US08555400B2
A private stream aggregation (PSA) system contributes a user's data to a data aggregator without compromising the user's privacy. The system can begin by determining a private key for a local user in a set of users, wherein the sum of the private keys associated with the set of users and the data aggregator is equal to zero. The system also selects a set of data values associated with the local user. Then, the system encrypts individual data values in the set based in part on the private key to produce a set of encrypted data values, thereby allowing the data aggregator to decrypt an aggregate value across the set of users without decrypting individual data values associated with the set of users, and without interacting with the set of users while decrypting the aggregate value. The system also sends the set of encrypted data values to the data aggregator.
US08555394B2
A network security server constituted of: a device detection functionality, the device detection functionality arranged to detect devices on a network on an ongoing basis; a state extraction functionality arranged to read the state of each of the detected devices; an abstraction functionality arranged to translate each of the read states to a common abstract format; a state analysis functionality arranged to compare each of the translated read states with a predetermined database of states; and a session control functionality arranged to control communication of each of the detected devices responsive to the comparison with the predetermined database of states.
US08555389B2
A system, method and computer program product are provided including a router and a security sub-system coupled to the router. Such security sub-system includes a plurality of virtual firewalls, a plurality of virtual intrusion prevention systems (IPSs), and a plurality of virtual virus scanners. Further, each of the virtual firewalls, IPSs, and virus scanners is assigned to at least one of a plurality of user and is configured in a user-specific.
US08555388B1
In some embodiments, heuristic botnet detection is provided. In some embodiments, heuristic botnet detection includes monitoring network traffic to identify suspicious network traffic; and detecting a bot based on a heuristic analysis of the suspicious network traffic behavior using a processor, in which the suspicious network traffic behavior includes command and control traffic associated with a bot master. In some embodiments, heuristic botnet detection further includes assigning a score to the monitored network traffic, in which the score corresponds to a botnet risk characterization of the monitored network traffic (e.g., based on one or more heuristic botnet detection techniques); increasing the score based on a correlation of additional suspicious behaviors associated with the monitored network traffic (e.g., based on one or more heuristic botnet detection techniques); and determining the suspicious behavior is associated with a botnet based on the score.
US08555380B2
A method for automatically modifying an executable file for a software agent is provided. The method comprises detecting original static entry and exit points in the executable file and generating corresponding transformed points; modifying the executable file by linking the executable file to the integrity services environment and embedding a signed agent manifest; loading the modified executable file into memory and registering a target list with the software agent's hypervisor, wherein the target list provides mappings between protected and active page tables; detecting dynamic entry and exit points in the executable file and generating corresponding transformed points; switching to a protected context, in response to a transformed exit point being invoked, and switching to an active context, in response a transformed entry point being invoked; and de-registering the software agent with the memory protection module, in response to the software agent being unloaded.
US08555379B1
A method and apparatus for monitoring communications from a communications device comprising monitoring communications from a communications device by storing a data acquisition address in a contact list of the communications device that identifies a location of a monitoring device. Further, when malicious software uses the contact list to send messages, a message is sent using the malicious software to the monitoring device using the data acquisition address.
US08555373B2
A high-speed security device for network connected industrial controls provides hybrid processing in tandem hardware and software security components. The software security component establishes state-less data identifying each packet that requires high-speed processing and loads a data table in the hardware component. The hardware component may then allow packets matching data of the data table to bypass the software component while passing other non-matching packets to the software component for more sophisticated state analysis.
US08555368B2
An embodiment may include network controller circuitry to be comprised in a host computer that includes a host processor to execute an operating system environment. The circuitry may be coupled to the processor, receive at least one packet via a network, store at least one firewall filter parameter set, and execute, based at least in part upon the parameter set and packet, at least one firewall filter action involving, at least in part, the packet. The action may implement, at least in part, at least one firewall rule supplied by a firewall application to an interface of a driver associated with the circuitry. The application may be executed, at least in part, in the environment. The circuitry may generate and store the parameter set based at least in part upon at least one command from the driver. The command may be based at least in part upon the rule.
US08555367B2
A system and method for securely streaming media. The system includes a gateway server that receives requests for access to a secured data resource from an end users. The request include an authorization ticket and a referring website. The gateway server validates the authorization ticket using a secret key shared with the referring website, and validates the referring website by verifying that referring website is on a white-list for the secured data resource. The gateway server selects a data server to service the request, and formats a data server access request containing the data server location and data server request parameter data and transmits the data server access request to the end users. When end users transmit the data server access requests to a data server, the data server validates the request and transmits it to the end user.
US08555364B2
Systems and methods for cloning a Wi-Fi access point. A determination is made by a network monitoring device to transition communications between a Wi-Fi device and a first access point (AP) to a second AP. The SSID and the security configuration information, and, optionally, network address translation (NAT) information of the first access point are acquired and provided to a second AP. The second AP instantiates the SSID and the security configuration information and, optionally, the NAT information. The networking monitoring device directs the first AP to cease using the SSID and the security configuration information and, optionally, the NAT information in response to receipt of confirmation that the second AP has instantiated the SSID and the security configuration information and, optionally, the NAT information of the first AP.
US08555361B2
A method of authentication and authorization over a communication system is provided. The method performs a first authentication of a device based on a set of device identity and credentials. The first authentication includes creation of a first set of keying material. The method also includes performing a second authentication of a subscriber based on a set of subscriber identity and credentials. The second authentication includes creation of a second set of keying material. A set of compound key material is created with a key derivation mechanism that uses the first set of keying material and the second set of keying material. A binding token is created by cryptographically signing at least the device identity authenticated in the first authentication and the subscriber identity authenticated in the second authentication using the set of compound keying material. The signed binding token is exchanged for verification with an authenticating and authorizing party.
US08555350B1
A system for facilitating persistent communications between entities in a network. In a specific embodiment, the system is adapted to facilitate fast reauthentication of a client performed by a server, such as an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) server, that is coupled to the client via a load balancer. The system includes a first message to be exchanged between the server and the client, wherein the first message includes a field identifying the server and/or the client. A matching module communicates with or is otherwise incorporated within the load balancer. The matching module includes one or more routines for employing the field to selectively route the first message to the client and/or server. In a more specific embodiment, the server a fast reauthentication module adapted to append the field in the message. The field includes sub-realm information identifying the server.
US08555343B2
A device receives, from a user device, a request to access a network, determines whether to accept or deny the request to access the network, and monitors traffic provided to or from the user device via the network. The device also determines a traffic pattern for the user device based on the traffic, classifies the traffic as one of high throughput traffic, low packet data size traffic, or high frequency packet interval traffic, and applies different network resource control mechanisms to different classifications of the traffic.
US08555331B2
An approach is provided for the self-provisioning of a feature corresponding to multiple media devices (e.g., set-top boxes). A request to provision a feature on a plurality of set-top boxes is received. It is determined whether the feature is compatible with each of the set-top boxes. The feature is automatically provisioned based on the request and the determination.
US08555329B2
In a method for transmitting a multimedia presentation comprising a number of media objects: the media objects are organized in a multimedia container or container format; identifiers referring to the media objects are organized in the same container; and an identifiable file coordinating the media objects is also provided in the container.
US08555327B2
A computer-implemented method includes receiving, from a secondary computing device, a request for enhanced content for a media program, the request comprising information indicative of a communication channel through which the media program is being displayed on a primary computing device; receiving broadcast information indicative of enhanced content for a plurality of communication channels; extracting, from the broadcast information indicative of enhanced content for the plurality of communication channels, broadcast information indicative of enhanced content for the communication channel through which the media program is being displayed on the primary computing device; obtaining, based on the extracted broadcast information, a link to enhanced content for the media program; and sending, to the secondary computing device, the link to enhanced content for the media program.
US08555324B2
A content delivery system stores large content as frames of video that can be served by content servers already optimized for streaming video. Instead of storing image tiles in separate files, the system treats each tile as a frame of a video and stores the tiles in a video format. This allows transfer of large data from a publisher to a content server by transferring a single file or a small handful of files (rather than thousands or millions of files). Web servers such as MICROSOFT Internet Information Server (IIS) include smooth streaming support that can return individual images as video frames as though the images were stored in separate files. Thus, the content delivery system provides easier management of large data for publishers while continuing to provide a smooth experience consuming the data for clients.
US08555317B2
Aggregating media content catalog data from a plurality of content providers. The catalog data is merged according to rules and provided to a user on a scheduled basis or on demand. In an embodiment, the merged catalog data represents an incremental update to previously delivered catalog data.
US08555315B2
Systems and methods are provided for navigating a media guidance application with multiple perspective views. A first of a plurality of media guidance objects may be displayed in a first perspective view that appears flat on the screen. A second media guidance object may be displayed in a second perspective view that appears to be going into the screen creating the appearance of a fold between the first and second media guidance application objects at a location where the first perspective view changes into the second perspective view. The second media guidance object in the second perspective view may be caused to slide through the fold into the first perspective view. The second media guidance object displayed in the first perspective view may be selected. An action may be performed for a media asset corresponding to the selected media guidance object.
US08555294B2
An approach for sharing data between a calling application and a callee application is presented. A callee application receives a request for processing data owned and stored by the calling application in a data table. The callee application receives a document to which containers that include data elements from the data table are attached in a predefined order. The callee application identifies element types corresponding to the containers based on a mapping interface table. The callee application unloads data elements from the containers into a data store via the predefined order and associates the data elements with the corresponding element types. The callee application processes the data according to the request. The processing includes applying a business rule to a data element based on the business rule being associated with an element type of the data element. Only the callee application has knowledge of the applied business rule.
US08555289B2
A dynamic task management system and method for data parallel processing on a multi-core system are provided. The dynamic task management system may generate a registration signal for a task to be parallel processed, may generate a dynamic management signal used to dynamically manage at least one task, in response to the generated registration signal, and may control the at least one task to be created or cancelled in at least one core in response to the generated dynamic management signal.
US08555287B2
An automated system obtains performance data of a computer system having partitioned servers. The performance data includes a performance rating and a current measured utilization of each server, actual workload (e.g. transaction arrival rate), and actual service levels (e.g. response time or transaction processing rate). From the data, automated system normalizes a utilization value for each server over time and generates a weighted average for each and expected service levels for various times and workloads. Automated system receives a service level objective (SLO) for each server and future time and automatically determines a policy based on the weighted average normalized utilization values, past performance information, and received SLOs. The policy can include rules for provisioning required servers to meet the SLOs, a throughput for each server, and a potential service level for each server. Based on the generated policy, the system automatically provisions operation of the servers across partitions.
US08555282B1
A method and apparatus to provide a scheduler comprising receiving motion information from a mobile device, determining a current use characteristic for the mobile device based on the motion information, and scheduling a task based on the current use characteristic.
US08555278B2
A method for migrating a selected set of virtual machines from a first volume to a second volume. The method includes receiving a list of virtual machines which are not migrating from a first volume to a second volume, accessing a host file system usage map of a host machine that indicates active blocks of the host file system, and accessing virtual file system usage maps of a plurality of virtual machines that indicate active blocks. A filter usage map that identifies the active blocks of the virtual machines which are not migrating is generated. The plurality of virtual machines are migrated from the first volume to the second volume, wherein the active blocks of the virtual file systems which are not migrating are skipped in accordance with the filter usage map. Subsequently, the metadata at the second volume is processed to reflect the virtual machines which were not migrated.
US08555266B2
A computer-implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product to manage variable assignments in a program. The process identifies a set of variable assignments that is live on a portion of paths to form a set of identified variable assignments. Each of the set of identified variable assignments assign a value to at least one variable of a set of variables. The process determines a set of program points at which the set of identified variable assignments is live on all paths. The process also moves the set of identified variable assignments to the set of program points in response to determining that the set of identified variable assignments is movable to the set of program points.
US08555264B2
A system and method for efficient compilation and invocation of function type calls in a virtual machine (VM), or other runtime environment, and particularly for use in a system that includes a Java Virtual Machine (JVM). The system comprises a virtual machine for executing a software application; a memory space for the application byte code comprising callsites generated using a function type carrier; a bytecode to machine code compiler which performs MethodHandle invocation optimizations; a memory space for the compiled machine code; and a memory space for storing software objects as part of the software application. The system enables carrying the function type from the original MethodHandle to a callsite in the generated bytecode, including maintaining generics information for a function type acquired from a target function, and generating a callsite based on the generics information for the function object invocation.
US08555253B2
A system and method for monitoring exploratory testing by a plurality of testers of software containing a graphical user interface is disclosed. The method includes recording interactions of each of the plurality of testers with a graphical user interface (GUI) under test. The recorded interactions of each tester can be stored in an interaction database. An interaction footprint map is created from the interaction database to show which portions of the GUI under test have had interaction with at least one of the testers. The interaction footprint map is displayed in relation to the GUI for at least one end user.
US08555252B2
The present disclosure discloses embodiments of an apparatus and method for loading codes of cluster-based Java application system. The loading techniques provided by the present disclosure do not need to publish the latest codes to each server in the cluster or restart the Java application in each server of the cluster. The loading techniques only need to update the codes in the codes storage server, such as a SVN server. Each server in the cluster will automatically load the latest codes, thereby improving the usability of the Java cluster system.
US08555246B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed for programming software components that treats software components as the basic unit of abstraction and computation. A software component is encapsulated and classes and other program entities, such as data fields and methods, within a given component do not exist beyond a component boundary. A component interacts with other components only by means of a defined set of input and output ports. A component can inherit and implement ports declared in a template and can declare and implement new ports. A component can only access the external environment through its output ports. An output port of one component can only be connected to a conforming input port of another component. A connect statement is an explicit plumbing operation for connecting components together. Interactions between components are loosely coupled. A related set of templates can be grouped together to form a group.
US08555241B2
Techniques are described in which indication of a computer application to be configured for use in a particular business enterprise is received. A mass data run object is identified. The mass data run object defines a computer operation to be performed by the computer application to transform business transaction data as part of a business process. The mass data run object identifies i) selection parameters to select business transaction data to be transformed by the computer operation defined by the mass data run object and ii) instructions, that when executed, perform the computer operation to transform the selected business transaction data. A mass data run object instance corresponding to the identified mass data run object is generated and scheduled for execution.
US08555226B1
An approach is provided in which a formal verification tool sends a condition signal to a first circuit instance and to a second circuit instance, which are both instances of an electric circuit design. The formal verification tool selects a common input port and sends a first input value to the common input port of the first circuit instance and sends a second input value, which is different than the first input value, to the common input port of the second circuit instance. In turn, the first circuit instance generates a first output value and the second circuit instance generates a second instance value, which are utilized to verify dependencies between the electronic circuit's input ports and output ports.
US08555217B1
In one embodiment, an integrated circuit design tool is provided that includes a main window graphical user interface (GUI) and several tool GUIs. Cross probing of features from a source tool GUI to a target tool GUI occurs by the source tool GUI transmitting a probe request to the main window GUI; wherein the probe request identifies one or more cross-probed features for the target tool GUI. In response, the main window GUI commands a plug-in installation of the target tool GUI if the target tool GUI has not yet been instantiated. The main window GUI transmits a notification of the probe request to the target tool GUI. In response, the target tool GUI displays the cross-probed features.
US08555216B2
A design structure for an electrically tunable resistor. In one embodiment, the design structure is embodied in a machine readable medium for designing, manufacturing, or testing an integrated circuit, and includes a resistor including: a first resistive layer; at least one second resistive layer; and an intermediate interdiffused layer of the first resistive layer and the at least one second resistive layer.
US08555200B2
A representational editing system for WYSIWYG editing of editable web pages with embedded content elements. The representational editing system presents embedded content elements in an editable manner that represents their actual appearance on the web page. Typically, the representational editing system displays an image in place of the embedded content. The representational editing system enables users to modify editable attributes of embedded content in a WYSIWYG editing environment.
US08555196B1
A system and method for arranging windows on a screen. The user interface program, called the Graphical User Interface (GUI), provides a user friendly system and method of viewing and/or interacting with computer application programs. The GUI prepares and presents a visual display. The arranging of active and inactive windows on the screen is configured according to prescribed formulas. The GUI also provides the user with a two or three dimensional spatial orientation of the data.
US08555193B2
The present invention relates to the automated layout and scrolling of windows.
US08555187B2
A computer-implemented method of sharing data between computer applications is discussed. The method includes receiving, at an application server sub-system of a hosted computer server system and from a first computing device that is remote from the hosted computer server system, commands interacting with an electronic document served by the application server sub-system, and receiving at the hosted computer server system a command to copy content from the electronic document to an electronic clipboard. The method also includes storing, at a clipboard server sub-system of the hosted computer server system, that is separate from the application server sub-system, data that represents the content, receiving a request for the stored data that represents the content, and delivering, from the clipboard server sub-system to a second computing device, the data that represents the content.
US08555182B2
A graphical user interface is disclosed for management and easy reorganization of graphical objects displayed over the graphical user interface. The graphical user interface may relate to prioritizing and organizing the results of a database search. The graphical user interface may alternatively relate to prioritizing and organizing graphic objects such as personalized topics on a homepage and formatting icons in a productivity application program, such as a word processing application program, a spreadsheet application program, a presentation application program and a drawing application program.
US08555177B1
Community interaction during video viewing is provided. A video hosting website includes videos available for viewing. Users establish lists of friends, who are other users of the video hosting site. When a user logs on, her presence is made known by an interaction engine to her friends that are also logged in to the site. The user's activities are tracked and her friends are notified of those activities. Tracked activities may include viewing a video, rating a video, commenting on a video, uploading a video to the site, and adding a new friend. Friends are notified of these activities in one embodiment through one or more user interface elements. A user can select a user interface element to discover which of her friends are also watching the same video at that time. A user watching a video can summon her online friends to the watch page to watch collaboratively.
US08555173B2
Determining an item to present to a first user is disclosed. Preference information is received that comprises the preferences of a plurality of users associated with one or more items. User correlations are determined from the received preference information. For the first user, a set of other users most correlated with the first user is determined. One or more items are presented to the first user based at least in part on the preferences of the other users.
US08555168B2
Multimedia content of exchangeable storage media, such as optical discs, may be extended by bonus content that is downloaded via Internet connection and stored on a local storage device. An improved method for integration of different menu items relating to on-disc content and downloaded content provides flexibility and a simple, low cost solution. The method for integration of downloaded bonus content into a menu comprises defining one or more placeholders within a menu, determining a storage location or naming convention for bonus content, declaring for each placeholder an attribute providing a unique association to a specific type of bonus content, providing a button image, detecting presence of bonus content data, replacing the associated placeholder by the associated button image and enabling an associated action to be taken when said button is selected.
US08555148B2
Methods and apparatus for generating cyclic redundancy checks (CRCs). In one aspect of the present invention, a plurality of cyclic redundancy checks are calculated based upon a plurality of bits by using a selected cyclic redundancy check generator polynomial, at least one cyclic redundancy check is calculated based upon a first subset of the plurality of bits with a certain bit ordering, and at least another cyclic redundancy check is calculated based upon a second subset of the plurality of bits with a different bit ordering. The second subset of bits may overlap with the first subset of bits. In another aspect, a plurality of cyclic redundancy checks are calculated based upon a plurality of bits by using a plurality of different cyclic redundancy check generator polynomials. A first cyclic redundancy check generator polynomial is used for calculating a first cyclic redundancy check based upon a first plurality of bits, and a second cyclic redundancy check generator polynomial is used for calculating a second cyclic redundancy check based upon a second plurality of bits.
US08555139B1
A method includes applying an error-detecting code to first input data to generate first protected data and applying the error-detecting code to second input data to generate second protected data. The method also includes generating a first encoded codeword by encoding the first protected data using a first low density parity check (LDPC) code, and generating an output by performing a binary exclusive-or operation on the first protected data and the second protected data. The method further includes generating a second encoded codeword by encoding the output of the of the binary exclusive-or operation using a second LDPC code, and multiplexing data for transmission over a communications channel based on (i) the first encoded codeword and (ii) the second encoded codeword.
US08555138B2
The invention disclosed in this application describes an error detection method that can be used to identify an OFDM symbol that is interfered with. The method is based on computing a symbol by symbol path error metric from error correction code and by comparing the statistics of each individual symbol to the mean and the variance of the metric computed from the whole data packet.
US08555137B2
A portable device (114) includes a power source (120), a volatile memory (118) requiring refreshing to avoid data loss, and a memory management module (116). The volatile memory (118) is operably coupled to the power source (120) for power. The memory management module (116) is operably coupled to the volatile memory (118). The memory management module (116) is also adapted to refresh the volatile memory (118) at a refresh rate which causes refresh-based errors and to correct the refresh-based errors. Also disclosed is a method for reduced power consumption by a volatile memory requiring refreshing to avoid data loss in which such a volatile memory is refreshed (122) at a refresh rate. All defective bits are detected (124) at the refresh rate. An error correction code is selected (126) for correcting the defective bits.
US08555129B2
A layered decoder that uses a non-standard schedule, where a non-standard schedule is a schedule where the frequency of one or more layers in the schedule is greater than one. When the layered decoder converges on a near codeword using an initial schedule, the layered decoder identifies the layer Lmaxb of the near codeword, which layer contains the greatest number of unsatisfied check nodes, and selects a subsequent non-standard schedule from a schedule set. The non-standard schedules in the schedule set are sorted by key layer, where the key layer is a layer that appears in the non-standard schedule with the greatest frequency. The layer decoder selects a non-standard schedule from the schedule set where the key layer of selected non-standard schedule is equal to the identified Lmaxb value.
US08555127B2
Error correcting codes (ECCs) have been proposed to be used in high frequency memory devices to detect errors in signals transmitted between a memory controller and a memory device. For high frequency memory devices, ECCs have delay characteristics of greater than one clock cycle. When the delay exceeds one clock cycle but is much less than two clock cycles, an entire second clock cycle must be added. By calculating and comparing the ECC value in a static logic circuit and a dynamic logic circuit, the logic delay is substantially reduced. In addition, the ECC value may be calculated and compared using two sets of static logic gates, where the second static logic gate is clocked by a clock signal that is delayed relative to the clock signal of the first set of logic gates.
US08555125B2
A transmitting apparatus and a wireless communication method are provided. The transmitting apparatus is capable of transmitting, together with transmission data, retransmission data in response to an HARQ from a receiving apparatus, according to an MCS determined based on a request from the receiving apparatus and includes a storage portion which stores information indicating a transition of an FER with respect to a communication quality for each MCS in both cases in which an HARQ response is enabled and disabled, an HARQ switching portion which switches whether to enable or disable the HARQ response in accordance with a QoS class of data to be transmitted, and an MCS switching portion which switches an MCS in accordance with the switching of whether to enable or disable the HARQ response, while referring to the information stored in the storage portion.
US08555124B2
An apparatus and method are provided for detecting an approaching error condition within a data processing apparatus and includes a sequential storage structure arranged to latch an output signal generated by combinatorial circuitry dependent on a second clock signal. The sequential storage structure has a main storage element to latch a value of the output signal for provision to subsequent combinatorial circuitry. The sequential storage structure can be operated in either first or second modes of operation where, in the first mode, the predetermined timing window is ahead of a time at which the main storage element latches said value of the output signal enabling an approaching setup timing error to be detected. In the second mode, the predetermined timing window is after the time at which the main storage element latches said value of the output signal where an approaching hold timing error is detected.
US08555123B2
A test device for an SoC test architecture has a test input port, a test output port, a plurality of cores, a register, and a plurality of user defined logics. The register has a plurality of bits corresponding to the cores. Each of the user defined logics is connected to a corresponding bit of the register and a corresponding one of the cores. Each of the user defined logic receives a plurality of test control signals, and receives the corresponding bit of the register to change values of the test control signals. Outputs of each of the user defined logics are connected to the corresponding core to determine whether a test instruction of the corresponding core is or is not needed to be updated.
US08555118B2
In a system and method for processing network data of a server, the server includes a timer, a switch and a storage system. The server determines whether the storage system includes overtime information of the timer when server is powered on. If the storage system includes the overtime information, the overtime information is deleted. If an operating system is started, a predetermined initial value is written into the timer to start timing, and a first network port and a second network port are disconnected through the switch. If the server works normally, a predetermined reset command is sent to the timer to reset the timer at regular intervals. If the server does not work normally, the first network port and the second network port are connected through the switch. If the timer times out, the overtime information is written into the storage system.
US08555117B1
A system including a detection module, a reconstruction module, and a correlation module. The detection module receives first signals from a medium and detects data bits from the first signals. The reconstruction module reconstructs the data bits and generates second signals. The correlation module generates first correlation values by correlating the first and second signals and generates second correlation values by self-correlating the second signals. In response to at least one of the first and second signals including a floating number having a plurality of bits and a sign bit, the correlation module generates at least one of the first and second correlation values based on a plurality of most significant bits of the floating number and the sign bit of the floating number. The first and second correlation values indicate whether the data bits detected from the first signals include errors due to defects in the medium.
US08555114B2
A method facilitating the support of a communications device via diagnostic tools on the communications device and a remote computing device of monitoring predefined data elements associated with the operation of said communications device.
US08555111B2
An information processing apparatus includes a memory, and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to collect information including a diagnosis history regarding a plurality of components of the information processing apparatus in application processing by the information processing apparatus, determine priority level settings from among a plurality of offline diagnoses with regard to each of the components, prioritize offline diagnosis of the information processing apparatus based on the information and the priority level settings, and perform the plurality of offline diagnoses with regard to the components at a time of the offline diagnosis of the information processing apparatus based on the priority level settings.
US08555097B2
Described herein is a reconfigurable processor which uses a distributed configuration memory structure and an operation method thereof in which power consumption is reduced. A processing unit which configures the reconfigurable processor includes a functional unit, a distributed configuration memory, a no-operation (NOP) register, and a controller. The NOP register stores information which represents whether or not a NOP operation is performed at each clock cycle. The controller controls to deactivate the distributed configuration memory at a clock cycle at which a NOP operation is performed.
US08555086B2
A non-volatile memory, such as a NAND memory, may be encrypted by reading source blocks, writing to destination blocks, and then erasing the source blocks. As part of the encryption sequence, a power fail recovery procedure, using sequence numbers, is used to reestablish a logical-to-physical translation table for the destination blocks.
US08555068B2
An system for and method of providing end-to-end encrypted real-time phone calls using a commodity mobile phone and without requiring service provider cooperation is presented. The system and method improve upon prior art techniques by omitting any requirement for mobile phones that are specially manufactured to include end-to-end encryption functionality.
US08555063B2
Disclosed is a method for establishing a wireless link key between a remote device and a group device. In the method, the remote device obtains a group identifier from the group device, and determines whether the group device is associated with a group having a trust association with the remote device. When the group device is determined to be associated with a group having an established trust association with the remote device, the remote device forwards a link setup request to the group device for virtually pairing with the group device using the trust association to establish the wireless link key. When the group device is determined not to be associated with a group having an established trust association with the remote device, the remote device forwards a pairing request to the group device for pairing with the group device to establish the wireless link key.
US08555058B2
A method of distributing group identifiers IDs (GIDs) in a power line communication (PLC) network, a method of receiving the GIDs, an authentication apparatus, and a PLC apparatus are provided. The authentication apparatus includes: an authentication mode storing unit which stores an authentication mode having a value including one of an authentication authorized mode and an authentication unauthorized mode; a GID request receiver which receives a GID request message from a PLC apparatus; and a GID transmitter which, if the authentication mode is the authentication authorized mode, transmits a GID corresponding to the PLC apparatus to the PLC apparatus. Authentication is realized in a PLC media access control layer distributing the GIDs between a PLC apparatus and an authentication apparatus, so manually inputting a GID into the PLC apparatus is not necessary. Further, the GIDs are distributed via the authentication apparatus, thereby centrally managing the GIDs.
US08555056B2
A method and system for including security information with a packet is disclosed. A packet is detected as it exits a first network and enters a second network. The first network is configured to support a network security technique, and the second network is not configured to support the network security technique. Network security information associated with the network security technique is included with the packet. A network device is configured to include network security information in overhead of a packet. A method for identifying a first network device in a network is also disclosed. Identification information of the first network is communicated to a second network device.
US08555054B2
Apparatus and methods are provided for protecting network resources, particularly in association with automatic provisioning of new client devices. A global PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) scheme is rooted at a globally available server. Roots of PKIs for individual organizations also reside at this server or another globally available resource. To enable access to an organization's network, one or more authenticators are deployed, which may be co-located with access points or other network components. After a client device enabler (CDE) and an authenticator perform mutual authentication with certificates issued within the global PKI, the CDE is used to provision a new client device for the organization. After the client is provisioned, it and an authenticator use certificates issued within the per-organization PKI to allow the client access to the network.
US08555050B2
An apparatus for enabling booting from a NAND flash memory comprises a NAND flash controller connected to the NAND flash memory, wherein the NAND flash memory is configured to include at least a starter section for storing boot code, the starter section includes a predefined number of blocks to store copies of the boot code duplicated in a configurable number of blocks; and a fetch emulator for fetching a valid and complete starter block that includes the boot code.
US08555046B2
A computer system includes an ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) that abstracts HWs (hardwares) as objects arranged on an ACPI tree which is a virtual space, an OS (Operating System) that recognizes a configuration of the HW through the ACPI, a virtual HW provided between the ACPI and HW and includes a memory area in which locations storing information for each HW are arranged in the same arrangement as the objects on the ACPI tree, and a BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) that previously refers to the HW and stores information for each HW in the memory area of the virtual HW at a location corresponding to the HW. The ACPI refers not directly to the HW but to the memory area of the virtual HW to obtain information for each HW, thereby allowing the OS to recognize the HW configuration from the information for each HW.
US08555035B1
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for using a multi-bank register file that reduces the size of or eliminates a switch and/or staging registers that are used to gather input operands for instructions. Each function unit input may be directly connected to one bank of the multi-bank register file with neither a switch nor a staging register. A compiler or register allocation unit ensures that the register file accesses for each instruction are conflict-free (no instruction can access the same bank more than once in the same cycle). The compiler or register allocation unit may also ensure that the register file accesses for each instruction are also aligned (each input of a function unit can only come from the bank connected to that input).
US08555028B2
A method of causing an information processing apparatus to execute, the method including: performing a management procedure to accept addresses of respective page tables generated for each of operation modes from an operating system that manages the virtual address space and to associate the addresses with the operating system to be recorded in page table correspondence information storage; executing a control procedure to set a second access right indicating a value lower than the first access right in accordance with the operation mode of the operating system; and processing a processing procedure to cause the memory management device to execute a flush of a translation look-aside buffer, and to set the second access right indicating a value for validating the first access right, wherein the memory management device performs a control on the memory access while the second access right is prioritized over the first access right.
US08555021B1
Methods and systems are disclosed that relate to identifying an appropriate logical unit for a requested application storage allocation. An exemplary method includes receiving a request for storage allocation comprising a plurality of storage attributes including capacity and at least one performance and/or availability criterion. The method further includes identifying a logical unit having at least one designated storage characteristic that satisfies the at least one criterion and having an available storage space that satisfies the capacity and allocating at least a portion of the identified logical unit for storage associated with the request.
US08555014B1
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of managing access of multiple client computers to a storage system that supports a limited number of logins. The method comprises, in response to a request to enable a subset of the clients to access resources of the storage system to perform a task, automatically configuring the storage system to provide the subset of the clients access to the resources, and, when the task is completed, automatically re-configuring the storage system so that the subset of the clients is no longer provided with access to the resources of the storage system.
US08555012B2
A method for controlling a storage apparatus connectable to a server, the storage apparatus including a first storage area and a second storage area for storing data, the method comprises: copying the data stored in the first storage area into the second storage area; copying data stored in the location of the first storage area addressed by the command to be accessed by the server into the location of the second storage area before execution of the command when the storage apparatus receives a command for accessing data stored in a location of either of the first storage area and second storage area from the server; and executing the command for accessing at least one of the location in the first storage area and the corresponding location in the second storage area.
US08555009B1
A method and apparatus for enabling and managing application input/output activity in memory to restore a data store using one or more processors is disclosed. In one embodiments, the method includes processing a restoration request for a data store, wherein the data store is mirrored by another data store, controlling communication of application input/output activity associated with at least one host computer and directed to at least one of the data store or the other data store, restoring various portions of the data store, in accordance with the restoration request, using at least one of at least one prior point in time image or the other data store and servicing the application input/output activity using the data store.
US08555006B2
A memory hub and method for transmitting a read response on a data path of a memory hub interposed between a transmitting memory hub and a receiving memory hub. An arbitration packet including data indicative of a data path configuration for an associated read response is received at the memory hub. The arbitration packet is decoded, and the data path is configured in accordance with the data of the arbitration packet. The associated read response is received at the memory hub and the associated read response is coupled to the configured data path for transmitting the same to the receiving memory hub.
US08555003B2
Techniques for updating a cached version of data in a computer system upon a change of the data as stored in a shared storage system networked to the computer system are described. In accordance with such techniques, a notification from the shared storage system is received at the computer system upon attempting to access the shared storage system. The computer system then determines that the notification occurred due to an unregistering of the computer system's access to the shared storage system by a second computer system that has updated the data stored in the shared storage system. As such, the computer system re-registers its access to the shared storage system and updates the cached version of the data with the data in the shared storage system that was updated by the second computer system.
US08555000B2
A data storage device and a data storing method thereof, including first main memories coupled to a plurality of channels, second main memories coupled to the plurality of channels in common, a buffer memory temporarily storing data to be programmed to the first and the second main memories; and a controller configured to program data of victim cache lines from the buffer memory to the second main memories while data of a first victim cache line from the buffer memory is being programmed to the first main memories. The storing method includes that a victim cache line is selected based on cost-based page replacement.
US08554988B2
A storage controller manages address conversion information denoting the correspondence relationship between a logical address and a physical address of storage area (for example, a physical block) inside a flash memory. The storage controller uses the above-mentioned address conversion information to specify a physical address corresponding to a logical address specified by an I/O request from a higher-level device, and sends an I/O command including I/O-destination information based on the specified physical address to a memory controller inside a flash memory module. The memory controller carries out the I/O with respect to a storage area inside a flash memory specified from the I/O-destination information of the I/O command from the storage controller.
US08554971B2
A universal connector apparatus for a mobile device and in communication with the mobile device, the apparatus comprising: at least one universal serial bus (USB) connector providing at least one connection; at least one USB host controller configured to control the at least one USB connection; a microprocessor configured to control the at least one USB host controller, the microprocessor having an operating system; a USB device control interface on the mobile device configured to communicate and control the universal connector apparatus; and a USB driver configured to operate within the operating system to enable the mobile device to connect to one or more peripherals via the at least one USB connector.
US08554965B1
A system and method stores wirelessly received communications for wireless retransmission, making space in a storage device, if necessary, by deleting any one or more communications corresponding to the same group as the received communication. If storage in the storage device remains insufficient, communications that have been previously retransmitted by that same device are deleted, according to one or more characteristics of such stored communications, such as age or number of times an instance of that communication has been received. If storage in the storage device remains insufficient, communications of a different group are deleted according to one or more characteristics of the stored communications.
US08554955B2
In one embodiment, a system includes logic adapted for receiving a command from a first system, logic adapted for determining which resources are required to process the command, logic adapted for checking for the required resources before receiving data associated with the command, logic adapted for receiving the data from the first system, logic adapted for checking for the required resources after receiving the data when the checking for the required resources before receiving data indicated that the required resources were not available before receiving the data, logic adapted for sending a status to the first system if the required resources are not available after receiving the data, and logic adapted for processing the command if the required resources are available either before receiving the data or after receiving the data. In more embodiments, a method and computer program product for processing a command are also presented.
US08554954B1
A method, computer program product, and computing system for determining at least one LUN that was being controlled by a host prior to a crash event concerning the host, thus define at least one target LUN. A Mode Select command is prepared for the at least one target LUN, wherein the Mode Select command defines control information and host identifier information concerning the host. The Mode Select command is processed to determine if the control information and host identifier information included within the Mode Select command matches control information and host identifier information included within a buffer associated with the at least one target LUN. If the control information and host identifier information included within the Mode Select command matches the control information and host identifier information included within the buffer, control of the at least one target LUN is granted to the host.
US08554951B2
Several different embodiments of a massively scalable object storage system are described. The object storage system is particularly useful for storage in a cloud computing installation whereby shared servers provide resources, software, and data to computers and other devices on demand. In several embodiments, the object storage system includes a ring implementation used to associate object storage commands with particular physical servers such that certain guarantees of consistency, availability, and performance can be met. In other embodiments, the object storage system includes a synchronization protocol used to order operations across a distributed system. In a third set of embodiments, the object storage system includes a metadata management system. In a fourth set of embodiments, the object storage system uses a structured information synchronization system. Features from each set of embodiments can be used to improve the performance and scalability of a cloud computing object storage system.
US08554941B2
A method of providing content comprises making the content available on a central server, and surveying a plurality of peers for a portion of the content. The portion of the content from one of the peers is obtained when the portion of the content is available from the one of the peers, and obtained from the central server when the portion of the content is not available from the plurality of peers.
US08554922B2
A method of processing data in an IPTV receiver and such an IPTV receiver are disclosed. The method includes transmitting a request signal for resolution of a content reference identifier (CRID) corresponding to a content, receiving location information including a session initiation protocol-uniform resource identifier (SIP-URI) and a session description protocol-uniform resource locator (SDP-URL), wherein the SIP-URI and the SDP-URL correspond to the CRID, requesting a server corresponding to the SDP-URL to transmit a session description protocol (SDP) file by using the received SDP-URL, and receiving the SDP file from the server.
US08554914B2
A centralized service identifies a pool of devices that can be accessed by clients over a network. Devices can include a local or network-accessible device, and a configurable file that represents a portion of a device (e.g., a SCSI storage device). In some cases, the devices (or the file representing a portion of the device) can be identified by an assigned logical unit number. The centralized service assigns one or more devices to a target, and associates client information with the target. The centralized service also can also assign the target a logical unit number, and assign the target to a protocol-independent portal, which further operates through protocol-dependent miniports. In one embodiment, a client accesses a network device by accessing the appropriate port through an appropriate miniport protocol (e.g., Ethernet, fiber channel, etc.), and by submitting appropriate target authorization.
US08554909B2
A detection that a client-server system, which is operating in a first state mode, has switched from a first use case to a second use case for accessing a property of an object associated with a server. The first state mode during the first use case reduces messaging in the client-server system as compared to using a second state mode. A determination is performed as to whether using the second state mode during the second use case would reduce messaging in the system as compared to using the first state mode. The client-server system is transitioned to the second state mode, if operating in the second state mode would reduce messaging in the client-server system as compared to operating in the first state mode for the second use case.
US08554904B2
An abnormal point locating method includes: a link primary abnormality judgment procedure that acquires information on a link through which each observation flow passes, locates a link through which an observation flow observed at an observation point passes, and judges whether the located link is normal or abnormal based on the observation flow; and a link secondary abnormality judgment procedure that judges a probability of abnormality based on a result of the link primary abnormality judgment procedure by using a connection relationship as seen from each observation point.
US08554888B2
A communication system including a first apparatus having a first storage medium, and a second apparatus for transmitting data to the first apparatus. The second apparatus has a second storage medium for storing management information of data to be transferred to the first storage medium, a communicator for communicating data with the first apparatus, an editor capable of editing the management information and a controller for making a control to transfer data stored in the second storage medium to the first storage medium by way of the communicator based on the management information edited by the editor.
US08554881B2
The present invention relates generally to software functional modules and, in particular, to such modules used for delivering hybrid static and dynamic content. More particularly, there is described a computer-readable storage medium and corresponding method. The storage medium comprises: (a) a repository of static content; and (b) a program element for execution by a computing device to deliver hybrid content via a user interface. The program element comprises: (i) program code means for commanding instantiation of a functional module remote from the computing device; (ii) program code means for receiving dynamic content from the remote functional module; (iii) program code means for accessing the repository of static content; and (iv) program code means for delivering hybrid content on the basis of the static content in the repository and the dynamic content received from the remote functional module.
US08554876B2
Systems, methods, and device are provided for a user profile service. One embodiment includes a method for user profile service. The method includes collecting user profile data from different network sources in a localized database. Business rules are provided to an application server to manage access to the collected user profile data in the database. The method further includes allowing different network service applications to access the collected user profile data as determined by the business rules.
US08554873B1
A computing device may determine a geographic location of the computing device. The computing device may receive information associated with a user. The information may include a search history, a browsing history, an electronic communication message, a social media profile, and a geographic location history. The computing device may determine, based on the information associated with the user, a predicted interest of the user. The computing device may determine, based on the predicted interest of the user, events within a threshold distance from the geographic location of the computing device. The computing device may determine, based on a strength of a relationship between the predicted interest and respective event information associated with each of the events, a ranking of the events. The computing device may output, based on the ranking, at least a portion of the event information for at least one of the events.
US08554872B2
A mobile implementation channel enables secure mobile customer alerts, content delivery, event and location awareness and context integration that can be leveraged across multiple lines of business using basic interfaces. Pushed documents may be processed by an application executing at a mobile device in a secure manner. An alert indication may be sent to the mobile device when the documents are available. The documents may then be downloaded over a secure channel if the user affirmatively responds to the alert indication and may be further encrypted and stored in an application file store. The user may subsequently select one of the documents from a document list so that the selected document may be decrypted and displayed. The stored documents in the application file store may be deleted if the operating system has been compromised, the user is not associated with a business, or the user device is lost or stolen.
US08554865B2
The present invention advantageously provides a system and method for remotely administering and synchronizing a clustered group of access control nodes using a gateway node. A device, such as a network browser, submits an update for one node of the cluster of nodes to a web server in the gateway node. The web server transmits, via a communication interface in the gateway node, the submitted update to the node configuration database of the appropriate node while the gateway updates its configuration database in accordance with the submitted update. In another embodiment, the device is a dedicated host computer. The data can be transmitted in accordance with a binary access protocol.
US08554857B2
Usability is improved by decreasing the number of notifications to be read in receiving mails including notifications of events. A notification of an event is sent. In one aspect, this comprises receiving, in response to occurrence of an event, a notification of the event; storing, when event data generated from the received notification matches a conditional expression in a profile associated with the event, the notification of the event in a queue associated with at least one of change management information corresponding to the event and a recipient of the change management information; and sending, when an earliest time out of transfer times set in respective notifications stored in the queue has come, all the notifications stored in the queue, to a client that is the recipient, as a single notification.
US08554851B2
Methods, apparatus and systems for facilitating one-way ordering of otherwise independent message classes. A one-way message ordering mechanism facilitates one-way ordering of messages of different message classes sent between interconnects employing independent pathways for the message classes. In one aspect, messages of a second message class may not pass messages of a first message class. Moreover, when messages of the first and second classes are received in sequence, the ordering mechanism ensures that messages of the first class are forwarded to, and received at, a next hop prior to forwarding messages of the second class.
US08554848B2
A system and method for sharing annotations corresponding to media content among a plurality of members of a group over a communications network. The system generally includes at least one server coupled to the communications network and configured for receiving at least one annotation from a first group member corresponding to media content from the communications network; adding the at least one annotation to a database; accessing a list of members of the group, each member of the group having a user profile stored in memory; and automatically sending a notification to at least a second member of the group upon receipt of each annotation. The annotation comprises annotation content and a temporal identifier that identifies a segment of the media content to which the annotation corresponds, and the at least one server is configured for sending the annotation to at least the second group member and optionally a media stream including at least the segment of the media content with the annotation.
US08554840B1
Systems, apparatus and methods are provided to detect live video data satisfying user specified criteria and consolidate live broadcasting management, analysis of detected video data, and notification of potential viewers.
US08554836B1
In general, this disclosure describes techniques for providing a mechanism to manage referrals for applications shared over a social network service when granted permission by users of the social network service. For example, a server system receives a message including user association information and an indication of a software application, and publishes a post to a subset of users as indicated by the user association information. The server system also receives a request for a version of the software application from a second user and determines whether the post was re-shared by a third user. If the post was re-shared, the server system stores in a database of the computing system, a referral association between the third user, the second user, and the software application. If the post was not re-shared, the server system stores a referral association between the first user, the second user, and the software application.
US08554832B1
A method is provided that comprises running a screen display process on a client machine; in response to the running the screen display process on the client machine, running the screen display process on a server machine; sending over a network to the client machine at least a portion of the data required by the screen display process running on the server machine; and using by the screen display process running on the client machine at least a portion of the sent over data while running the screen display process on the client machine.
US08554813B2
A method and a circuit for detecting a loss in the equiprobable character of a first output bit flow originating from at least one first element of normalization of an initial bit flow, including analyzing the flow rate of the normalization element.
US08554810B2
Aspects of invention may allow an operator to recognize that a search corresponding to search conditions set in a search folder does not function when such case occurs. In one embodiment, an information processing apparatus may include a search unit that conducts a search that corresponds to each of one or a plurality of search conditions set in a search folder, and searches for at least one folder element of the search folder. The apparatus also includes a search status confirmation unit that confirms the search status for each search condition in the search unit, and a folder-content display unit (e.g., search folder display unit) that displays, when the search status confirmation unit confirms that the search corresponding to the one or plurality of search conditions set in the search folder does not function, information indicating a malfunction.
US08554806B2
Stored data are transported between different systems having different platforms by converting the format of the stored data into a common format either before or after transmitting the stored data from the source database system to the target database system. The common format may be a format that is universal in that the common format is not machine dependent. The stored data may be kept in the common format at the target database system and never converted to another format. Optionally, the stored data may be converted from the common format to a format associated with the target database system, thereby facilitating backward compatibility. A tool may be provided for performing the conversion.
US08554801B2
A method, an apparatus, and a system for configuring, designing, and/or implementing database tables are detailed that provides a framework into which a remainder of database tables is developed. Also detailed is a method to develop this framework of database tables. This so developed framework provides a platform for converting multiple independent heterogeneous databases into standardized homogeneous databases.
US08554797B2
A method of adding a program module to an installed program code. A data object having an interface for importation of data into and exportation of data out of the data object, the data object further comprising the program module, a switch identifier and a specification of a call to be inserted into the installed code is provided. Insert the call as specified by the specification of the data object into the installed program code and receive a setting for the switch from a user and storing the setting in a database table.
US08554792B1
An application server provides optimized contents or services obtainable over the Internet to wireless mobile communication devices. The application server, which may be operated by wireless communication provider pre-loads templates and mapping information appropriate for diverse wireless communication device models in its memory. The server provides contents or services requested by the wireless communication devices which is optimized according to the pre-loaded configurations and templates. A wireless communication device receives the optimized contents or services and renders the contents or services for display. The pre-loaded configuration and templates specific to each of the wireless communication devices in server memory enables the wireless communication devices to avoid experience disruption of currently running services and reduce any delay in rendering the requested contents or services.
US08554791B1
In a personal Internet communication device, a system for directing the storage of files uses a file navigation program to control the location of where files may be stored by the user. With the system, attempts to save files by the file navigation program are directed to a predefined or default storage location in a fixed directory structure. All other applications on the person Internet communicator may also be modified to control file save operations. The person Internet communicator is further configured to maintain the file save associations with the predefined or default storage location, even when the user has previously saved files to another location.
US08554784B2
Discovering peer-to-peer content using metadata streams involves capturing, for each of a plurality of devices, a content and metadata stream that describes a context of the content. The metadata streams are sent to a metadata repository contemporaneously with the capture of the content by the respective devices. Network queries of the streaming metadata are enabled via the metadata repository, and, in response to the network queries, peer-to-peer access of the content is facilitated from one or more of the devices.
US08554783B2
Methods for classifying computer objects. The methods may comprise receiving a tag for a first computer object. The tag may comprise at least two nested categories describing the first computer object. The methods may also comprise updating a hierarchy of categories for computer objects to include the at least two nested categories describing the computer object. In addition, the methods may comprise displaying a graphical representation of the hierarchy of categories, and displaying an indication of computer objects having tags comprising a first category when an indication of the first category is received.
US08554776B1
Techniques for providing a prioritized task list to a mobile device including identifying a user profile in a portal that includes one or more associations between the user profile, associated with a user, and one or more content sources; comparing, for each task of one or more tasks, the content source associated with the task and the associations stored by the user profile, the content sources providing the tasks; ranking, based on the comparison, the tasks to define a ranked list of tasks; and preparing a subset of the ranked list of tasks for display on the mobile device.
US08554774B2
Searching of objects captured by a capture system can be improved by eliminating irrelevant objects from a query. In one embodiment, the present invention includes receiving such a query for objects captured by a capture system, the query including at least one search term. This search term is then hashed to a term bit position using a hash function. Then objects can be eliminated if, in a word index associated with the object, the term bit position is not set.
US08554773B2
The present invention relates to a method for generating an index of Data Units of a Variable Length Coded (VLC) image. The method comprises categorizing Data Unit lengths, DU-lengths, as non indexed DU-lengths, categorizing DU-lengths not categorized as non-indexed DU-lengths as indexed DU-lengths, generating a value indicating the number of subsequent DU-lengths categorized as non-indexed in a sequence of subsequent DU-lengths categorized as non-indexed, generating a value indicating the number of subsequent DU-lengths categorized as indexed in a sequence of subsequent DU-lengths categorized as indexed, generating data representing the DU-length of each DU in the sequence of DU-lengths categorized as indexed, storing said generated values and data in the index of Data Units, and associating said index of Data Units with the VLC image. Further the invention relates to a method for retrieving Data Unit lengths, DU-lengths, from an image associated with an index of DU-lengths. This method comprises linearly reading data from the index, when the data is a value indicating a number of subsequent Data Units categorized as not having indexed DU-lengths then these Data Units is sequentially processed from the image for retrieving the length of each data unit, and when the data is a value indicating a number of subsequent Data Units categorized as having indexed DU-lengths then the corresponding number of DU-lengths are retrieved from the index.
US08554771B2
A fast and efficient technique for hierarchical clustering of samples in a dataset includes compressing the dataset to reduce a number of variables within each of the samples of the dataset. A nearest neighbor matrix is generated to identify nearest neighbor pairs between the samples based on differences between the variables of the samples. The samples are arranged into a hierarchy that groups the samples based on the nearest neighbor matrix. The hierarchy is rendered to a display to graphically illustrate similarities or differences between the samples.
US08554768B2
This disclosure describes various exemplary application user interfaces, methods, and computer program products for information retrieval or search technology by automatically showing additional relevant search results based on user feedback. The search describes receiving a submitted query from a user, identifying multiple query search results in a relationship to the submitted query, and presenting the multiple query search results in a single structured presentation with a thumbs-up icon, a thumbs-down icon, or an unmarked status to enhance the user experience. Furthermore, the search results illustrate the relationships between each of the multiple query search results and the submitted query in a textual description.
US08554753B1
Systems and methods for managing database transactions communicated from a browser-based software application to a database by a database management system in order to avoid or ameliorate transaction latency. According to one embodiment, the system or method comprises foreground and background processes, each generating database transactions. The foreground processes can submit an unlimited number of transactions to the database while background processes can only submit a limited, predetermined number of transactions to the database. To accomplish this, the background processes are associated with an in-memory queue of transactions that are then submitted to the database in a quantity no greater than the predetermined number. As a result, the database transactions sent by the foreground process will not have to wait behind more than the predetermined number of background transactions, thereby resulting in lower latency and avoiding or ameliorating delays to the user.
US08554752B2
The information receiving apparatus includes the related information receiving portion to receive content-related information, the mode selecting portion to select a link condition between the content and the related information, the related information request transmitting portion to transmit content designation information when the link condition is switched to the link mode or the content is switched in the link mode, and the display control portion to display the content, related information and link condition. The information providing apparatus includes the related information storage portion to store the related information associating with the content, the related information request receiving portion to receive the content designation information, the related information extracting portion to extract the related information corresponding to the content, and the related information transmitting portion to transmit the related information. This provides the information providing system enabling browsing of the related information with or without a link to the content.
US08554751B2
An image forming apparatus which is capable of performing more appropriate control of access to files which grant different access rights on a versions basis. The image forming apparatus is communicably connected to a file server. In a system controller of the image forming apparatus, a reading control section reads an original to thereby generate image data. The reading control section extracts version information on the original from the generated image data. Then, the system controller identifies, out of at least one version of an original file stored in the file server as electronic data corresponding to the original, a version that permits the image forming apparatus to perform image formation, based on the extracted version information on the original.
US08554747B2
Techniques are described for estimating and managing memory compression for request processing. Embodiments of the invention may generally include receiving a request for data, determining if the requested data contains any compressed data, and sending the requesting entity only the uncompressed data. A separate embodiment generally includes receiving a request for data, determining if the requested data contains any compressed data, gathering uncompression criteria about the requested data, and using the uncompression criteria to selectively determine what portion of the compressed data to uncompress.
US08554730B2
Techniques are disclosed for adding a key column to a table to be replicated, where the key column stores key values for use in replication. In one embodiment, a request is received to add a table to a replication domain, such that the table is replicated from a first database server to at least a second database server. Key values are generated for both existing records and new records subsequently requested to be inserted into the table, respectively. Each generated key value is unique across the replication domain. Further, the key column may be added to the table without requiring exclusive access to the table.
US08554727B2
A method and system of tiered quiescing is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes generating a representation data of a multi-tier network, embedding a flag marker at a transaction event based on at least of an event data and a timing data, and quiescing, based on the representation data, a set of modules of the multi-tier network associated with at least one of the event data and the timing data using the flag marker. The representation data may be generated based on a transaction modeling of data flows between the set of modules of the multi-tier network (e.g., the set of modules may each operate in different tiers of the multi-tier network). In addition, a series of consistency points may be determined based on the transaction modeling of data flows between the sets of modules of the multi-tier network.
US08554721B2
Systems and methods presented herein allow a user to select multiple interface elements, simultaneously copy the selected elements, and simultaneously replicate the data values from the multiple interface elements into existing corresponding interface elements. The user selection includes first and second interface elements presented on a display device, each of the selected interface elements comprising metadata and a data value. The selected elements can be copied by creating and storing a data template that includes the metadata and data values of the first and second interface elements. The data template can then be compared against other existing interface elements to identify corresponding interface elements, such that the data values of the copied interface elements can be replicated into the identified corresponding interface elements.
US08554720B2
The present invention relates to methods, apparatus and systems for processing an electronic document and its corresponding device. It provides methods for browsing an electronic document and its corresponding browser, and methods for extracting information segments from an electronic document and its corresponding system for the same. An example of a method for processing an electronic document comprises extracting one or more information segments of the domains to which the electronic document relates from the electronic document being written by an author, and correspondingly storing said extracted information segments with said document. Wherein one or more information extraction patterns are used to extract information segments of different domains to which the electronic document relates from said document. And the extracted information segments are verified by the writer so as to ensure its correctness, reliability and readability.
US08554716B1
Systems and methods for analyzing documents are provided herein. A plurality of documents and user input are received via a computing device. The user input includes hard coding of a subset of the plurality of documents, based on an identified subject or category. Instructions stored in memory are executed by a processor to generate an initial control set, analyze the initial control set to determine at least one seed set parameter, automatically code a first portion of the plurality of documents based on the initial control set and the seed set parameter associated with the identified subject or category, analyze the first portion of the plurality of documents by applying an adaptive identification cycle, and retrieve a second portion of the plurality of documents based on a result of the application of the adaptive identification cycle test on the first portion of the plurality of documents.
US08554714B2
As system which contains a vendor-neutral, flexible and efficient alarm grouping and routing algorithm using enterprise level and alarm attributes for filtering. Also, the approach uses rule based alarm assignment to handle diverse alarm signal parameters within large volumes of individual signals coming from multiple sources. Many of the alarm signals may be deemed as unactionable signals and eliminated.
US08554712B1
Non-mechanistic, differential-equation-free approaches for predicting a particular response of a system to a given input are provided in the form of systems, methods, and devices. These approaches are generally directed to a non-compartmental method of predicting a time-dependent response of a component of a system to an input into the system. The systems, methods, and devices provide the ability to (i) reduce the cost of research and development by offering an accurate modeling of heterogeneous and complex physical systems; (ii) reduce the cost of creating such systems and methods by simplifying the modeling process; (iii) accurately capture and model inherent nonlinearities in cases where sufficient knowledge does not exist to a priori build a model and its parameters; and, (iv) provide one-to-one relationships between model parameters and model outputs, addressing the problem of the ambiguities inherent in the current, state-of-the-art systems and methods.
US08554710B2
An automatic approach is described for the semantic analysis and conversion of video annotation metadata (e.g., Video Event Markup Language or “VEML” metadata) to propositional graphs suitable for analysis by an analogical reasoning system (ARS). Also as described herein, a system architecture implements this conversion while maintaining semantic consistency from annotation through results reporting. Further, the techniques herein leverage the same ontology to populate options for an annotation tool, provide the rules for the metadata-to-propositional graph mapping, and provide the basis for comparison in an analogical reasoning algorithm.
US08554707B2
A method for the computer-assisted control and/or regulation of a technical system is provided. The method includes two steps, namely modeling the dynamic behavior of the technical system with a recurrent neural network using training data, the recurrent neural network includes states and actions determined using a simulation model at different times and learning an action selection rule by the recurrent neural network to a further neural network. The method can be used with any technical system in order to control the system in an optimum computer-assisted manner. For example, the method can be used in the control of a gas turbine.
US08554706B2
A gas concentration estimation device of a coal-burning boiler adapted to estimate the concentration of the gas component included in an exhaust gas emitted from a coal-burning boiler using a neural network, including: a process database section adapted to store process data of a coal-burning boiler; a filtering processing section adapted to perform filtering processing for extracting data suitable for learning of a neural network from the process data stored in the process database section; a neural-network learning processing section adapted to perform learning processing of the neural network based on the data extracted by the filtering processing section and suitable for learning of the neural network; and a neural-network estimation processing section adapted to perform estimation processing of the CO concentration or the NOx concentration in the exhaust gas emitted from the coal-burning boiler based on the learning processing of the neural-network learning processing section.
US08554701B1
Technologies are described herein for classifying sentences or phrases as expressing positive or negative sentiment based on machine learning from training data comprising sentences manually labeled as to sentiment. A list of terms is generated from the manually labeled sentences and sentiment scores are determined for the terms in the list of terms based on the manually labeled sentences. A collection of sentences or phrases may then be classified as to sentiment utilizing one or more logistic regression classifiers trained on the sentiment scores determined for the terms in the list of terms. The classified collection of sentences may be further analyzed to determine an overall majority sentiment regarding a topic discussed in the sentences and/or to extract specific sentences or phrases expressing a particular sentiment for display to a customer.
US08554699B2
A server system stores time series data for a data source. The time series data comprises a plurality of time-value pairs, each pair including a value associated with an attribute of the data source and a time. For a particular attribute, the server system generates a plurality of forecasting models for characterizing the time-value pairs, each model including an estimated attribute value and an associated error-variance. For a time-value pair, the server system determines a plurality of differences between the value of the time-value pair and respective estimated attribute values of the plurality of forecasting models and tags the time-value pair as an anomaly if the differences for at least a first subset of the forecasting models are greater than the corresponding error variances. In response to a request from a client application, the server system returns at least a subset of the time-value pairs tagged as anomalies.
US08554698B2
State machines are used to order and select matching operations for determining whether an input string matches any of at least one regular expression by (1) accepting the set of regular expression(s), and (2) for each of the regular expression(s) of the set accepted, (A) identifying any look-ahead type strings within the given regular expression, (B) identifying any sequential type strings within the given regular expression, (C) partitioning the regular expression based on any identified simple strings, any identified look-ahead type variable strings, and any sequential type variable strings to generate partitioned parts, (D) reordering the partitioned parts of the regular expression using optimization policies to generate reordered partitioned parts, and (E) configuring nodes of a state machine corresponding to the given regular expression. Once configured, the state machines check for a match between the input string accepted and the regular expression using the configured nodes of the state machine.
US08554697B2
The present invention pertains to a system (or engine) that monitors a system's performance during a surgery, analyzes that performance, and makes recommendations to the user/surgeon for changes in his settings and/or programs that will result in more effective and time-efficient surgeries. Further, the system may comprise one or more components, including, but not limited to, a user preference filter, a surgical circumstances filter, a surgical instrument, a real time data collection module, and an analysis module.
US08554694B1
Computer system and method for providing community-based shipping of items may provide mechanisms that allow customers of an network service to participate in a community shipping program that provides customers that are members in a community with free and/or reduced-rate shipping for at least some items ordered via the network service for delivery to a target location (e.g., receiving/distribution site) for the community. The Web site may provide user interface elements that may provide one or more shipping and possibly other options to customers that participate in a community shipping program. Community shipping programs may include commercial shipping programs and locality shipping programs. In a commercial shipping program, a primary subscriber purchases a subscription to a commercial shipping program and shares the subscription with one or more occupants of the commercial property. A locality shipping program may be provided to members of a particular geographic region or locality.
US08554692B2
The disclosure relates to a computerized method and system for tracking consumer replaceable units (CRU) used in products such as printing systems. In the method the CRUM ID and destination of the consumable is retrieved on shipment from a supplier. When the consumer replaceable unit is installed in a device such as printing system, the device reports the installation back to a management application. The management application then proceeds to authorize the consumable for the reporting printing system, offer to transfer ownership, or when the printing system is not a managed device then offers a customer the option of being billed for the consumable. The management application has the option of disabling printing with customer replaceable unit when reassignment or intent to purchase is not available. When the consumable is returned the management application can ascertain if the customer replaceable unit was used by its assigned printing device.
US08554689B2
A method for authenticating a financial transaction at a point of sale (POS) includes storing an application program in a first secure element of a mobile phone. The application is configured to generate instruction codes to effect the financial transaction upon verification of a user's identity. The user's credentials are stored in a second SE of the phone, which is operable to verify the user's identity from a biometric trait of the user input to the phone and to generate data authenticating the financial transaction in response to the verification of the user's identity. At the POS, the user invokes the application and then inputs a biometric trait to the phone. The second SE verifies the user's identity, and upon verification, generates data authenticating the transaction. The financial transaction data, including the instruction codes and the authenticating data, are then transmitted from the phone to the POS.
US08554687B2
An intellectual property trading exchange is disclosed for facilitating the trading of intellectual property rights. The exchange includes at least one intellectual property license contract relating to intellectual property rights and a forum configured to allow a plurality of participants to trade the license contract. The plurality of participants includes at least one seller, which may be the owner, having the license contract and desiring to trade the license contract. The plurality of participants also includes at least one buyer desiring to obtain the license contract. The buyer may be an investor, speculator, market maker, or arbitrageur, who purchases the license contract to achieve appreciation. The buyer also may be a licensee, who purchases the license contract to practice the intellectual property rights.
US08554683B2
A real-time-bidding process that includes security mechanisms that limits access to various aspects of the bidding process including communications between bidders, the user browser, and the auctioneer, and the content of bids received and utilized by the user browser.
US08554681B1
A method for identifying and providing a composition or digital-work to a user. The user may explicitly and/or implicitly indicate an interest in a composition that is discovered during everyday activities. The “interesting” composition and/or information associated with the composition may be emanating from an external source (e.g., background music in a restaurant) or may be encountered while using an interactive device (e.g., surfing the web); or information (e.g., a magazine article or advertisement) about/associated with a composition may be encountered by the user. A portion of the “interesting” composition and/or information about/associated with the “interesting” composition may be captured and the composition identified. A composition or composition-highlight related to the identified-composition may be provided one or more times; within a customized sequence of compositions that is generated and/or adapted for each user. The provided-composition may be added to the user's favorites or library. Usage-rights for the provided-composition may be acquired for the user. The composition may be any type of digital-work including music, sound, text, image, video or other media. In some cases, the composition may be an advertisement for a product or service.
US08554673B2
An embodiment of the invention is directed to a computer implemented business method in an electronic system in which payment information is exchanged between a buyer and a seller. Approval is received from the buyer of an electronic invoice received by the buyer. At a time when no agreed upon discount is available based on the invoice or pre-agreed terms between the buyer and the seller, a request is received from the buyer to offer the seller early payment in exchange for a discount of the amount owed. The discount is based on an annual hurdle rate provided to the system by the buyer. The offer is presented to the seller on the seller's user interface, and a clickable button is provided for the seller to indicate selection of such offer. In another embodiment of the invention, in an electronic system in which payment information is exchanged between buyers and at least a seller, an identification of a date upon which a seller would like to receive early payment is received through a computer input associated with the seller. Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a relationship between a buyer and a seller where there is a standard discount term, and there is also a discount term in a respective invoice. Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a method related to enrollment of a new seller in the system.
US08554671B2
A system and associated method and service for providing a platform that enables members to transfer, receive, or otherwise exchange cash in various international denominations and commodities, such as precious metals (e.g., gold, silver, etc.), in a mobile highly secured telecommunications environment. The system is capable of delivering cash instantly between two or more users by allowing the exchange of secure transactions between system and cash dispensing machines (ATMs). Users may pay, receive, exchange, deposit, transfer, pay bills, exchange currency, retrieve cash, deposit cash and create accounts based on the mobile phone number or a system generated code.
US08554667B2
The present invention generally relates to financial data processing, and in particular it relates to credit scoring, consumer profiling, consumer behavior analysis and modeling. More specifically, it relates to risk modeling using the inputs of credit bureau data, size of wallet data, and, optionally, internal data.
US08554665B1
Systems and methods are disclosed for enabling a borrower to rate lock a line of credit. An offer to rate lock at least a portion of the borrower's line of credit may be presented to the borrower. The rate lock offer may include converting an advanced amount, and/or an amount that is available to be advanced, from the borrower's line of credit to a fixed rate loan having a fixed interest rate, a fixed loan duration, and/or a fixed payment schedule. After the borrower has accepted the offer, the rate lock may be executed. The disclosed embodiments may enable the borrower to electronically obtain the rate lock without any human intervention.
US08554659B2
A system for trading commodities and the like comprising a computer, a communications link between the computer and the Internet, a database, accessible by the computer, containing a plurality of user files wherein each of the user files contains a plurality of transaction parameters corresponding to one or more indications associated with the user file. The transaction parameters govern the presentation and acceptance of indications associated therewith. The system further includes a database, accessible by the computer, containing a plurality of indications wherein each of the indications contains information corresponding to open bids or offers for commodities, and an indication selection submitted by a user over the communications link. Software executing on the computer receives the indication selection, retrieves an indication corresponding to the indication selection from the indication database, queries a user file in the user database corresponding to the indication to determine transaction parameters associated with the indication, and presents the indication to the user in accordance with any determined transaction parameters.
US08554657B2
The present invention relates to a data processing method and system for predicting income derived from an anticipated future benefit (Horizon Gain), wherein the system comprises: (a) registration means for registering a borrower in a first database and for registering characteristics a lender in a second database; (b) first automated means for inputting values to a first database; (c) automated means for generating databases as necessary populated with values for one or more selected future time divisions for the borrower's asset over one or more AD's before optimization, the values being calculated according to a predetermined formulae; (d) visual display means to represent predicted income derived from the anticipated future benefit; (e) automated means for responding to a redemption event by determining the value of a payment to the lender that is the greater of, (i) an agreed proportion of appreciation of the asset (HGAV), or (ii) qualifying outgoings (QO).
US08554654B1
A computer-based apparatus for representing and acting on an indexed reversionary annuity, including a memory unit for at least one specially programmed computer configured to store computer readable instructions and an initial income amount, and a processor for the at least one specially programmed computer configured to execute the computer readable instructions to determine a set of indexing parameters P and generate an updated income amount at an end of a specified indexing term T based in part on performance of at least one index and the set of indexing parameters P.
US08554653B2
Systems and methods are provided to generate tools to evaluate the probability of an account being actually used by a business rather than an individual. In one aspect, a computing apparatus includes: a data warehouse configured to store transaction data of accounts issued by a plurality of issuers; and at least one processor configured to calculate values of a first plurality of variables for each of the accounts using the transaction data of the accounts issued by the plurality of issuers. The accounts include business accounts and non-business accounts. The at least one processor is further configured to identify a second plurality of variables from the first plurality of variables for a classification model to distinguish, using the values and logistic regression, the business accounts from the non-business accounts.
US08554639B2
A method and system for displaying and managing images of consumer products. A multi-resolution mosaic (MRM) digital image of a shelf layout on which consumer products, including those for pre-determined demographic groups, are displayed is created. The created MRM digital image includes a layered hierarchy of vector images and/or visual overlays stored in progressive resolution format and allows progressive resolution display without loss of image quality on the selected plural consumer products that appear in the MRM digital image. The created MRM digital image is displayed via a communications network and provides a virtual shopping experience that emulates a shopping experience in an actual retail store.
US08554633B2
An apparatus includes a processor configured to initiate an on-line transaction during a transaction session. The apparatus can identify an attempt to terminate the transaction session prior to completion of the on-line transaction. The apparatus can provide a notification in response to the identified attempt. The notification can include an indication of at least one selection made during the transaction session prior to the completion of the on-line transaction.
US08554627B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for generating and utilizing photo advertisements (“ads”). In one embodiment, a photo advertisement is posted as a status update for a user via a social networking service. More specifically, first, one or more photo ad templates are obtained for the user, where each photo ad template includes one or more photo wells. A photo advertisement is then generated based on one of the photo ad templates such that a filler image of a different one of one or more participants identified for the photo advertisement is inserted into each of the one or more photo wells in the photo ad template. The photo advertisement is then used as a status update for the user. In another embodiment, the photo advertisement is stored and subsequently used to serve ad requests.
US08554623B2
A service provider facilitates consumption of goods, brands, or services on an interactive network using characterizations of consumers, behavior, brands, consumable goods, advertisers, and advocates to determine a three-way match between a consumable good, a consumer, and an advocate. The matching method determines one or more likely consumers by maximizing the estimated contextual value of personalized advocacy. Further, the service provider captures the value of the personalized advocacy in each match, and distributes that value in the form of various marketing incentives.
US08554612B1
An online domino tournament system with prize incentives, including the steps of surfing the Internet with a computer to identify a website of a desired vendor; identifying a desired product to play for in the website; obtaining relevant information pertaining to the desired vendor and the desired product; logging into a server of an administrator; providing the relevant information to the server; categorizing a player according to the desired product by the administrator; accepting playing category and paying ticket price by the player to proceed, otherwise starting over; playing an online domino tournament and proceeding to end if the player loses, otherwise the player becomes a winner; ordering the desired product from the desired vendor by the administrator on behalf of the winner; sending the desired product to the winner; and paying the vendor.
US08554611B2
A method and system for the electronic distribution of product or service promotion information to a mobile user are disclosed. A user may provide profile information to an online promotion service, such as user interests and preferences with respect to products and services as well as other information. The online promotion service may receive location information of point-of-sale facilities associated with particular promotions for products or services. The online promotion service may generate one or more targeted promotions to a mobile user when the user travels within a predetermined distance of an associated point-of-sale facility. A mobile user's location may be identified by a global positioning system and conveyed to the online promotion service. The user location information may be transmitted via a cell phone, a PDA, a pager or other device. This enables the user to take advantage of targeted or requested promotions while the user is within a close proximity to an associated point-of-sale facility.
US08554610B1
The present invention generally relates to providing a status for one or more rewards using a format in a plurality of display formats. Portable device information associated with a portable device and acceptance point device information associated with an acceptance point device are determined. A status for one or more rewards is determined based on the portable device information and the acceptance point device information. A display format is then determined from a plurality of display formats based on the portable device information and acceptance point device information. A status is then displayed using the display format.
US08554605B2
Systems and methods for evaluating a worker in performing crowd sourced tasks and providing in-task training are disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a system, for selecting a job distributed through a job distribution platform for workers to work on, for use to generate a test task, the job being associated with a known correct result, associating a manipulated result, known to be an incorrect result for the job, with the job to generate the test task, and/or presenting the job with the manipulated result as the test task to a worker for evaluation of work quality of the worker. The job distribution platform crowd sources tasks online to workers to work on via their respective computing devices.
US08554599B2
Work item rules for a work item tracking system are provided. Work item rules may be accessible, usable and subject to interpretation by multiple software entities. Further, work item rules may be configured to be subject to creation and change by users, for example, by exposure to users through a user interface. A work item rule may specify an identifier by which the abstraction can be identified and/or a name, and may specify, or be indicative of, a condition and an action to be taken if the condition is satisfied. In response to a first user action affecting a first work item rule, one or more work item rules corresponding to the first user and/or the first work item may be determined. The one or more work item rules then may be interpreted, and the user action responded to based on the interpretation.
US08554597B2
A computerised method of managing the performance of an employee or a group of employees of an organisation, the method comprising the steps of: a) creating a job description containing job description data for an employee or group of employees, b) creating an objectives file containing objectives data relating to objectives to be achieved by the employee or group of employees in the performance of their job description, c) processing of the job description data and the objectives data to obtain defined performance expectation data for employee or group of employees, d) receiving performance data obtained from the organisation relating to the performance of employee or group of employees, e) comparing the performance data with the defined performance expectations data and f) creating and/or modifying a development plan for the employee or group of employees.
US08554591B2
An electronic commerce system includes a client computer and a server computer interconnected by a public packet switched communications network. The client computer is programmed to transmit to the server computer an order acceptance request that includes a plurality of terms or conditions of a proposed offer for a purchase, including multiple options of at least one of the terms or conditions of the offer. The server computer is programmed to process the order acceptance request based on pre-programmed criteria and, based on the processing of the order acceptance request, to transmit to the client computer an order acceptance response that includes a plurality of amendments to the proposed offer for the purchase, including selection of an option of the at least one of the terms or conditions. The processing of the order acceptance request is performed by a controller module that handles processing of the order acceptance request that is primarily not specific to a particular application of the electronic commerce system to which the order acceptance request pertains, and that initiates a plurality of calls to a plurality of plug-in modules. The server can handle fraud-avoidance processing of the order acceptance request. The server can initiate a call to a database of a virtual warehouse in which merchants store virtual inventories of items, to ensure that a sufficient virtual inventory exists for a purchase.
US08554582B2
The present invention provides a data management apparatus (i-Win (trademark)) which carries out centralized management of data containing data on each product during the management of product data having different data items to be handled and which has increased maintenance-ability in system and program(s).A data storage part 13 stores transaction data (contract data) including class ID (logic key) and data contents ID (variable). A data definition part 17 records data contents IDs and data contents (clause data) for each clause ID. A data processing means 15 acquires combination data of a data contents ID and data content from the data definition part 17 (definition body) in accordance with a class ID recorded in the data storage part 13 and performs processing which relates to data contents of a predetermined data item (contract condition). In this way, centralized management of plurality of product data having different product features from its clause and prospectus and the like can be carried out.
US08554561B2
A computer system comprising one or more processors and memory groups a set of documents into a plurality of clusters. Each cluster includes one or more documents of the set of documents and a respective cluster of documents of the plurality of clusters includes respective cluster data corresponding to a plurality of documents including a first document and a second document. The computer system determines that the second document includes duplicate data that is duplicative of corresponding data in the first document, identifies a respective subset of the respective cluster data that excludes at least a subset of the duplicate data, and generates an index of the respective subset of the respective cluster data.
US08554560B2
Discrimination between two classes comprises receiving a set of frames including an input signal and determining at least two different feature vectors for each of the frames. Discrimination between two classes further comprises classifying the two different feature vectors using sets of preclassifiers trained for at least two classes of events and from that classification, and determining values for at least one weighting factor. Discrimination between two classes still further comprises calculating a combined feature vector for each of the received frames by applying the weighting factor to the feature vectors and classifying the combined feature vector for each of the frames by using a set of classifiers trained for at least two classes of events.
US08554559B1
A local computing device may receive an utterance from a user device. In response to receiving the utterance, the local computing device may obtain a text string transcription of the utterance, and determine a response mode for the utterance. If the response mode is a text-based mode, the local computing device may provide the text string transcription to a target device. If the response mode is a non-text-based mode, the local computing device may convert the text string transcription into one or more commands from a command set supported by the target device, and provide the one or more commands to the target device.
US08554555B2
The invention provides a method for automated training of a plurality of artificial neural networks for phoneme recognition using training data, wherein the training data comprises speech signals subdivided into frames, each frame associated with a phoneme label, wherein the phoneme label indicates a phoneme associated with the frame. A sequence of frames from the training data are provided, wherein the number of frames in the sequence of frames is at least equal to the number of artificial neural networks. Each of the artificial neural networks is assigned a different subsequence of the provided sequence, wherein each subsequence comprises a predetermined number of frames. A common phoneme label for the sequence of frames is determined based on the phoneme labels of one or more frames of one or more subsequences of the provided sequence. Each artificial neural network using the common phoneme label.
US08554552B2
An apparatus and a method for restoring voice are provided. The apparatus reduces noise included in a voice signal input to a microphone and outputs a voice signal having reduced noise, detects harmonic frequencies from the voice signal having reduced noise, and restores the voice signal having reduced noise approximate to its original state before being input to the microphone according to detected harmonic frequencies of the voice signal having reduced noise.
US08554549B2
A voice encoding device accurately encodes a spectrum shape of a signal having a strong tonality such as a vowel. The device includes: a sub-band divider which divides a first layer error conversion coefficient to be encoded into M sub-bands so as to generate M sub-band conversion coefficients; a shape vector encoder which performs encoding on each of the M sub-band conversion coefficients so as to obtain M shape encoded information and calculates a target gain of each of the M sub-band conversion coefficients; a gain vector former which forms one gain vector by using M target gains; a gain vector encoder which encodes the gain vector so as to obtain gain encoded information; and a multiplexer which multiplexes the shape encoded information with the gain encoded information.
US08554542B2
A system and method are provided for processing an input document which enable assessment of the coherence of an abstract of the document. The method includes storing the document in memory and, for each sentence of the abstract, comparing the sentence with sentences of a main body of the document using textual entailment techniques to identify whether the sentence of the abstract entails a sentence in the main body of the document. Links can then be generated between the entailing sentences of the abstract and the corresponding entailed sentences of the document. The document and generated links are output. The links enable the coherence of the abstract to be evaluated, either manually or automatically, using an evaluation component of the system.
US08554538B2
Operations for generating a unique name for at least one of several data elements include receiving a definition of a data element for which a unique name is to be created. The unique name is to comply with a predefined name format. The definition comprises human-understandable descriptive language. The data element is to identify an information category in an electronic communication. A noun phrase and a verb phrase are identified in the definition, and the unique name is generated using a first noun obtained from the noun phrase and a second noun obtained from the verb phrase. A computer system includes a repository having the data elements stored therein, and a name generating module that receives at least one of the definitions that is associated with one of the data elements and generates a unique name for the data element.
US08554529B2
A method of simulating an integrated circuit device under test (DUT) is provided, wherein the DUT includes a plurality of terminals. For each terminal of the DUT, a probe pulse is applied to the terminal and a reaction is recorded at the terminal and each of the other terminals to obtain values representative of reactive tails for the terminal. For each terminal, the values representative of the reactive tails obtained for the terminal are stored as an entry of a look-up table. Each entry includes n+x fields, wherein n represents a number of arguments in the entry and x represents a number of functions in the entry. For each terminal, a signal value at a selected time step is calculated.
US08554523B2
A method for creating a garment comprises steps of: creating a garment on a garment window; adding a first panel to the garment; adding a second panel to the garment; enclosing a plurality body parts of the human body with a plurality of panel positioning boxes; positioning selected panels on faces of the panel positioning boxes disposed around the human body three-dimensionally in order to facilitate matching of corresponding seam lines; defining a seam between the two selected panels which belong to the garment; deleting a selected panel from the garment; saving the garment into a garment file; and opening the garment by reading in the garment file stored in a storing device.
US08554507B2
A method for obtaining an optimized process solution from a set of design of experiments in a cost effective manner is provided. An actual experiment is performed and data from the experiments is obtained. Through statistical analysis of the data, coefficients are obtained. These coefficients are input into an experiment simulator where input parameters and conditions are combined with the coefficients to predict an output for the input parameters and conditions. From simulated results, conclusions can be drawn as to sets of input parameters and conditions providing desired results. Thereafter, physical experiments utilizing the input parameters and conditions may be performed to verify the simulated results.
US08554506B2
On a typical motherboard the processor and memory are separated by a printed circuit data bus that traverses the motherboard. Throughput, or data transfer rate, on the data bus is much lower than the rate at which a modern processor can operate. The difference between the data bus throughput and the processor speed significantly limits the effective processing speed of the computer when the processor is required to process large amounts of data stored in the memory. The processor is forced to wait for data to be transferred to or from the memory, leaving the processor under-utilized. The delays are compounded in a distributed computing system including a number of computers operating in parallel. The present disclosure describes systems, method and apparatus that tend to alleviate delays so that memory access bottlenecks are not compounded within distributed computing systems.
US08554505B2
A system and method allow a sensor device that is used in a process stream to be efficiently calibrated and monitored as to its operating condition. The sensor device is a measuring probe with a sensor portion, a memory device and an electrical input/output port, arranged so the memory device is in communication with both the sensor portion and the input/output port. The sensor device may be connected through an electrical connector to either a first external source, such as a personal computer having an input/output port, remote from the process stream, or a second external source, such as a transmitter, proximate to the process stream. Operating software is accessible to at least the first external source for monitoring and calibrating. Database software is accessible to each of the external sources, for storing data on every measuring probe used in the system.
US08554502B2
A measurement program is created for measurement performed by moving X- and Z-axes so that a central axis of a probe is perpendicular to the surface of a reference sphere, and errors are obtained between original probe position data and probe position data obtained by measurement performed at two different angles θ1 and θ2 of a rotary axis according to the created measurement program. Position coordinates of a tip end of the probe at the two different angles θ1 and θ2 of the rotary axis are corrected so that the errors are zero. Then, the X- and Z-axis coordinates are corrected based on a positive or negative phased shift amount, and measurement errors are obtained by calculation. A real probe tip position is defined by the X- and Z-axis coordinates corrected by a correction amount with which the obtained measurement errors become minimum.
US08554500B2
A first amplifier is arranged to receive a first signal from a first bus terminal. A second amplifier is configured to receive a second signal from a second bus terminal. An inverter input of an inverter is coupled to the output of the first amplifier. An input or inputs of an analog-to-digital converter are coupled to an inverter output of the inverter and the output of the second amplifier. The analog-to-digital converter is capable of producing a digital signal representative of the signals received from the first bus terminal and the second bus terminal. A data processor is capable of receiving an output of the analog-to-digital converter. The data processor is configured to apply one or more frequency domain transforms to the digital signal. The data processor identifies a circuit location of the ground fault or degraded isolation, a type of ground fault, or both based on the application of the frequency domain transform.
US08554497B2
A method for testing a plurality of fire hoses having respective service test pressures and the test apparatus therefor wherein each hose is required to maintain a test pressure for a specified duration to pass the test. The test pressure is proportional to the service test pressure. Each hose is coupled to a respective hose fitting of a respective branch test conduit. Each branch test conduit includes an isolation valve, a pressure transducer, and a hose fitting downstream of the isolation valve. A variable frequency-variable speed controls a motor which drives a positive displacement water pump supplying water to and pressurizing a water header conduit and a plurality of branch test conduits interconnected therewith. An algorithm applied to the error signal for a respective hose line generates a pump speed command limited by the controller to regulate the rate of increase of pump output pressure.
US08554494B2
A method of monitoring integrity of a pump. The method may include recording timing information of the pump during operation while simultaneously sampling acoustic data with a high speed equidistant acquisition mechanism or at a rate based on the speed of the pump in operation. The acquisition of acoustic data is followed by evaluation thereof. Such techniques may improve resolution of acquired data while substantially increasing processor capacity for evaluation. A pump integrity monitor for carrying out such techniques is also described.
US08554492B2
A method and apparatus for searching compressed nucleic acid sequences are disclosed. In the method, a reference sequence is compared with a subject sequence to be encoded, the subject sequence is compressed, an index is created with respect to the reference sequence and the compressed subject sequence, a position corresponding to a query is searched for in the compressed subject sequence using the index, a character found at the position within the compressed sequence is converted into a sequence, and the sequence is output as the response to the query.
US08554487B2
Provided are a method and apparatus for analyzing genotype data plotted in a two-dimensional space. The method includes: connecting points representing the genotype data to a predetermined point to form straight lines and obtaining angles between adjacent straight lines; extracting the two largest angles from the obtained angles; and analyzing the plotted genotype data using three groups of the genotype data separated by the two extracted largest angles. According to the present invention, when the experimental results of classifying genotype are to be analyzed, the two largest angles from the angles obtained by connecting straight lines between points representing each of the genotype data and a predetermined point plotted in a two-dimensional space are detected, and three data regions separated by the detected two largest angles are used to analyze the genotype data. Thus, a large amount of the experimental data for classifying the genotype can be analyzed rapidly and conveniently.
US08554476B2
Techniques are described for providing a meeting notification and automatic modification service. A system may be configured to identify an appointment in a calendar application, identify a geographic location of the appointment, and identify, before the appointment time, a geographic location of a first participant of the appointment. Based on the geographic information, the system may identify a route extending from the geographic location of the first participant to the geographic location of the appointment, and may identify a travel time associated with the route. Based on the travel time and the appointment time, the system may determine whether the first participant is estimated to arrive at the appointment on time and, based on the determination, the system may send a message to participants of the appointment or dynamically reschedule the appointment.
US08554475B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for a static and dynamic contours. A method includes rendering a contour map including static contours and dynamic contours, and displaying the contour map on a device to a user. A Global Positioning System (GPS) device includes a processor coupled with an input device, memory, and the display, and the processor linked to a GPS receiver coupled with a GPS antenna, the memory including a vector source database, a parameter source database and a contour map process to render a topographic map comprising static contour lines and dynamic contour lines.
US08554469B2
A navigation unit for a vehicle for updating a navigation map is specified, wherein the navigation unit is configured to proactively ascertain a required portion of the map and is also configured to receive a restricted update for the map which relates to the required portion of the map.
US08554467B2
The present invention relates to travel time determination, for example, determining a predicted travel time between locations based on historical data. One aspect of the invention is directed toward a method for determining a predicted amount of time required to travel from one location to another that includes dividing a region into multiple grid portions and designating each grid portion that contains at least one address of interest as a departure grid, a destination grid, or both. The method can further include generating a searchable data arrangement that includes travel times associated with traveling from selected departure grids to selected destination grids, and updating the travel times using historical data.
US08554461B2
A system and method for deploying a restraint system in a vehicle that is in a pre-collision state with an object is provided. The system includes a pre-crash sensing system and a controller. The pre-crash sensing system is adapted to transmit pre-crash signals. The controller is configured to determine a closing velocity between the vehicle and the object. The controller is further configured to determine a predicted collision time based on the closing velocity and deploy the restraint system at a predetermined deployment time prior to the predicted collision time in response to the pre-crash signals.
US08554459B2
An airline operations control system for an airline having multiple aircraft and multiple routes formed by one or more flights where the airline operations control system includes a computer searchable database a query module configured to query the database and a prognostic module.
US08554458B2
Disclosed are algorithms and agent-based structures for a system and technique for analyzing and managing the airspace. The technique includes managing bulk properties of large numbers of heterogeneous multidimensional aircraft trajectories in an airspace, for the purpose of maintaining or increasing system safety, and to identify possible phase transition structures to predict when an airspace will approach the limits of its capacity. The paths of the multidimensional aircraft trajectories are continuously recalculated in the presence of changing conditions (traffic, exclusionary airspace, weather, for example) while optimizing performance measures and performing trajectory conflict detection and resolution. Such trajectories are represented as extended objects endowed with pseudo-potential, maintaining objectives for time, acceleration limits, and fuel-efficient paths by bending just enough to accommodate separation.
US08554454B2
A method for testing a fuel injector including providing an engine with a common rail fuel injection system having one or more fuel injectors; operating the engine at a selected set of operating conditions; conducting a motoring event; allowing a first settling duration; measuring a first rail pressure; operating a first selected injector including operating the first selected injector singly in response to a selected fuel quantity, a selected number of combustion cycles, and a selected number of injections per combustion cycle; allowing a second settling duration; measuring a second rail pressure; calculating a pressure difference value in response to the first rail pressure and the second rail pressure; inferring an amount of fuel delivered by the first selected injector in response to the pressure difference value; and evaluating a first performance factor of the first selected injector in response to the amount of fuel delivered.
US08554453B2
A starter includes a pinion gear that can be engaged with a ring gear coupled to a crankshaft of an engine, an actuator to move the pinion gear to a position where the pinion gear is engaged with the ring gear in a driven state, and a motor to rotate the pinion gear. When the engine is started in response to a driver's start intention, any mode of an engagement mode in which the actuator causes the pinion gear to engage with the ring gear before the motor is driven and a rotation mode in which the motor is driven before the actuator is driven is selected. When the engine is started not in response to a driver's start intention, the engagement mode is selected.
US08554445B2
Methods and systems are provided for improving fuel usage while addressing knock by adjusting the use of spark retard and direct injection of a knock control fluid based on engine operating conditions and the composition of the injected fluid. One or more engine parameters, such as EGR, VCT, boost, throttle position, and CMCV, are coordinated with the direct injection to reduce torque and EGR transients.
US08554425B2
A control system is provided to control the rate of pressure rise in a hydraulic lift and flotation system. When a hydraulic cylinder of the hydraulic lift and flotation system is to be adjusted, the pressure in the hydraulic lift and flotation system has to be increased to a predetermined pressure controlled by a relief valve before the hydraulic cylinder can be operated. The unload valve of the hydraulic lift and flotation system can be closed in a controlled or regulated manner in order to control the rate at which pressure rises in the hydraulic lift and flotation system.
US08554421B2
A vehicle having a dynamics control system, the vehicle comprising: a first set comprising multiple adjustable sub-systems that affect the performance of the vehicle's powertrain; a second set comprising multiple adjustable sub-systems that affect the vehicle's handling; a dynamics user interface including a first input device and a second input device; and a dynamics controller coupled to the user interface and configured to adjust the operation of the sub-systems of the first set in dependence on the first input device and to adjust the operation of the sub-systems of the second set in dependence on the second input device.
US08554418B2
An electric power steering apparatus includes a temperature sensor measuring a temperature at a starting of a vehicle, a motor position sensor detecting a relative steering angle of a motor, a cumulative transfer calculation unit calculating a cumulative transfer quantity of a rack bar by information detected in the motor position sensor, a counter calculating an elapsed time from a starting time of the vehicle, a friction coefficient determination unit determining a friction coefficient according to information inputted from the temperature sensor, the cumulative transfer quantity calculation unit, and the counter, respectively, by using a setting map of a friction coefficient, and a target current calculation unit calculating a compensation quantity for a friction by using the friction coefficient determined in the friction coefficient determination unit and determining a target current.
US08554413B2
A VGRS device checks whether assist control of an EPS device for assisting steering operation of a steering wheel is being stopped. If the assist control of the EPS device is being stopped, a speed increase ratio is determined so that the rotation angle of the output shaft is less than the rotation angle of the input shaft. A VGRS motor is controlled and driven based on a determined speed increase ratio. Thus, steering operation of the steering wheel can be controlled appropriately so that the steering operation of the steering wheel can be continued with relatively small torque. It is less likely that a driver will erroneously feel that the steering wheel is locked.
US08554405B2
In a motor vehicle air conditioning installation comprising a central control unit (12), a computer network (14) connected to the central control unit (12) and a plurality of peripherals (101, 102, 103, . . . , 10n) connected to nodes (N1, N2, N3, . . . , Nn) of the computer network, the peripherals are connected in series via a common conductor (18). The installation comprises means (120) for inputting at the level of each peripheral an electric signature on a common conductor, means (130) for detecting an electric signal depending upon the electric signatures of the peripherals situated upstream on the common conductor (18), means for generating a data item representing the relative position of the peripheral on the basis of the electric signal detected, and means for identifying the node of the network to which it is connected on the basis of the relative position data item generated. The identification of the node of the network permits the assignment of an address or monitoring of the connection of the peripheral from the central control unit.
US08554404B2
In a multimedia information and control system for use in an automobile, at least one interface is employed which enables a user to access information concerning the automobile and control vehicle functions in an efficient manner. The user may select one of a plurality of displayed options on a screen of such an interface. Through audio, video and/or text media, the user is provided with information concerning the selected option and the vehicle function corresponding thereto. Having been so informed, the user may activate the selected option to control the corresponding vehicle function.
US08554399B2
A method is provided for operating a motor vehicle drive train having an internal combustion engine, an electric motor and an electrical energy storage. An actual charge state of the electrical energy storage is detected and compared with an established setpoint charge state to determine one of several operating modes for the drive train. The setpoint charge state is determined as a function of an instantaneous driving state of the motor vehicle so that conclusions can be drawn about imminent deceleration, imminent acceleration or imminent cruise control, instantaneous transmission data and/or instantaneous hybrid drive data. Range boundaries and/or range extents of operating modes are shifted as a function of the setpoint charge state.
US08554397B1
The present invention relates generally to ground transportation systems, and more particularly to a fixed guideway transportation system that achieves a superior ratio of benefits per cost, is lower in net present cost and thus more easily justified for lower density corridors, and can provide passenger carrying capacities appropriate for higher density corridors serviced by mass rapid transit systems today. According to certain aspects, the present invention provides a methodology for limiting the rise in headway as the vehicle speed increases. This innovation further allows systems to achieve shorter time separations between vehicles traveling at high speeds, thus significantly improving the utility of fixed guideway infrastructure.
US08554395B2
A system for facilitating autonomous landing of aerial vehicles on a surface. A beam emitter is directed downwards. A control module is configured to govern the vehicle. A processor processes image data. The beam emitter is arranged to emit simultaneously at least four beams directed towards the surface in order to project a pattern thereon. One beam emitter of the at least four beam emitters is placed in the center. An image capturing module captures subsequent images of the pattern.
US08554394B2
System and method for rendering an aircraft cockpit display for use with an in-trail procedure (ITP)
A method for rendering symbology on a cockpit display of a host aircraft, relating to a proposed ITP transition, is provided. The method comprises analyzing data to predict an ITP transition that is possible and economical, rendering on the display symbology textually representative of the possible ITP transition, and rendering on the display symbology textually representative of the time before which the ITP transition is possible.
US08554385B2
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for monitoring and controlling an electric power delivery system to mitigate against voltage instability. According to various embodiments, one or more stability thresholds may be compared to one or more stability estimates. Stability estimates may be generated based on electrical conditions in an electric power delivery system. Upon the occurrence of the contingency, one or more control actions specified by a contingency index may be executed in order to mitigate against voltage instability. A plurality of stability estimates may be generated, each of which may be compared to a respective stability threshold. According to various embodiments, stability estimates and stability thresholds may be based on a reactive power to voltage margin, an incremental reactive power cost, an incremental load cost, and a power import margin.
US08554382B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for resolving energy imbalance within an electrical grid. During operation, the system receives an imbalance signal and current outputs from a regulation service subsystem and a demand response subsystem. Subsequently, the system generates control signals for controlling future outputs of the regulation service subsystem and the demand response subsystem based on the imbalance signal and the current outputs, and applies the generated control signals to the regulation service subsystem and the demand response subsystem.
US08554366B2
When a swinging leg (e.g., the leg link LR) lands on road surface, a control unit 14 included in a robot 100 controls an actuator 15 driving an ankle joint 122 to make the ankle joint 122 in a leg link LR soft and changes a real angle of the ankle joint 122 according to road profile, not to follow a prespecified trajectory of target angle. Further, after the leg link LR lands, the control unit 14 corrects the trajectory of the target angle of the ankle joint 122 to cancel out a difference between the real angle of the ankle joint 122 and the target angle. Moreover, the control unit 14 controls the actuator 15 to make the ankle joint 122 hard, so that the real angle of the ankle joint 122 of the leg link LR, a supporting leg, follows the corrected trajectory of the target angle.
US08554362B2
An apparatus comprises a plurality of bushings arranged and held together in an array; and a plurality of pins residing in the plurality of bushings, wherein the plurality of pins are for transferring samples. Manufacturing tolerances for inside diameters of the bushings and outside diameters of the pins substantially match to allowing the pins to slide freely within the bushings. The plurality of bushings can reside in one or more plates, each of which having plurality of holes, with the plurality of bushings being held together in the array.
US08554358B2
The invention relates to a device for storing platelike substrates, particularly wafers or test wafers, like those, in particular, used for manufacturing electronic components. The aim of the invention is to make a reliable access to the substrates possible even when storage elements, which can be separated from one another, of the device are affected by manufacturing mistakes. For such a device that, for each substrate, has a number of storage elements, which follow one another in a direction of stacking and which can move relative to one another, in which the storage elements have a stacking area, which is provided for placing the respective storage element inside a stack of storage elements, compensating means are therefore provided in order to compensate for stacking errors in the direction of stacking.
US08554353B2
A fabrication processing system is used to produce copper indium gallium selenide (CuIn1-xGaxSe2 or CIGS) thin film solar cells, more particularly to a fabrication processing system CIGS of thin film solar cells, equipped with real-time analysis facilities for profiling the elemental components of CIGS thin film using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. The system provides a process control system for determining whether abnormalities are present or not by measuring a physical and chemical properties on a continuous production process lines of CIGS thin film solar cell in real time, and performs a production and quality management at the same time by providing a feedback to CIGS fabrication process.
US08554348B2
A processor implements methods, systems, and computer program products for detecting transients in an audio file. The method includes dividing the audio file into segments. Transients can be detected both in a full band signal of the audio file and one or more band-pass filtered signals of the audio file. A weight value can be assigned to each transient detected in both the full band signal and band-pass filtered signals. Transients that are below a predetermined threshold value can be eliminated. The time position of each remaining transient is determined and displayed in the audio file.
US08554343B2
A method solves a quadratic programming (QP) problem in real-time implementations of model predictive control for automation applications. The method can be implemented for fine-grained parallel solutions. Due to the extreme simplicity of the method, even serial implementations offer considerable speed advantages. The method solves the problem by formulating, over a predetermined time interval, an optimization problem with a quadratic cost function, and linear state and control constraints as a quadratic program for the application. Then, the quadratic program is solved by applying a parallel quadratic programming update law starting from a positive initial estimate to obtain control actions for the application.
US08554339B2
A system that includes an anchor assembly, the anchor assembly including: at least one anchoring structure configured to be anchored in a head of a patient; and at least one lead anchoring structure; and b. at least one lead, the at least one lead including a lead body extending from a distal end to a proximal end; at least one electrode located on or in the distal end of the lead body; and at least one lead anchor located on or in the lead body proximal to the electrode, wherein the at least one lead anchor of the lead and the lead anchoring structure are configured to cooperate to secure the at least one lead to the anchor assembly.
US08554333B2
A wireless communication threshold for an implantable medical device is automatically adapted in an attempt to maintain optimum signal detection sensitivity. In some aspects, a threshold level may be adapted to account for current environmental conditions, implant conditions, device conditions, or other conditions that may affect the reception of wireless signals at the device. In some aspects, the determination of an optimum level for the threshold involves a tradeoff relating to effectively detecting target signals while avoiding detection of noise and/or interference. In some aspects, adaptation of a threshold may be based on maximum energy levels associated with one or more sets of RF energy sample data. In some aspects, adaptation of a threshold may be based on the number of false wakeups that occur during a period of time.
US08554324B2
Mobile device for transcranial auto-stimulation and method for controlling and regulating the device
A mobile device for transcranial auto-stimulation and a method for controlling and regulating the mobile device are provided. The mobile device is controlled according to need, of circumscribed brain structures and brain systems. The device for transcranial electric current stimulation includes the following components:—electrodes with fasteners to exactly position the electrodes on the skin of the head and electrical connecting lines and—a transportable, miniaturized stimulation generator comprising a current generator, a controller, a user interface, an electrical energy storage device and a monitoring and safety module with a separate electrical energy storage device.
US08554322B2
Techniques for transcutaneous transferral of energy to an implantable medical device are disclosed. An embodiment includes a system comprising an implantable medical device having a secondary coil. An external device is provided to transcutaneously transfer energy to the secondary coil. The external device comprises a housing having a side adapted to be positioned in proximity to the secondary coil when the external device is transferring energy to the secondary coil. A temperature sensor is coupled to the side to determine a temperature indicative of heat to which the patient is being exposed during the transfer of energy. A control circuit is adapted to control the transfer of energy to the secondary coil based on the temperature. For instance, the control circuit may limit transfer of energy by controlling times at which transfer of energy occurs or controlling an amplitude of a signal within the external device.
US08554318B2
An active implantable medical device for one of cardiac stimulation, resynchronization, and defibrillation is shown and described. The device includes means for placing an electronic circuit in a safekeeping operating mode in response to detecting a first magnetic field associated with a permanent magnet and detecting a second magnetic field associated with an MRI imager.
US08554316B2
To accurately acquire body composition information using data acquired by another device. Thus, there is provided a body composition monitor with scale including a communication unit for allowing input of biological component information (cross-sectional area, site length, subcutaneous fat percentage, visceral fat percentage, etc.) of a living body measured with another device such as an MRI, where step of calculating the body composition of the living body based on the biological component information, an impedance detected by an impedance detection unit, and a weight measured by a load detection unit is executed.
US08554309B2
A target localizing and marking device is provided including a cannula having proximal and distal ends and a lumen therebetween, and a tip member releasably attached to the distal end, where the tip member includes and outer shell and at least one inner chamber. The device further includes at least one image enhancing component disposed on the outer shell and/or within the at least one inner chamber, at least one marking component disposed in the at least one inner chamber, and a tip member deployment mechanism. The deployment mechanism has a manually engageable actuator, a portion of which is dimensioned to slidably pass through the lumen of the cannula, and is operable to separate the tip member from the cannula and deploy the tip member to a predetermined target site. In some implementations, the device is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compatible and is identifiable under MRI.
US08554304B2
An apparatus for providing high resolution images to patients positioned in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device. The MRI device comprises a head coil arranged to surround a patient's head and to provide MRI images thereof, the apparatus comprising units for receiving video or picture image signals from an external source. The apparatus further comprises units for displaying a video or picture image, the display units being arranged in a housing, the housing being suspended in an arm comprising at least two successive members. A joint is between the housing and the adjacent member, a joint or joints are between the successive members, and a joint is between an attachment element for attaching the apparatus to the head coil, or other part of the MRI device, and the member adjacent to the coil attachment element, each being hinged to allow rotation of the joints.
US08554300B2
A device and a method are disclosed for detecting electromagnetic fields, in particular, fields occurring in magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests. An implantable medical device (IMD), contained in a hermetically sealed housing, includes a control unit, a programming coil, and a communication unit, wherein the communication unit, together with the programming coil, is designed to allow communication between an external programming device and the IMD by utilizing alternating electromagnetic fields, and further comprising a detection unit for MRT interference fields, characterized in that the detection unit is designed in such a way that voltage profiles induced in the programming coil and originating from a pulsed alternating electromagnetic field of the MRT (gradient field) are detected, and a corresponding MRT detection signal is transmitted from the detection unit to the control unit, if communication with a programming device is not detected at the same time.
US08554288B2
A front case at a display section side of frame shape is formed of metal material having strength and a bathtub-shaped draw frame formed by drawing metal plate is fixed at the external side of the front case at the display section side by heat adhesive to be integral with the front case at the display section side. Two L-shaped frames formed by bending metal plate materials are fixed at the internal side of the front case at the display section side by two heat adhesives to be integral with the front case at the display section side. The front case at the display section side, the two L-shaped frames, and the bathtub-shaped draw frame are integral with each other to have sandwich structure.
US08554280B2
Various methods and systems are provided that allow a user to perform a free-form action, such as making a mark on a device, speaking into a device, and/or moving the device, to cause a step to be performed that conventionally was performed by the user having to locate and select a button or link on the device.
US08554272B1
A server stores personal information associated with a user of a wireless communication device. The server also receives from the wireless communication device an image of an item for sale and a price of the item, and appends the image and the price to include the user's email address and the delivery information.
US08554270B2
Methods and systems for enabling coexistence of multiple potentially interfering wireless components in a device are provided. A device may include a wireless module using a proprietary protocol and one or more modules using standardized protocols. The device further includes a coexistence arbitration module configured to arbitrate access to a shared communication medium among the wireless modules based on assertion of medium access requests by the modules and the associated priority of the asserted medium access requests. When multiple medium access requests have the same priority, precedence for access to the shared medium is determined based on additional criteria. The coexistence arbitration module may be a separate module or may be integrated into another module or distributed among the modules. The device may include a host processor for altering transmission characteristics of a module to increase the likelihood that another module can receive data within a reasonable time period.
US08554266B2
Mobile user equipment for use in a cellular communications environment performs an improved cell selection on transitions out of a connected mode state. The transitions might be from one connected mode state to another or from a connected mode state to idle mode. The improvement in cell selection lies in assembling the list of candidate cells prior to cell selection. In the prior art, the list of candidate cells would usually be restricted to the serving cell or active cells supporting communication between the equipment and the network prior to transition. In embodiments of the invention, the list might comprise cells which are not the serving cell or which are outside the active set, for example a network-preferred cell or cells neighboring the serving cell or cells of the active set.
US08554260B2
A communication system includes a first network device and a second network device. A power consumption control method applied to the communication system includes the steps of: checking a receiving capability of the first network device to generate a first checking result; and selectively notifying the second network device to adjust a transmitting capability of the second network device according to the first checking result. When the first checking result indicates that the receiving capability of the first network device is greater than a first threshold, transmit a first notice signal to notify the second network device. When receiving the first notice signal, lower the transmitting capability of the second network device.
US08554259B2
A method and apparatus to improve the robustness of a wireless communication link between a base station and a mobile communication device. The method increases power selectively on portions of an uplink communication signal transmitted from the mobile communication device to the base station. The method monitors a quality metric value at the mobile communication device and sets the transmit power level of the first portion of an uplink communication signal to the first power level, if the monitored quality metric value is in a first range of quality values, or sets the transmit power level of the first portion of the uplink communication signal to a second power level, if the monitored quality metric value is in a second range of quality values. The first portion of the uplink communication signal includes control signals used by a base station to maintain connection of the wireless communication link.
US08554254B2
A communications system may include at least one mobile wireless communications device, and a wireless communications network for sending text messages thereto. More particularly, the at least one mobile wireless communications device may include a wireless transceiver and a controller for cooperating therewith for receiving text messages from the wireless communications network. It may further include a headset output connected to the controller. The controller may be for switching between a normal message mode and an audio message mode based upon a connection between the headset output and a headset. Moreover, when in the audio message mode, the controller may output at least one audio message including speech generated from at least one of the received text messages via the headset output.
US08554243B2
A method of tracking a first wireless communications device using another computing device, such as a second wireless communications device, includes obtaining current position data for the first wireless communications device and obtaining one or more of speed data, time data, and path data for the first wireless communications device. The first wireless device then transmits the current position data and at least one of the speed data, time data and path data to the second wireless communications device or other computing device. In addition to current position data, the speed, path and time data facilitate tracking of the first wireless communications device. When a first mobile user wants a second mobile user to follow him, the first mobile user can put his device in “follow me” (tracking) mode. This is particularly useful when the first and second mobile users are traveling in respective cars or other vehicles.
US08554242B1
A method is provided for altering a channel bandwidth in a wireless system, wherein the method comprises sending to a wireless device a report request message comprising an indicator of an ability to change the channel bandwidth from a first channel bandwidth to a second channel bandwidth, receiving at an access node a report response message from the wireless device, wherein the report response message comprises a channel condition for the wireless device, and changing the channel bandwidth from the first channel bandwidth to the second channel bandwidth based upon the channel condition.
US08554238B2
Provided is a technology that enables a terminal to quickly perform an idle-to-active state shift and to quickly perform a handover using a carrier aggregation characteristic. The terminal may attempt a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection establishment using a plurality of carrier components. When the RRC connection establishment using one of the carrier components succeeds, the terminal may transmit an RRC reconfiguration complete message to a base station.
US08554229B2
A communication system in which a primary base station or a secondary base station communicates with a mobile terminal. The primary base station sends the mobile terminal and the secondary base station an announcement signal which includes identification information for identifying a cell of the primary base station. When receiving the announcement signal, the secondary base station sends the mobile terminal a pseudo announcement signal which includes the identification information and adjacent cell information which includes information for a cell of the secondary base station. When receiving the announcement signal and the pseudo announcement signal, the mobile terminal compares a reception power of the signal received from the primary base station with that of the signal received from the secondary base station, and performs communication with one of the base stations which has higher power.
US08554225B2
According to one embodiment, a method for switching operating carrier at a user equipment (UE) includes receiving a message including a carrier index of a target carrier for a current primary carrier change from a base station. The message further includes action time information indicating a start time in which the mobile station switches from the current primary carrier to the target carrier. The UE may switch from a current operating carrier to the indicated target carrier based on the received action time information and the carrier index of the target carrier.
US08554216B2
The embodiments herein relate to a method in a transceiver (110) for permitting access to a cellular communications system (100). The transceiver (110) is configured to transmit traffic to a communication node (101,120). The transceiver (110) receives a permission message from the communication node (101,120). The permission message indicates permission to a group of transceivers to transmit an access request message indicating a request to transmit the traffic to the communication node (101, 120). The transceiver (110) determines whether the transceiver (110) is comprised in the group of transceivers having permission to transmit the access request message based on the received permission message.
US08554214B2
The disclosed embodiments provide a system and method for managing events associated with the detection of wireless devices. The disclosed embodiments utilize a residential wireless access point for detecting the signal transmitted by a wireless device. A user configures a wireless device detection program to perform specified events in response to the detection and/or absence of a wireless device. The disclosed embodiments may provide home automation functions, home security functions, and/or provide child monitoring features.
US08554191B2
An automobile with a communication interface configured to help communicatively couple a sound system with a wireless telephone such that the wireless telephone can stream selected media content like music or video to the communication module using an asynchronous channel of a localized wireless network. The communication interface may also allow operation of the wireless telephone in a hands free mode to facilitate use of the wireless telephone in the automobile in a way that does not require a user to hold the wireless telephone.
US08554184B2
A system monitors the remote filling of forms. The system includes an electronic writing device that may detect form input data corresponding to a first predefined area and a second predefined area of a form. The system also includes a mobile station that may receive the form input data from the electronic device and send the form input data to a monitoring station. The mobile station may receive an error notification from the monitoring station when the form input data corresponding to the first predefined area is deficient, but may not receive an error notification when the form input data corresponding to the second predefined area is deficient. The mobile station may generate an output signal in response to receive an error notification.
US08554182B2
A method and system of delivering a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message is disclosed. In one example, the method includes providing a storage location and time duration for outside content to be indirectly referenced by an MMS message. Receiving and storing the outside content via a transport network is also disclosed. The method may include encapsulating an MMS message in a payload of a transport message with the MMS message indirectly referencing the storage location of the outside content. Delivery of the transport message may occur over a transport network. Confirming receipt of the transport message is also disclosed.
US08554175B2
Methods, systems, and computer programs for managing mobile device applications are described. In some aspects, a mobile device application is prevented from accessing resources of a wireless network. For example, a wireless network operator system can determine that one or more mobile device applications are disapproved for use in the wireless network. In some implementations, the wireless network operator denies the disapproved mobile device applications access to the wireless network resources. In some implementations, mobile devices disable access to the wireless network by the disapproved mobile device applications.
US08554156B2
A frequency generator includes a phase-locked loop (PLL) and a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), where the VCO is arranged to receive low-pass data via a first input and high-pass data at a second input. The first input is coupled to a first set of varactors in the VCO. The second input is coupled to a second set of varactors in the VCO. A controller sets the input voltage at the first input and directs a charge pump to operate in a tri-state mode that opens the feedback loop of the PLL. The controller applies different voltages via the second input and measures the change in output frequency. A present gain of the VCO is determined from the ratio of the change in frequency and the change in voltage at the second input and is used to calibrate a portable transceiver.
US08554151B2
Methods and apparatuses for data aided channel quality estimation using both pilot and data information are disclosed herein. In one exemplary aspect, a method for estimating channel quality in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method comprises estimating a pilot noise variance based on a pilot signal received from a base station on a downlink and estimating a data noise variance based on a data signal received from the base station on the downlink. The method also comprises combining the pilot noise variance and the data noise variance to obtain a combined noise variance, and estimating the channel quality based on the combined noise variance.
US08554142B2
A network device receives, from a first mobile communication device via a cellular network, a message to attempt initiate the set-up of data transfer via a local wireless connectivity method. The network device determines a proximity within the cellular network of the first mobile communication device with respect to a second mobile communication device that is the target of the data transfer, and determines a geographic proximity of the first mobile communication device with respect to the second mobile communication device. The network device remotely enables, from the network device, the first mobile communication device and the second mobile communication device to transfer data between them via the local wireless connectivity method instead of via the cellular network based on the determined network proximity or geographic proximity.
US08554139B2
The present invention provides a transmission method for reducing radio resource overhead for a slave device of the Bluetooth system. The transmission method includes the steps of setting an active time slot window on a communication time comprising at least a reception time slot and transforming the reception time slots in the active time slot window into transmission time slots.
US08554137B2
A method and system for Bluetooth® and Wireless LAN coexistence may include controlling wireless local area network (WLAN) communication and Bluetooth® communication in a coexistence system that handles at least a WLAN communication protocol and a Bluetooth® communication protocol based on time division multiplexing (TDM) and adaptive frequency hopping (AFH). Switching may occur between the WLAN communication and the Bluetooth® communication based on the TDM and the AFH. In one embodiment of the invention, the switching may occur adaptively. Notwithstanding, in instances where it may be determined that AFH is disabled, switching to TDM may occur. WLAN communication and/or Bluetooth® communication may be disabled or enabled based on a state of at the WLAN communication and/or the Bluetooth® communication. Use of the AFH may be enabled or disabled based on a link status of the WLAN communication and/or the Bluetooth® communication.
US08554131B2
Methods, apparatus, systems and computer program products are defined for enhancing the delivery of overhead notifications in a broadcast network, in particular a broadcast network suitable for wireless device implementation. The broadcast-receiving devices only receive new notification messages, as opposed to receiving all of the currently active notification messages. This is achieved by broadcasting a listing of the currently active notifications versions and having the devices compare the currently active notification versions to the locally stored version(s) to determine which version or versions require capturing. In those aspects in which the broadcast-receiving device is a battery powered wireless device, battery power consumption is minimized because the device only captures active notification messages not currently in device memory, as opposed to all of the currently active notifications.
US08554130B1
A method and an apparatus to provide machine-assisted training have been disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes monitoring action performed by a trainee during machine-assisted training and dynamically adjusting the machine-assisted training in response to the trainee's action. Other embodiments have been claimed and described.
US08554123B2
A fixing device includes a heating rotating member that generates heat by induction heating; an induction coil that generates magnetic flux for induction heating; and a magnetic member core section forming a magnetic path and including a first core section, a second core section, a magnetic flux shielding member, and third core sections. The magnetic flux shielding member is disposed at a side of an end portion of the first core section opposite to the second core section and separated from the end portion, and disposed at a position that is separated from the outer surface of the heating rotating member by a separation distance. The third core sections are disposed at a side of the magnetic flux shielding member facing the end portion of the first core section. At least one of the third core sections is movable to a first position and to a second position.
US08554120B2
An image forming apparatus includes a transfer member onto a front side of which an image is transferred, a rotary member around which the transfer member is wrapped, a guide member provided at an end portion of an axial direction of the rotary member, a regulating member, a first reference mark, a second reference mark, a first detector, a second detector, and a controller. The regulating member is located on a reverse side of the transfer member, and restricts skew of the transfer member by contacting the guide member. The first and second reference marks are on edge sides of the transfer member in the axial direction of the rotary member. The first and second detectors detect the first and second reference marks, respectively. The controller controls alignment of the image on the transfer member in accordance with a detection result of the first and second detectors.
US08554106B2
An embodiment of a developing device may include a housing, magnetic developer, and a developer bearing member. In some embodiments, the developer bearing member may include a magnet member. The magnet member may allow the developer to remain in the housing. A developer regulating member may be positioned proximate the developer bearing member and have one or more cut portions. In some embodiments, the cut portions may be positioned at each end of the developer regulating member in a surface facing the developer bearing member. The developer regulating member may regulate an amount of the developer held on the developer bearing member. A magnetic sealing member may extend along an outer peripheral surface of the developer bearing member at each end and may be positioned proximate the cut portion. In some embodiments, a portion of the magnetic sealing member may be positioned within the cut portion.
US08554104B2
An image forming apparatus includes a fixing member for fixing an image onto a sheet in pressure contact with an outer surface thereof; and a heating source for heating the fixing member. A duct is provided in a position facing the fixing member with respect to a width direction perpendicular to a circumferential direction of the fixing member and which has an inlet for taking in fine particles generated from the fixing member. A filter member is provided inside the duct and which can trap the fine particles which flow through the duct. An exhaust fan is provided in the duct upstream or downstream from the filter member for generating an air flow going from the inlet to an outlet of the duct. A control section controls the operation of the exhaust fan according to initial burst conditions under which the fine particles are emitted from the fixing member.
US08554103B2
An image forming apparatus includes a cylindrical or annular fixing member, an outer surface of which is brought into pressure contact with a conveyed sheet to fix an image onto the sheet; and a heating source for heating the fixing member to a specified target temperature. The fixing member includes a cylindrical or annular base material, a rubber layer with elasticity, and an outer layer for aiding release of the sheet. An end portion of the rubber layer and an end portion of the outer layer are each positioned inner than an end portion of the base material with respect to a width direction perpendicular to a circumferential direction on the base material. A filter member capable of trapping ultra fine particles generated from the rubber layer is provided on the base material in a position facing the end portion of the rubber layer along the circumferential direction.
US08554096B2
A power source includes a charging voltage generation unit configured to generate a charging voltage to charge an image bearing member, a developing voltage generation unit configured to generate a developing voltage to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member, a control unit configured to control an output from the developing voltage generation unit, and a correction unit configured to correct an operation of the control unit based on an output from the charging voltage generation unit.
US08554090B2
The invention is a replacement printed circuit board or chip that allows a printer to utilize a replacement printer cartridge. The printed circuit board has an encrypted memory device and a microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller is programmed to intercept the request from the printer for the unique lot number data and to provide the appropriate unique lot number data to the printer in response to the request. The encrypted memory device is programmed just like the custom original equipment manufacturer encrypted memory device, and, with the exception of providing the unique lot number data to the printer, communicates with the printer just as the original equipment manufacturer encrypted memory device would.
US08554086B2
Disclosed is a method for setting a power control initial value by using an indication light in visible light communications and a transmission/reception (Tx/Rx) apparatus using the method. The method includes the steps of: radiating multiple indication lights having power levels different from one another by a visible light communication transmitter; aligning a communication position simultaneously with measuring Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) of the indication light on detecting the indication light, selecting a power level whose RSSI is in a preset threshold range and which is adequate for transmission/receive among the multiple power levels different from one another, and informing the visible light communication transmitter of the adequate power level by a visible light communication receiver; and transmitting data from the visible light communication transmitter to the visible light communication receiver by using a transmitted power initial value according to a selected power level.
US08554082B2
Embodiments of the present invention exploit the existing capabilities of the Ethernet Passive Optical Network (EPON) MAC layer, designed for fiber optics communications, to provide a low cost MAC layer with upper layer connectivity over a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network. In particular, embodiments allow for the EPON MAC to be used end-to-end (i.e., from an optical line terminal (OLT) to a coaxial network unit (CNU)) in a HFC network, thereby fully leveraging the packet processing capabilities, QoS functions, and management features of the EPON MAC. Furthermore, embodiments enable unified provisioning and management for both fiber and coaxial network units in a HFC network.
US08554071B2
An optical transmission apparatus includes an amplifier, a first output port to select a wavelength from the wavelength-division-multiplexed signal light amplified and output signal light with the selected wavelength to an operation line, a second output port to output multiplexed light obtained by multiplexing any one of first spontaneous emission light and second spontaneous emission light to a preliminary line, the first and the second spontaneous emission light being parts of spontaneous emission light generated by the amplifier, the first spontaneous emission light being in a wavelength range that is not selected, and the second spontaneous emission light being in a wavelength range other than a range of the wavelength-division-multiplexed signal light, and a judger to judge a continuity state of the operation line by using the signal light output to the operation line and a continuity state of the preliminary line.
US08554070B2
A storage device stores information regarding a channel from which an optical transmission apparatus at a subsequent stage drops a signal light. A processor determines that switching from second channel transmission using a larger number of channels than a first number of channels to first channel transmission is performed, and controls an attenuation amount, when performing the first channel transmission using the first number of channels, by referring to the storage device according to the determination and making the attenuation amount in a no-signal channel larger than a determine value if the no-signal channel whose wavelength is within a determined range from the wavelength of the signal light channel for the first channel transmission is a channel from which the optical transmission apparatus at the subsequent stage drops a signal light, so as to transmit an amplified spontaneous emission light along the no-signal channel.
US08554060B2
A method and apparatus for reproducing video data are discussed. According an embodiment, the apparatus includes a controller configured to receive a request of a path change, the controller configured to control the path change from a current path to the request path among the multiple reproduction paths by identifying path information in an entry point map, the path information associated with an entry point in the video data, and the entry point map having an entry point fine table including fine information of at least one entry point and an entry point coarse table including coarse information of the at least one entry point, the fine information and coarse information identifying a presentation time and an address for the at least one entry point.
US08554059B2
The present invention relates to a broadcast signal processing system and a method for searching a storage device thereof. One of the embodiments of the present invention includes a receiving unit configured to receive a broadcast signal, a decoding unit configured to decode the broadcast signal received by the receiver, a display unit configured to display broadcast content according to the broadcast signal decoded by the decoder, an interface unit configured to communicate with the storage device through a wired network or a wireless network, and a control unit configured to control access to the storage device through the interface unit using one of connection information as to the storage device connected by the interface unit and search information as to the storage device searched through the network by the interface unit, and to control storage of the broadcast signal decoded by the decoder in the storage device or playback of content stored in the storage device by the display unit.
US08554058B2
An electronic device for playing multimedia files includes a storage unit, an input unit, a control unit, and a play unit. The storage unit stores a number of multimedia files. The control unit determines whether two or more multimedia files are selected to play according to signals from the input unit, determines types of the selected multimedia files if two or more multimedia files are selected, and controls the play unit to play the selected multimedia files according to a priority each type of multimedia files is assigned if the selected multimedia files have different types.
US08554050B2
The present invention discloses a method and a system for controlling playing of monitoring video record. The controlling playing method includes the following steps: A. during the process of recording a monitoring video record, detecting a picture of a video record in real time and marking a time index for dynamic frame(s) in the video record; B. during the process of playing the monitoring video record, obtaining the lime index and playing the dynamic frame in the monitoring video record according to the time index. The controlling playing system includes: video record recording means, motion detecting means and video record playing means, wherein the video record recording means is configured to record a monitoring video record; the motion detecting means is configured to detect a picture of the video record in real time and mark a time index for a dynamic frame(s) in the video record during the process of recording the monitoring video record by the video record recording means; and the video record playing means is configured to obtain the time index from the motion detecting means and play the dynamic frame(s) in the monitoring video record according to the time index during the process of playing the monitoring video record. The present invention reduces the time of playing monitoring video record greatly without missing any effective information.
US08554049B2
Embodiments provide methods and systems for synchronizing simultaneous media asset viewing for users at different geographical viewing locations. In some embodiments, a first user device receives a request to synchronize viewing of a media asset with a second user device. Control circuitry may automatically determine that the media asset is available to the second user device after becoming available so the first user device. Based on the determining, the control circuitry may automatically schedule the media asset for recording on the first user device. In some embodiments, control circuitry synchronizes viewing of the media asset when the media access becomes available to the second user device. The second user device may access a video feed transmitted by a media source, while the first user device accesses a video feed of a recorded media asset.
US08554041B2
Disclosed is inexpensive optical waveguide for an optical connector which is accurately positioned across the width of cores when inserted in and fixed in an optical waveguide fixing through hole of a ferrule to provide low optical coupling loss when connected, an optical connector using the same, and a method of manufacturing the same. An optical waveguide for an optical connector includes cores, an under cladding layer, and an over cladding layer. The strip-shaped optical waveguide has a longitudinal end portion configured to be fixed in a predetermined through hole provided in a ferrule of an optical connector. The cores are formed on the under cladding layer by a photolithographic method. The over cladding layer is formed with respect to the positions of the cores or positioning alignment marks by a photolithographic method. The over cladding layer covers the cores, and the under cladding layer including crosswise end surfaces thereof.
US08554040B2
A planar lightwave circuit is provided which can be easily fabricated by an existing planar-lightwave-circuit fabrication process, which can lower the propagation loss of signal light and which can convert inputted signal light so as to derive desired signal light. A planar lightwave circuit having a core and a clad which are formed on a substrate, has input optical waveguide(s) (111) which inputs signal light, mode coupling part (112) for coupling a fundamental mode of the inputted signal light to a higher-order mode and/or a radiation mode, or mode re-coupling part (113) for re-coupling the higher-order mode and/or the radiation mode to the fundamental mode, and output optical waveguide(s) (114) which outputs signal light. The mode coupling part or the mode re-coupling part is an optical waveguide which has core width and/or height varied continuously.
US08554038B2
A manufacturing method of a photonic band gap fiber which includes measuring a hole diameter d0 and a distance-between-holes Λ0 in a preliminary experiment capillary body by first drawing a preliminary experiment preform, calculating a confinement loss to a normalized wavelength λ/Λ being a wavelength λ normalized by an optional distance-between-holes Λ using a ratio d0/Λ0 and the optional distance-between-holes Λ as design parameters, setting a distance-between-holes by calculating the set distance-between-holes Λ1 to a desired transmission wavelength λ1 of a photonic band gap fiber to be manufactured using a value of the normalized wavelength λ/Λ in which the confinement loss becomes about a minimum value, and second drawing a preform for a photonic band gap fiber by using the same members as those of the preliminary experiment preform and by setting a distance-between-holes to the set distance-between-holes Λ1, in a drawing temperature condition used for the first drawing.
US08554037B2
A hybrid waveguide device includes a hollow core fiber having a core formed by a combination of solid material and gases. The hybrid nature of the core allows the hybrid device to transport a high energy high power laser beam having an ultra-short pulse width without damage to the hybrid device due to a higher tolerance of irradiance than single-matter cores. A waveguide device having a core with gases in addition to solid matter is characterized by a lower nonlinear refractive index coefficient (n2), lower numerical aperture, larger delivering laser beam size, and higher ionization potential of the gases. As a result, the hybrid waveguide fiber can transport ultra-short laser pulses having ablative energy levels and power levels, for example from a laser generating subassembly to a laser material-modification subassembly.
US08554032B2
A method and apparatus for assembling an optical coupler system. A first plurality of optical fibers is connected to a first receptacle using an alignment system to align the first plurality of optical fibers in the first receptacle. A second plurality of optical fibers is connected to a second receptacle using the alignment system to align the second plurality of optical fibers in the second receptacle. The first receptacle is connected to a star coupler. The first plurality of optical fibers is optically connected to a mixing channel in the star coupler. The second receptacle is connected to the star coupler. The second plurality of optical fibers is optically connected to the mixing channel in the star coupler.
US08554023B2
There are provided an unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer and a modulator based thereupon. The interferometer comprises a loop comprising a plurality of cascaded segments of polarization-maintaining fibers, into which an input signal is split such that two light portions of the split signal propagate concurrently in mutually opposite directions along the loop; and a first optical arrangement between a first and a second segment of the loop for rearranging the axes of propagation of the two light portions such that, on at least a one segment, the two light portions propagate along mutually orthogonal polarization axes of the polarization-maintaining fiber. The light portions are then recombined to mutually interfere. Birefringence of the segment(s) where the light portions propagate on mutually orthogonal polarization axes then provides a differential path length of the interferometer. An unbalanced Mach-Zehnder modulator is obtained by inserting a phase modulator within the loop.
US08554018B2
[PROBLEMS] In a system for converting a low resolution image to a high resolution image, it is difficult to carry out processing to generate a high resolution image for each frame in real time using temporally continuous frame images. [MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS] An image processing system includes a conversion parameter calculation unit 101, an initial image generation unit 102, a high resolution image generation unit 103, and an input image and conversion parameter storage unit 110, and converts the high resolution image generated at the previous frame in accordance with a current frame based on the conversion parameter for the current frame with respect to the previous frame so as to perform high resolution image generation processing of the current frame with the converted image as an initial value.
US08554017B2
An imaging apparatus includes: an orientation sensor that detects orientation representing the direction in which the imaging apparatus is oriented; a controller that produces data formed of a captured image and attribute information associated with the captured image and records the data in a recording section; and the recording section that stores a captured image and attribute information, wherein the controller successively records an entry in a memory, the entry relating orientation information calculated by successively receiving a value detected with the orientation sensor to a time stamp representing the time at which the detected value is inputted from the orientation sensor, extracts a plurality of entries having time stamps close to the time at which the image was captured from the entries recorded in the memory, and calculates orientation information representing the direction in which the image was captured by using the plurality of pieces of orientation information in the extracted entries.
US08554013B2
A method for selectively transforming a multi-dimensional input array comprising D dimensions includes, with a computing system, determining a D-dimensional convolution of the input array at only selected points in the array, each the convolution being a function of a product of D one-dimensional kernels; determining partial convolutions at each dimension iteratively, an iterative determination of one of the partial convolutions being determined, in part, from a previous iterative determination; and collecting transformed values from the convolutions into the input array to form a transformed input array.
US08554008B2
A system to reduce aliasing in a graphical image includes an edge detector configured to read image depth information from a depth buffer. The edge detector also applies edge detection procedures to detect an object edge within the image. An edge style detector is configured to identify a first edge end and a second edge end. The edge style detector also identifies an edge style associated with the detected edge based on the first edge end and the second edge end. The system also includes a restoration module configured to identify pixel data associated with the detected edge and a blending module configured to blend the pixel data associated with the detected edge.
US08554006B2
Provided are an image processing apparatus and method of controlling same for detecting, in pixel units, an edge that exists prior to encoding, thereby protecting an edge that exists prior to encoding and reducing noise produced by encoding. To accomplish this, the image processing apparatus compares a threshold value generated from quantization information of each pixel when decoding is performed, and the absolute values of differences between a pixel of interest and pixel peripherals thereto, detects, in pixel units, an edge that existed prior to encoding, and corrects only noise produced by encoding.
US08554005B1
A method and system of digital image enhancement provide controllable emboldening and thinning of image features. The method includes providing an input image, creating an edge map image from the input image, and combining the edge map image with the input image using local clamping to produce an output image. Features of the output image are one of emboldened and thinned.
US08553992B2
Disclosed herein is a method and system for determining class, attributes, and identity of an occupant in an occupancy space. An infra-red image of the occupant in the occupancy space is captured. The infra-red image information of the captured image is digitized to obtain a thermal signature of the occupant. The thermal signature of the occupant is compared with thermal signatures, characteristics, and attributes common to a class of occupants stored in a thermal signature database to determine the class, the attributes, and the identity of the occupant. The determination of the class and the attributes may, for example, comprise distinguishing between an animate occupant and an inanimate occupant, analyzing gait of the animate occupant for distinguishing between human motion and non-human motion, and enumerating occupants in the occupancy space using an edge detection algorithm.
US08553991B2
A clustering processing apparatus comprises: N clustering units that group samples included in the data block into clusters, each clustering unit sequentially taking each sample as a target, grouping the target sample into one of the clusters within the data block, storing cluster information including identification on each cluster into which the samples are grouped within the data block, and storing sample assignment information indicating the cluster to which the target sample belongs; a cluster information transferring unit that selects cluster information on a cluster to be integrated from the cluster information when a predetermined condition is met, and transfers the selected cluster information to a third storage unit; and an updating unit that integrates clusters selected based on the cluster information stored in the third storage unit into an integrated cluster, and updates the sample assignment information based on information of the integrated clusters.
US08553989B1
The present invention relates to a method for three-dimensional (3D) object recognition using region of interest geometric features. The method includes acts of receiving an implicit geometry representation regarding a three-dimensional (3D) object of interest. A region of interest (ROI) is centered on the implicit geometry representation such that there is at least one intersection area between the ROI and the implicit geometry representation. Object shape features are calculated that reflect a location of the ROI with respect to the implicit geometry representation. The object shape features are assembled into a feature vector. A classification confidence value is generated with respect to a particular object classification. Finally, the 3D object of interest is classified as a particular object upon the output of a statistical classifier reaching a predetermined threshold.
US08553980B2
Disclosed herein are a method and apparatus for extracting feature points using hierarchical image segmentation and an image based localization method using the extracted feature points. An image is segmented using an affinity degree obtained using information observed during position estimation, new feature points are extracted from segmented areas in which registered feature points are not included, and position estimation is performed based on the new feature points. Accordingly, stable and reliable localization may be performed.
US08553978B2
A system, method, and computer program product for automatically detecting and correcting the “purple fringing” effect, typically due to axial chromatic aberration in imaging devices, are disclosed and claimed. A chromaticity score is computed, denoting the amount of false color related to a purple fringing artifact. A locality score is computed, denoting the similarity of the purple fringing region to a shape of a narrow ridge, which is typical for purple fringing artifacts. A saturation score is also computed, denoting the proximity of a pixel to saturated pixels. These scores are then combined into a detection score, denoting pixels having strong indications they share properties common to pixels of purple fringing artifacts. The detected pixels are then correspondingly corrected, e.g. by chroma suppression. The scoring and correction may be performed over combinations of image resolutions, e.g. an original version and potentially numerous downscaled versions.
US08553977B2
One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for converting an unsupported continuous tone image file with an opacity layer to an application supported image. An opacity mask is created from an extracted alpha channel portion of the unsupported image file, where the alpha channel comprises transparency (opacity) information for the image. The unsupported image file can comprise an eight-bit alpha channel that indicates transparency for one or more portions of the image. The remaining channels of the unsupported image, after the alpha channel is extracted, can be used to create an image, which is combined with the opacity mask, to generate a supported image with a transparency layer.
US08553976B2
Techniques for differentially enhancing selected areas within a digital image are disclosed. In certain embodiments, one or more attributes of a selected pixel or a group of pixels is determined. Examples of such attributes include color properties, grayscale properties, and/or multi-pixel properties, such as texture. In certain embodiments, the attribute may be used in conjunction with the properties of a modification tool, such as a brush, to selectively modify pixels having the attribute value or a similar attribute value.
US08553974B2
A signal correcting method and a circuit thereof are provided. In the method, first, the values of a plurality of input signals are clamped to generate a plurality of corresponding clamping signals according to a plurality of adjustable predetermined values. Then, a combined multiplication operation is performed to the clamping signals according to the coefficients in a matrix obtained by multiplying the coefficients in at least two predetermined correcting matrixes, so as to output a plurality of results. Next, the results are respectively clamped according to a plurality of corresponding predetermined thresholds so as to output the corrected input signals.
US08553968B1
A serial number detector is disclosed for detecting an encoded serial number written on a wafer. A scanner scans the wafer to generate a raster image representing the encoded serial number, and an optical character recognition (OCR) system detects a detected serial number comprising a plurality of detected data characters and a plurality of detected redundancy characters. A character-to-binary converter converts the detected data characters and the detected redundancy characters into codeword symbols. A syndrome generator generates a plurality of error syndromes in response to the codeword symbols, and an error corrector, responsive to the error syndromes, detects and corrects errors in the codeword symbols.
US08553957B2
A method of processing an image so as to correctly and better extract an image of a lung region, the method including operations of extracting a trachea region_image by using pixel values in a predetermined region of a radiographic image, adjusting pixel values corresponding to the trachea region in the radiographic image, extracting the lung region image from the radiographic image in which the pixel values of the trachea region image have been adjusted, and smoothing outer boundaries of the lung region image.
US08553938B2
An exemplary embodiment provides an information processing program. The information processing program includes image obtaining instructions, search target detection instructions, distance calculation instructions, event occurrence instructions, virtual image generation instructions, and display control instructions. The search target detection instructions cause a computer to detect a search target from an image of a subject. The event occurrence instructions cause the computer to cause an event to occur in a virtual space in accordance with a distance between an image pick-up apparatus and the search target. The virtual image generation instructions cause the computer to generate a virtual image by shooting the event with a virtual camera. The display control instructions cause a display to display the virtual image such that the virtual image is visually recognized by a user as superimposed on the image of the subject or on the subject seen through a screen of the display.
US08553929B2
An image processing apparatus of the present invention includes: a self-similar image storing section 13 that stores a pattern of a self-similar image; a superimposed image data generating section 15 that generates superimposed image data from a self-similar image, based on the pattern of the self-similar image; an image combining section 17 that combines original image data with the superimposed image data; and a control section 11 that controls operations of the above-mentioned sections. The superimposed image data generating section 15 adjusts a pattern of a self-similar image so that a size of a superimposed image corresponds to a draw size of an original image which draw size is determined by the control section 11. It is therefore possible to combine the original image data with the superimposed image data so that the superimposed image is suitably drawn regardless of the draw size of the original image.
US08553926B2
A speaker includes a diaphragm formed as an elongated box-shaped five face body having one open face; an edge for supporting the diaphragm so as to enable vibration of the diaphragm; a voice coil wound around and fixed to four side faces which are among the five faces of the diaphragm and which are adjacent to the open face; and a magnetic circuit for supplying a drive force to the voice coil. The diaphragm is configured such that a height from the open face to an upper face opposed to the open face is greater than or equal to twice a thickness of the voice coil, and a length of a long side of the upper face is greater than or equal to twice a length of a short side of the upper face, and the upper face and two side faces of the diaphragm define a long side direction of the diaphragm. Additionally, reinforcing ribs are formed as recessed and projecting shapes on the upper face and the two side faces of the diaphragm.
US08553912B2
A thermoacoustic device includes a sound wave generator, a signal element and a support element. The sound wave generator includes a carbon nanotube structure. The signal element is configured to transmit a signal. The carbon nanotube structure is configured to receive the signal and generate a sound wave. The support element includes a metal substrate and an insulating layer located on the metal substrate. The insulating layer is sandwiched between the metal substrate and the sound wave generator. The thermoacoustic device further includes two electrodes electrically connected to the carbon nanotube structure.
US08553911B2
A diaphragm of an MEMS electroacoustic transducer including a first axis-symmetrical pattern layer is provided. Because the layout of the first axis-symmetrical pattern layer can match the pattern of the sound wave, the vibration uniformity of the diaphragm can be improved.
US08553910B1
Apparatuses that provide a bone-conduction speaker arranged to be located behind the ear are described herein. An exemplary apparatus may include: (a) a glasses-style support structure comprising a front section and at least one side section; (b) at least one bone-conduction speaker; and (c) a member having a proximate end and a distal end, wherein the proximate end is attached to the at least one side section, and wherein the at least one bone-conduction speaker is attached to the member at or near the distal end; wherein the member is arranged on the at least one side section such that when the glasses-style support structure is worn the member: (a) extends to the anterior of the at least one side section and (b) locates the bone-conduction speaker posterior to an ear.
US08553909B2
An audio amplifier system may include an audio CODEC/output (AOP) path featuring analog class-D amplifiers, and using Natural Sampling Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) to convert an analog input into a series of Rail-to-Rail pulses. The audio signal may be encoded in the average value of the PWM pulse train and may be recovered from the PWM signal by analog low pass filtering. The Class-D amplifiers may be designed with a negative feedback loop/network to compare the output signal with the input signal and suppress non-idealities introduced by the Class-D switching stage. Furthermore, operation of the AOP may be designed according to a separate signal transfer function and a separate noise transfer function, and 2nd order noise shaping may be performed at low power, with an optimized filter included in the feedback loop to achieve the best noise reduction at low power. Operation of the amplifier feedback network may be similar to that of a continuous time, low-pass delta-sigma modulator, but with a PWM loop wrapped around the class-D power amplifier.
US08553907B2
A portable computing device having a substantially non-conducting outer housing and alternative electrical grounding and audio system architectures is disclosed. The device can be a laptop computer having a main logic board, a keyboard assembly, an audio source positioned below the keyboard assembly, and an equalizer electrically coupled to the audio source, with each of these components being electrically coupled to a universal grounding structure. The audio source emits sound waves that are propagated through the keyboard assembly and between gaps between keyboard keys and the outer housing. Settings for the equalizer can be selected to account for sound absorption and amplification characteristics of the sound waves along these sound transmission paths. The universal grounding structure includes a plurality of separate ground components that are electrically intercoupled, each being substantially smaller than the overall portable computing device, and also includes an electromagnetic interference shield around the main logic board.
US08553898B2
A method of increasing the intelligibility of an audio broadcast in an at least partially enclosed space from at least one amplified audio source. An input microphone receives an incident audio wavefront at a first position in the at least partially enclosed space. An active noise control system is employed to generate a cancelling audio wavefront having a magnitude substantially equal to the magnitude of incident audio wavefront and a phase substantially opposite to the phase of the incident audio wavefront. The cancelling audio wavefront is broadcast at a second position in the at least partially enclosed space adjacent to a reflective surface of the at least partially enclosed space so as to attenuate the incident audio wavefront substantially at or near the reflective surface in order to reduce reverberations of the incident audio wavefront. In this manner, reverberations which could reduce the intelligibility of the audio broadcast to an audience is reduced.
US08553887B2
A method of generating a dynamic group key of a group formed of a plurality of nodes, the method including: unicasting a public key that is based on respective secret keys of each of a plurality of general nodes excluding a master node, which is one of the plurality of nodes, wherein the unicasting is performed by the general nodes; broadcasting to the group an encryption value obtained by exponentially-calculating a secret key of the master node to the plurality of public keys, wherein the broadcasting is performed by the master node upon receiving the plurality of public keys; and obtaining a group key by using an inverse power-calculation of the respective secret keys of each of the general nodes based on the encryption value, wherein the obtaining is performed by the general nodes.
US08553878B2
An asymmetric (dual key) data obfuscation process, based on the well known ElGamal cryptosystem algorithm, and which uses multiplicative cyclic groups to transform (obfuscate) digital data for security purposes. In the present system the data need not be a member of the cyclic group, unlike in the ElGamal cryptosystem algorithm. Also, any one of several additional mathematical data transformations are further applied to the transformed data, thereby enhancing security of the transformed data.
US08553875B2
A button box provides additional keys that can be used in conjunction with a telephone. In one embodiment, a button box is configured by associating it with a telephone and by programming its keys. When a key on the button box is activated, a key press event is sent from the button box to the associated phone. The phone treats the key press event as if a key on the phone itself had been activated and forwards the event to the voice switch appliance associated with the phone. (Alternatively, the key press event is sent from the button box directly to a voice switch appliance.) The button box's user interface is controlled by a voice switch appliance.
US08553872B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a computer-implemented method of performing a quality evaluation. The method may include selecting from a plurality of interaction recordings at least one interaction recording according to at least one KPI. The method may include associating a selected interaction recording with a predefined evaluation form, presenting interactions selected for evaluation to an evaluator and performing a predefined action based on a result of the evaluation.
US08553870B2
Methods, systems, and products enable a healthcare facility to process incoming communications.
US08553867B2
Enforcing user-defined real-time communication session terminations can begin with a termination enforcement handler identifying termination conditions applicable to a real-time communication session hosted by a unified telephony system. The termination conditions can define a limit for an operational variable for the unified telephony system or the real-time communication session. The identified termination conditions can be evaluated. If a termination condition is satisfied, it can be determined which participants are to be disconnected from the real-time communication session based upon handling rules for the termination conditions and/or termination preferences associated with the real-time communication session. The termination preferences can be defined by an initiating entity of the real-time communication session. The participants can be notified that their connection to the real-time communication session will be terminated in a predefined time limit. If the predefined time limit is reached, the participants' connection to the real-time communication session can be automatically terminated.
US08553864B2
A method and system for presenting interactive information about a party in a telecommunication call are provided. The party may be a calling party or a called party. Providing interactive information may include identifying a party in a telecommunication call and receiving interactive information about the party. The received interactive information may be combined with user data to form combined interactive information. The combined interactive information may be displayed to a user. A user-action relating to the displayed combined interactive information may be received and an operation corresponding to the user-action may be performed. Providing interactive information may include determining if the user data is needed by analyzing the interactive information. The interactive information may include events, and the user data may include the user's schedule. The combining may correlate the events with the schedule and creates a set of user-actions based on the correlation.
US08553862B2
A system for determining a communication charge comprising a charging equation determiner, an inflection point determiner, and a charge determiner. The charging equation determiner for determining a charging equation based at least in part on a normalized set of inputs. The inflection point determiner for determining an inflection point based at least in part on a charging structure database. The charge determiner for determining a communication charge based at least in part on the charging equation and the inflection point.
US08553858B2
Establishing a telephone call includes enabling display of a visual indicator of a call destination entity and detecting selection by a user of the visual indicator. The availability of the user to receive a first telephone call is determined. Voice communications between the call destination entity and the user are established in response to detection of the selection by the user of the visual indicator and conditioned on the user being determined to be available to receive the first telephone call. Establishing voice communications includes enabling placement of the first telephone call to the user to establish a first PSTN link with the user and enabling a voice communications link to be setup with the call destination entity.
US08553855B2
A conference support apparatus for supporting a conference held between at least two terminals, includes: a delay unit configured to delay first voice data obtained by one of the terminals, in accordance with a delay caused by an information extraction processing performed on the first voice data; and a delay information video generation unit configured to generate a delay information video obtained by visualizing information about the delay of the first voice data that is delayed by the delay unit.
US08553847B2
Method and device for determining, and method and system for configuring DSL reference virtual noise
A method for determining reference virtual noise of Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), includes: obtaining a receiver-end-actual noise of DSL subcarriers; and determining a reference virtual noise according to the obtained receiver-end-actual noise of the DSL subcarriers. Furthermore, the invention also discloses a device for determining a reference virtual noise of DSL, and a method and a system for configuring the reference virtual noise of DSL. The invention can improve the accuracy of the reference virtual noise, thereby making the configuration of the reference virtual noise more accurate.
US08553842B2
An X-ray apparatus includes guide rails arranged along different axes, an X-ray tube movably mounted on at least one of the guide rails and adapted to be moved upon user force, motors provided at the guide rails to move the X-ray tube, a force detection unit to detect the user force, and a control unit to determine a direction of force and drive the motor provided at the guide rail on an axis corresponding to the determined direction. The X-ray apparatus may be easily moved based on force detection and velocity control of the motor, thereby achieving more precise and safe movement in a desired direction. Accordingly, the X-ray apparatus may provide rapid and efficient medical examination and treatment in hospitals.
US08553841B2
A shielded, low-noise, high-voltage power supply having a plurality of voltage multipliers, each having a toroidal transformer, and collectively producing a high DC output voltage from an AC voltage. A main conductor carries the AC voltage, and is positioned proximate each toroidal transformer of the plurality of voltage multipliers. A conductive shell is conductively connected to the main conductor, and substantially encloses the plurality of voltage multipliers and the main conductor, the conductive shell providing a return path for the AC voltage in the main conductor and providing EMI shielding of the voltage multipliers and the main conductor. Other features are provided, including an intermediate transformer for conditioning/isolating the AC voltages.
US08553837B2
A method to show a predetermined volume segment of an examination subject by means of a tomosynthesis apparatus, and a correspondingly designed tomosynthesis apparatus, operate as follows. A radioscopy test is implemented in which x-rays with a defined radiation dose are generated by an x-ray source, the x-rays traversing the predetermined volume segment and strike a detector, and an intensity of the x-rays striking the detector is determined. A first radiation dose of x-rays is calculated to create a two-dimensional exposure depending on the determined radiation dose and the intensity. A second radiation doses of x-rays is calculated to implement a tomosynthesis depending on the determined radiation dose and the intensity. A tomosynthesis of the predetermined volume segment is implemented with x-rays that traverse the predetermined volume segment and strike the detector, the x-rays being generated by an x-ray source with the second radiation doses.
US08553834B2
A computed tomography detector module can include a detector element, a frame, and a converter element. The detector element can be configured to detect electromagnetic radiation at a detection plane and output one or more analog detection signals. The frame can connect to the detector element and include a shield portion, parallel to the detection plane, configured to at least partially block X-rays. The converter element can include a substrate having connector and component substrate portions, the connector substrate portion thicker in a direction perpendicular to the detection plane than the component substrate portion and configured to extend through an aperture of the frame, the component substrate portion having at least one substrate surface parallel to the detection plane with one or more electrical components attached thereto. The detector module can optionally include a heat sink, which can have a top surface separated from the component substrate portion and components attached thereto by a separation gap. A computed tomography scanner can include the detector module.
US08553832B2
A system and method for obtaining perfusion images is disclosed. The system and method includes hardware and software for determining physiological characteristics of a patient and determining imaging parameter values for an imaging modality based on the patient's physiological characteristics. The system also includes a controller operative to receive the imaging parameter values for controlling an X-ray device. The X-ray device is coupled with the controller and acquires projection images of the patient, and outputs the projection images to a perfusion evaluation computer for evaluating the perfusion of an region of interest represented in the projection images. The perfusion rate of the region of interest is then output to an output device, such as a display or printer.
US08553823B2
A method for identifying signals of the same origin is described. The signals are identified based upon a method of system analysis, wherein an accumulated value of an attenuation weighted by power of an incoming channel, the so-called correspondence coefficient, is used as the criterion whether two signals are of the same origin.
US08553807B2
Methods and apparatus are described herein that make use of complex tuning, the inherently repetitive nature of sampled signals, and programmable digital filtering to create a flexible digital up-conversion system that utilizes a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with a fixed effective sample rate while still being adapted for tunability over a wide frequency range. With a knowledge of the fixed effective sample rate of the DAC and a desired frequency of up-conversion and combining complex tuning at baseband and up-sampling by a factor of N with a programmable passband filter configured to select one of a plurality of signal images resulting from the up-sampling, it is possible to translate a baseband input signal to a wide range of frequencies above or below Fs, without changing the sampling rate of the fixed rate DAC used in the up-conversion process.
US08553802B2
A communications device may include an In-phase (I) power amplifier configured to generate an I amplified signal, a Quadrature (Q) power amplifier configured to generate a Q amplified signal, an I digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to generate an I signal, and a Q DAC configured to generate a Q signal. The communications device may also include an I power supply circuit coupled to the I power amplifier and to the I DAC and configured to cause the I power amplifier to modulate an I carrier signal into the I amplified signal based upon the I signal, a Q power supply circuit coupled to the Q power amplifier and to the Q DAC and configured to cause the Q power amplifier to modulate a Q carrier signal into the Q amplified signal based upon the Q signal, and at least one antenna coupled to the I and Q power amplifiers.
US08553801B2
A device is provided for use with an input signal including a first packet of a first modulation type in series with a second packet of a second modulation type. The device includes a gain adjustment portion and a gain portion. The gain adjustment portion can output a first gain adjustment signal based on the first packet or can output a second gain adjustment signal based on the second packet. The gain portion can output a first signal corresponding to the first packet and can output a second signal corresponding to the second packet. The first signal is based on the input signal and a first gain factor. The second signal is based on the input signal and a second gain factor. The first gain factor is based on the first gain adjustment signal. The second gain factor is based on the second gain adjustment signal.
US08553795B2
Systems and methods facilitate pilot signal design, power control, data rate determination, and channel assignment in the reverse link of a wireless communication system for dynamic scheduling and joint operation in SIMO, SU-MIMO, and MU-MIMO. Pilot signal is based on periodic transmissions of multiple sounding reference sequences for channel estimation. Power control is based on a reference signal at a predetermined power spectral density (PSD) level, and on an offset PSD determined and signaled based on an antenna that transmits the reference signal, other cell interference, and power amplifier headroom. PSD levels for SIMO/MIMO data transmissions are determined based on channel estimates and the predetermined PSD and offset PSD. Such data PSD levels are employed to generate data rates, and to dynamically schedule data streams for communication. Communication resources are conveyed through a channel assignment with an overhead that depends on the maximum multiplexing order of the estimated channel.
US08553794B2
An embodiment of the present invention provides a space-time block code (STBC) transmission method for 4 transmit antennas, comprising adding two 2×2 orthogonal pre-coding before a two Alamouti transmission for a 4 transmit antennas scheme.
US08553792B2
This invention provides a method for jointly optimizing network coding, channel coding, and signal constellations in non-coherent wireless multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless relay networks for the case when transceivers cannot obtain any knowledge of channel state information (CSI) due to high-speed mobility of the transceivers. In the relay networks, two terminal transceivers simultaneously transmit data to an intermediate relaying transceiver, which in turn broadcasts mixed data using physical-layer network coding to both terminals. The embodiments of this invention exploit different blind space-time trellis-coded modulations (ST-TCM) for each user, whose codebook is jointly generated over a Grassmannian manifold. The method is provided by exponential mapping with affine-lattice convolution for joint optimization of channel coding, modulations, and network coding. The method is designed for fast fading channels with and without interleaving. The method significantly improves performance in non-coherent bidirectional relaying MIMO networks.
US08553788B2
A method (400) for performing a multiple-sub-carrier-joint-modulation (MSJM) precoding. The method includes grouping input information bits into bit blocks (S410); converting the bit blocks into bit vectors (S420); mapping each of the bit vectors into a symbol vector (S430); and modulating symbol vectors into data subcarriers (S440).
US08553785B2
An apparatus and method for transmitting and recovering encoded data streams across Physical Medium Attachments (PMA) are provided. The data stream includes a plurality of data blocks. The method of transmitting includes tagging at least some of the plurality of data blocks in the data stream. The method also includes splitting the data stream into first and second lanes of data blocks. The method further includes transmitting the first lane of data blocks to a first PMA and the second lane of data blocks to a second PMA.
US08553783B2
Apparatus and methods of motion detection for mosquito noise reduction in video sequences are provided. In one aspect, a method of motion detection in a sequence of digital images classifies a pixel of a plurality of pixels of a current image frame represented by a digital video input signal as a motion or non-motion pixel. A motion value for the pixel is calculated based on the classification of the pixel. The motion value is mapped to a coefficient of a temporal filter based on a control curve. A digital video output signal is generated based on the coefficient.
US08553777B2
There are provided spatial scalable video encoder and decoders and corresponding methods for scalable video encoding and decoding. A method for spatial scalable video encoding includes selecting between scalable coding and non-scalable coding of motion vectors on a slice basis.
US08553775B2
In the method for predicting a bi-predictive block of a moving picture, first and second distinct motion-compensated blocks are obtained using first and second motion vectors respectively. The bi-predictive block of the moving picture is predicted using first and second variable weight factors associated with the first and second distinct motion-compensated blocks, respectively.
US08553769B2
An encoder and method for encoding data in a scalable data compression format are described. In particular, process for encoding spatially scalable video are described in which the base layer uses downscaled residuals from a full-resolution encoding of the video in its motion estimation process. The downscaled residuals may also be used in the coding mode selection process at the base layer.
US08553761B2
A coding method includes: defining an access unit; and coding each of the pictures included in the access unit, for each access unit. The defining includes: determining a unit of coding for determining whether the pictures included in the access unit are to be uniformly coded on a per-field basis or on a per-frame basis; and determining a field type for determining whether the pictures are to be uniformly coded as top fields or bottom fields when it is determined that the pictures included in the access unit are to be coded on a per-field basis. In the coding, each of the pictures is coded for each access unit in a format determined in the determining of a unit of coding and in the determining of a field type.
US08553736B2
A laser device includes: a semiconductor laser element having an output surface; an optical fiber having a leading end portion facing the output surface of the semiconductor laser element; and an optical fiber supporting member for supporting the optical fiber, the optical fiber supporting member being made from a non heat insulating material and having a bonding pad to which the optical fiber is fixed by use of solder. The optical fiber supporting member includes a contact portion thermally in contact with a base. The bonding pad is (i) spaced apart from the contact portion so as to be located on a side opposite from the contact portion so that a region to which laser light is applied from another laser element when the optical fiber is fixed to the bonding pad is sandwiched between the bonding pad and the base and (ii) separated spatially from the base.
US08553733B2
A light source device 1 includes a laser light source 10 and an optical phase modulator 15 or the like. The optical phase modulator 15 inputs coherent light output from the laser light source 10 and transmitted through a beam splitter 14, phase-modulates the light according to the position on a beam cross section of the light, and outputs the phase-modulated light to the beam splitter 14. When (p+1) areas sectioned by p circumferences centered on a predetermined position are set on a beam cross section of light input to the optical phase modulator 15, the more outside each of the (p+1) areas is, the wider the radial width of the area, the amount of phase modulation is constant in each of the (p+1) areas, and the amounts of phase modulation differ by π between two adjacent areas out of the (p+1) areas.
US08553732B2
A method for generating an image of a sample that is informative of the disease state of a cell in the sample. A sample including the cell is irradiated with monochromatic light. The Raman scattered light is assessed. A digital brightfield image of the Raman scattered light is generated and combined with the Raman scattered light emitted by the cell whereby the Raman scattered light is informative of the disease state of the cell in the sample. The method can also be used to determine the metabolic activity of the cell, the inflammatory status of the cell and/or the infected status of the cell in the sample.
US08553726B2
In a network, at least first and second messages (801, 802) are transmitted to a user equipment (UE) regarding multimedia point-to-multipoint services. The first messages comprise information regarding a first set of at least one service and the second messages comprise information regarding a second set of at least one service. The transmission of first messages is scheduled with a first periodicity (T1) and the transmission of second messages is scheduled with a second periodicity (T2), the first periodicity being independent from said second periodicity. Therefore, an overhead caused by transmitting of unnecessary information can be reduced.
US08553723B2
According to a first aspect, the invention proposes a method for processing a transport stream (TS) received as an input transport stream in a processing device (SDR), the transport stream comprising a plurality of elementary streams (ES), each elementary stream (ES) being a set of transport stream packets having the same Packet IDentifier (PID), at least one of these elementary streams being time-sliced so as to be sent in bursts, timing information indicating within a burst the time to the beginning of the next burst, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: applying a filtering operation to the input transport stream so as to filter out from the input transport stream part or all of one or more time-sliced elementary streams; modifying the bursts scheduling of the input transport stream so as to generate a DVB-H compliant output transport stream from the filtered input transport stream. The invention also relates to a device for processing a transport stream comprising a plurality of time-sliced elementary streams, said device means for performing the method according to the first aspect of the invention, and to a transport stream carrying in-band configuration messages intended to be interpreted by the device for determination of the filtering operation to be applied to the input transport stream.
US08553720B2
Apparatus having corresponding methods and computer programs comprise a first first-in first-out buffer (FIFO) to receive and store data from a media access controller (MAC); a physical-layer device (PHY) to transmit a signal representing the data; and a control circuit comprising a read circuit to transfer the data from the first FIFO to the PHY, and a transmit pause circuit to transmit a pause frame to the MAC when an amount of the data stored in the first FIFO exceeds a predetermined threshold.
US08553715B2
Provided is a communication apparatus including a first communication unit for performing communication using a carrier having a first frequency, a second communication unit having a plurality of antennas, for performing communication using a carrier having a second frequency, a first communication processing unit for processing a signal received by the first communication unit and causing to transmit a signal, and a second communication processing unit for processing a signal received by the second communication unit and causing to transmit a signal. The second communication processing unit includes a synchronization unit for specifying a start position of a second transmission request in which a plurality of transmission beam patterns are set in one packet based on information indicating reception initiation, and an automatic gain control unit for performing automatic gain control based on a first automatic gain control setting value.
US08553713B2
A method and a device for determining a search space and for determining candidate control channel resources are provided in present invention. The method for determining the search space includes: determining the number of downlink control information bits of each type of control channel currently required to be monitored by a UE; determining a temporary search space corresponding to the each type of control channel according to a mapping relationship currently used by the UE; and determining that an actual search space corresponding to a selected type of control channel is all or a part of CCEs of a union of temporary search spaces corresponding to all or a part of control channels with the same number of the downlink control information bits, when the DCI bit number of one or more other control channels is the same as the DCI bit number of the selected type of control channel.
US08553709B2
Signals may be communicated with A/V Bridging services between an upstream link partner and a down stream link partner, each comprising an asymmetric multi-rate Ethernet physical layer (PHY). High bandwidth A/V signals may be transmitted from the upstream link partner and low bandwidth signals may be transmitted from the downstream link partner. One or more of a time stamp, a traffic class and/or a destination address may be utilized in generating PDUs as well as data rate request and a resource reservation messages via the asymmetric Ethernet PHY. The receiving link partner may register for deliver of the PDUs. An aggregate communication rate may be distributed evenly or unevenly among one or more links for transmission and aggregated upon reception via asymmetric multi-rate Ethernet PHY operations. Compressed, uncompressed, encrypted and/or unencrypted signals may be handled. Signal processing may comprise echo cancellation, cross talk cancellation, forward error checking and equalization.
US08553708B2
A bandwidth allocation method and a routing device are provided. The bandwidth allocation method includes: obtaining traffic of a member port belonging to a binding link (101); and allocating corresponding bandwidth to the member port according to total bandwidth of a centralized scheduler and the traffic of the member port (102). By allocating the bandwidth to the member port belonging to the binding link through the centralized scheduler, the bandwidth may be flexibly allocated to the member port according to the traffic of the member port, so that not only the accuracy of allocating the bandwidth to the member port is ensured, but also bandwidth resources on the binding link are saved.
US08553707B2
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for administrative boundaries in a single domain optical network such as emulation of an External network-network interface (ENNI) using an Internal-Network to Network Interface (INNI). For example, in a single monolithic domain, a network and associated network elements may discover network elements, build topology, compute paths, establish new calls, etc. A user may identify/mark specific links as emulated “ENNI” links with the specific links actually being INNI links. As a call traverses this emulated link, a new call is initiated (much in the same way a new call segment would be created for a call). Signaling proceeds as normal. When the call set-up is fully complete, instead of a single call segment, many call segments exists. Advantageously, this allows use of INNI control plane features while allowing a network operator to future-proof their network by installing call segments at future boundary points.
US08553704B2
Some embodiments of the present invention may include a method to stream packets into a queue for an upstream transmission, send multiple requests for upstream bandwidth to transmit data from the queue and receiving multiple grants to transmit data, and transmit data from the queue to the upstream as grants are received. Another embodiment may provide a network comprising a cable modem termination system (CMTS), and a cable modem wherein the cable modem may transmit data to the CMTS with a streaming protocol that sends multiple requests for upstream bandwidth to transmit data and receives multiple grants to transmit data, and transmits data to the CMTS as grants are received.
US08553677B2
Both a connection server and a relay connection server are installed in an IP transfer network; a function similar to a line connection control of a subscriber exchanger is applied to a connection server; a function similar to a line connection control of a relay exchanger is applied to the relay connection server; and a terminal-to-terminal communication connection control method with using the IP transfer network is realized in such a manner that a telephone set and a terminal such as an IP terminal and a video terminal transmit/receive an initial address message, an address completion message, a call pass message, a response message, a release message and a release completion message, which can be made in a 1-to-1 correspondence relationship with line connection control messages of the common line signal system. Furthermore, while an address administration table is set to a network node apparatus of an IP transfer network, means for registering addresses of the terminals into this address administration table is employed, so that an IP packet communication by a multicast manner can be realized with improving information security performance.
US08553666B2
A Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) system based upon peer-to-peer communications. A wireless terminal for peer-to-peer communications acts either as a WLAN master or as a WLAN slave. When the wireless terminal acts a master, the wireless terminal undertakes mastering duties that include transmitting a beacon interval in the frame cycle. When the wireless terminal is not tethered to a power source, mastering duties alternate according to a round-robin WLAN mastering cycle, wherein the wireless terminal acts the WLAN master during at least one frame cycle and acts the WLAN slave during other frame cycles to conserve an untethered power source of the wireless terminal.
US08553664B2
A method and apparatus are provided for setting up a fire alarm system. The method includes the steps of coupling a user interface to a wireless fire detection system having a wireless gateway and a plurality of wireless fire detectors, receiving a selection through the user interface of a wireless transmission parameter used in transmitting messages between the wireless gateway and the plurality of wireless fire detectors, determining a latency time value associated with use of the received selection of the wireless transmission parameter in the transmission of messages between the wireless gateway and the plurality of fire detectors, displaying the calculated latency time value on the user interface and changing an operating mode of the plurality of wireless fire detection devices in accordance with the received selection. In addition to latency, the fire alarm system may receive a selection and determine the battery life and sensor/output device capacity that is possible and display these parameters for the benefit of a user.
US08553661B2
A solution for indicating cell characteristics that apply specifically for a mobile o terminal (3) accessing a radio cell (4) of a network node (1) in a telecommunications system (10) is described herein. The solution is provided in methods and devices for providing and handling a node identifier string with mobile terminal cell specific properties to the mobile terminal. The node identifier string may be provided in a radio resource control communication message.
US08553660B2
A wireless star network includes including a master node (master) and a set of N slave nodes (slaves), wherein the network uses orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA). The master partitions the set of slaves in a first subset A(i) and second subset B(j), wherein the first and second subsets are disjoint. Packets are transmitted by the first subset of slaves only while the master and second subset of slaves operate in receive mode, andpackets are transmitted by the second subset of slaves only while the master and first of slaves operate in receive mode.
US08553658B2
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for transmitting data over a WLAN mesh network. Transmission sections of priority frames and general frames are initially set, and the priority frame transmission section is varied step-by-step within a specific range. Thus, QoS with respect to data requiring the real-time property can be guaranteed and transmission of general frames can be guaranteed to some degree. Accordingly, there is an effect that data transmission efficiency can be improved significantly.
US08553653B2
An arrangement and method for channel mapping in a UTRA TDD HSDPA wireless communication system by applying interleaving functions in first (530) and second (540) interleaving means to a bit sequence to produce symbols for mapping to physical channels, the first and second interleaving means being arranged to map symbols from respectively systematic and parity bits in a predetermined scheme, e.g., mapping symbols in a forward direction when a channel has an even index number, and in a reverse direction when a channel has an odd index number. The symbols may comprise bit-pairs, each of a systematic bit and parity bit.Systematic bits are preferably mapped to high reliability bit positions in TDD HSDPA, achieving a performance gain of between 0.2 dB and 0.5 dB. The forwards/reverse mapping allows a degree of interleaving that improves system performance in fading channels or channels disturbed by short time period noise or interference.
US08553648B2
A method and apparatus performing carrier management in a broadband wireless communication system supporting multi-carrier (MC) are disclosed. A method for a single-carrier supported mobile station (MS) to perform a carrier change with a MC supported base station (BS) includes transmitting a message indicating a support of a basic MC mode in which the MS is aware of a MC operation of the BS, receiving a carrier management command message including an action code and an action time on a serving carrier, transmitting, in response to the carrier management command message, a confirmation message indicating readiness of signal transmission/reception through a target carrier on a target carrier, and receiving a control signal and data from the BS on the target carrier, wherein the serving carrier and the target carrier are controlled by a common Medium Access Control (MAC) of the BS.
US08553641B2
A method of transmitting downlink data after re-establishment of a universal terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN) acknowledged mode (AM) radio link control (RLC) entity includes receiving a plurality of RLC service data units (SDUs) from a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer of the UTRAN; dividing the received RLC SDUs into RLC protocol data units (PDUs) and transmitting the RLC PDUs to a user equipment (UE); receiving acknowledgments from the UE for received RLC PDUs; receiving a re-establishment request at a transmitting side of the AM RLC entity from upper layers of the UTRAN; discarding all RLC SDUs that have been fully transmitted to the UE before the re-establishment request is received; and discarding all RLC SDUs that have not been fully transmitted to the UE when the re-establishment request is received.
US08553637B2
A method, system, and base station for deterministically selecting a downlink transmission mode and rank in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) configured wireless communication system. The Transmission Mode Selection (TMS) utility receives from a wireless device a request for downlink physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) service using a particular transmission mode and specific rank. The TMS utility determines an estimate of the throughput corresponding to the request. In addition, the TMS utility obtains throughput estimates of other distinct pairings of transmission mode and rank to compare with the throughput estimate corresponding to the request. The TMS utility utilizes device feedback information and HARQ error information that are already existing/available in order to determine the best transmission mode and rank pair, according to the best Error-Adjusted-Throughput.
US08553626B2
An apparatus and method for supporting access are provided. The method for supporting access in a wireless communication system includes: checking a plurality of stations (STA) which are to get access in a network and a plurality of access nodes of the respective STAs; determining the access priorities of the checked STAs and the priorities of the access nodes of the respective STAs; dividing a wireless resource and channel available in the network into multiple wireless resources and channels; and connecting the access nodes of the respective STAs to the multiple wireless resources and channels using a multi-channel media access control (MAC) protocol.
US08553618B2
An apparatus for data transmission is provided. The apparatus includes a data processor encoding an information bit and generating a modulation symbol by performing constellation mapping on the encoded information bit, a discrete Fourier transform (DFT) unit performing DFT on the modulation symbol to generate a frequency-domain symbol, a space time block coding (STBC) processor performing STBC on the frequency-domain symbol to generate an STBC code consisting of 1st and 2nd STBC streams, a subcarrier mapper mapping the 1st STBC stream to a 1st subcarrier and mapping the 2nd STBC stream to a 2nd subcarrier, an inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) unit performing IFFT on the 1st subcarrier to generate a 1st single carrier-frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) symbol and performing IFFT on the 2nd subcarrier to generate a 2nd SC-FDMA symbol, and a plurality of transmit antennas transmitting the 1st and 2nd SC-FDMA symbols. STBC is effectively applied to a SC-FDMA system to decrease a peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) and to maintain a single-carrier property.
US08553617B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for channel scanning. In one aspect, a method includes, while maintaining an association with a first access point on a first channel during first, second, and third consecutive time slices: (i) monitoring, by a client device, a single second channel during the first time slice and the third time slice, and (ii) monitoring, by the client device, the first channel during the second time slice; receiving a beacon from a second access point during the first time slice or the third time slice; and determining a property of the client device or the second access point using the beacon, without using the beacon to determine whether to establish an association with the second access point.
US08553615B2
A method and a system for processing a bearer under an idle mode signaling reduction (ISR) mechanism are provided. The method for processing a bearer under an ISR mechanism includes the following steps. A mobility management network element acquires an access mode of a current network. The mobility management network element notifies a serving gateway (SGW) of the access mode of the current network, so that the SGW processes bearer according to the access mode of the current network. It can be ensured that the access mode of the current network is consistent with the access mode for a policy and charging control (PCC) strategy adopted during a bearing procedure under the ISR mechanism.
US08553609B2
A method, system and device for transmitting and detecting control signaling in a backhaul link are disclosed in the present application, and the application relating to the wireless communication field is used for saving time-frequency resources occupied by a base station for transmitting the control signaling on a Relay Physical Downlink Control Channel (R-PDCCH) of the backhaul link and reducing the complexity of the R-PDCCH detection by a relay node. In the present application, the base station, according to the preset correspondence between the control signaling and the R-PDCCH resource sub-regions, determines the R-PDCCH resource sub-region corresponding to the control signaling to be transmitted among a plurality of resource sub-regions included in the resource region occupied by the R-PDCCH; the control signaling to be transmitted is transmitted to the relay node by using the time-frequency resources in the determined R-PDCCH resource sub-region; the relay node acquires the location information of the R-PDCCH resource sub-region and detects the control signaling to be transmitted in the R-PDCCH resource sub-region according to the location information. With the present application, the time-frequency resources occupied by the base station for transmitting the control signaling on the R-PDCCH are saved and the complexity of the R-PDCCH detection by the relay node is reduced.
US08553607B2
A radio base station which performs data transmission with radio terminals under a plurality of relay stations via the plurality of relay stations respectively, including a control unit which transmits a first data addressed to a first radio terminal under a first relay station and a second data addressed to a second ratio terminal under a second relay station, in at least partially timing.
US08553605B2
A network coordinator can assign an association identifier (AID) and/or a group identifier (GID) to identify a client station to which a packet is to be transmitted and to enable the client station to determine whether to receive an incoming packet. The network coordinator can randomly generate a base AID that is representative of the network coordinator and can assign at least one AID to client stations to minimize the probability of client stations associated with proximate network coordinators being assigned the same AIDs. The network coordinator can also randomly assign at least one GID to a group of client stations to minimize the probability of groups of client stations associated with the proximate network coordinators being assigned the same GID. The client station can analyze indications of a received AID and/or received GID to determine whether to receive the packet or whether to switch to an inactive power state.
US08553591B2
A user uplink data scheduling method and user equipment, which are applied to multiple-periodicity mode semi-persistent scheduling supporting Transmission Timing Interval (TTI) bundling in the second Downlink/Uplink (DL/UL) timing interval proportion configuration mode (Time Division Duplex (TDD) DL/UL subframe configuration 1) in a Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) TDD system. The user uplink data scheduling method includes the steps of: acquiring an indication message transmitted from a base station for indicating user uplink data based on the multiple-periodicity mode semi-persistent scheduling; setting a periodicity offset of the multiple-periodicity mode semi-persistent scheduling; determining the periodicities of the multiple-periodicity mode semi-persistent scheduling of per two adjacent TTI bundles according to the set offset; scheduling user uplink new transmission packet data according to the determined periodicities of the multiple-periodicity mode semi-persistent scheduling. The problem that the new-transmission packet and the re-transmission packet of the same user of the multiple-periodicity semi-persistent scheduling conflict is solved, and signal overhead is reduced when TTI bundling supports the VoIP service and so on.
US08553585B2
A Mobile Subscriber Station (MSS) and an active Base Station (BS) for measuring/reporting a channel quality in a broadband wireless access communication system. The MSS includes a receiver for receiving, from an active BS, channel quality measurement information for the MSS to measure channel qualities of the active BS and a plurality of neighbor BSs, and channel quality report information defining a report mode for the MSS to report measured channel qualities of the active BS and the plurality of neighbor BSs, a processor for measuring the channel qualities of the active BS and the plurality of neighbor BSs according to the channel quality measurement information, and a transmitter for reporting the measured channel qualities of the active BS and the plurality of neighbor BSs to the active BS according to the channel quality report information.
US08553581B2
Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for configuring a Provider Backbone Bridge (PBB) interface within Virtual Private LAN Service using Multi-Protocol Border Gateway Protocol (MP-BGP). Previously, the only ways to enable PBB interfaces for transmission were by learning, which poses security and scalability concerns due to flooding, or by manual configuration, which is impractical for large networks. Embodiments of the present invention enable custom topologies to be built in a controlled manner, which has not previously been possible for PBB over VPLS. By using MP-BGP messages to exchange PBB interface information between nodes, peering relationships are established, and communities may be built with any desired topology. Previously, PBB has only been used as a connectionless bridge; embodiments of the present invention use PBB as a connection between edge nodes. Network designers are provided increased flexibility, and security and congestion are improved, benefiting end users.
US08553574B2
A method of handling packet error for a communication device in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: obtaining a payload from a received protocol data unit (PDU) and verifying the payload according to a predetermined payload format.
US08553567B1
A first indicator of RF conditions that is associated with a first device is received. A second indicator of RF conditions that is associated with a second device is received. An indicator of throughput for one or more network elements is received. A first packet is received from the first device. A second packet is received from the second device. The first packet is sent and the second packet is not sent based on the first indicator of RF conditions, the second indicator of RF conditions, and the indicator of throughput.
US08553561B1
Quality of service for mesh networks is described. In embodiment(s), communication data can be prioritized as priority data and/or non-priority data for communication from a source node to a destination node in a mesh network. A first communication route in the mesh network can be determined to communicate the priority data from the source node to the destination node based on a minimum number of intermediate nodes via which the priority data is communicated. Additionally, a second communication route in the mesh network can be determined to communicate the non-priority data from the source node to the destination node based on a highest bit rate to communicate the non-priority data. A time duration to communicate the priority via the first communication route is less than a time duration to communicate the non-priority data via the second communication route.
US08553558B1
A wireless device receives message(s) configuring transmissions of sounding reference signals on a secondary cell in a secondary cell group. The wireless device transmits one or more of the sounding reference signals on the secondary cell after applying a timing advance command to the secondary cell group. The wireless device is configured to not transmit any of the sounding reference signals on the secondary cell during a period between receiving the message(s) and applying the timing advance command to the secondary cell group.
US08553552B2
Stateless load balancing of network packets within a system avoids detection by a network client or end user for deep packet inspection or other bump-in-the-wire applications. At least one header field of a received packet is used in generating a hash value. The hash value is used to identify a processing resource within the system for processing the received packet. Before being sent to the identified resource, the received packet is encapsulated with a new header that includes an indication of ingress port. The encapsulation does not modify the original packet. On a return path from the identified processing resource, the ingress port is determined from the encapsulated packet, the encapsulated packet is decapsulated to obtain a recovered packet that is identical to the received packet, and the recovered packet is forwarded to the network through an egress port as determined from the recovered ingress port.
US08553550B2
A wireless transmission device includes a wireless transmitting and receiving unit having an antenna that transmits and receives data wirelessly; a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) buffer in which the data that is to be transmitted and has been received by the wireless transmitting and receiving unit is temporarily stored; and an antenna control unit that controls the wireless transmitting and receiving unit to improve communication quality of the antenna, when it is determined that a data amount stored in the TCP buffer falls below a threshold value.
US08553540B2
In various embodiments, methods and systems are disclosed for a hybrid rate plus window based congestion protocol that controls the rate of packet transmission into the network and provides low queuing delay, practically zero packet loss, fair allocation of network resources amongst multiple flows, and full link utilization. In one embodiment, a congestion window may be used to control the maximum number of outstanding bits, a transmission rate may be used to control the rate of packets entering the network (packet pacing), a queuing delay based rate update may be used to control queuing delay within tolerated bounds and minimize packet loss, and aggressive ramp-up/graceful back-off may be used to fully utilize the link capacity and additive-increase, multiplicative-decrease (AIMD) rate control may be used to provide fairness amongst multiple flows.
US08553539B2
A packet routing system is provided that comprises a processor, a component, a resource map and a resource map manger. The component classifies an incoming packet of a user session. The resource map identifies a plurality of resources used to process the incoming packet. The resource map manager determines an availability of at least some of the resources and based on the availability either promote processing the incoming packet or drop the incoming packet.
US08553531B2
A method may include communicatively coupling a first network element to a second network element via a first link of a multi-chassis link aggregation group, communicatively coupling the first network element to a third network element via a second link of the multi-chassis link aggregation group, communicatively coupling the second network element to a fourth network element via a first path of a point-to-point network, and communicatively coupling the third network element to the fourth network element via a second path of the point-to-point network. The method may also include configuring the first path and the second path as paths of a linear protected switching connection such that traffic associated with a service and communicated between the first network element and the fourth network element via the first link and the first path may be switched over to the second link and the second path in response to an event.
US08553524B2
An apparatus and a system, as well as a method and article, may operate to separate, in the frequency domain, a combined plurality of asynchronous data streams received at substantially the same time into a separated plurality of data streams, converting to the time domain for detection, synchronizing, and decoding.
US08553522B2
An OFDMA radio communication apparatus of the present invention includes a radio transmitter that amplifies a transmission signal by a amplifier; and a distortion compensation unit that generates distortion compensation coefficient data that serve to compensate for non-linear distortion of the amplifier based on a learning signal and inputs a transmission signal obtained by multiplying an OFDMA signal by the distortion compensation coefficient data to the radio transmitter. The device further includes an MAC unit that generates the learning signal and inserts it as a burst signal in a burst region of OFDMA frames to which a burst signal can he allocated so as to generate OFDMA frame data; and a PHY unit that converts the OFDMA frame data into the OFDMA signal of a frequency domain based on a transmission mode of an OFDMA that has been set for the device and inputs it to the distortion compensation unit.
US08553512B2
A magnetic head slider inspection device including a motor unit for revolving a disk medium, a slider unit provided with a reproducing head, which is levitated from a surface of the disk medium under force generated by the revolving disk medium, a magnetic field generator positioned at an opposite side of the disk medium with respect to the slider unit for generating a magnetic field substantially perpendicular to the disk medium surface, and a circuit unit for generating the magnetic field from the magnetic field generator, and measuring a resistance value of the reproducing head levitated from the disk medium surface.
US08553509B2
An optical disc apparatus comprising an optical disc drive for recording on and/or playing back an optical disc; a storage part for storing information; and a save control part for accumulating and saving error information in the storage part, the error information including information that indicates specific error contents in a case in which an error has been generated in the optical disc drive.
US08553505B2
A thermally assisted write head having a plasmonic heating device. The plasmonic heating device has a plasmonic antenna located at an air bearing surface of the thermally assisted write head. The plasmonic antenna is constructed of an alloy that is sufficiently hard to withstand the processes such as ion milling and chemical mechanical polishing used to construct the plasmonic antenna. The plasmonic antenna is preferably constructed of AuX, where X is Cu, Ni, Ta, Ti, Zr or Pt having a concentration less than 5 atomic percent.
US08553496B2
Seismic acquisition systems are disclosed that allow contemporaneous seismic sources to be separated from a composite signal comprising two or more constituent seismic sources. In some embodiments, a representation of the composite signal may be developed that includes a noise contribution of undesired signals present in the composite signal. Additionally, an operator, referred to herein as an “annihilator”, may be developed such that it may be conditioned and inverted to minimize undesired noise contributions in the composite signal. This inversion may assist in recovering the constituent seismic sources from the composite signal. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the accuracy with which the constituent source measurements are approximated may be increased by implementing them as random sweeps having a conventional length.
US08553493B2
A method for estimating formation permeability from measured sonic wave Stoneley attributes and particularly the Stoneley attributes of slowness (DTst) and attenuation (ATTst), taking into consideration the existence of a heavy walled drill collar at the end of the drill string and the relative lack of borehole mud cake during a drilling operation. In the subject LWD application a real-time qualitative indication for fracture and permeable zones is estimated from Stoneley measurements. This information is useful to a driller to make important timely decisions about drilling and completion programs.
US08553490B2
A marine seismic streamer includes at least one particle motion sensor array. The array includes a plurality of particle motion sensors disposed at spaced apart locations along the streamer. Outputs of the particle motion sensors are functionally coupled to form an array. A number of the particle motion sensors and a spacing between adjacent particle motion sensors are selected to attenuate noise in a selected mode of propagation and within a selected wavenumber range. The streamer includes means for weighting a signal output of each particle motion sensor in the at least one array. A signal weight applied to each sensor by the means for weighting is selected to optimize attenuation of the noise.
US08553488B2
A memory may include a memory array, a plurality of control circuits, and a plurality of isolation circuits. The plurality of control circuits may be configured to generate control signals for the memory array. For example, the plurality of control circuits may include a plurality of word line driver circuits. The plurality of isolation circuits may be configured to receive the control signals from the plurality of control circuits and a plurality of isolation signals. A first isolation signal may correspond to the plurality of word line driver circuits and at least one second isolation signal may correspond to other ones of the plurality of control circuits. The first isolation signal and the second isolation signal may be independently controlled during memory tests to detect stuck-at faults associated with the plurality of isolation signals.
US08553487B2
To provide an internal power supply circuit that supplies a power supply voltage to an internal circuit of a semiconductor device via an internal power supply wiring, the internal power supply circuit includes a plurality of power supply units connected in common to the internal power supply wiring and an internal-power-supply control circuit that selects either activation or deactivation with regard to at least a part of the power supply units.
US08553482B2
A sense amplifier of a memory array may be provided to amplify data presented from storage cells of the memory array. Additionally, a sense amplifier latch may be provided to store data received from the sense amplifier. The sense amplifier may be enabled for operation by a sense amplifier enable signal that is distinct from a clock signal. Moreover, the latch enable signal of the sense amplifier latch may be controlled by the sense amplifier enable signal, such that the sense amplifier latch opens in response to activation of the sense amplifier and closes in response to deactivation of the sense amplifier.
US08553477B2
A data interface unit is used in a semiconductor memory device and includes a data alignment unit configured to separate consecutive input data into rising data and falling data, and a data transfer unit configured to selectively transfer the rising data and falling data to an even column line and an odd column line in response to a start column address.
US08553474B2
Providing increased capacity in heterogeneous storage elements including a method for storing data in a heterogeneous memory that includes receiving a write message and a write address corresponding to a block of memory cells where at least two of the memory cells support different data levels, determining physical characteristics of the memory cells, and identifying virtual memories associated with the block of memory cells in response to the physical characteristics. The following is performed for each of the virtual memories: generating a constraint vector that describes the virtual cells in the virtual memory; and calculating a virtual write vector in response to the constraint vector and the write data, the calculating including writing the write data, bit by bit, in order, into the virtual memory, skipping locations known to be stuck to a particular value as indicated by the constraint vector. The virtual write vectors are combined into a write word and the write word is output to the block of memory cells.
US08553473B2
A clock-signal generator (e.g. a PLL or a DLL) uses non-volatile memory to store an analog control voltage that determines an output phase and/or frequency of the clock-signal generator. Locked loops take time to lock on a given reference frequency. To keep this time to a minimum, NVM 105 stores the control voltage during periods of inactivity, such as when the signal generator is powered down or in a standby mode. Non-volatile memory stores control voltages during operation in other embodiments to relax the area requirements otherwise required for integration capacitors to store phase and frequency information.
US08553464B2
An aspect of the present embodiment, there is provided a nonvolatile programmable logic switch including a first memory cell transistor, a second memory cell transistor, a pass transistor and a first substrate electrode applying a substrate voltage to the pass transistor, wherein a writing voltage is applied to the first wiring, a first voltage is applied to one of a second wiring and a third wiring and a second voltage which is lower than the first voltage is applied to the other of the second wiring and the third wiring, and the first substrate voltage which is higher than the second voltage and lower than the first voltage is applied to a well of the pass transistor, when data is written into the first memory cell transistor or the second memory cell transistor.
US08553452B2
A testing method is described that applies a sequence external magnetic fields of varying strength to MRAM cells (such as those with MTJ memory elements) in chips or wafers to selectively screen out cells with low or high thermal stability factor. The coercivity (Hc) is used as a proxy for thermal stability factor (delta). In the various embodiments the sequence, direction and strength of the external magnetic fields is used to determine the high coercivity cells that are not switched by a normal field and the low coercivity cells that are switched by a selected low field. In some embodiment the MRAM's standard internal electric current can be used to switch the cells. Standard circuit-based resistance read operations can be used to determine the response of each cell to these magnetic fields and identify the abnormal high and low coercivity cells.
US08553451B2
Techniques are provided for programming a spin torque transfer magnetic random access memory (STT-MRAM) cell using a unidirectional and/or symmetrical programming current. A unidirectional programming current flows through the free region of the STT-MRAM cell in one direction to switch the magnetization of the free region in at least two different directions. A symmetrical programming current switches the magnetization of the free region to either of the two different directions using a substantially similar current magnitude. In some embodiments, the STT-MRAM cell includes two fixed regions, each having fixed magnetizations in opposite directions and a free region configured to be switched in magnetization to be either parallel with or antiparallel to the magnetization of one of the fixed regions. Switching the free region to different magnetization directions may involve directing the programming current through one of the two oppositely magnetized fixed regions.
US08553444B2
A variable resistance nonvolatile storage device which includes (i) a semiconductor substrate (301), (ii) a variable resistance element (309) having: lower and upper electrodes (309a, 309c); and a variable resistance layer (309b) whose resistance value reversibly varies based on voltage signals each of which has a different polarity and is applied between the electrodes (309a, 309c), and (iii) a MOS transistor (317) formed on the substrate (301), wherein the variable resistance layer (309b) includes: oxygen-deficient transition metal oxide layers (309b-1, 309b-2) having compositions MOX and MOy (where x
US08553441B1
Ternary CAM cells include a compare circuit including a discharge path having only two pull-down transistors coupled between the match line and ground potential.
US08553439B2
An example controller for a switched mode power supply includes a drive signal generator and a zero-crossing detector. The drive signal generator is to be coupled to control switching of a switch included in the power supply to regulate an output of the power supply. The zero-crossing detector is coupled to the drive signal generator and coupled to receive a current sense signal representative of a switch current flowing through the switch. The zero-crossing detector generates a zero-crossing signal in response to comparing the current sense signal with a reference signal representative of a zero-crossing current threshold. The zero-crossing signal indicates when a zero-crossing condition of an ac line input voltage of the power supply exists.
US08553436B2
An automatic synchronous parallelization apparatus capable of suppressing an inrush current by automatically adjusting the magnitude, the frequency, and the phase of the voltage when a single-phase voltage-type DC-to-AC converting device performing an autonomous parallel operation is connected in parallel with an external single-phase AC voltage source. The automatic synchronous parallelization apparatus includes a synchronization detecting circuit, a voltage amplitude command value generating circuit, and a frequency command value generating circuit. The voltage amplitude command value generating circuit generates the 1st-axis voltage command value, and the frequency command value generating circuit generates the 2nd-axis voltage command value, based on a value relating to a frequency difference between an external single-phase AC voltage source and a single-phase voltage-type DC-to-AC converting device and an effective value of a voltage of the external single-phase AC voltage source that are detected by synchronization detecting circuit. By using such command values, an output of the single-phase voltage-type DC-to-AC converting device can be adjusted to as to coincide with a voltage waveform of the external single-phase AC voltage source.
US08553422B2
A push button for mounting on an electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device includes a shell defining a hole, and a circuit board received in the shell. The push button includes a pressing member, a switch and a lever. The depressing member is received in the hole. The switch is received in the shell and connected to the circuit board. The switch is configured to be misaligned with the hole. The lever includes a spring arm and an body pivotally connected to the shell. When pressed, the depressing member pushes the lever to rotate from the first position to a second position where the other end of the body of the lever actuates the switch. The disclosure also provides the means of incorporating the push button into a device.
US08553421B2
A fire alarm system transmitter includes: a printed circuit board with a substantially rectangular shape, on which a terminal block including a plurality of terminals aligned along one side of the printed circuit board is disposed; a casing with a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, in which the printed circuit board is mounted; and an electric-wire insertion portion provided on a side wall of the casing facing the one side, and extended from the side wall by a predetermined distance toward an outside of the casing. The side wall allows a plurality of electric wires connected to the plurality of terminals to be inserted through the side wall.
US08553416B1
Cooling systems for providing cooled air to electronic equipment are described. The systems can include large storage tanks or waste treatment systems to improve the efficiency of the plant and reduce impact on the environment.
US08553410B2
An electronic apparatus includes a heat dissipating module mounted at a position interposed between a shield plate and a main circuit board and air sent from a fan through a heat dissipating fin is discharged from an air vent, wherein the heat dissipating module includes the heat dissipating fin in contact with the heat generating electronic component; the fan sending the air; and a base body supporting the fan and the heat dissipating fin at a position closer to a side of the shield plate than a position of the fan, and having a slope between the fan and the heat dissipating fin for guiding the air sent from the fan to the heat dissipating fin, wherein the shield plate includes a cut and raised piece which faces the slope and obliquely guides the air sent from the fan to the heat dissipating fin along the slope.
US08553408B2
Systems and methods provide power to a device via a dock. A mounting base may include a mounting component, including a receiving area configured to removably receive a mating device at a plurality of orientations within a plane, wherein the mounting component comprises one or more indexing members and the mating device comprises one or more indexing elements, or the mating device comprises one or more indexing members and the mounting component comprises one or more indexing elements, the indexing members and elements configured to engage each other to align the mating device with the mounting component in one or more rotational orientations on said plane. A detector, configured to detect the presence of the mating device, and a driver circuit may be included. A device may be configured to control power sourced to the mating device by the driver circuit after the detector detects the mating device.
US08553398B2
An electronic apparatus including: a main circuit board through which a through hole is formed perpendicularly between a first face and a second face of the circuit board; a connector mounted on the first face; and a supporter including a supporting portion for supporting the connector on the first face, and a fixing portion having a screw hole overlapping the through hole on the second face. The supporter is fixed to the main circuit board by a screw inserted through the through hole from the first face and into the screw hole, while the connector is supported by the supporter.
US08553393B2
Disclosed is a coin type lithium ion capacitor which includes a positive electrode made of an activated carbon based positive active material and a negative electrode opposite to the positive electrode with a first separator interposed therebetween. The negative electrode includes a graphite electrode including a first current collector and a graphite based negative active material coated onto the first current collector; and a lithium metal member opposite to the graphite electrode with a second separator interposed therebetween and including a second current collector and lithium metal coated on the second current collector, in which lithium ions of the lithium metal move from the lithium metal to the positive electrode through the graphite electrode during discharge and are carried in the graphite electrode from the positive electrode during charge.
US08553383B2
An under-voltage protection circuit has a power input terminal connected to a battery, a power output terminal connected to an electronic device, a switch circuit for switching the power supply circuit from the power input terminal to the power output terminal, a control circuit for controlling the switch circuit, and a control voltage generating circuit that generates a first control voltage when the switch circuit is cut off. The control circuit controls the switch circuit in accordance with the first control voltage. The control voltage generating circuit further generates a second control voltage when the switch circuit is conductive, and then the control circuit controls the switch circuit in accordance with the second control voltage.
US08553382B2
A circuit protection system for a power panel is disclosed. The circuit protection system includes a transistor connected in a channel of a power panel, the transistor connected between return connections of a load and a return path, and the power panel including a plurality of channels connected to the load. The circuit protection system also includes control circuitry electrically connected in parallel with the transistor, the control circuitry configured to selectively activate the transistor to allow current to pass through the transistor based on an observed voltage across the transistor.
US08553380B2
Apparatus and methods for electronic circuit protection are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a substrate includes an n-well and a p-well adjacent the n-well. An n-type active area and a p-type active area are disposed in the n-well. The p-type active area, the n-well, and the p-well are configured to operate as an emitter, a base, and a collector of an PNP bipolar transistor, respectively, and the p-type active area surrounds at least a portion of the n-type active area so as to aid in recombining carriers injected into the n-well from the p-well before the carriers reach the n-type active area. The n-well and the p-well are configured to operate as a breakdown diode, and a punch-through breakdown voltage between the n-well and the p-well is lower than or equal to about a breakdown voltage between the p-type active area and the n-well.
US08553377B2
A control circuit is provided including a trigger circuit having a capacitor connected between a pulse generator and a second switching element, and a latch circuit connected via a diode, between a junction of a load with a first switching element and the control terminal of the second switching element, wherein when the pulse generator outputs a drive signal, both of the first switching element and the second switching element are turned on and the second switching element is held in the ON state through the latch circuit by a voltage at the junction. When the drive signal is stopped, both of the first switching element and the second switching element are turned off; meanwhile if the load is short-circuited, the first switching element and the second switching element are turned off through the latch circuit by the voltage at the junction.
US08553371B2
Embodiments herein generally relate to TMR readers and methods for their manufacture. The embodiments discussed herein disclose TMR readers that utilize a structure that avoids use of the DLC layer over the sensor structure and over the hard bias layer. The capping structure over the sensor structure functions as both a protective layer for the sensor structure and a CMP stop layer. The hard bias capping structure functions as both a protective structure for the hard bias layer and as a CMP stop layer. The capping structures that are free of DLC reduce the formation of notches in the second shield layer so that second shield layer is substantially flat.
US08553370B2
The present invention generally relates to a TMR reader and a method for its manufacture. The TMR reader discussed herein adds a shield layer to the sensor structure. The shield layer is deposited over the capping layer so that the shield layer and the capping layer collectively protect the free magnetic layer within the sensor structure from damage during further processing. Additionally, the hard bias layer is shaped such that the entire hard bias layer underlies the hard bias capping layer so that a top lead layer is not present. By eliminating the top lead layer and including a shield layer within the sensor structure, the read gap is reduced while still protecting the free magnetic layer during later processing.
US08553364B1
A low impedance, low crosstalk disk drive suspension circuit has multiple traces carrying a first polarity of a differential signal, interleaved with multiple traces carrying the second polarity of a differential signal. Each pair of conductors consisting of a trace of the first polarity and a trace of the second polarity may cross over each other at multiple crossover points. The crossover connections may utilize a second layer of copper trace conductors over the first and main layer, or alternatively the crossover connections may utilize an isolated portion of the suspension substrate.
US08553358B2
According to one embodiment, a magnetic head for reading data from a magnetic recording medium by utilizing a magnetic resonance phenomenon includes an auxiliary magnetic pole, a first oscillator, and a second oscillator. The auxiliary magnetic pole is to apply a magnetic field to the magnetic recording medium. The first oscillator is to oscillate at a first frequency and apply, to the magnetic recording medium, a first high-frequency magnetic field corresponding to the first frequency. The second oscillator to oscillate at a second frequency different from the first frequency and apply, to the magnetic recording medium, a second high-frequency magnetic field corresponding to the second frequency.
US08553355B2
A motor includes a stationary portion and a rotating portion. The stationary portion includes a shaft portion and an upper thrust portion. The upper thrust portion includes a tubular first outer circumferential surface arranged radially outside the upper thrust portion, and a tubular second outer circumferential surface arranged above the first outer circumferential surface. The rotating portion includes a sleeve portion, a tubular portion, and an annular cover portion. The annular cover portion includes a plate portion and an inner annular projecting portion arranged to project upward or downward. An inner circumferential surface of the inner annular projecting portion is arranged above an inner circumferential surface of the tubular portion. An upper seal portion includes a surface of a lubricating oil located therein. The inner circumferential surface of the inner annular projecting portion and the second outer circumferential surface are arranged opposite to each other with an axially extending gap therebetween.
US08553354B2
A disk driving apparatus includes a base member, a hub member, and a fluid bearing unit. The base member has a head movement region on which a head unit is to be mounted such that a head portion of the head unit can be moved along the radial direction of a recording face in a reciprocating manner while facing the recording face of a recording disk to be mounted on the hub member, and a recessed housing portion housing the fluid bearing unit such that it surrounds at least a part of a rotor unit supported by the fluid bearing unit. Furthermore, the base member has an inhibiting wall at a boundary between the head movement region and the recessed housing portion so as to prevent a lubricant fluid from migrating toward the recording disk side.
US08553351B1
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk, the disk comprising a plurality of servo tracks defined by a plurality of servo sectors. An estimated radial location of the head is generated in response to an actuator control signal. A Gray coded track ID is detected from reading a servo sector, and decoded into a detected track ID. A burst position error signal (PES) is generated from reading servo bursts in the servo sector, wherein the burst PES represents a detected fractional servo track offset of the head. When the detected track ID is corrupt, a corrected track ID is generated using the estimated radial location and the burst PES, and the actuator control signal is adjusted in response to the corrected track ID and the burst PES.
US08553340B2
An imaging system comprising a parabolic reflector having a base and defining a first axis, a light source disposed proximate the base essentially along the first axis, an imaging device comprising a zooming lens having a second axis, the imaging device being disposed in front of the light source along the first axis such that the second axis and the first axis are essentially coincident.
US08553339B2
The present invention is directed to provide an enhanced variable power zoom lens that has focusing lens optics reduced in weight so as to relieve of a load on a focusing drive system, and that has its anti-vibration lens optics reduced in both diameter and weight so as to relieve of a load on an anti-vibration drive system and downsize the same. The enhanced variable power zoom lens is adapted to have the foremost or first lens group G1 of positive refractivity, the second lens group G2 of negative refractivity, the third lens group G3 of positive refractivity, the fourth lens group G4 of negative refractivity, and the fifth lens group G5 of positive or negative refractivity arranged in sequence from a position closer to the object where the fourth lens group G4 serves as a focusing lens, and the third lens group G3 and the fifth lens group G5 together move on and along the same cam structure during zooming.
US08553338B1
A high concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) optics are described. In one example, an HCPV device can include a frame and a solar sensor cell attached to the frame. The solar cell can be configured to receive an optical beam and can further be configured to convert solar energy in the incident optical beam into electrical energy or power. The HCPV device can further include a non-imaging freeform optical device. The optical device can have an asymmetric surface profile with a predefined surface normal arranged to direct incident optical beams toward an entire solar sensor cell surface area. The freeform optical device can have a larger diameter than the solar sensor cell. Also, the freeform optical device can have an asymmetric surface profile shaped to concentrate the incident optical beams onto the solar sensor cell.
US08553335B2
A zoom lens includes a first lens group having a positive refractive power, and a second lens group having a negative refractive power, an aperture stop, a third lens group having a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens group having a positive refractive power arranged in order from an object side, the third lens group having a first positive lens, a second positive lens, and a negative lens, and a third positive lens in order from the object side. When zooming from short to long focal end, the zoom lens is moved so that the interval between the first and second lens groups increases, that between the second and third lens groups decreases, that between the third and fourth lens groups increases, and the first and third lens groups are positioned closer to the object at the long focal end than the short focal end.
US08553329B2
A monolithic or hybrid integrated optical information processor employing a plurality of controllable optical transfer functions at fractional Fourier planes between two optical imaging elements is described. The arrangement can be used to realize or closely approximate arbitrary non-positive-definite transfer functions of spatially-varying amplitude and phase. In various implementations, one or both of the optical imaging elements can comprise a lens or graded-index material. In some implementations, at least a portion of the arrangement is implemented in the form of a stack. Graded index material may lie between consecutive light modulating array elements. The controllable plurality of optical transfer functions are employed to create a controllable optical processor which can be used for image filtering and optical computations using complex-valued optical signal arithmetic. An image sensor may be included to transform the processed image into electrical output. Applications include optical computing systems and integrated optics.
US08553324B2
The invention relates to a laser scanning microscope with a scanner and a microscope objective, and to a control method for such a microscope. In order to obtain sharp imaging of the sample in a laser scanning microscope, the distance between the microscope objective and the sample is usually varied for adjusting the focus position. However, relative movements between the objective and the sample can be problematic. In view of the costly special objective, internal focusing of the objective is a disadvantageous solution. An improved laser scanning microscope should make it possible to sharply image a sample with standard objectives without relative movement between the microscope objective and sample. According to the invention, a tube lens is provided which is displaceable along the optical axis, and the focus position is adjustable relative to a front optical element of the microscope objective by adjusting the tube lens.
US08553322B2
A collection optics having variable magnification, and which enable changing magnification without stopping the spray cooling. The variable magnification is provided by a turret that carries several objectives of different magnifications. A frame is provided above the turret, wherein the spray cooling is provided. By rotating the turret and changing its elevation, different objectives of the turret can be “docked” to a docking port within the frame.
US08553310B2
A lens device includes a base, a lens unit, a dividing plate, a cover plate, a shutter unit, and an actuator unit. The base has a front section with a front surface, a rear section with a rear surface, a lens hole, and a mounting space. The lens unit is disposed in the lens hole, and includes a lens. The dividing plate is mounted on the front section and has a first light hole. The cover plate is mounted on the front section and has a second light hole. The dividing plate and the cover plate define a working space therebetween. The shutter unit includes a first shutter piece pivotally disposed in the working space. The actuator unit is mounted in the mounting space, and includes a rotation portion, and an operating portion formed on the rotation portion and extending into the working space.
US08553305B2
A light deflecting element includes: a movable plate provided with a light reflecting section having light reflectivity; a support section; a coupling section adapted to couple the movable plate rotatably to the support section; and a magnet disposed on an opposite surface of the movable plate to the light reflecting section, wherein the coupling section has a shape having a width gradually increasing in a direction from a side of the light reflecting section toward a side of the magnet in a cross-sectional view perpendicular to a rotational axis of the movable plate.
US08553302B2
A method for encoding computer-generated holograms in pixelated light modulators, the encoding area of which comprises a pixel matrix whose pixels are provided with a pixel form and a pixel transparency, wherein the encoding area contains a hologram made up of sub-holograms, to each of which is assigned an object point of the object to be reconstructed by the hologram. The corruption of the reconstruction of the hologram caused by the real pixel form and the pixel transparency is largely eliminated and the computing time for correction of the hologram is reduced. Each individual computer-generated sub-hologram is multiplied by a correction function, and only thereafter the corrected sub-holograms are added up to form a total hologram, the correction function being based on the reciprocal of the transform of the pixel function (e.g. 1/sinc) associated with the virtual observer window.
US08553296B2
The image reading apparatus conveys a reading unit or a document to read the document. Conveyance is implemented by motor control based on a target position trajectory. The reading unit reads the document each time a line start signal is inputted. When a predetermined condition is satisfied, the reading operation is invalidated. A conveyance position at a timing to start the first reading operation invalidated is specified as an interrupted position. The object is arranged at a conveyance restart position moved back from the interrupted position. A target position trajectory is newly set. A conveyance time from the conveyance restart position to the interrupted position defined by the target position trajectory is an integral multiple of an output cycle of the line start signal. The motor control based on the target position trajectory is started at a timing coinciding with an output timing of the line start signal.
US08553291B2
A combination of a latent-image pattern which forms a latent-image part and a background pattern that forms a background-image part is determined so that the latent-image part and background-image part have equal print densities. The determined latent-image pattern and background pattern, color information used to determine a color of the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image, input image information as an image to be processed, copy-forgery-inhibited pattern basic information used to designate the latent-image part and background-image part, and camouflage region designation image information used to designate a camouflage region are input. A copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image is generated on the basis of the input information.
US08553290B2
The plate-making apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes an exposure head which engraves a surface of a plate material by emitting a light beam toward the plate material; a scanning device which performs exposure scanning by relatively moving the plate material and the exposure head; a correction profile generation device which generates a correction profile for correcting an emission amount of the light beam emitted by the exposure head according to a characteristic difference of the plate material; and an exposure control device which, when a correction profile for a plate material to be used is generated by the correction profile generation device, uses the correction profile for the plate material to be used to control the emission amount of the light beam.
US08553287B2
An image forming system includes a pseudo-halftoning device; an image forming apparatus that forms a toner image on a recording medium; and a reading apparatus that read the toner image on the recording medium, in which the pseudo-halftoning device is such that pseudo-halftoning is performed on a target image by using a threshold matrix set including a plurality of threshold matrices, one threshold matrix for use is selected from the threshold matrix set according to a position of the target image to be used in the pseudo-halftoning performed on the target image, the threshold matrices in the threshold matrix set are identical with one another in periodic structure but different from one another only in a gradation characteristic, and a threshold matrix to be used is determined based on toner-image information data obtained by reading the toner image by the reading apparatus.
US08553286B2
Techniques are provided that use one or more templates to improve the printing of non-saturated colored text and lines. Such templates are predetermined, fixed patterns which can be indexed or looked up via a code word with a fewer number of bits than in the corresponding template. Thus, such templates are used to increase the resolution or effective resolution of a display. In an embodiment, each template location represents a 4×4 region of binary pixels. The number of possibilities of template values is 2^(4*4) or 65,536. However, in accordance with an embodiment, only 256 of these 65,536 templates are available and are indexed by an 8 bit contone video value.
US08553277B1
An image forming apparatus including an image forming apparatus and an image checking apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a transport control unit which transports a recording medium at a transport speed, and forms an image on the recording medium. The image checking apparatus includes a transport-speed acquisition unit, a detector, a reading unit, and an operation-state notification unit. The transport-speed acquisition unit acquires transport-speed information from the image forming apparatus. The detector detects a mark shown on the recording medium. The reading unit reads a checking-target image formed by the image forming apparatus at a position distant from the mark, on the basis of the transport-speed information and information concerning a positional relationship between the mark and the checking-target image. The operation-state notification unit notifies the image forming apparatus of an operation state of the image checking apparatus.
US08553274B2
To delete unnecessary blank page(s) without changing a desired output layout requested by a user, a CPU of a controller unit sets fixed page image data, as image data of a plurality of consecutive pages whose relationship is to be fixed, among image data of a plurality of pages of a document read by a scanner unit. Further, the CPU detects image data corresponding to blank page(s) from the image data of the plurality of pages, and counts the number of pages of image data corresponding to the blank pages existing between the fixed page image data. Then, to determine an output layout of image data, the CPU deletes image data corresponding to all blank pages existing between the fixed page image data if the number of pages is an even number, and the CPU deletes image data corresponding to an even number of blank pages that are present between the fixed page image data if the number of pages is an odd number.
US08553272B2
An image processing apparatus which performs variable printing in accordance with print data containing a fixed object and a variable object determines whether the fixed object overlaps another fixed object. When the image processing apparatus determines that the fixed object overlaps the other fixed object, the image processing apparatus generates data by performing the first image forming processing to combine the fixed object and the other fixed object or the second image forming processing to process the fixed object or the other fixed object. The image processing apparatus stores the generated data. The image processing apparatus extracts the stored data, combines it with the variable object to generate print data, and outputs the print data.
US08553271B2
A printing device and a control method for a printing device can freely change the distribution of print data to the front and back sides to achieve the desired duplex printing result when operating in a duplex printing page mode that converts the print data for one page after setting the data conversion area. A conversion step (step S29) sets a break length hy that divides the data conversion area 105c into a first data storage area 105a for converting the first-side print data and a second data storage area 105b for converting the second-side print data in the page mode, and then converts the print data. A print step (step S36) then simultaneously prints the first-side or front print data that is converted into the conversion area before the break, and the second-side or back print data that is converted into the conversion area after the break.
US08553268B1
An image forming apparatus which configures a printing system in which a server, comprises: a generation unit configured to generate, as plug-in information, information that associates a user interface provided by the image forming apparatus with the application provided by a server; a holding unit configured to hold the generated plug-in information; a sending unit configured to send the plug-in information to the information processing apparatus when the plug-in information has not been registered in an information processing apparatus; and a providing unit configured, when direct printing is designated, to provide, as the user interface to the information processing apparatus based on the plug-in information held by the holding unit, a direct print screen for accepting a print setting corresponding to the application that has generated print data to be printed.
US08553266B2
Image data in a specific data format is stored in an external storage device, whereas application software for display, editing, and printing of the image data in the specific data format is not stored in the external storage device but transmitted to an e-mail address of a user or to an IP address of a user's computer. This provides a digital multifunction printer which is capable of storing image data in a removable external storage device and which can store image data in the external storage device in such a manner that the image data is stored with a data format specific to the digital multifunction printer while the image data can be processed by other device without dropping security for the stored image data.
US08553265B2
A disclosed image processing system includes an image forming apparatus and an image processing apparatus connected via a network, wherein the image forming apparatus includes a receiving portion receiving a designation of a workflow produced by arbitrarily assembling a plug-in of an image dividing and converting process for image data and a plug-in of an output process and includes an image dividing and converting process, and a communicating portion transmitting a request for processing the workflow to the image processing apparatus along with the image data, and the image processing apparatus includes a workflow controlling portion carrying out the processes when a request for carrying out these processes is received, and a workflow processing portion carrying out the workflow while dividing the image data by using a length of a longitudinal side of the image data based on a control with the workflow controlling portion.
US08553264B2
An information processing apparatus which stores a job generated by a printer driver in memory unit, and specifies a printer to execute a print process of the stored job in accordance with a request from a client, comprises: determination unit for determining whether a job for which a print instruction is issued by the request is generated by a generic driver; device type specification unit for specifying a device type of a printer capable of printing the job for which the print instruction is issued, based on setting information of the job, when the determination unit determines that the job is generated by the generic driver; and printer specification unit for specifying, as the printer capable of printing the job for which the print instruction is issued, a printer corresponding to the printer information which is managed by a management unit and matches the device type specified.
US08553261B2
An image communication apparatus includes: a display; an input device displaying an address input dialogue on the display, receiving a user input to designate an address of a transmission destination of multicast transmission; storage storing multicast transmission history; an extracting device, connected to the input device and the storage, responsive to the input device receiving an input of an address of a transmission destination of multicast transmission, for extracting, from the multicast transmission history, a multicast transmission history record including the address received by the input device as a transmission destination, and extracting an address different from the address received by the input device, included in the extracted multicast transmission history record, as a candidate of multicast transmission destination; and a control device controlling the display such that the extracted candidate of multicast transmission destination is displayed in the address input dialogue.
US08553260B2
An apparatus, method, system and medium are described that support functionality to receive document(s) to be printed at a printing device, and enable editing the document(s) prior to printing. Modifications to the document(s) may be generated based on the user edits, and a print preview of the modified documents may be displayed and may enable further edits. In some embodiments, the print preview may be provided to the user on a display that is part of the printing device. In some embodiments, the print preview may be provided to the user through a UI presented on a client device. Display of the modified document(s) may be a rasterized image of the modified document(s), generated based on capabilities of a selected printing device. In some embodiments, modifications may be made to an intermediate version of the document(s), and that intermediate version may be cached.
US08553257B2
A communication device is driven by an on-demand driver installed in an apparatus that includes an on-demand driver generating program that generates the on-demand driver for the communication device based on device information of the communication device. The communication device includes a memory unit that stores therein the device information of the communication device, a responding unit that, in response to a request for obtaining the device information from the on-demand driver generating program, sends the device information stored in the memory unit to the apparatus, and an updating unit that is used in externally updating the device information stored in the memory unit.
US08553245B2
An image forming apparatus connected via a network with an authentication server for user authentication based on biometric information about a user. The image forming apparatus is also connected with a managing server for managing an operation of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a transmission unit transmitting the biometric information about the user to the authentication server, a reception unit receiving use limit information corresponding to the biometric information about the user from the managing server, and a control unit controlling the operation of the image forming apparatus based on the use limit information.
US08553240B2
In a printing apparatus that stores a sheet conveying distance correction value every sheet kind, the sheet conveying distance correction correcting a sheet conveying distance of a sheet to be printed; detects the sheet kind to be printed; prints a test chart for measuring the sheet conveying distance; determines the sheet conveying distance correction value based on the printed result of the test chart so as to store the sheet conveying distance correction value in a sheet conveying distance correction value storing unit; and conveys a sheet during printing in accordance with the sheet kind detected by a sheet kind detecting unit on the basis of the sheet conveying distance correction value obtained from the correction value storing unit, when the sheet conveying distance correction value for the sheet kind to be printed is not determined, the printing is temporarily interrupted.
US08553227B2
An apparatus and method to determine a property of a substrate by measuring, in the pupil plane of a high numerical aperture lens, an angle-resolved spectrum as a result of radiation being reflected off the substrate. The property may be angle and wavelength dependent. The radiation that is reflected off the substrate is radially polarized.
US08553224B2
Optical fibers are utilized to provide high efficiency, spatially resolved coupling of light from collection optics to an imaging spectrometer. In particular, a micro lens array may be utilized to couple light from multiple spatial locations into individual optical fibers. At the opposite end of the fiber bundle, the fibers are packed tightly together to send the light into an imaging spectrograph. The light that enters this spectrograph maintains its spatial separation, for instance, along the array dimension and is spectrally dispersed, for instance, along a dimension orthogonal to the array dimension. This spatially separated, wavelength resolved light can then be recorded on a two dimensional detector such as a CCD camera.
US08553220B2
An optical device includes a projection group in which electrically conductive projections are arranged along a direction parallel to a virtual plane. The arrangement period of the projections in the projection group includes at least a first period and a second period different from the first period. The first period and the second period are shorter than a wavelength of an incident light.
US08553213B2
A self-aligning laser guide device capable of indicating a top dead-center of a wheel on a wheel balancer and a process for locating the top dead-center of the wheel. The self-aligning laser guide can include a body having a laser beam generating device and a wheel balancer shaft mounting adaptor configured to be rotatably connected to the body at one end and configured to be removably connected to a wheel balancer shaft at the other end.
US08553210B2
A system and method for locating and identifying unknown samples. A targeting mode may be utilized to scan regions of interest for potential unknown materials. This targeting mode may interrogate regions of interest using SWIR and/or fluorescence spectroscopic and imaging techniques. Unknown samples detected in regions of interest may be further interrogated using a combination of Raman and LIBS techniques to identify the unknown samples. Structured illumination may be used to interrogate an unknown sample. Data sets generated during interrogation may be compared to a reference database comprising a plurality of reference data sets, each associated with a known material. The system and method may be used to identify a variety of materials including: biological, chemical, explosive, hazardous, concealment, and non-hazardous materials.
US08553209B2
A 3D OCT confocal imaging apparatus includes a light source module for providing an illumination beam with wider bandwidth from a crystal fiber; a reference source module; a pickup module; a beam splitter; an optical filter; and a sensor module. When the illumination beam illuminates a sample, a pickup objective lens and a piezoelectric actuator of the pickup module together provide an image beam scanning the sample in depth direction. The image beam and a reference beam from the reference source module together form an interference image beam, which is converted by a photosensor into a coherence image electric signal. Meanwhile, the interference image beam passes through a pinhole to form a confocal image, which is converted by an excited light photometer into a confocal image electric signal. With an image processing system, a 3D OCT confocal microscopic image of the sample can be produced from these image electric signals.
US08553203B2
When a transition from a first state where one stage is positioned at a first area directly below projection optical system to which liquid is supplied to a state where the other stage is positioned at the first area, both stages are simultaneously driven while a state where both stages are close together in the X-axis direction is maintained. Therefore, it becomes possible to make a transition from the first state to the second state in a state where liquid is supplied in the space between the projection optical system and the specific stage directly under the projection optical system. Accordingly, the time from the completion of exposure operation on one stage side until the exposure operation begins on the other stage side can be reduced, which allows processing with high throughput. Further, because the liquid can constantly exist on the image plane side of the projection optical system, generation of water marks on optical members of the projection optical system on the image plane side is prevented.
US08553196B2
A component has a substrate (1) made of a transparent material, for example glass. On this layer (1), there is a linear polarizer (2) on which there is a layer (3) of a photo-oriented polymer network (PPN)(-LPP) which is oriented in locally varying fashion via its surface which covers the substrate. The layer (3) is adjoined by an anisotropic layer (4) of cross-linked liquid-crystal monomers. This layer (4) then has a molecular arrangement whose orientation is defined by the underlying orientation layer (3). The layer (4) will have been photocross-linked by exposure to a suitable wavelength of light, with the result that the molecular orientation defined by the PPN layer (3) is fixed. The clement, denoted as a whole by 7, can then be used as an optical component which is protected against forgery, it being possible for the orientation pattern of the liquid-crystal layer or the optical information stored therein to be made visible by means of an external polarizer (5), for example.
US08553184B2
An array substrate, comprising a substrate and a data line and a gate line formed on the substrate. The data line and gate line cross each other to define a pixel region and the pixel region comprises a reflective region and a transparent region. The pixel region further comprises: a pixel electrode, formed with a transparent conductive film on the substrate and provided at least in the transparent region; a thin film transistor, formed on the substrate, the transparent conductive film being retained below the gate line and a gate electrode of the thin film transistor; a planarization film, covering the thin film transistor on the substrate; and a reflective layer, formed on the planarization film and disposed in the reflective region of the pixel region. A method of manufacturing the array substrate is provided.
US08553183B2
A display device includes; a first substrate, a first pixel electrode disposed on the first substrate, a second pixel electrode disposed on the first substrate and neighboring the first pixel electrode, a first color filter disposed under the first pixel electrode, a second color filter disposed under the second pixel electrode and overlapping the first color filter in an area between the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode, and a data line including a first portion and a second portion respectively disposed on left and right sides of the area wherein the first and second color filters overlap.
US08553181B2
According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate including pixel electrodes disposed, respectively, in a first color pixel on one end side of an active area and in a second color pixel on the other end side of the active area, a light-shield layer which surrounds the first color pixel and the second color pixel and extends to a peripheral area surrounding the active area, a first color filter disposed in the first color pixel, a second color filter disposed in the second color pixel, a dummy color filter which is stacked on the light-shield layer in the peripheral area, creates a distance between second color filter and the dummy color filter and is continuous with the first color filter.
US08553175B2
An optical sheet, a backlight device, and a liquid crystal display device are provided. The beam-condensing optical sheet includes a large number of irregularity portions arranged on one main surface of a light-transmissive base, in which a pitch of arrangement of the irregularity portions is 110 μm or more and 330 μm or less, and surface roughness (Ra) of the irregularity portion is 0.1 μm or less.
US08553174B2
A back plate assembly includes a heat dissipating member and a back cover. The heat dissipating member includes a base plate for mounting a light guide plate and a side plate for mounting a LED light source. The base plate extends along a first direction, and includes a first surface facing a display and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The side plate is connected to the base plate, and extends along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The back cover is disposed on the base plate and is made of plastic material. The back cover includes a third surface facing the display and coplanar with or higher than the first surface. With the present disclosure, the manufacturing cost of the light guide plate is reduced and no complicated fixing structures are required to fix the light guide plate on the back plate.
US08553167B2
When image data is displayed on the display portion of a conventional mobile telephone, characters cannot be displayed thereon, and thus the image data and the characters cannot be simultaneously displayed. In a portable electronic device according to the present invention, a cover member having a first display device (101) for displaying an image (digital still image or the like) and a second display device (102) having a touch input operational portion (for displaying characters, symbols, or the like) are attached to each other so as to allow opening and closing.
US08553162B2
A 3D image display device. The device may include: a display unit displaying left-eye and right-eye images alternately; a display-side polarizing plate arranged on the side of a display surface of the display unit; and shutter glasses having left-eye and right-eye shutters, and opening and closing a shutter in accordance with display states of images on the display unit. A shutter includes a liquid crystal cell, a retardation plate arranged at the liquid crystal cell, and a first glasses-side polarizing plate arranged at the liquid crystal cell on the side opposite to the retardation plate. Polarization axes of the display-side polarizing plate and the first glasses-side polarizing plate are orthogonal. The polarization axis of the display-side polarizing plate and a retardation axis of the retardation plate are parallel or orthogonal.
US08553158B2
A broadcast receiving apparatus includes a channel scanning unit configured to perform a channel scanning process of scanning broadcast channels to be received, determining on each scanned broadcast channel whether the channel is receivable, and registering a broadcast channel determined as receivable, a function setting unit configured to perform settings of various functions, and a control unit configured to control the channel scanning unit and the function setting unit so that the channel scanning process is performed simultaneously with the settings of the various functions.
US08553157B2
The present invention is a television that executes a process for transitioning between multiple power modes. Both the transition events and the power states may be factory-defined, or they may be user-configurable. The TV may have two sleep modes. In a quick-start mode, the screen is powered down but the operating system is spun-up, and possibly other major functional subsystems are user-enabled. In an energy-saving mode, fewer subsystems than quick-start mode, and possibly only components required to recognize a tactile control requesting a return to a power-on mode, may be enabled. Quick-start is less efficient than energy-saving mode, but results in much faster return to power-in mode. In some embodiments, power modes and transition events between them power modes may be automated, and either user defined or factory defined.
US08553156B2
A signal transmitting circuit includes a HDMI signal transmitting unit adapted to output a HDMI signal, a VGA signal transmitting unit adapted to output a VGA signal, a VGA signal processing unit, and a transmitting control unit. The VGA signal processing unit is connected to the VGA signal transmitting unit. The VGA signal processing unit is adapted to receive the VGA signal from the VGA signal transmitting unit, and include a detection signal into the VGA signal to form a combination signal. A transmitting control unit is connected to the VGA signal processing unit and the HDMI signal transmitting unit. The transmitting control unit is adapted to receive the combination signal and the VGA signal, to distinguish the combination signal and the VGA signal, and to output the combination signal and the VGA signal to the appropriate receivers.
US08553144B2
An electronic device includes a first housing defining a first hole, a second housing, a camera, and a camera shelter. The second housing includes a receiving part and a fixing part. The camera is fixed to the second housing. The camera shelter includes a body, an operation part, and a connection part. The body and the operation part are received in the receiving part. The connection part engages the fixing part to connect the camera shelter to the second housing. The body is sandwiched between the first housing and the second housing. When the operation part positions in a first position, the first hole defined in the first housing overlaps a second hole defined on the body to expose the camera. When the operation part is moved to a second position, the body of the camera shelter shelters the camera.
US08553143B2
A holography attachment device for a digital imaging device. The holography attachment device including a chamber having a proximate end configured to attach to the digital imaging device. A distal end of the chamber includes a wall. Also, the chamber includes a sample holder section located between the proximate end and the distal end. The sample holder section is configured to receive a sample. The chamber is configured to attach to the digital imaging device.
US08553142B2
The present invention discloses a camera lens module. The present invention places and fixes an image sensor chip in an opening in a substrate and then assembles a frame, a lens holder and a lens, thereby minimizing the superposition height of the camera lens module and ensuring that the assembly is simpler and more effective.
US08553140B2
An image acquisition apparatus includes: an imaging device on which an image of a small area allocated to an area to be imaged is formed; a detection section detecting intensity of light irradiated on the small area from a light source; an integration section integrating the intensity of light detected by the detection section; if an integration value of the intensity of light integrated by the integration section from a point in time when light is emitted from the light source is greater than a predetermined threshold value, a light-source control section terminates light emission; an exposure control section starting exposure of the imaging device before light is emitted from the light source and terminating exposure of the imaging device after emission of light from the light source is terminated; and an image acquisition section acquiring the image of the small area as a divided image from the imaging device.
US08553132B2
A lens barrel includes a fourth lens, a prism, and a sixth lens. The fourth lens receives a light flux incident along a first optical axis. The prism includes a reflecting surface reflecting the light flux passing through the fourth lens to a direction along a second optical axis intersecting with the first optical axis. The sixth lens receives the light flux reflected by the prism. A second group frame includes an opening portion, a prism retaining frame that is arranged in a more inner position than the opening portion and in which the prism is contained, and a plurality of adhesive pockets arranged on an area around the prism retaining frame and being open to the side of the opening portion. Adhesive agent is filled in the adhesive pockets.
US08553131B2
Provided herein is a lens mount system and related process that allow for performing six-axis active alignment with a single joining step. This system and/or process simplifies the lens attachment in a manner that makes such attachment compatible with high volume manufacturing and/or full automation.
US08553112B2
An A/D converter 11 performs multiple-times sampling on a first signal S1 in a first period T1 while performing multiple-times sampling on a second signal S2 in a second period T2. An A/D converter circuit 17 provides a digital signal in response to a signal from an output 15b of a gain stage 15 in the second period T2. The digital signal may have a value “1” or a value “0”. The A/D converter circuit 17 includes a circuit 18 providing a signal SA/DM corresponding to the number of times the value “1” appears. A switch 24 operates in response to a clock signal φs and is used to sample a signal from a pixel 2a. In a first capacitor circuit 27, a switch 29 and a capacitor 31 are connected to an inverting input 23a and a non-inverting output 23b, respectively. The switch 29 operates in response to a clock signal φ3 and is used for integration in the capacitor 31.
US08553109B2
Embodiments of the present application automatically utilize parallel image captures in an image processing pipeline. In one embodiment, image processing circuitry concurrently receives first image data to be processed and second image data to be processed, wherein the second image data is processed to aid in enhancement of the first image data.
US08553108B2
A method of compensating for atmospheric turbulence when recording film sequences. A frame for an image that is being currently recorded is compared at pixel level with a number of frames recorded earlier. Each pixel value in a current frame is compared with pixel values in earlier frames. A matrix is adjusted upward by one unit at positions where a new value is encountered at the positions. Values adjusted upwards in the matrix are retained for a limited number of frame comparisons. A summing window is drawn over the matrix and movement is deemed to have occurred in areas where a sum from the summing window exceeds a limit value. A compensated frame is created. All pixel values in areas where the summing window exceeds the limit value are derived from the current frame. Other values are derived through a temporal median filtering of a number of earlier frames recorded.
US08553102B2
An electronic apparatus that can prevent occurrence of crosstalk between different differential signals on a printed circuit board on which a wiring pattern of a differentially operated signal line is formed, and reduce unnecessary radiation noises. First and second wiring patterns are disposed on the printed circuit board and through which differentially operated signals are transmitted, and the first and second wiring patterns are electrically connected to first and second connection terminals, respectively. An electronic component is disposed on the printed circuit board, and includes first and second terminals electrically connected to the first and second wiring patterns, respectively. The first and second terminals of the electronic component are disposed on the printed circuit board, respectively, so that the first and second wiring patterns do not intersect each other.
US08553087B2
An image display system provided on a vehicle, which takes a side-rear view image of a first area alongside and to the rear of the vehicle, computes running conditions of the vehicle and an obstacle in the first area using the side-rear view image, determines a time point to start displaying the side-rear view image based on the computed running conditions, and presents the side-rear view image at the time point.
US08553086B2
Disclosed is a method (101), in relation to a current video frame (300) comprising a visual element (320) associated with a location in a scene captured in the frame (300), said visual element (320) being associated with a plurality of mode models (350), said method matching (140) one of said plurality of mode models (350) to the visual element (320), said method comprising, for each said mode model (350), the steps of determining (420) a visual support value depending upon visual similarity between the visual element (320) and the mode model (350), determining (440) a spatial support value depending upon similarity of temporal characteristics of the mode models (350) associated with the visual element and mode models (385) of one or more other visual elements (331); and identifying (450) a matching one of said plurality of mode models (350) depending upon the visual support value and the spatial support value.
US08553079B2
A method for determining a gesture illuminated by a light source utilizes the light source to provide illumination through a work volume above the light source. A camera is positioned to observe and determine the gesture performed in the work volume.
US08553075B2
An endoscope image is obtained by imaging a subject with a scope. Then, an edge portion of the endoscope image is extracted and a complexity degree of the edge portion is detected. Thereafter, a determination is made as to whether the endoscope image is an image obtained through near view imaging or distant view imaging according to the complexity degree and an imaging condition is changed according to the determined near view imaging or distant view imaging.
US08553074B2
Provided is an auto stereoscopic display improving brightness, including: a left eye pixel including a plurality of first color sub pixels and a first white sub pixel; a right eye pixel including a plurality of second color sub pixels and a second white sub pixel; and a viewing field separating unit which separates a viewing field of a left image formed by the left eye pixel and a viewing field of a right image formed by the right eye pixel.
US08553072B2
Inter-frame blanking involves blanking the transition period between two video frames of a three-dimensional video signal. One implementation includes receiving a three-dimensional video signal and determining a frame overlap interval. The frame overlap interval is the time period in which a display device will concurrently display at least one portion of a first video frame and at least one portion of a second video frame during a transition period. The implementation also includes, based on the frame overlap interval, generating an inter-frame blanking signal that instructs a blanking device to filter the display of the three-dimensional video signal.
US08553066B2
A conference control device including a data transmission portion that transmits conferencing data from one of the conference terminal devices to another of the conference terminal devices, a first notification request portion that, in a case where a first request packet that requests establishing of a first communication path has been received from the one of the conference terminal devices while the conferencing data are transmitted by the data transmission portion, transmits a first notification request packet to the other of the conference terminal devices, and a first request response portion that, in a case where a first response packet providing notification of a port number for establishing the first communication path has been received from the other of the conference terminal devices, transmits to the one of the conference terminal devices a first request response packet containing information on a transmission source port number of the first response packet.
US08553065B2
A method is provided in one example and includes identifying a particular word recited by an active speaker in a conference involving a plurality of endpoints in a network environment; evaluating a profile associated with the active speaker in order to identify contextual information associated with the particular word; and providing augmented data associated with the particular word to at least some of the plurality of endpoints. In more specific examples, the active speaker is identified using a facial detection protocol, or a speech recognition protocol. Data from the active speaker can be converted from speech to text.
US08553058B2
A pressure adjusting mechanism for adjusting pressure applied on a thermal print head includes a pressing plate, a plurality of resilient members and a pressure adjusting member. The pressing plate is disposed above the thermal print head and comprising a first pressed section and a second pressed section connected to the first pressed section. The plurality of resilient members is connected to the first pressed section of the pressing plate and the thermal print head and to the second pressed section of the pressing plate and the thermal print head, respectively. The pressure adjusting member is pivoted to the pressing plate for driving the pressing plate to move relative to the thermal print head, so as to press the plurality of resilient members for providing the thermal print head with pressure, such that the plurality of resilient members drives the pressing plate to equilibrate the pressing plate.
US08553049B2
An information-processing apparatus determines whether a stimulation generation unit and a background virtual object contact each other based on position and orientation information about the stimulation generation unit and position and orientation information about the background virtual object. If it is determined that the stimulation generation unit and the background virtual object contact each other, the information-processing apparatus determines whether the stimulation generation unit is included within an attention range. The information-processing apparatus generates operation setting information for controlling an operation of the stimulation generation unit according to a result of the determination and outputs the generated operation setting information to the stimulation generation unit.
US08553032B1
Techniques are provided for glyph rendering based on a polygon mesh having vertices located away from a glyph's outline. Skeletonisation may be used to establish polygonal skeletons in the interior region of a glyph and in the outside region of the glyph. Transepts oriented away from the glyph's outline may be generated for nodes on the glyph's outline. A polygon mesh may be generated with vertices constrained to be selected from a set of candidate vertices comprising termination points of transepts, skeleton nodes, and/or points on the glyph's bounding boxes. Implicit forms may be determined from curves or lines representing segments of the glyph's outline, without use of Bézier control points and endpoints. These implicit forms along with tessellation data may be provided to a computing device as glyph rendering data for rendering the glyph at runtime.
US08553028B1
Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to efficiently circumventing the limitations of client side rendering of virtual worlds. In a particular implementation, a proposed system renders each client viewport remotely, removing the burden of rendering a 3D scene from the local client device. 3D viewports, rather than being rasterized on the local client, are instead generated on a remote render device which then transmits a visual representation of the viewport to the client device in a format (including, but not limited to a video stream) which the client can use to display the scene without requiring complex 3D rasterization. This process eliminates the need for the client to have any specialized 3D rendering software or hardware, or to install or download any persistent render assets on the local system. The hardware requirements for the client are therefore roughly equivalent to those needed to play a continuous video stream.
US08553024B2
A pixel driving circuit of an organic light emitting diode includes a first switch, a capacitor, a transistor, a second switch, a third switch and an organic light emitting diode. The operation of the pixel driving circuit includes three stages of resetting, data writing, and emitting. The pixel driving circuit is able to reset the transistor for de-trapping holes at stages of resetting and data writing. The image retention caused by the transistor hysteresis may be improved.
US08553022B2
Disclosed herein is an image display device including a display section, a signal line driving circuit, and a scanning line driving circuit. The display section is formed by arranging pixel circuits in a form of a matrix. The signal line driving circuit is configured to output a driving signal for a signal line to the signal line of the display section. The scanning line driving circuit is configured to output a driving signal for a scanning line to the scanning line of the display section. The pixel circuits each include at least a light emitting element, a driving transistor configured to drive the light emitting element connected to a source by a driving current corresponding to a gate-to-source voltage, a storage capacitor configured to retain the gate-to-source voltage, and a writing transistor configured to set a terminal voltage of the storage capacitor by a voltage of the signal line.
US08553013B2
Disclosed is a liquid crystal display device having touch sensors embedded therein. The liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal layer interposed between upper and lower substrates, pixels, each of which includes pixel and common electrodes applying a horizontal electric field to the liquid crystal layer, a pixel thin film transistor to drive the pixel electrode, and a common thin film transistor to drive the common electrode, touch sensors, each of which forms a sensing capacitor between an object and the common electrode, sensor power lines, readout lines, and sensor gate lines. Each touch sensor includes the common electrode, a first sensor thin film transistor charging the common electrode with the sensing driving voltage in response to control of the previous sensor gate line, and a second sensor thin film transistor outputting the sensing signal to the readout line in response to control of the current sensor gate line.
US08553011B2
The disclosed capacitive sensing device has first conductive lines, second conductive lines and electrical conductors. The first conductive lines are electrically isolated from each other, the second conductive lines are electrically isolated from each other and electrically isolated from and stacked with the first conductive lines to form numerous intersecting points, and the electrical conductors are electrically isolated from each other and correspondingly crossing the first and the second conductive lines and being around the intersecting points. Herein, the electrical conductors are electrically isolated from the first and second conductive lines. When an electrical signal is driven to a first conductive line, the first conductive line is capacitive coupled to the second conductive lines which intersecting mutually, and the electrical conductors crossing the first conductive line are respectively capacitive coupled to the first conductive line and the mutually intersecting second conductive lines to provide a higher compound capacitance.
US08553002B2
There is provided an information processing apparatus including a detection section configured to detect contact/proximity of an operating object with/to a display surface of a display section on which objects classified into groups in accordance with a relationship between the objects are displayed, a proximity determination section configured to determine a degree of proximity of the operating object to the display surface based on a detection result obtained by the detection section, and an operation-lock determination section configured, when the proximity determination section determines that the operating object touches the display surface, to disable an operation input to an object belonging to a group different from a group which an object that the operating object touches belongs to, until the operating object is positioned outside a proximity detection region, the proximity detection region being a region from the display surface to positions which are a predetermined distance away therefrom.
US08552994B2
A method for measuring capacitance in a sensor device using an internal reference circuit element(s), and without implementing additional circuitry and devices external to the sensor device, is described. In some embodiments a method uses an output pin of the sensor device and an internal reference capacitor of the sensor device to identify a touch applied to a touch point or electrode coupled to the touch sensor. The method applies reference voltages to charge the reference capacitor and measure a signal received from an electrode, wherein the touch sensor controls switching within the touch sensor to apply the reference voltages to the reference capacitor.
US08552969B2
A backlight adjusting system and method is adapted for adjusting a backlight brightness of a light emitting element for a display panel based on an ambient light around the display panel. The backlight adjusting system includes a first calculator, a processor and a driver. The first calculator calculates a target display brightness value of the display panel based on an actual ambient brightness value of the ambient light, a predetermined optimal ambient brightness value of the ambient light, and a predetermined optimal display brightness value of the display panel determined according to the predetermined optimal ambient brightness value. The processor obtains a target pulse duty value based on the target display brightness value. The driver generates a driving signal based on the target pulse duty value utilizing pulse width modulation techniques for driving the light emitting element so as to adjust the backlight brightness of the light emitting element.
US08552966B2
Disclosed is checking a drive state of a backlight lamp of a liquid crystal display device and notifying to an external entity whether it is normally driven in which level or is difficult to be normally driven. The apparatus for displaying a drive state of a backlight in a liquid crystal display device includes an inverter for converting an inputted DC voltage into an AC voltage of a certain level, and outputting the same to a backlight lamp; a drive voltage detecting unit for detecting a drive voltage supplied to the backlight lamp from the inverter and outputting a detected signal according to the detected drive voltage; a drive current detecting unit for detecting a tube current of the backlight lamp and outputting a detected signal according to the detected tube current; a drive voltage control/drive state signal output unit for checking a drive state of the backlight lamp based on the two detected signals, and controlling the drive voltage outputted from the inverter based on the checked result as well as outputting a drive state signal for indicating the drive state; and a lamp drive state indicating unit for indicating in which drive state the backlight lamp is driven according to the drive state signal.
US08552965B2
To provide a liquid crystal display device capable of switching the range of viewing angles while being able to reduce the cost and thickness of the device, and to provide an electronic appliance having the same. The display device according to the present invention includes: a liquid crystal type display panel having a diffusive reflection part which diffusively reflects light irradiated from the front side while transmitting light from the back side; and a backlight source disposed on a back face of the display panel along the display panel for switchably outputting transmission light of different directivities.
US08552963B2
A control circuit may include a first feedback input terminal which receives the cathode terminal voltage of light-emitting elements from a current driving circuit as a feedback signal. Such an arrangement controls the ON/OFF state of a switching element such that the cathode terminal voltage approaches a predetermined voltage. A second feedback input terminal may be included to receive the anode terminal voltage of the light-emitting elements as a feedback signal. Such an arrangement controls the ON/OFF state of the switching element such that the anode terminal voltage does not exceed a predetermined threshold voltage. A feedback output terminal may be included of the current driving circuit which allows the cathode terminal voltage of the light-emitting elements to be input to a control circuit for the switching regulator as a feedback signal. The control circuit and the current driving circuit may be integrally provided in the form of separate semiconductor chips.
US08552948B2
The display device includes an output circuit, a threshold control circuit which sequentially selects one of a forward bias voltage and a reverse bias voltage, and a power supply control circuit which applies one of the forward bias voltage and the reverse bias voltage which is selected to a gate of a transistor included in the output circuit. Time in which the reverse bias voltage is applied to the gate of the transistor is determined in accordance with time in which the forward bias voltage is applied to the gate of the transistor.
US08552942B2
A LED drive circuit for SCR dimming including an external controller configured to receive AC voltage from a power network to convert the AC voltage to an AC voltage with a lacked phase by phase controlling the voltage through a thyristor, and a LED driver that includes a bridge rectifier configured to shape the AC voltage with the lacked phase output into a unidirectional pulse DC voltage, and a phase angle detecting circuit configured to shape the AC voltage signal output with lacked phase from the external controller into a saw-tooth wave pulse signal.
US08552939B2
Pixel circuit, display device, driving method of pixel circuit, and driving method of display device
A pixel circuit, disposed at a part where a scanning line and a signal line intersect each other, includes at least an electrooptic element, a drive transistor, a sampling transistor, and a retaining capacitance. The drive transistor has a gate connected to an input node, a source connected to an output node, and a drain connected to a predetermined power supply potential and supplies a driving current to the electrooptic element according to a signal potential retained in the retaining capacitance. The electrooptic element has one terminal connected to the output node and another terminal connected to a predetermined potential. The sampling transistor is connected between the input node and the signal line and operates when selected by the scanning line, samples an input signal from the signal line, and retains the input signal in the retaining capacitance. The retaining capacitance is connected to the input node. The pixel circuit further includes a compensating circuit which detects a decrease in the driving current from a side of the output node and feeds back a result of detection to a side of the input node to compensate for a decrease in the driving current, which decrease is attendant on a secular change of the drive transistor.
US08552938B2
A display device and a method of driving the same in which moving image blurring is prevented and a contrast ratio is enhanced by providing a light-emitting element, switching transistors, and a driving transistor with driving signals that include specific voltages at predetermined times, so that the light-emitting element does not emit light for an entire frame and the light output is not influenced by a threshold voltage of the driving transistor.
US08552933B2
The invention provides a light emitting device and an element substrate in which a luminance variation of light emitting elements among pixels due to variation in characteristics of driving transistors can be suppressed even without suppressing the off-current of a switching transistor low or increasing the capacitance of a capacitor. A gate of a first transistor is connected to a first scan line, and a gate of a second transistor is connected to a second scan line. A connection between a signal line and a gate of a third transistor is controlled by the first transistor. The second transistor and the third transistor are connected in series between a pixel electrode of a light emitting element and a power supply line. The signal line, the second scan line and the power supply line are disposed in parallel, while the first scan line is crossed with the signal line, the second scan line and the power supply line.
US08552928B2
Discrete flexible pixel assemblies can be hermetically sealed from the environment and can comprise unitary, self-contained replaceable modules which enable efficient, economical production of large scale, free-form electronic displays, signs and lighting effects for outdoor use. The method and means for producing hermetically sealed discrete flexible pixel assemblies can include encapsulation means, exterior encasement means, and cable connector means.
US08552925B2
When displaying one of a three-dimensional image and a two-dimensional image on a background and displaying the other image in a window, a flag bit indicating whether the first and second electrodes overlap the window is set. Waveforms differing according to the flag bit are applied to the first and second electrodes as pulses applied to the opposed first and second electrodes of a variable polarization cell. As a result, three-dimensional image display is partially conducted in the window and two-dimensional image display is conducted in areas other than the window. Or two-dimensional image display is partially conducted in the window and three-dimensional image display is conducted in areas other than the window.
US08552924B2
A LCD unit includes a plurality of LC panels stacked one on another. If a picture to be displayed on the LCD unit is a still picture, one of the LC panels consecutively scans plurality of rows of pixels in a direction opposite to the scanning direction of the rows of pixels in the rest of LC panels. If the picture is a moving picture, all the LC panels consecutively scans in the same direction.
US08552923B2
A projector control system includes a location measurement unit which measures location information of a projector; a projection information unit which generates projection information using the location information; a communication unit which transmits the projection information to the projector; and an image control unit which controls the projector to project an image according to the projection information.
US08552919B2
An antenna module is provided. The antenna module includes a radiator, a feed pin, a ground element, a first parasitic arm, a second parasitic arm and an impedance matching unit. The radiator includes a first section and a second section, wherein an end of the first section is connected to the second section, and the first section is perpendicular to the second section. The feed pin is connected to another end of the first section. The first parasitic arm is parallel to the second section, wherein an end of first parasitic arm is connected to the ground element, and the first parasitic arm couples with the second section of the radiator. The impedance matching unit is connected to the second section and the ground element. The second parasitic arm is partially parallel to the first section, and the second parasitic arm couples with the first section of the radiator, and an end of the second parasitic arm is connected to the ground element.
US08552911B2
In an automatic tuning system for a loop antenna having a single electronically variable reactance element, the reactive component sense of the antenna impedance is determined over a wide range of frequency. The electronically variable reactance component of the antenna is automatically minimized by a feedback loop driving a voltage variable capacitance until the reactive component of the antenna impedance is virtually zero and the antenna impedance is hence resistive. The adjustment of the electronically variable capacitance is by a variable high voltage power supply controlled by a feedback amplifier or by a high voltage feedback amplifier.
US08552905B2
The technology described herein includes a system and/or a method of automated layout of beams. The method includes generating a plurality of boundary positions along boundaries of an image frame. The method further includes determining a start location for a first beam within the plurality of boundary positions based on at least one of a mapping priority, direction of movement of a beam platform, and speed of movement of the beam platform. The method further includes modifying the plurality of boundary positions based on the start location. The method further includes determining a second location for a second beam within the modified plurality of boundary positions based on at least one of a mapping priority, direction of movement of a beam platform, and speed of movement of the beam platform. The method further includes modifying the modified plurality of boundary positions based on the second location.
US08552899B2
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a first analog signal at a first input; receiving a second analog signal at a second input; mixing the first analog signal with a first oscillator signal having a first frequency; mixing the second analog signal with a second oscillator signal having a second frequency; converting a sum signal to a digital signal; generating a first control signal based on a first digital value of a first function and the digital signal; and generating a second control signal based on a second digital value of a second function and the digital signal.
US08552885B2
An emergency service warning system is described herein that is arranged to warn a user of approach of emergency services. The system includes movable emergency service transmitters (T) and at least one receiver (M, R), arranged to receive signals transmitted by the emergency service transmitters (T). The system is provided with at least one stationary emergency service communication device (M) for the purpose of communication with the emergency service transmitter (T) utilizing emergency service signals. The system includes at least one user receiver (R) which is arranged to detect emergency service signals and to deliver a warning signal upon detection of an emergency service signal.
US08552884B2
A power and signal distribution system comprises a converter unit connected to a plurality of control units. The converter unit and the control units are arranged in areas difficult to access, for instance on the sea bed. The converter unit is connected to a remote monitoring and supplying device via at least one cable connection. Each control unit has assigned thereto at least one production apparatus for crude oil or natural gas corresponding gate valves, chokes, biops, actuators.In some embodiments, the power and signal distribution system the converter unit comprises a data separation device and a voltage converter. The converted voltage from the voltage converter is transmitted together with data/signals from the converter unit to at least one of the control units.
US08552883B1
An electronic three-dimensional (3D) surface device for creating tactile physical 3D images featuring hydraulic cylinders disposed in a base; fiber optic rods slidably disposed in each hydraulic cylinder which utilize a hydraulic mechanism to move the fiber optic rod upwardly and downwardly, the fiber optic rod comprises a colored light source; a microprocessor operatively connected to the hydraulic cylinders and colored light sources; and a device independent bitmap (DIB) file format and a computer software system configured to read the DIB file format, the DIB file format represents a tactile physical 3D image; wherein the microprocessor is configured to receive input signals from the computer software system based on the DIB file format, wherein the microprocessor sends output commands to hydraulic cylinders and colored light sources to modify height and color of the respective fiber optic rods based on the DIB file format to create the tactile physical 3D image.
US08552882B2
Embodiments described herein relate to proximity detection systems and a method for internal traffic control in a work zone. In various embodiments, magnetic field generators generate respective oscillating magnetic fields for detection by magnetic field detectors. The magnetic field detectors generate a signal for providing a visual and/or audible warning to operators in response to detecting the magnetic field.
US08552881B2
A method (600, 700) for providing situational awareness to a first individual using a first electronic device (102, 106, 108, 112). The method comprises generating a situational awareness display (400, 500) comprising a first image (404a, 404b, 404c, 504a, 504b, . . . , 504e) of a second individual using a second electronic device and information indicating a location of the second individual relative to the first individual. The situational awareness display is then displayed on the display screen of the first electronic device and/or the second electronic device. The situational awareness display can be generated and displayed prior to, concurrent with or subsequent to the start of a call. The image may be highlighted or otherwise marked to show when the second individual is speaking during the call. Additional images of individuals can be displayed within the situational awareness display if the call is a group call.
US08552880B2
An ambulatory infusion pump can include a guided user help system that allows for a user to correct an error with the pump without needing to summon a home healthcare aide or other medical professional. When an error occurs with the pump, the user can select an option to receive help with the error. The help screen can display a possible solution for correcting the error that the user can follow. Additional help screens can display additional possible solutions if prior possible solution prove ineffective at correcting the problem.
US08552876B2
An intelligent wire connector carrying a microprocessor for transmitting information and/or sensing conditions proximate the wire connector wherein information from the microprocessor may be transmitted to a remote location in either a wireless mode or indirectly through an electrical wire, which is secured in the wire connector.
US08552871B2
Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for sensing photoplethysmogram and fall. According to the present invention, the apparatus and for sensing photoplethysmogram and fall may include: a sensor unit that senses acceleration and photoplethysmogram; a photoplethysmogram/fall determining module that synthetically tests sensed acceleration signals and photoplethysmogram signals sensed by the sensor unit to determine whether emergency occurs due to fall or emergency occurs due to photoplethysmogram; and a communication module that transmits the test results.
US08552862B2
A system and a method for detecting multi-level intrusion events are provided. The system includes an area recognition module and an area classification module. The area recognition module performs a geometric topology operation to recognize a plurality of areas in a ground plane that has a plurality of boundaries and a plurality of gates, and each of the areas is constituted of at least one of the boundaries and at least one of the gates. The area classification module defines a plurality of security levels and classifies each of the areas recognized by the area recognition module as one of the security levels. Accordingly, the system is able to automatically recognize the areas in the ground plane, set the security levels of the areas, and generate the corresponding detection areas and tripwires according to the security levels of the areas.
US08552861B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for a biodegradable sensor device for mesh networking applications. In an embodiment of the invention, a biodegradable sensor device for mesh networking applications is provided. The device includes a frame formed of biodegradable material such as a mixture of polylactic acid and a resin, a biodegradable battery such as a flexible biodegradable lithium ion battery, an antenna, an environmental event detector formed from biodegradable material responsive to a change in environmental conditions, and signal generating circuitry configured to be responsive to detecting an environmental event by broadcasting a signal to other sensor devices in a mesh network and also to re-broadcast signals received from other sensor devices in the mesh network.
US08552859B2
Methods and apparatuses are disclosed that allow an electronic device to autonomously adapt one or more user alerts to the current operating environment of the electronic device. For example, some embodiments may include a method comprising providing a plurality of alert devices in an electronic device, determining an operating environment of the electronic device using a sensor of the electronic device, and actuating at least one of the plurality of alert devices that corresponds to the determined operating environment.
US08552848B2
A vehicle is equipped with blind spot detection and rear crossing path collision warning system. Programmable maximum range limit radar sensors mounted on the vehicle are used to provide blind spot object detection warning when the vehicle is traveling in a forward direction and rear crossing path collision warning when the vehicle is traveling in a rearward direction.
US08552839B2
An approach is provided for managing network addressable radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. A management agent collects data from a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag that is assigned a network address for visibility within a data network. The agent generates a management message including the data for transmission over the data network to a manager configured to communicate with the agent using a management protocol.
US08552837B2
A method and apparatus is provided for data transmission in RFID and remote sensor systems with at least one reader and a plurality of transponders or remote sensors being located in an electromagnetic field of the reader, in which a multipart return link header containing transmission parameters for the return link, such as timing or modulation references, is transmitted at the beginning of a return link transmission of useful data from a transponder or sensor to a reader. A relative time duration of individual subsymbols of the return link header is modified to select a data transfer mode from among a number of different data transfer modes. A combination of different return link transmission mechanisms is thereby possible, whereby these are mutually compatible and moreover are simple to realize in terms of circuitry and control engineering.
US08552833B2
A security system is provided for managing information stored on mobile wireless devices upon exit from a building. The security system includes an exit system and a device management system. The exit system is configured to detect that a user has requested to exit a building. The exit system is also configured to detect that a particular mobile wireless device is in proximity to the user. The device management system is configured to determine, based upon policy data that specifies attributes of information that should not be removed from the building on mobile wireless devices, information on the mobile wireless device that is to be rendered inaccessible. The device management system is further configured to cause the determined information on the mobile wireless device to be rendered inaccessible. Rendering information on the mobile wireless device inaccessible may include, for example, deleting the information, encrypting the information or re-encrypting the information.
US08552830B2
An amorphous transformer which includes an amorphous core formed of an amorphous material with a lap provided at an upper portion and allowed to stand in substantially a vertical direction while being supported at a core support member, and a coil which is fitted with the amorphous core. The core support member is formed by integrating a core support member for supporting a side surface of the amorphous core and a corner support member for supporting a corner portion of the core. The core support member is provided in substantially a vertical direction along at least one of the side surfaces of the core.
US08552828B1
In accordance with an embodiment, a transformer includes a first coil disposed in a first conductive layer on a first side of a first dielectric layer, and a second coil disposed in a second conductive layer on a second side of the first dielectric layer. Each coil has a first end disposed inside its respective coil and a second end disposed at an outer perimeter of its respective coil. A first crossover disposed in the second conductive layer is directly connected to the first end of the first coil and extends past the outer perimeter of the first coil. In addition, a second crossover disposed in the first conductive layer is directly connected to the first end of the second coil and extends past the outer perimeter of the second coil.
