US07685647B2
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, a program, and a recording medium for sending and receiving data in a manner enhancing security. A host and a drive unit are interconnected by a suitable bus and exchange data over that bus. The host requests the drive unit periodically to issue an initializing vector IV for use in encrypting and decrypting the data exchanged over the bus. The drive unit supplies the initializing vector IV to the host on request. If these steps are not carried out periodically, the drive unit stops outputting data to the host. The present invention is adapted advantageously to personal computers equipped with a drive unit for reproducing data from a recording medium.
US07685638B1
Techniques are disclosed that exploit system call mechanism to effect robust security applications. In one particular case, security software is able to effectively “sandbox” user mode applications at the thread granularity level, by replacing the system call mechanism of the operating system with a custom mechanism that limits the rights available to a target application that is vulnerable to malicious attack. The techniques allow the security software to create service tables with varying degrees of security levels, and do not impact performance of non-targeted running processes/threads.
US07685630B2
Methods and systems of authenticating a plurality of users for access to an on-line group activity are described. The systems and methods prevent overloading of any participant's computer due to authentication. In some configurations, multiple endpoints are designated as authenticators and requests for authentication are load balanced amongst the authenticators.
US07685626B2
An information management system is described comprising one or more workstations running applications to allow a user of the workstation to connect to a network, such as the Internet. Each application has an analyzer, which monitors transmission data that the application is about to transmit to the network or about to receive from the network and which determines an appropriate action to take regarding that transmission data. Such actions may be extracting data from the transmission data, such as passwords and usernames, digital certificates or eCommerce transaction details for storage in a database; ensuring that the transmission data is transmitted at an encryption strength appropriate to the contents of the transmission data; determining whether a check needs to be made as to whether a digital certificate received in transmission data is in force, and determining whether a transaction about to be made by a user of one of the workstations needs third party approval before it is made. The analyzer may consult a policy data containing a policy to govern the workstations in order to make its determination. The information management system provides many advantages in the eCommerce environment to on-line trading companies, who may benefit by being able to regulate the transactions made by their staff according to their instructions in a policy data, automatically maintain records of passwords and business conducted on-line, avoid paying for unnecessary checks on the validity of digital certificates and ensure that transmissions of data made by their staff are always protected at an agreed strength of encryption.
US07685618B1
A technique for broadcasting a broadcast data service together with broadcast digital television data as part of a broadcast signal, the broadcast data service comprising a plurality of data portions including data portions having digital data in non-real time. The technique comprising, during normal broadcasting, only broadcasting portions of the broadcast data service required to replace previous respective portions which have been changed and broadcasting television data of the broadcast data service as non-real time data.
US07685609B1
A system and method for facilitating distributed form processing is disclosed. The system ma deploy a form to both a client and a server, wherein the form is consistent with a common object model supported by both the client and the server. Scripts associated with the form may be marked to run on the client or on the server. When a script fires, if it is marked to run on the client, the script executes on the client. When the client fires a script marked to run on the server, the client sends the state of the form to the server, the server runs the script and returns the new state of the form to the client. The client updates the state of its form to reflect the changes made by the server.
US07685599B2
An information processing system performs a plurality of tasks within a specific time interval. The system includes a bus, a plurality of processors which transfer data via the bus, and a unit for performing a scheduling operation of determining execution start timing of each of the tasks and at least one the processors which executes the tasks, based on cost information concerning a time required to perform each of the tasks and bandwidth information concerning a data transfer bandwidth required by each of the tasks, to perform the tasks within the specific time interval without overlapping execution terms of at least two tasks of the tasks, the two tasks requiring data transfer bandwidths not less than those of the others of the tasks.
US07685597B1
Providing a resource domain structure allows flexible management of resources. With flexible management, computations, such as threads and processes, do not have to be related to be bound to the same resource domain. Since resource domains do not require the parent-child relationship, unrelated computations can bind each other to their resource domains. A data structure identifies a resource domain, the resource of the domain, and implementation of a resource management policy. The implementation of the resource management policy includes policy action, which when executed invoke policy imposing isolates. The resource domain data structure also indicates availability of usage of the resource.
US07685593B2
Multiple versions of a runtime system, such as a software emulation application that emulates a legacy hardware architecture, are allowed to co-exist in the memory of a new hardware architecture. The operating system software of the new hardware architecture reads configuration data from a database or table to decide which version of the runtime system is desirable for an application program or game that is being loaded or is currently running, and, if a match is found, only that runtime system is invoked. To reduce storage footprint, the different versions of the runtime system may be stored using “differential patching” techniques. In this configuration, the operating system will always launch the same basic runtime system binary, but it will select a different differential patch to apply at run-time based on the title as determined during the database lookup. In this fashion, future changes to the runtime system to correct software bugs, incompatibility issues, and the like only need to be tested for the relevant target application programs or games.
US07685588B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide for platform independence, low intrusiveness, and optimal memory usage of the binary instrumentation process by means of employing one procedure (interceptor function) implemented in a high-level programming language to intercept an arbitrary number of functions or blocks of code. Each time a function or code block needs to be intercepted a new copy of the procedure from a provided memory region may be associated with the address of the function or block of code by means of a memory region descriptor and an intercepted function address table. Once activated, the interceptor function may retrieve its current address and, by searching memory region descriptors, determine the region the current address belongs to; the region's base address may then be obtained. A reference to the intercepted function address table may be fetched from the region descriptor; and an index to the intercepted function address table may be computed. Finally, the address of an intercepted function corresponding to the active copy of the interceptor function may be read from the intercepted function address table.
US07685578B2
A method and protocol tester for decoding data for the performance of a measurement task, which data is encoded in accordance with a protocol description, includes modifying the protocol description with respect to the measurement task by compressing protocol elements that are of no relevance to the measurement task and decoding the encoded data according to the modified protocol description to provide only decoded data relevant to the measurement task. The decoded data may be filtered before further processing according to a filter condition determined by the measurement task. Alternatively the filter condition may be installed as part of the modified protocol description. Then additional filtering may be applied when there are further filter conditions determined by the measurement task. The result is a protocol tester that permanently stores the protocol description while allowing modification of the protocol description for each measurement task, reducing storage and calculation requirements.
US07685577B2
The present invention provides a system and method for translating an asset for distribution to a multi-tiered network node. An asset may represent network and/or application components (e.g., data, objects, applications, program modules, etc.) that may be distributed among the various resources of the network. In an embodiment, an asset has a logic/data section and an extended environment section. The logic/data section defines a function of the digital asset along with the asset's type, while the extended environment section supports the function of the logic/data section within at least one source environment. The asset type is determined and a process asset adapter, associated with the asset type and a target environment, is selected. The asset is then translated into a processed asset having a processed extended environment section supporting the function of the logic/data section in the target environment.
US07685573B2
For a flexible error trace mechanism, embodiments may be implemented for C/C++ interface libraries, or in programs written in C/C++ or other programming languages. In one embodiment, when an error occurs in a function call, a trace element may be recorded that may include the source file name, function name, line number and other information that may be used to identify the error. In one embodiment, the library function may call a plurality of library functions in a function call stack. For each of the plurality of library functions, if the library function generates an error, an error trace element may be added to the error trace. After completion of the library function, the program may obtain the error trace for the library function. The error(s), if any, may be debugged using the information in the obtained error trace.
US07685561B2
An application program interface (API) for a data platform. The API includes a generic data access component that exposes at least one of stores, sessions, transactions, and query services of the data platform, which data platform is associated with a data store. A data classes component of the API provides canonical, application-independent classes that expose types and relationships of a data model of the data platform. The API includes a domain data classes component of application-specific and framework-specific classes that expose domain-specific properties and behaviors of the data platform. The data platform can be a common data platform that interfaces to the data store to provide data services accessible by a plurality of disparate application frameworks, which data services allow a corresponding application of the different frameworks to access the data store.
US07685559B2
A set of candidate global optima is identified, one of which is a global solution for making a mask for printing a lithographic pattern. A solution space is formed from dominant joint eigenvectors that is constrained for bright and dark areas of the printed pattern. The solution space is mapped to identify regions each containing at most one local minimum intensity. For each selected region, stepped intensity contours are generated for intensity of the dark areas and stepped constraint surfaces are generated for a target exposure dose at an individual test point. An individual test point is stepped toward a lowest intensity contour along the stepped constraint surfaces of each selected region. Further lowering of the intensities of these points is also detailed, where possible in adjacent regions, to yield final test points. The set of candidate global optima is the final test points at their respective lowest intensity contour of the respective selected regions.
US07685558B2
A method for detection and scoring of hotspots in a design layout is provided. A plurality of indices is derived for a plurality of positions in the design layout. The plurality of indices comprises a first index sensitive to energy exposure of the design layout, a second index sensitive to process image formation, and a third index sensitive to mask manufacturing error. The plurality of indices is then analyzed to identify at least one hotspot in the design layout. The at least one hotspot is then prioritized using an integrated hotspot scoring system. The integrated hotspot scoring system prioritizes hotspots based on a look-up table approach or an interpolation approach.
US07685553B2
An electronic circuit layout refinement method and system. A grid of equally sized tiles is defined on a circuit layout area. Each tile of the grid has a respective critical area estimate metric associated with critical area estimates for a circuit to be placed on the circuit layout area. A global circuit routing for a circuit to be placed within a plurality of tiles of the grid is performed. An estimation of critical area estimate metrics that are assigned to respective tiles of the grid is performed prior to performing a detailed circuit routing for the circuit. The global circuit routing is adjusted, after estimating the critical area estimate metrics, in order to improve a respective critical area estimate metric assigned to at least one tile of the grid. The adjusted global circuit routing is then produced.
US07685552B2
This invention concerns a semiconductor integrated circuit device comprising a plurality of circuit elements arranged in a chip and operating in response to a same clock signal; clock buffers arranged at intersecting points decided based on positions of the plurality of circuit elements, the intersecting points being included in intersecting points of a pseudo mesh virtually assumed to cover up a region in the chip including the plurality of circuit elements; and a main wiring transmitting the clock signal to the clock buffers.
US07685549B2
A preliminary static timing analysis run is performed to calculate the delay and slew as well as timing windows for each net in the design, followed by coupling analysis for each given aggressor-victim combination, and to calculate the noise effect on the timing of victim net. Given a set of functional groups that relate the coupled aggressors to each other, the worst set of aggressors are calculated that satisfy the constraints from the functional groups, based on the calculated impact of each aggressor on the victim. Similarly the set of aggressors which contribute to the maximum amount of inductive coupling noise effect on timing are calculated. Furthermore, the coupling noise impact of the reduced set of aggressors on the given victim line and adjust the delay value calculated in the preliminary static timing analysis run.
US07685548B2
A detection method for identifying unintentionally forward-biased diode devices identifies one or more forward-biased diodes directly from a graphical representation of an integrated circuit (IC) device design. The graphical representation describing one or more IC components as a plurality of geometric shapes that correspond to a set of patterns in at least one semiconductor layer. A detection method may work in conjunction with one or more checks (e.g., electrical rule check (ERC)) to analyze the graphical representation and ensure its manufacturability by reducing the likelihood the forward-biased diodes will be present in the manufactured IC device.
US07685544B2
A computer program product for generating test patterns for a pattern sensitive algorithm. The program product includes code for extracting feature samples from a layout design; grouping feature samples into clusters; selecting at least one area from the layout design that covers a feature sample from each cluster; and saving each pattern layout covered by the at least one area as test patterns.
US07685543B2
Disclosed is a simulation apparatus including an input unit, storage unit, arithmetic unit, controller, and output unit. The input unit inputs a first potential at the source end, which corresponds to the gate end of a TFT, on that surface of a thin polysilicon film which faces the gate, a second potential at the source end on the back surface of the thin polysilicon film on which the gate is formed, a third potential at the drain end, which corresponds to the gate end of the TFT, on that surface of the thin polysilicon film which faces the gate, and a fourth potential at the drain end on the back surface of the thin polysilicon film. A drain current is calculated by performing an arithmetic operation on the basis of the first to fourth potentials, and a model is formed by including defect states.
US07685542B2
A method for testing logic devices configured across asynchronous clock domains includes deactivating, during at-speed fault testing, a local clock signal for each of a first plurality of latches having at least one data input thereto originating from a source located within an asynchronous clock domain with respect thereto. The deactivation of a local clock signal for each of the plurality of latches is implemented in a manner so as to permit data capture within the first plurality of latches, and wherein the deactivation of a local clock signal for each of the plurality of latches is further implemented in a manner so as to permit at-speed data launch therefrom to downstream latches with respect thereto during at-speed testing.
US07685531B2
A user interface for displaying information includes a region for displaying information regarding one or more files that are stored in a memory, and a navigation map located adjacent the region, the navigation map displaying a graphic associated with information being displayed in the region, the graphic representing a quantity of the displayed information and a quantity of non-displayed information in the region. A method for locating an object stored in a memory includes providing a navigation tool displaying a plurality of folders, wherein a first folder and a second folder can be selected from the plurality of folders, and simultaneously displaying at least some content from the first folder and at least some content from the second folders in response to a selection of the first and the second folders.
US07685530B2
A preferred contact group centric interface for a communication device can be used to facilitate communications by a user. The user interface can be arranged to activate from a user's “home page” on the display, from an idle screen that is accessed after a timeout period expires, or any other appropriate mechanism that activates the preferred contact group centric experience. A user selects the preferred contact group from among an array of the user's contacts. Once the contact group is configured, a minimal number of navigation/selection features is necessary to activate any number of communication modes available to the contacts. The contact group is configured such that simple and quick navigation between the contact members is achieved. The contact group can be presented in 2D and 3D arrangements, in any number of list or geometric configurations. A pricing plan can optionally be tied to each member of the contact group.
US07685520B2
An electronic content guide may organize content such as television programs into categories and subcategories. The categories and subcategories may be topical as well as time-based. As a result, the user can select a given time-based criteria and within that time-based criteria select topical subcategories. As a result, the number of programs that may be displayed in any given graphical user interface may be reduced to a manageable level. This may be done without requiring a great deal of scrolling to view selected categories, subcategories and particular programs.
US07685515B2
Optimal presentation and editing of business data in a browser-based user interface of an integrated web-based business information system is described, including a browser at a user computer in dynamic communication with a web server allowing database editing and updating without browser page refreshes. For optimizing the data input/editing experience of the user, an array of features in various combinations is provided including: single-click instantiation of cell editing in a table displayed by the browser; single off-click or keyboard commits instantiating cell-wise data transfers; bulk editing allowing group modification of data elements across a plurality of adjacently-displayed or non-adjacently displayed records; client-side, location-based caching of old cell values allowing selective go-back for any edited or bulk-edited cell, in any order desired by the user, prior to a page-refreshing input event; and easy establishment/modification of sub-records associated with any of a displayed list of records using sub-record access icons, rollover menus, and auxiliary browser windows.
US07685512B2
A computer readable medium, method, and device for generating eXtensible Markup Language (XML) schema fragments for use in validating an XML message in a particular wire format is disclosed. The method uses as its input a custom XML schema based message model containing logical model extensions or wire format specific rendering options. The output of the method is an XML schema that includes XML schema fragments. The output schema complies with an accepted XML schema standard recognized by a standard schema validator. At run time, the output XML schema, along with the standard schema validator, may be used at a node which does not understand the custom message model to validate incoming XML messages. Depending upon the manner of generating of the XML schema fragments, the resultant validation may be strict or lax.
US07685511B2
Techniques for providing and using schema data for markup languages are disclosed. A schema model can be used to generate signed (or verifiable) schema data (e.g., XML schema data). The model can be used as a standard model that provides enhanced security and better performance. As a result, schema data can be verified more efficiently. A base class for XML schema data is provided. The base class can be instantiated to generate an XML schema file (or document). A digital signature can then be applied to the XML schema file to generate a signed XML schema file (or document). Furthermore, the resolution of data can be achieved more efficiently for markup languages because the resolution of data can be achieved systematically. In addition, techniques for storing and using signed schema data for markup languages are disclosed. An XML library can be used to store XML schema data that has been verified (or authenticated).
US07685508B2
A request to view statistic data of a system is received. One or more forms are generated to carry the statistic data. The one or more forms are to carry the statistic data pulled from the system. Based on data fields on the one or more forms, the requested statistic data is pulled from the system. The one or more forms are filled with the pulled requested statistic data. The pulled requested statistic data on the one or more forms is converted to a generalized markup language (GML) format.
US07685500B2
Methods, apparatus and systems are disclosed for block encoding/decoding information wireless networks having narrow decoding latency restrictions. A method includes identifying a length of information to be sent in a block code and encoding the information to be sent in the block code into one or more codewords, where the number of codewords and the amount of information encoded within each codeword is adjusted based on the identified length and to achieve a similar codeword error probability for each codeword considering available decoding time for decoding a last codeword is less than available decoding time for decoding a first codeword. In certain implementations low density parity check (LDPC) encoding may be used in combination with OFDM to provide reliable communications in a high throughput WLAN.
US07685497B2
A periodic Low Density Parity Check (LPDC) coding apparatus and method allows reference to an LDPC code parity check matrix, where such reference is accomplished row by row. A specially configured memory and cyclical shift operation are used by the apparatus to efficiently compute check equations of the periodic LDPC code.
US07685493B2
A method and system for improving buffer compression in automatic retransmission request (ARQ) systems includes both a compander and decompander for further processing data. A received data string k bits in length is first companded according to a predetermined companding scheme. The companded data string is reduced to a length of k−1 bits for more efficient storage. Upon receipt of a request for retransmission, the stored companded data string is loaded and decompanded back to a length of k bits. Once decompanded, the data string is combined with a retransmitted data string to produce a single data string with an increased likelihood of being correct. By companding the data string before storage, a smaller memory block can be used for the storage of the data string.
US07685480B1
A system and method are provided for reducing the capacitive coupling noise on a fuse line of a content addressable memory (CAM) system. The CAM system includes a plurality of CAM arrays having a plurality of rows of CAM cells to store data coupled to wordlines, searchlines, bitlines and matchlines for reading from, writing to, and searching data in the CAM cells and a hit circuit coupled to the matchlines of each of the plurality of CAM arrays, the hit circuit to compare the data stored in the CAM cells against data presented on the wordlines of the CAM array.
US07685477B2
Information handling system errors are presented at a display with the information handling system graphics subsystem inoperative by communicating an identified error to the display through an auxiliary channel and generating a presentation of the error information with a microcontroller of the display. For example, errors determined by BIOS firmware running on a chipset are communicated through a DDC or I2C channel from the chipset to the display so that textual error messages are generated at the display without the use of the information handling system's graphic processor to generate an error message image.
US07685468B2
A method and apparatus is described for generating a test case for an application or system modelled using a Stochastic Automata Network model. The method contemplates the inclusion of a plurality of automata and including the steps of: (a) setting an initial global state as the current global state, wherein a global state comprises a set of local states each corresponding to one of the automata; (b) creating a record of the initial global state; (c) selecting an event from a set of events that can be applied to the current global state; creating record of the selected event; (e) identifying those of the automata affected by the selected event and updating the current global state by updating the states of the affected automata; (f) creating a record of the current global state; and repeating steps (c) to (f) until a termination condition is satisfied. The invention may also be used for the generation of test scripts. In terms of specific usage case, the invention may be used for software reliability testing and for fault-tolerance measurements.
US07685465B1
Method/system is disclosed for recovering computing capacity and critical applications after a catastrophic failure. The method/system involves distributing the computing capacity over multiple computing clusters, each computing cluster having concurrent access to shared data and software applications of other computing clusters. Sufficient backup computing capacity is reserved on each computing cluster to recover some or all active computing capacity on the other computing clusters. Message traffic throughout the computing clusters is monitored for indications of a catastrophic failure. Upon confirmation of a catastrophic failure at one computing cluster, the workloads of that computing cluster are transferred to the backup computing capacity of the other computing clusters. Software applications that have been designated for recovery are then brought up on the backup computing capacity of the other computing clusters. Such an arrangement allows computing capacity and critical software applications to be quickly recovered after a catastrophic failure.
US07685463B1
A disk drive management system includes a data storage device including an array of disk drives and a host computer for controlling the operation of the data storage device. The array of disk drives includes an operational drive pool including a number of online disk drives having data written to and read from by the host computer; a spares drive pool including a number of disk drives that are configured to be included in the operational drive group, but are offline while in the spares group; and a maintenance drive pool including a maintenance manager for testing faulty disk drives from the operational drive pool. When a faulty drive is transitioned from the operational drive pool upon the occurrence of a particular error, a disk drive from the spares drive pool is transitioned to the operational drive pool to take the place of the faulty drive.
US07685461B2
A method, apparatus and program storage device for performing fault tolerant code upgrade on a fault tolerant system by determining when functional code reaches a desired state before resuming an upgrade. A concurrent code-load to a plurality of storage controllers of a storage system is initiated. A role transition is detected. The storage system determines when the storage system returns to a desired state. The code-load is resumed when the storage system returns to the desired state.
US07685458B2
Systems and methods for managing power consumption in an integrated circuit to reduce the rate of change of current (di/dt) in the integrated circuit. One embodiment comprises a system having multiple processor cores. A timing system provides each of the processor cores with a corresponding operating clock signal. The timing system uses variable delay elements to impart variable delays to the clock signals. A delay management unit determines the delays that should be used by the task processing units in executing their assigned tasks and provides this information to the variable delay elements to set the appropriate delays in each of these elements. The delay information is also provided to a task management unit, which assigns the tasks to specific processor cores based upon the delays selected by the delay management unit, so that consecutively fired processor cores are not adjacent to each other.
US07685440B2
In one embodiment, the invention is an apparatus (e.g., an Ethernet switch) having an isolated side and a line side. A line-side connector is connectable to a cable. An isolated-side physical-layer module (1) is electrically coupled to the connector via a signal-isolation transformer and (2) processes signals transmitted over the cable. A line-side power conditioning module (1) is electrically coupled to an isolated-side power switcher via a power-isolation transformer that converts an AC power signal received from the power switcher into a transformed AC power signal and (2) converts the transformed AC power signal into a cable power signal to be supplied via the connector to the cable in order to power a cable-powered device connected to the cable. An isolated-side control module performs a detection function in which the control module determines whether or not a cable-powered device is connected to the cable.
US07685439B2
Methods are provided for effecting functional control of program flow and/or data flow in digital signal processors and in processors which have closed and separated modules for effecting the program and data flow control or which operate in parallel arithmetic-logic units. The methods enhance the functionality of the signal processor to such an extent that the units of the processor, without time delays, are adapted, with regard to their energy consumption, to the latest demands of signal processing. The methods provide additional possibilities for saving energy which are enabled by algorithm-related shutdown of functional units. An external hardware-related signal input into the processor or a software-related state output from the program flow in the processor may be used to trigger an interruption in the clock pulse supply for the respective functional units for the period of time during which these functional units are not used.
US07685428B2
An information stream (media stream) can be “bookmarked” with event markers to note points in time in the information stream of occurrences of interesting events. Repeat occurrences of an event are noted with the same event marker. The events of interest need not be a priori determined. In fact, unexpected events can be readily noted.
US07685424B2
This invention is a validation method for determining whether an untrusted chip is valid, or not. In another aspect it concerns a validation system for the method. The method may be used to determine the physical presence of a valid chip. A trusted chip generates a random number and a digital signature for it, encrypts them with a first key and then calls a prove function in the untrusted chip. The prove function decrypts the random number and signature, and calculates another signature from the decrypted random number, for comparison with the decrypted one. If the comparison is successful the random number is encrypted with another key and sent back as a second number. Finally, a test function is called in the trusted chip to generate its own encrypted version of the random number using the second key and then compare it with the received version to validate the untrusted chip. The untrusted chip may be associated with a consumable so that validation of the untrusted chip authenticates the consumable.
US07685417B2
A medical image and data application service provider system provides a way of remotely viewing and manipulating medical images and data for diagnostic and visualization purposes by users unconstrained by geography. Medical images and data are stored on one or more servers running application service provider software along with meta-data such as access control information, origin of information and references to related data. A set of medical data consisting related information is sent as an encrypted stream to a viewing station running client software in a secure execution environment that is logically independent of the viewing station's operating system.
US07685414B1
Systems and methods for secure messaging are provided. A sender may encrypt an email message for a recipient. The email message may contain authenticated sender-recipient mapping information. When a recipient requests a client software download or private key from a service provider, the service provider can verify the authenticity of the sender-recipient mapping information. This assures the service provider that the recipient has received a communication from the sender and allows the service provider to provide services to the recipient based on the status of the sender. If the sender is a member of an organization that is a direct customer of the service provider, the service provider may satisfy the recipient's service request.
US07685411B2
An instruction memory unit comprises a first memory structure operable to store program instructions, and a second memory structure operable to store program instructions fetched from the first memory structure, and to issue stored program instructions for execution. The second memory structure is operable to identify a repeated issuance of a forward program redirect construct, and issue a next program instruction already stored in the second memory structure if a resolution of the forward branching instruction is identical to a last resolution of the same. The second memory structure is further operable to issue a backward program redirect construct, determine whether a target instruction is stored in the second memory structure, issue the target instruction if the target instruction is stored in the second memory structure, and fetch the target instruction from the first memory structure if the target instruction is not stored in the second memory structure.
US07685408B2
Techniques for performing a bit rake instruction in a programmable processor. The bit rake instruction extracts an arbitrary pattern of bits from a source register, based on a mask provided in another register, and packs and right justifies the bits into a target register. The bit rake instruction allows any set of bits from the source register to be packed together.
US07685405B1
The invention includes an apparatus and the associated method to digitally process data communicated through a communication channel between a transceiver pair. A global control element and programmable algorithm control elements are used to implement an algorithm using a datapath. The control signal outputs of at least one programmable algorithm control element are coupled to the datapath. The datapath may use the control signals to drive transmission data down a computation path that implements the desired algorithm. The datapath may be duplicated to meet the requirements of a particular device and operate on a larger subset of data using the same control signals that are provided by the programmable algorithm control elements.
US07685403B1
Instructions asserted in the instruction pipeline (3) of the microprocessor are accompanied by control information, comprising a group of bits, asserted within a control information pipeline (15) of the processor. The control information pipeline is synchronized to the instruction pipeline so that the control information for an instruction progresses in synchronism with the instruction. The control information may identify, directly or indirectly, the type of operation called for by the instruction and, if the operation is to be performed in parts, indicate the part to be performed. Means are included in to the processor, such as a number of functional execution units (7), to interpret that control information and take appropriate action. Applied in a VLIW processor to an atom operation that requires multiple cycles to complete, in which the first part of the operation is permitted to complete and the atom then reasserted, the control information identifies the second assertion of the atom as the second part of a multi-cycle operation.
US07685387B2
Information about remote copy target volumes of other storage systems 2 each having one and the same original volume V1 is registered for each remote copy target volume in advance. When there occurs a failure in a copy source storage system 2, a copy source volume for remote copy target volumes using the storage system 2 having a failure as their copy source is selected newly from the registered copy source volumes, and remote copy is resumed.
US07685384B2
A system and method for performing real-time replication of data across a network is provided. A mirroring engine receives a write request from a host application operating on a source computer. The mirroring engine compares data in the write request with corresponding data stored in memory. If data in the write request differs from stored data, the mirroring engine processes the write request. Processing involves computing a data signature across data in the write request and associating the signature with a transaction number and a status byte. The transaction number is used to uniquely identify the data signature and can be used to ensure that the signature is properly handled if it is received, for example, out of order. The status byte contains information used for handling the data signature and transaction number as well as information identifying how the data signature was computed. In an embodiment, the status byte may contain a bit for identifying if the data signature was computed across an entire block of data or if the signature was computed over only a portion of a data block, such as for example, only data bytes that have changed as compared with those in the stored data. Processing may further include compressing and encrypting the data signature, transaction number and status byte prior to transmission over a network. Embodiments may further employ a meta-file for storing data signatures, transaction numbers, status bytes, and other information useful for performing real-time data replication over a network.
US07685363B2
A low profile storage device is disclosed to include a first interface having a plurality of contact terminals movably exposed to the outside for connection to a computer, an interface controller coupled to the first interface to execute signal conversion and protocol operation of the first interface, a memory for storing data temporarily, a memory controller respectively coupled to the interface controller and the memory to transfer data from the memory to the computer and to receive data from the computer and store the data in the memory.
US07685359B2
A method of setting a storage device that a storage management program is built in an application system is used to set a disk label of the storage device and without specially developed application program is set between the application system and the storage device. Some command codes are set as default in the storage device to detect whether the disk label of the storage device is set by the application system includes command codes or not to execute operations are set by the command codes so as to operate the storage device.
US07685358B1
A method for managing a cluster of file servers is disclosed. The method has the first step of writing coordinating information for a plurality of servers of the cluster of servers to a master mailbox record, the master mailbox record written to a specific location on each disk of a set of lock disks, the set of lock disks having a plurality of disks, the plurality of disks chosen so that in the event of failure of a server of the plurality of servers, at least one lock disk will be available to the remaining servers. The method has the second step of writing a second copy of eth coordinating information to the master mailbox record of the set of lock disks.
US07685355B2
Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for concurrently performing address translation data lookups for use by an emulator. On a first thread, a first lookup is performed for address translation data for use by an emulator. On a second thread, a second lookup for the address translation data is concurrently and speculatively performed. The address translation data from a successful lookup from either the first lookup or the second lookup is used to map a simulated physical address to a virtual address of the emulator. For example, the first thread can perform a translation lookaside buffer lookup while the second thread concurrently and speculatively performs a page table entry lookup for the address translation data.
US07685350B2
According to one embodiment, a host bus adapter (HBA) is disclosed. The HBA includes a first lookup table to retrieve a remote node index (RNI) based upon an address received from a remote device as a component of an open address frame, a second lookup table to retrieve a remote node context (RNC) based upon the RNI and connection management logic coupled to the second lookup table to control a connection between the HBA and the remote device based upon the RNC.
US07685344B2
The remaining time period until the deadline of transfer by a device connected to a bus is measured, the remaining data size to be transferred by the device is detected, and the priority level of the device is set based on the remaining time period and the remaining data size.
US07685340B1
A method and system for a programmable input/output transceiver is disclosed. A circuit in accordance with the invention includes a programmable transceiver. The programmable transceiver is configured and/or controlled to support an interface standard. A system according to the present invention includes a programmable transceiver and a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) core coupled to program the programmable transceiver.
US07685334B2
A host library controller employs a plurality of ports for establishing a plurality of communication paths from the host library controller to a medium changer library. The host library controller further employs a processor and a memory storing instructions for the processor to issue a command from a medium changer command set, and to select one or more of the ports for communicating the medium changer command to the medium changer library depending on a command processing status of each port.
US07685333B2
A computational system is disclosed. The computational system includes a controller having a table including a plurality of sets of timing parameters. The plurality of sets of timing parameters are ordered based on a speed rate. The computational system also includes a device accessible to the controller. The controller communicates with the device in accordance with one set of timing parameters selected from the plurality of sets of timing parameters.
US07685327B1
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for identifying a system. In various embodiments, values of identification codes are read from each of a plurality of electronic devices of the system. The values of the identification codes are used to generate a system identifier value.
US07685318B2
In a device having a capability of using time data acquired from an external time information generator, a notification unit notifies a user of time information. The notification unit also notifies the user whether the notified time information is based on time data acquired from the external time information generator. Processing performed by the device is restricted depending on a status associated with time information. Although some types of processing are allowed when the device is in a status in which the time information is based on the time data acquired from the external time information generator, the same type of processing are disabled when the device is in any other status associated with time information.
US07685312B1
A method for locating a free resource involves maintaining an address space containing a plurality of regions, wherein each of the plurality of regions is mapped with a server to obtain a mapping, transmitting a request for the free resource from a client to a request address that belongs to one of the plurality of regions, determining a selected server using the mapping, and directing the request for the free resource to the selected server.
US07685310B2
Either a controller in a storage system, or a management computer monitors a bandwidth used in each I/O port in the storage system, and a bandwidth used by each host computer connected to each I/O port, and redirects a host computer using a bandwidth close to a difference in bandwidth used in the I/O ports, from the I/O port where a maximum bandwidth is used to the I/O port where a minimum bandwidth is used.
US07685308B2
There is provided a method for transmitting data to a multicast group including a plurality of receivers by using an X-cast mode, comprising the steps of transmitting an X-cast IP data packet having a X-cast header including addresses of a destination router and the multicast group, wherein the destination router is connected to the receivers, converting the X-cast IP data packet to a multicast IP data packet in the destination router and sending the multicast IP data packet to the receivers, wherein an IP header of the multicast IP data has the address of the multicast group. The source router can transmit an IP data packet to a multicast group having a medium or large number of receivers by using the X-cast mode.
US07685304B2
A solution is provided wherein a single service implementation may be exposed to users as two or more different web service protocols. The service then appears to the user to be utilizing a desired protocol even though the service itself is potentially operating under a different protocol. A gateway may be utilized that maintains mappings between the supported protocols. When a user sends a request to a particular service, the gateway may determine whether the request is in the format of the protocol utilized by the underlying web service. If not, the gateway may convert the format to match the correct protocol. An embodiment is also possible where a single endpoint is utilized for multiple services having multiple protocols. This may be coupled with an ability to detect a protocol automatically from request contents, thus seamlessly integrating multiple protocols into a user's experience.
US07685298B2
The present invention relates to a system for providing a modified URL from a proxy server to a virtualized computing environment attempting to access a remote resource. The modified URL may contain information which allows a proxy server which receives a request for the URL to generate a request for the remote resource where the request includes any state information necessary to access the resource. After transmitting the request, the proxy server may receive the requested resource; and transmit the resource to the application.
US07685296B2
The present invention provides systems and methods for obtaining information from a networked system utilizing a distributed web crawler. The distributed nature of clients of a server is leveraged to provide fast and accurate web crawling data. Information gathered by a server's web crawler is compared to data retrieved by clients of the server to update the crawler's data. In one instance of the present invention, data comparison is achieved by utilizing information disseminated via a search engine results page. In another instance of the present invention, data validation is accomplished by client dictionaries, emanating from a server, that summarize web crawler data. The present invention also facilitates data analysis by providing a means to resist spoofing of a web crawler to increase data accuracy.
US07685289B2
A set of programs allows a server computer that does not have an application installed to temporarily hand off a client request for the application to a peer server until the application is installed on the first server. The hand off is transparent to the client and temporary to the peer server. The server asynchronously starts the application, and when the application is ready for use, the first server stops sending requests to the peer server, and begins serving the requests. Since the first server has full session knowledge, it will be transparent to the client that the server servicing those requests temporarily changed.
US07685281B1
A system is taught in which a module having processing elements can access network and storage interfaces that are external to the module of the processing elements as though those interfaces were located internal to the module of the processing elements. The system may be operated as one or more provisioned servers, each of the provisioned servers including capabilities as identified by a corresponding set of specifications and attributes, according to various embodiments. Typically the specifications (or constraints) and attributes are specified with a Server Configuration File. An Enterprise Server system may be provisioned into any combination and number of servers according to needed processing and I/O capabilities. Each of these servers may include distinct compute, storage, and networking performance. Provisioned servers may be managed similar to conventional servers, including operations such as boot and shutting down.
US07685263B2
Consistent with one embodiment of the invention, a wireless mobile device is configured to receive a configuration file from a configuration server. After receiving the configuration file, the wireless mobile device establishes a wireless communication session with a computing device within proximity of the mobile device. The mobile device is configured to send the configuration file to the computing device so as to enable a configuration application executing on the computing device to configure the computing device in accordance with configuration information included in the configuration file.
US07685262B2
A technique is provided for sharing clinical protocols for diagnostic imaging systems. The clinical protocols generally represent operational parameters, such as configuration data and procedures, which are clinically developed for a particular imaging diagnosis. An interface or access point, such as a network accessible database or website, is provided to facilitate the exchange of these clinical protocols between clinicians. The present technique also may facilitate the formation of new clinical protocols and/or the integration of new clinical protocols into various diagnostic imaging systems. Accordingly, clinicians can electronically exchange and configure a variety of imaging protocols for potentially greater quality in the particular imaging diagnosis.
US07685253B1
System and method for disconnected operation of thin-client applications. In embodiments, a thin client on a client system may be used to access an application on a server via a network. Prior to the thin client disconnecting from the application, a version of the application including at least a portion of the application logic of the application may be downloaded to the client system to be accessed using the thin client during disconnected operation of the client system. After reconnection of the thin client to the application, changes made, if any, to application data on the client system may be integrated into the application data on the server.
US07685251B2
A management software approach to automatic and dynamic migration of applications running within virtualized process collections while retaining state during the migration operation. Performance metrics are received for a virtualized process collection running in a first logical partition. A threshold value is calculated for the performance metrics. A performance state analysis of the performance metrics is executed to determine whether the calculated threshold value of the performance metrics exceed a maximum or minimum threshold specified in a stack tier policy for the virtualized process collection. A stack tier analysis of the performance metrics is executed to identify any trigger violations and determine a migration action to be taken for the virtualized process collection. Responsive to a determination that the number of identified trigger violations exceeds a trigger violation count, a migration event is generated to migrate the virtualized process collection to a second logical partition.
US07685244B2
A mobile communication device (MCD) receives at least a portion of a message redirected from a messaging system over a wireless network, with the message containing a notification of an attachment. The MCD queries local attachment displayers regarding their location, electronic address and the types of attachment files that can be processed. The MCD then generates a request for the attachment, with the request containing information regarding at least one local attachment displayer.
US07685239B2
In an Internet facsimile apparatus, it is an object of the invention to provide means for notifying the user of details of a message disposition notification situation (MDN) of a transmission image. When E-mail data is sent, an MDN for E-mail to be sent is requested and communication management information of the sent E-mail is updated on the basis of a reception result of reply E-mail responsive to the MDN request.
US07685230B2
The invention pertains to a method and system that uses similar functionalities of different components within a software application when executing the application and application components. In one embodiment, predefined structures are created for a component type, where each component type has a similar functionality when executed. Parameter information is received at a client and linked with the predefined to provide a script specific predefined structure. The component is executed by executing the script specific predefined structure. After a user exits the component, the script specific predefined structure is automatically deleted.
US07685227B2
A distributed server system may include a primary manager, one or more backup managers communicatively coupled to the primary manager, and one or more workers communicatively coupled to the one or more backup managers. The one or more backup managers may receive a command to backup the state of the distributed server system. The backup managers may forward work tasks to the one or more communicatively coupled workers. The backup managers may further aggregate responses received from the one or more communicatively coupled workers and send the aggregated response to the primary manager.
US07685225B2
The present invention provides a music purchasing/transfer system allowing contents to be acquired in a remarkably efficient manner. In the system, a content acquisition apparatus, and method and program thereof are provided. The apparatus includes a content storage section used for storing contents; an output section for outputting the identification of every content that can be presented by a content providing apparatus for presenting contents; and a content acquisition section for acquiring a content, which is identified by a content identification selected by carrying out an operation to select one of identifications output by the output section, from the content providing apparatus, wherein the output section outputs identifications of contents not stored yet in the content storage section as identifications different from other identifications output as identifications of other contents already stored in the content storage section.
US07685222B2
A multiplication engine is described in which a decision threshold engine utilizes a Y-adder powers of two shift table to iteratively generate shift-add combinations. The shift-add combinations are output in a sequence with decreasing levels of contribution wherein the accuracy of the associated multiplication increases up to any desired level of accuracy to meet the requirements of the application. The multiplication engine can be used for generating the combinations either statically or dynamically. One embodiment describes a Y-adder hardware slider table engine in which the shift table is implemented with shifters and adders that can be set for active state or pass through state, and selectively summed to generate a product result directly from the table without the need to combine shift and add hardware.
US07685221B1
In general, in one aspect, the invention features a circuit, method, and computer-readable media for calculating xmody, wherein x and y are binary numbers, and wherein y is an even number. The circuit comprises a power of two calculator adapted to receive signals representing binary number y and to provide signals representing binary numbers r and m, wherein y=r2m; a vector splitter adapted to receive signals representing binary number x and signals representing the binary number m, and to provide signals representing binary numbers x[w:m] and x[m−1:0], wherein the binary number x[m−1:0] comprises the m least-significant bits of the binary number x and the binary number x[w:m] comprises the w−m+1 most-significant bits of the binary number x; and a remainder calculator adapted to receive the signals representing the binary numbers x[w:m] and r, and to provide a binary number x[w:m]modr, wherein the binary number x[w:m]modr is a remainder of a quotient of the binary number x[w:m] divided by the binary number r; wherein the binary number x[w:m]modr comprises the most-significant bits of a binary number representing xmody and the binary number x[m−1:0] comprises the least-significant bits of the binary number representing xmody.
US07685215B1
In one embodiment of the invention, programmable circuits, such as FPGAs, may be used to implement different types of functions, such as a multi-bit adder, using look-up table (LUT) circuits as their building blocks. Efficient generation of carry-out signals and fast-carry generation signals using available SRAM cells in the various embodiments of the LUT circuit can reduce and/or eliminate area-inefficient look-ahead carry logic without a significant delay in signal generation.
US07685199B2
An information dissemination system provides users information related to topics extracted from event classes. Event classes can generally be thought of as scripts that specify topics and actions for obtaining information related to the topics. The event classes are executed to obtain information related to the particular event class. The information dissemination system identifies a user event that is of interest to a user. The information dissemination system then identifies an event class that corresponds to the user event. The information dissemination system then performs the actions specified for the event class, obtains the action results, and renders the action results to the user.
US07685198B2
A set of general criteria have been defined to improve the efficacy of a tagging system, and have been applied to present collaborative tag suggestions to a user. The collaborative tag suggestions are based on a goodness measure for tags derived from collective user authorities to combat spam. The goodness measure is iteratively adjusted by a reward-penalty algorithm during tag selection. The collaborative tag suggestions can also incorporate other sources of tags, e.g., content-based auto-generated tags.
US07685197B2
The present invention provides a method and system for identifying terms in a requested Web document which can be used to identify other web page documents in which the user is likely to have an interest. Terms on previously prepared lists are compared to the content of the Web page document, and where matches are found, mathematical techniques including linear regression can be used to determine the relevance of the textual term to the content of the page. This can be used to suggest other linked Web page documents in which the user is likely to have an interest. Where the prepared lists include a term that has been purchased by advertisers, and there is a match for that term on the Web page document, an ad which is likely to interest the reader can be displayed on the requested Web page document, and can include a link to the advertiser's web site.
US07685193B2
A method and apparatus are provided for distributing a database join operation across a plurality of processing nodes. The database join operation is performed between a first table having M1 rows and a second table have M2 rows and involves forming M1×M2 combinations of rows from the first and second tables. The method includes allocating across the plurality of processing nodes the M1×M2 combinations of rows from the first and second tables. Each of the M1×M2 combinations is present on one of the nodes, and each node stores combinations corresponding to a subset of the M1 rows from the first table and a subset of the M2 rows from the second table. The method further comprises performing for each processing node the join operation in respect of all combinations of rows allocated to that processing node and collating results across all the processing nodes to complete the join operation.
US07685182B2
An automated memory management or garbage collection routine uses a first garbage collection routine to perform garbage collection on new objects, and a second garbage collection routine to perform garbage collection on old objects. The two garbage collection routines are operated concurrently, with each routine separately marking objects to be reclaimed. The second routine may operate in a background mode by traversing a tree of objects from a copy of memory, while the first routine may operate on actual memory.
US07685179B2
A deterministic technique is used for assigning locations to object replicas in a data center, while taking the various constraints into account that guarantee high availability and fast recovery. Example constraints include not putting the replicas on the same machine and not on the same rack, in case the rack or the network switch goes down. Also, because power distribution units (PDUs) can fail, the two replicas are not put on the same PDU. A solution is guaranteed to be found, if one exists.
US07685175B2
An archive for digital content comprises archive storage, an archive service and a manifest. The archive storage is a unified storage structure for storing items, such a directory having a plurality of subdirectories. The manifest is stored within the archive storage when the archive storage is loaded onto a storage device, and comprises an index of items stored in the unified structure of the archive, an organizational structure that supports defined categories that characterize items stored in the unified structure and at least one backup queue that temporarily queues a list of items that satisfy predetermined backup criteria by have not been backed up. The archive service serves as an intermediate between users, e.g., operators, software modules, programs, services, etc., and the archive storage to control requests for access to items stored in the unified storage structure.
US07685166B2
There is provided an information recording apparatus which is capable of collective management concerning which content data is recorded on each one of a plurality of information storage media. The information recording apparatus includes: a content data storage section for recording content data; a management information generation section for generating management information for the management of at least one of a copy and move of the content data; and a management information storage section for recording the management information. When the content data is copied or moved to an information storage medium, the management information generation section generates management information containing: content data identification information for identifying the copied or moved content data; and information storage medium identification information for identifying the information storage medium to which the content data has been copied or moved.
US07685156B2
Systems and methods for automating and increasing the efficiency of access to data using inheritance of access rules within an organization based upon the relationship of positions within the organization and the roles associated with the positions. In one embodiment, a role structure is used in conjunction with a hierarchical organization structure to allow access rules to be inherited by some of the positions from other positions based upon the relationship of positions within the organization and the roles associated with the positions. Access rules can be applied across equivalent or similar positions, yet differentiated between distinct portions of the organization and the distinct roles associated with the positions. Consequently, particular access rules are not necessarily inherited by all of the positions subordinate to a particular position with which the rule originates, and are not necessarily inherited by all of the positions that are associated with a particular role.
US07685154B2
A play tree may be generated for selecting and playing media content. A list of media files may be generated and displayed to the user. The user's selection from the list may be received and played to the user. The user's selection may be stored in a media content database and a tree of media files may be generated based on the user's previous selections. The tree may be displayed to the user. If the user makes a selection, the user's selection from the tree is received and played to the user.
US07685145B2
Various embodiments are disclosed relating to database configuration refinement. In an example embodiment, a method is provided that may include determining a size limitation for a database configuration, determining a workload of the database configuration, and making a determination that a size of the database configuration is greater than a size limit. The method may also include applying either a merge process or a reduction process to decrease the size of the database configuration. The merge process may merge a first index/view with a second index/view to produce a merged index/view, for example. The reduction process may delete a first portion of a first view to produce a reduced view.
US07685139B2
A method for translating a stock keeping unit (SKU) hierarchy in a customer order to a type-model-feature (TMF) structure in a vendor's order fulfillment system. A translation table relating the SKU hierarchy and TMF structure is defined. The SKU hierarchy includes SKU numbers that identify a configurable part and configurable options that specify a product. An initial order for the product includes the SKU hierarchy. Using the translation table, the SKU numbers are translated into an instance of the TMF structure. A multi-value characteristic is populated with values that include the SKU numbers and subline identifiers. A second order for the product is created that includes the instance of the TMF structure and subline values associated with the SKU number that identifies the configurable part.
US07685135B2
A method and computer program product for generating XML documents that include data content and style information from a plurality of data sources. A first file includes control statements that reference at least one resource containing display information. A server pages processor executes a script that includes a control statement referencing the first file, wherein the first file includes references to a plurality of resources containing display information. The resources may reside in at least two different locations in a computer system network.
US07685133B2
A method and computer system for identifying internet web pages containing documents that comply with a predetermined XML schema. The method includes searching the internet with a search engine for web pages using initial search terms and identifying a first set of HTTP URLs, web crawling at least the first set of HTTP URLs to identify additional HTTP URLs, appending a query to the identified URLs, and evaluating the responses to the query to determine which responses comply with the predetermined XML schema. The XML schema can be a Web Mapping Services schema. The system can store responses that comply with the XML schema in a database of servers, periodically check the database for validity, and convert the map requests for map servers in the database to a GIDB Portal Interface API.
US07685132B2
An automatic meta-data sharing of existing media method and apparatus are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of a server device includes analyzing a media data of a client device to determine at least one meta-data identifier associated with the media data and automatically populating a new mark-up language file using a existing media-collection data associated with certain items of the media data. The meta-data identifier may be generated by a client application that is agnostic of a type of media player application compatible with the media data. The new mark-up language file may include an arrangement of existing media-collection data of the certain items associated with the media data of the client device. A compatibility rating may be determined between the user and the other users based on the similar attributes between the arrangement (e.g., hierarchy) and the other arrangements and enabling each user of the server device to view mark-up language files of the other users.
US07685122B1
The present invention includes aspects pertaining to enabling an IMS batch application program to temporarily release its access to IMS resources that it shares with an IMS database management system or other non-IMS system agent, without terminating the application program. The present invention identifies when the batch application program issues a call that generate a sync point, and disconnects the program's connection to the IMS resources. The batch application program retains access to any independently obtained non-IMS resources when the program is disconnected from the IMS resources. The IMS database management system or other non-IMS system agent has temporary exclusive access to the IMS resources after the batch application program connection is disconnected. After such temporary exclusive access is complete, the batch application program's connection to the IMS resources is reestablished, and the batch application receives a response to its original call that generated a sync point. In another embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of IMS batch application programs temporarily release their access to IMS resources. In this embodiment, the IMS database management system or other non-IMS system agent obtains temporary exclusive access to the IMS resources after all of said plurality of batch application program connections to IMS resources are disconnected.
US07685115B2
A computer implemented method classifies securely a private query sample using exact k-nn classification. A secure dot product protocol is applied to determine securely distances between a private query sample and a plurality of private labeled samples. A secure k-rank protocol is applied to the distances to determine a nearest distance of a kth nearest labeled sample having a particular label. Then, a secure Parzen protocol is applied to the nearest distance to label the private query sample according to the particular label.
US07685112B2
A method and system for autonomously downloading and indexing Hidden Web pages from Websites includes the steps of selecting a query term and issuing a query to a site-specific search interface containing Hidden Web pages. A results index is then acquired and the Hidden Web pages are downloaded from the results index. A plurality of potential query terms are then identified from the downloaded Hidden Web pages. The efficiency of each potential query term is then estimated and a next query term is selected from the plurality of potential query terms, wherein the next selected query term has the greatest efficiency. The next selected query term is then issued to the site-specific search interface using the next query term. The process is repeated until all or most of the Hidden Web pages are discovered.
US07685110B2
An information service includes a network and material on the network provided by an entity. The network provides or is linked to, a request for information elements for submission of a request by the submitter to the entity. Elements are provided to optionally provide an inducement to likely submitters or selected subgroup or subgroups of likely submitters to submit a query.
US07685108B2
A method and system for providing geocodes in response to complete or partial address information is disclosed. The disclosure teaches embodiments that are naturally upgraded to integrate changing spatial information due to addition of countries, better data, political changes, and other similar changes in geographical data. A single geocoding engine is capable of handling the various address formats in use in different countries and jurisdictions. The disclosed embodiments are error tolerant and capable of overcoming many errors due to spelling, variety of languages and formats used to provide and address. The diversity in addresses due to, for instance country-specific formats such as postal-codes are naturally integrated into existing database of geocoding information. Preferably, the embodiments are based on JAVA to allow platform independence and use XML based communication to use networks without requiring excessive resources while providing fast services.
US07685107B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for scanning a partitioned data set (“PDS”). A receive module is included to receive a search criteria comprising one or more expressions. A member module is included to determine a set of PDS members to search based on the search criteria. A scan module is included to scan a record contained within each member of the set of PDS members. A determination module is included to determine whether a record satisfies the search criteria, where the search criteria comprises at least one expression that identifies a record that lacks a specified character string of the at least one expression. A return module is included to return the determined record. Each record in the scanned PDS has any length within a range supported by an operating system maintaining the scanned PDS.
US07685096B2
A method for turning variable-length file path names into fixed-length object identifiers in a data repository, the method comprising, assigning a fixed-value identifier to a file system in the data repository, computing a first deterministic pseudo-random function that combines a first component of a plurality of file system pathname components associated with a file with the fixed-value identifier, computing a second deterministic pseudo-random function that combines a second component of the plurality of file system pathname components with the result of the first function, and using at least one of the computed deterministic pseudo-random functions to produce a fixed-length object identifier for the file.
US07685094B2
A new approach to aggregating a plurality of information exchange requirements (IERs) into a common schema is disclosed. A device has a digital storage medium that includes a data structure for implementing a plurality of information exchange requirements each having a plurality of attributes. The data structure includes a data portion configured for storing digital data, and an attribute portion distinct from the data portion comprising a plurality of attribute fields, wherein each of the plurality of attribute fields describes an aspect of the digital data corresponding to one of the plurality of attributes associated with at least one of the plurality of information exchange requirements, to thereby implement the common schema.
US07685093B1
Embodiments of systems and methods for comparing attributes of a data record are presented herein. Broadly speaking, embodiments of the present invention generate a weight based on a comparison of the name (or other) attributes of data records. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention generate a weight based on a comparison of name attributes. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention may calculate an information score for each of two name attributes to be compared to get an average information score for the two name attributes. The two name attributes may then be compared against one another to generate a weight between the two attributes. This weight can then be normalized to generate a final weight between the two business name attributes.
US07685092B2
Methods and systems, including computer program products, for monitoring and analyzing a database performance problem stored in a separate performance database with cube-based analysis program tools. The methods and systems include means for detecting one or more performance problems, mapping performance problems to cubes, filling the cubes with performance data collected before, and outputting the filled cubes to an output interface usable to deploy said cubes for cube-based database performance analysis.
US07685087B2
The present invention relates to a method for generating a decision tree using an inference engine in a ubiquitous environment. In the method, a data table for a data event set is generated based on information collected by at least one sensor. Subsequently, a weight value of the data event set is established, and an entropy is calculated based on the established weight value (here, the entropy is a scale for classifying the information collected by the sensor into respective classes). In addition, the decision tree for the collected information is formed based on the calculated entropy.
US07685083B2
An intelligence system is provided that is comprised of several basic components: a system for converting incoming unstructured data into a well described normalized form supported by a dedicated ‘mining’ language tied intimately to a system ontology; a system for accessing and manipulating data held in memory or in persistent storage in its normalized binary form; an ‘ontology’ that represents and contains the items and fields necessary for the target system to perform its function; a memory system tied to the ontology; a memory management system for splitting incoming data into those portions to be directed to each container; a query system for querying each container to retrieve portions of composite objects; a UI to display and interact with data within the system; a memory system that forms collections of datums and enables manipulation and exchange of these collections both within the local machine as well as across the network.
US07685081B2
An artificial multiped is constructed (either in simulation or embodied) in such a way that its natural body dynamics allow the lower part of each leg to swing naturally under the influence of gravity. The upper part of each leg is actively actuated in the sagittal plane. The necessary input to drive the above-mentioned actuators is derived from a neural network controller. The latter is arranged as two bi-directionally coupled chains of neural oscillators, the number of which equals twice that of the legs to be actuated. Parameter optimisation of the controllers is achieved by evolutionary computation in the form of a genetic algorithm.
US07685071B2
A mobile communication terminal moves and backs up a content, which was downloaded from a content server, to a personal computer. When the mobile communication terminal receives an encryption key generation request from the personal computer via a cable, the mobile communication terminal extracts information to be used for generating the encryption key and generates the encryption key by using the extracted information and own telephone number. And the generated encryption key is transmitted to the personal computer via the cable. Accordingly, the backed up and moved content can be reproduced with the personal computer.
US07685067B1
A payment request associated with a transfer of funds is received and a risk management assessment for both sides thereof is performed. If the risk management assessment procedure produces an adverse indication, the payment request is declined. Otherwise, the payment request may be processed for delivery of a payment associated therewith. The risk management assessment may be performed on the basis of credit/authentication information derived from customer information received with (or even prior to) the payment request. Such customer information may include credit card account information and/or bank account information (e.g., checking account) information. In some cases, the risk management assessment may include an automated component and a manual (non-automated) component. Such a manual component may be needed where the automated component of the risk management assessment provides suspect information regarding one of the parties to the transaction. Where the payment request is processed for delivery of the payment, such processing may include submitting a payment authorization request, and, upon receiving a settlement indication regarding that payment authorization request, transmitting the payment. In some cases, the payment may be transmitted as a check, while in others it may be transmitted as a money order or instruction to have funds automatically deposited in an account.
US07685055B2
A method for automatically positioning information related to a commodity on a graphical user interface. Market information is displayed on the graphical user interface. The market information may be presented as a number of indicators, corresponding to particular items of interest, that are associated with a static scale. The scale may, for example, represent price. Upon detecting a predetermined condition, the location of the market information is automatically repositioned.
US07685054B2
The present invention relates to a method and system for electronically trading a financial instrument. The method includes entering a bid order for the financial instrument and placing the bid order in a bid queue associated with a buyer who maintains a list of sellers to sell the financial instrument to. Then, entering an ask order for the financial instrument and placing the ask order in an ask queue associated with a seller who maintains a list of buyers to buy the financial instrument from. Next, the present invention will match the bid order and the ask order and to execute a trade between the buyer and the seller. Lastly, the trade is executed if the bid order is not less than the ask order, and if the buyer is on the list of buyers and the seller is on the list of sellers.
US07685051B2
A system for automatically determining a trade settlement pathway comprising: receiving trade pathway preferences from a first and second party with respect to each other; wherein the trade is settled through clearing if both parties have available accounts with a clearing firm and the trade satisfies each party's clearing account credit limitations; and wherein the trade is settled bilaterally if at least one party does not have an available clearing account or both parties prefer to settle the trade bilaterally, and the trade satisfies each party's bilateral credit limitations.
US07685050B2
Systems and methods for improving the liquidity and distribution network for luxury and other illiquid items are provided. These systems and methods preferably include the trading of futures and options contracts, which will provide the liquidity and distribution network for luxury items. Possible embodiments of these systems and methods include the trading of futures and options contracts for diamonds and wine. Another embodiment of this invention preferably includes generating indexes for diamond prices, wine prices, luxury item prices, housing values, mortgage prepayments, privately-held companies or for anything with from sufficiently liquid points of value. Another embodiment of this invention preferably includes a centralized data base for retrieving closing and current auction prices for determining the value of, and best method for the auctioning of various items. The data provided by this data base would improve liquidity by creating greater price transparency.
US07685044B1
Systems and methods for transmitting trade orders from a client trading engine to an exchange where the trades are executed. The system may comprise a low latency system in communication with the client trading engine and the exchange server(s). The low latency system is for receiving trade orders from the client trading engine, performing one or a limited number of pre-order risk checks on the trade orders, and, when the trade orders pass the risk checks, transmitting the trade order to the exchange server(s). The system also comprises a post-order risk checking data center in communication with the low latency system via a network. The post-order risk checking data center is for performing post-order risk checks on the trade orders after the low latency system transmits the trade orders to the exchange server(s).
US07685041B1
A method of filtering real-time financial data to provide accurate data to users is provided. The method includes comparing the trading price of a currently reported stock trade with the trading price of a previously reported stock trade and identifies the currently reported stock trade as a potential bad trade if the percentage difference between the two is greater than a reference percentage. The real-time spike filter confirms the currently reported stock trade as a bad trade based on: (i) a comparison of the trading prices of the currently reported stock trade and a next reported stock trade; and (ii) a comparison of the trading prices of the previously reported stock trade and the next reported stock trade.
US07685040B2
Investment methods for use by institutional investors are provided. The method may include the steps of selling a call associated with a first group of securities of the investor to a first broker/dealer; entering into a short swap arrangement with an equity swap entity, the short swap arrangement being associated with the call and the first group of securities; entering into a capped swap arrangement with a second broker/dealer based on a second group of securities; and, entering into a long swap arrangement with the equity swap entity based on the second group of securities. Methods for arranging an investment strategy for an institutional investor are also provided.
US07685034B1
Various embodiments of a system and method for finance-based competition are described. The system and method for finance-based competition may provide a game engine configured to enable a user to engage in a finance-based competition with one or more other users. The winner of the competition may be determined by one of various standards related to various financial attributes. In various embodiments, the game engine may be configured to enable a user to compete against one or more user-defined goals. A user may set various goals that he would like to complete during a given time period, such as saving a certain amount of wealth, funding a child's education fund, purchasing a second home, minimizing taxes owed to a taxing authority, and other finance-related goals. In various embodiments, the game engine may be configured to generate one or more finance-related predictions using a rules engine.
US07685029B2
An accounting method and system is disclosed that provides for real time financial accounting of plant performance at a sub-plant level. A multiplicity of process variable transmitters is utilized to sense, in real time, the current state of the processes and process equipment used in a manufacturing plant. Sub-plant accounting modules utilize the sensed process data to calculate a plurality of sub-plant accounting measures, which are stored in one or more real time plant historian. The accounting measures are typically converted to a suitable format and subsequently stored in a production model accounting database where they are accessible to an accounting module.
US07685028B2
An inventory management, and a shipping/returns management system can be analyzed to determine various performance characteristics of an e-commerce operator, such as whether the latter maintains sufficient items to meet demand, whether distribution is occurring in a timely fashion, etc. The systems are analyzed using one or more anonymous proxy accounts.
US07685027B2
Disclosed are a method of and system for enterprise-wide migration. The method comprises the steps of creating instances of databases for a migration, for billing and reporting, and repositing reports; gathering information on the organization, location, hardware, and software affected by said migration into a database for planning said migration; and building an inventory of the affected hardware and software using an inventory tracking tool or an inventory mailer. Migration hardware and software is ordered based on said planning and said inventory, using an inventory tool; and labor, hardware, and software as installed are tracked and billed, using said billing and reporting database. Agents for said creating, gathering, building and tracking are enabled using an agent control facility.
US07685024B2
The present invention discloses a method and system for computerized ordering at least one product being a part of a final shopping list. The system comprises a first computerized trolley configured to facilitate a user to select at least one product among products being offered by one or more shops associated with the first trolley, thus giving rise to at least one first computerized order line corresponding to the selected product and being a part of a first shopping list; at least one second computerized trolley, each one of said second trolleys configured to automatically generate at least one second computerized order line matching to said first order line and comprising a product being offered by one or more shops associated with the second trolley, said second order line being a part of a second shopping list; wherein the final shopping list is configured to be based on said first shopping list or on said second shopping list. The method comprises providing said first computerized trolley, providing at least one said second computerized trolley, and facilitating compiling the final shopping list on the basis of said first shopping list or said second shopping list.
US07685015B2
Locations that include supply, manufacturing, demand locations, and channels are defined. A demand is computed for each part at each location. An availability lead-time is estimated for each part at each location and for each part at each channel. A total landed cost is calculated for each part at each location and each channel. A lead-time demand is computed for each part at each location using the availability lead-times for the part. A demand over lead-time is computed for each part at each location using the availability lead-times for the part. A completely filled demand is determined from the lead-time demands and the stock levels, and a partially filled demand is determined from the lead-time demands and the stock levels. A coverage function is generated for the parts at the locations and the channels from the completely filled demand and the partially filled demand.
US07685009B2
The present invention relates to a system and method for interactively selecting one or more physical locations at a venue by an end user over a wide area network. The system or method transmits information relating to a set of available individual physical locations at a venue to an application running on a general purpose computer on the wide area network for display to the end user. The system or method also provides a graphical user interface on the computer that comprises an interactive map representing information relating to the set of available individual physical locations from which the end user can select one or more available individual physical locations, the graphical user interface providing additional current available physical location information on the set of available individual physical locations in response to a user interaction with the graphical user interface, the interaction being triggered when placing a mouse over the graphical user interface, wherein the mouse over causes the computer to display the additional current available physical location information indicating physical locations that have not been previously taken. In addition, the system or method receives from the end user a selection of one or more available individual physical locations, wherein the selection is based on a mouse click and accepts over the wide area network from the end user payment information for the one or more available individual physical locations.
US07685006B2
A Pharmacy Automated Accounts Receivable (PAR) System and Methods allows a pharmacy drug store chain to manage, track, and reconcile third party payor receivables associated with prescription transactions. The PAR system obtains and uses data types including, but not limited to, prescription claim data, third party deposit data, third party payor data, and remittance advice data. The data obtained is configured into a PAR database to form PAR data that is used for automatically reconciling third party payor receivables associated with prescription transactions.
US07685001B2
In a method and system for providing clinical knowledge from a provider to a medical user based on one or more diagnostic questions submitted by the user to the provider, a clinical knowledge communication server is provided with an associated knowledge database. The at least one or more diagnostic questions are sent by the user to the server. With the server, an initial examination of the at least one or more diagnostic questions is conducted. Examination steps are associated with the at least one or more diagnostic questions and placed in a sequence. The sequence of examination steps are then sent to the medical user. The provider may also request clinical knowledge from the medical user such as, for example, relating to the diagnostic questions submitted by the user.
US07684997B2
Systems and methods for providing a machine readable colored envelope and systems and methods for processing such envelopes are described. In certain examples, the machine readable colored envelopes are colored using a reversible negative photochromic colorant that bleaches when exposed to an activation energy such as ultraviolet radiation and returns to its original color after the activation energy is removed. In another example, the colorant has more than one stable color state.
US07684995B2
A method of storing and viewing a collection of digital images includes the steps of: providing a plurality of users with a unique user ID associated with a URL identifying a network photoservice provider; providing each one of the plurality of users with a separate password to the unique user ID; at least one of the plurality of users transferring a set of digital images to the unique user ID employing their separate passwords; and viewing the images located at the unique user ID using the separate password.
US07684982B2
A noise reduction system including an audio-visual user interface combines visual features extracted from a digital video sequence with audio features extracted from an analog audio sequence. The digital video sequence may show the face of a speaker, and the analog audio sequence may include background noise in an environment of said speaker. Audio sequence detection means are used to detect said analog audio sequence, and audio feature extraction and analysis means are used to analyze said analog audio sequence and extract said audio features therefrom. Video sequence detection means are used to detect said video sequence, and visual feature extraction and analysis means are used to analyze the detected video sequence and extract said visual features therefrom. A noise reduction circuit is configured to separate the speaker's voice from said background noise based on a combination of derived speech characteristics and output a speech activity indication signal. The speech activity indication signal includes a combination of speech activity estimates supplied by said audio feature extraction and analysis means and said visual feature extraction and analysis means. A multi-channel acoustic echo cancellation unit is configured to perform a near-end speaker detection and double-talk detection algorithm based on the speech characteristics derived by said audio feature extraction and analysis means and said visual feature extraction and analysis means.
US07684972B2
A method is provided for assessing whether to terminate a computer-implemented simulation of a physical experiment. Computations associated with the computer-implemented simulation that model the physical experiment are executed and to determine if a desired outcome associated with the physical experiment will occur. The results of the computations are evaluated to determine if the results indicate that the desired outcome has occurred. If the desired outcome has not occurred, periodically the results of the computations are evaluated with respect to at least one negative indication that the desired outcome is not possible and thus not likely going to occur. If the at least one negative indication is present, the computations associated with the computer-implemented simulation is terminated.
US07684969B2
Forming of a statistical model for a set of independently variable parameters for analysis of a circuit design is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes establishing a timing model including delay and delay changes due to process parameter variations (Pi) that impact timing; selecting an element of the circuit design that dominates circuit delay in the timing model; determining a delay sensitivity of each of a set of derived process parameters (Vj) for the element that are linear combinations of the process parameter variations (Pi); and selecting only those derived process parameters with a high sensitivity for use in the statistical model. The invention simplifies the statistical model and reduces the number of calculations require for timing analysis. A method of performing a timing analysis using the simplified statistical model is also disclosed.
US07684968B1
Generating a high-level, bit-accurate and cycle-accurate simulation model. The various embodiments generate the simulation model from a functional description of a module and an HDL description of the module. The functional description may be un-timed and specified in a high-level language. The HDL description is realizable in hardware. The simulation model is created by obtaining the control specification from the HDL description and combining the control specification with the data path description from functional description.
US07684967B2
A method, system, a program storage device and apparatus are disclosed for conducting a reservoir simulation, using a reservoir model of a region of interest, wherein the region of interest has been gridded into cells. Each cell has one or more unknown variable. Each cell has a node. A graph of the nodes is represented by a sparse matrix. The graph is an initially decomposed into a pre-specified number of domains, such that each cell exists in at least one domain. The cells and domains are numbered. Each cell has a key, the key of each cell is the set of domain numbers to which the cell belongs. Each cell has a class, the class of each cell being the number of elements in the cell. The cells are grouped into connectors, each connector being the set of cells that share the same key. Each connector having a connector class, the connector class being the number of elements in the key of the connector. Each connector having only one higher-order neighbor connector is merged with such higher-order neighbor connector. The class of all locally maximum class connectors is reset to the maximum class of held by any connector. The maximum class connector is forced to contain only one cell. The connectors are ordered in increasing order of class. Interpolation operator and restriction operator are constructed from the ordered connectors. The interpolation operator and restriction operator are used to construct a coarse grid. The coarse grid may be used to determine the unknown variables of the cells.
US07684960B1
Methods and systems for semiconductor diode junction protection.
US07684953B2
The present invention is directed to variable resistance zones for sensing input to an electronic device, as well as ministops for controlling deformation of the input components to ensure the accuracy of the inputs sensed. In one embodiment, a system in accordance with the present invention includes multiple variable resistors, an actuator, and a converter. The actuator overlies the multiple pressure-sensitive variable resistors and is configured to generate a pressure at a contact location on the multiple variable resistors. The converter is coupled to the multiple variable resistors and is programmed to map a pressure at the contact location to a pressure, location, or both along the surface of the actuator.
US07684950B2
The invention relates to an arrangement for detecting and transmitting test data from a housing (10) including a pressure chamber (11) that is filled with a high-pressure fluid and is homogeneously pressurized via strip conductors (21) which are connected to a sensor (23) and are guided out of the housing (10). A circuit board (12), both faces of which are subjected to the pressure prevailing in the pressure chamber (11) and at least one portion (30) of which extends out of the housing is disposed inside the pressure chamber (11) as a support of the strip conductors (21). The housing (10) that encloses the pressure chamber (11) is separated on the plane of the printed board (12), the faces of the housing halves (13, 14) clamping the printed board (12) in such a way that radial forces exercised within the printed board when pressure is applied are absorbed by the housing.
US07684940B2
A method and system to detect and evaluate improper grounding/grounded bonds in an electrical power system is disclosed. An example method is detecting improper grounding in an electrical power system having a plurality of monitoring devices coupled to a grounded conductor and a grounding conductor. Data of the voltage between the grounded conductor and the grounding conductor is received from the plurality of monitoring devices. The spatial orientation of the data from the plurality of monitoring devices is determined within a hierarchy of the electrical power system. The voltage data received from the plurality of monitoring devices is compared to determine a bond (or lack of a bond) between the grounded conductor and the grounding conductor.
US07684931B2
A method and apparatus for interfacing a plurality of gas measurement systems, including a mainstream and a sidestream gas measurement system, to a host system via an interface unit. The present invention also pertains to a sidestream gas measurement system that output signals emulating the signals output by a mainstream gas measurement system or portion thereof, so that the sidestream gas measurement system can seamlessly communicate with a host system configured to communicate with a mainstream gas measurement system or a portion thereof.
US07684930B2
Compositions, apparatus, systems, kits, and methods for obfuscating the nucleic acid and/or protein content of an environment.
US07684929B2
A novel method is presented to automatically design a multi-well development plan given a set of previously interpreted subsurface targets. This method identifies the optimal plan by minimizing the total cost as a function of existing and required new platforms, the number of wells, and the drilling cost of each of the wells. The cost of each well is a function of the well path and the overall complexity of the well.
US07684925B2
Cold start and warm-up operations of an HCCI engine are improved through coordinated control of engine valves, fuel injection and spark timing.
US07684919B2
An method of operating a multiple speed (gear ratio) mechanical transmission and engine combination to optimize (reduce) fuel consumption comprises the steps of determining a fuel efficiency map for an engine, providing a multiple speed mechanical transmission controller having data and program storage capabilities, providing data regarding the fuel efficiency map to the controller and providing a control algorithm in the controller whereby operation of the engine/transmission combination is optimized for fuel economy in accordance with the fuel efficiency map.
US07684917B2
A diagnostic information display system for a construction machine includes a sensor for detecting status variables related to an operating state of a hydraulic excavator or ambient environment, and a controller which stores combinations between a plurality of snapshot items and one or more status variables related to each of the snapshot items in advance, acquires or extracts status variable data, which is regarded as being related based on the stored combinations, from corresponding detected signals of the sensor 40, etc. with respect to the snapshot item selected by a selection command from an operator, thereby displaying the status variable data on a display unit, and compares each of the status variables or a value computed based on a plurality of status variables with a predetermined reference value range. A failure of a corresponding part or the related status variable is displayed on the display unit.
US07684916B2
An imaging device collects color image data to facilitate distinguishing crop image data from background data. A definer defines a series of scan line segments generally perpendicular to a transverse axis of the vehicle or of the imaging device. An intensity evaluator determines scan line intensity data for each of the scan line segments. An alignment detector identifies a preferential heading of the vehicle that is generally aligned with respect to a crop feature, associated with the crop image data, based on the determined scan line intensity meeting or exceeding a maximum value or minimum threshold value. A reliability estimator estimates a reliability of the vehicle heading based on compliance with an intensity level criteria associated with one or more crop rows.
US07684914B2
A collision determining apparatus for a vehicle includes: a first acceleration measuring device; a second acceleration measuring device; a movement amount calculating device; a change in movement speed calculating device; a first collision determining threshold value setting device which sets a collision determining threshold value for a correlation between the amount of movement of the occupant and the change in movement speed of the occupant based on the acceleration which is measured by the first acceleration measuring device; a first collision determining device which determines whether or not the correlation exceeds the collision determining threshold value; and a control signal generating device which generates a control signal which controls operations of an occupant protection apparatus, in accordance with a result of a determination by the first collision determining device.
US07684912B2
An electric power steering apparatus is provided for suppressing the effect on the steering wheel of external interference inputted from the tie rod. The apparatus includes first and second output units for outputting first and second control amounts in accordance with the outputted torque signal, except in a dead zone thereof, respectively. The apparatus also includes gain data output units for, when the torque signal, a steering angular velocity, and a vehicle speed are within predetermined ranges, outputting gain data respectively. Steering operation is assisted by an electric motor driven on the basis of the first and second control amounts and the gain data, which afford a control signal to the motor.
US07684907B2
The invention relates to a driver assistance system provided with an auxiliary system. The driver assistance system comprises detecting means for detecting information about a vehicle and influencing means for influencing a direction of movement and/or the speed of the vehicle according to information about said environment. The auxiliary system is used for issuing assistance information to the driver of the vehicle. The auxiliary system comprises recognition means for recognizing whether the driver assistance system can be operated in a reliable manner in a momentary environment state and/or in a future environment state and/or an operational state of the vehicle. The auxiliary system is connected to the recognition means and is embodied in such a manner that information can be given to the driver during operation of the vehicle if the driver assistance system cannot be operated in a reliable manner.
US07684906B2
A method of controlling a hybrid vehicle that is driven by at least one of an engine and a motor generator, the motor generator exchanging power with a battery. The method includes determining whether the vehicle is accelerating, decelerating, or traveling at a constant speed; selecting a range of a state of charge of the battery based on whether the vehicle is accelerating, decelerating, or traveling at a constant speed; and controlling at least one of: torque and number of rotations of the engine and the motor generator, such that the power being exchanged between the battery and the motor generator is such that the state of charge is within the selected range.
US07684889B2
A production and packaging installation with a control arrangement (33) and production units having respectively adjustable mechanisms, such as, a (cigarette-) production machine (maker 10), a packaging machine (packer 11), possibly a film-wrapping machine (12), possibly a multipacker (13) and possibly a carton packer (cartoner 14), for the production and ready-to-dispatch packaging of, in the first instance, products—cigarettes and cigarette packs—of a first type and, thereafter, products of a second type each comprising starting materials, such as paper blanks, film and the like, and also specifies the control arrangement itself and a method of controlling the line, it being the case that at least a first set of parameters (61) associated with products of the first type and a second set of parameters (62) associated with products of the second type are stored in a selectable manner in a memory of the control arrangement (33) and, upon selection of a set of parameters (61, 62), a manipulated variable for adjusting the or each adjustable mechanism can be transmitted to the or each production unit by the control arrangement (33), by way of the selected parameters.
US07684887B2
For monitoring production data, a grouping table in which machines are grouped into machine groups, machine components are grouped into machine component groups, chip manufacturing recipes are grouped into recipe groups or chip manufacturing parameters are grouped into parameter groups is used, whereby a considerable improvement in the comparability of the production data to be monitored is achieved.
US07684884B2
There is provided an information processing apparatus in which a CPU and an audio processing unit are coupled by a bus. The audio processing unit includes a ring buffer that temporarily retains audio data, and performs an input/output process of the audio data. An interrupt signal generator generates a buffer empty signal, when the audio data is output from a buffer in the ring buffer and the buffer is empty, decimates the buffer empty signal in accordance with a sampling frequency of audio, and then feeds the interrupt signal that survives the decimation to the CPU. The CPU, upon receiving the buffer empty signal, issues a DMA transfer instruction for writing the audio data into the empty buffer in the ring buffer.
US07684883B2
An information processing method is disclosed for use with an information processing apparatus for acquiring data and executing signal processing on the data. The method includes the steps of: acquiring information necessary for executing the signal processing on the data; determining whether a certain parameter included in the information acquired in the information acquiring step is changed; if the parameter is found changed in the determining step, then controlling recording of setting information for the signal processing; discarding execution status settings of a signal processing program called up to execute the signal processing; calling up again the signal processing program; initializing, using the changed parameter, the signal processing program called up in the program calling step; reading out the setting information of which the recording was controlled in the setting information recording controlling step; and resetting the signal processing program based on the setting information read out in the setting information reading step.
US07684880B2
Embodiments for servicing a system including a fuel cell and at least one sensor. In one embodiment, the at least one sensor is implemented for generating information indicative of operation of the system. The information is communicated to a tool operatively connected with the system. The information is evaluated to determine if the system is operating as intended. Based on the information, a recommendation for returning the system to intended operation is determined. The recommendation is performed. The first three steps are repeated until the system is operating as intended.
US07684877B2
A system facilitates state processing in an industrial control environment is provided. The system includes a module component to facilitate control operations in an industrial control environment. A propagation component is embedded within the module component to communicate state information to at least one other module component. The state information is communicated in an upward or downward direction according to a hierarchical module configuration.
US07684875B2
Methods and apparatus to configure process control system inputs and outputs are disclosed. A disclosed example method comprises obtaining a tag of a process control device from the input/output device, and associating the process control device with a process control module based on the obtained tag.
US07684871B2
Method, system and apparatus for monitoring target tissue temperatures wherein temperature sensors are configured as passive resonant circuits each with a unique resonating signature at monitoring temperatures extending below a select temperature setpoint. The resonant circuits are configured with an inductor component formed of windings about a ferrite core having a Curie temperature characteristic corresponding with a desired temperature setpoint. By selecting inductor winding turns and capacitance values, unique resonant center frequencies are detectable. Temperature monitoring can be carried out with implants at lower threshold and upper limit temperature responses. Additionally, the lower threshold sensors may be combined with auto-regulated heater implants having Curie transitions at upper temperature limits.
US07684870B1
An implantable cardiac device to induce fibrillation in the heart of a patient to allow testing of the defibrillation capability of the device. The device induces fibrillation using a direct current across the heart. The shock to the heart may be applied in a method to minimize discomfort to the patient. The heart is monitored during application of the shock. The voltage of shock at the heart is gradually increased until fibrillation is induced. Once the fibrillation is detected the shock may be stopped. This results in a minimized voltage level and duration for the shock to the heart, thereby diminishing pain and discomfort to the patient.
US07684869B2
Apparatus and method for determining the relative position and orientation of neurostimulation leads
Interelectrode impedance or electric field potential measurements are used to determine the relative orientation of one lead to other leads in the spinal column or other body/tissue location. Interelectrode impedance is determined by measuring impedance vectors. The value of the impedance vector is due primarily to the electrode-electrolyte interface, and the bulk impedance between the electrodes. The bulk impedance between the electrodes is, in turn, made up of (1) the impedance of the tissue adjacent to the electrodes, and (2) the impedance of the tissue between the electrodes. In one embodiment, the present invention makes both monopolar and bipolar impedance measurements, and then corrects the bipolar impedance measurements using the monopolar measurements to eliminate the effect of the impedance of the tissue adjacent the electrodes. The orientation and position of the leads may be inferred from the relative minima of the corrected bipolar impedance values. These corrected impedance values may also be mapped and stored to facilitate a comparison with subsequent corrected impedance measurement values. Such comparison allows a determination to be made as to whether the lead position and/or orientation has changed appreciably over time. In another embodiment, one or more electrodes are stimulated and the resulting electric field potential on the non-stimulated electrodes is measured. Such field potential measurements provide an indication of the relative orientation of the electrodes. Once known, the relative orientation may be used to track lead migration, to setup stimulation configurations and parameters for nominal stimulation and/or navigation. Also, such measurements allow automatic adjustment of stimulation energy to a previously-defined optimal potential field in the case of lead migration or postural changes.
US07684868B2
This invention relates to the design and fabrication of micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) for applications in such varied fields as the biomedical, micro-fluidics and chemical analysis fields.
US07684858B2
Systems for providing stimulation with an implantable system control unit and for optimally positioning that system control unit include a system control unit configured to provide a stimulus to a patient with a member attached to the system control unit for pulling the system control unit into position within the patient. Methods of optimally positioning the implantable system control unit within a patient such that the system control unit is proximal to target tissue that is to be stimulated by the system control unit include threading a member through a patient's body using a needle, the member passing proximal to the target tissue and being attached to the system control unit, and pulling the system control unit into place with the member.
US07684846B2
A transmission wave field imaging method, comprising the transmission of an incident wave field into an object, the incident wave field propagating into the object and, at least, partially scattering. Also includes the measuring of a wave field transmitted, at least in part, through an object to obtain a measured wave field, the measured wave field based, in part, on the incident wave field and the object. Additionally, the processing of the measured wave field utilizing a recursive reconstruction algorithm to generate an image data set representing at least one image of the object.
US07684829B2
An input apparatus of a mobile terminal and its display method are disclosed. The input apparatus of the mobile terminal according to an embodiment includes a keypad having a plurality of keys and generating key signals corresponding to a selection of the keys; a plurality of light emitting elements positioned at the plurality of keys, respectively, for illuminating the keys; a key sensor for sensing the key signals from the keypad; a storage unit for storing the key signals; and a controller for displaying, on the keypad, information corresponding to the key signals by selectively controlling the plurality of light emitting elements based on the key signals.
US07684824B2
A method for transmitting a message from a mobile terminal includes determining whether a specific event that occurs during the transmission may be disregarded. The specific event may be an event such as a closing/opening of a folder, a flip, or a sliding cover of the mobile terminal or a receipt of a call from another party. Normally, the specific event causes the mobile terminal to terminate the transmission of the message. However, the user may specify that the specific event may be disregarded, and the transmission may continue without disruption. As an example, an event disregard mode may be set via a menu for one or more specific events to indicate that the specific events may be disregarded. Thus, user's convenience is enhanced and a fast communication service is provided to users.
US07684821B2
There is provided a multi-tap keyboard user interface with auditory feedback. In one embodiment, there is provided a method for controlling operation of a mobile device having a plurality of input devices, comprising associating groups of one or more keys of the input devices to define at least one input region and in response to an input received from said input devices, performing an associated action for operating the device, responding equally to any input from a same input region. A repeated input (multi-tap) to a same input region cycles through a plurality of actions associated with the input region. Auditory feedback comprising a vocalized description of the action is provided. The multi-tap keyboard user interface with auditory feedback may adapt a mobile device (e.g. PDA or smart phone) for use by visually impaired users.
US07684814B2
Disclosed is a system, apparatus, and method for enhancing a mobile communication terminal PTT service which includes a Voice Message System (VMS) server for storing a voice message sent from a sender's terminal when a recipient's terminal is in a receive-not-ready state; and a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) proxy server for transmitting the stored voice message to the recipient's terminal at the request of the recipient's terminal.
US07684808B1
A method and apparatus for assigning channel elements in a radio access network (RAN) based on the type of the communication requiring a channel element. When the RAN receives a request to set up a communication of a particular type with an endpoint in a given wireless coverage area, the RAN responsively determines a proportion of the channel elements that are presently assigned to communications of the particular type. If the proportion does not exceed a predetermined threshold for communications of the particular type, the RAN may assign a channel element to the communication by transmitting the necessary signaling messages to the endpoint, one of which may include an identifier of the assigned channel element. The RAN may then determine and store an indication of the type of the communication being assigned the channel element by correlating signaling messages.
US07684800B2
A method of triggering a decision of a wireless communication system on a handover and/or of triggering a handover by means of at least one trigger signal. Using a generic algorithm for triggering handover trigger signals. The algorithm uses generic parameters representing at least an aspect of the quality of service of a radio link. The method facilitates handovers in multi-RAT networks and decreases the signalling as part of the handover decision making is transferred to the terminal device.
US07684776B2
Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a wireless device has an array of antennas. A signal is provided to one of the antenna by two variable gain amplifiers, one of which processes a signal that is shifted in phase compared to the signal processed by the other variable gain amplifier.
US07684774B1
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for recovering a sub-carrier signal from a multiplexed signal having an embedded pilot tone signal. The recovery system includes circuitry for recovering a pilot signal from the received multiplexed signal, for generating a frequency-doubled signal from the recovered pilot signal, and for phase-shifting the frequency-doubled signal by a pre-determined phase difference from the embedded pilot tone signal. Another recovery system includes circuitry for recovering a pilot signal from the received multiplexed signal, for phase-shifting the pilot signal by a pre-determined phase difference from the embedded pilot tone signal, and for generating a frequency-doubled signal from the phase-shifted signal.
US07684771B2
In the method and apparatus of controlling power of a transmitted communication signal, a communication signal is amplified and transmitted. At least one parameter on the transmitted signal is received, and a measure of interference with the transmitted signal is determined based on the received parameter. An average power level of the communication signal is increased by clipping the communication signal prior to amplification by an amount based on the determined measure.
US07684759B2
The present invention is a novel device, system, and method for determining the damped natural frequencies of a dynamic system whose characteristics are available in the form of a “frequency response function” FRF. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the method identifies the dampened natural frequencies associated with the poles and zeros of a transfer function. The method is especially useful for analysis of measurements that contain some degree of contamination due to noise or non-linear effects. It is based on a set of rules that may be more successful than a direct approach based on a least squares criteria.
US07684757B2
When the communication channel is to be changed, a more optimal communication channel is determined by summing up the results of measuring communication states transmitted from individual wireless terminals A, B, and C and making a collective judgment. Weighting coefficients are set to the individual wireless terminals A, B, and C. Values indicating whether or not the respective communication states of the individual wireless terminals are optimal with channels ch1 to ch4 to be used for communication (which are, e.g., 1, 0, 1, 2 with the respective channels ch1, ch2, ch3, and ch4 for the wireless terminal A and larger as the communication states are less optimal) are multiplied by the weight coefficient (the value of 3). The resulting values are summed up on a per-channel basis and the most optimal communication channel (of which the summed value is lowest) is selected. As a result, wave interference with the other wireless terminal is reduced.
US07684752B2
A wireless network includes a satellite antenna assembly with a reflector dish and at least one low-noise block converter (LNB) positioned opposite the reflector dish. A wireless transceiver transmits video and data information to one or more users located in a surrounding area. An interface unit is coupled to provide communication signals to the wireless transceiver. The unit is also configured for connection to an interactive data network so that the one or more users are provided with connectivity to the interactive data network via the wireless transceiver. 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. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US07684751B2
An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising a radio frequency identification transceiver adapted for self jammer suppression. The transceiver may further comprise a phase shifter and variable attenuator/variable amplifier adjusted to minimize the power injected into a receive chain by the self jammer. In an embodiment of the present invention the present transceiver may further comprise at least one RF peak power detector to determine the power injected into the receive chain.
US07684750B2
An image forming apparatus in which an original reading portion is disposed in an upper portion of the apparatus main body, a feed portion is disposed in a lower portion of the apparatus main body, and a printing portion is disposed between the original reading portion and the feed portion as an image forming system, is configured as follows. A paper post-processing portion that can perform a plurality of types of paper post-processing for recording paper transported from the apparatus main body after printing by the printing portion is finished, and a discharge portion to which recording paper is discharged after paper post-processing by the paper post-processing portion is finished, are disposed in a space of the apparatus main body formed by the original reading portion, the printing portion, and the feed portion. The paper post-processing portion is provided such that it can slide relative to the apparatus main body. In a front face of the paper post-processing portion, a cover is provided that covers this front face. The discharge portion is provided such that it can be raised or lowered according to the quantity of stacked recording paper.
US07684749B2
An image forming apparatus has a transfer attitude correcting section for correcting a transfer attitude of the transfer sheet to receive the toner image and for conveying the corrected transfer sheet to the transfer section with a timing to match with the movement of the toner image. The transfer attitude correcting section includes a roller unit including a base board rotatable around a center of rotation and a registration roller mounted on the base board, a detecting section for detecting a position of the transfer sheet being conveyed by the registration roller; and a control section for control the roller unit based on detection data detected by the detecting section so as to correct a skew of the transfer sheet by rotating the base board and to correct a deviation of a transfer position of the transfer sheet by shifting the registration roller on the base board.
US07684744B2
A fixing device includes a fixing roller that heats a toner image. A pressure roller forms a nip with the fixing roller by contacting and pressing the fixing roller. Separation claws are disposed side by side along a shaft center of the fixing roller within a sheet passing region of the fixing roller on a downstream side from the nip in a carrying direction of the recording sheet to separate the recording sheet from the fixing roller. Each claw includes a tip that contacts a circumferential surface of the fixing roller. The claws are disposed so that an interval from the nip to the tip of a claw at a position close to at least one end of the sheet passing region becomes smaller than an interval from the nip to the tip of a claw at a position other than the position close to the end.
US07684742B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image transferring device having a belt transfer unit for effectively performing an image transfer operation. The belt transfer unit includes a transport mechanism transporting a toner image, a scale provided around an entire perimeter of a surface of the transferring member and including at least one colored resin layer, and a scale reading mechanism arranged facing the scale and reading the scale. With the above-described belt transfer unit, a feedback control can effectively be performed to maintain constant reading accuracy and to prevent a voltage leak from a transfer mechanism.
US07684739B2
A toner transport apparatus that transports toner particles and includes a lateral transport device and a longitudinal transport device. The lateral transport device includes a lateral tube extending in a lateral direction and a lateral transport member provided inside the lateral tube in a rotatable manner and transporting toner particles. The longitudinal transport device includes a longitudinal tube coupled to an end of the lateral tube and extending in a longitudinal direction and a longitudinal transport member provided inside the longitudinal tube in a rotatable manner and transporting toner particles downward, and thereby transports the toner particles transported from the lateral transport device downward. An end portion of the lateral transport member on a downstream side in a toner transport direction extends to an inside of the longitudinal tube.
US07684727B2
An image recording apparatus includes a first unit, a second unit, and a fusing device for fusing and fixing a toner image on a sheet. The device has a heat roller; a pressure roller; and a contact member placed in contact with the heat roller. The first unit is movable, along a first direction, to be drawn out of the apparatus. With the first unit out of the apparatus, the second unit is movable, along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, to be drawn out of the first unit. The device is divided into a first and a second portions where the pressure and heat rollers and the member are respectively located. The first and second portions are supported on the first and second units, respectively. The second portion is detachable from the first portion when the second unit is drawn out from the first unit.
US07684724B2
An image heating apparatus including: a heating rotary member, which heats an image on a recording material in a nip portion; an air blowing unit, which blows air toward an air blowing port to cool a predetermined area of the heating rotary member; and a shutter, which opens and closes the air blowing port, wherein a cooling operation can be performed continuously with the shutter opened after image heating processing is completed, whereby a downtime required for making the temperature distribution over the entire heating area uniform after the continuous sheet supply of small-size recording materials is reduced remarkably.
US07684715B2
An image forming apparatus 100 includes detection means 116 which detects an image characteristic of an image formed on an image bearing member 103; a first control means which controls a toner concentration in the developer, based on a detection result by the detection means, of an image characteristic of a first reference image for a first control for controlling the toner concentration in the developer; second control means which controls an image parameter, different from the toner concentration in the developer, thereby controlling an image density, based on a detection result by the detection means, of an image characteristic of a second reference image for a second control, different from the reference image for the first control; and correction means 231 which receives detection results of both image characteristics of the first and second reference images, and which, based on the detection result of the image characteristic of either of the reference images for the first and second controls, corrects the other control.
US07684714B2
An image forming device. A direct voltage power supply is independently provided for each charging device for each color, and an alternating voltage power supply is commonly provided to the charging device for each color. A current detecting section detects current which flows between each image carrying body and each charging device. A control device judges that the image carrying body is damaged when a detected current value is not less than a preliminarily set specified value when a direct voltage is sequentially independently applied to the charging device for each color when leakage of charging voltage is generated.
US07684705B2
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a distribution node for a wavelength-sharing network is provided. In a particular embodiment, a distribution node for an optical network includes a wavelength router and a power splitter. The wavelength router is operable to receive a downstream signal comprising at least traffic in a first wavelength and traffic in a second wavelength from an upstream terminal, route the traffic in the first wavelength to a first plurality of downstream terminals, and route the traffic in the second wavelength to a second plurality of downstream terminals. The power splitter is operable to receive an upstream signal comprising at least traffic in a third wavelength from the downstream terminals, wherein the downstream terminals share the third wavelength for transmission of upstream traffic.
US07684695B1
One apparatus embodiment includes a first light source, a second light source, and a receiver having a photodetector. The first light source emits a first signal at a nonvisible wavelength for data transmission. The second light source emits a second signal at a visible wavelength for fault detection when combined with the first signal for transmission over a fiber optic path. The receiver converts the first signal from the nonvisible wavelength to an electrical signal.
US07684691B2
An image capture apparatus includes a photometry unit, which performs photometry of luminance in each of the photometry areas in an image sensing scene, a photometry mode determination unit, which determines a photometry mode, a filter operation unit, which performs an operation on a luminance value of a photometry area by taking into account luminance values of photometry areas around the photometry area, and an exposure value determination unit, which determines an exposure value without using a result of the operation by the filter operation unit when the photometry mode determination unit determines that the photometry mode is a first photometry mode, and when the photometry mode determination unit determines that the photometry mode is a second photometry mode, determines the exposure value by performing an operation in accordance with the second photometry mode after the operation performed by the filter operation unit.
US07684688B2
A camera having a depth of field which can be modified to produce desired photographic effects. The camera determines the depth of field for a subject when the subject is focused upon. A modification to the depth of field is determined based upon the distance to the subject, and the depth of field is modified to produce the desired photographic effect. In one embodiment, the depth of field is reduced, while, in another embodiment, the depth of field is shifted to place the subject slightly out of focus and to alter the focus of the background.
US07684660B2
Methods and apparatus to mount an optical waveguide to a substrate are disclosed. A disclosed method involves providing a substrate having a first layer and a second layer. The first layer includes at least one alignment fiducial and the second layer covers the at least one fiducial. At least a portion of the second layer is removed to render the fiducial visible and a waveguide is automatically aligned with the first fiducial. The waveguide is then fixed to the substrate.
US07684658B2
An optical resonator is configured for optimized performance as a sensor by maximizing the slope and/or sharpness of the resonance peak, instead of maximizing the Q-factor of the resonator. These characteristics of the resonance peak are controlled, in accordance with the present invention, by modifying the physical parameters of the resonator structure (e.g., dimensions, spacing between waveguides, ring diameter, materials and associated refractive indices, etc.) until the desired peak attributes are achieved, regardless of the Q-factor associated with these optimum attributes.
US07684648B2
An apparatus, method, system, computer program and product, capable of reducing the size of an original image. The method segments the original image into a first image and a second image, generates a first reduced size image from the first image, which includes a first target pixel having a value obtained using a first method, and generates a second reduced size image from the second image, which includes a second target pixel having a value obtained using a second method.
US07684642B2
In a method and system for correcting redeye in a digital image of a human, a defect pair separation is measured. The members of the defect pair are each redeye defects in the image. Each defect has one or more pixels. The defects are adjusted, that is, retained unchanged or reduced in size to provide adjusted defects. The adjustment can follow growth of initial seed defects. The adjustment is responsive to the defect pair separation and can include trimming of pixels beyond a size limit calculated using the defect pair separation. Following the adjustment, the color of the adjusted defects is changed to reduce redeye.
US07684631B2
A method of and an apparatus for predicting discrete cosine transform coefficients. A discrete cosine transform coefficient prediction method and apparatus performs a discrete cosine transform on a row and column of pixel blocks nearest to a transform coefficient to be predicted in a discrete cosine transform block to be predicted among pixel blocks adjacent to the discrete cosine transform block to create a prediction coefficient for the transform coefficient to be predicted, and predict the transform coefficient to be predicted using the created prediction coefficient. By using prediction coefficients with higher correlation to a transform coefficient of a discrete cosine transform block to be predicted, an image may be efficiently compressed.
US07684622B2
Under the present invention, an image is progressively blurred to yield a set of (progressive) scaling levels. Once blurred, the edges of the image are detected so that each image segment can be identified on each scaling level. Once the segments are identified, like segments (i.e., segments having a like edge/Gaussian operator) on successive scaling levels are linked to yield a lattice structure that represents the perceptual organization of the image.
US07684618B2
A system and method for encoding a document image and finding a location based on that image are described. A document page is encoded into codes associated with various locations of the document page. The codes are assembled into a code book. Captured images may then be similarly encoded and searched against the codes in the codebook. One or more codes and associated locations may be returned, thereby providing one or more possible locations for the captured images.
US07684614B2
A method for modeling a three dimensional shape of object using a level set solution on a partial differential equation derived from a Helmholtz reciprocity condition is provided. The method includes the steps of: a) inputting an image pair satisfying a Helmholtz reciprocity condition; b) performing an optical correction and simultaneously performing a geometric correction; c) performing a camera selection to select cameras capable of seeing a point (X, Y, Z), and defining and calculating a cost function by the Helmholtz reciprocity condition; d) calculating a speed function of a PDE that minimizes the cost function obtained in the step c); and e) generating a three dimension mesh model from a set of points configuring the object surface provided from the step d), and deciding a final three dimension mesh model by comparing cost function values.
US07684611B2
An edge bead removal measurement method includes determining an edge of a wafer about a circumference of the wafer. A location of a wafer notch on the edge of the wafer is determined. A location of a center of the wafer is determined. A distance from the edge of the wafer to an edge bead removal line about the circumference of the wafer is determined.
US07684604B2
A diagnostic imaging system includes a magnetic resonance imaging scanner (10) for imaging an organ of interest, a reformatting processor (70) for constructing reformatted images corresponding to a scout image in different coordinate systems, and a graphical user interface (62) for displaying acquired images and reformatted images to an associated user. An imaging processor (60) causes the scanner (10) to acquire a base sparse scout image of an organ of interest in a standard coordinate system, causes the reformatting processor (70) to generate one or more reformatted images from the sparse scout image in coordinate systems other than the standard coordinate system, determines a diagnostic imaging coordinate system aligned with the organ of interest using the base sparse scout image and the one or more reformatted images, and causes the scanner (10) to acquire one or more diagnostic images of the organ of interest in the diagnostic imaging coordinate system.
US07684603B2
An ultrasonic imaging apparatus includes an image data production device for producing image data composed of a plurality of frame image data items acquired successively from the subject during a scan time, a continuous time field image data production device for producing continuous time field image data from the image data by adding up the plurality of frame image data items acquired successively during the scan time, a time-sequential change process image data production device for producing time-sequential change process image data, and a synthesis/output device for synthesizing an image represented by the continuous time field image data and each of the images represented by the time-sequential change process image data by superimposing the image represented by the continuous time field image data on each of the images represented by the time-sequential change process image data.
US07684600B2
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for appropriately calculating 3D volume of cerebral hemorrhage lesion. The present invention sets a ROI for normal cerebral parenchymal region and a ROI for cerebral hemorrhage lesion respectively for a plurality of continuous slice images obtained by imaging the head having cerebral hemorrhage onset with an X-ray CT device, determines a mean value of the CT values of pixels within the ROI of normal cerebral parenchymal region for each of a plurality of images, then determines an amount of shift of mean values of images based on the mean value of one image, adjusts the CT value of pixels in the ROI of cerebral hemorrhage lesion for each image by using the amount of shift for each image, specifies the maximum value of the adjusted CT value through a plurality of images, and then calculates the 3D volume of the cerebral hemorrhage lesion.
US07684586B2
A speaker includes a diaphragm having a principal vibration part and annular internal and external supports for supporting the principal vibration part, a large-diameter voice coil unit mounted at the outer edge of the principal vibration part, a small-diameter voice coil unit mounted at the inner edge of the principal vibration part, and a yoke integrated with the diaphragm. Positioning members fixed to the diaphragm as well as secured to a predetermined site of the yoke are provided for restricting the positions of the diaphragm relative to the yoke in a radial direction and an axial direction perpendicular to the radial direction so that the large-diameter voice coil unit and the small-diameter voice coil unit are arranged within respective magnetic gaps in a magnetic circuit.
US07684584B2
An electrically angle-adjustable speaker includes a seat unit, a rotation unit and a speaker unit. A hole is provided at the central portion of the seat unit and a horizontal-rotation driving mechanism is provided by the hole. An arcuate toothed track is provided on the rotation unit, and a limiting track is provided below the track. A hole is provided at the central portion of the rotation unit. A vertical-rotation driving mechanism and a first limiting device are provided in the front portion of the hole. Two pivot bearings are provided in the rear portion of the hole. A toothed track and a positioning track are provided on the arcuate upper surface of the speaker unit. After the aforesaid components are put together, the electrically angle-adjustable speaker of the present invention is formed.
US07684581B2
A micro electrical and/or electronical device, as in particular a hearing aid being worn e.g. behind the ear, is characterized by a housing shell (1), which at least partially comprises a skid-proof surface (11). This skid-proof surface can be made out of an elastomeric polymer or an elastic polymer. Preferably such part (11) of the surface of the housing or shell (1) is being made skid-proof, which is in contact with the skin, while wearing the hearing aid.
US07684575B2
The present invention relates to a microphone that includes a housing and a diaphragm and backplate located with the housing. The housing has a sound port for receiving the sound. The diaphragm undergoes movement relative to the backplate, which it opposes, in response to the incoming sound. The backplate has a charged layer with a first surface that is exposed to the diaphragm and a second surface opposite the first surface. The backplate further includes a conductor for transmitting a signal from the backplate to electronics in the housing. The conductor faces the second surface of the charged layer. To minimize the charge degradation created by contact with or infiltration of foreign materials, the first surface, the second surface, or both surfaces of the charged layer includes a protective layer thereon.
US07684569B2
In an electronic apparatus control system provided with: a plurality of electronic apparatuses connected to a network covering a predetermined area; and a controller for controlling these electronic apparatuses, the controller (11) is provided with: a generating device for generating a group key peculiar to the network (18) in order to encrypt the information flowing through the network (18); and a wireless unit (21) for transmitting the generated group key to a plurality of the electronic apparatuses. The electronic apparatus is provided with: a memory device for storing the group key transmitted; an encrypting device for encrypting the information flowing through the network (18) using the group key; and a decoding device for decoding the encrypted information using the group key. Owing to this construction, it is possible to present a copy protection improved in the maintainability and reduced in the cost, for protecting copyright effectively even in a case that information is flown out of the network (18).
US07684567B2
A method for securing a portable security module for use with a decoding element, the portable security module and the decoding element allowing to descramble scrambled audiovisual information. The method comprises analyzing at the portable security module a sequence of command messages, the command messages of the sequence being received at the portable security module at distinct times.
US07684556B1
Conversational biometrics and speech recognition are used by an IVR contact/call center during call hold to affect call handling/routing. A caller's (user's) behavioral response, such as an utterance or other spoken reaction to being put on hold by the IVR contact/call center, etc., can be recognized, captured and analyzed. Business rules analyze the caller's behavior in real time during a caller hold period. Such business rules can be fed back into the call center system and this information can be used to provide opportunities to affect routing priorities for a particular caller based upon information learned by the data that is captured and analyzed.
US07684547B2
A method, system and computer program for assisting law enforcement surveillance of a telephone call in accordance with the requirements of is presented. The method includes, but is not limited to, the steps of: receiving an indication of a call that is placed with a pre-identified telephonic unit that uses an internet packet protocol for transmission, wherein the pre-identified telephonic unit has been selected for telephone call surveillance; converting the call into a converted call that is in analog form; and redirecting the converted call to an analog switching station that is capable of performing surveillance of the call.
US07684541B2
The present invention relates to the field of radiographic examination and radioactive material inspection, and provides a system and a method capable of simultaneous radiographic examination and radioactive material inspection. The system comprises a radiographic examination system and a radiation monitor; wherein the radiographic examination system comprises an accelerator and a synchronization controller, and the radiation monitor comprises a detector, a front end circuit, a signal transmission controller, a data collecting, analyzing and processing computer, an alarm device and so on. The present invention combines the radiographic examination system and the radiation monitor tightly so that the radioactive material inspection can be executed while the radiographic examination is performed, thereby the examination efficiency is improved and the occupied area of the system is reduced.
US07684539B2
A tomograph which determines projection data phase range capable of back projection for each reconfigured voxel with an arbitrary value larger than π so that the absolute values of cone angles at the ends of this phase range is minimized, calculates an approximate straight line for a curve indicating the position of a radiation source with respect to the channel direction position of parallel beam projection data obtained by a parallel beam of a parallel shape viewed from the go-around axis direction generated from the radiation source, and based on the determined projection data range capable of back projection, three-dimension back projects the parallel beam projection data subjected to filter processing created through a filter correction to the back projection region corresponding to the region in concern along the approximate irradiation trace of the radiation beam calculated using the calculated approximate straight line, thereby suppressing generation of the distortion attributed to data discontinuity, simplifying an arcsin calculation and significantly increasing the processing speed of the tomograph.
US07684528B2
A filter settings generation operation includes sampling colored noise present at the input of a receiver to produce a sampled signal. The sampled signal is spectrally characterized across a frequency band of interest to produce a spectral characterization of the sampled signal. This spectral characterization may not include a signal of interest. The spectral characterization is then modified to produce a modified spectral characterization. Filter settings are then generated based upon the modified spectral characterization. Finally, the input present at the receiver is filtered using the filter settings when the signal of interest is present to whiten colored noise that is present with the signal of interest. In modifying the spectral characterization, pluralities of spectral components of the spectral characterization are independently modified to produce the modified spectral characterization. Modifications to the spectral characterization may be performed in the frequency domain and/or the time domain. Particular modifications include amplifying spectral components, weighting spectral components based upon prior spectral components, and averaging spectral components with prior spectral components.
US07684526B2
A Radio Frequency (RF) receiver includes a RF front end and a baseband processing module coupled to the RF front end that is operable to receive a time domain signal that includes time domain training symbols and time domain data symbols. The baseband processing module includes a channel estimator operable to process the time domain training symbols to produce a time domain channel estimate, a Fast Fourier Transformer operable to convert the time domain channel estimate to the frequency domain to produce a frequency domain channel estimate, a weight calculator operable to produce frequency domain equalizer coefficients based upon the frequency domain channel estimate, an Inverse Fast Fourier Transformer operable to converting the frequency domain equalizer coefficients to the time domain to produce time domain equalizer coefficients, and an equalizer operable to equalize the time domain data symbols using the time domain equalizer coefficients.
US07684524B2
An automatic gain control (AGC) method according to the present invention applies an initial gain by a digital AGC circuit in a timeslot is determined using a final calculated gain from the same timeslot in the previous frame together with an offset factor. An erase function is activated for a given data sample block when the number of saturated data samples that are detected within the block exceeds a threshold value. The power measurement made by the AGC circuit and used to update the gain is adjusted based on the number of measured data samples that are saturated. These elements provide a gain limiting function and allows limiting of the dynamic range for further signal processing.
US07684519B2
A method for adjusting a DC offset slice point in an RF receiver is provided and may comprise estimating DC offset using a combination of fast tracking of an input signal and slow tracking of an input signal. If both are used, the fast tracking may be executed prior to executing the slow tracking. The fast tracking may acquire synchronizing signals transmitted before a payload. Additionally, noise tolerance may be increased in the fast tracking and the slow tracking by using tracking envelopes. The fast tracking may average acquisition envelopes and tracking envelopes using a fast tracking weighting factor to a sum of the acquisition envelopes and a slow tracking weighting factor to a sum of the tracking envelopes. Additionally, the slow tracking may average the tracking envelopes.
US07684507B2
Briefly, an apparatus and method that may adaptively select a coding mode of an OFDM sub-carrier symbol of a data stream according to a received channel state information related to the OFDM sub-carrier.
US07684498B2
Data coding and entropy coding are performed with interconnection, and grouping is used to enhance coding efficiency. The present invention includes the steps of obtaining a group reference value corresponding to a plurality of data included in one group and a difference value corresponding to the group reference value through first grouping and internal grouping for the first grouping and obtaining the data using the group reference value and the difference value.
US07684494B2
A scalable layered video coding scheme that encodes video data frames into multiple layers, including a base layer of comparatively low quality video and multiple enhancement layers of increasingly higher quality video, adds error resilience to the enhancement layer. Unique resynchronization marks are inserted into the enhancement layer bitstream in headers associated with each video packet, headers associated with each bit plane, and headers associated with each video-of-plane (VOP) segment. Following transmission of the enhancement layer bitstream, the decoder tries to detect errors in the packets. Upon detection, the decoder seeks forward in the bitstream for the next known resynchronization mark. Once this mark is found, the decoder is able to begin decoding the next video packet. With the addition of many resynchronization marks within each frame, the decoder can recover very quickly and with minimal data loss in the event of a packet loss or channel error in the received enhancement layer bitstream. The video coding scheme also facilitates redundant encoding of header information from the higher-level VOP header down into lower level bit plane headers and video packet headers. Header extension codes are added to the bit plane and video packet headers to identify whether the redundant data is included.
US07684490B2
A multi-scanner scans a signal according to several different patterns. A scanning pattern selector determines which scanning pattern produced the most efficient coding result, for example, for runlength coding, and outputs a coded signal, coded most efficiently, and a selection signal which identifies the scanning pattern found to be most efficient.
US07684484B2
A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.
US07684476B2
A wireless communication system is disclosed that transmits a feedback signal containing a channel estimate value between a first wireless communication device and a second wireless communication device. The first wireless communication device that transmits the feedback signals includes: a channel estimation unit that receives signals containing pilot signals, and determines the channel estimate value of a wireless link; a multiplier that multiplies a pilot signal by the channel estimate value; and a multiplexer that multiplexes an output signal from the multiplier with another pilot signal, to generate the feedback signal. The second wireless communication device that receives the feedback signal includes: a separator that separates the signals that are multiplexed in the feedback signal; and channel estimation units that determine the channel estimate value of the wireless link, based on the separated signals.
US07684471B2
An efficient architecture for a rake combiner is disclosed, for constructively combining the desired multi-path signals from a Code-Division Multiple-Access (CDMA) based system, such as a Third-Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) mode Wideband CDMA (W-CDMA) system, or an IS-95 CDMA system. The described rake combiner employs a single M-stage tap-delay line, an N+1 input adder, an arrangement of index offsets, pass gates, comparators and an M-stage counter to perform the combination, where M represents the delay spread in terms of symbol duration and N represents the number of rake fingers to be combined. The rake combiner architecture facilitates lowered resource requirements through use of a single tap-delay line in contrast to a conventional rake combiner which uses a series of M-stage tap-delay lines and an N input adder to perform the combination.
US07684464B2
A system and method for classifying channels in a frequency hopping wireless communication system is provided. A data collection engine operates to obtain channel metrics indicating the level of interference for each channel used by the wireless communication system. A data analysis engine operates to provide a channel map for adaptive frequency hopping (AFH) and/or a channel map for channel avoidance. More specifically, the data analysis engine first operates to filter the channel metrics to remove channel metrics indicative of frequency hopping interference. Next, the channels are divided into a number of channel blocks each including at least two adjacent channels. For each channel block, the channel metrics of the channels within the channel block are combined to provide a metric sum. The data analysis engine then operates to classify each channel as usable or unusable based on the metric sums for each of the channel blocks.
US07684456B2
A laser diode includes a substrate having a lattice constant of GaAs or between GaAs and GaP, a first cladding layer of AlGaInP formed on the substrate, an active layer of GaInAsP formed on the first cladding layer, an etching stopper layer of GaInP formed on the active layer, a pair of current-blocking regions of AlGaInP formed on the etching stopper layer so as to define a strip region therebetween, an optical waveguide layer of AlGaInP formed on the pair of current-blocking regions so as to cover the etching stopper layer in the stripe region, and a second cladding layer of AlGaInP formed on the optical waveguide layer, wherein the current-blocking regions having an Al content substantially identical with an Al content of the second cladding layer.
US07684455B2
An oscillator including a substrate and a resonant tunneling diode including a gain medium provided on the substrate. The gain medium includes at least two quantum well layers and plural barrier layers for separating the quantum well layers from each other. The quantum well layers each have one of a compressive strain and a tensile strain. The plural barrier layers that sandwich the quantum well layers having the strain have a strain in a direction opposite to the direction of the strain of the quantum well layers.
US07684447B2
A method and apparatus for sequencing determines possible next states for respective possible previous states based upon resources, selects one of the possible next states as an actual next state based upon an actual previous state, and communicates the actual next state as the actual previous state.
US07684428B2
The system and method of the present invention provide a protocol for a device (400) to announce that a previously reserved time-period or time-slot is not (completely) used and becomes available, so that other devices can transmit during the unused time. The system and method are especially intended for systems with distributed medium reservation by the devices, i.e., those systems adhering to a distributed reservation protocol (DRP).
US07684426B2
A system and method are provided for performing Local Center Authorization Service (LCAS) in a network system, the system having a data aligner configured to align bytes of input data according to groups of members. The system also including an LCAS control manager configured to generate de-sequencing control commands in response to data input from the data aligner. The system further including a de-sequencer configured to de-sequence the input data input from the data aligner according to de-sequencing control commands received from the LCAS control manager.
US07684423B2
A system including a network interface card (NIC) associated with a Media Access Control (MAC) address and a host operatively connected to the NIC. The NIC includes a default hardware receive ring (HRR), a plurality of non-default HRRs, and a hardware classifier. The hardware classifier is configured to analyze an inbound packet using a destination Internet Protocol (IP) address and to send the inbound packet to one of the plurality of non-default HRRs if the inbound packet is a unicast packet, and to send the packet to the default HRR if the inbound packet is an inbound multi-recipient packet. The host includes a plurality of virtual NICs (VNICs) and an inbound software classifier, that includes a plurality of software receive rings (SRRs) and is configured to obtain inbound packets from the default HRR, and to determine to which of the plurality of SRRs to send a copy of the packet.
US07684420B2
The present invention discloses a method for implementing cross-domain constraint routing, through setting in addition the border node identifier in the ERO sub-objects saved in ERO corresponding to nodes that a route will pass, this invention realizes the distributed calculation of the route. When calculating the path of cross-domain constraint routing, the original node determines the first border node that the route will pass based on the border node identifiers set in the ERO sub-objects in ERO, calculates the path to the first border node, and then sends a PATH message; the first border node determines, based on the next ERO sub-object with a border node identifier in the ERO of the received PATH message, the next border node that the route will pass, calculates the path to the further next border node, and then sends the PATH message; . . . Repeat such a process until the PATH message reaches the destination node.
US07684403B2
The invention relates to an EPON bridge apparatus and a forwarding method thereof. In a case of receiving a frame from the network port or the PON port, the apparatus associates the port having the received frame inputted with a source MAC address of the received frame to learn the information in an FDB table, which manages port information for the learned MAC address. Then the apparatus refers to the FDB table to remove an LLID from upstream frame, and then forwards the upstream frame to the network port, while attaching an LLID corresponding to a destination MAC address to the downstream frame to transmit to the PON port. Bridging between ONUs is possible with flooding capability using an anti-LLID. VLAN-LLID translation mode is provided with support for VLAN tag addition/removal at the ONU side. A multicast pruning function is provided for the downstream.
US07684396B2
A transmission apparatus having a plurality of network interfaces and a transmission method using a plurality of the network interfaces are provided. The transmission apparatus includes: a session information extraction unit which extracts session information of an IP packet; a network interface determination unit which determines a network interface associated with session information of the IP packet based on a table for mapping sessions to the network interfaces according to available bandwidths of the network interfaces; and a traffic distribution unit which transmits the IP packet to the determined network interface. Accordingly, traffic is distributed over a plurality of network interfaces, so that optimal communication performance can be ensured in a simultaneous multiple-mode connection environment, and network resources can be efficiently utilized.
US07684390B2
A method according to one embodiment may include communicating with at least one external device using at least one port, said at least one external device comprises at least one probe port. The method of this embodiment may also include receiving at least one data packet and generating at least one probe packet. The method of this embodiment may further include generating at least one probe packet device vector and transmitting the probe packet and the probe packet device vector to at least one probe port of at least one external device via at least one port. Of course, many alternatives, variations, and modifications are possible without departing from this embodiment.
US07684389B2
An N-dimensional lattice network that scales to capacities of the order of a Yotta bits per second (1024 bits per second) includes a plurality of sub-nets of edge module switches interconnected by an agile switching core. The agile core may be distributed. In the N-dimensional lattice network, each edge module 408 is connected to N core stages, each core stage having an associated dimensional indicator. The input/output ports of each edge module are divided into (N+1) port groups. One of the port groups serves local sources/sinks while the remaining port groups are respectively connected to core stages in each of the N dimensions. This structure permits virtually unlimited capacity growth and significantly simplifies the routing and forwarding functions. The edge modules are addressed using logical coordinates, one coordinate being assigned for each of the N dimensions. This simplifies routing and permits each edge module to compute its own routing tables.
US07684378B2
A method and apparatus for estimating channelization codes in a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) using blind code detection (BCD). A WTRU receives communication bursts and detects a midamble in the received burst. A candidate code list is generated in accordance with the detected midamble. The candidate code list includes channelization codes intended for both the intended WTRU and other WTRUs. Active channelization codes among the codes in the candidate list are identified, and the identified codes are forwarded to a multi-user detector (MUD). The present invention resolves SF ambiguity in the downlink of TSM. Since the orthogonal variable spreading factor code maintains the orthogonality between codes of different SF, SFs of other WTRUs follow the SF of the intended WTRU. Moreover, since the data for other WTRUs is not used in symbol processing after MUD, the performance of MUD for the intended WTRU is preserved with the SF ambiguity of other WTRUs.
US07684376B2
A search system for a radio LAN terminal includes: plural terminals; and a search computer that searches for connectable terminals out of the plural terminals in a radio LAN, wherein the search computer includes: a communication unit provided to be capable of changing transmission power of radio communication for performing radio communication via the radio LAN with the plural terminals; and a storage unit that stores a search list in which identification information including identifiers for identifying the searched terminals are listed according to an order of the searched terminals, the plural terminals include terminal communication units for performing radio communication with the search computer via the radio LAN, the search computer broadcasts a probe request for searching for the terminals by minimizing a set value of the transmission power of the radio communication of the communication unit, the terminals having received the probe request transmit response signals including the identification information of the terminals from the terminal communication units to the search computer, the search computer checks whether the response signals received are response signals from new ones of the terminals not stored in the search list, the search computer adds, when the response signals are response signals from the new terminals, the identification information included in the response signals to the search list of the storage unit, and the search computer performs, when the response signals are not response signals from the new terminals or the response signals are not received, a series of search operations starting from the probe request by increasing the set value of the transmission power of the radio communication of the communication unit.
US07684371B2
The present invention is a receiver which includes a blind code detection device for determining the identity of a plurality of channels over which information is to be transmitted when the identity of all channels is not known by the receiver. The blind code detection device generates a candidate channel list filled with the identify of selected channels out of the plurality of channels. A multi-user detection device, responsive to the blind code detection device, processes those channels in the candidate code list.
US07684367B2
An apparatus and method for transmitting data by using Multi-round Contention Avoidance (MrCA) are provided. The method includes initializing a contention window for each of a plurality of contention rounds and setting a backoff counter corresponding to a size of the contention window for each contention round, starting from a first contention round to a last contention round, decrementing a backoff counter of a corresponding contention round in a time slot unit and transmitting data when the decremented backoff counter is zero and when the corresponding contention round is a last contention round. Accordingly, the number of contending nodes is exponentially decreased for each contention round, resulting in significant decrease in a collision probability in addition to improving fairness on channel use among users.
US07684361B2
When a new connection is set up between a mobile station and a cellular telecommunications network, the starting frame of the new connection is selected using a simple rule so that the starting times of the interleaving periods of all the presently active connections between the mobile station and the cellular network are periodically aligned, thereby substantially simplifying the handover process. In addition, the length of the interleaving period can be set such that the periodic alignment is more frequent.
US07684355B2
In an example embodiment, there is described herein a “Wireless Route Aggregation Protocol” (WRAP) that is used to aggregate multiple wireless links into a WRAP “route bundle” that functions as a single logical LAN bridge link. WRAP link aggregation can be used for example to increase the bandwidth and robustness of the wireless path between two wired Ethernet LANs.
US07684352B2
A distributed hash table is implemented to store routing information on a network. Node IDs exchanged in connection with implementation of a link state routing protocol are used as keys in the distributed hash table, and routes are stored at one or more nodes on the network. When a route is learned, the route is processed against the set of keys to determine which nodes should store the route. When a route is needed, the route is processed against the set of keys to determine which nodes should have the route information. The manner in which the route is processed against the set of keys is the same in both instances, so that the DHT may be used to store and retrieve route information on the network. The DHT may be implemented to store MAC addresses, IP addresses, MPLS labels, or other information of interest to enable routes to be stored and learned by network elements on the network.
US07684350B2
A method of distributing labels in a label distribution protocol multicast network having a root node and at least one leaf node comprises the steps, performed at a receiving node, of receiving a label and path vector from a distributing node, carrying out loop or convergence detection from the received path vector and, if convergence or no loop is detected, sending a receiving node label and path vector to its nexthop node in the network.
US07684345B2
The present disclosure is related to a method for monitoring upstream burst performance in a point to multi-point access network. The method comprises: determining the expected time of the upstream data burst from the current terminal end (TE) reaching the head end (HE) using the timeslot assigned to the current TE, monitoring the actual time of the upstream data burst from the current TE reaching the HE, calculating and saving the difference between the expected time and the actual time of the upstream data burst from the current TE reaching the HE; calculating and outputting whether the difference is equal to or exceeds the TE's performance index value for the predetermined monitoring terms. The method provided by the present disclosure may monitor upstream burst performance of the entire network and discover the TEs with potential malfunctions, to effectively improve the network's stability.
US07684343B2
Disclosed is a device and method that relates to radio engineering and especially to data transmission in a wireless local area network. The method improves the throughput of the wireless local area network, by selecting a transmission rate, data transmission mechanism and a fragment size which maximize the network throughput considering the receiving conditions on the receiver (bit error rate in the transmitted data units of the transmitter ) and taking into account the current network loading are selected for transmission of data units.
US07684341B2
A method of allocating power among a plurality of signals, at least two of the signals employing different signal formats, located on different channels of the return path of a cable data network, divides a total power available for the signals on the return path in accordance with a minimum value of an average BER for all the signals and allocates power to each of the signals in accordance therewith. Specifically, a number of parameters are obtained including modulation type and symbol rate for each signal format employed on the return path, the AWGN noise floor across the reverse link, the nominal maximum available RF power for transmitting signals on the reverse path. A predetermined BER expression for each of the modulation types employed on the return path is then obtained, each of the expressions requiring a plurality of input values that includes the above-noted parameters. An expression is then formulated for an average BER based on the predetermined BER expressions and on a number of channels of each signal format type associated with a corresponding BER expression. The power to be allocated to each signal format by minimizing the average BER is then calculated.
US07684339B2
A community control server stores in a community defining table, data of a correspondence between Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP) routers that are connected to a community and another community. The community control server collects prefix data that is included in routing information that is received by the IGP routers and identification data of the IGP routers. Based on the community defining table and the identification data, the community control server detects a community corresponding to a prefix. Upon receiving data of whether to transmit the routing information in the form of the permission to distribute them between communities, based on data of the community the community control server determines the prefix corresponding to the source community and transmits the prefix data to the IGP routers.
US07684338B2
The present invention relates to a circuit arrangement with which a communication that is subdivided into functional layers is processable by a first layer for a higher layer and/or by a higher layer for the first layer, the first layer being formed by a physical layer and the circuit arrangement featuring at least one port which allows a communication directly with a layer that is higher than the first layer without the communication previously having to pass through the first layer. It also relates to a method for testing a switch for a telecommunication network, according to which the switch with a circuit arrangement is first made available, with which a communication that is subdivided into functional layers is processable by a first layer for a higher layer and/or by a higher layer for the first layer, the first layer being formed by a physical layer and the circuit arrangement featuring at least one port which allows a communication directly with a layer that is higher than the first layer without the communication previously having to pass through the first layer, with data thereafter being output from at least one port which are output in a further step.
US07684336B2
In one embodiment, a dynamic rate control scheme controls transmission rates and adaptively filters out video packets when a packet queue is full. This allows video streams to be more efficiently transmitted through low bandwidth and dynamically changing links.
US07684330B2
A method for selectively controlling the flow of data through a network device is discussed. The network device has a plurality of ports, with each port of the plurality of ports having a plurality of priority queues. Congestion at one priority queue of the plurality of priority queues is detected and a virtual channel message is sent to other network devices connected to the network device causing data destined for the one priority queue to be halted. After the congestion at the one priority queue has abated, a virtual channel resume message is sent to the other network devices.
US07684323B2
Control device behavior in error situations where an error response is received from an application is improved. In case a response message received from an application for a communication request is evaluated as an error message by the control device, control of the communication request can be continued on the basis of service-specific data.
US07684321B2
The system for the supply chain management of network services, preferably virtual private network services, provides hardware, processes and application tools useful in configuring and/or delivering substantially measurable virtual private network services.
US07684317B2
A method and apparatus of protecting a first network from unauthorized access includes storing profile information for each call session, and determining if an unauthorized access of the first network is occurring based on the profile information. The profile information includes a predetermined threshold indicating a maximum acceptable rate of incoming data units from an external network to the first network. If the incoming data unit rate exceeds the predetermined threshold, then a security action is taken, such as generating an alarm or preventing further transport of data units from the external network to the first network.
US07684313B2
A system and method for determining an FFT window location for reception of an OFDM signal received over a transmission channel. The OFDM signal includes a plurality of symbols each having a guard interval. The system includes a correlation module that determines a location of maximum correlation in a first symbol, an FFT module to perform an FFT on the OFDM signal based upon an initial FFT window location, and an adjustment module. The adjustment module determines a plurality of permissible echo location options based upon the initial FFT window location, selects a permissible echo location option that corresponds most closely to the location of maximum correlation, and adjusts the initial FFT window location based upon the selected permissible echo location option so that the adjusted FFT window location includes substantially all of a useful symbol length of the first symbol while a maximum number of echoes are included within the guard interval of the first symbol.
US07684307B2
Method and apparatus for tracking layers in a multi-layer optical disc. The disc includes a first layer which stores a first set of user data and a table of contents (TOC) for the disc. A second layer stores a second set of user data and an identifier tag which identifies the second layer as corresponding to the first layer. The identifier tag can comprise a portion of, or a complete copy of the TOC, or can comprise a reference value which, among other things, identifies a revision level of the second layer. Preferably, the first layer is also provided with a reference value. In this way, a database or other mechanism can be used to track the history of the various layers of the disc. Stampers form the respective layers and the ID tags further serve to ensure correspondence thereof in the formation of the disc.
US07684300B2
An optical information recording and reproducing apparatus comprises an optical disk having a reflection layer, an optical information recording layer, a super resolution layer and a protection layer on the recording surface of a substrate, a laser emission control unit for emitting the laser light to record and reproduce the optical information and changing the pulse-like emission pattern, a pickup for radiating by focusing the laser light and receiving the reflected light, a spindle and a spindle motor for supporting and rotationally driving the optical disk, and a reproduction signal processing unit for arithmetically processing the received signal.
US07684298B2
Means is provided that produces stabilized trial write results when, for example, servo misalignments are caused due to deviations on an optical disc that requires trial writes at high linear velocity. A recording method produces a recording parameter in the event of recording information into an arbitrary address position in the manner that a recording parameter is obtained through a predetermined calculation method from the results of learning of recording parameters on two or more zones of the optical disc where the linear velocities are different form one another. In a zone where the linear velocity is low, the method determines an optimal recording parameter from a jitter value of a reproduced signal waveform generated in a trial write. In a zone where the linear velocity is high, the method determines an optimal recording parameter in accordance with information obtainable from an amplitude value of a reproduced signal generated in a trial write.
US07684295B2
The present invention provides a method of recording disc control information in a recordable optical disc including at least one recording layer, and more particularly, a method of recording information indicating a specific location of disc control information within the disc control information itself and a method of searching requested disc control information, thereby enabling to uniformly apply the standardized disc control information to efficiently cope with the record/playback of the optical disc and to efficiently search a plurality of disc informations. In recording disc control information within a management area of an optical disc including at least one or more recording layers, the present invention includes providing at least one or more disc control informations to the management area wherein the at least one or more disc control informations are separately provided per applicable recording layer and per applicable writing speed and wherein an information designating a location of 1st disc control information per the applicable writing speed is separated from an information designating a location of disc information of the applicable recording layer to be recorded within the disc control information.
US07684291B2
An optical storage device and a blank detection method thereof are disclosed. An RF signal is obtained from an optical disc. A various gain amplifier amplifies the RF signal based on a control signal. An analog to digital converter samples the amplified RF signal to obtain a data signal. An auto gain controller updates the control signal based on amplitude of the data signal. A blank detector detects blankness of the data signal based on a threshold. The threshold is provided by a threshold generator based on the control signal. If the amplitude of the data signal does not exceed the threshold, the blank detector sends a hold signal to suspend update of the control signal.
US07684289B2
A high reading performance is secured in an optical pickup even if magnets are miniaturized. In an optical pickup, around a lens holder which holds a lens, track coils are wound from a range of a flange of the lens to the outside in a diameter direction. The track coils become close to an optical axis of the lens and close to the center of a magnetic field formed in a unipolar face-to-face type of magnetic circuit, with the result that it is possible to displace so that the optical axis is hard to be tilted and secure a high reading accuracy. By forming a wound line shape of a focus coil and the track coils into a hexagon or the like, it is possible to make curving magnetic fluxes generated around magnetic pole surfaces hard have an affect in the unipolar face-to-face type of magnetic circuit.
US07684288B2
According to one embodiment, a control method of an information processing device, includes measuring a movement amount of a body with a sensor, invalidating an operation of a switch which ejects an optical disc held in an optical disc drive, in a case where the movement amount of the body is a threshold value V1 or more, and validating the operation of the switch in accordance with a measured value of the sensor, after invalidating the operation of the switch.
US07684283B2
A cable device wherein a signal-carrying cable is disposed within a flexible towing sleeve. The towing sleeve is made of a flexible, elongated sheet of abrasion-resistant material, into which is arranged a plurality of longitudinal, parallel pockets or sleeves. One or more elongated strain elements are arranged in the pockets such that one or more loops protrude at each end of the elongated sheet. The sheet is formed into a cylinder, in the interior of which is arranged the signal-carrying cable. A plurality of such cables may be connected in series to signal processing modules for use as seismic cables.
US07684279B2
A semiconductor memory device having a hierarchical input/output (I/O) line structure may include a plurality of core blocks, with each core block including a plurality of memory banks sharing an input/output sense amplifier. Data input/output lines may be arranged on each of the plurality of core blocks.
US07684276B2
Techniques are disclosed for reading operating parameters from programmable elements on memory devices to configure a memory system. More specifically, programmable elements, such as antifuses, located on a memory device are programmed during fabrication with measured operating parameters corresponding to the memory device. Operating parameters may include, for example, operating current values, or voltage and timing parameters. The memory device may be incorporated into a memory module that is incorporated into a system. Once the memory module is incorporated into a system, the programmable elements may be accessed such that the memory system can be configured to optimally operate in accordance with the operating parameters measured for each memory device in the system.
US07684254B2
A flash memory device comprises a memory cell array having a plurality of blocks. An address register section is configured to receive a start block address of the first block to be erased among a plurality of blocks to be erased and a last block address of the last block to be erased among the plurality of blocks to be erased. A controlling logic circuit is configured to output an erase command signal and an erase block address corresponding to one of the blocks to be erased. A block address comparing section is configured to compare the erase block address output by the controlling logic circuit with the last block address, and output an erase progress signal based on the comparison of the erase block address and the last block address to the controlling logic circuit. The controlling logic circuit outputs an erase block address of to another block to be erased until the erase progress signal indicates that the last block to be erased has been or is being erased.
US07684250B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a flash memory device that can improve the reliability of a reading operation by minimizing a variation in the threshold voltage distribution that occurs due to coupling between cells, and a method of driving the flash memory device. In an embodiment of the invention, the method of driving the flash memory includes: performing an erasing operation on memory cells; after the performing the erasing operation, performing a post-programming operation to control a threshold voltage of the memory cells; and after performing the post-programming operation, performing a main programming operation on the memory cells, wherein the performing of the post-programming operation comprises increasing the threshold voltage of the memory cells in an erased state, thereby reducing a difference in the threshold voltage between the memory cells in the erased state and the memory cells in the programmed state.
US07684245B2
In an embodiment, a non-volatile memory array wherein narrow word lines, as small as the minimum feature size width F, in separate strings, are extended outwardly from a non-volatile memory array and joined by wider connector segments. The joined word lines provide new opportunities. First, metal straps that can be formed to overlie the word lines can be joined by metal connector segments to the word lines. The connector segments can serve as an interface between the polysilicon word lines and the metal straps. Two adjacent word lines in the same string share a single metal strap using these segments thereby reducing the overall number of segments and contacts in the array. Increased width of the polysilicon joinder segments joining word lines in different strings, provides the opportunity for widening the connection beyond the minimum feature size so that contact may be readily made between the metal straps and the polysilicon word lines. Second, the joined word lines require fewer row decoder circuits. One row decoder is provided for each joined set of word lines.
US07684236B2
A semiconductor device to which magnetic domain wall movement is applied is provided. The semiconductor device includes a magnetic substance film in which magnetic domain walls are moved, and the magnetic substance film has a damping constant of 0.015 to 0.1.
US07684235B2
A PCRAM cell has a high resistivity bottom electrode cap to provide partial heating near the interface between the cell and the bottom electrode, preventing separation of the amorphous GST region from the bottom electrode, and reducing the programming current requirements.
US07684226B2
A method of making a nonvolatile memory device includes forming a first electrode, forming at least one nonvolatile memory cell including a diode and a metal oxide antifuse dielectric layer over the first electrode, and forming a second electrode over the at least one nonvolatile memory cell. In use, the diode acts as a read/write element of the nonvolatile memory cell by switching from a first resistivity state to a second resistivity state different from the first resistivity state in response to an applied bias.
US07684224B2
An integrated circuit design, structure and method for fabrication thereof includes at least one logic device layer and at least two additional separate memory array layers. Each of the logic device layer and the at least two memory array layers is independently optimized for a particular type of logic device or memory device disposed therein. Preferably also disposed within the logic device layer are array sense amplifiers, memory array output drivers and like higher performance circuitry otherwise generally disposed within memory array layer substrates. All layers may be independently powered to provide additional performance enhancement.
US07684221B2
A method for galvanically isolated transmission of a signal, especially a switching signal for controlling at least one switching means includes using a transformer. The primary side of a transformer is fed with a pulse-width modulated voltage in which different duty factors are indicative of different signal states. The voltage obtained on the secondary side is converted by an electronic circuit into at least one signal voltage which is dependent on the duty factor and whose magnitude represents a signal state.
US07684220B2
System and method for protecting a power converter. A system includes a threshold generator configured to generate a threshold signal, and a first comparator configured to receive the threshold signal and a first signal and to generate a comparison signal. The first signal is associated with an input current for a power converter. Additionally, the system includes a pulse-width-modulation generator configured to receive the comparison signal and generate a modulation signal in response to the comparison signal, and a switch configured to receive the modulation signal and adjust the input current for the power converter. The threshold signal is associated with a threshold magnitude as a function of time. The threshold magnitude increases with time at a first slope during a first period, and the threshold magnitude increases with time at a second slope during a second period. The first slope and the second slope are different.
US07684215B2
The present invention relates to a Switching Mode Power Supply (SMPS) and a driving method thereof. To this end, the present invention provides a SMPS, which is driven in either a Continuous Conduction Mode (CCM) or Discontinuous Conduction Mode (DCM) in accordance with a determination of a time when a voltage between a first stage and a second stage of the switching transistor is resonated. In accordance with the present invention, the SMPS of a quasi-resonant switching mode can be driven with high efficiency regardless of a signal level of an input voltage and the amount of an output terminal load.
US07684210B2
A card unit on which a card attached to a connector and detached from it is loaded has a frame, which is loaded with the card and is expanded and contracted, and an attaching/detaching mechanism which attaches the card to the connector and detaches the card from the connector by expanding and contracting the frame. The attaching/detaching mechanism has a rotatable attaching/detaching lever which makes the frame expand and contract by its rotational operation. A maintaining part (maintaining surface parts) is provided, and the frame is maintained at a position, at which the card is disengaged from the connector, by the maintaining part.
US07684198B2
A stacked heat-transfer interface structure for dissipating heat from a circuit board is disclosed to include a heat plate affixed to the circuit board, and relatively thinner first heat transfer devices and relatively thicker second heat transfer devices respectively attached to first and second heat generating electronic devices of the circuit board that have different heights for transferring heat from the first and second heat generating electronic devices of the circuit board to the heat plate for dissipation. Each first heat transfer device comprises a first heat-transfer sheet member having a high heat conductivity and a low thermal resistance and bonded to one first heat generating electronic device, an elastically deformable second heat-transfer sheet member having a low heat conductivity and a high thermal resistance and bonded to the heat plate to compensate for height tolerance of the respective first heat generating electronic device, and a heat-transfer block for spreading heat energy from the first heat-transfer sheet member onto the heat plate through the second heat-transfer sheet member.
US07684196B2
An apparatus for enhancing the cooling of a dual in-line memory module (DIMM) includes a planar body having opposing surfaces, a top edge, a bottom edge, and opposing ends. An engagement flange is connected to the bottom edge of the body. A first clip leg is connected to the engagement flange. The first clip leg includes a tab arranged to engage one mounting latch recess of the DIMM. A second clip leg connected to the engagement flange. The second clip leg includes a tab arranged to engage the other mounting latch recess of the DIMM.
US07684191B1
A fan assembly for an electronic device is provided. The assembly comprises a fan housing, at least one bracket member, and at least one retention peg. The fan housing defines a recess therein for directing heat away from a electrical components positioned within the electronic device. The bracket member supports the fan housing within the electronic device. The retention peg is disposed about the bracket member and includes a plurality of ribs for insertion into the recess to retain the bracket member to the fan housing.
US07684181B2
A mounting apparatus is provided for a storage device. The storage device includes two lateral sides each defining at least one fixing hole. The mounting apparatus includes a conductive bracket having two side plates, and at least one fastener installed on an inside surface of each of the side plates. Each fastener includes a conductive elastic portion fixed to the corresponding side plate, and a conductive fixing portion extending from the elastic portion and perpendicular to the corresponding side plate. The elastic portions engage with the lateral sides of the storage device respectively, the fixing portions engage in the fixing holes of the storage device respectively.
US07684175B2
In a display apparatus (1), a stand leg (120) is made of a casting material which has a light-weight and which is hard to be deformed in a twist direction, and a display portion fixing members (121) each being made of a steel sheet material which is excellent in ductility are fixed to the stand leg (120) by using screws to form a supporting body (12). Therefore, it is possible to obtain the small-scale supporting body (12) in which there is no reduction in strength of a member having strength as compared with an integral molded article made by casting.
US07684173B2
An exemplary optical guiding device for optically coupling a plurality of light beams having at least one laser beam, includes a light coupling lens, a light collimating lens, and an optical fiber. The light coupling lens and the light collimating lens are positioned apart along an optical path. The optical fiber is optically coupled to the light couple lens. External laser beam introduced by the optical fiber are optically coupled by the light coupling lens for collimating and mixing the light beams, then collimated by the at least one light collimating lens, and finally emitting out. A backlight module using the optical guiding device with colored semiconductor lasers and light transferring device are also provided. The backlight module has a good color performance, such as high color saturation.
US07684167B2
A communication bus suitable for use in a hazardous area of a process plant includes a first transmission path adapted to communicate electrical signals in a first direction, and a second transmission path adapted to communicate electrical signals in a second direction. A safety device is coupled to each of the first and second transmission paths and includes a control unit adapted to detect a fault condition associated with the communication bus. The safety device further includes a switch unit adapted to interrupt the flow of electrical signals along each of the first and second transmission paths in response to the detected fault condition. In this manner, the detection circuitry of the communication bus automatically reduces or prevents the occurrence of sparks or arcing in the event of a fault condition associated with the communication bus.
US07684160B1
A method and system for providing a magnetoresistive structure is disclosed. The magnetoresistive structure includes a pinned layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, a free layer, a specular layer, a barrier layer, and a capping layer. The spacer layer resides between the pinned layer and the free layer. The free layer is electrically conductive and resides between the specular layer and the nonmagnetic spacer layer. The specular layer is adjacent to the free layer and includes at least one of titanium oxide, yttrium oxide, hafnium oxide, magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, nickel oxide, iron oxide, zirconium oxide, niobium oxide, and tantalum oxide. The barrier layer resides between the specular layer and the capping layer. The barrier layer is nonmagnetic and includes a first material. The capping layer includes a second material different from the first material.
US07684154B2
Gimbal designs are provided that minimize adverse dynamic performance of a HDD suspension, particularly subsequent to head-disk-interface (HDI) interactions. The improvement of operational performance can be seen in graphical representations of the vibrational modes of a gimbal mounted slider subsequent to such HDI interactions. Each gimbal design includes a ramp limiter formed as two separated arms connected by one or two transverse bars and a routing of conducting traces that relieves stress and minimally contacts these bars.
US07684143B2
An apparatus, system and method to limit frame spacing error during timing-based servo pattern fabrication. An apparatus in accordance with the invention may include a first servo write head to simultaneously write servo stripes onto a first servo frame of a magnetic tape, and a second servo write head to simultaneously write servo stripes onto a successive servo frame of the magnetic tape. The first and second servo write heads may write the stripes substantially concurrently to minimize spacing error between the frames.
US07684141B2
Provided are techniques for determining a reel motor angle. An estimate of an interval to degrees translation factor that represents a measurement angle interval divided by a first pulse count is calculated, wherein the first pulse count represents format transitions counted during an angular measurement interval. A reel motor angle is determined using the estimate by: receiving an indication that a rotating reference point has crossed a stationary reference point, wherein the indication is recognized as indicating that an angle between a motor rotor and a motor stator is a reference angle; determining a second pulse count, wherein the second pulse count represents format transitions counted since the indication was received to a given point in time; and at the given point in time, multiplying the second pulse count by the estimate to generate a first value and adding the reference angle to the first value to generate the reel motor angle.
US07684137B2
A lens barrel includes a first barrel, a second barrel having an inner face facing an outer face of the first barrel, and a circuit board supported by the second barrel. The circuit board is provided between the first barrel and the second barrel. The circuit board comprises a first circuit board and a second circuit board, the first circuit board is provided as substantially parallel with an optical axis of the optical system, the first circuit board and the second circuit board are provided at a crossing direction.
US07684135B2
A lens device is provided and includes: a lens barrel body; a lens frame swingably attached to the lens barrel body; and a swing mechanism being adapted to swing the lens frame so that alignment of an optical axis of the lens device can be effected, the swing mechanism including: an elastic unit interposed between the lens barrel body and the lens frame, the elastic unit biasing the lens barrel body and the lens frame in directions away from each other or in directions nearing to each other; and an advancing and retracting unit disposed at three points in a circumferential direction defined by the lens barrel body and the lens frame, the advancing and retracting unit advancing or retracting the lens frame relative to the lens barrel body against a bias force of the elastic unit to swing the lens frame.
US07684109B2
In an embodiment, set forth by way of example and not limitation, a Bragg mirror includes a first bi-layer of a first thickness and a second bi-layer of a second thickness which is different from the first thickness. In this exemplary embodiment, the first bi-layer consists essentially of a first high impedance layer and a first low impedance layer, and the second bi-layer of a second thickness which is different from the first thickness, the second bi-layer consisting essentially of a second high impedance layer and a second low impedance layer. Preferably, the first bi-layer is configured to substantially reflect a first wavelength and the second bi-layer is configured to substantially reflect a second wavelength different from the first wavelength.
US07684108B2
This invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a multi-color electrophoretic display involving adding colorant solutions or dispersions of different colors and charged pigment particles in separate steps. The process comprises a first step of pattern-wise filling colorant solutions or dispersions into microcups in predetermined areas, followed by a step of pattern-wise or non-pattern-wise adding an electrophoretic fluid comprising charged pigment particles dispersed in a dielectric solvent or solvent mixture into the microcups which are pre-filled with the colorants.
US07684107B2
An optical isolation structure is incorporated into a display between the display elements and the transparent substrate for the display elements. The optical isolation structure reflects light rays within the substrate that impact the structure at high angles relative to normal to the structure, thereby permitting the substrate to be used as an integrated light guide for distributing light over the display from a light source on the edge of the substrate. The optical isolation structure may include a single layer having an index of refraction less than the substrate or a plurality of thin-film interference layers.
US07684106B2
A method of fabricating a display device includes forming a switch and forming a plurality of display elements in parallel electrical communication with the switch. The switch includes an electrode, a first contact, and a second contact. The switch is responsive to voltages applied to the electrode to selectively place the first contact and the second contact in communication with one another. Forming the switch includes a first set of patterning steps. Forming the plurality of display elements includes a second set of patterning steps. The second set of patterning steps includes the first set of patterning steps.
US07684104B2
Described is an apparatus, method for manufacturing, and systems comprising a MEMS device, for example, an interferometric modulator, comprising a substrate, a movable mirror, a deformable layer, and a support structure. In some embodiments, the support structure comprises a plurality of support posts. A connector secures the movable mirror secured to the deformable layer. At least one of the connector and the support post is a composite comprising a first component and a second component, where at the first component forms at least a portion of at least one of the perimeter of the connector and support post.
US07684099B2
In an optical scanning device, a rotational axis of a first rotary polygon mirror and a rotational axis of a second rotary polygon mirror are inclined toward the same side with respect to a direction perpendicular to a reference plane inclusive of each of center axes of a first member to be scanned and a second member to be scanned, as viewed in directions of the center axes of the first member to be scanned and the second member to be scanned. As a consequence, a width in an arrangement direction of a plurality of rotary polygon mirrors can be reduced, thus achieving miniaturization without degrading a quality of an image in an image forming apparatus.
US07684098B2
A system for encrypting a set of data may include a signal source, and a first, second, third, and fourth subsystem. The first subsystem may receive a first signal from the signal source and provide as output therefrom a first output signal. The second subsystem may receive a second signal from the signal source and provide as output therefrom a second output signal. The third subsystem may combine the first and second output signals. The fourth subsystem may acquire a set of encrypted data.
US07684089B2
A copy-forgery-inhibited (CFI) pattern image is effectively printed irrespective of difference in information of (CFI) pattern setting between a host unit and a printing apparatus in relation to printing of a (CFI) pattern image. A (CFI) pattern image, for example, “COPY INHIBIT” is set on the printer side while a (CFI) pattern image “COPY” is set under a printing instruction delivered from a host PC. If determination is resulted in inconsistency between strings, indication for asking the user which (CFI) pattern image is given preference to be displayed on an UI screen of the printer. Further, similar indication is displayed on the host PC side. Thus, it is possible to render the user to determine whether the setting of a (CFI) pattern image on the host PC side is given preference to or the setting on the printer side is given preference to.
US07684083B2
An image forming device is provided that facilitates enhanced image on an output image receiving medium based on one or more sensed or user-input characteristics of the output image receiving medium. A very light uniform toner dust layer is distributed over an entire page to be printed (including image and non-image areas), or in intended non-image areas particularly along edges of a lightweight output image receiving medium. A programmable selection of a color or other parameters of toner dusting, from a plurality of choices, is undertaken such that toner presence in non-image areas is not visually perceptible. The system may effectively print over a variety of background colors. An effective and simple user interface provides an option to the user to choose appropriate low perceptibility toner color so that a relatively higher level of the chosen color may be deposited without crossing a perceptibility threshold.
US07684081B2
An image processing apparatus comprises: a N-valued conversion unit that converts color component values of plural colors comprised in pixels constituting input image data into N-valued values in a unit of color based on threshold values of the plural colors; a dither matrix storage unit that stores dither matrixes in which one dither pattern or one kind of dither pattern is repeated in a unit of dither pattern; a counter that holds a value specifying a readout position of a row of each dither matrix; and a readout unit that reads out the threshold value of each color used from plural kinds of dither matrixes based on the values from the counter, wherein the number of threshold values constituting a row of the plural kinds of dither matrixes is a common multiple of the number of threshold values constituting a row of the plural kinds of dither patterns.
US07684077B2
An image processing method includes steps of acquiring information about image conditions, such as resolution settings, supported by a first print device for printing image data; generating an image data item corresponding to each acquired image condition; determining an image attribute, such as a character image or a dot image, included in each of the generated image data items; trimming an image in an area including the image attribute from each of the image data items; laying out the trimmed images on prepared template data; and printing out the template data using a second print device different from the first print device.
US07684076B2
This invention is directed to a method and apparatus for raster image processing which allows access to the page buffer during raster image processing. The method and apparatus of the present invention allow for virtually every page presented to the raster image processor to be printed with available memory. In addition, the method and apparatus for raster image processing of the present invention significantly reduces the bandwidth required between the raster image processor and the raster image processor manager. In addition, the method and apparatus for raster image processing of the present invention has equal or better performance than those methods or apparatuses that use display lists. Further, the method and apparatus of the present invention support the use of tag data and multiple page description languages.
US07684070B2
Upon transmission of compressed code data for respective printing color components from an information processing apparatus such as a host computer to a printing apparatus, a reception buffer memory of the printing apparatus can be effectively utilized. For this purpose, a printer driver repetitively receives drawing data regarding printing from higher processing and performs drawing. When an end of page command has been received, the drawn image data is converted to printing color component data, and a ratio of data amounts for the respective printing color components is notified to the printing apparatus based on predicted code amounts upon compression of the image data for the respective printing color components, such that the printing apparatus determines ring buffer sizes of the reception buffer memory allocated for respective color components. Then, the code data for the respective printing color components is outputted.
US07684065B2
An unauthorized copy preventing system for preventing unauthorized copy of an image in an image forming apparatus which carries out image forming, by carrying out predetermined processing on digital image information, includes: a digital signal processor for image processing configured to carry out predetermined image processing on an input image; a digital signal processor for security processing configured to produce an unauthorized copy determination result for determining whether or not unauthorized copy is being carried out on the image having undergone the image processing by the digital signal processor for image processing; and a digital signal processor control device configured to control the digital signal processor for image processing and the digital signal processor for security processing and prevent unauthorized copy.
US07684058B2
The invention relates to an electrooptical distance measuring device comprising a transmitter that emits optical radiation for lighting an object to be measured, an optical transmitting system which is rigidly mounted in relation to the transmitter and a light collector. A support element is positioned with a measurement receiver and a receiving electronics in relation to the light collector. The support element is rigidly linked with the measurement receiver with regard to at least two directions of movement.
US07684056B2
A light detecting method and apparatus wherein non-projection imaging operation of a predetermined range is carried out once within a non-projection imaging operation time thereby to obtain background information. During a remaining time after the non-projection imaging operation, light is radiated. At least two imaging operations of a predetermined range are performed thereby to acquire projection information. Information on the radiated light is extracted based on the background information and the projection information. Accordingly, the dead time that may occur before extraction of reflected light can be suppressed.
US07684052B2
An apparatus, method, and program for measuring the three-dimensional shape of an object by analyzing an optical pattern projected onto the object includes a line sensor and an image analysis unit. The line sensor reads the target object, onto which the optical pattern is projected. The image analysis unit analyzes the optical pattern in the image read by the line sensor based on a spatial fringe analysis method, and the image analysis unit computes the three-dimensional shape information on the target object. The phase of a pixel included in an image taken of the optical pattern is determined based on the brightness values of the pixel and at least one neighboring pixel in the image; thus the height information of the object can be determined. In addition, the height of the target object at a given position can be computed based on how much the phase of the optical pattern projected onto a certain position of the object is shifted from a reference phase.
US07684048B2
Apparatus for imaging a surface, including scanning optics, which are configured to scan and focus one or more traveling beams onto the surface so as to form one or more traveling spots thereon. The apparatus also includes collection optics, which are arranged to collect radiation scattered from the one or more traveling spots and to focus the radiation to form one or more image spots traveling along a line. The apparatus also has a detecting assembly, which consists of a detector which is configured to generate a signal in response to the one or more traveling image spots, and a detector entry port interposed between the collection optics and the detector, which is coincident with the line. The apparatus also includes phase and/or polarization altering elements for the traveling beams.
US07684042B2
Disclosed is a micro particle analyzing device illuminating light to fluid including micro particles, reading the lights emitted from the micro particles at a signal processing reading section and thus analyzing the micro particles. The device comprises a light source section emitting light which will be illuminated to the fluid; a lens regulating an amount and a focal distance of the light emitted from the light source; and a concave mirror condensing light emitted from the micro particle to reflect it to the reading section wherein the concave mirror is formed with a hole so that the light of the light source section having passed through the lens can pass through the concave mirror. When analyzing the micro particles using the analyzing device according to the invention, the amounts of lights emitted from the micro particles according to up-and-down positions of the micro particles are not different.
US07684039B2
A method and tool for conducting NIR overlay metrology is disclosed. Such methods involve generating a filtered illumination beam including NIR radiation and directing that illumination beam onto an overlay target to produce an optical signal that is detected and used to generate overlay metrology measurements. The method is particularly suited to substrate applications having layers of opaque material that are transmissive in the NIR range (e.g., amorphous carbon) and where NIR imaging is used to obtain overlay measurements. A tool implementation includes a means for generating a filtered illumination beam extending into the NIR range and a detector for receiving NIR signal from an NIR illuminated target and a computer for processing the signal data to obtain overlay metrology measurements.
US07684038B1
In one embodiment, a metrology target for determining a relative shift between two or more successive layers of a substrate may comprise; an first structure on a first layer of a substrate and an second structure on a successive layer to the first layer of the substrate arranged to determine relative shifts in alignment in both the x and y directions of the substrate by analyzing the first structure and second structure overlay.
US07684025B2
An imaging member adjustment system for an imaging module includes an imaging field opposing the imaging module and positioning targets provided in connection with the imaging field. The imaging module includes an optical source generating an optical path, an imaging member responsive to input from the optical source, and a lens interposed between the imaging member and imaging field. At least one adjustment mechanism is operatively connected to the imaging member for adjusting the imaging member with respect to the imaging field. A controller operatively communicates with the imaging member and the at least one adjustment mechanism. In operation, the positioning targets interrupt the optical path and provide positioning information to the controller. In turn, the controller signals the at least one adjustment mechanism to adjust the imaging member in any of horizontal and vertical direction to optimize focus and alignment of the imaging member with respect to the imaging field.
US07684021B2
A system (and method) for real-time measurement of trace metal concentration in a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) slurry, includes an electromagnetic radiation flow cell carrying a CMP slurry, a slurry pickup head coupled to the flow cell, and an analyzer for measuring properties of the slurry flowing through the flow cell.
US07684018B2
A sensor device including a source for electromagnetic radiation, a receiver and a control device, the control device being designed for emitting electromagnetic radiation by means of the source and for determining a distance that is covered by the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the source from a reflection surface of an object to the receiver, doing so by evaluating a propagation time of the radiation or a phase of an oscillation modulated onto the radiation. According to the invention, the control device provides an economy mode in which the power of the source is lower in a prescribed time interval by comparison with a normal object detection mode, means being provided to ensure switching back into the normal object detection mode in the event of a predefined object situation.
US07684017B2
An improved range finder for use on a golf course. The improved range finder includes means for identifying the closest target in a field of view during a sweep operation of the field of view and means for presenting the distance of the closest target at the conclusion of the sweep operation of the field of view. The improved range finder preferably uses infrared light to detect a flagstick.
US07684016B1
A method and device for measuring a distance to an object with light determines the distance by measuring the relative intensity of light reflected from the object and traveling over two or more paths of differing optical length. Light is emitted by one or more light sources; reflected from a surface of the object; and the reflected light is detected by one or more light detectors. The light detector(s) generate signals based on the intensity of reflected light detected and the signals are utilized to calculate the distance from the device to the object.
US07684007B2
Apparatus for adaptively and interactively lighting a scene includes a digital light projector that includes a light emitter and a digital light processor optically coupled to the emitter such that the emitter light is projected onto respective individual fields of view of a field of regard illuminating the scene in accordance with a projector control signal. A camera adjacent to the projector is operative to detect light reflected or projected from the illuminated scene and generate a signal corresponding to the detected light. A signal processor coupled to the projector and the camera is operative to receive the camera signal, process the received signal into a light projector control signal in accordance with an associated set of instructions, and apply the control signal to the light projector such that the light projected onto the respective individual fields of view of the illuminating array is controlled in accordance with the instructions.
US07684003B2
A liquid crystal display device includes first and second substrates bonded to each other, first column spacers on the first substrate, protrusions on the second substrate that contact a center portion of an upper surface of the spacers, respectively, recesses formed in the second substrate surrounding the protrusions, respectively, and a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates.
US07683999B2
A liquid crystal display including: a first transparent substrate coated with a first alignment layer, a second transparent substrate coated with a second alignment layer, the second substrate facing the first transparent substrate, a liquid crystal layer between the substrates, a polarizer attached on the outer surfaces of the substrates, a pair of electrodes formed on the first substrates, and a driving circuit applying signal voltage to the electrodes. The liquid crystal molecules adjacent to the first substrate is rotated by applying the voltage, but, the liquid crystal molecule adjacent to the second substrate is fixed regardless of the applied voltage. The electrode pair, substantially straight data and common electrodes, are inclined at an angle with respect to a gate line.
US07683998B2
A liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes a gate line and a data line defining a unit pixel. A thin film transistor (TFT) is connected to the gate line and the data line. A common electrode and a pixel electrode is connected to the TFT. The pixel electrode includes a plurality of shaped slits exposing the common electrode. One or more of the slits include at least one curved end or shaped in the form of two curvilinear sides joined to form pointed ends defined by a predetermined acute angle. A middle portion of the unit pixel defines an axis of symmetry around which slits are symmetrically disposed in either a first domain or a second domain. A common line, electrically connected to the common electrode, may define the axis of symmetry. The LCD device can reduce disclination line generation and can provide improved brightness, contrast ratio and image quality.
US07683996B2
A liquid crystal display includes a pair of transparent substrates opposed to each other with liquid crystal therebetween, one of the pair of transparent substrates having a plurality of drain signal lines and a plurality of gate signal lines, and a plurality of pixel areas defined by the drain signal lines and the gate signal lines. The pixel areas includes a pixel electrode formed of a transparent electrode having a plurality of slits including a slit opened in a first direction and a slit opened in a second direction, and a counter electrode formed of a transparent electrode disposed between the transparent electrode of the pixel electrode having the plurality of slits and the one substrate.
US07683987B2
The present invention provides a TFT array panel having a transmissive region and a reflective region. A transmissive electrode is disposed in the transmissive region. The first reflective electrode connected to the transmissive electrode is disposed on the reflective region. The second reflective electrode separated from the transmissive electrode and the first reflective region is formed in the reflective region. A first conductor is connected to at least one of the transmissive electrode and the first reflective electrode. A second conductor is connected to the second reflective electrode. At least one of the transmissive electrode, the first reflective electrode and the first conductor overlaps at least one of the second reflective electrode and the second conductor.
US07683977B2
A wiring layer includes a signal line and covers a predetermined portion on a source region and a drain region of a crystalline silicon layer. A gate insulating layer is on the crystalline silicon layer and the wiring layer. A gate electrode layer above the gate insulating layer includes a scanning line, a gate electrode corresponding to a channel region of the crystalline silicon layer, and a capacitor electrode corresponding to a predetermined portion of the wiring layer. The capacitor electrode is formed separately from the scanning line and the gate electrode and is configured to form a capacitor with the wiring layer. An interlayer insulating film is on the gate electrode layer and the gate insulating layer. A pixel electrode layer on the interlayer insulating film includes a pixel electrode connected to the wiring layer through a contact hole in the gate insulating layer and the interlayer insulating film.
US07683965B2
The invention concerns a method (200) and system (100) for flash control. The method can include the steps of—in a portable electronic device (122)—detecting (212) a request to operate a flash component (132), determining (214) whether to delay a timing of the operation of the flash component and if the timing will not be delayed, selectively disabling (224) a transmission component (114) for the portable electronic device. The selective disablement can create an operational opportunity (324) for the flash component. The method can also include the step of operating (224) the flash component during the created operational opportunity. As an example, the portable electronic device can be a mobile communications unit having a camera (136), the flash component can provide a flash for the camera and the transmission component can be a power amplifier (128).
US07683960B2
An imaging portion of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention has a cover glass adhered by an adhesive to an imaging surface side of a CCD in a state of sandwiching leads (adhesion area B1), and has a slight airtight air gap formed on the imaging surface side of the CCD so as to render a circumference of the cover glass larger than the CCD. As for a circuit board, a concave portion for accommodating the CCD is formed, and a periphery of the cover glass is adhered to a top surface of the circuit board by the adhesive (adhesion area B2). Thus, the air gap is doubly sealed so that its airtightness is improved and influence of temperature change is reduced so as to prevent condensation on a back side of the cover glass and so on.
US07683957B2
An object of this invention is to realize both stable clamping operation of a CDS circuit and an operation of draining unnecessary charges from a CCD. To achieve this object, during the storage period of an image sensing element, (A) vertical CCDs perform high-speed transfer or all the vertical CCDs are fixed to a LOW voltage, (B) a horizontal CCD is stopped, (C) the reset pulse of a floating diffusion amplifier is not stopped, and (D) a clamping pulse supplied to the CDS circuit is kept output. During this operation, the reference level of the floating diffusion amplifier is clamped. Stable clamping operation can, therefore, be executed during the storage period.
US07683955B2
A photocurrent sensing circuit includes a logarithmic compression circuit; a cancellation circuit logarithmically compressing a current substantially equal in temperature coefficient of the photocurrent to convert the same into a voltage, and performing an addition or a subtraction on the converted voltage and a voltage converted from a photocurrent by logarithmically compression; a logarithmic operation circuit logarithmically compressing the voltage received from the cancellation circuit to produce a first voltage, logarithmically compressing a voltage proportional to a thermal voltage of the photocurrent to produce a second voltage, logarithmically compressing a current having thermal dependence of nearly zero to produce a third voltage and performing an addition or a subtraction of each of the second and third voltages with respect to the first voltage to produce a fourth voltage; and an inverse logarithmic transformation circuit performing inverse logarithmic transformation on the fourth voltage to output a current.
US07683954B2
A solid-state image sensor of a charge sorting method used in a time-of-flight measurement method, in which noise derived from background light, which is caused by the reflection light from the subject derived from background light is eliminated, reflection light from the subject derived from a predetermined light source, which is previously set in the solid-state image sensor, is effectively extracted as a signal component to achieve high sensitivity and low noise, which is a solid-state image sensor that is equipped with a plurality of charge-storage sections, discriminates photoelectrons generated by incoming light on the incoming timing and sort to the above-described plurality of charge-storage sections, and measures the timing of the incoming light, in which the sensor has: a plurality of capacitors that capable of conducting to the plurality of charge-storage sections; and a control section that controls a conducted state between the above-described plurality of charge-storage sections and the above-described plurality of capacitors, in which by selectively conducting the above-described plurality of charge-storage sections and the above-described plurality of capacitors by the control of the above-described control section, the difference component of charge stored in the above-described plurality of charge-storage sections is extracted.
US07683953B1
A pixel sensor comprises a first reset transistor having a drain coupled to a first potential, a gate coupled to a first reset line, and a source. A second reset transistor has a drain coupled to the first reset transistor source, a gate coupled to a second reset line, and a source coupled to a photodiode cathode. A source-follower transistor has a drain coupled to the first reset transistor source, a gate coupled to the photodiode cathode, and a source. A row-select transistor has a drain coupled to the source-follower transistor source, a gate coupled to a row-select signal line, and a source coupled to a column output line. An array of these pixel sensors further comprises timing and readout circuits that control the transistors in the pixel sensor to effect a reset operation that cancels the fixed pattern of threshold variations of the source-follower transistors.
US07683952B2
In an image sensor of this invention, each image information detecting unit has one photoelectric converter, eight signal fetch gates for fetching signal charges from the photoelectric converter, and eight store and forward CCD arrays extending parallel to one another and connected to the signal fetch gates, respectively, for storing the signal charges. Only one of the eight signal fetch gates is switched ON in each electronic shuttering cycle synonymous with a photography cycle, to deliver a signal charge to a corresponding one of the store CCD arrays. When signal charges have been stored in all the first cells of the store CCD arrays after eight electronic shuttering cycles, the eight store CCD arrays perform one transfer operation all at once, to forward, in parallel, the eight signal charges to the next cells. This operation is repeated to perform high-speed photography at eight times the transfer speed of the store CCD arrays.
US07683950B2
A method, and digital capture apparatus for use therewith, is described for correcting a channel dependent color aberration in a digital image, where the digital image is composed of a plurality of color channels. The method includes capturing an image comprising the color channels, where one of the color channels is a blurred color channel due to a channel dependent color aberration affecting that channel. Then, one of the other color channels, other than the blurred color channel, is used as an indication of an aim sharpness, and the sharpness of the blurred color channel is adjusted, at least partially, toward the aim sharpness.
US07683948B2
A system and method is provided for processing a digital image. The system and method processes image data by replacing bad pixel data in the digital image. Specifically, the system and method replaces bad pixel data in the image data by comparing each pixel to selected neighboring pixels, including pixels of other colors in some cases, and determining if the pixel is likely corrupt, such as from a detective pixel. Corrupted pixels are then replaced using averages, means, maximums, or other statistical functions of select nearby pixels.
US07683947B2
An apparatus for providing amplified image data may include an image sensor including a number of pixel light sensing elements. Circuitry may output pixel exposure signals and a dark level signal. The differences between the pixel exposure signals and the dark level signal are uni-polar signals. A variable gain amplifier may shift the uni-polar signals to bipolar signals centered around zero, and may also amplify the bipolar signals. In this manner, a full scale output range of the variable gain amplifier may be substantially utilized.
US07683942B2
Controlling an information recording apparatus for recording information in a detachable, re-writable storage medium which has a storage size exceeding a maximum allowable size of a first file system. When externally input information is stored in a single storage medium having a first storage area initialized by the first file system, and a second storage area initialized by a second file system which can access an area that exceeds the maximum allowable size of the first file system, the externally input information is stored in the second area, and information derived from the externally input information is stored in the first area. Link information between the information stored in the second area and the derivative information stored in the first area is recorded in the second area as management information.
US07683933B2
In an image display system which has a management station for saving, in a server, management data that contains at least names, identification numbers, and connection numbers of image sensing devices, and is described in the data description language, and the display style of the management data, and a display device, and which displays a video obtained from an arbitrary one or more image sensing devices connected, the management data of the image sensing devices is read out from the server, the display style of the readout management data is read out from the server, and an image is generated and displayed by applying the management data to the display style.
US07683929B2
A surveillance system and method for the automatic detection of potential alarm situation via a recorded surveillance content analysis and for the management of the detected unattended object situation. The system and method are operative in capturing surveillance content, analyzing the captured content and providing in real time a set of alarm messages to a set of diverse devices. The system provides event based debriefing according to captured objects captured by one or more cameras covering different scenes. The invention is implemented in the context of unattended objects (such as luggage, vehicles or persons), parking or driving in restricted zones, controlling access of persons into restricted zones, preventing loss of objects such as luggage or persons and counting of persons.
US07683924B2
An intelligent system for identifying and communicating to a visitor using a wireless terminal and a method thereof are disclosed. The system includes: a doorphone processor for processing a bell signal event, setting and releasing of a session connection, and processing voice/video data; a terminal recognizer for determining a location of a resident based on a location of a wireless terminal when a bell is activated; a information manager for storing and managing contact addresses of terminals; and a proxy server for requesting a session connection to one of the terminals, selected by the resident, based on the contact addresses, exchanging voice and image of the visitor and voice of the resident between the video doorphone device and the selected terminal through a session channel connected by the resident's allowance of the session connection request, and releasing the session by a request of the selected terminal.
US07683923B2
A videoconference system and a management method thereof are provided. The videoconference system includes: terminals; multipoint control units (MCUs), as the superior level for the terminals, for controlling the corresponding terminals; conference management systems, as the superior level for the MCUs, for performing dispatching and control for the local conference site; and conference coordination systems, as the superior level for the conference management systems, for coordinating corresponding conference management systems and neighboring conference coordination systems to perform dispatching and control for the entire conference. The videoconference management method includes: a subscriber requesting for conference dispatching to the home conference management system; the home conference management system managing the corresponding local conference site directly at the dispatching request, and transferring the dispatching across conference management systems to the corresponding conference coordination system; and the conference coordination system dispatching the corresponding master and slave conference management systems at the dispatching request.
US07683920B2
An image sending/receiving device of the present invention includes: an image receiving section for receiving image data from an external image reproducing device connected to the image sending/receiving device; an image sending section for sending the image data to an external image display device connected to the image sending/receiving device; a first storage section for storing a set of resolutions to be read out by the image reproducing device; a second storage section in which a set of resolutions are pre-stored; a read-out section for reading out a set of resolutions pre-stored in the image display device from the image display device; and a resolution registration section for registering, in the first storage section, all of the resolutions read out by the read-out section or a subset of resolutions among those read out by the read-out section with which the image sending section is able to send data to the image display device.
US07683913B2
It is an object to provide a semiconductor device in which a correct video signal is inputted into a display regardless of whether a luminance signal and a color-difference signal, or a three-primary color signal of R, G, and B is inputted as a video signal and which is also applied to the case of a digital video signal, and a driving method thereof. The display device includes a display panel, and a video format conversion circuit.
US07683911B2
When rendering individual 3D models arranged in a virtual game space, normal rendering is performed without performing toon shading. Then, after rendering of all the 3D models has been completed, toon processing is performed on the rendered image data stored in a color buffer, so as to obtain a well-defined transition between light and dark. By this, the process of displaying a 3D model in an animated format arranged in the virtual game space is simplified and the processing load is reduced.
US07683910B2
A technique is described for compressing textures for use in a graphics application, such as a 3D game application. The technique includes parsing first-compressed texture information (e.g., S3TC texture information) into respective components of the first-compressed texture information (such as main color information, color index information, main alpha information, and alpha index information). The technique then further compresses the respective components to yield second-compressed texture information (referred to as modified compressed texture information or MCT texture information). The MCT texture information can be stored and then decoded to reconstruct the original S3TC texture information for use in the graphics application. Compared to the use of unmodified S3TC texture information, the technique allows more economical storage of texture information, as well as more efficient loading of the texture information from storage to memory.
US07683906B2
Video frame buffers are controlled using a sequence of new-frame-indicators (e.g., FLIP) and no-new-frame-indicators (e.g., NOFLIP) in a frame indicator queue that is accessed with each display refresh. Video samples are loaded into a chain of video frame buffers that is “rotated” during the vertical blanking signal of the display to swap an old frame buffer out for a new frame buffer. The rotations of the frame buffer chain are controlled based on the frame indicators in the frame indicator queue to present new video samples to the display in a regular pattern, thereby providing smooth video playback.
US07683897B2
An amplifier includes a biasing section, first and second differential amplifying sections and an output section. The biasing section outputs first and second bias currents based on first and second power source voltages. The first differential amplifying section outputs a first amplified voltage based on the first bias current. The second differential amplifying section outputs a second amplified voltage based on the second bias current. The output section outputs the second power source voltage based on the first amplified voltage and the first power source voltage, and outputs the first power source voltage based on the second amplified voltage and the second power source voltage. Therefore, a variation of the threshold voltage is compensated to enhance display quality.
US07683891B2
One embodiment in accordance with the invention includes a capacitive sensing apparatus that includes a capacitive sensor configured to sense an object proximate to a physical capacitive sensing reference surface. The capacitive sensing apparatus also includes a plurality of dielectric materials disposed between the capacitive sensor and the physical capacitive sensing reference surface. Note that at least one of the plurality of dielectric materials has a non-uniform thickness. The plurality of dielectric materials can be configured such that capacitive coupling between the capacitive sensor and the object proximate to the physical capacitive sensing reference surface is substantially constant across the physical capacitive sensing reference surface.
US07683886B2
A method of displaying text on a handheld electronic device, the handheld electronic device including an input apparatus, an output apparatus, and a memory having a plurality of objects stored therein, the plurality of objects including a plurality of language objects and a plurality of frequency objects having a frequency value, the input apparatus including a plurality of input members, at least one of the input members having a plurality of linguistic elements assigned thereto. The method comprises detecting a delimited ambiguous input, generating a plurality of results in response to the delimited ambiguous input, and outputting an indication that each result of at least two of the results is substantially identical in its entirety to a corresponding language object.
US07683883B2
A computer input device constructed from at least one tilt accelerometer and at least one linear input element is disclosed. This input device can be used in a computer system to specify a position on a display using radial coordinates, cylindrical coordinates, or spherical coordinates.
US07683879B2
The number of transistors in an output control circuit is significantly reduced in a liquid crystal display drive circuit. Also, power consumption is reduced and a drive voltage is stabilized. A pair of control transistors is provided for each of four output transistors TR1-TR4, resulting in total of eight control transistors being provided. The eight control transistors are switched according to a dot signal DA and a field signal DF to select one output transistor out of the four output transistors TR1-TR4. Transition from ON to OFF of the output transistors is quickened by steepening rise of DFp and DFBp that are applied to gates of the output transistors and fall of DFn and DFBn that are applied to gates of the output transistors. Also, transition from OFF to ON is delayed by slackening fall of DFp and DFBp and rise of DFn and DFBn.
US07683878B2
Systems for providing dual resolution control of display panels are provided. A representative system incorporates two pairs of shift registers, each of the shift registers outputting a shifting signal; two pairs of logic gates; and a switching network coupled among the shifting registers and the logic gates. In a low resolution mode, the switching network causes the shift registers to output shifting signals, with corresponding pulses of the shifting signals of the shift registers of the first pair temporally overlapping with corresponding pulses of the shifting signals of the shift registers of the second pair; and wherein, responsive to the shifting signals, the logic gates output panel control signals, with corresponding pulses of the panel control signals of the logic gates of the first pair not temporally overlapping with corresponding pulses of the panel control signals of the logic gates of the second pair.
US07683877B2
A double-frame-rate method for reducing the time lapse of a LCD pixel between its two consecutive scans within a frame is provided. The method horizontally partitions the scan lines into (k) non-overlapping regions, each containing m1, m2, . . . , mk scan lines. The method then scans each of the regions twice before continuing to the next region and, as such, completes two passes of scanning of the entire frame. For a pixel in a region (j), the time lapse between the pixel's two consecutive scans during the frame's frame time is (mj/n) of the time lapse of conventional double-frame-rate methods.
US07683876B2
A source driver and method of driving a flat panel display is provided. As a circuit unit including a multiplexer and a channel selection unit, a source driver performs a single operation to drive one source line in a segment of a horizontal scan period and repeats the single operation multiple times to drive a plurality of source lines in the horizontal scan period.
US07683873B2
There is provided a display driver device (liquid crystal driver) causing no degradation in display image quality even when a plurality of signal lines (source lines) of a display panel are divided into a plurality of groups as a countermeasure against EMI. With a liquid crystal display driver device (the liquid crystal driver) for generating image signals to be impressed to respective signal lines of a display panel upon receiving display image data, and outputting the image signals in a lump, corresponding to every one line, according to an output timing signal inputted from outside, output amplifiers, in the last stage of the liquid crystal driver, for outputting the image signals, respectively, are divided into a plurality of groups, and the output amplifiers of respective groups are caused to undergo a periodical change in output sequence while the respective image signals are slightly staggered in output timing by the group.
US07683872B2
A display driving apparatus and a multi-line inversion driving method thereof are provided. The apparatus includes a gate driver, a source driver, a gate enabling unit and a line polarity signal unit. Every time after a plurality of scan lines is turned on, the source driver inverts the polarity of the sub pixel driving signal according to a line polarity signal output by the line polarity signal unit. Thereby, the polarity inversion operating frequency of the sub pixel driving signal is lowered to reduce the power consumption of the source driver.
US07683870B2
A liquid crystal display device is set forth that comprises a data line that is connected to drive a liquid crystal cell and an output driver connected to selectively provide a pixel drive signal to the data line. The pixel drive signal corresponds to a digital video data signal provided to the liquid crystal display device. A pre-charging circuit is used to reduce the power consumed by the output driver. To this end, the pre-charging circuit is connected to selectively pre-charge the data line to one or more of a plurality of voltage levels depending on the value of the digital video data signal. In one embodiment, the plurality of voltage levels comprises a positive pre-charge voltage, a negative pre-charge voltage, and a charge share voltage. The magnitudes of the positive pre-charge voltage and the negative pre-charge voltage may be chosen so that they are greater than the magnitude of the charge share voltage.
US07683869B2
A method to drive a display with grid array pixels is comprised of writing image data containing a range of grayscale code into multiple pixels; at least a time of a pixel row being divided into frame time and black picture time; each code in the grayscale range being mapped to that in and adjusted range to drive the display without changing gamma voltage or with increased gamma voltage of the greatest grayscale code to present the luminance desired; pixel response time being shorter than frame time; and black picture data being written into the pixel row during the black picture time.
US07683868B2
An extended overdrive table uses the saturation regions to store useful data that conformably extends the unsaturated region in a natural way. This extended overdrive table reduces the size of any interpolation errors when straddling crossover points to acceptable levels without requiring storing or using any crossover data. In addition, since the saturation regions are used to hold the new data, no additional storage requirements are introduced. The numeric range of the extended table is increased and it is therefore supposed that the bit depth of the table entries is increased, but the table can be resealed to retain the original bit depth with insignificant loss of accuracy. Also, the new data incorporated into the saturation regions allows run time calculation of the pixel attained at the end of the frame time that is needed as the start of the pixel for the next cycle.
US07683860B2
The invention provides a display device with high image quality and high definition, a driving method thereof and an element substrate. Further, the invention provides a display device with improved degradation of a light emitting element, a driving method thereof and an element substrate. The display device of the invention has a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor, a light emitting element, a source driver, a first gate driver, and a second gate driver. A gate electrode of the first transistor is connected to a gate line, one of a source electrode and a drain electrode thereof is connected to a source line and the other is connected to a gate electrode of the third transistor. The light emitting element, the second transistor and the third transistor are connected in series between a first power source and a second power source. A gate electrode of the second transistor is connected to a third power source, the source driver is connected to the source line, and the first gate driver and the second gate driver are connected to the gate line.
US07683857B2
The invention provides a projection display device capable of appropriate light control depending on the kind of the image, the ambient brightness and so on, a method for driving the same, and an illuminator used in the same. The light flux of illumination can be adjusted on the basis of image information. The allowable light control range (dimming control) can be optimally set depending on the information (usage information) on the kind of viewed content, the brightness of viewing environment, the gain of a screen and the like.
US07683852B2
In one embodiment, an impulse radio is provided that includes: a signal source operable to provide a sinusoidal source signal; a pulse shaping circuit having a plurality of selectable delay paths, the pulse shaping circuit being configured to rectify and level shift the sinusoidal source signal through selected ones of the selectable delay paths to provide an impulse signal output; a substrate; a plurality of antennas adjacent the substrate; an RF feed network adjacent the substrate and coupled to the pulse shaping circuit, the RF feed network being configured to transmit the impulse signal output to the plurality of antennas, and a distributed plurality of amplifiers integrated with the substrate and operable to amplify the impulse signal output propagated through RF feed network.
US07683848B2
In an antenna for a level meter employing the radar principle, a fastening device is provided for detachably mounting a dielectric insert in the antenna. The fastening device may be a continuous clamping collar that clamps the dielectric insert in place in the antenna. This offers a simple, universally employable possibility for fastening a dielectric insert in the antenna.
US07683845B2
An antenna system having a transmissive surface and an antenna arranged to transmit or receive radiation through the transmissive surface via a radiation lobe of the antenna. The system further includes a displacing arrangement to displace the radiation lobe of the antenna relative to the transmissive surface as necessary so as to reduce a change in one or more characteristics of the radiation on passing through the transmissive surface. A corresponding method is additionally described.
US07683833B2
Improved phased array techniques and architectures are provided. For example, a linear phased array includes N discrete phase shifters and N−1 variable phase shifters, wherein the N−1 variable phase shifters are respectively coupled between adjacent output nodes of the N discrete phase shifters such that the N discrete phase shifters reduce an amount of continuous phase shift provided by the N−1 variable phase shifters. Each of the N discrete phase shifters may select between two or more discrete phase shifts. The N discrete phase shifters also preferably eliminate a need for a variable termination impedance in the linear phased array.
US07683829B2
A selectable frequency source for use in GPS receivers. A device in accordance with the present invention comprises a reference frequency source, a first divider, coupled to the reference frequency source, the first divider having a first dividing factor, a first mixer, coupled to the first divider, a filter, coupled to the first mixer, a voltage controlled oscillator, coupled to the filter, a second divider, coupled between the voltage controlled oscillator and the first mixer, the second divider having a second dividing factor, and a second mixer, coupled to an output of the voltage controlled oscillator, for mixing a GPS signal with the output of the voltage controlled oscillator, wherein at least one of the first dividing factor and the second dividing factor is changed to change a frequency output of the voltage controlled oscillator.
US07683823B2
A transponder unit of a DME ground apparatus receives an interrogation signal and converts the same to an IF signal. The unit performs analog-to-digital conversion on the IF signal, generating a digital interrogation signal. The unit calculates two detected outputs whose frequencies are ±900 kHz deviated with respect to the center frequency of the digital interrogation signal. Then, the transponder unit compares the two detected outputs and the digital interrogation signal in terms of magnitude, thereby to determine whether a response signal should be transmitted.
US07683822B2
The invention relates to the methods and systems for remotely detecting metal items, for example, weapons, concealed in cloths or belongings and may be used in security complexes. The proposed system contains a phased antenna array 1 radiating a continuous frequency-modulated ultra high or super high frequency signal and scanning a controlled space, a receiver 2 of reflected signals, a processor 3, a display 4, and a video camera 5. The processor 3 detects a potentially threatening metal item during any scanning period other than the initial period if one of the two comparison conditions holds for some radiation direction: Ai>A0+Δ or Ai
US07683818B2
A column analog-to-digital converter having a voltage comparator and a counter is arranged for each a vertical signal line. The voltage comparator compares a pixel signal inputted via the vertical signal line at each row control signal line with a reference voltage, thereby generating a pulse signal having a length in time axis corresponding to the magnitude of a reset component and a signal component. The counter counts a clock to measure the width of the pulse signal until the end of the comparison operation of the comparator, and stores a count at the end of the comparison. A communication and timing controller controls the voltage comparator and the counter so that, in a first process, the voltage comparator performs a comparison operation on a reset component with the counter performing a down-counting operation, and so that, in a second process, the voltage controller performs the comparison operation on a signal component with the counter performing an up-counting operation.
US07683809B2
A bit coding method modifies the bit-steam information in such a way as to provide a very high compression during lossless symbol coding and may be used as a preprocessor for Huffman and arithmetic encodings or on its own. A bit rearrangement scheme (BRS) improves the run length within a data symbol set and achieves a more efficient data-to-symbol mapping. The BRS is implemented on the data symbol set in a column-by-column fashion. The BRS can be combined with any available lossless coding scheme, providing for a more efficient lossless bit coding scheme (ALBCS).
US07683792B2
An alarm unit for providing warnings of multiple types of emergency situations includes a connector for connecting the unit to host electricity, a backup power source, receiver circuitry for receiving a broadcast warning, memory for storing digital alarm files, and a speaker for amplifying an executed alarm file. The receiver circuitry receives one or a combination of early warning system broadcast alerts, emergency band radio alerts, cellular network alerts, or data network alerts.
US07683789B2
A radio frequency circuit for summing signals from multiple lobes of an antenna includes circuitry for converting RF signals from lobes of an antenna to baseband signals, and circuitry for summing the baseband signals from the lobes of an antenna.
US07683787B2
Systems, methods, and media for managing electronic asset tags for asset devices are disclosed. Embodiments include a system having one or more asset devices in communication with a network where each asset device has an electronic asset tag, where the electronic asset tag has contents including an asset number associated with the asset device having the electronic asset tag. The system may also include an asset tag manager in communication with the network to access the contents of the electronic asset tags of the one or more asset devices. In a further embodiment, the asset tag manager may be adapted to modify the contents of the electronic asset tags of the one or more asset devices. In another further embodiment, the asset tag manager may be adapted to reload to an asset device the contents of the electronic asset tag of the asset device.
US07683785B2
A single sided RF tag suitable for use for electronic article surveillance comprises a tuned circuit formed on one side of a substrate. Provided by a deposited first conducting layer which comprises an inductive coil, which behaves as an antenna and is electrically connected to a first capacitor plate and a connection means to connect to a second conducting layer. A low dissipation factor dielectric layer is deposited onto said first conducting layer. A second conducting layer comprising at least one capacitor and a connection means to electrically connect to the first conducting layer is deposited on the dielectric layer. The second capacitor plate is substantially co-located above the first capacitor plate, to form the capacitor. The capacitor and coil together form a resonant circuit. The circuit pattern for the first and second layer may be formed by known metal printing techniques, such as, for example the use of a catalytic seed layer which is deposited by a pattern transfer mechanism into the circuit pattern. Alternatively the circuit pattern may be formed by standard photo-lithography etch techniques to reveal a circuit pattern from a metallised surface. The tag will preferably incorporate known methods of fusing to deactivate or detune the tag, to permit removal of articles from an enclosed area. The substrate may further include a second RF tag tuned to an alternative frequency on the opposite side of the substrate. Alternatively a plurality of tags may be built up in successive layers on one or both sides of the tag.
US07683783B2
A system is provided in which electronic tags are pre-encoded and mounted on a continuous web for subsequent application to packaging at a packaging supplier plant. A B2B portal provides the information needed to coordinate the pre-encoding of the electronic tags with the packaging manufacture according to a goods packager's requirements.
US07683779B1
An apparatus to prevent workers from inadvertently discarding metal articles is used in the hospitality industry. The apparatus includes a base suitable for mounting to an open end of a waste receptacle, a tray pivotally mounted to the base, and a metal detector mounted to the underside of the tray. The metal detector detects the presence of metal articles deposited in the tray amidst food scraps or other waste. The metal detector signals an audible alarm alerting workers to the presence of metal articles in the waste. Once the metal articles are removed, the worker can use a handle or a button system to pivot the tray, so as to deposit the food scraps or other waste in the waste receptacle.
US07683774B2
Data collection and evaluation systems that, in various embodiments, include an active RFID tag for collecting, time-stamping, and storing vehicle sensor data. Examples of the type of data collected include door data, ignition data, oil pressure data, temperature data, speed data, global positioning data, and diagnostic and trouble code data. The system further includes an external data acquisition device, such as a mainframe computer system or a hand-held data acquisition device like an iPAQ. The external data acquisition device includes an RFID interrogator for communicating with the RFID tag, which enables the RFID tag to transmit the time-stamped data wirelessly to the external data acquisition device. The ability of the system to automatically collect and transfer data allows for the automation of fleet management processes, vehicle maintenance and repair processes, and certain security features.
US07683772B2
An integrated LED warning and vehicle lamp has a base configured to replace an existing vehicle lamp by reception into the lamp's reflector shell. The integrated warning and vehicle lamp includes first and second arrays of LEDs arranged on a support projecting from the base. One array is used to reproduce the vehicle signal and the second array provides a warning light signal. A collimator organizes light from one or more LED in a direction aligned with the intended direction of light emission from the vehicle lamp. An interface electrical circuit connects one array of LEDs to the vehicle electrical system. A warning signal electrical circuit energizes the other array to produce a variety of warning signals and/or illumination patterns.
US07683768B2
An interior rearview mirror assembly includes a human machine interface having at least one user actuatable input accessible at a portion of the mirror casing. The user actuatable input provides user input to at least one element of circuitry that is disposed in the mirror casing, the interior rearview mirror assembly and/or an accessory module. The circuitry is associated with at least one of (i) a moisture sensor, (ii) a blower motor, (iii) a cabin air monitoring device that monitors the air within the cabin of the vehicle, (iv) a cabin air monitoring device that monitors the level of carbon monoxide in the air within the cabin of the vehicle, (v) an air intake, (vi) a remote ignition system, (vii) a humidity sensing device, and (viii) a display device disposed behind a transflective mirror reflector of the interior rearview mirror assembly and visible to the driver when displaying information.
US07683744B2
A Radio-Frequency (RF) waveguide comprising at least a folded sheet (3) is described, wherein the sheet comprises a first layer made of a plastic, and at least a second layer made of a electric conductive material. Furthermore a method for manufacturing such a RF waveguide plus a device to perform said method is described.
US07683737B2
A phase shifting method and a phase shifter are provided. The phase shifter comprises a first (200) and a second (202) transmission line structure in parallel, the structures having a common input, each structure comprising cascaded forward and backward transmission lines and the same number of components. The component values of the second structure are equal to the component values of the first structure multiplied by a given proportionality constant.
US07683724B2
A voltage-controlled ring oscillator comprises a ring oscillator having a plurality of differential delay stages for generating signals having a common programmable oscillation frequency with different phases, and a pair of single-sideband mixers coupled to the differential delay stages for producing in-phase and quadrature phase signals having a frequency that is higher than the oscillation frequency.
US07683721B2
The present invention relates to a phase locked loop arrangement having an oscillator circuit (240) controlled in response to an output signal of a phase or frequency detection circuit (210), wherein change control (130) are provided for generating a blocking signal in response to the outputs of a first timer (110) to which a predetermined threshold frequency is supplied and a second timer (112) to which an output frequency of the oscillator circuit (240) is supplied. Based on the blocking signal, blocking (260) suppress supply of the output signal to said oscillator circuit (240). Thereby, the output frequency of the PLL arrangement can be prevented from changing beyond the frequency threshold, while only one PLL circuit is required.
US07683719B2
A frequency compensation circuit internal to an integrated circuit which comprises a transconductance amplifier having a first input configured to receive a reference voltage, a second input configured to receive an input voltage and an input current, a first output configured to output a first output current and a second output configured to output a second output current; and a compensation circuit connected to said second output of said transconductance amplifier, wherein said first output is connected to said second input.
US07683712B2
A differential amplifier circuit is connected to the input node and the output node of the final amplification stage through detection circuits. The signal level difference output from the differential amplifier circuit does not change even if the input power varies. Because a change in the power gain at the output node does not travel back to the input node when the load impedance of the wireless frequency power amplifier varies, it is possible to detect only the change in the load impedance. Damage to the final stage can be prevented by controlling the operating current of the final stage and the gain of the drive stage according to the detected load variation. Nonlinear distortion in the wireless frequency power amplifier output can also be reduced by detecting and canceling the change in the gain of the drive stage by changing the gain of the adjustment stage.
US07683709B1
A low frequency amplifier uses a switched bridge circuit, providing a first frequency output. A transformer circuit receiving the first frequency output from the switched bridge circuit. Power from the transformer is output from a plurality of secondaries and the power from the secondaries is supplied to the corresponding output switching circuits and provided as switched outputs from the transformer circuit. The switched outputs from the transformer circuit are responsive to a transformer output from the transformer at the first frequency, and switch the transformer outputs in a timed sequence to provide a combined second frequency output. The second frequency output has a lower frequency than the transformer outputs.
US07683708B2
Digital amplifier for amplifying a digital input signal, comprising a digital modulator for converting the digital input signal into an amplitude-discrete and temporally analogue signal, comprising an analogue error correction circuit which modulates the pulse widths of the amplitude-discrete and temporally analogue signal in dependence on an analogue error signal, comprising a power switching stage, the input of which receives the signal modulated by the error correction circuit and which delivers the modulated signal amplified at an output and comprising an analogue feedback circuit which, in dependence on the output signal of the digital modulator and on the output signal of the power switching stage, generates the analogue error signal for adjusting the analogue error correction circuit.
US07683700B2
A charge pump system for supplying an output voltage to a load is described. It includes a regulation circuit connected to receive the output voltage and derive an enable signal from it and multiple charge pump circuits connected in parallel to supply the output voltage. Each of the charge pump circuits is also connected to receive a clock signal and the enable signal. The system also includes one or more delay circuit elements, where a corresponding one or more, but less than all, of the charge pump circuits are connectable to receive the enable signal delayed by the corresponding delay circuit element.
US07683691B2
Disclosed herein is a clock supplying apparatus for supplying a clock to a digital circuit, including: a differential clock driver; a first clock line along which a first clock of a positive phase from the clock driver propagates; a second clock line along which a second clock of a reverse phase from the clock driver propagates; and a parallel resonance circuit of an inductor and a capacitor. The inductor of the parallel resonance circuit is connected at a first end to the first clock line and at a second end to the second clock line. The capacitor of the parallel resonance circuit is connected at a first electrode to the first clock line and at a second electrode to the second clock line.
US07683679B2
A frequency divider (10A) includes an asynchronous finite state machine (AFSM) configured as a counter (20) having an input coupled to an input clock signal (CLK) for producing information representative of a plurality of phase signals (F0,F1,F2,F3) each of which is a divided-down representation of the input clock signal (CLK) and each of which is phase-shifted by a predetermined amount with respect to another of the phase signals (F0,F1,F2,F3). Programmable circuitry (22) operates in response to both dynamic divide ratio information (DIV_RATIO) and the information representative of the plurality of phase signals (F0,F1,F2,F3) so as to generate an output clock signal (CLKOUT) that is divided down according to both the dynamic divide ratio information and the information representative of the plurality of phase signals (F0,F1,F2,F3).
US07683677B2
A sample-and-hold amplification circuit comprises an amplifier, a first sample-and-hold unit, and a second sample-and-hold unit. The amplifier has an input terminal and an output terminal. The first sample-and-hold unit is coupled to the input terminal and the output terminal. The second sample-and-hold unit is coupled to the input terminal and the output terminal. When the first sample-and-hold unit is arranged to perform a sampling operation, the second sample-and-hold unit performs a holding operation, and when the first sample-and-hold unit is arranged to perform the holding operation, the second sample-and-hold unit performs the sampling operation.
US07683674B2
An embodiment of the invention relates to a T-switch for connecting first, second and third lines and comprising an input section in turn including first, second and third input pass transistors, each connecting a respective line with a first internal node of the T-switch, an output section in turn including first, second and third output pass transistors, each connecting a respective line with a second internal node of the T-switch, and a single buffer stage connected to a first and a second voltage reference and inserted between the first and second internal node.
US07683668B1
A level shifter (10) includes a first transistor (12) having a gate configured to receive a first input signal, and a second transistor (14) having a gate configured to receive a second input signal. A first feedback circuit is connected to drains of the first transistor (12) and the second transistor (14). A second feedback circuit is connected to the first feedback circuit.
US07683666B1
A method and apparatus involve operating a circuit that includes a first portion and a second portion, including: operating the first portion in synchronism with a clock signal; maintaining in the first portion a logical value that can vary dynamically; and operating the second portion in a selected one of first and second operational modes. The operating of the second portion includes: responding to the occurrence of a control signal during operation in the first operational mode by causing the second portion to force the logical value in the first portion to a predetermined logical state in a manner asynchronous to the clock signal; and responding to the occurrence of the control signal during operation in the second operational mode by causing the second portion to force the logical value in the first portion to the predetermined logical state in a manner synchronized with the clock signal.
US07683663B1
A system implements and authorizes use of a user design. A non-volatile memory stores combined configuration data including first configuration data for implementing a user design and an authorization module, and second configuration data for implementing a generator of a check code. In response to a reset, a programmable integrated circuit loads the first configuration data to implement the user design and the authorization module. The implemented authorization module generates an activation code from an identifier when the check code is available from the non-volatile memory and enables the user design when the check and activation codes match. The programmable integrated circuit loads the second configuration data to implement the generator when the check code is not available from the non-volatile memory. The implemented generator erases the second configuration data from the non-volatile memory, generates the check code from the identifier, and stores the check code in the non-volatile memory.
US07683662B2
A logic gate is described that implements complex logic within a memory array. The logic gate receives at least three of a first storage cell signal, a second storage cell signal, a first external signal, or a second external signal at a first input circuitry and second input circuitry. The logic gate then performs one of a set of logic functions using the first storage cell signal, the second storage cell signal, the first external signal, or the second external signal. The set of logic functions includes at least one of a matching function, an OR-AND function, or an AND function.
US07683657B2
A calibration circuit of an on-die termination device includes a code generating unit configured to receive a voltage of a calibration node and a reference voltage, to generate calibration codes. The calibration unit also includes a calibration resistor unit having parallel resistors which are turned on/off in response to each of the calibration codes and connected to the calibration node, a turn-on strength of at least one of the parallel resistors being controlled by a control signal.
US07683656B1
Predriver equalization is described. A predriver includes a predriver equalizer to provide equalization on outputs of predrivers. The predriver equalization causes the predrivers to drive the output driver and a preemphasis driver with signals equalized to reduce common mode noise on the output signal. The predrivers can be implemented as complementary semi-differential driver circuits or as complementary logic circuits with weak pull-downs. The driver complexity can be reduced to the use of a semi-differential driver with the use of the predriver equalization.
US07683653B2
The invention concerns a process and a circuit designed to improve the life duration of electronic field-effect integrated circuit transistors and in particular those with a thin film gate dielectric. According to the invention, an aging measurement tS is supplied by measuring the charge or discharge time at a reference voltage VREF of the gate of a field effect transistor T1, previously pre-charged to a predefined test voltage VP, and brought to high impedance. Depending on the aging measurement obtained, the operational voltage measurement conditions of the transistor can be maintained or modified to reduce the stress applied to the dielectric.
US07683643B2
The present invention includes the use of conducting polymers as sensors in distributed sensing systems, as sensors and operating elements in multifunctional devices, and for conducting-polymer based multifunctional sensing fabrics suitable for monitoring humidity, breath, heart rate, blood (location of wounds), blood pressure, skin temperature, weight and movement, in a wearable, electronic embedded sensor system, as examples. A fabric comprising conducting polyaniline fibers that can be used to distribute energy for resistive heating as well as for sensing the fabric temperature is described as an example of a multifunctional sensing fabric.
US07683639B2
A capacitive fingerprint sensor comprises a fingerprint capacitor, a reference capacitor, a first transistor and a second transistor. The fingerprint capacitor CF has a capacitance that is either a valley capacitance CFV or a ridge capacitance CFR. The reference capacitor CS has a capacitance CS, and CFV
US07683637B2
The present invention relates to a touch sensor with electrostatic immunity and sensing method thereof. The touch sensor includes a sensing electrode, a discharge element, a sensing-controlling terminal and an input-output (I/O) control terminal, wherein the discharge element is coupled between the sensing-controlling terminal and the I/O control terminal and the sensing electrode is coupled to the sensing-controlling terminal. The essence of the present invention is using charge-discharge through the sensing-controlling terminal and the I/O control terminal for sensing whether a conductor contacts the sensing electrode. There are corresponding compensations no matter an electrostatic charge on the sensing electrode is positive charge or negative charge. Therefore, the influence of electrostatic charge can be eliminated.
US07683621B1
A system and method for MR based tracking of a tissue point includes a RF coil assembly configured to emit RF pulse sequences and a system control coupled to the RF coil assembly. The system control is programmed to cause the RF coil assembly to emit a first RF pulse comprising a first pair of two-dimensional (2D) spatially selective beams, each of the beams being directed to a respective tagging location in the subject of interest and wherein the tagging locations are equidistant from a pre-determined point-of-interest. The system control is further programmed to acquire a first series of MR images from a subject of interest, identify the first pair of 2D spatially selective beams in each MR image in the first series of MR images, and track a position of the point-of-interest based on the identified 2D spatially selective beams in the first series of MR images.
US07683620B2
A method for suppressing the noise component of a measured magnetic resonance (MR) signal is disclosed. In particular, a signal-space projection operator is produced and employed to suppress the noise component from acquired MR signals that is uncorrelated with the spatial pattern of a desired NMR signal. In one embodiment, an fMRI scan is performed to acquire time course image data. The NMR data is filtered with a signal-space projection operator and reconstructed into a series of image frames. In another embodiment, the signal-space projection operator is employed to suppress lipid signal in MRS image data.
US07683612B2
The thin film magnetic sensor comprising a GMR film having a Giant Magneto-Resistance effect; and thin film yokes formed of a soft magnetic material connected electrically to both ends of the GMR film; wherein the thin film yoke has a high sensitivity portion with a demagnetizing factor of NL in a magnetic sensitive direction, and a low sensitivity portion with a demagnetizing factor of NH(>NL) in the magnetic sensitive direction, the low sensitivity portion being connected electrically in series with the high sensitivity portion.
US07683605B2
A panel meter including an energy test pulse device that enables the panel meter to be used for revenue applications and eliminates the need for two separate meters, one for panel indication, and the other for energy and revenue applications. The electrical panel meter including at least one sensor configured for measuring an electrical parameter; at least one analog-to-digital converter coupled to the at least one sensor for converting the measured electrical parameter to a digital signal; a display for continuously displaying at least one electrical parameter; a processor configured to receive the digital signal and calculate an amount of energy consumed; and a test pulse circuit configured to receive the calculated amount and generate a plurality of pulses equal to the calculated amount, wherein each of the plurality of pulses is equal to a predetermined amount of energy.
US07683600B2
An output circuit in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention includes: an input terminal for receiving an input signal; an output transistor connected between a first power supply and an output terminal; a current control circuit connected to the input terminal and the output transistor for controlling current outflow and inflow for the gate of the output transistor based on the input signal; a voltage generating circuit connected to the first power supply; and a switch circuit coupled between the gate of the output transistor and the voltage generating circuit, the switch circuit having alternatively an on state and an off state thereof in response to the input signal; wherein the switch circuit becomes the off state when the potential difference between the gate of the output transistor and the first power supply becomes equal to or below a predetermine value regardless of the voltage level of the input signal.
US07683590B2
A step-down switching DC-DC converter may include an input coil on the input side, an output coil on the output side, a switch, an output capacitor, a first series circuit connected between a connection point on which the input coil and the switch are connected each other and a negative pole of a power source, and a second series circuit connected between a connection point on which the output coil and the switch are connected to each other and the negative pole of the power source. A connection point between a first intermediate capacitor and the first intermediate coil is connected to a connection point between a second intermediate capacitor and the switch via a switching device cooperating with the switch. The input coil and the first intermediate coil are electromagnetically coupled with each other. The output coil and the second intermediate coil are electromagnetically coupled with each other.
US07683589B2
A reactive power compensator includes a control block with a limiter and a primary delay-control block with a limiter that set, based on an output of a voltage sensor, reactive power produced by an SVC to a predetermined value. A reactive power controller sets the reactive power produced by the SVC to the predetermined value controls a voltage of a second bus to fall within a predetermined range. This is performed by adjusting an initial value of the reactive power that is output by the SVC, when a bus voltage of the second bus laid at a position apart from a first bus that is laid at a position near the SVC is deviated from a predetermined fixed range.
US07683582B2
A system and method of controlling temperature of a vehicle power source. The method includes determining a representative temperature of the power source, determining an ambient zone in which the power source is operating, determining a thermal control action based on the representative temperature and the ambient zone, and adjusting the temperature of the power source based on the thermal control action.
US07683580B2
A remaining-battery-capacity estimating apparatus estimates the remaining capacity of a battery used as a backup. The apparatus reduces the voltage output from a rectifier to an actual load, measures current flowing from the rectifier and the battery to the actual load and a dummy load device provided separately from the actual load, controls the load of the dummy load device such that the measured current is a predetermined value, and calculates the remaining capacity of the battery based on the terminal voltage of the battery and the discharging time of discharging the battery to the actual load and the dummy load device, by referring to battery data indicating the relationship among the discharging time of the battery, the terminal voltage of the battery, and the remaining capacity of the battery, at a predetermined current of the battery.
US07683573B2
A portable information handling system powered through a docking station charges an internal battery based on available power sensed at the docking station and communicated to a charger of the information handling system. A dock sensor on the information handling system selectively interfaces a local power sensor if the information handling system is not docked or a docking station sensor if the information handling system is docked. Available power sensed at the docking station is communicated to a battery charger of the information handling system by a differential wire pair interfaced through a docking connector.
US07683561B2
The invention relates to a device (10) for the incremental control of at least one first direct-current motor (12) for the cooling fan of a motor vehicle. Said device comprises a first (14) and a second current-limiting component (16), and a first (22), a second (24) and a third switching element (28). The inventive device is characterized in that the switching elements (22, 24, 28) connect the first (14) and the second current-limiting component (16) in such a manner that the cooling capacity of the cooling fan can be varied in at least four levels different from zero.
US07683535B2
To provide a bright and highly reliable light-emitting device. An anode (102), an EL layer (103), a cathode (104), and an auxiliary electrode (105) are formed sequentially in lamination on a reflecting electrode (101). Further, the anode (102), the cathode (104), and the auxiliary electrode (105) are either transparent or semi-transparent with respect to visible radiation. In such a structure, lights generated in the EL layer (103) are almost all irradiated to the side of the cathode (104), whereby an effect light emitting area of a pixel is drastically enhanced.
US07683534B2
A covered substrate is described, which comprises: (a) a flexible substrate layer; and (b) a plurality of cooperative barrier layers disposed on the substrate layer. The plurality of cooperative barrier layers further comprise one or more planarizing layers and one or more high-density layers. Moreover, at least one high-density layer is disposed over at least one planarizing layer in a manner such that the at least one high-density layer extends to the substrate layer and cooperates with the substrate layer to completely surround the at least one planarizing layer. When combined with an additional barrier region, such covered substrates are effective for enclosing organic optoelectronic devices, such as organic light-emitting diodes, organic electrochromic displays, organic photovoltaic devices and organic thin film transistors. Preferred organic optoelectronic devices are organic light-emitting diodes.
US07683533B2
An organic EL light-emitting apparatus includes a base, an organic EL device, a prism member, a polarizing member, and a phase member. The prism member, the polarizing member, and the phase member are adjacent to a light extraction side of the organic EL device. The prism member includes a plurality of unit prisms each having a triangular-column shape. The unit prisms are arranged such that their longitudinal directions are parallel to one another. The polarizing member is disposed further from the base than the prism member. The prism member has an apex angle between 90° to 140°.
US07683532B2
The present invention provides a semiconductor device by which a light-emitting device that is unlikely to cause defects such as a short circuit, can be manufactured. One feature of a semiconductor device of the present invention is to include an electrode that serves as an electrode of a light-emitting element. The electrode includes a first layer and a second layer. Further, end portions of the electrode are covered with a partition layer having an opening portion. Moreover, a part of the electrode is exposed by the opening portion of the partition layer. One feature of a semiconductor device of the present invention is to include an electrode that serves as an electrode of a light-emitting element and a transistor. The electrode and the transistor are connected electrically to each other. The electrode includes a first layer and a second layer. Further, end portions of the electrode are covered with a partition layer having an opening portion. Moreover, the second layer is exposed by the opening portion of the partition layer.
US07683531B2
A triode field emission display is provided. It utilizes the electrical characteristics that an edge structure may raise the electric field intensity to expose an edge of a cathode plate through an opening of a gate layer, thereby forming the edge structure at an emitter to raise the electric field intensity. Therefore, reduction of driving voltage is achieved.
US07683528B2
The present invention prevents the oxidization of a member of carbon fibers and improves the electric connection between the carbon fibers and the member of carbon fibers. In the present invention, a member 5 of carbon fibers 4 includes: a first element selected from the group consisting of IVa group elements and Va group elements; a second element selected from the group consisting of C, Al, Si, Cr, and Zr; and N. Preferably, the first element is Ti. More preferably, the member 5 includes Al or Si and the ratio of Al or Si to Ti is not less than 10 atm % and not more than 30 atm %.
US07683527B2
An alignment mark for a plasma display panel (PDP). The alignment mark comprises a first and a second alignment patterns installed on a front and a rear substrate respectively. The second alignment pattern on the non-display area is simultaneously formed with the rib barrier formation on the display area of the rear substrate, wherein the second alignment pattern is hexagonal-honeycomb. The first alignment pattern on the front substrate is simultaneously formed with the non-transparent material fabrication, such as a bus electrode or black matrix fabrication, and corresponds to a space within the second alignment pattern. The first alignment pattern comprises at least one line segment, parallel to at least one side of the hexagonal honeycomb pattern on the rear substrate with a predetermined distance therebetween.
US07683520B2
This electric motor is provided with an inner periphery side rotor, an outer periphery side rotor, and a rotating device that can change a relative phase between these rotors by rotating at least one of them about a rotational axis thereof. The rotating device is provided with a first member integrally and rotatably provided to the outer periphery side rotor, and a second member integrally fixed on an inside of the inner periphery side rotor which together with the first member defines a pressure chamber on the inside of the inner periphery side rotor. The rotating device changes a relative phase between the inner periphery side rotor and the outer periphery side rotor by supplying a hydraulic fluid to the pressure chamber. The rotating device is further provided with a linking passage that leaks the hydraulic fluid supplied to the pressure chamber to an outside of the pressure chamber.
US07683519B2
A curvilinear brush retainer and brushes for an electric motor assembly provides an end plate upon which is disposed a pair of curvilinear brush retainers. The brush retainers are configured to retain and support a pair of curvilinear brushes as they are biased against the commutator of the electric motor along a curvilinear path. Brush liners are disposed within the curvilinear path maintained by the brush retainers, serving to reduce the stiction or frictional force imparted to the brushes as they move, thereby reducing the temperature of the brush and extending their operating life.
US07683517B2
A method for mounting coil onto stator for rotary electric machine. The method includes forming coil pieces by winding wire with flat cross section into single row lamination state including wire layers aligned along perpendicular line to flat surfaces of wire. The coil is formed for first portion to be inserted in slot and second portion not inserted in slot appear alternately along the coil. The method displaces wire layers at the first portion changing the single row lamination state to connectively laminated state where wire layers at portion to be inserted in slot each adjacent pair of the wire layers partially overlap with respect to direction perpendicular to flat wire surfaces. The method includes inserting wires of first portion into slot, passing each wire layer through slot opening successively from the top wire layer of lamination and displacing each wire layer at first portion from each other.
US07683514B2
In a hybrid magnetic bearing, the electromagnet has a core wound with a control coil and has a main pole and a commutating pole with a commutating pole permanent magnet provided approximately parallel to each other at predetermined intervals in a protruding condition radially or axially to the rotor. In the magnetic bearing provided radially, two electromagnets are placed oppositely to each other across the rotor in an approximately horizontal position, and the rotor is arranged so as to have a predetermined gap with the main pole and the commutating pole, and the permanent magnet is provided between the adjacent electromagnets. In the magnetic bearing provided axially, two electromagnets are placed in parallel in an approximately horizontal position, and the rotor is arranged so as to have a predetermined gap with the main pole and the commutating pole, and the permanent magnet is provided between the adjacent electromagnets.
US07683508B2
The present invention pertains to vibration devices that do not require a rotating mass. In accordance with aspects of the invention, a coil causes a plunger to move linearly. A spring device is coupled to one end of the plunger. Activation of the coil causes the plunger to move in a first direction relative to a body and coil deactivation enables the spring device to move the plunger in an opposite direction relative to the body. Activating the coil at a predetermined frequency causes vibration of the plunger. Vibratory forces are transferred via the spring device and coil onto the body at predetermined locations. Opposing spring devices may be affixed to either end of the plunger. Spring devices may be linear or non-linear. Such spring devices may be used in conjunction with magnetic spring devices. A controller and a driver circuit may be used to control system operation.
US07683505B2
A universal energy supply system for at least one electrical consumer comprises at least one AC voltage source and a cable connection connecting the source with the electrical consumer, wherein an AC/DC converting means is assigned to the AC voltage source for converting the AC voltage into DC voltage which DC voltage can be supplied to the electrical consumer via the cable connection. To improve such a universal energy supply system in that with small constructional efforts and with low costs, the energy supply to an electrical consumer is guaranteed also over great distances and the corresponding voltage supply is stabilized, the efficiency being relatively high at the same time and the system being redundant, the AC/DC conversion means comprises a number of AC/DC converting units which are connected in parallel with the AC voltage source on the input side and are serially connected to the electric consumer on the output side, each converting unit being constructed as a blocked switch mode power supply.
US07683504B2
A multiple location electronic timer system comprises an electronic timer and one or more accessory timers. The electronic timer is adapted to be coupled between an AC power source and an electrical load. The electronic timer is operable to enable the delivery of power to the load and to subsequently discontinue the delivery of power to the load automatically after a preset timeout period has elapsed. In response to controls signals received from the accessory timer, the electronic timer is operable to adjust the preset timeout period, enable the delivery of power to the load, discontinue the delivery of power to the load, and to enter a bypass mode in which the load is turned on for an indefinite amount of time. The accessory timer may be coupled to the electronic timer via a single conductor, a wired digital communication link, a radio frequency communication link, an infrared communication link, or a power line carrier communication link.
US07683499B2
A turbine generator utilizing a passive high pressure fluid source such as a natural gas well head. The generator includes a core and lead wires encapsulated in a dielectric medium to isolate current-bearing components from the motivating fluid, thereby preventing carbon bridging and reducing the explosion hazard when the motivating fluid is a hydrocarbon. The turbine generator includes a rotor that utilizes the full length as an impingement surface for imparting momentum to the rotor, thereby maintaining a compact design that reduces the overall footprint of the turbine generator. Fluid exits the generator via horizontal passages that penetrate the lower extremities of the turbine generator, preventing the buildup of condensation in the unit.
US07683486B2
Method and apparatus are provided for routing interconnects of a dual-gate electronic device operating in a differential configuration. An electronic apparatus formed on a substrate is provided comprising a first interconnect (40, 42, 44) configured to couple to a first region of the substrate, a first gate (22, 24, 26, 28) coupled to the first interconnect and configured to receive a first differential input, a second interconnect (30, 32, 34, 36, 38) parallel to the first interconnect and configured to couple to a second region of the substrate, and a second gate (20) coupled to the second interconnect and configured to receive a second differential input. The first gate is parallel to the first interconnect, and the second gate is parallel to the second interconnect.
US07683484B2
A bump structure includes a squashed ball provided on an electrode pad, and a wire provided on the squashed ball. The wire is a wire loop that is loop-shaped and is formed so as to protrude from an end part of the squashed ball. This provides high bonding reliability between a bonding pad and the bump structure.
US07683464B2
A semiconductor package is disclosed. The package includes a leadframe having drain, source and gate leads, a semiconductor die coupled to the leadframe, the semiconductor die having a plurality of metalized source areas and a metalized gate area, a patterned source connection having a plurality of dimples formed thereon coupling the source lead to the semiconductor die metalized source areas, a patterned gate connection having a dimple formed thereon coupling the gate lead to the semiconductor die metalized gate area, a semiconductor die drain area coupled to the drain lead, and an encapsulant covering at least a portion of the semiconductor die and drain, source and gate leads.
US07683459B2
There is described a hybrid bonding method for through-silicon-via based wafer stacking. Patterned adhesive layers are provided to join together adjacent wafers in the stack, while solder bonding is used to electrically connect the vias. The adhesive layers are patterned to enable outgassing and to provide stress relief.
US07683457B2
A CaF2 buffer layer (3) is formed on a CaF2 (111) substrate (2) by an MBE method. Furthermore, a CuCl thin film is grown on the CaF2 buffer layer (3) by the MBE method while irradiating it with an electron beam to form an electro beam irradiation film (1a). Subsequently, a CuCl thin film is grown by the MBE method without the irradiation of electron beam to form an electron beam non-irradiation film (1b), thereby thus forming a CuCl thin film (a) including the electron beam irradiation film (1a) and the electron beam non-irradiation film (1b). Consequently, a CuCl thin film (1) exhibiting high planarity and crystallinity can be formed.
US07683456B2
In one aspect, a semiconductor device includes an array of memory cells. Individual memory cells of the array include a capacitor having first and second electrodes, a dielectric layer disposed between the first and second electrodes. Select individual capacitors are energized so as to blow the dielectric layer to establish a connection between the first and second electrodes such that, after blowing the dielectric layer, the second electrode is coupled to a cell plate generator establishing a bias connection therebetween. Cell plate bias connection methods are also described.
US07683455B2
An active region on a semiconductor substrate is electrically isolated by trench isolation. A structure of the trench isolation is constituted of: a trench; a silicon oxide film formed on the inner wall of trench; an oxidation preventive film formed between silicon oxide film and semiconductor substrate; and a filling oxide film filling trench. Gate oxide film is formed by oxidation having a high capability by which radicals of at least one kind of hydrogen radicals and oxygen radicals are generated. Thereby, gate oxide film is formed so as to have a almost uniform thickness such that a thickness of a region directly above oxidation preventive film and a thickness of a region directly below gate electrode are almost the same is each other. According to the above procedure, there are obtained a semiconductor device having good transistor characteristics and a fabrication process therefor.
US07683452B2
An image sensor has a plurality of pixels each with a photoelectric conversion element and a detection transistor the threshold voltage of which fluctuates in accordance with electrical charge generated in the photoelectric conversion element. The image sensor includes a second conductivity type shield region and a first conductivity type photoelectric conversion region; a first conductivity type well region linked to the photoelectric conversion region; a ring-like gate electrode; a second conductivity type source region at the inside of the ring-like gate electrode; a second conductivity type drain region. The image sensor further includes a potential pocket region that is formed in the well region below the ring-like gate electrode and accumulates the electrical charge, wherein the width of the gate electrode is formed narrower in the part adjacent to the photoelectric conversion region than in other parts.
US07683448B2
A complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor is provided. The CMOS image sensor can include a photodiode, a transfer transistor (Tx), a reset transistor (Rx), a drive transistor (Dx), and a select transistor (Sx). The CMOS image sensor includes a floating diffusion region between the transfer transistor (Tx) and the reset transistor (Rx). The gate of the drive transistor (Dx) is formed of polysilicon and extends to and is formed on the floating diffusion region.
US07683441B2
Provided are a semiconductor device and a method for fabricating the same. The semiconductor device can include a transistor structure, including a gate dielectric on a substrate, a gate electrode on the gate dielectric, a spacer at sidewalls of the gate electrode, and source/drain regions in the substrate; and an interlayer dielectric on the transistor structure where an air gap is provided in a region between the spacer, the interlayer dielectric, and the source/drain region of the substrate.
US07683440B2
A drain (7) includes a lightly-doped shallow impurity region (7a) aligned with a control gate (5), and a heavily-doped deep impurity region (7b) aligned with a sidewall film (8) and doped with impurities at a concentration higher than that of the lightly-doped shallow impurity region (7a). The lightly-doped shallow impurity region (7a) leads to improvement of the short-channel effect and programming efficiency. A drain contact hole forming portion (70) is provided to the heavily-doped impurity region (7b) to reduce the contact resistance at the drain (7).
US07683437B2
A semiconductor device including fin-FETs capable of suppressing both OFF-current resulting from the short channel effect and junction leakage, and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. A semiconductor device comprises: an active region defined to have a crank shape by an STI region formed on a semiconductor substrate, the active region having an upper surface higher than an upper surface of the STI region; a source region and a drain region formed on both ends of the active region, respectively; a channel region formed between the source region and the drain region in the active region; and a gate electrode covering an upper surface and side surfaces of a central portion of the active region including the channel region.
US07683435B2
This disclosure relates to misalignment-tolerant multiplexing/demultiplexing architectures. One architecture enables communication with a conductive-structure array having a narrow spacing and pitch. Another architecture can comprise address elements having a width substantially identical to that of conductive-structures with which each of these address elements is capable of communicating. Another architecture can comprise rows of co-parallel address elements oriented obliquely relative to address lines and/or conductive structures.
US07683430B2
An integrated circuit having a memory cell and/or memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells (as well as techniques for reading, controlling and/or operating, the memory cell, and/or memory cell array). Each memory cell includes at least one transistor having an electrically floating body transistor and an active access element. The electrically floating body region of the transistor forms a storage area or node of the memory cell wherein an electrical charge which is representative of a data state is stored in the electrically floating body region. The active access element is coupled to the electrically floating body transistor to facilitate programming of the memory cell and to provide a relatively large amount of majority carriers to the storage area or node of the memory cell during a write operation. The memory cell and/or memory cell array of the present inventions may be incorporated in an integrated circuit device, for example, a logic device (such as, for example, a microcontroller or microprocessor) or may comprise a portion of a memory device (such as, for example, a discrete memory).
US07683428B2
A new class of high-density, vertical Fin-FET devices that exhibit low contact resistance is described. These vertical Fin-FET devices have vertical silicon “fins” (12A) that act as the transistor body. Doped source and drain regions (26A, 28A) are formed at the bottoms and tops, respectively, of the fins (12A). Gates (24A, 24B) are formed along sidewalls of the fins. Current flows vertically through the fins (12A) between the source and drain regions (26A, 28A) when an appropriate bias is applied to the gates (24A, 24B). An integrated process for forming pFET, nFET, multi-fin, single-fin, multi-gate and double-gate vertical Fin-FETs simultaneously is described.
US07683420B2
A nonvolatile memory semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing thereof are provided to avoid deterioration of the tunnel insulating film to increase frequency of writing data on the nonvolatile memory semiconductor device and erasing thereof. Concentration of atomic nitrogen in a tunnel insulating film 151 of a nonvolatile memory semiconductor device 1 is 0.1 to 5 atomic %. In addition, larger amount of atomic nitrogen in the tunnel insulating film 151 is distributed primarily in the interface layer of the tunnel insulating film 151, and concentration of atomic nitrogen in the interface layer is 10 times or more higher than concentration of atomic nitrogen in other portion of the tunnel insulating film 151. Further, density per unit area of atomic nitrogen in the surface of the tunnel insulating film 151 contacting with the floating gate is equal to or lower than 4×1014 atoms/cm2.
US07683418B2
The present invention provides a method for depositing a dielectric stack comprising forming a dielectric layer atop a substrate, the dielectric layer comprising at least oxygen and silicon atoms; forming a layer of metal atoms atop the dielectric layer within a non-oxidizing atmosphere, wherein the layer of metal atoms has a thickness of less than about 15 Å; forming an oxygen diffusion barrier atop the layer of metal atoms, wherein the non-oxidizing atmosphere is maintained; forming a gate conductor atop the oxygen diffusion barrier; and annealing the layer of metal atoms and the dielectric layer, wherein the layer of metal atoms reacts with the dielectric layer to provide a continuous metal oxide layer having a dielectric constant ranging from about 25 to about 30 and a thickness less than about 15 Å.
US07683417B2
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a memory cell. The memory cell includes a multi-gate field effect transistor associated with a first region of a semiconductor fin. The memory cell also includes a fin capacitor coupled to a drain of the multi-gate field effect transistor and associated with a second region of the semiconductor fin, where the fin capacitor has an approximately degenerate doping concentration in the second region. Other devices and methods are also disclosed.
US07683416B2
A design structure for capacitor having a suitably large value for decoupling applications is formed in a trench defined by isolation structures such as recessed isolation or shallow trench isolation. The capacitor provides a contact area coextensive with an active area and can be reliably formed individually or in small numbers. Plate contacts are preferably made through implanted regions extending to or between dopant diffused regions forming a capacitor plate. The capacitor can be formed by a process subsequent to formation of isolation structures such that preferred soft mask processes can be used to form the isolation structures and process commonality and compatibility constraint are avoided while the capacitor forming processes can be performed in common with processing for other structures.
US07683410B2
An image pickup device includes a plurality of photoelectric transducers; and a diffusion-reflection layer provided in front of the plurality of photoelectric transducers, wherein a part of light incident on the diffusion-reflection layer is reflected and dispersed therefrom, and the remainder of the incident light is transmitted through the diffusion-reflection layer so as to be incident on the plurality of photoelectric transducers.
US07683406B2
The present invention is related to semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same. In accordance with the semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same, at least one opening extending between LDD regions and exposing a buried insulating layer is formed so that a gate electrode surrounds the surface of a channel region. This structure allows the formation of a relatively a thick channel region and decreases the sensitivity of characteristics of the device dependent upon the thickness of the channel region.
US07683394B2
An optical semiconductor device includes: a base substrate which has a concave portion; a light-emitting element which is provided in the concave portion, and which emits light; a prevention member which is provided to the base substrate in a manner of covering a side surface of the concave portion, and which prevents the light emitted by the light-emitting element from being incident on the side surface of the concave portion; and a translucent member which is provided in the concave portion, and which seals the light-emitting element.
US07683386B2
A substrate has at least one recess and/or protrusion formed in and/or on a surface thereof so as to scatter or diffract light generated in an active layer. The recess and/or protrusion is formed in such a shape that can reduce crystalline defects in semiconductor layers.
US07683378B2
An AlGaInP based light emitting diode is provided with a distributed Bragg reflector comprising a combination of an AlGaAs layer and an AlInP layer, each having a film thickness determined by following formulas (1) to (3): t1={λ0/(4×n1)}×α (1), t2={λ0/(4×n2)}×(2−α) (2), and 0.5<α<0.9 (3) wherein t1 is a film thickness [nm] of the AlGaAs layer, t2 is a film thickness [nm] of the AlInP layer, λ0 is a wavelength [nm] of a light to be reflected, n1 is a refractive index of the AlGaAs layer to the wavelength of the light to be reflected, and n2 is a refractive index of the AlInP layer to the wavelength of the light to be reflected.
US07683367B2
A method for fabricating a TFT on a substrate includes forming a gate electrode; forming a semiconductor layer insulated from the gate electrode and partially overlapped with the gate electrode; forming a gate insulating layer between the gate electrode and the semiconductor layer, the gate insulating layer including a sol-gel compound; and forming source and drain electrodes at both sides of the semiconductor layer.
US07683364B2
A gated resonant tunneling diode (GRTD) is disclosed including a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) gate over a gate dielectric layer which is biased to form an inversion layer between two barrier regions, resulting in a quantum well less than 15 nanometers wide. Source and drain regions adjacent to the barrier regions control current flow in and out of the quantum well. The GRTD may be integrated in CMOS ICs as a quantum dot or a quantum wire device. The GRTD may be operated in a negative conductance mode, in a charge pump mode and in a radiative emission mode.
US07683361B2
A method for generating a quantum-entangled photon pair is such that a biexciton in such a state that the angular momentum is 0 is generated through two-photon resonance induced by irradiating a semiconductor substance, e.g., CuCl, with two parent photons (angular frequency ωi). A photon pair is then generated by splitting the biexciton thus generated simultaneously into two photons (angular frequencies ωs and ωs′). Since the photon pair is generated by splitting such biexciton having an angular momentum of 0, it has a quantum entanglement with regard to polarization. Since the photon thus generated has a wavelength substantially equal to that of the parent photons, photons of shorter wavelength in a quantum entangled state can be generated.
US07683348B2
A Faraday cup structure for use with a processing tool. The cup structure has a conductive strike plate coupled to a circuit for monitoring ions striking the strike plate to obtain an indication of the ion beam current. The electrically conductive strike plate is fronted by a mask for dividing an ion beam intercepting cross section into regions or segments. The mask including walls extending to the strike plate for impeding ions reaching the sensor and particles dislodged from the sensor from entering into the evacuated region of the processing tool.
US07683323B2
An OFET on a pyroelectric or piezoelectric substrate, such as PVDF, can provide highly adaptable and manufacturable radiation or acoustic sensing. Local charge amplification can be provided, such to construct an array of sensing pixels, which can be configured in an active or passive matrix. A susceptor or guide element can be provided. Systems, devices, methods of making, and methods of using are among the examples described.
US07683320B2
In a transmission electron microscope, an electron beam flux of a cross section constricted conically over a reference specimen is made to hit the reference specimen. The flux includes electron beams hitting the specimen at incident angles which spread conically in the direction of irradiation. The beams are focused onto a fluorescent screen at positions which are different in distance from the center according to the incident angles. A transmission image of the beam flux is gained. A Fourier transform is performed for each of inspection regions set on the transmission image. Aberration coefficients C1, C2, . . . , Ci are calculated from the obtained, Fourier-transformed images by image processing. Aberration in the imaging lenses is corrected. Consequently, the aberration can be corrected by finding the aberration coefficients C1, C2, . . . , Ci from only one transmission image. The number of transmission images or the acquisition time is reduced.
US07683311B2
The invention, in various exemplary embodiments, incorporates a photonic crystal filter into an image sensor. The photonic crystal filter comprises a substrate and a plurality of pillars forming a photonic crystal structure over the substrate. The pillars are spaced apart from each other. Each pillar has a height and a horizontal cross sectional shape. A material with a different dielectric constant than the pillars is provided within the spacing between the pillars. The photonic crystal filter is configured to selectively permit particular wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation to pass through.
US07683308B2
A method for controlling the spectral response of light sensitive semiconductor elements in an array (8) using an electric control signal (Vop) applied to said semiconductor elements. The light sensitive semiconductor elements could be a single photon avalanche diode (81) operating in Geiger mode. An image sensor has at least one light sensitive semiconductor elements and a circuit for applying a control voltage (Vop) to said semiconductor element so as to change its spectral response. Without being limiting, the sensor could be part of a digital camera, video camera, 3D image sensors, scanner, video telephone, autofocus system, medical image acquisition system, etc.
US07683305B2
An imaging method and apparatus which use a pixel array for capturing images and for measuring ambient light conditions.
US07683292B2
An oven using radiant heat at infrared wavelengths optimized for producing rapid and uniform cooking of a wide variety of foods. The infrared oven toasts, bakes, broils, and reheats food at a much faster speed while maintaining high quality in taste and appearance of the cooked food. Optimal infrared wavelengths of the radiant heat sources are used for the best balance of cooking performance, while also reducing the time required to cook the food. Typically short to medium wavelength infrared radiant energy will result in good performance for toasting and browning of food. Medium to long wavelength infrared radiant energy is well suited for delivering more deeply penetrating radiant energy into the food. This deep penetration of radiant infrared heat energy results in a more thorough internal cooking of the food than with conventional methods of conduction and convection cooking.
US07683287B2
A fault interrupter and load break switch includes a trip assembly configured to automatically open a transformer circuit electrically coupled to stationary contacts of the switch upon the occurrence of a fault condition. The fault condition causes a Curie metal element electrically coupled to at least one of the stationary contacts to release a magnetic latch. The release causes a trip rotor of the trip assembly to rotate a rotor assembly. This rotation causes ends of a movable contact of the rotor assembly to electrically disengage the stationary contacts, thereby opening the circuit. The switch also includes a handle for manually opening and closing the electrical circuit in fault and non-fault conditions. Actuation of the handle coupled to the rotor assembly via a spring-loaded rotor causes the movable contact ends to selectively engage or disengage the stationary contacts.
US07683285B2
A sorting device has at least one mail item buffer receptacle, a number of storage pockets for mail items arranged one after another and circulating continuously in a conveyor belt and moved past one or more loading stations. Below straight transfer sections of the conveyors fixed intermediate storage receptacles open at the top are arranged to accept one or more mail items from the loaded storage pockets to be opened under control in the transfer sections. On a transport path below the intermediate storage receptacles there are also continuously circulating mail item containers open at the top as sorting end points assigned to the destination addresses or destination address groups. In the mail item containers the mail items are unloaded downwards in a horizontal position in accordance with their read destination address through controllable opening of the relevant intermediate storage receptacle at the point, in which the mail item container assigned to the address is located in the corresponding position below the intermediate storage receptacle with mail items for this mail item container.
US07683277B2
The invention relates to a connector element for two installation breakers, adjacently attached with the broad faces thereof in contact, in particular, power breakers or residual current breakers, the housings of which are each formed from two dished housing pieces. The connector element comprises an approximately cylindrical base body with a first external diameter on the front side of which two radially-sprung, axially projecting first and second expanding arms are moulded. The external contours of the spreader arms lie on a cylindrical outer surface, the external diameter of which is smaller than the first external diameter of the base body. The free ends thereof comprise radially projecting lugs on opposed external lines, which, in the assembly state, clip behind recesses on the housings, for connection by means of the connector element, of adjacent installation breakers. A sprung spreader element is mounted between a first and second spreader arm such that the spreader element supports the sprung spreading of the spreader arms, and which impedes the sprung contact of the first and second spreader arms with each other.
US07683266B2
A circuit board and a circuit apparatus using the same which can prevent displacement and film exfoliation ascribable to thermal expansion, and suppress a drop in reliability at increasing temperatures. The circuit board of the circuit apparatus includes a metal substrate having pierced holes as a core member. Protrusions are formed on the top ends of the pierced holes, and depressions are formed in the bottom ends of the pierced holes. Wiring pattern layers are formed on both sides of this metal substrate via respective insulating layers. In order to establish electrical connection between the wiring pattern layers, a conductor layer which connects the wiring pattern layers is formed through the metal substrate via the pierced holes. The conductor layer thereby establishes electrical conduction between the wiring pattern layers. Furthermore, a semiconductor chip is directly connected to the surface side of the circuit board via solder balls.
US07683263B2
A flat cable covering means for generating different impedances includes a plurality of cores, an insulating body and a first metallic covering layer. The cores are arranged at an interval respectively. The insulating body covers an outer surface of the cores. The first metallic covering layer is provided to correspond to a portion of cores and partially covers one side of the insulating body with the impedance of the cores in an area covered by the first metallic covering layer smaller than that of the cores in an area not covered by the first metallic covering layer. Via this arrangement, in order to correspond to the need of impedances of different devices in the electronic apparatus, the different impedances can be made integrally in the same flat cable. In this way, not only the manufacturing and assembling processes can be simplified, but also the management and layout of lines are simple and convenient.
US07683261B2
An article for providing a sealing engagement between an electronic component and an encapsulate material is provided, wherein the electronic component extends from the encapsulate material. The article includes a housing including at least one opening for receiving the electronic component. The housing is filled with an encapsulate material such that it provides a seal between the housing and the electrical component. A sealing member is further disposed between the encapsulate material and the housing. A compression member is provided which exerts force onto the sealing member such that the sealing member engages the encapsulate material to provide a sealing engagement therebetween, and thereby provide a secondary seal between the housing and the electronic component.
US07683255B2
The present invention generally discloses a weatherproof flush adapter plate assembly. In one embodiment, the adapter plate assembly includes a plate. The plate includes a front side, a back side, an outer edge, at least one inner edge, at least one mounting member for receiving a back box and at least one mounting member for receiving a notification appliance. The adapter plate assembly also includes a first gasket coupled to the front side of the plate and a second gasket coupled to the back side of the plate.
US07683249B2
The invention relates to a playback control unit which is connected with a playback device for CDs or records, wherein these provide coded information by means of which the playback device can be controlled. In this way, in addition to the playback speed, further functions can be controlled, namely selecting elements from a list, in particular a music archive, or determining skip marks or controlling software modules or the length of audio loops or a continuous modification of parameters, in particular audio effect parameters, for volume, filter, flange, echo, delay or a playback control of video sequences or parameters of video sequences, in particular color, resolution or parameters and positioning of objects in computer games.
US07683246B2
A musical instrument playing actuator, includes an elastic diaphragm which has a through hole, wherein an annular projection portion is provided on the elastic diaphragm so as to project toward the diaphragm member, a diaphragm member which is arranged to oppose to the elastic diaphragm and is formed movably toward the elastic diaphragm, a wall structure body which forms an enclosed space together with the elastic diaphragm, the diaphragm member, and the projection portion when the diaphragm member is moved toward the elastic diaphragm to contact the projection portion, and an air inlet which communicates the enclosed space with an outside.
US07683243B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH525374. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH525374, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH525374 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH525374.
US07683240B1
A novel inbred maize variety designated PH8ER and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing inbred maize variety PH8ER with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH8ER through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the inbred variety PH8ER or a trait conversion of PH8ER with another maize variety. Inbred maize varieties derived from inbred maize variety PH8ER, methods for producing other inbred maize varieties derived from inbred maize variety PH8ER and the inbred maize varieties and their parts derived by the use of those methods.
US07683238B2
The present invention provides systems and methods for producing pharmaceutically active proteins in transgenic sprouted seedlings. The transgenic sprouted seedlings of the invention are grown in a contained, regulatable environment, wherein expression of a pharmaceutically active protein is controlled by an exogenously inducible promoter. The transgenic sprouted seedlings may be eaten live or preferably harvested live to preserve the maximal biological activity of the pharmaceutically active protein.
US07683224B2
A fuel or fuel blendstock for jet, gas turbine, rocket, and diesel engines, particularly jet, rocket, and diesel engines that utilizes components of conventional petroleum not currently utilized for jet, gas turbine, rocket, and diesel fuels, such as benzene, linear, and lightly branched alkanes, that may be alkylated with aromatic moieties to make monoaromatics for use in jet and diesel fuels. Additionally, a fuel having such monoaromatics having multiple desired properties such as higher flash point, low pour point, increased density, better lubricity, aerobic degradability, reduction in toxicity, and additionally can deliver benefits in blendstocks.
US07683217B2
The present invention relates to a process for preparing monomethylhydrazine by methylating hydrazine or hydrazinium hydrochloride or hydrazinium dihydrochloride with methyl chloride and/or a methano/HCl mixture, characterized in that the reaction mixture formed in the methylation is reacted with an organic base from the group of the alkylamines or alkanolamines and monomethylhydrazine is removed by distillation from the reaction mixture in a low boiler fraction and the low boiler fraction is optionally subjected to a further distillation.
US07683215B2
Optically active bisoxazoline compounds represented by the general formula (1), a process for producing the compounds, and a process for producing cyclopropanecarboxylic esters by using the same: wherein R1 and R2 are the same and each represents C1-6 alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl, or substituted or unsubstituted phenyl or R1 and R2 are bonded each other together with the carbon atom of oxazoline ring to which they are bonded to form a ring; R3 is substituted or unsubstituted naphthyl; R4 and R5 are the same and each represent hydrogen or C1-6 alkyl, or R4 and R5 are bonded each other together with the carbon atom to which they are bonded to form a cycloalkyl ring having 3 to 6 carbon atoms; and * represents an asymmetric center.
US07683208B2
The present invention relates to a bridge compound with an N,N-dialkylamino group, represented by the following formula (I), wherein, R, R′, R″, R1, R2, B, B′, i, j, m, and n are defined the same as the specification. The novel bridge compound of the present invention is suitable for being used as a bridge group between dyestuffs, ultraviolet absorbers, or one dyestuff and one ultraviolet absorber. In addition, the present invention further provides a dyestuff compound provided from the aforementioned bridge compound.
US07683207B2
The present invention is a process for the purification of glyphosate (PMG) comprising: 1) dissolving or suspending a material comprising PMG in water, in the presence of a base, to produce a composition comprising a PMG salt in an aqueous base, 2) contacting the composition with an acid, such that the PMG salt is neutralized, forming a precipitate of PMG, and 3) isolating the precipitate of PMG, with the proviso that the composition of step 1) is not concentrated or filtered using a nanofiltration membrane.
US07683188B2
Provided are processes for preparation of mycophenolic acid.
US07683182B2
The present invention is directed to monohydrate and anhydrate crystal forms of 2-(3-fluoro-4-hydroxyphenyl)-7-vinyl-1,3-benzoxazol-5-ol, an estrogenic receptor modulator useful in the treatment of, for example, diseases related to abnormal levels of estrogen.
US07683181B2
The present invention comprises cyclic N-[1,3,4]-thiadiazol-2-yl-benzene sulfonamides, their functional derivatives as well as their physiologically acceptable salts and pharmaceutical compositions thereof that exhibit peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) PPARdelta and PPARgamma agonist activity. The structure of the compounds of the invention are defined by Formula I below, wherein the various R1-R9 substituents are defined herein. Processes for the compounds preparation are also disclosed. The compounds are suitable for the treatment of fatty acid metabolism and glucose utilization disorders, disorders relating to insulin resistance are involved as well as demyelinating and other neurodegenerative disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system.
US07683176B2
Compounds are provided that act as potent antagonists of the CCR2 or CCR9 receptor. Animal testing demonstrates that these compounds are useful for treating inflammation, a hallmark disease for CCR2 and CCR9. The compounds are generally aryl sulfonamide derivatives and are useful in pharmaceutical compositions, methods for the treatment of CCR2-mediated diseases, CCR9-mediated diseases, as controls in assays for the identification of CCR2 antagonists and as controls in assays for the identification of CCR9 antagonists.
US07683175B2
The present invention describes a novel process of preparation of optically pure L-Pipecolic acid and an improved process for the conversion of L-pipecolic acid to L-N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-1-propyl-2-piperidinocarboxamide, its hydrochloride salt and hydrochloride monohydrate.
US07683160B2
Glucopyranosyl-substituted benzyl-benzene derivatives of the general formula I where the groups R1 to R6 as well as R7a, R7b, R7c are defined according to claim 1, including the tautomers, the stereoisomers thereof, the mixtures thereof and the salts thereof. The compounds according to the invention are suitable for the treatment of metabolic disorders.
US07683157B2
The present invention concerns a process for making a polyareneazole polymer comprising the steps of: a) contacting azole-forming monomers, metal powder, and optionally P2O5, in polyphosphoric acid to form a mixture; b) blending the mixture at a temperature of from about 50° C. to about 110° C.; c) further blending the mixture at a temperature of up to about 145° C. to form a solution comprising an oligomer; d) optionally, degassing the solution; and e) reacting the oligomer solution at a temperature of about 160° C. to about 250° C. for a time sufficient to form a polymer.
US07683154B2
Curing agent for epoxy resins, comprising A) 1-99 wt % of an adduct obtainable by reaction of a1) a polyethylene polyamine having up to five nitrogen atoms in the molecule, with a2) a monoglycidylether, wherein the adduct of a1) and a2) is isolated by removing the excessive polyethylene-polyamine, and B) 99-1 wt % of an amine compound having at least two reactive amine hydrogen atoms in the molecule, as well as curable compositions additionally comprising an epoxy compound and the use of said curable compositions for the preparation of moulded articles and sheet materials, as well as for applications in the field of adhesives and sealing compounds.
US07683148B2
A composition curable by a metathesis reaction upon mixing its components and comprising an olefin-containing substrate, a metathesis catalyst, and a reaction control agent for slowing the progress of the metathesis reaction. The metathesis catalyst is a ruthenium or osmium carbene complex catalyst having high activity and good air stability. In one embodiment, the catalyst is free of phosphine ligands. The reaction control agent is an organic compound that contains carbon-carbon double and/or triple bonds and one or more Group 14 atoms and is present in an amount effective to slow the progress of the metathesis reaction. In one embodiment, the olefin-containing substrate may comprise one or more oligomers or polymers having a >20 wt. % linear siloxane (Si—O—Si) backbone tethered and/or end-capped with functional olefin groups, such as cycloalkenyl group.
US07683144B2
The present invention relates to a process and composition for the chain stopping of vinyl chloride polymerization or copolymerization in the presence of a stable free nitroxyl radical and a phenolic antioxidant. A further subject of the invention is the use of a stable free nitroxyl radical together with a phenolic antioxidant as a chain stopping mixture for the vinyl chloride polymerization or copolymerization. A further aspect of the invention is the use of higher sterically hindered nitroxyl radicals alone as chain stopping agents for the vinyl chloride polymerization.
US07683143B2
A system for processing large quantities of a reaction medium while maintaining the reaction medium in sheets. The system includes a reactor having a plurality of vertically-spaced downwardly-sloped trays over which the reaction medium flows while it is subjected to reaction conditions. The slope of the trays increases downwardly to accommodate for the increased viscosity of the reaction medium while the reaction medium flows downwardly through the reactor. An upper portion of the trays have a uni-directional configuration, while a lower portion of the trays have a bi-directional configuration. Further, the orientation of flow across the uni-directional trays is rotated by 90 degrees in at least one location as the reaction medium flows down the uni-directional trays.
US07683142B2
Processes for continuously forming latex emulsions useful in preparing toners are provided.
US07683134B2
A process for the manufacture of maleated polypropylenes having an acid number greater than 6, a yellowness index color of no greater than 76, and a number average molecular weight of at least 20,000. The process for making the maleated polypropylenes includes forming a mixture of molten polypropylene and molten maleic anhydride in a reactor, introducing a free radical initiator into the molten mixture to produce a product having maleic anhydride grafted onto the polypropylene, and recovering a high acid number, high molecular weight maleated polypropylene of low color from the reactor.
US07683132B2
The invention is a two part polymerizable composition comprising in one part an organoboron compound capable of forming free radical generating species and in the second part one or more compounds capable of free radical polymerization and from about 20 to about 30 parts by weight based on the weight of the second part of i) a halogenated polyolefin having halosulfonyl groups or ii) a mixture of a halogenated polyolefin and an organic sulfonyl halide. The second part may further contain a compound capable of causing the organoboron compound to form free radical generating species upon contacting the two parts. The first part may further comprise one or more compounds capable of free radical polymerization.
US07683130B2
The present invention relates to plenum cables jacketed with a composition comprising perfluoropolymer, inorganic char-forming agent, and fluoropolymer additive, which composition passes the NFPA-255 burn test.
US07683125B2
A method of manufacturing a silicone rubber comprises a first stage and a second stage. The first stage comprises (1-1) the step of preparing an aqueous dispersion composed of water that contains a water-soluble polymer (E), a finely powdered silica filler (B), a conductive filler (C), and a non-conductive inorganic filler (D) and (1-2) the step of preparing an aqueous emulsion by stirring and mixing the obtained aqueous dispersion with the following components: an organopolysiloxane (A) that contains silicon-bonded alkenyl groups, an emulsification agent (F), and a curing agent (G). The second stage obtains the silicon rubber either (2-1) by curing the aqueous emulsion prepared in the aforementioned first stage, forming a wet silicone-rubber like cured body, and then removing water from the aforementioned wet silicone-rubber like cured body; or (2-2) by dehydrating and curing the aqueous emulsion prepared in the aforementioned first stage.
US07683122B2
Disclosed are processes for preparing polyareneazole polymers including contacting a molar excess of a free base in water with a terephthalic acid salt to form an aqueous mixture, adjusting the pH to precipitate a monomer complex, contacting the monomer complex with metal powder, and polymerizing the monomer complex. Polyareneazoles, filaments and yarns are also disclosed.
US07683119B2
In a process for the production of a silicone in water emulsion in which a polysiloxane fluid, at least one surfactant and water are continuously fed to a high shear mixer in such proportions as to form a viscous oil in water emulsion which is continuously withdrawn from the mixer. The polysiloxane fluid may be a non-reactive fluid or may have reactive groups capable of taking part in a chain extension reaction. A desired emulsion particle size can be maintained by monitoring the pressure in the supply line at the inlet to the high shear mixer.
US07683114B2
A low application temperature rubber-based hot melt adhesive having properties particularly well suited for use in the construction of disposable articles has been invented. The adhesive comprises a styrene block copolymer and a type of wax in an amount effective to produce a viscosity at 120° C. of below about 10,000 centipoises, a cube flow at 130° F. (54° C.) of less than about 300%, a DSC crystallization temperature of less than about 75° C. and a storage modulus of less than about 1.0×107 dynes/cm2 at 10 rads/sec (25° C.).
US07683110B2
The present invention relates to a process for preparing cellulose ether products which is characterized in that superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) are dried and milled, or mill-dried, conjointly with moist cellulose ether and also to the cellulose ether products resulting from this process.
US07683106B2
A dental material primer and a dentin-regenerating pulp-capping agent which exhibit an excellent dentin-regenerating action, are disclosed. The dental material primer includes a hydrolyzed ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer in which collagen is immobilized and the dentin-regenerating pulp-capping agent includes a hydrolyzed ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, in which collagen is immobilized, and a binder.
US07683101B2
A pre-expanded beads of olefin-modified polystyrene-based resin comprising a pie-expanded beads of a polystyrene-based resin modified with a polyolefin-based resin, wherein a styrene-based monomer forming a polystyrene-based resin in the beads is used in the range of 100 to 1,000 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of a polyolefin-based resin, a bulk density of each bead is 0.012 to 0.20 g/cm3, and an absorbance ratio at 698 cm−1 and 2850 cm−1 (D698/D2850) obtained from an infrared absorption spectrum of each bead surface measured by ATR method infrared spectroscopy is in the range of 0.1 to 2.5.
US07683100B2
Methods of making macroporous cation exchange resins are described. The macroporous cation exchange resins are in the form of particles such as beads that contain a hydrophilic, crosslinked, (meth)acrylic-type polymeric material. Additionally, methods of purifying a positively charged material using the macroporous cation exchange resins, methods of making chromatographic columns that contain the macroporous cation exchange resins, methods of making filter elements that contain the macroporous cation exchange resins, and methods of making porous composite materials that contain the macroporous cation exchange resins are described.
US07683097B2
The present invention provides compounds that are effective against inhibiting topoisomerase (i.e., topoisomerase I and/or topoisomerase II). These compounds are used for treating cell-proliferative disorders. In some instances, these compounds have anticancer activity, e.g., against multi-drug resistant cancers.
US07683096B2
The present invention relates to an acid amid derivative of the formula (I) or a salt thereof: wherein A is phenyl which may be substituted by X, benzyl which may be substituted by X, naphthyl which may be substituted by X, a heterocyclic group which may be substituted by X, a fused heterocyclic group which may be substituted by X, indanyl (the indanyl may be substituted by halogen, alkyl or alkoxy) or tetrahydronaphthyl (the tetrahydronaphthyl may be substituted by halogen, alkyl or alkoxy), B is alkyl, cycloalkyl, phenyl which may be substituted by Y, a heterocyclic group which may be substituted by Y, or a condensed heterocyclic group which may be substituted by Y, each of R1 and R2 is alkyl, cyano or —CO2R14, or R1 and R2 may together form a 3- to 6-membered saturated carbocyclic ring, R3 is hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxyalkyl, alkylthioalkyl, —COR15, —S(O)mR16 or —S(O)nNR17R18, which is useful as an active ingredient of pesticides.
US07683093B2
Novel compounds of the formula (I), in which R, R1, R2, R3 and R4 have the meaning indicated in Patent Claim 1, are inhibitors of coagulation factor Xa and can be employed for the prophylaxis and/or therapy of thromboembolic diseases and for the treatment of tumours.
