US08688790B2
An e-mail system is disclosed that overcomes many deficiencies of, but is backward compatible with, existing e-mail systems. An exemplary method for communicating e-mail messages includes receiving an e-mail message from a sender addressed to a recipient, receiving a request for access to the e-mail message from an e-mail client associated with the recipient, and providing the e-mail client with access to the e-mail message. The method further includes receiving a navigation notification indicating a navigation away from the e-mail message followed by a navigation return to the e-mail message, and in response, withholding access to the e-mail message by the e-mail client, and providing the e-mail client with a message placeholder.
US08688784B2
A configurator is provided that connects with various disparate elements in a telecommunication system. The configurator is adapted to receive a traffic plan that has a plurality of different aspects that are implemented across the disparate elements. The configurator is adapted to generate processing schemas and/or databases that can be used by the disparate elements in order to implement the traffic plan.
US08688782B1
In one example, a method includes receiving, by a first computing device and from a second computing device, an image comprising an object. A user may be associated with a social networking service and the second computing device. The method further includes selecting a social group associated with the user in the social networking service. The selection may be based at least in part on one or more characteristics associated with the object. The method also includes sending, by the first computing device to the second computing device, an indication of the social group selected by the first computing device.
US08688774B2
A personal networking/communication device (PND) enables real-time social and business interactions/networking within a real environment. A first PND associated with a first person/user in the real environment is within communication range of a second PND. The first PND receives (via electronic communication) and displays a social interaction information signature (SIS) of the second PND. The signature includes a physical mapping/location of the second PND relative to the first PND and provides some information about the second PND's user. Following a selection of the SIS on the first PND, the first PND electronically transmits one or more “request for interaction or information exchange” (RIIE) to the second PND. When the first PND receives a response to the RIIE from the second PND, the user of the first PND receives real-time unequivocal confirmation of whether the second person is interested in interacting/socializing with the user.
US08688765B2
A method and system is disclosed for providing a distributed technical computing environment for distributing technical computing tasks from a technical computing client to technical computing workers for execution of the tasks on one or more computers systems. Tasks can be defined on a technical computing client, and the tasks organized into jobs. The technical computing client can directly distribute tasks to one or more technical computing workers. Furthermore, the technical computing client can submit tasks, or jobs comprising tasks, to an automatic task distribution mechanism that distributes the tasks automatically to one or more technical computing workers providing technical computing services. The technical computing worker performs technical computing of tasks and the results of the execution of tasks may be provided to the technical computing client. Data associated with the tasks is managed by a programmable interface associated with a data storage repository. The interface allows the various entities of the distributed technical computing environment to access data services performable by the interface or by a file system or a database and database management system associated with the data.
US08688763B2
The present invention describes systems and methods to provide programmable analog classifiers. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an analog classifier circuit comprising a bump circuit enabled to store a template vector, wherein the template vector can model a probability distribution with exponential behavior. Furthermore, the bump circuit is enabled to generate an output corresponding to a comparison between an input vector received by the bump circuit and the template vector stored by the bump circuit. Additionally, the analog classifier circuit includes a variable gain amplifier in communication with the bump circuit, and the variable gain amplifier can be adjusted to modify the variance of the template vector.
US08688761B2
An arithmetic logic and shifting device is disclosed and includes an arithmetic logic unit that has a first input to receive a first operand from a first register port, a second input to receive a second operand from a second register port, and an output to selectively provide a memory address to a memory unit in a first mode of operation and to selectively provide an arithmetic output in a second mode of operation. Further, the arithmetic logic and shifting device includes a programmable shifter device that has a first input to receive data from the memory unit, a second input to receive the arithmetic output, a third input to receive an operation code of a computer execution instruction, and a shifted output to provide shifted data.
US08688760B2
Apparatuses and methods for determining population boundaries are described. In one embodiment, population boundaries are determined using radial density histograms.
US08688754B1
At least one region of a heap that includes memory allocations is analyzed, using age and occupancy criteria, across a number of local garbage collection cycles using a processor executing a region-based garbage collector. Based upon the analyzed age and occupancy criteria of the at least one region, at least one stable region in age and occupancy is identified among the at least one region of the heap across the number of local garbage collection cycles. Maintenance of a remembered set (RS) of external references into the at least one stable region is temporarily stopped for each identified stable region during at least one additional local garbage collection cycle.
US08688747B2
The schema framework of the present invention is a set of rules and best practices that a user follows when creating schema in accordance with the present invention. By following these rules, schema are produced that can be used, reused, and managed in a distributed computing environment, thus reducing the time and effort associated with creating instance documents. Certain rules govern the content and format of the schema namespaces. Each schema namespace includes a category identifier that identifies a category to which the schema associated with the namespace relates. Once an instance document has been published by storing it in a schema repository, the schema and the namespace associated with that schema are “frozen” and cannot be changed. By freezing the schema and namespace, the schema and namespace become standardized, which facilitates instance document generation, validation, and use across a distributed system.
US08688739B2
A system and method for data matching are disclosed. A user terminal included in the system includes a data provider, a data consumer, and a mapper. The data provider receives life log data of a user which is collected by at least one life log collecting apparatus. The data consumer receives the life log data from the data provider, and compares the life log data and reference data received from a service server to determine whether a difference between the life log data and the reference data exceeds a predetermined threshold value. The mapper maps the service server which provides the reference data corresponding to information of the life log data received from the data provider. Accordingly, the usability to of life log apparatuses can increase.
US08688725B2
A search apparatus includes: a speech recognition unit that recognizes an input voice; a matching unit that matches a plurality of strings of search result target words; a generation unit that generates a string of search result words; a selecting unit that selects emphasis target words that are the targets to be emphasized in the words of the string of search result words, on the basis of the matching result with the string of search result target words, and a pronunciation symbol-to-word table in which the pronunciation symbols and the words are made to correspond to each other; and a conversion unit that converts the string of search result words into the string of emphasis words in which the emphasis target words are emphasized in the words of the string of search result words.
US08688724B1
A duplicate lead removal system comprises a matching engine, a vendor duplicates database, and a conflict engine. The matching engine is configured to determine at least one vendor to receive a lead. The vendor duplicates database is configured to store duplicate lead information that is at least partly created by and received from vendors outside of the duplicate lead removal system. The conflict engine is configured to compare information that is at least derived from the lead with information stored in the vendor duplicates database in order to determine if the lead is a duplicate lead for the vendor such that the system can prevent transmission of duplicate leads to the vendor.
US08688719B2
A data structure that includes a user profile including user profile information, and a data structure comprising a set of available telephone numbers can be accessed. A targeted list of one or more telephone numbers can be generated using the set of available telephone numbers and information from the user profile. The targeted list can include one or more telephone numbers from the set of available telephone numbers that match at least a portion of the user profile information. Also, the targeted list can be sent to a rendering computing environment for display. User input selecting a telephone number from the targeted list can be received. In response to user input, the selected telephone number can be associated with a user profile in a data structure.
US08688718B1
The disclosed embodiments provide a method and system for processing data. During operation, the system obtains a set of records, wherein each of the records comprises one or more metrics and at least one dimension associated with the one or more metrics. Next, the system creates a data segment comprising at least one of a forward index and an inverted index for a column in the records. The system then stores the data segment in network-accessible storage and assigns the data segment to a partition. Finally, the system enables querying of the data segment through a query node associated with the partition.
US08688716B1
A ranking system is described for adjusting quality distributions of items responsive to pairwise comparisons. The pairwise comparisons are selected for a user providing a preference between the items in the pairwise comparisons. The selection is determined based on the cost of an error in the rankings of items in combination with the likelihood there is an error in the item rankings. On receiving the comparison result from the user, the quality distributions are updated and can include a confidence modifier to determine the confidence the user's preference is reflective of the actual preference between the items.
US08688713B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products for structured content ranking. In an aspect, a method determines a service requirement from terms of a query, the service requirement being one of a plurality of service requirements fulfilled by databases; determines, for each of the databases, a service requirement score for the database, the service requirement score being a measure of an ability of the database to fulfill the service requirement; selects databases based on the service requirement scores; generates data responsive to the service requirement based on the terms of the query and one or more of the selected databases; and generates, from the data identifying resources that are determined to be responsive to the query and from the data responsive to the service requirement, search results that include first search results that each identify a corresponding resource that was determined to be responsive to the query.
US08688712B1
A system and computer-implemented method for maintaining a personal media database associated with a user account including media-related information, the method including receiving media-related information regarding a media item from a remote media service, wherein the media-related information comprises rating information regarding the media item, the rating information representing an assessment of the quality of the media item by the user, and the rating information being provided according to a first rating standard, the first rating standard indicating a manner by which media items are rated, converting the rating information according to a second rating standard used at a personal media database, the second rating standard indicating a manner by which media items are rated wherein the second standard is different than the first standard and storing the media-related information including the converted rating information at the personal media database.
US08688707B2
Systems and methods consistent with the invention relate to matching user attributes. In one exemplary implementation, the system and methods may store predetermined general attribute descriptors reflecting attributes of users generally, receive personal attribute descriptors selected from the predetermined general attribute descriptors as corresponding to attributes of a first user and a second user, receive a rating associated with each received personal attribute descriptor, compare at least one personal attribute descriptor associated with the first user with at least one personal attribute descriptor associated with the second user to determine a descriptor match, and calculate a match score based on the determined descriptor match and the received ratings. In addition, first and second display points may be displayed and may be separated by a one-dimensional display distance that is a function of the calculated match score.
US08688701B2
Ranking and selecting entities based on calculated reputation or influence scores is provided. In some embodiments, a method includes determining whether a first entity is a subject or an object; determining whether a second entity is a subject or an object; and generating a graph, in which a subset of the graph is a subject graph of subject nodes that includes at least one or more subjects (e.g., subject entities) linked to one or more other subjects, and in which the graph includes one or more objects (e.g., object entities) each linked to one or more subjects in the subject graph. In some embodiments, the graph includes directed and undirected links. In some embodiments, the graph includes one or more objects linked to one or more objects.
US08688700B2
Techniques that enable a user or customer at a system site to review and, if desired, modify data identified at the system site for transmission to a diagnosis site prior to the transmission. The identified diagnostic data may be modified such that data that the user does not want to be sent to the diagnosis site (e.g., sensitive data) is excluded from the data communicated to the diagnosis site. The data may be modified by removing or excluding the sensitive data from the data that is communicated to the diagnosis site or replacing the sensitive data with non-sensitive data. The modified data may then be communicated from the system site to the diagnosis site in the form of a package.
US08688699B2
A method for content recommendation for a user, wherein a song or a video is recommended to the user and a confidence measure is determined for the recommended song. The confidence measure is displayed to the user, so the user may get more confidence into the recommendation of the system.
US08688697B1
A system and method for identifying contrarian terms is disclosed. The system and method includes identifying a plurality of websites describing a product or service, analyzing content in the plurality of websites, the content relating to the described product or service, identifying contrarian terms based on the website content using a processing circuit, wherein the contrarian terms comprise descriptions of a product or service, associating the identified contrarian terms with a category, within which the product or service has been categorized in at least one of the plurality of websites, and storing the contrarian terms and the associated category in a memory.
US08688696B2
Search results responsive to a query are generated by a search engine. If the query is “location relevant”, the results are provided to a ranker component. If the query is an entity search, then entities matching the query are ranked by distance from the user. If the query is not, and if it is not semantically charged, the entities are ranked either according to distance from the user or by search relevance. If the query is semantically charged, a semantic score is calculated for each entity. One or more threshold semantic scores are determined that divide the search results into multiple parts. The results within each part can then be ranked independently. The results within a first part are ranked according to their distance from the user, while the results in a subsequent part are ranked according to their semantical relationship to the query. The re-ranked parts are concatenated together.
US08688692B2
A computer searching technique identifies high quantitative patterns in data. A spatial indexing technique, such as an R-tree is used to represent the data. Then a pattern searching algorithm is used to identify anchor points that define the componentwise minimum patterns. High quantitative patterns are found responsive to the componentwise minimum patterns. The search strategy is demonstrated relevant to the problem of finding suitable locations for a retail business with reference to environments of prior successful retail businesses.
US08688686B2
Optimizing SQL queries for Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) Management Information Base (MIB) tables. An SNMP client receives a source query defined in structured query language to access data stored in one or more MIB tables. The SNMP client parses the source query into one or more queries and sub-queries and applies sets of optimization rules and heuristics to the source query to generate a query execution plan for each set of optimization rules and heuristics applied to the source query. The SNMP client selects an optimal query execution plan from the generated query execution plans and rewrites the source query as a SNMP-based query using the optimization rules and heuristics specified in the optimal query execution plan. The SNMP-based query may then be used to retrieve the data requested by the source query without performing a full query scan of the MIB tables.
US08688675B2
A video retrieval system is proposed that retrieves trajectory data from a database as a response to a search query. The search query is formulated on the basis of a search trajectory, which is represented as a plurality of search segments. Minimum hounding areas are generated, whereby the plurality of the minimum hounding areas cover the search trajectory or at least one of the search segments. The video retrieval system accesses the database by using at least one of the minimum bounding areas as a query area, whereby the minimum bounding areas of the plurality of bounding areas are arranged overlap-free and/or adjacently or with a search trajectory independent overlap.
US08688666B1
A multi-blob consistency component of a tiered middleware framework ensures data blobs are transacted in an atomic manner. The component determines a data blob of a data store to be modified based on an application request. The component then reads a master blob to locate a stored version number of the data blob to be modified and a version number of the master blob. A new data blob with a new version number that replaces the data blob to be modified is written to the data store. The component then reads the master blob again to re-obtain the version number of the master blob. Thus, when the obtained and re-obtained version numbers match, the component replaces the stored version number of the data blob with the new version number of the new data blob. Further, the component deletes the data blob to be modified using the stored version number.
US08688653B2
A multiple language support system and method. The multiple language system includes a multiple language support system for an application, the system includes a resource data generation unit to generate resource data for the language of the application, a resource data processing unit to extract resource data from the generated resource data by language of the system environment on which the application is executed, and convert the extracted resource data into the language of the application, and a resource data management unit to manage the resource data used in the application.
US08688652B2
Exemplary embodiments for increased in-line deduplication efficiency in a computing environment are provided. In one embodiment, by way of example only, hash values are calculated in nth iterations on data samples from fixed size data chunks extracted from an object requested for in-line deduplication. For each of the nth iterations, the calculated hash values for the data samples from the fixed size data chunks are matched in an nth hash index table with a corresponding hash value of existing objects in storage. The nth hash index table is exited upon detecting a mismatch during the matching. The mismatch is determined to be a unique object and is stored. A hash value for the object is calculated. A master hash index table is updated with the calculated hash value for the object and the calculated hash values for the unique object.
US08688651B2
Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for dynamic deduplication. Data is processed using an algorithm that deduplicates the data based on a first set of parameters. A first moving average of a first deduplication performance metric is calculated for the algorithm over a time period. A second moving average of a second deduplication performance metric is calculated for the algorithm over the time period. It is determined that the first moving average satisfies a first criterion, the second moving average satisfies a second criterion, or both. The algorithm is reconfigured based on a second set of parameters to deduplicate data.
US08688644B1
Systems and methods are disclosed for recovering data following a directory service malfunction, such as a forest-wide disaster in Microsoft® Active Directory. In certain examples, a single management console can be used for remotely recovering selected domain controllers in the forest without necessitating direct operator intervention. Multiple domain controllers can be concurrently restored from one or more backup files. Configurations of the system can advantageously eliminate manual intervention with each domain controller, thereby saving significant amounts of recovery time and effort. Also, certain systems and methods can be used to automatically and remotely quarantine corrupt domain controllers so that those individual domain controllers do not replicate with the newly restored environment, while allowing the domain controllers to remain online and in communication with the attached network. Certain disclosed methods further modify recovery procedures based at least in part on the type, and availability of, one or more DNS servers.
US08688630B2
The present invention relates to a distributed data storage system comprising a plurality of storage nodes. Using unicast and multicast transmission, a server application may read and write data in the storage system. Each storage node may monitor reading and writing operations on the system as well as the status of other storage nodes. In this way, the storage nodes may detect a need for replication of files on the system, and may carry out a replication process that serves to maintain a storage of a sufficient number of copies of files with correct versions at geographically diverse locations.
US08688629B2
Excess capacity available to a database system in a capacity controlled environment can be effectively managed for maintenance and/or tuning activities. In this context, excess capacity can be used as needed and/or on a temporary basis. Furthermore, maintenance and/or tuning activities can be performed without requiring the use of the configured or allotted capacity. As a result, these operations can be performed without adversely affecting other operations which may be deemed more critical by the users of databases. System maintenance and tuning (or fine tuning) of a database environment can, for example, include operations associated with “Physical Tuning,” and “Index Tuning”. Some exemplary operations include collecting Statistics, analyzing a database workload, sampling, analyzing an execution plan, creating indexes.
US08688627B2
Generally described, the present invention is directed to a network operating system that provides more effective ways of leveraging the connectivity of computer networks. In one embodiment, an XML virtual machine is implemented that accepts high-level application code written in an XML programming language as input. Functionality is provided to interpret or translate the application code written in an XML programming language into code that is suitable for execution across computer platforms. Moreover, the XML virtual machine supports the Model View Controller (MVC) design paradigm that facilitates true data abstraction from applications to a common data model. Multi-instance applications, with each instance potentially supporting multiple views, may be created and executed.
US08688619B1
Methods, apparatus, and computer software product for making a decision based on the semantics of formal logic are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, two custom computing apparatuses are used to resolve the satisfiability of a logical formula and provide an example. In this embodiment, the two custom computing apparatuses operate in concert to explore the space of possible satisfying examples. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.
US08688613B2
Systems and methods for storing a transaction history with respect to a business entity, and an incentive regarding a business entity, previously offered to an account. A desired transaction involving a holder of the account and the business entity may be generated based on the transaction history and a metric. An incentive may be generated based on an artificial intelligence program (AIP), the transaction history, and the metric. The desired transaction and the incentive may be transmitted for presentation to a holder of the account.
US08688611B2
Paralinguistic indicators are translated at a paralinguistic translation server by receiving from a source a first set of data related to a first paralinguistic indicator that is configured to enable non-verbal communications between a source and a destination. The source is one of an instant messaging system and a virtual world system and the destination is one of the textual instant messaging system and a virtual world system but differs from the source. The first set of data related to the first paralinguistic indicator is translated into a second set of data related to a second paralinguistic indicator, such that the second paralinguistic indicator that is at least partially synonymous to the non-verbal communications associated with the first paralinguistic indicator. The second set of data related to the second paralinguistic indicator is transmitted to the destination.
US08688608B2
A method for determining correctness of a transformation between a first finite state automaton (FSA) and a second FSA, wherein the first FSA comprises a representation of a regular expression, and the second FSA comprises a transformation of the first FSA includes determining a third FSA, the third FSA comprising a cross product of the second FSA and a post-processor; determining whether the first FSA and the third FSA are equivalent; and in the event that the first FSA is determined not to be equivalent to the third FSA, determining that the transformation between the first FSA and the second FSA is not correct.
US08688600B2
A method and system for provides a user with an ability to capture a sample of an experiential environment and deliver that sample to an interactive service to trigger one or more predetermined events. In exemplary embodiments of the invention such triggered events include the delivery of information and services to the user, the execution of tasks and instructions by the service on the user's behalf, communication events; surveillance events and other control-oriented events that are responsive to the user's wishes. In other exemplary embodiments of the invention, the triggered events include transaction-oriented events, entertainment events, and events associated with enhancements to human ability or function.
US08688596B2
A project management and activity recording system defines project tasks, project positions, and assigns personnel to the project positions. As the assigned personnel perform project tasks from a remote location, they may periodically record their activities in the project software. The recorded activity information is used to update the project to keep records such as time, cost, expenses, and task completion current, even when offsite personnel or contractors are used. A reporting user interface may be selected based on the reporting device, and data entry may be performed by updating historical or default values.
US08688595B2
A system and method for measuring or at least detecting the effect of at least implicit communication on transactions within a social group, optionally such as consumer purchases for example. The group may optionally comprise a social network, a pair, 3 or more individuals and so forth. By “implicit communication” it is meant communication for which there is no record, for example in a database. The aftereffects of such communication may optionally be determined, detected and/or measured through detection and/or measurement of influence, as described in greater detail below. For example, if a first consumer performs purchase of an item and a second consumer later purchases the same or similar item within a given time period, the two purchases may optionally be linked through influence which may in turn have optionally occurred through implicit communication. Optionally, the system and method may also measure or at least detect the effect of explicit communication, for which there is a record, for example in a database that describes the communication itself.
US08688573B1
Cash transaction entry data indicating a consumer has conducted a cash transaction with an unidentified merchant payee is obtained and geo-location data associated with the cash transaction data is used identify potential merchant payees of the cash transaction. If more than one potential merchant payee is identified, data representing the potential merchant payees is analyzed using historical financial transaction data associated with the consumer, and/or products or services and operations data associated with the potential merchant payees, and/or historical financial transaction data associated with a community of consumers, including consumers other than the consumer, to generate a potential merchant payee probability score for each of the potential merchant payees. The potential merchant payee probability score for each of the potential merchant payees is then used to generate a prioritized potential merchant payee list for the cash transaction that includes at least one of the potential merchant payees.
US08688571B2
Method and systems of registering participants for an event at an event site are disclosed. Identification data specific to a participant encoded on a first token object is read with a mobile computing device. A query is generated from the mobile computing device to a remote event registration system for prior registration data based upon at least a subset of the received identification data. The prior registration data is received on the mobile computing device. A first subset of the prior registration data is transmitted to a local event registration system, and a payment success indicator is received upon successful payment processing. Registrant identification data is generated by the local event registration system in response to recording the first subset of the prior registration data and the payment success indicator.
US08688566B2
A system for managing trading orders comprises a memory operable to store an order associated with a first price. The system further comprises a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and operable to identify a latency value. The processor is further operable to receive a counterorder and to identify a potential trade associated with the order and the counterorder, the potential trade based at least in part on the first price. If the latency value satisfies a configurable condition, the processor is further operable to initiate a configurable period of time. If the potential trade is not valid upon expiration of the configurable period, the processor is further operable to prevent the execution of the potential trade.
US08688560B2
A process for allocating specific assets from a pool of assets to secure a liability. Information concerning each of the assets in the pool of assets is received from at least two sources. A set of validation rules is applied to the information for each asset in the pool of assets and those assets which do not meet the validation rules are rejected. A price is assigned to each non-rejected asset. A subset of the non-rejected assets is allocated to the liability as a function to collateralize the liability.
US08688558B2
Providing computer-based systems and methods for analyzing historical performance of financial securities and identifying trades in those securities based on the securities' current position as compared to this historical performance. These computer-based systems and computer-implemented methods include identifying stock pairs to include in a trading portfolio, based on a measure of the pair's relative performance, such as a modified Sharpe Ratio. The value of the stocks in each stock pair in the portfolio is assessed and deviations determined. This assessment can occur daily or at a longer or shorter time step. Stocks are bought or sold based on the current price of the stock as compared to historical performance. The present invention preferably employs a large number of stock pairs in the trading portfolio. This use of a large number of pairs results in a plurality of stocks being in more than one stock pair.
US08688555B2
It is an object of the present invention to enable a buyer to collectively manage information related to a variety of commercial transactions performed by the buyer as well as to the settlements for these transactions. The calendar server 25 supplies a calendar screen to a buyer system 3 that is used by the buyer 1. This calendar screen has electronic invoices addressed to the buyer 1, which are issued by the supplier system 7, and electronic deposit/withdrawal detailed statement of the buyer's deposit account, which are issued by a banking system 13, pasted in the spaces for the relevant dates. When the buyer 1 selects an arbitrary invoice on this calendar screen and inputs his or her approval of this invoice, an account transfer telegraphic message for payment of this invoice is automatically sent to the banking system 13. The calendar server 25 manages the status of each invoice (“opened”, “payment request in progress”, “paid”), and notifies the supplier system 7 and banking system 13 of this invoice status. The calendar server 25 also supplements news such as advertisements which are sent by the supplier system 7 and banking system 13, and so forth, selects news following the buyer's consumption trends, and pastes this news in the spaces on the calendar screen which pertain to dates that slightly precede dates on which buyer consumption other forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
US08688550B1
A method and apparatus for automatically managing investment portfolios to substantially track a selected index and to automatically harvest tax losses is disclosed. Preferably, the system comprises an accounting system for maintaining tax lot information for individual accounts, an optimization system for rebalancing each account to substantially model the index and for harvesting tax losses, and a trading system for executing trades. Each investor owns the securities in his account, and therefore, harvested losses can be used to offset capital gains. The period between successive optimization procedures is selected to avoid application of the internal revenue service wash sale rules.
US08688549B2
Data validation techniques are provided. For example, such techniques complement user entries associated with events of interest through context. In one aspect of the invention, a technique for processing one or more user entries associated with one or more events of interest includes the following steps/operations. Context associated with the one or more events of interest is obtained. At least a portion of the obtained context is associated with one or more user entries representing events of interest. At least a portion of the one or more user entries is evaluated, responsive to at least a portion of the context. An indication of the one or more events of interest is provided, responsive to the evaluation.
US08688542B2
Method and system to manage a bid tracking database are disclosed herein. At least one bid record is received at an interface, the at least one bid record comprising a bid price, a bid timestamp, and a bid item identifier. Receiving at least one auction record at the interface, the at least one auction record comprising a winning price, an end timestamp, and an auction item identifier corresponding to the bid item identifier. Maintaining the at least one bid record and the at least one auction record in a memory. Determining whether the bid price matches or exceeds the winning price and whether the bid timestamp matches the end timestamp. When the determination is affirmative, writing the bid record to the bid tracking database maintained in the memory.
US08688541B1
A data representation of auctions in an online auction system and a bidding history associated with the auctions and the online auction system are maintained in a computer system for multiple users. A set of the users to whom to promote a selected auction is determined based at least in part on the bidding history. A message that promotes the selected auction is sent to each respective one of the set of the users. The message includes a control configured to open a web page that facilitates bidding in the selected auction through the online auction system.
US08688537B2
Embodiments for maintaining a company profile of a company associated with a supplier/buyer commerce network are disclosed. One method includes collecting activity information of the company. The collecting includes monitoring a plurality of databases that each maintains activity information associated with the company, assigning a unique identification for the company across the plurality of databases, exporting the activity information associated with the company from each of the plurality of databases, and aggregating the activity information. The method further includes updating the company profile with the aggregated activity information of the company.
US08688533B2
A novel online auction system in which both sellers and buyers are compelled to bid their “true value”. Potential buyers solicit desired items or services and submit sealed bids. A demand curve is created based on buyer bids, and a potential seller can use the curve to create its own sealed bid. A winning seller is determined, however the system uses the bid of the second-lowest bidding seller to establish the ultimate group of winning buyers and sale price. Winning sellers can choose lower prices to capture higher sale quantities. Second or multiple transactions can be implemented from a single bid, if included in the winning set of bids.
US08688526B2
A method and system for conducting an online payment transaction through a point of sale device. The method includes receiving input from a user selecting an item for purchase through the point of sale device; calculating a total purchase amount for the item in response to a request from the user to purchase the item; and sending payment authorization for the total purchase amount from the point of sale device to a payment entity, in which the payment authorization is sent to the payment entity via a mobile communication device of the user. The method further includes receiving a result of the payment authorization from the payment entity through the mobile communication device; and completing the payment transaction based on the result of the payment authorization.
US08688514B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for content presentation. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a request for an ad to be presented to a user; for a collection of ads, identifying one or more candidate ads including using image keywords derived from images associated with the user to identify the one or more candidate ads; selecting an ad responsive to the ad request from the candidate ads; and sending the selected ad for presentation to the user.
US08688513B2
A user of a communications network is provided with limited access rights to one or more restricted access communications network sites that are partnered with a base entity, which can have an associated base communications network site, if the user utilizes communications network access capabilities associated with the base entity to access the partner sites.
US08688507B2
A system for determining lack of compliance of a transactional entity with an enterprise policy by maintaining an historical record of the entity as changes are made over time. The system allows establishment, codification, and maintenance of enterprise policies, monitors electronic transactions of the enterprise from various data sources, detects exceptions to established policies, reports exceptions to authorized users such as managers and auditors, and/or provides a case management system for tracking exceptions and their underlying transactions. A master data extractor establishes an initial instance of a transactional entity in a monitoring database. A changed data extractor is responsive to changed data for establishing a subsequent instance of the transactional entity in the monitoring database. A transaction analysis engine applies predetermined policy rules to data in the monitoring database to determine lack of compliance of the initial and subsequent instances of the transactional entity with enterprise policies.
US08688506B2
A method of pricing energy includes determining a price for supplying energy to a consumer over a future term based on at least a forecasted cost of energy and a forecasted energy usage of the consumer. The method further includes automatically determining an updated price for supplying energy based on at least the forecasted energy usage of the consumer used in initially determining the price. The method further includes outputting the updated price for supplying energy.
US08688504B2
A sale of a product or service may trigger a third party, such as a payment provider, to arrange for the collection of individual post-sale market data from the consumer. Alternatively, such post-sale market data may be directly provided by smart devices and the like. Dependent upon the type of product or service involved, a schedule for continuously submitting post-sale market data for the product or service may be provided and the consumer may be encouraged to submit post-sale market data in accordance therewith through a variety of incentives. The received, individual, post-sale market data may be aggregated by one or more sources to determine aggregate post-sale market data for the product or service. The submitted individual data and/or the determined aggregate post-sale market data may then be provided to consumers in order to assist them in making purchasing decisions.
US08688503B2
Utilization of information in a closed loop data system further augments modeling while at the same time enabling customization of offers based on spend patterns. Data mining techniques are leveraged to identify rules to determine higher response rate populations. These rules are referred to herein as “triggers,” in that the presence of particular attributes will trigger a cardholder as being more likely to respond to a particular offer. The benefit yielded by this approach is a greater acceptance rate to an offer provided by a transactional account company. To identify the triggers, records of cardmembers who already utilize a given product are analyzed to determine their spend patterns. The spend histories of customers who are eligible to use the product are analyzed according to the identified triggers. Customers whose spend patterns most closely correspond to the triggers are then targeted with offers for the given product.
US08688494B2
A system and related methods for the management and evaluation of broker price opinions comprising, a method of determining a standardized score representative of the accuracy and quality of a broker price opinion. Data from the broker price opinion is extracted and evaluated according to a plurality of rules applicable to the type of broker price opinion. Each rule is given a particular weight, and an appraisal score may be calculating by summing each instance of a rule triggered multiplied by the weight assigned to that rule. Weights may be set by experts, or determined by statistical analysis.
US08688489B2
A method, system, and computer program product for autonomously rescheduling a future meeting in response to receiving a meeting cancellation notice of a previously scheduled meeting. A meeting rescheduling logic (MRL) of a server receives a cancellation of a scheduled meeting of an identified contact. The MRL may select a highest priority meeting from a plurality of meetings that has been flagged with an auto-move-up status. The MRL determines if all attendees of the selected meeting are available to attend the meeting at the open time slot of the identified contact's calendar. Upon determining that all attendees of the selected meeting are available at the open time slot, the MRL reschedules the selected meeting at the open time slot, and notifies all attendees. Additionally, the MRL may cancel a lower priority meeting of the attendees to accommodate moving a higher priority meeting into the open time slot.
US08688488B2
A method and apparatus for the prediction of order turnaround time in an information verification system is disclosed. An information verification order comprises several and diverse instances of different types of elementary verification/validation/search services. Each of these services is characterized by its own turnaround time (TAT) statistical distribution function which is used in the prediction of order turnaround time. A Monte Carlo algorithm is used to determine the order turnaround time.
US08688476B2
A method for displaying correlated data of a patient includes receiving, using a hardware processor, incoming lab test data at a central server. The incoming lab test data includes a plurality of different original formats and is stored on the central server in the original formats received. The lab test data is then converted into a unified format to obtain unified format lab test data. The unified format lab test data is then correlated, using the hardware processor, based on a healthcare identification code to obtain correlated data and is displayed as a single document.
US08688471B2
System, apparatuses and methods for treating specialty care surgical-medical patients (10) who are medically-stable. A specialty care surgical-medical hospital-clinic (40) is sited on a quasi-sovereign geographic area, including federally-recognized American Indian/Alaskan Native tribal nations. Surgical-medical treatments by provider group (42) who are citizens of countries worldwide. Transportation (30) of patients to hospital-clinic (40) by non-emergency vehicles. Treatment of patients (10) maximized via surgical-medical expertise from other hospital-clinics (60) provided via information technology systems (50) connected by global wide-area network linkages (62).
US08688466B2
Systems and methods for aggregating available healthcare appointment times across multiple unaffiliated practitioner groups, including search and display algorithms. A centralized marketplace is provided for real time booking of healthcare appointments which does not require the patient to have a preexisting relationship with the practitioner. The aggregated booking system enhances the number of available near term and conveniently located appointment options while the search and display algorithms reduce the complexity of the patient and practitioner information required to maintain accurate and synchronized database booking records.
US08688462B2
A network based distribution system and method is disclosed for automatically exchanging playable media items, such as movies in a digital format. The automatic exchange system includes a number of components that interoperate to improve a subscriber's experience, including an intelligent queue monitor which works on his/her behalf to identify potential items of interest for the subscriber. The system can thus automatically exchange for desirable tides, including other titles from other subscribers, under a set of programmed directives from the user, and/or in response to supply/demand requirements of other subscribers.
US08688459B2
A method provides a display area of a computer system for displaying a set of data. The data includes clinical data for one or more medical patients. The method provides multiple controls for performing multiple functions. The method provides an audio interface for controlling at least one of the controls through audio commands.
US08688452B2
A computer-implemented method for dynamically generating a speech recognition grammar is provided. The method includes determining a target entry, and accessing a plurality of potential distracters. The method also includes selecting one or more distracters from the plurality of potential distracters. More particularly, each potential distracter selected is selected based upon an assessed acoustic dissimilarity between the distracter and the target entry. The method further includes dynamically generating a speech recognition grammar that includes the target entry and one or more of the distracters selected based upon an acoustic dissimilarity to the target entry.
US08688448B2
The invention relates to a method, a computer program product, a segmentation system and a user interface for structuring an unstructured text by making use of statistical models trained on annotated training data. The method performs text segmentation into text sections and assigns labels to text sections as section headings. The performed segmentation and assignment is provided to a user for general review. Additionally, alternative segmentations and label assignments are provided to the user being capable to select alternative segmentations and alternative labels as well as to enter a user defined segmentation and user defined label. In response to the modifications introduced by the user, a plurality of different actions are initiated incorporating the re-segmentation and re-labeling of successive parts of the document or the entire document.
US08688443B2
In one or more embodiments, one or more methods and/or systems described can perform producing a lattice of object hypotheses based on multiple reference objects from image information; receiving input speech information that includes a request for information associated with at least one reference object of the multiple reference objects; producing a lattice of speech hypotheses based on at least a first possible description included in the speech information; producing a lattice of scored semantic hypotheses based on at least the lattice of object hypotheses and the lattice of speech hypotheses; determining that a single semantic interpretation score of the lattice of scored semantic hypotheses exceeds a predetermined value; and providing requested information associated with the at least the first reference object of the plurality of reference objects.
US08688442B2
An audio decoding apparatus comprises: a plurality of decoding units; a band replicating unit which processes a decoded signal obtained when a corresponding decoding unit decodes a coded signal, according to a scheme specified by transmitted information; and an information transmitting unit which transmits, to a signal processing unit, information identifying the corresponding decoding unit from among the plurality of decoding units.
US08688439B2
A high quality speech is reproduced with a small data amount in speech coding and decoding for performing compression coding and decoding of a speech signal to a digital signal. Ina speech coding method according to a code-excited linear prediction (CELP) speech coding, a noise level of a speech in a concerning coding period is evaluated by using a code or coding result of at least one of spectrum information, power information, and pitch information, and various excitation code books are used based on an evaluation result.
US08688438B2
A speech processing system includes a plurality of signal analyzers that extract salient signal attributes of an input voice signal. A difference module computes the differences in the salient signal attributes. One or more control modules control a plurality of speech generators using an output signal from the difference module in a speech-locked loop (SLL), the speech generators use the output signal to generate a voice signal.
US08688436B1
A memory system for storing and retrieving experience and knowledge with natural language through methods and apparatus is disclosed. The primary components of this memory system include syntactic processes, function word processes, ellipsis processes, morphology processes, meaning word sense number processes, purpose identification processes, plausibility and expectedness processes, communication processes, context storage processes, and text generation processes. The function word processes select and evaluate functions associated with function words. A word sense number is an address to the meaning of a word. Word sense numbers are selected to be consistent with the context and stored experience and knowledge. Experience and knowledge are stored as nodes with access conditions and with associated clause implying word sense numbers organized into paths in a directed graph. A path has an associated purpose relation which is any concept that labels the path. Text generation processes generate natural language text from word sense numbers.
US08688431B2
A detachable audio device structured to be coupled to an interface port of a computer system simulates the coupling and uncoupling of an audio controller to trigger an operating system being executed by a processing device of the computer system to select between an audio driver for that same audio controller and another audio driver for a different audio controller to which the processing device of the computer system has access, thus triggering a selection between causing audio played by the computer system to be acoustically output through either an acoustic driver to which the detachable audio device relays the audio or another acoustic driver associated with the other audio controller to which the processing device of the computer system has access.
US08688427B2
The present invention provides enzyme catalysts for Diels-Alder reactions, including intermolecular Diels-Alder reactions, as well as protein scaffolds for making such enzyme catalysts. In other aspects, the invention provides methods of making the enzyme catalysts, including by de novo computational design. The present invention thereby provides enzyme catalysts capable of catalyzing a desired Diels-Alder reaction, including with a specified or desired stereo-selectivity.
US08688422B2
An automated three-dimensional and related data access system, said system comprising manipulating means for virtually manipulating, testing, and controlling the three-dimensional and related data. A system for controlling and adjusting three-dimensional and related data, said system comprising manipulating means for virtually manipulating, testing, and controlling the threedimensional and related data.
US08688419B2
The present invention relates to a method for predicting the reliability of an aircraft system (S) onboard an aircraft, constituted by a plurality of elements. The operation of the aircraft is constituted by a sequence of cycles, each cycle comprising a flight phase and a ground station phase. The method of reliability prediction allows in particular calculation of the breakdown probability of the aircraft system at each cycle of operation of the aircraft. The present invention can also estimate the rate of operational interruption of this system.
US08688416B2
Contemplated methods and devices for coagulation control allow to establish a more constant dosage of required medication and to quantify/take into account patient-specific sensitivity to warfarin and Vitamin K by using logit (1/INR) as the dependent variable to so stabilize the variance across all values of INR. Moreover, it should be noted that such use simplifies the relation between INR and dose of coumarins or Vitamin K and reduces the number of parameters to be estimated for each patient.
US08688392B2
An improved system and method for testing a sensor of a portable electronic device based on expected sensor data and not timing information. The system and method for testing a sensor of a portable electronic device retrieves sensed data from the portable electronic device (i.e. device under test) after the device has traversed a series of test areas or zones. The sensed data is compared against a set of expected sensor data patterns to determine which components of the sensed data correspond to each test area or zone. The sensor of the portable electronic device may be tested based on an association of the test areas or zones with segments of the sensed data.
US08688390B2
A means for determining the electrical resistance and resistivity of thermoelectric material allows quality control at all steps in the construction of a bismuth telluride and antimony telluride thermoelectric generator. The method involves measuring negative thermoelectric voltage with no current flowing and then a measure of negative thermoelectric voltage while forcing known current through the material in the same direction as shorted to accurately determine thermoelectric resistance. A manual and automatic method of manufacturing thermoelectric rings using forcing current for in-process testing means.
US08688382B2
Disclosed is a method for estimating downhole lateral vibrations a drill tubular disposed in a borehole penetrating the earth or a component coupled to the drill tubular. The method includes rotating the drill tubular to drill the first borehole and performing a plurality of measurements in a time window of one or more parameters of the drill tubular at or above a surface of the earth during the rotating using a sensor. The method further includes estimating the downhole lateral vibrations using a processor that receives the plurality of measurements.
US08688381B2
Method for simultaneous full-wavefield inversion of gathers of source (or receiver) encoded (30) geophysical data (80) to determine a physical properties model (20) for a subsurface region, especially suitable for surveys where fixed-receiver geometry conditions were not satisfied in the data acquisition (40). The inversion involves optimization of a cross-correlation objective function (100).
US08688372B2
A computer determines an optimal route to a destination. The computer identifies the present position of a navigation device with a user selecting a destination. The computer acquires current information comprising road, business hour, traffic congestion patterns, a plurality of conveyance modes, and time buffer information relative to the present position and the selected destination to store in the memory. A route identification unit identifies, from the acquired current information, an optimal route from the current position to the selected destination. The computer stores the acquired information in the memory of the navigation device and identifies an optimal route from the current position to the selected destination.
US08688370B2
Disclosed is an information display method whereby an information processing apparatus displays a map on a display screen such that a cursor is displayed at a position measured as the current position of a position indication object on the map. The method includes the steps of, when the moving speed of the position indication object is equal to or less than a threshold speed, scrolling the map on the display screen in accordance with the movement of the position indication object in a first display mode, and when the moving speed of the position indication object is greater than the threshold speed, fixing the map on the display screen in a second display mode or reducing the speed of scrolling the map on the display screen so that the scrolling speed is less than that in the first display mode.
US08688365B2
A method and system prevents accidental direction selection in a motor vehicle. The driver of the vehicle is alerted that the selected direction of the vehicle via the gear shift is opposite of the direction that the driver intends for the vehicle to move. The selected direction of the vehicle by the driver is initially detected. The invention then detects the driver's physical position and any objects in the immediate area surrounding the vehicle. Based on the information gathered from these detections, there is determination made regarding the vehicle direction selected by the driver. If the determination is the likelihood of an accident/collision if the vehicle moves in the selected direction, the present invention will alert the driver. In addition, an embodiment of the present invention may also include the ability to disable the vehicle in order to avoid a collision.
US08688363B2
A system is provided for controlling the speed of an aircraft during a deceleration segment between a first state associated with a first speed and a first time and a second state associated with a second speed and a second time. The system includes a navigation system configured to determine the first state; a guidance system configured to determine the second state; and an active deceleration system coupled to the navigation system and the guidance system and configured to construct the deceleration segment between the first state and the second state with at least one intermediate speed between the first speed and the second speed.
US08688354B2
A fuel injection control apparatus of the invention includes: a temperature acquisition portion that estimates the present temperature of a catalyst and the convergence temperature of the catalyst; an increase value calculation portion that calculates a base OT increase value that is an increase value for the fuel injection amount that a fuel injection valve provided in an internal combustion engine needs to inject, on the basis of the present temperature and the convergence temperature of the catalyst estimated by the temperature acquisition portion; a correction portion that calculates an OT increase correction-reflected value by correcting the base OT increase value on the basis of the present temperature and the convergence temperature if the present temperature is lower than the convergence temperature; and an increase value determination portion that selects one of the base OT increase value and the OT increase correction-reflected value as the OT increase value for the fuel injection amount that the fuel injection valve needs to inject, on the basis of the base OT increase value and the OT increase correction-reflected value.
US08688352B2
A method for automatically controlling an internal combustion engine, in which an axial displacement (s(t)) and an angle of rotation (w(t)) of a gas-exchange valve are measured during a valve stroke. A displacement deviation is computed from the displacement (s(t)) relative to a reference valve, and an angle of rotation deviation is computed from an initial value and an end value of the angle or rotation. The further operation of the internal combustion engine is set on the basis of the displacement deviation and the angle of rotation deviation.
US08688348B2
In a method for setting a wheel torque in a vehicle, a setpoint value for a slip-adhesion coefficient gradient for one wheel of one vehicle axle is ascertained, and the wheel torque is set in such a way that the actual value of the gradient is approximated to the setpoint value.
US08688347B2
Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method of adjusting a clearance of an electronic brake, in which a clearance between a pad and a rotor is appropriately adjusted according to a vehicle traveling situation. If the entry condition of a clearance adjustment section during stoppage is satisfied, clearance adjustment is performed to move pads of an electronic brake away from a rotor by a rearward-movement adjustment distance during stoppage, enabling rapid braking-release so as not to prevent a driver from starting a vehicle due to brake failure. In addition, if the entry condition of a clearance adjustment section during traveling is satisfied, clearance adjustment is performed to move the pads forward or rearward according to a wheel slip value. The clearance adjustment during traveling is limited to the case of straight traveling, to prevent misjudgment due to wheel slip caused during cornering.
US08688346B2
An electric motor includes one or more separate coil sets arranged to produce a magnetic field of the motor. The electric motor also includes a plurality of control devices coupled to respective sub-sets of coils for current control. A similar arrangement is proposed for a generator. A coil mounting system for an electric motor or generator includes one or more coil teeth for windably receiving a coil for the motor and a back portion for attachably receiving a plurality of the coil teeth. A traction control system and method for a vehicle having a plurality of wheels independently powered by a respective motor. A suspension control system and method for a vehicle having a plurality of wheels, each wheel being mounted on a suspension arm of the vehicle and being independently powered by a respective motor.
US08688340B2
An apparatus for supplementing a brake vacuum pressure may include an engine control unit (ECU) that generates a vacuum pressure control signal for supplementing the brake vacuum pressure in accordance with the result of determining whether the brake vacuum pressure is included in a reference vacuum pressure range after a vehicle implements an ISG process, a sub-oil pump that is operated in accordance with a control signal from the ECU to supply hydraulic pressure to the inside of an automatic transmission after the vehicle implements the ISG process, a vacuum pump that generates and supplies the brake vacuum pressure to a brake system, and an electronic clutch that selectively couples the sub-oil pump and the vacuum pump to allow driving force of the sub-oil pump to be transmitted to the vacuum pump or to be cut, in accordance with whether the vacuum pressure control signal is sent thereto.
US08688337B2
A driving force control device for controlling engine torque generated by an internal combustion engine mounted on a vehicle and the engine revolution speed of the internal combustion engine based on the operation amount of driving force request operation on the vehicle to control the driving force of the vehicle is characterized by executing revolution fluctuation suppression control that suppresses fluctuations in engine revolution speeds when the operating point of the internal combustion engine in accordance with the engine torque and the engine revolution speed is within an optimum fuel economy range being a region set with a specified hysteresis width relative to an optimum fuel economy line of the internal combustion engine; accordingly, it is possible to improve the efficiency of the whole driving system.
US08688336B2
A system for controlling power downshifts of a transmission includes a flare generation module, a flare control module, and a shift control module. The flare generation module generates turbine speed flare by decreasing pressure applied to an off-going clutch of the transmission. The flare control module decreases the turbine speed flare by increasing the pressure applied to the off-going clutch of the transmission. The shift control module increases a pressure applied to an on-coming clutch of the transmission when the turbine speed flare is less than a predetermined amount from a desired turbine speed flare.
US08688334B2
Systems, methods, and devices for controlling an industrial machine. The industrial machine includes, for example, a dipper, a boom, a hoist motor, a crowd motor, one or more operator control devices, and a controller. The control devices are configured to be manually controllable by an operator of the industrial machine. The controller receives an output signal associated with a desired movement of the dipper, receives a signal associated with a hoist motor characteristic, and receives a signal associated with a crowd motor characteristic. The controller determines a present position of the dipper with respect to a boom profile, determines a first future position of the dipper with respect to the boom profile and based on the output signal from the operator control devices, and automatically controls a movement of the dipper with respect to the boom profile when the first future position of the dipper approximately corresponds to a boom profile limit.
US08688331B2
In an example embodiment, a system for providing a height change command for an implement, comprises a height control module configured to interact with a computer, and configured to receive topographical data, provide a virtual field map based on said topographical data, provide a forward view polygon for an implement based on said virtual field map, and provide a height change command for said implement based on said forward view polygon and an implement control unit configured to receive said height change command and control movement of said implement.
US08688329B2
An automatic hatch system is disclosed. The system includes a hatch frame and a hatch cover connected thereto. A pneumatic actuator assembly is connected to the hatch frame and the hatch cover. The system also includes an automated member for controlling the pneumatic actuator assembly to open, close or adjust the opening of the hatch. The automated member for controlling the pneumatic actuator includes a compressor assembly, a valve assembly, and a controller assembly.
US08688319B2
The invention involves a procedure for adaptive configuration recognition after the run-up of a control device with or without configuration storage, which performs an automatic and operator-assisted, optimal configuration of the operating software of a motor vehicle.In a first variant, a central control device, after its run-up, receives at the earliest possible time, as a rule after activation of the ignition, identifying information from other components connected directly or indirectly to the central control device by data link. Upon receipt of the identifying information of a component, the central control device assumes that this component is present. Otherwise it assumes that it is not present. An additional configuration memory area is envisioned in a second variant in which the central control device, after the first receipt of the identifying information of a component, stores either the information, the associated software parts, or the software configuration resulting from the total of the recognized components. In this way, the appropriate software configuration can be quickly made available upon the new start of the vehicle with an unchanged hardware configuration. Furthermore, the procedure facilitates a guarantee that no error reports will be generated about components that are not present.
US08688317B2
A method for diagnosing operating condition of a device for cutting off and connecting a high-voltage bipolar battery from/to a bipolar onboard power network of a motor vehicle. The device includes a first power relay between a first terminal of the battery and a first terminal of the network, a second power relay between a second terminal of the battery and a second terminal of the network, and a serial arrangement of a third precharge relay and a precharge resistor, connected in parallel to the first power relay. The method: measures two voltages of the cutoff/connection device; compares the measured voltages with predetermined voltage values representing faults of the cutoff/connection device; and diagnoses a fault of a relay used on the result of the comparison.
US08688312B2
A driving assistance system for vehicle obtains short-duration data representing a present traveling condition and driving operation and intermediate-duration data representing a traveling condition and driving operation of that day. A drive diagnosis is carried out by comparing a distribution of the short-duration data and a distribution of the intermediate-date, and a drive diagnosis result is evaluated with two evaluation criteria so as to provide an alarm or an operation improvement suggestion.
US08688303B2
Method for controlling a vehicle that includes a support, at least one wheel, a platform coupled to the at least one wheel, a coupling structure having a support portion coupled to the support and a platform portion coupled to the platform that allows the support portion to move or slide fore and aft with respect to the platform portion, an actuator coupled to the coupling structure to control the position of the support portion relative to the platform portion, a drive coupled to the at least one wheel to deliver power to the at least one wheel to propel the vehicle and maintain the platform level, and a controller coupled to the drive to control the drive and coupled to the actuator to control the actuator.
US08688297B2
Methods and systems for continually measuring the length of a train operating in a positive train control environment are provided. Particularly, the methods and systems provided herein equate repetitive line of sight ranging measurements from the head end to the rear end of a train with the physically draped length of the train along a mapped track with various horizontal and vertical curvature characteristics.
US08688289B2
A method and system for maximizing a quality of service (“QoS”) level in a portable computing device (“PCD”) by preempting the generation of thermal energy in excess of a threshold are disclosed. The method includes receiving a workload request for a processing component within the PCD. A processing component is selected for allocation of the workload based on thermal factors associated with the processing component. Thermal factors may comprise data indicative of real-time thermal energy generation near the processing component, predictive data derived from known characteristics of heat producing components that are physically proximate to the processing component, queued workload burdens for the processing component, etc. A processing component is selected for allocation of the workload based on the thermal factors. By leveraging the thermal factors to allocate workloads, thermal generation can be proactively managed such that reliance on reactive thermal mitigation techniques, which negatively impact QoS, can be reduced.
US08688280B2
A spa node comprising a spa controller, a power sense adapter configured to compute power being drawn by selected spa components; a spa network adapter, and a home network adapter, each of the three adapters including a wireless transceiver wherein the spa network adapter is configured to receive power data transmitted over a wireless link by the power sense adapter and to further receive status/performance data from the spa controller. The home network adapter is configured to receive power and status data transmitted by the spa network adapter over a wireless link and to convert that data to a form suitable for transmission to an Internet access point. The home network adapter is further linkable over the Internet to a central server, a dealer computer and a spa owner or user computer.
US08688278B2
Methods for controlling an economizer of an HVAC system are disclosed. An illustrative control method may include positioning one or more controllable dampers in first and second configurations such that a mixed air stream has first and second mixing ratios of incoming outside air to return air. First and second measures related to the temperature of the mixed air stream may be recorded when the dampers are in each of the first and second configurations. Based on the recorded first and second measures, it may be determined whether and/or how much of the incoming outside air to admit into the economizer via the one or more controllable dampers during subsequent operation of the HVAC system.
US08688276B2
There is provided a teaching method for a transfer robot which is capable of quickly performing teaching at high reliability. Relative to a transfer robot which, in a state in which a substrate to be processed in a plurality of processing chambers is supported, transfers the substrate to a predetermined position by turning and telescopic action on the same plane, teaching is made of the transfer actions. At this time, by using at least one detection means that is disposed so as to detect the substrate when the substrate is transferred among the processing chambers, the transfer robot is caused to perform transfer action. At least one index part provided in advance on an operating part of the transfer robot is detected by the detection means. From this detection position, a reference position which serves as an origin of at least one of the turning action and the telescopic action is taught.
US08688272B2
Disclosed herein are a mobile robot system to restrict a traveling region of a robot and to guide the robot to another region, and a method of controlling the same. Only when a remote controller reception module of a beacon senses a signal transmitted from a mobile robot, the sensed result is reported to the mobile robot in the form of a response signal. In addition, the Field-of-View (FOV) of the remote control reception module is restricted by a directivity receiver. Only when the signal transmitted from the mobile robot is sensed within the restricted FOV, the sensed result is reported to the mobile robot.
US08688270B2
A device for controlling the reflection of incident beams to influence navigation of an autonomous device having a navigation sensor comprising a beam emitter and a beam detector for detecting reflected emitted beams. The device comprises at least one surface having a geometry configured to direct a reflection from the emitted beam in a predetermined direction so that a suitable amount of the reflected beam can be detected by the detector.
US08688264B2
A method of distributing objects, having a random distribution of weights, according to their weights. In the method, the presence of one of the objects is detected, the detected object is grasped by a robot, and the object grasped is weighed by a sensor. The weight measured is associated with the object and stored. The process is repeated for the objects. The weight distribution obtained from the weights measured is used in filling containers with objects so that containers are optimally filled.
US08688263B2
The present invention discloses a method and a system for inserting documents (32) in an automated manner into load supports, in particular into containers (30), which are transported by means of a conveyor (26) in an order-picking system (10), comprising: a document guiding device (40) for storing one, preferably single, document (32), and for mechanically guiding same to an assigned load support, which passes the document insertion apparatus (12;12′) by means of the conveyor (26) in an automated manner such that the document (32) can be moved actively into the assigned load support, wherein the document guiding device (40) comprises receiving members (42, 44; 90) which are arranged substantially oppositely horizontal and are mounted movably relative to each other, wherein in a receiving position (FIG. 6A) the receiving members (42, 44; 90) receive the document (32) in a space therebetween.
US08688258B2
A method of controlling a machine tool and other controlled devices, as well as a programmable numerical control (PNC) system, are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method of controlling includes receiving a first part program at a programmable logic controller (PLC), and storing the first part program in a string array library of a memory portion of the PLC. The method further includes communicating information between the PLC and an operator interface regarding the first part program, and providing a first signal from the PLC to a first port so as to cause the first machine tool to be operated in accordance with the first part program. Also, in at least some embodiments, the PNC system allows for control of multiple machine tools and/or other controlled devices, by way of one or more part programs, and/or for editing of a part program while that program is being executed.
US08688252B2
When a controlled device has changed the value of a parameter, the controlled device transmits the result of the change as updated information UPDATE to controllers by multicast, and aside from this, also transmits synchronization data SYNC in each synchronization period by multicast. Upon detecting a reception error of those data, the controller requests, from the controlled device, the information of the parameter which has been changed in one or more synchronization periods including and after the synchronization period subsequent to the last synchronization period in which the controller could normally receive all of the packets, and corrects the parameter value in the controller based on the current value of the changed parameter transmitted from the controlled device in response to the request.
US08688246B2
In a processing apparatus having: moveable parts disposed to form a predetermined processing environment within a processing chamber in which a predetermined processing is performed on an object to be processed; and a control means for controlling the operation of each of the moveable parts, abnormality inclusive of deterioration with time of the moveable parts constituting the processing apparatus is made to be easily judged. There is provided a vibration detection means for detecting the waveforms of vibrations that occur accompanied by the operation of the moveable parts. When control is made from the control means in order to operate any one of the moveable parts, there are obtained event data corresponding to the control and the waveforms of vibrations of all the moveable parts that are operating simultaneously at the time in question. Each time the control corresponding to the event data is selected, or when a waveform of vibration corresponding to another event data of the same kind as that of the above-mentioned event data has been obtained, the change in the waveform is monitored. When the waveform has changed beyond a predetermined range, the processing apparatus is judged to be abnormal.
US08688237B2
An apparatus for monitoring EMG signals of a patient's laryngeal muscles includes an endotracheal tube having an exterior surface and a first location configured to be positioned at the patient's vocal folds. A first electrode is formed on the exterior surface of the endotracheal tube substantially below the first location. A second electrode is formed on the exterior surface of the endotracheal tube substantially above the first location. The first and second electrodes are configured to receive the EMG signals from the laryngeal muscles when the endotracheal tube is placed in a trachea of the patient.
US08688225B2
Techniques for detecting and classifying a posture state of a patient are disclosed, wherein a posture state includes at least one of a posture and/or an activity state related to motion. In one embodiment, one or more signals indicative of at least one of posture and activity state of the patient may be sensed by a sensor. Control logic may be provided to process the one or more sensed signals in a selectable manner. This selectable manner may be based on current posture state data describing a posture state in which the patient has previously been classified. Alternatively or additionally, this current posture state data may describe a posture state transition previously undergone by the patient. The one or more signals that are so processed may then be used to classify a posture state of the patient.
US08688222B2
Methods and systems are disclosed for determining the timing of stimulation applied using a medical device. In embodiments, the medical device filters a received signal to obtain a plurality of band-pass filtered signals, each corresponding to one or more stimulation channels. The medical device then determines the envelopes of these band-pass filtered signals. Next, the medical device determines the stimulation timing (i.e., the pulse times) for the corresponding stimulation channel based on the timing of a particular phase (e.g., a peak, a minimum, etc.) of the envelope. A pulse amplitude for the stimulation channel may then be determined, and stimulation applied using the determined amplitude and pulse time.
US08688221B2
A medical device, programmer, or other computing device may determine values of one or more activity and, in some embodiments, posture metrics for each therapy parameter set used by the medical device to deliver therapy. The metric values for a parameter set are determined based on signals generated by the sensors when that therapy parameter set was in use. Activity metric values may be associated with a postural category in addition to a therapy parameter set, and may indicate the duration and intensity of activity within one or more postural categories resulting from delivery of therapy according to a therapy parameter set. A posture metric for a therapy parameter set may indicate the fraction of time spent by the patient in various postures when the medical device used a therapy parameter set. The metric values may be used to evaluate the efficacy of the therapy parameter sets.
US08688218B2
A lead-connection system includes a lead and a connector. The lead includes a distal end, a proximal end, a plurality of electrodes disposed at the distal end, a plurality of terminals disposed at the proximal end, and a plurality of conductor wires electrically coupling each of the plurality of electrodes to a different one of the plurality of terminals. The connector defines a port for receiving the proximal end of the lead and a plurality of connector contacts. The number of connector contacts is greater than the number of terminals disposed on the proximal end of the lead. When the connector receives the proximal end of the lead, each of the terminals disposed on the proximal end of the lead makes electrical contact with at least one of the connector contacts of the connector and no two terminals make electrical contact with a same one of the connector contacts.
US08688217B2
An implantable pulse generator or external trial stimulator for coupling to a lead with a distal end and a proximal end, the lead comprising at least one terminal disposed at the proximal end. The implantable pulse generator comprises a connector for receiving the proximal end of the lead, the connector having at least one contact, and a sensor configured and arranged for detecting electrical connectivity between the implantable pulse generator or external trial stimulator and the lead, the sensor comprising at least one sensor contact, the sensor contact being configured and arranged for electrically coupling to a terminal of the lead and at least one of the contacts of the connector when the lead is fully inserted in the connector and thereby detecting electrical connectivity between the implantable pulse generator or external trial stimulator and the lead.
US08688216B2
Cardiac electrostimulation energy is delivered to a heart chamber of a subject according to a normal pacing mode using a set of implantable pacing electrodes. When a threshold test for the heart chamber is initiated and a sensing electrode independent from the set of pacing electrodes is unavailable for the heart chamber, cardiac electrostimulation energy is delivered to the subject according to a threshold test mode. The threshold test mode includes sensing a cardiac activity signal from a subject using a set of sensing electrodes that includes an electrode common to the set of pacing electrodes, and changing the electrostimulation energy and sensing a resulting cardiac activity signal using the set of sensing electrodes to determine the optimum electrostimulation energy for capture of the heart chamber.
US08688208B2
The subject disclosure relates to a method and system for visual object categorization. The method and system include receiving human inputs including data corresponding to passive human-brain responses to visualization of images. Computer inputs are also received which include data corresponding to outputs from a computerized vision-based processing of the images. The human and computer inputs are processing so as to yield a categorization for the images as a function of the human and computer inputs.
US08688200B2
Techniques for detecting ischemia and classifying a type of ischemia are described. Electrograms of cardiac activity may be generated using implanted or external electrodes, e.g., electrodes carried on vascular leads within the heart and a housing electrode. In some examples, ischemia is detected and classified as benign or malignant based on whether a change an electrogram metric is detected, or first detected, in an endocardial electrogram or a non-endocardial electrogram. The relative timing of the change in the electrogram metric and a change in heart rate or patient activity may also be considered. In some examples, the system may create a stress test for detecting ischemia by instructing the patient to exercise or increasing the cardiac pacing rate.
US08688199B2
A method of aiding in the diagnosis or prediction of degenerative joint disease in a joint of a patient. The method comprises obtaining a test spectrum of Raman scattered radiation from cartilage tissue in the joint, and analyzing the test spectrum, or one or more regions thereof, to assess whether the test spectrum is consistent with the patient having, or subsequently developing, degenerative joint disease in the joint.
US08688188B2
In aspects of the present disclosure, a no coding blood glucose monitoring unit including a calibration unit is integrated with one or more components of an analyte monitoring system to provide compatibility with in vitro test strip that do not require a calibration code is provided. Also disclosed are methods, systems, devices and kits for providing the same.
US08688185B2
The invention relates to a device and a method for measuring blood, tissue, or skin parameters, in particular the oxygen saturation in blood, by attaching one or more sensors to body parts such as fingers, earlobes, toes, hand, or foot. The invention relates further to a method for the preparation of said device.
US08688184B2
A noninvasive photoplethysmographic sensor platform for mobile animals such as small rodents, namely rats and mice is useful such as in a laboratory research environment. The noninvasive photoplethysmographic sensor platform may be a collar which provides an easily affixed, adjustable attachment mechanism that encircles the animal, such as the neck. The neck of the animal provides several particular advantages as a sensor mounting platform for photoplethysmographic sensors. For pulse oximetry, the neck location will provide significant blood flow under all conditions. For small mammals, such as rats and mice, transmittance pulse oximetry through the neck of the subject remains possible. The neck mounted collar also offers inherent bite resistance to the sensor platform.
US08688181B1
A new class of superconducting compositions, and methods for making and using them are described. These compositions exhibit superconductivity at temperatures in excess of 26° K. and are comprised of transition metal oxides having at least one additional element therein which may create a multivalent state of the transition metal oxide. The composition can be a ceramic-like material having a layer-like crystalline structure, where the structure is distorted having either an oxygen excess or deficiency. An example is RE-AE-TM-O, where RE is a rare earth or rare earth-like element, AE is an alkaline earth element, TM is a transition metal element (such as Cu) and O is oxygen.
US08688178B2
[Problems] A portable mobile apparatus where two magnetism detecting unit and a reduced number of magnets can specify in which of the following four states the housings of the apparatus are: an open state where the housings are opened, a closed state where the housings are closed, a reversed display state where the housings are closed with a display reversed to face the outside, and a 90-degree state where the display is turned 90 degrees in the reversed display state.[Means of Solving Problems] The portable mobile apparatus has a display housing (11), an operation housing (21), a universal hinge (30) that enables both housings (11, 21) to be opened and closed at a connection end and enables the display housing (11) to rotate about an axis (B) that is normal to a display surface (11A) and about an axis (C) that is in parallel with the display surface (11A), a first magnet (12) and a second magnet (13) that are installed at the display housing (11), a first Hall IC (22) and a second Hall IC (23) that are installed at the operation housing (21) so as to correspond to the magnets (12, 13), and state determination unit (35) for determining each of the open/close states of the display housing (11) and the operation housing (21) based on detection information from the Hall ICs (22, 23).
US08688176B2
Components and methods for forming such components with mechanically-bonded plastic are provided. A representative method includes: providing a metal chassis, the chassis having an opening extending through; placing the chassis in a mold; flowing plastic into the mold such that the plastic flows into the opening, the plastic being mechanically bonded to the metal of the chassis to form an integrated metal and plastic component; and removing the integrated metal and plastic component from the mold.
US08688170B2
A device accessible via a wireless service network includes logic to receive digital frames from a wireless communication device, to identify digital frames that are suitable tiles for a digital panorama, to create a digital panorama from the identified frames, and to associate the panorama with one or more locations on a digital map.
US08688167B2
There is provided a mobile telephony device, comprising a mobile station that can be connected to a mobile telephony network by using a SIM card. A multiplexer can be connected to the mobile station, the multiplexer holding several SIM cards. An exemplary multiplexer may comprise a first switching component that is configured such that each one of the SIM cards can be connected to the mobile station. The exemplary multiplexer may comprise a second switching component that is configured to switch off the mobile station while one SIM card is being disconnected from the mobile station and another SIM card is being connected to the mobile station.
US08688164B2
A radio base station (1), which is to be pre-blockaded, transmits a pre-blockade initiate notification to radio base stations (2A-2F) neighboring the radio base station (1). Further, the radio base station (1) reduces the transmission power thereof at a predetermined reduction rate at a initiation time of the pre-blockade. Meanwhile, each of the radio base stations (2A-2F) receives the pre-blockade initiate notification and increases the transmission power at a predetermined increase rate at the initiation time of the pre-blockade, the absolute value of predetermined increase rate being equal to that of the predetermined reduction rate at the radio base station (1).
US08688163B2
Methods and apparatus in a wireless communication system are described for receiving and processing transmit power control commands, where, for example, the response to the transmit power control commands is conditionally decoupled from at least one of a transmit bandwidth parameter, a transport format parameter and a power stepsize limit. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the disclosed subject matter. Therefore, it is to be understood that it should not be used to interpret or limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.
US08688162B1
A method and system for reducing latency by anticipating responsive data communications is described. When the user of a first mobile station receives a message sent from a second mobile station, the user of the first mobile station may responsively reply. If, before the reply is sent, the second mobile station releases its network radio link and goes dormant, the reply may be delayed as the radio link is set up again after the reply is sent. To reduce this latency, the first mobile station may monitor its user's actions and, upon an indication that the user intends to soon reply to the earlier received message, the first mobile station may send a signal into the network which causes the second mobile station to maintain its radio link or to set up a new radio link if it has gone dormant.
US08688160B2
Electronic devices may be provided that contain wireless communication circuitry. The wireless communication circuitry may include radio-frequency transceiver circuitry coupled to antennas. An electronic device may include a baseband processor and other storage and processing circuitry that implements protocol stacks for handling multiple radio access technologies. The storage and processing circuitry may use the transceiver circuitry to convey data using a first radio access technology while periodically interrupting the conveying of the data to monitor a paging channel using a second radio access technology. In performing the paging channel monitoring operations, the storage and processing circuitry may enforce a time limit that ensures that operations using the first radio access technology are not disrupted more than desired.
US08688156B2
A method and apparatus for controlling a link margin are provided. The method includes: receiving, from a second device, a link margin frame including information about the link margin related to a communication link between a first device and the second device; and performing at least one operation selected from among a change in transmission power, a change in a modulation and coding scheme (MCS), beam forming, and a change of the communication link to another frequency band, based on the received link margin frame.
US08688152B2
A messaging method in a system including a wireless network, a routing server, and a plurality of mobile stations. A first mobile station has first communications applications and a first PIN and a second mobile station has second communications applications and a second PIN. The method includes sending an invitation including the first PIN from the first mobile station to the second mobile station using one of the first communications applications, and sending an acceptance including the second PIN from the second mobile station to the first mobile station using one of the second communications applications. The method further includes creating first messages including the second PIN and sending them to the second mobile station through the wireless network, and creating second messages including the first PIN and sending them to the first mobile station through the wireless network. The routing server routes the messages based on the PINs.
US08688139B2
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to concurrently estimating locations for one or more mobile stations and one or more wireless transmitters.
US08688138B2
Methods and apparatuses for location determination in wireless assisted positioning systems. In one aspect of the disclosed method and apparatus, a method to determine a position of a mobile device in a positioning system includes: computing a second estimated position of a mobile device using a first assumed geometric relationship for a location of the mobile device in relation to a navigational transmitter (e.g., a basestation, a pseudolite, or a Satellite Positioning System (SPS) satellite). The first geometric relationship is linearly independent from the altitude of the mobile device (e.g., obtained from an altitude aiding) and a second geometric relationship based on range information (e.g., a range from the mobile device to the navigational transmitter, a pseudorange, an arrival time, or a round trip time) measured with respect to the navigational transmitter. In another embodiment of the disclosed method and apparatus, the method to determine a position of a mobile device in a positioning system includes: determining an estimated clock bias from a strength indicator of a signal transmitted from a navigational transmitter to the mobile device.
US08688135B2
The present invention discloses a method and base station for implementing a carrier aggregation. The method comprises: a base station determines predetermined information, wherein the predetermined information comprises reserved resources for the carrier aggregation and the capability of a user terminal; the base station selects a first carrier resource from the reserved resources according to the capability of the user terminal and selects, for the user terminal, a second carrier resource for bearing data from the resources except the reserved resources; and the base station aggregates the first and second carrier resources. On the premise of reducing the inter-cell interference, the present invention can increase the number of the carriers used by the user terminal to meet the various requirements of a new wireless communication network and guarantee the communication quality of the wireless communication network.
US08688131B2
An RF connection matrix may include first and second carrier-specific RF connection matrix modules. The first carrier-specific RF connection matrix module can be adapted to route a first downlink transmission to one or more remote antenna units for transmission on a first carrier. The second carrier-specific RF connection matrix module can be adapted to route a second downlink transmission to one or more remote antenna units for transmission on a second carrier. Methods for facilitating simulcasting and de-simulcasting may include receiving a signal associated with a sector ID, which signal includes a first downlink transmission for a first carrier and a second downlink transmission for a second carrier. The first downlink transmission can be routed to one or more remote antenna units for transmission on the first carrier. The second downlink transmission can be routed to one or more remote antenna units for transmission on the second carrier.
US08688123B2
A method for transmitting a mobility state is provided in the present invention, the method includes: when an source evolved NodeB (eNB) performs a handover of a user equipment (UE) in a connectivity state, it sends the UE historical information to a target eNB; the target eNB decides a mobility state of the UE according to the UE historical information. Alternatively, when the source eNB performs a handover of the UE in a connectivity state, it decides the mobility state of the UE according to the UE historical information, sets the corresponding mobility state instruction information and sends it to the target eNB; the target eNB acquires the mobility state corresponding to the UE according to the received mobility state instruction information. A system for transmitting a mobility state is also provided in the present invention.
US08688122B2
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to wireless communications and techniques for determining a power save duration for an out of service subscription based, at least in part, on a detected mobility status change of a mobile device. Aspects generally include a mobile device, that shares a single radio resource for establishing connections with a first and second subscription, using a detected mobility status change to determine a power saving duration for an out of service subscription.
US08688111B2
A method includes receiving, at a first distributed mobile architecture (DMA) system, a call from a first mobile subscriber to a second mobile subscriber and determining whether the second mobile subscriber is registered with one of the first DMA system and a second DMA system based on information stored at an authentication, authorization, and accounting module. The information stored at the AAA module includes a first home location register storing information associated with mobile subscribers registered with the first DMA system and a first community location register storing information associated with a second HLR of the second DMA system.
US08688101B1
A network controller including processing circuitry may be configured to receive dynamic position information indicative of a three dimensional position of at least one mobile communication node, compare fixed position information indicative of fixed geographic locations of respective access points of a network to the dynamic position information to determine a relative position of the at least one mobile communication node relative to at least one of the access points based on the fixed position information and the dynamic position information, and provide network control instructions to at least one network asset based on the relative position.
US08688097B2
A method and apparatus for reconfiguring an operational frequency and associated bandwidth used by a femto-cell base station are disclosed. The femto-cell is configured to provide coverage to a User Equipment by connecting to a core telecommunications network via a gateway device. The method includes checking a list of frequencies and associated bandwidths available to a wireless network interface of the femto-cell base station and determining if any of the frequencies in the list matches the operational frequency supported by the User Equipment to which the femto-cell base station is providing coverage. If at least one frequency matches the one supported by the User Equipment, a second frequency is selected from the list of frequencies, said second frequency being established as the operational frequency of the femto-cell base station.
US08688083B2
A method includes providing advertisement data to a mobile device, receiving an input associated with the mobile device based on the advertisement data, and providing a credit based on the input. The input may be based on at least one of a location of the mobile device, a messaging communication initiated using the mobile device, an entry in an information management application, and a transaction executed using the mobile device.
US08688076B2
The subject innovation relates to a subscriber identifier for subscriber authentication in a mobile telecommunications network. The subscriber identifier comprises a memory device that contains a first subscription data record for subscriber authentication in a first mobile telecommunications network. The memory device further contains a second subscription data record for subscriber authentication in a second mobile telecommunications network. Based on an available mobile telecommunications network, one of the contained subscription data records being usable for subscriber authentication in each case.
US08688070B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for location-based emergency information. A current geographic location of a device is determined. One or more first contact information items based on the determined geographic location are received at the device. The first contact information items include one or more contact information items associated with emergency services.
US08688068B2
A system and method for temporarily reconfiguring a communications system to provide selected services are provided. A method for temporarily providing selected services by a cell of a communications system includes receiving a first command, changing an operating mode of the cell responsive to the first command, and indicating the operating mode to a first selected device and a first non-selected device. The cell operating in the operating mode serves the first selected device based on the first command, and the first non-selected device is a selected device prior to the change in the operating mode and is capable of accessing the cell before the cell changes the operating mode responsive to the first command and is not capable of accessing the cell after the cell changes the operating mode responsive to the first command.
US08688066B2
A receiver includes an antenna configured to receive a set of RF signals, and a low-noise amplifier (LNA) coupled to the antenna and amplify the set of RF signals to generate a set of amplified signals. The receiver further includes a down-conversion mixer configured to down convert the set of amplified signals to baseband frequencies. The receiver further includes a low-pass filter configured to filter from the set of amplified signals to baseband frequencies an out-of-band signal. The receiver further includes a high-pass filter configured to reverse the filtering of the low-pass filter. The receiver further includes a peak detector configured to determine whether the LNA is operating at saturation; and an automatic-gain controller configured to decrease a gain of the LNA based on the determination of the peak detector.
US08688061B2
A system and method for biasing a power amplifier includes a power amplifier having a driver stage and an output stage, the driver stage having a plurality of driver devices, a bias current source configured to deliver a bias current to each of the plurality of driver devices, and a current directing element configured to receive the bias current and selectively bias each of the plurality of driver devices based on a reference voltage and a system voltage.
US08688057B2
The present invention relates to the field of food/drink containers and multimedia systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a combination of a food/drink container. The present invention provides the user an immediate multimedia/communications sources while using the container wherein the container includes a body for accommodating food/drink, a closure for closing the container and a communications/multimedia module.
US08688055B2
An amplifier integrated circuit (IC) including a push-pull amplifier having a push stage and a pull stage. A first loop of wire configured to form a first degeneration inductance of the push stage. A second loop of wire configured to form a first degeneration inductance of the pull stage. The first loop and the second loop are concentric. The first loop is connected to a reference potential. The second loop is connected to a supply voltage.
US08688052B2
An integrated circuit (IC) having a radio receiver configured to perform a jitter self-test is disclosed. In one embodiment, an IC includes a radio receiver and a pulse generator. The pulse generator is configured to generate a pulse train based on a first periodic signal received from the radio receiver. The radio receiver is configured to use the pulse train to determine an amount of phase noise generated by a local oscillator of the radio receiver. The pulse generator and the radio receiver are implemented on the same IC die.
US08688050B2
A system and method of establishing a connection between a wireless terminal and a display apparatus of a display system includes comparing a signal strength of signals transmitted and received between the wireless terminal and the display apparatus, and automatically establishing the connection if it is determined that the signal strength is greater than or equal to a threshold value based on connection parameters in the signals.
US08688049B2
The object of the present invention is to perform an enhanced prediction technique. The object is achieved by a method in a base station comprised in a radio access network. The base station is adapted to communicate with at least one user equipment, the method comprises the steps of receiving a sequence of CQI values sampled at the times t=1, . . . , n, from one or more of the at least one user equipments; estimating for each of the received specific CQI value k, the conditional expectation of the CQI value at time t+d, given the specific CQI value k at time t; and obtaining a predicted CQI value for the specific CQI value k, which predicted CQI value is the estimated conditional expectation of the CQI values at a time t+d for the specific CQI value k.
US08688045B2
Exemplary embodiments include a frequency modulation (FM) transmitter and a non-FM receiver, which may be implemented on the same IC chip. The FM transmitter may include a digital FM modulator, a lowpass filter, an amplifier, and an LC tank circuit. The digital FM modulator may receive a digital input signal, perform FM modulation with the digital input signal, and provide a digital FM signal. The lowpass filter may filter the digital FM signal and provide a filtered FM signal. The amplifier may amplify the filtered FM signal and provide an output FM signal. The LC tank circuit may filter the output FM signal. The digital FM modulator may perform FM modulation by changing a variable divider ratio of a multi-modulus divider within a PLL. A delta-sigma modulator may receive the digital input signal and generate a modulator output signal used to obtain the variable divider ratio.
US08688042B2
Another information processing apparatus in a communicable range of a short-distance wireless communication is repeatedly searched for, wireless communication is automatically established therewith, data is automatically transmitted to the other information processing apparatus with which the wireless communication has been established, and data transmitted from the other information processing apparatus is automatically received. Then, based on an operation by a user, evaluation data is generated which indicates an evaluation by the user with respect to the data content indicated by the received data. Further, the transmission source of the data which has become a target of the evaluation indicated by the evaluation data is specified and the generated evaluation data is transmitted to the transmission source.
US08688041B2
A mobile network solution provides secure and portable wireless networking service to mobile users with devices equipped with wireless network interfaces. The Secure Nomadic Wireless Network, or SNOWNET, follows a hierarchical approach. Special SNOWNET nodes are deployed in the area where networking service is needed and form a backbone network. At the same time, SNOWNET nodes provide local access service to regular mobile clients. SNOWNET provides security through authentication of the nodes and clients, as well as through encryption of the data.
US08688040B2
A Bluetooth headset for a helmet having an inter-communication is provided. The Bluetooth headset includes a headset body configured to be mounted on a helmet, a microphone and a speaker that are configured to be installed on the headset body, a jog dial configured to be installed to perform a rotation operation and be subject to a push operation, a Bluetooth module configured to be accommodated in the headset body and to perform wireless communication while paired with an external Bluetooth device, and a control unit configured to be accommodated in the headset body to process a signal input from the microphone, a signal input according to the rotation operation and the push operation of the jog dial and a signal received from the Bluetooth module and output the processed signal to the speaker and the Bluetooth module.
US08688036B2
A wireless communications headset system for double hearing protection systems that eliminates the problems associated with typical wireless communications systems. The system employs a magnetic-field coupled wireless link from a loop transmitter to a magnetic field receiver. Current through the transmitter wire loops generates magnetic flux which passes through a communications earplug. The earplug has a receiver for converting the magnetic flux to electrical voltage, and this voltage is used to drive a speaker within the earplug. The transmitter can be easily installed into aviation headsets. The loop transmitter has an open center sized so that it fits around the pinna of the human ear enabling a close position to the communications earplug. This close position is advantageous if an efficient system is desired.
US08688022B2
Disclosed are a heating fixing belt and a fixing device by which good long-term durability is achieved, and a process for forming the heating fixing belt.The heating fixing belt comprises a resistance heating layer formed of a resin in which at least a conductive substance is dispersed, a parting layer laminated on the resistance heating layer and a pair of electrodes for supplying electric power to the resistance heating layer, which are respectively stacked and provided on both end portions of the resistance heating layer in such a manner that at least parts thereof come into contact with the resistance heating layer, wherein the electrodes are each composed of a metal mesh sheet. In the heating fixing belt, the metal mesh sheet forming the electrode preferably has an aperture ratio of 10 to 60.
US08688018B2
A developing device includes a container, a toner holding member, a developing electric field forming unit, a layer forming unit, an electrode member, and a low-frequency electric field forming unit. The container accommodates toner. The toner holding member holds toner and transports the toner to a developing region where the toner holding member and the latent image holding member face. The developing electric field forming unit forms a developing electric field for developing a latent image held on a latent image holding member. The layer forming unit forms a toner layer on the toner holding member prior to the developing region. The electrode member faces the toner holding member. The low-frequency electric field forming unit forms a low-frequency electric field acting on residual toner between the electrode member and the toner holding member, and forms stripe-shaped projections in accordance with a period of the low-frequency electric field.
US08688017B2
An image formation unit includes an image carrier, a developer carrier configured to supply developer to the image carrier to form a developer image on the image carrier, first and second developer supply members configured to supply the developer to the developer carrier, a first developer container room configured to contain therein the developer and accommodating therein the first developer supply member, and a second developer container room configured to contain therein the developer and accommodating therein the second developer supply member.
US08688006B2
A drive transmission device includes drive transmission members including a detection target gear, a detection device detecting the rotational position of the target gear and including a position detection member and a detection unit, and a conductive protection member protecting the detection unit. The detection unit and the protection member are assembled to the same member to be installed to an external apparatus. If there is a dimensional error in the protection member causing a portion of the protection member closest to the target gear to shift in position relative to the detection unit beyond a predetermined range, the protection member comes into contact with the detection unit in the assembling process, and is corrected in shape by the detection unit, with the shift in position relative to the detection unit of the portion of the protection member closest to the target gear kept within the predetermined range.
US08688002B2
An image forming apparatus to which a cartridge having a photosensitive drum is detachably mounted. A cartridge supporting member supports the cartridge mounted to a main body of the apparatus, and an operation member is operated to be moved when the cartridge is mounted. When the operation member is moved in a state in which the cartridge is mounted, the cartridge supporting member is rotated away from the transfer member so that the cartridge is rotated and inclined at an angle θ1 with respect to the transfer member, and an exposure device is rotated away from the transfer member and is inclined at an angle θ2 greater than the angle θ1 with respect to the transfer member, so that the cartridge is allowed to be detachable from the main body of the apparatus.
US08687996B2
An image forming apparatus, including an upper section including an image forming section to form an image on a recording sheet, a lower section arranged below the upper section including a sheet supplying tray to stack a plurality of recording sheets, a partitioning body to separate the upper section and the lower section in a vertical direction, wherein the lower section includes a dehumidification device to heat the inside of the lower section and to dehumidify the recording sheets stacked on the sheet supplying tray, the partitioning body includes a first shielding member to shield a bottom portion of the upper section, a second shielding member separated from the first shielding member to shield a top portion of the lower section, a clearance formed between the first shielding member and the second shielding member, and an air blowing section to blow air into the clearance.
US08687995B2
A heating roller including a resistive heating layer and a fusing device including the heating roller. By separately disposing a plurality of electrodes in an axis direction of the heating roller, and by independently controlling each electrode, the heating roller may correspond to various papers having different sizes. Accordingly, the temperature of the heating roller may be stably controlled.
US08687990B2
An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image carrying member, a rotatable transfer member cooperative with the image carrying member, and a fixing unit having a fixing nip for nipping and feeding the recording material discharged from the transfer nip while fixing the toner image. In addition, a bowing amount measuring unit measures a bowing amount of the recording material, a storing portion stores a target bowing amount, and a speed controller controls a feeding speed of the recording material. The storing portion stores a plurality of target bowing amounts, which are selectable depending on kinds of the recording material, and the speed controller controls the feeding speed in the fixing nip, and then controls the feeding speed so that the bowing amount is substantially zero at the time when a trailing edge of the recording material leaves the transfer nip.
US08687986B2
The image forming apparatus includes a loop amount detection sensor, disposed between a secondary transfer part and a fixing part, for detecting a loop amount of a transfer material by detecting a reflection of light radiated on the transfer material, a density detection sensor for detecting a density of a toner image that is primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt with the primary transfer roller, and a loop control part for controlling the loop amount of the transfer material based on the density of the toner image that is detected by the density detection sensor and the loop amount that is detected by the loop amount detection sensor. Accordingly, the image forming apparatus attains higher accuracy in the deflection amount detection by performing the deflection amount detection at least with the dependency of the image formed on the transfer material mitigated.
US08687984B2
An image forming apparatus, to which a plurality of cartridges are detachably mountable, with the cartridges each having a cartridge side identification portion, includes an image forming unit configured to form an image, a plurality of mounting portions to which the cartridges are demountably mountable, and an identification urging mechanism provided in each of the mounting portions. The identification urging mechanism permits a cartridge to be mounted to the mounting portion when the cartridge is to be properly mounted to the mounting portion on the basis of correspondence with the cartridge side identification portion, and urges the cartridge in a direction opposite a direction in which the cartridge is mounted when the cartridge is improper for the mounting portion. The identification urging mechanism permits, even when the cartridge is improper for the mounting portion, the cartridge to enter to a mount position where the proper cartridge is mounted.
US08687980B2
A feedback light tuning device and the optical communication system and method using the same are provided. By tuning the feedback light, the mechanism can completely correct the mean-wavelength drift up to 30 nm or 19400 ppm. The mechanism can be applied to various harsh environments which cause the mean-wavelength drift, so as to achieve a required stable mean-wavelength for the light source and to increase the acceptable range of radiation dose.
US08687974B2
Compensation for in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) timing skew and offset in an optical signal may be achieved based on the correlation between derivatives of I and Q samples in the optical signal. The magnitude of the correlation between derivatives is measured to determine the presence of skew. Correlation between derivatives may be coupled with frequency offset information and/or with trials having additional positive and negative skew to determine presence of skew. Correlations are determined according to pre-defined time periods to provide for continued tracking and compensation for timing skew that may result from, for example, thermal drift.
US08687964B2
A method and apparatus of managing remote third party OTN & WDM transceiver equipment using the same fibers used for end user data exchange is described. A network device collects management instructions for the OTN & WDM transceiver equipment, assembles this management information into the overhead of a data frame and transmits on an optical link directly coupled to the network device. The WDM transceiver function converts the optical signal to an electrical one and the OTN function extracts the management instructions from the OTN overhead. A processor associated with the OTN framer function acts on that information. The management instructions includes the instruction to periodically and continuously, load certain performance, alarm or informational data into its OTN overhead and transmit that to a similar transceiver at the remote end of the communications link. Network-based monitoring equipment can optically tap off a portion of the signal and extract this information, allowing the network-based device to gain knowledge of conditions at the end points.
US08687954B2
A flash lens and a flash module employing the same. The flash lens includes a lens unit including an incident surface, a reflecting surface, and a light-emitting surface; and a lens seating portion disposed at a lower portion of an edge of the light-emitting surface, extending and protruding from the reflecting surface, and including a pattern formed in a lower surface thereof. In addition, the flash module according to an embodiment of the present invention may include the flash lens and a light emitting diode (LED) chip integrally formed with the flash lens.
US08687950B2
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus, which play 2D video data or 3D video data, includes a 2Dto3D converter and a display controller. The 2Dto3D converter generates 3D video frames corresponding to 2D video frames in the 2D video data. The display controller controls displaying the 3D video frames on a screen if 3D play of the 2D video data has been requested, and controls displaying 3D video frames in the 3D video data if play of the 3D video data has been requested. The display controller controls displaying the 2D video frames on the screen if a change of a play speed has been requested during the 3D play of the 2D video data.
US08687949B2
Flexibility with respect to access and enjoyment of time shifted content in a content distribution network is provided, especially with regard to content not present on a DVR. A DVR accesses a network storage device over a network for particular portions of content not available on the DVR and the network storage device provides those missing portions. The user may then rewind and playback not only already locally stored content but also that content provided by the storage device. Content can be provided through faster-than-real-time transmissions such that the content is made available to the DVR prior to it being needed for rewind functionality or playback.
US08687941B2
Techniques are disclosed for automatic static summarization of videos. For example, a method of creating a static summary of a video comprises the following steps. Shots in the video are detected, wherein the detected shots are frames of the video having a correlation. The detected shots are clustered into clusters based on similarity. The clusters of shots are ranked. At least a portion of the shots are selected based on cluster ranking for inclusion in the static summary. The static summary is generated by combining thumbnail images of the selected shots. Prior to the ranking step, the method may further comprise detecting a presence of slides in any of the shots, and the ranking of a given shot is based in part on whether the shot is a slide. By way of example, such static summaries can be shared in emails and in calendar applications.
US08687940B2
A method for providing a list of records in a digital broadcast receiver and a digital broadcast receiver for providing a list of records are disclosed. A reception unit receives a broadcast signal including a data broadcast-associated application. A storage medium store records. And A controller manages the application, receives a list request for requesting a list of record series belonging to a series from the application, generates a list, selects a record from a list of the stored records based on a link between the series and the record, includes the selected record in the generated list, and transmits the generated list to the application.
US08687935B2
There is provided an optical fiber module including a reel having a flange on one side of both sides thereof, a first optical fiber being wound around the reel, a first adhesive being applied to a roll of the first optical fiber so that lines of the first optical fiber are fixed to each other and the roll of the first optical fiber is fixed to the flange of the reel, and a first sheet member being fixed to the roll of the first optical fiber with the first adhesive.
US08687929B2
In order to facilitate positioning of a collimator lens and an optical fiber while preventing cost increase, provided is an optical collimator having a holder (11) which has a cylindrical shape and is made of metal; a collimator lens (12) which is housed in a housing part (11c) formed at an end of the holder (11); and an optical fiber (13) which is inserted via an insertion hole (11a) formed at an opposite end of the holder (11) and is fixed at a predetermined position. At least one of the collimator lens (12) and an end surface of the optical fiber (13) is made to abut to a recess (11e) formed in proximity of the housing part (11c) of the holder (11) thereby to perform positioning.
US08687928B2
Provided is an optical characteristic measuring probe which can detect the position and the direction of the leading end of the probe without affecting a monitoring image. The bendable optical characteristic measuring probe is provided with a light guide body (71), which transmits light emitted from a light source and irradiates a subject to be measured with light, and a guide tube (70), which holds the light guide body (71) such that the light guide body freely rotates about the axis and is freely displaced in the axis direction. The light guide body (71) guides at least two types of light, i.e., measuring light for measuring the optical characteristics of the subject to be measured, and position determining light for measuring the position of the light guide body. On the side surface of the guide tube (70), a mark (M) having the characteristics of transmitting the measuring light and returning only the position determining light to the light guide body is provided.
US08687919B2
An image processing apparatus includes an image output apparatus and an image reading apparatus. The image output apparatus includes an input object information receiving unit that receives first input object information, a first information image generating unit that generates a first information image, a second information image generating unit that generates a second information image, a first combining unit that combines the first information image with a document, a second combining unit that combines the second information image with a document, and a first output unit that outputs the document. The image reading apparatus includes a first reading unit that reads an information image including first input object information, a second reading unit that reads an information image including second input object information, an extracting unit that extracts the first and second input object information, and a determining unit that determines whether these pieces of information correspond to each other.
US08687914B2
A method of producing an image is disclosed. At least one symbol is received. A first image with at least one light spot is, optionally, captured by an image capturing apparatus. The performing order of receiving the symbol and capturing the first image may be reversed. The first image is duplicated to provide a plurality of duplicated first images, and the duplicated first images are shifted according to the symbol to obtain a plurality of shifted first images. The brightness values of corresponding pixels of the shifted first images are computed to produce a second image with a light track that traces the symbol.
US08687910B2
An image filtering method and apparatus that filter a block of a plane area by using a pseudo-random filter are provided, whereby artifacts generated in image encoding and decoding procedures are removed, the method including: determining a similarity between pixel values of a the first block; and generating a second block by selectively applying a pseudo-random filter on the first block according to a result of based on the determining the determined similarity.
US08687906B2
An image processing device includes a first output unit that performs predetermined image processing for image data, and outputs image data having m bits per pixel; a second output unit that performs pseudo gradation-increase processing by a dither method or a multilevel error diffusion method for the output image data, and outputs image data having n bits per pixel, where n
US08687903B1
Systems and methods for compressing a depthmap are provided. In some aspects, a system includes an encoding module configured to group a plurality of pixels of a depthmap. Each grouped pixel of the depthmap includes a depth value and is associated with an optic ray aligned with a camera capturing the depthmap. Each of the plurality of depth values is within a predetermined offset from one another. The encoding module is further configured to generate a primitive based on the grouped plurality of pixels. The primitive includes an identification value. Each of the plurality of optic rays intersects a corresponding portion of the primitive. The encoding module is further configured to transform the depthmap based on the primitive. Each grouped pixel of the transformed depthmap includes the identification value. The system also includes a compression module configured to compress the transformed depthmap.
US08687902B2
A system, method, and computer program product that may use a cache in the decompression of block compressed image data. Each data entry in the cache may represent decompressed image data corresponding to a compressed block of an image. The indices of the cache are keys, where each key is the output of a hash process that is performed on the corresponding compressed block. Decompression of a compressed block may be performed by hashing the compressed block to generate the key. The key may be used to access the cache. The decompressed data indexed by the key may be read and used as the decompressed version of the compressed block. If no data corresponds to the key, or if the cached data indexed by this key is otherwise invalid, then a conventional decompression process may be applied to the compressed block to yield the decompressed data. This decompressed data may then be written to the cache, at a location corresponding to the key.
US08687901B2
An information processing system assigns a comment to a specific region of an image, and calculates a total value of evaluation scores based on assigned comments for each image as an evaluation value of that image.
US08687897B2
A method for detecting orientation of the contours in an image, performs an initial transformation of the image using a non-decimated multi-resolution transform, segments the image into a plurality of blocks, determines the optimal resolution for each block, and detects the predominant direction of contour for each of the blocks.
US08687896B2
Picture image processor, method for processing picture image and method for processing picture image
A picture image processing apparatus includes a candidate detection unit that detects a lateral boundary line candidate and a paint-blank boundary line candidate from the picture image information acquired, and a verification unit that verifies whether or not the lateral boundary line candidate etc. detected is the lateral boundary line etc.; a storage unit that memorizes, as hysteresis information, verification information including the lateral boundary line etc. in case the lateral boundary line candidate etc. detected has been verified to be a lateral boundary line etc. The storage unit also memorizes car speed information associated with the hysteresis information. The apparatus further includes an estimation unit that, using the hysteresis information and the car speed information, estimates positions of the lateral boundary line etc. in a next frame. The storage unit memorizes the estimation information including the position in the next frame of the lateral boundary line position etc. estimated. The verification unit uses the estimation information memorized at a time point of estimation in the storage unit to execute verification.
US08687892B2
Embodiments described herein provide a system and method for generating a binary descriptor representing an image patch (200). The method includes determining a first specified number of features within an image patch (200), performing mean intensity difference tests for the first specified number of features, and generating a binary string of the first specified number of features for the image patch (200) based on the mean intensity difference tests. The method includes dividing the image patch (200) into a number of sub-patches (204), and, for each sub-patch (204), determining a second specified number of features within the sub-patch (204), performing mean intensity difference tests for the second specified number of features, and generating a binary string of the second specified number of features. The method also includes transforming the binary strings for the image patch (200) and the sub-patches (204) into a binary descriptor representing the image patch (200).
US08687889B2
A form image managing system includes a partitioned master image storing unit which stores partitioned master images obtained by partitioning a master image, a form image obtaining unit which obtains an image of a form, a searching unit which searches the partitioned master image storing unit for a partitioned master image having a high correlation with each of a plurality of partial images obtained by partitioning the image of the form, a difference data generating unit which generates difference data between the partial image and corresponding partitioned master image having the high correlation with the partial image, and a form image data storing unit which stores, as form image data that represents the image of the form, identification information for identifying the corresponding partitioned master image and the difference data by making the identification information and the difference data correspond to the partial image.
US08687885B2
A method for performing column/row pattern suppression in a digital input image includes creating a smoothed version of the input image by averaging a set of columns/rows neighboring around the column/row being corrected. A difference image is constructed by subtracting the smoothed image from the input image. New column/row intensities are computed from the difference image. An output image is constructed with suppressed column/row patterns by subtracting the new column/row intensities from the input image.
US08687880B2
Methods are provided for generating a low dimension pose space and using the pose space to estimate one or more head rotation angles of a user head. In one example, training image frames including a test subject head are captured under a plurality of conditions. For each frame an actual head rotation angle about a rotation axis is recorded. In each frame a face image is detected and converted to an LBP feature vector. Using principal component analysis a PCA feature vector is generated. Pose classes related to rotation angles about a rotation axis are defined. The PCA feature vectors are grouped into a pose class that corresponds to the actual rotation angle associated with the PCA feature vector. Linear discriminant analysis is applied to the pose classes to generate the low dimension pose space.
US08687879B2
Provides quantitative data about a two or more dimensional image. Classifies and counts number of entities an image contains. Each entity comprises a structure, or some other type of identifiable portion having definable characteristics. The entities located within an image may have different shape, color, texture, etc., but still belong to the same classification. Alternatively, entities comprising a similar color/texture may be classified as one type while entities comprising a different color/texture may be classified as another type. May quantify image data according to set of changing criteria and derive one or more classifications for entities in image. I.e., provides a way for a computer to determine what kind of entities (e.g., entities) are in image and counts total number of entities visually identified in image. Information utilized during a training process may be stored and applied across different images.
US08687877B1
Embodiments relate to locking geometric and camera parameters in image-based three-dimensional modeling. In a first embodiment, a computer-implemented method modifies a three-dimensional model using a set of two-dimensional photographic images. In the method, at least one constraint, input by a user, for a two-dimensional photographic image from the set of two-dimensional photographic images are received. Each constraint indicates that a position on the two-dimensional photographic image corresponds to a position on the three-dimensional model. When the number of constraints received for the two-dimensional photographic image is less than or equal to a first threshold value, camera parameters representing a camera that took the constrained photographic image. Finally, a photogrammetry algorithm is applied to at least the set of parameters to determine at least one unlocked parameter in the set of parameters and to modify the three-dimensional model based on the constraints.
US08687870B2
A system and method for correcting inhomogeneity of spatial intensity in 3D MR image data includes application of a 3D filter to the 3D MR image to generate a first set of data and a second set of data. The first set of data includes a high frequency component and a weak edge component, and the second set of data includes a low frequency component and a strong edge component. The system and method also include derivation of an inhomogeneity correction from the second set of data, application the inhomogeneity correction to the second set of data, and addition of the first set of data to the inhomogeneity corrected second set of data to create a corrected 3D MR image.
US08687868B2
An image generating apparatus of the present invention has a determination unit that sets a target area in a part of an area inside a subject, executes processing to adjust a phase of each detection signal based on a distance from each detection element to a target area and a tentative velocity, and calculate dispersion of intensities of a plurality of detection signals of which phases are adjusted, for a plurality of tentative velocities, and determines a velocity for which dispersion of intensities is minimum, out of the plurality of tentative velocities, as a propagation velocity.
US08687864B2
An image diagnostic processing device includes peripheral region specifying means which specifies a peripheral region connecting to an abnormal candidate region included in an image representing the inside of a subject, and judging means which judges whether the abnormal candidate region is an anatomic abnormal region or not, based on a first feature quantity of the abnormal candidate region and a second feature quantity of the peripheral region.
US08687861B2
A 3D image reconstructing method using X-ray volume photography acquires a plurality of X-ray area array images of the object interested according to locating principle of the digital photographic measurement. A plurality of mark points of the known 3D positions are simultaneously taken in the X-ray photo, and the method uses the coordinates of the mark points in the rectangular coordinate system for volume photographic 3D image reconstruction and the coordinates of the mark points in the X-ray photo coordinate system to construct a transforming relationship of the two coordinate systems. The method determines the path and the position of each X beam by using the transforming relationship and gets all voxels of each X-ray passing the object interested. The method uses the voxel g and the pixel G of the same X beam path to get Radon set of equations to determine the gray scale value of voxel g, then determines the gray scale values of all voxels g by computer and reconstructs a 3D volume image of the object interested based on the gray scale value of voxel g.
US08687856B2
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging systems for imaging uniquely identifiable structure are provided including a source having an associated source arm path and having an associated reference arm path coupled to the source path, the reference arm path having an associated reference arm path length. A sample having an associated sample arm path coupled to the source arm and reference arm paths is provided. Processing methods to convert the depth-dependent image data to a uniquely identifiable code are provided. Related methods and computer program products are also provided.
US08687852B2
A motion detection device (200) receives a signal indicative of a moving image and detects motion between frames with respect to each block region consisting of one or a plurality of adjacent pixels constituting each frame constituting the moving image, and includes: a difference calculation section (220) for obtaining a difference signal (S220) indicative of a difference between adjacent two frames; a first edge detection section (230) for obtaining, with respect to each block region, a first edge signal (S230) included in one of the two frames; a second edge detection section (240) for obtaining, with respect to each block region, a second edge signal (S240) included in the other of the two frames; an edge calculation section (250) for obtaining, with respect to each block region, an edge signal (S250) by adding a product of the first edge signal (S230) and a first coefficient to a product of the second edge signal (S240) and a second coefficient; and a division section (260) for obtaining, with respect to each block region, a motion signal (S260) by dividing the difference signal (S220) by the edge signal (S250).
US08687851B2
The present invention provides an image recognition apparatus with enhanced performance and robustness.In an image recognition apparatus 1, an image classification information accumulating unit 20 stores therein feature information defining visual features of various objects obtained through a learning process. For classification of input images, an image feature obtaining unit 18 extracts descriptors indicating features from each input image, image vocabularies corresponding to the descriptors are voted, and a classifying unit 19 calculates existence probabilities of one or more candidate objects, based on the result of the voting. According to the existence probabilities, objects contained in the image is identified. Through the calculation, the existence probabilities are adjusted by an exclusive classifier, based on exclusive relationship information defining exclusive object sets each containing different objects (object labels) predicted not to coexist in a same image.
US08687849B2
A system for performing object identification combines pose determination, EO/IR sensor data, and novel computer graphics rendering techniques. A first module extracts the orientation and distance of a target in a truth chip given that the target type is known. A second module identifies the vehicle within a truth chip given the known distance and elevation angle from camera to target. Image matching is based on synthetic image and truth chip image comparison, where the synthetic image is rotated and moved through a 3-Dimensional space. It is assumed that the object is positioned on relatively flat ground and that the camera roll angle stays near zero. This leaves three dimensions of motion (distance, heading, and pitch angle) to define the space in which the synthetic target is moved. A graphical user interface (GUI) front end allows the user to manually adjust the orientation of the target within the synthetic images.
US08687846B2
An image processing apparatus includes an obtaining part configured to obtain a plurality of images including a photographing object photographed by a photographing part; a determination part configured to detects a shift in position between a first image and a second image included in the plurality of images obtained by the obtaining part, and determine whether the first image is suitable for being superposed to the second image; a selection part configured to select a certain number of images from the plurality of images based on a determination result of the determination part; and a synthesis part configured to synthesize the certain number of images selected by the selection part.
US08687843B2
The method for restricting access to sensitive contents of digital images using the digital watermarking technique for encoding and decoding sensitive contents of images is characterized in that the sensitive contents of an image are obscured, and the information necessary for the high quality reconstruction is encoded in the insensitive area of the transmitted image by modification of the DCT spectrum coefficients. The information concerning the obscured contents is retained by means of transform coefficients and processed independently. Noise with statistics identical to that of the digital watermark is inserted into the image after decoding. The system contains encoding unit including acquisition module connected with sensitive contents encoding module through sensitive patterns automatic detection module with attached memory buffer. Also, acquisition module is connected directly with sensitive contents encoding module and with compression module. In the decoding unit, stream decoding module is connected with image sensitive contents decoding module.
US08687841B2
A cell phone is disclosed for acquiring information to be transmitted to a receiving facility and for transmitting such thereto. A capture device captures information from an external source. A processor is provided for associating with the captured information a representation of the date and time of the capture of the information, such that the representation of the date and time information in association with the captured information forms augmented captured information. The processing also places the augmented captured information in association with user information in a transmission of the augmented captured information to a receiving facility requiring such user information. A transmitter transmits the transmission including the augmented captured information and the user information to the receiving facility. An encryptor encrypts the augmented captured information for transmission to the receiving facility.
US08687840B2
Methods and devices to conserve power on a mobile device determine an active region on a display and dimming a portion of the display backlight corresponding to the non-active regions. The method includes detecting an active region and a non-active region on a display. The detection may be based on a user interaction with the display or processing an image of the user to determine where on the display the user is looking. The method may control a brightness of a backlight of the display depending on the active and non-active region.
US08687823B2
An interface is provided between a transducer and audio processing circuitry. The interface has a switching device coupled to the transducer. The interface also has a first signal path that is selectively coupled to transducer via the switching device and includes a first output, the first signal path being configured to selectively receive input signals from the transducer, and form a first output signal at the first output by amplifying the input signals to provide a first gain. The first output is coupled to the audio processing circuitry. A second signal path is provided that is selectively coupled to the transducer via the switching device and includes a second output. The second gain is selected to be substantially larger than the first gain. The switching device is configured to switch the input signal between the first signal path and the second signal path.
US08687818B2
A method for dynamically adjusting the spectral content of an audio signal, which increases the harmonic content of said audio signal, said method comprising translating an encoded digital signal into data bands, creating a psychoacoustic model to identify sections of said data bands that are deficient in harmonic quality, analyzing the fundamental frequency and amplitude of said harmonically deficient data bands, creating additional higher order harmonics for said harmonically deficient data bands, adding said higher order harmonics back to said encoded digital signal to form a newly enhanced signal, inverse filtering said newly enhanced signal, and converting said inverse filtered signal to an analog waveform for consumption by the listener.
US08687812B2
Method and apparatus are described wherein, in one example embodiment, a first entity shares a digital file such as a digital image with a second entity, and the first entity and the second entity each use the digital file as a seed to generate identical public/private key pairs using the same key generation procedure, such that both entities hold identical key pairs. The first and second entities may use the key pairs to encrypt, decrypt, or sign and authenticate communications between the entities.
US08687809B2
Embodiments may include receiving a protected version of content including different encryption chains including encrypted blocks of content. The protected version of content may include decryption information for decrypting the encrypted chains; the decryption information may include initialization vectors that are distinct from the content. Embodiments may also include performing chained decryption on a particular sequence of data blocks including multiple encryption chains from the protected version of the content and at least some of the initialization vectors. Some of the initialization vectors may be positioned between the encryption chains within the particular sequence such that during the chained decryption the initialization vectors are decrypted in sequence with the data blocks of the encryption chains. The chained decryption may result in a sequence of decrypted data blocks including decrypted initialization vectors. Embodiments may include generating a decrypted version of the content by excluding the decrypted initialization vectors from that sequence.
US08687805B2
A method, of providing a key pair for secure transmission of data between at least two applications, includes receiving context information relating to the context of the applications. generating a key pair using the provided context information from the applications, and sending the generated key pair to the at least two applications.
US08687798B2
Embodiments of the invention include methods, apparatus, systems and means for distinguishing between microphone line signals resulting from: actuation of a microphone button of a headset plugged into a telephone device jack, and removal of the headset plug form the jack. During a telephone call, a first signal can be detected on a microphone line of a headset jack to indicate whether a microphone button of the headset is actuated. Also, while the headset plug is being disconnected from the jack, a transition on the microphone line can be detected, from a second signal indicating that the microphone is being disconnected, to a third signal indicating that the microphone button is actuated. Consequently, to avoid erroneously hanging up a call, transitions to the third signal when removing the plug form the jack can be ignored and the call can be maintained. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08687791B1
A system, method, and computer readable medium for routing an agent to a preferred communications platform comprises accessing a server comprising a routing strategy, wherein the routing strategy consists of a site value, a project identification value, a project load value, and an attribute value of the agent, and wherein the site value takes precedent over the project identification value which takes precedent over the project load value which takes precedent over the attribute value of the agent, and routing the agent to the preferred environment based on a result of the routing strategy.
US08687787B2
A method and arrangement for providing a ring-back presentation to a calling terminal after receiving a call setup request from the calling terminal (A) for a first communication session (308) with a called terminal (B). A second packet-based communication session (310) is established with the calling terminal, independent of the first session, and pre-defined media content is provided as said ring-back presentation (312) to the calling terminal over the second session. Thereby, ring-back presentations to waiting callers can be selected from a great range of media types, including visual media. A calling user can also control the playout or display of the ring-back presentation irrespective of when the call is answered.
US08687786B2
A designated service provider of a customer having slamming protection on their account may not be changed without authorization from the customer to remove the slamming protection. When a customer's telephone company receives a request to change the customer's long distance provider and subsequently determines that the customer has slamming protection on their account, the telephone company notifies the requester that the requested change may not be provisioned due to the slamming protection. The customer's authorization to remove the slamming protection is provided by the requester in the form of an audio file that is reviewed by the telephone company. If the telephone company or an agent of the telephone company listens to the audio file and approves the request, then the customer's slamming protection is removed.
US08687785B2
A system includes a first interface to connect with a network, and a second interface to connect with a telephone device of an enterprise. A unit controls a connection between the first and second interfaces for an outgoing call from the telephone device to a remote telephone device connected to the network. A processor subsystem coupled with the unit operates to initiate communications with a telephone device associated with a supervisor having authority to allow or deny the call. The processor subsystem also operates too present the supervisor with information that includes a purpose or reason for the outgoing call. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure.
US08687778B2
Disclosed herein, among other things, are apparatus and methods for interactive property communication. In various embodiments, an interactive property communication system includes two or more property communication nodes (PCNs) each adapted for coupling to an electrical service. PCNs include a radio transceiver for communications with a broker service adapted for controlling communications with one or more PCNs.
US08687773B2
A system and method for interfacing unified message processing systems with legacy voice mail, e-mail and facsimile systems, located behind corporate firewalls. The system includes a unified message server, a proxy interface and a message protocol convertor. The proxy interface is configured to access the legacy system in response to a request from a unified message server. Messages stored on the legacy system are converted by a protocol convertor to a predetermined format compatible with the unified message server. The converted messages are then transferred to a unified message server which is capable of providing messages from different messaging system, such as voice mail, e-mail and facsimile to users in a predetermined format. The invention permits enterprise wide communication systems to provide unified messaging without abandoning pre-existing legacy messaging system.
US08687771B2
Methods and apparatus to test a subscriber line for a broadband access service are disclosed. An example network interface device (NID) comprises a tone generator to transmit a tone on a subscriber line to characterize the subscriber line while a DSL modem is providing a DSL service via the subscriber line, the tone having a frequency occurring within a range of frequencies in use by the DSL modem to provide the DSL service, and a pair of terminals to couple the DSL modem and the tone generator to the subscriber line.
US08687764B2
A contraband detection system includes one or more detection devices operatively coupled to a spreader beam of a cargo container crane system. Detection devices may include an X-ray scanner, a detection apparatus, and a sensor array. The X-ray scanner is operative for outputting high-energy X-rays capable of penetrating through the contents of the cargo container. The X-ray scanner is movable from an inactive first position that facilitates engagement of the spreader beam with the cargo container to an active second position that facilitates the scanning of the contents of the cargo container. The detection apparatus is similarly deployable from a first position to a second position and includes a plurality of limbs capable of rotation about a plurality of axes. The detection apparatus further includes a radiation source and a receptor plate.
US08687763B2
The value of a tube voltage of an x-ray tube, used to acquire x-ray projections of a patient in order to generate at least one image in each phase of a multiphase examination, is determined from a contrast-to-noise ratio that establishes the desired image quality of the image in each phase, and the tube current for each tube voltage for each phase is determined given a constantly maintained contrast-to-noise ratio for different tube voltages. For each phase, a value for the dose of x-ray radiation is defined for each different tube voltage and the associated determined tube current. From among the different tube voltages, a tube voltage is set that causes the total dose of x-ray radiation applied to the patient to be as low as possible for all phases of the examination.
US08687756B2
In described embodiments, a receiver includes a clock and data recovery (CDR) circuit with a voltage control oscillator (VCO) having proportional and integral loop control, and a Lock to Reference (L2R) mode circuit using Phase and Frequency Detector (PFD) control of the VCO during the absence of input data to the CDR. A regular CDR second order loop incorporating PFD control of the VCO during the absence of input data to the CDR achieves relatively rapid lock to reference when compared to counter-based lock to reference mode of operation.
US08687752B2
A serial bit stream having a given bit per second rate is received and distributed to a plurality of phase shifted samplers. A multi-phase sampling trigger is generated at a rate lower than the given bit per second rate, and each of the phase shifted samplers is controlled by one of the phases of the multi-phase sampling trigger. The time spacing between phases of the multi-phase sampling trigger is the inverse of the given bit per second rate. The phase of the multi-phase sampling trigger is aligned with the phase of the serial bit, to collectively recover by the plurality of phase shifted samplers a plurality of consecutive bits from the serial bit stream.
US08687751B1
A system including a first receiver module and a first interference canceller module. The first receiver module generates a first set of decoded codewords by decoding codewords in a received signal and determines if any of the first set of decoded codewords fails cyclic redundancy check (CRC). The first interference canceller module generates a second signal based on a first decoded codeword from the first set of decoded codewords when (i) any of the first set of decoded codewords fails CRC and (ii) the first decoded codeword passes CRC. By subtracting the second signal from the first signal, the first interference canceller module (i) cancels interference of a first codeword, which corresponds to the first decoded codeword, on a second set of codewords, which includes the plurality of codewords and excludes the first codeword and (ii) generates a third signal, which includes the second set of codewords.
US08687745B2
According to the teachings presented herein, a method and apparatus provide a reduced search space for blindly decoding a message included in a signal received at a communication receiver, where the message has an unknown format. Improving blind detection efficiency in this manner offers numerous advantages, including but not limited to lower power consumption through reduced processing overhead, and lower power consumption through expanded sleep opportunities. As a non-limiting example, the communication receiver comprises a mobile station configured for operation according to Long Term Evolution (LTE) standards, as promulgated by the 3GPP for E-UTRA systems, where the mobile station is configured to reduce a search space of DCI message decoding by determining message format likelihoods and blindly decoding a received DCI message based on the message format likelihoods.
US08687742B2
An ensemble detector uses calibrated noise references to produce ensemble sets of data from which properties of non-stationary processes may be extracted. The ensemble detector comprising: a receiver; a switching device coupled to the receiver, the switching device configured to selectively connect each of a plurality of reference noise signals to the receiver; and a gain modulation circuit coupled to the receiver and configured to vary a gain of the receiver based on a forcing signal; whereby the switching device selectively connects each of the plurality of reference noise signals to the receiver to produce an output signal derived from the plurality of reference noise signals and the forcing signal.
US08687741B1
A method includes receiving first and second synchronization sequences that jointly indicate an identity of at least one base station. Multiple hypotheses are selected, each hypothesis associating a respective first candidate sequence with the first synchronization sequence and a respective second candidate sequence with the second synchronization sequence. Each hypothesis is assigned a respective composite score depending on a respective first quality of match between the first candidate sequence in the hypothesis and the first synchronization sequence, on a respective second quality of match between the second candidate sequence in the hypothesis and the second synchronization sequence, and on a similarity between the respective first and second qualities of match. The at least one base station is identified based on respective composite scores of the hypotheses.
US08687736B1
A multi-channel quadrature bandpass-sampling receiver is provided with a plurality of RF signals that are modulated at different carrier frequencies, are frequency-shifted, and are staggered to a first IF frequency. A quadrature bandpass-sampling analog-to-digital demodulator digitizes and down-converts the aggregate RF signals to a second low IF frequency, wherein each frequency-shifted RF signal can be demodulated to DC by a digital down converter.
US08687732B2
Embodiments of systems and methods for the coexistence of wireless radios having differing protocols are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. In some embodiments systems and methods for synchronizing clocks between two radios, and using a signal to notify one of the radios to refrain from transmitting for a timeperiod are described.
US08687726B2
A method for transmitting digital data on a communication channel, between a transmitter base comprising N transmission antennas and K receivers. A signal carrier of frequency f0 and M sub-carriers of index m are used, adapted to transport K streams of digital data sk in parallel between the transmitter base and each receiver. The method comprises a step in which N.M complex symbols tn(m) are calculated from K.M symbols sk(m), by t n ( m ) = ∑ k = 1 K α k · H k , n * ( m ) · s k ( m ) , where * denotes a complex conjugate, Hk,n(m) is a complex value estimating the transfer function of the communication channel between the transmission antenna n and the receiving antenna k at a corresponding frequency of the sub-carrier m, and αk is a normalization coefficient.
US08687719B2
An OFDM modulation process and means for transmitting multiple carriers through a communication channel having a bandwidth arranged ion chunks with further subcarriers being allocated to form at least one guard band, comprising automatically and periodically shifting said chunks to the left or to the side in order to overlap said guard band and increase spectral diversity.
US08687703B2
A method for decoding a compressed image stream, the image stream having a plurality of frames, each frame consisting of a merged image including pixels from a left image and pixels from a right image. The method involves the steps of receiving each merged image; changing a clock domain from the original input signal to an internal domain; for each merged image, placing at least two adjacent pixels into an input buffer and interpolating an intermediate pixel, for forming a reconstructed left frame and a reconstructed right frame according to provenance of the adjacent pixels; and reconstructing a stereoscopic image stream from the left and right image frames. The invention also teaches a system for decoding a compressed image stream.
US08687700B1
An apparatus comprising a classifier cache, a plurality of variable length decoder circuits and a core engine circuit. The classifier cache may be configured to store one or more compressed classifier streams. The plurality of variable length decoder circuits may each be configured to generate one or more uncompressed classifier streams in response to a respective one of the compressed classifier streams received from the classifier cache. The core engine circuit may be configured to detect one or more objects in a video signal by checking a portion of the video signal using the uncompressed classifier streams.
US08687698B2
A method of encoding a sequence of video frames, comprising receiving a sequence of video frames, encoding at least a first portion of the sequence of frames using the first type of transform/subband representation to produce first transform/subband coefficients, encoding at least a second portion of the sequence of frames using the second type of transform/subband representation to produce second transform/subband coefficients; and providing the first and second transform/subband coefficients at an output.
US08687694B2
The reference picture selection method according to the present invention is a method for selecting a reference picture for a current bottom field, and includes: predicting a degree of a motion of the current bottom field using a specific field which precedes the current bottom field in coding order; setting reference picture candidates suitable for coding the current bottom field based on the predicted degree of motion; and selecting a reference picture of the current bottom field among the set reference picture candidates.
US08687693B2
For frames sequentially functioning as a reference frame in a video sequence frame set, a motion estimate set is accessed. One motion estimate characterizes motion associated with pixels of each region of the reference frame in relation to regions of one frame of the set of frames, which is temporally displaced in time with respect to other frames in the set of frames. An additional motion estimate characterizes motion associated with pixels of each reference frame region in relation to a second frame of the set, which is temporally displaced from the one frame and other frames of the frame set. A temporal image prediction set, corresponding to the first and additional motion estimate, is predicted, based on an alignment of the reference frame regions over the frame set. The temporal image predictions are blended and a temporal predictor is generated over the frame set based on the blending.
US08687691B1
An array encoding system and method for use with high definition digital video data streams includes method and means for analyzing the incoming data stream, splitting the data stream in accordance with video complexity or other criteria, encoding each of the subsidiary data streams in accordance with a desired encoding standard, and combining the data streams to generate an output. The encoding system and method is particularly suited to encoding data streams to provide an output with is substantially consistent with the H.264 video communications standard. The system and method are scalable.
US08687667B2
To improve a laser system comprising at least one externally stabilizable semiconductor laser, from the laser active zone of which a laser radiation field can be coupled out, and a feedback element, disposed externally in the laser radiation field, which couples out, from the laser radiation field, a feedback radiation field having a defined wavelength and bandwidth, and couples back same into the active laser zone for determining the wavelength and bandwidth of the laser radiation field, in such a way that the wavelength stabilization may be achieved more cost-effectively, it is proposed that the feedback element is a resonant waveguide grating which reflects back a portion of the laser radiation field lying within an angular acceptance range.
US08687665B1
Semiconductor light-emitting devices; methods of forming semi-conductor light emitting devices, and methods of operating semi-conductor light emitting devices are provided. A semiconductor light-emitting device includes a first laser section monolithically integrated with a second laser section on a common substrate. Each laser section has a phase section, a gain section and at least one distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) structure. The first laser section and the second laser section are optically coupled to permit optical feedback therebetween. Each phase section is configured to independently tune a respective one of the first laser section and second laser section relative to each other.
US08687647B2
A communication node includes a token-start-right acquisition processor that issues a token-start-right acquisition frame containing specific information, determines a priority based on predetermined reference using specific information for other communication node and the specific information for the own communication node upon reception of a token-start-right acquisition frame from the other communication node, issues the token-start-right acquisition frame at a predetermined time interval when the own communication node has a higher priority than the other communication node, and stops issuing the token-start-right acquisition frame when the own communication node has a lower priority than the other communication node, to forward the token-start-right acquisition frame of the other communication node, and also includes a token start processor that passes the token frame to the ring upon reception of the token-start-right acquisition frame which is issued by the token-start-right acquisition processor and circulates around the ring.
US08687640B2
There is provided a method of enabling media bypass for a media gateway in a telecommunications network which includes a plurality of media gateways via which a signaling path for transfer of signaling information for setup of a communication session between endpoint devices can be established and via which a media path for transfer of media data between the endpoint devices during the communication session can be established. The method includes receiving, at the media gateway, an inbound communication session setup request message requesting setup of a communication session between an originating endpoint device and a terminating endpoint device in the telecommunications network, the inbound communication session setup request message being transmitted along an inbound signaling path to the media gateway; transmitting, from the media gateway, an outbound communication session setup request message in response to receiving the inbound communication session setup message, the outbound communication session setup request message being transmitted along an outbound signaling path from the media gateway; and including preceding device connectivity data in the outbound communication session setup request message, the preceding device connectivity data indicating at least one media connectivity setting for at least one preceding device which is located before the media gateway in the inbound signaling path, the at least one connectivity setting identifying one or more other devices to which the at least one preceding device is configured to be connectable in the media path, to enable bypass of the media gateway in the media path if an ensuing device in the outbound signaling path determines that such bypass should be conducted.
US08687633B2
An edge node of a communication network and method to classify incoming Ethernet traffic based on predetermined criteria. An ingress switch is configured to receive an incoming Ethernet frame. A frame classifier is configured to identify flows and to correlate a flow to a corresponding bandwidth profile and corresponding forwarding treatments defined for the flow.
US08687631B2
An example method is provided and includes receiving a packet associated with a flow, determining a tunnel identifier for the flow, and determining a flow identifier for the flow. The method includes associating the flow identifier and the tunnel identifier to an Internet protocol (IP) address to generate a binding to be used for a network address and port translation (NAPT). In other embodiments, a routing decision is executed based on the binding between the identifiers and the IP address. The flow identifier can be a context identifier (CID), and the tunnel identifier can be a softwire tunnel ID. In yet other embodiments, the packet can be tagged as part of an encapsulation operation, which includes providing information about a network location at which the network address and port translation is to be executed.
US08687626B2
A system and method for remote monitoring through a voice over Internet Protocol phone. An indicator configured to activate a video interface of the VoIP phone is received. A determination is made whether the indicator authorizes the video interface. The video interface of the VoIP phone is activated in response to determining the indicator authorizes the video interface. Video communications are sent and received between the VoIP phone utilized by a receiving party and a communications device utilized by a calling party. An action is performed in response to recognizing a response from the receiving party.
US08687624B2
Various embodiments provide an apparatus and method for handling dynamic payloads in a heterogeneous network. An example embodiment includes a first node interface to receive a first request for data communication from a first node, the first request being coded in a first protocol and including information identifying a first payload type. The example embodiment includes a second node interface to receive a second request for data communication from a second node, the second request being coded in a second protocol and including information identifying a second payload type. The first node interface of the example embodiment configures a message coded in the first protocol to include the information identifying the second payload type and to send the message to the first node.
US08687621B2
In one embodiment, performance parameters may be determined for each of a plurality of network address prefixes in a computer network. Based on the respective performance parameters, the prefixes may be resized through at least one of consolidation of adjacent prefixes and splitting of prefixes, and traffic may then be routed in the computer network based on the resized prefixes.
US08687620B2
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate searches for a cell in a wireless communication environment. A mobile device can employ a searcher that can detect timing information respectively associated with PSCs and cells to determine the cell with the highest correlation. The searcher can detect SSCs, which can include detecting associated phase information, to determine the SSC with the highest correlation, CP length, and/or other information to facilitate identifying a desired cell having the strongest signal to establish communication between the mobile device and the desired cell. PSCs respectively associated with cells can have different positions in the symbol sequences, and SSCs can respectively be phase shifted at different angles to facilitate detection and identification of a cell(s), where a PSC can be utilized as a phase reference by the associated SSC.
US08687615B2
An HGW mobile device 20 can perform data communication on the basis of a plurality of wireless communication methods with different theoretical maximum transmission speeds, i.e., on the basis of a mobile wireless communication method and a wireless LAN communication method. Since the HGW mobile device 20 is provided with a mobile wireless communication unit 210 and a wireless LAN communication unit 250, it is able to relay data transmission between an external network 10 and a client terminal 30. A transmission speed initializing unit 230 sets a value according to a theoretical maximum transmission speed of the wireless communication method with the slower theoretical maximum transmission speed, i.e., the theoretical maximum transmission speed of the mobile wireless communication method, as an initial transmission speed for the wireless LAN communication unit 250 to first start wireless LAN communication with the client terminal 30 on the basis of the wireless LAN communication method.
US08687606B2
A method is implemented by a subscriber unit in a wireless communication for establishing a network session. The subscriber unit encodes an acknowledgment message for transmission on a shared reverse link channel to a base station. Acknowledgment information associated with a received session tag at the subscriber unit to the base station is transmitted over the shared reverse link channel, on a condition that the session tag is received from a network server via the base station on a forward link channel and identified by the subscriber unit. The acknowledgment is transmitted on a reverse traffic channel on a condition that the session ID tag is not identified by the subscriber unit.
US08687602B2
Methods and apparatus for coordinated error correction among a set of wireless base stations in communication with one another. In one embodiment, the wireless base stations are part of a cellular network having various cellular base stations (including a serving base station, and multiple supplemental base stations), and transmit multiple redundant versions of a transport block using a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) based scheme. The aggregate of the multiple redundant versions of the transport block are soft combined and acknowledged (ACK) or not-acknowledged (NACK) by the cellular equipment. The serving base station and supplemental base station devices dynamically configure the bundled acknowledgment operation based on various desired operational attributes relating to the operational parameters of the network.
US08687600B2
A mobile terminal operates to switch communications from a first wireless network to a second wireless network. The mobile terminal determines a transmission error value for transmissions to the first wireless network based on a count of data packet errors of the transmissions identified over a predetermined time period. The mobile terminal then calculates a transmission error percentage value based on the transmission error value and a total number of attempted data packet transmissions over the predetermined time period. When the transmission error percentage error value is greater than a predetermined error percentage value, the mobile terminal provides an indication to switch the communication operations from the first wireless network to the second wireless network.
US08687599B2
In a method and a mobile communications receiver for performing signal measurements, signal measurement data is received from at least one base station during at least part of a measurement period. Each measurement period comprises a number of non-equidistant snapshot measurement windows during which the receiver receives signal measurement data. At least one average signal strength value of the signal measurement data received during the measurement period is computed.
US08687590B2
A method is provided for handing over a user equipment (UE). The method includes a donor access node with which the UE is in communication via a serving relay node receiving UE context information. The method further includes the donor access node using the UE context information to identify data packets that belong to the UE, wherein the data packets are forwarded from the serving relay node to a target relay node.
US08687588B2
Devices and methods are provided for deploying and/or implementing a low power mode in an access point (AP) base station. The low power mode may be implemented based on the presence and/or status of access terminals (ATs). In one embodiment, the method may involve determining whether any ATs are present within at least one defined coverage area. In another embodiment, the method may involve determining whether the ATs are in an idle or active state.
US08687587B2
In general, the present invention provides for a direct inter-subsystem transfer of an active communication session, such as a call, between a packet subsystem (PS) and a circuit-switched subsystem (CS) in an efficient and effective manner while maintaining service control and continuity. Further, the inter-subsystem transfer may take place between a PS of one generation and a CS of another generation.
US08687584B2
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for performing processes in which a terminal determines control channel allocation, as well as to an apparatus for the method. The method comprises the following steps: monitoring, on a first carrier, a first search space, containing a control channel candidate set, for control channels having no carrier indication information; and monitoring, on a second carrier, a second search space, containing a control channel candidate set, for control channels having carrier indication information. If the terminal is set to monitor a plurality of control channel candidates which have the same radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), the same information size, and the same first control channel element (CCE) in the first search space and in the second search space, the control channels are received only in the first search space on the first carrier.
US08687578B2
A method for allocating the resources of a remaining region other than a region carrying a SuperFrame Header (SFH) and signaling the resource allocation is disclosed. A Mobile Station (MS) receives resource allocation information about a remaining region other than a region carrying an SFH in a predetermined channel bandwidth by the SFH from a Base Station (BS) and decodes the received resource allocation information. The MS decodes control information efficiently by receiving repetition number information about a sub_secondary SFH (sub_S-SFH) or sub_secondary Broadcast CHannel (sub_S-BCH) from the BS by a Primary SFH (P-SFH) or Primary BCH (P-BCH).
US08687575B2
A wireless communication terminal apparatus wherein even when a SC-FDMA signal is divided into a plurality of clusters and the plurality of clusters are then mapped to respective discontinuous frequency bands (when C-SC-FDMA is used), the improvement effect of system throughput can be maintained, while the user throughput can be improved. In the apparatus, a DFT unit (210) subjects a symbol sequence of time domain to a DFT process, thereby generating signals of frequency domain. A setting unit (211) divides the signals input from the DFT unit (210) into a plurality of clusters according to a cluster pattern that is in accordance with an MCS set, an encoding size, or the number of Ranks occurring during MIMO transmissions, which is indicated in those signals input, and then maps the plurality of clusters to the respective ones of a plurality of discontinuous frequency resources, thereby setting a constellation of the plurality of clusters in the frequency domain.
US08687569B2
A method of allocating frequency channels in a wireless communication system comprising common channel framework enabled stations, said method comprising: —using by said common channel framework enabled stations a common frequency channel at common time intervals in order to determine a communication frequency channel on which a pair of common channel framework enabled stations will be allowed to exchange data frames, —periodically changing the common frequency channel at the beginning of each common time interval.
US08687567B2
A method that includes establishing a connection with a default access point, transmitting a request to access or utilize an application, a service, or a resource, receiving a response to the request that includes a location of a serving access point that provides the application, the service, or the resource, establishing a connection with the serving access point, and receiving an assignment of a network address that is anchored by the serving access point.
US08687563B2
In order to satisfy the conflicting requirements for spectrum sensing and QoS of data transmission, it is highly desirable for a cognitive radio system, e.g. IEEE 802.22 WRAN, to perform spectrum sensing and data transmission simultaneously. Embodiments of the invention address critical issues of self-interference generated from a transmission unit to the co-located sensing unit when the simultaneous sensing and data transmission technique is applied. A number of interference mitigation techniques are described and analysis are given.
US08687558B2
Methods and apparatus to route emergency communication sessions are disclosed. An example method involves querying a gateway node cache in response to a first broadcast probe received at a node of a wireless Internet-based network. When the gateway node cache identifies a first gateway node, a first response is selectively sent to nodes that participated in a search flood associated with the first broadcast probe.
US08687554B2
A system and method for effecting communication between a plurality of healthcare measurement devices and a remote patient monitoring server is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of effecting communication between the healthcare measurement devices and the remote patient monitoring server, includes communicating with an healthcare gateway device using a common gateway protocol to receive translated data via a plurality of translation units associated with a plurality of device communication modules residing in wired and wireless healthcare measurement devices, and communicating with the remote patient monitoring server using a plurality of remote protocols residing in a plurality of remote communication modules to transmit the received translated data. In some embodiments, the healthcare gateway device is communicatively coupled between the healthcare management devices and the remote patient monitoring server.
US08687553B2
An apparatus and method for a multi-tier wireless home mesh network is described. The method may include formation of an infrastructure-less wireless home mesh networking environment comprising a collection of nodes that operate as a decentralized, ad hoc wireless network with multiple sub-networks or tiers that are responsible for different functions within the network. Each node of the multi-tier network is configured to forward data to other nodes and is assigned to a particular tier based on the node's performance capabilities. A further embodiment includes identification of a wireless home mesh network. Once identified, one or more proprietary messages may be exchanged in a secure manner to establish connections with a home electronics device as either a mobile node or a stationary node of the home network. A home electronics device may wirelessly communicate to route data within one or more nodes of the wireless home mesh network. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08687552B2
The disclosed method of processing a digital broadcast signal comprises generating one RS frame or two RS frames according to the RS frame mode, forming the data group including the mobile service data and signaling data, forming and outputting a plurality of data packets including the mobile service data in the data group, wherein the 118 data packets and K data packets are outputted for the data group, the K being scalable between 0 and 38, interleaving the mobile service data included in the plurality of data packets, wherein the data group includes a scalable data region including data included in the K data packets, wherein the scalable data region carries data included in the first RS frame when the RS frame mode is the single frame mode, or carries data included in the third RS frame when the RS frame mode is the dual frame mode.
US08687550B2
A system for configuring base station parameters comprises a base station, a mobile station and a code generating system. Additionally, a method for configuring base station parameters comprises steps of: after a code generating system generates an operation code, the operation code is sent to a base station via a mobile station, wherein the operation code includes information required for performing a configuration operation; the base station, if determining the operation code as received to be valid, then performs the corresponding configuration operation according to the information required for performing the configuration operation. According to the present invention, without depending on the base station controller and other network elements such as a network management system, the base station can implement message interaction over air link, i.e., parameter configuration may be implemented without requiring the base station to access to the network management system; by using a key and a check code, a parameter configuration process which is triggered inadvertently or maliciously is avoided.
US08687549B2
Method and apparatus for processing location service messages in a satellite position location system is described. In one example, a mobile receiver includes a satellite signal receiver, wireless circuitry, and at least one module. The satellite signal receiver is configured to receive satellite positioning system signals, such as Global Positioning System (GPS) signals. The wireless circuitry is configured to communicate location service messages between the mobile receiver and a server through a cellular communication network. The location service messages may include any type of data related to A-GPS operation, such as assistance data, position data, request and response data, and the like. The at least one module is configured to provide a user-plane interface and a control-plane interface between the satellite signal receiver and the wireless transceiver. The at least one module is capable of processing location service messages communicated using either the control-plane signaling or user-plane signaling mechanisms.
US08687547B2
A processing terminal, for example a PDA or laptop, includes one or more application-layer programs and a network broker. The network broker exposes currently-available network resources, such as network access points in-range of the terminal, to the applications layer. The network broker is also arranged to automatically establish network connections via the or each network access point and to acquire operating parameters indicative of the status and/or performance of the connections. The available bandwidth of a connection is one example of an operating parameter. Data subsequently sent to, or transmitted from, the application-layer programs is communicated over a selected one or more of the established connections in accordance with predefined connection rules indicating which connection is/are to be selected in dependence on the operating parameters. Access credentials for enabling the terminal automatically to access a network via a different access point can also be provided using an existing connection.
US08687545B2
Multiple downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) carriers can enhance wireless communication between nodes and user equipment (UE). Among the carriers, it is beneficial to have some special, by configuration designated carriers to provide synchronization, system information, paging, data and control for multi-carrier enabled UEs. Thereby, overhead system information can be reduced. For instance, synchronization and paging for a certain cell are not provided on all carriers. A carrier can provide backward compatibility for single carrier UEs for access, synchronization, broadcast, and new control region within the data region of the legacy terminals. Coordination between nodes for selecting anchor carriers that mitigate interference and for transmit power control for non-anchor carriers provide further network performance advantages.
US08687541B2
The invention relates to methods for scheduling of uplink transmission and generating transport blocks according to multiple received uplink assignments Furthermore, the invention is also related to the implementation of these methods in hardware and software. To propose strategies for generating plural transport blocks within a given time constraint, the invention introduces prioritization of the uplink assignments, so that multiple uplink assignments can be ranked in the mobile terminal in a priority order. The prioritization of the uplink assignments is used to determine the order in which the individual transport blocks corresponding to the uplink assignments are filled, respectively how the data of different logical channels is multiplexed to the transport blocks for transmission in the uplink. Another aspect of the invention is to suggest joint logical channel procedures that operate on virtual transport blocks accumulated from the received uplink assignments. One or more such joint logical channel procedure can be performed in parallel.
US08687532B1
A method and system for wirelessly communicating information from a bidirectional high speed data modem/router in a housing via an Ethernet connection on a first radio transceiver communicating with a second radio transceiver at a customer's premises, wherein the housing connects to a supporting strand that supports a coaxial cable carrying a RF spectrum signal and AC power signal.
US08687528B2
A network arrangement comprising a relay node (RN), wherein the RN is configured to assign a plurality of resource blocks (RBs) allocated by an enhanced node B (ENB) for at least one user equipment (UE). A network comprising an ENB, wherein the ENB is configured to allocate a plurality of RBs for an RN, wherein the RBs are assigned for at least one UE. Also disclosed is a method for communicating in a network, comprising selecting a time-division (TD) communication mode, and using resource scheduling based on the selected TD communication mode.
US08687519B2
A system, method, and Ethernet bridge utilizing forced MAC learning to set up a path from an originating node, PON (23) to one or more terminating nodes, PTN (12) through intermediate bridge nodes (14, 21). In the point-to-point case, a Previous Hop Bridge (PHB) list defines the links in the path. Each link includes a destination address, source address, port number, and VID. A path learning frame (13, 19, 22) containing the list is sent in reverse order from the PTN through the intermediate bridge nodes to the PON. Each node in the path saves the received frame's header information as learned path information using standard MAC learning functionality, removes the node's own information from the list, and forwards the frame with the remainder of the list to the next node using the port specified by the port number for that link. When the frame arrives at the PON, all nodes have saved the learned path information.
US08687513B2
A method includes collecting route parameters from a first intermediate node and a second intermediate node that can be configured to communicatively couple a source node to the destination node, determining at least a first route through the first intermediate node and a second route through the second intermediate node, and determining which route among the first route and the second route is optimal according to one or more criteria.
US08687505B2
A traffic control apparatus is provided which includes an interface connector to transmit/receive an Internet Protocol (IP) packet to/from an external circuit, a frame generator to receive the IP packet through the interface connector and to generate a Media Access Control (MAC) frame, and a network processor to transmit/receive the IP packet to/from the frame generator, to execute at least one programmable application, and to identify and classify the at least one programmable application.
US08687496B2
Disclosed is a reordering method for sending packets, to which numbers indicating sequence are attached, from a base station to a mobile station, and rearranging the packets in order of the sequence number in the mobile station. When a handover source base station transfers packets which have not been sent to the mobile station, out of packets received from a host station, to a handover target base station, and the handover target base station sends the packets to the mobile station, data is sent from the handover source base station to the mobile station to notify that transference of the packets has been executed at the execution of handover sequence. The mobile station executed, reordering of the received packets when the transference of the packets has been executed.
US08687495B2
A data packet communication system employs radio link control (RLC) transmission between a transmitter and a receiver with an Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) arrangement whereby polling of the receiver is accomplished with reduced amount of redundantly transmitted data, such as between an access node and terminal. Upon a polling event, such as emptying of a transmission buffer of the transmitter, expiration of a polling timer, or reaching a radio link control (RLC) protocol data units (PDUs) count threshold, the transmitter sends a polling command to the receiver. This polling command is smaller than any of the RLC PDUs by resegmenting to a variably sized PDU sending a reduced amount of data. With evolving communication standards tending toward larger PDUs, such as in excess of a kilobyte for HSPA+ (High-Speed Packet Access Evolution) and 3GPP LTE (Long Term Evolution), this inefficiency can be of increasing impact.
US08687491B2
Systems, apparatus, and methods for managing an overflow of data packets received by a switch are disclosed. A traffic flow of data packets may be transmitted to a switch and it may be determined whether the switch has sufficient input capacity available to enable receipt of the transmitted data packets. When the input capacity of the switch is insufficient, a traffic flow control measure may be implemented to, for example, pause, limit, filter, or otherwise modify the traffic flow of data packets so that any overflowing data packets will not be lost or otherwise compromised due to the switch's inability to accept the data packets.
US08687489B2
Systems and methods are provided for a signaling an ongoing communication of a data unit in a data packet is to be aborted. Upon a determination to abort an ongoing communication is made, a code-point in a data unit header is utilized to indicate the ongoing communication is to be aborted. A first class of code-point is a dedicated, predefined abort data unit field header. A second class of code-point is a combination of a set of existing, predefined data unit header fields, at least one data unit header field in the combination holds a value that is either invalid or legitimate yet unlikely to occur. Conveying code-point(s) to indicate termination of an ongoing communication of a data unit in a data packet in a regular communication mitigates transmission disruption and saves channel capacity.
US08687486B2
A system according to some embodiments of the invention includes (1) a component (e.g. ANDSF) that provides a cell selection rule to a UE and (2) a component (e.g. an access node) that provides the UE with information about the load in the cell currently utilized by the UE. This enables the UE to determine whether to leave the cell, which may be a 3GPP cell, and use a different cell, which may be a non-3GPP cell, by applying the cell selection rule in conjunction with its knowledge about the load of the cell.
US08687480B2
The present application provides methods, devices and transmitters that mitigate increases in peak to average power ratio (PAPR) from transmission diversity in a single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) modulated uplink A PAPR preserving precode matrix hopping method that utilizes cyclic shift delays is provided, as well as a sub-band based transmit diversity scheme. The present application also provides methods, devices and transmitters that relax the scheduling restrictions associated with uplink scheduling in the LTE standard.
US08687479B2
Methods and apparatus for performing channel estimation and reporting back channel information or other information such as a suggested traffic transmission rate are described. A signal including a pilot signal of interest is received. Portions of the signal corresponding to the pilot signal are analyzed to determine if any of the portions, e.g., signal portions corresponding to individual tone symbols used to communicate the pilot signal, were subject to excessive interference, such as might be the result of collisions, rendering the signal portions unreliable. Signal sub-portions determined to be unreliable are excluded from a determination of the amount of pilot signal energy that was received. Signal interference is determined from a portion of the received signal on which the pilot signal was not transmitted. Channel information in the form of information and/or a suggested traffic rate may be reported back to the device which transmitted the pilot signal.
US08687476B2
A method and an optical storage medium are provided for storing data to and accessing data from an embedded virtual medium within the optical storage medium. Information describing the embedded virtual medium may be stored on to the optical storage medium. Space for an embedded lead-in area of the embedded virtual medium, as well as user data for the embedded virtual medium, may be allocated within a data zone of the optical medium. A spare sector bitmap may be included in a lead-an area of the optical medium indicating spare sectors within the embedded virtual medium as being unavailable. A spare sector bitmap may be included within the embedded virtual medium indicating available spare sectors of the embedded virtual medium. Physical sector/logical block mapping of the optical storage medium may be modified for accessing data stored on the embedded virtual medium.
US08687470B2
An optical disk playback device comprises one or more lasers, an optical assembly, an optical detector, and controller circuitry coupled to the optical detector. The optical assembly is configured to direct incident light from the one or more lasers so as to form first and second scanning spots on a surface of an optical disk, and is further configured to direct corresponding reflected light from the first and second scanning spots on the surface of the optical disk to the optical detector. The optical detector is configured to process the reflected light from the first and second scanning spots to generate respective first and second data streams, and the controller circuitry is configured to generate a three-dimensional image signal from the first and second data streams.
US08687460B2
Methods and apparatus for generating borehole seismic surveys are disclosed. The methods and apparatus enable more accurate surveys than previous surveying systems. In some embodiments, firing of remote seismic sources is synchronized with data recording in a borehole. In some embodiments, the synchronization is based on a universal time standard. In some embodiments, GPS positioning technology is used to predict firing times and synchronize firing times with downhole and surface recording.
US08687457B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a system clock input block configured to be inputted with a system clock, a data clock input block configured to be inputted with a data clock, a first phase detection block configured to compare a phase of the system clock, generate a first phase detection signal, and determine a logic level of a reverse control signal in response to the first phase detection signal, a second phase detection block configured to compare a phase of a clock acquired by delaying the system clock by a correction time, generate a second phase detection signal, and determine a logic level of a clock select signal in response to the first and second phase detection signals, and a clock select block configured to select and output the data clock or a clock acquired by delaying the data clock.
US08687452B2
A semiconductor memory device pertaining to the present invention includes a plurality of memory macros having memory cells and memory peripheral circuits which drive the memory cells; first power supply switches which control power supply to the memory cells; and a second power supply switch which controls power supply to the memory peripheral circuits. The first power supply switches are located within the memory macros, respectively, and provided between a power supply line feeding power to the memory cells and the memory cells. The second power supply switch is located outside the memory macros and provided between the power supply line and a common power supply wiring for the memory peripheral circuits in the plurality of memory macros.
US08687449B2
A semiconductor device according to the present invention includes plural core chips CC0 to CC7 to which mutually different pieces of chip identification information LID are allocated, and an interface chip IF that controls the core chips CC0 to CC7. The interface chip IF receives address information ADD for specifying a memory cell, and supplies in common a part of the address information to the core chips CC0 to CC7 as chip selection information SEL to be compared with the chip identification information LID. With this configuration, it appears from a controller that an address space is simply enlarged. Therefore, an interface that is same as that for a conventional semiconductor memory device can be used.
US08687445B2
A method for repairing degraded field effect transistors includes forward biasing PN junctions of one of a source and a drain of a field effect transistor (FET), and a body of the FET. Charge is injected from a substrate to a gate region to neutralize charge in the gate region. The method is applicable to CMOS devices. Repair circuits are disclosed for implementing the repairs.
US08687440B2
At a succeeding stage of a sense amplifier, a first data latch is provided which has the same bit number as the page length and is controlled to invariably hold the same data as that of the sense amplifier. When a column address strobe (CAS) access begins, data is transferred from the first data latch to an error checking and correcting circuit, and error correction and parity generation are performed in a pipeline process. As a result, the CAS access time and the CAS cycle time are reduced.
US08687439B2
A semiconductor memory apparatus includes one or more semiconductor chips configured to have predetermined capacity and structure; and a signal level control unit configured to control levels of external signals, which are input to the one or more semiconductor chips, in order to realize various capacities and structures using the one or more semiconductor chips.
US08687432B2
This invention proposes a multi-bit resistive-switching memory cell and array thereof. Multiple conduction paths are formed on each memory cell and independent of each other, and each conduction path can be in a high-resistance or low-resistance state, so as to form a multi-bit resistive-switching memory cell. A memory cell array can be formed by arranging a plurality of multi-bit resistive-switching memory cells, and the memory cell array provides a simple, high density, high performance and cost-efficient proposal.
US08687421B2
The decision on whether to refresh or retire a memory block is based on the set of dynamic read values being used. In a memory system using a table of dynamic read values, the table is configured to include how to handle read error (retire, refresh) in addition to the read parameters for the different dynamic read cases. In a refinement, the read case number can used to prioritize blocks selected for refresh or retire. In cases where the read scrub is to be made more precise, multiple dynamic read cases can be applied. Further, which cases are applied can be intelligently selected.
US08687420B2
A semiconductor memory device which includes multi-bit memory cells that store multi-bit data and memory cells that store data of fewer bits then that of the multi-bit data. Thus, the semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of memory cells which store n-bit (where n is a natural number that is equal to or larger than 2) data for one cell. Among the plurality of memory cells, h-bit (h≦n) data is stored in a memory MLC of a first region MLB, and i-bit (i
US08687419B2
Techniques and devices relating to adjusting one or more operational parameters for memory cells are provided. One such device may include a detection unit configured to perform one or more reading operations on a set of memory cells to determine an upper bound of the threshold voltages of the set of memory cells. The device may further include a parameter adjustment unit configured to adjust one or more operational parameters for the set of memory cells based, at least in part, on the determined upper bound of the threshold voltages. Other techniques and devices are also provided.
US08687408B2
A highly integrated programmable non-volatile memory and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. More particularly, a memory device including an antifuse and a diode, or a variable resistor and a diode, an operation method thereof, and a manufacturing method of a plurality of memory cells capable of increasing the integration density by utilizing a vertical space are provided. The highly integrated programmable non-volatile memory includes first stepped cells and second stepped cells formed to have different heights. The first stepped cells are formed on a horizontal plane with a high height, and the second stepped cells are formed on a horizontal plane with a low height.
US08687403B1
An integrated circuit (IC) device may include a first portion having a plurality of volatile memory cells; and a second portion coupled by a data transfer path to the first portion, the second portion including a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells, each nonvolatile memory cell including at least one resistive element programmable more than once between different resistance values. A memory device may also include variable impedance elements accessible by access bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) having at least a portion formed by a semiconductor layer formed over a substrate. A memory device may also include a plurality of memory elements that each includes a dielectric layer formed between a first and second electrode, the dielectric layer including a solid electrolyte with a soluble metal having a mobility less than that of silver in a germanium disulfide.
US08687401B2
Ferro-resistive random access memory (Ferro-RRAM), operation method and manufacturing method thereof
The invention provides a Ferro-RRAM, a method of operating the Ferro-RRAM, and a method of fabricating the Ferro-RRAM, and pertains to the technical field of memory. The Ferro-RRAM comprises an upper electrode, a lower electrode, and a ferroelectric semiconducting thin-film layer provided between the upper electrode and the lower electrode and serving as a storage function layer; wherein the ferroelectric semiconducting thin-film layer is operable to generate a diode conduction characteristic by ferroelectric domain reorientation, and is operable to modulate the diode conduction characteristic by variation of the ferroelectric domain orientation; the Ferro-RRAM stores information according to variation of modulation of the diode conduction characteristic. The Ferro-RRAM has such characteristics of being simple in structure and fabrication, non-destructive readout and nonvolatile storage.
US08687396B2
The method can be used for the regulation of power in an alternating current electrical network (ACNW; ACNW1, ACNW2), using a conversion system (PCS) having at least two terminals (1,2; 1,2,3; 1,2,3,N) for connection to the network, wherein each of said terminals has a corresponding electrical potential. Each of the potentials of these terminals has an upper and a lower envelope, the difference between which, or envelope voltage (VEP,EN), is a variable positive continuous quantity having a maximum value (VEA) called the envelope amplitude.The method comprises the operations of: defining at least an upper range (ER) of voltage values, comprising said maximum value or envelope amplitude (VEA) and having a width (VE; VEE) which is substantially smaller than the envelope amplitude (VEA); using a structure (PCS) including at least a first static converter (ES) capable of regulating the electrical power by the regulation of the envelope voltage (VE; VEE) in the aforesaid upper range (ER); this upper range (ER) having a width determined in such a way that the at least one static converter (ES) regulates more than one half of the mean active electrical power exchanged with the network (ACNW; ACNW1, ACNW2).
US08687393B2
A power converter module is disclosed, which is an all-digital module. The power converter module includes a reference voltage generation unit, a voltage loop control unit, a current loop control unit, an input voltage compensation unit, and a pulse width modulation generation unit, to transfer input power to stable output power for providing power to an external loading device through driving bridge switch unit with external driver. The voltage loop control unit and the current loop control unit contain a proportion-integral-differentiation controller for receiving signal related to voltage and current of loading device to form voltage control loop and current control loop. The pulse width modulation generation unit contains function of deciding necessary stop time to improve quality of output power and decrease the effect of input power and loading variation, and to provide stable sine-waveform output power to the external loading device.
US08687389B2
A device has a converter which is connected to a direct voltage circuit through a short-circuit protection unit. The short-circuit protection unit is arranged at least partially in the direct voltage circuit and is provided in the direct voltage circuit to suppress short-circuit current flowing through the converter. The device contains one or more controllable power semiconductors, wherein a protection element is arranged in parallel to at least one of the controllable power semiconductors. The device prevents the negative effects of a short circuit occurring in the direct voltage network in a particularly reliable manner. For this purpose, the protection element is an energy store.
US08687388B2
A low input-current harmonic three-phase boost rectifier includes an input stage for receiving a three-phase input voltage in relation to a neutral node and an output stage adapted to couple to at least one load. The rectifier further includes one or more switching converter stages, each having a plurality of switches coupled to the neutral node, the plurality of switches operating with a fixed duty cycle, the fixed duty cycle being a substantially 50% duty cycle. The rectifier further includes one or more controllers adapted to vary the switching frequency of the plurality of switches based on at least one of a condition of the at least one load or the input voltage and includes one or more decoupling stages, each including one or more inductive elements adapted to inductively decouple the output stage from at least one of the one or more switching converter stages.
US08687387B2
A frequency limitation method used in a quasi-resonant controlled switching regulator is disclosed. The switching frequency is limited by setting a minimum time period, such as a minimum switching period or a minimum OFF time period. The minimum time period is varying according to the difference between the minimum time period of the previous cycle and an offset value, so as to eliminate the audible noise caused by the frequency hopping when the minimum OFF time period is close to the valley of a quasi-resonant signal.
US08687381B2
A wiring structure for an electronic apparatus has a structure in which a first wiring path where a first harness that is used for transmitting a primary power is wired and a second wiring path where a second harness that is used for transmitting a secondary power is wired are formed, and a structure related to the first wiring path is formed so that, in a case where the first harness is wired, the first harness is integrated with the structure related to the first wiring path.
US08687378B2
A high-frequency module includes first and second switch IC elements and a substrate. The first and second switch IC elements are the same or substantially the same IC chips, and are mounted in the same or substantially the same orientation. The first switch IC element is mounted on the substrate. The second switch IC element is mounted above the first switch IC element. Due to wire bonding, the individual pad electrodes of the first and second switch IC elements are connected to the land electrodes of the substrate, which are to be connected to the individual pad electrodes. Between a pad electrode and a land electrode connected to each other, another land electrode is not provided.
US08687375B2
The present invention relates to an automated distress locator transmitter assembly adapted to be installed on transportation means such as aircrafts and the like comprising: a base member having a primary enclosure downwardly formed from the surface thereof and defining a first peripheral flange thereon; a secondary enclosure having a second peripheral flange formed at the upper portion thereof, said secondary enclosure being enclosed within said primary enclosure and being provided with an ejector means; a locator transmitter member being provided within said secondary enclosure and secured on said ejector means; an associated cover being provided on said secondary enclosure, said associated cover being secured on said second peripheral flange; and means to secure and automatically detached said associated cover from said second peripheral flange to release and eject said locator transmitter member to a substantial distance away from said second enclosure at a predetermined switching command.
US08687373B2
A card structure includes a first element and a second element. The first element includes a first peripheral portion and a plurality of first contact points exposed by the first peripheral portion. The second element includes a second peripheral portion and a plurality of second contact points corresponding to the first contact points of the first element and exposed by the second peripheral portion. When the first and second elements are joined with each other, the first peripheral portion of the first element and the second peripheral portion of the second element are adjacent to each other, to juxtapose the first contact points of the first element and the second contact points of the second element to each other. The juxtaposed first and second contact points of the first and second elements are coupled to each other by a welding portion.
US08687372B2
A flexible circuit assembly that includes a flexible circuit substrate. A spacer is attached to a first side surface of the substrate, and a die carrier is attached to the opposite side surface of the substrate. The die carrier includes one or more photonic die mounted thereon that face an opening formed through the substrate so that the photonic die transmits and/or receives optical signals through the opening. Wire bonds electrically connect the photonic die to an electrical pad on the first side surface of the substrate. The spacer helps to space the wire bonds from an optical connector that connects to the flexible circuit assembly, so that the wire bonds do not interfere with the mechanical connection between the flexible circuit assembly and the optical connector.
US08687365B2
An electronic device including a fan unit capable of setting an air blowing direction toward any of an interface plate side of a casing and a back plate side opposite to the interface plate; a power supply unit; a first housing portion capable of housing the power supply unit and provided within the casing to be close to the back plate; a second housing portion capable of housing the power supply unit and provided within the casing to be close to the interface plate; a detection portion that detects the air blowing direction of the fan unit and a position where the power supply unit is housed; and a warning portion that operates based on the detection portion to give a warning in a case where the air blowing direction of the fan unit is different from the side where the casing houses the power supply unit.
US08687361B2
A portable electronic device, including a first portion, a second portion hingedly coupled to the first portion so that the first and second portions are movable between an open position and a closed position, and a hinge member coupled to the first portion and second portion adjacent the hinged end of the first and second portions. The hinge member includes at least one input device therein.
US08687359B2
A top case assembly for a portable computer is disclosed. The assembly may include an integral unified (e.g., homogenous) top case formed from a single part. The integral top case provides an enclosure, frame and cosmetic exterior of the portable computer. The integral top case also serves as the primary structure of the portable computer. The assembly may include a variety of subassemblies such as keyboards, touchpads, circuit boards, and drives that are carried by the underside of the integral top case. The integral top case may be formed from aluminum slab that has been machined to form walls, openings, attachment areas and cosmetic areas of the top case.
US08687350B2
The disclosed technology describes a motherboard with an arrangement of components that is aesthetically pleasing and enables ease of servicing. Inner components, such as add-on cards, memory slots and the CPU on the motherboard, are easily accessible through a removable side of the computer case. The cable connectors on the motherboard for internal components are hidden from view when the removable side of the computer case is opened or cannot be seen if the removable side of the computer case is translucent. As such, at least a portion of cables which connect between the motherboard and other devices, such as disk drives, the power supply and LED (Light Emitting Diodes) is at least partially, mostly or fully hidden from view when the removable portion of the case is removed. Further when servicing the computer, the cables are out of the way of the various microchips and add-on cards which connect to the motherboard. Thus, the appearance of the computer case and motherboard of the disclosed technology is visually attractive and the unit is overall easier to service than those available in the prior art.
US08687347B2
A relatively thin planar anode for use in a wet electrolytic capacitor is provided. Through a combination of specific materials and processing techniques, the present inventors have surprisingly discovered that the resulting anode may possess a high volumetric efficiency, yet still be able to operate at a high voltage and capacitance, resulting in a capacitor with a high energy density. The anode is a pressed pellet formed from an electrically conductive powder that contains a plurality of particles (including agglomerates thereof) having a flake-like morphology. The present inventors have discovered that such a morphology can optimize packing density, which reduces the thickness of the anode and improves volumetric efficiency. Such particles can provide a short transmission line between the outer surface and interior of the anode and a highly continuous and dense wire-to-anode connection with high conductivity. The particles may also increase the breakdown voltage and help lower ESR.
US08687342B2
A lightning strike protection system for protecting composite structures, an improved lightning strike appliqué (LSA) for such a lightning strike protection system, and a method of protecting composite structures, such as an aircraft fuselage. The LSA is electrically connected to adjacent conductive surfaces, e.g., by a fuzz button or a wire bond inserted in the bottom of the LSA. An adjacent conductive surface may be another LSA, a lightning diverter overlay, or a current return network. Charge, e.g., from a lightning strike to the LSA, flows to the conductive layer through the electrical connector.
US08687338B2
A highly reliable protection element for a storage battery is provided. A protection element includes a low melting point metal body and heater elements. The low melting point metal body is connected to a charger side line and a storage battery side line of a charge/discharge circuit. The heater element is connected to the storage battery side line and a switch, and the heater element is connected to the charger side line and a switch. When the switches are operated, a voltage that is not affected by a voltage drop of the low melting point metal body is applied to one of the heater elements, so that the low melting point metal body can be reliably fused.
US08687332B2
The present invention provides a transistor circuit with protecting function. The transistor circuit includes a transistor, a voltage detecting unit, a current detecting unit, a temperature detecting unit, and a protecting unit. The voltage detecting unit detects a voltage drop of the transistor and generates an over-voltage protection signal. The current detecting signal detects a current flowing through the transistor and generates an over-current protection signal. The temperature detecting unit detects a temperature of the transistor circuit and generates an over-temperature protection signal. The protecting unit is coupled to the control terminal to control a state of the transistor according to the over-voltage protection signal, the over-current protection signal, and the over-temperature protection signal to reduce the voltage difference between the control terminal and the second terminal, such that the voltage drop of the transistor is decreased or decreased to zero.
US08687327B2
An electronic system has IGBT, on driving FET and off driving FET connected with the gate of the IGBT, and a control circuit. The on driving FET in an on state supplies electric charge to the IGBT gate. The off driving FET in an on state releases the charge from the GET gate. The control circuit controls each of the on FETs according to a driving signal to be set in the on and off states every switching period of time and to control the voltage at the IGBT gate. When on-failure occurs in the on driving FET set in the on state so as to keep the on driving FET in the on state in spite of control of the control circuit, the control circuit controls a controlled element other than the off driving FET to set the IGBT in the off state.
US08687319B2
A spin torque oscillator for microwave assisted recording includes a perpendicular free layer having a magnetic anisotropy axis in a direction perpendicular to a film surface, and an in-plane free layer composed of a magnetic film effectively having a magnetization easy plane on a film surface. When electric currents flows from the in-plane free layer side to the perpendicular free layer side, both free layers exchange spin information and thereby rotate their respective magnetizations almost antiparallel to each other and along a boundary surface with high-speed. Preferably, the perpendicular free layer is thinner than the in-plane free layer. It is also preferable that a magnetic anisotropy field of the perpendicular free layer attributable to materials should balance, in reverse directions, with an effective demagnetizing field in the perpendicular direction. Furthermore, the perpendicular free layer is preferably placed on the main pole side.
US08687317B1
A spindle motor includes a stationary portion and a rotating portion. The stationary portion includes a shaft and an upper annular member. The rotating portion includes a sleeve. The shaft includes an annular or substantially annular upper shaft recessed portion recessed radially inward from an outside surface of the shaft. The upper shaft recessed portion is arranged opposite to an inside surface of a hole of the upper annular member. An adhesive is arranged in a gap defined between the upper shaft recessed portion and the inside surface of the hole of the upper annular member.
US08687316B2
In a spindle motor, a cup portion of a base member includes a cylindrical portion and a bottom plate portion. The cylindrical portion is concentric or substantially concentric with a central axis extending in a vertical direction. The bottom plate portion closes a bottom portion of the cylindrical portion. The bearing mechanism is accommodated in the cup portion. An adhesive is arranged between an outer circumferential surface of the bearing mechanism and an inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion. At least one of the outer circumferential surface of the bearing mechanism and the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion includes an axially extending vertical groove. A communicating hole which is not filled with the adhesive is arranged in at least a portion of an inside of the vertical groove. The communicating hole extends continuously from an upper to a lower end portion of the vertical groove.
US08687312B1
A process is disclosed for determining one or more edges of usable portions of a disk drive. Such knowledge can be used to determine the range of valid tracks of the disk and improve utilization of available disk space. The process can detect the edges by processing one or more disk controller signals, such as an adaptive feed-forward (AFC) injection signal, or a position error signal (PES).
US08687311B2
A first parameter associated with a writer preamp is defined. A write current of the writer preamp is adjusted in accordance with the first parameter so that an asymmetric signal is applied at a write head. The asymmetric signal results in symmetric writing of bits to a medium.
US08687308B1
In one aspect, systems, apparatuses and techniques obtain, through read circuitry, timing information for a machine-readable medium to determine head position; and write, by write circuitry, a first set of spiral servo reference tracks at a first frequency on a first zone of the medium and a second set of spiral servo reference tracks at a second, different frequency on a second zone of the medium. The second zone may be different from the first zone. Further, at least one of the first and second sets of spiral servo reference tracks may be written to the medium based on at least the timing information.
US08687305B2
In one embodiment, a tape drive system includes a read channel, a write channel, logic adapted for accessing data sets using the read channel and/or the write channel, logic adapted for counting each data set access using the read channel that used error recovery procedure (ERP), logic adapted for counting each data set access using the read channel that did not use ERP, logic adapted for counting each data set access using the write channel that used ERP, logic adapted for counting each data set access using the write channel that did not use ERP, and logic adapted for accessing subsequent data sets using the read channel and/or the write channel, wherein any subsequent data set access that uses ERP is accessed using an initial ERP step characterized by a first tape speed, wherein the first tape speed is selected at least partially based on the counts.
US08687299B1
An attachment mechanism includes a compliance member positioned between a body and bayonets. The bayonets collectively define an aperture therebetween. Alignment members prevent rotation of the bayonets relative to the body while allowing the bayonets to move radially outwardly against the compliance member. When a second attachment mechanism is received in the aperture of the first attachment mechanism, relative rotation therebetween may interlock corresponding bayonets thereof. The attachment mechanisms may release from one another in a drop event or other incidence of force applied thereto by allowing a bayonet to radially move outwardly out of contact with a corresponding bayonet of the second attachment mechanism. Related methods are also provided.
US08687298B2
A lens barrel includes a fixed cylinder, a first rotary cylinder rotatably provided around an axis relative to the fixed cylinder, and a moving cylinder disposed inside of the first rotary cylinder to move integrally with the first rotary cylinder on the axis and rotate around the axis relative to the first rotary cylinder. The moving cylinder includes a front protrusion group of three or more protrusions and a rear protrusion group of two or more protrusions on an outer circumference. The first rotary cylinder includes, in an inner circumference, a first circumferential groove, a second circumferential groove, a first guide having three or more depressions, and a second guide having two or more depressions. The first rotary cylinder and the moving cylinder are coupled with each other by fitting the front and rear protrusion groups into the first and second circumferential grooves, respectively.
US08687296B2
A driving mechanism includes a first piezoelectric element that vibrates in a thickness-shear vibration mode in a first direction, a first member that is driven to vibrate in the first direction by the first piezoelectric element, a second piezoelectric element that is supported by the first member and that vibrates in the thickness-shear vibration mode in a second direction, and a second member that is driven to vibrate in the second direction by the second piezoelectric element.
US08687295B2
An apparatus for adjusting an optical element includes at least one optical element for passing light, an adjustment frame coupled to an edge of the optical element, a lens barrel supporting a rear side of the adjustment frame, an elastic support unit arranged between the adjustment frame and the lens barrel and providing an elastic force to the adjustment frame, and at least one axial adjustment unit coupled to the lens barrel by penetrating the adjustment frame and the elastic support unit and adjusting a position of the adjustment frame in an axial direction.
US08687291B2
An optical system includes a first lens unit fixed during a focusing operation and having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit moving in an optical axis direction during the focusing operation and having a negative refractive power, a third lens unit positioned at the image side relative to the second lens unit and having a positive or negative refractive power, the first lens unit is configured by first, second, and third partial lens units, the first partial lens unit is configured by two positive lens components, the second partial lens unit is configured by one cemented lens having a negative combined refractive power, the third partial lens unit is positioned between the second partial lens unit and the second lens unit and has a positive refractive power as a whole, and each lens unit is configured so as to meet an appropriate condition.
US08687288B2
A driver vision field extender uses flexible vinyl Fresnel-type prism lens material with substantially parallel horizontal straight linearly extending prism lines. The parallel lines permit wide side by side views without substantial distortion. As the driver vision field extender is intended to be positioned contiguously along the windshield, the driver vision field extender after installation preferably exhibits a concave shape acting to focus the light defining and delineating overhead objects towards front-seated passengers such as the driver.
US08687287B2
The present invention provides a projection apparatus including an image generation device and a projection lens. The projection lens is disposed between a light valve of the image generation device and a projection screen, and the projection lens includes a plurality of lenses. The lenses include a first lens, a second lens and a third lens, and the first lens, the second lens and the third lens are aspherical lenses. An effective focal length of the projection lens is between 5 mm and 8 mm, and a sum of the effective focal length of the projection lens and a number of the lenses is between 14 and 17.
US08687286B2
A meso-optic device (1) includes a substantially annular meso-optic body (100) including an axis of revolution (2), a divergent conic optical surface (112) substantially coaxial with the axis of revolution (2), with the divergent conic optical surface (112) configured to receive electromagnetic radiation propagating along an optical axis (3) from an impingent direction, wherein the optical axis (3) is coincident with or intersects the axis of revolution (2), and with the divergent conic optical surface (112) configured to divergently re-direct the electromagnetic radiation away from the axis of revolution (2), and a convergent conic optical surface (114) substantially coaxial with the axis of revolution (2), with the convergent conic optical surface (114) configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation divergently re-directed by the divergent conic optical surface (112) and with the convergent conic optical surface (114) configured to convergently re-direct the electromagnetic radiation toward the axis of revolution (2).
US08687282B2
A focus module containing a boundary element and a focus element. The focus element includes a fluid and a deformable membrane, with the fluid being entrapped between the boundary element and the deformable membrane. The focus module also includes a pressure element, which is capable of deforming the focus element by pressing on the deformable membrane in the direction of the boundary element.
US08687281B2
A lens system suitable for use with a camera is disclosed. The lens system employs liquid optics to provide stabilization of an image. A pair of liquid lens cells provides stabilization of the image. A second pair of liquid lens cells may provide stabilization in another direction. The two pairs of liquid cells may provide stabilization in any direction.
US08687280B2
The present invention relates generally to an arcuate liquid meniscus lens with a meniscus wall. Some specific embodiments include a liquid meniscus lens with a meniscus wall essentially in the shape of a conical frustum, additional embodiments may include a cylindrical wall, each with microchannels. Embodiments may also include a lens of suitable size and shape for inclusion in a contact lens.
US08687278B2
An opto-mechanical switch produces different optical paths from two optical path sections out of a plurality of optical path sections that are oriented in different spatial directions. The switch has an optical component on which one end of each optical path section impinges, and which is adapted to be moved linearly in a direction of movement at right angles to the optical path sections between different switching positions, in which it selectively couples different optical path sections optically with each other. Further provided is a measuring system for the analysis of fluids, having such an opto-mechanical switch.
US08687275B2
Curved polarization filters and methods of manufacturing such filters. The method includes laminating a planar polarization layer to a planar retarder layer at a predetermined orientation and bending the laminate to create a curved filter. The strain on the retarder layer results in stress-induced birefringence, and the predetermined orientation of the retarder substantially compensates for the stress-induced birefringence. In some embodiments, the predetermination is based on mathematical models. In some other embodiment, the predetermination is based on experimental data.
US08687273B2
In an image display device having a parallax barrier element, a bright display with a broad viewing range can be realized.The image display device according to the present invention includes: a display panel having a first group of pixels for displaying a first image and a second group of pixels for displaying a second image; and a parallax barrier element for separating display light emitted from the first group of pixels and display light emitted from the second group of pixels, the parallax barrier element including a plurality of light-shielding portions and a plurality of light-transmitting portions which are alternately positioned within the same plane. The parallax barrier element includes converging elements respectively provided for the plurality of light-transmitting portions.
US08687272B1
A projection screen that reduces speckle by separating reflective flakes by at least 100 micrometers. The reflective flakes are held in a binder material that is coated on a backing layer. In a laser projection system, the separation distance between reflective flakes may be at least twice the coherence length of the laser light.
US08687270B2
A main amplifier system includes a first reflector operable to receive input light through a first aperture and direct the input light along an optical path. The input light is characterized by a first polarization. The main amplifier system also includes a first polarizer operable to reflect light characterized by the first polarization state. The main amplifier system further includes a first and second set of amplifier modules. Each of the first and second set of amplifier modules includes an entrance window, a quarter wave plate, a plurality of amplifier slablets arrayed substantially parallel to each other, and an exit window. The main amplifier system additionally includes a set of mirrors operable to reflect light exiting the first set of amplifier modules to enter the second set of amplifier modules and a second polarizer operable to reflect light characterized by a second polarization state.
US08687267B2
An acousto-optical tunable filter is disclosed. The filter includes a medium having one or more indices of refractions alterable by the application of acoustic waves to the medium. The filter also includes an acoustic transducer coupled to the medium to generate the acoustic waves Altering the frequency of the acoustic wave selects among the different wavelengths in the incident light ray. The device also includes an optical mirror for reflecting a wave diffracted by the medium back to the medium so that it can again be diffracted. The first diffracted wave has its frequency shifted in one direction by the frequency of the acoustic wave while the second diffracted wave has its frequency shifted in the opposite direction, thereby compensating for the first shift. The result is an output ray with little or no frequency shift.
US08687260B2
A spatial light modulator comprises a solid-state chiral material disposed between electrodes such that the polarization direction of the polarized light incident thereto can be controlled through an electrical field established between the electrodes.
US08687259B2
The invention relates to a polymerizable LC material with negative optical dispersion, a polymer film with negative optical dispersion obtainable from such a material, and the use of the polymerizable LC material and polymer film in optical, electrooptical, electronic, semiconducting or luminescent components or devices.
US08687258B2
Variable transmittance optical filters capable of transitioning from a light state to a dark state on exposure to UV radiation and from a dark state to a light state with application of an electric voltage are provided. The optical filters comprise a switching material that comprises one or more chromophores that have electrochromic and photochromic properties.
US08687254B2
An optical filter comprising a first substrate, a first mirror formed on the first substrate, a second substrate coupled to the first substrate, the second substrate including a concave portion, and a second mirror formed on the concave portion and facing the first mirror, wherein the first substrate includes a first portion located on the first mirror, a second portion located around the first portion, a third portion located around the second portion, and a fourth portion located around the third portion, wherein both a thickness of the second portion and a thickness of the fourth portion are equal to or smaller than a thickness of the first portion.
US08687253B2
A method and apparatus for reducing speckle noise in an image of an object are disclosed. The method includes, placing the object in an interferometer at a first position along a beam path of an object beam, irradiating the object with the object beam, moving the object from the first position to a second position by longitudinally shifting the object along the beam path of the object beam, irradiating the object with the object beam at the second position. At each of the first and second positions a holographic image formed by interference between the object beam and a reference beam is recorded. An object image with reduced speckle noise is obtained by averaging the holographic images. Either an arithmetic mean or a weighted average may be used in the averaging of the holographic images.
US08687236B2
A method and apparatus as provided for determining, for an ink to be deposited on a substrate by a halftone inkjet printing process, a nominal coverage value (the ‘ink restriction value’), that corresponds to an amount of ink sufficient to fully cover the area of the substrate to be printed. This determination is effected by measuring the reflectance of the printed substrate for a range of nominal coverage values, and then using an automatic processing arrangement to determine, from the change of measured reflectance with nominal coverage value, the nominal coverage value at which continuous tone behavior commences.
US08687232B2
A function execution device connected to at least one other device includes: a memory storing a plurality of setting values corresponding to a plurality of setting items; an execution portion executing a function by using the plurality of setting values; a screen data supply portion supplying, to a display device, device screen data for showing a device screen, on which a user selects a target device from the at least one other device, and item screen data for showing an item screen, on which the user selects at least one setting item from the plurality of setting items; an acquisition portion that acquires device information about the target device; and a transmission portion transmitting, to the target device, at least one setting value corresponding to the at least one setting item selected by the user on the item screen, among the plurality of setting values stored in the memory.
US08687231B2
There is provided a decoloring device including a decoloring unit, a first sheet conveying unit, a pre-decoloring reading unit, a type determining unit, a second sheet conveying unit, a post-decoloring reading unit, a decoloring success or failure determining unit, and a determination criterion setting unit. The type determining unit determines the type of image on the sheet conveyed to the decoloring unit based on the reading result in the pre-decoloring reading unit. The post-decoloring reading unit reads an image on the sheet after the decoloring, which is conveyed by the second sheet conveying unit. The decoloring success or failure determining unit determines whether or not the decoloring in the decoloring unit is successful based on the reading result in the post-decoloring reading unit. The determination criterion setting unit sets a determination criterion in the decoloring success or failure determining unit, based on the type of image, which is determined by the type determining unit.
US08687228B2
According to an embodiment of the present invention, in a plug-in of a general use application, sheet size information and margin information set by the application are calculated by using a scaling factor at the time of an expansion or reduction printing. The calculated sheet size information and margin information are reconfigured into the application.
US08687227B2
An image forming apparatus is provided with a data retrieving unit that retrieves index image data and associating file information corresponding files from a recording medium. The index image data and associating tile information are allocated to a plurality of arrangement sections. The index image data and associating file information may be printed on a printing sheet in accordance with a predetermined layout. A judging unit is provided to judge whether the associating file information is less than or equal to a predetermined length, The associating file information which is longer than the predetermined length is normally printed incompletely so as to he printed within the arrangement section. A layout modifying unit is provided to modify the predetermined layout for the arrangement section if the associating file information is longer than the predetermined length so that the associating file information is printed completely on the printing sheet.
US08687222B2
An image data buffer apparatus includes a memory, and a FIFO control unit configured to cause the memory to operate as a FIFO and having a write pointer indicative of a write position of the memory and a read pointer indicative of a read position of the memory, wherein the FIFO control unit is configured to store image data as a plurality of blocks in the memory at respective positions successively indicated by the write pointer as the image data are supplied as the blocks contained in an image, to read one of the blocks from the memory at a position indicated by the read pointer, to read, from the memory, partial data that is part of at least one block adjacent to the one of the blocks, and to consolidate the one of the blocks and the partial data for transmission as one consolidated block.
US08687208B2
When the processing of process steps of a print job that includes job definition information showing the process steps of a printing process and information relating to drawing data used in printing is executed by devices, a printing control apparatus connected to the devices determines whether the processing content of a target print job has been changed by the devices from a processing content defined by the job definition information, and, if determined that the processing content has been changed, collects the job definition information defining the changed processing content.
US08687207B2
A method for determining the optimum procedure for a job change on a printing-material processing machine (10) with at least one control computer. The data of a first machine job is compared to the data of a subsequent machine job using a control computer, and the comparison is used to establish an order of the operations to be carried out during the job change. Also provided is a device for determining the optimum procedure for a job change on a printing-material processing machine (10) with at least one control computer. The control computer is intended to compare the data of a first machine job to the data of a subsequent machine job, and to use the comparison to establish an order of the operations to be carried out during the job change.
US08687202B2
A displacement detecting device has a diffraction grating, grating interferometers, and relative position information output sections. The grating interferometers have a light source, reflectors, a beam splitter, and light receiving sections. The reflectors reflect 1st-order diffracted lights diffracted by the diffraction grating, and cause the reflected 1st-order diffracted lights to be incident at a position substantially identical to the position at which the light from the light source is irradiated. Furthermore, the reflectors cause the 1st-order diffracted lights to be incident on the diffraction grating at an angle different to either the incidence angle of the light from the light source incident on the diffraction grating or the angle at which the 1st-order diffracted lights are transmitted through or reflected by the diffraction grating.
US08687194B2
A sensor having a housing with a first member connected to a second member to form a circular central opening. A plurality of photoelectric transmitters and receivers are placed between the first member and the second member such that each receiver is within a liner-of-sight of each transmitter across the central opening and the signals sent between the receivers and transmitters fills an area of detection.
US08687191B2
An apparatus comprises a detector, a pressure sensor and a processor. The detector is operable to detect light that is scattered by an aerosol that is associated with a pressure. The pressure sensor is operable to measure the pressure. The processor is coupled to the detector and to the pressure sensor, and is configured to receive at least a signal from the detector and the pressure sensor. The processor is further configured to use the received signals to calculate a volume of the first aerosol, and to output an output signal associated with the calculated volume. The various measurements can be repeated and compared, and the output signal can be a feedback signal for metering subsequent amounts of the aerosol, based on the comparison.
US08687189B2
The present invention relates to the detection of materials using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). This invention discloses methods to draw the analyte of interest in a homogeneous matrix and subsequent analysis of these matrices, wherein the said matrices are preferably arranged in an array format. This invention is particularly applicable to analysis of Liquid samples arranged in an array format.
US08687186B2
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to nanowire-based systems for performing surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. In one embodiment, a system comprises a substrate having a surface and a plurality of tapered nanowires disposed on the surface. Each nanowire has a tapered end directed away from the surface. The system also includes a plurality of nanoparticles disposed near the tapered end of each nanowire. When each nanowire is illuminated with light of a pump wavelength, Raman excitation light is emitted from the tapered end of the nanowire to interact with the nanoparticles and produce enhanced Raman scattered light from molecules located in close proximity to the nanoparticles.
US08687185B2
A device and a method for optical parallel analysis of a sample arrangement. The device includes a system of sample areas provided on and/or in a front face of the carrier substrate for receiving a sample substance; a system of detector areas provided on and/or in a back face of the carrier substrate, each detector area being assigned to a corresponding sample area; and a system of optical devices, each optical system being assigned to a corresponding sample area and being designed in such a way that it deflects light beams, which the corresponding sample area in response to an optical excitation does not emit in the direction of a detector area assigned to it, in the direction of the detector area assigned to it and/or in the direction of a detector-free area on the back face of the carrier substrate.
US08687183B2
The present invention provides an imprint apparatus for performing an imprint process of transferring a pattern onto a substrate by curing a resin on the substrate while the resin is in contact with a mold, and removing the mold from the cured resin, including a detection unit configured to detect a foreign particle existing on the substrate, wherein the detection unit includes an obtaining unit configured to irradiate a surface of the substrate with light, and obtain light from the surface of the substrate, and a specification unit configured to specify a shot region where a foreign particle existing on the substrate is positioned, based on the light obtained by the obtaining unit.
US08687174B2
A unit pixel included in a photo-detection device, the unit pixel including a floating diffusion region in a semiconductor substrate, a ring-shaped collection gate over the semiconductor substrate, a ring-shaped drain gate over the semiconductor substrate, and a drain region in the semiconductor substrate, wherein the collection gate and the drain gate are respectively arranged between the floating diffusion region and the drain region.
US08687172B2
Systems and methods improve the accuracy of spatial coordinate measurements by optical digitizers by obtaining a separate distance measurement, which may be via direct ranging rather than triangulation, and combining the distance measurement with the spatial coordinate measurements to improve the accuracy of the three-dimensional spatial coordinate measurement.
US08687166B2
A lithographic apparatus is disclosed that includes an encoder type sensor system configured to measure a position of a substrate table of the lithographic apparatus relative to a reference structure. The encoder type sensor system includes an encoder sensor head and an encoder sensor target and the lithographic apparatus comprises a recess to accommodate the encoder sensor target.
US08687149B2
A method of adapting a visual unit having a first screen (10) in a first focal plane by the addition of one or more at least partially transparent display screens (20) at least partially overlapping said first screen (10) and located in focal planes distinct from said first focal plane, characterized in that an at least partially transparent emissive layer (21) is provided between said first screen (10) and at least one said additional display screen (20).
US08687148B2
The present invention enables a liquid crystal display device using LEDs as a light source to reduce uneven brightness, increase efficiency of heat discharged from the LEDs, and provide area brightness control. The liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel and a backlight. The backlight includes a light guide panel and a plurality of LEDs arranged on a line. The light guide panel includes a concave portion extending in a longitudinal direction of the light guide panel. A large number of LEDs are placed in the concave portion of the light guide panel. The plurality of LEDs arranged on a line emit light alternately in opposite directions. This configuration allows for uniform brightness distribution without forming a large number of concave portions in the light guide panel. Further, this configuration also allows for area brightness control by controlling a large number of LEDs by group.
US08687146B2
The invention provides a reflective plate that includes a first reflective part having a predetermined surface roughness and a second reflective part having a surface roughness that is less than the predetermined surface roughness of the first reflective part. The invention also provides a reflective plate that is capable of supplying a liquid crystal panel with substantially uniform light.
US08687143B2
A method of illuminating a display includes spatially varying the luminance of a multi-colored light source illuminating a plurality of pixels of the display in response to receiving a plurality of pixel values, and varying the transmittance of a light valve of the display having filters corresponding to the multi-colored light source in response to receiving the plurality of pixel values. The illumination is modified for a plurality of pixel values based upon modification of the luminance of the light source and varying the transmittance of the light valve. The modifying is further based upon modification of at least one of the multi-colored light sources together with modification of the transmittance of the light valve corresponding to at least one of the filters of a different color than the at least one of the multi-colored light sources in such a manner that increases the color gamut of the display.
US08687142B2
A backlight unit comprises a light emitting diode (LED) package including one or more LED chips, a light source PCB mounting one side of a bottom of the LED package or both sides of the bottom of the LED package, a bottom cover supporting the light source PCB under the light source PCB, and having an embossing portion which protrudes toward the LED package with a size corresponding to the bottom of the LED package which is not mounted on the light source PCB, and a heat emission material filling between the bottom of the LED package and the embossing portion.
US08687132B2
A method of manufacturing a display device according to one aspect of the present invention is a method of manufacturing a display device including a liquid crystal interposed between a CF substrate and a TFT substrate that are opposed to each other, the method including the steps of: bonding the CF substrate and the TFT substrate each having a mother substrate shape to form a cell substrate from which at least one panel is to be cut out; forming, after formation of the cell substrate, a parallax barrier layer for separating a display image on an outer side of the cell substrate at a side of one of the CF substrate and the TFT substrate; and dividing, after formation of the parallax barrier layer, the cell substrate into at least one panel.
US08687127B2
According to one embodiment, a video display apparatus including, a first power-supply module configured to be charged while a commercially available power is connected, a second power-supply module connected as an external apparatus and configured to be charged together with the first power-supply module while the commercially available power is connected, and a power switching module configured to supply power from at least one of the first and second power-supply modules upon receipt of an instruction to stop connection with the commercially available power.
US08687120B2
High definition media content processing techniques are described in which enhanced media content rendering techniques may be performed to output high definition media content. In an implementation, luma keying may be provided to define clear pixels in a composite output using an optimum set of graphics processing instructions. In another implementation, techniques are described which may provide clear rectangles in a composite output of one or more video streams. Clear rectangles to appear in the composite output are configured by a media playback application. A texture is arrived at to represent a union of each of the clear rectangles and is applied to form the clear rectangles in the composite output. In another implementation, capture techniques are described in which an image to capture is resolved as strips to an intermediate texture and then from the texture to a capture buffer in system memory.
US08687118B2
A repeater is to be provided between a source device and a sink device and be used in a Lip-sync correction system that transmits a video signal and an audio signal from the source device to the sink device through a HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) transmission path and reproduces the video signal and the audio signal in synchronous with them on the sink device. A communication from the source device to the sink device is defined as a downstream communication, and a communication from the sink device to the source device is defined as a upstream communication. The repeater includes a processor that receives the video signal and the audio signal through the upstream communication and the downstream communication and processes the received video signal and the received audio signal. The processor corrects deviation between the video signal and the audio signal.
US08687114B2
Operating on video frames includes determining a frame set backdrop of a set of video frames that is a characterization of the relative difference in content of the set of video frames. Decreasing video quality of the set of video frames when the frame set backdrop is relatively higher indicating relatively greater content difference among video frames of the set of video frames and increasing/leaving quality of the set of video frames when the frame set backdrop is relatively lower indicating relatively lesser content difference among video frames of the set of video frames. Alteration of video quality of the set of video frames includes altering a frame rate, altering a pixel resolution, and/or altering color resolution of the set of video frames and/or altering a ratio of independent frames to predictive frames of the set of frames.
US08687113B2
An image pickup apparatus which has a small-sized removable handle unit easy to be handled and removed and prevents breakage of electrical contacts. The handle unit includes a handle-side connector having a handle-side connector terminal section, rear handle fixing members for mounting the handle unit to the main unit, a connector fixing plate for mounting the handle-side connector to the handle unit, and resilient members interposed between the handle-side connector and the connector fixing plate. The main unit includes a main unit-side connector having a second terminal section and a main unit-side fixing portion to which the rear handle fixing members are affixed. The handle-side connector and the main unit-side connector are connected such that the first terminal section and the second terminal section are electrically connected in a state of the rear handle fixing members being affixed to the main unit-side fixing portion.
US08687109B2
An image capturing device employing as illumination source(s) (flash apparatus(es)) a plurality of light emitting diodes emitting light of different colors; wherein such light emitting diodes are respectively made to emit light in pulsed fashion in turn by emitted color during exposure time(s). Furthermore, during exposure time(s), such light emitting diodes may be made to sequentially emit light in pulsed fashion in turn by emitted color, and/or such light emitting diodes may be made to sequentially emit light in pulsed fashion in turn by emitted color over multiple iterations.
US08687099B2
Disclosed herein is an imaging device including: a pixel unit including a pixel disposed in a plane and a driving unit. The pixel includes an accumulating section configured to detect a physical quantity, and accumulate a charge corresponding to the physical quantity, a transfer section configured to transfer the charge from the accumulating section, a converting section configured to convert the charge into a voltage, an output section configured to output a signal of the voltage converted by the converting section, a reset section configured to reset the potential of the converting section, and a connecting section connected to the converting section. The driving unit is configured to transfer a signal for giving an instruction to transfer the charge, and a connecting signal for controlling connection and non-connection. The driving unit makes the charge transferred in a state of the converting sections being connected to each other.
US08687097B2
A CMOS image sensor in which column-parallel ADCs are mounted. Reference voltages Vref1 to Vref4 having slopes with different gradients and a reference voltage Vref5 are used. Additionally, a comparison circuit that compares an output voltage Vx of a unit pixel with any one of the reference voltages Vref1 to Vref4, and a comparison circuit that compares the one of the reference voltages Vref1 to Vref4 with the reference voltage Vref5 are included in a column processing circuit. High-resolution AD conversion is performed at a high speed by respective operations of the comparison circuits and an up/down counter.
US08687096B2
A piecewise linear processing device applies different amplification rates according to a general environment and a low luminance environment where much noise exists. The piecewise linear processing device includes a knee point storing unit configured to store a user's default setting value and low luminance setting value; a luminance detecting unit configured to detect a noisy environment to output a current luminance information signal and a maximum luminance information signal; an adaptive knee point supply unit configured to receive the default setting value, the low luminance setting value, the current luminance information signal, and the maximum luminance information signal to supply a adjusted adaptive knee point according to a degree of noise; and a piecewise linear processing unit configured to apply a section amplification rate to an input data on the basis of a region corresponding to the adaptive knee point.
US08687094B2
A mobile terminal and a method of displaying an object related information in the mobile terminal are disclosed, in which the method includes receiving an image via a camera module of the mobile terminal, the received image depicting objects located within a predetermined distance from the mobile terminal, obtaining at least one object related information corresponding to the received image, displaying the received image including the obtained at least one object related information, receiving a zoom-in command signal for the camera module, zooming in on the displayed image according to the received zoom-in command signal such that the zoomed-in image is displayed at a zoom position, and displaying object related information in the obtained object related information corresponding to at least one object of the zoomed-in image depicted between the zoom position and the predetermined distance.
US08687093B2
An apparatus having an electronic zoom function, comprising an image sensing element, a zoom magnification setting unit, a pixel signal readout unit, an image processor, and a controller which, when the zoom magnification is between first and second zoom magnifications, controls to read out pixel signals of a first pixel count, and to generate the image using pixel signals of a second pixel count, and when the zoom magnification is between third and fourth zoom magnifications, controls to read out pixel signals of a third pixel count, and to generate the image using pixel signals of a fourth pixel count, the second pixel count is not larger than the first pixel count, the fourth pixel count is not larger than the third pixel count.
US08687091B2
An image capturing apparatus that includes an image capture unit, an interface unit, a processing unit, and a display unit, wherein the image capture unit captures an image, the memory unit stores the image, the interface unit loads one or more look transforms into the image capturing apparatus, the processing unit converts color signals of the image from values of the image capturing apparatus into an output rendering space using a device-independent color space, automatically applies the look transform(s) to the image, and generates a rendered image, which is then displayed by the display unit.
US08687083B2
A reference pixel memory storage space configuration method for configuring a main storage sub-space and an extra storage sub-space of a reference pixel memory storage space of a high resolution digital image capturing apparatus is disclosed. The method includes steps of: calculating a first frame to obtain a plurality of first reconstruction reference pixels; storing the first reconstruction reference pixels in the main storage sub-space; moving a search range window to search the first reconstruction reference pixels and calculating a second frame by referencing the first reconstruction reference pixels covered by the search range window to obtain a plurality of second reconstruction reference pixels, and when the search range window is moved from a first region to a second region in the main storage sub-space, the first region becomes an available space. The second reconstruction reference pixels are orderly stored in the extra storage sub-space and the available space.
US08687082B2
A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel section in which a plurality of pixels converting optical signals into electric signals and accumulating the electric signals in accordance with an exposure period are arranged in a matrix shape; and a pixel driving section that is able to drive the pixel section to perform reset thereof and accumulate and output the electric signals, wherein the pixel driving section includes a vertical reading function of alternately reading pixel columns for which addition is vertically performed and pixel columns for which the addition is not performed, and a column reading function of changing the addition and normal reading whenever reading each single row in response to scanning of the vertical reading circuit, and the pixel driving section performs pseudo thinning-out reading addition equivalent to thinning-out by reading all pixels without thinning out pixels in a reading target row.
US08687080B2
An image pickup apparatus a camera 100 includes an image pickup element 105 including a plurality of imaging pixels 106 which perform a photoelectric conversion of an image formed by a light beam from an image pickup optical system and a plurality of focus detection pixels 107 which perform a photoelectric conversion of an image formed by a divided light beam of the light beam, a focus detector 113 which performs a focus detection of the image pickup optical system based on an output of the focus detection pixels 107, an aperture controller 104 which performs a control so that an aperture value of the image pickup optical system is equal to or less than a predetermined value when the focus detector 113 perform the focus detection, and an exposure controller 110 which adjusts an exposure condition in accordance with the aperture value controlled by the aperture controller 104.
US08687075B2
An imaging apparatus, which is capable of recording a still image during a moving image recording operation, includes a display unit, an operation unit configured to receive an instruction from a user, and a controller configured to control the display unit to display information about a number of recordable still image data, when the operation unit receives a predetermined instruction during a moving image recording operation.
US08687074B1
The present invention relates to camera arrangements with backlighting detection. The camera arrangements are capable of simultaneously capturing real scene data from various viewpoints. This data may include illumination data impinging the scene. The illumination data may then be utilized to alter the apparent illumination of a second image, either real or virtual, which is to be superimposed over the real scene so that the illumination across the entire superimposed scene is consistent. The camera arrangements may utilize combinations of umbilical cables and light tubes to expand or contract the field of capture. The camera arrangements may also include in-line signal processing of the data output.
US08687067B2
An object of the present invention is to simplify a calibration operation of a camera and to shorten a time necessary for calibration. A camera calibration device 10 is mounted on a predetermined position of a movable object 100 and includes a camera 11 configured to take an image including an index 41 provided outside the movable object 100, an image superimposing unit 122 configured to generate a superimposed image by superimposing a calibration object 42 having a position adjustment part and a rotation adjustment part on the image taken by the camera 11, and a calculation unit 124 configured to calculate, based on a position of the calibration object 42 after being shifted in the superimposed image such that an end or a center of the index 41 meets the position adjustment part and a part of the index other than the end or the center overlaps the rotation adjustment part, parameters relative to a pan angle, a tilt angle and a roll angle for calibration of the camera mounting position.
US08687054B1
A method and system for providing individualized video program content whereby currently available synchronized active shutter technology, such as is implemented in currently available 3-D televisions, and multiple channel audio technology, such as stereo, or 5:1 surround sound technology, is modified to provide two or more interlaced versions of at least a portion of a video program such that two or more “classes”, or types of viewers, can virtually simultaneously view separate versions of the portion of a video program in a single run of the video program, i.e., in the same viewing of the program by both types of viewers.
US08687053B2
The present invention provides a stereoscopic image display device that improves visibility of a stereoscopic pointer image when the pointer position moves between objects in the stereoscopic image that have greatly different display depths. The display device changes the display depth of the stereoscopic pointer image in accordance with the display depth of an object in the stereoscopic image. When the pointer position moves between objects that have greatly different display depths from time t0 to time t1, the stereoscopic pointer image at time t1 is rendered so as to be perceived as having a display depth intermediate between the display depth of the stereoscopic pointer image at time t0 and the display depth of the display screen at the pointer position at t1. As a result, visibility of the stereoscopic pointer image is improved.
US08687045B2
A three-dimensional image-capturing apparatus includes an image-capturing device having a plurality of image-capturing regions and a plurality of optical systems for forming images of a subject in the image-capturing regions. The optical systems includes a plurality of reflectors for reflecting rays from the subject a number of times and at least a lens provided to be closer to the image-capturing device than the reflection means closest to the subject. The reflectors and the lens are used to form, in the image-capturing regions, separate images of the subject which are captured from different viewpoints.
US08687044B2
Compatibility between a depth image consumer and a plurality of different depth image producers is provided by receiving a native depth image having unsupported depth camera parameters that are not compatible with a depth image consumer, and converting the native depth image to a virtual depth image having supported virtual depth camera parameters that are compatible with the depth image consumer. This virtual depth image is then output to the depth image consumer.
US08687043B2
A method of generating a stereoscopic image signal and scaling the same includes receiving a left-eye image signal and a right-eye image signal, generating a progressive stereoscopic image signal by multiplexing the left-eye image signal and the right-eye image signal, and scaling up or down the progressive stereoscopic image signal. Accordingly, it is possible to simplify a structure of an apparatus to generate the stereoscopic image signal and reduce manufacturing costs of the apparatus to generate the stereoscopic image signal.
US08687041B2
In a stereoscopic panorama image creating method according to an embodiment of the presently disclosed subject matter, a plurality of stereoscopic images formed of left images and right images continuously shot with a stereoscopic imaging apparatus 1 being moved in one direction, the left images of the stereoscopic images are synthesized together and the right images thereof are synthesized together to create a stereoscopic panorama image, corresponding points of the stereoscopic images are detected, an image shift amount for setting a parallax of each corresponding point at a predetermined value is calculated, and information about the corresponding point and the image shift amount are recorded in association with the stereoscopic panorama image.
US08687038B2
A registrant provides at least one registrant electronic contact, such as a telephone number, during a registration process. The registrant's information may be compared to a database of such information. The registrant is verified by establishing a connection with the registrant via the registrant contact. The verification code is communicated to the registrant, which is input into an on-line form. Notification events are established, and the registrant is notified of the occurrence of a previously established notification event by establishing a connection with the registrant via the registrant contact.
US08687036B2
A light source driver mounted on a rectangular-shaped substrate includes a plurality of output parts that output driving signals to drive a plurality of light-emitting bodies. The plurality of output parts are disposed in a vicinity of the two sides of the substrate, the two sides of the substrate forming a corner of the substrate.
US08687032B2
An apparatus and method of securing and maintaining the integrity of desired information on a ribbon and media subsequent to a printing operation is provided. The apparatus and method includes a thermal transfer printer having a print station and a printhead operable for performing a printing operation. The printhead is capable of performing an initial print operation and then being raised from the media, thereby allowing the used ribbon to be rewound a predetermined distance about a supply spindle. Thereafter, a second print operation is performed on the space previously printed upon using characters, designs or block-out patterns and the used ribbon is then wound onto a take-up spindle. In exemplary embodiments, the used ribbon can also be reprinted with a waste media several times thus further obscuring the image on the used ribbon.
US08687024B2
An active matrix display apparatus comprises plural gate lines and plural source lines that are arranged such that the plural gate lines respectively intersect the plural source lines and light-emitting element circuits, which are provided to respectively correspond to intersections at which the plural gate lines intersect the plural source line. Additionally, each of the light-emitting element circuits includes a light-emitting element for emitting light according to a current supplied thereto, a drive transistor for controlling a current supplied to the light-emitting element, and a control transistor for controlling writing of an image signal to the drive transistor. Furthermore, the drive transistor has a body terminal and is configured to correct luminance of the light-emitting element using a voltage applied to the body terminal.
US08687016B2
Method and system for enhancing the quality of video prompts in an interactive media response system
Embodiments of the present invention recite a method for enhancing the quality of visual prompts in and interactive media response system. In one embodiment, a video coder/decoder (codec) used by a thin device is determined. A visual prompt to be displayed on the thin device is accessed and the display parameters of the visual prompt are modified such that at least one character of the visual prompt is aligned with a blocking artifact generated by the video codec.
US08687009B2
An image processing apparatus for managing a memory device having a plurality of storage areas including a storage area storing out-of-use information and a free area storing no information, the image processing apparatus comprises memory control unit adapted to determine whether or not there is a storage area storing the out-of-use information based on a request for storing information and determining the storage area storing the out-of-use information as an area for storing the information, in a case where the storage area exists; and information writing unit adapted to overwrite generated information to the storage area determined by the memory control unit.
US08687008B2
A latency tolerant system for executing video processing operations. The system includes a host interface for implementing communication between the video processor and a host CPU, a scalar execution unit coupled to the host interface and configured to execute scalar video processing operations, and a vector execution unit coupled to the host interface and configured to execute vector video processing operations. A command FIFO is included for enabling the vector execution unit to operate on a demand driven basis by accessing the memory command FIFO. A memory interface is included for implementing communication between the video processor and a frame buffer memory. A DMA engine is built into the memory interface for implementing DMA transfers between a plurality of different memory locations and for loading the command FIFO with data and instructions for the vector execution unit.
US08687004B2
At least certain embodiments of the present disclosure include a font file having graphic image files. In one embodiment, the font includes a set of glyphs and the font file includes a set of predetermined information of each glyph and graphic image data of each glyph. The graphic image data contains a graphic image of the corresponding glyph, which may be a multi-color glyph.
US08686997B2
The present invention provides a computer implemented method and apparatus for composing an assembly of a plurality of objects. The method comprises navigating in a PLM database and displaying 3D representations of modeled objects. The method further comprises selecting in the PLM database a plurality of the modeled objects. The method further comprises storing the selected modeled objects in an editable area. The selected modeled objects are three-dimensionally displayed in the editable area. The method further comprises composing the assembly in a scene by using at least one instance of at least one of the objects stored in the editable area.
US08686992B1
Methods and systems for 3D shape retrieval are described herein. An embodiment includes receiving a query 3D model, extracting a plurality of features of the query 3D model, comparing the features of the 3D query model against a plurality of features of one or more 3D models in a repository, calculating a similarity score based on the comparing step, ranking the 3D models based on the similarity score and returning one or more 3D models based on the ranking step. The embodiment further includes generating a representation of the query 3D model, calculating a correlation matching function between the representation of the query 3D model and representations of 3D models in the repository, determining a plurality of matching scores between the query 3D model and the 3D models in the repository for each rotational alignment of the 3D models and selecting the highest score from the plurality of matching scores based on the determining step.
US08686988B2
In the case of depositing a metal in a plurality of stages by applying deposition voltages having a plurality of rectangular waves at different voltages to an electrochemical display element, the application time of the rectangular wave at the highest voltage among the plurality of rectangular waves is set to a time (Tip) required for reaching a resistance inflexion point (Rip) where the resistance value (R) of a pixel starts to rapidly increase or shorter. Thus, the element can be prevented from being broken without deteriorating the response characteristics of a display element.
US08686978B2
A video processing includes: a boundary detecting section which respectively detects, in a current frame and a previous frame, a boundary between a first pixel in which the applied voltage designated by the video signal is lower than a first voltage and a second pixel in which the applied voltage is equal to or higher than a second voltage which is higher than the first voltage; and a correcting section which corrects the voltage applied to the liquid crystal element corresponding to at least one of the first pixel and the second pixel in positions between which a portion which moves from the boundary of the previous frame by one pixel is interposed, within the boundary of the current frame, to correct the input video signal in a direction where a transverse electric field generated in the first pixel and the second pixel is reduced.
US08686973B2
A display is provided. The display includes a frame, a display module, and a bendable cover. The frame includes a bottom surface and a lateral surface, the display module is disposed on the frame, and the bendable cover has a surface layer and an adhesive layer, the adhesive layer is located on the surface layer, a part of the surface layer is adhered to the display module through the adhesive layer, another part of the surface layer is attached to the lateral surface of the frame and adhered to the bottom surface of the frame through the adhesive layer.
US08686959B2
An input emulation apparatus for any touch screen device with an input device having a receptive component for a user's hand and/or finger inputs and a contact component for contacting the touch screen device, where the contact component is operatively linked to the input component so that the contact device contacts the touch screen device as it responds to the user's hand input.
US08686958B2
An apparatus and method are disclosed for dynamically zoning a touch screen environment. The apparatus includes an identification module detecting a number of users around a perimeter of a display, a zoning module generating, via a processor, a plurality of user zones in response to the number of users detected, and a positioning module orienting a gesture zone, within each of the plurality of user zones, in relation to a corresponding user. The method includes detecting a number of users around a perimeter of a display, generating, via a processor, a plurality of user zones in response to the number of users detected, and orienting a gesture zone, within each of the plurality of user zones, in relation to a corresponding user.
US08686957B2
An apparatus in which an outer conductive ring surrounds the periphery of a touch-sensitive surface of a touch sensor serving as a manually-operable control, wherein a portion of the outer conductive ring is also between the touch-sensitive surface and another manually-operable control that lacks the ability to sense the mere touch of a tip of a digit of a user. A processing device causes the level of capacitance of the outer conductive ring to be measured on a recurring basis for instances of an amount of additional capacitance above a minimum capacitance threshold, and employs such amounts of additional capacitance in a comparison to distinguish between the user interacting with a control surface defined on the touch-sensitive surface of the touch sensor or the other manually-operable control.
US08686956B2
A capacitive touch sensing structure includes: a substrate; a plurality of first electrode groups arranged from a first position towards a second position in a first direction, wherein each of the first electrode groups includes a plurality of first electrodes extended from a third position towards a fourth position in a second direction; a plurality of first conducting wires each having a plurality of contacts respectively coupled to the first electrodes of each of the first electrode groups; a plurality of second electrode groups arranged from the first position towards the second position in the first direction, wherein each of the second electrode groups includes a plurality of second electrodes extended from the fourth position towards the third position in the second direction and respectively staggering with the first electrode groups; and a plurality of second conducting wires each having a plurality of contacts respectively coupled to the electrodes of each of the second electrode groups.
US08686945B2
The invention relates to a data processing device input apparatus (1) for inputting characters, in particular graphics characters and/or commands, by—manual actuation, in particular finger contact with input field elements (3) of an input field (4), the input field (4) being divided into two input partial fields (5, 6), the individual input partial fields (5, 6) being arranged on a base (7) so as to be set apart from each other viewed in the axial direction, and the input surfaces (24, 25) of the input partial fields (5, 6) opposing each other in the working position and a reproduction component (8) for the visual detectability of the input surfaces (24, 25) of the input field (4) being associated with said input surfaces. This may be advantageous as a result of the fact that the input partial fields (5, 6) are pivotably articulated to the base (7) so as to be set apart from each other and the reproduction component (8) is arranged on the base (7) between theoretical pivot axes (A5, A6) of the input partial fields (5, S) or is integrated in the base (7).
US08686941B2
Triggering haptic sensations based on sound output from a computer device. A portion of sound data is stored that is output to a user as audio from an application program running on a computer. The portion of sound data is analyzed using intelligent heuristics to extract at least one sound feature from the sound data. The execution of at least one haptic effect is triggered based on the sound feature, where the haptic effect is commanded to the haptic feedback device approximately correlated to the output of the portion of sound to the user as audio. The haptic effect causes a haptic sensation to be output to the user. Different haptic effects can be associated with different sound features, frequency ranges, amplitudes, etc.
US08686918B1
An antenna includes a first antenna element comprising a pseudo-conductor material and forming a substantially closed polygonal loop around a center. The first antenna element conforms to a ground plane. The antenna also includes a plurality of transmission lines in the ground plane. Each transmission line comprises a conductor material, is extending radially outward from a feed end towards an outer end, is electromagnetically coupled to the first antenna element at a crossover point at which the transmission line crosses over the first antenna element, and is coupled, at the center, to a corresponding feed line. The antenna further includes a feed circuit for exciting the plurality of transmission lines to cause the antenna to emit in a predetermined direction and using a predetermined polarization mode.
US08686914B2
An antenna module is provided for transmitting a wireless signal. The antenna module includes a reflective superstrate, an antenna substrate, a feed conductor, a ground layer and a reflective pattern. The reflective superstrate includes a third surface and a fourth surface, wherein the third surface is opposite to the fourth surface. The antenna substrate includes a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is opposite to the second surface. A feed conductor is disposed on the first surface. The ground layer is disposed on the second surface. The reflective pattern is formed on the third surface and faces the feed conductor, wherein a reflection gap d is formed between the reflective pattern and the ground layer, and the wireless signal has a wavelength λ, and the reflection gap d is between λ/20 and λ/80.
US08686912B2
A folded dipole antenna capable of transmitting and receiving signals from CDMA 450 system comprises a folded dipole Printed Circuit Board (PCB) having conducting strips on each side of the PCB forming excitation and grounding arms of the antenna, having a symmetric conducting strip configuration. The conducting strip on each side of the PCB includes an m-shaped conducting strip having a center conducting leg, and two symmetrically configured folded arms. The center conducting leg is thinner in width than the two folded arms. The PCB is placed is mounted perpendicularly to a base plate through a plastic holder. A coaxial cable having a center core extended through the folded dipole PCB connects with the excitation arm and with a metal shield soldered along the center conducting leg of the ground arm.
US08686902B2
Antenna structures and configurations which incorporate alignment keys and support structures which mate Composite Right and Left Handed (CRLH) metamaterial (MTM) structures formed on two or more substrates.
US08686896B2
A method for determining beamformer scattering parameters for a plurality of phased array radar antenna subarrays that each include a radiating (e.g., dipole) component and a beamformer component provides for obtaining for the plurality of phased array radar antenna subarrays a plurality of electromagnetic measurements at a plurality of ports. Analogous electromagnetic measurements are obtained for a reference subarray including a radiating component but absent a beamformer component. The plurality of phased array radar antenna subarray electromagnetic measurements and the reference subarray electromagnetic measurements provide a plurality of beamformer scattering parameter values for the plurality of phased array radar antenna subarrays that may be used in modeling and calibrating a phased array radar apparatus that may be assembled from the plurality of phased array radar antenna subarrays.
US08686892B2
A method of reducing cross-range streaking in a radar image includes determining a number of on-pixels in each line of at least a portion of the radar image, determining which lines have a determined number of on-pixels that exceeds a threshold number, and removing the on-pixels of lines having the determined number of on-pixels exceeding the threshold number.
US08686888B2
The present disclosure is directed to a switched capacitor amplifier that includes a switched capacitor network and a complementary push-pull amplifier. The switched capacitor amplifier of the present disclosure can provide a larger fraction of the charge provided by a power supply and flowing through the amplifier to a capacitive load at the output of the amplifier compared to switched capacitor amplifiers that use single-ended class-A amplifiers. The switched capacitor amplifier of the present disclosure can be used in a converter stage of a pipelined analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to improve the ADC's power efficiency and/or bandwidth. It can be further generalized to be used in other applications other than pipelined ADCs.
US08686881B1
Machines, systems and methods for compression ratio estimation are provided. The method comprises selecting a plurality of sample points in a data stream to compress sample data selected at said sample points according to a first compression method; and computing an average compression ratio contribution over the selected plurality of sample points, wherein compression ratio contribution of a sample point is determined based on the first compression method and data in locality of the sample point, and wherein the locality for the sample point is defined by locations in the data stream, such that said locations potentially affect the sample point's contribution to the compression ratio.
US08686870B2
An intelligent physical layer management system is provided that includes active electronic hardware, firmware, mechanical assemblies, cables, and software that guide, monitor, and report on the process of connecting and disconnecting patch cords plugs in an interconnect patching environment. RFID tag integrated chips are used to identify which switch port a patch cord is plugged into. The system is capable of monitoring patch cord connections to detect insertions or removals of patch cords or plugs. In addition, the system can map the patch field in interconnect configurations.
US08686868B2
A system and method for assisting drivers of Bomb Carts and Shuttle Carriers to position their vehicles appropriately for loading and unloading containers at a gantry crane. The system uses laser scanners mounted at various levels on the gantry crane sill beams to determine the type, position, orientation and skew angle of the vehicles as well as whether the vehicles are in a loaded or unloaded condition. In addition, the system provides indicator devices to direct drivers how to move their vehicles.
US08686863B2
The invention is directed to a system and process for estimating a core body temperature of a human subject. The system includes mount, a body, and a heat trap having a temperature sensor. The mount is operable to secure the device to a toilet or adjacent surface. The body houses a microprocessor. The heat trap is distal to the body and is shaped to receive a liquid stream and contain the thermal energy therein. The heat trap comprises a low thermally conductive material. The temperature sensor is in communication with the microprocessor. The temperature sensor is associated with the heat trap and disposed proximate a surface of said heat trap, wherein the liquid stream is directed across said temperature sensor. The system optionally incorporates a process and memory to store input of the temperature sensor and associate the input with a person, compare the input to historical records for a person, and determine a febrile condition for the person based on the input.
US08686861B2
An RFID system and method utilizes an RFID device, wherein the RFID device senses a thing or condition interior to a closable container at or proximate the RFID device and transmits messages. The messages include information uniquely identifying the RFID device and information relating to the thing or condition sensed at or proximate the RFID device. Information in the received messages relating to the thing or condition sensed at or proximate the RFID device of messages are employed for determining whether the container is closed, is not closed, has been closed, or has been not closed, or any combination thereof, whereby an opening of and/or tampering with the container may be detected. Messages received from the RFID device, as well as an indication of a condition, may be relayed to a remote location.
US08686838B1
The present invention is in the field of virtualization of Network Interface Cards and Controllers (NIC) that connect to for example a host computer that can have multiple functions and OS's (referred to as guest functions and guest-OS's) running on it simultaneously and, in particular, relates to the virtualization of the operation of a single NIC such that it can be used simultaneously by multiple guests in such a manner that memory references due to the network traffic originating from and destined to a particular guest is kept separate from other network traffic, and that allows the Media Access Controller (MAC) within the NIC to operate such that it only accepts network packets that are destined to one of the guest-functions or guest-OS's, and the MAC is not required to operate in promiscuous mode where it accepts all incoming packets in order to implement the virtualization features.
US08686837B2
Various embodiments include apparatus, systems, and methods including an apparatus comprising a remote operable to receive a non-radio frequency beacon signal, the non-radio frequency beacon signal transmitted within and contained substantially within an approximate line-of-sight transmission space, the non-radio frequency beacon signal including at least one channel information portion, wherein the channel information portion includes information indicating a radio frequency, the remote operable to establish bi-directional communications using the radio frequency designated by the at least one channel information portion.
US08686835B2
A baggage arrangement management method includes acquiring information for identifying a collection place of an arrangement destination from a RFID tag of an arrangement target piece of baggage, acquiring information for identifying a collection place at which baggage is arranged from an RFID tag of the piece of baggage lastly arranged at the collection place, and comparing the two pieces of information to confirm the collection place. Information of identifying each piece of baggage arranged at the collection place is cumulatively recorded in the RFID tags of the subsequent pieces of baggage arranged next to the place.
US08686832B2
A computer-based system manages and communicates the identity, attributes, and current state of a geographic point of interest. The system includes a beacon device and a distributed data network. The beacon device includes a housing supporting control electronics, a display, and communication electronics. The beacon is placed at a visible location at the geographic point of interest and receives information concerning the geographical point of interest. The display visibly communicates the information while the communication electronics communicates the same information to the distributed data network. A user can query a location-based service and receive the same information from the distributed data network that is being communicated by the display, assuring communication of accurate and consistent information concerning the geographic point of interest.
US08686830B2
The invention relates to a communication system that comprises a vehicle electronic key, a vehicle telecommunication device and a portable telecommunication terminal, the electronic key including a first transmitter and the vehicle including a first receiver, the first transmitter and the first receiver being provided for carrying out the transmission of at least one information request from the electronic key to the vehicle, the vehicle telecommunication device including at least a second transmitter, the portable telecommunication terminal including at least a second receiver, the second transmitter and the second receiver being provided for carrying out the transmission of information from the vehicle to the portable telecommunication terminal, the portable telecommunication terminal being provided for displaying at least a portion of the information on a display member of the portable telecommunication terminal. The invention also relates to an electronic key and to a method for communicating information from a vehicle to a portable telecommunication terminal.
US08686827B2
An object is to provide a PTC element that can be made thinner, using a Pb-free semiconductor ceramic composition.The object is achieved with a PTC element including at least two metal electrodes and a BaTiO3 system semiconductor ceramic composition arranged between the electrodes, in which, in the semiconductor ceramic composition, a portion of Ba in the BaTiO3 system is substituted by Bi—Na and a semiconductorizing element, vacancies are formed on Bi sites by depleting at least a portion of Bi, and oxygen defects are formed on a crystal thereof. Since the PTCR characteristic at the inside of the semiconductor ceramic composition is negligibly weak in comparison with the PTCR characteristic at the interface between the semiconductor ceramic composition and the electrodes, the PTC element can be made thinner.
US08686824B2
A magnetic core for an electromagnetic device is formed from alternating interleaved steel laminations. The core comprises a plurality of core elements comprising legs and yokes oriented substantially quadrature to the legs, such that abutting core elements are in substantially quadrature relation. A plurality of flux deflection zones are defined in regions where flux flows from one core element to an abutting core element. At least one of the layers has at least one core element composed of grain-oriented steel, and the remaining core elements are composed of non-grain-oriented steel, such that at least some flux deflection zones are composed of a substantial amount or substantially entirely of non-grain-oriented steel. Flux flowing in the direction of the grain orientation in the core element(s) composed of grain-oriented steel changes direction to flow through the abutting core element in the flux deflection zone composed of non-grain-oriented steel. This reduces the power losses in flux deflection zones of the core relative to cores formed entirely from grain-oriented steel, because the flux is never flowing perpendicular to the direction of the grains in the steel, while providing a design that is considerably less expensive than cores formed from non-grain-oriented steel with substantially the same level of power losses or lower.
US08686822B2
A surface mounted pulse transformer (100) comprising a drum core (1) and a number of coils (3). The drum core includes a core (11), a first flange (12a) and a second flange (12b) disposed on both ends of the core. The number of coils wind around the core to form a primary coil and a secondary coil. A number of electrodes (40) are formed on surfaces of the first and second flanges and to be connected to an external substrate. The ends of the coils are physically and electrically connected to the electrodes. One of the electrodes has an electrode groove (401) for receiving and positioning one end of the coils.
US08686821B2
An inductor structure including a plurality of solenoids and at least one connecting line is provided. One of the solenoids serves as a core, and the remaining solenoids are sequentially wound around the core solenoid. Axes of the solenoids are substantially directed to the same direction. Each connecting line is correspondingly connected between ends of two adjacent solenoids to serially connect the solenoids.
US08686820B2
Provided is a reactor having a small size with consideration of loss reduction. A reactor 1A includes a coil 10 and a magnetic core 20. The coil 10 is formed by winding a wire. The magnetic core 20 includes an internal core portion 21 that is inserted through the coil 10 and a couple core portion 23 that is coupled to an end of the internal core portion 21 and that covers an outer periphery of the coil 10. The core portions 21 and 23 form a closed magnetic path. An interposed core portion 25 is disposed between the coil 10 and the internal core portion 21. The reactor 1A satisfies 0
US08686811B2
A stripline filter having a substrate, a grounding electrode, principal-surface lines, side-surface lines, and common electrodes, and is mounted on a set substrate by soldering. The side-surface lines are disposed on a side surface of the substrate, and are wetted by solder during soldering. Each of the common electrodes is connected to a corresponding one of the principal-surface lines. The common electrodes are also connected to the grounding electrode via the side-surface lines.
US08686805B2
The disclosure relates to an oscillator for use in generating frequencies in a frequency synthesizer, comprising: a first inductor element forming a metal trace loop with at least one turn, and a first capacitive circuit arranged to form a first resonance circuit with the first inductor element and being connected to the first inductor element through at least one first connection terminal, wherein the first capacitive circuit comprises at least one capacitive element and an electrical components arrangement arranged to establish and maintain an oscillation. The oscillator is characterized in that a second capacitive circuit comprising at least one capacitive element and an arrangement of electrical components, is arranged to form a second resonance circuit with the first inductor element and being connected to the first inductor element through at least one second connection terminal located on the opposite side of the first inductor element in respect to the first connection terminal of the first capacitive circuit, wherein the first and second resonance circuits are tuned to substantially the same frequency. The invention also relates to a frequency synthesizer and to a network node for use in a telecommunications network.
US08686801B2
In an embodiment of a converter, a first oscillator provides switching signals for switching between charging and discharging of a capacitor, and a second oscillator is configured to add an offset voltage or a feedback-current-dependent voltage to a sawtooth waveform generated by the second oscillator switched in synchronism with the first oscillator.
US08686792B2
A supply voltage controller 11 includes a simplified envelope creating unit 111 that calculates an envelope of an input audio signal according to an input audio signal from an external device, creates a supply voltage control signal so that a waveform of the supply voltage control signal follows a waveform of the envelope, and outputs the supply voltage control signal to a voltage variable power supply 12 a constant time before the input audio signal is amplified by the amplifier 14. Accordingly, an amplifying device can be provided which can reduce the distortion of the output signal not depending on a change in the slew rate of the voltage variable power supply 12 and suppress the deterioration of power efficiency.
US08686791B2
An amplifying apparatus includes: a plurality of amplifiers; a linear combiner receiving a plurality of leakage signals resulting from cross leakage between outputs of the plurality of amplifiers and performing a linear combination of level values of the plurality of leakage signals to generate a plurality of linear combination signals; and an output calculator calculating real level values of a plurality of output amplified signals of the amplifiers from level values of the linear combination signals.
US08686788B2
A circuit and method for filtering a signal. An amplifier receives an input signal and generates a differential output signal. A first resonator having series and parallel resonant frequencies is connected to the positive output port of the amplifier. A second resonator having series and parallel resonant frequencies is connected to the negative output port of the amplifier. The first and second resonators are coupled at a connection point. A buffering device receives the combined outputs of the resonators and outputs a filtered signal. The filtering method receives signals and passes them through the elements of the filter circuit to generate a filtered output signal.
US08686786B2
A semiconductor device includes: a first driving voltage generation unit configured to generate a first driving voltage; a fuse unit coupled between an output node for receiving the first driving voltage and a fuse state sensing node; a driving unit configured to drive the fuse state sensing node with a second driving voltage in response to a control signal; a voltage level control unit configured to generate a voltage level control signal in response to a fuse state sensing signal that corresponds to a voltage level of the fuse state sensing node; and a second driving voltage generation unit configured to control and output a voltage level of the second driving voltage in response to the voltage level control signal. The semiconductor device repeatedly performs a rupture operation by monitoring a fuse state sensing signal.
US08686780B2
An attenuation circuit uses a voltage controlled variable resistance transistor as a signal attenuator for receivers operating in the zero Hz to about 30 MHz range. The transistor functions in the linear region to linearize the transistor resistance characteristics used for signal attenuation. In an exemplary application, the attenuation circuit is used as an RF attenuator for AM radio broadcast receivers and amplifiers with automatic gain control. Multiple attenuation circuits can be coupled in parallel, each attenuation circuit having a different sized variable resistance transistor, to form sequentially activated stages that increase the range of attenuation while minimizing distortion.
US08686777B1
Various embodiments of circuits and methods for enabling a slew rate programmability and compensation of input/output circuits are provided. The circuit includes a delay code generation circuit and at least one input/output (I/O) circuit. The delay code generation circuit is configured to receive a clock signal and a delay factor and generate a compensated delay code based on the clock signal or a combination of the delay factor and the clock signal. The I/O circuit includes a plurality of delay lines associated, integrated or communicatively associated with the delay code generation circuit and is configured to program the plurality of delay lines so as to generate a predetermined delay corresponding to the compensated delay code in order to achieve a predetermined slew rate of the I/O circuit.
US08686776B2
A phase rotator based on voltage referencing is disclosed. A voltage signal is generated that is proportional to the phase difference between two input signals. The voltage signal is then used as the upper voltage limit for a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The DAC is programmable via an input vector to generate a DAC output. The DAC output is used to generate a phase rotated (phase shifted) output, which is at an intermediate phase between the two input signals.
US08686767B1
An apparatus and a method for a programmable timing in digital integrated circuits implementing peak current mode controlled power converters are disclosed. The programmable dead-time is implemented by means implemented in hardware, software, and combination of hardware and software, carrying out setting a second timer value; setting a third timer value with respect to the second timer value; detecting a reset event; reloading a second counter from a current timer value to the second timer value upon detecting the reset event; resetting a second pulse width modulated waveform amplitude from a second amplitude value to a first amplitude value upon detecting the reset event; and setting a first pulse width modulated waveform from a first amplitude value to a second value upon the second counter reaching a third value.
US08686766B2
According to one embodiment, a circuit comprises a Capacitive Trans-Impedance Amplifier (CTIA) configured to receive a current pulse at an input and convert the current pulse to a voltage step. The voltage step is directed to a first signal path and a second signal path. When the voltage step exceeds a first threshold, the first signal path directs an enable pulse to the second signal path. The second signal path generates an output pulse when the voltage step exceeds a second threshold and the enable pulse is enabled. The second signal path comprises a first, a second, and a third amplifier to increase detection of the voltage step by the second signal path.
US08686763B2
A receiver circuit includes a buffering unit configured to buffer an input signal and generate a buffering signal; a variation detection unit configured to generate a control signal according to a level of a reference voltage; a driving unit configured to drive the buffering signal and generate an output signal; and a compensation unit configured to control a slew rate of the output signal in response to the control signal.
US08686762B2
An LIN transmitter includes a current mirror coupled to a transmit output node and a control circuit coupled to a transmit input node for controlling the current mirror with various load current control signals.
US08686755B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided to implement clock gating with double data rate (“DDR”) logic. In traditional single data rate (“SDR”) clock gating, disabling the clock holds the clock logic level to a predefined value, potentially causing a logic transition that would be erroneously interpreted as a normal clock transition by DDR logic. Similar techniques can also be utilized to convert a SDR clock to a half-frequency DDR clock for use with DDR logic, realizing the energy efficiencies of DDR clocking.
US08686743B2
A substrate including a sensor unit, wherein the sensor unit includes a coil wound at least once arranged on the surface of the sensor or embedded within and near the surface thereof. With such an arrangement, an electric current that corresponds to information with respect to the substrate (e.g., the temperature of the substrate or the amount of charge stored in the substrate) flows through the coil.
US08686740B2
A calibration method for an inertial drive actuator of detecting a position of a moving body based on an electrostatic capacitance is proposed. The calibration method includes driving the moving body; outputting a first signal for detecting the electrostatic capacitance of opposing parts of a moving body side electrode provided on the moving body and a detecting electrode provided opposing the moving body side electrode; receiving a second signal obtained after the first signal output at the outputting has passed through the moving body side electrode and the detecting electrode; and calculating an optimum first signal based on the second signal received at the receiving.
US08686738B2
Disclosed are systems and methods for monitoring an electrical wire. A safety device utilized to monitor the wire may include at least one current sensing device, at least one voltage sensing device, and at least one processing component. The current sensing device measures a current on at least one conductor of the wire. The voltage sensing device measures a voltage associated with the safety device. The at least one processing component receives the measurements and identifies, based upon the current measurement, an overcurrent event. The processing component then compares the voltage measurement to a stored voltage value and determines, based upon the comparison, that a difference between the voltage measurement and the stored voltage value satisfies a threshold condition. The processing component directs, based upon the determination, at least one relay to be opened to discontinue provision of an electrical power signal onto the electrical wire.
US08686737B2
A diagnostic circuit is configured for connecting to a unit under test that has a load and a sinusoidal source. The diagnostic circuit includes a voltage sensing device that has an input for sensing a signal, a first terminal for connecting to the load, a second terminal for connecting to the sinusoidal source, and a relay connected between the first and second terminals for connecting the sinusoidal source to the load. Clamping diodes are provide for clamping a sinusoidal signal and include a first clamping diode connected between a D/C voltage source and the input and a second clamping diode connected between ground and the input. A resistor is connected between the D/C voltage source and the first terminal. The diagnostic circuit verifies the operational functionality of the load, related wiring and connections.
US08686723B2
The Larmor frequency for an in situ nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) tool is determined and used to acquire NMR data. An NMR tool is provided and placed in situ, for example, in a wellbore. An initial estimate of the Larmor frequency for the in situ NMR tool is made and NMR data are acquired using the in situ NMR tool. A spectral analysis is performed on the NMR data, or optionally, the NMR data are digitized and a discrete Fourier transform (DFT) is performed on the digitized NMR data. The modal frequency of the spectral analysis or DFT is determined, and the Larmor frequency for the in situ NMR tool is determined using the modal frequency. The NMR tool is modified to transmit at the determined Larmor frequency and then used to acquire further NMR data.
US08686721B2
A system, method and computer-readable medium for mapping magnetic activity for a current linking a planet's space environment to an ionosphere of the planet are disclosed. Magnetic field measurements of the current are obtained from a plurality of satellites orbiting the planet. A residual magnetic field is determined from the obtained magnetic field measurements. The determined residual magnetic field is arranged to create a time series for a selected location of a planet-centered coordinate system. The magnetic activity is mapped using the created time series for the selected location.
US08686712B2
A time-stretched enhanced recording scope (TiSER) is described using time stretch analog-to-digital conversion in a real-time burst mode. A chirped optical signal is modulated in response to receiving segments of an input signal. The optical signal with its modulated input signal, is stretched through an optical medium and digitized to represent the waveform segment. TiSER provides ultra-fast real-time sampling within short segment bursts of the original input signal while providing an ability to detect non-repetitive events. Methods and apparatus are also described for providing real-time information about inter-symbol information (ISI), rapidly determining bit-error rates (BER), performing time-domain reflectometry (TDR), generating eye diagrams for serial data, facilitating digital correction of data, clock recovery, optical carrier phase recovery, and otherwise increasing the speed and/or accuracy of a diverse range of high-speed signal measurement and processing activities.
US08686711B2
A method for calibrating a high frequency measuring device so as to accurately measure plasma processing parameters within a chamber. A calibration parameter is calculated from a first set of three reference loads measured by a high frequency measurement device. A second calibration parameter is calculated from S parameters measured between a connection point where the high-frequency measuring device is connected and the inside of the chamber of a plasma processing device. A second set of three reference loads, which include the impedance previously calculated and encompass a range narrower than that encompassed by the first set of three reference loads, is measured with the reference loads in the chamber. Another calibration parameter is calculated from the measured impedances of the second set of three reference loads measured by the high- frequency measuring device, and the true values of those impedances, and a detected voltage signal and a detected current signal are calibrated using the above calibration parameters.
US08686709B2
Apparatus and associate method including a substrate having a first surface; a lid having a second surface; at least one spacer element interposed between the substrate and the lid so as to maintain the first and second surface spaced apart; a partition with a plurality of nanometric size through-openings interposed between the spacer element and the lid defining a first chamber a second chamber fluidically connected together through at least one of the openings; the substrate has at least one first electrode on the first surface and the lid has a second electrode, the first electrode being configured to detect an electric signal associated to the passage of one of said particles through one of the through-openings.
US08686707B2
A voltage regulator with a low quiescent current is provided. The voltage regulator includes a pulse voltage generating unit, a first switch unit, a regulating unit and a power output unit. The pulse voltage generating unit receives an input voltage to provide an intermittent signal with a predetermined period, and output a pulse voltage according to the intermittent signal. The first switch unit is turned on according to the intermittent signal. The regulating unit converts the pulse voltage into a continuous voltage. The power output unit receives the continuous voltage to output a voltage power through a power output terminal. And, the power output unit detects an output current of the power output terminal to adjust current drive capability of the power output unit dynamically. Thus, the pulse voltage generating unit consumes power while the intermittent signal is enabled, so as to achieve the power saving effect.
US08686701B2
An active wire compensation circuit, adapted to compensate a level of an output voltage detecting signal, is disclosed. A feedback controller controls a converting circuit according to the compensated output voltage detecting signal to have a load voltage for driving a load stabilized at a predetermined voltage level. The active wire compensation circuit comprises a compensating unit and a feedback compensating unit. The compensating unit detects the load current flowing through the load and accordingly generates a compensating current. The feedback compensating unit modulates the level of the output voltage detecting signal according to the compensating current and generates the compensated output voltage detecting signal.
US08686691B2
A determination system for determining whether metal lithium is precipitated in a lithium ion secondary battery includes: a discharging unit that causes the lithium ion secondary battery to perform constant current discharge until a voltage of the lithium ion secondary battery becomes a voltage corresponding to a predetermined low state of charge; a natural increase acquisition unit that acquires a natural increase in voltage of the lithium ion secondary battery after the constant current discharge is terminated; and a precipitation determining unit the compares the acquired natural increase with a predetermined threshold, that determines that the metal lithium is not precipitated when the natural increase is larger than or equal to the threshold, and that determines that the metal lithium is precipitated when the natural increase is smaller than the threshold.
US08686690B2
A method of charging a battery pack that can prevent a battery or an external power source from being damaged due to a trickle charge current in order to improve battery safety, and the battery itself. The method of charging the battery pack includes determining whether a charge current exists, determining whether the charge current and a charge voltage are changed if determined that the charge current exists, determining whether the charge current is changed from a first current level to a second current level less than the first current level, and a present voltage level of the battery is less than a former voltage level if determined that the charge current and the charge voltage are changed, and maintaining the charge current at the second current level for a predetermined maintenance time if determined that the present voltage level of the battery is less than the former voltage level.
US08686680B2
Certain embodiments of a system for reducing backlash include a member geared for rotation in first and second directions. In various implementations, a first motor causes rotation in the first direction with an output biased to preclude space between mating gear components in the first direction, and a second motor, which is mechanically independent of the first motor, causes rotation in the second direction with an output biased to preclude space between mating gear components in the second direction.
US08686678B2
An electric motor, having a stator (465), a rotor (470), and an apparatus for evaluating a signal provided for controlling said motor (110), comprises a receiving unit (430, 440) for receiving a control signal (PWM_mod), which is a pulse width modulated signal (PWM) onto which a data signal (DIR, DATA) is modulated. An evaluation unit (440) is provided for evaluating the modulated control signal (PWM_mod). The unit is configured to extract, from the modulated control signal (PWM_mod), data provided for operation of the motor (110). The control apparatus includes a signal generator (450) configured to generate, on the basis of the extracted or ascertained data provided for operation of the motor (110), at least one control signal for the motor (110), such as a commanded direction of rotation. Piggybacking other control data onto the PWM power level signal reduces hardware investment, by permitting omission of a signal lead which would otherwise be required in the motor structure.
US08686677B2
A synchronous fan system is provided which intermittently calibrates the fans by rotating periodically the fans each to a common stop position.
US08686670B2
A system and method for determining the holding torque of a brake in a material handling system is disclosed. The material handling system may include a bridge, a trolley, and a hoist, each driven along a different axis by a motor. A brake is operatively coupled to the motor to prevent unwanted motion of the motor. A motor controller is coupled to each motor which controls operation of the motor and its corresponding brake. The motor controller generates a torque command to the motor while keeping the brake set. The initial torque command is less than the holding torque of the brake. The torque command is incremented until motion is detected on the motor. The torque value when motion is detected is stored in the motor controller and displayed to an operator.
US08686666B2
A control system is disclosed for determining an actual temperature of a light emitting diode. The control system uses conductor that supply power to the light emitting diode to supply a pulse to the light emitting diode. The pulse is determined along with a reaction caused by the pulse and the information gained is used in determination of the light emitting diode die temperature which can then be used in controlling current to the light emitting diode to control the temperature of the light emitting diode.
US08686664B2
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to automated control of lighting systems at individual-light-fixture, local, regional, and larger-geographical-area levels. One embodiment of the present invention comprises a hierarchical lighting-control system including an automated network-control center that may control up to many millions of individual lighting fixtures and lighting elements, regional routers interconnected to the network-control center or network-control centers by public communications networks, each of which controls hundreds to thousands of individual light fixtures, and light-management units, interconnected to regional routers by radio-frequency communications and/or power-line communications, each of which controls components within a lighting fixture, including lighting elements, associated ballasts, sensors, and other devices.
US08686657B2
A power supply device includes a convertor and an arithmetic circuit. The convertor supplies electric power by performing an ON and OFF operation of a switching element. The arithmetic circuit calculates a control command value at predetermined intervals based on a digital value, which reflects an output voltage of the convertor, from a conversion circuit. Based on the control command value, a pulse signal generation circuit determines a duty ratio of a pulse signal to make the output voltage of the convertor stable. A driving signal with a finely adjusted duty ratio can be generated by an operation clock signal having a lower frequency than a conventional device. As a result, the number of output lines is appropriate if there is at least a single output line for the pulse signal from the pulse signal generation circuit.
US08686654B2
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to a switch-mode regulator, and more particularly, to systems, devices and methods of using a switch-mode regulator to regulate an LED current to improve overall LED system efficacy and suppress power consumption of a dimmable LED illumination system. Both high and moderate brightness modes are implemented in an LED driver based on the switch-mode regulator. In the high brightness mode, the LED current is larger than a preferred LED current. In the moderate brightness mode, the LED current is smaller than the preferred LED current, and the LED driver sustains the preferred driver efficiency while the LED current remains as a direct current. Such a switch-mode power supply or regulator may also be used in applications other than the LED illumination system.
US08686650B2
An LED backlight device includes an inverter having an input connected to a DC power supply to provide an output AC current. A plurality of transformers are each configured to drop AC current input from the inverter. Input sides of the transformers are connected in series to an output of the inverter and output sides of the transformers are disposed in parallel. A plurality of full-wave rectification circuits are respectively connected to the output sides of the transformers and full-wave rectify the dropped AC currents, respectively. A plurality of smoothing circuits are respectively connected to outputs of the full-wave rectification circuits, and are configured to smooth the full-wave rectified currents to output DC currents, respectively. A plurality of LED strings are respectively connected to the outputs of the smoothing circuits and each of the LED strings have a plurality of LEDs.
US08686632B2
An organic electroluminescent device having a plurality of pixels, the device comprising: an anode formed on a substrate; an organic electroluminescent layer formed on the anode in each well of a well-defining layer to form the plurality of pixels; a cathode layer on the electroluminescent layer and a layer of metal on the top surface of the well-defining layer; wherein a conductive layer is deposited over the cathode layer and the metal layer to electrically connect the cathode layer on the electroluminescent layer with the metal layer on the top surface of the well-defining layer.
US08686624B2
A self-light emitting device and an electrical appliance including the same are provided, in which extracting efficiency of light from a light emitting element, especially in an EL element, can be improved. A light scattering body formed by etching a transparent film is provided on an insulator so that the extracting efficiency of light can be improved, and the self-light emitting device with high efficiency of light emission can be provided.
US08686622B2
The composite substrate is a substrate used to manufacture an acoustic wave device, and includes a support substrate, a piezoelectric substrate, and a adhesive layer with which the support substrate and the piezoelectric substrate are bonded to each other. In the composite substrate, assuming that a surface of the piezoelectric substrate that is bonded to the support substrate is defined as a first surface and a surface at the side opposite to the first surface is defined as a second surface, the piezoelectric substrate is formed such that the first surface is inside the second surface when the first surface is projected onto the second surface in a direction perpendicular to the second surface. In other words, the composite substrate has an outer peripheral surface that is formed such that the circumference thereof increases toward the top surface of the piezoelectric substrate.
US08686621B2
The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a piezoelectric device that is less likely to be damaged during the cutting process from a wafer into individual pieces, and can be measured at the wafer without being affected by adjacent piezoelectric devices. The piezoelectric device includes: a first plate which constitutes a part of the package for storing the vibrating portion, having a pair of first edges and second edges situated vertically to the first edges; a second plate bonded to the first plate and constitutes another part of the package for storing the vibrating portion; and an adhesive for bonding the first plate and the second plate together. A pair of castellations is formed on each first edge, situated symmetrical to a straight line that passes through a centerline of the first plate and is parallel to the second edge. The present disclosure also provides methods for manufacturing.
US08686618B2
A vibrating device includes a vibrator having multiple electromechanical energy converting elements, with the vibrating device generating a first standing wave and a second standing wave in the vibrator with a predetermined time phase difference. The first standing wave and the second standing wave having multiple nodal lines aligned in the same direction and being different in terms of an order. A first electromechanical energy converting element is disposed at a first portion, and a second electromechanical energy converting element is disposed at a second portion. The first portion extends in a first direction parallel to one of the multiple nodal lines, and the second portion extends in a second direction which crosses the first direction.
US08686609B2
The invention relates to an electrical motor (10), in particular an alternating current generator, having a housing (13) that has at least one bearing shield (13.2), having a rectifier device (139) which has an interconnection unit (144) that interconnects the current rectifier (147, 150) to a bridge circuit, characterized in that the interconnection unit (144) has at least one platform (295) that is oriented to the bearing shield (13.2) and the opening (40) is separated by at least one brace (340) which holds a hub (337), wherein the opening (40) has a niche (346) that is incorporated on the radial outer edge (349) of the opening and wherein the platform (295) projects into said niche (346) and a connection wire (216) exiting the platform (295) extends into the opening (40).
US08686586B1
A lighting micro hydraulic power generator includes a leaving water shell, a coil module, a lighting module, a fan, and an entering water cover. The leaving water shell has a container, a plurality of leaving water holes, and a screw thread. The coil module is set within the container of the leaving water shell, which is able to receiving external force for power generation and outputting power. The lighting module is set on the bottom of the leaving water shell, wherein the lighting module is electrically connected to the coil module, and is powered by the coil module to emit light. The fan is connected to the coil module, when the fan is driven by the external force to rotate, it is able to drive the coil module to generate and output power.
US08686585B2
A kinetic energy generation device includes a rotation mechanism, a speed increaser coupled to the rotation mechanism, and a power generation element coupled to the speed increaser. The rotation mechanism includes a central shaft and an outer circumferential zone surrounding the central shaft. The outer circumferential zone receives therein partition plates set in radial direction and spaced from each other so that the partition plates show upward inclination. The central shaft is rotatably coupled to the speed increaser, and the speed increaser is coupled to the power generation element so as to constitute the kinetic energy generation device. The rotation mechanism is arranged under a water flow in order to allow each of the receiving zones to receive a weight of water, so that the weight of water causes the rotation mechanism to rotate in a given direction and thus drives the speed increaser to generate electrical power.
US08686577B2
An engine generator for driving an air motor to energize an engine is provided which reduces an installation space and facility and running costs. The engine generator (EG) is attached to a fire extinguishing facility (14). The fire extinguishing facility is designed to eject unburnable gas supplied from gas containers (11) and comprises an air motor (10) for driving an engine, and a valve unit (12) designed to drive in response to an instruction signal, control a pressure of the unburnable gas from the gas container and supply the pressure controlled unburnable gas to the air motor (10).
US08686574B2
A semiconductor device includes a wiring board that has a conductive pattern formed on at least one principal surface, and an IC chip that is mounted on the wiring board. The IC chip includes a plurality of electrodes to make conductor connection with the wiring board. The conductive pattern includes a lead line pattern and a heat dissipation pattern. The lead line pattern is connected with at least one of the plurality of electrodes through a conductor. The heat dissipation pattern is physically spaced from the IC chip and the lead line pattern and has a larger surface area than the lead line pattern. Further, the lead line pattern and the heat dissipation pattern are placed opposite to each other with a gap therebetween, and their opposite parts respectively have interdigitated shapes and are arranged with the respective interdigitated shapes engaging with each other with the gap therebetween.
US08686573B2
Technique capable of achieving reliability improvement of a semiconductor device even if temperature rising of an operation guarantee temperature of the semiconductor device is performed is provided. Gap portions are provided among a plurality of pads, and a glass coat composed of, for example, a silicon oxide film or a silicon nitride film is embedded in the gap portions. The glass coat is provided in order to secure electrical insulation among the pads, and coats outer edge portions of the pads. Trenches are formed so as to be adjacent to regions, which are coated with the glass coat, of the outer edge portions of the pads.
US08686572B2
A multi-chip stack module provides increased circuit density for a given surface chip footprint. Support structures are alternated with standard surface mount type chips to form a stack wherein the support structures electrically interconnect the chips. One aspect is a structure and method for interconnecting a plurality of generally planar chips in a vertical stack such that signals, which are common to the chips, are connected in the stack and signals, which are accessed individually, are separated within the stack.
US08686571B2
A structure comprises a first semiconductor substrate, a first bonding layer deposited on a bonding side the first semiconductor substrate, a second semiconductor substrate stacked on top of the first semiconductor substrate and a second bonding layer deposited on a bonding side of the second semiconductor substrate, wherein the first bonding layer is of a horizontal length greater than a horizontal length of the second semiconductor substrate, and wherein there is a gap between an edge of the second bonding layer and a corresponding edge of the second semiconductor substrate.
US08686569B2
A die arrangement includes a carrier having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the carrier including an opening leading from the first side of the carrier to the second side of the carrier; a first die disposed over the first side of the carrier and electrically contacting the carrier; a second die disposed over the second side of the carrier and electrically contacting the carrier; and an electrical contact structure leading through the opening in the carrier and electrically contacting the second die.
US08686567B2
A semiconductor device includes a lower wiring layer, having signal lines and power supply lines extending in a Y-direction; an upper wiring layer having signal lines and power supply lines extending in an X-direction; via conductors provided in first overlap regions where corresponding signal lines overlap each other; and via conductors provided in second overlap regions where corresponding power supply lines overlap each other. The width in the X-direction of the first regions is wider than the widths in the X-direction of the second regions. Therefore, in the first regions, a plurality of via conductors can be provided. Moreover, the power supply lines are divided in the Y-direction to avoid interference with the first regions. On a plurality of lower-layer lines, two vias are placed at a minimum pitch containing one via.
US08686560B2
Wafer-level chip-scale package semiconductor devices are described that have bump assemblies configured to mitigate solder bump failures due to stresses, particularly stresses caused by CTE mismatch during thermal cycling tests, dynamic deformation during drop tests or cyclic bending tests, and so on. In an implementation, the wafer-level chip-scale package devices include an integrated circuit chip having two or more arrays of bump assemblies for mounting the device to a printed circuit board. At least one of the arrays includes bump assemblies that are configured to withstand higher levels of stress than the bump assemblies of the remaining arrays.
US08686557B2
An illumination device (1) having comprising at least one support element (4) and at least one light-emitting diode (5) arranged on the support element (4), characterized in that wherein at least one of the plurality of components (2, 3, 4, 7, 10) of the illumination device (1) intended for heat dissipation from the light-emitting diode (5), in particular the support element (4), is provided at least in part with an electrically insulating layer (6, 11) having a high thermal conductivity, formed at least in part from a carbon compound, in particular from amorphous carbon, in particular tetrahedral amorphous carbon.
US08686551B2
Substrates having molded dielectric layers and methods of fabricating such substrates are disclosed. The substrates may advantageously be used in microelectronic assemblies having high routing density.
US08686550B2
A pressure sensor package is provided that reduces the occurrence of micro gaps between molding material and metal contacts that can store high-pressure air. The present invention provides this capability by reducing or eliminating interfaces between package molding material and metal contacts. In one embodiment, a control die is electrically coupled to a lead frame and then encapsulated in molding material, using a technique that forms a cavity over a portion of the control die. The cavity exposes contacts on the free surface of the control die that can be electrically coupled to a pressure sensor device using, for example, wire bonding techniques. In another embodiment, a region of a substrate can be encapsulated in molding material, using a technique that forms a cavity over a sub-portion of the substrate that includes contacts. A pressure sensor device can be electrically coupled to the exposed contacts.
US08686549B2
A cell element field for data processing having function cells for execution of algebraic and/or logic functions and memory cells for receiving, storing and/or outputting information is described. A control connection may lead from the function cells to the memory cells.
US08686548B2
A wiring substrate includes a ceramic substrate including plural ceramic layers, an inner wiring, and an electrode electrically connected to the inner wiring, the electrode exposed on a first surface of the ceramic substrate, and a silicon substrate body having a front surface and a back surface situated on an opposite side of the front surface and including a wiring pattern formed on the front surface and a via filling material having one end electrically connected to the wiring pattern and another end exposed at the back surface. The back surface is bonded to the first surface of the ceramic substrate via a polymer layer. The via filling material penetrates through the polymer layer and is directly bonded to the electrode.
