US08166584B2
An overflow system in the bathtub has an overflow port and has a drain pipe in connection with the overflow port. A threaded flange has a stub shoulder on one end which is fitted into a circular sleeve on the overflow port. The threaded flange has exterior threads on its outer surface and a thin diaphragm secured to the end thereof opposite to the stub shoulder. A large sealing washer embraces the outside of the circular flange on the overflow port and extends partially over the threads of the threaded flange. A large internally threaded nut is threadably mounted on the outer end of the threaded flange and compresses the sealing washer against a vertical flange on the port to seal the connection between the threaded flange and the port. A decorative cap is frictionally snapped into engagement with protrusions on the outer surface of the nut. The cap can be removed when needed to permit the plumber to gain access to the diaphragm to cut it open for fluid flow after the system has been tested for leaks, or put in place after the cut takes place.
US08166569B1
Provided is a multiaxial fabric comprising a first layer comprising a first layer comprising substantially parallel resin-free polyethylene yarns oriented in a first direction; a second layer comprising substantially parallel resin-free polyethylene oriented in a second direction, the first and second directions being skew with respect to each other; a layer, interposed between and in contact with each of the first and second layers, and comprising a thermoplastic or thermoset film; and a yarn interlaced transversely among each of the layers of the multiaxial fabric.
US08171565B2
Systems and methods for locally generating a license and activating a Digital Rights Management (DRM) agent are provided. The system includes a storage device and an electronic device. The storage device includes a DRM treated file, operation information, and a management application. The electronic device activates the management application from the storage device to retrieve information, such as a Unique Identification (UID) or a DRM machine certificate from the electronic device, and generate a license for the electronic device according to the operation information, and the retrieved information of the electronic device. The electronic device activates a DRM agent by providing the DRM treated file and the license to the DRM agent for playing back the DRM treated file based on the license. The management application may set the license expired after the DRM treated file is played back on the electronic device.
US08171558B2
In a multi-tiered computing environment, a first program may authenticate with a second program using dynamically-generated public/private key pairs. An authentication token is constructed that includes user information and information about the first program and the second program. The first program then digitally signs the authentication token using the dynamically-generated private key, and sends the authentication token to the second program. The second program then verifies the authentication token using the public key corresponding to the first program. Once verified, the first program is authenticated to the second program. The second program may then authenticate to a next-tier program by constructing an authentication token that includes the information in the authentication token received from the first program. This may continue to any suitable number of tiers, using dynamically-generated public/private key pairs to allow authentication between programs without requiring any user interaction or input from a system administrator.
US08171555B2
A machine-actionable memory comprises one or more machine-actionable records arranged according to a data structure. Such a data structure may include links that respectively map between: a RID field, the contents of which denote an identification (ID) of a remediation (RID); at least one TID field, the contents of which denotes an ID of at least two technologies (TIDs), respectively; and at least one ACTID field, the contents of which denotes an ID of an action (ACTID). A method, of selecting a remediation that is appropriate to a technology present on a machine to be remediated, may include: providing such a machine-actionable memory; and indexing into the memory using a given RID value and a given TID value to determine values of the at-least-one ACTID corresponding to the given RID value and appropriate to the given TID value.
US08171553B2
A suspicious activity capture system can comprise a tap configured to copy network data from a communication network, and a controller. The controller is coupled to the tap and is configured to receive the copy of the network data from the tap, analyze the copy of the network data with a heuristic to flag the network data as suspicious, and simulate transmission of the network data to a destination device.
US08171550B2
A system and method for defining and detecting pestware is described. In one embodiment, a pestware file is received and at least a portion of the pestware file is placed into a processor-readable memory. A plurality of execution paths within code of the pestware file are followed and for each of a plurality of selected function calls within the execution paths of the pestware file, at least one parameter from each of the function calls is retrieved so as to obtain a plurality of parameters. A representation of each of the parameters is then stored in a processor-readable pestware-definition file, which is sent to a plurality of client devices.
US08171548B2
Protected software, such as an application and/or DLL, is monitored by protective software to guard against attacks, while distinguishing spurious, benign events from attacks. In a 1-touch approach, the protected software is monitored in a testing environment to detect spurious, benign events caused by, e.g., incompatibility or interoperability problems. The spurious events can be remediated in different ways, such as by applying a relaxed security policy. In a production mode, or 0-touch mode, when the protected software is subject to attacks, the corresponding remediation can be applied when the spurious events are again detected. Security events which occur in production mode can also be treated as benign when they occur within a specified time window. The applications and/or DLLs can further be classified according to whether they are known to have bad properties, known to be well-behaved, or unknown. Appropriate treatment is provided based on the classification.
US08171534B2
An authentication process for a client and a target service to perform mutual authentication. A combined code is received that comprises a combined code hash of at least two sets of data from which an encoding scheme of the at least two sets of data can be determined. The two sets of data comprise a first set of data that includes a first hash of a public key associated with a certificate used to establish a secure channel with a target service, and a second set of data that includes a credential for authentication. The certificate can be validated with the first set of data included in the combined code. In response to a successful validation of the certificate, the credential from the second set of data can be provided to the target service for authentication.
US08171531B2
A universal authentication token is configured to securely acquire security credentials from other authentication tokens and/or devices. In this manner, a single universal authentication token can store the authentication credentials required to access a variety of resources, services and applications for a user. The universal authentication token includes a user interface, memory for storing a plurality of authentication records for a user, and a secure processor. The secure processor provides the required cryptographic operations to encrypt, decrypt, and/or authenticate data that is sent or received by universal token. For example, secure processor may be used to generate authentication data from seed information stored in memory.
US08171526B2
A service providing system is disclosed. The service providing system includes an information processing apparatus and a service providing server, each having an authentication mechanism, that are connected via a network, wherein the information processing apparatus and the service providing server provides a service in response to a request by an authenticated user. The information processing apparatus includes: an information obtaining part for obtaining authentication information for performing authentication in the service providing server wherein the authentication information is associated with a user authenticated in the information processing apparatus; and a process request part for sending a process request including the authentication information to the service providing server.
US08171521B2
A system and method for managing a network by value-based estimation is provided. A network device requesting communication is defined as an active point and a network device receiving a request for communication is defined as a passive point. A value of a network device is determined according to the number of active points connected to the corresponding network device, and a value of a network device that is in a path of communication between network devices is determined based on a value of a network device passing through the corresponding network device. When a policy for changing a network environment is transferred in a state where the values of the network devices have been estimated, a policy conflict test is performed on the basis of the estimated values of the network devices, thereby determining application of the policy in due consideration of the values and significance of the network devices.
US08171513B2
Electronic program guide information display method and apparatus, and broadcasting receiver thereof
Provided are a method and apparatus for displaying electronic program guide (EPG) information so that a broadcast program can be searched for even when the size of each display region of an EPG information screen, which displays program information, is small or reduced and a broadcast receiver therefor. The method includes detecting program information for each of a plurality of broadcast programs which are to be displayed from the electronic program guide information, adjusting or changing the program information to be suitable for a display region for each broadcast program in an electronic program guide information screen, and constructing and displaying the electronic program guide information screen so that the electronic program guide information reflects the adjusted or changed program information.
US08171512B2
A host device having a notice function for setting environment and a setting environment method thereof are disclosed. The host device includes a download unit which downloads and stores an application provided from a broadcasting station, a control unit which executes the application stored in the download unit and thus to change a setting environment, and a display unit which displays the setting environment changed by the control unit on a screen.
US08171505B2
To provide a disc drive device which does not spend a lot of money on components and requires the less number of components than the conventional technology and has a function to correctly dispose an inserted disc by a slot-in method at a place where the disc can be driven according to the size of the disc. The disc drive device comprises an abutment pad which receives the inserted disc in a different posture depending on the size of the disc, a coupling member which rotationally transfers by a different distance at a different position according to the posture of the abutment pad when it rotationally transfers along with the bring-in operation of the disc, and a spring which applies a predetermined energizing force to the coupling member. Due to the coupled operation of these components, etc., the inserted disc can be correctly disposed at a predetermined place where the disc can be driven according to the size of the disc.
US08171497B2
Disclosed are methods and threads for responding to a request to perform an operation on a server object as may be provided in software form within an object request broker (ORB) server library or an ORB server. The specified object is identified by a marshaled object key in a conventional manner. The method improves upon prior art techniques by directly locating the object using the marshaled object key free of any unmarshaling step. The specified operation can then be invoked on the located object. The method applies to both in-process and out-of-process requests. In a preferred implementation, the marshaled object key is utilized as a hash key to directly access a pointer to the object.
US08171492B2
The example embodiments disclosed herein relate to application integration techniques built around the publish-and-subscribe model (or one of its variants). In certain example embodiments, application integration techniques for managing and/or monitoring a business process comprising a plurality of activities, events, and/or objects located in at least one resource external to the application integration system and a process engine thereof are provided. During design time, by introspecting the business object types involved in the activities, events, and/or objects of the at least one resource, potential state changes may be identified, and an integrative linkage may be established, with the integrative linkage being managed and maintained by a process monitoring agent (PMA). During runtime, the PMA may “listen” to the business object state changes in the at least one external resource and notify the local process engine accordingly.
US08171487B2
A method for processing work items of a workflow system is done in the following manner. Information identifying work items from a server responsible for handling work items is retrieved based at least on a set of configuration rules. The information is stored in a cache. In response to a work item request form an application, matching work items are searched for in the cache, and a piece of information identifying the requested work item is delivered to the application in response to finding at least one work item matching the work item request from the application. Statistics on work item requests are maintained, and the set of configuration rules are modified according to the statistics.
US08171484B2
A resource management apparatus includes a resource management part to manage an amount of resources used and an amount of virtual resources of each of a plurality of processing units, a selection and control part to select a processing unit having a smallest sum of the amount of resources used and the amount of virtual resources in response to an external process request, and to increase the amount of resources used by the selected processing unit and to decrease the amount of resources used by a processing unit corresponding to an external process release request in response to the process release request, a virtual resource control part to increase the amount of virtual resources of the processing unit corresponding to the process release request in response to the process release request, and a request sending part to send the external process request or process release request to the selected or corresponding processing unit.
US08171481B2
The present invention proposes a scheduler, which is used to submit execution of jobs according to a predefined plan. Each job is defined by a corresponding descriptor. The descriptor specifies the resources to be used by the jobs (through their properties). In addition, for each resource the descriptor can also specify one or more relationships with other resources (defined by their properties as well). When the job must be submitted, the scheduler identifies the actual resources that possess the desired properties and that satisfy the desired relationships. For this purpose, the scheduler accesses a repository with stores information about the available resources and their relationships.
US08171468B2
The technology downloads and upgrades terminal software of a communications device over-the-air in a efficient and fail-safe manner. The communication device is provided with radio software from a server via a wireless network including a number of access networks. A download is initiated of radio software designed for a first of two different radio access technologies of the communication device. One of the two radio access technologies of the communication device is selected for downloading the software. The radio software is downloaded via the selected available radio access technology. The radio software designed for the first radio access technology is stored in memory.
US08171462B2
A user declarative language for formatted data processing is provided. The user declarative language may be used to generate constraints which can be projected onto a string according to one or more anchor points. The constraints can correspond to evaluation criteria. At least a portion of a string can be evaluated according to the evaluation criteria.
US08171455B2
A test sequencer software application and method for management and execution of sequence items. The test sequencer software application includes a management module and an execution module. The management module has capabilities of obtaining multiple sequence items definitions, of obtaining configuration information, of creating multiple lists of ordered sequence items from the sequence items definitions, and of separately linking each list of sequence items to one of multiple sequence engines from the configuration information. The execution module includes a sequencer controller module and the multiple sequence engines. The sequence controller module activates each of the multiple sequence engines in a preselected order and each sequence engine executes the ordered sequence items in each list linked to that sequence engine.
US08171447B1
A technique will automatically route interconnect of an integrated circuit while taking into consideration current density rules. In an implementation, the technique uses a shape-based approach where a grid is not used. Based on data input including current density and a frequency of each net, the technique will determine the current requirements for each net. In an implementation, the technique forms a Steiner tree for a net, and routs using the Steiner tree. The technique widens nets having greater current requirements; adjacent wiring may be pushed aside to create sufficient space for wider nets.
US08171446B2
A method for designing a semiconductor device includes computing a contact resistance value based on an allowable power supply voltage drop set for a second position corresponding to a given region of a second power supply line on a second wiring layer different from a first wiring layer, and computing a number of vias for the given region based on a result of a comparison between a resistance value of a via coupling a first power supply line and the second power supply line and the contact resistance value.
US08171438B2
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for verification of a program partitioned according to the control flow information of the program. Properties are received indicating outcome states for a program. The program is processed to determine a control flow in the program and paths in the control flow. Enabled paths are determined in the control flow having states satisfying requirements of the outcome states. For each enabled path, a determination is made of inert variables not used along the control flow of the path and a representation of states and transitions for the enabled path is generated, wherein the represented states and transitions do not include the inert variables. The generated representation of the states and transitions for the enabled path are combined into a merged computation image.
US08171436B2
System and method for developing an ASIC. A software program may be stored which includes program instructions which implement a function. The software program may be executed on a processing system at a desired system speed and may be validated based on the execution. A first hardware description of at least a portion of the processing system may be stored and may specify implementation of at least a portion of the processing system. A second hardware description may be generated that corresponds to a first portion of the first hardware description. The second hardware description may specify a dedicated hardware implementation of a first portion of the software program executing on the processing system. Generation of the second hardware description may be performed one or more times to fully specify the ASIC. An ASIC may be created which implements the function of the software program.
US08171432B2
In accordance with some embodiments, a flat version of an application interface is displayed. In response to detecting a user gesture on a view options icon while the flat version of the application interface is displayed, a curled version of the application interface is displayed. The curled version of the application interface includes an image of a curled page that obscures a first portion of the flat version of the application interface, and a roll-up region in a display region formerly occupied by a second portion of the flat version of the application interface. The roll-up region includes a plurality of option icons. When a user selection gesture on one or more of the plurality of option icons is detected, the flat version of the application interface is redisplayed with information corresponding to the option icons upon which user selection gestures were detected.
US08171427B2
A method for controlling a mobile terminal includes displaying icons within a region of a display of the mobile terminal, forming a group icon as being associated with a plurality of the icons, displaying the group icon within the region of the display to permit user access to the plurality of icons which are each associated with the group icon, ceasing the displaying of the plurality of icons which are each associated with the group icon, and generating a menu in response to selection of the group icon, the menu comprising selectable operations individually relating to at least one of the plurality of icons which are each associated with the group icon.
US08171425B2
Provided are a user interface method of enabling a user to conveniently use a terminal allowing multi-tasking, and a computer readable recording medium storing the method. The user interface method includes classifying applications capable of being executed by the apparatus into groups, in such a manner as to classify one or more applications that perform similar functions into the same group; and displaying a window for executing a corresponding application, for each of the groups.
US08171423B2
Retrieving information from a display server. Information about all visible windows displayed on a display by the display server is retrieved. Descriptive information about visible windows displayed on the display, and windows on a shelf is retrieved from the display server or window broker. Notifications of changes to windows are received. Based on information retrieved from the display server or window broker and received notifications, a user interface displays windows displayed on the display and windows on the shelf. A user request is received at the user interface for a change to what is displayed by the display server. The user request is sent, directly or indirectly to the window broker. The window broker approves, denies or makes arbitrary changes to windows to accommodate the user request and sends a window broker request to the display server. The window broker notifies window managers of changes that have been made.
US08171419B2
The method of managing media files remotely on a portable electronic device having the touch screen display includes storing a composite media file index that lists all media files, and their attributes, whether stored on the portable electronic device or accessible at a remote computing device. The method continues by rendering a graphical user interface for a media manager application, operable to access the stored media file index, on the touch screen display. At least one activation touch event is then detected on the touch screen display, and in response to the at least one activation touch event, a group of media files having shared attributes are displayed within the graphical user interface, and at least one media file is identified for download from the remote computing device. The at least one media file is then downloaded during synchronization of the portable electronic device to the remote computing device.
US08171417B2
A user interface switching method, and an electronic device and a recording medium using the same are provided. First, a plurality of user interfaces are provided, and one of the user interfaces is displayed in a touch screen of the portable electronic device. A representative icon bar and a hot key bar are displayed in the touch screen, wherein the representative icon bar comprises representative icons respectively corresponding to the user interfaces and the hot key bar comprises one or more hot keys corresponding to the user interface currently displayed in the touch screen. When the touch screen detects a touch signal which falls within the representative icon bar and is moved therein, the representative icon bar is moved correspondingly, and the displayed user interface and hot keys are also switched according to the representative icon on which the touch signal is terminated.
US08171415B2
A solution for centrally managing and federating outage specific information and for rapidly providing controlled access to this information in a role tailored fashion. The information can be gathered and provided in real-time along with programmatically determined proposed actions. An information recipient can configure and dynamically change the manner in which the information is presented, so that relevant information for that recipient can be rapidly digested. For example, a manager with a moderate level of technical knowledge may want information to be presented pictorially and in summary fashion, while a highly technical troubleshooter may want to configure information presentation to show key network statistics and values. In one embodiment, outage information can be presented in a Web portal having multiple discrete and customizable portlets, which include a geography portlet and a system portlet.
US08171407B2
Generating popularity ratings for virtual world artifacts based on how often and in what manner avatars access the artifacts is provided. The popularity ratings for virtual world artifacts may be used to determine what virtual world artifacts are selected to have a prominent presence in a virtual world. When an event caused by an avatar accessing a virtual world artifact in a virtual world is detected, the illustrative embodiments receive information about the event, such as the event type, the avatar identifier (ID), and the time the event occurred. The illustrative embodiments generate a rating score for the virtual world artifact based on the information received about the event. The illustrative embodiments update a rendering of the virtual world artifact in the virtual world based on the rating score.
US08171395B2
A method for interfacing with an XML (Extensible Markup Language) parser generator to generate deserialization information interleaved with XML parsing and validation, including: providing an XML parser generator with information about the schema which the instance data conforms to; providing a data reporting application programming interface (API) and a generator module; providing one or more implementations of the data reporting API; providing the XML parser generator with a selected data reporting API implementation module; generating an XML parser to parse and validate instance documents conforming to the specified input schema and deserializing the instance documents into the desired deserialization format during the parse.
US08171392B2
Systems and methods analyze the physical structure of text rows in a document image, including the positions of one or more alignments of one or more character blocks in one or more text rows of the document image. The systems and methods determine one or more groups of text rows that are placed into a class based on the structures of the text rows, such as the positions of the one or more alignments of the one or more character blocks in each text row.
US08171388B2
A network device, system, and method are directed towards detecting trusted reporters and/or abusive users in an online community using reputation event inputs, such as abuse reports. When an abuse report is received for a content item, the combined trust (reputation) of previous reporters on the reported content item and the trust (reputation) of the content author are compared to determine whether to trust the content item. If the content item is un-trusted, the content item may be hidden from public view. In one embodiment, the content item might still be visible to the content author, and/or members in the author's contact list, or the like, while being hidden from another user in the community. In one embodiment, the author may appeal the determined trust, and results of the appeal may be used to modify a trust of at least one reporter.
US08171370B2
A method and apparatus for applying Forward Error Correction (FEC) in 66b systems. For a user data, the apparatus uses a method comprising the steps of generating one or more data blocks using a 66b code format and the user data; generating one or more FEC parity blocks using the 66b code format, wherein the parity is calculated over the data blocks; and generating an FEC codeword using the data blocks and the FEC parity blocks.
US08171368B1
Decoding data is disclosed, including computing a syndrome polynomial for Reed-Solomon encoded data, applying the Berlekamp-Massey method to solve key equations associated with the syndrome polynomial, comparing a linear feedback shift register (LSFR) length LΛ associated with an error locator polynomial Λ(x) with an error correction capability t, and based on the comparison, determining whether to perform soft decision decoding or a Chien search.
US08171364B2
A method and system are provided to transmit a meter power status. The method includes recognizing a power status change at a meter. The method includes, if the meter is scheduled to transmit first, transmitting a notification message to at least one neighboring meter towards a mesh gate, wherein the notification message includes a power status indicator and a meter identifier. The method includes, if the meter is not scheduled to transmit first, waiting a predetermined time period to receive a notification message from at least one neighboring meter. The method includes, responsive to receiving a notification message, adding a meter identifier to the received notification message before retransmitting the modified notification message to at least one neighboring meter. The method includes retransmitting the notification message.
US08171362B2
Apparatus, methods and computer program products implement HARQ buffer size reduction by storing successfully received blocks of a multi-block signal in a code block buffer and only storing unsuccessfully received blocks of the multi-block signal in the HARQ buffer. As HARQ retransmissions of the signal occur, previous successfully received blocks are discarded. Blocks that were not successfully received in one or more previous signals but are successfully received in a HARQ retransmission are saved in the code block buffer. The process may continue until all blocks of the multi-block signal have been successfully decoded received and stored in the code block buffer. The successfully received blocks of the multi-block signal are then passed to higher layers.
US08171354B2
For an error rate QBER, threshold values are preset, including a threshold value Qbit for frame synchronization processing, a threshold value Qphase for phase correction processing, and a threshold value QEve for eavesdropping detection. Upon the distribution of a quantum key from a sender to a receiver, when the measurement value of QBER is deteriorated more than Qbit, frame synchronization processing is performed. When the measurement value of QBER is deteriorated more than Qphase, phase correction processing and frame synchronization processing are performed. When QBER does not become better than QEve even after these recovery-processing steps are repeated N times, it is determined that there is a possibility of eavesdropping, and the processing is stopped.
US08171344B2
A troubleshooting system that receivesing as input one or more symptom(s) of trouble of an IT system and outputting a remedy for the symptom, the troubleshooting system including: a first data base to collecting configuration information of the IT system, a second data base to collecting incidents of trouble including symptoms of trouble and remedies for dealing with the symptoms, a first storage unit to deriveing and storeing configuration information of incidents of trouble from the first data base and the second data base using the configuration information as a key, a configuration information similarity degree calculation unit to calculating similarity degrees between input configuration information of the IT system experiencing trouble and configuration information of the incidents of trouble, and an output unit to presenting a remedy for the IT system experiencing the trouble together with the similarity degree.
US08171337B2
Shared storage systems and methods are provided. A particular shared storage system is a system including multiple instances of shared storage. Each of the instances of shared storage includes data and file system metadata separated from the data. The file system metadata includes location data specifying storage location information related to the data. A persistent common view is provided of local and remote files, file systems, and services in the shared storage.
US08171316B2
A mobile System on Chip (SoC) including a central processing unit (CPU) and an audio out module that includes a buffer and an audio interface. A power mode of the audio out module is controlled separately from a power mode of the mobile SoC so that the audio out module operates when the mobile SoC is in a power down mode.
US08171314B2
Information handling system thermal conditions are controlled by hybrid interaction between a system thermal manager and a power supply thermal manager. The system thermal manager sets a speed for system cooling fans and for a power supply cooling fan. The power supply thermal manager determines a speed for the power supply cooling fan and also receives the speed for the power supply cooling fan determined by the system thermal manager. The power supply thermal manager commands the power supply fan to run at a selected of the determined speeds based upon one or predetermined conditions, such as by the selecting the greater of the determined speeds.
US08171312B2
A recording apparatus can shift to power saving modes even when the recording apparatus is connected to the host PC, thus reducing power consumption. The recording apparatus can switch to a first power saving mode to supply power that enables detection of an inquiry from a host device and also switch to a second power saving mode to supply power that enables responding to an inquiry from the host device about information as to the memory card. Prior to switching to the first power saving mode, the recording apparatus stores information about a memory card attached to the card slot in a memory unit. In response to detection of an inquiry from the host device, the recording apparatus switches from the first power saving mode to the second power saving mode, and notifies information stored in the memory card controller to the host device.
US08171308B2
A digital broadcast receiver and a control method thereof are disclosed. The control method includes receiving a broadcast signal into which mobile service data and main service data are multiplexed, extracting transmission parameter channel (TPC) signaling information and fast information channel (FIC) signaling information from a data group in the received mobile service data, acquiring control data required to decrypt an encrypted service included in an ensemble by using the extracted FIC signaling information, the ensemble being a virtual channel group of the received mobile service data, and controlling such that the encrypted service is decrypted by using the acquired control data.
US08171305B2
The invention relates to a method for authorizing a telephone transaction and in particular an access to a database through a user in a telecommunication network, said telecommunication network comprising a user interface, an access control for the database and an authentification device, which are connected with each other over a local node in the telecommunication network, as well as to a corresponding local node.The invention is characterized in that the comparative result is output by the authentification device over the local node to the access control and the result of the comparison is communicated by the access control to the user over the local node, signals sent by the authentification device being masked.
US08171300B2
A method and apparatus for providing password security to an electronic device. Access rights to an electronic device are determined by decrypting and decoding an encrypted password given to one or more individuals. When an individual enters a given encrypted password into the electronic device, a decrypting function decrypts the password to generate a decrypted password. The decrypted password contains information as to whether access should be granted to the individual, and if so, to what extent. For example, the decrypted password may comprise a numerical value and access is granted if the numerical value is less than or greater than a predetermined value, or if the numerical value is within a predetermined range.
US08171299B2
A data communication apparatus which is capable of preventing reception of undesired data by a destination without increasing the load on a network, etc. Data and a destination thereof are input. A sender ID related to a sender who sends the input data is input. The input data is sent to the input destination. A sender ID for data transmission to the input destination is permitted is stored as a permission ID. The input sender ID is collated with the stored permission ID. Whether to permit data transmission is determined according to the collation result.
US08171298B2
An authentication framework is provided which enables dynamic user authentication that combines multiple authentication objects using a shared context and that permits customizable interaction design to suit varying user preferences and transaction/application requirements. Such a framework provides a high degree of flexibility, accuracy, convenience and robustness. In one illustrative aspect of the invention, an automated technique for user authentication comprises the following steps/operations. First, user input is obtained. At least a portion of the user input is associated with two or more verification objects. Then, the user is verified based on the two or more verification objects in accordance with at least one verification policy operating on a context shared across the two or more verification objects. The user authentication technique of the invention may preferably be implemented in a flexible, distributed architecture comprising at least one client device coupled to at least one verification server. The client device and the verification server may operate together to perform the user authentication techniques of the invention.
US08171296B2
A system, method, and computer program product for computing a digest value of a document, one or more schemas, and a validation report. The validation report indicates a validation status of the document based on the schema or schemas. The digest value is encrypted to produce a digital signature of the document, the schema or schemas, and the validation report.
US08171290B1
An authentication system authenticates remotely generated optical control signals. A remote optical emitter transmits an optical control signal from a remote location. A remote authentication device collocated with the remote optical emitter receives an authentication challenge signal and transmits a compatible authentication response signal. A control optical signal processor positioned at a first location receives the optical control signal from the remote optical emitter and generates a control output signal in response to detection of a valid optical control signal. An authentication device is coupled by a real time data communications link with the optical signal processor and with the remote optical emitter. The control authentication device receives the control output signal from the optical processor, transmits the authentication challenge signal to the remote authentication device in response to receipt of the control output signal and generates an authenticated control output signal in response to receipt of a valid authentication response signal from the remote authentication device.
US08171273B2
A method and apparatus for reconfiguring software in a software-based wireless terminal when a new wireless communication service is to be carried out is provided. The method of reconfiguring software at a software defined radio (SDR) terminal including one or more reconfigurable elements, includes: indentifying program installation time and program startup time with respect to the respective reconfigurable elements, selecting a reconfigurable element from the one or more reconfigurable elements based on the program installation time and the program startup time, and placing a program on the selected reconfigurable element. Accordingly, time for installing a new wireless communication service can be reduced in the SDR mobile communication terminal. Thus, convenience can be provided to a user.
US08171270B2
Methods and apparatus to perform asynchronous control transfer are described. In one embodiment, upon occurrence of an event (e.g., an architectural event), a service routine data block (SRDB) is accessed via a service routine base pointer (SRDS) and a service routine offset value (SRDBP) to obtain the address of a yield service routine via a service routine instruction pointer (SRIP) and a service routine code segment (SRCS). Other embodiments are also described.
US08171268B2
A technique for managing context state information enables a reduced number of save and restore operations. At least one embodiment includes a plurality of save area segments to store a plurality of machine context state information, which can be saved into the segments and restored to the machine state. One embodiment includes at least one in-use bit vector to indicate status of the plurality of machine context information stored in the segments, and another vector associated with the machine state.
US08171258B2
In an embodiment, an address generation unit (AGU) is configured to generate a pseudo sum from an index portion of two or more operands. The pseudo sum may equal the index if the carry-in of the actual sum to the least significant bit of the index is a selected value (e.g. zero). The AGU may also include circuitry coupled to receive the operands and to generate the actual carry-in to the least significant bit of the index. The AGU may transmit the pseudo sum and the carry-in to a decode block for a memory array. The decode block may decode the pseudo sum into one or more one-hot vectors. The one-hot vectors may be input to muxes, and the one-hot vectors rotated by one position may be the other input. The actual carry-in may be the selection control of the mux.
US08171256B1
A method for preventing subversion of address space layout randomization (ASLR) in a computing device is described. An unverified module attempting to load into an address space of memory of the computing device is intercepted. Attributes associated with the unverified module are analyzed. A determination is made, based on the analyzed attributes, whether a probability exists that the unverified module will be loaded into a number of address spaces that exceeds a threshold. The unverified module is prevented from loading into the address space if the probability exists that the unverified module will be loaded into a number of address spaces that exceeds the threshold.
US08171249B2
The present invention eliminates the possibility of problems with viruses, worms, identity theft, and other hazards that may result from the connection of a computer to the Internet. It does so by creating a new configuration of components within the computer. In addition to commonly used components, two new components are added. These are a secondary hard drive and a secondary random access memory. When the computer is connected to the Internet these secondary components are used in place of their primary counterparts. The primary hard drive is electronically isolated from the Internet, thus preventing Internet contamination of the primary hard drive.
US08171243B2
A data control apparatus is connected to a central processing unit that processes data and to a main storage unit that stores therein the data, and controls output of the data. The data control apparatus includes a data storage unit that stores therein data output from the central processing unit to the main storage unit and data output from the central processing unit to other central processing unit, an information addition unit that adds information indicating an output enabled state to the data when the data stored in the data storage unit is in the output enabled state, and a data output unit that outputs the data with the information added thereto by the information addition unit from oldest stored data in order of storage in the data storage unit.
US08171241B2
Provided is a computer system including a host computer, a plurality of virtual storage systems coupled to the host computer, a storage system coupled to the plurality of virtual storage systems, and a management computer. The storage system includes storage areas provided as volumes to the host computer. Each of the virtual storage systems provides virtual volumes corresponding to the volumes to the host computer. The host computer disperses a plurality of data I/Os containing data to be written in one of the volumes to the virtual volumes of a plurality of paths reaching the one of the volumes at a determined ratio. The management computer calculates a threshold value of a performance value to be set in the virtual volume of each of the paths to determine whether to generate an alert based on the predetermined ratio. Thus, performance of the computer system is properly managed.
US08171229B2
A system and method for managing a data cache in a central processing unit (CPU) of a database system. A method executed by a system includes the processing steps of adding an ID of a page p into a page holder queue of the data cache, executing a memory barrier store-load operation on the CPU, and looking-up page p in the data cache based on the ID of the page p in the page holder queue. The method further includes the steps of, if page p is found, accessing the page p from the data cache, and adding the ID of the page p into a least-recently-used queue.
US08171228B2
Garbage collection associated with a cache with reduced complexity. In an embodiment, a relative rank is computed for each cache item based on relative frequency of access and relative non-idle time of cache entry compared to other entries. Each item having a relative rank less than a threshold is considered a suitable candidate for replacement. Thus, when a new item is to be stored in a cache, an entry corresponding to an identified item is used for storing the new item.
US08171224B2
A method of providing history based done logic for a D-cache includes receiving a D-cache line in an L2 cache; determining if the D-cache line is unprefetchable; aging the D-cache line without a delay if the D-cache line is prefetchable; and aging the D-cache line with a delay if the D-cache line is unprefetchable.
US08171223B2
A directory of a private cache hierarchy is provided to maintain coherency between data stored in the cache hierarchy, where the directory is to enable concurrent cache-to-cache transfer of data to two private caches from another private cache. This directory can be implemented in a system having a multi-core processor. Other embodiments are described.
US08171222B2
A memory control apparatus disposed in a memory access system having a bus, a single storage unit with a bank structure and a bus arbitrating unit, includes: an access-request accepting means for accepting sequential access requests for data located at sequential addresses in the storage unit, sequential access requests for data located at discrete addresses in the storage unit as sequential access requests, or access requests for data located at sequential addresses in the storage unit which cannot be made into a single access request as sequential access requests; and an access-request rearranging means for rearranging sequential access requests accepted by the access-request accepting means in an order of banks of the storage unit within a range of access requests relating to either a data write request output from one of data processing units or a data read request output therefrom to control an access control of the storage unit.
US08171216B2
A method can include associating a bin access value with each data storage bin of a plurality of data storage bins after a current time window ends; mapping each data storage bin of the plurality of data storage bins to a storage tier of a hierarchy of storage tiers, based on the bin access value associated with the data storage bin, such that a bin access value associated with each data storage bin mapped to a storage tier is greater than or equal to a bin access value associated with each data storage bin mapped to a next highest-performing storage tier; causing data associated with each data storage bin of the plurality of data storage bins to be migrated to the storage tier to which the data storage bin is mapped; and, when a data storage bin was not mapped to a current storage tier after a previous time window ended, automatically determining a time weighting factor to be applied to an access frequency associated with a time window.
US08171210B2
Operation control circuits start a first operation of any of memory cores in response to a first operation command, start a second operation of any of the memory cores in response to a second operation command, and terminate the first operation and continue the second operation in response to a termination command to terminate operations of the plurality of memory cores. For example, the semiconductor memory is mounted on a system together with a controller accessing the semiconductor memory. The termination of the operation in response to the termination command is judged in accordance with an operation state of the memory core. Accordingly, it is possible to terminate the operation of the memory core requiring the termination of operation without specifying the memory core from outside.
US08171192B2
A method and apparatus for detecting the configuration of a device in a processing system are described. In one embodiment, a page size parameter associated with a memory device is identified. Further, one or more configuration parameters associated with the memory device are also identified, the page size parameter and the configuration parameters enabling access to the memory device. Finally, a request to download application data from the memory device based on the page size parameter and the one or more configuration parameters is transmitted to the memory device.
US08171187B2
A system having memory access capabilities, the system includes: (i) a dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) controller, adapted to determine a level of a voltage supply supplied to a first memory access requester and a frequency of a clock signal provided to the first memory access requester and to generate a DVFS indication that is indicative of the determination; (ii) a hardware access request determination module, adapted to determine a priority of memory access request issued by the first memory access requester in response to the DVFS indication; and (iii) a direct memory access arbitrator, adapted to arbitrate between memory access requests issued by the first memory access requester and another memory access requester in response to priorities associated with the memory access requests.
US08171186B1
A method for performing write transactions in an interconnect fabric is described. A burst write transaction is received by a bridge coupled to a master. The burst transaction is initiated by a command phase that includes a wait state attribute. The bridge is also coupled to a second bus that is coupled to a slave destination device or to another bridge. The bridge may initiate a cut-through transaction to the second bus when the wait state attribute indicates a master inserted wait state will not be incurred during the burst transaction.
US08171181B2
A memory module has one or more memory devices, a controller in communication with the one or more memory devices, and a plurality of input/output ports. The controller is configured to configure each input/output port as an input, an output, or a bidirectional input/output.
US08171176B2
Disclosed is a method and a SAS controller device that abstract access from one or more virtual machines operating on a host system to SAS physical devices connected to the SAS controller without a routing table for port-to-port messaging on the SAS controller. An embodiment may create a virtual expander for each physical port of the SAS controller and further create virtual ports within the virtual expanders to provide abstracted access to SAS physical devices for the virtual machines. The SAS physical devices may be replicated/cloned within the virtual ports. Each replicated/cloned SAS physical device may be assigned a unique SAS address for the SAS controller (i.e., unique for the SAS controller such that other replicates/clones on other virtual ports have a different SAS address). If a physical expander that supports zoning is connected to a SAS controller port, an embodiment may further selectively replicate/clone the SAS physical devices for a virtual port based on whether or not a SAS physical device is included in a zoning group associated with the virtual port. An embodiment may further abstract access to SAS physical devices through a virtual function that permits access to one virtual port per virtual expander in order to permit access for the virtual machine associated with the virtual function to more than one physical port of the SAS controller.
US08171165B2
A file conversion system is capable of transmitting via a network a file provided by a file providing end in a format supported by a file receiving end to the file receiving end. The file conversion system includes a receiving module for receiving the file provided by the file providing end; a conversion module for converting the format of the file provided by the file providing end into a format supported by the file receiving end; a database module for recording a profile of the file receiving end, with the profile including the format supported by the file receiving end; and a transmission module for transmitting the file to the file receiving end via the network. If the format of the file is not supported by the file receiving end, the conversion module may, in accordance with the profile of the file receiving end, convert the format of the file into the format supported by the file receiving end so as to allow the transmission module to transmit the file to the file receiving end.
US08171157B2
Embodiments are configured to provide communication environments to communicating participants using a number of modality control features, but are not so limited. In an embodiment, a system includes a communications manager to manage an amount of available communication bandwidth to a number of communication modalities that include an audio modality, a video modality, an application sharing modality, and/or a file transfer modality. In one embodiment, available bandwidth can be distributed by controlling an audio state, a video state, an application sharing state, and/or a file transfer state, including using first and second distribution ratios as part of allocating available bandwidth.
US08171155B2
A download and data transfer gaming system utilizes a hybrid peer-to-peer, segmented file distribution protocol to vastly improve the download capabilities of a gaming system by improving the upload cost burdened by the download host. The system redistributes this cost to the download clients by allowing clients on the gaming system to upload pieces of a file to each other. This system is much more redundant by eliminating the possibility of a client missing a download broadcast. The system alleviates this possibility of missing packets and bad data integrity by using SHA-1 verification of the file pieces. The benefits of the improved bandwidth capabilities enable the download of much larger files, thus enhancing the game play experience.
US08171147B1
Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, devices and systems associated with peer-to-peer communications are disclosed.
US08171146B2
An apparatus and method for negotiating media capabilities is described. The method may comprise receiving an invite to establish a connection between a caller endpoint device and one of a plurality of callee endpoint devices of a shared line and identifying an initial common media capability between the caller endpoint device and the plurality of endpoint devices. Thereafter, the method may comprise negotiating a connection between the caller endpoint device and the callee endpoint device using the common media capability and determining if the caller endpoint device and the callee endpoint device have a common enhanced media capabilities. The connection may be re-negotiated using the enhanced media capability.
US08171138B2
Flexible attributes are attached to network requests that may be executed asynchronously. Any number of criteria may be attached to network requests. The requests are queued until the associated criteria are satisfied. Once the criteria are satisfied, the request is executed. Applications that make the requests are provided with simple success and failure notifications that they can respond to with various logic. Any type of criteria may be attached to a request. The criteria may be associated with the requests at design time of the application using a graphical user interface.
US08171127B2
Systems and methods for response monitoring are described. A method of generating a measurement for use in calculating an end-user experience metric in a server-based computing environment includes, transmitting a message from a client of the server-based computing environment to an application executing in a user space provided by an operating system of the server, receiving a graphic response for execution by the client from the application, and determining an amount of time elapsed between the transmission of the message and the conclusion of the execution of the graphic response.
US08171122B2
An apparatus and method provides visualization of IT resources that are exposed as WSDM resources. A management system with a console provides visibility and functionality for WSDM resources by employing a visualization mechanism that processes standardized visualization metadata that is sent from a WSDM resource. The visualization mechanism uses standardized information to enable the management system console to display a robust presentation of the resource without needing to update the management system and console code when new types of resources are added.
US08171102B2
A method for reading data from a dispersed data storage network that includes a plurality of slice servers. The method begins by accessing a list of slice servers of the plurality of slice servers, wherein each slice server on the list stores at least one data slice associated with a data segment of the data. The method continues by transmitting read requests to at least some of the slice servers on the list. The method continues by receiving a data slice from a slice server on the list. The method continues by determining whether a threshold number of data slices has been received. The method continues, when the threshold number of data slices has been received, assembling the data segment from at least the threshold number of data slices.
US08171100B2
Described are methods and apparatus for reducing latency of read and write requests for a set of storage system sites having a shared data set. An owner site may directly write to the shared data set and contains current data regarding the shared data set. The remote sites may experience substantial latency when accessing the shared data set stored at the owner site. Synchronizing and caching methods may reduce overall read latency experienced at remote sites by periodically transmitting images of the shared data set to the remote sites. Also, a migration method may be used to change ownership of the shared data set from a current owner site (that may be receiving a relatively low number of read/write requests) to a new owner site (that may be receiving a relatively high number of read/write requests) to reduce the overall read and write latency experienced in the sites.
US08171091B1
A server is communicatively coupled to a content publisher and a client machine The server may register the publication by assigning a publication identification (ID) to the publication, and register the content by associating the content with the publication using the publication ID. In some example embodiments, the client machine may submit a request to the server to determine whether the content is associated with the publication. In some example embodiments, the server may provide the publication ID to the client based on the content being associated with the publication, and the publication ID may allow the client to determine whether the publication is on a subscribed list that is stored on the client machine. An example client machine may be configured to perform an action on the content, based on the user being subscribed to the publication.
US08171088B2
An electronic communication is sent from a first tier sender to a first tier of one or more recipients. A first tier recipient propagates the communication to a second tier of one or more recipients. The first tier sender determines that the communication includes an incorrect identity. The first tier sender notifies the first tier recipients of the error and of the corrected identity. Responsive thereto, the first tier recipients send corrections to selected second tier recipients.
US08171082B2
An information processing system includes: a room specifying unit that specifies a room; an equipment coordinate storing unit that stores a correspondence between the room and a placing location of an information processing equipment equipped in the room; a document specifying unit that specifies a paper document on the basis of an information image recited on the paper document; a coordinate information extracting unit that extracts coordinate information from the paper document; a document information extracting unit that extracts document information regarding the stored paper document; an equipment specifying unit that specifies the stored information processing equipment on the basis of room information specified by the room specifying unit and the coordinate information extracted by the coordinate information extracting unit; and an outputting unit that outputs the document information specified by the coordinate information extracting unit to the information processing equipment specified by the equipment specifying unit.
US08171070B2
A reseller program may be used to increase the number of Customer desired domain names that are registered by a Registrar. There are two main embodiments of this reseller program. In the first embodiment, Resellers guide Customers to a Registrar web site through the use of advertisements, links in various web sites and/or links from search engines. The Registrar web site communicates directly with the Customer and registers the Customer desired domain names and compensates the Reseller for guiding the Customer to the Registrar web site. In the second embodiment, Resellers have their own reseller web sites that communicate directly with the Customers and communicate the desired domain names to the Registrar web site so the Registrar web site can register the Customer desired domain names. In this embodiment, the Customer may compensate the Reseller and the Reseller may compensate the Registrar for the services rendered.
US08171058B2
A method and system for creating interrecord relationships between master data records stored in a relational database are provided. The method includes receiving information for a first master data record from a user, searching a plurality of master data records in the relational database for candidates that have a potential of being related to the processed master data record, the searching performed automatically in response to the receiving, determining at least one possible relationship type between the candidates found as a result of the searching and the first master data record, and presenting the at least one possible relationship type and the candidates found as a result of the searching to the user. The disclosed method and system allow a user to create and maintain relationships between multiple master data records with minimal steps.
US08171053B2
The dynamic workflow documentation system is a computer implemented process comprising the following steps: The dynamic workflow documentation system starts a workflow manager program, a class loader program in a computer memory and creates an instance of a workflow program in the computer memory. The dynamic workflow documentation system extracts metadata properties from the workflow program and records the metadata properties in the memory. The dynamic workflow documentation system notifies the workflow manager that a new instance of the workflow program has been created and repeats the steps of creating an instance of a workflow component program, extracting metadata properties, recording the metadata properties and notifying the workflow manager for all workflow components associated with the workflow program. Security and auditing functions of the dynamic workflow documentation system ensure that workflow programs execute according to the workflow requirements.
US08171050B2
A computer-based method represents a subset of a dataset table of rows and columns. The method includes selecting a set of blocking variables corresponding to blocking columns of the dataset table. For each row in the dataset table, a tuple of values for the blocking columns uniquely identifies the row within the dataset table. The method also includes selecting a set of non-blocking variables that correspond to columns of the subset. The set of non-blocking variables does not intersect the set of blocking variables. The method also includes creating a block information structure that includes both the set of non-blocking variables and, for each blocking variable in the set of blocking variables, a set of values.
US08171048B2
Systems and methods improve search rankings for a search query by using location data associated with queries and documents related to the search query. In one aspect, a search query is received, a location score is determined, a topical score is determined, and an ordering of documents related to the search query is determined based, at least in part, on the location score and the topical score.
US08171043B2
Techniques are described to increase the diversity or focus of image search results. A user submits an original query to search for images. A server generates a first results set by executing the original query using metadata associated with each image. The server selects, from the first results set, a specified number of results ranked highest and generates a list of terms from the metadata of each of the results selected. The terms may be only the tags of the results. The server generates an updated query using terms in the list that may be weighted based on the frequency of the term in the list or include only a specified number of the highest occurring terms in the list. The server generates a second results set by executing the updated query using metadata associated with each image. The second results set is then stored and displayed to the user.
US08171041B2
A search engine server supports delivery of search results using an international search string option by identifying websites that provide support in English as well as the language of the international search string. The international search string is a search string in any of the languages that are listed/supported by the search engine server. The search engine server delivers web links of websites that provide support in both English as well the language of the international search string by identifying conjugate English terms, strings or phrases for the international search string, that provide exact or approximate equivalent meaning for searching. In addition, the search engine server also provides web links of websites that provide international language support by utilizing a thesaurus in English that provides synonyms for the conjugate English terms. The search engine server also translates websites where there is no support in the language of the search string.
US08171033B2
Methods and systems for determination of thresholds for time-series data. Data is transformed by reducing outliers, dividing the time series data into discrete time intervals, and taking parts of the data corresponding to the range that the thresholds will bound. If data cycles are known, they may be applied to the data and the resulting sets are weighted. Thresholds are then derived from the weighted means and variances of the sets of weighted data.
US08171031B2
Technologies are described herein for providing a more efficient approach to ranking search results. An illustrative technology reduces an amount of ranking data analyzed at query time. In the technology, a term is selected, at index time, from a master index. The term corresponds to a number of documents greater than a threshold. A set of documents that includes the term is selected based on the master index. A rank is determined for each document in the set of documents that contains the term. Each document in the set of documents that contains the term is assigned to a top document list or a bottom document list based on the rank. Predefined values of at least part of the rank are stored in the top document list for documents in the top document list and are not stored in the bottom document list for documents in the bottom document list.
US08171028B2
Transactional database replication techniques are disclosed that do not require altering of the database management system implementation. A replicator module includes a dynamic membership manager, which is configured to manage the persistent membership of a coordination group. The persistent membership can be, for example, a durable set of sites that can replicate changes amongst themselves. Changes from sites not in the persistent membership are discarded. The set of recovered members is a subset of the persistent membership. The persistent membership changes incrementally by either removing or adding members. Failed members may still be part of the persistent membership. The dynamic membership manager module manages the modification of the persistent membership, initialization of replicas, and propagation of membership information.
US08171021B2
Apparatus, systems and methods for predictive query identification for advertisements are disclosed. Candidate query are identified from queries stored in a query log. Relevancy scores for a plurality of web documents are generated, each relevancy score associated with a corresponding web document and being a measure of the relevance of the candidate query to the web document. A web document having an associated relevancy score that exceeds a relevancy threshold is selected. The selected web document is associated with the candidate query.
US08171016B2
A system (300), apparatus (200) and method (100) are provided to automatically play/suggest at least one audio accompaniment while a sequence of at least one digital image is being displayed such that the audio accompaniment matches the content of the particular sequence of images and matches any provided and/or generated image metadata. Search terms are derived from the images themselves as well as any metadata provided by the user and these search terms are then used to find audio accompaniment that either (1) contains these search terms or synonyms thereof in the image or associated text (e.g., song text) or (2) represents the sound normally associated with the images, such as rushing water sound for an image of a fast flowing brook. The invention accepts user input, locates appropriate audio accompaniment as search results and presents these results to the user either by playing the audio accompaniment while displaying the images or by suggesting a playlist to the user compiled from these results.
US08171014B2
A method for executing a distributed spatial data query. The present invention allows a client to perform spatial queries against spatial data stored in a various formats in various separate databases. A view of the data is created in the relevant databases, wherein the spatial data is converted to WKB and stored as a BLOB. A federated server contains nicknames for the various database views, and also contains views of the data where the BLOB is converted back to a spatial data type. The federated server presents to clients an application view of the distributed heterogeneous spatial data such that the clients can treat the data as if it were a homogenous data source. Also taught is incorporating distributed non-spatial data into the application view by creating a nickname and a view on top of the nickname which derives spatial information from the non-spatial location information.
US08171003B2
Introduced is information that indicates a changing of “a reference that points a referenced record” to “another reference that points another record”. This information is named as “changing reference information (CRI)” and is registered to a referred record. When accessing a referencing record, there is a possibility to access referenced record by necessity of a program or an operator. At this time, CRI registered to originally referenced record is accessed. And the reference is changed to new record as indicated by the CRI. Thus, status of a DB in a device is changed by the invention. When PCs have reproduced DBs that are copy of the original and edit their own reproduced DBs so as to change a reference, these editorial contents with CRI will be propagated to other PCs. Other PCs change references of their reproduced DBs according to the CRIs.
US08171001B2
Provided are an article of manufacture, system, and method for using a data mining algorithm to generate rules used to validate a selected region of a predicted column. A data set has a plurality of columns and records providing data for each of the columns. Selection is received of at least one predicted column for which rules are to be generated and at least one region of the selected at least one predicted column, wherein each region specifies data positions in the column. The data set is processed to determine association relationships among data in at least one predictor column and subsequences in the selected at least one region of the at least one predicted column. At least one rule is generated from the relationships specifying a condition involving at least one predictor column that predicts at least one value in the selected region of the at least one predicted column.
US08170998B2
The disclosed methods, systems, and computer-program products allow a business to estimate linking errors in customer relationships in a database and to identify metrics that improve the linking accuracy. In an embodiment, a plurality of sample customer relationships are selected from a database to form a sample data set that is statistically representative of the database. Potential linking errors are then identified within the sample data set. The identified potential linking errors are then validated to identify actual linking errors in the sample data set. Once validated, the actual linking errors within the sample data set are used to estimate linking errors within the database. Further, the estimated linking errors in the database may be analyzed to identify one or more factors that contribute to the linking errors.
US08170997B2
Systems (and corresponding methods) that unbundle the kernel or storage engine of a database system are provided. The unbundling separates transactional aspects from storage aspects. The two components of the storage engine resulting from the unbundling are a transaction component (TC) and a data component (DC). Data storage access methods are implemented in the DC without the added complexity of dealing with transactions, which are handled separately in the TC. The interface supported by the DC is a logical interface, e.g., record oriented, in which the way that records are mapped to disk pages (or flash memory blocks, etc.) need not be exposed. The TC then deals with logical locking and logging, meaning that it need know nothing about the way pages are used in the DC.
US08170988B2
A method for synchronizing information shared by a subsystem on-board a mobile platform and a subsystem remote from the mobile platform. The method may involve designating one of the subsystems as a first system having a first database, and designating one of the subsystems as a second system having a second database. The first subsystem may be used to transmit a synchronization request to the second subsystem, with the synchronization request including a synchronization point to be used as a reference for future synchronization operations between the subsystems. The second subsystem may be used to receive the synchronization request and to check the second database for any records that have been created or modified since a previously performed synchronization operation. Information may then be transmitted back to the first subsystem that includes information concerning the new or modified records.
US08170981B1
A computer system provides access to both an online transaction processing (OLTP) database server and an online analytics processing (OLAP) database server. The computer system includes a client application adapted to receive a query. According to (a) mode of operation (e.g., read or update) of the client application and (b) synchronization status of the OLAP database server, the client application redirects the query to the OLTP database server or to the OLAP database server. The client application redirects the query to the OLTP database server when the mode of operation is other than a read-only operation or the synchronization status is “unsynchronized”. The client application redirects the query to the OLAP database server when the mode of operation is a read-only operation and the synchronization status is “synchronized”. The computer system further includes an OLTP application server (e.g., Enovia V6) comprising an OLTP adapter and an OLAP adapter. The OLAP adapter is formed of a mapping component adapted to map data between OLTP semantics and OLAP semantics.
US08170973B2
A method and system for satisfying rules through a configuration of list processing methods. A document received from a calling application includes items being processed. A procedure for satisfying rules is identified by matching, via a database, a combination of values to the procedure. The combination of values includes attributes of the calling application and the document. Steps included in the procedure are determined by matching, via the database, the procedure to the steps. The order for executing the steps is determined by identifying, via the database, predecessor and successor steps. Sets of one or more list processing methods are determined and associated with each step. The order for executing each set of list processing methods is determined. The steps are executed. A selection list of elements is displayed to facilitate a selection of an element to characterize an item included in the document.
US08170972B2
A method for identifying conflicting and duplicate rules in a decision support system is provided. The method includes establishing a first subsystem including a protocol of existing rules, each existing rule includes an input feature. The method also includes creating a new rule that includes an input feature, and comparing terminology in the input feature of the new rule against terminology in the input feature of each existing rule of the protocol using a second subsystem and determining whether the new rule and at least one existing rule from the protocol are similar.
US08170969B2
An overall semantic similarity score value between pairs of named entities in a text corpus is obtained by calculating for at least one pair of named entities a plurality of corresponding pair similarity score values according to a first and at least a second classifier using electronic information sources. Each pair similarity score value of the pair of named entities per classifier is normalized by calculating a rank list per classifier, for example, for each named entity. The rank list holds each pair of named entities of the text corpus, wherein a rank of each pair of named entities within the rank list reflects the respective pair similarity score value. Further an arithmetic mean of the normalized pair similarity score value of each pair of named entities is calculated to provide the overall semantic similarity score value.
US08170964B2
A method for planning a semiconductor manufacturing process based on users' demands includes the steps of: establishing a genetic algorithm model and inputting data; establishing a fuzzy system and setting one output parameter representing percent difference of each cost function in neighbor generations; setting to have a modulation parameter corresponding to each input parameter for adjusting fuzzy sets of the output parameter; executing genetic algorithm actions; executing fuzzy inference actions; eliminating chromosomes that produce output parameter smaller than a defined lower limit, and the remaining chromosomes that produces the largest output parameter is defined as the optimum chromosome, wherein the genetic algorithm actions stops being executed upon the optimum chromosome; then determining whether or not a defined number of generations has been reached, if yes, executing the optimum chromosome of the last generation; if no, continuing executing the genetic algorithm actions, thereby finding the optimum semiconductor manufacturing process for users.
US08170963B2
An information processing apparatus includes a target problem acquisition unit for acquiring a target problem, a generation unit for generating a plurality of solution candidates to the target problem to solve the target problem, and a contribution ratio calculating unit for calculating a contribution ratio of each solution candidate to the target problem if the target problem is solved using all the plurality of solution candidates to the target problem acquired by the target problem acquisition unit. The generation unit generates a solution candidate to the target problem in a next generation in accordance with a genetic algorithm that uses an evaluation value that is calculated using at least the contribution ratio of each solution candidate to the target problem determined by the contribution ratio calculating unit.
US08170961B2
A method for monitoring edits to a template for responding to an incoming communication includes categorizing the incoming communication into a category associated with the template for a response to the incoming communication. The method also includes determining distances between the template and each of a set of responses based on the template, at a predetermined level of granularity. The method also includes coding the template in accordance with the determined distances and displaying the coded template. A method for extracting a new template based on responses to an existing template includes selecting factors that affect quantitative measures for preparing a response to the incoming communication. The method includes using a mathematical model of the factors to cluster a set of responses created based on the existing template into two clusters. The method further includes restricting a first cluster centroid to be the existing template and searching for a second cluster centroid for a second cluster.
US08170949B2
Systems and methods for trading financial instruments through multiple trading intermediaries are described.
US08170944B1
Embodiments calculate a customized performance benchmark for a stable value fund by incorporating client-specific factors and calculating an overall crediting rate, as if the assets underlying the wrap contracts and insurance separate account contracts were invested in the market indices to which the fund's portfolio strategies are benchmarked, rather than being invested in the actual underlying portfolios of the fund. The resulting benchmark translates market benchmark returns into book value returns and resulting market value to book value ratios, to compare to the actual stable value fund performance. The crediting rate process accounts for the yields, durations, and returns of the market value benchmarks in addition to client-specific cash flows and market value to book value ratios.
US08170941B1
A system and computer-implemented method for generating random vectors for estimating portfolio risk is provided. Historical financial variable data of financial assets is stored in a memory. Parameters of a copula are estimated. Random vectors are generated from the copula. Risk for the financial assets is calculated based on the random vectors.
US08170939B2
A method and apparatus for monitoring a items such as stocks and other securities, suitable for use in portable devices, such as personal organizers, wherein instead of separate watch lists, a pool of items being watched is maintained, and the total number of items which can be contained in the pool is intentionally limited to a predefined number, and further wherein each of the items in the pool includes an associated tag which defines a watch list to which it belongs, and the pool of the items being watched can be viewed simultaneously as one coherent collection, or specific watch lists can be displayed.
US08170937B1
The present invention provides a system and method to process items for sale or bid, to transmit electronic negotiations between prospective buyer and seller, and to verify the condition of the item before delivery to the buyer. The invention facilitates autonomous and remote negotiation between sellers and prospective buyers while protecting buyers from fraud and item misrepresentation. With the present invention, items can be sold individually and are not treated as standardized items that are interchangeable with similar commodity goods. The present invention also provides a waitlisting function. In addition, the functionality of traditional auction systems may be integrated with the novel features of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention provides a system and method for conducting a reverse auction by allowing prospective buyers to list desired items.
US08170936B2
According to one embodiment, the present invention relates to a method and a system for emulating a private label network over an open network where settlement occurs at varying discount rates with one or more merchants or providers. A computer implemented method and system for settling a transaction at a discount rate may include receiving an authorization record for the transaction initiated by a customer over an open payment network; identifying payment plan data associated with a transaction; creating a settlement record based at least in part on the authorization record and the payment plan data; determining a discount rate for the settlement record; and settling with a provider for the transaction at the discount rate.
US08170930B2
Systems and methods are provided which make use of outbound calling systems to automate notification campaigns. Automated campaigns using outbound calling systems can provide a number of significant advantages over the traditional notification campaign, potentially resulting in faster, more efficient, more accurate, and more cost-effective notification campaigns.
US08170928B2
A transaction process system (10) provides for data transactions between parties. In a credit card transaction, the parties are the merchant (20), acquiring bank (24), card association (34), issuing bank (14), and cardholder (12). A transaction processing center (30) is positioned between the acquiring bank and the card association. The transaction processing center provides data processing channels for message-based processing (72) and filed-based processing (76). The file-based processing uses an incoming queue (80) and outgoing queue (84) to simplify the interface. The transaction processing center also provides for currency conversions and account reconciliation on a per transaction basis. The transaction processing center uses a scheduler (160) to efficiently manage the data processing resources.
US08170923B1
The environmental impact of various transactions can be reduced or offset by determining the impact of various shipping and packaging options, and providing these options to customers. Customers then have the ability to select options that reduce the environmental impact of each transaction. A customer also can purchase environmental offsets to offset the determined impact. Customers can be provided with environmental impact information determined or tracked for each item viewed by the customer, such that each customer can be informed of the additional impact of each individual when making a selection. The selections and/or actions of a customer can be tracked such that environmentally friendly options and suggestions can be provided for subsequent transactions.
US08170904B1
An apparatus, method, and system for a comparative, collaborative, creative works evaluator (3CWE). One of the benefits of 3CWE is that it provides a mechanism to rate and subsequently rank creative works and their authors. The benefits of ranking creative works and their authors are many, one of which is to provide audiences with guidance as to the quality and/or popularity of a given author or work. As such, the system provides and may act as a more accurate promotional vehicle in identifying and uncovering talent. This 3CWE system allows individuals without the standard resources to be recognized by an internationally-targeted market. By evaluating creative artists and works by interested participants, the artists and works' exposure is expanded. In one, non-limiting example, present, inventive aspect of the disclosure provides a system that pits creative works, and as a consequence, their authors, against one another for evaluation by an audience.
US08170899B2
A method for managing a supply chain which provides for mapping each demand and its respective source of supply. The method entails attaching a reservation between a demand and a supply. The reservation is updated as the status of the source of supply changes. As a result, the user has complete visibility for modeling the entire supply chain as material moves from one location to another.
US08170888B2
A multi-dimensional system for assessing, coding, quantifying, displaying, integrating and communicating information relating to patient health and perioperative risk includes a mechanism for inputting patient information and providing an output relating to the patient health and perioperative risk. The output includes a score for the physical condition of the patient, a score for the degree of expected surgical risk and invasiveness, a score for other vital assessments of perioperative complexity, and alphanumeric codes for other factors that may require special preoperative preparation and planning.
US08170885B2
Disclosed is a wideband audio signal coding/decoding device and method that may code a wideband audio signal while maintaining a low bit rate. The wideband audio signal coding device includes an enhancement layer that extracts a first spectrum parameter from an inputted wideband signal having a first bandwidth, quantizes the extracted first spectrum parameter, and converts the extracted first spectrum parameter into a second spectrum parameter; and a coding unit that extracts a narrowband signal from the inputted wideband signal and codes the narrowband signal based on the second spectrum parameter provided from the enhancement layer, wherein the narrowband signal has a second bandwidth smaller than the first bandwidth. The wideband audio signal coding/decoding device and method may code a wideband audio signal while maintaining a low bit rate.
US08170884B2
Systems provide an audio/visual output to each of a plurality of listeners in a manner that permits individualized audio adjustment, wherein audio comprises a first signal that is substantially voice and a second signal that is substantially other than voice. The systems may include a video device, a storage medium, and a transmitter that transmits the first and second signals to a plurality of personal listening devices. Each of the plurality of personal listening devices may include first and second receivers, first and second adjustment devices, an audio signal combining device, and one or more transducers, wherein the systems permit each of the plurality of listeners to adjust the first and second signals independently of other ones of the plurality of listeners in an audience.
US08170882B2
Multiple channels of audio are combined either to a monophonic composite signal or to multiple channels of audio along with related auxiliary information from which multiple channels of audio are reconstructed, including improved downmixing of multiple audio channels to a monophonic audio signal or to multiple audio channels and improved decorrelation of multiple audio channels derived from a monophonic audio channel or from multiple audio channels. Aspects of the disclosed invention are usable in audio encoders, decoders, encode/decode systems, downmixers, upmixers, and decorrelators.
US08170872B2
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to chat transcript generation for instant messaging and provide a method, system and computer program product for emotional state transcription for chat sessions. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for emotional state transcription for chat sessions can be provided. The method can include initializing a chat session in an instant messenger, engaging in an audio conversation through the instant messenger, collecting emotion meta-data for the audio conversation and mapping the emotion meta-data to emoticons, and combining a speech recognized form of the audio conversation with the emoticons and text from the chat session into a chat transcript. The method further can include computing a milleau for the chat session from the emotion meta-data and incorporating the milleau for the chat session in the transcript.
US08170857B2
A system and method for designing integrated circuits includes determining a target memory module for evaluation and improvement by evaluating performance variables of the memory module. The performance variables are statistically simulated over subset combinations of variables based on pin information for the module. Sensitivities of performance on yield to the variables in the subset combinations are determined. It is then determined whether yield of the target module is acceptable, and if the yield is not acceptable, a design which includes the target module is adjusted in accordance with the sensitivities to adjust the yield.
US08170852B2
The invention provides an in silico model for determining a S. cerevisiae physiological function. The model includes a data structure relating a plurality of S. cerevisiae reactants to a plurality of S. cerevisiae reactions, a constraint set for the plurality of S. cerevisiae reactions, and commands for determining a distribution of flux through the reactions that is predictive of a S. cerevisiae physiological function. A model of the invention can further include a gene database containing information characterizing the associated gene or genes. The invention further provides methods for making an in silico S. cerevisiae model and methods for determining a S. cerevisiae physiological function using a model of the invention.
US08170851B2
A method and apparatus for surveying a borehole using a rotating sensor package. A sensor tool preferably including a magnetometer sensor array is disposed in the bottom hole assembly of a drillstring. Conditioning circuitry in the sensor tool processes the sensor readings from the sensor array taken while the drillstring is rotating. In one embodiment, the conditioning circuitry includes processing circuitry adapted to adjust the sensor readings to account for an analytically predicted level of axial current induced in the drillstring as a result of its rotation in the Earth's magnetic field. In another embodiment, a current generator is provided to generate a counter-current intended to cancel the analytically predicted level of axial current induced in the drillstring as a result of rotation in the Earth's magnetic field. In another embodiment, insulating members are disposed above and/or below the sensor tool to prevent conduction of rotation-induced current therein. In still another embodiment, the sensor tool is disposed in a drill collar that is composed of a non-conducting material, such that no rotation-induced current is conducted through the sensor tool.
US08170843B2
A method for resolving collisions for placement of objects in 3D models, including attributing a first state to each object having a hard spatial volume and a second state to each object having a soft spatial volume, predefining a first set of rules to determine whether multiple objects may occupy the same spatial volume based on the combination of the object states, the first set of rules covering all permutations of said first state and said second state, placing a first object in the 3D model, placing a second object in the 3D model, determining whether the first object has a collision with the second object in the 3D model, and resolving the collision based on said first predefined set of rules. Furthermore, there can be predefining a second set of rules that override the first set of rules, and where the resolving of the collision is based on said second set of rules. Further, the method includes finding “soft” and “hard” characters on all objects and defining the characters on all objects.
US08170833B2
Metrology data from a semiconductor treatment system is transformed using multivariate analysis. In particular, a set of metrology data measured or simulated for one or more substrates treated using the treatment system is obtained. One or more essential variables for the obtained set of metrology data is determined using multivariate analysis. A first metrology data measured or simulated for one or more substrates treated using the treatment system is obtained. The first obtained metrology data is not one of the metrology data in the set of metrology data earlier obtained. The first metrology data is transformed into a second metrology data using the one or more of the determined essential variables.
US08170832B2
A method for Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) sample creation. The use of a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)—Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (STEM) detector in the dual-beam focused ion beam (FIB)/SEM allows a sample to be thinned using the FIB, while the STEM signal is used to monitor sample thickness. A preferred embodiment of the present invention can measure the thickness of or create TEM samples by using a precise endpoint detection method. Preferred embodiments also enable automatic endpointing during TEM lamella creation and provide users with direct feedback on sample thickness during manual thinning. Preferred embodiments of the present invention thus provide methods for endpointing sample thinning and methods to partially or fully automate endpointing.
US08170829B1
An apparatus for testing multiple Small Form-Factor Pluggable Plus (SFP+) ports comprising: a first testing module; a second testing module; and a communications link coupled with the first and the second testing modules; wherein each of the testing modules includes: a SFP+ interface connectable to a port under test (PUT), a signal processing circuit including: a signal compensator configured to perform signal compensation on a signal received from the other testing module, and a signal modifier configured to: modify the compensated signal according to a set of predetermined modification parameters, and transmit the modified signal to the PUT.
US08170822B2
A compensation method devoid of operating voltage calibration, establishing fundamental linearity calibration table and inputting, and detecting the actual operating voltage is disclosed. The compensation method comprises the steps of: a) turning off a switch in a touch sensor system; b) initializing the touch sensor system and measuring a reference frequency outputted from a oscillator in the touch sensor system; c) turning on the switch and measuring a first frequency outputted from the oscillator; and d) deducting the first frequency from the reference frequency so as to obtain a frequency difference; and e) comparing the difference with a predetermined value, and judging based upon the difference if the touch sensor system is touched by a foreign object.
US08170793B2
System and method for determining routing point placement for aiding in encoding and decoding a path
A method of encoding a shortened path definition of a path in a mapping system is described. In one embodiment, a shortened path definition includes only those routing points that are needed to eliminate valid alternate routes.
US08170789B2
A method for displaying search area coverage is provided. A searched area (414) is recorded by a moving entity (202, 302), the search area (420) having a width defined by the position of the search entity (202, 302) as it progresses through a search area (420). The search area (420) and the searched area (414) are then displayed on a display (116), thereby illustrating the search area remaining to be searched. Optionally, the width of the searched area (414) may be adjusted in accordance the altitude, speed, or visibility of the search entity (202, 302), and a pattern may be suggested for the search entity (202, 302) to ensure coverage of the search area (420).
US08170783B2
A system, method, and computer-readable medium are disclosed for separating the purchase of digital assets from their fulfillment and activation. Digital assets purchase information comprising digital assets identifier information and activation key data, and system identifier information comprising system identifier data, is received. The purchase information and the system identifier information are processed to generate digital assets activation request data, which is then processed by the provider of the digital assets to generate digital assets activation data. Associated digital assets data is provided with the digital assets activation data and then processed with the purchase transaction data to generate digital assets entitlement data. A personalization agent associated with a target system automatically downloads the purchased digital assets and associated digital assets entitlement data, which is used to install the digital assets, thereby entitling the system to process the installed digital assets.
US08170779B2
An abnormality diagnosis device is for an exhaust heat recovery equipment including an exhaust heat absorption part absorbing exhaust heat from an engine, a heat release part releasing at least part of the heat absorbed by the absorption part to engine coolant, a circulation loop passing through the absorption part and the release part, the medium circulating around the loop, and an opening and closing valve disposed in the loop between the absorption part and the release part. The equipment closes the valve to stop circulation of the medium when coolant temperature is a preset temperature or above. The device includes an abnormality determination device for determining whether the valve is in an abnormal opening state based on a heat amount transmitted from exhaust heat to coolant through the equipment, when coolant temperature is the preset temperature or above and thereby the valve is closed if the valve is normal.
US08170770B2
In one embodiment, a vehicle speed control device includes an electronic control unit (ECU). A forward vehicle sensor, electrically communicating with the ECU, generates a forward vehicle signal as a function of whether a forward vehicle is detected. The forward vehicle signal indicates a speed and a distance to the forward vehicle. A speed sensor, electrically communicating with the ECU, senses a driven vehicle speed. Control logic, electrically communicating with the ECU and the forward vehicle sensor, controls the driven vehicle speed as a function of a driven vehicle acceleration and the forward vehicle signal. The control logic sets a fault status as a function of the driven vehicle acceleration and the forward vehicle signal.
US08170769B2
A vehicle speed control system includes a road shape recognition unit which recognizes a road shape, a target speed setting unit which sets a target speed according to the road shape, a speed control unit which controls the host vehicle's speed according to the target speed, a parameter detecting unit which detects at least one of parameters representing the driver's steering rotation, a yaw rate of the host vehicle, and a lateral acceleration of the host vehicle, and a first acceleration determining unit which, after the speed control unit has decelerated, determines whether or not to accelerate the host vehicle according to reference parameters based on a road shape and the host vehicle's speed and parameters detected by the parameter detecting unit, wherein if the first acceleration determining unit has determined to accelerate, the target speed setting unit sets a target speed of the host vehicle according to a predetermined acceleration.
US08170765B2
An electronic brake system and a method for regulating the brake pressure in an electronically-controlled brake system of a motorcycle are provided. The method includes the step of actively building a brake pressure in a wheel brake circuit to prevent a motorcycle from moving. The method further includes the step of maintaining the brake pressure in the wheel brake circuit once (i) the motorcycle comes to a standstill or is at a standstill or is approximately at a standstill, and (ii) an activation condition is fulfilled.
US08170764B2
A method to control a powertrain including a transmission, an engine, and an electric machine includes monitoring an input speed, monitoring an output speed, upon initiation of a transmission shift, determining a plurality of input acceleration profiles for controlling the engine and electric machine during the shift, identifying an input acceleration constraint affecting one of the input acceleration profiles, reprofiling the input acceleration profiles based upon the identified input acceleration constraint, and controlling operation of the engine and electric machine based upon the reprofiled input acceleration profiles.
US08170758B2
An automatic transmission may be coupled to an internal combustion engine. A shift selector may be coupled to the transmission and may have a plurality of user selectable inputs for controlling operation of the transmission that are electrically connected to a control circuit. The control circuit may include a memory having a value stored therein that relates to operation of the transmission. The memory may further include instructions stored therein that are executable by the control circuit to change the value stored in the memory to a different value upon detection of user selection of a predefined sequence of two or more of the plurality of user selectable inputs.
US08170756B2
A method for enhancing productivity for an excavating operation is disclosed. The method includes establishing a machine-to-machine communication system for a fleet of machines, including at least two machines. The method also includes removing material during the excavating operation with at least a first machine of the fleet of machines. The method additionally includes operating a second machine of the fleet of machines in a mode involving contact between at least the first machine and the second machine. The method further includes employing the machine-to-machine communication system to effect controlled contact between at least the first machine and the second machine.
US08170753B2
A vehicle including an engine, a tilting sensor configured to detect that a vehicle body of the vehicle has been tilted a predetermined angle or larger, a driving state sensor configured to detect a driving state of the vehicle using a component other than the tilting sensor, and a determiner configured to determine whether or not to stop the engine, based on a signal received from the tilting sensor, and a signal received from the driving state sensor.
US08170749B2
A target roll angle of the vehicle is computed based on an actual lateral acceleration at the centroid of the vehicle, and the lateral acceleration of the vehicle at the centroid is corrected by use of lateral acceleration correction amounts based on a yaw rate of the vehicle, whereby the lateral accelerations of the vehicle at the front wheel position and the rear wheel position are computed. Subsequently, target anti-roll moments at the front wheel position and the rear wheel position are computed based on the target roll angle and the accelerations of the vehicle at the front wheel position and the rear wheel position, and active stabilizer apparatuses of the front and rear wheels are controlled based on these target anti-roll moments.
US08170737B2
A method of controlling a vehicle powertrain and a corresponding vehicle control system are provided that enable operation in an electric-only operating mode for an extended range by adjusting the threshold minimum state of charge of the battery, i.e., the state of charge of the battery at which the engine will be started to allow the battery charge to be replenished, in accordance with vehicle location. The engine will also be started when the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a long-term parking location.
US08170732B2
A method is provided for operating a train or rail vehicle along a railway which is logically divided into segments, and includes at least one control point presenting at least two possible paths that are exclusive of each other, each path including one or more segments. The method includes: (a) controlling the rail vehicle as it travels along the railway by reference to a one-dimensional representation of the segments prior to the control point; (b) determining which segment located immediately past the control point is to be occupied by the rail vehicle; (c) after the rail vehicle has traveled past the at least one control point, verifying which segment was occupied; (d) interlocking the occupied segment; (e) passing segment information to the rail vehicle; and (f) controlling the rail vehicle as it travels along the railway in reference to a one-dimensional representation of the segments past the control point.
US08170730B2
A flight control system is configured for controlling the flight of an aircraft through windshear conditions. The system has means for measuring values of selected flight performance states of the aircraft and a control system for operating flight control devices on the aircraft. A windshear detection system located on the aircraft uses at least some of the measured values of the selected flight performance states to calculate a gust average during flight for comparison to pre-determined values in a table for determining whether windshear conditions exist. The control system then operates at least some of the flight control devices in response to an output of the windshear detection system.
US08170727B2
The invention relates to a method for calculating an approach trajectory of an aircraft (200) to an airport The aircraft is slaveable in terms of trajectory, thrust and/or speed. The aircraft is able to advance at reduced engine revs. The airport has a runway The approach trajectory terminates in an impact point (205) on the runway and has a high-altitude descent segment (217) and an intermediate geometric segment (207), to which the aircraft is slaved in terms of trajectory and speed. A step of calculating a final approach segment (208) at reduced engine revs and a landing segment is performed with a greater thrust than the reduced revs so as to prepare a possible go-around (209), to which the aircraft is slaved in terms of thrust and speed.
US08170722B1
A coding method and apparatus for linking electrical appliances for control and status reporting by arbitrarily appending the appliances remote control protocol with the premise's room/zone code for identifying the appliance location and ID-code to operate on the basis of the appliance type and function, sub header code define the command nature, a blank header identifies the signal and a checksum trailer ends the five byte command for operating a range of appliances, lights and LED illuminators, locally and in the different rooms, bathrooms, kitchen and laundry including provision for extending the commands when needed. Current sensors for power outlets and power cables linked via lightguides or fiber optic use same codes for reporting statuses of and current consumption by the appliances and lights to the video interphone or the shopping terminal. LED bulbs are coded through an optical transceiver accessed through the rear of the bulb socket.
US08170703B2
A method for controlling a plurality of production processes performed on a plurality of production machines is described, wherein order data regarding the production processes to be performed are inputted in a control unit which generates control instructions for the production machines, wherein state data indicating the state of the individual production machines are taken into consideration when generating the control instructions.
US08170698B1
The present invention defines a unique, flexible system that may be applied to the manufacture and assembly of a plurality of highly configurable and reusable virtual robotic control devices. It is specifically concerned with providing a plurality of self contained virtual control systems that comprise a moving part that is detected by an associated sensor whereby signals may be generated and transmitted to a plurality of other devices to operate a plurality of robotic microscopes directly or, when configured through a robot control program, through an intermediate computer and network. Furthermore, these virtual robotic control systems may be assembled into a number of partial or complete robotic microscopes so that the degree of realism and control over the examination of a slide may be matched more exactly to the needs and requirements of a microscopist.
US08170689B2
An implantable cardiac defibrillation device diminishes fibrosis of a defibrillation electrode. The device includes an implantable lead having a defibrillation electrode adapted for implant in one of the superior vena cava and right ventricle of a heart, a pulse generator adapted to be coupled to the defibrillation electrode that provides defibrillation energy to the defibrillation electrode, and a power supply that maintains a negative voltage on the defibrillation electrode in the absence of defibrillating energy being provided to the defibrillation electrode.
US08170684B2
As compared to conventional electrodes, the electrode configurations disclosed herein minimize irritation and damage to the skin when they are placed in contact with a patient's body over extended of time. The electrodes are formed from a conductive substrate coated with a thin dielectric material, and a plurality of open spaces pass through the electrodes. Those open spaces are distributed and sized to permit moisture on the surface of the patient's body to escape when the electrode is placed in contact with the patient's body. One intended use for the electrodes is for treating tumors by applying an AC electric field with specific frequency and field strength characteristics over an extended period of time.
US08170681B2
A rechargeable implantable medical device with a magnetic shield placed on the distal side of a secondary recharging coil to improve charging efficiency is disclosed. The rechargeable implantable medical device can be a wide variety of medical devices such as neuro stimulators, drug delivery pumps, pacemakers, defibrillators, diagnostic recorders, cochlear implants. The implantable medical device has a secondary recharging coil carried over a magnetic shield and coupled to electronics and a rechargeable power source carried inside the housing. The electronics are configured to perform a medical therapy. Additionally a method for enhancing electromagnetic coupling during recharging of an implantable medical device is disclosed, and a method for reducing temperature rise during recharging of an implantable medical device is disclosed.
US08170680B2
A system and method for wirelessly transferring information electromagnetically at a specified first operating frequency range in a first medium and at a specified second operating frequency range in a second medium using an implantable multi-length antenna. The implantable multi-length antenna can be configured to appear electrically as a first electrical length in the first medium and as a different second electrical length in the second medium. In other examples, the first operating frequency range can be specified using the first electrical length and the second operating frequency range can be specified using the second electrical length.
US08170669B2
An implantable medical device delivers anti-tachyarrhythmia therapies including anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP). If a detected tachyarrhythmia is classified as a type suitable for treatment using ATP, the implantable medical device selects one of an atrial ATP (A-ATP) mode, a ventricular ATP (V-ATP) mode, and a concurrent atrio-ventricular ATP (concurrent AV-ATP) mode according to the characteristics of the detected tachyarrhythmia. The concurrent ATP mode is an ATP mode during which the atrial pacing pulses and the ventricular pacing pulses are delivered concurrently. In one embodiment, the concurrent AV-ATP mode includes a synchronized atrio-ventricular ATP (synchronized AV-ATP) mode during which atrial and ventricular pacing pulses are delivered synchronously and an independent atrio-ventricular ATP (independent AV-ATP) mode during which atrial and ventricular pacing pulses are delivered concurrently but timed independently.
US08170666B2
A medical device and associated method deliver cardiac pacing in a dual chamber pacing mode and schedule an atrial-ventricular (AV) conduction check during the dual chamber pacing mode to detect the presence of AV conduction. If AV conduction is detected during the scheduled AV conduction check, the medical device switches to an atrial pacing mode and switches back to the dual chamber pacing mode in response to an absence of AV conduction during the atrial pacing mode. The detected AV conduction is identified as a false positive detection in response to the pacing mode switch to the dual chamber pacing mode occurring within a predetermined interval of time from detecting the AV conduction.
US08170660B2
Methods and related systems for modulating neural activity by blocking conduction in peripheral neural structures with thermal stimuli are disclosed. Methods and systems for reversing effects of thermal blocking stimuli and/or for producing substantially permanent conduction block are also disclosed.
US08170659B2
Methods and related systems for modulating neural activity by blocking conduction in peripheral neural structures with thermal stimuli are disclosed. Methods and systems for reversing effects of thermal blocking stimuli and/or for producing substantially permanent conduction block are also disclosed.
US08170654B1
A system and method for use in a medical device for discriminating cardiac events establishes population-based thresholds corresponding to cardiac signal morphology metrics for discriminating between a first cardiac event and a second cardiac event. A population-based threshold criterion for discriminating cardiac events is established. The population-based threshold criterion is applied to a cardiac signal segment and the segment is classified if the criterion is satisfied. A patient-specific threshold is established in response to the sensed cardiac signal segment not being classified after applying the population-based threshold criterion. The sensed signal segment is classified in response to the patient-specific threshold comparison.
US08170650B2
A medical device for sensing cardiac events that includes a plurality of light sources capable of emitting light at a plurality of wavelengths, and a detector to detect the emitted light. A processor generates an ambient light measurement in response to ambient light detected by the detector, generates a plurality of light measurements in response to the emitted light detected by the detector, and adjusts the plurality of light measurements in response to the ambient light measurement.
US08170643B2
System and method for irradiating a target with electromagnetic radiation to produce a heated region
A system and corresponding method for irradiating a target with electromagnetic radiation to produce a heated region. The system comprises a coupling device operable to couple electromagnetic radiation from a magnetic resonance imaging system. A plurality of energy radiator applicators are connected to the coupling device to receive electromagnetic radiation energy from the coupling device. Each of the radiator applicators is operable to emit a radio frequency heating signal using the electromagnetic radiation energy from the coupling device. A bolus filled with a dielectric fluid is positioned within the inner area of the MRI system. The bolus is operable to receive the radio frequency heating signals from the plurality of energy radiator applicators and direct the radio frequency heating signals into a section of the body to produce a heated region within the body.
US08170640B2
A system and method for detecting an area of interest such as a pulmonary embolism in a structure of interest such as a vessel tree or airway tree are provided. The method comprises: segmenting image data of the structure of interest; and rendering two-dimensional images based on a function of the image data and the segmented image data within slabs defined by the segmented image data.
US08170631B2
In general, in one aspect, the disclosure describes an apparatus that includes two panels pivotally connected together. The panels can pivot from an open arrangement where the two panels lay side by side to a closed arrangement where the two panels lay one on top of another. The apparatus also includes a flexible display connected to the two panels and having a portion that is mechanically free from the two panels. The apparatus further includes a cavity to receive at least a portion of the free portion of the display when the panels are pivoted into the closed arrangement.
US08170625B2
A bias filtering module with at least two capacitive levels satisfies both a settle time requirement and a filtering requirement using a voltage dependent filter module whose capacitance is a function of a voltage potential on the filtering circuitry output terminal. The final capacitance level is approximately three times larger than the initial capacitance level. MOS capacitors having a voltage dependent charge capacity within the bias filtering module are coupled between a plurality of bias lines and circuit common. In an alternate embodiment, a selectable first group of capacitors are switched into connection within the bias filtering module as a second group of capacitors approximately reach a fully charged state within a specified settle time to provide improved filtering.
US08170622B2
The mobile communication network system having a plurality of mobile communication systems each including a base station performing wireless communications with a mobile station, comprises a storage unit storing location information of the mobile station, an acquisition unit acquiring, when receiving a location registering request from the mobile station, a communication-enabled mobile communication system in the mobile station as a sender of the location registering request, a specifying unit specifying a base station existing within the acquired communication-enabled mobile communication system and existing in the periphery of the base station receiving the location registering request, and a control unit storing the storage unit with information of the base station receiving the location registering request and information of the specified base station as location information about the sender mobile station of the location registering request.
US08170621B1
The display of a mobile device is managed during a voice communication session using a proximity sensor and an accelerometer. In one example, the display of a mobile device is turned off during a phone call on the mobile device when a proximity sensor detects an object is proximate the device and an accelerometer determines the device is in a first orientation.
US08170616B2
An operation method and apparatus of a mobile communication terminal supporting a dual mode are provided. The method includes determining if two Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards are inserted, searching for and registering with a cell of a first network supported by a first SIM card, and searching for and registering with a cell of a second network supported by a second SIM card during a non-paging duration of the first network.
US08170609B2
A personal virtual assistant is provided. The personal virtual assistant includes a medical device and remote station that is connectable via a wireless network to a server containing a control processor and rules engine. The medical device is used to provide physiological information to the remote station. The remote station communicates the physiological information and other related information to the server that monitors the information for a number of reasons, including determining whether the physiological information has a trend. Based on the detrimental trend, the server communicates back to the remote station virtual assistance in the form of advice regarding tips to help facilitate halting or reversing the trend.
US08170605B2
An improved dual mode mobile terminal and data call processing method of the dual mode mobile terminal is provided for enabling a modem chip that is not associated or embedded with an application to process a data call. A data call processing method for a dual mode mobile terminal includes a first control unit associated with an application and a first data protocol stack, a second control unit associated with a second data protocol stack, and an input unit for receiving an input for selecting one of the first and second control units to process a data call, wherein when the second control unit is selected through the input unit, the second control unit opens a socket to couple the second data protocol stack to the application and processes the data call using the application and the second data protocol stack that are coupled with each other via the socket.
US08170599B2
Power control methods and apparatus taught herein advantageously provide quick convergence to the signal quality target needed to achieve a given data error rate target, when changes in transport format use by a given transport channel require such convergence. Specifically, the methods and apparatus maintain a “baseline” signal quality target that stays current with changing signal propagation conditions because it is common to all transport formats used by the transport channel. The methods and apparatus then bias this baseline signal quality target with a target offset particularized for the transport format in use. This offset may be selected from memory or dynamically calculated, and, regardless, can often be applied after a single transmission time interval.
US08170585B2
A method and system for determining an approximate range from a location measurement unit to a mobile device. An uplink signal from the mobile device is received by the location measurement unit, and an uplink frame marker is determined from the uplink signal. A downlink signal is received at the location measurement unit from a base station serving the mobile device, and a downlink slot marker is determined from the downlink signal. A round trip propagation delay is determined based upon the uplink frame marker and the downlink slot marker, and an approximate range from the location measurement unit to the mobile device is determined as a function of the round trip propagation delay.
US08170576B2
There is provided a system and method for sharing a wireless spectrum compromising a first transceiver for establishing the communication channels within the allocated bandwidth using a first protocol, a broker for determining the unused bandwidth within the allocated bandwidth, and a second transceiver for establishing the further communication channels within the unused allocated bandwidth using a second protocol. The first protocol is UMTS and the second protocol is WiMax. The broker may monitor UMTS traffic and allocate bandwidth to WiMax traffic whenever resources are idle or traffic are low or allocate bandwidth in dependence upon time division multiplexing, or frequency division multiplexing or may overlap a WiMax signal with a UMTS signal.
US08170570B2
A fast retry of transmitting a random access preamble by determining an existence of a random access response during a random access procedure in an Evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (E-UMTS) evolved from Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) or a Long Term Evolution System (LTE).
US08170569B2
Method for facilitate efficient multimedia broadcast/multicast service in a telecommunication system
A radio access network facilitates transmission of a Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) to user equipments in plural cells served by a radio base station. A radio network controller includes in a first message of a transport channel setup request either an indication that transport sharing is allowed or an identification of a common transport bearer. The radio base station configures a new transport channel mapped to the common transport bearer such that it is stable with respect to other common transport channels. During operation, the radio network controller provides the MBMS data over the common transport bearer and the radio base station retransmits the MBMS data over the common transport channels to the plural cells. If the MBMS data over the common transport bearer arrives outside of time-of-arrival windows of any common transport bearer, then the radio network controller adjusts the transmission accordingly.
US08170563B2
A method of transmitting data from a node, such as a session node including any network node, located in a first network to one of a plurality of devices located in a second network, said method comprising; determining that another device connected to the node is located in the second network; transmitting from the node to the other device located in the second network a message addressed to the one of said plurality of devices via the connection between the node and the other device; and forwarding the message from the other device to the one of said plurality of devices via a connection established within the second network.
US08170546B2
A wireless network in a communication infrastructure has a packet switched backbone network and includes a plurality of access points and services at least one client device. The access points communicatively couple to the packet switched backbone network and each include access point processing circuitry and access point wireless transceiver circuitry. Each client device has client processing circuitry and client wireless transceiver circuitry. The client devices receive transmissions from other client devices serviced by the plurality of access points and characterize the received transmissions to determine signal qualities of the plurality of transmissions received from the other client devices. The client devices then report the signal qualities of the plurality of transmissions to at least one of the plurality of access points. The access points may forward the signal qualities to other access points, to other client devices, and may alter operation of the wireless network based upon the signal qualities.
US08170544B1
Method and system for integrated management of base transceiver station (BTS) with wireless backhaul
A base transceiver station (BTS) includes a radio access network (RAN) interface for communicating with mobile stations and a backhaul interface for communicating with a backhaul network. A RAN element management system generates RAN status information based on event notifications from the RAN interface. A backhaul element management system generates backhaul status information based on event notifications from the backhaul interface. A correlation engine generates correlated status information for the BTS based on the RAN status information and the backhaul status information. The correlated status information indicates performance of the RAN interface in combination with the backhaul interface. The correlated status information is monitored at a network management system (NMS). The NMS may be used to take corrective actions to address problems identified in the correlated status information.
US08170539B2
Methods, computer readable media, and system embodiments are provided for messaging with proprietary attributes. A method embodiment includes storing a particular proprietary attribute for a mobile service feature in a datastore of a telecommunications system. The method includes receiving a configuration for a mobile service from a service provider to the datastore, the configuration including the mobile service feature. The method also includes transmitting a message for the mobile service from the datastore through the telecommunications system, the message including the particular proprietary attribute.
US08170522B2
A circuit features a balun having an unbalanced input and a balanced output, and a differential coupler having a symmetrical structure about a center axis. The differential coupler has a differential input and a differential output, the differential input being coupled to the balanced output of the balun. An impedance element is coupled to a circuit node of the differential coupler at a point along the center axis. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08170521B2
The invention provides a method and apparatus used in a receiver for sampling RF signals, particularly to provide a method and apparatus for greatly decrease the sampling rate performed in RF band. The invention provides an apparatus for sampling a RF signal including a plurality of interference frequency components and a useful frequency component, comprising: a filtering unit for filtering out at least one preset interference frequency component from the RF signal to generate a notch-filtered RF signal; a sampling unit for sampling the notch-filtered RF signal at a preset sampling rate to generate a discrete analog signal. The sampling unit can be implemented by a plurality of notch filters. RF sampling can be simply and conveniently implemented by using the method and apparatus according the invention, and the sampling rate can be decreased to about 1/N of the carrier frequency of the useful frequency component, which is much lower than the sampling rate in existing RF sampling scheme. The method and apparatus according the invention can greatly decrease power dissipation when sampling.
US08170520B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a clock generation unit, a signal processing unit, an FM receiving unit, a processor, and a bus. The signal processing unit, FM receiving unit, and processor operate in synchronization with the clock generated by the clock generation unit. The FM receiving unit includes an RF unit, a canceller and a wave detector. The RF unit performs frequency conversion of the received FM signal using the clock as a base signal. The canceller produces a replica of a noise using a signal as a reference signal to cancel the noise on the FM signal. The signal is obtained by performing frequency conversion of a signal in at least one of the signal processing unit and the bus using the clock as a base signal. The wave detector detects the FM signal in which the noise is cancelled.
US08170510B2
Disclosed herein are techniques, systems, and methods relating to minimizing mutual coupling between a first antenna and a second antenna.
US08170505B2
A driver amplifier in an integrated circuit is suitable for driving a signal onto an output node and through an output terminal, and through a matching network to a power amplifier. A novel Programmable Output Impedance Adjustment Circuit (POIAC) within the integrated circuit is coupled to the output node and affects an output impedance looking into the output terminal. When the output impedance would otherwise change (for example, due to a driver amplifier power gain change), the POIAC adjusts how it loads the output node such that the output impedance remains substantially constant. The POIAC uses a series-connected inductor and capacitor L-C-R circuit to load the output node, thereby reducing the amount of capacitance and die area required to perform multi-band impedance matching with a power amplifier. Multi-band operation is accomplished by changing an effective capacitance in the L-C-R circuit depending on communication band information received by the POIAC.
US08170503B2
Provided are an apparatus and method for transmitting data and an apparatus and method for receiving data, in which beam forming is performed in consideration of the communication capabilities of antennas of stations that perform directional communication in a high-frequency band. The apparatus for transmitting data includes a communication-capability-determination module which determines the communication capability of a receiver (RX) antenna module of a receiving station based on communication-capability data transmitted by the receiving station; an antenna-control module which controls a transmitter (TX) antenna module according to a beam-forming mode determined based on the communication capability of the RX antenna module and the communication capability of the TX antenna module; and a communication module which transmits data through the TX antenna module, wherein the beam-forming mode determines whether to transmit a TX antenna weight vector (AWV) pattern, whether to receive a feedback response pattern and whether to transmit an RX AWV pattern.
US08170502B2
A new pulse shape for CPM is introduced which is obtained by a linear combination of well-known RC and REC pulse shapes. The new pulse shape addresses the tradeoff between the width of the PSD main lobe and the rate of decay of the side lobe to improve the coded performance of multi-carrier systems affected by ACI. Also, a methodology is proposed to design and evaluate the performance of the new pulse shape for multi-carrier, coded systems based on the modulation constrained capacity. Furthermore, a binary convolutional code and the CPM modulator are concatenated using an S-random bit interleaver to lower the error floor. Finally, Laurent representation of the new pulse shape is suggested such that by retaining only the principal pulses at the receiver, complexity of the receiver can be reduced.
US08170492B2
A received total wideband power in a wireless communications system is measured (202) a number of times during a time interval. A site communication throughput is determined (204) and processed (206) into a time averaged site communication throughput. A probability distribution for received total wideband power is estimated (210) from the measured received total wide-band power. An estimate of a noise floor measure is computed (214) based on the probability distribution for received total wideband power and a noise rise measure is calculated (218) based on the probability distribution for received total wideband power and the estimate of a noise floor measure. According to the present invention, an adjustment (208) of the noise rise measure is provided based on the averaged site communication throughput.
US08170482B2
An embodiment of the invention may include a method of receiving a transmission at a receiver. The method may include setting a receive window duration for receiving the transmission based on an elapsed time since last receiving a good transmission. The receive window duration may be a nonlinear function of the elapsed time. The method may further include opening a receive window to listen for the transmission for an amount of time equal to the set receive window duration.
US08170474B2
Information is transmitted from a radioterminal to a first base station via a first wireless link. A satellite is used to route the information from the first base station to a second base station via second wireless links between the satellite and the first base station and between the satellite and the second base station. At least one of the second wireless links is more spectrally efficient than the first wireless link. Related methods, systems and devices are disclosed.
US08170470B2
Provided are an on-channel repeater for repeating an output signal the same as an input signal on channel by removing feedback signals caused by low isolation of a transmission/reception antenna by converting a transmitted Radio Frequency (RF) signal into a signal of a predetermined band and subtracting a replica of the feedback signal from the converted signal, and by compensating for channel distortion of a reception signal by estimating an inverse of reception channel from a signal acquired by removing the feedback signal, and an on-channel repeating method.
US08170468B2
A method of presenting channels to the user of a multi-channel wireless media service is provided. A user input is received in a mobile unit, wherein the user input has an associated category. At least one channel of the multi-channel wireless media service responsive to the user input is determined based upon a relationship of the channel to the associated category. Access to the channel is provided to the user. Alternative methods as well as systems and programs for accomplishing the method are provided.
US08170463B2
The present invention provides a sheet processing apparatus that can prevent, with higher certainty, lift of the trailing end of each sheet placed in sheet stacking portion. This apparatus includes a first holding member and a second holding member that prevent lift of the trailing end of each sheet from an intermediate stacking portion. When introduced to the intermediate stacking portion, the subsequent sheet comes into contact with the first holding member, so that the first holding member moves to the retracting position. As the subsequent sheet continues to be conveyed, the subsequent sheet comes into contact with the second holding member, so that the second holding member moves from the restricting position to the retracting position. As the trailing end of the sheet is introduced, the first holding member moves from the retracting position to the restricting position, to hold down the trailing end of the sheet.
US08170462B2
An adjustable paper cassette is provided that may be expanded and contracted by sliding movable frames relative to a base frame and then coupling fixing protrusions to desired fixing holes. Therefore, paper sheets having various sizes may be loaded in the paper cassette, and the size of an image forming apparatus with the paper cassette and the packing size of the image forming apparatus may be reduced without limitation on the size of the paper cassette.
US08170453B2
A sleeve constituting a developing roller of a developing device has a cylindrical body with three layers composed of a base layer having rigidity and formed in a mesh-like shape, a filter layer for blocking toner passage, and a conductive layer to which a developing bias voltage is applied, which are arranged in this order from the inside. When a sucking device sucks from an open end of one end portion of the sleeve, an air flow going from the inside of the developing roller through the open end to outside is generated so that a pressure of the internal space of the developing roller becomes smaller compared with the outside. As the peripheral wall has air permeability in its thickness direction, air flows from the outer circumferential portion of the developing roller through the peripheral wall to the inside of the developing roller.
US08170450B2
A color electrophotographic image forming apparatus to form an image on a recording medium may include a photosensitive member, a rotary support member, a first member, a second member, and a controlling unit. The photosensitive member forms an electrostatic latent image. The rotary support member moves a developing device to a developing position to develop the electrostatic latent image by rotation. The first member rotates multiple times of a natural number when the rotary support member rotates once and moves together with the rotary support member. The second member moves together with the rotary support member. A first sensor detects a rotation of the first member and a second sensor detects the rotary support member as positioned at a predetermined phase. The controlling unit detects a phase of the rotary support member by a first signal from the first sensor and a second signal from the second sensor.
US08170448B2
A developing cartridge includes an input gear which receives an external driving force; a developing roller which carries developer; a supply roller that is in contact with the developing roller and supplies the developer to the developing roller; a supply roller gear that is meshed with the input gear to drive the supply roller using a driving force transmitted from the input gear; and a developing roller gear that drives the developing roller with a driving force transmitted from the supply roller gear. The cartridge further includes a housing with a partition wall that partitions the housing into a first chamber that accommodates the developer and a second chamber that houses the developing roller and the supply roller, and an input gear shaft that supports the input gear. The input gear shaft and the partition wall overlap each other as viewed from a side of the developing cartridge.
US08170445B2
A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a drum unit supporting the drum, a developing unit supporting a developing roller and swingably coupled with the drum unit, drum and developing roller rotating force receiving portions first and second positionable portions positioned at first and second main assembly side positioning portion by contacting to the first main assembly side positioning portions by contacting by the urging force of first and second main assembly side urging members, a developing device spacing force receiving portion, first and second cartridge side rotation regulating portions for limiting rotation of the drum unit by abutting first and second main assembly side rotation regulating portions, when the drum and developing roller rotating force receiving portions receive the rotating forces or when the developing device spacing force receiving portion receives the urging force from the main assembly.
US08170427B2
A sheet conveying device having conveyer rollers for conveying sheets one by one, a jam treater having a space and sheet guides for regulating a front side and a back side of a conveyed sheet. In the space of the jam treater, a sheet is guided, and the jam treater is rotatable and can be drawn out of a housing of the sheet conveying device. The sheet guides have curved portions to form a space in which the jam treater rotates. In order to remove a jammed sheet from a sheet path in the sheet conveying device, an operator rotates the jam treater to wind the jammed sheet around the jam treater and draws the jam treater together with the jammed sheet out of the housing.
US08170424B2
The present invention provides an optical power level discriminating device and method for discriminating optical power levels. The optical discriminating device includes a splitter for receiving an optical signal having first and second signal states, and splitting the received optical signal into a first and a second branch optical signal. A first optical fiber for transporting the first branch optical signal is provided that is made of a material having a high non-linear refractive index providing a different non-linear phase shift to the first and second signal states of the first branch optical signal. A second optical fiber is provided for transporting the second branch optical signal with little or no non-linear effect. The discriminating device also includes a combiner for combining the first branch optical signal and second branch optical signal to produce an output optical signal. The output signal is resulted from a constructive interference between the first signal states of the first and second branch optical signals, and a destructive interference between the second signal states of the first and second branch optical signals.
US08170423B2
The present invention relates to a data transmission optical device including a source emitting a laser beam for transmitting the data toward an optical sensor. The device has means for collimating the beam. It may be implemented on board an aircraft for transmitting audio or video data to the passenger seats. The device has applications for on-demand video.
US08170414B2
Methods and systems for an optical line termination including instructions stored on a computer-readable medium, the instructions including a digital diagnostic table, and a plurality of entries within the diagnostic table, wherein a first entry is associated with a first optical network unit, the first entry including at least one setting for performing burst mode digital diagnostic processes using a first burst mode transmission received from the first optical network unit.
US08170413B2
There is disclosed a single seat-kill camera system and method. The single seat-kill camera may include a camera head and an elevator configured to position the camera head in one of a down position and an up position. An obstruction detector may determine whether or not a field of view of the camera head is obstructed, at least in part, when the camera head is in the down position. A controller coupled to the elevator and the obstruction detector may automatically instruct the elevator to position the camera head in the up position when the obstruction detector determines that the field of view of the camera head in the down position is obstructed.
US08170412B2
There is disclosed a method and apparatus for acquiring stereoscopic images. A first camera may be mounted to a first convergence plate, the first convergence plate coupled to a first plate via a first XY slide and a first pivot displaced from the first XY slide. A distance between the first plate and a second plate may be adjusted to set an interocular distance between the first camera and a second camera. The first convergence plate may be rotated about the first pivot to set, at least in part, an angle of convergence between the first camera and the second camera.
US08170410B2
An imaging apparatus including a strobo assembly capable of controlling a light emitting angle of a strobo. The imaging apparatus includes a case and a strobo assembly mated to the case and that revolves with respect to the case. The strobo assembly includes a light source that emits light; a strobo housing that accommodates the light source; a bush embedded in the strobo housing and that provides a revolution shaft of the strobo assembly; and an elastic member accommodated in the bush and that provides a predetermined elastic force so that the strobo assembly revolves with respect to the case.
US08170408B2
An optical image stabilization system for a camera module is disclosed. The stabilization system comprises a voice coil motor (VCM), at least one digital gyroscope for receiving signals from the VCM, and an angular velocity sensor for receiving signals from the digital gyroscope and outputting an angular position error signal. The stabilization system further comprises signal processing logic for receiving the error signal, and comparing the error signal to a reference signal and providing a stabilized image based upon that comparison, wherein the hard-coded logic, digital gyroscope and rate and position sensor resides on the same chip.
US08170407B2
A structure of a housing mounted with a lens unit is provided that is capable of withstanding internal pressure changes and ensures shock-resistance while being waterproof and thin. This structure for a housing includes a lens unit 8 that is mounted in housings 3 and 4, a porous film 11 that is attached to the inner surface toward a ventilation hole 31 formed in the housing 3, an elastic member 9 that is interposed between the lens unit 8 and the porous film 11, and a shock-absorbing member 10 that is interposed between the housings 3 and 4 and the lens unit 8. The elastic member 9 is a lens holder that is interposed between the porous film 11 and a portion of the shock-absorbing member 10, and has a through-hole 91 in an area corresponding to the ventilation hole 31 in the housing 3.
US08170405B2
A high-performance, modular, multipurpose, cartridge-based, liquid dispensing air freshener system that uses at least one refillable or disposable liquid filled cartridge. It can also use fixed tanks and dispense pesticides or any other liquid that can be vaporized. This programmable device can use an unlimited number of cartridges to discharge numerous different fragrances of which can be dispensed separately or mixed. A variety of chassis size and shape configurations can be used, such as a micro-sized unit that allows extreme portability so that it can be used in cars, at office desks or easily carried around in a pocket or purse; it can also function as a compact plug-in air freshener. Cartridges can be automatically selected so that the system can dispense a different scent for different time intervals or mix scents. It can be built into an automotive dash panel or designed to fit into a car style stereo slot.
US08170398B2
After judgment that timer reservation has been set, upon judgment that a channel, a scheduled broadcast date, broadcast start time, and broadcast end time included in the EPG information respectively agree with a channel, a recording reservation date, recording start time, and recording end time included in recording reservation information, agreement information is displayed on a display device. On the other hand, upon judgment that any of them do not agree with each other, disagreement information is displayed on the display device. After the agreement information is displayed on the display device, a replacement from recording reservation through timer reservation for the desired program to recording reservation based on electronic program guide information is made for the desired program.
US08170397B2
The invention relates to a device and a method for recording multimedia data received in programme form. The device comprises temporary storage device designed to continuously record the multimedia data received in programme form and permanent storage device, capable of selectively transferring programmes from the temporary storage device to the permanent storage device.
US08170389B1
An optical waveguide includes a core and a clad. The core includes first to third propagation parts, and a coupling part that couples the first to third propagation parts together. The first propagation part has a first incidence end face on which part of incident light is incident, and a first emission part that emits first propagation light. The second propagation part has a second incidence end face on which another part of the incident light is incident, and a second emission part that emits second propagation light. In the coupling part, a first light wave resulting from the first propagation light and a second light wave resulting from the second propagation light occur, and the first and second light waves interfere with each other to generate third propagation light to be emitted from a third emission part. The third propagation part propagates the third propagation light.
US08170384B1
Methods, systems, apparatus and devices for a variable fiber optic delay line that includes an electro-optic modulator for receiving and modulating an input signal, a switchless discrete long time delay module for injecting a long time delay into the modulated signal to produce a long delayed signal, and a switchless analog variable short delay module injecting a variable short time delay into the long delayed signal for a delayed output signal having a delay approximately equal to the long plus the short time delay. The module may also include non-dispersive single mode fibers for transmission between components and a circulator coupled for routing the input signal to the discrete long time delay module and routing the first delayed output signal to the analog variable short delay module. The VFODL can be used for Radio Frequency, digital electrical signals requiring time delay and amplitude processing or optical signal processing.
US08170382B2
A fiber-optic temperature sensor assembly comprises a cap with an inner cavity. A sensor member is received in the inner cavity of the cap. The sensor member has light-transmitting properties adapted to change with temperature variations. An optical fiber has a first end received in the inner cavity of the cap, and a second end of the optical fiber being adapted to be connected to a processing unit for transmitting light signals between the sensor member and the processing unit. A pressing device is received in the cap and pressing against the sensor member such that the sensor member is in operational contact with the first end of the optical fiber for transmission of light therebetween during operation of the fiber-optic temperature sensor assembly.
US08170370B2
A method of processing interlaced video data including a first interlaced field and a second interlaced field is provided. The method includes performing a deinterlacing operation upon the interlaced video data to generate a first deinterlaced frame corresponding to the first interlaced field and to generate a second deinterlaced frame corresponding to the second interlaced field; performing motion estimation according to video information derived from the interlaced video data to generate a motion estimation result; and performing a blending operation upon the first deinterlaced frame and the second deinterlaced frame to generate an output frame. The blending operation is based on the motion estimation result, and the output frame replaces the second deinterlaced frame. Specifically, the first interlaced field is immediately followed by the second interlaced field.
US08170365B2
An image processing device includes, a pixel information output section that reads an image along a predetermined direction and outputs saturation information and lightness information, a dust pixel extraction section that extracts dust pixels that are candidates for pixels expressing dust existing in the predetermined direction, a lightness-changed pixel extraction section that extracts lightness-changed pixels, a correction object pixel extraction section that, from among the dust pixels extracted by the dust pixel extraction section, extracts, as pixels that are objects of correction, dust pixels that have not been extracted as lightness-changed pixels and dust pixels in whose vicinities lightness-changed pixels do not exist, a correction section that corrects both of the information of the pixels, using both of the information of neighboring pixels of the pixels, and an image information output section that outputs image information that includes information expressing pixels corrected by the correction section.
US08170359B2
An encoding device 100 includes a quantization parameter generating circuit 111 that generates a provisional quantization parameter, a quantizing circuit 121 that generates quantized data by quantizing a signal to be quantized on the basis of the provisional quantization parameter, a binarizing circuit 131 that binarizes the quantized data to output binary symbol data, an arithmetic coding circuit 141 that generates coded data by arithmetic-coding the binary symbol data, a quantization parameter calculating circuit 112 that generates a suitable quantization parameter on the basis of a symbol amount of the binary symbol data, a code amount of the coded data, an upper limit of the symbol amount, and an target code amount, a quantizing circuit 122 that quantizes the signal to be quantized on the basis of the suitable quantization parameter.
US08170357B2
An apparatus and a method generate a coded block pattern (CBP) of an alpha channel image. An apparatus and a method encode or decode the alpha channel image using the method. The alpha channel image encoding apparatus includes a CBP generator generating a CBP of a first block corresponding to an encoding unit in the alpha channel image by allocating CBPs to a plurality of second blocks that includes the first block; and a bitstream generator generating a bitstream by encoding the CBP or the CBP and pixel values of the second blocks based on the CBP of each of second blocks.
US08170353B2
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.
US08170346B2
A method for performing a high-performance closed-form single-scan calculation of oblong-shape rotation angles from binary images of arbitrary size on a processor using running sums is disclosed. Running sums are calculated and stored throughout each scan, and the results are obtained in closed form by simple post-scan computation. An algorithmic embodiment may execute on one or more hardware processors with limited or constrained computation power, available instruction cycles, available memory, etc. Exemplary hardware processors are found in one or more CPUs of a desktop, laptop, tablet, or handheld computing device, and may be an embedded processor or a signal processor chip. The resulting method may be used for touch or optical user interfaces, real-time image recognition, real-time machine vision, and other purposes.
US08170344B2
An image storage device includes a storing unit, a background recognizing unit, an attribute-information generating unit, and an image-data processing unit. The storing unit stores therein image data and first attribute information for each pixel. The background recognizing unit recognizes a background of the image. The attribute-information generating unit generates second attribute information for each pixel based on the background of the image recognized by the background recognizing unit. The image-data processing unit processes the image data based on the second attribute information generated by the attribute-information generating unit.
US08170339B2
For each image sensing device, an index in a sensed image is recognized, and layout information of the recognized index in a coordinate system based on an image sensing device that has acquired the sensed image is calculated. Index information including identification information unique to the index and the layout information of the index is managed. If recognition of a first index in a first sensed image acquired by a first image sensing device has failed, or the first index has erroneously been recognized, the index information of the first index is varied on the basis of the layout information of the first index calculated by the above process for a second sensed image acquired by a second image sensing device other than the first image sensing device.
US08170335B2
A system for processing an image includes a non-transitory memory component storing a set of executable instructions, and a scalable tile processing device. The executable instructions cause the system to receive image data, partition the image data into tiles, transmit a tile to the scalable tile processing device, receive an encoded bit stream corresponding to the transmitted tile from the tile processing device, output compressed image data including the encoded bit stream, receive the compressed image data, decode the compressed image data to generate a plurality of decoded code blocks, and output decompressed image data including the plurality of decoded code blocks. The scalable tile processing device receives the tile including tile image data, wavelet transforms, quantizes, segments, and encodes the tile image data to generate a plurality of encoded code blocks, and transmits an encoded bit stream including the plurality of encoded code blocks to the system.
US08170323B2
A playing card delivery shoe is used in the play of the casino table card game of baccarat or blackjack or any game where cards are pulled one at a time from the shoe. The apparatus comprises a reader or an imager that scans lines bisecting the image at spaced intervals. The scanning occurs on playing cards in at least the region where suit and rank symbols are provided. The scanner output is a series of voltages that are converted to binary information. This binary information is compared to stored binary information to determine rank and suit. The upper surface of the output end of the shoe contains a partial barrier for cards being scanned. The partial barrier has an elevated surface and limits a size of a pathway so that only one card can be removed at a time.
US08170318B2
Image enhancement is provided in ultrasound imaging. A filter bank is used to process the data. The data may be processed in parallel. Each filter outputs data representing a same location, but with a kernel path (e.g., line, curved line, area, curved surface, or volume) different than for the other filters. For example, three filters filter along respective orthogonal planes. The filters may use preselected or data independent paths. The output of the filter bank is determined from the outputs of the filters in the bank, such as by selecting the maximum value. This bank-based filtering may enhance data associated with anatomical surfaces or contours and/or may reduce speckle. The parallel operation of the filters may allow for more rapid processing and/or processing a greater amount of data as compared to using a single filter.
US08170314B2
An image processing device has: an image acquisition section that acquires a plurality of photographic images obtained by photographing the same subject at different photography times; and a part identification section that identifies a portion where a predetermined part among parts that form the subject in the photographic images appears. The device further has: a first processing section that applies first matching processing, which matches two images by transforming one or both of the two images, to two of the plurality of photographic images; and a second processing section that applies second matching processing, which matches two images by transforming one or both of the two images and whose application range of the amount of transformation required for matching is different from that of the first matching processing, to the portion identified by the part identification section in the two of the plurality of photographic images.
US08170313B2
A system for detecting a status of an imaging device for use with a surgical navigation system is provided. The system can comprise a source of at least one image and a mask module that generates a mask array for each received image. The system can also include a background check module that determines a content of the image defined by the mask array and a radiation status module that determines a status of the imaging device based on the content of the image.
US08170311B2
A method and a system for generating a magnetic resonance image of a subject. The method and system include generating a first pulse having first random data having a first amplitude and a first linear phase; applying the first pulse to the subject as an radio frequency pulse; collecting a first signal from the subject; generating a second pulse having second random data having a second amplitude and a second linear phase, wherein the second amplitude is substantially equal to the first amplitude, and wherein the second phase has a different slope from the first phase; applying the second pulse to the subject as an radio frequency pulse; collecting a second signal from the subject; and reconstructing an image of the subject.
US08170309B2
A position specifying unit specifies three diagnostic positions corresponding to respective vertexes of a reference triangle on a myocardial boundary in a diagnostic image, a calculating unit matches three training positions with the three diagnostic positions for each of a plurality of training images and compares the diagnostic image with training myocardial area boundary data to obtain a similarity, and an output unit outputs training myocardial area boundary data having the highest similarity.
US08170296B2
An image processing apparatus includes a face-image storage unit storing a face image of a predetermined face as a registered face image; a color storage unit storing face-color information, which is information regarding a face color of the registered face image; a detector detecting a face image in an input image; a correcting unit correcting face-color information of the face image detected in the input image; and a comparator comparing the face image detected in the input image with the registered face image and obtaining a registered face image that is most similar to the detected face image as a comparison result. The correcting unit corrects face-color information of a face image detected in a next input image on the basis of the face-color information of the registered face image serving as the comparison result, which is stored in the color storage unit.
US08170293B2
Biometric systems capture and combine biometric information from more than one modality, employing digital processing algorithms to process and evaluate captured images having data for a biometric characteristic. Such digital algorithms may include a pupil segmentation algorithm for determining a pupil image in the captured image, an iris segmentation algorithm for determining an iris image in the captured image, an eyelid/eyelash segmentation algorithm for determining an eyelid/eyelash image in the captured image, and an algorithm for measuring the focus on the iris. Some embodiments employ an auto-capture process which employs such algorithms, in part, to evaluate captured images and obtain the best possible images for biometric identification.
US08170288B2
A system and method perform structure-preserving smoothing (SPS) using a data adaptive method for smoothing 3D post-stacked seismic attributes which reduces random noise while preserving the structure without prior computation of its orientation. The data is smoothed within a neighborhood sub-window along a set of predefined orientations, and the best smoothing result is then selected for output. The orientation corresponding to the best result often approximates the true structure orientation embedded in the data, so that the embedded structure is thus preserved. The SPS method can also be combined with median, alpha-trim, symmetric near neighbor, or edge-preserving filters. The SPS method is an effective way to reduce random noise and eliminate noise footprints, and to enhance coherence and curvature attributes.
US08170276B2
A method, system and computer program product for detecting presence of an object in an image are disclosed. According to an embodiment, a method for detecting a presence of an object in an image comprises: receiving multiple training image samples; determining a set of adaptive features for each training image sample, the set of adaptive features matching the local structure of each training image sample; integrating the sets of adaptive features of the multiple training image samples to generate an adaptive feature pool; determining a general feature based on the adaptive feature pool; and examining the image using a classifier determined based on the general feature to detect the presence of the object.
US08170267B2
A speaker is disclosed. A speaker includes a fixing part (500) fastened to a base frame; a motion part moved (400) with respect to the fixing part by an electromagnetic force; a vibration plate (200) that vibrates in communication with the motion part; and a guide member (800) provided between the motion part (400) and the vibration plate (200). Therefore, according to the present invention, a speaker capable of reproducing a high quality sound and high power with a slim design may be embodied.
US08170265B2
An example vehicle instrument panel includes a speaker for producing alert and warning sounds. A membrane prevents water from intruding into the speaker assembly and instrument panel. The membrane is spaced apart from the speaker and over an open end of the speaker housing. Sound energy from the speaker travels through an open space against the membrane. The membrane possesses acoustic properties to receive and pass on the sound energy.
US08170264B2
An electronic device suitable for disposing on a resonating surface is provided. The electronic device has a housing and a resonating speaker. The housing is disposed on the resonating surface. The resonating speaker is assembled onto a bottom of the housing and the resonating speaker contacts the resonating surface.
US08170257B2
An apparatus for reducing background and wind noise to a microphone contained in a microphone casing comprises a clamshell enclosure. The clamshell enclosure has a top piece and a bottom piece held together by a hinge or a plastic membrane, wherein the clamshell enclosure is designed to encapsulate the microphone casing containing the microphone. The clamshell enclosure contains foam materials inside the clamshell enclosure, or the clamshell enclosure itself is made out of foam materials such as polyurethane, wherein the foam materials contribute to reduction of background and wind noises to the microphone. The clamshell enclosure may optionally incorporate one or more channels as electrical cord pathways between the microphone casing encapsulated in the clamshell enclosure and another object (e.g. electronic device, earphones, and etc.).
US08170249B2
A hearing aid having two physically separate receivers, one for outputting low frequency (LF) acoustic sounds and another for outputting high frequency (HF) acoustic sounds. The LF receiver's output port is connected to a tube in which the HF receiver is inserted. The LF acoustic sounds either flow around the HF receiver, which include standoffs to space the HF receiver away from the inner tube wall, or through a channel in the HF receiver. At the output of the HF receiver, the LF and HF acoustic sounds are combined to form an acoustic signal that is transmitted to the ear canal. The LF receiver can be optimized for compliance, distortion, resonance frequency, and output. Its orientation is selected for reducing the overall size of the hearing aid. The HF receiver is smaller and placed far away from any microphone(s), reducing feedback effects, and may have a cylindrical or rectangular shape.
US08170246B2
Provided are an apparatus and a method for reproducing a surround wave field using wave field synthesis. The apparatus includes an audio signal analyzer for analyzing a received multi-channel audio signal to check the number of audio signal channels, and extracting a sound source signal for each checked channel from the multi-channel audio signal; a wave field synthesis renderer for localizing the extracted sound source signal for each channel at a virtual sound image outside a narrow space using wave field synthesis so that the extracted sound source signal is suitable for the number of the checked audio signal channels; and an audio reproducer for reproducing the localized virtual sound source signal.
US08170245B2
A virtual multichannel sound system is presented to improve audio reproduction by statically or dynamically conforming signal processing to specific speaker characteristics and/or arrangements. According to one such aspect, one or more dynamic signal processing algorithms driving two or more speakers are altered in response to the relative physical characteristics or arrangements of these speakers, where parameter information for these algorithms is either factory set, user input, or automatically supplied to the processor. Examples of such relative speaker differences include speaker spacing or alignment, speaker or enclosure compliance, and enclosure configuration. Another aspect is to alter the processing algorithms in response to common speaker characteristics for certain conditions of input signals. An example of this aspect is to alter the signal processing to improve bass response as a function of bass content in the signals being presented to the speakers and speaker size as well as relative speaker position.
US08170244B2
A microphone is provided. The microphone has a housing; an acoustic port located in the housing; a substrate coupled with the housing; an integrated circuit positioned onto the substrate; and two or more MEMS transducers mounted on the substrate wherein the transducers are connected in parallel.
US08170243B2
An audio output apparatus is provided. The audio output apparatus includes: a vibration member, a vibrator, a vibrator positioning unit, and a vibrator-depth positioning unit. The vibration member vibrates to output a sound. The vibrator is in contact with the vibration member and detachably attached thereto to allow the vibration member to vibrate in response to an input audio signal. The vibrator positioning unit controls a contact position between the vibrator and the vibration member. The vibrator-depth positioning unit adjusts a position of the vibrator in the direction of being pressed against the vibration member and brought into contact with the vibration member.
US08170238B2
The invention provides an integrated circuit attached to a microphone. In one embodiment, the integrated circuit comprises a buffer, a gain stage, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and a memory module. The buffer buffers a first signal generated by the microphone, and outputs the first signal as a second signal. The gain stage amplifies the second signal according to an adjustable gain to obtain a third signal. The analog-to-digital converter converts the third signal from analog to digital to obtain a fourth signal as an output of the integrated circuit. The memory module stores the adjustable gain and outputs the adjustable gain to the gain stage for controlling amplification of the gain stage.
US08170235B2
For hearing apparatus and especially for hearing devices a tone balance unit is to be able to be used even under difficult general conditions. Therefore a hearing apparatus with a signal processing device, through which signals are able to be processed in a number of frequency channels, and a control device for controlling the level of the individual frequency channels are provided. The setting device features an unsymmetrical tone balance unit related to a predetermined frequency with which at least one lower and at least one upper channel of the number of frequency channels related to a predetermined frequency is able to be simultaneously unsymmetrically adjusted relative to the predetermined frequency. Thus for example a tone balance unit can also be used with a low feedback limit in the upper frequency range.
US08170226B2
In one embodiment, a two-way telecommunication device may perform acoustic echo cancellation on incoming signals. An audio decoding module may produce an audio render signal. An audio capture interface may receive an audio capture signal. A short length adaptive filter may determine a time delay between the audio render signal and the audio capture signal by adaptively predicting a sub-band of the audio capture signal using a corresponding sub-band of the audio render signal.
US08170219B2
One or more embodiments may provide for a size adjustable earphone that may include a foldable sleeve attached to an earphone housing. A first end of the foldable sleeve may embrace the earphone housing, where an opposite second end of the foldable sleeve may be adapted to be folded. The foldable sleeve may be adapted to be kept in a first unfolded position, providing the earphone housing including the foldable sleeve with a first diametrical size, and in a second folded position, providing the earphone housing including the foldable sleeve with a second diametrical size. The second diametrical size may be larger than the first diametrical size.
US08170218B2
A multi-channel audio treatment method ensuring compatibility of a multi-channel signal and a stereo signal which includes: producing a left-hand downmix channel dwnMxL(t) and a right-hand downmix channel dwnMxR(t); producing a left-hand difference channel deltaL(t), said left-hand difference channel being the difference between the left-hand channel of the stereo signal eStL(t) and the left-hand downmix channel dwnMxL(t); producing a right-hand difference channel deltaR(t), said right-hand difference channel being the difference between the right-hand channel of the stereo signal eStR(t) and the right-hand downmix channel dwnMxR(t); and adding the right hand difference channel deltaR(t) and the left hand difference channel deltaL(t) into the multi-channel signal.
US08170217B2
An audio signal processing apparatus is provided. The audio signal processing apparatus comprises a clock generator, a processing module, an amplifying module and an output module. The clock generator is used for generating a clock signal. The processing module is coupled to the clock generator for processing the clock signal and generating a processing signal. The amplifying module is coupled to the processing module for amplifying the processing signal and generating an amplifying signal. The output module is coupled to the amplifying module for outputting the amplifying signal.
US08170210B2
A device (2300) for processing a data stream (1800), wherein the device (2300) comprises a splitting unit (2305) for splitting adjacent frames (1902) of a partially decrypted data stream (1900), the partially decrypted data stream (1900) comprising decrypted frame boundary portions (1901) between adjacent frames (1902), at the frame boundary portions (1901), a replication unit (2306) for replicating split frames (1902) a number of times in accordance with a predetermined replication rate and a connecting unit (2307) for connecting the replicated split frames (1902).
US08170205B2
The control unit includes a CPU which generates an access signal for performing writing or reading on the external memory, encryption/decryption means which, when the access signal is used for writing, encrypts an address designated by the CPU to generate a write address and encrypts write data contained in the access signal to generate write encrypted data, and which, when the access signal is used for reading, encrypts an address designated by the CPU to generate a read address and decrypts the encrypted data read from the external memory to generate plaintext data, and external control means which writes the write encrypted data in a position designated by the write address generated by the encryption/decryption means and which reads the encrypted data from a position designated by the read address generated by the encryption/decryption means and supplies the same to the encryption/decryption means for its decryption.
US08170188B2
First information and second information is stored in the communication system for a callback after a first communication terminal attempts a call to a second communication terminal in which the connection is not established. The first information allows the second communication terminal to display the attempted call so that a callback to the first communication terminal can be executed on the part of the second communication terminal. The second information includes a charge type for the callback correlating at least to the attempted call.
US08170187B2
A system for (and a method of) selectively establishing communication with one of plural devices associated with a single telephone number during a disaster or disaster recovery period. In a preferred embodiment, the system includes two wireless connection units, each connected between a respective private branch exchange (PBX) network and a public switched telephone network. Each wireless connection unit preferably serves as a gateway between its respective PBX network and one or more remote communication devices. The wireless connection units replicate each others databases. In the event of a disaster that destroys or renders one of the wireless connect/PBX networks inoperable, telephone calls destined for the inoperable network are seamlessly routed to the operable wireless connect/PBX network. Since the operable wireless connection unit contains information for both networks, inbound, outbound and extension to extension calls for each network can be handled despite the disaster.
US08170185B2
A method of authorising a user of a first packet-based communication network to access a second packet-based communication network. The method comprises: receiving an authorization request from a user terminal of the user at a first network element of the first packet-based communication network, the authorization request comprising a first user identity; responsive to the authorization request, transmitting a request to create a second user identity from the first network element to a second network element of the second packet-based communication network; the second network element creating the second user identity for use in the second packet-based communication network, the second user identity being derivable from the first user identity according to a predetermined rule; and storing the second user identity in the second packet-based communication network for use with subsequent communication events over the second packet-based communication network.
US08170183B2
A method for providing a message service for a site is described. It is determined whether a service is provided at the site. If the service is provided at the site, a request is sent to a node at the site that provides the service. Determining if the service is provided at the site includes automatically determining if the service is provided at the site without user input.
US08170180B2
One example embodiment includes an anode. The anode comprises an anode hub, an annular target and a plurality of spokes. The spokes connect the anode hub to the annular target. The spokes are configured to substantially mechanically and/or thermally isolate the anode hub from the annular target.
US08170179B2
A method for generating x-ray radiation, comprising the steps of forming a target jet by urging a liquid substance under pressure through an outlet opening, the target jet propagating through an area of interaction; and directing at least one electron beam onto the target jet in the area of interaction such that the electron beam interacts with the target jet to generate x-ray radiation; wherein the full width at half maximum of the electron beam in the transverse direction of the target jet is about 50% or less of the target jet transverse dimension. A system for carrying out the method is also disclosed.
US08170176B2
An imaging-condition setting part that sets a plurality of CT-image imaging conditions, including an electric amount for driving and controlling an X-ray tube during CT imaging, based on a scout image that has been imaged by irradiating X-rays from the X-ray tube, to a subject on a top board, that has been stopped at least one of said first position and said second position; and a calculating part that judges whether there are any detection elements that are expected to detect an X-ray dosage exceeding a predetermined value and outputs the judgment result when the X-ray tube is stopped at least one of the first position and the second position relative to the subject on the top board and X-rays are irradiated from the X-ray tube through driving and controlling based on the electric amount.
US08170175B2
An X-ray CT apparatus includes a fixed gantry having a plurality of stator coils arranged in a circle and mounted on the fixed gantry. A ring-shaped rotation frame of the CT apparatus includes a plurality of rotor magnets facing the plurality of stator coils. The CT apparatus further has an X-ray tube and an X-ray detector situated on the rotation frame to face each other and a supporting unit configured to provide non-contact support of the rotation frame on the fixed gantry. A magnetic pole detection unit of the apparatus is configured to detect a magnetic pole position of the rotor magnet at a start-up time of the plurality of stator coils and a brake mechanism of the apparatus is configured to apply a brake load to the rotation frame when detecting the magnetic pole position and to remove the brake load after detecting the magnetic pole position.
US08170174B1
An embodiment of the present invention takes the form of an apparatus or system that may reduce the level of vibration experienced by an inlet riser or other similar object within a reactor pressure vessel. An embodiment of the present invention may eliminate the need for welding the riser brace to the inlet riser. An embodiment of the present invention provides at least one riser brace clamp that generally clamps the riser brace to the inlet riser. After installation, the riser brace clamp may lower the amplitude of, and/or change the frequency of, the vibration experienced by the inlet riser.
US08170171B2
A communication semiconductor integrated circuit, has: a first computing element which adds the count value and the phase difference value and outputs a first computed value as an addition result; a second computing element which adds set frequency data obtained by dividing a carrier frequency by a reference frequency of the reference signal and modulation frequency data obtained by dividing a modulation frequency by the reference frequency, and outputs a second computed value as an addition result; a third computing element which subtracts the second computed value from the first computed value and outputs a third computed value as a subtraction result, the third computed value being a phase error; and a fourth computing element which adds the carrier frequency control value and the modulation frequency control value, and outputs the oscillator tuning word as an addition result.
US08170169B2
A phase lockedcircuit comprising a phase detector for comparing an incoming serial data signal with a feedback clock signal and generating a digital phase detector output signal representing a phase difference between the incoming data signal and the feedback clock signal; a dual path filter for receiving the phase detector output signal, the dual path filter including a first path for generating a digital proportional output signal that is proportional to the phase detector output signal and a second path having an integral digital filter for generating a digital integral output signal that is proportional to an integral of the phase detector output signal; and a digitally controlled oscillator for receiving the proportional output signal and the integral output signal as tuning inputs and generating in dependence thereon an output clock signal from which the feedback clock signal is obtained. The circuit can be implemented in a receive path of a serializer/deserializer.
US08170165B2
In one embodiment, an improvement is described for synchronization between devices in, e.g., a wireless network, wherein at least one device includes both a slow clock and a fast clock for different modes of operation. The fast clock for an active mode of operation is calibrated after a sleep mode of operation during which the slow clock is employed for device timing. Calibration employs a filter-based technique. Counts for the slow clock and for the fast clock are measured over a first interval, and the number of slow-clock counts is measured over a second interval. An estimate for the number of fast counts over the second interval is generated, filtered to reduce noise and error effects, and then employed to update the fast clock in the active mode of operation.
US08170163B2
A signaling system is described. The signaling system comprises a transmit device, a receive device including a partial response receive circuit, and a signaling path coupling the transmit device and the receive device. The receive device observes an equalized signal from the signaling path, and includes circuitry to use feedback from the most recent previously resolved symbol to sample a currently incoming symbol. The transmit device equalizes transmit data to transmit the equalized signal, by applying weighting based on one or more data values not associated with the most recent previously resolved symbol value.
US08170162B2
An inter-carrier interface removal device can improve estimation accuracy of inter-carrier interference caused by Doppler shift in a received multi-carrier signal moving at a high speed, and a reception characteristic of the multi-carrier signal after removing the inter-carrier interference. The inter-carrier interference removal device includes a channel estimation unit estimating a channel frequency characteristic according to a carrier signal, an equalization unit equalizing the carrier signal with the channel frequency characteristic and outputs tentative carrier data, a reliability value calculation unit calculating a reliability value according to the channel frequency characteristic, a weighting unit weighting the tentative carrier data with the reliability value, an ICI component estimation unit estimating an ICI component according to the weighted tentative carrier data and the estimated channel frequency characteristic, and an ICI removal calculation unit removing the ICI component from the carrier signal.
US08170158B2
Cross-polar interference cancellation in a dual-polarization system is described. A terminal in a satellite communication system may receive a first communication signal in a first polarization and a second communication signal in a second polarization substantially orthogonal to the first polarization. The terminal may correlate in-phase or quadrature components of the first communication signal with in-phase or quadrature components of the second communication signal to generate one or more correlation measurements. Correction terms may be generated, using the correlation measurements, to remove at least some of the cross-polar interference.
US08170157B2
The communication system having a transmitter and a receiver, wherein the transmitter and the receiver are coupled by a clock channel and a data channel, wherein the clock channel is shorter than the data channel and wherein the receiver comprises a delay circuit for extracting a jitter signal from a clock channel signal, delaying the extracted jitter signal, and generating a receiver clock signal for the receiver by the delayed jitter signal.
US08170154B2
A system for mitigating impairment in a communication system includes a delay block, a signal level block, a moving average window block, an impulse noise detection block, and a combiner. The delay block receives and delays each chip of a plurality of chips in a spreading interval. The signal level block determines a signal level of each chip of the plurality of chips in the spreading interval. The moving average window block determines a composite signal level for a chip window corresponding to the chip. The impulse noise detection block receives the signal level, receives the composite signal level, and produces an erasure indication for each chip of the plurality of chips of the corresponding chip window. The combiner erases chips of the plurality of chips of the spreading interval based upon the erasure indication.
US08170152B2
A method is disclosed to detect a broad class of signals in Gaussian noise using higher order statistics. The method detects a number of different signal types. The signals may be in the base-band or the pass-band, single-carrier or multi-carrier, frequency hopping or non-hopping, broad-pulse or narrow-pulse etc. In a typical setting this method provides an error rate of 3% at a signal to noise ratio of 0 dB. This method gives the time frequency detection ratio which may be used to determine if the detected signal falls in Class Single-Carrier of Class Multi-Carrier. Additionally, this method may be used for a number of different applications such as multiple signal identification, finding the basis functions of the received signal.
US08170146B2
A plurality of baseband clock signals by detecting an interference condition associated with at least one of the plurality of baseband clock signals and by spreading the spectrum of the at least one of the plurality of baseband clock signals when the interference condition is detected.
US08170142B2
A programmable hybrid transmit baseband module includes a wireless protocol conversion module, a set of modules, and a mode select module. The wireless protocol conversion module is operable to convert outbound data into a complex signal having an in-phase (I) signal component and a quadrature (Q) signal component. The set of modules is operable to generate an offset adjusted normalized I signal component, an offset adjusted normalized Q signal component, and corrected amplitude modulation data, wherein each of the normalized I and Q signal components includes phase modulation data. The mode selection module is operable to output the I and Q signal components when the programmable hybrid transmit baseband module is in a first mode; and output the offset adjusted normalized I and Q signal components and the corrected amplitude modulation data when the programmable hybrid transmit baseband module is in a second mode.
US08170140B2
An active-set PAR reduction method has low computation cost and delay. Peak canceling, by adding up the original signal and the peak canceling signal, is done only after the final peak canceling signal that can reduce all peaks of the resultant signal below the desired peak level is generated with an iterative method or a maximum iteration is reached. The PAR reduction method cancels the high computation cost for accumulating the peak-canceling effort into each sample every iteration. In the i-th iteration, the method attempts to resolve an intermediate peak canceling signal that can reduce the i peaks of the resultant signal to the desired peak level. The method only calculates the samples of the intermediate peak canceling signal and performs balance testing in some locations where the peak level of the original signal is larger than a selected threshold.
US08170139B2
The invention relates to a frequency hopping communication method in which the data travels over time-variable frequency bearers. A frequency bearer is defined as a subset pair of carriers in a channel of a set of frequency channels (RF). The choice of the frequency bearers is derived from a pseudo-random draw.
US08170138B2
There is an apparatus and technique for generating a sequence of modulated waveforms of finite duration in which the difference in start time of each waveform is shorter than the waveform's overall duration and each waveform in the sequence has independent data modulation imparted upon it. The apparatus consists of a bank of memory cells arranged in an N×M configuration with associated control circuitry, along with an arrangement scheme for the data in the N×M memory cells such that the waveforms will be correctly reproduced when the memory cells are addressed by the control circuitry in the prescribed order.
US08170130B2
A transmission device includes a differential encoding section for differentially encoding transmission data, a first waveform generation section, a second waveform generation section, and two transmission antennas. A reception device includes a reception antenna, a delay detection section, and a data determination section for low-pass filtering a delay detection signal. The reception device receives modulated signals modulated by using two waveforms having low correlations with each other. Thus, regardless of the presence or absence of delay dispersion in a propagation path and even in a high-speed fading in which the propagation path varies at high speed, a transmission diversity effect can be achieved, thereby making it possible to improve transmission characteristics.
US08170116B2
A device, an encoding method, and a decoding method enable a separate marking of base representations and enhanced representations of key access units to save memory or to allow a better scalable video coding optimization. The encoding method of a sequence of original pictures to a sequence of access units includes, after encoding of one of the access units, storing a first decoded picture of the first encoded picture and a second decoded picture of the second encoded picture for inter prediction for encoding of others of the access units; and identifying the first decoded picture and the second decoded picture to be no longer used for inter prediction. The decoding method includes decoding the first access unit, where a first decoded picture is decoded from the first picture and a second decoded picture is decoded from the second picture; marking the first and second decoded pictures as used for inter prediction; decoding the second access unit; and marking one of the first and second decoded pictures as no longer used for inter prediction.
US08170109B2
A computer system for real-time determination of a motion vector comprising an image processor to apply an image processing filter to a normalized frame element of a first image frame, yielding a filtered frame element having associated filtered pixel values, a pixel selector to select a first reference pixel from the filtered frame element having the highest value of the filtered pixel values, an optic flow module to determine a first optic flow applied at a location of the first reference pixel, a pattern matching module to perform pattern matching between the normalized pixel values of the normalized frame element and normalized frame elements of a second image frame, yielding a plurality of pattern matching scores, and a motion vector determiner to determine a motion vector based on a lowest one of the pattern matching scores. Related apparatus and methods are also described.
US08170102B2
An inter mode for encoding a video macroblock is selected. An initial analysis on the macroblock homogeneity is performed to quickly reduce the number of inter modes for which motion estimation and rate distortion calculation are to be performed. An inter mode is selected based on these calculations and sub-pixel motion estimation, at various sub-pixel interpolation granularities, is performed only on the selected inter mode. Sub-pixel motion estimation may be skipped for macroblocks that exhibit relatively low distortion at the integer pixel level.
US08170100B2
A video-information encoding apparatus and decoding apparatus with a guarantee of a fixed processing time. By limiting the amount of data to be input into/output from a CABAC encoding unit and decoding unit on a unit-of-encoding basis, such as one picture, slice, macroblock or block, and by encoding uncompressed video data, it is possible to provide a video-information encoding apparatus and decoding apparatus with a guarantee of a fixed processing time. Thereby, an apparatus with a guarantee of the processing time can be mounted.
US08170090B2
A data processing apparatus maps input symbols to be communicated onto a predetermined number of sub-carrier signals of an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbol. The data processor includes an interleaver memory which reads-in the predetermined number of data symbols for mapping onto the OFDM sub-carrier signals. The interleaver memory reads-out the data symbols on to the OFDM sub-carriers to effect the mapping, the read-out being in a different order than the read-in, the order being determined from a set of addresses, with the effect that the data symbols are interleaved on to the sub-carrier signals. The set of addresses are generated from an address generator which comprises a linear feedback shift register and a permutation circuit.
US08170088B2
Methods (200, 300) for determining a reference signal (Vref). The methods involve (202, 204, 302, 304) sensing at a first location along the transmission media (108, 502) a first signal (Vf) propagated thereover in a forward direction and a second signal (Vr) propagated thereover in a reverse direction opposed from the forward direction. The second signal being a reflected version of the first signal. A sum signal (S) is determined (206, 306) by adding the first and second signals together. A difference signal (D) is determined (208, 308) by subtracting the second signal from the first signal. Thereafter, a first exponentiation signal (ES) is determined (210, 310) using S. A second exponentiation signal (ED) is determined (212, 312) using D. The first exponentiation signal is subtracted (214, 314) from the second exponentiation signal to obtain a reference signal (Vref). Vref can be determined at any location along the transmission media. Vref can be used to control the phases and/or amplitudes of communication signals.
US08170076B2
In a GaN-based laser device having a GaN-based semiconductor stacked-layered structure including a light emitting layer, the semiconductor stacked-layered structure includes a ridge stripe structure causing a stripe-shaped waveguide, and has side surfaces opposite to each other to sandwich the stripe-shaped waveguide in its width direction therebetween. At least part of at least one of the side surfaces is processed to prevent the stripe-shaped waveguide from functioning as a Fabry-Perot resonator in the width direction.
US08170072B2
In the case of a lens array type homogenizer optical system, the incident angle and intensity of a laser beam 1 entering a large-sized lens (long-axis condenser lens 22) of a long-axis condensing optical system, which is provided on the rear side, are changed for every shot by performing laser irradiation while long-axis lens arrays 20a and 20b are reciprocated in a direction corresponding to a long axial direction of a linear beam (X-direction). Therefore, vertical stripes are significantly reduced. Further, the incident angle and intensity of a laser beam 1 entering a large-sized lens (projection lens 30) of a short-axis condensing optical system, which is provided on the rear side, are changed for every shot by performing laser irradiation while short-axis lens arrays 26a and 26b are reciprocated in a direction corresponding to a short axial direction of a linear beam (Y-direction). Therefore, horizontal stripes are significantly reduced.
US08170069B2
A system and method for processing signal in a remote facility includes an IP network and a first local collection facility that includes a first plurality of receiving circuit modules receiving a first plurality of channel signals and generating a first plurality of IP encoded signals from the first plurality of channel signals and a first router routing the first plurality of encoded signals to the IP network. The system also includes a second local collection facility comprising a second plurality of receiving circuit modules receiving a second plurality of channel signals and generating a second plurality of IP encoded signals from the second plurality of channel signals and a second router routing the second plurality of encoded signals to the IP network. The system also includes a remote facility having a statistical multiplexer in communication with the IP network. The remote facility includes a compression system controller configuring the statistical multiplexer and at least one of the first plurality of receiving circuit modules and at least one of the second plurality of receiving circuit modules to form a multicast group so that at least one of the first plurality of encoded signals and at least one of the second plurality of encoded signals are multiplexed together with the statistical multiplexer to form an output signal.
US08170068B2
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided in which indications of signal quality associated with each of the plurality of user stations are received. Multiple user stations (e.g., a first user station and a second user station) are selected to receive data from a base station based on the indications of signal quality associated with the plurality of the user stations. A first packet is constructed which contains signaling data for the first user station and application data for the second user station. A second packet which contains application data for the first user station is super-imposed upon the first packet. The first and second packets are transmitted simultaneously from the base station to the first and second user stations.
US08170065B2
Methods and apparatus for selecting digital access technology for programming and data delivery over, e.g., a content-based network. In one embodiment, the network comprises an HFC cable or satellite network that includes a server process interfacing with a plurality of customer premises equipment (CPE), and/or associated client devices, each having different capabilities profiles. The server determines the one or more capabilities possessed by the CPE, and evaluates one or more program or content choices for possible delivery to that CPE based on its profile. The server generates a list of programs or content based on this evaluation, and transmits this list to the CPE, which displays the list for viewing by a user. The user is therefore offered a list of available content that is compatible with their specific configuration. A business and operational rules engine is also optionally employed to control the operation of the foregoing processes to accomplish particular business or operational goals.
US08170063B2
This invention relates to wireless communication systems, specifically to methods for reducing interference. The invention allows a mobile station to determine if certain transmissions of the mobile station cause interference to reception by a second receiver in the mobile station, and indicate to the network that a change in a transmission parameter of the mobile station is desired. The network can then change a transmission parameter to reduce interference observed by the second receiver.
US08170060B2
A method of discarding data blocks in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes configuring a radio bearer for providing a service, configuring a discard condition for a data block of the service related to the radio bearer, wherein the discard condition is configured according to a type of the data block, and discarding the data block when the data block is not successfully transmitted until the discard condition for the data block is satisfied.
US08170052B2
A method of operating a network node of a network, a network node, a network system, a computer-readable medium, and a program element A method (300) of operating a network node (101-104) of a network system (100), comprising the steps of generating (305) a signal to be transmitted, selecting (310) one of a plurality of communication channels (105-108) of the network system (100) for transmitting the signal, and, in case that the selected channel (105-108) is not ready for transmitting the signal, selecting (345) another one of the plurality of communication channels (105-108) for transmitting the signal.
US08170051B2
Systems and methods for dynamic allocation of network bandwidth. In some examples, a guaranteed interval period, including a guaranteed interval start time and guaranteed interval end time, can be identified based upon policy. Network stations can then identify first interval start times and first interval end times different than the guaranteed start times and guaranteed end time provided by policy. An access network can thereby provide a first interval start time and a first interval end time to stations within the access network. An in-home network can determine an in-home interval period based upon the first interval start time and first interval end time.
US08170046B2
A mobile terminal including a user input unit configured to select a first broadcast channel, and a controller configured to buffer broadcast data relevant to at least one second broadcast channel different than the first broadcast channel for a predetermined time if the first broadcast channel is selected and to stop buffering the broadcast data relevant to the at least one second broadcast channel when the predetermined time expires.
US08170036B1
Systems and methods of exchanging voice chat information are provided. Voice chat information is received and the received voice chat information is placed into one or more packets. A control channel is selected and the one or more packets are transmitted over the selected control channel. The voice chat information can be transmitted in short messaging service (SMS) packets over the control channel. Moreover, voice chat information is exchanged between first and second communication stations by way of a SMS gateway, and media and signaling information are exchanged between the first and second communication stations independent on the SMS gateway.
US08170032B2
A method for externally controlling and managing a wireless local area network subscriber assigned to at least one wireless local area network includes requesting a service using the subscriber, checking an authorization of the subscriber to access the TCP/IP network, and establishing a connection via the TCP/IP network to the subscriber if the subscriber has the authorization to access the TCP/IP network. Signaling and/or information data are managed using a control and managing device connected to the public TCP/IP network via an interface device.
US08170021B2
A computer system that implements a quality of service policy. Information defining the quality of service policy is stored in a central location, such as a server within an enterprise. Policy management software on clients in the network download quality of service policy information from the central location to the clients. Within a client, a portion of the policy information is selected based on its applicability to a particular connection. The selected information is cached with an association to the connection so that, as datagrams are generated for transmission over the network, relevant policy information is quickly accessed for use in controlling transmission characteristics of datagrams sent using that connection. The policy information is applied on a datagram-by-datagram basis, allowing policy information to be selectively applied based on network type. Policy information may be selectively applied to those datagrams transmitted over a managed network. This approach allows a client configured to apply a quality of service policy within an enterprise network to operate without applying the policy when removed from the enterprise network.
US08170018B2
A system comprising a plurality of nodes forming a network, the plurality of nodes comprising source nodes and destination nodes; wherein a propagation limit restricts the travel of link-state information transmitted by the sources nodes to a subset of destination nodes within the network. A network-layer protocol provided at a layer above that of the network facilitates communication between nodes within and outside of this subset of nodes.
US08170001B2
A technique for synchronizing different network access modules in a mobile communication device is provided. A device embodiment (100) comprises a first network access module (102) having a first radio technology, or RAT, interface (114) and being clocked at a first clock frequency and a second network access module (104) having a second RAT interface (130) and being clocked at a second clock frequency, wherein the first clock frequency is different from the second clock frequency. A method implementation of this technique comprises the steps of generating a clock signal having the first clock frequency, outputting the clock signal for use as a first reference clock signal in the first network access module (102), converting the clock signal to the second clock frequency, and outputting the converted clock signal for is use a second reference clock signal in the second network access module (104).
US08169998B2
Aspects of a system for an ad hoc wireless network with master control of network parameters may include one or more circuits that enable generation of a beacon frame at a supervisory WLAN station wherein the generated beacon frame contains a supervisory role indication. The supervisory role indication enables the supervisory WLAN station to establish timing synchronization and network parameters that are utilized by a plurality of WLAN stations utilized for communicating within a wireless network. Aspects of the system may also include a WLAN station that enables communication via a wireless local area network by utilizing a timestamp value and network parameter values retrieved from a received beacon frame based on the presence of a supervisory role indication within the received beacon frame.
US08169997B2
A communication system allocates a discrete line between a base station and each terminal device that allows discrete communication in a time span equivalent to several frames. The communication system includes a base station that has a processing function unit processing a physical layer using a given data format, and terminal devices each using an up-link line allocated by the base station. In the system, the base station and each terminal device communicates with each other by the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing method. The base station sends out a preamble signal cyclically, and has a means that sends out a vacant discrete connection identifier for identifying a vacant up-link line for a terminal device to send data to the base station when the base station receives an up-link line request from the terminal device.
US08169995B2
A system and method using a medium access control (MAC) header for a wireless communication system including an application layer, a MAC layer, and a physical (PHY) layer is disclosed. The MAC header accommodates time-delay insensitive data transfer between devices located in the network. The MAC header finds particular benefits in short range networks that transfer high definition (HD) video between components. One embodiment of the invention comprises a method of transferring data in a wireless communication network for uncompressed video including fragmenting the data into a plurality of data packets; appending a PHY header to at least one of the data packets to form a MAC frame; setting a field in the PHY header to indicate that the packets do not contain audio video (A/V) data; and transmitting the MAC frame to another device in the wireless communication network.
US08169993B2
The quality of the signal from a base station is measured and adjusted for distortion due to multipath and due to signals from neighboring co-channel base stations. The signal quality is measured conventionally by determining Rho or EVM and then Rho or EVM are adjusted. To adjust the signal the process includes the steps of: (a) sampling a received CDMA base station signal in a particular frequency channel, calculating the total received power to provide a reference value for subsequent normalization; (b) demodulating the received signal and constructing an ideal reference signal; (c) correlating between the ideal reference signal and received signal to determine a Rho value, or calculating the ratio of the difference between ideal and received signal to the ideal signal to obtain EVM; (d) performing a self cross correlation to separate signals from the sampled received signal on different delay paths, and determining a multipath power value x as a total power of signals on non-dominant ones of the delay paths; (e) performing a code correlation pilot scan of the sampled signal to determine strengths of signals from neighboring co-channel base stations; (f) summing the power levels of the neighboring co-channel base station signals to provide a total pilot pollution power y; and (g) calculating an adjusted Rho or EVM by removing x and y from the total received power.
US08169989B2
A first plurality of characteristics are received from a first client device relating to transmissions received by the first client device from both an access point and a second client device. A second plurality of characteristics are received from the second client device relating to transmissions received by the second client device from both the access point and the first client device. The first plurality of characteristics and the second plurality of characteristics are both assessed. Based on the assessment, a least one of a plurality of customized power levels is selected for transmissions by the access point to the first client device and the second client device.
US08169988B2
A wireless network includes a base transceiver station configured to transmit signals over a wireless connection to a plurality of terminals connected to the local area network and receive signals over a wireless connection from a plurality of terminals. The new terminal is arranged to transmit a connection request message comprising an identifier and a request to identify the new terminal to the network when the new terminal tries to access the wireless network. The network is arranged to transmit information regarding one or more new terminals attempting to access the wireless network to the user through the control interface. A control interface enables a user to transmit a control command to the network to allow a new terminal to be connected to the network.
US08169977B2
Improved pilot signal sequences which facilitate multiple channel quality measurements, e.g., through the use of different signal pilot transmission power levels, are described. In various implementations the transmitted pilot sequences facilitate determining the contribution of interference from other sectors of a cell using the same tones, e.g., in a synchronized manner, as the sector in which the pilot signal measurements are being made. To measure noise contributions from neighboring sectors a sector NULL pilot, e.g., a pilot with zero power, is transmitted in an adjacent sector at the same time a pilot signal with a pre-selected, and therefore known, non-zero power is transmitted in the sector where the received pilot signal measurement is made. To facilitate background noise measurements, a cell NULL is supported in some embodiments. In the case of a cell NULL, all sectors of a cell transmit a Null pilot, on a tone that is used to measure background noise. Since no power is transmitted in the cell on the tone during the measurement, any measured signal on the tone is attributable to noise, e.g., background noise which may include inter-cell interference.
US08169974B2
A method of increasing operational safety of a wireless communication network operating in a process control environment and having a plurality of network devices includes detecting a first triggering condition associated with an increased operational risk due to a wireless transmissions by at least one of the plurality of network devices, sending a suspend command to at least some of the plurality of network devices, suspending transmissions at the at least some of the plurality of network devices; and resuming transmissions at the at least some of the plurality of network devices upon occurrence of a second triggering condition.
US08169972B2
There is provided a method of handing over a provided service from a serving base station to a target base station, the service including streaming content sent to a mobile station. The method includes receiving, at the target base station, a handover request from the serving base station, the handover request identifying the streaming content being provided to the mobile station by the serving base station, and an interrupt data packet, of the streaming content, last transmitted to the mobile station. The method includes sending a handover response to the serving base station and receiving a notification from the serving base station indicating that the target base station is selected for handover. The method includes receiving, from the serving base station, subsequent data packets of the streaming content that are later in time than the interrupt data packet and sending the received subsequent data packets to the mobile station.
US08169968B1
To perform an inter-technology handoff, an indicator in a service request message is received by a mobile switching center (MSC). The indicator is to indicate to the MSC that an inter-technology handoff from a packet-data wireless access network to a circuit wireless access network has been requested. The behavior of the MSC is modified in response to the indicator to reduce the communication silence during the inter-technology handoff.
US08169964B2
The present invention is related to methods, apparatuses, systems and computer software for determining an amount of physical resources for downlink transmission, and allocating uplink physical resources for transmission of data-non-associated control signaling based at least on the amount of physical resources for downlink transmission. The amount of physical resources for downlink transmission comprises an amount of downlink control signaling. The present invention further relates to a framework for mapping the dedicated uplink control channels directly to single physical resource blocks. The framework is able to efficiently shift physical resources to and from the uplink control channel for ACK/NACK reports, in a data-non-associated control signaling scheme and on a per subframe basis. The present invention is also concerned with scheduler, for example an eNodeB scheduler, which uses its scheduling history and knowledge of user equipment capabilities to increase utilization of uplink resources.
US08169958B2
In accordance with an example embodiment, there is disclosed herein an application launcher, referred to herein as a “Concierge Launcher,” that enables a mobile device to access a wireless local area network (WLAN) and launch an application with one click. In an example embodiment, the WLAN advertises one or more services, for example a Concierge Service, along with the identity of the provider of the service and optionally a Uniform Resource Indicator (URI) for the application to use the service. The mobile device is configured to detect the advertisement and notify an end user of the availability of the service. If the end user selects the service, the provider of the service is validated, and an application, such as a web browser, on the mobile device configured to use the service is started.
US08169956B2
An acknowledgment (ACK) mapping automation that reduces overhead for a wireless communication systems such as UTRAN-LTE, Global System for Mobile communications (GSM: originally from Groupe Spécial Mobile), High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), or any packet-switched system, by providing a mapping of uplink (UL) location (i.e., modulation location in time, frequency and code) based upon a downlink (DL) allocations. Aspects address dynamic and persistent scheduling of user equipment (EU) with a selected combination of implicit and explicit mapping.
US08169947B2
An apparatus and method for data centric multiplexing in a wireless communication system with a plurality of channels comprising assigning a first resource to a first of the plurality of channels; assigning a second resource to a second of the plurality of channels wherein the second resource is not the first resource; assigning a third resource to a third of the plurality of channels wherein the third resource is not the first or the second resource; and assigning a fourth resource to a fourth of the plurality of channels by puncturing at least one of the first, second or third resources and skipping the rest of unpunctured first, second or third resources.
US08169944B2
Techniques for facilitating random access in wireless multiple-access communication systems. A random access channel (RACH) is defined to comprise a “fast” RACH (F-RACH) and a “slow” RACH (S-RACH). The F-RACH and S-RACH can efficiently support user terminals in different operating states and employ different designs. The F-RACH can be used to quickly access the system, and the S-RACH is more robust and can support user terminals in various operating states and conditions. The F-RACH may be used by user terminals that have registered with the system and can compensate for their round trip delays (RTDs) by properly advancing their transmit timing. The S-RACH may be used by user terminals that may or may not have registered with the system, and may or may not be able to compensate for their RTDs. The user terminals may use the F-RACH or S-RACH, or both, to gain access to the system.
US08169934B2
A system comprising a first mobile device and a second mobile device. The first mobile device includes a memory and an output arrangement. The memory stores a staging profile. The staging profile is used to configure at least a portion of the first mobile device. The second mobile device includes an input arrangement. The input arrangement obtains the staging profile from the output arrangement. At least a portion of the second mobile device is configured using the staging profile.
US08169923B2
A power line communication (PLC) method includes determining whether a destination communication apparatus to receive a data packet can directly communicate without using a repeater, transmitting the data packet to the destination communication apparatus when the destination communication apparatus can directly communicate without using the repeater, and transmitting the data packet to the repeater when the destination communication apparatus cannot directly communicate without using the repeater, and a power line communication (PLC) apparatus to perform the method.
US08169917B2
Disclosed herein are a Tandem Connection Monitoring (TCM) method in an MPLS network and a data structure of a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) OAM packet for TCM. When data are provided to users through an LSP path comprising multiple network provider in an MPLS network, the method makes it possible to independently measure LSP performance at a user level, a service provider level, and a network provider level, detect quality degradation of ingress signals by measuring performance of a preceding network, and newly measure the performance quality at the current network regardless of the performance quality of the preceding network.
US08169910B1
A device may receive a data unit at a line interface of a network device, convey the data unit to a first component in the line interface, update a flow table in the first component based on the data unit, send a message to a second component in the network device, the message describing the update to the flow table, and forward the data unit from the first component to another line interface in the network device.
US08169906B2
A method and system for managing asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) traffic in a computer system is disclosed. The computer system is used in sending, receiving, or sending and receiving a plurality of ATM flows. Each ATM flow has a plurality of ATM cells, a minimum ATM bandwidth guarantee, and a maximum ATM bandwidth. The method and system include determining whether excess bandwidth exists for the ATM flows. The method and system also include gracefully increasing a portion of the ATM cells transmitted for each ATM flow during periods of excess bandwidth. The portion of the ATM cells transmitted is not more than the maximum ATM bandwidth limit. If an ATM flow presents a sufficient offered load, the portion of the ATM cells transmitted in the flow is not less than a minimum ATM bandwidth guarantee.
US08169905B2
A packet communication method according to the present invention includes the steps of: starting, at a predetermined sublayer of a receiving-side apparatus, a reordering timer, when receiving a second packet before receiving a first packet in a case where a sequence number of the first packet is smaller than a sequence number of the second packet; and transmitting, at the predetermined sublayer of the receiving-side apparatus, a retransmission request for the first packet, when not receiving the first packet until the reordering timer expires.
US08169894B2
A method for providing fault-tolerant network communications between a plurality of nodes for an application, including providing a plurality of initial communications pathways over a plurality of networks coupled between the plurality of nodes, receiving a data packet on a sending node from the application, the sending node being one of the plurality of nodes, the data packet being addressed by the application to an address on one of the plurality of nodes, and selecting a first selected pathway for the data packet from among the plurality of initial communications pathways where the first selected pathway is a preferred pathway.
US08169892B2
The specification and drawings present a new method, system, apparatus and software product for improving the performance of an uplink communication utilizing a hybrid automatic repeat protocol (HARQ) by an HARQ failure indication over Iub-interface (e.g., from a node B to a radio network controller, RNC) in mobile communication networks including a number of HARQ retransmissions before said failure occurred.
US08169891B2
A method of processing cells in a communication system includes obtaining a cell, causing it to be stored, determined if it is associated with a loss event, and if so, causing it to be tagged with a lost cell indicator. An apparatus for processing cells includes a cell processing module and a cell buffer interface that can interface with a cell buffer. The processing module is configured to obtain a cell, cause it to be stored through the buffer interface, determine if it is associated with a loss event, and if so, cause it to be tagged with a lost cell indicator. The lost cell indicator can preferably be a compressed lost cell indicator. The inventive tagging enhances computational efficiency compared to approaches that require moving a stored cell to make room for a complete dummy cell.
US08169885B2
A cross-layer optimization framework for designing of multi-radio/multi-channel wireless mesh networks with network coding to support multiple unicast applications is used. A column-generation-based primal-dual method is used to solve the optimization problem. For network-layer formation, a code construction scheme based on linear programming is used. Delay constraints are imposed on the network code construction so the possible impact of the extra decoding delay to the upper-layer Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) performance may be reduced without changing the upper-layer protocols.
US08169882B2
A composition of matter for the recording medium of nanometer scale thermo-mechanical information storage devices and a nanometer scale thermo-mechanical information storage device. The composition includes: one or more polyaryletherketone copolymers, each of the one or more polyaryletherketone copolymers comprising (a) a first monomer including an aryl ether ketone and (b) a second monomer including an aryl ether ketone and a first phenylethynyl moiety, each of the one or more polyaryletherketone copolymers having two terminal ends, each terminal end having a phenylethynyl moiety the same as or different from the first phenylethynyl moiety. The one or more polyaryletherketone copolymers are thermally cured and the resulting cross-linked polyaryletherketone resin used as the recording layer in an atomic force data storage device.
US08169879B2
A multilayer optical recording system to record information with light includes a lens unit, a recording medium, and a microscopic drive unit. The lens unit includes a metamaterial lens or a plasmon lens. The metamaterial lens has a first dielectric member in which first microstructures are implanted in a substantially regular manner. The plasmon lens has an aperture. The aperture is a hole or a slit created in a metal film. The microscopic drive unit is configured to adjust a relative position between the lens unit and the recording medium. In addition, the principal plane is placed to be in contact with the lens unit or to have a gap between the principal plane and the lens unit. Furthermore, the second microstructures are arranged periodically in a direction substantially perpendicular to the principal plane of the recording medium.
US08169863B2
An object of this invention is to improve stability of tracking control and improve recording and reproduction performance. The tracking control device comprises a main push-pull signal generation section, which generates a main push-pull signal based on a signal obtained by photoelectric conversion of return light of the main beam; a microcomputer, which detects an other-layer stray light signal component included in a signal obtained by photoelectric conversion of return light of the sub-beam; a signal correction section, which corrects the signal obtained by photoelectric conversion of the return light of the sub-beam, based on the other-layer stray light signal component; and a sub-push-pull signal generation section, which generates a sub-push-pull signal based on the corrected signal obtained by photoelectric conversion of the return light of the sub-beam.
US08169856B2
Techniques are described herein for synchronizing cluster time. According to one technique, a master node is appointed in a cluster. Other “slave” nodes periodically synchronize their clocks with the master node. To synchronize its clock with the master node, a slave node sends a timestamped message to the master node, which also timestamps the message and sends the message back to the slave node, which then timestamps the message again. Based on the timestamps, the slave node is able to determine the difference between the master node's clock's time and slave node's clock's time, compensating for the message travel time between master node and slave node. Depending on various circumstances, and based on the determined difference, the slave node adjusts its clock so that the time indicated by the slave node's clock at least begins to approach more closely the time indicated by the master node's clock.
US08169853B2
Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for testing acoustic systems. According to one embodiment, a method for testing an acoustic system can comprise receiving a signal from the acoustic system at a testing device coupled with the acoustic system via one of a plurality of channels between the acoustic system and the testing device. The signal can include a pattern of pulses including Doppler pulses. At least one Doppler pulse from the pattern pulses of the signal can be detected with the testing device. A response to the signal from the acoustic system can be provided by generating an echo pulse with the testing device based on the detected at least one Doppler pulse wherein the echo pulse is frequency shifted from the detected at least one Doppler pulse and mimics a response to the detected at least one Doppler pulse for a selected acoustic probe.
US08169852B2
A circuit configured to change a mode of a plurality of memory devices having a power saving mode includes a command queue configured to hold memory access, and a cancellation unit configured to cancel the power saving mode of target devices of the memory access held up to a predetermined stage of the command queue.
US08169846B2
A refresh control circuit of a semiconductor memory apparatus includes: a variable oscillator configured to generate a room-temperature oscillation signal and a limit-temperature oscillation signal in response to a temperature state signal; a cycle selector configured to selectively output the room temperature oscillation signal and the limit-temperature oscillation signal as a variable oscillation signal in response to the temperature state signal; a refresh signal generator configured to generate a refresh signal in response to the variable oscillation signal and a fixed oscillation signal; and a temperature state detector configured to generate the temperature state signal by detecting current temperature in response to the room-temperature oscillation signal and the fixed oscillation signal.
US08169844B2
A memory circuit includes an operational memory and a monitor circuit comprising a circuit element in the operational memory and/or a circuit element substantially identical to a corresponding circuit element in the operational memory. The monitor circuit is operative to measure at least one functional characteristic of the operational memory. A control circuit coupled to the monitor circuit is operative to generate a control signal which varies as a function of the measured characteristic of the operational memory. The memory circuit further includes a programmable voltage source coupled to the operational memory which is operative to generate at least a voltage and/or a current supplied to at least a portion of the operational memory which varies as a function of the control signal.
US08169827B2
A NAND string, its operation, and manufacture is described herein. The NAND string includes one or more memory cells, a first selection transistor coupled to the memory cells, and a second selection transistor coupled between the memory cell and the first selection transistor, wherein the second selection transistor has a process defined threshold voltage.
US08169826B2
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprises: a plurality of first memory strings; a first select transistor having one end thereof connected to one end of the first memory strings; a first line commonly connected to the other end of a plurality of the first select transistors; a switch circuit having one end thereof connected to the first line; and a second line commonly connected to the other end of a plurality of the switch circuits. The switch circuit controls electrical connection between the second line and the first line.
US08169820B2
A crosspoint array is made up of a plurality of bitlines and wordlines and a plurality of crossbar elements, with each crossbar element being disposed between a bitline and a wordline, and each crossbar element comprising at least a phase change material used as a rectifier in series with a solid electrolyte used as an asymmetric resistive memory element. The crossbar elements are responsive to the following voltages: a first set of voltages to transition the phase change material in the crossbar elements from an OFF state to an ON state; a second set of voltages to read or program the solid electrolyte, and a third set of voltages to transition the phase change material from an ON state to an OFF state.
US08169815B2
Magnetic random access memory (MRAM) cell with a thermally assisted switching writing procedure and methods for manufacturing and using same. The MRAM cell includes a magnetic tunnel junction that has at least a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and an insulating layer disposed between the first and a second magnetic layers. The MRAM cell further includes a select transistor and a current line electrically connected to the junction. The current line advantageously can support a plurality of MRAM operational functions. The current line can fulfill a first function for passing a first portion of current for heating the junction and a second function for passing a second portion of current in order to switch the magnetization of the first magnetic layer.
US08169813B2
A method for evaluating an SRAM memory cell in which the time required for designing the SRAM memory cell can be shortened by evaluating static noise margin in a shortened time. A recording medium which records an evaluation program is also provided. The coordinate conversion which rotates the coordinate axis by 45 degrees is applied to the input/output characteristic data of a first inverter of the SRAM memory cell, and the first proximity curve function is specified by fitting the input/output characteristic data of the first inverter to the proximity curve. The coordinate conversion which rotates the coordinate axis by 45 degrees is applied to the input/output characteristic data of a second inverter of the SRAM memory cell, and the second proximity curve function is specified by fitting the input/output characteristic data of the second inverter to the proximity curve. A third proximity curve function which is a function generated by mirror-inverting the second proximity curve function with respect to the Y axis is specified, and a static noise margin is specified based on an extremal value of a difference curve function which is the difference between the first proximity curve function and the third proximity curve function.
US08169801B2
Voltage converters with integrated low power leaker device and associated methods are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a voltage converter includes a switch configured to convert a first electrical signal into a second electrical signal different than the first electrical signal. The voltage converter also includes a controller operatively coupled to the switch and a leaker device electrically coupled to the controller. The controller is configured to control the on and off gates of the switch, and the leaker device is configured to deliver power to the controller. The leaker device and the switch are formed on a first semiconductor substrate, and the controller is formed on second semiconductor substrate separate from the first semiconductor substrate.
US08169795B2
An audio power conversion system includes a power supply having a positive supply rail and a negative supply rail for supplying power to a single ended class D amplifier. The system further includes a supply pump reduction circuit connected to the supply rails and adapted to redistribute a pumping charge from said power supply by forcing a current-flow from a rail with a higher voltage to a rail with a lower voltage. According to the at least one embodiment of the invention, the redistribution circuit is arranges to always distribute charge from the rail with the higher voltage. Thus, for practical circuits, the pump canceling occurs continuously and is not confined to every other cycle.
US08169790B2
An electromagnetic bandgap structure and a printed circuit board having the electromagnetic bandgap that intercepts the transfer of a signal ranging a frequency band are disclosed. The electromagnetic bandgap structure includes a metal layer; a dielectric layer, stacked on the metal layer; at least two metal plates, stacked on the same planar surface of the dielectric layer; and a stitching via, connecting the adjacent metal plates. The stitching via passes through the dielectric layer, and a part of the stitching via is placed on the same planar surface of the metal layer. With the present invention, the electromagnetic bandgap can decrease the noise of a particular frequency by having a compact size and a low bandgap frequency.
US08169776B2
A face panel includes a frame unit having mounting grooves arranged in parallel on the front side thereof, and decorative face members detachably fastened to the front side of the frame unit, each decorative face member having coupling devices protruded the back side thereof and detachably fastenable to the mounting groove of the frame unit, a decorative finish located on the front side thereof and carrying a design and a connection structure located on each of the two distal ends thereof for enabling a member of the decorative face members to be connected transversely in a line by means of forcing one connection structure of one decorative face member into engagement with one connection structure of another decorative face member.
US08169770B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit comprises an electrostatic actuator, an estimation circuit, a storage circuit and a bias circuit. The electrostatic actuator has a top electrode, a bottom electrode, and an insulating film disposed between the top electrode and the bottom electrode. The estimation circuit estimates the amount of a charge accumulated in the insulating film of the electrostatic actuator. The storage circuit stores a result of the estimation of the charge amount by the estimation circuit. The bias circuit changes, on the basis of the estimation result stored in the storage circuit, a drive voltage to drive the electrostatic actuator.
US08169758B2
Integrated circuit (20) comprising several different voltage rails (V5 to V1) and an on-chip ESD protection circuit. The ESD protection circuit comprises at least one group (21, 22, 23) of ESD clamp devices (C1-C4). The ESD clamp devices (C1-C4) are arranged in a ladder-configuration. This ladder-configuration is characterized in that there is one of the ESD clamp devices interposed between each of the power rails (V5 to V1) and the respective power rail having a next lower voltage. Due to this arrangement an ESD current path is defined between each one of the power rails and the power rail having the next lower voltage. The ESD clamp devices (C1-C4) are off under normal power operation of the integrated circuit (20).
US08169757B2
A circuit breaker is disclosed that has a bi-stable display that maintains an indication of a fault condition after power is interrupted to the circuit breaker. The circuit breaker has a microcontroller that receives power derived from a line current that passes through the circuit breaker or the line voltage when the circuit breaker is in an on state. The bi-stable display is electrically coupled to and controlled by the microcontroller. A tripping mechanism trips the circuit breaker in response to detection of a fault condition. The tripping mechanism trips the circuit breaker in response to receiving a trip signal from the microcontroller. The microcontroller is programmed to modify the bi-stable display when sending the trip signal to the electronic switching device. The bi-stable display shows an indication of one of the several fault types that would have caused the circuit breaker to trip. The bi-stable display continues to display the fault-type indication after the circuit breaker has tripped and power is interrupted to the microcontroller.
US08169754B2
A disk drive head slider for a magnetic disk drive is provided. The head slider includes a tunnel magnetic resistance device for reading data on a magnetic disk and a dedicated noncorrosive smear detector for measuring resistance wherein the resistance corresponds to a level of smear associated with the head slider.
US08169746B1
An integrated lead head suspension flexure includes a mounting region, a gimbal extending distally from the mounting region and having bond pads, and a tail extending proximally from the mounting region and having terminal pads. First trace sections having a first structural configuration, such as interleaved traces, are electrically connected to the terminal pads and extend across the tail and mounting region. Second trace sections having a second structural configuration different than the first structural configuration, such as ground plane traces, are electrically connected to the bond pads and extend across the gimbal. Transition structures electrically connect the first trace sections to the second trace sections. The first and second trace sections impedance match the different impedances at the bond pads and terminal pads.
US08169740B2
A thin-film magnetic head including a main magnetic pole layer having a magnetic pole end part on a side of a medium-opposing surface opposing a recording medium; a write shield layer opposing the magnetic pole end part to form a recording gap layer on the medium-opposing surface side; a thin-film coil wound about the write shield layer or the main magnetic pole layer; and a base insulating layer formed with a magnetic pole forming depression, including a very narrow groove defining a form of the magnetic pole end part and a main depression integrally extending from an end part of the very narrow groove remote from the medium-opposing surface. A stepped part is formed at a boundary between a bottom face of the main depression and a bottom face of the very narrow groove. The main magnetic pole layer is the only magnetically functional layer in the depression.
US08169739B2
A perpendicular magnetic write head in which unintended erasure of information at the time of non-writing can be suppressed while keeping the capability of writing is provided. The perpendicular magnetic write head includes a magnetic pole tip portion, a first yoke portion connected to the magnetic pole tip portion, having a width larger than that of the magnetic pole tip portion, and having a recess portion in a center region thereof, and a second yoke portion embedded in the recess portion. The magnetic pole tip portion and the first yoke portion are integrally formed with a vapor deposition method, and the second yoke portion is formed with a plating method. Since the saturation flux density of the magnetic pole tip portion formed with the vapor deposition method becomes higher than that of the yoke portion, a magnetic flux intake capacity of the magnetic pole tip portion is ensured. In a magnetic domain structure of the yoke portion most of which is formed with the plating method, since an easy magnetization axis becomes likely to be directed in a direction perpendicular to an emitting direction of a magnetic flux, residual flux becomes less likely to leak out of the main magnetic pole layer at the time of non-writing.
US08169736B2
A method to position a head module, where the head module comprises at least one servo element and a plurality of data elements, where the servo element and each of the plurality of data elements can detect a servo signal, wherein the method includes moving a sequential information storage medium having a servo band encoded therein across the head module and detecting the servo band using the at least one servo element or any one of the plurality of data elements.
US08169734B2
According to one embodiment, a disk drive includes a measuring module, a flying height controller, a detection module, and a controller. The measuring module is configured to measure the flying height that the head has with respect to the disk. The flying height controller is configured to control the head flying height in accordance with a value preset for the head flying height. The detection module is configured to detect the values representing the environmental elements of the head. The controller is configured to adjust the preset value in accordance with the flying height measured by the measuring module and values detected by the detection module if environmental changes are detected from the environmental element values output from the detection module.
US08169730B2
A hard disk drive (HDD) comprising a magnetic disk that includes a data storage surface and an external magnetic field parallel to the data storage surface for suppressing track interference.
US08169727B2
This application discloses a hard disk drive and a disk employing Discrete Tracks each including a land with a groove at a first depth with sectors of each track separated by servo pattern wedges with a variable second land and a variable second groove possessing widths and a second depth for the grooves differing from the first widths and depth of the groove of the sectors. The second depth optimizes the stability of the flying height of a slider over both sectors and servo pattern wedges, removing the possibility of added vibrational modes adversely affecting the slider's normal operations of reading, writing and flying above the disk surface. This also discloses the disks and their manufacture of disk surfaces with these sector zones and servo pattern wedges.
US08169715B2
A variable focal length lens, as well as a focal length adjusting device and an imaging device using the same. A variable focal length lens has a lens, a positive electrode, and a negative electrode. A second layer and a first layer constituting the lens are formed from polyvinyl chloride with which a plasticizer has been mixed. The hardness of these layers is adjusted by adjusting the mixing quantity, plasticizer type, etc. The second layer is formed so as so cover at least a light transmission region of the first layer. When a voltage is applied between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, the second layer and first layer are deformed to be pulled to the positive electrode, and thereby the curvature of the variable focal length lens is varied to vary the focal length.
US08169702B2
A screen unit includes: a screen member; a first support member which supports one end of the screen member; a second support member which supports the other end of the screen member; a stretching and contracting device which expands the screen member; and a tensioning member disposed on the side opposite to the side where the screen member is provided with respect to the stretching and contracting device to apply tension in a direction substantially parallel with the direction from the first support member to the second support member.
US08169695B2
An imaging method and system are presented for use in sub-wavelength super resolution imaging of a subject. The imaging system comprises a spatial coding unit configured for collecting light coming from the scanned subject and being spaced from the subject a distance smaller than a wavelength range of said light; a light detection unit located upstream of the spatial coding unit with respect to light propagation from the object, and configured to define a pixel array and a spatial decoding unit, which is associated with said pixel array and is configured for applying spatial decoding to a magnified image of the scanned subject, thereby producing nanometric spatial resolution of the image.
US08169690B2
The present invention is directed to color display devices. The color display devices comprise display cells which is capable of displaying multiple color states. The display device may also comprise black matrix layers or a brightness enhancement structure on the viewing side. The present invention is directed to a display device comprising a plurality of display cells, wherein each of said display cells is sandwiched between a first layer comprising a common electrode and a second layer comprising a plurality of driving electrodes and at least one of the driving electrodes is a designated electrode, and said display device further comprises blocking layers on its viewing side and said blocking layers are located in positions corresponding to the designated electrodes.
US08169679B2
The invention relates to an improved apparatus and method for the design and manufacture of MEMS anchoring structures for light modulators in order to address the stresses of beams mounted on them.
US08169678B2
The present invention relates to a method for producing a micro-mirror actuator and the corresponding actuator. In the method, the actuator is generated from a layered construction made of at least three main layers (101, 103, 107), which are at least sectionally electrically insulated from one another via intermediate layers (102, 104, 106). The layers are structured to form the micro-mirror element and the electrodes, the structuring being performed in such a way that a closed frame (310) is formed from at least the uppermost layer (107) around the inner area of the actuator, which allows a hermetic encapsulation of the inner area by application of a cover plate onto the frame. Furthermore, a conductor level (105), which is electrically insulated from these layers via the intermediate layers, is generated between at least two of the layers and structured to form conductor paths, via which one or more electrodes may be electrically contacted from outside the frame (310) after the formation of contact openings in one or more of the intermediate layers (102, 104, 106).A hermetically sealed encapsulation of the inner area of actuator may already be achieved easily at the wafer level using the method.
US08169674B2
An image reading apparatus capable of changing a main reading unit at an appropriate time point such that a plurality of reading units can be equally used, and a method of controlling the same. The image reading apparatus includes an automatic document feeder, a first reading unit to read a first side of a document fed by the automatic document feeder and to function as a main reading unit, a second reading unit to read a second side of the document fed by the automatic document feeder; and a control unit to change the main reading unit from the first reading unit to the second reading unit if the number of times La of usage of the first reading unit reaches a reference value. The control unit compares the number of times La of usage of the first reading unit with a predicted lifetime Lt of the first reading unit and changes the main reading unit to the second reading unit if it is determined that the number of times La of usage of the first reading unit reaches a predetermined percentage of the predicted lifetime of the first reading unit. The control unit determines whether the main reading unit is changed or not, based on frequencies of use of the first reading unit and the second reading unit.
US08169669B2
A scanner device includes a scanner body formed with a document insertion opening and a document ejection opening and is configured so that a document taken in from the document insertion opening is read and then ejected from the document ejection opening. The scanner device further includes an upper surface cover covering the upper surface of the scanner body and a front surface cover covering the front surface of the scanner body. The front cover is connected at a lower end side thereof to the lower front part of the scanner body and connected at an upper end side thereof to pivotably connected to the front end side of the upper surface cover. By opening the front surface cover from the front surface of the scanner body, the upper surface cover and front surface cover form a document ejection tray.
US08169662B2
There is disclosed a printing system for processing an electronic document with an original stream having at least two printing related instructions. Responsive to reading the at least two printing related instructions with a controller; the original stream is split into two or more streams. A printer produces (1) one or more sets of prints from one or more of the two or more streams for storage in one or more inserters, and (2) a final set of prints from another one of the two or more streams, the final set of prints corresponding to a hardcopy stream with at least one gap. The one or more sets of prints are automatically stored in the one or more inserters and, pursuant to printing the final set of prints; the one or more inserters are used to insert at least one print from the one or more sets of prints into the at least one gap of the hardcopy stream.
US08169661B2
The present invention is a scanning method and system in which the colored information as well as the black & white information appearing on the individual page or upon multiple pages of a document are initially scanned in a full color, 24-bit per pixel, mode; after which, the black & white wording and/or images are then selectively identified and electronically downsized to a single bit per pixel value. This sequence of selective identification and electronic downsizing of the black & white scanned contents effectively preserves the original printed information, while retaining the accuracy and integrity of the characters forming the colored written text and illustration portions of the scanned page or document in their original 24-bit per pixel format. Via this method and system, the entirety of the scanned image is maintained as a single electronic file of markedly reduced size.
US08169657B2
A method of registering a print between print stages in a printing system is provided. The method comprises: printing a first part of a digital image on a substrate with a first print engine, wherein the first part of the digital image includes a plurality of reference features; scanning image content on the substrate as it is readied for the second print engine; determining the actual positions of the reference features; using the actual positions of the reference features to determine desired adjustments for the second part of the digital image; applying electronic registration according to the desired adjustments to modify image content of the second print to be aligned with content already on the substrate; and printing a second part of the digital image on the substrate.
US08169656B2
The present invention provides an image processing device for processing an original image having a first number of horizontal lines parallel to one another. Each of the first number of horizontal lines includes a second number of pixels. The image processing device has a processing unit and a storage unit. The processing unit resizes the original image to an output image with a scaling factor, the output image having a plurality of target pixels. The storage unit stores a gray scale of each pixel in at least one of the first number of horizontal lines. The processing unit has a first calculating unit, a selecting unit, and a second calculating unit. The first calculating unit calculates a maximum number of horizontal lines which the storage unit is able to store at once, based on the second number of pixels, the maximum number being less than the first number. The selecting unit selects a resizing method to resize the original image based on the scaling factor and the maximum number of horizontal lines. The second calculating unit calculates a gray scale of the target pixel in the output image with the selected method.
US08169648B2
A driver management apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive a network entry message sent by unicast according to a search protocol for one-to-one connection from a device connected to a network, a determination unit configured to determine an operation environment in which the device executes a job sent from a client apparatus connected to the network, and an installation unit configured to install a driver for operating the device that has sent the network entry message according to the operation environment determined by the determination unit.
US08169641B2
There is provided a server provided in a network system in which a router intervenes between different networks to allow at least one device on the different networks to perform one-to-one communication. The server comprises a first device information acquisition unit configured to perform one-to-one communication with a device on another network connected to its own network via the router to acquire device information on the device on another network, and to store the acquired device information in a storage unit, and a device information reply unit configured such that in response to receipt of a search packet searching for device information transmitted in a form of one-to-many communication from a device on the server's network, the device information reply unit extracts the device information matching a search criterion contained in the search packet from the storage unit and returns the extracted device information to the device which transmitted the search packet.
US08169630B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for receiving a PDL File that describes a print job, processing the PDL commands in the file, identifying print settings and printer factors that may affect the entire print job, and reporting such print settings and printer factors. Methods and apparatus are also provided for receiving a PDL File that describes a print job, processing the PDL commands in the file, identifying any objects in the print job that have associated predetermined attributes, and reporting the print objects that have any such predetermined attributes.
US08169626B2
A printing system includes at least one marking engine and a paper path which carries sheets of print media to the marking engine from an upstream direction and carries sheets of print media which have been marked by the marking engine in a downstream direction. A buffer system includes a sheet buffer in the paper path downstream of the marking engine and optionally includes another sheet buffer in the paper path upstream of the marking engine. The buffer system allows variability in the residence time of the marking engine to be accommodated by varying the residence time of sheets in the downstream buffer.
US08169624B2
There is provided a transmissive dimension measuring device in which a user can intuitively and easily adjust optical axes of a projector and an optical receiver, and in which a suitable action can be immediately taken when contamination is attached to a light projecting surface of the projector and a light receiving surface of the optical receiver. An incident light position display unit provided on the optical receiver expresses a light projecting spot in a pseudo manner by making an LED corresponding to an incident light position turn on, the light projecting spot being incident on the optical receiver arranged with a predetermined interval to the projector which projects light. The incident light position display unit is provided on an upper surface side opposite to a bottom surface that is a surface on which the optical receiver is installed on a base.
US08169617B2
There is disclosed a phase sensitive surface plasmon resonance sensing apparatus wherein a testing beam may be reflected from a sensing surface at a plurality of angles. There are also disclosed methods for surface plasmon resonance sensing.
US08169605B2
A method of inspecting a liquid crystal display panel includes providing a liquid crystal display panel to be inspected, turning on a backlight unit that is disposed under the liquid crystal display panel to emit light toward the liquid crystal panel, driving the liquid crystal display panel by applying test signals to the liquid crystal display panel on a predetermined period, detecting defects by taking an image of the liquid crystal display panel on a period shorter than the driving period of the liquid crystal display panel, and detecting defects created in the liquid crystal display panel, which blink in accordance with a period of the test signals of the liquid crystal display panel.
US08169599B2
A device and method for measuring moving material includes a processor and operating software associated therewith; a light source for emitting at least two polarized light beams in a manner wherein the beams cross thereby creating an interference region and generate a set of fringes; a sensor aligned relative to the interference region wherein the fringes have a predetermined orientation to the directional movement of the material and wherein the sensor is operably equipped to receive scattered light emanating from the interference region and provide a time varying signal to the processor such that the processor can manipulate and convert the signal to speed and distance and a polarizing filter operably associating a polarizing filter with one of the sensor and the emitting means in a manner to substantially preclude reflected polarized light from the interference region back to one of the sensor and the emitting source.
US08169597B2
In a method for laser return characterization in a DIRCM system, the improvement locating a single IR detector in an aperture in an image mirror so that its output can be used for countermeasure effectiveness measurement, missile range measurement, missile characteristic determination and to provide an AGC signal for tracking camera gain control.
US08169594B2
An illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus can include at least one transmission filter which has a different transmittance at least at two positions and which is arranged between a pupil plane and a field plane). The transmittance distribution can be determined such that it has field dependent correcting effects on the ellipticity. In some embodiments the telecentricity and/or the irradiance uniformity is not affected by this correction.
US08169585B2
An exemplary liquid crystal panel (3) includes a first substrate (31), a second substrate (32) parallel to the first substrate, and a liquid crystal layer (33) sandwiched between the first and second substrates. The first substrate includes first photo spacers (37) and a first alignment film (301) formed on the first photo spacers. The second substrate includes a light-shield film (36), second photo spacers (38) formed above the light-shield film, and a second alignment film (302) formed on the second photo spacers. The first and the second photo spacers are covered by the light-shield film, and alignment defect areas of the first alignment film and the second alignment film are also covered by the light-shield film.
US08169582B2
A liquid crystal display includes a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other, a pixel electrode disposed on the first substrate and including a first sub-pixel electrode and a second sub-pixel electrode spaced apart from the first sub-pixel electrode by a gap, a common electrode disposed on the second substrate, a shielding member disposed on the first substrate or the second substrate and overlapping the gap between the first sub-pixel electrode and the second sub-pixel electrode, an alignment layer disposed on at least one of the pixel electrode and the common electrode, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.
US08169580B2
A viewing angle controllable liquid crystal display device including red, green and blue color pixels and a control pixel of an electrically controlled birefringence (ECB) mode and its fabrication method are disclosed. A gate insulating layer and a passivation layer at a pixel area of the ECB control pixel are removed by using a half-tone mask to additionally secure a cell gap to thus maximize efficiency of the ECB control pixel to improve a viewing angle control effect. In addition, a light leakage is prevented by reducing a step in the vicinity of the pixel area of the ECB control pixel.
US08169578B2
A liquid crystal display device and a driving method thereof for reducing the number of data lines and the number of data drive integrated circuits corresponding thereto are disclosed. In the device, a plurality of gate lines is provided in a direction crossing a plurality of data lines. First and second control lines are provided in a direction being parallel to the gate lines. First liquid crystal cells are provided at one side on a basis of the data lines. Second liquid crystal cells are provided at other side on a basis of the data lines. A first switching part is provided for each first liquid crystal cell to apply video signals supplied from the data lines to the first liquid crystal cells under control of the first control line and the gate line. A second switching part is provided for each second liquid crystal cell to apply video signals supplied from the data lines to the second liquid crystal cells under control of the second control line and the gate line.
US08169560B2
A liquid crystal display with good reliability is provided. A pixel substrate 11 and a facing substrate 12 facing each other, a liquid crystal layer 14 sandwiched between the above-described substrates and changing an alignment direction in a region of display pixels in response to applied voltages, a seal layer 15 including an UV curable material, and arranged so as to surround the region of display pixels, thereby sealing the liquid crystal layer between the above-described substrates, TFT devices and a BM layer 17 both arranged on the pixel substrate 11, and a CF layer 20 for color display arranged on the pixel substrate 11 or the facing substrate 12 are included, and the seal layer 15 are seamlessly and continuously formed so as to overlap a part of the BM layer 17.
US08169553B2
An assembling structure for a flat-panel display unit, comprising: a housing body comprised of a front cabinet and a rear cabinet is assembled to house a flat display panel; at both side faces of rear cabinet, several base portions that are extended by predetermined lengths toward the front cabinets from the both side faces are provided; at inner sides of side faces of the front cabinet, engaging portions for engaging the base portions are provided; at the base portions, protruding portions are provided; at the engaging portions, guides for allowing the protruding portions to be slid are formed at predetermined angles relative to a direction perpendicular to a display face of the flat display panel.
US08169548B2
A method to conduct a broadcast interview by producing in an area of restricted size in a realistic manner while minimizing perspective distortion and subject distortion a recording of an individual that produces the illusion that the individual is located in a larger area.
US08169543B2
In an image conversion device, a unit calculates an estimate pixel value for comparing an upper line pixel value with a lower line pixel value using the upper line pixel value corresponding to a plurality of consecutive pixels to be interpolated in a line between adjacent upper and lower lines in a field image and calculates an estimate pixel value for comparing the lower line pixel value with the upper line pixel value using the lower line pixel value; a unit searches for a combination of an estimate pixel value to minimize the sum of an absolute value of a difference between the estimate pixel value for the upper line and an upper line pixel value and an absolute value of a difference between the estimate pixel value for the lower line and a lower line pixel value; and a unit interpolates a pixel value for the minimizing combination.
US08169542B2
In a method of automatically identifying a format of a video signal, where the video signal includes HSync pulses, VSync pulses, and video display data, the video signal is received, information about timing and width characteristics of the HSync pulses and the VSync pulses is extracted from the video signal, and the format of the video signal is determined based on the extracted information.
US08169537B2
The present invention relates to a control method of a photographing apparatus, the photographing apparatus and a control program, which are capable of automatically determining a photographing mode capable of generating a sharper image. If a first exposure time is equal to or shorter than a first threshold value, a control circuit 18 makes a decision to take an input image in a first mode. The first exposure time is an exposure time required for taking one input image on the assumption that a photographing operation is carried out in the first mode for generating one output image by taking one input image. If the first exposure time is neither equal to nor shorter than the first threshold value, on the other hand, the control circuit 18 makes a decision to take a plurality of input images in a second mode provided that a second exposure time is equal to or shorter than a second threshold value. The second exposure time is an exposure time required for taking each of the input images successively on the assumption that a photographing operation is carried out in the second mode for generating one output image by taking the input images successively. The present invention can be applied for example to a digital camera.
US08169535B2
An interchangeable lens mountable to a camera body includes an optical system operable to collect light from a subject to form a subject image, a diaphragm operable to adjust an amount of light of the subject image to be collected by the optical system, a driving unit operable to drive the diaphragm based upon an aperture value within a predetermined range, a storage unit operable to store speed information relating to a speed at which the driving unit can be set to drive the diaphragm, and a transmitting unit operable to transmit the speed information stored in the storage unit to the camera body. The speed information is provided for each of a plurality of aperture value ranges which are obtained by dividing the predetermined range of the aperture value, and relates to the speed indicating a settable rate of change in the light amount which changes as the driving unit drives the diaphragm.
US08169530B2
An autofocus camera having a face recognition function, includes a photographing optical system including a focusing lens group; an image pickup device; an autofocusing system which performs a focus search process, and further performs a focusing operation in which the focusing lens group is moved to an in-focus position that is detected by the focus search process; a switch which activates the autofocusing system; a face recognition device for recognizing a face image based on object images; and a controller which makes the autofocusing system set the focus detection area on a face recognition area at which the face image is recognized and makes the autofocusing system perform the focus search process and the focusing operation on the focus detection area regardless of whether the switch is turned ON when the face recognition device recognizes the face image.
US08169526B2
A method for reproducing a low noise signal for a solid state imaging device which can reduce not only the reset noise but the amplifier noise around frequency zero, avoiding the saturation of the voltage conversion part in a bright scene, is accomplished by controlling a reset pulse of a CCD imaging device according to the result of comparing the output signal of the CCD imaging device with a reference signal value. When the output signal of the CCD imaging device is smaller than the reference signal value, the reset pulse is not applied to the CCD imaging device. Thereat, a pixel signal is reproduced as a differential signal between two signals sampled at two points with an interval of T0, the amplifier noise around frequency zero being reduced in the pixel signals.
US08169523B2
A solid-state imaging device includes: a photoelectric conversion portion; a floating diffusion region; a transfer gate electrode made of an n-type semiconductor; a sidewall made of an n-type semiconductor formed on the photoelectric conversion portion side of the transfer gate electrode through an insulating film; and a sidewall made of an insulating layer formed on the floating diffusion region side of the transfer gate electrode.
US08169522B2
An imaging device comprises a semiconductor substrate including an array of pixel cells. Each pixel cell comprising an individually addressable pixel circuit for accumulating charge resulting from radiation incident on a pixel detector. The pixel circuit and the pixel detector can either be implemented on a single substrate, or on two substrates bonded together. The charge storage device can be a transistor, for example one of a pair of FET transistors connected as a cascade amplification stage. An imaging plane can be made up of one imaging device or a plurality of imaging devices tiled to form a mosaic. The imaging devices may be configured as a slot for certain applications, the slit or slot being scanned over the imaging plane. Control electronics can include addressing logic for addressing individual pixel circuits for reading accumulated charge from the pixel circuits. Imaging optimization can be achieved by determining maximum and minimum charge values for pixels for display, assigning extreme grey scale or color values to the maximum and minimum charge values and allocating grey scale or color values to an individual pixel according to a sliding scale between the extreme values. Scattered radiation can be detected and discarded by comparing the detected pixel value to a threshold value related to a minimum detected charge value expected for directly incident radiation and discarding detected pixel values less than said threshold value.
US08169521B2
An image sampling method for an image sensor is provided herein. The image sensor includes a plurality of pixel elements in the intersections of a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. During either one of the odd field period or the even field period, the pixel elements in the intersections of the odd rows and the odd columns and the pixel elements in the intersection of the even rows and the even columns are sampled. During the other field period, the pixel elements in the intersections of the even rows and the odd columns and the pixel elements in the intersection of the odd rows and the even columns are sampled. The image processing method utilizes the pixel data in a specific block sampled from the pixel elements during one of the odd and the even field periods to interpolate a specific pixel in the specific block.
US08169519B1
A method and system is disclosed for reducing motion blur using CCD charge shifting. In one embodiment, photodiode wells are exposed for a set of successive exposures with each exposure duration being a fraction of a total exposure time. After each successive exposure, the photodiode wells integrate signal charges and shift them to corresponding storage lines. The shifted signal charges are then shifted along the storage lines for a specified number of storage units. At the same time, the CCD is moved in the direction of a leading edge of the CCD. The photodiode wells are then exposed for another exposure to produce another set of signal charges, which are shifted to the storage lines. Signal charges from the successive exposures are accumulated at the storage lines. After all successive exposures have been taken, the accumulated signal charges are shifted to a serial shift register and output to form an image.
US08169514B2
A defective pixel detecting device determining defective pixels as correction targets in an imaging device that produces image signals is provided, and the device includes: defect information storage configured to store priority of defective pixels to be corrected; a defective pixel detector configured to detect defective pixels by comparing levels of imaging signals from the imaging device with a predetermined detection level; a priority setter configured to set priority of the detected defective pixels, based on the levels of the imaging signals of the defective pixels detected by the defective pixel detector; and a correction target determiner configured to newly determine defective pixels to be corrected based on the priority of the defective pixels out of the defective pixels that are currently detected by the defective pixel detector and the defective pixels to be corrected stored in the defect information storage, determining priority of the newly determined defective pixels to be corrected, and storing the priority of the newly determined defective pixels to be corrected in the defect information storage.
US08169512B2
A digital still camera includes an amplification circuit, a timing generator, sample hold circuits, a differential amplifier, an analog/digital conversion circuit and a control unit. The generator generates a first-pulse signal and a second-pulse signal at different timings. The circuits sample analog video signals outputted from the amplification circuit at timings when the first-pulse signal and second-pulse signal, respectively, are provided and hold levels of the analog video signals. The amplifier acquires a difference between the levels of the analog video signals. The circuit obtains a digital video signal corresponding to the analog video signal on the basis of the difference. The unit changes the timings to provide the first- and second-pulse signals to the first- and second-sample hold circuits, respectively, and a bias current depending on the driving period.
US08169504B2
This invention provides an image processing device and an image processing method capable of performing image processing of higher accuracy using the synthetic image data with enlarged dynamic range. An image processing method including the steps of acquiring a plurality of input image data with pixel information defined with a first tone range by performing imaging over plural times at different exposure conditions using an imaging unit, generating synthetic image data with pixel information defined with a second tone range wider than the first tone range by synthesizing the plurality of input image data, generating processed image data containing pixel information defined with the second tone range by performing image processing on the synthetic image data for facilitating detection or measurement related to an imaged target; and converting the processed image data to output image data containing pixel information defined with a third tone range narrower than the second tone range is disclosed.
US08169500B2
A dynamic range (D-range) compression apparatus that uses a look-up table (LUT) is capable of dynamic compression that compresses the peak input value to the full output range, even when image signals with variable D-ranges are inputted. According to this D-range compression apparatus, D-range compression processing that places the D-range of the image signal within a predetermined output D-range is performed by the visual processing unit converting the tone of the image signal in accordance with the surrounding average luminance signal. Furthermore, with this D-range compression apparatus, the image signal is amplified in accordance with amplification input/output conversion characteristics determined based on the peak value in the image detected by the peak detection unit, and therefore it is possible to perform a dynamic amplification processing in accordance with the peak value so that the D-range of the image signal outputted from the visual processing unit becomes a predetermined output D-range.
US08169499B2
A video camera (100) for transmitting image data from an image pickup device to an image processing device with reduced electric power includes a C-MOS image sensor (110) that reads captured image data on the basis of a reference clock CLK0, a frequency multiplying circuit (121) that generates a high-speed clock CLK1, a rearranging circuit (122) that transposes the captured image data into bit data sequences, a data output section (120) that causes each data transmitter (124) to sequentially transmit a corresponding bit data sequence to the outside on the basis of the high-speed clock CLK1, and a system controller (400) that drives data transmitters (124), the number of which is proportional to a transmission speed.
US08169494B2
An image sensing apparatus comprises: a pixel array including a first pixel group and a second pixel group; a first readout unit which reads out a first signal from the first pixel group in a readout period which remains constant regardless of the operation modes; a second readout unit which reads out a second signal from the second pixel group in a readout period selected in accordance with a switched operation mode between the operation modes; and a control unit which controls a performance of generating an evaluation value by using the first signal of the first pixel group, and which controls at least one of image displaying performance and image recording performance by using the second signal of the second pixel group.
US08169493B2
An image acquisition system includes an image acquisition device and a commanding device configured as a separate member from the image acquisition device to transmit an image acquisition execution command to the image acquisition device and thereby to cause the image acquisition device to perform an image acquisition operation. The commanding device includes an authentication information transmission unit configured to transmit authentication information to the image acquisition device to cause the image acquisition device to authenticate the commanding device. The image acquisition device includes an authentication information receiving unit configured to receive the authentication information transmitted from the commanding device, an authentication information recognition unit configured to recognize the authentication information received by the authentication information receiving unit, and a function limiting unit configured to limit a predetermined function of the image acquisition device based on the authentication information recognized by the authentication information recognition unit.
US08169486B2
An image acquisition sensor of a digital image acquisition apparatus is coupled to imaging optics for acquiring a sequence of images. Images acquired by the sensor are stored. A motion detector causes the sensor to cease capture of an image when the degree of movement in acquiring the image exceeds a threshold. A controller selectively transfers acquired images for storage. A motion extractor determines motion parameters of a selected, stored image. An image re-constructor corrects the selected image with associated motion parameters. A selected plurality of images nominally of the same scene are merged and corrected by the image re-constructor to produce a high quality image of the scene.
US08169484B2
A multi-mode digital photography method including generating an output image of a location L at a specific time t which is identified as a function of a user-selected photography task. the method including generating an output image of a particular scene which is built up from a plurality of images thereof, as another function of a user-selected photography task.
US08169477B2
Visual inspection of an interior surface of a borehole. A housing adapted to be lowered in the borehole supports a portable camera for generating images of a portion of the interior surface of the borehole and a light source for illuminating an area adjacent the camera. A monitor receives signals from the camera and, in response thereto, displays the images generated by the camera. A viewing envelope positioned adjacent the camera defines a viewing area adjacent the camera, particularly for use in visually inspecting slurry-filled boreholes.
US08169473B1
A method and system for exposing a plurality of fields on a substrate. The substrate has a center and an edge. The fields include a plurality of rows. The method and system include determining an exposure sequence for the plurality of fields. Each of the plurality of fields has a distance from the center and a placement in the exposure sequence. The placement of a field in the exposure sequence is based on the distance and excludes placing each of the plurality of fields in a row of the plurality of rows next to an adjacent field in the row in combination with placing each of the plurality of rows next to an adjacent row. The method and system also include exposing the plurality of fields in the exposure sequence in order of the placement.
US08169471B2
Provided is an image capturing system including an image capturing section that includes a plurality of first light receiving elements for receiving light of a first wavelength region and a plurality of second light receiving elements for receiving light of a second wavelength region, a control section that causes to be generated, from a subject, light of a different spectrum at a different timing for each of the first wavelength region and the second wavelength region, and an image generating section that generates an image from light of a first spectrum from the subject received by the first light receiving elements at a predetermined timing, and light of a second spectrum from the subject received by the second light receiving elements at a timing other than the predetermined timing.
US08169469B2
An information processing device that is connected to a projecting device that projects an annotation image input from an external terminal onto a projection region including an object, and is connected to an image capturing device that captures an image of the projection region. The information processing device obtains image data to be input to and output from the projecting device and the image capturing device through a communication with the external terminal. The information processing device includes: a memory that stores a database including CAD data to be used for designing the object, and the attribute information of the CAD data; an acquiring unit that acquires the identification information of the object; an identifying unit that identifies the CAD data of the object included in the database, based on the acquired identification information of the object; and a controller that associates the data of an image captured by the image capturing device with the CAD data of the object identified by the identifying unit, and causes the memory to store the data of the captured image associated with the CAD data, so that the data of the captured image can be viewed based on the attribute information of the CAD data of the object identified by the identifying unit.
US08169467B2
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for enhancing a viewing experience when display content is viewed utilizing stereo glasses. In use, display content is received for being outputted utilizing a display. Further, a duration of a vertical blanking interval associated with the display content is increased for enhancing a viewing experience when the display content is viewed utilizing the stereo glasses.
US08169463B2
A method for automatically determining an orientation and zoom of an image pickup device associated with a video conferencing system, wherein the method includes the steps of: generating, at the image pickup device, an image signal representative of an image framed by the image pickup device; processing the image signal to identify objects plural users of the video conferencing system in the image; steering the image pickup device to an initial orientation; determining a location of all the identified objects relative to a reference point and determining respective sizes of the identified objects; defining an area of interest in the image, wherein the area of interest includes all the identified objects; and steering the image pickup device to frame the defined area of interest including all the identified objects where a center of the frame substantially coincides with a center of all the identified objects.
US08169462B2
A mobile communication device including a radio communication unit configured to establish a video telephony call between a first user of the mobile communication device and at least a second user of another communication device, a display unit configured to display a first image data of the first user and a second image data of the second user on the mobile communication device, and to display a chatting window on the mobile communication device when a video chatting service is selected such that the first and second users can perform a chatting operation in the chatting window, in which the first and second image data are transmitted/received through the video telephony call, a control unit configured to link chatting data displayed in the chatting window with at least one of the first image data of the first user and the second image data of the second user, and a memory unit configured to store the linked chatting data as a video chatting log.
US08169458B2
An optical scanning device includes an optical housing in which a polygon mirror that is rotated by a motor is accommodated and an air inlet that includes a filter. An airflow guiding member is arranged at a position opposite to a surface of the polygon mirror on the air inlet side. An air inducing path is provided, which includes a first flowing path and a second flowing path. The first flowing path includes a first end linked to the air inlet and a second end arranged close to a mirror surface of the polygon mirror. The second flowing path is formed with a surface of the airflow guiding member on an opposite side of the air inlet and a top surface of the polygon mirror.
US08169457B2
A light source apparatus includes a circuit board on which a light source unit including a vertical-cavity surface-emitting light source and a package that houses the vertical-cavity surface-emitting light source is mounted, an optical element holder that holds a plurality of optical elements including at least a coupling lens, and an intermediate holder that is arranged between the circuit board and the optical element holder. The intermediate holder is joined to the circuit board to cover an area of the circuit board on which the light source unit is mounted to thereby make contact with the package such that the vertical-cavity surface-emitting light source is positioned and fixed and joined to the optical element holder to thereby position the optical elements to the vertical-cavity surface-emitting light source.
US08169456B2
Disclosed are a print head and an image forming apparatus employing the same. The print head, which irradiates light to multiple locations of a photosensitive medium to form pixels of electrostatic latent image, includes an array of light sources corresponding to the pixels, a distributed Bragg reflector disposed adjacent the surface of the light source array from which the light source array output light, and a light focusing unit which focuses the light that have passed through the distributed Bragg reflector onto the locations of photosensitive medium.
US08169452B2
A thermal head has a heat storage layer bonded onto a surface of the substrate, a heating resistor provided on the heat storage layer, and a pair of electrode portions connected to the heating resistor. The heating resistor has a heating portion which does not overlap the pair of electrode portions. A hollow portion is provided in a region of at least one of the surface of the substrate and a surface of the heat storage layer, the region being opposed to the heating resistor. A center line of the hollow portion is shifted with respect to a center line of a heating portion of the heating resistor.
US08169443B2
A system, a computer readable storage medium including instructions, and a computer-implemented method of pre-fetching in a network. A request is received from a user device for a first web page, the first web page being upstream of other web pages in a page flow. The first web page is transmitted to the user device. At least one web page that is downstream of the first web page in the page flow is transmitted to the user device, the at least one web page being transmitted without receiving a request for the at least one web page.
US08169442B2
A graphic system having a central processing unit; a system memory coupled to the central processing unit; a display unit provided with a corresponding screen; a graphic module coupled to and controlled by the central processing unit to render an image on the screen of the display unit, the graphic module including a fragment graphic module having a depth test buffer for storing a current depth value; a depth test stage coupled to the depth test buffer for comparing the current depth value with a depth coordinate associated with an incoming fragment and defining a resulting fragment; a test stage for testing the resulting fragment and defining a retained fragment; a buffer writing stage operatively associated with the test stage for receiving the retained fragment, the buffer writing stage coupled to the depth test buffer for updating the current depth value with a depth value of the retained fragment.
US08169441B2
A method and system for minimizing an amount of data needed to test data against subarea boundaries in spatially composited digital video is provided. Graphics data for a frame is composed of geometry chunks. Each geometry chunk is defined by its own bounding region, where the bounding region defines the space the geometry chunk occupies on the compositing window. Only the parameters that define the bounding region are communicated to each graphics unit in conjunction with the determination of which graphics unit will render the geometry chunk defined by the bounding region. The actual graphics data that comprises the geometry chunk is communicated only to those geometry units that will actually render the geometry chunk. This reduces the amount of data needed to communicate graphics data information in spatially composited digital video.
US08169434B2
An octree GPU construction system and method for constructing a complete octree data structure on a graphics processing unit (GPU). Embodiments of the octree GPU construction system and method first defines a complete octree data structure as forming a complete partition of the 3-D space and including a vertex, edge, face, and node arrays, and neighborhood information. Embodiments of the octree GPU construction system and method input a point cloud and construct a node array. Next, neighboring nodes are computed for each of the nodes in the node arrays by using at least two pre-computed look-up tables (such as a parent look-up table and a child look-up table). Embodiments of the octree GPU construction system and method then use the neighboring nodes and neighborhood information to compute a vertex array, edge array, and face array are computed by determining owner information and self-ownership information based on the neighboring nodes.
US08169433B2
The present invention relates to three-dimensional model retrieval apparatus and method. The three-dimensional model retrieval apparatus according to the present invention comprises a model normalizing unit for rotating and/or translating a three-dimensional model so that main axis directions of the three-dimensional model are consistent with coordinate axes of a system coordinate system, and barycenter of the three-dimensional model is consistent with origin of the system coordinate system; a two-dimensional image generating unit for projecting said three-dimensional model respectively in a positive direction and a negative direction of each coordinate axis of said system coordinate system to generate a plurality of two-dimensional images; a model describing unit for generating a model descriptor of the three-dimensional model from said two-dimensional images; and a retrieving unit for retrieving, based on said model descriptor, a three-dimensional model which most matches an input query from a model database.
US08169425B2
A source driver and a driving method thereof are provided. The source driver is adapted to a display panel. The source driver includes an output buffer and a regulating unit. The output buffer has an input terminal and an output terminal. The input terminal of the output buffer receives a pixel signal. The output terminal of the output buffer is coupled to the display panel for outputting an output signal. The regulating unit is coupled to the output terminal of the output buffer, for providing a charging current or a discharging current to the output terminal of the output buffer according to a polarity of the pixel signal. Thereby, a slew rate of the output signal is increased.
US08169412B2
A display apparatus and a display method are provided capable of displaying an image in a desirably adjusted state upon execution of an application program. In the display apparatus, a command for display position is inputted to the touch panel and according to such an input, a determining section determines an application program, and display adjusting section adjusts a display position of an image appearing upon execution of the application program so that the image appears at a desired display position on a liquid crystal panel.
US08169407B2
A KVM switch including server units that are respectively connected to computers units, user units that are respectively connected to input-output units inputting and outputting a signal to the computer units, and a main unit that connects the server units and the user units selectively. The input-output unit switches between the computer units where the signal is input and output. The server unit has a first reference signal generator that generates a first reference signal used for a distortion control of a picture signal. The main unit has a first controller receiving the first reference signal and controlling the distortion of the picture signal and a second reference signal generator generating a second reference signal used for the distortion control of the picture signal. The user unit has a second controller that receives the second reference signal and controls the distortion of the picture signal.
US08169405B2
Systems and methods according to the present invention provide a control framework for organizing, selecting and launching media items including graphical user interfaces coupled with an optional 3D control device for collection of the basic control primitives of point, click, scroll, hover and zoom which permit for easy and rapid selection of media items, e.g., movies, songs etc., from large or small collections. The remote control maps natural hand movements and gestures into relevant commands while the graphical display uses images, zooming for increased/decreased levels of detail and continuity of GUI objects to provide easy organization, selection and navigation among the media items by a user.
US08169401B2
Simulated textures whose parameters are held with object model data in a data store are modified in accordance with data held in data store which data defines a Gamma correction factor previously determined for each identified user. The gamma correction factor is determined by outputting to a Haptic Output interface a texture simulation including spaced grooves or ridges. By correlating user response to the perceived “feel” of the texture (rough, medium or smooth scale for example) the user's perceptual factors can be determined. Subsequently applying the perceptual factors to effect a mathematical adjustment (power) of texture in simulation algorithms allows output simulations to be adapted so that each user has a corresponding perception of the simulated objects.
US08169393B2
A display device includes a display panel having (m×n) pieces of pixels wherein m and n are integers of 2 or more, n pieces of video lines, and m pieces of scanning lines, a video line address circuit, a scanning line address circuit, n pieces of video line vector circuits which are connected to the respective output terminals of the video line address circuit and input the same video data to the pixels at address positions from a starting address to an ending address at one time, and m pieces of scanning line vector circuits which are connected to the respective output terminals of the scanning line address circuits and input the selective scanning voltages to the pixels at the address positions from the starting address to the ending address at one time.
US08169392B2
An exemplary liquid crystal display (20) includes gate lines (21), a gate driver (25) configured for receiving input signals, a comparator (28), a reference voltage generator (29) configured for outputting a reference voltage to the comparator, and a timing control circuit (27). The gate driver is further configured for driving the gate lines. Falling edges of waveforms of the input pulse signals drop gradually from a first voltage to a second voltage. The comparator is configured for receiving the input pulse signals and the reference voltage, and outputting a control signal according to the input pulse signals and the reference voltage. The timing control circuit is configured for receiving the control signal from the comparator, and, according to the control signal, outputting output enable signals to the gate driver to adjust gate signals applied to the gate lines.
US08169382B2
A driving circuit of an electro-optical device having electro-optical elements which are changed to optical states corresponding to data signals includes: a first terminal group and a second terminal group of which each includes an input terminal and an output terminal; a first current generator for generating first reference current corresponding to an input signal to the input terminal of the first terminal group; a second current generator for generating second reference current corresponding to an input signal to the input terminal of the second terminal group; a data signal generator for generating the data signals corresponding to the first reference current and the second reference current; a first output unit for outputting the data signal corresponding to the second reference current to the output terminal of the first terminal group; and a second output unit for outputting the data signal corresponding to the first reference current to the output terminal of the second terminal group.
US08169381B2
The invention relates to arrangements for spatial display, and in particular to such arrangements that, by means of wavelength or gray level filter arrays, present an image visible in three dimensions to one or several observers without the use of auxiliary aids such as glasses. In such arrangements, an increased brightness of the 3D display is achieved by means of the arrangement of transparent filters on the filter array according to the invention.
US08169379B2
A portable DGPS navigation apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a receiver assembly and a DGPS antenna assembly. The receiver assembly includes a GNSS antenna, a GNSS receiver, and a DGPS modem. The DGPS antenna assembly includes a DGPS antenna; a top connector for coupling the DGPS antenna assembly to the receiver assembly such that the receiver assembly and DGPS antenna assembly are aligned with a geodetic pole, and a bottom connecter.
US08169373B2
Handheld electronic devices are provided that contain wireless communications circuitry. The wireless communications circuitry may include antenna structures. To accommodate manufacturing variations, the antenna structures and handheld electronic devices may be characterized by performing measurements such as antenna performance measurements. Appropriate antenna adjustments may be made during manufacturing of a handheld electronic device based on the characterizing measurements. An antenna may be formed using an inverted-F design in which an antenna flex circuit is mounted to a dielectric antenna support structure. Cavities in the support may be selectively filled with dielectric material and dielectric patches may be added to the antenna flex circuit to adjust the dielectric loading of the antenna. The length of a ground return path in the antenna may be adjusted by appropriate positioning of an electrical connector within the ground return path.
US08169368B2
Antenna beam angles of one or more directional antennas of a wireless device are updated to communicate with a plurality of other wireless devices. Each one of the antenna beam angles is associated with one of the plurality of other wireless devices. At least one angle correction is determined to update the antenna beam angle associated with at least one first wireless device among the plurality of other wireless devices. The antenna beam angle associated with at least one second wireless device is first updated using the determined at least one angle correction of the antenna beam angle associated with the first wireless device.
US08169365B2
A communication system includes a reference station and a mobile station. The reference station is operable to: receive GPS signals; generate GPS assisting data from the received GPS signals; receive SBAS signals; obtain SBAS data from the received SBAS signals; combine the GPS assisting data and the SBAS data to produce combined GPS data; and transmit the combined GPS data via a terrestrial wireless communication. The mobile station is operable to: receive the GPS signals; receive the combined GPS data via the terrestrial wireless communication; and generate positioning data from the mobile received GPS signals and the combined GPS data.
US08169362B2
A method and apparatus for sensing a target through a wall or obstruction by a Moving Target Indicator (MTI) radar sensor. In an exemplary embodiment, a series of radar pulses are transmitted at frequencies less than about 5 GHz. Radar return signals are received at a plurality of receive antenna array subapertures. The radar return signals are processed by a digital beamformer to form multiple beams. Target detection processing detects moving and stationary targets through a plurality of parallel target detection signal processing paths.
US08169359B2
A judging and controlling part 110 comprises an operation mode judging unit 111, a pulse width selecting unit 112, and a band limiting width selecting unit 113, wherein the operation mode judging unit 111 receives a signal of a gear state from a predetermined controlling device in a vehicle, and then judges the operation mode thereof. Based on a result of the judgment at the operation mode judging unit 111, the pulse width selecting unit 112 and the band limiting width selecting unit 113 control a wide band impulse generating part 120 and a band width limiting part 150, respectively.
US08169358B1
A multi-band RF transceiver for transmitting communications data and radar signals includes a transmitter having a source of communications data and radar signals. A modulator combines the data and radar signals and then modulates the combined signal with a carrier signal generated by a synthesizer. A processor instructs the synthesizer to change the carrier frequency and the source to provide data and radar signals corresponding to the carrier frequency so that multiple bands are transmitted over a desired spectrum. A receiver includes a demodulator that demodulates the received signal and a synthesizer that generates a signal that tunes the demodulator to the desired carrier frequency. A processor instructs the synthesizer to change the carrier frequency so that the demodulator demodulates the multiple bands of data and the radar signals over the desired spectrum.
US08169355B2
To depict test objects using electromagnetic waves, particularly to check people for suspicious articles, an apparatus is provided having: an antenna which emits electromagnetic waves, particularly millimetric waves, means for concentrating the emitted waves in three dimensions, and means for manipulating the waves at the point of high concentration such that this point serves as a moving virtual antenna for SAR evaluation. Whereby the means for three-dimensional concentration contain a rotatably mounted, focusing or defocusing, quasi-optical element and the means for manipulating the waves at the point of high concentration contain a reflector. In accordance with the invention, the quasi-optical element and the reflector are rotatably mounted about a common rotary axis and at the same angular velocity.
US08169351B2
Feedback circuits with DC offset cancellation are described. In an exemplary design, a feedback circuit includes a slow integrator and a summer. The slow integrator receives a first intermediate signal at a particular point in the feedback circuit and provides a second intermediate signal. The summer is located after the particular point and receives and sums the first and second intermediate signals to reduce DC offset in the first intermediate signal. In one design, the feedback circuit may be a delta-sigma (ΔΣ) modulator with at least one integrator coupled in cascade. The slow integrator is coupled to the output of the last integrator, receives the first intermediate signal from the last integrator, and provides the second intermediate signal. The summer is coupled to the last integrator and the slow integrator and sums the first and second intermediate signals to reduce DC offset in the first intermediate signal.
US08169338B2
A method is provided for sharing data between a host vehicle and remote entity in an inter-vehicle communication system. Wireless messages are transmitted between the remote entity and the host vehicle. The wireless messages include data relating to sensor information used to enhance environmental awareness of surrounding conditions of the host vehicle. A received wireless message includes sensor information transmitted from the remote entity to the host vehicle. The wireless message further includes an uncertainty indicator relating to the remote vehicle's assessment of an uncertainty of the sensor information transmitted by the remote vehicle. The uncertainty affecting an accuracy of the sensor information is assessed for determining a degree for which the sensor information is to be used in evaluating environmental awareness conditions affecting the host vehicle. Environmental awareness features of the host vehicle are selectively activated in response to assessing the uncertainty affecting the accuracy of sensor information.
US08169326B2
The invention relates to a portable electronic device and computer software product. The portable electronic device comprises a motion detector for generating motion data characterizing the local movement of the portable electronic device, a motion intensity determiner for determining a instantaneous motion intensity value of the user of the portable electronic device from the motion data, and an active time counter for determining an active time accumulation that sums up the time periods, during which the instantaneous motion intensity value meets predefined activity criteria.
US08169319B2
A method of providing security and maintenance of a group of devices using a group of tags. Each of the tags is attached to a device and includes a radio frequency transceiver for intercommunicating using ultra-wide band signals. Using the intercommunication, distance between two of the tags is determined and an alarm is triggered when the distance is greater than a previously defined threshold distance. The distance is preferably determined by measuring a round trip delay time between the transmission of a transmitted signal to the other tag and reception of a response signal in response to the transmitted signal from the other tag. The distance is preferably determined by measuring a time delay between transmitting a unicast ultra-wide band message and receiving a unicast response message. The intercommunication preferably uses ultra-wide band signals which relay information regarding completeness of the group between the tags of the group. A configuration mechanism is typically used for configuring the group. Upon completing the configuration, the configuration mechanism, e.g. reader or monitor, may be removed and the tags maintain the group and provide security by the intercommunication between the tags. The tags are preferably synchronized to transmit and receive solely during a previously determined periodic sequence of time intervals.
US08169311B1
Vehicle with wireless sensors includes a frame, at least one sensor assembly fixed to the frame and each including a sensor arranged to obtain data about a condition or property of the vehicle or part thereof or an environment in or around the vehicle, and a wireless transmission component coupled to the sensor for wirelessly transmitting a signal derived from the data obtained by the sensor, a receiver fixed to the frame arranged to receive signals from the wireless transmission component, and a reactive component for performing an action based on the data obtained by the sensor and transmitted from the wireless transmission component to the receiver. The data can be displayed as an indication to the driver or other occupant of the vehicle, relayed the data to a remote location for analysis or response and/or used to determine adjustment or control a component in the vehicle.
US08169309B2
An image processing apparatus includes: a guide superimposition portion that obtains a photographed image taken by an imaging device from the imaging device incorporated in a vehicle and superimposes a guide on the photographed image; and a specific region detection portion that detects a specific region which is able to be included in the photographed image. If the specific region is detected by the specific region detection portion, the guide superimposition portion does not superimpose the guide on the specific region.
US08169300B2
An apparatus configured to acquire received signal strength intensities (RSSIs) for a wireless device from a plurality of access points (APs) located on a plurality logical floors. The apparatus is configured to determine which logical floor the wireless device is on by analyzing the RSSIs. The RSSIs for each floor are adjusted with an adjustment value and are selectively weighted with at least two different weight values, and the adjusted and weighted RSSIs for each floor are each summed. The floor with highest sum of adjusted or weighted RSSIs is determined to be the floor the wireless device is on.
US08169293B2
The fuse element retaining device is an L-shaped bracket having a long leg and a short leg. The short leg has a notch and a plurality of vent holes surrounding the notch. At least one clip is provided for mounting the long leg of the L-shaped bracket to a fuse holder barrel. The fuse holder barrel has a top end and a bottom end. When the long leg of the L-shaped bracket is mounted to the fuse holder barrel, the short leg is positioned with the vent holes over the bottom end of the fuse holder barrel. The vent holes are for venting propellant gases during a discharge when a fuse element blows. The notch receives a part of the fuse element from the fuse holder barrel and minimizes projectiles from the fuse element heading towards the ground at very high speeds when the fuse element blows during the discharge.
US08169291B2
A fuse includes an insulating base and a conducting terminal installed in the insulating base, and the insulating base is integrally formed and includes a groove and two concave pits interconnected to the groove. The conducting terminal is accommodated in the groove, and includes two conductive handles, a fuse filament coupled to the two conductive handles, and a forked holding portion formed at an end of each conductive handle and fixed into the concave pit. The forked holding portion is compressed, and a surface of the insulating base is stamped, such that the conducting terminal is passed and fixed securely to the insulating base, and the fuse features a simple structure and an easy installation.
US08169284B2
The invention relates to an electromagnetic actuator including an actuating member associated with an armature and able to move under the action of at least one electromagnet, a coil, and a core suitable for channeling a flux of the coil so that the flux closes within the armature, where the core includes a base from which branches extend, including a central branch around which the coil extends, and two permanent magnets which are associated with the core. The two permanent magnets are placed in the central branch of the core in order to form a V, which separates the central branch into two parts so that any section of the core or the armature through which the flux from one or the other of the permanent magnets can pass, has an area large enough to prevent saturation by this flux.
US08169282B2
A switch and an electronic device maintain a power supply ON state until data processing is completed, and automatically turn OFF the power supply after the data processing is completed. The switch includes a rotation operating body that does not receive an operation force from an operating element when OFF operated is arranged inside the operating element. The rotation operating body includes a switch operating portion for turning ON a power supply switch mechanism and a return spring regulating piece for biasing a return spring in an anti-biasing direction. A regulating state of the return spring regulated by the return spring regulating piece is held, where the ON state of the power supply switch mechanism is held with a permanent magnet, and the ON state of the power supply switch mechanism is released by applying a release force on the permanent magnet when the power supply is reset.
US08169278B2
A surface acoustic wave device in which miniaturization and a flat design implemented, is resistant to a deformation responsive to a pressure of a molten resin in the formation of a mold resin layer, and is less susceptible to a characteristic degradation. In the surface acoustic wave device, an IDT electrode is located on a piezoelectric substrate, and an insulator member is arranged such that a space B surrounding the IDT electrode is provided. For the purpose of reducing the area of the space B, reflectors having weighted portions are arranged on both sides of the IDT electrode. The weighted portions include electrode fingers of the reflectors that become shorter in length as they extend farther away from the IDT electrode. The shape of the space B is reduced accordingly.
US08169276B2
A vertical transmission structure for high frequency transmission lines includes a conductive axial core and a conductive structure surrounding the conductive axial core. The vertical transmission structure is applied to a high-frequency flip chip package for reducing the possibility of underfill from coming in contact with the conductive axial core.
US08169272B2
A multi-phase pulse-modulated polar transmitter and a method of generating a pulse-modulated envelope signal carrying modulated RF signal. Multi-phase pulse modulation technique or similar multi-phase pulse modulation techniques are employed in conjunction with a plurality of power amplifiers to enhance the bandwidth of the transmitter and to reduce out-of-band emissions and noises while easily synchronizing the phase and envelope of the input signal.
US08169268B2
An oscillation circuit, and a semiconductor device incorporating same, include: an oscillation unit with a plurality of inverters and configured to perform signal transmission between first and second nodes of the inverters such that each of the inverters performs an oscillation operation to generate clock signals having different phases when a control signal is activated, and latch a clock signal of the second node and cut off the signal transmission between the first and second nodes to stop the oscillation operations of the inverters when the control signal is deactivated; and a control unit to activate the control signal when an oscillation enable signal is activated, and deactivate the control signal using one of a clock signal output from an inverter connected to the second node and clock signals of which the phases lag that of a clock signal of the first node, when the oscillation enable signal is deactivated.
US08169266B2
Embodiments of the present invention include circuits and methods for improving the spectral purity of mixer circuits. In one embodiment the present invention includes a mixer circuit comprising a first transistor having a gate, a source and a drain, a second transistor having a gate, a source and a drain, a first capacitance coupled between the source of the first transistor and the source of the second transistor and a bias circuit having an input, a first output coupled to the source of the first transistor and a second output coupled to the source of the second transistor. The present invention may be advantageously used in a wireless transmitter application.
US08169264B2
Doherty and distributed amplifier (DA) designs are combined to achieve, wideband amplifiers with high efficiency dynamic range. A modified Doherty amplifier includes a wideband phase shifter providing first and second outputs, a main amplifier coupled to the first output, an auxiliary amplifier coupled to the second output, and a wideband combining network combining the outputs in phase. A multi-stage DA has a main output and a termination port, and a phase delay module and transforming network allowing power at the termination port to be combined in phase with power at the main output. In one combination, one or more stages of the DA may comprise a Doherty amplifier. In another combination, a modified series-type Doherty amplifying system is achieved by cascading main and auxiliary DAs. In any combination, Doherty topology may include a bias control module.
US08169263B2
A fully-differential circuit includes a differential gm-boosting circuit and/or a differential output circuit. The use of differential gm-boosting and output circuits improves input common-mode and power-supply noise rejection relative to the prior art. The fully differential gm-boosted circuit may be used in a wide variety of applications.
US08169262B2
The invention provides an operational amplifier. In one embodiment, the operational amplifier includes an input stage circuit, a feedback circuit, a fixed stage circuit, and an output stage circuit. The input stage circuit receives a positive input voltage and a negative input voltage, and amplifies the positive input voltage and the negative input voltage to output a first positive output voltage and a first negative output voltage. The feedback circuit generates a reference positive output voltage equal to the first positive output voltage according to the positive input voltage and the negative input voltage. The fixed stage circuit equally amplifies the first negative output voltage and the reference positive output voltage to generate a second positive output voltage and a second negative output voltage. The output stage circuit generates an output voltage according to a difference voltage between the second positive output voltage and a second negative voltage.
US08169256B2
A circuit includes an operational amplifier including a first input and a second input. A first resistor has a first end coupled to the first input. A first bipolar transistor includes a first emitter coupled to a second end of the first resistor, and a first base. A second bipolar transistor includes a second emitter coupled to the second input, and a second base. A third bipolar transistor includes a third emitter coupled to the first base, a first collector, and a third base connected to the first collector. A fourth bipolar transistor includes a fourth emitter coupled to the second base, a second collector, and a fourth base connected to the second collector. A second resistor is coupled to the first input, wherein the second resistor is parallel to the first resistor and the first bipolar transistor.
US08169242B2
An integrated circuit includes a feedback controlled clock generating circuit, such as a DLL, PLL or other suitable circuit, that is operative to provide a feedback reference frequency signal based on a generated output clock signal. The integrated circuit also includes a programmable fine lock/unlock detection circuit that includes programmable static phase error sensitivity logic that senses phase error. The programmable static phase error sensitivity logic sets a phase lock sensitivity window used to determine a fine lock/unlock condition of the generated output clock signal. The programmable fine lock/unlock detection logic is also operative to generate a fine phase lock/unlock signal based on the set phase lock sensitivity window. The integrated circuit may also include a coarse lock detection circuit that generates a coarse lock signal based on a frequency unlock condition.
US08169236B2
A frequency detection mechanism for a clock generation unit on an integrated circuit includes a clock generation unit and a detection unit. The clock generation unit may generate an output clock signal at a predetermined frequency that corresponds to a frequency multiple of a reference clock signal provided as an input to the clock generation unit. The detection unit may determine whether the output clock signal is at the predetermined frequency. As such, the detection unit includes a first counter that may generate a first count value based upon the reference clock signal and a second counter that may generate a second count value based upon the output clock signal. The detection unit also includes comparison logic that may perform a plurality of multiplication operations on the first and second count values and generate a final result that indicates whether the output clock signal is at the predetermined frequency.
US08169235B2
In one embodiment, a receiver circuit is provide that may receive either a differential input or a single-ended input corresponding to an interface. The receiver circuit may include at least two current sources to control a gain of an amplification stage in the receiver. If the receiver circuit is receiving a differential input, one of the current sources may be used. If the receiver circuit is receiving a single-ended input, both of the current sources may be used. A larger gain may thus be provided for the single-ended input as compared to the differential input.
US08169231B2
A superconducting readout system includes a computation qubit; a measurement device to measure a state of the computation qubit; and a latch qubit that mediates communicative coupling between the computation qubit and the measurement device. The latch qubit includes a qubit loop that includes at least two superconducting inductors coupled in series with each other; a compound Josephson junction that interrupts the qubit loop that includes at least two Josephson junctions coupled in series with each other in the compound Josephson junction and coupled in parallel with each other with respect to the qubit loop; and a first clock signal input structure to couple clock signals to the compound Josephson junction.
US08169226B2
The subject matter of the invention is a method of measuring a grounding current of a photovoltaic power system incorporating a photovoltaic inverter, a measurement current being led through two shunts (Rs1, Rs2) disposed at different points, the measurement current being a current that may flow alternatively at two different points at different electric potentials, the current flowing at a potential that differs by at least 50 V from the potential of the point of evaluation, the shunts (Rs1, Rs2) being inserted in such a manner in a current mirror circuit that the voltage drop caused by the measurement in the shunts generates an asymmetry in the current mirror the magnitude of which is proportional to the measurement current, and the measurement current being the grounding current of the photovoltaic power system with optional positive or negative pole grounding.
US08169225B2
High Speed I/O interfaces such as DVI, S-ATA or PCI-Express require expensive test equipment. Loop-back tests are widely used as one alternative, but lack coverage of timing-related defects. A system and method for on-chip jitter injection using a variable delay with controllable amplitude and high accuracy is provided that improves the coverage of loop-back tests.
US08169219B2
Described are embodiments for slice-selective excitation for MRI that utilize multiple RF transmit coils, each of which are driven with a separate independent current waveform. These embodiments allow slice-selective excitation with slice profile and excitation time similar to other single-channel excitation, but with reduction in SAR caused by the transverse component of the RF field by a factor up to the number of excitation coils.
US08169215B2
The present invention relates to a magnetic sensor with which magnetic characteristics are made extremely stable by consideration of an area of contact of a base layer of a magnetic substance and a semiconductor substrate. On a semiconductor substrate (111) a plurality of Hall elements (112a, 112b) are embedded so as to be coplanar to a top surface of the semiconductor substrate while being mutually spaced apart by a predetermined distance, and above the Hall elements and the semiconductor substrate, a base layer (114), having coefficient of thermal expansion differing from that of the Hall elements and partially covers a region of each Hall elements, is formed via a protective layer (113), and a magnetic flux concentrator (115), having an area larger than the base layer and with magnetic amplification, is formed on the base layer. An area of contact of the base layer of the magnetic substance and the semiconductor substrate is made small to lessen the generation of an offset voltage.
US08169213B2
It is possible to perform accurate magnetization analysis by considering the magnetic state of an incomplete magnetic region. A magnetization analysis device performs magnetization analysis by using a magnetizer parameter associated with a magnetizer and a magnet parameter associated with a magnet material so as to calculate a magnetization magnetic field applied to respective portions of the magnet material (S17), calculates a recoil ratio permeability and a coercivity as region of a permanent magnet as an analysis object for the respective portions according to the calculation result of the magnetized magnetic field and the demagnetization curve associated with the incomplete magnetization region actually measured in advance (S18), and performs a magnetic field analysis by using the calculation result of the region parameter so as to calculate a state parameter indicating the magnetized state of the permanent magnet as an analysis object (S19).
US08169212B2
A signal processing device having an adjustment unit for adjusting a time duration of each of a plurality of signals individually in accordance with an amplitude of the respective signal to thereby generate calibrated signals, and a combining unit for combining the calibrated signals.
US08169207B2
A power supply device has an error amplifier producing an error voltage by amplifying a difference between a feedback voltage according to an output voltage and a predetermined reference voltage, an output portion producing a desired output voltage from an input voltage in such a way that the error voltage is reduced, and a clamping portion setting, during a predetermined period after startup of the power supply device, an upper limit of the error voltage to a value that is lower than a value obtained at normal times, such that the lower the input voltage the higher the upper limit, the higher the input voltage the lower the upper limit.
US08169202B2
Low dropout regulators capable of preventing damage caused by a short circuit or a heavy load are provided, in which a pass transistor receives an unregulated power supply voltage to generate a regulated output voltage according to a control signal. Additionally, a constant overcurrent limiting circuit limits an output current through the pass transistor to below a predetermined current, and a foldback overcurrent limiting circuit enables the constant overcurrent limiting circuit to further decrease the output current, when the regulated output voltage is lower than a predetermined voltage.
US08169199B2
It is determined that a periodic zero current stagnation state is reached to correct a voltage command of a smoothing capacitor downward by a predetermined voltage when a state where a current (reactor current) flowing through a coil in a dead time when switching elements are both off immediately after the switching element (upper arm) is turned off from on stagnates at a value of 0 occurs at switching periods of the switching elements. This can prevent a voltage of the smoothing capacitor from becoming unexpectedly higher than the voltage command in the current stagnation state, prevent the smoothing capacitor from being damaged by an overvoltage and prevent excessive torque from being output from motors.
US08169186B1
A system and method for charging an electric vehicle includes identifying vehicle information corresponding to the electric vehicle based on an electronic image of the electric vehicle, retrieving from an electronically stored local database a location of a charging port on the electric vehicle based on the vehicle information, robotically moving a charging connector according to the retrieved location to engage the charging port of the electric vehicle, querying the local database to determine whether a current time corresponds to an energy efficient usage time based on energy efficient usage data received from a power grid, and initiating a charging process upon determining that the current time corresponds to the energy efficient usage time.
US08169185B2
A system and method for variable power transfer in an inductive charging or power system. In accordance with an embodiment the system comprises a pad or similar base unit that contains a primary, which creates an alternating magnetic field. A receiver comprises a means for receiving the energy from the alternating magnetic field from the pad and transferring it to a mobile device, battery, or other device. In accordance with various embodiments, additional features can be incorporated into the system to provide greater power transfer efficiency, and to allow the system to be easily modified for applications that have different power requirements. These include variations in the material used to manufacture the primary and/or the receiver coils; modified circuit designs to be used on the primary and/or receiver side; and additional circuits and components that perform specialized tasks, such as mobile device or battery identification, and automatic voltage or power-setting for different devices or batteries.
US08169180B2
The present invention relates to a motor controller of an air conditioner, including a converter for converting a commercial AC power into a DC power, an inverter including a plurality of switching elements, the inverter receiving the DC power, converting the DC power into an AC power through a switching operation and driving a three-phase motor, a gate driver for controlling the switching operation of the switching elements, and a plurality of voltage drop units connected between the converter and the gate driver, the voltage drop units dropping the DC power and supplying driving voltages for an operation of the switching elements. Accordingly, circuit elements within a controller can be protected.
US08169177B2
An electric vehicle includes a control unit having overcurrent generation judgment unit, inverter selection unit, and inverter drive control unit. The overcurrent generation judgment unit judges whether an overcurrent is generated in an inverter for generation or an inverter for travel. When an overcurrent is generated in one of the inverters, the inverter selection unit selects the other inverter to be driven. The inverter drive control unit stops the driving of the one inverter and drives the other inverter to drive a travel motor or a generator.
US08169170B2
A motor driving device (100) includes an inverter (20), a speed control unit (40), and a regeneration preventing means (50). The inverter (20) converts supplied DC power to driving power for driving a motor (10), and supplies the driving power to the motor (10). The speed control unit (40) generates a speed control signal group based on a speed command signal Sref and a speed detection signal N, and adjusts the driving power based on a drive control signal VSP1 included in the speed control signal group, thereby controlling the speed of the motor (10). The regeneration preventing means (50) determines whether the motor (10) is in a state possibly causing regenerative phenomena or in a state not causing regenerative phenomena based on the speed command information included in the speed command signal Sref and the speed detection information included in the speed detection signal N, and performs a regeneration reduction process to reduce regenerative phenomena according to the determination result, thereby preventing regenerative phenomena.
US08169163B2
The present invention relates to a control device of a light emitting device that includes a plurality of LED rows formed of a plurality of LEDs sequentially connected in series. The control device includes: a plurality of switches respectively connected to the plurality of LED rows and sequentially transmitting a detection voltage of each of the plurality of LED rows, wherein the detection voltage corresponds to an output voltage applied to the plurality of LED rows; a comparator receiving the plurality of detection voltages, and generating a clock control signal according to a result of comparison with a predetermined reference; a clock signal generator generating a clock signal having a period that is changed according to the clock control signal; and a shift register that controls switching operations of the plurality of switches according to the clock signal.
US08169154B2
A variable load circuit (2) is provided for use with a dimmer (1). A low wattage load such as a LED (3) is provided in series with the dimmer and the variable load circuit is provided in parallel with the LED. The variable load circuit has two different load characteristics: when the applied voltage from the dimmer is below a threshold, the variable load circuit presents a fixed load (24), and when the applied voltage is above a threshold the variable load circuit presents a variable load so as to act as a constant current sink. The variable load is provided by a secondary load portion (25) which may or may not act in combination with the fixed load (24), and the secondary load portion (25) is switched in or out of the variable load circuit by a trigger circuit portion (26).
US08169147B2
A circuit for driving a vehicle lamp includes a current path coupled between a power line and ground, and a monitoring unit coupled to the power line. The current path includes a dummy load. The monitoring unit can monitor a testing signal applied to the power line. The testing signal can test whether the vehicle lamp operates properly. The monitoring unit can conduct the current path to enable a current to flow through the dummy load to ground to decrease a total resistance of the circuit if the testing signal is detected.
US08169144B2
A plasma display panel is disclosed. The plasma display panel includes a front substrate, a rear substrate opposite the front substrate, a barrier rib that is positioned between the front substrate and the rear substrate to provide a discharge cell, a seal layer that attaches the front substrate to the rear substrate, and an exhaust hole that is formed on the rear substrate in a portion between the barrier rib and the seal layer. The exhaust hole is positioned in a portion overlapping an active area along a shorter side or a longer side of the rear substrate.
US08169124B2
The present invention discloses a physical/biochemical sensor using a multisized piezoelectric microcantilever resonator array which enables to quantitatively and simultaneously analyze a mass loading effect and a surface stress change effect and a manufacturing method thereof. In the physical/biochemical sensor using the multisized piezoelectric microcantilever resonator array, a plurality of piezoelectric micro-cantilever resonators having different sizes is arrayed so as to quantitatively and discriminately analyze a surface stress change as well as a sensor surface mass change induced by an adsorbed sensing-target material occurring in a sensing process. Thus, the mass loading effect and the surface stress change effect can be quantitatively and simultaneously analyzed.
US08169122B1
Method and apparatus for sonication in connection with preparing a cellular sample containing DNA or RNA for performance of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or for other reasons where it is important to break down the cell walls and other cellular structures to release cellular contents including DNA. The same methods and apparatus may be used to release DNA or RNA from virus for PCR or other uses. A novel apparatus which is capable of releasing cellular contents or releasing the DNA or RNA of virus without the aid of beads or chemicals is described herein. The apparatus is designed to deliver high levels of sonic energy through optimizing the geometry the apparatus and optimizing the force created by a piezoelectric transducer. The apparatus is capable of processing samples which are contained within fluid in a short amount of time between 30 seconds and two and one half minutes. The apparatus is small and can be field deployable or used in a standard molecular biology laboratory.
US08169098B2
A method for operating a wind turbine erected in a body of water, comprising: measuring vibrations of the wind turbine during operation; identifying at least one periodic component of said measured vibrations, wherein said periodic component is associated with interaction of said body of water and said wind turbine; and, operating at least one controller of said wind turbine so that water-induced vibrations are reduced.
US08169090B2
An encapsulation resin composition for preapplication, comprising (a) an epoxy resin, and (b) a curing agent having flux activity, wherein the tack after B-staging is at least 0 gf/5 mmφ and at most 5 gf/5 mmφ, and the melt viscosity at 130° C. is at least 0.01 Pa·s and at most 1.0 Pa·s; a preapplied encapsulated component and semiconductor device using the composition, and a process of fabrication thereof. The resin composition is less susceptible to air entrapment during provisional placement of semiconductor chips, and excels in workability and reliability.
US08169088B2
For a DC to DC converter circuit integrated on a packaged die, the relative positions of various die pads and power MOSFETs on the die for a small outline integrated circuit package are described.
US08169080B2
A seal ring is provided between a region where a circuit is formed on a semiconductor substrate and a dicing region. The seal ring has a portion where sealing layers of which the cross sectional form is in T-shape are layered and a portion where sealing layers of which the cross sectional form is rectangular are layered.
US08169077B2
Dielectric interconnect structures and methods for forming the same are provided. Specifically, the present invention provides a dielectric interconnect structure having a noble metal layer (e.g., Ru, Ir, Rh, Pt, RuTa, and alloys of Ru, Ir, Rh, Pt, and RuTa) that is formed directly on a modified dielectric surface. In a typical embodiment, the modified dielectric surface is created by treating an exposed dielectric layer of the interconnect structure with a gaseous ion plasma (e.g., Ar, He, Ne, Xe, N2, H2, NH3, and N2H2). Under the present invention, the noble metal layer could be formed directly on an optional glue layer that is maintained only on vertical surfaces of any trench or via formed in the exposed dielectric layer. In addition, the noble metal layer may or may not be provided along an interface between the via and an internal metal layer.
US08169071B2
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first recessed conductive layer embedded and recessed into a first surface of the substrate, and a first raised conductive layer disposed above the first surface. A first vertical offset exists between an upper surface of the first recessed conductive layer and an upper surface of the first raised conductive layer. The device includes a second recessed conductive layer embedded and recessed into a second surface of the substrate. The second surface of the substrate is opposite the first surface. The device includes a second raised conductive layer disposed beneath the second surface and an interconnect structure disposed on the first recessed and raised conductive layers and the second recessed and raised conductive layers. A second vertical offset exists between a lower surface of the second recessed conductive layer and a lower surface of the second recessed conductive layer.
US08169068B2
An IO cell with multiple IO ports and related techniques are provided. The IO cell has a plurality of IO ports for transmitting signal of a same IO pin, and each IO port corresponds to a predetermined region for containing an IO pad, wherein at least one of the plural predetermined regions of the plural IO ports partially overlaps with active circuit layout region of the IO cell. In a chip, if a given IO cell has a predetermined region of an IO port overlapping an IO pad location of another adjacent IO cell, then a predetermined region of another IO port is selected for implementing an IO pad of the given IO cell, such that the IO cells can be arranged more compactly for chip layout area saving.
US08169064B2
A package on package system is provided including providing a first substrate having a first integrated circuit thereon and a second substrate having a second integrated circuit thereon, the second substrate having a recess provided therein. The first and second substrates are mounted having the first integrated circuit at least partially nested in the recess.
US08169061B2
The present invention provides a chip-stacked package structure with leadframe having bus bar, comprising: a leadframe composed of a plurality of inner leads arranged in rows facing each other, a plurality of outer leads, and a die pad, wherein the die pad is provided between the plurality of inner leads and is vertically distant from the plurality of inner leads; a chip-stacked structure formed with a plurality of chips that stacked together and set on the die pad, the plurality of chips and the plurality of inner leads being electrically connected with each other; and an encapsulant covering over the chip-stacked package structure and the leadframe, in which the leadframe comprises at least a bus bar, which is provided between the plurality of inner leads arranged in rows facing each other and the die pad.
US08169057B2
A positive-intrinsic-negative (PIN)/negative-intrinsic-positive (NIP) diode includes a semiconductor substrate having first and second main surfaces opposite to each other. The semiconductor substrate is of a first conductivity. The PIN/NIP diode includes at least one trench formed in the first main surface which defines at least one mesa. The trench extends to a first depth position in the semiconductor substrate. The PIN/NIP diode includes a first anode/cathode layer proximate the first main surface and the sidewalls and the bottom of the trench. The first anode/cathode layer is of a second conductivity opposite to the first conductivity. The PIN/NIP diode includes a second anode/cathode layer proximate the second main surface, a first passivation material lining the trench and a second passivation material lining the mesa. The second anode/cathode layer is the first conductivity.
US08169048B2
An isolation structure in a memory device and a method for fabricating the isolation structure. In the method, a first trench is formed in a cell region of a semiconductor substrate and a second trench in a peripheral region of the semiconductor substrate. A liner layer comprising a silicon nitride layer is formed on the first and second trenches. A spin on dielectric (SOD) layer comprising polysilazane is formed on the liner layer so as to fill the first and second trenches. A portion of the SOD layer filling the second trench is removed. A portion of the silicon nitride layer, which is disposed on the second trench and is exposed after the removing of the portion of the SOD layer, is oxidized using oxygen plasma and heat generated from the plasma. A high density plasma (HDP) oxide layer is formed to fill the second trench.
US08169039B2
A disclosed semiconductor device includes an MOS transistor having an N-type low-concentration drain region, a source region, an ohmic drain region, a P-type channel region, an ohmic channel region, a gate isolation film, and a gate electrode. The N-type low-concentration drain region includes two low-concentration drain layers in which the N-type impurity concentration of the upper layer is higher than that of the lower layer; the P-type channel region includes two channel layers in which the P-type impurity concentration of the upper layer is lower than that of the lower layer; and the gate electrode is formed on the P-type channel region and the N-type low-concentration drain region and disposed to be separated from the ohmic drain region when viewed from the top.
US08169028B2
In a conventional semiconductor device, protection of a to-be-protected element from a surge voltage is difficult because the to-be-protected element is turned on before a protection element due to variations in manufacturing conditions. In a semiconductor device of the present invention, a protection element and a MOS transistor have part of their structures formed under common conditions. N type diffusion layers of the protection element and the MOS transistor are formed in the same process, while the N type diffusion layer of the protection element has a larger diffusion width than the N type diffusion layer of the MOS transistor. With this structure, when a surge voltage is applied to an output terminal, the protection element is turned on before the MOS transistor, and thereby the MOS transistor is protected from an avalanche current.
US08169021B2
A trench gate semiconductor device including: a semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type; a first diffusion region having a second conductivity type having a planar structure on the semiconductor layer; a second diffusion region having the first conductivity type positioned selectively on the first diffusion region; a gate electrode provided via a gate insulation film in each first trench facing the second diffusion region and penetrating through the first diffusion region to reach the semiconductor layer; a first semiconductor region of the second conductivity type provided at a position, in the semiconductor layer, apart in a lateral direction from the first diffusion region; a second semiconductor region of the second conductivity type provided at a position, in the first diffusion region, between the adjacent first trenches; and a main electrode in contact with the semiconductor layer and the second diffusion region.
US08169013B2
A semiconductor device having a logic section and a memory section that are formed on the same semiconductor chip, including: a first transistor formed in the logic section and having gate electrodes and source and drain regions, and a second transistor formed in the memory section having gate electrodes, source and drain regions and a capacitor, the capacitor being of a MIM structure and having an upper and a lower metal electrode and a capacitor dielectric film sandwiched therebetween, the capacitor dielectric film being formed of a dielectric material which is selected from the group consisting of ZrO2, Hf92, (Zrx, Hf1-x)O2 (0
US08169002B2
A high electron mobility transistor includes a substrate, a buffer layer, a channel layer, a spacer layer, a schottky layer and a cap layer. The buffer layer is formed on the substrate. The channel layer is formed on the buffer layer, in which the channel layer comprises a superlattice structure formed with a plurality of indium gallium arsenide thin films alternately stacked with a plurality of indium arsenide thin films. The spacer layer is formed on the channel layer. The schottky layer is formed on the spacer layer. The cap layer is formed on the schottky layer.
US08169001B1
The present invention refers to a method for preparing a non-self-aligned heterojunction bipolar transistor comprising: preparing a patterned emitter metal on an emitter epi layer of a HBT epi structure on a substrate; preparing an emitter epitaxy below the emitter metal; applying a resist layer on the top surface covering the emitter metal and emitter epitaxy, and the base layer; applying lithography leaving the emitter epitaxy and the emitter metal covered by the resist vertically with a width pD and leaving a pattern according to the mask in the resist; depositing base metal on the entire surface; and removing the remaining resist and the base metal covering the resist defining a base metal, the base metal being spaced from the emitter epitaxy and the emitter metal by a distance xD from 0.05 μm to 0.7 μm. The present invention refers to a non-self-aligned heterojunction bipolar transistor as prepared by this method.
US08168992B2
A light-emitting diode backlight module includes a base and a light source disposed on the base. The light source comprises a substrate, a heat sink and an LED chip. The base has a heat conductor. The heat sink of the light source is coupled between the substrate of the light source and the heat conductor of the base. The heat sink has a first part which is adjacent a first side of the substrate and a second part which is adjacent a second side of the substrate. The heat sink is in contact with the heat conductor. The LED chip is disposed on the first part of the heat sink and emits light laterally.
US08168991B2
An optical element (1) is specified comprising an optical body (2) containing a plastic material. The optical body (2) is completely encapsulated by a protective layer (3) containing a silicon oxide. An optoelectronic component comprising such an optical element is furthermore described.
US08168987B2
The embodiment discloses a semiconductor light emitting device. The semiconductor light emitting device includes a first conductive semiconductor layer; a first electrode layer below the first conductive semiconductor layer; a semiconductor layer at an outer peripheral portion of the first conductive semiconductor layer; an active layer on the first conductive semiconductor layer; a second conductive semiconductor layer on the active layer; and a second electrode layer on the second conductive semiconductor layer.
US08168968B2
There is provided a thin film transistor exhibiting stable reliability and electrical characteristics by forming an active layer by adding material having a large difference of electronegativity from oxygen like Hf and an atomic radius similar to that of Zn or SN to an oxide semiconductor made of ZnSnO to adjust concentration of carrier and to enhance reliability of the oxide semiconductor, and an organic light emitting display device having the same.
US08168967B2
An organic light emitting device and a method of manufacturing the same, the device including: a substrate; a barrier layer; a first electrode; a second electrode; and an organic layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the barrier layer includes an SiO layer and an SiOxNy layer.
US08168956B2
A scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) and method of aberration correction have autocorrelation function calculation means, aberration coefficient calculation means, and feedback control. At least two images are obtained by varying a value at which one of the electron optical means is set. The at least two images are autocorrelated. Iso-intensity lines are fit to aberration functions. Aberration coefficients are obtained based on aberration functions. The feedback controls the electron optical column.
US08168953B2
Method, apparatus and computer program for measuring the dose, dose rate or composition of radiation
A method and an apparatus for measuring the dose, the dose rate and/or the composition of radiation is disclosed. In the method, a detector means is exposed to a radiation environment, the detector means comprising an array of radiation sensing detector elements. The detector means is switched in a sensitive state for the duration of a sensitive time period, and during said sensitive time period, an interaction pattern generated by individual radiation quanta interacting with one or more of the detector elements is recorded. The duration of the sensitive time period can be precisely adapted to the intensity of the radiation that has to be recorded. The interaction pattern is analyzed to distinguish individual radiation quanta received during the sensitive time period, and a radiation category is assigned to each of the distinguished radiation quanta based on its corresponding interaction pattern. A dose, a dose rate and/or a composition of radiation is then computed from the detected and categorized radiation quanta. Weight factors are attributed to each radiation category to take into account the individual degree of damage which the corresponding category can inflict in the irradiated materials.
