US08695111B2
Method for producing a probe for atomic force microscopy with a silicon nitride cantilever and an integrated single crystal silicon tetrahedral tip with high resonant frequencies and low spring constants intended for high speed AFM imaging.
US08695109B2
A system and method for optically imaging a sample. The method and system uses a controlled scatterer of light positioned in the near field of a sample. The extinguished power from an incident field, which illuminates both the sample and the controlled scatterer, is then measured as a function of the controlled scatterer position and is used to mathematically reconstruct an image of the sample.
US08695107B2
An information processing device includes a replacement function of a system unit in a partition and a TPM (trusted platform module) function in the system unit. The system unit sets the TPM to valid or invalid and a management unit sets a reserved system board in the partition. The TPM setting information of the system unit and the reserved setting information of the system unit by the management unit are notified each other and are exclusive controlled. It is effectively possible to execute a reserved SB function, which integrates the reserved system board and re-starts without manual operation even though using a system unit which mounts the trusted platform module.
US08695103B2
Recording data has content data and navigation control data to enable a legitimate player to navigate the content data. The recording data has a content data set and a spurious data set that is difficult to distinguish from the content data set but will ignored by a legitimate player. The content data is associated with the content data set and the spurious data set. The spurious data set may be associated with control data that inhibit playing or correct playing of the content data. A ghost structure such as a ghost video title set my be provided by causing information in at least one of the video title set information, video manager information and the volume information file structure to reference a non-existent video title set or not reference an existing video title set. The recording medium may be an optical disc such as a DVD or its precursors.
US08695098B2
Method to detect security vulnerabilities includes: interacting with a web application during its execution to identify a web page exposed by the web application; statically analyzing the web page to identify a parameter within the web page that is constrained by a client-side validation measure and that is to be sent to the web application; determining a server-side validation measure to be applied to the parameter in view of the constraint placed upon the parameter by the client-side validation measure; statically analyzing the web application to identify a location within the web application where the parameter is input into the web application; determining whether the parameter is constrained by the server-side validation measure prior to the parameter being used in a security-sensitive operation; and identifying the parameter as a security vulnerability.
US08695093B2
A system and method of external link processing is disclosed. The system includes an interface configured to receive a user request to access an encoded external link in networked content. The encoded external link comprises a domain name of an external link server and an encoded portion which is an encoded result of an original external link encoded with an encoding function, wherein the original external link is an address to an external destination. One or more processors determine a safety level of the encoded external link using a criterion. In the event that the determined safety level of the encoded external link is determined unsafe, a warning message is generated indicating that the original external link is unsafe and the user is prevented from directly navigating to the original external link.
US08695090B2
A method and apparatus for classifying behavior of an application based on its data access pattern is described. In one embodiment, the method includes monitoring file access events associated with an application, and determining whether at least one of the file access events indicates the application's attempt to manipulate data of a file. If at least one file access event indicates the application's attempt to manipulate the data within the file, then at least one action is caused to be performed.
US08695080B2
When transmitting position/time information calculated by means of a GPS function to a server apparatus, authentication is carried out with the server apparatus. The position/time information may be certified as legitimate measured by a portable apparatus with a GPS reception function employed by a user. When transmitting information related to the position and the time acquired from a portable phone terminal having the GPS function and a network function by means of the GPS function to the server apparatus, authentication is carried out between the portable phone terminal and the server apparatus. The position/time information is transmitted to the server apparatus, only if the server apparatus is authenticated as a legitimate counterpart for connection.
US08695062B2
A computer-implemented authentication protocol is used to subvert man-in-the-middle-type attacks on communications between software components that are permitted to interoperate within a processing environment, such as a media processing environment, pursuant to one or more licenses. In one exemplary scenario, a particular application transmits to a particular media processing component (“MPC”), among other things, a cryptographically protected message including a reference to a process in which the application is running and/or a GUID that the application used to invoke the MPC. If the received process and/or GUID are verified, it is possible for in-the-clear communication to occur between the application and the MPC without man-in-the-middle subversion.
US08695061B2
A document process system, which includes: an authentication section that authenticates an operator of an operation target document; an extraction section that extracts specific information for setting operation restriction information of the document; a setting section that sets the operation restriction information of the document based on authentication information of the operator authenticated by the authentication section and the specific information extracted by the extraction section; and a generation section that generates a protected document to which the operation restriction information is set by the setting section based on the operation target document.
US08695055B2
A splitter circuit means for use with a CATV network comprising: a first signal input for receiving a CATV signal; a first splitter for splitting the CATV signal into a first split signal and a second split signal; a second signal input for receiving a MoCA signal; a second splitter for splitting the MoCA signal into a third split signal and a fourth split signal; a first diplex filter arranged to lowpass filter the first split signal and highpass filter the third split signal and to combine said filtered signals into a first combined signal to be supplied in a first output; and a second diplex filter arranged to lowpass filter the second split signal and highpass filter the fourth split signal and to combine said filtered signals into a second combined signal to be supplied in a second output.
US08695054B2
A system may receive a video asset from a content provider. The system may process the video asset to allow a video provisioning system to distribute the video asset to a set top box and another device that is a different type of device than the set top box. Processing the video asset may include verifying that the video asset conforms to one or more predetermined formats, decrypting the video asset, verifying that the video asset complies with a particular standard of quality, or transcoding the video asset in a manner that is supported by the set top box and the other device. The system may store the transcoded video asset.
US08695045B2
An event trigger data string is formulated and added to digital content for distribution to an audience via broadcast, satellite, cable or any other technology. The event trigger data string includes identification of an event source, identification of an operation to be performed, and a payload. A controller reads the data string and outputs a command to an appropriate event source for alteration of a digital content stream based upon the identified operation. The payload may, for example, identify an advertisement or notice to be spliced into or out of the digital content stream. Such event trigger data strings may be added to many different digital content streams, and a router or switching component may distribute the streams to systems that disseminate them to the audience. The technique enables interaction with different event sources, and allows command of multiple different operations by these event sources.
US08695043B2
The present invention relates to methods and systems for transmitting information over different information networks and in particular to a method for transmitting information in an integrated telecommunications and broadcast system. The method for transmitting information across the integrated telecommunications and broadcast system incorporating a cellular network and a broadcast network with a plurality of broadcast content providers connectable to transmitter/receiver equipment installed at least one base station of the cellular network, consists of broadcast content generation by broadcast content providers, connecting the broadcast content providers to an internal IP network for broadcast program distribution, transfer of the broadcast content from the broadcast content providers by means of the internal IP network via communication links and line transmission equipment of the cellular network, transmission of cellular network information over the communication links and line transmission equipment of the cellular network, generation of a combined information stream of the broadcast content information and information of the cellular network for its transmission to at least one base station of the cellular network, separation of independent streams—the cellular network information stream and the broadcast network information stream from said combined stream, and transmission of the separated independent information streams to the above-mentioned transmitter/receiver equipment for their further transmission over appropriate independent channels to subscribers of the integrated telecommunications and broadcast system, located within the coverage area of the integrated system.
US08695042B2
Method and system for enabling users to perform self-service operations in interactive TV environments. In one embodiment, the method enables users to select and activate programming channels via a content receiving device, thereby eliminating the need for the users to have to call a call center or content provider to activate previously unavailable or inaccessible content. Using a set of interactive screens, the user is enabled to view programming channel information, including comparative information. In one embodiment, the method assists users who are moving to activate/reactive programming and content services. For example, options are provided to enable the user to schedule service work, disconnect and activate services, and other activities connected with the move. In another embodiment, the method enables a user to select a programming channel based on channels that are recommended by the system. Historic usage patterns, including viewing habits and attempts to access unavailable content are analyzed to determine which programming channels should be recommended for the user.
US08695039B2
A digital television (DTV) data stream includes an event information table (EIT), the EIT including: a descriptor including: a descriptor tag identifying the descriptor as a genre descriptor, a descriptor length field, and at least one category code for an associated event in a DTV data stream.
US08695038B2
Systems and methods are provided for customizing the display of interactive television overlays. A condition related to the display of an overlay on top of video for a television channel may be defined for each of a plurality of television channels. A default set of information types for an interactive television overlay (e.g., a FLIP overlay, a BROWSE overlay, etc.) may be defined for the plurality of television channels. When the overlay is displayed on top of video for a given television channel of the plurality of television channels, the overlay may include information of the default set of information types. One or more television channels of the plurality of television channels may be identified as channels for which the default set of information types does not apply (e.g., channels for which the overlay is not displayed or for which a custom set of information types is defined).
US08695035B2
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus with improved operatability. With the information processing apparatus in which the user is capable of watching a television program and connecting to the Internet, the index panel 1 shows channel buttons 2 to be operated to select a desired program, a site button 71 to be operated to make an access to site A available on the Internet and a site button 72 to be operated to make an access to site B on the Internet. The present invention allows the user to watch a television program and can be applied to an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer, which can be connected to the Internet.
US08695032B2
In a method for delivering targeted television advertisements based on online behavior, IP addresses indicating online access devices and IP addresses indicating television set-top boxes are electronically associated for a multitude of users. Using user profile information derived from online activity from one of the online access IP addresses, a television advertisement is selected, such as by using behavioral targeting or demographic information, and automatically directed to the set-top box indicated by the set-top IP address associated with that online access IP address. Preferably neither the user profile information nor the electronic association of online access and set-top box IP addresses includes personally identifiable information.
US08695028B2
Access to media content is restricted. A message may be sent to a remote computer requesting access to the media content, wherein the message is based at least in part on user input. A response to the message may be received from the remote computer. It may be determined whether to provide access to the media content based on the response.
US08695002B2
An apparatus is provided comprising at least two processing entities. Shared resources are usable by a first and a second processing entity. A use of the shared resources is detected, and the execution of instructions associated with said processing entities is controlled based on the detection.
US08694999B2
Described is a method for determining whether a first partition selected to run in a time window is a member of a transaction, the transaction including at least one further partition, determining a tail partition from among the at least one further partition and scheduling the tail partition to run in the time window. A transaction scheduler having a transaction determination module determining whether a first partition selected to run in a time window is a member of a transaction, the transaction including at least one further partition, a tail determination module determining a tail partition from among the at least one further partition and a scheduling module scheduling the tail partition to run in the time window.
US08694989B1
A virtual installation process and supporting environment. The virtual installation process may be considered a two-stage installation process. In the first stage a pseudo-installation may occur in which a user is provided an installation experience by a virtual installation environment that stores changes to be made as a result of the installation process. In the second stage of the installation process, the changes that were previously stored may be made to the host system. These changes may include changes to the registry, filesystem and/or any other host system components. The second stage may be initiated by a user attempting to launch the application for the first time. Other triggers may also be supported.
US08694982B2
A method and apparatus are provided that allow the user to quickly load new versions of applications on a scan tool. The latest versions of the applications that a scan tool can operate are loaded onto a memory device. The scan tool verifies which versions of the applications are authorized and allows the scan tool to only access information related to the authorized versions.
US08694976B2
Method, apparatus and system embodiments provide support for multiple SoEMT software threads on multiple SMT logical thread contexts. A sleep state mechanism maintains a current value of an element of architecture state for each physical thread. The current value corresponds to an active virtual thread currently running on the physical thread. The sleep state mechanism also maintains sleep values of the architecture state element for each inactive thread. The active and inactive values may be maintained in a cross-bar configuration. Upon a read of the architecture state element, simplified mux logic selects among the current values to provide the current value for the appropriate active thread. Upon a thread switch, control logic associated with the sleep state mechanism swaps the active state value for the current thread with the inactive state value for the new thread.
US08694969B2
A method, system, and/or computer-readable medium analyzes problems in a software factory. Factory metrics that describe resources and operations within the software factory are collected and analyzed to detect problems that might have occurred during an execution of a work packet within the software factory. If the detected problems exceed one or more threshold criteria, then a detailed analysis of the detected problems is performed by matching each detected problem to one or more specific root causes through an analysis of the factory process building blocks.
US08694968B2
This invention provides a mobile device ecosystem that is simpler than existing options for all of its participants regardless of their role or business model. The ecosystem includes a mobile device and operating software development kit and store, both of which are implemented as web-based services such that creation, testing, and distribution of customized mobile devices, as well as discovery, investigation, and delivery of same, can all be performed using a standard web browser and includes features that facilitate communication, interaction, community, and sharing among and between creators, users, and other interested parties. The device and operating software store is also not specific to any mobile device brand or brand group, and integrates with both branded and independent application stores. The web-based development kit and store are integrated with one another such that creation of new devices, operating software packages, and applications can be accelerated by incorporation or customization of existing items or components thereof.
US08694967B2
User interface elements are identified and cataloged into a user interface inventory database keyed on a global user interface element identifier. Information is collected for user interface elements activated in an executing application or applications. Scenario information is collected and is used to update the user interface inventory database. Scenario information includes information concerning user interface element usage, state changes, etc. in time. The described information can be collected over a period of time and from a number of different computer systems. The information can be analyzed to determine and quantify usage and testing of user interface elements. The analyzed information can be used to determine how thoroughly a user interface element has been tested, how often the user interface element works as expected, most commonly used user interface elements and other information. The collected information can be used to track, quantify and identify ownership of user interface elements.
US08694962B2
Techniques for using one or more aspect-oriented parallelism primitives to implement one or more aspects of a program in parallel are provided. The techniques include using one or more aspect-oriented parallelism primitives to implement one or more aspects of a program in parallel, wherein implementing the one or more aspects of a program in parallel comprises implementing the one or more aspects of a program in parallel on a multi-core processor.
US08694960B2
A computer-implemented method, a computer system and a computer program product are for displaying a user interface component according to an implementation language independent description of the user interface component are provided. The method may comprise selecting, based on a characteristic of the implementation language independent description, a description parser and receiving the implementation language independent description, and determining an implementation language for displaying the user interface component. Also, the method may comprise parsing, by the description parser, the implementation language independent description, identifying a presentation rule, and selecting a set of instructions for processing the parsed description. In addition, the method may comprise processing the parsed description according to the set of instructions in order to create an implementation language dependent specification of the user interface component. The user interface component may be displayed according to the implementation language dependent specification.
US08694959B2
The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or method that facilitates creating a portion of an industrial process. An interface component can receive a first portion of data associated with a first programming language and a second portion of data associated with a second programming language, wherein the first programming language is independent and disparate of the second programming language. An editor component can create at least one of a portion of an industrial process or a portion of a mixed language object by enabling the combination of the first portion of data and the second portion of data independent of the respective programming languages.
US08694943B1
Disclosed are methods and systems for implementing constraint and connectivity aware physical designs. The method or system provides a connectivity-aware environment to implement electronic designs. For example, the method interactively determines whether an electronic design complies with various constraints by using connectivity information in a nearly real-time manner while the electronic design is being created in some embodiments. The method or system uses the connectivity information provided by a connectivity engine or specified by designers to present feedback to a user as to whether a newly created object or a newly modified object complies or violates certain relevant constraints in an interactive manner or in nearly real-time without having to perform such constraints checking in batch mode. The method further enables one to implement electronic designs by using connectivity information without performing extraction on layouts or rebuilding nets.
US08694938B2
Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are provided for modeling a discrete device as a macro device. That is, the discrete device can comprise one or more parasitic elements, such as parasitic resistances and/or capacitances. Because values of the parasitic elements are unknown during pre-simulation of the discrete device, the discrete device can be modeled as a macro device, which can be used during pre-simulation to take into account the parasitic elements. For example, specified parameters, such as channel length, can be used to obtain a set of RC values that specify predicted values for the one or more parasitic elements of the discrete device. The discrete device can be modeled as the macro device using the set of RC values. In this way, the macro device can be used during pre-simulation to take into account the parasitic effects of parasitic elements of the discrete device.
US08694937B2
A method of manufacturing an electronic circuit employing a flexible ramptime limit and an electronic circuit are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes: (1) physically synthesizing a logical representation of an electronic circuit employing flexible ramptime limits, (2) performing a timing test on the physically synthesized electronic circuit employing the flexible ramptime limits and a processor and (3) determining if there is a violation of the flexible ramptime limits.
US08694929B2
A method and an apparatus for determining the position of a structure on a mask for microlithography, in which the position is determined by comparing an aerial image, measured by a recording device, of a portion of the mask with an aerial image determined by simulation. The position determination includes carrying out a plurality of such comparisons which differ from one another with regard to the input parameters of the simulation.
US08694922B2
The invention relates to a method for displaying a settings menu. In order to optimize the graphical representation of setting carried out by a spectator, the method comprises steps for: displaying said settings menu comprising a three-dimensional graphical element of which one of the dimensions extends according to a depth direction (z), displaying, on said graphical element, of at least one setting representative of at least one item of depth information.
US08694912B2
A method of generating a user interface for an application includes storing a profile for a user of the application, where the profile contains information that relates to a function of the user in an organization and personal information for the user, selecting elements to include in the user interface based on the profile, and building the user interface using the elements.
US08694908B2
Described is a system and method for visually delineating a relationship between diverse, but related graphical objects in a graphical user interface. An icon that has specified color scheme is associated with the diverse, but related graphical objects. When one of the related graphical objects is displayed, the icon is displayed within the displayed graphical object. The persistence of the icon with the specified color scheme in the displayed graphical objects allows them to be recognized as related.
US08694905B2
A model-driven display for displaying metric annotations on a resource/relationship graph. Upon detecting selection of a set of computer resources in a system management graph, annotation options available to the selected set of computer resources are retrieved from an object model, wherein the object model defines computer resources in a data processing system and relationships among the computer resources, and wherein the annotation options represent resource metrics collected for the computer resources, A menu is created using the annotation options for the selected set of computer resources and displayed to a user in the graphical user interface. When selection of a set of annotation options in the menu is detected, the system management graph is updated to display annotations, corresponding to the selected set of annotation options, for the selected set or computer resources. The updated system management graph is then displayed to the user in the graphical user interface.
US08694901B2
An inventive system and method for determining and presenting contextual suggestions on a mobile device is presented. The invention comprises a server having an incoming context handler, and a context presentation manager, a notifier, and a goal resolution component all on the mobile device, and user context, wherein the incoming context handler emits an event toward the mobile device, the goal resolution component determines the event causes a change in the user context and forwards notification to the context presentation manager, the notifier receives notification, renders notification on the mobile device, and presents the contextual suggestions based on the change in the user context on the mobile device. The system may further comprise a goal inferral component operable to determine detailed user context based on the event. In one embodiment, the notifier renders notification by causing the mobile device to vibrate, display multiple colors and/or emit sounds.
US08694897B2
A layout converter for converting a layout of a display screen on which display areas for a plurality of software components are arranged can include a detection unit for detecting a plurality of target display areas having a predetermined arrangement relationship from the plurality of display areas. The layout converter further can include a generation unit for generating a container, in which display contents of the plurality of target display areas are unified and displayed within one unified display area, and adding the container to the layout of the display screen.
US08694896B2
An online collaborative story system allows multiple people to collaborate on creating a story by contributing content of various types to a server computer, where it is voted on by the collaborators or a designated editor to create the finished story. Additionally, one or more of the collaborators can be rewarded for their participation in the story.
US08694885B2
A keyboard input method and an assistant system thereof are provided. In the present method, first, an assistant on-screen keyboard program is launched and an input signal is received. Then, if it is determined that the input signal represents an input character, whether the input character leads to an input error is determined according to an input method of an electronic device. If the input character leads to the input error, a keyboard position of the key corresponding to the input character is obtained, and a partial area of an assistant on-screen keyboard is displayed according to the position, wherein the partial area includes the key corresponding to the input character.
US08694881B2
Upon closing and/or saving a file, a user may view changes made to the file.
US08694879B1
An automotive sensor reads from memory previously stored back-calculated diagnostic-code values for which a fixed cyclic-redundancy-check (“CRC”) value is valid and transmits the previously stored back-calculated diagnostic-code values read from memory each paired together with the fixed CRC value.
US08694875B2
A method is provided for receiving a signal. The method includes receiving a signal transmitted in a radio frequency (RF) band including at least one RF channel, demodulating the received signal, parsing a preamble of a signal frame including layer-1 information from the demodulated signal, deinterleaving bits of the layer-1 information, decoding the deinterleaved bits using an error correction decoding scheme including a shortening scheme and a puncturing scheme and obtaining physical layer pipes (PLPs) from the signal frame using the error-correction-decoded layer-1 information.
US08694873B2
Disclosed is an error correcting method which includes detecting an error of meta data having a seed used to randomize user data; correcting the error of the meta data when the error is detected from the meta data; receiving the user data based upon seed confirmation information associated with an error existence of the seed or an error correction result of the seed; detecting an error of the user data; and correcting the error of the user data when the error is detected from the user data.
US08694872B2
An embodiment of the invention provides a method of correcting 2 bits and detecting three bit using an extended bidirectional Hamming code. A data word with length K=2m−1 is received. A code word with length N=2m−1+2m+1 is generated from the data word in accordance with the extended bidirectional Hamming code defined by the following parity check matrix: H = [ 1 1 … 1 1 α … α N - 1 1 α - 1 … α - N + 1 ] . The number of parity bit is given by (2m+1).
US08694866B2
MDS (maximum distance separable) array codes are widely used in storage systems to protect data against erasures. The rebuilding ratio problem is addressed and efficient parity codes are proposed. A controller as disclosed is configured for receiving configuration data at the controller that indicates operating features of the array and determining a parity code for operation of the array according to a permutation, wherein the configuration data specifies the array as comprising nodes defined by A=(ai,j) with size rm×k for some integers k,m, and wherein for T={v0 , . . . , Vk-1} ⊂Zrm a subset of vectors of size k, where for each v=(v1, . . . , vm)∈T, gcd (v1, . . . , vm, r), where gcd is the greatest common divisor, such that for any l, 0≦l≦r−1, and v ∈T, the code values are determined by the permutation fvl:[0,rm−1]→[0,rm−1]by fvl(x)=x+lv.
US08694863B2
The disclosed embodiments relate to a Flash-based memory module having high-speed serial communication. The Flash-based memory module comprises, among other things, a plurality of I/O modules, each configured to communicate with an external device over one or more external communication links, a plurality of Flash-based memory cards, each comprising a plurality of Flash memory devices, and a plurality of crossbar switching elements, each being connected to a respective one of the Flash-based memory cards and configured to allow each one of the I/O modules to communicate with the respective one of the Flash-based memory cards. Each I/O module is connected to each crossbar switching element by a high-speed serial communication link, and each crossbar switching element is connected to the respective one of the Flash-based memory cards by a plurality of parallel communication links.
US08694856B2
Systems for generating an identifying response pattern comprising a memory (120) used as a physically unclonable function configured for generating a response pattern dependent on physical, at least partially random characteristics of said memory may be vulnerable to freezing attacks and to aging. A memory-overwriting device (110) configured for overwriting at least a first portion of the plurality of memory locations to obscure the response pattern in the memory avoids freezing attacks. An anti-degradation device (160) configured to write to each respective location of a second portion of the plurality of memory locations an inverse of a response previously read from the memory reduces the effects of aging.
US08694855B1
A data storage device reads a data unit from a memory page, detects a number of data bit errors in the data unit, and generates a bit error indicator identifying bit indexes of the data bit errors in the data unit. The data storage device reads the data unit from the memory page once again and generates a corrected data unit by correcting data bit errors in the data unit based on the error correction code if the number of data bit errors in the data unit does not exceed an error correction capacity of the error correction code. Otherwise, the data storage device generates a modified data unit based on the data unit by negating at least one erroneous data bit the data unit based on the bit error indicator and corrects any remaining data bit errors in the modified data unit based on the error correction code.
US08694853B1
A method for data storage includes, in a memory system that stores data by programming analog memory cells to respective programming states selected from a predefined set, providing a first read command that retrieves the data stored in target memory cells, and a second read command that identifies at least one potentially-interfering memory cell that is programmed to a programming state in a predefined subset of programming states expected to cause interference. Given data is stored in a first group of the memory cells. After storing the given data, the given data is retrieved by reading the first group using the first read command, reading a second group of the memory cells using the second read command, and compensating for the interference caused to the first group by the memory cells in the second group that were identified by the second read command.
US08694850B1
A method, computer-readable medium storing instructions, and apparatus for decoding column codewords of a two-dimensional product code having intersecting row and column codewords is presented that reduces the number of computations needed to decode a column codeword. The method includes computing an error location polynomial for all column codewords based on known failure locations in intersecting row codewords, computing a syndrome polynomial for each column codeword, and correcting errors in the column codeword according to error evaluation values generated based on the syndrome polynomial and the stored error location polynomial.
US08694829B2
A first confirmation unit performs a first confirmation of confirming presence of a connection to a correspondent node in a first communication layer, presence of a connection to a correspondent node in a second communication layer, and presence of a connection to a correspondent node in a third communication layer. A locating unit locates a failure point in communication based on a result of the first confirmation. An output unit outputs a result of the location.
US08694828B2
Techniques for creating a fault tolerant system in a virtual machine environment utilize a primary VM and a backup VM. To initialize the fault tolerant system, the backup VM and primary VM start from the same state. To achieve this in one embodiment, the primary VM is suspended and the state of the primary VM is copied to the backup VM. Once the backup VM has received all the primary VM's state, the primary VM is resumed. Subsequent state changes of the primary VM are buffered until the backup VM resumes, connects to the primary VM, and starts consuming the buffered content. Thereafter, synchronization is maintained by the primary VM's writing relevant state changes to a log and the backup VM's reading such relevant state changes from the log.
US08694825B2
A mechanism is provided for protecting storage fabrics from an errant device causing a single point of failure. The mechanism identities a source of the out-of-context traffic, isolates the TAG to prevent further catastrophe, and ensures that device isolation control operations are processed timely allowing device isolation and removing the source of the issue. Should device isolation not solve the issue, the mechanism allows the host to use a binary search method to isolate the device that may be hiding its true identity and sourcing possibly malicious traffic.
US08694815B2
A power supply control apparatus that includes an instruction component, an execution component and a power supply control component is provided. The power supply control component is equipped with at least two measurement functions that have different measurement durations for cases in which the duration until interrupting the power supply to device(s) is measured, wherein measurement is activated with a first measurement function of relatively long measurement duration at a completion time of prior image processing, and measurement is activated with a second measurement function of relatively short measurement duration for device(s) to which power is being supplied at the time of completion of the prior image processing but which are not required in later image processing.
US08694789B2
A system and method for generating a non-repudiatable record of a communications data stream is provided, which is applicable to real-time and quasi-real-time data streams. A binary communication data stream is captured and segmented into defined frames. A key frame is generated for each of a number of data frames containing integrity and authentication information. The key frame is inserted into the data stream to provide an authenticated data stream.
US08694778B2
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed toward a method that includes a physically-unclonable function (PUF) device that receives a communication that includes a first challenge value, a second challenge value and a remote message authenticity value. The method includes the generation of additional challenge-response pairs in a secure manner. The additional challenge-response pairs are securely communicated between the PUF device and an authenticating server or other device for subsequent use in authentication.
US08694777B2
Embodiments of the present invention allow for “end-user” provisioned instances to securely identify themselves beyond a simple user ID and password. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention use a multi-part security approach that includes (among other things): an identifying key (e.g., a shared private key) known by the cloud security system and the instance; and at least one additional security factor such as an identifier found in TCP/IP packets (e.g., an internet protocol address). In a typical embodiment, a request for an instance (e.g., a virtual machine) is received, and a template (e.g., an image) corresponding to the requested instance is identified. From this template, the instance is provisioned. Under the embodiments of the present invention, the instance will be provisioned to include a security key. When a request is thereafter received from the instance, the request is validated using the security key and the additional security factor(s).
US08694771B2
A method of verifying public parameters from a trusted center in an identity-based encryption system prior to encrypting a plaintext message by a sender having a sender identity string may include: identifying the trusted center by a TC identity string, the trusted center having an identity-based public encryption key of the trusted center based on the TC identity string; determining if the sender has a sender private key and the public parameters for the trusted center including the public encryption key of the trusted center and a bilinear map; and verifying the public parameters using the TC identity string prior to encrypting the plaintext message into a ciphertext by comparing values of the bilinear map calculated with variables from the trusted center. The ciphertext may include a component to authenticate the sender once the ciphertext is received and decrypted by the recipient using the private key of the recipient.
US08694761B2
In some embodiments, the invention involves using a policy engine during boot, in the driver execution environment (DXE) phases to authenticate that drivers and executable images to be loaded are authenticated. Images to be authenticated include the operating system (OS) loader. The policy engine utilizes a certificate database to hold valid certificates for third party images, according to platform policy. Images that are not authenticated are not loaded at boot time. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08694758B2
When legacy instructions, that can only operate on smaller registers, are mixed with new instructions in a processor with larger registers, special handling and architecture are used to prevent the legacy instructions from causing problems with the data in the upper portion of the registers, i.e., the portion that they cannot directly access. In some embodiments, the upper portion of the registers are saved to temporary storage while the legacy instructions are operating, and restored to the upper portion of the registers when the new instructions are operating. A special instruction may also be used to disable this save/restore operation if the new instruction are not going to use the upper part of the registers.
US08694752B2
A method begins by a processing module determining an imbalance between inode utilization and data storage utilization. When the imbalance compares unfavorably to an imbalance threshold, the method continues with the processing module determining whether utilization of another inode memory and utilization of another corresponding data storage memory are not imbalanced. When the utilization of the other inode memory and the utilization of the other corresponding data storage memory are not imbalanced, determining whether the inode utilization is out of balance with respect to the data storage utilization. When the inode utilization is out of balance, the method continues with the processing module transferring data objects from a data storage memory to the other corresponding data storage memory and transferring mapping information of data objects from a inode memory to the other inode memory.
US08694749B2
In a system where a first storage system and a second storage system are connected to a third storage system, when the first storage system virtualizes and provides a device in the third storage system as a device in its own storage system, update data stored in a cache in the first storage system is written into the device of the third storage system to be reflected, attributes of the device are transferred to the second storage system, and the second storage system virtualizes the device of the third storage system as a device of its own storage system.
US08694742B2
A storage system and data management method is provided that improves the reliability and fault tolerance of the hard disks saving data utilizing an AOU function. A storage system comprises a first correlating section for correlating a plurality of RAID groups composed of a plurality of physical disks, and the pool region, a second correlating section for correlating the pool region and the storage regions of the virtual volumes, a first allocation section for allocating first data from the host apparatus to the first storage region of the first RAID group based on write requests from the host apparatus, and a second allocation section for distributing second data from the host apparatus at and allocating the second data to any storage regions of the RAID group, with the exception of the first storage region of the first RAID group allocated by the first allocation section, based on write requests.
US08694734B2
An invention that expires cached virtual content in a virtual universe is provided. In one embodiment, there is an expiration tool, including an identification component configured to identify virtual content associated with an avatar in the virtual universe; an analysis component configured to analyze a behavior of the avatar in a region of the virtual universe; and an expiration component configured to expire cached virtual content associated with the avatar based on the behavior of the avatar in the region of the virtual universe.
US08694723B2
An apparatus comprising an interface, a first port, and a second port. The interface may be configured to connect to a host computer. The first port may be configured to connect to a first set of storage devices using a first protocol. The second port may be configured to connect to a second set of storage devices using a second protocol. The apparatus may provide support for the first protocol and the second protocol to allow communication using both the first protocol and the second protocol through the interface.
US08694721B2
The present memory system includes a memory buffer having an interface arranged to buffer data and/or command bytes being written to or read from the RAM chips residing on a DIMM by a host controller. The memory buffer further includes at least one additional interface arranged to buffer data and/or command bytes between the host controller or RAM chips and one or more external devices coupled to the at least one additional interface. For example, the memory buffer may include a SATA interface and be arranged to convey data between the host controller or RAM chips and FLASH memory devices coupled to the SATA interface. The additional interfaces may include, for example, a SATA interface, an Ethernet interface, an optical interface, and/or a radio interface.
US08694719B2
The embodiments described herein provide a controller, storage device, and method for power throttling memory operations. In one embodiment, a controller is provided in a storage device with a plurality of flash memory devices. The controller determines how much power will be consumed (or heat will be generated) by each of a plurality of commands and dynamically alters when each of the commands operating on one or more of the flash memory devices is performed based on the determination of how much power would be consumed (or heat will be generated), so that performance of the plurality of commands does not exceed a predetermined average power limit over a period of time (or a predetermined temperature). In some embodiments, the storage device also has a thermal sensor, and a reading from the thermal sensor can be used, instead of or in addition to the power or thermal costs of each command, to dynamically alter when the commands are performed.
US08694715B2
A method for programming a plurality of data sequences into a corresponding plurality of flash memory functional units using a programming process having at least one selectable programming duration-controlling parameter controlling the duration of the programming process for a given data sequence, the method comprising providing at least one indication of at least one varying situational characteristic and determining a value for said at least one selectable programming duration-controlling parameter controlling the duration of the programming process for a given data sequence, for each flash memory functional unit, depending at least partly on said indication of said varying characteristic; and, for each individual flash memory functional unit from among said plurality of flash memory functional units, programming a sequence of bits into said individual flash memory functional unit using a programming process having at least one selectable parameter, said at least one selectable parameter being set at said value determined for said individual flash memory functional unit.
US08694713B2
The amount of virtual disk space available for use by software executing within a virtual machine (VM) may be dynamically adjusted while the VM is running in a virtual computer system. A method for reservation of disk space from a virtual machine is provided. A request is received at a first VM relating to reserving a portion of a virtual disk used by the first VM. In response, the first VM allocates additional storage in the virtual disk to a guest file stored in the virtual disk, wherein the guest file is not used to store meaningful data and then communicates sectors of the virtual disk corresponding to the additional storage to the virtualization layer. The virtualization layer provides to a second VM access to sectors of the physical storage space that correspond to the sectors of the virtual disk that were allocated as additional storage to the guest file.
US08694709B2
System and methods for improving connections to an information handling system are disclosed. An enhanced serial attached small computer system interface for an information handling system includes a receptacle which is connectable to an information handling system and a connector which is connectable to the receptacle. The connector comprises a first set of signal pins positioned on a first planar surface of the connector and a second set of signal pins positioned on a second planar surface of the connector. The second planar surface is not co-planar with the first planar surface. The connector further includes a third set of signal pins positioned on a third planar surface of the connector and the third planar surface is not co-planar with the first planar surface and the second planar surface.
US08694708B2
A SAS expander forms a first path coupling the SAS initiator and a first port of a SAS target together. The first SAS expander notifies the SAS initiator of a virtual expander address instead of a SAS address of the first SAS expander. The first SAS expander notifies the SAS initiator of a virtual target port address, at least instead of a SAS address of the first port of the SAS target. A second SAS expander forms a second path coupling the SAS initiator and a second port of the SAS target together. The second SAS expander notifies the SAS initiator of the virtual expander address instead of a SAS address of the second SAS expander. The second SAS expander notifies the SAS initiator of the virtual target port address, at least instead of a SAS address of the second port of the SAS target.
US08694704B2
The present disclosure relates to an example of a method for a first router to adaptively determine status within a network. The network may include the first router, a second router and a third router. The method for the first router may comprise determining status information regarding the second router located in the network, and transmitting the status information to the third router located in the network. The second router and the third router may be indirectly coupled to one another.
US08694703B2
Systems for hardware-accelerated lossless data compression are described. At least some embodiments include data compression apparatus that includes a plurality of hash memories each associated with a different lane of a plurality of lanes (each lane including data bytes of a data unit being received by the compression apparatus), an array including array elements each including a plurality of validity bits (each validity bit within an array element corresponding to a different lane of the plurality of lanes), control logic that initiates a read of a hash memory entry if a corresponding validity bit indicates that said entry is valid, and an encoder that compresses at least the data bytes for the lane associated with the hash memory comprising the valid entry if said valid entry comprises data that matches the lane data bytes.
US08694696B2
Detection method and detection device and multimedia device for high-definition multimedia interface
A detection method for detecting connection statuses of a plurality of HDMI ports in an HDMI-compatible multimedia device includes receiving a plurality of electric information of the plurality of HDMI ports, and determining connection conditions of the plurality of HDMI ports.
US08694693B2
In accordance embodiments of the present disclosure a method may include receiving a user indication of a desired association between at least one of a plurality of modular information handling systems and at least one or one or more information handling resources. The method may also include communicating one or more control signals to one or more switching elements housed in a chassis configured to house the plurality of modular information handling systems and the one or more information handling resources, such that a selected modular information handling system is communicatively coupled to a selected information handling resource in accordance with the user indication of the desired association.
US08694692B2
A plurality of memory devices of mixed type (e.g., DRAMs, SRAMs, MRAMs, and NAND-, NOR- and AND-type Flash memories) are serially interconnected. Each device has device type information on its device type. A specific device type (DT) and a device identifier (ID) contained in a serial input (SI) as a packet are fed to one device of the serial interconnection. The device determines whether the fed DT matches the DT of the device. In a case of match, a calculator included in the device performs calculation to generate an ID accompanying the fed DT for another device and the fed ID is latched in a register of the device. In a case of no-match, the ID generation is skipped and no ID is generated for another device. The DT is combined with the generated or the received ID depending on the device type match determination. The combined DT and ID is as a packet transferred to a next device. Such a device type match determination and ID generation or skip are performed in all devices of the serial interconnection. With reference to device type provided to the interconnected devices, IDs are sequentially generated. The SI containing the DT, the ID and an ID generation command is transmitted in a packet basis to a next device.
US08694678B2
A method provides data to a client by a server and comprises receiving a data update, —sending a duplicate of the data update to the client; incorporating the data update into a revolving data carousel for holding the data, the data comprising a plurality of data items; and sending a data item on the data carousel to the client.
US08694677B2
A terminal apparatus firstly transfers packets of a trial class. When the communication quality is insufficient, the terminal apparatus determines after a predetermined period of time whether or not to transfer the trail-class packets again according to a traffic rate of priority-class packets. There are provided a trial-class band capacity not to discard packets of the trial class and a priority-class band capacity not to discard packets of the priority class. Trial-class packets exceeding the former are discarded but the packets that has once become a priority class will not be discarded unless the latter is exceeded.
US08694676B2
A method of detecting proximity between a media proxy and a client uses a proximity probe to query a plurality of media proxies, forcing the media proxies to respond to a proximity server. The proximity server uses an algorithm to determine which media proxy is closest to the client based on the responses. In an alternate embodiment, the same sorts of proximity probes may be used to determine if two media endpoints have a direct connection such that they may bypass a media proxy.
US08694666B2
A method for generating personalized streaming content, the method including the steps of analyzing a digital library of a user associated with a user account, generating recommended digital media based on analysis of the digital library, generating personalized streaming content that includes digital media from the digital library and recommended digital media.
US08694663B2
A data Interface for transferring digital data between a host and a client over a communication path using packet structures linked together to form a communication protocol for communicating a pre-selected set of digital control and presentation data. The signal protocol is used by link controllers configured to generate, transmit, and receive packets forming the communications protocol, and to form digital data into one or more types of data packets, with at least one residing in the host device and being coupled to the client through the communications path. The interface provides a cost-effective, low power, bi-directional, high-speed data transfer mechanism over a short-range “serial” type data link, which lends itself to implementation with miniature connectors and thin flexible cables which are especially useful in connecting display elements such as wearable micro-displays to portable computers and wireless communication devices.
US08694657B1
A system and method communicating via an Internet network, the system including: a plurality of computers connected to a computer system such that one of the plurality of computers, corresponding to a first of the user identities, and an other of the plurality of computers, corresponding to a second of the user identities, can send communications, and some of the communications are received in real time via the Internet. There can be a determination as to whether some of the communications are allowed.
US08694654B1
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a first network control entity associated with at least a portion of multiple physical ports at a first access switch that are operatively coupled to a peripheral processing device and a switch fabric. The first network control entity can receive a host protocol request from the peripheral processing device, the first network control entity to transmit the host protocol request to a second network control entity associated with at least a portion of multiple physical ports at a second access switch, such that the host protocol request causes the second network control entity to obtain a response to the host protocol request. The first network control entity can receive the response to the host protocol request from the second network control entity and transmit the response to the host protocol request to the peripheral processing device.
US08694653B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for targeted data transfer data between operational domains. Embodiments of the invention facilitate moving data between operational domains inside and outside of a resource cloud. A proxy runs on the boundary of each operational domain, such as, for example, an on premise cluster and a resource cloud. The proxies are capable of resolving the location of the targeted entity and forwarding the data or request on to the next hop, which may either be another proxy or the worker module running on the target node. A proxy can run on the head node of an on premise cluster so that compute nodes on private networks can be targeted. A proxy can also run on a public endpoint within the resource cloud to make nodes within the resource cloud available.
US08694649B1
A system and method for efficiently accessing replicas of a storage object. A first node may perform a find operation to determine a plurality of nodes that each store a replica of a first storage object. For each node in the plurality of nodes, the first node may establish a direct connection to the node. The first node may then access the replicas of the first storage object using the respective direct connections to the plurality of nodes. In one embodiment, the nodes may be nodes in a peer-to-peer network. Establishing a direct connection to each storage object replica may enable the first node to communicate with each node in a single hop without having to pass messages via intermediate nodes in the peer-to-peer network.
US08694643B2
[Issues] Without using a load balancer or a media director, and without inquiring a load status from a user terminal to a delivery server, to strive for balancing and smoothing of a load of a delivery server, and to prevent degradation of viewing quality.[Solution method] A contents delivery server comprising: a load information exchanging and memorizing unit which receives and memorizes load information (other server information) from other contents delivery servers in a network, and memorizes load information (own server information) of own contents delivery server; a determination unit which determines presence of free resources of own contents delivery server based on the own server information; a selection unit which, in case the determination unit determined that there exit no free resources, selects one or more other contents delivery servers with a lower load than own contents delivery server from among other contents delivery servers based on the own server information and the other server information; and a redirection unit which requests to the selected other contents delivery servers delivery of contents which are targets of a contents delivery request to a user terminal which transmitted the contents delivery request.
US08694639B1
Resource management techniques for shared resources in a distributed system are described. Clients and servers may exchange messages according to an asynchronous messaging protocol that does not guarantee delivery or ordering of messages. A client may send a resource request message including a client timestamp and a measure of client resource demand. The server may allocate a grant of the resource to the client in a manner that prevents resource overload, and indicate the grant to the client via a message including a logical timestamp, the amount of resource granted, the client's original timestamp, and a grant expiration time. The server may acknowledge the grant and cooperatively use the resource in accordance with the grant's terms.
US08694638B2
A host controller selects a host from a host cluster to run a virtual machine. In one embodiment, a host controller receives a request to run a virtual machine. The virtual machine may be a newly added virtual machine, or an existing virtual machine that needs to migrate from a currently active host to another host. The host controller selects a host from the host cluster based on current central processing unit (CPU) consumption and expected load to be incurred by the virtual machine. The expected load may be estimated from the number of cores to be used by the virtual machine. The host controller then assigns the virtual machine to run on the host.
US08694636B2
A management virtual machine on a virtualization technology enabled platform includes a means for providing a firewall and deep packet inspection. An isolated secure partition is provided to host the management application and network packet filtering and firewall functions to provide a secure and trusted platform for manageability applications. A protected component in the operating system in a user partition moves network traffic to the secure partition for inspection and filtering.
US08694635B1
The disclosed embodiments relate to a system for analyzing performance in an online professional network. During operation, the system receives time series data for user actions, wherein for each user action, the time series data comprises a series of numbers associated with consecutive time intervals, wherein a given number indicates a number of times the user action occurred during the time interval. The system also receives time series data for performance metrics, wherein for each performance metric, the time series data comprises a series of numbers associated with consecutive time intervals, wherein a given number indicates the number of times the performance metric occurred during the time interval. The system then performs a time series analysis on the received time series data for user actions and performance metrics to determine relationships between the user actions and the performance metrics.
US08694617B2
A system and method for identifying, marking, retaining and aggregating attribute metrics for service order and trouble tickets (ticket data) may be performed as the service order and trouble tickets are loaded into a central data repository to allow user summary reports to be created. Ticket data may be received from remote data repositories by a central repository. The ticket data by then be stored in data records at the central location, then attributes of the ticket data may be calculated. A summary table of the ticket data may then be stored at the central repository, which the metric data in the summary table being updated as records are processed. A report of the attributes may then be generated directly from the summary table.
US08694611B1
A system for providing simplified access to podcasts to a user includes one or more personal audio devices, a podcast directory service and one or more podcast sources. Each personal audio device can include a media player configured to play podcasts, a memory source capable of storing podcasts, a podcast directory of available podcasts and a podcast directory module configured to interface with the podcast directory service to receive podcasts for storage or delete podcasts from memory. The podcast directory service includes a mass storage device and a podcast upload module. The mass storage device can store podcasts, directories of podcasts available on the mass storage device or accessible podcasts sources, and a user profile. The podcast upload module is configured to interface with the personal audio device to coordinate the upload or deletion of podcasts from the personal audio device.
US08694608B2
Processes are disclosed for fingerprinting and identifying client applications based on the analysis of client requests. In an HTTP-based embodiment, a fingerprint is constructed based on the presence and order of HTTP headers included in a request from a client application or device. This fingerprint may then be compared to known fingerprints associated with particular client applications to identify the particular client application and/or to assess whether the client application is malicious. The results of this analysis may, for example, be used to determine how to respond to the current request and/or subsequent requests.
US08694604B2
Accurate search results are provided while still honoring content limitations. Content responsive to search, whose presentation is prevented by content limitations is presented in an obscured manner, notifying the user of the existence of the content, while not enabling discerning of details, thereby honoring the content limitations. Attempted user interaction with obscured content acts as an entry point to changing the content limitations, including presenting user notifications of the content limitations and presenting an option to change the content limitations to allow for the unobscured presentation of the obscured content. Graphical content can be obscured by applying graphical modifications to generate new, obscured content that provides only a vague resemblance to the original, including jittering pixels, or other subcomponents, the applying of Gaussian blurs, and pixelization.
US08694597B1
A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for sharing data between a plurality of mobile devices is disclosed. In some embodiments, this includes using a processor to associate a first mobile device with a mobile device group, associating a second mobile device with the mobile device group, allowing the second mobile device to access the first mobile device data based on the association of the second mobile device with the mobile device group, and storing the association of the second mobile device with the mobile device group in a storage device.
US08694594B2
A method and system for providing personalized message delivery to one or more individual users of at least one team of users is disclosed. In accordance with the method and system, data specific to one or more individual users of at least one team of users is gathered, analyzed and used to determine preferences and order of precedence of the one or more individual users of the at least one team of users; and personalized message delivery is provided to the one or more individual users of the at least one team of users based upon the one or more individual users of the at least one team of users' preferences and order of precedence.
US08694591B2
A method and system for distributing data between a first user and a second user by detecting direct or indirect communication between the first user and the second user, creating an entry for the second user in a roster for the first user, populating the entry for the second user in the roster of the first user with data elements and attributes of the data elements, the data elements and attributes of the data elements indicating what data can be shared with the second user and how the data is to be shared and utilizing the roster of the first user to distribute data reflecting the first user to the second user.
US08694590B2
Methods for formatting email messages into stylized templates for delivery to a printer. The templates include a variety of different formats to accommodate the various elements of the email message. The available templates can include themed templates, calendars, to-do lists, address books, stationary, and the like. The system and methods format the email message by parsing the elements of the message into component parts and fitting them within a template.
US08694582B2
To display pieces of data provided by different servers in one page, a providing apparatus provides a page to a client terminal, the page including data retrieved from a server. The providing apparatus includes a) a page return unit for, upon receipt of a page retrieval request from the client terminal, returning a page including code to the client terminal, the code to be executed on the client terminal, the code causing the client terminal to transmit a data transmission instruction to the server, the data transmission instruction instructing the server to transmit the data to the providing apparatus, b) a data reception unit for receiving the data transmitted by the server, the server having received the data transmission instruction from the client terminal, and c) a transfer unit for transferring the data received from the server, to the client terminal.
US08694581B2
Processing a browser request that specifies a destination network resource generally includes intercepting a browser request that specifies a selected destination network resource and redirecting the browser request to a network server that differs from the destination resource specified by the browser request. Processing a browser request also may include intercepting a browser request received from a client computer at a proxy server when the browser request specifies a selected destination network resource and performing instructions associated with and in addition to instructions performed to download the selected destination network resource.
US08694574B2
A set of optimizations may be defined in a configuration database. The configuration database may be defined with a set of boundaries that may define conditions under which the optimizations may be valid. When the conditions are not met, a new configuration database may be requested from an optimization server. The system may be used to distribute and manage optimizations for an application, which may be deployed in interpreted or runtime scenarios or in pre-execution or compiled scenarios.
US08694573B2
A method for determining a quotient value from a dividend value and a divisor value in a digital processing circuit is provided. The method includes computing a reciprocal value of the divisor value and multiplying the reciprocal value by the dividend value to obtain a reciprocal product, the reciprocal product having an integer part. The method also includes computing an intermediate remainder value by computing a product of the integer part and the divisor value, and subtracting the resulting product from the dividend value and determining the quotient value based upon the intermediate remainder value.
US08694572B2
A decimal floating-point Fused-Multiply-Add (FMA) unit that performs the operation of ±(A×B)±C on decimal floating-point operands. The decimal floating-point FMA unit executes the multiplication and addition operations compliant with the IEEE 754-2008 standard. Specifically, the decimal floating-point FMA includes a parallel multiplier and injects the addend after required alignment as an additional partial product in the reduction tree used in the parallel multiplier. The decimal floating-point FMA unit may be configured to perform addition-subtraction operations or multiplication operations as standalone operations.
US08694571B2
Systems and methods for encoding floating point numbers. A system can include encoding logic which encodes invalid floating point representations as valid data. Decoding logic can be used to recognize the invalid floating point representations and map can provide the invalid floating point representations to valid data values. The decoding logic then can provide the valid data values so that operations on the valid data values can be performed in accordance with instructions received from an associated program.
US08694568B2
A computer-implemented method for calculating a time-domain impulse response with improved causality based on a first spectrum in a frequency domain is disclosed. The first spectrum may be band-limited. The method may calculate a first time-domain impulse response from the first spectrum. The method may remove a non-causal portion of the first system time-domain impulse response to obtain a second time-domain impulse response, and calculate a second spectrum of the second time-domain impulse response. The method may further modify the second spectrum by adding a causal signal such that a difference between the second spectrum and the first spectrum is reduced. The method may also calculate the time-domain impulse response with improved causality from the modified second spectrum.
US08694562B2
A generational garbage collector utilizes a pool-based heap to store objects dynamically generated at runtime. The pool-based heap is configured as a collection of pools where each pool stores objects associated with the same generation. Each pool contains a pool header that identifies the generation of all objects within the pool. The pools are aligned to a memory boundary that is a multiple of the pool size. Select bits of an object's memory address may be used to access the pool header so that an object's generation, which is needed in various phases of the garbage collection process, is readily determined.
US08694557B2
A system may include acquisition of metadata defining a first object model including extensible entities, the first object model comprising an instance of a metaobject, acquisition of metadata defining an extension object model, the extension object model to extend at least one of the extensible entities of the first object model, and merging of the object model and the extension object to create metadata defining an extended object model, the extended object model comprising an instance of the metaobject.
US08694556B2
An estimate compliance tool specifying estimate compliance criteria is presented. The estimate compliance can be accessed via hardware, software or a combination thereof. The tool can be configured to include functions facilitating creation of rules that outline criteria for estimate creation or invoicing. A user can enter vehicle and parts identification via a user interface to which a rule will apply. The user can also enter a rule requirement or suggestion. The compliance tool can include multiple modules configured to accept user input regarding vehicle or parts criteria or configured to create an estimate compliance rule based on the vehicle or parts criteria. The compliance tool can further include a storage medium configured to store multiple estimate compliance rules and a profile module. The profile module creates a rules profile comprising multiple estimate compliance rules. Additionally, the tool provides a compatibility module that checks compliance rules for conflicting rule criteria.
US08694551B2
Methods and systems for auditing queries using query differentials are disclosed. A method includes identifying a set of queries, determining if results of each query of the set of queries are different from results of respective differentials of each query of the set of queries, and based on the determining, making a characterization of each query of the set of queries as one of safe and unsafe. Access is provided to the characterization of each query of the set of queries.
US08694547B2
Provided is a system and method to perform dynamic state-space partitioning in external memory graph searching. The dynamic partitioning of the state-space search graph leading to substantial improvement of search performance.
US08694545B2
A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module generating a set of encoded data slices based on a data segment of data and dispersed storage network (DSN) addressing information regarding metadata of the data. The method continues with the DS processing module generating a set of encoded metadata slices based on the metadata and DSN addressing information regarding the data. The method continues with the DS processing module generating a set of metadata write commands regarding storing the set of encoded metadata in a first set of DS units of DSN memory. The method continues with the DS processing module generating a set of data segment write commands regarding storing the set of encoded data slices in a second set of DS units of the DSN memory.
US08694538B1
A method and apparatus for logging write requests to a storage volume in a network data switch is described. In one example, a switch component in a switch receives a write request from a host server. The write request is associated with a destination in the storage volume. A logging element is identified that is associated with the destination of the write request. The logging element may be a switch component in the switch (e.g., a virtualization card), or may be dedicated logging circuitry in the switch. The identified logging element then logs a write intent for the destination in a log.
US08694532B2
A method and system for users to connect, extract, query and transform data from multiple databases, independent of their format, type, and location. The system comprises a setup portion, a meta database, and a user portion. The setup portion establishes datasets for use by the system with the user portion. The meta database stores the datasets. The user portion allows a user to input a query and processes the query to gather information from at least one data source and generate a response.
US08694528B2
A computer-implemented method includes providing location factors for first phrases in a collection of phrases, where each location factor for a first phrase is associated with a likelihood that a second phrase of a search query is associated with a location when the first phrase and the second phrase are used in the search query. A search query is received, where the received search query includes a first phrase from the collection of phrases and a second phrase. Whether the second phrase of the received search query refers to a location is determined based, at least in part, on the location factor for the first phrase of the search query.
US08694517B2
A system including: a system control unit; a context aggregator operatively connected to the control unit, where the context aggregator is configured to on predefined events, receive context information about a user from two or more context sensors, calculate an aggregated presence status for the user based on the received context information, wherein a classification algorithm is used to calculate the aggregated presence status; and a user database operatively connected to the control unit, wherein the user database is configures to store user information for plural users, the user information comprising at least a user name, the aggregated presence status, available communications terminals and a probability of reaching the user on each of the available communication terminals, wherein the available terminals and their probability is a function of the aggregated presence status, wherein the system control unit is configured to, on demand distribute at least parts of the user information, including the available communication terminals and their probability, from the user database to a requesting device or application.
US08694514B2
Various systems and methods for collaborative filtering of enterprise objects are described. A first object and a second object, which may be enterprise objects, may be compared. Vectors associated with each object may be created. These vectors may contain elements that indicate one or more actions performed involving other objects. Using these vectors, a similarity comparison may be performed to determine the amount of similarity between the objects. Based on a similarity value determined from the similarity comparison between the vectors, the second object may be recommended to a user.
US08694498B2
In a data management apparatus that performs data management by assigning metadata to a plurality of data, the plurality of data are displayed according to a display mode chosen from a plurality of display modes for displaying the plurality of data as a set of attribute information of the data, and a candidate for metadata to be assigned to the displayed data is determined based on the display mode.
US08694497B2
A method for enabling file system tagging by an application includes creating tag associations for the file system by associating a tag with a file object. The association includes allocating a file association structure (FAS) in the storage device, which FAS has attributes including a pointer to a file handle of the file object and a list of names of tags associated with the file object. Associating the tag with a file object also includes allocating a tag structure for each tag in the file system. The tag structure includes a tag name and file associations for the tag. In response to a request for a read directory operation, the method includes retrieving the tag associations to identify the file object, dynamically assembling a directory entry structure that includes a hierarchical view of tags identified from the tag associations and corresponding file object, and returning the directory entry structure to the application.
US08694481B2
A computer-readable medium stores therein an information processing program that causes a computer to execute a process. The process includes referring to relationship property information records that are stored in a storage device and indicate the type of each relationship property between configuration elements in a system and calculating a total count of configuration elements having a predetermined relationship property with a first configuration element, or a total count of relationship property information records having a predetermined relationship property, among relationship property information records concerning the first configuration element; executing conditional determination concerning the number of configuration elements having the predetermined relationship property with the first configuration element, among the calculated total count of configuration elements or the calculated total count of relationship property information records; and outputting a result of the determination.
US08694473B2
A system and method are disclosed for rendering published documents tamper evident. Embodiments render classes of documents tamper evident with cryptographic level security or detect tampering, where such security was previously unavailable, for example, documents printed using common printers without special paper or ink. Embodiments enable proving the date of document content without the need for expensive third party archival, including documents held, since their creation, entirely in secrecy or in untrustworthy environments, such as on easily-altered, publicly-accessible internet sites. Embodiments can extend, by many years, the useful life of currently-trusted integrity verification algorithms, such as hash functions, even when applied to binary executable files. Embodiments can efficiently identify whether multiple document versions are substantially similar, even if they are not identical, thus potentially reducing storage space requirements.
US08694469B2
Synthetic backups are created without accessing previous backup data or retrieving backup data from a cloud storage service. A backup system provides two or more backup data sets to a cloud spanning storage interface for storage in deduplicated form as label maps and data segments in a cloud storage service. A specification defines portions of two or more previous backup data sets to be copied into the synthetic backup. Labels corresponding with the specified portions of previous backup data sets are identified and added to a new label map to create a deduplicated synthetic backup. The completed label map is transferred to the cloud storage service. To provide access to the synthetic backup, the cloud spanning storage interface reconstructs all or a portion of the synthetic backup from the new label map and the data segments created during deduplication of previous backup data sets.
US08694468B1
A computer-implemented method for performing backups may include identifying a volume of data targeted for backup. The computer-implemented method may also include identifying at least one data object within the volume of data. The computer-implemented method may further include locating a copy of the data object within an archival data store. The computer-implemented method may additionally include backing up a reference to the copy of the data object within the archival data store instead of backing up the data object. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08694467B2
A data integrity verification method and system based on a root random number to ensure secure distributed data storage on a public cloud. A new root random number can be generated in response to receiving a file for storage to the public cloud. A unique random number tag for each data chunk associated with the file can be calculated via a shift operation and the tag can be added to the data chunk. A hash function (message digests) can be then generated and concatenated with the data chunk and the random number tag. The data chunk in conjunction with the hash and the random number tag can be encrypted by an encryption module and stored to the public cloud in order to provide multiple levels of security with respect to the distributed public cloud storage. Upon file retrieval, the encryption module decrypts all data chunks and recalculates the hash in order to verify the data integrity of the file.
US08694465B2
Change management for a mobile data system having a mobile client device that shares data with multiple enterprise data sources involves receiving a communication from the mobile client device, wherein the client request is received at an application server and includes metadata that identifies one or more applications installed at the mobile client device, determining if an update package is available for the installed application, and updating the mobile client device and downloading the update package to the mobile client device.
US08694457B2
A computer-implemented adaptive expertise clustering system and method generates expertise cohorts based on inferences from behavioral information and applies the expertise cohorts in generating recommendations for delivery to users. The expertise clustering may be informed by the evaluation of the contents of computer-implemented objects. Behaviors associated with members of specific expertise cohorts after specific events may inform the recommendations. Recommendations may comprise, for example, other users or process steps. Explanations for the recommendations may be provided to recommendation recipients.
US08694455B2
An automated method, computer program product and system for using artificial intelligence based cognitive learning methods to identify, measure and manage risks for a commercial enterprise on a continual basis. The elements of value, external factors, components of value and categories of value of the enterprise are analyzed and modeled using predictive models that are developed by learning from the data associated with said enterprise. Scenarios of both normal and extreme situations are also developed by learning from the data. The scenarios are then used to drive simulations of the predictive models. The output from these simulations are then used to measure a plurality of risks and complete optimization analyzes that identify the optimal mix of risk reduction activities for the enterprise. The optimal mix of risk reduction activities is then presented to the user for optional editing, rejection or acceptance.
US08694451B2
A neural network system that can minimize circuit resources for constituting a self-learning mechanism and be reconfigured into network configurations suitable for various purposes includes a neural network engine that operates in a first and a second operation mode and performs an operation representing a characteristic determined by setting network configuration information and weight information with respect to the network configuration, and a von Neumann-type microprocessor that is connected to the neural network engine and performs a cooperative operation in accordance with the first or the second operation mode together with the neural network engine. The von Neumann-type microprocessor recalculates the weight information or remakes the configuration information as a cooperative operation according to the first operation mode, and sets or updates the configuration information or the weight information set in the neural network engine, as a cooperative operation according to the second operation mode.
US08694442B2
A computer-implemented transforming function contextually transforms multiple originating computer-implemented structures into a composite fuzzy network-based structure. The composite fuzzy network-based structure serves as a contextual basis for recommendations. The recommendations may be generated in accordance with inferences of preferences and interests based on usage behaviors. The recommendations may further be generated in accordance with a network neighborhood within the composite fuzzy network-based structure that is based, at least in part, on a navigational context within an originating structure and a user-established navigational neighborhood scope.
US08694436B2
A method for transmitting data between a mobile communication device and a server. The method includes running a mobile application on the mobile communication device. The mobile application is hosted on the mobile communication device through the server as a Software as a Service (SaaS). The method further includes transmitting data associated with the mobile application between the mobile communication device and the server, in which transmission of the data between the mobile communication device and the server is monitored through the server.
US08694433B1
A system and method for efficient image cashletter processing where an image cashletter including a plurality of monetary records is received. Failed monetary records in the image cashletter are separated out from good monetary records in the image cashletter. The good monetary records are processed independently of processing the failed monetary records, therefore, allowing the good monetary records to continue to be processed without having to wait for the failed monetary records to be repaired.
US08694428B2
A method and computer program product for maintaining, on a first computing device, consumer identification and billing information concerning a user. A directory of ecommerce merchants is maintained on a second computing device. The first computing device and the second computing device are interfaced via a distributed computing network. The user is enabled to select an ecommerce merchant defined within the directory of ecommerce merchants. The order of goods/services from the selected ecommerce merchant to the user using the consumer identification and billing information maintained on the first computing device is facilitated.
US08694426B2
Methods and system for processing transfer requests are described. In one embodiment, a value transfer request may be received from a value provider through a network. The value transfer request may include a value amount to be provided from a source user to a target user. A settlement account of the value provider may be reduced by the value amount. A target account of the target user may be increased by the value amount.
US08694425B2
Embodiments of the invention include a method and system for effectuating an electronic payment between a payor and a payee using an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) network. The method is implemented by a system having multiple processors. The payor may hold a payor account at a payor institution and the payee may have a payee account at a payee institution. The method includes generating a payment authorization identifying the payee institution, the payee account, and an amount of the payment and transmitting the payment authorization to the payor institution. The method further includes debiting the payor account by the amount of the payment; transmitting from the payor institution to the payee institution through the EFT network an EFT credit message representing a credit in the amount of the payment; and crediting the payee account in the amount of the payment in response to the receipt of the EFT credit message.
US08694420B1
An apparatus and method for utilizing debit data to report credit risk, the apparatus having an inquiry server, a credit database, a debit database and a scorecard database. The inquiry server generating a credit risk score and report based solely on credit data when sufficient, based on a combination of credit and data when credit data is present but insufficient, and based solely on debit data when no credit data is present.
US08694380B2
A method and system for conducting an online payment transaction through a point of sale device. The method includes receiving input from a user selecting an item for purchase through the point of sale device; calculating a total purchase amount for the item in response to a request from the user to purchase the item; and sending payment authorization for the total purchase amount from the point of sale device to a payment entity, in which the payment authorization is sent to the payment entity via a mobile communication device of the user. The method further includes receiving a result of the payment authorization from the payment entity through the mobile communication device; and completing the payment transaction based on the result of the payment authorization.
US08694377B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a controller to determine a behavioral profile of an end user from packet traffic generated by activities of the end user, and share the behavioral profile with a network element for distributing targeted advertisements to the end user according to the behavioral profile. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US08694376B2
This description provides tools and techniques for dynamically and predictively updating mobile devices as mobile users pass through projected locations. These tools may provide methods that include defining thresholds applicable to at least portions of travel itineraries on which mobile users are traveling. The methods may also identify advertisements to send to mobile devices associated with the mobile users, upon meeting the threshold. The methods may also send the selected advertisements, as associated with corresponding advertisers, to the mobile devices.
US08694371B2
A method is provided for validating advertising metrics which relate to tracking of interactive events performed by electronic devices. A metric report with an event code that indicative of at least one interactive event performed by an electronic device associated with the network is received. The format of the event code is analyzed to determine whether the event code is consistent with predetermined format rules and the substance of information conveyed by the event code is analyzed to determine whether the event code is consistent with predetermined substance rules. If the event code is determined to be consistent with the predetermined format rules and the predetermined substance rules, the event code is accepted as valid. Otherwise, the event code is identified as being invalid.
US08694369B2
A computer based technique for providing a list of selectable computer solutions in a self-support environment. The technique includes sending a computer solution to the client computer in response to a request from the client computer for the computer solution from the list. The computer solution includes at least an automated solution.
US08694358B2
A computer-implemented method for survey management is disclosed. Purchase data is received via a computer network from a first digital device coupled to the computer network. A targeted survey is generated based on the purchase data. A web link associated with the targeted survey is transmitted to a second digital device coupled to the computer network. A survey response is received via the web link from the second digital device. A weight is assigned to the survey response. The weighted survey response is transmitted for display on a third device coupled to the network.
US08694354B2
A method, system, and/or computer program product predicts trouble during a transition phase of a current project. Past operational data and past trouble data for past healthy projects and past troubled projects before transition phases is collected. A trouble correlation between the past operational data and the past trouble data is then determined. A set of key metrics that describes a current health of a current project before transitioning from a current phase to a future phase is defined, and values of the set of key metrics for the current project are identified. Identified values of the set of key metrics for the current project are compared to the past operational data for past healthy and troubled projects in order to generate a pattern comparison. This pattern comparison, along with the trouble correlation, is used to generate a predicted quality of transition for the current project.
US08694341B1
Aspects of the invention include methods and systems for a vehicle insurance claim management application which improves communication and streamline tasks between a vehicle repair shop and an insurance company system in three general task groups: assignment (comprising work requests, estimates/photos, and reinspections), financial management, and performance measurement. Aspects of the invention also provide interoperability with different types of estimating systems that do not necessarily follow an industry standard. This interoperability is provided through an adapter module with a claim processing system to communicate with the insurance company system and the vehicle insurance claim management application. The invention is preferably accessed by a user over a computer network such as the Internet, from a remote location such as a vehicle repair shop.
US08694338B1
A third party scoring entity establishes a market-based scoring system which can be used to generate a supply efficiency score to be assigned to a service provider seeking to begin providing a service in a territory. The supply efficiency score is indicative of the need for additional capacity to supply the service. The supply efficiency score is supplied to payers designated by the service provider and the payers will use the score to determine a reimbursement rate for the professional services provided based upon existing market saturation.
US08694332B2
A system for generating a prescription may include a capture module configured to capture information from a plurality of individual cards. At least one of the cards may include medical information including at least a medication and a dosage for a patient. The system may include an information processing module configured to generate a bitmap file associated with the captured information, extract at least a portion of the medical information from the bitmap file using optical character recognition, and assemble the extracted information to generate a prescription data file. The system may include a transmission module configured to transmit the prescription data file to a pharmacy.
US08694329B1
A medical information system informs prescribers of medically related drug information when preparing a prescription. The point of prescribing messaging system can assist physicians in selecting alternative medications when prescribing medication for patients. The system may include a point of prescription application configured to access and display messages concerning alternative suggested medications of different sponsors in response to an associated selected medication to inform prescribers of the alternative suggested medication for presenting the prescriber with the option of generating an electronic prescription with the alternative suggested medication. A data structure maintained by the system containing associations between a selected trigger medication and a target alternative suggested medication may optionally include additional conditions that control the display of messages such as the gender, age, and/or diagnosis of the patient, the date of the prescription, and/or the region in which the prescription is being made.
US08694327B2
An electronic warranty unit and method. In one embodiment the electronic warranty unit includes a programmable electronic memory unit configured for removable insertion into a device and an electronic warranty stored on the electronic memory unit. A method for electronically warranting a device includes removably attaching an electronic warranty unit, capable of storing an electronic warranty for the device, to the device or removably inserting the electronic warranty unit into the device.
US08694325B2
A hierarchical audio coding, decoding method and system are provided. The method includes dividing frequency domain coefficients of an audio signal after MDCT into a plurality of coding sub-bands, quantizing and coding amplitude envelope values of coding sub-bands; allocating bits to each coding sub-band of the core layer, quantizing and coding core layer frequency domain coefficients to obtain coded bits of core layer frequency domain coefficients; calculating the amplitude envelope value of each coding sub-band of the core layer residual signal; allocating bits to each coding sub-band of the extended layer, quantizing and coding the extended layer coding signal to obtain coded bits of the extended layer coding signal; multiplexing and packing amplitude value envelope coded bits of each coding sub-band composed by core layer and extended layer frequency domain coefficients, core layer frequency coefficients coded bits, and extended layer coding signal coded bits, then transmitting to the decoding end.
US08694315B1
Embodiments of the invention provide for speaker verification on a communication device without requiring a user to go through a formal registration process with the issuer or network. Certain embodiments allow the use of a captured voice sample attempting to reproduce a word string having a random element to authenticate the user. Authentication of the user is based on both a match score indicating how closely the captured voice samples match to previously stored voice samples of the user and a pass or fail response indicating whether the voice sample is an accurate reproduction of the word string. The processing network maintains a history of the authenticated transactions and voice samples.
US08694312B2
A system is provided for training an acoustic model for use in speech recognition. In particular, such a system may be used to perform training based on a spoken audio stream and a non-literal transcript of the spoken audio stream. Such a system may identify text in the non-literal transcript which represents concepts having multiple spoken forms. The system may attempt to identify the actual spoken form in the audio stream which produced the corresponding text in the non-literal transcript, and thereby produce a revised transcript which more accurately represents the spoken audio stream. The revised, and more accurate, transcript may be used to train the acoustic model using discriminative training techniques, thereby producing a better acoustic model than that which would be produced using conventional techniques, which perform training based directly on the original non-literal transcript.
US08694310B2
A remote control server protocol system transports data to a client system. The client system communicates with the server application using a platform-independent communications protocol. The client system sends commands and audio data to the server application. The server application may respond by transmitting audio and other messages to the client system. The messages may be transmitted over a single communications channel.
US08694308B2
A system for voice detection includes a feature value calculation unit that calculates a feature value from an input signal sliced on a per frame basis, a provisional voice/non-voice decision unit that provisionally decides a voiced interval and a non-voiced interval from the feature value calculated on a per frame basis, and a voice/non-voice decision unit that determines a voiced interval duration threshold value or a non-voiced interval duration threshold value, using a ratio of the feature value found on a per frame basis to a threshold value for the feature value and that re-decides the voiced interval and the non-voiced interval, using the voiced interval duration threshold value determined and the non-voiced interval duration threshold value determined. By determining the voiced interval duration threshold value and the non-voiced interval duration threshold value, using the feature value found on a per frame basis and the threshold value for the feature value, the constraint of the shaping rule may be made weaker, or stronger in case the feature value found on a per frame basis can be regarded as being reliable or not, thereby allowing voice detection to be made without dependency upon a noise environment.
US08694300B2
An apparatus for creating a graphical representation of personalized healthcare information is provided. A data processing apparatus that has one or more processors is disclosed. Query component logic receives a request comprising patient identification information. Query execution logic, based on the patient information determines a first metric and one or more intervention metrics. The first metric represents a current health related metric for the patient, while the intervention metrics represent a predicted health related metric, assuming that the patient conforms to the intervention. A graphical representation of the two metrics is created.
US08694296B2
In an automated system which includes a robot manipulator, a workcell, and a control system implemented on a hardware platform based on a programmable logic controller (“PLC”), a method and apparatus for performing integrated simulation that does not require the presence of both the robot manipulator and the workcell. If one component is real, the other component is simulated so as to be sufficiently responsive to responses from the real component such that the real component is unable to discern that the other component is not also real. A computing device simultaneously displays simulacra of both the components, real and simulated, and visualizations of the responses provided by each.
US08694295B2
A system and method for time virtualization, comprising a time virtualizer running on a first digital computer and adapted to intercept time-dependent requests from a plurality of applications executing on the first or another digital computer, wherein on intercepting a time-dependent request from an application, the time virtualizer returns an expected result to the requesting application comprising a virtual time rather than a clock time, the virtualized time being established by the time virtualizer and differing from the clock time, is disclosed.
US08694291B2
Waveform analysis is performed to identify and characterize power-consuming devices operating on a building electrical circuit. Current waveforms are measured from the building circuit with electrical devices operating thereon. The waveforms are separated into wavelets and analyzed to identify a representative wavelet model which is transmitted to a server for analysis. The server compares the representative wavelet model to a predictive model built from waveform signatures of known electrical devices operating on a circuit. When the predictive model matches the representative wavelet model, the electrical devices contributing to the representative wavelet, their operating mode(s) (e.g., “on”, “off”, “paused”, “hibernating”) and/or their performance state(s) (e.g., normal operation, deterioration, or failure modes) can be identified. This information can be communicated as feedback to the consumer to facilitate more efficient and more cost-effective energy usage.
US08694290B2
In an embodiment, a confidence interval of a yield is calculated with a set specification of an evaluation item and confidence level and values of the evaluation item obtained in Monte Carlo simulations to determine whether or not a target yield is within the confidence interval of the yield. In a case where the target yield is within the confidence interval of the yield, a Monte Carlo simulation executing unit is instructed to execute a subsequent Monte Carlo simulation. In a case where the target yield is not within the confidence interval of the yield, it is determined that the target yield will be achieved when a minimum value of the confidence interval of the yield is the target yield or larger while it is determined that the target yield will not be achieved when a maximum value of the confidence interval of the yield is below the target yield.
US08694286B2
A method, system, apparatus, article of manufacture, and computer readable storage medium provide the ability to manage modifications to a solid model between different modeling applications. An original model created using a parametrically-based modeler is obtained. A modified version of the original model that was edited using a history-free modeler is obtained. The original model and the modified version are analyzed to determine differences between them. Based on the differences, a set of parametric-based treatments are determined that, when performed on the original model, affect changes that produce a parametrically-driven version that geometrically matches the modified version. One or more of the treatments are individually selected and applied to produce the parametrically-driven version.
US08694285B2
An example method of designing blade lobes of a turbomachine blade and corresponding disk lobes includes determining contact areas between the blade lobes on a blade model and the disk loads on a disk model when the turbomachine blade is in a loaded position. The method adjusts the blade lobes, the disk lobes, or both, so that gaps are established between the blade lobes and the disk lobes at the contact areas when the turbomachine blade is in an unloaded position. The size of the gaps varies.
US08694275B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide not only a technical solution for calibrating a positioning device but also a technical solution for characterizing an area of interest in a space. Specifically, there is provided a system, which may include: a tag capable of emitting ranging signals, placed at location points which are selected as space feature points in the space; a positioning device in the space, configured to obtain relative coordinates of the space feature points in relation to the positioning device based on the ranging signals from the tag; and a server, configured to determine location parameters of the positioning device in the space based on the relative coordinates, so as to calibrate the positioning device. The positioning device can be calibrated automatically, fast and accurately using the system.
US08694271B2
Apparatus and method for non-invasive measuring of the sound velocity of a fluid, such as a liquid, flowing in a tubing having points of two different and known transverse length has one sensor mounted at each point connected to a circuit that provides signals to each sensor that are returned to it after passing through the tubing wall and flowing fluid and reflection from the tubing internal wall opposing each sensor and from which the round trip transit time of the signals is measured and the sound velocity calculated from the two measured round trip transit times and the differential between the known transverse lengths. Flexible tubing is placed in the slot of a measuring head which deforms it to provide the two points at one location or the slot has two sections of different transverse length along its length with a point at each section.
US08694268B2
An object is to suppress reduction of energy production as much as possible while ensuring an expected lifetime. There is provided a device of adjusting a curtailment strategy for a wind turbine, the device including: a fatigue equivalent load calculation unit that calculates a fatigue equivalent load for evaluating a fatigue damage of the wind turbine in a predetermined time period by using load data of the wind turbine; and a setting value update unit that compares the fatigue equivalent load with a reference load determined by an expected lifetime of the wind turbine, and, when a difference between the fatigue equivalent load and the reference load exceeds a predetermined threshold value, updates the condition setting value for the curtailment that is currently employed according to the difference.
US08694259B2
A method of inverting induction logging data for evaluating the properties of underground formations surrounding a borehole, the data including induction voltage measurements obtained from a tool placed close to the formations of interest, the method includes: (a) defining a relationship relating the induction voltage to wave number, dielectric permittivity and conductivity; defining a cubic polynomial expansion of the relationship; and solving the cubic polynomial relationship using the voltage measurements to obtain values for conductivity that includes skin-effect correction, and apparent dielectric permittivity; and (b) using the obtained values for conductivity and apparent dielectric permittivity to derive a simulated value of induction voltage; determining the difference between the simulated value of the induction voltage and the measured induction voltage; and iteratively updating the values of conductivity and dielectric permittivity used for the derivation of the simulated value of induction voltage to minimize its difference with respect to the measured value.
US08694257B2
A system and method for determining uncertainty of a wellbore orientation is disclosed. The system and method obtains a measurement related to a first orientation of a drill string at a measurement device. Based on the first orientation and drilling settings, the system and method predict a second orientation. A probability of the second orientation being within a predetermined area is also obtained. As a result of this information, an action may be taken, such as, skipping a planned static survey, obtaining a static survey prior to the plan, or changing a drilling setting.
US08694256B2
A system and method for streetlight control is provided. A lamp sensor inside a reflector of the streetlight is utilized to detect the output of a lamp of the streetlight. During daytime periods when the lamp is OFF, the lamp sensor is utilized to act as a day/night sensor by detecting ambient light near the lamp. When the ambient light level falls below a sufficient level indicative that night is approaching the lamp is turned ON and the lamp sensor utilized to detect the lamp output of the streetlight.
US08694254B2
A system and method for improved routing that combines real-time and likelihood information. In accordance with an embodiment, the system comprises a digital map/map information; a likelihood routing information; a route processor; wherein, when a request is received from a user/driver, or from another system, to receive a routing information, the system receives real-time information from a traffic-monitoring device or service providing real-time information; wherein the route processor adjusts the received real-time information based on the system's likelihood routing information; and wherein the routing information based on the combination of real-time and likelihood information can then be provided to the user/driver or other system in response to the original request.
US08694248B1
Systems and methods for monitoring the accuracy of a global positioning system (GPS) receiver in a marine vessel utilize a GPS receiver receiving a plurality of satellite signals, calculating a global position of the GPS receiver based on the plurality of signals, and determining a signal to noise ratio (SNR) of each signal in the plurality of signals; and a control circuit having a computer readable medium having executable code, and being connected to the GPS receiver by a communication link. The control circuit calculates an average SNR of the plurality of signals and compares the average SNR to a threshold SNR. In one example the threshold SNR varies depending upon a number of satellites sending the plurality of signals and a speed at which the marine vessel is traveling.
US08694244B2
A method of providing navigational information includes the step of processing destination information spoken by a user of a mobile processing system and transmitting the processed voice information via a wireless link to a remote data center. The processed voice information is analyzed with a voice recognition system at the remote data center to recognize components of the destination information spoken by the user. The remote data center generates a list of hypothetical recognized components of the destination information listed by confidence levels as calculated for each component of the destination information analyzed by the voice recognition system. The remote data center determines if a confidence score is below a recognition confidence value and, if the confidence score is below the recognition confidence value, transmits an automated request to have the user speak the destination information again.
US08694241B1
Maps are created that display representations of GPS data generated from a plurality of GPS devices. The GPS data received from the GPS devices is embodied as a representation having descriptive features that visually indicate the location, direction of travel, and speed of travel of the GPS device, and the representation is associated with a road segment on the map. The display of the GPS data from a plurality of GPS devices can be used for editing information about roads on maps and determining preferred routes.
US08694239B2
A method of operation of a navigation system includes: generating a destination index based on a search indicator for distinguishing a candidate destination from another; receiving an entry for a point of interest; generating an entry update based on segmenting the entry for comparing the entry update to the destination index; and identifying a target destination based on resolving the destination index with the search indicator for matching the entry update to the candidate destination for displaying on a device.
US08694237B1
Present novel and non-trivial system, apparatus, and method for generating airport hot spot information system are disclosed. A navigation data source and an airport surface data source provide navigation data and airport surface data to a hot spot information generator (“HSIG”). The hot spot data is representative of locations of vertices corresponding to at least one airport hot spot. The HSIG determines the distance between ownship and each vertex of the vertices, and generates advisory alert data if a threshold advisory parameter has been breached; the threshold advisory parameter is a threshold advisory distance and/or a threshold advisory time, and both are configurable by a manufacturer and/or an end-user. The advisory alert data is provided to a presentation system in which a visual alert and/or an aural alert is presented to the pilot on a visual display unit and/or through an aural alert unit.
US08694230B2
Fuel systems and methods for cold environments which includes a fuel pump having at least one solenoid coil in an unlaminated magnetic circuit, the fuel pump being disposed in a fuel tank, and a pump drive and pulsing system, the pump drive providing pump actuation current to the solenoid coil and the pulsing system providing short current pulses to the solenoid coil to cause Eddy current losses in the unlaminated magnetic circuit. The method includes, before cranking the engine for starting the engine, providing short, successive current pulses to the solenoid coil to cause eddy current heating in the unlaminated circuit and heating of the fuel in and around the fuel pump, turning on the fuel pump to commence fuel flow to the engine, and cranking the engine for starting after the fuel pump has been turned on. Various features are disclosed.
US08694228B2
A fuel injection control for an internal combustion engine includes a coil, a first switch, a capacitor, a second switch, and a control circuit. The coil is to boost a voltage of a power supply source. The first switch is connected at one end to an output side of the coil and at the other end to a ground. The capacitor is connected to an electromagnetic fuel injection valve to store energy which has been stored in the coil. The second switch is connected at one end between the coil and the first switch and at the other end to an input side of the capacitor. The control circuit is connected to the first switch and the second switch. The control circuit is configured to perform synchronous rectifying control for switching the first switch and the second switch.
US08694225B2
A method and system relates to improving powertrain responsiveness in a vehicle while maintaining fuel economy by inhibiting entry into, or exiting, energy-saving modes when oncoming traffic is detected. In one example, the energy-saving mode is inhibited in response to an indication of an oncoming vehicle of concern. In a second example, the energy-saving mode is selectively maintained in response to an indication of an absence of oncoming traffic.
US08694224B2
A control system or method for a vehicle references a camera and sensors to determine when an offset of a yaw rate sensor may be updated. The sensors may include a longitudinal accelerometer, a transmission sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, and a steering angle sensor. The offset of the yaw rate sensor may be updated when the vehicle is determined to be stationary by referencing at least a derivative of an acceleration from the longitudinal accelerometer. The offset of the yaw rate sensor may be updated when the vehicle is determined to be moving straight by referencing at least image data captured by the camera. Lane delimiters may be detected in the captured image data and evaluated to determine a level of confidence in the straight movement. When the offset of the yaw rate sensor is to be updated, a ratio of new offset to old offset may be used.
US08694209B2
A vehicle motion controlling apparatus has an allocating unit for selecting steering or braking control mainly performed in cooperative control, receiving a desired value of vehicle turning motion, allocating steering and braking controls for the motion, determining main yaw rate from vehicle conditions, and determining a non-main yaw rate from difference between the desired value and the main yaw rate. Setting units set assist torque corresponding to the main yaw rate and braking torque corresponding to the non-main yaw rate when the steering control is selected and set braking torque corresponding to the main yaw rate and assist torque corresponding to the non-main yaw rate when the braking control is selected. The assist torque is generated for assisting a change of steering angle of vehicle in steering control. The braking torque is generated for applying braking force to wheel of vehicle in braking control.
US08694204B2
A vehicle includes at least one of (i) an undercarriage and an upper carriage arranged rotatably about a vertical axis with respect to the undercarriage and (ii) a leverage means arranged pivotably about a horizontal axis with respect to the upper carriage, wherein a sensor system is provided for monitoring at least one stability criterion with respect of a tilt movement of the vehicle, and wherein a control unit is coupled to the sensor system for automatically initiating an action and/or performing an action for stabilizing the vehicle depending on the at least one stability criterion. The risk of an unexpected tilting of the vehicle can be reduced.
US08694196B1
Methods and systems for managing maintenance of a fleet of aircraft are provided. The method includes collecting data from at least one aircraft in each of the fleets related to the operation of the aircraft, determining a range of acceptable values of performance parameters associated with the collected data and based on the collected data, analyzing the collected data having values outside the range of acceptable values, and modifying at least one of a maintenance requirement and an interval between maintenance actions to facilitate reducing the number of performance parameters values that are outside the range of acceptable values during future operation of the aircraft.
US08694186B2
Methods and systems are provided for adjusting operation of a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle responsive to a seasonal grade of the fuel available in the vehicle's fuel tank. If the seasonal grade of fuel in the fuel tank does not correspond to the seasonal grade of fuel mandated during the time of engine operation, a fuel injection amount is adjusted to compensate for differences between seasonal grades of a fuel.
US08694184B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus for tab-pane-based flight plan management interface are disclosed. The tab-pane-based flight management interface system (FMIS) is optimally Layered and Multi-Indexed (LMI) such that the management of flight management (FM) functions and associated parameters that affect the airplane's flight are easily and efficiently operable by pilots. The LMI-FMIS provides a flexible tab-pane-based architecture that allows pilots to start a flight plan modification, proceed to engage in other tasks not related to the modification, and return to the pending modification to continue the modification process. The LMI-FMIS also provides task-oriented menu structures that provide pilots tailored options or menus applicable to the task at hand thus efficiently guiding pilots to complete a task while maintaining easy access to information that was displayed prior to the commencement of the task.
US08694183B1
The present invention is a Partial Automated Alignment and Integration System (PAAIS) used to automate the alignment and integration of space vehicle components. A PAAIS includes ground support apparatuses, a track assembly with a plurality of energy-emitting components and an energy-receiving component containing a plurality of energy-receiving surfaces. Communication components and processors allow communication and feedback through PAAIS.
US08694177B2
A method and system for displaying graphical content on a vehicle display includes a client module and a plurality of control modules. The client module is in communication with the vehicle display and the plurality of control modules. Each of the plurality of control modules include software for generating a graphical text data intended to be shown on the vehicle display. The graphical text data is formatted with a predetermined layout determined by the corresponding one of the plurality of control modules. The client module includes a control logic for showing the graphical generated by the at least one of the plurality of control modules on the vehicle display. The graphical text data shown on the vehicle display is formatted with the predetermined layout determined by the corresponding one of the plurality of control modules.
US08694168B2
A digital shower system contains a showering equipment including at least one first watering device and at least one second watering device; an input interface including a power key, a knob, an ok key, a return key, and a plurality of outlet switches; a valve unit including a motor, a mixing valve, and a number of outlet valves; a central process unit including a setting module, a time module, a memory module, a calculator module, and a water monitor module; and an indicator so that quantity of water use is known by the user to save water consumption.
US08694167B2
Energy-efficient control of a vacuum pump having a pump controller integrated in a control and regulation device used in an industrial furnace complex is disclosed. A method and an industrial furnace complex provide incremental deactivation or activation of the vacuum pump depending on whether a vacuum is needed by using a program having one or more program steps, including a first query about whether a heat treatment process is active in the industrial furnace, a second query about whether the vacuum pump is required in a current phase of the heat treatment process, a third query about whether the vacuum pump will be required in a future phase of the heat treatment process, and/or a fourth query about whether a time until the next operation is greater than a required lead time for the vacuum pump to warm up.
US08694160B2
An NC machine tool system includes an NC machine tool (10), a first operation panel (22) and a second operation panel (24) for the NC machine tool, a multi-joint robot (40), a memory (450), and a robot controller (50). The multi-joint robot (40) is disposed above the NC machine tool. The memory (450) stores a wait position return program by which the multi-joint robot (40) is operated. The robot controller (50) controls the multi-joint robot (40) in accordance with the program. Operation panels (22, 24) are respectively provided with switch keys (22c, 24c) operated to execute the wait position return program stored in the memory (450) so as to operate the multi-joint robot (40).
US08694156B2
An apparatus and computer program product for managing paper consumption. Responsive to dispensing a first amount of paper from a set of paper dispensers in which the first amount of paper is dispensed for an account, the set of paper dispensers updates the account based on the first amount of paper dispensed. Responsive to receiving a second amount of paper at a set of paper disposers in which the second amount of paper is received for the account, the set of disposers updates the account based on the second amount of paper received.
US08694155B2
A system for automatically exchanging a battery of an electric vehicle, including a horizontal frame of a predetermined area formed at a location higher than the electric vehicle; a plurality of battery stands formed on a bottom surface of the horizontal frame at a predetermined interval; a pair of fixed guide rails arranged and installed on front and rear sides or left and right sides of the horizontal frame, respectively; a variable guide rail adapted to move horizontally along X-axis or Y-axis along the fixed guide rails; a movable rail adapted to move horizontally along Y-axis or X-axis along the variable guide rail and ascend/descend vertically; and a grasping part installed on a lower end of the movable rail and adapted to pick up a battery of the electric vehicle or a battery seated on the battery stand and exchange each other.
US08694150B2
A machining installation for workpieces comprises a workpiece positioning device comprising a workpiece holder pivot unit as well as a tool positioning device comprising a tool holder pivot unit. The workpiece holder pivot unit is designed such that a workpiece holder is pivotable about at least three and no more than four workpiece holder pivot axes. Moreover, the tool holder pivot unit is designed such that a tool holder is pivotable about no more than two tool holder pivot axes. The machining installation has a simple design and ensures flexible and accurate machining of workpieces.
US08694149B2
A method for generating a tool path for milling a region of a workpiece is disclosed. The region has a first side meeting at its respective ends a first end of each of a second side and a third side. The method includes the steps of: (1) determining, using a computer, a radius of curvature and a center of each of a succession of circularly shaped tool passes, each successive tool pass advancing into the region from the first side of the region, wherein the radius of curvature and the center of each advancing tool pass is determined such that an engagement of the cutter following the tool path does not exceed a predetermined value of cutter engagement, and (2) generating instructions for controlling the milling cutter to mill the region in accordance with the generated tool path.
US08694146B2
A method of creating embroidery designs with the use of embroidery software to weave overlapping graphemes to imitate monogramming by hand. A user-specified template for letter layout is designed so that letters overlap. Software reads the letters from a True-Type/Open-Type font file in vector form. Each individual letter is distorted to the template using 3rd degree Bezier Surfaces, 2nd degree Bezier curves and line segments are converted to 3rd degree Bezier curves. Software calculates the intersecting areas using 2-Dimensional Constructive Solid Geometry (CSG) to determine which letter will be on-top at each letter intersection, and sorts the intersecting areas into zones, wherein the top letter for each zone is toggled, letters within a zone are alternated, and only the top letter segment is shown. Software cuts out letter segments that will be below another letter at each intersection, and fills the weaved letter or grapheme areas with embroidery.
US08694145B2
A method of controlling surface non-uniformity of a wafer in a polishing operation includes (a) providing a model for a wafer polishing that defines a plurality of regions on a wafer and identifies a wafer material removal rate in a polishing step of a polishing process for each of the regions, wherein the polishing process comprises a plurality of polishing steps, (b) polishing a wafer using a first polishing recipe based upon an incoming wafer thickness profile, (c) determining a wafer thickness profile for the post-polished wafer of step (b), and (d) calculating an updated polishing recipe based upon the wafer thickness profile of step (c) and the model of step (a) to maintain a target wafer thickness profile. The model can information about the tool state to improve the model quality. The method can be used to provide feedback to a plurality of platen stations.
US08694143B2
In a management apparatus for managing a flow of linked jobs to be executed by a plurality of devices connected to a network, a storage device stores one or more flows. When a change of function in the devices is detected, one of the one or more flows stored in the storage device and affected by the change of function detected by the detector is corrected. Then the corrected flow is stored in the storage device. Alternatively, the corrected flow is presented to a user who owns the one of the one or more flows.
US08694141B2
A method and apparatus for intelligently routing and managing audio signals within an electronic device is disclosed. The routing is responsive to a set of logical and physical policies which are stored in data tables which can be updated as needed.
US08694137B2
A first computer is remotely accessed by a second computer. Sound output is generated at the first computer, but is selectively muted at the first computer and transmitted to, and output at, the second computer.
US08694136B2
We have disclosed devices and methods for monitoring an individual's performance during a physical activity. The devices may include multiple elements such as a mount adapted to releasably secure the device to the individual's wrist during the physical activity, a heart rate sensor coupled to the mount and adapted to obtain heart rate data during the physical activity, a satellite positioning system receiver coupled to the mount and adapted to obtain position data during the physical activity, an acceleration sensor coupled to the mount and adapted to obtain acceleration data during the physical activity, and an output coupled to the mount and adapted to output performance information to the individual during the physical activity.
US08694134B2
Interface (101) for converting human control input gestures to telematic control signals. The interface includes a plurality of articulating arms (107a, 107b, 108a, 108b, and 109a, 109b) each mounted at a base end (113, 115, 117) to an interface base and coupled at an opposing end to a housing (106). The articulating arms are operable to permit linear translational movement of the housing in three orthogonal directions. At least one sensor (116) of a first kind is provided for measuring the linear translational movement. A pivot member (201) is disposed in the housing and is arranged to pivot about a single pivot point. A grip (102) is provided and is attached to the pivot member so that a user upon grasping the grip can cause the pivot to rotate within the housing.
US08694129B2
Systems and methods for deploying a sensor assembly onto a cardiac lead are disclosed. The sensor assembly can include a resilient cuff having one or more sensor modules for sensing physiological parameters within the body. The resilient cuff may have a substantially cylindrical shape having an inner diameter that is smaller than an outer diameter of the lead body onto which the cuff is deployed such that the cuff is retained on the lead body by frictional forces. The sensor assembly may be deployed in conjunction with a new lead to be implanted within a chamber of the patient's heart or a body vessel, or may be deployed onto an existing, implanted lead implanted within the patient's body.
US08694128B2
A medical device lead is presented. One embodiment of the claimed invention includes a lead body, a conductor, and a flexible component. The lead body includes a proximal end and a distal end. The conductor is coupled to the lead body. A sleeve is coupled to the distal end of the lead body. The flexible component is coupled to the distal end of the sleeve. The distal end of the flexible component includes an outer diameter that is greater than the outer diameter of the proximal end.
US08694120B2
An implantable control module for an electrical stimulation system includes an electronic subassembly disposed in a sealed conductive housing. A plurality of feedthrough pins extend through the sealed housing and couple connector contact of an external connector to the electronic subassembly. Each of the plurality of conductive pathways electrically couples a different one of the plurality of feedthrough pins to the electronic subassembly. A ground line electrically couples the electronic subassembly to the housing. A capacitive flex circuit is disposed in the housing and couples to each of the feed through pins. For each of the plurality of feedthrough pins the capacitive flex circuit includes a first conductive path electrically coupling the feedthrough pin to a corresponding conductive pathway of the plurality of conductive pathways, and a second conductive path electrically coupling the feedthrough pin to the ground pin.
US08694119B2
An interventional system that utilizes a carotid chemoreceptor(s) and optionally baroreceptor(s) for inducing vasodilatation in blood vessels of the brain is provided for treating ischemic conditions of the CNS, such as ischemic stroke and cerebral vasospasm. The system includes an electrical signal generator and an endovascular module with electrode units for transiently being disposed in the internal and external carotid arteries, adjacent a carotid body.
US08694108B2
Selective high-frequency spinal chord modulation for inhibiting pain with reduced side affects and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In particular embodiments, high-frequency modulation in the range of from about 1.5 KHz to about 50 KHz may be applied to the patient's spinal chord region to address low back pain without creating unwanted sensory and/or motor side affects. In other embodiments, modulation in accordance with similar parameters can be applied to other spinal or peripheral locations to address other indications. In particular embodiments, aspects of the foregoing modulation therapies may be implemented by systems and devices that have simplified functionalities.
US08694107B2
Methods are provided to reliably identify and surgically eradicate aberrant DREZ in patients suffering from spinal cord injury. The methods include identifying potential aberrant DREZ using a combination of mapping techniques based on the location of the patients perceived pain, analysis of the spontaneous electrical hyperactivity in targeted DREZ, and analysis of evoked transcutaneous C-fiber stimulation both in pre-operative and operative conditions. Methods are also provided for identifying potential pain effecters in aberrant DREZ, useful in the preparation of non-invasive therapeutics for central pain characteristic of spinal cord injury.
US08694104B2
An embodiment relates to a method for delivering a vagal stimulation therapy to a vagus nerve, including delivering a neural stimulation signal to non-selectively stimulate both afferent axons and efferent axons in the vagus nerve according to a predetermined schedule for the vagal stimulation therapy, and selecting a value for at least one parameter for the predetermined schedule for the vagal stimulation therapy to control the neural stimulation therapy to avoid physiological habituation to the vagal stimulation therapy. The parameter(s) include at least one parameter selected from the group of parameters consisting of a predetermined therapy duration parameter for a predetermined therapy period, and a predetermined intermittent neural stimulation parameter associated with on/off timing for the intermittent neural stimulation parameter.
US08694100B2
A medical device for use with a patient is described. The medical device includes a component for administering a treatment to the patient or receiving data of the patient. The component is configured to operate according to an internal setting. The medical device also includes a user interface through which a user can modify the internal setting, as well as a settings signature generator for generating a settings signature that represents a present state of the internal setting. A gateway is also provided for communicating a version of the settings signature out of the medical device.
US08694096B2
A method and system for managing refractory periods in a cardiac rhythm management device configured for biventricular or biatrial sensing. Refractory periods for each channel of the pacemaker are provided by interval timers that are triggered by sensed or paced events in order to prevent misinterpretation of sensing signals.
US08694094B1
An exemplary method includes delivering a cardiac pacing therapy using an electrode configuration for left ventricular, single site pacing or left ventricular, multi-site pacing, measuring a series of interventricular conduction delays using the left ventricular pacing and right ventricular sensing (IVCD-LR), comparing the interventricular conduction delay values to a limit and, based on the comparison, deciding whether to change the electrode configuration for the left ventricular pacing. Other exemplary methods, devices, systems, etc., are also disclosed.
US08694088B2
The present invention provides a hand-held, noninvasive diagnostic device for measuring the electric fields in mammalian skin and other epithelial structures. The device includes an outer housing that contacts the skin, providing stability and allowing the device to move along with minor movement of the skin. Recessed within the outer housing is a probe that acts as a sensor to measure the electric field in the skin through an aperture in the bottom surface of the outer housing. By applying a series of known voltages while the probe is vibrating, the skin's local surface potential can be measured and the lateral electric field can be calculated from the spatial distribution of surface potential measurements. Active feedback is used to maintain a constant distance between the probe and the skin surface.
US08694080B2
An ECG lead system for use with a plurality of unique diverse ECG floor monitors for when a patient is substantially immobile and/or a plurality of unique diverse ECG telemetry monitors, is provided. The ECG lead system includes a plurality of unique adapters, wherein each adapter includes an input receptacle configured for selective electrical connection with a device connector of an ECG lead set assembly; and at least one unique monitor plug electrically connected to the input receptacle. Each monitor plug is configured to selectively electrically connect to a corresponding receptacle of a respective unique diverse ECG floor monitor or unique diverse ECG telemetry monitor.
US08694065B2
A cryogenic cooling system includes a chamber defined by an outer wall and an inner wall, the chamber housing at least one component to be cooled; a wicking structure in thermal contact with one of the outer wall and the inner wall of the chamber; and a delivery system in a spaced apart relationship with the chamber and fluidly connected to the wicking structure for transporting a working fluid to and from the wicking structure. Also provided is a magnetic resonance imaging system including the cryogenic cooling system.
US08694064B2
A case for a mobile electronic device with a touch screen is provided. The case comprises a base frame and first and second frames. The base frame contacts the back of the mobile electronic device and includes coupling parts at the periphery thereof. The first frame wraps one widthwise side and both lengthwise sides, over a certain distance, of the mobile electronic device. The second frame wraps the other widthwise side and both lengthwise sides, over the remaining distance except the distance of lengthwise sides wrapped by the first frame. The first and second frames comprise guard parts for wrapping part of the periphery of the front of the mobile electronic device. The base frame is coupled to the first and second frames by the coupling parts, thereby wrapping the back, widthwise and lengthwise sides, of the mobile electronic device.
US08694058B2
A system and method for automatically configuring a communications system between a local mode in which a local communications device (such as an in-vehicle device or “land-line phone”) is active and a remote mode in which a mobile communications device is active and coupled to the communications system. One example of the method includes searching for a Bluetooth™ enabled device, selecting the remote mode of operation responsive to detection of the Bluetooth™ enabled device, and selecting the local mode of operation responsive to failure to detect the Bluetooth™ enabled device. In one example, selecting the local mode of operation includes activating the local communications device, and selecting the remote mode of operation includes activating local Bluetooth™ systems to connect the Bluetooth™ enabled device to the communications system.
US08694054B2
In example embodiment, a BLUETOOTH application on a cell phone acts as an audio proxy and enables shared use of the cell phone's BLUETOOTH headset between the cell phone and a BLUETOOTH enabled desk phone. When a telephone communication is established via the desk phone, audio data is sent from the desk phone to the cell phone, and the cell phone relays the audio data to the headset. Audio data from the headset is relayed by the cell phone to the desk phone.
US08694051B2
A mobile device configured to be used in a wireless communication network includes: an image capture device; at least one sensor configured to measure a first orientation of the mobile device; and a processor communicatively coupled to the image capture device and the at least one sensor and configured to: identify an object in an image captured by the image capture device; use a position of the mobile device to determine an actual location of the object relative to the mobile device; and use the actual location of the object relative to the mobile device and the image to determine a correction for the sensor.
US08694041B2
A method and system to provide ad-hoc push-to-talk calls between a plurality of users in a wireless packet data telecommunications network are described. The system may include: a wireless communication network including push-to-talk (PTT) functionality, with a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Proxy Server; a SIP Registrar and Location Server operable to store contact addresses of active mobile devices; a Realtime Transport Protocol (RTP) Media Gateway (PTT Server) operable to function as a call endpoint for each of a plurality of mobile devices wherein the plurality of mobile devices may be segmented into membership groups, the PTT Server further operable to multicast a communication from one member of the group to the other members of the group; and an Internet Protocol (IP) network interconnecting the SIP Proxy server, the SIP Registrar and Location Server, and the PTT Server.
US08694038B2
Antenna verification is controlled in the ON state at least until transmission to a wireless base station is started, and particularly, a result of estimation of the signal phase individually from two antennas of the wireless base station is reflected on a reception signal process, to decrease the failure rate in synchronism establishment arising from that antenna verification of transmission diversity to be carried out for reception characteristic enhancement of the downlink is controlled in the OFF state in order to enhance the throughput characteristic as in a case wherein the HSDPA is applied.
US08694028B2
A communication terminal apparatus includes: a communication unit performing communication; a storage unit collecting and storing history information on communication; a registration unit registering at least communication address information on communicating parties and image information that represents the communicating parties; a display unit displaying images, which represent the registered communicating parties, on a display screen; and an arrangement position determining unit determining arrangement positions of the images, which represent the communicating parties, based on the history information on communication with the communicating parties.
US08694026B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for location-based services. An event or device condition is detected at a device. A current geographic location of a device is determined. Location-based information based on the determined current geographic location is received. The location-based information includes information relevant to the event or device condition. The information is presented.
US08694017B2
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate secure interference management in a wireless communication system. Techniques are described herein to enable a terminal jammed by a nearby base station to submit a request to the nearby base station to set aside interlaces and/or other communication resources while preventing attacks wherein such requests are submitted arbitrarily. As described herein, a base station receiving a request for reservation of resources can require proof that an entity requesting the reservation is actually jammed by the base station by constructing and transmitting a signal using random number and/or other information such that the information can be correctly decoded only at or above a minimum signal quality. A tiered technique is additionally described herein, wherein multiple signals are constructed and transmitted such that the respective signals are correctly decodable at varying signal quality thresholds.
US08694011B2
A method of managing communication in the wireless communication network having a plurality of Base Stations (BSs) is provided. Each BS provides communication to one or more Mobile Stations (MSs) in an associated cell. The method includes re-using at a BS, channel allocated to collocated BSs to communicate with MSs located in a first predetermined region in a cell of the BS. The method further includes scheduling MSs located in the first predetermined region based on the position of each MS relative to the BS. The MSs are scheduled using one or more of channels allocated to the collocated BSs and a native channel of the BS. Further, the method includes scheduling MSs located in a second predetermined region based on the position of each MS relative to the BS. The MSs in the second predetermined region are scheduled using the native channel of the BS.
US08694010B2
A wireless array for providing access to a network is provided. The wireless array includes at least two transceivers in signal communication with a client. A magnetometer of the wireless array provides orientation information relating to an orientation of the wireless array relative to a magnetic field. A controller of the wireless array is in signal communication with the transceivers and the magnetometer. The controller manages the communications exchanged via the transceivers and receives the orientation information provided by the magnetometer.
US08694001B2
System and method for obtaining identity number of user equipment in an LTE system. An identity number of a user equipment may be obtained at an eNodeB in an LTE network having an MME. In order to obtain the identity number, the eNodeB may receive a first message from the user equipment and extract a first part of an identity number of the user equipment from the received first message. The eNodeB may receive a second message from the MME and extract a second part of the identity number of the user equipment from the second message. The eNodeB may form the identity number of user equipment by combining the extracted first part of the identity number with the extracted second part of the identity number.
US08694000B2
A method and apparatus for mobile two-tier wireless communication are provided. A wireless communication signal may be received at a mobile communication device from a cellular base station. Data may be recovered from the received wireless communication signal. The data may be transmitted to an IEEE 802.11 user device. A second wireless communication signal may be received from the IEEE 802.11 user device. Data may be recovered from the second wireless communication signal. The data may be transmitted to the cellular base station.
US08693998B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method of providing a service to a user of a mobile communication device. A selection a service may be received. An optimal option for providing a selected service may be determined and displayed on a mobile communication device. A session including a voice communication channel and a data communication channel may be established and used to provide a selected service.
US08693993B2
A dynamically created and automatically updated personalized cloud of mobile tasks may be displayed on an interactive visual display via a personalized cloud generator application. The personalized cloud generator application may receive and/or capture information representing a mobile task performed by a mobile computing device user. The personalized cloud generator application may then store the information and determine a relevance of a given performed mobile task. If the relevance of the performed mobile task meets a prescribed threshold, the personal cloud generator application may display a selectable visual representation (e.g., selectable icon) of the performed mobile task. Given a user's activity, the visual representation may be automatically updated (displayed, removed, moved, resized, etc.) based on the information received and/or captured. Subsequent selection of the displayed visual representation allows quick and easy access or performance of the associated mobile task.
US08693984B1
A dispenser having a unique cellular telephone calling number (or multiple unique calling numbers) operable in response to receiving a cellular message. The dispenser includes a cellular phone component and may include a SIM card slot and SIM card. A number of dispensers may each be equipped with a cellular phone component each having a unique calling number and a cellular phone system provider configured to authorize sending of information representing a pre-authorized amount of items to be dispensed as a wireless cellular signal to one or any of the dispensers. A cell pod is configured to enable a cellular telephone to communicate and control a vending machine. A method of selling items includes sending a cellular telephone signal to a unique telephone number associated with the dispenser and assessing a charge to the cellular telephone of a user prior to authorizing the sending of the signal.
US08693980B2
A mobile device automatically is configured to the emergency alert system (EAS) channel utilized by the cellular site from which the mobile device registers with a network. In an example configuration, an EAS server provides a mobile switching center (MSC) configuration information regarding the emergency alert channels to be used for the cellular sites supported by the MSC. When the mobile device registers via a cellular site supported by the MSC, the designated channel to be used for EAS messages is sent to the mobile device as part of the registration process. The mobile device assigns an internal channel to the designated channel. In another example configuration, the mobile device is preconfigured with a table listing all possible EAS channels, and the MSC provides, during the registration process, a pointer to the appropriate portion of the table.
US08693969B2
A communications device, such as a GNSS receiver comprises an oscillator, having a temperature-dependent frequency characteristic, for generating signals at a nominal frequency; receiver circuitry, for receiving transmitted wireless signals using the signals generated by the oscillator; at least one temperature sensor, having a known positional relationship to the oscillator; an estimation device, for estimating a frequency of the signals generated by the oscillator, based on a measurement from the temperature sensor, and based on the temperature-dependent frequency characteristic of the oscillator; and at least one heat source. A change in the temperature of the oscillator is predicted, based on a state of the heat source, and further based on a model of the thermal properties of the communications device, and hence a change in the frequency of the signals generated by the oscillator is predicted, based on the temperature-dependent frequency characteristic of the oscillator. The receiver circuitry uses the estimated frequency of the signals generated by the oscillator, and the predicted change in the frequency of the signals generated by the oscillator, in receiving the transmitted wireless signals.
US08693952B2
The disclosure provides a method for orderly connection of a bluetooth headset controlled by a terminal. The method includes: a terminal sets Hands-Free Profile (HFP) service status as visible and connectable, and sets Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) service status and Audio Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) service status as invisible and unconnectable; a bluetooth headset sends an HFP connection request to the terminal; and the terminal sends a response of accepting an HFP connection to the bluetooth headset. The disclosure also provides a system for orderly connection of a bluetooth headset controlled by a terminal. Application of the method and system may avoid different connection order of the profiles due to different manufacturers of the bluetooth headset when the bluetooth headset actively initiates a connection, which achieves a compatible connection of the profiles.
US08693950B2
Aspects of a method and system for transmit power control techniques to reduce mutual interference between coexistent wireless networks are provided. A coexistence terminal comprising a WLAN radio and a Bluetooth radio operating as a master device may transmit signals to one or more remote controllers comprising a slave Bluetooth radio to increase transmission power when the isolation between the coexistence terminal's WLAN and Bluetooth radios is below a threshold. Link manager protocol (LMP) signals may be utilized for changing the transmission power. When the isolation increases above the threshold, signals may be generated to reduce the remote controllers' transmission power. In some instances, in addition to increasing the transmission power of remote controllers, the transmission power of the Bluetooth radio or the WLAN radio may be reduced. The reduced Bluetooth or WLAN radio transmission power may be increased when the radio isolation in the coexistence terminal increases.
US08693942B1
An improved method and apparatus for evaluating the performance of an individual. In one aspect, the invention includes a method of encoding questions used in an examination in order to accurately identify and evaluate deficiencies in an individual's knowledge. In another aspect, an improved method of evaluating responses to the encoded questions is disclosed. Adaptive structuring of subsequent exam questions and/or topics is also provided. A computer program and associated apparatus for administering and evaluating performance is also described.
US08693930B2
An image formation device comprises imaging units creating toner images in a corresponding color; an intermediate transfer body where the toner images are overlaid in a primary transfer; a secondary transfer unit performing secondary transfers of the overlaid toner images onto a recording sheet; a first misregistration correction unit operable to cause each imaging unit to form a reference pattern, execute a first misalignment reading acquisition process of acquiring a misalignment reading for each pattern, and adjust the imaging units to correct the readings; a storage unit storing the readings; and a second misregistration correction unit operable to cause an imaging unit subset to form reference patterns, execute a second misalignment reading acquisition process of acquiring readings for the subset of patterns and estimating readings in colors for which no pattern is formed from the acquired readings and the stored readings, and adjust the imaging units to correct all readings.
US08693920B2
An image forming apparatus capable of achieving improved image quality even when image formation is performed using a plurality of types of drive sources different in characteristics. Image forming units for colors form toner images of the respective colors on respective photosensitive drums each of which is driven by a DC motor for rotation. Encoder sensors detect information on the rotational speed of the photosensitive drums. An image forming unit for black forms a black toner image on a photosensitive drum having an outer diameter larger than that of the photosensitive drums for colors, which is driven by a stepper motor for rotation. An intermediate transfer belt transfers toner images formed on the respective photosensitive drums to a sheet. A motor controller controls a drive frequency of the stepper motor based on information on the rotational speed of the photosensitive drum for black.
US08693917B2
A developing-section displacement mechanism supports a developing-section supporting member and displaces the developing-section supporting member between: a first adjacent position where the developing-section supporting member is adjacent to photosensitive members; and a first separated position where the developing-section supporting member is separated from the photosensitive members. A photosensitive-member displacement mechanism supports the photosensitive-member supporting member and displaces the photosensitive-member supporting member between: a second adjacent position where the photosensitive-member supporting member is adjacent to a belt; and a second separated position where the photosensitive-member supporting member is separated from the belt. An interlocking mechanism interlocks the both displacement mechanisms with the cover, and displaces the both supporting members from the respective adjacent positions to the respective separated positions when the cover moves from a closed position to an open position.
US08693915B2
An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of process cartridges and a pair of frames. Each of the plurality of process cartridges includes a photosensitive drum, a charger and a charger supporting wall. One of the pair of frames has a plurality of first openings such that air outside the pair of frames is sucked between the pair of frames through the first openings. The other of the pair of frames has a plurality of second openings such that air between the pair of frames is discharged outside the pair of frames through the second openings. The first openings are positioned on an opposite side of the charger supporting wall from the photosensitive drum. The second openings are positioned on the same side of the charger supporting wall as the photosensitive drum.
US08693914B2
A developing cartridge includes a case having a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall, and a developing roller disposed between the first sidewall and second sidewall. The developing roller can include a developing roller shaft and a developing roller member configured to carry a developing agent thereon, the developing roller member disposed around the developing roller shaft. Also, the developing cartridge can include an electrode disposed on the first sidewall adjacent to the developing roller shaft, the electrode electrically connected to the developing roller member, and a driven coupling disposed on the second sidewall. The electrode can include, an extending portion extending in a direction away from the first sidewall. An outermost periphery of the driven coupling defines a projection plane projecting in a direction towards the electrode, wherein at least a part of the extending portion is disposed within the projection plane.
US08693911B2
An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment includes: an image carrier; a transfer device which transfers a toner image formed on the image carrier onto a recording medium; a resistance measuring device which causes a current to flow through the recording medium before transferring the toner image and measures the resistance of the recording medium; and a setting unit which sets a condition of the transfer on the basis of the measurement result of the resistance of the recording medium. The resistance measuring device includes an electric shock prevention member which prevents the current from flowing to a user through the recording medium during the measurement of the resistance of the recording medium.
US08693906B2
Methods for printing are provided. In one aspect a primary imaging member having a pattern of engine pixel locations with image modulated differences of potential and with first toner having a first toner difference of potential is moved to a second development station. A second development difference of potential of the first polarity at the second development station forms a second net development difference of the second development difference of potential less any image modulated difference of potential at the individual engine pixel location and less any difference of potential relative to ground of any first toner at the individual engine pixel location. The second development difference of potential is greater than the first development difference of potential so that second toner that is different from the first toner is developed onto the first toner using the second net development difference of potential.
US08693899B2
A method for providing a message on a replaceable printing component of a printing device includes detecting a trigger event, retrieving a message from a memory associated with the replaceable printing component in response to the trigger event, and forming the message on an imaging member of the replaceable printing component, wherein the trigger event includes an end of a print job, and wherein the message remains on the imaging member after completion of the print job.
US08693896B2
A method for processing received electromagnetic radiation includes receiving electromagnetic radiation having a plurality of carrier waves in the frequency range between 0.1 and 10 terahertz and having modulated onto the carrier waves information with a signal frequency of less than 50 GHz. The received radiation is filtered with a filter that is tunable in the frequency range from 0.1 to 10 terahertz so as to obtain at least one carrier wave as a terahertz signal. The terahertz signal is provided to a detection circuit that is sensitive to the terahertz signal frequency.
US08693894B2
A gain clamped optical device includes a semiconductor stack and a resonant cavity configured to emit stimulated light. A window created in the optical device is configured to emit the stimulated light in an LED mode.
US08693887B2
An optical transmitter of the invention phase modulates an output light from a light source according to data using a phase modulator, and then supplies it to an intensity modulator. The intensity modulator performs pulse carving of the output light from the phase modulator in accordance with a clock signal in which a duty cycle is changed to a value different from 50% by a waveform transformation circuit, with an operating range being a slope from a trough to a crest in the photoelectric response characteristics. As a result, it is possible to realize, at the same time, duty cycle and chirp characteristics that enable excellent transmission characteristics to be obtained.
US08693879B2
An optical receiver assembly that is configured to avoid the introduction of feedback in an electrical signal converted by the assembly is disclosed. In one embodiment, an optical receiver assembly is disclosed, comprising a capacitor, an optical detector provided with a power supply being mounted on a top electrode of the capacitor, and an amplifier mounted on the reference surface. The assembly further includes an isolator interposed between the reference surface and the capacitor, wherein the isolator includes a bottom layer of dielectric material that is affixed to a portion of the reference surface, and a metallic top plate that is electrically coupled both to a ground of the amplifier and to the capacitor. This configuration bootstraps the amplifier ground to the amplifier input via the photodiode top electrode of the capacitor to cancel out feedback signals present at the amplifier ground.
US08693878B2
The invention relates to an illumination device connectable to an AC voltage source for applying an alternating voltage during a series of time intervals. The illumination device comprises at least a first light source and a second light source, arranged to be connected in series to the AC voltage source, to generate a luminance output in response to the alternating voltage. Selection means are provided configured for selectively applying the alternating voltage over the first light source or the first and second light source. A controller is provided for controlling the selection means in response to a data signal comprising data symbols such that one or more of the data symbols are contained in said luminance output. The invention also relates to a method of embedding one or more data symbols in the luminance output of such an illumination device, an optical receiver and an illumination system.
US08693876B2
A high-speed signal generator. A digital signal processing (DSP) block generates a set of N (where N is an integer and N≧2) parallel digital sub-band signals, each digital sub-band signal having frequency components within a spectral range between 0 Hz and ±Fs/2, where Fs is a sample rate of the digital sub-band signals. A respective Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) processes each digital sub-band signal to generate a corresponding analog sub-band signal, each DAC having a sample rate of Fs/2. A combiner combines the analog sub-band signals to generate an output analog signal having frequency components within a spectral range between 0 Hz and ±NFs/2.
US08693872B2
A wavelength locking method, apparatus, and system are provided. The wavelength locking method includes modulating, by using scrambling signals with a same frequency and different phases, each one of a plurality of optical channel signals respectively; processing, by a combiner, a splitter, and a wavelength locker, the modulated optical signals, so as to acquire photoelectricity detector (PD) signals; performing phase discrimination on the PD signals to acquire wavelength information of the optical channels; determining different shift values corresponding to the different wavelength information; and adjusting wavelengths of the optical channels according to the corresponding shift values.
US08693865B2
A data processing device is connectable to a communication network and operable to receive data associated with an attenuation characteristic of a transmission line of a cable in a cable communication subsystem, the subsystem comprising a transmitter and/or receiver coupled to the cable. The data processing device is responsive to the received data to initiate a security procedure.
US08693857B2
A method of heat-treating a workpiece includes generating an initial heating portion and a subsequent sustaining portion of an irradiance pulse incident on a target surface area of the workpiece. A combined duration of the initial heating portion and the subsequent sustaining portion is less than a thermal conduction time of the workpiece. The initial heating portion heats the target surface area to a desired temperature and the subsequent sustaining portion maintains the target surface area within a desired range from the desired temperature. Another method includes generating such an initial heating portion and subsequent sustaining portion of an irradiance pulse, monitoring at least one parameter indicative of a presently completed amount of a desired thermal process during the irradiance pulse, and modifying the irradiance pulse in response to deviation of the at least one parameter from an expected value.
US08693854B2
A uniform voltage is applied to loads even to other than a multiple of three loads made of heating lamps connected in parallel to each other, without causing any burden on a primary side. The number of loads is divided into a multiple of three and a multiple of two. A three-phase AC voltage is applied to three primary windings, which are connected as a Y-connection or a Δ-connection. Secondary windings, which are each magnetically coupled to a primary winding of a plurality of three-phase transformers and have the same number of turns, are connected with the multiple of three loads.
US08693853B2
A radiant tube assembly (12) has at least one tubular structure (14, 16, 22, or 24), and a heat source (30), with a thermal protective layer (18) is on at least one side, interior or exterior (17 or 15), thereof. An outer tubular structure (16) may be present. A protective layer (18) may be disposed on the outer tubular structure's (16) interior and/or exterior sides (17 and/or 15). A shield (26), having two sides (25 and 27) and a thermal protective layer (18) may be disposed along an exterior or interior side (27 or 25).
US08693842B2
Systems and methods are presented for enriching audio/video recordings using annotation data provided by attendees of a presentation, in which annotations from attendees are received by a server which merges and synchronizes the annotation data, performs text data mining to identify key messages and temporal segments of the audio/video data, and constructs an enriched audio/video recording including audio and/or video data as well as segment data and key message data for ease of user navigation.
US08693834B2
A few mode optical fiber suitable for use in a mode division multiplexing (MDM) optical transmission system is disclosed. The optical fiber has a graded-index core with a radius R1 in the range from 8 μm to 14 μm, an alpha value greater than or equal to about 2.3 and less than about 2.7 at a wavelength of 1550 nm, and a maximum relative refractive index Δ1MAX from about 0.3% to about 0.6% relative to the cladding. The optical fiber also has an effective area greater than about 90 μm2 and less than about 160 μm2. The core and cladding support only the LP01 and LP11 modes at wavelengths greater than 1500 nm. The cladding has a maximum relative refractive index Δ4MAX such that Δ1MAX>Δ4MAX, and the differential group delay between the LP01 and LP11 modes is less than about 0.5 ns/km at a wavelength of 1550 nm.
US08693826B2
The present invention relates to a system for writing an optical structure in a waveguide. The system including, means for splitting a light beam into two coherent writing beams, an optical circuit for directing the writing beams along substantially the same optical path in opposite directions such that they produce an interference pattern in an interference region substantially within the waveguide to write the optical structure, said optical circuit including at least two acousto-optic modulators (AOMs) configured to enable a controllable phase shift to be applied to a light beam propagating therethrough, the two AOMs being arranged such that, in use, each AOM shifts the phase of only one of the writing beams, to thereby provide a controllable phase difference between the writing beams.
US08693819B2
An optical switching system is disclosed. The system comprises: input optics, for receiving light from at least one input optical port and separating the light into a plurality of optical channels to assign a separate optical path to each channel of each input optical port. The system further comprises an input steering array and an output steering array arranged such that the input steering array is imaged onto the output steering array, wherein the input steering array is configured to receive the separated light and steer each optical channel to an individual element of the output steering array. The system further comprises output optics, for receiving the optical channels from the output steering array and coupling the optical channels into at least one output optical port.
US08693818B2
Provided is an optical processing device including: a beam emission portion which comprises a plurality of optical fibers; a plurality of collimating lenses to which a beam emitted from the optical fibers are incident; a dispersion element which disperses the beam emitted from one optical fiber among the plurality of optical fibers; and an optical path conversion optical system which converts an optical path of the beam passing through the dispersion element and allows the beam to be incident to another optical fiber among the plurality of optical fibers, wherein the plurality of collimating lenses is installed in series in the optical path direction of the beam emitted from the optical fiber, and wherein a distance between at least two collimating lenses are adjustable in the optical path direction.
US08693806B2
A method of taking an aerial survey maps boundaries of a first image and a second image from a first plane to a second plane to determine boundaries of an output image in the second plane. For a plurality of pixels in the output image, the method determines a corresponding pixel of either the first image or second image in the first plane.
US08693804B2
According to one embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes first and second computation portions, a selection portion, a projection portion, and a weighted averaging portion. The first computation portion is configured to obtain magnitudes of correlations between a first vector and plural basis vectors. The selection portion is configured to select basis vectors from the plural basis vectors. The projection portion is configured to select a second region, obtain a first projection vector by projecting the first vector onto a subspace formed by the selected basis vectors and obtain a second projection vector for each second region by projecting a second vector onto the subspace. The second computation portion is configured to compute a distance between the first and second projection vectors. The weighted averaging portion is configured to weighted average a pixel value of the second pixel to obtain an output pixel value of a first pixel.
US08693798B2
The present invention discloses an image sharpness processing apparatus and an image sharpness processing method thereof. The apparatus comprises an image capturing module and a processing module. The image capturing module captures an image having a plurality of pixels. The processing module gains a characteristic value corresponding to each pixel by analyzing each pixel in the image. The processing module calculates a first sharpening compensation value and a second sharpening compensation value of each pixel by using a first sharpening algorithm and a second sharpening algorithm respectively, and determines a weight value of the first sharpening algorithm and the second sharpening algorithm by the characteristic value. The processing module calculates a third sharpening compensation value according to the first sharpening compensation value and the second sharpening compensation value, so as to adjust the sharpness of the image.
US08693791B2
An object detection apparatus that detects an object to be detected captured in a determination image according to a feature amount of the object to be detected preliminarily learned by the use of a learning image, the object detection apparatus including a detector causing strong classifiers to operate in order of lower classification accuracy, continuing processing when the strong classifier has determined that the object to be detected is captured in the determination image, and determining that the object to be detected has not been detected without causing the strong classifier having classification accuracy higher than the aforementioned strong classifier to operate, when the strong classifier has determined that the object to be detected is not captured in the determination image, wherein the strong classifier inputs a classification result of the strong classifier having classification accuracy lower than the aforementioned strong classifier and determines whether the object to be detected is captured or not in the determination image according to the plurality of estimation values and the input classification result.
US08693788B2
Among other things, a degree is determined to which values of a feature that characterizes cases correctly predict classes to which cases belong, the degree depending on a combination of at least two factors that include: (a) uncertainty about the values that the feature will have depending on knowledge about classes to which cases belong, and (b) comparison of one or more first values of the feature that are associated with cases that belong to a first class with one or more second values of the feature associated with cases belonging to a second class.
US08693785B2
Provided is an image matching method of matching at least two images. The image matching method extracts feature points of a reference image and feature points of a target image, changes a feature point, selected from among the feature points of the reference image, to a reference point in the target image, sets a matching candidate region on the basis of the reference point, in the target image, and performs a similarity operation between the selected feature point in the reference image and a plurality of feature points included in the matching candidate region among the feature points of the target image. The image matching method decreases the number of similarity operations performed in the image matching operation, thereby guaranteeing a high-speed operation.
US08693783B2
A processing method for image interpolation is provided. In the method, a contour containing a destination pixel and a plurality of contour pixels is produced and detected by using an edge detection method for a selected area in an original image. Next, two extreme points are identified from the contour pixels by judging the changing trend of brightness value of the contour pixels on the contour. Then using the changing trend and two extreme points determines whether the destination pixel is located at a transition area or a non-transition area. If the destination pixel is located at the non-transition area, an interpolation adjust value is calculated according to the brightness values of the two extreme points and the brightness value of the destination pixel. An interpolation result of the destination pixel is obtained by performing the interpolation on the selected area according to the interpolation adjust value.
US08693780B2
A computerized method of image processing to form a collage within a predetermined outline from a plurality of images, the method comprising: processing each image to assign a saliency measure to each pixel, said processing utilizing a dissimilarity measure which combines an appearance component and a distance component; finding a first patch of said image and comparing with other patches at different distances from said first patch using said dissimilarity measure, thereby to obtain a score; applying to each pixel of said first patch said obtained score; continuing said comparing and scoring with additional patches of said image until each pixel obtains a score; from said scored pixels providing for each image a region of interest, by setting an initial boundary that encloses a predetermined set of highest scored pixels, and propagating a curve around said initial boundary in such a way as to minimize length and maximize included saliency; and combining said regions of interest into said collage by: ordering said image regions by importance; placing successive regions within said predetermined outline, so as to maximize saliency and compactness and minimize occlusion.
US08693779B1
Methods and systems for segmenting printed media pages into individual articles quickly and efficiently. A printed media based image that may include a variety of columns, headlines, images, and text is input into the system which comprises a block segmenter and an article segmenter system. The block segmenter identifies and produces blocks of textual content from a printed media image while the article segmenter system determines which blocks of textual content belong to one or more articles in the printed media image based on a classifier algorithm. A method for segmenting printed media pages into individual articles is also presented.
US08693777B2
There are provided an apparatus and a method for estimating edge areas of pixels in a digital image to thereby prevent an edge sharpening algorithm from being applied to non-edge area of the digital image. Therefore, the apparatus can accurately determine whether each pixel is in an edge area or in a non-edge area, by generating a binary mask obtained by using a luminance difference average between each pixel and each of neighboring pixels in the digital image. Moreover, the determination of an edge-area or a non-edge area may be applied to various digital images, by adjusting a level of edge-area determination.
US08693775B2
An image processing apparatus includes: a holding section holding a pixel value input thereto; a basic pixel value calculating section calculating a basic pixel value from the pixel values of a plurality of pixels which are neighboring pixels located around a pixel of interest having the pixel value held by the holding section and which have the same color as the pixel of interest; a different color pixel difference calculating section calculating a different color pixel difference which is a difference between the pixel values of neighboring pixels having a color different from the color of the pixel of interest; a combining section combining the basic pixel value and the different color pixel difference to calculate an estimated pixel value of the pixel of interest; and a correcting section correcting the pixel value of the pixel of interest to the estimated value.
US08693773B2
To provide a color image processing method and device capable of improving the texture of a specific object in a color image taken by a color imaging device by controlling the quantity of a specular component in the specific object. A color image processing device (100) includes an image information acquisition unit (110) that detects an object area based on an input image, and obtains color information and 3D information of the object area, a reflection information restoration unit (120) that restores a specular component and a body reflection component containing shade of the object area based on the color information and the 3D information, a specular component correction unit (130) that corrects the specular component, and a reproduced-color calculation unit (140) that calculates a reproduced color of the object area by using the shade in the body reflection component and the corrected specular component and generates an output image.
US08693769B2
Image classification methods and systems are provided. First, an image is obtained using a computer. The image is then processed using the computer to obtain image information. The image information includes one or any combination of an average color difference between at least one average channel value of pixels in at least one boundary region of the image and a predefined standard value, a gradient variation magnitude difference between at least two regions of the image, and a percentage of the edges of the image to the image. The image is classified using the computer according to the image information.
US08693767B2
Image data, in particular a three-dimensional image master, is generated for stereoscopic playback via an auto-stereoscopic playback device. Image data are generated for playback that evokes a three-dimensional visual impression in a human observer by: receiving and/or importing 2D image data of an original view, deriving a plurality of further partial views that represent the information shown in the original view from different viewing angles. For each pixel of the 2D image data of the original view, color values are determined and a control value dependent on the color values is automatically assigned to each of the pixels. Each control value represents disparity information, and while deriving the plurality of partial views, which represents different viewing directions of an original scene represented by the 2D image data of the original view, the individual pixels of the original image are shifted pixel-wise relative to one another according to a displacement vector pre-set for the respective view and corresponding to the control value assigned to the individual pixel, and the pixels of the respective view are derived on the basis of the shifted pixels.
US08693766B2
When obtaining a final result from a discriminator group arranged in a predetermined order, an evaluation value obtaining unit successively evaluates each discriminator from a first discriminator and if it is determined that a discrimination result represented by an overall evaluation value obtained by evaluating the first to Ith discriminators remains unchanged even if evaluation values of I+1th and subsequent discriminators are added to the overall evaluation value, a discrimination result determination unit instructs the evaluation value obtaining unit to terminate the evaluation of the I+1th and subsequent discriminators, and determines the discrimination result according to the overall evaluation value obtained by evaluating the first to Ith discriminators as a final result.
US08693755B2
A system provides a roadmap image displaying a vessel structure using an imaging system to acquire data representing multiple temporally sequential individual images of vessels of a region of interest of patient anatomy in the presence of a contrast agent. An image data processor generates multiple sequential cumulative images corresponding to the individual images and an individual current cumulative image corresponds to a current image of the individual images. The current cumulative image comprises cumulative pixel luminance values and an individual cumulative pixel luminance value is generated from luminance values of pixels, spatially corresponding to the individual cumulative pixel and present in images comprising a subset of the individual images. The subset comprises contiguous images of the temporally sequential individual images acquired preceding the current image and including the current image. An output processor provides the multiple sequential cumulative images to a destination.
US08693748B2
According to an exemplary embodiment, a method for processing an intraoral image comprises obtaining location data for an intraoral image target and processing an intraoral image in a predetermined manner on the basis of the intraoral image target's location data.
US08693746B2
In one embodiment of the present invention, a significance test of pixel values is performed between a region where functions could be deteriorated in a disease-specific manner and a region where functions could be preserved even in cases of diseases using brain functional images. Then, the mean pixel value of the functionally preserved site is significantly greater than the mean pixel value of the functionally deteriorated site according to the significance test is determined as an a image including a neurodegenerative disorder. According to this embodiment, it becomes possible to objectively detect images of neurodegenerative disorders without using a database for healthy subjects.
US08693734B2
Methods and apparatus for detecting and removing poorly conditioned points in bundle adjustment. A detection technique may be used to detect poorly conditioned points during the bundle adjustment process or portion of a feature-based 3D reconstruction pipeline. Once the poorly conditioned points are detected, the technique removes the points from the bundle adjustment process. The technique detects and removes the poorly conditioned points before the optimization is performed, and therefore ensures that the optimization will be successful.
US08693730B2
The present invention provides a method for real-time tracking of moving flexible surfaces and an image guided surgical robotic system using this tracking method. A vision system acquires an image of the moving flexible surface and identifies and tracks visual features at different times. The method involves computing both rigid and stretching transformations based on the changing positions of the visual features which are then used to track any area of interest on the moving flexible surface as it evolves over time. A robotic surgical system using this real-time tracking is disclosed.
US08693726B2
A user can be identified and/or authenticated to an electronic device by analyzing aspects of a motion or gesture made by that user. At least one imaging element of the device can capture image information including the motion or gesture, and can determine time-dependent information about that motion or gesture in two or three dimensions of space. The time-dependent information can be used to identify varying speeds, motions, and other such aspects that are indicative of a particular user. The way in which a gesture or motion is made, in addition to the motion or gesture itself, can be used to authenticate an individual user. While other persons can learn the basic gesture or motion, the way in which each person makes that gesture or motion will generally be at least slightly different, which can be used to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information, protected functionality, or other such content.
US08693725B2
A method, data processing system, apparatus, and computer program product for monitoring objects. A plurality of images of an area is received. An object in the area is identified from the plurality of images. A plurality of points in a region within the area is identified from a first image in the plurality of images. The plurality of points has a fixed relationship with each other and the region. The object in the area is monitored to determine whether the object has entered the region. A determination that the object has not entered the region is made in response to identifying an absence of a number of the plurality of points in a second image in the plurality of images.
US08693724B2
A user-centric method and system to identify user-made gestures to control a remote device images the user using a three-dimensional image system, and defines at least one user-centric three-dimensional detection zone dynamically sized appropriately for the user, who is free to move about. Images made within the detection zone are compared to a library of stored gestures, and the thus identified gesture is mapped to an appropriate control command signal coupleable to the remote device. The method and system also provides of a first user to hand off control of the remote device to a second user.
US08693723B2
A coaxial loudspeaker for reproducing an electrical sound signal is provided. The loudspeaker has a magnetic driver assembly with a first annular slot and an opposed, coaxial second annular slot, each establishing a permanent magnetic field therein from a single magnet. Independently driven first and second voice coils are positioned within the respective one of the first and second annular slots, each being connected to a transducer element.
US08693721B2
An earphone integrated with a microphone includes a housing, a speaker, a microphone (audio-recording device), and a supporting member. The housing has an audio-output hole formed thereon a receiving space formed therein. The speaker and the microphone are arranged in the receiving space. The supporting member is arranged in the housing. One end of the microphone is mounted on the supporting member for suspending the microphone in the receiving space. A buffering space is formed around the microphone. Thus, the earphone can achieve anti-noise effect in providing improved communication quality.
US08693718B2
A receiver tube for connecting a receiver to a hearing aid instrument and a hearing aid instrument with a receiver tube, include a connection which ensures good acoustic stability and low feedback tendencies, can be produced in an uncomplicated manner and has high impact and shock strength. The receiver tube includes a receiver connector constructed as a cup at least partly holding a receiver when connected together. The receiver connector includes a form-locking mechanism for a receiver and a flexible element for locking the receiver. The form-locking connection simplifies installation of the receiver during production or replacement by requiring neither application of a force, as when pretensioning or expanding force-locking connections, nor establishment of an adhesive connection. The locking mechanism can be opened/closed by the flexible element. The cup-shape of the receiver connector contributes to increased rigidity and reliability of the form-locking connection to the receiver and an acoustic shield.
US08693711B2
A capacitive transducer and fabrication method are disclosed. The capacitive transducer includes a substrate, a first electrode mounted on the substrate, a cap having a through-hole and a cavity beside the through-hole, a second electrode mounted on the cap across the through-hole. The second electrode is deformable in response to pressure fluctuations applied thereto via the through-hole and defines, together with the first electrode, as a capacitor. The capacitor includes a capacitance variable with the pressure fluctuations and the cavity defines a back chamber for the deformable second electrode.
US08693702B2
A headset having remote controls for a multimedia playback device is provided. The headset is electrically connected to an audio playback device and includes a jack plug for coupling the headset to the audio playback device; a body having a left and a right speaker unit and a microphone that is connected to the jack plug through a cable, and a remote control circuit that is interposed between the jack plug and the body, generating control signals for controlling the audio playback device. The headset is implemented with a remote control circuit on a signal link connecting the headset and a mobile phone, thereby improving portability of the mobile phone and user convenience in controlling the audio playback related function of the mobile phone.
US08693695B2
A method for secure bidirectional communication between two systems is described. A first key pair and a second key pair are generated, the latter including a second public key that is generated based upon a shared secret. First and second public keys are sent to a second system, and third and fourth public keys are received from the second system. The fourth public key is generated based upon the shared secret. A master key for encrypting messages is calculated based upon a first private key, a second private key, the third public key and the fourth public key. For re-keying, a new second key pair having a new second public key and a new second private key is generated, and a new fourth public key is received. A new master key is calculated using elliptic curve calculations using the new second private key and the new fourth public key.
US08693694B2
A data storage unit may store an encrypted medium device key Enc (Kcu, Kmd_i), and a medium device key certificate (Certmedia). A controller further includes: an information recording unit configured to store a controller key (Kc) and first controller identification information (IDcu). A key generation unit executes a one-way function calculation based on the controller key and the first controller identification information to generate a controller unique key (Kcu). An identification information generating unit executes a one-way function calculation based on the controller key and the first controller identification information to generate second controller identification information (IDcntr). A key encryption unit encrypts the medium device key (Kmd_i) by the controller unique key (Kcu) to generate encrypted medium device key Enc (Kcu, Kmd_i). A key exchange unit executes an authentication key exchange process with a host device using the medium device key (Kmd_i) and the medium device key certificate (Certmedia).
US08693693B2
Disclosed herein is an information processing apparatus that serves as a server that performs data transmission in response to receipt of media information from a user device. The information processing apparatus includes: an encrypted transmission data storage database that stores a transmission data identifier and encrypted transmission data such that the transmission data identifier and the encrypted transmission data are associated with each other; and a control section configured to acquire, from a key management server, an encrypted unit key obtained by encrypting a unit key that is used to encrypt the transmission data, and transmit the acquired encrypted unit key and the encrypted transmission data to the user device.
US08693692B2
Systems and methods of direct delivery of content descrambling keys using chip-unique code are described herein. One such method includes receiving a unique chip identifier from a digital subscriber communications terminal; determining a chip key associated to the chip identifier; encrypting a service instance using the chip key; and transmitting the encrypted service instance. One such system includes a chip key server configured to store a plurality of chip identifiers, each identifier associated with a chip key, and configured to receive a unique chip identifier from a digital subscriber communications terminal; and an encryptor configured to encrypt a service instance using the chip key associated with the unique chip identifier, the chip key provided by the chip key server.
US08693684B2
A method of generating a key by a first correspondent. The key is computable by a second correspondent. The method comprises the steps of: a) making available to the second correspondent a first short term public key; b) obtaining a second short term public key from the second correspondent; c) computing a first exponent derived from the first short term private key, the first short term public key, and the first long term private key; d) computing a second exponent derived from the first short term private key, the first short term public key, the second short term public key and the first long term private key; e) computing a simultaneous exponentiation of the first exponent with the second short term public key and the second exponent with the second long term public key.
US08693679B1
A communications system includes a communications device having a plurality of access modules each having a port and connected to a communications line and a plurality of transmitters with the respective transmitter associated in one-to-one correspondence with the communications line of an access module. Each transmitter has a line driver and is configured to couple communications signals to a respective communications line. A voltage source is connected to the line drivers and configured to provide a bias voltage to the line drivers that varies depending on a selected minimum power level. A controller is connected to the voltage source and has logic configured to change the bias voltage to the line drivers. The controller is responsive to a minimum data rate for each bias voltage.
US08693671B2
A communications portal for interfacing with a carrier network, a contact center, and a user is disclosed. Telecommunications links are connected to the communications portal to receive inbound calls and place outbound calls. A gateway signaling proxy containing an application server and a reverse automation subsystem is connected to the telecommunications links to recognize and store user selections, detect answer supervision, and execute scripts as configured in the user interface.
US08693667B2
A system includes a switching device. The switching device is configured to process a call request as a 12-digit telephone number in a first situation. The 12-digit telephone number includes an area code and 9 digits after the area code. The switching device is further configured to process the call request as a telephone number including less than 12 digits in a second situation.
US08693664B2
A method and system for providing directory assistance to erroneous calls. The method and system includes an intercept system that intercepts erroneous calls and automatically routes them to a directory assistance service. The directory assistance service provides a least one advertisement and a variety of other services to the callers using current caller data and to one or more alternative numbers for the callers.
US08693659B2
Systems and methods for centralized presence management of local and remote users are provided. In exemplary embodiments, presence management information for the local and remote users are determined. Permissions established for at least one presence management user are reviewed to determine an amount of access to the presence management information to provide to the presence management user. The presence management information is then provided to the presence management user based on the permissions.
US08693654B2
A system and method of call prioritization and, in particular, a system and method of location sensitive caller and callee based voice call prioritization are disclosed. A method includes: determining that an incoming call is designated as priority by a caller; determining that the caller is contained in a whitelist; and handling the incoming call as a priority call at a callee telephone when the incoming call is designated as priority by the caller and the caller is contained in the whitelist.
US08693651B2
Example methods disclosed herein include parsing a request to obtain input criteria associated with the request, the request for authorizing an outdial communication service call initiated by a message center. Such example methods also include retrieving authorization rules correlating the input criteria to an authorization result for the outdial communication service call, the input criteria comprising a first input criterion having one of at least two values, a first value indicating that the outdial communication service call is for a real-time outdial service initiated in response to an indial communication service received at the message center, a second value indicating that the outdial communication service call is for a non-real-time outdial service initiated by an application server associated with the message center. Such example methods further include evaluating the authorization rules using the input criteria to determine whether the outdial communication service call is authorized.
US08693641B2
A fire control system may include a fire alarm control panel situated at a first location, the fire alarm control panel coupled to a first hardwire circuit. The fire control system may also include one or more telephone stations, wherein each telephone station of the one or more telephone stations is disposed at a different location than each other telephone stations and coupled through the first hardwire circuit to the fire alarm control panel, and one or more radio repeaters are each disposed at one or more respective locations, and wherein each radio repeater is operative to receive audio information as a radio signal and to transmit the audio information as an electrical signal through a second hardwire circuit to the central telephone.
US08693640B2
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for preparing for a service disruption are provided. Information relating to an activity at a target location is received. Upon receiving information relating to at least the activity at the target location, stored data related to the activity and the target location are gathered. A probability of a service disruption at the target location based on at least the stored data related to the activity and the target location is assessed and the target location is monitored. Upon detecting a change in services associated to the target location, an alert is generated.
US08693626B2
Methods are disclosed utilizing synchrotron X-ray microscopy including x-ray fluorescence and x-ray absorption spectra to probe elemental distribution and elemental speciation within a material, and particularly a solid that may have one or more elements distributed on a solid substrate. Representative materials are relatively homogeneous in composition on the macroscale but relatively heterogeneous on the microscale. The analysis of such materials, particularly on a macroscale at which their heterogeneous nature can be observed, provides valuable insights into the relationships or correlations between localized concentrations of elements and/or their species, and concentrations of other components of the materials. Sample preparation methods, involving the use of a reinforcing agent, which are advantageously used in such methods are also disclosed.
US08693619B2
The invention relates to a medical computed tomography imaging apparatus which includes a support construction (1) which is arranged to support a substantially ring-shaped structure (2) supporting x-ray imaging means (21, 22), which x-ray imaging means (21, 22) are arranged within said substantially ring-shaped structure supporting the imaging means (2) and movable within said substantially ring-shaped structure supporting the imaging means (2), which ring-shaped structure (2) supporting the imaging means (21, 22) includes an examination opening (4), whereto the object to be imaged can be positioned for imaging. According to the invention, at least one display (11) is arranged to the apparatus. The display is arranged in functional connection with at least one video camera (12), which at least one video camera (12) is arranged in connection with said ring-shaped structure (2) and as aimed, or so that it can be aimed inside said examination opening (4).
US08693613B2
A system for inspecting nuclear fuel pellets is provided. The inspection system is configured to use X-ray radiation at one or more energies to probe nuclear fuel pellets disposed within a nuclear fuel rod for nuclear fuel pellet defects. In some implementations of the inspection system, a nuclear fuel rod manufacturing facility may be able to integrate the inspection system for fully or partially automated inspection of all fuel rods produced within the facility.
US08693612B2
A spacer grid for nuclear fuel rods includes a plurality of unit spacer grids stacked one on top of another. Each unit spacer grid includes a plurality of unit spacer grid straps disposed at regular intervals in a row, and a plurality of fixing grid straps connected to respective opposite ends of the unit spacer grid straps so as to fix the unit spacer grid straps. Each unit spacer grid strap has convexities alternating with each other on opposite sides thereof at regular intervals, and at least one of the convexities has a diameter greater than the others. The unit spacer grids are rotated in one direction by a 90 or 180 degree angle when being stacked.
US08693610B2
A computer-implemented system and method for managing operations in a nuclear power plant generates an electronic request for a permit to perform work in the plant, performs a risk assessment using a rules engine to determine a level of fire risk posed by the work, automatically determines one or more compensatory measures to provide protection against the level of fire risk posed by work, generates a risk score based the probabilistic assessment, and generates electronic authorization for the permit based on the risk score.
US08693607B1
The present invention discloses a digital self-timed timer for measuring the passage of time; a digital self-timed pulse generator for generating both continuous and finite pulse sequences; and a digital self-timed data receiver for recovering data from an asynchronous, two-wire bit-channel. Being self-timed, a disclosed self-timed timer measures time as a function of logic delays incurred while executing a sequence of internal state transitions. A pulse generator supports both a triggered pulse mode and continuous clock generation; pulse widths and pulse intervals are programmable. A data receiver may recover a data bit from each received two-bit code word and outputs recovered data and an associated write strobe for each recovered datum.
US08693600B2
A phase excursion/carrier wave frequency excursion compensation device has a signal dividing unit, a preprocessing compensation circuit, post-processing compensation circuits, a signal combination unit, a correction amount calculation unit, and a signal correction unit. The preprocessing compensation circuit and the post-processing compensation circuits calculate a phase compensation amount with respect to the input signal, and output the phase compensation amount, and a compensation circuit output signal such that the input signal can be compensated accordingly. The signal combination unit acquires compensation circuit output signals from the post-processing compensation circuits and, based on order of input to the signal dividing unit, outputs rearranged signals. The correction amount calculation unit calculates a correction amount based on the phase compensation amount acquired from the preprocessing compensation circuit and the post-processing compensation circuits, and a signal correction unit corrects the phase of the rearranged signals using the correction amount.
US08693599B2
Disclosed is a wireless receiving apparatus, whereby inter-antenna interference can be reduced without inducing an increase of a mounting area due to an increase of the number of antennas, and the number of RFIC input terminals, circuit scale and power consumption can be reduced. In the wireless receiving apparatus (100), when a receiving antenna (110-1) and a down-converter (130) are connected with a multiplexer (120) therebetween, a capacity control unit (190-2) controls the capacity value of the capacity-variable parasitic element (180-2) connected to the receiving antenna (110-2) such that the communication capacity of the receiving antenna (110-1) is maximum. Furthermore, when the receiving antenna (110-2) and the down-converter (130) are connected with the multiplexer (120) therebetween, the capacity control unit (190-1) controls the capacity value of the capacity-variable parasitic element (180-1) connected to the receiving antenna (110-1) such that the communication capacity of the receiving antenna (110-2) is maximum.
US08693595B2
The present invention relates to an adaptive, cost-performance efficient, power-saving apparatus for wireless communication systems, such as but not limited to Bluetooth (BT) receivers, and in particular to a packet-based receiver's decoding algorithm which can detect the presence or absence of the adjacent channel interference (ACI) before the scheduled starting time for receiving a Bluetooth packet, and accordingly set the receiver configurations including the filter's pass-band bandwidth (BW), filter's order, the sampling rate, the number of analog-to-digital-converter (ADC) output bits, and the automatic-gain-control (AGC) algorithm unit to determine the low noise amplifier (LNA) and variable gain amplifier (VGA) settings.
US08693584B1
A circuit and method is provided for determining the frequency of a signal of interest in a wideband composite RF signal. An analog preprocessor is configured to receive a composite RF signal from an antenna and produce bandlimited frequency sub-bands S1 to Sn. An image converter is configured to receive and alias the bandlimited frequency sub-bands S1 to Sn to baseband and generate a first alias-band output signal and a second alias-band output signal. A processor is configured to receive the two alias-band output signals and determine the frequency shift of the signal of interest between the two alias-band output signals and calculate the frequency for the signal of interest using the frequency shift.
US08693573B2
A method for transmitting a random access preamble to a base station includes generating the random access preamble from a Zadoff-Chu (ZC) sequence, wherein the random access preamble is defined by cyclic shift (Cv) of the ZC sequence; and transmitting the random access preamble to the base station.
US08693562B2
A process receives a composite signal transmitted via a nonlinear data transmission channel, with the composite signal having a first signal UL and a second signal LL. The process includes the following: demodulating and decoding the first signal UL by using a first demodulation and decoding chain in order to regenerate first information of the first signal UL; recoding and shaping to produce a continuous time waveform; applying a nonlinearity function based on a set of coefficients updated according to an adaptive correlation calculation process to the continuous time waveform; subtracting the result of the nonlinearity function from the composite signal in order to generate a result E; and demodulating and decoding the result E by using a second demodulation and decoding chain in order to regenerate second information of the second signal LL.
US08693542B2
A method for estimating noise in a series of video frames includes selecting a region of a first frame, calculating high frequency quantities for the selected region, calculating temporal-domain high frequency quantities for the selected region of the frame and a mapping region of a second frame, and generating a noise estimate of the noise according to a relationship between the high frequency quantities and the temporal-domain high frequency quantities.
US08693538B2
Systems and methods for error resilient transmission, rate control, and random access in video communication systems that use scalable video coding are provided. Error resilience is obtained by using information from low resolution layers to conceal or compensate loss of high resolution layer information. The same mechanism is used for rate control by selectively eliminating high resolution layer information from transmitted signals, which elimination can be compensated at the receiver using information from low resolution layers. Further, random access or switching between low and high resolutions is also achieved by using information from low resolution layers to compensate for high resolution spatial layer packets that may have not been received prior to the switching time.
US08693535B2
The method and apparatus for offline video coding, as described herein, calculates per-frame QP offset contribution from the amount of temporal masking effect at a frame, and then properly combines the calculated per-frame QP offset contribution with the original QP offset contribution from the frame type. The resulting frame-level QP offset accounts for both the frame type and temporal masking effect, and hence, is more comprehensive.
US08693530B2
An apparatus, method, computer readable medium, and system are provided to generate a symbol placement associated with a transmission scheme by transforming a retrieved set of equalization coefficients. Symbols included in the symbol placement may be analyzed and quantified in terms of their distance from a decision boundary. Symbols may be synthesized on an iterative basis in order to obtain visibility into the underlying performance of the transmission scheme over time. If equalization is unable to reduce a signal impairment below a threshold value within a predetermined amount of time, then a determination may be made that a non-linear distortion source is present in a network or communication system. Signals received from a plurality of user terminals may be compared with one another in order to determine a probable location or cause of the non-linear distortion.
US08693522B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a pilot sending method and an apparatus, which relate to the communication field and can save network resources. The solution is: performing spreading on at least two signature sequences by using a spreading code, where each signature sequence of the at least two signature sequences corresponds to at least one user equipment (UE), and is used as a dedicated pilot of at least one data stream of the at least one UE, and the dedicated pilot is used by the UE to perform precoding matrix estimation; and performing precoding on the spread signature sequences, and sending the precoded spread signature sequences to the UE. The embodiments of the present invention are applicable to the sending of pilots in MU-MIMO.
US08693520B2
One feature provides a method for transmitting content to a receiving device, by establishing channel hopping sequence information with the receiving device via a first communication band. The channel hopping sequence information is associated with a plurality of traffic channels within a second communication band. Moreover, the method entails transmitting the content to the receiving device through the plurality of traffic channels via the second communication band using a channel hopping scheme implemented according to the channel hopping sequence information. In one embodiment, establishing the channel hopping sequence information with the receiving device via the first communication band further includes: obtaining a channel hopping sequence key; and transmitting the channel hopping sequence key to the receiving device within the first communication band.
US08693514B2
The present invention enables simultaneous setting or automatic setting of a pulse peak and a pulse width of a light pulse. In a configuration comprising a light emitting element outputting laser light, a driving current supply section supplying a driving current to the light emitting element, a modulator applying a modulation voltage for pulse modulation of the laser light to the light emitting element, and a modulation control section controlling a modulation pattern as a pattern of pulse modulation of the modulation voltage for the modulator, the modulation control section sets a modulation voltage value in the modulation pattern based on information on a driving current value, and sends information on the modulation pattern to the modulator so that the modulation voltage reaches the set value.
US08693493B2
The embodiments relate to modeling wireless communications in a network. In wireless communications, the nodes share one or more wireless communication channels. When a node has data to transmit, it must contend with the other nodes for access to the wireless communication channel. In the embodiments, the model is configured to simulate the throughput effects of contention including delays caused by retransmissions due to interference and collisions, listen-and-backoff, unavailability of time slots, etc. The occurrence of failed/dropped transmissions due to buffer overflows, excessive retransmission attempts, and unintended collisions are modeled as well. In addition, the embodiments may simulate the effect of mobility by the nodes and the effect of the location of the nodes relative to each other.
US08693490B1
Disclosed are methods, systems, paradigms and structures for processing data packets in a communication network by a multi-core network processor. The network processor includes a plurality of multi-threaded core processors and special purpose processors for processing the data packets atomically, and in parallel. An ingress module of the network processor stores the incoming data packets in the memory and adds them to an input queue. The network processor processes a data packet by performing a set of network operations on the data packet in a single thread of a core processor. The special purpose processors perform a subset of the set of network operations on the data packet atomically. An egress module retrieves the processed data packets from a plurality of output queues based on a quality of service (QoS) associated with the output queues, and forwards the data packets towards their destination addresses.
US08693481B2
A communication device reduces a processing time required at the time of mutually converting different wireless or wired communication protocol and improves a real-time property. The communication device includes two or more communication units which communicate with two or more external devices and a communication controller which processes communication data. The communication controller has table information that associates a communication path, a type of the communication unit, and conversion-info, and an input and output unit that inputs and outputs the table information. According to the added conversion-info, a conversion unit sequentially performs various conversion processes (protocol conversion, routing, communication quality evaluation, fragmentation/integration of communication interface, fragment/defragment process, frame multiplication/integration, and frequency setting).
US08693480B2
The present invention provides a method, apparatus and system for transmitting and receiving a client signal. The method for transmitting a client signal includes, at the transmitting end, mapping a client signal to be transmitted to a corresponding low-order Optical Channel Data Unit (ODU) in a low-order ODU set, wherein low-order ODUs in the low-order ODU set having rates increased in order, and having rate correspondence relations with the client signals; mapping the low-order ODU to a timeslot of a high-order Optical Channel Payload Unit (OPU) in a high-order OPU set; and adding overheads to the high-order OPU to form an Optical Channel Transport Unit (OTU), and transferring the OTU to an Optical Transport Network (OTN) for transmission.
US08693471B2
When a node has to restart its control component, or a (e.g., label-switched path signaling) part of its control component, if that node can preserve its forwarding information across the restart, the effects of such restarts on label switched path(s) include the restarting node are minimized. A node's ability to preserve forwarding information across a control component (part) restart is advertised. In the event of a restart, stale forwarding information can be used for a limited time before. The restarting node can use its forwarding information, as well as received label-path advertisements, to determine which of its labels should be associated with the path, for advertisement to its peers.
US08693470B1
In one embodiment a method for routing packets includes receiving, at a first packet forwarding module, a first stream of packetized data from a first source, receiving, at a second packet forwarding module, a second stream of packetized data from a second source, wherein the second packet forwarding module is separate from the first packet forwarding module and is configured identically to the first routing forwarding module, and passing packet output from the first packet forwarding module and packet output from the second packet forwarding module to a single Quality of Service module configured to queue the packet output for egress to a network.
US08693453B2
The subject disclosure is directed towards mobile network management by reducing energy consumption and increasing a lifetime of one or more nodes. By determining a beacon listening duration and a beacon listening period in response to an energy budget, each node may minimize or reduce latencies associated with node discovery and/or node group maintenance. The beacon listening duration and the beacon listening period is used to compute a beacon broadcasting duration and a beacon broadcasting period such that advertising beacon transmissions and advertising beacon receptions occur at substantially concurrent time slots between low power states. These advertising beacons are used to propagate and maintain group membership information amongst the one or more nodes.
US08693452B1
Physiological conditions of a plurality of individuals are monitored by using signals provided by sensors on each individual. Each individual has, positioned in close proximity to the individual, one or more sensors for sensing a physiological condition of the individual. A control module is capable of communicating with an external communication station and with the sensors. A wireless networked communication link is established between the control module and the external communication station. Indications of the physiological conditions for a plurality of individuals or physiological conditions derived from the physiological sensors, are transmitted on the wireless networked communication link to the external communication station.
US08693445B2
A method is suggested for communicating to a mobile station which timeslots are configured as packet data channel pairs and on which of these packet data channel pairs the mobile station is assigned resources, wherein a description of packet data channel pairs is separated into “configuration” and an “assignment”.
US08693444B2
Techniques for sending control information in a wireless communication system are described. A control segment may include L≧1 tiles, and each tile may include a number of transmission units. A number of control resources may be defined and mapped to the transmission units for the control segment. For symmetric mapping, multiple sets of S≧1 control resources may be formed, and each batch of L consecutive sets of S control resources may be mapped to S transmission units at the same location in the L tiles. For localized mapping, S>1, and each set of S control resources may be mapped to a cluster of S adjacent transmission units in one tile. For distributed mapping, S=1, and each control resource may be mapped to one transmission unit in one tile. For diversity, each control resource may be mapped to multiple (e.g., three) transmission units in at least one tile.
US08693436B2
A mobile station UE includes a manager configured to manage a macro cell and a home cell in association with each other, the mobile station being authorized to access the home cell, and a camping-on processor configured to determine, when receiving a broadcast information from the macro cell, whether to start performing camp-on in the home cell or not according to a comparison result between a radio quality of the home cell which is managed in association with the macro cell and a radio quality in a camping-on cell.
US08693435B2
A method and system for the UE and RNC to reduce transmission latency and potentially prevent loss of PDUs upon a MAC layer reset. UE generation of the status PDU is coupled with the MAC layer reset. The RNC generates a message with a MAC reset indication. Following the MAC layer reset all PDUs stored in the UE MAC layer reordering buffers are flushed to RLC entities and then processed by RLC entities prior to the generation of a PDU status report. The PDU status report provides to the RNC the status of all successfully received PDUs. Upon reception of a PDU status report in the RNC, missing PDUs are realized and retransmitted to the UE.
US08693430B2
A method and system for minimizing the control overhead in a multi-carrier wireless communication network that utilizes a time-frequency resource is disclosed. In some embodiments, one or more zones in the time-frequency resource are designated for particular applications, such as a zone dedicated for voice-over-IP (VoIP) applications. By grouping applications of a similar type together within a zone, a reduction in the number of bits necessary for mapping a packet stream to a portion of the time-frequency resource can be achieved. In some embodiments, modular coding schemes associated with the packet streams may be selected that further reduce the amount of necessary control information. In some embodiments, packets may be classified for transmission in accordance with application type, QoS parameters, and other properties. In some embodiments, improved control messages may be constructed to facilitate the control process and minimize associated overhead.
US08693427B2
A mobile communication system in which a mobile station apparatus transmits, to a base station apparatus, uplink data using a physical uplink shared channel assigned by an uplink data transmission permission signal, wherein the base station apparatus: transmits, to the mobile station apparatus, a radio resource control signal including information for specifying a physical format in transmitting reception quality information together with uplink data; and transmits, to the mobile station apparatus, the uplink data transmission permission signal including a transmission instruction of reception quality information, and wherein the mobile station apparatus transmits, to the base station apparatus, reception quality information together with uplink data using the physical uplink shared channel according to information for specifying the physical format in case that a transmission instruction of the reception quality information is included in the uplink data transmission permission signal.
US08693426B2
A communications system for exchange of information between communications apparatuses by a multicarrier transmission mode using a plurality of subcarriers, that includes a transmission data generator configured to generate frequency band information indicating which frequency band is to be used for transmission of data between said communication apparatuses; a transmitter configured to transmit the frequency band information, using a specific frequency band, set from among a plurality of frequency band assigned to the communications system, to transmit data using at least one frequency band set from among said plurality of frequency bands; a receiver configured to receive the frequency band information by using the specific frequency band, wherein one or more of said frequency band is assigned not consecutive with said specific frequency band along a frequency axis, and at least one not used subcarrier is inserted between the specific frequency and the frequency band or between said frequency bands.
US08693419B2
A method and apparatus for attaining the benefits of both an adjacent subchannel assignments and distributed subchannel assignments. That is, the following is a method and apparatus for providing dynamic subchannel assignments that provide the benefits of both adjacent subchannel assignments and distributed subchannel assignments.
US08693413B2
A wireless communication base station device capable of improving the reception quality of the MBMS data of UE without wasting wireless resources even if an error occurs in the MBMS data transmitted from an eNB when distributing the MBMS via a wireless access network composed of the eNB and an RS. In the device, a wireless quality determining section (162) outputs reception quality determination information indicating the reception quality between the UE and the device determined on the basis of a CQI included in the NACK signal received from the UE to a retransmission determining section (164). A retransmission data determining section (171) of the retransmission determining section (164) determines MBMS data to be retransmitted from the device and retransmission data (FEC encoding ratio of the MBMS data) to be retransmitted from the RS on the basis of the reception quality determination information inputted from the wireless quality determining section (162). The retransmission data determining section (171) notifies the RS of a request to relay the data including the FEC encoding ratio of the retransmission data to be retransmitted from the RS.
US08693411B2
In order to make it possible for a communication apparatus to readily detect a provider of communication parameters, the provider of communication parameters creates a network for which a network identifier that is unique among networks in the vicinity has been set, and provides a receiver, which has joined this network and requests receipt of communication parameters, with these communication parameters.
US08693409B2
A method and apparatus for paging a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) in a CELL_PCH and URA_PCH states are disclosed. A WTRU may send an indication of an enhanced paging channel (PCH) capability of receiving a high speed downlink shared channel (HS-DSCH) in CELL_PCH and URA_PCH states, for example, in a CELL UPDATE message, a URA UPDATE message, or a UTRAN MOBILITY INFORMATION CONFIRM message. A drift radio network controller (DRNC) may receive an indication whether the WTRU has an enhanced PCH capability from a serving RNC and page the WTRU based on the indication. An RNC may page the WTRU over both an HS-DSCH and a PCH/secondary common control physical channel (S-CCPCH) if a WTRU capability is not known. The WTRU may monitor both an HS-DSCH and a PCH/S-CCPCH. The WTRU may configure reception over an HS-DSCH based on the capability of the SRNC or configuration from the network.
US08693400B2
A mobile communication method according to the present invention includes a step A of releasing, by a gateway device S-GW, a first GBR bearer for a mobile station UE and transmitting “Downlink Data Notification” to a packet exchanger SGSN if a fault of a radio network controller RNC is detected in the state in which a second GBR bearer for the mobile station UE is set, a step B of transmitting, by the packet exchanger SGSN, “Paging” to the mobile station UE, and a step C of starting, by the packet exchanger SGSN, a procedure for releasing the second GBR bearer when no response to the “Paging” is received from the mobile station UE in a predetermined period.
US08693398B1
In general, techniques are described for facilitating interchassis redundancy (ICR) among heterogenous mobile gateway member chassis that provide high-availability services as an group to one or more mobile subscribers. In one example, a member chassis of the mobile gateway comprises a control plane having a plurality of distributed subscriber management service units that serve as anchors for subscriber sessions. A redundancy group defines a backup association between one of the subscriber management service units and a subscriber management service unit of another member chassis of the mobile gateway. A routing unit of the member chassis comprises a resource manager that negotiates parameters for a communication channel for the redundancy group. A session management daemon establishes subscriber sessions anchored by the subscriber management service unit in the association and sends, via the communication channel, subscriber session data for the subscriber sessions anchored by the subscriber management service unit.
US08693378B2
To provide a wireless terminal device that can control so that the size of RWIN of an electronic device on a receiving side changes to an optimum value when hand-down (hand-off) from high speed communication to low speed communication occurs, and a method for controlling the same. A wireless terminal device 1 includes: a first communication unit (10) that is connected to a PC (101) and performs communication with a network (202) side at a first communication speed; a second communication unit (11) that is connected to the PC (101) and performs communication with the network (202) side at a second communication speed that is faster than the first communication speed, and a control unit (12) that reciprocally switches between the first communication unit (10) and the second communication unit (11).
US08693367B2
This disclosure relates to a system and method for offloading selected data to an alternate communication network. The offloading provides another route for selected packet traffic that can relieve the burden on a mobile operator's network, such as the backhaul and core networks. As the proliferation of data rich content and increasingly more capable mobile devices has continued, the amount of data communicated over mobile operator's networks has exponentially increased. Upgrading the existing network that was designed for voice calls is not desirable or practical for many mobile operators. A offload gateway is provided that inspects packets and determines those packets to offload to an alternate network as well as providing mobility management to allow for seamless handoffs and gateway relocations.
US08693365B1
Embodiments in accordance with the invention provide a state-based channel selection method to improve the rate of successful transmissions for a multi-channel wireless network. Channels are monitored for performance, and, based upon performance, are placed in channel state vectors having increasing levels of desirability. The higher the state vector in which a channel is placed, the more desirable the channel is considered for selection. The channel in the highest state vector is considered for selection first. A channel not in the highest desirable state vector is eligible for selection when a channel is unavailable from higher desirable state vectors. Channels not in the highest desirable state vector, but also not in the lowest undesirable state vector, are monitored for improvement to move into higher desirable state vectors as they improve.
US08693351B2
A method and system for testing packet error rate in electronic devices by transmitting a series of data packets from a testing device to a device under test (DUT) and setting a predefined number of received error-free data packets; evaluating whether a number of data packets from the series of data packets received error-free by the DUT equals the predefined number of received error-free data packets and transmitting additional data packets from the testing device to the DUT, at a power level known to produce zero received-packet errors in a correctly operating DUT, if the number of data packets from the series of data packets received error-free by the DUT does not equal the predefined number of received error-free data packets. Additional possible embodiments include evaluating whether a total number of data packets from the series of data packets and the additional error-free-power-level data packets received error-free by the DUT equals the predefined number of received error-free data packets and transmitting a confirmation data packet to the testing device in response to reception by the DUT of the predefined number of received error-free data packets.
US08693348B1
Various embodiments illustrated and described herein include systems, methods and software for content type classification. Some such embodiments include determining a potential state of classification for packets associated with a session based at least in part on a packet associated with the session that is a packet other than the first packet of the session.
US08693345B2
System and method for topology management of dynamic ad hoc wireless communication networks. The network nodes are organized in a multi-level hierarchical architecture whereby the nodes at each level are managed by nodes at the next higher level. In a three-layer network, leaf nodes populate the lowest level, cluster head nodes the intermediate level, and regional head nodes the highest level. Priority-based backbone tree paths are constructed by selecting and connecting high capability nodes, such that the unselected nodes are one-hop away from a connected node. In a two backbone tree path construction, a primary backbone tree path carries the high priority traffic and a secondary backbone tree path carries the lower priority traffic. The connectivities of the backbone tree paths are maintained dynamically. So also are high priority traffic flows using the Dynamic Priority Threshold mechanism with High Fidelity Monitoring and traffic siphoning via unutilized network resources.
US08693325B2
A radio communication system includes a gateway apparatus and a plurality of radio stations performing radio communication. The gateway apparatus includes, a generation unit that generates allocation information on one or more individual channels each allocated individually to one of a plurality of radio stations; and a transmission unit that transmits the generated allocation information, and the plurality of radio stations each of which comprising, a receiving unit that receives the allocation information; and a data transmission unit that performs data transmission through the one or more individual channels when information indicating an own station is included in the received allocation information, and performs data transmission by random access through a channel other than the one or more individual channels in a radio frame when information indicating the own station is not included in the received allocation information.
US08693316B2
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate communicating between access points using the same air interface as for serving wireless devices. Access points can communicate with one another over the air interface to exchange interference management messages related to negotiating and/or allocating resources among the access points or other messages. In addition, access points can prepare served wireless devices for time periods where the access points communicate with disparate access points over the air interface to mitigate confusion or radio link failure detection by the served wireless devices.
US08693315B2
Methods, system and apparatus for determining shortest path bridging (SPB) of multicast frames within a communications network.
US08693312B2
A method for processing a registration exception in a user registration procedure is provided to solve the problem that network devices are unable to determine subsequent handling procedures when a registration exception occurs in a registration, where it is impossible to distinguish the initial registration and the re-registration according to whether the registration request is a protected register. According to the solution disclosed by the embodiments of the present invention, after the I-CSCF forwards the registration request to the S-CSCF and determines that a registration exception occurs, the I-CSCF returns a registration failure message to the terminal initiating the registration request or reselects a new S-CSCF, according to instruction information, indicating whether the registration request is an initial registration or a re-registration, carried in the registration request or according to S-CSCF-associated information carried in a response from the HSS.
US08693309B2
A fail-to-wire (FTW) module that preserves a primary data path connection from an upstream computer to a downstream computer if there is any kind of failure in a breakout data path to a breakout system. The FTW module provides switches between the incoming data network data and the breakout system such that when the breakout system encounters a failure, the switches are de-activated to bypass the breakout system. The switches in the FTW module are activated by a system health signal from the breakout system. The breakout system can be serviced without interrupting the data network connections since the FTW module can be extracted from the failed breakout system with data network connections intact. The FTW module is preferably a compact modular element that fits within the breakout chassis and is easily inserted and removed from the breakout system during servicing operations.
US08693301B2
A high data density optical recording medium, a method and an apparatus for reading such an optical recording medium, and a method for mastering such an optical recording medium are proposed. For achieving a high data density the optical recording medium has marks that have a tip and are covered by a material that generates a detectable effect under the influence of high electric fields.
US08693295B2
When using an optical disc medium that includes pit trains having their widths narrower than a diffraction limit, it is difficult to detect a tracking error signal and take a tracking-servo control while increasing pit density in a direction orthogonal to a pit-train extension direction. Information pit trains are arranged spirally or concentrically and formed in a structure in which their depths are changed periodically at a pitch radially along the optical disc medium, so that the tracking error signal can be obtained by push-pull detection of diffraction light from the structure.
US08693293B2
A watch for providing a digital time display comprises a movement mechanism disposed in a case that includes a number of continuous belts. The belts each have a numerical indicia consistent with hours, minutes and optionally second. The belts mounted over opposed drums, and the drums are rotated through gear engagement motors to move the belts. The arrangement of belts and drums are mounted on a frame separate from the case. The motors are operated to move the belts to cause the numerical indicia of the combined belts to register with one or more windows visible through a transparent cover to provide a time display. The belts may be oriented to overlap one another. The watch includes a microcontroller for controlling the operation of the motors, an optical sensor to determining the position of the belts, and a wirelessly rechargeable battery pack for powering the motors.
US08693286B1
A position measurement apparatus and methodology is provided. Embodiments include a probe including an acoustic signal source, an optical signal source, and a probe processor for driving the signal sources such that the signals of the acoustic source and the optical source have a known temporal relationship to each other. A receiver receives the optical and acoustic signals, and a processor communicates with and controls the probe and the receiver, and processes data from the receiver. The acoustic signal source is a sinusoidally varying acoustic energy source, and the acoustic signal received by the receiver comprises a sinusoidal signal. The processor correlates the received sinusoidal signal to a mathematical reference sinusoidal signal, and determines a specific cycle and a specific phase as a time of flight measurement point based on the correlation.
US08693284B2
An apparatus for creating pressure pulses in the fluid of a bore hole is described. The preferred embodiment takes the form of a mud pulser apparatus having a signalling valve controlled by a variable pilot valve. The forces on the signalling valve are balanced and controlled by the flow of mud through the variable orifice of the pilot valve. The arrangement is such as to act like a hydraulic amplifier, and results in the signalling valve being compensated for variable flow rates. In the preferred embodiment, the pilot valve has rotary vanes that allow it to be self-cleaning.
US08693279B2
A system includes a memory block and a controller. The controller is adapted to skew a pre-charge signal for a bit line of the memory block. The controller can skew the pre-charge signal during a read operation or a write operation. The system can also include a sense amplifier in communication with a bit line of the memory block, and the sense amplifier can automatically shut off after indicating a sensed data state for the bit line. The controller may be a global controller or a local controller.
US08693275B1
A memory arrangement including a memory block and a controller. The memory block comprises a plurality of memory cells, wherein each memory cell operable to store one of a plurality of different levels of charge. The controller is configured to write (i) a first reference signal threshold into a first memory cell and (ii) a second reference signal threshold into a second memory cell. The first reference signal threshold corresponds to a first level of charge of the plurality of different levels of charge, and the second reference signal threshold corresponds to a second level of charge of the plurality of different levels of charge. Each of the first level of charge and the second level of charge is used to calibrate a read back of any of the one of the plurality of different levels of charge stored among the plurality of memory cells in the memory block.
US08693271B2
A method of stressing and screening static random access memory (SRAM) arrays to identify memory cells with bit line side pass transistor defects. After writing initial data states into the memory array under nominal bias conditions, an elevated bias voltage is applied to the memory array, for example to its power supply node. Under the elevated bias voltage, alternating data patterns are written into and read from the memory array for a selected duration. The elevated bias voltage is reduced, and a write screen is performed to identify defective memory cells. The dynamic stress of the repeated writes and reads accelerates early life failures, facilitating the write screen.
US08693265B2
A semiconductor memory includes first and second memory storage latches each including first and second ports. A first pair of bit lines is coupled to the first ports, and a second pair of bit lines is coupled to the second ports. The first and second pairs of bit lines are twisted between the first and second memory storage latches. A first sense amplifier is coupled to the first pair of bit lines for outputting data, and a second sense amplifier is coupled to the second pair of bit lines for outputting an intermediate data signal. Output logic circuitry is coupled to an output of the second sense amplifier and is configured to output data based on the intermediate data signal and a control signal that identifies if the data is being read from the first memory storage latch or from the second memory storage latch.
US08693262B2
A memory column redundancy mechanism includes a memory having a number of data output ports each configured to output one data bit of a data element. The memory also includes a number of memory columns each connected to a corresponding respective data port. Each memory column includes a plurality of bit cells that are coupled to a corresponding sense amplifier that may differentially output a respective data bit from the plurality of bit cells on an output signal and a complemented output signal. The memory further includes an output selection unit that may select as the output data bit for a given data output port, one of the output signal of the sense amplifier associated with the given data output port or the complemented output signal of the sense amplifier associated with an adjacent data output port dependent upon a respective shift signal for each memory column.
US08693261B2
The present invention provides circuits, systems, and methods for programming a floating gate. As described herein, a floating gate tunneling device is used with an analog comparison device in a circuit having a floating reference node and an offset-mitigating feedback loop for iteratively programming a floating gate or multiple floating gates.
US08693260B2
An integrated circuit includes an array of memory cells with a plurality of columns and rows. A plurality of data lines is coupled to the columns in the array and a plurality of word lines is coupled to the rows in the array. Clamp transistors are coupled to respective data lines in the plurality of data lines, and adapted to prevent voltage on the respective bit lines from overshooting a target level during a precharge interval. A bias circuit is coupled to the clamp transistors on the plurality of bit lines, and arranged to apply the bias voltage in at least two phases within a precharge interval, and to prevent overshoot of the target level on the bit line.
US08693258B2
A flash memory controller, a computer readable medium and a method for generating reliability information using a hard information interface, the method may include performing multiple read attempts, while using the hard information interface, of a plurality of flash memory cells to provide multiple read results; wherein each flash memory cell is read by providing a reference voltage to the flash memory cell; wherein a same reference voltage is provided during the multiple read attempts; and generating, for each flash memory cell, reliability information based upon multiple read results of the flash memory cell.
US08693255B2
A method for driving a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device is provided. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device has source/drain diffusion layers spaced from each other in a surface portion of a semiconductor substrate, a laminated insulating film formed on a channel between the source/drain diffusion layers and including a charge storage layer, and a gate electrode formed on the laminated insulating film, the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device changing its data memory state by injection of charges into the charge storage layer. The method includes, before injecting charges to change the data memory state into the charge storage layer: injecting charges having a polarity identical to that of the charges to be injected; and further injecting charges having a polarity opposite to that of the injected charges.
US08693250B2
A three dimensional stacked nonvolatile semiconductor memory according to examples of the present invention includes a memory cell array comprised of first and second blocks disposed side by side and a driver disposed between the first and second blocks. At least two conductive layers having the same structure as that of the at least two conductive layers in the first and second blocks are disposed on the driver, and select gate lines in the first and second blocks are connected to the driver through the at least two conductive layers on the driver.
US08693243B2
A memory array used in the field of semiconductor technology includes a plurality of memory cells, bit lines, word lines perpendicular to the bit lines, and first/second control lines. The memory array uses split-gate memory cells, wherein two memory bit cells of a memory cell share one word line, thereby the read, program and erase of the memory cell can be realized by applying different voltages to the word line, two control gates and source/drain regions; the word line sharing structure enables a split-gate flash memory to effectively reduce the chip area and avoid over-erase problems while maintaining electrical isolation performance of the chip unchanged and not increasing the complexity of the process.
US08693240B1
A magnetic random access memory (MRAM) array having a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) to be read using a magnetic state of the MTJ, the MTJ being read by applying a current therethrough. Further, the MRAM array has a reference MTJ, a sense amplifier coupled to the MTJ and the reference MTJ, the sense amplifier operable to compare the voltage of the MTJ to the reference MTJ in determining the state of the MTJ; a first capacitor coupled to the sense amplifier at a first end and to ground at a second end; and a second capacitor coupled to the sense amplifier at a first end and to ground at a second end, the first capacitor storing the, wherein short voltage pulses are applied to the first end of each of the first and second capacitors when reading the MTJ thereby makes the current flowing through the MTJ therethrough for small time intervals thereby avoiding read disturbance to the MTJ.
US08693239B2
There is disclosed a memory element including a memory layer that has a magnetization perpendicular to a film face and a magnetization direction thereof varies corresponding to information; a magnetization-fixed layer that has a magnetization that is perpendicular to the film face; and an insulating layer that is provided between the memory layer and the magnetization-fixed layer, wherein the memory layer has a lamination structure of a Co—Fe—B layer and an element belonging to any one of 1A group, 2A group, 3A group, 5A group, or 6A group, an electron that is spin-polarized is injected in a lamination direction of a layered structure, and thereby the magnetization direction of the memory layer varies and a recording of information is performed with respect to the memory layer, a magnitude of an effective diamagnetic field which the memory layer receives is smaller than a saturated magnetization amount of the memory layer.
US08693237B2
A single-ended SRAM including at least one memory cell and a third switch is provided. The memory cell includes a data-latching unit, a first switch, a second switch and a data-transferring unit. The data-latching unit is configured for latching the received input data and provides a storage data and the inverse data of the storage data. The first switch transfers a reference data to the data-latching unit according to a first word-line signal. The second switch transfers the reference data to the data-latching unit according to a second word-line signal. The data-transferring unit decides whether or not to transfer the reference data to the bit-line according to the storage data and a control signal. The third switch receives the reference data and the control signal and transfers the reference data to the first switch, the second switch and the data-transferring unit according to the control signal.
US08693232B2
A non-volatile memory cell including a resistivity change material configured to reversibly change state between at least two stable states having different electrical resistances and conformed such that transformation from one state to another is obtained by controlling the temperature increase or decrease of the resistivity change material, wherein the resistivity change material has an ohmic component Ron-mat defined by the ratio between an increment in the programming voltage Vprog causing an increment in a programming current Iprog, wherein the resistivity change material has a non-ohmic component defined by a maintenance voltage Vh such that Vh is greater than zero when the programming voltage Iprog passes through the resistivity change material (22); and greater than an ohmic voltage equal to Ron-mat×Iprog.
US08693222B2
A DC-DC converter includes a first winding of a first transformer to which direct current power is supplied, a switching element configured to be connected in series with the first winding of the first transformer, a first winding of a second transformer and a capacitor configured to be connected in series with each other and in parallel with the switching element, a second winding of the first transformer configured to be coupled with the first winding of the first transformer, output terminals configured to be connected to the second winding of the first transformer and to output direct current power, and a pair of second windings of the second transformer configured to be coupled with the first winding of the second transformer, the second windings of the second transformer being connected in parallel with each other with reverse polarity between the output terminals.
US08693221B2
An electric power converter apparatus includes an inverter circuit having a plurality of upper arm elements and a plurality of lower arm elements, a feedback controlling module calculating a voltage command value in order to control an output from the inverter circuit in a feedback control manner and a compensating module compensating the voltage command value with a compensation amount and outputting a compensated voltage command value. Each of the plurality of upper arm elements and the plurality of lower arm elements is operated to switch over based on a control signal that is set according to the compensated voltage command value and a dead time. The compensation amount is set by the compensating module in order to compensate a fluctuation in the output current due to the dead time.
US08693213B2
An AC-to-DC power converter configured to provide power factor correction and a single isolated low-voltage output. The power converter includes a single-stage resonant power converter including an isolation transformer, a resonant tank, a rectifier, and a bulk storage capacitor coupled to an output of the isolation transformer. In typical applications, at least one non-isolated power converter is coupled to the output of the single-stage isolated power factor correction converter.
US08693212B1
A chassis having a cover moveable between open and closed positions and circuitry for detecting whether the cover is in the open or the closed position. The circuitry includes a transmitter of optical energy disposed at a fixed position within the chassis for transmitting pulses of optical energy at a predetermined frequency and a receiver for optical energy disposed at a fixed position within the chassis. A reflector is mounted to an inner surface of the cover and is disposed in a path to intercept and then reflect the intercepted transmitted energy to the receiver when the cover is moved to the closed position and being disposed away from the path to prevent the transmitted energy to be intercepted and then reflected to the receiver when the cover is moved to the open position. The detection circuitry indicates whether the cover is in either the open or the closed position selectively in accordance with whether the transmitted energy is reflected to the receiver is above or below a predetermined threshold level and whether at said predetermined frequency.
US08693211B2
A wiring substrate 11 includes a wiring substrate main body 31 having a semiconductor element mounting area A, a wiring pattern 33 provided on an upper surface 31A of the wiring substrate main body 31 at a portion corresponding to the semiconductor element mounting area A, a solder resist 35 provided on the upper surface 31A of the wiring substrate main body 31 and having an opening portion 43 whose size is substantially equal to the semiconductor element mounting area A when viewed from a top, and a dam 37 provided on the solder resist 35 to block an underfill resin 13 provided in a clearance between the semiconductor element 12 and the wiring substrate main body 31. A distance between an inner wall of the opening portion 43 of the solder resist 35 and an inner wall of the dam 37 is partially varied.
US08693207B2
A rotatable transfer apparatus includes a housing and a circuit board having at least two interfaces. The housing includes a top cover, a sidewall, a bottom board and an elastic module. The top cover is rotatably mounted at one side of the sidewall. The bottom board is mounted at the other side of the sidewall opposite to the top cover. The sidewall, the bottom board and the top cover define a receiving space for receiving the circuit board. The sidewall includes an opening, and at least two fasteners defined in an internal surface of the sidewall. The elastic module is received in the receiving space and fixed to the top cover. The elastic module rotates with the top cover and detachably engaged with one of the at least two fasteners to select a desired interface to be exposed to the opening.
US08693200B2
A cooling module for cooling a semiconductor is provided and includes a land grid array (LGA) interposer, a substrate with an LGA side and a chip side, a cooler, a load frame attached to the substrate and formed to define an aperture in which the cooler is removably disposable, a spring clamp removably attachable to the load frame and configured to apply force from the load frame to the cooler such that the substrate and the cooler are urged together about the semiconductor and a load assembly device configured to urge the load frame and the LGA interposer together.
US08693199B2
A method is provided which includes providing a heat exchanger door that includes a door assembly spanning at least a portion of the air inlet or outlet side of an electronics rack. The door assembly includes an airflow opening which facilitates air ingress or egress of airflow through the electronics rack. The door assembly further includes an air-to-coolant heat exchanger and a structural support. The heat exchanger is disposed so that airflow through the airflow opening passes across the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes a heat exchanger core and a heat exchanger casing coupled to the core. The core includes at least one coolant-carrying channel which loops through the casing. The structural support is attached to the heat exchanger casing to define with the casing a tubular door support structure. The looping of the coolant-carrying channel(s) through the heat exchanger casing resides within the tubular door support structure.
US08693190B2
A casing structure and a locking mechanism thereof for portable electronic apparatus are disclosed. The casing structure includes an apparatus casing, an electronic device casing, and a door. The electronic device casing is engaged to the apparatus casing in a detachable way. The door is engaged to the apparatus casing in an open-able way to cover an open of the apparatus casing. The locking mechanism is mainly disposed on the apparatus casing and can be operative to lock or unlock the electronic device casing and the door simultaneously. Thereby, a user can quickly detach the electronic device casing and open the door to maintain or replace components in the apparatus casing, which avoids the complicated operation of opening the casing in the prior art.
US08693188B2
An electronic mobile device includes a base that defines a guide path and a translation support that is pivotally supported by the base. The electronic mobile device further includes a movable assembly translatably connected to the translation support opposite the base. The movable assembly includes a guide follower that follows the guide path. As such, the movable assembly translates relative to the translation support as the movable assembly and the translation support pivot relative to the base to move the movable assembly to a plurality of operating configurations relative to the base.
US08693184B2
An electronic apparatus includes a housing, a fan module, a heat-dissipating module, and a channel. The housing includes a first heat-dissipating vent and a second heat-dissipating vent. The fan module is disposed in the housing and includes a first outlet and a second outlet. The first outlet is substantially aligned with the first heat-dissipating vent and has a first airflow. The second outlet has a second airflow. The heat-dissipating module is disposed in the housing between the first outlet and the first heat-dissipating vent. The channel is located between the second outlet and the second heat-dissipating vent for guiding the second airflow out of the housing from the second heat-dissipating vent. The temperature of the first heat-dissipating vent is higher than that of the second heat-dissipating vent.
US08693183B1
An adapter for a ruggedized personal digital assistant (RPDA) may include a generally L-shaped housing with first and second legs. The first leg may have a generally tubular shape and may include a protruding ridge that is slidable in a stylus groove of the RPDA. The first leg may include a connector for a multi-function cable and an opening for a communication cable. The second leg may include a power connector for engaging the power-in port of the RPDA and a serial data connector for engaging the serial data port of the RPDA. A multi-function cable assembly may be disposed in the first leg and may connect to the multi-function cable connector. Inside the first leg, the multi-function cable assembly may split into a plurality of cables for connecting to the RPDA.
US08693181B2
An electronic device includes a first body, a second body and a battery base. The second body is pivoted to the first body and has a first block. The battery base is pivoted to the first body and has a second block. When the second body rotates relative to the first body, the first block is driven to contact the second block and push the second block for driving the battery base to pivot relative to the first body.
US08693178B2
An input device fixing structure includes an input device and a housing case. The input device is disposed with at least one first magnetic component, and the housing case is disposed with at least one second magnetic component. The second magnetic component and the first magnetic component are adsorbed with each other through a magnetic force, so that the input device is fixed on the housing case.
US08693175B2
A cover lifting structure is suitable for a body of an electronic device. The body has a recess. The cover lifting structure includes a first rotating member, a second rotating member, an elastic member and a pushing member. The first rotating member pivoted to the body with a first axis. The second rotating member pivoted to the first rotating member with a second axis. The elastic member is propped against the first and the second rotating members. The first rotating member closes the recess, and the second rotating member contacts against the pushing member in a first state. The first rotating member opens the recess, and the second rotating member moves away from the pushing member in a second state. In a third state, the first rotating member closes the recess, and the second rotating member falls behind a stroke to the first rotating member.
US08693174B2
A touch display assembly structure is disclosed, which includes a capacitor type touch panel, a display panel, a plastic side frame, and an adhesive layer. The plastic side frame includes a side frame edge and a support piece disposed inner the side frame edge. The support piece is disposed between the touch panel and the display panel. The support piece has an opening to expose a display area of the display panel. The adhesive layer bonds the capacitor type touch panel and the support piece. There is an air layer disposed between the touch panel and the display panel. The material of the support piece includes polyphenylene sulfide. The thickness of the support piece is less than 0.4 mm.
US08693163B2
A device includes a substrate having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface. A capacitor is formed in the substrate and includes a first capacitor plate; a first insulation layer encircling the first capacitor plate; and a second capacitor plate encircling the first insulation layer. Each of the first capacitor plate, the first insulation layer, and the second capacitor plate extends from the front surface to the back surface of the substrate.
US08693161B2
Self-balancing, corona discharge for the stable production of electrically balanced and ultra-clean ionized gas streams is disclosed. This result is achieved by promoting the electronic conversion of free electrons into negative ions without adding oxygen or another electronegative gas to the gas stream. The invention may be used with electronegative and/or electropositive or noble gas streams and may include the use of a closed loop corona discharge control system.
US08693155B2
A constant voltage power supply circuit includes an output voltage dependent over-current protection circuit unit and a drooping over-current protection circuit unit. The output voltage dependent over-current protection circuit unit reduces, when an output current which is output from an output terminal of an output control transistor exceeds a first set value which is determined in advance, the output current from the first set value in a manner dependent on a reduction of an output voltage which is output from the output terminal. The drooping over-current protection circuit unit detects, with an external resistor, the output current which is output from the output terminal of the output control transistor, and reduces, when the detected output current exceeds a second set value which is determined in advance and which has a lower value than the first set value, the output voltage while maintaining the output current at the second set value.
US08693154B2
A protection relay for protecting an electric system, includes means a manner of a time multiplier value, a manner of calculating, with the received time multiplier value, and an inverse definite time dependency having an exponentiation function. The dependency defines a relationship between an excitation level of an input signal to the relay and an operating time of the relay. The relay further a manner of shifting the dependency to a predefined calculation space, and includes a manner of applying, during execution, the dependency shifted to the predefined calculation space when determining an operating condition of the relay.
US08693149B2
In one embodiment, a semiconductor device to provide protection for electronic circuits, the semiconductor device typically includes a vertical MOS transistor, a reference circuit, and an amplifier. The amplifier amplifies the reference voltage to enable the vertical MOS transistor responsively to a transient event.
US08693146B2
A quench detection system for a fault current limiter (1), in particular, a high temperature superconductor fault current limiter, making use of a differential protection relay wherein in fault event the differential protection relay operates a triggering mechanism of a circuit breaker (2), thereby opening the electrical circuit and interrupting power supply to downstream components, and a method for quench detection wherein the magnitude of voltage drop during quench is converted to a current signal being proportional to the voltage and which is monitored by the differential protection relay.
US08693140B1
A disk drive assembly having a disk hub having a cylindrical portion; and a disk clamp retaining portion formed on a vertical portion of the cylindrical portion of the disk hub; a disk clamp having: a body portion; and a retained portion which engages the disk clamp retaining portion of the disk hub to secure the disk clamp to the disk hub; and a disk media disposed between the disk clamp and the disk hub, the disk media being secured in place by the disk clamp.
US08693132B1
Apparatuses and methods are disclosed that relate to movement of actuator arms from a stopped position. In one example, a method may include attempting to unlatch an actuator arm from a stop and measuring an electrical parameter of a driver circuit of the actuator arm. The method may further include detecting an unsafe unlatch event using a controller when the electrical parameter does not exceed a first threshold within a predetermined period of time.
US08693126B2
An apparatus comprising a magnetic media and a read/write unit. The magnetic media may be configured to store data. The magnetic media may also be rotated during access of the magnetic media. The read/write unit may comprise a plurality of transducers arranged in a linear array. Each of the transducers may be fabricated on a semiconductor substrate with fixed head positions with respect to the magnetic media. The read/write unit may also be positioned in close proximity to and across the surface of the magnetic media. Each transducer may be configured to read data from the magnetic media and write data to the magnetic media.
US08693123B1
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of tracks defined by a plurality of servo sectors. An estimated track ID is generated representing an estimated radial location of the head. A high order Gray code in a first servo sector is detected, and errors in the high order Gray code are corrected using the estimated track ID to generate a corrected Gray code. The corrected Gray code is decoded into a first part of a detected track ID. A low order track code is detected in the first servo sector, and the low order track code is decoded into a second part of the detected track ID. The first part of the detected track ID is combined with the second part of the detected track ID.
US08693121B1
A method includes designating a first sampling phase for a signal captured from a magnetic storage medium, where the signal is representative of information stored by the magnetic storage medium. The method further includes capturing a first waveform associated with the signal at the first sampling phase. The method also includes designating a second sampling phase different from the first sampling phase for the signal. The method further includes capturing a second waveform associated with the signal at the second sampling phase. The method also includes interleaving the first waveform and the second waveform to form an oversampled waveform. The first waveform and the second waveform are captured at a rate at least substantially equal to a rate at which the information stored by the magnetic storage medium was written to the magnetic storage medium.
US08693114B2
The instant disclosure relates to a lens structure, which includes a mounting seat, a sliding carriage, a lens cover, and at least one elastic member, wherein the mounting seat has a first through-hole formed thereon and defines two operating positions, the sliding carriage slidably coupled to the mounting seat and having a second through-hole formed thereon, wherein the second through-hole corresponds to the first through-hole in one operating position, the lens cover arranged on the sliding carriage and having a plurality of heat-dissipating holes formed thereon in correspondence with the second through-hole, one end of the elastic member fixed to the mounting seat, and the other end of the elastic member fixed to the sliding carriage, wherein the sliding carriage is urged to move a predetermined distance form one operating position, the elastic member provides resilient force to drive the sliding carriage to another operating position.
US08693105B2
A variable magnification optical system for projection includes a first-lens-group having negative refractive power, and which is fixed when magnification of the system is changed, a second-lens-group having negative refractive power, and which is movable when magnification of the system is changed, a third-lens-group having positive refractive power, and which is movable when magnification of the system is changed, and a fourth-lens-group having positive refractive power, and which is fixed when magnification of the system is changed, which are arranged from the magnification side of the system in the order mentioned. The reduction side of the variable magnification optical system is telecentric, and formula 1.5
US08693102B2
A stack of laminated transparent lenses consists of two alternating optically clear materials in intimate contact. The materials are a plastic lens and clear adhesive. The adhesive is uninterrupted. The lens and the adhesive have refraction mismatch of less than 0.2. A tab portion is part of each lens acts as an aid in peeling away the outermost lens after contamination of the lens layer during racing conditions. The lens stack can be mounted to the posts on the face shield or laminated directly to a windshield.
US08693100B2
A method of easily manufacturing a light diffusion film by a continuous process, which achieves both good display properties and an increase in viewing angle when used in a liquid crystal display. A method of manufacturing a light diffusion film includes forming a laminate of an original light diffusion film and a photosensitive resin, wherein the photosensitive resin includes at least two types of materials that are different in refractive index from each other; and irradiating the laminate with a collimated laser beam from a side of the original light diffusion film, wherein a reflection hologram formation-preventing layer is located on a side of the laminate opposite from the side of irradiation of the laminate with a collimated laser beam. In the process of irradiating the laminate, the reflection hologram formation-preventing layer prevents formation of a reflection hologram on the photosensitive resin due to a reflected light from the irradiation.
US08693099B2
An antireflection film capable of reliably preventing light (or laser light), which is incident on a glass substrate and which reaches a metal film, from being reflected by the metal film. The antireflection film provided between a metal film having a complex refractive index represented by NM=nM−i·km and a glass substrate having a refractive index NG includes, from the metal film side: (A) a first dielectric layer having a refractive index N1; (B) a second dielectric layer provided on the first dielectric layer and having a refractive index N2; and (C) a third dielectric layer provided on the second dielectric layer and having a refractive index N3, in which N1
US08693095B2
A method and apparatus for decorrelating coherent light from a light source, such as a pulsed laser, in both time and space in an effort to provide intense and uniform illumination are provided. The techniques and apparatus described herein may be incorporated into any application where intense, uniform illumination is desired, such as pulsed laser annealing, welding, ablating, and wafer stepper illuminating.
US08693093B2
A portable projection screen system includes a foldable structure defining a viewing area. A projector mounting assembly includes first and second mounting arms spaced a selected distance apart. Each of the first and second mounting arms including a horizontal projector member located above the viewing area and extending forward of the viewing area. A vertical projector member pivotally connects to a backside of the viewing area in a plurality of positions. Each of the plurality of positions locates the horizontal projector member at a different height above the viewing area. A projector crossbar member slidably connects and moves between a plurality of positions that are each a different distance from the viewing area.
US08693092B2
A focusing module for long focal length telescope which includes a sliding plate, a fixing sleeve, and a fixing bolt is disclosed. The drawtube is disposed on the sliding plate for sliding forward or backward to focus. The fixing sleeve and the fixing bolt form a connecting mechanism. When screwing the fixing sleeve to clamp the sliding plate from the bottom, the fixing bolt will be driven to clamp the sliding plate from the top simultaneously. This prevents the main tube and the drawtube from being displaced, and the target can be kept in the field of view of the telescope.
US08693086B2
It is disclosed an appearance-modifying device (10), for modifying the visual appearance of a surface covered thereby. The appearance-modifying device (10) comprises two oppositely arranged substrates (11, 12), which are spaced apart by a spacer structure (13). The spacer structure (13) spaces apart the two substrates (11, 12) in such a way that a space between the two substrates (11, 12) is divided into a plurality of cells (15, 16), the shapes of the individual cells (15, 16) being such that an aperiodic cell pattern (14) is formed by the cells (15, 16). Each cell (15, 16) may comprise an optically transparent fluid having a plurality of particles dispersed therein. The particles are moveable in the fluid through application of an electric field. An appliance at least partly covered by the appearance-modifying device (10) is also disclosed. Furthermore, it is disclosed a method for manufacturing the appearance-modifying device.
US08693067B2
An image reading device includes first and second reading units, first and second converting units, and a setting unit. The first and second reading units include N-number of first sub-regions and M-number of second sub-regions, respectively. Each converting unit includes L-number of channels. Each channel converts analog signal into digital signal. When the setting unit sets the double-sided read mode, P-number of first sub-regions are connected to the first converting unit and M-number of second sub-regions are connected to the second converting unit. When the read mode setting unit sets the single-sided read mode, P-number of first sub-regions are connected to the first converting unit and the remaining first sub-regions are connected to the second converting unit. L is greater than or equal to M and smaller than or equal to N. N is smaller than or equal to 2×L.
US08693060B2
The image reading device includes: a reading unit that includes a light source emitting light to irradiate an image on a recording medium transported in a first direction and a light receiving portion that receives light reflected by the recording medium; a transport path forming unit that forms a part of a transport path for the recording medium; a light transmitting portion that is provided in the transport path forming unit and transmits the light; and plural projection members that are provided to the light transmitting portion so as to project from the light transmitting portion toward the transport path, and that are arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction while each extending in the first direction.
US08693058B2
An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a communication interface unit which receives print data, a rendering unit which converts the received print data into a bitmap image by rendering, a binarization unit which generates binary data by carrying out halftoning with respect to the bitmap image, a data combining unit which generates multi-bit data by combining a plurality of successive binary data of the generated binary data, and a print engine which forms an image on a print paper using the generated multi-bit data.
US08693057B2
A computer-readble medium stored with a program causing a computer to quantize a gray level causes the computer to perform a pixel selecting process; determining a noise use rate indicating the degree to which a dither matrix noise has an influence on the quantization and an error use rate indicating the degree to which an accumulated error has an influence on the quantization and determining the noise use rate and the error use rate corresponding to the corresponding pixel depending on the gray levels of the pixels sequentially selected in the pixel selecting process; and performing the quantization on the gray levels of the pixels sequentially selected in the pixel selecting process and performing the quantization using the dither matrix noise based on the noise use rate corresponding to the corresponding pixel and using the accumulated error based on the error use rate corresponding to the corresponding pixel.
US08693049B2
An image processing apparatus that switches a detecting function to be used in accordance with a state of a printing apparatus when different devices respectively have similar detection functions.
US08693047B2
An image capture unit and computer readable medium used in combination therewith is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the image capture unit includes an image capturing sensor, a visual display, an instance of the computer readable medium, and circuitry for integrating functionalities thereof. The computer readable medium causes sensor data received from the image capturing sensor to be processed. The sensor data includes a plurality of image tiles and position indicating data defining a respective relative position of each one of each image tiles. Each one of each image tiles includes data representing a discrete portion of visual content. The computer readable medium causes a feedback image be displayed on the visual display. Displaying the feedback image includes correlate the relative position of each one of each image tiles with at least one other image tile that has previously generated and displayed.
US08693044B2
An operation screen generating apparatus includes: an image-in-work-screen generating unit that displays a subject image on a work screen, which is displayed at an aspect ratio same as that of a print area, in a display position and at a display magnification designated by user operation; and an image-in-confirmation-screen generating unit that displays in enlargement, on a confirmation screen prepared separately from the work screen, a reference line representing an outer edge position of the work screen and a subject image located near an outside and an inside of the reference line.
US08693040B2
An image processing system comprises an image forming apparatus and a plurality of image processing servers. An image processing server transmits a test image to a plurality of image processing servers in charge of a former image processing operation, collects test results from all of them, and selects one of the image processing servers having returned the test results which are judged as being equal to or higher than a standard value, as the most preferred server, while an image forming apparatus transmits a test image to a plurality of image processing servers in charge of a final image processing operation, collects test results from all of them, and selects one of the image processing servers having returned the test results of the final image processing operation which are judged as being equal to or higher than a standard value, as the most preferred server.
US08693034B2
An image processing apparatus includes a display portion that displays a condition input screen on which a user enters a condition for a process of printing or scanning an image, a control portion that, when first operation is performed, controls a storage portion to store the condition thus entered, a retrieval portion that, if second operation is performed, reads out the condition from the storage portion, a re-display portion that displays again the condition input screen in a state where the condition thus read out is entered, and a process execution portion that, if third operation is performed, executes the process of printing or scanning an image based on a latest condition stored in the storage portion.
US08693026B2
A printing apparatus capable of, when a predetermined finishing process is set in performing job combination, executing the finishing process at consistent settings by properly performing an inhibition process corresponding to the finishing process. When a predetermined finishing process is set as an entire setting of job combination, the system inhibits excluding, from targets of the predetermined finishing process, a predetermined job corresponding to the predetermined finishing process among a plurality of jobs associated with job combination.
US08693024B2
An information processing apparatus includes an execution period specifying unit, a first calculation unit, and a second calculation unit. The execution period specifying unit specifies an execution period of each of plural image processing operations executed by plural image processing apparatuses within a given period of time in the past. The first calculation unit calculates an amount of power estimated to be consumed by a replaceable image processing apparatus executing the plural image processing operations if it is assumed that the plural image processing apparatuses have been replaced by the replaceable image processing apparatus within the given period of time. The second calculation unit calculates a total amount of power estimated to be consumed by the replaceable image processing apparatus if it is assumed that the plural image processing apparatuses have been replaced by the replaceable image processing apparatus within the given period of time.
US08693023B2
A printer that detects an error when a host computer does not send a timer reset command for a specific time is connected to a host computer. The host computer outputs a timer reset command to the printer using an application execution unit function, and causes the printer to print data processed by the application program. A timer reset command is sent to the printer when the application execution unit outputs a timer reset command and when a print job for printing the data is sent to the printer.
US08693014B2
Methods and systems are disclosed to provide conversions from job tickets submitted by clients to normalized tickets in a ticket standard used by the print shop. In one embodiment, a system receives a plurality of print jobs submitted by clients to a print shop. For each of the print jobs, the system identifies extension elements that describe services requested from the print shop. The extension elements are extensions to a job ticket standard used by the print shop. The system maps the extension elements to corresponding standard elements defined in the job ticket standard to generate normalized job tickets for the print shop. The system then transmits the normalized job tickets to a system of the print shop for generating workflows for the print jobs based on the normalized job tickets.
US08693011B2
An information processing apparatus and method control execution of jobs performed by a printing apparatus and by a post-processing apparatus that performs a post-processing in which printed matters printed by the printing apparatus are used. Based on a plurality of jobs that designate the execution of printing with the printing apparatus and a post-processing with the post-processing apparatus, the apparatus acquires post-processing step information for the post-processing apparatus designated by the jobs, as well as sheet feed/discharge information related to paper feed to the post-processing apparatus and paper discharge from the post-processing apparatus, and determines whether the front of the printed matter discharged from the printing apparatus is face-up or face-down, as well as the order in which the jobs are to be executed in the post-processing on the basis of the post-processing step information and the sheet feed/discharge information.
US08692996B2
A system and method for determining a state of a traffic signal. In one embodiment, a traffic signal state detector includes a lens, a color sensor, and a processor. The color sensor is configured to identify a plurality of colors of light directed to the color sensor by the lens, and a field of view of the color sensor is restricted based on dimensions of a traffic signal. The processor is coupled to the color sensor. The processor is configured to determine a color of light emitted by the traffic signal based on the colors of light identified by the color sensor.
US08692972B2
A stereoscopic image printing device includes an actuating unit for moving a grating structure, a print head for transferring a plurality of target image data onto corresponding positions of the grating structure, a first detecting module, a second detecting module, and a controller coupled to the print head, a first photosensitive component of the first detecting module, and a second photosensitive component of the second detecting module for controlling the print head to print some of the plurality of target image data onto the grating structure according to comparison between first optical intensity signal generated by the first detecting module and second optical intensity signal generated by the second detecting module.
US08692970B2
Disclosed is a manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display device which is a manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal alignment film to which an alignment regulating force is imparted by a photo-alignment treatment, including: a film forming step of forming a film containing a polymer whose main chain is cleaved by irradiation with light; a photo-alignment step of imparting an alignment regulating force to the film formed in the film forming step by irradiation of the film with light in an atmosphere of a temperature lower than 100° C.; and a removing step of removing a low-molecular weight component generated by cleaving the main chain of the polymer through the light irradiation after the light irradiation. Also disclosed is a liquid crystal display device manufactured by the manufacturing method.
US08692964B2
The present invention relates to compensation films of a vertically-aligned liquid crystal display. Upper and lower compensation films asymmetrically differ in refractive index from each other.
US08692957B2
A scanning backlight unit, a liquid crystal display and television and a television are provided herein. The backlight unit including a light source unit having plural groups of light sources which emit light in a main incidence direction; a control unit which controls the plural groups of light sources; and a light guiding plate having a bottom surface formed with a dispersion pattern dispersing the light received from the light source unit, wherein the dispersion pattern includes a plurality of grooves, with a groove of the plurality of grooves having a shape with a first size parallel to the main incidence direction and a second size perpendicular to the main incidence direction, and wherein the first size is larger than the second size.
US08692956B2
An optical structure placeable between a backlight array of point light sources and a planar display. The structure distributes light emitted by the point light sources to uniformly illuminate the plane of the display, without introducing significant viewing parallax. The emitted light is partially collimated within a preferred angular viewing range, maximizing the display's luminance when viewed from the normal direction. The structure is highly reflective, such that a substantial portion of any non-emitted light rays are internally reflected by the structure, increasing the likelihood that those rays will be subsequently emitted by the structure.
US08692950B2
A display panel includes a transparent substrate, a picture region, a black matrix region around the picture region, and a soft key region, a black matrix formed in the black matrix region on one side of the transparent substrate and having a first opening in the soft key region, and an overcoating layer on the transparent substrate including the black matrix, wherein a soft key is implemented in the soft key region by disposing a light source under the first opening of the black matrix. When the display panel is a touch screen panel, conductive sensing cells in the picture region and position detection lines in the black matrix region are included.
US08692949B2
A TFT-LCD array substrate, a manufacturing method thereof and a liquid crystal display panel are provided in the invention. The TFT-LCD array substrate comprises a plurality of first gate lines and a plurality of first data lines, and a plurality of pixel regions are defined by intersecting the first gate lines and the first data lines with each other. A first pixel electrode and a first TFT are formed in each of the pixel regions, and a second TFT and a second pixel electrode are further comprised in each of the pixel regions. The second TFT is connected with the second pixel electrode, the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode form the voltage difference to drive the reversion of the liquid crystal molecules, and the first TFT and the second TFT are turned on or off simultaneously.
US08692947B2
A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate and a second substrate. The first substrate includes a gate line and an auxiliary capacitance line extending in a first direction, a source line extending in a second direction orthogonally crossing the first direction, and a pixel electrode having a main pixel electrode arranged on the auxiliary capacitance line and extending in the first direction. The second substrate includes a common electrode having a main common electrode arranged above the gate line and extending in the first direction. A liquid crystal layer is held between the first substrate and the second substrate having liquid crystal molecules. The liquid crystal molecules are initially aligned in the first direction in a splay alignment state between the first substrate and the second substrate in a state where electric field is not formed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode.
US08692940B2
A method for producing a blended video sequence that combines a still image and a video image sequence comprising: designating a first face in the still image, designating a second face in the video image sequence; detecting a series of video frames in the video image sequence containing the second face; identifying a video frame in the detected series of video frames suitable for transitioning from the first face into the second face; using a data processor to automatically produce a transition image sequence where the first face transitions into the second face, and a first background transitions into a second background; and producing the blended video sequence by concatenating the transition image sequence, and a plurality of video frames from the video image sequence starting from the identified video frame.
US08692939B2
A method of improving an image quality of a video signal, which is supplied on a frame-by-frame basis, includes extracting low frequency components from a video signal of an n-th frame, where n is a natural number excluding zero, subtracting the extracted low frequency components from a video signal of an (n+m)th frame to produce high frequency components, where no is a natural number excluding zero, and adding the produced high frequency components to the video signal of the (n+m)th frame. The extracted low frequency components include a horizontal component and a vertical component.
US08692933B1
In an embodiment, there is provided a video processing component comprising a compensation engine configured to generate pixels of a first video frame from a second video frame based at least in part on specified pixel motion; and an access buffer configured to store pixel data corresponding to pixels of the second video frame for reference by the compensation engine, wherein the pixel data is stored by the access buffer at different vertical resolutions depending on vertical distances of the pixels corresponding to the pixel data from a target pixel that is indicated by the compensation engine.
US08692929B2
Lens drive device, image-capturing device, and electronic apparatus with shape memory alloy actuator
An image-capturing device includes a detector which detects that a resistance value of an actuator, made of shape memory alloy, is maintained within a predetermined range. The image-capturing device moves a lens step by step from a place corresponding to a first field in order to obtain image data from each one of the fields provided in a focus region. The image-capturing device also calculates a target place, where the lens should be finally positioned, by using the obtained image data, and then positions the lens at the calculated target place. The foregoing structure allows obtaining reliable and stable data.
US08692920B2
In an A/D converter, a first analog signal which is input to an input terminal in a state in which the input terminal and a reference voltage line are connected via a first capacitor is converted into digital data when a reference signal is supplied to the reference signal line in a state in which the reference signal line and a first input terminal of a comparator are connected via the first capacitor. A second analog signal which is input to the input terminal in a state in which the input terminal and the reference voltage line are connected via a second capacitor is converted into digital data when the reference signal is supplied to the reference signal line in a state in which the reference signal line and the first input terminal of the comparator are connected via the second capacitor.
US08692913B2
Signal charge that has accumulated in photodiodes of odd-numbered rows is read out one row at a time in turn in the column direction and represents an odd-numbered-row image. Signal charge that has accumulated in photodiodes of even-numbered rows is read out one column at a time in turn in the row direction and represents an even-numbered-row image. The even-numbered-row image is selected if a subject moves in the horizontal direction, and the odd-numbered-row image is selected if the subject moves in the vertical direction. An image in which rolling shutter distortion has been reduced is thus obtained.
US08692911B2
According to one embodiment, an image processing device includes an edge enhancement unit and a brightness level determination unit. The edge enhancement unit performs an edge enhancement process by adding extraction data which has been subjected to a noise cancellation process and an amplitude limitation process to a brightness signal. The brightness level determination unit determines a height of the signal level of the brightness signal. The edge enhancement unit adjusts the signal level of the extraction data added to the brightness signal depending on a determination result of the brightness level determination unit.
US08692903B2
An imaging device includes an imaging element configured to convert light that has entered from an optical system into an electric signal, and to output the electric signal as an imaging signal, a macro shooting determination section configured to determine whether shooting is macro shooting or not, a low color temperature light source determination section configured to determine whether or not the shooting is performed in a lower color temperature light source based on color information, a first white balance correction coefficient calculator configured to calculate a white balance correction coefficient so as to obtain an image in which a color of the low color temperature light source is added, and a second white balance correction coefficient calculator configured to calculate a white balance correction coefficient so as to obtain an image in which the color of the low color temperature light source is not added in the lower color temperature light source and in the macro shooting.
US08692899B2
A solid-state imaging device includes: an imaging unit taking a subject image focused by an imaging optical system; a digital signal processing unit generating image data of the subject image taken by the imaging unit and luminance data thereof; an input/output unit inputting and outputting data; a focus evaluation value generating unit generating a focus evaluation value of the subject image based on the luminance data outputted from the digital signal processing unit and outputting the focus evaluation value from the input/output unit; and an imaging drive unit starting an imaging operation by the imaging unit when an imaging instruction signal is inputted from the input/output unit, and outputting an imaging-end timing signal from the input/output unit when the imaging operation is completed.
US08692897B2
A moving picture file is generated from moving picture data received from a camera. Control sequence information from the camera corresponding to the generated moving picture file, and information relating to an address of the camera, are incorporated into the moving picture file. The moving picture file is generated by dividing the received moving picture data, based on camera control information.
US08692895B2
An imaging apparatus includes a barrel unit having a photographic lens, an image pickup device configured to receive light through the photographic lens to capture a subject image, a movable unit configured to movably support the image pickup device in a direction perpendicular to a light-receiving axis of the subject image, a processing unit configured to process signals from the image pickup device, a flexible board configured to connect the image pickup device to the processing unit, and a positioning unit configured to position the flexible board.
US08692891B2
A TV band device for indoor applications uses information gleaned from a database inquiry based on geo-location information in combination with spectrum sensing to determine if TV channels are available for unlicensed use.
US08692890B2
A testing apparatus for testing delay characteristics of a multimedia player in an enclosed environment includes a storage device, a controller, a recording device, and a processor. The controller controls the multimedia player to display a video having a number of different scenes with different brightness and sends a switching instruction to switch the scenes. The recording device records a number of ambient light intensities in a darkroom at predetermined time intervals. A testing system executed by the processor compares two adjacent ambient light intensities to determine the actual switching time between the scenes and evaluates the delay characteristic according to differences between the actual switching times and a transmitting time of the instructions to switch.
US08692887B2
An apparatus is provided for determining variable thickness of a coating on a surface of a substrate using in part a flash-lamp source, capable of generating a thermal pulse at the coating surface, and a image capture and processing device capable of capture sequential image frames of the coating surface, whereas each sequential image frame corresponds to an elapsed time and comprises a pixel array, and wherein each pixel of the array corresponds to a location on the coating surface. A method of calculating coating thickness is also provided.
US08692886B2
A multidirectional video capture assembly is provided that can include a multidirectional helmet camera with protective housing and plurality of image sensors. The image sensors may be oriented in a plurality of directions for simultaneous capture of image data. A multi channel flexible cable can emerge from said protective housing, said cable adapted to carry image signals from the image sensors to an image recording and/or image display device. The protective housing may also be equipped with a complimentary equipment cavity for inclusion of additional advantageous equipment, as may be included to suit individual circumstances.
US08692877B2
An imaging system (40), safety system (58) or combined imaging and safety system (FIG. 1) for an industrial machine (20), including a light transmitter (26) and a corresponding receiver (28). In an imaging application, image data relating to a machine tool (22) and/or work piece (32) is derived from said at least one receiver and processed by an image processing means to determine information regarding said tool and/or tool position and/or extent of work carried out on said work piece. A screen (34, 46), such as a shadow screen, can be used to form an image of a profile of the tool tip and end of the workpiece. Took tip position and extent of work on the workpiece can be derived from the image, e.g., via a camera viewing an image formed on the screen. Multiple cameras may be used. A safety system application (FIGS. 10a to 10d) for halting the machine or tool when a light beam is interrupted can include a broad or block beam (62) and can provide progressive muting of beam interruption detection by progressively muting detection. Progressive muting can be achieved by systematically disregarding or muting signals from rows of receiver array elements as the beam passes through a mute point (66) ahead of the tool tip (60).
US08692876B2
A method for imaging features on a substrate, comprising scanning the substrate and producing an image thereof, overlaying a grid model on the image, fitting the grid model to the locations of at least some of the features on the image, and extracting images of the features.
US08692874B2
An electronic imaging apparatus (and related methods of manufacture and use), comprising: a chassis, having an open cylindrical groove formed therein; an image sensor assembly mounted in the chassis, the image sensor assembly comprising an electronic image sensor; a plurality of lenses, which are fitted into the groove in respective positions so as to form an image on the image sensor; and a cover, which closes over the image sensor assembly and the lenses in the chassis. The imaging system is particularly suitable as a compact imaging systems for use on instruments for open surgery.
US08692870B2
Described is a stereoscopic display (telepresence) system that includes a depth cue adjustment mechanism for changing screen disparity to move a fixation distance of a viewer (subject) closer to a focus distance, thereby providing more desirable viewing conditions. In one aspect, the depth cue adjustment mechanism adjusts a depth cue by moving the fixation distance forward, and/or by moving the focus distance backward. Also described is detecting encroachment, where the object is perceived as being too close to the subject viewer for comfort, and adjusting one or more depth cues (e.g., object scale) to counteract the sensation of the encroachment.
US08692869B2
An image processing device for processing image information including light reception value information obtained by imaging an inside of a living body includes: a distance information obtainment unit that obtains, at a bright region in the image information, information on a distance to a surface of the living body on the basis of the light reception value information on light in a first wavelength range, and obtains, at a dark region in the image information, information on a distance to the surface of the living body on the basis of the light reception value information on light in a second wavelength range which is a longer wavelength range than the first wavelength range.
US08692864B2
A system for a multi-point videoconference consisting of three or more simultaneously connected end-points in a one-to-many or a many-to-many conference via a dynamic-virtual-multi-point-control-unit. The system comprising of a dynamic control unit is created when the Audio and Video parameters with conference participants are input by the initiator. After the establishment of the conference the dynamic-control-unit may shift from end-point to end-point in the course of a conference without terminating the conference. The movement of the Composite table of parameters creates a virtual multipoint conference control unit first by selecting the best endpoint to host the dynamic control unit using the client device resources. The dynamic-control-unit uses a protocol to establish the connections between multipliable endpoints, including a requesting or initiating endpoint and two or more participating endpoints. All functions are controlled by the endpoints and distributed by the dynamic-control-unit, which may be resident at any eligible endpoint.
US08692861B2
A telepresence system, a telepresence method, and a video collection device are disclosed. The telepresence system includes a video collection device, a video display device, an audio collection device, an audio player, and an audio and video communication device. The audio and video communication device transmits videos collected by the video collection device on a local end and audios collected by the audio collection device on the local end to a remote end through a network; the video display device and the audio player on the remote end play the images and audios respectively; and the video collection device is a panoramic camera. The technical solution under the present invention overcomes the poor effect of panoramic presence in the existing telepresence system, and improves the telepresence system in terms of depth presence, seamless display and eye contact.
US08692859B2
A light-emitting device includes: plural light-emitting array units that each include plural light-emitting elements, and for which lighting up and not lighting up are controlled by using a combination of a selection signal for selecting a control target for lighting up or not lighting up and a light-up signal for supplying power for lighting up to each light-emitting element forming the plural light-emitting elements; a selection signal generating unit that sends plural selection signals including the selection signal to the plural light-emitting array units; and a light-up signal generating unit that sends plural light-up signals including the light-up signal to the plural light-emitting array units.
US08692858B2
A portable thermal printer includes a housing and an anti-skew unit. The housing is provided with a thermal printer head and a platen roller, and is configured to convey a paper between the thermal printer head and the platen roller. The anti-skew unit inside the housing is configured to contact both side edges of the paper in a width direction to prevent the paper, which is being conveyed, from skewing, and the setting of the width of the paper by the anti-skew unit is configured to be adjustable from outside the housing.
US08692848B2
A method and system are provided in which one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to generate position information for a plurality of primitives utilizing a coordinate shader, one or more lists based on the generated position information, and rendering information for the plurality of primitives utilizing a vertex shader and the generated one or more lists. The generated one or more lists may comprise indices associated with one or more primitives from the plurality of primitives and with one or more tiles from a plurality of tiles in a screen plane. The position information and the one or more lists may be generated during a first rendering phase, and the rendering information may be generated during a second rendering phase different from the first rendering phase. The coordinate shader may perform a subset of the operations supported by the vertex shader.
US08692846B2
Evaluation and an area to which the evaluation is added are identified in an image, and the image is processed based on a rule for processing the image and the identified evaluation and area.
US08692841B2
A method for modifying color data in a display system is implemented using hardware circuitry. The method includes receiving first-color data associated with a first bit depth, the first-color data including a first-color data value. The method also includes receiving second-color data associated with a second bit depth that is less than the first bit depth, the second-color data including a second-color data value that corresponds to the first-color data value. The method also includes normalizing the second-color data according to the first bit depth for generating normalized second-color data. The method also includes adding an offset value to each data value of the normalized second-color data to generate offset second-color data, the offset second-color data including an offset second-color data value that corresponds to the first-color data value. The method also includes determining a modified second-color data value using the first-color data value and the offset second-color data value.
US08692833B2
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that drives a display from a computer system. During operation, the system detects an idle state in a first graphics-processing unit (GPU) used to drive the display. During the idle state, the system switches from using the first GPU to using a second GPU to drive the display and places the first GPU into a low-power state, wherein the low-power state reduces a power consumption of the computer system.
US08692831B2
Provided is a parallel operation processing apparatus and method. The parallel operation processing apparatus and method may generate an interpolated matrix with respect to a character included in each of a current frame and a next frame using a matrix corresponding to each of the current frame and the next frame generated, based on joint information corresponding to a plurality of joints included in the character. Also, the parallel operation processing apparatus and method may display an interpolated frame using the interpolated matrix.
US08692822B2
A display controller is capable of changing a refresh rate, indicative of how often a screen displayed on a display device having a plurality of pixels is switched, between a low refresh rate of 40 Hz and a normal refresh rate of 60 Hz and generates (i) a dot clock (reference clock) serving as a timing signal indicative of a timing of operation in the display device, (ii) video data indicative of an image to be displayed on the screen, (iii) Hsync for defining a horizontal period of a display on the screen, and (vi) Vsync for defining a vertical period of the display on the screen, so as to supply the dot clock, the video data, Hsync, and Vsync to the display device, wherein the display controller includes a dot clock generation circuit for generating the reference clock whose frequency is constant without depending on a change of the refresh rate. This makes it possible to provide the display controller which can suppress occurrence of noise also in switching the refresh rate and which does not allow any screen derangement which is caused by the noise.
US08692815B2
A user interface for an audio/visual device takes measurements of a touch sensor that are indicative of the current position of a tip of a finger of a user against a touch-sensitive surface of the touch sensor on a recurring basis, maintains a predetermined quantity of those measurements in a storage accessible to a processing device implementing at least a portion of the user interface, and employs measurements taken of the touch sensor at a predetermined amount of time into the past in response to an indication of the user having exerted increased pressure against the touch-sensitive surface via the tip to determine the position of that tip at a time relatively shortly before the user began to exert the increase in pressure.
US08692806B2
A touch screen including a display unit on which a plurality of icons are displayed, a touch detector operable to detect contact between a pointer and the display unit at a plurality of locations on the display unit, the plurality of locations forming a pattern that substantially surrounds more than one displayed icon, and a calculating unit to disambiguate an intended one of the plurality of icons, based on the pattern of locations that is detected by the touch detector, by determining which of the displayed icons are substantially completely surrounded, and by selecting an appropriate one of the substantially completely surrounded displayed icons.
US08692795B1
A technique for providing reliable position calculations for conductive inputs at the edges of a touch-sensitive array is disclosed. A matrix of sensors is completed using virtual sensors or nodes, allowing for a closer approximation of position of a conductive object. The matrix may be defined by a center point or sensor and a number of surrounding nodes or sensors.
US08692783B2
An overlay for electronic devices having a touchscreen display includes a plurality of raised regions which, when the overlay is assembled to the touchscreen display, are at predetermined positions relative to the plurality of virtual keys on the touchscreen display. Alternatively, the overlay may include a plurality of recesses which, when the overlay is in assembled position on the touchscreen display, are in registry with the plurality of virtual keys on the touchscreen display.
US08692782B2
The present invention relates to a touch display apparatus, which is including a display unit and a touch unit installed under the display unit. The display unit includes a first substrate and a second substrate installed in parallel. The touch unit includes a third substrate installed under the second substrate in parallel, and a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes separately installed on the lower surface of the second substrate and on the upper surface of the third substrate and facing each other. When a user touches the display unit of the electronic reading apparatus, the display unit will have a local deformation accordingly, the first electrode and the second electrode touch each other, and thus a touch signal is generated. Therefore, a touch function can be achieved.
US08692779B2
A pointer detection apparatus includes a conductor pattern with first conductors disposed in a first direction and second conductors disposed in a second direction that crosses the first direction, and a code string signal production circuit for producing signals based on orthogonal code strings with phases different from each other and supplying the produced signals to the first conductors. The apparatus also includes a signal detection circuit connected to the second conductors for detecting a signal corresponding to a variation of electrostatic capacitance between the conductor pattern and a pointer, an analog to digital conversion (ADC) circuit for converting the signal output from the signal detection circuit into a digital signal comprising a word string of multiple bits, and a correlation detection circuit for determining correlation values between the code strings and the word string. The apparatus also includes a memory for storing correlation values successively output from the correlation detection circuit, wherein the pointer is detected based on the correlation values.
US08692775B2
There is provided a key structure of an operation section of an electronic device that can avoid an occurrence of operational errors of erroneously pressing down an operation key and can reliably secure a large area for input operations and for indicating information. The key structure of the operation section of the electronic device having a plurality of the operation keys 14, 14, . . . arranged in parallel in a manner to be adjacent to one another. The operation portion having a step height (wall surface 23) is formed in the operation key that can perform input operations by being pressed down with a finger of an operator. The operation portion of the operation key is made up of a higher step surface located in a higher level portion in a pressed-down direction and a lower step surface formed at least on an adjacent side where the operation keys are adjacent to one another in a level portion lower than the higher step surface in the pressed-down direction. Each of the higher step surface and the lower step surface is formed so as to be approximately planar and a width of the lower step surface is set to be not less than a half of an error width W of the press-down operation as a width in an adjacent direction with respect to the higher step surface.
US08692770B2
A movable operation unit is movable on a two-dimensional operation surface of a main body. The two-dimensional operation surface is defined by an X-axis and a Y-axis perpendicular to each other. A Y-axis movable portion is rotatable around a rotation axis. The Y-axis movable portion is movable in the Y-axis direction when rotating around the rotation axis. The rotation axis extends in the X-axis direction relative to the main body. The Y-axis movable portion includes a sliding rail portion on which the movable operation unit is slidable in the X-axis direction. The movable operation unit is operable to slide in the X axial direction and move in the Y axial direction accompanied with rotation of the Y-axis movable portion around the rotation axis to performs a parallel shift in the two dimensional direction while regularly and constantly maintaining a posture of the movable operation unit.
US08692768B2
A method for resolving ambiguities between at least two pointers in a plurality of input regions defining an input area of an interactive input system. The method includes capturing images of the plurality of input regions, the images captured by a plurality of imaging devices having a field of view of at least a portion of the input area, processing image data from the images to identify a plurality of targets for the at least two pointers within the input area, and analyzing the plurality of targets to resolve a real location associated with each pointer.
US08692766B2
Systems and methods are provided for inputting data to a mobile device using multi-character keys. A first input may be generated by pressing a multi-character key on the mobile device. In response to the first input, the mobile device may sequentially display a plurality of characters associated with the pressed multi-character key. When a desired character is displayed, a second input may be generated to select the currently displayed character as character data input.
US08692757B2
A liquid crystal display includes a gate driver including stages, and a clock generator which receives a clock generation control signal, generates a clock signal and a clock bar signal based on one or more of the clock generation control signal, a gate-on voltage and a gate-off voltage, and outputs the clock signal and the clock bar signal to the gate driver. The clock generator includes an overcurrent protector unit which intercepts at least one of the clock signal and the clock bar signal when a voltage level of at least one of the gate-on voltage and the gate-off voltage is greater than a reference level.
US08692756B2
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device and a method for manufacturing the same that can improve aperture ratio of pixels while securing necessary storage capacitance using a simple configuration even if there is progress in high resolution of pixels. The liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is provided with a plurality of pixels. A thin film transistor array substrate includes gate lines and source lines arranged in a grid pattern on a principal surface of a supporting substrate, transparent pixel electrodes, and thin film transistors. Also, the thin film transistor array substrate includes a gate insulator, a passivation layer, a transparent conductive film, a first insulation layer, and transparent pixel electrodes stacked in order from a supporting substrate side. The transparent pixel electrodes are electrically connected with drain electrodes of the thin film transistors through contact holes formed in the first insulation layer. When a substrate surface is viewed in a direction of a normal to the substrate surface, the transparent conductive film does not overlap regions in which the transparent pixel electrodes and the drain electrodes are electrically connected with each other.
US08692755B2
Embodiments of a system that includes one or more integrated circuits are described. During operation, the system transforms the video image from an initial brightness domain to a linear brightness domain, which includes a range of brightness values corresponding to substantially equidistant adjacent radiant-power values in a displayed video image. In this linear brightness domain, the system may determine an intensity setting of the light source based on at least a portion of the transformed video image, such as the portion of the transformed video image that includes spatially varying visual information in the video image. Moreover, the system may modify the transformed video image so that a product of the intensity setting and a transmittance associated with the modified video image approximately equals a product of a previous intensity setting and a transmittance associated with the video image. For example, the modification may include changing brightness values in the transformed video image.
US08692752B2
A vertical alignment liquid crystal display device (VA-LCD) includes a display panel. The display panel includes a plurality of pixels. Each pixel unit includes a first thin film transistor (TFT), a second TFT, and a liquid crystal capacitor having a pixel electrode and a common electrode. The common electrode is applied with a common voltage, a first gray voltage is applied to the pixel electrode through a first TFT, and a second gray voltage is applied to the pixel electrode through a second TFT different from the first gray voltage, such that the liquid crystal capacitor maintains two different gray voltages in a display frame time of the VA-LCD.
US08692751B2
A gate-on voltage generator that can enhance display quality at low temperatures, a driving device, and a display apparatus having the same, in which the gate-on voltage generator includes a temperature sensor having an operational amplifier configured to receive a driving voltage and produce a temperature-dependent variable voltage, the level of which varies according to the ambient temperature, and a charge pumping unit shifting the temperature-dependent variable voltage by the voltage level of a pulse signal and generating a gate-on voltage.
US08692741B2
A scan driving circuit and an organic light emitting display using the scan driving circuit are disclosed. The circuit effectively reduces power consumption by removing a flow path of a static current from a stage of each unit. The scan driving circuit is coupled with an input signal line or an output voltage line of a previous stage, and comprises a plurality of stages coupled with a two-phase clock signal input line, a first scan driver sequentially outputs a selection signal and/or a boost signal through the plurality of stages. A second scan driver sequentially outputs an emission signal through the plurality of stages. The first scan driver includes a scan drive unit to output the selection signal, a first boost drive unit to output an odd-numbered boost signal, and a second boost drive unit to output an even-numbered boost signal.
US08692737B2
A direct-viewing type display device includes: a display panel having a display region and a frame region provided outside the display region, with a boundary extending along a first direction between the display region and the frame region, the display region having a plurality of pixels arrayed therein; and a light-transmitting cover disposed on the viewer's side. The light-transmitting cover includes a lens portion disposed astride the boundary for refracting a portion of light going out from the display region toward the frame region. The lens portion refracts the light so that light emitted from the plurality of pixels in the display region has a substantially equal pitch on a plane which is perpendicular to the first direction. A line of intersection between the plane which is perpendicular to the first direction and a viewer-side surface of the lens portion is a curve which is not a circular arc.
US08692736B1
An electronic book reading device with a configurable keypad is described. The device includes a first display configured to display visual representations of content of an electronic book. The device further includes a second display configured to display a plurality of different button configurations, one button configuration being displayed at a time. The device also includes a switch array disposed under the second display, wherein the switch array is configured to receive user input and provide tactile feedback when the user input is received. The device includes a processor and memory in electronic communication with the processor. Instructions are stored in the memory. The instructions are executable to process the user input and change a button configuration on the second display from a first button configuration to a second button configuration.
US08692733B2
A low noise block down-converter with integrated feed (LNBF) assembly includes an LNBF main body, a connection portion including at least one LNBF locating hole, a support arm including at least one support arm locating hole, at least one locating spring piece including a fix end fixed on the support arm and a locating protrusion, a holder, a holding cam, and a pivot for connecting the holding cam to the holder, wherein when the connection portion inserts into the support arm, each locating protrusion penetrates the corresponding support arm locating hole and the corresponding LNBF locating hole to fix relative position between the connection portion and the support arm, and the holding cam is rotated to make a perimeter of the holding cam abut against the support arm completely and retain each locating protrusions in a penetration state.
US08692724B2
A communication apparatus includes: a wiring group to couple wiring on a first board to wiring on a second board; antenna wiring including one end coupled to a feeding unit on the first board and the other end coupled to one end of a capacitor, the other end of the capacitor being coupled to a ground conductor of the second board; and ground conductor wiring for an antenna, disposed between the antenna wiring and the wiring group, including one end coupled to a ground conductor of the first board and the other end coupled to the ground conductor of the second board.
US08692720B2
An antenna structure, used for being fed with a signal, includes a grounding portion, a radiation portion, and a frequency adjusting portion. The radiation portion has a loop segment, a high frequency segment, and a low frequency segment. The loop segment has a feeding sub-segment adjacent to the grounding portion and used for being fed with the signal. The high and low frequency segments are extended from opposite ends of the loop segment away from each other. The frequency adjusting portion is connected to the loop segment and the grounding portion. A high frequency dual-path is formed from a feeding point of the feeding sub-segment and extends along the loop segment in two different directions to the high frequency segment. A low frequency dual-path is formed from the feeding point and extends along the loop segment in two different directions to the low frequency segment.
US08692713B2
To provide a receiving device which is capable of reducing average power and peak power by holding pseudo synchronization of a satellite signal during a sleep period. Provided is a receiving device including a receiving unit for receiving a signal from a satellite, a frequency conversion unit for converting a frequency of the received signal into a predetermined intermediate frequency, a synchronization acquisition unit for carrying out synchronization acquisition and for detecting a carrier frequency, and a synchronization holding unit for assigning and setting, per satellite, a phase of the spread code and the carrier frequency to each of a plurality of channels independently provided in a corresponding manner to a plurality of the satellites to synchronously hold the spread code and a carrier and also for demodulating a message included in the intermediate frequency. The synchronization holding unit includes a spreading code generation unit for generating a spreading code synchronized with the spread code, and in a sleep period in which a positioning operation is not carried out, the synchronization holding unit causes only the spreading code generation unit to operate and a counter that the synchronization holding unit refers to also operates.
US08692709B2
A positioning apparatus including: a first positioning unit which intermittently receives signals from satellites and carries out a first position measurement; a second positioning unit which carries out a second position measurement by adding information of a moving direction and a moving amount to positional information of a reference position; a positioning control unit which obtains positional information corresponding to positions along a movement path by the first position measurement and the second position measurement; a reference position updating unit which updates the positional information of the reference position based on a result of the first position measurement; a distance calculating unit which calculates a distance between two positions, i.e., between the reference position and a position obtained by the second position measurement; and a positioning timing control unit which controls timing to carry out the first position measurement based on the distance.
US08692708B2
Radiometric imaging for scanning a scene includes a radiometer for detecting radiation emitted in a predetermined spectral range from a spot of the scene and for generating a radiation signal from the detected radiation. Spot movement circuitry effects a movement of the spot, from which the radiation is detected, to various positions. Control circuitry controls the spot movement circuit to effect the movement of the spot from one position to another position so that radiation is detected at a number of spots distributed over the scene. The number is lower than the number of pattern signals of the high-density signal pattern and the radiation signals generated from the radiation detected at the number of spots form a low-density signal pattern. Processing circuitry processes the radiation signals of the low-density signal pattern and generates the high-density signal pattern by applying compressive sensing to the low-density signal pattern.
US08692703B1
A system for providing the capability for a vehicle to avoid regions of signal interference from high energy (HE) electromagnetic (EM) radiation emitters. The system includes a processing module. A database is operatively connected to the processing module. The database comprises a plurality of geographical areas affected by HE EM radiation emitters and data associated with the geographical areas. The data includes location, lateral and vertical extents, and signal attenuation for selected geographical areas affected by HE EM radiation emitters. The data preferably also includes affected frequency spectrum for the selected geographical areas. A display system is operatively connected to the processing module. The processing module functions to receive information regarding the position of the vehicle and query the database to retrieve relevant HE EM radiation emitters which are a threat to the vehicle's ability to properly navigate or communicate. The relevant HE EM radiation emitters are displayed on the display system. The present invention provides enhanced situational awareness to the pilot and permits decision support systems to refine their trajectory through hazards.
US08692699B2
In one embodiment, an apparatus may include a clock generator to generate a format clock signal. The apparatus may also include a serializer to generate serial data based on a transmit clock signal and parallel input data. The apparatus may also include a signal generator to generate at least two differential signals based on the format clock signal and the serial data.
US08692687B2
A parking-assistant system for “multi-maneuver parking”, which is designed for generating, before the parking maneuver is started, a predetermined path, via the simulation of a maneuver of exit from a parking space. The control effected by the system, during the real parking maneuver, limits itself to comparing the effective position of the vehicle with respect to the predetermined path. Said control has somewhat low computational requirements so that the system is quite reliable.
US08692685B2
A wellbore communication system for a wellsite having a downhole tool deployed from a rig into a wellbore penetrating a subsurface formation is provided. The system includes at least one wellsite sensor adapted to collect wellsite data, at least one mobile communication module locatable at various positions about the wellsite and a surface unit operatively connected to the at least one communication module. The communication module includes a housing, at least one communication interface adapted to receive signals from the at least one wellsite sensor, at least one signal-conditioning module positioned in the housing, a power supply and a connector adapted to receive a communication link to the surface unit.
US08692683B2
An electronic device includes an illuminable indicator, a presence detector, and a controller. The illuminable indicator is to indicate information to a user of the electronic device by one or more of being illuminated and not being illuminated. The presence detector is to detect presence of the user in proximity to the electronic device regardless of whether the user is moving or is stationary. Absence of the user is inferred upon the presence detector not detecting the presence of the user. The controller is to enable the illuminable indicator based at least on the presence of the user as detected by the presence detector and to disable the illuminable indictor based at least on the absence of the user. Enablement of the illuminable indicator does not mean that the illuminable indicator is necessarily illuminated. Disablement of the illuminable indicator means that the illuminable indicator is never illuminated while disabled.
US08692682B2
A position detection system for a detection object and a position detection method for a detection object that enable calibration without removing a detection object after the detection object is introduced into a detection space are provided. Provided are a magnetic-field generating unit (3) that generates a position-detection magnetic field; a detection object (5) including a resonant circuit (21) that generates a resonant magnetic field and an external-signal switch that connects or disconnects the path of the resonant circuit (21); a switch-controlling unit (7) that controls connecting or disconnecting of the external-signal switch; a position-detection-magnetic-field detecting unit (9) that detects the magnetic field strength of at least one of the position-detection magnetic field and the resonant magnetic field; and a position-calculating unit (11) that calculates the position and orientation of the detection object (5) based on a detection signal from the position-detection-magnetic-field detecting unit (9).
US08692666B2
A camera system includes a plurality of first cameras and a second camera. Each of the plurality of first cameras has a first receiving section that receives a control signal, a first image pickup section that photographs a first image based on the control signal, and a first transmitting section that transmits the first image and terminal information based on the control signal. The second camera has a second image pickup section that photographs a second image, a second transmitting section that transmits the control signal, a second receiving section that receives the first image and the terminal information, a camera selecting section that selects the first camera that satisfies a predetermined condition as control target camera based on the terminal information, and a storing section that stores the second image.
US08692664B2
The disclosure discloses an alarm report method for cascaded equipments, comprises: after receiving link alarm information, a radio equipment determines the source of the link alarm information; the radio equipment selects one link alarm information report mode from multiple predetermined link alarm information report modes according to the result of determining the source; the radio equipment reports the link alarm information to a Radio Equipment Controller (REC) according to the selected link alarm information report mode. The disclosure further discloses an alarm report system and device for cascaded equipments. The disclosure can effectively lower the alarm information processing complexity of an REC and the correlation of alarms.
US08692657B2
A wireless control device for controlling, with a human foot, an apparatus for multiple surgical functions. The device includes a base having small dimensions, at least two modules mounted on the base for generating specific control signals for each of the surgical functions, a transmitter for transmitting the control signals, a receiver receiving the control signals, a source of electricity for supplying the transmitter with electrical current, and two actuators, actuated by the human foot and pivotally mounted to act simultaneously on the corresponding module, the transmitter, and the source of electricity. The actuators are pivotally mounted around respective axes that are perpendicular to each other.
US08692655B2
A radio frequency transponder, or a device that comprises a radio frequency transponder, wherein the radio frequency transponder is operative in invoking self-programming of data stored in the radio frequency transponder. In some implementations the radio frequency transponder selectively enables the transmission of a unique identifier by selectively programming the unique identifier stored in the radio frequency transponder. In various implementations, the radio frequency transponder programs data stored in the transponder by generating a signal that is reactively coupled to the antenna of the radio frequency transponder.
US08692647B2
A resistor unit adapted to be used in a resistor grid assembly. The resistor unit includes a supporting element and a resistor element. The supporting element has an aperture formed therein. The resistor element has a body portion and a tip portion at an end, which is adapted to be received in the aperture to mount the resistor element to the supporting element. Further, a tab extends from the end of the resistor element forming a part of the resistor element. The tab is configured to provide a heat shield between the supporting element and the resistor element.
US08692641B2
A multi-layer, multi-turn structure for an inductor having a plurality of conductor layers separated by layers of insulator is described. The inductor further comprises a connector electrically connected between the conductor layers. The structure of the inductor may comprise a cavity therewithin. The structure of the inductor constructed such that electrical resistance is reduced therewithin, thus increasing the efficiency of the inductor. The inductor is particularly useful at operating within the radio frequency range and greater.
US08692628B2
In a high-frequency module, an input terminal, an output terminal and a ground terminal, which are arranged so as to be capable of being visually checked, and wiring line electrodes located on a mounting surface are electrically connected to each other by wires and therefore the connection state of a non-reciprocal circuit element to the wiring line electrodes on the mounting surface of the substrate can be easily visually checked and an impedance adjustment between the non-reciprocal circuit element and the wiring line electrodes located on the mounting surface of the substrate on which the non-reciprocal circuit element is mounted or electronic components mounted on the mounting surface can be easily performed by adjusting the lengths of the wires.
US08692625B2
An oscillator includes a first capacitor electrically connected to a first charging switch and a first discharging switch, a second capacitor electrically connected to a second charging switch and a second discharging switch, a first chopping circuit having a first input electrically connected to the first capacitor and a second input electrically connected to a reference voltage, a second chopping circuit having a first input electrically connected to the second capacitor and a second input electrically connected to the reference voltage, a first comparator having a first input electrically connected to a first and second output of the first chopping circuit, a second comparator having a first input electrically connected to a first and second output of the second chopping circuit, and control circuitry having a first input electrically coupled to an output of the first comparator and a second input electrically connected to an output of the second comparator.
US08692616B2
A folded cascode operational amplifier includes a constant current source to output a constant current; a differential input stage to output a part of the constant current as a differential current based on a voltage difference between voltages input to an inverting input terminal and a non-inverting input terminal, and connected to the constant current source; and an output stage to output a remaining current obtained by subtracting the differential current from the constant current as an output stage current, and connected parallel to the differential input stage facing the constant current source.
US08692615B2
A transconductance circuit that improves linearity and output current over a wider range of input voltages than prior designs. The transconductance circuit may include first and second sets of paired differential transistors. In each set, emitters of the paired transistors may be commonly coupled to corresponding nodes of a common impedance, and collectors may be coupled to output terminals of the transconductance circuit. The circuit may further include first and second sets of doublet differential transistor pairs, each doublet pair having transistors of different sizes. Each doublet pair may have current sources coupled between commonly coupled emitters and a source potential. Respective collectors for each doublet pair may be coupled to the output terminals of the transconductance circuit. A pair of voltage followers may be provided to replicate corresponding input voltages across corresponding bases of the differential transistor pairs and the doublet transistor pairs.
US08692614B2
There is described a method of controlling signal alignment in a power amplifier, comprising: receiving an input signal to be amplified; receiving a supply voltage for the power amplifier, the supply voltage being derived in dependence on the signal to be amplified; amplifying the input signal to produce an output signal; comparing the output signal with a plurality of distorted versions of the input signal, each distorted version of the input signal being associated with a different time delay value; and adjusting the timing of either the input signal or the supply voltage by an amount in dependence on a time delay value determined to be associated with a distorted version of the input signal which most closely matches the output signal.
