US08122510B2
A system and method for managing unstructured data that includes identifying at least one unstructured data environment with unstructured data, identifying mitigating controls in each of the unstructured data environments, the mitigating controls reducing a security risk associated with each of the unstructured data environments, and generating at least one process for managing the unstructured data in each of the unstructured data environments, the process including defining mitigating controls for managing the unstructured data in each of the unstructured data environments.
US08122506B2
Characteristics about one or more wireless access devices in a wireless network, whether known or unknown entities, can be determined using a system and method according to the present invention. An observation is made of the activity over a Wireless Area Network (WLAN). Based on this activity, changes in state of wireless access devices within the WLAN can be observed and monitored. These changes in state could be indicative of normal operation of the WLAN, or they may indicate the presence of an unauthorized user. In the latter case, an alert can be sent so that appropriate action may be taken. Additionally, ad hoc networks can be detected that may be connected to a wireless access point.
US08122501B2
One embodiment of the present invention includes a method for traitor tracing that includes performing an inner code traitor tracing on a recovered pirated digital file, the recovered digital file incorporating an inner code for assigning segments of the digital file and an outer code for assigning inner codes to individual digital files. The method also includes extracting partial information regarding the outer code from the inner code tracing. An outer code tracing procedure may then be performed using the partial information.
US08122498B1
A system, method and computer program product are provided for combined alerting. Initially, an event is identified. First information relating to a first response to the event associated with a first application is received. Further received is second information relating to a second response to the event associated with a second application. In response thereto, a single alert is displayed including the first information and the second information.
US08122497B2
A distributed networked physical security access control system for controlling a plurality of security access devices comprises a plurality of access server appliances in communication with a primary network. Each access server appliance includes an appliance management module being accessible through a web browser in communication with the primary network. The appliance management module configures the access server appliances to a user specified security configuration. The plurality of access server appliances are in peer-to-peer communication on the primary network to bridge the access server appliances for providing consistency in each of the access server appliances.
US08122491B2
Techniques are provided for determining a physical presence setting. First information is received indicating whether a physical token of a user is detected with respect to a device associated with the user. The physical presence setting for the user with respect to the device is determined in accordance with the first information.
US08122486B2
A method, system, and apparatus for managing customer premise equipment according to one embodiment includes establishing a secure connection between a first transport unit and a second transport unit. The secure connection includes an embedded operations channel and is operable to isolate a management plane from a data plane. The method further includes the first transport unit receiving a request for access to the first transport unit from the second transport unit. The method further includes establishing a secure terminal session between the first transport unit and the second transport unit using the embedded operations channel in response to receiving the request for access. The first transport unit then receives a management command from the second transport unit and the first transport unit performs at least one management function in response to receiving the management command.
US08122485B2
Techniques for authenticating clients of differing capabilities in an efficient manner. Two or more authentication techniques, including one preferred authentication technique, are initiated to run in parallel to authenticate a client. Upon determining that the client can support the preferred authentication technique, the preferred technique is used to authenticate the client and the other authentication techniques are aborted. If it is determined that the client cannot support the preferred authentication technique, then one of the other authentication techniques is used to authenticate the client. In this manner, based upon the capabilities of the client, an appropriate authentication technique is used to authenticate the client in an efficient manner.
US08122479B2
Methods and apparatus for selecting, purchasing and delivering content to users of a network so that the user has “virtual” ownership of and access to the content, thereby obviating the need for physical media (e.g., DVDs or CDs). In an exemplary embodiment, the network comprises a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) network, and on-demand (OD) sessions or broadcast modes are used to deliver the virtual content stored at the head-end (or hub site) to the requesting owner. The purchased content is associated with one or more users when stored, thereby providing the owner(s) unlimited access thereto, without the costs and effort associated with renting/purchasing and maintaining DVDs. The content may also comprise new release content, which would otherwise not be available over the network at that time but for the purchase and delivery mechanisms of the invention. Various other complementary features for enhancing the user's virtual ownership experience are also disclosed.
US08122473B2
The present invention relates to a digital broadcasting system and a processing data method thereof. The present invention includes acquiring a first ensemble providing service guide information for mobile service data from a broadcast signal in which the mobile service data and main service data are multiplexed, acquiring, from the first ensemble, first program table information including information which indicates that the first ensemble provides service guide information for a second ensemble, and decoding the first program table information and acquiring service guide information for mobile service data included in the second ensemble by using the decoded first program table information.
US08122472B2
Providing interactive access to video programming and video content information in a multimedia system. A processing device of the multimedia system receives video content information associated with video programming that is to be broadcast. The video content information includes at least video identification information and video content information. The display device of the multimedia system presents a first interface image that presents the video content information for one of the video programs of the video programming. In response to viewer input, a second interface image is displayed on the display device presenting video content information for another one of the video programs of the video programming or for more detailed information associated with the video program. In this manner, the viewer can conveniently navigate through the video content information and identify information that is useful in selecting a program to watch.
US08122471B2
Multiple channel maps are embedded in a television transmission and the appropriate-channel corresponding to the particular television service used by the viewer is downloaded for use with the television receiver. Each channel map is accompanied by a channel map identifier which identifies the source of the television transmission and a geographic identifier. The source of a television transmission is automatically detected by monitoring the radio-frequency spectrum allocations of telecast stations. The geographic area identifier is determined by comparison with a user inputted geographic area identifier. The channel map having a channel map identifier corresponding to the detected television transmission source and the user inputted geographic area identifier is downloaded and stored for future use.
US08122469B2
A method and arrangement for modifying settings of a television program recommender displays the rating (recommended or not recommended) for a selected television program, and also displays icons for selection by the user to indicate whether the user agrees or disagrees with the recommendation. The television program recommender then updates its settings based on the user's icon selection. In addition, if the user indicates that he/she disagrees with the recommendation, the television program recommender determines and displays the number of times that the user needs to indicate his/her desires with respect to the selected television program in order for the recommendation to agree with the user's desires.
US08122461B2
An optical disc device is disclosed. In the optical disc device, a cam portion configured to include a holder that is supported on the outside of a cam member to turn and move vertically is provided in a position that is in vicinity of a tray being supported by elevator cam gears. In disc loading/ejecting operations, the cam portion is turned and a projecting portion pushes down a tray projecting portion of the tray, so that a space S if formed between the tray and the disc. Since the tray is shaped into a closed circular tray, a rigidity of the tray can be ensured and also the space used to avoid a contact between a projecting portion on a lower face of the disc and a surface of the tray can be provided by bending the tray.
US08122458B2
The device communication interface obtains a device driver corresponding to a device connected to the input and output interface from a server on a communication network via a communication interface, and outputs information, which is input via the input and output interface and the device driver from the device, via the communication interface to the server on the communication network, and/or outputs information, which is received via the communication interface from a server on the communication network, via the device driver and the input and output interface to the device.
US08122443B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for a dynamic multi-context delta view for merging structured data in a visual merge tool. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for providing a dynamic multi-context delta view can include rendering a compare view of a merged state for a selected model to include model controls each corresponding to a different model state for the selected model. The method further can include detecting a transient proximity event in connection with a particular one of the model controls. The method yet further can include identifying a corresponding model state for the particular one of the model controls. Finally, the method can include replacing the merged state with the corresponding model state in the compare view.
US08122438B2
Computer implemented method, system and computer usable program code for profiling the execution of an application that is both space- and time-efficient and highly accurate. A computer implemented method for profiling the execution of an application includes sampling execution characteristics of the application at a plurality of sampling points to provide samples, and deriving a calling context of the samples. The application is continuously executed between sampling points while additional profiling data is gathered.
US08122436B2
Methods and apparatus for generating error reports with enhanced privacy are described. In an embodiment the error is triggered by an input to a software program. An error report is generated by identifying conditions on an input to the program which ensure that, for any input which satisfies the conditions, the software program will follow the same execution path such that the error can be reproduced. The error report may include these conditions or may include a new input generated using the conditions.
US08122431B2
A data processing device, including a formula editor capable of establishing a formal mathematical formula with variable identifiers, a set on metadata maintaining correspondence between the identifiers and stored data, and a code generator capable of generating a code executing the formula on the stored data. An editor of conditions establishes an expression of condition operable on database tables to provide a data table. The formula editor authorizes a particular notation bearing on a particular operator and a variable identifier, in the presence of which the condition editor is actuated to establish a correspondence with a particular metadata serving as a pointer to an expression of condition and to a standby table, and the code generator produces through the particular metadata of the executable code resolving the condition and fills the standby table with the data derived from the resolution of the condition and applies the operator to the table.
US08122425B2
A quality management framework system and method for operating a quality plan in a product development organization having quality objectives. The system includes a plurality of computer implemented tools accessible by users for operating a plurality of quality processes. Data relative to the quality processes is collected and aggregated to generate quality reports. Reports are analysed and problems are detected through a defect prevention process. Quality actions are initiated in a feedback quality management action tracking process.
US08122420B1
A computer-implemented method of routing a circuit design for a target integrated circuit (IC) can include determining a characterization of routing congestion of the circuit design within the target IC and determining a first order cost component of using routing resources of the target IC according to the characterization. The method can include determining a higher order cost component of using routing resources of the target IC according to the characterization and assigning signals of the circuit design to routing resources according to costs calculated using the first order cost component and the higher order cost component. Signal assignments of the circuit design can be output.
US08122419B2
Capacitance extraction techniques are provided. In one aspect, a method for analyzing variational coupling capacitance between conductors in an integrated circuit design is provided. The method comprises the following steps. Coupling capacitance is computed between conductors of interest from the design using a set of floating random walk paths. One or more of the conductors are perturbed. Any of the floating random walk paths affected by the perturbation are modified. The coupling capacitance between the conductors of interest is recomputed to include the modified floating random walk paths.
US08122418B2
A layout apparatus stores a plurality of capacitor cells which are classifiable into a first classification for identifying capacitor cells having different sizes by frequency characteristic correlating with gate width of a capacitor and a second classification for identifying capacitor cells having different frequency characteristics by cell size. The layout apparatus: recognizes a plurality of combinations of a directed frequency characteristic and arrangement area; selects, for each of the combinations, capacitor cells corresponding to the directed frequency characteristic based on the first classification; reads out the capacitor cells in the descending order of cell size from the selected capacitor cells; arranges the read out capacitor cells to fill the directed arrangement area; checks a violation of capacitor density for all the directed arrangement areas of the plurality of combinations; replaces, when detecting the violation, a capacitor cell having larger gate width out of the arranged capacitor cells with a capacitor cell having smaller gate width besides the same cell size as the capacitor cell having larger gate width in accordance with the second classification; and retries checking the violation of capacitor density after finishing the replacement.
US08122413B2
Logic blocks for IC designs (including gate-array, standard cell, or logic array designs) provide Design-for-Test-enabled flip-flops (DFT-enabled FFs) that inherently insure compliance with DFT rules associated with scan shifting. Test scan-chains are configured by daisy-chaining instances of the logic block in a transparent (invisible) manner to user-designed application circuits, which can be designed without any user-inserted test structures or other regard for DFT considerations. User asynchronous set and reset inputs and all Stuck-At faults on all user pins on these DFT-enabled FFs are observable via capture and scan-out. A first type of these DFT-enabled FFs features addressable control to partition test the application circuit. A second type of these DFT-enabled FFs features integral capture buffering that eliminates the need for partition test, simplifying control logic and reducing the number of test vectors needed.
US08122411B2
An abstraction model supporting multiple hierarchical levels is inputted into a generalized static timing analysis of a hierarchical IC chip design to analyze and optimize the design of circuits integral to the chip containing a plurality of macro abstracts. An electrical network, synthesized for an internal abstract interconnect segment, is performed only once per macro and is applied to multiple instances of the macro abstract model in the IC chip design. The synthesized electrical network is a resistive capacitive or a resistive inductive capacitive network or a combination thereof. The synthesized electrical network is then used to match impulse response transfer functions of the network and the abstract interconnect segment's timing model. This network is stitched with the electrical parasitics of external interconnect segments connected to macro primary outputs. Various model order reductions are then performed on the electrical parasitics of external interconnects prior to network stitching. A static timing analysis is performed on the final network.
US08122408B2
A circuit verification method propagates a fixed logic value from a black-box circuit block without logic information to a subsequent-stage circuit, by taking into consideration timing information.
US08122404B2
A method for performing a hierarchical statistical timing analysis of an integrated circuit (IC) chip design by abstracting one or more macros of the design. The method includes performing a statistical static timing analysis of at least one macro; performing a statistical abstraction of the macro to obtain a statistical abstract model of the macro timing characteristics; applying the statistical abstract model as the timing model for each occurrence of the macro leading to a simplified IC chip design; and performing a hierarchical statistical timing analysis of the simplified chip design. The method achieves a context aware statistical abstraction, where a generated statistical abstract model is instantiated for each macro of the chip during statistical static timing analysis at the chip level, providing a compressed and pruned statistical timing abstraction and reducing the model-size during the statistical abstraction.
US08122393B2
Methods are provided for building integrated circuit transformer devices having compact and optimized architectures for use in MMW (millimeter-wave) applications. The integrated circuit transformer devices have universal and scalable architectures that can be used as templates or building blocks for constructing various types of on-chip devices for millimeter-wave applications.
US08122370B2
A method includes receiving a request to generate a visual bookmark for a home design product based on a selection of the home design product from a website and extracting information about the home design product from the website. The method also includes categorizing the home design product based on the information and generating the visual bookmark for the home design product, the visual bookmark comprising an image of the home design product and information related to the home design product.
US08122359B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for topological display of user interface elements. An input/output module receives the selection of a UIE. A topology display module displays a topology view of the selected UIE and a child UIE of the selected UIE. A relationship display module displays a modified navigation relationship indicator (NRI) for each navigation relationship between UIEs wherein at least one UIE in the navigation relationship comprises modified functionality, a new NRI for each navigation relationship between UIEs wherein at least one UIE in the navigation relationship comprises new functionality, and an existing NRI for each navigation relationship between UIEs wherein no UIE in the navigation relationship comprises modified functionality. The modified functionality may comprise plug-in functions and upgraded functions. The new functionality may comprise a new object.
US08122358B2
A communication management technology of improved convenience is provided. A game apparatus includes: a registration unit which registers other terminals accessible through a network as participants to notify each other's status to; a status information acquisition unit which acquires information indicating the statuses of the registered terminals through the network; a list display unit which displays a list of the registered terminals on a screen; and a comment display unit which displays a user-selected terminal distinctively from the rest of the list, and if information indicating the status of the terminal includes any comment from a user of the terminal to a user or users of a terminal or terminals by which the terminal is registered as a participant of notification, displays the comment on the screen.
US08122354B1
Systems and methods are provided for detecting an action providing input associated with an element of a user interface and/or graphical model, and providing an indicator to indicate the action has been detected. The user interface and graphical model may provide one or more elements that may be editable or otherwise changeable by a user or programmatically via executable instructions. The action may provide input that may change a value of the editable element of the user interface or alter an element of the graphical model. Upon detection of the action, the present invention provides an indicator in the user interface or the graphical model in a manner associated with the detected changed element. The indicator may be a visual indicator or may be any other sensory type of indicator, such as a sound, force, or tactile indicator. As such, the indicator provides a prompt to a user that one or more elements of the user interface or graphical model may need to be saved, applied, or any changes canceled.
US08122352B2
A parts marking system has memory for storing data indicative of at least one algorithm associated with at least one object material and logic configured to display the at least one algorithm to a display device and receive a user input for at least one part in response to the displayed algorithm.
US08122351B2
A document edit device includes: an object obtaining unit that obtains objects each being data expressing at least one of a text and an image which are included in a document as an edit target to be edited; an object selection unit that selects at least two target objects from among the objects obtained by the object obtaining unit, the target objects each being an object as a processing target to be processed; a golden rectangle forming unit that forms a golden rectangle having a predetermined positional relationship with at least one target object of the at least two target objects selected by the object selection unit, based on a size or position of the at least one target object; and a position change unit that changes positions of the at least two target objects such that they are inscribed to the golden rectangle formed by the golden rectangle forming unit.
US08122350B2
Modular content framework and document format methods and systems are described. The described framework and format define a set of building blocks for composing, packaging, distributing, and rendering document-centered content. These building blocks define a platform-independent framework for document formats that enable software and hardware systems to generate, exchange, and display documents reliably and consistently. The framework and format have been designed in a flexible and extensible fashion. In addition to this general framework and format, a particular format, known as the reach package format, is defined using the general framework. The reach package format is a format for storing paginated documents. The contents of a reach package can be displayed or printed with full fidelity among devices and applications in a wide range of environments and across a wide range of scenarios.
US08122349B2
Grouping blocks of text according to user-defined contexts, and editing group specific blocks can be used to improve document consistency during editing and revising of electronic documents. A change made in one block often requires appropriate changes to be made in other blocks that are contextually related to the changed block. Such changes are made to ensure this consistency. Commands that deal with block groups (such as, create group, add block to group(s), delete block from group(s), edit group, merge group, etc.) are provided to assist a user in editing documents.
US08122346B2
Methods and systems are disclosed for generating, managing, and publishing documents based on document level objects and software level objects. In one aspect, a method is provided for managing documents in a computing system environment. The method includes identifying a placeholder object included in a document having a document level object, the placeholder object having metadata corresponding to a software level object. Software level object content is identified in response to a query message and is included within a response to the query message. A format of the software level object content included in the response is transformed into a second format based on a second set of constraints, and merged in the document based on the placeholder object. An output document may be generated such that the transformed software level object content replaces the placeholder object in the output document.
US08122342B2
A mechanism is provided for enforcing accessible content development. The mechanism enforces accessible content development by accessing a tag library descriptor for each of a plurality of markup tags for web content authoring where the tag library descriptor notes one or more tag sub-elements required for accessibility. The mechanism analyzes each markup tag in a piece of web content by comparing the tag library descriptor accessibility requirements to sub-elements included with each markup tag to determine whether all required accessibility sub-elements are present. The mechanism generates an error message if all required accessibility sub-elements of a markup tag are not present.
US08122328B2
A Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem (BCH) error correction circuit and method including storing normal data and first parity data in a memory cell array, the normal data and first parity data forming BCH encoded data; generating second parity data from the stored normal data; comparing the first parity data with the second parity data; and checking for an error in the normal data in response to the comparing.
US08122325B2
A network component comprising a processor configured to implement a method that comprises applying a forward error correction (FEC) algorithm to a plurality of data blocks to generate a plurality of redundancy data, encapsulating an integer number of the data blocks and the redundancy data in an FEC codeword, and transmitting the FEC codeword, wherein the codeword is about evenly aligned with a transmission clock time quanta to have a transmission rate. A method comprising selecting an FEC algorithm that generates a plurality of redundancy data from a plurality of data blocks, selecting an EEC codeword that encapsulates an integer number of the data blocks, and selecting a synchronization pattern to add to the FEC codeword such that an integer number of the FEC codewords are evenly aligned with an integer number of transmission clock time quanta.
US08122311B2
In a test and debug system in which a plurality of selectable modules under test have different operational rates, a selection unit associated with each module is used to control the application of the RCLK signal from the module to the combiner unit, the combiner unit providing a composite RCLK signal. Each selection unit has output signals of RCLK_NE and RCLK_PE signals which are applied to an combiner unit to form the composite RCLK signal. In response to the SELECT signal, the RCLK_NE and RCLK_PE are synchronized with the module RCLK signal. When the SELECT signal is removed, the RCLK_NE and RCLK_PE signals are continuously applied to the combiner unit.
US08122305B2
A system for operating a data storage device having a plurality of sectors and at least one port, each port having a transmitter and a receiver, is disclosed. In one embodiment the system includes coupling at least one of the transmitters to at least one of the receivers, providing power to the data storage device, detecting that the transmitter is coupled to the receiver, and executing code for exercising the data storage device.
US08122300B2
A non-volatile redundant verifiable indication of data storage status is provided with respect to data storage operations conducted with respect to removable data storage media, and store the indication with an auxiliary non-volatile memory of the data storage media, such that the indication stays with the media. At least one state value indicating the status of the data storage operation is written to one page of the auxiliary non-volatile memory, and a redundancy check is provided with respect to at least the written state value of the one page of the auxiliary non-volatile memory; and the same state value is written to a second page of the auxiliary non-volatile memory, and a redundancy check is provided with respect to at least the written state value of the second page of the auxiliary non-volatile memory. The redundancy checks indicate the validity of the state values.
US08122297B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed for performing maintenance operations in a system using address, data, and controls which are transported through the system, allowing for parallel and serial operations to co-exist without the parallel operations being slowed down by the serial ones. It also provides for use of common shifters, engines, and protocols as well as efficient conversion of ECC to parity and parity to ECC as needed in the system. The invention also provides for error detection and isolation, both locally and in the reported status. The invention provides for large maintenance address and data spaces (typically 64 bits address and 64 bits data per address supported).
US08122296B2
When an image processing apparatus acquires job log information and error log information from an image forming apparatus, the information processing apparatus identifies a job processing time from a job start time and a job end time of each job which are recorded in the acquired job log information. Subsequently, the information processing apparatus identifies a job suspension time from an occurrence time and a recovery time of an error of each log which is recorded in the error log information. Then, the information processing apparatus calculates a job execution time based on the identified job processing time and the job suspension time.
US08122295B2
A circuit is operated to detect unstable memory cells from among a plurality of memory cells in at least one page. A determination is made from an initial status of data stored in a memory cell whether no read error occurs when the data is read at a standard read voltage level, whether a read error occurs and the read error is correctable, and whether a read error occurs and the read error is uncorrectable. Responsive to determining that a read error occurs that is correctable, a further determination is made as to whether the memory cell is correctable by reading the data stored in the memory cell at a correction read voltage level, which has a different voltage level from the standard read voltage level, and by determining whether a read error occurring in the data read at the correction read voltage level is correctable or uncorrectable.
US08122292B2
Facilitating debugging of business flows deployed on a production server. An aspect of the present invention processes some service requests (received from a client system) in a normal mode and some other service requests in a debug mode concurrently, all according to a business flow. According to another aspect, the debug mode supports a single step debug operation, in which each step corresponds to a single activity of the business flow. Accordingly, an administrator of the production server is enabled to better determine, the problems in the execution of business flows deployed on a production server at runtime.
US08122287B2
A RAID storage system is provided with a plurality of disk drive modules in communication with a processor through a RAID controller. Tools and processes are provided for managing failure of individual modules in the RAID, identifying and managing excess spare modules, and migrating modules among array sites to produce uniform or near-uniform array sites.
US08122284B2
Reciprocal data storage protection is combined with “N+1” hardware provisioning and on-demand resynchronization to guarantee full data availability without impairing performance. Pairs of nodes are identified that act as backups for each other, where each node stores a secondary copy of data allocated to its reciprocal, paired node. A single extra node is brought online to take over the role of a failed node and assumes the role of the primary node it replaced.
US08122283B2
A network failover apparatus and method for use in a client-server system. The method includes establishing at least a first and further path between a client and a server. The first path connects the server to the client through a first network and a first interface of the client and the further path connects the server to the client through a further network that is separate from the first network and a further interface of the client. The method also includes reaching the server through the first interface, detecting that the server is no longer reachable through the first interface, and identifying the first interface as failed. The method also includes reaching the server through the further interface after the first interface is identified as failed, testing the first interface to determine whether the server is reachable while the server is reachable through the further interface, and reestablishing a connection to the server through the first interface.
US08122282B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system that leverages the Operational Support System(s) (OSS) and Business Support system(s) (BSS) of a (e.g., public) computing Cloud with a service to automate virtual instance restarts. For example, under embodiments of the present invention, a failed virtual instance is detected within the Cloud computing environment, and a request for a new virtual instance is received in response thereto. Upon receiving the request, an entitlement of a user associated with the failed virtual instance will be tested. Specifically, a set of authentication calls and checks are deployed in accordance herewith to ensure the integrity of the requests, as well as the authorization of the requester for the resource use. Assuming testing is passed, a countdown timer associated with the failed virtual instance will be decreased. When the countdown timer reaches a predetermined threshold (e.g., zero), the new virtual instance will be started, the failed virtual instance will be terminated, and the countdown timer will be reset/restarted by instance. Integration with BSS further allows for monitoring and charging of service usage as well as opening the option for pay-as-you-go charges for the restart service itself.
US08122275B2
Circuits, methods, and apparatus for memory interfaces that compensate for skew between a clock signal and DQ/DQS signals that may be caused by a fly-by routing topology. The skew is compensated by clocking the DQ/DQS signals with a phase delayed clock signal, where the phase delay has been calibrated. In one example calibration routine, a clock signal is provided to a receiving device. A DQ/DQS signal is also provided and the timing of their reception compared. A delay of the DQ/DQS signal is changed incrementally until the DQ/DQS signal is aligned with the clock signal at the receiving device. This delay is then used during device operation to delay a signal that clocks registers providing the DQ/DQS signals. Each DQ/DQS group can be aligned to the clock, or the DQS and DQ signals in a group may be independently aligned to the clock at the receiving device.
US08122265B2
In some embodiments, a chip includes a scheduler, transmitters, receivers, and control circuitry. The schedule schedules signals to be transmitted outside the chip and the transmitters transmit the scheduled signals outside the chip. The receivers receive signals including signals with temperature information related to a temperature outside the chip. The control circuitry selectively limit a number of commands that can be scheduled within a series of smaller windows while checking the temperature information near the conclusion of a larger window comprising many smaller windows. Other embodiments are described.
US08122263B2
A BD-ROM stores a disc root certificate 301 that is issued by a root certificate authority and assigned to the disc medium. An application manger 2 acquires a hash value from the disc root certificate 301 and verifies the authenticity of an application by using the hash value. If the authenticity is verified, the virtual machine 3 executes the application. A local storage 5 has a plurality of domain areas. Form among the plurality of domain areas, a security manger 4 allocates to the application a domain area that corresponds to the hash value.
US08122259B2
A system and algorithms to authenticate a person where a system only has some standard personal text data about the person, and cannot have a real biometric template obtained using an enrollment procedure. The authentication allows access to restricted resources by the person. This method is especially useful when it is used as an auxiliary authentication service with other methods such as password or Callback that dramatically lower the chances for an imposter.
US08122255B2
Various systems, methods, and programs embodied in computer-readable mediums are provided for digital authentication using digitally signed images. In one representative embodiment, a method includes extracting a first image portion from an image selected by a first party, where the first image portion including a first encoded part of an second party digital signature, and obtaining a second image portion associated with the first image portion, where the second image portion including a second encoded part of the second party digital signature. The first and second encoded parts of the second party digital signature are decoded and validity of the second party digital signature is confirmed based upon a second party public key.
US08122253B2
Architecture that facilitates validation of a data mapping of data from a data source to a data target. There is included a signature generation component that generates a source signature of all or a portion of the data source and a target signature of all or a corresponding portion of the data target, and a sampling component that obtains a sample of the source data a corresponding sample of the target data. The data signatures and data samples are compared respectively and processed with a processing component to determine the status of the validation process.
US08122246B2
A decryption key unique to each user system is a value obtained by (a)assigning different individual key generation polynomials to a root, a plurality of nodes, and a plurality of leaves of a tree structure, respectively, (b) assigning the different leaves on the tree structure a plurality of subgroups obtained by dividing a group of a plurality of user identification information items which are for individually identifying the user systems, and (c) substituting the user identification information item of the each user system into one of the individual key generation polynomials which corresponds to one of leaves assigned to one of the subgroups to which the user identification information item corresponding to the each user system belongs or an ancestor node of the one of the leaves and a common key generation polynomial common to the root, the nodes, and the leaves.
US08122241B2
A method for delivering a confidential e-mail is disclosed. The application software loads a first e-mail, checks if an attached file of the first e-mail is encrypted, opens a second e-mail for delivering a password of the attached file when the attached file is encrypted, and loads at least one receiver of the first e-mail to the second e-mail for sending the second e-mail.
US08122238B2
System and method for implementing multi-channel operations in a programmable hardware element (PHE). A hardware configuration program, including a processing function, inputs and outputs of the processing function, a plurality of channels, and channel scanning functionality for the plurality of channels, is specified. A PHE is configured with the hardware configuration program, including implementing the processing function and the channel scanning functionality on the PHE. A respective state and configuration of each of the plurality of channels is stored in a memory of the PHE to enable logic-sharing between each of the plurality of channels. The PHE is operated, including performing channel scanning on the plurality of channels, and updating the configuration of one or more of the channels in the memory of the PHE without interrupting the channel scanning, without taking any of the channels offline, and/or without interrupting a continuity of an output of the PHE.
US08122234B1
A device includes a first memory with first and second memory segments. The first memory segment stores a full image file. A second memory segment stores a partial image file, which is a smaller file and has fewer features than the full image file. A second memory stores a boot program. A control module detects an error in the full image file and executes the boot program using the partial image file.
US08122231B2
Selective power control of one or more processing elements matches a degree of parallelism to requirements of a task performed in a highly parallel programmable data processor. For example, when program operations require less than the full width of the data path, a software instruction of the program sets a mode of operation requiring a subset of the parallel processing capacity. At least one parallel processing element, that is not needed, can be shut down to conserve power. At a later time, when the added capacity is needed, execution of another software instruction sets the mode of operation to that of the wider data path, typically the full width, and the mode change reactivates the previously shut-down processing element.
US08122224B2
An instruction is provided to perform clearing of selected address translation buffer entries (TLB entries) associated with a particular address space, such as segments of storage or regions of storage. The buffer entries related to segment table entries or region table entries or ASCE addresses. The instruction can be implemented by software emulation, hardware, firmware or some combination thereof.
US08122223B2
Access speculation predictor with predictions based on memory region prior requestor tag information
An access speculation predictor may predict whether to perform speculative retrieval of data for a data request from a main memory based on whether or not a current requestor tag matches a previous requestor tag. In particular, a first address and a first requester tag may be extracted from a first data request and a finite state machine (FSM) of a memory controller may be selected whose memory region includes the first address. A second requester tag, that identifies a previous requester that attempted to access the memory region association with the selected FSM, may be retrieved from a register associated with the selected FSM and compared to the first requester tag. Speculatively retrieving the data for the first data request from a main memory may be controlled based on results of the comparison of the first requester tag to the second requester tag.
US08122218B2
An asynchronously pipelined SDRAM has separate pipeline stages that are controlled by asynchronous signals. Rather than using a clock signal to synchronize data at each stage, an asynchronous signal is used to latch data at every stage. The asynchronous control signals are generated within the chip and are optimized to the different latency stages. Longer latency stages require larger delays elements, while shorter latency states require shorter delay elements. The data is synchronized to the clock at the end of the read data path before being read out of the chip. Because the data has been latched at each pipeline stage, it suffers from less skew than would be seen in a conventional wave pipeline architecture. Furthermore, since the stages are independent of the system clock, the read data path can be run at any CAS latency as long as the re-synchronizing output is built to support it.
US08122216B2
Computer memory management systems and methods are provided in which data block buffering and priority scheduling protocols are utilized in compressed memory systems to mask the latency associated with memory reorganization work following access to compressed main memory. In particular, data block buffers and priority scheduling protocols are implemented to delay and prioritize memory reorganization work to allow resources to be used for serving new memory access requests and other high priority commands.
US08122213B2
Systems and methods for data migration are disclosed. A method may include allocating a destination storage resource to receive migration data. The method may also include assigning the destination storage resource a first identifier value equal to an identifier value associated with a source storage resource. The method may additionally include assigning the source storage resource a second identifier value different than the first identifier value. The method may further include migrating data from the source storage resource to the destination storage resource.
US08122211B2
Systems and methods are provided for performing data backup of a communication device. Data backup can occur automatically or manually. A data backup status indicator is displayed on the communication device indicating the current status of the data backup. The user can select the data backup status indicator to obtain additional information about the status of the data backup service.
US08122206B2
Presented herein are system(s) and apparatus for a memory access unit for accessing data for a module. The memory access unit comprises an output port for providing access requests for lists of addresses in a memory over a link to a memory controller.
US08122204B2
Systems and methods for controlling memory devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, a memory system comprises a memory controller for forwarding a command signal and an address signal and for receiving and forwarding a data signal, and a first memory device for receiving the command signal and the address signal from the memory controller, where the first memory device comprises a first command judging circuit for receiving and forwarding the data signal and for decoding the command signal. The memory system further comprises a second memory device for receiving the command signal and the address signal from the memory controller, where the second memory device comprises a second command judging circuit for receiving and generating the data signal and for decoding the command signal. The command signal, the address signal and the data signal are commonly connected to the first memory device and the second memory device.
US08122197B2
A method and apparatus for managing coherence between two processors of a two processor node of a multi-processor computer system. Generally the present invention relates to a software algorithm that simplifies and significantly speeds the management of cache coherence in a message passing parallel computer, and to hardware apparatus that assists this cache coherence algorithm. The software algorithm uses the opening and closing of put/get windows to coordinate the activated required to achieve cache coherence. The hardware apparatus may be an extension to the hardware address decode, that creates, in the physical memory address space of the node, an area of virtual memory that (a) does not actually exist, and (b) is therefore able to respond instantly to read and write requests from the processing elements.
US08122193B2
A storage device includes a host interface, a buffer memory, a storage medium, and a controller. The host interface is configured to receive storage data and an invalidation command, where the invalidation command is indicative of invalid data among the storage data received by the host interface. The buffer memory is configured to temporarily store the storage data received by the host interface. The controller is configured to execute a transcribe operation in which the storage data temporarily stored in the buffer memory is selectively stored in the storage medium. Further, the controller is responsive to receipt of the invalidation command to execute a logging process when a memory capacity of the invalid data indicated by the invalidation command is equal to or greater than a reference capacity, and to execute an invalidation process when the memory capacity of the invalid data is less than the reference capacity. The logging process includes logging a location of the invalid data, and the invalidation process includes invalidating the invalid data.
US08122189B1
A method may include comparing a first content addressable memory (“CAM”) entry with a first key value to generate a first comparison result; comparing each of multiple second CAM entries with a second key value to generate multiple second comparison results; and generating a match signal if the first key value matches the first CAM entry and the second key value matches at least one of the multiple second CAM entries.
US08122185B2
A non-volatile solid-state storage subsystem, such as a non-volatile memory device, maintains usage statistics reflective of the wear state, and thus the remaining useful life, of the subsystem's memory array. A host system reads the usage statistics information, or data derived therefrom, from the subsystem to evaluate the subsystem's remaining life expectancy. The host system may use this information for various purposes, such as to (a) display or report information regarding the remaining life of the subsystem; (b) adjust the frequency with which data is written to the subsystem; and/or (c) select the type(s) of data written to the subsystem.
US08122184B2
A method for managing blocks in a flash memory is provided, which includes dynamic and static block managing methods. In the dynamic block managing method, a blank block is selected as a swap block for write operation. During each write operation, new data and/or original data in an object block to be operated are written into the swap block, and the object block is erased. Then, a logical address of the object block is changed to be a logical address of the swap block, so that the object block served as the swap block for a next write operation. In the static block managing method, a variable seed parameter is set. Different values of the seed parameter are each associated with a logical address of a respective flash memory block. When the value of the seed parameter varies, data in the flash memory block and the swap block associated to the value of the seed parameter are exchanged, so that the flash memory block associated to the value of the seed parameter becomes the swap block for the next write operation.
US08122176B2
In accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure, an information handling system is provided. The information handling system may include a plurality of processors, each processor comprising multiple cores, a memory system coupled to the plurality of processors, and a controller coupled to the plurality of processors. The controller may be configured to: receive a local system management interrupt (SMI) signal regarding an error associated with at least one of the multiple cores, determine that the received local SMI signal triggers a global SMI based on a global SMI trigger rule, cause the plurality of processors to enter a global system management mode (SMM), and log the error in a shared resource shared by the plurality of processors during the global SMM.
US08122174B2
The invention provides a system and method for updating a resource to an electronic device. The method provisions a resource to an electronic device by: (a) maintaining the resource at a remote server from the device; and (b) after a triggering event, providing a data transmission to the device containing access information for the resource. The system incorporates the method and comprises: a resource providing information for the device; a server to maintain the resource; a communication link providing the device with access to the resource; a data transmission module for extracting and transmitting access information about the resource to the device; and a data processing module for processing the received information at the device. In the device, a GUI provides information on a topic retrieved from local storage on the device and additional information about the resource is incorporated into the GUI for that topic.
US08122173B2
A serial peripheral interface (SPI) circuit and a display using the same are provided. The SPI circuit includes a mater device and a slave device. A serial data input pin and a serial data output pin of the slave device are both electrically connected to a data input/output pin of the master device. When a read instruction is sent from the master device to the slave device, the master device is set in a read status, and the slave device outputs data to the master device via the serial data output pin in response to the read instruction. When a write instruction is sent from the master device to the slave device, the master device is set in a write status, and writes data to the slave device via the serial data input pin thereof in response to the write instruction.
US08122172B2
The invention discloses a portable information security device in the security field. In order to solve the problem that the USB Key transfers data at low speed and may occupy more CPU resources with USB master/slave protocol, and to meet the demand on development of the next generation of interface technology, the invention provides a portable security device, based on serial ATA protocol, comprising an eSATA interface unit, a memory unit, a privilege management unit, an algorithm unit and a control unit.
US08122171B2
Enumerating an expanded bus system in a system. The expanded bus system may include a first bus, a bridge coupled to the first bus, and a second bus coupled to the bridge, where the second bus includes one or more downstream bus ports. One or more of the downstream bus ports may initially be masked. An initial bus enumeration may be performed during system boot, which may not include enumerating the masked bus ports. After the initial bus enumeration, the masked bus ports may be unmasked. An operating system may re-enumerate the bus system, which may include enumerating the no-longer-masked bus ports.
US08122163B2
This invention relates to a communication system including a first apparatus having a first storage medium, and a second apparatus for transmitting data to the first apparatus, the second apparatus comprising: a second storage medium for storing management information of data to be transferred to the first storage medium; communication means for communicating data with the first apparatus; edit means capable of editing the management information; and control means for making a control to transfer data stored in the second storage medium to the first storage medium by way of the communication means on the basis of the management information edited by the edit means.
US08122161B2
A method and system are disclosed for managing Profibus device information in a distributed control system. After receiving input parameter data originating from a Profibus device message, the I/O module assembly performs steps for processing, maintaining and providing the input parameter data to a requesting control processor. The processing step includes extracting input parameter values from a received Profibus device message. The extracted input parameters are then deposited in a repository on the I/O module assembly, such that for a primary input parameter, the I/O module assembly stores at least: (1) a measured value, and (2) a status value. Furthermore, the I/O module assembly maintains a reference linking the first status parameter to the first input parameter. The I/O module assembly provides a data status value with the measured value for the first input parameter in accordance with an I/O read operation. The data status value is based on the status value for the first status parameter.
US08122148B2
A method and an apparatus for Internet connection of a mobile communication terminal are disclosed. The Internet connection method includes extracting URL (uniform resource locator) information from web sites of the Internet and storing the URL information and connecting to a web site of Internet by using the extracted URL information, wherein extracting URL comprises inputting at least one numeric value representative of the URL information and inputting an designated key for Internet connection after inputting the associated numeric values. According to the present invention, a user may connect to a desired web site by inputting a web site name by using numeric keys and an Internet key. Accordingly, the quantity of key strokes required for connecting to a web site is reduced and user convenience is improved.
US08122144B2
Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for reliable messaging using redundant message streams in a high speed, low latency data communications environment that include brokering, by a stream administration server, establishment of an active message stream to a subscribing client device from an active feed adapter, the active message stream capable of communicating active application messages; brokering, by the server, establishment of a backup message stream to the subscribing client device from a backup feed adapter, the backup message stream capable of communicating backup application messages representing duplicates of the active messages; receiving the active messages in messaging middleware of the subscribing client device; receiving, in response to a failover, the backup messages in the messaging middleware; and administering, by the messaging middleware, the backup messages in dependence upon an active stream source identifier, an active stream source sequence number, a backup stream source identifier, and a backup stream source sequence number.
US08122138B2
A system is presented for facilitating management of user attribute information at one or more attribute information providers (AIPs), which can manage the user's attribute information in accordance with user-selected or administratively-determined options, including options that are stored in attribute release policies and/or dynamically determined during a transaction. E-commerce service providers (ECSPs), such as online banks or merchants, also maintain a relationship with an AIP such that the ECSP can trust the user attribute information that is provided by the AIP on behalf of the user. The user can complete transactions that require user attribute information at any ECSP without having to have previously established a relationship with that particular ECSP. If the ECSP has a relationship with one of the user's AIPs, then the user will be able to direct the ECSP to an AIP when the ECSP needs user attribute information to complete a transaction for the user.
US08122137B2
Providing location information to a supervisory user includes providing a parental control, using a computer automatically to determine a location of a subordinate user, and storing location information indicative of the location of the subordinate user in a database. A request of the supervisory user to locate the subordinate user is received and a user interface informs the supervisory user of the location of the subordinate user based on the stored location information. At least one of the storing and/or the informing are based on the parental control.
US08122133B2
The present invention relates to a pseudonode used for deployment on a peer to peer network which pseudonode comprises an IP address and client ID that is changeable upon the occurrence of a preselected event and includes a list containing at least one searchable data object. The pseudonode is programmed for monitoring the network to receive search requests therefrom and to compare each said received search with said list of data objects and to respond to such request. The invention also provides a method for monitoring search requests for selected objects by nodes on a peer to peer network. The method includes interposing the pseudonodes on the network in which it is configured to provide at least one IP address and optionally at least one client ID. The pseudonode has at least one stored object corresponding to a request object stored at said pseudonode; and monitors the network to detect requests matching at least one of the stored objects and acquires a unique ID generated by any network node requesting the object matching that stored object on the pseudonode and responding to substantially each node representing an acquired ID.
US08122128B2
There is provided a system for regulating access and managing distribution of content in a network, such as the Internet. The system includes communication gateways, installed at a subscriber site, internet control points, installed remotely, and various network elements installed throughout the network. The communication gateways and network elements operate in conjunction with the internet control points to restrict or allow access to specified Internet sites and to manage efficient distribution of content such as music, video, games, broadband data, real-time audio and voice applications, and software to subscribers.
US08122111B2
Methods of obtaining and comparing data processing system configurations, and producing reports of differences between the configurations, where the configurations include elements to control access from a remote client to a storage facility of a data processing system, are described. Systems to receive and alter a configuration based on local conditions, and to use the altered configuration to control data exchange logic are also described. Software to display configuration elements, identify differences between configurations, and attach attributes to configuration elements is also described.
US08122109B2
An incompatibility problem during a virtual environment migration from a first host to a second host can be addressed by changing a configuration of the virtual environment and/or by migrating the virtual environment to a host other than the second host. A migration advisor module is configured to take such action automatically upon detection of the incompatibility problem. Alternatively, the migration advisor module may take such action with assistance and/or input from an operator. The migration advisor module can change the configuration of the virtual environment by removing unnecessary components of the virtual environment and causing the reconfigured virtual environment to be migrated to the second host. Alternatively, the migration advisor module can cause the virtual environment to be migrated to a third host with sufficient physical system resources to meet the requirements of the virtual environment.
US08122108B2
One embodiment of the present invention comprises determining a cluster leader and using the cluster leader to set up a lease table at an application server of a cluster of application servers. The lease table can be used to maintain at least one lease for a singleton service.
US08122100B2
According to the invention, a system for downloading a plurality of content objects from the Internet to a computer of a user is disclosed. The system includes first and second web pages, a database and a media server. The first web page allows selection of the number of content objects. The second web page includes a link to an application that includes embedded information that correlates the number of content objects to the application. The database stores the number of content objects. The media server composes an application that includes the embedded information. The number of content objects are selected by a user from the first web page. The media server allows download of the number of content objects after receiving the embedded information from a computer of a user.
US08122098B1
A system, method, and computer readable medium for managing network storage provider and CDN service providers are provided. A content broker component obtains client computing device requests for content provided by a content provider. The content broker processes the client computing device requests and determines whether a subsequent request for the resource should be directed to a network storage provider or a CDN service provider as a function of the updated or processed by the content broker.
US08122095B2
A system and method is disclosed for extracting and maintaining in a virtual address book one or more electronic mail addresses from one or more of the various address fields (e.g., “From,” “To,” “Cc,” “Bcc”) of one or more e-mail messages either transmitted from or received at a predetermined network node (e.g., a client or server). Electronic mail addresses stored in the virtual address book may be made available to “auto-complete” capabilities utilized during the addressing of electronic mail messages.
US08122090B2
A method for terminating a communication session is present. During a communication session in which communication devices are in communication through a server, one of the devices decides to terminate the session. This device generates a first message requesting permission to terminate participation in the session and sends it to the server. The server, receiving the first message, determines whether or not there is session media being communicated or pending communication to the device. If not, the server generates a second message authorizing the device to terminate its participation in the session and sends it to the device. The device continues to listen for session media until, upon receiving the second message, it terminates its participation in the session.
US08122083B2
A client apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes a contents list request transmitting means 401 for transmitting a request of a media server apparatus 101 to transmit a contents list which is a list of metadata of contents, a contents list receiving means 402 for receiving the contents list from the media server apparatus 101, an item list storing means 403 for storing the contents list and an item list having listed items each of which is described as metadata, an item list transmitting means 404 for transmitting the item list to a monitor server apparatus 102, a key input means 405 for receiving a key input, an input key transmitting means 406 for transmitting the key input to the monitor server apparatus 102, and an identification information receiving means 407 for receiving identification information making it possible to uniquely identify each item included in the item list.
US08122078B2
A method of operation within an integrated-circuit processing device having an enhanced combined-arithmetic capability. In response to an instruction indicating a combined arithmetic operation, the processor generates a dot-product of first and second operands, adds the dot-product to an accumulated value, and then outputs the sum of the accumulated value and the dot-product.
US08122060B2
A system and method to maintain versions of an object for each lifecycle stage of the object are described. The system maintains versions and archives of objects in memory. The system includes an object repository to maintain new objects. The system has a lifecycle stage module to manage lifecycle stages, an origin matrix builder to build origin matrices, an archive version manager to manage archives. The system further retrieves usages of objects across lifecycle stages using a usage logic module and compares the content of objects from different stages using a comparison module.
US08122057B2
A method of transforming and canonicalizing semantically structured data includes obtaining data from a network of computers, applying text patterns to the obtained data and placing the data in a first data file, providing a second data file containing the obtained data in a uniform format, and generating interface specific sentences from the data in the second data file.
US08122046B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for rewriting queries during a database query processing operation to include auxiliary attributes not included in the original query, thus improving processing efficiency. For example, in one aspect of the invention, a technique for rewriting a query in a query processing operation includes the following steps. First, the query is processed in accordance with at least a portion of a data set, producing query results. Second, data attributes from the query results are analyzed. Finally, at least one new predicate from at least one auxiliary data attribute is appended on the query.
US08122032B2
A corpus contains digital text from multiple documents. A passage mining engine identifies similar passages in the documents and stores data describing the similarities. The passage mining engine groups similar passages into groups based on degree of similarity or other criteria. The passage mining engine ranks the similar passages found in the text corpus based on quality or other criteria. A user interface is presented that includes hypertext links associated with the similar passages that allow a user to navigate the documents.
US08122026B1
A system and method for disambiguating references to entities in a document. In one embodiment, an iterative process is used to disambiguate references to entities in documents. An initial model is used to identify documents referring to an entity based on features contained in those documents. The occurrence of various features in these documents is measured. From the number occurrences of features in these documents, a second model is constructed. The second model is used to identify documents referring to the entity based on features contained in the documents. The process can be repeated, iteratively identifying documents referring to the entity and improving subsequent models based on those identifications. Additional features of the entity can be extracted from documents identified as referring to the entity.
US08122024B2
A method and apparatus for organizing a geographically tagged media file, the method obtaining geographical information for the media file; identifying a subfolder for the media file; and placing the media file in the identified subfolder. Also, a method and apparatus for utilizing an album of geographically tagged media files within a media application, the method allowing a third party application access to the geographically tagged media files; and upon selection of the third party application within the media application, launching the third party application populated with the album of geographically tagged media files.
US08122016B1
Determining one or more concepts associated with a query is disclosed. A query is received. A list of concepts and associated scores is received. The concepts fit within a concept hierarchy. A density function is used to evaluate the received concepts. One or more concepts are associated with the query based at least in part on the results of the density function.
US08122010B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products for dynamically adjusting computer resources, as appropriate, in response to predictions of query runtimes as well as for rendering costs of the computer resources actually utilized, which costs are consistent with consumer demands.
US08122005B1
A training set generator may be configured to input a taxonomy including a hierarchy of categories and a plurality of top-level sites, and to output a training set of categorized data. The training set generator may include a crawler configured to crawl each of the top-level sites to determine at least one lower-level site associated therewith and to store the top-level sites and associated lower-level sites as crawl data. The training set generator also may include an extractor configured to determine, for each of the top-level sites, a corresponding site-specific extraction template associating at least one portion of the corresponding top-level site with at least one category of the hierarchy of categories, and further configured to apply each site-specific extraction template to corresponding crawl data to thereby associate the crawl data with the categories of the hierarchical categories and obtain categorized data of the training set.
US08121985B2
A method for versioning learning objects comprises identifying learning content, which includes a plurality of learning objects, for storage in a content repository. Each learning object comprises or contains at least one content file. The method then includes comparing first version information of a first of the content files to versioning information obtained from an object version file identifying a prior version of the particular learning object. In response to at least a portion of the first version information of the first content file matching a corresponding portion of the versioning information stored in the object version file, a pointer to a corresponding content file in the prior version of the learning object is stored in a new object version file.
US08121984B2
A method for archiving biomedical data generated by a data collection device, includes the steps of automatically determining a data format in which the collection device is configured to store the biomedical data onto a computer-readable storage medium, based on the data format, extracting the biomedical data from the storage medium, and transmitting the extracted data to a database in which the extracted data is archived.
US08121976B2
A method and apparatus for creating a schema definition from a language-specific metamodel of a data structure written in a legacy computer language involves walking through the nodes of the metamodel, and creating corresponding schema element objects in a schema tree that is serialized to create the schema definition. The creation of the schema element objects follows rules, and permits the definition of nested data structures having conjunctive-type and disjunctive-type membership.
US08121969B2
A method for interpreting a plurality of m-dimensional attribute vectors (m2) assigned to a plurality of locations in an n-dimensional interpretation space (n1), which method comprises arranging at least a subset of the attribute vectors as points in an m-dimensional attribute space; defining k classes (k2) of attribute vectors by identifying for each class at least one classification point in attribute space; postulating a classification rule for points in attribute space; determining a class-membership attribute of a point in attribute space using the classification points and the classification rule to obtain a classified point; and assigning a display parameter to the classified point which is related to the class-membership attribute. In one embodiment the display parameter is a mixed display parameter derived from probabilistic membership values each representing a probability that the classified point belongs to a selected class. In another embodiment classified points are displayed in attribute space and in interpretation space at the same time. The method can be used in a method of producing hydrocarbons from a subsurface formation. Also provided are corresponding computer program products and computer systems.
US08121964B2
A method for providing writing requirements for a structured transition system employing state machines. The requirements employ a plurality of structuring mechanisms, namely, sub-state based structuring, abstraction based structuring and partial behavior structuring that uses event sequences. The sub-state based structuring has to do with the hierarchical requirements of the state machines, abstraction based structuring provides an abstraction of the state machines that reduces the number of states, and partial behavior structuring looks at certain states to predict how those states will affect other states.
US08121963B2
In accordance with the invention, a system, method, and apparatus for analyzing advertisement-related data are presented, which may include receiving data related to an aspect of an advertisement and modeling the aspect of the advertisement with a mathematical model. The mathematical model may include a control-signal-related component, a control-signal-independent component, and an error component. Each component may be updated based on at least one of a control signal, the received data, and a previous state of at least one of the components. An updated model may be created based on the updated components. The system, method, and apparatus may also include predicting the aspect of the advertisement using the updated model. Exemplary aspects of and data related to the advertisement may include one or more of the following: a number of impressions, “clicks,” or “conversions” and/or the impression-to-conversion, impression-to-click, or click-to-conversion ratios.
US08121958B2
According to one embodiment of the invention, an approach is provided for determining alternative printing device arrangements. In general, the geographic locations, usage and costs of an existing set of printing devices are analyzed. A determination is made, based upon this analysis, whether one or more of the existing printing devices can be replaced by one or more replacement printing devices to provide an alternative printing device arrangement that has lower costs. The lower costs may reflect lower operational costs, lower energy costs, lower acquisition costs, or any combination of lower operational costs, lower energy costs and lower acquisition costs.
US08121952B2
Enhanced multimedia content on physical media interacts with the user through a media player and the Internet. Enhanced multimedia utilizes IDs for pieces of content on the media and a media key block. On the enhanced media is a file with a list of URLs. As the enhanced media plays a title requiring an external permission for decryption, the media player accesses the URL for that title and obtains the permission. The permission may be purchased or provided for free. Secure encryption and transmission of permission is accomplished by broadcast encryption using a media key block. Each media has a unique set of keys that allow the media player to process the media key block; however, each media follows a unique path through the media key block. All legitimate media players obtain the media key; circumvention devices cannot decipher the media key block.
US08121948B2
Validation of the identity of the user is performed with the use of a card associated with intelligence that identifies the user. Validation of the document involves one or more of: validating the presence of a signature; validating the amount of the monetary transaction document including a manual entry of the amount by the user; validating CAR against the LAR; and validating the banking system parameters and rules for the customer and/or the transaction. To assist in the automatic analysis of data on monetary transactional documents or on remittance documents, the user is prompted to provide a bounding box about the data. An image touch screen may be touched by the user to locate the bounding box and the user may magnify the data to fill the boundary box to exclude other data from analysis. After document and person validation, the system will dispense money or transfer monies to a savings account, a checking account, a smart card, or the like. The system will also write money orders or wire transfer money.
US08121942B2
Systems, methods, and apparatus for handling and/or authorizing payment requests by a consumer for a transaction are provided. Payment information can be sent directly from a consumer to a non-merchant, thereby allowing no new entities to obtain the payment information. Transaction identifiers can be used to facilitate communications among the entities. The payment information can be sent to the non-merchant via a merchant application with a submit payment button directed to the non-merchant so little or no deviations from standard practices are required.
US08121941B2
A system and method for facilitating automatic reconciliation of transaction card transactions is disclosed, wherein a user may request single-use account codes via the Internet. The system comprises various hardware and software systems to enable a card member, program administrator, or any other designated third-party to request one or more single-use account codes. The requestor may further assign a descriptor for each of the one or more account codes. After receiving a requested account code, the requester may communicate the account code to a merchant to facilitate a purchase transaction. The system retrieves a list of transactions from the card issuer at regular intervals, matches the account codes in the list to an account code and associated descriptor, and records the reconciled transaction within a database.
US08121936B2
Systems and methods are provided for trading and calculating the composition of foreign currencies indexed financial instruments. The compositions of the financial instruments are determined by calculating a geometric average of the exchange rates of foreign currencies with corresponding competitive weights. The competitive weights for each of the foreign currencies reflects competition between the goods of the United States and a country corresponding to the foreign currency in the markets of third countries.
US08121925B1
Funds are received into an investment company from investors. The investment company approves a counterparty that wants to acquire asset exposure by means of a total return swap and the credit terms for the counterparty, including a derivatives position limit. The investment company the proposed total return swap including an identification of reference assets to which the counterparty wants to acquire exposure. The investment company approves the proposed swap based on availability of the reference assets and on transaction terms of the proposed total return swap. The investment company then purchases the reference assets with the funds and executes the swap with the counterparty. The purchasing of the reference assets and executing of the swap are performed in a manner that precludes the investment company from holding an unhedged position with respect to the reference assets.
US08121924B1
Data processing for novel form of relationship management links, supervises, and balances depositors, marketing agents, financial intermediaries, mortgage brokers, and borrowers in an inflation-adjusted financing program. Funds are deposited in participating financial institutions in return for certificates of deposit yielding a fixed rate of interest, plus principal growth at a yearly rate equal to that year's rate of growth in the Consumer Price Index-All Urban Consumers, All Items. Funds on deposit are loaned to borrower, either directly or through brokers, at a rate calculated by adding three components: a fixed debt service rate, a fixed constant interest rate, and an inflation factor interest rate which reflects the effects of inflation on the outstanding loan balance. Organizing company sychronizes entire program by contacting depositors through marketing agent, designating institutions to receive depositors' funds, contacting borrowers directly or through brokers, and by supplying data processing capabilitites to financial intermediaries for purposes of impletation of the program and for analysis of the effects of the program on the intermediaries' capital structures.
US08121921B2
The present invention relates generally to the field of computer-assisted business methods, and to system and articles-of-manufacture for implementing such methods. More particularly, the invention relates to computer-based methods, apparatus and articles-of-manufacture for supporting the coordination, communication, record-keeping, accounting, security and scheduling needs for the syndicate associated with an initial public offering (“IPO”) or other new financial issue. While the invention is exemplified and discussed herein with reference to IPO's, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention is equally applicable to other types of securities and debt instruments, such as preferred stock, corporate bonds, municipal bonds, etc.
US08121920B2
Embodiments include systems and methods of detecting fraud. In particular, one embodiment includes a system and method of detecting fraud in mortgage applications. For example, one embodiment includes a computerized method of detecting fraud that includes receiving mortgage data associated with an applicant and at least one entity related to processing of the mortgage data, determining a first score for the mortgage data based at least partly on a first model that is based on data from a plurality of historical mortgage transactions associated with the entity, and generating data indicative of fraud based at least partly on the first score. Other embodiments include systems and method of generating models for use in fraud detection systems.
US08121918B2
Commercial size of spending wallet (“CSoSW”) is the total business spend of a business including cash but excluding bartered items. Commercial share of wallet (“CSoW”) is the portion of the spending wallet that is captured by a particular financial company. A modeling approach utilizes various data sources to provide outputs that describe a company's spend capacity. Government agencies, procurement departments, and others that patronize small businesses can use CSoW/CSoSW to determine businesses that should be awarded contracts and businesses that should be denied. CSoW/CSoSW may also be used to manage approved vendor lists.
US08121915B1
A method for generating financial plans for an individual includes requesting and receiving one or more data feeds from an individual's personal information aggregator. One or more financial plans for the individual are generated based on the data contained in the received data feeds.
US08121914B1
A method for visual programming an automated transaction machine (12). The method includes the creation of terminal directors (225) that generally correspond to transactions performed by the automated transaction machine. The terminal directors are programmed by visually creating associations (238) between a plurality of ATM objects (230, 232) in a work space (224). Exemplary ATM objects include an authorization object (260), a back stage control object (262), a card reader object (264), a customer profile object (266), a depositor object (268), a dispenser object (270), keypad object (272), a logic object (274), a OCS object (276), a presenter object (278), a PIN entry object (280), a printer object (282), a sync object (284), and a transaction data object (286). The customer profile object is operative to retrieve customer profile information responsive to a determined customer of a person using the ATM. A portion of the exemplary ATM objects are operative to interface with a device interface layer (728) for communicating with physical hardware devices (724, 726). The device interface layer is operative to retrieve rules (721) and capability features from a data store (720) for automatically switching between two or more different devices of similar type when one of the devices becomes inoperative.
US08121910B2
A system for automatically replacing loaner parts within a loaner system to prevent loaner system callback. In response to selecting a loaner system within loaner inventory data, it is determined whether the selected loaner system is required to be returned based on a target return date for the selected loaner system. In response to determining that the selected loaner system is not required to be returned, a notification is automatically generated and sent to a customer to return expiring loaner parts within the selected loaner system based on loaner part rules. A part replacement order is automatically generated for replacement loaner parts for each of the expiring loaner parts. Then, the replacement loaner parts are automatically shipped to the customer to replace the expiring loaner parts to prevent callback of the selected loaner system.
US08121904B2
An electronic system for creating customized product proposals stores a plurality of pictures and text segments to be used as building blocks in creating the proposal. The pictures may include various products, environments in which the products may be used, and available product options. The text segments may include textual descriptions of the product, environments in which the product may be used, and its performance specifications. The system queries a user to determine a customer's needs and interests. Based upon the answers to the queries, the system selects the appropriate picture and text building blocks to fill in proposal templates. The system can print the completed proposal templates to provide the user with a customized, printed proposal that describes features and benefits of a product, in a particular environment, that are of interest to the customer who is to receive the proposal.
US08121903B2
A method for facilitating and enabling a retailer having original manufacture surplus inventory of a product to sell the inventory to another retailer or to the general consuming public. The method comprises use of a Web site having a first level or portion exclusively for sales between subscribers to the site, such as retailers, and a second level or portion for sales between a retailer and the general consumer. The method includes receiving information regarding the surplus inventory product and an invoice from the vendor or original manufacturer of the product. An entity associated with the Web site verifies the authenticity of the product and facilitates the sale of the products with another retailer at a first price, or with the general consumer at a second price. In certain instances, a vendor can be a subscriber for selling to other subscribers.
US08121901B2
Online purchasing of components compatible with particular hardware devices of a computer system. In one aspect, the identity of a hardware device capable of communicating with computer systems is automatically determined. At least one component for the hardware device is displayed on a computer system based on the identity of the hardware device such that the user can select the at least one component for purchase, where the at least one component is compatible with and for use with the hardware device.
US08121900B1
Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating review of products considered for purchase. An electronic commerce application generates a plurality of network pages in a server that are served up to a client to facilitate a purchase of at least one product. At least a subset of the network pages are configured to display a plurality of images of a corresponding plurality of products. The network pages facilitate a selection of at least one of products depicted in the images to be considered for purchase. A region that persists throughout at least the subset of the network pages is employed to display a collection of at least one image corresponding to at least one selected one of the products.
US08121895B2
A system directs a browser or browsing application associated with a user to a targeted web site after the user performs at least two activations or “clicks” of his pointing device. The first “click” is typically on a communication provided by the system, serving as an intermediary, and the second “click” is typically on a first data object or web page of the intermediary, before the browser of the user is redirected to a second data object or targeted web page, typically associated with a party unrelated to the party or entity controlling the system.
US08121893B1
Customization settings are received from a content publisher. The customization settings control a manner in which information is displayed to users. A request for an advertisement presentation to be displayed with content associated with the content publisher is received. The requested advertisement presentation is rendered in a content-related site hosted by the content publisher. In response to receiving a user selection of the advertisement presentation, a customized advertisement presentation is rendered in an advertisement-related site hosted by the content publisher based on the user selection and the customization settings.
US08121885B2
Systems and methods for supply chain management and identification of feasible plans. Identification of feasible plans includes simultaneous breadth and depth satisfaction of demands. Demands are satisfied using multiple sources of supply, consideration of substitute items, generation of supply, and/or reallocation of supply previously pegged for satisfaction of a lower priority demand. Reallocation optionally includes consideration of items and demands associated with multiple level codes.
US08121880B2
A method for associating a calendar invitation for a calendar event to a web conference for a web conference event is provided. Invitees of a calendar invitation for a calendar event are received and are detected. The invitees of the calendar event are associated to a web conference event. Modifications relating to the invitees of the calendar event are detected. Modifications relating to the invitees of the calendar event are propagated to the web conference event, and the web conference event synchronizes with the calendar event. Modifications relating to the web conference event for the web conference are detected. Modifications relating to the web conference event are propagated to the calendar event, and the calendar event synchronizes with the web conference event. The invitees of the calendar invitation include first, second, and/or third tiers, and the tiers relate to user roles and privileges, such as a hidden or anonymous presence.
US08121876B1
A method, system, and computer-readable medium for dynamically generating actual fulfillment plans for a current order or a potential order so as to enhance the future fulfillment process for expected future orders is described. In some situations, actual delivery information based on one or more such actual fulfillment plans will then be provided to a customer, such as by displaying actual delivery date and/or time before or during the ordering process based on one or more actual fulfillment plans that can be or will be used to fulfill the order. A variety of types of criteria can be used to evaluate the effects of using a fulfillment plan to fulfill a current order, including criteria that consider the modeled future cost of fulfilling expected future orders, such as an overall cost of fulfilling all orders during a specified time period that is at least partially in the future.
US08121871B2
The present invention relates generally to systems, methods and software applications for storing, retrieving, and displaying information. More particularly, the present invention relates to providing a comprehensive, interactive tool for storing, retrieving, and displaying agent identifying information and agent commission information. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of: receiving agent identifying information and agent commission information; analyzing and sorting the received agent identifying information and agent commission information; saving the agent identifying information and the agent commission information; providing an interactive display of the agent identifying information and the agent commission information; providing interactive access to a display of detailed agent identifying information; and providing interactive access to a display of detailed agent commission information.
US08121862B2
A medical support system and method for performing at least one medical support process relating to diagnosis and treatment of a medical condition and that includes or employs medical records relating to patients and medical support databases including medical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of a medical condition. A medical support process includes one or more process phases, which may include a data phase, a diagnostic phase and a therapy/treatment recommendation phase. Each process phase includes one or more process operations wherein each of the process operations of a process phase includes one or more process forms providing interfaces between a user and the process operations. Each process form includes fields for passing user inputs to the process operations and for displaying the results of the process operations to the user and the support processes are responsive to user inputs, the medical records and the guidelines to execute an interactive dialogue between the medical support process and the user to provide guidance to the user in performing the medical support process according to the guidelines and dependent upon the user inputs and the medical record.
US08121858B2
A computer implemented method for generating optimized pharmaceutical treatment plans for an individual. A set of known treatments to be used by the target individual over a future period of time is generated. An actual use of the treatments in the set of known treatments by the target individual during the future period of time is substantially certain. A set of probable treatments of the target individual is received. The actual use of the treatments in the set of probable treatments by the target individual during the future period of time is uncertain. An optimized pharmaceutical treatment plan for the target individual is generated. The optimized pharmaceutical treatment plan comprises medications and durable medical goods that are likely to be used by the target individual over the future period of time optimized over a set of dimensions associated with the set of known treatments and the set of probable treatments.
US08121847B2
The disclosure relates to a communication terminal having a bandwidth expansion device for expanding the bandwidth of a narrowband voice signal, on a low-frequency and/or high-frequency side, by synthesizing at least one frequency band on the basis of the narrowband voice signal. A qualitatively satisfactory bandwidth expansion is thus performed using a plurality of net bit rates. The bandwidth expansion device is further connected to a memory containing a lookup table comprising at least one parameter value for the bandwidth expansion, for at least two net bit rates of the narrowband voice signal. A method for expanding a bandwidth of a narrowband voice signal having at least two net bit rates in a communication terminal is also disclosed herein.
US08121845B2
This invention relates to screening of spoken audio data so as to detect threat words or phrases. The method is particularly useful for protecting children or vulnerable adults from unsuitable content and/or suspicious or threatening contact with others via a communication medium. The method is applicable to screening speech transmitted over a computer network such as the internet and provides screening of access to stored content, e.g. audio or multimedia data files, as well as real time speech such as live broadcasts or communication via voice over IP or similar communication protocols. The method allows an administrator, e.g. a parent, to identify groups of threat words or phrases to be monitored, to set user access levels and to determine appropriate responses when threat words or phrases are detected.
US08121839B2
A service is configured to analyze multimedia communications to determine a likelihood that the communication is unsolicited. For example, the service may inspect e-mail messages, instant messaging messages, facsimile transmissions, voice communications, and video telephony, and analyze these forms of communication to determine whether an intended communication is unsolicited. In connection with voice and video telephony, a voice sample may be obtained from the caller and voice recognition may be performed on the sample to determine an identity of the person or the identity of the voice. The voice sample may also be used to determine the type of voice—i.e. if the voice is live, machine generated, or prerecorded. Where the call is a video telephony call, image recognition may be used to inspect an image of the person. The information obtained from voice recognition, voice type recognition, and image recognition may be used to detect whether the messages if from a known source of unsolicited communications.
US08121828B2
A computer has instruction pipeline circuitry capable of executing two instruction set architectures (ISA's). A binary translator translates at least a selected portion of a computer program from a lower-performance one of the ISA's to a higher-performance one of the ISA's. Hardware initiates a query when about to execute a program region coded in the lower-performance ISA, to determine whether a higher-performance translation exists. If so, the about-to-be-executed instruction is aborted, and control transfers to the higher-performance translation. After execution of the higher-performance translation, execution of the lower-performance region is reestablished at a point downstream from the aborted instruction, in a context logically equivalent to that which would have prevailed had the code of the lower-performance region been allowed to proceed.
US08121827B2
Apparatus for presentation of functional coverage, including one or more processors and a memory, wherein the memory stores software instructions including instructions for representing a set of attributes of a design under test as a multi-dimensional cross-product space, comprising events corresponding to combinations of values of the attributes to be tested, the events comprising legal and illegal events, instructions for running at least one test on the design, instructions for identifying, responsively to the at least one test, a first group of the legal events that were covered by the at least one test and a second group of the legal events that remain non-covered after the at least one test, instructions for grouping one or more of the illegal events with at least one of the first and second groups so as to generate a simplified model of the functional coverage of the events in the cross-product space and instructions for presenting the simplified model of the functional coverage on an output device. The apparatus further includes an output device coupled to the coverage processor to present the simplified model of the functional coverage to a user.
US08121825B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides systems and techniques to execute a hardware simulation and verification solution on a multiprocessor system. The hardware simulation and verification solution can be partitioned into different modules which can include a simulation kernel to simulate changes in signal values, a value change dump module to store the changes in the signal values on a computer-readable storage medium, a functional coverage module to check functionality, a toggle coverage module to check signal toggling, an assertion engine to check complex behaviors, and a testbench module to generate test scenarios. Embodiments of the present invention can execute different modules on different processors, thereby improving performance.
US08121823B2
Method for reducing the time needed to perform geophysical inversion by using simultaneous encoded sources in the simulation steps of the inversion process. The geophysical survey data are prepared by encoding (3) a group of source gathers (1), using for each gather a different encoding signature selected from a set (2) of non-equivalent encoding signatures. Then, the encoded gathers are summed (4) by summing all traces corresponding to the same receiver from each gather, resulting in a simultaneous encoded gather. (Alternatively, the geophysical data are acquired from simultaneously encoded sources.) The simulation steps needed for inversion are then calculated using a particular assumed velocity (or other physical property) model (5) and simultaneously activated encoded sources using the same encoding scheme used on the measured data. The result is an updated physical properties model (6) that may be further updated (7) by additional iterations.
US08121822B2
In accordance with one embodiment, a plurality of empirical measurements of a fabricated integrated circuit including a fabricated transistor having multiple terminals is received. The plurality of empirical measurements each include an empirical terminal current set and an empirical terminal voltage set for the terminals of the fabricated transistor. A mathematical simulation model of a simulated transistor is also received. Utilizing the mathematical simulation model, an intermediate data set is calculated by determining, for each of a plurality of different terminal voltage sets, a simulated terminal current set and a simulated terminal charge set. A modeling tool processes the intermediate data set to obtain a time domain simulation model of the fabricated transistor that, for each of the plurality of empirical measurements, provides a simulated terminal charge set. The time domain simulation model is stored in a computer-readable data storage medium.
US08121814B2
A method is provided for controlling display of three-dimensional data in a three-dimensional processor that processes three-dimensional data indicating three-dimensional position coordinates of each point on a surface of an object to be measured, the three-dimensional data being obtained by projecting measurement light onto the object and receiving measurement light reflected from the object. The method includes obtaining reliability data that are an index of reliability of three-dimensional data of said each point, enabling a user to adjust a threshold for defining a range of the reliability, and displaying, on a screen of a display, three-dimensional data corresponding to reliability falling within a range defined by the threshold adjusted by the user with the three-dimensional data displayed distinguishably from different three-dimensional data.
US08121811B2
Methods and systems for detecting an angular position of a rotating device are disclosed, including sensing and counting high-resolution transitions of a high-resolution digital sensor in response to the rotating device rotating; sensing low-resolution transitions of a low-resolution digital sensor in response to the rotating device rotating, the low-resolutions transitions being spaced apart at uneven angles; determining an angular position of the rotating device in response to determining a number of high-resolution transitions between pairs of low-resolution transitions.
US08121806B2
A method of capturing user control inputs for an electronic device comprises sampling an input measurement signal at a capacitive input sensor of the electronic device to capture user control inputs for operating the electronic device. Electromagnetic interference affecting the sampling or the input measurement signal is electronically neutralized.
US08121805B2
A location of an object is determined by arranging a sequence of bits on a substrate. The sequence of bits includes subsequence of bits, and each subsequence of bits is unique for each location along the substrate. When the object is at a particular location along the substrate a sensor detects the subsequence of bits at the particular location, and a decoder associates the location of the subsequence at the particular location with the object. The substrate can be a leaky coaxial cable with slits or not, corresponding to the bits, or lane markings on a road.
US08121802B2
A vehicle may include one or more controllers configured to determine a remaining energy of the vehicle's battery, to determine a series of energy consumption rates of the vehicle, and to select a set of energy consumption rates from the series. The one or more controllers may be further configured to determine an expected drive range for the vehicle based on the remaining energy and the selected set of energy consumption rates.
US08121791B2
A geophysical model of a subsurface region is generated based on seismic data, e.g., seismic reflection data. Migration and seismic inversion are applied to the seismic data to generate estimates of one or more physical or seismic properties of the subsurface region. Seismic inversion, such as spectral shaping inversion, is applied before or after migrating the seismic data through a variety of techniques that each avoid the amplification of dipping energy while optimizing computational efficiency and/or accuracy.
US08121789B2
Method for identifying, determining and correcting source-related phase errors in data from a controlled source electromagnetic survey by using data from ordinary survey receivers, i.e. without benefit of source monitoring data. Abrupt anomalies indicating source malfunctions are identified (71) in the time domain by plotting time intervals between neighboring zero crossings or by zero-lag cross correlation between consecutive bins of receiver data, and the amount of the time error (73) can be determined by performing cross correlation between two bins on either side of an anomaly. In the frequency domain, transmitter anomalies can be identified by looking for discontinuities in plots of phase vs. offset, and the corrective phase shift can be determined by matching the phase on one side of the anomaly to that on the other side. A global time/phase shift (76) can be determined by using phase frequency-scaling behavior at near offsets.
US08121788B2
A method for correcting errors in LWD depths includes performing torque and drag model analysis using drillstring weight, downhole friction, weight on bit, thermal expansion, rig heave and tide to produce a corrected time-depth file, wherein the torque and drag model is automatically calibrated using effective block weight, drillpipe wear, and sliding friction; and correcting time-based LWD data using the corrected time-depth file to produce depth-corrected LWD data. A system for correcting errors in LWD depths includes a processor and a memory that stores a program having instructions for: performing torque and drag model analysis using drillstring weight, downhole friction, weight on bit, thermal expansion, rig heave and tide to produce a corrected time-depth file, wherein the torque and drag model is automatically calibrated using effective block weight, drillpipe wear, and sliding friction; and correcting time-based LWD data using the corrected time-depth file to produce depth-corrected LWD data.
US08121767B2
A method for controlling torque in a hybrid powertrain system to selectively transfer mechanical power to an output member includes monitoring operator inputs to an accelerator pedal and to a brake pedal. An immediate accelerator output torque request, a predicted accelerator output torque request, an immediate brake output torque request, a predicted brake output torque request, and an axle torque response type are determined. An output torque command to the output member of the transmission is determined based upon the immediate accelerator output torque request and the immediate brake output torque request.
US08121765B2
A method to control an electro-mechanical transmission mechanically-operatively coupled to an internal combustion engine and first and second electric machines to transmit power to an output member includes determining motor torque constraints and battery power constraints. A preferred output torque to an output member is determined that is achievable within the motor torque constraints and is achievable within a range for a first torque input and is achievable within a range for a second torque input and is based upon the battery power constraints.
US08121757B2
A bicycle is disclosed having a control system with a user interface and an active suspension system. The control system includes a one or more sensors arranged to measure and transmit a signal indicative of the terrain over which the bicycle is being ridden. The active suspension system includes a valve box that is fluidly coupled to each chamber of the lower cylinder. An orifice in the valve box is changed in size in response to a signal from a sensor associated with the front wheel that changes the response of the suspension system due to changing terrain conditions. The user interface includes a selection device mounted to the handlebars that allows the user to change parameters of the active suspension system during operation of the bicycle.
US08121755B2
A sound-directed-outside-vehicle emitting device includes a storage unit 2-A for storing criteria by each of which to determine whether or not a running zone is a high-risk zone, each of the criteria describing a status of the vehicle, and a navigation device 1-A for acquiring information showing a status of the vehicle. The sound-directed-outside-vehicle emitting device compares the information acquired by the navigation device 1-A with the criteria stored in the storage unit 2-A to determine whether the above-mentioned vehicle is running through a high-risk zone, and does not stop the output of a warning sound when determining that the vehicle is running through a high-risk zone even if a switch 4 for commanding a stop of the output of the warning sound is operated.
US08121751B2
In a method for assisting in error detection for a motor vehicle, characteristic data for an accessory device connected to a device in the motor vehicle are stored in a memory unit provided in the motor vehicle.
US08121742B2
Two water heaters may be installed in series at a customer location, such that an output of a first (or storage) water heater is coupled to the input of a second (or primary) water heater, the output of which provides hot water to the customer location. During normal operation, only the primary water heater may actually heat water for use at the customer location. However, during periods of excess capacity, the electrical service provider may enable the storage water heater to store the excess electrical power that is generated by operating the power plant at higher output (which may be more efficient). Later, during hours of greater demand, the electrical service provider may disable the storage water heater used to store the excess capacity, whereas the primary water heater may operate normally. However, during the time of greater demand, the storage water heaters may provide pre-heated water to the primary water heater, which in-turn, may need to heat the water less or perhaps not at all.
US08121731B2
A teaching position correcting apparatus corrects plural teaching point positions of a robot in a robot operation program, by sequentially moving the robot to each of the plural teaching points and by sequentially reading a current position of the robot at each of the plural teaching points. The apparatus includes: a position correction amount calculating unit that calculates a position correction amount, based on corrected teaching point positions and teaching point positions before correction; and a corrected-position calculating unit that calculates corrected positions of teaching point positions before correction out of the plural teaching points, based on the position correction amount. At the time of moving the robot to uncorrected teaching points, a moving unit moves the robot to corrected positions of the teaching point positions before correction.
US08121725B2
Products are dispensed from a dispensing apparatus in which products marked with transaction information are received in a two-dimensional array of moveable bins. In response to control information synthesized from transaction information on the products in the bins and a dispense request, the array is operated to place a bin at a dispensing station on the dispensing apparatus. At the dispensing station, a mechanism is operated in response to the control information to provide access to the bin. A product in the bin may then be retrieved.
US08121721B2
An extrusion control system for use with one or more extruders has a data acquisition module in communication with one or more data acquisition nodes that are associated with an extrusion process. A control module is also in communication with one or more control nodes associated the extrusion process. A synchronization signal to one or more control nodes causes the nodes to adjust to a predetermined setting.
US08121711B2
Controlling movement of movable arms on motion shafts of a measurement machine is disclosed. Each motion shaft of the measurement machine are divided into different motion ranges. The movable arms move in different motion ranges at different speeds. Motion direction of the movable arms is associated with an operation direction of a joystick.
US08121702B2
Techniques for adjusting stimulation are disclosed. A medical device measures an impedance associated with one or more electrodes, e.g., the impedance presented to the medical device by a total electrical circuit that includes the one or more electrodes, the conductors associated with the electrodes, and tissue proximate to the electrodes. The medical device stores at least one patient-specific relationship between impedance and a stimulation parameter, and adjusts the value of the stimulation parameter based on the measured impedance according to the relationship. The medical device may store multiple relationships, and select one the relationships based on, for example, an activity level of the patient, posture of the patient, or a current stimulation program or electrode combination used to deliver stimulation. By adjusting a stimulation parameter, such as amplitude, according to such a relationship, the stimulation intensity as perceived by the patient may be kept substantially constant.
US08121700B1
Sound processing strategies for use with cochlear implant systems utilizing simultaneous stimulation of electrodes are provided. The strategies include computing a frequency spectrum of a signal representative of sound, arranging the spectrum into channels and assigning a subset of electrodes to each channel. Each subset is stimulated so as to stimulate a virtual electrode positioned at a location on the cochlea that corresponds to the frequency at which a spectral peak is located within an assigned channel. The strategies also derive a carrier for a channel having a frequency that may relate to the stimulation frequency so that temporal information is presented. In order to fit these strategies, a group of electrodes is selected and the portion of the current that would otherwise be applied to electrode(s) having a partner electrode in the group is applied to the partner electrode.
US08121696B2
The present invention is an electrode with one or more conductive surfaces and one or more access windows allowing needles, lancets and other similar objects to pass through or near the electrode and into the underlying skin layer. The electrode adheres to skin and surrounding mild electrical and vibration stimulation acts to mask the pain signals caused when sharp objects penetrate the skin. The stimulation is delivered by an attachable electrical unit designed to generate both the TENS and vibration stimuli while connected to the electrode. In addition, a flap which is attached to the electrode may serve as a bandage type dressing by flipping down over the access window(s) once the procedure is done. The present invention is an electrode with one or more electrically isolated conductive surfaces coupled to a TENS and vibration generating unit. It is designed to allow access to underlying skin and is meant to be easily produced, with the electrode being disposable after each patient use.
US08121695B2
Test procedures for determining a neural stimulation threshold of a patient. In one embodiment, the procedure includes applying a test stimulation signal to the patient and monitoring the patient for a response to the test stimulation signal. The procedure can further include determining a first neural stimulation threshold and calculating a second neural stimulation threshold. The first neural stimulation threshold corresponds to the lowest intensity test stimulation signal that evokes a patient response. The second neural stimulation threshold corresponds to a treatment stimulation signal directed toward affecting a neural activity within the patient.
US08121694B2
A movement state of a patient is detected based on brain signals, such as an electroencephalogram (EEG) signal. In some examples, a brain signal within a dorsal-lateral prefrontal cortex of a brain of the patient indicative of prospective movement of the patient may be sensed in order to detect the movement state. The movement state may include the brain state that indicates the patient is intending on initiating movement, initiating movement, attempting to initiate movement or is actually moving. In some examples, upon detecting the movement state, a movement disorder therapy is delivered to the patient. In some examples, the therapy delivery is deactivated upon detecting the patient is no longer in a movement state or that the patient has successfully initiated movement. In addition, in some examples, the movement state detected based on the brain signals may be confirmed based on a signal from a motion sensor.
US08121688B2
An implantable medical device includes a lead, a pulse generator, an autocapture module, an autothreshold module, a fusion detection module, and a control module. The lead includes electrodes configured to be positioned within a heart. At least one of the electrodes is capable of sensing cardiac signals. The pulse generator delivers a stimulus pulse through at least one of the electrodes. The autocapture module senses an evoked response of the heart after delivery of the stimulus pulse when operating in an autocapture mode. The autothreshold module performs a threshold search when operating in an autothreshold mode. The fusion detection module identifies fusion-based behavior in the heart. The control module automatically switches between the autothreshold and autocapture modes based on a presence of the fusion-based behavior.
US08121685B2
A pacing system computes optimal cardiac resynchronization pacing parameters using intrinsic conduction intervals. In various embodiments, values for atrio-ventricular delay intervals are each computed as a function of an intrinsic atrio-ventricular interval and a parameter reflective of an interventricular conduction delay. Examples of the parameter reflective of the interventricular conduction delay include QRS width and interval between right and left ventricular senses.
US08121684B2
A cardiac rhythm management device is configured to deliver pre-excitation pacing to one or more sites in proximity to an infarcted region of the ventricular myocardium. The pre-excitation pacing in conjunction with counterpulsation therapy serves to either prevent or minimize post-infarct remodeling.
US08121681B2
Devices, methods, and software implementing those methods for providing communicating external chest compression (ECC) devices and defibrillation (DF) devices, where the ECC and DF devices can be physically separate from each other. Both ECC and DF devices are able to operate autonomously, yet able to communicate with and cooperate with another device when present. Some ECC and DF devices are adapted to be physically and/or electrically coupled to each other. One ECC device includes a backboard, a chest compression member, a communication module, controller, and at least one sensor, electrode lead or electrode. One DF device includes a defibrillator module, a controller, and a communication module that can communicate with the ECC communication module. The communicating ECC and DF devices may deliver ECC, pacing, defibrillation, ventilation, and cooling therapies, and may deliver instructions to human assistants, in a coordinated and cooperative fashion.
US08121673B2
A heart monitoring system for a person includes a wearable appliance in communication with the one or more wireless nodes, the appliance including a heart disease recognizer to determine the person's cardiovascular health.
US08121672B2
Electro static discharge (ESD) protection is provided for electronic devices with integrated circuits, such as for example heart rate monitors. The ESD protection protects against voltage accumulation and discharge through device external parts that are connected to internal device circuitry. The ESD protection isolates the internal device circuitry and provides a low impedance path over which electro static charges and any transient voltages in the device may discharge. The integrated circuits, electrical components, and other parts protected from ESD may be connected to monitor circuitry and be externally exposed, such as sensing or measurement parts exposed outside the device. The external parts may include a sensing case back, sensing push-buttons, or other components that provide a signal to or are otherwise in communication with the internal device circuitry.
US08121671B2
A method of determining a measure of a tissue state (e.g., glycation end-product or disease state) in an individual. A portion of the tissue of the individual is illuminated with excitation light, then light emitted by the tissue due to fluorescence of a chemical with the tissue responsive to the excitation light is detected. The detected light can be combined with a model relating fluorescence with a measure of tissue state to determine a tissue state. The invention can comprise single wavelength excitation light, scanning of excitation light (illuminating the tissue at a plurality of wavelengths), detection at a single wavelength, scanning of detection wavelengths (detecting emitted light at a plurality of wavelengths), and combinations thereof. The invention also can comprise correction techniques that reduce determination errors due to detection of light other than that from fluorescence of a chemical in the tissue. For example, the reflectance of the tissue can lead to errors if appropriate correction is not employed. The invention can also comprise a variety of models relating fluorescence to a measure of tissue state, including a variety of methods for generating such models. Other biologic information can be used in combination with the fluorescence properties to aid in the determination of a measure of tissue state. The invention also comprises apparatuses suitable for carrying out the method, including appropriate light sources, detectors, and models (for example, implemented on computers) used to relate detected fluorescence and a measure of tissue state.
US08121670B2
An improved system for confocal imaging within dermal tissue of a patient is provided which minimizes instability in confocal images by reducing the relative motion of the tissue with respect to the confocal imaging optics of the system. The system includes a mechanism for maintaining an area of skin tissue under stress by application of force at the edges of the area, and an imaging head coupled to this mechanism for imaging the stressed skin. The mechanism includes a mechanical structure, such as a platen, brace, or attachment, which both supports the imaging head of the system and applies stress to a limited surface area of the tissue to minimize skin motion during confocal imaging.
US08121668B2
A method for imaging a brain of a subject includes providing a cognitive task for the subject or measuring resting state blood flow without a cognitive task, applying a saturation pulse sequence to saturate a slice within an imaging volume in the subject, and applying an imaging pulse sequence to acquire data from the imaging volume. A saturated image is acquired shortly after termination of the saturation pulse sequence and a non-saturation image is acquired after spins flowing through the saturated slice have recovered. The saturation image and the non-saturation image are subtracted to generate a blood velocity or perfusion enhanced difference image indicating portions of the brain active during the cognitive task. When measuring resting state blood flow without a cognitive task, the method includes acquiring a calibration scan and performing a quantitative evaluation of the blood velocity perpendicular to the saturated slice.
US08121661B2
The present invention relates to a radio communication terminal comprising a first casing, a second casing, a slider mechanism and a hinge mechanism, wherein the slider mechanism is adapted to movably connect the first and the second casing, the hinge mechanism is connected to the first and the second casing and adapted to move the first casing in relation to the second casing in at least a first direction between at least an open and a closed position, and the hinge mechanism is adapted to operate in a first space that is expanded when the first casing is moved in relation to the second casing.
US08121656B2
A mobile apparatus including: a wireless communication module that receives a signal transmitted via a base station; a display that displays character; an input module that inputs the character or operation data; a first operating mode in which electric power is supplied to the display; a second operating mode in which electric power is not supplied to the display; an information reception module that receives information received via the wireless communication module or power saving monitoring information; an input monitoring module that monitors an unoperated state; a display controller that switches the first operating mode to the second operating mode when the unoperated state is detected; and a power saving controller that reduces information reception frequency at the information reception module when the unoperated state is detected by the input monitoring module.
US08121649B2
A communication system has a control computer, one or more concentrators and one or more computing device communicates wirelessly with the one or more concentrators is provided. The computing device is an access device to the communications system that permits the user to interact with the communication system in order to, using voice commands, initiate telephone calls and conferences, receive telephone calls, receive pages and be located within a particular environment.
US08121646B2
The invention is directed to a method and system for equalizing the signal losses over cable runs in a Distributed Antenna System (DAS). In a DAS, two or more antennae are connected to the system by cable runs that can vary widely in length. As a result, the signal loss over a given cable run can also vary widely which can impact the design and deployment of the DAS and reduce antenna spacing. In addition, for a broadband DAS that supports many frequency bands or ranges using a common antenna unit, the signal losses vary with respect to frequency further making it difficult to equalize the cable losses. According to one embodiment of the invention, the method and system provide for measuring and adjusting the signal losses of each cable run to be a predefined value. According to another embodiment of the invention, the DAS can include a hybrid passive-active antenna unit which includes a frequency multiplexer that separates the signal into frequency bands or ranges that are connected to an antenna element associated with a particular frequency band or range. Where a single frequency band needs to be amplified (or attenuated), a single band amplification block (SBAB) can be inserted in the connection between the frequency multiplexer and the antenna element to amplify (or attenuate) the desired frequency band. Where more than one frequency band need to be amplified (or attenuated), a multiband amplification block (MBAB) can be inserted in the connection between the frequency multiplexer and the appropriate antenna element to amplify (or attenuate) the desired frequency bands.
US08121645B2
The present invention relates to a method for configuring a base station (10) of a mobile communication network over a software defined radio module (12), that base station (10) serving at least one mobile terminal (20, 30, 40) over an air interface (52, 53, 54) served by that software defined radio module. When selecting the communication standard for the configuration of the base station (10) the characteristics of the air interface (52, 53, 54) are taken into account. The invention also relates to a base station (10) of a mobile communication network, that base station (10) serving at least one mobile terminal (20, 30, 40) over an air interface (52, 53, 54), that base station (10) comprising a configurable software defined radio module (12). The configurable software defined radio module (12) is adapted to take into account the characteristics of the air interface (52, 53, 54) when selecting the communication standard for the configuration of the base station (10).
US08121641B1
The communication device comprising a voice communicating implementer, a sound caller ID implementer, an auto time adjusting implementer, a calculation implementer, a word processing implementer, a stereo audio data output implementer, a digital camera implementer, a multiple language displaying implementer, a caller's information displaying implementer, a communication device remote controlling implementer, an icon software implementer, a spreadsheet displaying implementer, and a TV remote controlling implementer.
US08121636B2
A portable communication device includes a receiving module, a pulse signal generating module, a timer module, and detection module. The receiving module is configured for receiving incoming signals sent to the portable communication device. The pulse signal generating module is configured for generating pulse signals when a portable communication device body is tapped. There is a first predetermined limit and a second predetermined limit, and the timer module is configured for starting timing when the pulse signal generating module generates the pulse signals, and stopping timing at the second predetermined limit. The detection module is configured for starting to detect if the pulse signal generating module generates pulse signals at the time between the first predetermined limit and the second predetermined limit. The detection module directs the receiving module to refuse or accept the incoming signals according to detecting results.
US08121631B2
A method for calculating a RoT threshold value in a communication system in which user terminals communicate with a base transceiver station, comprising the steps of providing a RoT minimum, maximum and margin, acquiring the maximum nominal transmit power of each user terminal, detecting the transmitted power of each user terminal, calculating the power difference between the maximum nominal transmit power and the transmitted power for each user terminal, and processing this power difference calculated for each user terminal, the RoT margin and the minimum and maximum RoT threshold to calculate the RoT threshold value.
US08121625B2
There is disclosed a system and method for enabling text messages to be sent from a computer to a mobile device, and for a reply text message to be sent from the mobile device to the computer. An outgoing text message, including a reply telephone number, is sent from a source computer to a destination mobile device. The reply number that is sent is chosen on the basis of regions (either geographic or regions associated with particular mobile communications providers) with the reply number being “leased” for use with a particular outgoing message. A protocol exists for choosing an alternate reply number if the first choice is not available. Means are then also provided for forwarding a reply message received by receiving means associated with a reply number to the source computer.
US08121616B2
A SET-initiated area event triggered positioning method in a session-based service system is disclosed. The method is variously performed according to a proxy mode or a non-proxy mode, and further according to which SLP (SUPL location platform) has a positioning procedure.
US08121600B2
A method and apparatus is provided for hand-off of a mobile User Equipment (UE) across a femto cellular network. The method includes dynamically clustering a plurality of neighboring femto cells in a vicinity of a first femto cell to which a mobile UE is currently attached. The dynamic cluster of neighboring femto cells is moved across the femto cellular network in accordance with movement of the mobile UE across the femto cellular network.
US08121590B2
A method in a node of cellular telecommunication network comprising receiving downlink quality measurements of a primary carrier frequency and at least one secondary carrier frequency and combining the received downlink quality measurements of the primary carrier frequency and secondary carrier frequency. The downlink quality measures are combined by determining a combined downlink quality measure for the downlink quality measurements of the primary carrier frequency and the at least one secondary carrier frequency and determining a difference in logarithmic scale between the downlink quality measurements of the primary carrier frequency and the combined downlink quality measure for the downlink quality measurements of the primary carrier frequency and the at least one secondary carrier frequency to be used as the combined quality measure. The method also includes evaluating whether the combined quality measure fulfills a predetermined condition and triggering an event only if the combined quality measure fulfills the predetermined condition.
US08121585B2
The present invention discloses a technique for a user to control a manner in which a data store of a mobile device synchronizes with a remotely located data store. More specifically, synchronization actions can be automatically executed by comparing combinations of user modifiable device settings against device-specific conditions. Device conditions can include device resources, timing parameters, and user-defined criteria, such as data priority, device location, and application-specific conditions. In one embodiment, the invention provides a means to override an application's existing synchronization rules. This permits synchronization for a device that includes multiple applications to be centrally and consistently handled, even when the applications normally lack synchronization control capabilities.
US08121580B2
A mobile telephone handset includes: a storage support which is secured against fraudulent access and which stores the IMEI of the handset. A connector for a secure electronic module is associated with an operator. A handset operating system controls authentication of the IMEI storage support by a secure electronic module which is connected to the aforementioned connector in order to establish a secure communication channel between the storage support and the module and transmission of the IMEI over the secure channel to the secure electronic module. The arrangement can be used to prevent the dynamic modification of the IMEI during the transmission thereof.
US08121578B2
An electronic apparatus includes: a first integrated circuit including an internal component section, a nonvolatile memory, and an interface section; a test signal generation section configured to generate a test signal to be supplied to the first integrated circuit; a second integrated circuit including a processing section configured to process an output signal of the first integrated circuit, a signal processor to which the interface section of the first integrated circuit is connected and a detection section configured to detect decision information for deciding a result of the process of the test signal carried out by the processing section; and a control section configured to supply the test signal from the test signal generation section in place of the input signal to the first integrated circuit and issuing an instruction to the signal processor of the second integrated circuit to produce actual use adjustment data.
US08121575B2
A modulated intermediate frequency receiver is shown having a low noise amplifier for receiving a radio frequency signal and a modulation source for generating a modulation signal. A local oscillator generates a modulated local oscillator signal in response to the modulation signal. A first mixer mixes the output of the low noise amplifier with the output of the local oscillator. The output of the mixer is DC filtered and receive bandwidth filtered before input to a demodulator that generates a demodulated received signal. Further embodiments are shown for a complex receiver and having phase or frequency modulation compensation.
US08121567B2
A method and system for a double search algorithm of user group selection for multiuser MIMO downlink transmission are provided. The use of optimal brute-force user group selection may require high computational expense. A first search operation may be based on a first user having a channel gain greater than that of other users, while a second search operation may be based on a second user having a channel gain greater than that of the remaining users. A maximized system capacity may be determined based on the maximized system capacities determined in the first and second search loop. A receiver pair associated with the maximized system capacity may be selected as the user group. The double search algorithm may reduce the computational complexity while achieving performances that may exceed the TDMA scheme and be similar to that of systems with ideal CSI at the transmitter.
US08121565B2
A method and apparatus for receiving data using multiple antennas in a communication system are provided. A received signal-combining scheme is determined according to the strength of an interference signal included in the signals received from the antennas. The signals received from the antennas are combined according to the determined received signal-combining scheme. In this manner, the method and apparatus adaptively use a received data-combining scheme according to the channel condition, thereby ensuring optimal reception performance.
US08121559B2
A wireless transmitter includes: a plurality of transmission antennas; a phase rotating unit which adds phase rotation to signals which are respectively input to the plurality of transmission antennas; and a reception unit which receives information on phase control of arbitrary antennas among the plurality of transmission antennas from another party of communication, wherein the phrase rotating unit adds first phase rotation for controlling the maximum delay time between the plurality of transmission antennas depending on whether transmission is performed using frequency diversity or transmission is performed using multi-user diversity and second phase rotation for controlling the phases of the arbitrary antennas among the plurality of transmission antennas based on the information.
US08121556B2
An isolation circuit includes a low dropout operational current control loop and a shunt regulator. The current control loop is configured to drive the shunt regulator to result in a high dynamic impedance ratio between a voltage source and a load. The current control loop may include a series-pass transistor, a current sensing resistor, and a high side current sensor.
US08121555B2
Method, mobile station, base station and computer program product for transmission power control in a wireless communication comprising the adjustment of the retransmission power for at least a part of an unsuccessfully received data block at a receiver according to the received information indicative of the channel qualities after an unsuccessful reception of the transmitted data block and prior to a retransmission of at least a part of the unsuccessfully transmitted data block and according to a required channel quality necessary for reaching a target BLEP (Block-Error Probability).
US08121546B2
A Bluetooth-enabled mobile terminal and fast device connection method is provided for reducing device connection latency and power consumption. The device connection method includes inquiring of devices by broadcasting an inquiry at an inquiry Power Control Level (PCL), requesting the devices responded to the inquiry for remote names by transmitting a remote name request, determining whether a device is selected among the devices responded to the remote name request, determining, when a device is selected, whether the selected device is a pre-paired device, attempting, when the selected device is a pre-paired device, pairing with the selected device at a preset PCL, and attempting, when the selected device is not a pre-paired device, pairing with the selected device at the inquiry PCL set for broadcasting the inquiry.
US08121541B2
An integrated circuit includes a first integrated circuit die having a first circuit and a first intra-chip interface and a second integrated circuit die having a second circuit and a second intra-chip interface and a remote interface, wherein the first intra-chip interface and the second intra-chip interface electro-magnetically communicate first signals between the first circuit and the second circuit, and wherein the remote interface is coupled to engage in electromagnetic communications with a remote device. In an embodiment of the present invention, a shielding element shields the electromagnetic communications with the remote device from the electromagnetic communication of the first signals. In other embodiments, antenna beam patterns or differing polarizations are used to isolate the electromagnetic communications with the remote device from the electromagnetic communication of the first signals.
US08121537B2
An uplink channel sounding apparatus and method in a wireless communication system are provided, in which in an MS, a baseband MODEM generates as many channel sounding signals as the MS has antennas and outputs the channel sounding signals to an antenna switch. The antenna switch switches the channel sounding signals to the antennas in a one-to-one basis transmitting the channel sounding signals to a BS through all of the antennas of the MS.
US08121525B2
The toner bottle exchangeably used in an image forming apparatus. The toner bottle includes a bottle body having a substantially cylindrical shape and configured to contain toner, a gear configured to rotate a part of the toner bottle, a cap attached to the bottle body and including an opening arranged in a circumferential surface of the cap and configured to output toner to a development apparatus of the image forming apparatus, a toner conveyance mechanism arranged in the bottle body and configured to convey the toner to the opening.
US08121519B2
A process cartridge is provided detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The process cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a process device actable on the drum. The process cartridge also includes a cartridge positioning portion for engaging a main assembly positioning portion to position the cartridge with respect to a direction crossing the direction of the axis of the drum when the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly in a direction parallel with the axis of the photosensitive drum. Further, a movable member is provided movable between a first position contacting the main assembly in the process of mounting of the cartridge to the main assembly, and a second position contacting a main assembly urging member and receiving a force in the crossing direction to contact the cartridge positioning portion to the main assembly positioning portion to position the cartridge in the crossing direction.
US08121516B2
A processing cartridge includes at least a photosensitive drum, a developing roller, and a casing containing the photosensitive drum and the developing roller. The photosensitive drum is fixed to the casing to form an electrostatic latent image, and the developing roller develops the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum. The processing cartridge also includes a handle, and the handle is retractably fixed to the casing, which has an extending status and a shrinking status opposite to the extending status.
US08121502B2
An image forming apparatus for forming an image includes a first control table and a second control table. The first control table includes information on widths of a recording sheet, categorized into a plurality of groups of different widths thereof in a direction perpendicular to a sheet transport direction. The second control table includes information on timing of the recording sheet transported to the fixing device based on the group to which a preceding recording sheet, belongs and the group to which a subsequent recording sheet belongs. When a certain width of the recording sheet belongs to the plurality of the groups in the first control table, the group to which the preceding recording sheet belongs is the group to which the subsequent recording sheet belongs.
US08121496B2
An image forming apparatus operates in a power saving mode or in the normal printing mode. An image forming section forms an image in accordance with print data received from an external apparatus. A state detecting section detects a state of the image forming apparatus. A controller causes the image forming apparatus to enter into a power saving mode where the controller terminates supply of electric power to a section of the image forming apparatus that consumes a large electric power. A data detecting section detects whether the print data exists in the image forming apparatus. When the state detecting section detects a change in the state of the image forming apparatus and the data detecting section fails to detect print data in the image forming section, the controller causes the image forming apparatus to enter the power saving mode.
US08121493B2
A distortion compensation circuit compensates for distortion generated by one or more non-linear elements such as a laser device. The distortion compensation circuit may be used in an optical transmitter, such as a laser transmitter used for forward path CATV applications. The distortion compensation circuit may include a primary signal path and a secondary signal path that receive an input signal. The secondary signal path produces distortion of a magnitude corresponding to the magnitude of, but at an opposite phase to, the distortion generated by the non-linear amplifier. The secondary signal path includes a plurality of distortion sub-paths with each of the distortion sub-paths configured to produce intermodulation distortion products of the same distortion order but for different frequency dependent orders in a time dependent series representative of the distortion produced by the non-linear amplifier.
US08121492B2
An optical transmitting apparatus includes a modulating unit that branches an input light and performs independent phase modulation to branched optical signals of arms, a phase adjusting unit that changes a phase difference between the optical signals of respective arms according to a control signal, a combining unit that combines modulated lights having the phase difference, an acquiring unit that acquires a positive-phase signal and a negative-phase signal from the combining unit, a subtracting unit that obtains a difference between the positive-phase signal and the negative-phase signal acquired by the acquiring unit, a detecting unit detecting a power of a differential signal from subtraction by the subtracting unit, and a control unit that changes the control signal according to signal component intensity detected by the detecting unit.
US08121485B2
A method and apparatus for implementing an RF photonic transversal filter that utilizes tap apodization and wavelength reuse to obtain a high side lobe suppression together with narrow and configurable passbands. Several taps are obtained from one wavelength by using dispersive optical delay lines such as chirped fiber gratings that introduce a delay between successive wavelengths. A selected subset of the input wavelengths is utilized to generate multiple taps per wavelength. Some of the taps are apodized to generate various filter transfer functions that yield a high side lobe suppression ratio.
US08121478B2
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a bidirectional communications system includes a first non-blocking network including a bidirectional optical switch, a plurality of nodes, a plurality of optical transceivers connected between the bidirectional optical switch and the plurality of nodes, each optical transceiver including a transmitter, a receiver and an optical combiner, and a second network connected to at least one of the nodes and the at least one at least one bidirectional optical switch for control of a crossconnect.
US08121477B2
The present invention is directed to an optical node apparatus in which the number of light elements that propagates reference light is reduced, which includes pa input-side wavelength mux/demux elements, a switch module, pb output-side wavelength mux/demux elements, and a reference light source. Each of the input-side wavelength mux/demux element include at least two first port and at least two second port. One of the first ports included in each input-side wavelength mux/demux element is coupled to an input transmission path. The other of the first ports coupled to the reference light source, and each of the second ports is coupled to an input end of the switch module.
US08121472B2
Subject matter disclosed herein relates to setting photographic parameters based, at least in part, on signal measurements, such as, for example, without limitation, position of the Sun. Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment, an apparatus may comprise the following: a wireless communication capable device (E.G., 400, 1100) including an integrated digital camera (E.G., 1180, 402); the device capable of estimating position of the Sun relative to the position of the device based at least in part on signal information received via wireless communication; and the device being further capable of using the estimated position of the Sun so as to affect one or more photographic parameters. Briefly, in accordance with another embodiment, a method may comprise the following: acquiring information via wireless communication (E.G., 710); estimating a position of the Sun relative to a particular selected position based at least in part on the acquired information; and setting photographic parameters of a digital camera based, at least in part, on the estimated position of the Sun (E.G., 730). Briefly, in accordance with yet another embodiment, an article comprises: a storage medium having stored thereon instructions capable of being executed by a special purpose computing platform to: acquire information via wireless communication; estimate a position of the Sun relative to a particular selected position based at least in part on the acquired information; and set photographic parameters of a digital camera based, at least in part, on the estimated position of the Sun.
US08121467B2
A position controller for an optical element of an optical system includes a first movable member supported by a support member to be movable relative thereto in a first direction orthogonal to an optical axis, a second movable member which holds the optical element and is supported by the first movable member to be movable relative thereto in a second direction which is nonparallel to the first direction, an electromagnetic actuator that produces a driving force for moving at least the second movable member in the second direction, and an insertion/removal drive mechanism for moving the second movable member between an anti-shake driving position, at which a position control for the second movable member can be performed using the electromagnetic actuator, and a removed position at which the second movable member is positioned outside a range of the position control that uses the electromagnetic actuator.
US08121451B2
An optical connector has a body, a mirror provided within the body, an optical waveguide path, and a linking section. The optical waveguide path extends from a first end face exposed on a part of the surface of the body, bending via the mirror up to a second end face exposed on a part of the surface of the body not parallel to the first end face. The linking section is formed so as to include the first end, face and has a mechanism linking the fixing member first end face to the second end face of the optical waveguide path of the fixing member.
US08121447B2
A transceiver comprising a plurality of CMOS chips may be operable to communicate an optical source signal from a semiconductor laser into a first CMOS chip via optical couplers. The optical source signal may be used to generate first optical signals that are transmitted from the first CMOS chip to optical fibers coupled to the first CMOS chip via one or more optical couplers. Second optical signals may be received from the optical fibers and converted to electrical signals via photodetectors in the first CMOS chip. The optical source signal may be communicated from the semiconductor laser into the first CMOS chip via optical fibers in to a top surface and the first optical signals may be communicated out of a top surface of the first CMOS chip. The electrical signals may be communicated to at least a second of the plurality of CMOS chips comprising electronic devices.
US08121445B2
An optical device includes: a multilayer structure substrate on which plural insulating layers are stacked and a wiring pattern is formed between layers; a recessed part for exposing the wiring pattern between the layers by cutting off a part of the multilayer structure substrate; an optical element mounted within the recessed part in electric conduction to the wiring pattern exposed by the recessed part; and an optical waveguide member forming an optical path for the optical element and guiding light along a surface of the multilayer structure substrate.
US08121441B2
A method and system for correcting the inclination of a scanned document in which two integers “a” and “b” are input to perform a rotation process. Each time an x-coordinate of a target pixel of a rotated image is changed by one pixel, “a” is added to a factor “kwy”. When “kwy” becomes more than or equal to “b”, “b” is subtracted from “kwy”, and a y-coordinate of a corresponding target pixel of an original image is changed by one pixel. Each time a y-coordinate of the target pixel is changed by one pixel, “a” is added to a factor “kwx”. When “kwx” becomes more than or equal to “b”, “b” is subtracted from “kwx”, and an x-coordinate of the corresponding target pixel of the original image is changed by one pixel. Four pixels including the corresponding target pixel are used to acquire a pixel value of the target pixel by two-dimensional interpolation by ratios acquired by dividing “kwx” and “kwy” respectively by “b”.
US08121440B2
There is described in one embodiment an imaging apparatus having an image sensor, and a plurality of operating states. Operation of the imaging apparatus can be differentiated between the operating states. In one operating state, the imaging apparatus can capture a frame of image data having image data corresponding to a predetermined number of pixels of the image sensor. The operating states of the imaging apparatus can be user selectable. There is described in one embodiment an apparatus having an image sensor operative to capture a relatively smaller sized frame, wherein a characteristic of light directed by an illumination assembly for capture of a relatively larger sized frame is determined utilizing the relatively smaller sized frame.
US08121431B2
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for detecting a noise distribution of an image close to a true distribution, and detecting an edge of the image precisely and quickly based on the detected noise distribution without performing a smoothing process for the image, and a computer readable medium processing the method. The method of detecting an edge of an image includes the steps of: detecting a noise distribution of an object image; and detecting an edge of the image based on the detected noise distribution.
US08121423B2
Raster segment commands are generated by a delta encoder and are encoded for raster segments detected to have moved in the current frame with respect to a location of the raster segment in a previous frame. Raster segment motion commands are stored in a queue and, when written, copy a raster segment into the current frame from a previous payload or cache. When written from the queue to a payload, raster segment motion commands are applied to a copy of the current frame maintained at the server using a copy of the previous payload sent. When copying a raster segment from a raster segment cache, a raster segment cache command retrieves identified raster segment data from the raster segment cache and copies the raster segment into a particular location in the current frame at the client. The raster segment commands are sent to a client via a payload to copy a raster segment from a previous payload into the current frame at the client or from a raster segment cache to the current frame.
US08121421B2
The invention relates to media management and combats media degradations arising when transcoding the media. The invention solves this by—generating processing hints based on the media transcoding. The hints are employed for controlling a post-transcoding processing of the transcoded media content in connection with rendering the media. The hints and this controlled processing increases the user-perceived quality when rendering the media by mitigating the media degradations caused by the transcoding. The processing hints could specify how the actual transcoding was performed by including values of the employed transcoding parameters or information of the alterations to the media caused by transcoding. Furthermore, instructions or commands for appropriate post-transcoding processing could also be processing hints according to the invention.
US08121417B2
A technique for prioritizing portions of compressed multi-resolution medical image data to be processed. More relevant portions of medical image data are compressed at a higher resolution than less relevant portions of medical image data. A mask is created from the image data and used to assign data compression quality factors to corresponding image blocks in the image data. The image data in each region is compressed based on their assigned quality factor. During processing of the compressed image data, the compressed image data and the mask are accessed. The mask is used to direct the processing of the compressed image data. Depending upon the application, the mask can be used to direct that the image data for the regions of most relevance be processed before the image data for the regions of lesser relevance. However, the mask can be used to direct that the image data for the regions of lesser relevance be processed before the image data for the regions of most relevance.
US08121416B2
A system and method for determining inflection points in an image of an object includes obtaining the image of the object, performing binary image processing on a border of the image to obtain border points, selecting a predetermined number of the border points to fit a straight line, calculating a vertical distance between each selected border point and the straight line, and obtaining a total distance. The method further includes adding a new border point to the selected border points if the total distance is less than a predetermined value, so as to fit a new straight line and do a loop cycle, otherwise, regarding a last border point of the selected border points as an inflection point, and sequentially selecting the predetermined number of other border points to fit another new straight line.
US08121412B2
A number of regions and partitions may be created based on input handwritten atoms and a grammar parsing framework. Productions for tabular structures may be added to the grammar parsing framework to produce an extended grammar parsing framework. Each of the regions may be searched for a tabular structure. Upon finding a tabular structure, a type of tabular structure may be determined. Configuration partitions may be created, based on the added productions, and added to the created partitions. A set of configuration regions may be created based on the configuration partitions and added to the created regions. The productions for tabular structures and productions of the grammar parsing framework may be applied, as rewriting rules, to the atoms to produce possible recognition results. A best recognition result may be determined and displayed. A mechanism for correcting misrecognition errors, which may occur while recognizing tabular structures, may be provided.
US08121408B2
An image processing method for a face image is provided. A skin area of a face is segmented from the face image. A brightness histogram of the skin area is generated. A skin shadow point and an eyeball point of the face are extracted from the skin area, the shadow point having a lowest brightness in the skin area. A modified histogram is generated by modifying the brightness histogram so as to correct a specific area having a lower brightness level than the eyeball point at a brightness level of the eyeball point, and to correct a specific portion in the skin area having a higher brightness level than the shadow point at a brightness level of the shadow point. The face image is thresholded in consideration of the modified histogram to produce a binary image or N-level encoded image.
US08121407B1
Methods and apparatus for localized labeling in digital images. A region is obtained within which a global labeling solution for an image lies. The region is covered with a set of multiple overlapping tiles. A labeling function is applied to each tile in two or more subsets of the tiles to generate a local labeling for each of the tiles in the subsets. The local labeling for tiles in a first subset are input as a boundary condition to the labeling function when applied to overlapping tiles in a second subset. The local labelings for all of the tiles in all of the subsets are merged to form a global labeling for the image. The labeling function may be executed in parallel on two or more of the tiles.
US08121401B2
A method for enhancing the color of an image to be displayed on a display includes receiving an image having a plurality of pixels where each of the pixels has a plurality of color components. The image is filtered using a spatial filter in such a manner that the lower frequency content of the image is enhanced in such a manner that the dynamic range of the lower frequency content is increased. The filtered image is modified such that the higher frequency content of the image to obtain a modified image that includes the higher frequency content and the lower frequency content.
US08121399B2
Self-position identifying method and device, and three-dimensional shape measuring method and device
The invention includes a step S1 for inputting into a computer coordinate values on a three-dimensional shape; a step S4 for structuring an environment model that partitions a spatial region, in which a three-dimensional shape exists, into a plurality of voxels of rectangular solids, and stores each position; and a step S5 for setting and recording a representative point and an error distribution thereof, within the voxel corresponding to the coordinate value. If there is no data in a previous measurement position, position matching is performed in a fine position matching step S7 so as to minimize an evaluation value regarding the distances between adjacent error distributions by rotating and translating a new measurement data and error distribution for the environment model for a previous measuring position, or rotating and translating an environment model for a new measuring position, relative to an environment model for a previous measuring position.
US08121397B2
A method for reviewing a defect on a sample involves the steps of imaging a defect image containing the defect in first magnification by using an image acquisition unit, synthesizing a reference image not containing the defect from the defect image, comparing the defect image acquired with the reference image synthesized to detect a defect applicant, executing a processing for classifying the defect applicant into a defect and a normal portion and imaging only the portion identified as the detect in second magnification. The method makes it possible to specify a defect position without error from the image taken in the first magnification and to image the defect in the second magnification when a large number of defects are observed within a short time by using the image acquisition unit.
US08121395B2
A circuit-pattern inspection apparatus and related method provide a highly sensitive defect inspection of an area including the most circumferential portion of a memory mat of a semiconductor chip formed on a semiconductor wafer. In certain examples, an image of a circuit pattern of a die formed on the semiconductor wafer is acquired to judge whether or not the circuit pattern contains a defect.
US08121386B2
A secure article, notably a security and/or valuable document, comprising at least one substrate, at least one visible authenticating structure, at least one inspection zone defined at least partly by the authenticating structure, the authenticating structure delimiting at least partly the outline of the inspection zone and/or serving to locate the inspection zone, in the inspection zone at least one identifying element different from the authenticating structure, the inspection zone enabling an identification information to be supplied with at least one feature, notably spatial or physical, of the identifying element.
US08121384B2
A method for magnetic character recognition may include preparing standard array data of peak intervals; generating a regeneration waveform out of a character string of magnetic characters printed on a surface of an information data recording medium; segmenting a character waveform of each magnetic character out of the regeneration waveform; generating array data of peak intervals out of an array pattern of a plurality of intervals between peaks that are included in the character waveform; and comparing the array data of peak intervals with the standard array data of peak intervals; wherein, based on a comparison result of comparing the array data of peak intervals with the standard array data of peak intervals, a read character is identified with a character corresponding to an array data of peak intervals that shows the highest coincidence.
US08121375B2
This invention provides a method and a device for producing the parameters of the brain tissue of a patient quickly by using suitable magnetic resonance imaging, utilizing image processing and computer technology, achieving parameters pertaining to the infarction and the ischemic penumbra. This invention also provides a method and a device for producing and assessing data of the suitability for thrombolysis of a patient quickly and properly by using suitable magnetic resonance imaging, utilizing image processing and computer technology, achieving parameters pertaining to the infarction and the ischemic penumbra and predicting the suitability for thrombolysis.
US08121374B2
A subject is imaged at a preselected phase point (34) which occurs in one or more successive cardiac cycles as the subject moves in an examination region (16). An illumination window (94) illuminates each reconstructed voxel (A, B, C) of the subject in phase point windows (92) adjacent surroundingly the preselected phase point (34). A temporal window (90) is determined which includes an integer number N of successive cardiac cycles, in which the phase point windows (92) are entirely included in the illumination window (94). The illumination window (94) is truncated in accordance with the determined temporal window (90). First and second regions (72, 74) are determined along an axial direction (Z), the first and second regions (72, 74) alternating with one another. A temporal weighting profile processor (64) generates a projection dependent temporal weighting profile (66). A temporal window processor (102) applies the normalized backprojection weights for each voxel which lies in an associated first region. A varying weight processor (110) continuously smoothly weights readings for each voxel lying in an associated second region (74). A backprojection processor (120) three-dimensionally backprojects the weighted readings into a volumetric image representation.
US08121372B2
The invention relates to a method for reducing image noise in the context of capturing at least one radiation-based image of a region of interest using two different radiation spectra, in particular two different x-ray radiation spectra, comprising the following steps: capturing raw images of the region of interest using the two different radiation spectra with in each case mutually paired measured values; and to separate different materials in the region of interest, applying to the captured raw images at least one inversion operator with integrated noise filtering, said operator describing a transition from a measured value pair to an assigned reconstruction value pair.
US08121371B2
A first and a second image are expressed in a common coordinate system by applying a geometric transformation to the second image so as to map a structure in the second image onto a corresponding structure in the first image in a common coordinate system. Starting from initial values, the parameters of the geometric transformation are updated taking into account the result of an evaluation of a cost function.Measurements are performed in the common coordinate system.
US08121369B2
The medical image processing apparatus of the present invention includes: a three-dimensional model estimating section that estimates a three-dimensional model based on a two-dimensional image; a local region setting section that sets a plurality of local regions around a target pixel in the two-dimensional image; a shape feature value calculating section that uses three-dimensional coordinate data corresponding to the plurality of local regions and calculates shape feature values of respective voxels corresponding to the target pixel; a shape feature value selecting section that selects, as a shape feature value of a voxel corresponding to the target pixel, a shape feature value calculated according to one local region including an optimum three-dimensional coordinate data amount among the plurality of shape feature values; and an elevated shape detecting section that detects an elevated shape existing in the two-dimensional image based on a selection result of the shape feature value selecting section.
US08121368B2
A medical imaging-based system and method uses both kV and MV images captured during a treatment period for organ motion tracking. 3D geometric locations of internal features are computationally tracked as a function of time from internal features, such as natural biological features or implanted fiducials, which are computationally extracted from the captured kV and MV images. A partial information method allows 3D tracking to be maintained in the event that imaging information is temporarily not available.
US08121363B2
The system permits sharing both thermographic image processing and visualization across a single universal platform, thus allowing for sharing of processor resources and visualization of thermographic images on a variety of imaging (client) devices without high-performance graphical display cards. In a typical embodiment, a (e.g., medical) thermographic image 2D linear registration algorithm is implemented on a Cell Broadband Engine processor, which has nine processor cores on a chip and has a 4-way SIMD unit for each core. This multi-core processor technological advancement allows for the development of a thermographic image processing system that is used for thermographic image capturing modalities. A platform is used to provide a generalized medical thermographic image capturing and processing system, which handles different types of medical thermographic image apparatuses on a single data processing platform.
US08121353B2
An apparatus, system and method for mapping information. The apparatus for mapping information includes an information input unit providing image information and position-view information in a specified area, a three-dimensional model database storing three-dimensional model data of a structure within the specified area and generating a two-dimensional image from the three-dimensional model data using the position-view information, an image processing unit comparing the two-dimensional image with the image information to analyze the image information, a related information acquiring unit acquiring structure related information within the specified area with reference to the analyzed image information, and an information mapping processing unit mapping the structure related information on the image information and outputting a mapping result.
US08121351B2
A method includes generating a depth map from at least one image, detecting objects in the depth map, and identifying anomalies in the objects from the depth map. Another method includes identifying at least one anomaly in an object in a depth map, and using the anomaly to identify future occurrences of the object. A system includes a three dimensional (3D) imaging system to generate a depth map from at least one image, an object detector to detect objects within the depth map, and an anomaly detector to detect anomalies in the detected objects, wherein the anomalies are logical gaps and/or logical protrusions in the depth map.
US08121342B2
A method of associating metadata with a media signal receives an identifier for the media signal, uses the identifier to look up metadata in a metadata database, validates the metadata by checking attributes of the media signal relative to at least a portion of the metadata to provide validated metadata; and provides the validated metadata to a requesting application. Related methods enable searching of metadata across metadata databases, routing metadata requests to the metadata databases, controlling access to and validating metadata for media content, and re-associating valid metadata with media content.
US08121337B2
Disclosed is a free air magnetic circuit and speaker in which no pole piece is used. A magnet layer is located between a top plate and a back plate with a gap defined essentially in the center thereof. Into the gap, a wire coil attached to a diaphragm may be inserted. A magnet flux passes between the top and back plates. In some embodiments, the interior edge of each of the metal plates tapers toward the gap, and the magnet layer extends past the peripheral edge of each of the metal plates so as to discourage magnetic flux between the metal layers at the peripheral edge.
US08121334B2
A Bluetooth earphone having a semi-automatic receiving function includes a housing, an earphone, a first flexible portion, a button, and a fastening mechanism. The housing has a receiving slot. The earphone is pivoted with the housing and received in the receiving slot that can be rotated to the outside of the housing. The first flexible portion located between the housing and the earphone provides a force to eject the earphone. The button is located on the housing and connected with the earphone. The fastening mechanism is located between the button and the housing to fasten the earphone in the receiving slot. The user presses the button to eject the earphone by utilizing the flexible force of the first flexible portion. Thereby, the earphone can be received in the housing to prevent the earphone from being broken due to the impacts of external forces.
US08121333B2
The present invention is a suspension device comprising a frame and a means for holding a microphone. The means for holding a microphone is secured to the frame by two arms lying in a plane and the arms are shaped to allow movement of the means for holding a microphone in a direction transverse to the plane.
US08121311B2
A noise reduction system includes multiple transducers that generate time domain signals. A transforming device transforms the time domain signals into frequency domain signals. A signal mixing device mixes the frequency domain signals according to a mixing ratio. Frequency domain signals are rotated in phase to generate phase rotated signals. A post-processing device attenuates portions of the output based on coherence levels of the signals.
US08121310B2
A plurality of sound receiving units is installed onto an equipment body. An initial information memory stores an initial direction of the equipment body in a terminal coordinate system based on the equipment body. An orientation detection unit detects an orientation of the equipment body in a world coordinate system based on a real space. A lock information output unit outputs lock information representing to rock the orientation. An orientation information memory stores the orientation detected when the lock information is output. A direction conversion unit converts the initial direction to a target sound direction in the world coordinate system by using the orientation stored in the orientation information memory. A directivity forming unit forms a directivity of the plurality of sound receiving units toward the target sound direction.
US08121309B2
The directional effect of a static directional microphone is to be improved. In particular shadowing effects of the head for a hearing device worn on the head of the user are to be taken into account when adjusting at the directional microphone. To this end it is proposed that—like the adaptation of an adaptive directional microphone—the energy or power of the directional microphone signal emitted by the directional microphone is minimized, with the difference that in this case extremely long adaptation times are predetermined.
US08121307B2
An in-vehicle sound control system structured so that sound sources, a vehicle speed detection unit for detecting a vehicle running speed, and an acoustic reproduction apparatus are connected to in-vehicle communications network. The in-vehicle sound control system controls, in accordance with a vehicle speed signal transmitted from the vehicle speed detection unit, a reproduction acoustic signal. The acoustic reproduction apparatus switches, in accordance with a plurality of inputted sound sources and media information of a sound source, a control amount to sound control section determined based on a vehicle speed signal. In this manner, such an in-vehicle sound control system is provided that can provide an optimal automatic sound control for human ears even when the medium is exchanged or when a channel for a sound source in the medium is switched to another channel.
US08121306B2
A range-sensitive wireless-microphone method includes receiving an audio input, converting the received audio input into digital data, buffering the digital data, and transmitting the buffered digital data. The method also includes determining whether the transmitted buffered data was successfully received, responsive to a determination that the transmitted buffered data was successfully received deleting the transmitted buffered data, and, responsive to a determination that the transmitted buffered data was not successfully received, retaining the transmitted buffered data and repeating the transmitting step. This Abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an Abstract that allows a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain subject matter of the technical disclosure. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US08121291B2
An apparatus, system method and computer program product configured to transmit data over a broadcast network. The data is encrypted and decoded using a decryption key available to terminals in combination with a digital rights object. A media guide is broadcast to the terminals. Information from the media guide is also stored by a request handling means in order to ensure that information, such as pricing information, broadcast to the terminals is synchronized with information used to register a terminal as a subscriber. A request is sent from a terminal to the broadcast network through a second network. Authentication information identifying the terminal may be included in the request without manual input from a user of the terminal. Authentication information is extracted from a component or added to the message by a component of the second network. The digital rights object is then sent to the terminal via the second network.
US08121288B2
The present invention provides methods, systems and apparatus for encrypting and for decrypting a data stream, for securely sending a data stream and for securely receiving a data stream, and for secure transmission of a data stream. The data stream, after at least a part of it being encrypted, is transmitted from a sender to a receiver via a channel. An exemplary method for encrypting comprises: adjusting encryption attributes during transmission; encrypting the data stream according to the adjusted encryption attributes; and transmitting the encrypted data stream and information of the encryption attributes to the receiver.
US08121286B2
A system and method for coding data to help resist differential attacks. Data in m columns may be initialized to an initialized value. One new column of data may be mixed with a new input word and input to an advanced mixer. The advanced mixer may include linear mixing having indexed bytes and performing of exclusive-OR operation and transposing. An output of the advanced mixer may be a new m column state. A value of m could be 0 through 30. The value of m may have a preferred range of 27 through 36. Systems to implement the foregoing method are also described.
US08121281B2
Provided is a method for operating a server computer to provide an interactive application to enable a plurality of client-specific protocols for a remote call center, the remote call center configured to receive a plurality of calls for a plurality of clients. The method includes linearly administering a plurality of states defined in a process map of client-specific protocols for a plurality of call types expected to be received for each client; displaying the process map at the remote call center via a graphical user interface; and enabling a client to remotely alter the process map over an internet connection in near real-time.
US08121279B2
The discussion unit (10) for use in a conference system is disclosed, which is adapted to be connected to at least one second discussion unit (10). The discussion unit (10) comprises an essentially closed casing (410) and at least one exchangeable portion (420). The at least one exchangeable portion (420) is removably mounted to the casing (410) and at least partially covers at least one outside part (424, 412) of the casing (410). The invention allows for an easy first installation of the exchangeable portion (420). Nevertheless, after installation, the exchangeable portion (420) is difficult to remove by a user (preventing unintended removal or removal by vandalism or “play instinct”), but allowing for an easy exchange of the exchangeable portion (420) by an installer and/or a service technician.
US08121266B2
The present invention relates to a method for checking a ring-back signal comprising the following steps, time synchronizing a first device and a second device, causing an event by requesting the configuration of a ring-back signal with and for the first device at a specific time stamp and capturing the time stamp and the event in a first log file, calling the first device with the second device at a specific time stamp, recording the ring-back signal of the first device, comparing the ring-back signal with at least one reference signal yielding a comparison result, and capturing the time stamp and the comparison result in a second log file, and comparing the second log file with the first log file.
US08121260B2
A method of determining if an echo canceller comprised in a communication channel that is used to transmit at least one tonal signal and characterized by a model echo path of the channel, is acceptably adapted to cancel echoes in the channel, the method comprising: determining a performance measure how well the canceller cancels echoes of at least one test signal characterized by at least one frequency different from a frequency of the at least one tonal signal; and determining if the canceller is acceptably adapted responsive to the measure.
US08121253B2
A method for making a beam modifier to be used in radiation therapy includes defining a region of interest in a patient that is to receive radiation, with the region of interest being defined using an anatomy coordinate system format. Radiation treatment parameters are defined for the defined region of interest, and correspond to an initial type beam modifier to be coupled to an output of a radiation device. Design data on a beam modifier to be placed on the skin of the patient is generated, with the design data being based on the defined region of interest and the defined radiation treatment parameters for the defined region of interest. The design data is in the same anatomy coordinate system format as the defined region of interest that is to receive the radiation. The design data is treated as a new region of interest, and the radiation dosage to be applied to the new region of interest is re-calculated while taking into account the beam modifier to be placed on the skin of the patient.
US08121245B2
A method and apparatus for reconstruction of a region of interest for an object is provided. The reconstruction of the object may be based on chords which may fill a part, all, or more than all of the region of interest. Using chords for reconstruction may allow for reducing data acquired and/or processing for reconstructing a substantially exact image of the ROI. Moreover, various methodologies may be used in reconstructing the image, such as backprojection-filtration, and modified filtration backprojection.
US08121240B1
Phase shift is added between a uttering clock signal and a data bit stream clocked by the clock signal. The phase shift is adjusted until half the data bits are captured (counted) over a measurement period. Adding this amount of phase shift between the clock and data signals centers the average clock edge placement. In a particular embodiment, counters, each having N bits where N is an integer, are used to count clock pulses and data bits. When one counter is full and the most-significant bit on the other counter goes high, the phase shift between the data and clock signal places the average clock edge at the data bit edge.
US08121238B2
A system and method for synchronizing a receiver of a bit stream to the bit stream include a correlator to remove the PN code modulation and to generate a stream of time sequence values (samples) from the received bits. A plurality of accumulators are included, each accumulator corresponding to an offset in a series of time intervals starting with a first time period. The accumulators add a number of values equal to a number of samples in a bit period. The values added by each accumulator is a set of values starting with the value at the offset corresponding to the accumulator. A plurality of magnitude calculators receives a sum from the corresponding accumulator and calculates a magnitude. A plurality of non-coherent summers are then used to add the magnitudes for each offset in each bit period for all of the received bits. The total sum in each non-coherent summer is then analyzed to find the highest value, such that the offset corresponding to the non-coherent summer with the highest value represents the location of the bit transition in the bit period.
US08121237B2
An integrated circuit device includes a delay circuit, sampling circuit and delay control circuit that cooperate to carry out adaptive timing calibration. The delay circuit generates a timing signal by delaying an aperiodic input signal for a first interval. The sampling circuit samples a data signal in response to the timing signal to generate a sequence of data samples, and also samples the data signal in response to a phase-shifted version of the timing signal to generate a sequence of edge samples. The delay control circuit adjusts the first interval based, at least in part, on a phase error indicated by the sequence of data samples and the sequence of edge samples.
US08121223B2
A system and technique for providing to flexible, programmable frequency estimators and spectrum analyzers that can operate over extremely large bandwidths and yet provide high spectral resolution are described. The acquisition time and hardware complexity of one technique scale as O(N), where N denotes the number of frequency bins acquired. Embodiments are disclosed in which architectures are implemented using exponentially-tapered transmission lines and filter cascades.
US08121222B2
Systems and methods for detecting and/or identifying signals that employ streaming processing to generate time-frequency surfaces by sampling a datastream according to a temporal structure that may be chosen as needed. The sampled datastream may be correlated with a set of templates that span the band of interest in a continuous manner, and used to generate time-frequency surfaces from irregularly sampled data with arbitrary structure that has been sampled with non-constant and non-Nyquist sampling rates where such non-constant rates are needed or desired.
US08121219B1
A sampled signal is processed by periodically sampling an input signal to obtain a set of samples. A first detection process is performed using the set of samples to obtain a first decision and a first error; the first detection process is associated with a first phase offset. A second detection process is performed using the set of samples to obtain a second decision and a second error; the second detection process is associated with a second phase offset. Either the first decision or the second decision is selected based at least in part on the first error and the second error.
US08121212B2
Respective codewords of quantization codebooks corresponding to a number of data streams are selected based on channel information estimated by a received training symbol. A stream mode is selected among stream modes to determine a modulation method applied to each data stream. The data stream is detected by using the codeword corresponding to the quantization codebook of the data stream corresponding to the selected stream mode as a precode matrix, and the detected data stream is modulated. In this case, a receiving apparatus performs a feedback operation so that indexes of the selected stream mode and the codeword used as the precode matrix may be transmitted to the transmitting apparatus. The transmitting apparatus selects the number of transmitted data streams and the modulation method based on the transmitted index of feedback streams by the feedback operation.
US08121205B1
Methods and apparatus for serial channel operation are disclosed. An N+1-level signaling scheme is used to transmit N staggered but overlapping NRZ sub-sequences concurrently on a serial channel. Each sequence has a bit rate R and an essential bandwidth of R Hz. The combined bit rate of the channel is N×R, but due to a lack of correlation between the sub-sequences, the essential bandwidth remains approximately R Hz. The signaling scheme also contains redundancy that allows some errors to be detected and/or corrected. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08121201B2
A pulse transmitter having a relatively simple structure and generating a pulse modulating signal even at a high transmission rate. In the pulse transmitter, a symbol pulse generating part (103) generates a symbol pulse of amplitude level β when data S1 is “0,” and that of amplitude level &ggr; when data S1 is “1” in the first pulse slot section, the data pulse generating part (104) generates a data pulse of amplitude level 0 when data S2 to Sn is “0,” and that of amplitude level α when data S2 to Sn is “1” in a later pulse slot section. The relationship of the amplitude levels keep the relation α<β<&ggr. An adder (105) adds the symbol pulse and the data pulse and outputs the sum as a pulse modulating signal.
US08121200B2
A multi-level signal uses the third/fourth signal level to signal both a word clock edge and a data word boundary. At the receiver, a level detector detects a transition to or from the third/fourth level as a clock signal transition and the word boundary. The bit clock can be recovered using a conventional clock multiplier. Bi-level signaling is used for data between the word boundaries. Additional signal states are available in the multi-level signal by modulating the pulse width at the third/fourth signal level.
US08121193B2
The minimum Sum of Absolute Differences obtained by a motion vector search roughly judges the magnitude of quantization error by whether or not exceeding a predetermined threshold value. When the quantization error is lower, whether or not visually noticeable noise exists in some of the pixels of the current macroblock is judged based on the amount of flatness and noise detected in each of the 4x4 pixel blocks of the current macroblock partitioned into 16 sub-macroblocks. If there is visually noticeable noise, intra-frame coding is selected. When the quantization error is higher, whether or not visually noticeable noise exists in the current macroblock is judged while considering the magnitude of the motion vector. If there is visually noticeable noise, intra-frame coding is selected.
US08121187B2
A Multiple Bit Rate (MBR) video coding method and apparatus for performing video encodings at multiple bit rates and for performing advantageous switching therebetween. Frequent switching points and high video coding efficiency are achieved with use of a plurality of video encodings at each of a plurality of bit rates, wherein the switching points between multiple encodings at a given bit rate are shifted with respect to one another so that the frequency of available switching points is significantly improved without a corresponding loss of coding quality. In addition, one or more “high quality” encodings may be provided at each bit rate, wherein the “high quality” encodings employ infrequent switching points, providing a very high quality encoding at the given bit rate which may be used (or switched to) whenever possible.
US08121184B2
A wireless receiver receiving a signal from a wireless transmitter which includes a plurality of transmission antennas and transmits data to which first phase rotation for controlling the maximum delay time between the plurality of transmission antennas is added and pilot channels corresponding to the plurality of transmission antennas which are orthogonal to each other, where the wireless receiver includes a reception unit which receives the pilot channels and a demodulating unit which demodulates the data.
US08121182B2
An apparatus and method for implementing an equalizer which (1) combines the benefits of a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) with a maximum-a-posterori (MAP) equalizer (or a maximum likelihood sequence estimator, MLSE) (2) performs equalization in a time-forward or time-reversed manner based on the channel being minimum-phase or maximum-phase to provide an equalization device with significantly lower complexity than a full-state MAP device, but which still provides improved performance over a conventional DFE. The equalizer architecture includes two DFE-like structures, followed by a MAP equalizer. The first DFE forms tentative symbol decisions. The second DFE is used thereafter to truncate the channel response to a desired memory of L1 symbols, which is less than the total delay spread of L symbols of the channel. The MAP equalizer operates over a channel with memory of L1 symbols (where L1<=L), and therefore the overall complexity of the equalizer is significantly reduced.
US08121180B1
A novel method of configuring a transceiver for data transmission via residential wiring. The method involves setting a DC level at the output terminal of the transceiver, comparing a value representing the DC level with a predetermined threshold level, and controlling an output driver of the transceiver until this value is equal to the threshold level. The output driver may be controlled during initialization of the transceiver. To implement the method, the transceiver is provided with an output drive control system for comparing a DC level set at the output terminal with the threshold signal to control the output driver so as to maintain the transmit signal at a prescribed level.
US08121177B2
A receiver in a CDMA system comprises a front end processor that generates a combined signal per source. A symbol estimator processes the combined signal to produce symbol estimates. An S-Matrix Generation module refines these symbol estimates based on the sub channel symbol estimates. An interference canceller is configured for cancelling interference from at least one of the plurality of received signals for producing at least one interference-cancelled signal.
US08121171B2
Surface emitting laser arrays with intra-cavity harmonic generation are coupled to an optical system that extracts harmonic light in both directions from an intra-cavity nonlinear optical material in such a way that the focusing properties of the light beams are matched.
US08121168B2
A multibeam laser diode capable of improving heat release characteristics in the case of junction-down assembly is provided. Contact electrodes are provided respectively for protruding streaks of a laser diode device, and pad electrodes are provided to avoid the protruding streaks and the contact electrodes. The contact electrodes and the pad electrodes are connected by wiring electrodes, and the contact electrodes are covered with a first insulating film. Thereby, electric connection is enabled without straightly jointing the contact electrodes to a solder layer. A heat conduction layer configured of a metal is provided on the first insulating film, the heat conduction layer is jointed to the solder layer, and thereby the heat release characteristics are able to be improved even in the case of junction-down assembly.
US08121165B2
Multi-quantum well laser structures are provided comprising active and/or passive MQW regions. Each of the MQW regions comprises a plurality of quantum wells and intervening barrier layers. Adjacent MQW regions are separated by a spacer layer that is thicker than the intervening barrier layers. The bandgap of the quantum wells is lower than the bandgap of the intervening barrier layers and the spacer layer. The active region may comprise active and passive MQWs and be configured for electrically-pumped stimulated emission of photons or it may comprises active MQW regions configured for optically-pumped stimulated emission of photons.
US08121160B2
A driver circuit for a semiconductor laser diode (LD) is disclosed, in which the driver circuit drives the LD in the differential mode and lowers the power consumption thereof. The driver circuit includes a differential unit to provide the modulation current to the LD, a voltage converter to provide a positive power supply to the differential unit, a detector to detect the common mode voltage of the differential outputs of the unit, and a comparing unit to control the voltage converter dynamically such that the output common mode voltage is set in a preset reference level.
US08121159B2
A temperature compensation method for laser power in an optical disk drive is provided. A predetermined linear-fitting power curve and a temperature-changing slope curve are previously stored in the optical disk drive. Firstly, an output of laser power is controlled according to the predetermined linear-fitting power curve to read/write data. Next, the temperature of the disk drive is detected. Then, whether the temperature has changed is checked. If the temperature has not changed, the method continues to read/write data. If the temperature has changed, the method obtains a relative slope from the slope curve by use of the temperature of the disk drive, displaces the slope of the predetermined linear-fitting power curve with the obtained relative slope to form a new linear-fitting power curve for replacing the predetermined linear-fitting power curve, and controls the output of laser power.
US08121151B2
A decider decides whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed after a last one of first packets was received and a timeout thereby occurs. A second packet having a size of data greater than a size of data placed in each of the first packets is produced from a number of the first packets, the number being a first threshold value. Another decider decides, when the predetermined period of time has elapsed, whether a number of times by which the predetermined period of time has successively elapsed exceeds a second threshold value which is a permitted number of times of the timeout. A processing unit sets, when the second threshold value is exceeded by the number of times that the predetermined period of time has successively elapsed, the first threshold value so as to decrement the number of the first packets to be used to produce the second packet.
US08121148B2
There are disclosed processes and systems relating to optimized network traffic generation and reception. Application programs and a protocol stack may share a memory space. The protocol stack may designate available bandwidth for use by an application program. The application programs may store descriptors from which the protocol stack may form payload data for data units.
US08121144B2
A method for communication includes allocating time intervals for a first communication session over a first connection between a wireless terminal and a base station of a long-range wireless data network, which operates in accordance with a first protocol defining time frames having downlink and uplink sub-frames. Time slots are allocated for a second communication session over a second connection between the terminal and a peripheral wireless device, which operates in accordance with a second, short-range time-slotted protocol, which is different from the first protocol and has a retransmission mechanism. The time slots are synchronized with the downlink and uplink sub-frames defined by the BS. Operation of the second connection is inhibited during some of the time slots that overlap the downlink sub-frames, so as to invoke the retransmission mechanism and cause the terminal to transmit only during the time slots that do not overlap the downlink sub-frames.
US08121138B2
In a label switching network using a plurality of labels, a communication apparatus receives signaling information for setting a first label switching tunnel. This signaling information includes one or more values of one or more labels representing one or more pseudowires accommodated in a first label switching tunnel, the bandwidth information of the pseudowire, and the bandwidth-sharing identifier. A bandwidth management table holding correspondence relationships between values of a plurality of labels, the bandwidth information, and the bandwidth-sharing identifiers are generated. One or more second label switching tunnels may be accommodated instead of one or more pseudowires.
US08121132B2
A network for carrying out control, sensing and data communications, comprising a plurality of nodes. Each node may be connected to a payload, which comprises sensors, actuators and DTE's. The network is formed using a plurality of independent communication links, each based on electrically-conducting communication media comprising at least two conductors and interconnecting two nodes, in a point-to-point configuration. During network operation, nodes can be dynamically configured as either data-generating nodes, wherein data is generated and transmitted into the network, or as receiver/repeater/router nodes, wherein received data is repeated from a receiver port to all output ports. During normal network operation, the network shifts from state to state. Each state is characterized by assigning a single node as the data-generating node, and configuring all other nodes in the network as repeaters and receivers. The network can be configured in linear or circular topology, or any mixture of both. The nodes and the payloads can each be powered by local power supply or via the network wiring. In the latter case, dedicated wires can be used, or the same conductors may be employed for both power distribution and communication. Network control can be performed external to the network, or by using the network itself as transport for control messages. Shifting from state to state can be done by selecting sequential nodes to be the data-generating node, or by selecting arbitrary nodes to be the data-generating node.
US08121131B2
A method of transmitting a tributary in synchronous mode at the level of a link of a data network is disclosed. The tributary comprising at least one frame including at least one payload envelope area and one transport overhead area. The envelope area includes at least one payload and load supervision data related thereto. The transport overhead area includes transport supervision data related and an area of fixed patterns. The method comprises modifying a frame to create a modified frame and transmitting the modified frame. Modifying the frame comprises: part of the fixed patterns are deleted from the fixed pattern area; the positions of the part of the fixed patterns deleted are recorded; replacement data are inserted at the level of the positions. The method is characterized in that the replacement data comprise the transport supervision data of the frame of the tributary.
US08121130B2
In an example embodiment, a method is provided. In this method, a network address query is received. A first network address of a known apparatus is retrieved from a routing table, in response to the network address query. A second network address may be determined based upon the network address query, the second network address having a smaller bit length than the first network address. An aggregate value may be advertised that represents a range of reachable network addresses, the range of reachable network addresses including the second network address.
US08121128B2
Techniques for controlling transmission of packets on multiple links are described. In one design, a transmitter may generate packets of data for a receiver, assign the packets with sequence numbers from a single sequence number space, demultiplex the packets into multiple streams for multiple links, and send each stream of packets on the associated link to the receiver. The receiver may receive some packets in error, and the correctly received packets may be out of order. In one design, the receiver may maintain the largest sequence number of correctly received packets for each link. After detecting at least one missing packet, the receiver may send status information conveying the missing packet(s) and the largest sequence numbers for all links to the transmitter. The transmitter may use the largest sequence numbers for all links and its packet-to-link mapping to determine whether to quickly resend each missing packet or wait.
US08121118B2
Methods and apparatus to dynamically control connectivity within VPNs are disclosed. A disclosed example route server to control connectivity within a VPN comprises a memory to implement a database, a border gateway protocol (BGP) engine to process BGP advertisements, a network interface to receive a first BGP advertisement, which a first route target (RT) associated with the first PE router, from a first provider edge (PE) router associated with the VPN, and an intra-VPN connectivity controller to, in response to the first BGP advertisement, query the database to determine whether the first PE router is to be communicatively coupled to a second PE router of the VPN and when the first and second PE routers of the VPN are to be communicatively coupled, direct the BGP engine to form a second BGP advertisement that includes a second RT associated with the second PE router based on the first BGP advertisement.
US08121116B1
In one embodiment, a gateway between a variable delay network and a constant delay network receives over the variable delay network a plurality of data streams to be multiplexed over a modulated channel extending through the constant delay network. A first processing component of the gateway generates command-packet-descriptors corresponding to content packets included in the received data streams. A second processing component of the gateway uses transmit time indications included in the command-packet-descriptors to schedule transmission of modulated packets representing the received data streams over the modulated channel.
US08121114B2
In one embodiment, a system is provided to prevent VoIP spam. The system may store call data that is associated with a call to a phone number made over a Public Switched Telephone Network. Subsequently, the system may accept an Internet Protocol telephony connection in response to verification of a demonstrated knowledge of the call. The demonstrated knowledge of the call may be verified based on the call data.
US08121112B2
A microprocessor and a DSP are coupled with a cable modem and an IAD framer to terminate a DS1 link at a media terminal device. The processor performs call control operations and the DSP performs signal processing, such that call processing occurs at the device. The framer extracts or inserts call control information from robbed-bit signaling bits.Data streams from the DS1 link are formatted/packetized according to a protocol used by a VoIP network. VoIP is used to transmit the packetized call from the cable modem portion to a CMTS over a broadband network. QoS attributes are implemented on the derived data streams as would be done for calls generated by a standard PacketCable EMTA.
US08121111B2
A system and method for measuring latency of an optical transport network includes generating a time stamp, transmitting the time stamp in an optical transport network, and processing the time stamp to measure latency of the optical transport network.
US08121093B2
A user equipment for alleviating barred access while reselecting from a first cell to a second cell in a mobile communication system is provided. A wireless module detects receives system information broadcasted in the first cell. A storage unit stores the system information. A controller reselects from the first cell to the second cell, determines whether a first barred access timer is running, and stops the first barred access timer and informs the upper layer of an RRC protocol that the access of the first service is allowed in response of that the first barred access timer is running.
US08121082B2
A method for signaling between a mobile apparatus (10) and a network node (12) is described. The method includes generating a message that includes a scheduling request. Determining whether a second indication (e.g., an acknowledgment) is to be transmitted in a sub-frame with the first indication is also included. The method includes, in response to a determination that the second indication is not to be included, the message is configured in a first configuration and, in response to a determination that the second indication is to be included, the message also includes the second indication and the message is configured in a second configuration. The first configuration is distinct from the second configuration. The method also includes sending the message, via a wireless transmitter, in the sub-frame. Apparatus and computer-readable media are also described.
US08121081B2
A method of signaling to a mobile terminal the radio resources that will be used in a wireless communication between the mobile terminal and a base station is described. The base station provides a plurality of radio resources. The method comprises the steps: splitting the plurality of radio resources into a set of partitions (124, 126), wherein each partition of the set of partitions comprises a set of virtual blocks (128, . . . , 138), wherein each virtual block of the set of virtual blocks is exclusively mapped to one or more radio resources of the plurality of radio resources; using an identification format (144) according to which a collection of one or more virtual blocks of the set of virtual blocks is identifiable; allocating at least a first virtual block (130, 132) for communication between the mobile terminal and the base station, first block identifier the at least first virtual block being identifiable by a first specification (146) according to the identification format; sending first block identifier the first specification to the mobile terminal.
US08121077B2
A relay device can perform high-quality communication even in a wireless mesh network where relay devices are densely arranged and interference of wireless packets is caused. The relay device includes: a representative node determining unit (605) which determines the channel used in its own cluster for intra-cluster communication to be a channel different from the channel used in neighboring cluster for intra-cluster communication, when the communication quality of its own relay device does not meet predetermined quality and no representative node exists among neighboring nodes; a joining and removal notifying unit (607) which allows a neighboring node which is not associated with any cluster to join to its own associated cluster; and a frequency channel changing unit (609) which changes the channel used for intra-cluster communication to the channel determined by the representative node determining unit (605) of the representative node.
US08121073B2
A method, system, and computer program product for enabling the transmission of data from a mobile device to a target device via one or more carrier mobile devices, in a communication network. A proxy mobile carrier (PMC) utility facilitates transmission of data from the originating mobile device to a target device in a network which is inaccessible to the originating mobile device. The PMC utility employs a collection of enhanced transmission enabling components (ETECs) to enable the data transfer via one or more carrier mobile devices. The ETECs include a message creation component, a network zone identification component, a future forwarding zone prediction component, a message acceptor component, a storage component, an inter-node communication component, and a message delivery component. By initiating specific interactions between the ETECs, the PMC utility facilitates the transmission of data from the mobile device to the target device via carrier mobiles.
US08121061B2
Improved methods and systems for granular opportunistic locking mechanisms (oplocks) are provided for increasing file caching efficiency. Oplocks can be specified with a combination of three possible granular caching intentions: read, write, and/or handle. An oplock can be specified with an identifier that indicates a client/specific caller to avoid breaking the original oplock due to an incompatibility from other requests of the same client. An atomic oplock flag is added to create operations that allow callers to request an atomic open with an oplock with a given file.
US08121056B1
Principles of the invention are described for providing multicast virtual private networks (MVPNs) across a public network that are capable of carrying high-bandwidth multicast traffic with increased scalability. In particular, the MVPNs may transport layer three (L3) multicast traffic, such as Internet Protocol (IP) packets, between remote sites via the public network. The principles described herein may reduce the overhead of protocol independent multicast (PIM) neighbor adjacencies and customer control information maintained for MVPNs. The principles may also reduce the state and the overhead of maintaining the state in the network by removing the need to maintain at least one dedicated multicast tree per each MVPN.
US08121047B2
A Local Mobility Anchor/Agent (LMA), on seeing a Proxy Binding Update (PBU) with a same Network Access Identifier (NAI) but with a different access technology indication or interface identifier can assign a unique prefix to a mobile node (MN) via a PBAck message. The unique prefix avoids the creation of a duplicate address that would conflict with the address assigned to another interface that was configured using a prefix provided by the LMA. This solution can enable an MN to attach to different Mobility Access Gateways (MAGs) that are in different access networks of differing technologies but attached to the same LMA (i.e. the MAGs and the LMA are in the same PMIP6 domain) and not cause conflicts in prefix assignment or confuse the LMA into thinking that the MN had performed a handover (HO).
US08121039B2
A joint route query method in ASON. After the route controller in each route domain has received a route query request, it calls a routing algorithm based on the request and the route calculation is performed based on the route database of the current node; if the route calculation succeeds, a route query result is returned to the requester, if no complete route can be obtained, said route query request will be forwarded to the RC in the parent domain. Based on the request, the RC in the parent domain interacts with RCs in other domain of the same layer, and the RCs in the sub-domains contained in the parent domain to complete the route query, and calculates to obtain a complete route, then a route query result will be returned to the RC that initiates the request and this RC will return the route query result to the requester.
US08121038B2
In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a network interface system having at least one input port configured for receiving frames and a logic system comprising at least one logic device. The logic system may be configured to perform the following functions: determining a source address and a destination address of a frame received at an ingress port; calculating a flow hash based at least upon the source address and the destination address; forming a congestion management (“CM”) tag that includes the flow hash; inserting the CM tag in the frame; and forwarding the frame to the destination address.
US08121031B2
A design structure embodied in a machine readable storage medium for at least one of designing, manufacturing, and testing a design is provided. The design structure includes a network traffic generation system. The system can include a Markov modified Poisson process (MMPP) model, a packet scheduler coupled to the MMP model, a data store of transition windows defined for different defined scales, traffic generation parameter computing logic comprising program code enabled to compute traffic generation parameters for different scales according to respective states identified within different transition windows in the data store for the different scales, and a packet transmitter coupled to the packet scheduler.
US08121007B2
A file system which is enabled to use a Metadata Partition instead of VAT for write-once discs, is provided by a pseudo-overwrite method. On applying this invention to a drive apparatus which supports pseudo-overwrite media, the file system distinguishes data to overwrite from data to append. When the data is newly written to a logical sector, the drive apparatus writes the data to a physical sector to which the logical sector corresponds. When the logical sector is overwritten the data is written to another unrecorded physical sector in the volume space, and remapping information that specifies the original address, and the remapping address are stored in the remapping table.
US08121005B2
A write-once disc includes: a plurality of update areas in which a predetermined kind of updated information is recorded; at least one main access information area in which main access information is recorded, the main access information indicating a final update area in which finally updated information is recorded among the plurality of update areas; and at least one sub access information area in which sub access information is recorded, the sub access information indicating a location of the finally updated information recorded in the final update area. Accordingly, an access time for reading a predetermined kind of information required to use the write-once disc can be reduced.
US08121003B2
The present invention provides an optical recording/reproducing apparatus which can record information on the whole plane of the optical disk with a stable quality, even when the temperature has largely changed during a recording standby period in an intermittent recording process. The present optical recording/reproducing apparatus reproduces the information from a recorded portion on which the information has been already recorded, to evaluate the signal quality of the reproduced information, and simultaneously detects a temperature in the apparatus to correct a recording power of a laser beam when restarting the recording, on the basis of the evaluation result and the detected temperature in the apparatus, during the recording standby period in the intermittent recording process.
US08120996B2
A device providing for microstructuring a storage medium includes a radiation source for producing an at least partially coherent beam from electromagnetic radiation, a modulator provided with a plurality of individually switchable modulator elements, a beam-forming optical element for illuminating the modulator, a reducing optical element for reducing a beam radiated by the modulator, and a transport table for displacing the storage medium in relation to the reducing optical element. The device solves technical problems caused by writing of microstructuring and individual diffractive optical elements, in particular computer-generated holograms having a high speed and high writing energy. The device is achieved in that the reducing optical element is configured with limited diffraction and produces a surface reduction of at least 25 from a surface of the individually switchable modulator elements.
US08120988B2
A delay locked loop circuit includes a delay locked loop receiving an external clock, a frequency detector delaying an input frequency signal to generate a plurality of strobe signals and outputting a check signal indicating that the frequency of the input frequency signal is equal to or lower than a reference frequency when all of the strobe signals are positioned within a first-status section of one cycle of the input frequency signal, a delay lock reset unit generating a reset signal to reset the frequency detector and an activation signal to enable the delay locked loop to perform a delay lock process, and a direct phase detector controlling a coarse locking window on the basis of the check signal and generating a pair of phase detection signals indicating logic levels of the external clock. According to this configuration, since the coarse locking window is controlled as per a frequency band, it is possible to prevent a failure of a coarse locking and to achieve an improved circuit performance.
US08120983B2
A semiconductor device includes: a first level detecting circuit for detecting a voltage level at a control terminal after a prescribed time period from when a power supply voltage is supplied to a power supply terminal, a control unit for selecting in which operation mode among a plurality of operation modes the semiconductor device operates, based on a result of detection by the first level detecting circuit; and a regulator for generating an internal power supply voltage based on the power supply voltage supplied to the power supply terminal. The first level detecting circuit and the control unit receive the internal power supply voltage as an operating power supply voltage. In an operation mode, among the plurality of operation modes, where a power supply voltage having a level different from that of a power supply voltage in other operation modes is supplied to the power supply terminal, the control unit performs data processing by using the power supply voltage supplied to the power supply terminal.
US08120981B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a first block, a second block, and a control section. The first block includes a first fuse, a first switching configured to write data to the first fuse, a first holding portion capable of holding a first instruction, and a first instruction portion configured to turn on the first switching when a second instruction is given thereto with the first instruction. The second block includes a second fuse, a second switching configured to write data to the second fuse, a second holding portion capable of holding the first instruction, and a second instruction portion configured to turn on the second switching when the second instruction is given thereto with the first instruction. The control section issues the second instruction at a point in time when the first instruction is held in the first and second holding portions.
US08120979B2
The semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array and a switching circuit. The memory cell array includes a plurality of first memory cells connected between word lines and first local bit lines, and a plurality of second memory cells connected between the word lines and second local bit lines. The switching circuit is configured to respectively connect the first local bit lines to first global bit lines during a first sensing period, and to respectively connect the second local bit lines to second global bit lines during a second sensing period of a reading operation. The semiconductor memory device further includes a sensing circuit configured to sense and amplify data from the first global bit lines during the first sensing period, and to sense and amplify data from the second global bit lines during the second sensing period of the reading operation.
US08120976B2
Example embodiments relate to a line defect detection circuit, including a first driver disposed at one end of a line and configured to drive the line using a first voltage or a second voltage in response to a control signal, and a second driver disposed at the other end of the line and configured to drive the line using the second voltage in response to a stress signal.
US08120974B2
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprising: a memory cell array in which two bit lines are provided to each one bit of input data, and memory cells each including an anti-fuse element are arranged at an intersection point between one of the two bit lines and an even address word line, and an intersection point between the other one of the two bit lines and an odd address word line, respectively; a plurality of booster circuits which are arranged in a plurality of memory banks, respectively, and each of which generates a write voltage and a read voltage to be supplied to a corresponding one of the anti-fuse elements of the respective memory banks, each of the memory banks obtained by dividing the memory cell array; a booster circuit controller to issue an instruction to generate the write voltage and the read voltage to the plurality of booster circuits; a word line selector to activate a different word line at the time of writing from one to be activated at the time of reading, with respect to the same address value of an address signal; a write bit line selector to select bit lines one by one from the memory banks, respectively, at the time of writing, the bit lines performing writing simultaneously; and a read bit line selector to select a bit line at the time of reading, the bit line outputting data.
US08120965B2
The invention provides a data read method. First, a training sequence stored in a storage unit of a memory is read according to at least one sense voltage to obtain a read-out training sequence. Whether the read-out training sequence is correct is then determined. When the read-out training sequence is not correct, the sense voltage is adjusted.
US08120947B2
The present disclosure provides a magnetic memory element. The memory element includes a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) element and an electrode. The electrode includes a pinning layer, a pinned layer, and a non-magnetic conductive layer. In one embodiment, the MTJ element includes a first surface having a first surface area, and the electrode includes a second surface. In the embodiment, the second surface of the electrode is coupled to the first surface of the MTJ element such that an interface area is formed and the interface area is less than the first surface area.
US08120942B2
A memory array includes a memory cell, the memory cell being disposed between a first line and a second line and being configured by a variable resistor and a rectifier connected in series. The variable resistor is a mixture of silicon oxide (SiO2) and a transition metal oxide, a proportion of the transition metal oxide being set to 55˜80%.
US08120940B2
A minimal-duration current pulse is employed to program a programmable resistance memory to a high-resistance, RESET state. Although the duration and magnitude of RESET programming pulses in accordance with the principles of the present invention may vary depending, for example, upon the composition and structure of a cell, a method and apparatus in accordance with the principles of the present invention employs the briefest pulse practicable for a given cell or array of cells.
US08120929B2
An electrical or electronic level indicator is positioned in a plug-in housing 24. The plug-in housing 24 is closed with a cover 10. This cover 10 is furnished with a handle bar 11, which serves as an aid for removing the cover 10. Positioned inside the cover 10 are rotating cylindrical pins 12, 13 which allow the potentiometers 32 and/or switches 33 to be adjusted. The electrical components 32, 33 are positioned on a circuit board 30, which lies inside the cover 10.
US08120928B2
An electronic device includes an enclosure and a fixing member to secure the enclosure to a fastener. The receiving member defines a first receiving portion and a second receiving portion in communication with the first receiving portion. The fixing member includes a control portion received in the receiving member and moving relative to the enclosure along a first axis of the first receiving portion, and a locking portion received in the receiving member and moving relative to the enclosure along a second axis of the second receiving portion perpendicular to the first axis. Movements of the control portion relative to the enclosure along the first axis of the first receiving portion and the locking portion relative to the enclosure along the second axis of the second receiving portion causes the electronic device to toggle in a locked or unlocked position.
US08120925B2
A circuit device includes a dielectric substrate including a first face and a second face opposite side of the first face; a coplanar line including a first line, a second line and ground electrodes, the first line and the second line being decupled mutually, the ground electrodes formed around the first line and the second line, the first line, the second line and the ground electrodes formed on the first face of the dielectric substrate; a capacitor for connecting the first line and the second line; a termination resistor connecting the second line; a microstrip line formed on the second face of the dielectric substrate; and a conducting portion formed in the dielectric substrate and electrically connecting the first line and the microstrip line.
US08120919B2
A bracket, computer component and method for connecting to connection points associated with a socket on a computer circuit board are provided. The bracket and computer component have a mounting device including a fastener connectable to one of the connection points and positioned on a mounting flange. The mounting device is adjustable relative to the mounting flange from a first position on the mounting flange to a second position to allow the bracket and computer component to be used in conjunction with a number of different types of sockets.
US08120917B2
An exemplary heat dissipation device includes first and second heat sinks adapted for being thermally attached to first and second electronic components, respectively; and a heat pipe thermally interconnecting the first heat sink with the second heat sink.
US08120909B2
A computer system includes a chassis, a motherboard, a heat sink and an airflow guiding duct. The chassis includes a chassis bottom wall, a first chassis sidewall, and a second chassis sidewall. The first chassis sidewall defines a first ventilation hole. The second chassis sidewall defines a second ventilation hole. The motherboard with a chip is secured to the chassis bottom wall. The heat sink is secured to the motherboard for cooling the chip. The airflow guiding duct is configured to guide airflow flowing from the second ventilation to the first ventilation hole. A fan is received inside the airflow guiding duct.
US08120906B2
An electronic device includes an electronic component, a first fixing member, a second fixing member, and a locking member. The first fixing member and the second fixing member are respectively mounted on two sides of the electronic component. The locking member connects the first fixing member to the second fixing member. A pivot portion is formed on one side of the locking member to engage with the first fixing member. A latching portion is formed on the other side of the locking member to latch the second fixing member.
US08120901B2
A hard disk mounting device includes a receiving portion, a first adapter card, and a second adapter card. The receiving portion includes a bottom plate with a first end and a opposite second end. The first adapter card is attached to the first end of the bottom plate. The first adapter card includes a first connector located at a side of the first adapter card facing away from the second end of the bottom plate. The second adapter card is located at the center of the bottom plate, the second adapter card includes at least one connector e for connecting to a hard disk. The bottom plate includes at least one part for mounting hard disk, each part includes a first fixing mechanism for fixing a hard disk of a first size and a second mechanism for fixing a hard disk of a second size.
US08120889B2
Exemplary embodiments provide charging systems and methods for effectively delivering charges onto a receptor. The charging system can include a low velocity gas stream, an emitter assembly for providing cathode-to-anode field bias to generate charges from the low velocity gas stream, and an emitter-to-receptor (e.g., photoreceptor) electric bias to enhance the charge delivery to the receptor. The disclosed charging systems and methods can be used to achieve an optimal charging performance at a low projected cost for any suitable receptor that needs to be charged. Exemplary receptors can include a photoreceptor (PR) such as a belt PR or a drum PR, a toner layer, a sheet of media on which toner can be deposited, or a transfer belt in an electrophotographic printing machine.
US08120888B2
A device for grounding electrical components arranged in a chain has a grounding point at ground potential and an actuation device connected to the grounding point for connecting the electrical components to the grounding point. In order to provide such a device, with which a simple, safe, and durable grounding is obtained, the actuation device is constructed as a moving part extending in a longitudinal direction and movable in a longitudinal direction. The moving part has an electrically conducting grounding section connected to the grounding point and an electrically nonconducting insulating section arranged on the end of the moving part facing away from the grounding point.
US08120887B2
An electronic device formed as an integrated circuit (IC) wherein the electronic device further includes a transient voltage suppressing (TVS) circuit. The TVS circuit includes a triggering MOS transistor connected between an emitter and a collector of a first bipolar-junction transistor (BJT) coupled to a second BJT to form a SCR functioning as a main clamp circuit of the TVS circuit. The TVS circuit further includes a triggering circuit for generating a triggering signal for the triggering MOS transistor wherein the triggering circuit includes multiple stacked MOS transistors for turning into a conductive state by a transient voltage while maintaining a low leakage current.
US08120886B2
A circuit breaker closing actuator and a method of operation is provided. The closing actuator is disposed to communicate and receive signals from a trip unit. The trip unit includes a communications to transmit and receive data and signals from a remote location. The trip unit transmits a signal to the closing actuator in response to receiving a closing signal from the remote location. The closing actuator validates the signal and activates a driving circuit if the signal is validated. The driving circuit enables power to a solenoid that closes the circuit breaker.
US08120876B2
A tape medium has an identification segment located on a transparent leader segment of the tape medium for optical detection of the segment identification pattern. The segment identification pattern and the medium identification pattern have a predefined spatial relationship, enabling photo-optical detection of the segment identification pattern and reading of the medium identification pattern. The medium identification pattern carries various medium identification information, such as tape manufacturer, tape serial number and a tape medium property.
US08120863B2
Device for sampling a plurality of parts of a light beam, comprised of at least one optical component which comprises a plate made of a material which is transparent to the light beam, where this plate has first and second faces which are flat and parallel, and a third face which is flat and which forms a dihedron with the first face, where the angle of this dihedron is equal to π-α where 0<α≦Arcsin(1/n) where n if the refractive index of the material, so that by sending the light beam onto the first face, at an angle of incidence equal to Arcsin(n·sin(α)), a first sampled part (44) and a second sampled part are recovered, as well as the greater part of the light beam. The device is applicable in particular to the diagnostics of a laser beam.
US08120861B2
In general, in one aspect, the invention features an apparatus that includes a plurality of optical elements arranged to form an image of an object. The elements include a first element comprising one or more regions of a polarizing material, the regions being shaped as one or more visual features, a polarizer, and a mounting assembly including a first mount for the first element and a second mount for the polarizer. At least the first or second mount is rotatable with respect to an optical axis between a first orientation and a second orientation. In the first orientation, the visual features are visible in the image of the object and, in the second orientation, the visual features are not visible in the image of the object.
US08120860B2
A conversion lens which includes a pair of transparent members is provided. At least one of the transparent members is formed of a deformable film; a connecting member for connecting the pair of transparent members so as to form a sealed space sandwiched between the pair of transparent members; a liquid filled in the sealed space; and a curvature changing mechanism for changing the curvature of the deformable film by moving the liquid filled in the sealed space. A conversion lens system and an imaging device, provided with the conversion lens are also provided.
US08120853B2
A monolithic frame for optics used in interferometers where the material of the monolithic frame may have a substantially different coefficient of thermal expansion from the beamsplitter and compensator without warping, bending or distorting the optics. This is accomplished through providing a securing apparatus holding the optics in place while isolating the expansion thereof from the expansion of the frame. Stability in optical alignment is therefore achieved without requiring a single material or materials of essentially identical coefficients of thermal expansion. The present invention provides stability in situations where it is not possible to utilize a single material for every component of the interferometer.
US08120849B2
A retardation film is manufactured by stretching a thermoplastic resin film while adjusting stretching ratio α [%], temperature β [° C.], and stretching speed γ [%/min] so that the following formulas (1) and (2) are satisfied when the thermoplastic resin film is stretched at the stretching ratio α [%], the temperature β [° C.], and the stretching speed γ [%/min], therefore, stretching unevenness can be prevented: Z>X (1) (X×100/k)×0.2<(Y−X)×100/k (2) here X represents yield stress [MPa] in a stress-strain curve, Y represents stress [MPa] in the stress-strain curve when the film is further stretched from the yield stress by k [%] which is the amount of strain until the yield stress, and Z represents stress [MPa] in the stress-strain curve when the film is stretched to α [%].
US08120841B2
This invention relates to methods and apparatus for generating an optical frequency comb. In embodiments a passive mode locked optical waveguide comb uses electrical or optical tuning for the mode spacing frequency (df) and the carrier envelope offset frequency (fceo). We describe a passive mode locked optical comb frequency source comprising: an optical cavity having an optical driver and an optical output to provide an optical comb; an absorbing element coupled to said optical cavity for producing said optical comb; and an optically or electrically controllable element in said optical cavity; and wherein said optically or electrically controllable element has an optically or electrically controllable refractive index such that said refractive index is variable to vary one or both of a mode spacing and a carrier envelope offset frequency of said optical comb.
US08120839B2
A scalable apparatus and a network environment dynamically changes the light transparency of a single SPD device, a small number of SPD devices or thousands of such SPD devices installed in windows in automobiles, aircraft, trains, marine vehicles, residential homes, commercial buildings and skyscrapers. A scalable apparatus and a network environment dynamically changes the light transparency of a single SPD device or thousands of such SPD devices in the presentation of a multi-media special effects display. Textual messages, graphical images and simulated motion effects are driven. Such scalable apparatus being capable of driving and using several operational parameters of SPD materials such as frequency range, AC voltage and temperature so as to provide fine control of SPD characteristics such as switching speed and power consumption.
US08120826B2
A holographic memory device is described which records and reproduces binary image data by irradiating a holographic recording medium with signal light and reference light. The holographic memory device includes a system for aligning polarization of the signal light and reference light on the holographic recording medium by guiding the signal light and the reference light to be coaxially opposed. The holographic memory device further includes a random-phase modulation multiplex recorder and spatial-shift multiplex recorder that, together with the system for aligning polarization, significantly enhances recording density and improves recording capacity.
US08120812B2
A method for maintaining color consistency in an environment of networked devices is disclosed. The method involves identifying a group of devices to which a job is intended to be rendered; obtaining color characteristics from devices in the identified group; modifying the job based on the obtained color characteristics; and rendering the job on one or more of the devices. Modifications are computed by a transform determined by using the color characteristics of the output devices along with the content of the job itself. The method further maps colors in the original job to the output devices' common gamut, i.e., intersection of the gamuts of the individual printers wherein the color gamut of each device is obtained from a device characterization profile either by retrieving the gamut tag or by derivation using the characterization data in the profile.
US08120811B2
A system for adding data to a printed publication comprises a data source for providing the data, a processing circuit, and an energy source. The processing circuit is configured to retrieve the data from the data source and to control the energy source to at least partially ablate the printed publication based on the data. The data may be fixed and/or variable data.
US08120787B2
An information terminal device having a drawing printing function to print a drawing such as a map or a route map is enabled to print the drawing without any reduction on rolled printing paper having a limited width. The information terminal device includes a printer for printing data, and an angle calculator. On the basis of the drawing data having the data of a drawing containing a bent point and the data of the angle of bend at that bent point, the angle calculator calculates the angle index, at which the rolled paper is folded to correspond to the bent point, and calculates the printing data, which divides the drawing at each bent point and which is taken in the longitudinal direction of the rolled paper, that is, the blank length which discontinues the drawing at the folded portion determined by the angle index. On the basis of the angle index and the blank length, the printer divides the drawing at each bent point and makes the printing data taken in the longitudinal direction of the rolled paper.
US08120779B2
Some embodiments of the present invention provide adapters for use in posterior imaging systems. The adapters include lens set configured to adapt the posterior imaging system to operate as an anterior imaging system. Related optical coherence tomography systems and anterior imaging systems are also provided herein.
US08120776B1
Carrier activation and end-of-range defect density of ultra-shallow junctions in integrated circuits are determined using modulated optical reflectance signals, DC reflectances of pump or probe laser beams, and in-phase and quadrature signal processing. A method for determining characteristics of an ultra-shallow junction includes periodically exciting a region of the substrate using a pump laser beam, and reflecting a probe laser beam from the excited region. A modulated optical reflectance signal is measured along with DC reflectance of the probe laser beam. The modulated optical reflectance signal and DC reflectance are compared with reference signals generated from calibration substrates to determine carrier activation and end-of-range defect density in the junction.
US08120772B2
Methods and systems are described for suppressing nonresonant background in broadband coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy and spectroscopy. The methods and systems improve sensitivity and signal to noise ratio in CARS.
US08120765B2
An observation device 1 comprises a light source unit 10, a biaxial scanning system 20, a wavefront modulation unit 30, an optical branching unit 40, a light detection unit 50, a wavefront detection unit 60, a control unit 70, and the like. The wavefront modulation unit 30 presents a compensating phase pattern for compensating for an aberration of input light and a branching phase pattern for splitting the input light into first and second beams. The wavefront detection unit 60 receives inputted light and detects a wavefront of the inputted light. The compensating phase pattern for compensating for the wavefront aberration is feedback-controlled in loop processing that includes the detection of a wavefront distortion of the light by the wavefront detection unit 60, the adjustment of the phase pattern by the control unit 70 according to the result of detection, and the presentation of the phase pattern by the wavefront modulation unit 30.
US08120763B2
A device for the optical measurement of an optical system, in particular an optical imaging system, is provided. The device includes at least one test optics component arranged on an object side or an image side of the optical system. An immersion fluid is adjacent to at least one of the test optics components. A container for use in this device, a microlithography projection exposure machine equipped with this device, and a method which can be carried out with the aid of this device are also provided. The device and method provide for optical measurement of microlithography projection objectives with high numerical apertures by using wavefront detection with shearing or point diffraction interferometry, or a Moiré measuring technique.
US08120761B2
The disclosed subject matter relates to a method and apparatus for position judgment, which can include a plurality of light sources and a photo-detector. The plurality of light sources can be configured to emit a plurality of pulsed lights towards an object from different directions, and a photo-detector can be configured to serially detect the light reflected from the object. A determination of whether the object is moving further away or coming closer to the apparatus can be judged by calculating at least one of a position, an area and a brightness of the object from the reflected light and comparing the data with the previous data for the same value(s). Thus, because the method of the disclosed subject matter does not require a measurement of time as in the conventional methods, the method can result in providing a similar apparatus with a simple configuration and at a low cost, and can be used as a sensor for detecting an obstacle and the like in a vehicle, alarm system, etc.
US08120757B2
An assembly structure and method for housing a remote lens unit assembly of a laser Doppler velocimeter. The housing includes one or more transceiver telescopes and an optical window. The transceiver telescopes are aligned such that optical beams from the mounted optical transceiver telescopes cross paths at the optical window. The housing is mountable on a wind turbine.
US08120749B2
An immersion lithography apparatus is disclosed in which liquid is supplied to a space between a projection system and a substrate, and a plate structure is provided to divide the space into two parts. The plate structure has an aperture to allow transmission of the projection beam, has through holes in it to reduce the damping effect of the presence of the plate and optionally has one or more inlets and outlets to provide various flows around the aperture in the plate. An embodiment of the invention may reduce the transportation of contaminants, stray light, temperature gradients, and/or the effect of bubbles on the imaging quality.
US08120739B2
A liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes first and second substrates, a liquid crystal (LC) layer sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate, the first substrate defining an array of pixel areas, each of the pixel areas including a pixel electrode and a common electrode, and an insulator film formed on the first substrate and on the pixel electrode, the insulator film including a contact hole and the pixel electrode being exposed through the contact hole such that a voltage supplied to the pixel electrode generates a radial electric field around the contact hole and between the pixel electrode and the common electrode.
US08120730B2
A hybrid polarizer includes an absorbing element having a first major surface and a second major surface. The hybrid polarizer also includes a first birefringent reflective polarizer disposed on the first major surface of the absorbing element, the first birefringent reflective polarizer having a first pass axis and a first block axis. The hybrid polarizer further includes a second birefringent reflective polarizer disposed on the second major surface of the absorbing element, the second reflective polarizer having a second pass axis and a second block axis.
US08120726B2
There is provided a surface light source device having a configuration where light sources are arranged on both of a pair of side surfaces of a light guide plate and allowed to independently form nonuniform light emission intensity distributions in which light emission intensity is lower and higher at places closer to and farther from each of the light sources. Light guide control sections controlling guiding of light from light sources are arranged on a reflection surface of a light guide plate. The light guide control section is configured of concave sections, and the concave sections include inclined surfaces facing the light source and inclined surfaces facing the light source, respectively, and the heights of the concave sections increase with increasing distance from the light source. A nonuniform light emission intensity distribution in which light emission intensity is lower and higher at places closer to and farther from the light source is formed by lighting of the light source. As the inclined angles of the inclined surfaces are larger than the inclined angles of the inclined surfaces, an influence of the light guide control section on light from the light source is reduced.
US08120721B2
It is an object to provide a liquid crystal display device which has excellent viewing angle characteristics and higher quality. The present invention has a pixel including a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, a first resistor, a second resistor, a first liquid crystal element, and a second liquid crystal element. A pixel electrode of the first liquid crystal element is electrically connected to a signal line through the first switch. The pixel electrode of the first liquid crystal element is electrically connected to a pixel electrode of the second liquid crystal element through the second switch and the first resistor. The pixel electrode of the second liquid crystal element is electrically connected to a Cs line through the third switch and the second resistor. A common electrode of the first liquid crystal element is electrically connected to a common electrode of the second liquid crystal element.
US08120708B2
A method is provided for controlling a television including a user input part for manipulating a channel adjusting item. The method includes displaying a channel map showing a predetermined number of channels including a tuned broadcast channel if the channel adjusting item is selected through the user input part, and a channel setting information menu corresponding to one of the channels shown in the channel map. Thus, the television control method not only allows a user to easily and simply recognize a channel setting state according to channels when the user wants to adjust channel-related functions, but also allows a user to conveniently and effectively adjust the channel setting state according to the channels.
US08120707B2
The present disclosure relates to display devices, external storage devices and methods of operating the same. In some embodiments, a display device that detects a coupling with an external media device is provided. Before device coupling, the display device displays a video signal from a first source. In response to the detected coupling, the display device may mix or superimpose a video signal received from the external storage device with the video signal from the first source. In some embodiments, a multi-mode external storage device that provides a file download mode, a video menu mode, and a content display mode is disclosed. The external storage device is operative to couple with different types of hosts via a multi-use device port. In response to a detected coupling with a host display device, the external storage device adopts the menu mode, which allows a user to select a given content item for display and/or playback.
US08120706B1
We describe and claim a video system and method for automatic size and position adjustment according to the incoming stream. A detection module detects a size and a position of video including an aspect ratio of video on at least one channel of at least one video input source. An execution module adjusts a scale mode responsive to the detection of the size and position or aspect ratio of the video. Once the aspect ratio has been detected and the scale mode adjusted responsive to the detection, video is provided to the display of a display device. The detection and execution modules crop unintentional vertical blanking interval (VBI) lines from upconverted video signals. An on screen display includes a selection for active management that provides for automatic detection of size and position information, or a manual control mode for selection by the user.
US08120696B2
Methods, apparatuses and systems are disclosed for accelerating the operation of the automatic functions of an imager, e.g. a camera system. The automatic functions may, for example, include one or more of auto-focus, auto-exposure and auto-white balance. A special “windowing mode” is implemented in which information is acquired from only a subset of defined windows from the full pixel array area in order to set image capture parameters of the imager in accordance with current scene conditions.
US08120675B2
A moving image recording/playback device records a moving image of a subject. In the case of recording, the moving image recording/playback device sequentially outputs a plurality of image frames that constitute the moving image at a predetermined frame rate and, for the plurality of image frames, records whole image frames at intervals of a predetermined number of frames and partly records other image frames, onto at least one recording medium. In the case of playback, when reading a partly recorded image frame, the moving image recording/playback device generates a display frame from the partly recorded image frame and a recorded whole image frame.
US08120673B2
A camera includes: an image obtaining unit that obtains an object image obtained by capturing an image of an object and a dust reference image obtained by capturing an image of dust that adheres on an image sensor or a protecting member protecting the image sensor; a recording unit that records the object image and data concerning the dust reference image in correlation to each other; a dust removing unit that physically removes the dust adhering on the image sensor or the protecting member. The recording unit is configured such that when the dust is removed by the dust removing unit, the recording unit stops correlating the object image captured after the removal to the data concerning the dust reference image already captured.
US08120669B2
A digital camera system in which capture, processing and storage functions are partitioned differently than in existing systems. A hand-held digital camera is used with a workstation that may exist in a commercial image processing service center. A minimal amount of image data processing is performed in the digital camera, thereby allowing significant digital camera cost reductions due to lower memory requirements, lower processing requirements, and lower power requirements. Real-time single pass image compression techniques are employed within this digital camera to permit rapid gathering and storage of raw or minimally processed image data. The workstation to which the image data are transferred performs the image processing normally done within existing cameras. This processing takes advantage of the increased computational power that is possible to have in such a workstation, compared to that of a small camera, and the increased time over which such processing may be performed.
US08120668B2
An electronic camera includes a pre-processing block. The pre-processing block fetches four partial images outputted in a parallel manner from an image sensor in response to a clock CLK1 having a frequency equal to or less than 432 MHz, and performs four pre-processes that have responded to a clock CLK2 having a frequency ¼ the frequency of the clock CLK1, on each of the fetched four partial images. An image based on the processed four partial images is outputted from an LCD monitor. An evaluation-image producing circuit responds to a clock CLK3 so as to create an evaluation image based on the processed four partial images. A frequency of the clock CLK3 is adjusted in a range in which ¼ of 432 MHz is the upper limit. A parameter for regulating a quality of an output image is adjusted based on the evaluation image thus created.
US08120657B2
An image acquiring device with positioning assisting functionality is for acquiring an image of an object to be captured, and includes a positioning assisting unit and an image acquiring unit. The positioning assisting unit emits light toward a planar surface. The light forms at least one positioning mark on the planar surface. The image acquiring unit is for acquiring an image of an image acquiring region associated with the positioning mark.
US08120651B2
A video capture assembly is provided with a video recording device disposed inside a protective case. A device interface inside the case is coupled to a video input connector that protrudes outside said case. An image sensor is coupled via a flexible cable to the video input connector.
US08120643B2
According to one embodiment, an image generator converts an input video signal to first and second divided signals to be displayed in first and second areas on one screen. First and second divided signal controllers receive the first and second divided signals, adjust the signals, and output the adjusted signals. The preparation-complete detector includes first and second frame memory groups to sequentially store a divided signal for a plurality of frames. First divided signal controller determines whether preparation to output video signals for the left and right eyes is complete or not. And First divided signal controller changes a memory selection state for reading the video signals for the left and right eyes from the first and second memory groups based on the determination indicating whether the preparation for output is complete or not complete.
US08120635B2
An exposure head, includes: a lens array that includes a light transmissive substrate whose length in a first direction is greater than a length thereof in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, a first lens that is arranged on the light transmissive substrate, and a second lens that is arranged on the light transmissive substrate at the first direction of the first lens, the first lens and the second lens being connected in the first direction; and a head substrate that is provided with a first light emitting element that emits a light toward the first lens and a second light emitting element that emits a light toward the second lens.
US08120633B2
A scanning optical apparatus includes, for example, a light source that outputs a light beam that has been pulse width modulated in accordance with input image data and a deflection unit that deflects the light beam so that the light beam scans the surface of an image carrier in the main scanning direction. The scanning optical apparatus furthermore includes a correction unit that corrects the pulse width and light amount applied to the light beam at each scanning position in the main scanning direction on the image carrier in accordance with focus error in the light beam at each scanning position.
US08120632B1
Methods and apparatuses that facilitate the alignment of multiple color planes of a latent image in a multi-beam multi-pass printer are described herein. The novel methods includes determining, during a first pass of a transfer medium of a multi-beam printer, a first time interval between when at least one light beam from a multi-beam device is detected and when a top of a page is detected at a selected location of the transfer medium, the multi-beam device including a plurality of light beam sources, and the first pass to form a first color plane of a latent image on the transfer medium. The methods further include selecting, based at least in part on the determined first time interval, a first one of the plurality of light beam sources to begin illuminating the transfer medium to create the first color plane on the transfer medium during the first pass of the transfer medium.
US08120628B2
A method for driving a display is provided. According to the driving method, a display panel is divided into a plurality of bright regions and a plurality of dark regions, wherein the dark regions and the bright regions are alternately arranged so that the bright regions within the display panel are not adjacent to each other. Next, a full-color frame is divided into four sub-frames, wherein the sub-frames are matched with the four color-orders one by one. In this way, the display randomly displays the sub-frames in a frame period.
US08120627B2
A method of redistributing an N-primary color input signal (IS) having a particular number≧4 (N) of input components (I1, . . . , IN) into N-primary color output signal (OS) having the particular number (N) of output components (P1, . . . , PN) under a constraint (CON2). The method comprises defining (MPRC) three functions (F1, F2, F3) representing three (P1, P2, P3) of the output components (P1, . . . , PN) as a function of the remaining N-3 output components (P4, . . . , PN). Substituting (MPRC) the values of the input components (I1, . . . , IN) into the three functions (F1, F2, F3) to determine unknown coefficients (P1′, P2′, P3′) of the three functions (F1, F2, F3). And, determining (MPRC) optimal values of the output components (P1, . . . , PN) by applying the constraint (CON2) to the three functions (F1, F2, F3).
US08120621B1
A method and system are implemented to measure quantitative changes in display frame content for dynamically controlling a display refresh rate. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method, which includes the steps of composing a first display frame from a first set of rendered image surfaces, composing a second display frame from a second set of rendered image surfaces, dividing the first display frame and the second display frame into a same number of frame regions. Also, for each of the frame regions, the method also includes the steps of calculating a first set of numerical codes and a second set of numerical codes representative of the content associated with the frame region in the first and second display frame, respectively; and determining an amount of changes in content between the first display frame and the second display frame based on the results of comparing the first set of numerical codes against the second set of numerical code.
US08120620B2
A graphics system including: a register storing data of a clipping frame of a frame buffer; a register storing offset data of a figure; a register storing data of a clipping frame of a stencil buffer that is larger than the clipping frame of the frame buffer and storing position data of a reference basing point, on a stencil buffer, for drawing a non-offset figure or an offset figure; and a pixel filling-in module for drawing onto a stencil buffer a masking determination result of a pixel relating to the figure on the basis of data of the clipping frame of the stencil buffer and the figure, and also drawing the non-offset figure or the offset figure onto the frame buffer by referring to the stencil buffer onto which the masking determination result is drawn, the position data of a reference basing point stored in the register, and the data of the clipping frame of the frame buffer.
US08120616B2
A method for selecting a desired color from a screen display using a color selection tool that may appear as an eyedropper. Rather than independently choosing pixels or a matrix of pixels, the user blends a color by selecting pixels using a mouse cursor. In response, the color of each selected pixel is incrementally blended into the current color at a constant rate. That is, each selected pixel is blended with the current color according to a constant blending factor. In this manner, the current color changes at a constant rate with the contribution of each successive pixel. This approach allows the user to gradually blend colors from the screen display, much as a painter would gradually mix colors on a palette.
US08120611B2
In an information processing apparatus (1) according to the invention, a GMCH (13) is connected to a CPU (11) through a CPU bus (12), and an ICH (15) is connected to the GMCH (13) through a dedicated bus (14). The GMCH (13) includes a graphics controller (131) which borrows a part of a memory (171) mounted to a memory card (17) in order to execute display processing. A graphics card (19) can be connected to the GMCH (13). In this case, a graphics controller (131) becomes a stop state. While the graphics card (19) is connected to the GMCH (13), the CPU (11) instructs the graphics controller (13) to execute processing other than display control processing, for example, processing such as MC and IDCT. As a result, it is possible to reduce a load applied to the CPU (11).
US08120599B2
A method of automatically recovering bit values of a control register includes storing command data inputted from a host in the control register and a portion of a graphic RAM (GRAM), and while a scanning operation is performed by the GRAM, outputting the command data stored in the GRAM to the control register and refreshing the control register.
US08120597B2
The present invention provides a device comprising: a backplane controller including means for sequencing a series of instructions, wherein the instructions control memory accesses to data that is used to control one or more pulse widths that drive one or more mirrors/electrodes on a spatial light modulator that control one or more outputs of the spatial light modulator.
US08120596B2
A tiled touch system comprises a display on which a computer-generated image is presented. The image is formed of an array of image segments. A digitizer is mapped to the display and senses pointer contacts made thereon.
US08120583B2
Disclosed is a keyboard-video-mouse switch capable of detecting keyword input and recording video data from a computer and keyboard input data from a console and method thereof. The keyboard-video-mouse switch includes a keyword filter and a capture unit. The keyword filter detects whether a predetermined keyword is inputted from the console into the computer and the capture unit records video data if the predetermined keyword is detected. Moreover, the capture unit may record keyboard input data for a complete monitor. The keyboard-video-mouse switch of the present invention further includes an alarm and a keyword database. The alarm will alarm an administrator when the predetermined keyword is detected. The keyword database stores data of keystroke combinations, which is defined as predetermined keyword data for at least one input method.
US08120582B2
A computer mouse includes a lower shell, an upper shell mounted to the lower shell, a resilient member, and a converting unit. The upper shell includes two rotating portions rotatably mounted to the lower shell. A resisting post extends from each rotating portion, and resists against the resilient member. The rotating portion can be slidably clamped via the converting unit, and then the rotating portions are prevented from rotating away from each other. The rotating portions can be rotated towards each other, and the elasticity of the resilient member drives the rotating portions away from each other.
US08120580B2
The present invention provides an electronic apparatus including a display screen having a first menu display area and a second menu display area, and a direction key provided on a side; first menu items arranged in a right-left direction are displayed in the first menu display area, and second menu items arranged in an up-down direction are displayed in the second menu display area, the direction key and the first menu display area are positioned substantially on a straight line extending in the right-left direction, the first menu items can be selected when a front portion/back portion of the direction key is pressed, the second menu items corresponding to the selected first menu items can be selected when an upper portion/lower portion of the direction key is pressed, and the selected menu items can be confirmed when a center portion of the direction key is pressed.
US08120579B2
A cushioned cap for a control stick of an electronic device defining a recess for receiving at least a portion of a control stick. The recess includes a lower portion and an upper portion.
US08120574B2
In the present invention, a strike determination range is set for an object in a game space. A straight line passing through coordinates in a three-dimensional space corresponding to coordinates on a touch panel input by a player, where a virtual camera is placed at the origin, is calculated. It is determined whether or not the straight line strikes an object in the game space. If the straight line strikes an object, the object is zoomed in and displayed.
US08120571B2
An LED driver 5 includes current sources (52R, 52G, 52B) for generating drive current of LED (4R, 4G, 4B); and a black insert control section (54) for generating a black insert signal (BK) for determining a black insert period in one frame from a frame synchronizing signal (such as vertical synchronizing signal VS). The current sources (52R, 52G, 52B) stop current supply to the LEDs (4R, 4G, 4B) during the black insert period according to the black insert signal (BK). With this configuration, it is possible to enhance the moving image visibility of a liquid crystal display device without increasing the load on display control means or significantly lowering the light source brightness.
US08120568B2
The present invention discloses an source driver circuit scheme for displayer, which comprises a shifter register to register data signal, a line buffer coupled with said shifter register to latch the data signal, a level shifter coupled with line buffer to level output electrical potential, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to convert digital signal to analog signal, an output buffer coupled with said digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to output converted signal, and an output control circuit coupled with output buffer. Said output control circuit comprises a D flip-flop and CMOS switching element to output a LP_out signal and control the data signal output of the source driver IC to avoid the power-on noise of the displayer.
US08120562B2
A liquid crystal device includes a liquid crystal element having a first pixel electrode and a second pixel electrode which control alignment of liquid crystal molecules by applying an electric field in a direction parallel to a surface of a substrate to a liquid crystal layer, a memory circuit which is disposed in a pixel circuit and which serves as a voltage source of a first voltage and a second voltage, and an application voltage inverting circuit which is disposed in the pixel circuit and which inverts voltages applied to the liquid crystal element by controlling each of the first voltage and the second voltage so as to be supplied to either the first pixel electrode or the second pixel electrode of the liquid crystal element.
US08120559B2
A liquid crystal display device and a driving method thereof is presented in which a first liquid crystal cell is provided at one side of the data line, and a second liquid crystal cell is provided at the other side thereof. A first switching part is provided for each first liquid crystal cell positioned at an ith horizontal line (wherein i is an integer) to be controlled by the (i−1)th gate line and the ith gate line. A second switching part is provided for each second liquid crystal cell positioned at an ith horizontal line to be controlled by the ith gate line.
US08120558B2
A driving apparatus and a driving method thereof are provided. The driving apparatus includes a digital to analog converter and a signal amplifier. The digital to analog converter is used for receiving a digital data and converting the digital data to an analog signal. The signal amplifier is coupled to the digital to analog converter. The signal amplifier is used for receiving the analog signal to generate a driving signal. The signal amplifier also dynamically changes the driving ability of the driving signal according to at least one bit of the digital data.
US08120557B2
The present invention is to provide a light emitting device capable of obtaining a certain luminance without influence by the temperature change, and a driving method thereof. A current mirror circuit formed by using a transistor is provided for each pixel. The first transistor and the second transistor of the current mirror circuit are connected such that the drain currents thereof are maintained at proportional values regardless of the load resistance value. Thereby, a light emitting device capable of controlling the OLED driving current and the luminance of the OLED by controlling the drain current of the first transistor at a value corresponding to a video signal in a driving circuit, and supplying the drain current of the second transistor to the OLED, is provided.
US08120556B2
An organic light emitting display, including a driving transistor electrically coupled to a first power line, a first switch electrically coupled to the driving transistor and an emission line, a second switch electrically coupled to the driving transistor and a previous scan line, a third switch electrically coupled to the first switch and a data line, a fourth switch electrically coupled to the data line and the third switch, a fifth switch electrically coupled to the driving transistor and a scan line, a first capacitor electrically coupled to the second switch and the third switch, a second capacitor electrically coupled to the third switch and the fifth switch, and an organic light emitting diode electrically coupled to the driving transistor and a second power line.
US08120550B2
The present invention relates to a display device that employs edge emitters as a source for pixel electrons. The edge emitters allow the viewing glass plate to be made very small or eliminated, thereby substantially reducing the size of or eliminating the spacers typically utilized in conventional display devices and thereby enabling a simple and compact assembly structure. In one embodiment a pixel configuration comprises a phosphor area disposed between a plurality edge emitters, each of which are associated with tynes that are adapted to reduce the distance between the emitters and that separate the phosphor area into segments such that the emitters emit electrons when the voltage between a phosphor segment and the an emitter exceed a threshold voltage to cause the phosphor segment to emit light.
US08120542B2
A notch antenna includes a ground conductor having a slit and a reactance circuit containing a capacitive reactance element and an inductive reactance element, the reactance circuit being placed at an open end of the slit so as to bridge the slit and being connected to the ground conductor. The slit has a closed end to which power is supplied, and the capacitance of the capacitive reactance element and the inductance of the inductive reactance element are set so that the reactance circuit has a capacitance desired to obtain a first antenna resonance point at a first frequency and a capacitance desired to obtain a second antenna resonance point at a second frequency.
US08120534B2
A line structure is provided which includes a ferroelectric film which is formed on at least one surface of both sides of a substrate and a permittivity of which changes according to a magnitude of an applied voltage, an inductor which is formed on a first side of the substrate, and a capacitor which has a capacitance corresponding to the permittivity of the ferroelectric film and the substrate.
US08120530B2
A method and device for using satellite trajectory extension data in a mobile apparatus. The device in accordance with the present invention comprises an I/O interface and a microprocessor. The input/output (I/O) interface is used for obtaining at least one satellite navigation message for a satellite. The microprocessor is used for determining a propagating condition according to the satellite navigation message, estimating a plurality of parameters of a satellite trajectory prediction model according to the propagating condition to establish an estimated satellite trajectory predication model, propagating a set of satellite trajectory extension data by using the estimated satellite trajectory prediction model, computing acquisition assistance data according to the satellite trajectory extension data and acquiring signals of the satellite by using the acquisition assistance data.
US08120525B2
Systems and methods are delineated that may provide for a system for use in a merging and spacing application for an aircraft. An exemplary system may comprise a TCAS and a processor for executing the merging and spacing application using ADS-B data and data received by the aircraft in response to an interrogation of another aircraft from the TCAS. In a disclosed embodiment, a lead aircraft responds to the TCAS interrogation from a following aircraft to provide EHS heading and/or speed of the lead aircraft to the following aircraft, which uses the received EHS data as well as ADS-B data to determine merging and spacing control parameters for the following aircraft.
US08120522B2
A wind turbine blade inspection system includes a frequency modulated continuous wave radar system configured to be movable with respect to a wind turbine blade while transmitting reference microwave signals and receiving reflected microwave signals and a processor configured for using a synthetic aperture analysis technique to obtain a focused image of at least a region of the wind turbine blade based on the reflected microwave signals.
US08120521B2
The echolocater device described herein incorporates the features of integrated sampling radar technology to create a unique device that provides, for example, the visually impaired with an excellent new tool to help navigate the world. Much like a bat using its bio-sonar, the visually impaired will be able to hear subtle differences in audio-replicated radar echoes. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, two integrated-sampling type radar receivers are spaced some convenient distance apart. A single transmitter centered between two receivers transmits pulses of an RF carrier. Audio “IF” output from each receiver is processed and sent to a small speaker worn near each ear. With practice the user of this invention will be able to discern the range, location and motion of individual objects, and may also be able to distinguish particular echo characteristics of differing objects.
US08120514B2
An exemplary controller includes a transparent chamber, an opaque liquid, and four photoelectric sensors. The transparent chamber includes four pipe-shaped arms. The four pipe-shaped arms are in a common plane parallel to the vertical direction and extend away from a common end towards vertical up, horizontal left, vertical down, and horizontal right directions to form four closed distal ends when the controller is in a normal orientation. The opaque liquid is sealed within the transparent chamber so that an air bubble is formed within the transparent chamber. The four photoelectric sensors are U-shaped and cap the four closed distal ends respectively and are configured for detecting which closed distal end the air bubble is located, thereby outputting electrical signals to be coded as control signals.
US08120510B2
A data logging device (1) that includes more than one communication devices (7), a stored instruction list (6), input ports (3), output ports (8), data buffers (4) and a processing unit (5); wherein: the data logging device (1) collects, processes and forwards data and/or predetermined signals to one or more external locations (10); the data/predetermined signal is independently transmitted to said one or more external locations (10) using one or more communication devices (7) and/or frequencies; such that, if a chosen communication device is not available, or cannot reliably transmit the data/predetermined signal to said one or more external locations (10), then the processing unit (5) consults the instruction list (6) and selects the next predetermined communication device (7), until transmission is successful or the instruction list (6) dictates another action.
US08120501B2
A window with built-in devices that senses carbon monoxide; powered only by the exterior daylight; that automatically opens by itself and sounds an alarm when a dangerous level of carbon monoxide is sensed to release the accumulated carbon monoxide and let the clean air with fresh oxygen enter the contaminated area to prevent or minimize poisoning and/or death of humans & animals without the need of any human physical action; the provided contacts can be connected to a private alarm station to alert the Fire & Police Departments to provide immediate assistance to the endangered humans & animals and protect the opened residence.
US08120500B2
An acoustic sensor detects presence and/or absence of fluid in a fluid delivery medium. The acoustic sensor detects fluid absence based on the difference of the speed of sound between air and a fluid. For example, the acoustic sensor may detect fluid absence based on a phase shift between acoustic signals transmitted through the fluid delivery medium when fluid is present as compared to acoustic signals transmitted through the fluid delivery medium when fluid is absent, e.g., when air or bubbles are present in the fluid delivery medium.
US08120498B2
Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a kinematic sensor may be carried by or on one or more body segments of a user to obtain one or more kinematic variables based at least in part on movement of the user with respect to a fixed, global reference system. The kinematic sensor comprises a tri-axial accelerometer sensor, a gyroscope sensor, and a magnetometer sensor to define the global reference system and to obtain kinematic data. The kinematic data may be transmitted via a wireless link to a remote information handling system or device, for example to monitor a health status of the user based at least in part on movement of the user with respect to the fixed, global reference system.
US08120477B2
A method is provided for displaying a closed state of a motor vehicle door which can adopt at least two closed states depending on driving speed, in particular a motor vehicle door, that includes, but is not limited to two door leaves which open in opposite directions to one another, that also includes, but is not limited to a lock for achieving the closed states on an electromechanical basis. The method has the steps of, without limitation, detecting an actual closed state of the motor vehicle door and signaling the actual closed state of the motor vehicle door. A status display is also provided that carries out the method, a locking system with a status display is provided, and a motor vehicle door is provided with a locking system.
US08120473B2
A method and system are provided in which maintenance vehicles collect information from sensors and operators, forward the collected information to a server, and, in response, receive maps and operator instructions.
US08120471B2
A system includes at least one computer device coupled to a hospital Ethernet, the hospital Ethernet having at least one wired access point and at least on wireless access point. The system also includes a hospital bed and a network interface unit (NIU) that facilitates communications from the hospital bed to the at least one computer device.
US08120466B2
The present invention is directed toward the recovery of RFID signals from RFID credentials. The recovery and subsequent interpretation of RFID signals may be accomplished by providing a set of predetermined probabilities for the occurrence of a symbol after another symbol in a received signal. The predetermined probabilities may be dependent only upon the encoding scheme used, thereby providing a more robust and less processor intensive decoding protocol than has previously been contemplated.
US08120463B2
The present invention provides a means by which the reliability of communication between any RFID reader and tag in an RFID system is improved by using an “interleaved parity” algorithm. The improved reliability is obtained by computing, on one RFID device, an interleaved parity code for a message, sending the message with the code from the RFID device, receiving the message on the other RFID device which computes another interleaved parity code for the received message. The two parity codes are compared and if the codes are the same, the message can be parsed and interpreted. If the codes indicate that one bit of the message is incorrect, the incorrect bit is corrected and the message is parsed and interpreted. Otherwise, a request for a new message is sent to the RFID device, and, if appropriate, an indication of two erroneous bits is also sent.
US08120457B2
A variable inductor comprises one or more magnetic cores providing magnetic flux paths. An inductor coil is wound around one or more inductor sections of the one or more magnetic cores. An inductor magnetic flux flows through one or more closed flux paths along the inductor sections of the magnetic core. A control coil is wound around one or more control sections of the one or more magnetic cores. A control magnetic flux flows through one or more closed flux paths along the control sections of the magnetic core. Under this arrangement, the inductor magnetic flux substantially does not flow through the control sections of the magnetic core and the control magnetic flux substantially does not flow through the inductor sections of the magnetic core. The closed flux paths associated with the inductor magnetic flux and the closed flux paths associated with the control magnetic flux share one or more common sections of the magnetic core not including the control sections and inductor sections. The inductance of said variable inductor is varied by varying said control magnetic flux.
US08120455B2
A transformer includes a case, a magnetic device and a thermally conductive layer. The case has a receptacle. The magnetic device is disposed within the receptacle, and includes a winding member and a magnetic core assembly. The thermally conductive layer is arranged between the magnetic device and the case for electrically isolating the magnetic device from the case. The heat generated by the magnetic device is transferred to the case through the thermally conductive layer and dissipated away to ambient air.
US08120450B2
The invention provides a high frequency circuit module according to the present invention includes: a circuit component having a plurality of terminals arranged on an outer side thereof, and a circuit board of a multilayered construction or a single-layered construction. A first outer face of the circuit board serves as a component mounting face for mounting the circuit component. The circuit board includes a ground conductor layer; a plurality of electrode pads provided on the component mounting face, the electrode pads being configured for connection with the associated terminals of the circuit component; and a plurality of waveguides provided on the first outer face or a second outer face, or in an inner portion of the circuit board. The waveguides are electrically connected with the associated electrode pads. Routing directions of all or some of adjacent waveguides are opposite from each other.
US08120449B2
The invention relates to a magnetically tunable filter having a filter housing and having two tunable resonator spheres which comprise magnetizable material and are arranged next to one another in two filter branches. Each filter branch comprises a coplanar line arranged on a substrate layer and extending in the direction of an electrical connection, as well as a common coupling opening so that the two filter branches are connected to one another. A resonator sphere is respectively positioned on each side of the coupling opening inside the two filter branches.
US08120434B2
The invention relates to a method and system and microchip for determining impedance of a variable impedance component. The method comprises tuning a tunable oscillator over a predefined tuning range, the tunable oscillator having the variable impedance component coupled as a load thereof. The frequency response of the tunable oscillator is measured as a function of said tuning. Finally, the measured frequency response is analyzed for determining the impedance of the variable impedance component. The invention makes possible to manufacture smaller and simpler monolithic sensor microchips.
US08120432B2
A device is provided having a local oscillator (LO) configured to generate a first signal having timing information, frequency information, phase information or combinations thereof. The device also includes a prioritizer comprising at least two inputs, each input configured to receive a respective second signal having timing information, frequency information, phase information or combinations thereof. The prioritizer is configured to determine an accuracy of at least one second signal of the at least two second signals in relation to a second signal assigned to be a most accurate of the at least two second signals. The prioritizer is also configured to order the at least two second signals from most accurate to least accurate. The LO is disciplined to correct an offset error of the LO relative to a most accurate second signal that is available to the device, based on the order of the at least two second signals.
US08120426B1
A transconductor stage is a linearized class AB amplifier having embedded noise filtering that enables a biasing of an in-phase/quadrature (I/Q) modulator core with a low quiescent current. Linearization of the transconductor stage is increased by introducing a small amount of negative feedback into the transconductor stage via a feedback circuitry and an error amplifier. A dominant open loop pole in a path between the error amplifier and an output stage of the transconductor stage forms a dominant pole low-pass filter. A low-pass filter transfer function created when a loop including the feedback circuitry is closed attenuates noise introduced by baseband circuitry that supplies baseband signals to the transconductor stage. A master output stage biases a plurality of slave output stages that are in parallel with the master output stage. Each slave output stage is coupled to an individual modulator core such as a Gilbert cell mixer core.
US08120421B2
A circuit structure free from test effect is provided. The circuit structure includes a first test terminal and a second test terminal. A symmetric circuit unit is coupled between the first test terminal and the second test terminal. The symmetric circuit unit includes a plurality of transistors, wherein the transistors are symmetrically disposed to form a first part circuit and a second part circuit. A switch control unit alternatively connects the transistors of the first part circuit and the transistors of the second part circuit between the first test terminal and the second test terminal according to a control signal.
US08120413B2
A charge pump circuit includes a switch unit adapted to transmit charges from the input of the charge pump to the output of the charge pump; a transmission unit adapted to control turn-on or cut-off of an MOS transistor in the switch unit; and a charging unit in one-to-one correspondence with a PMOS transistor in the switch unit and adapted to store charges to boost the transmission voltage. A first NMOS transistor and at least two PMOS transistor are used as the switch unit during transmission of the charges, so that normal work can be enabled with high transmission efficiency in the case of a low source voltage.
US08120407B1
A circuit includes a phase detection circuit and a phase change circuit. The phase detection circuit compares a phase of a first periodic signal to an input signal to generate a gain signal. The phase change circuit provides phase shifts to the first periodic signal in first and second directions when the gain signal has a first value. The phase change circuit increases phase shifts provided to the first periodic signal in the first direction in response to the gain signal changing from the first value to a second value. The phase change circuit provides phase shifts to the first periodic signal in the second direction when the gain signal has the second value that are smaller than the phase shifts provided to the first periodic signal in the first direction when the gain signal has the second value.
US08120404B2
A flip-flop circuit with an internal level shifter includes an input stage, a clock input stage, an output stage and a level shifting stage. The output stage generates an output signal based on an input signal received by the input stage and a clock signal received by the clock input stage. The level shifting stage shifts-up the voltage level of the output signal.
US08120402B2
A pulse width modulated (PWM) controller includes a triangle wave generation circuit generating a triangle wave signal to oscillate between an upper limit voltage and a lower limit voltage. The upper limit voltage and the lower limit voltage are adjustable in response to changes in the power supply voltage. A pulse generation circuit is coupled to the triangle wave generation circuit and a minimum duty cycle setting voltage, and is configured to generate a PWM pulse signal with a minimum duty cycle determined by the relative magnitude of the triangle wave signal and the minimum duty cycle reference voltage. In an embodiment, the minimum duty cycle is increased when the power supply voltage is lower than a predetermined reference voltage.
US08120401B2
In one embodiment, the digital pulse width modulator of these teachings includes comparators and a number of phases and capable of increasing resolution without increasing clock frequency. In another embodiment, the digital pulse width modulator (DPWM) of these teachings includes equality comparators and a number of phases and increases resolution without increasing clock frequency. A further embodiment of the system of these teachings includes a priority encoded comparator component (in one instance including a number of comparators) comparing duty cycle commands against preset minimums, that embodiment being referred to as a frequency Foldback component. Other embodiments and embodiments of the method of these teachings are also disclosed.
US08120399B2
A locked loop circuit having a clock hold function. The locked loop circuit includes a select circuit, phase mixing circuit, hold signal generator and latch circuit. The select circuit selects one of a plurality of phase values in response to a select signal, and the phase mixing circuit generates a first clock signal having a phase angle according to the selected phase value. The hold signal generator asserts a hold signal in response to a transition of the select signal, and the latch circuit latches the state of the first clock signal in response to assertion of the hold signal.
US08120396B2
A delay locked loop circuit comprising a VCDL which outputs a feedback clock by delaying an input clock in accordance with a magnitude of a control voltage, a phase comparator which detects a phase difference between the feedback clock and a reference clock by comparing the feedback clock with the reference clock, and outputs an Up-signal for raising the control voltage and a Down-signal for lowering the control voltage in accordance with the phase difference, a control voltage generation circuit which determines the control voltage in accordance with the Up-signal and the Down-signal, and outputs the control voltage to the VCDL, and a reset circuit which resets the phase comparator based on a logical OR between the reference clock and a first intermediate clock which is a signal obtained by delaying the input clock by the VCDL and is output before the feedback clock.
US08120393B2
A semiconductor memory apparatus includes a initialization signal generating unit configured to vary a voltage level of an external voltage in response to a detection signal, the external voltage enables a power-up signal, an internal voltage generating unit configured to produce an internal voltage, the internal voltage generating unit is initialized by the power-up signal, and a detection signal generating unit configured to produce the detection signal in response to a voltage level of the internal voltage.
US08120376B2
Fault detection apparatuses and methods for detecting a processing or hardware performance fault of a semiconductor production tool have been provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a method for detecting a fault of a semiconductor production tool includes sensing a signal associated with a test component of the production tool during operation of the production tool and converting the signal to an electronic test signal. A prerecorded signature signal corresponding to the test component is provided and the test signal and the prerecorded signature signal are compared.
US08120375B2
An apparatus for use with a wafer prober and a probe card comprising a stiffening member having a feature defining a first plane. The stiffening member is mountable atop the central portion of the probe card. A reference member is provided to mount to the wafer prober and has an underside with a feature defining a second plane. When the feature of the stiffening member defining the first plane is urged against the feature of the reference member defining a second plane the probe tips of the probe card are substantially planarized relative to the wafer prober.
US08120374B2
An inspection circuit is used for inspecting signal wires of a display area. The inspection circuit includes a shorting bar, plural first shorting switches, and plural second shorting switches. The plurality of the first and the second shorting switches are disposed at different sides of the display area for increasing space between each adjacent shorting switch so as to reduce coupling effect. In the inspection circuit, a first shorting switch is electrically connected between the shorting bar and first end of one signal wire, and a second shorting switch is electrically connected between the second end of that signal wire and second end of another signal wire.
US08120361B2
Various systems and methods for implementing an azimuthally sensitive resistivity logging tool are disclosed. One such method involves transmitting a primary magnetic field from one or more coils placed on a drill collar and receiving several electrical signals, where each of the electrical signals is received from a respective one of several sensors. The sensors are distributed around a circumference of a drill collar, and an axis of at least one of the sensors is perpendicular to an axis of the drill collar. Each of the electrical signals indicates a respective magnitude of a measurement of a reflected magnetic field, where the reflected magnetic field is reflected from an anomalous geological formation. The method calculates a vector measurement of the reflected magnetic field, based upon the electrical signals.
US08120348B2
The present invention discloses a power converter with improved line transient, comprising: a power stage circuit including at least one power transistor switch which operates to convert an input voltage to an output voltage; an error amplifier comparing a feedback signal with a reference signal to generate an error signal; an input voltage instant variation extraction circuit extracting an instant variation of the input voltage and generating a signal relating to the instant variation; and a PWM comparator generating a PWM signal according to at least a ramp signal, the error signal, and the signal relating to the instant variation, to thereby control the operation of the power transistor switch in the power stage circuit.
US08120347B1
An AC electrical system has a source voltage and current interconnected through an energy storage device with a load. A unity power factor control circuit maintains unity power factor incorporating the steps of producing a sample and hold voltage related to the input voltage and an output voltage where the sample and hold voltage maintains constant values between pulses of a clock signal. A modulated signal at each clock pulse fall produces a current feedback voltage proportional to the source current, and as long as it is less then the sample and hold voltage, an inductor stores energy, and delivers it to the load each time the feedback voltage exceeds the sample and hold voltage and energy stored in the inductor is thereby delivered to the load, whereby controlling the amount of energy stored, the input voltage and current are drawn into phase thereby maintaining unity power factor.
US08120339B2
A switching power supply has first and second switching units and a control unit. Each switching unit has a switching element performing a switching operation to intermittently receive electric current from a battery while accumulating electric power in a coil and discharging this power to an output terminal. A resistor earthed is serially connected with each switching element. The resistance of the first resistor receiving the first current from the first switching element is lower than that of the second resistor receiving the second current from the second switching element. A maximum value of the first current is higher than that of the second current due to the difference between the resistors. The control unit controls the switching operations of the elements to boost the voltage of the battery and stops the switching operations in response to the first current exceeding an upper value.
US08120329B2
An apparatus for controlling power generation of a generator mounted on a vehicle, the generator charging a on-vehicle battery, comprising a detecting device that detects information indicating the internal status of the battery that includes temperature of the battery, a power supply circuit that supplies power to the detecting device, a calculator for calculating the internal status of the battery using the information detected by the detecting device, a circuit board on which the calculator, the power supply circuit, and the detecting circuit are mounted and a controller that controls the power generation of the generator based on the internal status of the battery. The temperature sensing element is arranged on a bus bar that is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the battery, and the bus bar and the temperature sensing element are coupled thermally to each other.
US08120323B2
A charging circuit includes a main power circuit, a DC-to-DC converting circuit, a detection circuit and a controller. The main power circuit is electrically connected to a power source for converting an input voltage from the power source into a first voltage. The DC-to-DC converting circuit is electrically connected to the main power circuit for converting the first voltage into a second voltage to charge the energy storage element. The detection circuit is electrically connected to the main power circuit and the DC-to-DC converting circuit for detecting a terminal voltage of the energy storage element and the first voltage from the main power circuit, thereby generating a feedback signal. The controller is electrically connected to the detection circuit and the main power circuit for controlling operations of the first switching element in response to the feedback signal, so that the first voltage is adjustable according to the second voltage.
US08120322B2
The present invention relates to a charge equalization apparatus, in which series-connected batteries are divided into modules having certain sizes, and intra-module charge equalization and inter-module charge equalization are simultaneously performed, thus improving charge equalization performance and reducing the circuit size.
US08120314B2
The electronic apparatus includes a portable electronic device and a charger for capacitively charging the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is temporarily placed adjacent the charger. The portable electronic device includes a device data communication unit and an associated battery, and a pair of device capacitive electrodes, defining a device conductive footprint, to receive a charging signal to charge the battery. The charger includes a base having an area larger than the device conductive footprint and able to receive the portable electronic device thereon in a plurality of different positions, and an array of charger capacitive electrodes carried by the base. A charger controller selectively drives only the charger capacitive electrodes within the device conductive footprint with a charging signal to capacitively charge the battery. A charger data communication unit communicates with the device data communication unit via the charger capacitive electrodes and device capacitive electrodes, e.g. by modulating data onto the charging signal.
US08120311B2
An inductive power supply system to wirelessly charge a remote device based on detected battery characteristics. The system includes an inductive power supply with a primary coil capable of inductively providing power to a secondary coil in a remote device. The inductive power supply and remote device include communication means for wirelessly communicating. The system further includes a remote device, having a battery with detectable battery characteristics. In operation, the remote device is capable of detecting the battery characteristics by applying a qualification charge to the battery. The inductive power supply system is capable of identifying the battery installed in the remote device by analyzing the detected battery characteristics. The inductive power supply system selects an appropriate charging algorithm based on the analyzed characteristics.
US08120306B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for operation of a voltage source inverter. A method of operating a voltage source inverter having an output with multiple voltage phases having a DC voltage level, the method comprising sensing a low output frequency condition; determining a DC voltage offset responsive to the low output frequency condition; and applying the DC voltage offset when operating the voltage source inverter resulting in a change to the DC voltage level of the multiple voltage phases.
US08120299B2
The present invention relates to a motor controller of an air conditioner, including an inverter including a plurality of switching elements and adapted to convert a DC voltage, input through switching operations of the switching elements, into an AC voltage and supply the converted voltage to a motor, a power calculation unit that calculates electric power applied to the motor, an angle calculation unit that calculates an optimal phase angle of a current command value based on the calculated electric power; and a microcomputer that outputs a switching control signal to control the switching elements of the inverter based on the optimal phase angle.
US08120297B2
A synchronous motor having phase windings which are split or tapped and in which the conduction angle of the applied alternating current is varied at one or more taps to allow the motor to start in a controlled direction and be torque controlled to synchronous speed.
US08120295B2
A power controller alleviating change of braking feeling caused by reduced regenerative braking force is provided. Energy generated by regenerative braking is used for charging a capacitor. The charging power P(C) is calculated and whether P(C) has reached a maximum value WMAX of predetermined limit control value WIN(C) or not is determined. If P(C) is determined to have reached WMAX, WIN(C) is regulated to be smaller from that time point.
US08120291B2
A drive system is provided for a utility vehicle and includes an alternating-current (AC) motor for providing a drive torque. An AC motor controller receives a battery voltage signal, throttle pedal position signal, brake pedal position signal, key switch signal, forward/neutral/reverse (FNR) signal, and run/tow signal indicative of the utility vehicle being configured to be driven and being configured to be towed. The AC motor controller generates an AC drive signal for the AC motor, wherein the AC drive signal is based on the battery voltage signal, throttle pedal position signal, brake pedal position signal, key switch signal, FNR signal, and run/tow signal.
US08120276B2
A light source (10) is disclosed, emitting multi-colored light with light of at least two different colors, emitted from a number of primary light sources (1) wherein the primary light sources (1) are divided into groups and the brightness values of the primary light sources (1) within a group are determined and controlled separately according to color, such that the color location of the multi-colored light lies in a given region of the CIE standard color diagram. The invention further relates to a method for controlling such a light source (10) and an illumination device with such a light source (10), for example, for backlighting a display.
US08120267B2
A LED driving circuit includes a bridge rectifier, a high-bias-voltage diode, a balancing capacitor, a driving chip, and a switch. The bridge rectifier receives external AC power and outputs a full-wave or half-wave AC power. One terminal of the high-bias-voltage diode and one terminal of the balancing capacitor are electrically coupled to a balancing node. The other terminals of the high-bias-voltage diode and the balancing capacitor are electrically coupled to the bridge rectifier and grounded respectively. The driving chip receives operating power from the balancing node, and outputs driving signals to operate the switch, so as to drive an LED. Through the arrangement of the forward bias voltage direction of the high-bias-voltage diode, the balancing capacitor is only discharged to the driving chip. Therefore, the capacitance value and the volume of the balancing capacitor, the space occupied by the driving circuit, and the cost of the driving circuit are reduced.
US08120260B2
A wireless convenience lighting system, comprises a base unit, the base unit connectable to an AC power supply, the base unit having a transmitter structure emitting at least one signal indicating one of an AC power loss or the AC power on, a remote lighting unit having a light source, and auxiliary power supply and a receiver structure, the receiver structure receiving the signal from the base unit, the base unit wirelessly activating the light source of the remote lighting unit when the AC power is lost.
US08120258B2
The present invention provides a magnetron which can conduct more magnetic flux in the active space at the periphery of a cathode structure to thereby further improve the efficiency of a magnetic circuit. The magnetron of the present invention includes an anode cylinder on which inner wall a plurality of anode vanes are provided, a pole piece provided on an end side of the anode cylinder, a circular magnet provided on the vicinity of the pole piece, and a magnet ring provided between the anode cylinder and the circular magnet. An outer diameter of the magnet ring is smaller than or equal to the outer diameter of the circular magnet and larger than or equal to the outer diameter of the anode cylinder. The magnet ring has a portion on a surface of the pole piece side whose normal line is non-parallel to the central axis of the anode cylinder.
US08120254B2
A plasma display panel (PDP) includes a front panel (2) having a front glass substrate (3) on which display electrodes (6) are formed, a dielectric layer (8) covering the display electrodes (6), and a protective layer (9) formed on the dielectric layer (8). The PDP panel also includes a rear panel (10) facing the front panel (2) to form a discharge space therebetween, and including address electrodes formed along a direction intersecting with the display electrodes (6) and barrier ribs partitioning the discharge space. The protective layer (9) includes a primary film (91) made of MgO and formed on the dielectric layer (8), and aggregated particles (92) formed of several crystal particles of MgO aggregated together and at least one type of particles (93) made of non-organic material and different from aggregated particles (92). The particles (92) and (93) are distributed on the primary film (91).
US08120253B2
A plasma display panel (PDP) with improved address voltage margin and reduced noise brightness such as discharge light or background light during an address discharge. The PDP includes a plurality of barrier ribs between a front substrate and a rear substrate to define a plurality of main discharge spaces and a plurality of auxiliary discharge spaces along a stepped surface of the barrier ribs. The auxiliary discharge spaces provide a shorter discharge path than the main discharge spaces. Address electrodes are provided on the rear substrate for generating address discharges together with the scan electrodes on the front substrate at locations adjacent to the auxiliary discharge spaces. Phosphor layers are respectively formed in the main discharge spaces, and a discharge gas is injected in the main discharge spaces and the auxiliary discharge spaces.
US08120251B2
Disclosed herein is an electroluminescent display that includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a light-emitting element array, a sealing member, and a supporting structure. The first substrate and the second substrate are opposite to each other, and the light-emitting element array is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The sealing member is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate such that an enclosed space is defined by the first substrate, the second substrate and the sealing member. The light-emitting element array is disposed within the enclosed space. The supporting structure is disposed between and interconnects the first substrate and the second substrate while does not form an enclosed space therewith. The sealing member and the supporting structure are both formed of a same glass frit.
US08120250B2
A light emitter is disclosed herein. An embodiment of the light emitter comprises a substrate having a substrate surface; a light emitting diode located on the substrate surface; an encapsulant located on the substrate surface and encapsulating the light emitting diode; and a reflector cup attached to the substrate, the reflector cup having a reflector cup first side and a reflector cup second side with a hole extending between the reflector cup first side and the reflector cup second side, wherein the reflector cup first side is attached to the substrate surface so that the hole in the reflector cup first side encompasses the light emitting diode.
US08120247B2
The invention relates to a light emitting device comprising at least one light source and at least one ceramic spherical color converter material, which helps to ease the manufacture as well as to improve the luminescence properties of the light emitting device.
US08120237B2
A phospholuminescent composition is provided that includes a phosphor having a composition represented by SrxBa2-xSiO4:Eu, wherein 0≦x≦2. The phospholuminescent composition also includes a magnesium salt added to the phosphor. The composition has an excitation spectra such that the ratio of the intensity at a wavelength of 440 nm to the intensity at a wavelength of 360 nm is in the range of 0.82 to 0.85. Alternatively, the composition has an excitation spectra such that an intensity at a wavelength of 440 nm ranges from 1.2 to 1.3 times an intensity of said phosphor alone at a wavelength of 440 nm.
US08120229B2
A micro-electro-mechanical transducer (such as a cMUT) is disclosed. The transducer has a substrate, a top plate, and a middle spring layer therebetween. The substrate and the middle spring layer define cavities therebetween sidewalled by standing features. The middle spring layer is anchored by the standing features to create cantilevers over the cavities to enable a vertical displacement of connectors placed on the middle spring layer. The connectors define a transducing space between the middle spring layer and the top plate. The top plate is transported by the vertical displacement of the connectors in a piston-like motion to change the transducing space and to effectuate energy transformation. Various configurations of cantilevers, including single cantilevers, back-to-back double cantilevers and head-to-head double cantilevers (bridges) are possible.
US08120224B2
A permanent-magnet switched-flux (PMSF) device has an outer rotor mounted to a shaft about a central axis extending axially through the PMSF device. First and second pluralities of permanent-magnets (PMs) are respectively mounted in first and second circles, radially outwardly in first and second transverse planes extending from first and second sections of the central axis adjacent to an inner surface of the outer rotor. An inner stator is coupled to the shaft and has i) a stator core having a core axis co-axial with the central axis; and ii) first and second pluralities of stator poles mounted in first and second circles, radially outwardly from the stator core axis in the first and second transverse planes. The first and second pluralities of PMs each include PMs of alternating polarity.
US08120223B2
An internal permanent magnet machine has multiple rotor sections, each section having multiple rotor laminations. Permanent magnets are placed asymmetrically in lamination openings to attenuate oscillations in torque caused by harmonic components of magnetic flux.
US08120201B2
An LED vehicle lighting apparatus including a fail-safe function can supply a plurality of LEDs connected in series with a requisite voltage that is larger than a supply voltage of a battery. The vehicle lighting apparatus can include a DC-DC convertor and a subsidiary feed circuit. The DC-DC convertor can be configured to supply the LEDs with a substantially constant current by a controller. At least one output of the subsidiary feed circuit is connected to an LED in the LEDs, and a switching element can also be connected between the LED and ground. When the controller has a breakdown or trouble, LEDs between the LED and ground can be directly lighted by the battery in accordance with a signal provided by the controller. Thus, the disclosed subject matter can provide various LED lighting apparatuses including a user friendly fail-safe function.
US08120195B2
Systems are described for obtaining energy, especially electrical energy, from sea waves. An elongated elastic tube device (12) floats at the sea surface (20) (or at a shallow depth under it) and extends at least partially parallel to the direction of wave propagation (D). The tube bends as a wave passes by and such tube bending stretches and relaxes SSM (synthetic stretchable material) (44, 60, 62) which generates electricity in electrodes (46, 48) when its amount of stretching changes. Electricity from power takeoffs in the tube are electronically added.
US08120193B2
A wind energy conversion system for a building comprises one or more wind powered turbines, a pitched roof structure having a first pitch on which the turbines are mounted, and a cover supported on the pitched roof structure above the turbines. The cover has a second pitch that is less than the first pitch. The cover and roof structure together create a wind tunnel that directs wind to flow through the turbines. Cowlings are also provided for each of the turbines. Each cowling surrounds an upper portion of a corresponding turbine. The cowlings are aerodynamically shaped and configured to concentrate air flow across or through a wind rotor of its respective turbine. The cowlings extend in a vertical direction between the cover and the roof structure.
US08120190B2
A shopping cart is equipped with an electrical/electronic component(s), such as a shopping assistant, that is electrically powered by a rechargeable power supply. A system is provided for continuously recharging the power supply as the shopping cart is propelled by the customer. In one embodiment, the wheels of the shopping cart are linked to a potential energy storage component, such as a coil spring. The spring is wound with each movement of the shopping cart, regardless of the distance that the cart travels. When the coil spring has been wound to a pre-determined torque, the spring is released to drive an input to an electrical generator. Once the potential energy in the spring has been dissipated the winding cycle begins again.
US08120187B2
A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit package system that includes: providing an electrical interconnect system including an inner lead-finger system and an outer lead-finger system; stacking a first device, a second device, and a third device between and over the electrical interconnect system; connecting the first device and the second device to the inner lead-finger system; and connecting the third device to the outer lead-finger system.
US08120186B2
An integrated circuit and method of fabricating an integrated circuit. One embodiment includes a circuit chip, a contact pad, and a projecting top contact. A signal line couples the contact pad to the projecting top contact, the contact pad, the projecting top contact. The signal line is arranged on a top face of the circuit chip. A substrate and a lower contact pad, the lower contact pad is arranged on a bottom face of the substrate and the circuit chip is arranged on a top face of the substrate. A bottom face of the circuit chip is facing the top face of the substrate. A connection couples the contact pad on the circuit chip to the lower contact pad.
US08120185B2
A semiconductor device includes a first plug formed on a semiconductor substrate and exposed on side and upper surfaces of an upper part thereof and a second plug formed on the first plug to contact the exposed side and upper surfaces of the upper part of the first plug.
US08120184B2
The invention includes methods of forming layers conformally over undulating surface topographies associated with semiconductor substrates. The undulating surface topographies can first be exposed to one or more of titanium oxide, neodymium oxide, yttrium oxide, zirconium oxide and vanadium oxide to treat the surfaces, and can be subsequently exposed to a material that forms a layer conformally along the treated surfaces. The material can, for example, comprise one or both of aluminum silane and aluminum silazane. The invention also includes semiconductor constructions having conformal layers formed over liners containing one or more of titanium oxide, yttrium oxide, zirconium oxide and vanadium oxide.
US08120181B2
A system and method for forming post passivation metal structures is described. Metal interconnections and high quality electrical components, such as inductors, transformers, capacitors, or resistors are formed on a layer of passivation, or on a thick layer of polymer over a passivation layer.
US08120179B2
A metal interconnect structure includes at least a pair of metal lines, a cavity therebetween, and a dielectric metal-diffusion barrier layer located on at least one portion of walls of the cavity. After formation of a cavity between the pair of metal lines, the dielectric metal-diffusion barrier layer is formed on the exposed surfaces of the cavity. A dielectric material layer is formed above the pair of metal lines to encapsulate the cavity. The dielectric metal-diffusion barrier layer prevents diffusion of metal and impurities from one metal line to another metal line and vice versa, thereby preventing electrical shorts between the pair of metal lines.
US08120170B2
An integrated circuit package employs a stiffener layer that houses a passive electronic component to maintain mechanical properties when a thinner substrate is used. The use of either a retention wall or a stiffener allows for the manufacture of these integrated circuit package using strip, matrix, or array technology where a larger board with a plurality of integrated circuit packages is produced industrially and then cut to individual units.
US08120169B2
A molded leadless package (MLP) semiconductor device includes a heat spreader with a single connecting projection extending from an edge of a cap of the heat spreader to a leadframe. The heat spreader can include additional projections on its edges that act as heat collectors and help to secure the spreader in the MLP. The connecting projection is attached to a lead of the leadframe so that heat gathered by the cap can be transferred through the connecting projection to the lead and to a printed circuit board to which the lead is connected. In embodiments, the heat spreader includes a central heat collector projection from the cap toward the die, preferably in the form of a solid cylinder, that enhances heat collection and transfer to the cap. The cap can include fins projecting from its top surface to facilitate radiant and convection cooling.
US08120168B2
Materials, and methods that use such materials, that are useful for forming chip stacks, chip and wafer bonding and wafer thinning are disclosed. Such methods and materials provide strong bonds while also being readily removed with little or no residues.
US08120164B2
A semiconductor chip package and printed circuit board assembly including the same which have a variable mounting orientation include a semiconductor chip disposed on a first surface of an insulating substrate, connectors symmetrically disposed at respective first and opposite second sides of the insulating substrate, a plurality of input/output connecting leads and power connecting leads electrically connected by connecting members to a plurality of internal circuits of the semiconductor chip, at least two internal circuits of the plurality of internal circuits being substantially similar circuits, and a radiating pad disposed on a second opposite surface of the insulating substrate and which is electrically connected to the semiconductor chip.
US08120156B2
The present invention provides an integrated circuit package system with die on base package comprising forming a base package comprising, forming a substrate, mounting a first integrated circuit on the substrate, encapsulating the integrated circuit and the substrate with a molding compound, and testing the base package, attaching a bare die to the base package, connecting electrically the bare die to the substrate and encapsulating the bare die and the base package.
US08120154B2
Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to techniques which avoid the problems of deformation in the shape of a solder connection in a flip chip package, resulting from solder reflow. In one embodiment, a solder-repellent surface is created adjacent to the solder to constrain the reflow and thereby maintain the vertical profile of the solder. Examples of such a solder-repellent surface include an oxide (such as Brown Oxide) of the lead frame, or a tape (such as Kapton) which is used as a dam bar to control/constrain the solder flow on the leads prior to the encapsulation step. In another embodiment, the solder connection may be formed from at least two components. The first component may reflow at high temperatures to provide the necessary adhesion between solder ball and the die, with the second component reflowing at a lower temperature to provide the necessary adhesion between the solder ball and the leads. An example of such multi-component connections include a first high temperature reflow solder ball paired with a second low temperature reflow solder. Another example includes a solder ball with a hard core (such as Cu, stainless steel, or a plastic material stable at high temperatures) coated with a lower temperature reflow material.
US08120153B1
A cost-effective, ultra-compact, hybrid power module packaging system and method for making allows device operation in conventional and high temperature ranges over 300° C. Double metal leadframes are directly bonded to the front- and backside of semiconductor chips, and injection-molded high temperature polymer materials encapsulate the module. The invention eliminates the use of unreliable metal wirebonds and solders joints, and expensive aluminum nitride ceramic substrates commonly used in conventional and high temperature hybrid power modules. Advantages of the new power modules include high current carrying capability, low package parasitic impedance, low thermo-mechanical stress under high temperature cycling, low package thermal resistance (double-side cooling), modularity for easy system-level integration, and low-cost manufacturing of devices compatible with current electronic packaging industry. A first embodiment uses molybdenum leadframes for operation in temperatures over 300° C.; a second embodiment of the invention, uses copper and copper alloy leadframes, provides benefits for conventional temperature electronics.
US08120149B2
An integrated circuit package system is provided forming a lead finger from a padless lead frame, forming a lead tip hole in the lead finger, mounting an integrated circuit die having a solder bump on the lead finger, and reflowing the solder bump on the lead tip hole of the lead finger.
US08120133B2
A micro-electromechanical actuator employs metal for the hot arm and silicon for at least the flexible portion of the cold arm. The cold arm made of silicon is coupled to a metal wire that moves with it and is used to carry the signal to be switched when at least two of such actuators are formed into a switch. Arrays of such switches on a first chip may be cooperatively arranged with a second chip that is flip-chip bonded to the first chip, the second chip having thereon wires routing the electrical control currents to the various hot arms for heating them as well as the signals to be switched by the various switches.
US08120132B2
A photovoltaic cell and a method of forming an electrode grid on a photovoltaic semiconductor substrate of a photovoltaic cell are disclosed. In one embodiment, the photovoltaic cell comprises a photovoltaic semiconductor substrate; a back electrode electrically connected to a back surface of the substrate; and a front electrode electrically connected to a front surface of the substrate. The substrate, back electrode, and front electrode form an electric circuit for generating an electric current when said substrate absorbs light. The front electrode is comprised of a metal grid defining a multitude of holes. These holes may be periodic, aperiodic, or partially periodic. The front electrode may be formed by depositing nanospheres on the substrate; forming a metallic layer on the substrate, around the nanospheres; and removing the nanospheres, leaving an electrode grid defining a multitude of holes on the substrate.
US08120126B2
A magnetic tunneling junction device and fabrication method is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the method includes depositing a capping material on a free layer of a magnetic tunneling junction structure to form the capping layer and oxidizing a portion of the capping material to form a layer of oxidized material.
US08120124B2
A method for forming silicon nitride films on semiconductor devices is provided. In one embodiment of the method, a silicon-comprising substrate is first exposed to a mixture of dichlorosilane (DCS) and a nitrogen-comprising gas to deposit a thin silicon nitride seeding layer on the surface, and then exposed to a mixture of silicon tetrachloride (TCS) and a nitrogen comprising gas to deposit a TCS silicon nitride layer on the DCS seeding layer. In another embodiment, the method involves first nitridizing the surface of the silicon-comprising substrate prior to forming the DCS nitride seeding layer and the TCS nitride layer. The method achieves a TCS nitride layer having a sufficient thickness to eliminate bubbling and punch-through problems and provide high electrical performance regardless of the substrate type. Also provided are methods of forming a capacitor, and the resulting capacitor structures.
US08120104B2
A sinker layer is in contact with a first conductivity-type well, and is separated from a first conductivity-type collector layer and a second conductivity-type drift layer. A second conductivity-type diffusion layer (second second-conductivity-type high-concentration diffusion layer) is formed in the surface layer of the sinker layer. The second conductivity-type diffusion layer has a higher impurity concentration than that of the sinker layer. The second conductivity-type diffusion layer and the first conductivity-type collector layer are isolated from each other with an element isolation insulating film interposed therebetween.
US08120103B2
A semiconductor device includes a substrate; a plurality of active pillars formed over the substrate; bulb-type trenches, each of the bulb-type trenches formed inside the substrate between the active pillars; buried bit lines, each of the buried bit lines being formed on a sidewall of a respective one of the bulb-type trenches; and vertical gates, each of the vertical gates being formed to surround a sidewall of a respective one of the active pillars.
US08120102B2
A semiconductor device includes a gate electrode GE electrically connected to a gate portion which is made of a polysilicon film provided in the inside of a plurality of grooves formed in a striped form along the direction of T of a chip region CA wherein the gate electrode GE is formed as a film at the same layer level as a source electrode SE electrically connected to a source region formed between adjacent stripe-shaped grooves and the gate electrode GE is constituted of a gate electrode portion G1 formed along a periphery of the chip region CA and a gate finger portion G2 arranged so that the chip region CA is divided into halves along the direction of X. The source electrode SE is constituted of an upper portion and a lower portion, both relative to the gate finger portion G2, and the gate electrode GE and the source electrode SE are connected to a lead frame via a bump electrode.
US08120098B2
A semiconductor device which can avoid increase of a conduction loss of an IGBT, secure a low noise characteristic and also reduce a switch loss. The switching device is of a trench gate type, in which a drift n− layer 110 is exposed to its main surface to a floating p layer 126 and to trench gates. In other words, the floating p layer 126 is provided within the drift n− layer 110 to be spaced from the trench gates.
US08120097B2
A control circuit with a high voltage sense device. In one embodiment, a circuit includes a first transistor disposed in a first substrate having first, second and third terminals. A first terminal of the first transistor is coupled to an external voltage. A voltage provided at a third terminal of the first transistor is substantially proportional to a voltage between the first and second terminals of the first transistor when the voltage between the first and second terminals of the first transistor is less than a pinch-off voltage of the first transistor. The voltage provided at the third terminal of the first transistor is substantially constant and less than the voltage between the first and second terminals of the first transistor when the voltage between the first and second terminals of the first transistor is greater than the pinch-off voltage of the first transistor. The circuit also includes a control circuit disposed in the first substrate and coupled to the third terminal of the first transistor. The circuit further includes a second transistor disposed in a second substrate. A first terminal of the second transistor coupled to the external voltage.
US08120095B2
The present invention provides two-transistor silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-semiconductor (2-Tr SONOS) non-volatile memory cells with randomly accessible storage locations as well as a design structure including the semiconductor memory devices embodied in a machine readable medium. In one embodiment, a 2-Tr SONOS cell is provided in which the select transistor is located with a trench structure having trench depth from 1 to 2 μm and the memory transistor is located on a surface of a semiconductor substrate adjoining the trench structure. In another embodiment, a 2-Tr SONOS memory cell is provided in which both the select transistor and the memory transistor are located within a trench structure having the depth mentioned above.
US08120083B2
Apparatus and systems may comprise electrode structures that include two or more dissimilar and abutting metal layers on a surface, some of the electrode structures separated by a gap; and a polymer-based ferroelectric layer overlying and directly abutting some of the electrode structures. Methods may comprise actions to form and operate the apparatus and systems. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US08120082B2
Disclosed relates to a ferroelectric memory device that is manufactured easily, operates at low voltage and has excellent data preservation period, and a method of manufacturing the same. In the present invention, a ferroelectric layer 60 is formed on a part corresponding to a channel region 4 on the silicon substrate 1. The ferroelectric layer 60 made of an organic material such as PVDF, etc. shows polarization characteristics at low voltage below 1V, and such polarization characteristics continue over a specific time period, not changed as time goes by.Accordingly, it is possible to manufacture a ferroelectric memory device that operates at low voltage and is manufactured with a simplified structure in a simplified method.
US08120080B2
An image sensor includes a trench formed in a semiconductor substrate, a first reflection part formed in the trench and having an inclined, curved surface, a second reflection part formed on the first reflection part such that a remaining space of the trench is filled with the second reflection part, and a vertical type photodiode formed on a region of the substrate between trenches. A method for forming the image sensor includes forming a trench in a semiconductor substrate, forming a first reflection part having an inclined, curved surface in the trench, forming a second reflection part on the first reflection part such that a remaining space of the trench is filled with the second reflection part, and forming a vertical type photodiode on a region of the substrate between trenches.
US08120074B2
A bipolar semiconductor device with a hole current redistributing structure and an n-channel IGBT are provided. The n-channel IGBT has a p-doped body region with a first hole mobility and a sub region which is completely embedded within the body region and has a second hole mobility which is lower than the first hole mobility. Further, a method for forming a bipolar semiconductor device is provided.
US08120072B2
Devices and methods for providing JFET transistors with improved operating characteristics are provided. Specifically, one or more embodiments of the present invention relate to JFET transistors with a higher diode turn-on voltage. For example, one or more embodiments include a JFET with a doped silicon-carbide gate, while other embodiments include a JFET with a metal gate. One or more embodiments also relate to systems and devices in which the improved JFET may be employed, as well as methods of manufacturing the improved JFET.
US08120066B2
Disclosed herein is a pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor (PHEMT) power device (1) including a semi-insulating substrate (2); an epitaxial substrate (3) formed on the semi-insulating substrate (2) a contact layer (19). The contact layer (19) includes a lightly doped contact layer (20) formed on the Schottky layer (18), and a highly doped contact layer (21) formed on the lightly doped contact layer (20) and having a doping concentration higher than the lightly doped contact layer (20). The PHEMT power device (1) further includes a—wide recess (23) formed to penetrate the highly doped contact layer (21) and a narrow recess (24) formed in the wide recess (23) to penetrate the lightly doped contact layer (20). The gate electrode (6) is formed in the narrow recess (24) and in Schottky contact with the Schottky layer (18).
US08120058B2
A method of forming a semiconductor device having an asymmetrical source and drain. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a gate structure on a first portion of the substrate having a well of a first conductivity. A source region of a second conductivity and drain region of the second conductivity is formed within the well of the first conductivity in a portion of the substrate that is adjacent to the first portion of the substrate on which the gate structure is present. A doped region of a second conductivity is formed within the drain region to provide an integrated bipolar transistor on a drain side of the semiconductor device, in which a collector is provided by the well of the first conductivity, the base is provided by the drain region of the second conductivity and the emitter is provided by the doped region of the second conductivity that is present in the drain region. A semiconductor device formed by the above-described method is also provided.
US08120055B2
Embodiments of a light source are disclosed herein. An embodiment of the light source comprises a first terminal and a second terminal. The first terminal comprises a first terminal first portion and a first terminal second portion, wherein at least a portion of the first terminal second portion is located on a first plane, the first terminal second portion comprising at least two contacts separated by a space. A second terminal comprises a second terminal first portion and a second terminal second portion. The second terminal first portion is located proximate the first terminal first portion. The second terminal second portion is located substantially on the first plane and in the space. A light emitter is affixed to the first terminal first portion, the light emitter is electrically connected to the first terminal first portion. A connection exists between the light emitter and the second terminal first portion.
US08120048B2
An LED unit includes an LED and a lens mounted on the LED. The lens includes a light-incident face adjacent to the LED, a light-emergent face remote from the LED, and a light-reflecting face between the light-incident face and the light-emergent face. The light-incident face includes a first light-incident face facing the LED, and the light-emergent face includes a first light-emergent face located opposite to the first light-incident face. The first light-incident face is a continuously curved face which has a curvature, along a bottom-to-top direction of the lens, firstly decreasing gradually to a first value; then increasing gradually to a second value; then decreasing gradually again to a third value; and then increasing gradually again. The light-emergent face has a first light-emergent face located above the first light-incident face and having a varied curvature.
US08120047B2
The present disclosure relates to a III-nitride semiconductor light-emitting device including a substrate with a first groove and a second groove formed therein, the substrate including a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a plurality of III-nitride semiconductor layers including a first semiconductor layer formed over the first surface of the substrate, a second semiconductor layer formed over the first III-nitride semiconductor layer, and an active layer disposed between the first and second III-nitride semiconductor layers and generating light by recombination of electrons and holes, a first opening formed on the first groove, a second opening formed on the second groove, a first electrode electrically connected from the second surface to the first III-nitride semiconductor layer through the first groove, and a second electrode electrically connected from the second surface to the second III-nitride semiconductor layer through the second groove and the second opening.
US08120040B2
A device for optical communication including a substrate for mounting an IC chip, and a multilayered printed circuit board. An optical path for transmitting optical signal which penetrates the substrate for mounting an IC chip is formed in the substrate for mounting an IC chip.
US08120039B2
In a semiconductor device, typically an active matrix display device, the structure of TFTs arranged in the respective circuits are made suitable in accordance with the function of the circuit, and along with improving the operating characteristics and the reliability of the semiconductor device, the manufacturing cost is reduced and the yield is increased by reducing the number of process steps. A semiconductor device has a semiconductor layer, an insulating film formed contacting the semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode having a tapered portion on the insulating film, in the semiconductor device, the semiconductor layer has a channel forming region, a first impurity region for forming a source region or a drain region and containing a single conductivity type impurity element, and a second impurity region for forming an LDD region contacting the channel forming region, a portion of the second impurity region is formed overlapping a gate electrode, and the concentration of the single conductivity type impurity element contained in the second impurity region becomes larger with distance from the channel forming region.
US08120027B2
The absorption coefficient of silicon for infrared light is very low and most solar cells absorb very little of the infrared light energy in sunlight. Very thick cells of crystalline silicon can be used to increase the absorption of infrared light energy but the cost of thick crystalline cells is prohibitive. The present invention relates to the use of less expensive microcrystalline silicon solar cells and the use of backside texturing with diffusive scattering to give a very large increase in the absorption of infrared light. Backside texturing with diffusive scattering and with a smooth front surface of the solar cell results in multiple internal reflections, light trapping, and a large enhancement of the absorption of infrared solar energy.
US08120004B2
A storage node, a phase change memory device, and methods of operating and fabricating the same are provided. The storage node may include a lower electrode, a phase change layer on the lower electrode and an upper electrode on the phase change layer, and the lower electrode and the upper electrode may be composed of thermoelectric materials having a melting point higher than that of the phase change layer, and having different conductivity types. An upper surface of the lower electrode may have a recessed shape, and a lower electrode contact layer may be provided between the lower electrode and the phase change layer. A thickness of the phase change layer may be about 100 nm or less, and the lower electrode may be composed of an n-type thermoelectric material, and the upper electrode may be composed of a p-type thermoelectric material, or they may be composed on the contrary to the above. Seeback coefficients of the lower electrode, the phase change layer, and the upper electrode may be different from each other.
US08120002B2
A detection system for detecting luminescence sites on a substrate and including an irradiation unit for generating at least one excitation irradiation beam for exciting luminescence sites on the substrate; a first optical element, e.g. refractive element adapted for receiving at least two irradiation beams of different wavelengths or wavelength ranges, the at least two irradiation beams being excitation irradiation beam(s) to be focused on a substrate and/or luminescence irradiation beam(s) to be collected from the excited luminescence sites on the substrate; and an optical compensator for adjusting at least one of the at least two irradiation beams of different wavelengths or wavelength ranges so as to reduce or compensate for optical aberrations.
US08119993B2
A method for detecting contamination on a moving object moving in a longitudinal direction past a plurality of detectors, wherein during the movement of the object past the detectors, a count rate is recorded repeatedly at each of the detectors, and before an evaluation whether contamination is present, the recorded count rates are subjected to a validity test as to whether the count rates recorded by the detectors belong to a class of predetermined reference patterns for the count rates.
US08119992B2
Provided is a system for overlay measurement in semiconductor manufacturing that includes a generator for exposing an overlay target to radiation and a detector for detecting reflected beams of the overlay target. The reflected beams are for overlay measurement and include at least two different beams.
US08119985B2
A method and apparatus for determining statistical characteristics of nano-particles includes distributing the nano-particles over a surface and then determining properties of the nano-particles by automatic measurement of multiple particles or by a measurement that determines properties of multiple particles at one time, without manipulating individual nano-particles.
US08119975B2
A data providing device associated with a trajectory sensing system has at least a frame. The frame supports at least two sensing receivers and at least one emitter for the sensing receivers. The sensors sense movement and/or position with respect to a surface. The frame supports a third sensor that senses information (e.g., image data) from the surface at least in addition to movement. There is also a communication link from the two sensing receivers to a data storage device; a communication link from the third sensor to a data storage device or to a processor and then a data storage device; and a processor that determines position of the system with respect to the surface based at least in part on data from the two sensing receivers.
