US07703612B2

An apparatus for separating solids from a drilling fluid that includes a basket having two opposed spaced-apart side walls having first ends and second ends, the first ends spaced apart by an end wall connected to each of the side walls, the basket further including a bottom wall through which a fluid outlet passage is defined, a plurality of screening surfaces having a front edge and a back edge and positioned within the basket between the side walls with each screening surface spaced apart vertically from adjacent screening surfaces and the back edge spaced apart from the end wall of the basket, wherein the back edge of each screening surface is lower than the front edge of the corresponding screening surface, a plurality of weirs, each weir retained along the back edge of a corresponding screening surface and spaced apart from the end wall to define a fluid passage between each weir and the end wall, wherein each weir has a top edge extending to a weir height above the back edge of the corresponding screening surface and the top edge is lower than the front edge of the corresponding screening surface, at least one flow director catching unseparated drilling fluid in the fluid passage and directing the unseparated drilling fluid onto a lower screen, and wherein fluid in the fluid passage between the lowermost screen and the end wall is directed to a spillover fluid outlet is disclosed.
US07703610B2

Disclosed is a method for removal of an unburned carbon contained in a fly ash material. The method comprises the steps of adding water to the fly ash to prepare a fly ash slurry; shearing the fly ash slurry using an agitating blade that can rotate at a high speed to generate an active energy on the surface of an unburned carbon by the shearing force, thereby imparting lipophilicity to the unburned carbon; and adding a collecting agent and a foaming agent to the slurry containing the lipophylized unburned carbon to cause the attachment of the collecting agent to the lipophylized unburned carbon, and at the same time, causing the attachment of the unburned carbon having the collecting agent attached thereto an air bubble to separate the unburned carbon by flotation.
US07703602B2

An easy-open encasement formed of a soft encasement member in the form of a film. An opening or an openable portion is formed in the soft encasement member, which allows a user to extract contents from the encasement. Furthermore, a lid member, which can be peelably adhered to the soft encasement member, is adhered to the surface of the soft encasement member such that it covers the opening or openable portion. With such a structure, a tab is provided at a part of the perimeter of the lid member, which serves as a starting point that allows the user to peel off the lid member. Furthermore, the tab includes a hinge portion, which allows the user to raise the tab, or a flap elevated from the surface of the encasement.
US07703601B2

A hybrid mesh belt having a mesh portion with side edges attached to modular plastic chains. The chains are provided with cavities on the bottom side. The cavities are suitable for engaging with driving sprockets that engage with the chains.
US07703590B2

The present invention broadly comprises a torque converter including a turbine and a one-way clutch rotationally connected to said turbine and an output hub for said converter. The one-way clutch rotationally disconnects the hub and the turbine when the hub receives torque from an input transmission shaft. In some aspects, the one-way clutch is a ratchet clutch. The converter can include a torque converter clutch to lock a cover and the turbine. In some aspects, the converter includes a torque converter clutch to connect a cover, the one-way clutch, and the hub and the torque converter clutch transmits torque from the hub to the cover to start a drive unit connected to the cover. The converter can include a damper element rotationally connected to the torque converter clutch and the turbine, one-way clutch, or hub. The one-way clutch is rated to operate under multiplied drive unit torque.
US07703578B2

An elevator apparatus has a car suspended by a main rope through the intermediation of a shackle spring. The car is equipped with a displacement sensor for measuring the displacement amount of the main rope with respect to the car. The displacement sensor is electrically connected to an abnormality control device mounted on the car. The abnormality control device obtains the magnitude of the tension of the main rope based on information from the displacement sensor, and selectively outputs a braking command signal to one of the following devices: an operation control device, a brake device, and an emergency stop device, according to the magnitude of the tension of the main rope.
US07703564B2

In a fuel cell vehicle 10 of the invention, fuel cells 20 are integrally placed in a lower space 15 of a front seat 14, while a secondary battery 40 is integrally placed in a lower space 18 of a rear seat 17. The integral arrangements of the fuel cells 20 and the secondary battery 40 separately in the lower space 15 of the front seat 14 and in the lower space 18 of the rear seat 17 ensure high-performance operations of both the fuel cells 20 and the secondary battery 40 having different working environments. This arrangement also attains the effective use of the generally-dead, lower spaces 15 and 18 of the front and rear seats 14 and 17 to receive the fuel cells 20, the secondary battery 40, and their peripheral equipment.
US07703560B2

The present invention provides a cutting element having a cylindrical body having a canted end face on which is formed an ultra hard material layer and to a bit incorporating such cutting element. One or a plurality of transition layers may be provided between the ultra hard material layer and the cutting element body.
US07703554B2

A toothed pipe gripping die insert has textured surfaces on the die surface opposite the pipe gripping teeth to reduce the insert-to-insert carrier contact surface area to increase unit loading such that selected loads forcing the die insert against its carrier impresses the textured pattern into the carrier surface to reduce the tendency for the die insert to slide on the die carrier surface.
US07703551B2

A fluid driven drilling motor and system includes a flex shaft between the rotor and a cylindrical flow collar. The end of the flow collar opposite from the flex shaft has a bore in fluid communication with a drill bit. Ramped apertures are formed in the side wall of the flow collar. The ramped apertures are in fluid communication with the bore. Drilling fluid flowing under pressure down past the flex shaft is directed and drawn into the ramped apertures along a fluid flow path which spirals downwardly and radially inwardly of the flow collar so as to then flow into the bore. The pressure loss associated with drawing the drilling fluid down to the drill bit is thereby minimized.
US07703547B2

Impact tools (e.g., riveters) are provided with anti-vibration protection by a cushion pad and an elastomeric sheath. The cushion pad may be formed of a shape-conformable elastomeric material which is adapted to being conformably placed onto a rear surface of the impact tool handle, while the elastomeric sheath is preferably sized and configured so as to removeably envelop the impact tool handle and the cushion pad. The cushion pad may have a widthwise dimension such that lateral edge regions of the cushion pad are adapted to being at least partly folded over and onto respective side surface portions of the impact tool handle. In some implementations, the cushion pad has a lengthwise dimension such that the cushion pad is adapted to being positioned adjacent to a rear end of the impact tool housing and extends therefrom to a position adjacent a lower surface of the impact tool handle. According to some implementations, the cushion pad may include an adhesive on at least a front surface thereof so as to be capable of being adhesively affixed to the rear surface of the impact tool handle. A releasable front sheet may be provided so as to cover the adhesive on the front surface thereof. Alternatively or additionally, the cushion pad may include an adhesive on a rear surface thereof and a releasable rear sheet covering the adhesive on the rear surface. The cushion pad may also have a patterned or unpatterned rear surface. The cushion pad may be formed of low density polyurethane foam, while the sheath may be formed of EPDM rubber.
US07703545B2

A fire-fighting monitor includes a first body having an internal passageway defining an inlet and an outlet, a coupler having an internal passageway defining an inlet and an outlet, the coupler being pivotally mounted to the body at the outlet of the body wherein the internal passageway of the coupler is in communication with the internal passageway of the body, and the coupler having at least one pivot axis. Further, the monitor includes a counterbalance device, which comprises an annular member mounted to the first body at the pivot axis. The counterbalance device further comprises a pivot member mounted to the coupler and a second unitary body mounted about the pivot member, with the second unitary body being adapted to engage and generate an interference with an inner surface of the annular member when the coupler is pivoted about the pivot axis in a first direction and adapted to release the interference with the inner surface of the annular member when the coupler is pivoted about said pivot axis in an opposed second direction from the first direction.
US07703533B2

A tool and associated method allows a liner top to be dressed. Then while maintaining a lateral port closed the tool can be used to circulate while being rotated and reciprocated. The tool features discrete j-slot mechanisms. The upper j-slot allows the lateral port to initially open while the lower j-slot keeps the lateral port open despite movement of the tool in opposed directions in the hole due to a barrier to the pin in the lower j-slot. When enough weight is set or the barrier is otherwise removed, the lateral port can be closed and the test packer set by set down weight with the lateral port closed. After the packer is unset the lateral ports can be reopened and circulation and swiveling on a bearing can occur even if the packer is temporarily actuated from the setting down motion that reopened the lateral ports.
US07703528B2

A method of reducing CO2 emission from a wellsite diesel engine includes the steps of: providing the wellsite diesel engine operatively coupled to a wellsite apparatus for transmission of power from the wellsite diesel engine to the wellsite apparatus; and injecting at least one component of natural gas into the wellsite diesel engine, thereby combusting the natural gas component in the wellsite diesel engine. A system for supplying power to a wellsite apparatus includes a wellsite diesel engine operatively coupled to the wellsite apparatus for transmission of power to the wellsite apparatus; a diesel fuel supply; a natural gas component fuel supply which supplies at least one component of natural gas; and each of the diesel and natural gas component fuel supplies being connected to the wellsite diesel engine for combustion therein of a mixture of diesel fuel and the natural gas component.
US07703525B2

A system and method for perforating and fracturing enables sealing device on a working string to be actuated to substantially block passage of fluids through the wellbore. Without removing the working string from the wellbore, the working string is released from the sealing device, the wellbore is perforated, and the wellbore pressurized up-hole of the sealing device to fracture the wellbore.
US07703524B2

A system and method for cutting windows for lateral wellbore drilling. A method of cutting a window through a sidewall structure for drilling a lateral wellbore through the window includes the steps of: providing an internal profile in the sidewall structure; then installing the sidewall structure in a parent wellbore; and then cutting the window through the sidewall structure, the cutting step including engaging a cutting tool with the internal profile. The cutting step may include resisting lateral displacement of the cutting tool due to engagement between the cutting tool and the internal profile.
US07703519B2

A method of producing hydrogen and extracting heavy oil from underground reserves is provided. This method includes providing a carbon monoxide source stream and a water vapor stream to a first reactor, wherein the first reactor comprises a water shift reactor and a membrane-type separation device. This method also includes separating the products of the water shift reactor, thereby producing at least a hydrogen-rich stream, and a high pressure off-gas stream. This method also includes providing the high pressure off-gas stream and an oxidant stream to a combustion chamber. This method also includes combusting the oxidant stream and the high pressure off-gas stream as at least part of a combustion cycle thereby producing a hot injection gas stream. This method also includes combining the hot injection gas stream with a liquid water stream, wherein the combined stream may be used to heat the underground reserve sufficiently to release petroleum hydrocarbons therefrom.
US07703518B2

A portable well treating fluid mixing system includes: a supply tank having an inlet receiving pneumatically conveyed dry treating material; a cyclone separator having an inlet coupled to the supply tank and receiving dust laden air from the supply tank, and having a first outlet venting clean air and having a second outlet venting solids; a collection container having a first inlet coupled to the cyclone separator second outlet and receiving solids from the cyclone separator and having an outlet; and, a pump having an inlet coupled to the collection container outlet and a pump outlet coupled to the supply tank. In operation, the system continuously conveys dust from the collection container back into the supply tank to maintain the separator in proper operating condition and minimizes venting of dust during the transfer of material to the supply tank.
US07703505B2

A heat exchanger has at least three tubular conduits spaced apart for the flow of air between and around the conduits. The conduits communicate with inlet and outlet manifolds for the flow of a first liquid through the conduits. An intermediate conduit is located between at least two, but not all, of the spaced-apart tubular conduits, and the intermediate conduit has inlet and outlet openings for the flow of a second liquid through the intermediate conduit.
US07703500B2

A bracket and head rail assembly is provided. A recess is formed at both ends of the upper portion of a head rail. The recess is sunken at both sides to form a first slot and a second slot. The bracket includes a body and a fastener, wherein a claw is extended from the body, and an elastic part is extended from the fastener and bears against the body, such that the fastener is slidably disposed in the body. When being assembled, the first and second slots are easily locked with the claw and the fastener, and alternatively, they are exchanged with each other for locking with the claw and the fastener respectively. Then, the head rail and the fastener are designed into a thin configuration, and then, formed by bending and processing sheets, so as to achieve the advantages of simple assembly, mass production, and nice appearance.
US07703497B2

A tire mounting/dismounting machine (1), comprising a base (2), rotating means (3) for supporting and blocking a wheel (100) and a column (4) associated to the base (2), a first arm (7) and a second arm (8) being slidably mounted on the column (4), an upper first debeader tool (13) and a lower second debeader tool (9) being mounted respective at free ends of each arm (7, 8). Mounted at the free end of the first arm (7) is a head (10) which is rotatable with respect to an axis (Y), from which head a mounting tool (11), a dismounting tool (12) and the first debeader tool (13) project, the tools (11, 12, 13) being mounted in reciprocal positions such that the tools (11, 12, 13) do not interfere with one another and such that by rotating the head (10) with respect to the first arm (7) a same work position can be reached for each of the tools (11, 12, 13). Means for blocking (14, 15, 16, 17) are associated to the head (10) in three different positions, a same work position for each of the tools (11, 12, 13) corresponding to each of the three different positions.
US07703490B2

The tread of a tire designed particularly to run on snowy, icy or wet surfaces. The tread comprises elements in relief (e.g., blocks or ribs), each having a running face and lateral faces. At least one element in relief is provided with an incision defined along a mean plane. The tread comprises at least two holes passing through the element in relief substantially parallel to the mean plane of the incision. Each hole opens onto two lateral faces of the element in relief, and the holes are situated on one and the same side of the mean plane of the incision in spaced relationship to the incision.
US07703489B2

The present invention provides a rubber composition for a base tread, which improves balance in low heat generating properties and steering stability, and a pneumatic tire using the same. Specifically, the present invention provides a rubber composition for a base tread of a tire comprising 5 to 120 parts by weight of a laminated natural mineral having aspect ratio of 3 to 30 and average particle size of 2 to 30 μm, based on 100 parts by weight of a diene rubber component, and a pneumatic tire having a base tread comprising the rubber composition.
US07703481B2

A paper machine fabric having at least two separate layers made of at least four warp yarn systems woven in different manners and a weft yarn system woven in at least two different manners. The layers are bound together by a binder warp system, whereby the binder warp is arranged to complement the surface of the paper side and to be interwoven with the layer of the machine side by being interwoven under at least one weft yarn of the machine side. The warp yarns of one warp yarn system, i.e. wandering warps, are arranged to complement a warp path formed by the binder warps so that it is continuous at those points on the machine side where the binder warps constitute a part of the paper side structure.
US07703480B1

A method of fabricating a composite tubular member includes providing a mandrel having a central longitudinal axis and wrapping a plurality of composite fiber layers around said mandrel wherein the longitudinal axis thereof is oriented at a first angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said mandrel. The composite tubular member produced does not have any longitudinal seams and is thus considerably stronger and more durable than prior art composite tubes.
US07703475B2

A piston for a linear spool valve, the valve comprising a body having a inner surface. The body is made of a material with a relatively low heat expansion coefficient α1. The piston comprises a contact member having an outer surface and being adapted to reciprocate within the body of the valve so that the outer surface is in contact with the inner surface. The contact member has at least a first layer made of a material with a heat expansion coefficient α2 essentially greater than α1, i.e. α2>>α1, and at least a second layer made of a material with a heat expansion coefficient α3 close to α1. This causes the contact member to be adapted to behave, along said outer surface, as a material having a heat expansion coefficient essentially closer to α1 than to α2. One of the layers constitutes an outer layer of the contact member and comprises the outer surface.
US07703474B2

An improved liquid infiltration adapting structure for preventing liquid infiltration around a gate valve box. The structure has an annular tube structure that is tapered to more easily receive a mating pipe. The tube structure may also comprise at least one bead for further securing the mating pipe. The adapting structure is also improved by providing a stepped inner flange for ease of installing the structure around the gate valve box.
US07703460B2

An airway condition of a patient's is treated by selecting an implant sized to be implanted within a tongue of the patient. The implant has a tissue-engaging member sized to be implanted within the tongue near a base of the tongue to oppose relative movement between the tissue-engaging member and surrounding tissue of the tongue. The implant further has an elongated tether member with a first end secured to the tissue-engaging member. The implant is placed within the tongue with the tissue-engaging member implanted within tissue of the tongue near the base and with the tether member extending from the first end to a second end near a jaw bone of the patient. The second end of the tether is secured to the jaw bone.
US07703457B2

A nasal mask assembly that includes a seal member defined from a unitary piece of elastomeric material. The seal member defines a nose receiving cavity and has a first end portion and a second end portion generally opposite the first end portion. A first opening in the first end portion allows at least a portion of a nose to enter the nose receiving cavity such that the nares of the patient communicate with the nose receiving cavity. The seal member includes a neck portion defined in the second end portion and a second opening defined in the neck portion in communication with the nose receiving cavity. A reinforcement area is provided on the side walls of the seal member. The reinforcement area comprises a saddle shaped contoured area on each side of the seal member. Each saddle shaped area has an upper and a lower protrusion portion for providing supporting contact with the face.
US07703452B2

A device for circulating heat along a side wall of a cooking vessel, a cooking vessel comprises such device, and a method of using such device. The device can be constructed as part of the cooking vessel or can be an accessory that attaches to different sized cooking vessels via adjusting means. Specifically, the device comprises a skirt-like body extending from the side of the cooking vessel that directs heat to circulate along an underside of the body and over the side wall of the cooking vessel, thereby heating the side wall of the cooking vessel. The device can further comprise diffusers, a bottom portion with a plurality of openings, and a heat shield.
US07703442B2

In an internal combustion engine, gasoline is injected directly into a combustion chamber and ignited by auto-ignition. The characteristics map range within which fuel is ignited by auto-ignition is enlarged by supercharging the internal combustion engine.
US07703438B2

A method of maintaining homogeneous charge compression ignition when a temperature within a combustion chamber decreases below an autoignition temperature in an engine that is configured for homogeneous charge compression ignition under at least some engine operating conditions and for spark ignition under at least some engine operating conditions, the method comprising selectively heating contents of the combustion chamber with a glow plug.
US07703434B2

A method for controlling timing of ignition of a fuel charge in a compression-ignition engine operating in a controlled auto-ignition mode wherein the engine includes controllable intake and exhaust valve actuation systems is described. The method comprises determining a preferred ignition timing for a cylinder charge and a mass of the fuel charge based upon operator torque request. A portion of the fuel charge is partially oxidized during a negative valve overlap period immediately prior to a compression stroke. Magnitude of the portion of the fuel charge is based upon the preferred ignition timing of the cylinder charge. A remainder of the fuel charge is injected into the cylinder during the compression stroke.
US07703425B2

An electromotive camshaft adjuster for adjusting the angle of rotation of the camshaft (14) of an internal combustion engine relative to the crankshaft thereof is provided. The camshaft adjuster includes a triple-shaft gear mechanism, which has a driving wheel (2, 2a′) that is fixed to the crankshaft and is embodied as a sprocket or a synchronous belt wheel, an output part which is fixed to the camshaft, and an adjustment shaft (18, 18′) which is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a rotor of an electric adjustment motor, having a stator that is fixed on the internal combustion engine. In order to keep the effort for producing the adjusting gears relatively low, the triple-shaft gear mechanism is preferably constructed as a swashplate or single eccentric internal gear drive (1, 25), the effort for production thereof being minimized by forming the same in a non-cutting manner, reducing the number of components, and inexpensively adjusting or compensating the backlash.
US07703415B2

An animal release chute for use in steer or calf roping competitions is described. The chute has a fixed section and a moveable section that telescopes forwardly relative to the fixed section. A release gate at the forward end of the moveable section is moveable between a closed position for retaining a steer or calf inside the chute and an open position releasing the steer or calf from the chute. A sensor at the rearward end of the fixed section senses the presence of the horse of the roper at the rearward end of the fixed section. Only when the roper's horse is at the rearward end of the fixed section can the gate be released to release the calf. The chute system assures that there is always the fixed, predetermined distance between the calf and the roper at release.
US07703412B2

A liquid discharging apparatus that discharges liquid droplets onto a work includes a head that is supplied with discharging liquid to discharge the liquid droplets; a liquid cleaning unit that contains cleaning liquid to be mixed with the discharging liquid adhered to a nozzle surface of the head; and a transport unit that moves the nozzle surface of the head relative to the liquid cleaning unit to remove, from the nozzle surface, the discharging liquid adhered to the nozzle surface.
US07703411B1

The present invention is directed to an excited apparatus for coating food product with a coating. The apparatus includes an elongate pan having proximal and distal portions; a screen located in the distal portion and adapted to screen coating; an elongate frame; a motorized vibrator adapted to impart energy to the elongate frame at an angle β below horizontal; a plurality of springs mounting the elongate pan to the elongate frame, the springs being mounted at an angle θ above horizontal; another elongate frame; a plurality of dampeners mounting the two elongate frames; another elongate pan having proximal and distal portions, the elongate pan mounted to the other elongate pan and adapted to feed coating to the other elongate pan; a soft roller rotationally actuated by a ratchet assembly, the ratchet assembly engaged by the elongate pan; and, a recycle assembly for transferring screened coating to the elongate pans, wherein the elongate pan's vibrations have longitudinal and vertical vector components at a predetermined amplitude and frequency. The excited apparatus further includes a waterfall distributor member mounted to the elongate pan, the waterfall distributor including one or more transverse rows of a plurality of angular slots.
US07703410B2

A gauge, including a gauge face having indicia; a pointer configured to indicate a position on the gauge face based on input received from measurement; and an instrument for driving the pointer. The instrument for moving the pointer includes a flexible member connected to the pointer; a first pulley configured to respectively wind up both ends of the flexible member; a control device for preventing the flexible member from deviating from the first pulley; a second pulley spaced apart from the first pulley and configured to roll up the center portion of the flexible member; a motor configured to rotate the first pulley based on input received from the measurement and to drive the pointer around the gauge face; and a tension member.
US07703405B2

A washable fire-resistant fabric and a method for making a washable fire-resistant fabric comprises a lightweight pliant non-woven batt blended from two types of fire-resistant organic fibers which are non-irritating to human skin. A method for stitch bonding a pliant batt of intertwined fire-resistant fibers to form a fabric which is durable and resistant to unraveling is also provided. The fabric has fire-resistant properties wherein the fabric prevents the ignition of articles made therefrom when exposed to high heat or flame sources and further insulates a wearer of the clothing from high heat or flame sources to prevent serious burns.
US07703400B2

Table with a top which can pivot around a lockable pivot axis characterized in that each of two centrally located table legs is connected at the top end by a mounting assembly to a frame part, which carries the table top. A force-transmitting device is provided in at least one of the frame parts. A handle is connected to the force-transmitting device, and the pivot axis can be released by actuating the handle against the force of at least one spring to allow the table top to pivot.
US07703395B2

An inflator (10) includes a container (12) having a chamber (120). An exit opening (48) is provided in the container (12) and is connected to the chamber (120). A substance (122, 180) is stored in the chamber (120) and is responsive to heat for providing inflation fluid. An igniter (130) is associated with the container (12) and is actuatable to provide combustion products for heating the substance (122, 180). A nozzle (80) is interposed between the igniter (130) and the chamber (120). A passage (90) extends from the igniter (130) and through the nozzle (80). The passage (90) includes a divergent portion (110) for focusing a flow of combustion products from the igniter (130) into the chamber (120).
US07703392B2

A method and an apparatus for applying a decoration onto an object (50) use a chamber (22) that can be divided by a deformable foil (10) into a first space (24) and a second space (26). Said foil (10) comprises a carrier film (20), a decoration layer (16), and, at least, a varnish layer (18). The first and second spaces (24, 26) are evacuated simultaneously and, thereafter, a pressure gradient is generated to press the foil (10) against the object (50) to be decorated and to transfer at least the decoration layer (16) and the varnish layer (18) onto the object (50).
US07703385B2

A pressure cooking appliance arranged to form a cooking chamber and comprising an adjustment device (7) of the pressure inside the chamber, which comprises a steam leakage pipe, said pipe defining a steam inlet section (8) and a flow section (9), wherein the adjustment device (7) comprises setting means (11) of the inlet section (8) and flow section (9), which is mobile between an open position, wherein it sets the inlet section (8) and flow section (9) so as to prevent the pressure applied inside the chamber from rising above a safety pressure and a decompression position, wherein it sets the inlet section (8) and flow section (9) to enable the decompression of the chamber to the safety pressure, without food projection.
US07703376B2

A return to neutral mechanism to bias the trunnion of a hydraulic apparatus into the neutral position is provided. The trunnion is rotationally coupled to a bracket which is coupled to a glide member that is positioned between, and biased to a predetermined position by, a pair of compression springs.
US07703367B1

A vegetable cutting device producing shaped vegetable products which can be attached and assembled to form shaped objects allows adults or children to assemble the various shaped vegetable products to promote an interest in a child consuming fresh raw vegetables in the form of edible toys. The counter or table top cutting device provides a cutting base, and a spring activated safety push plate and a plurality of interchangeable cutting surfaces and pressing templates to cut the vegetables into the several shapes, primarily carrots, celery, radishes, potatoes, broccoli, or other raw nutritional solid fruits or vegetables.
US07703364B2

A punch device for punching parallel slots in sheets to facilitate the mounting of card-like objects on sheets. The device comprises a male plate on which at least one pair of cutting projections are mounted. The device also comprises a female plate moveably hinged to the male plate through which rectangular slots are formed, each slot being so positioned as to correspondingly face one of the cutting projections in the male plate. The hinge assembly comprises an axle part and a swivel part. The axle part comprises cams and the swivel part comprises grooves. The cams are positioned to penetrate the grooves and wrap around over an angle less than the whole circumference of the axle part.
US07703348B2

A device (1) is described for controlling and/or regulating a hydraulically activatable shifting element. The shifting element (2) is configured with a piston-cylinder unit (3) that can be acted upon by a hydraulic operating pressure (p) and can be arranged in an installation space that is connected to an oil sump of the gearing mechanism device. In addition, the device (1) is provided with an electric motor (5) that can be actuated by a control and/or regulator unit (4), and which is provided with a drive-transformer device (6) that has a functional connection to the electric motor (5), by way of which the rotational drive of the electric motor (5) can be transformed into the hydraulic operating pressure (p) for the shifting element (2).
US07703326B2

There is described a diagnosis method and system including a sensor for structure-borne noise which emits a measuring signal in a bandwidth-filtered manner due to its mechanical resonant frequency, capacitance and inductance. The system also includes an evaluation device in which the measuring signal is undersampled and which outputs an error signal should the undersampled measuring signal exceed a defined threshold value. The system requires only a small number of electronic components and only a little power supply capacity. The system thereby allows diagnosis to be carried out without complication in existing devices, especially in field devices of process instrumentation for which only a limited amount of operating power is available. The method and system are especially advantageous for the recognition of valve leakage with an electropneumatic position controller.
US07703323B2

The invention provides for a hand-held isometric exercise device comprising a handle portion and at least one load cell arranged to receive a load when the device is gripped by the handle portion and urged against the surface, the device having at least one contact portion on the underside thereof for contact with the said surface to transmit the load to the said at least one load cell.
US07703319B2

A bi-static sodar system and method are used to measure and monitor the wake vortices of aircraft in the flight path of an airport runway. A loudspeaker (16) is arranged on one side of the flight path (12) and transmits a series of acoustic pulses to illuminate portion of the flight path. Multiple microphones (18, 20 and 22) are arranged on the opposite side of the flight path (12) so as to receive direct signals from the loudspeaker (16) and forward-scattered echo signals from an echo source (26) within the illuminated portion of the flight path. The microphones (18, 20 and 22) are arranged at different distances from the loudspeaker so that the time intervals between the receipt of the direct and echo signals from each pulse will vary because of the different locations of the microphones. This variation is used to assist in identifying the location and other characteristics of the echo signals and in generating an output indicative of a wake vortex (28).
US07703317B2

A method of retrieving a formation fluid from a formation adjacent a borehole wall includes estimating at least one of a permeability of the formation and a viscosity of the formation fluid. A first tool is selected based on the estimation, the first tool being selected from one of a heating and sampling tool, an injection and sampling tool, and a coring tool. An attempt to retrieve a formation fluid sample from the formation is then made with the first tool, and a formation fluid sample is retrieved from the formation. A second retrieval process may then be initiated, in which the second retrieval process includes increasing the mobility of the formation fluid.
US07703316B2

A valve stem assembly for tire pressure detecting systems has a valve stem, a connector and a tire pressure detector. The valve stem is conductive. The connector is connected coaxially on the valve stem and is conductive and has a connecting section. The connecting section has an adjusting slot and a domical end. The adjusting slot is formed through the connecting section. The tire pressure detector has at least one tab and at least one conducting washer, the at least one tab protrudes from the tire pressure detector, corresponds to and is adjustably mounted on the connecting section. The at least one tab has a tab slot being formed therethrough. A bolt assembly is mounted in the tab slot and the adjusting slot to hold the tire pressure detector on the connector.
US07703315B2

A method for testing a circuit of a D.C. electrical system in a motor vehicle that includes connecting a load bank (30) to a D.C. electrical source such as a battery bank (24) or an alternator (26) and wirelessly operating the load bank (36) to set the load that the load bank imposes on the D.C. source during circuit testing.
US07703314B2

The present invention provides a technique for eliminating the effect of the thermal drift and other variances and to improve the observing or manipulating accuracy of a scanning probe microscope or atom manipulator by using the technique to correct the aforementioned change in the relative position of the probe and the sample due to heat or other factors during the observation or manipulation. To obtain an image of the sample surface at the atomic level or perform a certain manipulation on an atom on the sample surface, the present invention can be applied to a probe position control method for controlling the relative position of the probe and the sample while measuring an interaction between the objective atom on the sample surface and the tip of the probe. In the present method, the relative position of the probe and the sample are changed while the probe is oscillated relative to the sample in two directions parallel to the sample surface at frequencies of f1 and f2 (S1a). Meanwhile, a point (or characteristic point) where the frequencies f1 and f2 disappear from the measured value of the interaction working in the direction perpendicular to the sample surface is detected (S1b). Then, the relative movement of the probe and the sample is controlled so that the measurement value thereby detected is maintained (i.e. the characteristic point is tracked; S1c), and the speed of the aforementioned relative movement is determined (S1d). Subsequently, the relative position control is corrected using the detected speed (S2).
US07703308B2

A securable system for displaying items of merchandise on a display board. The display system includes a lockable end assembly that engages the free end of at least one rod of a merchandise display therein. The end assembly is slidable along the rod between an unlocked position where items of merchandise may be removed therefrom and a locked position where items of merchandise cannot be removed therefrom. The end assembly is lockingly engaged with the rod by a locking mechanism that is linearly moveable within an interior chamber of the end assembly. The end assembly is provided with a specially shaped recess in its outer wall which is positioned perpendicular to the linear motion of the locking mechanism. A complementary dipole magnet key is inserted into the recess to unlock the locking mechanism.
US07703295B2

A modular refrigeration unit (12) for use in an accessible compartment (37) of a cooler. The modular refrigeration unit (12) includes a wire-frame support (50), a dividing wall (42) mounted to the wire-frame support (50), a condenser assembly (48) mounted to the wireframe support (50) on one side of the dividing wall (42), and an evaporator assembly (46) mounted to the opposite side of the dividing wall (42).
US07703291B2

An environmental control system, or data pack, is provided in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The system allows for audio and video recording on hard drive media in situations where temperature, vibration and humidity would otherwise have prevented the use of such technology. The system can be used in conjunction with an event recorder for use in motor vehicles, trains and the like. The environmental control system includes a thermoelectric module connected to the hard drive and to a housing. The thermoelectric module is for transferring heat between the hard drive and the housing in response to an applied voltage in order to maintain a hard drive temperature within a hard drive operable temperature range. The vehicle operating temperature range includes temperatures outside the hard drive operable temperature range.
US07703288B2

A fuel nozzle for a turbine engine is disclosed. The fuel nozzle has a common axis, a body portion disposed about the common axis, a barrel portion located radially outward from the body portion. The fuel nozzle also has at least one swirler vane disposed between the body portion and the barrel portion and a liquid fuel jet disposed within the at least one swirler vane. The at least one swirler vane is configured to radially redirect an axial flow of air. The liquid fuel jet is configured to inject liquid fuel in a radial direction relative to the common axis.
US07703276B2

Clogging of an injection nozzle which supplies a reducing agent to the exhaust gas on an upstream side of a reduction catalyst in the exhaust gas passage is prevented, and the efficiency of NOx purification processing is improved. A reducing agent supply unit uses a detection signal of the exhaust gas temperature from a temperature detection device to set a supply quantity at or above a lower limit for cooling the interior of an injection nozzle to below the temperature at which urea water crystallizes, for the detected exhaust gas temperature, and supplies urea water to the injection nozzle at the set supply quantity. By such supply of urea water, the interior of the injection nozzle is cooled to below the temperature at which the urea water crystallizes. As a result, the urea water does not crystallize inside the injection nozzle, and clogging of the injection nozzle can be prevented.
US07703269B2

A scale or leaf for a berry picking machine and a collector scale assembly including the scale. A freely rotating circular disc on the free end of the scale when attached to a rail of the machine is the most distinctive feature of the comma shaped scale.
US07703266B2

A system and method for managing the electrical control system of a header flotation and lift system of an agricultural harvesting machine, particularly one using only once fluid cylinder in connection with each respective side of the header, which system and method, in addition to executing header raise and lower commands, provides several automatically executable operating modes for the flotation and lift system, including a wake-up mode; a normal mode, which can include float; a charge accumulator mode; a transport mode; and a header remove mode, and the ability to seamlessly and easily transition between the modes.
US07703261B2

An amusement item comprising a container filled with compressed air from a geographic location of interest. Compressed air from a geographic region is collected and transported to a manufacturing facility for the production of novelty containers containing the compressed air. Containers are labeled with the region/location from which the compressed air is obtained. Certification and quality is maintained by obtaining records of the chemical make-up of the air at the source and comparing that electronic record to cylinders of air from the geographic location to ensure accuracy of labeling and filling. The amusement items are sold as souvenirs.
US07703259B2

An assembly for moving paper, board and cellulosic web rolls in a roll packaging system includes a plurality of roll handling stations incorporating at least one receiving station for the entry of rolls into the system, one wrapping station for winding at least one wrapper course on the periphery of the rolls, and at least one other station, and an indexing conveyor having a car for moving the rolls which is adapted to move synchronously into positions coinciding with each one of said roll handling stations. The car of the indexing conveyor is adapted to move on at least three different elevation levels named as a base elevation level 0, a first elevation level and a second elevation level. Additionally, at least a portion of the car coinciding with one station is on an elevated level in regard to the other parts of the car coinciding with the other stations.
US07703258B2

A main tee with separate clips affixed on its ends for splicing the tee with identical tees in end-to-end butt joints. The tee and clip form a pocket for receiving the projecting end of an opposing clip with a uniform low insertion force. The clip is self-aligning with the pocket and when interconnected the clips precisely align the coupled tees both vertically and horizontally. The clips, formed of relatively strong material, have mutually engageable locking surfaces that ensure a strong joint.
US07703256B2

A clamp (42) is mounted on a hollow rib (18) of a panel assembly (142). The clamp (42) includes a first clamping member (46) and a separate second clamping member (82). The first clamping member (42) includes a first section (50) that is disposed beyond a top wall (30) of the rib (18), and that includes an arcuately-shaped recess (58). The second clamping member (82) includes a convex, arcuately-shaped distal end (90) that is disposed within the recess (58) of the first clamping member (42) to allow the second clamping member (82) to pivot relative to the first clamping member (46) at least generally about the distal end (90) to secure the clamp (42) to the rib (18). An attachment (150) may be mounted on the clamp (42).
US07703237B2

An apparatus for cultivating a cucumber, eggplant or the like includes a fastening element for allowing an opened cover body to be fastened into a closed state or a closed cover body to be separated into an opened state by causing a catching protrusion opened along the longitudinal direction of the cover body, and a plurality of catching steps to allow the cover body to be coupled and fastened when catching steps are hooked on a catching protrusion, and a cover body distortion prevention projection formed protruding from the catching protrusion to fix opposite sides of each of the catching steps when each catching step is hooked on the catching protrusion. Cover body separation/opening supports are formed, respectively, on the top of each catching step and on the catching protrusion such that the fastened cover body can be unfastened and opened.
US07703235B2

A hydrodynamic fishing device includes a plate that changes attitude as the plate passes through a body of water. A plate positioning controller is pivotally mounted to the plate and is indexable relative to the plate by direct application of manual force so as to assume a plurality of predetermined adjustment positions. The adjustment positions establish different paths of travel of the plate as the plate passes through a body of water.
US07703234B2

A fishing hook enclosure apparatus includes a first container portion which includes exterior rod ring/reel attachment means and a first line access notch. A second container portion is attached to the first container portion by first-to-second attachment means which may include a hinge. The exterior rod ring/reel attachment means and the first line access notch are located at opposite ends of the first container portion. Preferably, the exterior rod ring/reel attachment means are in the form of a first attachment portion and a second attachment portion which define a push-through clip. Once a fishing lure and fishing hooks are contained inside the closed container formed by the first container portion and the second container portion in a closed condition, the fishing lure and the fishing hooks are prevented from snagging or hooking into any person or object in the environment surrounding the closed container.
US07703233B2

An avian decoy comprising a body having a hollow interior; a support movable between a retracted position and an extended position; and an extremity movable between a retracted position and an extended position; the extremity including a foot and a leg; the leg having a first end positioned within the hollow interior of the body and having a second end attached to the foot.
US07703232B1

A handgun bushing tool to facilitate the safe removal and replacement of a barrel bushing on a handgun such as a Model 1911, 1911-A1, 2011 type semiautomatic pistol using a single stack or staggered double-column magazine and having a barrel that requires a bushing and recoil spring plug to secure it. The tool has a handle with an aperture conforming to the shape of a barrel bushing; a hole conforming to the shape of a recoil spring plug and a lever assembly with a reversible handle that allows for pressure to be placed on the recoil spring and plug during the disassembly and assembly process. The tool also incorporate an alternate cutout in the handle which allows for a removable insert to be placed in the handle so as to allow for inserts of different types to accommodate differently shaped bushings made by a number of different manufacturers.
US07703207B2

According to the invention, a blank intended for the production of a sheet panel (11) for a bodywork part of automotive bodywork by cold forming has two deformation sections (2, 4), which consist of highly ductile sheet metal and in the course of cold forming are subjected to a high degree of deformation, and a support section (3), which is arranged between the two deformation sections (2, 4) and is formed from a rigid material, which is subjected in the course of cold forming only to a small degree of deformation and after forming of the blank (1) provides the side crash support of the respective bodywork part. In particular motor vehicle doors (6) can be made from such a blank (1).
US07703198B2

A method of manufacturing a capacitor-embedded low temperature co-fired ceramic substrate. A capacitor part is manufactured by firing a deposition including at least one high dielectric ceramic sheet to form a capacitor part. A plurality of low temperature co-fired green sheets are provided. Each of the low temperature co-fired green sheet has at least one of a conductive pattern and a conductive via hole thereon. A low temperature co-fired ceramic deposition is formed by depositing the low temperature co-fired green sheets to embed the capacitor part in the low temperature co-fired ceramic deposition. The embedded capacitor part is connected either to the conductive pattern or the conductive via hole of an adjacent green sheet. Then the low temperature co-fired ceramic deposition having the capacitor part embedded therein is fired.
US07703196B2

An adjustable driver pin connector compression tool comprising a body that is configured for receiving a plurality of different sized connectors. A sliding head assembly is slidably mounted within the interior of the body. The sliding head assembly being operatively coupled to a driver pin bolt moveable between at least two fixed driver pin positions.
US07703195B2

A method for the safe and easy installation of wall-mounted electrical switches utilizing a multi-functional tool. The tool is temporarily attached to a magnetically-attractive surface of a fixture using one or more magnets. The fixture may be safely held using the tool.
US07703191B2

This present invention discloses a cutting shield machine used for separating iron shells of connectors from a metal strip. The cutting shield machine includes a worktable, a separation apparatus located in the worktable, a carrying apparatus located in the worktable delivering the metal strip into the separation apparatus, a receiving box located in the worktable for receiving the iron shells from the separation apparatus, a crossing apparatus and a driving apparatus located in the worktable. The separation apparatus has a prop stand located in the worktable, a rotating portion with a columned portion capable of rotation and a pole are fixed in the prop stand in sequence in the transmission direction of the metal strip. The metal strip passes from the top of the rotating portion and the bottom of the pole or from the bottom of the rotating portion and the bottom of the pole.
US07703189B2

Supplying work for many parts supplied for vehicle assembly is progressed toward one radiation center, and the supplied parts are assembled into one vehicle on a rotary-type assembly bed provided at the radiation center.
US07703188B2

An injection molding hot runner nozzle and a method of making such a nozzle are disclosed that improves heat transfer along the length of the nozzle. The nozzle includes a nozzle body and a heating element located on an outer surface of the nozzle body having a form-fitting thermally conductive shroud that conforms to a profile of the nozzle and the heating element.
US07703185B2

A combination memorial and columbarium having a headstone, and an above ground base supporting the headstone. In an embodiment of the invention, one deceased person is interred in the earth ahead of the headstone, and the cremated remains of another deceased are secured in a chamber disposed in the headstone or the above-ground base. In an embodiment, at least two chambers are individually formed in an interior portion of the headstone. Each chamber has an opening providing access to the chamber and at least one of the chambers is adapted to securely hold the cremated remains of a deceased person or previously living being. Another chamber is adapted to securely and, in a sterile environment, hold the DNA material of one or more deceased individuals or previously living beings. In an embodiment, each chamber is further adapted to hold a container for securely enclosing the cremated remains of DNA of a deceased person. The chambers can either be in the headstone or the above ground base.
US07703182B2

A hermetically sealed zip fastener includes two rows of facing teeth mounted on two strips of compressively elastic material, the teeth being joined and disengaged by a movable slider which can be displaced by gripping its outwardly projecting gripping member. On opposite sides of the strips, the slider has first and second concave capsules, substantially mirror-images of each other, arranged with the perimetral edges of their concavities opposite and facing each other, the first capsule having directed upwards a pin perpendicular thereto and able to slide perpendicularly through a cavity inside the slider and through a hole in the second capsule. The gripping member, when actuated, causes simultaneous displacement of the first towards the second capsule and of the second towards the first capsule perpendicular to the plane of the zip fastener, moving end parts of their perimetral edges together sufficient to grip between them, with desired pressure, the strips.
US07703180B2

A pressure button, of the type comprising a male portion and a female portion, to be applied on flaps to be connected, the female portion comprising a fixing element for fixing an active female element, the latter including a plurality of resilient tabs which are mutually arranged with a ring arrangement about a housing recess for housing a projecting part of the male portion. The active female element of the button comprises an annular body to which a clamp element including a plurality of points projecting outside of the active female element is affixed.In particular, the assembling means for assembling the female portion are so arranged as to operate at a separated and moved away position from the resilient tabs, thereby the assembling of the female portion, for applying the latter on a respective material flap, can be performed without modifying the mutual shape and/or arrangement of the resilient tabs, thereby preserving the rated clamping pressure of the button.
US07703169B2

A windshield wiper snow removal and deicing device raises a windshield wiper blade away from a windshield, upon which the blade is otherwise maintained in contacting engagement therewith by a wiper biasing spring connected to the wiper arm, such that the blade falls down and impacts the windshield to remove snow and ice accumulated thereon while wiping on the windshield. In a first embodiment, a motor connected to the arm rotates a flap connected thereto to raise the blade above the windshield. In a second embodiment, a cover for a casing attached to the windshield is raised into an idle deployment configuration for engaging the arm and raising the blade above the windshield. In a third embodiment, a body on the arm has a pivoting member to engage an engagement stop on the windshield, with the pivoting member pivoting into a vertical configuration to lift the blade off the windshield.
US07703162B2

An automatic clothes washer comprises a wash tub in which is disposed a wash basket defining a wash chamber for receiving fabric articles, and an article mover located within the wash chamber and driven by a motor to impart mechanical energy to the fabric articles upon contact. A method for controlling the operation of the automatic clothes washer comprises determining the work imparted to the fabric articles by the article mover, and controlling an operating cycle of the automatic washer based on the determined work.
US07707646B2

The invention relates to a switching device for which a license database is used in which the software modules and respective license information associated therewith are stored, and wherein a configuration of at least one of these software modules triggers an interaction between the license database and a computer-readable data carrier, thereby generating hardware characteristic information. Said hardware characteristic information and the license information of the at least one software module are transmitted by the switchboard computer via a communication link to a license manager. Said license manager generates a license confirmation information and retransmits the same to the switchboard computer. The license confirmation information in the switchboard computer decides on the authorization of the at least one software module.
US07707645B2

A microprocessor includes a decryption unit that decrypts information to be utilized by a processor core to obtain plaintext information when the acquired information is encrypted; and a plaintext information storing unit that stores the plaintext information. The microprocessor also includes a protected attribute adding unit that adds a protected attribute indicating one of protection and non-protection to the plaintext information based on whether the decryption has been performed; an access request acquiring unit that acquires an access request to the plaintext information; a request type identifying unit that identifies a type of request of the access request; and an access controlling unit that controls an access to the plaintext information based on the type of request and the protected attribute.
US07707644B2

A method and apparatus for reporting the operation state of digital rights management are provided. In a home network formed with control devices and a control point, the apparatus for reporting the operation state of digital rights management of the control device to the control point includes: a digital rights management (DRM) module which performs digital rights management; a state variable generation unit which receives DRM operation state information indicating the state of a DRM process currently operating, from the DRM module, and based on the received DRM state information, generates DRM state variables; and a universal plug and play (uPnP) module which by using a uPnP protocol, transmits the generated state variables to the control point.
US07707637B2

A method and system are provided for managing a security threat in a distributed system. A distributed element of the system detects and reports suspicious activity to a threat management agent. The threat management agent determines whether an attack is taking place and deploys a countermeasure to the attack when the attack is determined to be taking place. Another method and system are also provided for managing a security threat in a distributed system. A threat management agent reviews reported suspicious activity including suspicious activity reported from at least one distributed element of the system, determines, based on the reports, whether a pattern characteristic of an attack occurred, and predicts when a next attack is likely to occur. Deployment of a countermeasure to the predicted next attack is directed in a time window based on when the next attack is predicted to occur.
US07707636B2

A method to automatically determine a computer's current level of anti virus protection is described. When a client machine submits a request, a request filter determines if the version of the anti-virus protection software present on the user's computer is sufficient to allow access to the requested destination. If the version of anti virus software on client machine is not sufficient, then the request filter directs the request to an alternate location.
US07707632B2

A system and method for automatically altering device functionality based on the occurrence of certain predetermined conditions. A link may be established between a device and a trusted server to provide an association between various conditions that may be detected at the device and actions that are to be taken on the device. In particular, software traps can be set up and linked to device functionality such that execution of the trap may automatically disable or enable certain device capabilities. Some aspects of the invention are directed to a system and method for remotely setting software traps for detecting software viruses and, upon execution of the traps, several methods for establishing a quarantine on infected devices.
US07707623B2

Exemplary embodiments provide a method and system for self-service resource provisioning having collaborative compliance enforcement. Method and system aspects of the exemplary embodiments include displaying a hierarchical list of resources for selection of at least one privilege associated with the resources; in response to a user selecting least one of the privileges from the hierarchical list, adding the selected privilege to a request cart to enable the user to initiate a request for the privilege; and in response to a user submitting the request cart, automatically invoking a workflow process to approve a request for the privilege, wherein the workflow is dynamically generated at least in part from the structure of the hierarchical list of resources and a location of the privilege within the hierarchical list.
US07707602B2

A method of providing rebroadcast programming includes encoding a rebroadcast program, specifying a preferred play time, and providing a broadcast that fits the preferred play time. The encoding of the rebroadcast program can use a replay plan which prioritizes portions of the rebroadcast. A priority can be assigned to commercials which have been made to be shortened or dropped, or an alternative commercial substituted, depending on time limitations. A rebroadcast packaging and playlist are provided. The specifying a preferred play time can be done by one of the following ways: specifying the preferred play time in response to a specific user request; specifying the preferred play time based on a user profile; specifying the preferred play time automatically by another program; connecting a replay timing to other events, wherein the other events includes setting an automatic pause when phone calls come in, lengthening a rebroadcast on certain days, and shortening a rebroadcast based on location of an automobile; providing a radio/television player which has functions of pause and replay which can be selected by the user to deduct time dynamically during the rebroadcast and which performs at least one of: replaying the broadcast; reacting to the need to pause/rewind; respecifying the adjusted time; playing unlistened to material at a later time; and displaying a list of unlistened/unviewed segments. A default play time for the rebroadcast program is used if no time is otherwise specified.
US07707595B2

To provide a disk drive capable of being prevented from rattling due to vibrations by a motor or eccentricity of a disk, support arms formed at both sides of a U-shaped traverse holder of a traverse unit have ribs protruding therefrom. Shaft portions protrude outward from front ends of the arms while bearing portions are provided on sidewalls of a chassis. The bearing portion has an axial hole formed in the side wall and a flexibly deformable, resilient arm extending forward spaced from the sidewall by a given distance, the axial hole having a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion being smaller in height than the rear portion, and the height of the front portion of the axial hole being slightly larger than outside diameter of the shaft portions. The shaft portions are fitted in the axial holes. The ribs are squeezed within the resilient arms.
US07707580B2

There is provided a parallel computing method of performing a parallel computing by using a master computer for generating a job and plural worker computers which execute the job and to each of which availability is assigned: wherein the master computer; includes: generating plural jobs each having a value; storing the generated jobs into a job storage; calculating an availability threshold according to order of values of the jobs stored in the job storage for each of the jobs; calculating an availability operation value for the job in the job storage by using availability of a worker computer executing the job; throwing a job whose availability operation value is less than the availability threshold to a worker computer which is available; receiving a result of execution of the job from the worker computer; and deleting the received job from the job storage.
US07707573B1

The present invention comprises systems and methods, and computer readable media comprising the methods, for installing software components. A user's need for a software component may be determined prior to installation. The systems and methods of the present invention provide automation and flexibility to the installation process. In an embodiment, processor usage and network usage are monitored and software installation are initiated and/or continued during periods where processor and/or network usage are low. The installation process may be halted when the processor and/or network connection are called upon for other uses. Processor and/or network usage may also be throttled, for example limiting the bandwidth available for the installation to maintain sufficient processor share and/or bandwidth for other tasks. Adverse impact on a computer user is minimized.
US07707571B1

A systems and methods for distributing software to one or more targets from a central location using one or more channels is described. A channel is a hierarchical list of targets and tasks. A task is a file, a script, or a command that is run or installed on a target computer. A target is a computer or group to receive the tasks.
US07707564B2

A developer can express the logic offered by a Web service, or other network accessible service, using a standard programming language augmented with declarative annotations specifying preferences for exposing that logic as a Web service. At compile time, an enhanced compiler can analyze the annotated source file and automatically generate the mechanisms required to expose its functionality as a Web service or network accessible service.
US07707555B2

An interactive system for debugging programs in which a persistent data base system responds to update queries containing debugging information from a debugging information source and to read queries on the debugging information from an interactive interface. The interactive interface produces the read queries in response to inputs from users and formats the results of the read queries as required by the user. One source of inputs is a standard Web browser for which the interactive interface functions as a Web server. The system also includes a command channel by which the source of debugging information receives commands from the interactive interface. In one embodiment, the command channel is implemented in the data base. In a disclosed implementation, the source of debugging information provides memory debugging information. Also disclosed are techniques for using an automatic memory management system to reduce memory fragmentation and heap footprint size.
US07707554B1

Associating data source information with sampled runtime events allows identification of system components related to the sampled runtime events. Code can be optimized from the perspective of system components and for various architectures. A system provides a data source indication. The system associates the data source indication with a corresponding instruction instance. The instruction instance is related to a sampled runtime event, and the sampled runtime event is associated with the data source indication. The data source information and associated sampled runtime event can be supplied for profiling code.
US07707552B2

A method for autonomically prioritizing software defects may include applying at least one static analysis tool to a body of source code to generate a report in response to any perceived defects. The method may also include performing a delta analysis on a group of data that may include the report, a previously generated report, and one of a default priority scheme and a previously generated priority list to generate a refined priority list of types of software defects.
US07707551B2

A cross-platform development system includes a computing device that generates an image of an operating system, and a software development peripheral connected to the computing device that runs the operating system corresponding to the image. The software development peripheral communicates information, such as image data, generated by the operating system back to the computing device where the information is displayed on a display device connected to the computing device.
US07707550B2

A template-based supervisory process control and manufacturing information application development facility is disclosed that includes a number of time-saving application development tools that significantly enhance design productivity and allow re-using of previously developed application building blocks. The development facility includes an application object template library that stores a set of previously defined application object templates. The template library is accessed by developers through a configuration utility that facilitates specifying instances of the set of previously defined application object templates to be included in an application. Thereafter, application objects are instantiated from the selected ones of the set of previously defined application object templates in a build of the specified application.
US07707545B2

A description of the hierarchically-structured document is accessed and converted into an early-bound object having at least some of the same properties as the hierarchically-structured document, and having at least some of the methods that may be performed on the hierarchically-structured document. When a function call is placed to the early-bound object, the early-bound object causes the appropriate corresponding changes to be affected on the hierarchically-structured document while maintaining change tracking information for the document. This reduces the difficulty when drafting source code for a program that interfaces with hierarchically-structured documents that can have varying structures and may be governed by complex change tracking rules.
US07707543B2

A method, a device and a system arrangement are disclosed for generating self-contained software components having in each case synchronous and/or asynchronous interfaces with an internal threading model. The concept disclosed enables all necessary synchronization mechanisms to be provided automatically. The concept is based on an asynchronous operation manager used to divert callbacks from a called component into a calling component.
US07707536B2

A router organizes an IC area into an array of global routing cells (GRCs) and generates a congestion map providing a separate congestion factor for each GRC boundary. The router then iteratively partitions the IC area into progressively smaller tiles while selecting a route for each net passing between tiles when possible without altering any previously routed net. The router thereafter iteratively merges the tiles into progressively larger tiles while selecting a route for each previously unrouted net residing wholly within a single tile, altering routes of previously routed nets when necessary to accommodate the selected route. When selecting each route for any connection of a net, the router seeks to minimize a cost function of congestion factors of all GRC boundaries.
US07707531B2

Two paths (arrival and required paths) as a target of analysis are united into a single path, and an on-chip random variation component σr about a plurality of nodes of the single path is calculated. Next, an on-chip variation component σchip is calculated on the basis of the on-chip random variation component σr and an on-chip systematic variation component σs. Subsequently, a delay variation Docv is calculated on the basis of a reference delay Dbase of the entire path and the on-chip variation component σchip.
US07707529B2

A method for the computer-aided ascertainment of a clock tree structure which couples a clock generation unit to a multiplicity of switching elements ascertains first switching elements from the multiplicity of switching elements, the first switching elements infringing a prescribed, first time-based switching criterion. In further method steps, the first switching elements are linked to the clock generation unit, and a first buffer element is inserted between the clock generation unit and the first switching elements. An integrated semiconductor circuit has a multiplicity of switching elements which are coupled to a clock generation unit via a clock tree structure. It also has a multiplicity of first switching elements which infringe a time-based switching criterion, which multiplicity is ascertained from the multiplicity of switching elements. A buffer element is inserted into the clock tree structure between the clock generation unit and the first switching elements.
US07707521B2

A layout architecture having high-performance and high-density design used in a standard cell integrated circuit is provided. The layout architecture includes a substrate, a first conductor, a second conductor, a third conductor, a fourth conductor, a first device region, a second device region, a third device region and a forth device region. The first device region is arranged adjacent to the first conductor on the substrate. The second device region is arranged adjacent to the first device region on the substrate and is arranged beneath the second conductor. The third device region is arranged adjacent to the second device region on the substrate and is arranged beneath the third conductor. The fourth device region is arranged between the third device region and the fourth conductor on the substrate.
US07707513B2

A client computer has a master window and at least one slave window. The client computer receives streaming data at the master window. The master window includes a list of slave windows and the data includes an envelope that has a destination window identifier. The master window determines a destination window that corresponds to the window identifier. The master window dispatches the data to a slave window if the destination window is not the master window. Otherwise, the master window streams the data to the destination within the master window.
US07707508B1

Methods, software and a system for providing an efficient layout of digital content are presented. A plurality of digital content is received and rendered in a plurality of layouts. Each of the plurality of layouts comprises the plurality of digital content arranged in a plurality of cells within the layout. The white space area is calculated a white space area for each of the plurality of layouts. The white space area comprises a cumulative area calculated from an area within each of the cells not contained by the respective digital content. A layout is selected, from the plurality of layouts, for rendering within a layout region, based on the white space area.
US07707492B2

Systems and methods are provided through which data parseable against a document type definition by generating a list of a possible paths of an input element that is not encoded against the document type definition, determining the path that is the best fit with the document type definition, and then generating the element in the syntax of the document type definition. Determining the path that is the best fit includes parsing the path against the document type definition. The best fit is expressed in a scoring scale, in which the best score indicates the best fit. Thereafter, the path with the best fit is translated in accordance to the document type definition or markup language.
US07707491B2

Statistical information about instance documents and schema information are used to integrate multiple state transitions that enable sectioning of a structure document, thereby generating an optimum automaton. In integrating state transitions, consecutively matching state transitions are held in the form of an ID list, which is then used to count the number of consecutive state transitions. Furthermore, patterns in the number of occurrences of repetitive elements including nested elements are statistically obtained. Variations of blanks in XML are addressed by using a statistical method. Schema information is used to build an automaton beforehand, thereby initialization overhead of the syntax parsing apparatus is reduced.
US07707488B2

Various technologies and techniques detect tables in vector graphics based documents and use them in meaningful ways. The system detects at least one table in a vector graphics based document using a set of rules. The rules include analyzing a set of content representing horizontal and vertical lines to find intersections and identifying table cells based on the intersections. Once identified, the table content is translated into a modified format. The content can be output to a destination application in the modified format that is more suitable for output or use by the destination application.
US07707486B2

A computerized spreadsheet system includes a set of cells and a separate set of logical constraints on the values of cells. The constraints may be many-to-many relationships that permit omni-directional propagation of values between cells. The constraints may be expressed in a language encompassing first-order logic. Cells are dynamically reclassified as base cells or computed cells as a user specifies values for cells. Non-explosive consequences of the base cell values are computed and displayed in computed cells, even when the values in the base cells are inconsistent with the constraints. The spreadsheet system may also include an auto-complete feature that automatically fills in empty cells with values consistent with the logical constraints and an auto-deconflict feature that automatically changes values in cells to reduce conflicts with the logical constraints.
US07707483B2

A technique to perform carry-less multiplication and bit reflection operations. More specifically, embodiments of the invention include a technique to perform cyclic redundancy code (CRC) generation.
US07707478B2

Bit errors in packets of data that are communicated in a network such as a wireless network can be corrected by processes that do not require any overhead in the data such as conventional error-detection codes or redundant information such as conventional error-correction codes. A validation-set process compares corrupted data against values in a set of known valid values and selects one of the known valid values to replace the corrupted data. A consistency-check process uses data correlation characteristics of two or more parameters to determine if values obtained from a packet are consistent with one another. If not, values are changed to make them consistent.
US07707475B2

A system and method for transmitting digital data over a transmission medium includes receiving digital values representing a plurality of N-bit characters to be output over the transmission medium, each N-bit character being either a data character or a control character. A determination is made as to which of the plurality of N-bit characters are control characters. The digital values represented by the plurality of N-bit characters are encoded to provide an encoded codeword, the encoded codeword being {M×(N−1)+P} bits having M fields of N−1 bits, each of the M fields corresponding to one of the N-bit characters being encoded. The encoding further includes: designating, for each data character, the respective field of the M fields as a data field, designating, for each control character, the respective field of the M fields as a control field, and ordering the M fields to position any control fields at predetermined positions with respect to each other in the encoded codeword and to position any data fields at other remaining positions within the encoded codeword. The encoded codeword is then transmitted over the transmission medium. A system and method that receives such an encoded codeword over a transmission medium is also contemplated.
US07707474B2

The invention proposes a method for controlling a variable of transmission between a mobile network element and a fixed network element, wherein the transmission is effected by repeatedly sending of data units, and a control of the variable of the transmission based on a target data unit error rate is performed, the method comprising the steps of detecting (S2), whether a received data unit includes an error, analyzing (S3), in case an error is detected, the transmission number of the data unit, detecting (S4), whether the analyzed diversity of the data unit is equal to a target transmission number, and forwarding (S5) the data unit to a network control element in case the transmission number of the data unit is equal to the target transmission number, or in case no error is detected. The invention also proposes a corresponding fixed network element and a corresponding network control element.
US07707472B1

Built-in self test techniques for testing circuit blocks on integrated circuits are provided. A BIST controller is provided on-chip to test two or more circuit blocks. High routing congestion is avoided by loading test data into the circuit blocks through scan chain segments that run continuously along the inputs and outputs of the circuit blocks. The BIST controller takes control of the scan chain segments during test and has the ability to partition the scan chains at specified intervals.
US07707466B2

A memory device includes a latch component including a first input configured to receive a functional data bit associated with a functional operation, a second input configured to receive a memory test/repair data bit associated with a memory test operation, and a latch comprising a data input and a data output and select logic configured to selectively connect one of the first input or the second input to the data input of the latch based on a mode of operation of the memory device. A method includes operating a memory device in a first mode associated with a memory test operation and in a second mode associated with a functional operation. The method further includes storing a memory test/repair data bit at a latch component of the memory device in the first mode and storing a functional data bit at the latch component in the second mode.
US07707462B1

The present invention is directed to non-disruptive generation of core files for a computer appliance without rebooting the computer appliance. In an embodiment of the invention, the computer appliance is analyzed. A determination is made as to what core file generation options will be non-disruptive to the computer appliance. The tradeoff is evaluated between options that will generate core files which are more useful in diagnosing potential problems with the computer appliance and options which will generate core files which are less disruptive. A procedure is determined which will generate the core file without disrupting the computer appliance. Resources are allocated to utilize in generation of the core file. The procedure is then executed and a core file is generated without disrupting the computer appliance.
US07707451B2

The time it takes to recover from a system initialization failure may be reduced by determining whether to enable a recovery process immediately, or defer such a process. Sometimes it is desirable to defer a recovery process until certain interdependencies between system components are satisfied.
US07707449B2

Various systems and methods for low power multi-rate data paths are disclosed. As one example, a semiconductor device that includes a multi-rate data path is discussed. The multi-rate data path includes at least two register circuits with an output of one of the register circuits electrically coupled to an input of the other register circuit via a combinational logic block. In addition, the semiconductor device includes a control circuit that is operable to modify the rate at which the multi-rate data path operates by selectably bypassing at least one of the register circuits.
US07707448B1

A circuit for deterministic unparking of a strand of a microprocessor having multiple clock domains is described. The circuit includes a first flip-flop and a second flip-flop. Each flip-flop has a data input connected to receive a respective unpark signal, a clock signal at respective clock frequencies, and a respective enable signal. Each enable signal is generated by a respective logic block, each including a counter and each operating at a respective one of the clock frequencies. The second flip-flop has a data input connected to an output of the first flip-flop, and outputs an unpark signal that is used to unpark a strand of the microprocessor in a deterministic manner.
US07707447B2

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for managing power in a computer system. A filter driver can be equipped with a packet monitoring function or the like detects whether devices mounted in the computer system are in the idle state. If a device is in the idle state, the power mode of the corresponding device is varied to the power down mode, independent of the system power mode state that has been set up by the operation system in the computer system. In this manner, power supplied to devices in the idle state is reduced, and it becomes possible to have a more efficient control over the load of the computer system. Overall, preferred embodiments according to the present invention can be very advantageously used for developing and expanding the computer system more simply by adding the filter driver into the system, without changing a device driver in the computer system.
US07707441B2

Certain aspects of reducing power consumption in communication devices may comprise deasserting a signal indicating that an on-chip UART may be ready to receive data. The deasserted signal may be asserted when the on-chip UART is not ready to receive data. The deasserted signal and asserted signal may be a RTS signal or a CTS signal. The signal may be deasserted when an on-chip processor wakes up from a low power state. The deasserted signal may be asserted when an on-chip processor enters a low power state. The on-chip UART may be adapted to receive and process data from an off-chip processor when the signal is deasserted. The data may be queued externally to the on-chip UART by an off-chip processor when the deasserted signal is asserted. The on-chip UART may be adapted to receive an interrupt signal that causes it to wake up from a low power state.
US07707440B2

A power supply unit for an electronic device comprises a three-terminal regulator in a high voltage connection line between a high voltage terminal of a DC power supply circuit and a microcomputer for reducing voltage from the high voltage terminal to a lower first voltage. A low voltage connection line between a low voltage terminal of the power supply circuit and the microcomputer is connected to the high voltage connection line at a connection point on output side of the regulator. In standby mode, voltage from the high voltage terminal, set higher than the first voltage, is reduced by the regulator to the first voltage and supplied to the microcomputer. In power-on mode, voltage from the low voltage terminal, set higher than the first voltage, is applied to the connection point so as to inactivate the regulator and supply the voltage from the low voltage terminal to the microcomputer.
US07707436B2

A notebook type of computer of one embodiment includes a display unit, a housing to which the display unit is pivotally attached, an angle sensor which detects an opening angle between the display unit and the housing, a sensor driver which A/D converts an output from the angle sensor and passes the result to a power management driver, and an angle comparison module which reads a setting value as to the opening angle and determines whether the opening angle is within a range of a predetermined angle. If the opening angle is within the predetermined range, a user is presumed to be using the notebook computer on a lap and the power management operation is performed per that presumption.
US07707433B2

Method and system for secure computational outsourcing and disguise of data, computer programs, pictures, and databases from unauthorized access, theft, and tampering using disguising and tamperproofing operations. In some embodiments, the disguising operation includes generating a random number for each data element, and modifying each data element with the random numbers. In some embodiments, the computer program, written in a first programming language, is partitioned into first and second programs; the first program determines whether access to the data is authorized, the second program entangles the second program and the data; and the second program is translated into a second programming language. An embodiment of the present invention comprises a method for identifying the subject of a first picture by comparison to a second picture. Embodiments comprise securing a computer program with real programming code by creating dummy program code and mixing the dummy and real program code.
US07707431B2

A device of applying protection bit codes to encrypt a program for protection is disclosed. The program has a plurality of instructions P (positive integer). The device includes a protection-bit-code generator, a first protection-bit-code location generator and a protection-bit-code insertion unit. The protection-bit-code generator generates a plurality of protection bit codes in accordance with the plurality of instructions of the program, wherein each instruction has a plurality of bits I (positive integer). The first protection-bit-code location generator generates a plurality of insertion positions N (positive integer) for each protection bit code in accordance with processor status when executing the program. The protection-bit-code insertion unit inserts each protection bit code in a position between (N−1)th- and Nth-bit of a respective instruction of the program in accordance with the insertion position N generated by the first protection-bit-code location generator, thereby generating an encrypted program.
US07707430B2

The media inherent key storing unit 220 prestores an inherent key Ki, the conversion unit 230 generates an encrypted inherent key Ji from the inherent key read from the media inherent key storing unit 220, the random number generating unit 331 generates a random number R1, the encryption unit 252 generates an encrypted random number S1, the decryption unit 333 generates a random number R′1 from the encrypted random number R1, and the mutual authentication control unit 334 compares the random number R′1 with the random number R1 and, if the random number R′1 matches the random number R1, judges that the memory card 200 is an authorized device. If the memory card 200 and the memory card writer have successfully authenticated each other, the memory card writer encrypts a content using a decrypted inherent key. If the memory card 200 and the memory card reader have successfully authenticated each other, the memory card reader decrypts an encrypted content using the decrypted inherent key.
US07707429B2

Software intrusion is proactively detected using a dynamically evolving audit log wherein log entries are generated in the audit log and key values are evolved based upon a one-way function depending on both the previous log entry and the previous key. The audit log with the generated log entries and the final key value is transmitted to a clearinghouse that detects software intrusion by analyzing these values. In an effort to reduce the size of the log to be transmitted, the log entries are assigned identical values, thereby only needing to transmit one log entry and the last key value to the clearinghouse.
US07707427B1

Multi-level file digests for electronic files are disclosed. A top level digest represents a single digest for the associated electronic file. Lower level digests represent digests for portions of the associated electronic file. The top level digest is derived from the lower level digests. The top level digest is useful for facilitating rapid comparison to determine whether electronic files are the same. In one embodiment, electronic files are encrypted with a block encryption scheme, and digests are efficiently calculated and stored on a block-by-block basis. Advantageously, when modifications to an encrypted electronic file occurs, only those modified blocks need to be processed to undergo decryption and re-encryption to determine the appropriate digest.
US07707424B2

A method and apparatus are provided for identification/authentication of file transfers, that limits the attackers window of opportunity and that aims at incurring a minimum of overhead on the information processing between a client (CL) and a server (SV). According to a preferred embodiment of the invention hash functions (H1-H4) are involved at the server side and the client side. The client and server share a common secret value (S).
US07707423B2

Method and system for maintaining digital signature integrity is provided. The method includes, creating a first electronic signature using a first set of hashing and signing algorithm; creating a second electronic signature using a second set of hashing and signing algorithms different than the first set of hashing and signing algorithms; and storing the document with the first and second electronic signatures.
US07707415B2

The disclosure relates to techniques and technologies for establishing a secure link between a mesh authenticator and a mesh key distributor for transporting security association messages. The secure link can allow the mesh key distributor to communicate results of an authentication process to the mesh authenticator.
US07707414B2

An information processing method for an information processing device which performs multiple types of authentication processing performing authentication processing before accepting at least one or more independent services and executing the aforementioned services. The information processing method includes: a receiving step for receiving service requests including the authentication information from the external terminal; a calling step for calling the authentication processing which performs authentication processing corresponding to the services requested from the external terminal, referencing first information which describes the authentication processing calling procedure corresponding to the service; an output step for receiving and outputting results of the called authentication processing; and a calling step for calling the accepted services according to the results of the authentication processing output in the output step.
US07707408B2

Methods, apparati, and computer-readable media for securely transporting a software application onto a tamper resistant module (TRM) (103) by using an individualized TRM key set. A method embodiment of the present invention comprises: storing a key pair unique to the TRM (103) in a memory located on the TRM (103), where the key pair comprises a TRM public key (150) and a TRM private key (190); retrieving the TRM public key from the TRM; encrypting a portion of the software application using the TRM public key (150); transmitting the encrypted software application to the TRM (103); and recovering and decrypting the encrypted software application using the TRM private key (190).
US07707400B2

Described is a technology by which a computer system operates in a mode that is different from a general purpose operating mode, upon detection of a special actuation mechanism coupled to the computing device. For example, actuation of a special hardware button may boot or resume a sleeping computer system into a direct experience upon actuation, including by launching a special program corresponding to that button. The computer system may thus enter a mode in which it mimics a special purpose device such as a consumer electronics device, e.g., a dedicated media player. When in a direct experience, the computer system may also operate in a constrained/sandboxed mode in which operating system limits available functionality to less than what is available when running as a general purpose computer system, e.g., keyboard operation and/or file access may be limited. Different actuation mechanisms may correspond to different modes.
US07707394B2

Tracing logic for monitoring a stream of processing instructions from a program being processed by a data processor is disclosed, said tracing logic comprising monitoring logic operable to detect processing of said instructions in said instruction stream; detect which of said instructions in said instruction stream are conditional direct branch instructions, which of said instructions in said instruction stream are conditional indirect branch instructions and which of said instructions in said instruction stream are unconditional indirect branch instructions; said tracing logic further comprising compression logic operable to: designate said conditional direct branch instructions, said conditional indirect branch instructions and said indirect branch instructions as marker instructions; for each marker instruction, output an execution indicator indicating if said marker instruction has executed or a non-execution indicator indicating if said marker instruction has not executed and not output data relating to previously processed instructions that are not marker instructions.
US07707384B1

A memory processing approach involves implementation of memory status-driven access. According to an example embodiment, addresses received at an address buffer are processed for access to a memory relative to an active location in the memory. Addresses corresponding to an active location in the memory array are processed prior to addresses that do not correspond to an active location. Data is read from the memory to a read buffer and ordered in a manner commensurate with the order of received addresses at the address buffer (e.g., thus facilitating access to the memory in an order different from that received at the address buffer while maintaining the order from the read buffer).
US07707381B2

Nodes include controllers, management servers, and storages. Each of the controllers includes a first mapping table indicating management servers corresponding to logical extents that compose a logical volume that is provided for a host. The management servers include second mapping tables indicating which nodes include storages that store logical extents corresponding to the management servers. The storages include third mapping tables indicating which physical extents of physical volumes included in the storages store the logical extents.
US07707380B2

A method of storing data in a memory is provided, including testing a plurality of memory cells of a plurality of memory cell sectors. Each memory cell sector includes a plurality of memory cells. Each memory cell sector is classified into at least one quality class of a plurality of quality classes depending on the results of the testing of the memory cells of the respective memory cell sector. Data is stored in the memory cells of the classified memory cell sectors depending on the quality class of the respective memory cell sector.
US07707379B2

In a method of controlling computer-readable memory that includes a plurality of memory locations, a usage frequency of a plurality of data units is determined. Upon each occurrence of a predefined event, a memory latency for each of the plurality of memory locations is determined. After the predefined event, a data unit with a high usage frequency is stored in a memory location with a low latency.
US07707378B2

A Double Data Rate (DDR) nonvolatile memory includes a DDR I/F block to receive an address that is used to separate DDR data into coherent data and non-coherent data that are stored separately in the DDR nonvolatile memory.
US07707377B2

A storage device system includes an information processing device, a first storage device equipped with a first storage volume, and a second storage device equipped with a second storage volume. The information processing device and the first storage device are communicatively connected to one another. Also, the first storage device and the second storage device are communicatively connected to one another. The information processing device is equipped with a first write request section that requests to write data in the first storage device according to a first communications protocol, and a second write request section that requests to write data in the second storage device according to a second communications protocol. The information processing device creates first data including a first instruction to be executed in the second storage device.
US07707374B2

An interface for managing incremental data storage includes a write function that appends an entry to an incremental log, a read function that retrieves a most recent log entry corresponding to a block address, and a snapshot function that automatically partitions the incremental log into an additional volume. The interface may also include a policy assignment function that associates specified policies with explicitly or implicitly specified resources, a read entry function that retrieves sequential entries from the incremental log, and a compact volume function. The provided functions and associated apparatus, method, and system, facilitate management of incremental data including snapshot, remote copy, data compaction, policy management, data restoration, and other operations on data storage devices and systems.
US07707371B1

Techniques are provided for performing multi-pass erase. An erase command is received at a storage area network (SAN) switch in a storage area network. The erase command is associated with a block of data on a target device. A virtual initiator is determined for performing the erase command on the block of data. Multiple bit patterns are generated using a multi-pass erase algorithm. The multiple bit patterns are generated for writing over the block of data on the target device. Repeated writes are performed over the block of data using the bit patterns. The block of data is repeatedly overwritten to remove remanence of the block of data on the target device.
US07707364B2

Techniques that may utilize generic tracker structures to provide data coherency in a multi-node system that supports non-snoop read and write operations. The trackers may be organized as a two-dimensional queue structure that may be utilized to resolve conflicting read and/or write operations. Multiple queues having differing associated priorities may be utilized.
US07707363B2

An N-port memory architecture is disclosed that stores multi-dimensional arrays so that: (1) N contiguous elements in a row can be accessed without blocking, (2) N contiguous elements in a column can be accessed without blocking, (3) some N-element two-dimensional sub-arrays can be accessed without blocking, and (4) all N/2-element two-dimensional sub-arrays can be accessed without blocking. Second, the architecture has been modified so that the above can happen and that any element can be accessed on any data port. The architecture is particularly advantageous for loading and unloading data into the vector registers of a single-instruction, multiple-data processor, such as that used for video decoding.
US07707355B2

A system includes a memory controller adapted to output address signals, command signals and select signals; a plurality of memory modules; and a plurality of buses each corresponding to one of the memory modules. Each bus is adapted to transmit corresponding ones of the address signals, the command signals, and the select signals to the corresponding memory module. Each of the memory modules includes: a plurality of memory devices; and a register adapted to receive and buffer the corresponding command and address signals transmitted to the memory module, and adapted to transmit the buffered command signal to the memory devices which are to be accessed, in response to the corresponding select signal for accessing the memory devices.
US07707354B2

A flash microcontroller has a Static Random-Access-Memory (SRAM) buffer that stores several blocks of boot code read from a flash memory. The SRAM buffer also operates as a cache of flash data after booting is complete. Cache read and write hits use the SRAM cache rather than flash memory, while old cache lines and read misses access the flash memory. Both the external host and the microcontroller are booted from boot code buffered in the SRAM buffer. A boot-loader state machine reads the flash ID and programs flash parameter registers with timing parameters for the flash memory. The flash microcontroller uses a differential interface to the external host, with a differential transceiver and a differential serial interface. Frame, packet, and encoded clock processing is also performed by the serial interface.
US07707349B1

A system, method, and processor executable instructions to isochronously communicate in standard USB mode laser printer scan data from a host computer to a laser printer. The host computer transmits a data stream that includes data packets having laser printer scan data, error detection information, and correction packets such as parity packets for use to reconstruct packets having an error. The laser printer receives the data stream, processes the error detection information, data packets and parity packets, and provides a continuous stream of laser printer scan data for printing.
US07707348B2

A multi-use adapter configured to provide network connectivity for a serial bus client is provided. The adapter includes: a serial interface for coupling with the serial bus client; a network interface for interfacing the adapter with a network; and host control logic configured to interface a plurality of types of serial bus clients with a utilizing device over the network. The host control logic may be configured to detect a USB client coupled to the USB interface, to determine a corresponding driver for the detected USB client, and to retrieve the corresponding driver via the network interface.
US07707346B2

The link layer of the multi-root PCI (peripheral component interconnect) express device stores transaction layer packets (TLPs) sent from a transaction layer in a dedicated retry buffer dedicated to the virtual hierarchy (VH) associated with the TLP. The link layer of the multi-root device also stores information related to the TLP about the VH and an address of the TLP stored in the dedicated retry buffer in a sequence buffer. Upon receipt of a reset request for a VH, the link layer may purge the dedicated retry buffer associated with the VH. After purging, the multi-root device may send an ACK (acknowledge code) DLLP (data link layer packet), indicating that the VH has been successfully reset. By utilizing multiple retry buffers, the ACK DLLP response for a VH reset is sent as soon as the retry buffer pointers are reset to initial values.
US07707345B2

Techniques for managing feedback control systems are provided. By way of example, a method of controlling performance of a managed system by a controller includes the following steps/operations. The controller issues a control value to the managed system to affect a performance of the managed system. The controller maintains a measurement time period having a variable start time within which the performance of the managed system is measured, such that the control value is given time to take effect on the managed system and a performance metric fed back to the controller from the managed system reflects the effect of the control value on the managed system.
US07707336B2

A universal serial bus (USB) with single port and a host controller thereof are provided. The USB comprises a USB port, a speed detection circuitry, a start of frame (SOF) generator, and a host controller. The USB port is electrically coupled to an external circuitry. The speed detection circuitry is electrically coupled to the USB port for detecting a transmission speed between the USB and the external circuitry via the USB port to provide a detecting result. The SOF generator is electrically coupled to the speed detection circuitry for receiving the detecting result and outputting a SOF signal, to determine a cycle of the SOF signal based on the detecting result. The host controller is electrically coupled to the SOF generator and the speed detection circuitry for adjusting the host controller based on SOF signal cycle to comply with the USB 2.0, USB 1.1 and USB 1.0 transmission standards.
US07707322B2

An audio data transmission system applied in a blade PC for connecting a main system unit of a PC blade with an external audio device is provided. The audio data transmission system comprises a peripheral agent device, a peripheral gateway and a connection management unit. The peripheral agent device is connected to the main system unit. The peripheral gateway is connected to the external audio device and is for providing an identification code. In response to the identification code, the connection management unit pairs the peripheral agent device with the peripheral gateway to establish a communication link between the peripheral agent device and the peripheral gateway for transmitting an audio data.
US07707313B2

System and method are provided for establishing internet protocol (IP) communication between a mobile node (MN) and one or more mobile networks. The method includes receiving (100) a request from a MN when the MN joins a first mobile network, creating (105) routing information indicating a home address of the MN, and announcing (110) the home address to the nodes of the mobile network(s). The request indicates the home address of the MN.
US07707305B2

Methods and apparatus for protecting against and/or responding to an overload condition at a node (“victim”) in a distributed network divert traffic otherwise destined for the victim to one or more other nodes, which can filter the diverted traffic, passing a portion of it to the victim, and/or effect processing of one or more of the diverted packets on behalf of the victim. Diversion can be performed by one or more nodes (collectively, a “first set” of nodes) external to the victim. Filtering and/or effecting traffic processing can be performed by one or more nodes (collectively, a “second set” of nodes) also external to the victim. Those first and second sets can have zero, one or more nodes in common—or, put another way, they may wholly, partially or not overlap. The methods and apparatus have application in protecting nodes in a distributed network, such as the Internet, against distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks.
US07707302B2

In a method for transmitting a data stream, especially a reducible data stream, from a producer to a plurality of viewers, wherein producer and viewers are subscribers in a network having point-to-point connections, the producer transmits the data stream over a point-to-point network connection to at least one viewer, at least one viewer receives the data stream over a point-to-point network connection and promptly transmits it in identical or reduced form to at least one additional viewer, and every viewer is promptly supplied with the data stream in identical or reduced form by either the producer or another viewer over a point-to-point network connection.
US07707295B1

Each service in a computer network may have a connection rate limit. The number of new connections per time period may be limited by using a series of rules. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, a counter is increased each time a server is selected to handle a connection request. For each service, connections coming in are tracked. Therefore, the source of connection-request packets need not be examined. Only the destination service is important. This saves significant time in the examination of the incoming requests. Each service may have its own set of rules to best handle the new traffic for its particular situation.
US07707294B2

A system maintains a dormant state in the host, in which no beacons (or “bubbles”) are transmitted from the host when no application or service (collectively, “processes”) of the host is accepting unsolicited traffic via the edge traversal service. When at least one application or service begins to accept unsolicited traffic via the edge traversal service, the host enters a qualified state and begins transmitting the beacons. As each additional application or service begins to accept such traffic, the number of accepting applications and services is maintained. As applications and services terminate acceptance of such traffic, the number of accepting applications and services is decremented. When the last application or service terminates acceptance of unsolicited traffic via the edge traversal service, the host re-enters the dormant state and ceases transmission of its beacons.
US07707292B2

A system, apparatus, and method are directed to managing automatic sign in to an Instant Messaging (IM) session on mobile device from another computing device, such as a personal computer (PC), over a network. The end-user of the PC may provide an account identifier, password, and the like, and in response, receive a cookie, that may further include the account identifier, encoded string, and the like. The end-user may then request initiation of the IM session using a toolbar selection, a script, applet, form, web page selection, and the like. As part of the request, the cookie may be provided to the server. If the request is authenticated based, in part, on the cookie information, the server uses the account identifier to locate an associated a mobile device identifier. The mobile device identifier is employed to log the end-user automatically into the mobile device.
US07707290B2

Embodiments of the invention provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for securing of leased resources on a computer. In one embodiment of the invention, a computer for securing resources may comprise at least one processor, a plurality of resources, wherein each resource is associated with configuration data and a programmable logic device connected to each of the plurality of resources. The programmable logic device may be configured for determining whether a resource is leased, reading un-encoded configuration data from a resource, and sending the configuration data to a first unit, if the resource is not leased. The programmable logic device may further be configured for reading encoded configuration data from a resource, decoding the configuration data, sending the configuration data that was decoded to a first unit, and logging use of the resource by the first unit, if the resource is leased.
US07707274B2

A position management server detects positions of a user based on a signal from an RFID tag carried by the user. A PC displays, on a monitor, map information including a layout of the user and a plurality of printers. The user drags and drops a file icon onto a printer icon corresponding to a printer used for printing. The PC transmits a file corresponding to the file icon, printer identification information, and PC identification information to a printer management server. The printer management server selects a driver, generates print data, and transmits the print data to the printer together with the PC identification information. The printer prints the print data and transmits a print notification to the PC. The PC displays the print notification on the monitor.
US07707268B2

An information-processing apparatus which can easily output an accessory content suitable for a user situation at a point of time in course of an operation to output a main content or before or after the operation is provided. The present invention includes a history-information generation section generates one or more pieces of correlation information each including at least one piece of information on the user utilizing the apparatus at a point of time the apparatus outputs an already used main content and in a time band including the point of time. A user-utilization accessory-content determination section determines an accessory content regarded as a content whose output operation in course of an operation to output a new main content or before or after the operation is considered to be suitable for the user on the basis of one or more pieces of correlation information stored in the correlation-information storage section and characteristics of one or more accessory contents stored in the accessory-content storage section, and outputs the determined accessory content. The present invention can be applied to an information-processing apparatus which can output a piece of music or a picture in course of operations to read and write a mail text.
US07707264B2

A method for providing technical support documents on a peripheral device connected to a web server storing the requested technical support documents via the Internet, which includes the steps of selecting an event on the device, requesting a default uniform resource locator with the selected event, and returning the technical support document relating to the selected event of the requested uniform resource locator to the device.
US07707253B2

An information distribution system 3 including a portable telephone set (70), having a display unit for displaying image data, and a communication function, and owned by a user, an image data processing device (11), having an image data processing function and a communication function, a server (12) for storing image data transmitted from the image data processing device (11), and a portable telephone base station 13 connected to the portable telephone set (15) over a portable telephone communication network (14). A list of the addresses formulated in the past is displayed on a display unit of the portable telephone set (70). The text data included in the data referenced by the address selected from the list of addresses displayed is modified and a new address is appended to the modified data.
US07707249B2

In some embodiments, the disclosed systems and methods provide a client-server infrastructure capable of supporting a variety of asynchronous and synchronous collaboration activities in a so-called collaboration place. Some of these activities include chatting, viewing and/or editing one or more data files, and sharing one or more applications, data files, and/or displays. The client-server infrastructure supports seamless navigation between the supported asynchronous and synchronous activities in the collaboration place. Additionally, the client-server architecture supports data persistence, so that data files associated with the collaboration place can be stored for subsequent access.
US07707245B2

A process and system for metasearching on a distributed network activated by a request executed on a client device to request a metasearch engine to send a plurality of search queries to a plurality of server devices, each of the plurality of search queries comprising a keyword phrase, each of the keyword phrases comprising at least one keyword, at least two of the keyword phrases of the plurality of search queries being different from each other, comprising incorporating, by the metasearch engine, received search results into at least two different order books corresponding to the at least two different keyword phrases, incorporating means for inputting at least one quantity of at least one item that may be ordered, providing means for ordering the at least one item, and communicating a response to the client device. The order books may comprise bid data and offer data of different financial instruments.
US07707240B2

An application server system is provided having a core engine connecting one or more protocol providers to one or more applications, preferably including an SCCP proxy. In a preferred embodiment, the one or more applications run on a respective one or more virtual machines having their own execution threads. A thread pool may be used to spawn instances of applications or scripts. Preferably, the core engine, the protocol providers, and each of the one or more virtual machines run in separate AppDomains. In another embodiment, a visual designer is provided preferably having XML conversion capability and interactive debug capability.
US07707226B1

The present invention provides systems and methods for providing real-time context-based content items to a user client system. Methods include dynamically monitoring a user client system to determine a real-time context of the user client system based on one or more of identifying one or more content keywords of an application operating on the user client system and/or one or more system capabilities of the user client system. One or more content items can be presented and changed based on changes detected in the real-time context of the user client system.
US07707222B2

Invention provides a method for an e-mail based interface to function as a single common access point for requesting, receiving, publishing, accessing and sharing various data from multiple, remote information systems. The invention becomes akin to a human relay operator in the loop which is transparent to the user. By relaying the e-mail chain, the invention performs multiple functions based on the originating request, and reply as a human would.
US07707216B2

A data sorter includes a storage sorter that sorts a data set according to a defined criteria; and a query mechanism that receives intermediate sorted data values from the storage sorter and compares the intermediate sorted data values to a key value. The storage sorter includes a priority queue for sorting the data set. The priority queue has M processing elements. The query mechanism receives the intermediate sorted data values from the M processing elements. The query mechanism includes a plurality of comparison circuits, each of which is capable of detecting whether one of the intermediate sorted data values is equal to the key value or, if no match exists, extracting a minimal value greater than (or less than according to a defined criteria) the key value.
US07707215B1

A parimutuel provision manager provides an efficient incentive mechanism for content provision on peer-to-peer systems. The parimutuel provision manager generates a wide diversity of content offerings while responding adaptively to customer demand. Files are served and paid for through a parimutuel market similar to that commonly used for betting in horse races. An analysis of the performance of such a system shows that there exists an equilibrium with a long tail in the distribution of content offerings, which guarantees the real time provision of any content regardless of its popularity.
US07707214B2

A system and method for determining an extreme value of data in various applications including audio, video and image encoding schemes. The system and method are used to generate a hierarchical data structure by partitioning the data values and then generating a hierarchy using indices of these data values, with the apex containing the index of the extreme value. The system and method allow for changes in the data values in the base level of the hierarchy to result in the ripple through of the indices to the apex in an efficient manner.
US07707210B2

A method for interactive foraging for documents within a corpus of documents includes forming a working set of documents which are a subset of the corpus of documents. A visual representation of the working set and a portion of the corpus other than the working set are generated, and a visual representation of a retrieval boundary, between the working set and the portion of the corpus other than the working set, is presented. A further embodiment provides a system for interactive foraging of documents within a corpus of documents which includes, a visualization foraging subsystem, and an analytical repository containing a plurality of documents. The documents have been analyzed and are provided with associated dimensional data. A search mechanism of the visualization foraging subsystem is configured to form a working set of documents from the corpus of documents. A display device displays the working set and a portion of the corpus other than the working set, and a retrieval boundary is displayed on the display distinguishing between documents in the working set and the displayed documents of the corpus other than the working set.
US07707202B2

Method of searching for availability of an entity for purchase or reservation. The method comprises the steps of searching for an entity matching a search criteria to obtain a list of entities, wherein the or each entity comprises a parameter having a predetermined availability; automatically searching for one or more available parameters associated with the or each entity; generating a list of each entity and one or more available parameters associated therewith to generate a list of entity and available parameters; displaying the list of entity and available parameters of the or each entity for selection by a user of an appropriate combination of entity and parameter; filtering the list of entity and available parameters in order to remove one or more combination of entity and parameter; and displaying a modified list of entity and available parameter.
US07707196B2

The invention relates to a software-type platform which is dedicated to Internet site referencing, i.e., the indexing of sites using Internet search tools that can be accessed by netsurfers, said platform comprising a database. According to the invention, the platform is characterized in that it comprises a client interface enabling the client or the manager of a referenced site to access the database, a consultant interface enabling a consultant responsible for referencing a site to access the database and means which ensures that different data are supplied to the client or consultant user depending on the interface used to access the platform.
US07707187B1

Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention provide a cache manager that monitors access to an information model associated with a business service application and generates an access pattern for the information model based on a number of accesses to the information model.
US07707178B2

Systems and methods for data classification to facilitate and improve data management within an enterprise are described. The disclosed systems and methods evaluate and define data management operations based on data characteristics rather than data location, among other things. Also provided are methods for generating a data structure of metadata that describes system data and storage operations. This data structure may be consulted to determine changes in system data rather than scanning the data files themselves.
US07707175B1

A single ended synchronization agent which communicates with a single endpoint. Responsive to instructions from a synchronization manager, a single ended synchronization agent transfers information between its endpoint and a common synchronization engine. Endpoints may include databases, hand held computers, communication links and the like. These novel single ended agent programs in cooperation with a common synchronization engine are able to synchronize databases. The agent programs need not implement synchronization logic and agent programs are required to understand only a single database. These aspects of the single ended agent programs greatly simplify the design, construction and maintenance of this software when compared with the prior art.
US07707163B2

The various embodiments of the invention provide software and metadata structures for a data processing system and method, for applications such as marketing campaign management, speech recognition and signal processing. An exemplary system embodiment includes a first data repository adapted to store a plurality of entity and attribute data; a second data repository adapted to store a plurality of entity linkage data; a metadata data repository adapted to store a plurality of metadata modules, with a first metadata module having a plurality of selectable parameters, received through a control interface, and having a plurality of metadata linkages to a first subset of metadata modules; and a multidimensional data structure. The control interface may modify the plurality of selectable parameters in response to received control information. A plurality of processing nodes are adapted to use the plurality of selectable parameters to assemble a first plurality of data from the first and second data repositories and from input data, to reduce the first plurality of data to form a second plurality of data, and to aggregate and dimension the second plurality of data for storage in the multidimensional data structure.
US07707162B2

A method and apparatus is provided for automatically classifying a multimedia artifact based on scoring, and selecting the appropriate set of ontologies from among all possible sets of ontologies, preferably using a recursive routing selection technique. The semantic tagging of the multimedia artifact is enhanced by applying only classifiers from the selected ontology, for use in classifying the multimedia artifact, wherein the classifiers are selected based on the context of the multimedia artifact. One embodiment of the invention, directed to a method for classifying a multimedia artifact, uses a specified criteria to select one or more ontologies, wherein the specified criteria indicates the comparative similarity between specified characteristics of the multimedia artifact and each ontology. The method further comprises scoring and selecting one or more classifiers from a plurality of classifiers that respectively correspond to semantic element of the selected ontologies, and evaluating the multimedia artifact using the selected classifiers to determine a classification for the multimedia artifact.
US07707151B1

One aspect is directed to a method for performing data migration from a first volume to a second volume while allowing a write operation to be performed on the first volume during the act of migrating. Another aspect is a method and apparatus that stores, in a persistent manner, state information indicating a portion of the first volume successfully copied to the second volume. Another aspect is a method and apparatus for migrating data from a first volume to a second volume, and resuming, after an interruption of the migration, copying data from the first volume to the second volume without starting from the beginning of the data. Another aspect is a method and apparatus for migrating to data from a first to a second volume, receiving an access request directed to the first volume from an application that stores data on the first volume, and redirecting the access request to the second volume without having to reconfigure the application that accesses data on the first volume.
US07707148B1

One aspect of the invention is a method for assigning categorical data to a plurality of clusters. The method includes identifying a plurality of categories associated with the data. The method also includes, for each category in the plurality of categories, identifying at least one element associated with the category. The method also includes specifying a number of clusters to which the data may be assigned. The method additionally includes assigning at least some of the data, wherein each assigned datum is assigned to a respective one of the clusters. The method further includes, for at least one of the clusters, determining, for at least one category, the frequency in data assigned to the cluster of at least one element associated with the category. Further, the invention provides for detecting outliers, anomalies, and exemplars in the categorical data.
US07707147B2

In the exchange of information in a peer-to-peer information system network, the problem of semantic interoperability of the communication system used by the agent associated with every peer is addressed not by imposing a universal pre-defined ontology over universally defined conceptual schemata, but instead using mechanisms, inspired from natural language, that enable each agent to develop a repertoire of grounded categories and labels for these categories and to negotiate their use and semantics with other agents. The communication system, as well as its semantics, is hence emergent and adaptive instead of predefined.
US07707140B2

A geo-coded database stores advertiser records which include location information. Received search requests are matched with database records based on location information in the search requests and the record location information. In this manner, a user can search for information on a local basis and receive only the most relevant local search results.
US07707137B2

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for browsing a collection of metadata to locate media content associated with an item of metadata. The system operates by receiving a selection of an affinity from a user, wherein the affinity specifies a baseline preference of the user. Next, the system determines a value for each item of metadata in the collection of metadata that specifies how well each item of metadata fits the affinity. Finally, the system arranges the collection of metadata in a view, so that items of metadata with similar values are arranged in close proximity within the view, and so that items of metadata with dissimilar values are not arranged in close proximity within the view.
US07707134B2

A method for diagnosing depression includes providing surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometric (SELDI-MS) data of a plurality of proteins, said data obtained from a patient and comprising a plurality of peak values, and analyzing said peak values with an alternating decision tree comprising a set of tests of said data peaks values and associated prediction values, wherein said data is predictive of depression if a sum of the prediction values of said tree is greater than 1.0.
US07707123B2

In a method for compensation of the first postage value of an unusable printed franking imprint billed in a billing module of a franking arrangement, the occurrence of the unusable franking imprint is detected as a first error event, error information associated with the error event is stored, and information derived from the error information is transmitted to a reimbursement entity for initiation of the reimbursement of the postage value. The error amount information associated with the error event is increased by the postage value and the error amount information is transmitted to the reimbursement entity for initiation of the reimbursement of the postage value.
US07707122B2

A system, apparatus, and method are directed towards enabling information filtering using measures of an affinity of a relationship between subscribers of an online portal system. The affinity of a relationship may be determined based, in part, on the tracking of various online behaviors of and between subscribers of the portal system. Any of a variety of behaviors may be tracked, including message communications between subscribers, participation in instant messaging groups, purchases, activities, categories, and so forth. Such behaviors may be employed to determine a level of trust (or affinity) between subscribers of the portal system. This affinity measurement may be used to filter various information, including, but not limited to, product recommendations, ratings, polling queries, advertising, social network communications, personal ads, search results, and the like. Moreover, this affinity measurement may also be employed to perform message spam detection.
US07707121B1

A title management apparatus resident on a first computer including a memory for storing a control program and data, and a processor for executing the control program and for managing the data. The apparatus includes user data resident in the memory including a set of user security indicia. The apparatus also includes a first title object resident in the memory including a title structure, the title structure further comprising a content element, a set of attributes, and a set of title object security indicia. The apparatus further includes a set of stub objects coupled to the title object, wherein the set of stub objects can further optimize the title structure; an authorization structure configured to selectively redeem the content element based at least in part of the user security indicia; and, a title management structure configured to associate a user with the first title object based at least in part of the user data and the title attributes.
US07707116B2

The present invention is directed to licensing data structures for telecommunication systems. The data structures comprise (a) a lock setting or status to permit the contents of the license file for an operational feature to take precedence over the corresponding translation information for the operational feature or to be used as a default setting if there is not corresponding translation information for the operational feature; (b) first and second value settings for an operational feature to permit a value associated with the operational feature to be set anywhere in the range defined by the first and second value settings; and (c) a right-to-use field for an operational feature that is separate from a setting field for the operational feature to provide flexibility in altering the setting field without deleting the operational feature. The present invention further provides a methodology for providing temporary licenses having different features enabled/disabled than a permanent license.
US07707108B2

Account transaction protection is provided during the automated authorization process of a charge account, a debit account, a personal account or a business account. After a vendor asks the authorization service provider to approve a pending transaction, the authorization service provider automatically contacts an account holder asking for approval or refusal of the pending transaction. The contact is made by telephone, or computer network, such as the Internet. After entering a PIN to establish identity, the account holder approves or rejects the pending transaction after receiving a validation request message detailing the facts of the transaction. The PIN may be a normal PIN or a duress PIN. If the duress PIN is used, indicating the account holder is under duress to approve the pending transaction, the service provider notifies the authorities. Similarly, if the account holder indicates that refusal is due to unauthorized use, the service provider contacts the authorities.
US07707100B2

A system and method for displaying a trend indication using a primary and secondary indicia. The primary indicium corresponds to an overall trend indication and the secondary indicia relate to the reliability of the overall trend indication. The secondary indicia correspond to a trend indication for each phase of the selected analysis strategy. The secondary indicia provide the user with a quick and easy methodology to ascertain the reliability of the overall trend indication based on the concurrence or disagreement of the secondary indicia with the primary indicium.
US07707091B1

A system and method are provided which dynamically adapts to a changing economic environment by selecting or synthesizing an economic model from a set of economic models based on the selected model's ability to make accurate predictions about an actual economic market. The method and system each forms a space of different economic models, forms a behavioral landscape by extracting observables from executions of the economic models, and performs model selection and composite model synthesis through optimization over the behavioral landscape.
US07707089B1

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a computer implemented method and system for automatically implementing a fraud strategy may involve identifying transaction data related to a customer transaction based on a payment instrument; automatically identifying a pattern based on one or more factors associated with a customer spending profile; identifying a potential fraud situation based on the identified pattern and the transaction data; executing an action for the potential fraud situation; and adjusting authorized use of the payment instrument.
US07707086B2

A versatile and efficient electronic spread trading tool to be used when buying and selling comparable commodities either simultaneously or in conjunction with one another. The spread trading tool involves a method of displaying, on an electronic display device, the market depth of a plurality of commodities including an anchor commodity and a non-anchor commodity, where the method includes dynamically displaying a plurality of bids and asks in the market for the commodities, statically displaying prices corresponding to those plurality of bids and asks, where the bids and asks are displayed in alignment with the prices corresponding thereto, displaying an anchor visual indicator corresponding to and in alignment with a desired price level of the anchor commodity, displaying a price level indicator corresponding to and in alignment with a price level of the non-anchor commodity. Based on an unhedged position, and taking into account the parameters and spread price point values, as determined by the trader, price level indicators are calculated and displayed, which provide a visual representation of where the trader should buy and sell the applicable commodities. The price level for the price level indicator in the non-anchor commodity is determined based upon said desired price level of the anchor commodity. The price level indicator also includes a first visual indicator corresponding to and in alignment with a first price level of the non-anchor commodity and a second visual indicator corresponding to and in alignment with a second price level of the non-anchor commodity.
US07707083B2

Methods, systems, and computer program for interacting with simulacrum members of a buyer simulacrum. Persistent storage is configured to store collective qualifications of the simulacrum based on the individual qualifications of the simulacrum members, while a simulacrum broker is configured to present the collective qualifications to third parties. Thus, the broker provides a dynamic representation of the collective financial information, credit, insurance, trustworthiness, knowledge, skills and experience of a simulacrum or virtual buyer. The broker further enables an entity, such as a simulacrum employer or seller, to interact with the simulacrum as if that simulacrum were a single entity, rather than a collection of individual members.
US07707082B1

Methods and systems are disclosed which relate to online bill management via interface surfaces printed with information and coded data. The coded data, encoded visibly or invisibly, may be queried by an appropriate sensing device. The sensing device communicates with a computer system. Together, the interface surfaces, sensing device and computer system are capable of effecting online bill management, including bill payment, over a network.
US07707081B2

The invention relates to a computerized method for a user to create an advertisement by displaying a plurality of advertising formats for selection by a user; displaying a template corresponding to a selected advertising format; displaying a plurality of product references for selection by the user; displaying on the template a selected product reference to create a proposed advertisement; and creating a preview of the proposed advertisement, all of which may be implemented using the Internet. The invention further relates to a computerized system for creating an advertisement that comprises a template database for storing advertising formats; a product database for storing product references; and a computer to access the databases. Preferably, the user has a network interface such as Internet access that permits access via a remote location, software to permit a user to specify specifications such as quantity, printing information, ship date, paper type, pricing information, and payment information, and may be configured to receive images and text for new products.
US07707080B2

Process accounting information is recorded, together with service request logs written by e-service applications. These two sets of information are aggregated and correlated, to generate usage metrics relating to resource usage for individual service requests. Such per-request information can be used as a basis for charging users making such requests. Services requests often simultaneously consume computing resources, in which case resource usage is proportionally divided between such simultaneous service requests.
US07707067B2

A program by which retailers offer customers an exchange of older technology for newer technology. The older technology and newer technology have a common characteristic that facilitates the retailer to give the customer the newer technology for a reduced cost.
US07707066B2

A method of facilitating a transaction between a merchant and a buyer using a computerized system including a set of titles. The method includes storing the set of titles in a merchant site corresponding to a set of products for sale; browsing the merchant site using a client device and selecting a product for purchase; and generating a payment slip title for the product including information relating to a payment amount and a buyer identifier. The method further includes selecting a payment structure from a set of available payment structures; modifying the payment slip title to include information corresponding to the selected payment structure; releasing the product title to the buyer; and transmitting the payment amount to the merchant.
US07707057B2

A method and system for managing customer service processes for individuals and populations. In a specific health care embodiment, a clinician creates a draft care plan for a patient using template metadata. This plan includes a list of specific services to be provided. It can be routed to members of an inter-disciplinary team for input. Once finalized, workflow processes are instantiated for each service. An optimized itinerary is created for patient encounters. A workflow automation server manages the execution of each process instance, invoking resources according to workflow metadata. Care plans and encounter itineraries are automatically translated to a patient-understandable form. Clinical practice and outcomes data are analyzed to identify opportunities for improvement of the metadata. The method and system allows for selection of a population of patients, analysis of population data to identify needed services, and initiation of population interventions through automated updates to individual care plans.
US07707053B2

Different minimum prices are assigned to different ad serving constraints (such as keywords, geolocations, serving times, etc.). A single auction minimum price may be determined for an auction using the minimum prices assigned to satisfied serving constraints of ads participating in the auction.
US07707052B2

A method includes receiving compensation information of a particular employee of a first company from a database, receiving compensation information associated with a second company from a different database, and presenting in a graphical user interface (GUI) a graphical representation comparing the compensation information of the particular employee of the first company and the compensation information associated with the second company.
US07707036B2

Systems and methods for providing aural review of a privacy policy are disclosed. Generally, a first version of a privacy policy is retrieved. A natural language version of the privacy policy is then retrieved based on at least one user preference and an audio representation of the natural language version of the privacy policy is played through an audio system of a device to a user.
US07707035B2

A sound processing system including a user headset for use in tactical military operations provides integrated sound and speech analysis including sound filtering and amplification, sound analysis and speech recognition for analyzing speech and non-speech sounds and taking programmed actions based on the analysis, recognizing language of speech for purposes of one-way and two-way voice translation, word spotting to detect and identify elements of conversation, and non-speech recognition and identification. The headset includes housings with form factors for insulating a user's ear from direct exposure to ambient sounds with at least one microphone for receiving sound around the user, and a microphone for receiving user speech. The user headset can further include interconnections for connecting the headset with out systems outside of the headset, including target designation systems, communication networks, and radio transmitters.
US07707029B2

A method and apparatus are provided that use narrowband data and wideband data to train a wideband acoustic model.
US07707027B2

A method for identifying data that is meaningless and generating a natural language statistical model which can reject meaningless input. The method can include identifying unigrams that are individually meaningless from a set of training data. At least a portion of the unigrams identified as being meaningless can be assigned to a first n-gram class. The method also can include identifying bigrams that are entirely composed of meaningless unigrams and determining whether the identified bigrams are individually meaningless. At least a portion of the bigrams identified as being individually meaningless can be assigned to the first n-gram class.
US07707026B2

A translation memory adapted to sentence-based translation includes a first retrieval dictionary of a first language having a first dictionary TRIE structure and a first index TRIE structure, and a second retrieval dictionary of a second language having a second dictionary TRIE structure and a second index TRIE structure. The first and second dictionary TRIE structures respectively store sub character strings on respective paths from roots to multiple nodes thereof. The first and second index TRIE structure respectively store index information to specify the sub character strings stored in the first and second dictionary TRIE structures. The index information stored in the first retrieval dictionary includes identification information that identifies the index information to specify the sub character strings in the second retrieval dictionary that are translations of those in the first retrieval dictionary.
US07707020B2

A circuit analysis portion obtains an output characteristic of each of first noise source candidates. A noise evaluate portion obtains intensity of a noise crosstalking from each of the first noise source candidates to a low noise-tolerance terminal based on a second transfer function and the output characteristic of each of the first noise source candidates. Further, the first noise source candidates having the intensity of at least a prescribed value are set as second noise source candidates that are highly possibly the noise source. The analysis portion sets a noise source equivalent circuit to each of the second noise source candidates, and performs a second electromagnetic field analysis of the circuit substrate. The analysis portion sequentially repeats the second electromagnetic field analysis to every second noise source candidate. Thus, the route of the crosstalking noise can efficiently be analyzed.
US07707019B1

A method of co-simulation involving a high level modeling system and an integrated circuit such as, e.g., a programmable logic device (PLD) can include, when writing to at least one input port of the PLD, storing a plurality of commands from a co-simulation engine within a command buffer and, responsive to a send condition, sending the plurality of commands to the PLD as a single transaction. When reading from at least one output port of the PLD, selectively reading from a cache external to the PLD or a memory of the PLD according to a state of cache coherency.
US07707013B2

A method for estimating minimum miscibility enrichment (MME) for an injectant used in gas flooding of a reservoir at a given operating pressure comprising performing a plurality of slim tube simulations for the reservoir, determining minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) for a plurality of injected gases, creating a plot of recovery factor (RF) vs. 1−(MMP−P)/MMP wherein P is the operating pressure of the reservoir having at least one of the plurality of injected gases, wherein 1−(MMP−P)/MMP is a dimensionless pressure, wherein the plot has a y-intercept and slope, obtaining a recovery factor equation RF=i+s(1−(MMP−P)/MMP) wherein i is the y-intercept and s is the slope, determining a value for i, determining a value for s and calculating the recovery factor.
US07707012B2

A city model generation process. A city model is generated using information about an actual city. A roadway database including segments of roadways is used to generate a city model having grid points corresponding to intersections between the roadway segments. A type of roadway determined from the roadway database information is associated with sets of grid points defining a single roadway. Elevation data is added to the city model using a topographic database. Features, such as a road profile, are added to the roadway using the type. Photographic and zoning information is used to further refine the type of a roadway with a subtype corresponding to features of buildings that may be associated with the roadway. Generic building models and features are associated with the roadways based on the subtypes. Landmark building models are added to the city model to complete the city model.
US07707007B2

A system and method for the automated capture and analysis of data associated with a pilot deployment of client migration is provided. In an initial phase, software specified by a migration plan is deployed to a subset of a target set of client machines. Data from users interacting with client machines in the client migration pilot process is monitored and data corresponding to expected functions is captured in real-time. Captured interaction data is subsequently analyzed with respect to a baseline of expected user interactions for the migrated software system, to determine the existence of difficulty in interacting with a new software system. If difficulty is indeed detected, either the migration plan or current service offerings are adjusted to meet users'expectations. Adjustments and modifications made are dependent on whether determined user difficulties are categorized as isolated or widespread. Data captured from multiple client migration engagements is further analyzed for strategic decisions.
US07707002B2

The present invention concerns measures for the space-optimized determination of printing-related measured values. With the aid of a tone value and/or color gradient in a control patch and a suitable measuring device, it is possible to obtain, in a smaller amount of space, adequate or even detailed information about the printing process. Correcting values necessary for the automatic control of the printing operation can be determined on the basis of the information thus obtained, which can be also be continuously acquired due to the space-optimized tone value and/or color gradients.
US07706996B2

Circuits, methods and apparatus are provided to reduce skew among signals being provided or transmitted by a data interface. Signal path delays are varied such that signals transmitted by a memory interface are calibrated or aligned with each other along a rising and/or falling edge. For example, self-calibration, external circuitry, or design tools can provide skew adjustment of each output channel by determining one or more delays for each output channel path. When aligning multiple edges, the edges of the output signals may be aligned independently, e.g., using edge specific delay elements.
US07706995B2

Systems, methods, and apparatus, including software implementation, are disclosed providing drift prediction of output values for manometers. A signal or other indication may be provided for or in relation to a capacitance manometer when a servicing, replacing, and/or zeroing event is predicted or determined to be required, based on a history (e.g., timestamps) associated with previous zeroing events. Previously recorded timestamps can be curve fit with suitable functions to calculate or predict future maintenance, calibration, and/or replacement events for a manometer. Such signals or indications can be generated as an on-screen indication, and could also be available upon interrogation of the manometer via a digital communications link or system.
US07706982B2

A method of tracking seismic activity through monitoring sunspots and sun disturbances and correlating them with a developed model in order to map out specific locations where an earthquake will consequently appear is provided (FP). The method of comprises mapping coordinates of electromagnetic disturbances on the sun, calculating the coordinates while taking into consideration Earth/sun geometry and relative positions (FP). These coordinates are consequently mapped to a location and time on earth wherein the location and time predicts the location and approximate time of the earthquake, which will consequently occur on earth.
US07706978B2

A method for estimating unknown parameters (pan angle (ψ), instantaneous tilt angle (τ) and road geometry of an upcoming road segment) for a vehicle object detection system. The vehicle object detection system is preferably a forward looking, radar-cued vision system having a camera, a radar sensor and an processing unit. The method first estimates the pan angle (ψ), then corrects the coordinates from a radar track so that pan angle (ψ) can be treated as zero, and finally solves a least squares problem that determines best estimates for instantaneous tilt angle (τ) and road geometry. Estimating these parameters enables the vehicle object detection system to identify, interpret and locate objects in a more accurate and efficient manner.
US07706975B2

A mobile station database of cellular identifications and associated position information is stored in mobile station memory. The mobile station uses the position information in the database to assist in determining a current position for the mobile based on an identifier, such as cell ID, base station BSIC, PSC, or carrier frequency. A satellite vehicle signal is searched in an uncertainty region that is a function of position information associated with the current identifier. The uncertainty region can be limited by assumed platform dynamics via predefined velocity and acceleration information. Time maintenance for the mobile station can also be achieved through known approximate position from the position database and measurement of a single satellite vehicle propagation delay. The mobile station can compare a position determination obtained through satellite vehicle signals with position database information to determine the validity of that position. Out-of-network position information is also stored in the position database and is optionally shared with a network.
US07706970B2

The present invention provides a passenger location information system that provides information on the current location of a user during a trip in real time and in a mode suitable for each user. A configuration is provided in which passenger location information, at least including information on the ends (station, stop, etc.) of a transportation line interval in which a portable information terminal is located, is output at a predetermined time on a user terminal 1 such as a mobile phone terminal connectable to a network. In addition, using notification means such as a ringing tone or a vibrator, the user terminal 1 notifies the user, under a condition set by the user in advance, that the user is approaching a destination to prevent the user from riding past a destination due to dozing.
US07706962B2

A fuel delivery device 11 has a delivery pipe 18, which supplies fuel to a fuel injection valve 21 of an internal combustion engine 10. An electromagnetic relief valve 22 releases the fuel from the delivery pipe 18 in response to an opening instruction and lowers the pressure of the fuel in the delivery pipe 18. A diagnosis device for the relief valve 22 has an electronic control unit 27 outputting the opening instruction to the relief valve 22 in response to a stopping instruction for stopping the engine 10. The unit 27 determines whether the relief valve 22 has a defect based on a manner in which the pressure of the fuel in the delivery pipe 18 changes after output of the stopping instruction. As a result, it is appropriately diagnosed whether the electromagnetic relief valve 22 has a defect.
US07706949B2

A method and system for executing a shift from a first fixed gear to a second fixed gear in a powertrain system comprising a two-mode, compound-split, electro-mechanical transmission operative to receive a speed input from an engine is described. It includes deactivating an off-going clutch, and generating a time-based profile for rotational speed of an oncoming clutch. The input speed is controlled based upon the rotational speed of the oncoming clutch and an output of the transmission. The oncoming clutch is actuated, preferably when the input speed is synchronized with a rotational speed of an output shaft of the transmission multiplied by a gear ratio of the second fixed gear, preferably after a predetermined elapsed period of time in the range of 500 milliseconds.
US07706945B2

A vehicle lateral control system that integrates both vehicle dynamics and kinematics control. The system includes a driver interpreter that provides desired vehicle dynamics and predicted vehicle path based on driver input. Error signals between the desired vehicle dynamics and measured vehicle dynamics, and between the predicted vehicle path and the measured vehicle target path are sent to dynamics and kinematics control processors for generating a separate dynamics and kinematics command signals, respectively, to minimize the errors. The command signals are integrated by a control integration processor to combine the commands to optimize the performance of stabilizing the vehicle and tracking the path. The integrated command signal can be used to control one or more of front wheel assist steering, rear-wheel assist steering or differential braking.
US07706944B2

A parking assist device detecting a parking stall line from an image, which is captured by a capturing portion; setting a parking target position on the basis of the parking stall line; and assisting the vehicle to travel to the parking target position; the parking assist device includes a vehicle detecting portion for detecting a movement of the vehicle, a memorizing portion for memorizing the movement detected by the vehicle detecting portion, as a vehicle moving trajectory, a temporary parking target position estimating portion for assuming a temporary parking target position on the basis of variations of the vehicle moving trajectory, which has been memorized by the memorizing portion, and a parking stall line searching area setting portion for setting a parking stall line searching area, within which a parking stall line is searched on the basis of the temporary parking target position.
US07706943B2

Disclosed is a turning radius calculation method including: expressing a steering system model by means of relational expressions having a steering angle and turning angles of outer and inner tires as variables and including known parameters and unknown parameters; entering data on the known parameters based on design data; calculating the unknown parameters from the relational expressions corresponding to a zero-steering state and the relational expressions corresponding to a full-steering state; calculating turning angles of outer and inner tires respectively corresponding to a plurality of steering angles between the zero-steering state and the full-steering state using the relational expressions where calculated data on the unknown parameters are entered; calculating turning radii corresponding to the calculated turning angles of the outer and inner tires; and calculating an approximate function of turning radius for steering angle based on the plurality of steering angles and the turning radii.
US07706938B2

User generated service rules operate upon selected vehicle operating variables, vehicle configurations and vehicle vocations to produce estimates of the service life of diverse, routine service items. Items with corresponding projected service lives are grouped for service to reduce overall service frequency.
US07706921B2

Disclosed are a moving distance sensing apparatus for a robot cleaner and a method therefor capable of determining a precise moving distance with respect to the robot cleaner by setting a long distance sensor and a short distance sensor having respectively different sensing method from each other on the same sensing line in the robot cleaner to sense the long distance and the short distance for the same direction, and then by determining coherency to each moving distance on the basis of information provided by the two different sensors, the moving distance sensing apparatus comprising: a long distance sensor for sensing a moving distance with respect to a long distance; a short distance sensor mounted on the same sensing line in one-to-one correspondence with the long distance sensor, for sensing a moving distance with respect to a short distance; and a micro computer for determining a moving distance error on the basis of moving distance information with respect to the same direction provided by the long distance sensor and the short distance sensor.
US07706920B2

A method for controlling movement of movable object having a plurality of movable subcomponents comprises receiving an instruction configured to generate a defined movement of a selected subcomponent of the movable object between a first state and a second state. The method further comprises determining whether execution of the defined movement results in the selected subcomponent leaving a motion space associated with the selected subcomponent. The motion space is defined by a motion space boundary. The method further comprises producing a modified instruction configured to generate a modified movement of the selected subcomponent between the first state and the second state. Execution of the modified movement results in the selected subcomponent remaining within the motion space. At least a portion of the modified movement deviates from the defined movement.
US07706915B2

A system, software, and methods related to enhanced pharmaceutical order entry and administration by medical personnel, and enhanced pharmaceutical inventory control within a medical institution are provided. An embodiment of the system includes a pharmaceutical information management server having memory and a medication administration program product including a set of instructions stored in the memory of the pharmaceutical information management server to enhance provision of pharmacy services. The system also includes medical institution physician computers to provide for computerized physician medication order entry, pharmacy computers to provide for review and verification by a pharmacist of electronic medication orders placed through the physician computers, and medical institution nursing unit computers, to provide for review of and input to electronic medication administration records.
US07706911B2

Using data obtained by varying intra-chip variance, a frequency distribution of a yield corresponding to each intra-chip variance is obtained by a statistical timing analysis. The frequency of a ring oscillator loaded into the chip of an LSI is measured for each chip, and the frequency distribution of the ring oscillator is obtained. The convolution between the frequency distribution of a yield corresponding to each intra-chip variance and the frequency distribution of the ring oscillator is performed. By integrating the results the cumulative probability distribution of the yield of the LSI corresponding to each intra-chip variance is obtained. The fit is rendered between the distribution and the yield distribution of the LSI chip of the past lot, an appropriate intra-chip variance value is obtained, the cumulative probability distribution corresponding to the value is similarly calculated, and the result is defined as an estimated distribution of the yield of the LSI chip.
US07706898B2

There is described a method and system for using at least one variable of a first automation system in a second automation system, with the variable being made available by the first automation system. An object is to allow a user to program access to a local and remote variable in an identical manner, without having to program special access functions, set up connections and apply a local variable to take up the variable value or to create additional assignment tables and similarly apply the local variable. This object is achieved with a method and system of the type mentioned above, in that an identification feature is used for the unique identification of the variable in the at least second automation system, said identification feature being hierarchically structured and having a system-specific path name and a name for the variable.
US07706895B2

The subject invention provides reliable messaging with and within a control environment. The systems and methods utilize a message broker that facilitates message exchange. The message broker can be located within an industrial controller, as a dedicated entity within a control environment and/or an entity external to the control environment. Messages transmitted from an industrial controller and/or the external entity can be routed through the message broker prior to reaching a destination, wherein the message can be stored in the message broker and subsequently obtained by a recipient. The message broker decouples the message sender (e.g., an industrial controller, an external entity . . . ) from the message recipient (e.g., an industrial controller, an external entity . . . ) such that messages can be successfully transmitted (to the message broker) regardless of a state of the recipient, and messages can be retrieved (from the message broker) regardless of a state of the sender.
US07706889B2

The disclosure describes an implantable stimulation system that guides programming with a therapeutic tree. All possible stimulation parameters are arranged on the therapeutic tree, with each level of the therapeutic tree containing a different stimulation parameter type. Each level includes nodes that are connected to nodes of adjacent levels. A program path is created by moving through nodes of lower levels. The stimulation parameter types are arranged so that coarse adjustments occur at higher levels of the tree and fine adjustments occur at lower levels of the tree. The nodes of the program path define the stimulation parameters of the delivered stimulation therapy. Performance feedback may be used by the system to evaluate nodes of the therapeutic tree and define the program path. The performance feedback may include beneficial effects, adverse effects, and system performance related to the stimulation therapy. Additionally, one or more sensors may provide the performance feedback.
US07706887B2

A method (and resulting structure) for fabricating a sensing device. The method includes providing a substrate comprising a surface region and forming an insulating material overlying the surface region. The method also includes forming a film of carbon based material overlying the insulating material and treating to the film of carbon based material to pyrolyzed the carbon based material to cause formation of a film of substantially carbon based material having a resistivity ranging within a predetermined range. The method also provides at least a portion of the pyrolyzed carbon based material in a sensor application and uses the portion of the pyrolyzed carbon based material in the sensing application. In a specific embodiment, the sensing application is selected from chemical, humidity, piezoelectric, radiation, mechanical strain or temperature.
US07706884B2

An aspect relates to a baroreflex stimulator. An embodiment of the stimulator comprises a pulse generator to provide a baroreflex stimulation signal through an electrode, and a modulator to modulate the baroreflex stimulation signal based on a circadian rhythm template.
US07706873B2

A method and system for the localized delivery of therapeutic agents to internal body tissues, especially the brain. In one aspect the invention is a method of delivering a therapeutic agent to a target location within an internal body tissue, the method comprising: charging the therapeutic agent; providing a plurality of polarizable microcatheters surrounding the target location; delivering the charged therapeutic agent between the microcatheters; and polarizing the microcatheters thereby generating an electrical field between the microcatheters that moves the charged therapeutic agent throughout the target location. In another aspect the invention is a system for carrying out the method.
US07706872B2

A method of measuring of an electrical bio-impedance, the method being characterized in that a symmetrical bipolar pulse-form periodical excitation signal (electrical current or voltage) is applied to the input (11) of the bio-object (1), a corresponding reaction of the bio-object to the mentioned excitation signal is measured from the output (12), which is connected to the input (201) of the synchronous detector (200). A symmetrical bipolar pulse-form periodical signal is also applied to the reference input (202) of the synchronous detector (200), whereby both pulse-form signals are shortened by the predetermined time interval in each half period of the signal, said time intervals being different for the excitation and reference signals. The proposed method ensures an increased accuracy of the impedance analysis by decreasing the influence of the higher harmonics in the spectra of the excitation and reference signals of the synchronous detectors to the measurement result. The use of the rectangular signals ensures that the device for implementing of the proposed method has a simple design and low power consumption.
US07706866B2

Cardiac monitoring and/or stimulation methods and systems provide monitoring, defibrillation and/or pacing therapies. A signal processor receives a plurality of composite signals associated with a plurality of sources, separates a signal using a source separation algorithm, and identifies a cardiac signal using a selected vector. The signal processor may iteratively separate signals from the plurality of composite signals until the cardiac signal is identified. The selected vector may be updated if desired or necessary. A method of signal separation involves detecting a plurality of composite signals at a plurality of locations, separating a signal using source separation, and selecting a vector that provides a cardiac signal. The separation may include a principal component analysis and/or an independent component analysis. Vectors may be selected and updated based on changes of position and/or orientation of implanted components and changes in patient parameters such as patient condition, cardiac signal-to-noise ratio, and disease progression.
US07706861B2

An insertion tool for use in inserting a guide wire into a guide wire lumen of a catheter for use in a lumen of an endoscope. The insertion tool includes a main body having a main lumen and a funnel-shaped extension connected to and disposed atop the main body. The funnel-shaped extension having a funnel lumen. The funnel lumen has a top opening and a bottom opening. The funnel lumen tapering from the top opening to the bottom opening. The bottom opening positioned and sized to communicate with the guide wire lumen of the catheter such that, when the catheter is disposed in the main lumen, the guide wire may be easily inserted into the top opening of the funnel lumen and into the guide wire lumen of the catheter.
US07706849B2

A mobile communication device comprises an internal antenna device for receiving low-band signals of operating frequency band below 1 GHz, and the internal antenna device can be connected in series or parallel with an external antenna such as an earphone. The mobile communication device of the invention uses the internal antenna device for receiving low-band signals, enabling radio alarm function and timed recording of radio programs without plugging in an external earphone.
US07706846B2

A mobile terminal and method for re-selecting a cell in accordance with a residual amount of a battery capacity so that the number of times or re-selecting a cell is reduced in accordance with the residual amount of the battery capacity. Information on a plurality of cells having different priorities in a hierarchical cell structure (HCS) is received and a cell size measuring reference is re-set in accordance with the received cell information or the residual amount of the battery capacity so that the mobile terminal is connected to a cell selected among the cells measured in accordance with the re-set measuring reference.
US07706845B2

A method and system for determining standby time for a mobile station uses a battery simulator, a base station emulator, a computer to control the test equipment and MSUT for testing a mobile station. The computer includes a module for determining a radio off battery voltage, a module for deriving a battery capacity in dependence upon the radio off battery voltage, a module for measuring battery capacity usage in a predetermined time while the mobile station is in standby mode and a module for determining a standby time for the mobile station in dependence upon the battery capacity and the battery capacity usage, where the predetermined time is less than the standby time.
US07706843B2

A mobile handset including a light-alert feature that overcomes some of the problems of cell phone ringers and vibration mechanisms. A mobile handset includes a phone housing, a display carried by the phone housing, one or more illumination devices other than the display carried by the housing that illuminate upon one or more events, and at least one of electronics and software to cause the one or more illumination devices to illuminate upon one or more events.
US07706840B2

A radio base station has a monitor (31), memory (33, 49) and one or more resources (35(i), 37(j), 39(k), 41(m), 43(n), 45(o), 47(p)). The memory (33, 49) is connected to the monitor (31) and stores tasks and data. Each of the resources (35(i), 37(j), 39(k), 41(m), 43(n), 45(o), 47(p)) is connected to the monitor (31) and performs a function or executes a program. The radio base station has an analogue signal manifold (39(k)) with input lines, output lines, and nodes for making connections between input and output lines. The input lines and output lines are connectable to predetermined resources and the nodes may perform a mathematic operation on an incoming signal on the input lines.
US07706835B2

A high-frequency circuit device is provided that achieves cost reduction and reduction in power consumption and does not require an additional high-frequency amplifier even when a transmission frequency band is newly added. The high-frequency circuit device has a configuration including a transmission amplifier circuit for transmitting high-frequency power from an antenna, which includes at least one high-frequency amplifier for a wide frequency band that amplifies signals in a plurality of transmission frequency bands differing by not less than 200 MHz from each other, a duplexer that is provided for performing simultaneous transmission/reception, upstream and downstream switch circuits in the direction of transmission that are provided so as to sandwich the duplexer between the high-frequency amplifier for a wide frequency band and the antenna and are switched on when the simultaneous transmission/reception is performed, and a power supply amplitude modulator that supplies an amplitude modulation voltage to a power supply terminal of the transmission amplifier circuit.
US07706816B2

An apparatus is provided for allocating a transmission period in a wireless network system. An access point (AP) transmits a PSMP frame indicating a downlink period and an uplink period allocated to each station (STA), and at least one sub PSMP frame indicating an allocated downlink period for at least one of a retransmission of downlink data and a transmission of an ACK indicating successful receipt of uplink data. After exchanging data with the AP in the downlink and uplink periods indicated by the PSMP frame, an STA receives the each sub PSMP frame, and performs at least one of a reception of the retransmitted downlink data and a reception of the ACK in the downlink period indicated by the each sub MAP frame.
US07706812B2

A system and method are provided for detecting locations of a customer premises equipment in a wireless communication system with one or more base transceiver stations and one is efficient. A plurality of antennas in a base transceiver station (BTS) receives signals transmitted from a customer premises equipment (CPE). A timing detection module extracts the timing offset from the receiving signals and a first calculation module calculates the distance between the BTS and the CPE based on the timing offset. A signal detection module detects magnitudes and phases of the receiving signals and a second calculation module determines a dominant beam according to the antenna pattern and calculates the direction of arrival of the dominant beam. A third calculation module calculates the location of the CPE relative to the BTS based on the distance and the direction of arrival.
US07706811B2

At least one portable RF communications device in conjunction with at least two fixed-location service-area antenna stations respectively capable of RF communication with the at least one device performs the steps of: (I) using a portable device at a selected location to measure RF communications signals from the plurality of local fixed-location service-area antenna stations and electronically storing at least two of the respective reception signal strength measurements; and (II) monitoring a portable device location by causing the device to measure reception signal strength associated with local fixed-location service-area antenna stations signals, and to electronically compare these measurements with the stored at least two measurements.
US07706785B2

A system and method for context-aware unified communication for enabling communications between users over a common communications platform or heterogeneous communications platforms. The system comprises: agents associated with a respective caller and callee communications device for generating commands providing call control between the caller and callee devices; a routing engine for routing call commands between caller and callee via respective device agents to establish a communication session, and enabling exchange of conversation messages between the caller and callee communications devices over said single or heterogeneous communications platforms; a device for monitoring dynamic context of a callee and obtaining callee's preferences for receiving communications so that the routing engine enables a call setup between a caller and callee communications devices based on the callee's preferences or dynamic context information; and, further enabling either caller or callee to migrate a call to another communications device without disrupting a flow of a conversation.
US07706783B2

A mobile station adapted for channel switching comprises an input unit adapted to receive user input associated with selection of content. The mobile station also comprises a timer generating unit operatively coupled to the input unit, adapted to generate a timer related to transmission of a command derived from the user input to a content server in response to the user input. The mobile station also comprises a transmitting unit operatively coupled to the input unit, adapted to transmit the command derived from the user input to the content server in response to expiration of the timer. The mobile station also comprises a receiving unit operatively coupled to the transmitting unit, adapted to receive the content from the content server in response to receipt of the command derived from the user input by the content server.
US07706782B1

A system and method is described for providing data to a mobile information system. A broadcast server receives information preferences from a plurality of subscribers to the mobile information system. The broadcast server aggregates these information preferences and transmits the aggregated information preferences to at least one data source providers. The data source providers then assemble data for the mobile information system using the aggregated information preferences.
US07706780B2

A method for notifying items in a mobile communication apparatus is disclosed, including the steps of: determining a text for notification of an item; generating a call to a telephone; and rendering the text by a synthetic voice through the call, and a computer program for performing the method. Further, a mobile communication apparatus including a user interface, a processor, and an application run by the processor is disclosed, wherein an item is generated in the application, and a notification text is associated with the item. The mobile communication apparatus further includes a text-to-speech generator for generating synthetic speech corresponding to the notification text; a means for generating a call to a telephone; and a means for rendering the synthetic speech through the call.
US07706779B2

In one embodiment, a scheme is disclosed for controlling voice call continuity (VCC) functionality of a user equipment (UE) device with respect to a call in a network environment including a visited network and an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) network. The UE device's VCC operational mode is provided to be selectably alterable responsive to user input. Upon detecting the VCC operational mode of the UE device, a message is generated by the UE device towards the network environment including a VCC application server node disposed in the IMS network, the message being generated pursuant to a call originated by the UE device while roaming in the visited network, wherein the message includes a VCC operational mode indicator indicative of the UE device's VCC operational mode.
US07706777B2

A system and method for providing a secure user interface in a shared resource environment. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise establishing a first wireless communication link between a first system and a user interface system. A first wireless communication port may, for example, establish such a wireless communication link. A first secure communication pathway may be established between the first system and the user interface system. A first secure communication module may, for example, establish such a secure communication pathway. A second wireless communication link may be established between a second system and the user interface system. A second wireless communication port may, for example, establish such a wireless communication link. A second communication pathway between the second system and the user interface system may be established. A second communication module may, for example, establish such a communication pathway.
US07706776B2

A system and method for enhancing media access control (MAC) address privacy in a multi-hop wireless network, comprising providing at least one node which generates a temporary MAC address for itself for use in the network by at least one other node, and which ensures that the temporary MAC address is unique among other nodes in the network prior to using the temporary MAC address.
US07706763B2

When operating a mobile station in an Enhanced General Packet Radio Service (EGPRS)-compliant mode of operation, a first performance of the mobile station (110) in the EGPRS-compliant mode of operation is evaluated based upon received operating parameters. A second performance of the mobile station (110) in a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)-compliant mode of operation is also determined based upon the received operating parameters. The EGPRS-compliant mode of the mobile station (110) is switched to the GPRS-compliant mode of operation whenever the second performance is evaluated to be preferable to the first performance.
US07706762B2

An objective of this invention is to obtain a signal processing circuit and a signal processing method that reduce temperature-induced distortion when inputting a signal to a mixer and changing the frequency of the signal to a desired frequency. If a sensing result from a temperature sensor 133 is lower than a predetermined temperature, the attenuation factor of a first variable attenuator 102 is large while the attenuation factor of a second variable attenuator 108 is small. The magnitude relationship between the attenuation factors is reversed in a temperature range of the predetermined temperature or more. In a mixer 104 in which at a low temperature, the gain increases, and distortion increases, an increase in IM3 distortion can be prevented by increasing the attenuation factor at a low temperature. The same applies to a case where a mixer that has an amplifier arranged at a preceding stage thereof and makes the amplification factor of the amplifier large at a low temperature is used. An amplification factor may be adjusted instead of an attenuation factor.
US07706761B2

The present invention relates to a power amplifying circuit of a mobile terminal and, more particularly, to a voltage gain control circuit in a mobile terminal which is capable of acquiring a variable voltage gain. The present invention includes a transceiver controller to produce a voltage gain control signal and transforming analog and digital signals; a first driving voltage controller for generating a reference voltage for a predetermined voltage gain according to the voltage gain control signal; a DC voltage transformer for transforming source voltage into a first driving voltage according to the reference voltage of the first driving voltage controller; a second driving voltage controller for generating a second driving voltage according to the voltage gain control signal; and a power amplifier for generating a predetermined voltage gain according to the first driving voltage supplied by the DC voltage transformer and the second driving voltage supplied by the second driving voltage controller.
US07706750B2

A method for sharing Bluetooth pairs across multiple operating system partitions. The method includes the steps of pairing a first operating system partition with a Bluetooth enabled device; determining when a memory of an information handling system includes an additional operating system partition; and, pairing the additional operating system partition with the Bluetooth enabled device when the additional operating system partition is present.
US07706747B1

A method and apparatus for broadcasting in a satellite communication system includes uplinking first uplink signals using a primary site, determining a switchover event and determining a primary site switch time. The primary site switch timer is determined along with a diverse site switch timer that is after the primary switch time. The uplink signal is discontinued from the primary site and the uplinking second uplink signals from the diverse site.
US07706746B2

A cellular communications system comprising a space based system comprising a first set of cells, and a ground based system comprising a second set of cells. The space and ground systems can optionally function substantially autonomously, with each using spectrum from at least one predetermined frequency band.
US07706743B1

One embodiment of a radio device, in which a specialized receiver and antenna (10 and 11), an input mechanism (14), a storage area (12), a timer/multiplexer (16) and timer/multiplexer switch (17), control signals (13, 15, 18, and 19), low power transmitter (20) and low power transmitter antenna (21), under FCC Part 15 low power transmitter rules, provide aircraft communications to the general public on commercial AM and FM bands.
US07706737B2

The disclosed embodiments are directed to the printing of mixed output jobs automatically as a single integrated job. More particularly, a merging module connects two print systems, for example, at approximately 90 degrees to one another, although other configurations are possible. The merging module includes at least one sheet rotator in a plane that is common to both the paper paths of both print engines. It also includes at least two bypass paths (one above and one below the rotator) to route the two paper paths around the rotator and enable both print engines to deliver their output to the appropriate finishing device.
US07706714B2

An image-forming device includes a plurality of developer cartridges, a developer moving member and a conveying belt. Each of the developer cartridges includes a casing, a developing roller and a leakage restraining member. The peripheral surface of the developer cartridge has a first peripheral part to convey the developer accommodated in the casing and a second peripheral part. The leakage restraining member is disposed between the casing and the second peripheral part and slidingly contacts the second peripheral part so as to restrain the developer from leaking out of the first peripheral part. The developer moving member moves developer leaked from between the second peripheral part and the leakage restraining member out of a predetermined region at a position opposing the leakage restraining member.
US07706710B2

The image forming apparatus preferably includes a process unit, an acquisition unit, a detection unit, and a selection unit. The process unit executes processes in a plurality of modes corresponding to identification information for identifying a user. The acquisition unit acquires identification information for identifying a user. The detection unit detects presence or absence of an object to be used in at least any one of the plurality of modes. The selection unit selects a mode corresponding to the presence or absence of the object detected by the detection unit from the plurality of modes corresponding to the identification information acquired by the acquisition unit.
US07706706B2

A printer or other powder deposition device may include multiple toning stations, and the toning stations may be positioned in various configurations within the device. The various configurations may position the toning stations so as to increase the toning width of the device, thereby allowing the device to print larger process widths. The device may also perform processing control for the multiple toning stations.
US07706686B2

A router includes a first processing module (1) adapted to route primary resources as a function of instructions received, inputs (2) adapted to feed the first processing module (1) with primary resources, outputs (3) adapted to collect primary resources switched by said first processing module (1), a second processing module (6) adapted to process secondary resources to be added or dropped, and coupling means (9) including a drop bus (8) and/or an add bus (7) and adapted, on the instructions of the control means (15), to drop either the whole of a primary resource arriving at one of said inputs (2) and/or outputs (3) or a portion thereof to feed said second processing module (6), and/or to add a secondary resource processed by said second processing module to a primary resource received at one of said inputs (2) and/or outputs (3) and in transit to a common destination.
US07706679B2

When an image obtained with use of a digital camera is deleted, deletion information including time and date of photography thereof is generated and recorded in a memory card. When an image obtained by photography is stored in the memory card, the deletion information is referred to, and a weight is set for the photographed image according to the number of deleted images photographed within a predetermined time before and/or after photography of the image, and added to the image.
US07706673B1

A portable camera actuation system is disclosed that may be used for taking self-portraits. The system includes an extendable handle assembly that may be held by a user at a first end thereof, and a base unit coupled to a second end of said extendable handle assembly. The base unit is for receiving a camera mounted thereon. The system also includes a remote shutter transmitter unit for providing a wireless shutter signal, and a remote wireless signal receiver unit. The remote shutter transmitter unit is provided at a location that is remote from the camera. The wireless shutter signal receiver unit is coupled to the base unit and is for providing actuation of an external shutter button on the camera responsive to the wireless shutter signal.
US07706663B2

Systems and methods for deriving content information about a work of multimedia content and embedding the derived content information in a multimedia bitstream to form a hybrid multimedia bitstream are disclosed. The embedded derived content information may be extracted from the multimedia bitstream by an executable module to assist in compressing the performance duration of the multimedia bitstream.
US07706656B2

A fiber optic adapter assembly includes a plurality of adapters included in an integrally formed body. Each of the adapters may include a protective shutter mounted within one end. The adapter assembly may be configured to mount to a chassis and position the adapters for receiving fiber optic connectors of telecommunications modules mounted to the chassis.
US07706653B2

Provided is an optical waveguide device including: a core having a stacked structure of at least three layers in which first thin films having a finite width and thickness and formed of a material having a relatively high electric conductivity and a second thin film having the same width as the first thin films and formed of a material having a lower conductivity than the material forming the first thin films are stacked in sequence, the first thin films being disposed in a first layer and an uppermost layer and adjacent to each other for interaction of surface plasmons; and a clad disposed around the core and formed of a material having a lower conductivity than the material forming the first thin films and a higher refractive index than the material forming the second thin film. The thin metal films of at least two layers having a high electric conductivity in the optical waveguide device can generate a combined surface plasmon mode and propagate the generated surface plasmon mode in the length direction of the thin metal films. Thus, a propagated signal suffers from a smaller propagation loss than a surface plasmon mode supported by a single thin film.
US07706652B2

An optical waveguide device includes: a channel waveguide which is positioned at a predetermined height relative to a bottom surface of a substrate; and a slab waveguide having a cross-sectional shape wider than that of the channel waveguide, being positioned at a predetermined height relative to the channel waveguide. Initially, an input end face of the optical waveguide device is vertically scanned with a light beam to achieve optical coupling with the slab waveguide, followed by transversely scanning to achieve optical coupling with the channel waveguide, hence, alignment of an optical axis with a minute channel waveguide can be effected easily and quickly.
US07706650B2

The invention relates to a composite structure (11) formed by a plurality of layers (13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23) including an optical fiber (25) for structural monitoring purposes which is at least partly embedded in said structure (11), incorporating a protective cover (27) in those areas of its embedded part susceptible to needing repair, and to a process for repairing said embedded optical fiber comprising the following steps: identifying the optical fiber area in need of repair, removing material until reaching the cover (27), extracting said area, removing the protective cover (27), repairing the optical fiber (25), relocating the repaired area in the structure and returning the removed material.
US07706644B2

One or more nanotaper coupling waveguides formed within an optical substrate allows for straightforward, reproducible offset launch conditions to be achieved between an incoming signal and the core region of a multimode fiber (which may be disposed along an alignment fixture formed in the optical substrate), fiber array or other multimode waveguiding structure. Offset launching of a single mode signal into a multimode fiber couples the signal into favorable spatial modes which reduce the presence of differential mode dispersion along the fiber. This approach to providing single mode signal coupling into legacy multimode fiber is considered to be an improvement over the prior art which required the use of an interface element between a single mode fiber and multimode fiber, limiting the number of propagating signals and applications for the legacy multimode fiber. An optical switch may be used to select the specific nanotaper(s) for coupling into the multimode fiber.
US07706636B2

A part object which forms a model object is disposed by receiving a disposition direction for the part object and updating slot state data indicating a disposition state of the part object in a part slot provided corresponding to each part object. When another part object has been disposed in the part slot corresponding to the part object for which the disposition direction has been issued, whether or not to update the slot state data of the part slot is determined based on priority information which determines disposition priority of each part object, and the slot state data is updated based on the determination result.
US07706633B2

Exemplary systems and methods for performing registration applications are provided. An exemplary system includes a central processing unit (CPU) for transferring a plurality of images to a graphics processing unit (GPU); wherein the GPU performs a registration application on the plurality of images to produce a registration result, and wherein the GPU returns the registration result to the CPU. An exemplary method includes the steps of transferring a plurality of images from a central processing unit (CPU) to a graphics processing unit (GPU); performing a registration application on the plurality of images using the GPU; transferring the result of the step of performing from the GPU to CPU.
US07706628B2

An image processing apparatus of the present invention receives a luminance signal indicating luminance or an amount of brightness and input signals indicating a plurality of color differences, and it includes: a signal generator generating a signal Z depending on the input signals indicating the plural color differences; a gain generator generating a transformation gain k(Z) by using the signal Z; and a tone transformation unit which multiplies the luminance signal by the transformation gain k(Z) to calculate a luminance signal after tone transformation.
US07706620B2

The present invention provides an information processing apparatus and control method thereof and a storage medium that stores its control program capable of generating a code image with the optimum device in accordance with the amount and/or contents of the information to be encoded, and/or considering the load of the equipment. The information processing apparatus is electrically connected to an image processing apparatus, and includes: a deciding section for deciding on whether to generate a code image by encoding information or to issue a command for causing to generate the code image by encoding the information; and a processing section for generating, when the deciding section decides to generate, the code image by encoding the information and transmitting it to the image processing apparatus, and for transmitting, when the deciding section decides to issue, the command to the image processing apparatus.
US07706612B2

A method for classifying two-dimensional shapes comprising: creating a training dataset for the shape under study with a similar shape group and a dissimilar shape group; computing an average shape from the similar shape group; aligning all shapes in the database to the average shape; and classifying shapes into two clusters based on their similarity distances.
US07706610B2

An “Image Segmenter” provides a variational energy formulation for segmentation of natural objects from images. In general, the Image Segmenter operates by adopting Gaussian mixture models (GMM) to capture the appearance variation of objects in one or more images. A global image data likelihood potential is then computed and combined with local region potentials to obtain a robust and accurate estimation of pixel foreground and background distributions. Iterative minimization of a “global-local energy function” is then accomplished by evolution of a foreground/background boundary curve by level set, and estimation of a foreground/background model by fixed-point iteration, termed “quasi-semi-supervised EM.” In various embodiments, this process is further improved by providing general object shape information for use in rectifying objects segmented from the image.
US07706601B2

An object pose estimating and matching system is disclosed for estimating and matching the pose of an object highly accurately by establishing suitable weighting coefficients, against images of an object that has been captured under different conditions of pose, illumination. Pose candidate determining unit determines pose candidates for an object. Comparative image generating unit generates comparative images close to an input image depending on the pose candidates, based on the reference three-dimensional object models. Weighting coefficient converting unit determines a coordinate correspondence between the standard three-dimensional weighting coefficients and the reference three-dimensional object models, using the standard three-dimensional basic points and the reference three-dimensional basic points, and converts the standard three-dimensional weighting coefficients into two-dimensional weighting coefficients depending on the pose candidates. Weighted matching and pose selecting unit calculates weighted distance values or similarity degrees between said input image and the comparative images, using the two-dimensional weighting coefficients, and selects one of the comparative images whose distance value up to the object is the smallest or whose similarity degree with respect to the object is the greatest, thereby to estimate and match the pose of the object.
US07706600B2

Virtual navigation (2255) and examination of virtual objects are enhanced using methods of insuring that an entire surface to be examined has been properly viewed. A user interface (FIG. 23) identifies regions which have not been subject to examination and provides a mechanism (2250) to route the user to these regions in the 3D display. Virtual examination is further improved by the use of measuring disks (905) to enhance quantitative measurements such as diameter, distance, volume and angle. Yet another enhancement to the virtual examination of objects is a method of electronic segmentation, or cleaning, which corrects for partial volume effects occurring in an object.
US07706594B2

The present disclosure is directed to a method and apparatus for applying magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) technology to enable the embedding of coded information within text characters of a document.
US07706589B2

A method is provided for analysis of a multi-dimensional structure which includes a tubular structure from two-dimensional datasets for respective pre-determined projection directions. A pair of corresponding initial projected centre points of the tubular structure is identified in two respective initial and further two-dimensional datasets. Projected edges of the tubular structure in said initial two-dimensional datasets and in said further two-dimensional dataset near the respective projected centre points are identified. A local size of the tubular structure is derived at the three-dimensional spatial position of the centre point of the tubular structure from said projected edges and the predetermined projection directions.
US07706583B2

There is disclosed an image processing apparatus which implements an image process suitable for an effect for compositing or switching images, and an image process that allows smooth high-speed playback of even an image in motion. The apparatus has band segmentation means for segmenting an image signal into a plurality of frequency band components, and image composition means for, after the band segmentation means segments input first and second image signals, outputting a third image signal by replacing image data for respective segmented band components. When image data, which are recorded while being segmented into a plurality of frequency band components, are composited for respective band, and the composite image data is output, image data obtained by compositing a plurality of image frequency components is decoded and played back in a high-speed playback mode.
US07706572B2

An obstacle detection system using stereo cameras mounted on a vehicle, to detect an obstacle existing on a ground plane at a high speed and in a high precision even with the stereo cameras being uncalibrated and with a vibration during a traveling and a change in the inclination of the ground plane. The obstacle detection system comprises: a plurality of uncalibrated TV cameras for inputting stereo images; an image storage unit 2 for storing a plurality of images inputted from the TV cameras; a feature extraction unit 3 for extracting a plurality of mutually parallel lines existing on the ground plane; a parameter computation unit 4 for determining a relation to hold between the projected positions of an arbitrary point of the ground plane upon the individual images, from the plurality of lines extracted by the feature extraction unit 3; and a detection unit 5 for detecting an object having a height from the ground plane, by using the relation determined by the parameter computation unit 4.
US07706566B2

A system and method are disclosed which may include subjecting an original, pixel domain image to an Integer Wavelet Transform (IWT) to obtain a matrix of IWT coefficients; selecting a plurality of the IWT coefficients for incorporation of information therein; and setting signs for the plurality of selected IWT coefficients according to bit values of a plurality of respective data bits. The system and method can also include subjecting a marked pixel domain image to an Integer Wavelet Transform to obtain a matrix of wavelet coefficients; selecting a plurality of the coefficients from the matrix that contain embedded information; and for each selected coefficient, extracting the data bit embedded in the coefficient, a bit value of the extracted data bit determined based on a sign of the coefficient.
US07706565B2

The present invention provides digital watermarks through multiple channels. The channels can include, e.g., visible, ultraviolet and infrared channels. The non-visible channels can be selected to fluoresce either in the visible or IR/UV spectrums upon the appropriate illumination in the infrared or ultraviolet spectrums. The watermarks in the various multiple channels can cooperate to facilitate watermark detection or to authenticate an object in which the watermarks are embedded. In other implementations the multiple watermarks include so-called orientation components. A relative relationship between the orientation components is used to convey data.
US07706562B2

A corrugated damper for a speaker has a plurality of alternating concentric peaks and valleys formed on a surface thereof and a plurality of ribs installed on the valleys in such a way that both ends of the ribs are connected between their respective two adjacent peaks, thereby enhancing strength of the damper while keeping its basic elasticity, and preventing from deformation or breakage of the, damper due to long-term uneven action forces.
US07706559B2

A microphone assembly comprises a housing that includes a conductive material. A preamplifier circuit is disposed within the housing, the preamplifier circuit having a signal input and a ground terminal. A microphone portion is disposed within the housing, the microphone portion having an output coupled to the signal input of the preamplifier circuit. A ribbon wire is attached to the ground terminal of the preamplifier circuit and is attached to the housing.
US07706558B2

The invention relates to an automated system for adjusting line array speakers. The automated system includes a system for moving two or more speakers with a moving device. Additionally, moving two linear actuators essentially simultaneously; a bracket to attach to the moving device to the speaker; a remote control system for controlling the movement of the speakers and for displaying the position of the speakers in real time; and a system for modeling and determining the proper frequency response for a venue and automatically adjusting the linear array speaker systems to the proper position for the proper frequency response.
US07706551B2

In accordance with one aspect of the dynamic volume control, an indication that a user desires to input oral data to a system through one or more microphones of the system is received. In response to receipt of the indication, a volume level for audible signals output by one or more speakers of the system is automatically adjusted. In accordance with another aspect of the dynamic volume control, an indication that a communications source is about to output data through one or more speakers of a system is received. In response to receipt of the indication, a volume level for audible signals output by the one or more speakers is automatically adjusted based at least in part on a current volume setting. The volume level for the audible signals can be determined based on one or more of a variety of different parameters.
US07706550B2

A noise estimation unit estimates a noise signal in an input signal. A section decision unit distinguishes a target signal section from a noise signal section in the input signal. A noise suppression unit suppresses the noise signal based on a first suppression coefficient from the input signal. A noise excess suppression unit suppresses the noise signal based on a second suppression coefficient from the input signal. The second suppression coefficient is larger than the first suppression coefficient. A switching unit switches between an output signal from the noise suppression unit and an output signal from the noise excess suppression unit based on a decision result of the section decision unit.
US07706540B2

A method includes generating a set of session keys and encrypting content utilizing the set of session keys to generate encrypted content. The set of session keys is transmitted. The encrypted content is transmitted to a content destination, so as to enable the content destination, utilizing the set of session keys, to decrypt the encrypted content.
US07706533B2

Enhancements to a video anticopying process that causes an abnormally low amplitude video signal to be recorded on an illegal copy. The enhancements in one version introduce into the overscan portion of the television picture, just prior to the horizontal or vertical sync signals but in active video, a negative going waveform that appears to the television receiver or videotape recorder to be a sync signal, thereby causing an early horizontal or vertical retrace. One version provides (in the right overscan portion of the picture), a checker pattern of alternating gray and black areas which causes the TV set on which the illegal copy is played to horizontally retrace earlier than normal in selected lines with a consequential horizontal shift of the picture information on those lines. This substantially degrades picture viewability. In another version a gray pattern at the bottom overscan portion of the picture causes vertical picture instability. In another version selected horizontal sync signals are narrowed, causing irregular vertical retraces. Also provided is apparatus for removing or attenuating these enhancements from the video signal, to allow copying.
US07706527B2

An interruption device arranged in a communication line including first and second cables in series, each including a first group of wires for the transmission of computer data and a second group of wires independent of the computer data, includes: a box provided with first and second input/output sockets with which the first and second cables, respectively, are connected; interrupters each connected between the first and second input/output sockets inside the box and actuable from outside the box, these interrupters being associated respectively with the wires of the first group; and transmission elements not including an interrupter and each connected between the first and second input/output sockets inside the box, these transmission elements being associated respectively with the wires of the second group. In a variant, the second input/output socket is replaced by two sockets associated with the interrupters and the transmission elements, respectively.
US07706526B2

Apparatus and methods for deriving power from an active POTS twisted pair of lines for powering associated auxiliary electrical devices, such as signal processing electronics, includes a power supply for providing a regulated DC voltage and current, and a current regulator for limiting the current flowing in the twisted pair to a predetermined value that does not disrupt the normal signaling and operation of the telephone circuit. Another current regulator in the power supply limits the input current from the twisted pair during power surges to another predetermined value that prevents line latching in an off hook condition. A shared power arrangement derives power from a plurality of twisted pairs and powers another plurality of auxiliary electrical devices in parallel, thereby limiting the line current of any one twisted pair to a value that avoids disrupting the normal operation of the telephone circuit.
US07706525B2

A side-tone circuit comprises a microphone configured to generate a reverse link audio signal and a side-tone noise suppressor. The side tone noise suppressor is configured to receive the reverse link audio signal, suppress noise in the received reverse link audio signal, and output a noise suppressed side-tone signal. The side-tone noise circuit also includes a speaker configured to receive the noise suppressed audio signal and communicate it to a user.
US07706520B1

A system and method for facilitating transcription of an audio recording, with auditing. An IVR (Interactive Voice Response) unit makes a set of audio recordings of a caller's input during a call. The set of audio recordings is stored in a database and queued for transcription by remote agents. The recordings are forwarded to a first agent who listens to the audio and completes a form with text corresponding to the audio. The system then determines whether to audit the first agent's transcription by having another agent transcribe the same set of recordings. The recordings may be re-queued and transcribed multiple times, until two (or more) of the transcriptions match, or until some threshold number of transcriptions have been obtained. An agent may contact the caller (e.g., via telephone or electronic mail) if a recording cannot be fully transcribed.
US07706517B1

A system and method for initiating calls via electronic calendar is disclosed. A call list is associated by a user to a particular time and day within the electronic calendar. When the particular day and time arrives, the call list is forwarded to a service which executes the call list, and subsequently contacts the members of the call list. The system may initially query the callees through a prerecorded voice messaging system to determine which callees are present, and then establish a telephone connection based on responses to the queries. Once a connection is established, the user and the members of the list are linked to a conference bridge.
US07706515B1

The present invention is an expandable multi-zone paging and signaling system. In particular, the present invention is an apparatus and method for a paging controller wherein a user can program a response to a non-audio input signal in accordance with a set of prioritized inputs to a telephone interface device. The activity status of the set of prioritized inputs of the selected telephone interface device are combined using a logical OR function. By performing the logical OR function of the activity status of various telephone interface device inputs, the non-audio output signal can be customized to provide useful interactions with other outboard equipment.
US07706514B2

The invention uses the advanced intelligent network to provide caller identification for calls placed over the internet (24). A long distance call placed with an internet carrier results in the originating SSP (14) forwarding the call to an originating POP (22) for the internet carrier. The caller ID information is routed through the signaling system 7 network (16) to the SSP (32) in the terminating network. The call is routed to a terminating POP (26) and then to the SSP (32) in the terminating network. The SSP (32) inserts the caller ID information received through the SS7 network (16) and routes the call to the terminating line (30).
US07706497B2

A method for reducing noise in a computed tomographic (CT) image includes acquiring both a first set of projection views and a second set of projection views, wherein for each projection view in the first set of projection views there is an associated projection view in the second set of projection views representing the same object scanned at substantially the same time from substantially the same position. The method further includes reconstructing the first set of projection views and the associated second set of projection views to obtain a first image and a second image, respectively. Next, the first image and the second image are combined to obtain a noise map and an amount of noise in a product image is estimated utilizing the noise map. The method also includes filtering using the noise map to perform noise reduction.
US07706495B2

A two-point frequency modulation apparatus is proposed whereby the spectrum of transmission waves is kept within the spectrum mask. Voltage is supplied to the control voltage terminal of VCO 1 in accordance with modulation data via noise shaper 101 that has operating characteristics of attenuating more noise at higher frequencies. As a result, by virtue of the working of noise shaper 101, the signal level outputted from the PLL circuit combining the modulation signal and the quantization noise decreases in proportion to the distance form the central frequency, so that two-point frequency modulation apparatus 100 is made possible whereby the spectrum of an RF modulation signal is kept within the spectrum mask.
US07706487B2

In training a SERDES, a Common Electrical Interface (CEI) training frame, having certain bits of information embedded therein, is transmitted over a path which comprises transmitter, channel, and receiver components. The present invention analyzes the resulting received signal and determines the effective aggregate channel impulse response of these three components. The invention then determines an estimate of the inverse of this aggregate channel and uses this determination to reduce distortions that have been introduced into a signal that has been transmitted over the path.
US07706482B2

A method for differential phase evaluation of M-ary communication data is employed in which the data consists of N sequential symbols r1 . . . rN, each having one of M transmitted phases. Selected sequences of N−1 elements that represent possible sequences of phase differentials are evaluated using multiple-symbol differential detection. Using r1 as the reference for each phase differential estimate, sN−1 phase differential sequences are selected in the form (P2i, P3i, . . . , PNi) for i=1 to s for evaluating said symbol set, where s is predetermined and 1
US07706479B2

A carrier interpolation unit (a digital filter) performs interpolation processing of SP signal in the frequency domain. An IFFT circuit converts a frequency-domain signal into a time-domain signal. A delay profile generation unit generates a delay profile based on an output of the IFFT circuit. The filter control unit controls a pass band of the digital filter in accordance with the delay profile. An FFT window control unit controls a position of a window to extract a calculation range of FFT in accordance with the delay profile. When delay time of multipath is larger than the guard interval, and when the reception power of the interference wave is larger than a threshold, the pass band of the digital filter is minimized.
US07706472B2

Methods and systems for detecting defects in serial link transceivers. Defect detection includes detecting open circuits in one or more of the transmission lines, detecting short circuits between one or more of the transmission lines and a power supply, detecting short circuits between the transmission lines, or detecting short circuits across optional AC-couplings in the transmission lines. The detection can include direct or indirect detection of voltage or current.
US07706461B2

In a communication method for transmitting a multipath characteristic measurement signal and a plurality of data transmission signals, the multipath characteristic measurement signal and data transmission signals are a signal array formed by a plurality of coefficient matrices that are orthogonal to one another within the matrices and which comprise at least one coefficient array that is common in the column direction or row direction. The multipath characteristic measurement signal formed by the coefficient matrices is the same signal array formed by the one common coefficient array. As a result, the transmission wait time and the signal reception time required for transmission of a multiplicity of data transmission signals are shortened in the simultaneous transmission of the multipath characteristic measurement signal and the plurality of data transmission signals by the spread modulation of transmission data by means of a spread spectrum, whereby the scale of the reception processing device is miniaturized.
US07706459B2

Systems and methods are provided for improving a channel estimate in a signal communication system. The systems and methods improve the channel estimation quality and/or the delay spread of the channels that can be estimated. The combining of symbols operates to increase the density of pilots that are processed to provide the channel estimate.
US07706458B2

In a communication system, and in particular a wireless Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) communication system, the present invention provides systems for synchronizing data transmitted across a channel. The present invention may be used in a Multi-Input, Multi-Output (MIMO) system in which the data is transmitted from any number of transmitting antennas and received by any number of receiving antennas. The number of transmitting and receiving antennas does not necessarily have to be the same. Circuitry is provided for synchronizing the data in both the time domain and frequency domain. Time synchronization involves coarse time synchronization and fine time synchronization. Frequency synchronization involves coarse frequency offset estimation, fine frequency offset estimation, and frequency offset correction.
US07706457B2

Embodiments of multicarrier receiver and method for beamforming using rate-dependent feedback in a wireless network are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. In some embodiments, decimated beamforming matrices are generated for groups of two or more subcarriers and provided to a multicarrier transmitter. The number of subcarriers in a group may be based on a receive data rate. The multicarrier transmitter uses the decimated beamforming matrices to beamform signals for transmission to the multicarrier receiver.
US07706448B2

Subject matter includes exemplary methods of reversible diffusion-based compression and an exemplary compression engine. In one implementation, a reversible diffusion function is applied to decrease high spatial frequency pixel values in an image or a prediction error image residue and to smooth variances between adjacent pixel values. An exemplary reversible diffusion function can increase data compression without loss of high frequency information yet operate with online encoders and decoders that lack significant processing power. An exemplary method transforms the data to make the data more amenable to compression schemes that utilize entropy transforms as an intermediate processing step, for example, prior to Huffman coding.
US07706447B2

A method for transmitting video information is shown, in which at least a first bit-stream (510) and a second bit-stream are formed. The first bit-stream (510) includes a video frame, and the second bit-stream (520) includes a predictive video frame (524). Different encoding parameters are used with encoding of the frames of the first bit-stream (510) and the second bit-stream (520). A frame of the first bit-stream (510) is transmitted, and the transmission is switched over from the first (510) to the second bit-stream (520) during which a secondary switching frame (550) is transmitted encoded using the encoding parameters of the second bit-stream (520) and at least one reference frame from the first bit-stream (510). The secondary switching frame (550) is used as a reference frame in the reconstruction of the predictive video frame (524) of the second set of video frames.
US07706446B2

An image processing apparatus detecting a noise area in image data generated by decoding encoded data encoded by a frequency transform method and a lossy compression method. The image processing apparatus includes a motion detection unit for detecting motion in an area having at least one pixel in the image data, a deviation detection unit for detecting the deviation of the image motion in the area having at least one pixel, and a noise detection unit for detecting the noise area in accordance with the deviation of the image motion.
US07706445B2

When a reverse reproduction is instructed, B pictures and P pictures in an MPEG video stream are once decoded and are again recoded into B pictures by an MPEG video encoder. Combined with I picture in the MPEG video stream, thereafter, a recoded data sequence comprised of I pictures and B pictures is generated, so as to be overwritten in a storage area of a hard disk. An MPEG video decoder reads out this recoded data sequence in a reverse time-series manner, and decodes this successively and outputs it to a display circuit.
US07706444B1

A video system for coding a stream of video data that includes a stream of video frames divides each video frame into a matrix of a plurality of subblocks, wherein each subblock includes a plurality of pixels. The video system operates in accordance with nine prediction modes. Each prediction mode determines a prediction mode according to which a present subblock is to be coded. One of the nine prediction modes is selected to encode the present subblock, wherein the selected prediction mode provides for a minimum error value in the present subblock.
US07706435B2

Apparatus and method for correlating a received communication of a known sequence over a wireless channel through the use of a finite impulse response (FIR) filter having a small number of taps to reduce hardware requirement by as much as one-half that of conventional techniques while obtaining amplitude degradation which is no worse than experienced when employing conventional techniques.
US07706430B2

A system, apparatus and method for a multi-stage Parallel Residue Compensation (PRC) receiver for enhanced suppression of the Multiple Access Interference (MAI) in Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems. The accuracy of the interference estimation is improved with a set of weights computed from an adaptive Normalized Least Mean Square (NLMS) algorithm. In order to reduce complexity, the commonality of the multi-code processing is extracted and used to derive a structure of PRC to avoid direct interference cancellation. The derived PRC structure reduces the interference cancellation architecture from a complexity that is proportional to the square of the number of users to a complexity that is linear with respect to the number of users. The complexity is further reduced by replacing dedicated multiplier circuits with simple combinational logic.
US07706425B2

A Littrow-type external-cavity diode laser optical axis displacement correction method and device to easily, inexpensively, and accurately correct displacement of optical axis in Littrow-type ECDLs is provided. In the Littrow-type ECDL optical axis displacement correction device and method, a means for introducing a laser beam, a jig 36 for integrally fixing a diffraction grating 33 and a prism 35 into which the laser beam is introduced in a predetermined arrangement, and a rotary shaft 34 capable of integrally rotating the diffraction grating 33 and the prism 35 are included. By the rotation of the diffraction grating 33 and the prism 35 around the rotary shaft 34, the wavelength of the incident light can be changed, and the optical axis of the output light 39 is not changed by the change of the wavelength.
US07706420B2

An apparatus for providing a pulsed radiation beam has a radiation source providing a pulsed radiation beam at a constant pulse repetition frequency. A beam deflector in the path of the pulsed radiation beam is actuable to redirect the pulsed radiation beam cyclically towards each of a plurality of beam intensity modulators in turn. A beam recombiner combines modulated light from each of the plurality of beam intensity modulators in order to form the modulated pulsed radiation beam at the constant pulse repetition frequency.
US07706411B2

One embodiment disclosed relates to a method of handling oversubscribed ports between switches. An oversubscribed port is detected at a detecting switch. A set of paths exiting at the oversubscribed port is selected for retagging, and tags for the set of paths are invalidated. When packets with the invalidated tags are received, the received packets are retagged with a tag associated with a detour path. Another embodiment disclosed relates to a packet switch apparatus with oversubscribed port handling capability for use in a switching mesh. Another embodiment disclosed relates to a switching mesh including a capability to handle oversubscribed ports between switches.
US07706409B2

A system and method for parsing, filtering, and computing the checksum in a host Ethernet adapter (HEA) that is coupled to a host. The method includes receiving a part of a frame, wherein a plurality of parts of a frame constitute a entire frame. Next, parse the part of a frame before receiving the entire frame. The HEA computes a checksum of the part of a frame. The HEA filters the part of a frame based on a logical, port-specific policy and transmits the checksum to the host.
US07706405B2

A method and system for the UE and RNC to reduce transmission latency and potentially prevent loss of PDUs upon a MAC layer reset. UE generation of the status PDU is coupled with the MAC layer reset. The RNC generates a message with a MAC reset indication. Following the MAC layer reset all PDUs stored in the UE MAC layer reordering buffers are flushed to RLC entities and then processed by RLC entities prior to the generation of a PDU status report. The PDU status report provides to the RNC the status of all successfully received PDUs. Upon reception of a PDU status report in the RNC, missing PDUs are realized and retransmitted to the UE.
US07706404B2

A wireless device dynamically adjusts its beacon period as devices join and disconnect from a network. The number of open beacon slots is programmable and maintained as devices join the piconet.
US07706402B2

The present invention pertains to a system and corresponding method for distributed processing of packet data containing audio information. The system includes a host processing module for exchanging packet data containing audio information with a data packet network, wherein the host processing module includes host logic for performing non-real-time processing of the packet data. The system also includes a slave processing module coupled to the host processing module for exchanging packet data with the host processing module, wherein the slave processing module includes slave logic for performing real-time processing of the packet data, and for interfacing with a media device.
US07706392B2

A network system comprises dynamic power management controllers respectively configured for usage in a Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE) and a Powered Device (PD) coupled by a network cable in a configuration that transfers power and communication signals from the PSE to the PD. The dynamic power management controllers are configured to communicate power management information over the network cable at a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) layer and/or a Media Access Control (MAC) layer.
US07706389B2

A method for implementing the interaction of the IWF service data includes the steps of that: the base station controller encapsulates the PPP data bearing the IWF server data into the RTP packet data by defining the IWF data carry format between the base station and the media gateway; the interaction of the IWF service data between the base station and the IWF device is implemented based on encapsulated packet. The method of this invention solves the problem of that: after the A interface between the base station and the mobile switch center is standardized by IP, it can't support the IWF service, because of not defining the IWF data bearer format between the base station controller and media gateway logical interface in the prior art, this invention can support the IWF service, after A interface is standardized by IP.
US07706386B2

A scheduler utilizes a data structure in the form of an augmented, pruned, radix tree to implement 2-key scheduling.
US07706383B2

An optical transport network comprises a number of nodes, or routers, which are coupled together via optical fibers. When a physical link comes up between a node and a neighboring node, a handshake between the node and the neighboring node recognizes the link such that the node, and the neighboring node, include it in respective link assignment tables. In addition, the node and the neighboring node negotiate a predefined sequence for assigning link resources from their respective assignment tables for satisfying future connection requests.
US07706380B2

A data transmission method includes a step of dividing each data into two or more low-speed data so as to create two or more sequences of low-speed data which are separated by no-signal intervals, a step of adding a fixed pattern for detecting a head or an end of each low-speed data included in each of the two or more sequences of low-speed data to each of the no-signal intervals included in each of the two or more sequences of low-speed data so as to create two or more sequences of fixed-pattern-added low-speed data, and a step of transmitting the two or more sequences of fixed-pattern-added low-speed data to the transmit station connected to the other network.
US07706379B2

A transmitting apparatus includes an input interface which receives a TS, a counter which counts the number of packets contained in the TS and output count values, a multiplexing section which multiplexes the output count values of PCR packets contained in the TS on a predetermined position of each PCR packet, a discard section which discards null packets from the TS, and a transmitting section which transmits the TS. A receiving apparatus includes a receiving section which receives the TS, an extraction section which extracts the count values from the PCR packets contained in the received TS, and a rearranging section which rearranges the multiplex position of the PCR packets of the received TS based on the extracted count values to restore a TS equivalent to the previous TS from which the null packet has not been discarded.
US07706377B2

Video stream processing, such as processing that includes MPEG decoding an subsequent post-processing involves using signal processing circuitry (102, 106) to execute a first and a second video stream processing function. The first video stream processing function produces frame data of successive video frames in a temporally ordered output sequence of frames. The second video stream processing function uses the frame data in an ordered input sequence of frames that differs from the output sequence, for example because later P-frames are needed to decode B frames. The frame data is buffered between application of the first and second video processing function to the frame data. A first and a second. buffer memory (12, 106) are used. The first buffer memory (12) is coupled to the signal processing circuitry via a shareable channel (15) such as an external IC terminals, but the processing circuitry does not use the shareable channel (15) to access the second buffer memory (106). The second video processing function reads frame data from first and second ones of the frames selectively from the first and second buffer memory (12, 106) respectively. The second ones of the frames occur in the same temporal order in both the input and output sequence. The first ones of the frames contain at least all particular frames whose position relative to the second ones of the frames in the output sequence differs from the position of the particular frames relative to the second ones of the frames in the input sequence.
US07706374B2

A method for assigning an IP address to a terminal device and a communication system. The method includes: a router transmitting to a layer-2 device network a Router Advertisement message carrying routing prefix information; the layer-2 device network generating extended routing prefix information which identifies the downlink port uniquely within the broadcast domain of the subnet where the layer-2 device network is located according to the routing prefix information in the Router Advertisement message, and transmitting to the terminal device a Router Advertisement message carrying the extended routing prefix information; and the terminal device generating its IP address according to the extended routing prefix information in the Router Advertisement message and an Interface ID of the terminal device. Accordingly, it is unnecessary for the terminal device to perform address uniqueness check across the layer-2 devices in the network to ensure uniqueness of the IP address of the terminal device, thus improving the operating performance of the network.
US07706373B2

The technology disclosed addresses initiation of peer-to-peer media exchange sessions, with traversal of NAT and firewall devices, in a manner adapted to roaming. In particular, involves preliminary determination of NAT/firewall topology, which reduces latency at initiation, and hole punching technologies to select a routing and traversal strategy that reduce reliance on external media relay devices.
US07706372B2

An apparatus and method is provided for allowing I/O devices to be shared and/or partitioned among a plurality of processing complexes within the load/store fabric of each of the processing complexes without requiring modification to the operating system or driver software of the processing complexes. The apparatus and method includes a switch for selectively coupling each of the processing complexes to one or more shared I/O devices. The apparatus and method further includes placing information within packets transmitted between the switch and the I/O devices to identify which of the processing complexes the packets are associated with. The invention further includes an apparatus and method within the shared I/O devices to allow the shared I/O devices to service each of the processing complexes independently.
US07706366B2

A wireless communication system, method for transmitting a frame, and computer program product thereof are provided. The system comprises a base station and a subscriber station. The frame comprises a MAP area and a user area. The MAP area comprises a broadcast test area. The method and the computer program product thereof operate: the base station initially transmitting a first burst in the user area by a first transmission module; determining whether the first burst that is transmitted by the first transmission module fits a special situation; and if yes, the base station transmitting test information in the broadcast test area by a second transmission module or asking the subscriber station to transmit data by a second transmission module.
US07706365B2

A network and a method for transmitting processes in a network are disclosed, where a randomized coding approach is provided. Network nodes transmit on each outgoing link a linear combination of incoming signals, specified by independently and randomly chosen code coefficients from a finite field. The approach allows robust, distributed transmission and compression of information in networks and is advantageous over routing-based approaches.
US07706363B1

Method and apparatus for modifying standard VLAN tags to perform network packet switching. The method includes receiving a data packet at a port of a network switch and determining whether the data packet has a virtual local area network (VLAN) tagged frame. If the received data packet has a VLAN tagged frame, then the method further includes modifying and encoding fixed portions of the VLAN tag frame with switching information. The switching information includes information for central management of data packet flow through the network switch.
US07706362B1

A method is shown for deterministically selecting an endpoint for multiple links through a network for a client device. When a first network device establishes a connection for a client device to an endpoint device, it causes a database entry to be created that is keyed by a client identifier value for the client device and includes an endpoint address field with the network address of the endpoint device. When a second network device receives a call request from the client device, it queries the database using the client identifier value for the client device and waits a predetermined period for a database reply. A database device storing the database entry receives the query from the second network device, searches for the database entry matching the client identifier value, and sends a database reply that includes the client identifier value and the network address of the endpoint device from the database entry. The second network device receives the database reply and uses the network address from the database reply to establish a second connection to the endpoint device for the client.
US07706343B2

Methods and systems for WLAN-based signaling network monitoring are disclosed. A signaling message is received at a network routing node. A message copy function on the network routing node copies the signaling message. The message copy function forwards the copied signaling message to a WLAN interface. The WLAN interface transmits the signaling message to an external network monitoring platform via a wireless local area network connection.
US07706335B2

Embodiments described herein include methods for improving the SINR, and therefore communication quality or rate, in the downlink of a cellular communication system. In an embodiment, the system is an orthogonal-frequency-division multiple-access (OFDMA) system. In an embodiment, a set of terminals is designated a coordinated-transmission group. The set of terminal is chosen such that the slot-allocations of the set are given special treatment to alleviate interference from other sectors or cells. All terminals within a coordination group generally use the same slot, but embodiments are not so limited.
US07706329B2

A method relating to inter-frequency or inter Radio Access Technology (RAT) measurements (IFM) between a User Equipment (UE) and a mobile communications network (NW), and an apparatus for implementing the method, comprising operating, by a UE having a plurality of receiver branches (100) (110), detecting whether IFM is needed (120); and selecting, if IFM is needed, either to use dual antenna data reception for detecting data in compressed mode and performing IFM during gaps, or to use single antenna data reception mode (SADRM), using the second antenna for IFM based on the value of certain parameters (130).
US07706328B2

Methods and apparatus for position location in a wireless network. In an aspect, a method is provided that includes determining whether a symbol to be transmitted is an active symbol, wherein the symbol comprises a plurality of subcarriers, and encoding identification information on a first portion of subcarriers if it is determined that the symbol is the active symbol. The method also includes encoding idle information on a second portion of subcarriers if it is determined that the symbol in not the active symbol. In an aspect, an apparatus includes detector logic configured to decode a plurality of symbols to determine identification information that identifies a plurality of transmitters, and to determine a plurality of channel estimate associated with the plurality of transmitters. The apparatus also includes position determination logic configured to calculate a device position based on the plurality of transmitters and the plurality of channel estimates.
US07706319B2

A method of initiating a set up process for a call between users with reduced set up times using one or more 3G telecommunication networks. The method includes establishing a bearer channel between a first terminal and a second terminal after a call signaling process and determining, at the first terminal, one or more preferences for a call between the first terminal and the second terminal. The one or more preferences are associated with one or more modes of operation for the call. The method also includes determining a mobile level for operations and interleaving the one or more preferences, the mobile level for operations, and one or more media streams. The method further includes transferring the one or more preferences, the mobile level for operations, and the one or more media streams from the first terminal to the second terminal through a portion of a telecommunication network using the bearer channel.
US07706318B2

A method and apparatus is provided that enables a mobile terminal which cannot simultaneously receive two physical channels to receive a service that utilizes two physical channels. In one embodiment, the service data and control information are transmitted on separate physical channels in a non-simultaneous manner such that the physical channel on which the data is transmitted includes an indication of when control information is available on the other physical channel on which the control information is transmitted, thereby facilitating the mobile terminal switching between the two physical channels in order to receive the service data and control information. In another embodiment, the service data and control information are transmitted on a single physical channel, thereby precluding the need for the mobile terminal to switch between two physical channels in order to receive the service data and control information.
US07706314B2

An approach is provided for implementing IPsec in PEP environments. The approach generally involves preserving TCP header data contained in packets prior to IPsec encryption and making the TCP header data available to PEP applications. For example, TCP header data is identified in a packet that conforms to the TCP and a copy of the TCP header data is generated. Encrypted packet data is generated by encrypting at least a portion of the packet using IPsec. For example, the TCP header data and payload may be encrypted to generate the encrypted packet data. A modified copy of the TCP header data is generated by modifying length data contained in the copy of the TCP header data to reflect a length of at least the encrypted packet data. A new packet is generated that includes the modified copy of the TCP header data and the encrypted packet data.
US07706313B2

A method and a device are considered for implementing minimum activity during discontinuous transmission in a telecommunication connection used to carry a service. The service is allowed to involve transmitting upper-level scheduled silence-breaking transmissions at predetermined regular intervals during otherwise silent periods. There is determined (407, 408, 409) a maximum length of a silent period that is longer than the predetermined regular intervals between upper-level scheduled silence-breaking transmissions. A Layer 2 entity of a protocol stack observes (411) the occurrence of silent periods and transmits (412) a dummy block over the telecommunication connection if the length of an observed silent period reaches said maximum length without an upper-level scheduled silence-breaking transmission having been transmitted.
US07706305B2

A network system where vessel instruments including sensors are connected through a communication network is provided. The sensors generate the same type of navigation data. The system includes a first network for realizing one-to-many communication, a first group instruments connected with each other through the first network, and a second group instruments connected to the first network with a different protocol from the first network. The first group instrument is an input/output gate between the second group instruments and the first network. At least one of the first group instruments has a server function. The first group instruments obtain identification information and types of navigation data of the second group instruments using the first group instruments as the gates, and the server-function instrument obtains identification information and types of navigation data of the instruments. The server function instrument selects one of the sensors generating the same type of navigation data, and outputs a sharing instruction of the data of the selected sensor, through the first network. The first group instrument provides the sharing instruction to the second group instruments using the first group instrument as the gate.
US07706290B2

Object-based operation and maintenance (OAM) systems and related methods and computer program products are disclosed. One exemplary system includes a computer comprising a memory. The computer is in communication with a network comprising a network-attached components operating in an OAM system. The system can also include an object-based representation of the network stored in the memory. The object-based representation comprises objects linked together in the memory to form a hierarchy. Each of the objects represent the network or the network-attached components. In addition, each of the objects stores attribute information about the network or the network-attached components with regard to the OAM system. Further, the system can include an application for interpreting and utilizing the object-based representation of the network for operating and maintaining the network and network-attached components in the OAM system.
US07706284B2

A method of setting shared risk link group identification information (SRLG ID) which is one of link properties employed for calculating a route for a path in a communications network including nodes and links for interconnecting the nodes, and indicates a link group which shares resources, comprises the step of assigning a number of SRLG IDs to the link group in accordance with a failure rate of resources shared by that link group. A route calculating method for calculating routes for a working path and a standby path comprises the step of calculating the routes such that a minimum number of SRLG IDs duplicate between all links on the route of the working path and all links on the route of the standby path.
US07706272B2

The invention comprises a method and apparatus for computing virtual concatenation group bandwidth data of at least one virtual concatenation group. Specifically, the method comprises determining at least one elementary path of which at least one virtual concatenation group is composed, determining elementary path data associated with the at least one elementary path and computing virtual concatenation group bandwidth data using the elementary path data.
US07706271B2

On performing load balancing in a network device, there will be provided an apparatus of transmitting packets which implements uniform allocation processing in conformity with the traffic conditions. A packet transfer apparatus is provided with a statistics information collecting processor as a functional processor independent of the packet transfer processing. The line card transfers header information of packets to be transmitted and received to the statistics information collecting processor. The statistics information collecting processor collects statistics information in accordance with header information of transmitted and received packets transferred from the line card. On the basis of the statistics information collected by the statistics information collecting processor, the setting of the search table to be provided for the line card will be renewed.
US07706263B2

A method and apparatus tracks and blocks content requested by a first remote device for forwarding over a network to a second remote device. For a given content item, one or more usage identities are tracked. Usage identities may include any combination of one or more of a source identity, a content identity, and/or a destination identity. One or more thresholds associated with the tracked usage identities are applied to determine whether a request to forward content should be blocked; a threshold is a limit on the number of times a content item having a particular usage identity may be forwarded within a time period. Misuse of content-forwarding messaging services by spammers and the like may thereby be discouraged. In one embodiment, the invention may be employed as part of a content clipping service for forwarding content to mobile devices by way of SMS or another mobile messaging technology.
US07706260B2

Dynamic rate limiting of background traffic to alleviate congestion in the access network is enabled. ICMP echo round-trip times and ICMP losses to a nearby node outside the local area and just beyond the divergence in end-to-end paths are measured, allowing unambiguous discrimination of nearby from distant congestion points. Using round-trip time samples, either short-run delay or short-run variance in delay can be measured to estimate congestion. When combined with an appropriate control law, background traffic can be rapidly reduced to allow interactive traffic to traverse unhindered through the access network. The described system and methods can be implemented in the application-layer and without any additional support from the network.
US07706259B2

A method for implementing a redundant structure of an ATCA system via a base interface of a network system based on an ATCA standard, and the ATCA system for use in the same are disclosed. Each of routing protocol shelves and LI shelves includes two ports connected to two IPC paths provided from the base interface, such that a representative IP address is assigned to a single port to be used, performs IPC communication using the representative IP address. If a port error or link-down state occurs, the representative IP address is assigned to the other port, resulting in the implementation of stable IPC communication. If the port error or link-down state occurs in an active-mode ShMC shelf, an IPC path passing through a standby-mode ShMC shelf is provided.
US07706250B2

A signal analyzer and method for measuring signal compression levels of one or more individual orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) signals among a plurality of OFDM signals within a composite signal.
US07706240B2

An optical disk (10) of the present invention has a substrate (11) included a resin-impregnated paper, in which resin is impregnated into paper, or resin-coated paper, in which the paper surface is coated with a resin, and a recording layer (13) formed on at least one side of the substrate (11). This type of optical disk (10) has performance equal to that of conventional optical disks and has a minimal effect on the environment during disposal. In addition, a manufacturing method of an optical disk of the present invention has a recording layer sheet fabrication step in which a recording layer sheet is fabricated by forming tracks on a recording layer base material, and a recording layer sheet lamination step in which a recording layer (13) included the recording layer sheet is provided on a substrate (11) included resin-impregnated paper or resin-coated paper by laminating the recording layer sheet with the resin-impregnated paper in which a resin is impregnated into paper or the resin-coated paper in which the surface of the paper is coated with a resin. This type of manufacturing method of an optical disk allows optical disk (10) to be produced inexpensively.
US07706238B2

A laser power control system and related method for reducing a settling time in a target laser power transition are disclosed. The laser power control system includes a state decision circuit, for generating a state decision signal according to a selected operational state of a target circuit; a plurality of buffers, for storing a plurality of control data corresponding to a plurality of candidate operational states of the target circuit respectively; and a multiplexer, coupled between the state decision circuit and the buffers, for coupling a selected buffer of the buffers and the target circuit according to the state decision signal for outputting a control datum stored in the selected buffer to the target circuit.
US07706236B2

An optical pickup including: a light source; a diffractive element; an objective lens; and a photodetector, wherein the diffractive element has first to fourth areas provided with a predetermined periodic structure in each of the areas, the second and third areas have phases of the periodic structures of the second and third areas varied at an angle of about 180 degrees, the first area has a phase of the periodic structure in the first area varied from a phase of the periodic structure in the second area at an angle of about 180 degrees, and the fourth area has a phase of the periodic structure in the fourth area varied from a phase of the periodic structure in the third area at an angle of about 180 degrees. The optical pickup can obtain an excellent tracking error signal and improved amplitude when the objective lens is displaced.
US07706233B2

An optical-disk recording method, recording apparatus and reproducing apparatus are provided which are capable of continuously recording/reproducing a hologram with ultra-high density. In the case of recording a hologram to a holographic recording area, a holographic recording spot HSP on one track of the holographic recording area and a holographic recording spot HSP on a track adjacent thereto are recorded in circumferentially different positions. At least one holographic recording spot HSP is formed on each track, making the process continuous. Recording is made such that, provided that the holographic recording spot HSP has a diameter D and a multiplex number of holographic recording spots HSP is m, a pitch P between adjacent holographic recording spots HSP is P=D/m. Consequently, it is possible to efficiently record a hologram with density to a holographic recording area of an optical disk recording medium, and to achieve the density increase of holographic recording capacity.
US07706231B2

A data-arranging method similar to that of a RAM disk is adopted for a ROM disk to make the ROM disk highly compatible with the RAM disk. According to this method, buffer areas are allocated as a data run-in and a data run-out respectively preceding and succeeding a RUB (Recording Unit Block) used as a recording/reproduction unit. In addition, at locations separated from each other in the buffer areas by a distance equal in length to a sync-data gap in successive frames in the RUB, pieces of sync data (SA) are provided so that the sync data always appears at equal intervals in a signal reproduced from the ROM disk, providing a feature advantageous to establishment and protection of synchronization. It is thus possible to implement a ROM disk that is highly compatible with the RAM disk and advantageous to a synchronization system.
US07706230B2

A recording medium read/write method and apparatus are disclosed. The present invention records version information of a corresponding recording medium as read/write control information within the recording medium. The version information includes write compatibility version information and read compatibility version information. The read/write apparatus efficiently performs the read/write of the recording medium with reference to the version informations recorded within the recording medium.
US07706226B2

The invention is to provide a method for determining an optimum writing strategy for an optical information recording system to record information onto an optical information recording medium. According to a preferred embodiment of the method of the invention, a determination function of speed and temperature is provided. The determination function is related to a plurality of allowable writing strategies. Then, the optical information recording system receives a user-desired speed and senses a temperature therein. Finally, one of the allowable writing strategies is determined, by applying the user-desired speed and the temperature in the determination function, as the optimum writing strategy.
US07706223B2

An apparatus for and a method of detecting a wobble signal in accordance with a time shift includes comparing a basic wobble signal with reference levels to detect pulses representing the time shift in an analog fashion, and digitally determining a code value for the basic wobble signal on the basis of the widths of the pulses using a channel clock signal and a wobble clock signal. The determined code value is accumulated and serves as a basis on which final wobble data is produced.
US07706218B2

An optical pickup apparatus includes an objective lens that focuses light on an optical recording medium; an actuator that drives the objective lens in a direction of an optical axis of the objective lens toward or away from an optical recording medium in response to an input voltage applied to the actuator; an actuator driven distance sensor that senses a distance the actuator moves according to time or the input voltage applied to the actuator; an input voltage calculator that calculates an input voltage to be applied to the actuator that compensates for a hysteresis phenomenon that occurs during movement of the actuator based on the distance sensed by the actuator driven distance sensor; and a controller that controls operation of the actuator according to the input voltage calculated by the input voltage calculator.
US07706216B2

An optical head includes a plurality of light receiving areas, which receive a first type of reflected rays where zero-order and first-order components of the light diffracted by a track are superposed one upon the other to generate a light quantity signal representing the quantity of light of the first type of reflected rays, and a non-light-receiving area, which is provided between the light receiving areas so as not to receive a second type of reflected ray consisting essentially of the zero-order components. As measured in a first direction in which the light receiving areas are arranged, a gap between the light receiving areas is longer than the width of the non-light-receiving area. The optical head further includes a tracking error signal generating section for generating a tracking error signal based on the light quantity signal.
US07706195B2

A strobe signal controlling circuit is provided which includes an initial write controller configured to outputs a write pulse signal, which is activated in a write command, in synchronization with a clock signal, a DQS signal outputting unit configured to outputs a write DQS signal by synchronizing an output signal of the initial write controller to the clock signal, a control signal generator configured to generates a control signal in response to the output signal of the initial write controller, and a reset signal generator configured to responds to a reset signal and a DQS enable signal to output a reset signal to the DQS signal outputting module in synchronization with the control signal.
US07706189B2

To program one or more non-volatile storage elements, a set of programming pulses are applied to at least one selected non-volatile storage element and one or more particular unselected non-volatile storage elements, for example, via a common word line. A boosting voltage is applied to other unselected non-volatile storage elements during the programming process in order to boost the channels of the unselected non-volatile storage elements so that programming will be inhibited. Each of the programming pulses has a first intermediate magnitude, a second intermediate magnitude and a third magnitude. In one embodiment, the first intermediate magnitude is similar to or the same as the boosting voltage. The second intermediate magnitude is greater than the first intermediate magnitude, but less then the third magnitude. Such an arrangement can reduce the effects of program disturb.
US07706188B2

A method for minimizing program disturb in Flash memories. To reduce program disturb in a NAND Flash memory cell string where no programming from the erased state is desired, a local boosted channel inhibit scheme is used. In the local boosted channel inhibit scheme, the selected memory cell in a NAND string where no programming is desired, is decoupled from the other cells in the NAND string. This allows the channel of the decoupled cell to be locally boosted to a voltage level sufficient for inhibiting F-N tunneling when the corresponding wordline is raised to a programming voltage. Due to the high boosting efficiency, the pass voltage applied to the gates of the remaining memory cells in the NAND string can be reduced relative to prior art schemes, thereby minimizing program disturb while allowing for random page programming.
US07706184B2

A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array having a plurality of word lines and a plurality of bit lines, and at least first and second page buffers to which the plurality of bit lines are connected. The plurality of word lines are divided into first and second word lines and the first and second word lines are arranged in positions corresponding to the at least first and second page buffers.
US07706181B2

A multi-bit programming device and method for a non-volatile memory are provided. In one example embodiment, a multi-bit programming device may include a multi-bit programming unit configured to multi-bit program original multi-bit data to a target memory cell in a memory cell array, and a backup programming unit configured to select backup memory cells in the memory cell array with respect to each bit of the original multi-bit data, and program each bit of the original multi-bit data to a respective one of the selected backup memory cells.
US07706179B2

An electronic memory and/or recording device includes a three dimensional magnetic medium. Three dimensional magnetic medium includes a plurality of magnetic sublayers, each of the magnetic sublayers being separated from one other by non-magnetic interlayers.
US07706173B2

In a memory macro which can more largely reduce a leak current of a memory cell in a hold state, a power voltage between a power potential and a reference potential is supplied across power terminals of each CMOS inverter (across source electrodes of loading P channel FETs and source electrodes of driving N channel FETs) forming the memory cell when a word line is on (high level), a hold enable voltage which is lower than the power voltage and equal to or higher than a lower limit voltage for enabling data to be held (voltage between a potential dropped lower than the power potential and the reference potential) is supplied between the power terminals when the word line is turned off (low level), and the power voltage is constantly supplied to a back gate electrode of one FET within each CMOS inverter.
US07706169B2

A method of programming a nonvolatile memory device includes (i) providing a nonvolatile memory cell comprising a diode in series with at least one metal oxide, (ii) applying a first forward bias to change a resistivity state of the metal oxide from a first state to a second state; (iii) applying a second forward bias to change a resistivity state of the metal oxide from a second state to a third state; and (iv) applying a third forward bias to change a resistivity state of the metal oxide from a third state to a fourth state. The fourth resistivity state is higher than the third resistivity state, the third resistivity state is lower than the second resistivity state, and the second resistivity state is lower than the first resistivity state.
US07706166B2

A semiconductor memory device has first and second AF programming circuits having low and high AF programming threshold power supply voltages, respectively. In a process where a large majority of programming is carried out in the semiconductor memory device alone, the second AF programming circuit is used. In a module process where semiconductor devices having low withstand voltages are mounted in a module, the first AF programming circuit is used.
US07706165B2

A first passive ferroelectric memory element comprising a first electrode system and a second electrode system, wherein said first electrode system is at least partly insulated from said second electrode system by an element system comprising at least one ferroelectric element, wherein said first electrode system is a conductive surface, or a conductive layer; wherein said second electrode system is an electrode pattern or a plurality of isolated conductive areas in contact with, for read-out or data-input purposes only, a plurality of conducting pins isolated from one another.
US07706162B2

System and method for providing switching to power regulators. According to an embodiment, the present invention provides system for providing switching. The system includes a first voltage supply that is configured to provide a first voltage. The system also includes a second voltage supply that is configured to provide a second voltage. The second voltage being independent from the first voltage. The system additionally includes a controller component that is electrically coupled to the first voltage supply. For example, the controller component being configured to receive at least a first input signal and to provide at least a first output signal. Additionally, the system includes a gate driver component that is electrically coupled to the second voltage supply. The gate driver component is configured to receive at least the first output signal and generated a second output signal in response to at least the second voltage and the first output signal.
US07706159B2

A charge pump for a DC-DC converter includes an input terminal receiving an input voltage, an output terminal outputting an output voltage, a plurality of charge pumping stages connected in series between the input terminal and the output terminal, and a voltage level shifter shifting voltage levels of first and second gate clock signals so that received first and second gate clock signals have a predetermined amplitude. Therefore, the charge pump can increase power efficiency by maximizing a magnitude of VGS. A DC-DC converter using the charge pump can also be applied to a portable device, for minimizing power consumption, and a method for improving power efficiency of the DC-DC converter is provided.
US07706157B2

An exemplary embodiment includes a method for balancing thyristor bridge circuits, the method comprising, determining currents of thyristors in a first leg of thyristors of a thyristor bridge circuit, determining a first set of gate firing times for the thyristors in the first leg of thyristors responsive to determining the current of the thyristors in the first gate of thyristors, wherein the first set of gate firing times are operative to balance a current load between the thyristors in the first leg of thyristors, and gating the thyristors in the first leg of thyristors according to the first set of gate firing times.
US07706148B2

A stack structure of circuit boards embedded with semiconductor chips is proposed. At least two circuit boards are provided. Each of the circuit boards includes circuit layers formed on surfaces thereof and at least one opening embedded with a semiconductor chip, wherein, the circuit layers have a plurality of conductive structures and electrically conductive pads, and the semiconductor chip has a plurality of electrode pads, and the conductive structures of the circuit layers are electrically conductive to the electrode pads of the semiconductor chip. At least one adhesive layer is formed between the two circuit boards and disposed with a conductive material corresponding in position to the electrically conductive pads of the circuit boards. Thus, a conductive path can be formed by the conductive material between the electrically conductive pads of the circuit boards, thereby establishing electrical connection between the two circuit boards.
US07706141B2

Device with integrated electronic components, that comprises a board forming a support for the said components, a cover mounted on the said board to cover the said components, and a separating partition which extends from the cover to the board substantially perpendicularly to the latter, the said partition separating two distinct zones of the board, wherein it comprises an overcover covering the cover and defining an internal space between the cover and the overcover in which are provided cooling gas division means delimiting two distinct secondary spaces in the internal space, an upstream secondary space into which cooling gas is able to be injected and a downstream secondary space into which cooling gas is able to be discharged so that cooling gas injected into the upstream zone of the board is directed toward the downstream secondary space of the internal space and that cooling gas injected into the upstream secondary space of the internal space is directed toward the downstream zone of the board.
US07706125B2

The invention provides a multilayer ceramic capacitor comprising a capacitor body composed by alternately layering dielectric layers and inner electrode layers. Accordingly, the multilayer ceramic capacitor has high relative permittivity and is high the temperature property and highly accelerated life test property.
US07706122B2

An analog control application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) apparatus for a high voltage power supply (HVPS) in an image for apparatus, and a method for controlling the HVPS are provided. The HVPS includes a transformer transforming an AC signal to a high voltage signal and a voltage doubler outputting a DC high voltage for the HVPS. The ASIC includes an analog control circuit configured as a one-chip ASIC that converts a predetermined DC level signal to a high frequency switching signal using a switching component and outputs the converted high frequency switching signal to a primary winding of the transformer. If the high voltage output signal output from the voltage doubler is not feedbacked, the switching component high frequency switches a received driving signal of a gate driver, and outputs the high frequency switched signal to the transformer.
US07706121B2

In an ion generator, a high-voltage electrode with a contact portion is disposed on a first main surface of an insulating substrate and is connected to a wire electrode, and a ground electrode covered with an insulating film is disposed on a second main surface of the insulating substrate. The ground electrode is electrically connected to a contact portion on the first main surface via a through hole. By disposing the high-voltage electrode and the ground electrode on different surfaces, the occurrence of an undesirable leakage current flowing from the high-voltage electrode to the ground electrode is prevented.
US07706120B2

An ion generating element capable of cost reduction and space saving while exhibiting a high generation efficiency of positive ions and negative ions and stabilized generation capacity with less variation, and an ion generator and a neutralizer employing it. The ion generating element comprises a dielectric body having at least two faces, at least two discharge electrodes arranged on the at least two faces of the dielectric body, and an induction electrode arranged in the dielectric body and subjected to the action of the at least two discharge electrodes and is characterized in that positive ions and negative ions are generated on the body, and ions are generated from the at least two faces of the dielectric body through discharge generated because of the potential difference between the discharge electrode of the ion generating element and the induction electrode when a drive voltage is applied between them.
US07706118B2

An operative control circuit of multiple electromagnetic actuating devices in series and parallel connections, wherein individually installed driving coils of two or more than two electromagnetic actuating devices being operatively controlled by a switching device to appear lower impedance in parallel connection or series and parallel connection for electrification thereby producing a larger electromagnetic actuating power is switched to appear relatively higher impedance in series connection or series and parallel connection thereby reducing currents passing through driving coils while required operating characteristics for individual electromagnetic actuating devices after electrification are still satisfied.
US07706113B1

A system and method are provided for electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit having overshoot and undershoot voltage protection during a power supply ramp-up of the circuit. In a specific embodiment, the ESD protection circuit of the present invention includes an ESD discharge circuit coupled between a power supply node and a ground supply node, a trigger circuit coupled to the ESD discharge circuit, the trigger circuit to turn the ESD discharge circuit on in the presence of a voltage spike during the power supply ramp-up and to turn the ESD discharge circuit off in the absence of a voltage spike during the power supply ramp-up, and a delay circuit coupled between the discharge circuit and the trigger circuit, the delay circuit to slow down the turn-off of the discharge circuit to prevent an overshoot or undershoot voltage condition during the power supply ramp-up of the circuit.
US07706110B2

The present invention is directed to a superconducting current limiting component, particularly to a ceramic high temperature superconducting current limiting component which is self triggering, comprising a coil (1) made of ceramic high temperature superconductor material, wherein around the outer surface of the coil (1) made of ceramic high temperature superconductor material a second coil (3) is applied as a shunt and, preferably, wherein the coil (1) made of ceramic high temperature superconductor material is applied onto a hollow cylindrical body (2) made of a ceramic high temperature superconductor material.
US07706106B1

Shock performance and stiffness of hard disk drive lifters are enhanced by extending one or more portions of a load beam in a dimension normal to the load beam plane. A load beam in a high shock suspension system comprises a planar body having transverse members extending between longitudinal rails. One embodiment comprises a lifter integral to the load beam, extending distally, and comprising a rib having a conic cross section and a lifting tab having upward curving edges. Another embodiment comprises rails having edges bending upward at 90 degrees, separated by a first width at a proximal end of the body, and tapering to a second width at a distal end of the body. A narrow lifter having upward curving edges is displaced between the rails, and extends distally from the body. Stiffeners extend from the rails and connect to an intermediate point on the lifter. Another embodiment comprises the body having a transition portion tapering in a distal direction to form a narrow lifter, and a 90-degree rail bordering the body, transition portion, and lifter. Other embodiments comprise: the body slanting upward at an slight angle and a lifter extending distally from the body; a lifter slanting upward then downward to a position parallel with a load beam plane; transverse members having curved edges; and protrusions located on a border between the body and an intermediate portion that tapers to a lifter.
US07706095B2

Various embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to adjusting a fly height of a transducer to enable a first data access with a storage medium rotating at a first speed, rotating the storage medium at a second speed substantially different from the first speed, and adjusting the fly height of the transducer to enable a second data access with the storage medium rotating at the second speed.
US07706092B2

A patterned recording media comprises a segment and a null pattern formed in the segment. The segment comprises first and second rows of discrete magnetic elements separated by a non-magnetic material, and a row of non-magnetic material positioned between the first and second rows. The null pattern comprises consecutive groups of the discrete magnetic elements in the first and second rows of the segment. Each group in the first row has a magnetic polarity that is opposite the magnetic polarity of adjoining groups in the first row. Each group in the second row has a magnetic polarity that is opposite the magnetic polarity of adjoining groups in the second row.
US07706090B2

A diaphragm device with which individual wavelengths or ranges of wavelengths in the path of a beam of spectrally dispersed light can be suppressed. Such a diaphragm device comprises at least one array of diaphragms, wherein the individual diaphragms of the array are arranged in a definite relation to each other and may be coupled in the path of the beam and each diaphragm of the array in the coupled state is arranged in a given relation to an individual wavelength or a range of wavelengths.
US07706085B2

An imaging optical system includes: an object-side lens group having, in order from its object side, an object-side positive meniscus lens that is convex on its object side and has positive refracting power, and an object side negative meniscus lens that is convex on its object side and has negative refracting power; and image-side lens group having, in order from its object side, an image-side negative lens, an image-side first positive lens and an image-side second positive lens. The image-side negative lens and the image-side first positive lens adjacent thereto form together a cemented doublet.
US07706082B2

The invention relates to a zoom lens and an imaging apparatus incorporating the same. The zoom lenses comprises, in order from its object side, a positive first lens group G1, a negative second lens group G2, a positive third lens group G3, and a positive fourth lens group G4. Zooming is implemented by changing the spacing between the respective lens groups. Upon received in a lens mount, the third lens group is shifted and positioned while its optical axis is tilted at an angle of ±45° with those of other lens groups or placed substantially horizontal. At least one of lenses in the second lens group G2 or the fourth lens group G4 is configured such that a portion of that lens proximate to the third lens group being received in the lens mount is cut away. The following condition (1) is satisfied: 0.3
US07706081B2

A zoom lens system includes a first lens group, a second lens group, a third lens group, a fourth lens group, and an aperture stop, from an object side to an image side on an optical axis. The zoom lens system satisfies the following condition: Y × L 2 × f W × f T ≤ 1.06 where Y is a maximum diagonal length of the image side 170, L is a total track length of the zoom lens system 100, fW is a focal length of the zoom lens system 100 at a wide status, fT is a focal length of the zoom lens system 100 at a telephoto status.
US07706075B2

The present invention provides a projection optical system which projects an image on a first object plane onto a second object plane, comprising at least four optical members which are arrayed in turn from the second object plane, and made of an isotropic crystal, wherein the at least four optical members are formed by alternately arraying optical members in each of which a <1 1 1> crystal axis is oriented along a direction of an optical axis, and optical members in each of which a <1 0 0> crystal axis is oriented along the direction of the optical axis.
US07706073B2

A collimating sheet, for use with a backlit display and the like, that includes a substrate, a plurality of microlenses on the output side of the substrate, a specularly reflective layer on the side of the substrate opposite the microlenses, and a plurality of apertures in the reflective layer in direct correspondence to the microlenses of the lens array. The specularly reflective layer can be relatively thinner than a diffuse reflective layer, which allows light to pass through the more readily. One or more layers of dielectric can be placed on top of one or more reflective material layers to further improves overall reflectivity. Apertures are preferably made in the light-absorptive and reflective layers with a laser ablation process wherein laser light illuminates the output side of the film. The laser light is brought to a focus by the lenslets of the lens array onto the light-absorptive layer, which then ablates a hole or aperture into the light-absorptive and reflective layer. In this way, the apertures are self-aligned with the lenslets.
US07706072B2

An optical integrator has characteristics to suppress influence of relative positioning error of a pair of optical members on an illuminance distribution and on a shape of an illumination field. The optical integrator is a wavefront splitting type optical integrator having a first optical member and a second optical member in order from the entrance side of light. The first optical member has first entrance surfaces having a refractive power in a first direction and substantially no refractive power in a second direction, and first exit surfaces having a refractive power in the first direction and substantially no refractive power in the second direction. The second optical member has second entrance surfaces having a refractive power in the second direction and substantially no refractive power in the first direction, and second exit surfaces having a refractive power in the second direction and substantially no refractive power in the first direction.
US07706063B2

An image capturing device with a focusing assembly comprises a case formed by an upper casing and a lower casing; a cover for sealing the lower casing; an lower side of the cover having an opening for capturing images of outside objects; a base installed at a connection between the upper casing and the lower casing; an image sensor installed at a lower side of the base for capturing images through an opening of the front cover; a focus adjusting unit including an object lens, an adjusting wheel, an inner tube and an outer adjusting tube; the outer adjusting tube being located within the lower casing and has a longitudinal retaining groove at an inner side thereof; the inner tube being received in the outer adjusting tube; the inner tube having a helical groove; an outer side of the adjusting wheel having a post for driving the adjusting wheel.
US07706062B2

A night vision device includes an objective lens assembly, an image detector assembly, an eyepiece lens assembly and a housing. The objective lens assembly receives low intensity light. The image detector assembly converts the low intensity light into a visible output image. The eyepiece lens assembly provides for viewing the output image from the image detector assembly. The housing receives the objective lens assembly, the image detector assembly, and the eyepiece lens assembly. Additionally, the housing aligns the objective lens assembly with the image detector assembly and the eyepiece lens assembly along an optical axis.
US07706060B2

The invention relates to a microscopic cell observation and inspection system that uses a total internal reflection cell illuminator that is capable of freely changing an observation position without recourse to any special slide glass, makes sure high SN-ratio observation and facilitates sample manipulation, thereby making high-sensitivity, fast detection of a lot of cell reactions on the same slide glass. While, in response to a command from personal computer (80), step motors (53, 54) are driven to sequentially scan observation positions of cell sample (S) on slide glass (21), one of shutter units (71) and (72) is closed and the other is opened at high speed, whereby either one of illumination optical paths for a TIRF microscope and a drop fluorescence microscope is selected to illuminate cell sample (S) on that observation position. When the drop fluorescence microscope is chosen, filter unit (66) is driven to choose the wavelength of excitation light from drop fluorescence illumination light source (65), so that observation and inspection of cell sample (S) under the TIRF microscope and drop fluorescence microscope can be implemented in an alternate fast switchover way.
US07706059B2

A tube attachment for microscopes which facilitates visual microscope work particularly over extended periods and which can be used universally for different types of microscopes and, at the same time, can be produced economically using simple manufacturing techniques, it is suggested that a tube attachment is constructed as a holder which can be adjusted with respect to height and, optionally, with respect to angle and can be fastened directly to a binocular tube of a microscope. The holder includes two carriers which are displaceable axially relative to one another and which have a forehead rest and a chin support or one carrier with the forehead rest for a user, and devices are provided at the carriers for clamping the adjusting movements of the carriers.
US07706048B2

A projection apparatus comprising a light source for projecting an illumination light through an illumination optical system to a spatial light modulator (SLM) for modulating the illumination light for generating and transmitting an image projection light to an image projection surface through a projection optical system to display an image. The projection apparatus further includes an image process unit for receiving and analyzing an input image data; and the image process unit applies a conversion process to a signal related to the input image data to generate different control patterns for a plurality of adjacent pixel elements included in the SLM for a predetermined period during at least one frame period to reproduce a gradation of the pixel whereby each of the plurality of adjacent pixel elements has a gradation of approximately a same level.
US07706045B2

Described is a method for designing individual stages of a multiple cascaded etalon TDC device to allow continuous thermo-optic tuning over a desired range without inducing incremental signal distortion due to uncontrolled and unpredictable dispersion of the TDC during tuning. This allows the signal to transmit without encountering periods of incremental distortion or dark spots. The method includes prior knowledge of each etalon stage, after full assembly, for spectral group delay profile as a function of temperature through modeling and/or characterization. Characterization can account for performance variations that are due to allowed manufacturing tolerances.
US07706041B2

A scanning module of an image scanner for scanning a document includes a base, a reflective mirror stand mounted on the base, a shaft rotatably mounted on the reflective mirror stand, a reflective mirror member fixed on the shaft and rotatable with the shaft, and a gear set pivotally coupled to the shaft for rotating and driving the shaft to adjust the reflective angle of the reflective mirror member.
US07706038B2

Arrangements are made to enable different original images to be reproduced upon observation from different positions and yet enable reproduced images of high resolution to be obtained. In a case of recording two original images, each of the two original images Ia and Ib is defined as a set of point light sources in an XYZ global coordinate system, and two propagation spaces Sa and Sb, each enabling propagation of light emitted from an origin Q of an α β γ local coordinate system, are defined. A predetermined recording plane and a reference light are set in the XYZ coordinate system, and an interference fringe pattern, which is formed on the recording plane by object light components from the point light sources constituting the respective original images and the reference light, is determined by computation. In this process, the computation is performed upon deeming that a light from a point light source belonging to the original image Ia spreads only within the propagation space Sa, with the origin Q of the α β γ coordinate system being overlappingly set at the position of the point light source, and that a light from a point light source belonging to the original image Ib spreads only within the propagation space Sb, with the origin Q of the α β γ coordinate system being overlappingly set at the position of the point light source.
US07706034B2

What is provided is a system and method for node set construction and look-up table generation to transform image data in the form of color values of an input color image in an input color space to an output color space of an image output system. In the present method, node locations are selected based upon an importance value generated by a significance function which describes a relative importance of a given color value in the input image or a region thereof. A distance weighting function is also provided which is applied to the significance function to balance the significance of a given node against a relative positioning of all other nodes in the multi-dimensional grid. Nodes can be added or deleted according to methods also described herein. Accordingly, a multi-dimensional look-up table is generated wherein node tiling is based upon a significance of color values of an input image.
US07706033B2

An image processing device includes an image generating unit configured to generate image data expressed a single hue from color image data, which include at least a first area to be filled with a first color based on first hue component data and a second area to be filled with a second color based on second hue component data, the first and second areas defining a boundary line by line contact or overlap therebetween, a density determining unit that determines a first density and a second density in the single-hue image data based on the first hue component data and second hue component data, respectively, a comparing unit that compares the first density with the second density, and a boundary generating unit that generates the boundary line with the single hue of a third density different from the first and second densities based on the comparison result by the comparing unit.
US07706031B2

An automatic gray balance control system to produce TRCs for all primary colors in a reproduction device and for each pitch of a photoreceptor system by printing target patches for each pitch, measuring the output colors, and automatically readjusting the tone reproduction curves until a satisfactory level of accuracy is obtained as compared to the theoretical desired output. The system produces pitch-based gray balanced TRCs that are updated frequently for each pitch, with different TRCs for different pitches, to ensure consistency in output from pitch to pitch as well as from page to page on a given pitch.
US07706028B2

A scanner has a plurality of cameras positioned around an object to be scanned. The object is illuminated by unstructured light and the object is covered by a textured surface. The cameras can be arranged as pairs and each camera pair is supported on a single support. The scanned object can be a foot, among other things, and the scanner is positioned at a predetermined incline so that the foot is evenly supported. A positioning system, either visual or automatic, is included on the scanner platform. If automatic, a sensor array is affixed to the platform such that a scan will only initiate when certain sensors or combinations of sensors are ON. Method for attaching the camera pairs on the support, method for calibrating the camera pairs and method of scanning the foot to provide shoe sizes and shoe lasts are also disclosed.
US07706026B2

An apparatus, method, system, computer program and product, each capable of protecting a document from undesired alteration and undesired reproduction are disclosed. A protected document may be generated from an original document, which is embedded with a first pattern and a second pattern. The first pattern is used for detecting undesired reproduction, while the second pattern is used for detecting undesired alteration. At the time of detection, either one of the first pattern and the second pattern may be extracted to determine whether the original document has been undesirably altered or reproduced.
US07706023B2

A data processing method, printing apparatus, host apparatus, and printing system are capable of reducing the data transfer rate from the host apparatus to the printing apparatus, suppressing density unevenness, and reducing the cost of the apparatus.
US07706007B2

A method for synchronizing the control efforts of a plurality of controllers includes determining an apply time for using updated information. The apply time can take into account worst case processing and/or communication delays across a system. Reacting to the updated information only after at the apply time ensures that all system elements are able to react to the updated information in concert. A time stamp indicates when the data was collected. The apply time indicates when the data can be used. Process modeling or simulation is used to estimate system status at the apply time based on the system status at the time of the time stamp, the updated information, and predetermined information regarding the behavior of the system over time. In a document processor, the method allows tightly coupled modules, such as sheet transportation modules, to behave in a cooperative manner when separate modules are in contact with the same sheet.
US07706000B2

A laparoscopy simulator includes two rods and an orientation sensor that determines the orientation of the rods. An optical sensor is used to determine measurements of each rod based on the rotation of the rod around a central axis of the rod and a sliding of the rod along the central axis. An accelerometer is used to determine additional measurements of each rod based on a rotation of the rod around two additional rotation axes of the simulator. The measurements are used to determine the overall orientation of the rods.
US07705997B2

A method of measuring topology of functional liquid in a pixel, in which thickness or volume of the functional liquid in the pixel is measured by a surface topology measuring apparatus comprising: measuring surface topologies in which surface topology of the functional liquid in the pixel and surface topology of the bank are measured by the surface topology measuring apparatus, and measurement parameters regarding the surface topologies are generated; adding a bank height in which a height parameter of a height of the bank is added to the measurement parameter of a surface of the functional liquid in the pixel of the measurement parameter generated; and calculating topology in which the thickness or the volume of the functional liquid in the pixel is calculated based on the added measurement parameter of the surface of the functional liquid in the pixel and the measurement parameter of the surface of the bank.
US07705995B1

A method of monitoring, in real time, the depth to which a process sample is etched by an etching procedure involving investigating a sample substrate that has a patterned surface which, when electromagnetic radiation in an appropriate wavelength range is caused to reflect from, demonstrates lateral interference effects, such that when a frequency transform is applied to spectroscopic reflection data, three distinguishable peaks occur, at least for some range of pattern depth in the sample surface.
US07705975B1

A reticle has a vertical line; a horizontal line intersecting the vertical line at a center point; and a plurality of quadrilaterals. Each of the plurality of quadrilaterals intersects either the vertical line or the horizontal line to form first and second measuring points. Each of the first and second measuring points is spaced a predetermined distance from the center point.
US07705970B2

The distance of objects to an optical system is estimated. An optical mask such as a diffractive optical element, continuous phase mask, hologram, amplitude mask, or combination thereof is placed within the optics in front of a sensor array such as a CCD, CID or COMAS device. The optical mask encodes the three-dimensional response of the system. The mask is designed to optimize depth estimation, for example, by maximizing Fisher information. A particular implementation creates a point spread function (“PSF”) that rotates as a function of the object position. The image or images obtained with different PSFs may be digitally processed to recover both a depth map of the scene and other parameters such as image brightness. The digital processing used to recover the depth map of the object may include deconvolution of a PSF from detected images.
US07705968B2

A substrate holder PH includes a first holder PH1 which holds a substrate P, a liquid-repellent inner surface Tc of a plate member T which faces a side surface Pc of the substrate P held on the first holder PH1 via a predetermined gap A, and a chamfered portion C provided on an upper portion of the inner surface Tc. On the side surface Pc of the substrate P, a liquid-repellent area is provided, and the chamfered portion C is provided so as to face the liquid-repellent area of the substrate P held on the first holder PH1. Thereby, a substrate holding device which can restrain inflow of the liquid into the back surface side of the substrate is provided.
US07705966B2

At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to an exposure apparatus configured to expose a substrate through a liquid comprising a projection optical and a nozzle unit. The nozzle unit has a liquid recovery port recovering the liquid and a liquid supply port arranged between a final lens and the liquid recovery port and supplying the liquid. A static contact angle of an outer-side second portion of the nozzle unit surface than the liquid recovery port with respect to the liquid is larger than that of an inner-side first portion of the nozzle unit surface than the liquid recovery port by 20° or more. A sliding angle of the second portion with respect to the liquid is 20° or less.
US07705965B2

The present disclosure relates to formation of latent images in a radiation sensitive layer applied to a substrate that is transparent to or transmissive of radiation at the exposing wavelength. In particular, it relates to so-called backside lithography, in which the final lens of an exposing system is positioned to project electromagnetic radiation through a first side of the transparent substrate and expose a radiation sensitive layer that overlays a second side of the transparent substrate that is opposite the first side. Five alternative embodiments for further treatment to form a radiation opaque layer corresponding to the latent image (the image or its inverse) are described. These methods and corresponding devices are useful for producing masks (sometimes called reticles), for producing latent images in semiconductor devices and for forming features of semiconductor devices using masks.
US07705964B2

An exposure system for exposing a substrate to radiation is disclosed. The system comprises an exposure unit configured to expose the substrate to radiation, an exposure chamber configured to accommodate the exposure unit, an alignment measurement unit arranged outside the exposure chamber and configured to measure a position of an alignment mark on the substrate, and a load-lock chamber arranged between the exposure chamber and the alignment measurement unit.
US07705958B2

A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: forming multiple spacers having a cavity on the upper substrate or on the lower substrate; injecting adhesives or binders in the cavities of the spacers; and curing the adhesives or the binders in the cavities to bind the upper substrate and the lower substrate. Through the method illustrated above, the strength for combining these two substrates can be enhanced. Moreover, the uniformity of the gap inside the LCD panel, and the gravity mura resulted from the gravity can be improved. Therefore, the lifetime of the LCD can be extended.
US07705955B2

A liquid crystal display device, and a fabricating method thereof, that is capable of providing uniform liquid cell gaps. A main seal defines a liquid crystal injection area. A first step coverage-compensating layer is provided between a substrate on which the main seal has been coated and the main seal. A plurality of dummy seals is arranged external to the main seal. A second step coverage-compensating layer having the same thickness as the first step coverage-compensating layer is provided between the substrate on which the dummy seals are arranged and the dummy seals. Accordingly, a main seal and dummy seals having the same thickness produce uniform liquid crystal cell gaps. The liquid crystal display device is beneficially made by a fabrication process employing four or five masks.
US07705943B2

The liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate 1110a, a second substrate 1110b placed to face the first substrate, and a liquid crystal layer 1120 interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The liquid crystal display device has a plurality of pixels each including a first electrode 1111 formed on the first substrate, a second electrode 1131 formed on the second substrate, and the liquid crystal layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The second electrode 1131 has at least one opening 1114 formed at a predetermined position in the pixel, the first substrate has a shading region in gaps between the plurality of pixels, and a wall structure 1115 is placed regularly on the surface of the first substrate facing the liquid crystal layer in the shading region. The liquid crystal layer has at least one liquid crystal domain having axisymmetric alignment formed when at least a predetermined voltage is applied, and the center axis of the axisymmetric alignment of the at least one liquid crystal domain is formed in or near the at least one opening.
US07705934B2

The present invention prevents a displayed three-dimensional stereoscopic image from being darkened in a three-dimensional display device of a DFD type. The present invention provides a three-dimensional display device in which at least one of a plurality of display panels is formed of a display panel having pixels each of which includes color filters having the higher transmissivity than color filters (basic color filters) which express colors of an image or transparent windows.
US07705925B2

A TFT array substrate has a substrate with a pixel region and a switching region. A gate line has both a gate electrode that extends into the switching region and a gate pad is formed on the substrate. A gate pad electrode is formed on the gate pad. A data line includes both a source electrode that extends from the data line into the switching region and a data pad. A data pad electrode is formed on the data pad. A drain electrode that is spaced apart from the source electrode is over the gate electrode. A gate insulation layer covers the gate electrode and the substrate. Semiconductor layers, including a pure amorphous silicon layer and a doped amorphous silicon layer, and a protection layer extends over the source electrode, over the silicon layers, and over part of the drain electrode. A pixel electrode is formed on the pixel region. The pixel electrode contacts a side portion of the drain electrode. The TFT array substrate is fabricated using a back exposure.
US07705924B2

A liquid crystal display includes a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix and having first and second sub-pixel electrodes differentiated in size from each other. First and second switching elements are connected to the first and second sub-pixel electrodes, respectively. First and second gate lines are connected to the first and second switching elements, respectively. A data line is connected to the first and second switching elements to transmit a data voltage. First and second gate shorting bars are connected to the first and second gate lines, respectively. The gate lines connected to the respective sub-pixels are connected to two or four gate shorting bars to allow an array test and a visual inspection test, and to thereby detect a bridge between respective sub-pixel electrode neighbors in a simplified manner.
US07705920B2

A digital broadcast receiving system and a method for controlling the same are disclosed. The method includes the steps of receiving a broadcast signal having mobile service data and main service data multiplexed therein, extracting transmission parameter channel (TPC) signaling information and fast information channel (FIC) signaling information from a data group within the received mobile service data, wherein the FIC signaling information includes a current/next (C/N) indicator, and wherein the TPC signaling information includes FIC version information, and detecting ensemble configuration information of a current MH frame.
US07705918B2

According to one embodiment, a noise reduction apparatus includes a frame delay module, first and second impulse noise detectors, first and second impulse noise reducers, a motion detector, and a noise reducer. The frame delay module delays a video signal by one frame to obtain a frame delay video signal. The first and second impulse noise detectors detect impulse noise in the video signal and the frame delay video signal. The first impulse noise reducer generates a current frame video signal by reducing the impulse noise in the video signal. The second impulse noise reducer generates a previous frame video signal by reducing the impulse noise in the frame delay video signal. The motion detector detects motion amount from the current and previous frame video signals. The noise reducer reduces noise other than the impulse noise in the current frame video signal based on the motion amount.
US07705916B2

A method for video decoding in a video decoding/de-interlacing display apparatus that utilizes a storage device having four frame buffers is provided. The method includes following steps: (a) decoding video data of a next picture; (b) if the next picture is a B picture, buffering the decoded video data of the next picture into a frame buffer of the storage device not stored with a reference picture nor a present display picture nor a previous display picture; and (c) if step (b) is not applicable, buffering the decoded video data of the next picture into a frame buffer of the storage device stored with the previous display picture.
US07705907B2

What is disclosed is a display apparatus that introduce an electronic image that is generated electronically into a viewing optical system through which an object is viewed to make the electronic image viewable in such a way as to be superimposed on an image of the object. The electric image forming apparatus has a light source, a micro lens array and scanning means for scanning light from the light source to form an image on the micro lens array. There is disclosed a scanning display apparatus that introduces an image formed on the micro lens and superimpose it on an image of an object and a camera in which an object image formed optically and an electronic image are made viewable in a superimposed manner using the scanning display apparatus.
US07705902B2

A video signal processing apparatus includes two image display memory areas 22 and 24 which alternately repeat input and output operations by receiving a signal obtained by performing predetermined processing for an output image signal from an image sensor 12, an image display unit 28 for displaying an object image represented by image frames sequentially output from the two memory areas, a system controller 40 which, when an image frame is to be input to one of the two memory areas, causes the other one of the two memory areas to output a held image frame, and causes the two memory areas to alternately repeat the input and output operations, thereby switching inputting and outputting of the two memory areas, and a mode determination circuit 272 for determining whether the frame rate of the output image signal from the image sensor 12 is higher or lower than the image display rate of the image display unit 28. On the basis of the determination result, the system controller 40 changes input/output control for the two memory areas.
US07705900B2

An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels, at least two pixels each having a photodetector; a charge-to-voltage conversion region; an input to an amplifier; and a switch for selectively connecting the charge-to-voltage conversion regions.
US07705899B2

A plurality of pixel groups X(n) each comprising a plurality of pixels are set, and switched capacitor amplification parts are provided in correspondence to the pixel groups, respectively. Each of the switched capacitor amplification parts has a charge detection node to which output terminals of the transfer transistors of a corresponding pixel group X(n) are connected in common, an amplification part, a reset transistor, a first capacitance element, and a select transistor. A load part common to the switched capacitor amplification parts is provided. The load part is combined with the amplification parts of the switched capacitor amplification parts to constitute inverting amplifiers, respectively. By means of the above constitution, it is capable of obtaining a noise-reduced, high-quality image and which allows transistor count per pixel to be cut, thus allowing the pixel size to be reduced.
US07705888B2

The user of an objective device registers a favorite setup of the objective device in a user setup data recording device in correspondence with user information based on a physical feature. Upon detecting the physical feature of the user, the objective device sends its device ID to the user setup data recording device together with the user information based on the physical feature. The user setup data recording device sends setup data of the objective device, which is set in advance by the user, to the objective device on the basis of the received user information and device ID. The objective device changes its setup on the basis of the received setup data.
US07705878B2

A system for obtaining video data is provided, the system comprising a video camera positioned down a bore-hole to obtain a plurality of video frames wherein the plurality of video frames comprises sequential video frames, wherein each of the sequential video frames contains information, and wherein a portion of the information of each of the sequential video frames comprises new information not found on a previous sequential video frame. The system also comprises a data extractor to extract information only from the portion comprising the new information from each sequential video frame.
US07705862B1

I describe and claim a system and method for improved keystone correction. The method comprising identifying input values associated with an image projected on the projection surface, the input values including one or more center-points on edges of a distorted projection of the image and including a plurality of corners within the distorted projection of the image, the corners corresponding to an undistorted projection of the image, determining one or more keystone scaling values responsive to the identifying, and predistorting the image responsive to the determining, the predistorted image exhibiting no distortion and aligning with the plurality of corners when projected on the projection surface.
US07705861B2

An analytical tool for measuring spacing between elements in a web page is provided. In one implementation, the analytical tool identifies locations indicated on a web page and automatically determines one or more elements in proximity to those indicated locations. The analytical tool automatically identifies points on the determined elements associated with the indicated locations and calculates the distance between those points. The calculated distance is displayed on the web page. The automatically identified points and a graphical representation of a measuring ruler between the points may also be displayed to enhance usability.
US07705856B2

A coloring support system suitable for realizing coloring that matches colors imaged by a user is provided.A coloring support apparatus 100 inputs document data forming a document and acquires, on the basis of the document data inputted, color information concerning colors applied to the document. The coloring support apparatus 100 judges, on the basis of the color information acquired, coloring rules that match coloring applied to the document among coloring rules in a coloring rule registration DB 10 and matching colors that match the coloring rules among the colors applied to the document. The coloring support apparatus 100 displays, for each of the coloring rules judged, displays a name of the coloring rule and a coloring pallet including the matching color group.
US07705855B2

A display system includes a subpixelated display panel having subpixels in two saturated primary colors. In one embodiment, the primary colors are selected so as to be a substantially metameric pair for an achromatic color such as white. Information display efficiencies arise from utilizing a checkerboard arrangement for the two primary colored subpixels and from using subpixel rendering algorithms to render an image on the display. The bichromatic display may display a black and white image combined with a monochromatic image, or may provide the capability to overlay a first image from a first image source carried on a chromatic channel onto a second image from a second image source carried on a luminance channel, where the first image source detects light wavelengths that the Human Vision System is not sensitive to, such as infrared light. This latter embodiment of the bichromatic display system is suitable for night vision devices.
US07705847B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a decision framework for selecting graph types based on attributes such as task, end-user, data-bound, and representational attributes. According to one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for aiding a user in selecting a graph type for a graph comprises receiving a selection of a graph type subset from the user, the graph type subset selected from a plurality of graph type subsets, the selection responsive to at least one task attribute corresponding to an intended use for the graph. The method further comprises generating a user interface to be displayed to the user, the user interface including an indication of at least one graph type in the selected graph type subset, an indication of at least one attribute, and an indication of whether the at least one graph type is appropriate in view of the at least one attribute, thereby providing guidance to the user in selecting an appropriate graph type.
US07705846B1

Circuits, methods, and apparatus provide for the storage of texture descriptors in a graphics memory. Since the texture descriptors are stored in a graphics memory, they do not need to be stored in the graphics processor itself, thus reducing graphics processor circuitry and cost. This allows more textures to be associated with each graphics primitive, thereby improving image realism.
US07705840B2

Display panels capable of eliminating reliability issues due to high switching frequency. The display panel comprises a data driver outputting first, second, third and fourth data signals in sequence through a data line, a scan driver outputting first and second scan signals in sequence through first and second scan lines and an auxiliary driver generates first and second auxiliary signals in sequence, and first and second display cells commonly receives the first scan signal through the first scan line and receives the first and the second data signal through the data line, and a first switch is coupled to the data line and the second display cell, turning on and off in sequence according to the first auxiliary signal when the first scan signal is applied thereto such that the second and the first display cells receive the first and the second data signals in sequence.
US07705837B2

A computer tablet includes a wireless receiver, and a pen is configured to be manipulated by a person to ride against the computer tablet and thereby provide input to the computer tablet. The pen includes a wireless transmitter. A processor associated with the computer tablet outputs an alarm when a signal from the transmitter of the pen is not sensed by the computer tablet within a time period.
US07705833B2

A mobile terminal and its display method are discussed. According to an embodiment, the mobile terminal includes a display unit of a touch screen type divided into at least one of first and second display regions; and a controller that performs a particular function or re-adjusts a divisional boundary between the first and second display regions according to a user's instruction sensed from the display unit, wherein the display unit displays a movable menu bar that partitions the first and second display regions.
US07705831B2

A pad type input device is provided. The pad type input device includes an operation surface which includes a scroll area operated by an operation body. A detector is operative to detect a touch position of the operation body placed on the operation surface as positional information on a coordinate plane. A data processor is operative to acquire an operation signal obtained by the detector to perform a predetermined process. The data processor outputs a scroll signal that moves display contents in a predetermined scroll direction when the operation body placed on the scroll area is in a stop state where the operation body does not move, even after a predetermined time elapses.
US07705824B2

A first apparatus for displaying drawings comprises a housing having an aperture, a drawing sheet comprising electro-optic material movable through the aperture between closed and open positions, and a writing device for writing on the sheet as it moved between its closed and open positions. A second apparatus comprises a display member having a viewing surface, support means for supporting this display member above a floor, an electro-optic medium disposed on the display member, and a movable writing head for writing on the electro-optic medium. Another display comprises an optic medium with two display states visible through a viewing surface. A touch screen is disposed on the opposed side of the optic medium from the viewing surface, and the optic medium is deformable such that pressure applied to the viewing surface will be transmitted to the touch screen.
US07705823B2

Each embodiment relates to an image display device which comprises an image display panel, in which two or more groups of particles having different colors and different charge characteristics are sealed between two substrates, at least one of two substrates being transparent, and, in which the particles, to which an electrostatic field produced by a pair of electrodes provided on one or both substrates is applied, are made to fly and move so as to display an image. Among them, in the first aspect of the invention, an image forming process for forming the image by applying an electric field pattern between the electrodes, the electric field pattern serving to fly particles A to the substrate at an image display side; and an image forming process for forming the image by applying an inversion (negative) electric field pattern with respect to the electric field pattern, the inversion electric field pattern serving to fly particles B having different colors and different charge characteristics with respect to those of the particles A to the substrate at an image display side; so that an image deleting process prior to forming the image to be displayed is eliminated.
US07705822B2

A liquid crystal display 1 displays an image of 16:9 aspect ratio by sequentially driving scan lines Y(1) to Y(30) and capacitor lines CL(1) to CL(30), in synchronization with this, sequentially driving scan lines Y(211) to Y(240) and capacitor lines CL(211) to CL(240), and thereafter, sequentially driving scan lines Y(31) to Y(210) and capacitor lines CL(31) to CL(210).
US07705821B2

A driving method of a display device for performing time-division gray scale display is disclosed, which is capable of inputting accurate data into a panel by using one memory. M groups each having a pair of a first period and a second period are provided in one frame period. Video signals are written into a memory in the first period of at least one group among the m groups, while video signals are read out from the memory in the respective second periods of the m groups. The start timing of reading out video signals from the memory is synchronized with the start timing of each of the n sub-frame periods.
US07705819B2

A display device includes gate lines, data lines, storage electrode lines and pixels. Each pixel includes a switching element connected to a gate line and a data line, a liquid crystal capacitor connected to the switching element and a common voltage, and a storage capacitor connected to the switching element and a storage electrode line. Signal generating circuits of the display generate storage signals based on gate signals in such a way that the storage signal applied to each pixel has a changed voltage level immediately after the completion of the charging of the data voltage into the liquid crystal capacitor and the storage capacitor. This enables the pixel electrode to reach the target voltage in a single frame, reduces the power consumption of the display, and improves its response time, reliability and durability.
US07705816B2

A method of displaying image data, which can mitigate a double-boundary problem and improve MPRT, includes the steps of: receiving a plurality of frame data of a pixel; correcting subframe data of two of the plurality frame data; and sequentially displaying each of the subframe data of the plurality frame data.
US07705803B2

A plasma display panel displaying grayscales by a combination of brightness weights of a plurality of subfields in a frame. A peak subfield index of a current frame is generated based on a highest grayscale value detected from an input image data of the current frame, wherein the peak subfield index contains information of at least one subfield that is not used in the current frame. At least one period of reset, address, and sustain periods of the at least one subfield that is not used in the current frame is removed in response to a control signal and the peak subfield index of the current frame. The control signal is generated based on a comparison of a peak subfield index of a previous frame that has been delayed by one frame and the peak subfield index of the current frame.
US07705801B2

The present invention provides a driving method suitable for a plasma display. The plasma display includes multiple scan electrodes, multiple sustain electrodes and multiple address electrodes, for example. Successive frames are adapted to be displayed in repeating reset periods, address periods and sustain periods by applying driving signals to the scan electrodes, sustain electrodes and address electrodes. The driving method is characterized in that before inputting driving signals or when interrupting driving signals, a wall-charge removing signal is applied to the scan electrodes to remove/reduce the residual wall charges around the scan electrodes and the sustain electrodes. As a result, the possibility of the plasma display generating erroneously discharging with strong light at the restarting state can be effectively reduced.
US07705786B2

The present invention relates to an antenna structure comprising a dielectric pellet and a dielectric substrate with upper and lower surfaces and at least one groundplane, wherein the dielectric pellet is elevated above the upper surface of the dielectric substrate such that the dielectric pellet does not directly contact the dielectric substrate or the groundplane, and wherein the dielectric pellet is provided with a conductive direct feed structure. A radiating antenna component is additionally provided and arranged so as to be excited by the dielectric pellet. Elevating the dielectric antenna component so that it does not directly contact the groundplane or the dielectric substrate significantly improves bandwidth of the antenna as a whole.
US07705784B2

A multi-frequency antenna for receiving a first frequency and second frequency signals comprises a grounding element, a first conductive member, a first radiation member, and a second radiation member. The first conductive member connects to the grounding element. The first radiation member and the second radiation member connect to the first conductive member separately. The multi-frequency antenna further comprises a parasitic structure. The parasitic structure structurally encircles the second radiation member and the encirclement is a partial encirclement. Moreover, the parasitic structure connects to the grounding element.
US07705782B2

A microstrip antenna has a single dielectric layer with a conductive ground plane disposed on one side, and an array of spaced apart radiating patches disposed on the other side of the dielectric layer. The radiating patches are interconnected with a feed terminal via stripline elements. Responsive to electromagnetic energy, a high-order standing wave is induced in the antenna and a directed beam is transmitted from and/or received into the antenna. A dual-mode embodiment is configured such that standing wave nodes occur at the intersection of orthogonally situated striplines to minimize cross-polarization levels of the signals and the cross-talk between the two modes of operation.
US07705779B2

A wireless communication method and antenna system for determining the direction of arrival (DOA) of received signals in azimuth and elevation, (i.e., in three dimensions), to form a beam for transmitting and receiving signals. The system includes two antenna arrays, each having a plurality of antenna elements, two first stage multi-mode-port matrices, at least one second stage multi-mode-port matrix, an azimuth phase detector, an elevation amplitude detector, a plurality of phase shifters and a transceiver. The antenna arrays and the first stage multi-mode-port matrices form a plurality of orthogonal omni-directional modes. Each of the modes has a characteristic phase set. Two of the modes' phases are used to determine DOA in azimuth. The second stage multi-mode-port matrix forms a sum-mode and a difference-mode used to determine the DOA of the received signals in elevation. A beam is formed in the direction of the received signals by adjusting the phase shifters.
US07705777B2

A mobile multifrequency transmitter includes a self-locator, a frequency selector, and a communication unit. The self-locator is configured to determine a current self location without transmitting an outgoing signal, and to provide the self location to the multifrequency transmitter. The frequency selector is configured to select a usable frequency based on the current self location. The communication unit is configured to transmit on said selected usable frequency. A mobile communication method includes the steps of obtaining a current self location from a self-locator without transmitting an outgoing signal, looking up in a database an allowable frequency band corresponding to the current self location, and transmitting on the allowable frequency band. Thus, the mobile multi-frequency transmitter is capable of handling an automatic frequency switchover without the need for higher level cellular direction.
US07705770B2

An IFF interrogation system for use on an aircraft is described. The system transmits a signal from an interrogator to a transponder and from the transponder to the interrogator. The system includes a non-reciprocal IFF antenna that breaks either an uplink signal or a downlink signal at any given angle outside the main beam. The IFF transmitter transmits an Uplink Σ signal and an Uplink Δ signal to the IFF antenna.
US07705766B2

A method of operating synthetic aperture radar in a low PRF mode, comprising generating a stream of radar pulses, imposing onto said stream a predetermined modulation of the Pulse Repetition Frequency (PRF), directing said stream to a target area, and processing received pulses, comprising separating the received pulses as a sequence of sets, and superposing received radar pulses of said sets, whereby to enhance the central received lobe and to attenuate side lobes.
US07705761B2

A system comprising an radio frequency (RF) signal input; a plurality of time-skewed, undersampled analog to digital converters (ADCs); a plurality of complex finite input response (FIR) filters in parallel, wherein each complex FIR filter receives the output beam and/or band provided by the plurality of ADCs and generates a corresponding output beam of a given frequency.
US07705759B2

Disclosed are techniques for generating a precisely controlled analog signal. In one described implementation, a semiconductor circuit is mounted on a circuit board having a power and a ground etching. The circuit has a power terminal coupled with the power etching and a ground terminal coupled with the ground etching. The circuit includes a trapezoid shaped resistive strip coupled with the power terminal and the ground terminal. Contacts are connected along one edge of the strip to provide outputs at various voltage levels. Switches having a common output are coupled with the contacts on the strip. A control circuit activates the switches so that the common output generates an analog signal.
US07705754B2

The present invention relates to a method, computer program product and system for the compression of a probability table and the reconstruction of one or more probability elements using the compressed data and method. After determining a probability table that is to be compressed, the probability table is compressed using a first probability table compression method, wherein the probability table compression method creates a first compressed probability table. The first compressed probability table contains a plurality of probability elements. Further, the probability table is compressed using a second probability table compression method, wherein the probability table compression method creates a second compressed probability table. The second compressed probability table containing a plurality of probability elements. A first probability element reconstructed using the first compressed probability table is thereafter merged with a second probability element reconstructed using the second compressed probability table in order to produce a merged probability element.
US07705746B2

A control system with a simplified control device (10) for direct selection of electronic media operations, and for programmed navigation through the content without using dedicated navigation functions of a media player. The simplified control device (10) includes a limited number of keys, comprising direct-select keys (20-26) and navigation keys (30-36), which transmit programmable number key signals rather than dedicated key signals. Direct-select keys (20-26) are visually associated with icons displayed by the medial player by shape, color, and/or the like. The icons are dynamically associated with portions of content and/or software instructions stored on a medium, such as a DVD. Activating a direct-select key (20-26) cause the media player to access the associated content and/or instructions. The simplified remote control device (10) also includes navigation keys (30-36) associated with software instructions stored on the DVD, so that navigation operations are consistent for any media player that reads from the DVD. Dedicated keys can also be included.
US07705734B2

A product packaging comprises a cap on a transparent bottle to seal in a protected product. The cap includes an RFID chip and antenna that can report a serial number and product identification code to a nearby scanner. Reports from several such scanners in the distribution chain from manufacturer to retailers are logged and used to validate legitimate products by their movements. The caps are designed such that when opened the RFID antenna will break away from its associated RFID chip. The cap is molded of cross-linked polymers with a memory that makes it impossible to reseat it properly to the bottle once removed. A hologram target is placed backwards under a label on the side of the bottle so a laser beam can be directed through the backside of the bottle, through the contents, and to the hologram. The reflected laser light will have a signature that is very sensitive to the exact chemistry of the contents. Adulterations and fake products substituted for the genuine articles inside the bottle are detectable using non-invasive hologram reflected laser light and analysis.
US07705719B2

A tire air pressure detecting device determines whether an abnormality has occurred in a transmitter. When a response is not received from the transmitter mounted on a wheel, wheel information detection is retried because an abnormality may have occurred in the transmitter. A triggering device is provided on the vehicle-body side and requests a response from the transmitter corresponding to the relevant wheel. The wheel information detection is retried by the triggering device being instructed to output a trigger signal (re-try trigger signal) at a timing (phase) differing from a steady transmission. As a result, the tire air pressure detecting device can accurately determine whether the unresponsive state of the transmitter is caused by an abnormality in the transmitter or by another cause.
US07705716B2

The present invention provides an apparatus, method and program for detecting abnormality in tire air-pressure which allow detecting abnormality in tire air-pressure even if pressure in a tire is completely zero. The apparatus for alarming abnormality in tire air-pressure includes means of (1) calculating the acceleration variations of respective tires from accelerations of the tires calculated by rotational wheel velocities; (2) comparing the calculated acceleration variations of the respective tires; and (3) detecting air-pressure in a tire is abnormal when the acceleration variation of the tire is larger than the acceleration variations of the remaining tires as a result of comparison.
US07705715B2

A vehicle weight determination apparatus is disclosed which includes a receiver; a persistent memory storing a plurality of sensor identifiers, a like plurality of axle identifiers and a like plurality of correlation information, such that a given sensor identifier is associated with a given axle identifier and given correlation information. The apparatus also includes a controller for: receiving from the receiver a message comprising a sensor identifier and an air pressure indication, utilitising the sensor identifier to obtain an axle identifier and correlation information, and utilising the correlation information and the pressure indicator to obtain a weight measure associated with the axle identifier. The apparatus may include a display for displaying the weight measure and the axle identifier.
US07705712B2

A fast data transfer collection system using message authentication and contactless RF proximity card technology in non-contact storage and retrieval applications. The system is generally comprised of Host computers (application computer systems), Target radio frequency (RF) terminals, and a plurality of portable Tags (“smart” or “proximity” cards). A Host provides specific application functionality to a Tag holder, with a high degree of protection from fraudulent use. A Target provides control of the RF antenna and resolves collisions between multiple Tags in the RF field. A Tag provides reliable, high speed, and well authenticated secure exchanges of data/information with the Host resulting from the use of a custom ASIC design incorporating unique analog and digital circuits, nonvolatile memory, and state logic. Each Tag engages in a transaction with the Target in which a sequence of message exchanges allow data to be read(written) from(to) the Tag. These exchanges establish the RF communication link, resolve communication collisions with other Tags, authenticate both parties in the transaction, rapidly and robustly relay information through the link, and ensure the integrity and incorruptibility of the transaction. The system architecture provides capabilities to ensure the integrity of the data transferred thus eliminating the major problem of corrupting data on the card and in the system. The architecture and protocol are designed to allow simple and efficient integration of the transaction product system into data/information processing installations.
US07705710B2

A method for start and access verification of a motor vehicle by means of a mobile identification transmitter (3) with an evaluation unit arranged in the identification transmitter (3). At least two antennas (1, 2) arranged in different places on the vehicle in any order: each emit time independently an electromagnetic signal which is measured by a measuring device in the identification transmitter (3), and each simultaneously emit an electromagnetic signal which is measured by the measuring device in the identification transmitter (3). Thus, the security of start and access systems of motor vehicles is increased.
US07705706B2

A plug with a replaceable fuse is provided. The plug includes an outer housing, an inner core, a pair of prongs and a pair of conductive cords. The outer housing includes a fuse uninstall button opening and an inner core install opening. The inner core is installed into the outer housing through the inner core install opening, and the inner core includes a fuse socket and a fuse uninstall button. The fuse socket has an uninstall opening. When it is intended to replace the fuse, the fuse uninstall button is pressed from the fuse uninstall button opening, the fuse is ejected or pushed out of the fuse socket by one end of the fuse uninstall button extending to the uninstall opening. When the fuse uninstall button is not pressed, the fuse uninstall button restores to the original position, such that a new fuse is installed into the fuse socket.
US07705705B2

The present invention discloses a transformer structure. The transformer structure comprises a first primary winding, and a first secondary circuits. The first secondary circuits comprises a filtering capacitor, a conductive Cu windings and a rectifier configured onto the printed circuit board (PCB) forming the first secondary circuits PCB winding. The first primary winding and the secondary circuits are interleaved with each other.
US07705704B2

An inductor structure disposed over a substrate and including a coil layer is provided. The coil layer has a plurality of coil turns electrically connected with each other. An innermost coil turn of the coil layer has a portion with a narrower width in a region with a higher magnetic flux density than that in the other region with lower magnetic flux density.
US07705701B2

A composite sealed vessel is provided. The vessel includes a non-metallic, generally cylindrical inner containment piece, a non-metallic, generally cylindrical outer containment piece disposed around the inner containment piece. A pair of non-metallic flanges are disposed at ends of the inner and outer containment pieces to form a closed structure defining a cavity therein. The vessel also includes a metallic external lining disposed over the closed structure to form a leak-tight pressure boundary.
US07705697B2

Conventionally, waveguide terminals formed in a plurality of dielectric substrates are joined together by mounting the dielectric substrates on carriers and fastening them to a waveguide adapter with screws. In the present invention, to reduce cost and improve machinability, a plurality of solders 7 are disposed around the waveguide terminal 2b formed in one dielectric substrate 1b, and the other dielectric substrate 1a having the waveguide terminal 2a is placed across the solders 7 to thereby connect the waveguide terminals by soldering.
US07705682B2

Two or more low noise amplifiers are configured to amplify received radio frequency input signals and one or more shared load or source degeneration inductors are configured to be used for each of the two or more low noise amplifiers. Further, the one or more shared inductors can be configured to be used for processing two or more signal bands in a multi-band communication system.
US07705677B2

The frequency and transient responses of a CMOS differential amplifier are improved by employing one or more compensating capacitors. A compensating capacitor coupled to a differential input of the CMOS differential amplifier is used to inject current into the differential input, such that the net current flow through the gate-to-drain capacitance of a MOS input transistor approaches zero. Thus, the Miller effect with respect to that MOS input transistor is substantially reduced or eliminated, resulting in increased frequency and transient responses for the CMOS differential amplifier. In one embodiment, the CMOS differential amplifier is a CMOS current mirror differential amplifier.
US07705676B2

An amplifier arrangement for operation at supply voltages of at least 100V and at output powers of at least 1 kW includes a half-bridge formed from two switching elements connected in series, two supply voltage terminals, and an output connection between the switching elements. A bypass capacitor is in parallel with the switching elements, and a current path is through the switching elements and the bypass capacitor, where the current path has a length of 10 cm or less, the half-bridge and the bypass capacitor are arranged on an area of 30 cm2, and a resonant circuit formed by capacitances and inductances in the current path has a resonance frequency of 100 MHz or greater.
US07705675B2

Exemplary techniques for implementing an amplifier suitable for RF amplification, such as a tuned class DE amplifier, are disclosed. One disclosed embodiment of a circuit for amplifying an RF signal includes a push-pull amplifier comprising a push transistor and a pull transistor. A first driver amplifier drives the push transistor of the push-pull amplifier with a first RF signal. A second driver amplifier drives the pull transistor of the push-pull amplifier with a second RF signal different from the first RF signal.
US07705674B2

Exemplary techniques for implementing an amplifier suitable for RF amplification, such as a tuned class DE amplifier, are disclosed. One disclosed embodiment of a circuit for amplifying an RF signal includes a push-pull amplifier comprising a push transistor and a pull transistor. A first driver amplifier drives the push transistor of the push-pull amplifier with a first RF signal. A second driver amplifier drives the pull transistor of the push-pull amplifier with a second RF signal different from the first RF signal.
US07705672B1

An amplifier circuit comprising an input unit for maintaining a linearly amplified replica of the main input signal receives the main input signal and outputs a first output signal, which is the linearly amplified replica of the main input signal. The amplifier circuit further comprising a modulator controller that outputs a mutually exclusive first and second modulated signals from a respective first and second portion of the linearly amplified replica of the main input signal only when the input unit receives the main input signal. The first and the second modulator signals drive a voltage converter, with the voltage converter driving a respective first portion of a load and a second portion of the load. The amplifier circuit further includes a feedback unit for correction of a main output signal in relation to the main input signal.
US07705665B2

Provided is a tuning circuit of a Gm (transconductance)-C (capacitance) filter. The tuning circuit tunes a transconductance using direct current incorporating variations of a capacitance, instead of a clock signal, in a Gm tuning mode, while using the clock signal in a capacitance tuning mode. As such, it is possible to prevent deterioration of a received signal caused by the clock signal.
US07705658B2

A wave detector circuit includes: a first transistor having its base and collector connected together, the first transistor receiving an AC signal and a reference voltage at its base and collector; a second transistor having its base connected to the base of the first transistor through a resistor, the second transistor outputting a detected voltage at its collector; and a diode-connected temperature compensation transistor connected between ground potential and the base and the collector of the first transistor.
US07705651B2

A delay circuit of a semiconductor memory apparatus can include a clock period sensing unit for generating a sensing signal in response to a clock frequency, and a selective delay unit for delaying an input signal for a delay time and then output the input signal as an output signal, wherein the delay time can be one selected from a plurality of delay times according to the sensing signal. The delay time can be selectively determined according to a clock frequency used in a semiconductor memory apparatus.
US07705650B2

A system and method for effectively implementing an IQ generator includes a master latch that generates an I signal and a slave latch that generates a Q signal. The master latch includes a master data circuit, a master latch circuit, and a master clock circuit. The slave latch includes a slave data circuit, a slave latch circuit, and a slave clock circuit. A cross-coupled current-source technique is used to compensate for certain device mismatches. A current source A generates an operating current A for the master clock circuit, the master data circuit, and the slave data circuit, and a current source B generates an operating current B for the slave clock circuit, the master latch, and the slave latch. In addition, resistors are utilized to provide fixed impedances to compensate for device mismatches between certain components in the master clock circuit and the slave clock circuit.
US07705624B2

The exemplary embodiments provide a resilient integrated circuit. An exemplary IC comprises a plurality of composite circuit elements, a state machine element (SME), and a plurality of communication elements. Each composite circuit element comprises an element interface and a selected circuit element which may vary by element type, and which may be configurable. The state machine element assigns various functions based on element type, such as assigning a first configuration to a first element type, assigning a second configuration to a second element type, and providing a first data link for the corresponding assignments. In response to detection of a fault or failure, the state machine element re-assigns the first configuration to another composite circuit element and creates a second data link for performance of the same function. The assignment, routing, fault detection, and re-assignment and data re-routing can occur in real time for a wide variety of programs and algorithms, providing for the IC to continue the same functioning despite defects which may arise during operation.
US07705622B1

This invention generates two pulses for semiconductor testing that have leading edges coordinated in time by synchronizing the pulses from two different styles of pulse generators (pulsers). One pulser uses spark discharge pulse generation and the other pulser is a typical solid state pulser. The spark discharge pulser has high power pulse generation but its pulse timing can not be tightly controlled. The output pulse of the spark discharge pulser is split unequally, with a small amount used to trigger the solid state pulser, and the large pulse energy delayed by a cable of length for a signal propagation delay equal or greater than the trigger-input-to-pulse-output delay of the solid state pulser. Variable attenuators control the trigger signal amplitude and a level shifting circuit makes the trigger signal compatible with standard logic signal levels. The two pulses can be applied to semiconductors with their leading edges adjustable relative to each other to measure the semiconductors operation.
US07705616B2

The invention relates to, in a sensor comprising: an electrically conductive metal housing, said housing having an inside wall forming a transmission matrix cavity, said wall having perforations therethrough; a liner transmissible of water lining said inside wall and covering said perforations; a transmission matrix filling said liner; a tablet of slowly dissolving material atop said transmission matrix; a cap closing said housing forming an electrode matrix chamber; an electrode chamber matrix in said electrode matrix chamber; a pair of spaced-apart electrodes in said electrode matrix chamber in contact with said electrode chamber matrix; the cap passing electrical leads from said electrodes; an improvement comprising said liner comprising a layer of laid, thermally bonded fibers in a pattern such as to provide-passages of such size as to confine said transmission matrix but to permit flow of moisture to and from said transmission matrix and soil in contact with it.
US07705608B2

A method for use with a light-sensitive integrated circuit includes applying different wavelengths of light to the integrated circuit to produce output signals in response to the different wavelengths of light, measuring the output signals to obtain measured values, comparing the measured values to setpoint values that correspond to the different wavelengths of light, obtaining correction values for the different wavelengths of light that are based on the comparison, and storing the correction values on the integrated circuit.
US07705607B2

The present disclosure is directed to cable diagnostic test methods, systems and apparatus that advantageously utilize “standing wave”principles to facilitate the identification and location of defect(s) along a power cable. The disclosed methods/systems are effective in measuring dissipation factors and dielectric constants associated with shielded power cable insulation at any number of points or sections along the axial length of the cable. In essence, the disclosed methods/systems perform what may be termed axial tomography, allowing the dielectric loss or dissipation factor and the dielectric constant of the insulation as well as the resistance and inductance of the cable conductor system to be determined at one or more pre-determined points/sections of the cable along its axis.
US07705602B2

An automotive vehicle electrical system diagnostic apparatus includes first and second electrical connections configured to electrically couple to an electrical system of an automotive vehicle which includes a battery. Digital samples are obtained during operation of the vehicle which are related to the system. The digital samples are stored in memory.
US07705597B2

In a method and an apparatus for acquiring magnetic resonance data, a region of a subject is exposed to a spin echo magnetic resonance pulse sequence that includes a refocusing radio-frequency pulse flip angle evolution that causes magnetic resonance signals to be emitted from the region with a signal evolution following each excitation radio-frequency pulse. The signal evolution is sampled to extract two or more sets of sampled data therefrom respectively with different contrast weightings of tissues in the region. The multiple sets of sampled data are made available as respective outputs in a form allowing multiple different images of the region to be generated therefrom, respectively with said different contrast weightings. For example, a spin density-weighted image and a T2-weighted image, or a T2-weighted image and a heavily T2-weighted image, thus can be generated by sampling from the same variable-flip-angle echo train.
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