| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09072422B2 |
Dishwasher appliance with a detachable door
The present disclosure relates to consumer appliance having a door that may be selectively detached from a cabinet of the appliance. More specifically, the door can be detached by sliding a hinge out of a bracket. To attach the door, the hinge is inserted into the bracket. |
| US09072421B2 |
Dishwasher
There is provided a dishwasher. The dishwasher includes a tub for receiving dishes, a steam generation unit provided at an outside of the tub and generating steam that will be supplied to the tub, a steam passage along which the steam generated from the steam generation unit is supplied to the tub, and a chamber for storing water used for generating the steam. |
| US09072419B1 |
Apparatus to remove a disposable cloth from a hand operated sweeping mop applicator without having to touch the disposable cloth
A mop with a disposable cloth retaining assembly where the cloth is retained by cloth retaining members attached to the bottom of attaching plates on a main body, with a right and left cloth releasing plate between the main body and the cleaning cloth, the cloth releasing plates retained in a closed position against the main body by ratchet teeth engaged in notches of a respective notched collar to overcome a force of downward force compression springs. When a retaining force is removed, the downward spring force of force compression springs causes the cloth releasing plate to move away from the main body, the downward movement of the cloth releasing plate being limited. The cleaning cloth is separated from the cloth retaining members so that the dirty cleaning cloth falls away. |
| US09072416B2 |
Vacuum cleaner agitator cleaner with brushroll lifting mechanism
A vacuum cleaner having a base, an agitator, a motor, an agitator cleaner, first and second support assemblies, and an actuator. The agitator cleaner is movable to be spaced from the agitator or to engage the agitator to remove debris while the motor rotates the agitator. The support assemblies collectively support the base on a surface to be cleaned, and the first support assembly is movable between a raised position in which the agitator is proximal to the surface and a lowered position in which the agitator is spaced from the surface. The actuator is movable between an idle position and an operative position. The actuator has a first controller to move the agitator cleaner into the first position when the actuator is in the idle position, and a second controller to move the first support assembly to the lowered position when the actuator is in the operative position. |
| US09072415B2 |
Bare floor vacuum cleaner
A housing has a suction inlet thereon and a suction source associated with the housing, in fluid communication with the suction inlet to produce a working airflow therethrough and a dirt container in fluid communication with the suction inlet and suction source. The housing further comprises a body defined by a central portion and a pair of extension arms that extend laterally outwardly from the central portion, wherein each extension comprises a mount, which receives a rotatable agitator thereon. A drive assembly is configured to counter-rotate each agitator with respect to the other agitator, and wherein the suction inlet is positioned on the housing rearward of, and between, each of the axes of rotation of each agitator. The counter-rotating agitators are operable to cooperate with the suction source to direct dust and debris outside the periphery of the housing along a converging debris path, towards the suction inlet. |
| US09072414B2 |
Standup pouch with dispensing fitment
A dispensing package preferably for containing and dispensing a roll of pre-moistened wipes. The dispensing package includes a standup pouch that defines an open interior for containing the roll of wipes. The standup pouch defines an open top end that receives a dispensing fitment. The dispensing fitment includes a reclosable lid that can be opened and closed to provide access to the open interior of the standup pouch. The dispensing fitment includes an attachment flange used to attach the dispensing fitment to the standup pouch. The attachment flange can be attached to the flexible pouch either through a heat seal or a mechanical attachment. The mechanical attachment can be created through use of a locking ring that entraps the flexible packaging material of the standup pouch between the attachment flange and the locking ring. |
| US09072412B2 |
Pull actuated foam pump
A foam dispenser having an actuator and a dispenser housing. The actuator releasably mates with a pomp of a refill unit and is moveable from a first position to a second position. Wherein the second position is further from the refill unit than the first position. Movement of the actuator from the first position to the second position causes the foam dispenser to dispense foam when a refill unit is inserted in the foam dispenser. |
| US09072410B2 |
Spatula for cylindrical container
An embodiment includes a spatula with a handle and a blade. The blade includes a first blade end, an interior rigid section, a flexible straight edge, and two flexible opposing edges. At the first blade end, the blade is attached to the handle. The interior rigid section extends from the first blade end and has a substantially rectangular transverse profile. The flexible straight edge is located along the second blade end positioned opposite the first blade end. The two flexible opposing edges are substantially perpendicular to the first blade end and the second blade end and are curved in opposing directions. The interior rigid section encompasses a portion of the blade between the first blade end and the flexible straight edge and between the two flexible opposing edges. The flexible straight edge and the two flexible opposing edges deform under less stress than the interior rigid section. |
| US09072408B2 |
Fitting part for attachment to a cooking or roasting vessel
The invention relates to a fitting part (01) for manually handling a useful object, in particular a cooking or roasting vessel, having a carrying part (02) which can be fixedly connected to the wall of the object or of the vessel or is a constituent part of the wall, having a handle part (07) which can be pushed onto the carrying part (02) in a joining direction and can be detachably attached thereto, having a latching device, in which the latching element can be moved from an unlocked position and into a locked position by means of a spring force, wherein the latching element in the locked position bears with a latching surface against an abutment in order to prevent the handle part (07) from being removed from the carrying part (02), wherein an operating element for unlocking the latching device is provided, the operating element and the abutment being arranged on the handle part (07) and the latching element being arranged on the carrying part (02). |
| US09072402B2 |
Capsule with relief-shaped sealing member
The present invention proposes a capsule for containing beverage ingredients, the capsule being designed for insertion in a beverage production device, the capsule comprising a cup-like body portion, a flange-like rim portion, a delivery wall and a sealing member having—in a radial cross sectional view—at least one protrusion and/or recession. |
| US09072401B2 |
Griddle having raised, bun toasting surface
An apparatus for caramelizing a cut surface of a split bread product is provided. The apparatus comprises a substantially flat heatable surface and at least one pedestal magnetically coupled to and in heat transfer communication with the flat surface, and extending upwardly therefrom. The pedestal defines an upper contact surface for receiving and supporting the split bread product. The contact surface is formed to substantially conform to the contour of the cut surface of the split bread product, to apply heat directly to the cut surface to caramelize the inner surface thereof. |
| US09072400B2 |
Dark colored easy-to-clean enamel
A composition that upon firing, forms a low-temperature clean enamel layer is disclosed. The composition can be applied to a metal substrate to provide a low-temperature cleaning, durable coating for cooking surfaces. Also disclosed are methods of forming enamel layers and corresponding coated substrates. Various ground coats and related methods are also described. Furthermore, various multilayer coatings and structures are disclosed that include an enamel layer and a ground coat layer. |
| US09072398B2 |
Motor-driven curtain or blind assembly
Systems and methods for a motor-driven curtain or blind assembly are provided. For example, in some embodiments the motor drive assembly includes a track, a lead runner, and a plurality of sensors. The track can have a plurality of coils that can be electrically activated to generate an electromagnetic field to cause the lead runner to slide along the track. The lead runner may include magnet housing with a magnet to interact with the electromagnetic field. In some embodiments, the plurality of sensors or switches can be disposed between the coils. The sensors can be configured to activate the electromagnetic field locally to cause the lead runner to slide along the track. Examples of the sensors or switches include, but are not limited to, a reed switch, a silicone magnetic switch, an optical switch, a mechanical limit switch, a proximity switch, a magnetic encoder, or an optical encoder. |
| US09072396B1 |
Antimicrobial screening runner and mat
A runner or mat for use in a screening area includes a carpet, an anti-microbial agent coating the carpet, a film having an anti-microbial agent, and an adhesive adhering the film to the anti-microbial treated carpet. The runner or mat can have indicia, such as an outline of a pair of feet, soles of shoes or advertising, provided thereon. The runner or mat protects people from foot infections when walking barefoot or with socks through the screening area. |
| US09072394B2 |
Product management display system with trackless pusher mechanism
A product management display system for merchandising product on a shelf includes using a trackless pusher mechanism that travels along a surface on which product is placed and one or more dividers for separating product into rows. The one or more dividers may be engaged to a front rail in two different conditions, locked and unlocked. In a locked condition, the relationship between the divider and the front rail resists alteration in any direction with respect to each other. In the unlocked condition, the dividers may be freely slid laterally along the front rail, while remaining perpendicular to the front rail. The one or more dividers may lock to the front rail through the use of corresponding teeth, resilient surfaces, a locking tab, a locking bar and/or a cam. |
| US09072392B2 |
Mattress having an enlarged sleeping surface area
A mattress comprises an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface. The mattress further includes first and second opposing side surfaces extending between the upper surface and the lower surface and third and fourth opposing side surfaces extending between the upper surface and the lower surface and between the first and second opposing side surfaces. A core section is formed by the upper and lower surfaces and first and second opposing core section side surfaces and third and fourth opposing core section side surfaces and an extension extends outwardly from a side surface of the core section. The extension is fixedly connected to or integral with the core section and the extension provides the upper surface with a greater area than the lower surface. The extension is capable of supporting a user without a support structure being positioned below the extension. |
| US09072389B2 |
Bracket for a slat in a slatted bedframe
A bracket and spring slat for a slatted bed frame. The bracket has plugs that extend into slots on the spring slat and also a bearing stub that is insertable into a recess on the frame. The slots accommodate a spring action of the slats. The bracket and spring slat combination allow slats to be placed very close together in areas of heavy loading. |
| US09072388B1 |
Bedding foundation having nestably stackable spring assembly having reduced sway
A bedding foundation having a nestably stackable spring assembly, including a border wire. The foundation's spring assembly may be nestably stacked with numerous other such assemblies for transportation, thereby avoiding the need to compress and tie the assembly for shipping. Each spring assembly includes support wires having alternating peaks and valleys along with stabilizer wires having alternating peaks and valleys. The valleys of the stabilizer wires are secured to the valleys of the support wires. The peaks of the stabilizer wires are secured to longitudinal wires extending parallel the sides of the border wire. |
| US09072386B2 |
Sitting arrangement
A sitting arrangement (1) is disclosed. Said sitting arrangement includes a support frame (2), seat part (4) and backrest (3). The seat part (4) is articulately connected to the support frame (2) in at least one mounting mechanism (8a, b) located below a sitting surface of the seat part (4). At least one balance spring (14) is mounted between the seat part (4) and the support frame (2). The sitting arrangement may be used as an element of a chair, settee or longseat. |
| US09072384B2 |
Multi-directional body motion stack chair
Disclosed is a chair that allows small, subtle multi-directional motion by the user while maintaining the functionality and space requirements of a stack chair. The chair of the present invention comprises motion that is facilitated by flexible supports mounted to the frame of the chair which suspend and support the chair's seat. A range of motion in the seat is thereby provided which is limited by integrated stopping mechanism built into the chair's frame. Allowing the user to change seating attitude with concomitant motion of the chair seat improves user comfort and prevents or delays user fatigue during long seating sessions while maximizing efficiency of work accomplished during a seating session. |
| US09072383B2 |
Modular chair mechanism with self-weighing
A modular chair mechanism for limiting travel and adjusting tension in a chair is provided. The chair mechanism generally includes a shuttle that travels inside a housing, with a biasing member that applies tension during travel of the shuttle. An interface is coupled to the shuttle that alters the amount of force required to cause the shuttle to travel. In embodiments, the chair mechanism limits travel of a chair back support assembly to a number of positions based on travel of a shuttle inside the mechanism housing. For example, a feature on an end of the shuttle may selectively abut one of a plurality of retention means on the housing, which determines how far the shuttle may travel in that position. The amount of tension in the biasing member may also be affected by a self-weighing mechanism that applies an initial amount of force against a biasing member. |
| US09072378B2 |
Adjustable drawer divider
An assembly comprising a storage receptacle includes a front panel, a rear panel, a first side panel joining the front panel to the rear panel and a second side panel joining the front panel to the rear panel. The front panel, the rear panel and the first and second side panels define a storage space within the confines of the front panel, the rear panel and the first and second side panels. A divider is located within the storage space and extends between the front panel and the rear panel and divides the storage space into storage space sections. A spring operated mechanism engages the divider to selectively maintain the divider in place in the storage space and allows for the position of the divider to be adjusted between the first side panel and the second side panel, whereby the dimensions of the storage space sections can be adjusted. |
| US09072374B2 |
Partition separating cooktop from underlying compartment
A partition is adapted for separating a cooktop placed on a cabinet, from an inner compartment of said cabinet, said compartment being delimited by side walls, a bottom and by a rear wall. The compartment being independently opened and upwardly presenting the cooktop and adapted to contain objects placed in a drawer or shelves fixed to the side walls. The partition which comprises at least two portions, movable relative to each other in a direction orthogonal to the side walls of the cabinet adapted to be fixed to said walls, said portions being relatively coupled in a position which is according to the distance of said side walls and such as to completely divide the cooktop from the below compartment of the cabinet. |
| US09072372B2 |
Hanging tray device
A hanging tray for use on a gaming table having a raised rail, a table top and a junction between the rail and the table top is described. The hanging tray includes a main tray, a vertical support section hingedly coupled to the main tray section and movable between a collapsed position and a deployed position. A rail section is hingedly coupled to the vertical support section and is movable between a collapsed position and a deployed position. An engagement member extends from the end of the rail section for engagement with the junction, anchoring the rail section over the rail. |
| US09072366B2 |
Utility bucket backpack apparatus
A utility bucket backpack apparatus having an upper strap and a lower strap may have each of the upper and lower straps connected to two backpack straps. The lower strap may further be connected to a bottom strap. The upper strap may further be connected to two handle straps. The upper strap and the lower strap may also be removably connected to the outer circumference of a utility bucket. |
| US09072365B1 |
Back support
A back support including a bag, such as a handbag, backpack, or computer bag, a cushion of resilient material shaped to provide lower back support, and a pocket that holds the cushion. The pocket attaches to the bag by a band. A zipper extends across the pocket where the band attaches to the bag and the pocket. The pocket has at least two positions, low and middle, with mid-high and high positions in the current configuration. The pocket is secured in most positions by an attachable/detachable attachment. The attachment is not needed in the low position because the band prevents the pocket dropping lower. The zipper holds the pocket in the middle position. The attachment secures the pocket in the mid-high and high positions. The attachment includes one or more fasteners with one mating fastener component on the pocket and the other component on the outer surface of the bag. |
| US09072364B2 |
Item holder
An item holder includes a hanger and a holder. The hanger includes a hanger body, a protrusion and one or more apertures. The holder includes a holder body, a receiving slot, a securing mechanism, tabs, a holder member and an end-piece. The holder is configured to detachably couple to the hanger. In some embodiments, the securing mechanism includes fingers/wedges which secure the protrusion in place and are released using the tabs. The holder, specifically the holder member, is also configured to hold an item. |
| US09072363B2 |
Retractor carrying case
A retractor carrying device is configured to carry a portable device. In one embodiment, the retractor carrying case includes a carrying case defining a pouch configured to receive the portable device through an opening in the carrying case. The retractor carrying case also includes a retractor assembly coupled to the carrying case and a tensile closure mechanism. The retractor assembly is configured to tether the portable device to the carrying case. The tensile closure mechanism is configured to extend across the opening in the carrying case to selectively retain the portable device in the pouch of the carrying case. |
| US09072361B1 |
Tactical magnetic keeper
This invention provides faster responds times to immediate actions that need to be performed when in a gun fight. Traditional methods in the Law Enforcement community teach to either discard a weapon in case an assailant attacks or deal with a weapons malfunction in some sort of awkward method. The Tactical Magnetic Keeper allows the weapons operator to more efficiently maneuver through hostile situations than traditional methods. A weapons operator can magnetize his or her weapon, magazine, baton, flashlight, hand cuffs, hand cuff key and knife in the event of a violent encounter. The Tactical Magnetic Keeper is a belt clip which holds three Neodymium (NdFeb) Grade magnets in the front of the clip and one on the bottom half of the back side of the clip. The weapons operator can utilize a Tactical Magnetic Keeper on the front of their gun belt and one on the back side. |
| US09072355B1 |
Sharable hair accessory
A hair accessory that separates into a plurality of fully functional smaller hair accessories, the smaller accessories for sharing with another or rearranging hair into a different style. The hair accessory is a hair clip having a handle coupled to a clip portion with a spring. The hair clip has a plurality of members that separate into individual hair clips, each member fully functional as a hair clip. When the members connect, the hair accessory performs as a unified device. When the members selectively separate, each member performs separately in a manner indistinguishable from the unified accessory, each member having a smaller capacity for holding hair together but functioning in the same manner. The connectors can be, but not limited to, magnets, bead and socket, tongue and groove, and hook and post. The members align end to end or in an overlapping arrangement. |
| US09072354B1 |
Hair wrap
A method for grooming hair or fur, which includes the step of bundling the hair or the fur with a band including a self fusing silicone tape. The self fusing silicone tape adheres only to itself and not to any other objects so as to allow the self fusing silicone tape to wrap around the hair or the fur and be maintained therearound by merely adhering to itself, thereby eliminating a need for any foreign adherents and damage to the hair or the fur caused thereby. |
| US09072352B2 |
Accessory device
A cover is described that is magnetically attached to a tablet device. The cover includes at least as flap. In the described embodiment, the flap includes a plurality of segments where the first segment includes a first plurality of edge attach magnets arrayed along a first edge of the flap and where a second segment includes a second plurality of edge attach magnets arrayed along a second edge of the flap opposite the first edge. |
| US09072351B2 |
Apparatus for protecting a smart device
A removable pad kit for a smart device, such as an iPhone®, an iPad®, a Samsung Galaxy®, a Samsung Galaxy Tab®, or the like, is disclosed. The removable kit may comprise a removable pad. The removable pad is configured to at least partially cover a home button, or the like, of the smart device to protect the home button and prevent accidental or intentional tapping on the home button. |
| US09072349B1 |
Misting umbrella
The fluid misting assembly includes a handle coupled to an umbrella. The handle may be gripped by a user. A reservoir is coupled to the handle. The reservoir contains a fluid. A pump is coupled to the handle. The pump is operationally coupled to the reservoir. The pump urges the fluid outwardly from the reservoir. A shaft of the umbrella has a fluid aperture extending therethrough. A tube is coupled to the umbrella. The tube is operationally coupled to the pump. The pump urges the fluid through the tube. The tube is operationally coupled to the fluid aperture extending through the shaft of the umbrella. The fluid is sprayed outwardly from the shaft onto the user. |
| US09072342B2 |
Portable work apparatus having straps
A portable work apparatus has a main unit and a work tool. The main unit is carried by the user via a strap. The strap has a fastening section which is secured to the main unit via a fastening element. The fastening section is held between a pressure surface of the fastening element and a fastening surface formed on the main unit. To prevent twisting of the strap when the fastening element is secured, provision is made for the fastening surface to be formed with a structure that increases the friction coefficient. The structure interacts with a bearing surface, facing the fastening surface, of the fastening section such that the fastening section, which is held in a clamped manner between the pressure surface of the fastening element and the fastening surface of the main unit, is prevented from rotating relative to the main unit. |
| US09072341B2 |
Rotary closure for a shoe
A rotary closure for a shoe, especially for a sports shoe, including a housing which can be attached to the shoe, a tensioning roller which is rotatably supported around an axis in the housing, wherein a tensioning element can be spooled during lacing of the shoe on the tensioning roller and a rotary knob which is arranged rotatable around the axis at the housing to turn the tensioning roller. The rotary closure furthermore includes an intermediate carrier, wherein the intermediate carrier has at least one pawl which engages in a first blocking gearing of the housing and at least one locking lever which is arranged in or at the intermediate carrier, wherein a first and a second control element which co-operate with first and second crank section of the locking lever, are disposed on the rotary knob. |
| US09072340B2 |
Lower limb orthosis
An above heel lower limb orthosis comprising: an orthosis body; a support surface adapted to support a portion of a lower limb, the support surface connected to, secured to, or integral with the orthosis body; relief means adapted to relieve a portion of a lower limb from pressure; and at least one relief region connected to, secured to, or integral with the orthosis body or the support surface or the orthosis body and the support surface, the relief region depressed relative to the support surface and adapted to receive, secure, or integrate the relief means. |
| US09072336B2 |
Footwear with improved sole assembly
An article of footwear, including a sole assembly and an upper, the article of footwear extending lengthwise from a rear end to a front end, widthwise between a lateral side and a medial side, and heightwise from the outer sole assembly to an upper end, the article of footwear including a first fitting element as well as a second fitting element. The first fitting element includes a first envelope and a first sole of the strobel type, the first envelope being fixed to the first strobel sole at least with stitching. The second fitting element includes a second envelope and a second sole of the strobel type, the second envelope being fixed to the second strobel sole at least with stitching. |
| US09072333B2 |
Article of footwear with forefoot secondary studs
An article of footwear that provides friction between the playing surface and the player's foot is disclosed. In some embodiments, the article footwear includes a sole may have a plurality of wedge-shaped studs in the forefoot region that extend beyond the perimeter of the sole. The article can also include a plurality of elongated studs on a bottom surface region of the sole. The wedge-shaped studs help provide leverage for removing the elongated studs from the ground during cutting. |
| US09072331B2 |
Goggle attachment system for a helmet
Goggles, goggle attachment systems, and helmets are described. One such goggle attachment system includes an attachment post and a resilient goggle strap tab. The attachment post includes a post portion and a stop and the goggle strap tab includes an opening. The goggle strap tab is configured to be stretched and the opening pulled over the stop and onto to the post portion. The goggle strap tab is retained on the post portion by the stop. An example goggle includes a frame, a resilient strap attached to the frame, and a resilient goggle strap tab attached to the strap. The goggle strap tab having an opening disposed between a strap tab and a tab pull. The goggle strap tab is configured to stretch when pulled by the tab pull along a longitudinal axis and the opening being asymmetrical about an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis when stretched. |
| US09072330B2 |
Magnetically repulsive sport equipment
The present invention is a sport equipment system for reducing the impact force on sport equipment using magnetic repulsion. The sport equipment system includes sport equipment that is worn by a wearer. The sport equipment has a body, at least one magnetic element associated with the body, and an impact absorbing member configured to receive at least a portion of the magnetic element. The magnetic element has a first pole orientated in a direction exterior of the sport equipment, and is configured to produce a repulsive magnetic force when a second magnetic element of a second sport equipment is at a predetermined distance from the sport equipment prior to the sport equipment contacting the second sport equipment. The magnetic element reduces the impact force prior to a potential impact, and the impact absorbing member reduces the impact force after any impact. |
| US09072329B2 |
Fastening system for decorative and functional elements on a helmet
A fastening system is provided that detachably connects two hose-shaped or strip-shaped decorative or functional elements to a helmet. The decorative or functional elements are arranged symmetrically to the centerline of the helmet on the helmet shell so as to extend from the front to the temple area of the wearer to neck area of the wearer. Connecting elements of the fastening are detachably connected to the helmet shell or the helmet. The connecting elements are hooks that are connected fixedly to the decorative or functional element and are hooked in the helmet shell. |
| US09072326B2 |
Protective glove
The invention relates to a protective glove manufactured from at least two yarn components, wherein a first yarn component is processed continuously, and a second yarn component is left out in at least one region forming a predetermined tearing zone such that at least one predetermined tearing zone has a lower tearing resistance than the neighboring zones, wherein the predetermined tearing zone is provided at least partially with a coating. |
| US09072324B2 |
Motorcycle garment and relevant flap
A motorcycle garment includes at least a leg guard adapted to cover at least partially one of the driver's legs. At least a flap is disposed on said leg guard in correspondence of the driver's lower half-leg. The flap projects from the driver's lower half-leg towards the motorcycle, in such a way to increase resistance with air flow and increase aerodynamic load of motorcycle when driver moves his lea away from the motorcycle to make curving easier. |
| US09072320B2 |
Multi-compartment package and related method, blank and assembly
A blank configured to form a multi-compartment package is provided. The blank may include a rear panel, a rear side panel connected to the rear panel, a first side panel connected to the rear panel, a front panel connected to the first side panel, a second side panel connected to the front panel, and a dividing panel connected to the second side panel. The blank may be formed into a multi-compartment package including front and rear compartments in accordance with a related method. A first item may be inserted in the front compartment and a second item may be inserted in the rear compartment to form a related assembly. A width of the first side panel may be greater than a width of the rear side panel. |
| US09072319B2 |
Rolling paper structures for creating smoking articles and gummed, coiled inserts for same
Aspects of the invention generally provide methods and structures for paper structures used by an end user to create a cigar or cigarette with gummed, coiled inserts. In one aspect, a rolling paper structure is provided including a first paper section having a first height, a second paper section coupled to the first paper section and the second paper section having a second height longer than the first height, and an optional adhesive disposed on the second paper section. The rolling paper structure may be folded between the first paper section and the second paper section having a portion extending beyond the first paper section. A gummed, coiled insert for rolling paper structures is also provided. |
| US09072316B2 |
Alkaline compositions
An alkaline sports drink that utilizes phosphate buffer to achieve a pH of 7.4(+/−0.3) for the purpose of preventing dental caries, improving physical performance, and benefiting overall health, is disclosed. This beverage product is stable at an alkaline pH, which is beneficial for oral health and the use of phosphate buffer increases physical performance by increasing muscle oxygen availability. The product is beneficial to overall health by buffering harmful acidic metabolites and aiding in their excretion from the body. |
| US09072313B2 |
Comestible compositions comprising high potency savory flavorants, and processes for producing them
The present invention relates to the use of certain high potency savory (‘umami’) taste modifiers, as savory flavoring agents and/or enhancers of monosodium glutamate, for the preparation of foods, beverages, and other comestible compositions, and to processes for preparing food flavorant compositions for use in the preparation of comestible food and drink. |
| US09072311B2 |
Absorption of fat-soluble nutrients
Carotenoids are provided as dietary supplements to animal feed. These supplements improve the bioavailability of carotenoids by providing them in combination with phospholipids. The invention provides animal feeds for aquatic and terrestrial animals, and methods for making the feeds. |
| US09072310B2 |
Dry food product containing live probiotic
The disclosure relates to a probiotic delivery system that can be consumed as a snack-food or added to a food product. In particular, the disclosure describes a crisp and tasty treat that comprises viable probiotic microorganisms preserved in a vacuum dried matrix of sugars, proteins, and polysaccharides. The probiotic remain viable within the treat for a longer time without the need for additional moisture barrier coating. The probiotic also remain viable in the animal gastrointestinal tract. |
| US09072309B2 |
High melting point sunflower fat for confectionary
The present invention is based on the finding that stearin fats, obtainable by dry or solvent fractionation of sunflower high-stearic and high-oleic oils, optionally with seeding with tempered stearin crystals, have a high solid fat content at temperatures higher than 30° C., even higher than cocoa butter or other high saturated tropical fats with a similar disaturated triacylglycerol content due to the presence of disaturated triacylgiycerols rich in stearic acid, and improved melting point due to the presence of arachidic and behenic acids in these disaturated triacylgiycerols, being at the same time healthier that actual fats made from palm, palm kernel and coconut oils, or hydrogenated and trasesterified vegetable oils. |
| US09072307B2 |
Materials and methods for controlling nematodes with Pasteuria spores in seed coatings
The subject invention provides novel and advantageous materials and methods for controlling phytopathogenic and/or soil-dwelling nematodes by attaching an effective amount of Pasteuria spores to a seed and delivering the seeds to the situs of nematodes. |
| US09072306B2 |
Method for the pre- or post-harvest treatment of plant products, using phosphonic acid and an essential oil
The invention relates to the pre- or post harvest fungicidal and/or bactericidal treatment of plant products, using at least phosphonic acid that is at least partially salified and eugenol or clove oil, at ambient temperature, as well as to the compositions suitable for said method. |
| US09072302B2 |
Pesticidal composition containing lambda cyhalothrin and diafenthiuron
The present invention relates to a composition comprising an effective amount of lambda cyhalothrin in the range of 0.5% to 12%; an effective amount of diafenthiuron in the range of 15% to 70% wherein the ratio of lambda cyhalothrin to diafenthiuron is in the range of 1:4 to 1:35; and at least one agrochemical excipient. |
| US09072299B2 |
Insect repellent composition
The present invention relates to an insect repellent composition containing the following active insect-repellent material in a physiologically acceptable medium: at least 1-methylpropyl(2-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperidine-1-carboxylate, said active material being used with at least one copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone and of a linear alkyl, having at least 16 carbon atoms, as a film-forming agent.The invention also relates to an insect-repelling method using said composition. |
| US09072297B2 |
Herbicidal composition
At present, many herbicidal compositions have been developed and used, but there are a variety of types of weeds to be controlled, and their development lasts for a long period of time. Thus, a high active and long-residual herbicidal composition having a broad herbicidal spectrum has been desired.The present invention provides a synergistic herbicidal composition comprising (A) flazasulfuron or its salt and (B) at least one urea compound selected from the group consisting of tebuthiuron, diuron and metobromuron or its salt. According to the synergistic herbicidal composition of the present invention, a high active and long-residual herbicidal composition having a broad-spectrum can be provided. |
| US09072296B2 |
Transdermal venous access locking solutions
Microbial growth inhibiting solutions and methods of employing the microbial growth inhibiting solutions in flushing and coating medical devices are disclosed. In alternative embodiments, the microbial growth inhibiting solutions include combinations of a chelating agent with a C4-C9 carboxylate antimicrobial agent, for example, such as n-octanoic acid. Methods of using these microbial growth inhibiting solutions for coating a medical device and for inhibiting catheter infection are also disclosed. |
| US09072293B2 |
Cyclopropenes and method for applying cyclopropenes to agricultural products or crops
Disclosed is a method for directly preparing in situ cyclopropenes for inhibiting ethylene action facilitating ripening and aging of plants via reaction of a cyclopropene precursor such as a compound of Formula (2) or Formula (3) with a fluoride (F−) and immediately applying the same to plants, and an aryl group-containing 1-alkylcyclopropene of Formula (6) effective for inhibiting the action of ethylene. |
| US09072292B2 |
Biofilm resistant polymer materials
The present invention relates to compounds and materials that reduce the accumulation of microorganisms on a surface by interfering with the attachment of the organisms to the surface. The compounds and materials of the present invention are thus useful in preventing the formation of biofilms. The compounds of the present invention may be either adhered to a surface or integrated within a polymer. Surfaces coated by the present invention are resistant to biofilm formation, in part due to the smoothness of the surface coated with the present invention. |
| US09072288B1 |
Solar powered owl systems
A pest deterrent system including a deterrent assembly having a housing (having a head portion including at least two eyes, at least two ears, and a beak); a body portion; a left wing; a right wing; a left foot; a right foot; at least one motion sensor; at least one speaker; a plurality of illuminators; a powerer; electrical wiring; at least one power storer; an adjustable mounting plate; a plurality of fasteners; an elevated stand assembly (having a crossbar; an elevating-rod; at least one mounting lug; and a through-pin). The deterrent assembly is useful to emit audible sounds via speaker(s), and illumination via the illuminators and appear as a bird of prey such that pests are visually and sound deterred from remaining within a vicinity of a location of the deterrent assembly, the deterrent assembly adjustable, and operated via natural ambient sources. |
| US09072287B2 |
Adjustable rod holder
A device to hold a fishing rod or a similarly-shaped object. The holder has a generally cylindrical shape with a longitudinal upper opening, whereby the edges of the opening can be drawn together and the diameter of the cylindrical holder decreased, so as to hold generally cylindrical-shaped objects, such as a fishing rod, of varying diameters. The holder can have a stem which can be received by a bore in a mounting bracket that allows the holder to rotate. A nub on the stem fits into slots in the bore, so that the holder can be fixed in one position. |
| US09072285B1 |
Lure with cyclically reversing blade rotation
A fishing lure comprises a spinning blade that rhythmically changes its direction of rotation. One or more unique link members limit the cyclical amount of blade rotation in either direction. As the wound up link members pause the rotation of the blade, a hydrodynamic force still trying to turn the blade causes the lure body to undergo a slight twist motion. The wound up link members then begin to unravel from a remaining hydrodynamic force still incident on the moving lure. This is sufficient to start the blade spinning in the opposite direction until it is again rotatably limited by the link members and again imparts a twitch motion on the lure body. This cycle continues to repeat indefinitely as the lure moves at a generally constant speed. The cyclically rhythmic alternating blade rotations and the corresponding body twitch motions create lure behavior that better mimics real life prey. |
| US09072278B2 |
Anxiety reducing animal garment
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an animal garment for relieving anxiety of a quadruped. The garment can include a neck portion forming a first terminal end of the garment, a hind portion forming a second terminal end of the garment, and a continuously formed torso portion having a surface extending between the neck portion and the hind portion. The surface of the torso portion includes a third terminal end and a fourth terminal end of the garment such that the neck portion, hind portion, third terminal end, and fourth terminal end define a perimeter of the garment. Exemplary embodiments of the garment can be formed to have a step-in construction with a pair of openings formed in the surface of the torso portion and disposed proximate to the neck portion. The pair openings can being configured to receive the front legs of the quadruped when the garment is in an open position. The third and fourth terminal ends are configured to be selectively fastened to each other in an overlapping arrangement along a back of the quadruped to position the garment in a closed position to secure the quadruped within the garment, and apply pressure to a torso of the quadruped. |
| US09072275B2 |
Panoramic pet view
The Panoramic Pet View is a new approach to allowing pets to look through a wall or a fence. It provides a 180 degree view for the pet, and the pet can turn its head inside of the Panoramic Pet View. The design of this device allows the pet to hear sound as well as seeing in all directions including up and down. |
| US09072267B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH489755
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH489755. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH489755, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH489755 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH489755. |
| US09072266B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH623554
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH623554. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH623554, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH623554 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH623554. |
| US09072261B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH334303
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH334303. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH334303, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH334303 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH334303. |
| US09072254B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH254441
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH254441. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH254441, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH254441 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH254441. |
| US09072251B2 |
Soybean cultivar S120097
A soybean cultivar designated S120097 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar S120097, to the plants of soybean cultivar S120097, to the plant parts of soybean cultivar S120097, and to methods for producing progeny of soybean cultivar S120097. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. The invention also relates to soybean cultivars or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean cultivar S120097. The invention also relates to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines, or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar S120097, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing cultivar S120097 with another soybean cultivar. |
| US09072248B2 |
Soybean cultivar S110254
A soybean cultivar designated S110254 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar S110254, to the plants of soybean cultivar S110254, to the plant parts of soybean cultivar S110254, and to methods for producing progeny of soybean cultivar S110254. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. The invention also relates to soybean cultivars or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean cultivar S110254. The invention also relates to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines, or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar S110254, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing cultivar S110254 with another soybean cultivar. |
| US09072241B2 |
Plants and seeds of corn variety CV454023
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV454023. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV454023, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV454023 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV454023 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV454023. |
| US09072240B2 |
Plants and seeds of corn variety CV991653
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV991653. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV991653, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV991653 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV991653 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV991653. |
| US09072239B2 |
Plants and seeds of corn variety CV856087
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV856087. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV856087, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV856087 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV856087 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV856087. |
| US09072237B2 |
Variety corn line ID3633
The present invention provides an inbred corn line designated ID3633, methods for producing a corn plant by crossing plants of the inbred line ID3633 with plants of another corn plant. The invention further encompasses all parts of inbred corn line ID3633, including culturable cells. Additionally provided herein are methods for introducing transgenes into inbred corn line ID3633, and plants produced according to these methods. |
| US09072234B1 |
Maize variety hybrid X13A463
A novel maize variety designated X13A463 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X13A463 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X13A463 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X13A463, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X13A463. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X13A463. |
| US09072231B2 |
Plants and seeds of corn variety CV251849
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV251849. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV251849, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV251849 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV251849 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV251849. |
| US09072230B2 |
Method for producing rice F1 seed, rice F1 seed, and rice male sterile line
Provided is a method for producing a rice F1 seed including crossing a rice male sterile line of Koshihikari containing one or more genes selected from the group consisting of the Pb1 gene derived from a rice (Oryza sativa L) cultivar Modan and the Cr1 gene derived from Oryza nivara, as a seed parent, with a rice fertility restorer line as a pollen parent, and collecting the first filial generation seed (F1 seed) from the post-crossing seed parent; a rice F1 seed which is obtained by the above-described method for producing a rice F1 seed; and a rice cytoplasmic male sterile line including one or more genes selected from the group consisting of the Pb1 gene derived from rice (Oryza sativa L) cuitibar Modan, and the Cr1 gene derived from Oryza nivara. |
| US09072229B2 |
Soybean variety XB004C12
A novel soybean variety, designated XB004C12 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB004C12, cells from soybean variety XB004C12, plants of soybean XB004C12, and plant parts of soybean variety XB004C12. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB004C12 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XB004C12, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB004C12, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XB004C12. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB004C12 are further provided. |
| US09072228B1 |
Method of treating mulch
The present invention provides a method of treating mulch by applying an adhesive composition to bulk mulch and then bagging the treated mulch before the adhesive cures. The bagged mulch is later transported to a desired location and arranged into a mulch bed, and the adhesive cures by exposure to air and sunlight, thereby holding the mulch in place and preventing undesirable movement. |
| US09072227B2 |
System and method for improvement of harvest with crop storage in grain bags
A method for the debottlenecking of grain harvesting and grain bagging comprises a set of steps. Grain is transported in a grain cart from a harvester at a harvesting location to an accumulation site. Grain is bulk unloaded crop from the grain cart at an accumulation site by, for example, gravity dumping through a rear door of the grain cart. The cart returns to the harvester; and the grain at the accumulation site is transferred into a silo storage bag. The steps of transporting the grain, bulk unloading the grain, and returning the cart comprise a first process. The step of transferring the grain from the accumulation site into a bag comprises a second process. The first process and second process proceed in parallel. |
| US09072216B2 |
Conduit system for a pneumatic distribution system of an agricultural implement
A pneumatic distribution system for an agricultural implement includes an inductor box having output ports and row units configured to receive an agricultural product and airflow from the output ports. A conduit system extends between the output ports of the inductor box and the row units. The conduit system is configured to direct the agricultural product and the airflow from each output port to a respective row unit. The conduit system includes a first conduit assembly extending between a first output port and a first row unit. The conduit system also includes a second conduit assembly extending between a second output port and a second row unit. A first average diameter of the first conduit assembly is smaller than a second average diameter of the second conduit assembly by at least approximately one percent. |
| US09072213B2 |
Implement frame tube joint with weldable connector
A tube over tube joint for an implement frame includes a self-fixturing weldable connector positioned between upper and lower tubes. Standard fillet welds connect the tubes to the connector. A unitary casting can be used made from material selected to optimize load transfer between the top and bottom tubes to improve the fatigue life of the joint. The casting is self-fixturing so the top tubes can be located by simply placing in the casting on the lower tubes. A tube end connector provides fixturing and weld surfaces for butt joints in planar frames. Outwardly extended weld edges on the connector increase resistance to parallelogramming of the frame. |
| US09078385B2 |
Component mounting method and component mounting apparatus
A component mounting method of mounting a component onto a board by a component mounting apparatus which includes a transportation device having a plurality of rails capable of transporting a plurality of boards in parallel is provided. The method includes positioning the rails so that a center of a mounting area in a forward-backward direction is at an intermediate position between corresponding parts of two component supply units, the mounting area covering an area in which two mounting heads mount components on one or more of the boards which are transported by the transportation device, and the intermediate position being equally distant in the forward-backward direction from the two component supply units; and alternately mounting the components in the mounting area between the two mounting heads. |
| US09078384B2 |
Wiring substrate and method of manufacturing the same
A wiring substrate includes a structure in which a plurality of wiring layers are stacked through insulating layers intervening therebetween, and which has a first surface side and a second surface side, the first surface side where a semiconductor element is to be mounted, the second surface side being located at an opposite side to the first surface side, an interposer buried in an outermost one of the insulating layers located at the first surface side, and electrically connected to the semiconductor element to be mounted, and a sheet-shaped member buried in an outermost one of the insulating layers located at the second surface side, wherein, the interposer and the sheet-shaped member are disposed at symmetrical positions symmetrical each other. |
| US09078381B2 |
Method of connecting to a monolithic voltage regulator
Methods and apparatuses related to packaging a monolithic voltage regulator are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes: (i) a monolithic voltage regulator with a transistor arranged as parallel transistor devices; (ii) bumps on the monolithic voltage regulator to form connections to source and drain terminals of the transistor; (iii) a single layer lead frame with a plurality of interleaving lead fingers coupled to the monolithic voltage regulator via the bumps, where the single layer lead frame includes first and second surfaces, where the first surface includes a first pattern to form connections to the bumps, and where the second surface includes a second pattern that is different from the first pattern; and (iv) a flip-chip package encapsulating the monolithic voltage regulator, the bumps, and the single layer lead frame, where the flip-chip package has external connectors of the monolithic voltage regulator at the second surface of the single layer lead frame. |
| US09078379B2 |
Flow boiling heat sink with vapor venting and condensing
A method is provided for facilitating extraction of heat from a heat-generating electronic component. The method includes providing a heat sink, the heat sink including a thermally conductive structure which has one or more coolant-carrying channels and one or more vapor-condensing channels. A membrane is disposed between the coolant-carrying channel(s) and the vapor-condensing channel(s). The membrane includes at least one vapor-permeable region, at least a portion of which overlies a portion of the coolant-carrying channel(s) and facilitates removal of vapor from the coolant-carrying channel(s) to the vapor-condensing channel(s). The heat sink further includes one or more coolant inlets coupled to provide a first liquid coolant flow to the coolant-carrying channel(s), and a second liquid coolant flow to condense vapor within the vapor-condensing channel(s). |
| US09078378B2 |
Heat emission device for junction box printed circuit board
The present disclosure provides a heat emission/radiation device for a junction box printed circuit board (PCB), which allows a next-generation intelligent junction box PCB to be manufactured in a dual-layer structure that maximizes heat emission effects. In other words, the present invention provides a heat emission device for a junction box PCB, in which a PCB having an IPS semiconductor device mounted thereon is mounted as a dual-layer structure by folding, such that the PCB may be easily installed in a small space of a vehicle, and a heat absorption and emission path for effectively emitting heat generated by the PCB mounted as the dual-layer structure is formed. |
| US09078371B2 |
Radiofrequency absorptive filter
An apparatus for conveying an electrical signal includes: a conductive pathway having a conductive material. The conductive material has a first edge and a second edge and is configured to convey the electrical signal. The apparatus also includes a resistive material in contact with at least a portion of the conductive pathway, covering an edge of the conductive pathway, and extending beyond the edge. The resistive material has a conductivity less than the conductivity of the conductive material. |
| US09078370B2 |
Substrate with built-in electronic component
Provided is a substrate with a built-in electronic component that can minimize an occurrence of a deformation such as warping or distortion of the substrate with a built-in electronic component, which is caused by a difference in rigidity between a region of low rigidity and a region of high rigidity that are formed in a core layer thereof. In the substrate with a built-in electronic component, electronic components 12 are respectively housed in a plurality of housing portions 11a1 that are formed in a core layer 11a, and in the core layer 11a, a plurality of openings 11a2 filled with an insulator 11k are formed. |
| US09078369B2 |
Fastening device, casing using same, and fastening method
A fastening device includes: a screw member that is penetrated through the attachment holes; and a fastening member holding portion, wherein the fastening member holding portion includes: a first surface engagement portion that is located at a first surface side of the plurality of members overlapping each other, and that is engaged with the first surface; an extension portion that extends from the first surface engagement portion to a second surface side as a rear side of the first surface; a second surface engagement portion that is located at the second surface side, and that is engaged with the second surface; and a screw portion that moves the second surface engagement portion to the first surface engagement portion side in response to rotation of the screw member. |
| US09078367B2 |
Electronic controller
Provided is an electronic controller which enables visual identification of a portion applied with a small amount of a sealing material, which has a high possibility of air leakage from an area in which a joint is to be established. The electronic controller includes: an electronic circuit board; and a casing including a cover (1), a base (4), and a lid sealed with a sealing material (20) applied to surfaces thereof at which the cover (1), the base (4), and the lid are to be joined together. An area in which the cover (1), the base (4), and the lid are to joined together is provided with a space (16) thereto for enabling an application state of the sealing material (20) to be observed with a naked eye. |
| US09078364B2 |
Electroconductive sheet and touch panel
The present invention provides an electroconductive sheet and a touch panel which do not impair visibility in a vicinity of an electrode terminal in a sensing region. In an electroconductive sheet which has an electrode pattern constructed of a metal thin wire and an electrode terminal that is electrically connected to an end of the electrode pattern, a transmittance of the electrode pattern is 83% or more, and when the transmittance of the electrode pattern is represented by a %, a transmittance of the electrode terminal is controlled to be (a-20)% or more and (a-3)% or less. |
| US09078362B2 |
Flexible display device
A flexible display device is disclosed. In one aspect, the flexible display device includes a flexible display panel and a printed circuit board attached to the flexible display panel. The printed circuit board includes a flexible area attached to a portion of the flexible display panel. The flexible area of the printed circuit board and the portion of the flexible display panel are configured to be deformed together. |
| US09078357B2 |
Internal cover thermal conduction
An apparatus and associated methodology associated with a thermally conductive frame having a perimeter surface defining a passage. A printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) is operably disposed within the passage and connected to the frame. The PCBA includes a solid state memory component. An internal cover is disposed in the passage on one side of the PCBA. The internal cover conducts heat to the frame that is operably generated by the solid state memory component. An external cover is attachable to the frame on an opposing side of the PCBA. The external cover cooperates with the frame and the internal cover to enclose the PCBA. |
| US09078356B2 |
Electrical component device
An electrical component device includes an internal conductor, a case and a fitting detection connector. The internal conductor is connected to an electrical component and includes a fastening part configured to be fastened with an external conductor. The case accommodates the electrical component and the internal conductor and has a wall surface formed with a fastening opening for fastening the external conductor to the internal conductor. The fitting detection connector detects that a cover member closing the fastening opening is installed to the fastening opening and includes a receiving connector which is fixed inside the case and a detachable connector which is attached on the cover member. The wall surface extends in the gravity direction. The receiving connector has a receiving surface extending to a vicinity of an inner wall surface of the case and positioned below the fastening part in the gravity direction. |
| US09078350B1 |
Portable arrangement for supporting personal computing/communicating device
A portable holder for removable attachment to a shelf is proposed, the portable holder for supporting an electronic device (such as, for example, a tablet, cell phone, e-reader or the like). The portable holder comprises a central support member for supporting the electronic device, a device retaining element coupled to a lower edge of the central support member and an upper attachment means coupled to a top edge of the central support member. The upper end termination is used to removably attach the portable holder to a shelf, and the holder is particularly formed to allow for the viewing angle of the device to be modified, as desired by the user. In one arrangement, the holder can be rotated while attached to the shelf, so as to be located in a preferred direction for the user. |
| US09078349B1 |
Universal filler-bezel clip assembly
A filler bezel clip assembly for an electrical cabinet having a chassis mounting rail. The assembly includes: a bezel clip member for disposition on one surface of one of the rail; and, a wedge bracket member. The bezel clip member has: a slot; a hook for attachment to a bezel; and a first portion of a ratchet mechanism. The wedge bracket member is for insertion into the slot and includes: a tapered surface having a forward, narrower portion of the tapered surface for engaging an opposite surface of the rail; and a second portion of the ratchet mechanism for engagement with the first portion of a ratchet mechanism as the forward, portion of the tapered surface slides over the opposite surface of the rail during insertion of the wedge bracket member into the slot. The bezel clip member includes posts for insertion into round and square holes in the rail. |
| US09078347B2 |
Electronic component housing unit, electronic module, and electronic device
An electronic component housing unit includes: a substrate including a mounting region on which an electronic component is mounted; a connection conductor extending from a top face to a bottom face of the substrate, the connection conductor being electrically connected to the electronic component; a wiring conductor disposed on the bottom face of the substrate, one end of the wiring conductor being electrically connected to the connection conductor, another end of the wiring conductor being drawn out from a side face of the substrate; and a ground conductor disposed on the bottom face of the substrate, the ground conductor forming a coplanar line along with the wiring conductor. A bottom face of the wiring conductor is located above a bottom face of the ground conductor. |
| US09078346B2 |
Insulator protection
Insulating materials disposed within the housing are protected through the use of removable protective layers, which can be fit over the insulating components. In some embodiments, these removable protective layers are dimensioned so as to fit over the insulating components without the use of any fasteners. In other embodiments, a fastener, such as a set screw or clip, may be used to hold the removable protective layer in place. These removable protective layers can be placed over any insulating component in a housing, such as a high voltage feed through insulator. During preventative maintenance cycles, the coated removable protective layer is removed from the insulating component, and a new protective layer is used to cover the insulating component. |
| US09078343B2 |
Method for manufacturing printed wiring board
A method for manufacturing a printed wiring board including forming a penetrating hole in a core substrate, forming a first conductor on a first surface of the substrate, forming a second conductor on a second surface of the substrate, and filling a conductive material in the hole such that a through-hole conductor is formed in the hole and the first and second conductors are connected via the through-hole conductor. The forming of the hole includes forming a first opening in the first surface, forming a second opening from the bottom of the first opening toward the second surface such that the second opening has a smaller diameter than the first opening, forming a third opening in the second surface, and forming a fourth opening from the bottom of the third opening toward the first surface such that the fourth opening has a smaller diameter than the third opening. |
| US09078336B2 |
Radio-frequency antenna unit and plasma processing apparatus
The present invention aims at providing a radio-frequency antenna unit capable of generating a high-density discharge plasma in a vacuum chamber. The radio-frequency antenna unit according to the present invention includes: a radio-frequency antenna through which a radio-frequency electric current can flow; a protective tube made of an insulator provided around the portion of the radio-frequency antenna that is in the vacuum chamber; and a buffer area provided between the radio-frequency antenna and the protective tube. The “buffer area” refers to an area where an acceleration of electrons is suppressed, and it can be formed, for example, with a vacuum or an insulator. Such a configuration can suppress an occurrence of an electric discharge between the antenna and the protective tube, enabling the generation of a high-density discharge plasma in the vacuum chamber. |
| US09078335B2 |
Charged particle beam transport system and particle beam therapy system
A charged particle beam transport system is characterized in that in a fixed transport unit, a phase of a phase space distribution of a charged particle beam at an inlet of a rotating deflection unit that rotates around an gantry rotation axle of a rotating gantry coincides with a phase determined by a calculation based on an average value of a first phase advance and a second phase advance. The first phase advance is defined as a change in a phase, of the phase space distribution, that changes when the charged particle beam travels from the inlet of the rotating deflection unit to an isocenter in the case where a gantry angle is a gantry reference angle; the second phase advance is defined as a change in a phase at a time when the gantry angle is pivoted by 90° from the gantry reference angle. |
| US09078334B2 |
Extreme ultraviolet light source devices
An extreme ultraviolet light (EUL) source device is disclosed, the device comprising: a chamber in which a gas flow and a droplet stream are provided; a droplet generator through which target material is changed into the droplet stream; and a shroud positioned along the droplet stream, the shroud shielding the droplet stream from the gas flow, wherein the droplet stream is irradiated by laser to produce plasma and generate an extreme ultraviolet light. The shroud includes flow guide surface features that guide accumulated target material away from a collector mirror that reflects and focuses the EUL. |
| US09078324B2 |
LED driving device, LED lighting apparatus, and error amplification circuit
An error amplification circuit amplifies an error voltage between a reference voltage and an output voltage of the LED current sensor. A control circuit controls the DC output power so that the DC output power becomes a predetermined value, by performing on-off control on a switching element based on the output voltage of the error amplification circuit. The error amplification circuit includes an error amplifier, a phase compensation circuit connected between an inverting input terminal and an output terminal of the error amplifier and having a serial circuit of a phase compensation capacitor and a phase compensation resistor, a gain adjustment resistor serially connected at one end to the serial circuit and connected at the other end to the LED current sensor, and a short circuit configured to make the inverting input terminal of the error amplifier grounded for a predetermined period of time after activation. |
| US09078323B2 |
High efficiency LED driver and driving method thereof
The present invention relates to a high efficiency LED driver, and driving methods thereof. In one embodiment, a high efficiency LED driving method can include: (i) receiving an AC input voltage to obtain an absolute value thereof; (ii) receiving a DC bus voltage, and driving the LED device through a power switch; (iii) generating a first reference voltage according to a driving current and an expected driving current; (iv) comparing the absolute value against a sum of a driving voltage and the first reference voltage; (v) when the absolute value is greater than the sum of the driving voltage and the first reference voltage, turning off the power switch; and (vi) when the absolute value is greater than the driving voltage but less than the sum of the driving voltage and the first reference voltage, turning on the power switch to generate an output current. |
| US09078322B2 |
Method of driving LED chips of different specifications
A method of driving LED chips, wherein the LED chips have different specifications, includes the steps of: A. defining a plurality of setting currents; B. connecting a LED chip; C. selecting one of the setting currents which matches a rated current of the LED chip; and D. providing power with the selected setting current to the LED chip. Whereby, the method could be applied to drive LED chips of several different specifications. |
| US09078321B2 |
Light emitting system with light emitting power stabilization
A light emitting system includes: a voltage detecting unit connected across a solid-state light emitting component for detecting a forward voltage thereof and generating a detection voltage having a magnitude dependent on the forward voltage; a current control unit connected to the light emitting component for controlling, according to a compensation voltage, flow of an operating current, which has a magnitude dependent on the compensation voltage, therethrough; and a compensation voltage module connected to the voltage detecting unit and the current control unit, disposed to receive a reference voltage, and configured to generate the compensation voltage, which varies according to the forward voltage, for provision to the current control unit according to the detection voltage, an operating voltage having a magnitude dependent on the operating current, and the reference voltage. |
| US09078317B1 |
Floating output voltage boost regulator driving LEDs using a buck controller
An LED driver uses a positive-to-floating boost converter topology to generate a negative voltage −Vee relative to ground. The converter receives an input voltage. Vin from a power supply. One end of an output inductor is coupled to ground, and the other end of the inductor is coupled between a highside switch and a low side switch. The bottom terminal of the lowside switch generates −Vee. The anode end of an LED string is coupled to Vin and the cathode end is coupled to −Vee. The converter detects the LED current and regulates the switching duty cycle so that the LED current is equal to a target current. This is more efficient than coupling the anode end of an LED string to ground and the cathode end to −Vee. A conventional buck controller IC may be used. |
| US09078316B2 |
LED device with built-in fast self-test circuit
An LED device with built-in fast self-test circuit includes at least one LED unit, a data shift and latch register, a control unit, at least one multiplexer, and an LED driver unit. The data shift and latch register receives a serial data signal. The control unit receives the serial data signal to detect whether there is normal data transmission based on the serial data signal. When there is no data transmission, the control unit enables a multiplex control signal. The multiplexer is connected to the control unit and the data shift and latch register. According to the multiplex control signal, the multiplexer selects the control unit or the data shift and latch register as an output. The LED driver unit is connected to at least one LED unit and the multiplexer to drive the LED unit based on the output of the multiplexer. |
| US09078315B2 |
Current driver for an array of LED diodes
An array of LED diodes includes N channels each having LEDs coupled in series with a switch. A current driver for the array includes a processing circuit configured to detect N currents flowing respectively through the N channels of the array. The detected currents are converted by a single analog to digital converter, one at a time, into a digital word. The circuit further includes N comparator devices configured to control the N switches as result of a comparison between the digital words and respective target digital words. A memory is provided for storing the digital words received from the analog to digital converter. |
| US09078312B2 |
Multichip package structure for directly electrically connecting to an AC power source
A multichip package structure includes a substrate unit, a light-emitting unit, a control module, a frame unit and a package unit. The substrate unit includes a first chip-placing region and a second chip-placing region. The light-emitting unit includes a plurality of light-emitting chips electrically connected to the first chip-placing region. The control module includes at least one current-limiting unit and the rectifier unit electrically connected to the second chip-placing region and the light-emitting unit. The frame unit includes a first annular colloid frame surrounding the light-emitting chips and a second annular colloid frame surrounding the current-limiting unit and the rectifier unit. The package unit includes a first package colloid body surrounded by the first annular colloid frame to cover the light-emitting chips and a second package colloid body surrounded by the second annular colloid frame to cover the current-limiting unit and the rectifier unit. |
| US09078310B2 |
Configurable LED driver/dimmer for solid state lighting applications
A configurable light emitting diode (LED) driver for powering a set of light fixture loads including a power circuit and a primary controller for controlling the power circuit. The driver further includes a set of output current drivers, each of the set of output current drivers connected to one of the set of light fixture loads for controlling the associated light fixture load and a secondary controller for controlling the set of output current drivers. The driver also includes an apparatus for mapping the set of output current drivers to various dimming zones and for mapping output channels into groups. |
| US09078307B2 |
Fault protection system and method for fluorescent lamp ballasts
Provided is a lighting ballast system and method for fluorescent lamps. The system and method utilize a lamp current control loop to control the light level of a fluorescent lamp. The ballast includes an open loop detector that recognizes an open current control loop as an indication of a fault or hazard condition, and causes the ballast to output a safe lamp voltage or no voltage. The fault or hazard condition may be, for example, a very high voltage at the lamp or very low current across the lamp. The ballast also includes a disable circuit that prevents the open loop detector from triggering at times when the loop is expected to be open such as during ignition and maintenance restarting of the lamp. |
| US09078306B2 |
Lighting control system
A lighting control system (1) comprising: a plurality of lights (3); a control unit (2); and a power usage monitor (4) suitable for monitoring the power used by the lights (3). In use, when the user varies the lighting level of a first light, the control unit is configured to vary the lighting level of at least a second light, dependent upon an evaluated total power usage level. |
| US09078301B2 |
Output stage circuit for gate driving circuit in LCD
Output stage circuit is added to the gate driving circuit of the LCD. The output stage circuit moderates the falling slope of the gate driving signal so as to reduce the feed-through phenomenon. The output stage circuit includes a discharge circuit which discharges the voltage of the gate driving signal with programmable speeds. The discharge circuit has a plurality of discharge units which are turned on sequentially and designed with different driving abilities. At beginning of falling of the gate driving signal, the discharge circuit discharges the gate driving signal with lower driving ability so that the gate driving signal falls with a lower speed. As time passes, the falling speed of the gate driving signal increases by the increasing of the driving ability of the discharge circuit. The entire falling period of the gate driving signal is prolonged by the output stage circuit and the feed-through phenomenon is eased. |
| US09078300B2 |
Display-driving structure and signal transmission method thereof and manufacturing method thereof
A display-driving structure for driving a display panel is disclosed. The display-driving structure includes a first circuit board, a second circuit board, a transmission wiring, a first circuit, a second circuit, first source driver circuits and second source driver circuits. The transmission wiring is connected between the first circuit board and the second circuit board. The first circuit is disposed on the first circuit board for generating a first signal. The second circuit is disposed on the second circuit board for generating a second signal. The first source driver circuits receive the first signal from the first circuit board, and further receive the second signal via the transmission wiring and the second circuit board. The second source driver circuits receive the second signal from the second circuit board, and further receive the first signal via the transmission wiring and the first circuit board. |
| US09078298B2 |
Electromagnetic heating
An electromagnetic heater for heating an irregularly shaped object, including: a cavity within which an object is to be placed; at least one feed which feeds UHF or microwave energy into the cavity; and a controller that controls one or more characteristics of the cavity or energy to assure that the UHF or microwave energy is deposited uniformly in the object within ±30% over at least 80% of the volume of the object. |
| US09078296B2 |
Tray with curved bottom surface
A tray for holding a food product includes a plurality of panels extending around an interior of the tray. The plurality of panels includes at least a central panel, at least one side panel foldably connected to the central panel, and at least one end panel foldably connected to the central panel along an arcuate fold line. The central panel forms a curved bottom surface of the tray. |
| US09078290B2 |
Uplink transmission method, downlink transmission method, and convergence device
The present invention relates to the communication field, and discloses an uplink transmission method, a downlink transmission method, and a convergence device. The convergence device selects user plane UDP packets compliant with a multiplexing condition among the user plane UDP packets that come from at least one Node B, multiplexes the selected user plane UDP packets, and sends the packets to a RNC. The multiplexed UDP packet received from the RNC is demultiplexed into at least two user plane UDP packets which are sent to corresponding Node Bs or a corresponding Node B respectively. |
| US09078289B2 |
Systems and methods for flexible wireless connectivity of devices
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods to allow a multimedia device to operate in multiple modes of configuration simultaneously. The disclosed multimedia system includes a first communications circuitry having an access point connected to an external network and a number of devices. The first communications circuitry can receive and distribute media content over a wireless network, the wireless circuitry facilitating multi-modal simultaneous configuration of the multimedia device. The multi-modal simultaneous configuration includes a first mode and a second mode. The first mode facilitates exchange of data between the multimedia device and the other devices through the access point such as a wireless access point. The second mode facilitates direct exchange of data between the multimedia device and other devices in the wireless network without utilization of the access point. The multimedia device can change its mode of configuration based on a predefined trigger. |
| US09078281B2 |
Wireless station and wireless LAN system
A wireless LAN system in which data communication between a wireless station whose connection method as a method for wireless connection can be set to one of a plurality of connection methods and a wireless access point whose connection method has been preset to one of the connection methods is made possible by setting the connection method of the wireless station to a method identical with the connection method of the wireless access point. |
| US09078275B2 |
Bluetooth low energy and LTE coexistence enhancements
Methods for preventing coexistence interference between a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) radio and a collocated LTE radio are provided. In a first solution, the BLE radio adds padding bytes to BLE packets such that the total packet length falls in a specific range to prevent coexistence interference. In a second solution, the BLE radio limits the total BLE packet length to a predefined length to prevent coexistence interference. In a third solution, the data rate for transmitting the BLE packets is higher than a predefined rate to prevent coexistence interference. In a fourth solution, the BLE radio dynamically adjusts the time inter-frame-spacing (T_IFS) value to prevent coexistence interference with the collocated LTE radio. |
| US09078274B2 |
Determination device and method for network resource usage
The invention discloses a determination device and method for network resource usage. The device includes a management module used for storing and updating transformation situations of use statuses of the network resources of a primary user, wherein the transformation situations comprise each of a plurality of use statuses of the network resources transforming to other use status; and a determination module used for predicting a use status of the network resources of the primary user in current period in accordance with a use status of the network resources of the primary user in a period prior to the current period and other use status transformed from the use status in the period prior to the current period in the transformation situations under the condition of predicting the resources in the current period, and determining network resources which may be used by a secondary user in the current period depending on the predicted use status in the current period. The invention may predict the use statuses of the network resources of the primary user in the current period reasonably, thereby decreasing the time of sensing and overcoming the hysteresis of the secondary user for using the resources. |
| US09078272B2 |
Base station and control method of base station
A base station dynamically changes a CQI report format of a communication terminal under control thereof. A base station 1 according to the present invention handles an OFDM system and includes a reception unit 10 configured to receive channel quality information and a QoS request from the communication terminal under control of the base station 1, a scheduler 21 configured to schedule, based on the channel quality information and the QoS request, transmission data and a subband for each communication terminal, a determination unit 22 configured to determine, based on the channel quality information and the QoS request, a channel quality information format that satisfies the QoS request from the communication terminal under control of the base station 1, and a transmission unit 30 configured to transmit an order to change to the channel quality information format to the communication terminal under control of the base station 1. |
| US09078271B2 |
Techniques to train a personal area network component
Techniques to train a personal area network component may include obtaining a packet error rate from a personal area network component. It may be determined that the packet error rate is greater than a packet error rate threshold after a time period. A reservation may be requested from a wide area network component based a first transmit pattern from the personal area network component. A second or adjusted transmit pattern from the wide area network component may be received. Personal area network signals may be transmitted based on the second transmit pattern. The time period may be adjusted based on a personal area network packet error rate of the second transmit pattern. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09078265B2 |
Optimizing block reception for simultaneous use of at least two SIM cards
There is described a method for optimizing block reception for products that do support a simultaneous use of at least two SIM cards. |
| US09078263B2 |
System and method for allocating transmission resources
A method for wirelessly transmitting data using a plurality of transmission layers includes estimating a number of vector symbols to be allocated to transmission of user data codewords during a subframe and determining a number of bits in a plurality of user data codewords to be transmitted during the subframe. The method also includes calculating a number of control vector symbols to allocate to control information based at least in part on the estimated number of vector symbols and the determined number of bits. Additionally, the method includes mapping control codewords to the calculated number of control vector symbols and transmitting vector symbols carrying the user data codewords and the control codewords over the plurality of transmission layers during the subframe. |
| US09078261B2 |
Mobile communication method and mobile station
The present invention notifies of an EARFCN in an equivalent band by means of an SIB 5 while minimizing the increase in overhead. A mobile communication method according to the present invention includes: a step in which a radio base station eNB in a cell #1 notifies, by means of the SIB 5, of a band #2 and an equivalent band #21 that can be supported in a cell #2 adjacent to the cell #1; and a step in which a mobile station UE assumes that access in the cell #2 is prohibited when having determined that the mobile station does not support the band #2 and the equivalent band #21. |
| US09078260B2 |
Interconnection of wireless networks using a master/slave node
A network array (200) comprises a first network (201) having a plurality of first nodes (203, 204, 209), comprises a second network (202) having a plurality of second nodes (206, 209) and comprises a forwarder node (209). The forwarder node (209) constitutes one of the first nodes (203, 204, 209) and constitutes one of the second nodes (206, 209) to form a communication interface between the first network (201) and the second network (202) in such a manner that the forwarder node (209) functions as a slave in the first network (201) and as a master in the second network (202). The forwarder node (209) is adapted to communicate with the first network (201) using a first operation frequency and is adapted to communicate with the second network (202) using a second operation frequency which is different from the first operation frequency. |
| US09078259B2 |
Optimization of polling protocols in sensor networks
A communication-management method involves a recurring polling scheme, wherein network nodes are polled by a base station according to optimized and/or user-preferred polling intervals assigned to each network node. The polling interval assigned to a given node may be optimized to minimize and/or achieve user-preferred thresholds for energy consumption and latency associated with each network node in the sensor network. Optimized and/or user-preferred polling intervals may be constrained in accordance with various network performance considerations, for example, a recommended update interval for each network node, characteristics of the network nodes themselves, the duration of the timeslots at which the network nodes are polled, and/or other network performance considerations. |
| US09078252B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting control information
A method and apparatus for transmitting uplink control information in an FDD wireless communication system, in which a plurality of cells are arranged, are provided. The method includes: receiving one or more PDCCH signals and one or more PDSCH signals corresponding to the PDCCH signals in downlink subframe N; generating ACK/NACK information on the basis of the result of the acknowledgement of receipt of at least the one or more PDSCH signals; and transmitting the ACK/NACK information through a PUCCH. If a predetermined condition is satisfied, at least one of the PDCCH signals includes information indicating a DAI value, and if the predetermined condition is not satisfied, at least one of the PDCCH signals includes information indicating a value of a PUCCH resource for the ACK/NACK information. The information indicating the DAI value and the information indicating the value of the PUCCH resource are provided in the same field. |
| US09078249B2 |
Carrier link, conveyor chain comprising a plurality of carrier links and a material handling system comprising a plurality of conveyor chains
The invention relates to a carrier link of a conveyor chain intended to convey hanging product carriers, which comprises two parallel walls connected by a partition wall and an opening in which a chain lock is positioned, where the chain lock can assume an open state and a closed state, and where the chain lock comprises two locking arms, each with a locking lug, where the locking lugs are intended to secure an object in the central opening such that the product carrier bears against the two locking lugs when the product carrier is conveyed hanging from the carrier link. The invention further relates to a conveyor chain comprising a plurality of carrier links. The aim of the invention is to obtain a more secure carrier link which permits a controlled and traceable flow and which additionally has a higher loading capacity. |
| US09078247B2 |
Method for receiving ACK/NACK signal in mobile communication system
A method for transmitting information of resources for use in transmission of ACK/NACK signals in a mobile communication system is disclosed. An example method for receiving ACK/NACK signals in a mobile communication system is also disclosed. When resources for transmission of data and resources for transmission of control information of the data are scheduled through virtual unit resources, the method identifies information of resources for receiving an ACK/NACK signal for transmission data mapped to information of at least one of a virtual unit resource allocated to the transmission data and a virtual unit resource allocated to control information of the transmission data, and receives the ACK/NACK signal for the transmission data through the information of resources for receiving the ACK/NACK signal. |
| US09078246B2 |
Scheduling method in multiple access system and apparatus using the same
A method for transmitting data streams by a transmitter in a wireless communication system is provided. The transmitter performs Fourier transform for a data stream to generate a transformed stream. The transmitter repeats the transformed stream to generate a repeated stream. The transmitter maps the repeated stream on a plurality of subcarriers to generate a transmission signal. The transmitter transmits the transmission signal to a receiver. The plurality of subcarriers are selected by starting from a subcarrier having a predetermined index and hopping at a subcarrier interval. |
| US09078243B2 |
Communication control device, communication control method, communication system and communication device
Provided is a communication control device controlling communication of multiple secondary usage nodes providing second communication services using a part of a frequency band assigned to a first communication service, including a communication unit receiving service area information for estimating service areas of the second communication services provided by the secondary usage nodes and access technique information indicating radio access techniques usable by the secondary usage nodes, a storage unit storing information on the service area and access technique received by the communication unit, an estimation unit estimating service areas of multiple second communication services, and a control unit notifying a secondary usage node providing one of the multiple second communication services of a radio access technique or a channel recommended to the at least one second communication service on the basis of a location relationship between the service areas estimated by the estimation unit and the access technique information. |
| US09078241B2 |
Systems and methods for establishing multiple radio connections
A method for dual connectivity by a user equipment (UE) is described. The method includes a radio resource control (RRC) connection reconfiguration message including control information for an addition of a second set of cell(s). The control information includes a second cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) for the second set of cell(s). The UE has a first C-RNTI for a first set of cell(s). The first C-RNTI is used in a first Medium Access Control (MAC) entity, and the second C-RNTI is used in a second MAC entity. |
| US09078240B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for connecting a cellular phone with a fixed phone under instruction of a small base station
The present disclosure presents methods and apparatuses for carrying out a wireless call at a small base station via one of multiple available phones, which may include a fixed phone and a cellular phone. For instance, some example methods described in the present disclosure may include establishing communication with a cellular phone and a fixed phone and transmitting a connection command message to each of the cellular phone and the fixed phone commanding the cellular phone and fixed phone to establish a communicative connection. Furthermore, such example methods may include receiving a cellular phone call indication message from a network indicating the existence of an incoming call request for the cellular phone, transmitting a paging message associated with the incoming call request to the cellular phone, and executing a voice call, wherein the call is conducted by one of either the cellular phone and the fixed phone. |
| US09078233B2 |
Mobile terminal device, notification method, and program
A mobile terminal device includes: an event detection unit that detects an occurrence of a predetermined event; a notification unit that makes a notification of the occurrence of the event to a user of the mobile terminal device; an operating unit that receives a response operation with respect to the notification performed by the user of the mobile terminal device; a movement cycle acquisition unit that acquires a pattern cycle of spatial movement of the mobile terminal device; and a learning unit that learns a notification timing and a notification time based on the pattern cycle and a result of whether the operating unit has received the response operation. The notification unit makes the notification based on the notification timing and the notification time learned by the learning unit. |
| US09078230B2 |
Selective location determination
Methods, program products, and systems for selective location determination are described. A mobile device can determine a location of the mobile device using various techniques. When there is a conflict between the locations determined using different techniques, the mobile device can select a most trustworthy location from the locations, and designate the most trustworthy location as a current location of the mobile device. The mobile device can determine a first location of the mobile device (e.g., a coarse location) using a cell identifier (cell ID) of a cellular network. The mobile device can determine a second location of the mobile device (e.g., a fine location) using one or more media access control (MAC) addresses of a WLAN. The first location and second location can be associated with confidence values that can indicate trustworthiness of the first location and second location. |
| US09078224B2 |
Downlink power control using relative load
The specification and drawings present a new method, apparatus and software related product (e.g., a computer readable memory) for a power control (e.g., at least for DL power control) in a cell using a concept of a relative load in a network such as a wireless network. The relative load may be a ratio of cell's own load relative to an average load in a cluster of neighboring cells for scaling a nominal power value (or a function of the power value). The load can be measured, for example, either as a number of UEs in the cell, a RB utilization in the cell, a DL information traffic in the cell, or any other metric that's representative of the load in the cell. The resulting computed power for a DL signaling can be either on a per cell basis or on a per UE basis. |
| US09078223B2 |
Sub-band dependent uplink load management
A system and method for inter-cell interference mitigation in FDM systems is provided. The system provides for increased efficiency with load metric data generated per subband for both serving and neighboring non-serving cells. The system robustly provides for sharing load metric date per subband through a backhaul channel as well as directly from cell to adjacent cell. Furthermore, a UE based communication system allows UE reduction of assigned load controls based on directly reading a neighboring cells' load metrics. The system thus robustly handles various cell types (e.g. synchronous or asynchronous) and a variety of UE capabilities while providing increased efficiency in managing inter-cell interference. |
| US09078222B2 |
Communication system, primary station and method of transmit power control
A transmit power control scheme for use in point-to-multipoint communication uses a random access channel for power control signals transmitted by the receiving stations (200). |
| US09078218B1 |
Gain measurement of distributed antenna system (DAS) segments during active communications employing autocorrelation on a combined test signal and communications signal
Gain measurement of distributed antenna system (DAS) segments during active communications employing autocorrelation on a combined test signal and communications signal is disclosed. In one embodiment, a test signal is injected into one or more DAS segments in a DAS. The test signal power is measured at the input and output of the DAS segment(s) for which gain measurement is desired. The difference in power of the test signal between the input and the output of the DAS segment is the gain of the DAS segment. The frequency of the test signal is provided to be within the frequency band of the communications service signals supported by the DAS segment. To allow for gain measurement of a DAS segment during active communication periods when the DAS segment is actively transmitting communications service signals, autocorrelation is employed to separate the test signal from combined test signal and communications service signals. |
| US09078216B2 |
Methods and arrangements in a wireless communication system
The present invention relates to methods and arrangements in a wireless communication system, and in particular to uplink outer loop power control. A Node B identifies if a UE from which the Node B receives data is in a predetermined set of power challenged situations. The Node B transmits to the RNC an indication to hold the SIR target of the UE if the UE has been identified to be in a power challenged situation. As a consequence, the uplink outer loop power control (OLPC) procedure in the RNC will not change the SIR target of the UE. This implies that the output power level of the UE remains unchanged as long as the UE remains in the power challenged situation. Thus, user and network performance are improved in the wireless communication system. |
| US09078211B2 |
Power management configuration for TX MIMO and UL carrier aggregation
A communication device is disclosed that efficiently manages power. In one embodiment, this communication device includes a first (main) transmitter including a first low band amplifier and a first high band amplifier; a second (MIMO) transmitter including a second low band amplifier and a second high band amplifier; a first power manager in communication with the first low band amplifier and with the second high band amplifier; a second power manager in communication with the first high band amplifier and with the second low band amplifier; and a control system in communication with the first transmitter, the second transmitter, the first power manager, and the second power manager. |
| US09078210B2 |
Systems and methods for power saving for multicast and broadcast data
Systems and methods are disclosed for wireless communication including transmitting a beacon comprising group traffic information indicating whether group traffic is buffered for transmission and multicast/broadcast (MB) information indicating a type of the buffered group traffic with a first node. The beacon may be received by a second node, allowing the type of the buffered group traffic to be determined from the MB information. Types of buffered group traffic include multicast data, broadcast data and both multicast and broadcast data. As desired, the second node may enter a power save mode of operation upon determining that the type of buffered group data is not currently of interest. |
| US09078208B1 |
Power modes of computing devices
Various aspects of this disclosure are directed to setting, by a computing device including a group of electronic components, the group including at least an audio input device, a first time that indicates when the computing device transitions from a first power mode to a second power mode. Operation of the electronic components in the first power mode may use a first amount of power. Operation of the electronic components in the second power mode may use a second amount of power that is less than the first amount of power. The computing device may receive an audio input at a second time prior to the computing device transitioning from the first power mode to the second power mode. Responsive to receiving the audio input, the computing device may adjust the first time that indicates when the computing device transitions from the first power mode to the second power mode. |
| US09078205B2 |
Methods and apparatus for enabling non-destaggered channel estimation
Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to techniques and apparatus for enabling non-destaggered channel estimation. In aspects, a method for wireless communications is provided including determining a first channel impulse response (CIR) based on a first set of received reference signals staggered in time, determining a second CIR based on a second set of received reference signals from the same sub-frame time slot, wherein a reference signal is associated with one of a plurality of virtual transmit antenna ports, and aligning the first CIR and the second CIR based, at least in part, on a time tracking loop (TTL) timing offset. |
| US09078204B2 |
Base station, communication control method, and wireless communication system
A base station includes an obtaining unit and an instructing unit. The obtaining unit obtains, from another base station that communicates with a mobile device, a propagation delay amount between the other base station and the mobile device. When a propagation delay amount between the base station and the mobile device which is based on the propagation delay amount obtained by the obtaining unit is present within a predetermined range from a boundary of a detecting window that is used in detecting a preamble sequence transmitted from the mobile device, the instructing unit instructs the mobile device to stop the transmission of the preamble sequence corresponding to another detecting window that lies adjacent across the boundary. |
| US09078203B2 |
Hosting edge applications at the edge of a mobile data network
Mobile network services are performed in a mobile data network in a way that is transparent to most of the existing equipment in the mobile data network. The mobile data network includes a radio access network and a core network. A breakout component in the radio access network breaks out data coming from a basestation, and hosts edge applications, including third party edge applications, that perform one or more mobile network services at the edge of the mobile data network based on the broken out data. |
| US09078202B2 |
Apparatus and method for actively determining communication link in communication system
An apparatus and a method for determining a communication link in a client node of a communication system are provided. In the method, access network information and channel state information for at least one host node are determined. Link state information for each host node is determined using the access network information and the channel state information for the corresponding host node. One of the at least one host node is determined with consideration of the link state information for each of the at least one host node. |
| US09078201B2 |
Idle mode operation in heterogeneous networks
An idle mode UE can RACH to a cell different from the cell paging the UE. The UE can be allocated additional time to respond to all cells in the neighborhood to identify the cell in which to RACH. Interference cancellation can occur at different rates based on whether the UE is in connected mode or idle mode. The time to respond to the page can be a function of a paging cycle. Additionally, a variable bias may promote early handoff to lower power cells and late handoff to high power cells. |
| US09078200B2 |
Connecting a personal mobile device to a vehicle communication unit
A method and apparatus for connecting a personal mobile device to a vehicle communication unit. The method involves automatically detecting the presence of a personal mobile device located at a vehicle, obtaining permission to connect the personal mobile device, and automatically connecting the personal mobile device to the vehicle communication unit. The method and apparatus can be used, for example, during an initial connection of a personal mobile device to a vehicle communication unit or each time a new mobile device is present in the vehicle. |
| US09078197B2 |
Method of handling access network discovery and selection function and related communication device
A method of handling an access network discovery and selection function (ANDSF) for a network of a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method comprises determining a first plurality of closed subscriber group (CSG) cells of the wireless communication system with a first CSG identity, for a mobile device of the wireless communication system to communicate with an evolved packet core (EPC) network of the wireless communication system via the first plurality of CSG cells, after the network determines the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) as an access technology for the mobile device; and configuring an inter-system mobility policy (ISMP) node such that a value of an AccessTechnology leaf of a PrioritizedAccess node is configured as the 3GPP, and a value of a first AccessId leaf of the PrioritizedAccess node is configured as the first CSG identity of the first plurality of CSG cells. |
| US09078196B2 |
Method and apparatus for scanning existing networks in TVWS
A method and an apparatus for scanning existing networks in TV White Space are disclosed. For scanning existing networks at a station to operate as an unlicensed device in a regulatory domain where a licensed device and the unlicensed device are permitted to operate, the method comprises: receiving a white space map (WSM) comprising information for available channels to be used for the unlicensed device to operate a wireless local area network (WLAN) operation and maximum transmission powers allowed for each of the available channels from an enabling station, wherein the enabling station is a station determining the available channels at its location using its own geographic location identification and a regulatory database access capability; and scanning the existing networks on the available channels identified within the received WSM. |
| US09078192B2 |
Balancing clients across bands in a single access point
Balancing client load on an access point in a wireless digital network. An access point tracks the number of connected users and accepts new connections only if the number of connected users is below a preset threshold. The number of connected users may be tracked on an access point wide basis, a per-band basis, a per-BSSID basis, or a combination. Similarly, accepting new connections may be done on an access point wide basis, a per-band basis, a per-BSSID basis, on the basis of client 802.11 capabilities, or a combination. |
| US09078191B2 |
Controlling allocation of a portion of a shared channel to use for control information
To control allocation of a portion of a shared channel to use for control information, a base station determines an amount of resource elements of the shared channel to use for the control information in place of traffic data. The base station sends, to a mobile station, an indication relating to an offset parameter, where the indication is provided to allow the mobile station to compute a value for the offset parameter such that the mobile station can determine the amount of the resource elements of the shared channel to allocate for the control information. |
| US09078186B2 |
Method of transmitting and receiving data in a multi radio access technology system using an access point and apparatus therefor
The present invention relates to a wireless communication, and more particularly, to a method for a base station and a user equipment to transmit and receive data in a multi radio access technology system based on an access point (AP) and apparatus therefor. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method of performing a communication, which is performed by a user equipment based on an access point (AP) supporting a Multi-RAT (Radio Access Technology), may include the steps of receiving an information on a 1st AP associated with the user equipment among a plurality of APs from the 1st AP, transmitting the information on the 1st AP to a base station, receiving an information on at least one cooperative user equipment candidate associated with the 1st AP from the base station, and transmitting a 1st data to the base station using the at least one cooperative user equipment, wherein the 1st data is exchanged between the user equipment and the at least one cooperative user equipment via a 1st radio access scheme and wherein the 1st data is exchanged between the at least one cooperative user equipment and the base station via 2nd radio access scheme. |
| US09078184B2 |
Apparatus and method for performing handover in broadband wireless communication system
An apparatus and method for performing handover in a broadband wireless communication system are provided. A communication method includes broadcasting, by a Base Station (BS), a neighbor advertisement message including neighbor cell information through each Frequency Allocation (FA); analyzing the neighbor cell advertise message by a plurality of Media Access Control (MAC) processors of an Mobile Station (MS) to obtain FA configuration information of each neighbor cell; independently determining handover by the MAC processors of the MS; generating the start of handover by one MAC which first determines handover; and determining a handover target by the remaining MAC processors so that handover is performed to different FAs of the same BS of the MAC processor which generates the start of handover by using the FA configuration information of each neighbor cell. |
| US09078182B2 |
Radio terminal and communication terminal
A radio terminal (10) comprises a radio communication unit (11) that receives packets via a first or second network at predetermined intervals; a buffer (15) that temporarily stores packets received by a receiving unit; a radio communication unit (11) that transmits a preparation request for a handover from the first network to the second network; and an application processing unit (16) that reproduces the packets stored in the buffer (15) at a rate that is established in accordance with the predetermined intervals. The application processing unit (16) changes a packet reproduction rate to a rate slower than the predetermined rate in response to transmission of the preparation request for handover, thereby increases the amount of packets stored in the buffer. |
| US09078181B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting measurement report message in wireless communication system
A method and apparatus of transmitting a measurement report message in a wireless communication system is provided. A mobile station searches for at least one closed subcarrier group (CSG) cell included in a whitelist of the mobile station, and transmits to a GSM/EDGE radio access network (GERAN) cell the measurement report message including a toggling discriminator, which indicates an optimal CSG cell that satisfies a reporting criterion among the at least one found CSG cell, and a physical cell identify (PCI) and frequency of the optimal CSG cell. |
| US09078180B2 |
Measurement reporting to avoid strong interference
A measurement reporting method to avoid strong interference includes measuring all cells on a neighbor frequency indicated by a network on a neighbor list. A first and second set of cells are identified. The identified first set of cells are from the neighbor list and have a first signal strength a first predefined amount above a serving cell signal strength. The second set of cells are not on the neighbor list and have a second signal strength above a first threshold signal value. The first signal strength of the first set of cells and the second signal strength of the second set of cells are compared to determine whether to send a measurement report for the first set of cells. |
| US09078175B2 |
Extended QOS support in EPC
Example embodiments presented herein are directed towards a target Mobility Management Entity (MME) or a target Serving General Packet Radio Service Support Node (SGSN) network node, and method, for handling a mobility procedure or session procedure within the same operator. The roaming agreement handling may comprise comparing a Quality of Service (QoS) parameter associated with a source system, a maximum QoS associated with a target system and a Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW) or Policy and Changing Rules Function (PCRF) capability. The mobility procedure or session procedure handling may further comprise providing instructions for the roaming procedure based on the comparison.Example embodiments may further comprise a Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW) network node, and method, for adjusting Quality of Service (QoS) during a mobility procedure or session procedure. The adjustment may be based on a received target maximum QoS. |
| US09078172B2 |
Session transfer in a communication network
A method and apparatus for transferring a session from a packet switched access network to a circuit switched access network. A Mobility Management Entity receives a service type indicator from a gateway node. The service type indicator indicates a type of service for the session, and is associated with bearers used for the session. The Mobility Management Entity subsequently receives, from an eNodeB, an indication that the session is to be transferred from the packet switched network to the circuit switched access network. The Mobility Management Entity determines the bearers associated with the session using the service type indicator, and initiates transfer of the session using those bearers. This ensures that the correct bearers are transferred regardless of whether or not identifiers such as QCI values have been ascribed to other types of service. |
| US09078171B2 |
Wireless communication device continuously performing communication and method thereof
A wireless communication device (10) comprising a first communication portion (36a) that connects to a wide-area wireless communication network; a second communication portion (36b) that connects to a narrow-area wireless communication network; and processing portions (32, 34) that, during communication with a wide-area wireless communication network via the first communication portion (36a), upon detection of a communication area boundary vicinity of the wide-area wireless communication network when communication is performed, perform processing so that the second communication portion (36c) continues performing communication that the first communication portion (36a) is performing. |
| US09078170B2 |
System and method for network discovery
A method for establishing a network connection includes determining a list of access networks detectable by a user equipment, and reducing the list of access networks to a list of preferred networks in accordance with supplemental information associated with the user equipment. The method also includes selecting a first candidate network from the list of preferred networks, and attempting to connect to the first candidate network. |
| US09078165B2 |
System and method for confirming radio frequency (RF) signal connection integrity with multiple devices under test (DUTs) to be tested concurrently
System and method for confirming radio frequency (RF) signal connections with multiple devices under test (DUTs) tested concurrently using replicas of a RF test signal. Cabled signal connections between the signal source and the DUTs are monitored by sensing levels of outgoing and related reflection RF signals. These signal levels are compared against similar signal levels when the outgoing RF signals are provided to reference impedances. Alternatively, the cabled signal connections have lengths of known signal wavelengths and the RF test signal frequency is swept such that minimum and maximum time delays between the outgoing and reflection RF signals go through minimum and maximum signal cycles with a difference of at least one full cycle. The reflection RF signal magnitude and phase are monitored, from which peak and valley signal level differences and phase changes are identified to determine return loss and phase changes indicative of DUT connection. |
| US09078161B2 |
Method and apparatus configured to provide local breakout services with a single APN
A method, apparatus, computer program, and system is provided that includes handling traffic management in a communication network system. One example may include activating a communication link, obtaining traffic management rules to handle the traffic flow on the communication link, and transferring the traffic management rules to at least one network element configured to implement the traffic management rules. The traffic management rules are configured to perform traffic management by transferring at least a portion of the network traffic to a different communication network. |
| US09078159B2 |
Data collection method, mobile terminal and data storage device
A first mobile terminal requests a device to transmit data, on the basis of a processing request transmitted from a management server. The device transmits the requested data to the first mobile terminal. The first mobile terminal generates processed data by using the data received from the device. The first mobile terminal assigns an identifier to the processed data. The first mobile terminal transmits the processed data in association with the identifier to the management server. The first mobile terminal transmits an association relationship between the identifier and the data used for generating the processed data to the device. The device stores the identifier in association with the transmitted data. A second mobile terminal transmits to the device an identifier transmitted from the management server as an identifier associated with data to be deleted. The device identifies data associated with the identifier received from the second mobile terminal. |
| US09078154B2 |
Transmission data processing method, information processing method, transmission device, and reception device
Disclosed is a technique for providing a transmission data processing method and the like capable of estimating a communicable band in a heterogeneous multi-radio network at a higher speed and minimizing the deterioration of the video quality even if an unavoidable fluctuation occurs in a band available for transmission. According to the technique, there is provided a transmission data processing method at a stage prior to data transmission by a transmission device 100 for providing the data transmission to a reception device 200 as a communication partner, including: a priority giving step of giving priority to each data of multiple pieces of data, to be transmitted to the reception device, based on a predetermined criterion; a feedback receiving step of receiving, from the reception device, feedback information on data transmitted from the transmission device to the reception device; and a distribution step of distributing, based on the priority and the feedback information received, the multiple pieces of data into a first interface and a second interface used for communication with the reception device. |
| US09078153B1 |
Wireless local area network with spatial diagnostics
A diagnostic system for spatial diagnosis of the WLAN includes: a sounding aggregator and a spatial correlator. The sounding aggregator is configured to aggregate multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) channel state information (CSI) from channel soundings of the WLAN, including channel soundings between a wireless access point (WAP) node and associated station nodes on a selected one of a plurality of communication channels of the WLAN. The spatial correlator is coupled to the sounding aggregator and configured to correlate CSI from the channel soundings with spatial characteristics of the WLAN including at least one of: a change in location of a WLAN node, human activity among the WLAN nodes, and structural impediments among WLAN nodes. |
| US09078150B2 |
Method for communication based on mobility evaluation in a wireless communication system and apparatus for the same
A method for communication based on mobility evaluation in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes: receiving evaluation basis information from a network, the evaluation basis information basis information comprising an offset value for mobility evaluation and a domain condition; determining whether the domain condition is satisfied; performing the mobility evaluation for at least one neighbor cell based on the offset value, if the domain condition is satisfied; and selecting a cell among the at least one neighbor cell as a mobility target cell, if a result of the mobility evaluation satisfies a predetermined criterion. |
| US09078146B2 |
Secondary synchronization signal (SSS) post-processing to eliminate short code collision induced false cells
Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for improving detection and processing of secondary synchronization signals (SSS). |
| US09078140B2 |
Method and system of beacon transmission and reception using directional antennas
A system for broadcasting and receiving a beacon signal includes a beacon transmitter (310, 400) and a beacon receiver (320, 500). The beacon transmitter includes a beacon signal generator (410) to generate a beacon signal, and a directional antenna system (420) to selectively transmit the beacon signal in a corresponding one of M different directions during each one of M beacon slots (342) during a beacon period (340) in each of a plurality of superframes (330). The beacon receiver includes a beacon signal detector (510) to receive and detect the beacon signal, and a directional antenna system (520) having an antenna pattern including a main lobe and being adapted to selectively steer the main lobe in a selected one of N different directions during each of a plurality of receiver frames each having a time period substantially equal to a time period of one of the superframes. |
| US09078139B2 |
Method for acquiring information in a coexistence system, and apparatus using same
A method for receiving a measurement report includes: transmitting, by an apparatus including a coexistence manager (CM), a measurement request message for acquiring a measurement report from at least one device that uses a channel in a TV band to a coexistence enabler (CE); and receiving, by the apparatus, a measurement response message including the result of the measurement results from the CE. The measurement request message includes a first element indicating which of a primary detection, a detection of a device that uses the TV band, and a channel load measurement is requested. The measurement request message includes at least one of a start frequency, an end frequency, a channel list, and a measurement time related to the measurement, and the measurement report includes at least one selected from among the result of primary detection, the result of the detection of the device that uses the TV band. |
| US09078137B1 |
Mobile hotspot managed by access controller
Systems and methods are described for a mobile hotspot that can be managed from an access controller. According to an embodiment, a mobile establishes a wide area network (WAN) connection through a wireless WAN module and establishes a wireless local area network (WLAN) connection with a wireless fidelity (WiFi)-enabled device using a first AP profile, wherein the first AP profile is the same as an AP profile for APs that is controlled by an access controller (AC). The mobile hotspot sets up a security tunnel with the AC through the WAN connection. After receiving WLAN traffic from the WiFi-enabled device through the WLAN connection transmitting, the mobile hotspot routes the WLAN traffic to the AC through the security tunnel. |
| US09078128B2 |
System and method for secure identity service
A system and method for securely processing identity information. For example, in one embodiment of the invention, a first user is registered on an identity service with one or more identification (ID) codes and a token. In response to a query from a second user to connect with the first user, a query signature is generated using the one or more ID codes and token of the first and second users, and a timestamp. The query signature is usable by network services to authenticate communication between the first and second users on the network over a specified period of time. In another embodiment, user ID codes and tokens are cached on mobile devices and/or a system cache to improve performance. The validity of the cached data is determined by calculating a fingerprint which, in one embodiment, is a hash of the ID code, token and a timestamp. |
| US09078127B2 |
Secure Communication Method
A first computing device receives over a telecommunications network from a second computing device a verification message encrypted using a public key. The verification message is generated by the second computing device when initiating a call to the first computing device. The first computing device transmits to a wireless router via a wireless local area network (WLAN) created by the wireless router, the encrypted verification message. The first computing device receives from the wireless router over the WLAN, a decrypted verification message decrypted from the encrypted message by the wireless device using a private key associated with the public key. The first computing device transmits over the telecommunications network to the second computing device, the decrypted verification message. If the second computing device determines that the decrypted verification message corresponds to the encrypted verification message, the second computing device allows the call to the first computing device to proceed. |
| US09078126B2 |
Method of sharing a session key between wireless communication terminals using a variable-length authentication code
Disclosure relates to a method of sharing a session key between wireless communication terminals using a variable-length authentication code. The method includes: generating a public key by using an own private key; generating a message including the public key and a first random number and encoding the message using an own secret key to exchange an encrypted message with the other terminal; decoding the encrypted message of the other terminal by receiving a secret key of the other terminal; generating an authentication code by calculating the first random number and a second random number included in the decoded message; obtaining a medium value from the authenticated code; and generating a session key by using a public key included in the decoded message of the other terminal. |
| US09078125B2 |
Vehicle communications system and method
Methods and systems are provided for vehicle data communications. The system includes a vehicle communication component configured to receive data, encode the data to be transmitted, and transmit the encoded data wirelessly. A data delivery unit is configured to receive the encoded data, decode the encoded data, and present data in at least one format. A wired communication link couples the vehicle communication component and the data delivery unit. The wired communication link is configured to relay decoding information from the vehicle communication component to the data delivery unit such that the data delivery unit may decode the encoded data. |
| US09078118B2 |
Wireless communication systems and methods
Embodiments of the present invention include wireless communication systems having one or more network components that can communicate with at least one mobile station in an interference environment. A transmitter can transmit data indicating a set of communication modes in which a mobile station is capable of operating and for at least one mode of communication in the set an indication of interference rejection capability. The indicating data can be received by a receiver. A resource allocator can allocate system resources based on the indicating data for use during a connection between network components (e.g., a network apparatus and a mobile station). Allocation of system resources can fully or partially depend on a connection's communication mode, an indication of interference rejection capability of a mobile station for the mode of communication of the connection, and/or an interference environment expected during the connection. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described. |
| US09078114B2 |
Message transmitted automatically in response to imminent power source depletion of mobile station
Described herein are a method, apparatus and computer program to automatically inform a second party to a call that a first party to the call has or will disconnect due to a power source, such as a battery, of a terminal used by the first party becoming depleted. The second party can be informed by the generation and transmission of any suitable type of message, including a SMS message, a MMS message and a IMS message. |
| US09078110B2 |
Reservation telephone notice method for electronic device and apparatus thereof
According to one embodiment, a method for notifying a reserved call of an electronic device includes registering a schedule of at least one time period, acquiring an outgoing number when an incoming call is rejected, determining a time of notifying the reserved call associated with the outgoing number by referring to the schedule, and notifying the reserved call associated with the outgoing number when the determined time arrives. |
| US09078107B2 |
Radio apparatus transmitting or receiving a signal including predetermined information
An extracting unit detects movement from a first area to a second area, the first area and the second area defined as areas having different priorities. When the extracting unit detects the movement, this changes a communication process defined in the first area to the communication process defined in the second area. A notifying unit notifies that the area changed when the movement is detected. Herein, the priority of the first area and the priority of the second area are defined according to importance of a signal, which should be broadcasted from a processing unit. |
| US09078103B2 |
Systems and methods for interacting with virtual nodes within a geographic area
Systems and methods for playing video games on mobile devices wherein the elements of a virtual video game world are associated with locational coordinates in the real world and the placing, removing, and interacting with a video game elements depends upon the mobile device's physical proximity to the real world coordinate associated with the video game element. |
| US09078100B2 |
Modular, expandable system for data reception and distribution
A satellite reception assembly may comprise a first module operable to demodulate a first one or more channels of a signal output by a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) low noise block downconverter (LNB). The first module may output a signal to a second module which may demodulate a second one or more channels of the signal output by the DBS LNB. The second module may be installed after the satellite reception assembly has been deployed upon a number of clients served by the satellite reception assembly reaching a threshold. |
| US09078096B2 |
Systems and methods for creating and providing location-based content
A software product comprises instructions stored on non-transitory computer-readable media. The instructions, when executed by a computer, perform steps for providing a guided tour to a user via a mobile computing device. The steps include the step of playing a first data file on the mobile computing device when the mobile computing device is at a first location, and the step of playing a second data file on the mobile computing device when the mobile computing device is at a second location. A media file locally stored on the mobile computing device is automatically played after the playback of the first data file and before the playback of the second data file. The user is provided with an option to make a donation to an organization associated with the first location when the mobile computing device is at the first location. |
| US09078093B2 |
Apparatus and method for recognizing target mobile communication terminal
A method and apparatus for a mobile communication terminal to recognize a target mobile communication terminal using a location recognition system. The method includes acquiring own location information of the mobile communication terminal; creating identification verification information using the location information, the identification verification information containing an identification formula for identifying the target mobile communication terminal as a target of communication; transmitting the created identification verification information to at least one other mobile communication terminal within a communication coverage area; receiving an identification response packet from the at least one other mobile communication terminal which has received the identification verification information, the identification response packet indicating whether the other mobile communication terminal is a target mobile communication terminal; and determining the target mobile communication terminal based on the received identification response packet. |
| US09078092B2 |
Routing engine for emergency communications
A computer-implemented method for processing emergency calls includes receiving an emergency call from a calling device via a first communication format, identifying a location associated with the calling device, identifying a destination for the emergency call based at least in part on the location, determining an attribute associated with the destination, and determining an action to be taken based at least in part on the first communication format and on the attribute. |
| US09078090B1 |
Method and apparatus for environment based communication control
Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for controlling user equipment (UE) to improve user experience. The method includes sensing an environmental condition using a sensor associated with the UE, and governing a communication functionality of the UE based on the sensed environmental condition. |
| US09078088B2 |
System and method for transport layer agnostic programming interface for use with smartphones
An application programming interface (API) is disclosed for interfacing a vehicle electronic component with a smartphone, wherein the vehicle electronic component and the smartphone each make use of a short range wireless transceiver for wirelessly communicating with the other, and wherein the smartphone includes an application running thereon. The API has an interconnect API disposed in the electronic component. The interconnect API also has a software library of command and function definitions that are able to be implemented by the API. A connect library is also used which resides within the smartphone and which is configured to communicate with the application running on the smartphone. The interconnect API and the connect library cooperatively operate as a translation mechanism to implement a plurality of functionalities when communicating with the application, according to the electronic device's capabilities. |
| US09078084B2 |
Method and apparatus for end node assisted neighbor discovery
Methods and apparatus for using end nodes, e.g., wireless terminals, to discover base stations and communicate information about discovered access nodes, e.g., base stations, to other access nodes in a system are described. As the wireless terminal roams in the system and new access nodes are encountered, one or more physically adjacent access nodes will be informed of the presence of the new access node as a result of communications with the wireless terminal. A message indicating an access node's inability to route a message to another access node which is known to a wireless terminal may trigger the wireless terminal to begin the process of updating access node routing and neighbor information. |
| US09078083B2 |
Application server awareness of device capabilities in a wireless network
Capability information, relating to hardware and/or software capabilities of different types of mobile devices, may be used to tailor services provided to the mobile device based on the particular type of mobile device. In one implementation, a device, such as an application server that provide services to mobile devices, may: receive a request from a mobile device, for services; obtaining information indicating a type of the mobile device; obtain, based on the type of mobile device, information indicating capabilities of the mobile device; and provide the services to the mobile device, in which the provided services are tailored for the mobile device based on the capabilities of mobile device. |
| US09078078B1 |
Call forwarding methods and systems
A call-forwarding method that is implemented using a computer includes storing a profile that is associated with a mobile communications device and at least one additional forwarding destination using the computer; receiving a status indicator; receiving a call that is directed to an identifier that is associated with the profile; and selectively routing the call to the mobile communications device or the additional forwarding destination, based on the status indicator and the profile. |
| US09078077B2 |
Estimation of synthetic audio prototypes with frequency-based input signal decomposition
An approach to forming output signals both permits flexible and temporally and/or frequency local processing of input signals while limiting or mitigating artifacts in such output signals. Generally, the approach involves first synthesizing prototype signals for the output signals, or equivalently characterizing such prototypes, for example, according to their statistical characteristics, and then forming the output signals as estimates of the prototype signals, for example, as weighted combinations of the input signals. |
| US09078075B2 |
Tool for insertion of canal hearing device into the ear canal
A hand held tool for safely inserting a canal hearing device into the ear canal having a medial end configured to simultaneously cradle the lateral end of the canal hearing device and constrain a knob element laterally positioned on the canal hearing device. In a preferred embodiment, the insertion tool comprises a C-shaped cavity for self-centering engagement with a D-shaped lateral end of a CIC device, providing ease of use for hearing impaired individuals. In a preferred embodiment, the insertion tool is substantially formed of a single monolithic structure for improved durability and lower cost of fabrication. |
| US09078074B2 |
Method and apparatus for hearing aid location
A hearing aid includes electronics, a physically manipulable member, and a receiver. The receiver is configured to output sound in a first mode at a first decibel level and in a second mode at a second decibel level higher than the first decibel level. The first mode is based on an input from a microphone. The second mode is based on the physically manipulable member not having been manipulated over a selected period of time. In various examples, wireless approaches are used to perform location identification. Examples using antennas and radio frequency identification (RFID) are provided. Various location approaches are possible using different location tones and methods for generation of such tones. Other apparatus are provided for location identification in a system with one or more hearing aids. |
| US09078069B2 |
MEMS microphone with springs and interior support
A MEMS microphone has a stationary portion with a backplate having a plurality of apertures, and a diaphragm spaced from the backplate and having an outer periphery. As a condenser microphone, the diaphragm and backplate form a variable capacitor. The microphone also has a post extending between, and substantially permanently connected with, both the backplate and the diaphragm, and a set of springs securing the diaphragm to at least one of the post and the stationary portion. The post is positioned to be radially inward of the outer periphery of the diaphragm. |
| US09078068B2 |
Microphone with aligned apertures
A MEMS microphone has a backplate with a given backplate aperture, and a diaphragm having a diaphragm aperture. The given backplate aperture is substantially aligned with the diaphragm aperture. |
| US09078066B2 |
Touch input surface speaker
Processing an audio signal is disclosed. A source audio signal to be rendered by a touch input medium is received. An indication of an event where the touch input medium has been contacted at a location on the touch input medium such that rendering of the source audio signal by the touch input medium is affected by the contact is received. At least a portion of the source audio signal is modified based on an expected effect of the contact on the touch input medium determined using the indication of the detector. |
| US09078064B2 |
Earphone assembly with moisture resistance
An acoustic system includes a receiver (or microphone), a tube, or a moisture resistant screen. The receiver is capable of outputting an audio signal, while the microphone receives an audio signal. The tube is in connection with the receiver (or microphone) and the audio signal travels along a length of the tube. The moisture resistant screen is fitted at an end of the tube. The moisture resistant screen prevents moisture from passing along the tube toward the receiver, and causes an amount of damping to the audio signal. The moisture resistant screen is configured to have a submersion rating greater than or equal to 7 IP. |
| US09078063B2 |
Microphone assembly with barrier to prevent contaminant infiltration
A microphone assembly includes a cover, a base coupled to the cover, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device disposed on the base. An opening is formed in the base and the MEMS device is disposed over the opening. The base includes a barrier that extends across the opening and is porous to sound. The remaining portions of the base do not extend across the opening. |
| US09078061B2 |
Stereo ribbon microphone
A stereo ribbon microphone includes four ribbon microphone units disposed in a circle on a single horizontal plane. The ribbon microphone units are alternately assigned to a right channel and a left channel along the circumferential of the circle. |
| US09078057B2 |
Adaptive microphone beamforming
The present invention relates to adaptive beamforming in audio systems. More specifically, aspects of the invention relate to a method for adaptively estimating a target sound signal by establishing a simulation model simulating an audio environment comprising: a plurality of spatially separated microphones, a target sound source, and a number of audio noise sources. |
| US09078054B2 |
Optical module used in optical communication systems, method of updating firmware of optical module used in optical communication systems, and trouble tracing system
An optical module includes: an optical device driven by a driving voltage; an arithmetic processing chip including an arithmetic processing circuit that operates according to predetermined firmware and generates an electrical control signal indicating a magnitude of the driving voltage; a voltage generating unit provided outside the arithmetic processing chip, and including an input terminal that receives the control signal from the arithmetic processing chip and an output terminal that provides the driving voltage of a magnitude corresponding to the control signal to the optical device; and a voltage holding unit that holds an output voltage from the output terminal of the voltage generating unit at a constant voltage regardless of an operation state of the arithmetic processing circuit, when the firmware is updated. |
| US09078049B2 |
Protection of internet delivered media
Program code in a Web page hosted by a server and/or in server side code executed by the server is specially configured so that a modified media file whose source is embedded in the Web page and which is streamed by the server is properly playable only in browsers of media devices accessing the Web page. Thus, if a copy of the modified media file is downloaded to the media device or otherwise procured, the user of the media device is unable to properly play the downloaded copy by using a conventional media player. Further, if the downloaded copy is shared on a file sharing network, users of the file sharing network that download copies from the media device are also unable to properly play their downloaded copies by using conventional media players. |
| US09078042B2 |
Apparatus and method for processing an interactive service
A method of processing an interactive service and an apparatus thereof are disclosed. The present invention includes receiving uncompressed audio content or uncompressed video content from an external decoding unit, extracting identifiers of frames from the received content periodically, submitting requests containing the identifiers and receiving a trigger for the content when a new segment is detected or when an event activation needs to be communicated to the receiver, wherein the trigger indicates the current time of the contents and references a particular interactive event in an application parameter table or signals that the event is to be executed now or at a specified future time, wherein the application parameter table includes information about at least one of applications. |
| US09078035B2 |
Targeted television advertising based on profiles linked to multiple online devices
A profile provider: (i) associates a primary online device (OD1) with a set-top box (STB); (ii) a location of OD1 at some point in time is estimated to be “near” the STB, thereby establishing a STB proxy location; (iii) one or more secondary online devices (OD2s) are observed to be located “near” the STB proxy location and are associated with the STB; and (iv) a television advertisement is selected to be directed to the STB, which selection is based at least in part on profile information linked to one of the associated OD2s. The method can be particularly advantageous in situations wherein: the STB is not connected to any computer network; the STB is not ever connected to the same local area network as OD1 or OD2; or television service (used by the STB) and online access (used by OD1 and OD2s) are provided by different service providers. |
| US09078033B2 |
Coax and IP hybrid digital TV and VOD system
Methods and apparatus are described for providing digital information and/or data services over hybrid network infrastructures including both IP and coax transmission media. |
| US09078032B2 |
Virtual channel table for a broadcast protocol and method of broadcasting and receiving broadcast signals using the same
A virtual channel table for broadcasting protocol and a method for broadcasting by using the virtual channel table includes identification information identifying and permitting discrimination of active and inactive channels contained in the virtual channel table. At a receiver, the virtual channel table transmitted from the transmitting side is parsed, thereby determining whether the current received channel is an active or inactive channel. |
| US09078027B1 |
Systems and methods for enabling functionality of a trigger mechanism based on log entries in a traffic log
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for enabling functionality of a trigger mechanism based on log entries in a traffic log. An example method involves (i) accessing a stored traffic log, wherein the log includes multiple ordered log entries including a first log-entry and a second log-entry; (ii) making a first determination that the first log-entry corresponds to a show-segment video-component (VC) of a live show, wherein the first log-entry further corresponds to a broadcast time-period; (iii) making a second determination that the second log-entry is positioned immediately after the first log-entry; (iv) making a third determination that the second log-entry corresponds to a manual start-time type; and (v) responsive to making the three determinations, enabling functionality of a trigger mechanism during the broadcast time-period, wherein the enabled trigger mechanism is configured to cause processing of a next log entry in the log in response to being triggered. |
| US09078021B2 |
Information processing apparatus, content transmission method and storage medium
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a first input module, a second input module, a converter and an output module. The first input module receives a first packet group of first content applied to a first copyright protection method. The second input module receives a second packet group of second content applied to a second copyright protection method. The converter re-packetizes the first content packetized into the first packet group and the second content packetized into the second packet group, into a third packet group for outputting to a transmission path by applying a third copyright protection method. The output module outputs the third packet group of the first content and the second content. |
| US09078017B2 |
Method and device for buffering data for multiplexing
The invention relates to a method and device for buffering data for multiplexing. The invention also relates to a method of multiplexing and to a multiplexer arrangement using the method and device for buffering data for multiplexing. In one embodiment the invention can be applied to the buffering of non-traffic data, such as firmware updates or other supplementary information, before multiplexing the non-traffic data with traffic data, such as television data of television channels, to form a satellite broadcast channel. In embodiments of the invention, non-traffic data for multiplexing is buffered and then read out again for multiplexing at a rate which is a function of buffer fullness. The non-traffic data may be multiplexed with at least one traffic data channel. A multiplexer can view the non-traffic data channel as another multiplexing input and can allocate the available bit rate between the traffic data channels and the non-traffic data accordingly. |
| US09078016B2 |
System for adding or updating video content from internet sources to existing video-on-demand application of a digital TV services provider system
A video-on-demand (VOD) content delivery system has a VOD Application Server which manages a database of templates ordered in a hierarchy for presentation of video content elements of different selected types categorized in hierarchical order. The templates include those for higher-order displays which have one or more links to lower-order displays of specific content. The VOD Application Server, in response to viewer request, displays a high-order templatized display, and in response to viewer selection of a link, displays the lower-order display of specific content. The hierarchical templatized displays enable viewers to navigate to an end subject of interest while having a unique visual experience of moving through a series of displays to the end subject of interest. For example, the higher-order display may be a product ad and the lower-order display may be an ad for a local retailer of the product. Similarly, a viewer can navigate from national product to local product ad, or classified ad category to specific classified ad, or bulletin board topic category to specific posting. In another embodiment, the VOD content delivery system is used to deliver consumer-generated classified ads on TV. A web-based Content Management System receives consumer-generated content uploaded online in industry-standard file formats with metadata for title and topical area, and automatically converts it into video data format compatible with the VOD content delivery system indexed by title and topical area. A User Interface for the system delivers listings data to the viewer's TV indexed by title and topical area, and displays a requested classified ad in response to viewer selection. |
| US09078015B2 |
Transport of partially encrypted media
A method of facilitating transport of partially encrypted video is disclosed. The method re-packetizes or otherwise de-concatenates packets carrying the partially encrypted video into packets where all the video in each packet is either encrypted or unencrypted. The re-packetized video packets may include data that identifies whether the packet is carrying encrypted or unencrypted video. |
| US09078004B2 |
Multiple reference layer prediction signaling techniques
The disclosed subject matter, in one embodiment, provides techniques to signal inter-layer texture and motion prediction from different direct dependent reference layers. In certain exemplary arrangements, techniques are provided which include one or more syntax elements in a high level syntax structure, e.g., the slice segment header, indicating such different direct dependent reference layer(s). |
| US09078003B2 |
Moving picture coding method, and moving picture decoding method
A moving picture coding apparatus for performing inter-picture predictive coding for pictures constituting a moving picture is provided with a coding unit for performing predictive error coding for image data; a decoding unit for performing predictive error decoding for an output from the coding unit; a reference picture memory for holding output data from the decoding unit; and a motion vector detection unit for detecting motion vectors on the basis of the decoded image data stored in the memory. When coding a B picture as a target picture, information indicating whether or not the target picture should be used as a reference picture when coding another picture is added as header information. Therefore, in a decoding apparatus for decoding a bit stream Bs outputted from the moving picture coding apparatus, management of a memory for holding the reference picture can be facilitated on the basis of the header information. |
| US09078002B2 |
Interpolation of video compression frames
Coding techniques for a video image compression system involve improving an image quality of a sequence of two or more bi-directionally predicted intermediate frames, where each of the frames includes multiple pixels. One method involves determining a brightness value of at least one pixel of each bi-directionally predicted intermediate frame in the sequence as an equal average of brightness values of pixels in non-bidirectionally predicted frames bracketing the sequence of bi-directionally predicted intermediate frames. The brightness values of the pixels in at least one of the non-bidirectionally predicted frames is converted from a non-linear representation. |
| US09077991B2 |
System and method for utilizing forward error correction with video compression
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; transmitting the plurality of encoded video frames or portions to a client device; receiving feedback information from the client device, the feedback information usable to determine whether data contained in the video frames or portions has not been successfully received and/or decoded; in response to detecting that one or more video frames or portions thereof have not been successfully received and/or decoded, then either encoding a new video frame or portion thereof according to a second encoding format or encoding the new video frame to be dependent on the last video frame or portion thereof known to have been successfully received and/or decoded, and: (1) if no forward error correction (FEC) coding is used to transmit the plurality of encoded video frames or portions, then encoding a new video frame or portion thereof using FEC coding; or (2) if a first FEC coding is used to transmit the plurality of encoded video frames or portions, then encoding a new video frame or portion thereof using a second FEC coding, the second FEC coding being a relatively stronger FEC coding than the first FEC coding; and transmitting the new video frame or portion thereof to the client device. |
| US09077987B2 |
Method of displaying three-dimensional image and display apparatus for performing the method
A method of displaying a three-dimensional image includes sequentially providing light to display blocks of a display panel in a scan direction of an image, providing light at a maximum luminance to a display block during a first period in which an image for a left-eye or a right-eye is displayed on the display block, providing the light at a luminance gradually decreasing from the maximum luminance to a preset luminance to the display block during a second period in which a transition image between the left-eye or the right-eye image and a black image is displayed on the display block, and blocking the light from the display block during a third period including a period in which the black image is displayed on the display block and prior to a period in which a left-eye or a right-eye image of a following frame is displayed on the display block. |
| US09077975B2 |
Sub-diffraction limit image resolution in three dimensions
The present invention generally relates to sub-diffraction limit image resolution and other imaging techniques, including imaging in three dimensions. In one aspect, the invention is directed to determining and/or imaging light from two or more entities separated by a distance less than the diffraction limit of the incident light. In some cases, the position of the entities can be determined in all three spatial dimensions (i.e., in the x, y, and z directions), and in certain cases, the positions in all three dimensions can be determined to an accuracy of less than about 1000 nm. In some cases, the z positions may be determined using one of a variety of techniques that uses intensity information or focal information (e.g., a lack of focus) to determine the z position. Non-limiting examples of such techniques include astigmatism imaging, off-focus imaging, or multi-focal-plane imaging. |
| US09077971B2 |
Interpolation-like filtering of integer-pixel positions in video coding
This disclosure describes filtering techniques applied by an encoder and a decoder during the prediction stage of a video encoding and/or decoding process. The filtering techniques may enhance the accuracy of predictive data used during fractional interpolation, and may improve predictive data of integer blocks of pixels. There are several aspects to this disclosure, including a useful twelve-pixel filter support that may be used for interpolation, techniques that use coefficient symmetry and pixel symmetry to reduce the amount of data needed to be sent between an encoder and a decoder to configure the filter support for interpolation, and techniques for filtering data at integer pixel locations in a manner that is similar to sub-pixel interpolation. Other aspects of this disclosure concern techniques for encoding information in the bitstream to convey the type of filter used, and possibly the filter coefficients used. Predictive coding of filter coefficients is also described. |
| US09077958B2 |
Road departure warning system
The prevention of vehicle accidents is targeted. A road texture model is created based on a vehicle camera image. An initial vehicle location estimate is determined, and map imagery is obtained based on this location estimate. A refined vehicle location is determined using visual egomotion. In particular, 3D features of the vehicle image and the retrieved map imagery are identified and aligned. A map image is selected based on this alignment, and the location associated with the map image is modified by a displacement between the selected map image and the vehicle image to produce a refined vehicle location. A road boundary model is created based on the road texture model and the refined vehicle location, and a road departure model is created based on the road boundary model and vehicle odometry information. The operator of the vehicle is warned of a road departure based on the road departure model. |
| US09077954B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image capture device, and computer program
An image processing apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: an image processor configured to generate movie data based on image capturing data obtained in response to a shooting instruction that has been given by a user; and a controller configured to write the movie data on a storage medium. When any movie file has already been written on the storage medium, and when the movie data is related to the existent movie file or when the user decides to add the movie data, the controller adds the movie data to the existent movie file. |
| US09077953B2 |
Method and arrangement for retransmitting as well as processing and/or displaying and/or storing of sound and/or picture contents, and device for processing and/or displaying and/or storing of sound and/or picture contents
A special instruction for not encoding a content is incorporated into access authorization data contained in the received signal, so that within a unified system for transmitting and receiving of encoded or non-encoded sound and/or picture contents, it is possible to meet the requirement of public broadcasting and “free-to-air” program providers for a non-encoded processing and/or display and/or storage of freely accessible contents for the end user. The instruction signalizes that the sound and/or picture contents, once received, must be available in the non-encoded form to the end user. The access authorization data remain added to the sound and/or picture contents, even in cases of a cascading, encoded retransmission, or remains logically linked thereto by suitable means, even if transmitted physically separate along with the picture and/or sound contents. During the processing and/or display and/or storage of the picture and/or sound contents retransmitted in the encoded form, the special instruction triggers a decoding of the picture and/or sound contents, at least at the end of the retransmission cascade. |
| US09077947B2 |
Presenting linear and nonlinear content via DVR
Embodiments related to the presentation of linear content and non-linear content in an integrated user experience are disclosed. One embodiment provides a method of identifying linear content and non-linear content for presentation via a video recording device. The method includes detecting a trigger to perform a search for content items, and providing, responsive to the trigger, a search request to one or more metadata sources, each metadata source containing locations of one or more of linear content items and non-linear content items available at one or more content sources. The method further includes receiving from each metadata source a search response including metadata associated with available content at one or more of the content sources, and outputting a list of content items identifying one or more linear content items and one or more non-linear content items from one or more metadata sources. |
| US09077944B2 |
Image pickup device, image processing method, and storage medium
A first WB correction coefficient for modifying a tint of an image captured in an auxiliary light non-emission condition to a tint of a peripheral light of the auxiliary light non-emission condition is set by a first WB correction coefficient setting unit, and a second WB correction coefficient for modifying the tint of an image captured in an auxiliary light emission condition to the tint of the auxiliary light non-emission condition is set by a second WB correction coefficient setting unit. The tint of the image captured in the auxiliary light emission condition is then modified to the tint of the auxiliary light non-emission condition by an image processing unit on the basis of the first WB correction coefficient and the second WB correction coefficient. |
| US09077937B2 |
Method and apparatus for fast channel change
Providing a fast channel change function in a digital television system by hierarchically modulating each channel to provide both high priority (long interleave) and low priority (short interleave) signals, wherein a receiver may rapidly demodulate and use information within the low priority signal of a new channel to more rapidly change to the new channel. |
| US09077936B2 |
Integrated IF SAW filter in baseband digital design for analog TV (or hybrid) tuner
A filter for processing a digital TV composite signal having a video component and an audio component includes a digital video filter and a digital audio filter. The digital video filter includes a lowpass finite impulse response (FIR) filter, an up-mixer, an asymmetric filter for compensating a Nyquist slope of the video component, and a down-mixer connected in this order. The digital audio filter includes an audio down-mixer, a decimated FIR filter, an enhancing FIR filter, an interpolated FIR filter, and an audio up-mixer. These components are connected in series. Optionally, the decimating FIR filter is decimated by an integer decimation factor M, and the interpolated FIR filter is interpolated by an integer factor N. The integer M and N may have the same value. |
| US09077935B2 |
Digital television and method of displaying contents using the same
A DTV and a method of displaying content using the same are provided. The DTV includes: a plurality of display units physically isolated from each other; and a control unit configured to, if a predetermined first event has occurred, move a content displayed on the first display unit among the plurality of display units and display the content on the second display unit among the plurality of display units, wherein the control unit is configured to control the display of the content such that the movement process of the content is visually recognized. |
| US09077932B2 |
Multimedia system, relevant multimedia information display device and multimedia information transmission method
A multimedia system includes a multimedia content providing device, a multimedia information providing device, and a multimedia information display device. The multimedia content providing device and the multimedia information providing device respectively provide the multimedia content and the related multimedia information. The multimedia information display device comprises a display device, a wireless communication device, and a signal processing device. The wireless communication device receives the multimedia content and the related multimedia information. The signal processing device configures the display device to display the multimedia content and the related multimedia information synchronously. Moreover, the signal processing device may also configure a multimedia content display device to display the multimedia content and configure the display device of the multimedia information display device to synchronously display the related multimedia information. |
| US09077928B2 |
Data reporting of usage statistics
A collection, aggregation and reporting of activities associated with applications of an Intelligent TV set is provided. Activates may include most used, least used, installed, available and removed. Periodically, a report is generated and sent to a receiver over a network. |
| US09077927B2 |
Image inspection system and image inspection method for determining a threshold useable for defect detection in a scanned image based upon a reference image with an artificial defect
An image inspection system for inspecting an image output on a recording medium includes an image forming unit to form a threshold setting image on the recording medium; an image scanner to scan the threshold setting image to generate a scanned image; an inspection reference image generator to generate an inspection reference image using data of the an output-target image; an image inspection unit to determine a defect in the scanned image based on a difference between the inspection reference image and the scanned image; and a threshold determiner to determine a threshold to be compared with the difference between the inspection reference image and the scanned image. The image inspection unit computes the difference between the scanned image and the inspection reference image. The threshold determiner determines a threshold to be compared with the difference between the scanned image and the inspection reference image. |
| US09077925B2 |
Image edition service system and screen information generation method
An image-editing service system comprises a server, a user terminal, an administrator terminal, a worker terminal, and the server including a database for storing the image information sent from worker terminal, a first image generating section for generating a first image based on the image information stored in the database, a display section for displaying an image display frame so as to display the first image in a display window of the user terminal and displaying a window information so as to display a display condition of the first image which is allowed to be input, a second image generating section for generating a second image regard to the first image based on the display condition inputted by the user terminal and, a window information generating section for displaying the first image and the second image simultaneously. |
| US09077924B2 |
CMOS image sensor implementing correlated double sampling with compression
An image sensing device and image sensing method are described herein. By way of example, the imaging sensing device includes a two-dimensional array of light sensing elements, each light sensing element being configured to generate an output signal indicative of an intensity level of light impinging on the light sensing element, one or more analog-to-digital converters configured to digitize output signals read out from the array of light sensing elements to generate digital output pixel values, a control circuit configured to generate digital pixel reset values, and a compression module configured to receive the digital pixel reset values and to generate a compressed digital pixel reset value corresponding to each digital pixel reset value. |
| US09077923B2 |
Correlated double sampling device and image sensor
A CDS device of an image sensor having a pixel array includes first comparators, second comparators and third comparators. The first comparators are coupled to columns of the pixel array, and generate a positive amplified signal and a negative amplified signal by comparing the analog signal and a ramp signal. The second comparators are coupled to a first set of the first comparators coupled to first columns of the pixel array, and generate a first comparison signal enabled to a first logic level by comparing the positive amplified signal and the negative amplified signal. The third comparators are coupled to a second set of the first comparators coupled to second columns of the pixel array, and generate a second comparison signal enabled to a second logic level by comparing the positive amplified signal and the negative amplified signal. |
| US09077922B2 |
Solid state image pickup device having a capacitor structure made up of a plurality of capacitors
A solid state image pickup device is provided that includes a pixel array unit having a plurality of pixels and a signal processing circuit that has a capacitor operatively configured to process a respective signal output from each of the plurality of pixels. The capacitor is operatively configured as a stacked capacitor or a trench capacitor. |
| US09077916B2 |
Improving the depth of field in an imaging system
A method is described of capturing an image. The method comprising the steps of: exposing an image sensor to radiation from a first part of the electromagnetic spectrum using a first aperture and to radiation from a second part of the spectrum using a second aperture having a different size than the first aperture; and, forming an image on the basis of first image data generated by the radiation from the first part of the spectrum and second image data generated by radiation from the second part of the spectrum. |
| US09077907B2 |
Image processing apparatus
There is provided an image processing apparatus that can implement image recognition processing on all of objects to be recognized, and can reduce a load of capturing and transferring images. The image processing apparatus includes: an image capturing unit that captures image information picked up by an imaging element; a processing region setting unit that sets a plurality of processing regions for the image information; a processing sequence/frequency determination unit that determines at least any one of a sequence, a frequency, and a timing of capturing the respective image information in a plurality of set processing regions, and at least any one of a sequence, a frequency, and a timing of processing the respective image information; and an image processing unit that captures the image information for each of the processing regions according to the sequence, the frequency, or the timing which has been determined, and processes the captured image information according to the sequence, the frequency, or the timing which has been determined. |
| US09077905B2 |
Image capturing apparatus and control method thereof
An image capturing apparatus and a control method capable of obtaining an image with a wide dynamic range, without using a special image sensor. An amount of dynamic range enhancement for lessening an amount of blown-out highlights of an image is determined based on the amount of blown-out highlights. An image with enhanced dynamic range is then obtained, by performing image capture at a sensitivity that has been lessened based on the amount of dynamic range enhancement, and correcting a drop in brightness of the captured image due to the lessened sensitivity. |
| US09077903B2 |
Imaging device including a blur correcting mechanism for reducing the radial load on movable connectors
An imaging device includes an optical system including optical elements, an image sensor, a lens barrel movable relative to a device body to move the optical elements along an optical axis, a fixed element, a movable element on which the image sensor is mounted, a drive mechanism to generate a drive force by flowing an electric current into a magnetic field, to move the movable element relative to the fixed element, and movable connectors each including a bar element and a bearing provided in the fixed element and the movable element provided to movably support the bar element along the axis. The bar elements of the movable connectors are set to move in different directions along the plane orthogonal to the optical axis. At least one of the bearings is disposed outside the lens barrel in the orthogonal direction relative to the optical axis. |
| US09077902B2 |
Image capturing apparatus having camera shake correction function
An image capturing apparatus having a camera shake correction function, includes an optical system, a movable member that is movable on a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the optical system to achieve the camera shake correction function, an angular velocity detector configured to detect an angular velocity of shake of the image capturing apparatus and generate a detection signal, and a controller configured to drive the movable member based on the output from the angular velocity detector. The controller includes a time change rate limiter configured to limit a time rate of change of angular velocity indicated by the detection signal output from the angular velocity detector to be no greater than a predetermined limiting value, and drive the movable member based on the detection signal output through the time change rate limiter. |
| US09077900B2 |
Digital image capturing method and apparatus
A method and an apparatus are provided for capturing a moving image and a still image. Moving-image capturing is ceased, when a still image-capturing request is generated. Still-image capturing operation parameters are set in the image sensor. The image sensor is exposed to generate still-image data. Moving-image capturing operation parameters are set in the image sensor, when generation of the still-image data is complete. The image sensor is exposed to generate the moving-image data. The still-image data is quality-processed and compressed to generate still-image frame data. Moving-image frame data generated by quality-processing and size-adjusting the moving-image data are connected and compressed to generate a moving-image stream. Quality-processed virtual moving-image frame data is generated using the still-image data. The quality-processed virtual moving-image frame data is inserted into a loss section of the moving-image stream corresponding to a period in which the moving-image capturing is ceased. |
| US09077899B2 |
Image pickup apparatus, image processing apparatus, image processing method, program and recording medium
An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup device that converts an image entering through a lens system into a captured image; a display unit that displays an image with a first field angle obtained from the captured image that is currently being shot; a moving distance detecting unit that detects a moving distance between images with the first field angle based on a plurality of images with the first angle sequentially captured; a partial image storing unit that stores an image with a second field angle that is less than the first field angle; and a panorama composing unit that composes a panoramic image based on a plurality of images with the second field angle stored in the partial image storing unit and the moving distances between the images with the first field angle that are respectively associated with the plurality of images with the second field angle. |
| US09077892B2 |
Imaging apparatus using different focus lens driving methods between when zoom magnification is changed and when not changed
An imaging apparatus includes an optical system including a focus lens, an imaging unit operable to capture a subject image formed by the optical system to generate image data, a driver operable to drive the focus lens along an optical axis of the optical system, and an autofocus adjusting unit operable to adjust a subject image formed on the imaging unit to be in focus by evaluating the image data generated by the imaging unit and by controlling the driver to drive the focus lens. When adjusting the subject image to be in focus anew after previously adjusting the subject image to be in focus, the autofocus adjusting unit estimates a focus position and controls the driver to drive the focus lens according to a driving method used for evaluating the image data generated by the imaging unit, and different driving methods are used for different results of the estimation. |
| US09077890B2 |
Auto-focus tracking
An apparatus and method for supporting augmented reality or other computer vision applications are presented. Embodiments enable communication between natural feature and auto-focus engines to increase an engine's accuracy or decrease a processing time of the engine. An auto-focus engine may communicate a location of an auto-focus window to a natural feature detection module and/or a change in location of a previous auto-focus window to a next auto-focus window. The natural feature detection module uses the communicated information to limit an initial search area and/or to set a next tracking search window. A natural feature tracking module may communicate a changes from a previous location of a natural feature to a next location of the natural feature to an auto-focus engine. The auto-focus engine uses the change to set a next auto-focus window. |
| US09077888B2 |
Method and system for establishing autofocus based on priority
An approach for enabling the autofocus feature of a camera to be directed towards priority targets within a frame is described. A camera retrieves a stored object image. An autofocus platform then compares an object viewed by the camera within a scene with the stored object image. The autofocus platform then determines a focus point within the scene based on the comparison. The image is captured by the camera using the determined focus point. |
| US09077886B2 |
Image pickup apparatus and image processing apparatus
An image pickup apparatus includes: an image pickup lens having an aperture stop; an image pickup device obtaining image pickup data based on light detected; one or more microlenses arranged between the image pickup lens and the image pickup device so as to correspond to a plurality of pixels in a partial region of the image pickup device; and an image processing section performing image processing based on the image pickup data obtained from the image pickup device, in which the image processing section includes: a distance measurement section measuring a distance from the image pickup lens to a measurement object based on pixel data in the partial region of the image pickup device, and an interpolation section interpolating pixel data for the partial region of the image pickup device. |
| US09077885B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program
An information processing apparatus may include at least one processor, at least one interface from the at least one processor to at least one sensor configured to detect an orientation of the apparatus, and at least one interface from the at least one processor to at least one display. The at least one processor may be configured to, in response to receiving input from the at least one sensor that indicates a change in the orientation of the apparatus within a time limit from an occurrence of an event, cause the at least one display to display one or more previously created photographs. An information processing method may include detecting an orientation of an apparatus having a display, and in response to detecting a change in the apparatus's orientation within a time limit from an occurrence of an event, displaying one or more previously created photographs on the display. |
| US09077884B2 |
Electronic devices with motion response and related methods
Electronic devices with motion response and related methods are provided. In this regard, a representative electronic device includes: an image capturing device operative to acquire image data; an accelerometer operative to sense an acceleration of the electronic device; and a motion response system operative to receive acceleration information corresponding to a sensed acceleration and to alter a mode of operation of the image capturing device based, at least in part, on the acceleration information. |
| US09077875B2 |
Image capturing device
There are included a housing, an image capturing unit provided to the housing, for capturing a subject image formed through an optical system, a sound pickup unit provided to the housing, for picking up audio, and a movable unit capable of moving at least between a first position and a second position with respect to the housing, the movable unit including a light emitter for emitting light on a subject, and a plate-shaped plate portion, the movable unit being for forming a space between the light emitter and the plate portion, and in a case where the movable unit is at the first position, the sound pickup unit is disposed in the space, and in a case where the movable unit is at the second position, the plate portion is disposed at a position facing the sound pickup unit. |
| US09077869B2 |
Method and apparatus for detection and removal of rain from videos using temporal and spatiotemporal properties
The invention relates to a new method and system for detection and removal of rain from video using temporal/spatiotemporal properties. Advantageously, the temporal/spatiotemporal properties are involved to separate the rain pixels from the non-rain pixels. It is thus possible by way of the present invention to involve less number of consecutive frames, reducing the buffer size and delay. It works only on the intensity plane which reduces the complexity and execution time significantly along with accurate rain detection. This new technique does not assume the shape, size and velocity of the raindrops which makes it robust to different rain conditions. This method reduces the buffer size which reduces the system cost, delay and power consumption while maintaining sufficient quality of rain detection. |
| US09077868B2 |
Method and device for viewing through fog
A method and device for viewing objects situated in fog is disclosed. An optical system directs light from a scene onto a detector array through one or more optical waveband limiting filters. The detector array transfers a succession of captured scene images to an electronic device for processing. These processed images are transferred to a display device. A method and device for demonstrating the inventive optical system is presented. |
| US09077864B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling monitoring cameras
A method and an apparatus of controlling a plurality of monitoring cameras which transmit a plurality of live-view images of a plurality of channels, respectively, are provided. The method includes: displaying a panorama image of a channel among the plurality of channels on a panorama region in a screen of a display unit; and controlling at least one of a monitoring camera of the channel and the panorama image according to a command input by a user. |
| US09077863B2 |
System and method for managing location based video services
System and method for management of location based video services may allow a management server to receive information such as geographical location, from one or more mobile devices and to transfer data, such as video data or other multi-media data, from a plurality of cameras or other media sources to the mobile devices based on the received information. |
| US09077860B2 |
System and method for providing video content associated with a source image to a television in a communication network
A system and method are provided for processing video content, associated with a source image, for display on a television. The source image, such as a web page, and its associated (e.g., linked) video content are retrieved and separately encoded. The encoded source image and the encoded video content are composited together to form a sequence of encoded video frames, where a frame type of the video content is used to determine a type of a composited frame. For example, if all displayed frames of the video content are MPEG I-frames, then the composited frame also may be an I-frame. However, if any displayed frame of video content is an MPEG P-frame or B-frame, then the composited frame may be a P-frame. |
| US09077859B2 |
Device for recording and playing contents, server for managing content location information, information recording medium, method for managing content information
A device for recording and playing contents, a sever for managing content location information, an information recording medium, a method for managing content information, and a recording medium for the method are disclosed. The recording/playing device includes a communication interface unit configured to interface data transmission and reception with at least one external resource connected to a network and a controller configured to receive a request for a content, search for an external resource recording the requested content based on content identification information and control receiving the content from the searched external resource. |
| US09077857B2 |
Graphical electronic programming guide
Disclosed systems and methods present a graphics based electronic programming guide (EPG) that organizes available content in radial fashion on a display. Which content appears on a screen shot of the EPG may be determined using rating data, user preferences or collaborative filtering. Through collaborative filtering, disclosed embodiments may predict which programs a user may like according to group member ratings. Some disclosed EPGs include a mosaic with graphical indications of an overall rating and graphical indications of which of a plurality of characteristics (e.g., genres) apply to multimedia programs. |
| US09077856B2 |
Method for local conditional access for mobile equipments
In one embodiment of the present invention, a method is disclosed for conditional access to a digital data stream encrypted with at least one first control word and broadcasted via an emitter of a broadcasting network to at least one mobile equipment, the latter also being connected via a mobile communication network to a management center, the stream containing control messages encrypted with a transmission key and including a second control word obtained by the encryption of the first control word with a local key, the method includes the following steps: reception by the mobile equipment of at least one cryptogram via the mobile network, determination of at least one local key from the received cryptogram, reception of a control message via the broadcasting network, decryption of the message and obtaining the second control word, decryption of the second control word with the local key and obtaining the first control word, and decryption of the data of the stream with the first control word. |
| US09077855B2 |
Method and system for distributing content to a user device through allocated assets of a satellite network and a broadband network
A communication system 100 includes a content repository 274 storing a plurality of content files associated with the content distribution system. A transport processing system 250 communicating with the content distribution system, a terrestrial communication network 132, and a content delivery network 280 communicating with the content distribution system 260 and the terrestrial network. The content management system assigns a satellite category or a broadband category to each of the plurality of content files in response to a popularity rating. The content distribution system 274 communicates the content to the transport processing system. The transport processing system 250 communicates the content through a satellite from the transport processing system to a user device. The content distribution system 260, in response to the broadband category, communicates the content to the content delivery network 280. The content delivery network 280 communicates the content through a terrestrial communication network to the user device. |
| US09077854B2 |
Preventing the use of modified receiver firmware in receivers of a conditional access system
The invention enables the shared secret, which is used for encrypting the communication of CWs from a smartcard to a receiver, to cover at least a part of a binary image of firmware that is executing in the receiver. Preferably the shared secret covers the entire binary image of the firmware. Hereto, data from one or more predefined firmware memory locations are read, the set of data forming the shared secret. |
| US09077853B2 |
System and method for a conference server architecture for low delay and distributed conferencing applications
Systems and methods for conducting a multi-endpoint video signal conference are provided. Conferencing endpoints are linked by pairs of a reliable and a less reliable communication channel. Conference video signals are scaleable coded in base layer and enhancement layers format. Video signal base layers, which correspond to a minimum picture quality, are communicated over reliable channels. The video signal enhancements layers may be communicated over the less reliable channels. A conference server mediates the switching of video layer information from transmitting endpoints to receiving endpoints without any intermediate coding or re-coding operations. The video conference can be integrated with an audio conference using either scalable coded audio signals or non-scaleable coded audio signals. |
| US09077852B2 |
Video conference system
A method includes receiving a control message that identifies a first video conference terminal as an active talker. The method includes sending, in response to the control message, outgoing video conference data from the first video conference terminal via a first multicast group to two or more video conference terminals joined to the first multicast group. The method also includes sending a command to join a second multicast group in response to the control message. |
| US09077850B1 |
Recording multi-party video calls
A method, computer program product, and system is described. An indication of an intent of a first participant in a multi-party video-enabled call to record a portion of the call is received. A notification is provided to one or more other participants in the call of the indicated intent based upon, at least in part, receiving the indication. A perspective of the call associated with the first participant is recorded. |
| US09077848B2 |
Side channel for employing descriptive audio commentary about a video conference
A side channel, networked with a real-time video conference feed, includes descriptive audio commentary. The side channel also includes an adjustable data handler for adjusting amount of the descriptive audio data correlated to audio commentary regarding the real-time video conference; and a means for prioritizing associated conversation links tied to the real-time video conference. |
| US09077847B2 |
Video communication method and digital television using the same
A digital TV capable of video communication is discussed. According to an embodiment, the DTV for a video call operation using a camera associated with the DTV, includes a display unit and at least one processor. The processor is configured to display simultaneously, on the display unit, (a) an image received from the camera for a video call operation, and (b) different image setting items for controlling characteristics of the image received from the camera. The processor is further configured to adjust at least one of the characteristics of the image based on a user's control of at least one of the different image setting items, to display on the display unit the image having the adjusted characteristic based on the user's control, and to perform the video call operation with another party using the image having the adjusted characteristic. |
| US09077846B2 |
Integrated interactive space
Techniques for implementing an integrative interactive space are described. In implementations, video cameras that are positioned to capture video at different locations are synchronized such that aspects of the different locations can be used to generate an integrated interactive space. The integrated interactive space can enable users at the different locations to interact, such as via video interaction, audio interaction, and so on. In at least some embodiments, techniques can be implemented to adjust an image of a participant during a video session such that the participant appears to maintain eye contact with other video session participants at other locations. Techniques can also be implemented to provide a virtual shared space that can enable users to interact with the space, and can also enable users to interact with one another and/or objects that are displayed in the virtual shared space. |
| US09077843B2 |
Video playback system and related computer program product for jointly displaying video with multiple screens
A video playback system for jointly displaying video with multiple screens, includes multiple portable communication devices each comprises at least one screen; a location detection circuit for dynamically detecting respective portable communication device's spatial location and orientation; and a multi-screen display controlling server for dynamically generate multiple partitioned videos respectively corresponding to multiple non-overlap image areas of a target video according to detection results of the location detection circuit. The multi-screen display controlling server respectively transmits the multiple partitioned videos to the multiple portable communication devices. The multi-screen display controlling server controls the multiple portable communication devices to respectively display the multiple partitioned videos on the multiple screens to jointly display at least a portion of a visible area of the target video. |
| US09077842B2 |
Image pickup apparatus having aberration correcting function and aberration correcting method for image pickup apparatus
An image pickup apparatus includes a lens apparatus attached to a camera apparatus detachably, and a camera apparatus separating a beam into color beams of three colors and displays an image synthesizing first, second and third image signals, wherein the lens apparatus includes a memory unit storing correcting data in an image height direction of the second and third image signals on the first image signal for correcting aberration of the image taking optical system, and a lens controlling unit extracting the correcting data of the image taking optical system state, wherein the camera apparatus includes a camera controller moving the second and third image signals in the image height direction, and displaying an image obtained by superimposing the color image signals, wherein the image pickup apparatus includes a controller, and wherein the lens controlling unit adjusts the correcting data, and the memory unit stores the adjusted correcting data. |
| US09077841B2 |
Video processing apparatus and video processing method
There is provided a video processing apparatus including a video addition unit for receiving two systems of input interlaced video signals each including two fields, and adding the video signals to generate a ½× video signal of the input interlaced video signal. The video addition unit adds a second field of the interlaced video signal of one system among the two systems and a first field of the interlaced video signal of the other system to generate the ½× video signal of the input interlaced video signal, subjects the interlaced video signal of the other system to 1 horizontal line delay when the ½× video signal is generated, validates a horizontal line in a vertical blanking interval on one row of a top line of valid lines in the first field of the interlaced video signal of the other system, and then adds the video signals of the two systems. |
| US09077837B2 |
Image processing apparatus
An image processing apparatus includes an operations unit configured to be directly operated by a user; a main unit configured to operate based on a request from the operations unit; a determination unit configured to determine a device that is to use an external storage device of the operations unit, in accordance with one of a function of the main unit that is activated through the operations unit and an application of the operations unit; and a switching unit configured to switch a current connection of the external storage device to a connection between the determined device and the external storage device. |
| US09077835B2 |
Image scanning unit
Provided is an image scanning unit which makes it possible to improve scanning accuracy while also making the overall body thinner by appropriately positioning a plurality of reflection members within an effective space in a carriage frame without wasting space. An image scanning unit, wherein a frame is divided into at least two spaces facing an irradiation surface, a first accommodation unit for accommodating a light source unit is formed in one of the spaces, a second accommodation unit for accommodating at least one reflection member is formed in the other adjacent space, a first reflection member for initially receiving light reflected from the irradiation surface is positioned at the side opposite the irradiation surface with the first accommodation unit positioned therebetween, and a light-shielding member is provided between the first reflection member and the reflection member positioned in the other space and prevents light that has strayed from a scanning light path from the first reflection member from being incident on the reflection member in the other space. |
| US09077834B2 |
Non-transitory computer readable medium and job managing apparatus
Provided are a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions and a job managing apparatus, for managing jobs of an image forming apparatus. The instructions cause a processor to perform the following operations. The operations include acquiring information about data jobs stored in a storing section of the image forming apparatus, and creating a graph and a list based on the information about the data of the jobs. The graph indicates the amount of usage of the storing section for each job type. The list includes a job item including job contents such as information of a job type, for each job. The operations further include controlling a display unit to display a job managing screen including the graph and the list and update the graph on the job managing screen in response to an operation on the list to delete one or more jobs. |
| US09077832B2 |
Content retrieval via assignments
In one embodiment, a first assignment is received. The first assignment is an assignment of a category tag to first content accessible via a first printer application. A second assignment is received. The second assignment is an assignment of the category tag to second content accessible via a second printer application. The first and second assignments are stored. Functionality to facilitate retrieval of content via the assignments is provided to a network-connected printer. A request to print selected content from among the first and second content is received. Responsive to the request, the selected content is retrieved, raster processed, and sent to the printer. |
| US09077830B2 |
Image forming apparatus, information processing apparatus, printing system, image forming method, image forming program, and storage medium
An image forming apparatus capable of performing excellent image formation with a reduced amount of data transfer. The image forming apparatus has a plurality of image processing functions. The image forming apparatus is connectable to an external apparatus having a plurality of image processing functions. The image forming apparatus transmits information indicative of selected at least one image processing function thereof and selected at least one image processing function of the information processing apparatus, to the information processing apparatus. When information indicative of an image processing function to be provided by the information processing apparatus on behalf of the image processing apparatus is received as a result of determination performed by the information processing apparatus based on the transmitted information and predetermined conditions, the image forming apparatus is controlled not to use the image processing function. |
| US09077825B2 |
Information processing system comprising a server apparatus and an information processing apparatus constructing an operation screen, control method and program thereof
There are provided an information processing system which constructs an operation screen using data present in an information processing apparatus without transmitting the data to a server apparatus when the server apparatus provides the operation screen of the information processing apparatus, and a control method thereof. To accomplish this, in the information processing system, when a Web server constructs the operation screen of an external application using data stored in an MFP, only storage destination information of the data is transmitted/received between the Web server and the MFP without transmitting/receiving the data. |
| US09077822B2 |
Image reading apparatus having flow-reading mode in which sheet being conveyed is read
An image reading apparatus may be in a state where a foreign material detection process cannot be completed for all reading position candidates before a sheet arrives at a conveyance roller. In such a state, the image reading apparatus performs the foreign material detection process and a position determination process only on reading position candidates which are part of all reading position candidates. The image reading apparatus determines a reading position candidate with fewest foreign material images from among the reading position candidates for which the foreign material detection process has been completed, as a sheet reading position. |
| US09077821B2 |
Maximizing end-user's quality of experience within a mobile data plan
Currently existing mechanisms to optimize the quality of experience (QoE) in accordance with user data plans are rather based on user self-managed usage of his mobile user data plan with, for example, help from external applications which continuously evaluate the limits reached. There is thus a need for deployment of intelligence in the network, in order to avoid abrupt downgrades in the QoE for subscribers that go over the monthly quota of their data plan. To overcome these problems, or at least to mitigate them, an embodiment of the present invention provides for an optimization of the user's quota by gradually reducing the required bandwidth for the content that the user requests. This is achieved by a method which takes into account the consumed/remaining volumes in the user data plan as well as the user browsing habits, and which provides context enrichment to content providers to enable taking decisions. |
| US09077813B2 |
Masking mobile message content
A method, an apparatus and an article of manufacture for masking a message on an electronic device. The method includes receiving a message on an electronic device, determining if a message category label is included in the message, mapping the message category to a corresponding masking format if a message category label is included in the message, extracting the content of the message to generate a message category if a message category label is not included in the message, wherein each message category generated corresponds to a masking format, and masking the message on the electronic device by transforming the message into the masking format that corresponds to the message category for the message. |
| US09077811B2 |
Method and apparatus for enabling interoperability of touch devices
A method and apparatus for enabling interoperability of touch devices. The method comprises establishing communication between a master device and one or more slave devices, wherein the master device and the one or more slave devices each comprise a touch screen, and wherein the master device and slave device are each running an application; registering, with the master device, at least one capability for each slave device of the one or more slave devices, communicating a selection made on a slave device of the one or more slave devices to the master device; and implementing the selection from the slave device in the application running on the master device. |
| US09077809B2 |
Mobile phone
A mobile phone provided with a push-to-talk function and methods for operating a mobile phone provided with a push-to-talk function are disclosed. An operation receiving module is configured to receive a user operation. A display control module is configured to cause a display module to display both first information relevant to a push-to-talk call and second information relevant to a function other than the push-to-talk, if the user operation for executing the function other than the push-to-talk is received during the push-to-talk call. |
| US09077802B2 |
Automated response system
Automated response processing includes receiving a first audible prompt from a called system and a response to the first audible prompt from a calling system during a first phone call. Automated response processing further includes determining, using a processor, a semantic identifier for the first audible prompt using semantic analysis and storing the semantic identifier of the first audible prompt in association with the response. The stored response is played responsive to determining that a semantic identifier for a second audible prompt played to the calling system matches the semantic identifier of the first audible prompt. |
| US09077799B2 |
Facilitating context delivery during communication sessions
An approach is disclosed that facilitates context delivery during communication sessions. The approach may be implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium having programming instructions operable to: render at least one service to a user device through a communication session; collect information of the communication session; and send the information of the communication session to a service provider when a call is setup between the user device and the service provider. The service provider renders the information of the communication session for viewing by the service provider. |
| US09077798B2 |
Automatic provisioning of abbreviated dialing codes
A system, method and a computer program product for automatically provisioning an abbreviated dialing code are disclosed. The system includes a provisioning manager designed to process a request to provision an abbreviated dialing code. The provisioning manager includes a provisioning server that receives the request and a database of rules, communicatively coupled to the provisioning server, that stores one or more rules associated with the abbreviated dialing code. The system also includes a registry manager, communicatively coupled to the provisioning manager, that determines whether an abbreviated dialing code is registered. |
| US09077797B2 |
System and method for quality auto-blending in call routing
A system and method blend particular quality considerations into the process of expanding the route choices in a route table, such that more calls can be successfully routed while maximizing certain objectives. The quality considerations drive how additional routes are chosen for the route table and how call volumes are allocated to the chosen routes so that overall profitability can be maximized within the governing constraints of quality targets, route quality, predicted traffic, and route capacity. |
| US09077795B2 |
Latch mechanism device and methods of use
Latch mechanism devices for attaching components within a device and methods of use are provided herein. In one aspect, the latch mechanism includes a pair of deflectable members between which a protruding latch member, such as a latch pin, is inserted thereby separating the deflectable members. A latch pin can have a distal insertion portion and a proximal locking portion, the locking portion having a reduced profile so as to resiliently receive the deflectable members displaced by insertion of the latch pin so as to couple the latch pin between the cords. The latch pin can have insertion faces and locking faces angled so as to control the force required to insert and retract the latch pin from the cord pair. The latch mechanism may utilize releasing mechanisms for separating or reducing tension in the deflectable members to facilitate retraction of the latch pin. |
| US09077794B2 |
Lightning connector accessory device
A Lightning connector compatible accessory device includes circuitry that is completely enveloped by a mobile device when the accessory device is inserted in a Lightning connector. The accessory device may include a microUSB connector on one end of a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board may be offset in a housing. |
| US09077793B2 |
Carbon nanotube based flexible mobile phone
A carbon nanotube based flexible mobile phone includes a flexible body including a flexible display panel a flexible touch panel, and a communicating system received therein. The flexible touch panel is disposed on a surface of the flexible display panel. The flexible touch panel includes at least one carbon nanotube layer including a carbon nanotube film. |
| US09077787B2 |
Mobile terminal
The present invention discloses a mobile terminal comprising: a color changing layer provided on a surface of a shell of the mobile terminal, the color changing layer showing different colors at different temperatures; and a temperature control module positioned inside the mobile terminal, the temperature control module being connected to the color changing layer to supply heat for the color changing layer. The mobile terminal in accordance with the present invention can change color and odor according to requirements of users of different mobile terminals and environmental changes, thus it has very distinct personalization and is easy to operate. |
| US09077786B2 |
Graphical phone menu systems, methods and articles
Prior to connecting a voice call between an end user and a system user, an automated customer interaction system configured by the system user can determine whether the end user's communications device is a recognized or registered device. Responsive to the determination that the end user's device is recognized or registered, the automated customer interaction system can initiate an interactive graphical session via a network data link to provide an interactive graphical session to the end user. Responsive to the determination that the end user's device is not recognized or registered or responsive to receipt of an input indicative of an end user's desire to initiate a voice call, the automated customer interaction system can initiate a voice call using a voice telephone network. |
| US09077779B2 |
Client device, method and computer program for playing media content
Client device for playing media content, comprising: a connection interface for establishing a connection with a server and for receiving a media content from the server via the connection; a detector for detecting, whether the media content is to be continued beyond a termination of the connection with the server, and for providing a detection result in case it is determined that the media content is to be continued beyond a determination of the connection with the server; and a processor for taking an action to continue the media content beyond a termination of the connection with the server. |
| US09077777B2 |
Encapsulating/decapsulating data in hardware
A forwarding node decapsulates and encapsulates data. The decapsulation may be performed using pattern matching techniques and the encapsulation may be performed using pattern insertion techniques. The decapsulation and encapsulation are preferably performed by hardware devices such as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) to enhance the speed of such operations. The decapsulation and encapsulation may be independent of each other and performed on a per virtual circuit basis. |
| US09077774B2 |
Server-assisted video conversation
A method, computer program product, and system provide real time, two way audio-video conversation between mobile computing devices. Low latency is achieved by splitting the audio and video data streams from a given audio-video conversation using two different transport protocols to send the separate streams over a network, and re-syncing them at the other end. The transmission for each stream is tuned based on feedback data indicating available bandwidth of the network or other mobile computing device. A server offloads processing requirements that would otherwise be handled by the mobile computing device. The two way conversation can be externally observed by web-based users. The system functions over a disparate set of mobile computing device endpoints and web-based endpoints, and over different wireless carrier network infrastructures. |
| US09077772B2 |
Scalable replay counters for network security
In one embodiment, an authenticator in a communication network maintains a persistent authenticator epoch value that increments each time the authenticator restarts. The authenticator also maintains a persistent per-supplicant value for each supplicant of the authenticator, each per-supplicant value set to a current value of the authenticator epoch value each time the corresponding supplicant establishes a new security association with the authenticator. To communicate messages from the authenticator to a particular supplicant, each message uses a per-supplicant replay counter having a security association epoch counter and a message counter specific to the particular supplicant. In particular, the security association epoch counter for each message is set as a difference between the authenticator epoch value and the per-supplicant value for the particular supplicant when the message is communicated, while the message counter is incremented for each message communicated. |
| US09077769B2 |
Communications system providing enhanced trusted service manager (TSM) verification features and related methods
A trusted service manager (TSM) server may include at least one communications device capable of communicating with at least one application server, a verification database server, and at least one mobile communications device. The TSM server may further include a processor coupled with the at least one communications device and capable of registering the at least one application server with the verification database server, receiving a request from the at least one application server to access the memory of the mobile communications device, cooperating with the verification database server to verify the at least one application server based upon the access request and based upon registering of the at least one application server, and writing application data from the at least one application server to the memory of the at least one mobile communications device based upon verifying the at least one application server. |
| US09077762B1 |
Content monitoring and control technology
Content monitoring and control technology, in which content download activity, content playing activity, and/or remote control activity of a media system is monitored. Data descriptive of use of the media system is tracked based on the monitoring of the content download activity, the content playing activity, and/or the remote control activity. One or more operations are performed based on the tracked data descriptive of use of the media system. |
| US09077758B1 |
Test mode authorization logging
Systems and techniques are provided for deploying an authorization policy to an enterprise server in a test mode. An authorization server generates and provides a test rule set based on the policy to enterprise server. An endpoint device transmits a restricted action request to the enterprise server which analyzes the request in view of the test rule set. A request decision based on the test rule set is made and recorded without being implemented by the enterprise server. A test mode report is generated based on one or more recorded decisions and the policy is enabled or invalidated based on the test mode report. |
| US09077756B1 |
Limiting external device access to mobile computing devices according to device type and connection context
Access to a mobile computing device by a connected external device is limited, based on the context of the connection. The connection of the mobile computing device to an external device is detected. An identifier of the connected external device is gleaned, and the gleaned identifier is looked-up in a database of mappings between identifiers and descriptions of specific devices. The connected external device is classified as being of a specific functional category, based on the gleaned identifier and the description of the external device from the database. The functional category describes a legitimate function to be performed by the connected external device, such as data synchronizing, media playing or battery charging. The external device is provided with a level of access to the mobile computing device based on the classified functional category. |
| US09077755B2 |
Network-based geo-location identification of an end-user device
A device receives a connection from a user device, and provides, to a database, connection information associated with the user device. The device receives, from the database, user device information based on the connection information, where the user device information includes a location associated with the user device. The device also receives a trigger instructing the device to provide the user device information to a content provider device, and provides the user device information to the content provider device when the trigger is received. |
| US09077751B2 |
Driver level segmentation
A method for performing segmentation of a first data packet into a plurality of second data packets at a functionality of a device driver for a network interface device supported by a data processing system, each second data packet comprising a header and a segment of data from the first data packet and the network interface device being capable of supporting a communication link over a network with another network interface device, the method comprising: accepting the first data packet, the first data packet carrying data for transmission by the network interface device over the network; forming a set of headers for the plurality of second data packets; writing the set of headers to memory; forming a specification, the specification indicating the headers in memory and the segments of data in the first data packet; requesting by means of the device driver transmission by the network interface device of the headers and the respective segments of data indicated in the specification so as to effect transmission of the second data packets over the network. |
| US09077750B2 |
Using forums as a message transport in an enterprise service bus
A forum service that is hosted by a server in an enterprise service bus receives a message from a client, the message being directed to a service in the enterprise service bus. The forum service acts as a message transport in the enterprise service bus. A thread is generated in a forum managed by the forum service for communications between the client and the service. The message is stored in the thread. The service is notified of the message, wherein the service to receive the message, process the message and post a response message to the thread. |
| US09077747B1 |
Systems and methods for responding to security breaches
A computer-implemented method for responding to security breaches may include (1) receiving a notification that a service provider has experienced a security breach, (2) identifying a first user account that is potentially affected by the security breach by identifying an account management database that stores users' account information for a plurality of different service providers and searching the account management database for user accounts associated with the service provider that experienced the security breach, and (3) performing, for the first user account that is potentially affected by the security breach, a security action that addresses the security breach. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US09077746B2 |
Tool, method and apparatus for assessing network security
Tools and methods in which user interaction via a common user interface enables the assessing of network security prior to implementation of the network, as well as assessing the security of existing networks, portions of existing networks, or modifications to existing networks. A network security model useful in realizing the tools and methods is also disclosed. |
| US09077745B1 |
Method of resolving port binding conflicts, and system and method of remote vulnerability assessment
A system includes a client system, a server, and a communication network providing communications between the client system and the server. The server is structured to provide remote vulnerability assessment for a subscriber at the client system, and to accept credentials of the subscriber at the client system and responsively grant access to an account manager on the server. The server is further structured to generate a license key operatively associated with the remote vulnerability assessment for the subscriber and provide the license key to the client system. The server is further structured to accept input from the client system to request a user interface for running remote vulnerability assessments, prepare a software instance of vulnerability analysis software, synchronize the license key and the credentials within the account manager, authenticate the subscriber and redirect the client system to the user interface. |
| US09077744B2 |
Detection of lockstep behavior
Disclosed here are methods, systems, paradigms and structures for determining fraudulent content in a social network. The methods include identifying a plurality of users of the social network who perform a plurality of tasks within the social network in a lockstep manner. In the method, the plurality of users are determined to be performing a given task in the lockstep manner when the plurality of users each perform the given task within a predefined duration of time, where the predefined duration of time is associated with the given task. The method further includes identifying content data generated by the performance of the plurality of tasks by each of the plurality of users. The method further includes determining at least a portion of the content data generated by the performance of the plurality of tasks as fraudulent content. |
| US09077735B2 |
Method and related device for controlling service charging
Disclosed are a method and a related device for controlling service charging. The method for controlling service charging includes: receiving, by a Diameter credit control DCC server, a credit control request CCR message sent by a DCC client; if at least two tariff time changes TTCs are included within a preset temporary validity time VT from current system time, acquiring, by the DCC server and from the at least two TTCs, a first TTC which is the earliest and a second TTC which is the second earliest; modifying, by the DCC server, the temporary VT according to the first TTC and the second TTC to obtain a modified VT, so that only the first TTC is included in the modified VT from the current system time; and sending, by the DCC server, a credit control answer CCA message to the DCC client, where the CCA message includes the first TTC and the modified VT. |
| US09077726B2 |
Hub based clearing house for interoperability of distinct unified communication systems
A hub-based clearing house for interoperability of distinct unified communication systems is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a system comprises a database that stores configuration information for the system; an administrator module that maintains the configuration information; a federation server that is connected to a first unified communications system and a second unified communications system. The federation server comprises a first translator that translates a first formatted message received from the first unified communications system into a common language formatted message, a second translator that translates the common language formatted message into a second formatted message, and a routing engine that routes the second formatted message to the second unified communications system. |
| US09077722B2 |
Method and system for controlling the restart traffic in a telecommunication network
A method of regulating traffic in a telecommunications network, including the following steps: after the network receives an initial registration request, and if the network is capable of processing said initial registration request, it prescribes for the terminal that sent the request a registration refresh period randomly selected from a range defined by a predetermined minimum value (PREImin) and a predetermined maximum value (PREImax), and after the network receives a registration refresh request, it prescribes for the terminal that sent the request a registration refresh period equal to the value (PRE) provided for normal operation of the network. |
| US09077721B2 |
Methods and apparatus for registering or deregistering a user to or from an IP multimedia subsystem
A method of registering or deregistering a user to or from an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network. A SIP Application Server (SIP-AS) performs a registration or deregistration with the IMS network on a user's behalf. The registration or deregistration is performed over one of the following interfaces: a Service Control Interface (ISC) with a Serving Call State Control Function (S-CSCF), a Gm interface with a Proxy CSCF (P-CSCF), or an Ma interface with an Interrogating CSCF (I-CSCF). |
| US09077717B2 |
Propagation and adoption of extensions across applications in networked solutions
The present disclosure describes methods, systems, and computer program products for adoption of an extension of a service across networked applications. One process includes receiving, by a target platform operating a target networked application, a data package associated with the extension, the data package comprising data specifying the service to be extended and information associated with a technology of a source platform at which the data package was created, extracting a portion of the data from the data package, and implementing the extracted portion of the data in the service of the target application. |
| US09077712B2 |
IC chip, information processing apparatus, system, method, and program
An IC chip, an information processing apparatus, system, method, and program are provided. An IC chip includes an authentication control unit configured to authenticate a request using authentication information. The request and/or the authentication information is received from outside the IC chip. |
| US09077709B1 |
Method for authenticated communications incorporating intermediary appliances
Method for managing appliance authentication. In one embodiment, the method comprises generating, by a server, a first secret and a second secret from a certificate; transmitting from the server to a client computer, via a first channel secured and trusted based on a trusted computer, the first secret and the second secret; presenting the certificate to an appliance in response to a secure channel request from the appliance, wherein the appliance is holding the first secret; receiving, from the appliance, a description of a second channel, via the appliance, between the client computer and the server; establishing a trust in the second channel based on the description; and transmitting, in response to the trust in the second channel, via the second channel, channel information that comprises a portion of the description signed by the second secret. |
| US09077706B2 |
Method for updating a table of correspondence between a logical address and an identification number
A method for updating a table of correspondence between a logical address associated to a user unit in a communication network and a unique identification number associated to one of a group of user units managed by a management center, a method where messages are exchanged between said management center and a specific user unit of said group by using said communication network, these messages being forwarded to the logical address of the specific user in said network, the method including searching in said table for the logical address of the user unit in said communication network corresponding to the unique identification number of the specific user unit; sending of messages to the user unit having the concerned unique identification number, to the logical address corresponding to said communication network; and if the messages are received incorrectly, sending a request containing an identifier of said specific user unit. |
| US09077703B1 |
Systems and methods for protecting user accounts
A computer-implemented for protecting user accounts may include: 1) identifying a credential that a computing device uses to log in to a user account of an online system, where the online system is configured to perform an adverse security action in response to a number of failed attempts to log in to the user account, 2) determining that an old version of the credential is no longer valid for logging in to the user account and that a new version of the credential is required to log in to the user account, and 3) taking a remedial action that prevents the adverse security action in response to determining that the old version of the credential is no longer valid. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US09077702B2 |
Flow ownership assignment in a distributed processor system
A security device for processing network flows includes one or more packet processors configured to receive incoming data packets associated with one or more network flows where a packet processor is assigned as an owner of one or more network flows and each packet processor processes data packets associated with flows for which it is the assigned owner; and a packet processing manager configured to assign ownership of network flows to the one or more packet processors where the packet processing manager includes a global flow table containing entries mapping network flows to packet processor ownership assignments. The packet processing manager informs a packet processor of an ownership assignment after one or more packets are received, and the one or more packet processors learns of ownership assignments of network flows from the packet processing manager. |
| US09077701B2 |
Systems and methods for authentication
A method of performing authentication involves receiving, by a station, an initiation frame and transmitting, by the station, an authentication request. The authentication request includes an extensible authentication protocol (EAP) over local area network (LAN) (EAPOL) Start and security parameters for a fast initial link setup (FILS) handshake. |
| US09077691B2 |
System and method for authorized digital content distribution
A digital content distribution system uses a Digital Rights Management Controller that performs a set of arbitrary tests against the transfer request from one user to another such as user A to user B. Assuming these tests are successful, the DRM sends an encryption key to transferring user A. This encryption key E is taken from a table of encryption key/hash pairs which have been provided to the DRM Controller by an external authority such as the content rights holder. User A encrypts the content using they key provided by the DRM controller and then optionally calculates a hash over the encrypted form of the content E(X) and returns this value to the DRM Controller. On checking the returned hash against the hash from the table the DRM controller knows that user A does indeed have the digital content X in good condition. The DRM Controller then instructs both users A and B that the transfer may proceed. The encrypted form of the content E(X) is transferred from A to B. Once the content transfer has completed B ensures that the received content has been physically written to non-volatile storage (to account for crashes etc. during the next step). B then calculates a hash over the received content and returns this value to the DRM Controller. If this value matches the value previously given then the transfer has been successful and the DRM Controller updates whatever central records are appropriate, while also returning a decrypt key to B to allow it to decrypt the content. |
| US09077689B2 |
Intelligent packet slicing
Packets can be intelligently sliced by removing irrelevant portions of a packet, while retaining relevant portions. For a series of network packets, a packet is obtained from the network. The packet includes at least a header, one or more packet fields, and a first data payload. The protocol of the packet is determined. Once the protocol is known, the packet header is parsed to determine the position of the first data payload. Based on the determine positions of the first data payload, a modified packet is created by removing or masking the first data payload. |
| US09077688B2 |
Access control system for a mobile device
A method, apparatus and product that provide a access control system for mobile devices. The mobile device performing: selecting a proxy to handle a request to a remote server, the request is issued by a program being executed by the mobile device, wherein the proxy is configured to perform a security action in response to the request; and sending the request to the proxy; whereby selectively performing the predetermined security action on a portion of the requests issued by the mobile device. Additionally or alternatively, a computer performing: receiving from a mobile device, an instruction to provide a Proxy Auto Config (PAC) file; and generating a PAC file that comprises a function which is configured to receive a URL and return a proxy to handle a request to the URL, wherein the proxy is configured to perform a security action in response to receiving a request. |
| US09077686B2 |
Techniques for secure transparent switching between modes of a virtual private network (VPN)
Techniques for secure transparent switching between modes of a virtual private network (VPN) are provided. A principal, via a client, establishes a VPN session in a first mode of operation with a server. The principal subsequently requests a second mode of operation during the same VPN session. The VPN session is transparently transitioned to the second mode of operation without any interaction being required on the part of the principal and without terminating the original VPN session. |
| US09077683B2 |
Architecture for network management in a multi-service network
A mechanism is provided for a non-converged network for a service provider. A core network is divided into individually managed domains, where each of the domains comprises multiprotocol label switching for packets. A management system is coupled to each of the domains. Network elements in each of the domains are restricted from directly transferring packets to network elements in another one of domains. Each of the domains has a domain firewall at an edge of the domains, and the domain firewall restricts packets from being received from other domains. To transfer packets from one domain to another domain, the management system receives the packets from one domain and transfers the packets to the other domain after authentication. |
| US09077681B2 |
Page loading optimization using page-maintained cache
Web page loading time may be decreased with the use of a page-maintained storage cache on a client device. In various implementations, a server may receive a request for a web page from a web browser that is on the client device. The server may provide a chunk reassembler to the client device that determines whether any chunks in the web page are already stored on the client device. Subsequently, the server may send one or more chunk of the web page to the client device when the chunk reassembler determines that the one or more chunks of the web page are missing from the client device. The chunk reassembler may then instruct the web browser to assemble the one or more received chunks with the one or more chunks that are stored on the client device into the web page for presentation on the client device. |
| US09077680B2 |
Offender message delivery system
A correctional facility communication system for sending an external message to an offender of a correctional facility is disclosed. The correctional facility communication system includes a messaging system and a correctional facility system coupled together with a wide area network. The messaging system is at a first location and the correctional facility system is at a second location, different from the first location. The messaging system authenticates a sender of the external message, receives the external message in electronic form at the first location, checks the external message against criteria specified by the correctional facility, determine a second location of the offender and a corresponding printer, and sends the external message to the second location for automatic printing with the corresponding printer. |
| US09077678B1 |
Facilitating photo sharing
Embodiments generally relate to facilitating photo sharing among users of a social network system. In one embodiment, a method includes recognizing one or more people in a photo captured by a user. The method also includes sending a copy of the photo to at least one person recognized in the photo. The method also includes receiving, from the at least one person recognized in the photo, an indication of whether the at least one person approves the photo. |
| US09077677B2 |
Methods of sharing a uniform resource locator (URL), and a URL sharing utility and social network facilitating group chat about shared links
A URL sharing utility and social network facilitates group discussions about shared links. Unlike conventional applications, this service enables live discussions about specific URLs, so people who join the discussion already share an interest in a particular topic. The sharing mechanism preferably enables many people around the world to see the discussion topic and join if they are interested. Sharing a URL together with a second URL reserved for a live discussion of the first URL preferably enables users to promote the discussion in a less socially risky way. A one-to-one correspondence between one URL and a second, predictable network address for the discussion of the original URL allows everyone who shares an interest in a URL to be funneled into a single discussion about that URL. Users preferably specify explicit social and professional networking policies so that every discussion with others carries the promise of a beneficial, lasting connection. |
| US09077675B2 |
System and method for generating and managing geofeed-based alerts
The disclosure relates to systems and methods for monitoring content, generating alerts, determining trends, and communicating notifications related to geofeeds, including content related to geographically definable locations that is aggregated from a plurality of social media or other content providers. The system may monitor the content based on one or more alert parameters that specify alert conditions that when satisfied cause the system to generate an alert, including trending alerts. The system may track an activity as it moves over time. Content may be associated with the activity and monitored such that the activity may be tracked based on the monitored content. Various alerts may be generated based on the tracked activity. The system may communicate notifications that include the alerts, thereby leveraging content from social media or other providers to convey real-time information on subject matter, trends, activities, and/or other information. |
| US09077672B2 |
Enhancement of e-mail client user interfaces and e-mail message formats
An enhancement to e-mail user interfaces and message formats includes a dynamic preview window to view and retrieve attachments and summaries of e-mail messages directly in the e-mail list view or inbox view without opening an e-mail message. The efficient viewing mechanism further allows previews without cluttering the listing of the e-mails in the inbox by allowing the client to detect special preview instructions within an e-mail and run executables within the preview window. The enhancement is applicable to standalone e-mail clients (POP or IMAP based) and to web-based e-mail systems. |
| US09077671B2 |
Real-time network updates for malicious content
A global response network collects, analyzes, and distributes “cross-vector” threat-related information between security systems to allow for an intelligent, collaborative, and comprehensive real-time response. |
| US09077668B2 |
Flexible and extensible flow processing in software-defined networks
A network device acting as a forwarding element within a software-defined network receives a representation of configurable flow table definitions and configurable logic for selecting between flow tables. The network device creates a flow table based on each of the configurable flow table definitions and installs the configurable logic for selecting between flow tables. The network device receives data to populate configurable key columns and action columns of the flow tables and populates the flow tables using that data. The network device then selects from forwarding decisions for packets according to the configurable logic for selecting between flow tables, the flow tables, and each packet's values in relevant header fields required by the configurable logic. |
| US09077667B2 |
Computing latency introduced by media transcoding operations
Systems and methods for computing latency introduced by media transcoding operations are described. In some embodiments, a method may include receiving incoming Real-Time Protocol (RTP) packets, each having time of arrival and a payload encoded with a first codec and receiving outgoing RTP packets, each having a time of transmission and a payload encoded with a second codec. The method may also include calculating a latency associated with a transcoding of at least one of the incoming RTP packets into at least one corresponding one of the outgoing RTP packets based upon a difference between the time of transmission of the at least one corresponding one of the outgoing RTP packets and the time of arrival of the at least one of the incoming RTP packets. In some cases, the incoming and outgoing RTP packets may be Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) packets. |
| US09077666B2 |
Service segregation according to subscriber service association
Processing a plurality of packets through at least one service, a privilege granter monitors at least two authentication packets to obtain a source unique network identifier, one of which does not have a vendor specific attribute and detects an authentication packet among the at least two authentication packets, and the authentication packet having the vendor specific attribute. The privilege granter receives at least one response authentication packet having at least one service definition identifier, the service definition identifier corresponding to the source unique network identifier, responsive to detecting the authentication packet having the vendor specific attribute and builds an entitlement database to pair the source unique network identifier to the service definition identifier. The privilege granter receives a session packet and determines that the source unique network identifier corresponds to a user entitlement in the entitlement database. The privilege granter routes the session packet to an addressable service. |
| US09077664B2 |
One-hop packet processing in a network with managed switching elements
For a logical switching element implemented across several managed switching elements, some embodiments provide a method that receives a packet for processing through the logical switching element. The method performs a set of logical forwarding operations for determining a particular destination at the logical switching element to forward the packet. Based on the particular destination at the logical switching element, the method performs a set of physical forwarding operations for determining a destination at a managed switching element of the several managed switching elements that corresponds to the particular destination at the logical switching element. The method forwards the packet to the destination at the managed switching element. |
| US09077660B1 |
System and method for improving routing labeling
A router residing in a network comprises at least one ingress port, at least one egress port, and a processor programmed to compare at least two label switch paths, determine potential conflicts between the at least two label switch paths based on the ingress ports and egress ports utilized by the label switch paths, and determine a selected identifier to be assigned relative to each label switch path. The processor is configured to assign a common identifier if no conflict exists. A storage medium is operatively coupled to the processor for storing the selected identifiers related to the label switch paths. The processor may be configured to determine that a conflict exists between two label switch paths if they utilize the same ingress port on the router and different egress ports on the router. |
| US09077658B2 |
Flow-based network switching system
A flow-based network switching system includes a memory having a flow table and a packet processor coupled to the memory. The packet processor includes a user-programmable flow-based rule storage that includes a plurality of flow-based rules. A flow-based handler and session manager in the packet processor is operable to retrieve application layer metadata from a first packet received over a network, determine a first flow session associated with the first packet using the application layer metadata from the first packet and the flow table, and retrieve at least one of the plurality of flow-based rules from the programmable flow-based rule storage using the application layer metadata from the first packet. A flow-based rule processing engine in the packet processor is operable to apply the at least one flow-based rule to the first packet. Packets with applied flow-based rules are forwarded through the network. |
| US09077651B2 |
Management of a distributed fabric system
A distributed fabric system has distributed line card (DLC) chassis and scaled-out fabric coupler (SFC) chassis. Each DLC includes a network processor and fabric ports. Each network processor of each DLC includes a fabric interface in communication with the fabric ports of that DLC. Each SFC includes at least one fabric element and SFC fabric ports. A fabric communication link connects each SFC fabric port to one DLC fabric port. Each fabric communication link includes cell-carrying lanes. Each fabric element of each SFC detects connectivity between each SFC fabric port of that SFC and one DLC fabric port over a fabric communication link. Each SFC includes program code that reads connectivity matrix from fabric element chips and sends connection information corresponding to the detected connectivity from that SFC to a central agent. A network element includes the central agent, which, when executed, constructs a topology of the distributed fabric system from the connection information sent from each SFC. |
| US09077649B2 |
Split customer premises equipment architecture for provisioning fixed wireless broadband services
An indoor broadband device receives, from a user device, a first request for content; determines a quality of service (QoS) level at which the content is to be provided to the user device; provides a second request for the content, at the determined QoS level, to a wireless access network, the wireless access network connecting to a network that provides broadband services; receives, based on the second request, the content, at the determined QoS level, from the wireless access network; processes the content in a manner that conforms to the QoS level and in a format that is supported by the user device; and provides the content to the user device. |
| US09077647B2 |
Correlating user reactions with augmentations displayed through augmented views
Computationally implemented methods and systems include receiving first data that at least identifies one or more augmentations that were remotely displayed in one or more remotely displayed augmented views of one or more actual scenes, receiving second data indicating one or more user reactions of one or more users in response to the remote display of the one or more remotely displayed augmented views; and correlating the one or more user reactions with the one or more augmentations that were remotely displayed through the one or more remotely displayed augmented views. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text. |
| US09077645B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling multiple registration protocol (MRP) scope using MRP policies
A Multiple Registration Protocol (MRP) advertisement control capability is provided. A method includes receiving an MRP advertisement at a device configured as an interface between a core domain and a local domain and determining handling of the MRP advertisement at the device using at least one MRP policy stored on the device. The core domain may be a Provider Backbone Bridging (PBB) network or other suitable core network. The local domain may be one of a PBB network, a Provider Bridging Network (PBN), a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), and the like. In one case, when the MRP advertisement is associated with a local service of the local domain, the MRP policy indicates that the MRP advertisement is not to be forwarded via the core domain. In one case, when the MRP advertisement is associated with an inter-domain service supported by the local domain, the MRP policy indicates that the MRP advertisement is to be forwarded to the core domain when received from the local domain and is to be forwarded to the local domain when received from the core domain. |
| US09077643B1 |
Programmatically simulating system conditions
Systems and methods are provided for programmatically simulating one or more system conditions for a network resource using one or more services. In one implementation, a server receives a request to initiate a treatment. The request identifies a treatment definition. The server determines, based on the treatment definition, the one or more services and deploys the one or more services to the network resource. The one or more services simulate the one or more system conditions. |
| US09077639B2 |
Managing data traffic on a cellular network
A method and system for managing data traffic on a cellular network. The method and system includes detecting that an internet service is experiencing excessive amounts of data traffic from a cellular network. Sending, to a cellular device on the cellular network, a modified IP address for the internet service, wherein the modified IP address points away from the internet service. The modified IP address is sent in response to detecting that the internet service is experiencing excessive amounts of traffic from a cellular network and detecting a DNS query from the cellular device for the internet service. |
| US09077638B2 |
System and method for providing route information
A system and method changes a rate at which routing information is sent to increase it upon the detection of one or more events, maintaining the then current rate for an amount of time, or dropping it, otherwise. |
| US09077632B2 |
Interworking between ethernet and MPLS
A source node for addressing target nodes (44, 46) in a communication system (10), the source node configured to be part of an Ethernet domain (20) and the target nodes (44, 46) configured to be part of a Multiple Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) domain (40) that is connected to the Ethernet domain (20) via an interworking node (30). The source node is further configured to: i) generate a message (51) comprising an identifier of the source node, an identifier of the interworking node (30), and an identifier of a certain target node (44) of the target nodes (44, 46), ii) send the message (51) to the certain target node (44) via the interworking node (30), and iii) receive from the certain target node (44) via interworking node (30) a reply (54) to the message (51). An alternate source node, related interworking nodes and methods are also described. |
| US09077631B2 |
Network capacity planning
A network device is configured to receive information relating to factors associated with quality of experience issues. The network device is configured to analyze the information. The network device is configured to predict that a quality of experience factor associated with a particular type of communication will exceed a threshold level a future time. The network device is configured to send a message to the device, the device generating a rule or policy; and the rule or policy instructing one or more other network devices to increase a capacity of the network to prevent the quality of experience factor from exceeding the threshold value at the future time. |
| US09077626B2 |
In-service upgrade of provider bridge networks
A system and method for in-service migration for a Virtual Local Area Network, VLAN, service if a Provider Bridge Metro Ethernet Network, PB MEN, is upgraded to a Provider Backbone Bridge, PBB, MEN or an Internet Protocol/Multi Protocol Label Switching, IP/MPLS, MEN. After the deployment of the new PBB or IP/MPLS technology, a sequence of management actions are performed to configure PBB or IP/MPLS edge nodes to use the new technology as well as the old PB-based technology to support the VLAN service. Both old and new connectivity structures are maintained in the edge nodes during the entire migration process. Customer traffic is then redirected per edge node to the new technology. When each edge node entirely provides the VLAN service under the new technology, the migration is complete. |
| US09077623B2 |
Network management system supporting customizable groups
Attribute values in a customized logical group definition are displayed to a user, each customized logical group definition being associated with a network that includes multiple network entities, and each of the multiple network entities having one or more associated attribute values. A user selection of one of the different attribute values is received, and a determination is made of one or more of the multiple network entities that have an associated attribute value that matches the user selected attribute value. Identifiers of each of the one or more network entities that have an associated attribute value that matches the user selected attribute value are displayed. |
| US09077618B2 |
Service level mirroring in ethernet network
A mirror maintenance endpoint (MEP) is hosted on a provider edge switch within an Ethernet network to perform service level mirroring to a network management device of the Ethernet network. The mirror MEP is configured by the network management device to receive all mirrored frames from provider edge switches in a service provider network and to switch the mirrored frames to the network management device. The mirrored frames are mirrored by the provider edge switches to the mirror MEP during mirror sessions initiated by the network management device. |
| US09077611B2 |
Self configuring network management system
Systems, software, and methods for managing networks of connected electronic devices are described. In one example, network management policy and network management applications are downloaded automatically upon detection and identification of a new device on the network. In another example, information related to at least one aspect of the network is obtained by a network management device, and at least one applicable management policy is identified by the device; and the identified policy is used to manage at least one aspect of the network's operation. |
| US09077609B2 |
Scalable reusable scanning of application networks/systems
A device schedules a scan of a group of devices associated with an application network/system, and receives, at a scheduled time, scan information from the group of devices, where the scan information is provided in different formats. The device also converts the scan information, in the different formats, into a single normalized format, and processes the normalized scan information to produce enriched, normalized scan information. |
| US09077606B2 |
Data transmission device, data reception device, and data transmission method
A data transmission system reduces the number of data transitions on signal lines in data transmission via parallel buses, and realizes a lower power consumption and lower EMI noise. A data transmission device transmits transmission data converted into encoded data, using n-bit signal lines. The data transmission device includes an arithmetic operation unit that generates difference data that represents the difference between first data for m bits of the transmission data and second data for m bits of the previous transmission data; and an encoding unit that encodes the difference data and generates m-bit encoded data. The encoding unit performs encoding to associate the encoded data with the difference data in such a manner that the number of bit inversions with respect to the encoded data associated with difference data “0” becomes smaller as the absolute value of the difference data becomes smaller. |
| US09077605B2 |
Apparatus and method for supporting time-quadrature amplitude modulation in a wireless communication system
A method for supporting Time-Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (TQAM) in a wireless communication system includes generating a transmission symbol identified by a combination of a QAM symbol and a position of a time resource to which the QAM symbol is mapped, shifting at least one QAM symbol among QAM symbols contained in the transmission symbols with respect to a time axis, and readjusting a constellation point of the QAM symbol on the basis of a shifting quantity. A method for operating a receive end comprises receiving a reception symbol identified by a combination of a QAM symbol and a position of a time resource to which the QAM symbol is mapped, restoring at least one QAM symbol shifted in a transmit end for uniformizing of the time-axis distribution of QAM symbols contained in the reception symbols, generating decoding metrics for the reception symbol, and performing decoding the reception symbol using the decoding metric. |
| US09077604B2 |
High speed information transfer method and system
A high speed information transfer method and system that encode volumes of information into electromagnetic radiation, successfully transmits the electromagnetic radiation and decodes the electromagnetic radiation back into information. |
| US09077601B2 |
Method and user equipment for carrier aggregation
User equipment is provided for receiving an OFDM signal. The user equipment includes a plurality of carrier processing chains and a carrier aggregation module, aggregating the signals received on each carrier processed by the plurality of carrier processing chains. The aggregation module delivers a set of aggregated signals of the plurality of carrier processing chains at the input of a Fast Fourier Transform module of a PHY layer processing subsystem of the user equipment. The Fast Fourier transform module is able to process a size of data according to a predetermined rate depending on the aggregated bandwidth of the set of aggregated signals of the plurality of carrier processing chains, and the carrier aggregation module includes at least one frequency shifter for frequency shifting carriers. |
| US09077599B2 |
Precoding apparatus, program for precoding, and integrated circuit
More reduction of the amount of operation than in QRM-VP is realized while maintaining transmission performance that can be achieved by VP. A precoding apparatus 109 that performs preliminary processing on transmission data transmitted from a wireless transmission apparatus including a plurality of antennas to a wireless reception apparatus includes a linear filter generation section 301 that generates a linear filter on the basis of a result of estimation of a channel between an antenna unit 111 and the wireless reception apparatus, a signal conversion section 303 that expands perturbation term candidates of a perturbation vector to be added to a transmission data vector and a reference signal associated with the transmission data in a complex plane, and a perturbation vector search section 305 that searches for the perturbation vector to be added to the transmission data vector by performing a quadrant search on the basis of the perturbation term candidates and the reference signal expanded in the complex plane. A transmission signal vector is calculated by adding a found perturbation vector to the transmission data vector and multiplying the transmission data vector by the linear filter. |
| US09077596B2 |
Method for generating a reference signal sequence using grouping
Method for generating reference signal sequence using grouping is explained. In this method, base sequences are grouped such that each group contains at least one base sequence of each length, so UE(s) can use various length sequences as a reference signal. And in this method, inter cell interference caused by using various length sequence as a reference signal sequence can be minimized by grouping sequences having the high cross correlation relation. |
| US09077591B2 |
Dias-dynamic IMPU assignment service
A method and arrangement in a multimedia gateway connected to a multimedia service network, for providing access to multimedia services for communication devices connected to a private network. In the multimedia gateway, a communication unit receives a request from a device in the private network for a public identity associated with the multimedia gateway. An identity manager then selects and allocates an associated public identity from a pool of public identities associated with the multimedia gateway which have been predefined as valid in the multimedia service network. The communication unit then registers the device by activating the allocated associated public identity in the multimedia service network. Thereby, the multimedia gateway can establish a multimedia session on behalf of the device, using the allocated associated public identity. |
| US09077588B2 |
Double insulating silicon on diamond device
A silicon-on-diamond (SOD) transistor includes a silicon-based substrate, a diamond insulating layer over the silicon-based substrate, a silicon-based insulating layer directly over and in contact with the diamond insulating layer, a body over the silicon-based insulating layer, and a gate over the body. The structure of the SOD transistor provides improved drain induced barrier lowering (DIBL) in fully-depleted SOD transistors by using a second, silicon-based insulating layer. |
| US09077587B2 |
System and method for providing network services over shared virtual private network (VPN)
A network architecture includes an edge network having provider edge nodes configured to form a core network service VPN logically between subscribing customer network sites and a core service network, the core service network providing a core network service, the core service network including a core network service node, and a plurality of customer network sites having customer edge nodes attached to associated provider edge nodes of the edge network, wherein each customer edge node is configured to import routes tagged with a core service specific route target, and wherein the core network service node is configured to import routes tagged with a core service specific customer route target. |
| US09077582B2 |
System and method to publish information from servers to remote monitor devices
To assist in monitoring the intelligent messaging network, a system and method for publishing logging and status information from the servers is provided. A list of available servers accessible for monitoring by persons, devices, and applications via a remote monitor device can be provided. The remote monitor device may forward selected servers from the list of available servers in which they are interested. Also, particular information about the selected servers can be requested. Access to certain servers and information may be restricted to those with authorization. Authorization can be verified by the use of digital certificates. The requested information can then be gathered and provided to authorized persons or devices. Typically, the information includes logging and status information from the servers. The information can be provided as an XML page and viewed using, for example, a standard web browser. Further, if the information is provided to the remote monitor device as an XML page, a standard XML parser may be used to extract particular information from the XML page. |
| US09077579B1 |
Systems and methods for facilitating access to shared resources within computer clusters
A computer-implemented method for facilitating access to shared resources within computer clusters may include (1) identifying a computer cluster, (2) identifying at least one node within the computer cluster that has been selected to execute an application, (3) identifying at least one different node within the computer cluster that has not yet been selected to execute the application, (4) importing a read-write configuration of at least one shared resource to the node, (5) importing a read-only configuration of the shared resource to the different node, (6) determining, after importing the read-only configuration of the shared resource to the different node, that the different node has been selected to execute the application, and then (7) converting, in response to this determination, the different node's read-only configuration of the shared resource to the read-write configuration of the shared resource. Various other systems, methods, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US09077577B1 |
System and method for communication using orbital angular momentum with multiple layer overlay modulation
A method for transmitting a plurality of input streams from a transmitting unit to a receiving unit receives the plurality of input data streams and each of the plurality of input data streams are processed to generate a parallel pair of data streams including an in-phase stream (I) and a quadrature-phase stream (Q) for each of the plurality of input data streams. A first and second parallel pair of data streams are modulated with a selected one of at least three mutually orthogonal functions at a first and second signal widths, respectively, using a predefined modulation process to generate a plurality of first data sub-layers and a plurality of second data sub-layers. A plurality of composite data stream are generated by overlaying the first data subs-layers with the second data sub-layers at a preconfigured overlay offset. The plurality of composite data streams are overlapped by a predetermined overlap amount and placed on a wavelength of a communications link. Intersymbol interference is controlled between the plurality of composite data streams responsive to the predefined modulation process used to create the first and second data sub-layers. |
| US09077572B1 |
Reset in a receiver using center of gravity of equalizer coefficients
A receiver applies a calibration method to compensate for skew between input channels. The receiver skew is estimated by observing the coefficients of an adaptive equalizer which adjusts the coefficients based on time-varying properties of the multi-channel input signal. The receiver skew is compensated by programming the phase of the sampling clocks for the different channels. Furthermore, during real-time operation of the receiver, channel diagnostics is performed to automatically estimate differential group delay and/or other channel characteristics based on the equalizer coefficients using a frequency averaging or polarization averaging approach. Framer information can furthermore be utilized to estimate differential group delay that is an integer multiple of the symbol rate. Additionally, a DSP reset may be performed when substantial signal degradation is detected based on the channel diagnostics information. |
| US09077568B2 |
Receiving apparatus and method for accelerating equalization convergence
A receiving apparatus applied to a receiving end of a communication device having an equalizer is provided. The receiving apparatus includes a filter and a channel estimator. The filter filters a received signal to reduce a multipath effect of the received signal and outputs a filtered signal. The channel estimator performs channel estimation on the received signal to generate an estimation result. The estimation result is for determining which of the received signal and the filtered signal is to be selected and sent to the equalizer. |
| US09077565B2 |
Spam control for sharing content on mobile devices
Sharing content among users of mobile devices is facilitated and controlled by a system and method that employs a content sharing application to receive and process requests to share content among users of devices such as mobile devices and personal computers. Recipients receive share content messages from the content sharing application indicating that they have been selected to access shared content. Such messages may provide direct or indirect access to the shared content via the recipient mobile device. Recipients can specify privacy management schemes to limit or control the receipt of such messages. The content sharing application may also provide various spam filtering techniques that prevent users from abusing the system, including restricting the number or type of requests to share content that may be effectuated over time. |
| US09077556B2 |
Method and system for diagnosing access node
A method for diagnosing an access node (AN) is provided, including: a service node (SN) sending a diagnosis query message to the AN; after receiving the diagnosis query message, the AN returning a diagnosis query response message to the SN; and the SN displaying a query result on a command line or sending the query result to a network management system. A system for diagnosing an AN is provided too. The method and system solve the communication problem between the network system, maintenance group or operator associated with the SN and the network system, maintenance group or operator associated with the AN. As a result, the diagnosis of the AN is fast and efficient, thereby improving the diagnosis efficiency during the network failure and subscriber service failure. |
| US09077555B2 |
Content distribution system
Distributing content over a network includes providing an information handling system (IHS) with an interface module used to couple to a signal from a content provider. A virtual IHS management engine dynamically creates a virtual IHS. The virtual IHS then receives the signal. An interface for transmitting the signal from the virtual IHS to a network is also provided. |
| US09077548B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing differential location-based service using access point
A location detecting method and an apparatus for providing a differential location-based service to detect a location of a communication terminal using an access point for a wireless local area network service is provided. The method includes storing location coordinates of access points, receiving service grade information and information related to nearby access points from the communication terminal, selecting a predetermined number of nearby access points based on the received service grade information and information of nearby access points, obtaining a location coordinate of each of the selected nearby access points, and calculating a centric coordinate using the obtained location coordinates of at least two of the selected access points, and determining the calculated centric coordinate as the detected location of the communication terminal. |
| US09077544B2 |
Automatic provisioning of authentication credentials
Methods and systems of automatically provisioning authentication credentials on a plurality of network devices. The method may include determining a process for provisioning the authentication credentials for the plurality of devices. The process may include steps of gaining access to a network device, entering a command to reach a network service interface associated to the network device, indicating a location of the authentication credentials, and initiating installation of the authentication credentials. The method may also include providing a computer program to follow the process. The computer program may be a script that is automatically executed without a user intervention. The method may further include developing a list of the plurality of devices that need to be provisioned, associating the list of the plurality of devices to the computer program, executing the computer program for each device, and outputting whether each of the plurality of network devices has a successful authentication credential update. |
| US09077543B2 |
Methods and apparatus for digital attestation
Methods and apparatus for providing proof of multiple entities being co-located at a specific time and location. An attestor transmits an attestation message via short range communication; the attestation message includes a time stamp, a location stamp, and a verifiable digital signature. An attestee that stores the attestation message can produce the attestation message at a later time to any interested party, as proof of co-location with the attestor at the specified time and location. In one exemplary embodiment, the methods and apparatus are substantially “open” for public implementation. Such public implementation enables attestors and attestees without prior affiliation, to provide attestation. Furthermore, the device-agnostic methods and apparatus can provide attestation capabilities even in previously deployed systems and devices. |
| US09077542B2 |
System and method for confirming that a user of an electronic device is an authorized user of a vehicle
Methods and a system are provided for confirming that a user of an electronic device is an authorized user of a vehicle. The method comprises receiving a request regarding the vehicle from the electronic device in response to a user action, verifying that the user is able to cause the vehicle to perform a predetermined operation, and permitting the request to proceed only if the vehicle performs the predetermined operation. |
| US09077539B2 |
Server-aided multi-party protocols
The disclosed architecture employs techniques that make secure multi-party computation (MPC) practical and scalable. In support of utilizing cloud computing, for example, for evaluating functionality, a third party server can be employed which does not have any input to the computation and does not receive any output from the computation, yet has a vast amount of computational resources. Accordingly, the secure MPC architecture can outsource as much as possible of the computation and communications burden of the parties without the server(s) learning any information about the party inputs. |
| US09077536B2 |
Method and apparatus for solving discrete logarithm problem using pre-computation table
A method and apparatus for computing a discrete logarithm using a pre-computation table are provided. The method includes previously generating the pre-computation table consisting of chains of function values obtained by applying an iterating function to a predetermined number of initial values having a generator of the cyclic group as a base and having different exponents; and if a function value obtained by applying the iterating function to a value having a target element as a base and having an exponent is identical to a function value stored in the pre-computation table, computing the discrete logarithm of the target element by using exponent information of the two function values. |
| US09077535B2 |
System and method for testing a radio frequency multiple-input multiple-output data packet transceiver while forcing fewer data streams
In accordance with the presently claimed invention, a system and method are provided for testing multiple-input, multiple-output wireless radiofrequency (RF) packet data signal transceivers while operating in such ways as to communicate their signals using various combinations or permutations of packet data streams without requiring termination or re-establishment of communication links following transitions from one combination or permutation of packet data streams to another. |
| US09077531B2 |
Hybrid automatic repeat request and channel information feedback for relay
Operations of a relay are disclosed. To perform a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ), the relay receives a plurality of codewords from a base station and transmits a status indicator with respect to the plurality of codewords to the base station. The status indicator is a signal informing the base station about whether or not the configuration of an HARQ has been changed. Although a backhaul link and an access link are asymmetric, HARQ operation can be achieved. |
| US09077527B2 |
Full-duplex differential serial link interface for data transferring
A data transmission technique where high speed data is transmitted differentially in a forward channel by way of a serial link, and relatively low speed data is differentially modulated onto the forward channel signal for transmission in a reverse channel via the link. By utilizing differential modulation in both forward and reverse channels, the resulting signal has a common mode voltage that is substantially constant, resulting in low EM!. The spectral content of the signal associated with the high speed data may be substantially non-overlapping with the spectral content of the signal associated with the low speed data. This facilitates the recovery of the high speed data and low speed data with minimal interference. The differential signaling lends itself for communicating data via an inexpensive medium, such as twisted wire pair or parallel PCB traces. The data transmission technique applies to various communication network topologies: point-to-point, daisy-chain, and point-to-multiple points. |
| US09077525B2 |
User-controlled data encryption with obfuscated policy
An obfuscated policy data encryption system and method for re-encrypting data to maintain the confidentiality and integrity of data about a user when the data is stored in a public cloud computing environment. The system and method allow a user to specify in a data-sharing policy who can obtain the data and how much of the data is available to them. This policy is obfuscated such that it is unintelligible to the cloud operator and others processing and storing the data. In some embodiments, a patient species with whom his health care data should be shared with and the encrypted health care data is stored in the cloud in an electronic medical records system. The obfuscated policy allows the electronic medial records system to dispense the health care data of the patient to those requesting the data without disclosing the details of the policy itself. |
| US09077520B2 |
Method for secure communication in a network, a communication device, a network and a computer program therefor
A method for securing communications between a first node (N1) and a second node (N2) in a network (1) further comprising a management device (2) provided with root keying materials, the method comprising the following steps: the management device generating, based on root keying materials, a first node keying material shares comprising a number of sub-elements and the first node keying material shares being arranged for generating a first complete key, the management device selecting a subset of sub-elements of the first keying material shares, the number of sub-elements selected being less or equal than the total number of sub-elements of the first keying material shares, and the selected sub-elements forming a first node partial keying material shares or symmetric-key generation engine, the first node generating, based on the first node symmetric-key generation engine and on an identifier of the second node, a first key, used for securing communications with the second node. |
| US09077518B2 |
Downlink transmit beamforming
A wireless network access point can operate as a closed loop MIMO device when communicating with a station that is operating as an open loop MIMO device. Transmit/receive chains in the access point are calibrated to support aggregate channel reciprocity. |
| US09077515B2 |
Method and/or system for transmitting and/or receiving data
Embodiments of a method and/or system of transmitting and/or receiving data is disclosed. |
| US09077513B2 |
High precision synchronized measured value acquisition
The invention relates to a method for wire bound, high precision, temporal synchronization of measured value acquisition in a measurement system designed as a space coordinate measurement apparatus having a plurality of measurement sub-units with signaling of a time for triggering the measured value acquisition by means of a trigger signal and with the respective acquisition and intermediate storage of a measured value in the measurement sub-unit at the time determined by the trigger signal. Each acquisition of the measured value is carried out in the measurement sub-units in a time quantified manner with a local timing signal of the measurement sub-unit. A phase synchronization of the local timing signals of the measurement sub-units is then carried out using a synchronization signal in order to ensure simultaneity of the acquisition of the measured value in the measurement sub-units with a temporal uncertainty which does not exceed a phase jitter of the synchronization, and which is in any case less than 90% of a period duration of the local timing signal. |
| US09077512B2 |
Lock detector for phase-locked loop
A clock alignment detector described herein can detect alignment between clock signals within a defined margin of error, such as a defined margin of phase error. The margin of phase error can be varied to achieve various degrees of lock detection precision. Clock alignment detector can detect alignment between rising edges of the clock signals, falling edges of the clock signals, or both the rising and falling edges of the clock signals. The clock alignment detector can be implemented as a lock detector for a phase-locked loop that is configured to detect and maintain a phase relationship between a reference clock signal and a feedback clock signal, where the clock alignment detector detects alignment between the reference clock signal and the feedback clock signal. |
| US09077511B2 |
Phase interpolator
A phase interpolator is provided. The phase interpolator includes a plurality of capacitors, a first input for a clock signal, a second input for a phase shifted clock signal, a reference input for a reference signal, and an output. The phase interpolator is configured to provide at its output an interpolated, modulated phase information signal by switching, dependent on a modulation information, a first number of the capacitors between the first input and the output, a second number of the capacitors between the second input and the output, and a third number of the capacitors to the reference input. |
| US09077510B2 |
Method for sending and receiving system information in a wireless communication system, and a system information sending device and receiving device employing the same
The present invention relates to a method for sending and receiving system information about multiple component carriers in a wireless communication system, and to a system information sending and receiving device employing the same. The present invention comprises a configuration wherein one component carrier is used to transmit system information about another component carrier to a terminal. One embodiment of the present invention solves the problems which occur when using a plurality of component carriers such as additional battery consumption and time delays before receiving information, and hence it has the advantages that battery consumption and information receipt delays are reduced. |
| US09077509B2 |
Secure threshold decryption protocol computation
The present invention relates to a method of converting an encrypted data set into an encryption of individual bits representing the data set. Further, the invention relates to a system for converting an encrypted data set into an encryption of individual bits representing the data set. A basic idea of the present invention is to provide a protocol in which it is possible to divide an encryption of a data set in the form of e.g. a biometric feature, such as a number x, where xε{0, 1, . . . , n−1}, into an encryption of respective bits x0, x1, . . . , xt-1 forming the number x, where t is the number of bits of the number n−1, without leaking any information about x or its bits x0, x1, . . . , xt-1 Hence, the present invention enables splitting of the encryption [[x]] into the respective encrypted bits [[x0]], [[x1]], . . . , [[xt-1]] forming the encrypted number x=ΣI=1n xi 2i. |
| US09077505B2 |
MIPI signal receiving apparatus and method
A signal receiving apparatus and method adapted for receiving a MIPI signal are disclosed. The signal receiving apparatus includes a signal receiver, a selector, a decoding apparatus and a byte boundary searcher. The signal receiver receives a clock signal, and obtains an input data stream according to the clock signal. The selector outputs the input data stream to a first or second output terminal according to a decoding error signal. The byte boundary searcher operates a boundary searching operation on the input data stream for generating a byte tuning information, wherein, the signal receiver adjusts the clock according to the byte tuning information for adjusting the input data stream. |
| US09077499B2 |
Automatic power saving for communication systems
Various embodiments of a power saving scheme in data communication are provided. In one aspect, a method transmits a plurality of symbols each of which containing an overhead portion and at least a portion of a respective data transmission unit (DTU). In particular, the method transmits the overhead portion of a first symbol of the plurality of symbols and the at least a portion of a respective DTU of the first symbol when the at least a portion of the respective DTU of the first symbol contains payload data. The method transmits the overhead portion of a second symbol of the plurality of symbols without transmitting the at least a portion of a respective DTU of the second symbol when the at least a portion of the respective DTU of the second symbol contains no payload data. |
| US09077498B2 |
Systems and methods for communication of channel state information
Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to a technique for communicating Channel State Information (CSI) feedback. In some aspects, the CSI feedback is communicated in a very high throughput (VHT) wireless communications system. |
| US09077496B2 |
Method, base station, and terminal for generating reference signal
The present invention relates to a method for generating a reference signal, including: obtaining first control information, where the first control information indicates or includes cyclic shift related information which is used by a terminal belonging to a serving cell to send a reference signal; and sending the first control information to the terminal belonging to the serving cell, so that the terminal belonging to the serving cell generates the reference signal according to the cyclic shift related information which is indicated or included by the first control information and used by the terminal to send the reference signal, where a variation rule of a cyclic shift which the terminal belonging to the serving cell uses to generate the reference signal is the same as that of a cyclic shift which a terminal belonging to a coordinated cell uses to generate the reference signal. |
| US09077495B2 |
Method, system and device for transmitting demodulation reference signal and demodulating channel over backhaul link
The present invention discloses a method on a Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A) system backhaul link for demodulation pilot transmission, wherein the method includes that: among the resource areas occupied by a Relay-Physical Downlink Shared Channel (R-PDSCH) on the backhaul link, a base station selects the resource units which are preconfigured for sending the demodulation pilot signal of the R-PDSCH; the base station sends the demodulation pilot signal to a Relay Node (RN) belonging to the base station by using the selected resource units. The present invention also discloses a channel demodulation method on the LTE-A system backhaul link, an LTE-A communication system and device. The demodulation performance of the R-PDSCH in the LTE-A system can be ensured with the present invention. |
| US09077492B2 |
Mapping signals from a virtual frequency band to physical frequency bands
Embodiments include processes, systems, and devices for reshaping virtual baseband signals for transmission on non-contiguous and variable portions of a physical baseband, such as a white space frequency band. In the transmission path, a spectrum virtualization layer maps a plurality of frequency components derived from a transmission symbol produced by a physical layer protocol to sub-carriers of the allocated physical frequency band. The spectrum virtualization layer then outputs a time-domain signal derived from the mapped frequency components. In the receive path, a time-domain signal received on the physical baseband is reshaped by the virtual spectrum layer in order to recompose a time-domain symbol in the virtual baseband. |
| US09077491B2 |
Three layer cascade adaptive neural fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) based intelligent controller scheme and device
Intelligent technique is an effective method to perform the network resource management. A three layer cascade adaptive neural fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) based intelligent controller is proposed for the mobile wireless network to optimize the maximum average throughput, minimum transmit power and interference for multimedia call services. The proposed intelligent controller is designed with a three layer cascade architecture, which mainly contains an ANFIS rate controller (ARC) in the first layer, an ANFIS power controller (APC) in the second layer and an ANFIS interference controller (AIC) in the third layer. The design aim of the proposed three layer cascade ANFIS cognitive engine is maximizing the average throughput of the mobile wireless network, while minimizing the transmit power and interference power. |
| US09077490B2 |
Method and device for transmitting a channel quality information
In a method for transmitting a channel quality information on the quality of a communication channel in a radio communications system the system includes a regular cycle for transmitting the channel quality information in an uplink direction from a communication unit to a network, and the method including suppressing in the communication unit the transmitting of the channel quality information based on a pre-defined condition. |
| US09077487B2 |
Radio to support channel plans of arbitrary width and/or spacing
A multichannel radio receiver may include a radio frequency (RF) subsystem and a digital subsystem. The digital subsystem may be configured to use an analog to digital converter (ADC) to sample input. A channelizer bank within the digital subsystem may include a plurality of channelizers. Each channelizer may receive and translate input into a plurality of channels, the channels having widths that are non-uniform and/or spacing (e.g., spacing center-to-center of adjacent channels) that is not regular. The translation may include re-sampling channels at a rate associated with a modulation scheme. A decoder bank may include a plurality of decoders operating in parallel, each to receive input from a channelizer and each associated with a particular modulation scheme. Thus, the multichannel radio may simultaneously receive on a plurality of channels of arbitrary location, arbitrary spacing and/or arbitrary bandwidth, wherein each channel is associated with one of a plurality of modulation schemes. |
| US09077486B1 |
Rate adaptation in a communication system
In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for adapting data rate in a communication system. A receiving device receives a data transmission at an initial data rate. The device determines, based on an error rate of the data transmission at the initial data rate, that a first criterion is satisfied for requesting an increase in the data transmission. The device requests that a transmitting device increase the data transmission from the initial data rate to the first subsequent data rate. The device determines, based on an error rate of the data transmission at the first subsequent data rate, whether a second criterion is satisfied for maintaining the first subsequent data rate. The device maintains, if the second criterion is determined to be satisfied, a state of the device for receiving the data transmission at the first subsequent data rate. |
| US09077485B2 |
Automatic security action invocation for mobile communications device
A mobile communications device, method, and computer program product for providing security on a mobile communications device are described. In accordance with one example embodiment, the mobile communications device comprises: a processor; a communications subsystem connected to the processor operable to exchange signals with a wireless network and with the processor; a storage element connected to the processor and having a plurality of application modules and data stored thereon, the data comprising at least user application data associated with the application modules and service data including data for establishing communications with the wireless network; and a security module operable to determine if a battery level falls below a predetermined threshold and perform a security action comprising erasing or encrypting at least some of the data on the storage element if the battery power falls below the predetermined threshold. |
| US09077481B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamic wavelength allocation in wavelength switched optical networks
A method of allocating a wavelength to a lightpath in a wavelength multiplex for use in an optical network comprising nodes connected by optical links, wherein the wavelength multiplex is adapted to support lightpaths of two different bitrates. The disclosed method allows for efficient allocation of wavelengths that prevents wasting bandwidth and mitigates detrimental effects of cross-phase modulation. |
| US09077480B2 |
Demand accommodation designing system and method
A demand accommodation design system for accommodating a demand specifying a signal transmission route from a start-point node to an end-point node within an optical network includes an analytical unit to acquire at least one optical path candidate for minimizing cost of the optical network by solving an objective function incorporating cost of optical path candidates by bandwidth, the optical path candidate being a candidate for an optical path composing a demand, and a mathematical programming problem employing a constraint condition incorporating a bandwidth of an optical path pattern candidate connecting the start-point node and the end-point node of the demand and a bandwidth of the acquired optical path candidate, the optical path pattern candidate being the acquired optical path candidate itself or being obtained by combining the optical path candidates, and an allocation unit to allocate the demand to the acquired optical path candidate to accommodate the demand. |
| US09077478B1 |
Wavelength and spectrum assignment within packet-optical networks
Techniques are described for wavelength and spectrum assignment within a packet-optical transport system. A controller, for example, dynamically controls wavelength and spectrum assignment to suppress or generally avoid optical effects that can degrade communication performance. For example, the controller provides closed-loop control over dynamic partitioning of the spectral range of an optical transport system into channel groups and assignment of the groups to respective packet-optical transport devices based on current or future bandwidth requirements at each device. Moreover, for each packet-optical transport device, the controller controls assignment of individual wavelengths within each channel group so as to balance channel utilization around a center of the spectral range associated with each channel group and to maintain spectral separation of the channels within the channel group. |
| US09077475B2 |
Optical packet switching system and method for controlling the peak power
An optical packet switching system includes an optical packet transmitter, an optical packet switching apparatus, an optical amplifier, an optical packet receiver, an information gathering unit, and a peak power calculation unit. The information gathering unit collects the packet density, time-averaged power and extinction ratio from the optical packet transmitter, collects the packet density, time-averaged power and noise figure from the optical amplifier, collects the packet density, time-averaged power, switch on/off time ratio and extinction ratio from the optical packet switching apparatus, and collects the packet density and time-averaged power from the optical packet receiver. The peak power calculation unit calculates the peak power of an optical packet signal outputted from each apparatus/device based on the collected information. The device control unit control each apparatus/device based on the calculated peak power such that the optical packet signal having a peak power according to a predetermined optical level diagram is outputted. |
| US09077474B2 |
Make before break optical mesh network element
A network element includes an electronic switch for routing traffic between a plurality of client access ports and a plurality of EO ports, a respective EO interface coupled to each one of the plurality of EO ports; a wavelength selective switch for optically switching optical signals between the EO interfaces and a set of optical transmission fibers; and a control system. The plurality of EO interfaces includes at least one Make Before Break (MBB) EO interface. The control system is operative to reconfigure the network element by identifying an EO interface to be reconfigured. A new optical path is set up through the wavelength selective switch and terminated on the MBB EO interface. The electronic switch is then controlled to re-route a traffic flow traversing the identified EO interface to the MBB EO interface. |
| US09077470B2 |
Optical transmission system using cross phase modulation
An optical transmission system includes: multiplex transmitting devices, each configured to modulate, with an optical carrier, a data signal modulated into light by an optical modulator in a non-linear optical medium arranged on a transmission path so as to multiplex the data signal into the optical carrier, the data signal having a frequency different in each of the multiplex transmitting devices; a receiving device configured to execute optical-to-electrical conversion on the optical carrier received from the transmission path so as to execute reception process of the data signals multiplexed by the multiplex transmitting devices; and a management device configured to specify a frequency band to be used, based on a modulation band of each of the optical modulators, and manage assignment of the frequency of each of the data signals within the frequency band to be used so as to avoid an effect of harmonics generated upon the optical-to-electrical conversion. |
| US09077469B2 |
Adapting apparatus and method
The present invention discloses an adapting apparatus and method, the apparatus comprises: an adapter pool, wherein the adapter pool is located between an optical data unit (ODUk) layer and an optical channel (OCh) layer, and the adapter pool comprises one or more adapters which are respectively connected to an OCh layer link and an ODUK layer link; the information that the adapter pool used for managing comprises: information for indicating connectivity of the adapter with the OCh layer link and with the ODUk layer link, and information for indicating an adapter capability of the adapter. The adapting information between MRNs can be described more accurately through the present invention, and the correctness of the route calculation results is guaranteed. |
| US09077468B2 |
Methods and apparatus for communication synchronization
Systems and techniques for delivering timing over packet (ToP) data over a wireless hop. Timing information is synchronized between a master and a slave node of a wireless hop. When a ToP packet arrives at the master node, an arrival time of the packet at an ingress point of the master node is noted and stored as a timestamp. The packet is transmitted over a wireless link to the slave node. The packet makes its way to an egress point of the slave node, and the residence time of the packet in the wireless link is calculated and stored. The residence time of the packet is the time between the packet's arrival at the ingress point of the master and the egress point of the slave. The packet is then transmitted out of the egress point of the slave. |
| US09077464B2 |
Method for providing multicast services
It is provided a method for providing a service guide in a network providing a plurality of multicast services, said network comprising at least one client device connected to a first device, wherein a subset of said plurality of multicast services is being multicast to said at least one client device via said first device, and the service guide provides a list of the plurality of multicast services in a second order; and at the side of a client device, the method comprises the steps of determining a list of the plurality of multicast services in a first order, wherein the order is changed from the second order to the first order based on the multicast services of the subset; and presenting said list of multicast services in said first order. |
| US09077463B2 |
Characterizing dynamic regions of digital media data
A media analysis tool is provided for defining dynamic regions of a digital media segment. The dynamic regions may contain at least part of a visible feature of the segment. Correlation of the defined regions with external data quantifying attention of a subject viewing the segment to locations on the screen provides measures of interest level and attention to visible features in the segment. The dynamic regions may be defined in only some of the frames of a segment. The dynamic region may be interpolated or extrapolated for frames in which it is not explicitly defined. |
| US09077459B2 |
Devices and methods for dynamic broadcast
A dynamic broadcast system as well as a terminal and a control device for use in such a dynamic broadcast system are presented. Transmission parameters, transmission times and transmission paths used for broadcasting and providing content, either via a broadcast network or a broadband network to terminals used in the dynamic broadcast system are dynamically controlled. Further, a decision logic is provided that dynamically decides transmission parameters, transmission times and transmission paths used for broadcasting and providing content based on monitoring data carrying information on user specific content usage and/or transmission quality data carrying information on the quality of a transmission link between a broadband server and a terminal and/or of a reception of content broadcast by a broadcast transmitter. |
| US09077455B2 |
Optical receiver having a MIMO equalizer
An optical receiver comprising an optical-to-electrical converter and a digital processor having one or more equalizer stages. The optical-to-electrical converter is configured to mix an optical input signal and an optical local-oscillator signal to generate a plurality of electrical digital measures of the optical input signal. The digital processor is configured to process the electrical digital measures to recover the data carried by the optical input signal. At least one of the equalizer stages is configured to perform signal-equalization processing in which the electrical digital measures and/or digital signals derived from the electrical digital measures are being treated as linear combinations of arbitrarily coupled signals, rather than one or more pairs of 90-degree phase-locked I and Q signals. The latter feature enables the digital processor to more-effectively mitigate the receiver-, link-, and/or transmitter-induced signal impairments because various orthogonality-degrading effects can be mitigated in a relatively straightforward manner. |
| US09077452B2 |
QSFP+ to SFP+ form-factor adapter with signal conditioning
Techniques are provided for sending and receiving data communications between an enhanced Quad Small Form-Factor Pluggable (QSFP+) transceiver module and an enhanced Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP+) transceiver module. An adapter device is provided that has a first set of signal pins configured to interface with an SFP+ transceiver module and a second set of signal pins is provided that is configured to interface with a QSFP+ host port. A retimer unit is also provided that is configured to modify a 10G signal of a first electrical signal standard associated with the SFP+ transceiver module to a 10G signal of a second electrical standard associated with a QSFP+ transceiver module and to enhance a 10G signal of the second electrical signal standard to a 10G signal of the first electrical signal standard. |
| US09077448B2 |
Read optical power link service for link health diagnostics
A method is provided for monitoring a state of an optical link in a Fiber Channel infrastructure and includes sending an Extended Link Service (ELS) request to read an optical power of the optical link, and diagnosing a degradation of the optical link, based on a response to the ELS request. |
| US09077438B2 |
Noise detection circuit, delay locked loop and duty cycle corrector including the same
A noise detection circuit includes a first delay unit suitable for delaying a periodic wave to output a delayed periodic wave, a first divider unit suitable for dividing the delayed periodic wave to output a first periodic wave, a second divider unit suitable for dividing the periodic wave to output a divided periodic wave, a second delay unit suitable for delaying the divided periodic wave to output a second periodic wave, and a detection unit suitable for comparing the first periodic wave with the second periodic wave and outputting a noise detection signal. |
| US09077434B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus for controlling and monitoring devices remotely
A remote acquisition and remote operation (RARO) device utilizes simple mail service (SMS) messages to control connected electronic devices. A cellular modem, which is provided a unique phone number through a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, receives and transmits SMS messages in regards to electronic devices connected to a plurality of ports. A microprocessor translates SMS messages from a user device into electrical signals used to control the connected electronic devices, and translates electrical signals from the connected electronic devices into SMS messages, such that the user can monitor the status of the connected electronic devices. A plurality of relays and a signal converter are also connected to the plurality of ports and assist in the control and monitoring of the connected electronic devices. A power input and power cable provide a primary power source for the RARO device, while a battery supply serves as a back-up power source. |
| US09077432B2 |
Two-way relay, wireless apparatus and signal processing method thereof
A two-way relay, a wireless apparatus and a signal processing method thereof are provided. The two-way relay comprises a transceiver and a processor. The transceiver receives a relay receiving signal including a first terminal transmitting signal transmitted by a first wireless apparatus and a second terminal transmitting signal transmitted by a second wireless apparatus. The processor, which is electrically connected to the transceiver, uses a mapping function to transform the relay receiving signal into a relay signal and enables the transceiver to broadcast the relay signal. |
| US09077429B2 |
Method and system for repurposing of a global navigation satellite system receiver for receiving low-earth orbit communication satellite signals
Methods and systems for repurposing of a global navigation satellite system receiver for receiving low-earth orbit (LEO) communication satellite timing signals may comprise receiving medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellite signals and/or LEO signals in a receiver of the communication device. A radio frequency (RF) path may be configured to down-convert either of the signals, and a position of the communication device may be calculated utilizing the down-converted signals. The signals may be down-converted utilizing a local oscillator signal generated by a phase locked loop (PLL), which may be delta-sigma modulated via a fractional-N divider. A clock signal may be communicated to the PLL utilizing a temperature-compensated crystal oscillator. The signals may be down-converted to an intermediate frequency or down-converted directly to baseband frequencies. The signals may be processed utilizing surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters. In-phase and quadrature signals may be processed in the RF path utilizing a two-stage polyphase filter. |
| US09077427B2 |
Coherent power combining via wavefront multiplexing on deep space spacecraft
A communication system and method for a deep space spacecraft receiver to perform post-processing to dynamically combine received signal power coherently for pre-processed signal streams radiated non-coherently from a distributed, multiple element, Ka-band transmitting array via multiple concurrent propagation paths. Mutually orthogonal data and pilot signals travel though the multiple propagation paths. A pre-processor utilizing wavefront multiplexing restructures signal streams on the ground into multi-channel wavefrom structures along with injections of pilot signals for diagnostic and probing purposes. These restructured, or “wavefront multiplexed” (WFM) signals are transmitted through propagation channels to a receiver on the spacecraft, wherein adaptive equalization and wavefront de-multiplexing coherently separates the mixtures of received WFM signals. Transmitting power can be dynamically allocated for the multiple concurrent data streams, radiated to different spacecraft within the same field of view according to continuously changing demand by changing the relative input power ratios of the WFM signal mixtures. |
| US09077422B1 |
Validation and stabilization of noise matrices
A method includes receiving a signal via multiple receive antennas. A noise covariance matrix, which indicates noise correlations between pairs of the receive antennas, is estimated. A stability criterion defined over the noise covariance matrix is evaluated, and the noise covariance matrix is modified when the stability criterion is violated. The received signal is processed using the modified noise covariance matrix. |
| US09077420B2 |
RF receiver with sideband symmetry circuit
One aspect of the present invention includes an RF including a first mixer receiving an RF signal. A second mixer also receivers the RF signal. A resonant circuit couples to a common input of the first mixer and the second mixer. A second polyphase reactive circuit coupled to an output of the second mixer. In one embodiment, a direct current circuit coupled to the output of the first mixer, injecting direct current into the system. The resonant circuit is set at a resonance frequency such that a voltage across the second polyphase reactive circuit is a predetermined voltage. |
| US09077418B2 |
Method for controlling receiving diversity of a receiver and a mobile station
A method for controlling receiving diversity of a receiver and a mobile station are provided. The method comprises determining single antenna receiving quality indicators for all activated antennas if a receiver receiving quality indicator of the receiver is above a first threshold, and deactivating all the activated antennas except one activated antenna with a single antenna receiving quality indicator indicating best receiving quality based on the determined single antenna receiving quality indicators. |
| US09077417B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for using common and demodulation pilot signals in multi-antenna wireless communications
Multiple antennas employed at transmitting and receiving nodes can significantly increase a MIMO system capacity, especially when channel knowledge of link(s) between the transmitting and receiving nodes is available at the transmitting node. Channel knowledge may be acquired through feedback provided by the receiving node based on a plurality of common pilots transmitted by the transmitting node. The common pilots may include legacy and non-legacy pilots. If the feedback indicates that data demodulation at the receiving node can be enhanced, the transmitting node may also transmit demodulation pilot signal(s), which may coincide with the transmission of data. The receiving node can use the demodulation pilot signal(s), alone or with the common pilot signal(s), to demodulate data received from the transmitting node. The transmitting node may notify the receiving node to monitor for the demodulation pilot signal(s) through higher layer signaling and/or scheduling orders over a control channel. |
| US09077406B2 |
Precoding processing method and user equipment
A precoding processing method and user equipment are disclosed. The precoding processing method includes: selecting a codebook vector for performing precoding processing for data among a codebook set of Nt antennas, where the codebook set includes a first codebook vector [ A B ] of a uniform linear array and a second codebook vector [ A - B ] generated according to the first codebook vector, where A is a (Nt/2)×1 vector composed of a first half of elements of the first codebook vector, B is a (Nt/2)×1 vector composed of a last half of elements of the first codebook vector, and Nt is a positive even number; and sending an index number of the codebook vector to a base station, whereupon the base station uses the codebook vector corresponding to the index number to perform precoding processing for the data to be transmitted by the antennas. Embodiments of the present invention make the codebook set compatible with two types of antenna configuration modes. |
| US09077405B2 |
High efficiency path based power amplifier circuitry
A first transmit path, a second transmit path, and a third transmit path are disclosed. The first transmit path includes a first radio frequency (RF) power amplifier (PA) and alpha switching circuitry, which is coupled to an output from the first RF PA. The second transmit path includes a second RF PA and beta switching circuitry, which is coupled to an output from the second RF PA. The third transmit path includes a third RF PA. |
| US09077404B2 |
Coordinating method and device for multi-input multi-output precoding of downlink multi-base station
The disclosure discloses a method for coordinating downlink MIMO precoding among multiple BSs, including that: each BS first performs independent resource allocation to allocate resources to users of each BS, then receives PMI information fed back by a time-frequency resource block occupying MS in a respective cell, wherein the PMI information includes optimal and recommended or restrained PMIs corresponding to an MS; adjacent BSs perform information interaction with each other to acquire PMI information of MSs occupying the same time-frequency resource block in adjacent cells; and it is determined whether there is any conflict between MSs occupying the same time-frequency resource block in adjacent cells according to PMI information fed back by an MS in the current cell and interaction information from adjacent BSs, and a new PM is generated in a corresponding manner. The disclosure also discloses a device for implementing the method. The coordinating method and device of the disclosure can reduce or eliminate interference among users at a border through downlink resource allocation and precoding coordination between adjacent cells, thereby enhancing performance of the entire network. |
| US09077403B2 |
Network multiple-input multiple-output wireless signal transmission and power control system
A network multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless signal transmission and power control system includes a plurality of adjacently arranged cells. Each cell is a regular polygon and includes a plurality of adjoining sides, a base station located at a center of the cell, a plurality of directional antennas equipped at the base station, and a power adjustment unit electrically connected to the directional antennas. The directional antennas point towards connection points of the adjoining sides, and sectorize the cell into a plurality of kite-shaped sections by regarding the directional antennas as centers. The power adjustment unit controls power output of the directional antennas. By changing pointing directions of the directional antennas, the cell can be sectorized into the kite-shaped sections to significantly increase system capacity and communication quality. |
| US09077402B2 |
Method for feeding back codebook-based precoding matrix information in wireless communication system and device therefor
A method for feeding back codebook-based precoding matrix information by a receiving side includes estimating a channel through a receiving signal received from a transmitting side; selecting first and second precoding matrix indexes for indicating precoding matrices selected in a predefined codebook based upon said estimated channel; and transmitting said selected first and second precoding matrix indexes to said transmitting side, wherein said predefined codebook supports antenna patterns at the receiving side, precoder (W) in the predefined codebook is expressed as a multiplication of two precoding matrices (W1 and W2), W1 is constituted as an oversampled discrete Fourier transform (DFT) matrix by a diagonal matrix, an element which reflects a factor in accordance with an antenna pattern configuration of said receiving side is included, and said first precoding matrix index indicates a precoding matrix selected from W1 and said second precoding matrix index indicates a precoding matrix selected from W2. |
| US09077400B2 |
Interference alignment method and apparatus in wireless communication system
A method for supporting Interference Alignment (IA) in a wireless communication system includes multiplying a plurality of input symbols by precoding vectors for Interference Alignment (IA) to generate a plurality of signal vectors, mapping the signal vectors to subcarriers having unequal spacings to perform Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT), in which each signal element of the signal vector is mapped to two subcarriers among the subcarriers, converting the IFFT-transformed signal into a wireless signal and transmitting the wireless signal from a first transmitter to a receiver, and transmitting, to the receiver, information regarding precoding vectors used in the first transmitter and in second and third transmitters that communicate using the same frequency resource as the first transmitter for the IA. |
| US09077399B2 |
Method and system for achieving space and time diversity gain
Certain aspects of a method and system for achieving space and time diversity gain are disclosed. Aspects of one method may include modifying a generalization code of at least one pilot channel, to measure signal strengths for each of a plurality of received multipath signals. A portion of the plurality of received multipath signals may be combined based on the measured signal strengths. The signal strengths of the plurality of received multipath signals may be measured on a primary pilot channel by assigning its generalization code to zero. The signal strengths of the plurality of received multipath signals on a secondary pilot channel may measured by assigning its generalization code to a non-zero value. |
| US09077397B2 |
Transceiver, system and method for selecting an antenna
The invention relates to a transceiver operating in a wireless communication network, the transceiver comprising an RF circuit and a selection mechanism for selecting an antenna for communication. The switching mechanism includes one or more electro-mechanical switches and one or more solid-state switches, each being selectable for operation in response to a control signal received from the control system. The solid-state switches are configured to establish an electrical connection between the RF circuit and an antenna if a first condition is satisfied, and are further configured to select an antenna from a plurality of antennas that can be selected by the solid-state switches based on an outcome of a second condition such that the selected antenna is used for communication. If the first condition is not satisfied, the electro-mechanical switches are configured to establish an electrical connection between the RF circuit and an antenna such that this antenna is used for communication by the transceiver. |
| US09077396B2 |
Distributed buffer store based uplink coordinated multipoint communications
A method and system for providing CoMP assistance in a wireless communication network are disclosed. In one embodiment a cooperating base station receives a CoMP assistance request from a serving base station. The CoMP assistance request is a request for assistance to decode a first transmission from a UE. The cooperating base station receives the first transmission from the UE. The first transmission from the UE is received at the cooperating base station at one of a time before receiving the CoMP assistance request and a time after receiving the CoMP assistance request. The cooperating base station determines a CoMP payload in response to the CoMP assistance request. The CoMP payload is based on the received first transmission from the UE. The CoMP payload is forwarded to the serving base station after the serving base station determines that the first transmission from the UE is received by the serving base station with error. |
| US09077394B2 |
Method and system for generating RF signals from collected radiance energy
A system and method for collecting radiance energy from the Earth and using the collected radiance energy as the main energy source for generating RF signals is provided. The radiance energy collector may comprise an array of quantum systems configured to collect infrared energy radiated from the Earth. Once a sufficient amount of energy is collected (in the form of charged energy) by a cell of the array of quantum systems, a laser is configured to strike the cell with a certain amount of energy and phase and other attributes to allow the energy to be discharged and thus generate an RF signal. Most of the energy used for generating the RF signal is from the charged energy in the array of quantum systems and only a small portion of the total RF energy is contributed by the laser. The array of quantum systems and the laser generating module may be placed on an airship at a very high altitude. |
| US09077391B2 |
Transmitter front-end device for generating output signals on basis of polyphase modulation
The invention relates to a transmitter front-end device for generating output signals representing a digital stream, wherein the device has at least one first input for a first input signal and at least one second input for a second input signal, with the first input signal and the second input signal representing a complex data signal of the digital stream and being intended to influence an output signal of the transmitter front-end device. Furthermore, the transmitter front-end device has at least one phase generation device which generates at least one additional phase signal on the basis of the first input signal and the second input signal, with at least 3 phase signals being outputted by the phase generation device with different phases with respect to each other, at least one modulator that is set up such that it generates a complementary phase signal pair from a received phase signal, with each of the at least 3 phase signals being processed by an associated modulator into a corresponding complementary phase signal pair. Furthermore, the transmitter front-end device has at least one frequency converter that is set up such that it converts phase signals of a complementary phase signal pair with a high-frequency signal in order to form an output signal. |
| US09077389B2 |
Method and system for processing radio packages in a multimode software defined radio (SDR) terminal
A technique for processing radio packages is disclosed. In an embodiment, the processing of a radio package is divided into subtasks and results of the radio package processing are stored on a per-subtask basis. Because the processing of a radio package is divided into subtasks and because results of the processing are stored on a per-subtask basis, context switches can be made at the subtask level instead of at the task level. With the ability to perform context switches at the subtask level, the processing of radio packages can be scheduled in a more efficient manner and context switches can be made without losing processing results that have already been generated. In addition to storing the processing results on a per-subtask basis, in an embodiment, a processing pipeline is drained on a per-subtask basis. |
| US09077385B2 |
Method and device for receiving downlink signal
The present invention relates to a method and a device for receiving a downlink control signal in a wireless communication system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a device and a method for receiving control information, the method comprising the following steps: receiving a subframe which includes two slots; executing a blind decoding for a first control channel in the control channel search region within a first slot; decoding a second control channel using a specific resource within a second slot when the first control channel has been detected; and executing a blind decoding for the second control channel in the control channel search region within the second slot when the first control channel has not been detected. |
| US09077384B1 |
State metrics memory reduction in a turbo decoder implementation
Methods and apparatus are described for reducing memory storage cells in a turbo decoder by storing only half the state metrics generated during a scan process. States associated with each bit transmission may be divided into couples and only one state from every state couple may be stored. In one example embodiment, only the state metric for a losing state of every state couple is saved, along with a single bit, e.g., 1 or 0, indicating whether the upper state or lower state of the state couple was the winner. The winning state may be reconstituted at a later stage. In this manner, for a code rate 1/3 and constraint length 3 turbo code, instead of storing 8*10=80 bits of state metrics for each systematic bit, only (4*10)+(4*1)=44 bits of scan state metrics data need be stored, a savings of nearly 50% regardless of the transistor technology used. |
| US09077382B2 |
Reed-solomon decoder and reception apparatus
According to one embodiment, a Reed-Solomon decoder comprises an analyzer and a calculator. The analyzer analyzes a data frame and calculates a size of a last code word located at an end of a data portion, using information included in a header portion. The calculator calculates correction coefficients, using the size of the last code word, for correcting coefficients of an error locator polynomial and coefficients of an error value polynomial for the last code word in accordance with a difference between a base size of Reed-Solomon code words and the size of the last code word, before error detection for a code word located immediately before the last code word in the data portion begins. |
| US09077378B2 |
Integrated-interleaved low density parity check (LDPC) codes
Methods and apparatus are provided for integrated-interleaved Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) coding and decoding. Integrated-interleaved LDPC encoding is performed by obtaining at least a first data element and a second data element; systematically encoding the at least first data element using a submatrix H0 of a sparse parity check matrix H1 to obtain at least a first codeword; truncating the at least first data element to obtain at least a first truncated data element; systematically encoding the at least second data element and the at least first truncated data element using the sparse parity check matrix H1 to obtain a nested codeword; and generating a second codeword based at least in part on a combination of the first codeword and the nested codeword. Integrated-interleaved LDPC decoding is also provided. |
| US09077375B2 |
DTC system with high resolution phase alignment
Some embodiments relate to a transmitting arrangement that includes a digital to time converter (DTC) with a reference generator and a modulation generator coupled to first and second input terminals thereof. A feedback path, which includes a phase and/or frequency measurement block and a phase and/or frequency correction block, is coupled between an output terminal of the DTC converter and the second input terminal of the DTC. The feedback path can help determine a phase or frequency correction word that can be applied to a modulation control word provided by the modulation generator to tune or correct the modulation control word before it reaches the DTC. In this way, the transmitting arrangement facilitates extremely accurate phase alignment and helping achieve extremely accurate signal transmission. |
| US09077371B2 |
Methods and apparatus for a successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter
Methods and apparatus for a successive approximation register analog to digital converter are provided. In an example, provided is a method for digitally representing an analog input signal. A bit of the digital output signal is generated by altering a test voltage by an amount comparable to a weight afforded to the bit, comparing the altered test voltage with the analog input signal to create a comparison output, switching a two-to-one multiplexer to select the comparison output instead of a preceding shift-successive approximation register block output, storing the comparison output in a flip-flop, inhibiting clocking of the flip-flop, and outputting the comparison output from the flip-flop as the bit of the digital output signal. |
| US09077370B2 |
Device for converting analogue signals into digital signals
Method and device for converting analog signals, of a plurality of pathways, into digital signals. A common circuit (2, 3) generates first analog signals corresponding to high-order bits of digital signals. For each pathway, a first means compares the first analog signals with the signal to be converted. A first means (18) stores high-order bits corresponding to the value of a first analog signal close to the signal to be converted. A means (9) stores the deviation between the analog signal to be converted and said first detected value. A generator means (11, 12) generates a predetermined number of second analog signals. A second means compares by successive approximations said second analog signals with said deviation. A means (20) stores said low-order bits corresponding to the results arising from said second means of comparison. A means (22) assembles said high-order bits and said low-order bits. |
| US09077368B2 |
Efficient techniques for aligned fixed-length compression
Systems and methods for performing compression of data. A data buffer is separated into equal-sized segments of data. A frequency count is performed to determine how often each segment of data appears in the data buffer. Frequently occurring segments are encoded with unique compression codes, while all other infrequently occurring segments are encoded with a common compression code. The compressed data buffer includes the compression codes, which are all of the same bit-length, and the uncompressed segments. The compression codes and the uncompressed segments are stored in the compressed data buffer in the order in which the corresponding segments appear in the original data buffer. |
| US09077365B2 |
Application specific integrated circuit including a motion detection system
An integrated circuit includes a detector having a detecting device that detects a proximity condition and develops a parameter of electric power related thereto and a parameter measuring device coupled to the detecting device. The parameter measuring device comprises a parameter detector, and an analog-to digital converter (ADC) coupled to the parameter detector and operative in one of a plurality of operational ranges to develop a digital representation of the parameter. The parameter measuring device further includes a range selector coupled between the ADC and the parameter detector that is operative to cause the parameter detector to develop an output signal magnitude representative of the parameter of electric power wherein the output signal magnitude is within one of the operational ranges of the ADC. The detector may be used in a control for a spray device to detect motion. |
| US09077363B2 |
Stochastic encoding in analog to digital conversion
A method and system for encoding an analog signal on a stochastic signal, the encoded signal then converted to a digital signal by an analog to digital converter, the analog to digital converter thereafter decoding from the encoded signal a digital signal, which corresponds to the analog signal. The stochastic signal may be a noise signal shaped to a Gaussian normal curve. An encoding process is performed by a multiplication circuit, which multiplies the stochastic signal by the analog signal, producing a product signal for an analog to digital conversion. During analog to digital conversion, the product signal is decoded. The decoding is performed using an arithmetic operation, which may be a Root Sum Square function or a Root Means Square function. The decoded signal is then mapped to account for offset error, gain error, and endpoint adjustment. The result is a decoded digital signal corresponding to the analog signal. |
| US09077359B2 |
Asynchronous to synchronous sampling using modified akima algorithm
A method, comprising: selecting two Two-Tuples before and two after a selected synchronous ADC conversion point; calculating the coefficients of a third order polynomial based on the value of the previous time asynchronous sample, the time differences between each of the asynchronous samples surrounding the selected sample, and the three linear slopes of the line segments between the two points before and the points after the selected synchronous sample point, including the slope of the selected point; evaluating the third order polynomial at the synchronous time instant; generating the synchronous ADC value based on this calculation; and using the ADC value as the desired voltage level of the synchronous sample, wherein the synchronous ADC value is generated based on this calculation. |
| US09077352B2 |
Clock regeneration circuit, light receiving circuit, photocoupler, and frequency synthesizer
A clock regeneration circuit includes: a signal input terminal; a D flip-flop circuit; a reset signal generation circuit; a delay circuit; a comparator; a first capacitor; and a feed back circuit. The signal input terminal is inputted with a pulse width modulation signal. The D flip-flop circuit includes a clock terminal, an output terminal, and a reset terminal. The reset signal generation circuit is configured to input a reset signal generated in synchronization with the pulse width modulation signal to the reset terminal at a first time. The delay circuit is configured to delay the pulse width modulation signal. The feedback circuit includes a current source having a control terminal. The feedback circuit is configured to change one of charge rise time and discharge fall time in response to the signal of the comparator to control duty cycle of the signal of the comparator. |
| US09077349B2 |
Automatic detection and compensation of frequency offset in point-to-point communication
Systems and methods for automatic detection and compensation of frequency offset in point-to-point communication. A burst mode clock and data recovery (CDR) system comprises input data received at a first frequency and a reference clock operating at a second frequency. A master phase-locked loop (PLL) comprising a first gated voltage controlled oscillator (GVCO) is configured to align the phases of reference clock and the input data, and provide phase error information and a recovered clock. A second GVCO is controlled by the recovered clock to sample the input data. A frequency alignment loop comprising a feedback path from the second GVCO to the master PLL is configured to use the phase error information to correct a frequency offset between the first frequency and the second frequency. |
| US09077348B1 |
Fractional clock generator
Various embodiments of the invention allow the generation of an output clock signal that comprises a frequency that is a fractional frequency of an input clock signal and is adjusted with respect to an input signal. A fractional clock generator that has high performance output, low power consumption, small area, and good jitter performance is presented. |
| US09077345B2 |
Capacitive sensing apparatus
A capacitive sensing apparatus is described that incorporates a light guide having a light scattering means for illumination of the apparatus. The apparatus has a capacitive sensor mounted on a substrate that provides a capacitive sensing area for generating an electric field that emanates from the apparatus. A light source is arranged in optical communication with the light scattering means via the light guide. This arrangement acts to mitigate the effects of interference between the capacitive sensor and the light source. When an opaque substrate is employed an air gap is located between the substrate and the light guide so as to provide a substantially uniform illumination across the light guide. Appropriate selection of the refractive indices of the light guide, ng, and a transparent substrate, ns, provides the same desired uniform illumination in alternative embodiments. The capacitive sensing apparatus finds particular application within a touch sensitive display. |
| US09077343B2 |
Sensing floor for locating people and devices
A sensing floor to locate people and devices is described. In an embodiment, the sensing floor (or sensing surface), is formed from a flexible substrate on which a number of distributed sensing elements and connections between sensing elements are formed in a conductive material. In an example, these elements and connections may be printed onto the flexible substrate. The sensing floor operates in one or more modes in order to detect people in proximity to the floor. In passive mode, the floor detects signals from the environment, such as electric hum, which are coupled into a sensing element when a person stands on the sensing element. In active mode, one sensing element transmits a signal which is detected in another sensing element when a person bridges those two elements. In hybrid mode, the floor switches between passive and active mode, for example, on detection of a person in passive mode. |
| US09077342B2 |
Circuit assembly for processing an electrical signal of a microphone
A circuit assembly for processing an electrical signal of a microphone is provided. The microphone has an inherent impedance. The circuit assembly comprises an impedance circuit, a signal processing unit, a first electrical signal path, and a second electrical signal path. The first electrical signal path is coupleable to a first electrical output of the microphone and is furthermore coupled to a first input of the signal processing unit. The second electrical signal path is coupleable to a second electrical output of the microphone and is furthermore coupled to a second input of the signal processing unit via the impedance circuit. An impedance value of the impedance circuit is selected based on an impedance value of the inherent impedance of the microphone. |
| US09077339B2 |
Robust flexible logic unit
A robust flexible logic unit (FLU) is targeted to be primarily, but not exclusively, used as an embedded field programmable gate array (EFPGA). The unit is comprised of a plurality of programmable building block tiles arranged in an array of columns and rows of tiles, and programmed by downloading a bit stream, done tile by tile and column by column, using latches that are sequentially programmed and locked using a lock bit as part of the bit stream provided. A scheme of odd and even clocks prevent latch transparency and ensures that once data has arrived at its destination it is properly locked, not to be unintentionally overwritten. The robust FLU is further equipped with cyclic redundancy check capabilities to provide indication of faulty column configuration. |
| US09077335B2 |
Reduction of the inductance of power loop and gate loop in a half-bridge converter with vertical current loops
A half bridge circuit including an isolation substrate, a metal layer on one surface of the isolation substrate, a power loop substrate on the metal layer, an upper switch on the power loop substrate, a lower switch on the power loop substrate and coupled to the upper switch, a capacitor on the power loop substrate and coupled to the upper switch, a first via through the power loop substrate and coupled between the lower switch and the metal layer, and a second via through the power loop substrate and coupled between the capacitor and the metal layer, wherein the power loop substrate has a height and separates the metal layer from the upper switch, lower switch and capacitor by the height. |
| US09077330B2 |
Serializer circuitry for high-speed serial data transmitters on programmable logic device integrated circuits
Serializer circuitry for high-speed serial data transmitter circuitry on a programmable logic device (“PLD”) or the like includes circuitry for converting parallel data having any of several data widths to serial data. The circuitry can also operate at any frequency in a wide range of frequencies, and can make use of reference clock signals having any of several relationships to the parallel data rate and/or the serial data rate. The circuitry is configurable/re-configurable in various respects, at least some of which configuration/re-configuration can be dynamically controlled (i.e., during user-mode operation of the PLD). |
| US09077328B1 |
Method and apparatus for reference-less repeater with digital control
Reference-less repeating circuits provide significant advantages over repeating circuits requiring external frequency references. These repeating circuits eliminate the need for external frequency references provide significant power, layout, and physical isolation advantages. Digitally controlled reference-less repeating circuits have a relatively narrow frequency detection range, but typically consume significantly less power than analog repeating circuits while providing data rate flexibility, particularly at lower data rates. Due to the narrow frequency detection range of digitally controlled reference-less repeating circuits, efficient frequency estimation techniques allow these circuits to quickly lock to an input signal, and provide an accurate repeated output signal. |
| US09077326B2 |
Continuous time counter
A continuous time counter and method of counting are provided, comprising a sequence of adding stages which build up the output based on the inputs by progressively adding new values to opposite ends of an output stack. The counter provides for fast and reliable continuous time counting operations. |
| US09077325B2 |
Digital slew rate limiter
A circuit may include a detector, an approximator, a look-up table, a scaler, and an integrator. The detector may generate a first difference signal and a second different signal based on an input and an output. The approximator may generate, using a one's complement operation, an index based on approximated modulus values of the first difference signal and the second difference signal. The look-up table may select one of a plurality of scaling factors based upon the index. The scaler may adjust the first difference signal and the second difference signal based on the selected scaling factor. The integrator may generate the output based on the adjusted first difference signal and the adjusted second difference signal. |
| US09077323B1 |
Latched comparator circuitry
Integrated circuits having analog-to-digital converters are provided. Analog-to-digital converters may contain latched comparators. A latched comparator may include inputs configured to receive a differential input voltage signal, a differential reference voltage signal, and a clock signal. The comparator may include a preamplifier, a latching circuit, a level shifter, and a flip-flop coupled in series. The preamplifier may include large input transistors for minimizing offset, stacked tail transistors, and diode-connected load transistors for minimizing kickback noise. The preamplifier may be used to generate amplified voltage signals. The latching circuit may include a first pair of cross-coupled pull-down transistors, a second pair of cross-coupled pull-up transistors, and precharge transistors. The precharge transistors may serve to precharge the latch output to a predetermined voltage level during a first clock phase, whereas the first and second transistor pairs may serve to perform exponential regeneration on the amplified voltage signals during a second clock phase. |
| US09077321B2 |
Variable amplitude signal generators for generating a sinusoidal signal having limited direct current (DC) offset variation, and related devices, systems, and methods
Embodiments disclosed include variable amplitude signal generators for generating a sinusoidal signal having limited direct current (DC) offset variation and related devices and methods. Instead of employing a single pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to generate a sinusoidal signal, in one embodiment, a circuit is provided that generates two PWM signals. The first PWM signal is a high-to-low PWM signal, where the active state is a lower signal level. The second PWM signal is a low-to-high PWM signal where active state is a higher signal level. The first and second PWM signals are combined to provide a summed signal, which is filtered to generate a sinusoidal signal. The DC offset of the first PWM signal varies inversely to the DC offset of the second PWM signal. In this manner, distortions caused by variations in the DC offset present in the generated sinusoidal signal are limited (i.e., reduced or eliminated). |
| US09077320B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing offset adjustment upon dynamic comparator
An offset adjustment circuit of a dynamic comparator has a detection unit and a control unit. The detection unit detects whether a comparator offset possessed by the dynamic comparator is deviated from a target offset setting, and accordingly generates a detection result. The control unit adjusts a voltage setting of at least one input received by the dynamic comparator when the detection result indicates that the comparator offset is deviated from the target offset setting. |
| US09077317B2 |
Method and apparatus for automatically tuning an impedance matrix, and radio transmitter using this apparatus
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for automatically tuning an impedance matrix, for instance the impedance matrix seen by the power amplifiers of a radio transmitter using a plurality of antennas simultaneously, and to a radio transmitter using this apparatus. An apparatus for automatically tuning an impedance matrix has 4 user ports and 4 target ports, and comprises: 4 sensing units; a signal processing unit, the signal processing unit estimating real quantities depending on the impedance matrix presented by the user ports, using the sensing unit output signals obtained for 4 different excitations applied successively to the user ports; a multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit comprising adjustable impedance devices; and a tuning control unit delivering tuning control signals to the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit, the reactance of each of the adjustable impedance devices being mainly determined by one or more of the tuning control signals. |
| US09077315B2 |
Inverse signal transformation
This application presents a direct data recovery from subspaces or parameters subranges of a received OFDM signal pre-identified as corresponding to specific data symbols, by applying inverse signal transformation (IST) reversing deterministic and random distortions introduced by a transmission channel. The direct data recovery can eliminate an intermediate recovery of signal transmitted originally from the received OFDM signal and reduce processing errors, power consumption and computing resources required by such intermediate recovery in conventional receivers. |
| US09077309B2 |
System and method for wideband high current RF choke network
A high current RF choke network comprising a high current RF choke combined with an all-pass T-bridge filter. The high current RF choke may be connected to a grounded capacitor in the serial branch of the all-pass filter. In this case the parasitic capacitance of the RF choke practically becomes an integral part of the all-pass filter capacitor. The added capacitance in parallel to the parasitic capacitance of the high current RF choke practically neutralizes the resonances of the high current RF choke and thus extends significantly the operating frequency range of the network. The operating frequencies bandwidth range of the high current RF choke network is extended from the legacy range of 5 MHz to 1 GHz up to an extended range of at least 5 MHz to 3 GHz. |
| US09077308B2 |
Method for manufacturing a quartz crystal unit, quartz crystal oscillator and electronic apparatus
In a method for manufacturing a quartz crystal unit, a metal film is formed on a quartz crystal wafer which is then etched to form a quartz crystal tuning fork resonator having first and second tines vibratable in flexural and fundamental modes. A groove is chemically etched in a first main surface of both tines such that a first surface of the groove is opposite a first side surface of the corresponding tine. The width of the groove is greater than a distance in the width direction from the groove first surface to the first side surface of the corresponding tine. An electrode is formed on each groove first surface and on the first side surface of both tines with the electrode on the groove first surface of the first tine having the same electrical polarity as the electrode on the first side surface of the second tine. |
| US09077302B2 |
Amplifier for a wireless receiver
Amplifier (6) for a wireless receiver, the amplifier comprising a voltage amplifier module having a voltage gain switchable between a first voltage gain value and a second voltage gain value higher than the first gain value, and a resistance module having a resistance switchable between a first resistance value and a second resistance value higher than the first resistance value, an output of the voltage amplifier module being connected to an input of the resistance module, the amplifier further comprising a set of switches configured to set the voltage gain value and the resistance value, the amplifier being operable in:—a nominal mode of operation in which the voltage gain value is set to the second voltage gain value, the resistance value being set to the second resistance value, and—a high linearity mode of operation in which the voltage gain value is set to the first voltage gain value to improve linearity of the amplifier, the resistance value being set to the first resistance value to have the same ratio of the voltage gain value to the resistance value as in the nominal mode of operation. |
| US09077301B2 |
Nanovolt amplifier design
A circuit can include operational amplifier having a first input, a second input, and an output, first and second resistors in series between the output of the op-amp and a ground, and multiple switches configurable to toggle the circuit between a positive phase and a negative phase. |
| US09077298B2 |
Sampling circuit, communication device, distortion correction circuit, signal sampling method, and program
A sampling circuit samples a transmission signal containing a particular transmission signal transmitted in a regular and intermittent transmission pattern. The sampling circuit includes a sampling processing unit that performs a sampling process that samples the transmission signal; a determination unit that determines whether the sampling process has been successfully or unsuccessfully performed; and a sampling control unit that sets up sampling acquisition intervals for the sampling processing unit in which the intervals differ depending on whether the sampling process is successfully or unsuccessfully, the sampling processing unit performing the sampling process based on the sampling acquisition interval that has been set up by the sampling control unit. |
| US09077295B2 |
Class D amplification device
A controller 103 that conducts various controls corresponding to input information selects target voltage information and target dead time information corresponding to input audio signal level information from data table information, outputs the target voltage information to a variable power supply unit 104, and outputs the target dead time information associated with the target voltage information to a dead time generator 105, to thereby set an output supply voltage and a dead time corresponding to an input audio signal level in a half bridge circuit 107. Accordingly, there can be provided a class D amplification device that can minimize the dead time and reduce distortion while suppressing the amount of heat generation caused by a through-current. |
| US09077290B2 |
Low-noise amplifier with impedance boosting circuit
A low-noise amplifier (300) is provided which comprises an input circuit (301) configured to operate with a variable bias current and an impedance boosting circuit (314) electrically connected to the input circuit (301). The impedance boosting circuit (314) comprises at least one switch (316) and at least one tail inductor (318) electrically connected with the at least one switch (316). The low-noise amplifier (300) is configured to activate the impedance boosting circuit (314) if the variable bias current is reduced, and the impedance boosting circuit (314) is configured to increase the input impedance of the low-noise amplifier (300) if the impedance boosting circuit (314) is activated. |
| US09077281B2 |
Oscillator circuit
The oscillator circuit 10 comprises a crystal oscillator 20, a transistor 30, whose base is connected to the crystal oscillator 10, a first resonance circuit 40 that is between the emitter of the transistor 30 and the ground, the first resonance circuit 40 having a first inductor 42 and a first capacitor 44, a second resonance circuit 50 that is between the emitter and the ground, the second resonance circuit 50 having a second inductor 52 and a second capacitor 54, and a third capacitor 60 that is between the base and the emitter. The first resonance frequency of the first resonance circuit 40 is higher than the overtone frequency of the main oscillation of the crystal oscillator 20, and the second resonance frequency of the second resonance circuit 50 is lower than the overtone frequency of main oscillation of the crystal oscillator 20. |
| US09077278B2 |
AC motor control apparatus
A motor control circuit calculates, based on a sensed current of a sensor phase sensed by a current sensor, an estimated current of the other phase and calculates a d-axis and a q-axis estimated currents based on the sensed current of the sensor phase and the estimated current of the other phase. The motor control circuit further calculates a d-axis and a q-axis command voltages based on the estimated currents thereby to control power supply to the AC motor. When the sensed current of the sensor phase is 0 [A], the command voltages are fixed and the estimated current is interpolated. Thus, variations of the command voltages caused by an error in the estimated current are reduced and a rapid change in the estimated current is reduced. |
| US09077275B2 |
Rotor position estimating device, electric motor control system and rotor position estimating method
A rotor position estimating device includes a voltage application unit, a current detecting unit and an estimating unit. The voltage application unit is configured to apply a d-axis voltage to an electric motor including a salient-pole rotor during a stop of the electric motor. The current detecting unit is configured to detect a q-axis current flowing through the electric motor at the time when the d-axis voltage is applied. The estimating unit is configured to estimate a rotor position during a stop of the electric motor on the basis of the q-axis current detected by the current detecting unit. The voltage application unit is configured to set a voltage application time in correspondence with peak timing at which the q-axis current reaches a peak in a transitional response characteristic of the q-axis current at the time when the d-axis voltage is applied. |
| US09077272B2 |
Slewing-type working machine
A slewing-type working machine includes: an electric storage device capable of being charged with regenerative electric power for regenerating slewing energy of an upper slewing body while functioning as an electric power source for an electric slewing motor; an electric storage device and electric storage device controller detecting whether the electric storage device is under a normal condition with sufficient capacity to regenerate the slewing energy or under an abnormal condition without sufficient capacity; and a controller controlling a velocity of the electric slewing motor based on a result of detection by the electric storage device and electric storage device controller, wherein the controller performs a velocity limiting control for limiting a maximum velocity of the electric slewing motor when the electric storage device is under the abnormal condition. |
| US09077263B2 |
Device and method for emulating an actuator
A device for emulating at least one first actuator has at least one electric network connected to at least one control electronic circuit. The electric network is operatively connected to at least one second actuator by at least one first control and/or regulating unit. At least one first parameter of the electric network can be changed by the first control so that the technical characteristics of the emulation device match those of a device that is to be emulated. |
| US09077262B2 |
Cascaded switching power converter for coupling a photovoltaic energy source to power mains
A cascaded switching power converter for coupling a photovoltaic (PV) energy source to power mains provides a high-efficiency and a potentially simple control mechanism for AC solar energy conversion systems. The PV energy source charges a capacitive storage element through a DC-DC converter, and an inverter couples energy from the capacitive storage element to the mains supply. The DC-DC converter is controlled so that ripple present on the capacitive storage element due to current drawn by the inverter is not reflected at the input of the DC-DC converter, which is accomplished by varying the conversion ratio of the DC-DC converter with the ripple voltage present across the capacitor. The average voltage of the capacitor can also be increased with increases in the available power output from the PV energy source, so that a corresponding increase in power is transferred to the mains supply. |
| US09077261B2 |
Wireless power transmission system and power transmitter
A wireless power transmission system includes: a power transmitting section that converts DC energy input from a DC energy source into AC energy of a frequency f0; a transmitting antenna; and a receiving antenna. The power transmitting section includes: a class-E oscillator circuit including a switching element and a capacitor which are connected in parallel to the DC energy source, for converting the DC energy into the AC energy; and a switching control section that inputs a control signal for controlling a conduction state of the switching element to the switching element. The switching control section switches the switching element from a non-conductive state to a conductive state when a preset time period has elapsed or when a potential difference across the switching element takes a local minimum value after the switching element is switched from the conductive state to the non-conductive state. |
| US09077253B2 |
Control integrated circuit for a power transistor of a switching current regulator
An integrated circuit controls a switch of a switching current regulator. The current regulator includes primary and secondary windings where a first and a second current flow, respectively. The switch is adapted to initiate or interrupt the circulation of the first current in the primary winding. The control integrated circuit includes a comparator configured to compare a first signal representative of the first current to a second signal and a divider circuit configured to generate the second signal as a ratio of a third signal, proportional to a voltage on the primary winding, with a voltage on a capacitor. The capacitor is charged by a further current controlled by the third signal when the second current is different from zero. The capacitor is discharged through a parallel-connected resistor when the value of said second current is substantially zero. |
| US09077250B2 |
Constant current control units and control methods thereof for primary side control
Herein is disclosed a constant current control unit and a control method, for a switched mode power supply with primary side control. The switched mode power supply comprises a power switch and an inductive device. A reflective voltage of the inductive device is detected to generate a feedback voltage signal. By delaying the feedback voltage signal, a delayed signal is generated. According to the feedback voltage and the delayed signal, a discharge time of the inductive device is determined when the power switch is OFF. According to the discharge time and a current-sense signal, a maximum average output current of the switched mode power supply is stabilized. The current-sense signal represents a current flowing through the inductive device. |
| US09077249B2 |
Power controller and power management control method
A power controller includes a clock generator, a low-frequency clock generator, and a protection circuit. The clock generator provides a clock signal with a clock frequency for periodically switching on and off a power switch. The low-frequency clock generator provides a low-frequency clock signal with a frequency lower than the clock frequency. The protection circuit includes an over-power detection circuit and a logic circuit. The over-power detection circuit determines whether an over power event has occurred according to a feedback signal controlled by an output voltage of the power supply. When the over power event lasts longer than an over power tolerance duration, the logic circuit isolates the power switch from the clock signal to keep the power switch turned off. The over power tolerance duration is equal to a predetermined clock cycles of the low-frequency clock signal. |
| US09077247B2 |
Circuit for controlling a power supply
A control circuit for controlling a power supply is revealed. The control circuit is used to generate a switching signal for switching the power supply. The control circuit has a detection terminal for detecting a status of the power supply. A first protection circuit is coupled to the detection terminal and to receive a first detection signal via the detection terminal, and the first protection generates a limit signal in response to the first detection signal, for limiting output of the power supply. A second protection circuit is coupled to the detection terminal and to receive a detection signal via thereto, and the second protection generates a protecting signal, for cutting off the output of the power supply, in response to the first detection signal. A phase dividing circuit is coupled to the detection terminal, the first protection circuit and the second protection circuit, and to generate the first and second detection signal in response to the level of the switching signal, for achieving that two independently adjusted protection circuit are detected by one pin of an integrated circuit (IC) to prevent the IC from increasing of the pin amount. It further reduces the occupied area of the IC. |
| US09077245B2 |
AC powered logic circuits and systems including same
AC powered logic circuits and systems including same are disclosed. According to one aspect, a system including a logic circuit powered using an alternating current (AC) power source includes at least one supply transistor connected to receive voltages of opposite phases from an AC power source such that the at least one supply transistor is strongly on during a first phase of the voltage of the AC power source and is strongly off during a second phase opposite the first phase of the voltage of the AC power source and at least one logic circuit connected to be powered by the AC power source through the at least one supply transistor and producing an output at an output terminal responsive to an input received at an input terminal. |
| US09077241B2 |
DC/DC converter cell and circuit with feedback capability, and method for its operation
A DC/DC converter circuit having feedback capability with a first converter device whose two inputs form the inputs of the DC/DC converter circuit and can be connected to a DC voltage source. The DC/DC converter circuit has a DC voltage-coupled second converter device whose outputs form the outputs of the DC/DC converter circuit and can be connected to a DC voltage sink, wherein the second converter device is in the form of a DC/DC converter cell or of a DC/DC converter cell arrangement having two DC/DC converter cells. |
| US09077231B2 |
Motor
The axial direction of a worm wheel is defined as a motor short-transverse direction, and a plane orthogonal to the motor short-transverse direction is defined as a motor flat plane. An imaginary plane contacting a first end of a sensor magnet in a motor short-transverse direction and parallel with the flat plane is defined as a first imaginary plane. An imaginary plane contacting a second end of the sensor magnet in the motor short-transverse direction and parallel with the flat plane is defined as a second imaginary plane. A control circuit board is provided with a rotation detecting element that detects rotation of the rotary shaft of the motor. The control circuit board is arranged to be parallel with or inclined relative to the flat plane, and is provided between the first and second imaginary planes. |
| US09077222B2 |
In-wheel motor drive assembly
This air-cooled type in-wheel motor drive assembly 21 includes a lubrication oil circuit for lubricating a speed reduction unit B by allowing lubrication oil discharged from a lubrication oil pump 51 to flow through interconnected oil passages 54, 55, 56 provided to a casing 22, motor-rotary-shaft oil passage 57, speed-reduction-unit input-shaft oil passage 58 and interior of the speed reduction unit B, and for cooling a motor unit A and the speed reduction unit B with the lubrication oil cooled with the aid of outer fins 22f while flowing through the oil passages 54, 55, 56 provided to the casing. |
| US09077220B2 |
Pipeline turbine generator
A pipeline turbine generator for generating electric power from fluid flowing in a pipeline, the pipeline associated with, and downstream of, a wellhead, and either the pipeline including a valve proximate a chemical injection pump for the pipeline or including secondary piping inserted into the fluid line between the wellhead and a downstream facility, the secondary piping in fluid communication with the turbine and creating a secondary fluid flow path for the turbine. |
| US09077219B2 |
Electromechanical limited rotation rotary actuator
An electromechanical limited rotation rotary actuator comprises a stator having an aperture extending axially therein and at least two teeth having arcuate end portions forming an aperture. A rotor includes a diametral magnetized magnet bidirectionally operable with the stator and extending into the aperture. A non-uniform gap is formed between the magnet and the end portions of the teeth, and wherein the shape of the gap provides a restoration torque resulting in a spring-like return-to-center action of the rotor. An electrical coil extends around at least a portion of one tooth and is excitable for magnetizing the tooth and providing bidirectional torque to the rotor. |
| US09077215B2 |
Rotary electric machine
A rotary electric machine according to an aspect of an embodiment includes a detector and a brake. The detector is provided at the counter-load side of a shaft for rotating along with a rotor to drive a predetermined load and detects the rotation position of the shaft. The brake is exchangeably provided at the outer circumferential side of the detector to control the rotation of the shaft. |
| US09077213B2 |
Heat dissipation fan and stator thereof
An exemplary heat dissipation fan includes a rotor and a stator. The rotor includes a hub, a central shaft extending down from a top end of the hub, the shaft having a free end far from the top end of the hub. A magnetic element attached to an inner periphery of the hub. The stator includes a stator core consisting layers of yokes, two insulation frames mounted at two opposite ends of the stator core and a coil wound around the insulation frames. An outer surface of the stator faces and is spaced from an inner surface of the magnetic element of the rotor with a clearance defined therebetween. A width of a bottom end of the clearance adjacent to the free end of the shaft being smaller than a width of a top end of the clearance. |
| US09077208B2 |
Method of detecting instability in islanded electrical systems
Systems and methods for evaluating the stability of an islanded electrical system (off-grid) using high-speed frequency measurements of the electrical signal supplied by an alternate power source in the islanded electrical system. Additional inputs may include status signals from an automatic transfer switch, a generator, and loads within the islanded electrical system. The high-speed frequency measurements have a resolution sufficient to enable analysis of any combination of the frequency magnitude (e.g., sudden increase), frequency slew rate (e.g., frequency rate of change), frequency rate of recovery (e.g., frequency recovery time), or frequency oscillations (e.g., frequency ringing around the nominal value before settling) to indicate the presence of an actual or impending instability of the islanded electrical system. The frequency referred to herein corresponds to the frequency at which an alternating current supplied by the alternate power source is cycling. |
| US09077206B2 |
Method and system for activating and deactivating an energy generating system
A method for activating a local converter for one of a plurality of energy generating devices in an energy generating array is provided. The local converter includes a power stage and a local controller. The method includes comparing a device voltage for the energy generating device to a voltage activation level. The local converter is automatically activated when the device voltage exceeds the voltage activation level. |
| US09077205B2 |
Auxiliary equipment system and method of operating the same
An auxiliary equipment system includes at least one auxiliary load bus configured to receive electric power having a voltage within a first voltage tolerance range. The auxiliary equipment system also includes at least one electric power supply conduit coupled to at least one electric power source. The electric power supply conduit is configured to transmit electric power having a voltage within a second voltage tolerance range. The second voltage tolerance range is greater than the first voltage tolerance range. The auxiliary equipment system further includes at least one controlled series transformer coupled to the auxiliary load bus and to the electric power supply conduit. The controlled series transformer is configured to receive electric power having a voltage within the second voltage tolerance range and transmit electric power having a voltage within the first voltage tolerance range. |
| US09077204B2 |
Dispatchable renewable energy generation, control and storage facility
The present invention includes a system and method for generating, controlling and storing dispatchable renewable energy. The system may include one or more wind power generation facilities and one or more solar power generation facilities to generate power that can be stored by one or more storage facilities. The power can be supplied to a power grid at a level determined by actual or predicted weather conditions, based on variable power demands. The power generated by the renewable energy sources may be combined with power generated by conventional power generation facilities to provide power in a dispatchable manner. |
| US09077198B2 |
Battery charging method and circuit
A method and apparatus for controlling a composite battery charger including a switching regulator and a linear charger charging a battery connected to it, whereby the switching regulator provides the supply voltage for the linear charger and Device Circuits. The control method and circuit fully turns on the pass device of the linear charger in a constant current operating mode and the switching regulator is controlled to maintain a constant charge current through the pass device while also supplying device current to the Device Circuits. The device current may vary. The method and circuit limits the dissipation of the pass device of the linear charger by reducing the supply voltage as a function of the charge current in the CC/CV transition region of the battery charger and by reducing the charge current as a function of the battery voltage if the battery voltage is below a predetermined value related to a predetermined minimum supply voltage value. |
| US09077195B2 |
Input-output circuit
A power supply detection circuit detects power feeding to a VBUS terminal from the outside. A charger detection circuit specifies the kind of charger by detecting the voltages of a DP terminal and a DM terminal. The charger detection circuit detects open, pull-up, pull-down of at least one of the DP terminal and the DM terminal or formation of a short circuit between both the terminals. |
| US09077190B2 |
Power switch with reverse current blocking capability
A switching circuit controls the flow of current between its input and output in accordance with the state of a control signal applied to the circuit. When the control signal is in a first state and the voltage applied to the input is higher than the voltage at the output, the circuit provides a low resistance path between its input and output terminals thereby enabling current to flow from the input to the output. When the control signal is in the first state and the voltage at the output is higher than the voltage at the input, the circuit inhibits current flow from the output to the input. When the control signal is in a second state, the circuit is turned off thus inhibiting current flow between the input and the output. |
| US09077186B2 |
Power supply device
A power supply device includes a plurality of power supply units connected in parallel, and includes a positive electrode-side junction formed by the joining of positive electrode-side terminals of the plurality of power supply units and a negative electrode-side junction formed by the joining of negative electrode-side terminals of the plurality of power supply units. Each of the plurality of power supply units includes a battery unit, and a first relay that is provided between one of the positive and negative electrode-side junctions and the battery unit and is electrically disconnectably connected in series to the battery unit. Each of the plurality of power supply units includes a resistive element of which one end is connected between the first relay, which is connected to one of a positive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal of the battery unit, and the battery unit. |
| US09077182B2 |
Method for estimating state of charge for lithium-ion batteries
A state of charge (SoC) a lithium-ion (Li+) battery is estimated at a time instant by first constructing a battery model of the Li+ battery based on a single particle operation. The battery model describes a relationship between the SoC, a charge current, a discharge current, and an output voltage of the Li+ battery. Using a nonlinear optimization, a function expressing a relationship between the SoC and an open circuit voltage of the Li+ battery is determined. The relationship is based on off-line measurements of the charge current, the discharge current, and the open-circuit voltage of the Li+ battery. Then, the SoC and parameters of the battery model are estimated concurrently, wherein the SoC and the parameters are estimated based on the battery model, the function, and on-line measurements of the charge current, the discharge current, and the output voltage. |
| US09077180B2 |
Phase locking system for three-phase alternating current electric grid and method thereof
A phase locking system for a three-phase alternating current (AC) electric grid and a method thereof are disclosed. The method includes: receiving a three-phase voltage of the AC electric grid and converting the three-phase voltage to a two-phase voltage signal, each of which including a positive and a negative sequence components; obtaining a pure positive sequence component by subtracting the negative sequence component from the voltage signal of each phase and using αβ/dq coordinate transformation and low-pass filtering, and phase locking the pure positive sequence component; and obtaining an error signal by subtracting a disturbance variable and subsequently subtracting the positive sequence component from the voltage signal of each phase, wherein the disturbance variable includes the negative sequence component, and obtaining a signal including the negative sequence component by performing a α-β/d-q coordinate transformation on the error signal and adjusting the error signal through a regulator. |
| US09077179B2 |
System for recognizing type of battery management system and characteristics of battery cell
A battery pack includes a battery module including a battery cell and configured to perform a first identification function for enabling a device outside the battery module to recognize characteristics of the battery cell, and a battery management system for controlling operations of the battery cell and configured to perform a second identification function for enabling a device outside the battery management system to recognize a type of the battery management system. |
| US09077178B2 |
Protection circuitry for reversible connectors
An electronic device may include a connector port that accommodates reversible connector plugs. The connector port may include protection circuitry that protects other components in the electronic device from undesired power supply voltages. The protection circuitry may form a first branch and a second branch opposite to the first branch. The protection circuitry may receive control signals from power polarity detection circuitry. The power polarity detection circuitry may detect the presence of power supply voltages at the first branch and the second branch. In response to detecting the presence of a power supply voltage at a given branch, the power polarity detection circuitry may disable a power supply signal path through the opposite branch and enable a power supply signal path through the given branch. |
| US09077177B2 |
Portable ground fault circuit breaker
A portable ground fault circuit breaker includes a main housing. An interior housing in which moving and static contacts are disposed is disposed inside the main housing and includes a base and a base cover. The static contacts are hung in the interior housing. The moving contacts are disposed on an unbalancing moving contact frame. A trip lock is disposed at one end of the moving contact frame and connected to a fasten lock fulfilling the separation and connection of the moving and static contacts. A lower portion of the fasten lock penetrates the base to abut on a tripping solenoid disposed at an exterior bottom of the base. The solenoid and a main control circuit on a circuit board fulfill an electrical connection. A simple structure, a small bulk, use convenience, and a humanized appearance design are the effects. |
| US09077176B2 |
Flyback-based power conversion apparatus and power conversion method thereof
A flyback-based power conversion apparatus and a power conversion method thereof are provided. By switching first and second detection switches disposed in a control chip and coupled to a multi-function pin of the control chip at different timings, the present invention applies a collocation of a voltage-current detection auxiliary circuit and a current detection circuit at a certain timing to execute a detection of the AC input voltage received by a flyback power conversion circuit, and the present invention applies a collocation of the auxiliary voltage-current detection circuit, an over temperature protection unit and an over voltage protection unit at another timing to execute detections of an over temperature protection and an over voltage protection. As the result, a single multi-function detection pin of the control pin is corresponding to a plurality of related function detections, so as to reduce the production cost of manufacturing the control chip. |
| US09077171B2 |
Ground loss monitoring circuit and integrated circuit comprising the same
A reference voltage loss monitoring circuit having a first and second reference node. The reference nodes are connected to a voltage reference. A first connection device is connects the first reference node to the second reference node, and includes a first diode to allow a current flowing from the first reference node to the reference ground node and not conversely. The first diode includes a first main transistor. A second connection device connects the second reference node to the first reference node, and includes a second diode to allow a current flowing from the second reference node to first reference node and not conversely. The second diode includes a second main transistor. Each of the first and second connection devices further includes a secondary transistor mirrored with the main transistor of the connection devices. The secondary transistor has an output coupled to a diagnostic circuit, for delivering to the diagnostic circuit a signal indicative of a loss of voltage reference on a respective reference node. |
| US09077168B2 |
Differential mode signal transmission module
A differential mode signal transmission module includes a first section having an external connection end on which at least a pair of differential mode signal transmission terminals are formed and includes a grounding terminal, a first differential mode signal terminal, and a second differential mode signal terminal. The extension connection end of the first section forms a counterpart signal terminals corresponding to those of the external connection end. At least one first conductive connection line is formed on the first section. The conductive connection line connects the grounding terminal of the external connection end of the first section to a collective grounding point. The extension connection end of the first section is connected to an extension section. The extension section is further connected to a second section opposite to the first section. The extension section includes at least one slit line in order to form a bundled section. The first section, the second section, and the extension section include at least one fold line. |
| US09077165B2 |
Electrical accessories and associated methods of use and manufacture
Electrical accessories and associated methods of use and manufacture are shown and described. In one example embodiment, a system includes a plurality of electrical junction boxes. Each electrical junction box includes at least one wall with a pair of spaced-apart holes, wherein the holes are sized and shaped to receive a pair of corresponding mounting devices. The system also includes at least one mounting bracket. The mounting bracket includes a pair of spaced-apart mounting devices, wherein the mounting devices are sized and shaped to protrude through the pair of corresponding spaced-apart holes in the plurality of electrical junction boxes. At least one of the plurality of electrical junction boxes is maintained in a relative stationary position with respect to the at least one bracket when the pair of spaced-apart mounting devices protrudes through the respective pair of spaced-apart holes in the wall of the at least one electrical junction box. |