US07707642B1
The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to document access auditing. According to an aspect, the invention involves receiving a request relating to an electronic document associated with a document tracking system; retrieving actions-taken information associated with the electronic document and maintained by the document tracking system; combining and signing the electronic document and the actions-taken information to form a signed document that includes the actions-taken information; and providing the signed document to enable access to the actions-taken information independent of the document tracking system. According to another aspect, the invention involves presenting a consent query that requests consent to an audit event to be recorded by a document control system for an electronic document tethered to the document control system; receiving a consent indication with respect to a consent statement relating to the audit event; and sending information corresponding to the consent indication to the document control system.
US07707631B2
A device for processing a program code with a plurality of subprogram calls, a subprogram corresponding to a subprogram call taking place by means of an allocation table, has a security module having the allocation table and a processor for using the program code. Access to the allocation table in the security module is restricted. The processor for using the program code is formed to retrieve, responsive to a request for subprogram data, using authorization information, subprogram data via the allocation table in the security module.
US07707626B2
An authentication management platform that enables authentication systems from various vendors to be integrated into a single service offering. The disclosed arrangement can support multiple, distinct customers and multiple primary authentication servers on a single platform. The management platform provides access only to users that enter a valid passcode comprising both: (1) a personal identification number (PIN) and (2) the current code generated by a security token card assigned to that user. The authentication management platform may be configured to be controlled and maintained by the subscriber to the system, or may be serviced/maintained by a third party service provider.
US07707620B2
A method and apparatus for securing executables and processes having setuid/gid permissions and privileges is presented. A mechanism is provided to track and control operations for files and processes having setuid/gid privileges. A policy rule is defined for controlling the operations on the files and processes. The policy rule is then used to control operations involving the files and processes.
US07707619B2
A method and system for selectively excluding a program from a security policy is provided. The security system receives from a user an indication of a program with a problem that is to be excluded from the security policy. When the program executes and a security enforcement event occurs, the security system does not apply the security policy. If the problem appears to be resolved as a result of excluding the program from the security policy, then the user may assume that the security policy is the cause of the problem.
US07707616B2
A method of producing an audio/video format recording in a venue includes correlating multiple unique viewing position in the venue to viewers. An event is then recorded the venue that viewers are attending. Multiple custom versions of recordings or productions are created corresponding to the viewers. Such custom versions are then made available to corresponding viewers.
US07707615B2
A system and method for establishing a return path in a cable television test environment. A cable television test environment comprising a plurality of head-ends connected to a plurality of set top boxes through a one-way forward matrix switch having “M” inputs and “N” outputs is adapted to provide a reverse path for each of the available “N” outputs. A low band reverse signal is received from each of a plurality of set top boxes. The low band reverse signal from each of the plurality of set top boxes is combined to produce a composite signal. The composite signal is split into a plurality of composite signal sources. Each of the composite signal sources is sent to each of the plurality of head-ends (M) via the transmission means connecting that head-end to the matrix switch. The low band composite QPSK signal from the source diplexer travels in the reverse direction to the head-end. Each head-end is assigned a unique set of frequencies for return communications from the STBs serviced by that head-end. A QPSK demodulator in a head-end demodulates its assigned return frequencies as they appear in the low band composite QPSK signal.
US07707610B2
Disclosed is a method for processing multimedia data at a mobile communication terminal having at least one sub processor besides a main processor, including the steps of analyzing information of multimedia data to be processed at the main processor, selecting a processor at the main processor for processing the multimedia data according to analyzed result of the information, calling codec needed for the data processing at the selected processor, and processing the multimedia data at the selected processor by using the called codec.
US07707609B2
Quasi on-demand programming is dynamically scheduled in a broadcast television network to improve customer service, enhance programming flexibility and increase the value proposition of the service provider. A Program Offer including a “delivery window” for each program and an initial Playlist for broadcasting regular, PPV and offered programming are created. Customer demand for individual programs in the offering is surveyed. This information is used to reoptimize the Playlist prior to broadcast and to update a “rolling” Program Offer to better manage network capacity and improve custom satisfaction.
US07707604B2
A data-processing apparatus 1 that can provide information related to broadcast contents, whether it is receiving broadcast signals or not. In the data-processing apparatus 1, the setting means 13 sets the frequencies of broadcast signals the apparatus 1 can receive in the area where it is used, and allocates the receiving channels to the frequencies set. The information representing the relation between the frequencies and the receiving channels is recorded, as preset information, in the preset-information storing device 14. On the basis of the preset information, the broadcast-signal receiving means 11 receives a broadcast signal of a specific frequency that the user has selected. The broadcast-signal reproducing means 12 reproduces the broadcast signal the means 11 has received. The control means 15 causes the display means 17 to display a list of the broadcast stations that corresponds to the frequencies set in the preset information. When the user selects any one of the broadcast stations, the communications control means 16 acquires the information related to the broadcast contents that the broadcast station selected discloses on a network. The control means 15 makes the display means 17 display the information related to the broadcast contents.
US07707601B2
A content processing device is provided. Media content is selectively provided to the content processing device. A profile is used to determine the media content. A software application is included on the content processing device and is configured to receive a message from a remote computer, receive user inputs in response to the message, and update the profile based on the user inputs.
US07707598B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a disk-loading roller which consistently loads and ejects a disk without a considerable decrease in conveying force, even when the roller is employed in the presence of a very large amount of dust or over a very long period of time. The disk-loading roller is for loading a disk with the roller abutting a peripheral portion of the disk, and the roller has such an outer surface that the outer diameter of the roller varies in an axial direction and is formed from a rubber molded elastic product, wherein the roller has a rough outer surface having a peak count RPc of 2 to 30 per 700 μm, a maximum valley depth Rv of 35 to 80 μm, and an arithmetic mean roughness Ra of 2.5 to 5.5 μm, wherein these values are mean values as determined through measurement of the rough outer surface in a ×400 vision field.
US07707591B2
An application program and an audio or video program may run on an operating system. The audio or video program is integrated with the application program. A user of the application program interacts with the audio or video program as though the audio or video program were part of the application program.
US07707574B2
A method of dynamically hosting an application program on a wireless device, a content of the application partitioned into a plurality of module envelopes, each of the module envelopes having a portion of the modules comprising the application, the method comprising the steps of initializing the loading of the application comprising referencing an application information structure, the structure comprising relational information of the module envelopes, selecting one of the module envelopes from the plurality of the module envelopes according to the relational information, configuring a state of the selected module envelope according to a predefined envelope state, the envelope state being selected from a set of envelope states comprising at least two states selected from the group comprising an offline state, an executable state, and a raw state for conversion to the executable state, and providing the selected module envelope, when configured in the executable state, to an application manager for changing the configuration of the application on the device according to the configured module envelope.
US07707563B2
A network-based computing system that automates, simplifies, and optimizes the compilation, deployment, and execution of an application by any type of a client machine connected to a server via any type of a network connection. The system includes a client runtime environment, a server runtime environment and an object-oriented markup-business logic binding mechanism. The client runtime environment manages client side code and screen definitions. The server runtime environment dynamical compiles code to ensure client platform compatibility. The system delivers network applications on demand, by separating them into lightweight modules and delivering these modules.
US07707562B1
The present invention translation verification system and method verifies code fragment translations and/or optimizations that are bounded by externally observable information.
US07707561B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for converting data into source code such that the data can be translated and become part of a load module suitable for accessing from a load library. The apparatus includes a parser module, a format module, and an output module. The parsing module analyzes a data file having one or more data lines. The format module automatically formats the data file so that it can be translated by a translator. The formatted data file includes one or more computer language instructions containing the appropriate syntax corresponding to the particular translator. The output module outputs the formatted data file as an output file that can be renamed to preserve the original data file. A verification module allows the formatting of the data file to be verified.
US07707560B2
An approach of analyzing software performance without requiring hardware is presented. A timing description generator logs instruction performance characteristics for each of the assembly code's instructions. The performance characteristics identify whether an instruction issued or stalled during particular instruction cycles. Once the timing description generator cycles through the instructions and logs performance characteristics for each instruction, the timing description generator generates a performance graph. For each page line, the performance graph includes 1) dual-issue information if applicable, 2) instruction cycle counter values/stalled instruction identifier's that are positioned at corresponding line location values, and 3) the instruction. A developer may analyze the performance graph and identify code locations that require optimization in order to increase performance.
US07707556B1
A method for measuring system performance involves binding a sampling thread to a central processing unit (CPU), starting a soaker thread and binding the soaker thread to the CPU, assigning the soaker thread a lowest priority and scheduling class, placing the soaker thread in a scheduling mechanism based on the lowest priority and scheduling class, and suspending the soaker thread. If a hardware counter is kernel-only, then the following steps are performed: initializing the hardware counters, resuming the soaker thread, and executing the soaker thread if there is no scheduler item of equal or higher priority, where the scheduler item is within the scheduling mechanism.
US07707553B2
Computer system and method automatically generates a test source code for checking validity of an application written in an object oriented language. The application includes objects accessible through an interface implementing programming rules and object behavior rules. For each object, the invention extracts object methods and attributes of the object interface which are impacted by the object behavior rules and extracts the object identification. The invention fills the variable fields of a source code template with the extracted information. The template non variable source code is in conformance with the programming rules and implements a scenario for checking a set of object behavior rules; thus the filled template forms a generated test source code. For distributed applications, the specifications may be EJB or CORBA and the Test Generator uses templates for checking the life-cycle (creation, persistency, removal) of deployed objects.
US07707549B2
Systems and methods that facilitate software development projects via employing a synchronization component, which enables synchronization among a state for a specification, a product and an associated documentation. A project manager responsible for preparing the specification can enter and/or store the definition of the specification in a specification database, in form of a Structured Query Language (SQL), for example. A differentiator component compares state of the specification with the product (e.g., build of SQL server) at desired intervals, and further identifies any discrepancies therebetween. As such, a centralized location is provided for comparison of the specification and the product, and for enabling synchronization among the specification, the product and the associated documentation.
US07707546B2
A method and implementing system are provided in which a user is enabled to view source code within a context of the screen presentation which is created by the source code. In an exemplary embodiment, a graphical user interface (GUI) is selectively overlaid upon a content screen display. The GUI displays markers to indicate beginning and ending points of source code elements for screen areas which are proximate to the hot-spot area in the GUI. Where a marker indicates additional code is present, the user is enabled to select the marker and a detailed presentation of the related source code is presented.
US07707542B1
Systems, methodologies and technologies for the analysis and transformation of integrated circuit layouts using situations are disclosed. A method for transforming an integrated circuit (IC) layout includes recognizing shapes within the IC layout, identifying features for each of the shapes and extracting situations for the respective features. Extracted situations can be used to improve optical proximity correction (OPC) of the IC layout. This improved OPC includes extracting the situations, simulating the situations to determine a set of the situations identified for modification based on failing to satisfy a desired OPC tolerance level, modifying the set of situations to improve satisfaction of the desired OPC tolerance level, and reintegrating the modified set of situations into the IC layout. Extracted situations can also be used to improve aerial image simulation of the IC layout. This improved aerial image simulation includes extracting the situations, simulating a subset of the situations to determine aerial images of the subset, and tiling the subset of situations to form a larger aerial image. Extracted situations can further be used to improve density analysis of the IC layout. This improved density analysis includes extracting the situations for a window of the IC layout, removing overlap from the window based on the extracted situations, calculating a density for each of the situations, and calculating a density for the window based on the density for each of the situations.
US07707539B2
An embodiment provides systems and techniques for determining an improved process model which models mask corner rounding (MCR) effects. During operation, the system may receive a mask layout and process data which was generated by applying a photolithography process to the mask layout. The system may also receive an uncalibrated process model which may contain a set of MCR components. Next, the system may identify a set of corners in the mask layout. The system may then modify the mask layout in proximity to the set of corners to obtain a modified mask layout. Alternatively, the system may determine a set of mask layers. Next, the system may determine an improved process model by calibrating the uncalibrated process model using the modified mask layout and/or the set of mask layers, and the process data.
US07707525B2
The present invention relates to a method for finding design weakness and potential field failure of a PCB assembly which includes components, comprising the steps of: (a) creating a model of the PCB assembly by which natural frequencies and mode shapes of the PCB assembly can be determined; (b) performing a natural frequencies simulation for determining natural frequencies and mode shapes of the PCB assembly; and (c) analyzing said determined natural frequencies and mode shapes and identifying local dominant oscillations of components, components identified as having a local dominant oscillation in at least one of said determined mode shapes are identified as components having a relatively high potential of field failure.
US07707509B2
Collectively predicting input operations for plural operation object items (subwindows) belonging to a same window. A proposal window PG stores in a statistics information database and manages information about the input entity and an operation object of an input operation accepted from a user, and a window to which the operation object belongs, along with transition information indicating the transition of active windows concerned in previous input operations. When an active window transitions because of an input operation accepted from the user, it searches the statistics information database for information that contains information about a new active window and is associated with transition information matching the transition of active windows concerned in previous input operations.
US07707506B2
A breadcrumb may be displayed which identifies at least two restrictions of a plurality of documents in a sequence. The breadcrumb may include a graphical user interface element associated with a selected one of the restrictions having at least one subsequent restriction in the sequence. Once this graphical user interface element is selected, at least one attribute and a numeric indication of a number of the documents responsive to each restriction prior to the selected restriction that contain the attribute and each restriction in the sequence subsequent to the selected restriction may be displayed.
US07707505B1
A dynamic, intelligent user interface for an on-line, virtual application whereby user input customizes the subsequent display of application data and queries presented to the user/applicant. The present invention includes a facility for intelligent editing, data state presentation, and error flagging and correction. In one embodiment of the present invention, the intelligent user interface is implemented as part of a series of dynamically generated web pages (a form set) presented to a user of an ecommerce Internet web site. This presentation is in the form of a collection of tabbed panes of data, the selected pane being displayed on a web page, wherein each pane contains one or more pages of data and queries. This organization and presentation of the virtual application provides re-entrant editing; error trapping, flagging, and correction; and easy navigation from sub-pane to sub-pane (page to page) within each pane and from pane to pane using the tabs and conventional browser Back and Forward button functionality.
US07707490B2
Columns and/or rows of a report can be declaratively defined as either dynamic or static. The declarative definition can be represented by any marking. If a column or row is declaratively designated as dynamic, it can be expanded into a plurality of columns or rows. If a column or row is designated as static, it remains as a single column or row to represent only the specified column or row data. Subgroups of columns and rows can also be declaratively defined as dynamic or static. A static column or row may contain no sub-columns/rows, or it may contain a plurality of static columns/rows, a plurality of dynamic columns/rows, or any combination of both. Similarly, a dynamic column or row may also contain the above combinations.
US07707485B2
Exemplary techniques for modifying multimedia data based on content are disclosed. One technique comprises determining whether a first portion of multimedia content of multimedia data has a first content characteristic and performing one or more content actions associated with the first content characteristic when the first portion of the multimedia content is determined to have the first content characteristic, wherein the one or more content actions modify a first portion of the multimedia data associated with the first portion of the multimedia content.
US07707484B2
The apparatus includes a first variable delay circuit that delays a data signal from a device under test (DUT) to output a delay data signal; a second variable delay circuit that delays a clock signal to output a first delay clock signal; a first FF that acquires the delay data signal based on a reference clock; a second FF that acquires the first delay clock signal based on the clock; a first delay adjusting section that adjusts a delay amount of at least one of the first and second variable delay circuits so that the first and second FFs acquire the delay data signal and the first delay clock signal when the signals are changed; a third variable delay circuit that delays the clock signal to output a second delay clock signal; a second delay adjusting section that adjusts a delay amount of the third variable delay circuit based on the acquired first delay clock signal of which a phase is adjusted by the first delay adjusting section when the second delay clock is changed, in order to adjust a phase difference between the first and second delay clock signals to a desired phase difference; a deciding section that decides the quality of the data signal from the DUT based on a result obtained by acquiring the delay data signal when the second delay clock signal is changed.
US07707482B2
A method of decoding a received signal encoded with an LDPC code is provided. The method comprises initializing bits with an initial value of the received signal, obtaining posterior values of the bits by iteratively decoding the bits in a row direction and a column direction, determining on the basis of the posterior values whether an iterative decoding operation should be performed and comparing the posterior values with predetermined values and updating the initial value of the bits, when it is determined that the iterative decoding operation is be performed.
US07707468B2
A testing device may include a memory controller managing a transfer of data; and a plurality of interface boards. Each interface board includes a controller buffer. Each controller buffer transfers data between the memory controller and at least one memory module. The memory controller tests the at least one memory module. The testing device is operable to test the at least one memory module independent of an operating rate of the at least one memory module. The memory controller receives operating data of the at least one memory module.
US07707467B2
An I/O compression apparatus, for testing a memory array and/or a logic circuit, is comprised of a selectable compression circuit that outputs compressed test data from the memory array/logic circuit. An I/O scan register is coupled to each I/O pad for converting serial data to parallel and parallel data to serial in response to a test mode select signal, a test data input, and a test clock.
US07707464B2
An invention is disclosed for a computer software timeout algorithm that reduces the amount of list manipulation needed to satisfy system or network requirements for scheduling and cancelling timeout requests to determine whether the expiration time has been reached for execution of an input/output (I/O) request, thereby requiring action to cancel the I/O operation if it has not yet been completed.
US07707463B2
A method, and apparatus are provided for implementing a directory organization to selectively optimize performance or reliability in a computer system. A directory includes a user selected operational modes including a performance mode and a reliability mode. In the reliability mode, more directory bits are used for error correction and detection. In the performance mode, reclaimed directory bits not used for error correction and detection are used for more associativity.
US07707454B2
Methods for protecting backup data of a computer system from damage are disclosed. A first storage device is provided for storing the backup data of the computer system, wherein the first storage device is ordinarily disabled to prevent the operating system of the computer system from accessing the backup data. A pin on the motherboard of the computer system is triggered by the Basic Input Output System (BIOS) of the computer system to enable or disable the first storage device. A first software system management interrupt is then initiated to call the BIOS to enable the first storage device. The backup data stored in a second storage device of the computer system is then copied to the first storage device. Finally, a second software system management interrupt is initiated to call the BIOS to disable the first storage device after copying of the backup data is complete.
US07707453B2
A method for data protection includes accepting data for storage from one or more data sources (24). The data is sent for storage in a primary storage device (28) and in a secondary storage device (32). While awaiting an indication of successful storage of the data in the secondary storage device, a record associated with the data is temporarily stored in a disaster-proof storage unit (48) adjacent to the primary storage device. When an event damaging at least some of the data in the primary storage device occurs, the data is reconstructed using the record stored in the disaster-proof storage unit and at least part of the data stored in the secondary storage device.
US07707446B2
The present invention provides for a system and method for reducing power consumption in frame and cell data transmission systems. A transmitter power manager powers down (turns off) selected elements of a transmitter system during periods of transmitter inactivity. The transmitter power manager system detects incoming communication signals which are to be transmitted by the transmitter, and at the appropriate time, powers up (turns on) the selected elements which are controlled by the transmitter power manager.
US07707444B2
A switching mode power supply includes a transformer which includes a primary winding and two secondary windings. One secondary winding and the primary winding constitute a forward circuit. The other secondary winding and the primary winding constitute a flyback circuit. The switching mode power supply also includes a power storing circuit and an output terminal. The power storing circuit is interposed between the forward circuit, the flyback circuit, and the output terminal.
US07707443B2
One embodiment disclosed relates to a system for power management of a group of computers. The system includes server side infrastructure (SSI) circuitry at each computer in the group and a centralized power management module (CPMM). The SSI circuitry includes local monitoring circuitry coupled to a central processing unit (CPU) of the computer. The CPMM has a management link to the SSI circuitry at each computer in the group. The local circuitry at each computer monitors power consumption at the CPU of that computer and transmits power consumption data to the CPMM. The CPMM applies a set of rules to the power consumption data to determine when and at which computers to enable and disable a CPU power throttling mode.
US07707438B1
A configurable performance module for use in an integrated circuit. The configurable performance module includes a performance control circuit which controls a performance level of the integrated circuit to enable changing the performance level of the integrated circuit from a first performance level to a second performance level after manufacturing of the integrated circuit is complete.
US07707428B2
Systems and methods are described for recovering a personal identification number. A method, includes: comprising recovering from a lost personal identification number situation and restoring programmability to a device, including: generating a SEED PIN using the device calculating a KEY PIN using an algorithm within a code of the device and storing the KEY PIN in the device, without displaying the KEY PIN, wherein the KEY PIN is a function at-least-in-part of both the SEED PIN and an identifier associated with the device; sending the SEED PIN and the identifier associated with the device to an authenticating source; recalculating the KEY PIN at the authenticating source using the algorithm within the code and the SEED PIN and the other identifying information; receiving the KEY PIN from the authenticating source; and entering the KEY PIN into the device to temporarily assign hierarchical access to a user.
US07707421B2
A digital document system in which a digital document in a communication network is shared between a plurality of stations, said system comprising: a first station (101A) having a first digital document (DD1) comprising a thumbnail data item (TH1) and an original data item (HR1); a second station (102A) having a second digital document (DD2) comprising a thumbnail data item (TH2); and a center station (100A) comprising: calculating means for calculating signatures of the thumbnail data items (TH1, TH2) of the first and second digital documents (DD1, DD2); comparing means for comparing the calculated signatures of the thumbnail data items (TH1, TH2); and transmitting means for transmitting information for accessing the original data item (HR1) of the first digital document (DD1) to the second station (102A) according to a result of the comparison.
US07707419B2
A first infrastructure system device other than a mobile station generates an encryption key and encrypts the encryption key with a first intrakey associated with a first zone that includes a second infrastructure system device other than a mobile station, yielding a first encrypted encryption key. The first intrakey is used only by infrastructure system devices other than a mobile station for encrypting at least the encryption key prior to transport within the first zone. The first infrastructure system device forwards the first encrypted encryption key to the second infrastructure system device.
US07707413B2
Techniques for protecting non-public information in a mobile environment are provided. A request for non-public information about users in a mobile environment is received. Privacy policies, non-public and optional public information about the users affected by the request are determined. An optional privacy impact indicator is determined based on how satisfying the request increases the current public information about the users. Crowds of users having similar attribute name/values are optionally determined. User and optional requestor privacy policies which associate threshold release criteria such minimum crowd size, minimum consideration with the non-public information are determined. A privacy agreement is reached for the disclosure of the requested non-public information based on the compatibility of the requester and user privacy policies. Privacy protecting transformations are optionally determined and applied to create crowds or groups associated with the requested attribute.
US07707402B2
A quantum-cryptographic communication system for quantum-cryptographic communication in an optical network, including a transmitter for transmitting a packet signal having a light pulse train representing an address and a single photon pulse train for quantum cryptography, and a router including a header analyzer for extracting the address information from the light pulse train of the packet signal and a gate switch for selecting one of the optical fibers. The router routes the packet signal by selecting an optical fiber used for the next transmission path according to the extracted address information by the header analyzer and by switching the path to the selected optical fiber by the gate switch.
US07707385B2
Methods and apparatus provide for adding a base address to an external address to produce first intermediate address; using only a first portion of the first intermediate address as a pointer to select one of a plurality of entries in a segment table, each entry of the segment table representing a different segment of a memory using at least a portion of the selected entry of the segment table as a reference to one or more of a plurality of entries in a page table, each entry in the page table including at least a portion of a physical address in the memory and belonging to a group of entries representing a page in the selected segment of the memory; using the second portion of the first intermediate address to produce a second intermediate address; and using at least a portion of the second intermediate address as a pointer directly to one of the referenced entries in the page table to obtain an at least partially translated physical address into the memory for the external address.
US07707376B2
An information processing apparatus including: a nonvolatile memory; a volatile system memory in which predetermined data stored in the nonvolatile memory is developed; a control section to save the predetermined data stored in the system memory in the nonvolatile memory when a start of power-off operation is detected; and a storage section that stores a first timing information representing a time point of terminating the operation of saving the predetermined data in the nonvolatile memory, and a second timing information representing a power-off time point, wherein the control section compares the first timing information stored in the storage section with the second timing information, subsequent to the next operation of turning on of the power.
US07707370B2
An information processing device is provided with a plurality of memory channels, and performs interleave control on a unit memory connected to a memory channel. Furthermore, the information processing device has a circuit for performing the interleave control such that an interleave number on access to the unit memory connected to the memory channel can be constantly a multiplier of 2.
US07707369B2
A system for creating and tracking intelligent unique identifications for memory devices is disclosed. Each memory device includes stored configuration information having a plurality of fields. A storage operating system selectively creates an intelligent unique identification for each memory device in the storage system using the fields in the stored configuration information. The intelligent unique identification may then be stored for tracking and later retrieval.
US07707368B2
Methods and apparatus are provided. A memory device has a memory array, base trim circuitry adapted to store base control parameter values common to the memory array, and a reference trim circuit corresponding to a portion of the memory array. The reference trim circuit is adapted to store one or more reference control parameter values for respectively correcting one or more of the base control parameter values of the base trim circuitry for application to the portion of the memory array. The memory device may include an index circuit corresponding to the reference trim circuit. The index circuit is adapted to store one or more index parameter values for respectively selecting the one or more base control parameter values of the base trim circuitry for correction by the one or more reference control parameter values of the reference trim circuit.
US07707361B2
In one embodiment, a processor comprises a core configured to execute a data cache block write instruction and an interface unit coupled to the core and to an interconnect on which the processor is configured to communicate. The core is configured to transmit a request to the interface unit in response to the data cache block write instruction. If the request is speculative, the interface unit is configured to issue a first transaction on the interconnect. On the other hand, if the request is non-speculative, the interface unit is configured to issue a second transaction on the interconnect. The second transaction is different from the first transaction. For example, the second transaction may be an invalidate transaction and the first transaction may be a probe transaction. In some embodiments, the processor may be in a system including the interconnect and one or more caching agents.
US07707359B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system which facilitates selective prefetching based on resource availability. During operation, the system executes instructions in a processor. While executing the instructions, the system monitors the availability of one or more system resources and dynamically adjusts an availability indicator for each system resource based on the current availability of the system resource. Upon encountering a prefetch instruction which involves the system resource, the system checks the availability indicator. If the availability indicator indicates that the system resource is not sufficiently available, the system terminates the execution of the prefetch instruction, whereby terminating execution prevents prefetch instructions from overwhelming the system resource.
US07707357B2
A first storage control system comprises a CHN connected to a LAN CN. The CHN comprises a NAS processor and I/O processor. The I/O processor judges whether all or a portion of block level data is to be stored in either a first storage control system or a second storage control system, on the basis of an I/O allocation control data which indicates which of either the first storage control system or the second storage control system the block level data is to be stored in. On the basis of the result of this judgment, the I/O processor transfers the block level data from the NAS processor, to at least one of the DKA and the CHF connected to the second storage control system.
US07707350B2
A front side bus swizzle mechanism modifies the front side (address and data) bus on a chip so that, when the chip is positioned on one side of a printed circuit board, connection to a second chip located on the opposite side of the printed circuit board is simplified. The simplified connection may result in less complexity and minimize the consumption of additional printed circuit board real estate.
US07707335B2
A method and device for managing retransmit operations. The device, includes a FIFO memory unit, a read pointer, a retry pointer and a write pointer. The device is characterized by including a gray code state machine connected to an emulated read pointer logic; whereas the gray code state machine is adapted to provide a gray code word representative of a state of a read logic that comprises the read pointer; whereas the emulated read pointer logic is adapted to process at least one gray code word and to provide an emulated read pointer that tracks a FIFO memory unit entry that stores data that was not accepted; whereas the emulated read pointer logic is connected to a write control logic adapted to control writing operations to the FIFO memory unit in response to the emulated read pointer logic; and whereas the read logic receives a read clock that differs from a write clock provided to the emulated read pointer logic and to the write control logic.
US07707334B2
A forced lock-step operation between a CPU (software) and the hardware is eliminated by unburdening the CPU from monitoring the hardware until it is finished with its task. This is done by providing a data/control message queue into which the CPU writes combined data/control messages and places an End tag into the queue when finished. The hardware checks the content of the message queue and starts decoding the incoming data. The hardware processes the data read from the message queue and the processed data is then written back into the message queue for use by the software. The hardware raises an interrupt signal to the CPU when reaching the End tag. Speed differences between hardware and software can be compensated for by changing the depth of the queue.
US07707330B2
A switch 100 includes a plurality of ports 101 for exchanging data. A shared memory 102 enables the exchange of data between first and second ones of the ports 101 and includes an array 202 of memory cells arranged as a plurality of rows and a single column having width equal to a predetermined word-width and circuitry 202, 204, 206, 208 for writing selected data presented at the first one of the ports 101 to a selected row in the array as a word of the predetermined word-width during a first time period and for reading the selected data from the selected row as a word of the predetermined wordwidth during a second time period for output at a second one of the ports 101.
US07707329B2
A remotely programmable device includes a message store for receiving messages over a radiolink from a controller and forwarding the messages to a local application resident in the device, writable registers for controlling operation of the device, a command interpreter for interpreting commands embedded in thessages to write data to the register, and a lock for inhibiting writing of data to the registers. The local application is responsive to an authorization code embedded in the messages to release the lock and thereby allow writing of data to the registers.
US07707323B2
A method and apparatus for enabling enhanced interaction across a USB interconnect between a host and a peripheral device capable of performing a plurality of functions including enabling selection and execution of a vendor-specific support software supporting peripheral devices of a specific vendor by sending a first identification data to the host indicating that the peripheral device is of the same specific vendor and indicating that the peripheral device performs at least one of the functions indicated to be supported by the vendor-specific support software, awaiting receipt of an indication from the host that the vendor-specific support software has been selected and executed, simulating a detachment from and attachment to the host; and enabling the vendor-specific support software to again be selected and executed by sending a second identification data to the host indicating that the peripheral device is of the same specific vendor and indicating that the peripheral device performs multiple ones of the functions indicated to be supported by the vendor-specific software.
US07707315B2
A system and method for propagating data commutates data from different data sources into a data stream based on a commutation format. The data is received and decommutated to replicate the data. The commutation format can be changed for prioritizing different data from the data sources.
US07707312B2
A protocol for discovering a silent device, such as a printer, attached to a mobile port of a switching node. A command is transmitted to the switching node for associating an IP address for the silent device to a particular virtual local area network (VLAN). Entry of the command causes the switching node to start searching for the silent device on the mobile ports. As part of the searching process, an ARP request with the IP address provided in the command is sent to each mobile port of the switching node. When the silent device responds with its MAC address in an ARP reply message, the MAC address is learned in a layer 2 table used for making forwarding decisions of data units received by the switching node. Furthermore, the port where the silent device was discovered, that is, the port receiving the ARP reply message, is associated with the VLAN of the silent device.
US07707308B1
A first message server is placed in a first geographic location, a second message server is placed in a second geographic location, and Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) metrics are used to properly route traffic to a surviving message server if one geographic location is destroyed.
US07707296B2
A system, method, apparatus, means, and computer program code for selecting a media processor to host a conference is provided. According to some embodiments, a multipoint controller may control or be associated with a plurality of media processors. Different media processors may be implemented in software and operating on different hardware platforms. When a request for a media processor is indicated or received and the multipoint controller needs to select or allocate a media processors to host the conference, the multipoint controller may select one of the media processors to support the new conference based on the media processor's ability to support more additional participants than the other media processors in the plurality of media processors. In some embodiments, the determination of a media processor's ability to support additional participants may be based on the media processor's current number of supported participants in conferences and the media processor's current CPU utilization percentage.
US07707287B2
A method and a system for improving Web hosting performance, enhancing content distribution and security on the Internet and stabilizing WEB Site connectivity, by means of creating a TCP terminating buffer around subscriber WEB Sites. A DNS agent diverts client requests to WEB Sites to a Virtual Host Accelerating (VHA) Site in closest proximity. The VHA Site comprises a set of physically identical computer units and processing is enhanced on those units by means of a hardware devise to accelerate database searches. The VHA determines if the client request is of a permitted type and if the request can be processed from recycled data. Both static and dynamic requests can be serviced from recycled material and only in certain circumstances are requests forwarded to the WEB Sites by means of permanent open connections. In some cases SSL requests are also served from recycled material. The client receives a response via the VHA Site thereby severing all direct connectivity between the client and the target WEB Sites.
US07707284B2
The invention is directed to a system and method of managing information associated with user actions. A monitoring system may gather and store information associated with user actions. Relationships may be inferred between user actions based on time or other criteria. A user may define classifications of user actions. These classifications may be used to retrieve information associated with user actions.
US07707282B1
An integrated network and management controller and method for operating are disclosed. The network and management controller includes a network processing component that performs network-based functions and filters management data received over a network intended for consumption by the network and management controller. The network and management controller also includes a microcontroller that performs network based functions in conjunction with the network processing component and performs management functions associated with the computer system. The network processing component and the microcontroller are embedded in the network and management controller and are logically connected.
US07707279B2
Not only in order to lighten the setting changing operation of a network utility and to shorten the required time of the setting changing operation, but also in order to prevent operation mistakes, a method for setting parameter via network is provided for a plurality of nodes connected with the network. In the method, peculiar information and set items of the nodes are read out, the common set items are selected, and the parameters are transmitted.
US07707275B2
A method and system for validating a Command Line Interface (CLI) configlet on an image is provided. The method includes creating a parse graph using a plurality of self-describing data constructs, identifying a plurality of parse chain data constructs in the parse graph, deriving at least one CLI/configlet from the image file based on the plurality of self-describing data constructs; and comparing the at least one CLI/configlet derived from the image file with a plurality of CLIs/configlets.
US07707267B2
Presented is a system and method for determining a user's intent. Specifically, constituents and a topology are derived from the user's expression of intent, which can be stated broadly or stated in specific detail. The intent is expressed verbally, written, or in an XML format. The constituents and topology are resolved into a configuration based upon contexts. The contexts, which include a resource context, a user context, and an application context, includes information about the user's preferences, location, restrictions, device and network availability, and content availability. The configuration is then implemented.
US07707266B2
A scalable, high-performance interconnect scheme for a multi-threaded, multi-processing system-on-a-chip network processor unit. An apparatus implementing the technique includes a plurality of masters configured in a plurality of clusters, a plurality of targets, and a chassis interconnect that may be controlled to selectively connects a given master to a given target. In one embodiment, the chassis interconnect comprises a plurality of sets of bus lines connected between the plurality of clusters and the plurality of targets forming a cross-bar interconnect, including sets of bus lines corresponding to a command bus, a pull data bus for target writes, and a push data bus for target reads. Multiplexer circuitry for each of the command bus, pull data bus, and push data bus is employed to selectively connect a given cluster to a given target to enable commands and data to be passed between the given cluster and the given target.
US07707263B1
A system and method for associating a network address with a volume, individual disk or collection of disks in a network storage system. Identifying information is stored on each volume or disk so that a file server can map a network address to a MAC address associated with a particular network interface controller of a file server. Input/output operations directed to the network address associated with a particular volume or disk is directed to the file server that is currently managing that volume or disk. In a system utilizing these address associated volumes, the name and address of data does not change as different file servers manage a particular volume or disk.
US07707258B2
A method includes receiving e-mail input data from a client at a server that is configured to serve a hosted application that includes an e-mail user interface to the client. The e-mail input data is used to generate an e-mail message from a user of the client, where the client is associated with a first domain and the server is associated with a second domain. An e-mail object corresponding to the e-mail message from the user of the client is generated at the server, and the e-mail object is forwarded from the server to the client along with instructions to convert the e-mail object into the e-mail message and to send the e-mail message from the first domain.
US07707254B2
Systems and methods for integrating instant messaging (IM) services and email services are described. In one embodiment, the email services and IM services are integrated through an address book database. The address book database correlates email information of a contact with a reference identifier (ID). Additionally, one or more IM addresses of the contact are also correlated to the reference ID, thereby permitting further correlation of a contact's IM information with the contact's email information.
US07707252B1
A spam defining system defines rules about emails depending on user's reactions to emails. A user can delete an email as spam, or not spam, or without committing to whether the email is spam or not. If the user indicates whether the email is spam or not spam; characteristics of the email are used to update a database. Incoming emails are compared against the database, to determine a likelihood of whether they are spam.
US07707242B2
A system and method for enabling one network to use the functionality of another network is provided. The system comprises a first network system having a first network functionality and a second network system having a second network functionality. A server connected to the second network system passes directions through the first network to enable a component connected to both the first network system and the second network system to perform a second network functionality.
US07707236B2
The present invention provides an improved technique for performing a near processing path exponent difference in an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) of a microprocessor. In one embodiment, an apparatus having a separate logic circuit for near processing path and far processing path subtraction generates exponent difference signals using only two least significant bits of exponents of the two floating point operands to perform the exponent difference.
US07707235B2
A method and apparatus for efficiently generating complex sinusoids of a desired frequency by multiplying a phasor by a predetermined value once every sampling interval, and using the highest order bits within the phasor to identify if the phasor is at an integer multiple 45 degrees and substituting components in the phasor if it is determined that the phasor is an integer multiple of 45 degrees. If the phasor is not identified as being an integer multiple of 45 degrees then an error factor for both the real and imaginary components is determined and the real and imaginary components are corrected by removing the error factor.
US07707233B2
A machine-implemented method converts a number from a first base to a second base. Each one of a first group of machine operation computes a product whose factors include the number in the first base, and a previously calculated approximation to a respective negative power of the second base. A second group of machine operations are performed, each one using results of the first operations, to obtain further results. A respective one or more digits of the number in the second base is also determined, using each of these further results. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US07707232B2
A method and system for garbage collecting managed and unmanaged memory that is no longer referenced. The time between allocations is compared with a threshold to determine if the garbage collector needs to collect unused memory. Unmanaged memory referenced by objects in the unused managed memory may be freed during the collection.
US07707229B2
A method of detecting web pages belonging to at least one similarity class from a plurality of web pages includes determining clusters of the plurality of web pages based on characteristics of the content of the web pages. For each of the determined clusters, at least one metric is determined indicative of similarity among resource locators associated with the web pages of that cluster. A determination of web pages belonging to the at least one similarity class is based on the determined clusters and the determined similarity metrics.
US07707224B2
A system, method and various software tools enable a video hosting website to automatically identified unlicensed audio content in video files uploaded by users, and initiate a process by which the user can replace the unlicensed content with licensed audio content. An audio replacement tool is provided that enables the user to permanently mute the original, unlicensed audio content of a video file, or select a licensed audio file from a collection of licensed audio, and insert the selected in place of the original audio. Where a video file includes unlicensed audio, the video hosting website provides access to video files to a client device, along with an indication to the client device to mute the audio during playback of the video.
US07707220B2
Methods and systems for searching comprise presenting a first information set to a user, receiving feedback, applying an evolutionary algorithm based on the feedback to generate a search query, causing the search query to be executed to generate a second information set, and presenting the second information set to the user. Then, in response to user input, the first information set is again presented to the user; feedback is again received, an evolutionary algorithm is again applied based on the feedback to generate a search query, and the new search query is caused to be executed to generate a third information set which is presented to the user.
US07707208B2
A method and system for identifying sights associated with a location and for displaying images associated with those sights is provided. A tour system identifies sights associated with a location by submitting a search request formed using the location to an image search service. The tour system identifies salient phrases of metadata of the search results to be the candidate sight names. The tour system also provides a user interface for displaying the images associated with the locations. The user interface may present a slideshow of sights encountered when traveling on a trip.
US07707207B2
The claimed subject matter relates to incorporating a skyline operator within a relational database engine, and more particularly to a database engine that utilizes novel techniques to determine the lowest cost of generating the skyline produced by the skyline operator. The database engine receives queries and associated preferences and, based on a cardinality estimate and a cost estimate, an appropriate skyline generating technique is utilized to produce a skyline representative of the received queries and its associated preferences.
US07707204B2
A query and a factoid type selection are received from a user. An index of passages, indexed based on factoids, is accessed and passages that are related to the query, and that have the selected factoid type, are retrieved. The retrieved passages are ranked and provided to the user based on a calculated score, in rank order.
US07707199B2
Exercising integral management of storage apparatuses even when SANs are integrated or when the scale of a SAN expands. In response to an operation request from a management terminal, an integrated management computer collects the management information for storage apparatuses from management computers; selects, based on the collected management information, one or more management computers, to which the task of performing the requested operation is to be assigned; provides the selected management computer(s) with the ability to manage the storage apparatuses which are the management target for the management computer(s); collects pieces of process information from the management computer(s) with the management ability; and integrates and manages the collected pieces of process information.
US07707198B2
A method and apparatus for enabling a user to access media objects, such as images, from a website without requiring the user to enter the website. In one embodiment, a search engine searches for websites that match a submitted search term. A selected URL to one of the resulting websites is submitted to a harvester that accesses a web page of the selected website and identifies a media object of the web page. The harvester determines the characteristic(s) of the media object, such as a dimension, an aspect ratio, a proximity to other media objects, etc. The harvester determines a second media object with substantially the same characteristic(s). The determined media objects, or subportions, are rendered in a client user interface. Relationships are mapped between a selected media object and projects that use the object. Manipulating a rendered portion causes a related operation on the whole media object.
US07707194B2
A method is described that comprises receiving at a first interface a request to lock a row of data from a database table. The method also comprises formatting the request into a format suitable for reception by a second interface. The second interface is an interface to a logical locking function.
US07707192B1
A system and method for distributed database data and file access and retrieval, and managing assets of a company can include the steps of obtaining one or more data elements, storing each of the data elements, determining one or more factors related to a manner in which each of the data elements was obtained, associating a confidence index with each factor, and calculating a confidence index for each of the stored data elements, as well as a composite confidence index for the entire data store, based on the confidence index score for the individual data elements. The system and method can include calculating a confidence index for each of the stored data elements. The factors can include the date that the data elements were obtained. The factors can include from which of one or more sources the data elements were obtained.
US07707189B2
A system and method for managing log entries associated with execution events in an application. The system and method may include a log provider wrapper for receiving log entries associated with the event and log providers for receiving all or part of the information associated with a log entry. The log provider wrapper, through communication with a logging configuration, may filter the log entry, segment information contained in the log entry, format the information, and deliver the information to one or more log providers. The log providers may send the information to a respective destination medium.
US07707188B2
A data archival system for the automated archiving of data files. The data archival system includes a central processing hub for receiving the data files, a data archival facility connected to the central processing hub; and an archival manager which is configured to cause the transmission of the data files from the central processing hub to the data archival facility in response to an archive request; the archival of the data files transmitted to the data archival facility in response to an archive request; the retrieval of the data files previously archived in response to a retrieval request; and the transmission of the retrieved data files from the data archival facility to the central processing hub.
US07707185B1
A process of providing access to data associated with a virtual machine running on a host computer system to an offload server is implemented to improve the performance of the host computer system. Once the offload computer system knows how and where to access the data associated with that of the virtual machine, operations can be offloaded from the host computer system and performed by the offload server. Backup operations can be offloaded onto the server. The server can run backup software and directly access the data associated with the virtual machine, thereby freeing the hardware resources of the host computer to handle normal applications running on the virtual machine.
US07707182B1
Method and system for automatically updating the version of a set of files stored on content servers
A system and computer implementable method for updating content on servers coupled to a network. The method includes updating an origin server with a version of files used to provide content, retrieving data that indicates an action to be performed on one or more cache servers in conjunction with updating the origin server, and performing the action to update entries in the one or more cache servers. Each entry in each cache server is associated with a subset of the content on the origin server and may include an expiration field and/or a time to live field. An example of a subset of content to which a cache entry may be associated is a Web page. Cache servers are not required to poll origin servers to determine whether new content is available. Cache servers may be pre-populated using push or pull techniques.
US07707173B2
A Web services-oriented service provider middleware architecture and implementation is provided that integrates the performance monitoring of individual CPs, along with other dynamic contextual conditions, in the automatic selection of appropriate CPs. In the architecture, a CP's performance is evaluated not only in terms of network or service-level parameters, but also via other business processes (e.g., complaint handling). The selection of multiple Web services occurs through an initial filtering of a set of feasible workflows for each task depending on business agreements and end user needs, and a subsequent dynamic context-based selection of the most appropriate workflow. A workflow filtering and ranking engine uses metarules to guide the optimisation process and help in selecting and ranking the feasible workflows. The component services in the workflows are evaluated by evaluator processes of information sources. The workflow engine outputs the workflows in their preference ranking. At runtime, if the workflow and/or its components meet all the runtime requirements (performance, for example), then the workflow is selected and executed.
US07707171B2
An interactive response, storage and tracking system delivered through an interactive medium (e.g. mobile, internet, kiosk in shops) whereby the provided visual stimuli enables consumers/respondents/users to select a stimulus that best answers their response to a given question. These visual ‘answers’ are then collated to form ‘clusters’ of respondents that share the same or similar preferences thereby enabling the viewer of such information to understand the propensity of a given ‘cluster’ to behave, react, respond, perform and/or purchase.
US07707169B2
A method for knowledge generation from raw medical records uses XML-based specifications. The method includes content extraction, data aggregation and data enrichment. The method operates on various sources of medical data including financial data, clinical documents and medical images.
US07707156B2
Method and system for partitioning and delivery data using a delegation object is disclosed. The delegation object is a first-class object, and includes a master data set definition, a data dimension-to-user mapping and a target organization definition. The target organization definition defines relationships between the master data set definition and the data dimension-to-user mapping. The delegation object is used to create a specific data set from a master data set.
US07707153B1
The present invention is a method and apparatus for a work-flow management and document generation system and more particularly a system and method, employing a database accessible by networked computers, for automating the operation of transaction processes such as those of a law office or legal services provider, including a real estate closing process. The system and method rely on intelligent agent processing, in accordance with rules that are incorporated within the database, to monitor and control the process, including such features as automatic status notification to the transaction participants.
US07707149B2
In accordance with the present invention, a method, system, and program for managing the customer and product information of a client by maintaining a common database is disclosed. The present invention connects the client, call center, repair facility and warehouse to efficiently coordinate the customer and product management process. By allowing access to a common database, a user can view and update changes in the customer and product management process in real time increasing the communication and efficiency of delivering service to a customer.
US07707139B2
A process for document registration is executed with a structured document of a file as an input. An analyzed structured document and information for document search are generated and stored in databases, respectively. A query input is analyzed, a document search index is read and a search process is executed, producing matching document identifier information and matching strings position information. Then, a corresponding analyzed structured document is read from the database based on the document identifier information, the matching information is embedded in the structured document based on the matching strings position information, and a structured document with added highlight information is generated and displayed. A document is searched from which the element information constituting a stumbling block to the search is removed, and the result of the search is displayed with highlight information added to the original structured document.
US07707132B2
Searching multimedia information which allows determining preferences based on very little amounts of data. The preferences are nonparametrically determined. Each preference is quantized into one of a plurality of bins. By doing the quantization, the distances between positive and negative samples are increased. The quantization amount may change depending on the number of samples which are used. The quantization can be used in a support vector machine or the like.
US07707131B2
A system and method for online reinforcement learning is provided. In particular, a method for performing the explore-vs.-exploit tradeoff is provided. Although the method is heuristic, it can be applied in a principled manner while simultaneously learning the parameters and/or structure of the model (e.g., Bayesian network model).The system includes a model which receives an input (e.g., from a user) and provides a probability distribution associated with uncertainty regarding parameters of the model to a decision engine. The decision engine can determine whether to exploit the information known to it or to explore to obtain additional information based, at least in part, upon the explore-vs.-exploit tradeoff (e.g., Thompson strategy). A reinforcement learning component can obtain additional information (e.g., feedback from a user) and update parameter(s) and/or the structure of the model. The system can be employed in scenarios in which an influence diagram is used to make repeated decisions and maximization of long-term expected utility is desired.
US07707130B2
A method for predicting a future occurrence of an event involves obtaining a history of prior occurrences of the event. A plurality of variables is created that are associated with the event. Weights are assigned to each variable. An artificial neural network is accessed and trained with the history of past occurrences of the event by comparing an output of the artificial neural network to the past occurrence of the event. The weights are adjusted until the output corresponds to the past occurrence of the event.
US07707125B2
Disclosed are a system and method for controlling a water supply system having at least one pump and at least one storage facility. Also disclosed are a system and method of establishing a pumping schedule for a water supply system having at least one pump and at least one storage facility. The systems and methods are adapted to minimize the economic cost associated with operating the pump(s) of the water supply system. Another aspect of the systems and methods includes meeting operational constraints of the water supply system.
US07707113B1
A method of a portable electronic device providing payment from an electronic wallet is provided. The method comprises prompting for input of a personal identification number (PIN) after the wallet has been opened and providing payment from the wallet after receiving the PIN, when the wallet is configured to a first level of security. The method also comprises providing payment from the wallet after the wallet has been opened, when the wallet is configured to a second level of wallet security, wherein the PIN is not contemporaneously input. The method also comprises providing payment from the wallet when the electronic portable device has been activated, when the wallet is configured to a third level of wallet security, wherein the wallet is not opened and the PIN is not contemporaneously input.
US07707105B2
An account associated with a card is characterized by one or more budgetary items (collectively contained within a budget) that may be created by the card holder, account holder or a third party. A budgetary item may be created based on a time period regardless of the funds presently in the account. A budgetary item may be categorized by function, item or merchant. For example, a budgetary item may be created for “household supplies”, “shoes” or “The Gap”. The budget may be stored by the card itself, a financial institution or by a third party. When a purchase is being made, a transaction is initiated between the merchant/supplier of the goods or services and the account holder similar to conventional transactions. The budgetary items are used to determine, in part, whether a proposed financial transaction is to be authorized, in whole or in part, or rejected, in whole or in part.
US07707104B2
A method and system for calculating an indicator which can be used for determining whether to refinance an outstanding debt instrument (such as a mortgage) with a new debt instrument (such as another mortgage), which includes the steps of (1) determining the change in the present value of the cash flows using a set of discount factors; (2) determining the change in option values using a probabilistic model of future discount factors; and (3) determining the indicator reflecting whether refinancing is probabilistically financially advisable by comparing the change in cash flow values with the change in option values. These steps can be implemented by a computer which includes a CPU and a computer code operatively associated with the CPU. The calculated indicator or its derivative, reflecting whether refinancing is probabilistically financially advisable, can be displayed on a visual display, communicated by an audio device or used to automatically commence refinancing.
US07707103B2
The present invention is directed at a system and method to rate lender profiles to determine the level of risk that is present in the loans originated or purchased by a particular lender will have a misrepresentation or as a result of material inaccuracies in the financial information provided by or on behalf of the borrower. The rating is preferably based on a variety of factors including at least one of, for example, prefunding controls, post closing controls, product mix, and/or loan source.
US07707102B2
The risk of loss in individual collateral loans may be evaluated by taking into consideration the market supply and demand for the collateral/asset, as well as the amount of the loan balance in proportion to the value of the collateral. A Collateral Risk Index is determined using information regarding the total number of sales of the collateral/asset, the total number of pending listings, the total number of active listings, and the total number of expired listings in a time period. This information is used in conjunction with the loan balance versus the collateral/asset value to determine an index reflective of the risk of loss to the lender or investor.
US07707098B2
A system and method for money management in an electronic trading environment are presented. According to one embodiment, a money management application intercepts an order before the order is sent to an exchange, and determines a plurality of P/L levels, based on which the money management application then selects a set of money management parameters to be used to control or modify order parameters before the order is sent to the exchange. The plurality of profit levels may include a net profit level determined based on a trader's net position and a current market level, a realized profit level determined based on trader's sells and buys associated with the tradeable object, or an open profit level determined based on the realized and net profit levels. The set of money management parameters may include a maximum order quantity and a maximum net position so that, for example, if the order quantity associated with the order is higher than the maximum order quantity associated with the applicable set of money management parameters, the order quantity may be modified to the maximum order quantity.
US07707097B1
The present invention is related to systems and methods for implementing commission allocations in transaction management of auction-based trading for specialized items such as interest-rate-related instruments. In accordance with these systems and methods, a plurality of workstations that are connected to a server, and a structured commission allocation protocol may be provided. Through the workstations, the server, and the commission allocation protocol, the systems and methods may allocate commissions or fees when trading securities at accelerated levels with minimal errors and costs, control commission elements during real-time trading, and distribute commission and transaction data in real time.
US07707095B2
A data processing system receives a continuous stream of real time transactional data regarding market transactions of fixed income securities. The incoming data is qualified and then used to determine the term structure of interest rates based on price information. The system provides linear interpolation techniques to complete an operative data set. This set is updated with current trade data, with term structure shifting using pivot points from newly qualified data. An index value for a pre-select portfolio of securities is then calculated and expressed in terms of price relative to par, yield to maturity and duration. In a specific implementation using U.S. Treasuries as the monitored security, the index value supports an automated trading function for futures and/or options contracts based on the change in value of the index. The index provides a more accurate barometer of market changes and a more useful tool in measuring portfolio management for plan sponsors.
US07707092B1
A method for ranking relative investment performance is provided. The method uses risk measured by standard deviation of return over time and return data (over risk-free returns) to compare an investment to a particular market to which the investment belongs. The method ranks the investments based on a mathematical computation involving orthogonal distance between each investment and the line defined by the overall market within which the investment operates.
US07707090B2
A system and method for assisting a customer in choosing a combination of commodities based on preferences of the customer. A combination is a set of related commodities, wherein bundling discounts may be applied to particular bundles of related commodities. Combination options are created by optimizing the categories within the combination in parallel, and then selecting the best value options from each category into a grouping. The effective cost of a grouping is calculated as a total of the effective costs of each option within the grouping. The effective costs consider weighted values of performance features in addition to the actual cost of a commodity. The groupings are ranked and presented to the user, so that the user may select a grouping as combination of commodities for purchase.
US07707076B1
A system for continuous asset verification for at least one piece of well equipment using at least one radio frequency identification tag comprising: at least one radio frequency identification tag for removably attaching to at least one piece of well equipment; a first processor for storing information about the well equipment and for communicating the information to the radio frequency identification tag; a transportable data storage device for receiving and storing from the first processor the information; a controller comprising a second processor adapted to engage with the transportable data storage device, thereby forming a smart controller, wherein the smart controller is adapted for scanning for radio frequency identification tag at least one predefined interval to detect the information; a third processor for communicating with the transportable data storage device and storing the information.
US07707071B2
An interchange party computer system (IPCS) having means for presenting user interfaces to consumer computer systems and capturing data input through the user interfaces, the IPCS being associated with at least one database holding data representing a plurality of consumer profiles, the profiles including consumer profiles expressing service selection attributes for a plurality of service sectors, and at least one database holding data for a plurality of service programs under a plurality of service sectors, each sector being represented by service programs from a plurality of service providers, the IPCS including (a) a Service Comparison/Selection; (b) an Automatic Bill Payment Module; (c) an Automated Services Monitoring Module; (d) an Automated Best Services Selection Module; (e) a Services Search Module; (f) an Incentive Program Module; (g) a Data Mining Module; and/or (h) a Pooling Module.
US07707070B2
A method and system are provided for dynamic purchase ordering functionality in a business information system according to one embodiment of the present invention. The dynamic purchase ordering functionality receives a purchase order confirmation from a supplier and notifies the purchaser. If the supplier provides a deviating quantity in the purchase order confirmation (i.e., the supplier confirmed quantity is different than the purchaser ordered quantity), a dynamic availability of the product and/or service with the deviating quantity is determined and presented to the purchaser along with the purchase order confirmation in order to assist the purchaser in responding to the supplier's purchase order confirmation and to provide the purchaser with an integrated set of data in order to allow the purchaser greater flexibility and efficiency in responding to the supplier's purchase order confirmation. In this manner the purchase ordering system may be enhanced from the purchaser's perspective.
US07707068B2
Trust values of n nodes are calculated by relating nodes having corresponding relations with arrows. Pij (i, j=1 to n) is assigned as a weight for an arrow from node ui to node uj on the basis of the relation between the nodes. P′=CPcP+(1−Cc) E is calculated, where Cc=constant, E=a predetermined matrix, pP=a matrix having elements at row i and column j represented by Pij. The trust value of each node is calculated on the basis of P′.
US07707060B2
Products include autonomic logic to self-monitor one or more parameters associated with the products to provide product usage information. Data relating to the product usage information generated by the products is automatically disseminated to interested entities. The interested entities may analyze the provided data and automatically forward information relating to the provided data back towards the products. The interested entities may also effect changes to products based on the data.
US07707055B2
A method and system for managing business transactions, such as mortgages or other financial transactions. A business transaction between an end user and a financial institution includes sub-transactions between the end user and a vendor. A software system performs functions to complete the business transaction. Automated ordering allows an end user to quickly and easily order a sub-transaction without input from the financial institution or the vendor, and also automatically orders sub-transactions upon satisfaction of a trigger event. Vendor management functionality allows a financial institution to manage the transactions of a vendor. Qualitative performance analysis functionality allows an end user to monitor and evaluate a vendor's price, turn-around time, quality score, and overall score. Vendor distribution functionality distributes sub-transactions among vendors. Vendor management company functionality allows a vendor management company—a vendor that outsources some or all of its sub-transactions to independent service providers—to effectively use the system.
US07707054B2
A commercially acceptable solution to provide for monitoring battery voltage of an asset, managing charging of batteries of a group of assets, and managing scheduled maintenance of assets may utilize system architecture having intelligent wireless devices associated with the individual assets. The use of intelligent wireless devices allows for the asset management system to operate and maintain functionality substantially without loss of data in the event of a loss of communication between the wireless devices and a management computing system via a network, including an out-of-range condition of the wireless devices with respect to a local monitor.
US07707049B2
The present invention provides a system and method capable of providing an estimated premium without extensive and repetitive questioning. The present invention utilizes unique assumptions to dramatically reduce the amount of information that must be provided by the customer. In one embodiment, the present invention utilizes a mainframe computer system, an application server, and an external rules management system to interact with the customer via an attractive graphic user interface. Once logged onto the website of the present invention, the customer may choose to engage in a fast quote process which utilizes assumptions, driver information, and vehicle information to assess the risk associated with insuring the customer and then calculates an estimated cost to insure.
US07707044B2
According to a first broad aspect, the present invention seeks to provide a method of managing a session with an HIS. The method comprises receiving data regarding a wirelessly detectable tag associated with a first terminal; determining whether the first terminal is positioned relative to a second terminal such that a terminal proximity condition is satisfied based at least in part on the data regarding the wirelessly detectable tag, wherein one of the first terminal and the second terminal supports a session with the HIS; responsive to the terminal proximity condition being satisfied, providing an opportunity for signaling of an intent to transfer at least a portion of the session from the one of the terminals to the other of the terminals; and responsive to detection of an intent to transfer at least a portion of the session, transferring the at least a portion of the session, thereby to cause the at least a portion of the session to be supported by the other terminal.
US07707043B2
A method provides for inputting and storing data for a clinical study in a uniform manner by different study locations. Accordingly, the method comprises generation of an input platform program for an input of data of a clinical study, distribution of the input platform to input locations, calling up and activating the input platform program dependent on a participant characteristic linked with a study participant in the clinical study, inputting the data at an input location via an input platform generated by the input platform program, and storing the input data.
US07707041B2
A system, method, and computer program forgathering and managing ownership data for properties in a geographic area on which an asset, such as a pipeline is located. The method includes the steps of: (a) gathering and storing in computer memory the ownership data; (b) obtaining a graphical representation of the asset; (c) linking the ownership data with the graphical representation of the asset; (d) displaying the graphical representation of the asset on a computer monitor; (e) permitting a user to select a portion of the graphical representation of the asset; and (f) in response to step (e), retrieving from the memory and displaying the ownership data associated with the selected portion of the graphical representation of the asset.
US07707033B2
Training a consumer-oriented application device is based on a plurality of user-presented speech items. A progress measure is reported regarding a training status reached for a particular user person. In particular, the training status is visually represented by an animated character creature which has a plurality of training status representative maturity statuses that are each associated to a corresponding training level.
US07707032B2
A method and system used to determine the similarity between an input speech data and a sample speech data is provided. First, the input speech data is segmented into a plurality of input speech frames and the sample speech data is segmented into a plurality of sample speech frames. Then, the input speech frames and the sample speech frames are used to build a matching matrix, wherein the matching matrix comprises the distance values between each of the input speech frames and each of the sample speech frames. Next, the distance values are used to calculate a matching score. Finally, the similarity between the input speech data and the sample speech data is determined according to this matching score.
US07707028B2
A clustering system that clusters a language model group includes a union language model preparation unit that prepares a union language model for each language model so as to include a union of vocabularies in the language model group as entries, and a clustering unit that performs clustering with respect to the union language model group so as to classify the union language model group into a plurality of clusters. When the union language model preparation unit prepares a union language model for a certain language model, the union language model preparation unit records, regarding vocabularies included in the certain language model as a basis, occurrence frequencies of the corresponding entries in the certain language model, and records, regarding vocabularies not included in the certain language model, data showing that an occurrence frequency is 0. Thereby, a clustering system capable of clustering language models that includes voice uttered by or text written by a plurality of speakers can be provided.
US07707025B2
A method of translating an input sentence in a source language to an output sentence in a target language uses a store comprising a plurality of example sentences. A base example sentence is chosen from the store based on a comparison of the input sentence with a plurality of example sentences, and its paired translation is used as a translation basis. A portion of the input sentence differing from a corresponding portion of the base example sentence is identified. A portion of the translation basis aligned with the base example unmatched is located. The input unmatched portion is used to select a set of subsidiary example sentences from the store. A choice of possible translations corresponding to the input unmatched portion is determined from the set of subsidiary example sentences. A translation is selected from the choice based on a predetermined selection algorithm.
US07707018B2
A method for conducting a stress calculation is disclosed adapted for modeling a set of stresses and displacements in a reservoir, the method comprising: (a) building a reservoir model over a region of interest by gridding the region of interest, the grid being comprised of one or more cells and having nodes, each cell having a cell center; (b) interpolating unknown rock displacements in the region of interest from cell centers to grid nodes; (c) integrating over each cell to form a discrete system of equations; and (d) using the discrete system of equations to model the stresses and displacements in the reservoir.
US07707011B2
A method is described for establishing load limits for pipe connections to a turbine casing including the steps of: identifying a plurality of the pipe connections as key pipe load connections; developing transfer functions to model deformation of the casing based on loads applied to the key pipe connections; establishing individual load limits for each of the key pipe connections in the group by optimizing solutions to the transfer functions, and establishing a cumulative load limit for the group of key pipe load connections by optimizing solutions to the transfer functions.
US07707010B2
The invention provides a sample analyzer by which a position of any error status in the sample analyzer can be easily found by a user to allow the user to carry out an error recovery operation in an accurate and prompt manner. The sample analyzer 1 comprises a sensor for detecting a status of a measurement unit 2 including an error status; a display section 400b; and a controller 400a for controlling the display section 400b so as to display recovery information for recovering the measurement unit 2 from the error status and an error-occurring place image regarding a place where an error has occurred, when the sensor detects the error status of the measurement unit 2.
US07707009B2
A method and system for automatically calculating and generating performance analysis charts, including a reliability curve. The method and system are used to selectively convert performance records data from a database into graphs and charts reflective of a performance analysis. A tool and method is provided for predicting the effective life or run time of a component, such as a drill bit, based on calculated reliabilities for similar components.
US07707003B2
A method and system collects and manipulates information from various sources for the purpose of determining the location of loads of material in a bulk material storage container and tracing the number and identity of bulk material sources, such as farms or processing plants, for loads located within a bulk material storage container. Such production source information is thus uniquely associated with a particular non-liquid bulk material load. Surface mapping of a surface of bulk material stored in a storage container is performed before and after material is added to the container, and are used to determine position of loads within the storage container. Embodiments of the present invention, using knowledge of the position of loads within the container, may be used for the purposes of preplanning and enhancing blended load-out batches.
US07707001B2
An optical tactile sensor has a touch pad and a CCD camera for imaging behavior of the touch pad. A CPU processes image information from the CCD camera, extracts information on the size, shape, and center of gravity of a contact region, and extracts information on the size of a fixation region. The CPU obtains a normal force from the size of the contact region, obtains a tangential force from the shape of the contact region and the center of gravity of the contact region, and obtains a friction coefficient from the ratio of the size of the fixation region to the size of the contact region.
US07706999B2
The invention discloses a circuit testing apparatus for testing a device under test. The circuit testing apparatus includes a precision measurement unit, a signal transformation module, and a microprocessor. The precision measurement unit is coupled to the device under test for providing a testing signal and receiving a measurement signal generated according to the testing signal. The signal transformation module is coupled to the precision measurement unit for receiving the measurement signal and transforming the measurement signal to a signal measurement result according to a predetermined manner. The microprocessor is coupled to the precision measurement unit and the signal transformation module for examining the signal measurement result to determine a test result for the device under test.
US07706994B2
The present application provides improved systems and methods for rating the nutritional quality of food. The method includes (a) determining the water free weight percentage of one or more macronutrients in the food item; (b) assigning a numerical influence factor to each of the macronutrients; (c) multiplying the water free weight percentage of each macronutrient by the influence factor of the macronutrient to calculate a nutrient and influence factor product for each macronutrient; and (d) summing the nutrient and influence factor products of the macronutrients to calculate a numerical rating for the food item.
US07706993B2
The invention relates to a peak position correcting method that is a pre-process for testing whether properties of a product, a raw material, etc., are good or defective from a spectrum waveform pattern. The method involves setting a reference peak position in a single region including a spectrum waveform pattern, or setting reference peak positions in each of a plurality of regions; specifying a peak to be corrected as an object of correction in the single region or each of the plurality of regions; shifting the peak to be corrected to the reference peak position in the single region or in each of the plurality of regions; and substantially proportionally expanding or contracting the spectrum waveform pattern positioned at both sides of the peak to be corrected in the horizontal axis direction.
US07706990B2
A computer processor implemented method of measuring utilized generation of at least one at-premise power system to a consumer, the method comprising the steps of; providing at least one at-premise renewable power system, at least one meter in communication with at least one said at premise renewable power system and at least one wireless communication node in communication with at least one meter; determining usage from each meter, wherein at least one of the meters collects usage data from at least one at-premise renewable power system. A first meter collects data input from a pulse meter to provide primary input, a second meter collects data input from a secondary source meter to provide secondary input and the utilized generation is arrived at by subtracting the secondary input from the primary input.
US07706989B2
Systems and methods for evaluating probe signal level readings in a manner that allows a low water detector to distinguish between a probe that is under a fluid level, or is above the fluid level and either being splashed or is within a foam. Low water detectors which utilize these systems and methods are also provided. The detectors generally utilize a representative probe reading, and a dynamic indicator between probe readings, for a set of probe readings taken in a time period to detect low water levels, foam, or surge.
US07706987B2
A method and apparatus for periodically calculating the relative phase of the left eigenvector for a vibrating conduit is provided. During normal operation, two drivers are used in tandem to excite the main bending mode of the conduit (202). Periodically, first one (204), then the second (206), of the two drivers is disabled, allowing measurements that enable the determination of the relative phase of the left eigenvector (208) for the vibrating conduit.
US07706986B2
An ultrasonic flow measuring device, which determines volume and/or mass flow of a medium in a pipeline, or in a measuring tube. The flow measuring device includes a plurality of ultrasonic sensors, which emit and/or receive ultrasonic measurement signals along defined sound paths. The control/evaluation electronics of the flow measuring device is divided into an on-site electronics, in which at least one switch is provided, via which the ultrasonic sensors, arranged in different sound paths, can be driven and/or queried, and at least one remote, control/evaluation unit, wherein the control/evaluation unit so switches the at least one switch, that the driven and/or queried, ultrasonic sensor, or the driven and/or queried pair of ultrasonic sensors, is activated and provides measured values.
US07706974B2
The invention provides a navigation device that displays a map image representing a map and a recommended route graphic representing a recommended route from a current location to a destination on the map image. The navigation device includes a self intersecting place detection unit that detects a place where the recommended route intersects itself as a self intersecting place, and a recommended route plotting unit that plots the recommended route graphic on the map image so as to display part of the recommended route graphic corresponding to an interval to be passed next through the self intersecting place, and parts of the recommended route graphic corresponding to the intervals passing through the self intersecting place other than the interval to be passed next, in different display modes. Thus, it is possible to display the recommended route on the map so that the user will easily recognize the correct travel path at the self intersecting place on the recommended route.
US07706969B2
A guide system terminal device is provided to facilitate group operation vehicles. The guide system terminal device has a transceiver that receives the traveling environment information from another vehicle, such as for the turn signal, vehicle speed, running position, a road change judgment module that judges course changes by the other vehicle based on the traveling environment information of the other vehicle, and a user interface that outputs the judgment result obtained by road change judgment module. For example, the road change judgment module judges a left/right turn to have occurred when the blinker information acquired by turn signal sensor lasts longer than a prescribed time, and when the maximum value of the change in vehicle speed exceeds a prescribed level.
US07706967B2
A vehicle information system which includes an in-vehicle system 105 and a centralized server system 120. The in-vehicle system communicates with the server system using a wireless communication link 110, such as over a cellular telephone system. A position system, such as a set of GPS satellites 140, provides positioning signals that are used by the in-vehicle systems, and optionally by the centralized server system to increase the accuracy of position estimates. In one version of the system, an operator specifies a destination to an in-vehicle system which validates the destination. The in-vehicle system transmits specification of the destination to a server system 125 at the centralized server. The server system computes a route to the destination and transmits the computed route to the in-vehicle system. The in-vehicle system guides the operator along the route. If the in-vehicle system detects that the vehicle as deviated from the planned route, it re-plans a new route to the destination using an in-vehicle map database.
US07706960B2
In a capacitor-discharge ignition system for an internal combustion engine having a power generation coil, a capacitor connected to the power generation coil, an ignition coil having a primary winding connected to the capacitor through a thyristor and a secondary winding connected to a spark plug, and a microprocessor which turns on the thyristor at a predetermined crank angular position to produce ignition in the spark plug, an engine stop switch is installed to input an engine-stop command signal to the microprocessor when being turned off by the operator. With this, it becomes possible to surely stop the engine at any time if desired.
US07706959B2
A method is for adjusting a fuel/air ratio by means of an on-off controller as well as a diagnostic method in which a desired fuel/air mixture is regulated in accordance with a test signal of a lambda probe that is embodied as a jump probe. The switching point of the on-off controller is moved/adapted while the oscillation of the test signal of the lambda probe is analyzed regarding the amplitude and/or the asymmetry of the oscillation around the switching point at a constant control stroke. A desired value for the asymmetry or the amplitude of the oscillation of the test signal of the lambda probe around the respective switching point is predefined, the switching point of the on-off controller being moved such that the desired value is reached.
US07706957B2
In an apparatus, an actual fuel spray characteristic obtaining unit obtains, based on an operation of a learning fuel injection instructing unit in a learning mode, an actual fuel spray characteristic of an injector relative to a variable of a target interval period within at least one section in a usable range therefor. A phase difference calculating unit calculates a phase difference between a reference fuel spray characteristic and the obtained actual fuel spray characteristic. A phase correcting unit shifts the reference fuel spray characteristic by the calculated phase difference such that the reference fuel spray characteristic is corrected to approach the obtained actual fuel spray characteristic.
US07706954B2
A speed controller for motor vehicles having an input device for the input of a desired speed Vset by the driver, and having a plurality of operating modes which are able to be activated in different speed ranges and differ in their functional scope. A change in the operating mode, which results in the loss of a safety-relevant function, is provided or enabled by a command of the driver, characterized by a decision unit, which, in the light of predefined criteria, determines whether a change in the desired speed Vset, which is input by the driver, is to be interpreted as a command for changing the operating mode.
US07706953B1
The stabilizer works with any conventional cruise control (CC) and permits automatic CC in slower heavy traffic as it eliminates laborious frequent manual actuation of CC control buttons otherwise needed in such heavy traffic. More frequent automatic CC operation at slower speeds increases fuel efficiency. When the vehicle maintains a speed above a minimum speed and exceeds a brief preset period, the speed stabilizer sets the cruise control at that speed. When the cruise control is thus engaged, the driver's foot can move the accelerator pedal within a small tolerance range without canceling the cruise control. When the pedal is close to the bounds of the tolerance range, a warning signal such as a flashing LED display, is generated by the speed stabilizer to inform the driver that further movement of the pedal will cause acceleration/deceleration, automatically canceling cruise control. Actuation of conventional CC control buttons restores conventional CC.
US07706948B2
A method for calculating spiral swath paths in an area with irregular boundaries and providing automatic guidance of a vehicle along the calculated spiral swath paths. A baseline swath path is generated, and at least one adjacent swath path is calculated based on the minimum turning radius of the vehicle and associated implement. An algorithm calculates the continuous spiral swath path by monitoring a position data points at the end point of the previous swath path at the starting point of the at least one adjacent swath path, configuring a radius of curvature for each individual swath path determining the radius of curvature for each swath path and joining the individual swath paths into one continuous spiral swath path.
US07706927B2
A circuit breaker configuration contains a number of circuit breakers each to be connected via lines to a system component of a power distribution system and a plurality of control buttons with a respective one of the control buttons connected to a respective one of the circuit breakers. The respective control button for the respective circuit breaker passes through a control panel and is actuated from a front side of the control panel. A coupling element accessible from the front side of the control panel is provided for an interchange of diagnosis data and/or parameterization data. The coupling element is associated with the circuit breakers.
US07706924B2
A vibration controller includes a map controller, an adaptive controller, a set-up frequency judge/switcher, and an actuator. The map controller includes a data map storage for storing data on control signals determined in advance for a vibration insulator, and a signal generator for selecting one of the data, depending on a frequency of a cyclically pulsating signal emitted from a vibration generating source of a vehicle, from the data map storage and generating a control signal. The adaptive controller generates the control signal with respect to the cyclically pulsating signal using an adaptive control method. The set-up frequency judge/switcher switches from the map controller to the adaptive controller or vice versa based on the frequency of the cyclically pulsating signal. The actuator actuates an actuator of the vibration insulator based on the control signal generated by the map controller or the adaptive controller, whereby inhibiting the vehicle from vibrating.
US07706923B2
A controller equipped with a user interface having a separate schedule review mode, including methods of accessing and/or programming such devices, are disclosed. The controller may include a user interface that can be utilized to initiate a scheduling routine having a separate schedule review mode for displaying one or more schedule parameters of the controller without initiating the editing mode. An illustrative method of accessing a schedule on a controller coupled to a user interface may include the steps of initializing a scheduling routine within the controller, initiating a schedule review mode within the controller, displaying one or more schedule parameters for at least one period on the user interface, and exiting the scheduling routine. One or more of the schedule parameters can be modified, if desired, by initiating a separate editing mode within the controller.
US07706919B2
An object is to provide a method for teaching the position of a semiconductor wafer automatically and accurately without relying on the sight of an operator as well as a teaching jig that is used for the above method.To this end, in the invention, a teaching jig 11 is detected by a first transmission-type sensor 6 that is provided at the tips of a wafer gripping portion 5 of a robot. The teaching jig 11 is composed of a large disc portion 12 that is the same in outer diameter as a semiconductor wafer and a small disc portion 13 that is concentric with the large disc portion 12. The teaching jig 21 is detected by a second transmission-type sensor 18 that is provided on the wafer gripping portion 5. The second transmission-type sensor 18 is mounted on a sensor jig 15 so as to be detachable form the wafer gripping portion 5.
US07706912B2
An orifice formation system is provided. The system includes a manufacturing machine configured to form an orifice in a workpiece, a computed tomography x-ray machine configured to generate data based on geometry of the workpiece, and a computer in communication with the manufacturing machine and the computed tomography x-ray machine. The computer is configured to control the manufacturing machine based on the data generated by the computed tomography x-ray machine. A method of controlling formation of an orifice in a workpiece is also provided. The method includes acquiring computed tomography data about the workpiece, determining geometry of the workpiece based on the computed tomography data, and forming an orifice in the workpiece based on the determined geometry of the workpiece.
US07706905B2
A method for processing an audio signal during the multi-channel audio coding is disclosed. The present invention provides the method for processing an audio signal comprising: generating a fixed output channel using a down-mix signal and a basic matrix; and generating an arbitrary output channel using the fixed output channel and a post matrix.
US07706900B2
A control apparatus with a fast I/O function is adapted for storage of a control program, and to input a status of a target to be controlled as an input data from an I/O device, follow the control program to execute an operation of the input data, and output to the I/O device a result of the operation as an output data for controlling the target to be controlled, and includes a batch I/O buffer memory 201 having an output data register for storing an output data of the I/O device, and a batch I/O buffer memory controller 203 for controlling a writing of output data to be written to the batch I/O buffer memory 201, the batch I/O buffer memory controller 203 being adapted to control the writing of output data to the batch I/O buffer memory in accordance with a comparison output of control data of a control program executing circuit 14.
US07706897B2
A function block for field devices of process automation technology. The function block can be loaded into a component of a field device and is linkable with other function blocks (e.g., PID, AI, AO). The function block includes a web-server which makes information available in a general descriptive language (e.g., HTML).
US07706892B2
An implantable microstimulator includes a plastic housing having a first end and a second end; an electronic subassembly disposed within the housing; a first electrode disposed at the first end of the plastic housing and in electrical communication with the electronic subassembly; and a second electrode disposed at the second end of the plastic housing and in electrical communication with the electronic subassembly. The plastic housing, first electrode, and second electrode form a hermetically sealed structure around the electronic subassembly.
US07706890B2
An apparatus is provided for selectively destroying dividing cells in living tissue formed of dividing cells and non-dividing cells. The dividing cells contain polarizable intracellular members and during late anaphase or telophase, the dividing cells are connected to one another by a cleavage furrow. The apparatus includes insulated electrodes to be coupled to a generator for subjecting the living tissue to electric field conditions sufficient to cause movement of the polarizable intracellular members toward the cleavage furrow in response to a non-homogeneous electric field being induced in the dividing cells. The movement of the polarizable intracellular members towards the cleavage furrow causes the breakdown thereof which adversely impacts the multiplication of the dividing cells, but does not damage non-dividing cells. In some embodiments, the electric field is guided to a desired target region by varying the sizes of the electrodes that are used to apply the electric field. In other embodiments, the electric field is guided to a desired target region (and/or away from other regions) by positioning one or more conductors in appropriate positions within the patient's body.
US07706878B2
A device for assisting a caregiver in delivering therapy to a patient, the device comprising a user interface configured to deliver prompts to a caregiver to assist the caregiver in delivering therapy to a patient; at least one sensor configured to detect the caregiver's progress in delivering the therapy, wherein the sensor is other than an electrode in an electrical contact with the body; a memory in which a plurality of different prompts are stored; a processor configured to determine which of the different prompts should be selected for delivery based on the progress detected by the sensor.
US07706876B2
A single-handle cordless internal defibrillator includes a pair of paddles, and a pair of electrodes that are respectively connected to a first-end portion of the pair of paddles. The pair of paddles has a second-end portion in communication with a single-handle, with a least one paddle of the pair of paddles being pivotable about a pivot arranged between the one paddle and the single-handle. A regulator arm in communication with the pivot adjusts the pivot of at least one paddle about the pivot so that the distance between the electrodes is variable by moving the regulator arm, and defibrillator circuitry is arranged within the single-handle. A dual-handle structure also provides tangle-free and clutter-free applications as the defibrillator circuitry is self-contained in the handle/handles or paddles of the defibrillator, eliminating the need for long cables which obstruct and can contaminate an operating room.
US07706870B2
An method for analyzing irreversible apneic coma (IAC) for determining the presence of irreversible apneic coma (IAC) by analyzing the heart rate variability of a brain traumatic patient, thereby providing a physician a reference index to determine whether brain death has occurred. This method includes, at first, recording an electrocardiogram (ECG) from a subject. Then, analyzing R-R interval in said electrocardiogram (ECG), and plotting said R-R interval into Poincaré plot, wherein the X coordinate in said Poincaré plot represents R-R interval(n), and n is a 1˜data number. Y coordinate in said Poincaré plot represents RR(n+1). And, finally, quantifying said Poincaré plot, and obtaining semi-major axis (SD1), semi-minor axis (SD2), and SD1/SD2 of said Poincaré plot, as well as Poincaré plot area.
US07706869B2
A method and device for generating a template that includes identifying events of a plurality of sensed events having predetermined characteristics as first selected events and generating the template from the first selected events. Events of the plurality of events having the predetermined characteristics are identified as second selected events, and a determination is made as to whether the template is valid in response to the second selected events. The template is updated from the second selected events in response to the template not being valid.
US07706865B1
Cardiac pacing may be controlled through retrospective detection of events that are sensed during a given period of time. In some embodiments a detection decision is made substantially prior to the end of an escape interval. In some embodiments the mode of detection may be changed near the end of the period of time. In some embodiments the period of time is extended when an event is detected near the end of the period of time.
US07706860B2
Methods and systems for navigating medical devices are provided. A patient is imaged while a medical device is moved within the patient. A position (e.g., a location and/or orientation) of the moving medical device is detected within a coordinate system (e.g., a three-dimensional coordinate system), a position of the imaging field of view relative to the patient is adjusted based on the detected medical device position, such that the relevant tissue region of the patient is within the field of view. For example, the field of view can be centered over the medical device or centered just distal to the medical device portion. The direction of view may be oriented at an angle perpendicular to the axis of the medical device, e.g., for more accurately measuring the length of objects within the field of view, or oriented at an angle parallel to the axis of the medical device portion, e.g., for more accurately measuring the diameter of the channel (e.g., blood vessel) in which the medical device is disposed.
US07706859B2
Position detecting elements are disposed in an endoscope insertion portion at predetermined intervals. Even when the endoscope insertion portion is bent, position data representing the detected positions of the elements is used to infer or detect the shape of the insertion portion. A virtual element is disposed between adjoining elements so that a predetermined condition will be met. Position data of the virtual element is used together with the actually detected position data in order to interpolate data for the purpose of detecting the shape of the insertion portion. Consequently, as if a larger number of elements were disposed, the shape of the insertion portion can be detected highly precisely.
US07706858B1
Apparatus, system and method for immobilizing a patient's head during imaging. The apparatus includes two substantially C-shaped members that are pivotably mounted to each other. One C-shaped member includes at least one adjustable positioning rod for securing the patient's head during imaging. The apparatus is attached to a magnet resonance imaging apparatus to form a system. The system is used for imaging a patient whose head and neck is immobilized by the apparatus.
US07706857B2
Magnetic resonance imaging method and apparatus are provided for mapping the internal or bulk motion of an object by labeling the phase of a specimen magnetization with a selected spatial function and measuring changes in the phase of the magnetization. The spatial function is selectable to provide magnetization phase modulation corresponding to displacements in a selected direction, such as a radial or azimuthal direction. Methods and apparatus for producing images based on magnetization phase modulation acquire image data based on stimulated echos and stimulated anti-echos. In an embodiment, a series of 180 degree pulses produces alternating stimulated and stimulated anti-echos that are measured and assigned to respective images.
US07706854B2
In order to improve the quality of cross-sectional images, which have been recorded along a longitudinal axis of a vessel of a body, it is proposed to add successive cross-sectional images to an overall cross-sectional image. Artifacts in the cross-sectional images are hereby weakened and pathological structures to be detected are high-lighted.
US07706852B2
Methods and systems are described for simplified detection of unstable oxygen saturation of a patient by analysis of statistical variations in blood oxygen. One method for automatic detection of unstable oxygen saturation of a patient using a pulse oximeter comprises receiving at least a single time series input of oxygen saturation values and computing at least two metrics based on statistical properties of the single time series input of the oxygen saturation values.
US07706847B1
A portable radio telephone having an antenna projecting from the top surface. The antenna can be pivoted from an upright position to an angled position.
US07706839B2
An information processing device including a communication device. The information device, an information processing method, and an information processing program use a plurality of SIM cards having different recorded information and enable reading of the information from the SIM cards and writing into the SIM cards, thereby improving the convenience of the SIM cards. The information processing device includes a communication device (48) communicating with an external communication device via a communication line and uses a plurality of SIM cards, SIM card I (361) and SIM card II (362) having different storage information. The information processing device includes an information processing part (CPU 40) for selecting a SIM card according to selection information specifying a SIM card and reading or writing SIM card information between the selected SIM card and the communication device.
US07706832B2
Systems and methods for using aliases to manage contact information in a mobile communication device
An alias can be used to access address book information across multiple communication applications. The alias can also be a screen name, for example, an instant messenger screen name. However, the alias can be used to access more than just instant messenger contact information; it can be used to access other information, including telephone numbers, SMS, EMS and MMS contact information as well as instant messenger contact information. Additionally, the single alias can be used to access instant messenger contact information across multiple instant messenger services. An alias can be assigned that is easy to remember; for example, it can be a shortened version of the contact's name, or a nickname.
US07706830B2
A base station for controlling transmission power during the establishment of a communication channel utilizes the reception of a short code during initial power ramp-up. The short code is a sequence for detection by the base station which has a much shorter period than a conventional access code. The ramp-up starts from a power level that is lower than the required power level for detection by the base station. The power of the short code is quickly increased until the signal is detected by the base station. Once the base station detects the short code, it transmits an indication that the short code has been detected.
US07706825B2
A cellular phone of a member, who newly joins a group, creates a member list including a group ID and profile of a leader, and transmits a participation contact mail including a profile of the corresponding new member to a cellular phone of the leader. The cellular phone of the leader adds the profile of the new member to a member list after receiving the participation contact mail. The participation contact mail is transferred to the cellular phones of other existing members registered in the member list. The cellular phones of the existing members add the profile of the new member to their member lists in response to the received contact mail and transmit their profiles to the cellular phone of the new member. The cellular phone of the new member adds the profiles of the existing members to the member list in response to the received participation contact mail.
US07706824B2
A method, a computer program product and a device for requesting access to a node (BS) of a wireless communications network (10) are described. In the network (10) identification codes are used to differentiate access requests of different network components (UE). The method comprises the step of determining information about a transmission path (12) to e.g. the network node (BS), the step of determining an identification code in dependence on the determined transmission path information, wherein previously an association between identification codes and transmission path information has been established, and the step of modulating the selected identification code onto a signal to generate an access request signal carrying transmission path information.
US07706823B2
A method of synchronizing a base station of a wireless communication system and a subscriber communication equipment located in the coverage area of the base station by compensating a sampling frequency offset in the subscriber equipment by interpolating input and/or output signals of a radio frequency part of the communication equipment to generate samples corresponding to the original symbol timing of the base station, and compensating the carrier frequency offset from the estimate of the sampling clock error.
US07706818B2
A method of responding to a call and mobile communication terminal implementing the same are disclosed. The present invention includes a call request receiving step of receiving a call request from a calling party, a text message preparing step of preparing a text message, and a message communication step of converting the prepared text message to a voice message and transmitting the voice message. Accordingly, in case that a terminal user has difficulty in answering an incoming call from a calling party or intends to continue using the mobile communication terminal prior to receiving the incoming call, the terminal user is able to continue having a conversation using a text message.
US07706815B2
In at least one embodiment, a plurality of raw time-stamped waypoints describing a geographical route are received. The plurality of raw time-stamped waypoints are filtered based upon at least one of a set including a threshold distance between pairs of the plurality of raw time-stamped waypoints and a velocity indicated by pairs of the plurality of raw time-stamped waypoints. A smoothed route is generated by modifying at least some of the filtered plurality of raw time-stamped waypoints. The smoothed route is stored in data storage.
US07706807B2
A computer-based program performs calculations to analyze, vary, test, manage, and/or improve the performance of channels and/or frequencies in the communication spectrum. The program varies parameters of a point of communication, such as the location, transmission power, channel frequency, antenna height, and the like, alone or in combination, to measure, test, and/or evaluate which parameter changes increase the market coverage of a target market or area. In some scenarios, changes to one point of communication cause the regulations governing the broadcast relationship between one or more nearby points of communication to be violated. When this occurs, the program determines which of the parameters, such as the location, transmission power, channel and/or frequency, antenna height, and the like, alone or in combination, of the point of communication interfering with the increased market coverage scenario to vary to overcome the conflict with communications and/or regulatory law. In addition, the program can determine simultaneously which of the parameters of multiple points of communication to vary to overcome the conflict with communications and/or regulatory law. The program outputs multiple solutions with varying degrees of difficulty and varying amounts of performance improvement.
US07706801B2
When a terminal is moved to an area covered by a different switching node RNC of a radio access network, degradation of speech quality is prevented by returning a transcoder insertion connection to a transcoder-free-operation connection. When the terminal is moved and the switching node RNC of the radio access network is changed, a relocation is performed by inserting the transcoder, re-confirmation of parameter information of a bandwidth-compression coding system is requested for a local side switching node RNC and a remote side switching node RNC and, when the transcoder can be bypassed according to the confirmation, the transcoder is removed to return to the transcoder-free-operation connection mode.
US07706800B2
Briefly, a wireless communication device, a wireless communication system and a method of roaming from a first base station to a second base station. The method includes generating first and second contexts, wherein the first context is used with an authentication key of the first base station and wherein the second context is stored at both the first and second base stations. When roaming to the second base station, the method includes using the second context with an authenticating key of the second base station and storing the first context at the first and second base stations.
US07706798B2
In order to discover at least part of a frequency list used by an active wireless device in a cellular communications network for neighbour cell signal measurements, measurement reports are extracted from messages carrying reports of measurements relating to propagation of wireless signals between the network and the device. Additional information (such as identity of sections of the network adjacent to a current serving cell for the device) is extracted from other messages, and the extracted measurement reports and additional information are combined to discover the required frequency list.
US07706795B2
A method and apparatus in a communication system provide for concurrent processings of signals at the different frequencies. A received signal is down converted in a RF/IF system (490) to produce on-channel and out-of-channel received samples (305, 306). The on-channel received samples (305) are processed in a back-end portion 499 to decode on-channel information. The out-of-channel received samples (306) are processed to determine at least one of a link quality and global positioning system originated information in the back-end portion 499. The processings of the on-channel received samples (305) and the out-of-channel received samples (306) are performed essentially at the same time by the receiver back-end (499).
US07706790B2
An exemplary method for searching one of a plurality of systems on a multi-mode device capable of communicating on a first air interface technology and a second air interface technology is disclosed. The exemplary method includes storing a default system search period for one of the air interface technologies, such as WLAN system, receiving user input representative of a user-defined system search period for the WLAN system, storing the user-defined system search period, detecting a system search event for WLAN services, searching WLAN services in response to the system search event, and terminating the WLAN system search after expiration of the user-defined search period.
US07706788B2
At least one user is given access to a respective home operator over a communication network such as an IP network, via an access network and through any of a plurality of supported visited networks. The user is communicated a list of the supported visited networks and is thus given the possibility of selecting one of the supported visited networks as the path for reaching the respective home operator.
US07706787B2
A method of flexibly allocating capacity in a satellite coverage area, comprising establishing a frequency reuse pattern of at least two interleaved sets of cells, assigning a polarization to each set of cells, such that adjacent sets of cells alternate in orthogonal polarization, flexibly assigning satellite transmit power to at least one cell, flexibly assigning frequency and bandwidth to at least one cell, and moving frequencies, bandwidths, and satellite transmit power among the cells within each set, independently of the other sets, ensuring that at all times no two adjacent cells within a given set share a common frequency.
US07706784B2
A method and system for secure payment by using a mobile communication device, which may operate using substantially existing communication protocols, and securely identify the mobile device.
US07706781B2
A method for conveying e-mail traffic between an e-mail server (108) and a mobile terminal (102) which has an e-mail address (122A) under the e-mail server and permanent terminal identity (122B) and a temporary identity (122D) in an access network (114). A connectivity function (600) is operationally coupled to the e-mail server (108) and the access network (114). The connectivity function (120) encrypts e-mail traffic to the mobile terminal and decrypt e-mail traffic from the mobile terminal, by using encryption information (122C). The mobile terminal generates (2-1) a service activation code which comprises an identifier (124D) of the mobile terminal, encryption information (122C) and checksum information. The service activation code is conveyed (2-3, 2-4) via a secure channel (2-3) to an authenticating terminal (100), from which the identifier (124D) of the mobile terminal and the encryption information (122C) are conveyed to the connectivity function (600).
US07706775B2
An access point of a network maintains information about data received at the access point from a server accessible via the network and provides to the server the information maintained at the access point. The access point then receives from the server a payment for an account associated with an operator of the access point.
US07706774B1
Disclosed herein is a control system for enabling use of wireless telephones. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, each one of the wireless telephones are a prepaid wireless telephone associated with one of a plurality of carrier systems having disparate communication protocols. The control system receives a request having transaction information from a client system and processes the request in accordance with stored procedures corresponding with the associated carrier system. The control system sends the request to the carrier system to case usage of the prepaid wireless telephone to be enabled.
US07706767B2
A dual path loop filter circuit for a phase lock loop is described. The filter circuit allows the filter to be integrated into a phase lock loop IC circuit without using active circuit components that may create additional noise and consume additional power. The filter circuit structure allows for a low capacitance capacitor to be used to filter out any undesired signals.
US07706765B2
A source device (110) receives a carrier signal and continuously monitors the carrier signal for a first predetermined condition and a second predetermined condition. The source device (110) transmits data if the first predetermined condition is satisfied. The source device (110) ceases transmission of data if the first predetermined condition subsequently is not satisfied or if a second predetermined condition is satisfied.
US07706760B2
A system for saturation detection, correction and recovery in a power amplifier includes a power amplifier, a closed power control loop configured to develop a power control signal (VPC), and power control circuitry configured to reduce the power control signal if the power amplifier is operating in a saturation mode.
US07706758B2
In an orthogonal frequency division multiplex communication system, for example a HIPERLAN/2 system, power amplifiers (224) of mobile terminals (4, 6) are switched off when not in use, and then switched on again when a signal transmission is to be made. This conserves power, but introduces a power amplifier transient (315). An access point (2), i.e. a type of base station, compensates for these power amplifier transients (315) using a simple scalar constant gain transient correction, over a full OFDM symbol (or a plurality of OFDM symbols). The correction is updated on an OFDM symbol by symbol basis (or plurality of symbols by plurality of symbols basis).
US07706757B2
A wireless communication apparatus adapted to be mounted on an elevated surface having an electrical socket thereon. The apparatus includes a housing, a photocell and a transceiver. The housing at least partially defines an interior space and has a portion which is translucent. The photocell is supported by the housing in the interior space so that ambient light exterior to the housing passes through the translucent portion to the photocell. The transceiver is also supported by the housing and is positioned within the interior space of the housing.
US07706736B2
An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus and a post-processing apparatus that performs post-processing on sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus. The image forming system includes a feeding unit configured to store a plurality of sheets and successively feed the sheets; a stack unit configured to stack sheets processed by the post-processing apparatus; a state detection unit configured to detect a predetermined state of the stack unit; and a control unit configured to restrict the number of sheets fed from the feeding unit so that the number of sheets existing in a sheet conveyance path extending from the feeding unit to the stack unit does not exceed a predetermined number. The predetermined number is the number of sheets that the post-processing apparatus can receive from the image forming apparatus after detection of the predetermined state by the state detection unit.
US07706735B2
A lubricant applying device includes a solid lubricant and a roller brush that rotates while in contact with the lubricant, receives the lubricant, and applies the lubricant to an image carrier. A corner portion of the lubricant on an upstream side with respect to direction of rotation of the roller brush is convex, i.e., blunt.
US07706734B2
In an image forming apparatus, a toner image formed on an intermediate transfer belt is transferred to a transfer sheet by a transfer electric field generated between a secondary transfer roller and a driving roller. A guide surface of a pre-transfer guide and a flat portion of the intermediate transfer belt form an angle of no less than 13° and no greater than 17°, and a distance from a tip of the guide surface and the flat portion is no less than 1.0 mm and no greater than 3.0 mm.
US07706728B2
An apparatus for loading one or more donor rolls of a developer unit, comprising a developer housing having a reservoir for a developer material, a rotatable first donor roll that delivers the toner onto a moving photoconductive member, a trim roll that receives developer material from the reservoir and delivers the developer material to a first magnetic brush roller that delivers toner to the first donor roll, and a rotatable second magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the first magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner to the first donor roll. The apparatus may further comprise a rotatable second donor roll that receives the toner from the second magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner onto the photoconductive member, and a rotatable third magnetic brush roll that receives the developer material from the second magnetic brush roll and delivers the toner to the second donor roll. The apparatus may further comprise a trim blade for trimming excess developer material from the trim roll.
US07706725B2
In a full-color image forming apparatus including a light source for monochrome image formation that outputs light corresponding to monochrome image information and exposes a monochrome image forming photoreceptor and light sources for color image formation that output lights corresponding to color image information and expose photoreceptors for forming images of colors other than black, when the light source for monochrome image formation and the light sources for color image formation are caused to output the lights and a full-color image is formed, an optical output of the light source for monochrome image formation is set to become equal to or less than optical outputs of the light sources for color image formation, preferably, become less than the optical outputs of the light sources for color image formation.
US07706721B2
An electrophotographic image forming device includes an image forming unit to apply a developer to a paper and to form an image thereon. The electrophotographic image forming device further includes a fusing unit having a fusing roller to receive the paper from the image forming unit, to fix the developer on the paper, and to move the paper, and a housing containing the image forming unit, and having a fusing unit accommodating part to detachably receive the fusing unit along a direction that is different than a paper transfer direction to be accommodated therein. Thus, the electrophotographic image forming device allows the fusing unit to be detachably mounted therein safely and conveniently.
US07706720B2
An image forming apparatus comprises: a housing; a supporter located in the housing, a plurality of developing apparatus attachable to and detachable from the supporter; and a restricting unit that restricts movement of the supporter while at least one developing apparatus supported by the supporter is inside the housing. The supporter is movable relative to the housing.
US07706718B2
A method of remanufacturing a replaceable consumable unit includes providing the replaceable consumable unit including a first electronic circuit, with the first electronic circuit being at least partially inoperable; providing a second electronic circuit; communicatively connecting the second electronic circuit to the first electronic circuit; and intercepting, by the second electronic circuit, signals sent by an imaging system to the first electronic circuit.
US07706715B2
A developer cartridge includes a developer cartridge case for accommodating a developer, a developing roller, a toner layer thickness control blade, and a side sealing member. The developing roller is supported by the developer cartridge case such that a circumferential surface thereof is exposed to an outside of the developer cartridge case along a width direction. The toner layer thickness control blade includes a blade body portion made of a metallic plate. A tip portion of the blade body portion is disposed at a sliding portion of the developing roller and the side sealing member so as to contact with the side sealing member. A frictional heat generated at the sliding portion is released to the outside of the developer cartridge case through the blade body portion in order restrain a leak of the developer as much as possible.
US07706712B2
An image forming apparatus capable of effectively cooling down a recording medium heated by a toner fixing unit includes a cooling mechanism having a duct, a radiating fin, and a heat pipe. The duct includes two air flow structures, each including an air inlet, an air supply path, an air exhaust path, and an air outlet. The radiating fin is arranged between the air supply path and the air exhaust path of each air flow structure. The radiating fin has a plurality of fins each radially extending in parallel to a flow of air in the duct. The heat pipe has one side connected to the radiating fin and another side arranged in a vicinity to an exit of a toner fixing mechanism. The heat pile rotates to draw heat from the heated recording sheet having a fixed toner image.
US07706711B2
The invention provides a user with a first tab printing setting part for setting up an item concerning printing on a first tab sheet and a second tab printing setting part for setting up an item concerning printing on a second tab sheet; and setting up, when the value of an item is set up in one of the first tab printing setting part and the second tab printing setting part, a value of the corresponding item in the other one of the first and second tab printing setting parts in dependence upon the value of the item in the aforementioned one of the parts.
US07706694B2
A system for and method of processing complex signals encoded into quantum states is presented. According to an embodiment of the invention, polarized components of a pump laser beam are separated and respectively modulated with first and second signals. The modulated polarized components are directed to adjacent non-linear crystals with optical axes aligned at right angles to each-other. Information regarding at least one of the first and second signals is then derived from measurements of coincidence events.
US07706690B2
A relay node used in a WDM optical network is disclosed. The relay node includes: a high-speed side port configured to send and receive a high-speed signal; a low-speed side port configured to send and receive a low-speed signal; a unit configured to generates a checking message for requesting another node to report constraint information of a low-speed side port of the another node, wherein the constraint information relates to adding an optical signal from the low-speed side port to a high-speed side port of the another node or dropping an optical signal from the high-speed side port to the low-speed side port of the another node; a unit configured to generate a response message including the constraint information of the own node in response to receiving the checking message sent from the another node; and a storing unit configured to store at least the constraint information of the another node.
US07706689B2
Methods and apparatus are described for forward baseband digitalization. A method includes receiving a forward baseband digital optical signal from an optical fiber; transforming the forward baseband digital optical signal to a forward analog electrical signal; transmitting the forward analog electrical signal on an electrical conductor; receiving a reverse analog electrical signal on the electrical conductor; transforming the reverse analog electrical signal to a reverse digital baseband optical signal; and transmitting the reverse digital baseband optical signal. An apparatus includes a forward baseband digital optical signal receiver; a forward circuit coupled to the forward baseband digital optical signal receiver, the forward circuit transforming a forward baseband digital optical signal to a forward analog electrical signal; a forward analog electrical signal transmitter coupled to the forward circuit; a reverse analog electrical signal receiver; a reverse circuit coupled to the reverse analog electrical signal receiver, the reverse circuit transforming a reverse analog electrical signal to a reverse digital baseband optical signal; and a reverse baseband digital transmitter coupled to the reverse circuit.
US07706682B2
Described is a wide-angle slip-on viewfinder (1) on rangefinder cameras for analog and digital wide-angle recordings of different image recording formats with lenses of different focal lengths, comprising three lens groups (LG1, LG2, LG3), a frame/mask unit (10) and a partially transmissive prism cube (8) which is designed as a combination element, wherein, on the light entrance side (4) in the viewfinder beam path (9), a first lens group (LG1) has a negative refractive power and the second and third lens groups (LG2, LG3) have a positive refractive power, wherein the second lens group (LG2) is composed of a first lens (L3) arranged downstream of the first lens group (LG1) and a second lens (L4) arranged on the light exit side (7) and the partially transmissive prism cube (8) is arranged between the lenses (L3, L4) and the third lens group (LG3) is arranged in a mask imaging beam path (11) which is at right angles to the viewfinder beam path (9) between the frame/mask unit (10) and the partially transmissive prism cube (8).
US07706680B2
A digital camera to which a storage medium can be connected, includes a profile information storer and a profile information reader. The profile information storer stores profile information representing a storage medium user in the storage medium connected to the digital camera. The profile information reader reads the profile information.
US07706676B2
An automatic exposure control method is used to control a shooting exposure parameter for shooting an image by a shooting end. At least one middle brightness value is acquired between a brightness value of a background region and an overall brightness value, and then a relation between working distances of a flash light and a practical distance of an object is determined sequentially from the brightness value of the background region to extend towards the overall brightness value, in which the working distances of the flash light are respectively corresponding to the brightness value of the background region, the middle brightness values, and the overall brightness value, so as to obtain a shooting exposure parameter and to selectively activate the flash light, thereby adjusting the overall brightness of the image to be shot, so as to obtain an image with a proper overall brightness.
US07706669B2
The present invention relates to a data structure for managing video data and additional content data recorded on a recording medium. A recording medium having data structure in accordance with the present invention comprises a navigation area storing at least one first-typed object and at least one second-typed object, wherein each of the objects indicates at least one playlist to reproduce, the first-typed object includes at least one navigation command for managing reproduction of main data recorded on the recording medium, the second-typed object includes at least one navigation command for managing reproduction of additional content data to be reproduced with the main data, and the at least one playlist indicated by the second-typed object includes reproducing information related with the additional content data.
US07706664B2
A contents recording and reproducing apparatus performs a record and a reproduce of a recording medium, in which the recording medium records a title key file registering therein at least one title key which encrypts each of plural title contents corresponding to a program video or sound, and title contents encrypted by the title key. The contents recording and reproducing apparatus includes an TKF initializing unit 141 which generates a title key file and records it in the recording medium, a random number generating unit 111 which generates a random number corresponding to each of the plural title key files, and a recording unit 113 which records a plurality of title key files in a DVD medium 140. The TKF initializing unit 141 registers the random number, the TKF random number corresponding to the title key file, and an encryption title key.
US07706660B2
The present invention relates to an assembly of multiple waveguides which includes a substrate and a plurality of waveguides positioned on said substrate at locations effective to suppress cross-talk between different waveguides. The plurality of waveguides each comprise an elongate array of quantum dots extending between sets of first and second locations on the substrate. The waveguides are positioned to receive: (1) pumped light uniformly applied to the array to produce electron-hole pairs and to enable optical gain and (2) signal light at the first location to trigger an emission from the quantum dot at the first location and transmission of photons along the array to the second location. A light transmission system which includes this assembly as well as methods of making and using the assembly are also disclosed.
US07706649B2
An optical processing device includes: a light source that outputs second light having a first polarization state or a second polarization state in synchronization with the pulse timing of the pulse of first light; a first nonlinear medium that controls the polarization state of the first light pulse in accordance with the polarization state of the second light pulse, using a nonlinear effect; and a separator that outputs the first light pulse from the first nonlinear medium selectively to a first output path or a second output path in accordance with the polarization state controlled by the first nonlinear medium. In this device, the first nonlinear medium uses the nonlinear effect to compensate the level of each first light pulse output selectively to the first output path or the second output path by the separator, with each first light pulse receiving the energy of the second light pulse.
US07706643B1
Agile OADM structures having a range of tradeoffs between costs and flexibility are disclosed. In certain implementations, cyclic AWGs (arrayed waveguide gratings) are employed. Excellent optical performance is achieved along with relatively low initial and upgrade costs. An economically optimal level of network flexibility may thus be achieved.
US07706640B2
A telecommunication fiber optic cable for gas pipeline application has a built-in leakage detecting device. The cable has an optical core including a number of telecommunication optical fibers, an outer jacket covering the optical core, and one or more gas leakage detector optical fibers. One or more gas leakage detector optical fibers are enclosed within the outer jacket. Preferably, the cable has a linearly extending rod reinforcing system having strength rods that force the cable to bend in a preferential bending place. Preferably, the leakage detector optical fibers are located at, or close to, a plane that is substantially orthogonal to the preferential bending plane and passing through the cable neutral axis.
US07706638B1
A color machine vision system with two or more differently colored light sources and one black and white photoelectric sensor (BW sensor). The light sources are employed to separately illuminate a target object with a different color, e.g., red, green, blue, magenta, yellow, and cyan. The BW sensor senses the reflection of colored light off the target object from each light source. A separate measurement is generated by the BW sensor for the reflected colored light from each light source and stored for further processing to render a color image of the target object. A calibration is performed to enable the BW sensor to sense reflected colored light from the target object in a linear mode, not the non-linear (saturated) mode. Since calibration enables the BW sensor's electronic components to operate (sense reflected primary colored light) in a relatively linear mode, the sensor is relatively accurate and fast in alternatively sensing/measuring reflected primary colored light from each of the light sources.
US07706626B2
A method for processing a source digital image wherein the source digital image is comprised of a plurality of pixels. A spatial filter is applied to the source digital image to produce an enhanced digital image. An inverse spatial filter is applied to the enhanced digital image to produce an estimated digital image. A difference digital image is then produced from the estimated digital image and the source digital image, wherein the difference digital image is representative of a difference between the source digital image and the estimated digital image. The difference digital image and the enhanced digital image can be transmitted from a first device to a second device remote. At the second device, a reconstructed digital image can be generated from the difference digital image and the enhanced digital image, wherein the reconstructed digital image is substantially equivalent to the source digital image.
US07706624B2
An image processor includes a Lee filter for processing image data to improve noise therefrom. The Lee filter includes a smoothing control signal. During filtering of the image data, the smoothing control signal is converted to a monochrome video signal that is provided to a display instead of, or in addition to, the filtered image data. The image projected by the display of the smoothing control signal highlights edge activity in the filtered image. This display of edge activity makes it easier to locate noisy areas in the image data and fine-tune the amount of filtering to further reduce noise present in the image data and yet leave the desired image details alone.
US07706623B2
In a reticle inspecting apparatus or the like, there is provided an image correcting method which is effective when a rank of a matrix lacks due to continuous equal grayscale values when an image is handled as a matrix. In the image correcting method, a random noise image having fine grayscale is superposed on a pattern image to make a matrix full-rank.
US07706622B2
There is provided an image coding apparatus including a mode selection unit arranged to select an input image type, an input unit arranged to input image data in accordance with an output of the mode selection unit, an image size determination unit arranged to determine an image size of the image data input by the input unit, a block size determination unit arranged to determine a block size of a block in accordance with the image size determined by the image size determination unit; and a block construction unit arranged to divide the image data input by the input unit into blocks of the block size determined by the block size determination unit.
US07706614B2
A system, method and computer program product for identifying spam in an image, including (a) identifying a plurality of contours in the image, the contours corresponding to probable symbols; (b) ignoring contours that are too small or too large; (c) identifying text lines in the image, based on the remaining contours; (d) parsing the text lines into words; (e) ignoring words that are too short or too long from the identified text lines; (f) ignoring text lines that are too short; (g) verifying that the image contains text by comparing a number of pixels of a symbol color within remaining contours to a total number of pixels of the symbol color in the image, and that there is at least one text line after filtration; and (h) if the image contains text, rendering a spam/no spam verdict based on a contour representation of the text that which appears after step (f).
US07706611B2
Character recognition is described. In one embodiment, it may use matched sequences rather than character shape to determine a computer-legible result.
US07706608B2
An image processing device generates an output image as a color image wherein each pixel has color information, using a first image as a sparsely color sampled image wherein each pixel has monochromatic information obtained by an image sensor which has multiple pixels each photoelectrically converting light of a plurality of colors. The device includes: a simulation unit for generating a second image as an estimated image of the sparsely color sampled image; a comparison unit for comparing the second image with the first image, and generating first information thereof; a converting unit for converting the first information into second information corresponding to the color image; a penalty computing unit for computing the correction amount of the input image; and a correction unit for generating a third image by correcting the input image based on the second information and the correcting amount; this third image being used as an output image.
US07706605B2
Color reproducibility is improved by enabling one to control a smoothing condition for each of plural positions on color space. When a color correction table is formed by using smoothing, the smoothing conditions respectively corresponding to the plural positions on the color space are set, and then the smoothing is performed according to the smoothing conditions.
US07706593B2
A method for verifying areas within an image corresponding to monetary banknotes includes: dividing the image into a plurality of verification sections; generating a banknote boundary map having border sections corresponding to boundaries of valid monetary banknotes; generating a texture decision map from the image having texture sections each having texture values within a valid range according to a valid monetary banknote, determining objects in the texture decision map by removing texture sections in the texture decision map corresponding to border sections in the banknote boundary map; calculating a texture property value for objects according to texture feature values for each verification section; calculating shape property values for each object; and further removing texture sections from the texture decision map corresponding to objects that do not have the texture property value within a first predetermined range and the shape property value within a second predetermined range.
US07706590B2
A method of using laser scanning cytometry to provide a viewable image of a specimen includes impinging a beam of light from a light source on the specimen and positioning a detector such that the detector captures only a portion of an unimpinged beam from the light source, and the detector captures forward scattered light from the beam after the beam impinges the specimen. Forward scattered light from the beam is captured with the detector after the beam impinges the specimen to produce an image of the specimen, and the position of the detector is adjusted to control the contrast of the image.
US07706588B2
When the user presses an Alt key, the mode makes a transition to a property value switching mode and all annotations are made visible. At this time, the originally invisible annotations with the visibility properties set to invisible are drawn translucently. That is, a scanner name, a color bar, and a patient name which are not visible in a normal mode are drawn translucently. Thus, the user presses the Alt key, whereby the mode can be switched to the visible switching mode of drawing all objects, so that the user can promptly designate the annotation whose visibility property is to be changed and can smoothly conduct a medical diagnosis with an image.
US07706587B2
In a method for creation of an overview of medical data sets, a plurality of medical data sets exist regarding a patient and the data sets are associated with categories, and an overview image of at least one part of the patient is generated by means of an imaging modality. A localization within the patient is associated with each of the data sets, and the overview image is shown on a display medium. Markings are generated and shown at points of the overview image that correspond to the localizations of the data sets. The categories that exist with regard to at least one of the points are likewise displayed.
US07706585B2
In a method and an apparatus for detecting the roughness of a vessel in a living subject, an in vivo image of an inner contour of the vessel wall is obtained using an imaging modality. A dimensional value characteristic of the complexity of the inner contour is calculated from the image information in the image describing the inner contour.
US07706578B2
An image compilation production system and method, for use in a setting attended by multiple visitors. The system comprises multiple identification devices, multiple digital image capturing devices, and a reader device associated with each of the image capturing devices. Each identification device includes an electronic data storage device having identification data stored therein. One of the identification devices is carried by at least one of the visitors to the setting. The reader device activates the digital image capturing device to capture the image of the visitor when the identification data stored in the electronic data storage device of the identification device is carried within the detection range of the associated reader device by the visitor.
US07706570B2
This disclosure describes methods and systems for encoding and decoding signals from a host signal such as audio, video or imagery. One claim recites a method comprising: receiving a host signal carrying an auxiliary signal; extracting data representing at least some features of the host signal, said extracting utilizes one or more processors; using the data representing at least some features of the host signal to determine a key; and detecting the auxiliary signal in a transform domain associated with the key, the detecting utilizes one or more processors. Other claims and combinations are provided as well.
US07706564B2
A diaphragm (400) of a speaker (100) includes a vibrating member having a substantially thin-plate shape and a base material disposed substantially at the center in a width direction of the vibrating member. The base material is formed by a woof group, a front diagonal thread group, a back diagonal thread group and a warp group, the groups being arranged so as to cross with each other and have axial directions different from each other. Accordingly, tensile strengths of the diaphragm (400) in the axial directions of the groups, i.e., tensile strengths in four directions, can be set to substantially the same. Accordingly, since the number of directions having substantially the same tensile strength is larger than conventional arrangements using triaxial fabrics, occurrence of deformation such as bending of the diaphragm (400) due to resonance can be prevented as compared to the conventional arrangements. Therefore, the speaker (100) capable of vibrating properly can be provided.
US07706560B2
A cross-sectionally substantially-semicircular portion of an edge portion adapted to connect an outer periphery of a diaphragm to a speaker frame is configured to have an uneven-thickness structure in which the thickness of the portion gradually decreases toward a sticking portion of an outer peripheral portion of the speaker frame from a sticking portion of the outer periphery of the diaphragm. Thus, the propagation characteristic of vibrations generated on the edge portion is improved. Disturbance is prevented from occurring in an mid-range frequency characteristic due to inverse resonance caused by the edge portion.
US07706556B2
A mobile wireless communications device is for a user wearing an electronic hearing aid adjacent an ear of the user and may include an upper housing and a lower housing being slidably connected together for sliding between a retracted position and an extended use position. An audio output transducer may be carried by the upper housing and accessible to the hearing aid of the user adjacent a top end of the upper housing, and an audio input transducer may be carried by the lower housing and accessible to a mouth of the user adjacent a bottom end of the lower housing. An antenna may be carried by the lower housing adjacent the bottom end thereof so that the hearing aid is further separated from the antenna when the upper and lower housings are in the extended use position to reduce undesired coupling from the antenna to the hearing aid.
US07706554B2
An electret condenser 2 includes a fixed electrode 6, a vibrating electrode 5, an electretized silicon dioxide film 7 formed between the electrodes, and silicon nitride films 8 and 9 formed so as to cover the silicon dioxide film 7. The silicon dioxide film 7 covered with the silicon nitride films 8 and 9 is formed on the vibrating electrode 5.
US07706541B2
An information management apparatus capable of reliable management of distributed information and an information providing system employing the same information management apparatus has a main information reproducing system for reproducing main information recorded in a given recording medium; and a reproduction management system for managing the main information reproducing system for reproducing the main information. A receiver is provided with a unit for recording distributed information and control information limiting the number of main information reproducing cycles on a recording medium, and a main information reproducing system provided with a reproduction disabling function for limiting the reproduction of main information.
US07706539B2
A method of guaranteeing users' anonymity and a wireless LAN system therefor are provided. In a wireless LAN system, the method of guaranteeing user' anonymity includes (a) creating a plurality of temporary address sets, each of which corresponds to a unique Media Access Control (MAC) address of a wireless terminal and transmitting the temporary address set to the corresponding wireless terminal, and (b) performing data packet transmission between the wireless terminal and the wireless access node using a temporary address selected from the temporary address set as a source address or a destination address. Therefore, it is possible to guarantee users' anonymity and improve security of a system by not exposing a MAC address during data packet transmission between a wireless terminal and a wireless access node.
US07706534B2
Provided are apparatuses, methods, and user interfaces for requesting access to a program or service, receiving the requested program or service and displaying the requested program or service at a user terminal. In one example, a request for a period of time for access to the program or service is transmitted from a user terminal via a broadcast network. The period of time may be converted to a key decryption count corresponding to the period of time and key interval, the key interval being a period of time separating adjacent key stream messages in a key stream corresponding to a content data stream for the program or service. The encrypted program or service may be decrypted at the user terminal based on the period of access, key interval, and/or key decryption count.
US07706532B2
An encryption apparatus for encrypting input picture data with high secrecy and restoration against an error of encrypted data. An EXOR circuit calculates input picture data and a pseudo random sequence and obtains encrypted data. The obtained encrypted data are held in a first FF circuit. The first FF circuit is reset for each line. Counters count for each line or each frame and are reset for each frame or at the beginning of a program. An encryption device encrypts outputs of a second FF circuit that holds a fixed value, the counters and the first FF circuit with a key and generates a pseudo random sequence. A shift register divides the bit sequence. The EXOR circuit calculates the output of the shift register and the input picture data and obtains encrypted data. Since the encrypted output is fed back, data cannot be stolen using a successive input of the same data. In addition, since an encrypted output that is fed back is reset for each line, the encrypted output can be recovered from an error.
US07706531B2
An encryptor is provided for encrypting AV data sent from an interface. A controller controls recording of the encrypted AV data by controlling a recorder for recording the encrypted AV data in a magnetic disk. The recorder is controlled by the controller so as to reproduce the data recorded on the disk. A decrypter decrypts the reproduced data that is sent to the interface.
US07706530B2
It is possible to safely constitute a key management method having an access structure equivalent to the hierarchical key management method with a small amount of calculations. The method includes: a setting step for setting a set (,) of the number of times a one-way hash function is executed for each of the elements of the rank i; a key generation step for generating two separate keys for the elements as the value of the number of times the one-way function has been executed corresponding to the set of the number of times which has been set for the elements of the two original keys for each of the elements; and a key delivery step for delivering the two separate keys for the elements to each of the elements. Furthermore, the method includes an initial key generation step for calculating N keys with a route node positioned at the most significant node when generating a key at each node from a parent node and performing key delivery according to the hierarchical relationship expressed in a directed graph having no cycle; and a node key generation step for generating the value of the number of predetermined times the one-way function is executed according to the execution specification for M keys (M≦N) among the N initial keys in each node, as the M node keys for the node.
US07706528B2
A prime calculating apparatus calculating a prime and determining whether the prime has been duly generated. The prime calculating apparatus (i) generates a random number, (ii) calculates a multiplication value R by multiplying a management identifier by the random number, and (iii) calculates a prime candidate N, according to N=2×(multiplication value R+w)×prime q+1, with respect to w satisfying an equation of 2×w×prime q+1=verification value (mod management information). Then, the prime calculating apparatus judges whether the calculated prime candidate N is a prime, and outputs the calculated prime candidate N as a prime when determining that it is a prime.
US07706521B2
The present invention discloses a contact center system based upon open standards. The contact center system can include at least one agent node, a portal server, and an application server. An agent node can include a standard HTTP browser that communicates over a standard Internet Protocol network using standard protocols. The portal server can be configured to communicate with an agent node via an agent portal, which can consist of multiple agent portlets to present information. The application server can be configured to execute contact center applications that can collect and distribute information via the agent portlets and transfer calls to agents.
US07706519B2
An assembly, and an associated method, by which to place a telephonic station in virtual residency in a telephonic network. The virtually-resident telephonic station is coupled to a packet data network, such as the Internet backbone. The virtually-resident telephonic station has packet network address determined by the location of its connection to the packet data network. An index, formed by an indexer, is maintained at a proxy server embodied at the packet data network. When a call is placed by a calling station for connection with the virtually-resident telephonic station, the call is routed to the packet data network, and the index is accessed to ascertain the address of the virtually-resident telephonic station. When the address is ascertained, the call is routed to the virtually-resident telephonic station, and the call connection is completed.
US07706512B2
A method and apparatus for voice message editing, particularly a method and apparatus for splicing voicemails sections together. A system, method and computer program product are described for forming a voice message on an interactive voice response system (IVR) spoken by a user including recording a first voice message where the user speaks the first voice message but makes an error in a last portion of the first voice message. A second voice message is recorded where the user speaks the last portion again without the error. Splice points are determined in the first and second voice messages. The first and second voice messages are spliced at the splice points such that the spliced first and second voice message is a continuous voice message including the last portion but not including the error.
US07706503B2
An x-ray optical device delivers an x-ray beam with variable convergence. The convergence or the divergence of the x-ray beams varies over different parts of the reflector. The device may include an adjustable aperture to further select the convergence or divergence. The adjustable aperture selects the convergence angle by selectively occluding a portion of the x-ray beams.
US07706502B2
A cargo container inspection radiation detector apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a support, and a plurality of area radiation detectors disposed upon the support arranged corresponding to a height of the cargo container, each area radiation detector comprising an active area defined by a matrix of pixels.
US07706501B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed for measuring long bone density of small animals. A phosphor screen or plate is provided of a type that transduces incident ionizing radiation to emitted light. A small animal is positioned before the phosphor screen or plate and exposed to soft X-radiation having an energy level in the range of 11 to 16 Kev. Light emitted by the phosphor screen or plate is captured using a digital camera and a digital X-ray image is prepared of a long bone of the animal. The X-ray image is transformed into an X-ray density image and a region of interest is defined on the long bone in the X-ray density image. At least one row of pixels is scanned within the region of interest of the X-ray density image. A nonlinear least squares analysis of data obtained from the scanning step is conducted using a cylindrical model for the long bone within the region of interest.
US07706500B2
The supporter supports a patient and is disposed movably along the body axis direction of said patient. The imaging part includes an X-ray-generator and an X-ray-detector. The X-ray-generator irradiates X-rays while rotating around the body axis. The X-ray-detector detects the X-rays that have permeated the patient. The collimator changes the irradiation field of the X-rays to be irradiated. The scan controller controls the movement of the supporter and the imaging part. The image-reconstructing part reconstructs image data based on the X-rays that have been detected by the X-ray detector. The movement amount-detector detects the amount of movement of the patient by the supporter. The collimator controller controls so as to change the size of the opening of the collimator based on the amount of movement.
US07706498B2
For the purpose of X-ray CT imaging a heart of a subject with high image quality while reducing stress on the subject, once an optimal cardiac phase has been set by an optimal cardiac phase setting section 30b and a target position in a subject to be scanned when the cardiac phase of the subject is at an optimal cardiac phase is defined at a target position defining section 30c, a transport-starting-cardiac-phase calculating section 30b calculates a transport-starting cardiac phase such that the target position is scanned at the optimal cardiac phase, using the optimal cardiac cycle, target position, scan start position, transport speed of an imaging table, and approach-run time for the imaging table. A scan control section starts transport at the imaging table 4 when the cardiac phase of the subject coincides with the transport-starting cardiac phase, and performs a helical scan with a helical pitch of one or more, for example.
US07706496B2
According to one exemplary embodiment, a digital phase detector includes a phase/frequency detector, where the phase/frequency detector is configured to receive a reference signal and a divided oscillator feedback signal and output a first pulse-width modulated signal and a second pulse-width modulated signal. The digital phase detector also includes a first time-to-digital converter, where the first time-to-digital converter is coupled to the phase/frequency detector. The first time-to-digital converter is configured to receive and convert the first pulse-width modulated signal to a first digital number. The digital phase detector further includes a second time-to-digital converter coupled to the phase/frequency detector and configured to receive and convert the second pulse-width modulated signal to a second digital number. The digital phase detector further includes a summation element, where the summation element is configured to subtract the second digital number from the first digital number and output a digital phase error signal.
US07706493B2
The present invention is an improvement to previously known systems for controller area networks and the method of communicating across such networks. The system and method introduces interpolated time markers to provide higher resolution bit container, for communicating data bits across the data bus of a three-wire controller area network. The interpolated time markers allow devices on a controller area network to effectively double tie amount of bandwidth available for communication and can in some cases even further increase the bandwidth beyond a factor of two.
US07706492B2
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for correcting symbol timing of a receiver. The receiver receives a signal transmitted by a transmitter based on a symbol period. The method includes: sampling the signal with a sampling period to generate N sampled data in series, wherein the sampling period is half the symbol period; from Kth data of the N sampled data, getting M data to serve as a first data set; performing a timing recovery algorithm upon the first data set to generate a first timing metric; from (Kth+1) data of the N sampled data, getting M data to serve as a second data set; performing the timing recovery algorithm upon the second data set to generate a second timing metric; and correcting the symbol timing according to the first and second timing metrics.
US07706490B2
The present application generally relates to apparatuses such as television signal processing apparatus that process radio frequency signals. More specifically, the present application is particularly useful in integrated circuits that must receive a radio frequency signal and simultaneously use circuitry where the timing of the operations are based on the received RF signal and circuitry where the timing is based on a fixed rate signal with sensitivity to clock jitter. According to an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus comprises, a first input (RefClk), a second input (PllClk), an output (CLK 1X), a delay means (405, 410, 415, 420, 425), and a logic means (430, 435, 440, 445, 450, 455, 460, 465, and 470) to compare a plurality of stages of said delay means to produce an signal at said output.
US07706488B2
A synchronization pulse representing a symbol boundary in a signal such as an OFDM signal is obtained by deriving a first signal representing the difference between the amplitudes of samples separated by the useful part of an OFDM symbol, a second signal representing the phase difference between the samples, and combining the first and second signals to derive a resultant signal. The resultant signal is examined and the synchronization pulse generated in response to the signal changing in a predetermined manner.
US07706485B2
The present invention provides a radio interference indicator comprising a controller for processing an instruction and a radio signal receiver coupled to the controller to receive or detect a radio signal. An indicating element is coupled to the controller to indicate the level of the radio signal to allow the user knows the quality of the background the radio signal.
US07706476B2
A real-time digital quadrature demodulation method and device for the ultrasonic imaging system are disclosed in this invention. In addition to a multiplying step and a filtering step, the method further comprises a sine and cosine table generating step for generating the sine and cosine table in real time, and a filter parameter generating step for generating corresponding filter parameters in real time to filter signals from the multipliers. The device comprises two multipliers, two filters, a sine and cosine table generating module, a filter parameter generating module, and two parameter memories. The real-time digital quadrature demodulation method and device for the ultrasonic imaging system according to the invention are capable of effectively saving the storage resource, and are easily controllable.
US07706473B2
A method for signal strength detection begins by comparing a signal strength representation of a signal with a signal strength representation of a reference signal. The method continues by adjusting, when the signal strength representation of the signal compares unfavorably with the signal strength representation of the reference signal, at least one of the signal strength representation of the signal and the signal strength representation of the reference signal until the signal strength representation of the signal compares favorably with the signal strength representation of the reference signal. The method continues by determining signal strength of the signal based on the adjusting of the signal strength representation of the signal and signal strength of the reference signal.
US07706467B2
A transmitter comprises an amplifier operable for receiving an input signal and amplifying the input signal to produce an output signal. A power supply is coupled to the amplifier for supplying power to the amplifier, the power supply operable for tracking the input signal and varying the level of power supplied to the amplifier in response to variation of the input signal. A predistortion circuit is coupled to the power supply, the predistortion circuit operable for receiving the input signal and predistorting the input signal to the power supply for addressing input signal tracking capabilities of the power supply.
US07706450B2
A video decoder is connected with a block distortion detector for specifying the boundary of blocks where block boundary occurs, using decoded image data and information of motion vectors, which are supplied from the video decoder; and a block distortion remover for subjecting pixels in the vicinity of the block boundary of the decoded image to filtering on the basis of the result of detection from the block distortion detector, thereby removing the block distortion. Therefore, block distortion is accurately detected when a compressed and coded image is decoded, and the detected block distortion is removed while minimizing the blurriness of the image.
US07706442B2
A method and apparatus for selecting a coding mode of intra prediction in video compression. The method adapts an alternative full search (AFS) algorithm which reduces the computations of a conventional full search (FS) method. In the method, estimated sums of predicted blocks are obtained without actually forming predictors. By comparing the estimated sums of all modes with a low bound threshold, the undesired modes are quickly eliminated, and thus the number of predictor calculations and cost evaluations that require intensive computations are decreased.
US07706441B2
A transcoding apparatus and method, and target bit-allocation and picture complexity estimation units and methods used for the same are provided. The transcoding apparatus includes: a video decoding unit which receives a compressed bitstream and performs decoding thereof to output decoded pictures; a complexity estimation unit which estimates complexity of a current picture among the decoded pictures to encode the current picture; a target bit-allocation unit which performs desired bit-allocation using the complexity information of the current picture; a bit-rate control unit which controls bit-rate using bit-allocation information and state information from memory, which outputs an encoded bitstream; and a video encoding unit which encodes the decoded pictures on the basis of the bit-allocation and state information of the bit-rate control unit. Therefore, an effect exists for transcoding that improves image quality.
US07706439B2
A signal transmitting and receiving method in a wireless network use a reader creates a pulse width list relating to pulse widths of transmission signals; transmits signals in sequence according to the created pulse width list; and receives a reply signal with respect to the transmitted signals. The method includes creating a pulse width list relating to pulse widths of the transmitted signals; transmitting signals in sequence according to the created pulse width list; and creating an available pulse width list including a corresponding pulse width in response to receiving a reply signal from the transmitted signals; and transmitting signals in sequence according to the created available pulse width list.
US07706434B1
Methods and systems for cancelling interference in an analog communication signal are provided. The method includes receiving an analog communication signal including interference caused by a deterministic interference source, generating a digital interference signal corresponding to the interference caused by the deterministic interference source, converting the digital interference signal into a corresponding analog interference signal, and subtracting the analog interference signal from the analog communication signal.
US07706432B2
In a data transfer system in which wireless data transmission is carried out between a first device and a second device that each has a UWB wireless device, the data transfer system includes a ranging unit that is provided in the UWB wireless device of at least one of the first and second devices and measures a distance to the other of the first and second devices; a distance determination unit that determines, based on a measurement result by the ranging unit, whether or not the distance between the first and second devices has been within such a predetermined range that a predetermined transmission rate and a predetermined transmission quality are obtained by UWB communication; and a data transfer unit that executes data transmission between the first and second devices in response to a determination by the distance determination unit that the distance between the first and second devices has been within the predetermined range.
US07706431B2
A system architecture for a receiver to process multiple signals on a common carrier frequency from a satellite. The receiver is arranged such that the receiver receives input data transmitted from the satellite. A pilot signal is tracked from the input data using a correlation channel, and a data signal is tracked from the input data using a data code generator operatively connected to the correlation channel. In one embodiment of the invention, the data signal generator creates replica code for the data signal. In another embodiment of the invention, the system can switch between the data signal generator and pilot signal generator based upon the signal-to-noise ratio of the incoming signal.
US07706429B2
A BOC signal acquisition and tracking apparatus and method. In the present invention, a BOC subcarrier, a QBOC subcarrier and harmonics thereof are used as subcarriers. Those subcarriers can be mixed with a received signal and integration result of each mixing result is calculated. Then, all the integration results are combined as a combined correlation. Alternatively, those subcarriers can be combined as a synthesized subcarrier. The synthesized subcarrier is mixed with the received signal, and the integration of the mixing result is calculated to obtain a synthesized correlation.
US07706427B2
A despreader for generating one or more despread values corresponding to application of one or more despreading codes to a sequence of spread values comprises a data buffer, an adder, a subtractor, and a controller. The adder is adapted to generate a sum of a pair of values read from the data buffer. The subtractor is adapted to generate a difference of the pair of values read from the data buffer. The controller is adapted to control (1) reading of the pair of values from the data buffer and (2) writing of the sum and difference values into the data buffer. After each pair of spread values is stored in the data buffer, the despreader generates and stores one or more pairs of sum and difference values in the data buffer.
US07706419B2
The invention provides a novel optical system for use in a microarray scanner, comprising an aperture-containing reflecting mirror comprising an aperture and a reflecting surface. The aperture of the aperture-containing reflecting mirror allows an excitation light to pass through, and the reflecting surface of the aperture-containing reflecting mirror allows emission light from a microarray to be reflected. The optical system may also comprises various other components such as laser generators, beam splitter, reflecting mirrors, excitation and emission light filters, excitation and emission objective lens, pinhole, and detector. The optical system described herein has high efficiency, high sensitivity, low background noise, structurally simple, and high versatility.
US07706417B1
A method of generating a plurality of data streams using a data protocol is disclosed. The method comprises steps of receiving an input data stream comprising a periodic sequence of data words, wherein each the data word of the input data stream is associated with a data stream of a plurality of data streams. The data words of the input data stream are sequentially processed by a data control circuit. Finally, data output by the data control circuit is demultiplexed to generate a plurality of output data streams. A circuit for generating a plurality of data streams using a data protocol is also disclosed.
US07706412B2
A necessary packet is extracted from each of a plurality of transport streams, and the extracted packets are reconstructed to one transport stream. Plural packets from the reconstructed one transport stream are descrambled using a conditional access module, and the necessary packets are separated. Each packet separated from the reconstructed one transport stream is decoded. The conditional access module has information needed to descramble the packets from the plurality of transport streams that are in the reconstructed one transport stream.
US07706407B2
A method for coding data packets (DP) having at least one control command (S) and one data byte (B). The data packets are divided into sequences of control and/or data time blocks (SB, DB) each having a predetermined number (M) of time segments (ZS), whereby these can assume an on-value or off-value (EW, AW). At least one control command is coded in the time segments of a control time block, and a data byte is coded in the time segments of two data time blocks, whereby an on-value follows each time segment with an off-value. The method can be advantageously used in identification systems (IS) in mobile data carriers (DT) and in write/read devices (SL). The method results in the provision of a higher data transfer rate for transmitting data packets.
US07706406B2
A data transmission method is provided for a medium access control (MAC) of a mobile telecommunication system. Each logical channel may transmit a response field to the transport channel. The response field may represent a data characteristic and an amount of data having a corresponding characteristic. This may be transmitted with the response field representing a data amount of a buffer. The transport channel may perform a TFC selection based on priorities of each logical channel and the data characteristic.
US07706391B2
In a packet transmission method and device, when a received packet is written in a packet buffer, an address of the packet buffer is stored as a read address for each destination corresponding to a physical port and storing information of the received packet. The read address of a destination designated by the received packet information is read and saved when the received packet is read out of the packet buffer in accordance with a scheduling control. Then, the saved read address is taken out in accordance with an arbitration control and a received packet corresponding to the saved read address is read from the packet buffer.
US07706390B2
A system and method for routing packets in a multihopping wireless communication network (100). The system and method selects a node (106-1) of the wireless network (100) to operate as an aggregation point, at which two or more possible routes for transmitting packets or packet fragments from a source mobile node (102-1) to a destination mobile node (102-2) meet. A primary route is selected based on historical quality of one or more links between nodes (102, 106, 107), and one or more secondary routes are selected based on the success rate of packets reaching the aggregation point.
US07706382B2
Exemplary embodiments are directed to a system and method for managing a network having multiple domains. An exemplary method includes identifying a router interface connected with a switch; assigning a Layer 2 identifier to the interface, wherein the identifier uniquely identifies a Layer 2 domain within the network; and assigning the Layer 2 identifier to the switch.
US07706371B1
A domain based tunneling scheme allows a Network Management System (NMS) to manage devices in a private network operating behind a NAT boundary. A device in the private network provides the NMS with information including a public NAT IP address, a private device IP address, and a unique device identifier. The NMS uses the public NAT IP address to set up and maintain a tunnel to the private network. The NMS stores the NAT information and a tunnel identifier in a table entry associated with the device. The NMS then uses the tunnel and the contents of the table entry to conduct management operations with the device operating in the private network.
US07706368B2
A method and system for correlating messages within a wireless transaction, each of the messages requiring a unique message identifier, the method having the steps of: creating a transaction identifier, the transaction identifier being the same for related messages; and adding to the transaction identifier a message index, the message index corresponding to a number of a message within a transaction, whereby the transaction identifier and message index form the unique message identifier for each of the messages.
US07706356B1
A system including a first network configured to receive IP device data from an IP device and to provide one or more IP addresses of the IP device based on the IP device data; a second network comprising: a second network location database configured to store physical location information, and a second network location server configured to receive the one or more IP addresses of the IP device from the first network, and query the second network location database to determine physical location information of the IP device based on the one or more IP addresses.
US07706349B2
Methods and systems for selecting modulation in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system
Methods and systems for selecting modulation in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system are provided. In one embodiment, a method for a remote unit of an OFDM multipoint-to-point communications system comprises: establishing communication between a first remote unit and a host unit, the first remote unit and a plurality of remote units communicatively coupled to the host unit in a multipoint-to-point configuration; transmitting a plurality of tones from the first remote unit such that tones from the first remote unit and at least one other remote unit are simultaneously received at the host unit, the plurality of tones modulated with upstream information using OFDM; modulating up to a plurality of tones using a first modulation scheme when transmitting a first type of upstream information; and modulating up to a plurality of tones using a second modulation scheme when transmitting a second type of upstream information.
US07706342B2
The present invention provides methods for identifying the target mobile stations for data transmission in a wireless communication network. An enhanced Multi-User Packet format that supports both the legacy MAC Index and the new extended MAC Index in the same packet is described. The length of extended MAC Index can be variable.
US07706334B2
A method of transmitting/receiving a packet using a hybrid automatic repeat request in the mobile communication system is disclosed. The packet data transmitting method includes transmitting at least one sub packet divided from plurality of encoded packets generated by repeating a bit stream that is made by encoding information desired to be transmitted with ⅕ rate turbo encoder, and transmission start point information of the sub packet through the sub packet identifier field on the accompanying control channel.
US07706327B2
A mobile communication system transfers a packet to a mobile communication terminal forming an adhoc network, through a core network, based on address information of the mobile communication terminal. The address information of the mobile communication terminal includes common information which is changed when a connection point between the adhoc network and the core network is changed, and individual information which is maintained unchanged even when the connection point between the adhoc network and the core network is changed. The packet is configured to be transferred based on the individual information in a communication within the adhoc network.
US07706326B2
Wireless communication methods and components that implement handoff in wireless local area networks
This invention relates to wireless local area networks, and particularly to the IEEE 802.11 family of standards. It consists of a method and apparatus that can be implemented in access points (APs) and subscriber wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs), in order to allow an AP to initiate re-association of a WTRU to itself or a different AP. The invention improves the robustness of the network by enabling more efficient load balancing, congestion control, and roaming, without compromising the user experience.
US07706320B2
Included are embodiments for providing communications services. At least one embodiment includes a first communications component configured to receive data from a first communications device and a second communications component configured to send at least a portion of the received data to a second communications device.
US07706316B1
One or more network routers include data path processors and a control path processor. A number of network protocols that are not installed on the data path processors are installed on the control path processor. When one of the data path processors receives a network packet that is in an unrecognized format, a header is appended to the network packet and forwarded to the control path processor. The control path processor removes the header and identifies a proper protocol associated with the network packet. Next, the control path processor places the network packet in a processing stack associated with an appropriately installed network protocol in order to process the network packet on behalf of the originally sending data path processor.
US07706289B2
A system and method for validating packet classification within an input/output device or component. Based on a target DMA engine within the device, and a protocol path for testing the DMA engine, sets of packet attributes are generated and used to format packets for input to the device. The output of the device is examined to determine if the correct DMA engine was used within the device. The DMA policy specifying which DMA engine to use for a particular packet configuration or set of protocol attributes can be dynamically replaced or modified without halting the validation process.
US07706286B2
Given a set of network nodes B that are sought to be monitored, and a set of potential monitoring nodes, a subset M of the monitoring nodes is chosen that insures monitoring each node b in B with a pair of nodes mi and mj such that no node except b is on both any shortest path from b to mi and on any shortest path from b to mj. Some of the nodes in M are chosen in a first step by identifying a subset of B having nodes b that are “t-good” nodes, choosing a subset of potential monitoring nodes as First Partner nodes, and choosing a corresponding subset of potential monitoring nodes as Second Partner nodes. Others are chosen in a second step that handles nodes b that are not “t-good,” using a greedy algorithm.
US07706280B2
According to the invention, a content delivery network (CDN) for delivering content objects over the Internet is disclosed. The CDN includes a point of presence (POP), a content object request interface, and a routing function. At least one POP is coupled to a plurality of full-route networks. The content object request interface receives requests for content objects for delivery to a number of end users using a plurality of terminal networks. The routing function that routes content objects in at least two modes, where a first mode routes content objects based upon a first route path chosen based upon delivery efficiency, and a second mode routes at least some content objects using a second route path when at least of a portion of the first route path reaches a level of use. The first and second route paths egress to different full-route networks.
US07706278B2
In one embodiment, a router examines an incoming packet for a flow monitoring request. The router may examine every packet for the flow monitoring request, or preferably may only examine packets including a lifetime value indicating that the packet should be dropped and not forwarded or may only examine packets having a predetermined message format. When the flow monitoring request is included, the router performs detailed flow analysis or other monitoring according to the flow monitoring request.
US07706274B2
A method for processing data packets in a network communication environment. In response to receiving an acknowledgment (ACK) of a previously sent burst of data packets, the amount of data acknowledged is compared to the amount of data in the burst that was originally sent. If the ACK covers at least a predetermined amount (or more) of the data in the original burst, then a burst size parameter is increased for future communications; however, if the ACK covers less than the predetermined amount of the original burst, then the burst size parameter remains the same.
US07706261B2
An active queue management (AQM) process for network communications equipment. The AQM process is queue based and involves applying at a queue size threshold congestion notification to communications packets in a queue of a link via packet dropping; and adjusting said queue size threshold on the basis of the congestion level. The AQM process releases more buffer capacity to accommodate more incoming packets by increasing said queue size threshold when congestion increases; and decreases buffer capacity by reducing said queue size threshold when congestion decreases. Network communications equipment includes a switch component for switching communications packets between input ports and output ports, packet queues for at least the output ports, and an active queue manager for applying congestion notification to communications packets in the queues for the output ports via packet dropping. The congestion notification is applied at respective queue size thresholds for the queues, and the thresholds adjusted on the basis of the respective congestion levels of the queues of the output ports.
US07706258B2
A loop detection system and method operable in an Ethernet network having a provider network and a customer network. In one embodiment, a provider edge (PE) entity is operable to generate a test frame with at least one of a destination address (DA) and source address (SA) that is unknown to the customer network. The test frame is broadcast to the customer network coupled to the PE entity. Upon determining that the test frame or its duplicates are received back by the PE entity within a first time period, loop location within the Network is deduced responsive to the determination.
US07706256B2
The present invention discloses a protection switching apparatus for nodes in a Resilient Packet Ring (RPR) network, including: a first switching module, for receiving inner ringlet data and transmitting data to the outer ringlet; a second switching module, for receiving outer ringlet data and transmitting data to the inner ringlet; and when it is in a normal mode, each of the switching modules transmits the received ringlet data to the other switching module connected to itself, and the received ringlet data are transmitted through normal data paths; when protection switching is required and frame boundaries of data are reached, the first and second switching modules directly switch data paths within themselves, and transmit the received ringlet data through WRAP data paths. At the same time, a protection switching method for nodes in an RPR network is provided. This invention is easy to realize, and data path switching is performed at frame boundaries of data transmission, thus no packet will be lost and reliability of RPR network nodes is guaranteed.
US07706253B1
Telephones connected to a gateway can still make calls when connectivity to a central processing device is lost. The gateway determines when connectivity with the central processing device is lost. When a communication is received from a first telephone for second telephone, the communication is routed to the second entity by bypassing the central processing device. This is possible using identification information that is stored for the second entity when the second entity registered with the central processing device.
US07706245B2
A recording method whereby an inorganic resist made of an incomplete oxide of a transition metal is formed as a film onto a substrate and a latent image corresponding to pits is formed onto the inorganic resist by exposure. The exposure is performed by a laser beam whose intensity has been modulated by a pulse signal whose pulse height decreases in a rear portion in a length direction of the pit, thereby forming a format of a track pitch smaller than a recording beam diameter (track pitch/exposure beam diameter=0.333 to 0.833).
US07706244B2
A super resolution optical disk medium having an array of pits less than or equal in size to optical resolution is disclosed, wherein the pits are read by using heat generated within the medium upon irradiation of a read laser beam. A playback power determination method for use with the disk is also disclosed. A playback power level at which super resolution occurs is determined based on a bit error rate (bER) of the optical disk and the amplitude of a playback signal having a predefined signal pattern. In the optical disk, NR/SR is set to one (1) or less, where SR is the signal obtained from a high-temperature region in case the playback is performed in the state that the super resolution occurs, and NR is the amplitude of a signal which is read in the absence of such super resolution.
US07706243B2
An optical information reproducing method capable of determining multi-level information with high precision, and an apparatus for the method. Specifically, a cell having a reduced multi-level is provided in a portion of a data region to perform the level correction or automatic gain control. For example, a cell recorded with an M-value for each group including a plurality of cells, each of which is recorded with an N-value (N>3, M
US07706235B2
Disclosed herein is an optical pickup device. In an embodiment of the present invention, sub beams from which an AC component has been removed are generated using a first diffractive element based upon properties that a beam incident on a disc is reflected with being separated by the track structure of the disc, and beams reflected from adjacent layers are prevented from being diffracted to sub cells for receiving the sub beams using a second diffractive element. In this case, the grating direction of the first diffractive element and the second diffractive element is adjusted, and thus the influence of dead zones generated in a tracking error signal due to the second diffractive element is removed.
US07706228B2
A system for supplying a driving voltage to move an optical pickup unit to a predetermined position includes a storage unit, an output unit, and a drive module. The storage unit is used for storing instructions. The instructions include a move-outwards instruction, a move-inwards instruction, and a move discriminate-position instruction. The output unit is constructed and arranged for outputting the instructions. The drive module is coupled to the output unit for supplying the driving voltage to move the optical pickup unit toward an outermost position based on the move-outwards instruction, move the optical pickup unit to an innermost position based on the move-inwards instruction, and move the optical pickup unit from the innermost position to the predetermined position based on the move discriminate-position instruction.
US07706225B2
A recording method for an optical disk drive is implemented as follows. First, at least one of the level of the focusing error signal, the level of the tracking error signal, a wobble synchronization pattern loss, the error rate of demodulating a wobble signal and the frequency of buffer under-run occurrence is detected. If at least one detected value exceeds the preset value, the recording will be ceased. Then, the rotation speed of the optical disk drive is decreased, and the recording is resumed with the decreased rotation speed.
US07706221B2
Disclosed herein is an information recording/reproducing apparatus that includes a first and a second recording/reproducing modules, a buffer memory to store information temporally, and a control module that switches between a first mode and a second mode when the information is dubbed from the first recording/reproducing module to the second recording/reproducing module. In the first mode, information in the first recording/reproducing module is reproduced and stored in the buffer memory. In the second mode, the information stored in the buffer memory is recorded in the second recording/reproducing module. The apparatus further includes a temperature detecting module. Depending on the temperature detected by this module, the apparatus changes the movement of the second recording/reproducing module in the first mode and the movement of the first recording/reproducing module in the second mode.
US07706215B2
Application program interfaces for controlling an external media changer from a computer are provided. The application program interfaces allow for loading and identification of discs in a media changer. The application program interfaces can further allow for control of media changer functions such as locking of media changer elements and playback of disc content for discs in the media changer.
US07706211B2
A seismic velocity profile in a region of interest in a subsurface formation is determined using at least the following steps. (a) Activating a seismic source at a location n, thereby exciting a wave in the subsurface formation. (b) Recording a wave signal trace unm(t) against time t, at a seismic receiver m. (c) Recording a wave signal trace unk(t) against time t at a seismic receiver k. (d) Cross correlating the wave signal traces unm(t) and unk(t) to obtain uconvnmnk(t). (e) Repeating these steps, for different locations n; (f) Summing uconvnmnk(t) over all locations n, to obtain a signal trace uvsmk(t) which corresponds to the signal received by the seismic receiver k from the virtual source at the position of seismic receiver m; (g) Deriving the seismic velocity based on the time of first arrival of the wave in uvsmk(t) and the predetermined distance between the seismic receiver m and the seismic receiver k.
US07706210B2
A semiconductor memory device includes: a delay locked loop (DLL) for delaying an external clock to generate a DLL clock signal; an internal command signal generator for generating an internal command signal in response to an external command; a delay circuit for delaying the internal command signal by a delay time corresponding to a delay time of the DLL to output a delayed internal command signal; and an output enable signal generator for generating an output enable signal based on the delayed internal command signal and the DLL clock signal.
US07706201B2
An integrated circuit includes a plurality of resistivity changing memory cells and at least one resistivity changing reference cell; a voltage comparator including a first and second input terminals; a signal line connected to the memory cells, the reference cell, and the second input terminal; and a switching element connecting the first input terminal to the second input terminal. A method of operating the integrated circuit includes closing the switching element; supplying a first voltage to the first input terminal via the signal line and the switching element; opening the switching element; supplying a second voltage to the second input terminal via the signal line; and comparing the first and second voltages using the voltage comparator, wherein the first voltage represents a memory state of a memory cell, and the second voltage is a reference voltage which represents a memory state of a reference cell, or vice versa.
US07706199B2
A test circuit in a memory device includes a first compression unit configured to compress data of a plurality of cells to transmit first compressed data to a plurality of input/output lines, and a second compression unit configured to compress the first compressed data on the plurality of input/output line to output second compressed data to at least one output pin, wherein the second compression unit operates in a low compressing mode and a high compressing mode in response to a data compression selecting signal.
US07706196B2
A semiconductor memory device is provided to improve the tAA characteristics. The semiconductor memory device includes: a discrimination signal generating unit for generating a first discrimination signal denoting a write operation of the semiconductor memory device; a selective delay unit for delaying a command-group signal in response to a second discrimination signal; and a fuse unit for generating the second discrimination signal based on the first discrimination signal, the second discrimination signal determining whether the selective delay unit selectively delays the command-group signal in response to the first discrimination signal.
US07706194B2
A semiconductor memory device includes: a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells arranged in rows and columns for holding information, each of the memory cells having a control gate; a plurality of word lines extending in a row direction, each of the word lines being connected to the control gates of the memory cells of a corresponding row of the memory cell array; a plurality of bit lines extending in a column direction and connected to sources or drains of the memory cells; a row decoder for selecting any of the plurality of word lines; a column decoder for selecting any of the plurality of bit lines; a charge pump circuit for generating a voltage higher than a supply voltage; and a first switch located in a connection path between the row decoder and the charge pump circuit.
US07706191B2
Embodiments of the inventive subject matter provide systems and methods for programming a set of memory cells by inducing a first voltage on the lower page of a first group of memory cells to hold a first least significant bit, and by inducing a second voltage on the lower page of a second group of memory cells to hold a second least significant bit. Once the lower page is programmed, the voltage may be shifted to the upper page of each memory cell into a final range representing one or more most significant bits to be programmed. Each memory cell may store a voltage within a final programmed range representing a binary value.
US07706182B2
A method for storing data in a memory that includes a plurality of analog memory cells includes mapping the data to programming values, which are selected from a set of nominal programming values. The set of nominal programming values includes at least a first nominal programming value and a second nominal programming value, which is higher than the first nominal programming value. A part of the data is stored in the analog memory cells by programming at least a first group of the cells using the first nominal programming value. A statistical characteristic of the first group of the cells is measured after programming the first group of the cells using the first nominal programming value. The second nominal programming value is modified responsively to the statistical characteristic, and at least a second group of the cells is programmed using the modified second nominal programming value.
US07706178B2
A phase-change material is proposed for coupling interconnect lines an electrically programmable matrix array. Leakage may be reduced by optionally placing a thin insulating breakdown layer between the phase change material and at least one of the lines. The matrix array may be used in a programmable logic device. The logic portions of the programmable logic device may be tri-stated.
US07706175B2
A magnetic random access memory includes a first wiring, a second wiring formed above and spaced apart from the first wiring, a magnetoresistive effect element formed between the first wiring and the second wiring, formed in contact with an upper surface of the first wiring, and having a fixed layer, a recording layer, and a nonmagnetic layer formed between the fixed layer and the recording layer, a metal layer formed on the magnetoresistive effect element and integrated with the magnetoresistive effect element to form stacked layers, a first side insulating film formed on side surfaces of the metal layer, the magnetoresistive effect element, and the first wiring, a first contact formed in contact with a side surface of the first side insulating film, and a third wiring formed on the metal layer and the first contact to electrically connect the magnetoresistive effect element and the first contact.
US07706172B2
A SRAM memory cell including two inverters and a plurality of switches is provided. The SRAM cell is manufactured in a technology offering N/P shunt capabilities and the inputs of the inverters are connected to at least one pair of bit lines (BLa, BLa/; BLb, BLb/) via two of the switches. The switches are controlled by a signal word line (WLa, WLb). Each inverter includes a first transistor (MN0, MN1) of a first conductivity type and a second transistor (MP0, MP1) of a second conductivity type. Each switch includes at least a third transistor (MN2, MN3) of the first conductivity type, characterized in that the two transistors (MP0, MP1) of the second conductivity type in the inverters are arranged in two opposite end regions of the memory cell, respectively.
US07706171B2
The present invention provides a storage device including a first electrode, a plurality of second electrodes arranged opposite the first electrode across a gap, and a particle which is selectively placed in one of the gaps between the first electrode and the second electrodes and which is movable between the first electrode and the second electrode and between the adjacent second electrodes. A stored state is determined utilizing the presence of the particle.
US07706164B2
An inverter device, which has two operation modes including a grid-connected operation mode where the inverter device is interconnected with a commercial power system, and an isolated operation mode where the inverter device is independent of a commercial power system and performs an isolated operation, includes an inverter converting direct-current power received from a direct-current power supply of a solar battery array into alternating-current power, a control unit controlling an action of an inverter device, a plug for outputting the alternating-current power converted by the inverter, and a load-connecting receptacle on a path of a power supply line connecting the inverter and the plug, for outputting the alternating-current power.
US07706153B2
A DC-DC converter includes a switching circuit having first and second switching elements to which a direct current voltage is supplied, the first and second switching elements periodically operated so that one of the switching elements is turned on while the other one is turned OFF during a period other than a dead time period, a serial circuit in which a first capacitor, and primary windings of first and second inductance elements are connected in series, and a connection is made between an output point of the switching circuit and a reference potential point (or input voltage point), and output circuits including rectifier elements, each of which rectifies a voltage induced by secondary windings of the first and second inductance elements, the output circuits obtaining a direct current output voltage.
US07706151B2
A system and method for power conversion synchronizes multiple phases at a desired phase angle difference. The power conversion involves variable frequency switching, fixed on-time and provides power factor correction. A relative measure of a phase angle difference between two phases permits each phase to be controlled to obtain the desired phase angle difference. The power conversion involves transition mode switching to help reduce switching losses. A phase angle difference detector may be provided for each phase. The various phases may have different inherent frequencies that vary with switching frequency, and are synchronized to an average frequency. Current measures can be taken with a single component, such as a resistor. A maximum frequency control limits period width to avoid high frequency switching. An added switch on time improves input voltage crossover distortion. One or more phases can be deactivated in light load conditions.
US07706150B2
A panel for accepting a switch is disclosed, the panel having a generally rigid member with a front side and a back side. The generally rigid member also has a first edge and a second edge defining an aperture, through which the switch passes at least partially through. The back side of the rigid member has a first rib that extends therefrom, the first rib being proximate to the first edge and having a step that is operable to engage a barb of the switch that passes at least partially through the aperture. The back side also has a second rib that extends therefrom, the second rib being proximate to the second edge and also operable to engage a barb of the switch passing at least partially through the aperture.
US07706147B2
A computer housing (41) for free-standing use includes a computer (10) with slots for the insertion of extension cards, and further at least one card carrier (20) for carrying extension cards (51). The card carrier (20) includes a carrier connector (47) whereby the card carrier (20) is connectable, by inserting the card carrier (20) in the computer housing (41), via the carrier connector (47), with a communication connector (49) of the computer (10), at least one adapter connector (48) into which an extension card (51) is pluggable, and wherein the card carrier (20) includes a communication connection between the carrier connector (47) and the at least one adapter connector (48).
US07706140B2
A portable data terminal comprising a circuit board which supports and interconnects a plurality of electrical components, a display, an angled frame which maintains the display at an angle to the circuit board, and a bracket which extends across the angled frame. The angled frame engages a peripheral portion of a first side of the circuit board. The bracket engages the circuit board so as to reduce the flexure of, and secure at least one electrical component on the circuit board.
US07706129B2
In an electric double-layer capacitor, resistance of a polarizable electrode layer is reduced and gas generation inside a case is suppressed in an attempt to improve reliability. On that account, an electric double-layer capacitor is provided, which is obtained by housing in a case, together with a driving electrolyte, a capacitor element wound with a separator interposed between electrodes being paired anode and cathode electrodes in each of which polarizable electrode layers are formed on and lead wires are fixed to both sides of a current collector made of metallic foil, such that the polarizable electrode layers are opposed to each other. Further, an electric double-layer capacitor is provided in which the lead wire is fixed to a polarizable-electrode-layer-removed section on the electrode where the polarizable electrode layer has been removed, and an area of the polarizable-electrode-layer-removed section is not smaller than 1 and not larger than 2.0 when a project area of a portion where the lead wire is connected with the current collector is set to 1.
US07706123B2
A multilayer capacitor having a capacitor body, first and second inner electrodes, and first and second terminal electrodes. A first terminal electrode is arranged on a first surface of the capacitor body which is parallel to a first direction, and connected to the first inner electrode. A second terminal electrode is connected to the second inner electrode. The first inner electrode has a first main electrode portion including a first no-capacity generating region and a first capacity generating region, and a first lead electrode portion. In a second direction, the first terminal electrode is set smaller than the first surface, while the first lead electrode portion is set smaller than the first main electrode portion. The first no-capacity generating region and the first lead electrode portion overlap each other in the second direction when seen in the first direction.
US07706115B2
Over-voltage indicator and related circuit and method. The over-voltage indicator can work with an I/O circuit of a chip for detecting over-voltage in an I/O pad and providing an indication signal accordingly. When over-voltage does not happen, the over-voltage indicator continues to detect a signal level of the I/O pad and keeps the indication signal low. Once over-voltage is detected, the over-voltage indicator pauses detecting, asserts a high level in the indication signal, and periodically resumes detecting until end of over-voltage is detected. With informing provided by the indication signal, a core cell of the chip can perform proper operation to reduce potential damage caused by over-voltage.
US07706109B2
A slider includes a Tunneling Magneto-Resistive (TuMR) read sensor and a shunt resistor connected in parallel. The shunt resistor may be located in a read structure of the slider. The shunt resistor may reduce a total resistance of the read structure and any corresponding impedance mismatch between the read structure, a transmission line, and a preamplifier. The shunt resistor may be made of a material having a near zero thermal coefficient of resistivity (TCR) to test a quality of the TuMR read sensor. The TuMR read sensor may be deemed defective if its TCR deviates from a population average by a specific criterion. The TuMR read sensor may include a MgO tunneling barrier to improve signal strength. The TuMR read sensor may include a free layer that is able to be saturated with a perpendicular background field to calculate a more accurate TCR of the TuMR read sensor.
US07706108B2
One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a read head for a data storage device including a sensor for reading data from a data storage medium, a first shield disposed adjacent to the sensor and characterized as moment-compensated, and a second shield disposed adjacent to the sensor, the second shield being moment-compensated.
US07706105B2
A suspension assembly of an actuator of a hard disk drive prevents collisions with a data storage disk of the drive. The suspension assembly includes a load beam, a bracket having a rear end at which the bracket is coupled to the load beam and a flexure, a slider that is attached to the bracket and carries the read/write head of the hard disk drive, and a limiting mechanism capable of selectively attaching and detaching a respective portion of the bracket to and from the load beam during operation. The load beam has a dimple projecting toward the bracket and which normally contacts a first surface of the bracket. The slider is attached to a second surface of the bracket opposite the first surface. The limiting mechanism attaches a portion of the bracket bearing the slider to the load beam when the read/write head is unloaded from the disk. Therefore, the wobbling of the slider is suppressed during the unloading operation. On the other hand, the portion of the bracket bearing the slider is detached from the load beam during a read/write operation to allow the slider to pitch and roll more freely about the dimple.
US07706104B2
Embodiments of the invention enhance a mounting precision of a head gimbal assembly with respect to a carriage. In one embodiment, a rotating disk storage device comprises a magnetic disk; head gimbal assemblies each including a slider provided at a front end thereof and a mounting portion provided at a rear end thereof, the slider including a head for reading data from the magnetic disk; and a carriage holding a voice coil. The carriage is formed with a pivot opening into which a pivot cartridge for turning about a pivot shaft is inserted and mounting surfaces on which the mounting portions of the head gimbal assemblies are mounted, and a first pad, a second pad and a third pad projected so as to come into partial face contact with the head gimbal assemblies on the mounting surfaces.
US07706102B1
A hard disk drive includes a chassis which supports a “sealed” housing containing a data storage magnetic disk, and read/write heads and actuator. The housing also contains an erasure device which generates a magnetic or other field or emanation for erasing the disk, so that the erasing field or emanation need not penetrate the sealed housing to effectuate erasure. A backup power supply provides power to the erasing device so that erasure can occur even in the absence of external power. A bus- or network-actuated arrangement couples power to the erasure device so that many hard drives may be simultaneously erased.
US07706070B2
A lens array includes a plurality of lens pairs each of which includes lenses so disposed that optical axes thereof are aligned with each other. The lens pairs are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the optical axes. The lens array further includes a light-blocking portion provided between the lens pairs. The light-blocking portion is formed to have a structure split into at least two parts in a predetermined direction.
US07706068B2
The image three-dimensional recognition apparatus is an apparatus for making it possible for an observer to recognize a planar image as a three-dimensional image, and has a first mirror, a second mirror and a mirror fixing part. The mirrors have the mirror planes, respectively. The mirror fixing part fixes the mirrors, and has a base and two support members arranged on the base. The mirrors are fixed at a position sandwiched between the support members by attaching the side faces of the mirrors to the support members. The first mirror is located directly below the second mirror. The mirror plane of the second mirror is directed toward the planar image displayed in a screen of a display device, and is inclined obliquely downward. The mirror plane of the first mirror is directed toward the observer and is inclined obliquely upward.
US07706065B2
A compact spotting scope includes a housing with an outer surface having a grasping region sized and shaped to fit in a user's hand. An optical element positioned within the housing is adjusted by manually rotating a side-mounted adjustment knob that extends laterally from the outer surface of the housing opposite the grasping region. The side-mounted position of the adjustment knob allows the arm and wrist of the focusing hand to be maintained in an ergonomic position during manipulation of the adjustment knob, thereby further facilitating steady support. An internal support member of the spotting scope includes a frame portion and a generally tubular portion, which are preferably formed together of unitary one-piece construction for aligning optical elements of the spotting scope.
US07706064B2
A device for the magnified viewing of an object, from which object rays originate, includes a lens system (1) for collecting object rays. In one embodiment of the invention, the device includes: a display (2) from which display rays (14) originate, and; a left eyepiece (3) and a right eyepiece (3), via which a left-eye and right-eye beam (5 and 6) of visual field rays are projected into the left and right eye of a user of the device. According to this inventive embodiment, an optical component (7, 8, 9, 10, 11) is provided with a physical ray distributing surface (12) on which a beam of collected object rays (13) and a beam of display rays (14) can be superimposed and can be divided up into the left-eye beam and right-eye beam (5, 6) of the visual field rays. This enables a reduction in losses of display rays and object rays.
US07706058B2
A multilayer mirror aims to reduce incidence angle dependence of reflectivity. A substrate is made of low thermal polished expansion glass with 0.2 nm RMS or less roughness of the surface. On the surface thereof formed is a Ru/Si multilayer having a wide full-width half maximum of peak reflectivity, and on the Ru/Si multilayer formed is a Mo/Si multilayer having a high peak reflectivity value. This enables higher reflectivity than when Ru/Si alone provided and a reflectivity peak having a wider full-width half maximum than when the Mo/Si multilayer alone provided. Since Ru absorbs EUV ray more than Mo does, higher reflectivity is obtainable than that of a structure having the Ru/Si multilayer formed on the Mo/Si multilayer. The multilayer with a wide full-width half maximum has small incidence angle dependence of reflectivity in spectral reflectivity, thereby achieving high imaging performance in projection optical system.
US07706057B2
A multi-layer mirror includes a multi-layer stack. The multi-layer stack includes a plurality of alternating layers with a multi-layer stack top layer and a spectral filter top layer arranged on the multi-layer stack. The spectral filter top layer includes a first spectral purity enhancement layer that includes a first material m1 and has a first layer thickness d1, an intermediate layer that includes a second material m2 and has a second layer thickness d2. The intermediate layer is arranged on the multi-layer stack top layer. The first material is selected from SiN, Si3N4, SiO2, ZnS, Te, diamond, CsI, Se, SiC, amorphous carbon, MgF2, CaF2, TiO2, Ge, PbF2, ZrO2, BaTiO3, LiF or NaF. The second material includes a material different from the first material, and d1+d2 has a thickness between 1.5 and 40 nm.
US07706055B2
The present invention relates to an optical module which is capable of amplifying light to be amplified to high power and which has a structure for effectively reducing influences of damage to other optical parts, and heat generation. The optical module includes a fiber unit constituted by an optical coupler, an amplification optical fiber, and an absorption optical fiber. Each of the amplification optical fiber and the absorption optical fiber has a core, a first cladding, a second cladding, and a third cladding. Further, each of the fibers allows the light to be amplified to propagate in a single mode in each of the cores, and allows pumping light to propagate in a multimode in the core, the first cladding, and the second cladding. The core of the amplification optical fiber is doped with an amplification dopant for amplifying the light to be amplified. The second cladding of the absorption optical fiber is doped with an absorption dopant for absorbing the pumping light.
US07706049B2
The present mirror device for suppressing PDL on the assumption of multiple modes of angles of input light and output light to movable mirrors with respect to the crystal axis of a crystal member at the time light passes through the crystal member. The mirror device includes a mirror system 2 and a flat-shaped crystal member 3 which is arranged in such a manner that a first angle is not larger than a second angle. The crystal member is constructed in such a manner that a third angle is substantially equal to a half of a fourth angle.
US07706042B2
A microelectromechanical systems device having an electrical interconnect connected to at least one of an electrode and a movable layer within the device. At least a portion of the electrical interconnect is formed from the same material as a movable layer of the device. A thin film, particularly formed of molybdenum, is provided underneath the electrical interconnect. The movable layer preferably comprises aluminum.
US07706027B2
Each print job received from a client computer 30 is divided into minimum printing units as divisional jobs, which are stored in a job folder 23b. When either of an upper spooler 23d and a lower spooler 23e has any vacancy for next allocation, one divisional job is allocated to a printer corresponding to the spooler having the vacancy. The name of the printer that has received allocation of the divisional job is written into the job folder 23b. When any allocated divisional job having an identical image file name and an identical customer ID with those of a current object divisional job is present in the job folder 23b, the current object divisional job is allocated to the printer, to which the allocated divisional job has been allocated. This arrangement allocates multiple divisional jobs for printing an identical image demanded from an identical customer to the same printer, thus ensuring substantially equal quality of resulting printed images.
US07706019B2
An image-printing device includes a connection bay that accepts an insertable consumable resource. The consumable resource includes an option key that identifies at least one mode of operation associated with the consumable resource. The connection bay outputs at least one signal associated with the mode of operation when the consumable resource is inserted. A controller receives the signal associated with the mode of operation and in response outputs display information suitable for use by a display to indicate a selectable availability of the at least one mode of operation.
US07706015B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for processing a print job including a plurality of raster image processed pages. A tab page is created that includes a tab image located at a predetermined position in the tab page, the predetermined position associated with a tab position on tab stock. The tab page is raster image processed, and the rasterized tab page is inserted at a selected position in the print job. The tab image is detected on the rasterized tab page at the predetermined location, and then the rasterized tab image is positioned at the associated tab position.
US07706005B2
An image communication apparatus comprises an email receiving unit for receiving an email; facsimile-forwarding unit for facsimile-forwarding the email received by the email receiving unit; a forwarding-size-upper-limit setting unit for setting a predetermined forwarding size upper limit; and a facsimile-forward limiting unit for limiting the facsimile-forwarding when the forwarding size to be facsimile-forwarded by the facsimile-forwarding unit exceeds the forwarding size upper limit set by the forwarding-upper-limit-size setting unit.
US07705996B2
A system and method for active visual measurement and servo control using laterally sampled white light interferometry (L-SWLI) for real-time visual tracking of six-degree-of-freedom (6 DOF) rigid body motion with near-nanometer precision. The visual tracking system is integrated with a 6 DOF motion stage to realize an ultra precision six-axis visual servo control system. Use of L-SWLI obtains the complete pose of the target object from a single image frame to enable real-time tracking. Six-degree-of-freedom motions are obtained by measuring the fringe pattern on multiple surfaces of the object or from a single surface with additional information gained from conventional image processing techniques.
US07705989B2
A surface plasmon microsensor or a nanosensor for chemical or biological species including pads distributed on the surface of a support, the pads including an electrically conductive material and being capable of immobilizing the chemical or biological species. The pads have a dimension less than 1 μm.
US07705987B2
This invention relates to a confocal fluorescence correlation microscope with real-time alignment read out. With this instrument it is possible to do confocal imaging together with the particle size determination at a chosen location in the specimen. In particular, this invention relates to a detector module with a fixed aperture and detection electronics that can be conveniently connected to an existing confocal or multiphoton microscope, near the base of the objective lens of the microscope. This detector splits a part of the signal and uses it to generate a spot on the confocal image. This shows the spot where an FCS measurement can be carried out, and the same signal can then be used to perform a fluorescence correlation measurement after parking the excitation beam of the confocal to that spot. No alignment step is necessary for obtaining the measurement.
US07705971B2
A system and method for measuring crosswinds includes using a laser to send a signal on a signal path, and receiving response signals backscattered off of aerosols or other materials in the atmosphere along the signal path. Wavefronts of the received responses are perturbated by thermal cell turbulence in the atmosphere that perturbs optical wavefront propagation. Signals backscattered by airborne aerosols at different distances from the laser in the wavefront imager arrive at different times at the wavefront imager. Thus the wavefront perturbations vary with range, and data on the perturbed wavefront may be collected by the wavefront imager. Crosswinds cause movements in the optical perturbations over time, as the thermal cell turbulence moves. By comparing wavefronts of signals sent at different times an amount of thermal cell displacement may be determined at a series of ranges away from the laser and the wavefront imager.
US07705962B2
A liquid confinement structure configured to contain a liquid in a space between a projection system and a substrate has a recess in its lower surface which is open to both a relatively low pressure source and a relatively high pressure source and through which liquid and/or gas from between the liquid confinement structure and the substrate is extracted.
US07705960B2
A dust-proof glass is provided on a light incident surface of a transmission-type liquid crystal panel. The dust-proof glass includes: a reflection section which is provided at an outer edge of a light incident surface of the dust-proof glass; and a notch section which is formed at an outer edge of a light emitting surface of the dust-proof glass.
US07705945B2
A switching element is formed on a substrate disposed proximate a liquid crystal layer. A two layer insulation film is formed on the substrate, including a lower film and an upper film. The two layer insulation film overlays the switching element. A convex/concave structure is formed on an upper surface of the two layer insulation film by removing portions of the upper film. A reflection electrode is formed on a surface of the convex/concave structure.
US07705917B2
The invention relates a method of extracting synchronization signals from an input video signal (Csync) comprising horizontal synchronization pulses at the start of video lines, for generating a horizontal synchronization signal (Hsync), said method comprising:—a calculation step (105) for calculating the duration (D) of the video lines in said input video signal (Csync),—a forcing step (108) for forcing said input video signal (Csync) to an output level, said output level corresponding to the level of said input video signal (Csync) after the horizontal synchronization pulses, said input signal (Csync) being forced between the end of each horizontal synchronization pulse and a moment defined by a first percentage (X1) of said line duration (D), for generating said horizontal synchronization signal (Hsync). Use: Extraction of synchronization signals.
US07705910B2
A photographic device includes an image sensor in which a plurality of pixels are arrayed. A vertical scan circuit selects horizontal drive lines of the image sensor in order. And a horizontal scan circuit reads out in order voltages due to electric charges from the pixels in the horizontal row which is selected by the vertical scan circuit. A plurality of optical lenses are arranged in a direction parallel to the vertical drive lines, and these optical lenses form images of the same photographic regions upon respective pixel regions which face them. The voltages due to electric charges are read out in order from the pixels, and a plurality of images are acquired with some time difference between them. The emission of light by a light source is controlled, so that photography in each of the pixel regions is performed in different photographic conditions.
US07705905B2
An image sensor pixel structure including: a photosensitive area surrounded with a peripheral area placed at the surface of a semiconductor substrate, a stack of several insulating layers alternately exhibiting different refraction coefficients and placed above the peripheral area, a microlens placed at the top of the pixel to have the pixel light converge towards the photosensitive area, and a transparent block placed substantially above the photosensitive area.
US07705903B2
A portable communication terminal having an image-taking function is composed of a camera unit that takes an image of a subject through a photographic lens, and two displays, the first display being positioned on same a front surface of housing of the portable communication terminal as the photographic lens and being visible in a same view as the photographic lens, and the second display being positioned on a back surface of the housing. The mobile communication terminal has a function of having the image taken by the camera unit displayed on at least one of the displays.
US07705893B2
An XY address scanning-type imaging apparatus, such as a CMOS imaging apparatus, having a high-speed shutter which is capable of reducing fluorescent-lamp flicker components and which enhances electronic camera-shake correction. When the vertical synchronization frequency is denoted as fv (Hz) and N is a positive integer, the shutter is set to N/120 seconds when 120/fv is an integer, and the shutter is set to N/100 seconds when 100/fv is an integer. In the NTSC system, when camera-shake correction is ON, the shutter speed is set to fraction ( 1/120) seconds, and when camera-shake correction is OFF, the shutter speed is set to fraction ( 1/60) seconds. In the PAL system, when camera-shake correction is ON, the shutter speed is set to fraction ( 1/100) seconds, and when camera-shake correction is OFF, the shutter speed is set to fraction ( 1/50) seconds.
US07705892B2
To provide an auto white balance apparatus and a white balance adjusting method capable of performing more stable white balance adjustment. For every block, a characteristic pixel determination circuit 106 determines a characteristic pixel from among a pixel group in a block and a light-source reflection determination circuit 108 determines whether the typical value of a block reflects the light source of an input image, by comparing the color difference of a characteristic pixel of the block with the typical color difference of the block. Then, as a result of the determination, a white balance evaluating circuit 110 determines the light source of an image by using blocks that reflect the light source.
US07705887B2
A terminal device 1 including a wireless communication unit 11 is carried by a subject user who will become a subject, and a wireless communication unit 21 for performing directional data communication in an imaging direction is provided in a camera 2. When the terminal device 1 and the camera 2 become able to communicate data each other, the subject user carrying the terminal device 1 is photographed, and image data obtained in this way are transmitted to the terminal device 1. The terminal device 1 displays the image data. If necessary, the subject user issues an instruction to print the image data, and transmits information on the instruction to print to the camera 2. The camera 2 assigns the information on the instruction to print to the image data, and transmits the information on the instruction to print and the image data to an image server 4 and further to a printer 5.
US07705885B2
A motion stabilization system including a filter bank and motion stabilization logic. The filter bank receives a video signal and provides at least one high frequency sub-band signal which includes edge information of the video signal. The motion stabilization logic receives the high frequency sub-band signal, a reference image, and the video signal and provides a stabilized image. The reference image is generated from image stabilization information developed during motion processing. The motion stabilization system may include an edge detector which receives and binarizes the high frequency sub-band signal. Binarization significantly reduces the amount of information to be processes by the motion stabilization logic. The motion stabilization system may further include a tile buffer which stores a portion of the video signal and which provides a video signal portion to the filter bank. The filter bank may be implemented as a discrete wavelet transformation filter.
US07705881B2
A subjective quality estimating part (11) receives an undeteriorated reference video signal (RI) and a deteriorated video signal (PI) produced from the reference video signal, calculates video signal feature values for both the signals, and according to a difference between the calculated video signal feature values of the signals, estimates a subjective quality of the deteriorated video signal. A feature value calculating part (12) calculates the video signal feature values of the reference video signal. A correction information storing part (13) stores correction information that corresponds to video signal feature values and is used to correct the subjective quality. A correction calculating part (14) receives the video signal feature values of the reference video signal from the feature value calculating part (12), retrieves correction information corresponding to the received video signal feature values from the correction information storing part (13), and transfers the retrieved correction information to a correcting part (15). According to the transferred correction information, the correcting part (15) corrects the subjective quality estimated by the subjective quality estimating part (11).
US07705875B2
A display device comprising includes an acquiring unit and a display unit. The acquiring unit acquires information about a conference from a storage device that stores conference information. The display unit creates an icon being representative of a feature of the conference and also a table, and displays the icon on the table corresponding to the conference. The display unit creates the icon and the table based on the information acquired by the acquiring unit.
US07705868B2
A light emitting array including at least a plurality of light emitting elements, each of which is provided thereon with a microlens in one-to-one correspondence. Light emitting portions of the light emitting element are provided having the shape of a rectangle and formed so as to satisfy the relational expression, Lmin≦D≦P, where Lmin is the length of the shorter side of the rectangle, P an alignment pitch of the light emitting elements, and D the diameter of microlens. In addition, light emitting elements are formed in line on a transparent thin film layer to satisfy the relationship, T1≦2·D2, where T1 is the thickness of the transparent thin film layer and D2 the diameter of each microlens. The light emitting array may suitably be included in the light source unit which is then incorporated into image forming apparatuses for forming mono-color or multiple-color images.
US07705858B2
A method and apparatus for displaying digital images on a display is provided. A pile of images that includes a plurality of images arranged in a first arrangement in which at least one image in the pile overlaps with at least one other image in the pile is displayed. Location data that indicates the location of each image in the first arrangement is stored. In response to first user input while the images of the pile are displayed in the first arrangement, without changing the location data, the images that belong to the pile are displayed in a second arrangement in which no image in the pile overlaps with any other image of the pile. In response to second user input while the images of the pile are displayed in the second arrangement, the pile of images are redisplayed in the first arrangement based on the location data.
US07705850B1
In a computer system employing PCI Express (PCIe) links, the PCIe bandwidth is increased by configuring an endpoint device with at least two PCIe interfaces, and coupling the first of these interfaces with a PCIe interface of a system controller and the second of these PCIe interfaces with an expansion PCIe interface of an I/O controller. Therefore, the endpoint device's performance becomes more efficient. For example, if the endpoint device is a graphics processing unit, then the endpoint device can execute more frames per second. When a read request is split up and issued as multiple read requests over the at least two PCIe interfaces, the multiple read completion packets that are received in response thereto are ordered in accordance with the timing of the multiple read requests.
US07705845B1
Apparatus, system, and method for clipping graphics primitives are described. In one embodiment, a graphics processing apparatus includes a clipping engine and an output unit connected to the clipping engine. The clipping engine is configured to clip an input graphics primitive with respect to a set of clipping planes to derive spatial attributes of new vertices. The output unit is configured to identify a subset of the new vertices that defines an output graphics primitive, and the output unit is configured to derive non-spatial attributes of the subset of the new vertices to produce the output graphics primitive.
US07705841B2
A display system includes a display panel, a timing controller, a plurality of source drivers and an EDDS interface. The control signals, the clock signals and the setting signals generated by the timing controller are embedded as protocols into the data signals. The embedded signals are then transmitted from the timing controller to each source driver via a corresponding pair of differential data lines of the EDDS interface. The decoders of the source drivers can then decode the embedded signals for generating corresponding driving signals for the display panel.
US07705839B2
A driving circuit for an electro-optical device drives an electro-optical device having a plurality of data lines and a plurality of scanning lines extending to cross each other, and a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged in an image display region corresponding to intersections of the data lines and the scanning lines. The driving circuit for an electro-optical device includes a shift register that has stages each of which generates transfer signals for defining writing timing and sequentially outputs the transfer signals from the respective stages, a precharge supply line that supplies a precharge timing signal for defining precharge timing ahead of the writing timing, and a data line circuit that receives the timing signal, shapes the timing signal on the basis of at least the transfer signal, and drives the plurality of data lines according to the timing signal.
US07705835B2
A method and an apparatus are disclosed for determining the position of a stimulus in two axes on a surface. The apparatus includes: a transparent waveguide panel with parallel top and a bottom surfaces and at least one edge that is perpendicular to the top and bottom surfaces; a light source that is directed to the edge of the waveguide to produce light that is contained within the waveguide by Total Internal Reflection and a light detector for producing an electrical signal that is representative of an image of the light emitted by the waveguide. The light detector is positioned to receive light emitted by Frustrated Total Internal Reflection from the transparent wave guide when a physical stimulus is placed in contact with the top surface of the transparent waveguide.
US07705834B2
A touch sensor is disclosed comprising a display device having a substrate on which substrate at least one display electrode is disposed for the display of a shape on the display device. An interface is coupled to the at least one display electrode for receiving display data to the display device. Moreover is a measuring circuit coupled to the at least one display electrode. Switching means are provided for connecting the interface to the at least one display electrode when the switching means is in a first state of operation and connecting the measuring circuit to the at least one display electrode when the switching means is in a second state of operation.
US07705832B2
An image display apparatus that includes: a display screen having a touch panel function on which an image is displayed with operation buttons superimposed on the image, and a switching detection means for detecting a display switching operation for switching the display of the image from the display screen to an external device. When the display switching operation is detected by the switching detection means, the following is performed: the display of the image on the display screen is terminated and image data for displaying the image with the operation buttons superimposed on the image are outputted to the external device from the output terminal; the position information of a touched position on the display screen is detected; and one of the operation buttons displayed on the external device is selected according to the detected position information.
US07705820B2
A line-on-glass type liquid crystal display device capable of preventing voltage differences between separate gate driver integrated circuits due to line resistances of LOG-signal line patterns includes a picture display area having a plurality of liquid crystal cells, gate driver integrated circuits for driving gate lines, line-on-glass type signal lines provided at an area outside the picture display area for applying driving signals to the gate driver integrated circuits, wherein each of the gate drive integrated circuits includes a gate input line resistor having a predetermined resistance value connected to each gate line. A resistance value of the gate input line resistors incrementally increases by a predetermined amount until a line resistance value of the line-on-glass type signal line connected between the gate driver integrated circuits is reached.
US07705814B2
A driving method and apparatus for a liquid crystal display uses a comparison between the previous frame and the current frame to expand the contrast ratio and reduce the manufacturing cost. A limited amount of data from the current image may be used: either using a limited area of the image or merely the amount of green in the overall image or the limited area. In the apparatus, an image signal modulator expands the contrast of the input data when the previous image is analogous to the current image to thereby generate output data. A timing controller re-arranges the output data to apply the output data to a data driver.
US07705811B2
A light emitting display device for controlling brightness according to peripheral light brightness and emission amount of a display region. The light emitting display device includes a display region including a pixel adapted to emit light in response to data, scan, and emission control signals, a controller for controlling brightness of the display region, a scan driver for supplying the scan signal and controlling a signal width of the emission control signal according to a signal from the controller, a data driver for transmitting the data signal corresponding to video data, the data signal being corrected using a gamma correcting signal from the controller, and a power source supply unit for supplying power to the display region. The controller outputs the gamma correcting signal corresponding to peripheral light and controls an amount of current supplied to the display region according to a sum of the video data in one frame.
US07705810B2
An organic electro-luminescent display (OELD) device for processing multi-color gray-scale data, comprises a four-color converting part for converting primary RGB gray-scale data into compensated RGBW gray-scale data by adding white gray-scale data to the primary RGB gray-scale data, a data driving part for processing the compensated RGBW gray-scale data provided from the four-color converting part to generate four-color signals in an analog type, a scan driving part for generating scan signals in sequence, and an OELD panel for emitting light with a color in response to the four-color signals from the data driving part and the scan signals from the scan driving part. The four-color converting part includes a gamma converting part for converting the primary RGB gray-scale data, a white extracting part for extracting a white color component from the gamma-converted RGB data, a data determining part for generating four-color RGBW data by subtracting the white color component from the gamma-converted RGB data and adding the white gray-scale data to the gamma-converted RGB data, and a reverse-gamma converting part for reverse-gamma converting the four-color RGBW data.
US07705808B2
A driving apparatus, and a driving method for an electron emission display, includes a controller for comparing external video data input signals, switching a polarity control signal in a predetermined period on the basis of the comparison and controlling a video data output signal in accordance with the polarity control signal, and a data driver for modulating the video data signal output from the controller. The switching of the polarity control signal may be shifted temporally when the comparison indicates the video data input signals have the same gray level.
US07705805B2
The present invention provides a plasma display apparatus comprising a second driver supplying a first bias signal with a voltage maintained at a first bias voltage in a reset period and an address period, a first sustain rising signal that gradually rises from the first bias voltage to a second bias voltage, and a second bias signal with a voltage maintained at the second bias voltage, to the second electrode.
US07705795B2
An antenna may be formed from conductive regions that define a gap that is bridged by shunt inductors. The inductors may have equal inductances and may be located equidistant from each other to form a scatter-type antenna structure. The inductors may also have unequal inductances and may be located along the length of the gap with unequal inductor-to-inductor spacings, thereby creating a decreasing shunt inductance at increasing distances from a feed for the antenna. This type of antenna structure functions as a horn-type antenna. One or more scatter-type antenna structures may be cascaded to form a multiband antenna. Antenna gaps may be formed in conductive device housings.
US07705788B2
A multi-band antenna used in a portable electrical device can operate in WWAN. The multi-band antenna includes a PCB, a first antenna body, and a second antenna body. The PCB has a first surface and an opposite second surface and defines a through hole extending from the first surface to the second surface. The first antenna body is formed on the first surface of the PCB comprising a first radiating element and a first grounding element. The second antenna body is formed on the second surface of the PCB. The second antenna body comprises a second radiating element, a second grounding element, and a connecting element connecting the second radiating element and the second grounding element. The first radiating element and the second radiating element electrically connect with each other via the through hole of the PCB. A feeding line has an inner conductor electrically connecting to the first radiating element and an outer conductor electrically connecting to the first grounding element.
US07705781B2
A method is provided for constructing a histogram to represent the root-mean-squared phase differences for a signal received at pairs of elements in an array. A pair-wise element phase difference (“PEP”) between a signal received at an angle of arrival θ1 and a signal received at an angle of arrival θ2 are determined. The difference ΔΨ between the differential phase measurements at θ1 and θ2 is computed. The process is repeated for all unique pairs of angles (θ1, θ2) from 0 to 359 degrees and the results are summed over all PEPs to calculate the root mean squared phase difference √{square root over (ΔΨ2(θ1,θ2))} between two different angles of arrival θ1 and θ2. A two-dimensional histogram is created by pairing the measurements √{square root over (ΔΨ2)} and Δθ, where Δθ=θ2−θ1. The histogram can be used to determine whether a particular array is ambiguous to facilitate design of an array that can resolve and/or minimize ambiguities and so provide more accurate information regarding the source of a received signal.
US07705778B2
A satellite navigation receiver having a flexible acquisition and tracking engine architecture. The flexible acquisition engine has a reconfigurable delay line that can be used either as a single entity or divided into different sections. Consequently, it can be configured to search different satellite vehicles, a single Doppler frequency, and full CA code in parallel. When configuring the delay line into different sections, each section is used to search a partial CA code. In this configuration, multiple Doppler mode, multiple satellite vehicles, multiple Doppler frequencies, and partial CA code can be searched in parallel. Furthermore, the different sections of the CA code can be time-multiplexed into a correlator, which can then be over clocked to achieve full CA code correlation. The flexible tracking engine includes a number of parallel tracking channels, whereby each individual channel has a number of taps or fingers, which can be used to lock onto different delays. During tracking, one of the taps can be used to lock on to the center of the peak. This leaves the other taps free to be used to perform other functions, such as determining the shape of the peak, detecting earlier arrivals for line of sight component, and obtaining an estimate of the noise floor. The flexible tracking engine is configurable to help acquisition functions, such as fine acquisition, false trigger detection, and/or fast reacquisition.
US07705767B2
A synthetic aperture radar to provide high resolution in the azimuth direction under the predetermined conditions of wide observation swathwidth in the range direction, stripmap observation and free PRF (Pulse Repetition Frequency) comprises a transmission antenna 102 for a single system and receiving antennae 104a, 104b for two systems. The beam width in the azimuth direction of a transmission beam 103 from the transmission antenna 102 is set equal to twice as wide as the beam width of each of the receiving antennae 104a, 104b. Moreover, a receiving antenna beam 105a is directed to the moving direction, while the other receiving antenna beam 105b is directed to opposite to the moving direction. The transmission antenna 102 and the receiving antennae 104a, 104b for two systems are used in common by dividing a single array antenna in the elevation direction to configure the receiving antennae 104a, 104b. The antenna size of the transmission antenna 102 in the azimuth direction is set to one half of the antenna size of the receiving antennae 104a, 104b by phase setting of each element of the array antenna or by electrical means when transmitting.
US07705763B2
Provided is an AD conversion apparatus including a bit selecting section that sequentially selects conversion target bits of the output data, from an upper bit downward; a data control section that outputs comparison data determining a value of the conversion target bit, each time a conversion target bit is selected; a DA converting section that outputs an analog comparison signal corresponding to the comparison data; a timing generating section that outputs a comparison control signal ordering comparison initiation; a changing section that changes a timing of the comparison control signal according to a bit position of the conversion target bit, such that the timing of the comparison initiation indicated by the comparison control signal is later for higher conversion target bits; a comparing section that begins comparing the input signal to the comparison signal at the comparison initiation timing indicated by the comparison control signal having the timing changed by the changing section; and a completion detecting section that outputs a completion signal causing the bit selecting section to select a next conversion target bit, after the comparing section has output the comparison result.
US07705744B2
Methods and systems for monitoring a component of an electrical device and/or a brush of a brush holder assembly are disclosed. One method includes receiving data from a plurality of remote monitoring locations at a central control unit, where the data may be evaluated in order to monitor states of brushes or other components of an electrical device at a plurality of remote electrical facilities. For example, multiple images of a component of an electrical device may be acquired. A comparison of the images, for example, a comparative imaging technique, such as pixel-by-pixel comparison or visual observation, may then be performed in order to evaluate a condition of the brush or other component, such as a threshold and/or anomalous condition of the brush or other component.
US07705727B2
A method and computer program for interfacing an expert system to a clinical information system. Embodiments of the invention provide tight integration of the systems permitting a clinician to use the functionality provided by the expert system without specifically maintaining separate patient data. They provide a method for communication between the expert system and one or more clinical information systems. This communication permits flow of information and actions between the expert system and the clinical systems and allows maintenance of audit logs in both systems.
US07705725B2
Methods and systems for structural and component health monitoring are provided. A system includes a plurality of sensor systems positioned about an object to be monitored and a processing system communicatively coupled to at least one of said plurality of sensor systems wherein the processing system includes an ontology and reasoning module configured to model the object to be monitored, reason about the received sensor data associated with the object to be monitored and reason about the relationships between the received sensor data to fuse the data into contextual information for the overall object to be monitored and a contextual analyzer configured to transmit the received sensor data to said ontology and reasoning module and to store the information into a contextual information database.
US07705722B2
An active body ventilation system which is dynamically responsive to vehicle status parameters, including for example the door open/closed status and the HVAC system status. An active ventilation unit is attached with a body wall which includes a portal housing defining a portal, a portal cover and a portal cover actuator for selectively adjusting the portal cover to thereby increase or decrease the unobstructed size of the opening of the portal. The active ventilation unit is interfaced electronically to various sensors of the motor vehicle, in which programming of an electronic control module determines optimum positioning of the portal covering via selective actuation of the portal cover actuator.
US07705721B1
Environmental sensors are distributed in a computer system to sense environmental conditions, and the sensors are polled at polling intervals which are adjusted in response to changing environmental conditions, thus allowing deteriorating or improving conditions to be recognized and monitored more or less closely as desired.
US07705711B2
An information-processing apparatus shown in FIG. 4 is a wireless communication apparatus for communicating prescribed data in wireless with a back-scattering communication scheme, in which a tag (10) for receiving a carrier wave signal Sf having a frequency of 2.45 GHz and transmitting response signal Sf (D) obtained by modulating the carrier wave signal Sf based on the data and a tag reader (20) for transmitting a carrier wave signal to the tag (10) and receiving and signal-processing a response composite signal that is returned from the tag (10) are provided. This tag reader (20) has a carrier-wave-compensating circuit (30) that compares a phase of the carrier wave signal in transmitting the carrier wave signal and a phase of the carrier wave signal in receiving the carrier wave signal and eliminates a carrier wave composite signal that is not synchronized with the carrier wave signal in transmitting the carrier wave signal based on a comparison result thereof.
US07705702B2
The disclosed device and method relate to an actuator. The actuator includes a field structure assembly having an arrangement of permanent magnets and magnetically soft components, and a moving coil assembly. The arrangement of permanent magnets includes a conical magnet and a plurality of segmented ring magnets.
US07705696B2
A semiconductor device comprising a signal line and ground line is disclosed. The signal line comprises an opening and at least a portion of the ground line is in the opening in the signal line.
US07705694B2
In accordance with principles of the present invention, a two or more pole dielectric resonator circuit is provided with resonators that are elliptical in cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. The resonators are mounted so that they are rotatable about their longitudinal axes, such that the straight line distance between two adjacent resonators measured in a straight line between orthogonal to and intersecting the longitudinal axes of the two resonators is a function of the orientation of the resonators about their longitudinal axes. The resonators can be oriented about their longitudinal axes in any orientation to adjust their spacing, which is directly proportional to their coupling magnitude, which, in turn, is proportional to the bandwidth of the circuit.
US07705689B2
Synchronously stackable double-edge modulated pulse width modulation generators are disclosed. An example pulse width modulation generator includes a ramp generator to generate first and second ramp signals that interact to form a virtual ramp signal; and a comparator module coupled to the ramp generator configured to produce a pulse width modulated signal based on a comparison between the virtual ramp signal and an input signal.
US07705683B2
Aspects of a method and system for processing signals via an integrated low noise amplifier having a configurable input signaling mode are provided. For an unbalanced input signal, a first input terminal of the LNA may be communicatively coupled to ground via an inductance and a bias point of the LNA may be communicatively coupled to a first bias voltage. For a balanced input signal, the first input terminal of the LNA may be communicatively coupled to the balanced signal and the bias point may be communicatively coupled to a second bias voltage. The LNA may comprise a center-tapped differential inductor which may be coupled to an output terminal of the LNA and may enable the LNA to output differential signals regardless of the input signaling mode. In various embodiments of the invention, the LNA may be utilized to amplify GNSS signals such as GPS signals.
US07705671B1
An input stage for an audio power amplifier is provided. The input stage includes a fully differential amplifier and a supply-independent reference voltage generator. The supply-independent reference voltage generator provides a supply-independent reference voltage that is used as the common mode voltage of the output of the fully differential amplifier.
US07705668B2
A mobile telephone is provided that includes a plurality of circuit blocks and adapted to cut off the supply of power source voltage to any one of the circuit blocks. The mobile telephone also includes an interblock interface circuit provided on a signal path between an elected circuit block and a branch point at which the signal path branches into different branch paths so as to connect to other circuit blocks. The interblock interface circuit includes a signal gate for preventing signal transmission from the elected circuit block to the other circuit blocks, and includes a storage unit for storing a signal right before the power cut-off.
US07705667B2
A filter adjusting circuit, has: a filter circuit which has a circuit configuration operating as an n-th order filter including n (n≧1) integrators and can switch a connection of the circuit configuration to operate as a circuit equivalent to the n integrators; a signal generating circuit that outputs a first signal having a predetermined reference frequency to the filter circuit, and outputs a second signal having the reference frequency; a phase comparator that compares a phase of a third signal and a phase of the second signal and determines a phase shift between the signals, the third signal being obtained by processing the first signal in the filter circuit and outputted from the filter circuit; and a control circuit controls the filter circuit.
US07705647B2
A duty cycle correction circuit capable of generating a clock signal having good (e.g., approximately 50%) duty cycle is described. The duty cycle correction circuit includes a clock deskew circuit and a duty cycle detection circuit. The clock deskew circuit receives an input clock signal that may have poor duty cycle, adjusts the input clock signal based on a control, and provides an output clock signal having an adjustable duty cycle. The duty cycle detection circuit detects error in the duty cycle of the output clock signal and generates the control in response to the detected error in the duty cycle. The clock deskew circuit and the duty cycle detection circuit implement a feedback loop that senses error in the duty cycle of the output clock signal and feeds back the control to correct the duty cycle error.
US07705646B2
In order to monitor various types of noises which are to be introduced on signals through signal lines on a circuit board and automatically adjust the thresholds for signal state discriminations to make it possible to surely make a signal state discrimination without being affected by these noises even if the amplitude of a signal is reduced for higher-speed transmission and lowered electric power, there is provided a configuration comprising a signal generation unit generating a noise monitor signal; a noise monitor signal line receiving and propagating the noise monitor signal; a noise detection unit detecting a noise which has been introduced into that noise monitor signal propagated through the noise monitor signal line and which affects a state discrimination using a threshold; and a threshold adjustment unit, if the noise detection unit detects the noise, adjusting the threshold such that the state discrimination is not affected by the noise.
US07705642B2
A biasing circuit for biasing differential delay elements is provided. The circuit is a feedback-free circuit consisting of a CMOS output stage having a P-type transistor and an N-type transistor, with a diode connected transistor between the P-type transistor and the N-type transistor, the output stage receiving the control voltage as input, and producing the Vnbias between the P-type transistor and the diode connected transistor. The circuit is simpler than conventional biasing circuits that employ feedback and operational amplifiers.
US07705633B2
An advanced repeater with duty cycle adjustment. In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, an advanced repeater includes an output stage for driving an output signal line responsive to an input signal and a plurality of active devices for selectably adjusting a duty cycle of the signal. The advanced repeater may further include circuitry for producing a delayed version of the signal.
US07705621B2
A test pattern includes a normal pattern, an abnormal pattern having predetermined defects, and a conductive line electrically connected to the normal pattern and electrically isolated from the abnormal pattern. Thus, a non-contact test process and a contact test process may be compatible with the single test pattern.
US07705620B2
A die includes circuit components to perform normal operations and duplicated components of selective ones of the circuit components. Each end of the duplicated components is connected to a pad on the die to allow access by measurement devices. The measurement devices apply electricity to the pads to measure analog characteristics of the duplicated components.
US07705619B2
A package assembly (18) that is selectively coupled to a burn-in apparatus (228P) during a burn-in process includes a pin-out (20) having an array of contacts (22) including a set of first contacts (222F) and a set of second contacts (222S). The first contacts (222F) are required for the burn-in process, and are each adapted to be in contact with a corresponding contact member (232P) of the burn-in apparatus (228P) during the burn-in process. The second contacts (222S) are not required for the burn-in process. The second contacts (222S) do not contact any of the contact members (232P) during the burn-in process. The contact members (232P) are arranged at a first pitch. In various embodiments, the array of contacts (22) is arranged at a second pitch that is smaller than the first pitch.
US07705617B1
Nanoscale impedance microscopy and related methods, circuit and/or apparatus capable of quantitatively measuring magnitude and phase of alternating current flow.
US07705613B2
A method of creating an improved sensitivity capacitive fingerprint sensor involves forming vias from a first side of a sensor chip having an array of capacitive sensors, making the vias electrically conductive, and attaching a cover plate over the first side of the sensor chip spaced from the sensor chip by a distance of less than 25 μm. An improved sensitivity capacitive fingerprint sensor has a capacitive sensor array including multiple sensor cells and electrically conductive, through-chip vias extending from connection points for sensor cell circuitry to a back side of the capacitive sensor array, a chip including active detection circuitry and electrical connection points, the electrical connection points being respectively connected to corresponding ones of the sensor cell circuitry connection points, and a cover plate, disposed above the sensor cells at a spacing of less than 25 μm.
US07705609B2
Disclosed is a method of measuring frequency distortions characteristics of a device under test, the device configured convert an input signal in an input frequency range to an output signal in a different output frequency range. The method includes, for each test frequency fi, where i=1, . . . , N and N a positive integer, in a selected frequency range, providing a corresponding test signal with multiple frequency components having a measurement component with a frequency fi, a first reference component with a frequency fA, and a second reference component with a frequency fB; inputting the test signals into the device under test; measuring output test signals at the output of the device under test corresponding to the input test signals; and determining, for each test frequency fi, information representative of frequency distortions based on the corresponding input test signal and the corresponding output test signal.
US07705604B2
An electric circuit for triggering a piezoelectric element, a fuel injection system of a motor vehicle in particular, is described. A first measuring shunt connected in series to the piezoelectric element is provided. Provided are two transistors connected in series whose shared connecting point is connected to the piezoelectric element. A second measuring shunt is also provided. The two transistors and the second measuring shunt are connected in series.
US07705591B2
An embodiment includes a radio frequency (RF) sensor system having a plurality of magnetoresistive (MR) sensors, where each MR sensor includes a configuration of MR elements and is adapted to produce a time-varying output voltage in response to a time-varying, external magnetic field. The RF sensor system also includes combiner circuitry, electrically coupled to the plurality of MR sensors, and adapted to receive and combine a plurality of time-varying output voltages from the plurality of MR sensors to generate a sensor output voltage. Another embodiment includes an electromagnetic sensor array having a plurality of MR sensors arranged in an array configuration, where each MR sensor includes a plurality of MR elements forming a Wheatstone bridge circuit, and where each MR sensor is adapted to produce a time-varying output voltage in response to a time-varying, external magnetic field. Still another embodiment includes a method for manufacturing an electromagnetic sensor array.
US07705569B2
A slope rate compensation circuit includes a source follower level-shift amplifier, a capacitor, a first resistor and a second resistor. The source follower level-shift amplifier includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor allows a first current to flow therein, the second transistor allows a second current to flow therein, and the first current increases with the second current. The capacitor is connected to the source terminal of the first transistor. The first resistor is connected to the source terminal of the second transistor. The second resistor allows a third current to flow therein, and the third current increases with the second current. The second resistor is related to the output voltage of the slope rate compensation circuit.
US07705559B2
A battery assembly with a housing that contains a removable battery pack. The housing, which is sterilizable, has a head designed to couple to a power consuming device. The battery pack, which is not sterilizable, contains at least one rechargeable cell. The battery pack has a head dimensioned to fit the same charger socket that can receive a sterilizable battery. The battery pack has contacts that abut charger contacts. The housing has internal contacts. Collectively, the housing and battery pack are shaped so that, when the battery pack seats in the housing, the battery pack contacts abut the housing internal contacts. The housing internal contacts are connected to the housing external contacts for supply power to the power consuming device. A cover selectively holds the battery pack in the housing chamber.
US07705557B2
Traditionally, system loads are placed in parallel with the battery. This simple topology wastes the available power if the USB power and/or wall adapter is present. Recent topologies have made some improvements by powering the load by the maximum available voltage. Thus, if a USB power source or wall adapter is present, the load is powered by them rather than the battery, thus improving the system efficiency. However, since the USB power and wall adapter power are current limited, if the load requires higher current than the current limited USB or adapter, then the entire system is powered at voltage of the battery. The present invention further improves the system efficiency by distinguishing the load and powering the constant power loads by the maximum voltage and placing the constant current loads in parallel with the battery.
US07705554B2
A circuit arrangement and a method for adjusting the power consumption of a load of a cooling fan motor of a motor vehicle that can be operated by a direct-voltage system has at least one semiconductor switch in the supply current circuit of the load, and a control unit for triggering the semiconductor switch or switches. The load is connectable via at least one sense field-effect transistor to the direct-voltage system the measurement output of the sense FET is connected to the control unit, and the control unit furnishes a signal corresponding to the current consumption of the load at the respective operating point.
US07705544B1
A lamp ignition circuit provides a high voltage electrical pulse to ignite a gas discharge lamp. A non-linear filter element within a charge circuit regulates the voltage of the ignition pulse such that the ignition pulse remains within a prescribed voltage range over a wide variety of conduit lengths between the lamp and the lamp ignition circuit. This allows for the ballast and lamp ignition circuit to be mounted either close to the lamp or far from the lamp without modifying the ignition circuitry.
US07705543B2
A device includes at least two circuit branches, each of said at least two circuit branches comprising at least one LED diode. The device comprises a supply circuit that provides an electric supply of said at least two circuit branches and includes a variable resistance. The device comprises a controller coupled to said at least two circuit branches and suitable for varying said resistance in reply to a variation of the current that flows in one of said at least two circuit branches to vary the electric supply of said at least two circuit branches.
US07705542B2
A flashlight in accordance with an aspect of the invention includes an ID module for generating an ID signal indicative of a power mode of the flashlight. In an aspect, the flashlight mates with a removable battery pack that regulates at least one of an output voltage and output current in accordance with the ID signal. In an aspect, the flashlight includes a printed circuit board (PCB) on which the ID module is mounted. In an aspect, the flashlight includes a soft-start module and a bulb, wherein the soft start module increases power to the bulb at a controlled rate when the flashlight is turned on. In an aspect, the flashlight includes a lamp housing having a lens retained by a bezel. The lens includes an axially extending peripheral edge. In an aspect, the flashlight includes a main housing having a lamp housing. A mounting mechanism and mating features are adapted to selectively couple and decouple the main housing and the lamp housing. In an aspect, a flexible conduit connects the main housing and lamp housing. The flexible conduit can be formed in an arc having an apex that lies directly above a center of gravity of the flashlight when the main housing and the lamp housing are coupled, thereby allowing the flashlight to be balanced when the flexible conduit is used as a carrying handle.
US07705540B2
The invention relates to a high-pressure discharge lamp having a transparent discharge vessel, an ionizable filling which is arranged in the discharge space of the discharge vessel and electrodes, which extend into the discharge space of the discharge vessel, for the purpose of producing a gas discharge, as well as power supply lines, which are passed out of the discharge vessel, for the purpose of supplying energy to the electrodes, the discharge vessel of the high-pressure discharge lamp being provided partially with an electrically conductive coating, with the result that a capacitive coupling is produced between the coating and at least one electrode and/or power supply line. As a result, the starting properties and the luminous efficiency of the lamp are improved.
US07705527B2
An electron-emitting device includes a pair of oppositely disposed electrodes and an electroconductive film arranged between the electrodes and including a high resistance region. The high resistance region has a deposit containing carbon as a principal ingredient. The electron-emitting device can be used for an electron source of an image-forming apparatus of the flat panel type.
US07705526B2
A lamp including a hermetic tube and a filament configured to radiate thermal energy within the tube. Further, the filament extends along a length direction of the tube and is spaced apart from an inner wall of the tube.
US07705519B2
Disclosed is an acoustic backing composition comprising an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer containing 20 to 80% by weight of the vinyl acetate units and a filler contained in the ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.
US07705515B2
A surface acoustic wave device utilizing a Rayleigh wave includes a LiNbO3 substrate having Euler angles of (0°±5°, θ±5°, 0°±10°), an electrode which is disposed on the LiNbO3 substrate and which includes an IDT electrode primarily including Cu, a first silicon oxide film disposed in a region other than the region in which the electrode is disposed, the first silicon oxide film having a film thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the electrode, and a second silicon oxide film arranged to cover the electrode and the first silicon oxide film, wherein the film thickness of the electrode is within the range of about 0.12λ to about 0.18λ, where λ represents the wavelength of a surface acoustic wave, and θ of the above-described Euler angles of (0°±5°, θ±5°, 0°±10°) is in the range satisfying the following Formula (1): θ=32.01−351.92×exp(−TCu/0.0187) Formula (1) where TCu is a value of Cu electrode film thickness normalized with the wavelength λ.
US07705512B2
A dynamoelectric machine conductor includes a bus including a central portion, a first connectable site of the central portion connectable with a first conductor and a first arm having a second electrically connectable site connectable with a second conductor. A first fused portion of the first arm located between the first connectable site and the second connectable site, the first fused portion being electrically interruptible to open a circuit between the first connectable site and the second connectable site. A second arm having a third connectable site connectable with a third conductor, and a second fused portion of the second arm located between the first connectable site and the third connectable site. The second fused portion being electrically interruptible to open a circuit between the first connectable site and the third connectable site.
US07705510B2
A striplike lamination (10) for a stator of an electrical machine is proposed, in which the striplike lamination has an end contour (19) on each strip end (18). The end contours (19) are embodied such that a difference in length at the lamination (10) resulting from bending can be compensated for.
US07705497B2
A power tool cooling system comprises a cooling fan disposed on a motor in a position between the upper field coil and the lower commutator. A transmission housing encapsulates the transmission mechanism. During operation, the fan is driven by the motor and draws air axially through the motor and expels the air radially outwardly through holes in the outer housing of the motor. This causes air to be drawn in through the air vents formed on the top of a tool housing, in the side of the housing and between the housing and a battery pack. The cool air flows outside of the transmission housing, but inside the tool housing such that air does not pass through the transmission mechanism. A plurality of motor openings are also formed in the outer housing of the motor to enable cool air to pass into the motor to cool the motor.
US07705494B2
An electric motor includes an annular stator core having a pair of ends opposed to each other in an axial direction, and a coil wound around the stator core. The stator core includes a pair of powder magnetic cores each arranged at the pair of ends and a laminated steel plate arranged between the paired powder magnetic cores. Each of the paired powder magnetic cores includes a section arranged outside the coil in the axial direction.
US07705486B2
An integrated circuit includes first and second power domains, a power supply control unit, and a switch block. The power supply control unit supplies a first voltage to the first power domain and a second voltage to the second power domain. The switch block provides at least one current path between the first and second power domains during a predetermined operating mode such as by connecting a first power line of the first power domain to a second power line of the second power domain.
US07705482B2
A tool includes a nonmagnetic tool housing; a cylindrical rotor inside the tool housing and rotatable in response to a flow of pressurized fluid through the tool housing; magnets mounted in the rotor; and a stator on the exterior of the tool housing. The stator is dimensioned to cooperate with the magnets to, upon rotation of the rotor, generate electrical current for supply to a load.
US07705481B2
A wind energy plant having at least one rotor blade with a pitch angle, the pitch angle being adjustable by means of a pitch controller, and a generator converter unit, at least one electrical quantity of the generator converter unit being adjustable by means of a converter controller, wherein the wind energy plant has a power train with a rotor having the at least one rotor blade, the rotor being disposed at a front end of the power train and the power train leading to the generator converter unit, wherein a first rotation speed detection unit is provided at the power train near the front end of the power train and a second rotation speed detection unit is provided at the power train near the generator converter unit, wherein the measured rotation speed nrot of the first rotation speed detection unit is applied as an input variable to the pitch controller and the measured rotation speed of the second rotation speed detection unit is applied as an input variable to the converter controller.
US07705479B2
A Stirling engine (1) includes a reciprocating piston which drives an alternator to provide an electrical output (7). The current signal (7) is measured by a current monitor (60) and a fast Fourier Transform value is produced. The FFT of the current signal (7) has been found to be directly related to the stability of operation of the Stirling engine. As harmonic peaks in the FFT increase, this indicates that the stroke length of the piston is approaching or exceeding a safe maximum. Correction action, such as a reduction in heat to the Stirling engine, can be taken in consequence. A variety of stroke length detectors (110) are also disclosed, for use in combination with, or separately from, the FFT analysis of the current signal (7). Optical and mechanical switches and analogue sensors are disclosed, along with an accelerometer mounted upon the casing of the Stirling engine.
US07705475B2
An integrated circuit package system is provided including forming a substrate with a device thereover, forming an encapsulation having a planar top surface to cover the device and the substrate spanning to an extraction side of the encapsulation, and forming a recess in the encapsulation from the planar top surface.
US07705468B2
A stacked semiconductor package includes a substrate having first and second contact pads. A first stacked package group is disposed on the substrate, and the first stacked package group includes first semiconductor chips stacked in a stair form to expose first edge bonding pads. First conductive wires are used to electrically couple the first edge bonding pads and the first contact pads. An adhesive member is disposed on the uppermost first semiconductor chip, and a second stacked package group is disposed on the adhesive member. The second stacked package group includes second semiconductor chips that are stacked in a stair form to expose second edge bonding pads. When the second stacked package group is disposed on the adhesive member, the bottommost second semiconductor chips is aligned with the uppermost first semiconductor chip. Second conductive wires are used to electrically couple the second edge bonding pads and the second contact pads.
US07705465B2
A small and thin surface-mount type optical semiconductor device having high air tightness, which can be manufactured at a reduced cost includes: a base 2 formed of a glass substrate; a recess 5 formed on a first main surface 3 of the base; a through hole 7 extending from a bottom portion 4 of the recess to a second main surface 6 of the base; an inner wall conductive film formed on an inner wall surface of the through hole; a wiring pattern 9 made of a conductive film formed around an opening of the through hole on the bottom portion of the recess so as to be connected electrically to the inner wall conductive film; an optical semiconductor element 8 bonded to the wiring pattern via a conductive bonding material 14; a terminal portion 10 made of a conductive film formed around an opening of the through hole on the second main surface such that it is connected electrically to the inner wall conductive film; and a metal portion 13 bonded to the inner wall conductive film to clog the through hole.
US07705459B2
An example disclosed semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a lower interlayer insulating layer formed on the substrate, a lower wire formed on the lower interlayer insulating layer, and an upper interlayer insulating layer which is formed on the lower interlayer insulating layer and has a via hole to expose the lower wire. The lower wire includes a metal layer pattern and a conductive layer pattern, and the metal layer pattern has a protruding portion and the conductive layer pattern is formed on the upper part of the protruding portion of the metal layer pattern and has a hole to expose the protruding portion.
US07705452B2
A carrier assembly for an integrated circuit is described. The assembly includes a retainer for receiving the integrated circuit, and island defining portions surrounding the retainer. Each island defining portion is connected to neighboring island defining portions through a serpentine member. This arrangement allows resilient deflection between the island defining portions.
US07705451B2
A semiconductor device includes a laminated substrate formed by laminating a plurality of semiconductor substrates, a concave part formed in the laminated substrate, and a semiconductor element mounted in the concave part. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes a first step of forming a laminated substrate by laminating a plurality of semiconductor substrates, a second step of forming a concave part by etching the laminated substrate, and a third step of mounting a semiconductor element in the concave part.
US07705450B2
An integrated circuit module, decoupling capacitor assembly and method are disclosed. The integrated circuit module includes a substrate and integrated circuit die mounted on the substrate and having die pads and an exposed surface opposite from the substrate. A plurality of substrate bonding pads are positioned on the substrate adjacent the integrated circuit die. A decoupling capacitor assembly is mounted on each integrated circuit die and includes a capacitor carrier secured onto the exposed surface of the integrated circuit die and a decoupling capacitor carried by the capacitor carrier. A wire bond extends from the decoupling capacitor assembly to a die pad and from a die pad to a substrate bonding pad.
US07705449B2
A cooling apparatus for a circuit module having a substrate extending axially with an IC chip of a first type and IC chips of a second type mounted thereon, comprising: a first heat spreading element disposed to form a heat conduction path with the IC chip of the first type; and a second heat spreading element disposed to form a heat conduction path with the IC chips of the second type, wherein there is at least one IC chip of the second type mounted axially away from opposite sides of the IC chip of the first type, wherein the first type of IC chip is capable of generating a larger amount of heat than the second type of IC chips, and the first heat spreading element has a higher thermal conductivity than the second heat spreading element.
US07705442B2
A contact device for use with a power semiconductor component in a power semiconductor module or a disc-type thyristor, the module or thyristor having a molded body with a first recess disposed above the component. The contact device makes electrical contact with the auxiliary connection of the component, and is disposed within a second recess in the module or thyristor. The contact device includes a spring having a pin-like extension at a first end thereof that faces the component and a metal molded body that is arranged at the opposite end thereof and has a first connecting device formed as a flat section of the metal molded body. The flat section is arranged generally parallel to the component, and has a second connecting device for connection to a connecting cable. The connecting device may also have a multipart insulating housing for holding the contact spring and the metal molded body.
US07705440B2
An annular trench region is formed at a semiconductor substrate of an electronic device that defines a conductive plug of the through-wafer via, wherein the conductive plug includes an undisturbed portion of the semiconductor substrate.
US07705421B1
An integrated circuit inductor has a number of vertical metal segments, a number of lower metal straps that electrically connect alternate metal segments, and a number of upper metal straps that electrically connect alternate metal segments to form a continuous electrical path. Layers of a ferromagnetic material are formed normal to the metal segments to extend past at least two sides of each metal segment to increase the inductance of the inductor.
US07705420B2
A component having at least one conductor path on a substrate, and a production method for fabricating such a component is provided. The component is made by providing at least one conductor path on a predefined area of the substrate. Then a dielectric insulating layer is formed over the at least one conductor path, and a an area of the substrate is completely back etched below the at least one conductor path beginning on the bottom side of the substrate in such a way that the at least one conductor path is supported across the completely back-etched area of the substrate by adhesion to the second insulating layer.
US07705415B1
A device for detecting electromagnetic radiation, charged particles or photons including a 2-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) and/or a 2-dimensional hole gas (2DHG). The device detects the collective response of the plasma to perturbations of the 2DEG and/or the 2DHG. The device is tunable by using Schottky contacts. The device can be used for high-speed photodetector devices, terahertz sensors, and charged particle sensors.
US07705406B2
A method for smoothing variations in threshold voltage in an integrated circuit layout. The method begins by identifying recombination surfaces associated with transistors in the layout. Such recombination surfaces are treated to affect the recombination of interstitial atoms adjacent such surfaces, thus minimizing variations in threshold voltage of transistors within the layout.
US07705400B2
A semiconductor device provided with a filled tetrahedral semiconductor is formed by introducing impurity atoms S for substituting the component atoms of sites of lattice points and impurity atoms I to be inserted into interstitial sites of a host semiconductor where component atoms are bonded to form a tetrahedral bonding structure. Such a semiconductor device is made to show a high mobility level and a high current drive force as a semiconductor substance where impurity atoms S are made to have a valance electron agreeing with that of the component atoms of the host semiconductor as a result of charge transfer between impurity atoms S and impurity atoms I and impurity atoms I are bonded in a state of showing an electronic arrangement of a closed shell structure is used as channel material.
US07705398B2
A second impurity region is surrounded by a first impurity region at a first main surface. A third impurity region of the first main surface sandwiches the second impurity region with the first impurity region. Fourth and fifth impurity regions of a second main surface sandwich the first impurity region with the second impurity region. A control electrode layer is opposite to the second impurity region with an insulating film interposed. That portion of the second main surface which is opposite to the portion of the first main surface where the first impurity region is formed surrounds the regions for forming the fourth and fifth impurity regions of the second main surface, and it is a region of the first conductivity type or a region of the second conductivity type having impurity concentration not higher than that of the first impurity region.
US07705381B2
A solid-state image sensing device includes a plurality of pixels. Each pixel has a photodiode, a first transistor, and a second transistor. The photodiode is constituted by a first-conductivity-type semiconductor region and a second-conductivity-type semiconductor region. The first and second conductivity types are opposite to each other. The first transistor has a first-conductivity-type drain region formed in the second-conductivity-type semiconductor region to transfer signal charge to the drain region. The second transistor has a source region and a drain region which are formed in the second-conductivity-type semiconductor region and which have the first conductivity type. At least one second-conductivity-type potential barrier is provided under the drain region of the first transistor and the source region and/or the drain region of the second transistor.
US07705365B2
A light emitting module of a lighting device has a casing, a heat radiating member and terminals. The terminals extend from the casing and connects to a circuit board disposed along a light diffusing member. The heat radiating member extends in a direction perpendicular to the terminals. Alternatively, the terminals are connected to heat radiating lands formed on a second circuit board that is provided separately from a first circuit board and the heat radiating member is connected to a heat radiating land formed on the second circuit board. Further, the heat radiating member can be connected to a heat radiating plate overlapping with the second circuit board, in place of the heat radiating land.
US07705357B2
A semiconductor element with high current drive capability, capable of high-speed operation, and having little variation in pluralities of semiconductor elements is provided. It is characterized by the fact that semiconductor elements have a first crystalline semiconductor region including pluralities of crystal orientations, and the first crystalline semiconductor region being connected to a second crystalline semiconductor region which is conductive, wherein the first crystalline semiconductor region is extended in the direction parallel to the insulating film which extends in linear-shaped stripe pattern on the insulating surface, and the second crystalline semiconductor region is provided ranging over the insulating film which extends in linear-shaped stripe pattern.
US07705349B2
An apparatus and method for providing external electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection to a semiconductor device, which may or may not include its own ESD protection, are provided. An ESD structure may be associated with each interconnect, either individually or shared between two or more interconnects. Each interconnect includes a contact tip for establishing a temporary electrical connection with a bond pad of the semiconductor device and a contact pad for electrically interfacing the bond pad with external burn-in and/or test equipment. The ESD structure may be implemented, for example, as a fusible element or a shunting element, such as a pair of diodes, a diode-resistor network, or a pair of transistors. The interconnect may be employed as part of an insert including a plurality of interconnects that provides ESD protection to a plurality of integrated circuits of at least one semiconductor device.
US07705343B2
Provided are phase change random access memory (PRAM) devices and methods of operating the same. The PRAM device may include a switching device, a lower electrode, a lower electrode contact layer, a phase change layer and/or an upper electrode. The lower electrode may be connected to a switching device. The lower electrode contact layer may be formed on the lower electrode. The phase change layer, which may include a bottom surface that contacts an upper surface of the lower electrode contact layer, may be formed on the lower electrode contact layer. The upper electrode may be formed on the phase change layer. The lower electrode contact layer may be formed of a material layer having an absolute value of a Seebeck coefficient higher than TiAlN. The Seebeck coefficient of the lower electrode contact layer may be negative. The material layer may have lower heat conductivity and/or approximately equivalent electrical resistance as TiAlN.
US07705341B2
A phase change memory device includes a semiconductor substrate having bar-shaped active regions which extend in a first direction; base regions and emitter regions alternately formed in each active region; lower electrodes formed over the emitter regions to connect to the respective emitter regions; a phase change layer and an upper electrode stacked on each of the lower electrodes; sub bit lines formed over the upper electrodes to come into contact with the corresponding upper electrodes; word lines arranged over the sub bit lines to come into contact with the base regions; and a main bit line formed over the word line to come into contact with the sub bit lines. The phase change memory device is able to prevent a change in the composition of the phase change layer and additionally is able to widen the sensing margin of a bit line.
US07705335B2
A method, device and retrofitting kit is disclosed that will protect materials that are housed within a storage device from one or more forms of radiographic imaging. A target subject is at least partially covered with a first and second layer of radiographic cloaking material. The first layer of radiographic cloaking material is configured to defeat a first type of radiographic beam, such as a photon beam. The second layer of radiographic cloaking material is configured to defeat a second type of radiographic beam, such as a particle beam.
US07705332B2
Direct patterning of nanometer scale features by interferometric lithography using a 46.9 nm laser is described. Multiple exposures using a Lloyd's mirror interferometer permitted printing of arrays having 60 nm FWHM features.
US07705331B1
Methods and systems for providing illumination of a specimen for a process performed on the specimen
Methods and systems for providing illumination of a specimen for a process performed on the specimen are provided. One system configured to provide illumination of a specimen for a process performed on the specimen includes a laser configured to generate excitation light. The system also includes focusing optics configured to focus the excitation light to a plasma in an electrodeless lamp such that the plasma generates light. The system is also configured such that the light illuminates the specimen during the process.
US07705328B2
A ribbon ion beam system, comprising an ion source configured to generate a ribbon ion beam along a first beam path, wherein the ribbon ion beam enters a mass analysis magnet having a height dimension (h1) and a long dimension (w1) that is perpendicular to an xy plane, wherein the mass analysis magnet is configured with its momentum dispersive xy plane to receive the ribbon ion beam and to provide magnetic fields to transmit the ribbon ion beam along a second beam path, wherein the ribbon ion beam exiting the mass analysis magnet is divergent in the non-dispersive xz plane and convergent in the xy plane, a mass selection slit for receiving the divergent ribbon ion beam and selecting desired ion species of the ribbon ion beam exiting the mass analysis magnet, an angle correction device configured to receive the divergent ribbon ion beam exiting the mass selection slit into a parallel ribbon ion beam in the horizontal xz plane and a diverging ribbon ion beam in an xy plane along a third beam path, and wherein the parallel ribbon beam has a variable height (h2) and a long dimension, width (w2).
US07705326B2
An apparatus for fluorescence observation includes an excitation filter which transmits only exciting light of an specific wavelength among illumination light, and an absorption filter which blocks the exciting light and transmits only fluorescence generated from a specimen when the exciting light is irradiated to the specimen. Here, an interval of a half-value wavelength at a long-wavelength side of the excitation filter and a half-value wavelength at a short-wavelength side of the absorption filter is in a width between 1 nm to 6 nm, and change of the half-value wavelength of the excitation filter and the absorption filter when humidity changes from 10% to 95%, is 0.5 nm or less.
US07705325B2
A sterilization device for a stethoscope is provided, comprising a cover member and an ultraviolet light source. The stethoscope includes a chestpiece member having a face portion adapted to contact a patient. The cover member is adapted to operably engage the chestpiece member such that the cover member is movable with respect to the face portion and normally biased to cover the face portion. The ultraviolet light source is operably engaged with the cover member and configured to emit ultraviolet radiation for interacting with the face portion only when the cover member is covering the face portion. The ultraviolet light source thereby provides anti-microbial sterilization of at least the face portion of the chestpiece member. An associated apparatus is also provided.
US07705324B2
A sample holder according to the present invention is characterized in that the sample holder comprise a holder body, a sample retaining stage, a means capable for tilting the sample around an axis which is arranged in a direction perpendicular to a long side of the holder body, wherein the means has a mechanism capable for tilting the sample around the axis with no relation to the existence of a fulcrum retaining member at the said axis.
US07705322B2
The present invention provides an electron beam writing method capable of suppressing a variation in position to be irradiated with an electron beam due to its drift and writing a predetermined pattern.A positional displacement amount near the center of each main deflection area of the charged-particle beam is determined. Correction values are determined from a plurality of the positional displacement amounts. A position irradiated with the charged-particle beam is corrected from the correction values. The neighborhood of the center of the main deflection area can be a sub deflection area including the center of the main deflection area. In this case, the positional displacement amount can be one for one arbitrary point in the sub deflection area. Alternatively, the positional displacement amount can also be the average of positional displacement amounts at a plurality of arbitrary points in the sub deflection area.
US07705316B2
A dynamic SPECT camera is provided, comprising, a plurality of single-pixel detectors, a timing mechanism, in communication with each single-pixel detector, configured for enabling time-binning of the radioactive emissions impinging upon each single-pixel detector to time periods not greater than substantially 30 seconds, and a position-tracker, configured for providing information on the position and orientation of each detecting unit, with respect to the overall structure, substantially at all times, during the individual motion, the dynamic SPECT camera being configured for acquiring a tomographic reconstruction image of a region of interest of about 15×15×15 cubic centimeters, during an acquisition time of 30 seconds, at a spatial resolution of at least 10×10×10 cubic millimeter. The dynamic camera is configured for very short damping time, and may further acquire images in a stationary mode, with no motion. It is further configured for time binning at dynamically varying time-bin lengths, dynamically determining a spectral energy bin for each detecting unit, and employing an anatomic construction of voxels in the imaging and reconstruction.
US07705312B2
Energy beams with different wavelengths or wavelength ranges may be passed through a gas sample in a test chamber. Ones of the energy beams may have wavelengths or wavelength ranges that are absorbed by particular gases. To determine whether any of those particular gases are in the gas sample, the loss of energy, if any, as the beams pass through the gas ample may be determined. The presence of one or more gases that do not absorb the energy beams may be determined by placing a chemical reactant that reacts with those one or more gases and then detecting a chemical reaction between the chemical reactant and the gas sample.
US07705310B2
A passive infra-red detector including at least three sub-detectors, each sub-detector being operative to receive infra-red radiation from a corresponding one of at least three sub fields-of-view, each sub field-of-view being exclusively defined by an optical element which does not define any other sub field of view, the sub fields-of-view being angled with respect to each other, adjacent ones of the sub fields-of-view being separated by a gap of no more than 30 degrees and at least one of the sub fields-of-view having at least one of the following characteristics: extending over no more then 45 degrees in azimuth; and including not more than three azimuthally distributed detection zones, and signal processing circuitry, operative to receive output signals from the sub detectors and to provide a motion detection output.
US07705307B1
A radiation detector comprises an infrared radiation sensing micro mirror array, where each micro mirror is supported with a deformable cantilever beam having an organic layer for increased dynamic range. The radiation detector includes two or more sources of optical radiation for irradiating the micro mirror array, an image sensor array for receiving optical reflection from the micro mirror array, and an aperture plate for (i) spatially restricting optical radiation reaching the micro mirror array and (ii) spatially restricting reflected optical reflection reaching the image sensor array.
US07705304B2
In three-dimensional shape measurement, a backscattered electron detection signal and selection signal generator in a control section controls, by selection signal, a signal switching section and a frame memory so that: detection signals from respective semiconductor elements are sequentially switched in the signal switching section in synchronization with a scanning frame of an electron beam on a sample; and the detection signals from the respective semiconductor elements can be sequentially recorded in recording addresses in the frame memory which correspond to the respective semiconductor elements. After four electron beam scanning sessions, each image data for three-dimensional shape measurement is recorded in the frame memory, and processed in a computing processing section for three-dimensional shape measurement, and the result can be displayed in a display section. The backscattered electron detection signal and selection signal generator in the control section is configured to include, for example, a counter updated in frame scanning units, and can be composed of a very simple circuit or software.
US07705302B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a scanning electron microscope including decelerating-electric-field forming means for decreasing the energy of a beam of electrons reaching a sample, and being capable of selectively detecting BSEs with high efficiency. To this end, the scanning electron microscope including the decelerating-electric-field forming means has a detector for detecting electrons. The detector includes a part for receiving the electrons at a position which is positioned outside trajectories of SEs accelerated by the decelerating-electric-field forming means, and which is further away from the optical axis of the beam of electrons than the trajectories of the SEs.
US07705301B2
Electron beam apparatus to collect side-view and/or plane-view image with in-lens sectional detector
An electron beam apparatus and method are presented for collecting side-view and plane-view SEM imagery. The electron beam apparatus includes an electron source, some intermediate lenses if needed, an objective lens and an in-lens sectional detector. The electron source will provide an electron beam. The intermediate lenses focus the electron beam further. The objective lens is a combination of an immersion magnetic lens and a retarding electrostatic lens focuses the electron beam onto the specimen surface. The in-lens detector will be divided into two or more sections to collect secondary electrons emanating from the specimen with different azimuth and polar angle so that side-view SEM imagery can be obtained.
US07705299B2
Briefly described, embodiments of this disclosure, among others, include scanning ion probe systems, methods of use thereof, scanning ion source systems, methods of use thereof, scanning ion probe mass spectrometry systems, methods of use thereof, methods of simultaneous ion analysis and imaging, and methods of simultaneous mass spectrometry and imaging.
US07705296B2
An ion mobility spectrometer includes a protective housing. A drift tube having at least one inlet and at least one outlet confines a drift gas. An ion gate is positioned in the drift tube. The ion gate defines a reaction region and a drift region in the drift tube. An ion detector is positioned in the drift tube downstream of the ion gate at an end of the drift region. A helical resistive wire coil is positioned around the drift tube. A power supply generates an electric field in the helical resistive wire coil that rapidly controls the temperature of the drift gas.
US07705293B2
At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to a sensor for measuring the distance between the sensor and a measuring surface, which includes a light-emitting element and a plurality of light-receiving elements. The light-receiving elements are arranged so that the light axes thereof do not cross one another.
US07705266B2
A hybrid laser processing apparatus 1 includes a laser oscillator 4 which oscillates a laser beam L, a high-pressure pump 5 which supplies liquid, wherein liquid supplied from the high-pressure pump 5 is injected from an injection nozzle 13 provided at a tip of a processing head 6 and becomes a liquid column W to reach an object to be processed 2. A first inclined plane 13b which reduces the diameter toward the object to be processed 2 is formed in the injection nozzle 13, the condensing lens 12 which condenses the laser beam L is designed so that the focus of the laser beam L is positioned beyond the injection nozzle 13 and closer to the side of the object to be processed 2 and the laser beam L on the side outer than the minimum diameter part 13d is reflected on the first inclined plane 13b and thereafter guided to the liquid column W.Positional matching of the condensing lens and the injection nozzle is simple and the guided laser beam does not pop out of the liquid column. Moreover, manufacturing costs and running costs can be reduced.
US07705264B2
It is disclosed a method of applying a coating (12) with a controlled laser metal forming process. A light source with a specific power and a signal capturing apparatus is moved over an article (1) to form locally a melt pool (7) on the surface (5) of the article (1) to which a coating powder (8) is injected. An optical signal (13) is captured from the melt pool (7), and the monitored optical signal (13) is used for the determination of the temperature and temperature fluctuations of the melt pool (7). Furthermore, a control system (16) is used to adjust at least one process parameter such as the power of the light source to obtain desired melt pool properties. Subsequently the melt pool (7) solidifies. The high degree of control over the microstructure provides an efficient tool for generating laser metal formed hard coatings (12) with optimised wear properties.
US07705249B2
Electronic scales having an integrated computer including a display for presenting information to a user, an input unit for entering selection data by a user, a memory for storing a plurality of activatable profiles as sets of parameter values for assignment to corresponding sets of parameters, and a data processing unit for controlling the display, the input unit, and the memory, and for determining and processing measured values in accordance with the current activated profile. The measured values are generated during a weighing operation by the user. To determine a profile, a user is requested, over a plurality of successive steps, to select one of several options presented by the display, the combination of the options presented in a step being dependent on the selection made in the preceding step. Then, during the weighing operation, the user is requested, again, over a plurality of successive steps, to perform an action presented by the display. A request, is a function of the type of actual current activated profile, and is made only if the action requested in the preceding step is confirmed as carried out.
US07705243B2
A conformable layer (14) for inhibiting electrical discharge between vent tubes (16) and strands (12) in an inner-cooled coil (5). The conformable layer comprises a resistive inner core (24) and a conductive strip (20) wrapped in a conductive outer wrap (26). The conductive strip (20) is electrically connected to the strands (12) at one end of the coil (5) and left to electrically float at the other end. In this configuration, the conformable layer (14) reduces voltage buildup between the vent tubes (16) and the strands (12) to help prevent electrical damage to the coil (5).
US07705228B2
A shoulder marching tuba having a compact slide arrangement for instrument spot tuning. The shoulder marching tuba includes an air inlet mouthpiece, an air outlet bell, and a series of airflow tubing and valves in fluid communication therebetween. The series of airflow tubing and valves include at least four pairs of tubes in sliding, telescoping engagement, wherein the four pairs of tubes are mounted in parallel arrangement and in sequential fluid communication. The first tubes of each of the four pairs of tubes are secured in a first bundle the second tubes of each of the four pairs of tubes are secured in a second bundle. One of the first bundle and the second bundle is mounted for sliding movement relative to the other of the first bundle and the second bundle for adjustment of musical pitch of sound issued from the shoulder marching tuba.
US07705224B1
A portable travel guitar comprises a removable neck and a tapered removable panel attached to an opening in the body of the guitar by an airtight joint. Pre-tensioned strings attached to the removable panel bias it towards the closed position. Items can be stored inside the body of the guitar for ease of storage inside luggage. An auxiliary panel is provided permitting using the body of the guitar as separate luggage.
US07705218B1
A novel inbred maize variety designated PHB4D and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing inbred maize variety PHB4D with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PHB4D through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the inbred variety PHB4D or a trait conversion of PHB4D with another maize variety. Inbred maize varieties derived from inbred maize variety PHB4D, methods for producing other inbred maize varieties derived from inbred maize variety PHB4D and the inbred maize varieties and their parts derived by the use of those methods.
US07705204B2
The present invention is directed to plants that display an altered oil content phenotype due to altered expression of a citrate synthase nucleic acid. The invention is further directed to methods of generating plants with an altered oil content phenotype.
US07705200B2
This invention relates to polynucleotide sequences encoding a gene that can confer resistance to at least one herbicide. It further relates to plants and seeds of plants carrying chimeric genes comprising said polynucleotide sequences, which enhance or confer resistance to at least one herbicide, and methods of making said plants and seeds. The invention further presents sequences that can be used as molecular markers that in turn can be used to identify the region of interest in corn lines resulting from new crosses and to quickly and efficiently select the best lines for breeding strategies by avoiding sensitive lines.
US07705195B2
The present invention is directed to methods using transgenic mice to screen for biologically active agents.
US07705194B2
A toilet training article in the form of a toilet training pad containing an effervescent agent is disclosed. The toilet training pad, which may be an insertable pad or integrated directly into an undergarment, contains an effervescent agent which releases gas upon being contacted by urine. The effervescent agent may be in the form of a compound containing a substantially inert gas, or may be a combination of compounds that, upon being contacted by urine, produce a gas.
US07705189B2
A novel calixarene compound, a method for manufacturing the same, an intermediate of the calixarene compound, and a composition comprising the same are provided. The calixarene compound is expected to be useful as an inclusion compound and, if functional groups are introduced, can be used for a curable composition and a photoresist and as an inclusion compound. The calixarene compound is shown by following formula (1): wherein R1 to R6 individually represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms; X1 to X12 individually represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group having 7 to 10 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted phenoxy group; Z1 to Z24 individually represent a hydrogen atom, a group having a polymerizable functional group, a group having an alkali-soluble group, or a substituted alkyl group having an alkyl chain with a 1-8 carbon atom content, or two adjacent Zs in combination represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms; q1 to q12 individually represent an integer of 0 or 1.
US07705183B2
An aromatic amine derivative with a special structure bonding to a fused polycyclic hydrocarbon group having silyl group. An organic electroluminescence device which comprises one or more organic thin film layers comprising at least a light emitting layer sandwiched between a cathode and an anode, wherein at least one of the organic thin film layer comprises the above aromatic amine derivative singly or as its mixture component. An organic electroluminescence device having a long lifetime and an enhanced efficiency of light emission together with the aromatic amine derivatives realizing the device are provided.
US07705174B2
The invention provides condensed polycyclic π-conjugated organic materials and manufacturing methods for the materials. A metal reducing agent is reacted with a straight-chain, triple bond-containing hydrocarbon (aryl acetylene compound, phenyl acetylene compound), the hydrocarbon being a benzene ring with an organic silicon as a substituent, so as to allow an intramolecular reductive cyclization reaction to proceed between the silicon and the triple-bond carbon. The reaction produces condensed polycyclic π-conjugated organic materials of the invention. The invention provides light-emitting materials applicable for organic electroluminescent devices, condensed polycyclic π-conjugated organic materials applicable for charge transport materials, their intermediate products, and a manufacture method for condensed polycyclic π-conjugated organic materials.
US07705166B2
A process for producing propylene oxide, which comprises the following steps: oxidation step: a step of obtaining cumene hydroperoxide by oxidizing cumene; epoxidation step: a step of obtaining propylene oxide and cumyl alcohol by reacting cumene hydroperoxide obtained in the oxidation step with propylene; and conversion step: a step of obtaining cumene by subjecting cumyl alcohol obtained in the epoxidation step to hydrogenation-containing reaction and recycling the cumene to the oxidation step, wherein a concentration of 1,2-epoxy-2-phenylpropane contained in the reaction mixture after the oxidation step, is 1% by weight or less.
US07705164B2
The present invention relates to metalloprotein inhibitors comprising: a. an organic substituent and at least one zinc binding group (ZBG) covalently attached thereto; or b. a ZBG substituted by a side chain wherein the ZBG is of formula (I): wherein X is O or S and each R1, R2, R3, and R4 is individually hydrogen or an organic radical. The metalloprotein inhibitors are useful for preventing or treating a pathological disease, condition, or symptom that is associated with pathological metalloprotein activity and/or that is alleviated by inhibition of said activity.
US07705157B2
Ligands, compositions, and metal-ligand complexes that incorporate phenol-heterocyclic compounds are disclosed that are useful in the catalysis of transformations such as the polymerization of monomers into polymers. The catalysts have high performance characteristics, including high comonomer incorporation into ethylene/olefin copolymers, where such olefins are for example, 1-octene, propylene or styrene. The catalysts particularly polymerize styrene to form polystyrene.
US07705150B2
The invention provides a novel class of cyanine dyes that are functionalized with a linker moiety that facilitates their conjugation to other species. Also provided are conjugates of the dyes, methods of using the dyes and their conjugates and kits including the dyes and their conjugates.
US07705146B2
The invention relates to compounds of formula (I) wherein R′, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, Y, n and m are as defined herein. The compounds are useful for the treatment and prevention of hepatitis C viral infections in mammals by inhibiting HCV NS3 protease. The invention further relates to azalactone compounds of the formula (III) which can be reacted with an amide anion to produce the compounds of formula (I).
US07705134B2
The present invention provides novel polynucleotides encoding BGS-4 polypeptides, fragments and homologues thereof. Also provided are vectors, host cells, antibodies, and recombinant and synthetic methods for producing the polypeptides of the present invention. The invention further relates to diagnostic and therapeutic methods for applying these novel BGS-4 polypeptides to the diagnosis, treatment, and/or prevention of various diseases and/or disorders related to these polypeptides. The invention further relates to screening methods for identifying agonists and antagonists of the polynucleotides and polypeptides of the present invention.
US07705132B2
The invention provides a formulation including a buffer having a pH less than 6.0, a divalent cation between about 5-200 mM, an excipient comprising a sugar or polyol and an effective amount of a therapeutic polypeptide. Also provided is a method of stabilizing a polypeptide. The method includes contacting a therapeutic polypeptide with a concentration of divalent cation between about 5-150 150 mM in a buffer having a pH less than 6.0 and an excipient comprising a sugar or polyol.
US07705128B2
Nucleic acids encoding mammalian, e.g., primate, IL-1ζ, purified IL-1ζ polypeptides and fragments thereof. Binding proteins, e.g., antibodies, both polyclonal and monoclonal, are also provided. Methods of using the compositions for both diagnostic and therapeutic utilities are provided.
US07705125B2
Modified neurotoxin comprising neurotoxin including structural modification, wherein the structural modification alters the biological persistence, preferably the biological half-life, of the modified neurotoxin relative to an identical neurotoxin without the structural modification. The structural modification includes addition or deletion of a leucine-based motif or parts thereof. In one embodiment, methods of making the modified neurotoxin include using recombinant techniques. In another embodiment, methods of using the modified neurotoxin to treat biological disorders include treating autonomic disorders, neuromuscular disorders or pains.
US07705113B2
A process for preparing peroxidic perfluoropolyethers having a perioxidic content (PO) lower than or equal to 1.2 of formula A-CF2O(CF2CF2O)m(CF2O)n—(CF2CF2OO)ml(CF2OO)n1CF2—B (I) Wherein A, B equal to or different from each other are —C1, —F, —F2CC1, —COF, —OCOF, —CF3, m, m1, n, n1 are integers such that the (m+m1)/(n+n1) ratio is between 0.6 and 1.3 and the m/n ration is between 0.5 and 1.2; the number average molecular weight is in the range 35,000-45,000, by tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) photooxidation in the presence of UV light, at a temperature from −80° C. to −40° C., in the presence of a mixture of solvents formed of HFC-227 (hepta-fluoropropane) and a solvent selected between HFC-125 (pentafluoroethane) and FC-218 (perfluoropropane).
US07705112B2
The present embodiments relate to a novel method of making quaternary ammonium polymers comprising the steps of: a) mixing 1,4-bis-dimethylamino-2-butene, triethanolamine, water and an acid; and b) introducing a 1,4-dihalo-2-butene to the mixture so as to initiate a reaction resulting in the quaternary ammonium polymer.
