US08250666B2
In one embodiment the present invention includes a security manager for managing security in a dynamic programming environment. The security manager interfaces between the dynamic programming environment and a non-dynamic programming environment. In this manner, the dynamic programming environment is unable to compromise the non-dynamic programming environment, yet still provide features desirable in a dynamic programming environment. An example using Ruby in a robust business programming environment is detailed.
US08250660B2
Methods and systems include, e.g.,: (1) steganographically embedding location information in images, where the location information is obtained from remote sources like a cell phone network or remote GPS receiver; (2) steganographically embedding participant IDs in content to ensure proper billing and royalty tracking; (3) providing fair-use content management based upon digital watermark-tracked usage; (4) providing micro-payments based upon watermarked ID cards for retailers; and/or (5) providing watermarked logon cards, such as watermarked hotel room keys, to better provide internet logon access control. Other systems and methods are provided as well.
US08250658B2
A security analysis methodology is used to analyze the security of a device-under-analysis (DUA) with respect to a particular protocol message exchange. First, the mutation points that exist in the message exchange are determined. Then, the message exchange is executed multiple times—once for each mutation point. Each execution applies the mutation associated with that particular mutation point (e.g., a particular message during the exchange is modified in a particular way) to create a mutated message exchange. In other words, each message exchange with an applied mutation point corresponds to a test case.
US08250648B2
A security system for a computer operating system comprising a processor (37) that is independent of the host CPU (13) for controlling access between the host CPU (13) and a security partition formed in the storage device (21) for storing the operating system. A program memory (41) that is independent of the computer memory and the storage device (21) unalterably stores and provides computer programs for operating the processor (37) in a manner so as to control access to the security partition in the storage device (21). All data access by the host CPU (13) to the data storage device (21) is blocked before initialization of the security system and is intercepted immediately after the initialization under the control of the processor (37). The processor (37) effects independent control of the host CPU (13) and configuration of the computer (11) to prevent unauthorised access to the security partition on the storage device (21) during the interception phase. All users of the computer (11) are authenticated with a prescribed profile of access to the operating system files in the security partition on the storage device (21) and data access to the storage device remains blocked until a user of the computer (11) is correctly authenticated.
US08250645B2
Malware detection systems and methods are presented in which header data of protocol data units (PDUs) are examined at a wireless access switch shared by multiple clients, and the PDU type and client are used to establish counters, with the count values being analyzed to identify clients suspected of being infected with malware.
US08250642B2
Computer system, method and program for managing a firewall. First program instructions identify a first rule of the firewall. The first rule specifies a permitted message flow through the firewall to or from an IP address of a computer. The computer resides on a network. Second program instructions identify a second rule of the firewall. The second rule specifies a permitted message flow through the firewall to or from an IP address corresponding to the network. Message flows through the firewall to all computers on the network are permitted pursuant to the second rule. Third program instructions delete the first rule from the firewall based on the identification of the second rule and the computer residing on the network. Other program instructions identify and delete stale rules which are not needed. Other program instructions automatically identify rules for a new server added to a cluster.
US08250634B2
In some embodiments, a gateway in a communications network is provided including a subscriber interface and a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) registrar; wherein the SIP registrar: receives a first register message as a result of a request associated with a user and a mobile device seeking network authentication; and sends a request for subscriber information to the subscriber interface; the subscriber interface: retrieves the subscriber information from the subscriber database; and sends the subscriber information to the SIP registrar; the SIP registrar further: sends challenge information including a password request and a request for predetermined response information previously selected by the user to the mobile device; receives a second register message including user response information in response to the challenge information; and authenticates the mobile device and the user based at least in part on whether the user response information matches the predetermined response information.
US08250631B2
According to an embodiment of the invention, a system for processing a plurality of service requests in a client-server system includes a challenge server for: presenting a cryptographic challenge to the client; initializing a trust cookie that encodes a client's initial priority level after the client correctly solves the cryptographic challenge; computing a trust level score for the client based on a service request wherein said trust level score is associated with an amount of resources expended by the server in handling the service request such that a higher trust level score is computed for service requests consuming less system resources; assigning the trust level score to the client based on the computation; and embedding the assigned trust level score in the trust cookie included in all responses sent from the server to the client. The system further includes an application server coupled with a firewall.
US08250620B1
A novel mechanism is disclosed by which a sender can direct information such as an audiovisual signal to a particular recipient's audiovisual display device, such as a cable television set and, thereby, share information between the sender and the recipient. In one embodiment of the invention, a calling party originates a telephone call and associates that telephone call with audio-visual information that exists on the caller's personal computer or on an Internet server. The called party answers the call, and can tune an associated cable television to the appropriate channel in order to view the audio-visual information. In another embodiment, the caller is a hotel guest and the called party is a hotel concierge and vice versa. The concierge provides information to the hotel guest such that the hotel guest can tune in to a channel on their hotel television set and access the information.
US08250616B2
Methods and systems for processing multimedia content captured from a plurality of locations via one or more capturing devices include obtaining multimedia content from one or more capturing devices. The capturing devices identify a type of content being captured and/or location of capture. An interest type for multimedia content is obtained from a consuming user. The multimedia content from the capturing devices are searched based on the interest type of the consuming user. A subset of the multimedia content conforming to the interest type is presented in substantial real-time at the receiving devices of the consuming users. Feedback regarding the presented multimedia content is obtained from consuming users and communicated to the capturing devices in substantial real-time so as to influence future capture of multimedia content.
US08250613B2
A method for managing video news segments using a media asset management system includes collecting the video news segments, associating corresponding geospatial data with each video news segment, and creating a search thesaurus including search descriptors with cross-references therebetween. At least one respective search descriptor from the search thesaurus is associated with each video news segment. The method further includes storing each video news segment, its geospatial data and its at least one search descriptor on the media asset management system for later search and retrieval, such as by a news broadcasting organization. The search descriptors may be geospatial search descriptors that are cross-referenced in a hierarchical relationship.
US08250612B2
A digital broadcasting system and a method for processing data in the same are disclosed. A method for controlling a digital television (DTV) located in one independent space among a plurality of independent spaces physically separated from one another is disclosed. The DTV includes an access point (AP) card. The method includes receiving guest information recorded in a storage area of a compact wireless device and a wired equivalent privacy (WEP) key value of the AP card, receiving the WEP key value corresponding to the AP card of the DTV from a management server, comparing the WEP key value received from the compact wireless device with the WEP key value received from the management server, switching an operation mode of the DTV from a power-off mode to a wake mode, if the WEP key values are identical to each other, and controlling at least one guest information received from the compact wireless device to be displayed.
US08250610B2
Methods, computer program products, and apparatuses for receiving recording recommendations through a data network are provided. The recommendations originate from sources selected by the user. Each source may send a recommendation from his or her set top box or other computing device connected to the data network. The user may establish and send recommendation instructions used to filter and prioritize the recommendations based on the source of the recommendation. The user may send the recommendation instructions from his or her set top box or another computing device connected to the data network. Based at least partially by the recommendation instructions, the set top box of the user may receive a recommendation from a source and record at least one media program subject to the recommendation.
US08250608B2
System and method for adaptively controlling the recording of program material using a program guide
In response to the establishment of a communication connection between an appliance capable of effecting a recording of a program and a portable device capable of displaying to a user in a display of the portable device a program guide including a listing for the program the appliance capable of effecting the recording of the program receives data indicative of a request to record the program that is stored in a memory of the portable device via user interaction with the program guide prior to establishment of the communication connection and the appliance capable of effecting the recording of the program then functions to record the program in accordance with the received data indicative of the request to record the program.
US08250607B2
In certain embodiments, a digital television receiver method for receiving non-real time (NRT) content involves receiving a transport stream containing an Internet Protocol (IP) stream of packets containing non-real time content, NRT service metadata and NRT content metadata; a demultiplexer that demultiplexes the IP stream of packets to produce: NRT content, NRT service metadata, and NRT content metadata; an NRT metadata parser that produces NRT service metadata and NRT content metadata; and where the NRT service metadata contains an indication whether or not a particular NRT service is to be offered on a subscription basis. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
US08250599B2
System and method for providing time-based content. In one embodiment, time-based offers are presented to viewers of broadcast content, and may be presented on the same display device being used to display broadcast programming. In another embodiment, time-based offers are commercial offers inviting the viewer to purchase goods or services at a special rate for a limited time. Time-based offers may also be customized based on programming content being viewed and/or viewer profile data. Responses to presented time-based offers may be used to update viewer profile data and/or merchant conversion profile data, which is a measure of how effective the particular offer is.
US08250597B2
A method and system of providing copy protection of video analog and digital signals and the like, wherein the signals are transmitted via a digital delivery network, and may comprise, for example, pay-per-view (PPV) program materials protected by copyrights of respective program rights holders. The right holders authorize video service providers (3) to apply copy protection to the program material. The copy protection process is supplied to the rights holders or the service providers (3) by a copy protection process licensor. The video service providers (3) supply suitable copy protection control software via respective control and billing (tracking) centers to generate commands which activate, control and reconfigure the copy protection process being applied to the programs being transmitted. A set-top box (10) is provided to each consumer and contains a copy protection circuit which is adapted to apply selected anticopy waveforms to the video signal corresponding to the program material in response to the commands from the service providers (3). Usage data pertinent to each consumer is returned by the set-top box (10) to the service providers (3), which then report the copy protection usage to the respective rights holders and process licensor.
US08250595B2
An apparatus for monitoring a program signal received from a broadcast source that is to be performed by reproduction equipment, wherein an audio portion of the program signal is broadcast in combination with a monitoring code to provide a combined audio signal, comprising a switch, a code detector, and a component configured to receive the combined signal from the broadcast source and to provide to each of the reproduction equipment and the switch a respective output signal related to the combined signal. The code detector is adapted to receive an audio output from the reproduction equipment which has a mute mode, the reproduction equipment transmitting at least the monitoring code from the combined audio signal to the code detector if not in the mute mode and not transmitting the monitoring code to the code detector if in the mute mode. The switch is configured to transmit at least the monitoring code from the combined audio signal to the code detector if the reproduction equipment is in the mute mode and not transmit the monitoring code to the code detector if the reproduction equipment is not in the mute mode.
US08250582B2
Reducing cost chargeback in an information technology (IT) computing environment including multiple resources, is provided. One implementation involves a process wherein resource usage and allocation statistics are stored for a multitude of resources and associated cost policies. Then, time-based usage patterns are determined for the resources from the statistics. A correlation of response time with resource usages and outstanding input/output instructions for the resources is determined. Based on usage patterns and the correlation, a multitude of potential cost reduction recommendations are determined. Further, a multitude of integrals are obtained based on the potential cost reduction recommendations, and a statistical integral is obtained based on the statistics. A difference between the statistical integral and each of the multiple integrals is obtained and compared with a threshold to determine potential final cost reduction recommendations. A final cost reduction recommendation is then selected from the potential cost reduction recommendations.
US08250579B2
One embodiment may estimate the processing time of tasks requested by an application by maintaining a state-model for the application. The state model may include states that represent the tasks requested by the application, with each state including the average run-time of each task. In another embodiment, a state model may estimate which task is likely to be requested for processing after the current task is completed by providing edges in the state model connecting the states. Each edge in the state model may track the number of times the application transitions from one task to the next. Over time, data may be gathered representing the percentage of time that each edge is from a state node. Given this information, the scheduler may estimate the CPU cost of the next task based on the current state, the most likely transition, and the cost of the predicted next task. The state model may also track multiple users of the application and modify or create the state model as the users traverse through the state model.
US08250570B2
A framework for automatically provisioning computing devices includes a central database system and a central file system. Information stored in the database comprises a model of the individual devices, as well as the interconnections of the devices. The central file system stores the software components to be installed on the devices. When provisioning is carried out, the database sends commands to agents located on each device which cause them to retrieve and install the software components from the file system, and to configure the components according to the stored model.
US08250562B2
A thin-client device having an application program obtains a copy of an application update having an update barrier level via a network. The thin-client device receives a set of configuration parameters from a configuration server via the network and sets the barrier level value to a value specified by the set of configuration parameters. Alternatively, the thin-client device retrieves a default barrier level value stored in the thin-client device. If the set of configuration parameters does not specify a barrier level value, the barrier level value is set to the default barrier level value. The thin-client device compares the update barrier level to a barrier level value corresponding to a minimum application version necessary to maintain support for a critical feature. If the update barrier level is greater than or equal to the barrier level value, the thin-client device updates its application program.
US08250561B2
A system including a software maintenance tool of a business process platform to manage software changes related to a main software product including a software enhancement supplement of the main software product; and a control unit interfaced with the software maintenance tool and provided by a software product provider to create, assemble, and provision the software enhancement supplement to the software maintenance tool based on a type of content comprising the software enhancement supplement.
US08250559B2
System and method for supporting per-program classpath and class sharing in a multi-tasking virtual machine. A virtual machine may allow each program to specify its classpath independently of other programs classpaths. Tasks that specify identical classpaths for their respective class loaders may share the runtime representation of classes. A multi-tasking virtual machine may generate and compare canonical forms of classpaths to determine which programs may share classes with each other. The runtime representation of a class may be split between shared and private portions of the runtime representation. A shared runtime representation may be associated with multiple private runtime representations. In one embodiment, unique class loader keys and a system dictionary may be used to associate tasks, class loaders and the shared representations of classes.
US08250546B2
A process and system for assisting a user to write new lines of code of a computer program based on code examples. A first line in each code sample matching a specified anchor line. A loop having a custom line branch and a code assist branch is executed. The custom line branch generates a new line for the computer program via a custom line provided by the user. The code assist branch generates a new line for the computer program via code assist. The code assist determines a set of assist lines from the code samples, translates the assist lines to a user context in each code example, selects from the assist lines set of preferred lines sequenced in an order of preference, presents the set of preferred lines to the user, receives a preferred line selected by the user, and stores the preferred line as a new line.
US08250543B2
A method for generating trace information for an exception in a software application, the software application having a traced mode for the generation of trace information and an untraced mode, and the software application further having a retry point as a defined point in a series of instructions for the execution of the software application, the method comprising the steps of: commencing execution of the software application in the untraced mode; on execution of the retry point, recording execution state information for the retry point; on occurrence of an exception at an exception point in the software application, reverting execution to the retry point using the recorded execution state information and switching to the traced mode; and in response to a determination that the exception point is executed in the traced mode, causing execution of the software application to proceed in the untraced mode.
US08250538B2
A system, method and computer program product for optimizing a software system through scenario evaluation. In accordance with the disclosed technique, a request is received for evaluation of an operational scenario that operates over an environment that is a superset of existing system capabilities encompassing system features or parameters that are not available in the currently running system. A knowledge base is consulted to derive recommendations with respect to operating parameters that may be collected to evaluate the scenario, mechanisms for gathering data relating to the parameters, and data evaluator operations for deriving a data evaluation result based on the data gathering. The knowledge base is further consulted to determine a reconfiguration recommendation based on the result. Scenario evaluation is performed based on simulation of the reconfiguration recommendation using the data evaluation result to determine efficacy of the scenario.
US08250537B2
A method and system for debugging a computer program are described. In one embodiment, information pertaining to a first function executed within the computer program is presented in a first sub-window of a stack window. Further, information pertaining to a second function executed within the computer program is presented in a second sub-window of the stack window. The second sub-window is positioned next to the first sub-window to provide a horizontal arrangement of the sub-windows within the stack window.
US08250523B2
It may be advantageous to facilitate communication between two types of source code. For example, a wrapper may be generated to translate between managed source code and native source code. Current techniques may translate a single type of native source code into a managed binary wrapper. However, as provided herein, a managed source code wrapper may be generated based upon a variety of native source code formats. A native binary descriptor describing a set of native code may be received. A provider may be selected based upon the format of the set of native code. The provider may be executed upon the native binary descriptor to produce a common native binary description. A managed source code wrapper may be generated based upon the common native binary description. Because the managed source code wrapper may be in a textual source code format, a developer may easily maintain and/or customize the wrapper.
US08250516B2
A method for merging polygons of a printed circuit board layout system is provided. The system generates PCB files according to the input wiring diagram, and generates polygons and records the profile attributes of each of the generated polygons. The method includes obtaining the profile attributes in response to user input. Then storing the obtained profile attributes and selecting two profile attributes. Then determining whether the polygons are overlapping and recording a new file attribute describing the shape of a new polygon of the two polygons combined shape excluding the lines indicating the overlapping portions of the two polygons. Finally, updating the opened PCB file with the new profile attribute if the polygons are overlapping. A related system is also provided.
US08250509B2
A slack-based timing budget apportionment methodology relies not only upon timing analysis-based determinations of slack in the units in an integrated circuit design, but also potential performance optimization opportunities in the logic used to implement such circuits. Logic in various units of an integrated circuit design that is amenable to being replaced with comparatively faster logic may be identified during timing budget apportionment, such that the magnitude of the slack reported for those units can be adjusted to account for such potential performance improvements. Then, when timing budgets are reapportioned using the slack calculated for each unit, additional slack is available to be reapportioned to those units needing larger timing budgets.
US08250487B2
A key input device includes: a display unit configured to display a keypad including one or more keys, the one or more keys having a plurality of characters and sequentially displaying the characters according to a rotation of the one or more keys; and a controller configured to display a selected one of characters displayed according to the rotation of the one or more keys on the display unit. Characters can be quickly and easily input via a touch screen.
US08250477B1
A mobile client application for managing user interface components. Mobile device screen user interface components are defined using XML documents stored at a server. Each user interface component has associated actions including draw when displayed and drawing aspect when selected. A main canvas is initialized to manage all images, text, and widgets. An XML parser pushes the user interface components to the main canvas as they are parsed and retrieved from the server. Drawing occurs after all components have been parsed and created in the main canvas. The entire canvas is drawn but only a portion of the canvas is displayed at any time. Scrolling of user interface component elements is managed by tracking selected items on the screen, and offsetting the main canvas by the number of pixels required to draw the selected element on the screen.
US08250465B2
An information processing apparatus comprises a readout unit adapted to read out, from a storage unit, correspondence information that includes a document structure of a structured document and a first code for encoding the document structure; a verification unit adapted to verify whether grammar of a portion included in a structured document for processing is valid, based on the document structure included in the correspondence information; and an encoding unit adapted to encode the structured document using the first code, in relation to a portion whose grammar is verified as being valid by the verification unit.
US08250464B2
A method and system for parsing a markup language document are disclosed in the invention. The method comprises: pre-splitting a body of the markup language document into plurality parts; scanning each of the plurality parts, wherein while each of the parts is scanned, the scanning of the part is stopped only when a specific mark is found, and then a stop point at which the scanning is stopped is recorded; splitting the body of the markup language document into a plurality of fragments using the respective stop points; parsing the plurality of fragments in parallel and producing parsing results for the respective fragments; and combining the parsing results for the respective fragments to form a parsing result for the markup language document. A parsing method that supports namespace is also provided.
US08250458B2
A method, system and software tool for emulating a portal application in a rich client application are provided. The rich client application is executable on a client platform capable of displaying views contributed by plug-in components registered with the client platform. The method comprises providing a user interface for eliciting user inputs for creating a new portal application on the client platform, detecting user selection of a portal page layout, and one or more views for each cell of the page layout, and generating a description of a client page representing the portal application. When the rich client application is run on the client platform it is directed to build a client page representing the portal application using the generated description.
US08250457B2
A method for acceleration of access to a web page. The method comprises receiving a web page responsive to a request by a user; analyzing the received web page for possible acceleration improvements; generating a modified web page of the received web page using at least one of a plurality of acceleration techniques; providing the modified web page to the user, wherein the user experiences an accelerated access to the modified web page resulting from the execution of the at least one of a plurality of acceleration techniques; and storing the modified web page for use responsive to future user requests.
US08250456B2
A system for selecting a candidate information unit for linking to a given information unit based on the content of the given information unit. The content of the given information unit may be automatically determined and then compared to content of the candidate information unit to determine which unit of candidate information to select. When the unit of candidate information is selected, it bears a chosen given information unit and it is linked with the given information unit. The system can be used to implement a structured advertising system for the World Wide Web. Web pages (given information) are searched and indexed, producing indexed content data. This indexed content data is then ranked according to relevancy. The ranked content data are compared to content data of advertisements (candidate information) and an advertisement is selected. The advertisement is then copied onto (linked to) the Web page.
US08250454B2
The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates displaying relevant advertisements to a user. A display engine can browse a portion of image data during a browsing session. An evaluator can identify a context related to two or more concurrent and on-going browsing sessions. An ad selector can locate an ad from a data store based on the identified context and seamlessly incorporate and display the ad into at least one of the browsing sessions.
US08250449B2
A decoding method for LDPC codes based on BP algorithm, includes initializing LLR (qmm) with the received LDPC bit stream; updating the check node LLR (rmm) and variable node LLR (qmm): after updating the LLR (rmm) corresponding to nonzero elements in each row in check matrix H in each iteration; immediately updating the LLR (qmm) corresponding to all the nonzero elements in the column which has a nonzero element in the row, and repeating the updating row by row; updating LLR (qn) on the basis of LLR (rm); terminating decoding process if maximum number of allowed iterations is reached or the correct result obtained and outputting the final decoding result xn; The method of the present invention may accelerate the decoding convergence, and reduce the number of iterations to increase the throughput, further reduce the power consumption and silicon area of decoding apparatus possible if LLR (qmm) is properly approximated.
US08250443B2
A method of performing HARQ performed by a user equipment (UE) is provided. The method includes receiving a bundling indicator which indicates the number of bundled downlink subframes, determining whether at least one bundled downlink subframe is missed by comparing the bundling indicator with the number of detected bundled downlink subframes, generating a representative ACK/NACK signal when no bundled downlink subframe is missed, and transmitting the representative ACK/NACK signal on an uplink channel. Recovery capability is maximized and the packet loss is reduced in such a situation that less number of ACK/NACK signals are fed back than that of downlink packets.
US08250441B2
The subject matter disclosed herein provides an outer coding framework for minimizing the error rate of packets, such as application data packets used to transmit digital video broadcast data as well as other forms of data. In one aspect, there is provided a method. The method may include inserting a received packet into one or more rows of a frame. The one or more rows including the received packets may be encoded using an outer code. A block of data from a column of the frame may be read. The frame may include the one or more rows encoded using the outer code. The block that is read may be provided to enable an inner code to encode the block before transmission through a wireless network. Related systems, apparatus, methods, and/or articles are also described.
US08250439B1
A memory module includes a plurality of register files. Each register file is associated with a set of error-correcting code (ECC) bits and ECC check/correct logic that can provide error-correcting functionality, if required. When error-correcting functionality is not required, ECC bits are grouped together to form additional register files, thereby providing additional storage space.
US08250422B2
A receiving device is provided that includes a radio receiving unit to receive radio signals transmitted from multiple transmitting antennas by multiple receiving antennas and output received signals being digital signals, a frequency control unit to detect and correct a frequency error contained in the received signals, a channel estimation unit to estimate a channel matrix of which each element corresponds to respective pair of each transmitting antenna and each receiving antenna, an equalization unit to equalize the received signals by using the estimated channel matrix, a demodulation and decoding unit to demodulate and decode the equalized received signals, and an error estimation unit to estimate a channel variation component indicating temporal variation of characteristics of each channel and a phase error component remaining in the received signals based on the channel matrix, the received signals, and a decoding result or an equalization result.
US08250414B2
A device has at least one integrated signal path having a measurable asymmetrical signal lag and/or jitter, an output signal of the integrated signal path being able to be decoupled in a first measuring operating mode using a controllable integrated multiplexer to measure an asymmetrical signal lag of a measuring path, which includes the integrated signal path and the integrated multiplexer, and a measuring signal being able to be decoupled in a second measuring operating mode using the controllable integrated multiplexer to measure the asymmetrical signal lag of the integrated multiplexer.
US08250413B2
In one embodiment a computing system comprises one or more processors, a display device coupled to the computing system, and a memory module communicatively connected to the one or more processors. The memory module comprises logic to receive, in a connection server, a service request from a user via a remote connection client; in response to the service request, instantiate a remote computing protocol in a computing resource, monitor a connection state between the remote connection client and the computing resource; and in response to a change in the connection state between the remote connection client and the computing resource, generate a connection state message, and transfer the connection state message to the remote connection client.
US08250409B2
A boot test apparatus and method can repeatedly execute actions of power-on and power-off for a cold boot test of a computer to test whether the computer is operable. The boot test apparatus includes a microprocessor, a controller, and a power switch. The microprocessor generates a control signal according to a period voltage provided by an internal power supply. The control signal includes a pulse signal and a voltage signal. The controller controls a power switch to send the pulse signal to the computer through a power button of the computer, and controls the power switch to send the voltage signal to the computer through a power input port of the computer. The microprocessor further obtains test information from the computer when the computer executes a cold boot process according to the control signal, and displays the test information on an LED when the cold boot process is abnormal.
US08250405B2
A method and system for accelerating recovery in an MPI environment are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A first portion of a distributed application executes using a first processor and a second portion using a second processor in a distributed computing environment. After a failure of operation of the first portion, the first portion is restored to a checkpoint. A first part of the first portion is distributed to a third processor and a second part to a fourth processor. A computation of the first portion is performed using the first and the second parts in parallel. A first message is computed in the first portion and sent to the second portion, the message having been initially computed after a time of the checkpoint. A second message is replayed from the second portion without computing the second message in the second portion.
US08250400B2
A system management method in a system management apparatus for a distributed computing system having a plurality of computers, said system management method including: storing relations between a job and a job importance level of the job for ones of jobs handled by the distributed computing system; in response to a predetermined event, receiving predetermined event information and resource information relating to said predetermined event information from said distributed computing system; and in response to the predetermined event information and resource information, selecting a relation between said predetermined event and current importance level of the predetermined event, from said relations between said job and said current job importance level, and outputting information on the predetermined event and information on said current job importance level of at least one job associated with the predetermined event.
US08250392B2
In described embodiments, turn-on time for active portions of an Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) device is improved by storing energy in a corresponding capacitor bank through a bidirectional device from a certain node in the device during an active state, continuing to store the energy when the device enters a Low Power Idle (LPI) state, and then allowing the energy to return to the node through the bidirectional device when the device returns to an active state. During active mode, the bidirectional device controls the capacitor bank so as to charge relatively slowly to store energy, and when the device transitions to LPI, the charge is maintained in the capacitor bank. When the device returns to the active state, the bidirectional device allows the capacitor bank to discharge relatively rapidly to the node, thereby improving the turn-on time of the circuit elements coupled to the node.
US08250385B2
Dissipating power from a power supply. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are motherboards including a printed circuit board configured to couple to a main processor (and the printed circuit board configured to couple to a main power signal and an auxiliary power signal of a power supply), and a power dissipation circuit on the printed circuit board. The power dissipation circuit is configured to detect that the main power signal has powered-off, and responsive to the detection dissipate power from the auxiliary power signal for a predetermined amount of time less than an amount of time needed to fully discharge the auxiliary power signal in the absence of alternating current (AC) power to the power supply.
US08250383B2
A method of managing a process relocation operation in a computing system is provided and includes determining respective operating temperatures of first, second and additional nodes of the system, where the first node has an elevated operating temperature and the second node has a normal operating temperature, notifying first and second kernels respectively associated with the first and second nodes, of a swapping condition, initially managing the first and second kernels to swap an application between the first and the second nodes while the swapping condition is in effect, and secondarily managing the first and second kernels to perform a barrier operation to end the swapping condition.
US08250373B2
A module-specific public key and cryptographically protected data related to the module-specific public key are extracted from an authenticable and verifiable module. The cryptographically protected data is compared with the module-specific public key to authenticate the authenticable and verifiable module. A value calculated from an image, including a size and location block, included within the authenticable and verifiable module is compared with a value extracted from a digital signature contained in a verification block within the authenticable and verifiable module to verify the authenticable and verifiable module.
US08250370B1
A media access control (MAC) security apparatus including an encryption/decryption engine and an authentication engine. The encryption/decryption engine is configured to generate encrypted data based on received packets. The authentication engine is configured to perform authentication in response to the encrypted data. The encryption/decryption engine includes an advanced encryption standard (AES) engine configured to form cryptographic primitives. The AES engine is configured to enter a reduced power consumption state for part of a period during which the encryption/decryption engine is generating encrypted data based on the received packets.
US08250367B2
Techniques are disclosed for representing and evaluating large prime degree isogenies for use in cryptographic signature and encryption schemes. An isogeny of prime degree 1 may be represented as an ideal in the form (1, A*alpha+B), where 1 comprises the degree of a prime number, the prime number is split into integers a and b, and alpha is a known endomorphism. For a given degree 1, integers a and b define a unique isogeny, allowing the isogeny to be stored with 3 log(1) bits of information. Techniques are also disclosed to evaluate the isogeny at a given point by decomposing the isogeny into an integer and a plurality of smaller degree isogenies, evaluating the smaller degree isogenies at the point with traditional means, and multiplying the results of the evaluations together and with the integer.
US08250365B1
Text containing files are encrypted by first formatting the files for display. The display-formatted files are then run length coded to form files indicating the information. The files are encrypted.
US08250358B2
A data diode system enables one-way data flow from an unsecured device to a secured device is disclosed. The data diode system includes at least one data diode that convert a communication received from an unsecured device to a secured communication for transmission to the secured device. The data diode system includes a voltage converter that receives a negative voltage from a serial data port connection of the secured device. The voltage converter converts the negative voltage into a positive voltage in order to power the data diode.
US08250353B2
A method includes searching a peripheral storage device for a key during a firmware boot process of a computer system. Operating system access to the peripheral storage device is disabled if the key exists. Another method includes disabling operating system access to a peripheral storage device coupled to a pre-determined attachment point of a computer system during a firmware boot process of the computer system.
US08250352B2
A method, system, and computer usable program product for isolating a workload partition space are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A boot process of a workload partition in a data processing system is started using a scratch file system, the scratch file system being in a global space. A portion of a storage device containing a file system for the workload partition is exported to the workload partition, the portion forming an exported disk. The partially booted up workload partition may discover the exported disk. The exporting causes an association between the global space and the exported disk to either not form, or sever. The exporting places the exported disk in a workload partition space associated with the workload partition. The boot process is transitioned to stop using the scratch file system and start using the data in the exported disk for continuing the boot process.
US08250351B2
Reset control circuitry is disclosed, for controlling a first reset signal for resetting at least a first portion of a circuit and a further reset signal for resetting at least a second portion of said circuit, said reset control circuitry comprising: an input for receiving an input first reset signal; an input for receiving an input further reset signal; an output for outputting an output first reset signal; and an output for outputting an output further reset signal; said reset control circuitry being responsive to detecting deassertion of said input first reset signal when said input further reset signal is asserted to delay deassertion of said output first reset signal so that said output first reset signal is deasserted at a same time or later than said input further reset signal.
US08250345B2
A design structure embodied in a machine readable storage medium designing, manufacturing, and/or testing a design that includes a multi-threaded processor that executes an instruction of a process of an executing program is provided. The multi-threaded processor includes at least a first and a second thread. First and second sets of source registers are respectively allocated to the first and second threads, and first and second sets of destination registers are respectively allocated to the first and second threads. A resource prefix configuration register includes mappings between each of the source and destination registers and the threads. The multi-threaded processor, during execution of the instruction by one of the first or the second threads of execution, accesses the source and destination registers based on the mapping, wherein at least one of the accessed registers is allocated to the other of the first or the second thread of execution.
US08250344B2
A method, storage medium, processor instruction and processor to for specifying a value in a first portion of a conditional pre-fetch instruction associated with a branch instruction used for effectuating a branch operation, specifying a target instruction address in a second portion of the instruction, evaluating the value to determine whether a condition is met, and pre-fetching one or more instructions starting at the target instruction address into an instruction buffer of the processor when the condition is met, is provided.
US08250341B2
A pipeline accelerator includes a bus and a plurality of pipeline units, each unit coupled to the bus and including at least one respective hardwired-pipeline circuit. By including a plurality of pipeline units in the pipeline accelerator, one can increase the accelerator's data-processing performance as compared to a single-pipeline-unit accelerator. Furthermore, by designing the pipeline units so that they communicate via a common bus, one can alter the number of pipeline units, and thus alter the configuration and functionality of the accelerator, by merely coupling or uncoupling pipeline units to or from the bus. This eliminates the need to design or redesign the pipeline-unit interfaces each time one alters one of the pipeline units or alters the number of pipeline units within the accelerator.
US08250340B2
A 32-bit instruction 50 is composed of a 4-bit format field 51, a 4-bit operation field 52, and two 12-bit operation fields 59 and 60. The 4-bit operation field 52 can only include (1) an operation code “cc” that indicates a branch operation which uses a stored value of the implicitly indicated constant register 36 as the branch address, or (2) a constant “const”. The content of the 4-bit operation field 52 is specified by a format code provided in the format field 51.
US08250335B2
The present invention provides for a method, system, and computer program product for managing the storage of data. Data is selectively compressed based on a pre-defined compression policy and metadata is stored for physical storage blocks. A stored compression policy identifies at least one criterion for compression, and physical blocks of data meeting the compression policy are identified. A physical block is selected as a source block for data compression, and one or more physical locations are selected as target locations. Data is read from the source block, compressed, and written to the target locations. Metadata is updated to indicate a mapping between the target locations and the virtual blocks previously mapped to the source block. Extra storage capacity can be freed up until more physical storage is ordered and installed, while more important data, such as recently or frequently accessed data, is retained in an uncompressed and accessible state.
US08250332B2
In a particular embodiment, a circuit device includes a translation look-aside buffer (TLB) configured to receive a virtual address and to translate the virtual address to a physical address of a cache having at least two partitions. The circuit device also includes a control logic circuit adapted to identify a partition replacement policy associated with the identified one of the at least two partitions based on a partition indicator. The control logic circuit controls replacement of data within the cache according to the identified partition replacement policy in response to a cache miss event.
US08250321B2
In a method for operating a memory device that includes a number of blocks, a bit pattern is allocated to a memory region, i.e. at least one memory cell, of a block after performance of a delete operation that is separate from a write operation, so that for the case of a flip of at least one bit within the memory region, a change of state for that block can be detected.
US08250316B2
A method and apparatus associated with transferring data from a remote device to a recipient device having a first memory space and a second memory space. The method includes issuing a transfer command from the remote device to request transferring a set of data to the second memory space; temporarily storing the set of data in the first memory space pending a transfer to the second memory space; and appending the set of data to other sequential data in the first memory to obtain a transfer data block of a predetermined size for transfer to the second memory space. A corresponding apparatus is provided comprising circuitry configured to buffer write commands by characterizing each write command as being either a sequential write or a random write, and responsively appending data associated with sequential write commands in order to obtain a transfer block of a predetermined size.
US08250313B1
A conflict avoidance system is provided. The conflict avoidance system comprises a first data store provided at a first geographic location and a second data store at a second geographic location, where the first and second data stores are replications of one another. The conflict avoidance system also comprises a conflict avoidance module operable to receive a data store request from applications, wherein the conflict avoidance module communicates update data store requests to the first data store and communicates create data store requests and delete data store requests to the second data store.
US08250301B2
A device that implements a method for performing integrated caching in a data communication network. The device is configured to receive a packet from a client over the data communication network, wherein the packet includes a request for an object. At the operating system/kernel level of the device, one or more of decryption processing of the packet, authentication and/or authorization of the client, and decompression of the request occurs prior to and integrated with caching operations. The caching operations include determining if the object resides within a cache, serving the request from the cache in response to a determination that the object is stored within the cache, and sending the request to a server in response to a determination that the object is not stored within the cache.
US08250294B2
An embodiment of the present invention includes a nonvolatile memory system comprising nonvolatile memory for storing sector information, the nonvolatile memory being organized into blocks with each block including a plurality of sectors, each sector identified by a logical block address and for storing sector information. A controller is coupled to the nonvolatile memory for writing sector information to the latter and for updating the sector information, wherein upon updating sector information, the controller writes to the next free or available sector(s) of a block such that upon multiple re-writes or updating of sector information, a plurality of blocks are substantially filled with sector information and upon such time, the controller rearranges the updated sector information in sequential order based on their respective logical block addresses thereby increasing system performance and improving manufacturing costs of the controller.
US08250293B2
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method of operating an integrated circuit including a plurality of resistance changing memory cells grouped into physical memory units is provided. The method includes: Monitoring writing access numbers assigned to the physical memory units, each writing access number reflecting the number of writing accesses to the physical memory unit to which the writing access number is assigned; if the value of a writing access number assigned to a first physical memory unit exceeds a writing access threshold value, a data exchange process is carried out during which the data content stored within the first physical memory unit is exchanged with the data content of a second physical memory unit having a writing access number of a lower value.
US08250275B2
The invention relates to smartcard under SecureMMC standard, the card being connected to a host through a MMC bus and being compliant to ISO/IEC7816 standard. According to the invention, the card is multi-application operation capable and a determined number N of commands can be processed in the card in parallel, being the number of logical channels the card can support, the card has means for using a command or a response which is encapsulated in an information field of a bloc frame, said bloc frame also having at least a prologue field for at least identifying the source node application and the destination node application in a NAD datum, and the card has means for as long as the number p of active commands in the card is lower than N and none is completed, the card is in Secure_Idle state.
US08250269B2
A master/slave device system includes a baseboard, a master device connected to the baseboard, and at least one slave device communicatively connected to the master device. The baseboard provides a power source. A switch connects the power source and the at least one slave device. The switch is capable of being switched on when a predetermined time is reached. The at least one slave device is capable of automatically setting an address at the moment the switch is switched on. The master device is capable of identifying the at least one slave device using the address.
US08250266B2
A data storage device comprises a data storage medium and a connector that provides an interface between the data storage medium and a host device. The connector has a shape that substantially conforms to an internal storage interconnect standard. The connector comprises a first set of electrical contacts that substantially conform to the internal storage interconnect standard, and a second set of contacts configured to provide connectivity with the host device in accordance with an external storage interconnect standard. Also described are cables for connecting the data storage device to a host via the external storage interconnect standard as well as an interconnect detector.
US08250262B2
Systems and methods for providing virtual stacks are described. A kernel driver is installed and loaded. Then, a virtual stack is created, the virtual stack having a virtual file system, a virtual physical disk, and one or more virtual mounted volume devices. The virtual file system is configured to mimic characteristics of a host file system. The virtual physical disk is configured for providing an interface of a memory storage device to which the virtual file system device binds. The one or more virtual mounted volume devices are configured for allowing the one or more virtual processes to access data in stored memory through the virtual stack.
US08250260B2
A method for exchanging message data in a distributed computer system between a sending and a receiving hardware system. The sending hardware system includes a first memory system and a receiving hardware system which includes a second memory system with a second data buffer and a second memory region. The sending hardware system and the receiving hardware system are coupled via a non-transparent bridge unit. The method includes allocating empty memory, writing information about the empty memory, copying payload data directly from the sending hardware system to the empty memory locations, and writing information about the copied payload data to the second data buffer of the second memory system inside the receiving hardware system. A system and computer program product for carrying out the method are also provided.
US08250257B1
Described are techniques for performing I/O operations. A graph is received including a plurality of nodes and edges. The graph includes a first level with a root node and one or more other levels of nodes. Each edge has a value indicating an I/O load metric. A thread associated with a first node determines whether to perform a background I/O operation directed to a first device and having a first priority. The first priority is compared to a first value of an I/O load metric. The first value is determined in accordance with criteria including a maximum usage of an I/O buffer of the first device and priorities of other I/O operations directed to the first device. If it is determined that the background I/O operation is to be performed, the background I/O operation is forwarded for processing on an I/O path having a corresponding path in the graph.
US08250255B2
A two-way connectivity USB control device and its operation method are disclosed. The present invention solves a problem of the prior art that requires users to manually switch a USB controller between an active mode and a passive mode and set a predetermined time interval as in prior art. The two-way connectivity USB control device detects whether or not there is a voltage input. If the detection result is yes, then the two-way connectivity USB control device is switched to a transmit mode, or else the two-way connectivity USB control device is switched to a transparent mode for accessing data stored in an external device by issuing a control command directly.
US08250252B1
A system is provided. The system comprises a plurality of virtual machines executed by a computing system for sending and receiving information; and an adapter presented to the plurality of virtual machines as a shared hardware resource; wherein the adapter includes a direct memory access (DMA) module that is used for transferring control blocks to and from a computing system memory to an adapter memory, where the computing system memory has dedicated memory locations for each virtual machine to place the control blocks and the adapter memory has dedicated memory locations for storing the control blocks generated by each of the plurality of virtual machines; wherein the DMA module stores a context for each virtual machine that includes a computing system memory address assigned to each of the virtual machine and a quality of service entry that is used to limit a number of available control blocks that are transferred for a virtual machine at any given time when a control block from another virtual machine is available and there is storage space available to store the available control block for the other virtual machine.
US08250242B2
A controller is provided with a first memory area and a second memory area, where a pre-update software is stored with the first memory area as the active area and an updated software is downloaded with the second memory area as an inactive memory area. A microprocessor for simulations performs a simulation of the control of the operation of a field device using the updated software that has been downloaded. The execution status of the simulation can be monitored using a host computer. If the evaluation result of the state of execution of the simulation by an operator is “Pass,” then an activate command is sent to the controller. As a result, the active/inactive are switched in the controller.
US08250235B2
A system including a transmitter, a receiver, and a conduit is provided. The transmitter is within a first network, and is in communication with at least one other device within the first network. The receiver is within a second network, and is in communication with at least one other device within the second network. The conduit is formed between the transmitter and the receiver, and is capable of carrying a signal transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver. To maintain the unidirectional nature of the conduit, either the transmitter is incapable of receiving any signal via the conduit or the receiver is incapable of transmitting any signal via the conduit.
US08250234B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for hierarchically disassembling messages. The functionality of disassemblers and framers is decoupled such that framers for different types of messages can be utilized at the same level in a hierarchy without having to also change disassemblers. Virtually any level of disassembly is possible to address any corresponding level of message nesting. Disassembly can be performed on a per message or per session basis.
US08250223B2
A method for downloading a firmware loader from a host computer to a portable electronic device establishes a communication connection between the host computer and the portable electronic device. Transmission parameters between the portable electronic device and the portable electronic device are configured. The firmware loader is transmitted from the host computer to the portable electronic device according to the transmission parameters. The firmware loader is verified, where the portable electronic device obtains a start address of the firmware loader.
US08250222B2
A session integration method is provided for integrating a first session between a first entity and a third entity and a second session between a second entity and the third entity in a session-based service environment. The first entity receives a REFER message including dialog information from the second entity, and sends a response message to the received REFER message to the second entity. When header information included in the received REFER message indicates an INVITE message and the dialog information is related to the first entity, the first entity generates a Re-INVITE message and sends the generated Re-INVITE message to an address of a target which is subject to session integration. The address is included in the header information and corresponds to the third entity. The first entity updates the first session into an integrated session with the third entity.
US08250219B2
A domain name service (DNS) resolver for returning Internet protocol (IP) addresses is provided in some embodiments of the invention. The DNS resolver includes a connection with an Internet application or device, wherein the connection receives domain name resolution requests that originates outside of the Internet. The DNS resolver also includes a direct DNS resolver that processes domain name resolutions without referring to the Internet after receiving a domain name resolution request and a recursing DNS resolver, wherein IP addresses are found by querying one or more DNS servers on the Internet after receiving domain name resolution requests. The DNS resolver includes an address store having a predetermined list of domain names and corresponding IP addresses that are specified from a point remote to the DNS resolver. The DNS resolver process the domain name resolutions for the predetermined list of domain names differently than other domain name resolutions.
US08250208B2
A network device, method for specifying installation position of network device, and notification device are provided. The network device includes: a loop detecting unit configured to detect a loop caused by the network device; and a location notifying unit configured to allow the network device itself to indicate a location of the network device in response to a detection of the loop.
US08250206B2
A server including a storage unit for storing a history of activities that each character in a virtual world has performed; a search unit for searching the storage unit to retrieve a history of activities in which a first character that performs an activity on a first client has changed the states of a second client that performs an activity on a second client; a calculation unit for calculating, on the basis of the retrieved history, a score indicating the extent to which the first character has changed the state of the second character; and a transmission control unit for controlling the frequency with which the states of the first character are changed according to an operation performed by a user on the first client.
US08250195B2
Methods and systems of leveraging synchronous communication protocols to enable asynchronous application and line of business behaviors. An application platform may be provided and configured to provide a pending state for any synchronous operation. The pending state may indicate that the operation has not been completed yet. For an application which may know how to track an operation that has a pending state, the application may control when the operation enters and exits the pending state. The application may communicate to the application platform to hold off on other operations dependent upon the pending operation when the pending operation is not complete. For an application which does not know how to track an operation that has a pending state, the application platform may ignore the pending state of the operation and proceed to other operations. Accordingly, the synchronous user experience is preserved where a straightforward, down-level user interface and experience is appropriate. The user interface and experience is also extended when an application knows how to interpret and present the asynchronous nature of various underlying systems.
US08250191B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for cooperative file distribution with a target data delivery rate. A file is provided in a cooperative file distribution system by obtaining a target delivery rate for the at least one file; obtaining at least a portion of the file from one or more unreliable data sources at an unreliable data delivery rate; and obtaining at least a portion of the file from one or more reliable data sources based on a throttle rate if the unreliable data delivery rate is below the target delivery rate. The one or more unreliable data sources comprise one or more of a sender of the file and one or more peers. The one or more reliable data sources comprise one or more of one or more web servers and one or more storage proxies. The throttle rate can be adjusted to substantially maintain the target delivery rate. The target delivery rate can be dynamically determined based on one or more business rules.
US08250190B2
Methods, systems, and computer readable medium storing a computer executable program for retrieving customer premise equipment (CPE) data are disclosed. A first communication channel is established with a first CPE device via a first node element. The first node element is operable to route data to and from the first CPE device in an Internet network. A request for CPE data is issued to the first CPE device via the first communication channel. The requested CPE data is received from the first CPE device via the first communication channel.
US08250187B2
A system for interfacing predetermined services to a user at a fixed location includes a processing platform running an operating system. Also included are a plurality of physical system resource interfaces for interfacing with available physical system resources. The physical system resources allow a user to gain access to the predetermined desired services. The system further includes a data store for storing configuration information for enabling the operating system to interface with the available physical system resources through the physical system resource interface associated therewith. A communication resource for interfacing with the operating system allows communication of the operating system with a central office for downloading configuration information to selectively enable ones of the available physical system resources to interface with the operating system through associated ones of the physical system resource interfaces in accordance with the configuration information and the predetermined service selected by a user. A plurality of configurations are stored in the data store, and each is associated with a predetermined service and one or more of the available physical system resources. Each physical system resource interface is uniquely associated with a defined one of the physical system resources.
US08250186B2
A smart detection and recovery method is implemented in a terminal for detecting statuses of a host. The method comprises steps of: receiving a datagram; determining if the datagram complies with a predetermined format? If “YES” then proceed; determining if a MAC address contained in the datagram is the same with a currently used MAC address pre-stored in the terminal? If “YES” then proceed; determining if an IP address contained in the datagram is the same with a currently used IP address pre-stored in the terminal? If “NO” then re-connect or guide the terminal to the IP address contained in the datagram, if “YES” then handle the datagram by normal operations. Therefore, changes of the IP address of the host can be detected as early as possible, such that the terminal can be re-connected or guided to the host and services of the host can recovered as soon as possible.
US08250184B2
A system, network entities and computer programs to provide a dynamic configuration data storage system for both a standard DHCPv4 and DHCPv6 framework. Together with standard DHCPv4 and DHCPv6 protocol functionalities, the invention provides auto-configuration of configuration parameters from network servers to hosts, e.g. to mobile terminals.
US08250181B2
A method and system for synchronizing in real-time the voice media of a conversation conducted over a network between a first communication device and a second communication. The method includes at each of the first and second communication devices progressively storing in first and second storage elements and transmitting the voice media created using the first and second communication devices to the other communication device respectively. Both the first and second communication devices store in the first and second storage elements the progressively received media from the other device respectively. A mechanism to continually review, ascertain and request the media stored in the first storage element, but not the second storage element, and vice-versa is provided to ensure that the two storage elements contain the same voice media. As a result, the first and second storage elements each maintain real-time synchronized copies of the voice media of the conversation respectively.
US08250175B2
Techniques for routing content requests are provided. In one embodiment, a first device at a network device sends a request from a first device at a first site for content to a second device at a second site. The second device determines if the request should be redirected to a third device in a third site. For example, a content server in the second site may decide that a request is better serviced by a third site. This may be because the third site may be closer to the first site, the second site may be overloaded or down, etc. If the request should be redirected, the second device determines a rule for sending further requests for the content to the third site. Signaling is then sent to the network device such that the rule may be installed where further requests for the content are sent to the third site. The further requests are sent to the third site without going through the second site. Accordingly, the requests are more efficiently routed to the third site instead of having to go through the second site and being redirected to the third site.
US08250162B2
A message routing system that allows applications at either end of the system to run as-is without modification. The system functions in a multithreaded environment and is capable of handling complex routing rules and message transformation. It is also capable of learning and executing new routing rules and message transformations in formats previously unrecognized by the system. The system enables precise and reliable logging of messages throughout processing and supports publication of enterprise-wide broadcast messages. The system further preferably employs cooperating inbound and outbound transport processes for consuming, routing, processing, safely storing and publishing messages in batches of logical units of work to ensure that the logical units of work are not lost in system transactions. The system also preferably utilizes a replay server for preserving and replaying messages that might otherwise fail to reach their intended destinations.
US08250159B2
Architecture for detecting and removing obfuscating clutter from the subject and/or body of a message, e.g., e-mail, prior to filtering of the message, to identify junk messages commonly referred to as spam. The technique utilizes the powerful features built into an HTML rendering engine to strip the HTML instructions for all non-substantive aspects of the message. Pre-processing includes pre-rendering of the message into a final format, which final format is that which is displayed by the rendering engine to the user. The final format message is then converted to a text-only format to remove graphics, color, non-text decoration, and spacing that cannot be rendered as ASCII-style or Unicode-style characters. The result is essentially to reduce each message to its common denominator essentials so that the junk mail filter can view each message on an equal basis.
US08250134B2
Processing multiple requests by a statically identified user server prior to user server termination
The simultaneous processing of requests under multiple user identifiers is facilitated. The requests are processed by user servers, in which a user server has an association with a particular user. A user server has a static identity associated therewith and is capable of processing a plurality of requests prior to terminating. The requests are dispatched to the appropriate user servers via a dispatcher server coupled to the user servers.
US08250129B2
An apparatus and method are provided in various illustrative embodiments for an integrated circuit chip that provides a fast, compact, and cryptographically strong random number generator. In one illustrative embodiment, an apparatus includes an initial random source, and a post-processing block in communicative connection with the initial random source. The post-processing block is configured to receive signals from the initial random source, to apply one or more finite field operations to the signals to generate an output, and to provide an output signal based on the output via an output channel, in this illustrative embodiment.
US08250128B2
Apparatus for testing a random number generator includes a random number generating unit that generates and outputs random numbers, and a switching unit that receives the random numbers from the random number generating unit and selectively transmits the random numbers in response to a switching control signal. A test unit performs a basic test on the random numbers to determine whether the transmitted random numbers are within a statistical range, controls the generation of random numbers according to a result of the basic test, and outputs the switching control signal based on whether a test suite is finished. Methods include performing a basic test on generated random numbers to determine whether the random numbers are within a statistical range, controlling the generation of random numbers in response to a result of the basic test and whether the basic test is finished, determining upon completion of the basic test if a test suite is finished, and if the test suite is finished, outputting the random numbers as final random numbers.
US08250108B1
A method, computer program, and computer network are disclosed for transferring data to a database system. The method includes preparing a plurality of input records, each including a plurality of fields and a selector configurable to represent a plurality of states. For each input record of the plurality of input records, the following steps are performed. A state represented by the selector for an input record is read. Based on the state represented by the selector, a subset of the fields for the input record is transferred to the database system.
US08250106B2
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with incremental inference are described. One example method includes updating existing or old triples in a semantic model with triples resulting from the addition of new triples. The updating is performed by separating inference rules into joining steps that are performed on first and second predicates for the inference rule. A first joining step joins results of execution of the first predicate on the new triples with the results of execution the second predicate on the union of the old and new triples to produce newly inferred triples. A second joining step joins results of execution of the first predicate on the union of the old and new triples with the results of execution the second predicate on the new triples to produce newly inferred triples.
US08250101B2
Mapping and translating reference data from multiple databases using an enterprise ontology. This is achieved by various means, including mapping values of a first database to corresponding fields within the ontology, mapping values of a second database to corresponding fields within the ontology, and determining relationships between the values of the first database and the values of the second database based on their respective mappings to common fields within the ontology.
US08250100B2
Disclosed herein is a data management system for AV/C descriptor data. The system includes a data container hierarchical structure. The system also includes a methodology for compiling data from the containers into a read buffer upon receipt of a request from a requestor. The data presented to the requestor will preferably be in a format that may be understood by other device requestors that mayor may not be utilizing this same container system.
US08250097B2
A user identity verification apparatus and method comprising, via one or more processors, collecting in a computer database consolidated user data comprising information about a method user from a plurality of sources comprising credit bureau information, information from data vendors, and public information, generating a profile of the method user comprising a plurality of subsets of the consolidated user data corresponding to a plurality of access levels, receiving a validation request from a third party source at an unknown user's request; assigning an access level to the validation request; requesting information from the unknown user, matching returned information from the unknown user to that in the subset of the consolidated user data corresponding to the assigned access level, and verifying to the third party source that the unknown user is the method user.
US08250094B2
Various mechanisms are provided for the lockdown of an item store. For example, a method is provided that comprises of disabling access to a relational engine for a set of users associated with a filing system utilizing the relational engine to manipulate data in an item store. Following such disabling of access, an exception is created by allowing access to the relational engine for users of the filing system based on a set of privileges the users have been assigned. The disabling of access can be accomplished by removing system users from ownership roles, and the allowing of access can be accomplished by providing certificates to users that have associated set of privileges granted to the users.
US08250090B2
Systems and methods are provided for message-based distributed computing systems and execution of message-based distributed applications on such systems. The present invention provides a Distributed Application Platform (DAP). The DAP architecture is “distributed” because functions of an application may be performed by processes within a single node, spread across nodes in a network, or spread across processor cores within CPUs. Some embodiments of the DAP provide efficient programming constructs, called sets. A set is a data structure describing an N-dimensional space. Each spatial location is either empty or holds a member. The set construct allows automatic extraction and processing of members with a single query, and makes programming an application for a distributed, parallel, or single computer environment easier for a user. In some embodiments, the DAP may be a message-based distributed computing system. The system receives instructions, builds and initiates an application, and may create a set in memory.
US08250089B2
To provide a method that lessens the reduction in efficiency of processing using a coupled node tree even if the scale of the coupled node tree grows large. Is stored a termination node, whose discrimination bit position has a value smaller than 0, in a search path stack that holds the search history while successively storing therein branch nodes that have been traversed in the search path. The coupled node indicator of the stored branch node is converted to a value wherein a 1 is added if the link target is node [1].
US08250083B2
A search engine server supports delivery of search results to a web browser of a client device. The client device is communicatively coupled to the search engine server via the Internet. The system identifies new web pages in a source language during crawling, translates them into a plurality of destination languages, creates reverse indexes in respective languages, and stores both reverse indexes and cache web pages in a database. Upon the entry of search strings by a user using a web browser, the search engine server responds by delivering links of web pages in the user-desired language (the language of the search string or a language chosen by the user) as well as web pages translated from a plurality of destination languages, ranked based upon popularity or other means. The search engine server contains a plurality of translators that translate new web pages, links that are obtained during crawling, in to a plurality of destination languages.
US08250081B2
A database structure (400) stores data representing a plurality of resource identifiers (200) such as URLs in a computing system. The URLs (200) are each associated with a respective category code (310). Each of resource identifiers (200) is hashed to provide a hash value (300) which is divided into at least first and second hash portions (301, 302). The first hash portions (301) index a main hash array (410) to select a main data block (421) in a main data section (420) holding a set of the second hash portions (302) and the respective category codes (310). For security and compactness, optionally the hash value (300) is further divided to provide a third hash portion (303) which is discarded and is not used to access the database (400). A database generation apparatus, a database search apparatus and a filtering apparatus, a method of creating a database structure and a method of retrieving data from a database structure, and to a computer readable storage medium having a database structure recorded thereon are each described.
US08250077B2
A television guide search query is received from a user. A plurality of suggested search terms are selected. Each of the plurality of suggested search terms is assigned to, and is ranked within, one of a plurality of categories A number of suggested search terms to be returned to the user, nc, is determined for each of the plurality of categories, nc being equal to a ratio of the number of suggested search terms in the respective category to a total number of suggested search terms multiplied by a total number of displayed search terms. A result set is created by adding, for each of the plurality of categories, the top ranked nc suggested search terms to the result set. The result set is transmitted to the user. A selection of a search term is received from the user and is used to conduct a television guide search.
US08250076B2
A coupled node tree comprises a root node and a node pair, the node pair being a branch node and leaf node, or a pair of branch nodes, or a pair of leaf nodes arranged in adjacent storage areas. The branch node includes a discrimination bit position of the search key and the first position information of a primary node, one node of a node pair of a link target. The leaf node includes the second position information of the storage area holding an index key that is the target of a search. According to a bit value of the search key of a discrimination bit position in the branch node, repeated linking to a primary node of a node pair of the link target or a node at a position in a memory area adjacent thereto until a leaf node is reached.
US08250069B2
A novel approach to determining PageRank for web pages views the problem as being comparable to solving for an electromagnetic field problem. This view of ranking web pages enables appropriate entries for a matrix G of the web (or a subset), so that fast-solver techniques can be employed to iterate G, solving for ranks, or a dominant eigenstructure, achieving an O(N log N) performance in time and memory requirements. The specific solver technique that is used can be, for example, a fast multi-pole method (FMM), or a multilevel low-rank compression method. Once the problem is correctly formulated, it is not necessary to create the matrix G. Local information can be queried on demand by the solver. This approach can also be used to determine different scores of web pages, such as TrustRank, which is indicative of their trustworthiness.
US08250062B2
A database system may perform a streaming evaluation of an XPath expression by utilizing an XPath evaluation component in tandem with an XML event-streaming component. For a more optimal filtered streaming evaluation, the XML event-streaming component may provide an interface whereby the evaluation component sends certain criteria to the event-streaming component when requesting an XML event. The criteria may be based on a next unmatched step in the XPath expression. In response to the request for an XML event, the event-streaming component may only return events that match the criteria. The evaluation component may be, for example, a compiled state machine for the XPath expression. The criteria may be pre-compiled for each possible state in the state machine. The event-streaming component may also utilize the criteria along with schema information to skip parsing of certain segments of XML data.
US08250061B2
The system and method of the present invention allows for the determination of the relevance of a content item to a query through the use of a machine learned relevance function that incorporate query differentiation. A method for selecting a relevance function to determine a relevance of a query-content item pair comprises generating a training set comprising one or more content item-query pairs. Content item-query pairs in the training set are collectively used to determine the relevance function by minimizing a loss function according to a relevance score adjustment function that accounts for query differentiation. The monotocity of relevance score adjustment function allows the trained relevance function to be directly applied to new queries.
US08250056B2
A tool, using an expressly programmed computer which is programmed with executable instructions, that utilizes data mined from web queries to populate a decision matrix for finding an outcome to a query. The decision matrix is a displayed spreadsheet having rows representing fields that are typical for the query. The web yields data that is extracted and stored in the fields for a plurality of such sites. Calculators or operator methods are used for displaying a desired outcome using the fields. The field data may be entered manually when not found on websites. Data may be changed from actual data to represent hypothetical situation or a data field may be deleted. Columnar data is operated upon to determine different outcomes for comparison.
US08250055B2
A dynamical search engine for searching a database is also provided. The dynamical search engine includes an array of nonlinear dynamical elements. The nonlinear dynamical element information items in a manner that confines the state of each element on a fixed point and uniquely encodes the information items. The dynamical search engine also includes a controller for controlling electrical signals supplied to elements of the array in a predetermined sequence. One supplied signal increases a state value of each element of the array by a quantity defining a search key that corresponds to a searched-for information item. A subsequently supplied signal updates the state value of each element of the array by performing a nonlinear folding of each state value based on a predetermined pivot.
US08250052B2
A method, system and medium for accepting geospatial data queries through an interface allowing dynamic predicates are disclosed. The geospatial data queries are translated into one or more intermediate formats, and then the intermediate format is provided to one or more geospatial data servers. Each of the one or more geospatial data servers will receive the appropriate language and syntax for which it was designed. Each of the one or more geospatial data servers will simultaneously process the request and, when processing is complete, render an appropriate result from that geospatial data server and application to an end user.
US08250042B2
A data processing apparatus executes, in response to a processing execution instruction transmitted from an information terminal connected to the data processing apparatus via a network, processing in accordance with the processing execution instruction. The data processing apparatus includes a protocol determining unit configured to determine a protocol used in transmission of the processing execution instruction when an error is caused during execution of the processing, a converting unit configured to convert information on the error in accordance with the protocol determined by the protocol determining unit so that the information is compliant with the protocol, and a transmitting unit configured to transmit the information on the error converted by the converting unit to the information terminal that has transmitted the processing execution instruction using the protocol used in transmission of the processing execution instruction.
US08250039B2
Method for generating information processing Systems wherein informative Containers and Contents are created, identified, stored, modeled, communicated, modified and deleted by creating, modifying or deleting Links. The whole information entered by the users and the information for describing the System takes the form of Links having identical sizes and stored by a Links Base. The Links can be provided with attributes, notably time attributes.
US08250038B2
A system and method automatically backup unsaved data in a communication device if a back cover of the communication device is removed. An identifier of an application of the communication device is received. Based on the received identifier, an application corresponding to the received identifier is registered. If the back cover of the communication device is removed, a save signal is sent to the registered application and the unsaved data of the registered application is saved to a storage unit of the communication device.
US08250035B1
Embodiments of the invention relate to maintaining reference counts in a file system to track when a block is available to be freed. When a snapshot copy of a file is created, rather than copying all the blocks of the file for the snapshot copy, the snapshot inode is given pointers to the blocks of the file. Rather than updating the reference counts for all these blocks to indicate that they are now in use by more than one file, the update of reference counts for at least some of these blocks may be deferred until a later time.
US08250024B2
Method and system for optimizing search results in a business intelligence system. An member is selected in the business intelligence system having a user space, a content space, a data space, a master-data space and a metadata space. A relationship is determined between the member and a plurality of objects in the user space, the content space, the data space, the master-data space, or the metadata space. A ranking of the member is calculated based on the relationship. A relevance of the member in the business intelligence system is calculated using the ranking, thereby optimizing search results of the business intelligence system using the relevance of the object.
US08250023B2
A window processing system is disclosed for fabricating window frames. A welding station has welding heads to weld or fuse vinyl frame parts together. The frames are taken to a cleaning station having a number of cleaning heads that are independently actuated to move into a position relative selected portions of the window frame to clean off burrs, weld beads etc from the welded window frame. The cleaning process involves both training of a controller to recognize certain frame profiles and a compensation process for adjusting the cleaning process for individual variations in the frame that occur during fabrication. Real-time cleaning involves coupling a visual sensor to a moving support that also supports a cleaning tool.
US08250020B2
A fully automatic, parameter free MR interpretation system is based on human logic emulation. Information is derived mainly from an MR spectrum with maximum confidence and in a similar way as a human expert. This is achieved by the combination of different expert systems that interpret certain MR spectral features as well as features from a proposed structure. The expert systems are dynamically linked to each other and the analysis is performed iteratively in all directions in a way that the expert systems can utilize all of the interpretations of all expert systems at all times. The expert system may generate not just a single result but rather lists of probability weighted hypotheses.
US08250019B2
A system and method for interactive knowledge visualization are provided. In some embodiments, a method for interactive knowledge visualization includes receiving, at a knowledge visualization server, a request for one or more visualizations; retrieving data associated with the one or more visualizations from one or more databases; converting the data associated with the one or more visualizations into visualization data, the visualization data being operable to be converted by a client into the one or more visualizations; transmitting, to a first client and a second client, the visualization data; receiving, at the knowledge visualization server, a modification request from the first client, the modification request indicating a desired modification to at least one of the one or more visualizations; modifying, in response to the modification request, the visualization data associated with the one or more visualizations; and transmitting, to the first client and second client, the modified visualization data.
US08250008B1
A model refinement system refines initial split rules that define an initial decision tree to generate final split-rules. The model refinement refines the initial split rules by removing clauses that are satisfied by match scores that are less than a threshold match score to generate initial trimmed rules. Using the initial trimmed rules, the model refinement system classifies an initial training set and filters the initial training set to remove negative training pairs that are classified as duplicate pairs resulting in a filtered training set. An intermediate decision tree defined by intermediate split-rules is generated based on the filtered training set. Final split-rules are generated based on the intermediate split rules and input pairs of data records are classified as duplicate pairs based on attribute values of the input pairs and the final split-rules.
US08249985B2
A system and method for controlling a monetary account with one or more sub-accounts is described. A monetary account with an entity is established and an account user associated with the monetary account is identified. A sub-account with the entity is established, where the sub-account is associated with the monetary account and includes monetary funds transferred from the monetary account. At least one sub-account user associated with the sub-account is identified, where the at least one sub-account user is different from the account user. One or more controls, placed by the account user, are established on at least one of the sub-account and the at least one sub-account user. The at least one sub-account user is restricted from accessing monetary funds in the monetary account and the account user is permitted to access the sub-account.
US08249981B2
Methods and systems for generating transition probability matrices through an optimization framework
A method for generating an optimized transition probability matrix (OTPM) is provided. The method is performed using a computer system coupled to a database. The method includes storing in the database financial data including obligor credit ratings, generating multi-period empirical transition probability matrices (ETPMs) for a selected time horizon using the financial data stored within the database, generating a mathematical expression to minimize a difference between target ETPM values and candidate OTPM values, and calculating the OTPM from the generated mathematical expression and the financial data stored within the database, wherein the calculated OTPM includes a first set of optimized transition probability values for predicting a likelihood that a credit rating of an obligor will migrate from one credit state to another credit state during a first time interval in the future.
US08249974B1
Software implemented guarantee valuation engine and methodology that enable a mutual fund that is continuously offered; always fully invested in assets, such as risky securities or strategies, that comprise a primary source of the fund's return that correlate to a benchmark and which is subject to a guarantee with respect to net asset value on a specified future date to be re-priced on a daily basis and to have the effect of such re-pricing in the reported NAV of the fund.
US08249965B2
A member-supported payment system is available to consumers and merchants without sign-up fees, subscription fees, or transaction fees to either consumers or merchants. In a specific implementation, the member payment system is a mobile payment system where consumers may conduct transactions using a mobile device such as a mobile telephone, smartphone, personal digital assistant, or similar portable wireless handheld device. Merchants will make a refundable one-time contribution. These contributions are stored in a pooled trust account by the system and the float dividends or interest on these contributions will fund the system.
US08249963B1
A method for providing a set of automated financial services to a set of clients. The set of automated financial services including payroll processing, trust fund management, investment of funds and ACH transactions processing. The system reduces financial risk for an administration by providing incoming transactions verification and risk management.
US08249959B2
Method for communication between a central server and a computerized juke-box which operates in a conference mode, including: sending a header before any transaction, which includes the identity of the destination together, the identity of the emitter, and the size of the packets; responding from the server in the form of a data packet, each packet sent by the server being encoded using the identification code of the juke-box software; and receiving a data packet by the juke-box, which decodes the packet, simultaneously performs a check on the data received by the CRC method and sends an acknowledgement of receipt to the server indicating the accuracy of the information received, to allow it to prepare and send another packet to the juke-box.
US08249956B1
A system of inventory variance detection modeling is described. The system comprises a server computer, a processor, a memory, and an application stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, receives a report associating electronic serial numbers of devices with a plurality of instances of inventory shrinkage. The system also assembles a list of electronic serial numbers of devices associated with instances of a first type of inventory shrinkage. The system also receives a report of the processing history of the devices associated with the electronic serial numbers contained in the list in a plurality of non-logistics and non-warehousing systems. The system also determines the statistical correlation of electronic serial numbers contained in the list with each of a plurality of exceptions processed by at least one of the non-logistics and non-warehousing systems.
US08249952B2
One embodiment includes a computer-implemented system for incorporating a repair vendor into repair planning for a supply chain. The system accesses a logical representation of the supply chain and identify one or more controlling locations and one or more staging locations in the supply chain. The system accesses information indicating a replenishment requirement at a particular identified controlling location resulting from safety stock at the particular identified controlling location dropping below a predetermined threshold. In response to the information indicating the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location, the system identifies every primary network in the supply chain connecting the particular identified controlling location to one or more identified staging locations. The system selects one or more of the particular identified controlling location and one or more identified staging locations each connected to the particular identified controlling location by a primary network and generates one or more repair orders.
US08249949B2
A system is provided to establish a ranking for published data. The system may include ranking and monitoring components. A number of registrations of user interest in an instance of published data may be determined. A ranking for the instance of published data may be generated based on the number of registrations of user interest in the instance of published data. A user of the system may be enabled to activate a monitoring process to monitor activity pertaining to the instance of published data.
US08249946B2
A system and method for selecting, ordering and distributing customized food products is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method is a computer-implemented method comprising viewing a list of additives for creating a customized food product, selecting one or more additives from the list of additives to create the customized food product, and transmitting a request to purchase the customized food product, which is then distributed to the consumer. By communicating with the manufacturer as to personal needs and desires pertaining to health, activity level, organoleptic preferences and so forth, the consumer can now develop and order a customized food product to suit his or her particular tastes, using a real-time interactive communication link.
US08249945B2
By providing identification information for a second party, a first party may access address profiles to send an electronic communication to the second party without knowing the electronic contact information for the second party. The address profiles are created by collecting electronic contact information from a plurality of public and private sources. A code may then be assigned to the information from each source for each party identified. Codes from respective sources may then be analyzed for similarities in order to identify codes that may correspond to the same party above a similarity threshold. When codes correspond above the similarity threshold for the same party, an address profile may be associated with the codes and may be associated with the same party. An internal identifier may then be assigned to the address profile to, for example, identify the address profile and/or the matched codes associated with the address profile so that the address profile may be accessed without knowledge of whose address profile is be accessed.
US08249944B2
A system and method for calculating graphite material usage and labor pricing including the following parameters: category, material, class, dimensions, and quantity. The information is used for improved efficiency via web-based graphite purchasing. The method takes into consideration the additional labor cost when very small dimensions are entered which require special work holding containment. The process requires that the user make a selection for each of the parameters so a validation step can occur ensuring the desired product can be manufactured and an accurate labor charge or quote can be provided. During the calculation step, the labor surface area is applied to the labor cost based on the calculated surface area which is derived from a second degree equation derived by a linear regression curve that is applied to the labor cost based on the calculated surface area. After the calculation step the price each and total quantity price is returned.
US08249939B2
A custom store web page uses an external administrator to provide configuration data for a custom store web page. The configuration data can include virtual bundles of products for sale.
US08249938B2
The present invention provides a system and method for evaluating offers that are received in response to a request of a user. The system and method of the present invention use fuzzy logic to evaluate the offers. The evaluation provides a degree of satisfaction based on the information provided by the user.
US08249933B2
An electric storage device of an electric powered vehicle is configured to be chargeable by a charging facility. At the time of external charge by the charging facility, a management server selects advertising information based on information stored inside the electric powered vehicle to be charged and/or information of the charging facility performing the external charge to the electric powered vehicle including a mechanism capable of reproducing the advertising information from an advertising provider, and transmits the selected advertising information. The management server performs billing so that in exchange for the transmission of the advertising information, at least part of a charging power fee is caused to be borne by the advertising provider side to thereby discount an amount borne by an electric powered vehicle user.
US08249930B2
Systems and methods for selecting advertisements for presentation in a map space are disclosed. Map requests are received, map spaces identified, advertisement bids are received for advertisement space within the map spaces, and advertisements are selected for presentation in the map space based on the advertisement bids. The advertisement bids can be selected through an auction.
US08249927B2
A method and system are provided for automatically making payments for recyclable items deposited at reverse vending machines. The method includes the steps of: (a) creating a user recycling record accessible by a server computer system for each of a plurality of users and associating each user's record with a unique user identifier; (b) receiving data in real time at the server computer system from a plurality of reverse vending machines over a communications network, the data relating to deposits of recyclable items by users at the reverse vending machines, the data for each deposit by a user including the unique user identifier of the user and information on the recyclable items deposited; (c) from the data for each deposit by a user identifying the user recycling record associated with the unique user identifier and crediting the user recycling record based on the information on the recyclable items deposited by the user using the server computer system; and (d) for each deposit by a user, issuing a request to have a financial institution to make a specified electronic payment based on the recyclable items deposited by the user.
US08249917B1
A load balancing system for a merchandise fulfillment network is described. The load balancing system employs PID (Proportional, Integral, Derivative) load balancing functionality or other kind of closed loop control functionality to select, on an order-by-order basis, which fulfillment resources (such as fulfillment centers) are to handle customer orders.
US08249912B2
A method of determining correlations and causality between media program content and consumer responsiveness involves identifying and storing media and commercial program time occurrence and content information and consumer media reviewing actions which occur in connection with the media and commercial program time occurrence and content information. The information is correlated to obtain and assign responsiveness probability values corresponding to type and intensity of consumer response for each of the media and commercial program time occurrence and content information. These responsiveness probability values are then applied to a second media program to place product advertising at a specific time within specific content therein as determined by the responsiveness probability values thus facilitating creation of new ads and modification of existing ones and further, directing placement of those advertisements within any and all broadcast and Internet media programming.
US08249910B2
Systems of hardware and software are provided for enabling mobile assets to communicate across a wireless network environment. Systems, computer-implemented methods and computer program products are also provided for leveraging wireless communication and/or processing capabilities of mobile assets against a robust software solution to implement enterprise wide asset management functions, to integrate mobile asset data into existing enterprise workflows and/or to enable trusted third party integration into the enterprise for enhanced asset and/or workflow management.
US08249908B2
Advertisements are selected from a plurality of advertisements and associated with an advertisement environment in a document. Document advertisement request code that is configured to issue an advertisement request for one of the selected advertisements for presentation in the advertisement environment is stored in the document.
US08249897B2
Systems, methods and devices for managing patient medication data which include, in one implementation, receiving medication data for a patient from multiple sources; reconciling the medication data from multiple sources to generate a reconciled list of medications for the patient; presenting the reconciled list to the patient in a user-interface; identifying a potential cost savings change for a prescribed medication on the list; presenting an indication of the cost savings change to the patient in the user-interface; receiving a selection of the potential cost savings for the prescribed medication from the patient; in response to receiving the selection, transmitting via a network a request for the cost savings change to a health-care professional; receiving an approval of the cost savings; and presenting to the patient an updated medication list, the updated the medication list updated according to the approval.
US08249896B1
A secure method for delivering sleep apnea diagnostic services on an at least one operator of heavy equipment to a company. The sleep apnea diagnostic services are delivered by a general coordinator. The system includes at least one processor connected to an input device, an output device, and a data storage. The data storage includes a plurality of secure computer instruction. The processor is in encrypted communication with a network which is in encrypted communication with at least one company device.
US08249890B1
The method, system and user-interface allows alignment of refill dates associated with a plurality of prescriptions, such that the plurality of prescriptions all require refills on the same date, thus limiting the number of occasions on which a customer must visit the pharmacy to retrieve refills of the aligned prescriptions, and increasing the likelihood that the customer will comply with the recommended medication regimen. Further, the method, system and user interface provides various methods of delivery to the customer of the plurality of aligned prescriptions on the refill dates.
US08249888B2
A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: acquiring one or more relevant reported aspects associated with one or more source users that are relevant to achieving one or more target outcomes, the acquisition of the one or more relevant reported aspects being based, at least in part, on relevancy of the one or more relevant reported aspects with respect to the achievement of the one or more target outcomes; and developing one or more personalized plans designed to facilitate an end user to achieve the one or more target outcomes when one or more emulatable aspects indicated by the one or more personalized plans are emulated, the development of the one or more personalized plans being based, at least in part, on the acquiring In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
US08249884B2
A method and system for making a donation to a third party includes storing, via a storage device, a user preference in a user account; receiving, via a receiver, information regarding a purchase transaction at a merchant; accessing, via a processor, the user preference from the user account; dynamically selecting, via the processor, a percentage discount to be allocated to the purchase transaction; donating, via the processor, a monetary value of the percentage discount to the third-party according to the user preference, where the user account is associated with a user, and includes rules for allocating the percentage discount to the third-party.
US08249883B2
A multi-channel audio decoder reconstructs multi-channel audio of more than two physical channels from a reduced set of coded channels based on correlation parameters that specify a full power cross-correlation matrix of the physical channels, or merely preserve a partial correlation matrix (such as power of the physical channels, and some subset of cross-correlations between the physical channels, or cross-correlations of the physical channels with coded or virtual channels).
US08249882B2
A decoding apparatus that decodes a first encoded data that is encoded into a first time range from a low-frequency component of an audio signal, and a second encoded data that is used when creating a high-frequency component of the audio signal from the low-frequency component and encoded into a second time range, into the audio signal. In the decoding apparatus, a high-frequency component compensating unit that compensates the high-frequency component created from the second encoded data based on the first time range. A decoding unit that decodes into the audio signal by synthesizing the high-frequency component compensated by the high-frequency component compensating unit, and the low-frequency component decoded from the first encoded data.
US08249880B2
A system and method for reviewing inputted voice instructions in a vehicle-based telematics control unit. The system includes a microphone, a speech recognition processor, and an output device. The microphone receives voice instructions from a user. Coupled to the microphone is the speech recognition processor that generates a voice signal by performing speech recognition processing of the received voice instructions. The output device outputs the generated voice signal to the user. The system also includes a user interface for allowing the user to approve the outputted voice signal, and a communication component for wirelessly sending the generated voice signal to a server over a wireless network upon approval by the user.
US08249877B2
A hybrid speech recognition system uses a client-side speech recognition engine and a server-side speech recognition engine to produce speech recognition results for the same speech. An arbitration engine produces speech recognition output based on one or both of the client-side and server-side speech recognition results.
US08249874B2
Speech is synthesized for a given text by determining a sequence of phonetic components based on the text, determining a sequence of target phonetic elements associated phonetic components, determining a sequence of target event types associated with the phonetic components and determining a sequence of speech units from a plurality of stored speech unit candidates by use of a cost function. The cost function comprises a unit cost, a concatenation cost, and an event type cost for each speech unit in the sequence of speech units. The unit cost of a speech unit is determined with respect to the corresponding target phonetic element, while the concatenation cost of a speech unit is determined with respect to adjacent speech units and the event type cost of each speech unit is determined with respect to the corresponding target event type.
US08249867B2
A microphone-array-based speech recognition system using a blind source separation (BBS) and a target speech extraction method in the system are provided. The speech recognition system performs an independent component analysis (ICA) to separate mixed signals input through a plurality of microphone into sound-source signals, extracts one target speech spoken for speech recognition from the separated sound-source signals by using a Gaussian mixture model (GMM) or a hidden Markov Model (HMM), and automatically recognizes a desired speech from the extracted target speech. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain a high speech recognition rate even in a noise environment.
US08249866B2
A speech decoding method which generates an excitation signal and a synthesis filter from coded data and which obtains a speech signal based on the excitation signal and the synthesis filter. The method includes acquiring identification information used for determining whether the speech signal to be decoded is a narrowband signal or a wideband signal; and modifying the excitation signal based on the identification information by controlling strength or presence of emphasis of pitch periodicity with respect to the excitation signal generated from the coded data, so as to generate the speech signal by use of the modified excitation signal and the synthesis filter.
US08249864B2
Provided are a fixed codebook search method based on iteration-free global pulse replacement in a speech codec, and a Code-Excited Linear-Prediction (CELP)-based speech codec using the method. The fixed codebook search method based on iteration-free global pulse replacement in a speech codec includes the steps of: (a) determining an initial codevector using a pulse-position likelihood vector or a correlation vector; (b) calculating a fixed-codebook search criterion value for the initial codevector; (c) calculating fixed-codebook search criterion values for respective codevectors obtained by replacing a pulse of the initial codevector each time for respective tracks, and determining a pulse position generating the largest fixed-codebook search criterion value as a candidate pulse position for the respective tracks, respectively; (d) calculating fixed-codebook search criterion values for respective codevectors of all combinations obtained by replacing at least one pulse position of the initial codevector with the candidate pulse positions of the respective tracks, and determining the largest value of the fixed-codebook search criterion values; and (e) comparing the fixed-codebook search criterion value for the initial codevector obtained in step (b) with the largest value determined in step (d) to determine an optimum fixed codevector.
US08249860B2
Disclosed is an adaptive sound source vector quantization device capable of reducing deviation of the quantization accuracy of the adaptive sound source vector quantization of each sub-frame when performing an adaptive sound source vector quantization in a sub-frame unit by using a greater information amount in a first sub-frame than in a second sub-frame. In this device: when the device performs the adaptive sound source vector quantization of the first sub-frame, an adaptive sound source vector generation unit (104) cuts out an adaptive sound source vector of length r (r, n, m are integers satisfying the relationship: m < r=n: n is a frame length, m is a sub-frame length) from an adaptive sound source codebook (103); a synthesis filter (105) generates an impulse response matrix of r r by using a linear prediction coefficient of the first sub-frame inputted; a search target vector generation unit (106) generates a search target vector by using a target vector of the sub-frame unit; and an evaluation scale calculation unit (107) calculates the evaluation scale of the adaptive sound source vector quantization.
US08249857B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided multilingual administration of enterprise data. Embodiments include retrieving enterprise data; extracting text from the enterprise data for rendering from a digital media file, the extracted text being in a source language; prompting a user to select a target language; receiving from the user a selection of a target language; translating the extracted text in the source language to translated text in the target language; converting the translated text to synthesized speech in the target language; and recording the synthesized speech in the target language in a digital media file.
US08249846B2
A configuration manager identifies a first device and a second device within a simulated system. Each device within the simulated system includes an inbound port and an outbound port. Next, the configuration manager injects a simulation only packet on the first device's outbound port and detects that the second device's inbound port receives the simulation only packet. As a result, the configuration manager determines that a direct connection exists between the first device's outbound port and the second device's inbound port. In turn, the configuration manager configures one or more first device configuration registers and one or more second device configuration registers that correspond to the first device and the second device, respectively.
US08249842B2
A method for black oil delumping is disclosed which comprises: converting a black oil wellstream into a compositional wellstream thereby enabling the composition and component molar rates of a production well in a black oil reservoir simulation to be reconstituted.
US08249828B2
The present invention provides methods, devices, and systems for analyzing defects in an object such as a semiconductor wafer. In one embodiment, it provides a method of characterizing defects in semiconductor wafers during fabrication in a semiconductor fabrication facility. This method comprises the following actions. The semiconductor wafers are inspected to locate defects. Locations corresponding to the located defects are then stored in a defect file. A dual charged-particle beam system is automatically navigated to the vicinity defect location using information from the defect file. The defect is automatically identified and a charged particle beam image of the defect is then obtained. The charged particle beam image is then analyzed to characterize the defect. A recipe is then determined for further analysis of the defect. The recipe is then automatically executed to cut a portion of the defect using a charged particle beam. The position of the cut is based upon the analysis of the charged particle beam image. Ultimately, a surface exposed by the charged particle beam cut is imaged to obtain additional information about the defect.
US08249825B2
A system and method for evaluating equipment in an improper cluster in a data center, the equipment including a plurality of equipment racks, and at least one cooling provider. In one aspect, the method includes receiving data regarding each of the plurality of equipment racks and the at least one cooling provider, the data including a layout of the improper cluster of equipment racks and the at least one cooling provider, storing the received data, identifying at least one gap in the layout, determining cooling performance of at least one of the plurality of equipment racks based, at least in part, on characteristics of the at least one gap, and displaying the layout of the data center, wherein the layout includes an indication of the cooling performance of the at least one of the plurality of equipment racks.
US08249824B2
Some embodiments provide a system that analyzes telemetry data from a monitored system. During operation, the system obtains the telemetry data as a set of telemetric signals from the monitored system and groups the telemetry data into one or more clusters of correlated telemetric signals from the telemetric signals. Next, the system increases a bandwidth associated with monitoring the telemetric signals. To increase the bandwidth, the system omits one or more of the correlated telemetric signals from each of the clusters during sampling of the telemetric signals and estimates the omitted correlated telemetric signals by applying a nonlinear, nonparametric regression technique to the sampled telemetric signals.
US08249813B2
A computer-implemented system and method for determining an optimal manner of introducing and moving an introduced entity from an introduction site to a target tissue region. The method comprises: calculating a modeling value at the introduction site, the pathway to the target tissue region, and the target tissue region; calculating a diffusion value representing a concentration gradient of the introduced entity as it moves through the introduction site, the pathway, and the target tissue region; calculating a flow value representing how the introduced entity is transported through the introduction site, the pathway, and the target tissue region; and determining a time, location, and method for introducing and moving the introduced entity based on the modeling value, the diffusion value, and the flow value.
US08249811B2
A multi-sensor fire detector incorporates at least one acoustic resonator and other type or types of fire sensor. Other types include smoke sensors, gas sensors or optically based fire sensors. Outputs from the acoustic resonator can be processed with or without outputs from the other type or types of fire sensors to establish the presence of an alarm condition. Multiple acoustic resonators can be incorporated into the same detector.
US08249809B2
A star tracker is used to measure the direction of stars. Preferably a wide imaging range is provided so that a reliable orientation of the star tracker can be computed from measurements of the directions of star at substantially different directions. The star tracker comprises a light baffle and located between the light baffle and an image sensing arrangement. The light baffle comprises an array of walls, including sidewalls and at least one internal wall between the sidewalls. Preferably, the side walls and the at least one internal wall are oriented at mutually different orientations emanating from a virtual line of intersection of the planes of the walls. Thus a range of star directions can be imaged with constant sensitivity.
US08249808B2
Provided is a navigation system including method of setting a destination in a navigation terminal, which includes receiving a position information message; and setting position coordinates corresponding to position information included in the position information message as position coordinates of a destination related to a certain route.
US08249804B2
A method, machine-readable medium, and system involve receiving user input with a navigation device regarding a desired city name. A determination is made regarding whether the user input matches city names in a Last Used City List (LUCL). A Global City List (GCL) is consulted when the user input does not match the city names in the LUCL. A matching city name is selected as a best candidate.
US08249802B2
A keyless function system and method includes a portable device having a vehicle function actuator thereon for initiating operation of a vehicle function. The portable device transmits an actuation signal to the vehicle when the vehicle function actuator is actuated. The receiver onboard the vehicle receives the actuation signal from the portable device. A controller onboard the vehicle and operatively connected to the receiver determines at least one of: whether the vehicle is located at a predetermined location or whether the portable device is located less than a predetermined distance from the vehicle. The controller selectively commands performance of the vehicle function when the actuation signal is received by the receiver based on at least one of: whether the vehicle is at the predetermined location or the portable device is less than the predetermined distance from the vehicle.
US08249794B2
When the intake air amount is smaller than the specific intake air amount, the unit air-fuel ratio change amount calculated during the engine operation is corrected such that the unit air-fuel ratio change amount increases in the condition that the base unit air-fuel ratio change amount is an upper limit and when the intake air amount is greater than the specific intake air amount, the unit air-fuel ratio change amount calculated during the engine operation is corrected such that the unit air-fuel ratio change amount decreases in the condition that the base unit air-fuel ratio change amount is a lower limit. When the corrected unit air-fuel ratio change amount is greater than the judgment value, it is judged that the inter-cylinder air-fuel ratio imbalance condition occurs.
US08249787B2
A process of monitoring a drive direction of an automatic or automated vehicle transmission at near-zero vehicle speed via an engaged gear. A desired direction of drive of the transmission is determined from an engaged gear at the time the vehicle begins motion. An actual direction of drive is determined from the transmission and, if different from the desired direction of drive, an error signal is produced. The process includes determining the actual drive either from a sensed rotational direction of a transmission input shaft and a sensed rotational direction of a transmission output shaft or a sensed valve setting, a sensed pressure in an transmission electro-hydraulic control system or on a transmission shifting element or from a sensed direction of rotation of a transmission gearset element or from axial movement or force of a transmission constructional element.
US08249786B2
A control apparatus for an automatic transmission includes a shift control section configured to perform a shift of the automatic transmission; and a judder judging section. The shift control section is configured to judge whether or not a progress of the shift is during an inertia phase. The judder judging section calculates a characteristic-gradient index value which is a value obtained by quantifying a phenomenon that appears as a relative rotational speed between input and output of the first friction-engagement element becomes reduced with a progress of the inertia phase. The phenomenon appears in a different way in dependence upon whether a relational characteristic of a friction coefficient of the first friction-engagement element with respect to the relative rotational speed is a positive-gradient characteristic or a negative-gradient characteristic. The judder judging section determines that the judder has occurred based on the characteristic-gradient index value.
US08249783B2
A vehicle automatic transmission includes a plurality of gears provided on an input shaft, a countershaft, and an output shaft and are meshed with one another. A plurality of hydraulic clutches are each configured to couple any of the gears to the input shaft, the countershaft, or the output shaft to establish a predetermined shift stage. An engagement unit is configured to couple a reverse gear to the input shaft or the countershaft to establish a reverse shift stage. A shift-position detection unit is configured to detect a shift position. A vehicle-speed detection unit is configured to detect a vehicle speed. A control unit is configured to detect, based on an output of the shift-position detection unit, a first time and a second time. The control unit is configured to delay a timing when the engagement unit operates after the shift position changes to an R-position.
US08249779B2
In a method and a device for activating passenger protection device(s), the passenger protection device(s) are activated as a function of a first signal of an acceleration sensor system and a second signal of a structure-borne noise sensor system. The activation is decided as a function of a position of a vector composed of at least two features of the first signal in relation to a characteristic curve, the characteristic curve being modified as a function of the second signal.
US08249772B2
An electric wiring system of a motor vehicle with several control devices that communicate with each other via a data bus, and with an immobilizer is provided. In order to create an electric wiring system of a motor vehicle that includes an immobilizer with high reliability the immobilizer includes at least a first and a second control device from the plurality of control devices and an authentication apparatus, in particular an authentication control device. The authentication information of the plurality of control devices is supplied via the data bus to the authentication apparatus. The authentication cancels the immobilizer of the vehicle when the authentication information transmitted from the first and the second control device corresponds to the authentication information expected for the particular control devices.
US08249771B2
The invention relates to a method for detecting an error in a component assembly of a motor vehicle, the component assembly having a functional control unit and at least one function module to be controlled by the functional control unit as components. According to the method, a check is made by the functional control unit to determine whether a combination of individual errors is present for at least one component of the component assembly. When the combination of individual errors is thereby present, an occurrence of the error is verified by the functional control unit and a signal for implementing an emergency functional strategy is transmitted by said control unit to an engine control unit.
US08249769B2
In a hybrid vehicle equipped with an engine, a planetary gear mechanism linked to the output shaft of the engine and to a driveshaft, a first motor linked the planetary gear, a second motor inputting and outputting power to and from the driveshaft, and a battery inputting and outputting electric power to and from the motors, when the battery temperature Tb is lower than the preset reference temperature Tbref, drive control prohibits the intermittent operation of the engine and controls the engine and the motors to output the torque demand to the driveshaft with warm-up control of the battery. When the battery temperature Tb is higher than or equal to the preset reference temperature Tbref and the cooling water temperature Tw is higher than or equal to the preset reference temperature Twref, drive control performs the intermittent operation of the engine and controls the engine and the motors to output the torque demand to the driveshaft. When the battery temperature Tb is higher than or equal to the preset reference temperature Tbref and the cooling water temperature Tw is lower than the preset reference temperature Twref, drive control prohibits the operation of the engine and controls the engine and the motors to keep the warm-up control of the battery and to output the torque demand to the driveshaft.
US08249768B2
A method and an apparatus for controlling the hybrid drive of a motor vehicle having the following components: internal combustion engine (VKM), manual transmission (SG), at least one electrical machine (Emi), at least one clutch (Kj) and an energy storage device (ES), and at least one driven axle (HA; VA) are intended to provide maximum efficiency and service life of the components. To this end, a decision is made about which operating modes (AMK) are possible on the basis of a driver input (FW) and operating state, a division is made about which gears (Gj) are available for the possible operating modes (AMK), so that a larger number of modes (AMGK) are available for selection, operating points which correspond to the driver input are determined for all these modes (AMGK), taking into account the operating state and system state (SZA), the modes (AMGK) are assessed and the mode (AMGK*) which is assessed as being most expedient is selected.
US08249763B2
A method for powering a powered system having a first power generating unit where power settings for the first power generating unit are decoupled from power settings for a second power generating unit, the method including developing a power operating plan which is independent of a coupled power setting, and determining a power setting responsive to the power operating plan. A computer software code operable within a processor and configured to reside on a computer readable media for powering a powered system having at least a first power generating unit where power settings for the at least first power generating unit are decoupled from power settings for at least a second power generating unit is further disclosed.
US08249752B2
In a slave electromagnetic flow meter, the synchronization signal from a master electromagnetic flow meter (that is, a master electromagnetic signal) MPs is monitored, and if the master synchronization signal MPs ceases to be received, then the synchronization signal used for the flow rate measurement is switched to a synchronization signal Ps that is generated by the synchronization signal generating unit of the slave electromagnetic flow meter, and the switched synchronization signal Ps is defined as the master synchronization signal MPs' for the slave electromagnetic flow meter in the next stage.
US08249749B2
A climate control system includes a control head having a warmer/cooler temperature control for providing relative thermal comfort. A thermal comfort rating (TCR) corresponding to a range of passenger cabin temperatures is determined based upon a comfort level selection by an occupant using the control head. A control strategy employs look-up tables corresponding to the TCR to determine the speed of an electric compressor and the position of a temperature control blend door. The strategy provides for a relatively fast ramp down to a minimum compressor speed to improve fuel economy while maintaining a relative level of thermal comfort.
US08249745B2
A work robot includes a holding unit for holding a work device, holding unit moving means, an information processing unit, a storage unit, and a variable storage unit. The work robot performs work by relatively moving the holding unit and a workpiece in accordance with a program instruction. When execution of the work is in progress, the program successively stores working state information in the variable storage unit. When the program is forced to end in the middle of the work and then the work is to be resumed, the program resumes the work in accordance with the working state information stored in the variable storage unit. Thus, even when the program is forced to end, the work can be resumed from the working state immediately before the forced end.
US08249742B2
To provide a method to carry out complicated surface machining such as graining or the like without decreasing machining accuracy and machining efficiency. In a machine tool including a main spindle head capable of relatively moving in three perpendicular directions with respect to a workpiece and an additional spindle being provided at the main spindle head and capable of moving in a Z spindle direction, while the main spindle head relatively moves with respect to a working surface S of the workpiece along a smoothly curved surface R which is smoothed so as to be restricted within the movement distance in the moving direction of the additional spindle, the additional spindle moves by a difference between the working surface S and the smoothly curved surface R, and makes a tool T to machine the working surface S.
US08249739B2
A yarn feeding device for a knitting machine comprises a motor for driving a roller from which a yarn is fed out, and a rotatable arm which intermediately stores the yarn fed out from the roller, and the yarn is fed from the arm to a knitting machine body. A torque generator is provided to apply a variable torque to the arm. A yarn speed is obtained from a loop length of a stitch for each knitting needle and a knitting speed calculated on the basis of knitting data used in the knitting machine body. The yarn speed is converted into a torque to be applied to a buffer using a conversion table at each knitting section in a knitting course so as to correct a yarn tension fluctuation caused by the yarn speed, and the torque generator is controlled in accordance with the torque thus obtained. The yarn tension fluctuation is reduced so that high-speed knitting and knitting using a weak yarn can be facilitated.
US08249720B2
An implantable medical system includes a medical lead including an insulating sheath and a conductor and an anchoring device. The anchoring device defines an inner lumen adapted to coaxially receive the medical lead, where the inner lumen has an effective diameter. The anchoring device includes a sleeve including a substantially elongate body defining an outer surface and an inner bore. The anchoring device also has a compression member including a first end, a second end, and an intermediate portion between the first and second ends. The compression member is at least partially embedded in the sleeve such that compression of the first and second ends of the compression member toward one another causes the effective diameter of at least a portion of the inner lumen of the anchoring device to reversibly increase.
US08249718B2
The disclosure describes techniques for programming posture state-responsive therapy with nominal therapy parameters. The techniques may include presenting therapy adjustment information to a user via a user interface, wherein the therapy adjustment information includes one or more therapy adjustments made by a patient to at least one stimulation parameter of one or more stimulation therapy programs for one or more patient posture states, receiving input from the user that selects one or more nominal therapy parameters for each of the therapy programs and for each of the posture states based on the therapy adjustment information, and setting the selected nominal therapy parameters for each of the therapy programs and posture states for use in delivering stimulation therapy to the patient.
US08249716B2
A sight regeneration assisting device for regenerating the sight of a patient comprises a plurality of needlelike electrodes each having a pointed distal end and being to be inserted in an optic papilla of a patient's eye in use; and a signal generator connected with the electrodes through a conductive wire to generate an electric stimulus pulse signal to be outputted from the electrodes, each of the electrodes, excepting a predetermined portion including the distal end, being coated with a coating layer made of resin exhibiting good biocompatibility and insulation, and the coating layer being formed with a turn-back retaining portion for retaining the electrode.
US08249698B2
General diagnostic and real-time application of digital Hermite functions allows features to be extracted from a measured signal through expansion of the measured signal. Specifically, the digital Hermite functions represent the shape of the measured signal in a set of vectors derived from a symmetrical tridiagonal matrix. This allows for efficient computation of the Hermite expansion coefficients, in real-time, to represent the expanded signal. The signal expansion also allows any artifacts, such as noise, to be isolated and removed, allowing the underlying signal of interest to be revealed.
US08249697B2
A non-invasive system and method for determination of cardiac output and blood volume of a patient includes compensating for a change in the fluorescence of an indicator circulating in the bloodstream of a tissue or organ that is caused by a variation of the blood content at the site of the measurement.
US08249691B2
A method for converting digital images of an actuated breast into an accurate description of breast surface motion from a digital image-based elasto-tomography system comprises the steps of artificially placing a high density of fiducial markers on the breast surface, whereby the fiducial markers have different qualities and are placed in different proportions according to their quality; utilizing motion invariant properties of the fiducial markers to form a global motion invariant signature; tracking the markers on the actuated breast surface from image to image in each digital camera using the global motion invariant signature; and using the cameras calibration to measure the breast surface motion.
US08249690B2
The invention relates to a brain stimulation electrode line (10) for electric stimulation of the brain areas with an elongated flexible electrode line body (12) having on or near its distal end at least one stimulation electrode (18) designed for delivering electric pulses to surrounding body tissue in the event of use. The brain stimulation electrode line (10) is characterized in that the electrode line body has on its distal end at least one ultrasonic transducer (20), which is arranged so that it can detect reflected ultrasound in a detection range aligned distally along the longitudinal direction of the electrode line body (12).
US08249688B2
In a method to affix RF coils (in particular local coils) on a patient in examinations with a magnetic resonance apparatus, a horizontal board accommodates the patient for a magnetic resonance examination to be implemented, an RF coil that has coil electronics is affixed with a fastening strap on the patient, and the fastening strap has a connection cable integrated therewith. The coil electronics are supplied with energy via the integrated connection cable.
US08249682B2
A medical diagnostic method utilizes a surface plasmon resonance apparatus provided with a sensing surface. A tear sample from an eye of a patient is placed into contact with the sensing surface. The surface plasmon resonance apparatus is then operated to determine concentrations of solutes such as salt and antigenic analytes in the tear sample.
US08249681B2
Devices, systems and method for in vivo analysis. For example, an in vivo device includes: a reaction chamber to store a detecting reagent able to react with a sample collected in vivo; and optionally a labeled-substance chamber to store a labeled substance able to bind to at least a portion of a compound resulting from a reaction of the detecting reagent and the sample.
US08249668B2
A communication device and a power saving method include setting a power saving mode to control power to a keyboard and a display of the communication device. The communication device and the power saving method further include detecting if a microphone of the communication device receives sound signals in response to invocation of the phone communication feature under the power saving mode, and switching off the power to the keyboard and the display in response to the microphone receiving sound signals.
US08249666B2
Tamper-resistant circuitry for use with an electronic device is provided, where the electronic device comprises a plurality of connections for coupling the tamper-resistant circuitry to functional circuitry for performing functionality in connection with the electronic device. The tamper-resistant circuitry comprises an interface for coupling to the plurality of connections and a power source for coupling to at least one connection in the plurality of connections. The tamper-resistant circuitry further comprises circuitry operable to evaluate a measure of an operational parameter related to the power source and in response to a signal at at least one connection in the plurality of connections, to provide an acceptable range for the operational parameter, and to inhibit standard operation of the functional circuitry in response to detecting an anomaly in the functional circuitry by detecting that the measure is outside the acceptable range.
US08249661B2
A mobile terminal including a terminal body having first and second regions on a front surface thereof, a touch screen part on the first region and configured to display visual information and perform an inputting operation in a tactile manner, and a touch pad part corresponding to the second region and configured to input information corresponding to a touch applied to a pre-set position on the second region.
US08249654B1
A system is provided for smart card application loading. The system includes a mobile device comprising an electronic wallet and a smart card, with the smart card including resident smart card application. The mobile device authenticates a request to load selected smart card application on the mobile device and provides loading approval. The mobile device saves some information for the resident smart card application, and loads the selected smart card application to the smart card in response to the loading approval.
US08249648B2
Convenience is improved when a mobile telecommunication terminal uses a fixed telephone line. The mobile telecommunication terminal to perform communication via a mobile telecommunication network by cellular communication is a dual-mode terminal able to be wirelessly communicated (by non-cellular communication) with a communication device such as a fixed telephone or a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) access point. The mobile telecommunication terminal when carrying out signal transmission by accessing the communication device via a fixed telephone line connected to the communication device, obtains a telephone number of the mobile telecommunication using usable cellular communication as notifying information and transmits the information to the communication device. The communication device carries out signal transmission via the fixed telephone line so that the telephone number notified from the mobile telecommunication terminal is transmitted to a signal receiver.
US08249644B2
In a wireless terminal having a wireless transceiver and a wireless receiver which operates with lower power than the wireless transceiver, when the wireless receiver receives, from a base station, a notification message notifying that data addressed to the terminal is existent, the wireless transceiver is turned on to acquire the data.
US08249638B2
A device for participating in a distributed peer-to-peer communications network has a distributed network application that includes a capability-routing entity having capability information for a group of associated peers participating in the network. A method for establishing peer-to-peer communication in the network including determining which of the group of associated peers can fulfil the requested connection based in the capability information and referring the request to the peer that can fulfil the connection.
US08249630B1
Computer media, systems, and computer-implemented methods for enhancing SMS messaging sessions with user data are provided. A data sharing agreement between a service provider and a receiving entity, such as broadcaster or a consumer goods manufacturer, is established. A user with a wireless device sends an SMS message to the receiving entity. Data associated with the user is retrieved by the service provider in accordance with the data sharing agreement and is transmitted to the receiving entity along with the SMS message.
US08249628B2
A method, system and apparatus for providing an alternate data service to a mobile communication device. The apparatus includes a logic module operable to identify a wireless network accessible by the mobile communication device, a logic module operable to determine whether a packet data service is available to the mobile communication device via the wireless network and a logic module operable to effectuate an alternate data service when the packet data service is unavailable to the mobile communication device via the wireless network.
US08249621B2
A method, computer program product, and system are provided to update geographic location information for an electronic device. The method can include transmitting the geographic location information for the electronic device to a server device at a first time interval. A determination can be made regarding whether the electronic device is in communication with a third-party device. If the electronic device is in communication with the third-party device, then updated geographic location information for the electronic device is transmitted to the server device at a second time interval, where the second time interval is shorter than the first time interval.
US08249617B2
Communications is executed between users through wireless terminals thereof without fear of being located by each other. On terminal 1x, area 4 in which wireless communication is enabled with terminal 1x is divided into proximity area 6 and external area 7 and the radius (distance between boundary 5 and terminal 1x) is temporally varied by random number. A control block of terminal 1x detects terminals located in side the communicable area 4 and in the communication enabled state and processes the other terminals located inside proximity area 6 as out-of-service-area among the detected other terminals, not displaying the users of these other terminals located inside proximity area 6 onto display screen 2x. The control block processes only other terminals located inside external area 7 as in-service area and displays the users of these other terminals onto display screen 2x.
US08249613B2
A method of data processing includes the steps of: dividing user terminals into groups based on channel attributes and service requirements of the user terminals and setting a precoding code word and a cyclic delay for each of the groups; and determining which group a user terminal corresponding to the data to be processed belongs to and processing the data to be processed by the Cyclic Delay Diversity (CDD) precoding based on the precoding code word and the cyclic delay of the group. A data processing apparatus includes a grouping module and a CDD preceding module. By the method and apparatus above, the signal quality in the MIMO system can be improved.
US08249611B1
Systems and methods for dynamically adjusting the size of an access search window are provided. In an embodiment a base station uses an access search window size, which is initially set to a default value, to determine whether to accept access requests from access terminals (ATs). The base station operates to accept access requests from ATs when the ATs are within the distance defined by the value of the access search window. The base station further operates to measure an amount of traffic for a sector of a wireless coverage area and change the value of the access search window size based on the amount of traffic on the sector.
US08249600B2
A quality memory unit remembers a quality table in which qualities of communication with radio base stations are arranged according to identification information of the radio base stations. A processing unit determines, based on the quality table in the quality memory unit, a selecting radio base station to select a switching radio base station to be a connection destination after switching. The processing unit sends the quality table to the selecting radio base station when switching the connection destination radio base stations. A mobile station communication unit receives identification information specifying the switching radio base station selected based on the quality table sent from the processing unit and sends a connection request to the switching radio base station specified by the identification information.
US08249598B1
A method is disclosed for disambiguating a reported pilot signal so as to facilitate handoff of a mobile station. When a radio access network (RAN) receives from a mobile station a handoff request carrying a parameter that ambiguously identifies at least two sectors as the potential handoff target, the RAN will send a test probe on at least one of the potential handoff target sectors and will determine, based on mobile station response to the test probe, which sector the mobile station received the test probe on and thus which sector was the intended handoff target. The RAN may then direct the mobile station to hand off to that sector if appropriate. Further, the RAN may add the identified sector into a neighbor list of a similarly situated other mobile station, to allow the other mobile station to more efficiently hand off to the same sector if appropriate.
US08249591B2
A method, computer readable medium and mobile device for operating using more than one Radio Access Technology (RAT) are provided. When the mobile device is operating in a serving cell of a first RAT, it obtains, through at least one of wireless access radios in the mobile device, a first set of candidate information from a message transmitted for the serving cell. It also obtains, through at least one of the wireless access radios, a second set of candidate information from a message transmitted for a neighbor cell of the serving cell. The mobile device considers the candidate information from the first set and the candidate information from the second set for reselection by the mobile device.
US08249587B2
A roaming service method in a mobile broadcasting system and a system thereof are provided. A terminal receives a service guide from a corresponding visited service provider (Visited SP) when the terminal moves to a roaming area. The terminal transmits a roaming request message for requesting a purchase item allowable for individual services to a home service provider (Home SP) based on the received service guide. Upon receipt of the roaming request message, the Home SP negotiates roaming availability and allowable scope for each individual service with the Visited SP where the terminal is located, based on the roaming request message. The Home SP transmits the roaming availability and allowable scope for the individual service, negotiated with the Visited SP, to the terminal.
US08249575B2
A voice data and RF integrated circuit (IC) includes an RF transceiver module that produces received data based on a received RF signal and that produces a transmitted RF signal based on transmit data. A memory module includes a first read only memory (ROM) segment for storing a first plurality of operational instructions, and a first random access memory (RAM) segment for storing a second plurality of operational instructions. A first processing module executes the plurality of operational instructions that include baseband processing to generate input data from the received data, and to produce the transmit data from input data. A first memory interface provides direct downloading of the second plurality of operational instructions from the external memory to the first RAM segment.
US08249571B2
A system and method for providing conference calls in a client-server environment is described. In some aspects, conference calling is made possible and efficient for mobile users, including mobile hosts of the conference call who may arrange and set up the conference call easily from a mobile device with the assistance of an application server and/or a call conference server. Also, other mobile users may easily participate in such conference calls from their mobile devices.
US08249558B2
In general, this disclosure describes techniques for unlocking certain functionality of a mobile computing device upon wirelessly detecting that an external device is in relatively close proximity to the mobile computing device. One example method comprises: providing a phone application and a second, different application; initiating a first mode of operation when the mobile computing device becomes locked; prohibiting user access to the second application during the first mode of operation when the mobile computing device fails to wirelessly detect a presence of an external device; and initiating a second mode of operation when the mobile computing device wirelessly detects the presence of the external device and when the mobile computing device has received user input specifying an access password, wherein the mobile computing device allows complete user access to both the phone application and the second application during the second mode of operation.
US08249556B2
In general, this disclosure describes techniques for unlocking certain functionality of a mobile computing device upon wirelessly detecting that an external device is in relatively close proximity to the mobile computing device. One example method comprises: providing a phone application and a second, different application; initiating a first mode of operation when the mobile computing device becomes locked; prohibiting user access to the second application during the first mode of operation when the mobile computing device fails to wirelessly detect a presence of an external device; and initiating a second mode of operation when the mobile computing device wirelessly detects the presence of the external device and when the mobile computing device has received user input specifying an access password, wherein the mobile computing device allows complete user access to both the phone application and the second application during the second mode of operation.
US08249545B2
A method (200) and an apparatus (106) for a communication device for conveying information contained in an emergency broadcast message to an external device (110) are provided. The communication device (106) monitors (204) incoming broadcast messages in at least one of a broadcast mode and a multicast mode of a Multimedia Broadcast and Multimedia Service, and determines (206) whether the incoming broadcast messages include the emergency broadcast message. If the emergency broadcast message is included, then the communication device (106) receives (208) the emergency broadcast message, transmits (210) an acknowledgment of receiving the emergency broadcast message, and transmits (212) the information (108) contained in the emergency broadcast message to the external device (110).
US08249542B2
This disclosure addresses providing gigabit-rate data transmission over wireless radio links, using carrier frequencies in the millimeter-wave range (>30 GHz). More specifically, a circuit for detection of amplitude-shift keyed (ASK) or other amplitude modulations (AM) which can be easily incorporated into an integrated circuit receiver system is described, making the receiver capable of supporting both complex IQ modulation schemes and simpler, non-coherent on-off or multiple-level keying signals. Several novel radio architectures are also described which, with the addition of a frequency discriminator network, have the capability of handling frequency shift keyed (FSK) or other frequency modulations (FM), as well as AM and complex IQ modulation schemes. These radio architectures support this wide variety of modulations by efficiently sharing detector hardware components. The architecture for supporting both quadrature down-conversion and ASK/AM is described first, followed by the ASK/AM detector circuit details, then the AM-FM detector architecture, and finally the most general AM-FM/IQ demodulator system concept and the FSK/FM detector circuit details.
US08249535B2
A radio receiver comprises an input (14) for a modulated radio frequency signal, a frequency down converter (16) coupled to the input, the frequency down converter including quadrature mixers (32,34) for demodulating a received modulated radio frequency signal using a local oscillator signal. An analogue-to-digital converter (54, 56) is coupled to receive demodulated signals from the mixing means. The analogue-to-digital converter, which may comprise a continuous time sigma delta converter, has an input for a sampling clock frequency (f s). A voltage controlled oscillator (38) provides the local oscillator signal and supplies a frequency divider (60, 94) used to provide the sampling clock frequency. The dividing ratio (1/A) of the frequency divider is variable in response to variations in the strength of an 15 output signal from the digital-to-frequency converter and the variations in the frequency of the sampling clock frequency vary the gain of the analogue-to-frequency converter thereby providing automatic gain control.
US08249533B2
A rapidly adjustable local oscillation (LO) module for use in a radio transmitter or a radio receiver includes an oscillation generating module and a high frequency switching module. The oscillation generating module is operably coupled to generate a plurality of local oscillations. The high frequency switching module is operably coupled to, for a first one of a plurality of transmission paths, provide one of the plurality of local oscillations when a first transmission path selection indication is in a first state and provide another one of the plurality of local oscillations when the first transmission path selection indication is in a second state and, for a second one of the plurality of transmission paths, provide the one of the plurality of local oscillations when a second transmission path selection indication is in a first state and provide the another one of the plurality of local oscillations when the second transmission path selection indication is in a second state.
US08249527B2
A radio receiver includes a first receiver module for converting a first radio frequency (RF) signal at a first carrier frequency into a first baseband signal. A second receiver module converts a second RF signal at a second carrier frequency into a second baseband signal. A recombination module combines the first baseband signal and the second baseband signal into an output signal.
US08249526B2
A safety monitoring system and method sets a preset acceleration and a preset gravity gradient of a mobile device, and a preset contact. If an obtained acceleration and a gravity gradient of the mobile device are greater than preset values, the system and method obtains positional data of the mobile device using a global positioning system (GPS) unit of the mobile device. The system and method further packs the positional data into short message service/multimedia message service (SMS/MMS) message, searches for the preset contact in the mobile device, and sends a safety monitor report to the preset contact by the SMS/MMS message.
US08249512B2
Disclosed is a device and method to automate the process of measuring RF noise, correlating measured noise with known sources, and making adjustments to the noise-measuring and reporting process. A wireless communication device is coupled to equipment at a fixed location, and transmits data about the operation of the equipment back to an operator, via a provider's network. Examples include fixed wireless terminals. A management entity aboard the wireless communication device performs the measurements via a transceiver, and performs remedial actions when required, without requiring an onsite technician or remote assistance. The management entity may include a spectrum analyzer.
US08249502B2
The invention relates to a radio-frequency communication device comprising an inductive antenna in order to communicate with a transponder. According to the invention, the antenna is capable of establishing weak coupling with a transmitter which produces a magnetic field which is substantially homogeneous on the scale of the antenna and is also capable of establishing strong inductive coupling with a transponder located in the vicinity of the device, with the device comprising a transponder interrogation circuit comprising means of sampling and processing the signal on the antenna terminals which are capable of producing a reference signal as a function of said signal; modulation means capable of modulating the reference signal; and application means capable of applying the modulated signal to the antenna terminals.
US08249499B2
The present invention provides a wireless device configured relay wireless communication between a computing device and one or more broadband wireless networks. In this manner the wireless device can act as an access point, hotspot or the like, for the computing device. The wireless device comprises a network interface system configured for communication with a wireless network and one or more broadband wireless networks. The wireless device further includes a control system operatively coupled to the network interface system, wherein the control system is configured to control communication between the network interface system and the wireless network. The control system is further configured to activate communication with one or more of the broadband wireless networks upon receipt of a predetermined communication from the computing device via the wireless network.
US08249498B1
A method to selectively restrict certain wireless communication devices (WCDs) from attempting to access a radio access network is disclosed. In example operation, a wireless carrier will provision a proper subset of its subscriber WCDs with a special access-toggle flag or associated logic, while other subscriber WCDs of the wireless carrier will not be so provisioned. When and where the wireless carrier wishes to prevent the subset of WCDs from attempting to access the wireless carrier's system, the wireless carrier will then broadcast an access-off command that will be interpreted by the devices with the access-toggle flag/logic as meaning that they should not seek to access the wireless carrier's system, but that will be disregarded (or at least not so interpreted) by the subscriber WCDs without the access-toggle flag/logic.
US08249494B2
An image forming apparatus capable of properly discharging a medium has a first medium stacking unit, a second medium stacking unit, and a guiding member for guiding the medium to the second medium stacking unit in a case that the second medium stacking unit is set in an opened state and guiding the medium to the first medium stacking unit in a case that the second medium stacking unit is set in a closed state. Since the guiding member guides the medium to the second medium stacking unit in a case that the second medium stacking unit is set in the opened state and guides medium to the first medium stacking unit in a case that the second medium stacking unit is set in the closed state, the medium can be discharged to the second medium stacking unit in a case that large normal curling occurs.
US08249485B2
A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein the apparatus includes a supporting member, a movable member for moving the supporting member in a horizontal direction and upward and downward directions, an operating member for moving the movable member, and a regulating portion, the process cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; process means actable on the drum; a portion to be supported for being supported by the supporting member when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the apparatus; and a portion-to-be-regulated for being regulated by being contacted by the regulating portion to regulate movement of the process cartridge in the horizontal direction, when the supporting member is moved, by movement of the movable member by operation of the operating member and in the horizontal direction and the upward direction while supporting the process cartridge, wherein when the supporting member is moved in the horizontal direction and upward direction while supporting the process cartridge, the portion-to-be-supported slides on the supporting member, and the portion-to-be-regulated slides on the regulating portion.
US08249483B2
Methods and devices for remanufacturing printer cartridges are provided where the printer cartridges comprise a photoconductive drum, the photoconductive drum comprises a drum gear end, and the drum gear end of the photoconductive drum is configured to be attached to a laser printer via a rotational force transmitting assembly. In an embodiment, the method comprises removing the rotational force transmitting assembly from the photoconductive drum, providing a replacement photoconductive drum, and attaching the rotational force transmitting assembly to the replacement photoconductive drum.
US08249482B2
An image forming apparatus has a body frame and a slide frame. The slide frame is configured to be pulled out from the body frame along a sliding direction. A plurality of image forming cartridges is detachably mounted on the slide frame. A plurality of electrode members is mounted on the slide frame and aligned along the sliding direction so as to correspond to the image forming cartridges. A body-side contact portion of each of the electrode members is electrically connected to the body frame. A cartridge-side contact portion of the electrode member is electrically connected to the image forming cartridge. The image forming cartridge is connected to the body via the corresponding electrode member when the slide frame mounting the image forming cartridges is inserted to the body frame.
US08249479B2
An image forming apparatus is controlled such that the amount of heat supplied to an outer surface recording sheet to be placed onto an outer surface of a book document for fixing a toner image thereon is greater than an amount of heat supplied to each of the other recording sheets to be placed onto an inner side of the book document for fixing a toner image thereon.
US08249478B2
Disclosed are a fusing unit, an image forming apparatus employing the fusing unit and a method of controlling the same. The fusing unit disclosed herein includes a heating belt having a non-conductive outer surface and a pressing roller that allows a print medium to be in pressing contact with the outer surface of the heating belt. A negative voltage or a positive voltage is selectively applied to the pressing roller based on the presence of a print medium between the pressing roller and the heating belt.
US08249477B2
A light-emitting unit includes M (M≧3) number of light-emitting elements. A light-receiving unit includes N (N≧3) number of light-receiving elements that receive a reflected light from at least one of a supporting member and a toner pattern. The toner pattern is formed on a surface of the supporting member. A detection light is emitted onto the supporting member from the light-emitting unit. A reflected light reflected from at least one of the supporting member and the toner pattern is received by the light-receiving unit. A position of the toner pattern on the supporting member is detected based on outputs of the light-receiving elements.
US08249476B2
An image forming apparatus has a charging unit which charges an image carrier by applying a voltage to a charging member arranged to be in contact with the image carrier. The image forming apparatus includes an alternating voltage applying unit which generates an alternating voltage, a first voltage detection unit which detects a positive peak voltage of the alternating voltage, a second voltage detection unit which detects a negative peak voltage of the alternating voltage, a voltage amplitude determination unit which determines an amplitude value of the alternating voltage based on the positive peak voltage detected, and an alternating voltage control unit which outputs a signal which changes an output from the alternating voltage applying unit.
US08249475B2
A charging device includes: a charging member that faces an image carrier and charges a surface of the image carrier; a charging voltage controller that controls a charging voltage to be applied to the charging member when the surface of the image carrier is to be charged, and applies the charging voltage obtained by superposing an AC voltage which is subjected to constant-current control on a DC voltage; a variation range detector that detects a variation range of the AC voltage which changes according to the characteristic change of the charging member; and a response speed controller that reduces a response speed for the variation of the AC voltage in correspondence with the characteristic change when the variation range is larger than a predetermined set value.
US08249472B2
Methods and apparatus for adjusting printing device power consumption based on previously acquired usage data. The printing device has multiple energy consumption states including at least a ready state in which the printing device is ready to commence processing of a print job immediately upon receipt and including at least a low power state where the printing device is not ready to commence processing of a newly received print job. Acquired usage data includes parameters of print jobs submitted during a data collection period of time. The parameters may include time and date of submitted print jobs. Based on the usage data a usage profile is determined. The usage profile identifies one or more high usage periods of time and one or more low usage periods of time. Methods and apparatus then switch the printing device among the multiple energy consumption states based on the usage profile.
US08249469B2
A supply control apparatus includes: a specifying unit that specifies a total amount of toner held in a holding chamber of a toner holding unit; and a supply control unit that controls supply of toner held in the holding chamber to a development unit that develops a latent image using the toner, in a case that the specified total amount is a first amount, such that an amount of the toner supplied per unit of time is smaller than the amount supplied in a case that the total amount is a second amount, which is smaller than the first amount.
US08249462B2
A lighting system and a method of operating the lighting system are described. A plurality of lighting units (10, 10′) each comprise, a lighting element (12) with a lighting control unit (14) for controlling its light output, and a communication unit (16, 16′) for communicating over a communication medium, e.g. RF or power line communication. The units (10, 10′) further have an optical receiver (18) for receiving light from other lighting units (10, 10′). A controller unit (20) is connected to the optical receiver (18), the communication unit (16, 16′) and the lighting control unit (14). In order to allow easy, automated set-up, at least in a configuration phase, the lighting units (10, 10′) send information by operating the lighting elements (12) in a modulated manner, and this information is received by a further lighting unit (10, 10′) observing the generated light. According to a first aspect, the lighting units (10, 10′) are grouped in clusters by turning on the lighting element (12) in a first lighting unit and generating cluster information depending on whether or not the emitted light is observed by further lighting units. According to a second aspect, lighting units (10, 10′) form a communications network and communicate with a joining lighting unit (66) by transmitting code data (78a, 78b) by operating the lighting element (12) according to a modulation sequence, and then transmitting configuration data (80) over the communication medium encrypted with the code data (78a, 78b).
US08249460B2
An apparatus for generating an RF signal is provided includes a driver configured to generate a timing control for two optical signals. The apparatus further includes at least one optical pulse source configured to generate the two optical signals based on the timing control. In addition, the apparatus includes a photodetector configured to receive the two optical signals as input and further configured to generate an RF signal based on the two optical signals. A method for generating an RF signal is also provided.
US08249448B2
A communication device comprises a port via which the communication device is operable to communicate over a communication channel; command hardware operable to output a controlled signal over the communication channel; monitor hardware operable to monitor the controlled signal and output a controlling signal to block propagation of the controlled signal if a fault is identified in the controlled signal; and signal blocking circuitry coupled to a transmission path of the controlled signal and to a transmission path of the controlling signal; wherein, when the controlled signal is to be blocked, the signal blocking circuitry applies the controlling signal to the controlled signal such that a receiver at one end of the transmission path of the controlled signal identifies the controlled signal as a faulty signal; and wherein, when the controlled signal is not being blocked, the controlled signal is unimpeded by the signal blocking circuitry.
US08249446B2
A method and apparatus for regulating rogue behavior in optical transmission devices. The apparatus, for example, may be implemented in one or more of the ONTs in a PON. The ONT includes an optical transmitter that may be disabled by a command generated by the ONT itself if rogue behavior is detected or suspected. To detect rogue behavior, at least one output indictor, such as LBC or MPC, is monitored during one or more monitoring windows. If monitoring indicates that the optical transmitter is transmitting more than a pre-determined threshold, a suspect rogue flag is set, for example in an I2C register. The register is read, preferably a number of successive times, and a determination is made whether to disable the optical transmitter. In some embodiments, the OLT is queried as part of this determination. The disability may be permanent, until a manual service operation, for example, or temporary.
US08249428B2
The present invention provides a content management device that enables to reproduce a content with original quality even after the content has been converted to have lower quality to be moved, and further enables to notify a user of information regarding the moved content. The content management device includes: a communication unit connected to a communication pathway and configured to output a copy of recorded content received via a communication pathway for storing on an external medium; a content control unit configured to control the output of the recorded content and disable the reproduction of the recorded content when the copy is output; and a content information output unit configured to output externally attribute information comprising at least reproduction status information.
US08249426B2
A method (100) of automatically editing audio and visual recordings to produce an audio-visual production using computer processing means. The method (100) involves a first step (101) of setting production criteria in which the desired production duration, target device, maximum execution time and location of media files are specified. In a second step (102) a style is selected for applying to the media files. A third step (103) of selecting ones of the media files involves selecting those media files in folders which have been accessed most recently by a user, based on awarding a score to folders. In a fourth step (104), the selected style is applied. This is followed in a fifth step (105) by rendering the production to the target device.
US08249412B2
A wedge deadend used to secure a cable is disclosed. The wedge deadend includes a single assembled frame comprising two plates. Two wedges between the plates grip a cable between them. A cam/bail retainer is included to align the wedges precisely.
US08249409B2
A multifunctional optical film for enhancing light extraction includes a flexible substrate, a structured layer having nanoparticles of different sizes, and a backfill layer. The structured layer effectively uses microreplicated diffractive or scattering nanostructures located near enough to the light generation region to enable extraction of an evanescent wave from an organic light emitting diode (OLED) device. The backfill layer has a material having an index of refraction different from the index of refraction of the structured layer. The backfill layer also provides a planarizing layer over the structured layer in order to conform the light extraction film to a layer of an OLED display device. The film may have additional layers added to or incorporated within it to an emissive surface in order to effect additional functionalities beyond improvement of light extraction efficiency.
US08249408B2
Embodiments of this invention include composite articles having specific optical properties. In one embodiment of this invention, a composite comprises high and low refractive index light transmitting material and surface relief features. In further embodiments, the composite comprises volumetric dispersed phase domains that may be asymmetric in shape. In one embodiment of this invention, the composite is an optical film providing light collimating features along two orthogonal planes perpendicular to the surface of the film. In another embodiment, the composite has improved optical, thermal, mechanical, or environmental properties. In further embodiments of this invention, the composite is manufactured by optically coupling or extruding two or more light transmitting materials, and forming inverted light collimating surface relief features or light collimating surface relief features. In further embodiments of this invention, a method of manufacturing a composite comprises forming one or more surface relief features on a component and injection molding or otherwise optically coupling two or more materials to the component. In one or more embodiments of this invention a light source is optically coupled to the composite or used in a light emitting device.
US08249406B2
A laser system including an optical cable jumper with input and output terminals, and a laser gun, wherein the optical jumper transmits a laser beam from a bundle-type optical cable connected to an input terminal thereof to a single-type optical cable connected to an output terminal thereof. The laser gun is connected to the single-type optical cable at a rear of the optical cable jumper to illuminate the laser beam to a target object.
US08249396B2
A system and methods for handling financial document returns and processing exceptions are disclosed. Embodiments of the invention provide a returns and exceptions platform to image-enable check returns and exceptions within a financial institution. This capability can be in part enabled by a system that provides both for decisioning based on images, and dispatching or exporting images and data in a plurality of formats from the system into which they are first loaded, so that paper items need not be referenced again. The plurality of formats for export can include X9.37i files, external and internal cash letters, and image replacement documents. The image-based processes of the invention can be implemented by a plurality of application servers and a plurality of database servers interconnected by a network.
US08249393B2
An index detection unit (1040) detects the coordinate values of indices in a sensed image sensed by an image sensing device (1020) attached with an orientation sensor (1010). A contribution degree calculation unit (1070) acquires contribution degrees according to a frequency at which the image sensing device (1020) is located to have an orientation indicated by orientation information included in the position and orientation information of the image sensing device (1020) at the time of image sensing. A data management unit (1060) generates sets of the coordinate values and orientation information measured by the orientation sensor (1010) at the time of sensing of the sensed image for respective indices. A calibration information calculation unit (1090) calculates an orientation of the orientation sensor (1010) with respect to the image sensing device (1020) using the position and orientation information, parameter values, and the sets generated for the respective indices.
US08249376B2
A method and apparatus for restoring an image. The method includes extracting predetermined channels from image data including a plurality of channels; and restoring the extracted channels using a first filter.
US08249373B2
An image decoding apparatus includes a memory, a detecting part which receives data of a plurality of macroblocks included in an image and detects whether or not a first macroblock included in the plurality of macroblocks has an intra-block, and a control part which writes a DCT coefficient of the first macroblock into the memory when the detecting part determines that the first macroblock has the intra-block, and does not write the DCT coefficient of the first macroblock into the memory when the detecting part determines that the first macroblock has no intra-block.
US08249371B2
A selective predictor utilizes a selective prediction method for coordinate data encoding. The selective predictor may calculate multiple prediction vectors for each vertex in the shape traversal order. Then, the selective predictor selects the vector that is closest to the vertex to be estimated. In determining the multiple prediction vectors, the selective predictor considers the position of several previous vertices in the traversal order. The selective predictor outputs a correction vector for the selected prediction vector and identification information indicting the selected prediction vector.
US08249362B1
Disclosed is a method for determining the absence or presence of one or more instances of a predetermined pattern in an image, and for determining the location of each found instance within a multidimensional space. A model represents the pattern to be found, the model including a plurality of probes. Each probe represents a relative position at which a test is performed in an image at a given pose, each such test contributing evidence that the pattern exists at the pose. The method further includes a comparison of the model with a run-time image at each of a plurali of poses. A match score is computed at each pose to provide a match score surface. Then, the match score is compared with an accept threshold, and used to provide the location any instances of the pattern in the image.
US08249360B2
A method and a device are for an automated comparison of at least two sets of measuring values. The measuring values of the two sets are assigned respectively to one class from a finite number of classes defined by indices so that a frequency distribution is defined respectively for each of the two sets, which frequency distribution indicates for each class a frequency of the measuring values assigned to this class. A distance measure reflecting a similarity or dissimilarity between the two sets of measuring values between these frequency distributions is calculated as a function of a final value of a first auxiliary value termed here match by way of example. The first auxiliary value match is calculated by an algorithm using two sets of variables in that, with a given maximum distance dmax≧1 for all integral distances d with 0≦d≦dmax, beginning with d=0 and continuing to larger distances d, respectively for all indices i and j at a distance from each other by the distance d. A current value of a further auxiliary value is defined as m=min (qi′, vj′), m stands for the further auxiliary value, qi′ for the variables of a first of the two sets of variables and vj′ for the variables of the second set of variables, the variables of the two sets of variables being defined at the beginning of the algorithm as qi′=qi, vj′=vj, wherein qi stands for the frequencies from a first of the two frequency distributions and vj for the frequencies of the second frequency distribution. Respectively the variables qi′ and vj′ are defined again by subtracting the current value of the further auxiliary value m and the current value of the further auxiliary value m, multiplied by a matrix element ai, j, is added to a current value of the first auxiliary value match defined originally as match=0, the matrix elements ai, j forming a similarity matrix with ai, i=1 for all indices i and 0≦ai, j≦1 for all indices i and j at a distance of at most dmax with i≠j.
US08249348B2
Embodiments disclosed include methods and systems for reusing labels for connected component labeling including assigning one or more labels to one or more groups of raw data representing one or more regions by designating one or more data structures as containing information about the one or more regions; connecting the one or more labels determined to be related; choosing a root label for the connected one or more labels, the root label determined by locating an earliest data element from the one or more groups of raw data; altering a label list of the one or more labels, the label list altered by flagging the root label to include a region label index; and overwriting one or more region label indexes according to the root label.
US08249344B2
A two-dimensional representation of a document is leveraged to extract a hierarchical structure that facilitates recognition of the document. The visual structure is grammatically parsed utilizing two-dimensional adaptations of statistical parsing algorithms. This allows recognition of layout structures (e.g., columns, authors, titles, footnotes, etc.) and the like such that structural components of the document can be accurately interpreted. Additional techniques can also be employed to facilitate document layout recognition. For example, grammatical parsing techniques that utilize machine learning, parse scoring based on image representations, boosting techniques, and/or “fast features” and the like can be employed to facilitate in document recognition.
US08249341B2
An image processing method for removing a noise component contained in an original image includes: extracting a noise component contained in an original image in a work color space; creating a noise-free image in the work color space based upon the extracted noise component and a difference between gradation characteristics in the work color space and gradation characteristics in an output color space; converting the noise-free image in the work color space to an image in the output color space.
US08249335B2
Printed material for stereoscopic viewing is fabricated by creating images for the left eye and the right eye IL1 and IR1 for stereoscopic viewing, performing correction processing to remove perspective of images in the IL1 and IR1 at a base surface, creating images for the left eye and the right eye IL2 and IR2, and performing anaglyph processing or the like, based on the IL2 and IR2. An image IL for the left eye is created by rendering a projection of each point of a graphic object onto a base surface BS in a projection direction linking a viewpoint position for the left eye VPL to each point of the graphic object OB, and an IMAGE IR FOR THE RIGHT EYE is created by rendering a projection of each point of the graphic object onto the base surface BS in a projection direction linking a viewpoint position for the right eye VPL to each point of the graphic object OB. Printed material for stereoscopic viewing is fabricated by anaglyph processing or the like, based on the IL and IR.
US08249333B2
A method of segmenting image elements into a foreground and background is described, such that only the foreground elements are part of a volume of interest for stereo matching. This reduces computational burden as compared with computing stereo matching over the whole image. An energy function is defined using a probabilistic framework and that energy function approximated to require computation only over foreground disparities. An optimization algorithm is used on the energy function to perform the segmentation.
US08249321B2
An image processing apparatus includes an organ detecting unit that detects an organ area including an image of an eye in a target image and a red-eye detecting unit that detects a red-eye area including an image of a red eye by using the organ area. The red-eye detecting unit detects the red-eye area in accordance with a first detection process from the organ area and detects the red-eye area in accordance with a second detection process that is different from the first detection process from a remaining area acquired by excluding the organ area from the target image.
US08249313B2
A digital camera picks up an image of an object for face authentication prior to each of, for example, continuous photographing operations, and operates as follows if performing an actual photographing process only when a face of a designated person can be recognized in the acquired image. If the face of the designated person can be recognized at an arbitrary timing and the actual photographing process is performed, the digital camera changes a plurality of recognition conditions at the arbitrary timing, thereby reducing face recognition accuracy used if the face of the designated person is recognized at a time of second and following face recognitions. By reducing the face recognition accuracy, the second and following face recognitions can be performed at high speed. Besides, since the designated person can be recognized once during the previous face recognition, similar recognition accuracy to the unchanged and unreduced recognition accuracy (without changing the face recognition conditions) can be substantially ensured.
US08249312B2
An image processing device includes a size setting unit and a deformation processing unit. The size setting unit sets the size of a specific subject in the width direction and in the depth direction in a target image generated through imaging. The deformation processing unit deforms an image within an area, which includes an image of the specific subject in the target image, to a deformation degree corresponding to the set size.
US08249310B2
An image processing apparatus includes a face-image detector configured to detect a region of a face image from an image supplied thereto. A face-direction detector is configured to detect a direction that a face in the detected face image is facing and a feature-position detector is configured to detect feature positions corresponding to features of the face from the detected face image and the detected face direction. A feature-value calculator is configured to calculate feature values at the detected feature positions and a mapper is configured to map the calculated feature values using predetermined mapping functions. A a recognizer is configured to recognize whether the detected face is a registered face, using the mapped feature values and feature values registered in advance.
US08249299B1
Systems and methods for identifying, tracking, and using objects in a video or similar electronic content, including methods for tracking one or more moving objects in a video. This can involve tracking one or more feature points within a video scene and separating those feature points into multiple layers based on motion paths. Each such motion layer can be further divided into different clusters, for example, based on distances between points. These clusters can then be used as an estimate to define the boundaries of the objects in video. Objects can also be compared with one another in cases in which identified objects should be combined and considered a single object. For example, if two objects in the first two frames have significantly overlapping areas, they may be considered the same object. Objects in each frame can further be compared to determine the life of the objects across the frames.
US08249297B2
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for automatic visual detection of events, for recording images of those events and retrieving them for display and human or automated analysis, and for sending synchronized signals to external equipment when events are detected. An event corresponds to a specific condition, among some time-varying conditions within the field of view of an imaging device, that can be detected by visual means based on capturing and analyzing digital images of a two-dimensional field of view in which the event may occur. Events may correspond to rare, short duration mechanical failures for which obtaining images for analysis is desirable. Events are detected by considering evidence obtained from an analysis of multiple images of the field of view, during which time moving mechanical components can be seen from multiple viewing perspectives.
US08249295B2
A system to allow employers to monitor employee handwashing or hand sanitization compliance in a facility with a plurality of touchless dispensers for metering a cleanser, disinfectant or lotion on the hands of a user. A detector associated with each dispenser triggers operation of the dispensing mechanism and sends a signal to a local controller which date and time stamps the dispensing act. The controller sends a report to a central computer which identifies the dispenser and the date and time of each dispensing act. The reports from the several dispensers is stored in a database for management review. On receipt of a signal from the detector, the controller may also trigger operation of a preferably touchless input device to identify the user. Data collected by the input device is relayed to the central computer through the controller. The central computer is programmed with an algorithm for matching the data collected by the input device with data previously collected and identified with the user. During the dispensing processes, the controller may signal an output device that indicates to the user that the system is working.
US08249280B2
A thermoacoustic device includes a sound wave generator, a plurality of first electrodes, a plurality of second electrodes, a first network and a second network. The sound wave generator includes a first surface and a second surface. The plurality of first electrodes are disposed on the first surface. The plurality of second electrodes are disposed on the second surface. The first electrodes and the second electrodes are alternately arranged. Each of the first network and the second network includes a plurality of conducting wires. The plurality of first electrodes are connected together by the plurality of conducting wires in the first network. The plurality of second electrodes are connected together by the plurality of conducting wires in the second network.
US08249279B2
An apparatus includes an electromagnetic signal device, a medium, and a sound wave generator. The sound wave generator includes a carbon nanotube structure. The electromagnetic signal device transmits an electromagnetic signal to the carbon nanotube structure. The carbon nanotube structure converts the electromagnetic signal into heat. The heat transfers to the medium and causes a thermoacoustic effect.
US08249278B2
In an audio signal processing system, a plurality of audio signal processing apparatuses are previously linked to form a zone, and logically defined as devices belonging to a zone, and further the devices are grouped into a plurality of device groups within the zone. Each of the audio signal processing apparatuses includes a device group table that registers information specifying controls which are performed in respective audio signal processing apparatuses belonging to a device group in case that a group control command is given for collectively controlling the device group, and a master table that registers information specifying controls which are performed in respective device groups included in the zone in case that a zone control command is given for collectively controlling the zone. Both the collective control of the zone and the collective control of the device group are performed.
US08249266B2
A hearing protection device to be worn at either a primary position or a secondary position, comprising a hearing protection component and a noise measurement component, and an attachment mechanism to securely attach the noise measurement component to the hearing protection component, wherein at the primary position the noise measurement component detects a protected noise exposure and at the secondary position it detects an unprotected exposure, the noise measurement component comprises a microphone, a compartment that encloses the microphone and at least one filter, and the filter reduces resonance of said compartment incident upon said microphone.
US08249264B2
Reverberation parameters for one or more positions of interest are derived from graphics data used for displaying a computer-generated environment. For each position of interest for which reverberation parameters are desired, environmental parameters including distances and the hardness of features in a range of interest and at points on cubemap faces are automatically determined from the graphics data. The environmental parameters are stored with the graphics data and associated with each position of interest. Upon rendering of the computer-generated environment, reverberation property set values usable by a reverberation engine are calculated or interpolated between predetermined values according to the environmental parameters. Thus, values such as reverb, reverb delay, reflections, decay time, reflection delay, and other reverb parameters are automatically calculated, subject to selective operator tuning, and provide realistic reverberation effects in the sounds heard by a user who is experiencing the rendered environment.
US08249243B2
A method and apparatus are provided for controlling a server of a contact center system having a plurality of automatic contact centers. The method includes the steps of providing an audible menu to a supervisor of the contact center system having the plurality of automatic contact distributors, receiving an instruction from the supervisor and executing the received instruction within the server.
US08249226B2
A method, system and computer-usable medium for terminating an in-progress voicemail and immediately connecting callers to each other based on identity. A telephone system can be enabled to detect that a calling party (e.g., subscriber “A”) receives no answer from a called party (e.g., subscriber “B”) and if the calling party is a current voicemail recipient from the called party then the voicemail message can be discarded by the telephone system. Such an approach enables an immediate connection between the calling party and the called party to each other by a call switching component. The incomplete voicemail message in the voicemail system is automatically discarded. A command to discard and/or erase the voicemail message can be predetermined by the telephone system.
US08249222B2
Example methods and apparatus to trigger maintenance and upgrades of access networks are disclosed. An example method comprises obtaining a first value representing a number of unassigned ports associated with a first digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM), obtaining a second value representing a projected number of ports associated with the first DSLAM needed to satisfy at least one of anticipated, projected or pending service requests, and determining whether to automatically submit a preventative maintenance trouble ticket for the first DSLAM based on the first and second values.
US08249212B2
A method for attaching a core spray sparger T-box clamp for a sparger T-box in a shroud of a nuclear reactor pressure vessel assembling the anchor plate, bearing plate and saddle bracket; positioning the assembly of the anchor plate, bearing plate and saddle bracket in front of the T-box such that the saddle bracket is below a sidewall of the T-box; elevating the assembly to seat the saddle bracket against a lower surface of the sidewall and sliding a locating pin on the saddle bracket into an aperture in the sidewall; lowering a carrier plate onto an upper surface of the sidewall and attaching the carrier plate to the anchor plate, wherein a locating pin on the carrier plate slides into an aperture on the upper surface, and advancing the bearing plate to the T-box to bias a bearing plate against a cover plate of the T-box.
US08249211B2
Provided is a modified target assembly in which the target fluid is moved within the target assembly in a manner that increases the effective density of the target fluid within the beam path, thereby increasing beam yield utilizing forced convection. The target may also include optional structures, such as nozzles, diverters and deflectors for guiding and/or accelerating the flow of the target fluid. The target assembly directs the target fluid along an inner sleeve in a direction opposite the direction of the beam current to produce a counter current flow and may also direct the flow of the target fluid away from the inner surface of the inner sleeve and toward a central region in the target cavity. This countercurrent flow suppresses natural convection that tends to reduce the density of the target fluid in the beam path and tends to increase the heat transfer from the target.
US08249206B2
A method of channel estimation in orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing communication employing three or more subcarriers, wherein frequency correlation exists between the subcarriers. The method includes: calculating a coarse channel estimate for each of the subcarriers, and calculating from the coarse channel estimates refined channel estimates for each of the subcarriers, wherein calculation of the refined channel estimates includes calculating the parameters of a Wiener Filter having a length of 2 L+1, where L is a positive integer, and filtering the coarse channel estimates with the Wiener Filter.
US08249202B2
A communication system includes: a sampling section that samples a reception signal; a preprocessing execution section that acquires a sampling value, which is obtained by the sampling section, while executing preprocessing for performing a Fast Fourier Transform in a divided manner; and a Fast Fourier Transform section that performs the Fast Fourier Transform in the divided manner on the basis of an output acquired from the processing execution section.
US08249193B2
A wireless communication device including a controller communicably coupled to a transceiver. In one embodiment, the controller generates a QPSK sequence having multiple elements wherein each element includes real and imaginary parts. In another embodiment, the sequence is selected from a groups of sequences stored on a user terminal. Thereafter, the controller generates a reference signal based on the information representative of the selected QPSK sequence.
US08249189B2
According to one embodiment, a wireless transmission method is disclosed. The method can perform feedback loop processing including subtracting a feedback data signal obtained by multiplying a feedback processing data signal by a gain from an input data signal to generate the feedback processing data signal. The method can perform beam forming processing with respect to the feedback processing data signal and at least one pilot signal for channel estimation to generate a beam-formed signal. In addition, the method can transmit the beam-formed signal by a plurality of antennas. Precoding processing performed on the pilot signal is only beam forming processing.
US08249185B2
Systems for processing differentiated hierarchical modulation used in radio frequency communications
The present invention employs hierarchical modulation to simultaneously transmit data over different modulation layers using a carrier RF signal. Each modulation layer may be of a higher or lower order than the other modulation layers. Certain embodiments of the present invention may transmit different information on the different modulation layers. Other embodiments of the present invention may use the different layers for processing information differently.
US08249182B2
A decoding circuit performs, with a single circuit, decoding in association with various image encoding systems. A pattern storing unit stores scan pattern data for a scan pattern, a control unit writes scan pattern data for supplied encoded data in the pattern storing unit, a pattern readout control unit reads out the scan pattern data stored in the pattern storing unit, a variable length decoding unit restores coefficient data from the supplied encoded data, and an inverse scan processing unit rearranges the restored coefficient data according to the scan pattern data read out from the pattern storing unit.
US08249160B2
A plurality of initial decimation filters are concatenated into an initial combined decimation filter. The initial decimation filters are assigned to a plurality of classes which associate the initial decimation filters with regions of an image to be predicted. An input signal is generated from the initial combined decimation filter and is weighted with a plurality of prediction filters. A correlation matrix and an observation vector are generated for the initial combined decimation filter from the input signal. An optimized combined decimation filter is extracted from the correlation matrix and observation vector. The optimized filter comprises a plurality of optimized decimation filters. The optimized combined decimation filter is de-concatenated into the plurality of optimized decimation filters.
US08249154B2
Provided are an intra prediction-based encoding method, and an apparatus for accomplishing the same. In the method, a linear prediction coefficient of a current block is calculated based on encoded blocks adjacent to the current block, a predicted block is generated by performing intra prediction on the current block by using a linear prediction coefficient, and a residual block that is the difference between the current block and the predicted block is encoded. Accordingly, information regarding a direction of intra prediction does not need to be additionally transmitted, thereby reducing the amount of bits that are to be transmitted, and the quality of an image can be improved by adaptively controlling the efficiency and precision of intra prediction.
US08249150B2
A method and apparatus for performing quantization during video compression, such as within an MPEG-2 encoder. Inter-quantization is particularly described, although the teachings may be applied to intra-quantization as well. Computationally intensive portions of the quantization process are split into multiple components in response to differing execution probability. A first component is executed within each quantization iteration, and preferably is performed in parallel, such as using SIMD processing. At least one additional component, such as a second component, is serially processed in response to detecting a condition that does not arise with each loop iteration. One configuration replaces division operations with a combination of multiply and shift operations, while making extended use of table lookup procedures to reduce processing overhead.
US08249143B2
The present invention provides a system for allocating a bitstream of scalable video coding (SVC). The system includes an adapter and an extractor. The adapter is employed for receiving a bitstream produced by a video encoder and producing an extracting parameter of the bitstream according to the feature of a bitstream parameter in the bitstream content. The extractor is employed for extracting and allocating the bitstream according to the above-mentioned extracting parameter. In this way, the present invention is able to achieve the maximum usage efficiency of bandwidth and the optimum frame quality.
US08249137B2
According to some embodiments, a method and apparatus are provided to generate a sine wave via a jitter modulator to modulate a control voltage of a clock source. The jitter modulator is in-situ on a die. The sine wave is received at a clock and data recovery circuit comprising the clock source. The clock and data recovery circuit is in-situ on the die.
US08249136B2
An adaptive frequency selective baseband communications method using orthogonal codes includes: a communications testing step of performing communications by using one of a plurality of codes each having a different frequency band; a proper code selecting step of selecting a proper code by using a correlation value of a plurality of codes included in test data transmitted in the communications testing step; a communications performing step of performing communications by using the proper code; and a feedback step of newly selecting a proper code by using the correlation value of the plurality of codes included in the test data transmitted in the communications performing step if a pre-set time duration has lapsed or if a reception error of more than a pre-set reference occurs, and performing the communications performing step again, wherein the test data transmitted in the communications testing step and the communications performing step includes a plurality of codes each having a different frequency band.
US08249134B2
The invention relates to methods and a high speed communication device that allow one of a plurality of high speed communication devices connected to a transmission line having a normal impedance to effectively receive data.The high speed communication device can include a transmission line interface connected to the transmission line, a receiver connected to the transmission line interface, and a transmitter selectively coupled to the transmission line interface. The transmitter can have an impedance substantially equal to the normal line impedance.The high speed communication device can present a high impedance to the transmission line with respect to the normal line impedance when the transmitter is not coupled to the transmission line interface, and the high speed communication device can present an impedance to the transmission line that is substantially equal to the normal line impedance when the transmitter is coupled to the transmission line interface.
US08249123B2
The present invention provides a surface emitting laser having a novel structure which eliminates necessity to provide a low refractive index medium at an interface of a photonic crystal layer on the side of a substrate. A multilayer mirror (1300), an active layer (1200), and a refractive index periodic structure layer (1020) whose refractive index changes periodically are laminated in a direction perpendicular to a substrate (1500). The refractive index periodic structure layer is structured so as to separate a light having a wavelength λ perpendicularly incident on the refractive index periodic structure into at least a transmitted light and a diffracted light. The multilayer mirror is structured so as to have a reflectance with regard to the diffracted light higher than a reflectance with regard to the transmitted light. A resonant mode is realized within a waveguide including the refractive index periodic structure layer and the multilayer mirror.
US08249102B2
A method and apparatus for session layer framing for interoperability between packet-switched systems is described. The method includes the steps of: generating (1210) a communication frame at the session layer including a plurality of fields; providing (1220) for a payload field in the plurality of fields for carrying a payload; and providing (1230) for a signal field in the plurality of fields for carrying a control signal.
US08249097B2
Aspects of the invention may include two gigabit Ethernet controllers integrated within a single chip and an I/O bridge coupled to the two gigabit Ethernet controllers and integrated within the single chip. The system may further include an I/O function coupled to the I/O bridge that is integrated within the single chip. The I/O function may include I/O logic and an I/O buffer integrated within the single chip and coupled to the I/O bridge and/or the two gigabit Ethernet controllers. A timing function or timing block may also be coupled to the I/O bridge and integrated within the single chip. A host system may be coupled to the I/O bridge. The I/O bridge may further include a primary bus controller, which may be a primary PCI bus controller. The controller or controller block may include control and status registers that may be coupled to the primary bus controller.
US08249094B2
Simulation models of media access control and physical layer characteristics facilitate the simulation/emulation of a variety of phenomena that affect transmissions via a wireless media. Such phenomena include media access contention delays, packet drops, and retransmissions that are generally dependent upon changes in transmitter/receiver locations. Each wireless environment is characterized by a model of the communication channel that characterizes transmission effects based on the number of competing transmitters in the environment, which is dynamically determined based on the location of each node in the environment. Additionally, the location of nodes is used to simulate the effects of ‘hidden nodes’, nodes that are unknown to a transmitting node but can interfere with the reception of transmissions at a receiving node. Each device/node model in the wireless environment preferably accesses the same model of the communication channel, thereby minimizing the amount of detail required at each device model.
US08249092B2
A communication device includes: a reception unit receiving communication signals having different frequencies, where the communication signals include logic channels, from another communication device; a measurement unit measuring line states of the received communication signals; a communication signal allocation unit allocating one or more communication signals to each of the logic channels; a margin setting unit setting a margin value for each logic channel and deciding the margin value set for the corresponding logic channel as a margin value of the communication signal; a communication speed decision unit deciding a communication speed of each of the communication signals such that an error rate of each of the communication signals is less than a prescribed value in line states degraded by the margin value of the communication signal from the measured line states; and a transmission unit notifying the other communication device of an allocation result of the communication signal and the decided communication speed.
US08249087B2
GW apparatuses send messages including data being sent from ECUs to a distribution apparatus without sending to an ECU. The distribution apparatus stores the messages on a database, and sends the messages to an ECU, and an ECU. In a case, the distribution apparatus sends the messages in a message sending order and the GW apparatuses relays the messages being sent from the distribution apparatus to the ECUs. The message sending order may be an order in which the distribution apparatus receives the messages an ascending (descending) order of values corresponding to message IDs applied to the messages or an ascending order of message received time of the messages.
US08249077B2
Methods for Enhancing the Scalability of IMS in VoIP Service Deployment lower the number of messages transmitted between functions of an IMS network. The number of messages transmitted between functions of an IMS network are lowered by storing and utilizing predetermined configuration information pertaining to the calling and called parties including the media and codecs the parties support. The predetermined configuration information, which may be based on a prior peering business agreement, supports the implementation of a one round procedure for establishing an IMS communication session.
US08249070B2
In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses detect a network bandwidth; detect a sequence of frames; determine a motion based on the sequence of frames; set a target bit rate for the sequence of frames based on the network bandwidth; and set a frame rate for the sequence of frames based on the motion of the sequence of frames, wherein the target bit rate and the frame rate are utilized to process the sequence of frames.
US08249049B2
In an example embodiment, a method for synchronizing clocks between a plurality of clocked devices where one of the plurality of clocked devices is not directly synchronized with another of the plurality of clocked devices. Clock offset and a clock drift between a first clock associated with a first device and a second clock associated with a second is directly determined based on signals exchanged between the first and second devices. Clock offset and clock drift between the second clock and a third clock associated with a third device is directly determined based on signals exchanged between the second and third devices. A clock offset and clock drift between the first clock and third clock is determined based on a difference between the clock offset and drift between the first and second clocks and the clock offset and drift between the second and third clocks.
US08249042B2
Method and apparatus for providing a wireless mesh network and network node are described. More particularly, a network having network node neighborhoods is described. A node comprises a multi-sectored antenna and a transceiver controller. Nodes are configured for installation without antenna pointing and without pre-coordination with the network. Software architecture for the node is also described.
US08249039B2
A network having distribution of access point loading includes access points to which mobile stations can associate themselves based upon access point beacon signal levels and loading levels for the various access points. A mobile station receives beacon signals from various access points and determines a signal strength for the received beacon signals. The mobile station also receives access point loading information from the access points. The mobile station associates with an access point based upon the access point beacon signal strengths and the access point loading information.
US08249036B2
An apparatus and method for a Multicast and Broadcast Service (MBS) in a Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) system. In a method for operating a user terminal in a BWA system, an idle timer is driven when a flow for unicast connection has no traffic in an awake mode. Whether a broadcast service is being received is checked when the idle timer expires. The user terminal transitions from the awake mode to a fake idle mode when the broadcast service is being received.
US08249028B2
In one embodiment, the present invention is a method and apparatus for identifying wireless transmitters. In one embodiment, a method for identifying a transmitter in a wireless computing network includes extracting one or more radio frequency signal characteristics from a communication from the transmitter and generating a fingerprint of the transmitter in accordance at least one of the extracted radio frequency signal characteristics.
US08249024B2
Soft handoff in an OFDMA system is disclosed. If the pilot signal strength for a base station exceeds the defined threshold, the base station is added to an active set list. Subcarriers in a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols are divided and allocated into subchannels. The OFDM symbols are divided and multiplexed. A soft handoff zone with a first dimension of the subchannels and a second dimension of the divided and multiplexed OFDM symbols is defined. The soft handoff zone has subcarriers with a subchannel definition, for example, an identical permutation.
US08249023B2
Packet switched radio telecommunication system supporting hard handover and method for hard handover
A packet switched radio telecommunication system supporting hard handover adapts Always_on technology to a link between a target packet data serving node (PDSN) and a support PDSN. The support PDSN assigns a temporary IP address to a mobile terminal in its service area, and transmits handover data and the mobile terminal's temporary IP address to the target PDSN via a direct link when the mobile terminal leaves the service area. The target PDSN, upon receiving a registration request for the temporary IP address from the mobile terminal moved to its service area, temporarily registers the temporary IP address in an IP pool. The target PDSN receives down-link frame data for the mobile terminal at the temporarily registered IP address from the support PDSN via the direct link. A new temporary IP address is assigned by the target PDSN when data transmission/reception is complete to the mobile terminal.
US08249020B2
A synchronization method, a communication handover method, a radio network, and a RAN node are disclosed. The interface information synchronization method includes: determining whether a condition for initiating interface information update is fulfilled; and sending information about the S1 interface between the RAN node and the core network node, and/or information about the X2 interface between the RAN node and the neighboring RAN node to the neighboring RAN node if the condition for initiating interface information update fulfilled.
US08249019B2
Methods and apparatuses for enabling Single Radio (SR)-Voice Call Continuity (VCC) of emergency calls are provided. More specifically, the methods and apparatuses provide continuity of IMS emergency sessions established in 4G access for mobility to 3G/2G access. Generally, a Mobility Management Entity (MME) in the packet switch (PS) domain provides a handover request to a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) Server in the circuit switch (CS) domain. The handover request includes an indication that the call is an emergency call and may include an indication that a Packet Switched Network Induced Location Request (PS-NI-LR) or similar location reporting procedure is required and/or a Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC) address. The MSC Server facilitates the handover to the CS domain via the Mg and/or Mw interface.
US08249017B2
A cellular communication system comprises a core network, a first access network not supporting circuit switched services and a second access network supporting circuit switched services. A user equipment detects that an application using circuit switched communication is initiated and accordingly initiates a reselection from the first to the second access network. The user equipment transmits a location update message to a circuit switch mobile switching center of the core network which in response notifies a mobility management entity for the first access network that the access network reselection has been initiated. In response to the notification the mobility management entity initiates a change of a routing association from being with the first access network to being with the second access network. The invention may e.g. allow improved circuit switched fallback for a 3rd Generation Partnership Project cellular communication system comprising an access network supporting only packet switched services.
US08249014B2
A method and apparatus for requesting and allocating bandwidth in a broadband wireless communication system. The inventive method and apparatus includes a combination of techniques that allow a plurality of CPEs to communicate their bandwidth request messages to respective base stations. One technique includes a “polling” method whereby a base station polls CPEs individually or in groups and allocates bandwidth specifically for the purpose of allowing the CPEs to respond with bandwidth requests. The polling of the CPEs by the base station may be in response to a CPE setting a “poll-me bit” or, alternatively, it may be periodic. Another technique comprises “piggybacking” bandwidth requests on bandwidth already allocated to a CPE. In accordance with this technique, currently active CPEs request bandwidth using previously unused portions of uplink bandwidth that is already allocated to the CPE. The CPE is responsible for distributing the allocated uplink bandwidth in a manner that accommodates the services provided by the CPE. By using a combination of bandwidth allocation techniques, the present invention advantageously makes use of the efficiency benefits associated with each technique.
US08249013B2
Provided is a base station capable of suppressing increase of overhead of allocation result report in frequency scheduling in multi-carrier communication and obtaining a sufficient frequency diversity effect. In the base station, encoding units (101-1 to 101-n) encode data (#1 to #n) to mobile stations (#1 to #n), modulation units (102-1 to 102-n) modulate the encoded data so as to generate a data symbol, a scheduler (103) performs frequency scheduling according to a CQI from each mobile station so as to uniformly allocate data to the respective mobile stations for a part of RB extracted from a plurality of RB, and an SCCH generation unit (105) generates control information (SCCH information) to report the allocation result in the scheduler (103) to the respective mobile stations.
US08249008B2
A method and apparatus for an enhanced general packet radio service (EGPRS) system is provided. A plurality of temporary block flows (TBFs) are established or reconfigured. If fast ACK/NACK reporting (FANR) activation for one TBF is inconsistent with FANR activation for another TBF, the allocated TBFs are aborted.
US08249002B2
In performing SVD-MIMO transmission, a set-up procedure is simplified while assuring a satisfactory decoding capability with a reduced number of antennas. A transmitter estimates channel information based on reference signals sent from a receiver, determines a transmit antenna weighting coefficient matrix based on the channel information, calculates a weight to be assigned to each of components of a multiplexed signal, and sends, to the receiver, training signals for respective signal components, the training signals being weighted by the calculated weights. On the other hand, the receiver determines a receive antenna weighting coefficient matrix based on the received training signals.
US08248997B2
In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a method is disclosed that comprises receiving a reference signal from each of at least two target neighbor cells via at least one receiving branch at a user equipment; estimating a timing range based at least on one of a timing advance for a serving cell and an inter-cell distance between the target neighbor cell and the serving cell; computing a reference signal time difference for the received reference signal from the target neighbor cell; and screening the computed reference signal time difference using the estimated timing range.
US08248995B2
A frequency agile radio configured to determine an estimated coverage area of a primary transmitter is disclosed. The radio includes at least one position device configured to determine a position coordinate of the radio and generate a corresponding position signal. The radio also includes at least one frequency agile receiver configured to measure a power of a transmission at least one frequency and generate a corresponding signal. Additionally, the radio includes at least one controller in communication with the at least one position device and the at least one frequency agile receiver. The controller is configured to determine a plurality of position coordinates of the radio and a plurality of signal power datums. The controller is also configured to estimate the coverage area of the at least one primary transmitter, based on the determined plurality of position coordinates and the determined plurality of signal power datums.
US08248991B2
Disclosed is a method for providing a broadcast service in a mobile communication system including a plurality of cells. The method includes transmitting broadcast program information related to available broadcast programs, broadcast-related information needed for receiving the available broadcast programs, and broadcast zone identification information, to an access terminal; and transmitting the broadcast service to the access terminal.
US08248977B2
For selectively routing downlink frequency channels to downlink beams of a communications satellite, the inherent routing functionality of a normal bandwidth multiport amplifier (MPA) is exploited in conjunction with the grouped channel filter characteristics of an output multiplexer (OMUX). In this arrangement the guard bands inherent in the OMUX mitigate the poor inter-port isolation inherent in the MPA so that two low performance elements in combination can be used to achieve an improved performance at system level.
US08248976B2
In order to perform uplink scheduling for a terminal, a base station receives information on uplink interference due to the terminal from neighbor base stations, transmits the information on the uplink interference to the terminal, receives information on transmission power of a feedback channel from the terminal through the feedback channel, compares the transmission power of the feedback channel and reception power of the feedback channel so as to estimate transmission loss, and performs uplink scheduling for the terminal by reflecting the transmission loss.
US08248970B2
A wireless communication device with a plurality of radios and a plurality of configurable antenna systems. Determining a plurality of transmit and receive signal quality metrics for connections between the wireless communication device and a plurality of stations for a plurality of radios and configurable antenna systems in a plurality of configurations. Determining a connection matrix that includes the transmit and receive signal quality. Selecting antenna configurations for the configurable antennas using the connection matrix.
US08248966B2
An address assignment method of a mobile node, for hierarchical routing in a low-power wireless personal area network (LoWPAN), includes (a) classifying a plurality of fixed nodes in a hierarchical way, (b) designating a management node and a head node of a lower level than the level of the management node in the fixed nodes, (c) determining if the mobile node can communicate with the head node, and (d) assigning an address to the mobile node through a neighboring head node, which can communicate with the mobile node when the mobile node cannot communicate with the head node. Therefore, addresses may be assigned without limitation until the addresses for the mobile nodes are exhausted. Furthermore, even when the mobile node having an assigned address from a first region moves from the first region to a second region, the packet may be sent or received through the hierarchical routing.
US08248965B2
A service convergence fabric (103) is operably disposed between a plurality of independent access networks, control networks, and service networks (104) and a converged application layer (100). This service convergence fabric is then used (202) to receive a service request, process the service request, provide a corresponding response, and publish that response to facilitate the service request. Processing the service request can comprise processing the service request with respect to resources to support the service request, user session status as corresponds to the service request, and user preferences as correspond to the service request. Providing a response can comprise providing a response that comprises at least one of a processed service request and a converged response to the service request.
US08248963B2
Provided is a method for localization message process. The method includes allocating cluster resources for recognizing a location of a mobile node, setting operation of each node by deciding a cluster operation state for the mobile node, measuring distances between the mobile node to each of anchor nodes, and recognizing a location of the mobile node.
US08248955B2
Each of a plurality of serially-connected data transmission apparatuses comprises a first shift register, a fault-detecting circuit and a second shift register. The second shift register is configured to receive a second serial input signal and generate an output signal according to a clock signal. The fault-detecting circuit is configured to select one of the outputs of the second shift register and a first serial input signal based on the fault-detecting result. The first shift register is configured to receive the output of the fault-detecting circuit and generate an output according to the clock signal. The second serial input signal is equal to the first serial input signal of at least one preceding stage, and the first serial input signal is equal to the output serial signal of the preceding stage. One purpose of the present invention is to maintain continuous transmission of the serial data when a failure of the serially-connected data transmission apparatus occurs.
US08248950B2
An apparatus and method of transmitting a Redirect message in a wireless communication system is described. A Redirect message is generated comprising an 8 bit MessageID field, a 16 bit StayAwayDuration field wherein the StayAwayDuration field indicates the units of second for which an access terminal will not make an access attempt at the sector sending this message, an 8 bit NumChannel field wherein the NumChannel indicates the number of channel records included in the message, an 8 bit RedirectReason field wherein the RedirectReason reflect the redirect reason and a Channel field wherein the Channel field indicates the channel that the access terminal should reacquire. The Redirect message is transmitted over a communication link.
US08248948B2
A method of determining a location of a network condition within a wireless mesh network is disclosed. The method includes a test device testing a first plurality of wireless hops of the wireless mesh network. The test device also tests a second number of wireless hops of the wireless mesh network. The test device locates the network condition within the wireless mesh network by comparing the test of the first plurality of wireless hops with the test of the second number of wireless hops.
US08248946B2
Effective control of communications traffic, even under fast-changing DDoS attacks, might be performed by (a) determining parameters of a leaky bucket using nominal communications traffic, (b) applying current communications traffic to the leaky bucket, (c) observing overflows, if any, of the leaky bucket, (d) scoring the current traffic based on the observed overflows, and (e) passing or dropping traffic based on the score. Alternatively, such control might be performed by (a) determining average mean and variance of each of one or more attribute values of nominal communications traffic, (b) determining a mean of each of the one or more attribute values of current communications traffic, (c) determining a probability that for each of the one or more attributes, its current mean value deviates more from its average mean that its current attribute value, (d) scoring the current traffic based on the determined probability or probabilities, and (e) passing or dropping traffic based on the score.
US08248942B2
Techniques are provided herein to enable monitoring of a real-time transport protocol (RTP) packet flow in devices along the path that the RTP packet flow traversed from a source to a destination. A device that is a source or destination of a RTP packet flow transmits a monitor request message that requests one or more other devices along a path of the RTP packet flow to monitor the RTP packet flow. The device that is the source or destination of the RTP packet flow receives one or more monitoring reports from the one or more other devices along the path of the RTP packet flow. This allows a device that requested monitoring of the RTP packet flow to analyze the monitor reports in order to determine a location of a cause of reduced performance in the RTP packet flow. e.g., missing packets, overly delayed packets, etc.
US08248941B2
User equipments UEs send their buffer status reports and data to a relay node RN. The RN stores the data in actual buffers per radio bearer group RBG, and stores the UEs buffer occupancies in virtual buffers per RBG. The RN then sends its own status report to the controlling eNBr with the actual buffer occupancy and information about the virtual buffer occupancy. This enables the eNBr to know in advance the volume of data incoming to the RN's actual buffers, as well as the current occupancy of those buffers, so as to better allocate radio resources. Further, the RN can take soundings of the uplink channels between UEs and the RN, which are then aggregated across the RBRs and sent to the eNBr as a special UL CQI report. The eNBr is thereby enabled to anticipate how soon the data in the UE buffers will appear in the RN's actual buffers (from the additional information of average UL CQI info and virtual buffer status), and thus better allocate the RBRs to be used for the different RBGs in the RN-eNB link as well as the optimal set of RBRs to the UE-RN link, which the RN can redistribute among the UEs that it is serving.
US08248936B2
An IP multicast broadcast device, an IP multicast receiver device, and a method of congestion control in reliable IP multicast are described that mitigate the impact of signal blockage in radio-based IP multicast networks. In one example multicast network, the IP multicast broadcast device, and the IP multicast receiver devices may be configured to support an IGMP-based multicast protocol in which a NORM protocol, a congested packet marking protocol, e.g., such as the ECN protocol described above, and a router congestion prediction protocol, e.g., such as the RED protocol, have been implemented. In addition, the implemented NORM protocol may implement a TCP congestion control algorithm that generates adjusted transmission rates based, at least in part, on a count of ECN congestion marked packets and a count of dropped packets at a selected receiver. As a result, the generated transmission rates are not unduly affected blockage of the radio-based transmission signal.
US08248934B2
An apparatus for determining and displaying a transaction reset metric of individual transactions between host devices operating over a network includes a network management device, a processor, and a display device. The network management device monitors flows between the hosts, where the individual flows include individual transactions involving exchanges of packets. The network management device identifies flow resets that terminate flows between hosts. The processor evaluates the flow resets by identifying each flow reset that occurred during an incomplete transaction as a transaction reset and computes a transaction reset count metric as the sum of transaction resets that occur. The processor also identifies individual transactions terminated by a transaction reset. The display device displays on an individual transaction basis whether or not individual transactions were terminated by a transaction reset and displays the transaction reset count metric for selected portions of the network under test.
US08248927B2
According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for forming groups of network device within a network comprises (i) obtaining a source media access control (MAC) address for a network device and (ii) assigning the network device to a virtual local area network based on the source MAC address and a total number of virtual local area networks supported by a network.
US08248924B2
In a wireless mobile communications system, a network transmits a response request message with respect to a particular point-to-multipoint service to a terminal, and then the terminal transmits a response message to the network using an allocated uplink access preamble included in the response request message, thereby effectively performing a counting procedure with respect to the particular broadcast service at a minimum overhead.
US08248920B2
Methods and apparatus that form the basis of an alternate spanning tree protocol that may be used, for example, to identify rings within a properly converged network configured by the spanning tree protocol (STP) or rapid spanning tree protocol (RSTP) are provided. With the knowledge of these rings, the alternate spanning tree has predetermined an alternate port that can restore connectivity without further computation in case of a link failure, thereby providing for extremely fast reconvergence.
US08248919B2
A method for updating routing table information after a node fails in a P2P network is disclosed herein. The method includes: the range of the nodes whose route is directed to the failed node is determined according to the distance between the failed node and the neighboring node of the failed node; the failure information of the failed node is sent to the LDN of the failed node within the node range; and the LDN updates the routing table according to the failure information. A network device and a P2P communication network are also disclosed herein. The embodiments of the present invention enhance the capability of the whole P2P network in perceiving node churn and improve the route search efficiency and system stability of the whole P2P network.
US08248914B2
A gateway device includes a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) card, a standby VoIP card, and a VoIP control card communicating with the VoIP card and the standby VoIP card. Control of a current communication connection is switched from the VoIP card to the standby VoIP card by the VoIP control card when the VoIP card has failed to function. Control of the current communication connection is switched to the standby VoIP card allowing the standby VoIP card to maintain the current communication connection.
US08248909B2
A method and device for the baseband process of space-time/space-frequency/spatial diversity transmitter in the SC-FDMA system, the device is characterized in that: 1) an encoding means is connected to the output end of the M-point DFT module; 2) a space-time encoding means, for encoding the corresponding symbol of at least two adjacent symbol sets, and outputting at least two data sets; each sub-carrier mapping means maps respectively each data set to the corresponding antenna, so that the mapped data satisfy the requirements: The symbols mapped on each antenna keep the same sequence as the M symbols outputted by the M-point DFT module; the mapped symbols keep the same sub-carrier interval; the M data of each mapped SC-FDMA symbol are the M outputted data of the DFT module, or the inverse of the M outputted data, or the complex conjugate of the M outputted data, or the inverse complex conjugate of the M outputted data. The present invention implements effective space diversity, reduces PAPR, and makes frequency domain equalization feasible.
US08248907B2
In a multilayer optical disc having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards, because the type of each information layer is not recorded in the other information layers, in read and write operations by a compatible optical disc device conforming to a plurality of optical disc standards, every time the information layer being accessed changes, it has been necessary to read the type of the information layer and select a method of generating a tracking error signal adapted to the type of information layer, so access has taken time. In order to solve the above problem, in the optical multilayer disc according to the present invention, having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards, in an area in one of the information layers, information about the other information layers is recorded. The time required to access the other information layers can be reduced by using this information to select a tracking error signal generating method.
US08248888B1
An ultrasonic sensor for measuring the level of liquid in a vessel has an elongated tubular probe, a tube within the probe, and a transducer that converts electrical energy to ultrasonic energy mounted at or near one end of the tube to transmit ultrasonic energy along the probe longitudinal axis. A conical reflector that reflects ultrasonic energy is opposite the transducer ultrasonic energy emitting part to reflect ultrasonic energy received from the transducer upwardly in the probe to an air-liquid interface from which it is downwardly reflected to the conical reflector element that directs the energy reflected from the interface back to the transducer for conversion to an electrical signal that is used by an electronic module to measure the liquid level in the probe, which is the liquid level in the vessel, by measuring the round trip travel time of the ultrasonic signal energy.
US08248883B1
A system for implementing a non-volatile input/output (I/O) device based memory can include an interface configured to receive a processor request specifying a data unit. The data unit can be specified by a processor address. The system can include an address-data converter coupled to the interface. The address-data converter can be configured to correlate the processor address of the data unit to a data block within the non-volatile I/O device. The system further can include an I/O controller coupled to the address-data converter. The I/O controller can be configured to issue a non-volatile I/O device command specifying the data block to the non-volatile I/O device.
US08248870B2
According to one embodiment, a combination is comprised of a plurality of sense amps, each having an input for receiving a clock signal. A data bus is for receiving data from the plurality of sense amps in response to a clock signal being input to the plurality of sense amps. A tracking circuit is responsive to the clock signal for producing a control signal. A plurality of latches is responsive to the control signal for latching data from the bus. The control signal has a delay that is equal to the time needed for a last data bit to arrive at the plurality of latches. That delay may be equal to a delay associated with inputting the clock signal to a last one of the plurality of sense amps, plus a delay of the last sense amp, plus a delay of the data bus. That amount of delay may be achieved in a number of ways which combines electrical delay with delay inherently associated with the tracking circuit's location. For example, the delay of the control signal may be achieved by locating the tracking circuit proximate to the last one of the plurality of sense amps and providing the tracking circuit with an electrical delay equal to the delay of the last one of the plurality of sense amps. Because of the rules governing abstracts, this abstract should not be used to construe the claims.
US08248867B2
A memory array is provided having a memory cell coupled to a read word line and a write word line of the memory array and peripheral circuits for reading and writing to the memory cell. The memory cell comprises a storage element for storing a logical state of the memory cell powered at a reduced voltage during at least one functional operation and a write access circuit configured to connect the storage element to at least a first write bit line in the memory array in response to a write signal on the write word line for writing the logical state to the memory cell. The memory cell further comprises a read access circuit including an input node connected to the storage element and an output node connected to a read bit line of the memory array. The read access circuit is enabled and configured to read the logic state of the storage element in response to a read signal on the read word line. The reduced voltage is a voltage that is reduced relative to a peripheral operating voltage of at least one peripheral circuit associated with reading and/or writing of the memory cell.
US08248865B2
A memory cell array is configured as an arrangement of memory cells. A first voltage generating circuit is configured to, during a write operation on the memory cells, generate and supply to the memory cell array a first voltage from a constant voltage, and to, during a read operation on the memory cells, generate and supply to the memory cell array a second voltage from a power supply voltage. A second voltage generating circuit is configured to generate the constant voltage. A selector circuit is configured to, during the write operation, drive the second voltage generating circuit to supply to the first voltage generating circuit the constant voltage, and to, during the read operation, stop the second voltage generating circuit and supply to the first voltage generating circuit the power supply voltage.
US08248863B2
A data buffer control circuit and a semiconductor memory apparatus including the same are presented. The data buffer control circuit may include an internal command signal generator and a buffer enable signal generator. The internal command signal generator is configured to generate an internal command signal that is activated if delayed command signals are conditioned in a predetermined state of level combination. The buffer enable signal generator is configured to generate a buffer enable signal, which enables a data buffer receiving data in a writing mode, from the internal command signal in sync with a falling edge of an internal clock signal.
US08248861B2
A processor-based system includes a processor coupled to core logic through a processor bus. This includes a dynamic random access memory (“DRAM”) memory buffer controller. The DRAM memory buffer controller is coupled through a memory bus to a plurality of a dynamic random access memory (“DRAM”) modules and a flash memory module, which are at the same hierarchical level from the processor. Each of the DRAM modules includes a memory buffer to the memory bus and to a plurality of dynamic random access memory devices. The flash memory module includes a flash memory buffer coupled to the memory bus and to at least one flash memory device. The flash memory buffer includes a DRAM-to-flash memory converter operable to convert the DRAM memory requests to flash memory requests, which are then applied to the flash memory device.
US08248854B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate which includes a well. A memory cell array includes memory cells each including a floating gate electrode above the well and a control gate electrode above the floating gate electrode, and is configured to write data in units of pages each including memory cells connected in series and to erase data in units of blocks each includes a plurality of the pages. A control gate line is selectively electrically connected to the control gate electrodes of at least one of the blocks. A first switching element includes a current path having ends connected to the control gate line and a ground end. The well is charged, and the first switching element is turned off before the end of the discharge of the well.
US08248851B1
A system, apparatus, and method to read a memory cell of a memory device is described. The method includes biasing a drain select line (DSL), a source select line (SSL), and unaddressed wordlines of a memory block to a pass voltage to set the DSL, SSL, and unselected word lines into a conducting status; applying a source reading voltage to a source node of the source line; biasing a wordline coupled to the memory cell to a reading voltage; and evaluating the voltage of the bit line.The logical status of the addressed memory cell is based on sensing the bit line voltage during a charging phase of the bit line.
US08248848B1
A memory circuit includes a memory array with multi-level cells that are each capable of storing M bits of data, where M is an integer greater than one. A module reads a state of one of the multi-level cells. The module performs at least one of a first erase operation and a first program operation on the one of the multi-level cells for the M bits of data during a first time period.
US08248840B2
Magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) with integrated magnetic film enhanced circuit elements
A Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory (MRAM) integrated circuit includes a substrate, a magnetic tunnel junction region, a magnetic circuit element, and an integrated magnetic material. The magnetic tunnel junction region is disposed on the substrate, and includes a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer separated by a tunnel barrier insulating layer. The magnetic circuit element region is disposed on the substrate, and includes a plurality of interconnected metal portions. The integrated magnetic material is disposed on the substrate adjacent to the plurality of interconnected metal portions.
US08248837B2
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell including a resistance memory element which memorizes a high resistance state or a low resistance state, switches the high resistance state and the low resistance state by voltage application, one end of the resistance memory element being coupled to a bit line, the other end of the resistance memory element being coupled to a source line via the first transistor; and a resistor whose resistance value is higher than a resistance value of the resistance memory element in the low resistance state and lower than a resistance value of the resistance memory element in the high resistance state, one end of the resistor being coupled to said one end of the resistance memory element and the bit line, the other end of the resistor being coupled to the source line via the second transistor.
US08248831B2
A method for data storage in a memory that includes multiple analog memory cells fabricated using respective physical media, includes identifying a group of the memory cells whose physical media have deteriorated over time below a given storage quality level. A rejuvenation process, which causes the physical media of the memory cells in the group to meet the given storage quality level, is applied to the identified group. Data is stored in the rejuvenated group of the memory cells.
US08248826B2
An embodiment of a power-supply controller comprises a switching-control circuit, an error amplifier, and a signal generator. The switching-control circuit is operable to control a switch coupled to a primary winding of a transformer, and the error amplifier has a first input node operable to receive a feedback signal, a second input node operable to receive a comparison signal, and an output node operable to provide a control signal to the switching-control circuit. The signal generator is operable to generate either the feedback signal or the comparison signal in response to a compensation signal that is isolated from a secondary winding of the transformer and that is proportional to a load current through a conductor disposed between the secondary winding and a load.
US08248820B2
An electronic device includes a chassis, a power supply secured to the chassis adjacent to a rear wall of the chassis, a switch cable, a first cable clamp mounted to the chassis adjacent to an opening defined in a front wall of the chassis. The power supply includes an input connector, by which the power supply electrically connected to a power source. The switch cable includes a first connector electrically coupled to the input connector of the power supply, and a second connector exposed through the opening of the front wall to be electrically coupled to the power source. The first cable clamp retains the transforming cable in the chassis.
US08248816B2
A method of creating a layout geometry for a multilayer printed circuit board is described. The method involves identifying a signal trace connected to a connector pin via. A antipad is selected for use in conjunction with the connector pin via, where the antipad is of a size selected to prevent interference with said signal trace.
US08248815B2
A key assembly comprises a base plate, two elastic elements and a key body. The elastic elements are both mounted to the base plate, and the elastic elements are spaced from and opposite to each other. The key body is slidably mounted to the base plate between the two elastic elements. The key body includes a first key section and a second key section connected with the first key section. The first key section has an arcuate first contacting portion formed thereon. The second key section has an arcuate second contacting portion formed thereon. The first key section resists one of the two elastic elements, the second key section resisting another elastic element. When the first key section slides toward and compresses the elastic element that resists the first key section, the second key section slide away from the elastic element that resists the second key section.
US08248812B2
A cover latching assembly includes a housing, a releasing assembly and a cover. The housing includes an upper board, a side board extending from the upper board and an assembling portion disposed on the upper board communicating with the side board through a hole. The cover is detachably mounted on the housing and includes an upper wall and a peripheral wall. The peripheral wall has a notch defined therethrough corresponding to the hole; the upper wall has a latching hook formed thereon adjacent to the notch. The releasing assembly is releasably assembled within the accommodating portion of the housing through the hole and partially accommodated within the hole for releasably latching with the latching hook of the cover.
US08248804B2
The present invention relates to a smart junction box for a solar cell module, and provides a smart junction box for a solar cell module which enables an operator to easily connect and separate ribbon cables using the operation of the levers of pressing units, thereby being able to improve the contact stability of ribbon cables, and which has a heat sink structure, thereby effectively emitting the heat generated by the ribbon cables and the diodes to the outside. For this purpose, the smart junction box for a solar cell module of the present invention includes bus bars for transmitting electricity flowing from ribbon cables; and pressing units for selectively fastening and separating the ribbon cables located on contact portions of the bus bars depending on whether both ends of the lever projected by the manipulation of an operator are inserted into recesses formed in a body.
US08248802B2
A backboard assembly includes a back plate, an electrically insulative sheet and a connection element. The connection element comprises a plurality of first engaging structures on a first side thereof to engage with the back plate and a plurality of second engaging structures on a second side opposing to the first side to engage with the electrically insulative sheet.
US08248798B2
A thermal control system of a 3 U height includes various modules for providing temperature control in a rack environment. The modules may be, for example, a power module, user interface module, various different pump assemblies, various different models of fan assemblies, HTAs, and/or a serial communication interfaces.
US08248796B2
A server heat dissipating system includes two server assemblies, an airflow producing device configured to produce airflow, and a main airflow guiding pipe. Each server assembly includes a server cabinet configured to receive a first server and an airflow guiding device. The airflow guiding device is configured to guide airflow to the first server to dissipate heat generated by the first server. The main airflow guiding pipe is connected to the two airflow guiding devices to guide airflow from the airflow producing device to the airflow guiding devices.
US08248779B2
A computer includes a motherboard, a chassis to receive the motherboard, a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) card perpendicularly connected to the motherboard, a fan, and a fixing bracket. The chassis includes a fixing portion in parallel to the motherboard. The fixing bracket includes a base board defining an opening and a fixing element connected to the base board. The fan is mounted to the base board with a first side of the fan facing the opening, the base board is parallel to the PCI card, with a second side of the fan opposite to the first side facing the PCI card. Positions of the fasteners in the corresponding first slots are adjustable, to adjust a position that the fan is located on the base board. The assembly of the fan and the fixing bracket is used to improve cooling efficiency for the PCI card.
US08248774B2
A notebook computer includes a display, a base, a first connector and a second connector. The display includes a cover. The cover includes a first arc-shaped end. The first arc-shaped end includes an inner surface. The inner surface includes a first conductive member. The base includes a base plate. The base plate includes a second arc-shaped end. The second arc-shaped end includes an outside surface. The outside surface includes a second conductive member. The first connector is electrically connected to the display and the first conductive member, and the second connector is electrically connected to the base and the second conductive member. When the first conductive member contacts the second conductive member, the first connector is electrically connected to the second connector.
US08248770B2
A mounting apparatus is adjusted to selectively mount a first expansion card with a supporting extension and a second expansion card without a supporting extension. The mounting apparatus includes a bracket, a first retaining member, and a second retaining member. The first retaining members are attached to the bracket to mount the first expansion card within the bracket. The second retaining member is attached to the bracket and partially shields the first retaining member to mount the second expansion card.
US08248765B2
A portable electronic device comprises a cover section, a body section, a tilting adjuster and a rotating adjuster. The body section is adjustably coupled with the cover section. One end of the tilting adjuster is hinged to the body section. One end of the rotating adjuster is hinged to the cover section, the other end of the rotating adjuster is hinged to the other end of the tilting adjuster.
US08248761B2
A subunit is provided for a motor control center including an enclosure, a number of compartments, a plurality of power lines, and a number of covers for covering the compartments. The subunit includes a housing removably disposed within a corresponding one of the compartments, a plurality of electrical contacts movably coupled to the housing, and an actuating assembly for moving the electrical contacts into and out of electrical contact with the power lines. The subunit further includes at least one of a locking assembly, a panel assembly, and a secondary disconnect assembly. The locking assembly locks the position of the electrical contacts and restricts access to the actuating assembly. The panel assembly is pivotable and translatable with respect to the subunit housing. The secondary disconnect assembly is independent from the actuating assembly in order that movement of the electrical contacts does not move the secondary disconnect assembly.
US08248758B2
A coin-type electrochemical element enables the external lead terminal portions to be accurately and reliably attached to a first lid portion and to a second lid portion of the coin-type electrochemical element, and a method of its production. A coin-type electric double layer capacitor includes a first lid portion and a second lid portion. External lead terminal portions, each having a nearly triangular shape, are separately connected to the outer surfaces of the lid portions. Upon providing the external lead terminal portions having the triangular shape, a welded portion is allowed to have an increased area enabling the coin-type electrochemical element of even a small size to be accurately and reliably welded and making it possible to provide the coin-type electrochemical element having excellent reliability.
US08248756B2
An electrochemical device includes four or more electrodes which are laminated with separators provided between the respective electrodes, an electrolyte filled between the respective electrodes, and a sealing member which covers the periphery. The electrodes are arranged so that the polarities alternately change in the lamination direction, and each of the electrodes has projections projecting from diagonally opposite positions on the peripheral edge so that the positions of the projections of the electrodes of different polarities are opposite to each other in the lateral direction and the projections of the electrodes of the same polarity are aligned and connected with each other.
US08248753B2
A dielectric ceramic for use in dielectric ceramic layers has a main component represented by a composition formula of (Sr1-x-ySnxBay)TiO3, wherein x is 0.005≦x≦0.24, y is 0≦y≦0.25 in the composition formula. Preferably, the dielectric ceramic includes 0.01 mol to 5 mol of M (M is at least one of Mn and V) calculated as MO and/or 0.2 mol to 5 mol of Si calculated as SiO2, with respect to 100 mols of the main component, and more preferably, further includes 0.1 mol to 25 mol of Ca calculated as CaO with respect to 100 mols of the main component. The dielectric ceramic has an increased dielectric constant permitting size reduction when used in a laminated ceramic capacitor.
US08248747B2
A bi-directional protection circuit employs a single comparator for detecting fault conditions. Diodes are coupled between a detection node and voltage dividers setting references for inverting and non-inverting comparator inputs, each diode forward biased during one of the positive and negative halves of the alternating current input signal cycle and coupling the detection node to a respective one of the inverting and non-inverting comparator inputs, and reverse biased during the other of the positive and negative halves and decoupling the detection node from the other of the inverting and non-inverting comparator inputs. Upon an overcurrent condition during the positive half, a voltage at the inverting comparator input is drawn above the reference voltage at the non-inverting input. Upon an overcurrent condition during the negative half, a voltage at the non-inverting comparator input is drawn below the reference voltage at the inverting input.
US08248726B2
A hard disk drive has an information recording medium that is rotationally driven for recording and/or reproducing information and a rotor hub that supports the information recording medium. The rotor hub has a flat mounting surface disposed in an outer circumferential portion thereof and on which the information recording medium is mounted so as to contact an edge portion of the mounting surface. The mounting surface is made of stainless steel containing a machineability improving additive, except for selenium and tellurium, for improving the machineability of the mounting surface. At least one of the edge portion or a portion of the mounting surface in the vicinity of the edge portion contains surface pores formed by component particles of the additive falling from the mounting surface. Each of the pores has a length less than 10 μm in a circumferential direction of the mounting surface.
US08248722B2
Disclosed herein is a lens barrel including a lens having a reference portion, a barrel body having a supporting portion adapted to come into contact with the reference portion of the lens, and a lens holding member for holding the lens so that the lens is sandwiched between the lens holding member and the barrel body in the condition where the reference portion of the lens is biased against the supporting portion of the barrel body.
US08248721B2
A lens driving device includes a fixed housing, a movable lens holder movably received in the fixed housing, a base mounted to the fixed housing, a guide rod, and a piezoelectric actuator. The fixed housing has an opening defined at a corner thereof. The lens holder has a through hole formed therein, and the through hole is arranged opposite to the opening, a central axis of the through hole is parallel with an optical axis of the lens. The guide rod extends through the through hole, two ends of the guide rod coupled to the fixed housing and the base. The piezoelectric actuator is fixedly arranged in the opening of the fixed housing and in contact with an outer side surface of the lens holder. The piezoelectric actuator is deformable in itself along the optical axis thereby driving the lens holder to move along the guide rod in the first receiving space.
US08248710B2
A prism type of lens includes a first reflection lens, at least a first lens group, a second reflection prism, at least a second lens group, a third reflection prism, and at least a third lens group sequentially arranged from an object side to an image side. Light is reflected by the reflection prisms to form a bent light axis. Therefore, the optical axis has three sections for the lens groups to move respectively. The bent light axis has a longer distance that the lens of the present invention may have a great zoom range.
US08248697B2
A method for manufacturing an optical element that has a function to polarize and split incident light includes: a) forming a grid portion on a face of a substrate in a plural number with a predetermined pitch; b) forming a diffractive structure resist pattern on the face of the substrate; c) forming the diffractive structure by etching the substrate anisotropically in a thickness direction with the diffractive structure resist pattern; and d) forming a fine line on the grid portion by depositing a reflective material from an oblique direction onto the face of the substrate where the diffractive structure is provided.
US08248690B2
System for converting relatively long pulses from rep-rate variable ultrafast optical sources to shorter, high-energy pulses suitable for sources in high-energy ultrafast lasers. Fibers with positive group velocity dispersion (GVD) and self phase modulation are advantageously employed with the optical sources. These systems take advantage of the need for higher pulse energies at lower repetition rates so that such sources can be cost effective.
US08248689B2
To obtain automatic gain control with high accuracy by including first and second light monitors, a reference light supplying unit supplying reference light of which wavelength is set within a gain band of a distributed Raman amplification and out of a wavelength band of main signal light to the optical transmission path, a first reference light monitor monitoring a power of the reference light input to the optical transmission path from one end side thereof, a second reference light monitor monitoring the power of the reference light output from the other end side of the optical transmission path, and a controlling unit controlling supply of pump light in a pump light supplying unit as well as supervising a state of the optical transmission path, based on monitor results from the first and second light monitor and the monitor results in the first and second reference light monitors.
US08248687B2
There is provided a wide-band optical amplifier (10) that is capable of amplifying a wide-band signal. The wide-band optical amplifier (10) includes a first amplifier (NOPA1) that emits, based on a to-be-amplified light beam having a predetermined range of wavelengths and a first pump beam (L2) having a first wavelength, the to-be-amplified light beam having a first range of amplified wavelengths, where the first range is a part of the predetermined range, and a second amplifier (NOPA2) that emits, based on the to-be-amplified light beam having the first range of amplified wavelengths and a second pump beam (L3) having a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, the to-be-amplified light beam having a second range of amplified wavelengths, where the second range is different from the first range.
US08248686B2
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a color electrophoretic display device includes forming a thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate including a display region, wherein a plurality of pixel regions is defined in a matrix, and alignment keys are provided at the outside of the display region, forming an electrophoretic layer including a micro capsule layer formed so as to correspond to the display region of the TFT array substrate, and forming a color filter layer on an outer surface of the electrophoretic layer using the alignment keys so as to correspond to the respective pixel regions of the display region.
US08248676B2
A color image forming apparatus obtaining a high quality color image with little write start misregistration among optical scanning devices, includes a plurality of optical scanning devices respectively including an incident optical unit guiding a light beam from a light source unit to a deflection unit, an imaging optical system allowing the light beam deflectively scanned by the deflection unit to be focused on a scanned surface, and an optical system for synchronous detection for adjusting image start timing on the scanned surface by using a part of the light beam deflectively scanned by the deflection unit. A ratio of a focal length of the optical system for synchronous detection to a focal length of the imaging optical system is set appropriately in a main scanning section of the plurality of optical scanning devices for obtaining a black color image and color images other than the black color image.
US08248667B2
An operating unit selects a piece of document data from among a plurality of pieces of document data from a document database. A relationship-information searching unit searches a relationship information database that stores relationship information in the form of parent-child relationship between the pieces of document data, for the relationship information pertaining to the selected piece of document data. A related-document-list creating unit creates from the retrieved relationship information, a list that indicates a hierarchical relationship between the selected piece of document data and other pieces of document data. A display unit displays the pieces of document data related to the selected piece of document data on a single screen based on the list.
US08248657B2
This invention is directed to a printing apparatus capable of simplifying the apparatus arrangement by using a common processing unit to execute different processes. To achieve this, a common processing unit is adopted to execute the first processing to perform multi-value/binary conversion of multi-valued data and the second processing to perform resolution conversion and thinning processing of binary data. In accordance with an instruction input from a user, it is controlled to execute either the first or second processing. An image is printed on a printing medium based on data obtained by executing the common processing unit.
US08248654B2
The claimed invention is directed to an information processing apparatus for adding additional information to each page of a document. The apparatus includes a print setup unit for setting a binding position for a document, an additional information setup unit for setting a position of additional information to be added to each page of the document, and a rendering unit for rendering the additional information at an appropriate position on the basis of the position set by the additional information setup unit. When the additional information setup unit sets a relative position to a binding position, a rendering position of the additional information is determined for each page in accordance with the set relative position and the binding position set by the print setup unit.
US08248641B2
A printing device is connected to a host apparatus and a lower level printing device. When the printing device receives printing target data from the host apparatus, it sends the same printing target data to the lower level printing device. A printing unit prints the printing target data on a recording medium on a page by page basis. A data-delete command issuing unit, for each printed page printed by the printing unit, issues a print data deleting command to the lower level printing device to instruct the lower level printing device to delete a portion of the printing target data corresponding to the printed page.
US08248639B2
An apparatus, method, system, computer program and product each capable of storing supply information of a printer supply of an image forming device, and generating a supply information list including the supply information to be printed on a recording sheet according to print settings information.
US08248629B2
A job managing section acquires an operational status of a standby print job when a determination that a job having been accepted by a job accepting section is a reserved low-key print setting job is made, as a result of a determination by a reserved setting determining section, and also allocates a printout for the reserved low-key print setting job to an available time slot based on the acquired operational status. As a result, the printout for the reserved low-key print setting job can be executed in an available time slot which is different from a time slot for the standby print job. Accordingly, mixing of printed sheets related to a plurality of print jobs can be prevented as much as possible, and a contribution to an improvement in convenience at the user-side can be made.
US08248623B2
A printing apparatus, comprising: a printing unit that prints an image on a recording medium in a color mode or a monochrome mode based on a first job; a switching unit that performs a switching operation to switch between the color mode upon printing a color page and the monochrome mode upon printing a monochrome page; a first computing unit that computes, based on a switching time required for the switching operation, the maximum number of switching actions at which a printing turnaround time from a printing start time to a printing stop time is not more than a first time limit from the printing start time to a predetermined time limit; and a first limiting unit that restricts the switching operation based on a number of switching actions determined by the first computing unit.
US08248618B2
A method for determining the positions of structures (3) on a mask (2) is disclosed. The method is implemented in a metrology tool (1) comprising a measurement table (20) which is movable in X-coordinate direction and Y-coordinate direction. A first intensity profile (IX) is recorded along a first measurement direction (MRX), which is parallel to the X-coordinate direction. A second intensity profile (IY) is recorded along a second measurement direction (MRY), which is parallel to the Y-coordinate direction. A two-dimensional position of a centre of gravity (S) with respect to the coordinate system of the metrology tool (1) is determined from the first intensity profile (IX) and the second intensity profile (IY).
US08248613B2
A mechanism is disclosed for capturing reflected rays from a surface. A first and second lens aligned along a same optical center axis are configured so that a beam of light collimated parallel to the lens center axis directed to a first side, is converged toward the lens center axis on a second side. A first light beam source between the first and second lenses directs a light beam toward the first lens parallel to the optical center axis. Second light beam source(s) on the second side of the first lens, direct a light beam toward a focal plane of the first lens at a desired angle. An image capturing component, at the second side of the second lens, has an image capture surface directed toward the second lens to capture images of the light reflected from a sample capture surface at the focal plane of the first lens.
US08248612B2
Provided are sensors and methods of measuring the oxygen concentration of a fluid. An excitation light source is in optical communication with a transducer for transmitting an excitation light that is at least partially absorbed by the transducer. The transducer has a property of photoluminescence, and enters a higher energy state by at least partially absorbing the excitation light and enters a lower energy state through radiation of emitted light, thus producing spectral indicia. A light detection system, which is also in optical communication with the transducer, processes the spectral indicia to determine the concentration of oxygen in the fluid.
US08248611B2
Embodiments provide a handheld optical measuring device and method of measuring an optical property of a liquid sample. In some embodiments the optical measuring device includes a handheld controller module having an immersible sensor head and a sampling member including a sample cup and an attachment member that couples the sample cup to the handheld controller module. In some embodiments the attachment member is an elongated rigid member that is hingedly coupled to the controller module, thus providing a folding configuration for enclosing the sensor head with the sample cup during measurements, transportation, and/or storage. In some embodiments the attached sample cup provides a protective shell for the immersible sensor head during use and/or when not in use.
US08248605B2
A method of controlling a light beam in an optical system includes a light source that directs a collimated light beam along a path, through a sample, and toward the active area of a stationary detector. The method includes the step selectively moving a lens into the path of the light beam for spreading the beam in instances where the path of the beam is altered by the sample between the source and the stationary detector The detector, therefore, is held stationary. Adjustment means are provided for increasing the intensity characteristic of the light that reaches the detector to account for a decrease in intensity that occurs when the lens is in the path of the light beam to spread the beam.
US08248584B2
An apparatus comprises a grouping unit dividing substrates into groups, and determining reference and non-reference substrates for each group, a measurement unit measuring a first number of points for the reference substrate, and measuring a second number, smaller than the first number, of points for the non-reference substrate, a correction value determining unit determining a first correction value to position the reference substrate, and a second correction value to position the non-reference substrate, and an exposure unit exposing the reference substrate by positioning it based on the first correction value, and exposing the non-reference substrate by positioning it based on the second correction value, the correction value determining unit determining the first correction value based on the measurement of the reference substrate, and determining the second correction value based on the measurement of the non-reference substrate, and the measurement of the reference substrate or the first correction value.
US08248579B2
A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam, a support for a patterning device, a substrate table for a substrate, a projection system, and a control system. The patterning device is capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam. The projection system is configured to project the patterned radiation beam as an image onto a target portion of the substrate along a scan path. The scan path is defined by a trajectory in a scanning direction of an exposure field of the lithographic apparatus. The control system is coupled to the support, the substrate table and the projection system for controlling an action of the support, the substrate table and the projection system, respectively. The control system is configured to correct a local distortion of the image in a region along the scan path by a temporal adjustment of the image in that region.
US08248563B2
A system for displaying images is provided including a liquid crystal display panel. The liquid crystal display panel has a plurality of sub-pixels, each defined between two adjacent data lines extending along a vertical direction and two adjacent scan lines extending along a horizontal direction. The liquid crystal display panel comprises a transparent bottom electrode on the data lines, and a transparent top electrode on the transparent bottom electrode, wherein the transparent top electrode has an extended portion at a corner of the sub-pixel, extending along the horizontal direction to overlap at least a portion of the data line.
US08248554B2
An edge-lit backlight unit for a display is provided. In one embodiment, the backlight unit may include a light guide configured to receive light from a source and emit such light in a broad distribution to a turning film disposed over the light guide. The turning film may be configured to redirect light received from the light guide toward a normal of the turning film. In one embodiment, the light guide may be configured such that peak light distribution therefrom occurs at an incident angle of approximately sixty degrees, with broad light distribution substantially occurring over an angular range between incident angles of thirty-five and eighty-five degrees. Additionally, in one embodiment, the turning film may include multiple prisms that receive and redirect the light emitted from the light guide, and that include apex angles of less than or about sixty degrees. Additional edge-lit backlight units and methods are also disclosed.
US08248550B2
A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate which comprises a plurality of pixels where a thin film transistor and a pixel electrode electrically connected to the thin film transistor are formed, the first substrate including a gate line and a data line which insulatingly intersect each other; and a gate driver which applies a gate driving signal to the gate line, the thin film transistor including a gate electrode which is connected to the gate line; a source electrode which is connected to the data line; and a drain electrode which is connected to the pixel electrode, and the pixels being decreased in a value of Cp/(Cp+Clc+Cst) as going toward the gate driver (where, Cp: a sum of parasitic capacity between the gate electrode and the source electrode and parasitic capacity between the gate electrode and the drain electrode, Clc: liquid crystal capacity, and Cst: storage capacity).
US08248539B2
A channel selecting device includes: a tuner unit selecting a broadcast wave signal of a channel-selection frequency corresponding to supplied frequency information and frequency-converting the broadcast wave signal into an intermediate frequency signal; and a demodulation unit checking whether a desired carrier exists on the basis of the intermediate frequency signal from the tuner unit, setting a carrier frequency as the channel-selection frequency when checking that the desired carrier exists, performing a first process of determining whether a current zone is a zone of which a frequency should be set lower than the channel-selection frequency so as to raise the channel-selection frequency and a second process of determining whether the current zone is a zone of which a frequency should be set higher than the channel-selection frequency so as to lower the channel-selection frequency, and setting the channel-selection frequency as a target just-tuning frequency.
US08248530B2
An electronic device includes a Consumer Electronic Control (CEC) device unit and a connected-device determination unit. The electronic device is capable of being connected to another electronic device having Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) information regarding capability, via a communication cable that enables transmission of video and audio data and enables exchange of connected-device control information. The connected-device determination unit determines a vendor of the other electronic device on the basis of at least one of the EDID information and a CEC message of the CEC unit obtained via the communication cable from the other electronic device, and changes processing on the basis of the vendor of the other device connected by the communication cable.
US08248528B2
A captioning system is provided for providing captions for audio and/or video presentations. The captioning system can be used to provide text captions or audio descriptions of a video presentation. A user device is provided for the captioning system having a receiver operable to receive the captions together with synchronization information and a caption output circuit which is operable to output the captions at the appropriate timings defined by the synchronization information. The user device is preferably a portable hand-held device such as a mobile telephone, PDA or the like.
US08248522B2
A digital camera includes a bezel and an extending ring. The bezel defines a circular-shaped recess, and N pairs of support arms are positioned on the inner sidewall of the recess. The N is an integer equaling or exceeding 2. Each of the pairs of support arms has different height and the two support arms in each of the pairs of support arms are symmetrically placed with respect to a central axis of the recess. The extending ring defines N−1 pairs of bar-shaped slots. An end of the extending ring contacts an end surface of one of the N pairs of support arms, and the N−1 pairs of bar-shaped slots are positioned corresponding to the other N−1 of the N pairs of support arms.
US08248502B2
A photoelectric conversion device includes a semiconductor substrate, a first insulating film on the semiconductor substrate, a second insulating film on the first insulating film, a third insulating film on the second insulating film, and a wiring disposed in the third insulating film, the wiring being a wiring layer closest to the semiconductor substrate. A first plug of a shared contact structure and a second plug are disposed in the first insulating film. A third plug and a first wiring that constitute a dual damascene structure are disposed in the second and third insulating films. The first insulating film is used as an etching stopper film during etching of the second insulating film and the second insulating film is used as an etching stopper film during etching of the third insulating film.
US08248500B2
A solid-state image pickup device 1 includes an imaging photodetecting section 10, a triggering photodetecting section 20, a row selecting section 30, a column selecting section 40, a voltage holding section 50, an output section 60, and a controlling section 70. The imaging photodetecting section 10 is for taking an image of incident light, and includes pixel sections P1,1 to PM,N arrayed two dimensionally in M rows and N columns. The triggering photodetecting section 20 is for detecting an incidence of light, and includes a triggering photodiode that generates electric charge of an amount according to an incident light intensity. The output section 60 outputs pixel data of a value according to the amount of electric charge generated by a photodiode of any pixel section Pm,n of the pixel sections P1,1 to PM,N included in the imaging photodetecting section 10 and triggering data of a value according to the amount of electric charge generated by the triggering photodiode included in the triggering photodetecting section 20 to a common output signal line Lout.
US08248497B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a small-sized image sensor device having high precision of moving an object to be moved. The image sensor device includes: a fixed unit; a movable unit including an image sensor; a beam unit fixed to the fixed unit and movably supporting the movable unit; a driving unit for applying a driving force for moving the movable unit; and a wire unit provided for the beam unit and electrically connecting the image sensor and an external circuit.
US08248495B2
An image processing device and an image processing method capable of generating a moving image having a high resolution and a high frame rate are provided by suppressing the reduction in the amount of incident light on each camera. The imaging and processing device includes a separation section for separating visible light into at least a first color component and a second color component; a first imaging section for taking a moving image of the first color component, wherein the first imaging section takes images of the moving image with a first spatial resolution and a first temporal resolution by exposure for a first charge accumulation time period; a second imaging section for taking a moving image of the second color component, wherein the second imaging section takes images of the moving image with a second spatial resolution higher than the first spatial resolution and a second temporal resolution lower than the first temporal resolution by exposure for a second charge accumulation time period longer than the first charge accumulation time period; a control section for controlling imaging conditions of the first and the second imaging sections; and a processing section for generating a moving image of the second component having the temporal and spatial resolutions thereof increased, based on information on the moving image of each of the first color component and the second color component.
US08248494B2
A method of compressing an original dynamic range of an original image, includes a first step of obtaining a reduced image corresponding to the original image by performing quantization and downsampling on the original image that has been input; a second step of calculating a look-up table based on the reduced image, wherein the look-up table indicates a mapping relationship between the original dynamic range of the original image and a dynamic range of a medium; and a third step of mapping each of the pixels in the original image from the original dynamic range of the original image onto the dynamic range of the medium based on the look-up table.
US08248493B2
A video signal processing apparatus includes a non-equidistant section determination circuit, a sample data register, and an interpolation computation circuit. The non-equidistant section determination circuit detects a non-equidistant section having different intervals between plural sample points set for the dynamic range of a video signal to be inputted. The sample data register holds the signal level (correction level) of a video signal after correction for each sample point. The interpolation computation circuit obtains the signal level of the video signal after correction by executing cubic interpolation computation with reference to the correction level. Here, a first section is defined as a section located on a lower signal level side and having intervals of X (X>0) between sample points, and a second section is defined as a section located on a higher level side and having intervals of Y (Y>0, X≠Y) between sample points. With respect to the border point between the first and the second sections, the interpolation computation circuit obtains the signal level of the video signal after correction by use of the correction level of a sample point added so that the second section can be formed on the lower level side and/or the first section can be formed on the higher level side.
US08248484B2
To output stable results as necessary when recognizing scenes with a camera. Unless the result of scene recognition can be stabilized, an output result will confuse the user. In consideration thereof, by combiningly performing processing for determining what type of scene a particular scene is and processing for monitoring whether or not a change has occurred from a recognized scene, it is now possible to perform scene recognition in an accurate and stable manner.
US08248483B2
A signal processing apparatus according to the present invention includes: a common pre-processing section for performing signal processing common to a photographed image process and a flicker detection process on an input image signal; a photographed image processing section for performing image signal processing for a displayed image on an image signal from the common pre-processing section; a flicker detection pre-processing section for performing image signal processing for flicker detection on the image signal from the common pre-processing section; and a flicker detecting section for performing flicker detection based on the image signal from the flicker detection pre-processing section.
US08248480B2
An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging section configured to acquire a plurality of images that are consecutively taken in time series by an imaging device; a reference region setting section configured to employ one of the images acquired by the imaging section as a reference image and to set a region of the reference image as reference region, the region having high-frequency components; and an image processing section configured to combine the images including the reference image by positioning the images so as to overlap subject portions in each images, the subject portions being defined in the reference region set by the reference region setting section.
US08248479B2
Evaluation of multi-dimensional high order polynomials at high speed requires complex computing resources. This invention comprises a computing apparatus which allows the efficient and high speed calculation of such polynomials with a relatively simple computing resource. The computing resource consists entirely of adders and latches. There are no multipliers. The invention has particular application for the removal of low frequency image distortion due to kinetic heating in IR imaging missiles.
US08248477B2
A method of calibrating, compressing and decompressing image signal values of an image sensor which has a plurality of light sensitive pixels arranged in rows and columns comprises the steps of: reading out the image signal values; compressing the image signal values; and decompressing the compressed image signal values, wherein the image signal values are calibrated while using calibration data sets which include a number of calibration values for each pixel. The method is characterized in that each calibration data set includes at least one first calibration value and at least one second calibration value, wherein the calibration of the image signal values includes a first calculation step which is carried out by the compression of the image signal values in order to calculate partly corrected image signal values while using the at least one first calibration value, and wherein the calibration of the image signal values includes a second calculation step which is carried out after decompressing the image signal values in order to calculate fully corrected image signal values while using the at least one second calibration value. An image recording system uses a corresponding method.
US08248475B2
A camera module includes an image capture unit used to capture at least one image of a subject. An image analysis unit is integrated in the camera module to analyze the quality of the image captured by the image capture unit to determine whether the camera module meets one or more preset requirements. The camera module further includes an output unit used to output one or more analysis results of the image analysis unit to determine whether the camera module meets preset capability requirements.
US08248469B2
A method for surveillance is disclosed. Firstly, video of an area is captured. The video includes a first image and a second. Each image is subdivided into a number of subdivisions. A contrast value matrix is then calculated for each image by calculating a contrast value for each subdivision. A compared value matrix of the second image is calculated by comparing each element of the contrast value matrix associated with the current image with a corresponding element of the contrast value matrix associated with the prior image. Next, the compared value matrix is weighted using a preset weight matrix to locate the movement in the second image. Finally, the aim of capturing is adjusted based upon the location of movement.
US08248464B2
An endoscope signal processor to which an endoscope having an image pickup device is detachably connected has a phase-locked loop circuit in which a phase comparator compares a phase of a variable clock with that of a reference clock output from the image pickup device to generate a variable clock phase-synchronized with the reference clock. The processor includes a gate section opened or closed to input of the reference clock to the phase comparator, an operation control signal generation section which generates an operation control signal for setting the phase-locked loop circuit in a closed loop operable state during intermittent periods, and a sync timing setting section which synchronizes a timing of starting the generation of the operation control signal with a timing of input of the variable clock to the phase comparator at least within a predetermined time period shorter than the cycle of the variable clock.
US08248461B2
A receiving system and a method of processing data are disclosed herein. The receiving system includes a receiving unit, a system information processor, a decoding unit, and a display unit. The receiving unit receives a broadcast signal including a 3D content and system information associated with the 3D content. The system information processor extracts identification information from the system information. Herein, the identification information may identify that the broadcast signal being received by the receiving unit includes the 3D content. The decoding unit decodes the received 3D content based upon transmission format information of the 3D content. Herein, the transmission format information may be included in the extracted identification information. And, the display unit displays the 3D content decoded by the decoding unit as a 3D image based upon a display method of a display device.
US08248455B2
A user can design their own custom composed view for a videoconference depending on the users' individualized needs. The view can include segments (windows) in which participating conferees' video images are presented and accessory elements such as window borders, text, icons, and the like. The content of the accessory elements can be linked to events within the conference or the content of other objects within the view. A custom composed view for a video conference can be designed off-line by a user, loaded into a videoconferencing device, and executed to generate the custom composed view. The videoconferencing device can synchronize the content of accessory elements with the content of other objects presented in the view.
US08248454B2
A video display system includes a video display environment having a video display, a display sensor, oriented to view the display, and a display control system. The control system is controllable from outside the video display environment, and is interconnected with the video display and the display sensor. The control system is configured to receive a signal from the display sensor, and to calibrate a display parameter of the display in response to the signal.
US08248453B2
A call control system and method for mobile video telephony that enables an automatic call setup between a mobile video telephony terminal and a mobile audio-dedicated terminal is disclosed. A call control method for communication between mobile terminals having different capabilities includes receiving, at a called party terminal, a call setup message, transmitting a disconnection message to a calling party terminal in response to the video call setup message and performing a call setup procedure triggered by the called part terminal.
US08248452B2
A network display apparatus, which is connected to a network and has a thin client function, is used as a monitor of a host device. If audio and video data is received through the network while the network display apparatus is used as a monitor of the host device, the network display apparatus may transmit the audio and video data to the host device. The host device performs signal processing for the audio and video data received through the network from the network display apparatus, and outputs the processed data. Accordingly, the audio and video data received from an external apparatus through the network by the network display apparatus is output by the host device, and thus it is possible to perform operations using the host device and simultaneously to provide a user of the audio and video data received from the external apparatus without source change.
US08248450B2
A terminal includes a communication unit to transmit a first custom message to a called terminal according to a video call request, and to receive a connect message from the called terminal; and a connection unit to setup a session for the video call with the called terminal, and if a second custom message is received from the called terminal, to replace the session with a fast session for a high-speed video call. A method for establishing the fast session of a video call includes transmitting the first custom message to the called terminal, receiving a connect message, setting up a session for the video call with the called terminal, and replacing the session with a fast session for a high-speed video call if a second custom message is received from the called terminal.
US08248447B2
A network voice and video communication system for communicating with remote computer users via at least two chat applications. The network voice and video communication system captures voice and image data, acquires voice and image data, and stores voice and image data. The network voice and video communication system further receives transmission instructions from the at least two chat applications and transmits the voice and image data to the at least two chat applications. The at least two chat applications simultaneously transmits the voice and image data to corresponding network addresses of the remote computer users.
US08248445B2
Provided is an optical scanning apparatus has a plurality of light emitting portions and an incident optical system including optical element, wherein each shape of optical surfaces in a main scanning section of optical elements is formed into a noncircular shape. When defining that W is a space between specific light emitting portions farthest from an optical axis in the main scanning direction, La is an optical path length between an aperture stop and a specific optical surface closest to the light source unit among the noncircular optical surfaces of the incident optical system, f1 is a focal length of the incident optical system in the main scanning direction, and D is a light flux width in the main scanning direction of a light flux emitted from the specific light emitting portion in the main scanning direction on specific the optical surface, the equation 2D≧|W·La/2f1|≧D/8 is satisfied.
US08248429B2
An image processing apparatus and method converts a moving image signal into an image data format consisting of a luminance signal and a color-difference signal like that of the YUV format at a signal processing circuit 4, compression-encodes the image data at a compression circuit 10 and records it on a recording medium 11, in addition to reducing the same-format image data color-difference signal to generate image data for display, enabling the image processing apparatus for recording a moving image to achieve moving image recording of a quality that is good enough to be used as still images.
US08248424B2
A writing control system includes a display holding medium, a reading unit, an identifying unit, a control unit and a writing unit. The display holding medium includes a display section capable of displaying and holding an image in a no-power state and a storage section having a storage area for storing information that identifies an electronic document associated with it. The reading unit reads the information from the storage section when the display holding medium is located in a predetermined position. The identifying unit identifies the electronic document associated with the display holding medium, based on the information read from the display holding medium. When the electronic document associated with the display holding medium is not identified, the control unit performs control so that a page image, which has not been written, of an electronic document, which is used in last image writing, is set as a writing target.
US08248423B2
A media processing framework includes multiple media processing paths. At least one of the media processing paths includes a media processing pipeline which is in-process with respect to an application which interacts with the media processing pipeline. At least one other of the media processing paths includes a media processing pipeline which is out-of-process with respect to the application. The application can specify a custom plug-in presenter module to be set in either the in-process media processing pipeline or the out-of-process media processing pipeline. The application need not be “aware” of the pipeline that is being used, whether the pipeline is in-process or out-of-process, or the security level that is applied to the media processing pipeline. Both the in-process and the out-of-process media processing pipelines can supply media information to a presentation processor, such as a compositing engine.
US08248417B1
Method, system, and computer-readable storage medium for flattening 3D patches of a 3D graphics model. For each vertex in each polygon of a plurality of polygons of a 3D patch from a 3D graphics model, a vector is determined from a seed point of the 3D patch to the vertex. An axis in a plane of the polygon that includes the seed point and is perpendicular to the vector is determined, and the vector rotated around the axis until the vector is in the plane of the polygon to generate a corresponding 2D vertex at the endpoint of the rotated vector in the plane. The determining a vector, determining an axis, and rotating the vector for each vertex in each polygon of the 3D patch generates a 2D patch of co-planar polygons corresponding to the polygons of the 3D patch, which is stored for use in a computer graphics application.
US08248412B2
A circuit arrangement, program product and circuit arrangement utilize a textured bounding volume to reduce the overhead associated with generating and using an Accelerated Data Structure (ADS) in connection with physical rendering. In particular, a subset of the primitives in a scene may be mapped to surfaces of a bounding volume to generate textures on such surfaces that can be used during physical rendering. By doing so, the primitives that are mapped to the bounding volume surfaces may be omitted from the ADS to reduce the processing overhead associated with both generating the ADS and using the ADS during physical rendering, and furthermore, in many instances the size of the ADS may be reduced, thus reducing the memory footprint of the ADS, and often improving cache hit rates and reducing memory bandwidth.
US08248411B2
An image processing apparatus includes a grouping unit configured to group rendering data into a first group that is to be rendered with a painter's algorithm and a second group that is to be rendered with a scanline algorithm, and an output unit configured to output the rendering data grouped by the grouping unit.
US08248409B2
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with determining whether a point is located in a polyhedron are described. One example method includes identifying a ray that connects a query point to a second point located outside a minimum bounding volume of a solid polyhedron without intersecting a vertex of the solid polyhedron. The method includes counting crossings of planar faces of the solid polyhedron by the ray. The crossings may be mid-face crossings, edge crossings, and/or coplanar crossings. The crossings are selectively counted based on whether the ray actually crosses a face, grazes a face without crossing it, or runs coplanar with a face without crossing another face. The method includes controlling an automated process based on whether first point is inside the solid polyhedron.
US08248406B2
A three-dimensional image/two-dimensional image display device includes a plurality of display pixels, and a lenticular lens for three-dimensional display. Each display pixel is consisted of M×N number of sub-pixels to be viewed from N view points. A pitch a of sub-pixels arranged in the longitudinal direction of ridge projection of the lenticular lens and a pitch b of the sub-pixels arranged in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the lenticular lens satisfy the following expression. The M×N number of sub-pixels included in each of said display pixels are formed within a square area. a:b=N:1
US08248402B2
According to embodiments of the invention, secondary rays may be pooled after they are generated by a vector throughput engine. After pooling the secondary rays, they may be reordered according to similarities in trajectory and originating location. The secondary rays may be sent in the new order to a workload manager for spatial index traversal. The reordering of the secondary rays may cause rays which traverse similar portions of the spatial index to be traversed immediately following (or shortly thereafter) one another. Consequently, the necessary portions of the spatial index may remain within the workload manager's memory cache, thereby reducing the number of cache misses and the amount of time necessary to traverse secondary rays through the spatial index. The reduction in time necessary to traverse the secondary rays through the spatial index may improve the overall performance of the image processing system.
US08248392B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a light-emitting device including a light-emitting element with smaller luminance degradation by contriving a driving means. In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide a driving method for reducing luminance degradation of a light-emitting element.In the present invention, the current density J of a current flowing in a light-emitting element is increased with time in accordance with the following formula (1), where J0 is an initialization of current density in the light-emitting element, t is an emitting time, and k and β are individually a positive parameter determined by characteristics of the light-emitting element. J=J0·exp [(k·t)β] (1)
US08248385B1
Various aspects of this disclosure are directed to displaying, by a touch-sensitive display of a computing device, at least one selectable object, and receiving, by the computing device, a user input comprising a gesture at a location of the touch-sensitive display that displays the at least one selectable object. The computing device may determine a time duration of the gesture. When the time duration of the gesture is greater than or equal to a minimum timeout value and less than or equal to a maximum timeout value, the computing device may select as user input the at least one selectable object.
US08248384B2
A touch screen region selecting method implemented by a central processing unit (CPU), wherein the touch screen senses and recognizes tracks of two line-drawing touches simultaneously performed thereon. The method comprises: receiving the two line-drawing touches and displaying two lines via the CPU, identifying start points and terminal points of the two lines via the CPU, connecting the start point and the terminal point of each line to generate a first line and a second line respectively via the CPU, connecting the start points of the two lines to generate a third line, and connecting the terminal points of the two lines to generate a fourth line via the CPU, identifying a region framed by the first line, the second line, the third line, and the fourth line, obtaining displayed contents, and performing an operation for the displayed contents via the CPU.
US08248379B2
A touch panel includes a first electrode plate, and a second electrode plate separated from the first electrode plate. The first electrode plate includes a first substrate and a first conductive layer located on a lower surface of the first substrate. The second electrode plate includes a second substrate and a second conductive layer located on an upper surface of the second substrate. At least one of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer includes a carbon nanotube structure comprised of carbon nanotubes. The carbon nanotubes in the carbon nanotube structure are arranged isotropically, arranged along a same direction or arranged along different directions.
US08248375B2
An input device for a multiplex control signal is applied to provide one or more input position(s) for a user, where each input position generates a plurality of control signals corresponding to a plurality of input states, and an output control unit determines the output of the control signals from each the same input position according a time parameter.
US08248374B2
A keyboard includes a storage unit, a format generating unit, a character recognizing unit and an assigning unit. The storage unit is configured for storing a plurality of codes, each of the codes corresponds to a character assigned to a key on the keyboard. The format generating unit is configured for analyzing a digital picture reflecting a desired layout of keys on the keyboard and generating a location matrix of the desired layout according to the digital picture and the location matrix. The character recognizing unit is configured for recognizing the characters in the desired layout according to the digital picture and the location matrix. The assigning unit is configured for assigning the codes stored in the storage unit corresponding to the recognized characters to the corresponding keys, based upon the location matrix of the desired layout.
US08248371B2
A virtual keyboard may be created on the display screen or soft input panel of a portable electronic device. The virtual keyboard may be created such that it is larger than the screen size of the portable electronic device. The virtual keyboard may be moved or slid across the screen to gain access to the keys thereon. Movement of the portable electronic device may be used to cause a corresponding movement of the virtual keyboard. The movement of the portable electronic device may be measured through the use of accelerometer data. The virtual keyboard may be configured by the user of the portable electronic device.
US08248366B2
An image display device for displaying digital images includes a display screen, a controller and a proximity sensor in communication with the controller. When an external object such as the user's hand is detected by the proximity sensor, the proximity sensor issues a sensing signal to the controller. The controller controls the display of the digital images in response to the sensing signal. Hence, the display of the digital images can be controlled or operated without touching the image display device.
US08248355B2
The present invention relates to a shift register and a liquid crystal display using the same. The liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal panel, a data driving circuit and a scanning driving circuit. The data driving circuit and the scanning driving circuit each include a shift register. The shift register includes a plurality of shift register units. Two adjacent shift register units respectively receive two inverse clock signals and a VGL signal. Each shift register unit includes a signal output circuit, a signal input circuit, a first logic converting circuit, and a second logic converting circuit. The present shift register and a liquid crystal display have simple structure.
US08248347B2
The present invention discloses a driving method for a liquid crystal display. The liquid crystal display has a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form. The method includes the following steps. The first step is to write black data to the pixels using an over driving voltage. The second step is to select partial of the pixels or all pixels to write color data based on a color image signal. The third step is to turn on the corresponding backlight based on the color data.
US08248342B2
A reflective display device (2) comprises a plurality of controllable light absorption layers (8) arranged in a stack. Each of the layers (8) is capable of absorbing incident light in a specified wavelength band. A selective reflector (10) is immediately behind at least one of the layers (8) and is adapted to reflect at least some wavelengths of light within the wavelength band and substantially to transmit light of other wavelengths.
US08248337B2
In one embodiment of the present invention, a video signal processing method is disclosed wherein video correction data is read from a ROM and written into an LUT, and the video correction data written in the LUT is used to perform data correction of an externally inputted video signal. The video correction data written in the LUT is updated during the horizontal blanking interval of the video signal.
US08248335B2
A light emitting apparatus comprises a light emitting section for emitting light, a color of the light being changed with a value of a driving current, and a driving section for driving the light emitting section so that the light emitting section emits light having a desired color and a desired intensity, by generating the driving current based on a signal designating the desired color and a signal designating the desired intensity and by applying the driving current to the light emitting section.
US08248333B2
In an image display device, each pixel includes a drive transistor for driving a light emitting element, a capacitive element which is connected between a signal line and a control electrode of the drive transistor, and a reset switching element. The reset switching elements of all pixels are turned off within a light emission period, and a PWM signal is supplied to a signal line from a drive circuit. A cycle of the PWM signal in a low brightness display mode is shorter than a cycle of the PWM signal in a standard brightness display mode. Due to such a constitution, the constitution of a drive circuit can be simplified, and it is possible to control light emission brightnesses of respective pixels of red, green and blue over a wide range from high brightness to low brightness while taking a balance among the light emission brightnesses.
US08248327B2
A scan IC includes a switch circuit and a logic circuit. The switch circuit includes first and second transistors and a level shift circuit. First and second control signals that change between a logical “1” and a logical “0” are applied to an input terminal of the logic circuit. The logic circuit applies a third control signal to the first transistor and applies a fourth control signal to the second transistor based on the applied first and second control signals. A detection circuit is connected to the input terminal of the logic circuit. An abnormality of the scan IC is detected by the detection circuit.
US08248318B2
A small antenna system for communications on-the-move (“COTM”) with a geostationary or geosynchronous satellite to and from a land mobile, maritime or airborne vehicle is disclosed. The antenna system provides a robust and simple means of establishing communications with a satellite or remote computer device. Further embodiments of systems and methods of the various aspects of the present invention mitigate RF losses customary in existing horn antennas. Embodiments also facilitate COTM by utilizing novel antenna configurations that tightly integrate RF electronics while dissipating generated heat via an antenna compartment that may be designed to function as or be used in conjunction with a heat sink.
US08248307B2
An electromagnetic band-gap structure includes a circuit board, a ground plane and a plurality of electromagnetic band-gap units. The circuit board includes a first side and a second surface, and the ground plane disposed on the first side. The plurality of electromagnetic band-gap units are located on both the first surface and the second surface and connected to each other along an edge of the ground plane. Every electromagnetic band-gap unit includes a first strip line, a second strip line and a via. The first strip line is located on the first side, including a first relative long strip line and a first relative short strip line connected to the ground. The second strip line is located on the second side. The second strip line is connected to the first strip line of the adjacent electromagnetic band-gap unit through the via.
US08248299B2
Method and apparatus for processing satellite signals from a first satellite navigation system and a second satellite navigation system is described. In one example, at least one first pseudorange between a satellite signal receiver and at least one satellite of the first satellite navigation system is measured. At least one second pseudorange between the satellite signal receiver and at least one satellite of the second satellite navigation system is measured. A difference between a first time reference frame of the first satellite navigation system and a second time reference frame of the second satellite navigation system is obtained. The at least one first pseudorange and the at least one second pseudorange are combined using the difference in time references.
US08248298B2
A radar system having orthogonal antenna apertures is disclosed. The invention further relates to an antenna system wherein the orthogonal apertures comprise at least one transmit aperture and at least one receive aperture. The cross-product of the transmit and receive apertures provides a narrow spot beam and resulting high resolution image. An embodiment of the invention discloses orthogonal linear arrays, comprising at least one electronically scanned transmit linear array and at least one electronically scanned receive linear array. The design of this orthogonal linear array system produces comparable performance, clutter and sidelobe structure at a fraction of the cost of conventional 2D filled array antenna systems.
US08248297B1
System that measures absolute or additive phase noise includes a power divider for dividing an input RF signal, a local oscillator, two mixers, each arranged in a path of a respective signal component from the power divider and receiving input from the power divider and local oscillator, two digital radio frequency memories, each associated with a respective mixer and receiving an input signal therefrom, and a digital signal processor that receives signals from the digital radio frequency memories and outputs a digital data stream indicative of measured phase noise. For absolute phase noise measurement, phase noise of the input RF signal is provided. For additive phase noise measurement, a unit under test is arranged in one of the paths between the power divider and the mixer. The system may be interposed between a radar transmitter of a radar environment simulator and a radar receiver coupled to a radar target display.
US08248296B2
This disclosure provides a target object detection signal processing device, which includes a reception data output module, to which a reception signal is inputted, for outputting reception data indicative of a signal level of the reception data, a scan-to-scan correlation processing module for performing scan-to-scan correlation processing between the reception data and previous reception data indicative of a reception level of previously acquired reception signal to output scan-to-scan correlation data, and an output selection module, to which the reception data and the scan-to-scan correlation data are inputted, for selectively outputting either one of the data.
US08248290B2
In many applications, which use amplifiers that operate at less than 50% duty cycle, it would be advantageous to reduce the number amplifiers to reduce power consumption. Here, an amplifier is provided which is time multiplexed to accommodate multiple data paths. Additionally, reset circuitry or a reset mechanism is provided at the output terminals of this amplifier to briefly short the output terminals to generally prevent glitching that may result from switching between data paths.
US08248286B2
A potentiometer and a method for adjusting an impedance. In accordance with an embodiment, the potentiometer may be a programmable multistage digital potentiometer that has a first stage comprising a non-shunted impedance, a second stage coupled between a reference terminal and the first stage, and a third stage coupled between the first stage and another reference terminal. In accordance with another embodiment, the potentiometer receives a wiper address and parses it into sections such that one section controls the first stage, a second portion controls portions of the second and third stages, and a third portion controls the other portions of the second and third stages to produce a desired impedance between a common wiper terminal and the reference terminals.
US08248284B2
An analog-digital converter (ADC) includes a correlated double sampling (CDS) circuit configured to perform CDS on each of a reset signal and an image signal output from a pixel to generate a correlated double sampled reset signal and a correlated double sampled image signal, respectively. A delta sigma (ΔΣ) ADC, also included in the ADC, is configured to output a difference between a first digital code that is generated by performing ΔΣ analog-digital conversion on the correlated double sampled reset signal and a second digital code that is generated by performing ΔΣ analog-digital conversion on the correlated double sampled image signal.
US08248283B2
For high voltage applications, multi-channel successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) are often plagued with numerous problems that are generally associated with parasitics (which are present in high voltage components). Here, a different architecture is provided where the sampling capacitors are separated from conversion capacitors so as to have low voltage components in the conversion path. Additionally, to improve the acquisition time and reduced total harmonic distortion (THD) multiple channels can use the same sampling capacitors.
US08248282B2
To date, bandwidth mismatch within time-interleaved (TI) analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) has been largely ignored because compensation for bandwidth mismatch is performed by digital post-processing, namely finite impulse response filters. However, the lag from digital post-processing is prohibitive in high speed systems, indicating a need for blind mismatch compensation. Even with blind bandwidth mismatch estimation, though, adjustment of the filter characteristics of track-and-hold (T/H) circuits within the TI ADCs can be difficult. Here, a T/H circuit architecture is provided that uses variations of the gate voltage of a sampling switch (which varies the “on” resistance of the sampling switch) to change the bandwidth of the T/H circuits so as to precisely match the bandwidths.
US08248278B2
Various embodiments provide keyboards that utilize electrically-deformable material as an actuating mechanism to provide haptic feedback to a user of the keyboard. In at least some embodiments, the electrically-deformable material is utilized to impart, to a depressed key or keyboard element, a multi-vectored movement that produces a perceived acceleration of the key or keyboard element thus providing a user with haptic feedback which simulates a snapover movement.
US08248270B2
A warning system adapted to detect a plurality of input signals, identify the input signals as being associated with a vehicular speed measuring system used by law enforcement, and provide a tactile warning to a driver of the vehicle, is disclosed. The warning system includes a sensor to detect an input signal associated with a transmitter, analyze the input signal, and generate a warning signal in response to the analysis of the input signal, a controller to receive the warning signal, analyze the warning signal, and generate a control signal in response to the analysis of the warning signal, and a tactile feedback generator to generate a tactile alert through a vehicle control device in response to the control signal.
US08248261B1
A digital voltage detector system that is compatible with existing Armament Circuits Preload Test Sets is described. Adjustment of under and over voltage trip points is accommodated in accordance with conventional means. The digital voltage detector is compatible with all conventional Voltage Detector interface cables and adapters. Unlike the conventional voltage detector of existing Armament Circuits Preload Test Sets, over-voltage trips do not blow a fuse, eliminating the need to have replacement fuses or redundant conventional voltage detectors in an Armament Circuits Preload Test Set. Additionally, the digital voltage detector provides a digital voltage readout allowing the user to view the input voltage during a Presence of Voltage test. The digital voltage detector system facilitates timely and efficient execution of the Armament Circuits Preload Test series.
US08248259B2
A protection circuit includes a detection block, a timer and a protection enable block. The detection block is used to compare a monitoring signal with a reference signal and generate an alert signal if a difference between the monitoring signal and the reference signal exceeds a threshold for a first predetermined duration. The timer coupled to the detection block is used to generate an enabling signal for a second predetermined duration in response to the alert signal. The protection enable block coupled to the timer is used to generate a triggering signal for a first time duration determined by the second predetermined duration in response to the enabling signal so as to perform a protection function.
US08248247B2
A personal athletic device is worn by a runner during a race. A race course is provided with a plurality of mats along the race course. The mats have antennas and generate a magnetic field. The personal athletic device has a chip system having an RFID tag and a display. As the runner progress along the course, the RFID tag is triggered at each mat and race data is displayed on the device.
US08248244B2
A wireless power interface includes first coil, a plurality of coils, and a control module. Each of the plurality of coils has a different orientation with respect to at least one axis of a multi-dimensional axis system. The control module is coupled to enable at least one of the plurality of coils based on electro-magnetic coupling between the first coil and the at least one of the plurality of coils such that power is derived via the electro-magnetic coupling.
US08248243B2
An apparatus including a device having a slot formed on an exterior wall and a slot wall within the slot. A form factor may be insertable into the slot. The form factor also may include a transmitter embedded in the form factor, wherein the transmitter is adapted to wirelessly communicate identification data.
US08248224B2
An apparatus for detecting a decrease in a tire air pressure includes: a rotation information detection means for periodically detecting tire rotation information regarding the respective wheels of a four-wheel vehicle; a wheel speed calculation means for calculating tire wheel speeds based on the rotation information; a comparison value calculation means for calculating a difference between a sum of wheel speeds of two wheels at one diagonal positions and a sum of wheel speeds of two wheels at the other diagonal positions as a first comparison value and for calculating a difference between a sum of wheel speeds of two wheels at one same side positions and a sum of wheel speeds of two wheels at the other same side positions as a second comparison value; a determination means for determining a tire having a decreased pressure; and an alarming means. The apparatus further includes a conversion means for converting the first comparison value and the second comparison value to a plane for which change amounts of the first comparison value and the second comparison value due to a decreased pressure from the normal value learnt during a time of a normal pressure are unified between front wheels and rear wheels, and the determination means is so configured as to perform a decreased pressure determination by a single determination threshold value.
US08248221B2
An information display configured to display one or more energy efficiency values of a vehicle. The information display system may comprise an information display configured to display an energy recovered indicator corresponding to a ratio of the braking energy recovered using a regenerative braking system. The information display may include both an overall energy recovered indicator and an instantaneous energy recovered indicator.
US08248216B2
Remote monitoring and inspection of measurement devices, emergency equipment, parking spaces, and other items is accomplished by using an image sensor (e.g., a CMOS sensor) to capture an image containing information about the monitored item. A signal containing information about the image (e.g., data representing the captured image or data indicating the state of the captured image) is transmitted to a remote central station.
US08248203B2
A lighting monitor/control system for remote billboards uses a cellular network to provide utility power and light status information to a central controller, which in response provides control signals to individual remote billboard lighting controllers for setting operating parameters such as multiple on/off times, lighting power adjustments for individual billboards, and custom lighting schedules based upon geographic and environmental considerations. Battery back-up is provided in the event of utility power outage with automatic reversion to utility power when restored. Immediate notification of failure of utility power or of individual lamp or ballast failure is provided by SMS messaging formatted so as to minimize the number of messages and reduce communications costs. The monitor/control system is also adapted for use in remote power monitoring applications to automatically switch to standby power (generator) in the absence of primary power and to return to primary power when restored.
US08248189B2
A low-pass filter includes an input portion inputting an electromagnetic signal, an output portion outputting the electromagnetic signal, a high impedance transmission portion electrically connecting the input portion and the output portion to transmit the electromagnetic signal therebetween, and a pair of low impedance transmission members arranged on opposite sides of the high impedance transmission portion. Each of the low impedance transmission members electrically connects the input portion, the output portion, and the high impedance transmission portion, and includes a first low impedance transmission portion and a second low impedance transmission portion. A width of the first low impedance transmission portion is different from that of the second low impedance transmission portion.
US08248186B2
A boundary acoustic wave device includes a first medium, a second medium laminated on the first medium, and an IDT electrode arranged at an interface between the first medium and the second medium. The boundary acoustic wave device further includes a reformed portion disposed in at least one of the first medium and the second medium, reformed by externally provided energy, and having frequency characteristics different from frequency characteristics exhibited when the boundary acoustic wave device includes only at least one of the first medium and the second medium.
US08248181B2
An example of a transmission-line transformer may include a transmission-line assembly and a balun assembly. The transmission-line assembly may include first and second conductors forming at least first and second transmission-line sections. The transmission-line assembly may provide a signal path through the first conductor and second conductor in series to a circuit ground. Balanced lines of the balun assembly may be connected to respective intermediate points on the first and second conductors between the first and second transmission-line sections. The transmission-line transformer may provide a signal path between a first end of the first conductor of the transmission-line assembly and the unbalanced line of the balun assembly.
US08248173B2
A thermoelectric device transfers heat away from or toward an object using the Peltier effect. In some embodiments, the length of at least one thermoelectric element is at least ten times greater than a combined average cross-sectional dimension, orthogonal to the length, of two thermoelectric elements.
US08248170B2
A stabilized quadrature oscillator providing consistently high signal quality is disclosed. The stabilized quadrature oscillator includes an iterative quadrature oscillator and a quadrature signal stabilizer. The iterative quadrature oscillator generates an iterative cosine signal and an iterative sine signal using a stabilized cosine signal and a stabilized sine signal from the quadrature signal stabilizer. The quadrature signal stabilizer generates the stabilized cosine signal and the stabilized sine signal based on an energy measure of the iterative cosine signal and the iterative sine signal. Specifically, if the energy measure is less than a low threshold then the quadrature signal stabilizer generates the stabilized sine signal and the stabilized cosine signal to have a greater magnitude than the iterative sine signal and the iterative cosine signal, respectively. Conversely, if the energy measure is greater than a high threshold then the quadrature signal stabilizer generates the stabilized sine signal and the stabilized cosine signal to have a lesser magnitude than the iterative sine signal and the iterative cosine signal, respectively.
US08248167B2
The present invention discloses a continuous voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) frequency temperature compensation apparatus for a phase locked loop (PLL) and a continuous VCO frequency temperature compensation method for a PLL. The system utilizes a VCO with one digital coarse tuning input, a first analog fine tuning input, and a second analog fine tuning input. The system uses the second analog fine tuning inputs to compensate the VCO for frequency shifts due to temperature fluctuation. When the PLL transitions to the fine lock (FL) mode, the system starts driving the second fine tuning input with a differential amplifier. The differential amplifier compares the first fine tuning input with a reference voltage, and drives the second fine tuning input to compensate the first fine tuning input.
US08248164B2
Apparatus and methods for an integrated circuit, single ended-to-differential amplifier are provided. In an example, the amplifier can include an amplifier circuit having a first input configured to receive a single-ended signal, a second input, and a differential output configured to provide an amplified representation of the single-ended signal. The amplifier can include a filter circuit configured to balance a common-mode voltage between the first and second inputs of the amplifier circuit. The filter circuit can include a common-mode input configured to receive the common-mode voltage, a first impedance network coupled between the common-mode input and the first input of the amplifier circuit, and a second impedance network coupled between the common-mode input and the second input of the amplifier circuit. The filter circuit can provide a low frequency pole below 1 hertz.
US08248161B2
A CMOS low-noise wide-band amplifier (LNA) 211 is provided. The LNA can include a Gm doubler 410, a source follower 420, and a coupling circuit (430/440) that couples a differential input to the Gm doubler with the source follower for achieving high linearity over a wide frequency range at a low supply voltage. The coupling circuit can capacitively couple (434/444) a differential input to a gate of the source follower. The gate can be biased to a supply voltage through variable resistors (436/446). A cross coupler (480) can be included in a push-pull buffer (450) for additional gain and for allowing the source follower to drive a low impedance load at low power.
US08248159B2
A method of processing a signal is disclosed. The method comprises generating a digital signal, converting the digital signal to an analog signal, and generating an amplified analog signal having distortions. The method further comprises converting the amplified analog signal to a feedback digital signal at a sample rate and updating a model of the distortions based on the feedback digital signal.
US08248154B2
There is provided a charge pump circuit which can prevent EMI noise of a frequency component independent of an operation clock frequency from occurring at the time of a change from a disable state to an enable state. The charge pump circuit includes a detection signal synchronization circuit which outputs a synchronization detection signal generated by synchronizing a detection signal outputted from a level detection circuit to a clock signal outputted from an oscillator circuit. The synchronization detection signal is used as a pump enable signal, and a first pump capacitance and a second pump capacitance in a pump circuit body are charged and discharged in response to the synchronization detection signal and the clock signal outputted from the oscillator circuit.
US08248148B2
A power supply switch apparatus includes a main outlet, first and second load outlets, a manual switch, and first and second electronic switches. The positive terminal of the main outlet is connected to the positive terminal of the first load outlet and connected to the second terminal of the first electronic switch. The third terminal of the first electronic switch is connected to the positive terminal of the second load outlet. The first terminal of the first electronic switch is connected to the second terminal of the second electronic switch and connected to a voltage terminal through a first resistor. The third terminal of the second electronic switch is grounded. The first terminal of the second electronic switch is connected to the voltage terminal through the manual switch and a second resistor in that order, and grounded through a third resistor.
US08248146B2
The semiconductor circuit has a power supply voltage generation circuit; a first circuit having a transistor that is connected to the power supply voltage generation circuit, and that varies a drain current value by utilizing the degree of freedom of an electron spin to vary the spin states of the source and the drain; and a main function circuit that is connected to the first circuit, and has a main function. Operation/non-operation of the main function circuit is selected by the drain current value. The operating speed of the circuit can thereby be adjusted through a simple circuit structure.
US08248125B1
A multi-port circuit and corresponding method for simultaneous shaping of sub-nanosecond pulses (MCS3P). The MCS3P includes a coupled-line coupler, a Schottky detector diode, and circuitry for compressing the rising and falling edges of a waveform. The MCS3P simultaneously produces square wave, Gaussian, and monocycle waveforms by differentiating a sinusoidal source. The method includes the steps of compressing the rising edge of a sinusoidal source waveform, differentiating the resulting waveform to form a square waveform and a Gaussian waveform, filtering out the positive going Gaussian to produce a negative going Gaussian, differentiating the Gaussian waveform to form a monocycle waveform, and compressing the falling edge of the square waveform to produce a square wave form with both edges compressed.
US08248124B2
A low power delay-locked loop (DLL) is presented. In one embodiment, the DLL includes a phase detector which includes a reference input and a feedback input to determine a phase difference. The DLL also includes a controller to determine whether to provide a signal to both the reference input and the feedback input such that the reference input and the feedback input receive an identical input, for example, during low power operation.
US08248103B2
An output circuit of a semiconductor device includes a signal selector configured to receive first and second input data signals and sequentially outputting the first and second input data signals in response to a phase signal; and an output level controller configured to control a voltage level of an output signal of the signal selector based on the first and second input data signals.
US08248099B2
In a semiconductor integrated circuit wherein low-threshold-voltage and high-threshold-voltage transistors are disposed mixedly, the operating speed of each transistor can be properly controlled in speed control execution through regulation of a power supply voltage VDD. The semiconductor integrated circuit comprises an internal circuit and measuring circuits. The internal circuit comprises a low-threshold-voltage MOS transistor and a high-threshold-voltage MOS transistor, and the degree of threshold voltage variation of the low-threshold-voltage MOS transistor is larger than the degree of threshold voltage variation of the high-threshold-voltage MOS transistor. The measuring circuit detects which one of fast, typical, and slow states is taken by both the low-threshold-voltage MOS transistor and the high-threshold-voltage MOS transistor. When the result data detected indicates the fast state, the power supply voltage VDD is set to a lower power supply voltage level “VDD−ΔVDD” corresponding to a small variation gradient “β[V/σ]”. When the result data detected indicates the typical state, the power supply voltage VDD is set to an intermediate power supply voltage level “VDD±0”. When the result data detected indicates the slow state, the power supply voltage VDD is set to a higher power supply voltage level “VDD+ΔVDD” corresponding to a large variation gradient “α[V/σ]”.
US08248093B2
An electronic device having a printed circuit board is provided. In one embodiment, the printed circuit board includes a plurality of external pads to be coupled with an external device and a plurality of bypass pads for testing an electric circuit. The external pads are exposed and at least one of the plurality of bypass pads are not exposed from an outer surface of the PCB. A system using the electronic device and a method of testing an electronic device are also provided.
US08248092B2
A conductivity measurement device comprises a first body, a second body, a baseplate, a extension rod and a contact pad. The extension rod is positioned inside the first body, the baseplate is positioned on one end of the extension rod, and the contact pad is positioned on the other end of the extension rod. The contact pad contacts the surface to be tested and measures the electrical conductivity thereof with no resulting damage to the surface.
US08248081B2
A single-layer touch-sensor device having a calibration mechanism coupled therewith is described. Included is a charge measurement circuit coupled, by a pair of electrical traces, with a slider of the single-layer touch-sensor device. A pair of calibration capacitors is included, each calibration capacitor coupled, between the slider and the charge measurement circuit, with one of the pair of electrical traces. A pair of connection switches is also included, each connection switch coupled with one of the pair of calibration capacitors.
US08248080B2
An electrical power transmission system includes electrical insulators arranged to electrically isolate live power lines. Measurement devices are physically incorporated or integrated in the insulator structures. The measurement devices measure and report insulator properties during live wire conditions. A method includes deploying a measurement device in physical contact with an insulator in use to electrically isolate a power transmission line. This method also includes measuring properties of the insulator in use with the measurement device at substantially within time intervals corresponding to voltage zero crossings in the power transmission line.
US08248077B2
A wind energy system is provided including a geographical position sensing module and a cable for transmitting energy from the wind energy system. The cable includes a first sensing device at a first location of the cable. The first sensing device is adapted for sensing a relative position of the first sensing device. Further, the cable includes a second sensing device at a second location of the cable. The second sensing device is adapted for sensing a relative position of the second sensing device. The first and the second sensing devices are adapted to communicate with each other; and one of the first and second sensing devices is adapted to communicate with a geographical position sensing module of the wind energy system.
US08248074B2
A fault detection method is provided for detecting faults in an injector arrangement. The injector arrangement includes one or more piezoelectric fuel injectors connected in an injector drive circuit, and the injector drive circuit is arranged to control operation of the one or more piezoelectric fuel injectors. The fault detection method includes determining a sample voltage at a sample point in the injector drive circuit at a first sample time. The sample voltage is the voltage on an injector or is related to the voltage on an injector. The method further includes calculating a range of predicted voltages expected at the sample point at a second sample time following the first sample time, and determining the sample voltage at the sample point at the second sample time. The presence of a fault is detected if the sample voltage determined at the sample point at the second sample time is not within the range of predicted voltages.
US08248070B1
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) process generates images of patient tissue including use of at least one programmed controller in an MRI system to effect a preparatory nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) sequence including a binomial radio frequency (RF) pulse having at least two independently phased RF flip angle components that are spaced in the time domain by τ to provide a respectively corresponding evolved phase difference Δθ between predetermined NMR species having different NMR frequencies, followed by a main MRI data acquisition sequence, and generation and display of an image of patient tissue based at least in part on MRI data acquired during the acquisition sequence.
US08248063B2
An apparatus and a general method to measure a magnetic field using magneto-resistive sensors in an open-loop configuration are disclosed. A key feature is the regular in-situ normalization of the sensors to compensate for the effects of sensor aging.
US08248052B2
A current limit scheme for current-mode DC-DC converters. The current limit scheme is used to limit the current through the inductor during a current limit event. Current flows through the inductor alternately from first and second power devices, with one of said devices operating in the on-state while the other is in the off-state. The current through the second power device is sensed and tracked if the peak inductor current exceeds a particular value. The inductor current is regulated by modulating the on-time of the first power device that delivers current from the input voltage source to the output through the inductor. Thus, the modulator adjusts the on-time of the first power device using past and present information related to the current flowing through the second power device and the instantaneous output voltage of the converter to limit the peak inductor current from exceeding a maximum value.
US08248048B2
A standby power supply circuit includes a pulse width modulation controller, first to fourth metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), and an inductor. A gate of the first MOSFET and a gate of the second MOSFET are connected to a first and a second general purpose terminals of a power management chip, respectively. A drain of the first MOSFET is connected to a source of the third MOSFET. A gate of the fourth MOSFET is connected to a lower gate terminal of the controller. A phase terminal of the controller is grounded via the inductor and a capacitor in series. The drain of the second MOSFET is connected to a node between the inductor and the capacitor via a resistor.
US08248047B2
A power supply circuit arranged in a circuit board to supply a determined voltage to an element is disclosed. The power supply circuit includes a single-phase pulse width modulation (PWM) signal controller, two transistors, two field-effect transistors (FETs), and two inductors. The PWM signal controller is triggered via the two transistors and respectively alternately outputs a high level voltage signal and a low level voltage signal to alternately control the two FETs to be turned on and turned off, to output the determined voltage.
US08248046B2
A DC-DC converter prevents localization of switching operations at light loads and is able to improve power conversion efficiency. The DC-DC converter of some variations performs pulse frequency modulation control at light loads, and includes a reducing circuit configured to skip an oscillation frequency signal at light loads and to generate a skipped signal.
US08248045B2
The present invention relates to a charge pump circuit with current detecting and a method thereof. The current detecting charge pump circuit includes a controlled current source, a load circuit which electrically connects to the charge pump circuit unit, and is driven by the charge pump circuit unit to generate a load current. A detecting circuit unit electrically connects to the load circuit, and produces a feedback signal according to the load circuit. A feedback circuit unit which electrically connects to the detecting circuit unit, receives the feedback signal, and adjusts a current of the controlled current source according to the feedback signal. The charge pump circuit also includes a protecting circuit unit which is able to detect feedback signal to protect the circuit according to the feedback signal.
US08248040B2
The present invention provides a method of controlling an interleaved power factor correction (PFC) circuit operating in a discontinuous conduction mode (DCM). The controller employs a normal mode of operation in which inductor currents in each PFC sub-circuit are estimated based on the monitored input voltage and monitored output voltage, and switching devices associated with each PFC sub-circuit are controlled to ensure DCM operation. As the input voltage increases, the OFF times of each PFC sub-circuit increase such that the inductor currents no longer overlap. In response, the controller activates a time-limiting mode (TLM) in which OFF time durations for each sub-circuit are based on the monitored sum of load currents as opposed to the monitored input voltage and monitored output voltage.
