US07698747B2
A system comprises a first communication device and a second communication device. The first communication device is arranged to communicate with the second communication device via a communication network using a first communication protocol. The first communication device is arranged to send a message to the second communication device via the communication network using the first communication protocol. The message is designed for a second communication protocol. The second communication device is arranged to send the message to a third communication device. The third communication device is being arranged to understand the second communication protocol.
US07698746B2
A method for providing secure access to information held in a shared repository, for example to electronic business cards stored on a server. A data owner registers with the server and provides information to be shared with selected data users. The server returns public-key cryptography keys. To access the information, a data user sends its public key to the data owner. The data owner encrypts the public key using the data owner private key, and sends the result to the server, along with permission to transfer information to the data user. The server decrypts the received result using the data owner public key, and compares the outcome with the data user public key. If they match, the server records permission on an access list. In response to a request for information the server checks the access list to determine whether the data user has permission. If so, the server encrypts the information using the data user public key, and transfers the result to the data user.
US07698734B2
A method for providing SSO authentication when accessing non-SSO-compliant applications, the method including forwarding a user name and a password received from a non-SSO-compliant application to an SSO proxy, encapsulating the user name and password in a request to access a protected application, authenticating the user name and password responsive to the request using SSO authentication, and generating an SSO token if said authentication step is successful.
US07698726B2
A method and system for multi-port aggregation in a digital return path CATV system digitizes each of a plurality of return path signals, splits each of the plurality of return path signals into a low band and an upper band (41), combines each of the plurality of low band signals to form a combined low band signal (43), downconverts each of the plurality of upper band signals from an original frequency range into a new downconverted frequency range (45) and time division multiplexes the plurality of downconverted upper band signals with the combined low band signal to form an aggregate data stream (46).
US07698717B2
A system for recording/reproducing a photosensitive recording medium, comprising: a photosensitive recording medium cartridge including a cartridge body, a shutter, and a lock mechanism as defined herein; and a recording/reproducing device including a housing, an insertion port shutter, an unlock mechanism, and a shutter opening mechanism as defined herein.
US07698708B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus can provide a means for a user-level process to acquire locks on resources at the kernel level through the use of a session that persists after the termination of the user-level process. A session recovery mechanism can be provided so that a newly started process can query an existing kernel-level lock session to discover which locks were held by a previously terminated process. This is accomplished, in part, through associating the kernel session with a token, rather than by associating the locks with a user-level process ID. Such a mechanism provides the ability for the new process to perform appropriate lock cleanup or to continue the work of the previous process under protection of the surviving locks.
US07698707B2
Identifying compatible threads in a Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT) processor environment is provided by calculating a performance metric, such as cycles per instruction (CPI), that occurs when two threads are running on the SMT processor. The CPI that is achieved when both threads were executing on the SMT processor is determined. If the CPI that was achieved is better than the compatibility threshold, then information indicating the compatibility is recorded. When a thread is about to complete, the scheduler looks at the run queue from which the completing thread belongs to dispatch another thread. The scheduler identifies a thread that is (1) compatible with the thread that is still running on the SMT processor (i.e., the thread that is not about to complete), and (2) ready to execute. The CPI data is continually updated so that threads that are compatible with one another are continually identified.
US07698705B1
A method for managing CPU time consumption, involving obtaining a per-polling period CPU consumption time associated with an isolate executing on a virtual machine for each of a plurality of polling periods, computing a usage rate for the isolate over a usage period using the per-polling period CPU consumption time associated with each of the plurality of polling periods within the usage period, comparing the usage rate to a specified rate associated with the isolate, and suspending the isolate in the virtual machine if the usage rate exceeds the specified rate.
US07698704B2
Two methods (native and clone) are used for installing software, such as an operating system, on client system(s) booting from shared storage. The native installation method configures an interconnection network to create an exclusive communication zone between the client system and the shared storage system and installs the operating system on the client system using the exclusive communication zone. After the software is installed, the method terminates the exclusive communication zone. The clone installation method utilizes a point-in-time copy feature of the shared storage system to clone an operating system drive instantaneously. After the drive is cloned, it is logically attached to a new client and the operating system is customized for that client.
US07698700B2
Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for allowing an update to an executable component, such as a logical partitioning operating system, running on a computer system without requiring a reboot (or IPL) of the computer system are provided. Processors or tasks executing in a portion of code being updated may be forced to a known or “quiesced” state (e.g., designated wait points) before applying the update. If any of the processors or tasks are not in their quiesced state, the update is not applied or may be rescheduled for a later time, in an effort to allow the system to reach the quiesced state.
US07698698B2
A method for receiving, storing, and applying an update package to modify an original image stored within non-volatile flash memory devices. More specifically, the present design provides a download agent responsible for communicating with a server to transfer and store the update package; and an update agent responsible for verifying, decompressing and decoding the update package. The present design separates non-essential operating system (OS) components and applications from the core OS, stores non-essential OS components, applications, and download agent as a single image in a read-only file system. This image may be updated by applying an update package created by running a binary differencing engine on two pre-built file system images representing the current and new file systems to modify the stored image. Additionally, the present design applies an update package to the core OS, which includes the update agent.
US07698697B2
Techniques for causing a compiler to organize code pertaining to data that is not constant, but that is unlikely to change except in relatively infrequent situations, in an improved manner. A class containing data that may have more than one value, but which will have a particular value in the typical case, is now split into two parts, a first class which uses the more-likely data value as a constant, and a second class (designed as a subclass of the first class) that uses the data value as a variable capable of having either the more-likely value or other, less-likely values. The compiler generates assembly code comprising instructions pertaining to the more-likely data value, and also generates assembly code capable of processing the less-likely data values. This latter code, however, is initially unreachable. The compiler-generated assembly code will be programmatically patched, at run time, if any of the less-likely data values occur, thereby dynamically making the code reachable. Once the initially-unreachable code becomes reachable, it will be used thereafter (regardless of the setting of the data value).
US07698691B2
A server application discovers its relevant data objects and generates a report of the current states of such objects at a moment in time that is relevant to a detected failure. Responsive to a request for a server application state, the application can identify root objects; discover data types, values, and related objects through recursive traversal and analysis of the object hierarchies; and generate a state description of the application for review and analysis by others. The state discovery may be synchronized among multiple threads to ensure that the state description represents a snapshot of the server application state and a single point in its execution. The state description can be analyzed by validation tools to detect where the error might exist in the application and how the error might be corrected.
US07698690B2
A method of runtime analysis of a computer program can include, after each access of a first type to a memory address, incrementing a counter associated with the memory address and, after each access of a second type to a memory address, comparing the counter associated with the memory address with a threshold. The method further can include identifying at least one memory address having a counter that exceeds the threshold and determining a portion of code responsible for accessing the memory address associated with the counter that exceeds the threshold.
US07698686B2
A system for displaying performance test information for software. The system includes a graphical user interface that displays information in a format to allow ready identification of performance problems and their causes. The interface includes a timeline view depicting activity levels during the execution of a program under test. Events during a sub-range of times during the program execution may be displayed with information revealing interactions of threads making up the program. Additional information may be displayed in a further display fields, including textual information. Much of the displayed information is represented graphically, allowing a performance engineer to quickly identify areas of the program to investigate further.
US07698685B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for discovering, qualifying, and activating software add-in components. An add-in components manager discovers one or more add-in components at the computer system are of a specified type of add-in component requested by an application. The add-in component manager qualifies at least one discovered add-in component based on the at least one discovered add-in component satisfying one or more qualification constraints. The one or more qualification constraints are representative of functionality that is to be associated with an add-in component for the add-in component to interoperate with the application in a desired manner. The add-in component manager activates a qualified add-in component in accordance with the one or more qualification constraints for use with the application.
US07698668B2
A translator converts an input model, such as resulting from a simulation of a design to be verified, into an output model suitable for verification by a model checker. The input model, for example, may be produced using Simulink, and the output model, for example, may be a NuSMV model.
US07698666B2
Disclosed is a method, system, and computer program product for implementing model-based layout, placement, and routing. Models are used to guide the placement and routing of polygons on the IC layout. In effect, the parameters that are used for placement and routing are guided by the model data so that the layout can be formed with a high degree of manufacturability from the outset.
US07698664B2
Described herein are methods and systems for secure exchange of information related to electronic design automation. Information deemed sensitive and otherwise worthy of protection may be secured by methods such as encryption, obfuscation and other security measures. The secured information may be provided to an electronic design automation tool for processing without revealing at least some of the secured information. For instance, rule files related to integrated circuit manufacturability may be selectively annotated to indicate portions thereof deserving of protection. An encryption tool may be used to secure the information so indicated and generate a file comprising secured information related to electronic design automation. An electronic design automation tool may then unlock and use the secured information without revealing the same. For instance, the tool may be a physical verification tool capable of verifying whether any of the one or more integrated circuit layouts may violate one or more of the secured rules. An error report may be generated without revealing the secured rules.
US07698662B1
Systems and methods of laying out integrated circuits are disclosed. During the layout stage of an integrated circuit device, a fixed, physical geometry is created of the parameterized cells (PCells) included in the integrated circuit schematic. The systems include a proxy engine configured to save to cache the geometries created during the layout stage such that the geometries need not be recomputed when the design is opened after a save to disk operation, during which geometries may otherwise be destroyed. The proxy engine may further be configured to delegate requests for the creation of geometries to other components of the integrated circuit design system. In addition, the proxy engine may be configured to perform customized evaluations of PCells, other than or in addition to caching and delegation.
US07698660B2
Embodiments provide a shared space for communicating information. In an embodiment a number of users associated with a computing environment can use a shared space to communicate information with one another. Each computing device of the computing environment can include a shared space application. The shared space application includes a number of interactive tools that can be used to persist various communications between associated computing devices of a computing environment.
US07698656B2
Provided are methods, computer programs and apparatus supporting use of generic shortcuts. Generic shortcut sequences are sequences of generic inputs that are defined to an application program to initiate specific operations of the application, and which translate to a respective input sequence receivable from each of a plurality of different types of input device. An application program written to support generic shortcut sequences will initiate specific application operations when received device-specific inputs translate into a sequence of generic inputs and the sequence includes a generic shortcut sequence. An event translator applies mappings between receivable device-type-specific inputs and respective generic inputs, to allow received input sequences to be translated into sequences of generic inputs. The resulting sequences of generic inputs are compared with defined generic shortcut sequences. If a match is identified between the sequence of generic inputs (generated by translating received device-specific inputs) and a defined generic shortcut sequence, the generic shortcut sequence initiates its respective application operation.
US07698646B2
Techniques that enable information recorded during a presentation to be accessed or retrieved using a handout printed for the presentation. A user can select one or more items, such as slides, printed on the handout and access portions of the recorded information when the user-selected items were presented or displayed. Different types of information may be accessed. Different actions may also be performed on the retrieved information.
US07698640B2
Apparatuses, systems and methods are provided for creating an interactive journaling experience for a user. The user is provided with apparatuses or systems which assist the user in generating a journal by providing interactive features such as suggestions, supportive statements, questions, instructions, and entertainment to enhance and develop the user's writing ability and interest in the journaling process.
US07698635B2
The invention relates to a system and method for automatically producing documents that incorporate one or more data elements. A guided/structured software environment is provided that assists users in creating manuals by defining the appropriate content for each manual section, content rules and relationships, and tasks to be performed for each type of manual entry. Manual content is stored as structured data elements, rather than pages of sentences, to more efficiently generate, revise, and store the content of a manual. A storage database is provided for retrieving and storing predefined templates, documents and individual data elements to produce a final manual. Manuals are created by combining various data elements. An instant preview interface permits a user to quickly view what revisions will look like in a final document prior to actually publishing the manual. A published manual is compiled by assembling the stored data elements and into a document.
US07698632B2
A system and method for dynamically updating a web page display. Web pages modification is accomplished by receiving a uniform resource locator (URL) message having embedded application parameters, selecting desired portions of the application parameters, modifying the web page with the selected portions, and displaying the modified web page to the user. Application parameters may be search criteria used to find the search results, and the search criteria may be displayed along with the search results. The search results may include a number of entries each having an entry name and corresponding information location. A serial list of entries is received and a web page listing the entry names in an organized fashion is dynamically created. Hyperlinks between each entry name and its corresponding information location are then created, which allows information at the information location to be displayed when the corresponding entry name is selected.
US07698631B1
A system and a method of editing Web page online wherein the original web page is converted into block version web page by creating a server based application which breaks HTML into functional nested blocks and delivers a web based interface to add/delete/modify/reorder those blocks. A server based application reads in an HTML page to be edited and breaks it down into HTML blocks, which may be converted into an HTML editing form by putting annotations around each block allowing the user to choose an operation to apply to that block such as edit or delete. A “stateless” web page editing system and method is provided such that a user can edit a web page independently of dependence on, or connection to, the server from which the page was obtained and in which the page resides.
US07698626B2
Additional documents are automatically located that are relevant to an original document, such as a document being read by a user, and also potentially relevant to personal information of the user. The additional documents may be located based on descriptive information that includes personal information of the user and content information of the document being read. The additional documents, or links to the additional documents, may be incorporated into the document being read. In some implementations, the additional documents may be presented in-line with the document being read, such as through an in-link link or text snippet. The user can thus be efficiently presented with additional information that is relevant to the original document being read.
US07698625B2
A dual parity hardware architecture that enables data to be read from each sector only once and performs both the P parity and Q parity from the single data source. The Q parity calculator provides parallel processing capabilities so that multiple parity operations are performed on the same sector simultaneously. The dual parity hardware architecture provides flexibility in restoring data, generating parity, and updating parity for differing data sector sizes.
US07698607B2
A frame buffer for a microdisplay may be implemented with a repair algorithm that achieves desired uniformity in the frame buffer. Because the frame buffer and the display are tightly coupled, it is desirable to avoid providing unnecessary redundant elements which break up the uniformity of the overall integrated circuit. To this end, when a cell in the frame buffer is defective, a system to automatically address in its place an adjacent cell may be implemented. In one embodiment, control logic may address a column multiplexer to select an adjacent cell in an adjacent column in the same row to provide information in place of the defective cell in the frame buffer.
US07698603B2
Systems and methods of providing test result management are disclosed herein. A first configuring command to trace a test event data stream can be received. The test event data stream comprises test messages produced from execution of a test application. A second configuring command to trace a debug event data stream can be received. The debug event data stream includes debugging messages produced from execution of a tested application. A third configuring command to trace an execution event data stream can be received. The execution event data stream includes function invocation messages produced from execution of the tested application. The test event data stream, the debug event data stream, and the execution event data stream can be received and interleafed into a collated data stream log.
US07698591B2
A method for maintaining integrity of data in a redundant mass storage system is provided that includes selecting a plurality of scrubbing selections for a memory system in which each of the scrubbing selections selects a data section on the memory system. The method also includes selecting a respective scrubbing implementation for each scrubbing selection in which each of the scrubbing implementations determines a data check. Another exemplary method is provided for ensuring integrity of data stored in a redundant mass storage system. An apparatus is provided for maintaining data integrity in a redundant mass storage system. A computer-readable storage medium containing a set of instructions for a general purpose computer is provided. The set of instructions include a method for ensuring data integrity in a redundant mass storage system.
US07698585B2
An apparatus, system, and method is provided for reducing idle power in a power supply. The apparatus includes a connection module to determine whether a load is connected to the output terminal of the power supply. Also included is an idle module that turns off the power supply for an idle interval when the connection module determines that a load is not connected to the output. A monitor module turns on the power supply for a monitor interval when the idle interval ends. During the monitor interval, the connection module determines whether the load has been connected to the output terminal of the power supply. An activation module turns on the power supply if the connection module determines, during the monitor interval, that the load has been connected to the power supply. If the load has not been connected, another idle interval is initiated.
US07698584B2
A method, apparatus and system to enable a data processing device to operate while seemingly “off”. According to one embodiment, a data processing device is configured to recognize a new system state, i.e., Visual Off. On such a data processing device, when the power button is pressed, the request to turn off the device is intercepted by a module and the device is transitioned to a Visual Off state. To the user, this transition appears instantaneous. During the transition, audible and visual indicators on the data processing device and on human interactive devices (“HID devices”) coupled to the data processing device may be turned off and/or disabled. While in the Visual Off state, the device may be fully operational, or in an alternate embodiment, the device may be placed in a low power state. When the user presses the power button again to “wake up” the data processing device, the device may transition from Visual Off into an “on” state (“Visual On”), i.e., all audible and visual indicators on the data processing device and HID devices coupled to it may be turned back on and/or enabled.
US07698578B2
A device includes a transmitter, at least one temperature sensor; and a controller. The controller is responsive to the at least one temperature sensor indicating that a temperature has risen above a first threshold to control the transmitter to reduce transmit power from a first power level to a second power level, wherein the second power level is a non-zero power level.
US07698574B2
The invention relates to a power supply device and a communication system. The power supply device supplies power to a main device. The communication system is provided with the main device mounting the power supply device therein and an external device connected to the main device. A feature of the invention is to offer a power supply device and a communication system that are capable of being responsive to external signals for returning to a normal operation mode with minimum power consumption in a power-saving operation mode. In the power saving operation mode, a main power supply circuit (60) is turned off and only an auxiliary power supply circuit (50) is operated. In order to detect external signal, the auxiliary power supply circuit (50) supplies power not to an entire interface section (20), but to a ring detection circuit (31), a LAN signal detection circuit (32), a 1284 signal detection circuit (33), a USB signal detection circuit (34), and a panel signal detection circuit (35) that are respectively provided with a minimum functions for detecting external signal.
US07698573B2
A power source apparatus for a display is provided, which comprises a voltage generating section capable of controlling outputting or output termination of one or more predetermined output voltages, and a switching section provided between an output terminal of the predetermined output voltage and a predetermined reference potential terminal. The switch section is turned from OFF to ON when the voltage generating section performs the output termination control.
US07698563B2
A device and a method for inputting passwords in ATM or door-lock and etc, having display means are provided. In particular, said device comprises a keypad in display means where numbers or letters for passwords are arranged randomly, and further comprises a keypad providing an indirect password numbers or letters randomly arranged, according to an original password, to be input in another indirect password keypad such that the original password of a user can be protected effectively from the others eye.
US07698556B2
In a first aspect, the present invention provides a protocol for communications across a securable communication channel between a first device and a second device. The protocol includes the transmission of a plurality of uniquely identifiable messages which each include security-related data, from the first device to the second device. The protocol includes determining whether a subset of messages that are received by the second device comply with at least one predetermined message criterion and are identifiable as having been sent from the first device. In the event that said subset of messages are determined to comply with the predetermined verification criterion (or criteria) and are identifiable as having been sent from the first device, the security-related data is determined to have been successfully communicated to the second device.
US07698554B2
A broadcast control method includes validating a time and location of an end user device by verifying the identity and location of a device on the intermediary network; sending a nonce from a intermediary network to an end user device at a first time; sending the nonce from the end user to the network at a second time; sending an encrypted request for content from the network to a broadcast system; decrypting the request to verify the identities of the devices and the time and location data; and sending content from the broadcast system to the end user device if the identities are verified and the time interval between the first and second times is less than the predetermined time interval.
US07698553B2
In a wireless communication system with an air interface comprised of a plurality of bursts, a communication device (102) receives a burst (200). The burst comprises payload (206, 208), a first indicator (202) and a second indicator (204). Upon receipt of the burst, the communication device determines a value of the first indicator to determine whether end-to-end encryption is applied to at least a portion of the payload, and determines a value of the second indicator to determine whether air interface encryption is applied to at least a portion of the payload.
US07698552B2
In one embodiment of the present invention, a method includes verifying an initiating logical processor of a system; validating a trusted agent with the initiating logical processor if the initiating logical processor is verified; and launching the trusted agent on a plurality of processors of the system if the trusted agent is validated. After execution of such a trusted agent, a secure kernel may then be launched, in certain embodiments. The system may be a multiprocessor server system having a partially or fully connected topology with arbitrary point-to-point interconnects, for example.
US07698546B2
The present BIOS configuration update technique allows a system administrator the ability to remotely configure a set of computing systems from various manufacturers from a single administrator console. A BIOS configuration description is used for defining hardware settings within the computing system. The BIOS configuration description may pre-define a schema that various manufacturers use when designing the interface to the configurable elements within their computing systems. Alternatively, the BIOS configuration description may define a set of rules which the various manufacturers use when designing the interface to their configurable elements within their computing systems. Using the BIOS configuration description, one management application may then access the configurable elements on the computing systems from the various manufacturers.
US07698537B2
A data processing apparatus processes a stream of instructions from an instruction set. The instruction set includes exception instructions and non-exception instructions. Exception instructions may cause a break in an instruction flow, and non-exception instructions execute in a statically determinable way. At least two processing blocks process instructions from the stream of instructions. A first processing block has a set of physical registers associated with it for storing data values being processed by the first processing block. Renaming circuitry associated with the first processing block maps architectural registers specified in instructions to be processed by the first processing block to physical registers within the set of physical registers. A second processing block has a set of physical registers associated with it for storing data values being processed by the second processing block. The second processing block and registers do not support renaming. Control circuitry identifies exception instructions in the instruction stream and detects when the exception instructions have been committed. The second processing block receives signals from the control circuitry and suspends processing of an instruction in the second processing block until all preceding exception instructions have been committed.
US07698535B2
An asynchronous circuit is described for processing units of data having a program order associated therewith. The circuit includes an N-way-issue resource comprising N parallel pipelines. Each pipeline is operable to transmit a subset of the units of data in a first-in-first-out manner. The asynchronous circuit is operable to sequentially control transmission of the units of data in the pipelines such that the program order is maintained.
US07698528B2
Memory management techniques involve establishing a memory pool having an amount of sharable memory, and dynamically allocating the sharable memory to concurrently manage multiple sets of sequenced units of digital data. In an exemplary scenario, the sets of sequenced units of digital data are sets of time-ordered media samples forming clips of media content, and the techniques are applied when media samples from two or more clips are simultaneously presentable to a user as independently-controlled streams. Variable amounts of sharable memory are dynamically allocated for preparing upcoming media samples for presentation to the user. In one possible implementation, a ratio of average data rates of individual streams is calculated, and amounts of sharable memory are allocated to rendering each stream based on the ratio. Then, the sharable memory allocated to rendering individual streams is reserved as needed to prepare particular upcoming media samples for presentation to the user.
US07698512B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for determining if data of a memory request by a first agent is in a memory region represented by a region indicator of a region table of the first agent, and transmitting a compressed address for the memory request to other agents of a system if the memory region is represented by the region indicator, otherwise transmitting a full address. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07698511B2
An interface between memories having different write times is described. The interface includes a latch for capturing address and data information during a memory access by a processor of a first memory device. The interface also includes an index counter for providing frame management. The interface also includes a variable identity array logic for determining what data is to be written into a second memory device and address generation logic to determine where the data is to be stored in the second memory device. Additionally, the interface includes data validity logic to ensure that the data being written into the second memory device is valid. As a result, the processor can operate in substantially real time and can restore itself after detecting an event upset using the data stored in the second memory device.
US07698507B2
A computing system may comprise a processor and a memory controller hub coupled by an external bus such as the front side bus. The processor may also comprise a cache. The processor may operate in SMM and the memory coupled to the memory controller hub may comprise SMM spaces such as compatible, HSEG, and TSEG areas. A software-based attack may write malicious instructions into the cache at an address corresponding to the SMM spaces. The illegal processor memory accesses that occur entirely inside the processor caches due to the cache attack may be forced to occur on the external bus. The memory controller hub may be capable of handling the memory accesses occurring on the external bus thus, protecting the SMM spaces against cache attack.
US07698502B2
A removable semiconductor memory card for a portable appliance is provided comprising a memory with a portion thereof dedicated to deleted files, and a memory card controller that operates to recognize a memory delete command associated with a specific file, and to shift the specific file to the deleted files portion of the memory.
US07698494B2
An access control device controls access to a first device and a second device. The first device is connected with a first bus conforming to a first standard and conforms to the first standard. The second device is connected with the first bus and conforms to a second standard. The access control device includes a first signal generator and a second signal generator. The first signal generator generates a first transaction start signal indicating start of a transaction for the first device. The second signal generator generates a second transaction start signal for the second device based on the first transaction start signal.
US07698491B1
A modular patch panel for interconnecting a data storage system controller to data storage enclosures is provided. The modular patch panel includes a chassis and modular interface circuitry. The chassis has a front end and a back end, the front end and the back end being horizontally opposed, the back end attaching to a panel portion of a rack system, the panel portion electrically connecting to the data storage enclosures over a set of point-to-point connections. The modular interface circuitry has (a) a data storage interface portion electrically connected to the set of point-to-point connections through the panel and (b) a controller interface portion electrically connecting to the data storage system controller through the front end. The modular interface circuitry is interchangeable through an opening in the front end. It is also constructed and arranged to manage digital communications between the data storage system controller and the data storage enclosures according to a data storage system protocol used by the data storage system controller.
US07698484B2
An information processor that is connected to at least one other information processor via a network, includes a detecting unit that detects an optional device to be used for information processing, as a target optional device, installed on the other information processor, an issuing unit that issues an access request to use the target optional device to the other information processor, a receiving unit that receives an access permission for access to the target optional device from the other information processor, and a processing unit that performs the information processing with the target optional device.
US07698480B2
A portable storage device controllable by a remote service center is disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the portable storage device includes a register for storing permission indicia and a non-volatile user memory for storing user data. Upon receiving a permission directive from a remote service center (e.g. via the host device), the permission indicia may be replenished (i.e. if it is desired to extend additional device-use privileges) or depleted (i.e. if is desired to deny or reduce device-use privileges). When providing host access to the onboard non-volatile user memory of the portable storage device, the permission indicia are consumed, thereby limiting the extent of host-user memory access allowable without a refresh of the permission indicia. Exemplary permission indicia include but are not limited to distinct host-device couplings, inter-device transfer quota, and usage time quote. Methods, systems including the aforementioned portable storage device, and computer code are also described.
US07698476B2
According to one embodiment a method for implementing bufferless DMA controllers using split transaction functionality is presented. One embodiment of the method comprises, generating a write command from a disk controller directed to a destination unit, the write command including an identifier, generating a read command from the disk controller directed to a source unit, the read command including an identifier which matches the identifier in the write command, the source unit transmitting read data on a split transaction bus, the read data including the identifier of the read command, and receiving the read data at the destination unit via the split transaction bus if the identifier of the read data matches the identifier of the write command.
US07698470B2
An integrated circuit includes a first connection and a memory circuit. The integrated circuit is switchable between a master mode of operation, in which a buffer between the first connection and the memory circuit is activated, and a slave mode of operation, in which the buffer between the first connection and the memory circuit is deactivated.
US07698469B2
A serial transmission controller, a serial transmission decoder and a serial transmission method thereof are disclosed. First, a current address and an access address are compared to select one of a plurality of transmission address modes as an access address mode and then to produce corresponding address information. The transmission address modes use different bits to transmit the address information respectively. According to the access address mode, an access command is selected from a serial command set. Finally, the access command and the address information are transmitted to a serial interface serially. After the access command is encoded to different length of bits, the encoded access command is transmitted to the serial interface so as to reduce the transmission bits and improve the transmission efficiency.
US07698468B2
In a selective device recognition apparatus in a UPnP based home network and a method thereof performing recognition of UPnP devices differentially according to UPnP CP user's authority, by providing a network transmission possible identifier to a request message in a UPnP CP, recognizing the network transmission possible identifier by a corresponded UPnP device and displaying it on a screen of the UPnP CP user, the user can recognize a pertinent home network device easily and can perform device security selectively through the selective device recognition.
US07698461B2
In a data system, such as a cable modem termination system, different-priority flows are scheduled to be routed to their logical destinations by factoring both the priority level and the time spent in queue. The time that each packet of each flow spends waiting for transmission is normalized such that the waiting times of all flows are equalized with respect to each other. A latency scaling parameter is calculated.
US07698444B2
By distributing various information and monitoring centers that monitor distributed networks and unauthorized access attempts, it is possible to, for example, more quickly defend against an unauthorized access attempts. For example, a Level 1 monitoring center could monitor a predetermined geographical area serving, for example, a wide variety of commercial and public sites, an organizational structure, or the like, for alarms. Upon analyzing an alarm for various characteristics, the Level 1 monitoring center can refer the unauthorized access attempt to an appropriate Level 2 center for, for example, possible retaliatory and/or legal action. Then, a Level 3 monitoring center can record and maintain an overall picture of the security of one or more networks, the plurality of monitoring centers and information about one or more hacking attempts.
US07698437B2
A communication terminal, communication method and communication system is particularly suited for audio communications and applications such as an intercom. Multiple communication terminals may reside on a network and idle in a server mode. When communications are initiated in response to a trigger by switching a communication terminal from a server mode to a client mode, the client addresses another communication terminal and requests service in the form of a connection. The system, method and terminals may operate using TCP/IP protocol.
US07698432B2
A subscriber bandwidth management process and device that allows users/subscribers in a communications network to dynamically alter bandwidth limits independently in both the uplink and downlink data transmission paths. This is accomplished by providing for a single queue in the uplink transmission path and a single queue in the downlink transmission path. Thus, the user/subscriber can efficiently manage their network access according to the specific activity on the network. The network manager benefits from being able structure bandwidth allocation on a per subscriber basis so that overall data transmission is made more efficient. In addition, the bandwidth manager provides active management of the delivery of data (also known as and referred to herein as traffic shaping) to increase throughput from a gateway device onto the network.
US07698430B2
An on-demand compute environment comprises a plurality of nodes within an on-demand compute environment available for provisioning and a slave management module operating on a dedicated node within the on-demand compute environment, wherein upon instructions from a master management module at a local compute environment, the slave management module modifies at least one node of the plurality of nodes.
US07698429B1
An enterprise framework for a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) is disclosed. The enterprise framework is utilized for creating, replacing, or modifying services on the SOA without modifying core code. With the framework, a service client may access services provided by the SOA via any middleware available now or in the future by utilizing auto-generation of middleware bindings via templates.
US07698425B2
Systems of the present invention allow for managing multiple social websites. An exemplary system may comprise means for registering a domain name to a Registrant, at least one social website, and a Personal Portal Website communicatively coupled to the registering means and social website(s). The Personal Portal Website also may comprise means for generating a Social Domain (possibly by concatenating at least one subdomain to the Registrant's domain name), means for mapping the Social Domain to a URL for the Registrant's public webpage on his social website(s), and means for displaying the Registrant's public webpage(s) when the Social Domain is entered in a browser.
US07698421B2
The system comprises an improved document monitoring agent in which user evaluations are used to decide whether a changed document should be saved in the system or not. The evaluation of importance of the change in a document is performed by one or more users who collaboratively monitor a networked document, typically identified by a URL. By providing a user evaluation interface, it is possible for users to indicate their evaluation of the significance of the change. As such, only significantly changed documents, as indicated by the users themselves, are saved. Thus, a more efficient saving is obtained while at the same time reducing the risk of discarding potentially interesting changed documents which would have been discarded by conventional monitoring agents.
US07698418B2
A monitoring system of the present invention achieves highly reliable switching control by having a monitored response time creating/calculating unit calculate a maximum value and a minimum value between which a response time is judged as normal from a response time of the last measurement and from a response time of the last but one measurement, and by having a monitored response time comparing unit set a range in which a response time is judged as normal in a manner that agrees with past response times.
US07698414B1
A system including a plurality of nodes operable to exchange information using location-independent addresses. According to one embodiment of a method for obtaining information in a network of nodes, one or more nodes may each create an instance of a location-independent address A. The location-independent address A may represent an address for sending request messages (also referred to simply as requests) in order to obtain information or data from the one or more nodes with which the location-independent address A is associated (i.e., from the one or more nodes that create instances of the location-independent address A). According to one embodiment of a method for storing information in a network of nodes, one or more nodes may each create an instance of a location-independent address A, similarly as described above. However, instead of representing an address for sending requests to obtain information or data, in this case the location-independent address A may represent an address for sending requests to store information or data.
US07698411B2
The present invention discloses a solution of a server-side result distribution service software program. The program can receive and store results related to a request context from different content providing servers. Asynchronous requests can be received from a client, which initiated a content request that defines the request context. A level of completeness for the request results that satisfies the received client request can be determined. The level of completeness can be compared against a previously established threshold. Either dynamically processed results or previously cached results can be delivered to the client depending upon an outcome of the comparing step. Server-side operations that produce the dynamically processed results can be operations initiated after the content request is sent by the client. Previously cached results can be generated from processes initiated before the content request is sent by the client.
US07698408B1
Accordingly, one embodiment of the invention provides a method for testing a network comprising multiple nodes. The network conforms to a formal specification. The method includes defining a blueprint comprising a set of one or more possible topological configurations for connecting a node to the network. The one or more possible topological configurations represent a subset of the topological configurations permitted by the formal specification. When connectivity is initiated between a node and the network, it is confirmed that the connectivity for the node conforms to the blueprint.
US07698406B2
A method and apparatus for specifying the identification and classification of at least one application having components distributed over selected nodes of a network system is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of creating a first section containing at least one directive for specifying information or initiating at least one external process for discovering characteristics of the application, creating a second section containing at least one directive for specifying information or initiating at least one external process for storing the discovered characteristics, and creating a third section containing at least one directive for specifying information or initiating at least one external process for testing the discovered characteristics.
US07698399B2
An advanced IPMI system with multi-message processing and configurable performance and method for the same, optimally used among message sources, i.e. a host system and/or an operating terminal, to process IPMI messages from said message source is disclosed. The IPMI system includes an IPMI message subsystem, an IPMI core subsystem, and a central message buffer unit. The central message buffer unit provides a pointer to a corresponding address for temporary storage of each IPMI message. Each said subsystem each time just transmits the pointer, without a copy of the IPMI message, when transmittal of IPMI message is needed, for reducing times of reading IPMI message. The IPMI message subsystem utilizes multiple programmable-configured message processing units to concurrently multi-process lots of IPMI messages, in compliance with modular design of most units of said subsystems, for raising the implementing performance of the IPMI system.
US07698386B2
A method and system for serving content from a peer server in a photosharing peer-to-peer network is disclosed, wherein the peer server stores a web album and at least one associated digital image. Aspects of the invention include prior to the peer server going off-line, the peer server initiates a synchronization with a proxy server and a guest content server in which the web page a web page descriptor defining the web album is copied from the peer server to the guest content server, and the image associated with the web album is copied from the peer server to the proxy server. In response to a request from a requesting computer to view content stored in the peer computer when the peer server is off-line, the request is fulfilled by forwarding the web page from the guest content server to the requesting computer, and forwarding the image associated with a web page from the proxy server to the requesting computer, thereby successfully serving content from the peer server even when the peer server is off-line.
US07698379B2
A computer based system and method of providing document isolation during routing of a document through a workflow is disclosed. The method comprises maintaining a separate “working” copy of the original base document while the document is routed through a workflow. Access controls, which define who may access the original document as well as any versions of the working copy document, are defined and stored in relation to the documents. The access controls further define the types of actions users may take with respect to the document. Users are selectively directed to the appropriate document, either the base document or working copy, and selectively granted permission to perform publishing operations on the working copy document, as determined by the access controls.
US07698371B2
Communicating by video is described. A video of a menu is streamed to a client device. A signal that identifies a selection from the menu is received. A first video associated with the selection is streamed to the client device. The first video is a member of video conversation that may include a number of videos. A second video is received from the client device. The second video is streamed by the client device as it is recorded by the client device. The second video is a response to the first video. The second video is associated with the video conversation.
US07698366B2
A method and apparatus for facilitating the transportation of medical images on a communication network includes a medical image transport service (MITS) that may be used to set policy associated with the delivery of medical images on the network. The MITS may be configured to schedule transactions in an equitable manner taking into account the relative priority of the various contending medical image transactions and mediate delivery of images associated with the transactions. The MITS may include a data management service configured to interact with clients to handle transfers on the network, and a network resource manager configured to interface with network devices performing the transport services to enable network resources such as routes, paths, and bandwidth, to be reserved on the network. An administration client enables policy to be set on the MITS to enable operation of the transport service to be controlled.
US07698354B2
A flexible engine for implementing digital signal processing (DSP) functions involving repeating various arithmetic/logical operations on a stream of data includes multiple programmable filter elements, at least one of which includes a microcode control program for internal control of the programmable filter element. The engine also includes programmable interconnection logic coupled to the programmable filter elements for selectively combining, scaling, and accumulating output values from the first plurality of programmable filter elements and selectively providing accumulated values as inputs to the first plurality of programmable filter elements. A filter controller coupled to the programmable filter elements and the programmable interconnection logic includes its own microcode control program for external control of the programmable filter elements and the programmable interconnection logic. Multiple engines can be combined to form larger, more powerful engines.
US07698349B2
A dimension member of a report is slid to produce a new view of the report that corresponds to the slid dimension. The dimension member sliding allows navigation of a dimension of the data by members in a pattern that is not hierarchical. The view of the report corresponds to a hierarchy tree that is decomposed into a matrix. The next dimension members are determined using the matrix and the dimensionally slid view of the report is generated.
US07698339B2
A method and system for calculating the significance of a sentence within a document is provided. The summarization system calculates the significance of the sentences of a document and selects the most significant sentences as the summary of the document. The summarization system calculates the significance of a sentence based on the “important” words of the document that are contained within the sentence. The summarization system calculates the importance of words of the document using various scoring techniques and then combines the scores to classify a word as important or not important. The summarization system can then be used to identify significant sentences of the document based on the important words that a sentence contains and select significant sentences as a summary of the document.
US07698336B2
Techniques for associating geographic-related information with objects are described. In one implementation, a search is conducted on a keyword string of one or more keywords descriptive or otherwise representative of a geographically-relevant object. If a location is identified, geographic-related semantic information of the location is associated with the geographically-relevant object. In some cases, multiple possible locations may be identified as a result of searching the keyword string. If multiple locations are identified, a probable location is determined and then geographic-related semantic information of the probable location is associated with the geographically-relevant object described by the keyword string.
US07698328B2
A search query is used to search on a corpus of documents. A statistical collocation analysis is performed on the search results. A list of collocations is determined and can be presented to a user. The search can be refined by modifying the search query, so that the search results include documents with desirable collocations or exclude documents with undesirable collocations.
US07698326B2
A method includes receiving input from a user via a keypad of the communication device and searching a database and a cache to identify a word or web site identifier based on the received input. The word or web site identifier may correspond to a word or web site identifier that the user intends to input. The method may also include providing the word or web site identifier via a display of the communication device.
US07698323B1
A method and system for finding, accessing, connecting, and sharing information in the context of business activities. Authorized users may search and view information content from managed or unmanaged data repositories maintained at various locations. Users may connect and share this information to their business process (e.g., projects, products, and processes) without losing referential integrity. A virtual repository unifies information from multiple sources. On demand, information may be automatically managed and converted into structured information used to execute business processes.
US07698320B2
Provided is a database management system coupled to a storage system comprising a first storage device for storing a database file and a control file, a second storage device for storing a journal corresponding to an update history of the data stored in the first storage device, and a third storage device for storing a log file; generating the journal upon receiving an update instruction; and recording the generated journal to the second storage device in correspondence with a check point. The database management system records the log to the third storage device in correspondence with identification information of the generated check point, restores data stored in the storage system by employing a journal stored in the second storage device before check point, and applies the log stored in the third storage device after the check point to restore a database file.
US07698319B2
A method manages a database system that includes a first database device whose memory content in a storage area is changed based on a command designated through a network from any business terminal device, and a second database device for storing the same memory content as the first database device as a backup. The method makes the first database device execute: creating and storing a logical log that correlates a command content with a memory content in the storage area every time the process is executed; creating a physical log that correlates a position information about the portion that is changed by the process, the memory content after changing by the process, and a class of the process every time the process is executed; and storing command specifying information that specifies the command corresponding to the physical log with the corresponding physical log every time each physical log is created.
US07698318B2
A backup administrator can backup files from a production server on any of a plurality of different bases. In particular, some files can be replicated on a changed-byte basis. In other cases, files can be backed up by replicating updated copies of the entire file, or even byte blocks of the file. Determinations as to how a replication agent will back up a certain file or set of files can be made by a backup administrator, automatically through a predefined logic, or dynamically based on defined criteria. Corresponding agents at the production server can then flag these files as indicated. Thus, at a later point, when the DPM server requests the updates of each file, the production server can either send over copies of the changed file bytes, entire copies of the changed file itself, or even changed blocks of a file, as appropriate.
US07698303B2
A system, method, and processor readable medium for processing data in a knowledge management system gathers information content and transmits a work request for the information content gathered. The information content may be registered with a K-map and assigned a unique document identifier. A work queue processes the work requests. The processed information may then be transmitted to another work queue for further processing. Further processing may include categorization, full-text indexing, metrics extraction or other process. Control messages may be transmitted to one or more users providing a status of the work request. The information may be analyzed and further indexed. A progress statistics report may be generated for each of the processes performed on the document. The progress statistics may be provided in a record. A shared access to a central data structure representing the metrics history and taxonomy may be provided for all work queues via a CORBA service.
US07698302B2
A method of recommending new media to a user based on various information stored and/or collected by, for example, a mobile phone is provided. More particularly, the invention provides a method of recommending new media based on information such as, for example, the content of sent and received text messages, previously viewed sound and/or video clips, location, content of emails, environmental information such as temperature or pressure, etc. Accordingly, the invention facilitates the use of information generated by a user during use of a mobile phone for recommending media to the user.
US07698299B2
An image transmission system for reserving and transmitting an image to be broadcast is provided. The image transmission system includes: an uploading unit for inputting reservation request information for reservation of image transmission and uploading an image; and a server for storing the reservation request information and the image and transmitting the image to one or more recipients' display devices according to the reservation request information.
US07698298B2
A system and method are provided for electronically managing remote review of documents that are stored on a central repository. The remote review system advantageously enables a remote reviewer, lacking repository access, to remotely review and record decisions in respect to documents stored in the repository and then electronically integrate those remotely made decisions back into the repository. In this way, the inventive system and method promotes efficiency and consistency in responding to document requests for legal purposes.
US07698296B2
A content reproducing apparatus includes a display unit configured to display a play list and candidate contents able to be added to the play list, a selection unit configured to select, from the candidate contents, an undesired content which a user does not want to add to the play list, a calculation unit configured to calculate a first retrieval statistical quantity based on first characteristic quantity of the undesired content or a second retrieval statistical quantity based on second characteristic quantity of a desired content which the user wants to add to the play list, and a retrieve unit configured to retrieve the candidate contents to prepare the play list, in accordance with similarity which has been calculated by using the first or second retrieval statistical quantity and which shows to which a given content having third characteristic quantity is similar, the desired content or the undesired content.
US07698292B2
A system and methods for retrieving and presenting data in a tag-based component environment. The disclosed system provides an efficient mechanism for associating point and non-point data using highly configurable data acquisition strategies. The data acquisition strategies incorporate customized retrieval routines to perform data acquisition at desired intervals so as to reduce unnecessary bandwidth consumption and computational overhead.
US07698288B2
A storage medium readable by a computer stores a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform a function for supporting editing of a hierarchical structure of a directory. The function includes: editing metadata including information relevant to the hierarchical structure of the directory; editing content data as contents of a document; analyzing the metadata; and creating a new hierarchical structure of the directory on the basis of a result of the analysis and the content data.
US07698284B2
The present invention discloses methods and systems for hosting tenants over a network in a computer-based environment in which a provider may receive data structures corresponding to a first tenant, determine which of the data structures are specific to the first tenant and which the data structures are shared with the other tenant; generate a tenant template that stores the data structures specific to the first tenant, and use the tenant template to generate a tenant database corresponding to the first tenant and storing the data structures specific to the first tenant.
US07698279B2
A method of presenting data regarding products. Feature categories are assigned to each product category based on available data. A weighted importance is assigned to each feature category of each product category based on the available data. The items in the product category are ranked according to the weighted importance of the feature categories of each item, and the evaluation metrics of each feature category.
US07698268B1
Embodiments of the present invention may be used in the generation of an overall weight from the comparison of various attributes of data records, where the linking of the data records is dependent on the overall weight. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention may calculate a false positive penalty based on a set of results, each of the set of results based on a comparison of an attribute. The false positive penalty may be subtracted from the overall weight generated from the comparison of the attributes of data records to adjust the overall weight. By configuring which attributes of the data records are used as the set of attributes for generating the false positive penalty, and the penalties associated with a particular combination of results for the comparisons of these attributes, the incidence of false positives in the linking of data records may be significantly reduced.
US07698264B2
Method and system for removing sparse data in a response to a query to a multidimensional database by establishing a cross-tab with sparse data. After selecting a member in an axis of the cross-tab for sparsity removal, a first set expression on the orthogonal axis is selected in the context of the member. The context of the orthogonal axis is collected for generating a filter set expression with a data removal criteria, based on the collected context; and the query is submitted to the database with the filter set expression.
US07698258B2
A searchable storage system indexes data, such as a blob (binary large object) as it is stored. The indexes are stored simultaneously with the data by the same storage mechanism. Data cannot be stored without indexing it. Any indexing technique may be used. The indexes are then used to access the data. This ensures that any inconsistencies can handled at the local level, and are not visible to clients of the system. Data can be put in to, or taken out from, the searchable storage system. Additionally, a query on the data in the searchable storage system may be performed.
US07698250B2
Systems and methods are provided for controlling privacy loss associated with database participation. In general, privacy loss can be evaluated based on information available to a hypothetical adversary with access to a database under two scenarios: a first scenario in which the database does not contain data about a particular privacy principal, and a second scenario in which the database does contain data about the privacy principal. Such evaluation can be made for example by a mechanism for determining sensitivity of at least one database query output to addition to the database of data associated with a privacy principal. An appropriate noise distribution can be calculated based on the sensitivity measurement and optionally a privacy parameter. A noise value is selected from the distribution and added to query outputs.
US07698249B2
An objective function is dynamically chosen from a pool of available objective functions, and a prediction model is dynamically chosen from a pool of available prediction models. Points of inflection are determined for the chosen objective function, based on past values of a metric, to obtain a set of equations that can be solved to obtain model parameters associated with the chosen prediction model. The equations are solved to obtain the model parameters, and a future value of the metric is predicted based on (i) at least some of the past values of the metric and (ii) the chosen prediction model, with the obtained associated model parameters.
US07698246B2
A method for displaying information related to a chaotic event. A mathematical optimization algorithm is used to select a first optimal decision set for a user. The mathematical optimization algorithm takes as input a decision template, chaotic event information, at least one constraint, and a user profile. A heuristic algorithm is used to eliminate a first subset of decisions. The first subset of decisions is in the first optimal decision set. A second optimal decision set is formed. The second optimal decision set comprises the first optimal decision set less the first subset of decisions. The mathematical optimization algorithm is used to select a sequence in which decisions in the second optimal decision set are to be considered. The mathematical optimization algorithm takes as input the second optimal decision set, the decision template, the chaotic event information, the at least one constraint, and the user profile. The sequence is stored.
US07698240B1
A computer-implemented marketplace (16) for providing financial transaction services to participants (12, 14, 60, 62) in connection with commercial transactions involving the participants (12, 14, 60, 62) includes a database (22). The database (22) contains registration information for types of transactions available to participants (12, 14, 60, 62) and participation criteria for each participant (12, 14, 60, 62) that specifies types of transactions in which the participant (12, 14, 60, 62) is willing to participate. Processes (24) provide associated financial transaction services for the participants (12, 14, 60, 62) in connection with ongoing transactions involving the participants (12, 14, 60, 62). The marketplace (16) initiates a selected process (24) in response to a specified event associated with an ongoing transaction, according to the registration information and participation criteria, to provide a corresponding financial transaction service to at least one participant (12, 14, 60, 62) involved in the ongoing transaction.
US07698233B1
A method, system and program product for quantifying a risk of an expected unserved energy in an energy generation system using a digital simulation. An energy load demand forecast is generated based at least in part on a weather year model. A plurality of energy generation resources are committed to meet the energy load demand. An operating status is determined for each committed energy generation resource in the energy generation system. A determination is made as to whether or not the committed resources are sufficient to meet the energy load demand. A dispatch order for a plurality of additional energy resources is selected if the committed resources are not sufficient to meet the energy load demand. Additional resources are committed based on the selected dispatch order until the energy load demand is met. The expected unserved energy is determined and an equivalent amount of energy load demand is shed based at least in part on an expected duration of unserved energy and a customer class grouping. An associated cost for the expected unserved energy is also determined.
US07698232B2
A mailing machine is provided that determines if entry into a disabled state is coupled with the need for auxiliary information to be entered by the user. If auxiliary information is required to be entered by the user, the print head will not move to the capped position but instead remains in the printing position, and a timer is activated to provide the user with time to enter the information. If the user enters the required information before a predetermined amount of time has expired, the mail piece will be processed without any delay required for the print head to move from the capped position to the printing position. Only if the user has not entered the required information within the predetermined amount of time will the print head move to the capped position.
US07698227B1
A system and method for providing traceable acknowledgement of a digital data distribution license is presented. A license specifying terms applicable to a user requesting a distribution of data maintained in digital form is defined. The digital data distribution is encoded by application of a phrase used to convolute the digital data distribution. The phrase signifies an acknowledgement by the user to be bound by the license terms. The digital data is distributed. Access to the digital data distribution requires application of the phrase to deconvolute the digital data distribution.
US07698224B2
A method of preparing a certification project plan for certifying compliance for a mobile platform project with pre-defined regulations is provided. The method includes defining the project in a software system and defining a certification plan for the project in the software system. The method also includes selecting authorized representatives based on their delegated authorities from a database to carry out the certification plan. The method can include verifying the completion of the certification plan and generating at least one document to indicate that the mobile platform is in compliance based on the completed certification plan.
US07698221B2
A user's ability to spend and/or receive funds for payment accounts maintained in an electronic wallet are limited. These limitations include restrictions on where the user is able to spend the funds in a payment account (e.g., at which merchants the funds can be spent, whether the funds can be withdrawn from an ATM, etc.). These limitations may also include restrictions on what other payment accounts the user can receive funds from and/or transfer funds to, thereby limiting person-to-person fund transfers.
US07698206B2
The invention proposes an improvement for a method for collecting a debt. The method includes entering in a data processing system data at least including data concerning the debtor and the debt, permitting debt access to at least two parties to at least a part of the data entered in the system, and initiating an action for collecting the debt on a basis of the data entered in the database. The improvement comprises entering accounting data regarding accounts payable to the creditor and payments to the creditor into the system, enabling a financing party providing a loan to the creditor on the payable accounts to inspect at least a part of the accounting data for determining an amount of the loan based on at least the part of the accounting data.
US07698203B1
Methods and systems for ring-fencing assets of an investment fund. The investment fund may issue interest of a first interest type in the fund to investors. When one or more investors seek to redeem their interests and the aggregate value of the interest sought to be redeemed is greater than the redemption amount available from the fund, the redemption-requesting investors may be issued interests in the fund of a second interest type. The quantity and value of the interest of the second type issued may be based on the pro rata share of the redemption-requesting investor's interest in the assets of the fund at the time that the interests are issued. The assets of the fund as of the conversion date are ring fenced. Income attributable from the ring-fenced assets after the conversion date and/or proceeds derived from the disposition of ring-fenced assets after the conversion date is distributed to the investors having the second interest type. This process of income distribution and redemption of interests upon liquidation of investments may continue until all investments within the ring fence have been liquidated.
US07698197B1
Systems and techniques for providing an index of initial public offerings (IPOs) may include selecting a set of IPOs for inclusion in the IPO index (IPOX), selecting an index start date and base value, acquiring price data and weighting data for the selected IPOs, determining first adjustment factors associated with any new exclusion of an IPO from the selected set of IPOs, determining second adjustment factors associated with any new inclusion of an IPO in the selected set of IPOs, determining reconstitution dates for the index, and computing an index value based at least in part on the index start date and base value, the acquired price data and weighting data, and the determined first and second adjustment factors.
US07698196B1
Methods and systems are presented which permit more accurate analysis of the performance of private equity assets relative to the performance of a public index and also permit the simulation of private equity asset behavior during time periods for which reliable data for actual private equity performance is not available. The methods systems permit more accurate evaluation of a private equity asset relative to a benchmark, performance comparison of multiple private equity assets, the generation of scaled private equity data for use during simulation or other analysis under market conditions for which reliable private equity performance data is not available, risk analysis, rating and risk monitoring of private equity assets or structured products that invest in private equity assets, and as part of a private equity asset management and portfolio allocation tool.
US07698193B2
A method for determining a closing price of a security traded in an electronic market includes receiving a trade price of an executed trade of the security wherein the executed trade is executed during a trading session of the electronic market, comparing the received trade price to a market parameter of the security to determine the closing price of the security, and reporting the determined closing price of the security to a user.
US07698192B2
A mutual fund securitization process permitting the trading of open end mutual funds and linked derivative securities on or off the floor of a National Securities Exchange. The targeted individual open end mutual fund or group of open end mutual funds, selected through a screening process is securitized through the creation of a new, separate security. This new security is preferably a “closed end fund of funds” and linked derivative securities, which synthetically replicate the statistical relationship of the defined individual or group of open end mutual funds. The maintenance of financial records for the new security is maintained by electronically storing dividend, capital gains and income received from the open end funds which have been invested in, and calculating pro-forma financial statements to disseminate to shareholders and all relevant parties.
US07698189B2
A system, method and computer program product are provided for determining a minimum future benefits value for exercising a contingent claim of an option. The method may include determining a present value distribution of contingent future benefits at an expiration exercise point, and present values of respective exercise price(s) at the expiration exercise point and one or more decision points before that point, including discounting a respective distribution and values according to first and second discount rates, respectively. The method may also include defining a value as a function of a variable asset value at a selected decision point, the value being determinable based upon the present value distribution and present values, where the present value distribution may be correlated with the asset value. The function may then be solved for a root thereof, the root being selected as a minimum asset value.
US07698188B2
An automated and interactive system that facilitates efficient capitalization/liquidation and monitoring of private and publicly-traded enterprises through a network-driven marketplace is disclosed. The system may be comprised of a dynamic process for enterprise characterization, a customizable computational engine that utilizes statistical reference information to quantify a multi-factor scoring value for each unique enterprise, a customizable system for investor-users to filter, rank, and screen enterprise prospects, a customizable system for monitoring the performance of enterprises, an integrated internal system for electronic communication between market participants, and an empirical feedback system that provides a dynamic knowledge base of statistical reference information for various computational components of the invention.
US07698186B2
A computer-implemented method for monitoring transactions in a computer system includes monitoring events reported by components of the computer system responsively to a flow of the transactions through the system. A state machine model and a rule-based model are jointly applied to the monitored events, so as to identify respective transaction-level events and business-level events. A status of the flow of the transactions is assessed responsively to the transaction-level events and the business-level events.
US07698176B2
A method and computer system are provided for updating inventory data in an inventory management system through the use of a computer software application program. A request is initiated for receiving inventory models from an inventory management system. The inventory models may include default configuration data for inventoried equipment in the inventory management system. Next, the inventory model data is received from the inventory management system. Next, an inventory update form is generated for a selected inventory model. Then, the inventory update form is populated with updated inventory data. Finally, the updated inventory data is sent to the inventory management system to update the inventory. The updated inventory data may include specific configuration data for inventoried equipment in the inventory management system.
US07698173B1
A system for customizing content and presentation of content for computer users is disclosed. The system monitors and records a user's navigational choices to determine the user's needs and preferences for subsequent computer displays. Displays are customized in accordance with the user's needs and preferences. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an electronic marketing and shopping system accessible via the WWW is described. The shopping environment—including the opportunities presented to the shopper (content) and the appearance of the displays (presentation of content)—is customized according to the shopper's preferences. The functions of data collection and display customization are performed automatically by the electronic shopping system. To customize the environment, various attributes of Web pages or other displays provided by participating merchants are modified as they are accessed by shoppers using the system.
US07698169B2
A system and method to provide wanted ad listings within an e-commerce system. Wanted ads are posted by buyers of goods and services seeking to purchase items described within the wanted ad listings. Sellers of goods and services on the e-commerce server respond to wanted ad listings by providing a response on the wanted ad listing that provides a reference to the seller's listings for items currently being offered for sale. Buyers may use these responses from sellers to locate items matching wanted items. Buyers then may purchase the items offered for sale.
US07698168B2
Regardless of whether specific products are individual products or element products, the specific products are managed by the same product code while element products are associated and handled as a group of products. A product selection server presents the element products by associating them with one another for each group of products. A user terminal allocates a unique purchase group number for each group of products to element products in purchase-requested product data. The product selection server receives the purchase-requested product data and indicates a price as a group of products based on the purchase group number. An order entry server searches an incorrect from the purchase-requested product data based on the purchase group number. A factory terminal and a distribution terminal issue business forms based on the purchase group number.
US07698162B2
A customer satisfaction system, includes a query module for automatically sending queries to customers as to problems with goods or services provided by a provider according to a predetermined schedule and for receiving responses from customers to the queries; an analysis module for analyzing responses from customers and for sending responses indicating a problem to a problem solver for resolution; and at least one problem solver for responding to customer problems, for generating solutions to customer problems and for transmitting solutions to customers; wherein, upon transmission of a solution to a customer problem to a customer, the query module sends a query to the customer requesting verification that the problem has been solved.
US07698157B2
The present invention relates to a system and method for electronic and algorithmic data mining of an individual physician's prescribing history to determine the approximate distribution of diseases within their practice population for optimizing pharmaceutical sales and marketing. Rapid and large-scale determination of specific clinical safety and efficacy attributes of a marketed drug which are most pertinent and relevant to a given physician, when compared to a competitor's drug, are defined and tabularized. Major clinical characteristics taken into account include a drug's safety, efficacy, cost, dosing convenience, formulary insurance coverage, side effect profiles, and FDA approval for the intended use. A symbolic representation of knowledge is employed in which the marketed drug and each competitor's drug are compared algorithmically against each other with a scoring system that is based upon machine analysis of each major clinical characteristic. The score is further refined according to the number and severity of safety interactions which are relevant to the comparison, and also based upon predicted prevalence of such interactions within a specific physician's practice.
US07698148B2
The present invention provides a risk management tool and method for creating an improved initial risk management process that captures, assesses, and prioritizes risks and implements mitigation plans to more effectively manage risk in large-scale development projects. A web-based system allows users and management to share and access risk information to more readily identify and assess risks, develop mitigation plans and track the risk management process. The tool and specifically the Pf and Cf tables are tailored to each project to more accurately calculate and prioritize risk factors RF and thus anticipate and minimize or eliminate risks before they occur. The demonstrated value of the tool is found in timely deliveries and a reduction of cost overruns as well as an increase in customer enhanced award fees.
US07698145B2
A kiosk configured for selling and manufacturing customized food for a pet is disclosed. The kiosk comprises a customer interface area, a biological sample analysis and handling area, a base product display area, a product additive storage area, and an ingredient mixing and customer observation area.
US07698122B2
A node on a serial bus, preferably a device such as a personal computer (PC), can emulate other devices using virtual device drivers. A PC connected to a 1394 bus exposes its CROM on the bus which presents an image to other nodes on the 1394 bus and describes the functional units supported by the node. The CROM can be changed dynamically by adding unit directories to the CROM detailing peripherals connected to the PC. The PC can then be enumerated as the connected device by other PCs on the bus. The PC can emulate any desired device or even multiple devices at the same time. The invention also allows a PC to create devices that don't yet exist on the bus. The invention allows a user to create virtual device objects with device properties to have just in case a user plugs the particular device in to the PC.
US07698120B2
The method according to the invention is characterized in that on the basis of an existing task model, which may be provided by an expert, it is enhanced with the current state of the user in his task, the events allowing a change of state of the user are described, and the interaction to be performed with the user to manage an event is described for this event occurring during a state of the user. Advantageously, before each interaction procedure, the list of constraints necessary for triggering the interaction is added, and after each interaction procedure, the values that this interaction should provide according to the result of the interaction and which should be presented to the user as feedback are added.
US07698118B2
A dynamic reconfigurable interconnect network architecture in a logic simulation system that interconnects a plurality of simulation engines together, providing a high degree of interconnectivity in an efficient manner. The logic simulation system may create and manage linkable sub-programs for execution by a simulation engine. The logic simulation system may schedule various tasks in a design to be simulated, including horizontal and vertical partitioning of the design and determination of an order in which events such as clock edges and asynchronous signals are to be implemented by a logic simulation system.
US07698115B2
Described is a mechanism for dynamically allocating receive buffers on a server to a plurality of clients in a network environment. The server maintains a list of the number of transaction credits in use by each client, the number of transaction credits allocated to each client, and the number of pending transaction requests that are not being handled due to a limitation on the number of allocated transaction credits. The transaction credits correspond to the receive buffers. In a resource constrained situation, the server computes an equitable distribution of the available credits and reallocates the available credits based on that equitable distribution.
US07698108B2
A method for parameterization of data distributions for efficient information sharing in distributed sensor networks including a plurality of sensors, comprising the steps of performing Bayesian multi-source data fusion and sharing probalistic data information.
US07698106B2
A system, method, and computer program product for benchmarking a stream processing system are disclosed. The method comprises generating a plurality of correlated test streams. A semantically related data set is embedded within each of the test streams in the plurality of correlated test streams. The plurality of correlated test streams is provided to at least one stream processing system. A summary is generated for each of the semantically related embedded data sets. A common identifier, which is transparent to the system being tested, is embedded within each stream in the plurality of correlated test streams. The common identifier is extracted from the output data set generated by the stream processing system. At least one of the stored copies of the summaries and the common identifier are compared to an output data set including a set of zero or more correlation results generated by the stream processing system.
US07698102B2
The invention provides a method of diagnosing a system, a method of operating an aggregating system for system diagnosis and an aggregating system for system diagnosis, which are effective for achieving comprehensive and effective system cost reduction. For a target system, at least two or more kinds of diagnoses selected from a trap operation diagnosis, a fluid leakage diagnosis, a system improvement diagnosis and maintenance improvement diagnosis are effected in a batch and in reporting the results of these diagnoses in a batch, there are reported an economic advantage MQt″ obtained by reduction in a trap-passed seam loss Qt″, an economic advantage MQs, MQp, MQn obtained by reduction in fluid leakage loss Qs, Qp, Qn, an economic advantage Ma obtained by system improvement and an economic advantage Mb obtained by method improvement in a maintenance method.
US07698098B2
An unknown spectrum obtained from infrared or other spectroscopy can be compared to spectra in a reference library to find the best matches. The best match spectra can then each in turn be combined with the reference spectra, with the combinations also being screened for best matches versus the unknown spectrum. These resulting best matches can then also undergo the foregoing combination and comparison steps. The process can repeat in this manner until an appropriate stopping point is reached, for example, when a desired number of best matches are identified, when some predetermined number of iterations has been performed, etc. This methodology is able to return best-match spectra (and combinations of spectra) with far fewer computational steps and greater speed than if all possible combinations of reference spectra are considered.
US07698096B2
A game apparatus stores, when an output value is equal to a boundary value of a predetermined range, boundary angle data representing a boundary angle corresponding to a tilt angle of an input device. The game apparatus obtains, from an input device, data including a value changed in accordance with a tilt angle of the input device so as to calculate the tilt angle of the input device. Thereafter, when a tilt angle calculated in a tilt calculation step is greater than the boundary angle represented by the boundary angle data, the boundary angle data is updated such that the tilt angle calculated in the tilt calculation step becomes a new boundary angle. The output value is calculated based on a ratio of the tilt angle calculated in the tilt calculation step to the boundary angle represented by the boundary angle data.
US07698092B2
A portable electronic apparatus includes an acceleration detection unit, an evaluation-signal generation unit, and a control unit. The acceleration detection unit is configured to detect an acceleration generated in the portable electronic apparatus. The evaluation-signal generation unit is configured to carry out a predetermined process based on the acceleration detected by the acceleration detection unit in order to generate an evaluation signal representing the amplitude and positive or negative polarity of the acceleration. The control unit is configured to produce a result of determination as to whether or not the portable electronic apparatus has been driven to make a predetermined movement on the basis of the evaluation signal and carrying out a predetermined operation on the basis of the result of determination.
US07698088B2
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes conductors, and a transmitter including transmitter test circuitry to embed test properties in test pattern signals, and transmit the test pattern signals to the conductors. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes conductors to carry test pattern signals with embedded test properties, and receiver test circuitry to receive the test pattern signals and extract the test properties and determine whether the extracted test properties match expected test properties. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07698087B2
A program circuit activates a pass signal when a first program unit is programmed. The first program unit is programmed when a test of an internal circuit is passed. A mode setting circuit switches an operation mode to a normal operation mode or a test mode by external control. A state machine allows a partial circuit of the internal circuit to perform an unusual operation different from a normal operation when the pass signal is inactivated during the normal operation mode. By recognizing the unusual operation during the normal operation mode, it can be easily recognized that a semiconductor integrated circuit is bad. Since a failure can be recognized without shifting to the test mode, for example, a user who purchases the semiconductor integrated circuit can also easily recognize the failure.
US07698086B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a computer-implemented method for receiving information regarding a vehicle involved in an accident, determining availability of event data recorder (EDR) data from the vehicle based on the information, and if the EDR data is available, assigning a level of suitability for data collection from the EDR based at least in part on a type of the EDR and information regarding the accident.
US07698080B2
Methods for determining the most likely composition of sample are disclosed. The methods can include: obtaining data from a sample, where the data includes a representation of a measured spectrum; determining a precision state of the representation of the measured spectrum; providing a plurality of library candidates; for each library candidate, providing data representing each library candidate, where the data includes a representation of a library spectrum; determining a representation of the similarity of the sample to each library candidate; determining the most likely composition of the sample based upon the determined representations of similarity of the sample to each library candidate; and displaying the most likely composition of the sample to a user.
US07698079B2
Measurement of individual quiescent supply currents from multiple power supply pads located across a semiconductor die provides a means of characterizing across-die variation. A ratio is created by combining the individual pad supply current with the sum of all pad supply currents for a given die. An n-tuple is formed from the set of ratios for all pad supply currents to provide a unique signature for different across-die variation profiles.
US07698078B2
A method of communicating with an electric vehicle wherein the method includes a step of installing a communication device in the electric vehicle. The method also includes establishing a connection from the vehicle to a network. The methodology also includes controlling and monitoring a battery in the electric vehicle.
US07698077B2
An electronic signal level detection system and method are provided. The method receives an analog input signal having a variable voltage and compares the input signal voltage to a threshold. A detection signal is generated for input signal voltages exceeding the threshold in a periodic first time frame. In a second periodic time frame (following the first time frame), a count is updated in response to the generated detection signals. The count is used to create a metric representative of the difference between the input signal voltage and the threshold. The count is incremented in response to the generating a detection signal (“1”) in the first time frame, and decremented in response to not generating a detection signal (“0”) in the first time frame.
US07698072B2
Provided is a method for quantifying an initial concentration of a nucleic acid from a real-time nucleic acid amplification data. Nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) extracted from organism or virus is amplified using an enzyme. Then, the initial concentration of the nucleic acid is found by calculating the characteristic amplification cycle number or the characteristic amplification time at which the fluorescence intensity of the nucleic acid subtracted by the background fluorescence intensity of the nucleic acid has half of its maximum value, or the characteristic amplification cycle number or the characteristic amplification time at which the amplification efficiency has the maximum or the minimum value, or the prior-to-amplification fluorescence intensity of the nucleic acid subtracted by the background fluorescence intensity of the nucleic acid. Accordingly, the initial concentration of the nucleic acid can be calculated without differentiation or integration.
US07698066B2
A method and apparatus for estimating the slowness of a geological formation using waveforms recorded by an acoustic borehole logging tool. Phase slowness coherence is extracted from the recorded waveforms after transformation to the frequency domain (804) at various frequencies (806), and this is converted into a formation slowness curve (808) which can be used as an objective function from which an anomaly, such as a local maximum or minimum (810), can be identified as representative of an estimate of the formation slowness.
US07698062B1
Methods and systems are disclosed for finding a most convenient point of interest for a traveler traveling along a route to a destination. The method includes the steps of identifying the location of the traveler, receiving one or more traveler-specified convenience criteria (e.g., maximum distance or time off-route to arrive at the point of interest); receiving a traveler-specified type of point of interest (e.g., hotel, sporting goods store, ice cream parlor) indicating the type of point of interest the traveler wishes to go to while traveling to the destination; searching through a database containing points of interests and their locations for points of interest of the type specified by the traveler meeting the traveler-specified convenience criteria; and providing instructions to the traveler to travel to at least one of the points of interest identified in the searching step if the searching step resulted in finding at least one point of interest meeting the convenience criteria.
US07698059B2
A system aggregates entity location information from multiple documents distributed among multiple locations in a network. The system searches the entity location information to identify a first set of entities located within the entirety of a first geographic region selected by a user. The system provides a first digital map to the user via a network, the first digital map including the first geographic region and further including visual representations of the first set of identified entities and their associated geographic locations.
US07698055B2
Systems and methods are described for constructing predictive models, based on statistical machine learning, that can make forecasts about traffic flows and congestions, based on an abstraction of a traffic system into a set of random variables, including variables that represent the amount of time until there will be congestion at key troublespots and the time until congestions will resolve. Observational data includes traffic flows and dynamics, and other contextual data such as the time of day and day of week, holidays, school status, the timing and nature of major gatherings such as sporting events, weather reports, traffic incident reports, and construction and closure reports. The forecasting methods are used in alerting, the display graphical information about predictions about congestion on desktop on mobile devices, and in offline and real-time automated route recommendations and planning.
US07698052B2
In an engine rotation control device, a remote control operation device is provided with a remote control side ECU and an engine side ECU so that an outboard motor can be remotely controlled. The remote control side ECU and the engine side ECU periodically communicate a control signal. A gauge includes a slow-speed operation section that changes the engine rotational speed during slow-speed cruising. The slow-speed operation section outputs a change command signal to change the engine rotational speed, and a rotational speed change signal generated by a signal output section based on the change command signal is transmitted to the engine side ECU as a periodic control signal. A reset section of the remote control side ECU resets the rotational speed change signal to an initial state in response to a request from a reset request section.
US07698048B2
A control system for an engine of a vehicle includes a requested torque module that determines a first requested torque based on an accelerator pedal position and a current engine torque output capacity. An accelerator effective position module determines an accelerator effective position based on a requested driver axle torque request signal. A power enrichment (PE) module enables a PE mode to provide a richer than stoichiometric fuel equivalence ratio based on the first requested torque and the accelerator effective position.
US07698042B2
In response to the driver's brake OFF operation after a gearshift operation of a gearshift lever to a parking position, a motor MG2 is controlled to sequentially output a torque in a backward direction of a vehicle and a torque in a forward direction of the vehicle. Gears are accordingly engaged in a parking lock mechanism during rotation of a parking gear by an angle corresponding to half a tooth in the backward direction of the vehicle or during subsequent rotation of the parking gear by an angle corresponding to one tooth in the forward direction of the vehicle. This arrangement effectively ensures gear engagement in the parking lock mechanism, while desirably reducing a moving distance from a vehicle stop position before gear engagement in the parking lock mechanism.
US07698041B2
A drive unit includes an engine and a transmission having a variable transmission ratio. An instantaneous setpoint power output quantity of the drive unit is determined from an intended power output. The setpoint power output quantity is a function of the instantaneous transmission ratio of the transmission at least for a given intended power output.
US07698011B2
An operating condition monitoring apparatus includes a load-time information acquisition unit 203 obtaining load-time information, of one or more production apparatuses 11, concerning load time allocated to production within a predetermined period, an operating-time information acquisition unit 204 obtaining operating-time information, of one or more production apparatuses 11, concerning operating time that is operable time for the production apparatuses within the predetermined period, an individual operating-rate calculation unit 205 calculating an individual operating rate of one or more production apparatuses 11 by dividing the operating time indicated in the operating-time information by the load time indicated in the load-time information, and an output unit 213 outputting the individual operating rate, in order to identify the production apparatus causing the stoppage of a production line.
US07698005B2
A transmission unit of an information processing device transmits user identification information which identifies users, a password, and device identification information which identifies the information processing device to a management device which manages the information processing device. A receiving unit receives registration completion information which indicates that the user identification information, the password and the device identification information were associated with each other and registered at the management device. A storage unit stores device identification information transmitted by the transmission unit into a storage medium. A control unit controls the transmission unit to transmit device attribute information which indicates the attributes of the information processing device and request information which requests advertisement information in the event that the device identification information is not stored by the storage unit.
US07698002B2
There are provided systems and methods for user interface and identification in a medical device. More specifically, in one embodiment, there is provided a method for controlling a medical device, the method comprising receiving a gesture, processing the received gesture, comparing the processed gesture to a gesture database comprising a plurality of gestures and a plurality of commands for the medical device corresponding to each of the plurality of gestures, identifying one of the plurality of commands from the gesture database corresponding to the received gesture, and executing the command.
US07698000B2
An optical system and method are presented for use in a multi-photon microscope. The system comprises an imaging lens arrangement, and a pulse manipulator arrangement. The pulse manipulator arrangement comprises a temporal pulse manipulator unit which is accommodated in an optical path of an input pulse of an initial profile, and is configured to affect trajectories of light components of the input pulse impinging thereon so as to direct the light components towards an optical axis of the lens arrangement along different optical paths, said temporal light manipulator unit being accommodated in a front focal plane of the imaging lens arrangement, thereby enabling to restore the input pulse profile at an imaging plane.
US07697996B2
A guide catheter includes an outer guide having an open lumen and a longitudinal pre-stress line extending between a distal end and a proximal end of the outer guide. The outer guide has a longitudinal stiffness that facilitates transmission of forces and prevention of kinking during steering of the outer guide within cardiac vasculature and structures. An inner guide has an open lumen and is movably displaceable within the open lumen of the outer guide. At least a distal end of the outer guide and inner guide are dimensioned for passage into the patient's coronary sinus. A guide handle is connected to the proximal end of the outer guide and includes a longitudinal pre-stress line separable into at least two sections such that guide handle separation splits the outer guide along the longitudinal pre-stress line at the proximal end of the outer guide.
US07697995B2
The present invention provides for an improved apparatus and method for electrical stimulation. A paddle having a thickness up to 0.030 inches is implanted adjacent the spinal cord dura mater to reduce the likelihood of paralysis due to stress on the spinal cord attributed to bulkier leads. The paddle is then positioned so that at least one of a plurality of electrodes is positioned over the area of the spinal cord requiring pain treatment; and then electric stimulation is applied to the electrodes to effect pain treatment. In another embodiment the paddle is curved about a vertical axis to substantially match the shape of a human spinal cord dura mater to help reduce lead migration.
US07697990B2
Methods and apparatus for detection and treatment of respiratory disorders using implanted devices are described. In one form, afferent nerves are electrically or electro-mechanically stimulated to increase the tone of upper airway muscles. Detection of respiratory disorders is carried out using electrodes implanted in sub-pectoral regions. Open and closed airway apneas are distinguished using a combination of acoustic detectors and electrical transducers.
US07697989B1
A connector assembly includes a conductive collet spring with an annular base and integral circumferentially spaced cantilevered generally parallel arms terminating at tip members diametrically spaced closer than the diameter of the base. A conductive housing overlying and electrically and mechanically engaged with the collet spring engageably receives the electrical terminal of a medical stimulating device and includes a distal mounting flange. A non-conductive barrel is fittingly attached to the distal mounting flange of the housing and has an inner bore for receiving a medical electrical lead. A non-conductive header encapsulates the connector assembly, is mounted on the casing, and has a header bore aligned with the inner bore for receiving the medical electrical lead which, when inserted and sufficiently advanced through the header bore, the inner bore, and the annular base, the tip members firmly engage the proximal terminal pin thereof.
US07697987B2
A method and apparatus are provided for detecting cardiac arrhythmias during overdrive pacing. A maximum paced rate and a reduced paced rate for a heart are determined, the maximum paced rate being higher than the reduced paced rate. The heart is paced at the maximum paced rate. After the heart is paced at the maximum paced rate for a predetermined amount of time, the heart is paced at the reduced paced rate.
US07697983B1
A method and device for collecting and storing electrophysiological data is presented. The method comprises: (a) sensing electrophysiological data from a patient; (b) classifying data intervals as either a critical interval or a non-critical interval; (c) identifying an episode; and (d) directing storage of the data representing the episode in the memory unit, wherein the data representing the episode is stored at varying sampling frequencies depending on the classification of the data interval. The device comprises a sense circuit, a processor, and a memory unit, wherein the processor is adapted to perform the above-stated method.
US07697976B2
The invention relates to a non-invasive method to diagnose the changes of molecular structures of organism tissues from body surface and a dedicated apparatus. The apparatus is comprised of a Fourier Transform infrared spectrometer and a set of additional accessories. Said additional accessories include a mid-IR fiber optics sampling attachment, a fiber coupling part, and an infrared detector part. The detection method is comprised of placing the ATR probe of the dedicated apparatus on the skin surface of a region to be tested, and scanning more than one time in which the resolution of the apparatus is 1-32 cm−1 and the range of the spectrum is 800-4000 cm−1. It is possible to detect changes in molecular structures of living biological tissues in the early stages of cancer, and testees will not feel uncomfortable during testing. The method is easy to operate, quick, accurate, and it doesn't harm the body.
US07697971B1
A positioning system for an MRI system. One aspect includes a support member for moving a patient in a non-horizontal direction within a scanning area of the MRI system, a drive member for driving the support member, and a controller for controlling the drive member to position the patient at a desired location within the scanning area. One aspect includes a guide member attached to a floor beneath the scanning area for guiding a platform member along a first linear axis generally parallel to the floor and perpendicular to a magnetic field axis of a magnet of the MRI system. A controller controls a drive member to position the patient at a desired horizontal location within the scanning area. One aspect includes a frame, a platform member rotatably coupled to the frame. A controller controls a drive member to rotate the platform member and position the patient at a desired angle within the scanning area.
US07697969B2
A method of preplanning for guided medical procedures includes obtaining a first 3D diagnostic dataset for a region of interest of a subject. This first dataset can be a non-stereotactic dataset and provide sufficient contrast to identify target tissue in the region of interest. A treatment preplan is developed to treat the target tissue using the first dataset exclusive of stereotactic data. The treatment preplan includes placement locations for a plurality of initial radiation beams and their respective dose intensities. A second, stereotactic 3D dataset can be obtained for the region of interest. A registered dataset can then be created by registering the first dataset to the second dataset. The treatment preplan can be modified using data associated with the registering step to generate a stereotactic treatment plan including a plurality of radiation treatment beams with respective placement positions based on the registered dataset to treat the target tissue.
US07697967B2
Devices and methods for positioning a portion of a sensor at a first predetermined location, displacing the portion of the sensor from the first predetermined location to a second predetermined location, and detecting one or signals associated with an analyte level of a patient at the second predetermined location are disclosed. Also provided are systems and kits for use in analyte monitoring.
US07697964B2
A portable terminal includes: a first housing; a second housing rotatably connected to the first housing to open or close the housings. A hinge device interconnects the first and second housings. The hinge device provides first and second hinge axes extending perpendicular to each other, wherein the hinge device limits the rotation of the second housing about the second hinge axis when the second housing has been rotated about the hinge axis to the open position, and the hinge device limits the rotation of the second housing about the first hinge axis when the second housing has been rotated to the open position. The portable terminal with the inventive dual axis hinge device is configured in such a way that one housing can be positioned at the top side or lateral side of the other housing, whereby it is convenient to use the portable terminal and it is possible to secure structural stability and reliability.
US07697956B2
Methods and systems are provided for enabling a service provider to manage a service node that is separated from the service provider by a firewall. A dual-mode mobile device establishes separate secure connections with the service provider and the service node. The mobile device can then serve as a bridge between the service provider and the service node so that a secure management session can be initiated between the service provider and the service node. A method of managing a service node includes: establishing a first secure connection between a dual-mode mobile device and the service node; establishing a second secure connection between the dual-mode mobile device and a remote system; and initiating a secure management session between the service node and the remote system via the first secure connection and the second secure connection.
US07697947B2
A wireless communication device mixes audio content by combining audio signals from two or more different audio sources available at the wireless communication device and directing the mixed audio signal to a selected audio output circuit included in or associated with the wireless communication device. The audio signals can comprise received audio signals, stored audio signals, or a combination thereof. The audio signals can be synchronized, and one or more video signals may be synchronized with them. In at least one embodiment, the wireless communication device includes one or more circuits, such as a baseband or system processor, configured as a mixing circuit. An included (mixing) control circuit may be configured to control a user interface of the wireless communication device to support audio source selections, mixed audio signal output destinations, and audio signal control (volume, tone, etc.) for audio signals included in the mixed audio signal.
US07697940B2
A network apparatus for a stable handoff in an IP-based mobile ad hoc network system and a handoff method using the same. Present invention enables a handoff to be stably performed by pre-configuring a handoff to a new access router. The network apparatus of the present invention comprises a movement-determining unit for determining movement depending on the signal strength upon reception of a packet among network apparatuses operating on a communication mobile ad hoc network, and deciding a handoff to a new access router; a router-configuring unit for configuring information on the new access router for the handoff by performing beforehand the handoff to the new access router according to the results of the determination in the movement-determining unit; and a handoff-processing unit for performing the handoff to the new access router using the pre-configured information according to the determination in the movement-determining unit.
US07697938B2
The present invention provides a method of radio resource allocation. The method comprises associating a plurality of mobile units with a corresponding plurality of scheduling states based on at least one radio resource parameter and at least one rule, associating each mobile unit with one allocation state based on the plurality of scheduling states associated with the mobile units, and allocating radio resource to at least one mobile units based on the allocation states.
US07697936B2
To provide a base station apparatus that can automatically update the parameters required for radio communication. A pair of identifier for identifying the self station and radio communication parameter is notified to another base station existing in the neighborhood of the self station, and the path loss value between another base station and a mobile station and the pair of identifier and radio communication parameter for another base station is acquired. The pair of identifier and radio communication parameter reported by the self station is set and updated, based on this acquired information. Since it is updated in consideration of the path loss value reported from the mobile station, the parameter can be updated at higher precision.
US07697934B2
The current invention relates to the registration of mobile stations in a mobile communications network. It has particular relevance to handovers and roaming between base stations of an unlicensed radio access network (110) and those of a conventional cellular network (120). As the cells in an unlicensed radio access network have a rather small size, it means that handover potentially can occur far more frequently than for a conventional cellular network. This can result in an undesired ‘ping-pong’ effect, i.e. that the mobile station is switching back and forth between two radio cells too frequently. The current invention reduces this effect by preventing the mobile station to register to the unlicensed radio access network during a modifiable period of time (306).
US07697932B2
To set communication parameters, a communication apparatus identifies a communication parameter setting wireless network on the basis of a network identifier provided in itself. If the communication apparatus can identify any network identifier matching the network identifier provided in itself, it sets the communication parameters in cooperation with another communication apparatus in the wireless network. If no identifier can be identified, the communication apparatus switches the setting of the communication parameters to a manual operation.
US07697931B2
A method and system for performing an access procedure of a mobile communication terminal in a data communication system are disclosed. An exemplary method includes performing an access procedure with a network according to an established access type. The method then determines whether a failure of the access procedure has occurred. A counter value of an access control module is adjusted according to the determined result. Based on the magnitude of the adjusted counter value, the established access type may be abandoned, and another access type may be selected. Therefore, the access procedure suitable for the network environment is executed, such that the probability of success of the access procedure increases.
US07697929B2
A communication system includes a first communication module, and a second communication module. The first communication module may receive a first type of communication signal (e.g. a mobile telephone signal) and convert it into a second-type of communication signal (e.g., a millimeter wave radio signal). The first type of communication signal may be a mobile telephone signal from a first fire fighter's mobile telephone who is located outside of the building. The first communication module may transmit the second-type of communication signal to the second communication module.
US07697927B1
Disclosed is a handheld wireless device which works in cooperation with a facility system. The system includes a first network device. This first network device includes a webserver and a database on a network. A second network device is also included in the network. This second device includes a microcontroller. The microcontroller is adapted to receive commands from an application running on the webserver, and cause a switch device to control a facility public-address system in response to said first command. The system also includes an I/O controller. This I/O controller receives commands from the microcontroller to control the facilities hardware systems. With respect to hardware systems, the device may interact with the facilities HVAC system, lighting systems, door and locker locks, etc. With respect to the facilities communications systems, the device is able to interface with the buildings alarms, public-address systems, and bell systems.
US07697926B2
A device and method for generating user notifications associated with tasks that are pending completion on a mobile device. When additional input is required from a user of the mobile device to complete performance of a task and is not being received from the user within a predefined time period, at least one form of user notification is generated. The particular form or forms of user notification are defined by a user profile associated with the user. User notifications may comprise visual, audible, and/or vibratory alerts, and different forms of these user notifications may be generated in a sequence. The volume of audible alerts or the period between periodic user notifications may vary over time.
US07697922B2
Methods for notifying a user via a wireless communications device regarding the occurrence of an event are provided in which a request is received from a user for notification upon the occurrence of the event. At least one information source is monitored for the occurrence of the event. Once this monitoring indicates that the event has occurred, a notification message that the event has occurred is sent to the wireless communications device. Thereafter, a response is received from the wireless communications device. Related systems, devices and computer program products are also described.
US07697916B2
Frequency translation and applications of same are described herein. Such applications include, but are not limited to, frequency down-conversion, frequency up-conversion, enhanced signal reception, unified down-conversion and filtering, and combinations and applications of same.
US07697905B2
An scheme to provide local oscillator feedthrough offset cancellation to remove baseband and radio frequency coupled offsets. Two separate offset cancellation currents are injected at a driver which drives a baseband signal into a mixer to mix with a local oscillator signal. One offset cancellation current cancels a baseband local oscillator feedthrough offset, while the other offset cancellation current cancels a radio frequency local oscillator feedthrough offset.
US07697904B2
The diversity techniques—space time block code (STBC), maximum ratio combining (MRC)—with multiple antennas provide better reliability than general system. But there are some limitations such as size, cost, hardware complexity, etc, because of multiple antennas. In this letter, we propose a cooperative transmission technique using STBC. We can overcome those limitations and give the gain of cooperative transmission diversity in a concept of virtual multi-input multi-output (MIMO) with single transmit antenna.
US07697895B2
An offset history table is implemented and maintained in a BLUETOOTH device and is used to pre-seed an expected frequency offset of a received signal from another BLUETOOTH device. The disclosed offset history table includes one entry for each piconet device in a particular piconet, each entry including a best guess of the relevant piconet device's frequency offset with respect to the receiving BLUETOOTH device. Using a frequency offset history table and a pre-seeded frequency offset corresponding to an expected frequency offset based on the offset value maintained in the frequency offset history table, the performance of a BLUETOOTH device can be increased in a steady state piconet scenario.
US07697885B2
A jammer for jamming communications in a communications system where the communications system operates with digital bursts having burst periods measured in time and occurring in a communication frequency band such as GSM having a transmit band and a receive band. The jammer includes a tone comb generator for providing repetitions of jamming signals for the communication frequency band where the jamming signals have jamming signal intervals providing frequency separation between the jamming signals. The jamming signals are generated with a dwell time substantially less than a burst period for the communications system. The jamming signals are generated concurrently for the transmit band and the receive band and are transmitted as RF jamming signals to jam communications for mobile stations.
US07697884B2
The sheet conveying apparatus includes a first curl forming part provided downstream of a fixing part for fixing a toner image to a sheet, for curling the sheet; a second curl forming part provided downstream of the first curl forming part, for curling the sheet in a direction opposite to a direction in which the sheet is curled in the first curl forming part, in which a curling amount of the sheet in the second curl forming part is set to be smaller than that in the first curl forming part, and the curling amount of the sheet in the second curl forming part is variable according to rigidity of the sheet. Thus, a shape of the curled sheet can be reliably reformed with a simple structure.
US07697879B2
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus forming an image on a recording medium, includes: an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a photoconductive layer on a rigid base; an exposure device forming a latent image on the electrophotographic photosensitive member; a developer carrying member that carries a developer to develop the latent image using the developer in contact with the electrophotographic photosensitive member; and a cleaning blade that cleans the electrophotographic photosensitive member in contact with the electrophotographic photosensitive member, wherein the following expression is satisfied: Le≧Ldr>Lcl, where Le: a longitudinal length of the photoconductive layer Le, Ldr: a longitudinal length of the developer carrying member to be contacted with the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and Lcl: a longitudinal length of the cleaning blade to be contacted with the electrophotographic photosensitive member.
US07697877B2
An image forming apparatus is provided in which a toner is prevented from flowing and being agglomerated, at the time of application of a fixer fluid to a toner image so as to fix the toner image to a recording medium, and the recording medium is prevented from generating curl and wrinkle, and consumption of the fixer fluid and electricity can be reduced, and even a multicolored toner image can be fixed for a relatively short time. An image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming section, an intermediate transfer section, a secondary transfer section, a heating section, a fixer fluid applying section, and a recording medium supplying section. A recording medium carrying the toner image on a surface thereof is heated by the heating section and then, a fixer fluid is applied to the toner image by the fixer fluid applying section so that the toner image is fixed.
US07697869B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit having a developer accepting part accepting supplied developer and a developer supply unit having a developer supply part supplying the developer to the developer accepting part, wherein the developer accepting part is provided near one end in the longitudinal direction of the image forming unit, the developer supply unit is provided near one end in the longitudinal direction of the developer supply unit, and the image forming unit and the developer supply unit are arranged in a position where one end in the longitudinal direction of the developer supply unit is nearly orthogonal to the image forming unit near one end in the longitudinal direction of the image forming unit.
US07697864B2
A developing device includes a housing that stores developer; a developing roll that is rotatably supported in the housing and has a developing region with a roughened surface that supplies developer to an image region of an image holding member; a step portion that is formed at both sides of the developing region of the developing roll and whose diameter is smaller than that of the developing region; and a seal member that contacts a region of the step portion that is opposite to the image holding member.
US07697862B2
A high voltage switch device includes a plurality of switches installed between a high voltage power unit and a plurality of developing units. A plurality of cams are disposed on a cam shaft corresponding to the respective switches. The switches are selectively turned “on” and “off” as the cam shaft rotates.
US07697861B2
A printing apparatus receives a plurality of print jobs containing print data from a host computer connected thereto through a network. The printing apparatus temporarily stores the print job in a storage unit to print the print data. The printing apparatus receives a request to pause or restart printing of a print job, and controls execution of the print job in response to the request. Upon receiving a request to restart a print job being paused, the printing apparatus determines a printing order according to a predetermined condition to print the print job.
US07697845B2
An optical add-drop function part of an optical add-drop multiplexer has an output end of transmitted light signal in which an optical termination mechanism formed by an optical detector for detecting open of an optical fiber, an optical switch, and an optical terminator are mounted. Further, a reflection level calculation circuit, a reflection warning determination circuit, and an optical switch selection circuit are mounted to perform laser safety in the optical add-drop function part as well. The laser safety part in the optical add-drop function part is operated earlier than the laser safety part in an optical amplification function part.
US07697844B2
The present disclosure provides a system and method for allocating bandwidth in remote equipment on a passive optical network (PON), wherein the system includes an optical line terminal (OLT), which monitors the acceptance of traffic requesting the PON remote equipment for service and configures through signaling control the parameters for the operation of classifying, shaping, and scheduling the traffic in the remote equipment, and a remote equipment which classifies, shapes, and schedules the accepted traffic based on the parameters configured by the OLT and allocates a proper bandwidth to the accepted traffic, and outputs the traffic in the scheduled order. The present disclosure helps ensure the bandwidth and delay requirements of individual traffic flows in the PON remote equipment are met and interaction between traffic of the same or different service class groups is eliminated.
US07697840B2
A display screen device includes a display panel on which a first image is displayed, and an electroluminescent display which displays a second image and is positioned to extend substantially entirely over one surface of the display panel so that the first image and the second image can be selectively displayed and so that the first image and the second image can be displayed in a superimposed manner.
US07697830B2
A digital camera includes a phase difference AF sensor unit, phase difference AF detection unit, contrast AF detection unit, lens driving unit which focuses a taking lens, shading determination unit which determines based on lens information of the taking lens whether focus detection by the phase difference AF sensor unit is possible, and an AF control unit. The AF control unit cause the lens driving unit to focus the taking lens based on a focus detection result of the phase difference AF detection unit when the shading determination unit determines that the focus detection by the phase difference AF sensor unit is possible, and causes the lens driving unit to focus the taking lens based on a focus detection result of the contrast AF detection unit when the shading determination unit determines that the focus detection by the phase difference AF sensor unit is not possible.
US07697826B2
A hand-guided or stationary power tool has a drive unit having a motor that includes a rotor having a permanent magnet and a stator and has a motor control designed to trigger the motor in a first rotational speed range according to a voltage-controlled mode and to trigger the motor in a second rotational speed range following the first rotational speed range in the direction of a higher rotational speed according to a field-weakening operation.
US07697819B2
A storage medium including audio-video (AV) data and application programs for providing additional functions using the AV data includes: movie mode data for reproducing audio-visual (AV) data; program mode data including a plurality of application programs for providing additional functions using the AV data; system data for controlling the execution of the movie mode data and the program mode data; and management information for managing the execution of the application programs in a unit of title, wherein the system data comprises mode information indicating whether a reproduction mode of a title to be reproduced is a movie mode or a program mode.
US07697817B2
A picture processing apparatus for processing picture signals of different formats. A memory stores input picture signals. A read-out section reads the picture signals stored in the memory in terms of a preset number of the picture signals as a unit. An interpolation section interpolates picture signals for a preset position by executing preset calculations on the plural picture signals read out. For picture signals of an HD format, the picture signals are simultaneously read out in terms of the four pixels as a unit to execute four-point interpolation processing. Whilst for picture signals of an SD format, after a conversion to a 960.times.720 frame picture by applying field/frame conversion and doubling the number of the pixels in the vertical direction, the picture signals are stored in the memory. The operating frequency and the number of times of operations of the read-out section and the interpolation section are changed to values as large as four times those. Thus, the picture signals of the SD format are simultaneously read out four times in terms of the four pixels as a unit to execute the 16-point interpolation processing.
US07697816B2
A circulating memory apparatus and a data storage and distribution system using a circulating recording area effectively and having an improved access efficiency to the circulating recording area are disclosed. A memory area secured in a disk unit is used in circulation thereby to record the time series input data. The time series input data are edited into a data block of a predetermined size including a plurality of subblocks, and written into the disk unit by data block. In response to a request for outputting specific data, the data are read by subblock from the disk unit into a cache memory thereby to selectively output the specific data contained in the subblocks.
US07697807B2
An optical component includes a support structure having a first composition including a recessive phase material and a second composition including protrusive phase material, the protrusive phase material defining a plurality of spaced apart surface features, each of the surface features comprising a distal end opposite the support structure, integrated with the support structure, and protruding distally from a surface of the support structure, each of the surface features reducing in cross sectional area distally from the support structure to provide a lowest cross sectional area at the distal end, the recessive phase material supporting and separating the surface features and defining a contiguous recessed surface area between the surface features, at least two of the protrusive features being characterized as optical waveguides.
US07697806B2
A fiber optic cable with detectable ferromagnetic components may include a plurality of detectable ferromagnetic components distributed longitudinally along the cable and insulated from each other. The fiber optic cable may contain the typical layers of fiber core, cladding, coating, strengthening fibers, and cable jacket. Each of the detectable ferromagnetic components may be a ferromagnetic metal strip forming a band around the cable. The metal bands may be distributed at different locations of the cable. Other ferromagnetic materials than metal may be used, as long as they are detectable by a metal detector. The detectable ferromagnetic components may form patterns that may be identified by the metal detector.
US07697805B2
An FBG system with lower power supplied to a temperature controller, while allowing for precise temperature control of an FBG grating. The FBG system includes a high temperature FBG-mounting structure and a low temperature FBG-mounting structure, and a housing containing them. The high temperature FBG-mounting structure includes an FBG module and a thermo module. The temperature of the FBG in the FBG module may be made higher than the environmental temperature by supplying heat from a heat-conducting portion to the thermo module. The low temperature FBG-mounting structure includes an FBG module and a thermo module. The temperature of the FBG in the latter FBG module may be made lower than the environmental temperature by supplying heat from the latter thermo module to the heat-conducting portion. The FBG-mounting structures are provided in parallel on the inner bottom surface of the heat-conducting portion, part of the housing.
US07697801B2
A spectrally selective optical switch is disclosed. The switch comprises a first and a second optical waveguide each having a light guiding structure arranged to guide light along a predetermined path, the optical waveguides being arranged adjacent and parallel to each other; an external resonator defined by a first and a second mirror, said first and said second mirror being provided on opposite sides and outside of said first and second light guiding structures, and said external resonator being resonant to a specific wavelength; and a deflector provided in each of said first and second optical waveguide, the deflectors being arranged to deflect light propagating in one of the light guiding structures to the other light guiding structure by operation of said external resonator. A matrix switch is also disclosed.
US07697799B2
A light receiving device includes a first receiving structure and a second receiving structure. The first receiving structure has a first concentric coupling periodic structure provided in a first surface of a conductive thin film formed on a substrate, a first opening located at a center of the first concentric coupling periodic structure, and a first light receiving section located at an opening end of the first opening. The second receiving structure has a second concentric coupling periodic structure provided in the first surface of the conductive thin film, a second opening located at a center of the second concentric coupling periodic structure, and a second light receiving section located at an opening end of the second opening. The second light receiving section is electrically isolated from the first light receiving section.
US07697798B2
A catheter with many fiber optic pressure sensors. The sensor diaphragm is formed from a wafer with a thin silicon layer and a silicon substrate layer separated by a silicon dioxide layer. A method includes masking and etching channels through the silicon substrate layer in a pattern of concentric circles to form a concentric circular etched channels and cylindrical unetched portions of the silicon substrate layer between the channels, exposing the silicon dioxide in the etched regions, and dissolving the exposed silicon dioxide to expose the crystalline silicon layer in the etched regions. The unetched cylindrical portion of the silicon substrate forms the diaphragm support element and the thin silicon layer forms the diaphragm. After applying a reflective coating to the exposed thin silicon layer, the support element face is adhered to the end face of a tubular housing, and a fiber optic probe is inserted in the tubular housing.
US07697796B2
An optical waveguide sensing method and device in which a waveguide layer receives an optical signal and propagates the optical signal in accordance with a predetermined optical waveguide propagation mode. A testing medium surface in communication with the waveguide layer is responsive to a testing medium for modifying at least one characteristic of the propagated optical signal in relation to a given parameter of the testing medium. In this manner, the modified characteristic of the propagated optical signal can be measured in view of determining the given parameter of the testing medium.
US07697795B2
The present invention relates to the modulation of light traveling along a waveguide, in particular to the acoustic modulation of the light. There is provide a modulator arrangement for acoustically modulating optical radiation. The modulator arrangement has: a waveguide portion formed from a flexible material; a vibrator element for generating acoustic vibrations; and, a coupling arrangement for releasably coupling the vibrating element to the waveguide portion, the coupling arrangement including a first coupling member secured to the waveguide portion, and a second coupling member secured to the vibrator element. The second coupling member is removable from the first coupling member, and the first coupling member has a substantially rigid portion for retaining the shape of the waveguide when the second coupling member is removed from the first coupling member.
US07697789B2
A multifunction apparatus and method for enhancing store binary image data, is disclosed. The method includes retrieving the stored binary image data, converting the binary image data into higher-resolution image data, determining image enhancement processes, and applying the image enhancement processes to the higher-resolution image data to produce an enhanced image. The method further includes determining output format of the enhanced image and outputting the enhanced image.
US07697788B2
An identifying system is provided for identifying a geometrical element in an image automatically. The image may be retrieved from an image capturing apparatus and is imported in a coordinate system. The identifying system includes: a collecting module for collecting dots from the image as a dot muster and retrieving coordinates of all dots of the dot muster from the coordinate system; a curve fitting and geometrical element identifying module for curve fitting according to the coordinates of all the dots of the dot muster to identify what geometrical element the dot muster is; a storing module for storing the coordinates of all the dots of the dot muster, data produced during the curve fitting process, and result data of curve fitting and geometrical element identifying; and an outputting module for outputting the result data. A related identifying method is also provided.
US07697770B2
The method includes the following units: a coefficient number detecting unit (109) for detecting the number of coefficients which has a value other than 0 for each block according to the generated coefficient, a coefficient number storing unit (110) for storing the number of coefficients detected, a coefficient number coding unit (111) for selecting a table for variable length coding based on the numbers of coefficients in the coded blocks located on the periphery of a current block to be coded with reference to the selected table for variable length coding so as to perform variable length coding for the number of coefficients.
US07697764B2
Respective components of a leukocyte particle size pattern that includes a plurality of cellular component fractions are separated by performing a mixture density approximation using an EM algorithm, and characteristic parameters of each fraction are clustered. A similarity search with attention paid to a distribution pattern of a cell group of interest is thereby executed. An algorithm capable of doing a highly accurate similarity search from general viewpoints such as a search for the respective cellular components of a leukocyte or a combination of the respective components is developed. In addition, information useful for a diagnosis is provided.
US07697751B2
Methods and apparatus for generating composite images for displays are provided. For some embodiments, ray tracing algorithms may be utilized to efficiently generate a composite image corresponding to multiple views. Because ray tracing is done on a per pixel basis, it is possible to generate pixel values for only those pixels that will be allocated to a particular image view. By tracing rays from a viewpoint only through those pixels allocated to displaying images corresponding to that viewpoint, a composite image may be generated without discarding pixel data.
US07697750B2
A refinement in optics providing images with improved sharpness, better control of depth of field, vision-improvement applications, and 3-D capture and display.
US07697749B2
A stereo image processing apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises an imaging device for taking a pair of images of an object for stereo image processing purpose; a stereo processor for correlating the pair of images for each small area thereof to thereby perform stereo matching processing for identifying corresponding areas, and obtaining an evaluation function as a result of said stereo matching processing, distance information to said object obtained based on said evaluation function, and reliability information indicating a reliability of said distance information; a parallax corrector for setting an adaptive search range around a small area in question according to said reliability information, obtaining a corrected evaluation function by correcting said evaluation function obtained for said small area in question based on said evaluation function obtained for a respective small area within said adaptive search range, and correcting said distance information based on said corrected evaluation function obtained.
US07697745B2
In an enclosure inspection apparatus 11, when a sealed letter 2 is inputted into a sealed letter loading station A, visual inspecting means 27 and X-ray inspecting means 33 determine thickness of the sealed letter and whether an enclosure in the sealed letter is a predetermined suspected object. The sealed letter not less than a predetermined thickness is rejected in first sorting station D, and the sealed letter which is not thicker than the predetermined thickness and in which the suspected object is not detected is conveyed as it is to second sorting station G. As for the sealed letter which is not thicker than the predetermined thickness and in which the suspected object is detected, after the suspected object in the sealed letter is positioned in a positioning station E, a suspected object inspecting station F determines whether the above-described suspected object is a predetermined object, such as an explosive or a narcotic drug, using a terahertz wave.It is possible to detect promptly the presence of the objects even if there are a large number of sealed letters.
US07697736B2
A face detection method and apparatus using a level-set method. The method includes: laying a first initial shape model over a face image; evolving shape curves of the first initial shape model using the level-set method; detecting first through M-th neighboring boundary points that neighbor first through M-th initial boundary points of the first initial shape model, and that neighbor the evolved shape curves, M being a positive integer larger than 1; laying a modified shape model rendered using the detected first through M-th neighboring boundary points over the face image; detecting a rotation angle of the modified shape model; determining whether the detected rotation angle of the modified shape model is within a predetermined angle range; and selecting one of a second initial shape model, which is rotated to the left, or a third initial shape model, which is rotated to the right, according to the detected rotation angle, and laying the selected initial shape model over the face image, and returning to the detecting of the first through M-th neighboring boundary points, when the detected rotation angle of the modified shape model is outside the predetermined angle range.
US07697732B2
An apparatus and method for generating a plurality of facial image templates for a plurality of face classes is provided. An input facial image and a plurality of facial image templates are received, where each facial image template of the facial image templates is previously generated for each face class of the face classes. A correlation between the input facial image and each facial image template is determined such that the input facial image is classified into one of the face classes based on the determined correlation between the input facial image and each facial image template. A plurality of facial image templates representing orientations of the input facial images is then generated.
US07697730B2
In a biometrics authentication device which uses biometrics information to authenticate individuals, guidance is provided such that image capture of biometrics information is performed appropriately. An image capture device is caused to perform a plurality of image capture operations (including distance measurement) at short intervals. And when image capture NG occurs frequently, a control unit stacks the NG results, and if image capture NGs are not resolved even after a prescribed number of image capture operations, judges that the relation between the body part and the image capture device must be corrected, analyzes the stacked image capture NG causes, and displays a guidance screen on a display device according to the analysis result.
US07697728B2
A document processing system and method for using image quality to sort documents. The document processing system comprises: a document sorting system that designates a destination pocket for each document based on data gathered from each document; a document imaging system that captures an image of each document; and an image quality analysis system that analyzes each image and causes any document having an unacceptable image to be redirected to an unacceptable destination pocket.
US07697726B2
An interferometer system (2) directs light along a sample path (SP) towards a sample surface (7) and along a reference path (RP) towards a reference surface (6). Light reflected by a sample surface region and by the reference surface interfere. Sensing elements (SE) sense interference fringes at intervals along a scan path to provide a set of intensity data. A coherence peak position determiner (201) determines from the intensity data set a position on the scan path that corresponds to the height of the surface region. An amplitude determiner (202) determines amplitude data representing the amplitude of the intensity data at the determined height position. A modified surface height calculator (207) calculates modified height data by modifying the height data by a correction factor determined using the corresponding amplitude data and a correction parameter provided by a correction parameter provider (260).
US07697724B1
A system including a data acquisition system and a processing system is provided. The data acquisition system is configured to capture a first reference frame that includes a first feature in a first imaging area on a substrate prior to a relative position between the data acquisition system and the substrate being adjusted by approximately a predetermined distance during a first time period, capture a first comparison frame that includes the first feature in a second imaging area on the substrate and a second reference frame that includes a second feature in the first imaging area on the substrate subsequent to the first time period, and capture a second comparison frame that includes the second feature in the second imaging area on the substrate subsequent to the relative position being adjusted by approximately the predetermined distance during a second time period that is subsequent to the first time period. The second imaging area is separated from the first imaging area by the predetermined distance. The processing system is configured to determine a displacement sum using a first displacement between the first feature in the first reference frame and the first feature in the first comparison frame and a second displacement between the second feature in the second reference frame and the second feature in the second comparison frame.
US07697719B2
The presently claimed invention relates generally to processing audio and video content. One claim recites an apparatus including: one or more electronic processors. The processors are programmed for: (i) processing data representing audio content or video content to extract identifying information therefrom, the data obtained via a network access point, the processing processes data representing audible portions of the audio content or processes data representing picture elements of the video content; (ii) upon obtaining the identifying information from the data, determining whether to allow the audio content or video content to be communicated through the network access point; and (iii) controlling provision of a notice including at least some details associated with said determining. Of course, other combinations and claims are provided as well.
US07697714B2
A method of associating an object with a sticker placed on a surface is disclosed. The sticker has coded data encoding a sticker identity. The sticker also has a region which exposes a position on the surface. The surface has coded data encoding surface identity and locations on the surface. The method starts by receiving indicating data from a sensing device which sensed the sticker and surface coded data respectively. The indicating data is indicative of the sticker identity, the surface identity and the position on the surface exposed by the sticker. The object is also identified, and the object is associated with the sticker identity, the surface identity, and the position on the surface exposed by the sticker.
US07697708B2
It provides a condenser microphone such as a tiepin type including a small microphone unit, which is capable of effectively suppressing noise generation due to an electromagnetic wave. It covers the entirety from a microphone unit 12 to a connecting cable 22 with an integrally formed cover member 32 and connects the cover member 32 to a shielded wire 25 so as to electromagnetically shield the entirety.
US07697705B2
A programmable digital hearing aid circuit and method for operating and programming same are disclosed. The device provides a flexible means to compensate for undesirable frequency response distortion normally due to the electro-acoustical characteristics of the microphone, receiver, and sound coupling mechanisms employed in hearing aid design. Parameters of the programmable hearing aid circuit may also be set to tailor the hearing aid response characteristics for the frequency-dependent hearing loss of an individual hearing aid user. The device is intended to make available a significant improvement in audio fidelity to users of hearing aid devices.
US07697703B2
While an AUX-bus selecting operator is being operated beyond a predetermined time period, displays of channel-ON operators, normally indicating ON/OFF states of corresponding input channels, indicate ON/OFF states of signal delivery from the input channels to the AUX bus. Thus, a user can readily confirm, with minimized operation, the ON/OFF states of the signal delivery from the input channels to the second bus. Operating any one of the channel-ON operators in this state can change the ON/OFF state of the signal delivery from the corresponding input channel to the AUX bus. Further, operating the AUX-bus selecting switch while keeping operating the layer operator, current fader settings of the input channels can be copied as delivery levels of signals from the input channels to the AUX bus. Because the delivery levels of sound signals from the input channels to the bus can be set using the fader settings of the input channels as initial values, time and labor necessary for the setting operation can be minimized.
US07697702B2
The present invention provides a condenser microphone having a proximity sensor consisting of an infrared light emitting diode and an infrared photodetector, the condenser microphone preventing the occurrence of noise and the malfunctioning of the infrared photodetector when the infrared light emitting diode is lighted using an AC component. Specifically, the present invention provides a condenser microphone operated using a predetermined DC power source; an infrared light emitting diode 20 is lighted at a predetermined frequency by an oscillation circuit 22 using an AC component, and a microphone output is turned on and off by an output signal from the infrared photodetector 21 which is tuned to the predetermined frequency. The condenser microphone further includes two DC-DC converters 23 and 24 connected in parallel with the DC power source. One 23 of the DC-DC converters 23 supplies power to the infrared light emitting diode 20 and the oscillation circuit 22. The other DC-DC converter 24 supplies power to the infrared photodetector 21.
US07697700B2
Reduction of noise in a device having a console with one or more microphones and a source of narrow band distributed noise located on the console is disclosed. A microphone signal containing a broad band distributed desired sound and narrow band distributed noise is divided amongst a plurality of frequency bins. For each frequency bin, it is determined whether a portion of the signal within the frequency bin belongs to a narrow band distribution characteristic of the source of narrow band noise located on the console. Any frequency bins containing portions of the signal belonging to the narrow band distribution are filtered to reduce the narrow band noise.
US07697686B2
Example embodiments are directed to a digital audio/video (AV) data processing unit and a method of controlling access to the digital AV data. The processing unit of AV digital data includes a deciphering unit of the AV data, a decompression unit, an input/output interface of the processed AV data and communication device towards a security module. The deciphering and decompression units respectively include an encryption unit and a decryption unit, each having at least one personal key and a common encryption key. Deciphering the AV data using the control words and re-encrypting the deciphered AV data occurs only after a successful verification of the control word and the common key. After temporary storage, the re-encrypted AV data cannot be decrypted by the decryption unit unless the common key has been positively verified by the security module by way of a random number generated by the decryption unit.
US07697682B2
An encryption apparatus having an encryption interruption/restart function and temporarily interrupting packet processing accompanied with encryption to first process packets having a higher priority order, having a data storage memory for storing data for processing, a common key cipher block for encrypting transferred data to be processed by a common key cipher, and a memory access controller for controlling the data transfer from the data storage memory to the common key cipher block based on a descriptor providing information instructing the transfer data to be processed from the data storage memory, wherein the descriptor includes a descriptor format for instructing a cipher algorithm in the common key cipher and for instructing an encryption mode, and an encryption method.
US07697681B2
The present invention provides a parallelizable integrity-aware encryption technique. In at least one embodiment of the invention, a parallelizable integrity-aware encryption method comprises whitening at least one message block with a first mask value, encrypting the whitened at least one message block using a block cipher and a first key, and whitening the encrypted at least one message block with a second mask value to generate at least one corresponding output ciphertext block. In another embodiment of the invention, a parallelizable integrity-aware encryption method comprises applying a XOR function to all blocks of a message to compute a XOR-sum, applying a first mask value to the XOR-sum; encrypting the masked XOR-sum using a block cipher and a first key, and applying a second mask value to the encrypted XOR-sum to generate an integrity tag.
US07697677B2
A method for call distribution is disclosed, where an incoming call is forwarded by a switching device to a call distribution device via dialing information input by the caller. The call distribution apparatus device checks whether the dialing information contains permissible inquiry information. If this is not so, the caller is requested to input inquiry information by an interactive voice response device. The call distribution apparatus causes the call to be switched to an agent responsible for the specified inquiry via the switching device via the inquiry information contained in the dialing information or interrogated by the voice response device.
US07697669B2
The present invention relates to a tethered digital butler consumer electronics product and method. The tethered digital butler, of a price and form factor suitable for consumer electronics markets of developed and developing countries, includes a communications and multi-media console and a wireless remote. The remote may resemble a handheld personal computer (HPC), a palm-held personal computer (PPC or PDA) or a smart phone, but has a low cost and feature set supported by the console that is novel in the consumer electronics market. In particular, this disclosure relates to combining telephone service, device control and, optionally, a fingerprint reader for easy user identification/authorization and personalization. As another option, a camera can be incorporated into the remote, thereby enabling video conferencing and other visual features. Alternatively, the remote may be packaged separately from a console and sold to interact with capabilities of a communications and console, set-top box, multi-media PC or other consumer electronics device from a different source, such as one running on a Windows, OS X or Linux platform, with or without telephone capabilities. The remote may include a media reader and remote USB port.
US07697666B2
A method, system and computer-usable medium for optimizing retrieval of customer data needed to handle a call are presented. The method includes the steps of receiving a call at a data center; initiating a query for a business data related to the call; creating a key that identifies the business data related to the call; pre-fetching the business data using the key with a lookup table; caching the pre-fetched business data; attaching the key to the call; routing the call with the attached key to a desktop agent; receiving a request from the desktop agent for the pre-fetched business data; retrieving the cached pre-fetched business data; and transmitting the cached pre-fetched business data to the desktop agent.
US07697654B1
Techniques are provided to determine a more realistic measure of a physical carrier-to-interference plus noise radio (pCINR) associated with a wireless channel between first and second wireless communication devices. Channel conditions are used to derive a channel margin quantity that is in turn used “discount” the pCINR. The discounted pCINR is then used to determine a modulation and encoding scheme that can be used on the wireless channel for communications between the first and second wireless communication devices.
US07697650B2
A phase measurement system for measuring phase between an input signal having a frequency and a reference signal having a substantially different frequency includes: a phase comparator having an output representing a time between a crossing of a first threshold by a clock derived from the reference signal and a predetermined time along an interval from a first sample to a second sample, where the input signal crosses a second threshold on the interval; an interpolator having an output indicative of an interpolated time of the second-threshold-crossing on the interval in the input signal; and a phase calculator which computes the phase difference by combining the phase comparator output and the interpolator output.
US07697638B2
Blind modulation detection in a receiver of a wireless communication device calculates error energies for PSK and GMSK based on differences between a received training sequence signal and synthesized training signals generated from PSK and GMSK channel estimations and a known training sequence phase rotated by 3π/8 and π/2 per symbol, respectively. A highly reliable modulation detection in a Single Antenna Interference Cancellation (SAIC) operational environment is achieved by a dual comparison of a total energy value of the received signal and the two error energies. PSK is determined if the PSK error energy value is found to be lower than both the GMSK error energy value and the total energy value by predetermined thresholds; otherwise the modulation type is determined to be GMSK.
US07697636B2
A process of correction of the spectral inversion for a receiver in a digital communication system: the process allows the reception in the receiver of a training sequence presumably known according to a modulation of type π/2 BPSK or MDP2. The process includes the following steps: Demodulating of the training sequence; Calculating of the differential correlation on a set of N received samples (Rn) and presumably sent (Sn) to generate a result; Using the result to detect the beginning of the frame and to order a spectral inversion in the chain of reception of the aforementioned receiver before launching the detection of the beginning of the frame. A receiver to process automatically the spectral inversion is also described.
US07697635B2
A receiver for a digital communication signal has a first decision gate (DGa), which has a first decision threshold (xd) for outputting a first decision signal, a second decision gate (DGb), which has a second decision threshold (xm) for outputting a second decision signal, a counter (CNT) for counting events where the first and second decision signals of the first and second decision gates (DGa, DGb) differ from each other, and a controller (PROC) capable of controlling the decision thresholds of said first and second decision gates in accordance with count values delivered by said counter. The controller (PROC) determines an initial decision threshold value by performing a statistical analysis of the received signal and setting the decision threshold such that the distribution of logical ‘0’ and logical ‘1’ in the decided signal corresponds to the expected distribution, which is in typically 50%/50%.
US07697626B2
A method and apparatus for selecting a beam combination of beam switched antennas in a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless communication system including a first node and a second node. The first node sends a plurality of modulation and coding scheme (MCS) requests to the second node. Each of the plurality of MCS requests is sent using a particular beam combination. The second node receives the MCS requests and generates MCS feedback signals for each of the MCS requests. Each MCS feedback signal includes an MCS recommendation for the particular beam. The first node selects a beam combination for communicating with the second node based on the MCS recommendations.
US07697623B2
A method and system switches antennas in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexed access (OFDMA) wireless communication system while transmitting symbols. Each symbol includes a cyclic prefix and a block of data signals. The symbols are transmitted during a first portion of a transmission time interval (TTI), from a first antenna. Then, the RF chain is switched to a second antenna to transmit the symbols, and in which the switching is performed substantially between transmitting two consecutive transmitted symbols.
US07697621B2
A method of detecting the power loadings at a receiver wherein estimation of power loadings based on the received reference signals is unnecessary. Channel condition is obtained for each channel and transmission power loading per channel is detected according to channel condition, wherein estimation of power loadings based on the received reference signals is unnecessary. A received encoded information bit stream is then decoded according to the detected power loading per channel.
US07697619B2
An improved training sequence for estimating a channel (e.g., channel impulse response) in the time domain is disclosed. The improved training sequence enables time-domain estimation and eliminates the need for correct frequency-domain channel estimation at every frequency. By utilizing the training sequence according to the invention, estimation of each of a plurality of time-domain channel taps can be decoupled from each other. This enables a channel estimate to be performed with not only a higher convergence speed but also lower complexity.
US07697616B2
A method of modulating a digital signal of width L in frequency on a given useful frequency band is described The digital signal is separated into N blocks bn (1≦n≦N). The given useful frequency band is split into N contiguous parts Pn. Channels Cn, of width 1n in frequency, lying within an associated part Pn, are defined. The channels Cn are separated, a distributing of each block of digital signals bn over the associated channel Cn.
US07697611B2
A method for processing video image is provided to perform a motion vector filtering process on the image after being processed by a motion estimation process. The motion vector filtering process adjusts the motion vectors derived for each block in a video sequence, so that the motion vector of each block and the actual moving direction of the corresponding object in the image tend to conformity. Then, the blocks with similar motion vectors are merged and blocks with radical motion vectors are corrected, thereby reducing distortion of the output image and the number of bits used to represent the motion information, which in turns increases the efficiency of compression process.
US07697608B2
A scaleable macro block rate control method particularly well-suited for MPEG video. There is provided a method to easily derive a quantization parameter (QP) value using information such as bit usage, previous QP values and SAD values from the past encoded and future frames. The method utilizes quantization estimation techniques based on statistical relationships between different intensity measures, such as distortion intensity, absolute difference intensity and mean of absolute difference intensity. The method is well-suited to applications utilizing MPEG video such as MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, JVT/H.264 standards and so forth.
US07697605B2
A signal transmitting/receiving system and method, signal transmitting apparatus and method, signal processing apparatus and method, recording medium, and program are provided. A signal transmitting/receiving system includes a transmitter configured to transmit signals; and a receiver configured to receive the signals transmitted from the transmitter. The transmitter transmits signals using a first signal having an edge at a position that is 1/n from the beginning of a unit segment and a second signal having an edge at a position of (n−1)/n from the beginning of a unit segment, where n is an integer greater than or equal to three, one of the first signal and the second signal representing logic “0” and the other representing logic “1”. The receiver determines a signal type based on a length of an edge interval of either rising edges or falling edges of the signals received.
US07697604B2
The present invention provides a novel technique for improving the performance of equalizers by reducing the effects of error propagation in equalizers that use a Viterbi Decoder. Methods and systems are described that can improve the performance of equalizers by reducing the effects of error propagation in equalizers that use a Viterbi Decoder. Systems and methods of symbol correction in prediction decision feedback equalization (“pDFE”) architectures are described. Systems are described that include one or more enhanced Viterbi decoders together with novel methods of symbol correction to obtain better system performance. Systems and methods are described that utilize dual pDFEs and can use a blending algorithm to reduce errors in symbol decoding. Dual pDFEs are described that include forward and backward Viterbi decoders wherein the backward Viterbi decoded may operate on time reversed data blocks and with some degree of latency. Forward and backward Viterbi decoders can generate different decoded symbols from the same equalized data. A blending algorithm is described for weighting results based on reliability of the respective decoded symbols. A forward-backward blender can additionally increase performance of the second pDFE by blending long delayed trellis symbols from the first Viterbi decoder with symbols output by the second Viterbi decoder.
US07697600B2
Data signals transmitted over transmission media suffer from attenuation caused by the transmission media. Equalization circuitry may be provided to compensate for attenuation caused by the transmission media. Equalization circuitry may include multiple stages arranged in series to allow the frequency responses of the stages to aggregate together. Each stage may be programmable to insert a zero, which causes the frequency response of the stage to increase in magnitude by 20 dB/decade. The frequency location of the zero may also be programmable to allow each stage to contribute a certain amount of gain for a specific frequency. Each stage may also be programmable to determine the location of poles for reduction of high frequency noise and cross-talk cancellation.
US07697599B2
An xDSL (Digital Subscriber Line) modem (160) includes a setting module (168), a detection module (164), and a distinguishing module (166). The setting module pre-sets a threshold value, and adjusts the threshold value according to noise types. The detection-module captures connection parameters of the xDSL modem and the central office (CO) (120), and computes a judging value. The distinguish module distinguishes noise types according to the judging value, and determines whether the connection is maintained or disconnected. A method for stabilizing connection between an xDSL modem and a CO is also provided.
US07697596B2
A system for processing radio frequency (RF) signals includes a searcher and a plurality of Cluster Path Processor (CPPs). The searcher detects a maximum signal energy level and position of at least one of a plurality of individual distinct path signals in a signal cluster of a first information signal, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of individual distinct path signals is received within a duration of a corresponding delay spread. The sampling position is used as a starting sampling location by the plurality of CPPs, including a first information signal CPP and a second information signal CPP. Fine sampling positions of the plurality of CPPs are based upon channel energy estimates for the plurality of individual distinct path signals. CPP outputs are employed to produce channel estimates, which are themselves used in subsequent equalization operations. Sampling positions may change over time in order to satisfy alignment criteria.
US07697587B2
Ring laser gyroscope that includes a gyroscope block, a radio frequency transmitting device, and a radio frequency energy source. The gyroscope block has at least one discharge bore containing a gain medium, and the radio frequency transmitting device is located within the gyroscope block in proximity to at least one discharge bore and located so as to encompass the discharge bore. The radio frequency energy source is configured to apply a pulsed radio frequency signal to the transmitting device.
US07697582B2
A purpose of this invention is to suppress radiation noise while satisfying demands for higher speeds and higher image qualities of a semiconductor laser driving device in a laser beam printer or the like. A laser driving circuit includes a first wiring pattern and a second wiring pattern which are connected to a main wiring pattern, a first circuit which is connected to the first wiring pattern and has a semiconductor laser element (7) and a laser driving device for driving the semiconductor laser element, a second circuit which is connected to the second wiring pattern, has a compensation element and a compensation driving device, and compensates for noise in the first circuit, and a common mode choke coil which is connected to the first and second wiring patterns and selectively increases impedances to in-phase signal components in a signal flowing through the first wiring pattern and the first circuit and a signal flowing through the second wiring pattern and the second circuit.
US07697580B2
A power monitoring and correction to a desired power level of a laser or group of lasers utilizes two photodetectors which are employed to accurately determine the amount of output power from the front end or “customer” end of a laser or a plurality of such lasers. During power detection, which may be accomplished intermittently or continuously, the laser is modulated with a tone of low frequency modulation. One photodetector at the rear of the laser is employed to detect the DC value of the frequency tone, i.e., a value or number representative of the AC peak-to-peak swing, amplitude or modulation depth of the tone. Also, the rear photodetector may be employed to determine the optical modulation index (OMI). In either case, these values may be employed in a closed loop feedback system to adjust or otherwise calibrate the value of the low tone frequency relative to the total desired bias current applied to the laser. A front photodetector is employed to receive a portion of the total output of the laser, or of each laser, and the average output power of the laser, or of each laser, is determined from already knowing the optical modulation index (OMI) via the rear photodetector. Thus, by measuring and/or calibrating the laser OMI with the use of a rear photodetector, the average output power from the front end output can be unambiguously determined from detection of the AC peak-to-peak swing or amplitude of the low frequency tone received via the front photodetector.
US07697578B2
The present invention provides a directly modulatable wavelength variable laser that enables long distance and large volume communication with a simple and compact configuration. The wavelength variable laser includes a semiconductor optical amplifier, an optical filter, and a frequency-amplitude converter. The semiconductor optical amplifier produces optical gain of the light signal. The optical filter configured by multi-stage connected waveguide ring resonators performs frequency modulation on the light signal. The frequency-amplitude converter performs amplitude modulation on the light signal frequency modulated in the optical filter.
US07697577B2
A wavelength conversion apparatus capable of stably providing high output harmonic laser light is provided. The wavelength conversion apparatus comprises an end pump fiber laser 3 containing a laser activating substance, and including a reflecting surface at one end thereof and a fiber grating in the vicinity of the reflecting surface; an excitation laser light source 1 for outputting excitation laser light; an excitation laser light introduction section 4 for introducing the excitation laser light from the excitation laser light source to the fiber laser; a wavelength conversion element 5 for converting a fundamental wave generated by the fiber laser to a harmonic; and a rear reflecting surface 6 located outside the fiber laser and forming a laser cavity together with the fiber grating.
US07697575B2
The remultiplexing apparatus includes a control information selector that selects a packet containing program control information from the inputted bit stream, a program control information editor that edits contents of the selected program control information and generates new program control information corresponding to an outputted bit stream, and a remultiplexer for multiplexing again the packet containing media information in the inputted bit stream and the program control information generated by the program control information editor.
US07697574B2
The present invention provides a radio communication device, a transmitter and a receiver capable of handling a plurality of signal waves. A radio communication device has a millimeter-wave transmitter (15) and a millimeter-wave receiver (29). Millimeter-wave transmitter (15) includes a multiplexing circuit (1), a millimeter-wave up-converter (4) and an antenna (3), and the millimeter-receiver includes an antenna (31), a millimeter-wave down-converter (32) and an output processing circuit (45). The signal waves dedicated to the user are modulated by a modulation circuit (121 to 124) so as to be allocated between the ground broadcast waves and satellite broadcast waves. The frequencies are multiplexed in an intermediate frequency band, after that, the multiplexed frequencies are converted into a millimeter-wave band and the resultant is transmitted. On the reception side, the multiplexed waves are down-converted, separated to signal waves and demodulated.
US07697564B2
A method for Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) handshaking begins when a remote DSL transceiver transmits first signals containing even numbered carriers for a predetermined period of time to initiate the DSL handshaking to produce R-ETONES-REQ. The processing continues when the central office DSL transceiver determines alignment of a hyperframe in accordance with a TCM-ISDN TTR. The processing continues when the central office DSL transceiver transmits first response signals containing odd numbered carriers in accordance with the alignment of the hyperframe to produce C-TONES-TTR. The processing continues when the remote DSL transceiver acquires TTR synchronization in accordance with the C-TONES-TTR. The processing continues when, after acquiring TTR synchronization, the remote DSL transceiver transmits second signals containing even numbered carriers to produce R-TONE-TTR. The processing continues when, in response to the R-TONE-TTR, the central office DSL transceiver transmits second response signals containing odd numbered carriers to produce C-GALF1-TTR. The processing continues when the remote and central office DSL transceivers exchange flag signals.
US07697559B2
An apparatus and associated methodology provided to enable broadcast media to be reproduced quickly while reducing an overhead accompanied with the broadcast media. A broadcast communication system transmits the broadcast media from a server to a communication terminal. The server transmits broadcast notification information (SAP message) designating at least one broadcast media, and transmits reproduction information indicating a reproduction method of the designated broadcast media prior to reproduction of the broadcast media by the communication terminal. The communication terminal reproduces the broadcast media designated by the broadcast notification information (SAP message) based on the reproduction information when receiving the broadcast notification information.
US07697556B2
A telecommunications system includes a first device having a plurality of interfaces, with each interface having a unique MAC address, the first device using the MAC addresses for forwarding frames. The system includes at least one bridge in communication with the first device. The system includes a second device in communication with the first device through the bridge having a plurality of interfaces with each interface having a unique MAC address, the first device forwarding frames to a first interface of the plurality of interfaces of the second device using the unique MAC address of the first interface of the second device. A method for communicating.
US07697545B1
A technique for automated discovery of relationships between components providing a service and discovery of the relationship of shared components to other services. A discovery engine determines a management address for a component experiencing a problem and retrieves a TCP connection table for the component. It then identifies TCP connections that are either active or that were recently active. For each, the destination address is added to a global connection table. After the TCP connection table has been processed in this manner, the global connection table is traversed and TCP connection tables for each listed destination address are examined recursively. At the conclusion of this recursive process, the management table contains a list of management agents in the distributed system to which the original component had a TCP connection, either directly or indirectly.
US07697540B2
The present invention relates to a router (e.g., intermediate router) and a method that queues and services an upgraded/downgraded packet and a plurality of other packets all of which are part of a flow in a manner that eliminates the reordering of the packets. In one embodiment, the router and method queues and services the packets by handing-off a token from an upgraded/downgraded packet to a head-of-line packet which is forwarded to a downstream router. In another embodiment, the router and method queues and services the packets without handing-off a token from an upgraded/downgraded packet to a head-of-line packet which is forwarded to a downstream router.
US07697527B2
Frame contained destination information may be used by a switch to identify an appropriate output port for a given frame without performing a table access operation. This reduces the processing requirements of the switch to enable the switch to handle frames more efficiently. The frame contained destination information may be contained in the frame's local destination MAC addresses (DA) such that a portion of the DA directly indicates, for each switch that handles the frame, an output port for that switch. Different portions of the DA may be used by different switches, depending on where they are in the network hierarchy. Large switches may also use sub-fields within their allocated portion in the DA to identify internal switching components. A location resolution server may be provided to store and distribute IP and MAC addresses and respond to local ARP requests on the local domain.
US07697520B2
A system and method for detecting peer-to-peer network software operating on a target computer. A target file is created, and placed in one or more folders on the target computer. A search is issued on a Peer-to-Peer network for the target file. Peer-to-peer software is detected to be operating on the target computer in accordance with results of the search.
US07697512B1
A server connectivity status testing mechanism of a voice-over internet protocol (IP) communication device is operative to automatically test the connectivity status of each of a plurality of available servers. In response to such testing, server usage is selectively adjusted, as necessary, to ensure that the user is provided with effectively uninterrupted service, and so that the service provider may be immediately alerted to error conditions.
US07697511B2
A method for processing speech data packets passed between a plurality of devices in a conversation is disclosed. The method associates priorities with each of the devices in the conversation and processes speech data packets received from the devices according to the priorities. Devices in the conversation are identified, a priority for each device is determined, and the priority for each device is associated with speech data packets transmitted from the device. The priorities may change during the conversation. If more than one speech data packet is received in a time window, the speech data packet with high priority is transmitted. Speech data packets that are not transmitted may be deleted or buffered. If a device is not assigned a priority, a low priority is assigned to speech data packets transmitted from the device.
US07697510B2
A communication terminal device converts a sound in the communication terminal device into an audio frequency signal, converts the converted audio frequency signal or an audio frequency signal transmitted in the communication terminal device into a digital audio signal, and transmits the digital audio signal to a center device via an IP network.
US07697508B2
A system for communication between a mobile node and a communications network is provided for use with a communications network having one or more communications network nodes that define a foreign agents and that communicate with the mobile node in a predefined region. The system includes a ghost-foreign agent that advertises a foreign agent so that the mobile node is aware of the foreign agent when the mobile node is located outside the predefined region. The system further includes a ghost-mobile node that signals the foreign agent in response to the foreign agent advertising and based upon a predicted future state of the mobile node.
US07697507B2
A modem for symmetric bi-directional transporting of an Ethernet signal, comprises a port connected to a physical layer module adapted to receive and transmit a single Ethernet signal, a data splitter for splitting the Ethernet signal into the configurable number of downstream data signals, and another portion comprising the configurable number of Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) ports coupled to the data splitter. Each port is adapted to transmit a separate downstream signal. Each transmitted downstream signal is transmitted via a corresponding telephone line connected to the port. Each port is further adapted to receive a separate upstream signal. Each received upstream signal is received over the corresponding telephone line connected to the Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) port, and a data collection and reorganization unit coupled to the Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) ports is adapted to assemble the upstream signals into the single Ethernet signal for transmission by the physical layer module.
US07697504B2
An apparatus and method of selecting a routing path through a mesh network that includes a mobile access node is disclosed. The method includes each access node of the mesh network capable of receiving routing beacons from at least one upstream access node. The routing beacons including information of all upstream access nodes along a path to a gateway access node. The mobile access node selecting a route through an upstream access node based upon a quality of beacons received from at least one upstream access node, and whether the at least one upstream access node is a fixed access node or another mobile access node.
US07697503B2
Methods are provided for managing communications over a communications routing network. A data store is maintained of records of communications links established over the communications routing network between a first endpoint of the communications routing network and multiple second endpoints of the communications routing network distinct from the first endpoint. A frequency analysis is performed of the second endpoints to identify a frequency of establishing a communications link between the first endpoint and each of the second endpoints. A list is generated of a subset of the second endpoints in accordance with a result of the frequency analysis.
US07697488B2
A method and system suitable for use in organize communications in a network. The organization process optionally being suitable to facilitating nodal communications so as to minimize energy consumption and activity periods associated with nodal communications. The process being adaptable for use with any number of nodes, such as but not limited to nodes associated with wireless sensor nets or other networks.
US07697486B2
Disclosed a transmission apparatus in a CDMA mobile communication system. Transmission frames each have a plurality of time slots, and each of the time slots includes two data parts having the same length, a midamble intervening between the data parts, and a guard period for dividing the consecutive time slots. The transmission apparatus modulates the frames into a radio signal with a modulation signal and transmits the modulated radio signal using a plurality of antennas. A power amplifier amplifies the radio signal. A controller generates a switching control signal in a guard period of time slots of a frame associated with the radio signal amplified by the power amplifier. A switch switches the amplified radio signal from the power amplifier between a first and a second antenna in response to the switching control signal.
US07697484B2
Disclosed is a method of providing cooperative diversity in a Multiple Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) wireless network including a source station, a relay station, and a destination station each for transmitting a plurality of streams through multiple antennas, the method including: decoding, by a relay station, a plurality of streams received from the source station, checking for errors in the individual decoded streams, and transmitting error detection information to the source station and thereafter relaying streams having no errors to the destination station and retransmitting, by a source station, streams corresponding to streams which were previously found to include errors to the destination station based on the error detection information.
US07697482B2
A wireless network in which wireless terminals associate with particular access points maintains information about the positions and associations of the terminals and calculates loads on access points. To provide increased bandwidth at a heavily loaded access point, terminals associated with adjacent access points are handed over to more distant access points, so that the adjacent access points become less active and generate less interference. The hand-over is initiated and carried out by the access points concerned, rather than by the terminal that is handed off. Loads can accordingly be balanced promptly and interference can be reduced.
US07697458B2
A node for self localization, a clustering method using the same, and a localization method are provided. The node, which is located in a specific space so as to constitute a sensor network, includes a location information messaging unit which receives one or more location information messages including information on spatial locations of one or more neighboring nodes in the sensor network from the neighboring nodes in the sensor network; a distance calculator which calculates a first distance to the neighboring node on the basis of the location information included in the received location information messages and calculates a second distance to one or more neighboring nodes on the basis of the received time or intensity of the message on the location information; and a clustering unit which forms clusters of the node and a plurality of neighboring nodes in which the difference between the first and second distances is less than a predetermined threshold.
US07697457B2
A wireless communication apparatus comprises a transmission buffer configured to store packets addressed to one or more communication nodes in the network until a transmission timing; a requesting interval determination unit configured to determine a listen interval for each of the communication nodes based on the amount and/or the priority of packets accumulated in the transmission buffer; and a transmission unit configured to transmit a request frame to each of the communication nodes to request the communication nodes to receive a beacon from the wireless communication apparatus at the determined listen interval.
US07697455B2
Methods and apparatuses for multiple redundancy schemes in an optical network are described herein. In one embodiment, an exemplary method includes receiving a demand for allocating a first protection path that meets a first set of disjointness constraints with respect to a first working path according to a first protection scheme having a first priority, in response to the demand, locating a second protection path that meets a second set of disjointness constraints with respect to a second working path according to a second protection scheme having a second priority, and assigning the second protection path as a protection path to the first working path if the first priority of the first protection scheme is higher than the second priority of the second protection scheme. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.
US07697448B2
Providing link quality intelligence from physical layer to higher protocol layers. The PHY (physical layer) of devices operating within wireless communication systems assess 1 or more operational parameters corresponding to a PHY link that communicatively couples 2 or more devices. These PHYs provide this assessed intelligence to the devices' higher protocol layers so that these higher protocol layers have greater visibility of the operational parameters of the PHY link. These higher protocol layers may use this assessed intelligence to make decisions about how future communication are governed across the PHY links. For example, based on a change of the operational parameter(s), the higher protocol layers may modify the operational parameter(s) for future communications. The higher protocol layers may direct the PHY to assess a particular set of operational parameters, and the higher protocol layers may assess different operational parameters at different times.
US07697442B2
An output apparatus is configured to output data for printing. The output apparatus acquires data based on identification information for identifying data to be acquired and merges the acquired data with each of a plurality of templates corresponding to the identification information. The output apparatus outputs the data merged with each of the plurality of templates according to a print setting for each template.
US07697440B2
Scalable selective alarm suppression is achieved through a new class of management packet, such as a new class of Ethernet management frame, adapted to convey a reachability relationship between a lower level maintenance point and a single higher level maintenance point, and more particularly adapted to convey to a first higher level maintenance point that receives the packet an identity of a single second higher level maintenance point that will become unreachable to the first higher level maintenance point in the event of a loss of continuity involving the lower level maintenance point. Once the first higher level maintenance point has learned a totality of operative reachability relationships through receipt of such packets and is notified of a loss of continuity involving the lower level maintenance point, the first higher level maintenance point can reference the learned reachability relationships and readily determine under what circumstances it should suppress an alarm in response to a detected loss of continuity with a higher level maintenance point.
US07697437B2
The present invention relates to a method of determining at least one traffic route in an MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching) network. In this route determining method, when a traffic is arrived at an ingress edge router, the edge router removes links of remaining capacity below the traffic demand from all links of a given MPLS network to produce the first network topology, calculates distance of every link of the first network topology based on current traffic flowing each link and the traffic demand, determines the first route for the traffic demand based on the calculated distance information; removes links of remaining capacity below the traffic demand and links belonging to the first route from the MPLS network to produce the second network topology, calculates every link distance of the second topology based on current traffic flowing each link and the traffic demand, determines the second route for the traffic demand based on the distance information obtained from the second topology, partitions the arrived traffic into two portions, and allocates the two portions to the first and the second route, respectively.
US07697434B1
A method for controlling resource utilization of a container that includes associating the container with a virtual network stack, receiving a plurality of packets from a network, analyzing each of the plurality of packets by a classifier to determine to which of a plurality of temporary data structures each of the plurality of packet is forwarded, forwarding each of the plurality of packets to one of the plurality of temporary data structures as determined by the classifier, requesting at least one packet for the one of the plurality of temporary data structures by the virtual network stack, wherein the virtual network stack is associated with the one of the plurality of temporary data structures, and forwarding the at least one packet to the virtual network stack.
US07697428B2
Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for analyzing network traffic using an improved Markov Modulated Poisson Process Model with two barrier states that include: retrieving a previous state for the network traffic; measuring inter-arrival times between individual packets received in one or more network adapters; establishing a transition window in dependence upon the measured inter-arrival times, the transition window having a transition value λBmax that represents an upper boundary for the inter-arrival times in a bursty state and having a transition value λImin that represents a lower boundary for the inter-arrival times in an idle state; retrieving a previous fence value that prevents premature transitions into the idle state or the bursty state; and determining a current state for the network traffic in dependence upon the previous state for the network traffic, an inter-arrival time of a most recently received packet, the transition values, and the previous fence value.
US07697425B2
The present invention concerns a method for providing multicast services to a group of at least two users belonging to or connectable to a discontinuous coverage network via their respective terminals.Method characterized in that it comprises at least the two following steps: during downstream transmission of multicast data, caching or temporarily storing said data or part of said data at at least one adapted point (3) on its transmission path to the group of users (1), further transmitting downstream at least part of said cached or stored data to at least one user (1) of said group or to a more downstream situated caching or storing point (3) on the concerned transmission path.
US07697402B2
The invention concerns a data recording device comprising a two-dimensional array of microtips (3), whereof the apex is generally of nanometric dimensions arranged opposite a storage medium consisting of a flexible diaphragm (2) borne by a frame (1) forming a plurality of cells. At least one microtip (3) is associated with each cell. Said device enables the dispersion in the height of the microtip to be compensated. In order to eliminate edge effects, the flexible diaphragm (2) may include first and second elementary diaphragms, separated by a network of spacer elements, laterally offset relative to the frame. In an alternative embodiment, an array of flexible plates, separated from the diaphragm by a two-dimensional array of spacer studs, may be used for subdividing each large-size cell into a plurality of elementary cells, each associated with at least one microtip.
US07697396B2
An optical integrated unit includes a semiconductor laser (11), a polarized light beam splitter (14), a light receiving element (12), and a polarized light diffraction element (15) for diffracting an optical beam (20) and returning light. The polarized light diffraction element (15) is so provided as to receive the light beam (20) having passed through a polarized light beam splitter surface (14a), and as to diffract the returning light such that an optical path of the returning light is changed to lead to the light receiving element (12). This makes it possible to provide (i) an optical integrated unit in which the beam diameter of light incidenting on a diffraction element is large and in which an optical path length from the diffraction element to a light receiving element is long, and (ii) an optical pickup device including such an optical integrated unit.
US07697395B2
An optical device having a sub-wavelength grating formed in a specified region is disclosed that is able to prevent wave front degradation accompanying a phase difference of a polarized light beam passing through the optical device. The optical device includes a circular-belt-like region where the sub-wavelength diffraction grating is formed, and a center portion where the sub-wavelength diffraction grating is not formed. A vertically polarized light beam used for operations on a blue-light optical recording medium A has a phase difference in the sub-wavelength diffraction grating to be an integral multiple of 2π and hence is transmitted through the sub-wavelength diffraction grating. A horizontally polarized light beam used for operations on a blue-light optical recording medium is diffracted by the sub-wavelength diffraction grating. The light path length L1 of the light beam passing through the circular-belt-like region is the same as that of the light beam passing through the center portion without the sub-wavelength grating.
US07697394B2
An optical pickup includes a diffraction grating partitioned into three areas, in which the phase of periodic grating groove structure in an area is successively shifted from that in the adjacent area by 90°. In the generation of a differential push-pull signal, an amplification factor K for sub push-pull signals is varied depending on the type of the optical disk. By such composition of the optical pickup, amplitude deterioration of the tracking error signal accompanying displacement of the object lens is reduced.
US07697390B2
An information recording medium (100) includes (i) a first recording layer (L0 layer) having a first track and (ii) a second recording layer (L1 layer) having a spiral or coaxial second track sharing the rotation center with the first track. (iii) The first recording layer has a first point (point Bx) indicated by a first address. (iv) The second recording layer has a second point (point Dx) which can be defined according to a predetermined positional relationship (allowable area: 10) with respect to the first point (point Bx).
US07697389B2
A recording medium storing a write protection information, and a write protection method for protecting data recorded on a recordable and/or rewritable disc from unwanted overwriting or erasing. In order for write protection of a disc in a bare state that is usually used in a cartridge having a recognition switch for write-protection, such as a DVD-RAM, write protection information is recorded in a Lead-in area, a Lead-out area or a recording information area other than a user data area of the disc, and the data is protected from unwanted overwriting or erasing using the write protection information. Also, even though the write protection information stored on a disc does not match the state of a recognition switch of a case for write-protection, the data can be prevented from unwanted overwriting or erasing. Thus, the write protection can be ensured when a recordable and/or rewritable recording medium, such as DVD-RAM, DVD-R and DVD-RW, is used in a bare state.
US07697383B2
In the first and second light-receiving regions equally divided into two in parallel with the track of the optical disc, the reflected light received from the optical disk is converted into electric signals and fed out by individual light-receiving regions. Then, the light-receiving ratio indicating the ratio of amounts of received light is calculated from the amplitude of the electric signal generated in the first light-receiving region and the amplitude of the electric signal generated in the second light-receiving region. Then, it is determined whether or not an absolute value of the light-receiving ratio is larger than a predetermined vale. When the absolute value is larger, the movement of the objective lens in a radial direction is corrected by incorporating a predetermined correction value.
US07697379B2
When a disk unloading operation is made by mistake or when recording is suddenly required after the unloading operation in a conventional disk recording/playback apparatus which has no cancel function of the disk unloading operation, an important recording chance is often missed. This invention allows the user to cancel the disk unloading operation, and can quickly restore the state before the disk unloading operation, thus solving the above problem.
US07697377B2
A timepiece comprises an atomic oscillator for generating and outputting a reference clock signal, and a timepiece module that operates based on the reference clock signal, wherein the atomic oscillator and the timepiece module are disposed separately so as to be thermally separated. The timepiece also comprises a crystal oscillator for generating and outputting a first oscillation signal, an atomic oscillator for generating and outputting a second oscillation signal with a higher precision than the first oscillation signal, a timepiece module that operates based on the first oscillation signal and the second oscillation signal, and a thermal separator for thermally separating the atomic oscillator from the crystal oscillator and the timepiece module. A portable timepiece and electronic device can thereby be configured so that the effects of heat generation can be reduced and power consumption can be reduced even in cases in which the atomic oscillator is used as a reference oscillator.
US07697376B2
Clockwork movement for a wristwatch, comprising a kinematic chain including at least one belt (20, 21) for transmitting the movements and/or couples between at least two pulleys. The pulleys are held on the bottom plate or the bridges by ball bearings (151, 161, 171, 181). The movement is rewound by means of linear oscillating mass (14) charging four barrels (15, 16, 17, 18) through a couple distributor (40). The barrels are non-parallel to one another. The back cover is covered by inclined glasses (110, 120, 130) allowing the barrels, the linear oscillating mass and at least certain pulleys to be seen. The regulating organ (51) is removable.
US07697374B2
A hydrophone array includes an inflatable shaped housing enclosing an interior space and formable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, a framework of compliant material disposed within the interior of the inflatable housing, and a plurality of hydrophones attached to the compliant material at respective positions, wherein said hydrophones are arranged in a predetermined geometric array when the shaped housing is in the expanded configuration. Also provided herein is a system and method for deploying the hydrophone array.
US07697373B1
A method and computer instructions on computer readable media for determining and analyzing spatial changes in the earth's subsurface associated with dip vectors measured using 3D data in regions near a fluid contact or seismic flat spot event. The method obtains seismic attribute data, then derives corresponding 3D dip and azimuth as a 3D volume and derives corresponding 3D reliability volumes or 3D censor volumes. A set of vector is formed within a local subvolume of interest interior to the focused subvolume of interest for each reliability location, and a subset of local vectors within a user specified deviation of the azimuth of the structural dip vector are identified. A set of candidate flat spot dip vectors within the local subvolume of interest are identified enabling a significance measure for each vector within the set of candidate flat spot dip vectors to be determined.
US07697368B2
A semiconductor memory device is capable of reducing a test time by sharing input pins of addresses for the test, thereby reducing test costs also. The semiconductor memory device includes first and second address buffer units. The first address buffer unit is configured to transmit a plurality of normal addresses to an internal circuit and store one or more of the received normal addresses. The second address buffer unit is configured to transmit one or more external bank addresses to the internal circuit as internal bank addresses in a normal mode and transmit addresses stored in the first address buffer unit to the internal circuit as the internal bank addresses in a test mode.
US07697367B2
A semiconductor memory device includes memory blocks, a main word decoder to set a main word line to a first potential for activation, a second potential, or a third potential, a circuit to generate a cyclic signal that indicates timing at intervals, a block selecting circuit to select a memory block to be accessed, a successive-selection circuit to select the memory blocks one after another, and a circuit configured to control the main word decoder such that unselected ones of the main word lines of a memory block selected by the block selecting circuit are set to the third potential, such that the main word lines of the selected memory block are maintained at the third potential after access, and such that the main word lines of a memory block selected by the successive-selection circuit are set to the second potential at the timing indicated by the cyclic signal.
US07697357B2
A system and method to reduce standby leakage current in the event of row-to-column shorts in a memory chip or in an electronic device having memory or data storage elements is disclosed. In case of memory rows or wordlines precharged to a negative wordline voltage (VNWL), the standby leakage current through Psense-amplifiers in the memory is substantially eliminated when the gates of isolation (ISO) transistors associated with the shorted wordline and digitline(s) are held at the VNWL level by an isolation signal driven to the VNWL level during the memory row standby state. The reduction in the standby leakage current further reduces the overall Icc current consumption from the memory circuit's supply or operating voltage Vcc, thereby reducing circuit's standby power consumption. Because the ISO gates are already fabricated with thick oxides, the present negative voltage driving methodology does not require modifying the sense amplifier layout or the configuration of existing isolation transistors in a memory chip. A different standby voltage level (Vcc/2 level) at the sense amplifier activation (ACT) signal may also be implemented. Because of the rules governing abstracts, this abstract should not be used to construe the claims.
US07697354B2
An integrated circuit memory device includes a memory array with associated word lines and bit lines. A switching arrangement is connected between a word line and a first voltage source that selectively connects the word line to the first voltage source, and also is responsive to a short-circuit between the word line and the bit line.
US07697343B2
A circuit for performing a read operation in a NAND flash memory is disclosed. The NAND flash memory includes an array of bit lines grouped into first group of bit lines and second group of bit lines. The circuit includes a plurality of pre-charging and reading circuitries connected at first end of the array of bit lines and a plurality of pre-charging circuitries connected at second end of the array of bit lines. The pre-charging and reading circuitries include a select circuit which selects one group from the first and the second group of bit lines; a first and a second circuit to pre-charge and read the selected group of bit lines from the first end. The plurality of pre-charging circuits include two select lines to select one group of bit lines, and a plurality of pre-charging transistors to pre-charge the selected group of bit lines from the second end.
US07697342B2
In a flash memory device, a high voltage generating circuit generates a high voltage and receives the high voltage as a switching voltage for controlling a voltage dividing circuit.
US07697340B2
A method and apparatus for trimming a reference cell in a semiconductor memory device are provided. The method includes generating an internal bias current capable of being trimmed, and trimming the reference cell based on the internal bias current. The semiconductor memory device includes a reference cell in which a reference cell current flows between a drain and a source based on a bias voltage, an internal bias current generator configured to generate an internal bias current capable of being trimmed, and a trimming circuit configured to trim the reference cell based on the internal bias current.
US07697336B2
The present invention is directed to a non-volatile memory device and a method of operating the same. The non-volatile memory device includes a first transistor connected to an nth bitline and a second transistor connected to an (n+1)th bitline. The first transistor and the second transistor are serially coupled between the nth bitline and the (n+1)th bitline. The non-volatile memory device may include a 2-transistor 1-bit unit cell where a drain region and a source region of a memory cell have the same or similar structure. Since a cell array of a non-volatile memory device according to the invention may include a 2-transistor 2-bit unit cell, storage capacity of the non-volatile memory device may be doubled.
US07697334B2
Disclosed herein is a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device including: a first selection transistor configured to be connected to a bit line; a second selection transistor configured to be connected to a common source line; a memory cell configured to be connected in series between the first and second selection transistors; and writing means for carrying out writing for a selected memory cell. In the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, the writing means applies a potential yielding a writing-blocked state via a bit line to a memory cell for which writing is not to be carried out, of a memory cell selected for writing, and the writing means carries out writing for a writing-target memory cell in a state in which a bit line has a bit line potential state dependent upon a threshold value state of the writing-target memory cell.
US07697333B2
A NAND flash memory including a memory cell array having a plurality of blocks, each of the blocks is composed of a plurality of memory cell units, drain-side select gate transistors, and source-side select gate transistors. The NAND flash memory further includes a row decoder that is connected to word lines, the drain-side select gate lines, and the source-side gate line of the memory cell array, and that applies a signal voltage to word lines, the drain-side select gate lines and the source-side gate line of the memory cell array for selecting blocks. The NAND flash memory further includes a sense amplifier that is controlled by a column decoder and that makes a selection from the bit lines of the memory cell array.
US07697327B2
A NAND flash memory device and a programming method thereof capable of improving a program speed during a multi-level cell programming operation are provided. The device performs a programming operation using an ISPP method. Additionally, the device includes a memory cell storing multi-bit data; a program voltage generating circuit generating a program voltage to be supplied to the memory cell; and a program voltage controller controlling a start level of the program voltage. The device supplies an LSB start voltage to a selected word line during an LSB program, and an MSB start voltage higher than the LSB start voltage to the selected word line during an MSB program.
US07697326B2
A method for storing data in an array (28) of analog memory cells (32) includes defining a constellation of voltage levels (90A, 90B, 90C, 90D) to be used in storing the data. A part of the data is written to a first analog memory cell in the array by applying to the analog memory cell a first voltage level selected from the constellation. After writing the part of the data to the first analog memory cell, a second voltage level that does not belong to the constellation is read from the first analog memory cell. A modification to be made in writing to one or more of the analog memory cells in the array is determined responsively to the second voltage level, and data are written to the one or more of the analog memory cells subject to the modification.
US07697317B2
A nonvolatile semiconductor storage device is provided with a memory cell selecting circuit which selects a selected memory cell from a memory cell array; and a write voltage applying circuit, which applies a row write voltage and a column write voltage to a selected word line and a selected bit line, respectively, and applies a row write blocking voltage and a column write blocking voltage to an unselected word line and an unselected bit line, respectively, and applies a write voltage sufficient for writing only on both ends of the selected memory cell. The write voltage applying circuit applies a write compensating voltage, which has a polarity opposite to that of the voltage applied on the both ends of the unselected memory cells other than the selected memory cell, on both ends of the unselected memory cells, while the write voltage is applied to the selected memory cell.
US07697315B2
A ferroelectric memory provided in a memory system stores in advance set data for data write time to memory cells. The set data include two types of data that differ between in a power-on state and in a power-off instruction time. When power is turned on, the set data that are stored in the ferroelectric memory are stored and retained in a latch circuit by a control circuit. Based on the set data retained in the latch circuit, data writing is performed in the ferroelectric memory respectively in the power-on state and in the power-off instruction time. Thus, operations of the ferroelectric memory can be controlled with desired operation timings according to operating conditions for each memory system. Excessive stress application to the ferroelectric memory during the power-on state is prevented and endurance deterioration is suppressed, while data retention characteristics after power-off are improved.
US07697313B2
According to one embodiment, an integrated circuit includes an arrangement of memory cells. Each memory cell is connected to a programming current path used for programming the memory cell, and a sensing current path used for sensing the memory state of the memory cell. The programming current path and the sensing current path are at least partly separated from each other.
US07697297B2
A heat dissipation device for removing heat from an electronic component mounted on a printed circuit board, includes a heat sink and a clip attaching the heat sink onto the printed circuit board. The heat sink has a rectangular base and a plurality of fins extending upwardly from the base. The fins define a receiving channel therein, which is slantwise to two opposite sides of the heat sink. The clip includes a main body placed in the receiving channel and two latching legs extending obliquely and oppositely from two opposite ends of the main body. The two latching legs are located in front of and in rear of the two opposite sides of the heat sink, respectively, and are parallel thereto.
US07697288B2
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus is provided with a casing, a circuit board contained in the casing, an exothermic body mounted on the circuit board, a cooling fan which is fixed to the inside of the casing and includes a fan case, a heat receiving member which is opposed to the exothermic body and is thermally connected to the exothermic body, and a pressing member opposed to the heat receiving member from the opposite side of the exothermic body. The pressing member is provided to be integral with the fan case. Fixation of the cooling fan to the inside of the casing causes the pressing member to press the heat receiving member against the exothermic body.
US07697285B2
An electronic equipment enclosure includes a frame structure, one or more enclosure panels mounted on the frame structure, an exhaust duct, and at least one adjustable filler panel assembly. The frame structure and the one or more enclosure panels together define an enclosure. The exhaust duct is substantially the same height as the enclosure and has an air inlet opening formed therein for receipt of exhaust air from equipment mounted in the enclosure. Each adjustable filler panel assembly selectively blocks a portion of the air inlet opening in order to prohibit air exhausted into the duct from flowing back into the enclosure.
US07697281B2
A minimum Z height handheld electronic device and methods of assembly is described. The electronic device includes a single seamless housing having a front opening and a cover disposed within the front opening and attached to the seamless housing without a bezel.
US07697278B2
An exemplary fixing apparatus is for mounting a hard disk drive (HDD) having a plurality of holes defined in sidewalls and includes a bracket, a pair of shock absorbing members, and a plurality of fixing pins. The bracket includes an end plate, and a pair of side plates extending from two ends of the end plate. The side plates include a pair of latches extending therefrom and detachably locking with each other. The shock absorbing members are attached to insides of the side plates. The fixing pins are attached to the shock absorbing members and engage in the holes of the HDD.
US07697276B2
An exemplary fixing apparatus is for mounting a hard disk drive (HDD) having a plurality of holes defined in sidewalls and includes a bracket, a clip, and a plurality of fixing pins. The bracket includes an end plate, and a pair of side plates extending from opposite ends of the end plate respectively. The side plates are capable of being flexed away from each other for allowing the HDD to be placed therebetween. The clip is pivotably attached to one side plate and detachably locked with the other side plate. The fixing pins are attached to the side plates to engage in the holes of the HDD.
US07697272B2
A display apparatus is provided. A frame is fixed and supported at the rear of a front panel forming the front portion of the display apparatus, and a separate bracket member is not mounted on the edges of the front panel. Thus, the front exterior of the display apparatus is neatly finished, and the display screen looks bigger than it actually is.
US07697267B2
The present invention relates to a capacitor having high capacitance, low ESR (equivalent series resistance) in a high-frequency region and low leakage current, including a composite oxide film obtained by reaction of an oxide film obtained by subjecting the surface of the substrate comprising valve-acting metal element to electrolytic oxidation with a solution in which metal ion and an organic base are dissolved and by subsequently sintering the reactant, a solid electrolyte formed on the composite oxide film and a conductor layer formed thereon; a method for producing the same and electronic devices using the same.
US07697256B2
Embodiments of a system and method for directing aerosol are disclosed.
US07697255B2
A dissipator useful for discharging provides a continuously variable high-voltage load under control of a computer or other device capable of providing an analog control voltage. Known dissipator arrangements use multiple high voltage switches and resistors to attempt to dissipate power. However, the disclosed dissipator uses the resistive property of a matrix of photo resistive cells, typically cadmium sulphide arranged on a circuit board. These photo resistive cells are series connected and controlled optically to vary their resistances. An optical control signal is provided for each photo resistive cell by a corresponding light emitting diode (LED). The amount of light emitted by each LED is analog controlled.
US07697253B1
A magnet controller supplied by a DC generator controls a lifting magnet. Four transistors, forming an H bridge, allow DC current to flow in both directions in the lifting magnet. During “Lift”, full voltage is applied to the lifting magnet. During “Drop”, reverse voltage is applied briefly to demagnetize the lifting magnet. At the end of the “Lift” and the “Drop”, most of the lifting magnet energy is returned to the DC generator. A transient voltage suppressor protects against voltage spike generated when current reverses in the generator.
US07697250B2
A translation technique for translating mechanical button positions of a circuit breaker to trip point settings stored in a memory of the circuit breaker. A turn of a mechanical button turns a potentiometer button, whose output is converted to scaled voltages and converted to corresponding digital values. These digital values are checked against a range of thresholds (minimum/maximum) corresponding to mechanical orientation positions of the mechanical button. Once the mechanical orientation position is determined by scaling and converting the potentiometer output, a trip curve lookup table stored in memory is accessed to determine which trip point setting should be set for the circuit breaker based upon the button position. The circuit breaker's trip curve settings can be changed easily via the mechanical button. They can also be changed easily by modifying the trip curve lookup table without having to recalibrate the circuit breaker or the switch settings.
US07697249B2
A clamping circuit is provided, which may clamp a voltage at a node of a circuit to a stable level by using a transistor already included in the circuit. The clamping circuit may clamp a voltage at a first node of a circuit inside a semiconductor chip to a more stable level when electro-static discharge (ESD) occurs. The clamping circuit may include a transistor and a capacitive element to store a control voltage to turn on the transistor in response to ESD.
US07697230B2
In one embodiment a tape drive system comprises a reel adapted to engage a tape cartridge, the tape cartridge comprising a tape media having a servo code written along a length of the tape media, a tape head comprising at least one servo element to detect the servo code, a drive assembly to induce relative motion between the tape and the tape drive, a servo system to control a rate of relative motion between the tape and the tape drive, wherein the servo system comprises a sampling module to sample servo code from the tape media and the sampling module implements a dithered sampling routine centered around a design sampling frequency.
US07697229B2
A tape drive system for a tape cartridge including a tape and wireless identification tag may read information from the wireless identification tag and write the information to the tape. The tape drive system may toggle a bit stored on the wireless identification tag to indicate that the information has been written to the tape. The information may include tape initialization information.
US07697222B2
A holding apparatus (38) for holding an optical element (37) at a controlled position and attitude. The optical element (37) is held at an inner ring (43) by a piezo housing (54). A piezo element (65) is isolated from the optical element (37). When the piezo element (65) elongates and contracts, a displacement section (70) is displaced in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical element while being guided by a parallel link section (71). A transmission link section (72) converts the direction of the displacement of the optical element (37) to transmit the result to a part of the inner ring (43).
US07697210B2
A vehicle camera and wide-angle objective lens system are disclosed wherein the wide-angle objective lens has image aberrations or errors that do not deteriorate the detection of obstructions or obstacles in its field of view.
US07697205B2
An anti-reflection structure; includes: a plurality of convex parts arranged at pitches each of which is shorter than a wave length of a visible light ray, each of the convex parts being formed into one of a substantially truncated cone and a substantially truncated pyramid, each including: i) a base face formed into one of a base circle and a base polygon inscribed in the base circle, a) the base circle and b) the base circle circumscribing about the base polygon each having a base diameter Db meeting the following expression: 100 nm
US07697198B2
A catadioptric projection objective for projecting a pattern arranged in the object plane of the projection objective into the image plane of the projection objective, having: a first objective part for projecting an object field lying in the object plane into a first real intermediate image; a second objective part for generating a second real intermediate image with the radiation coming from the first objective part; a third objective part for generating a third real intermediate image with the radiation coming from the second objective part; and a fourth objective part for projecting the third real intermediate image into the image plane.
US07697187B2
Disclosed is an electrowetting device. The electrowetting device includes a conductive or polar liquid material, and an electrode applying voltage to the liquid material through a dielectric layer. In the electrowetting device, the dielectric layer is formed as an anodized portion made of a metal oxide formed by anodizing the electrode, and a voltage applying unit applying voltage between the electrode and the liquid material and a polar capacitor are placed between the electrode and the liquid material.
US07697186B2
An optical system comprising a frequency modulated laser source adapted to produce a frequency modulated optical beam, an optical spectrum reshaper (OSR) adapted to receive the frequency modulated optical beam from the laser source and convert it into an amplitude modulated optical beam, a focusing lens adapted to receive the amplitude modulated optical beam from the OSR and focus the same, and an optical fiber adapted to receive the amplitude modulated optical beam from the focusing lens and transmit an optical signal;characterized in that the OSR has a central axis, the focusing lens has a central axis, and the optical fiber has a central axis, with the central axis of the optical fiber being laterally offset from at least one of the central axis of the OSR and the central axis of the focusing lens so as to effect spatial filtering and thereby generate the desired optical transmission characteristics for the resulting optical signal in the optical fiber.
US07697180B2
A light deflector is disclosed that includes a movable mirror serving as a deflector supported by a rotary shaft and configured to deflect a light beam emitted from a light source and scan an area to be scanned; a rotation part configured to cause the movable mirror to vibrate in a reciprocating manner by periodically applying a rotational torque to the movable mirror; a driving circuit configured to control the rotation part; a circuit board having the driving circuit provided thereon, the circuit board being configured to support the movable mirror as a unit; a contact plane contacting the circuit board in a plane perpendicular to the rotary shaft of the movable mirror; and a positioning part configured to determine the position of the rotary shaft in the contact plane.
US07697179B2
Method of deflecting light includes the steps of providing a substrate and forming a supporting member on the substrate. Next forming step forms electrodes at predetermined positions on the substrate. Next forming step forms a plate-like-shaped thin film member including light reflecting means. Placing step places the plate-like-shaped thin film member on the supporting member so that an opposite surface thereof faces the electrodes. Forming step forms space regulating members on edges of the substrate for regulating a space formed above the substrate in which the plate-like-shaped thin film member is freely movable. Applying step applies predetermined voltages to the electrodes to change a tilt direction of the plate-like-shaped thin film member in accordance with the voltages applied to deflect the input light in an arbitrary direction. Disclosure also describes light deflecting apparatuses, light deflecting array apparatuses, image forming apparatuses, image projection display apparatuses, and optical data transmission apparatuses.
US07697177B2
A coloring material color separating section 101 separates an input image into ink colors of a printer referring to an LUT which is registered in the printer as initial values and used for color separation of coloring materials. A total coloring material amount calculating section 102 calculates total amounts of coloring materials equal to amounts of component coloring materials to be used of each pixel from the data passing through the ink color separation, and obtains the maximum value of them. A total coloring material amount adjusting section 103 readjusts the total amounts of the coloring materials of all the pixels such that they become equal to the maximum amount of the coloring materials using the total amount of the coloring materials of the pixel at which the total amount of the coloring material becomes maximum.
US07697168B2
In order to improve print image quality, attribute information is generated for each pixel of a bitmap image generated according to a drawing command, and the bitmap image and attribute information are written in a memory. However, when this is done, data amount to be written in the memory increases, and the rasterize processing speed lowers. Hence, a display list is generated by interpreting PDL data, a bitmap image and attribute information of each pixel are rasterized based on the display list, and the bitmap image and attribute information are written in the memory. In this case, a black attribute is written in attribute information of an object filled with black, and the color value of that object is not written in the bitmap image.
US07697162B2
An image reading apparatus is provided that includes a reading unit for reading images from both sides of an original, an adjusting unit that adjusts image data of the front surface and image data of the rear surface of the original, a determination unit that performs determination processing for paper fingerprint information of the rear surface of the original using image data that is obtained after adjustment of the image data of the rear surface by the adjusting unit, and a printing unit that prints the image data of the front surface. The adjusting unit performs a different adjustment for the image data of the front surface and the image data of the rear surface of the original.
US07697156B2
A method and system organizes multiple print jobs to be processed by a printing engine in a print queue and displays a listing of the multiple print jobs within the print queue. This listing identifies the order in which the multiple print jobs will be processed by the printing engine. After identifying an active user, the method highlights print jobs of the active user within the listing of the multiple print jobs and can simultaneously display a listing of most recently completed print jobs of the active user. The method and system can also simultaneously list jobs of the active user within other queues.
US07697148B2
The present invention relates to a method of recognizing and tracking multiple spatial points, and more particularly to a method of measuring coordinates of a plurality of point light sources by an optical system comprised of a plurality of 1D optical lens modules and a logical analysis method to achieve the purpose of recognizing and tracking multiple spatial points.
US07697145B2
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an imaging method which can image with micrometer-scale resolution up to a few millimeters deep into, for example, living biological tissues and preserved tissue samples. An improved apparatus and image reconstruction algorithm for parallel Fourier Domain OCT which greatly eases requirements for interferometer stability and also allows for more efficient parallel image acquisition is provided. The apparatuses and algorithms reconstruct images from interfered, low-coherence, multiwave length signals having a π radian phase difference relative to one another. Other numbers of signals and other phase differences may be alternatively used, with some combinations resulting in higher resolution and image stability. The apparatus also eliminates a need for bulk optics to modulate a phase delay in a reference arm of the optical path. Images may be reconstructed using two spectrometers, where each is coupled to a detector array such as a photodiode array.
US07697143B2
An optical coupling device for connecting hollow core optical fiber coils in a fiber optic gyro system. An example fiber optic gyro system includes a recirculator or an integrated optics chip, a fiber coil of hollow core optical fiber with first and second ends, and a coupling device that holds an end of the hollow core optical fiber in an enclosed cavity at some predefined distance from the recirculator or integrated optics chip. The coupling device includes a housing for rigidly holding the fiber end in position. The housing includes a cavity that receives the fiber end.
US07697138B2
A method and apparatus for resolving both the angular (nx,ny) and spatial (x,y) dependence of the effective source coherence matrix for lithographic steppers and scanners is described. First an in-situ source metrology instrument is combined with in-situ polarization elements to create an in-situ source imaging polarizer or ISIP. The ISIP is loaded into a photolithographic exposure tool, aligned, and then exposed onto a suitable recording media or recording sensor. The recording sensor comprising either resist coated wafers or electronic sensors capture the image intensity at a multiplicity of different field points. The resulting measurements are entered into a computer program that reconstructs the source coherence matrix as a function of direction cosine at multiple field points. Alternative ISIP configurations are discussed in some detail. Applications of the ISIP include polarization source mapping for deep-UV and EUV lithography, process optimization, process monitoring, and chip manufacturing.
US07697130B2
A surface inspection apparatus and method increase wafer productivity, wherein to increase an efficiency of the surface inspection apparatus to detect defects during a scanning of the wafer surface, a scanning speed for a subsequent defect detection is varied according to an increase/decrease of defect density represented on a plurality of images acquired successively. When the density of defects is reduced, the scanning speed increases and a level of a skip rule increases, and when the density of defects increases, the scanning speed decreases and a level of the skip rule decreases to precisely detect defects, thereby increasing reliability, throughput, and productivity.
US07697126B2
A three dimensional spatial imaging system (10) for generating a three dimensional model of a scanned space includes: a laser rangefinder (42) that obtains spatial data by measuring distances to a plurality of target points within the scanned space; a rotating mirror (46) placed in a path of a laser beam (43) emitted from the laser rangefinder (42), the mirror (46) deflecting the laser beam (43) to varying degrees as the mirror (46) is rotated; a digital camera (52) that obtains image data from photographs of the scanned space; a rotating head (30) on which the laser rangefinder (42), mirror (46) and camera (52) are all mounted, the head (30) rotating up to 360 degrees about a central axis of rotation (64) that is substantially normal to a plane in which the head (30) is rotated; and, a data processor that maps color information from the image data obtained by the camera (52) to the corresponding target points of the spatial data obtained by the laser rangefinder (42).
US07697119B2
A range image generating apparatus capable of preventing or reducing generation of range images with interference, which contain e.g., pixels with erroneous distance values is provided. The range image generating apparatus includes: a light source radiating a light; an image pickup element; a range image generating unit; a frequency changing unit that changes a modulation frequency for each frame rate or charge storage time; and a control unit that controls the light source and the image pickup element in synchronization with the modulation frequency changed by the frequency changing unit.
US07697105B2
A display device includes a display panel and a parallax barrier bonded together with an adhesive layer made of a light-curing resin (for example, ultraviolet curing resin). The display device allows 3D display or multiple-image display. The parallax barrier includes a pattern-formed light-shielding layer on barrier glass. The parallax barrier has an area that does not include the light-shielding layer on the periphery portions thereof. Thus, with the display device including the parallax barrier and the display panel bonded together, peeling on adhesive planes of the parallax barrier and display panel is less likely to occur.
US07697100B2
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.
US07697098B2
It is an object of the present invention to suppress light leakage in a dark state which is generated by rubbing treatment. A liquid crystal material containing an ultraviolet curable liquid crystalline monomer at a concentration of more than 0 wt % and not more than 1.0 wt % is used for a liquid crystal layer, and the liquid crystal layer is irradiated with ultraviolet rays. By applying such a liquid crystal layer to a liquid crystal display device, light leakage in a dark state can be suppressed, and the black display can be improved. Therefore, a liquid crystal display device with an excellent contrast and high display quality can be obtained.
US07697094B2
A transflective-type liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of gate and data lines crossing each other on a substrate to define a plurality of pixel regions, a thin film transistor at each crossing of the gate and data lines, the thin film transistor including a semiconductor layer, and source and drain electrodes contacting source and drain regions, respectively, a projection seed pattern within the pixel region along a same layer as the semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor, and a reflective electrode contacting the drain electrode of the thin film transistor and having a reflective projection corresponding to the projection seed pattern.
US07697091B2
A novel liquid crystal display including a liquid crystal cell including at least liquid crystal, and an optically anisotropic layer capable of optically compensating the liquid crystal cell is disclosed. It is in a first gray scale state where a subtraction of an Re(0) value of the optically anisotropic layer from an Re(0) value of the liquid crystal cell results in a positive value while being applied with a voltage falling within a first range, and in a second grayscale state where a subtraction of an Re(0) value of the optically anisotropic layer from an Re(0) value of the liquid crystal cell results in a negative value while being applied with a voltage falling within a second range.
US07697086B2
A container that is capable of being easily assembled and conveyed while production cost and production time are reduced includes a plurality of division parts having walls and upper portions, and first fitting members formed at ends of the division parts to fit adjacent division parts to each other. A display apparatus including the container and a method of manufacturing the display apparatus are further provided.
US07697077B2
Channel numbers are provided for a digital television receiver (200) that receives multiple transmissions (100, 110, 120), such as from different regions of a country or from different countries. The channel numbers for the home country transmission are assigned based on logical channel number (LCN) data in the transmission. The channel numbers for the transmissions of the other countries are provided so that they are in a higher range than the channel numbers for the home country transmission. For different regional transmissions, the channel numbers for the transmission with the strongest service, e.g., based on quality/bit error rate, signal strength, and/or frequency, may be arranged before the channel numbers for the lower strength transmissions.
US07697066B2
An apparatus (10) and method (40) is provided for detecting data within the vertical blanking interval (VBI) lines of a video or television signal. The VBI data detection (18) samples (42) at least one point from the VBI lines of a video signal and compares (44) at least one data characteristic, such as luminance, from the sample to a threshold to determine if the sample contains VBI data. If the sample contains VBI data, the VBI line from which the sample was taken is routed (46) to the processing unit of a video processing device. If no samples from a VBI line are found to contain VBI data, the VBI line is not processed further. The VBI data detection apparatus improves processing efficiency and resource allocation by allowing only those VBI lines containing VBI data to be processed by the video processing device.
US07697055B2
A camera unit and an apparatus for monitoring a vehicle periphery, which are capable of picking up a wide range of a visual field while adequately adjusting the visual fields in the horizontal and vertical directions, and at the same time, improving visual confirmation of images displayed. The camera unit may include a pickup element, a lens system in which light rays incoming from a prescribed range of a visual field onto the pickup element are imaged, the lens system including a wide-angle lens system whose visual field angle in the horizontal direction is 120 degrees or more, and an anamorphic lens system whose anamorphic ratio is 1.5 or more.
US07697054B2
A method and system for editing an image with a camera includes simultaneously displaying a first image and a second image separate from each other on a display screen of the camera and modifying the first image, via a user interface of the camera, using a portion of the second image.
US07697053B2
An integrated imaging apparatus for displaying images while capturing images of a scene, including an electronic display having an array of display pixels which are used to display image content; a plurality of apertures are integrated within the display, wherein each of the apertures includes at least one partially transparent pixel; and a plurality of capture devices each of which captures an image, and includes at least a lens and an image sensor array; wherein each capture device is operatively associated with at least part of a particular aperture of the display; and wherein the partially transparent pixels also provide light for image content display.
US07697045B2
An image sensor generates an image signal with a differential response to image light. The image sensor has an array of photosites divided into standard photosites and non-standard photosites. A limiter provides the standard photosites with a predetermined standard response to a light exposure and the non-standard photosites with a predetermined slower response to the same light exposure. The standard photosites and nonstandard photosites both sparsely sample the array in a predetermined pattern.
US07697039B2
An image transmitting system is provided, wherein the system includes: a first image storing module storing a plurality of images included in a first electronic album; a second image storing module storing a plurality of images included in a second electronic album; a feature extracting module for extracting a feature amount of an object included in each of the plurality of images stored in the second image storing module; an image selecting module for selecting an image including an object showing correspondence with the object included in the image stored in the second image storing module, which is higher than a predetermined reference value, out of the plurality of images stored in the first image storing module on the basis of the extracted feature amount; and an image transmitting module for retrieving the selected image from the first image storing module and storing the image in the second image storing module to transmit the image from the first image storing module to the image storing module.
US07697034B2
When a blurring correction is performed when shooting a moving image, a digital camera performs blurring correction on the picked up frames and successively records the frames. Then, when generating a moving image file, the digital camera records information stating that the blurring correction has been performed in the header of the file, thereby preventing the blurring correction from being performed again when the moving image is played back. In addition, in the case that only the blurring detection is performed when shooting the moving image, the digital camera detects the blurring in the frame, correlates the detected blurring amount in the frame with the frame, and successively records the blurring amounts. Then, when generating the moving image file, the digital camera records information stating that the blurring detection has been performed in the header of the file.
US07697033B2
An imaging apparatus, including an image pick up device capable of moving in a transverse direction to a photographing optical axis, a drive circuit configured to prevent an image on the image pick up device from blurring or reduce the image blur by moving the image pick up device based on an amount of the image blur, a position detection device configured to detect a position of the image pick up device, a storing device configured to store reference positional information showing that the image pick up device is in the reference position based on an output of the position detection device, the position of the image pick up device being detected based on the reference positional information stored in the storing device when the image pick up device is driven by the drive circuit.
US07697024B2
Herein described is a system and method that tracks the face of a person engaged in a videophone conversation. In addition to performing facial tracking, the invention provides stabilization of facial images that are transmitted during the videophone conversation. The face is tracked by employing one or more algorithms that correlate videophone captured facial images against a stored facial image. The face may be better identified by way of employing one or more voice recognition algorithms. The one or more voice recognition algorithms may correlate utterances of the person engaged in a conversation to one or more stored utterances. The identified utterances are subsequently mapped to a stored facial image. In a representative embodiment, the system used for performing facial tracking and image stabilization comprises an image sensor, a lens, an actuator, and a controller/processor.
US07697020B2
A thermal printhead (A1) includes a substrate (1), a glaze layer (2), a heating resistor (3), an electrode (4) for energizing the heating resistor (3), the electrode being mainly composed of Au, and a protective film (6) covering the heating resistor (3) and the electrode (4). The electrode (4) has a surface formed with a plurality of recesses.
US07697016B2
An image display device (1) of the present invention is an image display device having a function of rotating a display image, the image display device including: a size comparison section (17) for making a comparison (i) between a vertical length of an outer edge of a display region in which the display image is displayed and a vertical length of the display image and (ii) between a horizontal length of the outer edge of the display region in which the display image is displayed and a horizontal length of the display image; and a center-point-of-rotation determination section (18) for determining a center point of rotation of the display image in accordance with a result of the comparison made by the size comparison section (17). This makes it possible to provide a display device (i) which minimizes, regardless of how a display frame and a display image are related in position and size to each other, a portion of the display image which portion is to be hidden when the display image has been rotated and (ii) which can be easily employed in a rotation process.
US07697015B2
In accordance with a level of importance of a character, a weight is provided for the character. For example, a character operated by a player is provided with a weight heavier than those provided for other characters, and other characters are provided with the respective weights lighter than that provided for the character operated by the player. Based on the weights and positions of the characters placed in a predetermined area, a position of a sight point of a virtual camera is determined. Thus, it is possible to generate a display image in which a plurality of characters in a virtual space are placed on a screen in a balanced manner.
US07697013B2
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable code for consolidating overlapping markers in a mapping application. The process identifies a plurality of points for display from data describing locations and associated data about locations. The process then determines whether displaying graphical indicators for a set of points in the plurality of points will result in graphical indicators overlapping each other. The process generates a consolidated marker for the set of points, in response to a determination that displaying graphical indicators for the set of points will result in graphical indicators overlapping each other. The process then associates a listing for the set of points with the consolidated marker. The listing comprises at least a portion of the associated data about locations for the plurality of points.
US07697012B2
Provided is a method for rendering image signals, which represent a predetermined number of colors, in an apparatus used for rendering an image signal that has a plurality of pixels composed of three different sub-pixels among four or more different sub-pixels. The method for rendering image signals comprises (a) selecting three-color signals out of the four or more color signals to be outputted according to a type of sub-pixel, which forms a predetermined pixel, (b) obtaining values of the selected three-color signals in peripheral pixels of the pixels, (c) calculating brightness values of each sub-pixel of the pixel by using the values of the selected three-color signals and corresponding color signal values of the peripheral pixels, and (d) driving a display, which controls brightness of an image that is represented in the display according to the calculated brightness values of sub-pixels.
US07697007B1
A controlling process may enable or disable the launching of a predicated process that has already been queued for launching, e.g. via a pushbuffer. The controlling process generates a report so that launching of the predicated process is enabled or disabled based on the report. The predicate may be global in application to enable or disable all subsequent launch commands. Alternatively, the predicate may be specific to one or more predicated processes. In an embodiment with a central processing unit (CPU) coupled to a graphics processing unit (GPU), the CPU may generate the controlling process that enables or disables the launch of the predicated process. Alternatively or additionally, the GPU may generate the controlling process that enables or disables the launch of the predicated process.
US07697005B2
A system, method, and computer readable medium for converting paper documents (134) to electronic documents (138) and sending the electronic documents (138) to at least one destination (144).
US07697004B2
A computer implemented method of generating behavior of a graphics character within an environment including a selected graphics character and one or more graphics elements, the method comprising: generating an image of the environment from a perspective of the selected graphics character; processing the image using an artificial intelligence engine with one or more layers to determine an activation value for the graphics character wherein at least one of the layers is a fuzzy processing layer, and generating the behavior of the graphics character based on the activation value.
US07696992B2
When providing (101) a user a first interactive virtual reality experience via a first virtual setting and upon detecting (102) a need to transition the user to a second interactive virtual reality experience via a second virtual setting (that is different from the first virtual setting), one maintains (103) a reduced presence of the user in the first virtual setting and establishes (104) a full presence of the user in the second virtual setting. By one approach, these virtual settings can comprise, for example, virtual rooms such as, but not limited to, virtual incident command centers to facilitate the handling of public safety services of various kinds and types.
US07696981B2
The wireless human input device comprises at least one wireless human transmitting unit and a wireless human receiving unit. The wireless human transmitting unit generates leading signals and data signals and transmits the signals to the wireless human receiving unit. The wireless human receiving unit receives all of the leading signals and identifies the data signals based on the leading signals so as to distinguish the data signals being transmitted by which wireless human transmitting unit.
US07696979B1
An improved method and system for manipulation a plurality of graphical pointers utilizing a single graphical pointing device are disclosed. A plurality of graphical pointers are displayed within a display device. A user may then temporarily select one graphical pointer among the plurality of graphical pointers. During the selection, the selected graphical pointer is manipulated in response to operation of a single graphical pointing device. A point within the display device specified by the position of the selected graphical pointer is selected in response to closure of a switch associated with the selected graphical pointer.
US07696974B2
In a shift register and LCD device having the shift register that may be employed in the liquid crystal display device having a large screen size and a large resolution, the shift register includes stages connected with each other and each of the stages have a carry buffer for generating a carry signal. The pull-down transistor of each of the stages of the shift register is divided into a first pull-down transistor and a second pull-down transistor. A power voltage Vona larger than the power voltage Von applied to a clock generator is applied to the shift register. A signal delay due to the RC delay of the gate lines may be minimized, the shift register is independent of the variation of the threshold voltage of the TFTs, and image display quality may not be deteriorated.
US07696973B2
In a driver circuit of a display device handling a digital image signal, there is provided a driver circuit with a structure in which the timing of holding the image signal in a latch circuit is not influenced by a delay of a sampling pulse. A pre-charge TFT (102) is turned ON in a return line period and an input terminal of a holding portion (101) is set as Hi (VDD). When there is input to all the three signals, the sampling pulse, and a multiplex signal and the digital image signal which are input from the outside, TFTs (104 to 106) all turn ON, and the potential of the input terminal of the holding portion (101) becomes a Lo potential. Thus, holding of the digital image signal is performed. A sampling pulse width is wider than a pulse width of the two signals input from the outside, and the output periods of the two signals input from the outside are completely included in an output period of the sampling pulse. Thus, even if a slight delay is generated, there is no influence on the holding timing, and the holding timing may be easily determined.
US07696969B2
In the display device and the display method of the present invention, a scanning signal line driving circuit controls falls of a scanning signal line, so as to make level shifts occurring to pixel potentials substantially uniform throughout display plane, the level shifts being caused by parasitic capacitances which parasitically exist in scanning signal lines. Fall waveforms of the scanning signal change at a change rate Sx which is a change quantity per unit time, and by desirably setting the change rate Sx, a change rate Sx1 in the vicinity of an input-side end of the scanning signal line and a change rate SxN in the vicinity of the other end thereof are substantially equal to each other, not being influenced by signal delay transmission characteristic which the scanning signal line possesses, like scanning signal line waveforms Vg(1, j) and Vg(N, j).
US07696968B2
A method of gamma correction for a liquid crystal display (LCD) having an LCD panel. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of dividing the LCD panel into N areas along a gate scanning direction, each area having a corresponding gamma and being characterized with a corresponding voltage-transmittance function, and determining grey level voltages of each area for each of a set of grey levels from the corresponding voltage-transmittance function of the area and a desired gamma curve of the LCD panel such that when the grey level voltages are respectively applied to the N areas for a grey level, a light transmittance through each area is substantially uniform and equals to a corresponding brightness.
US07696966B2
A liquid crystal display and its driving method are disclosed. Among the pixels driven by the same data driving unit, firstly the pixels of same color are sequentially driven, and then the pixels of other colors are sequentially driven, so that the pixels have almost the same leakage current.
US07696956B2
An apparatus for video graphics array (VGA) testing includes a connector, a switch, and an output. The connector has at least one signal output pin. The signal output pin of the VGA connector is connected to the output via the switch. The output can be coupled with an oscilloscope or other similar signal analyzing device. It is simple and efficient to use the apparatus for coupling a VGA connector of a computer with an oscilloscope in the VGA testing process.
US07696955B1
An information magnification system for providing enhanced display information for a display system for a vehicle. The display system is of a type that includes a first display and a second display. The information magnification system includes a user interface for providing the capability for a user to select a magnification zone of interest on the first display of the vehicle. An information magnification electronics subsystem is associated with the user interface and with the first and second displays to enable the selected magnification zone to be presented on the second display appearing to be behind the physical surface of the second display at a selected distance, thus providing the capability for the user to maintain a far field of focus.
US07696952B2
In a multi-window display device, the following has been merely performed: before data for plural screens is inputted to a display, video signals themselves are subjected to signal processing, and the processed video signals are inputted to the display, whereby display is performed. Therefore, a circuit for performing signal processing, for example, an IC has a complicated structure since video signals for plural screens are stored in a memory. There is provided a pixel structure in which: signal lines for plural screens are arranged; and one of the signal lines is selected to supply a video signal to a display element. For example, in the case of performing display of two screens, there is provided a pixel structure in which: two signal lines, which are inputted with respective video signals for a first screen and a second screen, are arranged; and one of the signal lines is selected to supply a video signal from the selected signal line to a display element.
US07696949B2
The invention provides a sky wave receiving antenna which includes a receiving element having a radiator and a plurality of directors arranged in parallel on a horizontal support boom with a constant interval in a alternatively crossed direction, a base and a vertical direction adjustor rotationally connected at its one end to the base with a use of a first joint. The receiving antenna further includes a second joint connected to the other end of the vertical direction adjustor and connected to the receiving element so as to obtain a horizontal direction adjustment of the receiving element. The receiving antenna of the invention allows the adjustment of the receiving element to be made in both vertical and horizontal directions in order to enhance the receive directivity.
US07696942B2
A slot antenna is provided. The slot antenna includes a feeding unit of a strip line shape which is disposed on a first surface of a substrate, a ground which is disposed on a second surface of the substrate, and an antenna element which is formed by connecting two sub slots formed on the second surface of the substrate, wherein each of the sub slots is arranged at an edge of the ground in an internal direction of the ground. Accordingly, the size of the antenna is reduced, and more area is provided for arranging components of a terminal.
US07696937B2
An antenna coupler for testing mobile transmitters and/or receivers, especially mobile telephones, comprises a mounting surface for the mobile transmitter and/or receiver and an antenna element. A mounting bracket is disposed on the mounting surface.
US07696926B2
Provided is an apparatus and method for identifying a target satellite in a satellite communication antenna. The apparatus includes: a power splitting unit for splitting a signal inputted through the satellite communication antenna to more than two signals; a tuner unit for receiving the split signals from the power splitting unit and passing only signal of a predetermined channel frequency band; an analog-to-digital converting unit for converting each of signal intensities passed in the tuner unit to a digital value; and a controlling and identifying unit for determining whether a satellite traced by the satellite communication antenna is a target satellite using each of the signal intensities of the predetermined channel frequency band inputted from the A/D converting means, and controlling an orientation direction of the satellite communication antenna.
US07696923B2
System for enabling a wireless computing device to determine its position includes a server with a database of identification and positional information about wireless beacons and a wireless computing device arranged to wirelessly communicate using the Internet with the server. The server determines the geographic location of the wireless computing device upon receiving data from the wireless computing device relating to reception of signals by the wireless computing device from at least one wireless beacon and analysis of the signals in light of the information contained in the database of the server. The server applies a calculation algorithm which determines the geographic location of the wireless computing device upon input of identification and signal strength information about the wireless beacon(s) derived from the received signals.
US07696915B2
An ADC circuit includes multiple comparators and a controller coupled to the comparators. Each of the comparators is operative to generate an output indicative of a difference between a first signal representative of an input signal applied to the ADC circuit and a corresponding reference signal. The controller is operative to perform at least one of: (i) activating a subset of the comparators during a given sample period being; and (ii) controlling levels of the corresponding reference signals of the comparators as a function of a level of the input signal. A number of active comparators during the given sample period is no greater than one less than a number of regions into which the input signal is quantized.
US07696914B2
A sigma-delta modulator includes a loop filter, a single bit quantizer, a single bit DAC, an adder. The loop filter is for filtering a summed signal to generate a filtered signal. The single bit quantizer is coupled to the loop filter, for performing a quantization process to the filtered signal to generate a quantized signal. The single bit DAC is coupled to the single bit quantizer, has an adjustable configuration, and is for generating a feedback signal according to the quantized signal and the configuration thereof. The adder is coupled to the loop filter and the single bit DAC, for summing an input signal and the feedback signal to generate the summed signal.
US07696912B2
A switching voltage regulator includes, in part, N output stages, a loop ADC, a multiplexer, a current ADC, and an interrupt block. The loop analog-to-digital converter receives the N output voltages each of which is associated with one of N channels. The loop ADC is adapted to vary a duty cycle of N signals each applied to one of the N output stages that generate the N output voltages. The interrupt block is adapted to enable the multiplexer to couple an output stage to the current ADC if a difference between voltages sensed at an output stage during at least two sampling times exceeds a predefined threshold value. The interrupt block may also be adapted to enable the multiplexer to couple an output stage to the current ADC block if a difference between a voltage sensed at the output stage and a reference voltage exceeds a predefined threshold value.
US07696910B2
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dither circuit including a dither generating circuit generating a plurality of complementary signal pairs, and a dither input circuit generating a plurality of dither signals from the plurality of complementary signal pairs to add the generated dither signals to an analog input signal, in which the plurality of complementary signal pairs have different frequencies with each other, the dither input circuit includes capacitors provided for each of the plurality of complementary signal pairs and a plurality of switch pairs including first and second switches having one terminals connected to each one terminal of the capacitors, and the other terminals of the capacitors are connected to an adding point to the analog input signal, the first switch supplies ones of the complementary signal pairs to one terminals of the capacitors when a clock signal is in effective state, and the second switch supplies the others of the complementary signal pairs to one terminals of the capacitors when an inverting clock signal of the clock signal is in effective state.
US07696902B2
A tire sensor device comprising sensor modules 20A to 20D, each comprising a sensor, a communication module having a communication function and a power regenerating circuit, and an antenna; and a base station comprising an internal communication device for communication with the sensor modules 20A to 20D, an information processing device for processing tire information signals from the sensor modules, an external communication device for communicating with a car control device 40 on the car body side and a power source. The sensor modules 20A to 20D and the base station 30 are arranged in the tire and constitute an intra-tire LAN. Tire information signals transmitted from the sensor modules 20A to 20D are processed by the base station 30 and transmitted to the car control device 40 so that appropriate tire information can be obtained and the size and power consumption of the sensor device can be reduced.
US07696897B2
The prior art in this field had a display portion of electronic paper at a part of a shelf and showed a problem that the display portion and the goods were hardly co-related to each other in response to the arrangement of the goods. In view of the foregoing, plural images arranged in response to the number of stages of the shelves to be displayed are irradiated with a light source after each of the images is corrected in correspondence with the optical path length ranging from the light source to the end of each of the shelves, each of the images is guided to the end of each of the shelves by plural reflector members and then the images are displayed at the ends. In addition, each of the images is guided to the end of each of the shelves by plural reflector members and the images are displayed at the ends after plural images (either still images or animations) arranged in response to the number of stages of shelves to be displayed are irradiated by the light source and the optical path lengths ranging from the light source to the end of each of the shelves are set to be substantially the same to each other.
US07696891B2
Systems and methods for suppressing the spread of fire, fire-related toxins, and other biological and chemical hazards are disclosed. One described system includes a thermostat incorporating an HVAC interface in communication with a residential HVAC system, a receiver operable to receive a signal indicating the presence of a contaminant from an environmental condition detector, and a processor in communication with the receiver and the residential HVAC system and operable to receive the signal from the receiver, and in response, send a signal to the HVAC interface to cause the residential HVAC system to be shut down.
US07696884B2
An RFID system comprises an intermediate device that includes a first and second antenna coils connected together in a close loop format. The coils are formed on a flexible substrate that can be folded around a magnetic flux blocker such that one loop is on side of the blocker and the other loop is on the other side of the blocker. The intermediate device can then improve communication between a reader on one side of the blocker and a tag on the other. The coil on the reader side of the blocker can receive RF signals being generated by the reader and convert them to an electrical signal that can be passed to the coil on the tag side of the blockage. The second coil can then generate an RF signal that can be transmitted to the tag.
US07696878B2
A system and method for enhanced security by incorporating RFID processing circuitry within a key switch assembly. The RFID key switch assembly includes four subassemblies; the key/tumbler assembly, rotating and stationary switch contacts, RFID Processing Circuitry and an electrical connection interface. The RFID Processing Circuitry incorporated in the key switch assembly reads RF signals transmitted from an RFID tag embedded in a key inserted into the key switch.
US07696875B2
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for communicating with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags using an RFID reader are provided. A first communication signal configured to communicate with at least one RFID tag is generated. The first communication signal is transmitted from a first antenna of the reader. The reader is docked with a docking station, the docking station including a contact member coupled to at least one additional antenna, enabling the reader to couple a second communication signal through the contact member to the at least one additional antenna.
US07696873B2
A security system comprises a system control panel for arming and disarming the security system. A door sensing unit comprises a first radio frequency (RF) transceiver interconnected with the system control panel over a network. The first RF transceiver is mounted proximate to a door that defines at least a portion of a perimeter around an area to be monitored by the security system. The first RF transceiver has an RF detection field proximate to the door. A disarm device comprises a second RF transceiver that automatically transmits a disarm device packet. The first RF transceiver receives the disarm device packet when the second RF transceiver is within the RF detection field. The first RF transceiver sends a disarm message to the system control panel over the network to disarm the security system based on at least the disarm device packet.
US07696868B1
In some embodiments, techniques for processing an alert may include creating or receiving an alert, determining a first current location, associating the first current location with the alert if not already so associated, determining a second current location, determining that the second current location matches the first current location, and presenting information relating to the alert.
US07696863B2
A method and a device for warning the driver of a motor vehicle. An object detector is provided, which detects preceding vehicles and ascertains their distance and relative velocity with respect to the host vehicle and supplies these to an evaluation device. The evaluation device assumes that the preceding vehicle would perform a deceleration and ascertains as a further function of the variables measured by the object detector and the driver's reaction time and the host vehicle's maximum possible deceleration whether a collision with the preceding vehicle would be avoidable. If an unavoidability of a collision is recognized, then a driver warning device is activated.
US07696860B2
Tactile communication methods, systems and devices for wireless touch communication which include an array of electromechanical transducers each independently capable of producing a vibration for communicating qualitative and quantitative tactile cues to a user, at least one electromagnetic field sensor coupled with at least one of the array of transducers for monitoring a change in an electromagnetic field of the array of electromechanical transducers and producing an output signals when a change is detected, wherein a change in a position of a transducer contactor produces the change in the electromagnetic field and a vibrotactile waistbelt for housing the array of electromechanical transducers and sensors, wherein the vibrotactile waistbelt is worn by a user to receive and send wireless touch communication respectively from and to a remotely located controller.
US07696857B2
A system for disabling a device. An embedded identifier contained within a cable security system is read in response to enabling a cable security mechanism within the device. The device is disabled if the embedded identifier is not found.
US07696847B2
The magnetic field in an acceleration chamber defined by a magnet structure is shaped by shaping the poles of a magnetic yoke and/or by providing additional magnetic coils to produce a magnetic field in the median acceleration plane that decreases with increasing radial distance from a central axis. The magnet structure is thereby rendered suitable for the acceleration of charged particles in a synchrocyclotron. The magnetic field in the median acceleration plane is “coil-dominated,” meaning that a strong majority of the magnetic field in the median acceleration plane is directly generated by a pair of primary magnetic coils (e.g., superconducting coils) positioned about the acceleration chamber, and the magnet structure is structured to provide both weak focusing and phase stability in the acceleration chamber. The magnet structure can be very compact and can produce particularly high magnetic fields.
US07696846B2
A drive solenoid, a yoke, an armature and at least one contact are mounted in a housing of an electromagnetic switching device. The drive solenoid, yoke and armature are inductively intercoupled, in such a way that when an inrush current is applied to the drive solenoid, the armature can be displaced into a pickup position, thus directly or indirectly actuating the contact. The yoke and/or armature contain(s) pulverulent magnetic material.
US07696843B2
An object of the invention is to provide a coupling element of an MEMS filter with design flexibility and minimization of mass loading effects. The invention provides a structure wherein the mass loading effects are not reflected on the MEMS filter characteristic by using a nanosize coupling element with a very small mass compared to a microsize MEMS resonator, such as a carbon nanotube (CNT), as a coupling element part.
US07696841B2
A power amplifier includes a quadrature hybrid and input impedance matching network. The power amplifier also includes at least one amplifier that includes an output electrode, and a quadrature hybrid and output impedance matching network. The quadrature hybrid and input impedance matching network exhibits a low pass frequency response.
US07696839B2
A signal waveform equalizer circuit capable of equalizing the waveform of an input signal with a center voltage of 0 V and yet small in circuit scale. An input signal (in FIG. 1, positive-phase input signal) whose waveform is to be equalized is input to the source of an nMOS, and this enables the equalizer circuit to handle an input signal with the center voltage 0 V without the need to add an extra circuit. The waveform of the input signal is shaped by a delay circuit including a resistor and a capacitor, and an output signal (in FIG. 1, positive-phase output signal) is output from a node.
US07696837B2
A one-dimensional nanostructure multi-port coupler (100, 300, 400, 600) is provided for use in an RF device (700). The coupler (100, 300, 400, 600) includes a first plurality of one-dimensional nanostructures (102) aligned substantially in a first direction (110) and coupled between the input (103) and first output (103′), and a second plurality of one-dimensional nanostructures (104) substantially aligned in a second direction (112), coupled to a second output (105), and disposed contiguous to the first plurality of one-dimensional nanostructures (102). The first and second plurality of one-dimensional nanostructures (102, 104) may comprise first and second contiguous planes. The amount of RF energy coupled may be controlled by varying the width, density, diameter, and type of one of the plurality of one-dimensional nanostructures (102, 104) versus the other. The amount of RF energy coupled may also be controlled by varying the angle between the first and second plurality of one-dimensional nanostructures (102, 104) and by disposing a dielectric material (132) therebetween.
US07696829B2
A synthesizer arrangement includes an oscillator, a phase detector, and a loop filter that form a phase-locked loop. The loop filter is coupled to a control unit to activate a respective set of internal states out of a plurality of sets of internal states.
US07696817B1
Auto-gain correction in a precision amplifier provides continuous calibration of the gain of the two differential input stages relative to each other and thus significantly minimizes the effects of device mismatch and temperature. Auto-gain correction together with auto-zero minimizes the effects of common mode input voltage on the amplifier and eliminates the need for trim associated with the matching of the two differential input stages. Improved gain matching enhances the accuracy of the auto-zero, which further improves the accuracy of auto-gain correction, resulting in a synergy with both operating together. The implementation of the auto-zero using an input pair of series capacitors in conjunction with a common input reference and a feedback pair of series capacitors in conjunction with a common feedback reference provides for decoupling the common mode voltage of the input differential pair or feedback differential pair. Various features may be used in sub-combinations as desired.
US07696814B2
A filter circuit is disclosed which comprises a differential amplifier and a switch-capacitor circuit. The invention attains the goals of reducing the power consumption and the circuit size by sharing an amplifier with other related circuits to reduce the number of amplifiers.
US07696808B2
A slew rate control circuit in output driver of switching circuit to prevent power ground undershoot is introduced. The gate capacitance of lower power transistor is first fast discharged to ensure the operation of the output signal. The gate capacitance of lower power transistor is then slowly discharged to limit OUT SLEW RATE. The gate capacitance of lower power transistor is further slowly discharged when the power ground level is below common ground. With above controlling, the gate voltage slew rate of lower power transistor is reduced when the lower power transistor is almost fully turned OFF. Therefore, undershoot at the power ground is avoided. Similar slew rate control circuit can also be derived in output driver of switching circuit to prevent PVCC overshoot.
US07696796B2
An initialization signal generating circuit includes a voltage distributor, a first initialization signal generator, a second initialization signal, and a controller. The voltage distributor outputs a voltage signal in response to an external voltage. The first initialization signal generator outputs a first initialization signal in response to the voltage signal output from the voltage distributor. The second initialization signal generator outputs a second initialization signal in response to the voltage signal output from the voltage distributor. The controller blocks the external voltage supplied to the voltage distributor and the first and second initialization signal generators, in response to the first and second initialization signals.
US07696793B2
A differential signal driver circuit is provided with a driver circuit and a common feedback circuit. The driver circuit is responsive to differential input signals for generating differential output signals from operation currents generated by two current sources. The common feedback circuit controls the current sources to regulate the current levels of the operation currents in response to the differential output signals.
US07696792B2
A track and hold circuit is disclosed, including: a source follower coupled to a voltage supply; a MOS transistor with well structure, the MOS transistor having a gate terminal coupled to a gate terminal of the source follower, a drain terminal coupled to its body terminal and a source terminal of the source follower, and a source terminal coupled to a current source and an output terminal; a capacitive device having a terminal coupled to the gate terminal of the MOS transistor and another terminal coupled to a fixed voltage level; and a switch device coupled and disposed between an input signal and the gate terminal of the MOS transistor, wherein the switch device is controlled by a control signal.
US07696791B2
An amplitude detection circuit using a sinusoidal input signal inputs to produce a digital output (a one or zero) is described. The circuit uses an input field effect transistor (FET) with a gate load coupled to a gate of the input FET. A drain load may be coupled to a drain of the input FET. A source load may be coupled to a source of the input FET. A controllable variable current generator provides a current to the source of the input FET, biasing the source of the input FET to a reference voltage. An input signal conductor may be coupled to the gate of the input FET. Other embodiments are described.
US07696782B2
An apparatus comprising a plurality of fixed logic circuits, wherein each of the fixed logic circuits is configured to receive a plurality of input signals, perform combinational logic operations using the input signals, and produce at least one output signal, and wherein the combinational logic operations are substantially fixed; and a programmable logic core configured to functionally replace a selected subset of the plurality of fixed logic circuits, receive the input signals of the selected subset of the plurality of fixed logic circuits, perform logic operations on the input signals, and produce at least one output signal as the output signal of the selected subset of the plurality of fixed logic circuits, and wherein the logic operations are dynamically changeable.
US07696773B2
A method of determining characteristics of transistors and electroluminescent devices, includes: providing an electroluminescent display; providing for pairs of electroluminescent devices drive circuits and a single readout line, each drive circuit including a readout transistor electrically connected to the readout line; providing a first voltage source; providing a second voltage source; providing a current source; providing a current sink; providing a test voltage source; providing a voltage measurement circuit; sequentially testing the drive transistors to provide a first signal representative of characteristics of the drive transistor of the first drive circuit and a second signal representative of characteristics of the drive transistor of the second drive circuit, whereby the characteristics of each drive transistor are determined; and simultaneously testing the first and second electroluminescent devices to provide a third signal representative of characteristics of the pair of electroluminescent devices, whereby the characteristics of both electroluminescent devices are determined.
US07696770B2
The shortcomings of the prior art are overcome and additional advantages are provided through the provision of a self-centering nest for testing of microprocessor chip modules. The self-centering nest includes two slideable jaws disposed on a base diagonally opposite each other. Each jaw includes a jaw pin that is receptive in a carrier, such that when the jaw pins are received in the carrier, the jaws are in an open position. The self-centering nest includes a transfer mechanism for urging a microprocessor chip module from the carrier into the self-centering nest. The self-centering nest includes a plurality of springs, each spring having a first end connected to the first slideable jaw and a second end connected to the second slideable jaw. The springs cause the jaws to move toward each other capturing and centering the microprocessor chip module when the jaws are pulled away from the carrier releasing the jaw pins.
US07696764B2
In some embodiments, the arrangement includes a sense element to convey a current from a source to a load and a compensation element located proximate to the sense element. The compensation element has a resistance that changes proportional to a change in temperature of the sense element. In several embodiments, the arrangement further includes an operational amplifier having a first input connected to the sense element, a second input connected to the compensation element and an output that provides an output signal that biases a current through the compensation element in response to a voltage across the sense element. In such embodiments, the bias current provides an output signal proportional to the conveyed current and the compensation element provides temperature compensation for the output signal. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US07696762B2
A non metallic flow through electrodeless conductivity sensor is provided with a conduit having primary and secondary process fluid flowpaths to form a fluid loop. At least one drive and one sense toroid surround the conduit on the fluid loop. Voltage supplied to the drive toroid induces a current in the sense toroid via the fluid loop to eliminate any need for metallic electrodes in contact with the process fluid. At least one additional drive and/or sense toroid is disposed on the fluid loop to enhance induction. Optionally one or more sense coils are disposed about the conduit outside of the fluid loop to cancel out stray electrical noise. An optional conductor disposed along the conduit detects any fluid leakage through changes in resistance thereof.
US07696760B2
A wire harness testing system is disclosed. The wire harness testing system includes a voltage sensor configured to measure a voltage at a location associated with an electric load, wherein the electric load is connected with at least one wire harness. The wire harness testing system also includes a controller electrically coupled to the voltage sensor. The controller is configured to receive a wire harness test request. The controller is further configured to determine a voltage drop based on a voltage sensor measurement and a reference voltage and compare the voltage drop with a threshold. The controller is also configured to adaptively update the reference voltage with the voltage measurement responsive to a voltage drop below the threshold, and generate a fault notice responsive to a voltage drop above the threshold. The wire harness testing system further includes at least one indication device configured to provide a warning signal based on the fault notice generated by the controller.
US07696759B2
An alternator and starter motor tester system having alternator cable check. The alternator cable connector is specific to an alternator type. The cable connector is monitored so that if it fails a certain alternator type for a predetermined number of times in a row, the cable will be locked.
US07696754B2
A local coil arrangement for magnetic resonance applications has an acquisition coil for acquisition of a magnetic resonance signal excited in an examination subject by means of a transmission coil; and a transponder. The transponder is coupled to the acquisition coil such that it can be fed with electrical energy via the acquisition coil The transponder is fashioned to send a transponder signal on a transponder frequency when and as soon as an excitation signal induced in the acquisition coil by means of the transmission coil exceeds a threshold. When the control device receives the transponder signal, it adjusts the further operation of the transmission antenna or operates it only with reduced power.
US07696748B2
Methods and apparatus are described for absolute electrical property measurement of materials. This is accomplished with magnetic and electric field based sensors and sensor array geometries that can be modeled accurately and with impedance instrumentation that permits accurate measurements of the in-phase and quadrature phase signal components. A dithering calibration method is also described which allows the measurement to account for background material noise variations. Methods are also described for accounting for noise factors in sensor design and selection of the optimal operating conditions which can minimize the error bounds for material property estimates. Example application of these methods to automated engine disk slot inspection and assessment of the mechanical condition of dielectric materials are presented.
US07696743B2
In a zero-phase current detecting apparatus, a feedback loop is made up of a pulse generating unit, a current detecting unit, a peak detecting unit, an adding unit, and a current regulating unit. The adding unit outputs a difference between a target value and a peak value detected by the peak detecting unit. A zero-phase current is detected based on the difference output from the adding unit as a result of regulation of the peak value so as to be the target value in the adding unit.
US07696736B2
A method and apparatus for converting a DC voltage to a lower DC voltage, provides for conducting current from an input terminal, through an inductor to charge a capacitor connected to the inductor at an output terminal and to provide a varying range of load current from the output terminal, alternately switching the input terminal between a supply voltage and a ground potential to produce a desired voltage at the output terminal that is lower than the supply voltage, while providing the varying range of load current, and disconnecting the input terminal from both the supply voltage and the ground potential to reduce an increase in voltage at the output terminal caused by a substantial reduction in the load current, while current through the inductor adjusts in response to the reduced load current.
US07696734B2
Disclosed is a multiphase DC-DC converter including a plurality of DC-DC converter circuits connected in parallel to one another; an output section to add up outputs of the plurality of DC-DC converter circuits to obtain one output; a timing generating circuit to generate timing signals for respectively operating the plurality of DC-DC converter circuits; a control circuit to selectively and sequentially operate the plurality of DC-DC converter circuits in synchronization with the timing signals outputted from the timing generating circuit so that output phases of the plurality of DC-DC converter circuits are different from one another; and a current detection circuit to detect an output current of each of the plurality of DC-DC converter circuits, wherein the control circuit selects one of the plurality of DC-DC converter circuit to be operated next based on an output of the current detection circuit.
US07696732B2
An output regulator includes a plurality of switch arrays. A controller enables selected ones of the plurality of switch arrays in response to a sense signal. The sense signal is based on an output of the output regulator. The controller generates drive signals to control the selected ones of the plurality of switch arrays. The controller adjusts first selected pulses in an output phase of the selected ones of the plurality of switch arrays based on a first pulse width. The controller adjusts second selected pulses in the output phase of the selected ones of the plurality of switch arrays based on a second pulse width greater than or less than the first pulse width.
US07696722B2
A power system and method for supplying power to a wireless X-ray detector utilizes a detachable handle for a wireless X-ray detector. The handle carries a battery which, when the detachable handle is coupled to a wireless X-ray detector, provides the wireless X-ray detector with a mobile supply of power. A detachable handle charging station may recharge a plurality of detachable handles, providing a swappable supply of power for a wireless X-ray detector. Charging stations for such handles, or for entire detectors are also disclosed.
US07696721B2
The present disclosure provides a method, apparatus, and system to switch between direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) power sources for appliances with a third position to allow on-board recharging of the DC power source. The method involves locking out a power source when the other power source is powering the appliance and locking out both power sources from operating the appliance when the appliance is being recharged. The DC power source can remain coupled to the appliance during operation and during recharging without necessitating removal for remote recharging by the use of a unique switch.
US07696715B2
An autonomous controller allows an AC induction motor to operate over a broad range of AC power supply frequencies by reducing the amount of current supplied to the motor at lower frequencies. The controller detects the frequency of the power supply and switches the supply current on and off during each AC cycle to limit the RMS current to a value that is related to the detected frequency. Alternatively, the controller switches capacitive reactance into the power supply circuit which reduces the current supplied to the motor at lower AC frequencies.
US07696710B2
A method for determining an amount of moisture on a surface of a substrate includes a step of transmitting a transmitter signal to generate a wave. The transmitter signal has a first phase. The wave is propagated to vibrate the surface. Vibrations in the surface are detected and converted into a receiver signal. The receiver signal has a second phase different than the first phase. The method includes the step of sensing the temperature of the substrate. The amount of moisture on the surface is computed based on a phase shift between the transmitter signal and the receiver signal that has been compensated to account for surface temperature.
US07696707B2
In a semiconductor integrated circuit device of the invention, a plurality of external terminals include: a first external terminal (VCC, U, V and W terminals in the FIGURE) receiving a higher voltage than the other external terminals; and a second external terminal (FG terminal in the FIGURE) arranged adjacent to the first external terminal as one of the other external terminals, the second external terminal feeding out, from one end of a transistor Q1, a control pulse signal corresponding to the turning on and off of the transistor Q1, and the second external terminal is connected to an overvoltage protection circuit (consisting of R1, R2, Q2 and AND) that masks a control signal for turning on and off the transistor Q1 so that, when a voltage at the second external terminal reaches a predetermined threshold, the transistor Q1 is kept off all the time. In this way, it is possible to prevent, without the need for an extra external terminal, breakdown in case of a short circuit between adjacent external terminals.
US07696698B2
A signal is described herein that provides light output for automotive, rail, ship traffic and/or illumination control that includes a light emitting diode (LED) array, wherein the LED array includes three groups of disparate colored LEDs. A power supply unit provides independent power to each of the three LED groups. Each LED group power supply unit includes an input controlled switch connected to a power line to provide power to the LED array. An input under voltage/over voltage circuit monitors the voltage level of the power line and for enabling and/or disables the input controlled switch according to the voltage level of the power line. A flyback transformer converts the power received from the power line from an alternating or a continuous current signal to a direct current signal output to the LED array. A dummy load draws power additional to the LED array and a dummy load detection circuit monitors the dummy load to insure that the power drawn by the load is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold. A light out detection circuit monitors the light output of the LED array via an optical sensor.
US07696690B2
A short-wavelength light-emitting element such as an ultraviolet light-emitting element or blue light-emitting element is arranged in a container which has a window with a window board formed of calcium fluoride crystals. Fluoride crystals are ones which contain either metal or metal halide, or both of them. In a production method of fluoride crystals in which the cavity of a crucible is filled with raw material powder and this crucible is heated in a vertical Bridgman furnace, a production method of fluoride crystals of the present invention is the one in which the shortest diameter of a cross section of the cavity of the crucible is small. In a crucible, whose cavity is filled with raw material powder, heated in a vertical Bridgman furnace to produce fluoride crystals, a crucible is the one in which the shortest diameter of a section of the cavity is small.
US07696684B2
A multicolor electronic display is based on an array of luminescent semiconductor nanocrystals. Nanocrystals which emit light of different colors are grouped into pixels. The nanocrystals are optically pumped to produce a multicolor display. Different sized nanocrystals are used to produce the different colors. A variety of pixel addressing systems can be used.
US07696680B2
A field emission device (10), in accordance with a preferred embodiment, includes an anode electrode (22), a cathode electrode (12), a gate electrode (16), a phosphor layer (23), and a number of electron emitters (13) formed on the cathode electrode. The anode electrode is opposite to and spaced from the cathode electrode. The phosphor layer is attached/formed on the anode electrode. The gate electrode (preferably in the form of a wire) is spatially positioned between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode. In addition, the gate electrode is correspondingly arranged relative to the phosphor layer. The electron emitters are distributed on surfaces of the cathode electrode at least adjacent to two sides of the gate electrode, thus promoting the ability of the emitted electrons to be guided by, yet not readily impinge on, the gate electrode on a path toward the phosphor layer.
US07696673B1
Disclosed are various embodiments of systems, devices and methods for generating electricity, transforming voltages and generating motion using one or more piezoelectric elements operably coupled to one or more non-piezoelectric resonating elements. In one embodiment, a non-piezoelectric resonating element is configured to oscillate and dissipate mechanical energy into a piezoelectric element, which converts a portion of such mechanical energy into electricity and therefore acts as a generator. In another embodiment, a piezoelectric element is configured to drive one or more mechanical elements operably coupled to the one or more non-piezoelectric resonating elements, and therefore acts as a motor. In still another embodiment, a piezoelectric element is operably coupled to a non-piezoelectric resonating element to form an electrical transformer. The mechanical properties of the non-piezoelectric resonating elements are typically selected to permit relatively high permissible stress and strain in comparison to the corresponding piezoelectric elements to which they are operably coupled or attached.
US07696664B2
A magnetic path closed electric generator includes a base (9), a housing (8), a stator (3), a rotator (5), a rotation shaft (7) and a transmission wheel. A magnetic permeability neck (12) is fixed on the stator; a coil winding (2) on the stator is fixed on the magnetic permeability bracket (1) and hitches outside a magnetic permeability neck; a low magnetic permeability medium (13) is disposed between the magnetic permeability bracket and the magnetic permeability neck. When the rotator rotates, a magnetic body (4) rotates along with it. The magnetic permeability neck is inducted to permeate magnetic and generate electric current with change of flux passing through the coil winding. A magnetic field generated by the electric current in the coil winding passes through the magnetic permeability bracket. The coil winding on the stator and the magnetic body on the rotator form a magnetic line closed loop in their own magnetic field. There is only small magnetic attracting force between the rotator and the stator.
US07696663B2
A rotor (2) for a forced-air-cooled electric motor, in particular a universal motor, especially for use with electrical power tools, has a laminated armature (6) incorporating longitudinal slots (8) and with wire windings of a coil (10) protruding from the longitudinal slots (8) on the front face where the windings form coil connecting heads (20, 22). Some or all of the longitudinal slots (8) in the laminated armature (6) contain a rod (28) aligned in the longitudinal direction and protruding axially from one or both front faces (24, 26) of the laminated armature (6), whereby the protruding rod ends thus surround the coil connecting heads (20, 22) on the respective front face to protect the coil connecting heads from abrasive wear.
US07696656B2
A motor assembly (20) includes a motor (22) and an end cap (26). The end cap (26) includes an electrically insulating body (28) having a peripheral edge (30) that interfaces with a conductive housing (24) of the motor (22). Motor terminals (94, 102) and an electromagnetic suppression (EMD) chip device (54) are located within the body (28). The chip device (54) has an input terminal (74) in electrical communication with the motor terminal (94), an input terminal (76) in electrical communication with the motor terminal (102), and an earth terminal (78). A conductive ground strap (56) is in electrical communication with the earth terminal (78). The ground strap (56) encapsulates and retains the chip device (54) in the end cap (26) and has an end (60) fitted onto the peripheral edge (30) of the end cap (26) between the end cap (26) and the conductive housing (24) of the motor (22).
US07696653B2
Movable-body apparatus, notably configured as stages, are disclosed that include at least one movable body and at least one respective actuator. The actuator drives the movable body in the direction of at least one axis in a predetermined plane. A waste-heat member is situated in a non-contacting manner with the movable body. The waste-heat member absorbs heat radiated from the movable body. Thus, adverse thermal influences of the movable body are suppressed without a need to connect a coolant conduit to the movable body, which eliminates decreases in movement accuracy conventionally caused by tension of such a conduit on the movable body.
US07696651B2
A linear motor comprising a mover part including; an armature module having an I shaped magnetic iron core and an armature winding of one kind wound on the periphery of the I shaped magnetic iron core through an insulating material. A non-magnetic material holder on which a plurality of armature modules are arranged in a stroke direction is provided. A base upper plate and a base lower plate are provided for attaching the non-magnetic material holder in upper and lower parts respectively. A stator part includes a plurality of field permanent magnets opposed to the I shaped magnetic iron cores through magnetic spaces and field yokes for supporting the field permanent magnets. The non-magnetic material holder has at both end parts thereof through holes for inserting bolts corresponding to the forms and the arranging pitches of the I shaped magnetic iron cores.
US07696644B2
A power transfer system for imparting power to at least one functional element, such as a movable glass-containing functional element, such as a sliding glass door. The power transfer system preferably includes a magnetic induction power transfer mechanism with a power transfer circuit having first and second separated coils, and a resonant circuit power driver having a resonant frequency. The power transfer mechanism is designed to apply power to the functional element and/or to other devices or systems connected to it. The power transfer system may include an electronic feedback mechanism with an electronic feedback circuit for sensing a predetermined condition concerning the functional element. To take one example, the electronic feedback circuit may be used to provide safety door detection feedback by sensing the position of a movable glass portion of sliding glass doors, and by relaying a feedback signal, which may be carried by a light wave, to the power transfer mechanism if the movable glass portion of the doors is determined to be in a closed position. A data link may be used to communicate information between the power transfer circuit and the functional element.
US07696639B2
A rectifier circuit powers three power conversion modules using a three phase AC input without a neutral connection. The rectifier circuit includes a first bridge rectifier that is connected to a first phase of the three phase AC input and that produces a first rectified waveform. A second bridge rectifier is connected to a second phase of the three phase AC input and produces a second rectified waveform. A third bridge rectifier is connected to a third phase of the three phase AC input and produces a third rectified waveform. A first inductor has one end that is connected to the first bridge rectifier. A second inductor has one end that is connected to the second bridge rectifier. A third inductor has one end that is connected to the third bridge rectifier. Opposite ends of the first, second and third inductors are connected to form a virtual neutral. A protection circuit prevents overvoltage when one of the DC outputs is shorted.
US07696635B2
A wind turbine devices comprises a vertically rotating shaft; and a plurality of horizontally disposed, box-shaped wind catchment vanes connected about the shaft, each vane having an open front face to catch wind flow and a lightweight flap on their rear face that closes when acted upon by wind force to rotate the vane about the shaft. When the latter flap opens, wind spills through the vane thus increasing efficiency.
US07696627B2
In the multilayered interconnect structure, an upper-layer interconnect is formed in an interlayer dielectric film formed on a lower-layer interconnect of copper, and the lower-layer interconnect and the upper-layer interconnect of copper are connected to each other through a via formed in the interlayer dielectric film. A layer of the interlayer dielectric film in contact with the lower-layer interconnect is made of a layer including, as a principal component, an aromatic compound containing a nitrogen atom having a lone pair of electrons in an aromatic ring.
US07696622B2
A MEMS device including a getter film formed inside a hermetic chamber provides stable performance of the MEMS device by electrically stabilizing the getter film. The MEMS device includes a movable portion and a fixed portion formed inside the hermetic chamber. The hermetic chamber is formed by a base material of the MEMS device and glass substrates and having a cavity and cavities made therein. A part of any continuous getter film formed inside the hermetic chamber connects to only one of any one or a plurality of predetermined electrical potentials of the fixed portion and a ground potential of the fixed portion through the base material of the MEMS device.
US07696613B2
A multilayered wiring substrate is constructed by stacking wiring layers 105, 108, 110, 112 and insulating layers 104, 106, 107, 109 in predetermined number, with at least one of the wiring layers being formed as a reinforcing wiring layer 103 whose thickness is 35 to 150 μm arranged in one layer or plural layers. Also, the thickness of the reinforcing wiring layer is larger than that of the other wiring layers.
US07696604B2
Methods and heterostructure barrier varactor (HBV) diodes optimized for application with frequency multipliers at providing outputs at submillimeter wave frequencies and above. The HBV diodes include a silicon-containing substrate, an electrode over the silicon-containing substrate, and one or more heterojunction quantum wells of alternating layers of Si and SiGe of one or more electrodes of the diode. Each SiGe quantum well preferably has a floating SiGe layer between adjacent SiGe gradients followed by adjacent Si layers, such that, a single homogeneous structure is provided characterized by having no distinct separations. The plurality of Si/SiGe heterojunction quantum wells may be symmetric or asymmetric.
US07696599B2
A trench MOSFET with drain (8), drift region (10) body (12) and source (14). In order to improve the figure of merit for use of the MOSFET as control and sync FETs, the trench (20) is partially filled with dielectric (24) adjacent to the drift region (10) and a graded doping profile is used in the drift region (10).
US07696580B2
A diode with low substrate current leakage and suitable for BiCMOS process technology. A buried layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate. A connection region and well contact the buried layer. Isolation regions are adjacent to two sides of the buried layer, each deeper than the buried layer. The isolation regions and the buried layer isolate the connection zone and the well from the substrate. The first doped region in the well is a first electrode. The well and the connection region are electrically connected, acting as a second electrode.
US07696570B2
According to some embodiments of the invention, transistors of a semiconductor device have a channel region in a channel-portion hole. Methods include forming embodiments of the transistor having a channel-portion hole disposed in a semiconductor substrate. A channel-portion trench pad and a channel-portion layer are sequentially formed at a lower portion of the channel-portion hole. A word line insulating layer pattern and a word line pattern are sequentially stacked on the channel-portion layer and fill the channel-portion hole, disposed on the semiconductor substrate. The channel-portion layer is formed to contact the semiconductor substrate through a portion of sidewall of the channel-portion hole, and forms a channel region under the word line pattern. Punchthrough is prevented between electrode impurity regions corresponding to source and drain regions.
US07696568B2
A semiconductor device fabricated in the semiconductor substrate includes a FinFET transistor having opposed source and drain pillars, and a fin interposed between the source and drain pillars. A cavity is formed in the semiconductor substrate extending at least partially between the fin and the semiconductor substrate. The cavity may be formed within a shallow trench isolation structure, and it may also extend at least partially between the semiconductor substrate and one or both of the pillars. The cavities increase the impedance between the semiconductor substrate and the fin and/or pillars to decrease the sub-threshold leakage of the FinFET transistor.
US07696566B2
A control circuit with a high voltage sense device. In one embodiment, a circuit includes a first transistor disposed in a first substrate having first, second and third terminals. A first terminal of the first transistor is coupled to an external voltage. A voltage provided at a third terminal of the first transistor is substantially proportional to a voltage between the first and second terminals of the first transistor when the voltage between the first and second terminals of the first transistor is less than a pinch-off voltage of the first transistor. The voltage provided at the third terminal of the first transistor is substantially constant and less than the voltage between the first and second terminals of the first transistor when the voltage between the first and second terminals of the first transistor is greater than the pinch-off voltage of the first transistor. The circuit also includes a control circuit disposed in the first substrate and coupled to the third terminal of the first transistor. The circuit further includes a second transistor disposed in a second substrate. A first terminal of the second transistor coupled to the external voltage.
US07696562B2
To provide a highly reliable semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device, where defects such as a short between a gate electrode layer and a semiconductor layer and a leakage current, which would otherwise be caused due to a coverage defect of the semiconductor layer with an insulating layer, can be prevented. In order to form a plurality of semiconductor elements over an insulating surface, a semiconductor layer is not separated into a plurality of island-shape semiconductor layers, but instead, element isolation regions, which electrically insulate a plurality of element regions functioning as semiconductor elements, are formed in one semiconductor layer, i.e., a first element isolation region with high resistance and a second element isolation region which has a contact with the element region and has a conductivity type opposite to that of the source and drain regions of the element region.
US07696561B2
A non-volatile memory device includes a first sensing line, a first word line, a depletion channel region, and impurity regions. The first sensing line and the first word line are formed adjacent to each other in parallel on a substrate. The first sensing line and the first word line have a tunnel oxide layer, a first conductive pattern, a dielectric layer pattern and a second conductive pattern sequentially stacked on the substrate. The depletion channel region is formed at an upper portion of the substrate under the first sensing line. The impurity regions are formed at upper portions of the substrate exposed by the first sensing line and the first word line.
US07696560B2
A flash memory device includes control gates that are formed to completely surround the top and sides of floating gates. The control gates are located between the floating gates that are adjacent in the word line direction as well as the floating gates that are adjacent in the bit line direction. The present flash memory device reduces a shift in a threshold voltage resulting from interference among floating gates and increases an overlapping area of the floating gate and the control gates. Thus, there is an effect in that the coupling ratio can be increased.
US07696553B2
A semiconductor storage device is manufactured by the following steps. A cylindrical hole is formed in an interlayer insulating film. Then, a multilayer conductive layer including a first sublayer and a second sublayer is formed over the entire surface of the insulating interlayer including the internal surface of the hole. The second sublayer has a higher nitrogen content than the first sublayer. A cup-like lower electrode is formed by reactive ion etching of the conductive layer under conditions that the second sublayer is etched faster than the first sublayer, so that the conductive layer remains only on the internal surface of the hole, and so that the upper edge of the remaining conductive layer forms an angle of 45° or less with the internal wall of the hole. Then, a capacitor insulating layer and an upper electrode are formed in that order on the lower electrode.
US07696547B2
A solid-state image sensor having a well of a first conductivity type; a photoelectric conversion region having a second conductivity type formed in the well storing charges obtained from a photoelectric conversion; a drain region having the second conductivity type formed in the well apart from a surface of the well; and a gate electrode formed on the surface of the well via a gate insulator, the gate electrode transferring the charges from the photoelectric conversion region to the drain region. Alternatively, a transistor includes a first semiconductor region having a first conductivity type; second and third semiconductor regions having a second conductivity type formed in the first semiconductor region, the second and third semiconductor regions being separated from each other by a portion of the first semiconductor region serving as a channel region; an insulator layer provided on a surface of the first semiconductor region in contact with the channel region; a gate electrode provided on the insulator layer; and the first semiconductor region includes a shield semiconductor region of the first conductivity type disposed between the surface of the first semiconductor region and at least one of the second and third semiconductor regions such that the at least one of the second and third semiconductor regions is sandwiched between the shield region and the first semiconductor region.
US07696533B2
The invention relates to a structure usable in electronic, optical or optoelectronic engineering which comprises a substantially crystalline layer made of an alloy consisting of at least one element of the column II of the periodic elements system and/or at least one element of the column IV of the periodic elements system and of N2 (said alloy being noted N-IV-N2), wherein said structure also comprises an InN layer. A method for producing an indium nitride layer, a substrate forming plate and the use thereof for indium nitride growth are also disclosed.
US07696532B2
A power semiconductor module (1) with a housing (2) and at least one semiconductor chip (3, 3′) located in it is devised. At least one semiconductor chip (3, 3′) has a first main electrode side (31) and a second main electrode side (32) opposite the first main electrode side, the first main electrode side (31) making thermal and electrical contact with the first base plate (4, 4′). The first cooling device (6) makes thermal and electrical contact with the side of the first base plate (41) facing away from the first main electrode side. The second main electrode side (32) makes thermal and electrical contact with a second base plate (5, 5′). A second cooling device (7) makes thermal contact with the side of the second base plate (51) facing away from the second main electrode side. The heat sink (65) of the first cooling device is supported against the housing (2).
US07696531B2
A semiconductor device includes: an channel layer formed on a semiconductor substrate; a drain electrode and a source electrode both formed on the channel layer apart from each other; a surface passivation film formed on the channel layer so as to cover the channel layer except for the drain electrode and the source electrode; a gate electrode disposed between the drain electrode and the source electrode so as to penetrate the surface passivation film; a field plate electrode provided on the surface passivation film between the drain electrode and the gate electrode at a predetermined distance from the gate electrode; and a connecting plate having a bridge structure connecting the gate electrode to the field plate electrode. The bridge structure may be formed with at least one opening penetrating the connecting plate so as to face the surface passivation film with a predetermined space.
US07696526B2
The invention relates to a surface mount optoelectronic component. A thick, electrically conductive material is used to serve as a base material for the assembly. An opaque plastic material is used to provide housing for the whole component. A cavity formed on a top surface of the optoelectronic component is designed within the plastic material. An optoelectronic chip is mounted within this cavity. This cavity is filled with a hard transparent or translucent resin material so that optical radiation may be transmitted or received via this window. Electrical connection(s) between the chip and the base material is/are provided by a metallic wire (4). Subsequent connections to external sub-systems, such as PCBs, are provided by the base material itself. No extra mechanical forming processes are necessary to create the connections. The base material extends all the way from a middle portion to a bottom surface of the optoelectronic component, and to one of the side surfaces, ultimately extending and protruding outside the package. The bottom surface is used for connection when a top illuminator is required. Alternatively, one of the side surfaces could be used for connection when the optoelectronic component is used as a side illuminator.
US07696524B2
There has been a problem that difference in refractive index between an opposite substrate or a moisture barrier layer (passivation film) such as SiN provided thereover, and air is maintained large, and light extraction efficiency is low. Further, there has been a problem that peeling or cracking due to the moisture barrier layer is easily generated, which leads to deteriorate the reliability and lifetime of a light-emitting element. According to the present invention, a light-emitting element comprises a pixel electrode, an electroluminescent layer, a transparent electrode, a passivation film, a stress relieving layer, and a low refractive index layer, all of which are stacked sequentially. The stress relieving layer serves to prevent peeling of the passivation film. The low refractive index layer serves to reduce reflectivity of light generated in the electroluminescent layer in emitting to air. Therefore, a light-emitting element with high reliability and long lifetime and a display device using the light-emitting element can be provided.
US07696522B2
A light emitting device including a light source and a light transforming 101 member containing a fluorescent substance for absorbing at least a part of a light emitted from the light source and for emitting a light having a different wavelength. The light source includes a plurality of semiconductor light emitting units 104, at least a part of which are covered with the light transforming member 101. A shielding member 102 between a first semiconductor light emitting unit 104a covered with the light transforming member 101 and a second semiconductor light emitting unit 104b which is adjacent to the semiconductor light emitting unit 104a.
US07696519B2
The invention achieves stable performance, such as low parasitic capacitance generated at conductive components. Components having a low dielectric constant of 4 or less are disposed on a base member. Functional films partitioned by the low-dielectric-constant components are also provided.
US07696518B2
A flat panel display capable of preventing inline short between adjacent wirings and voltage drop through power supply line by using pixel electrode layer as a power supply layer, and a fabrication method thereof. A flat panel display of the present invention is made up of a thin film transistor including source/drain electrodes, formed on an insulation substrate, an insulation film formed on the insulation substrate including the thin film transistor and including first and second contact holes for exposing the source/drain electrodes respectively, a pixel electrode formed on the insulation film and connected to one of the source/drain electrodes through one of the first and second contact holes, and a power supply layer formed on the insulation film and connected to the other one of the source/drain electrodes through the other one of the first and second contact holes. Losses in the power supply line is reduced by forming the power supply line of a low resistivity material and by providing the power supply line in a grid structure.
US07696514B2
There is disclosed a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the semiconductor device in which a heat treatment time required for crystal growth is shortened and a process is simplified. Two catalytic element introduction regions are arranged at both sides of one active layer and crystallization is made. A boundary portion where crystal growth from one catalytic element introduction region meets crystal growth from the other catalytic element introduction region is formed in a region which becomes a source region or drain region.
US07696510B2
An integrated circuit includes a first electrode, a second, a first resistivity changing material contacting the first electrode at a first interface, and a second resistivity changing material contacting the second electrode at a second interface. A direct communication path between the first interface and the second interface is greater than the lateral distance.
US07696508B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate and a lower interlayer insulating layer disposed on the substrate. An opening passing through the lower interlayer insulating layer and exposing the substrate is included. A buried insulating pattern is disposed in the opening. First and second conductive layer patterns are sequentially stacked to surround the sidewall and bottom of the buried insulating pattern. A phase change material pattern is included, which is disposed on the lower interlayer insulating layer in contact with a top surface of the second conductive layer pattern, and spaced apart from the first conductive layer pattern. An upper interlayer insulating layer covering the lower interlayer insulating layer and the phase change material pattern is included. A conductive plug is included, which passes through the upper interlayer insulating layer and is electrically connected to the phase change material pattern. A method of fabricating the semiconductor device is also provided.
US07696499B2
A radiation treatment system (100) for accurately delivering radiation to a targeted site within a cancer patient (108) that includes a modular patient support system and a patient positioner (114). The modular patient support system includes a modularly expandable patient pod (200) and at least one immobilization device, such as, for example, a rigid moldable foam cradle (350). The patient pod (200) includes a generally hemi-cylindrical support shell (212) that extends longitudinally between proximal edge (214) and distal edge (216), and transversely between two lateral edges (222, 224). In one embodiment, the lateral edges (222, 224) are tapered to minimize edge effects that result when radiation beams traverse the lateral edges (222, 224).
US07696493B2
The invention relates to a radiation system for generating electromagnetic radiation. The radiation system includes a pair of electrodes constructed and arranged to generate plasma of a first substance and a pinch in the plasma. The radiation system also includes a plasma recombination surface that is arranged proximate to the pinch, and is configured to neutralize a plurality of plasma particles.
US07696488B2
An irradiating device and a method for controlling it are provided. The device comprises an electron accelerator and a scanning box connected to the electron accelerator, wherein the scanning box is provided with a target, an electron beam exit window positioned at left or right side of the target and a scanning magnet. The device integrates the functions of both the existing irradiating device outputting electron beams and those outputting X-rays. When the scanning magnet is in operation, the irradiating device outputs electron beams; and when the scanning magnet is not in operation, the irradiating device outputs X-rays. Therefore, the device is capable of outputting two radiation sources so as to meet requirements for radiation-processing articles with different sizes.
US07696483B2
A photon-counting detector includes a direct conversion material and a data acquisition system with a first comparator having a first signal level threshold indicative of a noise level of a spectrum of photons, the first comparator configured to output a count when the electrical signal level exceeds the first signal level threshold, and a second comparator having a second signal level threshold indicative of the maximum energy of the spectrum of photons, the second comparator configured to output a count when the electrical signal exceeds the second signal level threshold where a photon count is determined based on the counts from the first and second comparators.
US07696479B2
The invention relates to methods and apparatus for modifying the frequency characteristics of a spatially-dispersed mid-IR spectra for spectroscopy. In a preferred embodiment, sum frequency generation between a frequency-dispersed IR beam and an ultrafast optical pulse generates a spatially-extended optical signal that is collected with a CCD detector.
US07696471B2
Disclosed is an impact detection system including: an optical fiber including a plurality of sensor sections to reflect light, a wavelength band of the reflected light vibrates depending on an elastic wave propagating through a subject to be inspected; a light source to input light into the optical fiber; optical filters each connected to an output terminal of the optical fiber; and an arithmetic processing unit to detect the impact from output values of sensor sections, wherein the wavelength bands of the sensor sections in the optical fiber are distributed such that the vibration bands caused by the impact to be detected do not overlap with each other, and a pass band of the optical filter corresponding to one of the sensor sections is distributed in the vibration band caused by the detection object, and is distributed in both sides of a center of the wavelength band of the one sensor section.
US07696465B2
An exemplary image sensor package includes a substrate, an imaging area, a circuit layer and two passive components. The substrate has a first surface and a second surface, which are opposite to each other. An image sensing area is formed on the first surface of the substrate and a circuit layer is formed on the second surface of the substrate. The passive components opposite to the image sensing area are soldered to the circuit layer of the second surface.
US07696458B2
A system and method for inductively heating a work piece. The induction heating system is coupleable to at least one temperature feedback device. The temperature feedback device is disposed within the induction heating system to provide a signal representative of the temperature of an induction heating system component. The induction heating system is operable to control the output of the induction heating system based on the temperature of the induction heating system component to protect the component from heat damage.
US07696455B2
A ceramic heater is provided that includes a power terminal for connecting a resistive heating element to a power source. An intermediate layer is disposed on an AlN ceramic substrate proximate the resistive heating element. The power terminal is bonded to the intermediate layer by an active brazing material. The intermediate layer is formed of Mo/AlN or W/AlN and has a coefficient of thermal expansion between that of the active brazing material and that of the AlN ceramic substrate so that thermal stress generated in the ceramic substrate can be reduced.
US07696451B2
A method for laser cutting at least a first aperture in a first metal plate in the presence of a second metal plate placed parallel to and a short distance from the first plate and having a second aperture, the outline of which is in line with the outline of the aperture to be cut, wherein a plate forming a protective device, of defined thickness and having a third aperture whose outline is inwardly offset with respect to the outline of the second aperture, is placed between the first and second plates.
US07696446B2
The invention discloses a key structure comprising a keycap, a base plate, and a support member. The keycap comprises a slide part; the base plate comprises an engagement part; the support member comprises a slide end and an engagement end, and the support member is used for engaging the keycap and the base plate. The slide end slides along the slide part, and the engagement end is engaged to the engagement part. Therein, the slide end comprises a connection part, and the connection part comprises at least one concave part or at least one hole.
US07696445B2
Oil level detecting switch, which detects an amount of lubricant oil stored in an oil pan, includes: a switch case having through-holes to permit entry and discharge of oil into and out of the switch case; a float of a spherical shape having smaller specific gravity than the oil and conductive outer surface and provided within the switch case for vertical movement in response to increase/decrease of the oil; and a plurality of fixed contacts provided on the bottom surface of the switch case such that the fixed contacts are placed in a conducting state by the float contacting the fixed contacts.
US07696444B2
Disclosed is a device for varying capacitance which pertains to the field of application of electronic devices and components. The technical essentials of the present invention lie in that: two dielectrics are disposed in parallel with an isolation layer interposed therebetween; the two dielectrics each are connected to an electrode at the same one end face thereof; the other end face of each of the two dielectrics is provided with an elastic conductive pad; a gasket is provided between the two dielectrics and the elastic conductive pads. The relative position and compressed area between the elastic conductive pads and the dielectrics vary according to the magnitude of the external force so that the capacitance between the electrodes of the dielectrics is varied accordingly within a certain range. Therefore, once the value and the variation of the capacitance between the electrodes are measured, the magnitude and the status of the external force which brings about the variation of the capacitance can be obtained. The device of the present invention has a simple structure and high sensitivity. Also, it has a definite zero initial value and a maximum value of the capacitance, and therefore is easy for handing and measurement.
US07696443B2
An electronic device comprises a substrate and at least a warped spring connector. The substrate has a signal bonding pad and a ground plane. The warped spring connector is disposed on the substrate and is connected to the bonding pad. The warped spring connector includes at least a ground lead electrically connected to the ground plane, a dielectric layer on the ground lead, and a transmitting lead on the dielectric layer. The transmitting lead is bonded to the bonding pad. The ground lead is isolated from and close to the transmitting lead to solve cross-talk and noise problem. Furthermore, the coefficient of thermal expansion of the transmitting lead is different from that of the dielectric layer or the ground lead such that the warped spring connector has a suspending end suspending away from the substrate.
US07696437B2
A telecommunications cable having a cable core in which each conductor is surrounded by an individual dual layer insulation of an inner layer of flame retardant polyolefin and an outer layer of another material, for example, fluorinated ethylene propylene, MFA, PVDF, ECTFE, PTFE, or foamed PFA.
US07696433B2
A cable outlet element (101) for leading out a cable (106) that can be muted through a raceway arrangement (105) comprises a cable lead-in section (101), a raceway arrangement connection (102), a cable lead-out section (103) and a cable outlet connection (104). The raceway arrangement connection (102) can be connected to a raceway arrangement (105) such that a cable (106) that can be routed through the raceway arrangement (105) can be fed into the cable lead-in section (101). To jointly form a cable outlet aperture the cable outlet connection (104) can be connected to a cable outlet connection (111) of another cable outlet element (107) such that at the connected cable outlet connections (104,111) a cable (106) fed into the cable lead-in section (101) can be led out through the jointly formed cable outlet aperture.
US07696432B2
In a mounting structure of an electrical junction box, the electrical junction box is vertically mounted on a wall surface along a vertical direction in a state where mating faces of an under case member and an upper case member are set in the vertical direction. Each of the under case member and the upper case member has a pair of left and right locking projections provided therein. A bracket including a backside plate part and a pair of case hook parts provided upright from both sides of the backside plate part is disposed along the vertical direction on the wall surface. The electrical junction box is slidingly inserted from above along the backside plate part in the vertical direction until both pairs of locking projections of the under case member and the upper case member are locked to the pair of case hook parts. Thus, the electrical junction box is mounted on the wall surface by use of the bracket.
US07696431B2
A spade or stake for hardware free mounting to a telecommunications data distribution terminal pedestal is disclosed. The spade may include one or more connectors of various types for engaging the pedestal to thereby couple the spade to the pedestal without hardware, and thus without tools. The pedestal may also include one or more connectors for mating with corresponding connectors on the stake.
US07696429B2
The invention relates to a solar cell which comprises photoactive semiconductor layers extending between the front and the back contact, and an integrated protective diode (bypass diode), said protective diode having a polarity opposite to that of the solar cell and is provided at its front with a p-conducting semiconductor layer, and the protective diode is connected to the front contact. The aim of the invention is to provide a highly stable protective diode and to prevent a migration of metal atoms. For this purpose, a tunnel diode (38) extends on the p-conducting semiconductor layer (36) of the protective diode (32), said tunnel diode being connected to the front contact (14) via an n+ layer.
US07696424B2
A keyboard apparatus of an electronic musical instrument has a plurality of pivoting members (white key main body 1, black key main body 2, and massive body 28) which pivot in response to depression or release of keys, a frame 3 which supports the pivoting members, and action restricting members (lower limit stopper 5 and upper limit stopper 6) which cause collision thereof with the pivoting members to restrict a range in which the pivoting members are allowed to pivot. The action restricting member contains a plurality of grains 11 in an enclosure member 12, and is arranged, in a state where inflow and outflow of air are allowed between the closed area and outside air, at the frame's side.
US07696415B1
The present invention is in the field of soybean cultivar S07-04KL904015 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean cultivar S07-04KL904015 and its progeny, and methods of making S07-04KL904015.
US07696411B2
The present invention provides transgenic plants which after harvest degrade the lignin and cellulose therein to fermentable sugars which can further be fermented to ethanol or other products. In particular, the transgenic plants comprise ligninase and cellulase genes from microbes operably linked to a DNA encoding a signal peptide which targets the fusion polypeptide produced therefrom to an organelle of the plant, in particular the chloroplasts. When the transgenic plants are harvested, the plants are ground to release the ligninase and cellulase which then degrade the lignin and cellulose of the transgenic plants to produce the fermentable sugars.
US07696409B2
Isolated polynucleotides and polypeptides encoded thereby are described, together with the use of those products for making transgenic plants with increased nitrogen use efficiency. The present invention further relates to nucleotide sequences and the use of those nucleotide sequences in the genetic-engineering of plants to display enhanced nitrogen assimilatory and utilization capacities, grow larger, more efficiently or rapidly, and/or have enriched nitrogen contents in vegetative and/or reproductive plant parts and/or increased biomass. More particularly, this invention relates to producing transgenic plants engineered to have altered expression of key components in the nitrogen assimilation and utilization pathways. The engineered plants may be productively cultivated under conditions of low nitrogen fertilizer input or in nitrogen poor soils. Alternatively, the engineered plants may be used to achieve faster growing or maturing crops, higher crop yields and/or more nutritious products under ideal cultivation conditions.
US07696404B2
An improved method of nuclear transfer involving the transplantation of differentiated donor cell nuclei into enucleated oocytes of a species different from the donor cell is provided. The resultant nuclear transfer units are useful for the production of isogenic embryonic stem cells, in particular human isogenic embryonic or stem cells. These embryonic or stem-like cells are useful for producing desired differentiated cells and for introduction, removal or modification, of desired genes, e.g., at specific sites of the genome of such cells by homologous recombination. These cells, which may contain a heterologous gene, are especially useful in cell transplantation therapies and for in vitro study of cell differentiation. Also, methods for improving nuclear transfer efficiency by genetically altering donor cells to inhibit apoptosis, select for a specific cell cycle and/or enhance embryonic growth and development are provided.
US07696379B2
The invention provides compounds of formula (I) wherein R1 represents hydrogen or alkyl; R2 represents an unsubstituted or substituted heterocycle or R2 represents an unsubstituted or substituted aryl; R3 represents alkyl or halogen; X represents a single bond or an alkandiyl-group, optionally interrupted by one or more oxygen atoms or carbonyl groups or carbonyloxy groups in free base or acid addition salt form, processes for their preparation and their use as pharmaceuticals.
US07696378B2
The present invention relates to a process for decomposing a polymer into a monomer or oligomer by hydrolysis with sub- or supercritical water. The process of the present invention is characterized in that at least a part of the polymer is a polymer comprising a constitutional unit derived from an organic acid in the molecular structure, and the polymer being contacted with sub- or supercritical water in the presence of a water-insoluble base.
US07696377B2
It is the objective to provide a method of stabilizing hydroxylamine at a high temperature and a high concentration or in a case that metal impurities such as Fe got mixed therewith, and a stabilized hydroxylamine solution. A method for stabilizing hydroxylamine related to the present invention is characterized by adding ethylenediamine-N,N′-di(o-hydroxyphenylacetic acid) as a preservation stabilizer.
US07696361B2
Biomimetic reagents capable of selectively forming non-covalent complexes and initiating intermolecular reactions with peptides in the gas phase are described. The reagents are particularly useful in gas phase peptides chemistry.
US07696350B2
This invention relates to chromen-2-one derivatives useful as monoamine neurotransmitter re-uptake inhibitors.In other aspects the invention relates to the use of these compounds in a method for therapy and to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds of the invention.
