| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09248038B2 |
Methods for retaining a gastro-esophageal implant
Various methods and devices are described for retaining a medical implant within a body cavity. According to one aspect, at least a portion of a medical implant is positioned within a body cavity, and a wall of the body cavity is re-shaped such that the re-shaped wall prevents migration of the medical implant out of the body cavity. The re-shaped body wall may form a tissue pocket, tunnel, or other barrier against migration of the implant. |
| US09248033B2 |
Adjustable socket system
An adjustable socket system is configured to accommodate a residual limb. The adjustable socket system has first and second opposed sides and includes a rigid first component arranged along the first side of the socket. An adjustable second component has a plurality of interconnected vertebrae elements connected to the first component and is arranged along the second side of the socket system. The adjustable prosthetic socket also has a base connector secured to the distal end area of the first component. |
| US09248031B2 |
Control of a passive prosthetic knee joint with adjustable damping
The invention relates to the control of a passive prosthetic knee joint with adjustable damping in the direction of flexion such that a prosthetic unit attached to the knee joint can be adapted for climbing stairs. |
| US09248028B2 |
Removable, bone-securing cover plate for intervertebral fusion cage
A secondary cover plate that contacts a stand-alone fusion cage without rigidly connecting to the cage, and instead only docks against the cage (or passes through a fixation cage) and is secured into the adjacent bone. The secondary cover plate is the last item that would be added to the fixation cage construct and would at least partially cover the head of one or more angled screws. The secondary cover plate could slidably engage the fixation cage without permanently snapping into any features of the cage itself. The secondary cover plate would then be final positioned by advancing into one or more adjacent vertebral bodies. The secondary cover plate advancing step could be achieved by tapping it into place (into bone) or rotating it into place (into bone) so that it is finally secured into the bone. |
| US09248015B2 |
Production of tissue engineered heart valves
The invention is directed to methods for preparing artificial heart valves by preconditioning a matrix seeded with endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells differentiated from isolated progenitor cells. These cell seeded matrices are exposed to fluid conditions that mimic blood flow through the heart to produce tissue engineered heart valves that are analogous to native heart valves. |
| US09248012B2 |
Mesh based fluid delivery prosthesis and method of use
A fluid delivery system is used for the treatment of subcutaneous hernia sites and includes a bioabsorbable polymer fabric mesh layer and a bioabsorbable and permeable bladder attached to the upper side of the fabric mesh layer. Fluid from the bladder is diffused through pores communicating between the bladder and the fabric mesh layer so as to be dispersed to underlying tissue. |
| US09248011B2 |
Surgical implant and methods of use
A method of treating a vaginal prolapse is provided. The method includes accessing a vaginal prolapse, inserting an implant comprising a knitted mesh into a patient, and securing the knitted mesh in place such that the implant supports the pelvic floor of the patient. The knitted mesh has a mass density of less than 20 g/m2. |
| US09248009B2 |
Medical cleaning kit
A kit having a) a cleaning device, the cleaning device (1) including an elongated base member (2) formed of at least two wires (3) being twisted with each other, and a plurality of bristles (4) fixed between the twisted wires (3) and extending away from the twisted wires (3), whereby the bristles (4) are positioned in a cleaning section (5) at a first end (6) of the base member (2); wherein the bristles (4) consist of titanium or a titanium alloy; and b) a container having a composition including ethylene diaminotetraacetic acid (EDTA) is disclosed. A method for cleaning and/or debriding and/or conditioning a biological mineralized surface and/or a biological soft tissue surface and/or a dental implant is also disclosed. Additionally, there is disclosed a method for preventing and/or treating a condition in a patient in need of such treatment. |
| US09248002B2 |
Method for aligning an acetabular cup
An alignment system for aligning an acetabular cup insertion instrument utilizes pre-operative preferably standing x-rays and intra-operative x-rays to allow the surgeon to compensate for the position of a patient on an operating room table. The system uses a programmable computer connected to a digital x-ray system and an navigation tracking system to provide input for calculating the inclination and anteversion angles of an acetabular cup impactor based on a pre-operative plan developed from the standing x-rays. The system calculates changes in lengths and angles between anatomic landmarks on the pelvis to alter the intra-operative orientation of the acetabular reaming and impacting instruments to produce the desired inclination and anteversion angles when the pelvis is reoriented as the patient is placed on an operating table. |
| US09248000B2 |
System for and method of visualizing an interior of body
A navigation system includes a display monitor, a CPU, and a camera, wherein the camera is mounted to a back side of the display monitor to form a monitor unit. One or more reference units are placed on a body while acquiring an image data set, and are tracked during a surgical operation by the monitor unit to register and correlate a position of a visual image of an exterior surface of the body with the image data set including information concerning internal structures of the body. The image data set is displayed on the display monitor superimposed in registration over the visible image of the exterior of the body with an angle of view and aperture in accordance with the actual position of the camera, whereby the display monitor displays the internal structures corresponding to the line-of-sight of the camera and the observer. |
| US09247999B2 |
Microscope device
A microscope device (100) includes a surgical microscope (20), a camera (30), connected to the surgical microscope (20), for sensing an object (200) imaged by the surgical microscope, a stand (10) carrying the surgical microscope (20) as well as the camera (30), an operating unit (50), spatially separated from the camera (30), for controlling device functions of the camera (30). The operating unit (30) includes a screen (40) for displaying activatable device functions (51) and a selection and activation means, embodied as an actuatable rotary/push operating means (60), for selecting and activating one of the device functions displayed. The operating unit (50) is set up such that by rotating the rotary/push operating means (60), one (52) of the displayed device functions is selected, and by pushing the rotary/push operating means (60), the selected device function (52) is activated. |
| US09247998B2 |
System and method for intra-operative leg position measurement
Systems, methods and computer program products are disclosed for medical navigational guidance systems. In one example, intra-operative leg position measurements are provided during hip arthroplasty. An optical sensor couples to a pelvis and a target couples to a femur in alignment with the sensor, which provides positional signals to a processing unit for determining a relative position of the sensor and target. The processing unit uses a baseline measurement of leg position and a map to calculate and display position measurements in real time. The map is defined through a registration range-of-motion procedure where instructions are presented to move the femur in at least two planes to generate signals to calculate the map. Leg position may be leg length, offset or anterior/posterior position. The map is used to present the leg position measurements in an anatomical, rather than a sensor, coordinate frame. |
| US09247995B2 |
Tattoo removal with two laser beams via multi-photon processes
A method for removing tattoos using two laser beams and a multi-photon process is disclosed. A 0.1 to 100 nsec pulse secondary laser beam focused to 108 W/cm2 creates a temporary channel from the skin surface to the tattoo pigment. A 100 fsec pulse main laser beam is then guided through the channel to the pigment and focused to sufficient intensity, i.e., 1012 W/cm2 or more, to initiate a multi-photon process that breaks up the pigment, disrupting its light reflecting properties. The channel allows the main laser beam unobstructed passage to the pigments, resulting in efficient use of the main laser. The pigment fragments escape through the temporary channel or diffuse into the blood stream. A suitably configured Ti/Sapphire laser beam is split into two components, with an uncompressed component used as the secondary laser beam, and a compressed component as the main laser beam. |
| US09247992B2 |
Microwave ablation catheter and method of utilizing the same
A microwave ablation catheter is provided. The microwave ablation catheter includes a coaxial cable connected at its proximal end to a microwave energy source and at its distal end to a distal radiating section. The coaxial cable includes inner and outer conductors and a dielectric positioned therebetween. The inner conductor extends distally past the outer conductor and is in sealed engagement with the distal radiating section. A balun is formed in part from a conductive material electrically connected to the outer conductor of the coaxial cable and extends along at least a portion of the coaxial cable. The conductive material has a braided configuration and is covered by at least one insulative material. |
| US09247990B2 |
Steerable sheath access device
The present invention relates to steerable access sheath assembly including at least one electrode. Moreover, the present invention relates to a steerable sheath access device for use in cardiovascular procedures. Embodiments of the present invention including steerable access sheaths or introducers may provide cardiovascular access for various ablation tools and devices for the performance of various ablation procedures or procedures involving alternate energy sources. |
| US09247988B2 |
Variable resistor jaw
A bipolar forceps for sealing tissue includes an end effector assembly having opposing first and second jaw members each having a proximal end and a distal end. A first electrically conductive surface having two or more conductive sealing plates and a dielectric layer is operably coupled to the first jaw member. Each sealing plate is connected to a reactive element and positioned along the first electrically conductive surface from the proximal end to the distal end. The reactive element of the sealing plate have different impedances. A second electrically conductive surface having one or more conductive sealing plates is operably coupled to the second jaw member. Each electrically conductive surface on the jaw members connects to a source of electrosurgical energy such that the sealing plates are capable of conducting energy through tissue held therebetween to effect a tissue seal. |
| US09247986B2 |
Surgical instrument with ultrasonic transducer having integral switches
An ultrasonic surgical device comprises a handle assembly, a shaft assembly, and a removable transducer module. The transducer module includes a waveguide, a locking mechanism, and an electronics assembly including at least one button. The handle assembly includes a trigger assembly configured to actuate the button(s) of the electronics assembly when the transducer module is coupled with the handle assembly. The shaft assembly engages the waveguide of the transducer module and is disposed at the distal end of the handle assembly. The distal end of the shaft assembly includes a harmonic blade. When assembled with the handle assembly, the transducer module is capable of providing ultrasonic energy to the harmonic blade. |
| US09247983B2 |
Medical instrument and method of use
A medical for removing tissue from a patient includes an elongated probe with a working end. A pair of jaws is provided at the working end. The jaws may be closed for cutting and treatment of the tissue. Cutting may be effective through a sharpened cutting blade, and RF cutting blade, and similar cutting edges. The tissue may be remodeled using heat generated from passive heating elements on the jaws, active heating elements on the jaws, a PTCR heating element carried by the jaws, or resistive heaters on the jaws. |
| US09247968B2 |
Spinous process implants and associated methods
The present invention provides spinous process implant and associated methods. In one aspect of the invention the implant limits the maximum spacing between the spinous processes. In another aspect of the invention, a spacer has at least one transverse opening to facilitate tissue in-growth. In another aspect of the invention, an implant includes a spacer and separate extensions engageable with the spacer. In another aspect of the invention, instrumentation for inserting the implant is provided. In other aspects of the invention, methods for treating spine disease are provided. |
| US09247963B2 |
Bone compression device and methods
Embodiments of the invention provide a bone compression device for fixing first and second bone fragments together. The device includes an elongated fastener threadedly receivable within an anchor and a lock movably positioned within the anchor bore to lock the fastener and anchor against relative rotation. The lock may include an externally threaded locking screw threadedly receivable within the anchor coaxial with the fastener shank. The locking screw can be advanced within the anchor bore to lock the position of the fastener shank portion within the anchor bore. Embodiments of the device may be inserted within first and second bores formed in two bone fragments and tightened to compress the two bone fragments together. |
| US09247960B2 |
Recovery and processing of human embryos formed in vivo
Among other things, uterine lavage is performed to withdraw at least 50% of in vivo fertilized preimplantation embryos produced after superovulation of a woman and artificial insemination using sperm of her sexual partner. After genetic diagnosis or sex determination or gene therapy, or any combination of any two or more of them, of the recovered embryos and selection of at least one of the embryos to be implanted, the selected embryos are returned to the woman for implantation in her uterus. |
| US09247950B2 |
Devices and methods for minimally invasive access to sinuses and treatment of sinusitis
The present invention provides minimally invasive devices and methods for accessing the sinuses and their surrounding structures for surgery and other treatments. The anterior ethmoid and maxillary sinuses are accessed and treated under minimal anesthesia with little or no postoperative limitation of activity or adverse symptoms. Direct visual verification of the sinuses and their natural ostia is utilized. Other paranasal sinuses may be treated by this method as well. The sinuses, in particular the maxillary and anterior ethmoid, are accessed via a direct anterior to posterior axis and the natural ostia of those sinuses is directly visualized for placement of a guide-free dilator, in the desired location within the natural ostia. That access to the maxillary ostium is accomplished by the anterior transuncinate “keyhole” approach in which a hole is punched in the uncinate process with the described devices according to the described methods. The properly placed dilator is expanded to allow drainage of the inflamed sinus and then withdrawn. An analogous ethmoid bulla “keyhole” approach and subsequent dilation are used for the anterior ethmoid sinus ostia. Pharmaceutical agents may be placed at desired locations in the sinuses using the same access technique. |
| US09247944B2 |
Vertebral scraper
A trialing and preparation system for preparing a disc space between two adjacent vertebrae is provided. The system includes a guide shaft, a trialing cage or spacer, a scraper and a driving shaft. The guide shaft supports the trialing spacer within the disc space and may include an angular adjustment for such access. The scraper sleeves over the guide shaft into an abutting relationship with the adjacent vertebrae. The driving shaft is coupled to the scraper by a pivoting and reciprocation mechanism that allows angular adjustment of the scraper. Also, reciprocation of the driving shaft reciprocates the scraper through a limited sweep of motion to remove osteophytes from the vertebrae. |
| US09247943B1 |
Devices and methods for preparing an intervertebral workspace
Tools adapted for spinal distraction are provided. More specifically, tools having an elongate shaft connected to a head portion are provided for imparting a force for displacing vertebral bodies. The tools may comprise features, such as textured surfaces or the ability to transmit pressure, for cleaning and preparing a spinal disc space for subsequent tools and procedures. A plurality or set of distraction tools is contemplated where the plurality of tools is made up of tools having various distinctions from one another. Such distinctions may be in the way of length, width, angle, and other geometric features or may comprise differences in materials or additional features. |
| US09247938B2 |
Suture fastening device
An apparatus is operable to secure suture fasteners to sutures to eliminate the need to tie knots in the sutures. The apparatus comprises a shaft, an end effector disposed at the distal end of the shaft, and a suture fastener removably secured to the end effector. The end effector may include a pivoting jaw or a suture cutter. The suture fastener may be secured to one, two, or more strands of suture. The apparatus may include several suture fasteners and may secure those fasteners to one or more sutures in a serial fashion without having to remove the apparatus from the patient for reloading. A plurality of fasteners may be arranged within the apparatus in an end-to-end configuration. The suture fastener may include an inner fastener member and an outer fastener member, and may capture one or more strands of suture between the inner and outer fastener members. |
| US09247937B2 |
Needle attachment for a surgical sewing instrument
A needle attachment for a surgical sewing instrument has a proximal-side connector for connecting to a sewing instrument. The needle attachment has a hollow shaft-like body which has a curved hollow needle on the distal side. A thread can be guided through the needle attachment. The cross-section of the curved hollow needle is oval. |
| US09247936B2 |
Suture leader
Methods and devices are provided for securing tissue to bone. In general, a suture leader can have leading and trailing ends, and an inner passageway configured to receive a strand of suture therein. More specifically, the trailing end of the leader can be configured to receive the strand of suture therein to form an overlapping region of suture leader and suture. When the suture is positioned in the leader, an outer diameter of the leading end of the leader can be less than an outer diameter of the over lapping region. The leader can have a lower bending stiffness than the suture so that the leader can be more easily folded into a bend. In certain aspects, the suture leader can be formed from a substantially flexible, braided material so that the leader can be configured to contract when a pulling force is applied to the leader. In another embodiment, the suture leader can have a pre-formed crease configured to mate with a threading tool. |
| US09247932B2 |
Retraction system for laparoscopic surgery
The present invention relates to a retraction system for laparoscopic surgery. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the retraction system includes: a retraction part for holding an object or tissue to be retracted; a retraction fiber control part for retracting the retraction part at the area to be retracted by means of a retraction fiber to fix the retraction part; and an abdominal wall fixer coupled to the retraction fiber control part, wherein the abdominal wall fixer is fixed to the abdominal wall. The retraction fiber control part includes: a retraction fiber control part body having a retraction hole through which the retraction fiber connected to the retraction part passes in the lower portion thereof; and a retraction fiber fixing part disposed outside the retraction fiber control part body so as to retract the retraction fiber or fix the retraction fiber such that the retraction fiber is immovable. |
| US09247930B2 |
Devices and methods for occluding or promoting fluid flow
Devices and methods for occluding or promoting fluid flow through openings are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment an occlusion device is provided having an expandable outer elongate tubular body, a guide member extending from a distal end of the outer body, and a slide tube disposed within the outer body, the proximal portions of the outer body and the slide tube being fixedly mated. The slide tube is configured to slide distally within the outer tubular body when the tubular body is expanded to form wings. A tether can be included as part of the device and it can be used to assist in positioning and locking a location of the device in an opening. Exemplary methods for delivering devices disclosed herein are also provided. |
| US09247929B2 |
Deflectable biopsy device
Disclosed is a deflectable biopsy device that includes a cannula having a preformed bend, wherein the shape of the cannula can be temporarily altered with the cannula returning to its original shape afterward. The deflectable biopsy device also includes a sampling member slidably disposed within the cannula and operable therewith to collect a tissue biopsy. |
| US09247924B2 |
Transmissive imaging and related apparatus and methods
Apparatus and methods are described that include ultrasound imaging devices, which may operate in a transmissive ultrasound imaging modality, and which may be used to detect properties of interest of a subject such as index of refraction, density and/or speed of sound. Devices suitable for performing high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), as well as HIFU and ultrasound imaging, are also described. |
| US09247921B2 |
Systems and methods of high frame rate streaming for treatment monitoring
Systems and techniques of treatment monitoring include acquiring channel data from each of a plurality of channels of a signal array over a plurality of frames, determining a reconstruction matrix based on a reconstruction operation to be performed on the channel data, applying the reconstruction matrix to the channel data to obtain reconstructed channel data, estimating displacement data representing displacement of an object over the frames from the reconstructed channel data; determining a conversion matrix based on a conversion operation to be performed on the reconstructed channel data, and applying the conversion matrix to the reconstructed channel data to obtain a displacement map. |
| US09247917B2 |
X-ray computed tomography apparatus
An X-ray tube and An X-ray detector are mounted on a gantry rotating unit. A gantry fixing unit supports the gantry rotating unit so as to allow it to rotate about a rotation axis. A cover covers the gantry rotating unit and the gantry fixing unit. At least one outlet for discharging air inside the gantry is formed in the cover at a position shifted from an area squaring facing the outer circumference of the gantry rotating unit along the rotation axis. At least one cooling fan is mounted on the gantry fixing unit so as to be located near at least one outlet, and sends air to at least one outlet. |
| US09247907B2 |
Garment with receptacle and electronic module
A garment includes a fabric portion with an electrode connected to the fabric portion and configured to engage a torso of the wearer. A receptacle is fixedly connected to the fabric portion and includes a receptacle housing, a socket defined by the receptacle housing, and an electrode lead, the electrode lead extending through the receptacle housing and providing an electrical connection between the electrode and the socket. An electronics module is configured to be removably inserted into the socket of the receptacle and contact the electrode lead. The electronics module includes a multi-component injection molded housing including a front face having a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is comprised of a relatively soft and resilient polymer material and the second portion is comprised of a relatively hard and rigid polymer material. |
| US09247906B2 |
Method and apparatus for detection of catheter location for intravenous access
A system is set forth for detection of catheter location for intravenous access, comprising a catheter having a light source for illuminating a needle tip thereof; and an infrared detector and image projector for simultaneously detecting image vasculature and the location of the needle tip below the surface of the skin and in response projecting an image onto the skin to reveal the location of the needle tip relative to the vasculature. |
| US09247905B2 |
Wide band field response measurement for glucose determination
A method and device for determining the glucose level in living tissue are based on measuring the response of the tissue an electric field as well as temperature measurements. In order to improve accuracy, it has been found that measurements in at least three frequency ranges between 1 kHz and 200 kHz, 0.2 MHz an 100 MHz as well as above 1 GHz should be combined since the response of the tissue in these different frequency ranges is ruled by differing mechanisms. |
| US09247903B2 |
Using affect within a gaming context
Mental state data is collected as a person interacts with a game machine. Analysis is performed on this data and mental state information and affect are shared across a social network. The affect of a person can be represented to the social network or gaming community in the form of an avatar. Recommendations can be based on the affect of the person. Mental states can be analyzed by web services which may, in turn, modify the game. |
| US09247902B2 |
Sterile sampling methods and apparatus
An apparatus and method that allow multiple samples of a liquid in a primary container (here called a ‘pouch’) to be taken with minimal danger of contaminating the liquid in the container during the sampling process are disclosed. In an embodiment, a closed sterile sight chamber is connected with the pouch in a sterile manner to allow fluid to flow into the chamber white at the same time allowing air within the chamber to be displaced through a bacterial fitter to atmosphere. The connection between the sight chamber and the pouch is then terminated (severed or closed), isolating the pouch from the sampling apparatus. Only then are samples of liquid withdrawn from the sight chamber, while allowing air to flow into the chamber through the bacterial filter. |
| US09247901B2 |
Systems and methods for replacing signal artifacts in a glucose sensor data stream
Systems and methods for minimizing or eliminating transient non-glucose related signal noise due to non-glucose rate limiting phenomenon such as interfering species, ischemia, pH changes, temperatures changes, known or unknown sources of mechanical, electrical and/or biochemical noise, and the like. The system monitors a data stream from a glucose sensor and detects signal artifacts that have higher amplitude than electronic or diffusion-related system noise. The system processes some or the entire data stream continually or intermittently based at least in part on whether the signal artifact event has occurred. |
| US09247896B2 |
Systems and methods for determining respiration information using phase locked loop
A patient monitoring system may receive a physiological signal such as a photoplethysmograph (PPG) signal that exhibits frequency and amplitude modulation based on respiration. A phase locked loop may generate a frequency demodulated signal and an amplitude demodulated signal from the PPG signal. An autocorrelation sequence may be generated for each of the frequency demodulated signal and the amplitude demodulated signal. The autocorrelation sequences may be combined and respiration information may be determined based on the combined autocorrelation sequence. |
| US09247878B2 |
Continuous analyte monitor data recording device operable in a blinded mode
A system is provided for monitoring analyte in a host, including a continuous analyte sensor that produces a data stream indicative of a host's analyte concentration and a device that receives and records data from the data stream from the continuous analyte sensor. In one embodiment, the device includes a single point analyte monitor, from which it obtains an analyte value, and is configured to display only single point analyte measurement values, and not any analyte measurement values associated with data received from the continuous analyte sensor. Instead, data received from the continuous analyte sensor is used to provide alarms to the user when the analyte concentration and/or the rate of change of analyte concentration, as measured by the continuous analyte sensor, is above or below a predetermined range. Data received from the continuous analyte sensor may also be used to prompt the diabetic or caregiver to take certain actions, such as to perform another single point blood glucose measurement. In another embodiment, the device provides for toggling between two modes, with one mode that allows for display of glucose concentration values associated with the continuous glucose sensor and a second mode that prevents the display of glucose concentration values associated with the continuous glucose sensor. |
| US09247877B2 |
Device for monitoring intraocular pressure
Disclosed is a device adapted to measure intraocular pressure comprising: a corneal contact lens having a pressure sensor mounted in a recess or cavity in the contact lens, and wherein the contact lens has a back surface which is formed so as to protrude in a desired portion beyond the profile of the adjacent part of the lens and thus to press against the cornea, which protruding portion experiences a reactive deformation which is detected directly or indirectly by the pressure sensor. |
| US09247876B2 |
Ocular fundus camera system and methodology
An ocular fundus camera system and an associated methodology. The system includes (a) an image sensor disposed along a fundus-image reflection path adjacent that path's downstream end, and in optical communication with light carried in this path, (b) an aperture centered on the reflection path's long axis, operatively associated with, and stationary with respect to, the sensor at a location which is upstream from the sensor, and (c), for accomplishing (1) precision fundus-image focusing on the sensor, and additionally (2) autorefraction, optical, light-content shifting structure, operable selectively for producing, within that portion of the reflection path which is disposed downstream from the shifting structure, relative trans-axial displacement solely of any non-collimated light carried in that portion of the main path which is disposed upstream from the shifting structure. |
| US09247871B2 |
Effective acuity and refraction targets
A viewing target for a visual acuity and refraction measurement includes at least one line comprising a width dimension that is below a resolution limit width (hereinafter “RLW”) of a test subject visual acuity, and an adjustable length dimension that is initially set at greater than the RLW of the test subject visual acuity. A base, at least approximately intersecting the line, has a thickness along the direction of the length of the line that is greater than the RLW of the test subject visual acuity. The length dimension of the line is adjustable in increments small enough to effectively approximate the visual acuity of the test subject by determining a shortest resolvable line and a next smaller line that is not resolvable by the test subject. |
| US09247870B2 |
Method and apparatus for system synchronization in video oculography based neuro-otologic testing and evaluation
A video oculography based neuro-otologic testing and evaluation apparatus and associated method comprises the steps of: Obtaining images of the subject's eyes with a digital camera; Selectively displaying visual stimulus to the subject on a display; Generating each visual stimulus to be displayed from a controller; Receiving and storing data signals from each digital camera in the controller; Calculating eye related data from the digital camera images and visual stimulus; Displaying the eye related data to users; Generating a video synchronization signal by the controller associated with each visual stimulus which identifies when the display is displaying the associated visual stimulus; Receiving and coupling the video synchronization signal with at least the eye data from the digital camera; and Synchronizing calculations based upon the eye data and the visual stimulus by the controller. |
| US09247869B2 |
Compact foldable apparatus for ophthalmology
There is a need for robust and portable system, and apparatus for ophthalmology. We propose use of folding apparatus for ocular purposes for the first time. Our system will have a chin-rest (or face-rest or forehead rest) that can be folded so that the ocular device could be transported in a brief-case type casing. |
| US09247868B2 |
Ophthalmologic apparatus and control method of the same
An ophthalmologic apparatus includes: a position control unit configured to control a position changing unit which changes a position of an examination unit, such that fine movement driving of the examination unit is performed in a case where a tilt angle of the operating member is smaller than a first angle, and coarse movement driving of the examination unit is performed in a case where the tilt angle of the operating member is equal to or greater than the first angle; and an angle control unit configured to control an angle changing unit which changes the angle of the operating member such that the tilt angle of the operating member is automatically changed to a second angle which is smaller than the first angle, in accordance with a change from the coarse movement to the fine movement. |
| US09247865B2 |
Three-dimensional-image forming device, three dimensional-image forming method and program
In a three-dimensional image forming device for forming a phantom three-dimensional image in accordance with an image of an inner face of a tubular structure to be observed, luminance information of pixels corresponding to a prescribed range of each frame image of the tubular structure is obtained under prescribed lighting conditions when an imaging device with an optical axis extending to an axial direction of the tubular structure moves, a relative distances in a depth direction between points and an objective lens is calculated in accordance with the luminance information, pixels corresponding to the prescribed range of each frame image in the inner face of the tubular structure is arrayed in reflection of the relative distance, and the arrayed pixels are combined for a plurality of the frame images to form a three-dimensional image of the inner face of the tubular structure. |
| US09247864B2 |
Cable connector for endoscope apparatus and method of producing endoscope apparatus
An endoscope apparatus includes an elongated tube, a imaging unit in the elongated tube, and a cable structure, including plural signal lines, having first and second ends, the first end being connected to the imaging unit. A cable connector is connected with the second end, and couplable with a socket connector connectively. The cable connector includes a circuit board having a width in a manner passable through the elongated tube in an axial direction. A conductive land is formed on the circuit board, and coupled to the second end. A terminal pattern is formed on the circuit board, for connective coupling by reception in the socket connector. An advancing tip is formed on a front side of the circuit board in the axial direction, for initially advancing upon entry of the circuit board in the elongated tube, to enable the conductive land and the terminal pattern to pass safely. |
| US09247860B2 |
Implement washing apparatus and method
An implement washing apparatus is disclosed. A portable, rigid housing defines at least a first basin and a second basin. The first basin has an open top and closed side walls and bottom for containing liquid to soak the implement. The second basin has side walls that include a plurality of bristles in an arrangement directed generally inwardly to a center of the second basin to scrub the implement. |
| US09247858B2 |
Fluid inlet for a dishwasher
A fluid inlet for a dishwasher configured to help manage acoustic emissions is provided. The fluid inlet includes a nozzle that defines a first plurality of orifices and a second plurality of orifices having a larger diameter than the first plurality of orifices. The first or second plurality of orifices may define a diverging cross-section. The first plurality of orifices may be interspersed in a plurality of clusters between the second plurality of orifices. The fluid inlet may further include an enclosure defining a vertically descending channel from the nozzle toward a bottom of a tub of the dishwasher and one or more dampers within the enclosure such that the water exiting the nozzle cascades down onto and over the dampers and out of the enclosures through one or more outlets of the enclosure to the bottom of the tub. |
| US09247845B2 |
Infusion device having pressure variation
The present invention relates to a device for infusing a substance to be infused having an infusion chamber for receiving the substance to be infused and for passing a pressurized water flow through the substance to be infused, the infusion chamber having an inlet portion (4) for feeding water into the infusion chamber and an outlet portion (2) for the infused beverage, the injection channel in fluid communication via an injection end with the inlet portion (4) and adapted for connection via an intake end (39) to a pressurized water circuit, characterized in that it comprises adjustable means for varying the water pressure in the injection channel, adapted for generating a water pressure difference between the intake end (39) and the injection end (40) and controlled by control means outside the infusion chamber. |
| US09247838B2 |
Collapsible clothes and article hanger
Described is a clothing hanger capable of collapsing into an enclosed unit that is easily stored and is convenient for travel. The hanger comprises a hook and a pair of arms rotatable about the hook and adapted to support the shoulders of a garment. The hanger further comprises a first and second pants bar element that are hingeably connected to one another and which are in hinged connection with the hanger arms. The hanger can be collapsed into an enclosed unit by folding the pants bar elements towards one another and into the hollow undersides of the hanger arms. The hook of the hanger is able to rotate so as to be enclosed by the hanger arms. The hanger further includes an elastic cord that can be removably connected to the arms of the hanger and that is adapted to secure garments in place over the pants bar elements. |
| US09247837B1 |
Anti-wrinkle foam pillow system
A back portion has a top edge and a bottom edge and side edges. The back portion has a forward surface and a rearward surface. A left side region and a right side region extend laterally from an associated side edge adjacent to the bottom edge. A perimeter is formed of the back portion and the left and right side regions. A left ear hole and a right ear hole are formed in the forward surface of the central region. A central recess is formed in the forward surface with a peripheral configuration following the perimeter of the back portion and the left and right side regions. The forward surface has a radially exterior extent and a radially interior extent. The radial interior extent is formed by the central recess. The entire radially exterior extent is in a plane parallel with the rearward surface. |
| US09247835B2 |
Bedding apparatus
Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a bedding apparatus. In one embodiment, the bedding apparatus is configured to slip over a mattress such that the bedding apparatus substantially encloses the mattress except the front or head of the mattress. The bedding apparatus is configured such that, once installed over the mattress, there is sufficient space between the top of the mattress and the top panel of the bedding apparatus to enable a user to lay atop the mattress and under the top panel of the bedding apparatus. Additionally, once installed, the bottom panel of the bedding apparatus is positioned under the mattress such that the bedding apparatus is held in place by a combination of the weight of the mattress and the weight of the user (when the user is laying on the mattress). |
| US09247830B2 |
Breathable pillow
An integrated padded mesh material may be used in pillows or pillowcases for improved air flow around a user of the pillow or pillowcase during rest. When used in a pillow, the material may substantially cover the side of the pillow that a user's head rests upon. Other materials, such as mesh and satin materials, may be used to complete construction of the pillow. The pillow may take on familiar shapes, such as a dog. When the integrated padded mesh material is used in a pillowcase the pillowcase may be wrapped around a conventional pillow to increase air flow during rest. The pillowcase may include several layers such as the integrated padded mesh material and an allergy-blocking fabric. |
| US09247829B2 |
Portable diaper changing station
A portable diaper changing station includes a platform structure having a top that defines a baby changing surface configured for receiving and supporting a baby during a diaper changing process. A support structure is connected to and configured for supporting the platform structure. The support structure is extendable from a storage position to a first extended position suitable for supporting the platform structure at a first height and a second extended position suitable for supporting the platform structure at a second height that is greater than the first height. |
| US09247828B2 |
Smart seating chair with IC controls, electronic sensors, and wired and wireless data and power transfer capabilities
A chair with a control mechanism with a base structure, a seat bottom structure supported by the base structure, a seat back structure supported by the base structure, a control mechanism supported by the base structure, a power source and means for electrically coupling the power source to the control mechanism and an electrical port, wireless transmitter, or other electrical communicator for producing electrical communication relative to the control mechanism. The power source can be a portable power source that plugs into the connector of the control mechanism. One or more electrical sensors can be retained relative to the seat bottom or seat back structures and memory can be provided for retaining data from the electrical sensor. |
| US09247826B1 |
Mattress pad or topper having a mesh insert
A mattress pad or topper is provided. The mattress pad or topper includes an outer layer defining an interior volume. The outer layer includes a body portion and one or more mesh portions. The mattress pad or topper further includes a filler material disposed within the interior volume. The interior volume is in fluid communication with external atmosphere via the one or more mesh portions. |
| US09247821B1 |
Modified back rack
A modified back rack has a front frame, a supporting stand mounted movably on the front frame, and a positioning mount mounted securely on the front frame. The front frame has an adjusting base mounted on the front frame. The adjusting base has a protrusion formed on the adjusting base, a track area formed on the adjusting base, and multiple positioning grooves formed on the protrusion. The supporting stand has a movement recess formed on the supporting stand, a movement space formed in the movement recess, and a moving assembly mounted in the movement recess. The moving assembly has a moving block, a swinging arm mounted pivotally in the moving block, and a moving pin extending from the swinging arm. The moving pin is placed in the track area. The modified back rack has height adjusting function that can meet different requirements. |
| US09247820B2 |
Apparatus for installation of a textile deck assembly in an article of furniture
A method and apparatus for applying tension to a fabric decking on an article of furniture are described. The apparatus includes a cylindrical base having a central axis and that is adapted to be placed in proximity to a frame of the article of furniture. A plurality of spaced needles are coupled to, and extend away from, said base. The needles are aligned in a row parallel to the axis of the cylindrical base. The needles extend away from the base a distance greater than a thickness of the fabric decking material. The apparatus also includes a rotation mechanism coupled to the base and operable to impart a rotational movement to the base about the axis, between a first, ready position for engagement with the fabric decking material, and a second stretched position. |
| US09247818B2 |
Portable folding chair with removable storage module
A foldable, portable chair with at least one removable, user-configurable storage module, preferably a soft-sided cooler, adapted to fit in and hang from one or more chair arms when the chair is deployed for sitting. |
| US09247814B2 |
Slide rail assembly
A slide rail assembly for mounting a lateral side of a chassis to a rack includes first and second rails and a ball assembly. A sidewall of the second rail has a mounting portion to be mounted to a mounting member on the lateral side of the chassis. The ball assembly, movably mounted between the rails to facilitate relative sliding thereof, includes a ball retainer whose lateral portion corresponds in position to the space between a sidewall of the first rail and the sidewall of the second rail. The sidewall of the second rail includes a projecting block for pushing the lateral portion of the ball retainer, keeping the lateral portion close to the sidewall of the first rail. |
| US09247811B2 |
Firearm safe
A firearm safe with a series of nested, collapsible storage racks and compartments for storing firearms and other valuables attached to a rotatable door, thereby allowing for easy access to all stored items without requiring removal of other items in the safe while safeguarding items against theft or other exposure. |
| US09247810B2 |
Device for storing utensils, especially tools
A device for storing utensils, especially tools, comprises at least one storage tray unit (1) for accommodating utensils to be stored, which storage tray unit can be connected to a carrying unit (5) for carrying the storage tray unit (1) and can be removed from the carrying unit (5). The storage tray unit (1) comprises at least one lug (12, 13, 14) which can be inserted into a receiving groove (8) of the carrying unit (5) in order to connect the storage tray unit (1) to the carrying unit (5), the storage tray unit (1) connected to the carrying unit (5) projecting from the carrying unit (5). In order to connect the storage tray unit (1) to the carrying unit (5) in various angular positions, different lugs (12, 13, 14) of the storage tray unit (1) can be inserted into the receiving groove (8) of the carrying unit (5). |
| US09247808B1 |
Hingable support shelf
A support shelf operable to be hingedly secured to a wall wherein the support shelf includes a first portion and a second portion that are different in size and the support shelf is movable so as to provide either the first portion or second portion for supporting an object thereon. The support shelf includes a body having a first portion and a second portion perpendicularly joined. The second portion of the body is smaller than that of the first portion of the body. A hinge is secured to the second portion and is operable to move the support shelf intermediate its first position and its second position. A retaining member is secured to the first portion and is operable to secure objects therein when the support shelf is in its first position. A frame member is included that surroundably mounts the first portion when the body is in its first position. |
| US09247806B2 |
Lifting column preferably for height-adjustable tables
Lifting column, preferably for height adjustable tables, said lifting column comprising at least two relative to each other telescopically arranged members (2a, 2b, 2c). At least one slider (11) is arranged between the two members (2a, 2b, 2c), said slider being secured to one of the members (2b). The problem is play between the members (2a, 2b, 2c), resulting in an unstable lifting column. For solution of this problem the member (2b) to which the slider (11) is secured, is furnished with a resilient section (17) outlined by a groove (16, 18) against which at least a part of the slider (11) rests. The resilient section (17) can push the slider (11) into firm engagement against the two members (2b, 2c), at which a stable lifting column which is free from play is achieved. |
| US09247805B1 |
Hairbrush with liquid dispensing apparatus
A spray brush includes at least one fluid-dispensing outlet which is positioned on a manifold and is, through the manifold, in fluid communication with a pump assembly, which is in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir. The manifold is contained in a brush head. A pump trigger is in mechanical cooperation with the manifold, and circumferentially surrounds a portion of a brush handle. Activation of the pump trigger is accomplished by depressing or pulling from any normal hand-held position without the need for additional rotation of the hairbrush. |
| US09247803B2 |
Foldable cosmetic implement
A foldable cosmetic implement may include a first portion pivotably coupled to a second portion. An applicator may be coupled to the first portion opposite a connection of the first portion to the second portion. The cosmetic implement may be movable between a stored state and an extended state. The first portion may be at least partially enclosed in a receptacle of the second portion when the cosmetic implement is in the stored state. The cosmetic implement may include a locking mechanism to retain the implement in the stored state. The locking mechanism may be actuated by squeezing first and second sides of the second portion towards each other. |
| US09247800B2 |
Stable solid deodorant product and method of manufacturing same
The present invention provides a deodorant formulation having improved efficacy and stability. The deodorant formulation comprises propanediol, ethylhexylglycerin, and grapefruit seed extract as the principal deodorizing actives. The combination of these deodorizing active ingredients results in a formulation with strong efficacy. The deodorant formulation of the invention may further be formed into a stable solid stick product in accordance with the methods outlined herein. |
| US09247796B1 |
Cradle-cassette apparatus for an electronic device
A cradle-cassette apparatus encases and selectively displays an electronic device such as a mobile communications device. The cradle-cassette apparatus includes a cradle and a cassette. The cradle is sized and shaped to removably receive such an electronic device. The cradle includes anterior, posterior, superior, inferior, and lateral cradle sections. The cassette is sized and shaped to translatably receive the cradle construction. The cassette includes anterior, posterior, superior, inferior, and lateral cassette sections. A hinge-axis is provided by way of cooperative structure associated with the lateral cradle and cassette sections. The cradle construction is thus translatably displaceable relative to the cassette construction for positioning the cradle-cassette apparatus in either a cradle-closed position or a cradle-exposed position. The anterior cradle and cassette sections face in the same direction when in the cradle-exposed position, and the anterior cradle and cassette sections facing in opposite directions when in the cradle-closed position. |
| US09247790B2 |
Clothing adjusting zipper arrangement
An adjustable article has an area of overlapping fabric with facing surfaces and a zipper on one of the surfaces. A zipper slider with fastener moves along two rows of teeth of the zipper to cause them to be separated in one direction and interdigitate in an opposite direction. A connector at the other surface and at one end of a distance of a dimension to be adjusted is engaged to the fastener so that a degree of overlap of the overlapping fabric surfaces changes as the slider moves along the rows of teeth to change the dimension. |
| US09247789B2 |
Buckle assembly
A buckle assembly (10) includes a frame (12) having a base (66) connected to opposed side walls (68). The frame (12) has a latch chamber (70) between the base (66) and the opposed side walls (68). The buckle assembly (10) also includes a lever (14) pivotally secured with in the latch chamber (70) between the opposed side walls (68), and a latch (16) configured to be secured in the latch chamber (70) by the lever (14). The latch (16) may include a frame-engaging member (30) having an ogived leading end (36). The ogived leading end (36) is configured to self-align the latch (16) within the latch chamber (70) when the latch (16) is mated into the latch chamber (70). |
| US09247787B2 |
Camera strap attachment mechanism and methods of use
A male/female connection system is disclosed. The system is specifically designed as a novel way of attaching straps to cameras. The device includes a male attachment anchor with an overmolded loop, as well as a female housing inclusive of a spring to lock the male and the female together. The anchor connects to a camera at the neck strap loops using a cow hitch knot. The anchor connects to the housing by entering an open end, and being pulled through to an end where it is strapped. A strap connects to the housing by way of a loop being sewn around it. |
| US09247781B2 |
Shoe having lace fitting structure
A shoe including a sole 1 for absorbing an impact of landing, an upper 2 for wrapping around an instep, and shoelace means 3 for fitting the upper 2 to the instep, the upper 2 including: a main portion 2M covering a medial side surface, a lateral side surface, a toe, the instep and a back surface of a foot; a side edge portion having a plurality of first eyelets H1; a first side panel 51 covering the medial side surface of the foot; and a second side panel 52 covering the lateral side surface of the foot, wherein each side panel includes: a tip portion 53 having a second eyelet H2 which is provided at a tip of the side panel and which the shoelace means passes through and engages with; a bottom portion 54 attached to the main portion and/or the sole; and a middle portion 55 arranged between the tip portion and the bottom portion so as to allow the tip portion to move in the front-back direction of the foot with respect to the bottom portion, wherein with at least one of the side panels, the middle portion 55 can stretch and shrink to increase a length from the tip portion to the bottom portion. |
| US09247776B1 |
Garment pocket for mobile phone
A pocket for a garment includes a first pocket fixedly attached to the garment at a predetermined location wherein a first opening is formed on the garment and the first pocket is fixedly attached to a rim of the first opening such that the first pocket is accessible through the first opening, and a second pocket fixedly attached to the first pocket wherein a second opening is formed on the first pocket such that the second pocket is accessible through the second opening. The first pocket is to carry items such as a cell phone, smart phone or mobile phone and the second pocket is generally to carry smaller items. |
| US09247771B2 |
Smoking article
A smoking article has a tobacco rod wrapped within a wrapping material and having first and second ends, a filter rod and ventilation, wherein the filter rod is connected to the first end of the tobacco rod by a tipping material partially overlapping the tobacco rod and at least partially overlapping the filter rod, and wherein the wrapping material is provided with a first region having a first permeability and/or porosity, the first region extending longitudinally along the tobacco rod from an intermediate position along the portion of the tobacco rod which is not overlapped by the tipping material towards the tipping material and with a second region having a second porosity and/or permeability higher than the first porosity and/or permeability, the second region extending longitudinally along the tobacco rod from the intermediate position towards the second end of the tobacco rod. |
| US09247767B2 |
Method of manufacturing protein beverages and denaturizing loop apparatus and system
A method and system for forming a beverage mixture comprising protein is disclosed. The method comprises heating the beverage in a heat exchanger, transferring the beverage to a hold loop located outside of the heat exchanger, and denaturizing the protein within the hold loop for a residence time, after the beverage is heated in the heat exchanger such that the denaturizing occurs outside of the heat exchanger to prevent fouling of the heat exchanger. The system comprises a beverage forming tank, a heat exchanger for heating the beverage, and a first hold loop separate from the heat exchanger, which is configured to hold the beverage for a residence time to denaturize a protein in the beverage. |
| US09247764B2 |
Nutritional composition containing oligosaccharide mixture
A nutritional composition for administration to an infant which composition comprises, on a dry matter basis, from 2.5 to 15.0 wt % of an oligosaccharide mixture consisting of N-acetylated oligosaccharide(s), galacto-oligosaccharide(s) and sialylated oligosaccharide(s) with the proviso that the composition comprises at least 0.02 wt % of an N-acetylated oligosaccharide, at least 2.0 wt % of a galacto-oligosaccharide and at least 0.04 wt % of a sialylated oligosaccharide and that the N-acetylated oligosaccharide(s) comprise 0.5 to 4.0% of the oligosaccharide mixture, the galacto-oligosaccharide(s) comprise 92.0 to 98.5% of the oligosaccharide mixture and the sialylated oligosaccharide(s) comprise 1.0 to 4.0% of the oligosaccharide mixture. The composition is useful for administration to an infant in the first six months of life to reduce the risk of obesity later in life. |
| US09247758B2 |
Taste-improving agent and food or drink containing same
Provided is a taste improver that improves or decreases unpleasant bitterness, astringent taste, harsh taste, bitter taste, or the like that results from potassium salts, magnesium salts, calcium salts, and ammonium salts without adversely affecting savoriness of a food or drink. The taste improver includes a vegetable extract and/or a phospholipid. In the taste improver, the aforementioned vegetable extract includes a vegetable-derived glycoside and/or glycoside aglycone. In the taste improver, the aforementioned phospholipid is phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, and/or a lyso form thereof. Arginine is further added to the aforementioned taste improver. Trehalose and/or hydrogenated starch syrup are further added to the taste improver. A manufacturing method of such and an improvement method for the unpleasant bitterness, astringent taste, harsh taste, bitter taste, or the like caused by potassium salts, magnesium salts, calcium salts, and ammonium salts using these taste improvers. A food or drink including these taste improvers. |
| US09247745B2 |
Substituted pyridazines for controlling invertebrate pests
The present invention relates to hetaryl (thio)carboxamide compounds of formula I, to the tautomers and N-oxides thereof and to the salts thereof: wherein X, R1 and A are as defined in the description. The present invention further relates to a method for controlling invertebrate pests, to a method for protecting plant propagation material and/or the plants which grow therefrom, to plant propagation material, comprising at least one hetaryl (thio)carboxamide compound according to the present invention, to a method for treating or protecting an animal from infestation or infection by parasites and to an agricultural composition containing at least one compound according to the present invention. |
| US09247740B2 |
Isoxazoline derivatives as insecticidal compounds
The present invention provides compounds of formula (I), wherein G1 is oxygen; R1 is hydrogen; R2 is group P (P) L is a bond, methylene or ethylene; one of A1 and A2 is S, SO or SO2 and the other is —C(R4)R4—R3 is hydrogen or methyl; each R4 is independently hydrogen or methyl; Y1 is C—R6, CH or nitrogen; Y2 and Y3 are independently CH or nitrogen; wherein no more than two of Y1, Y2 and Y3 are nitrogen and wherein Y2 and Y3 are not both nitrogen; R5 is hydrogen, halogen, cyano, nitro, NH2, C1-C2alkyl, C1-C2haloalkyl, C3-C5cycloalkyl, C3-C5halocycloalkyl, C1-C2alkoxy, C1-C2haloalkoxy; R6 together with R5 forms a —CH═CH—CH═CH— bridge; X2 is C—X6 or nitrogen; X1, X3 and X6 are independently hydrogen, halogen or trihalomethyl, wherein at least two of X1, X3 and X6 are not hydrogen; X4 is trifluoromethyl, difluoromethyl or chlorodifluoromethyl. The invention also provides intermediates useful for the preparation of compounds of formula (I), as well as methods of controlling insects, acarines, nematodes or molluscs using the compounds of formula (I). |
| US09247738B2 |
Method and composition for inhibition of microbial growth in aqueous food transport and process streams
The present invention relates to compositions including peroxyacetic acid and peroxyoctanoic acid and methods for preventing microbial growth in aqueous streams including the step of applying a composition of the invention to the stream. The compositions and methods can control microbial growth in aqueous streams used for transporting or processing food products. |
| US09247737B2 |
Method for disinfecting a surface
The present invention relates to a method for disinfection involving an antimicrobial composition. It particularly relates to an antimicrobial method for personal cleaning, oral care or hard surface cleaning applications. It was found that compositions comprising thymol, acyclic terpene alcohols and a carrier provide synergistic antimicrobial action in a method for disinfection. In a preferred aspect the composition also comprises 1 to 80%-wt of one or more surfactants. |
| US09247734B2 |
Potentiation of fixed coppers and other pesticides containing copper and supplementing plant nutrition
A pesticide, fungicidal, bactericidal, anti-pathogen or biocidal composition includes at least one biologically inert carrier; and at least one doped component including at least one fixed copper compound doped with at least one compound selected from the group consisting of iron compounds, zinc compounds, magnesium compounds, calcium compounds, and combinations and/or mixtures thereof. In one embodiment, the doped component has a particle size of about 0.5 nm to about 30 microns. A method for the control of pests includes the step of applying to the pests or their growth habitat the aforementioned composition. The method also includes the control of disease in citrus plants caused by vectors such as Psyllid nymphs, by applying the aforementioned composition to their growth habitat in citrus groves. |
| US09247729B2 |
Systems and methods for preserving a human organ for transplantation
A perfusion pump system for providing perfusate to an organ of a human body includes an actuator coupled to a pump to provide an actuating force to the pump. The pump includes an outlet for providing a perfusate to an organ coupled to the pump and an inlet for receiving the perfusate. The pump is configured to provide a pulsatile pumping force to the perfusate via a pumping stroke in response to the actuating force. The pumping stroke is followed by a return stroke. The pumping stroke causes the pump to collapse to force a flow of the perfusate through the outlet to the organ. The pump collapses in the direction of the flow of the perfusate. The return stroke allows the perfusate to enter the pump through the inlet and the return stroke of ways providing the perfusate through the outlet. |
| US09247725B2 |
Packaged terminal climate unit for pest control
In certain embodiments, a packaged terminal device for killing pests in an affected area includes a housing configured to be positioned at least partially within an affected area, a fan positioned within the housing, and one or more heating elements positioned within the housing. The fan is operable to draw a flow of air from the affected area into the housing. The one or more heating elements are operable to generate heated air by transferring heat to the flow of air. The packaged terminal device further includes a control unit operable to control the operation of the one or more heating elements in order to cause the packaged terminal device to operate in either a first mode or a second mode. In the first mode, the operation of the one or more heating elements is controlled such that sufficient heated air is generated to heat at least a portion of the affected area to a temperature less than or equal to a first predefined temperature. In the second mode, the operation of the one or more heating elements is controlled such that sufficient heated air is generated to heat at least a portion of the affected area to a temperature greater than or equal to a second predefined temperature, the second predefined temperature being greater than the first predefined temperature. |
| US09247720B2 |
Primate model from the family cercopithecidae infected by a HBV strain of human genotype
The invention relates to a non-human primate animal model for HBV infection, said animal model being of the Cercopithecidae family. |
| US09247719B1 |
Flying animal feeder control, monitoring, and reporting system
Powered flying animal sustenance-dispensing stations described herein may be capable of supplying food or water to flying animals, of controlling electrical loads that prevent liquid sustenance freeze-up or overheating and other loads that help sanitize the sustenance, that illuminate the station, or that generate sounds; of acquiring and processing data from a variety of sensors both internal and external to the station, and of reporting both raw and processed data. They may also be capable of wirelessly communicating with other stations, or with non-station devices over wireless communication networks to facilitate reporting of sensor and other data, and to support configuration of station controller operational and reporting behavior. Station configurations may facilitate monitoring of video and audio activity of nearby animals, tagged animals visiting the station, weather conditions in the station's vicinity, station food or water supply levels, and other parameters according to the sensors of a given embodiment. |
| US09247717B2 |
Retractable flat belt reflective pet leash
A flexible reflective flat retractable pet leash is retained within a retractable housing device. The reflective pet leash reflects incoming light beams back in the same direction as emanated. The reflected light beam provides accurate illumination of the pet leash and the location of the pet during dusk or nighttime hours. This retractable pet leash is created by weaving or integrating reflective material fabric/tape within a flat leash portion. The reflective retractable pet leash is composed of a flat leash portion operable to sustain substantial tensile forces having a front and back side. Reflective means are integrated within the flat leash portion being operable to provide reflectivity. A retractable housing device having a handle portion, a retraction control member actuated by a retraction control switch, a housing body with an internal chamber appointed with a reel member, and an extension-retraction aperture is provided for housing the leash. |
| US09247711B2 |
Animal carrier for transporting animals onboard a vehicle
A method and an apparatus for transporting animals onboard a vehicle, particularly in the passenger cabin of the vehicle, wherein there is a separate arrangement in the form of an animal carrier for placing the caged animals in the passenger cabin. The animal carrier includes a plurality of features, including but not limited to a ventilation system, a monitoring system, camera surveillance, sound-proofing, filtration etc. |
| US09247709B2 |
System and method for controlling the position of a robot carriage based on the position of a milking stall of an adjacent rotary milking platform
A system includes a carriage track positioned adjacent to a rotary milking platform, a robot carriage mounted to the carriage track, and a controller. The controller causes the robot carriage to move linearly along the carriage track in conjunction with a rotational movement of the rotary milking platform such that a first linear position of the robot carriage aligns with a first rotational position of a milking stall of the rotary milking platform and a second linear position of the robot carriage aligns with a second rotational position of the milking stall of the rotary milking platform. |
| US09247706B2 |
Compositions and methods for minimizing nornicotine synthesis in tobacco
Compositions and methods for reducing the level of nornicotine and N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) in tobacco plants and plant parts thereof are provided. The compositions comprise isolated polynucleotides and polypeptides for a root-specific nicotine demethylases, CYP82E10, and variants thereof, that are involved in the metabolic conversion of nicotine to nornicotine in these plants. Compositions of the invention also include tobacco plants, or plant parts thereof, comprising a mutation in a gene encoding a CYP82E10 nicotine demethylase, wherein the mutation results in reduced expression or function of the CYP82E10 nicotine demethylase. Seed of these tobacco plants, or progeny thereof, and tobacco products prepared from the tobacco plants of the invention, or from plant parts or progeny thereof, are also provided. Methods for reducing the level of nornicotine, or reducing the rate of conversion of nicotine to nornicotine, in a tobacco plant, or plant part thereof are also provided. The methods comprise introducing into the genome of a tobacco plant a mutation within at least one allele of each of at least three nicotine demethylase genes, wherein the mutation reduces expression of the nicotine demethylase gene, and wherein a first of these nicotine demethylase genes encodes a root-specific nicotine demethylase involved in the metabolic conversion of nicotine to nornicotine in a tobacco plant or a plant part thereof. The methods find use in the production of tobacco products that have reduced levels of nornicotine and its carcinogenic metabolite, NNN, and thus reduced carcinogenic potential for individuals consuming these tobacco products or exposed to secondary smoke derived from these products. |
| US09247700B1 |
Maize inbred PH1K1N
A novel maize variety designated PH1K1N and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH1K1N with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH1K1N through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH1K1N or a locus conversion of PH1K1N with another maize variety. |
| US09247695B1 |
Inbred corn line LLD06BM
An inbred corn line, designated LLD06BM, the plants and seeds of the inbred corn line LLD06BM, methods for producing a corn plant, either inbred or hybrid, produced by crossing the inbred corn line LLD06BM with itself or with another corn plant, and hybrid corn seeds and plants produced by crossing the inbred line LLD06BM with another corn line or plant and to methods for producing a corn plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic corn plants produced by that method. This invention also relates to inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line LLD06BM, to methods for producing other inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line LLD06BM and to the inbred corn lines derived by the use of those methods. |
| US09247694B2 |
Oleoresins derived from a capsicum annuum exhibiting a hyper-accumulation of zeaxanthin and products derived therefrom
The present invention is concerned with oleoresins derived from Capsicum plants producing greater than about 0.4% zeaxanthin, by weight in the dried, ripe fruit pod flesh, wherein zeaxanthin is the dominant carotenoid in the dried ripe fruit pod flesh, when measured in non-esterified forms, which plants have been developed by commercially grown Capsicum cultivars by plant breeding techniques. The oleoresin and zeaxanthin derived from these Capsicum plants can be used in applications that include nutritional supplements, foods, functional foods, cosmetics, animal feeds, aquaculture feeds, and pharmaceuticals. |
| US09247692B2 |
Universal drain hole cover for planting containers
An improved drain hole cover for use in all types of planting containers is described. A preferred embodiment of the drain hole cover comprises a single generally discoid layer of lofted synthetic nonwoven material with a pressure-sensitive adhesive applied to one side. Generally, the adhesive can be applied to a periphery of the one side of the drain hole cover in a pattern so as to leave a central portion uncoated by the adhesive. The drain hole cover can be disposed, adhesive side down, on an inner surface of a planting container concentric to a drainage hole of the planting container. In use, the drain hole cover allows water to drain out of the container and prevents the egress of soil through the drainage hole. |
| US09247691B2 |
Device for pruning plant growth
A device for pruning plant material includes a frame, a vertical arm extending from the frame, and an angled pruning head extending from the vertical arm. The angled pruning head includes at least one cutting disk attached to a first shaft, and an anvil assembly having at least one anvil pair attached to a second shaft. The first and second shafts are substantially parallel to one another. The at least one cutting disk is aligned to be selectively positionable between the anvils of the at least one anvil pair. |
| US09247690B1 |
Combined leaf blower/vacuum
The combined leaf blower/vacuum includes a nozzle affixed to a housing. A secondary hose extends between the housing and a collection bag. The housing includes a motor and impeller that is in fluid communication with the nozzle and an outlet. The impeller is able to create wind that is expelled via the nozzle. The wind created via the impeller is adapted to blow leaves and lawn debris via the nozzle. Conversely, the motor is able to reverse the direction of the impeller, and upon which shall form a vacuum at the nozzle. A mulching member is located adjacent the motor, and is responsible for mulching up the leaves and lawn debris immediately before exiting the housing, and transferring via the secondary hose to the collection bag. |
| US09247689B2 |
Active management of plant canopy temperature as a tool for modifying plant metabolic activity
The water-deficit stress of plants or crops is managed using plant temperatures to maximize product quality. The temperature of the target plant is repeatedly measured over a period of interest, and after each measurement, the plant temperature is compared with a predetermined plant setpoint temperature associated with a desired water-deficit stress level, above which temperature the plant is deemed to be in an undesired metabolic state. If the measured plant temperature is greater than the setpoint temperature, and humidity is not restrictive to plant cooling, then irrigation can be triggered to retain the plant within the desired stressed level, as determined by the temperature of the plant. By this method, irrigation can be withheld to increase plant temperature or applied to reduce plant temperature. The temperature of the plant is thus continuously increased and decreased relative to a desired temperature value that is indicative of a desired water-deficit stress. |
| US09247688B1 |
Nutrient blend optimization system
The growing management system optimizes peak aggregate nutrients for individual edible plants including vegetables, and herbs such that the individual edible plants are organized into a blend such that the aggregate of the individual edible plants are grown in a blend and that growing parameters including the use of seed coatings shift the occurrence of each of the individual edible plants peak nutrients to occur concurrently to maximize overall nutrient delivery. It is understood that nutrient and flavor peaks can be used interchangeably. |
| US09247687B2 |
Hydraulically controlled rotary harrow for tillage apparatus and system
A tillage apparatus having a rotary harrow mounted thereon with mounting elements utilizes a cooperative combination of: a compressible material at the mounting element to permit relative motion between the harrow and the mounting element in response to a motion of the harrow; and, a hydraulic actuator operated under a first pressure to lower the rotary harrow and maintain engagement of the rotary harrow with the ground. A pressure relief element is utilized to reduce back pressure in response to the harrow striking a hard impediment on the ground during operation of the tillage apparatus in a field. The combination cooperates to reduce damage to the harrow and/or other parts of the tillage apparatus when the harrow strikes a hard impediment such as a rock. |
| US09253932B2 |
Display device having improved properties
An image display device having improved properties, comprising an image display panel, heat dispersion material positioned proximate to the image display panel, an open frame positioned proximate to the heat dispersion material opposite the image display panel, and a plurality of electronic components engaging the open frame, the image display device exhibits a support factor of less than about 375 mm-W/m° K. |
| US09253931B2 |
Computer room security
This invention relates to a fastener system, in particular a system for improving computer room security that reduces energy consumption. The fastener system comprises a fastener for fastening a first element to a second element and a sensor of any suitable form and means for activating a third element in response to a signal generated from said sensor. The sensor sends a signal that prompts the third element to act in response to the status received from the fastener. This invention is particularly useful within server racks. |
| US09253929B2 |
Cooling host module
A cooling host module is operable for providing cooling gas flow in a substantially isolated closed loop for a computing device. The computing device comprises a substantially vertical first face having an inlet portion comprising no more than about a lower third of a height of the first face for inlet gas flow and a substantially vertical second face opposite the first face for outlet gas flow. The cooling host module comprises: a heat exchanger adjacent to the second face of the computing device for cooling outlet gas flow; a gas flow path directing air exiting the heat exchanger beneath the computing unit; a gas moving device for moving gas in the gas flow path; and a vent towards distal end of the gas flow path for providing gas flow to the inlet portion of the first face of the computing device. |
| US09253927B1 |
Removable fan tray
Fan trays and components thereof are described herein. In some embodiments, a removable, compact fan tray is configured to be disposed within a slot of a chassis. The fan tray can be latchably coupled to the chassis, and/or can include a light source, such as an LED operable to depict the status of the fan tray. Leads of the light source can be disposed within an sleeve operable to contain and/or insulate the leads. The fan tray can, in some embodiments, be configured to be keyed to a particular type of chassis slot, for example, a slot associated with an air flow direction. |
| US09253925B1 |
Panel for enhancing thermal conduction in an electronic assembly
An electronic assembly can include a support structure, a circuit substrate coupled to a first portion of the support structure, and a composite material panel coupled to a second portion of the support structure. An electronic device can be coupled to a mounting surface of the circuit substrate and disposed within a space enclosed by walls of the support structure. The panel can include contiguous sections inner surfaces of which can be oriented within twenty-five degrees of parallel to said mounting surface. Each section can be significantly more thermally conductive generally parallel to the inner surface of the section than generally perpendicular to the inner surface. |
| US09253921B2 |
Coolant-conditioning unit with automated control of coolant flow valves
A method is provided which includes providing a coolant-conditioning unit which includes a facility coolant path, having a facility coolant flow control valve, and a system coolant path accommodating a system coolant, and having a bypass line with a system coolant bypass valve. A heat exchanger is coupled to the facility and system coolant paths to facilitate transfer of heat from the system coolant to facility coolant in the facility coolant path, and the bypass line is disposed in the system coolant path in parallel with the heat exchanger. A controller automatically controls a regulation position of the coolant bypass valve and a regulation position of the facility coolant flow control valve based on a temperature of the system coolant, and automatically adjusts the regulation position of the system coolant bypass valve to facilitate maintaining the facility coolant flow control valve at or above a specified, partially open, minimum regulation position. |
| US09253919B2 |
Electronic component cooling system and method
An electronic device includes a fan field replaceable unit (FRU). The fan FRU includes a fan FRU chassis defining an airflow pathway through the fan FRU. A fan within the fan FRU chassis causes air to flow along the airflow pathway. The fan FRU further includes an edge connector located at a front face of the fan FRU out of the way of the airflow pathway. Accordingly, the edge connector does not block airflow through the fan FRU thus maximizing the efficiency of the fan FRU and the cooling of the electronic device. |
| US09253915B2 |
Latch mechanism
A latch mechanism is provided, including a rack having a restricting structure and a linkage assembly connected to an electronic device in the rack. The linkage assembly includes a fixed frame, connected to the electronic device; a sliding frame, movable along a first direction relative to the fixed frame; a handle, connected to the sliding frame; a trigger, movably disposed between the handle and the sliding frame; and a latch member, connected to the fixed frame and the restricting structure to restrict the electronic device in the rack. When an external force is exerted on the trigger and the handle to move the sliding frame along the first direction relative the fixed frame, the trigger pushes the latch member to separate from the restricting structure along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, such that the electronic device can be drawn out of the rack. |
| US09253914B2 |
Computer blade for rackable server
A computer blade for a rackable server includes a chassis that can be inserted into the rackable server along a reference axis, the chassis including two longitudinal faces and at least one transverse face; two lever arms, each lever arm being fixed to the chassis through a pivot link such that each lever arm is capable of pivoting relative to the transverse face between a lock position in which the lever arm extends parallel to the transverse face and a release position in which the lever arm forms an angle from the transverse face, each lever arm including a first end with at least one transverse tab projecting from one of the longitudinal faces of the chassis when the lever arm is in its lock position, the two lever arms being fixed to each other through a sliding pivot link. |
| US09253913B2 |
Electronic device with display panel
An electronic device includes a housing and a functional module received in the housing. The housing includes a bottom wall, two sidewalls extending from opposite sides of the bottom wall, and two connecting walls. Each of the connecting walls extends from an edge of each sidewall away from the bottom wall and bends towards to the other of the connecting walls. The bottom wall, the sidewalls and the connecting walls cooperatively form a receiving space having at least one opening. The functional module includes a fixing frame positioned adjacent to the bottom wall, a circuit board positioned on the fixing frame, and a display panel positioned on circuit board away from the fixing frame and electrically connected with the circuit board. The fixing frame is capable of being slidably pushed into the housing via the at least one opening together with the circuit board and the display panel. |
| US09253912B2 |
Ejector and cable management system and method
An electronic device includes a blade having a faceplate and a handle out locked position ejector. The handle out locked position ejector is configured to secure the blade to a chassis. The handle out locked position ejector includes two ejectors and a handle binding the two ejectors together. The handle out locked position ejector extends perpendicularly from the faceplate when the blade is secured to the chassis thus locating the handle out of the way of ports of the blade. |
| US09253910B2 |
Circuit assembly
A circuit assembly includes a substrate having a substrate electrical circuit, opposite top and bottom substrate surfaces, and a substrate hole extending through the substrate. The circuit assembly also includes a discrete component assembly electrically connected to the substrate electrical circuit and a support member attached to the discrete component. At least a portion of the discrete component is physically mounted in the substrate hole. |
| US09253909B2 |
Portable electronic device with an electronic module
A portable electronic device includes a first module, a second module, a pivoting mechanism and an electronic module. The pivoting mechanism is connected to the first module and the second module so that the second module pivots relative to the first module. The pivoting mechanism includes a pair of first fixing components, a pair of pivoting components and a pair of second fixing components. Each fixing component is fixed on the first module. Each pivoting component includes a first component and a second component, and the first component is fixed on the corresponding first fixing component. Each second fixing component is fixed on the corresponding second component and the second module. The electronic module is connected to the two second components so that the pivoting mechanism drives the electronic module and the second module to pivot simultaneously as the second module pivots relative to the first module. |
| US09253907B2 |
Panel having positioning function and related electronic device
A panel having positioning function includes a body covering an opening on an extrusion casing, and a positioning mechanism having at least one position set. The position set includes a first rib disposed on a first side of the body, a first contact portion disposed on the first rib and contacting against an inner surface of the extrusion casing, a second rib disposed on a second side of the body, and a second contact portion disposed on the second rib and contacting against the other inner surface of the extrusion casing. A position of the second rib on the second side is symmetrized to a position of the first rib on the first side, so that the panel can align with the extrusion casing due to deformation of the position set. |
| US09253906B2 |
Cover with an opening structure
A cover with an opening structure includes an enclosure defining an opening, a cover rotatably mounted to the enclosure, and a driver mounted in the enclosure. The cover is engaged with the enclosure to cover the opening. The enclosure includes a holder defining a first slot. The first slot includes a first position and a second position. The cover includes a connecting arm, a camshaft and a pivot protruding from opposite sides of the connecting arm, and the pivot is slidably located in the first slot. When the cover is covering the opening, the pivot is located at the first position, and the diver resists the camshaft elastically. When the cover is disengaged from the enclosure, the pivot is driven by release of elasticity to slide from the first position to the second position to rotate the cover to open. |
| US09253905B2 |
Surface contact card holder for electronic devices
A holder for a surface contact card includes a main body, a pivotal shaft, and a cover. The main body has a latching block and defines a receiving groove configured for receiving a surface contact card. The cover includes a hinge portion and a latching tab. The pivotal shaft extends through the hinge portion and rotatably connects to the main body. The cover is pivotally and slidably engaged with the main body for covering the receiving groove, and the latching tab is latched with the block. |
| US09253899B2 |
Electronic device and electronic device manufacturing method
An electronic device including: a protrusion portion that projects towards a bottom face of a groove from the opposite side face of a second hook portion, that is inserted into the groove, and that makes close contact with a sealing material; and a cut-away portion that is formed to a side wall portion positioned further to the casing inside out of a pair of side wall portions forming the groove, the cut-away portion being formed at a position corresponding to a first hook portion. |
| US09253898B2 |
Rigid flex board module and the manufacturing method thereof
A rigid flex board module includes a rigid flex circuit board and a high-density interconnected circuit board. The rigid flex circuit board includes a flexible circuit board, a first rigid circuit board and a first adhesive layer. The flexible circuit board includes a bending portion and a jointing portion connected to the bending part. The rigid flex circuit board is disposed on the jointing portion to expose the bending portion. The first rigid circuit board electrically connects with the flexible circuit board. The first adhesive layer connects the first rigid circuit board and the jointing portion. The high-density interconnected circuit board is disposed in the first rigid circuit board and is electrically connected to the first rigid circuit board. |
| US09253896B2 |
Method of bonding glass substrate and metal substrate
A bonding method for glass and metal requires a glass substrate and a metallic oxide film to be coated on a side of the glass substrate. A plurality of metallic oxide beads are impressed on a side of a metal substrate to be bonded. The glass substrate is placed on the metal substrate so the metallic oxide film makes contact with the metallic oxide beads, and the metallic oxide beads are heated to a melted state via a focusing laser, all the elements being pressed together at the same time and during slow cooling thereafter. |
| US09253892B2 |
Peripheral circuit of touch panel and manufacturing method thereof
A method for manufacturing a peripheral circuit of a touch panel includes: printing a radiation curable conductive material on a substrate having a transparent conductive pattern; irradiating the radiation curable conductive material with a radiated ray, in order to cure parts of the radiation curable conductive material; and removing uncured parts of the radiation curable conductive material, in order to form the peripheral circuit. |
| US09253890B2 |
Patterned conductive film, method of fabricating the same, and application thereof
Provided is a patterned conductive film may include a conductive interconnected nano-structure film. The conductive interconnected nano-structure film may include a first region and a second region adjacent to the first region. A conductivity of the first region may be at least 1000 times a conductivity of the second region. |
| US09253888B2 |
Method for integrating an electronic component into a printed circuit board or a printed circuit board intermediate product, and printed circuit board or printed circuit board intermediate product
In a method for integrating at least one electronic component into a printed circuit board or a printed circuit board intermediate product, the following steps are provided: providing a layer for at least temporarily supporting the electronic component, fixing the electronic component on the layer, arranging a conductive layer on the supporting layer with at least one cutout corresponding to the dimensions of the electronic component to be fixed, at least partly encapsulating or covering the component fixed on the supporting layer with an insulating material, exposing the electronic component, and at least partial regions of the conductive layer, which adjoins the component and is arranged on the supporting layer, and at least partly making contact between the electronic component and the conductive layer adjoining the component. Furthermore, a printed circuit board and a printed circuit board intermediate product having an integrated electronic component are provided. |
| US09253877B2 |
Wiring substrate and semiconductor device
A wiring substrate includes wiring layers and insulation layers alternately stacked. Via holes are formed in the insulation layers. First via wirings are formed in the via holes to electrically connect the wiring layers to one another. Through holes extend through a lowermost one of the insulation layers in a thickness direction. The lowermost insulation layer covers a lowermost one of the wiring layers. Second via wirings are formed in the through holes to define an identification mark that is identifiable as a specific shape including a character, a symbol, or a combination thereof. A lower surface of each of the second via wirings is exposed from a lower surface of the lowermost insulation layer and is flush with a lower surface of the lowermost wiring layer. |
| US09253870B2 |
Fire resistant electrical panel
A rigid electrical panel and a method of manufacturing a rigid electrical panel is provided with a fire protection layer on at least one side. The fire protection layer comprises fibers and an intumescent material. The rigid electrical panel comprises electrical conductors embedded in a rigid organic matrix composite. In the event of a fire, the fire protection layer protects the embedded electrical conductors, and any other features or components carried by the electrical panel. |
| US09253869B2 |
Device and method for collecting electrically charged particles
A device for collecting electrically charged particles comprising a first shell and a second shell disposed concentrically around the first shell is provided. Each of the shells is divided respectively into a first half-shell and a second half-shell. A first switch is disposed between the first half-shell of the first shell and the second half-shell of the first shell. A second switch is disposed between the second half-shell of the first shell and the first half-shell of the second shell. The first half-shell of the second shell has a through opening. |
| US09253865B2 |
Method of calibrating a DPP-generated EUV light source
A method for controlling a discharge plasma-based radiation source for stabilizing a radiation dose emitted in a pulsed manner is disclosed. A calibration function is determined from a relationship between values of an input quantity and values of an operating parameter of the source by applying different values of the input quantity to the source. Reference value selected from the values of the operating parameter is brought about during a pulse of the source. The value of a test quantity is acquired at each pulse. Any quantity influencing the emitted radiation dose can be selected as test quantity. A statistical value is formed from a defined quantity of values of the test quantity. A deviation between the statistical value and the reference value is determined. A result of a comparison of the deviation with a predefined tolerance range determines whether the method is repeated. |
| US09253862B2 |
Plasma processing method and plasma processing apparatus
In a plasma processing method, plasma processing is performed in a state where the object is attracted and held on the electrostatic chuck by applying a first voltage as an application voltage thereto and a thermal conduction gas is supplied to a gap between the electrostatic chuck and the object. The application voltage is decreased while stopping the supply of the thermal conduction gas and exhausting the thermal conduction gas remaining between the electrostatic chuck and the object upon completion of the plasma processing. The object is separated from the electrostatic chuck by setting the application voltage to the electrostatic chuck to zero after the application voltage is decreased. |
| US09253855B2 |
Tunable lighting system
A method for providing a light output from a lighting system (100) capable of emitting light within a lighting system color gamut (202) in an x-y color plane, comprising the steps of: receiving (302) a light output target comprising a target color point (210, 219) and a target flux; comparing (304) the target color point with the lighting system color gamut (202); and if the target color point is outside of the color gamut: determining (310) a first approximation color point (212, 220) inside the color gamut based on a minimization of a distance in the x-y color plane between the target color point and the first approximation color point; determining (312) a highest possible flux achievable by the lighting system at the first approximation color point; if the highest possible flux achievable by the lighting system at the first approximation color point is equal to or larger than the target flux, control (309) the lighting system to provide light defined by the first approximation color point and the target flux; and if the highest possible flux achievable by the lighting system at the first approximation color point is lower than the target flux, determining (314) a second approximation color point (214, 222) at which the lighting system is capable of providing the target flux based on a minimization of a distance in the x-y color plane between the first approximation color point and the second approximation color point; and controlling (315) the lighting system to provide light defined by the second approximation color point and the target flux. |
| US09253853B2 |
Method for controlling a streetlight
A method for controlling a streetlight that is provided to illuminate a portion of the street, the method being performed by a controlling device having a memory accessible by a processor which controls a steering module which steering module is operatively coupled to the streetlight. |
| US09253850B2 |
LED bypass and control circuit for fault tolerant LED systems
A light system (FIG. 2) is disclosed. The light system includes a plurality of series connected light emitting diodes (240-246). Each of a plurality of switching devices (230-236) has a control terminal and each has a current path coupled in parallel with a respective LED. A plurality of fault detector circuits (220-226) are each coupled in parallel with a respective light emitting diode. Each fault detector circuit has a first comparator (FIG. 7, 704) arranged to compare a voltage across the respective light emitting diode to a respective first reference voltage (708). When a fault is defected, a control signal is applied to the control terminal to turn on a respective switching device of the plurality of switching devices. |
| US09253849B2 |
LED lighting device with incandescent lamp color temperature behavior
In a lighting device, sets of LEDs are employed using the natural characteristics of the LEDs to resemble incandescent lamp behavior when dimmed, thereby obviating the need for sophisticated controls. A first set of at least one LED produces light with a first color temperature, and a second set of at least one LED produces light with a second color temperature. The first set and the second set are connected in series, or the first set and the second set are connected in parallel, possibly with a resistive element in series with the first or the second set. The first set and the second set differ in temperature behavior, or have different dynamic electrical resistance. In various embodiments, the sum of the currents provided to the first and second sets may be substantially equal to a magnitude of an input current. |
| US09253846B2 |
LED table lamp
An exemplary LED table lamp includes a hollow lamp housing, a lamp base supporting the lamp housing, an LED module received in the lamp housing for emitting light, and a controlling module electrically connecting to the LED module for automatically adjusting a light intensity of the LED table lamp. The controlling module includes a sensor configured for sensing the light intensity of a working surface of the LED table lamp, and obtaining data corresponding to the light intensity of the working surface of the LED table lamp, a controller comparing the data obtained by the sensor with predetermined data and giving an adjusting order, and an adjusting member adjusting current supplied to the LED module according to the adjusting order from the controller. |
| US09253834B2 |
LED driver circuit having a sensing unit
A LED driving circuit having a sensing unit is disclosed. The LED driving circuit includes an input unit configured to receive a dimming signal to drive an LED array, a DC-DC converter including a power transistor configured to perform a switching operation, the DC-DC converter being configured to provide an output voltage to the LED array by the switching operation, a PWM signal generating unit configured to provide a PWM signal to adjust power of the LED array to the power transistor, a LED driving unit configured to drive the LED array using the dimming signal, and a sensing unit configured to sense degradation of the power transistor. |
| US09253829B2 |
Load control device for a light-emitting diode light source
A load control device for controlling the intensity of a light source (e.g., a light-emitting diode light source) reduces visible flickering in the light source when a target intensity of the light source is dynamically changing. The load control device includes a load regulation circuit operable to conduct a load current through the electrical load and to control the amount of power delivered to the electrical load. The load control device also includes a controller for adjusting the average magnitude of the load current to a target current. The controller pulse-width modulates the magnitude of the load current between a first current less than the target current and a second current greater than the target current. When the target current is dynamically changing, the controller is operable to adjust to the average magnitude of the load current towards the sum of the target current and a supplemental signal. |
| US09253827B2 |
Graphite electrodes
A graphite electrode exhibits oxidation resistance by modifying the outer radial surface characteristics. The outer radial surface may be modified by providing a textured portion which improves water flow while minimizing water absorbtion. Alternately, a layer of flexible graphite or plurality of particles of exfoliated graphite may be disposed on the outer radial surface of the electrode body. |
| US09253826B2 |
Microwave furnace
A system for melting a substance may be provided. The system may comprise a microwave generator, at least one wave guide, a melter assembly, and at least one thermal insulator. The at least one wave guide may connect the microwave generator to at least one power transfer element. The at least one wave guide may be configured to transfer microwave energy from the microwave generator to a refractory assembly. The melter assembly may comprise the refractory assembly and the at least one power transfer element connected to the refractory assembly. The refractory assembly may comprise at least one absorption element configured to transfer microwave energy, received from the at least one power transition element, into heat energy. The at least one thermal insulator may be configured to allow the microwaves to penetrate to the at least one absorption element. |
| US09253822B2 |
Phase change material variable capacitor
A method of manufacturing a variable capacitor includes forming a capacitor conductor. The method also includes forming a phase change material adjacent the capacitor conductor. The method further includes forming a first contact on the capacitor conductor. The method additionally includes forming a second contact and a third contact on the phase change material. |
| US09253818B2 |
Apparatus and method for multi-hop relay communication in broadband wireless communication system
An apparatus and operating method of a Relay Station (RS) and a Base Station (BS) controller for a multi-hop relay communication in a broadband wireless communication system is provided. The method of the RS includes, when receiving at least one traffic Media Access Control (MAC) Protocol Data Unit (PDU) from a Mobile Station (MS) accessing the RS, extracting a Layer-3(L3) packet from the at least one traffic MAC PDU, generating a relay MAC PDU including the L3 packet, and transmitting the MAC PDU to the BS through an RS Service Flow (SF) which supports Quality of Service (QoS) required by an MS SF carrying the L3 packet. |
| US09253817B2 |
Modular personal network systems and methods
Modular personal networks (MPNs) are disclosed that include multiple devices that may be worn, carried, or used in close proximity to a user. The devices communicate wirelessly. Devices include security circuitry that prevents them from being used in a different MPN once the user has configured them. Devices not designed for use within an MPN can be included in the network using a bridge device. Devices can be integrated into items of jewelry, such as earrings, rings, pendants, and bracelets. One item of jewelry, such as a bracelet, can support multiple replaceable modules with variable functions. Functions of the MPN can include communications, entertainment, medical monitoring, sports monitoring, personal organization, and games. Multiple users each with his or her own MPN can use them to collaborate in creation of music. An MPN can be used for mobile recognition and logging of wildlife. |
| US09253816B1 |
Self-contained area network system
A method and apparatus for routing information. A wireless network is established using a portable wireless communications node comprising a portable platform, an energy harvesting system connected to the portable platform, and a wireless communications system connected to the portable platform. The wireless communications system is configured to transfer information using radio frequency signals. |
| US09253810B2 |
Localizing a mobile data path in a radio access network under control of a mobile packet core in a network environment
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes establishing a control channel between a first entity associated with an access network and a second entity associated with a core network. The control channel is associated with a session identifier identifying a user session. The method further includes receiving policy information associated with the user session from the second entity using the first control channel. The policy information is indicative of one or more policies to be applied in the access network to user data associated with the user session. |
| US09253808B2 |
Systems and methods for low-overhead wireless beacons having next full beacon indications
Systems, methods, and devices for communicating a compressed beacon are described herein. In some aspects, a method of communicating in a wireless network. includes generating a compressed beacon. The compressed beacon includes a next full beacon time indication (NFBTI). The method further includes transmitting, at an access point, the compressed beacon. |
| US09253807B2 |
Communication apparatus that establishes connection with another apparatus based on displacement information of both apparatuses
An information processing apparatus that receives, from another information processing apparatus, first displacement information; senses second displacement information corresponding to movement of the information processing apparatus; and establishes a connection with the another information processing apparatus based on a predetermined relationship between the first displacement information and the second displacement information. |
| US09253802B2 |
Method and apparatus for random access in multicarrier wireless communications
Methods and apparatus for random access in multicarrier wireless communications are disclosed. Methods and apparatus are provided for physical random access channel (PRACH) resource signaling, PRACH resource handling, preamble and PRACH resource selection, random access response (RAR) reception, preamble retransmission, and transmission and reception of subsequent messages. A method for maintaining an allowed multicarrier uplink (UL) random access channel (RACH) configuration set by adding an UL carrier to the allowed RACH configuration set provided that a triggering event occurs and performing a random access (RA) procedure using the allowed RACH configuration set. A method for sending data in multicarrier wireless communications by determining a set of available UL carriers and selecting an UL carrier from the set of available UL carriers. |
| US09253801B2 |
Maintaining communication between mobile terminal and network in mobile communication system
According to one embodiment, a method for maintaining a communication between a mobile terminal and a network in a mobile communication system includes: determining whether a state of the mobile terminal is in an unsynchronized state while maintaining a radio resource control (RRC) connected state with the network; performing a random access channel (RACH) procedure for a synchronized state if it is determined that the state of the mobile terminal is in the unsynchronized state while maintaining the RRC connected state with the network; and after performing the RACH procedure, transitioning from the synchronized state to the unsynchronized state with the network while maintaining the RRC connected state with the network when a timer expires. |
| US09253800B2 |
Apparatuses, systems, and methods for access configurations
A mobile communication device including a wireless module and a controller module is provided, and the mobile communication device is coupled to a cellular access station. The wireless module performs wireless transmissions and receptions to and from the cellular access station. The controller module determines whether a GAPM has been received from the cellular access station via the wireless module and whether the mobile communication device supports an EACH, and if so, performs Tx operations on the EACH using a random access procedure with a message duration, and otherwise, if not, performs the Tx operations on an ACH using the random access procedure. Particularly, the GAPM includes a maximum message duration and a minimum message duration over the EACH, and the message duration is not greater than the maximum message duration and not less than the minimum message duration over the EACH. |
| US09253797B2 |
Random access channel response handling with aggregated component carriers
Disclosed herein are methods, computer program instructions and apparatus for performing random access procedures in a wireless communication system. A method includes receiving at a network access node, in different time and frequency resources that are allocated for preamble transmission, and in different ones of a plurality of component carriers, a plurality of random access requests from individual ones of a plurality of user equipments; and transmitting a corresponding plurality of random access responses in a time and frequency resource of a single component carrier. |
| US09253795B2 |
Method and apparatus for scheduling an uplink data transmission
A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided to schedule the uplink grant in a manner that efficiently utilizes uplink resources. In the context of a method from the perspective of the user equipment, an indication regarding data to be transmitted is received and a scheduling request is caused to be provided via a control channel. The scheduling request is configured to indicate a size of the data to be transmitted. In response to a grant, data may be caused to be transmitted via allocated uplink resource blocks. In the context of a method from the perspective of a base station, a scheduling request including an indication of the requested size of the uplink grant is received via a control channel. The method may cause the grant to be provided to a user equipment and, in response, may receive data from the user equipment via allocated uplink resource blocks. |
| US09253791B2 |
Method and apparatus of reference signal dropping
The present invention provides a method for reference signal dropping and an apparatus for the method. A method for CSI-RS dropping comprises receiving first CSI-RS configuration information including sub-frame information which is transmission resource information of a first CSI-RS and through which the first CSI-RS information is transmitted and resource element information which contains the first CSI-RS; receiving second CSI-RS configuration information including sub-frame information which is transmission resource information of a second CSI-RS and through which the second CSI-RS is transmitted and resource element information which contains the second CSI-RS; and in case transmission resources of the first CSI-RS according to the first CSI-RS configuration and transmission resources of the second CSI-RS according to the second CSI-RS configuration overlap with each other, determining according to a priority order whether a CSI-RS received from the overlapping transmission resources corresponds to the first or the second CSI-RS. |
| US09253790B2 |
Radio resource allocation method in a radio communication system
Radio blocs (BRjp) shared in a predetermined frequency band during a periodic radio frame (TRi) between base stations (BS) are allocated to applications in base stations and mobile stations. Each radio block spreading on frequencies (Cj) of said band during a time slot (Mδt) of the radio frame and can be associated with an uplink or a downlink. To meet quality-of-service parameters required by an application, a base station estimates occupation rates of the radio blocks during consecutive radio frames, and allocates to the application at least one radio block having an occupation rate less than a threshold and a periodicity expressed in period of frame and depending on the required quality-of-service parameters. The base station are autonomous for the radio block allocations. |
| US09253789B2 |
Dynamic channel quality measurement procedure implemented in a wireless digital communication system to prioritize the forwarding of downlink data
A wireless digital communication system includes a base station in communication with a plurality of user equipment mobile terminals (UEs). The system prioritizes the forwarding of blocks of downlink data to designated ones of the UEs. The system employs adaptive modulation and coding (AM&C) to achieve improved radio resource utilization and provides optimum data rates for user services. Blocks of downlink (DL) data are received by the base station which requests downlink (DL) channel quality measurements only from those mobile terminals (UEs) with pending downlink transmissions. The UEs respond to the request by measuring and reporting DL channel quality to the base station, which then allocates resources such that the UEs will make best use of radio resources. The base station notifies the UEs of the physical channel allocation indicating the modulation/coding rate and allocated slots followed by transmission of blocks of downlink data which are transmitted to the UEs. |
| US09253786B2 |
First network node and a second network node and methods therein
A method in a second network node (13,23) (eNodeB,BTS) for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from a user equipment (10) in a cellular radio system. The second network node (2nd eNodeB, BTS) signals (sends, transmits) an indicator to a first network node, i.e. RNC or first EnodeB or BTS (12,22, 15) in the cellular radio system, which indicator indicates an impact of an intermodulation (passive intermodulation, PIM, product) caused by a transmission from a transmitter in the second network node (second eNodeB or BTS) (13,23) on a receiver in the second network node (second EnodeB or BTS) (13,23). |
| US09253781B2 |
Scheduling in consideration of terminal groups in a mobile communication system
Specifically, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for operating a base station that assigns frequency resources to terminals in a wireless communication system is provided. The method comprises the steps of calculating a first metric using information relating to the transmission rate of each terminal; calculating a second metric using information relating to a proportion of a group to which each of the terminals belongs; determining a terminal to which a frequency resource is assigned on the basis of the calculated first and second metrics; assigning the resource to the determined terminal; and updating the information relating to the transmission rate for each terminal and the information relating to proportion of a group. |
| US09253778B2 |
Coexistence management service for spectrum sharing
Systems and methods are provided for coexistence management service for licensed and unlicensed spectrum sharing. A coexistence system may include a coexistence manager (CM) that may provide resource allocation services for a coexistence enabler (CE). CMs may negotiate with each other to resolve coexistence issues via directly or indirectly through a coexistence discovery and information server (CDIS). A channel may be exclusively used by a CE network. The networks may mitigate interference by avoiding use of the same channels. A channel may be shared by multiple CE networks. In co-channel sharing, the networks may mitigate interference via power management. Bidding processes may be implemented directly via competing CMs, for example via open or silent token auction. Bidding processes among competing CMs may be managed by a third party entity, for example a CDIS, for example via open or silent token auction. |
| US09253777B2 |
Methods and apparatus in a wireless communication system
The present invention relates to methods and apparatus in a RBS and a UE for reference signal (RS) measurements in an OFDM system, that enable having a configurable RS transmission bandwidth which is smaller than the system bandwidth. This allows for better interference coordination of RS, which in turn improves the UE RS measurements used for different services such as positioning. The RBS retrieves the RS transmission bandwidth, determines a RS measurement bandwidth based on this RS transmission bandwidth, and transmits the determined bandwidth to the UE. The UE receives the RS measurement bandwidth and measures the RS in a bandwidth determined based on the received measurement bandwidth and the UE capability. |
| US09253775B2 |
Method, user equipment and base station for determining timing advance
The embodiment of the present document provides a method, user equipment and base station for determining a timing advance, which can support a larger cell radius without changing the protocol, the required device complexity is low, and with the UE side transmitting msg3 by using different TA adjustments to obtain a correct timing deviation value, the access delay of the PRACH is minimized, and the overhead of the PRACH sub-frame will not be increased, which can prevent the performance of the system from deterioration, and it can be applied to TDD and FDD LTE systems simultaneously. |
| US09253772B2 |
System and method for multi-carrier network operation
A system and method for configuring a component carrier is presented. A component carrier assignment message is received. The component carrier assignment message may be configured to identify the component carrier and include at least one of, at least one of a downlink carrier frequency, a carrier frequency of a paired uplink carrier, a bandwidth of the component carrier, and a bandwidth of the paired uplink carrier, an indication of whether the component carrier is a control channel monitoring component carrier configured to signal data channel assignment information for the component carrier, and a logical index of the component carrier. The component carrier assignment message may then be used to configure the component carrier on a user equipment (UE). |
| US09253768B2 |
Reference signals for an enhanced physical downlink control channel
A method of wireless communication includes generating a first reference signal (e.g., DM-RS) based on a first scrambling identifier. The method also includes generating a second reference signal (e.g., DM-RS) based on a second scrambling identifier. The second scrambling identifier is different from the first scrambling identifier. The method further includes transmitting the first reference signal for a control channel (e.g., EPDCCH) and transmitting the second reference signal for a data channel (e.g., PDSCH). |
| US09253767B2 |
PSMP-based downlink multi-user MIMO communications
A scheduling-based downlink MU-MIMO mechanism is proposed in a wireless communication system. An access point transmits a first scheduling message to a plurality of stations. The first scheduling message reserves a first transmission burst for channel sounding. The AP then transmits a sounding signal and in response receives channel state information (CSI) from the plurality of stations. Based on the CSI, the AP performs MU-MIMO encoding and applies transmit beamforming (precoding). The AP transmits a second scheduling message that reserves a second transmission burst for MU-MIMO transmission. The AP then transmits downlink data streams to multiple stations simultaneously. Finally, the AP receives uplink acknowledgements from the stations. In one embodiment, the scheduling-based MU-MIMO is implemented using PSMP scheduling technique. PSMP-based downlink MU-MIMO allows both 802.11n and 802.11ac stations to process multiple spatial streams with reduced complexity, enhanced performance, and significant power saving. |
| US09253766B2 |
Method for setting subframe in wireless communication system
A method of configuring a subframe in a time division duplexing (TDD) wireless communication system, and an apparatus therefore are discussed. The method according to one embodiment includes receiving reconfiguration information indicating a specific subframe being reconfigured. The specific subframe is one of one or more uplink subframes based on a TDD uplink-downlink configuration. The method according to the embodiment further includes reconfiguring the specific subframe based on the reconfiguration information. When the specific subframe is reconfigured to use for both an uplink transmission and a downlink transmission, a first resource region for the uplink transmission is allocated before a second resource region for the downlink transmission. |
| US09253765B2 |
Method and system for indicating the transmission mode for uplink control information
A base station includes a transmit path circuitry to select one of a first UCI multiplexing method that allows a subscriber station to simultaneously transmit PUSCH and PUCCH and a second UCI multiplexing method that does not allow the subscriber station to simultaneously transmit PUSCH and PUCCH. The transmit path circuitry also transmits a higher layer signal indicating the one selected UCI multiplexing method, and transmits one or more uplink grants. Each of the uplink grants schedules a PUSCH in an UL CC for a subframe n, and each of the uplink grants carries a CQI request. The base station also includes a receive path circuitry to receive an aperiodic CSI report on the PUSCH in the uplink component carrier i when only one of the uplink grants scheduling a PUSCH in an uplink component carrier i carries a CQI request having a value from a set of values. |
| US09253764B2 |
Method and apparatus of transmitting ACK/NACK
A method for receiving an uplink signal by a base station in a wireless communication system, and the base station therefore are discussed. The method according to one embodiment includes transmitting, by the base station, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) via one or more resource units; transmitting, by the base station, a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) corresponding to the transmitted PDCCH; and receiving, by the base station, a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) using a PUCCH resource in response to the transmitted PDSCH. In addition, an index of the PUCCH resource is determined by adding a first index offset and a second index offset to a lowest index of the one or more resource units. Additionally, the first index offset is signaled via the PDCCH and the second index offset is signaled via higher layer signaling. |
| US09253763B2 |
Control channel detection
A wireless device at least demodulates, descrambles and decodes a first control signal to generate a first signal. The wireless device processes the first signal by at least encoding, scrambling, modulating and scaling the first signal. The wireless device subtracts the processed first signal from received signals to generate a second signal. The wireless device at least demodulates, descrambles and decodes the second signal to generate a second control message. |
| US09253762B2 |
Wireless communication system and access point apparatus
In a system which performs wireless communication from an access point to stations using group identification information, the frequency of uses of group identification information that overlaps with that of another access point is reduced. An association between a station apparatus included in a group that is a target for simultaneous transmission and group identification information is stored, each station apparatus included in the group is notified of the group identification information, group identification information that is being used in the other access point apparatus is acquired, and if group identification information that is being used by the access point apparatus itself overlaps with the group identification information used by the other access point apparatus, the group identification information is changed so as to reduce the number of pieces of overlapping group identification information. |
| US09253760B2 |
Adaptive broadband platforms and methods of operation
A subscriber platform for broadband communication, according to various aspects of the present invention, includes an antenna, a plurality of transceivers, and a processor. The antenna supports communication via a plurality of directional beams. The plurality of frequency agile transceivers operate simultaneously, each transceiver being coupled to the antenna for communication via a respective directional beam. The processor is coupled to the plurality of transceivers. And, the transceivers are coupled to the antenna to communicate data among the directional beams as directed by the processor, communication including directional diversity and frequency diversity. |
| US09253758B2 |
Techniques for dynamic resource allocation
Techniques are disclosed that dynamically allocate communications resources in a wireless communications network, such as a wireless personal area network (WPAN). For instance, a wireless communications device may obtain a resource allocation. This resource allocation includes a time slot (e.g., a TDMA time slot) within a wireless communications medium. The device determines a first portion of the time slot in which it intends to transmit data. Also, the wireless communications device relinquishes a second portion of the time slot that occurs after the first portion of the time slot. Based on this relinquishment, a central controller device may reallocate the second portion of the time slot. |
| US09253754B2 |
Multi-band channel capacity for meter network
A communication system that relays data messages from or to a plurality of remote endpoints via RF gateways to a data accumulation site over one of a series of communication channels. The communication system monitors the signal-to-noise ratio of communication from each individual endpoint, which can be utility meters and related control or monitoring points, to a gateway. Based upon a quality of service and/or the signal-to-noise ratio of the communication of the endpoints to the gateways, the system assigns a desired communication channel to the endpoint. Each of the desired communication channels have varying data transmission rate and required SNR and each channel is selected based upon the signal-to-noise ratio of the transmissions from the endpoint to the gateways. If the signal-to-noise ratio changes for an endpoint, the system dynamically reassigns a different channel to the meter based upon the updated signal-to-noise ratio. |
| US09253752B2 |
Asset tracking system activated by predetermined pattern of asset movement
An asset tracking system that optimizes the value per ping by tying the ping to a pattern of movements of the asset. The asset tracking device will send a ping to a remote host (i.e., receiver) when pre-determined condition(s) regarding the movement are met, conditions such as the pattern of movement, and number of movements within a time period. In such a manner, the value per ping is optimized, leading to increased battery life and decreased operational cost. To satisfy these conditions, the asset tracking device is equipped with appropriate sensors, actuators, and trigger mechanism(s). The sensors and actuators detect movements and/or confirm or recognize a sequence of movements. When the detected movements and/or sequence of movements match a predetermined, recognized pattern or condition, the trigger mechanism is activated, after which a data ping is sent. |
| US09253751B2 |
Method of calculating movement speed and device for calculating movement speed
In a baseband processing circuit unit, a reception signal type determination unit determines whether or not a reception signal in a GPS reception unit is an indirect wave. A movement speed calculation unit calculates a movement speed of the GPS reception unit using a correction coefficient of a relative speed determined in accordance with the determination of whether or not the reception signal is an indirect wave, a transmission frequency of a GPS satellite signal and a reception frequency in the GPS reception unit. |
| US09253748B2 |
Network-enabled light fixture for locating movable object
In one embodiment, a method comprises a wireless detector in a lighting element detecting a movable object within a prescribed detection zone of the wireless detector; and the lighting element sending a message identifying detection of the movable object to a remote gateway, allowing the remote gateway to locate the movable object. |
| US09253746B2 |
Reminders based on device presence
An architecture can facilitate and/or transmit reminders based upon device presence techniques in connection with a wireless communications network. For example, when certain mobile devices register with a particular network entity (e.g., a femtocell) that services a particular target location (e.g., place of residence), then such registration can be leveraged to indicate presence at the target location. Accordingly, reminders can be configured by custodian devices and delivered to subservient devices if certain predetermined conditions or criteria are satisfied in connection with the presence information. |
| US09253740B2 |
Method and apparatus for coordinated power-zone-assignment in wireless backhaul networks
Methods are disclosed for scheduling resources in a wireless backhaul network comprising a plurality of N Hubs, each Hub serving a plurality of K Remote Backhaul Modules (RBMs), using a coordinated power zone assignment across the backhaul network. For each Hub, a one-to-one power zone assignment, of each of the K RBM to one of the K power zones, is computed by maximizing a selected network utility across the backhaul network. Coordinated power zone assignment according to preferred embodiments based on the auction approach offers a close-to-global-optimal solution. Coordinated scheduling based on first assigning RBMs to hubs heuristically, and then optimally scheduling RBMs within each hub also offers significant performance improvement as compared to non-coordinated systems. Preferred embodiments offer a significant performance improvement as compared to conventional systems. They are low in complexity, and compatible with the physical constraints of SFR-based wireless backhaul network, which make them amenable to practical implementation. |
| US09253730B2 |
Transmitter and receiver for reducing power consumption in FM-UWB communication system
A transmitter and a receiver for reducing power consumption in a frequency modulation-ultra-wideband (FM-UWB) communication system are provided. The transmitter includes a detector configured to generate a pulse signal when an edge of a digital signal is detected. The transmitter further includes a first modulator configured to modulate the digital signal into a first modulation signal based on a value of the digital signal. The transmitter further includes a second modulator configured to modulate the first modulation signal into a second modulation signal based on a frequency of the first modulation signal when the pulse signal is generated. |
| US09253728B2 |
Operating geographic location systems
In general, in one aspect, a method includes receiving, on a mobile device, an indication that an application executing on the mobile device has entered a background state, determining, based on data received from a location system of the mobile device, that the mobile device has remained within a geographic area during a time interval, the geographic area being defined by a radius determined according to an application type of the application, and disabling at least a portion of the location system of the mobile device. |
| US09253727B1 |
Adaptive transmission energy consumption
A method, of operating an end node to wirelessly communicate with a central node, includes: receiving wirelessly a current instance of a beacon signal periodically-transmitted from the central node; measuring a received power, PB-RX, of the beacon signal; reading locally-stored values of PB-TX and G representing a presumed transmitted power of the beacon signal and a performance goal of the end node, respectively; determining, for a given channel, a path loss, PL, based on the PB-RX and the PB-TX; and adaptively setting an energy level, EN-TX, of a forthcoming message to be transmitted from the end node based on PL and G. |
| US09253718B2 |
Establishing wireless connection based on network status
The disclosure is related to selecting an access point by a wireless terminal. Access points in an area associated with the wireless terminal may be scanned. From the scanned access points, candidate access points may be determined by filtering out improper access points from the scanned access points. A target access point may be selected from the candidate access points based on wireless link quality of each candidate access point. |
| US09253713B2 |
Method and system for small cell discovery in heterogeneous cellular networks
A method and a user equipment in a network having a macro cell and at least one small cell, the method in one embodiment receiving a measurement restriction over a broadcast channel from the macro cell; and applying the restriction for a corresponding measurement at the user equipment. In one embodiment the method includes receiving a small cell list from the macro cell; and measuring at least one of a reference signal receive power and a reference signal received quality based on the received small cell list. The method includes, in one embodiment, receiving a neighboring small cell configurations from the macro cell; and utilizing the received small cell configurations to attach to a small cell. The method includes, in one embodiment, receiving an s-measure offset value over a broadcast channel from the macro cell; and applying the s-measure offset value to an s-measure for neighbor cell discovery. |
| US09253695B2 |
Mobile communication system and relay node control method, relay node management device and control method thereof, and non-transitory computer readable medium storing control program
It is determined whether a situation where a plurality of relay nodes having the same identification information exist in a service area of one base station occurs and makes an inter-base station handover and, in the case where the duplication occurs, when changing identification information of a relay node so as to differentiate each identification information, a handover of a mobile station communicating with a relay node whose identification information is to be changed in a service area of the relay node is made from the relay node to a base station to thereby continue a service for the mobile station by the base station, and, after the identification information of the relay node is changed, a handover of the mobile station having been communicating with the relay node in the service area is made from the base station to the relay node to thereby restart a service. |
| US09253692B1 |
Reuse of identifiers for contention-free random access requests to a network
A system and method for reuse of identifiers for contention-free random access requests by wireless communication devices (WCDs) to a network are disclosed. A base station can configure two or more air-interface resources for concurrent, non-interfering transmissions by two or more different WCDs of identical random access requests to the base station. The base station may then assign an identical identifier for contention-free random access requests to two or more WCDs, while assigning the WCDs different ones of the two or more air-interface resources configured for the concurrent, non-interfering transmissions. The two or more WCDs can then concurrently transmit identical contention-free random access requests that do not interfere with one another. By way of example, the air-interface resources can be different instances of a physical random access channel, each instance corresponding to a different resource block of a common uplink subframe in a long-term evolution (LTE) system. |
| US09253691B2 |
Method, terminal, base station, and system for adjusting control parameters
The present invention discloses a method for adjusting control parameters. The method includes: when a terminal fails to be handed over from a source cell to a target cell, or when the terminal is handed over from a source cell to a target cell successfully and a radio link connection failure occurs on a radio link established between the terminal and the target cell, reestablishing, by the terminal, a radio link with a reestablished cell; and sending, by the terminal, a report message to a base station of the reestablished cell, where the report message carries moving speed information of the terminal and/or size information of the target cell. |
| US09253687B2 |
Base station, mobile station, communication system, transmission method and reordering method
A reordering method of sending packets, to which numbers indicating the packet order are added, to a mobile station from a base station, and rearranging the order of the packets at the mobile station, this includes forwarding from a source base station to a target base station, packets, not sent to the mobile station before a handover sequence, or packets, a confirmation response of proper reception has not been received from the mobile station, transmitting preferentially those packets from the target base station to the mobile base station and then transmitting packets received from a host station to the mobile station, giving packets information indicating that the packets are jump packets when transmitting the packets to the mobile station, received from the host station with the order jumped, deciding jump packets are not objects of reordering, and performing the reordering process for packets that are objects of reordering. |
| US09253686B1 |
Cluster-based wireless-network technology assignment
A method, system, and medium are provided for assigning wireless-network technologies to base stations within a base station cluster. A first set of base stations is associated to form a first base station cluster. Once associated into the base station cluster, the total estimated demand on each wireless-network technology is determined for each of the base stations in the cluster. The technology having the highest total estimated demand is also determined for each of the base stations in the cluster. A first RF channel in the cluster is assigned the technology for which the majority of the base stations in the cluster have the highest total estimated demand. This process is carried out for the remaining RF channels in the cluster. |
| US09253683B2 |
Utilizing stored data to reduce packet data loss in a mobile data network with data breakout at the edge
In a mobile data network with a breakout system, when data is broken out, the RLC function is split into two different flows, between the UE and the breakout system and between the breakout system and the RNC. These two flows are processed by different RLC functions that may drift apart and become out of synchronization resulting in errors that diminish the user's quality of experience. Other errors may also occur in communication on these two different flows. The breakout system attempts to correct these errors using data stored locally in communication data structures for the two data flows. If the errors cannot be corrected, the breakout system can initiate an RLC reset into both of these flows to resynchronize the data communication. |
| US09253680B2 |
Multi-tier service and secure wireless communications networks
The present invention pertains to improved communication quality and security of transmission in cellular communication networks. A customer has the option to pay different fees for different tiers of service relating to voice quality, bandwidth access, and different tiers of service relating to communications security. Higher tiers may guarantee a specific vocoder or bit rate is used, or guarantee a specific encryption protocol is use to ensure secure communications. Different tiers may be associated with customers' records for billing purposes. The network may afford high end devices higher voice quality and/or security via a lookup table indicating what level of service is associated with a given device. Calling or receiving devices may negotiate with each other to change to a more robust vocoder or bit rate to ensure a higher quality and/or security. Furthermore, the user may opt to change the quality and/or security level before or during a call. |
| US09253679B2 |
Method for logging measurement result in wireless communication system and apparatus for the same
A method for logging measurement results in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes: receiving a logged measurement configuration from a network, the logged measurement configuration comprising information for performing logged Minimization Driving Test (MDT); measuring at least one cell based on the logged measurement configuration; determining whether the measurement result has importance for logging; if a storage space for logging is enough for additionally logging, setting an importance tag of the measurement result to a predetermined value in accordance with the determination; and logging the measurement result and the importance tag in the storage space. |
| US09253677B2 |
Methods and apparatus for enhancing network positioning measurement performance by managing uncertain measurement occasions
Method and apparatus for enhancing network positioning measurement performance, wherein uplink measurement is a measurement performed on radio signals configured for a wireless device by a first network node, and wherein the first network node is different from a measuring node. Information is obtained about a plurality of measurement occasions in which the wireless device is scheduled to transmit one or more configured radio signals, wherein a measurement occasion comprises one or more time and/or frequency resources. Information is also obtained about uncertain measurement occasions, wherein an uncertain measurement occasion comprises one of the plurality of measurement occasions in which the wireless device may or may not transmit the one or more configured radio signals. A radio signal measurement is selectively performed based on the obtained information and the radio signals received from the wireless device, and is used for determining positioning of the wireless device. |
| US09253674B2 |
Decreasing RSSI settling time in low-power mode systems
Methods and apparatuses presented herein advantageously enable more accurate RSSI measurements by waking up a mobile device from a low-power mode in certain pre-designated situations. These situations include detecting certain trends in RSSI values, detecting changes in transmit power, or detecting motion. The trigger which causes the mobile device to enter the active mode from the low power mode may differ in varying examples. |
| US09253672B1 |
System and method for measuring the quantity, type and transmission quality of mobile communication devices within a defined geographical area
A system and method for measuring the quantity, type, transmission quality and visit history of mobile communication devices within a defined geographical area is disclosed herein. A data server is configured to receive new transmission data for mobile devices from each of a plurality of sensor devices and associate the new transmission data with a corresponding sensor device of the plurality of sensor devices. A console application is also configured to display the display information to an end-user operator. |
| US09253669B2 |
Network analysis method, information processing device, and computer-readable recording medium
A network analysis method performed by a computer, the network analysis method includes receiving packets from a wired network, extracting a plurality of continuous packets transmitted by a communication device, and a plurality of acknowledgement packets transmitted by a wireless communication device in response to the plurality of continuous packets, and determining whether a delay is due to a wireless communication between the wireless communication device and an access point, based on a time interval of the plurality of continuous packets, and a time interval of the plurality of acknowledgment packets. |
| US09253667B2 |
Methods and apparatus for mobile device recovery following radio link failure
Methods and apparatus to audibly provide messages in a mobile device at described. An example method includes detecting a radio link failure condition, in response to detecting the radio link failure condition, sending a cell update message to a medium access control of the user equipment, detecting that a timer associated with a radio access bearer has expired before receiving confirmation from the medium access control of transmission of the cell update message to a network, and in response to detecting that the timer associated with the radio access bearer has expired and sending the cell update message to the medium access control, maintaining the radio access bearer associated with the timer. |
| US09253664B2 |
Methods and apparatus for reducing call drop rate
Methods and apparatus for reducing voice call drop rate are disclosed. Existing devices do not account for the added burden of background services on voice calls. Specifically, multi-RAB scenarios (e.g., a voice call and background services) can experience significant reduction in call quality. Accordingly, in one exemplary embodiment, background services that are not time-critical and/or application-critical can be suspended while a voice call is in progress. By suspending background traffic during a call, the device can avoid unnecessary multi-RAB voice call operation, which significantly improves overall network operation and user experience. |
| US09253663B2 |
Controlling mobile device communications on a roaming network based on device state
A device that determines an aspect of a service policy based on a state of the device, and applies the service policy. The state is based on a user interaction, or a lack of user interaction, with the device. The service policy applies a first control to a first activity over a roaming network and a second control to the first activity over a home network, wherein the first control controls the first activity differently than the second control controls the first activity. The first activity is caused by a first software component on the device and comprises a first set of prospective or successful communications over an available wireless network. The aspect of the service policy controls the first activity differently from a second activity over a roaming network, where the second activity is associated with a second software component on the device. |
| US09253660B2 |
Reporting in communications systems
A communication network comprises a management system, a core network element, and a radio access network element. The core network element may be a subscriber database or a mobility entity. It is capable of: receiving consent information; receiving from the management system a measurement reporting activation in a network; checking whether at least part of the activation request applies to a subscriber for whom consent information consenting to measurement reporting has been provided; and in the event that consent information consenting to measurement reporting has been provided, ensabling the activation request by communicating with the radio access network element so that measurement reporting in respect of that subscriber may take place. The measurement reporting activation may be for subscriber-based or area-based measurements to be made. |
| US09253656B2 |
Signal transmission method and system for transmitting signal by using interference control method and/or transmission power control method
Provided are a signal transmission method and a network apparatus to control interference in a radio communication network. A terminal may transmit to the network apparatus, signal quality information associated with a radio channel formed between the terminal and a corresponding base station. The corresponding base station may output a signal received by the plurality of terminals, based on the signal quality information. |
| US09253655B2 |
Low latency channel estimation for downlink MIMO
When more than two layers are multiplexed in one CDM group, length-4 OCC has to be used across both clusters in one subframe. This means that slot-by-slot channel estimation according to conventional schemes cannot be exploited and Doppler impact cannot be well overcome. By introducing virtual variables and virtual channel samples that are used in processing two time slots in a subframe independently and applying a frequency domain filter based on the virtual variables and then performing postprocessing based on virtual channel samples, slot-by-slot processing is possible to reduce latency and overcome Doppler impact. Code de-spreading of length-4 OCC is no longer processed in time domain, but in frequency domain with two adjacent CDM subgroups. As a result, the frequency domain filtering can start earlier whereby detection latency and processing time for OCC of length longer than 2 is reduced. It can also be used for the length-2 OCC. |
| US09253652B1 |
Ad hoc formation of a swarm for information collection and distribution
Embodiments relate generally to systems and methods for ad hoc formation of a swarm for information collection and distribution. The swarm may be operable to aggregate information from a plurality of mobile devices in a specific area, wherein the information may be related by subject or category. The swarm may be formed in response to a triggering event, wherein the triggering event may be location based. Once the swarm is formed, it may provide access for users to information which may include photos, videos, audio, location information and environmental information. |
| US09253650B2 |
Radio base station and communication control method including uplink resource reallocation
An eNB assigns, to a UE, a pair of a PDSCH resource and a PUSCH resource that overlaps, in frequency band, with the PDSCH resource; and derives antenna weight that should be applied to the PDSCH resource, on the basis of a DMRS transmitted from the UE by using the PUSCH resource. When the assignment of the PUSCH is changed to another UE, the eNB derives the antenna weight, on the basis of a past uplink reference signal transmitted from the UE in a past time zone earlier than the PUSCH resource and in a frequency band overlapping with the frequency band of the PDSCH resource. |
| US09253649B2 |
Methods and apparatus to scan a wireless communication spectrum
Methods and apparatus are disclosed to scan a wireless communication spectrum. An example method disclosed herein includes causing a first scanner to determine, for a frequency of a wireless communication spectrum, a decoded base station identifier, causing a second scanner to determine a plurality of signal strengths at the frequency without determining a base station identifier, and determining that the base station identifier is associated with a subset of the plurality of signal strengths by comparing at least one of timestamps and locations associated with the base station identifier and the plurality of signal strengths. |
| US09253643B2 |
Method and apparatus for H(e)NB integrity verification and validation
An apparatus and method for providing home evolved node-B (H(e)NB) integrity verification and validation using autonomous validation and semi-autonomous validation is disclosed herein. |
| US09253642B2 |
System and method for online activation of wireless internet service
The present invention is related to method and system for online activation of a wireless internet service, which are capable of automatically transferring a MAC address required for an online activation of wireless internet services to an online activation server, thereby eliminating the subscriber burden of having to know the MAC address and preventing incorrect input of the MAC address. |
| US09253639B1 |
Methods and systems to enable presence related services
Methods and apparatus for monitoring the presence of a mobile device in at least one special area, wherein a radio communication defining device transmits a radio distinctive defining signal that defines the special area by its coverage. The mobile device processes signals received to determine whether or not the signals are a distinctive defining signal that at least partially defines the special area. Upon a determination that the mobile device is in a special area the mobile device sends an updating signal to a special operating means of a provider of presence related services via a mobile telephone network, the special operating means adapts the value of one or more operating parameter in response to receiving the updating signal. The mobile device also generates a One-Time-Password (OTP) calculated based on information in the distinctive defining signal and sends the OTP to a server of the provider of presence related services. |
| US09253637B2 |
Telecommunications network and method for time-based network access
The invention relates to a telecommunications network configured for providing access to a plurality of terminals is proposed and a method therefore. Each terminal comprises a unique identifier for accessing the telecommunications network. The telecommunications network comprises a register, an access request receiver and an access module. The register is configured for storing the unique identifier of at least one terminal in combination with at least one grant access time interval, or an equivalent thereof, during which access for the terminal is permitted. The access request receiver is configured for receiving the access request and the unique identifier for accessing the telecommunications network from the terminal. The access module is configured for denying access for the terminal if the access request is received outside the time interval, or the equivalent thereof. |
| US09253624B2 |
Mobile communication device providing communication pathway determination assistance
A system and method in a mobile communication device for providing assistance to a user in determining a communication pathway. A system may comprise processor-executable instructions, that when executed by a processor, cause a mobile communication device that supports a communication type over multiple networks to access availability information stored in a remote database for determining available networks among the multiple networks for performing the communication type, determine the available networks using the availability information, provide user assistance for determining a selected network among the available networks for the communication type, and perform the communication type using the selected network. |
| US09253621B2 |
Method and apparatus for associating service provider network identifiers with access network identifiers
According to one aspect of the teachings herein, a token is logically bound to an external identifier and provided to a wireless device via triggering signaling sent to the wireless device through an access network. The wireless device is configured to send registration signaling through the access network to a service provider network, in response to the triggering signaling and to return the token in such signaling. With this advantageous approach, the service provider network recognizes the token returned from the wireless device and thereby learns the association between a service provider network identifier that is received in the registration signaling for identifying the wireless device with respect to a service provided by the service provider network, and an external identifier assigned by the access network for use by the service provider network in identifying the wireless device to the access network. |
| US09253618B2 |
Global mobility infrastructure for user devices
A global mobility system and computer program product for providing a global mobility framework. The system includes a mobility data collection unit, a mobility data management unit, and a device management unit. The data collection unit acquires real-time mobility data relating to a user and associated mobile and stationary devices. The data management unit manages mobility data and applies data to the devices in use. The device management unit activates and controls the operation of the devices based on available device and environmental data, and the mobility services subscribed by the user. The data management unit configures a device using the collected mobile data and prepares the device for operation in a respective environment. The device management unit prepares device work flows, activates and deactivates the devices, and controls the device operations based on the collected mobility data. |
| US09253612B2 |
System and method of creating and providing SMS http tagging
A system and method for sending text messages and, more particularly, a system and method for forcing SMS capable devices to communicate via SMS using, for example, SS7 protocol. A method includes providing a tag forcing a return text message to be sent via SS7 protocol. In use, the system and method is configured to force the use of SMS messages via the SS7 protocol. The system and method can be implemented over any network, for example, and any existing mobile device and related infrastructure can be modified to take advantage of the benefits and functionality of the system and method of the invention. |
| US09253608B2 |
Wireless reliability architecture and methods using network coding
Network-coding-enabled reliability architectures and techniques are provided that are capable of enhancing data transfer reliability and efficiency in next generation wireless networks. In some embodiments, the techniques and architectures utilize a flexible thread-based coding approach to implement network coding. The techniques and architectures may also, or alternatively, utilize systematic intra-session random linear network coding as a packet erasure code to support reliable data transfer. |
| US09253606B2 |
Structure access characteristics determined from mobile unit data
In an embodiment, a system receives mobile device data from a plurality of mobile devices. The system compares the mobile device data with cartographic data representing a structure and determines a structure access characteristic based on the comparison. The structure access characteristic may be the location of an entrance or exit to the structure. The structure access characteristic may also be a structure access type, a structure access status, a structure access schedule, or any other structure access characteristic. |
| US09253605B2 |
System and method for resolving multiple location estimate conflicts in a WLAN-positioning system
Methods of and systems for resolving multiple location estimate conflicts in a WLAN-positioning system are provided. Disclosed are methods to quantify the probability that a particular location estimate of a mobile device made by a Wi-Fi based positioning system is correct to within an arbitrary accuracy. Implementations use observed access point cluster size, age information for access point location determination, and/or cumulative distribution functions that characterize the conditional probability that one or more access points detected by the mobile device have relocated within a specified time interval to make the probability determinations. |
| US09253604B2 |
Mobile device for distinguishing user's movement, method therefor, and method for generating hierarchical tree model therefor
A mobile device for distinguishing a user's movement, a method therefor, and a method for generating a hierarchical tree model therefor. Particularly, the mobile device includes: an acceleration sensor; a buffer for collecting the acceleration data outputted from the acceleration sensor according to a user's specific movement; an extraction unit for extracting the characteristic elements of the user's specific movement based on the acceleration data collected by the buffer; and a movement judgment unit for determining to which class the user's specific movement belongs by inputting the characteristic elements extracted by the extraction unit into a pre-structured hierarchical tree model, wherein the hierarchical tree model is pre-structured based on the characteristic elements extracted for each movement. |
| US09253603B1 |
Accelerometer-based calibration of vehicle and smartphone coordinate systems
Calibration of vehicle and smartphone coordinate systems includes receiving acceleration data from an accelerometer of the smartphone. The smartphone identifies a Y-axis, a Z-axis, and an X-axis of the coordinate system of the vehicle relative to a coordinate system of the smartphone from the raw acceleration data. The smartphone generates processed acceleration data by transforming the raw acceleration data into the coordinate system of the smartphone. The processed acceleration data is used to detect driving conditions of the vehicle. |
| US09253601B2 |
Applying indoor magnetic fields for acquiring movement information
An apparatus caused at least to acquire information indicating first indoor magnetic field vectors measured by a first portable device inside a building; generate a first indoor magnetic field sequence, IMFS, on the basis of the first indoor magnetic field vectors; acquire information indicating second indoor magnetic field vectors measured by a second portable device inside the building; generate a second IMFS on the basis of the second indoor magnetic field vectors, wherein the first and the second IMFSs represent at least one of the magnitude and the direction of the Earth's magnetic field; perform a comparison between at least part of the first IMFS and at least part of the second IMFS; and acquire information on the relative movement of the first portable device with respect to the second portable device inside the building on the basis of the comparison result. |
| US09253599B1 |
RTT processing based on a characteristic of access points
Systems, apparatus and methods for estimating a location of a mobile device are presented. Before computing a location estimate, the mobile device groups a plurality of access points into two or more categories (for example, a first list of access points having a first characteristic and a second list of access points having a second characteristic). Round-trip time (RTT) measurements are computed for access points in the first list. A Short Interframe Space (SIFS) value may be determined for each access point in the first list or generally SIFT representing the first list as a whole. The RTT measurements are compensated with the appropriate SIFS value. The mobile device then computes its location or position fix estimate using the compensated RTT values while excluding less accurate RTT values from other access points. As a result, the location estimate eliminates adverse influent from some access points. |
| US09253595B1 |
Determination of base station location based on other serving locations available to client devices
A system and method for determining base station location from neighbor lists of client devices is disclosed. When base station attempts and fails to acquire a satellite-based location fix, it can identify client devices operating within its service range, and query them for their respective neighbor lists. Upon receiving neighbor lists from one or more of the queried client devices, the base station can merge the lists into a composite list. The base station can then determine the locations of the base stations in the composite list, and compute a centroid from the locations. The base station can then adopt the centroid location as its own location. |
| US09253592B1 |
Inter-device bearing estimation based on beamforming and motion data
Disclosed herein are techniques and systems for inter-device bearing estimation. Particularly, sensor fusion techniques are disclosed that combine motion data of a local computing device with beamforming data of the local computing device to determine a line-of-site path between the local computing device and a remote computing device. A motion sensor(s) of a local computing device may generate motion data from movement of the local computing device. The local computing device may further determine a direction, relative to the local computing device, of a beampattern in which an antenna(s) of the local computing device radiates energy, the beampattern direction being along a communication path between the local computing device and a remote computing device. The local device may then determine, based at least in part on the motion data and the direction of the beampattern, whether the communication path corresponds to a line-of-sight path between the local and remote devices. |
| US09253589B2 |
Wireless local area network hotspot registration using near field communications
A first device that includes a processor configured to transmit/receive a trigger message to/from a second device based on wireless short-range communication. The trigger message initiates a registration process within a wireless local area network (WLAN). |
| US09253587B2 |
Method and system for intelligently controlling propagation environments in distributed transceiver communications
A communication device comprising a plurality of distributed transceivers and one or more corresponding antenna arrays is operable to determine characteristics of one or more objects that are sensed within a surrounding communication environment of the communication device. The communication device may configure one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers and/or one or more of the corresponding antenna arrays to handle communication of one or more data streams based on the determined characteristics. Exemplary characteristics may comprise reflective property and/or refractive property of the sensed one or more objects within the surrounding communication environment of the communication device. The communication device may be operable to store the determined characteristics, corresponding temporal information and/or spatial information for the sensed one or more objects, and/or signal propagation characteristics within a surrounding communication environment of the communication device. |
| US09253581B2 |
Method of controlling an effect strength of a binaural directional microphone, and hearing aid system
A hearing aid system has at least two hearing aid devices to be worn on both sides of a wearer's head. The hearing aid devices have a transducer for picking up an acoustic signal and converting same into a first audio signal in each case. A signal processing unit processes audio signals received from each hearing aid device through a signal connection. The signal processing unit evaluates a signal component from a preferred direction in relation to the head of the wearer in the first audio signals. By way of the first audio signals the signal processing unit generates a first binaural directional microphone signal and adjusts its directional characteristic as a function of the evaluation. |
| US09253578B2 |
Directional loudspeaker
In a directional loudspeaker, an audible sound signal that is modulated with a carrier wave in the ultrasonic wave band is input to a piezoelectric element, and thereby a diaphragm having the piezoelectric element is vibrated and a sound wave is generated. In such a directional loudspeaker, the diaphragm is fixed to a fixed part via a plurality of beams disposed along the outer circumference of the diaphragm. |
| US09253575B2 |
Power management system and method thereof
A power management system coupled to a speaker module includes a monitor module for measuring a current signal and a voltage signal of the speaker module to obtain a real-time impedance information of the speaker module; a reception module for receiving a time-domain audio analogy signal to be transformed into a frequency-domain audio digital signal; a prediction module for generating a power prediction information according to an initial audio information, the real-time impedance information and the audio digital signal; a control module for generating a control signal according to the audio digital signal and a human hearing model information; and a power adjustment module for outputting an adjustment audio signal to the speaker module according to the power prediction information, the audio digital signal and the control signal, so as to perform a broadcast operation of the speaker module. |
| US09253573B2 |
Acoustic signal processing apparatus, acoustic signal processing method, program, and recording medium
The present technology relates to an acoustic signal processing apparatus, an acoustic signal processing method, a program, and a recording medium for improving a localization of sound of a sound image at a position deviated from the front center plane of a listener to the left side of the right side. A binauralization processing unit generates a first binaural signal by superimposing an HRTF on an opposite side of a sound source on an acoustic signal and a second binaural signal by attenuating components of a band in which a first notch and a second notch of the HRTF on the opposite side of the sound source appear among components of a signal obtained by superimposing an HRTF on a side of the sound source on the acoustic signal. A crosstalk compensation processing unit performs, with respect to the first binaural signal and the second binaural signal, a crosstalk compensation for canceling out an acoustic transfer characteristic and a crosstalk. The present technology can be applied to, for example, an AV amplifier. |
| US09253572B2 |
Methods and systems for synthetic audio placement
Methods and systems for providing synthetic audio placement are described herein. In different aspects, the methods and systems may include a connection port to receive a plurality of remote audio signals included in a conference call, at least one of the plurality of remote audio connections being a single channel audio signal, a processor configured with the connection port to provide a sound field for placing the plurality of audio signals, the sound field providing synthetic audio placement of each of the plurality of remote audio signals, and a rendering output configured with the processor to project the plurality of remote audio within the sound field to a listener. |
| US09253571B2 |
Hearing apparatus for binaural supply and method for providing a binaural supply
A hearing apparatus for a binaural supply contains a first earhook to be worn on one ear, having a plurality of microphones, and a first signal processing device which is configured to generate a local earpiece signal for an earpiece of the first earhook from microphone signals of the microphones by use of multichannel signal processing of each of the microphone signals. A beam forming device and a transmission device are additionally provided in the first earhook. The beam forming device is configured to generate a directional output signal from the microphone signals by signal processing which has fewer channels than that of the first signal processing device, and wherein the transmission device is set up to transmit the directional output signal as an electrical or electromagnetic signal from the first earhook. |
| US09253570B2 |
Crossover based canalphone system
A canalphone system may include a high audio driver carried by a canalphone housing, and a low audio driver carried by the canalphone housing adjacent to the high audio driver. The system may also include an amplifier that amplifies an audio signal and delivers that amplified audio signal to the high audio driver and/or the low audio driver. The system may further include a passive audio crossover carried by the canalphone housing, the passive audio crossover receives the amplified audio signal from the amplifier and then delivers the amplified audio signal in a suitable frequency range to the high audio driver and/or the low audio driver. |
| US09253568B2 |
Single-microphone wind noise suppression
A technique for suppressing non-stationary noise, such as wind noise, in an audio signal is described. In accordance with the technique, a series of frames of the audio signal is analyzed to detect whether the audio signal comprises non-stationary noise. If it is detected that the audio signal comprises non-stationary noise, a number of steps are performed. In accordance with these steps, a determination is made as to whether a frame of the audio signal comprises non-stationary noise or speech and non-stationary noise. If it is determined that the frame comprises non-stationary noise, a first filter is applied to the frame and if it is determined that the frame comprises speech and non-stationary noise, a second filter is applied to the frame. |
| US09253567B2 |
Array microphone apparatus for generating a beam forming signal and beam forming method thereof
Embodiments described in the present disclosure relate to an array microphone apparatus for generating a beam forming signal. The apparatus includes first, second, and third omni-directional microphones, each converting an audible signal into a corresponding electrical signal. The three microphones are arranged in a horizontal coplanar alignment, and the second microphone is disposed between the other two microphones. The apparatus includes a first directional microphone forming device to jointly output a first directional microphone signal with a first bi-directional pattern, and a magnitude and phase response handler device to output a second directional microphone signal with an omni-directional pattern shifted by a prefixed value with respect to first directional microphone signal. The apparatus further includes a combining device receiving the first and second directional microphone signals and outputting a combined directional microphone signal with a combined beam pattern correlated to the first bi-directional and second omni-directional patterns, the combined directional microphone signal being perpendicular to the horizontal coplanar alignment of the first, second, and third omn-directional microphones. |
| US09253566B1 |
Vector noise cancellation
Techniques are provided for vector noise cancellation. Different value combinations for a plurality of weighting factors may be established for a plurality of selection regions. Each value combination for the plurality of weighting factors may correspond to a different combination of a set of input signals. One or more characteristics of input signals may be used to select a particular selection region. A particular value combination of the set of weighting factors may be chosen to attenuate or amplify the input signals to generate one or more output signals. |
| US09253557B2 |
Electronic device
Disclosed is an electronic device including: a housing (110) in which at least one sound hole (113) and at least one sound hole (114) are formed; an oscillator (120) that is provided inside the housing (110) and outputs a modulated wave for a parametric loudspeaker; a sound demodulation unit (130) that is not provided in the sound hole (113) but provided in the sound hole (114) and demodulates the modulated wave; and a sound hole opening and closing unit (112) that is mounted to the housing (110) and opens and closes the sound hole (113). |
| US09253555B2 |
Portable electronic apparatus
A portable electronic apparatus includes a structural member, a sound member, a circuit board, and a frame. The structural member has an opening and an accommodating recess. The sound member is accommodated in the accommodating recess, and has a top surface, a bottom surface, and a sound outlet. The sound outlet is located at the top surface. The circuit board cover plates the opening and has a first through hole corresponding to the sound outlet. The circuit board is disposed between the frame and the structural member. The frame has a second through hole corresponding to the sound outlet. The sound member is electrically connected to the circuit board. The sound outlet is communicated with the first and second through holes. |
| US09253548B2 |
Optimizing caches for media streaming
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, are described for establishing a grouping rule and a mapping protocol at a cache server system for caching fragments of a media stream that includes a timed-sequence of video frames. The fragments can be generated and identified at media source systems in accordance with a fragmenting format and an indexing protocol, respectively, which are common across the media source systems. Further, the established mapping protocol can be different from the indexing protocol. The methods include retrieving at least a portion of the fragments of the media stream by the cache server system from the media source systems. The methods also include allocating the retrieved fragments to local fragment groups at the cache server system based on the established grouping rule. The methods further include mapping the allocated fragments to the local fragment groups based on the established mapping protocol. |
| US09253542B2 |
Satellite signal distribution
Disclosed is a system and method for receiving satellite television signals. A centralized system component may be provided in association with the satellite antenna. The centralized system component includes at least one or more tuners and one or more demodulators. The centralized component may provide output through a network adaptor that provides output through a single output, which is a coaxial cable in one embodiment. The centralized component may send output in the form of packetized data directed to one or more set-top boxes by way of a network transaction. The set-top box or boxes may be operable to receive the network transaction and to process the data, as appropriate, for display on a TV/monitor. |
| US09253536B2 |
Updating data-consuming entities
This document describes tools capable of updating data-consuming entities. These tools allow a developer of an application to use data binding to update data-consuming entities without the need to write custom code. |
| US09253533B1 |
Scene identification
Technology is described for identifying a scene in video content. Video content to be played on a device may be provided. A segment of the video content that includes an occurrence of an interest event may be identified, the segment being identified based on instructions received while the video content is being provided to the device. A scene may be created with the segment based on a starting time code of the interest event. The scene with the segment may be provided for playback. |
| US09253526B2 |
System and method bridging cloud based user interfaces
Systems and apparatus providing UI functionality at a client device via a video decoder/renderer operates to decode a compressed video stream bearing UI imagery and a messaging proxy is adapted to process user interaction data indicative of a local function to invoke an application programming interface (API) associated with the local function in order to select an appropriate channel of the decoded compressed video stream. |
| US09253524B2 |
Selective post-processing of decoded video frames based on focus point determination
In general, in one aspect, a graphics driver receives information related to where eyes of a user watching a video are focused, determine if the user is focusing their attention on a particular location of the video, and generates post processing instructions for pixel macro blocks of decoded video frames. The instructions are based on whether it is determined that the user is focused. The graphics driver is further to determine a focus area associated with the particular location the user is focusing their attention on, determine a peripheral area around the focus area, generate a first set of post processing instructions for pixel macro blocks within the focus area, generate a second set of post processing instructions for pixel macro blocks within the peripheral area, and generate a third set of post processing instructions for pixel macro blocks not within either area. |
| US09253523B2 |
Methods and systems for recovering media content lost due to a channel change event
An exemplary method includes a media content recovery system 1) detecting that a DVR device is tuned to a first channel used by a media content provider to distribute a first media content program, 2) dynamically storing, in response to the detecting, first program data representative of the first media content program in a local buffer residing on the DVR device and in a recovery buffer as the first media content program is distributed by the media content provider, and 3) directing the DVR device to use the first program data stored in the local buffer to present the first media content program by way of a display while the DVR device is tuned to the first channel. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed. |
| US09253521B2 |
Image streaming system for minimizing resource usage of network video recorder (NVR)
An image streaming system for minimizing resource usage of an NVR as it does not need to manage IP cameras nor require additional resources to stream images to a client device at a remote location since it is able to directly access an IP camera registered in the NVR without passing through the NVR to retrieve images from the IP camera and transmit the retrieved images to the client device, thereby preventing an increase of costs for the NVR. |
| US09253520B2 |
Video capture, processing and distribution system
Novel tools and techniques for implementing remote control of image and video capture devices, and/or for implementing remote control of processing and sharing functions associated with captured image and/or video data. In accordance with some techniques, a first image capture device (“ICD”) at a customer premises and/or another computer (such as a control server) can identify and/or authenticate a user. Once identified and/or authenticated, the user is provided options to remotely control one or more second ICDs over the network. The user may also be provided options for displaying, processing, creating time lapse videos of, or sharing captured image data or video data. |
| US09253519B2 |
Method and apparatus for automatically converting source video into electronic mail messages
The invention relates to a method and system for automatically identifying video content within source video and transmitting the video content to an electronic mail client. The transmitted video content can be streaming video, video files, and/or other medium derived from the source video. An enhanced electronic mail client is also disclosed. |
| US09253514B2 |
Requests for emergency services through an IPTV network
Systems and methods that request emergency services through an Internet-Protocol Television (IPTV) infrastructure. One embodiment comprises an IPTV network infrastructure comprising an IPTV server coupled to an IPTV set-top box of an end user that subscribes to IPTV services. The IPTV server receives a request for an emergency service from the end user through the IPTV set-top box. The infrastructure further includes a management server that receives the request for the emergency service from the IPTV server, and identifies information regarding the end user from an IPTV account of the end user. The infrastructure further includes a text message engine that receives the request for the emergency service from the management server, formats a text message for requesting the emergency service, inserts the information regarding the end user in the text message, and sends the text message to an emergency services center. |
| US09253513B1 |
Independent multi-panel display with cross-panel interactivity
Improved operation of a content presentation device is achieved by one application, presenting content to users, automatically identifying an independent second application, available on the content presentation device, based on remotely-sourced information, and invoking that second application based on explicit or implicit user input. Bidirectional notifications are enabled between the two applications whereby activity within one application can affect the other. The first application displays an advertisement and can also, based on metadata received with the advertisement, identify the second application and invoke it, based upon explicit or implicit user action, such that both are simultaneously visible in separate content display areas on a physical display device. User interaction with the second application is independent of the display of the corresponding advertisement by the first application. The bidirectional notifications enable the second application to integrate with, respond to, or extend, content being presented by the first application. |
| US09253510B2 |
Methods, a client and a server for handling an MPEG transport stream
A method for re-transmitting missing packets in an improved manner in association with transmitting an MPEG transport stream between a client and a server of a communication network is provided. New type of customized control packets are introduced which are periodically embedded into the transport stream at the server from which the MPEG transport stream is distributed, wherein each of the embedded control packets is provided with package identification data. A client receiving the MPEG transport stream, including the embedded customized control packets, will, on the basis of the package identification data obtained from a customized control packet be able to identify each of n packets which were inserted by the server into the transport stream subsequent to the respective customized control packet. |
| US09253509B2 |
Apparatus, systems and methods for shared viewing experience using head mounted displays
Systems and methods are operable to share a viewing experience of a free viewpoint format media content event. An exemplary embodiment receives the free viewpoint format media content event, receives unique geometric orientation information from each one of a plurality of head mounted displays (HMDs), determines a unique viewpoint location for each one of the plurality of HMDs based upon the geometric orientation information received from each one of the plurality of HMDs, determines a unique viewpoint area for each one of the plurality of HMDs based upon the determined unique viewpoint location, and communicates each one of the unique viewpoint areas to the associated one of the plurality of HMDs. |
| US09253506B2 |
Image processing device and image processing method
A deblocking filter performs filtering of decoded image data obtained by decoding image data encoded for each block, so as to remove block distortion. If at least one of block sizes on adjacent sides of two adjacent blocks is extended larger than a predetermined block size, a filter setting unit sets the tap length to an extended length to increase the strength of distortion removal, or sets a filtering object pixel range to an extended range. When a macroblock having an extended size is used, the degree of smoothing is increased, and pixels including those distant from the block boundary are subjected to filtering. Consequently, even when various block sizes are employed or when blocks of extended sizes are used, images of high image quality can be achieved. |
| US09253504B2 |
Methods and apparatus for adaptive reference filtering
There are provided methods and apparatus for adaptive reference filtering. An apparatus includes an encoder for encoding at least one picture. The encoder performs adaptive filtering of at least one reference picture to respectively obtain at least one filtered reference picture, and predictively codes the at least one picture using the at least one filtered reference picture. The at least one reference picture is a picture wherein at least one sample thereof is used for inter-prediction either of subsequent to the at least one sample being applied to an in-loop filter or in an absence of the at least one sample being applied to an in-loop filter. |
| US09253502B2 |
Method and apparatus for coding video, and method and apparatus for decoding video accompanied by inter prediction using collocated image
Provided is an inter prediction method including determining a collocated block of a current block of a current image from among blocks of an image that is restored prior to the current image; preferentially checking whether a first reference list from among reference lists of the collocated block is referred to and selectively checking whether a second reference list is referred to according to whether the first reference list is referred to; based on a result of the checking, determining a single collocated reference list from among the first reference list and the second reference list; determining a reference block of the current block by using motion information of the collocated reference list; and performing inter prediction on the current block by using the determined reference block. |
| US09253497B2 |
Decoding device and decoding method, and coding device and coding method
There is provided a decoding device including circuitry configured to receive coded data and conversion information, the coded data pertaining to an image having luminance in a first dynamic range and the conversion information pertaining to a conversion of dynamic range of the luminance of the image from the first dynamic range into a second dynamic range; and decode the received coded data so as to generate the image, wherein the conversion uses a knee function. |
| US09253493B2 |
Fast motion estimation for multiple reference pictures
An apparatus and corresponding method for fast motion estimation with multiple reference pictures are provided, where an exemplary video encoder for encoding video signal data for an image block relative to multiple reference pictures includes a fast motion estimator for providing motion vectors corresponding to one of the reference pictures, including a scene detection portion for performing fast motion estimation while excluding reference pictures that fall across a scene change; and where a corresponding method for encoding video signal data for an image block having multiple reference pictures includes receiving a substantially uncompressed image block, detecting a scene change, excluding reference pictures that fall across the scene change, and computing motion vectors corresponding to a difference between the image block and one of the plurality of reference pictures. |
| US09253490B2 |
Optimizing video transfer
Methods of optimized video transfer are described in which display data is divided into a plurality of portions, each portion corresponding to a class of image data, and the different portions are encoded for transmission to a remote display device using different encoding schemes. In an embodiment, the composite display data is never rendered at the source device and instead portions of display data are generated by an application based on an advertised set of classes of image data. In other embodiments, the composite display data is stored in a framebuffer at the source device and is split into portions according to a classification of the display data. In various embodiments the classification may be performed based on sniffing graphics commands used to generate the composite display data and in other embodiments, the classification may be performed based on a rate of change of pixels in the composite display data. |
| US09253482B2 |
Method and apparatus for sample adaptive offset without sign coding
A method and apparatus for sample adaptive offset without sign coding. The method includes selecting an edge offset type for at least a portion of an image, classifying at least one pixel of at least the portion of the image into edge shape category, calculating an offset of the pixel, determining the offset is larger or smaller than a predetermined threshold, changing a sign of the offset based on the threshold determination; and performing entropy coding accounting for the sign of the offset and the value of the offset. |
| US09253479B2 |
Method and apparatus for displaying partial 3D image in 2D image display area
To display at least one three-dimensional (3D) image in a two-dimensional (2D) image display area, a method and apparatus is provided for distinguishing a 3D image display area, in which the at least one 3D image is displayed, from the 2D image display area, and displaying a 2D image and a 3D image in the 2D image display area and the 3D image display area, respectively, thereby improving display resolution. |
| US09253478B2 |
Information processing method and information processing device
A video-image selection unit cyclically acquires at least two types of video images. A replacing mask determination unit selects, for each acquired video image, a mask pattern for masking a video image acquired by the video-image selection unit by replacing some pixels composing the video image with pixels of a single color such that said some pixels are spatially removed. Based on the mask pattern, the video-image replacing unit replaces said some pixels composing the video image with the pixels of a single color. A video-image output unit outputs the video image for which the replacement was performed. When selecting a mask pattern, the replacing mask determination unit selects a mask pattern that is different from a mask pattern used for the last video image, the mask pattern being different in the position of pixels not to be replaced with pixels of a single color. |
| US09253476B2 |
Display apparatus and control method thereof
A display apparatus is provided. The display apparatus includes an image receiver which receives an image, an image processor which divides the received image into a left-eye image and a right-eye image and processes the same, an image output device which alternatingly outputs the left-eye image and the right-eye image, and a controller which calculates a difference in a pixel value between the left-eye and right-eye images based on units relating to the pixels that constitute the left-eye and right-eye images, detects a crosstalk generating area by using the calculated pixel value difference and a preset response speed of a display panel, and controls so that the detected crosstalk generating area is displayed distinguishably from at least one other area. |
| US09253472B2 |
Method and apparatus for macro photographic stereo imaging
A macro photographic apparatus for creating focus stacked images of a specimen may include a rigid longitudinal member having a longitudinal axis and including a camera mount thereon. A translation device may be fixed to the member for translating the specimen along the member toward and away from the camera mount. A rotation device may be mounted on the translation device. The rotation device may support the specimen and enable rotation of the specimen around first and second axes that are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the member. At any single position of the translation device along the longitudinal axis of the member, as the specimen is rotated around the first and second axes, the spatial location of the specimen remains substantially the same. |
| US09253470B2 |
3D camera
A 3D camera includes a first photographing lens unit; a first image sensor which obtains first image information of an object through the first photographing lens unit; a beam division unit disposed on an optical path between the first photographing lens unit and the first image sensor and which propagates light along a first path on which the first image sensor is positioned and along a second path that is different from the first path; a second photographing lens unit disposed on the second path; a second image sensor which obtains second image information of the object through the first photographing lens unit and the second photographing lens; and an image processing unit which generates 3D image information from the obtained first image information and the obtained second image information. |
| US09253467B2 |
Method and apparatus for correcting errors in multiple stream-based 3D images
The present invention relates to correcting errors of multiple stream-based 3D images. The present invention comprises a 3D image synchronizing unit which synchronizes a first image and a second image consisting the 3D image; a 3D image correcting unit which detects an error block in the first image, searches a corresponding block in the second image, and corrects the error block on the basis of the block information of said corresponding block; and a compositing unit which composites the corrected first image and the second image to generate a 3D stereoscopic image. According to the present invention, bit errors occurring when transmitting multiple stream of 3D image can be corrected, providing better quality of 3D images. Also, error correction can be easily performed by using the method of the present invention without complicated calculations. |
| US09253466B2 |
3D display apparatus preventing image overlapping
A method for displaying a three-dimensional (3D) image in a display panel of a 3D display device is provided. The method includes generating M images corresponding to a maximum disparity in response to input two-dimensional (2D) images and disparity information of the respective 2D images. The 2D images include a left-side image and a right-side image. The method further includes selecting N images from among the M images, providing the selected N images to a display unit, and displaying the provided N images using the display panel. |
| US09253463B2 |
Method and system for displaying a series of recordable events
A method and system for displaying identifiers for one or more series of recordable events is described. A system, such as the system of a digital video recorder, may receive a set of recordable events data, such as a listing of all television shows to be broadcast over a two-week period. The system analyzes the set of recordable events data for determining one or more sets of recordable events, where each set includes recordable events having the same title. The system analyzes each set of recordable events to determine sub-sets of recordable events based on relationships between the recordable events of each sub-set. The system displays an identifier for each sub-set of a given set of recordable events when the given set of recordable events is selected for display. A user may select to record a sub-set of recordable events by selecting the identifier that represents the sub-set. |
| US09253459B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method, and program
An apparatus for and a method of executing noise reduction processing and defect compensation processing on an image in an RGBW arrangement are provided. In pixel value compensation processing of a color pixel that makes up image data in the RGBW arrangement that has each color pixel of R, G, and B and a white (W) pixel, the W pixel is interpolated at a position of an attention pixel that is a compensation target, and at a position of a reference pixel which has the same color as an attention pixel within a reference area, smoothing weight is calculated based on each pixel value of the interpolation W pixel, and thus a compensation pixel value of the attention pixel is calculated by executing smoothing processing to which the calculated smoothing weight is applied. Moreover, by applying the W pixel in the neighborhood of the color pixel, it is determined whether or not the color pixel is in a texture area, and only if the color pixel is not in the texture, defect compensation processing is executed. |
| US09253458B2 |
Digital light processing display device
The invention relates to a display device using the DLP (Digital Light Processing) technology. This invention is in the field of digital cinema and content protection, where camcorder acquisition followed by immediate illegal distribution creates important revenue losses for content owners. According to the invention, the addressing of the display device is modified in order to introduce an anti-copy processing. The display device comprises modulation means for modulating the color or brightness of video data of video pictures received at a first rate and for outputting at a second rate modulated video data, said second rate being a multiple of the first rate, subfield coding means for coding said modulated video data into subfield data, said subfield data being delivered at the second rate, and addressing means for addressing the array with said subfield data at a third rate. Advantageously, the third rate is not a multiple of the first rate. |
| US09253457B2 |
Image processing apparatus, projection apparatus, and computer readable medium
An image processing apparatus includes: a storage section to store a projection image to be used for projecting a video content on a screen; an imaging section to image an audience looking at the screen; a detecting section to detect a direction of the audience from an imaged image which is imaged by the imaging section; and a correcting section to correct the projection image, on the basis of the direction of the audience, so that a projected image of the video content is directed to the audience. |
| US09253455B1 |
Doorbell communication systems and methods
A doorbell system can be configured to detect a weather event. The doorbell system can comprise a doorbell, a button coupled to the doorbell, and a pressure sensor coupled to the doorbell. As well, the doorbell system can determine an occurrence of a weather event and thereby transmit weather data to a remote server that is remotely located with respect to the doorbell system. |
| US09253453B2 |
Automatic video surveillance system and method
Apparatus and method for automatic surveillance of a monitored area having one or more regions of interest using a video imaging device are disclosed. The method includes receiving data defining said one or more regions of interest and one or more characteristics of an object of interest; pointing the line of sight of the imaging device at a region of interest selected from said one or more regions of interest; automatically scanning the selected region of interest to detect said one or more characteristics of the object of interest and upon detection issuing an alert; and when said one or more regions of interest includes more than one region of interest, repeating the steps of pointing the line of sight of the imaging device and automatically scanning in a predetermined order of viewing of the regions of interest, and upon detection of said one or more characteristics of the object of interest issuing an alert, for each of the regions of interests. |
| US09253450B2 |
Total bus surveillance system
A synchronized video monitoring system may include a plurality of separate sensor modules that each include a lens assembly, an image sensor, and a sensor controller. Each sensor module may be connected to a data bus. A collection module that includes a digital image compressor engine may also be connected to the data bus. Each sensor module may capture an image of a field of view of a monitored area. Each sensor module may insert its image data onto the data bus within a different allotment of time within a frame capture cycle. The collection module may compress and encode the image data received from each sensor module, and may generate a composite video image frame. Each region of the composite video image frame may depict image data captured by a different sensor module. |
| US09253448B1 |
System and method for determination of contact lens orientation
This invention provides a system and method to determine orientation/pose of a contact lens residing on the transparent bottom of a fluid-filled, typically opaque-sided cuvette. This allows the system to determine whether the subject contact lens is in a concave up or concave down orientation, and whether the lens is everted. An illuminator is aligned on a longitudinal axis of the cuvette through the contact lens at a position over the cuvette, and a vision system camera is aligned beneath the bottom of the cuvette on the axis. In alternate embodiments the axial locations of the camera and the illuminator can be varied. The camera acquires images of the contact lens. The vision system associated finds the appropriate contact lens edges and characteristics of features. These features allow each of the four poses to be distinguished and categorized for either an acceptable/good or unacceptable/bad pose within the cuvette. |
| US09253446B2 |
Information providing apparatus, portable information terminal, content processing device, device control apparatus, content processing system and program
A content list including contents processable by a designated processing device, among the contents to be processed including a specific content managed with respect to each user, is received by a portable terminal from an ECG server, and a content is selected by a user. Then, a processing request for the selected content is transmitted from the portable terminal to the designated device via the ECG server and a device control server, and unit information of the selected content is acquired by the portable terminal and displayed or reproduced. A user can thereby use the content and the unit information by selecting the content using the portable terminal without depending on the content and the processing device. |
| US09253444B2 |
Multiple subscriber videoconferencing system
A system, method, and device for use in videoconferencing. The method typically includes installing a videoconferencing services switch at an access point to an IP network, and registering a plurality of subscribers for videoconferencing services. Each subscriber typically has a plurality of endpoints. The method further includes receiving subscriber-specific settings to be applied to multiple videoconferencing calls from the plurality of endpoints associated with each subscriber. The method further includes storing the subscriber-specific settings at a location accessible to the switch, and configuring the switch to connect calls from the plurality of endpoints at each subscriber based on the corresponding subscriber-specific settings. |
| US09253440B2 |
Augmenting a video conference
A device configured for participation in a video conference. The device includes a display disposed on the device for displaying video captured at a second device. The device also includes a virtual object receiver for receiving a virtual object, wherein the virtual object is configured to augment the video conference. A virtual object incorporator for incorporating the virtual object into the video captured at the second device, and a transmitter for transmitting said video comprising the virtual object. The video comprising the virtual object is configured to be displayed at the second device. |
| US09253439B2 |
Managing complex video call scenarios in volte calls
A device may determine to adjust from a first state for an existing communication between the device and another device. The first state may be associated with utilizing a first audio and/or video configuration for communication. The device may determine a second state associated with a second audio and/or video configuration for the communication. The second audio and/or video configuration may be different from the first audio and/or video configuration. The device may provide state information associated with the second audio and/or video configuration via a first session initiation protocol message. The first session initiation protocol message may include directionality information associated with the second audio and/or video configuration. The device may receive confirmation information via a second session initiation protocol message based on providing the state information. The device may adjust from the first state to the second state, during the communication, based on receiving the confirmation information. |
| US09253438B2 |
Transmission management system, transmission system, computer program product, program providing system, and maintenance system
A transmission management system includes: a relay device management unit that manages relay device-specifying information for specifying each relay device on a communication network, for every piece of relay device-identification information for identifying each relay device; a terminal management unit that manages terminal-specifying information for specifying each transmission terminal on the communication network; a receiving unit that receives, from a transmission terminal as a predetermined request source, terminal-identification information for the request source and terminal-identification information for a transmission terminal as a destination; an extracting unit that extracts the terminal-specifying information of a corresponding transmission terminal based on the terminal-identification information for the request source; and a primary selecting unit that selects two or more pieces of relay device-identification information of relay devices, to which relay device-specifying information representing top two or more IP addresses closest to the IP address represented by the extracted terminal-specifying information, is allocated. |
| US09253435B2 |
Method and apparatus for extracting a desired television signal from a wideband IF input using re-sampling
Various embodiments are described herein for a universal television receiver that is capable of processing television channel signals, that are transmitted according to a variety of broadcast standards, to provide video and audio information for a desired television channel signal. The processing includes producing a coarse channel signal that includes a desired television channel signal and then applying resampling techniques to adjust a normalized bandwidth of the desired television channel signal to generally correspond to the normalized passband of a main filter that is used for each of the broadcast standards. |
| US09253434B2 |
Method and apparatus for tagging media with identity of creator or scene
An electronic device for contemporaneously obtaining, with a processor connected to a memory, a forward image from a forward facing camera of the electronic device and a rear image from a rear facing camera of the electronic device, and embedding the rear image in the forward image or the forward image in the rear image, thereby creating a composite image. Optionally, the rear image is embedded as a watermark in the forward image thereby creating the composite image. Alternatively, the rear image is steganographically embedded in the forward image thereby creating the composite image. |
| US09253428B2 |
Broadcasting system with digital television signals and metadata that modulate respective sets of OFDM carriers
Digital television (DTV) broadcasting using COFDM modulation is designed to modulate orthogonal frequency-division-multiplexed (OFDM) mid-band carriers with metadata including synchronization signals and transmission-mode signals. DTV signals modulate OFDM carriers occupying portions of the frequency spectrum of the transmission channel that extend in frequency both below and above these mid-band carriers. The OFDM midband carriers are capable of signaling when a new broadcast service is used that differs from the one disclosed. The signaling is provided by modulating the midband carriers with respective elements of signature sequences, each of which signature sequences is composed of Zadoff-Chu sequences and repetitive pseudo-random sequences scrambled by a Zadoff-Chu sequence. |
| US09253427B2 |
Solid-state image pickup apparatus capable of realizing image pickup with wide dynamic range and at high frame rate, control method therefor, and storage medium
A solid-state image pickup apparatus which is capable of enlarging dynamic range and taking images at high frame rate. The solid-state image pickup apparatus has a pixel unit having first pixels with a first sensitivity to the light and second pixels with a second sensitivity lower than the first sensitivity, and the first pixels and the second pixels being alternately arranged in a row direction. Pixel signals are read out from the first pixels as first pixel signals, and analog-to-digital conversion of the first pixel signals is performed to obtain first digital signals. Pixel signals are read out from the second pixels as second pixel signals, and analog-to-digital conversion of the second pixel signals is performed to obtain second digital signals. The first digital signals and the second digital signals are output as image data. |
| US09253426B2 |
Moving image sensor having multiphase digital summation and charge storage nodes separated from photodiodes by charge transfer gates
The invention relates to time-delay and charge integration image sensors employing active CMOS technology pixels. The sensor comprises N rows of pixels and each pixel of generally square shaped comprises two (though possibly also three or four) photodiodes and charge storage nodes, having means for transferring charges from each photodiode to one or other of the storage nodes. Control of transfer from the photodiodes to one then the other of the storage nodes is carried out in such a way that one storage node receives in succession, during two successive phases of a periodic cycle, the charges from two photodiodes that have seen the same image portion during the two phases. The charges received by one of the storage nodes during the first phase is added to the charges received by the other storage node in the following phase. |
| US09253423B2 |
Solid-state image sensing device
There is provided a solid-state image sensing device that can prevent the occurrence of vertical line noise with a simple circuit. A timing adjustment circuit generates a first clock supplied to a ramp generator and a second clock supplied to a counter so that a phase difference between the first clock and the second clock is within a predetermined range and differs according to lines in an image sensor. |
| US09253419B2 |
System and method for optical imaging with vertical cavity surface emitting lasers
The present invention uses vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) as illumination source for simultaneous imaging of blood flow and tissue oxygenation dynamics in vivo, or a means to monitor neural activity in brain slices ex vivo. The speckle pattern on the brain tissue due to a VCSEL's coherence properties is the main challenge to producing low-noise high-brightness illumination, required for evaluating tissue oxygenation. Moreover, using oxide-confined VCSELs we show a fast switching from a single-mode operation scheme to a special multi-modal, multi-wavelength rapid sweep scheme. The multi-modal, multi-wavelength rapid sweep scheme reduces noise values to within a factor of 40% compared to non-coherent LED illumination, enabling high-brightness VCSELs to act as efficient miniature light sources for various brain imaging modalities and other imaging applications. These VCSELs are promising for long-term portable continuous monitoring of brain dynamics in freely moving animals. |
| US09253416B2 |
Modulation of background substitution based on camera attitude and motion
A device and method of background substitution are disclosed. One or more cameras in a mobile device obtain a depth image. A processor in or external to the device segments the foreground from the background of the image. The original background is removed and a stored background image or video is substituted in place of the original background. The substituted background is altered dependent on the attitude and motion of the device, which is sensed by one or more sensors in the device. A portion of the stored background selected as the substitute background varies in correspondence with the device movement. |
| US09253411B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method and image communication system
An image processing apparatus includes a region clipping unit configured to clip an interest image of a region of interest from a captured image captured by an image capturing unit using a wide-angle lens, a distortion correcting unit configured to correct distortion, which is caused by image capture using the wide-angle lens, of the interest image by transforming coordinate data from captured image space to corrected image space, an image-capture control unit configured to control the image capturing unit so as to perform image capture at a zoom ratio, which makes number of coordinate data sets per unit area of the interest image equal to or larger than a predetermined value, of the wide-angle lens, and a distortion-correction control unit configured to control the distortion correcting unit so as to correct the distortion of the interest image captured at the zoom ratio. |
| US09253406B2 |
Image capture apparatus that can display review image, image capture method, and storage medium
A live view image generation unit sequentially displays on a display screen a captured image that is sequentially outputted from an image capture unit as a live view image. In a case of photographing and recording being directed, a review image generation unit displays a captured image for recording outputted from the image capture unit as a first review image on a portion of a display screen in a state of displaying the live view image. A photographing result evaluation unit evaluates a photographing result based on a captured image for recording outputted from the image capture unit according to an direction for photographing and recording. The review image generation unit performs display control to make a display form of the first review image different according to the evaluation result by the photographing result evaluation unit. |
| US09253403B2 |
Image stabilization apparatus, control method therefor, storage medium storing control program therefor, and image pickup apparatus equipped with image stabilization apparatus
An image stabilization (IS) apparatus that is capable of preventing change of a field angle due to unnecessary mode transition. A selection unit transfers from a first IS mode to a second IS mode with a larger IS effect when a detected shake amount is maintained below a first threshold beyond first determination time and the shake amount is not maintained below a second threshold that is lower than the first threshold beyond a third determination time that is shorter than a second determination time, and transfers from the first IS mode to a third IS mode with the smallest IS effect when the shake amount is maintained below the second threshold beyond the second determination time that is shorter than the first determination time. A control unit controls an IS unit that corrects an image blur using the shake amount in the selected IS mode. |
| US09253402B2 |
Video anti-shaking method and video anti-shaking device
A video anti-shaking method and a video anti-shaking device are provided. The method includes: obtaining a first GRMV (global relative motion vector) of a current video frame relative to its previous video frame, and a sequence of second GRMVs of reference video frames relative to their respective previous video frames; calculating a sequence of third GRMVs of the reference video frames relative to the current video frame, respectively, based on the first GRMV and the sequence of second GRMVs; and filtering the sequence of third GRMVs to obtain a motion vector for compensating shaking of the current video frame. Camera shaking and intended motion can be distinguished. |
| US09253394B2 |
Digital photographing apparatus for setting focus area via touch inputs and control method of the same
A control method of a digital photographing apparatus includes displaying an image that is being input through a photographing unit on a touch screen, recognizing touch inputs with respect to two points on the touch screen, detecting a focusing area by using coordinate values of the two touched points, and performing auto focusing based on the focusing area, and when a photographing command is input, capturing an image on which the auto focusing is performed. Therefore, a user may view an image while performing auto-focusing commands without covering a focusing area that the user wants to photograph. |
| US09253390B2 |
Image processing device, image capturing device, image processing method, and computer readable medium for setting a combination parameter for combining a plurality of image data
It is inconvenient for a user that a UI for inputting a virtual focus position at the time of refocus and a UI for inputting a focus position at the time of image capturing exist separately from and independently of each other. An image processing device comprising a generation unit configured to generate combined image data obtained in a case of capturing an image with a second set value different from a first set value used in capturing an image with an image capturing device by using a plurality of pieces of captured image data obtained by the image capturing device, wherein the image capturing device is capable of capturing image data from a plurality of viewpoint positions and includes an operation unit for setting a set value of an image capturing parameter, and wherein the first and second set values are set via the operation unit. |
| US09253389B2 |
Image pickup apparatus, image pickup system, image pickup method and computer readable recording medium implementing synchronization for image pickup operations
Plural image pickup apparatuses can take images in accurate synchronization. An image pickup apparatus is provided with an image pickup unit for obtaining image data, a communication unit for communicating with another image pickup apparatus in synchronization, a synchronous signal generating unit for generating a synchronous signal having a predetermined cycle and synchronized with a timing of a synchronous operation by the communication unit, an image-pickup synchronous signal generating unit for generating an image-pickup synchronous signal having a predetermined cycle and synchronized with the synchronous signal generated by the synchronous signal generating unit, and an image-pickup controlling unit for determining in accordance with the image-pickup synchronous signal generated by the image-pickup synchronous signal generating unit, image-pickup timings at which the image pickup unit obtains image data. |
| US09253385B2 |
Imaging apparatus
An imaging apparatus includes a pentaprism that guides incident light to an eyepiece optical system and a plurality of outer covering members. Among the photographing light flux incident from a photographing optical system, light reflected by a rotary mirror 52m is further reflected by the reflection surface of the pentaprism to thereby reach an ocular lens. A wireless substrate on which an antenna section is mounted is arranged between the pentaprism and a front outer cover. The substrate fixing member is a member for fixing the wireless substrate and the ground section of the wireless substrate is connected to the substrate fixing member at a position facing the antenna section with the optical axis of the eyepiece optical system therebetween. The substrate fixing member is attached to a pentaprism fixing member so as to be electrically connected to the ground section of the imaging apparatus. The electrical resistivity of a region facing the antenna section in the front outer cover is set relatively higher than the periphery of the region. |
| US09253382B2 |
Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus
The zoom lens includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, a third lens unit having a positive refractive power, a fourth lens unit having a positive refractive power, and a fifth lens unit having a negative refractive power. During zooming, the second lens unit is not moved and the first, third and fifth lens units are moved. A distance between the first and second lens units at a telephoto end is larger than that at a wide-angle end, a distance between the second and third lens units at the telephoto end is smaller than that at the wide-angle end. A condition of 0.7 |
| US09253381B2 |
Camera module having rotation prevention means
The present invention relates to a camera module configured to prevent de-focusing during correction of hand-shake, and to prevent damages to devices during correction of hand-shake, the module including: a module part including a lens assembly formed with at least one or more lenses, an image sensor having an image pickup device for converting light concentrated through the lens to an electrical signal, and a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) mounted with the image sensor; a case supporting the module part by accommodating the module part; a driving part tilting the module part; and a rotation preventing part preventing the module part from rotating on a vertical axis. |
| US09253377B2 |
Image processing device and image processing system where de-mosaic image is generated based on shift amount estimation of pixels of captured images
According to one embodiment, an image processing device includes a shift estimator, and a de-mosaic module. The shift estimator is configured to estimate a shift amount between a first pixel in a first image and a corresponding second pixel in a second image. The first image is taken by a first image pickup apparatus, and the second image is taken by a second image pickup apparatus. A focus position of the first image pickup apparatus is different from a focus position of the second image pickup apparatus. The de-mosaic module is configured to generate a first de-mosaic image by performing de-mosaic processing on each pixel in the first pixel using a pixel value of the corresponding second pixel, when the first pixel is determined to be in a state of in-focus based on the shift amount. |
| US09253375B2 |
Camera obstruction detection
The present disclosure provides example methods operable by computing device. An example method can include receiving an image from a camera. The method can also include comparing one or more parameters of the image with one or more control parameters, where the one or more control parameters comprise information indicative of an image from a substantially unobstructed camera. Based on the comparison, the method can also include determining a score between the one or more parameters of the image and the one or more control parameters. The method can also include accumulating, by a computing device, a count of a number of times the determined score image exceeds a first threshold. Based on the count exceeding a second threshold, the method can also include determining that the camera is at least partially obstructed. |
| US09253369B2 |
Halftone dot addition apparatus that reduces white void and break at edge portion of image
A halftone dot addition device for adding halftone dots to halftone dot images includes an empty circle information acquiring unit and a halftone dot addition unit. The empty circle information acquiring unit obtains, in a Voronoi diagram having a generatrix corresponding to a halftone dot in a halftone dot image. The radius of an empty circle is a circle centering on a Voronoi vertex. The empty circle passes through the generatrix but not internally includes the generatrix. The halftone dot addition unit, if the radius of a target circle being the empty circle obtained, as a target, by the empty circle information acquiring unit is larger than a specific value, adds to the halftone dot image a halftone dot corresponding to a new generatrix, by adding the new generatrix to the inside of the target circle. |
| US09253365B2 |
Image processing device for generating composite image having predetermined aspect ratio
A digital camera according to the present invention includes a CCD, a CPU and an image processing section. The CPU sets an arbitrary aspect ratio, and acquires a composite image having a predetermined aspect ratio which has been generated by a plurality of images consecutively captured by the CCD being combined. The image processing section trims the composite image acquired by the CPU to be an image having the set arbitrary aspect ratio. |
| US09253363B2 |
Light source unit of image-reading apparatus and image-reading apparatus with light source unit
An image-reading apparatus includes a light source unit that includes, a light source section on which a plurality of light-emitting elements that emit light toward a medium whose image is read by an image-capturing unit are arranged in a main-scanning direction, and a diffusion unit that diffuses therein the light emitted from the light-emitting elements, wherein a rib provided in a frame of the image-reading apparatus, the rib being capable of being fitted with a cutout portion, the light source section includes a connector provided at one end of the main-scanning direction and the cutout portion provided at the other end of the main-scanning direction, the diffusion unit has a shape through which the light source section is inserted, and a size of the diffusion unit in the main-scanning direction is equal to or shorter than a distance between the connector and the cutout portion. |
| US09253362B2 |
Information processing apparatus and non-transitory storage medium storing instructions executable by information processing apparatus
An information processing apparatus includes a first communication interface for performing first wireless communication with an external device when a distance between the external device and the first communication interface becomes equal to or less than a first distance. The information processing apparatus executes: a first display control processing in which after the first wireless communication is started, the information processing apparatus displays an input screen which accepts input of related information relating to a processing for communication data; an obtaining processing in which after the first wireless communication is started, the information processing apparatus obtains the communication data transmitted from the external device; and a data-processing execution processing in which when the input of the related information and the obtainment of the communication data are completed, the information processing apparatus executes a data processing for the communication data based on the related information. |
| US09253361B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image processing system capable of saving log of text data portion included in image data
An image forming apparatus includes a saving type storing section, an image data saving section, and a text data saving section. The saving type storing section is configured to store a saving type for image data of a read original document. The image data saving section is configured to save the image data. The text data saving section is configured to save a text data portion included in the image data. When a saving type indicative of processing to save the text data portion is set as the saving type, the text data portion is converted in the text format and saved to the text data saving section. When a saving type indicative of processing to save the entire image data is set as the saving type, the entire image data is saved to the image data saving section. |
| US09253360B2 |
Imager
Selected embodiments use a relatively small image detector and a scanning mirror to obtain effective performance of a larger image detector. An imager with folded optics captures images of different field positions of a field of view (FOV), and stitches the images together for a larger image of the FOV. The stitched image is processed to identify portions of interest within the larger image, for example, using a cuing algorithm. The portions of interest are scanned again to capture enhanced quality images using, for example, longer dwell time for enhanced contrast. Another image of the FOV or a part of the FOV is stitched together using the enhanced quality images. |
| US09253359B2 |
Contact image sensor unit including a detachable light guide supporting member and image reading apparatus using the same
A contact image sensor unit includes: a light source (10) illuminating an original; a rod-like light guide (11) guiding light from the light source to the original; an imaging element (12) forming reflected light from the original on a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements; a sensor substrate (14) on which the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements are mounted; a frame (15) to which they are attached and which has a positioning part (200) for attaching the light guide (11) thereto; and a supporting member (16) which attachably/detachably supports the light guide (11) and is attachably/detachably attached to the positioning part (200). Since the light guide (11) can be attached to the frame (15) without using an adhesive, the deformation of the light guide (11), the warpage of the contact image sensor unit and so on can be prevented. |
| US09253352B2 |
Image forming apparatus delaying transitioning into power saving mode if factors exist limiting the transitioning and if the factors are not resolved within a threshold time causing power off instead of transitioning into the power saving mode
An information processing apparatus includes, a reception unit configured to receive an instruction to transfer the information processing apparatus to the second power state, an analysis unit configured, when the reception unit receives the instruction, to analyze a factor limiting the transfer of the information processing apparatus to the second power state, and a control unit configured, when the analysis unit analyzes the factor and as a result the factor is a first factor, to control the information processing apparatus to transfer to the third power state without waiting until the factor is resolved, and configured, when the factor is a second factor, to control the information processing apparatus to wait until the factor is resolved, and to transfer to the second power state. |
| US09253349B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting and classifying objects in video captured using mobile devices
A method includes capturing plural frames of video data using a mobile device. The frames are analyzed to determine whether any depict an object exhibiting one or more defining characteristics, and if so, whether those frame(s) depicting the object also satisfy one or more predetermined quality control criteria. If one or more of the frames depict the object and also satisfy the one or more predetermined quality control criteria, the method further includes automatically capturing an image of the object. Exemplary defining characteristics are specified for various types of object, particularly objects comprising documents. Related systems and computer program products are also disclosed. The presently disclosed techniques and systems represent translational developments across the fields of image processing and business process management. Improved analytical techniques enable processing of image captured using cameras rather than traditional scanner technology, and facilitate distribution, tracking and analysis of documents and information throughout business processes. |
| US09253347B2 |
Data processing device
When a first device and a first attribute are specified, a data processing device registers the first device in association with first attribute and transmits an instruction to perform a process relating to the first attribute to the first device. If the first device possesses the second attribute, the data processing device registers the first device in association with the second attribute. The data processing device displays, on a display unit, a first image representing identification data of the first device when the second attribute is specified and the first device is registered in association with the second attribute. When the first image is selected, the data processing device transmits an instruction to perform a process relating to the second attribute to the first device corresponding to the selected first image. |
| US09253345B2 |
Information processing device, printing condition setting method, and computer product
The CPU of a personal computer displays a list of one-click icons, each representing one or a plurality of printing functions, in the icon display area, and selects one one-click icon from the list of the one-click icons displayed in the icon display area, to automatically set a plurality of printing functions corresponding to the selected one-click icons. |
| US09253340B2 |
Wireless camera with image sharing prioritization
A digital camera, comprising an image sensor and an optical system for capturing an image of a scene and a wireless communication system. User interface elements are provided enabling a user to select a sharing destination for a captured digital image. A plurality of network pathways are identified for communication with the sharing destination using the wireless communication system. A priority is determined for each of the network pathways and the digital image is transmitted to the sharing destination using the highest priority network pathway. |
| US09253339B2 |
Image processing apparatus, control system for image processing apparatus, and recording medium storing a control program for image processing apparatus
A control system for an image processing apparatus that uses an information processing device. The image processing apparatus includes an authentication processor that authenticates users with reference to user information that associates, for multiple users, information regarding the user with starting screen information used to start operating the image processing apparatus and a screen information transmitter that transfers screen information to the information processing device independent of the image processing apparatus. The screen information is used to display the starting screen on the image processing apparatus based on the starting screen information associated with the user authenticated by the authentication processor. The information processing device includes a screen information management unit that receives the screen information and a screen display processor that displays the starling screen on a display unit of the information processing device based on the received screen information. |
| US09253337B2 |
Program, image processing apparatus, and image processing system
There is provided an image processing apparatus including a communication unit configured to communicate with an information processing apparatus, a processor; and memory storing computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the image processing apparatus to perform acquiring error information indicating an error occurring in the image processing apparatus and usage information of the image processing apparatus, determining whether to transmit, via the communication unit, the acquired error information to the information processing apparatus based on the acquired usage information, and transmitting the acquired error information to the information processing apparatus if it is determined to transmit the acquired error information. |
| US09253334B1 |
Method and system for balancing soft handoff gain and resource usage
A controller monitors resource usage in each of a plurality of sectors and identifies any sector with resource usage that exceeds a threshold value as a high usage sector. The controller evaluates the mobile stations in its area and identifies any mobile station that is using a high usage sector and at least two other sectors for a communication session as a candidate mobile station. The controller applies a predictive algorithm to determine whether any candidate mobile station is able to continue its respective communication session without using its respective high usage sector. In this determination, the signal levels that a mobile station reported for the sectors in its active set, other than the high usage sector, may be used to calculate a combined signal level. If the combined signal level exceeds a predefined value, the mobile station is instructed to drop the high usage sector. |
| US09253332B2 |
Voice conference call using PSTN and internet networks
A system and method for supporting a multi-participant voice conference call using PSTN and Internet networks is described. The method for supporting a multi-participant voice conference call includes receiving voice from a PSTN client. The method also includes receiving voice data from a moderator and from at least one remote client connected to the Internet. The method then proceeds to mix the voice data from the PSTN client with the voice data from the moderator into a first mixed voice data that is transmitted to the remote client that is connected to the Internet. The method also mixes the voice data from the moderator with the voice data from the remote client connected to the Internet into a second mixed voice data that is transmitted to the PSTN client. |
| US09253330B2 |
Automatically record and reschedule conference calls for playback based upon calendar invitations and presence monitoring
There are provided a system, a method and a computer program product for managing conflicts with an attendee not able to join a conference call. The system schedules one or more conference calls and identifies a conflict between the schedules of the conference calls. The system automatically updates a corresponding user's electronic calendar based on the scheduled conference calls and schedules a bot to attend a conflicting conference call instead. The system records the conflicting conference calls that the bot attends. The system stores, in a storage device, the recorded conference calls as one or more files. The system schedules a follow up time for the attendee to listen to the recording. |
| US09253329B1 |
Services via a conference bridge
Embodiments of the present invention pertain to an apparatus, a method, and a computer program configured to transmit messages between a plurality of devices during a conference call and connect the plurality of devices to a service provider based on a request for at least one service. The transmitted messages can be audio messages or audio and video messages. |
| US09253324B1 |
Providing agent availability for an outdial application
A system, method, and computer readable medium for utilizing agent availability by an outdial application are provided. A routine may be periodically run by an outdial server that evaluates agent availability in a call center backend. If any agents are available, the routine may schedule a pre-defined number of calls per available agent. A number of phone numbers corresponding to the number of scheduled calls may then be fetched by the routine from a phone number database. Once calls are initiated by the outdial server, the routine again checks if any agents are available. In the event that an agent is available, a scheduled phone number is retrieved, and a call is placed thereto and connected with an available agent. After a successful call connection is made, the outdial application may again check the agent availability. If no agent is available, the outdial application may reschedule itself. |
| US09253322B1 |
Method and apparatus of estimating optimum dialog state timeout settings in a spoken dialog system
Example embodiments of the present invention may include a method that includes collecting caller response timings to each of a plurality of dialog states conducted during a call, and estimating a plurality of parameters based on the caller response timings. The method may also include selecting a response completeness value responsive to the estimated plurality of parameters, the response completeness value is used to calculate at least one optimal timeout value. The method may also include selecting the at least one optimal timeout value, and setting the at least one optimal timeout value for each of the corresponding dialog states. The timeout value(s) may be used for subsequent calls to provide optimal user satisfaction and call success rates. |
| US09253320B2 |
Implementing a network of intelligent virtual service agents to provide personalized automated responses
An intelligent virtual service agent implemented on a computer platform is assigned a responsibility to automatically interact with different users across a communication network when a predetermined characteristic of content provided by the different users is identified. Content provided by a user over the communication network is analyzed to determine whether the content provided by the user possesses the predetermined characteristic. When the content possesses the predetermined characteristic, account data of the user for an account specific to the user is obtained, and the account data specific to the user is analyzed. The intelligent virtual service agent is assigned to automatically interact with the user based on the account data specific to the user and based on determining that the content possesses the predetermined characteristic. |
| US09253315B2 |
Delivering additional information to receiving parties for text messaging based caller ID
The present disclosure describes a system, method, and computer readable medium for providing information to a receiving party in a communications network. The method includes receiving a message from a sending party and performing a lookup of information relating to the sending party in a database via an Internet Protocol connection. The lookup is based on an identifier of at least one of the sending party and the receiving party. Subsequently, the information is provided to the receiving party based on the availability of the information in the database. |
| US09253314B2 |
Method for presenting interactive information about a telecommunication user
A method and system for presenting interactive information about a party in a telecommunication call are provided. The party may be a calling party or a called party. Providing interactive information may include identifying a party in a telecommunication call and receiving interactive information about the party. The received interactive information may be combined with user data to form combined interactive information. The combined interactive information may be displayed to a user. A user-action relating to the displayed combined interactive information may be received and an operation corresponding to the user-action may be performed. Providing interactive information may include determining if the user data is needed by analyzing the interactive information. The interactive information may include events, and the user data may include the user's schedule. The combining may correlate the events with the schedule and creates a set of user-actions based on the correlation. |
| US09253312B2 |
Sound output setting system for information processing terminal
The sound output setting system for information processing terminals is provided, capable of outputting a desired call progress tone from a terminal to be heard by the user easily with simple configuration. The system includes a SIP server and information processing terminals connected via a LAN using SIP. The SIP server has a tone management table for defining and recording types of sounds output by the information processing terminals in association with their identification codes, and an audio file storage region for recording audio files corresponding to the identification codes. The information processing terminal has a client application unit, which acquires a management table from the tone management table and an audio file from the audio file storage region at a predetermined time, and compares them with recorded data in its own tone management table region and audio file storage region to update the recorded data. |
| US09253310B2 |
Outbound effectiveness through management of idle agent pool
A contact center is described along with various methods and mechanisms for administering the same. The contact center proposed herein provides the ability to, among other things, establish and maintain a pool of idle agents so that when an outbound call attempt is successful, the agent which is assigned to the successful outbound call attempt can be selected from a plurality of agents based on the agent's superior efficiency rather than being based on the fact that the agent is the next in line to be assigned to such a contact. |
| US09253303B2 |
Signal processing apparatus and storage medium
There is provided a signal processing apparatus including a recognition section configured to recognize at least one of a state of a first user, a state of a second user, and a relationship between the first user and the second user, a signal processing unit configured to perform signal processing on voice information corresponding to voice articulated by the first user, or voice information corresponding to voice that is transmitted from a remote location and articulated by the second user, and a control unit configured to control the signal processing unit to perform signal processing on at least one of the voice information corresponding to the voice articulated by the first user, and the voice information corresponding to the voice that is transmitted from the remote location and articulated by the second user, in accordance with a recognition result of the recognition section. |
| US09253301B2 |
System and method for announcing and routing incoming telephone calls using a distributed voice application execution system architecture
A system and method for announcing and handling incoming telephone calls utilizes a distributed processing architecture. The distributed processing architecture makes use of local devices that can be located at various different locations where the user is often located. For instance, local devices could be at a user's home, a user's office and/or on a user's mobile device. The local devices are linked such than when there is an incoming telephone call directed to any one of multiple telephone numbers associated with the user, an announcement of the incoming call is provided at all of the user's locations. The user is also able to specify how the incoming call is to be handled on a call-by-call basis. The user may also be able to specify default call handling instructions so that an incoming telephone call directed to one of the user's telephone numbers is received by a device normally associated with a different one of the user's telephone numbers. The system allows the user to selectively forward incoming telephone calls to another specified number on a call-by-call basis. |
| US09253297B2 |
Sound-transmitting membrane for microphone, sound-transmitting membrane member for microphone provided with the membrane, microphone, and electronic device provided with microphone
The present invention provides a sound-transmitting membrane for a microphone, to be disposed to a sound-collecting opening of the microphone so as to allow sound to transmit through the membrane while preventing a foreign matter from entering into the microphone through the opening. This membrane for a microphone prevents the entry of a foreign matter, such as fine dust and water vapor, that is difficult for conventional sound-transmitting membranes to block, and ensures the microphone performance. This membrane for a microphone is composed of a nonporous film or a multilayer membrane including a nonporous film, has a surface density of 30 g/m2 or less, and has a sound transmission loss of less than 3 dB in a frequency range of 300 to 4000 Hz. |
| US09253295B2 |
System for mechanically and electrically connecting a mobile device case to different mounts
A system, for mechanically and electrically connecting to a mobile device that includes a first connector having an exposed first set of one or more electrodes, including a mount and a case. The case is removably attachable to the mount and can removably receive the mobile device at least partially. The case includes: a second connector, configured to removably engage the first connector, and having an exposed second electrode set corresponding to the first set, respectively; and a first mating part that includes an integral and exposed third electrode set corresponding at least in part to and electrically connected to the second set, respectively. The mount includes a second mating part having an integral and exposed fourth electrode set corresponding to the third set, respectively. The first and the second mating parts are removably engageable and provide mechanical and electrical connections between the case and the mount. |
| US09253292B2 |
Memory association to folder information
A method, device, system, and a computer program product for association of memory to folder information are disclosed. The electronic device includes one or more memory elements and a sending module. Each of the memory elements is adapted to store folders therein, and the sending module is adapted to send a capability object and a folder-listing object to a receiving module. The capability object includes memory information corresponding to the one or more memory elements, and the folder-listing object includes folder information corresponding to a folder contained in one of the memory elements. The folder information includes an attribute identifying the one memory element containing the folder. |
| US09253289B2 |
Network connection hand-off using state transformations
Some embodiments provide a director agent, a server agent, and a specialized hand-off protocol for improving scalability and resource usage within a server farm. A first network connection is established between a client and the director agent in order to receive a content request from the client from which to select a server from a set of servers that is responsible for hosting the requested content. A second network connection is established between the server agent that is associated with the selected server and a protocol stack of the selected server. The first network connection is handed-off to the server agent using the specialized hand-off protocol. The server agent performs network connection state parameter transformations between the two connections to create a network connection through which content can be passed from the selected server to the client without passing through the director. |
| US09253287B2 |
Speculation based approach for reliable message communications
Described are a system and method for lossless message delivery between two processing devices. Each device includes a remote direct memory access (RDMA) messaging interface. The RDMA messaging interface at the first device generates one or more messages that are processed by the RDMA messaging interface of the second device. The RDMA messaging interface of the first device outputs a notification to the second device that a message of the one or more messages is available at the first device. A determination is made that the second device has resources to accommodate the message. The second device performs an operation in response to determining that the processing device has the resources to accommodate the message. |
| US09253286B2 |
Computer program composed from tabular storage structures that includes data and code
A system and method of data programming involves a computer generating a tabular storage structure that includes data and code. The code is defined by a column of the tabular storage structure. The computer can then execute a program using the tabular storage structure. The code of the tabular storage structure governs an operation of the program. |
| US09253285B2 |
Interactive event cast to multiple mobile devices
Systems and devices for, and methods of, interactive event casting, by: (a) scheduling a plurality of transactions, where the scheduling may be based on passing a system time and a channel usage schedule; (b) aggregating the plurality of transactions, where the aggregating results in minimizing data transfer traffic; (c) executing a data compression and error correction scheme, where the data compression scheme may be based on dynamically changing bitrate of a video data stream according to local access point data traffic; and (d) communicating between network devices using multi-cast for compressed video streams with error-correction code and (e) initiating an application, where the initiated application performs error correction, decompresses the received video data stream, and where the decompressed video data stream may be spooled. |
| US09253282B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating, using, or updating an enriched user profile
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for communication are provided in which a communications device is operable to provide an improved user experience or to improve the performance and/or operation of the device through use of an enriched user profile. In one aspect, the communications device may obtain an attribute including a user specific informational element from a component operable on the communications device. The communications device may generate a profile synopsis from the attribute by abstracting at least a portion of the user specific informational element from the attribute, and transmit the profile synopsis. The communications device may receive an enhanced informational element derived from an aggregation of profile synopses from a plurality of devices and may generate an enriched user profile by augmenting the attribute with at least a portion of the received enhanced informational element. |
| US09253280B2 |
Mobile device manners propagation and compliance
The present invention includes methods and technologies for defining and administering device manners policy (“DMP”), propagating DMP, reception and recognition of, and compliance with DMP. Such policy may be used to communicate to various mobile and other devices the “manners” with which compliance is expected or required. Similar to some of the social manners honored among people, such as with “no smoking” or “employees only” zones, “no swimming” or “no flash photography” areas, and scenarios for “please wash your hands” or “no talking out loud”, devices may recognize and comply with analogous “device manners” policy. |
| US09253279B2 |
Preemptive caching of data
A first computing device receives a first request from a client computing device, wherein the first request includes a markup language request. The first computing device transmits the first request to a second computing device, wherein the second computing device services the first request. The first computing device receives the serviced first request, wherein the serviced first request includes a manifest tag. The first computing device caches the serviced first request. The first computing device transmits the serviced first request to the client computing device. |
| US09253276B2 |
Multi-protocol bridge with integrated performance accelerating cache
A protocol bridge includes a cache for caching data from a plurality of data storage devices, and for servicing data requests from a plurality of initiators. Data is cached for every data access operation such that the most frequently accessed data remains replicated in the cache. |
| US09253271B2 |
Searching data in a social network to provide an answer to an information request
An information request is received from a user of a social network. Data for other users in the social network is searched in order to provide an answer to the request. A question based on the information request is sent to one or more of the other users having prior activity on the social network that is related to the information request. |
| US09253268B2 |
Providing customized information to a user based on identifying a trend
To provide customized information to the user, a wireless communications network node receives a stream of data associated with a user. A first trend associated with at least a first attribute in the stream of data is identified, and based on the identified first trend, customized information is sent for presentation to the user at a mobile station. |
| US09253266B2 |
Social interaction using facial recognition
A method for facilitating real-world interaction includes receiving information regarding geographical positions of a plurality of client devices, determining that a subset of the plurality of client devices are within a given distance of each other, matching a face detected in an image captured by one of the plurality of client devices to facial data stored in a user database, and providing, to the one of the plurality of client devices, information regarding a user associated with the facial data. |
| US09253264B2 |
Content distribution platform for beverage dispensing environments
A system configured to manage the distribution of content to one or more cooperating media/substrates in beverage dispensing environments, wherein the system receives data representative of environment conditions for one or more cooperating media/substrates adapted to display digital content, where the media/substrates may be located in beverage environments (e.g., bar/restaurants, hotels, or event venues), and where the system compares the received data representative of environment conditions regarding the purchase of a beverage with selection criteria to identify content for distribution to the media/substrates such that the selected content is distributed to the one or more cooperating media/substrates. |
| US09253263B2 |
Managing scope of network services
Approaches are provided for managing scope of and access to network services. In one approach, a source device and a target device are each provisioned with a service connector that is configured to communicate with a service manager that executes on a device that is different than the source and target devices. Using its service connector, the source device is able to discover a network service hosted by the target device even though the source device and target device are in different subnets or networks. In another approach, a service manager limits which network services are visible to a source device even though the network services are hosted on target devices that are on the same subnet as the source device. In this approach, the source device uses a service connector to discover the service manager and receive a list of registered services hosted on one or more target devices. |
| US09253255B1 |
Content delivery network referral
In general, techniques are described for managing content request referrals by keying content requests to a composite key data structure that maps end-user address prefixes and content identifiers to content delivery network servers of downstream CDNs. In one example, a CDN exchange includes a communication module to receive first network prefixes and first content identifiers from a first secondary content delivery network and to receive second network prefixes and second content identifiers from a second secondary content delivery network. A request router of the CDN exchange redirects the content request to the first secondary content delivery network or to the second secondary content delivery network according to a network address of the end user device and a content identifier for the content request. |
| US09253252B2 |
Systems and methods for cloud bridging between intranet resources and cloud resources
Embodiments of the present solution provide a cloud bridge to bring network transparency between the otherwise disparate networks of the datacenter and cloud service provider. For example, appliances may be deployed in the datacenter and on the edge of the cloud. These appliances may be configured or designed and constructed to communicate with each other and recognize and understand the local IP and/or public IP network information of the on-premise datacenter of the enterprise and the cloud datacenter. These appliances may manage the flow of network traffic between the on-premise and cloud datacenters in a manner to appear and act seamlessly and transparently as a single network spanning both the on-premise and cloud data centers. |
| US09253250B2 |
Local reroute protection for multicast multiprotocol label switching
In one embodiment, a merge process can determine a primary tree among nodes in a communication network, determine a backup tree for a protected segment of the primary tree, the backup tree having at least a portion of overlap with the primary tree, and stitch the backup tree to the primary tree for each node of the portion of overlap such that when a message is transmitted for a group according to the backup tree, each node of the portion of overlap receives a single instance of the message of the group. |
| US09253248B2 |
Parallel information system utilizing flow control and virtual channels
Embodiments of a data handling apparatus can include a network interface controller configured to interface a processing node to a network. The network interface controller can include a network interface, a register interface, a processing node interface, and logic. The network interface can include lines coupled to the network for communicating data on the network. The register interface can include lines coupled to multiple registers. The processing node interface can include at least one line coupled to the processing node for communicating data with a local processor local to the processing node wherein the local processor can read data to and write data from the registers. The logic can receive packets including a header and a payload from the network and can insert the packets into the registers as indicated by the header. |
| US09253247B2 |
Transcoding of communication with personal health devices
In embodiments, devices, computer-readable media, and methods for personal health device transcoding may be described. A transcoding module may serve as an interface between a manager device implementing an IEEE 11073-20601 (“IEEE 11073”) standard and a personal health device that does not implement the standard. The transcoding module may be configured to interact with one or more models of an IEEE 11073 stack implemented by the manager device. The transcoding device may be configured to redirect requests from the models and emulate responses from the personal health device such that the personal health device appears, to the manager device, to implement the IEEE 11073 standard. The transcoding module may perform the emulation asynchronously, through transcoding of communications with the personal health device, or may synchronously generate responses on behalf of the personal health device. Other embodiments may be described. |
| US09253246B2 |
Information device and network system
A program when executed by a computer for controlling a registration server configured to be connected to a first network, causing the computer to execute: receiving user identification information; receiving device identification information from a communication terminal connected to a second network different from the first network, the device identification information being for identifying, on the second network, an information device connected to the second network; transmitting the received user identification information to a management server connected to the first network; receiving, from the management server, authentication information transmitted from the management server as a response to the transmitted user identification information; generating registration information which has a format in which the authentication information is allowed to be registered in the information device, the registration information including the authentication information and the device identification information; and transmitting the generated registration information to the communication terminal. |
| US09253245B2 |
Load balancer and related techniques
A system for balancing network traffic among virtual machines includes a first virtual machine executed by a first physical server connected to a physical network and a second virtual machine executed by a second physical server connected to the physical network. A gateway device is configured to route network traffic through the physical network to and from the first and second virtual machines. A load balancer module is executed by the gateway device. The load balancer module is configured to: at least partially decode the network traffic to identify a destination address of the network traffic; determine if the destination address is the address of a load-balanced virtual machine; and if the destination address is the address of a load-balanced virtual machine, route the network traffic to a destination virtual machine according to a load-balancing scheme. |
| US09253236B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing streaming service in a data communication network
A client device for receiving digital media data and a method thereof are provided. The method includes transmitting, to at least one neighboring client device, a join request message for receiving the digital media data; receiving, from at least one neighboring client device, a partnership request message for granting transmission of the digital media data; transmitting, to the at least one neighboring client device transmitting the partnership request message, a data request message for requesting transmission of the digital media data; and receiving, from the at least one neighboring client device transmitting the partnership request message, the digital media data, wherein the digital media data is based on a transport format predefined between the client device and the at least one neighboring client device. |
| US09253235B2 |
Streaming enhancements through pre-fetch background
Media content that meets pre-fetching criteria may be distributed to the device, in a non-requested instance, and stored in the pre-fetched segments database. Rather than relying on caching methods for the first-time access of a media object, at least a portion of the media object may be pre-stored, prior to any requests for access, on the client's device. Thus, when a user attempts to access a particular media stream from the network, if the client's device already has a segment of the desired media object stored, the stored segment access can be directly from the client's device. To further efficiently use bandwidth, the distribution of the segment of a media object to be stored on a user's local machine, the distribution may be done out of band or based on a balance of network resources. |
| US09253226B2 |
Guided edit optimization
Techniques for optimizing a guided edit process for editing a member profile page are described. According to various embodiments, profile edit task information associated with a member of an online social network service is accessed, the profile edit task information identifying one or more candidate profile edit tasks to be performed to update a member profile page of the member. Thereafter, if it is determined that the member recently completed a difficult profile edit task, a difficult candidate profile edit task is identified, and the member is prompted to perform the difficult candidate profile edit task. If it is determined that the member has not recently completed a difficult profile edit task, an easy candidate profile edit task is identified, and the member is prompted to perform the easy candidate profile edit task. |
| US09253222B2 |
Synchronous delivery of media content in a collaborative environment
An apparatus and method for facilitating a synchronous display of a time-based media object (e.g., a video or audio file) with a remote device is provided. In one example, the apparatus comprises control logic for controlling the display of a media object in response to a user entered command with a first device, and communication logic for causing communication of the user entered command (e.g., play, pause, skip, etc.) and a metric (e.g., time or frame reference) associated with the media object to a second device for synchronizing the display of the media object with the first and second devices. The first and second devices may communicate via peer-to-peer communications, for example, in a collaborative or social application such as an IM application. Further, the apparatus may include various devices such as a personal computer, mobile phone device and/or mobile personal entertainment device, DVR, or the like. |
| US09253221B2 |
Information distribution system, service-providing method for an information distribution system, and a program for the same
The effort of changing an application in conjunction with a change in process content or change in the type or specifications of a receiver can be reduced, and a cooperative process involving a plurality of receivers without going through an application can be achieved. An integrated device control service acquires output data, information related to the address of a first receiver and a first style sheet for the first receiver, and information related to the address of a second receiver and a second style sheet for the second receiver from an application and a style sheet database that stores a plurality of style sheets describing information conversion rules. In accordance with the success or failure of first conversion data distribution, the integrated device control service sends second conversion data, which is the output data converted according to the second style sheet, to the second receiver. |
| US09253218B2 |
Interface for connecting a network element to a session initiation protocol application server
Systems (100) and methods (500) for connecting network resources of a first network (116) to network resources of a second network (118). The second network is different from the first network. The methods involve receiving a first message (302, 402) from a first network resource (106) of the first network. The first message has a first protocol format. In response to the first message, a second message (308, 408) having a web service request format is dynamically generated. The second message is communicated to a third network resource (112) of the second network for conversion into a third message (314). The third message has a second protocol format different from the first protocol format. The first network can be an SIP network. The second network can be an SS7 network. |
| US09253215B2 |
Control plane to manage domain-based security and mobility in an information centric network
A networking system comprising a virtual group controller in an information centric network configured to enable mobility and security for a plurality of users groups of the information centric network, a plurality of user groups coupled to the virtual group controller and associated with the users, a plurality of agents that are each associated with one of the user groups, and a database for trusted service profile coupled to the virtual group controller, wherein the virtual group controller is configured to interact with the agents to enable mobility for the user groups using a server-less domain-based naming scheme. |
| US09253213B2 |
Query flow reconstruction in database activity monitoring systems
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system for reconstructing a sequence of communications that occurred during a period of database activity monitor unavailability. A database activity monitor receives a first sequence of queries. The database activity monitor determines whether the database activity monitor became unavailable, and, in response to determining that the database activity monitor is unavailable, restarts the database activity monitor. The database activity monitor receives a second sequence of queries, and approximates a third sequence of queries, wherein the third sequence of queries occurred subsequent to the first sequence of queries and prior to the second sequence of queries. The database activity monitor validates the third sequence of queries with reference to a set of security policies. |
| US09253212B2 |
Automated production of certification controls by translating framework controls
A compliance application automatically produces certification controls by translating framework controls. The framework controls are common certification controls used in production of the certification. The application retrieves framework controls including metadata from a compliance framework data store. Metadata of the framework controls map the framework controls to the certification. In addition, the application retrieves certification parity data associated with the metadata. Certification controls are produced based on the framework controls and the certification parity data. A view of the certification including the certification controls is provided to a customer requesting the certification. |
| US09253211B2 |
Managing communications between computing nodes
Techniques are described for managing communications between multiple intercommunicating computing nodes, such as multiple virtual machine nodes hosted on one or more physical computing machines or systems. In some situations, users may specify groups of computing nodes and optionally associated access policies for use in the managing of the communications for those groups, such as by specifying which source nodes are allowed to transmit data to particular destinations nodes. In addition, determinations of whether initiated data transmissions from source nodes to destination nodes are authorized may be dynamically negotiated for and recorded for later use in automatically authorizing future such data transmissions without negotiation. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and it is submitted with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. |
| US09253207B2 |
Collaborative phishing attack detection
Described herein are methods, network devices and machine-readable storage media for detecting whether a message is a phishing attack based on the collective responses from one or more individuals who have received that message. The individuals may flag the message as a possible phishing attack, and/or may provide a numerical ranking indicating the likelihood that the message is a possible phishing attack. As responses from different individuals may have a different degree of reliability, each response from an individual may be weighted with a corresponding trustworthiness level of that individual, in an overall determination as to whether a message is a phishing attack. A trustworthiness level of an individual may indicate a degree to which the response of that individual can be trusted and/or relied upon, and may be determined by how well that individual recognized simulated phishing attacks. |
| US09253206B1 |
Systems and methods for protecting an online service attack against a network-based attack
Techniques for protecting an online service against network-based attacks are described. In some cases, protection is performed by way of a scalable protection service including a dynamically scalable set of virtual machines hosted by a cloud service that is distinct from a data center that hosts the online service. The protection service is coupled to the online service via a private link. When an attack is detected by the online service, network traffic bound for the online service is redirected from the public network to the protection service. The protection service then processes the network traffic, such as by dropping network traffic associated with the attack and forwarding legitimate network traffic to the online service via the private link. |
| US09253205B2 |
Invocation of system services through auxiliary interface
The invention is directed to a user interface on a provided electronic device, the user interface including: (i) an auxiliary interface for receiving input from a user and providing output to the user; and (ii) a primary access interface. Using the auxiliary interface, a message to the user is provided, wherein the message is provided without requiring the user to be authenticated through the primary access interface. Input from the user is accepted through the auxiliary interface to access a service available from the provided electronic device, wherein access to the service is provided without requiring the user to be authenticated through the primary access interface. |
| US09253204B2 |
Generating accurate preemptive security device policy tuning recommendations
An approach is provided for determining a likelihood of an attack on a first computer system of a first business. Characteristics of the first business and a second business are determined. The second business has a second computer system currently or recently under attack. The characteristics include respective industries, sizes, geographical locations, types of sensitive data, and security vulnerabilities associated with the first and second businesses or first and second computer systems, an address of traffic through a device in the first computer system, and an address of an entity responsible for the attack on the second computer system. Based on a similarity between the characteristics of the first and second businesses, a likelihood that the entity responsible for the attack on the second computer system will attack the first computer system of the first business is determined. |
| US09253203B1 |
Diversity analysis with actionable feedback methodologies
Embodiments of the present technology relate to diversity and similarity analysis. In one embodiment, a method includes, for each of a plurality of entities, receiving a set of variables that are indicative of attributes of an entity, comparing the sets of variables for the plurality of entities to each other, locating clusters of similar variables shared between two or more of the plurality of entities, calculating a diversity score that represents how different the plurality of entities are to one another based on variables that are not shared between the plurality of entities, receiving feedback from an end user in response to providing the diversity score to the end user and updating the diversity score in response to the feedback. The variables and attributes may be used to calculate a diversity score regarding aggregate cyber security risk, for use in planning so as to increase that diversity. |
| US09253202B2 |
IT vulnerability management system
A system for automatically managing vulnerabilities may determine vulnerability data describing vulnerabilities in an information technology environment and then assign each vulnerability to a stakeholder for remediation. The system may receive a remediation proposal from the stakeholder, obtain approval for the remediation proposal, and facilitate remediation of the vulnerability based on the proposal. |
| US09253199B2 |
Verifying authenticity of a sender of an electronic message sent to a recipient using message salt
A server receives a verification request sent by a client associated with a recipient of an electronic message to verify authenticity of a sender of the electronic message, where the verification request comprises message data of the electronic message and a salt hash value. The server identifies a key for the sender for generating a salt hash value and generates the salt hash value using the salt key and the message data. The server determines whether the generated salt hash value matches the salt hash value received in the verification request and sends a result to the client based on the determination of whether the salt hash values match. |
| US09253195B2 |
Transformation of sequential access control lists utilizing certificates
The subject disclosure pertains to systems and methods that facilitate managing access control utilizing certificates. The systems and methods described herein are directed to mapping an access policy as expressed in an access control list to a set of certificates. The set of certificates can be used to grant access to resources in the manner described by the ACL. The certificates can be distributed to entities for use in obtaining access to resources. Entities can present certificates to resources as evidence of their right to access the resources. The access logic of the sequential ACL can be transformed or mapped to a set of order independent certificates. In particular, each entry, position of the entry in the list and any preceding entries can be analyzed. The analysis can be used to generate order independent certificates that provide access in accordance with the access policy communicated in the ACL. |
| US09253194B2 |
Verifying user information
A computer is configured to impose an access restriction based upon user-provided information, such as a user's birthdate. In order to enforce such a restriction, the computer requests from a user an image of a valid identity document associated with the user, such as a valid driver's license. In response to receiving such an image from the user, the computer performs an image analysis on the image to extract user information. The computer might extract the user's name, address, birthdate, driver's license number, and/or other information from the image for instance. The computer may utilize the extracted information to determine whether the user should be granted access. The computer may determine based upon the extracted information, for instance, whether the age of the user is greater than a minimum age required to access the computer. The computer may be configured to restrict access to a Web site in this manner. |
| US09253192B1 |
Pluggable login architecture and dynamic resource recognition
Methods and systems are disclosed that generally involve handling logins for a user accessing a plurality of computer resources. In one embodiment, once a user enters login information for a first computer resource, the login information can be stored and/or re-used to access a plurality of other computer resources without the user having to re-enter the login information for each resource. The methods and systems can involve a software framework in communication with various plugins, each plugin including one or more login candidates representing a type of a computer resource. The plugins and/or login candidates can allow the framework to pluggably and dynamically recognize and log into various types of computer resources. |
| US09253184B1 |
System and method for streaming application isolation
Providing streaming of one or more applications from streaming servers onto one or more clients. The computer readable medium includes computer-executable instructions for execution by a processing system. The applications are contained within one or more isolated environments, and the isolated environments are streamed from the servers onto clients. The system may include authentication of the streaming servers and authentication of clients and credentialing of the isolated environments and applications the clients are configured to run. The system may include encrypted communication between the streaming servers and the clients. The system may further include a management interface where administrators may add, remove and configure isolated environments, configure client policies and credentials, and force upgrades. The streamed isolated environments may be isolated from other applications and the host operating system on the clients and applications within the isolated environments may run without performing an application-installation on the client. |
| US09253176B2 |
Computerized method and system for managing secure content sharing in a networked secure collaborative exchange environment
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for securely sharing computer data content that allows for the secure un-sharing of the content. The facility to un-share content may be implemented through a secure exchange server, where the content is being shared along with a secure protection feature that when altered results in the un-sharing of the content. This secure un-sharing facility may be used to securely share content beyond the secure protective facilities of an enterprise, out to users in other companies, into the public space, to users not intended to get the content, and the like, where the sender maintains control to access of the content no matter where or to who the content has been distributed. In this way, the secure sharing of content is made to be easy across corporate boundaries at the user level and at the individual document level. |
| US09253175B1 |
Authentication of computing devices using augmented credentials to enable actions-per-group
In one or more embodiments, attributes other than a supplicant's MAC address can be used for the user name in the authentication process in a network computing environment. In at least some embodiments, doing so utilizes an association structure, such as a table, that is already resident at the authentication server. By using attributes other than a supplicant's MAC address, various matching scenarios can be provided by the authentication server in which authentication or authorization takes place responsive to satisfying conditions defined in the authentication server's association or database. Furthermore, a variety of non-authentication scenarios can be supported using the authentication server's association. |
| US09253169B2 |
Memory and storage devices to be authenicated using a host device, authenication system and host device
According to one embodiment, a device includes a second data generator configured to generate a session key (SKey) by encrypting a random number (RN) with the second key (HKey) in AES operation; a one-way function processor configured to generate an authentication information (Oneway-ID) by processing the secret identification information (SecretID) with the session key (SKey) in one-way function operation; and a data output interface configured to output the encrypted secret identification information (E-SecretID) and the authentication information (Oneway-ID) to outside of the device. |
| US09253168B2 |
Secure pairing of devices via pairing facilitator-intermediary device
The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to systems and circuitry for and/or methods of establishing communication having one or more pairing facilitator-intermediary devices (for example, a network connected server) to enable or facilitate pairing and/or registering at least two devices (e.g., (i) a portable biometric monitoring device and (ii) a smartphone, laptop and/or tablet) to, for example, recognize, interact and/or enable interoperability between such devices. The pairing facilitator-intermediary device may responsively communicates information to one or more of the devices (to be paired or registered) which, in response, enable or facilitate such devices to pair or register. The present inventions may be advantageous where one or both of the devices to be paired or registered is/are not configured (e.g., include a user interface or certain communication circuitry that is configured or includes functionality) to pair devices without use of a facilitator-intermediary device. |
| US09253167B2 |
Device and system for facilitating communication and networking within a secure mobile environment
The present invention relates generally to facilitating secure voice and data communication by way of a commercially available communication device (i.e., smartphone/smartdevice). Specifically, the device and system for pairing a specialized cryptographic device with a non-specialized communication device, wherein the two devices engage in bidirectional communication to facilitate encryption of voice and data for secure transmission over a network. While providing the sensitive cryptographic features for secure communications, the cryptographic device further implements and enforces security policies for the communication device by way if an intermediary native application executed at the communication device. The encryption device is suitably designed to be carried discreetly and may be used in conjunction with a commercially available communication device. |
| US09253166B2 |
Cloud file system
A cloud storage system supporting user agnostic encryption and deduplication of encrypted files is described. Further the cloud storage system enables users to share a file, a group of files, or an entire file system with other users without a user sending each file to the other users. The cloud storage system further allows a client device to minimize the utilization of bandwidth by determining whether the encrypted data to transfer is already present in the cloud storage system. Further the cloud storage system comprises mechanisms for a client device to inform the cloud storage system of which data is likely to be required in the future so that the cloud storage system can make that data available with less latency one the client device requests the data. |
| US09253165B2 |
Digital rights domain management for secure content distribution in a local network
Systems and methods for secure content distribution to playback devices connected to a local network via a residential gateway using secure links are disclosed. One embodiment of the invention includes a content server, a rights management server, a residential gateway configured to communicate with the content server and the rights management server via a network, and a playback device configured to communicate with the residential gateway via a local network. In addition, the residential gateway is configured to receive protected content from the content server, the playback device is configured to request access to the protected content from the residential gateway, the residential gateway is configured to request access to the protected content from the rights management server and the request includes information uniquely identifying the playback device, the rights management server is configured to provide access information to the residential gateway when the information uniquely identifying the playback device satisfies at least one predetermined criterion with respect to playback devices associated with the residential gateway, the residential gateway and the playback device are configured to create a secure link between the residential gateway and the playback device via the local network, and the residential gateway is configured to decrypt the protected content using the access information provided by the rights management server and to encrypt the decrypted content for distribution to the playback device via the secure link. |
| US09253164B2 |
Distribution of portions of content
Techniques for obtaining and providing a portion of content include receiving a request for the portion of the content, requesting and receiving one or more data chunks, processing the one or more data chunks, and providing one or more data blocks as the requested portion of the content. The processing may include validating, decrypting, and/or decompressing the one or more data chunks to create the one or more data blocks. Techniques for providing metadata and one or more data chunks may include receiving content and dividing the content into data blocks. Processing may then be performed on the data blocks to create data chunks, and the metadata may be generated from the processing. The metadata and one or more of the data chunks may be provided to a device. |
| US09253162B2 |
Intelligent card secure communication method
The present invention relates to the field of information security. Disclosed is an intelligent card secure communication method, capable of preventing the communication data from being monitored or intercepted. The method of the present invention provides a card with a definitely secure communication mechanism, initiates a session for the two communication parties to authenticate each other, and to check the identification legitimacy of the other party and the integrity of communication data, and provides a security constraint for subsequent communication, thus improving communication security. |
| US09253160B2 |
Methods, systems, and media for secure connection management and automatic compression over metered data connections
Methods, systems and media for facilitating compression over a metered data connection are provided. In some embodiments, the methods comprise: detecting a new wireless network connection; determining that the new connection is metered; sending, via a proxy server, requests for content to a content server using the metered data connection; receiving, via the proxy server, content from the content server compressed by the proxy server using the metered data connection; detecting a second new wireless network connection; determining that the second new wireless network connection is not a metered data connection; causing the proxy server to inhibit compression of content sent to the user device in response to determining that the second new wireless network connection is not a metered data connection. |
| US09253156B2 |
Dynamically defining network access rules
Systems and computer program products are provided for dynamically defining network access control rules. A placeholder for a parameter of an interface to an endpoint such as a data processing system or virtual machine may be provided in a network access control rule, instead of a static parameter. The parameter may be dynamically determined, by a firewall or a hypervisor for example, and the placeholder may be replaced with the dynamically determined parameter. |
| US09253155B2 |
Computerized system and method for advanced network content processing
A computerized system and method for processing network content in accordance with at least one content processing rule is provided. According to one embodiment, the network content is received at a first interface. A transmission protocol according to which the received network content is formatted is identified and used to intercept at least a portion of the received network content. The intercepted portion of the network content is redirected to a proxy, which buffers the redirected portion of network content. The buffered network content is scanned in accordance with a scanning criterion and processed in accordance with the at least one content processing rule based on the result of the scanning. The processed portion of network content may be forwarded using a second interface. |
| US09253151B2 |
Managing authentication requests when accessing networks
Computer system, method and program for managing authentication requests. At a gateway device to a network, packets of a message intended for said network are received. In response, fields within payloads of said packets which contain authentication or authorization information are read. In response, the message is redirected to an authentication server. In response to receipt of the redirected message from the gateway device, the authentication server determines that a requester who sent the message to the gateway device is authorized to access a target resource specified in the message and responds to the gateway device that the requester is authorized to access the target resource. In response, the gateway device responds to the requester that the requester is authorized to access the target resource. In response to the response from the authentication server that the requester is authorized to access the target resource, the gateway device notifies a server hosting the target resource that the requester is authorized to access the target resource. If the gateway device receives a subsequent message from the requester to utilize the target resource, the gateway device forwards the message toward the server hosting the target resource. |
| US09253150B2 |
Multi-services gateway device at user premises
An application gateway including application service programming logically positioned on a user premises side of a network demarcation forming an edge of the wide area network at a user premises can provide managed services to a user and one or more endpoint devices associated with the application gateway. The application gateway can be controlled remotely by the application service provider through a service management center and configured to execute an application service provided from the application service provider. The application gateway executes the application service at the user premises independent of application services executing on the application service provider's network. An application service logic manager can communicate with an application service enforcement manager to verify that the request conforms with policy and usage rules associated with the application service in order to authorize execution of the application service on the application gateway, either directly or through endpoint devices. |
| US09253148B2 |
System and method for logging communications
A method for logging communication includes determining when a target user is active and identifying an access device and private Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with the target user when the target user is active. The method further includes causing the access device to provide traffic information associated with the target user to a logging device. |
| US09253146B2 |
Preventing duplicate sources from clients served by a network address port translator
Preventing duplicate sources in a network that uses network address port translation on an established connection. In response to receiving an inbound packet at a destination host, input values are obtained therefrom and used to consult a mapping. If no match is found, a translation is performed, whereby a determination is made as to whether or not a port number is available within a range of port numbers that comply with a security association governing the connection. If so, an available port number is assigned to the connection, thereby avoiding a possibility of a duplicate source. If a port number is not available, the packet is rejected. |
| US09253131B2 |
System and method for authentication of communications
A method whereby a communication can be readily determined to be from an authorized sender or, conversely, identified as being from an imposter, wherein a digital token is created according to a set of at least two rules known to the creator and intended recipient of the communication, further wherein the digital token comprises a recognizable factor such as an image, word, or audio segment, and a system comprising means for implementing the method of the disclosure; wherein fraudulent messages may readily be identified by recognizing whether or not the digital token associated with the message complies with one or more pre-determined rules, even if the system presenting the message is unaware of the rules or even of the authentication process as a whole. |
| US09253130B2 |
Systems and methods for supporting social productivity using a dashboard
Systems and methods provide a social productivity platform to create or modify documents and other data content objects using collaborative efforts, possibly where the efforts are received through a social networking service. The systems and methods can, for example, create, review and share documents, spreadsheets and presentations from any device, using any cloud storage provider. When teams of users collaboratively work on a document or other file, systems and methods connect each the team users to the document or file, and maintain a history buffer of comments, changes, or other events. The systems and methods enable a user to create, review, edit, or otherwise access content and capture information regarding changes implemented during individual or group-based editing to the content. |
| US09253125B2 |
Managing a messaging state across multiple clients
Embodiments of the invention relate to managing a messaging state across multiple clients and devices which use respective communications systems. In one embodiment, a plurality of users are connected to multiple messaging communications systems. The multiple messaging communications systems use a plurality of associated messaging clients on each of the users' respective devices, for messaging communications between the users. The users' messaging communications are stored from the multiple messaging communications systems and their respective messaging clients, using a proxy service. A device, of the plurality of messaging clients, being used by a messaging user of the plurality of users is tracked. A current messaging communication of the messaging user from the stored messaging communications is routed to the currently used device, using the proxy service, for maintaining a state of the messaging communications of the users. |
| US09253123B1 |
Methods and apparatus for load balancing VLAN traffic
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a first core device configured to be disposed within a network. The network has a set of access nodes and a second core device. The first core device is configured to receive a signal designating the first core device as a master device for a virtual group identifier such that the second core device is designated as a back-up device for that virtual group identifier. |
| US09253116B2 |
Multi-media data rate allocation method and voice over IP data rate allocation method
A multimedia bitrate adaption method for individual users wherein only a set of predetermined bitrates may be selected as the multimedia bitrate of the user. The predetermined bitrates are quantized into exponentially distributed levels, and the users' experiences corresponding to the predetermined bitrates are with the same intervals, thereby increasing the service capacity and improving user satisfaction. |
| US09253104B2 |
Dynamic adjustment of receive window utilized by a transmitting device
A method of controlling size of a receive window includes transmitting packets over a communication channel from a transmitting device to a receiver, and receiving acknowledgment packets from the receiver, the received acknowledgement packets from the receiver including an advertised receive window size. The method further includes determining a backlog parameter for the receiver in accordance with the advertised receive window size, determining a queuing delay in accordance the received acknowledgment packets, resetting a size of a congestion window in accordance with a function of a current size of the congestion window and a factor proportional to the queuing delay, and resetting a size of a receive window in accordance with a function of a current size of the receive window and the backlog parameter. A network window is reset in accordance with the smaller of the size of the congestion window and the size of the receive window. |
| US09253098B2 |
Method for operating an openflow switch within a network, an openflow switch and a network
For allowing a very flexible scheduling of data flows within an OpenFlow (OF) switch a method for operating an OpenFlow switch within a network includes using the OpenFlow switch to direct arriving data flows out of different ports of the OpenFlow switch. The method is characterized in that a scheduling mechanism for performing at least one scheduling task is assigned to the OpenFlow switch, wherein a metric will be used to assign weights to the arriving data flows and wherein the data flows will then be scheduled based on the assigned weights and based on a scheduling policy. Further, a corresponding OpenFlow switch and a corresponding network are described, preferably for carrying out the above mentioned method. |
| US09253097B1 |
Selective label switched path re-routing
In one example, a method includes establishing a plurality of label switched paths (LSPs) having a common transit network device other than an ingress network device or an egress network device of any of the plurality of LSPs, and, by the transit network device along the plurality of LSPs, detecting a congestion condition on a link along the plurality of LSPs and coupled to the transit network device. The method also includes, responsive to detecting the congestion condition, and by the transit network device, selecting a subset of the plurality of LSPs to evict from the link, wherein the subset comprises less than all of the plurality of LSPs, and updating a forwarding plane of the transit network device to reroute network traffic received for the selected subset of the plurality of the LSPs for forwarding to a next hop on a bypass LSP that avoids the link. |
| US09253096B2 |
Bypassing congestion points in a converged enhanced ethernet fabric
Embodiments relate to bypassing congestion points in a network. An aspect includes sampling queues of a plurality of switches in a network. When packet congestion is detected at a congestion point of a first switch, the packet flow contributing to the packet congestion is identified. A congestion notification message indicating the identified packet flow is then propagated to upstream switches, which are upstream from the first switch in the network. The congestion notification message is then snooped by the upstream switches. Virtual queues within the upstream switches are associated with the identified packet flow to hold packets associated with the identified packet flow. The packets associated with the identified packet flow are then re-routed to bypass the packet congestion in the first switch. |
| US09253093B2 |
Method for processing data packets in flow-aware network nodes
A method and apparatus for processing data packets in flow-aware network nodes is disclosed for storing flow data without altering transmission data throughput for a limited cost. The method and apparatus for processing data packets in flow-aware network nodes includes alternate usage of a fast access internal memory and a slower speed access external memory which provides low latency yet comprehensive flow-awareness. The method for processing data packets in flow-aware network nodes is particularly useful for overcoming requiring extensive usage of fast access memory of flow-aware network nodes known in the art. |
| US09253085B2 |
Hierarchical asymmetric mesh with virtual routers
A network-on-chip configuration includes a first plurality of cores arranged in a two-dimensional mesh; a first plurality of routers, each of the first plurality of routers associated with a corresponding local one of the first plurality of cores, each of the first plurality of routers having a plurality of directional ports configured to provide connections to other ones of the first plurality of routers; a second plurality of cores disposed around a periphery of the two-dimensional mesh arrangement; and a second plurality of routers, each of the second plurality of routers associated with a corresponding local one of the second plurality of cores, and having a directional port configured to provide a connection to a neighboring one of the first plurality of routers. |
| US09253082B2 |
Failure detection in the multiprotocol label switching multicast label switched path's end-to-end protection solution
In one aspect, the invention includes, in a root node along a secondary label switching path, a computer program product comprising computer executable instructions stored on a non-transitory medium that when executed by a processor cause the root node to perform the following: establish a first data plane based failure detection session having an inactive status along a first label switching path (LSP) with at least one leaf node, receive a predetermined number of notification messages from the leaf node, wherein the predetermined number of notification messages indicate the failure of a second data plane based failure detection session along a second LSP from a second processor to the leaf node, and change the status of the first data plane based failure detection session to active along the first LSP upon receipt of the predetermined number of notification messages. |
| US09253080B2 |
Relay device, network system and computer program product
A relay device comprises: a routing controller configured to perform learning of routing information, which includes area information used to identify a relay area of communication packets and a network address of one or more other relay devices, and to determine a relay route of the communication packets, based on the learnt routing information; and a relay module configured to send the communication packets received by the relay device to a destination address of the received communication packets, based on the determined relay route. When the relay device receives a disaster notification packet notifying of a disaster area and when the determined relay route includes the disaster area, the routing controller changes the relay route to an alternative relay route that does not include the disaster area. |
| US09253076B2 |
Synchronization of load-balancing switches
A network element within a data center comprises a master switch, a slave switch, and a plurality of servers in communication with the master and slave switches. The master switch may be configured to send synchronization requests to the slave switch. The slave switch may update a slave switch hash table to correspond to a master switch hash table. |
| US09253073B2 |
Method for loopback detection and network device utilizing the same
A method for loopback detection includes: receiving a loopback detection frame by a port; detecting and determining whether the loopback detection frame is transmitted via the port; analyzing the loopback detection frame and determining whether a loopback has occurred in a network device when the loopback detection frame is transmitted via the port; when the loopback has occurred, determining the loopback has occurred in which of one or more virtual local area networks (VLANs) that the port joins in; blocking the VLAN(s) that the port transmitting the loopback detection frame joins in and in which the loopback occurred, for the port being unable to transmit any packet in the blocked VLAN(s); and when the loopback has not occurred, dropping the loopback detection frame. |
| US09253072B2 |
Polarity detection system
In the subject system for polarity detection, link initialization between a primary device and a secondary device may be performed in at least two stages, a half-duplex stage when only the primary device transmits initialization signals and any encoded handshaking signals may be set to false, and a full-duplex stage when both devices may transmit initialization signals. The secondary device may perform polarity detection during the half-duplex stage. If the secondary device determines that the polarities of the received signals are reversed, the secondary device may reverse the polarities of any signals subsequently received from, and transmitted to, the primary device. In this manner, the polarities can be corrected for both devices during the half-duplex stage by the secondary device. The secondary device may initiate the full-duplex link initialization stage, during which any handshaking signals may be exchanged, by transmitting signals to the primary device. |
| US09253071B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for test configuration optimized decoding of protocol messages in a network device test system
A network equipment device test system includes a message blueprint data structure for storing blueprint data for messages to be decoded. The network equipment test device further includes a message decoder for decoding received messages by accessing the message blueprint data structure and matching information elements in the received messages with information elements in the message blueprint data structure. The network equipment test device further includes a message blueprint data structure configurator for receiving, as input, test configuration data, and for configuring the message blueprint data structure for optimized decoding of messages based on the test configuration data. |
| US09253067B2 |
OAM in OTN networks: GMPLS signaling for TCM
Methods and nodes are disclosed for OAM configuring one or more tandem connection monitoring layers through GMPLS signaling during GMPLS sub-network connection (SNC) establishment. Additionally, methods and nodes are disclosed for OAM configuring one or more tandem connection monitoring layers through GMPLS signaling after GMPLS sub-network connection establishment, that is, for existing connections. |
| US09253065B2 |
Latency measurement in resource requests
Systems and method for the management and processing resource of requests by a service provider, such as a content delivery network (“CDN”) service provider, on behalf of a content provider are provided. The CDN service provider can measure the performance associated with the delivery of resources to requesting client computing devices from various computing devices associated with the CDN service provider. In one embodiment, the CDN service provider can utilize commands correspond to communication protocols that causes the requesting client computing device to transmit or receive protocol information from multiple computing devices associated with the CDN service provider's domain. Information associated with the processing of the protocol responses can be used to measure CDN service provider latencies. |
| US09253064B2 |
System and method for selfish child clustering
A system and method for selfish child clustering are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises a selfish node; and a plurality of servicing nodes each connected to the selfish node, wherein the selfish node selects a first one of the servicing nodes to service requests therefrom; and wherein the selfish node evaluates a responsiveness of the first one of the servicing nodes and, responsive to a determination that the responsiveness of the first one of the servicing nodes is unacceptable, the selfish node selects a second one of the servicing nodes to service requests therefrom. |
| US09253063B2 |
Bi-directional video compression for real-time video streams during transport in a packet switched network
A method, a system and a computer device for initiating bi-directional compression of a video stream in a packet switched network, based on delay tolerance of a service or application. A video frame recompression (VFR) utility determines an end-to-end (E2E) delay tolerance retrieved from a Real-time Transport Control Protocol (RTCP) report. The VFR utility then determines the actual expected delay based on a deep inspection of packet headers. The VFR utility utilizes a processing opportunity delay (which determines whether the E2E delay tolerance is greater than the actual expected delay) to reprocess video content comprising Intra-coded (I) pictures/frames and Predicted (P) frames to improve compression efficiency. The VFR utility may also utilize a complexity ratio which is a ratio of the I-Frame rate and the P-Frame rate to select frames for compression. The VFR utility recompresses video content by replacing P-Frames with B-Frames. |
| US09253062B2 |
Byte by byte received data integrity check
A method and an apparatus for testing a network. A source port unit may generate a packet including a payload, the payload comprising a content identifier and content data in accordance with the content identifier, and transmit the packet via the network. A destination port unit may receive the packet and extract the content identifier and received content data from the received packet. The destination port unit may obtain expected content data in accordance with the extracted content identifier and compare the expected content data and the received content data. |
| US09253061B2 |
Tunnel health check mechanism in overlay network
A health check mechanism for an overlay network may employ tunneling technology. A health check packet may be sent between endpoints. The health check packet may be recognized in the network and may initiate a health check process on receipt. In some embodiments, the health check packet may include a signature recognized by the network. A destination endpoint, upon receipt of the health check packet, may provide health check statistics to a source endpoint. |
| US09253059B2 |
Deploying an executable with historical performance data
Techniques for incorporating performance data into an executable file for an application are described. Embodiments monitor performance of an application while the application is running. Additionally, historical execution characteristics of the application are determined based upon the monitored performance and one or more system characteristics of a node on which the application was executed on. Embodiments also incorporate the historical execution characteristics into executable file for the application, such that the historical execution characteristics can be used to manage subsequent executions of the application. |
| US09253057B2 |
Evaluation of performance of software applications
A method and system for evaluating performance of software applications of different web sites. Steps in a first software application of a first web site are mapped to respective similar-function steps in a second software application of a second web site. The mapping for each step in the first software application includes associating both each step in the first software application and the respective similar-function step in the second software with a respective task. Measures of performance of each mapped step in the first software application and measures of performance of the respective similar-function steps and of other steps in the second software application are determined and included in a report. A measure of performance of the first software application and a measure of performance of the second software application are included in the report. |
| US09253047B2 |
Serialization of run-time state
The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates re-locating a web application associated with a network service utilizing a portion of serialized data. The network service can be any collection of resources that are maintained by a party (e.g., third-party, off-site, etc.) and accessible by an identified user over a network (e.g., WAN, Internet, etc.). An interface component can receive a portion of serialized data with transparent structure related to an application specification. A hydrate component can create a web application independent of a network service based at least in part upon the serialized data, the web application has state within the network service. |
| US09253040B2 |
Grouping wireless lighting nodes according to a building room layout
A method determines the relative locations of wirelessly controllable service device nodes and switching control nodes within a building. At least some of the service device nodes are located in different rooms of the building and should be allocated to switching control nodes on a room-specific basis. Wireless communication is established between the nodes to determine relative spatial positions of selected nodes using received signal strength indication (RSSI) values indicative of a distance of separation between two communicating nodes. The service device nodes are then grouped into two or more groups, a first group corresponding to service device nodes in one room and a second group corresponding to service device nodes in a second room, based on spatial distribution of the service device nodes as indicated by the RSSI values. The service device nodes of each group are then allocated to at least one associated switching control node. |
| US09253034B1 |
Mass activation of network devices
Techniques are described for initializing a plurality of network devices with similar network configurations, such as a common management device, platform, operating system, and network hostname. In one example, a management device comprises a computer-readable medium encoded with instructions for a configlet generator module and a device manager module and a processor to execute modules stored in the computer-readable medium of the management device. The processor executes the configlet generator module to generate a bulk configlet for a plurality of network devices, wherein the bulk configlet comprises a bulk identifier. The processor also executes the device manager module to receive a network session request from one of the plurality of network devices, wherein the network session request includes the bulk identifier, and to send specific configuration data to the one of the plurality of network devices in response to the network session request. |
| US09253032B2 |
Disjoint path computation for arbitrary directed graph
Systems and methods for accessing network configuration data identifying one or more working path(s) configured to transport data between source and destination nodes, wherein multiple working paths are prioritized, and including at least one first diversity weight of a first value indicative of at least one communication link in the working path(s), and at least one second diversity weight of a second value indicative of at least one communication link outside of the working path(s); calculating a disjoint protection path with the network configuration data, the first diversity weight, and the second diversity weight; the disjoint protection path including at least the source node and the destination node and at least one communication link that is mutually exclusive from the at least one communication link of the first set; and outputting at least one setup signal to configure the disjoint protection path within the mesh network. |
| US09253027B2 |
Graceful handling of critical traffic blackholing faults
In one embodiment, a network device may detect a data plane critical fault condition, while a corresponding control plane is not experiencing a critical fault condition. In response to a network device based critical fault condition, the network device may activate and advertise an increased and expensive usable metric for each network interface of the network device. On the other hand, in response to an interface based critical fault condition, the network device may activate and advertise an increased and expensive usable metric for one or more particular network interfaces of the interface based critical fault, and signals, over the control plane to a corresponding network device at an opposing end of each particular network interface of the interface based critical fault, a request to activate and advertise an increased and expensive usable metric at the opposing end of each particular network interface. |
| US09253022B2 |
Managed object version identification
Systems and methods for determining a version of a standard publication that is supported by a network element are provided. Version map information is requested and received from an external node in a managed network, including publication identifiers for at least one of the network elements. Each network element identified in the version map has an associated publication version and an indication of if the publication can be applicable to its directly or indirectly inferior nodes in the hierarchical instance tree. If a particular network element does not have a corresponding publication identifier in the received version map information, it can be determined if the network element can use the publication identifiers of a superior network element in the hierarchy. |
| US09253019B1 |
Fault tolerance for authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) functionality
An example network access device (NAD) includes a network interface to send and receive packets with an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server, and a subscriber management service unit (SMSU). The SMSU is configured to, responsive to determining that the AAA server is not reachable by the NAD, send a message from the NAD to the AAA server using the network interface, wherein the message directs the AAA server to send a discovery request message to the NAD, receive the discovery request message from the AAA server using the network interface, wherein the discovery request message includes a request for information about a plurality of subscriber sessions, and generate a discovery response message that includes information about at least a portion of the plurality of subscriber sessions, and send the discovery response message to the network access device using the network interface. |
| US09253015B2 |
Transparent proxy architecture for multi-path data connections
A method for forming an optimized communication connection providing enhanced performance of at least one application utilizing the communication connection is provided, the communication connection including a plurality of individual communication networks. The method includes the steps of: obtaining a set of performance requirements corresponding to the application utilizing the communication connection; obtaining real-time capacity information for each of a plurality of available channels associated with the respective individual communication networks; applying at least one policy-based management criteria to the available channels for controlling, in real-time, one or more aspects of the available channels; dynamically aggregating the individual communication networks to form the optimized communication connection, the communication connection leveraging one or more features and capabilities of at least a subset of the communication networks; and controlling real-time traffic scheduling across at least a subset of the available channels so as to adapt the communication connection to changes in network conditions and/or policy-based management criteria. |
| US09253011B2 |
Session-server affinity for clients that lack session identifiers
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates interaction between a client and a web application. During operation, the system identifies a request that lacks a session identifier from the client to the web application. Next, the system obtains a client identifier associated with the client from the request. If a cached session identifier is found for the client identifier, the system adds the cached session identifier to the request. Finally, the system forwards the request to the web application. |
| US09253007B1 |
Methods and systems for rapid detection of digital content within RF signals
Systems and methods are disclosed for rapid detection of digital content within received radio frequency (RF) signals. The disclosed embodiments digitize received RF signals and apply a cyclic prefix correlation to generate correlation values that are accumulated over a plurality of symbol times. The accumulated correlation values are then stored in a dump register after these plurality of symbol times, and the accumulated correlation values are used to determine whether or not digital content is present within the broadcast channel being analyzed. The disclosed embodiments are useful, for example, in determining whether DAB (Digital Radio Broadcast) digital content is present within audio broadcast channels by detecting the cyclic prefix within the DAB transmissions. |
| US09253004B2 |
Apparatus and method for signal phase control in an integrated radio circuit
An apparatus and method to control signal phase in a radio device includes an analog phase rotator that accepts differential in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) inputs, connected in two differential pairs. The analog phase rotator is driven by a local oscillator and is configured to control a phase of the local oscillator's output. A phase error determination module is configured to determine phase error information based on received I and Q (IQ) signal values. A phase correction module is configured to derive from the received IQ signal values a correction signal and apply the correction signal to the phase rotator in a path of the local oscillator. |
| US09253003B1 |
Frequency shifting a communications signal(S) in a multi-frequency distributed antenna system (DAS) to avoid or reduce frequency interference
Frequency shifting a communications signal(s) in a multiple frequency (multi-frequency) distributed antenna system (DAS) to avoid or reduce frequency interference is disclosed. Related devices, methods, and DASs are disclosed. Non-limiting examples of frequency interference include frequency band interference and frequency channel interference. As a non-limiting example, frequency interference in a multi-frequency DAS may result from non-linearity of a signal processing component generating an out-of-band harmonic of a first, in-use communications signal in a first frequency band, within different frequency band(s) of other in-use communications signal(s). To avoid or reduce such interference, embodiments disclosed herein involve predicting frequency interference that may result from processing received, in-use communications signals in multiple frequency bands to be distributed in a multi-frequency DAS. Frequency shifting is performed to avoid or reduce any interfering signal products produced from the signal processing of any in-use communications signals, from interfering in the frequencies of other in-use communications signals. |
| US09252996B2 |
Apparatuses and methods to change information values
Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods having a component to change a value of a bit among a number of M bits of information when the M bits have the same value and when M exceeds a selected value. At least one of such embodiments can include a transmitting component to provide the information to a connection. At least one of such embodiments can include a receiving component to receive the information from the connection. In at least one of such embodiments, the selected value can include a maximum number of consecutive bits having the same value that such a receiving component can be configured to receive. Other embodiments including additional apparatuses and methods are described. |
| US09252995B2 |
Transmission of pulse length modulation information
The invention refers to switching a physical quantity, wherein the switching is performed by a switching element (SW) according to a control signal received from a control circuit (11), comprising detecting from the control signal (CS) a first number indicative of a time length, and a second number indicative of a point in time, generating a switching signal (S) comprising a switching pulse having a pulse length according to the time length and a pulse position according to the point in time, and providing the switching signal to the switching element (SW). The invention further refers to a power amplifier and to a corresponding computer program. |
| US09252994B2 |
Network apparatus and network signal processing method
A network apparatus, for processing a network signal and outputting an output signal, includes an asynchronous signal processing module, a sampling rate converter and a synchronous signal processing module. The asynchronous signal processing module operates in an asynchronous domain, and is utilized for receiving and processing the network signal to generate a first processed signal. The sampling rate converter is coupled to the asynchronous signal processing module, and is utilized for performing sampling rate conversion on the first processed signal to generate the output signal. A first operating frequency of the asynchronous signal processing module is different from a second operating frequency of the synchronous signal processing module. |
| US09252993B2 |
Frequency division multiplexing system with selectable rate
An OFDM system uses a normal mode which has a symbol length T, a guard time TG and a set of N sub-carriers, which are orthogonal over the time T, and one or more fallback modes which have symbol lengths KT and guard times KTG where K is an integer greater than unity. The same set of N sub-carriers is used for the fallback modes as for the normal mode. Since the same set of sub-carriers is used, the overall bandwidth is substantially constant, so alias filtering does not need to be adaptive. The Fourier transform operations are the same as for the normal mode. Thus fallback modes are provided with little hardware cost. In the fallback modes the increased guard time provides better delay spread tolerance and the increased symbol length provides improved signal to noise performance, and thus increased range, at the cost of reduced data rate. |
| US09252992B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for multi-antenna transmission
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, an apparatus and a system for multi-antenna transmission, wherein a third precoding matrix determined by a sending end device is a function of a first precoding matrix and a second precoding matrix. That the first precoding matrix has a block diagonal structure and that sub-matrices corresponding to two blocks are Hermitian matrices enable the above-mentioned third precoding matrix to match with a transmit spatial autocorrelation matrix of a cross-polarized antenna or a distributed antenna, thereby enhancing precoding performance and improving system throughput effectively. |
| US09252991B2 |
Sub-band feedback for beamforming on downlink multiple user MIMO configurations
A method in a communication network includes an access point, using a multiple input multiple output antenna configuration, sending out a sounding packet to a plurality of client stations. The client stations determine a channel estimation of the sounding packet, but only a channel estimation of a portion of the entire sounding packet to avoid processing the entire packet. The resulting partial estimation is sent to the access point for using in transmit beamforming. In other examples, the client station sends a reverse link sounding packet over a portion a channel having a bandwidth less than the sounding packet, and from this the access point determines partial channel estimations and transmit beamforming conditions. |
| US09252986B2 |
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. |
| US09252984B2 |
Bus communication transceiver
A semiconductor device including a bus communication transceiver configured to be adopted in an automobile, including a transmission circuit to receive an input signal from an input node and generate a transmission signal; a bus connection node to couple with an external single wire bus to transmit the transmission signal to the external single wire bus and to receive a reception signal from the external single wire bus, the external single wire bus being coupled with an on-board battery of the automobile; a reception circuit to receive the reception signal or the transmission signal from the single wire bus to generate an output signal; and a delay time measurement circuit to measure a delay time from a rising time of the input signal to a rising time of the output signal generated from the input signal, and to generate a delay time measurement result signal group. |
| US09252979B2 |
Transparent configuration of virtual hosts supporting multiple time zones in an enterprise platform
A method, system, and computer program product for transparent configuration of virtual hosts to support timestamping of documents that are processed in multiple time zones within an enterprise platform. Embodiments use network address translation and virtual host initialization techniques to configure a port listener such that the port listener receives IP packets from the network interface and uses the subnet's network address IP address to map to a time zone correspondence. When the identified time zone corresponds to a first time zone, then the port listener forwards the IP packet to a first virtual host process that has been initialized with a first time zone virtual time clock used for timestamping. When the identified time zone corresponds to a second time zone, the port listener forwards the IP packet to a second virtual host process that has been initialized with a second time zone virtual time clock used for timestamping. |
| US09252978B2 |
Mobile terminal
A transmission side terminal 10 is provided with a transmission and reception unit 20 for transmitting and receiving an e-mail and an e-mail composing unit 32 for composing an e-mail including a special character for inquiry having associated therewith an information reply request, which is to obtain information on a destination mobile terminal of the e-mail to be transmitted. A reception side terminal 10 is provided with the transmission and reception unit 20, a determination unit 34 for determining whether a received e-mail includes a special character for inquiry, and a reply e-mail composing unit 32, when it is determined that the received e-mail includes the special character for inquiry, for composing a reply e-mail including a special character for reply with which reply information in accordance with the information reply request is associated. |
| US09252976B2 |
Method and system for social media cooperation protocol
Methods and systems for social media cooperation, via allowing inter-social network communications between users of different networks is provided. The inter-social network communications may be facilitated by sending inter-social network communications in a format determined by a protocol that is used by the social networks agreeing to allow inter-social network communications. |
| US09252973B1 |
Converting electronic messages to message posts
A system and method is disclosed for converting electronic messages to message posts. An electronic message client may be integrated with a social network. An electronic message composed using the electronic message service may be designated for one or more recipients who are also members of a social network associated with a sender of the electronic message. On determining that the one or more recipients are members of the social network; at least a portion of the electronic message may be provided as a message post to a message stream associated with the one or more recipients. |
| US09252970B2 |
Multi-protocol I/O interconnect architecture
Described are embodiments of methods, apparatuses, and systems for multi-protocol tunneling across a multi-protocol I/O interconnect of computer apparatus. A method for configuring a multi-protocol I/O interconnect may include identifying a plurality of switches of a switching fabric of a multi-protocol I/O interconnect, and configuring a path from a port of a first switch of the plurality of switches to a port of a second switch of the plurality of switches. Packets of a first protocol and packets of a second protocol, different from the first protocol, may be simultaneously routed over the path. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US09252969B2 |
Method for transmitting data
A method is described for transmitting data between participants of a serial, ring-shaped communications arrangement in which the participants are serially connected to one another, wherein a data packet is passed from a participant provided as a master to further participants provided as slaves, wherein the data packet is passed from slave to slave, and wherein address information of the data packet is altered by each slave. |
| US09252964B2 |
Dynamically optimized many tree multicast networks
In one embodiment, an example method is provided and includes sending link data from a node to a control entity; querying the control entity for a Many Tree assignment; receiving the Many Tree assignment from the control entity at the node; and joining a Many Tree based on the Many Tree assignment. |
| US09252963B2 |
Performing multicast communication in computer networks by using overlay routing
An overlay protocol and system for allowing multicast routing in the Internet to be performed at the application level. The overlay protocol uses “native” Internet multicast and multicast routing protocols to route information, according to overlay routing tables. Overlay groups are mapped to native multicast groups to exploit native multicasting in regional or local forwarding domains. Use of the overlay protocol allows overlay distribution to be handled in a more intelligent and bandwidth-managed fashion. Overlay routers are placed at each of several local area networks, Internet service provider's point of presence, enterprise, or other cohesively-managed locations. The overlay computers are configured according to bandwidth and security policies, and perform application-level multicast distribution across the otherwise disjoint multicast networks by using the overlay routing. The result is an overlay multicast network that is effectively managed according to local network management policies. Application-level control can be applied to the transferred data at the overlay routers. |
| US09252958B1 |
Systems and methods for providing a self-maintaining PKI infrastructure among loosely connected entities
A managed node may determine that a current public key and a current private key associated with a managed node will expire within a threshold period of time. A current managed node certificate may include the current public key and be associated with the current private key. The managed node may create a request for a new certificate for the managed node. The request may be created prior to expiration of the current managed node certificate. The managed node may sign the request for the new certificate using the current private key. The managed node may send the request for the new certificate to a core server. |
| US09252952B2 |
Gesture-based encryption methods and systems
Methods and systems for transmitting and receiving are disclosed. For example, a method for establishing secure communications can include measuring one or more human gestures using a sensor on a first device so as to create a first metric of the one or more human gestures, creating a strong encryption key based on the first metric, including time-based information incorporated into the first metric, and communicating to a second device using the strong encryption key to encrypt data sent to the second device. |
| US09252951B1 |
Vehicle key function control from a mobile phone based on radio frequency link from phone to vehicle
A method of provisioning a mobile communication device with key functionality is disclosed. The method comprises a web portal receiving a request to add key functionality to a mobile communication device and a vehicle. The method comprises registering the mobile communication device via a vehicle key server as a precondition to add a key and a salt to the mobile communication device and a vehicle, wherein the key and the salt are codes. The method comprises accessing a vehicle key data store via the vehicle key server, wherein the data store comprises keys and salts. The method comprises transmitting the key and the salt to a trusted service manager (TSM) server via the vehicle key server; transmitting the salt to the vehicle, and transmitting the salt and the key to the mobile communication device, whereby the mobile communication device is enable to command the vehicle to unlock, lock, or start. |
| US09252948B2 |
Broadcast encryption based media key block security class-based signing
Provided are techniques for verifying, by a first device, that a management key block of a second device is valid. A management key block that includes a plurality of verification data, each of the plurality associated with a plurality of security classes ranked from a high to low, is generated. The first device, which is associated with a security class that is higher than a security class associated with the second device, verifies a management key block of the second device by calculating a management key precursor associated with the higher security class and verifying verification data associated with the higher security class. In this manner, the second device is unable to pass an unauthorized, or “spoofed,” management key block. |
| US09252946B2 |
Method and system to securely migrate and provision virtual machine images and content
A method, device, and system for securely migrating and provisioning a virtual machine image to a host device of a cloud service provider environment (CSPE) is disclosed. A customer device encrypts a virtual machine image (VMI) and stores the VMI in the CSPE. The host device retrieves the encrypted VMI from the object store and sends host trust data (including a symmetric key extracted from the encrypted VMI, the symmetric key being encrypted with the customer public key) to a key management server for trust attestation. If the key management server successfully attests the host device, the key management server decrypts the encrypted symmetric key using the customer private key and re-encrypts the symmetric key using the host public key. The host device receives the re-encrypted symmetric key from the key management server, decrypts it using the host private key, and decrypts the encrypted VMI using the symmetric key. |
| US09252944B2 |
Key wrapping for common cryptographic architecture (CCA) key token
Embodiments relate to wrapping of a common cryptographic architecture (CCA) key token. An aspect includes wrapping, by an exporting computer, the CCA key token using a key wrapping export function, the CCA key token comprising a CCA key data section and an unencrypted control vector. Another aspect includes splitting the control vector into a first control vector portion and a second control vector portion. Another aspect includes encrypting the CCA key data section and the first control vector portion using an key encrypting key (KEK) to generate a wrapped key block. Another aspect includes binding the second control vector portion to the wrapped key block to form an associated data section, wherein the associated data section is not encrypted, and wherein the wrapped key block and the associated data section comprise a wrapped key token. |
| US09252940B2 |
Phase tracking for a sampling clock
Techniques for sampling a data signal are described. An example of an electronic device includes a data bus, a transmitting device coupled to the data bus, and a receiving device coupled to the data bus by a bus interface. The bus interface is to receive a data signal from the transmitting device, wherein the data signal includes a known data pattern. Additionally, the bus interface is to receive a forwarded clock signal from the transmitting device and generate a sampling clock signal based on the forwarded clock signal. Additionally, the bus interface is to sample the known data pattern to obtain phase tracking data and adjust a sampling phase of the sampling clock signal based on the phase tracking data. |
| US09252936B2 |
GSM and LTE multiplexing
In a method of operating a wireless terminal, the wireless terminal (30) sends a request to participate in a circuit switched call with a circuit switched network. Prior to establishment of the circuit switched call the wireless terminal (30) releases or performs an inter-radio access technology handover of an existing packet switched session with an original packet switched network. The wireless terminal (30) then reconnects to the packet switched session to obtain a reconnected packet switched session. Thereafter the wireless terminal (30) interleaves packet switched transmissions of the reconnected packet switched session with voice transmissions of the circuit switched call. |
| US09252934B2 |
Support of network based positioning by sounding reference signal
A method of network-based positioning using sounding reference signal (SRS) is proposed. An eNodeB configures a number of parameters of a periodic SRS transmission for a user equipment (UE). The eNodeB then transmits SRS configuration data for SRS measurements performed by a location measurement unit (LMU). The SRS configuration data includes cell-specific SRS bandwidth configuration and UE-specific SRS bandwidth configuration. The SRS configuration data may further include a number of antenna ports for SRS transmission, SRS frequency hopping bandwidth configuration, information on whether SRS sequence-group hopping is enabled, and ΔSS when SRS sequence hopping is enabled. Upon receiving the SRS configuration data, the LMU is able to perform timing measurements over the received SRS signals from the UE. In one embodiment, the LMU detects SRS dropping to avoid performance degradation of the network-based positioning. |
| US09252933B2 |
Resource allocation including a DC sub-carrier in a wireless communication system
A method in a wireless communication terminal (103), including receiving a radio resource allocation comprising a plurality of sub-carriers that is a subset of available sub-carriers, wherein the available sub-carriers include a DC sub-carrier, wherein the DC sub-carrier and all but one edge-most sub-carrier of the plurality of sub-carriers are designated for transmission if the DC sub-carrier is between any two sub-carriers of the allocation, and all of the sub-carriers except the DC sub-carrier from the plurality of sub-carriers are designated for transmission if the DC sub-carrier is not between any two sub-carriers of the allocation. |
| US09252931B2 |
Method for coordinating transmissions between different communications apparatuses and communication sapparatuses utilizing the same
A method for coordinating transmissions between different communications apparatuses in a communications system. The method obtains a sub-frame indicator carried in a first control signal transmitted in a control region of a first sub-frame received from an evolved node B (eNB), wherein the sub-frame indicator indicates resource allocation of one or more sub-frame following the first sub-frame. The method then determines whether a second sub-frame following the first sub-frame and received from the eNB is an almost blank sub-frame according to the sub-frame indicator. When the second sub-frame is not the almost blank sub-frame, obtaining information regarding a start position of a data region of the second sub-frame from a second control signal transmitted in a control region of the second sub-frame. |
| US09252930B2 |
Reference signal transmission and reception method and equipment
A communications system and a method for performing communications are provided. User Equipments (UEs) are provided with UE-specific configuration information, such as CSI-RS (Channel Status Indication-Reference Signal) patterns, antenna port groupings, reference signal configurations, subframe configurations, and/or scrambling codes. The UEs process the received reference signals in accordance with the received configuration information and feedback measurement information for, e.g., PMI/CQI/RI (Precoding Matrix Indicator/Channel Quality Indicator/Rank Indicator of the precoding matrix) and/or the RLM/RRM (Radio Link Monitor/Radio Resource Management). |
| US09252928B2 |
Ultra-wideband loss of signal detector at a receiver in a high speed serializer/deserializer (SERDES) application
An apparatus comprising a first loss of signal circuit, a second loss of a signal circuit and a gate circuit. The first loss of a signal circuit may be configured to (i) receive an input signal containing a series of data and (ii) generate a first indication signal when the input signal is operating within a first frequency range. The second loss of signal circuit may be configured to (i) receive the input signal and (ii) generate a second indication signal when the input signal is operating within a second frequency range. The gate circuit may be configured to generate an output signal in response to either the first indication signal or the second indication signal being active. |
| US09252927B2 |
Signaling processing method, base station, and user equipment
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a signaling processing method. The method includes: in a downlink subframe set, generating a downlink assignment index (DAI) respectively for a downlink subframe that has a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) to be sent, where a value of the DAI is generated according to a preset rule and a sequence of carrier first and then subframe; and sending the PDCCH to the user equipment, where the PDCCH carries the DAI. According to the embodiments of the present invention, a transmission delay is shortened and transmission efficiency is improved. |
| US09252924B2 |
Wireless apparatus and wireless system
One embodiment provides a wireless apparatus including: a reception unit which receives a data signal having a header field and a data field, the header field including a reply request which specifies either an acknowledgement or a negative acknowledgement; a decision unit which decides a reception result indicating whether the header field and the data field have been received successfully or unsuccessfully; and a transmission unit which transmits the acknowledgement or the negative acknowledgement in accordance with the reply request and the reception result of the data field when the header field has been received successfully, and transmits the negative acknowledgement when the header field has been received unsuccessfully. |
| US09252921B2 |
Method of multiplexing over an error-prone wireless broadcast channel
Provided is a method and system for transmitting information. The method includes determining stream length information for at least one data stream to be transmitted and associating the stream length information with a system parameter message. The system parameter message including the associated stream length information is transmitted separately from the data stream. This process facilitates de-multiplexing of individual streams and the processing of stream data even if one or more individual streams are received in error. |
| US09252917B2 |
Upstream burst noise measurement and characterization
Upstream burst noise measurement and characterization. One or more communication devices is implemented to detect and measure burst noise event(s) within channel(s) associated with communication link(s) within communication system(s) or network(s). Detection and measurement of a burst noise event may be made during active communications on one or more other channels, and may be made during active communications on two channels respectively adjacent to the channel on which the burst noise event is being detected and measured. The channel on which the burst noise event is detected and measured may be an unused channel. The detection and measurement of the burst noise event may be made during a quiet time slot within one of the channels. Correlation (e.g., with respect time) may be determined with respect to different respective layers within a communication device (e.g., with respect to MAC and PHY layers). |
| US09252916B2 |
Mobile video delivery
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for mobile video delivery. A method includes, in a mobile network comprising at least a core element and one or more evolved Node Bs (eNBs), receiving a request to initiate a progressive download of a video object, splitting the requested video object into self-contained independent video segments, transrating each of the self-contained independent video segments for different rates, and delivering a segment from a rate bucket that matches a current network condition determined by bandwidth estimation. |
| US09252915B1 |
Systematic adaptation of data delivery
This disclosure describes, in part, a system management component for use in a power grid data network to systematically adjust the quality of service of data published by publishers and subscribed to by subscribers within the network. In one implementation, subscribers may identify a desired data rate, a minimum acceptable data rate, desired latency, minimum acceptable latency and a priority for each subscription and the system management component may adjust the data rates in real-time to ensure that the power grid data network does not become overloaded and/or fail. In one example, subscriptions with lower priorities may have their quality of service adjusted before subscriptions with higher priorities. In each instance, the quality of service may be maintained, even if reduced, to meet or exceed the minimum acceptable quality of service for the subscription. |
| US09252914B2 |
Assembly and method for preventing wireless communication while driving
A mobile-communication signal-jamming assembly includes a first portion shaped to fit within a power port of a vehicle and a second portion that at least partially extends from the power port. The assembly includes at least one engagement member that has a retracted position and an extended position that extends outwardly from the first portion and places the engagement member in a coupling arrangement with a portion of the power port of the vehicle. The assembly also includes a locking mechanism operable to selectively move the at least one engagement member from the retracted position to the extended position and a transmitter operable to broadcast radio frequency signals that interfere with at least one of a wireless transmission mode and a wireless reception mode of a mobile communication device proximate to the mobile-communication signal-jamming assembly. |
| US09252909B2 |
Single-rotator latent space switch with an embedded controller
A single rotator successively connects a set of access ports to a set of memory devices and a multi-port controller and connects the set of memory devices and the multi-port controller to the set of access ports. The rotator has a set of inlets and a set of outlets and cyclically connects each inlet to each outlet during a rotation cycle. A set of inlet selectors connecting to the inlets of the rotator and a set of outlet selectors connecting to the outlets of the rotator are coordinated to concurrently connect the access ports to the memory devices and to the master controller through the rotator, and concurrently connect the memory devices and the master controller to the access ports. Each memory device connects to an inlet selector and a corresponding transposed outlet selector. |
| US09252902B2 |
Precision timing in a data over cable service interface specification (DOCSIS) system
An accurate non-Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (non-DOCSIS) clock signal is generated at the downstream output of a DOCSIS network. In one example method, a downstream DOCSIS Timing Protocol (DTP) client in the DOCSIS network is frequency synchronized to an upstream DTP server in the DOCSIS network. DOCSIS timing information, along with one or more timing correction factors received at the DTP client, is used to time synchronize the DTP client to the DTP server. Based on the time and frequency synchronization between the DTP server and the DTP client, the clock signal is generated at the output of the DTP client in accordance with the non-DOCSIS timing protocol. |
| US09252900B2 |
Universal synchronization engine based on probabilistic methods for guarantee of lock in multiformat audio systems
Various embodiments are described herein related to techniques for synchronizing a slave device to a master device that communicates using a unified bus communication protocol or some aspect thereof. In one example, the method may comprise assuming a first mode of operation for the unified bus communication protocol; searching for a synchronization pattern at one or more locations in transmitted data according to the first mode of operation; obtaining synchronization when the located synchronization pattern is verified according to at least one synchronization rule for the mode of operation; and if synchronization is not obtained based on the assumed first mode of operation, a second mode of operation for the unified bus communication protocol is assumed and the searching and obtaining acts are carried out on the transmitted data according to the second mode of operation. |
| US09252899B2 |
Adaptive bandwidth management of IBOC audio signals during blending
A method and apparatus are provided for smoothly blending analog and digital portions of a composite digital audio broadcast signal by using look ahead metrics computed from previously received audio frames to dynamically adjust either stereo separation or bandwidth or both of the digital audio portion of the digital audio broadcast signal to produce an adjusted digital audio portion that is blended with the analog audio portion. |
| US09252896B2 |
Efficient means of broadcast and relaying information between wireless terminals
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided. The apparatus may receive broadcast information related to a second UE from a third UE, relay the broadcast information and identifier information to a set of UEs, determine whether each UE in the set of UEs has received the broadcast information based on whether the identifier information is received from each UE in the set of UEs, and refrain from relaying the broadcast information upon determining that each UE in the set of UEs has received the broadcast information. In another aspect, the apparatus may receive broadcast information related to a second UE and a tag associated with the broadcast information from a third UE, relay the tag without the broadcast information to a set of UEs, receive a request for broadcast information from a third UE in the set of UEs, and relay the broadcast information to the third UE. In an aspect, the first, second and third UEs may be the same UE. In another aspect, the second and third UEs but not the first UE may be the same UE. |
| US09252894B2 |
Method and arrangement for supporting calibration of correlated antennas
Method and arrangement for supporting calibration of correlated antennas. The method involves determining a timing difference τ between the correlated antennas based on variations in carrier signal strength over frequency in at least one direction from the correlated antennas and providing the determined timing difference τ for use in calibration of the correlated antennas. |
| US09252893B2 |
Methods for determining a beam-forming gain parameter, user equipment, base station, computer programs and computer program products
The invention relates to a method 10 performed in a user equipment 3, 4 of a communication system 1 for determining a beam-forming gain parameter, the communication system 1 comprising a base station 2 serving the user equipment 3, 4. The method 10 comprises: receiving 1 a cell-specific reference signal and a dedicated reference signal from the base station 2; measuring 12 a received power, PRSRP, of the cell-specific reference signal and a received power, PDRSRP, of the dedicated reference signal; and determining 13 a beam-forming gain parameter, GBF, based on the measured received power, PRSRP, of the cell-specific reference signal and on the measured received power, PDRSRP, of the dedicated reference signal. The invention also relates to user equipment, methods in base station, base station, computer programs and computer program products. |
| US09252892B2 |
Device and method for active reduction of radio frequency noise
A radio frequency noise reduction device and methods of operation are presented. The radio frequency noise reduction device identifies radio frequency noise on an isolated power plane of an electronic apparatus and generates an electrical signal that is injected into the isolated power plane and cancels the identified radio frequency noise. The generated electrical signal matches the frequency spectrum and amplitude of the identified radio frequency noise but the phase of the generated electrical signal is shifted by 180 degrees from the identified radio frequency noise. |
| US09252890B2 |
Near field communication device and method for saving applied power
An NFC device and an applied method for power saving is provided. The NFC device includes a display unit, an NFC module, a proximity sensor and a control unit. In an initial state, the NFC module is on an idle mode, and the display unit is on an active mode. The proximity sensor is arranged adjacent to the NFC module, and detects whether an external NFC terminal comes close to the NFC device. If the proximity sensor determines that the external NFC terminal comes close to the NFC device, and the proximity sensor generates and sends a first interrupt signal to the control unit. The control unit enables the NFC module and disables the display unit, in response to the first interrupt signal, resulting in reduced power consumption of the display unit and reduced EMI interference generated between the display unit and the NFC module. |
| US09252889B2 |
Fast optical receiver
A method for optical transmission of high speed data and an optical receiver for receiving such high speed data is provided. The method includes transmitting an optical signal having a first logic-high and first logic-low defining a first modulation amplitude that is sub-band modulated with a toggling signal having a first toggling amplitude with a first modulation index, receiving the optical signal with an optical receiver circuit and converting the optical signal to an intermediate electrical signal, IES, having: a second logic-high and a second logic-low defining a second modulation amplitude, and a second toggling amplitude having a second modulation index, providing a decision threshold relative to the IES as a function of the second modulation amplitude, and adjusting the threshold by determining the second toggling amplitude and adjusting the threshold relative to the IES based on proportionality between the second toggling amplitude and the second modulation amplitude.z. |
| US09252887B2 |
Optical receiver, station-side optical network unit, and light reception level monitoring method
An optical receiver includes a light receiving element configured to convert an input light signal into an electric current, a current mirror circuit including a reference current side transistor and a mirror current side transistor, the transistor being connected to the light receiving element, a current-voltage conversion circuit configured to convert an output current from the transistor into a voltage and output the voltage as a light reception level monitor voltage of the light receiving element, and a current sink circuit connected to the transistor and configured to feed an electric current to the transistor. |
| US09252885B2 |
Method for manufacturing wavelength division multiplexing transmission apparatus and wavelength division multiplexing transmission apparatus
A method for manufacturing a wavelength division multiplexing transmission apparatus, includes arranging laser devices in a line and fixing the laser devices to a first substrate, fixing to a second substrate reflectors arranged to multiplex laser beams emitted from the laser devices and to generate wavelength multiplexed light, and arranging collimator lenses on paths of the laser beams, adjusting positions of the collimator lenses so that the laser beams making up the wavelength multiplexed light become parallel and, thereafter, fixing the collimator lenses to the first substrate. |
| US09252881B2 |
Amplitude noise squeezing on multi-amplitude modulated signals
A method for regenerating optical signals includes determining an input including a source amplitude-modulated optical signal, regenerating the source amplitude-modulated optical signal by using successive saturation modes of amplification, and producing an output optical signal from the regeneration. The source amplitude-modulated optical signal includes input power modulation levels that each indicate information carried on the source amplitude-modulated optical signal. The output optical signal includes output power modulation levels that include information equivalent to information of the input power modulation levels. |
| US09252880B2 |
Optical relay cable
Described herein is a system for transmitting an optical signal from a first location to a second location. The system may include first and second mounting fixtures, a reception module, an optical fiber, and a transmission module. The first fixture may define at least a first cavity and a first aperture at the bottom of the cavity. The reception module may be disposed in the cavity, and include a reflector for receiving the optical signal from a first direction through the first aperture and redirecting the optical signal in another direction. The optical fiber may be for receiving the optical signal from the reflector. The second fixture may define at least a second cavity and a second aperture on the side of the cavity. The transmission module may be disposed in the second cavity and direct the optical signal from the optical fiber through the second aperture. |
| US09252879B2 |
Visible light receiving method and apparatus using the same
A visible light is photographed through an optical diffusion filter with a camera of a portable terminal. The camera includes a pixel amplifier sequential output type imaging element in which electric charges generated in respective pixels are amplified by respective pixel amplifiers, to output imaging signals in sequence from the respective pixel amplifiers. A striped pattern based on an information signal is generated in the column direction or row direction in the imaging element, in a photographed optically-diffused image. The information signal is extracted to be demodulated on the basis of a state of generation of the striped pattern. |
| US09252877B1 |
Voice communication unit
A voice communication unit for communicating through a barrier is provided, enabling handicapped persons to use the device, and comprising an outer audio unit, an inner audio unit, an outer audio frequency modulation loop, and an infrared audio frequency transmitter. The outer audio unit comprises an outer voice sensing device configured for sensing voice at an outer side and generating voice signals for an inner side and an outer voice reproducing device configured for reproducing voice at the outer side from voice signal from the inner side. The outer audio frequency modulation loop is configured for activating and delivering the voice signals to an external hearing aid device having a Telecoil. The infrared audio frequency transmitter is configured for activating and delivering the voice signals to an external hearing aid device having an infrared detector. |
| US09252875B2 |
Apparatus and method for aligning visible light communication devices in visible light communication system
A method for aligning among visible light communication devices comprises the following steps: generating a visible light signal and transmitting same to a corresponding device; determining whether the visible light signal that is output via the screen of the device is identifiable; correcting the color of the visible light signal that is output on the screen if the visible light signal is not identifiable; and using the visible light signal that is corrected to perform alignment for visible light communicating with the corresponding device. |
| US09252871B2 |
AIS-Schiffstransceiver
The invention relates to an AIS ship transceiver which, after reception of an AIS base station message, validates the transmitting AIS base station and activates or deactivates the emitting of AIS radio signals in dependence on the validation. |
| US09252869B2 |
Satellite telecommunications system for providing star traffic and mesh traffic
A satellite telecommunications system has a global coverage area and a plurality of user terminals distributed in the global coverage area. The global coverage area is covered by a first set of spots which form a regular cellular mesh, and by at least a second set of local spots, irregularly distributed and superimposed geographically on spots of the first set. The spots of the first set of spots have allocated channels with the same frequency capacity, the same channel being re-used by a plurality of different spots, and the local spots of the second set of spots have a special allocated channel having an increased frequency capacity. |
| US09252867B2 |
Method for transmitting an uplink signal and feedback information, and relay apparatus using the method
A method for receiving control information by a relay node in a wireless communication system. The method according to one embodiment includes receiving first information indicating downlink subframes assigned for a base station (BS)-to-the relay node transmission as a bitmap; receiving second information related to resource blocks (RBs) for a relay physical downlink control channel (R-PDCCH) transmission; and receiving an R-PDCCH during a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols from a fourth OFDM symbol of a corresponding RB of a corresponding downlink subframe n of the downlink subframes. |
| US09252865B2 |
Interference reduction for multiple signals
The present invention reduces the degradation in performance of one or more radio signals that are co-transmitted with a first radio signal from the same transmitting antenna in the same frequency channel and received by the same antenna due to multipath or other shared interference, where the one or more radio signals can be separated from the first radio signal. All received signals are coupled to the same adaptive array or adaptive filter to reduce multipath or other shared interference of the first radio signal, which reduces multipath and other shared interference in the other radio signals before they are separated and processed by their respective receivers, or the individual radio signals are separated before the first signal enters the adaptive array and coupled to a slave weighting network slaved to the weights of the adaptive array of the first signal to reduce interference in all the signals. |
| US09252862B2 |
MIMO preamble for initial access with an unknown number of transmit antennas
For certain embodiments, a preamble sequence associated with a particular number of transmit antennas may allow a receiving mobile station to determine the number of transmit antennas used for transmission. The preamble sequence may be selected from one of a set of Constant Amplitude and Zero Auto Correlation (CAZAC) sequences corresponding to all of the supported number of transmit antennas. As a result, a receiving station may be able to determine the sequence sent by correlation and, thereby determine the number of antennas used for transmission. Given the number of transmit antennas, the mobile station may then perform MIMO channel estimation during initial synchronization to recover the channel taps between each transmit and each receive antenna. |
| US09252861B2 |
Receiver device, transmitter device, reception method, and transmission method
Provided is a receiver device that can switch between transmission methods, while minimizing increase in the number of blind decryption iterations and the amount of signaling needed for acknowledgement. In this device, a receiver part (201) receives a signal mapped to any of a plurality of mapping candidates; and according to application levels established for each of the plurality of mapping candidates, a control signal processor (205) performs blind decryption of the plurality of mapping candidates, employing either a first transmission method using a single antenna port to carry out precoding based on feedback information from the receiver device, or a second transmission method involving transmission diversity employing multiple antenna ports. |
| US09252860B1 |
Method and apparatus for generating a second steering matrix based on a first steering matrix for use in transmit beamforming of a packet in wireless communication
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with beamforming with steering submatrix selection are described. According to one embodiment, a method includes receiving a packet for transmit beamforming and identifying a first steering matrix. The first steering matrix includes weights, set forth in n rows and c columns, that are applicable to be applied to the packet in transmit beamforming of the packet. The method includes generating a second steering matrix having weights set forth in less than n rows or less than c columns. The weights of the second steering matrix are selected from the weights of the first steering matrix. The method includes providing the weights from the second steering matrix to a transmitter transmitting the packet for transmit beamforming of the packet. |
| US09252856B2 |
Method and apparatus for rank override
Methods and apparatuses for use in a MIMO transmission is provided. The method comprises: receiving a rank reported by a user equipment; determining a rank at least partly based on a transmission block size, TBS, index generated from link adaptation decision; and overriding the reported rank with the determined rank. By utilizing downlink link adaption decision, such as TBSidx and rank to quantify PDSCH radio channel quality, improper RI value can be combated, so that transmission of multiple layers only occurs at high SINR region and single layer transmission happens at low SINR region. |
| US09252851B2 |
Method and apparatus of performing outer loop link adaptation operation
The present invention discloses a method and apparatus of performing outer loop link adaptation (OLLA) operation. This method may comprise: accelerating in an initial probing phase, increase of an OLLA scaling factor until obtaining a negative result regarding codeword selection; and fine modifying, in a fine modification phase, the scaling factor using an upturn factor and a downturn factor in response to the result regarding codeword selection so that a channel quality indication, which is modified using the scaling factor, is matched with its actual value. Compared with the prior art, the technical solution as provided in the present invention can quickly modify a CQI to match its actual value, thus this solution may effectively mitigate the CQI mismatch, improve the CQI feedback accuracy, and further enhance the cell throughput performance and frequency utilization. |
| US09252848B2 |
Apparatus, systems and methods for pairing a controlled device with an RF remote control using an RFID tag
Systems and methods are operable to initiate a pairing process and a de-pairing process between a controlled device and a radio frequency (RF) remote control. An exemplary embodiment detects presence of a radio frequency identifier (RFID) tag in an interrogation zone established by an RFID tag reader, automatically initiates a pairing process in response to detecting the presence of the RFID tag in the interrogation zone, and completes the pairing process between the RF remote control and the controlled device, wherein the pairing process identifies a unique identifier associated with the RF remote control. A subsequently received RF signal emitted by the RF remote control includes at least one command configured to control operation of the controlled device and includes the unique identifier. |
| US09252847B2 |
Communication apparatus, method and storage medium for short range communication
A communication apparatus (image forming apparatus) according to an aspect of the present invention is capable of communication with an external apparatus via short-range wireless communication (NFC) and while in a powered-on state (first state), registers a piece of data being held by the communication apparatus as NFC transmission data that is to be transmitted by the communication apparatus in a powered-off state (second state). Furthermore, when shifting from the powered-on state to the powered-off state, the communication apparatus sets the registered NFC transmission data in an NFC controller as data that is to be transmitted to an external apparatus such as a mobile terminal via NFC communication. |
| US09252841B2 |
Building, transmitting, and receiving frame structures in power line communications
Systems and methods for building, transmitting, and receiving frame structures in power line communications (PLC) are described. Various techniques described herein provide a preamble design using one or more symbols based on a chirp signal that yields a low peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR). According to some techniques, the preamble may be constructed with one or more different types and/or number of symbols configured to identify a PLC domain operating in close physical proximity to another PLC domain. According to other techniques, one or more preamble symbols may be interspersed within a header portion of a PLC frame to facilitate estimation of a frame boundary and/or sampling frequency offset, for example, in the presence of impulsive noise. According to yet other techniques, a PLC detector may be capable of receiving and decoding two or more types of PLC frames (e.g., using different PLC standards). |
| US09252840B2 |
Optical signal processing apparatus, transmission apparatus, and optical signal processing method
An optical signal processing apparatus includes: an optical frequency comb generation unit configured to generate an optical frequency comb; an extraction unit configured to extract a plurality of optical components having a certain frequency interval between the optical components from the optical frequency comb; and an optical carrier generation unit configured to multiplex the plurality of optical components with reference light to thereby generate an optical carrier having a center frequency away from the center frequency of the reference light by an integer multiple of the frequency interval. |
| US09252838B1 |
Alternative techniques for processing wireless communication backhaul
A method, system, and computer-readable media are provided for transmitting wireless data across a coaxial cable. In one aspect, a set of computer-readable media provides a method that includes receiving a request from a mobile device for data and transmitting the data across a coaxial cable to a cable modem. The method further includes sending the data to the mobile device through a base station, wherein the base station communicates with the cable modem in order to receive the data. |
| US09252833B2 |
Power efficient driver architecture
Disclosed are various embodiments for providing a power-efficient driver architecture supporting rail-to-rail operation in full duplex mode. A driver is configured to drive a duplex signal over a transmission medium. A hybrid is configured to recover a received signal from the duplex signal. The received signal is generated by a remote transceiver. The driver is configured to drive the duplex signal based at least in part on the received signal recovered by the hybrid. |
| US09252828B2 |
Methods and arrangements for switching antenna mode with reduced power consumption
In a first antenna mode in a multi-antenna port radio access node, a set of logical antenna ports and its associated resource elements are mapped to a first set of physical antenna ports. Each physical antenna port comprises at least one power amplifier. Switching from first antenna mode to a second antenna mode is initiated upon receipt of information triggering antenna mode switching at a first point of time. During a time interval from the first point of time to a second point of time, the logical antenna ports are re-mapped to a second set of physical antenna ports. At the second point of time, at the end of the time interval, the antenna mode is switched to a second antenna mode by changing supply of power to each physical antenna port represented in the first set of physical antenna ports but not in the second set of antenna ports. |
| US09252827B2 |
Signal splitting carrier aggregation receiver architecture
A wireless communication device configured for receiving a multiple carrier signal is described. The wireless communication device includes a primary signal splitting carrier aggregation architecture. The primary signal splitting carrier aggregation architecture includes a primary antenna and a transceiver chip. The primary signal splitting carrier aggregation architecture reuses a first diversity/simultaneous hybrid dual receiver path. The wireless communication device also includes a secondary signal splitting carrier aggregation architecture. The secondary signal splitting carrier aggregation architecture includes a secondary antenna and a receiver chip. The secondary signal splitting carrier aggregation architecture reuses a second diversity/simultaneous hybrid dual receiver path. |
| US09252826B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing the time required to acquire a GPS signal
A method of correlating a digital communications signal is described. In an example, a window is defined equal to a portion of an epoch of the digital communication signal. The digital communication signal is then correlated across the window. A determination is made as to whether a correlation peak results from the correlating. Timing parameters are then established for receiving additional digital communication signals in response to presence of the correlation peak. |
| US09252820B2 |
Circuit and mobile communication device
A description is given of a circuit having a transmitter having a first transmission stage for generating a first transmission signal according to a first standard and a bias stage for generating a bias signal for a second standard and a second transmission stage for generating a second transmission signal according to the second standard. The second transmission stage is effectively coupled to the bias stage in order to receive the bias signal. |
| US09252816B1 |
False error correction detection
A method of decoding an array of multi-dimensional code components, the method may include searching in a group of multi-dimensional code components a suspected multi-dimensional code component, wherein the suspected multi-dimensional code component belongs to the array multi-dimensional code components and is associated with a false correction probability that exceeds a false correction threshold; wherein the searching comprises dummy decoding, by a decoder, the group of multi-dimensional code components; and performing at least one non-dummy decoding of multi-dimensional code components of the array without performing non-dummy decoding of the suspected multi-dimensional code component. |
| US09252815B2 |
Extension of product codes with applications to tape and parallel channels
An aspect is a method that includes receiving (k0−1)k1+k2 write data symbols, where k2 |
| US09252810B2 |
Memory system and method of controlling memory system
According to one embodiment, a controller writes first write data transferred from a first buffer and code data for second write data different from the first write data, the code data being transferred from a second buffer, in parallel to a plurality of physical pages corresponding to a first logical page. The controller writes code data for the first write data to a physical page corresponding to a second logical page, the second logical page being next to the first logical page, at a time of write to the nonvolatile memory following the write of the first write data and the code data for the second write data. |
| US09252806B2 |
Entropy encoding and decoding scheme
Decomposing a value range of the respective syntax elements into a sequence of n partitions with coding the components of z laying within the respective partitions separately with at least one by VLC coding and with at least one by PIPE or entropy coding is used to greatly increase the compression efficiency at a moderate coding overhead since the coding scheme used may be better adapted to the syntax element statistics. Accordingly, syntax elements are decomposed into a respective number n of source symbols si with i=1 . . . n, the respective number n of source symbols depending on as to which of a sequence of n partitions into which a value range of the respective syntax elements is sub-divided, a value z of the respective syntax elements falls into, so that a sum of values of the respective number of source symbols si yields z, and, if n>1, for all i=1 . . . n−1, the value of si corresponds to a range of the ith partition. |
| US09252805B1 |
Parallel huffman decoder
A main data input and a lookahead input are held in a holding register. Consecutive overlapping portions of the main data input and the lookahead input are provided to a plurality, M, of half-decoders, which include a subset of frequently-occurring code words of a Huffman code. When no code word not available in the half-decoders is encountered, the half-decoders decode, in parallel, in a single clock cycle, M of the frequently-occurring code words. When a code word not available in the half-decoders is encountered, input intended for a corresponding one of the half-decoders, which input includes the code word not available in the corresponding one of the half-decoders, is applied to an input of a full decoder implemented in ternary content-addressable memory. The full decoder includes all code words of the Huffman code. |
| US09252802B2 |
Encoding for partitioned data bus
A data bus is split into partitions and encoding is independently applied to data transmitted over each bus partition to improve power and/or throughput efficiency. The encoding can be data bus inversion or any other suitable type of encoding. An encoding indicator symbol transmitted in conjunction with the data indicates which bus partition is encoded, if any. In some implementations, encoding is selectively applied to each bus partition during each data transfer cycle of a parallel data bus. In some implementation, the encoding indicator symbol is a multi-level signal where each level of the multi-level signal represents at least two bits of information indicative of, for a corresponding bus partition, whether encoding is applied to the data to be transmitted over the bus partition. Advantageously, the encoding indicator symbol can be transmitted over a single, dedicated bus line. |
| US09252801B2 |
Sigma-delta converter system and method
A sigma-delta converter may include a filter coupled to a first summation circuit and a second summation circuit. A multi bit quantizer may be coupled to the second summation circuit. A single bit digital-to-analog converter (DAC) may be included that defines a feedback path between the multi-bit quantizer and the first summation circuit. A feed-forward coefficient circuit defining a feed forward path between the first summation circuit and the second summation circuit may be included. |
| US09252800B1 |
Enhanced resolution successive-approximation register analog-to-digital converter and method
An enhanced resolution successive-approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is provided that includes a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), a comparator and enhanced resolution SAR control logic. The DAC includes analog circuitry that is configured to convert an M-bit digital input to an analog output. The comparator includes a plurality of coupling capacitors. The enhanced resolution SAR control logic is configured to generate an M-bit approximation of an input voltage and to store a residue voltage in at least one of the coupling capacitors. The residue voltage represents a difference between the input voltage and the M-bit approximation of the input voltage. The enhanced resolution SAR control logic is further configured to generate an N-bit approximation of the input voltage based on the stored residue voltage, where N>M. |
| US09252798B2 |
Method and system for broadband analog to digital converter technology
Methods and systems are provided for generating correction estimates. Training signals may be injected into one or more particular spectral regions, and one or more correction estimation parameters may be determined based on the injecting of the training signals, where the one or more correction estimation parameters reduce distortion in at least the one or more particular spectral regions. The particular spectral regions may comprise originally-unoccupied spectral regions. The one or more correction estimation parameters may be applied during correcting of digital signals generated based on processing of received analog signals. The training signals may be generated, such as based on one or more pre-defined characteristics. The one or more correction estimation parameters may then be determined based on the one or more pre-defined characteristics of the training signals and/or changes thereto. |
| US09252797B1 |
Return-to-zero digital-to-analog converter with overlapping time delayed pulse generation
The embodiments described herein provide a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The DAC implements a stepped return-to-zero (RZ) pulse scheme, where the DAC output includes the superposition of multiple time-offset RZ pulses. In one embodiment, the DAC includes a first switching element, a second switching element, a current source, and a current sink. The first switching element generates first RZ pulses, and the second switching element generates second RZ pulses, where the second RZ pulses are time-offset from the first RZ pulses. The first RZ pulses and second RZ pulses are combined to provide stepped RZ pulse output signal. |
| US09252794B1 |
Frequency calibration with real-time resistor trimming
An on-chip frequency calibration apparatus is described. A ring oscillator generates a clock signal. A trimmable resistor is coupled to the ring oscillator. A frequency detector detects the frequency of the clock signal generated from the ring oscillator. The frequency detector includes a frequency divider component that divides the frequency of the clock signal by a predetermined number to derive an output signal having a pulse duration that is equal to at least one period of the clock signal, a capacitor, a capacitor charging current source, and a capacitor charge transistor directs a charging current generated from the capacitor charging current source to the capacitor as a function of the output signal generated from the frequency divider component. A resistor trimming unit trims the trimmable resistor in response to determining that the frequency detected by the frequency detector is less than a target frequency threshold. |
| US09252788B1 |
Phase error detection in phase lock loop and delay lock loop devices
A device includes a lock detect circuit that is structured and arranged to: convert a reference clock to a reference triangle wave; convert a feedback clock to a feedback triangle wave; determine whether the feedback triangle wave is within a tolerance margin that is defined relative to the reference triangle wave; and generate a determiner output that is a first value when the feedback triangle wave is not within the tolerance margin, and a second value when the feedback triangle wave is within the tolerance margin. |