing flow compilation packet processing are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a packet at a packet processing device and determining if the packet is associated with a packet flow previously processed at the packet processing device. If the received packet is determined to be associated with the packet flow, at least one database containing compiled flow programs is queried to locate a compiled flow program previously used to process the packet flow. The method also includes utilizing the located compiled flow program to process the received packet. |
| US08964743B2 |
Methods and arrangements in a packet switched network
The present invention concerns content searches in a distributed environment such as in an IPv6 network. This is achieved by deriving a multicast address from a string associated with the content to be searched. The searching party and the server owning the content use a common function for deriving this multicast address. The content owner listens to this multicast address and the searching party sends requests for the content on that multicast address. |
| US08964742B1 |
Linked list profiling and updating
Linked list profiling and updating techniques define subsets of linked list entries that are executed upon various resource calls. The subsets are defined by linked list profiles. The techniques can add/remove linked list entries to/from these profiles in a flexible update manner, in which a profile table is used to store profiles, or in atomic manner, in which each linked list entry itself contains profile data. Implemented in a communication system network device, the techniques are used to define and update profiles of physical or virtual ports used for packet-based egress and ingress communications. |
| US08964740B2 |
Group signaling using synthetic media access control addresses
Methods, systems and computer program products to communicate using a synthetic Media Access Control (synMAC) addresses are provided. The method includes the step of receiving and storing a first message assigning a first synMAC address. The first synMAC address is distinct from a unique stored Media Access Control (MAC) address. A second message including a second synMAC address is received. The first synMAC address is compared to the stored second synMAC address. The second message is accepted and processed if the first synMAC address is equal to the second synMAC address. In another example, a first device assigns a common synthetic Media Access Control (synMAC) address to multiple devices. The first device then broadcasts a message including the common synMAC address to each of the devices. |
| US08964739B1 |
Self-healing data transmission system and method to achieve deterministic and lower latency
The invention provides a method of simulcasting data fragments sent over a first packet-switched computer network to a trunk network and redistributed over a second packet-switched computer network. A method is provided comprising the steps of providing a trunk network including multiple links including an RF link and a fiber link, wherein all the transmission links transmit data packets to a receiver which will redistribute the earliest data packets with a matching frame check sequence (FCS) over the second packet switched computer network. The method provides for a sender for adding an incremental sender sequence number and sender FCS to the data packets, creating a sender data packet. Transmitting a sender data packet, simulcast over the transmission links, receiving, by a receiver, via the fastest links which may drop or change some bits unintentionally, a sender data packet and receiving, by the receiver, via slower links which are unlikely to drop or change some bits unintentionally, a sender data packet. The method provides for checking, by the receiver, a receiver calculated FCS of the received sender data packet and comparing them to the sender FCS that was added by the sender. Transmitting over the second packet-switched computer network, the first sender data packet with the next sequence number increment after the incremental sender sequence number and verifying sender FCS, verifying, by the receiver, the sender data packets and identifying, by the receiver, a gap between sender data packets, queueing up verified sender data packets when there is a gap in the verified sender data packets and sending all verified sender data packets in sequence order, once the gap is filled by any transmission link. |
| US08964734B2 |
Method and system for communicating content having modified packet headers through a satellite
A communication system 100 includes a content management system 221 determining a programming schedule and a video transport processing system 223 receiving a content file in forming a transport stream from the content file having a plurality of packets, each having a header with a first packet identifier in the header and a data portion. The communication system 100 further includes a content repository 274 storing the content in a satellite transport processing system 250 changing the first packet identifier to a second packet identifier in response to the programming schedule and communicating the transport stream to a user device. |
| US08964731B2 |
Enhanced calling features
Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for scheduling and initiating calls. For example, a request for a prospective call between a caller and a callee can be received via a server. In response to a determination that both the caller and the callee are available, a call between a caller device and a callee device can be automatically initiated. |
| US08964729B2 |
Method, equipment and mobile communication system for realizing explicit call transfer
A method, equipment, and a mobile communication system for realizing explicit call transfer are provided. The method for realizing explicit call transfer includes the following steps. A service centralization & continuity application server (SCC AS) receives a call request sent by a second user equipment (UE), and sends the call request to a third UE, in which an instruction for replacing a call between a first UE and the third UE is carried in the call request. A message returned by the third UE according to the call request is received, and the third UE is controlled to establish a connection with the second UE and to break a connection with the first UE. The third UE is an IP multimedia subsystem centralized service user equipment (ICS UE). |
| US08964725B1 |
Initiating outgoing calls to a VoP terminal from a POTS-based telephone terminal
The present invention provides a terminal adaptor and service node, which cooperate to allow a POTS-based telephone terminal to initiate calls to entities having addresses only associated with a packet network. When the telephone terminal initiates a call to the communication terminal, a reference number is provided to the terminal adaptor. The terminal adaptor will initiate a packet session with the communication terminal by sending an initiation message including the reference number to the service node. The service node will use the reference number to identify the corresponding address. With the address, the service node will aid in establishing the packet session between the terminal adaptor and the communication terminal. The terminal adaptor will support a traditional analog connection with the telephone terminal, and provide the requisite interworking between the analog connection and the packet session to support a call between the communication terminal and the telephone terminal. |
| US08964720B2 |
MIMO OFDMA and preamble design
A method is provided for coupling a plurality of access nodes wirelessly to a plurality of access terminals. The method includes dividing up a carrier frequency into a plurality of subbands; scheduling one or more access terminals to share one of the plurality of subbands; and via one of the plurality of access nodes, first communicating with the one or more access terminals over the one of the plurality of subbands. The communicating includes, within the one of the plurality of subbands, time division multiplexing interlaces corresponding to each of the one or more access terminals. |
| US08964719B2 |
OFDMA with adaptive subcarrier-cluster configuration and selective loading
A method and apparatus for allocating subcarriers in an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) system is described. In one embodiment, the method comprises allocating at least one diversity cluster of subcarriers to a first subscriber and allocating at least one coherence cluster to a second subscriber. |
| US08964716B2 |
Estimating signal characteristics
A method of transmitting an RF signal over a wireless communication network is provided. The method comprises determining a respective weighting factor for each of a plurality of digital signals each corresponding to a respective channel, the weighting factors weighting the digital signals to produce a composite signal intended for transmission as an RF signal via a power amplifier. The method further comprises executing instructions on a processor to dynamically calculate a metric related to the non-linearity of the power amplifier's transfer characteristics for the composite signal using the determined weighting factors. The method further comprises supplying to the power amplifier a signal for transmission as an RF signal and amplifying the signal for transmission at the power amplifier to transmit an RF signal over the wireless communication network via at least one antenna. The method further comprises controlling the transmission based on the metric related to the amplifier non-linearity. |
| US08964708B2 |
Systems and methods for monitoring and controlling remote devices
Systems and methods for monitoring and controlling remote devices are provided. In an embodiment, a system can comprise one or more remotely controlled sensors and actuators. The remote sensors/actuators can interface with uniquely identified remote transceivers that transmit and/or receive data. The embodiment can also comprise a plurality of transceivers each having a unique address, and a controller adapted to communicate with at least one of the transceivers in a preformatted message. A sensor can be associated with at least one transceiver to detect a condition and output a data signal to the transceiver, and an actuator can be associated with a transceiver to receive a control signal and activate a device. Other embodiments are also claimed and described. |
| US08964706B2 |
Communication method and system
A method of co-ordinating communication between a plurality of base stations in a communication system, including designating timeslots where said base stations receive and/or transit co-ordination messages to each other. The system may be an autonomous cellular system and the timeslots may be regularly spaced. |
| US08964705B2 |
For small cell demodulation reference signal and initial synchronization
Described herein is a network element with a processor. The processor is configured to promote transmitting a first physical resource block (PRB) pair that contains a first demodulation reference signal (DMRS) pattern. The processor is further configured to promote transmitting a second PRB pair that contains a second DMRS pattern. The first DMRS pattern is a subset of the second DMRS pattern. |
| US08964704B2 |
System and method of enhanced pilots for improved mobile station positioning
A system and method of enhancing transmission of highly detectable pilots (HDPs). At least one base station transmits at least one cellular signal in which each cellular signal includes repetitive HDP cycles. Each HDP cycle has a duration of N power control groups (PCGs) and includes an HDP period having a duration of M PCGs in which N is greater than M. Traffic and overhead channels are gated during each HDP period. An enhanced HDP symbol is transmitted during a selected HDP period for each set of X HDP cycles of each cellular signal. For single carrier configurations, only one enhanced HDP is transmitted at a time, or multiple HDPs are transmitted in different directions. Standard 1x pilots may be transmitted. The enhanced HDP may be a boosted standard 1x pilot or an additional standard HDP pilot. Multicarrier configurations are described with PCG or sub-chip and/or phase offsets. |
| US08964702B1 |
Controlling wireless device communication
In systems and methods of controlling wireless device communication, a first request is received for a performance of a handover of a wireless device from a first access node shared by a first network operator and a second network operator to a second access node controlled only by the second network operator. A rejection response is sent preventing the performance of the handover, and a handover prevention value is set to prevent the sending of a second request for the performance of a handover of the wireless device from the first access node to the second access node. |
| US08964698B2 |
Link failure detection and interworking system relocation in circuit switched fallback
A method and mechanism to detect failure of an S102 link between an Evolved Packet Core, EPC, network based Mobility Management Entity, MME, and an Interworking System, IWS, in a Mobile Switching Center, MSC, pool deploying Circuit Switched Fallback, CSFB, for the EPC network. A heartbeat message exchange between an MME-IWS pair augments the current standards to provide a simple and direct method to monitor the application layer status of the S102 link between the EPC-based MME and the MSC pool-based IWS. Upon detecting a link failure, message flows can be quickly re-routed to another S102 link or MSC. Reverse use of an A21 Event Notification message from an IWS to MME, or a re-assigned IWS's delayed acknowledgement of an initial call-related message from an MME also augment the current standards to address IWS relocation related message-bouncing in MSC pool-based deployments of CSFB, thereby allowing efficient routing of messages. |
| US08964689B2 |
Method and apparatus for operating multi-band and multi-cell
Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for operating multi-band and multi-cell. An Enhanced Node B (eNB) transmits a synchronization channel and a broadcasting channel for narrow-band user equipments (UEs) through a first band narrower than a system band, the first band being located in a center band of the system band, and transmits a control channel for scheduling a data channel for a first narrow-band UE which is one of the narrow-band UEs through a second band equal to or wider than the first band, the second band not overlapping the first band within the system band. The first band is designed to be matched to a band where the synchronization channel and the broadcasting channel of a host cell using an entire system band are transmitted. |
| US08964686B2 |
Operation of terminal for multi-antenna transmission
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and an apparatus for enabling a terminal to transmit a signal in a wireless communication system. According to one embodiment, a signal transmission method includes: receiving configuration information for multi-antenna transmission from a base station; configuring a multi-antenna transmission mode in accordance with the received configuration information; and transmitting an uplink channel having a plurality of symbols to the base station through multiple antennas. |
| US08964685B2 |
Methods and systems for dynamic spectrum arbitrage
Methods and system are provided for managing and monitoring allocation of RF spectrum resources based on time, space and frequency. A network may be enabled to allocate excess spectrum resources for use by other network providers on a real-time basis. Allocated resources may be transferred from one provider with excess resources to another in need of additional resources based on contractual terms or on a real-time purchase negotiations and settlements. A network may be enabled to monitor the use of allocated resources on real-time basis and off-load or allow additional users depending on the spectrum resources availability. Public safety networks may be enabled to make spectrum resources available to general public by allocating spectrum resources and monitoring the use of those resources. During an emergency, when traffic increases on a public safety network, the public safety networks may off-load bandwidth traffic to make available necessary resources for public safety users. |
| US08964681B2 |
Method and apparatus for user scheduling in multi-user multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication system
A method and apparatus for user scheduling in a multi-user multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication system are provided. The method includes identifying a user group comprising user terminals. The method further includes comparing power consumptions based on the user group. The method further includes scheduling the user terminals based on the comparing. |
| US08964679B2 |
Method implemented in an eNodeB base station
In some implementations, a method implemented in an eNodeB base station (eNB) for a single carrier frequency division multiple access SC-FDMA within a wireless system includes receiving information within an SC-FDMA uplink shared channel signal on a recurring scheduling request resource. The received information comprises a user ID. A message granting at least a portion of an SC-FDMA resource is transmitted to a UE associated with the user ID. |
| US08964674B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting control information in wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. The present invention relates to a method for transmitting ACK/NACK in a wireless communication system in which carrier aggregation is set, and an apparatus therefor. Specifically, the present invention relates to an ACK/NACK transmission method and an apparatus therefor, the method comprising the steps of: receiving information on a plurality of physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resources via upper layer signaling; receiving a transmit power control (TPC) field on a secondary carrier through a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH); receiving data indicated by the PDCCH; and transmitting ACK/NACK for the data, wherein the ACK/NACK is transmitted using a PUCCH resource which is indicated by the value of the TPC field among the plurality of PUCCH resources. |
| US08964672B2 |
Paging in heterogeneous networks with discontinuous reception
A method for operating a UE in a wireless communications network is provided. The method comprises attempting, by a UE configured to operate in a DRX mode and with time domain measurement resource restrictions, to read a paging message in a paging occasion in a restricted subframe during DRX active time. |
| US08964670B2 |
Method for transmitting control information in a wireless communication system using multiple carriers
The present invention relates to a method in which a terminal transmits uplink control information in a wireless communication system using multiple carriers. The method comprises the following steps: receiving, from a base station, indication information that indicates whether or not to use multiple uplink control resources; determining a first uplink control resource on the basis of a specific control channel element (CCE) index of the CCE received from the base station; and, if the indication information indicates to use multiple uplink control resources, applying a predetermined rule to the specific CCE index to determine a second uplink control resource. |
| US08964669B2 |
Method and apparatus for receiving downlink data in multi-carrier system
A method and an apparatus for receiving downlink data in a multi-carrier system are provided. A terminal receives a downlink grant on a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) via a first component carrier, and determines a transmission power of a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) depending on whether a control channel exists in each orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol of a subframe of a second component carrier that is indicated by the downlink grant. Based on the transmission power of the PDSCH, the terminal receives downlink data on the PDSCH indicated by the downlink grant via the second component carrier. When a control channel and a data channel coexist in the same OFDM symbol, the reliability of receiving the control channel can be increased. |
| US08964667B2 |
Air interface selection between nodes in peer-to-peer/ad-hoc networks
Aspects describe pairs of nodes negotiating air interfaces in a peer-to-peer and/or ad hoc network. The negotiation can take into account the capability of each node. The negotiation can be performed on a default link and after negotiation, the nodes can facilitate a communication handoff to the negotiated link. Further, one or more nodes can support multiple air interfaces, wherein nodes that support multiple air interfaces can establish more than one air interface with peer nodes over similar air interfaces or over different air interfaces as a function of negotiation between the nodes. |
| US08964665B2 |
Method of reporting scheduling information
A method of encoding and transmitting information relating to data to be transmitted from user equipment to a base station in a multi-carrier wireless telecommunications network. Each carrier comprises a data channel. The method comprises the steps of: generating an indication of the characteristics of said data to be transmitted; determining an indication of estimated power available to send data on said data channel of each carrier; and encoding a scheduling information message for each carrier, said scheduling information message being generated from the indication of estimated power available to send data on said data channel of that carrier and the characteristics of said data to be transmitted. The encoded scheduling information message for each carrier is transmitted to the base station on two or more carriers. |
| US08964663B2 |
Method and apparatus for signaling paging configurations and channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) configurations
A UE or eNnodeB receives a paging configuration or channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) configuration of a neighbor cell. The configuration enables calculating when the CSI-RS or muting of the neighbor cell will occur. |
| US08964653B2 |
Peer-to-peer device identification and cognitive communication
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate identifying devices in a wireless network and cognitively communicating with devices over utilized frequencies. Devices can be identified by receiving downlink resource assignments related to the devices, evaluating uplink transmissions thereover, and identifying the devices from one or more aspects of the uplink transmissions (e.g., an identifier in the transmission). Moreover, the uplink transmissions can be re-transmitted to a serving device to provide relay functionality for the transmissions. Additionally, peer-to-peer communication with the device and/or other devices can be facilitated by using a portion of available transmission power to re-transmit while using the other portion to transmit peer-to-peer communications. Thus, interference caused by the peer-to-peer communications is mitigated by additionally functioning as a relay using a portion of the transmit power. |
| US08964649B2 |
Configurable random access channel structure for range extension in a wireless communication system
The present invention provides a method involving a configurable random access channel structure. One embodiment of the method includes generating a random access channel burst that includes a cyclic prefix and a selected number of repetitions of a preamble. The number of repetitions is selected based on at least one of a cell radius and a radio transmission frequency. This embodiment of the method also includes transmitting the random access channel burst over an air interface. |
| US08964648B2 |
Systems and methods for providing time and location dependent bandwidth in wireless networks
Systems and methods are described for allocating bandwidth in a wireless network. Entry of subscriber equipment into a wireless network is detected at a base station which typically provides information used to determine geographic location of the subscriber equipment. Based on the determined location, a level of service is selected from a plurality of service levels available to a subscriber and provided. Location can be determined based on information provided by the subscriber equipment, provided by a global positioning system and/or provided by a user of the subscriber equipment. Location of the subscriber equipment can be identified with an activity of a user of the subscriber equipment, including business and non-commercial activity. Selection of the level of service may be further based upon time of day, day of week or upon a date and time of provision of the level of service. |
| US08964646B2 |
Remote transmission system
A virtual broadband transmitting unit includes a stream generator to generate a multiplicity of data streams from an incoming media data stream, 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. |
| US08964643B2 |
Redirection in heterogeneous overlay networks
The disclosure is related to distributing a network load in overlay heterogeneous networks. A call connection request may receive from user equipment. A user preferred network may be identified based on predetermined network access priority information associated with the user equipment. Network redirection may be determined based on the user preferred network. Network redirection information may be created based on the determined network redirection. |
| US08964642B2 |
Communication apparatus, communication control method, and communication system
Provided is a communication apparatus including a first wireless communication part capable of performing wireless communication according to a first communication scheme and a second wireless communication part capable of performing wireless communication according to a second communication scheme that uses a higher frequency band than the first communication scheme, wherein the second wireless communication part determines a reception timing to receive a beacon transmitted according to the second communication scheme based on a time when a predetermined control signal has been received by the first wireless communication part, and forms, at the determined reception timing, a reception beam having a directionality learned in advance. |
| US08964639B2 |
Uplink segmentation
A device (110) receives a radio link control (RLC) protocol data unit (PDU) (740) or service data unit (SDU) (760) to be segmented, defines a padding threshold (840) for a segmentation mechanism, and determines a padding ratio (850) after enhanced dedicated channel transport format combination (ETFC) selection (730). The device selects a first transport block (960) and a second transport block (970) associated with the RLC PDU/SDU (740/760) when the padding ratio (850) is greater than or equal to the padding threshold (840), and generates a modified segmentation of the RLC PDU/SDU (740/760) based on the first and second transport blocks (960/970) when a padding ratio (RTB) associated with the first and second transport blocks (960/970) is less than the padding threshold (840) and a size ratio (STB) associated with the first and second transport blocks (960/970) is within a size threshold (980). |
| US08964629B2 |
Methods and systems for conducting relayed communication
Systems and methods are presented for conducting a relayed communication involving a source node, a plurality of intermediate nodes, and at least one destination node, involving at the source node transmitting a signal associated with the relayed communication on a first medium allocation, at each one of the plurality of intermediate nodes relaying the signal onto a next medium allocation in response to receiving the signal as transmitted on at least one medium allocation up to a current medium allocation, and at the at least one destination node receiving the signal as transmitted on at least one medium allocation up to a last medium allocation, wherein at least one node among the plurality of intermediate nodes and the at least one destination node receives signals associated with the relayed communication from multiple intermediate nodes as transmitted on at least one medium allocation. |
| US08964625B2 |
Dynamic wireless network apparatuses, systems, and methods
Exemplary dynamic wireless network apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed. An exemplary system includes a plurality of wireless-network-enabled devices configured to communicate with one another when within wireless transmission range of one another, one of the wireless-network-enabled devices including a gateway to an established network. A wireless-network-enabled device within the wireless-network-enabled devices is configured to exchange telemetry data with one or more of the other wireless-network-enabled devices when located within the wireless transmission range of the one or more of the other wireless-network-enabled devices, and selectively and dynamically perform, based on the exchanged telemetry data, one or more connectivity operations to form a dynamic wireless network configuration. For example, the device may selectively and dynamically establish an upstream connection to one of the one or more of the other wireless-network-enabled devices, based on the exchanged telemetry data, to form a data transmission path between the device and the gateway. |
| US08964624B2 |
Apparatus and method for buffering packets in a multi-hop relay system supporting hop-by-hop retransmission
A packet buffering apparatus and method in a multi-hop relay system supporting hop-by-hop retransmission are provided. In the buffering apparatus and method, a first buffer buffers a user packet until the user packet is successfully transmitted to a next node, and a second buffer buffers the user packet until the user packet is successfully transmitted to an MS, after the user packet is successfully transmitted to the next node. Accordingly, time delays and transmission costs are reduced. |
| US08964623B2 |
Transmission method of downlink reference signal and apparatus thereof
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and provides a method and an apparatus for transmitting a downlink reference signal in the wireless communication system. The method for enabling a base station to transmit the reference signal to a terminal using layers of 8 or less in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of: transmitting data for the layers of 8 or less through a data domain of a downlink sub frame; and transmitting a reference signal for the layers of 8 or less on a fixed OFDM symbol of the downlink sub frame, wherein the reference signal is a DRS (Dedicated Reference Signal) which demodulates the data for the layers of 8 or less, and the reference signal for the layers of 8 or less is separated into 1st and 2nd groups, and reference signals of the 1st and 2nd groups can be multiplexed in a CDM (Code Division Multiplexing) method on one resource element, respectively. |
| US08964621B2 |
Transmission and reception of a reference signal supporting positioning in a wireless communication network
Techniques for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless network are described. In one design, a UE may generate multiple transmissions of a reference signal at multiple frequency locations. The UE may send the transmissions of the reference signal in multiple symbol periods of at least one subframe. The UE may send at least two transmissions of the reference signal in each subframe, e.g., one transmission of the reference signal in each symbol period of a subframe. Each transmission of the reference signal may cover a portion of the bandwidth of the reference signal and may be sent on a set of contiguous subcarriers at a particular frequency location. The multiple transmissions of the reference signal may cover the entire bandwidth of the reference signal. A location estimate for the UE may be determined based on time of arrivals (TOAs) of the reference signal measured by multiple receiver stations. |
| US08964619B2 |
Network assisted power management
Embodiments of the claimed subject matter provide an approach to managing the power state of wireless network devices in a wireless network. Embodiments include a process for modifying the scheduling of data distribution device by referencing the data buffer in an access point for data intended for a wireless network client operating under a power-saving mode, and re-arranging the distribution queue of the access point to be granted priority for a time which coincides with the delivery of a polling beacon to the power-saving wireless client. Other embodiments include a method to create virtual access points for a particular usage, and to leverage access points in a wireless network for particular usages of devices in range. |
| US08964614B1 |
Method and apparatus for idle mode synchronization
A method and system to manage idle mode operation of a communication device are disclosed. The method includes receiving from the communication device a request to enter idle mode comprising a request to enable automatic renewal of an internet protocol (IP) address currently assigned to the communication device, transmitting, to an IP address allocation unit which allocated the IP address to the communication device, the idle mode request, receiving, from the IP address allocation unit, an idle mode response comprising an IP lease update acknowledgement associated with the idle mode request, transmitting, to the communication device, the idle mode response, enabling automatic renewal of the IP address, configuring an idle mode timer, and transmitting to the IP address allocation unit, an IP lease update request corresponding to the IP address, when the idle mode timer expires and the communication device is in idle mode. |
| US08964613B2 |
Communication method of a transmission apparatus and a reception apparatus
Provided is a communication method of a reception apparatus and a transmission apparatus that may decrease consumption of power by changing an operation state of a corresponding reception apparatus from an awake state to a sleep state when a stream to be transmitted is absent during all or a portion of a transmission opportunity (TXOP). |
| US08964608B2 |
Interference cancellation for division free duplexing or full duplex operation
In full duplex operation, a first signal is transmitted from a wireless device while a second signal in the same frequency band as the first signal is received at the device. A third signal can be generated that accounts for channel characteristics on the transmitted first signal. The third signal can be applied to the received second signal to compensate for interference caused by the transmitted first signal. |
| US08964604B2 |
Conference endpoint instructing conference bridge to dial phone number
Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and devices for improved audio, video, and data conferencing. The present invention provides a conferencing system comprising a plurality of endpoints communicating data including audio data and control data according to a communication protocol. A local conference endpoint may control or be controlled by a remote conference endpoint. Data comprising control signals may be exchanged between the local endpoint and remote endpoint via various communication protocols. In other embodiments, the present invention provides for improved bridge architecture for controlling functions of conference endpoints including controlling functions of the bridge. |
| US08964603B2 |
Method of unified parameter mapping
A method of unified parameter mapping for a communication device comprising a medium access control (MAC) abstraction sub-layer for converging a plurality of media in a network system is disclosed. The method comprises obtaining a unified parameter and value of the unified parameter from an upper layer of the MAC abstraction sub-layer, and a medium type of a MAC layer underlying the MAC abstraction sub-layer, determining a special parameter for configuration of the medium type of the MAC layer and a format of the special parameter according to the medium type of the MAC layer and the unified parameter, and generating value of the special parameter according to the value of the unified parameter and the format of the special parameter. |
| US08964602B2 |
Network communication apparatus, method and program
The present invention filters packets and reduces traffic when communication is performed with a device on a network utilizing the IPv6 protocol. To achieve this, a printer driver operating in a personal computer correlates and stores the name of the communicating party and an address for which communication actually succeeded from among addresses that have undergone name resolution, and uses the stored address in communicating with the same communicating party from then onward. |
| US08964587B2 |
Receiving apparatus and data obtaining method
A receiving apparatus for communication area evaluation includes a receiving unit configured to receive a first signal transmitted from a base station; a delay profile calculation unit configured to calculate a downlink delay profile based on the first signal; and an estimated value calculation unit configured to calculate an estimated cyclic prefix length based on the calculated downlink delay profile. |
| US08964583B2 |
Apparatus and method for measuring channel quality feedback of mobile stations
A measuring device for determining the channel-quality feedback quality of mobile stations contains a base station, a mobile station and a measuring unit. The measuring unit contains at least two antennas and a processing device. The measuring unit and the mobile station receive signals in each case by means of at least two antennas from the same at least two antennas of the base station. The mobile station determines a channel-quality feedback value from the signals it has received. The processing device determines the orthogonality of the signals received by the measuring unit. The processing device determines a channel-quality feedback value from the orthogonality. From this and from the channel-quality feedback value of the mobile station, the processing device determines the quality of the latter. |
| US08964581B2 |
Bandwidth variable communication method, bandwidth variable communication apparatus, transmission bandwidth determination apparatus, transmission bandwidth determination method, node apparatus, communication path setting system, communication path setting
A bandwidth variable communication method is provided that enables effective use of frequency bandwidths in which the bit rate is constant in every optical path. The bandwidth variable communication method includes, when a network management apparatus sets or changes an optical path that passes through plural communication apparatuses, measuring or obtaining an optical signal quality deterioration amount in a route of the optical path; selecting a modulation format in which a spectrum bandwidth is the narrowest from among modulation formats by which transmission is available on conditions of the optical signal quality deterioration amount and a desired bit rate B (bit/s); and exchanging control information between the network management apparatus and a control unit of each communication apparatus on the optical path route. A bandwidth variable communication apparatus receives the control information, and changes a passband based on the received control information. |
| US08964580B2 |
Device topology and capability discovery and reporting techniques
Techniques for the discovery of a topology of varying complexity and discovery of the capability of the devices of the topology include querying a plurality of node devices for node data. At least an initial portion of node data of one or more node devices is received in response to the query. In addition, previously determined node data is retrieved from a cache. The initial portion of node data is correlated to the previously determined node data to deduce node data for one or more node devices within a predetermined period of time. It is to be appreciated that the deduced node data may include node data beyond the initial portion of node data and/or node data for other node devices beyond the initially responding node devices. The deduced node data may then be reported to an operating system. |
| US08964577B1 |
Method and system for indicating a number of page messages in a subsequent page message transmission period
A radio access network (RAN) schedules at least one page message for transmission during a page message transmission period of a synchronous capsule. The at least one page message includes a first number (zero or more) of first-priority page messages followed by a second number (zero or more) of second-priority page messages. The RAN transmits an indication of the first number prior to the page message transmission period. The indication of the first number may be reflected in a time offset between a beginning of the synchronous capsule and a beginning of a predefined time slot, or the indication of the first number may be included in an overhead message in the synchronous capsule. A wireless device that is configured to receive first-priority page messages determines whether to monitor the page message transmission period, and how many page messages to receive, based on the indication of the first number. |
| US08964576B2 |
System and method of reporting in-service performance statistics in layered networks
A system and method of reporting in-service performance statistics in a network. The method includes the steps of a node detecting a problem related to a call connected within the network. A problem notification message is then 5 sent to the MSC. The MSC sends a call release message to one or more nodes within the network. The call release message includes a request to release all resources associated with the call. In response to the release request, the node releases all resources associated with the call. In addition, the node sends a release response message to the MSC. The release response message is 10 modified to include information relating to the call problem, thereby providing network statistics to the MSC. Preferably, the node is a Media Gateway (MGw) which sends a H.248 subtract response message modified to include information on the call problem. |
| US08964574B2 |
Network accessibility to any network attached device during reboot and power loss
A data communication network (DCN) having a plurality of network devices coupled to the DCN with at least one of the network devices having a “boot once” connectivity manager processor (CMP). The CMP receives its power over the DCN rather than from the power applied to the network devices. The CMP can execute special operating system code and maintain network connectivity even if the network device itself is powered off, is being booted or is otherwise non-functional. The CMP is also coupled to the network device's memory so that it may respond to out-of-band polling requests for device status information from network management tools. With CMP, network administrators can monitor the boot process of network devices, determine that a network device is non-functional due to power loss and can maintain an accurate inventory status of spare network devices that are stored un-powered in a spares closet. |
| US08964572B2 |
Determining quality of experience with a network device
A demarcation point device positioned at a customer network to provide the customer network access to a service provider network. The demarcation point device comprises a control unit that transmits one or more service query data packets on the customer network to test at least one service within the customer network. The control unit receives one or more service reply data packets from the customer network in response to transmitting the service query data packets, and determines one or more service statistics based on one or more of the service query data packets and the service reply data packets. |
| US08964571B2 |
Method and apparatus for simultaneous support of fast restoration and native multicast in IP networks
The invention includes a method and apparatus for simultaneously supporting restoration and native multicast at a router in an Internet Protocol (IP) network. In one embodiment, a method includes establishing a point-to-point pseudowire having an endpoint at the router, associating the point-to-point pseudowire with an IP interface, and associating a multicast protocol with the IP interface. The point-to-point pseudowire is adapted for supporting restoration in response to a failure. The association of the multicast protocol with the IP interface enables running of the multicast protocol in a manner that gives an appearance that the multicast protocol is running natively on an IP link. This methodology may be repeated for each of a plurality of routers in an IP network in order to configure the routers to support restoration capabilities and native multicast capabilities such that fast restoration may be provided in response to failure conditions in a manner that is transparent to a multicast protocol providing multicast capabilities for the IP network. In this manner, both fast restoration and native multicast may be supported within an IP network, e.g., in an IPTV network or other types of IP networks supporting other types of services. |
| US08964569B2 |
Generic monitoring packet handling mechanism for OpenFlow 1.1
A method implemented by a network element monitor OpenFlow data flows and enable operations, administration and management (OAM) functionality in OpenFlow. The method inserts OpenFlow OAM packets into an OpenFlow data flow to monitor the OpenFlow data flow, wherein inserted OpenFlow OAM packets have fate sharing with data packets in the OpenFlow data flow. The method comprises the steps of receiving by the network element the OpenFlow OAM packets from a source through a port of the network element, matching by an OpenFlow switch module using a matching structure of OpenFlow data packets received by the network element to identify the OpenFlow OAM packets, and forwarding the identified OpenFlow OAM packets to a flow table or group table of the OpenFlow switch module to aggregate the OpenFlow OAM packets with a corresponding OpenFlow data flow. |
| US08964566B2 |
Creating balanced link-disjoint topologies in a computer network
In one embodiment, each node in a computer network determines a shortest looping ring back to the node through each of its neighbors. Each of these rings may then be marked in a particular direction, ensuring that any ring that shares a link with another ring is marked in such a way that the shared link is in the same direction in each of the rings that share the link. The links that are marked in the particular direction may be stored as part of a first topology. Conversely, the opposite direction on the links (e.g., bidirectional links or parallel unidirectional links) may be stored as a second topology that is link-disjoint from the first topology. |
| US08964565B2 |
Method and router for improved updating of a routing information base
Method for use in updating a routing information base of a node of a network, said routing information base comprising for each destination node of a number of destination nodes in said network a number of paths; wherein an update message with routing information is sent in said network from a first node to a peer of the first node, said first node having a first routing information base; wherein the update message comprises: a selected path for a first destination node of said number of destination nodes, said selected path comprising a next hop node adjacent the first node; at least one routing topology variable derived from the number of paths available for said first destination; said at least one routing topology variable being a measure for the risk on bottlenecks in the selected path. |
| US08964564B2 |
Dynamic reroute of network traffic
In an example embodiment, a method is provided that receives a broadcast of available bandwidth from a first routing device. A congestion of traffic is detected along a downstream path to a second routing device. This second routing device is an immediate downstream neighbor. As such, an alternate path is established to the second routing device by way of the first routing device based on the available bandwidth in the network and a portion of the traffic is transmitted along the alternate path. |
| US08964556B2 |
Methods and apparatus for flow-controllable multi-staged queues
In one embodiment, a method includes sending a first flow control signal to a first stage of transmit queues when a receive queue is in a congestion state. The method also includes sending a second flow control signal to a second stage of transmit queues different from the first stage of transmit queues when the receive queue is in the congestion state. |
| US08964553B2 |
Network impairment unit with bandwidth-constrained packet duplication
An impairment unit, method, and machine readable storage media for emulating network impairments. An impairment unit may include a network interface to receive network traffic from a network and to transmit impaired network traffic to the network. An impairment engine may generate the impaired traffic based on the received network traffic, the impaired network traffic including at least some duplicate packets. The impairment engine may determine a bandwidth available for transmission of duplicate packets based on the received network traffic and may constrain the total length of the duplicate packets to fit within the available bandwidth. |
| US08964550B1 |
AD-hoc wireless communication system with variable ATIM window
A network device including a transceiver and a control module. The transceiver is configured to detect beacons or probe responses transmitted between stations in a network, wherein each of the stations is separate from other ones of the stations, and a first one of the stations includes the network device. The control module is configured to (i) determine a number of active conversations in the network based on the beacons or probe responses, (ii) adjust a length of a window based on the number of active conversations, and (iii) transition between power modes based on the length of the window. During the window, the control module is configured to transmit a frame via the transceiver, and wherein the frame indicates the network device has a packet to transmit to a second one of the stations. |
| US08964548B1 |
System and method for determining network application signatures using flow payloads
A method for profiling network traffic of a network is presented. The method includes obtaining a cohesive flow-set based on a (port number, transport protocol) pair, identifying a statistically representative training set from the flow-set, identifying a network application associated with the (port number, transport protocol) pair, determining a packet content based signature term of the network application based on the training set, generate a nondeterministic finite automaton (NFA) using the signature terms to represent regular expressions in the training set, matching a portion of a new flow to the NFA in real time and identify a server attached to the new flow as executing the network application, and generate an alert in response to the match for blocking the new flow prior to the server completing a task performed using the new flow. |
| US08964544B2 |
Quality of service adjustments to improve network utilization
Devices of a telecommunication network described herein are configured to reduce a service level associated with a quality of service offered by the telecommunication network to a user. The devices may reduce the service level responsive to data consumption by the user exceeding a threshold or responsive to data consumption associated with an application or data type. Also, the devices may be configured to increase a video-conversation-specific service level responsive to determining that a client device of the user is establishing a video conversation. |
| US08964539B2 |
Active queue management for wireless communication network uplink
According to the teachings presented herein, a base station implements active queue management (AQM) for uplink transmissions from user equipment (UE), such as a mobile terminal. The base station, e.g., an eNodeB in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, uses buffer status reports, for example, to estimate packet delays for packets in the UE's uplink transmit buffer. In one embodiment, a (base station) method of AQM for the uplink includes estimating at least one of a transmit buffer size and a transmit buffer queuing delay for a UE, and selectively dropping or congestion-marking packets received at the base station from the UE. The selective dropping or marking is based on the estimated transmit buffer size and/or the estimated transmit buffer queuing delay. |
| US08964538B2 |
Method and apparatus for supporting differentiated performance for multiple categories of packets in a passive optical network
Embodiments of an apparatus including a user network interface configured to receive from a network a packet to be transmitted upstream over a PON are provided herein. The packet is marked with a first category type or a second category type. The apparatus further includes an upstream first in, first out (FIFO) queue configured to store the packet if the packet is marked with the first category type or the second category type. |
| US08964537B2 |
Method and system for egress policy indications
According to one embodiment, a method may include assigning one egress profile identifier out of a plurality of egress profile identifiers to an Ethernet frame based at least on an egress connection identifier (eXid) tag of the Ethernet frame at a traffic manager, receiving the Ethernet frame at a switching element from the traffic manager, receiving metadata at the switching element from the traffic manager, the metadata comprising the assigned egress profile identifier, an internal class of service marker, and an internal congestion marker, and mapping the internal class of service marker and the internal congestion marker to a priority marker and an external congestion marker in the Ethernet frame based on the egress profile identifier. |
| US08964535B2 |
Methods, apparatus and communication network for providing restoration survivability
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for proving protection in a connection oriented packet switched communications network. Embodiments of the invention disclose detecting a fault in a path of the network, the path comprising at least one network resource, determining a new path for the traffic, restoring the traffic to the new path, and determining where the fault has occurred in the path using the management plane to correlate the fault with the at least one network resource using a configuration map of the network. The embodiments of the invention provide for dynamic protection using a management plane in the event of a failure in the network. |
| US08964534B2 |
Monitor/control device and monitor target device
A monitor and control device includes a monitor and control unit transmitting to a monitor target device a monitor and control signal (M&CS) through a M&CS path in a case of a malfunction occurred in a main signal path, and transmits to the monitor target device the M&CS through the main signal path in a case of a malfunction occurred in the M&CS path, the monitor target device including: a first path connection unit connected to the main signal path passing either a main signal in which the M&CS for monitoring and controlling the monitor target device is multiplexed or a main signal in which the M&CS is not multiplexed; a second path connection unit connected to the M&CS path passing the M&CS; and a selection unit selecting whether to perform transmission and reception of the M&CS by either one of the main signal path and the M&CS path. |
| US08964531B2 |
Resilient attachment to provider link state bridging (PLSB) networks
A system for interfacing a client system in a first network domain with a Provider Link State Bridging (PLSB) domain includes at least two Backbone Edge Bridges (BEBs) of the PLSB domain. Each BEB is an end-point of a connection in the first network domain to the client system and an end-point of at least a unicast path in the PLSB domain. An inter-node trunk is provided in the PLSB domain for interconnecting the BEBs. A phantom node is defined in the PLSB domain and is notionally located on the inter-node trunk. Each of the BEBs is configured such that: an ingress packet received from the client system via the connection in the first network domain is forwarded through a path notionally rooted at the phantom node; and an egress packet destined for the client system is forwarded to the client system through the connection in the first network domain. |
| US08964529B2 |
Fast acceptance of diameter peer failover
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method performed by a network node, the method including: receiving a connection request from a peer network node including a peer identifier; determining that the received peer identifier matches an identifier of an existing peer; sending a verification message to the existing peer; setting a timer; when a response the verification message is received before the timer expires: cancelling the timer; and rejecting the received connection request; when the timer expires: closing a connection to the existing peer; and accepting the new connection from the new peer. |
| US08964526B2 |
Method and device for classifying media access control address based on ethernet ring network
The present invention provides a method for classifying media access control (MAC) address based on an Ethernet ring network, and the method comprises: when the Ethernet ring network is carrying out initialization, a node of the ring classifies the MAC address corresponding to a non-ring port in its own forward database (FDB) into a MAC address group, and takes its own MAC address as the index of the MAC address group. A node of the ring broadcasts a message carrying the MAC address group indexed by its own MAC address in the Ethernet ring network; the node of the ring receiving the message completes the classification of the MAC address corresponding to the ring port in its own FDB by adding the MAC address group carried by the message into its own FDB. The present invention also provides a device for classifying media access control (MAC) address based on Ethernet ring network. With the method and device of the present invention, the MAC address refreshing time of a node of the ring is shortened, and the convergence speed of protection switching is improved. |
| US08964523B2 |
Scattered pilot pattern and channel estimation method for MIMO-OFDM systems
A method and apparatus are provided for reducing the number of pilot symbols within a MIMO-OFDM communication system, and for improving channel estimation within such a system. For each transmitting antenna in an OFDM transmitter, pilot symbols are encoded so as to be unique to the transmitting antenna. The encoded pilot symbols are then inserted into an OFDM frame to form a diamond lattice, the diamond lattices for the different transmitting antennae using the same frequencies but being offset from each other by a single symbol in the time domain. At the OFDM receiver, a channel response is estimated for a symbol central to each diamond of the diamond lattice using a two-dimensional interpolation. The estimated channel responses are smoothed in the frequency domain. The channel responses of remaining symbols are then estimated by interpolation in the frequency domain. |
| US08964521B2 |
Method and system for compromise greenfield preambles for 802.11N
Aspects of the invention described herein may enable a greenfield access mode in IEEE 802.11n WLAN systems in comparison to an alternative approach that may not provide greenfield access. The utilization of greenfield access may reduce the portion of time required to transmit data due to overhead comprising preamble fields and header fields. This may enable higher data throughput rates to be achieved. This may further enable more robust transmission of data by enabling comparable data rates to be maintained while reducing the coding rate of encoded transmitted data. The reduction of the coding rate may enable comparable data rates to be maintained for transmission via RF channels characterized by lower SNR while still achieving desired target levels of packet error rates. In another aspect of the invention, mixed mode access may be achieved while reducing the portion of time required for transmitting data due to overhead. |
| US08964513B2 |
Technical or decorative piece associating a transparent material and a silicon based amorphous material and method of manufacturing the same
A transparent substrate (10) made of a transparent material resistant to temperatures higher than 500° C., such as sapphire, includes recesses (13, 14) in at least one of its faces (11, 12) and/or a groove (15) machined into its thickness, that are covered with opaque, translucent or transparent enamel depositions (23 to 30) that may or may not be colored, depending upon the pigments used in the enamel composition. The invention is applicable to a dial of a timepiece. |
| US08964510B1 |
Systems and methods for signal acquisition using predicted environmental context
This disclosure involves methods and systems for a GNSS receiver to ascertain its environmental context and subsequently adjust the signal processing and search algorithms to provide improved acquisition. A rapid pre-scan is performed to determine the presence of relatively strong signals. If no satellites are found in the initial pre-scan, successively more sensitive searches are conducted until at least one satellite is acquired. The information from these pre-scans is used to predict the environmental context of the receiver and correspondingly tailor the parameters for the remaining search operations. |
| US08964509B2 |
Remote communication and control of acoustic detectors
A method of controlling a function of an acoustic detector includes storing a reference power spectrum of a reference acoustic signal, the reference power spectrum being associated with a mode of operation of the acoustic detector; receiving an acoustic sound signal, the acoustic sound signal including a tone and harmonic tones; generating a real-time acoustic power spectrum of the acoustic sound signal responsive to the receiving of the acoustic sound signal; and performing the mode of operation when a comparison of the real-time acoustic power spectrum with the reference acoustic power spectrum indicates that the acoustic sound signal is a control signal. |
| US08964508B2 |
Device for and method of repelling animals
A weather-resistant housing (1 a, 1 b) provides a chamber (1 b) containing an acoustic generator. An acoustic outlet (2) is located, in use, to direct an acoustic signal into air of the animal tunnel/burrow system rather than into ground/soil. The acoustic outlet may be an acoustic tube that extends along a tunnel of a subterranean tunnel system of the species to be deterred so as to form part of that tunnel. The device may be powered by a battery (10). A part of the device that extends above the ground may support a solar panel (5). The acoustic signal represents one or more deterrent communication calls of the species to be deterred. In the case of a water vole or mole, the acoustic signal represents one or more of a distance regulating or territorial call and a defensive call. Two such communication calls may be artificially paired to form the acoustic signal. |
| US08964506B2 |
Networked sonar observation of selected seabed environments
A sonar transducer network for observing a seabed includes a controller. A first transducer assembly includes a first acoustic transducer to convert a first ping to a first electrical signal; and a first transducer processor to receive a first electrical signal from the first acoustic transducer to generate the first transducer data. At least one second transducer assembly is spaced apart from the first transducer assembly. The second transducer assembly includes a second acoustic transducer to convert a second ping to a second electrical signal. The second transducer processor receives the second electrical signal from the second acoustical transducer to generate second transducer data. A network bus communicates first transducer data and second transducer data with the controller. |
| US08964505B2 |
Device and method for determining seismic offset in marine acquisition
Computing device and method for generating an image of a subsurface. The method calculates an offset shift of measured offsets between a seismic source and plural receivers of a streamer. The method includes receiving seismic data recorded underwater by the plural receivers; selecting two pairs of traces from the plural traces and for each pair, calculating a quantity Y that depends on measured offsets of receivers for which the traces were selected, and a quantity X that depends on travel-times and the measured offsets of the receivers for which the traces were selected; calculating a linear relation Y=aX+b, where “a” is a constant and “b” is related to the offset shift; estimating the offset shift from “b”; correcting the measured offsets of the receivers based on the offset shift; and calculating the image of the subsurface based on the corrected offsets. |
| US08964494B2 |
memories and methods for repair in open digit memory architectures
A memory with extra digit lines in full size end arrays with an open digit architecture, which can use the extra digit lines to form repair cells. In one example, folded digit sense amplifiers are connected to an end array with an open digit architecture such that each sense amplifier corresponds to a group of four digit lines. Two digit lines of the group connect to two open digit sense amplifiers and the other two digit lines connect to the corresponding folded digit sense amplifier. A repair method can be performed on memories including the end arrays with folded digit sense amplifiers. A row in a core array including a replaceable IO is activated and a row in an end array is activated. The repair cells in the end array can be sensed by the folded digit sense amplifiers to generate a replacement IO, which is selected rather than the replaceable IO. |
| US08964492B2 |
Tracking mechanism for writing to a memory cell
A circuit includes a tracking write circuit and a write circuit. Various write signals of the write circuit are generated based on tracking signals of the tracking write circuit. The write signals are used in a write operation of a memory cell. |
| US08964484B2 |
For test (DFT) read speed through transition detector in built-in self-test (BIST) sort
A memory operate in a normal mode of operation or a testing mode of operation. In the testing mode of operation, the memory can measure various benchmarks of performance, such as read speed. The memory can perform an asynchronous read operation to read a word of electronic data that corresponds to an address or a page read operation in which multiple asynchronous read operations are performed to read multiple words of electronic data, also referred to as a page of electronic data, that correspond to multiple addresses. The memory can measure a time required, referred to as read speed, to read the word of electronic data or the multiple words of electronic data from the memory. In the normal mode of operation, the memory can perform the asynchronous read operation, the page read operation, an asynchronous write operation in which a word of electronic data is stored into the memory that correspond to the address, or a page write operation in which a page electronic data is stored into the memory that correspond to the multiple addresses. |
| US08964483B2 |
Semiconductor device and memory system
A semiconductor device is disclosed in which a plurality of memory cores are provided on a semiconductor chip. Each of the memory cores comprises: first and second circuit regions and a first and second through electrode groups. a first power supply is supplied in the first circuit region in which a data bus for parallel data is driven, and a second power supply separated from the first power supply is supplied in the second circuit region in which the parallel data and serial data are bidirectionally converted. The first through electrode group includes through electrodes supplying the first power supply to the first circuit region, and the second through electrode group includes through electrodes supplying the second power supply to the second circuit region. |
| US08964481B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and sub-block managing method thereof
A nonvolatile memory device includes a memory block, a row decoder, a voltage generator and control logic. The memory block includes memory cells stacked in a direction intersecting a substrate, the memory block being divided into sub-blocks configured to be erased independently. The row decoder is configured to select the memory block by a sub-block unit. The voltage generator is configured to generate an erase word line voltage to be provided to a first word line of a selected sub-block of the sub-blocks and a cut-off voltage, higher than the erase word line voltage, to be provided to a second word line of the selected sub-block during an erase operation. The control logic is configured to control the row decoder and the voltage generator to perform an erase operation on the selected sub-block. |
| US08964478B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a sense amplifier circuit. The sense amplifier circuit includes a cross-coupled first transistor and second transistor that perform amplification. The sources of the cross-coupled transistors are respectively connected in series with a third transistor and a fourth transistor, and electrical current supply capability of the third and fourth transistors is controlled by a control voltage given to control electrodes of the third and fourth transistors. In a data retaining period, a minimum sub-threshold current necessary for retaining the data is flowed to the third and fourth transistors according to the control voltage, and bit line potential is maintained. |
| US08964476B2 |
Non-volatile memory devices, operating methods thereof and memory systems including the same
Nonvolatile memory devices, operating methods thereof, and memory systems including the same. A nonvolatile memory device may include a memory cell array and a word line driver. The memory cell array may include a plurality of memory cells. The word line driver may be configured to apply word line voltages to a plurality of word lines connected to the plurality of memory cells, respectively. Magnitudes of the word line voltages may be determined according to locations of the plurality of word lines. |
| US08964474B2 |
Architecture for 3-D NAND memory
Apparatuses are described that include stacked arrays of memory cell strings and their methods of operation. Apparatuses include architectures that reduce the use of several common components, allowing greater device density and smaller device size for a given semiconductor area. |
| US08964471B2 |
Secure memory which reduces degradation of data
A method for managing a non-volatile memory may include a first phase of writing data to a first bank of a memory plane of the non-volatile memory, and then a second phase of writing the same data to a second bank of the same memory plane of the non-volatile memory in the case of success of the first writing phase. |
| US08964463B2 |
Read disturb control in a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device having P-type memory cell transistor
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device is provided which includes: a P-type memory cell transistor having a source, a drain, a gate, and a charge storage layer; and a control circuit which, in a case where the P-type memory cell transistor has its threshold greater than or equal to a first value (Vr) and less than or equal to a second value (Vrd), carries out a program operation of injecting electrons into the charge storage layer. |
| US08964461B2 |
Techniques for providing a direct injection semiconductor memory device
Techniques for providing a direct injection semiconductor memory device are disclosed. In one embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for biasing a direct injection semiconductor memory device including the steps of applying a first non-negative voltage potential to a first region via a bit line and applying a second non-negative voltage potential to a second region via a source line. The method may also include applying a third voltage potential to a word line, wherein the word line may be spaced apart from and capacitively to a body region that may be electrically floating and disposed between the first region and the second region. The method may further include applying a fourth positive voltage potential to a third region via a carrier injection line, wherein the third region may be disposed below at least one of the first region, the body region, and the second region. |
| US08964460B2 |
Semiconductor device having a non-volatile memory built-in
A semiconductor device of this invention has an array of non-volatile memory cells, may operate immediately after power activation to write data on and read out the data without reading from an external portion. Further, this invention is free from the lithographic process of the phase-change layer on the manufacturing process. |
| US08964451B2 |
Memory cell system and method
A memory cell system/method incorporating reduced transistor counts and/or improved design-for-manufacturability (DFM) is disclosed. The system/method incorporates cross-coupled feedthru (3410)/feedback (3420) amplifiers to implement memory cell state memory, wherein the feedback amplifier incorporates a multi-state output drive capability (3423) allowing the memory cell to be read/written using only one access device (3430) connected to the output (3412) of the feedthru (3410) amplifier. The multi-state output drive capability (3423) modulates the feedback amplifier (3420) drive strength to enable reading/writing of the feedthru amplifier (3410) state with greatly reduced memory cell input fan-in requirements. The invention anticipates replacement of traditional DP/8T/6T/4T memory cell structures with corresponding 6T/6T/5T/3T memory cell configurations, resulting in a 16%-25% transistor reduction depending on memory array application context. |
| US08964449B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device selects one of a plurality of memory cells as a dummy memory cell. The dummy memory cell is connected to a bit line that is complementary to a bit line connected to a selected memory cell. This technique advantageously compensates capacitance of the bit line. The semiconductor memory device comprises a selected memory cell connected to a first bit line and a first word line, a dummy memory cell connected to a second bit line complementary to the first bit line and a second word line, and a sense amplifier connected to the first and second bit lines and configured to read data stored in the selected memory cell by simultaneously enablement of the first and second word lines. |
| US08964435B2 |
Methods and systems for operating a power converter
A power conversion system for providing power to an electrical grid is described. The power conversion system includes a power converter coupled to a photovoltaic (PV) array and configured to control a PV array voltage. The power conversion system also includes a system controller communicatively coupled to the power converter and configured to select from a first reduced power operating point and a second reduced power operating point when a power available from the PV array is greater than a rated output power of the power conversion system. |
| US08964433B2 |
Insulator integrated power supply
A power scavenging device attaches to an overhead power cable and a support pole. The power scavenging device includes a non-conducting outer body and a first capacitor and a second capacitor that are connected in series forming a voltage divider. A voltage source converter is electrically connected to the output of the power scavenging device. The voltage source converter outputs a regulated power. |
| US08964432B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling circulating current in an inverter system
A power conversion system is disclosed that provides multiphase power, including phase voltages for each phase of the multiphase power. The system comprises a plurality of inverters that generate PWM output voltages based on PWM control signals. A plurality of inductive components is configured to receive the PWM output voltages to generate the phase voltages. The PWM output voltages cause circulating current flows through the inductive components. A voltage controller is employed that is responsive to the phase voltages to generate voltage modulation signals corresponding to the phase voltages. A plurality of current sharing channels are respectively associated with each of the plurality of inductive components and are configured generate current sharing modulation signals in response to the circulating current flows. The PWM control signals are generated based on modulation signals obtained by combining the current sharing modulation signals and voltage modulation signals. |
| US08964427B2 |
Adaptive online filter for DC offset elimination
A phase angle detector with a PLL, a power converter, and a method for reducing offsets in an input signal, in which an adaptive offset processor selectively removes a DC offset component from the input signal to generate a modified signal including a fundamental frequency component and higher order harmonics of the input signal with the DC offset component removed, and the PLL provides a phase angle signal at least partially according to the modified signal. |
| US08964421B2 |
Powering a synchronous rectifier controller
The embodiments herein describe a switched mode power converter. In particular, the embodiments herein disclose a method for powering a synchronous rectifier controller that enables synchronous rectification in the switched mode power converter. The synchronous rectifier controller may be enabled by a regulator circuit or directly from the output voltage. |
| US08964418B2 |
Ultra-low AC-DC power converter to mitigate energy emission
An AC to DC converter system is disclosed in which a conversion circuit for converting an AC input signal to a DC output signal is operably coupled with a communication circuit designed for sensing output indicative of the presence or absence of a load at the DC output. The system is designed so that the conversion circuit operates in an inactive standby state when there is no load, and in an active state for supplying DC power when a load is present. The system is configured to operate using ultra-low power. |
| US08964413B2 |
Two stage resonant converter enabling soft-switching in an isolated stage
A resonant converter comprising: a controllable current source; a resonant tank circuit coupled to the current source; and an isolated buck-type converter coupled to the resonant tank circuit, the isolated buck-type converter having an output, wherein the resonant tank circuit enables switches in the isolated buck-type converter to switch under soft-switching conditions. In some embodiments, the controllable current source is a switch-mode-type current source. In some embodiments, the isolated buck-type converter comprises a half-bridge converter. In some embodiments, the isolated buck-type converter comprises a full-bridge converter. In some embodiments, the isolated buck-type converter comprises a push-pull converter. |
| US08964410B2 |
Transformer with externally-mounted rectifying circuit board
A transformer has two magnetic cores, at least one primary winding unit mounted in the magnetic cores, at least one secondary winding unit mounted in the magnetic cores and two rectifying circuit boards externally mounted beside the magnetic cores. An AC voltage output from the secondary winding unit is transmitted to and rectified by the rectifying circuit board. Therefore, the size of the transformer is compact, and heat energy generated by electronic elements mounted on the rectifying circuit board is effectively dissipated to maintain normal operation of the transformer. Further, since the transmission path from the secondary winding unit to the rectifying circuit board is short, energy loss is reasonably reduced when the transformer is operated under a high frequency situation or a larger current mode. |
| US08964407B2 |
Substrate with built-in electronic component
A substrate with built-in electronic component includes: a core layer that includes a core material and a cavity formed in the core material and containing an insulating material; an insulating layer that includes a ground wiring and a signal wiring and is formed on the core layer; and a plurality of electronic components that each include a first terminal and a second terminal and are stored in the cavity, the plurality of electronic components each having one end portion and the other end portion, the first terminal being formed at the one end portion and connected to the ground wiring, the second terminal being formed at the other end portion and connected to the signal wiring, the plurality of electronic components having at least one of arrangements in which the first terminals face each other and in which the second terminals face each other. |
| US08964405B2 |
Portable electronic device sanitizer
A personal electronic device (PED) sanitization device comprises a compartment configured to receive a PED and a sanitization module configured to emit electro-optical (EO) radiation into the interior of the compartment. The compartment may comprise a support member configured to maintain the PED at a particular position and/or orientation. The support member may be transparent to the EO radiation, such that the entire surface of the PED can be irradiated. The device may further comprise an acoustic conduit to allow sounds generated by the PED to be transmitted outside of the compartment. The conduit may be configured to prevent EO radiation from leaking into the environment. |
| US08964398B1 |
Locking / indication system
A lockable infrastructure included a frame assembly, including a first portion of an electrical connector, configured for use within an IT infrastructure. A module assembly, including a second portion of the electrical connector, is configured to be removably positionable within the frame assembly. A locking system is configured to lock the module assembly within the frame assembly in one of a plurality of locked positions. |
| US08964396B1 |
Rack power and data bus
Aspects of the disclosure relate generally to relates server rack architecture for housing computing components on a plurality of shelves. More specifically, the shelves of a particular rack may each include a power and data bus (“PDB”) pre-configured to support a particular number of devices of the shelf. A PDB may also include a number of power and data connections for blind mating with the devices of the shelf. The PDB may include two blades which extend away from the PDB and blind mate with the main bus bar. Thus, each PDB may route both power and data signals between a main bus bar for the rack and each of the devices of the shelf. A shelf may be reconfigured for a different number of devices by changing the configuration of the PDB. |
| US08964394B2 |
Heating and heat dissipating multi-layer circuit board structure for keeping operating temperature of electronic components
A heating and heat dissipating multi-layer circuit board structure for keeping operating temperatures of electronic components is provided. The outer layer of the multi-layer printed circuit board is in contact with electronic components. The operating temperatures of electronic components are measured through by a temperature measuring circuit. When the operating temperature of at least one electronic component is lower than a default temperature, the heating circuits corresponding to the electronic components are enabled respectively to heat the electronic components through corresponding heat conduction elements. When the operating temperature of at least one electronic component is higher than another default temperature, the heating circuits corresponding to the electronic components are disabled to transfer the heat from the electronic components to the heat conduction elements automatically. Therefore, the structure achieves the goal of keeping the operating temperature of each electronic component in the corresponding environment. |
| US08964393B2 |
Display device
The present invention provides a display device comprising a display panel, a driving chip and a heatsink. The driving chip is used to drive the display panel. The heatsink is thermally connected with the driving chip to dissipate the heat generated by the driving chip. Through the said method, the display device according to the present invention is provided with the heatsink connected with the driving chip to dissipate the heat generated by the driving chip, which improves the stability and reliability of the driving chip. |
| US08964392B2 |
Device for screening an electronic module
A device for screening an electronic module which has electronic components fixed to a printed circuit board and which is connected to a heat sink. The heat sink comprises an electrically conductive material. The printed circuit board has at least one layer composed of electrically conductive material. The heat sink and the printed circuit board serve as screening elements. |
| US08964389B2 |
Electronic component cooling unit and power converting device
An electronic component cooling unit includes a housing having a flow path in an interior of the cooling unit. The flow path circulates a cooling medium. Two surfaces, that is, a top surface and a bottom surface, are located at the housing. Electronic components are mounted to the housing, and side surfaces are located at the housing and surround the top surface and the bottom surface. Multiple opening portions are located at the side surfaces and communicate with the flow path. A closing member closes the opening portion or each opening portion other than the opening portions that corresponds to a supply opening and a discharge opening for the cooling medium. |
| US08964387B2 |
Power converter arrangement and method for operating a power converter arrangement
A power converter arrangement has two static switching element bridges that are alternatively operable and comprise static switching elements. The power converter arrangement has one housing that houses the two static switching element bridges; the housing has one cooling system for the static switching element bridges housed therein. |
| US08964386B2 |
Server system
A server system includes a rack, a server disposed in the rack, an electronic device and a power supply disposed in the rack. The rack includes a first side and a second side opposite to each other, two first brackets, two second brackets and two lateral rails. Each first brackets, disposed at the first side, includes a heat-dissipation part. Each heat-dissipation part includes at least one ventilating perforation. The second brackets are disposed at the second side. The electronic device is disposed between the lateral rails and at the first side. The power supply is disposed between the two lateral rails and at the second side and includes a main body and at least one fan. The main body includes a plurality of through openings facing the ventilating perforations. The at least one fan draws airstreams from the ventilating perforations via the through openings. |
| US08964385B2 |
Air flow system
An apparatus is provided in one example embodiment and includes a faceplate having a plurality of slots arranged on a front portion of the faceplate, a top plate attached to a top portion of the faceplate, and a screen attached to the faceplate and the top plate. A channel may be disposed behind the faceplate and between a bottom surface of the top portion of the faceplate, a bottom surface of the top plate and a top surface of the screen. The screen may include a plurality of openings. In a specific embodiment, the apparatus may be removably attached to a removable line card of a switch. In a specific embodiment, air may be guided through the slots, by a fan operating behind the apparatus, along the channel and through the plurality of openings to one or more heat generating components on the line card. |
| US08964383B2 |
Optimized vent walls in electronic devices
The disclosed embodiments related to a component for use in a portable electronic device. The component includes a wall of the portable electronic device, containing an intake zone that includes a set of intake vents directed at a first angle toward one or more heat-generating components of the portable electronic device. The wall also includes an exhaust zone containing a set of exhaust vents directed at a second angle out of the portable electronic device. |
| US08964379B2 |
Switchable magnetic lock
This document describes techniques using, and apparatuses including, switchable magnetic locks. These techniques and apparatuses can enable low or no power consumption and a seamless design for locking and unlocking of devices one to the other, such as computing devices and peripherals. |
| US08964376B2 |
Handle attachment
A handle attachment including a mounting mechanism configured to couple the handle attachment to a computing machine and a clutch mechanism configured to reposition the handle attachment and lock the handle attachment in at least one position from the computing machine. |
| US08964370B2 |
Desktop case with detachable HDD frames
The present invention discloses a desktop case with detachable HDD frames, wherein the HDD frames are interchangeable and having installation grooves respectively accommodate different numbers of HDDs to meet various HDD configurations involving different HDD quantities and that installed in the different HDD dispositions. Different numbers of HDDs having different functions are respectively installed in the installation grooves of the HDD frames able to accommodate the corresponding numbers of HDDs. Thereby, every HDD frame is utilized efficiently. The user can further detach or interchange the HDD frames to fully utilize the space of the desktop case. Therefore, the present invention provides much flexibility for users to assemble the HDD frames and promotes the space efficiency of the desktop case. |
| US08964369B2 |
Solid-state mass data storage device
In an example, a solid-state data storage system comprises a housing forming an enclosure; a plurality of trays within the enclosure of the housing; a plurality of non-volatile, rewriteable solid-state memory chips mounted to flexible circuit substrates within each of the trays; and a controller configured to apply a power-sequencing scheme that supplies power to active flexible memory strands. |
| US08964367B2 |
Electronic device and image display apparatus
According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a display panel, a first cover which covers a front side of the display panel, a second cover which covers a rear side of the display panel, a plurality of nail portions on an outer circumferential portion of either one of the first cover and the second cover and directed in a same direction, and a plurality of reception portions on an outer circumferential portion of the other one of the first cover and the second cover and engaging with the plurality of nail portions, respectively. |
| US08964357B2 |
Electrochemical cell
An electric double layer capacitor with a low resistance value is disclosed. The electric double layer capacitor includes an electrochemical device in the inside of a housing container and capable of achieving charge and discharge via external terminals, wherein the electrochemical device includes a pair of electrodes, a separator disposed between the pair of electrodes, and an electrolytic solution with which the pair of electrodes and the separator are impregnated; when a volume between the pair of electrodes is designated as Ve, and a volume of a void in an inter-electrode part of the separator disposed between the pair of electrodes is designated as Se, an inter-electrode part void ratio Re is defined as Re=Se/Ve×100 (%); and when a thickness of the inter-electrode part is designated as L2 (μm), and a separator evaluation index Ie is defined as Ie=L2/Re (μm/%), a relation of Ie≦1.0 (μm/%) is satisfied. |
| US08964356B2 |
Dielectric ceramic and laminated ceramic capacitor
A dielectric ceramic which is suitable for use in a laminated ceramic capacitor under a high-temperature environment, such as encountered in, for example, automobile use has a composition represented by the composition formula: (1−x) (Ba1-yCay)mTiO3+xCaTiO3+aRe2O3+bMgO+cMnO+dV2O3+eSiO2 in which Re is Gd, Dy, Y, Ho, and/or Er), 0.001≦x≦0.02, 0.08≦y≦0.20, 0.99≦m≦1.05, 0.01≦a≦0.04, 0.005≦b≦0.035, 0≦c≦0.01, 0≦d≦0.01, 0.01≦e≦0.04 when a, b, c, d, and e are each expressed in terms of parts by mol with respect to 1 mol of (1−x) (Ba,Ca)TiO3+xCaTiO3. This dielectric ceramic can constitute the dielectric ceramic layers of a laminated ceramic capacitor. |
| US08964355B2 |
Multilayer ceramic capacitor and manufacturing method thereof
There are provided a multilayer ceramic capacitor and a manufacturing method thereof, the multilayer ceramic capacitor including: a ceramic body; first and second internal electrodes; first and second external electrodes; and a first insulating layer. |
| US08964352B2 |
Mounting structures for components in electronic devices
An electronic device may be provided with a housing having housing sidewalls. A plate may be connected between a pair of the sidewalls. An audio jack may be mounted to the plate. A microphone may be mounted within the device between the audio jack and a given one of the sidewalls. A vibrator may be mounted between one of the sidewalls and the audio jack using a bracket. The vibrator may have a weight that is tapered along its length. A button may be formed in an opening in one of the housing sidewalls. The button may have a button member with a protrusion that extends through a button opening in the sidewall. A support structure may be interposed between a switch and the button member. The switch may have a portion that extends through an opening in the support structure and that is actuated by the button member. |
| US08964332B1 |
Microwave-assisted magnetic recording head with asymmetric side gap for shingled magnetic recording
Approaches to improving the signal-to-noise ratio in a microwave-assisted magnetic recording hard disk drive over the entire region from the inner diameter to the outer diameter of the disk, especially in the context of shingled magnetic recording, include a narrower side gap on the side opposing a spin torque oscillator offset direction than the side gap in the offset direction, thereby increasing the gradient of the recording magnetic field in the cross-track direction and reducing the track edge noise of the recording pattern. Embodiments include use of a side shield on the side opposing the offset direction that has a higher saturation magnetization than the side shield on the side in the offset direction, thereby further increasing the gradient of the recording magnetic field in the cross-track direction. |
| US08964324B1 |
Magnetic head having improved clearance control
The present disclosure generally relates to clearance control between a magnetic head and a recording medium in a magnetic disk device. A magnetic head comprises an embedded contact sensor, a thermal flying height control element, and a hard disk drive controller. The hard disk drive controller is adapted to control a detection current of the embedded contact sensor and a power applied to the thermal flying height control. The detection current supplied to the embedded contact sensor is optimized so that a change in resistance of the embedded contact sensor is less sensitive relative to the power applied to the thermal flying height control. The resistance of the embedded contact sensor remains unchanged when the power applied to the thermal flying height control is changed to adjust for changes in the clearance. Thus, clearance changes can be detected by monitoring changes in the resistance of the embedded contact sensor. |
| US08964320B1 |
Disk drive defect scanning by writing consecutive data tracks and skipping tracks when reading the data tracks
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of data tracks. A plurality of consecutive data tracks are written, and after writing to the plurality of consecutive data tracks, a first number of the consecutive data tracks are read and a second number of the consecutive data tracks are skipped, wherein the second number of data tracks are interleaved with the first number of data tracks. Defects in the data tracks are detected in response to reading the first number of data tracks. |
| US08964317B2 |
Lens apparatus
A lens apparatus includes a movable optical element, a driving ring rotatable about an optical axis and adapted to drive the optical element by its rotation, and an operating ring coupled to the driving ring and adapted to rotate about the optical axis integrally with the driving ring. The operating ring includes a first partial operating ring fixed to the driving ring by a first fixing mechanism that allows adjustment of the fixing position with respect to the rotational direction and a second partial operating ring fixed to the first partial operating ring in such a way as to cover the first fixing mechanism. The second partial operating ring is fixed to the first partial operating ring by a second fixing mechanism that allows adjustment of the fixing position with respect to the rotational direction. |
| US08964313B2 |
Plastic optical element and method of making the same
To provide a plastic optical element with reduced birefringence.An angle formed by a line segment that connects a gate corresponding part of a core lens to the center of the core lens and a line segment that connects a gate corresponding part of a molded portion to the center of the core lens is greater than or equal to 90 degrees and is less than or equal to 180 degrees when viewed in a direction along the optical axis of the plastic optical element. |
| US08964309B2 |
Image pickup optical system and image pickup apparatus using the same
An image pickup optical system includes in order from an object side, a first lens having a positive refractive power, a second lens having a negative refractive power, a third lens having a positive refractive power, a fourth lens having a positive refractive power, and a fifth lens having a negative refractive power. An aperture stop is disposed nearest to the object side, and the first lens has a biconvex shape. An image-side surface of the third lens has in a peripheral portion, an area of which, a refractive power becomes weaker as compared to a refractive power of a central portion thereof. An object-side optical function surface of the fourth lens has a concave shape, and an object-side surface of the fifth lens has a concave shape. |
| US08964304B2 |
Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus equipped with the same
A zoom lens includes a first lens unit having positive refractive power, a second lens unit having negative refractive power, a third lens unit having positive refractive power, and a fourth lens unit having positive refractive power. During zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, each lens unit moves so that a distance between the first lens unit and the second lens unit increases, and a distance between the second lens unit and the third lens unit decreases. Each of the first lens unit, the second lens unit, and the third lens unit consists of a single positive lens and a single negative lens, and the fourth lens unit consists of a single positive lens. Focal lengths of the entire zoom lens at the wide-angle end and the telephoto end and focal lengths of the first lens unit and the second lens unit are appropriately set. |
| US08964303B2 |
Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus having the same
A zoom lens, in order from an object side to an image side, includes a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, a third lens unit having a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens unit having a positive refractive power, the first lens unit is fixed and at least the second and fourth lens unit are moved during zooming, the third lens unit is configured by a cemented lens formed by cementing a negative lens having a meniscus shape convex towards the object side and a positive lens, the fourth lens unit is configured by a cemented lens formed by cementing a negative lens having a meniscus shape convex towards the object side and a positive lens, and focal lengths f3 and f4 of the third lens unit and the fourth lens unit are appropriately set. |
| US08964302B2 |
Image pickup apparatus having zoom lens
An image pickup apparatus includes a zoom lens and an image pickup element. The zoom lens includes a first positive lens unit, a first negative lens unit, a stop, and a second positive lens unit. For zooming, the first positive lens unit is stationary, the first negative lens unit moves, and the second positive lens unit moves. A position at a telephoto end of the first negative lens unit is on the image side of a position at the wide angle end. A position at a telephoto end of the second positive lens unit is on the object side of a position at the wide angle end. For focusing, the first positive lens unit is stationary. A first positive lens unit object-side system has a negative refractive power. A first positive lens unit image-side system has a positive refractive power. The image pickup apparatus satisfies predetermined conditional expressions. |
| US08964300B2 |
Image display apparatus and head mounted display
An image display apparatus includes: (A) an image forming device; (B) an optical system that converts light emitted from the image forming device into parallel light; (C) an optical device to which the light beams converted into the parallel light by the optical system enter, in which the light beams are guided, and from which the light beams are emitted; and (D) a supporting member that pivotally supports at least the image forming device with respect to the optical device. An assembly of at least the image forming device and the supporting member has a center of gravity at a position apart from the pivoting central axis of the supporting member. At least the image forming device is pivoted with respect to the optical device by gravity. As a result, the image forming device is horizontally held even when the optical device moves. |
| US08964299B2 |
Head-mounted display
A head-mounted display suitable for being disposed in front of at least one human eye is provided. The head-mounted display includes a transmissive type display, a focal length adjusting lens, and a compensation lens. The focal length adjusting lens is located between the human eye and the transmissive type display. The focal length adjusting lens refracts an image displayed by the transmissive type display, so that the image is formed on a retina of the human eye. The transmissive type display is located between the compensation lens and the focal length adjusting lens. |
| US08964298B2 |
Video display modification based on sensor input for a see-through near-to-eye display
This disclosure concerns a near field communication (NFC) device which includes a wrist-worn NFC-enabled electronics device, wherein the wrist-worn NFC enabled electronics device includes a first communications link for communicating with a second NFC-enabled electronics device via NFC protocols, and a second communications link for communicating with an eyepiece via a medium-range communications protocol and receiving control commands. The wrist-worn NFC-enabled electronics device facilitates the transfer of data between the eyepiece and the second NFC-enabled electronics device. The eyepiece comprises optics enabling a see-through display on which is displayed the data. |
| US08964296B2 |
Method for producing a microstructure on a carrier
A method for producing a microstructure on a carrier by: (a) manufacturing a donor foil by forming an embossed structure with elevations and depressions in a first foil material and applying a transfer layer to the embossed structure, (b) manufacturing an acceptor foil by applying an adhesive layer to a second foil material, (c) laminating the donor foil and the acceptor foil by means of the adhesive layer, the transfer layer on the elevations of the embossed structure bonding to the adhesive layer, and (d) transferring the bonded regions of the transfer layer to the acceptor foil by separating the donor foil and the acceptor foil from each other, thereby forming in the acceptor foil a first microstructure from the transferred regions of the transfer layer, and/or forming in the donor foil a second microstructure complementary to the first microstructure. |
| US08964284B2 |
Banded semiconductor optical amplifier
A semiconductor optical amplifier module may include a beam splitter to split an optical signal into two polarization optical signals including a first polarization optical signal with a Transverse Magnetic (TM) polarization provided along a first path of two paths, and a second polarization optical signal with a Transverse Electric (TE) polarization provided along a second path of the two paths; a first rotator to rotate the TM polarization of the first polarization optical signal to TE polarization; a first semiconductor optical amplifier to amplify the rotated first polarization optical signal to output a first resultant optical signal; a second semiconductor optical amplifier to amplify the second polarization optical signal; and a second rotator to rotate the polarization of the amplified second polarization optical signal to output a second resultant optical signal; and a beam combiner to combine the first resultant optical signal and the second resultant optical signal. |
| US08964283B2 |
Reflective display
A display element comprises a cell containing a fluid including a plurality of wells at the bottom of the cell. A luminescent material is within the cell for modulating light incident from the top of the cell and for returning luminescent light; and a dispersion of particles is contained within the fluid. The dispersion of particles is movable between a first state in which the particles are substantially contained within the plurality of wells and a second state in which the particles are distributed between the top and bottom of the cell, to control the intensity of luminescent light returned by the display element. |
| US08964281B2 |
Optical probe
An optical probe includes a laser light source that emits laser light, a collimator lens that converts the laser light into parallel light, a light shape changing section that converts the parallel light into linear laser light, an irradiating section to irradiate an object with a selected part of the linear laser light, an image pickup section that picks up an image of the object based on the laser light reflected from the object, and a controller that controls irradiation of the linear laser light. The linear laser light is composed of a plurality of parts including one end part and the other end part; and the irradiating section irradiates the object with the parts of the linear laser light sequentially from the one end part to the other end part. |
| US08964272B2 |
Transparency template
Various method and apparatus are disclosed for scanning a transparency with a template |
| US08964270B2 |
Image reading apparatus
An image reading apparatus may include multiple detection portions including a first detection portion and a second detection portion. The first detection portion and the second detection portion may be configured to distinguishably detect the insertion of media from one of a first opening and a second opening. In one example, the first detection portion may be disposed along a first conveyance path corresponding to the first opening while the second detection portion may be disposed along a second conveyance path corresponding to the second opening. |
| US08964267B2 |
Image reader detecting leading or trailing end document sheet in response to change in light receiving state
An image reader is provided, which includes a light guide unit forming an optical path to guide light emitted by a first light emitting portion of a first reading unit to a second light receiving portion of a second reading unit, which optical path passes across a feeding path in a detection position such that a document sheet passing through the detection position on the feeding path blocks the light on the optical path, and a controller determining that a leading end or a trailing end of the document sheet passes through the detection position in response to detecting a change in a light receiving state of the second light receiving portion when the document sheet passes through the detection position with the first light emitting portion emitting light and a second light emitting portion of the second reading unit not emitting light. |
| US08964264B2 |
Illuminating device, image reading apparatus including the illuminating device, and image forming apparatus including the image reading apparatus
An illuminating device capable of stably illuminating an irradiated object such as a document while suppressing light loss with a simply structure is provided.An LED array (71) and a reflective plate (73) are disposed sandwiching a slit (St) through which light reflected by a document MS passes and a light-guiding member (72) is disposed on the side of the LED array (71). The light-guiding member (72) includes a direct emission unit (77) disposed between an illumination range y centered on a document reading position and the LED array (71) and an indirect emission unit (78) disposed between the reflective plate (73) and the LED array (71), a light incidence face of the direct emission unit (77) and a light incidence face of the indirect emission unit (78) are disposed at mutually different position around the LED array (71), and the LED array (71) is disposed on a side of an interior angle formed by the light incidence faces. |
| US08964261B2 |
Document reading device and image forming apparatus
A document reading device includes a reading table, an openable member, a detection member, an open and close movement member, a reading member, a reading movement member, and a controller. The reading table, which allows a document to be placed thereon, is covered or uncovered by closing or opening the openable member. The open and close movement member is moved as the openable member is opened or closed. The open and close movement member positioned at the detection position is detected by the detection member. The reading member reads the document on the reading table while being moved by a drive force controlled by the controller. The reading movement member is moved as the reading member is moved. The reading movement member positioned at the detection position is detected by the detection member. |
| US08964258B2 |
Scanners and scanner housings
Scanners and scanner housings are disclosed. An example scanner includes a housing to carry an optical element, the housing having a first support feature, and a printed circuit board having a second support feature to mate with the first support feature of the housing, the printed circuit board to provide vertical support to the housing when the first and second support features are mated. |
| US08964250B2 |
Digital processing for compensating signals emitted by photosites of a colour sensor
The present invention relates to the acquisition of color images by a sensor including a plurality of photosites comprising spectral sensitivities that can to be different between photosites. The invention provides for a digital processing of signals emitted by the photosites, which comprises applying a spatial-chromatic transfer function to said signals, taking into account a variety of spectral sensitivities of the photosites. The sensor can then be devoid of a physical matrix of color filters. Spectral calibration of the sensor is also provided for this purpose, thus comprising the following steps: obtaining spectral sensitivity data of each photosite (S91), building a spatial-chromatic transfer function (S94) taking into account a variety of said spectral sensitivities of the photosites, and applying same to the signals emitted by the photosites in order to compensate for the aforementioned variety of sensitivities. |
| US08964246B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image forming method, image density measuring apparatus, and image density measuring method
An image forming apparatus includes a control section extracting a color composition of each color ranging from a first to an nth color from input image data, on the color composition of an mth color, the m being 1 to n−1, performing a first and a second gamma corrections correcting a gradation of the color composition respectively based on a gamma curve for the mth color to obtain a first corrected gradation value, and based on a gamma curve for an (m+1)th color to obtain a second corrected gradation value, and interpolating the first and the second corrected gradation values to determine an output value for the color composition, on the color composition of the nth color, correcting a gradation of the color composition based on a gamma curve for the nth color to obtain an output value for the color composition. |
| US08964245B2 |
Color plane registration error measurement
A color plane registration error method and system include printing a plurality of predetermined patterns of dots, each predetermined pattern having the respective dots arranged symmetrically around a common center of gravity. The center of gravity of each of the printed patterns and the distances between centers of gravity of respective patterns are determined to measure the color plane registration error. |
| US08964234B1 |
Auto-developing new print queues and print attribute subsets
Methods, devices, and systems process print jobs and identify print job settings originating from sources other than the system's existing set of print queues. These methods, devices, and systems can then identify frequently occurring combinations of such setting values. With these combinations as input, they can create new, additional print queues (that are formed in addition to the existing print queues) that apply these frequently occurring setting values to additional print jobs that are subsequently processed through the additional print queues; or can create attribute subsets which can be presented as menu selections to simplify subsequent creation of print queues, or updating of print queue programming or individual job programming. |
| US08964232B2 |
Image recording system, image recording apparatus, and computer readable medium
When first wireless communication is established, a mobile terminal sends image data specific information for specifying a set of image data to an image recording apparatus by the first wireless communication. When a set of image data associated with the image data specific information corresponding to the image data specific information received by the first wireless communication is stored, an image recording apparatus records an image corresponding to the stored set of image data onto a recording medium. When such a set of image data is not stored, the image recording apparatus receives the set of image data from the mobile terminal by the second wireless communication and records an image corresponding to the received set of image data onto the recording medium. The image recording apparatus then stores the received set of image data and the image data specific information in association with each other. |
| US08964229B2 |
Data transmitting device and image forming apparatus which process and transmit data according to command information and destination address identified from symbol sequence inputted at the time of the transmission
A data transmission device includes: a communication portion that performs a transmission job which transmits data; an input portion that receives, at the time of performance of the transmission job, an input of a symbol sequence obtained by adding command information to a transmission destination address; and a processing portion that identifies a portion indicating the transmission destination address of and a portion indicating the command information of the symbol sequence input at the time of performance of the transmission job, that changes a setting value on the transmission job according to the command information and that makes the communication portion transmit data to a transmission destination corresponding to the transmission destination address. |
| US08964225B2 |
Printing control method, printing control device and printing device with printing data printed according to height of another blank space
The disclosure provides a printing control method, a printing control device and a printing device with printing data printed according to height of another blank space. The printing control method comprises the following steps: receiving printing data; acquiring first printing format information of the printing data, wherein the first printing format information includes a first blank space height; acquiring paper-saving parameter information; obtaining second printing format information according to the first printing format information and the paper-saving parameter information, wherein the second printing format information includes a second blank space height; and printing the printing data according to the second blank space height. With the disclosure, a significant paper-saving effect can be achieved during printing. |
| US08964222B2 |
Facsimile apparatus that connects via session initiation protocol and control method therefor, as well as storage medium
A facsimile apparatus which makes it possible to certainly perform facsimile communication via an IP network. The facsimile makes connection with a communication destination according to Session Initiation Protocol to perform facsimile communication with the communication destination via an IP network. A first connection sequence of starting call connection using a session of performing image communication is executed, and then a second connection sequence of starting call connection using a session of performing voice communication is executed. When one of the first connection sequence and the second connection sequence fails in the call connection, the other of the first connection sequence and the second connection sequence executes the call connection. |
| US08964220B2 |
Mobile devices supporting wireless synchronization over a wireless Network compatible, at least partly, with IEEE 802.11 standard(s)
Wireless synchronization of data or software components over a wireless local area network (WLAN) compatible, at least partly, with IEEE802.11, are herein disclosed and enabled. An information apparatus, such as a laptop, a smart phone, an information pad, or digital camera, may access a WLAN for wireless synchronization with other wireless devices. To set up the wireless synchronization, the user connects the information apparatus to a wireless device over a wired connection (e.g., USB) and selects the wireless device for synchronization. Information associated with the wireless device is saved in the information apparatus. Next, the user connects the information apparatus to the WLAN and, depending on the availability of the wireless device in the WLAN, the information apparatus may lock a wireless connection to the wireless device for wireless synchronization. Operations of the wireless synchronization over the WLAN may be facilitated by a client application in the information apparatus. |
| US08964213B2 |
Communication control method and control program
In a communication environment in which multiple virtual port drivers use a single communication port, a communication control method enables a first virtual port driver and a second virtual port driver that is occupying the communication port to communicate through the same communication port. The communication control method includes executing a communication process in which the first virtual port driver emulates a specific communication port in communication with a first device driver to which the first virtual port driver corresponds. At least when the second virtual port driver occupies the communication port, the communication control method executes a communication process in which the first virtual port driver emulates, for the second virtual port driver, the second device driver to which the second virtual port driver corresponds. |
| US08964212B2 |
Apparatus and method for disallowing devices for print driver printing
An apparatus and method for disallowing devices for print driver printing are disclosed. The method can be in an electronic device including a network connection. The method can include providing a multiple printing device print driver installed on the electronic device where the multiple printing device print driver is a single print driver that provides print access to multiple printing devices for the electronic device. The method can include receiving printing device accessibility rules, where the printing device accessibility rules provide rules for determining which printing devices the electronic device is allowed to print to using the multiple printing device print driver. The method can include discovering printing devices proximal to the electronic device using the network connection and using the multiple printing device print driver to generate discovered printing devices. The method can include filtering the discovered printing devices using the multiple printing device print driver based on the printing device accessibility rules to generate at least one filtered discovered printing device that satisfies the printing device accessibility rules. The method can include displaying the at least one filtered discovered printing device on the electronic device. |
| US08964209B2 |
Printer and printer control method for daisy chain connection
A printer that receives requests to print on plural different media enables efficient system maintenance and system changes. A printer connected in a daisy chain to a host device or a first printer on one side and to a second printer on the other side has a communication unit that receives print request data from the host device or the first printer, and sends the print request data to the second printer; a print unit that interprets the received print request data and executes a printing control process based on the result of data interpretation; and a response unit that generates individual response data for the printer based on the result of the printing control process, generates unified response data from response data received from the second printer and the individual response data, and sends the unified response data to the host device or the first printer. |
| US08964206B2 |
Printing device, management device and management method
A printing device includes an authentication unit, a job input unit configured to receive input of a print job, a printing processing unit configured to perform printing processing for the print job, and an instruction input unit configured to receive input of an instruction on output of a printed matter of the print job. The printing processing in the printing processing unit is controlled in accordance with an instruction from a user successfully authenticated by the authentication unit. The printing device further includes a proxy registration processing unit capable of setting, for the print job, a user different from an issuer of the print job as a user who instructs output of the printed matter, and causes the printed matter to be output when the instruction on output is made by the user set as the user who instructs output of the printed matter. |
| US08964205B2 |
Print control apparatus, inkjet printing apparatus, print control method, and recording medium with data compression/decompression
Compressed data transmitted to a print control apparatus includes break data having information on a compressed size and a decompressed size for each page. When the compressed data is transferred to a decompressing unit, the break data is converted to NOP data. Information on the decompressed size included in each break data is provided to a checking unit. During a period in which a decompression process is performed, a decompression flag is turned on. The checking unit obtains the actual decompressed size by counting a period in which the decompression flag is turned on, to check whether the decompression process has been normally performed. During a period in which the decompressing unit and the checking unit perform processes for a certain page, a reading unit reads compressed data for the next page. |
| US08964203B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image reading apparatus including interfaces that receive commands to transition from power saving modes
An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit; a power supply controller controls the image forming apparatus to operate in a power saving mode, in which supply of power to the image forming unit is cut off, and a normal mode; and a plurality of interfaces that receives a transition command for transitioning from the power saving mode to the normal mode. The power supply controller is configured to perform: an interface-power supply process of supplying power to at least one interface; a determining process of determining whether availability is high or low for an operating interface receiving power supply in the interface-power supply process; and a changing process of changing a power supply target from the operating interface to an idle interface when the availability of the operating interface is determined to be low. |
| US08964197B2 |
Reading apparatus and reading control method that reduces misalignment at a joint between a pixel read before a read-suspension event and a pixel read after the read-suspension event
A reading apparatus includes an image sensor, a movement mechanism including a motor that relatively moves between a document and the image sensor, an encoder that detects information about the relative movement, and a control unit that controls driving of the motor and reading by the image sensor based on the detection by the encoder, wherein when a read-suspension event occurs during the reading, the control unit performs control such that the reading is continued while decelerating the motor, a relative position of a last read pixel with respect to a read position by the image sensor is monitored based on the detection by the encoder, and the driving of the motor is stopped when the read position is determined to reach a stop position set within the last read pixel, and the motor is driven again to resume the reading with a pixel next to the last read pixel. |
| US08964193B2 |
Print controlling terminal apparatus, image forming apparatus, print controlling method of controlling terminal apparatus, and image forming method of image forming apparatus
A print controlling method, an image forming method and a print controlling terminal apparatus are provided. The print controlling method includes receiving a job command to execute a printing job, determining whether accumulative printing is needed based on a ratio of a number of accumulated organic photo conductor (OPC) revolutions to a number of accumulated output pages of the image forming apparatus, if it is determined that the accumulative printing is needed, accumulating and storing data of the printing job, and, if a number of printing pages of entire data accumulated and stored is greater than or equal to a pre-set threshold number of pages, transmitting all the data to the image forming apparatus. |
| US08964191B2 |
Printing apparatus, printing method, control program, and recording medium
A printing apparatus includes (a) a pass-over processing section for managing print processing order of the jobs, and for controlling the image forming section such that a shortage job is skipped and the print processing is carried out with respect to each of succeeding jobs coming after the shortage job in the print processing order, the shortage job being a job which is so judged by the device condition managing section as to cause a shortage of the source; and (b) a proximate job judgment section for judging whether or not the shortage job and a proximate job need to be consecutively print-processed, by comparing (i) job information included in the shortage job with (ii) job information of the proximate job. In cases where the proximate job judgment section judges that the shortage job and the proximate job need to be sequentially print-processed, the pass-over processing section controls the image forming section such that the shortage job, judged to be print-processed in continuity with the proximate job, is not skipped for print processing with respect to the succeeding jobs coming after the shortage job, until completion of the print processing of the shortage job. |
| US08964188B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining the surface topography of coated reflective surfaces
The invention relates to the field of measurement technology and concerns a method and an apparatus, such as may be used, by way of example, in thin-layer technology for organic dielectric semi-conducting or conducting layers on substrates.The object of the invention is to indicate a method and an apparatus with which both the surface topography of the coating and that of the surface may be determined independently of one another, at the same position.The object is achieved by a method wherein the three-dimensional topography of the coating is determined using chromatic white light measurement and, subsequently, the thickness of the coating is determined using UV interferometry, and the surface topography of the coated surface is determined by a comparison with the overall dimensions of the coated surface.The object is further achieved by an apparatus wherein an apparatus for chromatic white light measurement and an apparatus for UV interferometry are disposed on a test bench. |
| US08964178B2 |
Method and system for use in monitoring properties of patterned structures
A method and system are presented for use in characterizing properties of an article having a structure comprising a multiplicity of sites comprising different periodic patterns, where method includes providing a theoretical model of prediction indicative of optical properties of different stacks defined by geometrical and material parameters of corresponding sites, said sites being common in at least one of geometrical parameter and material parameter; performing optical measurements on at least two different stacks of the article and generating optical measured data indicative of the geometrical parameters and material composition parameters for each of the measured stacks; processing the optical measured data, said processing comprising simultaneously fitting said optical measured data for the multiple measured stacks with said theoretical model and extracting said at least one common parameter, thereby enabling to characterize the properties of the multi-layer structure within the single article. |
| US08964177B2 |
Method and apparatus to illuminate sample and containing vessel in a light scattering detector
A method and apparatus for the illumination of a sample are disclosed. An imaging illumination light source is directed to pass through an absorbing/transmitting structure in order to illuminate the sample and any containing vessel. A diffuser may aid in properly dispersing the light from the imaging illumination source. A light sensitive detector such as a camera records an image therefrom. The beam from a light scattering source is directed through the sample and any containing vessel, and upon exiting the sample/vessel, impinges upon the absorbing/transmitting structure selected to absorb at the wavelength of the light scattering source. Scattered light from the sample is collected by a photo detector. Methods of use for the novel lighting system are also disclosed. |
| US08964174B2 |
Marking and defect recognition procedure in prepreg material
A defect recognition procedure in prepreg materials (1) draws a first transversal cross line (4b) at the beginning boundary (3b) of a defective area (2) in a prepreg material (1). A second transversal cross line (4e) at the end boundary (3e) of a defective area (2) is drawn as well. The cross lines (4b, 4e) form an angle (α) with respect to the prepreg material (1) motion direction (5).Each transversal cross line (4b, 4e) delimiting the beginning and the end of a defective area (2) has identification codes (Bi, Ei). |
| US08964173B2 |
Maskless exposure apparatus and spot beam position measurement method using the same
A maskless exposure apparatus which precisely and rapidly measures positions of spot beams of a plurality of optical systems by calculating positions of respective BMSs using a plurality of FMs engraved on an FBA on a movable table. The centers of the respective BMSs are aligned with the centers of random FMs of the plurality of FMs. Thereafter, positions of spot beams irradiated from the plurality of optical systems are quickly and precisely measured using the positions of the respective BMSs and the positions of the FMs measured by the BMSs, thereby more quickly generating mask data to execute maskless exposures. |
| US08964163B2 |
Immersion lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method with a projection system having a part movable relative to another part
A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed where at least part of a space between a projection system of the apparatus and a substrate is filled with a liquid by a liquid supply system. The projection system is separated into two separate physical parts. With substantially no direct connection between the two parts of the projection system, vibrations induced in a first of the two parts by coupling of forces through the liquid filling the space when the substrate moves relative to the liquid supply system affects substantially only the first part of the projection system and not the other second part. |
| US08964160B2 |
Substrate assembly and liquid crystal display panel
A substrate assembly including a first substrate, a second substrate, a sealant, and a blocking structure is provided. The first substrate has an active area. The sealant is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The sealant assembles the first substrate and the second substrate and separates the first substrate and the second substrate in a cell gap to define a space, wherein the sealant has an injection opening. The blocking structure is disposed on the first substrate and located outside the active area. A distance from the blocking structure to the second substrate is smaller than the cell gap, wherein the blocking structure divides the space into a first area and a second area. The injection opening is merely located inside the first area and the active area is merely located inside the second area. |
| US08964159B2 |
Display device and method for manufacturing the same
In an outer peripheral part between a first substrate and a second substrate of a liquid crystal display device 10, a first sealing material containing sealing material ingredients including ground glass fibers and conductive beads is arranged in a frame shape so as to surround a display region. In a region inside relative to the first sealing material and outside the display region, a second sealing material which does not contain the sealing material ingredients is arranged. |
| US08964157B2 |
Display device
To provide a plural-viewpoint display device having an image separating optical element such as a lenticular lens or a parallax barrier, which is capable of arranging thin film transistors and wirings while achieving substantially trapezoid apertures and high numerical aperture, and to provide a driving method thereof, a terminal device, and a display panel. A neighboring pixel pair arranged with a gate line interposed therebetween is connected to the gate line placed between the pixels, each of the pixels configuring the neighboring pixel pair is connected to the data line different from each other, and each of the neighboring pixel pairs neighboring to each other in an extending direction of the gate lines is connected to the gate line different from each other. |
| US08964155B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display includes first and second substrates with a liquid crystal layer therebetween, and a plurality of pixel regions defined by drain and gate signal lines of the substrate. The pixel region has a common electrode formed of a transparent conducting layer having a plurality of slits, a pixel electrode formed of a transparent conducting layer and having plane shape, and a first insulating layer interposed between the common electrode and the pixel electrode. The common electrode is arranged between the pixel electrode and the liquid crystal layer, and the pixel electrode is overlapped with a plurality of slits of the common electrode. A thin film transistor is connected to the drain signal line, and the pixel electrode is connected to a source electrode of the thin film transistor. The common electrode overlaps with a connection portion of the pixel and source electrodes on the first insulating layer. |
| US08964154B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device using a wall electrode facilitates enclosing of liquid crystal and improves transmittance. The liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix. Each of the pixels includes large walls, a small wall, a TFT-side electrode, and a wall electrode. The large walls extend in a long-side direction of the pixel at both ends of the pixel. The small wall extends parallel to the large walls between the large walls. The TFT-side electrode is formed on the small wall. The wall electrode is formed on a side surface of the large wall and formed between the large wall and the small wall. The large walls are separated between the pixels in the long-side direction. The small wall which has a height lower than the large walls is arranged between the separated large walls. |
| US08964151B2 |
Active matrix substrate, display panel, display device, and television reception device
The substrate 20 of the present invention includes pixel electrodes 25 formed in an area demarcated by a plurality of gate wiring lines 26 and source wiring lines 27 that intersect each other, and capacitance wiring lines 126 that are arranged in parallel with the gate wiring lines 26 and that form a capacitance with the pixel electrodes 25. The capacitance wiring lines 126 are arranged overlapping outer edges 125 and 125 of the adjacent pixel electrodes 25 and 25, and the following are formed on the capacitance wiring line 126: a first insulating film that covers the capacitance wiring line 126; a linear height-increasing part 30 formed on the first insulating film; and a second insulating film that covers the height-increasing part 30 and that includes a protruding band part 129 rising along the height-increasing part 30. The pixel electrodes 25 are above the second insulating film and are formed so the outer edges 125 ride up on the protruding band part 129. |
| US08964148B2 |
Backlight unit and liquid crystal display device
A backlight unit comprises a circuit board (20) having, a plurality of LED's (22) arranged in a matrix, a diffuser panel (62), and a support pin (50) positioned between the circuit board (20) and the diffuser panel (62) for supporting the diffuser panel (62). The support pin (50) includes a first fixation portion (51) inserted in a hole (21) formed on the circuit board (20), a second fixation portion (52) positioned apart from the first fixation portion (51), and a pillar (53) having a tip end supporting the diffuser panel (62). The pillar (53) and the first fixation portion (51) are aligned in a direction perpendicular to the circuit board (20). According to this backlight unit, it is possible to ensure freedom in wiring around the LED's (22) and to prevent the pillar (53) of the support pin (50) from hindering the light. |
| US08964147B2 |
Electro-optic device, method of producing electro-optic device, and projection type display apparatus
An electro-optic device is provided. In the electro-optic device, when a groove is sealed to be hollow, a sacrificial film is formed in the groove before forming a first sealing film, the first sealing film is formed, and then the sacrificial film is removed through a penetration portion of the first sealing film. A second sealing film is formed on the first sealing film, and the penetration portion of the first sealing film is blocked by the second sealing film. For this reason, it is possible to form the first sealing film to block an opening portion of the groove, and it is possible to prevent the first sealing film from being formed up to the inside of the groove. |
| US08964146B2 |
Optical film for preventing optical coupling
Optical constructions are disclosed. A disclosed optical construction includes first and second optical layers having first and second major surfaces that face each other and are separated by an air gap. The first and second surfaces are susceptible to physically contacting each other at a location in the air gap. The optical construction further includes an optical film that is disposed at the location to prevent the first and second major surfaces from contacting each other at the location. The optical film has an effective index of refraction that is not greater than about 1.3. |
| US08964141B2 |
Thin film transistor, method of manufacturing the same, and display device having thin film transistor
A thin film transistor, a manufacturing method thereof, and a display device having the same are disclosed. The thin film transistor includes a semiconductor layer formed on a substrate, a gate insulating layer formed on the substrate including the semiconductor layer, a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating above the semiconductor layer, source and drain electrodes connected to the semiconductor layer, and 3.5 to 4.5 protrusions formed on the semiconductor layer overlapped with the gate electrode. Malfunction of the thin film transistor and inferior image quality of the display device can be prevented by adjusting the number of protrusions to minimize leakage current and defects. |
| US08964138B2 |
Glass apparatus for watching polarized image
A glass apparatus for watching a polarized image is provided. The glass apparatus includes a film unit for double-refracting the polarized image when the glass apparatus is tilted; a sensor unit for detecting a slope of the glass apparatus based on a horizontal plane; a voltage driving unit for applying a driving voltage corresponding to the slope detected by the sensor unit, to a liquid crystal cell; the liquid crystal cell for switching an orientation according to the driving voltage, and changing polarization property of an image passing through the film unit according to the switched orientation; and a polarizer for polarizing the image passing through the liquid crystal cell in a preset polarization direction. |
| US08964136B2 |
Active shutter glasses comprising a half-wave plate disposed at an outer side of a linear polarizing element and a stereoscopic image projection system
The present invention provides active shutter glasses including shutters in which orientations of their components are freely determined, and provides a stereoscopic image projection system. The present invention provides active shutter glasses for a stereoscopic image projection system, the active shutter glasses comprising: a right-eye shutter; and a left-eye shutter, wherein the right-eye shutter and the left-eye shutter each include a liquid crystal layer and a linear polarizing element, at least one of the right-eye shutter and the left-eye shutter includes a layer adopted to change a vibration direction of polarized light, the linear polarizing element is provided at the outer side of the liquid crystal layer, and the layer adapted to change a vibration direction of polarized light is provided at the outer side of the linear polarizing element. |
| US08964135B2 |
Stereoscopic display device
Disclosed is stereoscopic display device in which barriers crossing each other are formed on two substrates and voltage is applied to the barrier pattern to drive liquid crystals between the two substrates such that one of the barriers is selectively driven, enabling selective implementation of 3-dimensional (3D) display and dual view display. |
| US08964133B2 |
Touch display device
A touch display device includes a touch sensing unit, a first conductive adhesive layer, a second conductive adhesive layer, a flexible printed circuit board, a liquid crystal display unit, a first adhesion layer and a second adhesion layer. The first adhesion layer serves to adhere the touch sensing unit to the liquid crystal display unit. The touch sensing unit includes a transparent substrate, multiple first sensing electrodes and multiple second sensing electrodes. The transparent substrate has a touch section and a peripheral section around the touch section. The first sensing electrodes are disposed on one side of the transparent substrate and positioned on the touch section. The second sensing electrodes are disposed in the liquid crystal display unit. The touch display device increases the ratio of good products and lowers the manufacturing risk. |
| US08964130B2 |
Electric apparatus and an operation method thereof
The present invention discloses an electric apparatus and operation method thereof. The electric apparatus includes: display unit to display the output content from said electric apparatus; operation unit used to operate said electric apparatus; the apparatus further includes: the primary indication unit, when the primary indication unit is started up, the operation unit is in visible status and otherwise the operation unit is in invisible status. The design of the present invention improves the front visual effect and the interactive performance of the electrical apparatus. |
| US08964129B2 |
Light engine and rear projection television
A light engine includes a light source module, an optical assembly, a collimating lens, and a reflecting lens. The optical assembly includes a light inlet and a light outlet communicating with the light inlet. The light source module is connected to the light inlet. The collimating lens is connected to the light outlet. The reflecting lens includes a concave surface, and the concave surface faces the collimating lens. |
| US08964127B2 |
User-sensing remote control system and method
A method is provided for a user-sensing remote control system including a TV and a remote control. The method includes obtaining sensing data from a plurality of sensors in the remote control related to a user of the remote control, pre-processing the sensing data, and determining a user identity space containing a plurality of possible user identities of the user using a predetermined statistical algorithm. The method also includes determining whether there is a dominant possible user identity; when it is determined that there is no dominant possible user identity, selecting one or more possible user identities from the user identity space and updating the user identity space until there is a dominant possible user identity; and when it is determined that there is a dominant possible user identity, presenting the dominant possible user identity as the identity of the user to other applications. |
| US08964122B2 |
Method and system for controlling function of display device using remote controller
Methods and apparatus are provided for controlling a function of a display device using a remote controller is provided. A function key calling for a hot menu is received. A hot menu interface is displayed on the display device in response to the function. A hot key corresponding to the hot menu interface is received. Execution of a hot function, corresponding to the hot key, is controlled to output corresponding feedback. |
| US08964120B2 |
Television system and method for managing applications therein
A storage medium disposed in a television is provided. A code of a television software system is stored in the storage medium. The television software system includes a first application, a second application and an application management module. The first application has a first function library. The second application has a second function library different from the first function library. The application management module manages the first application and the second application according to the first function library and the second function library, respectively. |
| US08964114B2 |
External accessory to be attached to electronic apparatus and system
An external accessory that can be attached to and detached from an electronic apparatus equipped with a power source unit includes: a first power receiving unit that receives power from the power source unit of the electronic apparatus; a second power receiving unit that receives power from the power source unit of the electronic apparatus; a decision-making unit that makes a decision as to whether or not the first power receiving unit is receiving power; a function execution unit that executes a predetermined function by using power received at one of the first power receiving unit and the second power receiving unit; and a control unit that engages the function execution unit in operation continuously when an affirmative decision is made by the decision-making unit, and engages the function execution unit in operation intermittently when a negative decision is made by the decision-making unit. |
| US08964112B2 |
Interchangeable lens, imaging apparatus, imaging system, method for controlling interchangeable lens, and program
An interchangeable lens includes an acquiring section that acquires an amount of supply power from an imaging apparatus to which the interchangeable lens is attached, and operation information related to an operation of the imaging apparatus in a period during which the supply power is supplied, and a determining section that determines power to be distributed to a plurality of driving sections that drive a plurality of optical members, for each of the driving sections, on the basis of the acquired amount of supply power and the acquired operation information. |
| US08964111B2 |
Illumination apparatus and image pickup apparatus
The illumination apparatus includes a reflector unit to reflect a light flux from a light source. The reflector unit includes a first reflector and a second reflector whose relative positions are changeable to change an illumination angle. At a first illumination angle, the second reflector is disposed inside the first reflector, and the light flux from the light source is reflected by the second reflector to exit from the reflector unit. At a second illumination angle smaller than the first illumination angle, the first reflector is disposed further on a light exit side than the second reflector, and the light flux from the light source is reflected by at least one of the first and second reflectors to exit from the reflector unit. A distance between the light source and the second reflector at the second illumination angle is shorter than that at the first illumination angle. |
| US08964110B2 |
Imaging apparatus
In the imaging apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention, the aperture area ratio between the plurality of regions of the multifocal lens is appropriately configured. Thereby, it is configured such that, when a plurality of images are simultaneously imaged via the plurality of regions using the illumination light source, brightness of the image of the subject at an in-focus distance corresponding to one region of the plurality of regions, the image imaged via the one region, the brightness arising from the illumination light, is substantially equal to brightness of the image of another subject at an in-focus body distance corresponding to another region, the image imaged via the other region except the one region, the brightness arising from the illumination light. Accordingly, the subject at any of the distances does not suffer excess or deficient exposure. |
| US08964105B2 |
Auto-focus controlling apparatus, electronic imaging apparatus and digital still camera
An auto-focus controlling apparatus includes a focus evaluation value generating device generating a focus evaluation value based on image data acquired through the focus lens, a target lens position determining device determining a target lens position, a timing determining device determining a plurality of acquisition lens positions for acquiring the focus evaluation values in a scanning direction from a present lens position of the focus lens toward the target lens position, a scanning device driving the focus lens in the scanning direction, a predicted focus lens position determining device predicting a predicted focus lens position based on the acquired focus evaluation values and a moving device stopping the scanning device to drive the focus lens when the predicted focus lens position is determined and driving the focus lens in the same direction as the scanning direction to move the focus lens to the predicted focus lens position. |
| US08964104B2 |
Image pickup apparatus
An image pickup apparatus of the invention includes: an optical imaging system; an image pickup device; a defocus quantity calculation section for calculating a defocus quantity based on a phase difference between signals for focus detection obtained from pixels for focus detection; a high-frequency component quantity detection section for detecting a quantity of high-frequency component contained in a pixel signal outputted from a pixel other than the pixels for focus detection; a region determination section for determining in accordance with which of the defocus quantity and the high-frequency component quantity the optical imaging system is to be driven, according to a detection result of detecting in which of a plurality of divided blocks of the image pickup device an object of interest is present; and a focusing section for driving the optical imaging system in accordance with a determination result of the region determination section. |
| US08964102B2 |
Self-calibrated ringing compensation for an autofocus actuator in a camera module
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to an actuator driver in a camera module, and more particularly to methods, systems and devices of employing self-calibrated ringing compensation to improve the autofocus rate of the camera module that is driven by an actuator. Oscillation characteristics of the actuator are calibrated to control a sink current that drives the actuator during an autofocus. The actuator driver comprises a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), a filter, a current sink and a self calibration module. The self calibration module calibrates the free-oscillation frequency and damping coefficient, and accordingly, the DAC generates a voltage that may be subsequently bypassed, filtered or shaped by the filter. This voltage is further converted to the sink current by the current sink. Such self-calibrated ringing compensation allows close tracking of free oscillation, and may efficiently enhance the settling time of the lens and autofocus rate of the camera module. |
| US08964099B2 |
Lens device capable of utilizing an AF-frame automatic tracking function
A lens device according to one aspect of the presently disclosed subject matter obtains camera information indicating whether a mounted camera is a first camera with an AF-frame display function or a second camera without the AF-frame display function; when the camera information indicating the first camera is obtained, when the camera information indicating the second camera is obtained and an automatic tracking mode is set, the lens device changeably sets position and size of the AF frame; and when the camera information indicating the second camera is obtained and the automatic tracking mode is not set, the lens device fixes the AF frame at a predetermined position and size. |
| US08964098B2 |
Imaging device and focus control method having first and second correlation computations
Provides an imaging device including, imaging element in which plural first lines arrayed with first phase difference detection pixels, and plural second lines arrayed with second phase difference detection pixels, are arrayed alternately; reading out section read out signals of the phase difference detection pixels; first correlation computing section carry out first correlation computation on signals read out from a set of the first and the second phase difference detection pixel; second correlation computing section carry out second correlation computation on signals read out from at least one set among a set of plural first phase difference detection pixels of the first line, and a set of plural second phase difference detection pixels of the second line; correcting section corrects results of the first correlation computation, by results of the second correlation computation; and focusing section control focusing based on the corrected correlation computation. |
| US08964097B2 |
Image capturing apparatus capable of improving the durability of a viewfinder equipped with a variable magnification lens
An image capturing apparatus includes: a photographing optical system; an image capturing element; and a viewfinder device, in which the viewfinder device includes at least one variable magnification lens that may be inserted on and removed from an optical path of the viewfinder device, and a drive mechanism configured to drive the variable magnification lens, in which the image capturing apparatus further includes: a variable magnification lens control unit configured to supply a drive signal to the drive mechanism so as to control the insertion and removal of the variable magnification lens on and from the optical path, and perform a high-speed control to move the variable magnification lens through a maximum moving distance for a first time, and a low-speed control to move the variable magnification lens through the maximum moving distance for a second time that is longer than the first time. |
| US08964089B2 |
Systems and methods for simulated preview for preferred image exposure
Systems and methods for simulating an image exposure capture a first set of images of a scene; and generate a flash preview image based on the first set of images, an estimated scene spectral reflectance, an estimated spectral power distribution of the scene, and one or more flash device settings, wherein the flash preview image approximates a brightness and a color appearance of a final image of the scene captured while the scene is illuminated by a flash device according to the one or more flash device settings. |
| US08964083B2 |
CMOS image sensor, timing control method and exposure method thereof
The invention discloses a CMOS image sensor, a timing control method and an exposure method thereof. The image sensor includes a pixel array composed of multiple pixel rows and a control chip controlling the array. The control chip controls each pixel row to expose in the exposure time during one exposure period of the pixel row, and then wait predetermined time after the exposure time to output data. In the invention, the exposure time of the image sensor is separated from the time of outputting data. Therefore, the working mode of the image sensor can be controlled more flexibly. By the manner of controlling the pixel rows in the sub-array of the image sensor to expose synchronously, the flash time of the light source is the same as the exposure time of each single sub-array, thereby improving the utilization efficiency of the source energy and ensuring real-time image sampling. |
| US08964082B2 |
Solid-state image pickup element, distance detecting apparatus including solid-state image pickup element, and camera including distance detecting apparatus
A solid-state image pickup element includes a pixel and a signal detecting unit. The pixel has at least two photoelectric conversion units including a first photoelectric conversion unit and a second photoelectric conversion unit in a semiconductor. The first photoelectric conversion unit has a higher impurity density than the second photoelectric conversion unit and is configured to allow the transfer of a charge occurring in the second photoelectric conversion unit to the first photoelectric conversion unit. The signal detecting unit commonly detects the charge amount in the first photoelectric conversion unit and the second photoelectric conversion unit. |
| US08964080B2 |
Imaging apparatus and imaging system
Because a conventionally known imaging apparatus includes a buffer element for each signal processing circuit, the number of buffer elements increases in proportion to the number of signal processing circuits. The delayed supply of a drive signal within a group of a plurality of signal processing circuits may require the operation timing margin to be set longer. In other words, the operational speed is hard to increase. First buffer circuits connected in series and second buffer circuits connected in parallel with the first buffer circuits are provided, and one second buffer circuit supplies a drive signal to a plurality of signal processing units. |
| US08964078B2 |
Solid-state imaging device and camera system
A solid-state imaging device and a camera system are disclosed. The solid-state imaging device includes a pixel unit and a pixel signal readout circuit. The pixel signal readout circuit includes a plurality of comparators disposed to correspond to a pixel column array, and a plurality of counters. Each counter includes a first amplifier, a second amplifier, and a mirror circuit to from a current mirror in parallel with the second amplifier. The first amplifier includes differential transistors, initializing switches connected between gates and collectors of the differential transistors, and first and second capacitors connected to each of the gates of the differential transistors. The second amplifier includes an initializing switch and a third capacitor. The mirror circuit includes a gate input transistor whose gate is inputted with a voltage sampled by the first amplifier or a voltage sampled by the second amplifier. |
| US08964069B2 |
Image processing device and solid-state imaging device including a defect correcting function
According to one embodiment, an image processing device includes a defect correcting unit, a noise-reduction processing unit, and a selecting unit. The defect correcting unit executes defect correction on a target pixel. The defect correcting unit switches, according to the level of contrast determined concerning a plurality of peripheral pixels, a first correction value obtained through averaging processing for signal values of the peripheral pixels and a second correction value other than the first correction value. |
| US08964061B2 |
Image capturing apparatus with selection of thinning and readout mode in accordance with moving image recording mode
An image capturing apparatus is provided with an image sensor that has a first pixel group and a second pixel group, a focus adjustment unit that executes focus adjustment of an imaging lens based on the signal from the second pixel group, a readout unit that has a first thinning and readout mode that thins and reads out signals from the plurality of pixels at a predetermined thinning ratio and thinning phase, and a second thinning and readout mode that thins and reads out signals from the plurality of pixels with a difference in at least one of the thinning ratio and the thinning phase from the first thinning and readout mode, and a selecting unit that selects in which mode to operate the readout means from among the first and second thinning and readout modes in accordance with the state of the image capturing apparatus. |
| US08964058B2 |
On-board camera system for monitoring an area around a vehicle
An on-board camera system includes an imaging unit configured to capture an image around a vehicle, a wide-angle image generation unit configured to generate a wide-angle image of a desired size by performing reduction processing of the image obtained by the imaging unit, a standard image generation unit configured to generate a standard image of the desired size by extracting an image of a predetermined region from the image obtained by the imaging unit such that an optical axis of the image and the image size are the same as those of the wide-angle image, and an application processing unit configured to execute application processing using each of the wide-angle image and the standard image. |
| US08964055B2 |
Combining images based on position offset detection of a series of images
An image processing apparatus includes an imaging unit that is configured to acquire a plurality of images with different exposure times, a position offset detection unit that is configured to detect a position offset between a plurality of images filmed by the imaging unit, a combining ratio calculation unit that is configured to calculate a combining ratio in case of combining the plurality of images based on pixel values of at least one image among the plurality of images filmed by the imaging unit and the amount of the position offset detected by the position offset detection unit, and an image combining unit that is configured to combine the plurality of images based on the combining ratio calculated by the combining ratio calculation unit. |
| US08964054B2 |
Capturing selected image objects
Exemplary embodiments provide a technique that processes captured images derived from selected targeted objects in a field of view. The captured images may be transferred via a communication link to a Storage location for future availability. A possible aspect may provide a cross-reference association between saved multiple exposures having different quality characteristics. In some instances an identifier record is provided to enable future accessibility to selected captured data by one or more authorized parties or approved devices or authorized recipients. In some embodiments the captured data may include both a video data stream and one or more still image frames derived from related fields of view. Stored versions of the captured images may be provided in original or altered form to be incorporated in a composite visual work. |
| US08964049B2 |
Image-capturing apparatus with asymmetric vibration element
An image-capturing apparatus including an imaging device to convert light into an electrical signal; a vibration plate disposed in front of the imaging device to transmit the light to the imaging device; a vibration generating unit mounted on the vibration plate and to generate a vibration when a driving signal is input to the vibration generating unit; and a vibration partitioning unit mounted on at least one of the vibration plate or the vibration generating unit to asymmetrically deliver the generated vibration to the vibration plate. |
| US08964048B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method for camera-shake correction
An image processing apparatus includes: a histogram computation block configured to compute a histogram of a plurality of motion vectors of each image detected for each of continuously taken images; an acceleration vector computation block configured to compute an acceleration vector corresponding to a change in the histogram; and a camera-shake correction amount computation block configured, on the basis of the acceleration vector and first motion vector for correction used in processing on an image preceding an image subject to processing, by assuming a second motion vector for correction for use in processing on the image subject to processing, to compute a camera-shake correction amount corresponding to the second motion vector for correction. |
| US08964047B2 |
Self-correcting adaptive long-stare electro-optical system
An imaging platform minimizes image distortion when there is relative motion of the imaging platform with respect to the scene being imaged where the imaging platform may be particularly susceptible to distortion when it is configured with a wide field of view or high angular rate of movement, or when performing long-stares at a given scene (e.g., for nighttime and low-light imaging.) Distortion correction may be performed by predicting distortion due to the relative motion of the imaging platform, determining optical transformations to prevent the distortion, dynamically adjusting the optics of the imaging platform during exposure, and performing digital image correction. |
| US08964043B2 |
Imaging apparatus and control method thereof
When correcting rotary shake, an area to be referenced when distortion aberration correction is performed is rotated by a detected rotation amount in a direction correcting the rotary shake, such that the reference area fits into the area of an image that has been captured. A rectangular image of the same size as the captured image is obtained by applying distortion aberration correction to an image included in the reference area. If the reference area will not fit into the area of the captured image when rotated by the detected rotation amount, the reference area is rotated by a maximum angle at which the reference area will fit into the area of the captured image, and distortion aberration correction is applied to the image included in the reference area. Information on the captured angle of view can thereby be effectively used when performing distortion aberration correction and rotary shake correction. |
| US08964038B2 |
Image processing apparatus, method, and computer program storage device
An image processing apparatus, method and non-transitory computer program storage device cooperate to process successive images. Respective frames are created and positioned within the successive images, where each frame has a border. When changes between the frame borders are detected, a controller triggers the capturing of an image. This approach results in the capturing of interesting moments, even if the subject is not a human subject. The change in frame boundaries may be categorized in a variety of ways, including change in aspect ratio, shape, orientation, and position, for example. By detecting the changes in this way, an imaging device can capture images of interesting events automatically. |
| US08964037B2 |
Luggage security device
A battery-powered camera is mounted within the interior of a suitcase. The camera has an awake mode in which the camera captures a plurality of images in response to it being detected that the suitcase is in an open position. A controller switches the camera from a sleep mode to the awake mode in response to the user actuating an awake mode switch, a motion detector mounted to the suitcase detecting motion of the suitcase, and/or a touch sensor mounted to the suitcase detecting a human being touching the suitcase. |
| US08964034B2 |
Vehicle surroundings awareness support device
Provided is a vehicle surroundings awareness support device capable of providing a prompt for a driver to intuitively direct their attention, without the driver feeling hassled. Captured images comprising a plurality of frames taken sequentially by an onboard camera for imaging the surroundings of the vehicle are received; an optical flow is computed on the basis of feature points contained in the plurality of frames imaged at different times; moving objects in the surroundings of the vehicle are detected on the basis of the optical flow; and a display for showing movement trajectories for the moving objects is superimposed on the captured images on the basis of the optical flow. |
| US08964031B2 |
Method and system for measuring the speed of a vehicle
A system for measuring the speed of a vehicle includes: one or more cameras (200) for capturing images of vehicles (100) on a road (50); timing means for timing the capture of the images; a processor arranged to: identify in the captured images a feature (150) of the vehicle; calculate the size in pixels of the feature (150) of the vehicle in two or more of the captured images; and determine the speed of the vehicle (100) based at least in part on the calculated sizes and the times at which each image was captured. |
| US08964026B2 |
Image-based motion characterization system for a mobile device
Mobile devices and methods to facilitate the motion characterization of a welding element. A mobile device is used to capture video of a rotating welding element and the video is processed by a software application residing on the mobile device to determine a rate of rotation of the rotating welding element. The software application may perform further processing to determine a linear rate of motion as derived from the determined rate of rotation. The rate of rotation and/or the linear rate of motion may be displayed to a user of the mobile device on a display screen of the mobile device. Such methods may aid a user in calibrating a piece of welding equipment. |
| US08964024B2 |
System and method for controlling exterior vehicle lights responsive to detection of a semi-truck
An exterior light control system is provided for controlling exterior lights of a vehicle. The system includes an imaging system configured to image a forward external scene and to generate image data corresponding to the acquired images; and a controller configured to receive and analyze the image data and for generating an exterior light control signal that is used to control the exterior lights in response to analysis of the image data. The controller is further configured to analyze the image data to detect a semi-truck. When a semi-truck is detected, the controller generates an exterior light control signal that indicates the detection of a semi-truck or simply the presence of an oncoming vehicle. The controller may detect groups of lights belonging to a semi-truck other than headlamps, e.g., cab lights, so that a semi-truck may be detected even when the headlamps of the semi-truck are not detected due to being blocked by a roadside barrier. |
| US08964022B2 |
Dynamic imaging system
A dynamic imaging system is provided. The system includes an assembly line, for an object to be placed thereon and for moving the object in a moving direction; a sensor set, for sensing a moving speed and the width of the object on the assembly line; a photography device, for capturing images of the object; and a controller, coupled to the sensor set and the photography device, for controlling the photography device to move and capture images of the object according to the moving speed and the width of the object. |
| US08964016B2 |
Content delivery based on a light positioning system
Systems an methods are provided that disclose providing a positioning service for devices based on light received from one or more light sources. This light based positioning service uses light information transmitted by each light source to determine the position of the device. The positioning information can include three dimension position information in a building that can then be used to deliver services and information to a mobile device. The content delivered to a mobile device can include multimedia, text, audio, and/or pictorial information. The positioning information along with other location or positioning information can be used in providing augmented reality or location aware services. The light sources can be independent beacons that broadcast information in visible light at a rate that is undetectable by the human eye. Content can be retrieved from a server over a communications connection. |
| US08964014B2 |
Point-of-view integrated video system having tagging and loop mode features
The present invention provides a point of view video system comprising: a camera for receiving an image and for generating a video signal; a portable video image recording module including: a display; one or more user activators; a communication interface for signally communicating with the camera that is remote from the recording module; a power source; a speaker; a processing device in signaling communication with the display, the one or more user activators, the speaker, and the communication interface for processing data; and a sealed housing for containing the recording module, the sealed housing being separable from the camera. |
| US08964004B2 |
Three channel reflector imaging system
A system for providing a three-dimensional representation from a single image includes a reflector apparatus for providing an image of a scene comprising three adjacent views of the scene. The apparatus defines a left light path, a center light path, and a right light path, wherein each of the left light path and the right light path comprise opposed reflective surfaces for redirecting light, whereby light passing through the left light path, light passing through the right light path, and light passing through the center light path converge at a nodal point of an imager to create an image of the scene providing three adjacent views of the scene arrayed in a three-by-one rectangular grid. A client computing device receives data from the imager and transforms the data into a stereoscopic image or an image-plus-depth rendering, and/or converts or switches back and forth between two-dimensional and three-dimensional images. |
| US08964003B2 |
Three dimensional image pick-up device and manufacturing method thereof
A 3-D image pick-up device is disclosed, the device including: a PCB mounted with two camera modules including an image sensor; and a reinforcing member mounted with two exposure windows, wherein the PCB and the reinforcing member are mutually adhered to allow the camera modules of the PCB to be exposed through the exposure window of the reinforcing member. |
| US08963997B2 |
Laser scanner device and method for three-dimensional contactless recording of the surrounding area by means of a laser scanner device
A laser scanner device having a laser beam emission apparatus which is designed to emit at least one laser beam in an emission area, and a mirror arranged at least partially in the emission area, and having a receiving apparatus which is designed to receive reflections of the laser beam, includes a first drive device which can move a first kinematic chain, and a second drive device which can move a second kinematic chain. The is connected to the first and to the second kinematic chain and can be scanned in mutually independent coordinate directions (X, Y) via the first and the second kinematic chain. |
| US08963986B2 |
System and method for scaling a video presentation based on presentation complexity and room participants
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving a first presentation material for a videoconference, wherein the first presentation material is to be displayed in a display area associated with the videoconference; determining a first complexity of the first presentation material; and displaying the first presentation material on a first display based on the determined first complexity. In more particular embodiments, the method can include determining a location of a participant that will view the first presentation material; and displaying the presentation material on a second display based on the location of the participant. The location of the participant can be determined using audio data or video data. |
| US08963985B2 |
Automatically ringing electronic door lock
An electronic door lock system having a doorbell for automatically ringing the doorbell is provided. The electronic door lock system includes an outdoor unit installed outside a door and provided with a keypad implemented using a numeric key area so that a password is entered so as to open and shut the door, and an indoor unit installed inside the door and configured to open and shut the door in response to door unlock and lock signals based on a password. Further, a doorbell button for calling a person in an indoor area is mounted in a predetermined place on the outdoor unit so that when the doorbell button is manipulated, a melody is output, and when the numeric key area of the keypad is pressed, a melody is output in a same manner as when the doorbell button is manipulated. |
| US08963983B2 |
Mobile terminal and method of controlling the same
A mobile terminal including a speech recognition unit configured to recognize input speech; a mobile communication unit configured to perform a calling operation with at least one other terminal; and a controller configured to receive a predetermined input while performing the calling operation, to recognize voice call contents through the speech recognition unit based on the received predetermined input, to tag the recognized voice call contents to at least one application executed by the mobile terminal, and to execute the at least one application using the tagged voice call contents. |
| US08963982B2 |
Communication system and method
A method, client application and user terminal, the method including providing a packet-based communication system for conducting voice or video calls over a packet-based network and providing an instance of a client application enabling a first user terminal to access the packet-based communication system. The client application is configured so as when executed on the first terminal to receive an input from multiple different audio and/or video input transducers of the first terminal, to analyze those inputs in relation to one another, and based on that analysis to select at least one audio and/or video input transducer and/or output transducer of the first terminal for use in conducting a voice or video call with a remote user terminal via the packet-based communication system. |
| US08963981B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a control unit performing a first rotation control process of switching on and off current-supplying in accordance with a change in a first deviation between a first rotation speed of a brushless motor and a target speed regardless of a change in an integrated value of the first deviation; a second rotation control process of calculating an integrated value of a second deviation between a second rotation speed of the brushless motor and the target speed, and switching on and off the current-supplying in accordance with a change in the second deviation and a change in the integrated value of the second deviation; and a rotation control switching process of switching to the second rotation control process when it is determined that the first deviation has entered a prescribed range during the first rotation control process. |
| US08963978B2 |
Exposure apparatus with correction for variations in sensitivity and image forming apparatus using the same
An exposure apparatus according to this invention uses both a first light source which outputs a light beam corresponding to a drive current corresponding to image information, and a second light source to irradiate the surface of a photosensitive drum with a plurality of light beams. The second laser light source irradiates the photosensitive drum with a laser beam in accordance with a drive current corresponding to a correction value according to which unevenness of potential characteristics due to unevenness of sensitivity of the surface of the photosensitive drum is reduced. The same region on the surface of the photosensitive drum is irradiated with laser beams which are output from the first and second laser light sources onto the photosensitive drum in superposition. |
| US08963975B2 |
Printer and printing method
The disclosure discloses a printer comprising a printing-head, a cutter, a print object receiving portion, an increment mode receiving portion, a cutting mode receiving portion, and a printing control portion. The printer continually produces a plurality of printed matter wherein the print object is respectively formed in a predetermined order. The print object receiving portion receives an input operation for the print object which is disposed in at least one block that includes a print identifier that can be incremented. The increment mode receiving portion receives a setup operation for an increment mode. The cutting mode receiving portion receives a setup operation for a cutting mode at a boundary. The printing control portion controls the feeder and the printing-head to generate a plurality of the printed matter in which is respectively formed the print object which includes the print identifier incremented, and which is cut using the cutting mode. |
| US08963972B2 |
Decoloring system and control method of decoloring system
A decoloring system has a scanner that reads an image on a paper sheet and generates image data; a first roller that applies heat on the paper sheet to decolor the image on the paper sheet; a heater that heats the roller; a first transporting mechanism that transports the paper sheet having the image to the scanner; a second transporting mechanism that transports the paper sheet via the first transporting mechanism to the heater; an operation panel that receives a read condition of the image as input by a user; and a controller that determines an operating condition of the heater, and a transporting speed of the paper sheet by the first transporting mechanism and the second transporting mechanism on the basis of the image read condition input by the user through the operation panel. |
| US08963967B2 |
Drive circuit, display, and method of driving display
A drive circuit includes: a division section that divides one frame period into a subfields, and divides each of one or more of the subfields to generate division subfields; a correction section that corrects, when bit arrays of the gray-scale data corresponding to respective two pixels next to each other are different from one another, the bit array of the gray-scale data corresponding to a first pixel of the two pixels to bring this bit array closer to the bit array of the gray-scale data corresponding to a second pixel of the two pixels, while maintaining gray-scale; and an ON-OFF-period control section that controls a ratio of an ON period or an OFF period to the one frame period, by turning on or off a liquid crystal cell of each of pixels according to the bit corresponding to each of the subfields and each of the division subfields. |
| US08963962B2 |
Display of multiple images
Some embodiments provide an image-viewing application. The image-viewing application calculates an average aspect ratio of several images for display in an image viewing area. A first image in the several images has a first aspect ratio and a second image in the several images has a second, different aspect ratio. The application determines a number and size of regions of the image viewing area for displaying the several images. The regions have the calculated average aspect ratio, and each image is for display in a different one of the regions. The application displays the several images in the regions of the image viewing area. Each displayed image has a same visual weighting. The first image is displayed at the first aspect ratio and the second image is displayed at the second aspect ratio. |
| US08963960B2 |
System and method for content aware hybrid cropping and seam carving of images
A system and method for performing content aware cropping/expansion may be applied to resize an image or to resize a selected object therein. An image object may be selected using an approximate bounding box of the object. The system may receive input indicating a lowest priority edge or corner of the image or object to be resized (e.g., using a drag operation). Respective energy values for some pixels of the image and/or of the object to be resized may be weighted based on their distance from the lowest priority edge/corner and/or on a cropping or expansion graph, and relative costs may be determined for seams of the image dependent on the energy values. Low cost seams may be removed or replicated in different portions of the image and/or the object to modify the image. The selected object may be resized using interpolated scaling and patched over the modified image. |
| US08963959B2 |
Adaptive graphic objects
Some embodiments provide a method that defines a group of associated graphic objects for display on a display device. The method defines a set of operations to perform on the associated graphic objects in a particular order. The operations include one or more transforms applied to at least one of the graphic objects. For each particular transform applied to a set of the graphic objects, each graphic object in the set has a set of parameters indicating whether the graphic object is affected by each of a set of primitive transforms of the particular transform. The method stores the set of associated graphic objects and set of operations as a single graphic object. |
| US08963957B2 |
Systems and methods for an augmented reality platform
Systems and methods for augmenting a view of reality. In an embodiment, a first medium is superimposed over a first view of reality. One or more changes to the superimposed medium are received, such as a change in transparency, change in size, and change in position. A first marker, comprising at least a portion of the first view of reality, is generated. First metadata related to the first medium and/or the first marker are also generated. The first medium, the first marker, and the first metadata are sent to a depository. In a further embodiment, a second medium, second marker, and second metadata are received from the depository. The second marker is matched to a least a portion of a second view of reality, and the second medium is superimposed over the at least a portion of the second view of reality to generate an augmented view of reality. |
| US08963955B2 |
Information processing program, information processing apparatus, information processing system, and information processing method
An information processing section of a game apparatus executes a program which includes: acquiring a real world image; setting the most recent view matrix of a virtual camera based on a detected marker S204; reading the previous view matrix S206; calculating correction view matrixes so as to change a blending ratio at which the most recent view matrix is blended depending on a distance S208 to S210; selecting the correction view matrix such that the longer the distance between an object and the marker is, the lower the blending ratio is; and rendering a virtual object in a frame buffer in a superimposed manner by using the selected correction view matrix. |
| US08963953B2 |
Interface for previewing image content
What is disclosed is a novel method and system to present image content from a variety of informational sources. Presentation from a variety of image sizes and formats, such as standard and panoramic format is possible. The method includes accessing at least two information sources each with separate image content. Next, each of the separate image content is interspersed in an arrangement so that content overlaps in with each other and at least some of the image content is automatically resized to concurrently present image content in a plurality of different image sizes and in a film strip arrangement. The image content is presented from each of the information sources along with the source indicator in a film strip arrangement. |
| US08963952B2 |
Display control system, corrected display information output method and computer readable medium
A display control system includes: a display information acquisition section that acquires display information by using given account information; and a corrected display information creation section that, based on first display information acquired by the display information acquisition section using first account information and second display information acquired by the display information acquisition section using second account information different from the first account information, determines whether the display contents shown by the first display information are included in display contents shown by the second display information or not, selects part or all of the display contents shown by the first display information in accordance with a result of the determination, and creates corrected display information which includes the selected part of the display contents shown by the first display information. |
| US08963951B2 |
Image processing apparatus, moving-image playing apparatus, and processing method and program therefor to allow browsing of a sequence of images
To allow a viewer to easily understand the details of a moving image shot by an image capturing apparatus in the case where the moving image is browsed. A camerawork detecting unit 120 detects the amount of movement of an image capturing apparatus at the time of shooting a moving image input from a moving-image input unit 110, and, on the basis of the amount of movement of the image capturing apparatus, calculates affine transformation parameters for transforming an image on a frame-by-frame basis. An image transforming unit 160 performs an affine transformation of at least one of the captured image and a history image held in an image memory 170, on the basis of the calculated affine transformation parameters. An image combining unit 180 combines, on a frame-by-frame basis, the captured image and the history image, at least one of which has been transformed, and causes the image memory 170 to hold a composite image. The composite image generated by the image combining unit 180 is displayed on a display unit 191. |
| US08963950B2 |
Display control apparatus and display control method
There is provided a display control apparatus including a pickup image acquisition unit that acquires a pickup image of a viewer viewing a display image, a detection unit that detects a viewing position and a viewing distance of the viewer with respect to the display image based on the pickup image of the viewer acquired by the pickup image acquisition unit, and a display control unit that changes a size of the display image in accordance with the viewing distance of the viewer detected by the detection unit while associating the viewing position of the viewer detected by the detection unit with a display position of the display image. |
| US08963947B2 |
Enhanced lookup of display driving values
Approximation errors commonly occur when color transformation values stored in color look-up tables are interpolated to produce color display drive signals, since the stored transformation values typically correspond to non-linear functions. Such errors can be reduced by applying a pre-indexing function to the transformation values before they are stored in the look-up table, and by applying the same function to values extracted from the table during look-up operations. Alternatively, such errors can be reduced by providing one or more additional look-up tables to achieve higher order (i.e. more accurate) interpolation results that are achievable by interpolation of values stored in a single look-up table. |
| US08963939B2 |
Extended graphics context with divided compositing
A mobile computing device with a mobile operating system and desktop operating system running concurrently and independently on a shared kernel without virtualization. The mobile operating system provides a user experience for the mobile computing device that suits the mobile environment. The desktop operating system provides a full desktop user experience when the mobile computing device is docked to a second user environment. Cross-environment rendering and user interaction support provide a seamless computing experience in a multi-operating system computing environment. Real-time display of applications running in the mobile operating system within an environment of the desktop operating system is provided by rendering the application through an extended graphics context of the mobile operating system. Application graphics for multiple applications are rendered into separate graphics frames. The mobile computing device may be a smartphone running the Android mobile operating system and a full desktop Linux distribution on a modified Android kernel. |
| US08963933B2 |
Method for urgency-based preemption of a process
The desire to use an Accelerated Processing Device (APD) for general computation has increased due to the APD's exemplary performance characteristics. However, current systems incur high overhead when dispatching work to the APD because a process cannot be efficiently identified or preempted. The occupying of the APD by a rogue process for arbitrary amounts of time can prevent the effective utilization of the available system capacity and can reduce the processing progress of the system. Embodiments described herein can overcome this deficiency by enabling the system software to pre-empt a process executing on the APD for any reason. The APD provides an interface for initiating such a pre-emption. This interface exposes an urgency of the request which determines whether the process being preempted is allowed a grace period to complete its issued work before being forced off the hardware. |
| US08963929B2 |
Animation drawing device, computer-readable recording medium, and animation drawing method
An interpreter 11 outputs a drawing request to an animation controller upon interpreting an animation drawing instruction defined with use of a predetermined script variable. The animation controller 12 animation-displays a GUI by executing a program module described in a native language. Upon receiving the drawing request, the animation controller 12 converts the script variable into a native variable in the form of the native language, and animation-displays the GUI while sequentially updating the native variable. |
| US08963927B2 |
Vertex-baked three-dimensional animation augmentation
A method for controlling presentation of three dimensional (3D) animation includes rendering a 3D animation sequence including a 3D vertex-baked model which is derived from a 3D animation file including vertex data of every vertex for every 3D image frame in the 3D animation sequence. The 3D vertex-baked model includes a control surface that provides a best-fit 3D shape to vertices of the 3D vertex-baked model. The method further includes receiving a motion control input, and if the motion control input is received during an augmentation portion of the 3D animation sequence, deviating from a default posture of the control surface in accordance with the motion control |
| US08963925B2 |
Maximize data visibility using slated viewer
A slanted viewer is provided to maximize data visibility. In the context of computer graphics and a rendering technique, the slanted viewer's use of three-dimensional rendering provides an instant view of full data without compromising the visibility of other view areas or data and with minimum user interactions. The slanted viewer combines the use of two-dimensional and three-dimensional concepts to enhance, as well as to preserve, a well-established user interaction environment and navigation system. The slanted viewer serves effectively in viewers showing extended length of text or objects horizontally. |
| US08963922B2 |
Automatic presentational level compositions of data visualizations
Embodiments of the invention provide for generating a data presentation artifact. In one aspect of the invention a first data presentation object and a second data presentation object are received from a repository. The first data presentation object defines a first data presentation artifact. The second data presentation object defines a second data presentation artifact. At least one mashup operation is identified that may be performed using the first data presentation object and the second data presentation object. One or more mashup operations are selected from the identified mashup operations. A third data presentation artifact is then generated by applying the selected mashup operations to the first and the second data presentation objects. |
| US08963917B2 |
Radiological breast image display method, radiological breast image display apparatus, and program
Generating a right-eye image by combining a right-side capturing image (4° capturing image) of a right breast with a left-side capturing image (0° capturing image) of a left breast rotated by 180° such that the chest walls of the breasts face to each other and a left-eye image by combining a left-side capturing image (0° capturing image) of the right breast with a right-side capturing image (4° capturing image) of the left breast rotated by 180° such that the chest walls of the breasts face to each other. Based on the right-eye and left-eye images generated in the manner described above, displaying a stereoscopic image on a monitor. |
| US08963915B2 |
Using image content to facilitate navigation in panoramic image data
The present invention relates to using image content to facilitate navigation in panoramic image data. In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method for navigating in panoramic image data includes: (1) determining an intersection of a ray and a virtual model, wherein the ray extends from a camera viewport of an image and the virtual model comprises a plurality of facade planes; (2) retrieving a panoramic image; (3) orienting the panoramic image to the intersection; and (4) displaying the oriented panoramic image. |
| US08963913B2 |
Stereoscopic image display and method of adjusting stereoscopic image thereof
A stereoscopic image display includes a depth map extracting unit for extracting a region of interest (ROI) and a depth map from a 3D input image, an average depth for calculating unit calculating an average depth of the ROI, a depth map adjusting unit, which converts the average depth of the ROI into a screen depth value of a display panel, shifts depth values of the 3D input image in a shift direction of the average depth by a shifted amount of the average depth of the ROI, and adjusts a depth map of the 3D input image, a left/right eye image producing unit for producing left eye image data and right eye image data based on the adjusted depth map, and a display panel driver for displaying the left eye image data and the right eye image data on the display panel. |
| US08963912B2 |
Display device and display device driving method
The present invention is an active matrix display device in which, during each kth period (k is an integer from 0 to n), each data signal line (S1to S2773) is supplied with a signal whose electric potential polarity is constant, and a picture element to which a signal finishes being written within the kth period is caused to be in a selected state from a (k−1)th period to the kth period so as to be conductive to a data signal line connected thereto, and during each kth period (1≦k≦n−1) for the effective display region, a data signal line (S1 or S2773) that is not connected to a picture element to which a signal finishes being written within the kth period is supplied with a signal that was supplied to this data signal line during the (k−1)th period. |
| US08963909B2 |
Data driving method for driving display panel, data driving circuit for performing the same, and display apparatus having the data driving circuit
In a data driving method for driving a display panel, a data driving circuit, and a display apparatus, the data driving method includes receiving a digital driving voltage and an analog driving voltage. The analog driving voltage is switched, after the digital driving voltage is received and a specific driving time elapses. A digital data signal is converted to an analog data signal using the analog driving voltage. The analog data signal is output to a data line of the display panel. |
| US08963902B2 |
Drive circuit and display device
A drive circuit includes: an input-side inverter circuit and an output-side inverter circuit connected to each other in series and inserted between a high voltage line and a low voltage line. The output-side inverter circuit includes a CMOS transistor having a first gate and a second gate, in which a drain is connected to the high voltage line side and a source is connected to an output side of the output-side inverter circuit. The output-side inverter circuit further includes a MOS transistor in which a drain is connected to the low voltage line side and a source is connected to the output side of the output-side inverter circuit. The output-side inverter circuit further includes a correction circuit correcting a voltage of one or both of the two gates of the CMOS transistor. |
| US08963901B2 |
Display device and method for adjusting gray-level of image frame depending on environment illumination
A display apparatus and method for adjusting the gray level depending on environment illumination is used to adjust the average-gray-level of an image frame with a plurality of pixels. The display device includes a display-panel, an optical-sensor, a controller, and an adjusting module. The display-panel displays the image frame with the plurality of pixels. The optical-sensor is used to obtain the environment illumination. The controller is used to drive the display-panel to display the image frame. The adjusting module is used to adjust gray-levels of the pixels according to the environment illumination. When the environment illumination is too high, the adjusting module raises the gray-level of partial or all pixels; and when the environment illumination is too low, the adjusting module reduces the gray-level of partial or all pixels; so that visual effect of the display device is enhanced. |
| US08963895B2 |
Ubiquitously mountable image display system
A ubiquitously mountable image display system includes a shape-reconfigurable display screen component to which is attached a plurality of circuit modules each having at least one light source. The shape-reconfigurable display screen component is formed of a material that accommodates flexing of the display screen component without creating a perceivable aberration in separation distance between two or more picture elements of an image that is rendered upon a viewing plane of the display screen component when light from the plurality of light sources is directed towards the viewing plane. |
| US08963894B2 |
Electronic device and method providing improved alarm clock feature and facilitated alarm editing mode
An improved electronic device and method provide an improved clock feature that includes an improved alarm clock function and a BEDTIME mode that is initiated by execution of a BEDTIME mode routine. The alarm clock function enables an alarm to be edited very easily. |
| US08963891B2 |
Method and apparatus for drawing tool selection
The present disclosure provides a method, system and stylus for drawing tool selection. One or more drawing tool settings, each defined by user-selectable drawing tool attributes, are formed by user interaction with a user interface. A user-activated control on a stylus signals a host electronic device to select a drawing tool setting. The settings may be selected in cyclic order. When a selected drawing tool setting includes color, the host electronic device may signal the selected color to the stylus for display using a color indicator on the stylus. |
| US08963890B2 |
Method and system for digital pen assembly
A digital pen comprising: an electric circuit, an acoustic transmitter, detached from the electric circuit, and configured to transmit acoustic signals, and a resilient holder, configured to mechanically press the electric circuit into electrical contact with the transmitter, so as to electrically connect the electric circuit and the transmitter. |
| US08963888B2 |
Apparatus comprising an optically transparent sheet and related methods
An apparatus includes an optically transparent sheet having an electrically conductive layer, an electrode element, and electro-vibration circuitry configured to provide a time-varying voltage signal across the electrically conductive layer and the electrode element so as to cause a user to experience electro-vibration in a first body part of the user when the first body part is moved across an exterior surface of the optically transparent sheet while a second body part of the user is in contact with the electrode element. |
| US08963886B2 |
Touch-sensing display panel
A touch-sensing display panel, comprising a plurality of image-forming pixel elements; a planar light guide with a first refractive index, having a front surface forming a touch-sensing region and an opposite rear surface facing the pixel elements; a plurality of light emitters arranged at a peripheral region of the panel to emit light into the light guide for propagation therein through total internal reflection; a plurality of light detectors disposed at the peripheral region for receiving light from the light guide; and an optical layer disposed at the rear surface of the light guide to cover a plurality of the image-forming pixel elements in at least a central region of the panel, wherein said optical layer is configured to reflect at least a part of the light from the emitters impinging thereon from within the light guide. |
| US08963883B2 |
Touchless interactive display system
A touchless interactive display system includes a display with a display area bounding the display. A reflective surface is located along an edge of the display. One optical sensor opposes and faces the reflective surface so that the optical sensor has a primary, non-reflected field of view and a secondary, reflected field of view that is reflected back from the reflective surface. The primary field of view covers a first portion of the display area that is less than the whole display area, and the reflected field of view covers a second portion of the display area, such that the first and second portions of the display area cover the entire display area. The optical sensor and a processor are operable to detect an object placed within at least one of its first and second fields of view without having the object touch the display. |
| US08963881B2 |
Low power switching mode driving and sensing method for capacitive multi-touch system
A low power switching mode driving and sensing method for capacitive multi-touch systems is used in a capacitive multi-touch system with a capacitive touch panel. When the capacitive touch system operates in an idle mode, the method uses a self-capacitance driving and sensing technology to detect touch points. When the touch points are detected on the capacitive touch panel, the capacitive touch system is switched to an active mode and uses a mutual-capacitance driving and sensing technology to detect touch points for accurately acquiring the positions related to the touch points detected. During a predetermined time interval in which there is no touch point detected, the method automatically performs a calibration to update a mutual-capacitance base image raw data and a self-capacitance base image raw data, so as to overcome the drifting of sensors of the capacitive touch system. |
| US08963879B2 |
Positioning method for touch display panel
A positioning method for a touch display panel is provided. The touch display panel includes a touch panel and a display panel. The display panel is disposed on the touch panel, and sensing points and reference positions are set on the touch panel. In the method, pressures with different values are repeatedly applied to each reference position; under the pressures with the different values, average capacitance values of the reference positions corresponding to the sensing points are calculated. When an object touches the display panel, the sensing points of the touch panel correspondingly generate second capacitance values. Under a touch pressure value, the average capacitance values of the reference positions corresponding to the sensing points are selected. The second capacitance values and the average capacitance values of the reference positions corresponding to the sensing points under the touch pressure value are used to calculate a touch position of the object. |
| US08963877B2 |
Touch window
Disclosed are a technology capable of improving printing properties and a structure of a touch window manufactured by the same. The touch window according to the present invention comprises: a sensing electrode pattern layer formed on a transparent window and including sensing electrodes which are patterned; and wiring parts connected to the sensing electrodes, wherein the touch window further comprises dummy circuit patterns spaced apart from the wiring parts. |
| US08963875B2 |
Touch screen device with wet detection and control method thereof
According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a touch panel, an operation module, a detector, and a switch module. The touch panel and the operation module are configured to receive an operation command. The detector detects whether the touch panel is wet based on a touch position detected by the touch panel. The switch module switches, if the touch panel is wet, the receiver of the operation command from the touch panel to the operation module. |
| US08963871B2 |
Handheld device capable of automatically switching between a handheld mode and a non-handheld mode and control method thereof
A handheld device is provided. The handheld device may include a sensing unit, a control unit, an operating unit, a counting module and a mode control unit. The sensing unit is for generating a sensing result based on whether a user touch is received or not. The control unit is for sending out a periodic pulse to the sensing unit, and for periodically charging and discharging the sensing unit. The counting module is for counting a pulse number of the periodic pulse, and for outputting a counting value when the sensing result indicates that the user touch is received. The operating unit is for generating a mode control signal according to the counting value. The mode control unit is for controlling the handheld device to stay in a handheld mode or a non-handheld mode according to the mode control signal. |
| US08963868B2 |
Image editing method and image editing apparatus
An image editing apparatus has editing functions for editing a still image displayed on a screen of an LCD. The image editing apparatus is provided with a touch panel, a judgment section, and a display controller. The judgment section determines which of the editing functions is requested to be executed, in accordance with how a second touch operation is performed while a first touch operation on the still image on the touch panel is maintained. The display controller executes the editing function determined by the judgment section, and displays an edited image on the LCD. |
| US08963863B2 |
Computer, display card, display device and method for updating display information
A computer, a graphic card, a display apparatus and a method of updating information is described, wherein, the computer has a first status and a second status, and the system power consumption of computer in the first status is larger than the system power consumption of computer in the second status. The computer includes a graphic card having display memory and a display apparatus connected to the graphic card, and further includes an input processing module for acquiring input information when the computer is in the second status, and updating first display information stored in the display memory outputted to the display apparatus according to the input information to obtain second display information. The graphic card outputs the second display information to the display apparatus when the computer is in the second status. |
| US08963860B2 |
Electronic device, control method, and control program
An electronic device includes a display unit, a detection unit, and a control unit. The display unit displays a character string or an image. The detection unit detects contact with the display unit. In a state where a character string or a image is displayed on the display unit, in a case in which the detection unit detects contact with the character string or the image, the control unit causes at least a part of the character string or the image to be selected in accordance with such detection. The control unit activates a different function in accordance with a condition of contact with the character string or the image when the character string or the image is selected. Furthermore, the control unit causes the character string or the image thus selected to be utilized in the function thus activated. |
| US08963858B2 |
Use of resistive touch screen as a proximity sensor
An apparatus and method for the use of a resistive touch screen as a proximity sensor. The touch screen operates in a touch sensing mode and a proximity sensing mode. The proximity sensing mode turns off the touch sensing circuit and uses the equivalent capacitor formed by the top layer of the touch screen with a nearby object to detect proximity. A control circuit selectively connects the touch screen with measurement circuits to perform each of the sensing functions. The control circuit can be implemented with timing based control or an event driven topology. |
| US08963857B2 |
Electronic device and method of controlling the same
According to the present invention, an electronic device is disclosed that includes a display unit including a bent state and a flat state that are distinguished from each other depending on a degree of bending, wherein the display unit is divided into at least two regions in the bent state by bending and a control unit configured to display information on the display unit according to a first video output characteristic when the display unit is in the flat state and to display information on a first region of the at least two regions according to a second video output characteristic and information on a second region of the at least two regions according to a third video output characteristic when the display unit changes from the flat state to the bent state. |
| US08963854B2 |
Data processing device, and computer program and data processing method thereof
A calling and display unit displays the image of a function calling icon (FCI) on at least one of the four corners of a screen of a touch panel. An icon calling unit calls function activation icons (FAI) in correspondence to a touch manipulation on the FCI. A function display unit displays the images of the called FAIs so as to be arranged on at least one of the four sides of the screen, which communicates with one of the four corners where the FCI is located. Therefore, the proportion in which the images of the displayed FAIs obstruct a display image displayed on the screen can be minimized. In this way, a data processing device minimizes the proportion in which the images of the FAIs displayed on the touch panel obstruct the display image. |
| US08963852B2 |
Touch panel, driving method for the touch panel, program for getting touch information, and memory media
The purpose of the invention is to provide a touch panel, a driving method for the touch panel, a program for getting touch information, and a memory media, capable of reducing the influence caused by the operation of a display device to the touch panel. The touch panel having a display driven by alternative voltage and a touch sensor reading the touch information from the input interface periodically, includes a touch information detection part synchronizing the beginning timing of a reading operation of the touch sensor with a frame of the display and detecting the touch data in each frame, and a touch information calculation part calculating an average with respect to an even number of successive frames to get a calculated touch data corresponding to a predetermined frame. |
| US08963850B2 |
Method for determining scanning times of touch driving pulse in a touch panel
A method for determining scanning times of touch driving pulse in a touch panel includes steps of: judging a current gate line scan period is in which one of a data updating time period and a blanking time period; if the current gate line scan period is in the data updating time period, setting a scanning times of touch driving pulse in the current gate line scan period to be a first value; and if the current gate line scan period is in the blanking time period, setting the scanning times of touch driving pulse in the current gate line scan period to be a second value. The first value is different from the second value, and a time for touch driving pulse scanning is non-overlapped with another time for providing display data to data lines of the touch panel in each scan line scan period. |
| US08963849B2 |
Display input device
A display input device is comprised of a touch panel 1 for carrying out a display of information and an input of information, a proximity sensor 12 for detecting a movement of an object to be detected which is positioned opposite to the touch panel 1 in a noncontact manner, and a control unit 3 for, when the proximity sensor 12 detects an approach of the object to be detected to within a predetermined distance from the touch panel 1, moving a specific display object displayed on the touch panel 1 close to a stop position of the object to be detected to display the specific display object. |
| US08963848B2 |
Touch screen panel
A touch screen panel includes a transparent substrate. A plurality of first and second sensing cells are formed so as to be connected along first and second directions, respectively. The second sensing cells are disposed between the first sensing cells. A plurality of first and second connection patterns connect the first and second sensing cells to one another along the first and second directions, respectively. A first insulating layer is interposed between the first second connection patterns. In the touch screen panel, each of the first connection patterns includes a main bridge pattern separately patterned in a different layer from the first sensing cells connected by the main bridge pattern to connect adjacent first sensing cells to other along the first direction, and one or more sub-bridge patterns which branch from the main bridge pattern, and which have both ends connected to the main bridge pattern so as to form a detour path. |
| US08963842B2 |
Integrated hardware and software user interface
An integrated user interface has a sensory surface operable to receive a selection signal from a user and send a corresponding command signal within a software system. The integrated user interface has a plurality of tactile features operable to provide a user with tactile feedback corresponding to the selection signal received by the sensory surface when simultaneously selected by the user. A method of integrating the hardware and software functionality for a user interface is also disclosed. |
| US08963841B2 |
Keyboard backlight features for a portable computer
The present application describes various embodiments of systems and methods for internal components for portable computing devices relating to keyboard components and keyboard backlighting. In one embodiment, a keyboard module can include a rectangular light guide panel and a driver board including discrete light sources mounted on the driver board where the driver board is disposed along one edge of the light guide panel and light emitted for the discrete light sources is captured by the light guide panel and distributed to predetermined locations. |
| US08963840B2 |
Smartpad split screen desktop
A multi-display device is adapted to be dockable or otherwise associatable with an additional device. In accordance with one exemplary embodiment, the multi-display device is dockable with a smartpad. The exemplary smartpad can include a screen, a touch sensitive display, a configurable area, a gesture capture region(s) and a camera. The smartpad can also include a port adapted to receive the device. The exemplary smartpad is able to cooperate with the device such that information displayable on the device is also displayable on the smartpad. Furthermore, any one or more of the functions on the device are extendable to the smartpad, with the smartpad capable of acting as an input/output interface or extension of the smartpad. Therefore, for example, information from one or more of the displays on the multi-screen device is displayable on the smartpad. |
| US08963838B2 |
Enhanced projected image interface
An interactive display projection system, includes a pointing device which determines a location on the projected display indicated by the pointing device using a combination of a location signal in the display captured by the pointing device and optical mouse circuitry to determine motion of the pointing device when the pointing device is close to the projected display. In another embodiment, the pointing device also includes an inertial sensor and associated circuitry which detects linear accelerations and rotational rates to determine motion and orientation of the pointing device, which are also used to determine the location on the projected display indicated by the pointing device. |
| US08963835B2 |
Method for displaying an item on a display unit
By a method for displaying an item on a display unit (5), the following steps will be suggested: —arranging a first plan (22) of a first virtual space in a navigation area (21) of a navigation plane, —imaging the navigation area (21) by means of an optical registration system (3) of a computer-supported interface system (1), —determining the position of a calibration arrangement of the first plan (22), and calibrating the plan coordinate system of the image of the first plan (22) in the computer-supported interface system (1) on the basis of the calibration arrangement, —assigning the first virtual space to the navigation area (21) in consideration of the plan coordinate system, —determining the coordinates, including position and orientation, of a manually guidable object (23) in the first plane (22) by means of the computer-supported interface system (1), the manually guidable object (23) having at least one optical marking, —assigning the coordinates of the manually guidable object (23) in the first plan (22) to coordinates of a virtual observer in the first virtual space, and —displaying the field of vision of the observer in the virtual space on the display unit (5). |
| US08963824B2 |
Back light unit for stereoscopic display
Techniques for 3D back light units are described. In some possible embodiments, in a first time interval during which one or more back light units of a display system are turned off, a complete set of left pixel values in a left frame is outputted to a display panel of the display system. In some possible embodiments, in a second time interval during which the complete set of left pixel values in the left frame has been outputted to the display panel of the display system, the one or more back light units are turned on to illuminate the display panel and the second time interval is subsequent to, and is not overlapped with, the first time interval. |
| US08963822B2 |
Display apparatus
A display apparatus includes a timing controller, a data driver, and display panel. The timing controller outputs a plurality of image signals, a first control signal, and a second control signal. The data driver converts the image signals to first voltages in response to the first control signal, outputs the first voltages, and outputs a second voltage swinging between two different voltage levels in at least one frame unit in response to the second control signal. The display panel includes a plurality of pixels, where each receives a corresponding one of the first voltages and the second voltage to display an image. |
| US08963820B2 |
Semiconductor device, liquid crystal display and electronic apparatus
A semiconductor device includes: a trimming object circuit configured to use a trimming circuit to adjust an output based on a trimming value; and a trimming value setting circuit configured to set the trimming value. The trimming value setting circuit includes: a register configured to volatilely store a pseudo-trimming value set with reference to a trimming table such that an output value of the trimming object circuit becomes equal to a target value; a trimming value storage configured to non-volatilely store a final trimming value, wherein the final trimming value is set by correcting the pseudo-trimming value with reference to a trimming value correction table such that the output value of the trimming object circuit, which is obtained based on the pseudo-trimming value, becomes equal to the target value; and a selector configured to select one of the pseudo-trimming value and the final trimming value as the trimming value. |
| US08963819B2 |
Light modulating display device using electrowetting effect
A light-modulating or display apparatus employs electrowetting effect to controllably modulate, directly or indirectly, the shape or location of one or more measures of liquid. In one embodiment, at least one measure of liquid obstructs the passage of at least some portion of light passing onto, through or reflected off said apparatus, and thereby controllably modulating the angle of distribution, amplitude or intensity of light emitted or reflected by or passing through said apparatus. In another embodiment, light is propagating within a media due to the phenomenon of Total Internal Reflection, and one or more properties of light escaping from within said media through one or more adjacent measures of liquid is controllably modulated due to said change of shape or location of the measures of liquid. |
| US08963817B2 |
Energy sensing light emitting diode display
A display that includes energy sensors within the display itself is disclosed. An Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) can be made to operate both as a light emitter and as an energy detector. When forward biased with an appropriate driving signal, the OLED emits light via electroluminescence, which can be used to make a portion of an image on the display. In another mode, the OLED can detect energy by converting incoming photons or energy into an electrical signal by the photoelectric effect. By operating OLEDs in the display in both emissive and sensing modes, energy that shines on the display, such as from an outside source can be detected at the same time an image is shown. Additionally, a display including OLEDs can detect light energy generated by the display itself. |
| US08963811B2 |
LED display systems
An LED display system comprises an LED array and an LED driver circuit. An LED driver circuit comprises components including a phase lock loop, a pulse width modulation engine, a configuration register, a series of gain adjustable fast charge current sources, and a serial input/output interface. The components in this driver circuit may be integrated on a same chip. The LED array may be arranged in a common cathode configuration. |
| US08963810B2 |
LED display systems
An LED display system comprises an LED array and an LED driver circuit. An LED driver circuit comprises components including a phase lock loop, a pulse width modulation engine, a configuration register, a gain adjustable fast charge current source, and a serial input/output interface. The components in this driver circuit may be integrated on a same chip. The LED array may be arranged in a common cathode configuration. |
| US08963808B2 |
Autostereoscopic display device and method of displaying image
An autostereoscopic display device includes a pixelated image source, a lenticular element and an optical splitting element. The pixelated image source includes a matrix of pixels and dark regions. The lenticular element includes a plurality of cylindrical lenses and is disposed adjacent the pixelated image source such that each of the cylindrical lenses extends over a substantially equal area of dark regions. The optical splitting element is configured such that a first eye sees first sub-pixels located along first parallel lines behind each of the cylindrical lenses with respect to the observer and a second eye sees second sub-pixels located along second parallel lines behind each of the cylindrical lenses. The first parallel lines and the second parallel lines are parallel with the cylindrical lenses. The first parallel lines extend over three neighboring sub-pixels within each of the rows. The second parallel lines extend over three neighboring sub-pixels within each of the rows. |
| US08963805B2 |
Executable virtual objects associated with real objects
Embodiments for interacting with an executable virtual object associated with a real object are disclosed. In one example, a method for interacting with an executable virtual object associated with a real object includes receiving sensor input from one or more sensors attached to the portable see-through display device, and obtaining information regarding a location of the user based on the sensor input. The method also includes, if the location includes a real object comprising an associated executable virtual object, then determining an intent of the user to interact with the executable virtual object, and if the intent to interact is determined, then interacting with the executable object. |
| US08963799B2 |
Mirroring graphics content to an external display
A data processing system composites graphics content, generated by an application program running on the data processing system, to generate image data. The data processing system stores the image data in a first framebuffer and displays an image generated from the image data in the first framebuffer on an internal display device of the data processing system. A scaler in the data processing system performs scaling operations on the image data in the first framebuffer, stores the scaled image data in a second framebuffer and displays an image generated from the scaled image data in the second framebuffer on an external display device coupled to the data processing system. The scaler performs the scaling operations asynchronously with respect to the compositing of the graphics content. The data processing system automatically mirrors the image on the external display device unless the application program is publishing additional graphics content for display on the external display device. |
| US08963798B2 |
Display controller, method for operating the display controller, and display system having the display controller
The display controller includes a decoder, a control circuit, and a video output logic circuit. The decoder is configured to decode a first display command and output a decoding signal and first synchronizing information indicating the first display command is received. The control circuit is configured to generate a first control signal based on second synchronizing information and the decoding signal. The second synchronizing information is output from a second display controller and indicates a second display command is received. The video output logic circuit is configured to send a part of video data stored in a video source and a plurality of first timing control signals for displaying the part of the video data on a display to the display based on the first control signal. |
| US08963796B2 |
Method of launching a selected application in a multi-monitor computer system and multi-monitor computer system employing the same
A method of launching a selected application in a multi-monitor computer system (20) comprising a plurality of displays (22 to 26) operatively associated with at least one computing device (28) comprises in response to an application launch event, determining if the launch event was initiated from a registered display of the multi-monitor computer system; and if so, launching the application associated with the launch event on the registered display and if not, launching the application associated with the launch event on a default display of the multi-monitor computer system. |
| US08963793B2 |
Dual band antenna design
Disclosed in an example embodiment herein is a dual mode patch antenna designed to operate in the TM02 mode. The antenna comprising a circular patch antenna configured to operate at a first frequency, and a cylindrical matching element coupled to the circular patch antenna configured to operate at a second frequency. A feed surface is coupled to the cylindrical matching element. |
| US08963785B2 |
Antenna structure for using with a metal frame of a mobile phone
An antenna structure includes a carrier body, a circuit board, a metal coupling sheet, a first grounding part, a second grounding part, and a metal frame. A first slot and a second slot are between the metal frame and the carrier body after the parts mentioned above are assembled. The metal coupling sheet, the first grounding part, and the first slot form a first communication path. The first communication path forms a low-frequency resonance and a high-frequency resonance as well, so that the antenna structure is applied to a four bands GSM850/900/1800/1900. The metal coupling sheet, the second grounding part, and the second slot form a second communication path. The second communication path forms the WCDMA2100 resonance, so that the antenna structure is applied to a five bands 850/900/1800/1900/2100. |
| US08963781B2 |
RFID tag antenna for attached on high conductive object
An UHF RFID antenna for attached on any high conductive object is disclosed. The antenna radiation body has a first copper foil mounted thereon a backside surface of a FR4 glass fiber served as a ground plane, a second copper foil mounted thereon a front surface of the FR4 glass fiber as a main radiation plane. The main radiation plane contains two etched slits spaced each other. Each etched slit has a shape like a blade with a long handle. The two etched slits are mirror symmetry and a trench formed to connect the two etched slits for a RFID tag seated thereon so that There are short circuit microstrip and a feed-in microstrip are generated. |
| US08963780B2 |
Antenna module
An antenna module is disclosed. The antenna module comprises a first conductive unit, a second conductive unit and a third conductive unit. The first conductive unit has a feeding point. The second conductive unit is disconnected with the first conductive unit electrically. The third conductive unit is disposed adjacent to the first conductive unit and electrically connected with the second conductive unit. |
| US08963773B2 |
Method and apparatus for maintaining integrity of long-term orbits in a remote receiver
A method and apparatus for maintaining integrity of long-term-orbit information used by a Global-Navigation-Satellite-System or other positioning receiver is described. The method comprises obtaining a predicted pseudorange from a first set of long-term-orbit information possessed by a positioning receiver; obtaining, at the positioning receiver from at least one satellite, a measured pseudorange; determining validity of the predicted pseudorange as a function of the predicted pseudorange and the measured pseudorange; and excluding from the long-term-orbit information at least a portion thereof when the validity of the predicted pseudorange is deemed invalid. Optionally, the method may comprise updating or otherwise supplementing the long-term-orbit information with other orbit information if the validity of the predicted pseudorange is deemed invalid. |
| US08963771B1 |
Closest to optimal answer selection technique for single-ship geolocation
Techniques are disclosed for selecting a closest to optimal radar/emitter location for single-ship applications. In accordance with some embodiments, given single-ship geolocation estimates are organized so that clusters of those estimates can be identified, wherein optimal solutions may be found in consecutive, adjacent segments of distance (bins) along each axis of given a coordinate system. Once the clusters are identified in each axis, an optimal cluster can be selected for each. To determine the closest answer to optimal, the coordinate data points in each of the optimal clusters can be averaged (or other sound mathematical process) for each axis in the coordinate system, so as to provide an optimal 3-D coordinate in the given coordinate system. In other embodiments, the optimal 3-D coordinate can be further used to establish an origin in a second coordinate system (e.g., for conversion from 3-D to 2-D coordinate system). |
| US08963769B2 |
Guided wave radar interface measurement medium identification
A guided wave radar transmitter for interface measurement comprises a probe defining a transmission line for sensing level of two immiscible liquids to define an interface therebetween. A pulse circuit generates pulses on the transmission line and receives a reflected signal from the transmission line. The reflected signal selectively includes a level pulse representing material level and an interface pulse representing interface level. A controller operates in an interface mode to determine the material level and the interface level responsive to receiving the level pulse and the interface pulse. The controller operates in a medium identification mode responsive to not receiving the interface pulse, comprising calculating an estimated amplitude of the level pulse for the two immiscible liquids and comparing actual amplitude of the level pulse to the estimated amplitude of the level pulse to identify the medium in the vessel. |
| US08963766B2 |
Target tracking system and method using data of angle sensors
According to one embodiment, a target tracking apparatus calculates N-dimensional predicted values from a respective stored (N+1)-dimensional tracks for each of the targets, determines whether or not the N-dimensional predicted value for each of the targets is correlated with the received N-dimensional angle observed value for the target, if the N-dimensional predicted value is not correlated, generates a new (N+1)-dimensional track for the target based on the N-dimensional track corresponding to the N-dimensional angle observed value and if the N-dimensional predicted value is correlated, updates and stores the (N+1)-dimensional track using the N-dimensional angle observed value. |
| US08963764B1 |
Ship heading and pitch using satellite ephemerides and radar range measurement of satellite
There may be situations in which a ship at sea is lost and GPS is not available due to jamming, and neither a position fix nor GPS is available, or the heading and attitude sensors are degraded. A system and method allow estimating a ship's heading and pitch using radar range measurements, multiple antennas and satellite ephemeris data. |
| US08963763B2 |
Configuring an analog-digital converter
A method for operating an analog-digital converter including a number of charging units, each comprising a switchable capacitor and an associated reference potential source, includes evaluating a comparison potential in successive decision steps to obtain a comparison result; and successively switching one of the charging units following a previous one of the decision steps, wherein, depending on the obtained comparison result, the comparison potential is changed by the one respective charging unit by connecting the associated reference potential source to the switchable capacitor, wherein in two of the successive switching steps different reference potentials are applied to the switchable capacitor. |
| US08963759B2 |
Imaging systems with per-column analog-to-digital converter non-linearity correction capabilities
Electronic devices may include image sensors having image sensor pixels that are coupled to analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). Each ADC may be a sub-ranged ramp ADC that uses a first set of reference voltages to determine a coarse code and a second set of ramping voltages to determine a fine code. In the presence of parasitic capacitances, the reference voltages and the ramp voltages exhibit mismatch that causes the ADC to exhibit non-idealities such as missing codes. Calibration operations may be performed that involve obtaining a first code at a first predetermined input voltage level and obtaining a second code at a second predetermined input voltage level. A code correction value can then be computed based on the first and second codes. The code correction value can be selectively applied to the final ADC code to correct for missing codes. |
| US08963757B2 |
D/A converter including higher-order resistor string
A resistor string digital-to-analog converter includes an input terminal receiving a digital input signal in digital code, an output terminal revealing an analog output signal in analog voltage, a first plurality of voltage-acquisition nodes including a first pair of nodes which is adjacent to each other, a first plurality of resistors being connected in series via the first plurality of voltage-acquisition nodes, a second pair of nodes revealing a pair of analog voltages, a high-order voltage-acquisition circuit providing conduction between a respective one of the first pair of nodes and a respective one of the second pair of nodes in accordance with the digital input signal, a low-order converter generating the analog output signal, which is obtained by interpolating one and the other of the pair of analog voltages in accordance with the digital input signal. |
| US08963755B2 |
Multi-level sigma-delta ADC with reduced quantization levels
A multi-level sigma-delta Analog to Digital converter provides multi-level outputs using a quantizer with reduced quantization levels. The converter comprises a direct path comprising a computation block, an analog integrator, a digital integrator and the quantizer with reduced quantization levels. Further, the converter comprises a feedback path arranged to provide to the computation block a feedback analog signal. The feedback analog signal is injected via the feedback path and the computation block directly at the input terminal of the quantizer. The converter allows reduction of the complexity of the quantizer. |
| US08963752B2 |
A/D converter, motor drive device, magnetic disk storage device, and electronic appliance
An A/D converter has an analog multiplexer stage which selects one of a plurality of first analog signals as a second analog signal, an amplifier stage which amplifies the second analog signal to generate a third analog signal, an A/D conversion stage which converts the third analog signal into a digital signal, and a sequencer which controls those stages. The sequencer performs input switching processing in the analog multiplexer stage on completion of sample hold processing by the A/D conversion stage, when performing a plurality of times of A/D conversion processing sequentially, without waiting for completion of the A/D conversion processing. |
| US08963749B2 |
Fieldbus adapter and method of using fieldbus adapter
A fieldbus adaptor connected between a fieldbus that handles a digital signal and a field device that handles an analog signal, the fieldbus adaptor comprising a first connection unit detachably connected to the fieldbus, a second connection unit detachably connected to the field device, and a conversion unit provided between the first connection unit and the second connection unit, the conversion unit bidirectionally converting the digital signal handled by the fieldbus and the analog signal handled by the field device. |
| US08963741B1 |
Methods and systems for dynamic alerting during missions
A method for alerting a user of a sequence of events that has occurred, based on data contained within messages occurring on one or more communications buses is described. The method includes entering, via a user interface, data defining a sequence of events for which an alert is desired, monitoring, with a unit coupled to the user interface, the messages occurring on the one or more communications buses for data indicative of an occurrence of the defined sequence of events, and providing an indication to the user that the sequence of events has occurred. |
| US08963736B2 |
System and method for portable instrumentation
A system and method for portable instrumentation is proposed, comprising a server computer and a portable instrument that is wirelessly connectable to the server computer. The portable instrument comprises sensors for performing respective physical or electrochemical measurements, and a hand-held computer that is operably connectable to the sensors. The hand-held computer is configured to record and transmit the measurements to the server computer. The hand-held computer evaluates a real-time wireless connection quality between the portable instrument and the server computer. When the wireless connection quality shows a declining trend, the hand-held computer determines a spatial boundary where the portable instrument reaches a dead zone with wireless connection quality below a predetermined threshold. The hand-held computer then requests pre-recorded data from the server computer to be forwarded to the portable instrument before the portable instrument reaches the spatial boundary. The efficiency and reliability of the measurements are thus improved. |
| US08963733B2 |
System and method for blind fault detection for rotating machinery
A system includes more sensors configured to measure one or more characteristics of rotating equipment and a blind fault detection device. The blind fault detection device includes an input interface configured to receive at least one input signal from the one or more sensors. The blind fault detection device also includes a processing unit configured to identify a fault in the rotating equipment using the at least one input signal. The blind fault detection device further includes an output interface configured to provide an indicator identifying the fault. The processing unit is configured to identify the fault by determining at least one family of frequencies related to at least one sensor point, determining an average energy for the at least one sensor point based on the at least one family of frequencies, and comparing the average energy to a baseline value. |
| US08963732B2 |
Slope stability alarm
A method of generating an alarm indicating movement of a slope under inspection that sets an alarm if (1), where dX is a first measured displacement, dY is another measured displacement at a chosen difference from dX, and dZ is another measured displacement at a chosen difference from dY, and the corresponding times at which the chosen distances are measured are tA, tB and tC respectively for dX dY and dZ. So that an alarm is set if the ratio of the time taken for the slope to move between dY and dZ compared to moving between dX and dY is less than the ratio of the respective displacements. t C - t B t B - t A < d Z - d Y d Y - d X ( I ) |
| US08963731B1 |
Electrical outlet unit
An electrical unit outlet device is disclosed for controlling power isolation, based on a predetermined time, for a device charger, while remaining plugged into a power outlet. An electrical outlet unit circuit cuts any power to the charging device off when charge is complete. An electrical device to limit the electrical power consumed by battery chargers, that are used to recharge the batteries of devices is described which includes: (1) a means to initiate a charging cycle; (2) surge protection circuit to protect both the battery charger and the device being recharged; and (3) an automatic control circuit to terminate a charging cycle. Secondly for the device to maintain the battery at full charge for extended periods of time while limiting power consumption, which includes: (1) a means to repeatedly initiate an abbreviated charging cycle and (2) a means to control the amount of time between the abbreviated charging cycles. |
| US08963724B2 |
System and method for arousing a drowsy driver without drowsiness detection
A system for preventing drowsiness in a driver by employing a thermal grill that includes warm and cool regions. The system includes a threshold determination module and a configuration module. The threshold determination module determines temperatures for warm and cool regions corresponding to a level below the driver's pain threshold. The warm and cool regions configured at these determined temperatures do not cause an uncomfortable sensation for an alert driver. Accordingly, the configuration module configures the thermal grill to these determined temperatures. As the driver gets drowsy, the driver's pain threshold falls, the configured thermal grill causes an uncomfortable sensation for the driver and alerts the driver. |
| US08963717B2 |
Mobile device initiated retail transaction using wireless communication for security tag detachment
Systems and methods for purchasing an article having a security tag attached thereto. The methods involve: obtaining, by a mobile communication device, article information and payment information for purchasing the article; communicating the article information and payment information from the mobile communication device to a remote system via a network connection for completing a purchase transaction; and communicating a detachment key from the mobile communication device to the security tag via a first short-range communication. Notably, the detachment key is communicated to the security tag exclusively if the article was successfully purchased during the purchase transaction. The detachment key is configured to cause an actuation of a detachment mechanism of the security tag. |
| US08963715B2 |
Apparatus having a housing, with intrusion detection
An embodiment of an apparatus has a closed housing accommodating an element to be protected, and a pressure sensor coupled to a control unit configured to detect pressure variations within the housing upon opening the housing. The control unit is configured to activate countermeasures upon detecting opening of the housing. For example, the apparatus may be a set-top box, a cell phone, a television set, a printer ink cartridge of toner cartridge, or a meter, wherein the element to be protected is a semiconductor chip and relevant couplings, storing an enabling code or key. |
| US08963712B2 |
Tamper evident cargo container seal bolt lock
Systems and methods for a tamper-evident cargo container seal bolt lock are disclosed herein. The device can include a bolt member having a conductive medium running the axial length of the bolt, and a receiving member for locking the bolt into place. A battery-driven sensory circuit including a memory, a processor, and a timing circuit can be disposed within the receiving member such that a continuous circuit is formed from one circuit pin over the conductive medium through the length of the bolt and back to a second pin. The sensory circuit is configured to sense whether the circuit has been interrupted (e.g., if the bolt has been cut). In the event of an interruption, the circuit can record the time and/or date in memory. This information can then be transmitted to an RFID reader/interrogator if a dispute arises as to when the lock had been broken. |
| US08963702B2 |
System and method for viewing and correcting data in a street mapping database
A system and method for detecting use of a wireless device is disclosed. In one embodiment, a system and method for using street map data broadcasts a warning to a driver, wherein the warning is triggered when a vehicle operating parameter does not comply with a limitation for a current street in a street mapping database. The limitation for the current street is also broadcast to the driver. An indication that the limitation for the current street is incorrect is received from the driver. The warning to the driver may be an audible warning and/or a visual warning to the driver. Broadcasting a limitation for the current street may include displaying the limitation to the driver or playing a spoken message to the driver. The limitation may be a posted speed limit or a traffic direction, for example. |
| US08963698B2 |
System and method for setting functions according to location
An apparatus, system, and method for controlling functions of a vehicular alarm. The method includes receiving one or more signals including location information, determining a location of the vehicle using the location information, setting one or more functions based on the location information, determining whether an alarm function is activated, and activating the one or more functions according to the setting upon determining that an alarm has been activated. The method may further include using GPS data or signals transmitted from one or more base stations (e.g., from cellular telephone base stations, computer networks, proprietary transmitters, etc.) to determine the position of the apparatus (e.g., installed in the vehicle). The apparatus may also inform a user of regulations relating to an area dependent upon its location. |
| US08963697B2 |
Display device, in particular for a motor vehicle
A display device, notably for an automobile vehicle, comprises a head down display module, and a head up display module. Means are provided for adjusting the position at least of the head up display module. The inclination of one or both of the head up and the head down display modules may also be adjusted. In such cases, the inclination of the modules may be the same or different. An adjustment axis may be provided for such adjustments, and this axis may be generally perpendicular to a normal viewing direction. |
| US08963696B2 |
Apparatus for performing key control with reduced key matrix pin count
An apparatus for performing key control includes an integrated circuit (IC) arranged to detect a key press according to some input/output signals of a key matrix, where the input/output signals include first input/output signals corresponding to a first direction and second input/output signals corresponding to a second direction. In addition, the IC includes a plurality of first pins and a plurality of second pins, for transmitting the first and the second input/output signals, respectively. In particular, during the detection of the key press, the IC controls at least one first pin of the first pins to be in an output mode and controls the second pins to be in an input mode in a first time period, and controls at least one second pin of the second pins to be in an output mode and controls the first pins to be in an input mode in a second time period. |
| US08963692B2 |
Aggregating and routing sensor data at a community sensor-coordinating entity
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving sensor data from multiple sensors associated with multiple persons; for each of the sensors, identifying the person associated with the sensor; determining whether the sensor data are valid; and, for the sensor data that are valid, aggregating them based on the associations of their sensors with the persons and routing them to one or more sensor-application-service providers based on associations of the persons with the sensor-application-service providers. |
| US08963688B2 |
Stacked tire RFID reader system and method
A product management system and method for reading electronic identification tags from a vertical stack of tires. Each tire has an electronic identification tag secured at a position to operative to electronically transmit data to an antenna element positioned internally within a toroidal opening of each tire in the stack. An elongate read wand is positioned in a substantially vertical orientation within the aligned toroidal openings of the tires. The antenna element is carried by the read wand and is thus positioned by the read wand to receive an electronic transmission from each electronic identification tag in the aligned tire stack. The read wand may be ceiling-mounted, floor mounted, or hand held. |
| US08963684B2 |
Gamma sterilizable RFID system that prevents unauthorized operation of associated disposable bioprocess components
This invention provides a system and apparatus that is able to authenticate and prevent illegal manufacturing and unauthorized operation of disposable bioprocess components. This invention utilizes a ferro-electric random access memory (FRAM) chip to store error-correctable information on a RFID tag attached to the disposable bioprocess components, where the error-correctable information is written into the memory chip, so that the information can remain in the chip when the RFID tag and disposable bioprocess component is gamma-sterilized. Also, this invention includes a method for authenticating the disposable bioprocess component that reduces liability in that a counterfeit poor quality disposable component is not used on the hardware so the user will not file an unjustified complaint. |
| US08963680B2 |
Contactless communication method and system
In a contactless communication system, a first storage unit stores a group of access control programs corresponding to plural types of noncontact information carriers, respectively. A second storage unit stores access reference information required to execute the group of access control programs. A program execution unit refers to the access reference information to select at least one program in the group of access control programs based on the reference result. The program execution unit executes the selected at least one program in the group of access control programs based on the access reference information. |
| US08963679B2 |
Connection terminal of shunt resistor, and battery state detection device
It is an object to provide a configuration with an enhanced sensing accuracy, in which a shunt resistance main body and a terminal member are formed as separate pieces. A shunt resistor includes a resistance main body and a terminal member (21) that is electrically connected to the resistance main body. The terminal member (21) includes a resistance connection portion (23) to be in contact with the resistance main body, and a circuit connection portion (24) provided so as to extend from the resistance connection portion (23). The circuit connection portion (24) is divided into two parts by a slit (27) being formed therein. The slit (27) is formed up to a part of the resistance connection portion (23). |
| US08963678B2 |
Circuit breaker closing/opening actuating mechanism and driving device thereof
A circuit breaker closing/opening actuating mechanism and a driving device thereof, the driving device includes: an expansion body (12), and a heater (13), wherein the expansion body (12) is coupled to the force transmitting mechanism (11), when the heater (13) is powered on, the expansive matter (4) inside the shell (2) expands to motivate the force transmitting mechanism (11), so as to realize opening or closing a circuit breaker. The present invention has the following benefits of utilizing the expansion force and displacement generated by matter phase transforming when temperature changes to expand, for the circuit breaker to close or open, so as to realize remote controlling and automatic controlling of an electric switch. The present invention has simple structure, and acts reliably. |
| US08963676B1 |
Configurable transformer module
A configurable transformer module includes a primary printed circuit board, one or more secondary printed circuit boards, and one or more interface connectors. The primary PCB has planar primary windings formed thereon and openings for accommodating a planar transformer core. Each of the one or more secondary PCB has planar secondary windings and an opening for accommodating the planar transformer core. Some of the secondary PCB has mating terminals formed thereon. The planar secondary windings on a respective secondary printed circuit board are configured by electrical connections provided at a respective interface connector to realize a given transformer turns ratio between the respective secondary printed circuit board and the primary printed circuit board. |
| US08963674B2 |
Tunable inductor
A tunable inductor includes a main wiring and at least one tuning module. The main wiring is arranged to encircle an inductor area of the tunable inductor. In addition, the tuning module is arranged to couple associated nodes of the main wiring. For example, each tuning module of the at least one tuning module includes a first switch positioned within the inductor area, and further includes at least one auxiliary wiring. When the first switch is turned on, the tuning module couples two nodes of the main wiring, where the at least one auxiliary wiring is arranged to couple the two nodes when the first switch is turned on. In particular, a patterned ground plane is arranged to decrease the energy loss of the tunable inductor, and more particularly, to prevent the tunable inductor from suffering energy loss. The patterned ground plane includes some conductive sections forming a W-like shape. |
| US08963672B2 |
Wiring board
This wiring board is provided with an insulating core substrate, a first conductor pattern, a second conductor pattern, and a conductive material. The first conductor pattern and the second conductor pattern are adhered to the insulating core substrate. The second conductor pattern has a first surface and a second surface. The second conductor pattern has a concavity and a through-hole. The opening of the concavity that opens to the first surface and the opening of the through hole that opens to the first surface are interconnected to each other. The first conductor pattern is positioned at the opening of the concavity. The first conductor pattern and the second conductor pattern are electrically connected by means of the conductive material, which fills from the opening of the through hole that opens to the second surface. |
| US08963670B2 |
Tap changer
A tap changer for connection to a regulating winding of a rated regulation voltage is provided. The tap changer having a linear tap selector having at least one current collector and a linear arrangement of fixed contacts. Tap changer further includes a shielding structure arranged to shield the tap selector from an external electrical field. The shielding structure includes: a first shielding part arranged to be electrically connected to a current collector; and a second shielding part formed at least partly by the fixed contacts. The first and second shielding parts are separated so that the distance between the first and second shielding parts reaches or exceeds the rated regulating voltage insulation distance of the tap changer. |
| US08963669B2 |
High voltage electro inductive swivel
Power swivel for transmitting electrical power from a first terminal to a second terminal, includes a central part with a huh and an outer ring of a magnetic material, coaxial with and surrounding the hub, the outer ring and central part being rotatable relative to one another around a vertical axis, at least two radial arms of a magnetic material projecting from the hub or from the outer ring, adjacent arms being spaced-apart, each arm carrying a conductor wound around the arm to form a coil for generating a magnetic flux along a radial flux path through the arm, the conductors being connected to the first terminal, wherein the outer ring or the hub has a cylindrical surface at close proximity to free ends of the arms, a plurality of axially extending conductors being distributed along the circumference of the outer ring or hub at or near the cylindrical surface. |
| US08963664B2 |
Magnetic field manipulation devices
Magnetic field manipulation devices and magnetic actuators are disclosed. In one embodiment, a magnetic field manipulation device includes an iron base substrate having a surface, and at least four electrically conductive loops embedded in the surface of the iron substrate. The at least four electrically conductive loops are electrically coupled to one another, and are arranged in the surface of the iron substrate such that the magnetic field manipulation device diverges magnetic flux lines of a magnetic field generated by a magnetic field source positioned proximate the magnetic field manipulation device. In another embodiment, the at least four electrically conductive loops are electrically isolated such that the magnetic field manipulation device converges magnetic flux lines of a magnetic field generated by a magnetic field source positioned proximate the magnetic field manipulation device. |
| US08963660B2 |
Electromagnetic relay
A electromagnetic relay including a plate-shaped pivoting piece (32), one end of which is supported in cantilever state, pivoted by a movable block (40), which reciprocates in the up-down direction on the basis of excitation and demagnetization of an electromagnet block (20) housed within a housing (10, 50), and causes a movable contact (34) formed on the other end of the plate-shaped pivoting piece (32) to make/break contact with an anchored contact (36) formed on the tip section of an anchored contact terminal (35). In particular, the one-end section of the plate-shaped pivoting piece (32) is supported pivotably in cantilever state by the upper end section of a movable contact terminal (31), with a support spring (33) comprising a conductive sheet spring material interposed therebetween. |
| US08963655B2 |
Acoustic wave device and method for producing same
An acoustic wave device comprises a substrate and an acoustic wave element on one main surface of the substrate. Side surfaces of the substrate comprises a protruding portion which protrudes out at a side of an another main surface closer than a side with the one main surface side. |
| US08963653B2 |
2-channel diplexer structure
The present invention relates to a structure of a diplexer that prevents outputs of both signals from influencing each other by removing mutual interference between both signals when a signal having a high pulse frequency and a signal having a low pulse frequency are combined and radiated by using the same antenna, and more particularly, to a 2-channel diplexer structure with two channels in which a substrate having a predetermined size is configured, five microstrip lines are arranged on the top of the substrate to be parallel to each other with a predetermined interval. |
| US08963651B2 |
Frequency temperature offset compensation
One embodiment relates to a method of compensating for crystal frequency variation over temperature. An example method includes obtaining an indication of temperature, computing a temperature compensation value based on the indication of temperature and a piecewise linear temperature compensation approximation, and compensating for a temperature offset in a crystal reference signal by adjusting a division ratio of a fractional divider in a phase-locked loop. The piecewise linear temperature compensation approximation can represent an approximation of frequency error in a crystal reference signal originating from a crystal over temperature. The piecewise linear temperature compensation approximation can be, for example, a linear approximation, a quadratic approximation, or a cubic approximation. |
| US08963649B2 |
PLL with oscillator PVT compensation
A voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) includes a current controlled oscillator, a voltage-to-current converter, and a sensing circuit. The sensing circuit includes a delay unit, and the sensing circuit is configured to generate a plurality of compensation control signals in response to a time delay of the delay unit. The voltage-to-current converter is configured to generate a current signal in response to a VCO control signal and the plurality of compensation control signals. The current controlled oscillator is configured to generate an oscillating signal in response to the current signal. |
| US08963647B2 |
Self-powered timer apparatus
A method is provided for implementing a timer using a floating-gate transistor. The method includes: injecting a charge into a floating-gate transistor at an initial time, where a gate terminal of the floating-gate transistor is comprised of polysilicon encased by an insulating material; creating lattice imperfections at boundary of the polysilicon to cause leakage from the floating-gate transistor; measuring current read out from the floating-gate transistor at a time subsequent to the initial time; and determining an amount of time between the initial time and the subsequent time using the measured current. |
| US08963646B1 |
Delay line ring oscillation apparatus
The delay line degradation protection architecture as build-in ring oscillation apparatus includes a two gates logical circuit, a buffer, a clock input buffer and a delay lock loop circuit. The two gates logical circuit receives a clock enable signal, specific mode signal, and delayed clock output signal. The two gates logical circuit performs a logical operating on the clock enable signal, the specific mode signal and the delayed clock output signal for generating a mode selecting signal. The buffer generates a feedback signal according to the mode selecting signal and a control signal. The clock input buffer decides whether to transport the input clock signal to an output end of the clock input buffer or not according to the feedback signal. The delay lock loop circuit generates the delayed clock output signal. A frequency of the feedback signal is adjusted according to the control signal. |
| US08963643B2 |
Method and system for providing automatic gate bias and bias sequencing for field effect transistors
A feedback gate bias circuit for use in radio frequency amplifiers to more effectively control operation of LDFET, GaNFET, GaAsFET, and JFET type transistors used in such circuits. A transistor gate bias circuit that senses drain current and automatically adjusts or biases the gate voltage to maintain drain current independently of temperature, time, input drive, frequency, as well as from device to device variations. Additional circuits to provide temperature compensation, RF power monitoring and drain current control, RF output power leveler, high power gain block, and optional digital control of various functions. A gate bias circuit including a bias sequencer and negative voltage deriver for operation of N-channel depletion mode devices. |
| US08963642B2 |
Performance of off-chip connection for power amplifier
There is provided an integrated circuit comprising a main push-pull amplifier (108, 110) with balanced outputs and an additional push-pull amplifier (862, 863) with balanced outputs. Each of these balanced outputs is connected to an off-chip load (822) via respective bonding wires (818, 828, 830, 880) to provide a combined amplified signal to the load. The additional amplifier serves to compensate for crossover distortions generated by the main amplifier. |
| US08963641B1 |
Source-series terminated differential line driver circuit
A differential amplifier circuit that includes a negative resistor in parallel to synthesize a larger source resistance is disclosed. In one or more implementations, a differential amplifier circuit includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor is configured to receive a first differential input and the second transistor is configured to receive a second differential input. The differential amplifier circuit also includes a third transistor and a fourth transistor that form a pair of cross-coupled transistors coupled to the first transistor and the second transistor. The pair of cross-coupled transistors are configured to generate a negative impedance at an output node, and the negative impedance, combined with an impedance of the first transistor, is configured to generate a sufficient termination impedance for a transmission line electrically connected to the output node. |
| US08963638B2 |
Operational amplifier circuit
An operational amplifier circuit includes an output stage circuit. The output stage circuit includes a first and a second output transistors, a capacitor unit, and a switch unit. A drain of the first output transistor is coupled to a drain of the second output transistor via an output terminal of the output stage circuit. The switch unit is coupled between gates of the first and the second output transistors and coupled to a first terminal of the capacitor unit. A second terminal of the capacitor unit is coupled to the output terminal of the output stage circuit. The switch unit determines to conduct a signal transmission path between the gate of the first output transistor and the first terminal of the capacitor unit or conduct a signal transmission path between the gate of the second output transistor and the first terminal of the capacitor unit according to a control signal. |
| US08963637B2 |
Semiconductor device and communication device
A semiconductor device capable of achieving high speed performance in addition to correction of differential offset and a communication device provided with the semiconductor device are provided. For example, there are provided: a variable gain type differential amplifier circuit VGA1 which receives a gain setting signal ASET, which amplifies differential input signals INP and INN by a gain indicated by the gain setting signal, and which outputs differential output signals OUTP′ and OTUN′; and an offset correcting circuit unit OFCBK1 which cancels an offset voltage (VOF and VOFO) generated in the VGA1. Here, the OFCBK1 cancels an output offset voltage VOFO (which results in an input offset voltage VOF) by receiving the ASET, generating a correction voltage changed in accordance with the gain, and adding the correction voltage to the OUTP′ and OUTN′. |
| US08963635B2 |
Apparatus and method for producing signals coded with amplitude shift keying
An apparatus for coding a signal by means of amplitude shift keying comprises a class E amplifier including a switching transistor, to whose gate is supplied a voltage having an operating frequency for operating the class E amplifier. For achieving an amplitude shift keying in the output signal of the class E amplifier, a circuit for switching the operating frequency of the voltage supplied to the gate of the switching transistor, or the resonance frequency of the class E amplifier, between a first value and a second value is provided and in order to switch a deviation degree between the operating frequency and the resonance frequency between a first value and a second value. |
| US08963633B2 |
Automatic gain control device and method, power adjusting device and radio transmitting system
An automatic gain control device includes: a variable gain adjusting unit, for adjusting an input signal by a variable gain and outputting an adjustment result; an analog-digital converting unit, for performing analog-digital conversion on the adjustment result to obtain an analog-digital conversion result; and a gain determining unit, for determining a distribution status over a predetermined period of time of a maximum or a minimum of the analog-digital conversion result, comparing the distribution status with a first distribution condition, and if the distribution status meets the first distribution condition, then keeping the variable gain unchanged, otherwise changing the variable gain and determining newly a distribution status until the newly determined distribution status meets a second distribution condition which is at least as strict as the first distribution condition. |
| US08963632B2 |
High-frequency power amplifier with doherty extension
A high-frequency power amplifier comprises a broadband amplifier (30), a Doherty extension (31) and a coupling device (33). In this context, the broadband amplifier (30) provides a power splitter (34), a main amplifier path (64) and an auxiliary amplifier path (65). The Doherty extension (32) provides a first offset line (60), a second offset line (61) and an impedance inverter (62). The broadband amplifier (30) amplifies an input signal and supplies the amplified signal to the Doherty extension (31) or to the coupling device (33). |
| US08963630B2 |
System and method for boosted switches
In accordance with an embodiment, a method includes activating a first semiconductor switch having a first switch node coupled to a first input of a bootstrap circuit, a second switch node, and a control node coupled to a first end of a capacitor of the bootstrap circuit. A first end of the capacitor is coupled to the first input of the bootstrap circuit and a second end of the capacitor is set to a first voltage. Next, the first end of the capacitor is decoupled from the first input of the bootstrap circuit, and the second end of the capacitor is set to a second voltage. The control node is boosted to a first activation voltage that turns on the first semiconductor switch. |
| US08963628B2 |
Transistor-based filter for inhibiting load noise from entering a power supply
A transistor-based filter for inhibiting load noise from entering a power supply is disclosed. The filter includes a first transistor having an emitter coupled to a power supply, a collector coupled to a load, and a base. The filter also includes a first capacitor coupled between the base of the first transistor and a ground terminal The filter further includes an impedance coupled between the base and a node between the collector and the load, or a second transistor and second capacitor. The impedance can be a resistor or an inductor. |
| US08963627B2 |
Digital power gating with controlled resume
An integrated circuit including a global supply bus, a gated supply bus, and a digital power gating system with controlled resume. The digital power gating system includes gating devices and a power gating control system. Each gating device has a pair of current terminals coupled between the global supply bus and the gated supply bus and each has a control terminal. The power gating control system controls a digital control value which controls activation of the gating devices. The power gating control system is configured to successively adjust the digital control value to increase a voltage of the gated supply bus from a reduced voltage level to a normal operating voltage level in response to a resume indication. The reduced voltage level may be a state retention level or full power gating. Successive adjustment may be with constant or adjusted gain using a constant clock or a dynamically adjusted clock. |
| US08963624B2 |
Boosting circuit
A boosting circuit, includes an output circuit including a first transmission circuit, transmitting charges of a first boosting node to a first output node according to a first transmission control signal, a detection circuit, detecting the voltage level of the first output node, and a pre-charge circuit pre-charging the first boosting node according a detection signal of the detection circuit; a first pump circuit includes a second transmission circuit, transmitting charges to a second output node according to a second transmission control signal, and a first capacitance unit, coupled to the first boosting node, boosting the voltage level of the first boosting node according to charges transmitted in the second output node; and a control circuit, coupled to the output circuit and the first pump circuit, controls the second transmission control signal according to the voltage level of the first output node. |
| US08963623B2 |
Low voltage and high driving charge pump
The present disclosure relates to a charge pump circuit having one or more voltage multiplier circuits that enable generation of an output signal having a higher output voltage. In one embodiment, the charge pump circuit comprises a NMOS transistor having a drain connected to a supply voltage and a source connected to a chain of diode connected NMOS transistors coupled in series. A first voltage multiplier circuit is configured to generate a first two-phase output signal having a maximum voltage value that is twice the supply voltage. The first two-phase output signal is applied to the gate of the NMOS transistor, forming a conductive channel between the drain and the source, thereby allowing the supply voltage to pass through the NMOS transistor without a threshold voltage drop. Therefore, degradation of the charge pump output voltage due to voltage drops of the NMOS transistor is reduced, resulting in larger output voltages. |
| US08963622B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating regulated isolation supply voltage
High voltage rated isolation capacitors of inductors are formed on a face of a primary integrated circuit die. The isolation capacitors or inductors AC couple the primary integrated circuit in a first voltage domain to a second integrated circuit in a second voltage domain. The isolation capacitors or inductors DC isolate the primary integrated circuit from the second integrated circuit die. Isolated power transfer from the first voltage domain to the second voltage domain is provided through the high voltage rated isolation capacitors or inductors with an AC oscillator or PWM generator. The AC oscillator voltage amplitude may be increased for an increase in power through the high voltage rated isolation capacitors or inductors. |
| US08963617B1 |
Switching topology for connecting two nodes in electronic system
A circuit for providing connection between a first node at a first voltage and a second node at a second voltage. The circuit has a first inductive element having a first terminal coupled to the first node, a first switching element coupled between a second terminal of the first inductive element and the second node, a second inductive element having a first terminal configured for receiving current from the second terminal of the first inductive element, and having a second terminal coupled to a third node, and a second switching element coupled between the first terminal of the second inductive element and the second node. The first and second switching elements are configured for providing alternating current flow paths between the first node and the second node. |
| US08963614B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes an internal high voltage terminal supplied with an internal high voltage, an internal negative voltage terminal supplied with an internal negative voltage, a monitoring pad suitable for monitoring the internal high and negative voltages, a first switch suitable for controlling electrical connection between the high voltage terminal and the monitoring pad and including two or more transistors coupled in series, and a second switch suitable for controlling electrical connection between the negative voltage terminal and the monitoring pad and including two or more transistors coupled in series. |
| US08963613B2 |
Canceling third order non-linearity in current mirror-based circuits
A current mirror circuit is described. The current mirror circuit includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The gates of the first transistor and the second transistor are coupled at a bias voltage. The current mirror circuit also includes an auxiliary transistor that is biased into weak inversion by receiving the bias voltage at a gate of the auxiliary transistor after being reduced by an offset voltage. The sources of the first transistor, second transistor and auxiliary transistor are coupled together. A primary current from the drain of the second transistor is combined with an auxiliary current from the drain of the auxiliary transistor to produce an output current. |
| US08963610B2 |
Adaptable mixer and local oscillator devices and methods
An adaptable mixer device is operable in a first mode and a second mode and includes a first set of mixer units operable in the first mode and a second set of mixer units operable in the second mode. The second set of mixer units includes at least one mixer unit that is common to both the first set of mixer units and the second set of mixer units. The second set of mixer units also includes a plurality of mixer units that are not in the first set of mixer units. Similarly, the first set of mixer units including a plurality of mixer units that are not in the second set of mixer units. |
| US08963609B2 |
Combinatorial circuit and method of operation of such a combinatorial circuit
An integrated level shifting combinatorial circuit receives a plurality of input signals in a first voltage domain and performs a combinatorial operation to generate an output signal in a second voltage domain. The circuit includes combinatorial circuitry includes first and second combinatorial circuit portions operating in respective first and second voltage domains. The second combinatorial circuit portion has an output node whose voltage level identifies a value of the output signal and includes feedback circuitry which applies a level shifting function to an intermediate signal generated by the first combinatorial circuit portion. A contention mitigation circuitry reduces a voltage drop across at least one component within the feedback circuitry in situations when the combinatorial circuitry's performance of the combinatorial operation causes the combinatorial circuitry to switch the voltage on the output node, the contention mitigation circuitry thereby assists the combinatorial circuitry in the output node voltage switching. |
| US08963605B2 |
Multi-phase clock signal generation circuits
Disclosed is a multi-phase clock signal generation circuit including two circuit blocks, each of which includes a cross-coupled structure and two delay units, and the delay units are adjustable. One circuit block (MD1) includes two NMOS transistors, two PMOS transistors, and two delay units, and the other circuit block (MD2) may include two NMOS transistors, two PMOS transistors, and two delay units. The circuit can generate clock signals with respective phases whose relationship is relatively independent of integration process, operating voltage and temperature, thereby allowing guaranteed efficiency for a multi-phase charge pump. |
| US08963602B2 |
Fast pulse generator
A pulse generator is disclosed. The pulse generator can include an ac source for providing an ac signal. A pulsed switch can be connected to an ac output of the ac source that is adapted or configured to generate a pulsed output from the ac signal and a non-linear frequency multiplier adapted or configured to shorten the pulses of the pulsed output. The pulsed switch can include a mixer. |
| US08963594B2 |
Phase-locked loop circuit
A phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit is provided. The PLL circuit includes a phase frequency detector (PFD), a first charge pump (CP), a second CP, a first loop component set, a second loop component set, a voltage control oscillator (VCO) and a frequency divider. The first CP and the second CP are coupled to the PFD. The first loop component set is coupled between the first CP and the VCO. The second loop component set is coupled between the second CP and the VCO. The frequency divider is coupled between the PFD and the VCO. The first loop component set generates an offset current to adjust the working range of the first CP and the second CP. The second loop component set generates an offset current and a DC adjustment voltage to control the control voltage outputted to the VCO. |
| US08963585B2 |
Gate driver unit for electrical switching device
An exemplary apparatus and method for using intelligent gate driver units with distributed intelligence to control antiparallel power modules or parallel-connected electrical switching devices like IGBTs is disclosed. The intelligent gate drive units use the intelligence to balance the currents of the switching devices, even in dynamic switching events. The intelligent gate driver units can use master-slave or daisy chain control structures and instantaneous or time integral differences of the currents of parallel-connected switching devices as control parameters. Instead of balancing the currents, temperature can also be balanced with the intelligent gate driver units. |
| US08963583B2 |
Voltage level converter and RF switching driver apparatus using the same
Disclosed is a voltage level converter that includes: a first conversion unit which receives at least one input signal of a logic 1 signal and a logic 0 signal from a signal input terminal and converts the signal; a second conversion unit and a third conversion unit which alternately output a logic −1 signal and the logic 1 signal respectively in accordance with the input signal; a fourth conversion unit and a fifth conversion unit which alternately output the logic −1 signal and the logic 0 signal respectively in accordance with the input signal; and a latch which has a complementary characteristic in which if a first transistor becomes an on-state, then a second transistor becomes an off-state in accordance with the input signal, and performs a positive feedback operation. A drain output of the first transistor is input to the fourth conversion unit. A drain output of the second transistor is input to the fifth conversion unit. |
| US08963582B2 |
Signal amplification circuit and method
A signal amplification circuit includes a differential amplification unit to differentially amplify an input signal and an input signal bar, to output to a first node and a second node, respectively, a first inverting element to output a first logic value to a first output node when the level of the amplified signal is higher than a logic threshold, and to output a second logic value to the first output node when the level of the amplified signal is lower than the logic threshold, a second inverting element to output the first logic value to a second output node when the level of the amplified signal bar is higher than the logic threshold, and to output the second logic value to the second output node when the level of the amplified signal bar is lower than the logic threshold, a first current path, and a second current path. |
| US08963581B1 |
Pipelined direct drive routing fabric
One embodiment relates to a circuit for pipelined direct-drive routing, the circuit including a routing multiplexer, a flip-flop, and a mode multiplexer. The output of the routing multiplexer is coupled to an input of the mode multiplexer and to the flip-flop. The output of the flip-flop is connected to another input of the mode multiplexer. The flip-flop may be directly connected to the routing multiplexer and the mode multiplexer, or, in an alternate embodiment, the flip-flop may be a member of a pipeline register pool. Another embodiment relates to a circuit for pipelined direct-drive routing which uses a pulse latch. Other embodiments relate to method for pipelined direct-drive routing which includes a degree of logical separation between logic elements and flip-flop elements. Another embodiment relates to a logic array block. Other embodiments, aspects, and features are also disclosed. |
| US08963579B2 |
Spin torque magnetic integrated circuits and devices therefor
Spin torque magnetic integrated circuits and devices therefor are described. In an example, a spin torque magnetic device for a logic circuit includes a majority gate structure. An output is coupled to the majority gate structure. Three inputs are also coupled to the majority gate structure. |
| US08963576B2 |
Increased transition speed switching device driver
A switching device driver, which includes switching circuitry and a first capacitive element, which is coupled to the switching circuitry, is disclosed. The switching circuitry receives a logic level input signal and provides a switching control output signal to a switching device based on the logic level input signal. When the logic level input signal has a first logic level, the switching circuitry charges the first capacitive element. When the logic level input signal transitions from the first logic level to a second logic level, the switching circuitry at least partially discharges the first capacitive element to rapidly transition the switching control output signal, thereby causing the switching device to quickly change states. |
| US08963573B2 |
Universal test system for testing electrical and optical hosts
According to an example implementation, a universal tester includes a host interface slot connected to a first pluggable host card during an electrical test mode of operation to provide a stressed electrical signal to a host under test. The host interface slot is connected to a second pluggable host card during an optical test mode of operation, the second pluggable host card including an electrical-optical conversion block to convert a stressed electrical signal to a stressed optical signal that is provided to a host under test. A stressor generator may operation in pass-through mode or a loop-back mode. |
| US08963568B2 |
Resistive probing tip system for logic analyzer probing system
The resistive probing tip system has one or more carriers and one or more electrical contact assemblies. Each carrier has opposing surfaces with a plurality of resistors engaging the carrier. Each of the plurality of resistors has opposing electrical contacts that are exposed at respective opposing surfaces of the carrier. Each electrical contact assembly has opposing surfaces with electrical contacts exposed at the opposing surfaces with each electrical contact exposed on one surface coupled to a corresponding electrical contact on the other opposing surface. The carrier(s) and the electrical contact assembly(s) selectively mate to and mate from one another with the electrical contacts exposed at the opposing surfaces the carrier(s) and the electrical contact assembly(s) contacting one another. The carrier(s) and/or the electrical contact assembly(s) may be selectively secured to either of a circuit board or a probe head. |
| US08963567B2 |
Pressure sensing and control for semiconductor wafer probing
A wafer probing system includes a probe card assembly having a plurality of individual probe structures configured make contact with a semiconductor wafer mounted on a motor driven wafer chuck, with each probe structure configured with a pressure sensing unit integrated therewith; and a controller configured to drive the probe card assembly with one or more piezoelectric driver units response to feedback from the pressure sensing units of the individual probe structures. |
| US08963564B2 |
Salinity measuring apparatus
A salinity measuring apparatus to determine salinity of food includes a salinity sensing unit including a pair of measuring electrodes and a capacitor, a switching unit to switch a voltage of the capacitor of the salinity sensing unit, and a control unit to provide a pulse signal with a constant frequency to the switching unit and to determine the salinity of the food which is in contact with the measuring electrodes of the salinity sensing unit based on when the voltage of the capacitor reaches a reference voltage. By providing the pulse signal with the constant frequency to the switching unit, it is possible to minimize the internal impedance variation of the capacitor and to more accurately measure the salinity of the food. Since a period when the voltage of the capacitor is substantially “0” is present, it is possible to minimize accumulation of ions in the measuring electrodes. |
| US08963561B2 |
Randomizing one or more micro-features of a touch sensor
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a touch sensor with one or more meshes of conductive material. Each of the meshes includes multiple mesh cells defined by multiple mesh segments. Each of the mesh cells includes a centroid and multiple vertices. The mesh segments are made of the conductive material, and the centroids or vertices of the mesh cells have a substantially random distribution within an area of the touch sensor. The apparatus also includes one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media coupled to the touch sensor that embody logic that is configured when executed to control the touch sensor. |
| US08963557B2 |
Systems, methods, and apparatus for locating possible fault locations in an electrical power network
Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems, methods, and apparatus for locating possible fault locations in an electrical power network. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for locating possible fault locations in an electrical power network. The method can include receiving fault information including one or more of: an identifier associated with at least one tripping device or a fault impedance value associated with a faulted section of the electrical power network; determining a fault direction; and generating a list of possible fault locations based at least in part on the received fault information and the fault direction. |