US07870432B2
The invention relates to a method and a device for testing complex computer-aided installations, in particular medical engineering installations, which can be operated by different persons in different ways. A plurality of operating scenarios are recorded via a recording unit. The operating scenarios are analyzed into a sequence of operating steps and assigned to classes. By accessing a rule base in which dependencies between the individual operating steps are filed, at least one test scenario is generated dynamically and automatically which can be executed automatically in a subsequent step.
US07870426B2
The invention provides an apparatus, system, and method for cluster-wide peer recovery in the event of a computer failure. A failure of a first computer is detected and a recovery module is registered as the first computer. In one embodiment, the recovery module is a peer computer. The recovery module retrieves a privately held undo log data through the authorized assumption of the failure identity associated with the failed first computer, backs out in-flight transaction updates of the first computer, and frees up data resources locked by the first computer.
US07870425B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for de-centralized nodal failover handling in a high availability computing architecture. The system can include multiple different nodes coupled to one another in a cluster over a computer communications network including an initial lead node and remaining auxiliary nodes. The system further can include a messaging service coupled to each of the nodes and nodal failover handling logic coupled to each of the nodes and to the messaging service. The logic can include program code enabled to periodically receive heartbeat messages from the messaging service for the initial lead node and to subsequently detect a lapse in the heartbeat messages, to post within a message to the messaging service a request to become a replacement lead node in response to detecting the lapse in the heartbeat messages, and to periodically post heartbeat messages to the messaging service as the replacement lead node for the initial lead node.
US07870422B2
An apparatus and method is provided in which a server causes a client to back up a part of resource data of a server by use of an HTTP protocol. The method includes the steps of: transmitting the resource data to be backed-up to the client; determining whether or not the recovery of the resource data to be backed-up is required; transmitting, to the client, an HTTP response having a message that indicates the necessity of recovering the resource data to be backed-up, together with a message indicating that there is no update in the resource data to be backed-up, in response to the determination that indicates the necessity of recovering the resource data to be backed-up; and recovering the resource data to be backed-up by receiving a backup of the resource data to be backed-up from the client. The method of the present invention facilitates the processing of backing up, in the client, the resource data of the server and recovering the data when the resource data of the server is lost.
US07870420B2
A method to detect potential problems within a heterogeneous and diverse application environment. Operations data is received from a plurality of application servers within the application environment. The operations data pertains to operations performed at the plurality of application servers over a predetermined time interval. The operations data is aggregated. The aggregated data is compared to reference data, and a potential problem within the application environment is detected if the aggregated data deviates from the reference data in a predetermined manner.
US07870410B2
A method and apparatus for a low battery life warning that includes detecting when a battery life of a battery in a device has fallen below a certain level, and generating a warning of a low battery life by decreasing an audio level output by the device to a percentage of an audio volume set on the device responsive to the battery life having fallen.
US07870406B2
Mechanism for accurately measuring useful capacity of a processor allocated to each thread in a simultaneously multi-threading data processing system. Instructions dispatched from multiple threads are executed by the processor on a same clock cycle. A determination is made whether Time Base (TB) register bit (60) is changing. A dispatch charge value is determined for each thread, and added to the Processor Utilization Resource Register for each thread when TB bit (60) changes.
US07870392B2
Digital Fingerprints are generated for data objects in a system where separate annotation files are created for data objects. This permits cross heterogeneous system relationship of a data object with associated annotations. The digital fingerprint is saved in an annotation store along with a first relationship between the digital fingerprint and the location of annotations as well as a second relationship between the digital fingerprint and location of copies of the data object. The digital fingerprint can be generated by any system that has a copy of the data object. Annotations or data objects can be found by searching for the digital fingerprint and its relationships.
US07870373B2
A system and method for maintaining computer platform components in an optimal state. The method determines whether a platform includes an out-of-band processor, and if the platform includes an out-of-band processor, then the out-of-band processor is enabled to passively or proactively obtain firmware and/or option ROM (Read Only Memory) updates for add-in cards on the platform. Once the out-of-band processor has obtained the updates for the add-in cards on the platform, the out-of-band processor will place the updates in a platform mailbox and send an interrupt to the in-band processor indicating that firmware and/or option ROM updates are available in a platform mailbox. The in-band processor will launch the firmware and/or option ROM updates on the platform.
US07870371B2
A frequency-based prediction of indirect jumps executing in a computing environment is provided. Illustratively, a computing environment comprises a prediction engine that processes data representative of indirect jumps performed by the exemplary computing environment according to a selected frequency-based prediction paradigm. Operatively, the exemplary prediction engine can keep track of targets, in a table, taken for each indirect jump and program context (e.g., branch history and/or path information) of an exemplary computing program. Further, the prediction engine can also store a frequency counter associated with each target in the exemplary table. Illustratively, the frequency counter can record the number of times a target was taken in the recent past executions of an observed one or more indirect jump. The prediction engine can supply the target address of an indirect jump based on the values of the frequency counters of each stored target address.
US07870369B1
A method of determining a reason for a trace to be aborted includes receiving at least two incoming indications of occurrences of abort triggers stemming from the execution of at least two of the operations that are different from each other, where each of the abort triggers has an associated abort priority level, and where the trace represents multiple instructions. The method further includes prioritizing among the abort triggers for the trace based on the abort priority level of each abort trigger, where the prioritizing does not take into account a correspondence between operations and instructions and where the prioritizing selects as a pending abort reason one or more of the abort triggers that have the same abort priority level, and where that abort priority level is the highest among the abort priority levels of the abort triggers for the trace.
US07870368B2
The present invention provides a system and method for prioritizing branch instructions in a cascaded pipeline. The system includes a cascaded delayed execution pipeline unit having a plurality of execution pipelines that execute instructions in a common issue group in a delayed manner relative to each other. The system further includes circuitry configured to: (1) receive an issue group of instructions; (2) determine if at least one branch instruction is in the issue group, if so scheduling the least one branch instruction in a one of the plurality of execution pipelines based upon a first prioritization scheme; (3) determine if there is an issue conflict for one of the plurality of execution pipelines and resolving the issue conflict by scheduling the at least one branch instruction in a different execution pipeline; (4) schedule execution of the issue group of instructions in the cascaded delayed execution pipeline unit.
US07870358B2
A method and system for detecting and isolating memory leak in RAID controllers utilizing sequence numbers. The system monitors whether the count of un-freed memory blocks for a sequence number (SN) zone (after a start-of-day SOD operation, but smaller than the current sequence number zone) is not eventually decremented to zero. The memory leak can be detected when un-freed memory blocks exist and follow a similar pattern with respect to all other adjacent SN zones. The detected memory leak can be isolated utilizing shell commands, task information, caller information, sequence number, memory allocation size and a pointer to the next allocated memory block.
US07870349B2
A method for accessing a memory is provided. The method includes entering a memory accessing mode for updating a top of low memory (TOLM) value stored in a TOLM register in a chipset of a system with a highest memory address when a memory accessing command is received. The memory accessing command requests the utilization of a memory block in a memory of the system corresponding to an address space occupied by a memory-mapped input output (MMIO) function. The system then accesses the corresponding memory block in the memory according to the address space recorded in the memory accessing command. After the access is completed, the memory accessing mode is closed and the original TOLM value is written back to the TOLM register. Therefore, the present invention can access the “MMIO memory block” to prevent a waste of the memory.
US07870347B2
The disclosed data processing system comprises a memory means (SDRAM), a plurality of data processing means (IP) provided for accessing to said memory means (SDRAM), and a communication interface means coupled between said memory means (SDRAM) and said plurality of data processing means (IP), said communication interface means including a network of nodes (H 11, H 12, H2), each node comprising at least one slave port (s) for receiving a memory access request from a data processing means (IP) or from a previous node and at least one master port (m) for issuing a memory access request to a next node or to said memory means (SDRAM) in accordance with the memory access request received at said slave port (s), wherein said at least one slave port (s) is connected to a master port (m) of a previous node or to one of said data processing means (IP) and said at least one master port (m) is connected to a slave port (s) of a next node or to said memory means (SDRAM).
US07870344B2
The design of nonblocking linked data structures using single-location synchronization primitives such as compare-and-swap (CAS) is a complex affair that often requires severe restrictions on the way pointers are used. One way to address this problem is to provide stronger synchronization operations, for example, ones that atomically modify one memory location while simultaneously verifying the contents of others. We provide a simple and highly efficient nonblocking implementation of such an operation: an atomic k-word-compare single-swap operation (KCSS). Our implementation is obstruction-free. As a result, it is highly efficient in the uncontended case and relies on contention management mechanisms in the contended cases. It allows linked data structure manipulation without the complexity and restrictions of other solutions. Additionally, as a building block of some implementations of our techniques, we have developed the first nonblocking software implementation of load-linked/store-conditional that does not severely restrict word size.
US07870343B2
A method and apparatus for managing coherence between two processors of a two processor node of a multi-processor computer system. Generally the present invention relates to a software algorithm that simplifies and significantly speeds the management of cache coherence in a message passing parallel computer, and to hardware apparatus that assists this cache coherence algorithm. The software algorithm uses the opening and closing of put/get windows to coordinate the activated required to achieve cache coherence. The hardware apparatus may be an extension to the hardware address decode, that creates, in the physical memory address space of the node, an area of virtual memory that (a) does not actually exist, and (b) is therefore able to respond instantly to read and write requests from the processing elements.
US07870340B2
Methods and apparatus for controlling hierarchical cache memories permit controlling a first level cache memory including a plurality of cache lines and controlling a next lower level cache memory including a plurality of cache lines. An additional memory may be associated with the next lower level cache memory and include a plurality of memory lines, the number of memory lines corresponding to the number of cache lines in a way set of the first level cache memory. Alternatively, the memory lines may include L-flags for multiple cache lines of each way set of the next lower level cache memory. L-flags associated with a given index plus any index offset from the first level cache memory may be contained in a single memory line of the additional memory.
US07870333B2
Performing data operations using non-volatile third dimension memory is described, including a storage system having a non-volatile third dimension memory array configured to store data, the data including an address indicating a file location on a disk drive, and a controller configured to process an access request associated with the disk drive, the access request being routed to the non-volatile third dimension memory array to perform a data operation, wherein data from the data operation is used to create a map of the disk drive. In some examples, an address in the non-volatile third dimension memory array provides an alias for another address in a disk drive.
US07870329B2
An apparatus and method couples memory devices in a memory module to a memory hub on the module such that signals traveling from the hub to the devices have approximately the same propagation time regardless of which device is involved. Specifically, the devices are arranged around the hub in pairs, with each pair of devices being oriented such that a functional group of signals for each device in the pair, such as the data bus signals, are positioned adjacent each other on a circuit board of the module. This allows for a data and control-address busses having approximately the same electrical characteristics to be routed between the hub and each of the devices. This physical arrangement of devices allows high speed operation of the module. In one example, the hub is located in the center of the module and eight devices, four pairs, are positioned around the hub.
US07870328B2
When a free physical block where data is to be written is searched for, a search process for searching for a pair of free physical blocks is first executed using a free physical block search table. Detection of a free non-pair good block is executed only when a pair of free physical block is not detected in the search process using the free physical block search table. When there is a free physical block, two-plane write is executed. When there is no pair of free physical blocks, data is written in an adequately combined non-pair good blocks.
US07870322B2
A memory module includes a first signal line to carry a first signal. The first signal line has (i) a first line segment disposed along a length of the memory module and coupled to a termination, and (ii) a second line segment disposed along a width of the memory module and coupled to an edge finger. The first line segment and the second line segment are coupled together at a turn. A first synchronous memory device and a second synchronous memory device are coupled to the first line segment. The first signal arrives at the first synchronous memory device and the second synchronous memory device in a sequential manner. The memory module includes a clock line routed alongside the first signal line. A clock signal arrives at the first synchronous memory device and the second synchronous memory device in sequence alongside the first signal traversing along the first signal line.
US07870317B2
A storage processor is interposed between initiators and storage targets, such as storage appliances or storage devices in a storage network. The storage processor presents a target interface to the initiators and an initiator interface to the targets, and the storage processor transparently intercepts and processes commands, data and/or status information (such as iSCSI R2T and data PDUs) sent between the initiators and the targets. The storage processor presents a virtual device to the initiators and transparently implements the virtual device on the targets, such as a RAID-1. The storage processor negotiates acceptable operational parameters, such as maximum segment size, with the initiators and targets, such that the storage processor can pass data received from the initiators to the targets, without excessive data buffering. Consequently, when an initiator issues a write command, the storage processor is able to forward each segment of data received from the initiator to the appropriate target(s), without first buffering all segments of the write command.
US07870311B2
Described is a system to control a flow of packets to and from an electronic processor which includes a packet processor engine programmed to interpret the packets from a packet memory, and to perform switching between packet chains in response to events, a working chain pointer register of the packet processor engine, programmed to indicate progress in executing an active buffer chain, prioritized pointer storage registers of the packet processor engine, each of the registers being programmed to point to one of the active buffer chains, a control register of the packet processor engine having chain start bits and chain protect bits, the chain start bits identifying the chains that have been started and wsa status register of the packet processor engine, having a chain actives group identifying the chain that is currently running, a chain matches group, a chain stops group identifying the chains that have been stopped and a timer expirations group.
US07870310B2
A method of operating a multi-queue device, including: (1) storing a plurality of read (write) count pointers, wherein each of the read (write) count pointers is associated with a corresponding queue of the multi-queue device, (2) providing a read (write) count pointer associated with a present queue to read (write) flag logic, (3) adjusting the read (write) count pointer associated with the present queue in response to each read (write) operation performed by the present queue, (4) indicating a read (write) queue switch from the present queue to a next queue, (5) retrieving a read (write) count pointer associated with the next queue; and then (6) simultaneously providing the read (write) count pointer associated with the present queue and the read (write) count pointer associated with the next queue to the read (write) flag logic.
US07870306B2
A method and apparatus are described to provide shared switch and cache memory. The apparatus may comprise a message switch module, a cache controller module, and shared switch and cache memory to provide shared memory to the message switch module and to the cache controller module. The cache controller module may comprise pointer memory to store a plurality of pointers, each pointer pointing to a location in the shared switch and cache memory (e.g., point to a message header partition in the shared switch and cache memory). If there is a corresponding pointer, a memory read response may be sent to the requesting agent. If there is no corresponding pointer, a write data request may be sent to a corresponding destination agent and, in response to receiving the requested data, a pointer to the stored data in the pointer memory may be provided.
US07870302B2
A method for automatically identifying an operating system for a USB device begins at initializing the USB device, and recording USB commands sent from the operating system. The USB device determines the operating system as a first operating system when there are two successive USB commands of Get Product String, there is one USB command of Get Vender String, there is no USB command of Reset ahead of a USB command of Set Address, there is no USB command of Get Language ID, or there is no USB command of Set Feature Report. The USB device determines the operating system as a second operating system when there is no USB command of Get Vender String, there are two USB commands of Get Language ID and two USB commands of Get Product String, there is one USB command of Get Device Descriptor following a USB command of Get Product String, or there is one USB command of Set Interface Report.
US07870301B2
A mechanism for modifying resources in a logically partitioned data processing system is provided. A request to modify resources associated with a virtual adapter allocated on a physical adapter is invoked. The resources associated with the virtual adapter comprise a subset of the physical adapter resources. The request to modify the physical adapter is conveyed to the physical adapter. Responsive to receipt of the request by the physical adapter, the physical adapter modifies the resources allocated to the virtual adapter.
US07870300B2
A method for data storage includes accepting a management command by a first storage controller, which exchanges data for storage with at least a second storage controller over a dedicated communication connection using a dedicated storage protocol. The management command is addressed to a destination storage controller and contains an instruction to modify or report a data storage configuration in the destination storage controller. Upon determining that the destination storage controller is different from the first storage controller, the management command is forwarded over the dedicated communication connection from the first storage controller to the second storage controller using the dedicated storage protocol.
US07870297B1
Methods, apparati, and computer-readable media for associating computer network identifications with network policies. A plurality of network detectors (3) are coupled to a client computer (1). A network probe (4), coupled to the network detectors (3), associates each network identification revealed by a network detector (3) with a netspec. A netspec database (6), coupled to the network probe (4), associates netspecs with locations. A policy guide (8), coupled to the network probe (4), associates network identifications with locations. A network interface module (9), coupled to the policy guide (8), implements network policies based upon locations.
US07870291B1
A switch fabric includes input links, output links, and at least one switching element. The input links are configured to receive data items that include destination addresses. At least some of the data items have different priority levels. The output links are configured to output the data items. Each of the output links is assigned multiple ones of the destination addresses. Each of the destination addresses corresponds to one of the priority levels. The switching element(s) is/are configured to receive the data items from the input links and send the data items to ones of the output links without regard to the priority levels of the data items.
US07870285B2
In one embodiment, a Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) identifies an endpoint originating undesired traffic. Instead of dropping a bandwidth request for the identified endpoint by not responding, the CMTS responds to such a request by sending a data grant pending message. The data grant pending message causes a cable modem for the identified endpoint to enter a waiting state, which prevents further bandwidth requests for the identified endpoint.
US07870279B2
A streaming data filtering method and apparatus utilizing users' profiles to deliver streaming data to users is presented. The invention uses context-based cues to extract content from both video and text ontologies. The invention provides novel techniques that semi-automatically generate a media concept hierarchy using hierarchical classifiers for representing text, closed-caption, and video features. This hierarchy is used to classify arrival of real-time news and will also be used to match users' profiles. Moreover, this hierarchy can be dynamically re-organized based upon user changes and arrival of real-time news. Matching a request with respect to a concept hierarchy is more efficient and reliable than searching specific keywords since the views of collected documents are refined as the hierarchy is traversed.
US07870276B1
Means are disclosed by which developers of network-analysis applications may develop network-analysis applications that can interface with multiple different versions of network-management applications, wherein each version of network-management application may have a different interface implementation, without having to be familiar with the different interface implementations. In particular embodiments disclosed herein, a network-analysis application requests and receives version information from a version of a network-management application. Based on the received version information, the network-analysis application selects version-dependent interface-implementation software and then integrates the selected version-dependent interface-implementation software with a version-independent interface-façade to produce an interface between the network-analysis application and the version of the network-management application.
US07870275B1
The present invention provides a communication infrastructure that allows application programs within a software system to dynamically use services, such as receiving and transmitting messages, through a common application program interface (API). The communication infrastructure allows the specific communication schemes that are being used to be isolated from the application programs such that the application programs are not dependent upon a particular communication scheme.
US07870266B2
To find a management server, a computer selects one of plural techniques of obtaining an address of the management server. One of the plural techniques comprises the computer exchanging configuration messaging with a configuration server to obtain the address of the management server.
US07870264B2
In a first aspect, a first method of providing communication to a user via one of a plurality of network devices is provided. The first method includes the steps of (1) receiving a plurality of communications for the user from one or more of the network devices in a message queue; (2) selecting a network device based on at least one of respective time thresholds and respective priorities associated with the plurality of network devices; and (3) determining whether the selected network device can receive a communication from the message queue based on at least one of a profile associated with the user adapted to define how the user receives the communication on one or more of the network devices and a ruleset adapted to define how the communication is handled based on criteria associated with the communication. Numerous other aspects are provided.
US07870257B2
A method, system, and computer-readable medium with executable code for enhancing real-time performance of a client device connected to a java virtual machine by incorporating a java proxy server. Java routing logic of a java proxy server is used to receive a request from a client device to access a java virtual machine. The java proxy server may use the java routing logic to select a java virtual machine from among multiple accessible java virtual machines. The java proxy server selects the java virtual machine that has the greatest amount of free memory, and is not performing a garbage collection operation. Once a java virtual machine is chosen, incoming client device connections are routed to a chosen java virtual machine. Additionally, the java routing logic may instruct one or more of the multiple java virtual machines to only perform garbage collection operations when idle, and when no other java virtual machines are performing garbage collection operations.
US07870255B2
A method for controlling access to content on a network, the method comprising the steps of associating access credentials with content to be published for download receiving a content download request from a mobile device, the content download request including access information, matching the received access information with the published content access credentials to permit access to the published content and allowing the permitted content to be downloaded by the mobile device.
US07870253B2
A plurality of affiliated network of websites may be configured to log user interactions thereon. The respective logs may comprise user identification information to allow a profile aggregation service to correlate user interactions across the plurality of websites and to generate respective user profiles, which may be used to configure the websites. A context aware platform (CAP) website may be configured to provide web services for entities in a business hierarchy. The CAP website may capable of presenting content in one of a plurality of operational modes associated with a geographical granularity of the franchise hierarchy. In addition, the CAP website may be configurable according to a user profile generated using user interactions across a plurality of websites and/or on the CAP website.
US07870246B1
A system, method, and computer program product are provided. Initially, platform-independent information relating to a network device is collected. Thereafter, a port on which the network device resides is determined based on the platform-independent information.
US07870236B2
A method for accessing the Internet using an Internet TV is provided. A function of accessing the Internet and a function of receiving a TV broadcast signal may be combined in the Internet TV, and a server operates a portal site which provides a variety of information to the Internet TV. In order for a server operating a portal site to provide an authentication number to the Internet TV which allows the Internet TV to automatically access the server, the Internet TV transmits a message requesting the authentication of the use of information to the portal server, and the server responds by requesting the Internet TV to input an authentication number. After the Internet TV has transmitted the requested authentication number to the portal server and the server has checked the transmitted authentication number, information is provided to the Internet TV. Because the portal server provides the authentication number to each Internet TV, the portal server is able to confirm the access authority of each Internet TV, thus allowing each Internet TV to automatically access the portal server without an individual user login.
US07870233B2
An efficient software download to a configurable communication device is disclosed herein. The method of efficiently downloading software begins with a step of receiving a request to configure a communication device to run a communication application. The communication device being configured has a plurality of function blocks with a fixed portion of hardware and a flexible portion of hardware, wherein the same plurality of function blocks is capable of operating a plurality of communication applications. In a next step, the capability of the fixed portion and the flexible portion of hardware of the communication device is evaluated for a capability of implementing the communication application. Next, configuration information only for the flexible portion of hardware of the communication device is transmitted to the communication device to enable it to operate the communication application. An identification of the communication application is also transmitted to the communication device for purposes of tracking its implementation.
US07870226B2
Within a distributed data processing domain including a requester data processing node and one or more target data processing nodes, an update synchronization of a domain information file as stored on each target data processing node with each domain information file including a local information file having local information an individual operation of the requester data processing node and a global information file having global information associated with a collective operation of all of the data processing nodes. First, the requester data processing node detects domain update information including local update information or global update information. Second, the requester data processing node synchronizes an update of the local information file or the global information file of each domain information file as stored on the target data processing node(s) based on the respective local update information or the respective global update information of the detected domain update information.
US07870219B2
Two-way digital media devices typically store digital identifying data that identify the user to providers of content and interactive data. In the case of a Web browser of a personal computer, the digital identity is stored in the form of a plurality of cookies that are used by respective web sites to personalize the web site experience for each particular user. When a user is at a different computer, the digital identifying data is not available. In addition, other types of interactive devices, such as CATV settop boxes, cell phones, PDAs and the like, may not have enough non-volatile memory (persistent storage) to store the digital identifying data. In order to provide users with a portable digital identity, a digital identity server is provided as a server node on the Internet, which retrieves digital identifying data and downloads such digital identifying data to any device upon request. In such manner, the user's digital identity is portable and available at any computer or other digital device that is being used. The system digital identity server permits devices without sufficient non-volatile memory storage to download a digital identity for temporary storage in volatile memory, thereby providing a digital identity in devices without non-volatile memory.
US07870213B2
A system and method of proxy domain name registration permits a would-be domain name registrant anonymity. A registrar affords customers the opportunity to use the proxy registration. If the customer seeking registration of a domain name requests, the registrar obtains contact information needed for registration from a proxy entity established for this purpose. The registrar completes the registration of the domain name with the appropriate registry (i.e. “.com, .net” etc.). The contact information published in WHOIS is that of proxy entity. Contractually the customer is afforded control over the domain name. Emails intended for the customer are received by the proxy entity who may filter them if the customer requests. Emails sent by the customer are sent to the proxy entity who in turn sends them to the indicated addressee.
US07870207B2
An e-mail distribution server may manage many pull e-mail accounts by periodically, as defined by an interval time, polling associated pull e-mail servers for new mail. If the e-mail distribution server receives an e-mail message destined for a recipient having a pull e-mail account managed by the e-mail distribution server, the e-mail distribution server may recognize an opportunity to poll the pull e-mail server associated with the pull e-mail account sooner than the expiration of the interval time.
US07870206B2
Linked non-shared documents within email messages are made accessible to a recipient. Upon initiation of sending of an email message by a user, the MIME of the email is automatically parsed through to detect URL tags indicating that a linked document is contained within the email message. Upon detection of a URL tag, the prefix of the URL is checked to determine if it is accessible to a recipient. If the prefix indicates that the link is not accessible to the recipient, the sender is provided with at least the following options for making the linked document accessible to the recipient: sending the linked document as an in-line document by converting the document into HTML format and embedding it into a multi part MIME message, sending the linked document as an attachment with a link to a file system or document library, or converting the linked document into a pdf file and sending it as an attachment. If the prefix is set, by default, as one that is not accessible to the recipient, the option of converting the document into HTML format and embedding it into a multi part MIME message may be automatically selected.
US07870203B2
Systems and methods for providing message reputation to an end user.
US07870198B2
An email comprises a body having at least one related and previously sent email, where each previously sent email is represented in the body of the email as a body object. Each of the email and each body object therein is rights-managed as protected content, whereby a recipient of the email can render the protected content of each of the email and each body object therein with a corresponding license if the recipient satisfies terms set forth in the license.
US07870197B2
A system and method to facilitate real-time communications and content sharing among users over a network are described. In one preferred embodiment, multiple links to content information are dynamically generated for a sender user. Responsive to selection of a link by the sender user, the link and associated metadata information are communicated to at least one recipient user engaged in the real-time communications session with the sender user.
US07870196B2
Application layer signaling is provided from users registering at a presence server for a presence service wherein upon reception the signaling is checked for spatial location information and stored for future use in providing the presence service in association with other user information, such as user identity. The application layer signaling may be in accordance with the session initiation protocol (SIP) and the spatial location information provided as a spatial location payload (SLoP). The presence service may provide access to the spatial location information to one or more location based services either openly or confidentially by hiding the user's identity and other information. The spatial location information may also be used in conjunction with a messaging service for providing messages to the users with enhanced functionality.
US07870194B2
Sharing calendar information may be provided. Calendar information may be shared with individuals that may or may not be associated with a local exchange server in order to coordinate schedules. A determination is conducted to decide whether a sender is authorized to send calendar information to another by examining registration rights. Next, if the registration rights are valid, input may be received from the sender associated with sending the calendar information to another using one or more entry points. Next, calendar information settings are received from the sender, which are used when sending the calendar information to another. Next, calendar information is published to the Internet based on the calendar information settings established by the sender, and provided to others for viewing.
US07870179B2
A Coordinate Rotation Digital Computer (CORDIC) circuit capable of performing precise vector rotation, including a pre-rotation stage configured to selectively rotate an input vector by ±90 degrees and to produce a pre-rotated vector. A first stage is configured to perform a first set of iterative CORDIC calculations on the pre-rotated vector and to produce a first rotated vector and a remaining rotation value. A second stage configured to perform a second set of iterative CORDIC calculations on the first rotated vector and to produce a second rotated vector, the second rotated vector corresponding to the input vector.
US07870178B2
An apparatus and method allow receivers to quickly acquire a pseudorandom noise signal. A receiver advantageously detects frequency shifts using a compact parallel process hardware implementation of a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT). The simultaneous detection of multiple frequencies allows the receiver to search the frequency range of the transmitted signal in larger increments of frequency, thereby increasing the speed of acquisition. One receiver does not use coherent integration before computation of the transform and advantageously maintains a flat frequency response. The flat frequency response of the DFT circuit enables searching of multiple frequency offsets without CPU intensive processing to compensate for frequency response variations. A receiver can include a Doppler correction circuit, which permits correlation data with frequency shift in the code to be non-coherently integrated among relatively fewer addresses or tap positions in memory.
US07870164B2
Embodiments are provided to merge, manage, create, and reuse database parts in a computer system. Database parts may include database tables, datatypes, field combinations or entire databases. A selection of a database part is received by a database software application executing on a computer system. The application may be configured to check for metadata associated with the database part to identify an action property. If, after checking for the metadata, a merge action property is identified, then the application may check for a metadata property associated with a database table. If a merge action associated with the database table is identified, then the application may merge the database part with the database table in the database. The application may also be configured to generate a user interface for creating database parts using database tables and for creating a database part by saving a database.
US07870163B2
In-place XML schema evolution occurs by evaluating an existing XML schema in a database system to see if it is compatible with a new XML schema. To determine if the old schema is compatible with the new schema, a lock-step traversal is performed on the two schemas. Each instruction in the old schema is compared to instructions in the new schema. Detected differences between the two schemas are evaluated to determine if existing XML documents are still compatible with the new schema. If they are, then an in-place schema evolution operation can take place. The in-place schema operation basically, involves appending the updated object information to the underlying object type and preserving the order of elements in a document by storing element mapping information on disk.
US07870161B2
Systems and methods for scanning signatures in a string field. In one implementation, the invention provides a method for signature scanning. The method includes processing one or more signatures into one or more formats that include one or more fingerprints and one or more follow-on search data structures for each fixed-size signature or signature substring such that the number of fingerprints for each fixed-size signature or signature substring is equal to a step size for a signature scanning operation and the particular fixed-size signature or signature substring is identifiable at any location within any string fields to be scanned, receiving a particular string field, identifying any signatures included in the particular string field including scanning for the fingerprints for each scan step size and searching for the follow-on search data structures at the locations where one or more fingerprints are found, and outputting any identified signatures.
US07870160B2
A method for compressing a data stream based on a 3 byte sequence is used. Each three byte sequence is assigned a code word including a location and a length of the data associated with the code word. When a 6 byte sequence is located, a binary tree of 6 byte sequences sharing the same first three bytes is built, associating each 6 byte sequence with a position in the stream where the 6 byte sequence is found. When the length of a code word is changed, a byte sequence is emitted that identifies the code word to be changed and updating the length of the code word, so that when a match is found, a byte sequence is emitted that identifies the code word associated with the matched data. The method finds particular application in data streams that are sent to printers, and which contain large blocks of identical data.
US07870155B2
A facility for navigating within a body of data using one of a number of distinct browse graphs is described. Initially, a navigation request is received. Based upon information contained in the received navigation request, the facility selects one of the plurality of browse graphs. In response to user input, the facility browses the body of data using the selected browse graph.
US07870150B2
A computer system that includes a storage medium. The storage medium stores a database. The database includes tables. Each table includes g at least one column and at least one row. The tables describe components of a hierarchy in which hierarchical relationships between components of the hierarchy are defined. The tables include a component table and component-specific tables. The component table is a self-referential table that describes the hierarchy. Each row of the component table is specific to a unique component. The components of the hierarchy encompass component types. Each column of component table is configured to be edited by a user through use of a worksheet. Each component-specific table encompasses only components of the hierarchy such that each component has a component type that is a specific component type.
US07870149B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for finding deviations in data. A set of candidate patterns is generated. A set of exception patterns that occur in the data less frequently than expected assuming statistical independence is selected from the set of candidate patterns. Data records that comply with at least one of the exception patterns are processed as exception candidates.
US07870147B2
An information retrieval system includes a query revision architecture providing one or more query revisers, each of which implements a query revision strategy. A query rank reviser suggests known highly-ranked queries as revisions to a first query by initially assigning a rank to all queries, and identifying a set of known highly-ranked queries (KHRQ). Queries with a strong probability of being revised to a KHRQ are identified as nearby queries (NQ). Alternative queries that are KHRQs are provided as candidate revisions for a given query. For alternative queries that are NQs, the corresponding known highly-ranked queries are provided as candidate revisions.
US07870138B2
A file storage and retrieval method or technique for processing alphanumeric information that has particular advantages when accessing data in a database on a computer. The retrieval technique uses the ASCII values of characters in a search string concatenated together to form a numeric value which serves as the index to the data itself or to the index which holds the computer address of the location of the data. This technique allows data to be accessed with only one access when searching for a word or phrase within a database and lends itself for use on static storage systems of the future as well as on current disk based systems.
US07870126B2
A campaign management system manages campaign data for one or more campaigns and geospatial data for areas in which the campaigns are directed. The system performs spatial queries, data queries, and/or geocode-based queries, generates maps geographically identifying where campaign events are occurring in the geographic area, and generates feature data for display. Campaign symbology, such as shading, color coding, patterns, icons, or other symbols identify one or more campaign events in the geographic area.
US07870124B2
Techniques for processing reference-based SQL/XML operators are provided. Instead of extracting copies of one or more nodes from XML data, a reference-based operator returns a reference to a node. Such a reference is used to determine, for example, whether the corresponding node comes logical before, after, or is the same as another node. An SQL/XML query that includes a reference-based operator may be the original query, or may be generated (e.g., rewritten) from a non-SQL/XML query, such as an XQuery query. One or more physical rewrites may be performed on the SQL/XML query, depending on how the XML data is stored and/or whether an XML index exists for the XML data.
US07870122B2
Techniques for self-tuning indices for databases, including flash-based databases, are described. Using a data tree structure wherein the nodes of the data tree may operate in two modes (e.g. disk mode or log mode), a self-tuning index determines whether it is more economical to perform a requested operation on a node in its current mode or in an alternate mode. The operation is then performed on the node using the more economical mode.
US07870120B2
A method, system, and computer program product for processing a database query by a proxy server that is adapted to communicate with at least one database server. The database servers are respectively coupled to corresponding databases having tables that include a data isolation field pertaining to a group having subgroups. The data isolation field identifies a subgroup. The proxy server receives the query from an application server. The query is a request for data stored one of the databases. The proxy server determines whether the query has a data isolation problem. If the query does not have a data isolation problem, then the proxy server obtains a response to the query from one of the database servers and forwards the response to the application server. Otherwise, the proxy server records that a query error has occurred and returns an error code and/or empty dataset to the application server.
US07870116B2
In a method for administrating data storage in an information search and retrieval system, particularly in an enterprise search system, wherein the system implements indexing and search applications and comprises a suitable search engine, and data storage devices and a data communication system which together realize a network storage system provided with an application interface, the network storage system divided in distinct logical volumes which are associated with the physical data storage units and configured depending on the application in one of a read-write mode mounted on one computer, a read-only mode mounted on one or more computers, or a floating and unmounted mode.
US07870114B2
Described is a technology by which high dimensional source data corresponding to rows of records with identifiers, and columns comprising dimensions of data values, are processed into a file model for efficient access. An inverted index corresponding to any dimension is built by mapping data from raw dimension values to mapped values based on mapping entries in a dimension table. The record identifiers are arranged into subgroups based on their mapped value; a count and/or an offset may be maintained for locating each of the subgroups. The raw values for a dimension are maintained within a raw value file. For sparse data, the raw value file may be compressed, e.g., by excluding nulls and associating a record identifier with each non-null. A data manager provides access to data in the data files, such as by offering various functions, using caching for efficiency.
US07870109B2
A method of increasing the awareness of users of the Internet to services and products provided by web sites, wherein the method includes establishing a hosting web site on the Internet having a data processor for registering web site owners (WSO's) as subscribers to a hosting service. The method also includes storing a program of a browser add-on in the web site, and incorporating a set of customizable characteristics, wherein each WSO subscriber is enabled on said hosting web site to customize said browser add-on for defining specific look and functionalities of the browser add-on. The method further includes registering WSO's as subscribers to the hosting service, providing the data processor with a data base for each WSO subscriber, storing the customization data of the browser add-ons in the data bases of the respective WSO subscribers, generating code to be integrated in a web site of the WSO, wherein the code includes a unique identifier of the customization data stored at the hosting web site, in the data base of the respective WSO subscriber. Whenever a user of the Internet activates the code in the WSO subscriber web site, another step provides downloading the browser add-on and the customized data related to the WSO subscriber from the data processor of the hosting web site to the personal computer (PC) of the Internet user and integrating the browser add-on in a web browser installed in the PC.
US07870103B1
A method for tolerating collisions of identifiers for data segments is disclosed. The method comprises combining a primary identifier and secondary identifier of a first segment to make a combined identifier of the first segment and combining a primary identifier and secondary identifier of a second segment to make a combined identifier of the second segment. The method further comprises determining if the combined identifier of the first segment is the same as the combined identifier of the second segment.
US07870099B2
A program applicable to a computer system for executing a database synchronizing process, which reflects, onto a database of one server, updating of a database of another server by the use of a business application of such another server, when updating information data in which pieces of updating information capable of specifying pre-updating and post-updating states in the database of the another server are held for every unit of transactions are received, executes determination as to whether or not any logical inconsistency occurs between the databases, if the databases of the one and another servers are updated depending on the updating information of the updating information data. When no inconsistency occurs, the databases are updated depending on the updating information. When the inconsistency occurs, an error log is output. The program is recorded on a computer readable recording medium.
US07870085B2
A risk assessment method and system. The method includes receiving by an inference engine, first sensor cohort data associated with a first cohort located within a first aircraft. The inference engine receives first group technology inferences associated with the first cohort. The inference engine generates first risk cohort inferences based on the first group technology inferences and the first sensor cohort data. The inference engine receives first inference data comprising a first plurality of inferences associated with the first cohort. The inference engine generates second inference data comprising a second plurality of inferences associated with the first cohort. The second inference data is based on the first inference data and the first risk cohort inferences. The inference engine generates a first associated risk level score for the first cohort. The computing system stores the second inference data and the first associated risk level score.
US07870080B2
A multi-utility energy and facility automation control system has control center computer(s) connected to various utility consuming systems and software that formats pertinent systems' energy data, stores, retrieves, diagnoses and acts in response to changes and includes a multi-utility master meter device and a plurality of sensors for utilities and other facility operational data. The system includes at least one dashboard screen as a control screen, and a plurality of interconnected gateways for selection of separate networks for various utility-facility related subscreens. The sensors monitor consumption of a plurality of different utilities and other pertinent data and, using the presentation of the facility information as processed by the computer and presented on the dashboard, exercise c control of the facility to optimize performance and reduce the cost of purchased utilities and other facility operations.
US07870077B2
A system and method for buying goods and billing agency using short message service are disclosed. If a purchaser transmits goods information to a mobile communication service system using short message service of a mobile phone, the mobile communication service system generates a certification code corresponding to the goods information and transmits it to a shopping mall server and the mobile phone. Then, the shopping mall server and the mobile phone exchange messages and run mutual authentication. Thereby, system construction expense for selling goods and service is decreased, purchasing procedure is simple, and the safe purchase can be done by mutual authentication using the certification code.
US07870073B2
A payment method (BV) executed by a communication facility (1, 2, 8, N) and at least one data carrier (11, 12, K) for debiting a payment value unit (BW) from the data carrier (11, 12, K), in order to pay for a performed service, wherein the following steps are executed: debit from a memory value unit (SW) stored in the data carrier (11, 12, K), of a debit value unit (AW) sufficient for payment for the maximum service to be performed, wherein a repayment limit (RL) stored in the data carrier (11, 12, K) is set to the value in essence of the debited debit value unit (AW); calculation of a credit value unit (AWE) to be credited back, wherein the payment value unit (BW) to be paid for the actually performed service is subtracted from the debited debit value unit (AWE); check by the data carrier (11, 12, K), that the credit value unit (AWE) to be credited does not exceed the stored repayment limit (RL), wherein only in this case is the credit value unit (AWE) credited to the memory value unit (SW) stored in the data carrier (11, 12, K).
US07870066B2
A method and system for resolving disputes between parties involved in a network-based transaction is described. One aspect of the present invention seeks to automatically facilitate the restitution of value to parties of the transaction, for example, facilitated by a network-based commerce platform or involving a network-based payment service, where a dispute has arisen with respect to the transaction.
US07870065B2
A financial institution has a web-based server for use in transferring money between a customer and a beneficiary. A customer, having a client computer, and a credit card, opens a transaction web page provided by the server. The customer inputs transaction data into the web page, and sends the transaction data to the server via the Internet. The customer then receives a fund-pick-up (“folio”) number and provides the beneficiary with the fund-pick-up number to use in collecting the funds.
US07870062B2
A graphical user interface is used along with an automated algorithm selection function to enable market participants to initiate automated, multi-algorithm trading strategies through a single drag and drop motion. A symbol representing a security can be dragged and dropped onto an icon representing a tactical or strategic algorithm. Other features of the graphical user interface show information such as the progress of the algorithms. Fast switching and safe mode are used to minimize a cost associated with algorithm switching.
US07870061B2
A system and method for transferring longevity risk is disclosed. According to an example of the disclosure, a trading system receives an order to trade a financial instrument in which counterparties agree to exchange, for a predetermined period of time, a difference between an expected and actual cash flow stream associated with one or more assets or liabilities affected by mortality-based longevity risk, wherein the predetermined period of time includes one or more calculation periods that each last less than a term of the one or more assets or liabilities, receives updated mortality information underlying the longevity risk, and calculates the difference to be exchanged for each of the one or more calculation periods.
US07870058B2
Methods are provided for a dual purchase process. The method includes enabling, via a first computer system, both an auction purchase process and a fixed-price purchase process for purchase of an item. In addition, responsive to receipt of a bid for the item, the method includes disabling the fixed-price purchase process.
US07870056B2
An electronic market for trading of securities includes a plurality of client stations for entering quotes for securities and a server process that receives quotes from the clients, aggregates the quotes and causes a total of all aggregated quotes to be displayed for a plurality of price levels on the client systems. The market uses a graphical user that depicts aggregated quotes in an aggregate window a plurality of price levels of a product traded in the market. The market also includes processes to handle lock/cross market conditions, match-off of order flow and provides a central quote/order collector that interfaces to disparate order delivery systems to minimize dual liability of market makers.
US07870046B2
Standardized financial reports are automatically generated from company financial reports using a taxonomy library that maps company-specific terms to corresponding standard terms. Line items in the standardized financial reports include standardized terms derived from company-specific terms in the company financial report as well as corresponding financial information obtained from the company financial report. The financial information in the standardized financial report may be highlighted to indicate its source, and may also be cross-referenced back to its source location in the company financial report so that the information can be verified.
US07870040B2
Systems and methods are provided for collecting and listing entertainment ticket information from multiple data sources, and facilitating the sales of entertainment tickets over a network. In accordance with one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided for offering to sell entertainment tickets over a network. The method includes the steps of providing exhibition data importation rules for importing exhibition data, electronically receiving the exhibition data from multiple exhibition data feeds in accordance with the exhibition data importation rules, and electronically eliminating any duplicates from the exhibition data. The method further includes the step of providing, over the network, to a user a listing of entertainment exhibitions in accordance with user-selected or selected criteria, in which the listing provides an option to purchase an exhibition ticket from an entertainment ticket provider. In the method, the exhibition data may include an entertainment identification information, an entertainment exhibition location, and an entertainment exhibition time.
US07870033B2
An intelligent product catalog system provides for electronic creation, management and viewing of product information using a multimedia display system. A central database repository stores the product information and provides for an unlimited number of product attributes and dynamic reconfiguration of the product information. The central database repository comprises a meta data system, a scheme system and an object model system. A plurality of applications access the central database repository, the applications being automatically adaptive to the dynamic reconfiguration of the product information. A user interface provides display, sorting and filtering of the product information including the unlimited number of product attributes.
US07870026B2
The embodiments provide methods of selecting relevant advertisement to target users by utilizing the knowledge of friends or acquaintance of the target users. The target users and friends or acquaintances of the target users belong to the same on-line communities, groups, or circles. In an exemplary embodiment, a method for providing advertising content for display in a personal media space of an Internet networking tool of a user is provided. The method includes defining the personal media space in a display region of a graphical user interface window. The personal media space being controlled by the user in terms of content. The method also includes selecting an advertisement content unit to be added to the personal media space for display by the user. The method further includes establishing a communication session between the user and another user. The communication session includes an interaction space for enabling communication between the user and the other user. The interaction space is displayed in the graphical user interface window along with the personal media space and the advertising content unit selected by the user to be displayed in the personal media space.
US07870025B2
A method for switching vendors, including sending an invitation to a user to rate a first vendor in response to the user designating the first vendor as a payee, receiving a rating assigned to the first vendor, determining a second vendor as an alternative to the first vendor based on the rating being below a predefined threshold, sending information associated with the second vendor to the user, receiving a request from the user to switch from the first vendor to the second vendor, sending a cancellation notice to the first vendor in response to receiving the request, transmitting user information to a computer of the second vendor for setting up a new account, and charging the second vendor a fee for sending the information associated with the second vendor to the user.
US07870024B2
An exemplary system includes a publisher subsystem configured to communicate with an access device and an advertiser device over a data communication network. The publisher subsystem includes a publish module, a session module, and an allocation module. The publish module is configured to publish content over the data communication network, the content including an advertisement. The session module is configured to detect a selection of the advertisement, initiate a session between the access device and the advertiser device in response to the selection, the advertiser device being associated with the advertisement, and receive feedback from the advertiser device. The allocation module is configured to allocate revenue based on the feedback. In some examples, the amount of the revenue is independent of the feedback.
US07870023B2
A system, including a planning module, a control module and a receiver module, configured to schedule display of one or more advertising impressions of available advertising inventory. The planning module enables scheduling a requested quantity of advertising impressions in accordance with target criteria. Further, the planning module enables selecting an advertising impression goal for advertisement, assigning an advertising type and defining a weight for the advertisements. The control module receives the schedule, the advertising type and the defined weights and generates one or more metadata files that contain target criteria, advertising type and weights for the advertisements. The one or more metadata files, with the advertisements, are delivered to the receiver module that is configured to define a display frequency for the advertisements based upon one or more of the metadata files. The receiver module selectively displays advertisement content associated with the advertisements to achieve the advertising impression goal.
US07870018B2
A combination of several analytical computer-assisted modeling techniques may be used to evaluate the value of a brand, the relative value of competitive brands and may identify the opportunities to increase brand value and the priority of those opportunities. Image/Attitudinal driver analysis, pyramid analysis, probability analysis, trade-off analysis, and other regression techniques may be used in novel combinations to quantify brand development, impacts and the overall estimate of brand value. For example: (1) image driver analysis may be applied to each level of a brand pyramid to understand how to most effectively move customers through to the next level in the pyramid; (2) probability analysis may be used to estimate the impact of each movement through the pyramid; and (3) tradeoff analysis may be used to improve the value customers perceive at any particular level of the pyramid.
US07870014B2
An outsourcing command center collects and processes outsourcing data for multiple engagements and multiple outsourcing offerings. The command center may apply a metric set to the outsourcing data that is broadly applicable across multiple outsourcing offerings, but also tailored to specific outsourcing offerings, and extended by engagements to meet their particular metric reporting criteria. The command center provides a portal through which an engagement may access processed metric information for outsourced functions, including metric reporting screens with convenient drill-down link sets to display progressively more detailed views of metrics processed for the engagement.
US07870010B2
An apparatus and method for processing lease insurance information, including a processor for processing information for generating at least one of an insurance premium and an insurance policy for providing insurance for excess wear or post warranty repairs for a leased entity, wherein the processor generates a information regarding an insurance premium or an insurance policy, wherein the processor generates information regarding at least one of a liability, a potential liability, and a risk of loss, associated with the at least one of an insurance policy and an insurance product, and at least one of a display device and an output device for providing information, the insurance premium, the insurance policy, or the insurance product.
US07870009B2
A method for adjudicating and reimbursing a care provider for services provided for a clinical event is provided. The method includes the step of receiving a transaction having a number of clinical data elements. The method also includes the steps of accessing a data store including payer information and determining whether the transaction is eligible for reimbursement by at least one payer. The method also includes the steps of accessing a first knowledge base comprising evidence-based standards for providing medically appropriate care and selectively performing analysis of the clinical data elements of the transaction against at least one standard to determine if the care provided is medically appropriate. The method further includes the steps of accessing a second knowledge base containing at least one criterion for assessing quality of care and selectively performing analysis of the clinical data elements of the transaction against the at least one criterion to determine if the care provided is medically appropriate. Also, the method includes determining a level of reimbursement based on the medical appropriateness and quality of the care provided and authorizing reimbursement of the care provider from at least one payer.
US07870004B2
An enterprise architecture for a business is divided into a business architecture and an information technology architecture. The business architecture is the main driver for the information technology architecture but the information technology architecture can also have an impact on the construction of the business architecture. A framework tower is built around essential and mandatory components of the enterprise architecture. The framework tower is made up of a plurality of planes representing mandatory components of the enterprise architecture. The components of the framework tower include a strategic plan, a business architecture, an information architecture, an application architecture, a technology infrastructure architecture, an enterprise information technology management architecture, and a security architecture. Each component identifies and categorizes requisite architectural components and elements of a business. Each component in the framework tower addresses the people, processes, and technology of the enterprise architecture so that strategic information technology planning and repeatable and effective information technology enabling solutions can be performed and delivered to the business.
US07869999B2
A system and method for generating synthetic speech, which operates in a computer implemented Text-To-Speech system. The system comprises at least a speaker database that has been previously created from user recordings, a Front-End system to receive an input text and a Text-To-Speech engine. The Front-End system generates multiple phonetic transcriptions for each word of the input text, and the TTS engine uses a cost function to select which phonetic transcription is the more appropriate for searching the speech segments within the speaker database to be concatenated and synthesized.
US07869994B2
A transient noise removal system removes or dampens undesired transients from speech. When the transient noise removal system receives a speech frame, the system performs a wavelet transform analysis. The speech frame may be represented by one or more wavelet coefficients across one or more wavelet levels. For a given wavelet level, the transient noise-removal system may determine a wavelet threshold. The transient noise removal system may compare the threshold corresponding to a wavelet level to the wavelet coefficients within that level. The transient noise removal system may attenuate each wavelet coefficient based on a comparison to a threshold.
US07869993B2
A method and a device for source coding with a time advanced excitation signal. During an encoding process, a source data signal is first divided into consecutive blocks, then a first set of parameters related to a filter describing properties of a first block covering a first time period is extracted, followed by the extraction of a second set of parameters related to an excitation signal for said filter, where said second set of parameters is determined from and describing properties of both the first block and a second block following the first block within a second time period starting later than said first time period and extending outside said first time period.
US07869988B2
A method and system for teaching a foreign language to a user who has knowledge of a base language is disclosed. The method and system may include delivering a video presentation simultaneously to a plurality of users. The method and system may also include simultaneously delivering a plurality of mixed known language-foreign language audio and/or text streams to the plurality of users, each of the plurality of mixed known language-foreign language audio and/or text streams corresponding to the video presentation.
US07869985B2
Disclosed is a 3D vehicle simulator system for an ECU embedded system comprising an external input apparatus 130, to which signals of one or more external sensors are inputted, an ECU embedded system 120 for processing and executing signals inputted form the external input apparatus 130, an external output apparatus 140 for receiving and outputting the output signals of the ECU embedding system 120, a vehicle simulator 110 for calculating at real time the signals inputted from the ECU embedded system 120, and for 3D-modeling and outputting the status of the vehicle, and a display 150 for displaying the 3D-modeled vehicle outputted form the vehicle simulator 110.
US07869979B2
The invention relates to a method for determining the size of a radial gap between rotating and torsion-proof parts, particularly the parts of a turbomachine. According to said method, an original signal emitted by a transmitter device located on the surface of the rotating part is received in a modified manner by a receiver device disposed on the torsion-proof part and is redirected to an evaluation unit. Said evaluation device determines and displays the size of the radial gap from the received signal by determining the parameters of the trajectory of the rotating transmitter device.
US07869978B2
A method and apparatus for determining a fluid level and/or output flow during operation of a centrifugal pump, are provided, which may be used for production of gas and/or oil from a well, and include a vector feedback model to derive values of torque and speed from signals indicative of instantaneous current and voltage drawn by the pump motor, a pump model which derives values of the fluid flow rate and the head pressure for the pump from torque and speed inputs, a pumping system model that derives, from the estimated values of the pump operating parameters, an estimated value of fluid level and other pumping system parameters. Controllers responsive to the estimated values of the pumping system parameters control the pump to maintain fluid level at the pump input, near an optimum level, or within a safe operating range and/or output flow from the pump.
US07869976B2
An electric power generator system is provided with improved power efficiency due to a reduced sensitivity to errors in the sensing of angular rotor position. The system includes a power generator with a rotor, and a position encoder connected to sense angular position of the rotor and to generate a position signal accordingly. A processor receives the position signal, calculates an angular position in response, calculates an estimated angular position based on earlier received position signals, and finally generates a processed angular position based on the calculated angular position and the estimated angular position. This processed angular position is a more reliable measure of the rotor position, reducing the influence of short-term errors in the position signal, allowing normal wind turbine operation during temporary position encoder failure, and allowing an orderly shutdown during complete position encoder failure.
US07869975B2
In a method of estimating one of mechanical supporting states of a housing for an electronic apparatus, a drive signal is supplied to an oscillation device from which first oscillation is applied to the housing. A sensor detects a second oscillation transferred through the housing in response to the first oscillation to generate an oscillation signal, and a measurement response characteristic is obtained based on the drive signal and the oscillation signal, and is compared with reference response characteristics which are correlated with the mechanical supporting states, respectively, to estimate one of the mechanical supporting states of the housing.
US07869964B2
A method for designing an absorbent article and evaluating its absorption behaviour is disclosed. A system using the method, is also disclosed. The method may be used for analyzing movement of a fluid in an absorbent article that comprises fluid-swellable composite material, to determine the performance of at least one feature of the absorbent article. The method includes inputting one or more properties for said fluid-swellable composite material into a virtual model of the absorbent article to produce a representation of at least one feature of the absorbent article and evaluating the virtual model of the absorbent article to determine the performance of the feature.
US07869961B2
Generally, the present invention provides a number of procedures to spatially profile proteins by using hydrophobic moments. In all procedures, a hydrophobicity distribution of a protein is shifted and normalized. In one procedure, a shape or profile of a curve of a second-order moment of hydrophobicity is determined. A second procedure involves determining one or more ratios, such as the ratio of a distance at which the second order moment of hydrophobicity vanishes to the distance at which a zero-order moment of hydrophobicity vanishes. The distance at which a peak occurs in a profile of the zero- or second-order moment of hydrophobicity can also be used for comparison. For many of these procedures, a surface or profiling contour can be chosen and used to accumulate hydrophobicities and to determine the moments. These procedures can be combined to provide a good mathematical determination of whether a protein belongs to a particular class of proteins.
US07869959B2
The present invention provides methods for optimizing oligonucleotide hybridization probes for use in basic and clinical research. Specifically, the invention involves hybridizing serially diluted genomic sample to the oligonucleotide probes on the array, such that a signal intensity is produced for each of the probes; computationally identifying optimized probes which exhibit signal intensities that correspond to the serial dilutions of genomic sample and are reproducibly strong relative to non-optimized probes.
US07869949B2
In a vehicle, a vehicle system is provided that includes a position determination module for determining the position of the vehicle using an estimation of the error of satellite signals which are received by an earth-based receiver system, and an integrity module for determining an integrity risk for the position data for a vehicle, the risk being derived using time determinations performed by a satellite navigation system. When a threshold value for the integrity risk for the position data is exceeded, the vehicle system generates a warning signal which, by means of modules that are connected to the vehicle system, is designed to prevent the use of the position data for the vehicle. The integrity risk is determined using an estimated value for the error in the received satellite signal, and the receiver system functionally interacts with a plurality of satellites to determine and transmit data to a vehicle system containing a position determination module for determining the position of the vehicle.
US07869945B2
A system and method for monitoring participant security in a rideshare environment is provided. A rideshare participant device is made available to at least one rideshare participant during a rideshare. A security check is triggered while the rideshare is in progress. An action is performed based on the security check during which security information is gathered regarding the rideshare participant device. The security information is analyzed for any inconsistencies. A security response provider is contacted when the inconsistency is identified.
US07869939B2
A route guide data creation device for acquiring travel data transmitted from a vehicle traveling on a road according to a predetermined travel route and travel time and creating route guide data according to the data. The route guide data creation device acquires the travel data over a predetermined period of time. A travel data processor receives data based on a predetermined input format from the travel data and calculates the arrival time and departure time at/from each stop for each travel routes and for each vehicle ID. A route guide database stores the route guide data including the departure time and the arrival time of each vehicle from/at each stop outputted from the travel data processor.
US07869938B2
The display method and apparatus for a navigation system interchangeably displays a normal map image and a simplified map image in accordance with a user's preference and complexity of the map image. The method includes the steps of checking whether a simple map mode or a normal map mode is set for displaying a map image on a monitor screen of the navigation system, determining which map elements are selected to be displayed when the simple map mode is set, and displaying the map image with only the selected map elements when the simple map mode is set while displaying the map image with all the map elements when the normal map mode is set. The navigation system is designed to switch between the normal map mode and the simple map mode either manually or automatically.
US07869937B2
Disclosed is a method for processing a multimedia broadcasting in a portable terminal having a navigation module, while a vehicle is being driven. The method includes steps of: proceeding to a vehicle driving mode, if it is recognized that the vehicle is currently being driven when the multimedia broadcasting data is outputted; confirming at least one vehicle driving function set as the vehicle driving mode in the vehicle driving mode and driving navigation module, and then acquiring vehicle driving information; and reflecting the acquired vehicle driving information in the vehicle driving function and then outputting the multimedia broadcasting data after applying the vehicle driving function to the multimedia broadcasting data.
US07869935B2
A traffic information sensor system includes an image acquisition device to generate video images of a traffic scene. The system also includes an image detection device to extract traffic information from the video images in connection with the lane position information of the traffic scene. The system also includes an information transfer device to transmit the extracted traffic information instead of the video images to a traffic management center. A traffic information detection method and system is also described.
US07869933B2
A method of operation for an engine including an electrically actuated engine valve in a cylinder head, with at least an actuator coupled to the valve, the method including applying a potential to generate a current indicative of temperature in the actuator at least partially during a substantially non-moving condition of the actuator and adjusting a timing of the application of the potential based on valve location in the cylinder head.
US07869931B2
When an engine torque trace is set during acceleration or deceleration, the ratio of increase or decrease in the engine torque per unit time is restricted so that when the engine torque generated during acceleration or deceleration approaches an engine torque (balance torque) at which the engine is oriented upright with respect to the engine mount, the engine torque stays near the balance torque for a prescribed time.
US07869927B2
A retarder control system for a working vehicle includes: an input shaft revolution speed detector (121) for detecting an input shaft revolution speed of a transmission; a running state acquirer (33) for acquiring a running state of the working vehicle; a threshold map storage (321) for storing a plurality of threshold maps of an input shaft revolution speed at which the retarder braking control starts or ends in accordance with a predetermined running state of the working vehicle; a threshold map selector (34) for selecting a threshold map from the threshold maps stored in the threshold map storage based on the running state acquired by the running state acquirer; and a braking controller (35) for retarder braking control based on the input shaft revolution speed of the transmission detected by the input revolution speed detector (121) and the threshold map selected by the threshold map selector (34).
US07869923B2
In an excavator equipped with an offset boom, an offset command value generating device of a rotation control device offsets a second boom arranged on a distal end side in a rotation direction relative to a first boom arranged on a proximal end side when an acceleration start judging device judges that a rotation operation is started, and offsets the second boom in a reverse rotation direction when a deceleration start judging device judges that a rotation deceleration operation is started. Accordingly, when a rotation acceleration is performed using a reaction force generated in the offset, clearances between members of a work machine can be contracted in advance in the rotation direction, while when the rotation deceleration operation is performed, these clearances can be contracted in advance in the rotation reverse direction, thereby reducing an impact in the acceleration and deceleration.
US07869922B2
A method and apparatus for automatically controlling a header lift system of an agricultural harvesting machine, particularly a windrower, to put a header of the machine into a transport mode wherein the header is raised to an elevated transport position, under certain specific conditions. Such conditions can include, but are not limited to, the machine operating in a high-speed range, the header not operating, the speed of the machine being above a predetermined level, and the last inputted control command being a header raise command. When in the transport mode, the lift system can also be operated in a float mode. Further, the header lift system can be returned to a normal mode when certain criteria are present for doing so.
US07869915B2
A method for validating a processor with a memory in a vehicle control system includes the steps of receiving a test seed, retrieving a pre-stored test key from the processor memory, calculating a check value using the test seed, and comparing the check value to the pre-stored test key.
US07869906B2
A vehicle network gateway providing off board diagnostic and computer based devices with access to vehicle network data such as signal values and diagnostic error information. The gateway eliminating the deleterious effects of electrical loading on the vehicle network and the introduction of noise onto the vehicle network by off board devices. The gateway adapted to bridge data between the vehicle networks and a variety of external networks including conventional wireless and hardwired networks providing wireless access of vehicle diagnostic data over external networks at vehicle repair and service centers.
US07869905B2
A system that controls the temperature of a power supply in a computer system is presented. A state of the computer system is monitored. Next a signal is generated in response to the state of the computer system. The signal is then used to control the temperature of the power supply. Controlling the temperature of the power supply can involve heating the power supply.
US07869903B2
An bedding apparatus is provided that allows a user the ability to control a bedroom environment using one selectable control. The apparatus includes an adjustable bedding unit and a computing unit coupled to the adjustable bedding unit. A number of controllable electronic appliances, having an effect on the bedroom environment, are electrically coupled to the computing unit. These electronic appliances are capable of being controlled by the computing unit. A user interface control unit is coupled to the computing unit. The user interface presents the user with a number of user-selectable settings that cause an adjustment in the position of the adjustable bed and at least one of the electronic appliances.
US07869901B2
An appliance includes a dispenser having a water valve for controlling a flow of water through the dispenser and a flowmeter for measuring the amount of water dispensed through the dispenser, and a controller operatively coupled to the water valve and the flowmeter. The controller is configured to receive an input relating to a target volume of water, adjust the target volume for a volume error correction to obtain an adjusted target volume, wherein the volume error correction is based on a flow rate, open the water valve, determine a total volume dispensed using the flowmeter, and close the water valve when the total volume dispensed equals the adjusted target volume.
US07869889B2
This invention relates to safety instrumented systems (“SIS”) for monitoring and controlling chemical and other industrial process field devices, and that are responsive to signals for the emergency shutdown of the process or system. The patent will significantly improve the reliability of communications within an emergency shutdown system, reduce unwanted trips, and adapt to process conditions by failing to a safe mode in dynamic conditions that are not considered by prior art logic solvers.
US07869885B2
Methods and systems for determining an optimal therapeutic window of parameter settings for nerve stimulation therapy are described herein. The disclosed techniques generally utilize one or more parameter sweeps to determine upper and lower threshold settings. The determination of the optimal therapeutic window may be performed during or after implantation.
US07869883B2
A cochlear implant system comprising a first unit adapted to be worn on or in one ear of an implantee. The first unit has a case housing componentry including a microphone, and a speech processor means. A second unit or accessory is adapted to be worn on or in the other ear of the implantee. The second unit or accessory has a case housing a second power source. An electrical conduction means for transmitting power from the second power source to the componentry of the first unit extends between the first and second units. Such a conduction means can extend around the back of the head of the implantee.
US07869873B2
A method or system for computing and/or setting optimal cardiac resynchronization pacing parameters as derived from intrinsic conduction data is presented. The intrinsic conduction data includes intrinsic atrio-ventricular and interventricular delay intervals which may be collected via the sensing channels of an implantable cardiac device. Among the parameters which may be optimized in this manner are an atrio-ventricular delay interval and a biventricular offset interval. In one of its aspects, the invention provides for computing optimum pacing parameters for patients having some degree of AV block or with atrial conduction deficits. Another aspect of the invention relates to a pacing mode and configuration for providing cardiac resynchronization therapy to patients with a right ventricular conduction disorder.
US07869859B2
A medical apparatus including a main unit including an X-ray CT imaging unit configured to image a patient and a display unit provided on the X-ray CT imaging unit and configured to display a name of the patient to be imaged, and a console unit remote from the main unit and including an input unit configured to input condition information of the main unit and individual information including the name of the patient. The console also includes a control unit configured to extract at least one item including the name of the patient in the individual information from the inputted condition information and the inputted individual information. The display unit is configured to display the extracted item including the name of the patient on a screen.
US07869853B1
An analyte monitor includes a sensor, a sensor control unit, and a display unit. The sensor has, for example, a substrate, a recessed channel formed in the substrate, and conductive material disposed in the recessed channel to form a working electrode. The sensor control unit typically has a housing adapted for placement on skin and is adapted to receive a portion of an electrochemical sensor. The sensor control unit also includes two or more conductive contacts disposed on the housing and configured for coupling to two or more contact pads on the sensor. A transmitter is disposed in the housing and coupled to the plurality of conductive contacts for transmitting data obtained using the sensor. The display unit has a receiver for receiving data transmitted by the transmitter of the sensor control unit and a display coupled to the receiver for displaying an indication of a level of an analyte. The analyte monitor may also be part of a drug delivery system to alter the level of the analyte based on the data obtained using the sensor.
US07869849B2
A medical sensor may be adapted to prevent unwanted light and electrical interference from corrupting physiological measurements. Sensors are provided with features that reduce the amount of outside light or shunted light that impinge the detecting elements of the sensor. The sensor is adapted to reduce crosstalk between electrical signals, increasing the accuracy of measurements. The sensor is also adapted to reduce the effect of outside light or shunted light on pulse oximetry measurements.
US07869846B2
Disclosed is a sliding module for a sliding-type portable terminal, which is adapted to provide one side of a sliding-type housing with dual elastic force for easy opening/closing operation. The sliding module for a sliding-type portable terminal having a main housing and a sliding housing adapted to slide on the main housing while facing the main housing includes a coupling portion formed on a side of the main housing; a guide member coupled to the coupling portion so as to guide a sliding movement of the sliding housing; and a dual elastic member fastened to the sliding housing while facing the guide member, the dual elastic member providing elastic force in a direction of movement of the sliding housing when the sliding housing is slid and in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the sliding housing.
US07869844B2
Disclosed is a sliding mechanism for opening and closing a cellular phone. The mechanism includes a main plate, a slider plate slidably connected to the main plate, a first block shaft-rotatably fixed to the main plate, one or more first rod member fixed to the first block, a first resilient member connected to the first block and generating expansion force, a second block shaft-rotatably fixed to the slider plate, one or more second rod member fixed to the second block, a second resilient member connected to the second rod member and generating expansion force, and a connection block placed in the central area of the first and second blocks and supporting the end portions of the first and second resilient members. The connection block slidably connects the first and second rod members with the first and second blocks in such a way that the end portion of the first rod member is directed towards the second block and the end portion of the second rod member is directed towards the first block. The first and second resilient members are formed of a compression spring having a good resiliency and service life, thereby improving reliability of cellular phones.
US07869833B2
A mobile communication terminal including a memory unit configured to store at least one call related event, a display configured to display a time line, and a controller configured to display the at least one call related event on the time line based on a time information of the at least one call related event. Further, the time line includes a circular-shaped time line, a chart-shaped time line, a spiral-shaped time line, a snowman-shaped time line, a star-shaped time line, a rectangular-spiral-shaped time line, or a square-shaped time line.
US07869828B2
Adjust equipment and method for array antenna transmitting link, include: power detect device, signal synthesize device and array adjust device; the downlink signal of the transmitting link processed by the power detect device and be transmitted to the power detect signal feed device, and then transmitted to the signal synthesize device; signal synthesize device depart the part of radio frequency signal, output to the power detect device for the power detect; output the power signal to the power detect signal feed device, add the power signal and high frequency signal, power detect signal depart device pick the power signal from the mixed signal, regulate the weight of the adjustment. This invention never use the special adjust signal transmitting device and becoming antenna, placed by using method of signal power detect to calculate the adjust weight value and transmitting phase adjust weight value of the transmit gain, the speed of the constringency become faster.
US07869819B2
A method and a system in a mobile communication system including plural mobile communications ranges, each range providing basic mobile telephony services to mobile communications units operating within the mobile communications range, wherein per subscriber, ranges per service node, such as MSC, SGSN and GSMC, are defined, whereby within each range, the corresponding network-specific services are defined.
US07869817B2
A positioning method in a SUPL based position information system, and more particularly, a method for performing periodic positioning capable of processing a periodic positioning request by a location server or a periodic positioning request by a mobile communications terminal when the location server and the terminal respectively manage a trigger generating the periodic positioning, are discussed.
US07869808B2
A wireless communication system which enables fast handovers by eliminating a time lag that occurs during handover process. A new base station recognizes lower layer link switching timing of a mobile station, then adjusts the output timing of a packet transmission initiation message, which triggers packet transmission, so that when a packet is transmitted from a new relay device to the mobile station, the packet may arrive at the mobile station immediately after the lower layer link switching, and sends out the packet transmission initiation message at the adjusted output timing to the new relay device. On receiving the packet transmission initiation message, the new relay device transmits the packet to the mobile station. The mobile station executes the lower layer link switching to complete lower layer handover, and then completes upper layer handover on receiving the packet from the new relay device immediately after the link switching.
US07869807B2
In one wireless device, when wishing to participate in a communications network, an ID generator in an ID manager uses a hash function on the address of the device and time to generate a device identification identifying the one device, and registers the identification on a list storage. In the one wireless device, a list updater stores an identification of another device from a beacon signal into the list storage in association with the address of the other device. When a conflict determiner detects a conflict of device identifications, an ID searcher searches the list storage for an unused identification having a relationship with the conflicting identification according to a relation in magnitude between the addresses of the one and other devices. An ID updater updates the identification of the device in the list storage to the unused identification thus searched for as a new identification.
US07869801B2
An embodiment is a method for configuring a terminal (e.g., a radio) over a radio control channel. Instead of requiring on-site technicians to physically connect to the radios or error-prone and time consuming data calls to individual radios, an embodiment broadcasts software and configuration data as part of one or more radio control channel messages. As the radio control message or multiple messages are broadcast, any radio listening to the radio control message(s) may be configured. Additionally, radios of a particular type will be configured to use the same version of software and configuration data.
US07869800B2
A portable cellular phone system is provided, wherein matched sets of algorithmically generated communication units are generated, each defining an increment of authorized communication. One set is stored on a system server, i.e. a service provider, and the pre-paid set is available for use within a portable cellular phone. The portable cellular phone, which is normally non-activated, automatically contacts the system server upon selective activation by the user, to initiate a call (outgoing or incoming). A voice recognition system allows the user to place calls and/or receive calls. During a call, the portable cellular phone and the system server allow authorized access to communication, while the communication units are decremented at the system server and at the portable cellular phone. The portable cellular phone typically has either an internal energy supply and storage for the pre-paid communication units, or a removable airtime cartridge, typically containing an energy supply and either the ability to store or to generate a set of pre-paid single use airtime communication units.
US07869799B2
The present invention provides a method for forwarding calls placed to a primary destination comprising receiving at least one call forwarding profiles, each call forwarding profile having a predefined duration and at least one call forwarding destination, receiving an instruction to activate one call forwarding profile to an activated profile and forwarding calls placed to the telecommunications destination according to the activated profile.
US07869798B2
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for redirecting telephone calls from a wireless device in a telecommunications network. The existence of a predefined condition is determined after an incoming call is received in the wireless device. The predefined condition may be based on a number of criteria including the current time and date, the current quantity of minutes used in the wireless device, the current estimated bill for usage of the wireless device, a current quantity of received calls in the wireless device when the incoming call is received, and the telephone number associated with the incoming call when the incoming call is received. If the predefined conditions exists, call forwarding rules stored in the wireless device are retrieved and executed from the wireless device. The call forwarding rules include instructions, based on the predefined condition, for redirecting the incoming call.
US07869795B2
A system and method informs a user of the arrival of an Email at an email server via a phone. The system and method may store a table wherein an Email address for a user is associated with a mobile phone number for the user. The system and method may look up the mobile phone number for the user, as an intended recipient of a new Email, in the table when the new Email arrives at the server. The system and method may then dial the mobile phone number for the user and hang up within a predetermined period of time after getting through. The user is informed that the new Email has arrived at the server by recognizing that the incoming call is from the server.
US07869793B2
A method and apparatus for preventing unauthorized use of a mobile terminal are provided, in which an execution code processor decrypts an Mobile Phone Certificate (MPC) using an MPC decryption code stored in it, when the mobile terminal is booted, an MPC processor compares a pre-stored MPC decryption execution code with the MPC decryption execution code, compares a pre-stored MPC encryption key with an MPC encryption key stored in the execution code processor. When the MPC decryption execution codes are identical, sets data required for an initial operation of the mobile terminal using an MPC management execution code included in a pre-stored MPC. When the MPC encryption keys are identical, decrypts Secured Code (SCode) blocks for execution of an application program, after executing the MPC management execution code. The execution code processor performs an operation program of the mobile terminal using the MPC management execution code and the decrypted SCode blocks.
US07869792B1
A parent mobile station is provided that enables real-time parental control over communications with an associated child mobile station. The parent mobile station receives notification of attempted inbound and outbound calls with third parties to and from the child mobile station, or of requests from the child mobile station to retrieve content from a content provider. In response to the notifications, the parent mobile station determines whether or not to permit the inbound and outbound calls or the retrieval of content. If permitted, communications with the child mobile station are routed through the parent mobile station, which itself communicates over a wireless telecommunications network. If not permitted, the parent mobile station does not relay such communications. The child mobile station preferably communicates with the parent mobile station using a wireless local area network (WLAN) or Bluetooth protocol and is preferably incapable of defeating the parental controls with a direct connection to the wireless telecommunications network.
US07869790B2
A system and method of the present invention provide parental and corporate control for a camera-phone. An administration authority web site is provided that enables an owner of a camera-phone to log into a server and establish a set of control policies that specify what actions on the phone are authorized for what user. The control policies that affect behavior of the camera-phone are downloaded to the camera-phone, and the camera-phone is then operated such that a user of the camera-phone is only able to perform actions authorized by the control policies. In a further embodiment, a control policy is provided that requires the camera-phone to upload captured images to the server for review by the camera-phone owner. In addition, the images may be quarantined until the camera-phone owner authorizes their release to the user.
US07869789B2
A method and mobile electronic device are provided which automatically adjust settings based on the environment of the mobile electronic device. The settings of the mobile electronic device which are adjusted may be security settings, filter settings, or status for instant messaging in dependence on the determined location of the mobile electronic device.
US07869783B2
A communications device for receiving a propagating electromagnetic signal representing an information signal. The communications device comprises a first and a second radiator each comprising a plurality of structural elements; a controller for configuring one or more of the structural elements of the first radiator to produce first operating characteristics of the first radiator, the first radiator producing a first received signal responsive to the first operating characteristics; the controller for configuring one or more of the structural elements of the second radiator to produce second operating characteristics of the second radiator different than the first operating characteristics, the second radiator producing a second received signal responsive to the second operating characteristics and a signal processor responsive to at least one of the first and the second received signals for determining the information signal.
US07869782B2
A local oscillator (LO) signal generator that has a reference phase-locked loop (PLL), a receiver LO PLL and a transmitter LO PLL. A reference PLL is coupled to receive a reference clock input and to generate a reference PLL signal at its output, which then drives a receiver PLL and a transmitter PLL. The receiver PLL is coupled to receive the reference PLL signal and to use the reference PLL signal as its reference input to generate a receiver LO signal at its output. The transmitter PLL is coupled to receive the reference PLL signal and to use the reference PLL signal as its reference input to generate a transmitter LO signal at its output.
US07869781B2
Certain aspects of a method and system for mitigating effects of pulling in multiple phase locked loops in multi-standard systems may include selecting an input frequency range of operation at a voltage controlled oscillator based on a particular wireless band of operation in a system that handles a first wireless communication protocol and a second wireless communication protocol. An image rejection mixer may be enabled to generate an output signal for the particular wireless band of operation based on mixing a plurality of received signals within a selected frequency range. An in-phase (I) component and a quadrature (Q) component of the generated output signal may be generated by utilizing a RC-CR quadrature network.
US07869780B2
A direct conversion radio-frequency (RF) receiver includes a controller and an adaptive continuous-time filter. The adaptive continuous-time filter receives a multiple-bit control signal generated by the controller to adjust a characteristic of the continuous-time filter. The controller generates the multiple-bit control signal in response to process variation in the semiconductor material used to implement the controller and the adaptive continuous-time filter. A method for tuning an adaptive continuous-time filter comprises determining a RC time constant, converting the RC time constant to a digital word, comparing a select bit of the digital word to a respective bit of a predetermined reference word to generate a control bit, applying the control bit to an adjustable element to modify the RC time constant, repeating the determining, converting, comparing and applying steps until the control bits generate an output word and providing the output word to the adaptive continuous-time filter.
US07869774B1
An apparatus and method is disclosed for providing a sensor circuit to detect when an output stage of a radio frequency (RF) power amplifier is driven into a non-linear saturation region and provide an output detection signal that is representative of the degree of saturation of the output stage. The sensor circuit includes a detection element operably coupled with an output stage and a reference voltage element operably coupled with the detection element, the reference voltage element is capable of providing an output detection signal.
US07869760B2
A radio communication device capable of lightening the influence of a frequency selective fading in the wide-band transmission of a single carrier thereby to prevent deterioration of error rate characteristics. In this device, an FFT unit (13) subjects a modulated signal inputted from a modulation unit (12) to a Fourier transformation. A pilot insertion unit (14) inserts a pilot symbol into a plurality of individual frequency components (1-N) of the modulated signal. Weight multiplication units (15-1, 15-2) multiply the individual frequency components (1-N) and the pilot symbols inserted into the individual frequency components (1-N), by weight coefficients (W11-W1N, W21-W2N) set at a weight coefficient setting unit (54). IFFT units (16-1, 16-2) subject the frequency components (1-N) to an inverse Fourier transformation, thereby to convert the frequency components (1-N) into time domains.
US07869758B2
A multicast service of a 3GPP Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) is disclosed. A multicast service stream identifier is provided so that each multicast area can receive different information for one service or one multicast service can be provided with different QoSs to areas. In addition, the multicast service stream identifier is provided which can selectively receive diverse menus or channels for one multicast service provided in the same area. Thus, by providing the multicast service stream identifier, users' desires for various services can be satisfied.
US07869757B2
A bookbinding apparatus comprising: a supplier which supplies solid adhesive to an adhesive tank; a melting section which melts the solid adhesive supplied to the adhesive tank; a coating member which coats the adhesive melted in the adhesive tank to an end face of a booklet; and a separating section which separates between a place in which the solid adhesive is supplied by the supplier and the coating member in the adhesive tank.
US07869750B2
A reciprocating-motion converting mechanism includes a cam that rotates around a rotation center; a reciprocating member that is reciprocated due to rotation of the cam; and a pressing unit that presses the reciprocating member to the cam. A first load torque is generated by a load applied at a point of contact of the cam and the reciprocating motion member. A load applying unit applies a load to the cam to generate a second load torque having a phase substantially opposite to a phase of the first load torque.
US07869744B2
Imaging apparatuses and Image forming methods are described. According to one embodiment, an imaging apparatus includes a photoconductor including an image forming surface configured to receive a latent image, a plurality of developers individually configured to provide a marking agent to the image forming surface to develop the latent image, wherein one of the developers is configured to move in a first direction with respect to the image forming surface to implement development of the latent image by the one of the developers and an other of the developers is configured to move in a second direction different than the first direction to implement development of the latent image by the other of the developers, and wherein the photoconductor is configured to provide the developed image for transfer to media after the development of the latent image by the one and other developers.
US07869743B2
An image forming apparatus in which a charging roller charges an image carrier to which a lubricant is applied prevents slip of the charging roller. The charging roller is composed of a metal core and a rubber layer mainly made of an epichlorohydrin rubber formed around the metal core. A surface of this rubber layer is hardened with a surface treating solution containing an isocyanate compound. The surface of this rubber layer is also subjected to three abrading processes including two stone grinding processes and one lapping process so that a ten-point height of irregularities Rz thereof becomes 11 μm or more.
US07869741B2
A charging member is provided which can inhibit defective images due to poor charging and adhering substances from occurring even after being repeatedly used for a long time, and can inhibit deformation and defective images due to the C set, caused by a change in rotational speed accompanying such deformation even after being left standing in a stopping state for a long time. The charging member includes a conductive support and a surface layer. The surface layer includes a binder and resin particles dispersed in the binder, each resin particle having a depressed portion on its surface. Protrusions resulting from the resin particles are formed on the surface of the surface layer. The protrusions each have a depressed portion resulting from the depressed portion of the resin particle, and the surface of the resin particle is covered with the binder.
US07869740B2
A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a developing roller, a drum unit containing the drum, a developing unit containing the roller and being movable so the roller contacts and is spaced from the drum, and a first force receiver receiving a force from a main-assembly first force applier by movement of a door from open to closed positions when mounting the cartridge and a second force receiver movable from a stand-by position by movement of the first force receiver by a force received from the first force applier. The second force receiver takes a projected position receiving a force from the second force applier to move the developing unit so the roller moves out of contact with the drum, the projected position being higher than the stand-by position.
US07869739B2
A xerographic marking device includes an intermediate transfer unit, a media transport path and at least one two-color image-on-image (IOI) drum module. Each two-color IOI drum module includes in a process order around a photoreceptor: a) a first charging unit; b) a first exposure unit; c) a first development unit; d) a second charging unit; e) a second exposure unit; and f) a second development unit, wherein the intermediate transfer unit receives a first toned image and a second toned image from the photoreceptor in a single transfer and transfers those toner images to print media to produce a toned image on print media. In various embodiments, specific color pairings are provided.
US07869736B2
There are provided: a transfer belt which extends between a plurality of rollers so as to be capable of running in an endless manner, the transfer belt receiving on its front surface or a recording sheet placed on the front surface a toner image which is bore on an image bearing member in accordance with image information; a bending roller having a peripheral surface which is pressed against the front surface side of the transfer belt to bend inwardly the transfer belt which is in a state of extend between the plurality of rollers so as to be capable of running in an endless manner; a first blade which cleans the peripheral surface of the bending roller; a front surface side cleaning mechanism; and a collection crew which collects a foreign object removed by both the first blade and the front surface side cleaning mechanism.
US07869733B2
When discontinuing image forming, the image forming is discontinued after conducting image forming up to the separation of the set in the course of image forming, and then, the jobs in which image forming is not finished including a job in execution are stored in a nonvolatile storing medium before the power shut down and after the discontinuation. When the power is turned on again, image forming is restarted based on the job stored in the nonvolatile storing medium.
US07869730B2
An image forming apparatus and method includes a controller to set a reference fusing temperature according to the print pattern of an input image received from an image input unit. The input image is converted to bitmap data to recognize the print pattern. The reference fusing temperature is set higher as the transition rate of the converted bitmap data increases. When printing an image whose print pattern has a low transition rate, the apparatus reduces the time required to print the first page of the image, thereby improving the print speed over the conventional apparatus.
US07869727B2
High quality images are provided by controlling development conditions based on the proportion of the toner layer potential difference, which a difference between the toner layer potential and electrostatic latent image potential, to the development contrast potential difference, which is a difference between the development bias potential and electrostatic latent image potential. The control section for controlling a development power supply controls the voltage supplied by the development power supply, based on the toner layer potential difference and development contrast potential difference in the development section. This arrangement ensures formation of high-quality images free from concentration of toner.
US07869716B1
Described is a method and system for reducing system penalty from polarization mode dispersion. The method includes receiving a plurality of signals at a receiving end of a transmission line, each signal being received on one of a plurality of channels of the transmission line and measuring a signal degradation of at least one of the channels of the transmission line. An amount of adjustment of a polarization controller is determined based on the signal degradation, the amount of adjustment being selected to reduce the polarization mode dispersion. The amount of adjustment is then transmitted to the polarization controller.
US07869711B2
A tunable asymmetric interleaver constructed from two symmetric interleavers in series, wherein either or both of the individual symmetric interleavers exhibit a wavelength shifting ability. Advantageously, tunable asymmetric interleavers so constructed provide continuous tunable interleaving ratios from 0:100 to 50:50 to 100:0 and provide attractive upgrade paths for existing and future DWDM networks and applications.
US07869710B2
An optical network unit (ONU) of an Ethernet passive optical network (EPON) and a control method thereof eliminates or substantially reduces instances of an ONU transmitting in time slots other than its allocated time slot. The ONU includes: a medium access controller for accessing a medium without temporal overlapping in order to transmit during one or more allocated TDM time slots without collision in upstream transmission to an optical line terminal; a burst-mode optical transceiver having a separately allocated wavelength before outputting the signal in the upstream transmission; and a complex programmable logic device for controlling an optical output of the burst-mode optical transceiver by monitoring an optical-output control signal from the medium access controller. An erroneous output from an ONU malfunction can be prevented from by cutting off the output once the duration of the allocated time slot has been reached.
US07869707B2
Differently designed measuring systems exist of which most contain a central signal processing unit and a number of electrical measuring components, and in which the measured values furnished by the measuring components are optically transmitted over optical wave guides. The aim of the invention is to provide a measuring system of this type, which has low power consumption and enables a reliable optical data transmission. To this end, an optical loop is provided between a central measuring unit (MG) and a sensor head (SK). Microprocessors (MP1, MP2), which are situated inside the central measuring unit (MG) and inside the sensor head (SK), carry out transmitting, measuring and monitoring tasks as a distributed controller with bi-directional data communication. A frame synchronization signal serves both for supplying power as well as for deriving a clock signal for block-oriented data transmission. A data communication is carried out for conducting a parameterization and/or programming between the central measuring unit (MG) and the sensor head (SK), and a pre-preprocessing of the measured values is carried out in the sensor head (SK), particularly a measured value correction and/or a range switching and/or a reprogramming of the filtering characteristics and/or an automatic compensation are/is carried out in the sensor head (SK).
US07869694B2
Provided is a function of providing a recordable time considering remaining memory capacity. To implement this function, an average reception rate of broadcasting data received for a predetermined time (e.g., several seconds) is calculated, and the recordable time is calculated using the calculated average reception rate and the remaining memory capacity. By doing this, even if the amount of broadcasting data to be recorded varies according to broadcasting programs, the amount of broadcasting data to be recorded can be predicted, and thereby, a user can efficiently record a desired broadcasting portion by actively determining whether the broadcasting is recorded.
US07869689B2
An apparatus and method are disclosed for setting scheduled recording of a plurality of standard broadcast signals received by a multi-tuner system on a single integrated scheduled recording setup graphical user interface (GUI) screen. The apparatus comprises a multi-tuner receiver for receiving a plurality of broadcast signals complying with different standards, a timer unit for providing timer information necessary for a plurality of tuners and scheduled recording of channels available in the tuners, and a graphic user interface (GUI) engine for integrally displaying information regarding tuners available for scheduled recording and channels available in the available tuners on a single screen in response to a user's input. The method comprises displaying an integrated scheduled recording setup graphic user interface (GUI) screen that provides respective fields for displaying a selected tuner, a selected channel available in the selected tuner at one time, and setting a scheduled recording by facilitating the inputting of necessary information for scheduled recordings by different tuners. Timer information necessary for scheduled recording is used in common on the integrated scheduled recording setup GUI screen regardless tuner type.
US07869687B2
Channel switching system and method of an IPTV service in a passive optical network (PON) are disclosed. To reduce a channel switching time of an IPTV system in the passive optical network, the system and the method use a channel switching control module and a channel list module in the passive optical network. In a case where a passive optical network system receives an IPTV channel switching request transmitted from a terminal user, the channel switching control module checks a recording of a channel list module and a recording of an authentication list module, and then updates a filter recording of an optical network unit to thereby directly transmit an image flow of a new channel in the passive optical network. When such system and method are applied to the passive optical network, high-speed switching of the IPTV service channel by the terminal user can be realized.
US07869685B2
Embodiments of the invention include a connector system. The connector system includes a connector cover. The connector-cover has a cap to protect a connector from dust and water and an adapter attached to an optical fiber cable, which is configured to connect to the cap. The dimensions and configuration of the connector-cover allow it to be pulled through conventional conduit (i.e. a 90°-bent, 0.75 inch Schedule 40 conduit).
US07869683B2
A drawer slide having first and second rails interconnected by a center rail. The center rail includes a spool configured to provide half-speed travel of the center rail relative to the travel of the first rail. The drawer slide is configured for use with a drawer assembly having a drawer and a chassis. The drawer assembly further includes a radius limiter secured to the center rail. The radius limiter travels at half-speed relative to the drawer. The radius limiter also automatically rotates relative to the travel of the drawer. The chassis includes sides including threaded backing plates, and mounting brackets. The mounting brackets include tri-lobed holes for receipt of a reciprocally shaped washer and a fastener for mounting the brackets to the chassis sides.
US07869679B2
An imaging device includes an illumination module comprising at least one emitter for emitting at least one excitation beam; a scanning and injection module comprising an image guide, a proximal end and a distal end of which are linked by a plurality of optical fibers; a scanning and injection optical system configured to alternately inject the at least one excitation beam into an optical fiber of the image guide from the proximal end of the image guide; a detection module comprising a detector for detecting a luminous flux collected at the distal end of the image guide, wherein at least one of the illumination module and the detection module is optically conjugated with the scanning and injection module using a conjugating optical fiber.
US07869676B2
An exemplary liquid crystal display (200) includes a plurality of gate lines (201), data lines (202), common lines (210), first pixel electrodes (204) and second pixel electrodes (214). Each of areas defined by one of the first pixel electrodes and an adjacent one of the second pixel electrodes is a pixel unit (208). Each pixel unit is driven by a first TFT (203) and a second TFT (213). The first thin film transistor and the second thin film transistor in each pixel unit are connected to a same one of the gate lines and a same one of the data lines, and to the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode respectively. A channel width/length ratio of the first thin film transistor is different from a channel width/length ratio of the second thin film transistor.
US07869663B2
Methods of analyzing three dimensional data sets obtained from a sample over time are provided. A first three dimensional data set is obtained from the sample at a first time. A first volume intensity projection (VIP) image is created from the first three dimensional data set. One or more first landmarks are identified and registered in the first VIP image. A second three dimensional data set is obtained from the sample at a second time, different from the first time. A second VIP image is created from the second three dimensional data set. The one ore more first landmarks are identified and registered in the second VIP image. The first and second VIP images are aligned based on the registered one or more first landmarks in the first and second VIP images. Related systems and computer program products are also provided.
US07869662B2
A location system and a location system on a chip (LCoS) and method are described.
US07869650B2
A digital video signal processing apparatus and method for compensating a chrominance (C) signal includes receiving the C signal separated from an input video signal and compensating the C signal in at least one dimension thereof to generate a compensated C signal. A comparator may determine whether a portion of a Y signal in the input video signal is present in the C signal. The compensator may compensate the C signal only when the comparator determines a portion of the Y signal is present in the C signal. The comparator may calculate a variation between current C data of the input video signal and adjacent C data and compare the variation to a threshold value.
US07869646B2
A method for estimating three-dimensional positions of human joints includes the steps of: a) marker-free motion capturing a moving figure for obtaining a multiview 2D image of the moving figure, and extracting a 2D feature point corresponding to a bodily end-effector; b) three-dimensionally matching the 2D feature point corresponding to the bodily end-effector, and recovering the 3D coordinates of the bodily end-effector; c) generating a 3D blob of the bodily end-effector, generating a virtual sphere with a radius that is a distance from a center of the 3D blob to a joint, and projecting the virtual sphere onto the obtained multiview 2D image of the moving figure; and d) detecting a coinciding point of a surface of the projected virtual sphere and the multiview 2D image of the moving figure, and estimating a 3D position corresponding to the coinciding point as a 3D position of the joint.
US07869645B2
Embodiments of the present invention enable image capture and validation. Certain applications of the present invention are its use in various embodiments of a system for inspection of a printed circuit board (“PCB”) substrate. In embodiments, an image capture system comprising a camera and a two-dimensional surface supporting an image may be calibrated based on configuration parameters of an image to be captured and of a simulated reference bitmap based on the image. In embodiments, the position of the image to be captured on the two-dimensional surface is determined based on calibration parameters. In embodiments, consistency of quality of captured images is maintained by validating selected characteristics of each image as it is being captured.
US07869642B2
A system and method for determining a predicted window level transformation for image data associated with a loading image based on user selections of window level transformations. A learning image associated with a set of learning context characteristics is displayed to the user in order to elicit selection of a first selected window transformation. Learned rules are established based on the learning context characteristics and the first selected window transformation. When there is a request to display a loading image associated with a set of loading context characteristics, the learned rules are evaluated based on the loading context characteristics to determine a set of inferred window level transformations. The predicted window level transformation is then determined by selecting the most desirable inferred window level transformation.
US07869640B2
A medical image processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit which acquires an anatomical malignant grade of an abnormality candidate region that is possibly an anatomical abnormality included in an image showing the inside of a subject based on a candidate region characteristic amount indicative of characteristics concerning the abnormality candidate region and a peripheral region characteristic amount indicative of characteristics concerning a peripheral region continuous with the abnormality candidate region in the image, a determination unit which determines an examination policy or a treatment policy with respect to the abnormality candidate based on the malignant grade, and a presentation unit which presents the examination policy or the treatment policy determined by the determination unit to a user.
US07869633B2
According to the present invention, face parts to be compared are set by the comparison target setting section based on the number of images of a group of search target images. Then, a retrieval target image and each image of the group of search target images is compared by the set face parts. An image with a particular correlation is determined to be a similar image and retrieved from the group of images to be compared. Thereby, it is possible to perform quick retrieval based on the number of images of the group of search target images.
US07869627B2
A rapid iris acquisition, tracking, and imaging system can be used at longer standoff distances and over larger capture volumes, without the active cooperation of subjects. Light illuminates the subjects' eyes and a high resolution camera captures images of the irises. The images of the irises are processed by a post processing module to improve their quality. In one approach, the point spread function of the image capture subsystem is estimated using glint reflections from the eye, and the estimated point spread function is used in deconvolution to increase the resolution of the iris images. The post processed iris images have sufficient resolution to be used for biometric identification.
US07869622B2
Within a prioritized mode selection dialog, either a measurement accuracy prioritized mode or a measurement speed prioritized mode is selected. If the measurement accuracy prioritized mode is selected, then processing for entering a tolerable amount of movement is executed. Then, a relative movement speed of a CCD camera to a measurement stage is calculated from the entered amount of movement. Finally, image information is captured at a lower speed than the calculated relative movement speed to execute image measurement. If the measurement speed prioritized mode is selected, then processing for entering a relative movement speed is executed, and image information is captured at the entered relative movement speed to execute image measurement.
US07869615B2
A sound box type earphone housing for use in a headset is disclosed to include a body shell having a coupling flange, a springy earphone clamp fastened to the inside of the body shell and having a front clamping hole for securing an earplug type earphone, and an annular cover member, which has a coupling groove coupled to the coupling flange of the body shell, a center opening hole, and a hanging portion extending around the top side of the center opening hole for hanging the annular cover member on the user's ear.
US07869611B2
A test tone determination method includes picking up a test tone output from a speaker; calculating first and second distances from the speaker to first and second microphones and a distance difference between the first and second distances; determining whether or not the distance difference is smaller than or equal to a predetermined distance between the first and second microphones; determining amplitudes to be amplitudes of direct waves of the test tone, when the distance difference is smaller than or equal to the predetermined distance; performing scanning, with respect to an amplitude found later, on a portion corresponding to a portion near the amplitude found earlier, when the distance difference is larger than the predetermined distance; and determining an amplitude found in the portion corresponding to the portion near the amplitude found earlier and the amplitude found earlier to be amplitudes of the direct waves of the test tone.
US07869610B2
A bone conduction transducer suitable for use in a listening device, such as hearing aids, in-ear monitors, headphones, electronic hearing protection devices, and very small scale acoustic speakers, has an end mass assembly disposed within the housing. The end mass assembly is mounted to the acoustic assembly and operatively coupled to the motor assembly via a coupling assembly.
US07869605B2
A method is provided for generating a group key, including sharing a plurality of secret keys with a plurality of nodes adjacent to a first node of the plurality of nodes, obtaining a plurality of function values using the plurality of secret keys and a result value using the plurality of function values, broadcasting the result value, receiving a plurality of result values generated using a method by which the result value has been obtained, from nodes of the plurality of nodes except for a corresponding node, and obtaining a group key using a plurality of function values extracted from the plurality of function values and the plurality of result values.
US07869596B2
A method of recording scrambled digital data comprising the steps consisting in: (a) receiving a scrambled digital data stream; (b) identifying in the data stream a control packet (ECM) containing at least one key (CW) for descrambling at least a part of the data of the stream; (c) storing the control packet in a table; and (d) recording the data stream and the said table on a data storage medium. A storage medium and a method of reading the recorded data are also proposed.
US07869593B2
Facilitating communication using a digital signature includes: communicating software to a first party; receiving from the first party public keys of public-private key pairs generated using the software; and recording in a database the public keys in association with information pertaining to the software. The key pairs have the same private key. The software additionally provides digital signatures utilizing this private key. Each public key of these key pairs is generated, in part, based on data that is specified by the first party.
US07869579B2
A system, method, and apparatus are directed to enabling a user to record VOIP conversations for selective instant replay. The VOIP conversation may be automatically recorded upon initiation of the conversation, or the user may select to record at least a portion of the VOIP conversation. At any point during the VOIP conversation, the user may select to bookmark a position for later replay. During the VOIP conversation, the user may select to instantly replay at least some of the recorded VOIP conversation. The user may select to instantly replay from a beginning of the recorded conversation, from the bookmarked position, or from a pre-determined time interval into the recorded conversation. Upon completion of the instant replay, the user may then return to a latest chronological rewind position within the recorded VOIP conversation. The other party may also be provided an indicator that the conversation is being recorded.
US07869576B1
A power management system for a plurality of rechargeable vehicles comprising an administrator interface for transmitting messages to a rechargeable station network using a processor in communication with data storage; a dynamic information database comprising a classification for at least one user, a rechargeable station identification, a user contact device information, discretionary power consumption information, and at least one dispatchable or non-dispatchable power source; and computer instructions in the data storage for instructing the processor to provide at least one message to the rechargeable station network. An administrator initiates distribution of the at least one message, which is transmitted through at least one industry standard protocol, and the administrator manages distribution and usage of the dispatchable power and non-dispatchable power to the rechargeable station network.
US07869572B2
An x-ray tube includes a vacuum chamber, a cathode positioned within the vacuum chamber and configured to emit electrons, and an anode positioned within the vacuum chamber to receive the electrons emitted from the cathode and configured to generate a beam of x-rays from the electrons. The x-ray tube further includes a window positioned to pass the beam of x-rays therethrough, an electron collector structure having an aperture formed therein to allow passage of x-rays therethrough, and a layer attached to the electron collector structure and configured to at least partially absorb or reduce diffraction of x-rays that contact the layer.
US07869555B2
A phase-locked loop circuit having a comparator that receives a target digital word representative of a non-integer target ratio between a main signal and a reference signal having a reference frequency. The circuit also includes digitally-controlled oscillator coupled to the comparator to deliver an output signal. One return loop is coupled between the output of the oscillator and the comparator. The latter includes a device to generate a digital word representing the non-integer ratio between the period of the reference signal and the period of the output signal, the reference signal and the output signal respectively corresponding to the first and second signal, and the fixed integer part N being equal to the integer part of the target non-integer ratio. The comparator compares the digital word and target digital word. The oscillator adjusts the frequency of the output signal as a function of the result delivered by the comparator.
US07869551B2
At a receiver incoming coded OFDM Symbol Data are passed through a Coarse Symbol Timing Synchronization module to determine the approximate start of the symbol. In one embodiment this is accomplished through correlation. The symbol is then passed through an FFT (2K or 8K, depending on the mode desired by the receiver). Since the Coarse Symbol Timing Synchronization module only determines an approximate start point of the symbol, a process of fine synchronization is used to adjust this approximate start point and determine a more accurate start point of the symbol. In this manner, the receiver is enabled to process COFDM symbols in DVB-T transmissions (where the symbols include a cyclic prefix to overcome echoes). One output of an FFT operation is magnitude. Magnitude is used for Channel Estimation (or Channel Correction). Another output of an FFT operation is phase discontinuity or rotations. Phase discontinuities are used in a fine synchronization process to determine the number of phase discontinuities. Phase discontinuity data of the symbol is passed through an N-Point FFT.
US07869545B2
A channel estimation method and apparatus based on two adjacent windows. The channel estimation method includes scanning a signal containing noise and channel impulse response (CIR) information with a first window and a second window, detecting a CIR distribution area based on the ratio between the average power of the signal within the first window and the average power of the signal within the second window and at least one threshold value, eliminating the noise from the CIR distribution area and estimating the CIR information. Accordingly, noise interference can be minimized and accurate channel estimation can be accomplished.
US07869544B2
An eyewidth of a data signal is determined by steps including: (a) recovering a phase of a clock from a data signal as a sampling clock; (b) shifting the phase of the sampling clock away from the first phase by a count multiplied by predetermined phase amount; (c) sampling the data signal with the shifted sampling clock phase to obtain sample data; d) determining whether the sample data contains error; (e) when the sample data does not contain error, recovering the phase of the clock from the data signal again for use as the first phase of the sampling clock, increasing the count value and repeating steps (b) through (e); and f) when the sample data contains error, determining the eyewidth based on the last shifted phase of the sampling clock prior to determining that the sample data contains error.
US07869542B2
A system including a phase comparator to compare a first signal and a second signal to generate a phase error signal, and a controller to generate an adjusted phase error signal from the phase error signal in response to an amplitude of at least one of the first signal and the second signal.
US07869537B2
A system and method for generating transmit weighting values for signal weighting that may be used in various transmitter and receiver structures is disclosed herein. The weighting values are determined as a function of frequency based upon a state of a communication channel and the transmission mode of the signal. In variations, weighting of the weighted signal that is transmitted through each of a plurality of antennas is carried out with one of a corresponding plurality of transmit antenna spatial weights. In these variations, a search may be conducted over various combinations of transmit weighting values and transmit antenna spatial weights in order to find a weight combination that optimizes a performance measure such as the output signal-to -noise ratio, the output bit error rate or the output packet error rate.
US07869523B2
A method of filtering to remove coding artifacts introduced at block edges in a block-based video coder, the method having the steps of: checking the content activity on every line of samples belonging to a boundary to be filtered and where content activity is based on a set of adaptively selected thresholds determined using Variable-Shift Table Indexing (VSTI); determining whether the filtering process will modify the sample values on that particular line based on said content activity; and selecting a filtering mode between at least two filtering modes to apply on a block boundary basis, implying that there would be no switching between the two primary modes on a line by line basis along a given block boundary. The two filtering modes include a default mode based on a non-recursive filter, and a strong filtering mode which features two strong filtering sub-modes and a new selection criterion that is one-sided with respect to the block boundary to determine which of the two strong filtering sub-modes to use. The two strong filtering sub-modes include a new 3-tap filter sub-mode and a 5-tap filter sub-mode that permits a more efficient implementation of the filter.
US07869519B2
A video encoding method includes selecting one combination, for each block of an input video signal, from a plurality of combinations. Each combination includes a predictive parameter and at least one reference picture number determined in advance for the reference picture. A prediction picture signal is generated in accordance with the reference picture number and predictive parameter of the selected combination. A predictive error signal is generated representing an error between the input video signal and the prediction picture signal. Encoding the predictive error signal, information of the motion vector, and index information indicating the selected combination is included.
US07869512B2
A video encoding method includes selecting one combination, for each block of an input video signal, from a plurality of combinations. Each combination includes a predictive parameter and at least one reference picture number determined in advance for the reference picture. A prediction picture signal is generated in accordance with the reference picture number and predictive parameter of the selected combination. A predictive error signal is generated representing an error between the input video signal and the prediction picture signal. Encoding the predictive error signal, information of the motion vector, and index information indicating the selected combination is included.
US07869509B2
A video encoding method includes selecting one combination, for each block of an input video signal, from a plurality of combinations. Each combination includes a predictive parameter and at least one reference picture number determined in advance for the reference picture. A prediction picture signal is generated in accordance with the reference picture number and predictive parameter of the selected combination. A predictive error signal is generated representing an error between the input video signal and the prediction picture signal. Encoding the predictive error signal, information of the motion vector, and index information indicating the selected combination is included.
US07869492B2
The invention proposes a simple method suitable for automatically locking frequency during USB data communication. Based on the soft plug/unplug concept proposed in the contents and the error handling mechanism defined in the USB specification, we can calibrate the clock frequency of the digitally controlled oscillator (DCO), through the token packets, to be within the acceptable frequency when USB device is attached to the host controller.
US07869477B2
Continuous wave laser diodes are able to be operated so as to achieve a high power pulsed output by operationally exercising them using a subnanosecond input pulse having an IV (power) amplitude characteristic at or exceeding a particular derived power (IV) threshold. Injection current on the order of 1 Amp and an operational voltage in the range of 4 Volts causes a CW laser to define a pulsed output in the 200 mV to 500 mV range. CW lasers having these output characteristics are coupled to mathematically defined branched pathways in order to construct an optical timing device relying on optical pulses traversing optical pathways at the speed of light. Pathway length is precisely controlled in order to define timing intervals relying solely on an optical path length and a known traversal speed.
US07869476B2
The controller 170 controls the output power of the semiconductor laser device 100a depending on the temperature of the semiconductor laser device 100a acquired by the temperature sensor 130. The controller 170 references the correspondence table 510 when the sensor temperature Ts is obtained, obtains the output power PWs corresponding to the sensor temperature Ts, and controls the power supply driving circuit 150a so that the output power per unit time of the semiconductor laser device 100a will be the output power PWs. Thus increase in temperature of the semiconductor laser device is able to be prevented through reducing the output power by controlling the amount of power supplied to the semiconductor laser device. As a result, it is possible to prevent reductions in the service life of the semiconductor laser device, even when there is a failure in a cooling device that cools the semiconductor laser device, and even when the device is used in a high temperature environment not envisioned at the time of manufacturing.
US07869468B1
A system and method are provided for transporting a serial stream via a lower speed network using multiple parallel paths. At a transmitter, an optical or electromagnetic waveform is accepted representing a serial stream of digital information, and unbundled into n virtual information streams. Each virtual information stream is divided into a sequence of segments. Each segment is encapsulated, creating a sequence of packets by adding a start indicator to the beginning of each segment, and a terminate indicator to the end of each segment. Each packet is disinterleaved across m lanes and reinterleaved into n branches of framed data. Optical or electromagnetic waveforms representing the framed data are transmitted via n network branches. A receiver is also provided, which essentially reverses the above-described transmission method.
US07869466B2
The invention relates to the technical field of data transmission via a transmission link according to the TDM method, corresponding to time division multiplex. Such a method is used in an audio mixing console in order to transport the sample words of a plurality of audio channels jointly to an audio DSP processor and, after processing, to transmit them back from said processor to an output processor. Since the data output process is performed in an automated manner with the aid of a DMA unit, severe interfering noise can occur in cases of error, said noise also being output via the loudspeakers. The invention is based on the aim of avoiding such interfering effects. An error detection method based on the marking of data frames is used for this. For this purpose, a number of marking bits of the time slot of the data frame are set, the bit pattern of the marking bits being alternated in a defined sequence. Upon error detection, the outputting of the data via the loudspeakers is prevented, such that no interfering noise arises.
US07869451B2
The invention relates to a method in particular enabling the computer terminal (T_L) of a local network (RES_L), connected to a gateway (PASS_D) of a remote network (RES_D) by an IPsec tunnel in blocking mode, to launch a print job on a printer (E_L) belonging to the local network. To do this, the gateway (PASS_D) stores the correspondence between the public address (AD_1) of the local router (ROUT_L) providing the connection of the terminal to the Internet, and the private address (ad_3) assigned to the terminal (T_L) in the addressing plan of the remote network (RES_D) during the establishment of the tunnel, and sends the print flow to the local router (ROUT_L), which directs it to the local printer (E_L) by a port translation technique.
US07869450B2
A system and method is provided for managing access communications between the service edge of a communications service provider and a customer. Access communications are carried in the form of carrier-tagged flows, the communications traffic being appended with carrier tags having significance to handling of the traffic through access network elements. A building aggregation system is provided which couples to customer premise equipment and interfaces customer flows to carrier-tagged flows used in the access network.
US07869440B2
Streaming data is processed through one or more pipes of connected modules including mixers and/or splitters. The data is carried in composite physically allocated frames having virtual subframes associated with different ones of the splitters, mixers, and other transform modules. Nesting trees and pipe control tables represent the structure of the pipes. A frame allocator is assigned to a particular module in a pipe. Rather than issuing a control transaction to all modules when any one of them completes an operation upon its source data, a control manager requests a module to begin its operation only when all of its input subframes have become available. Frame control tables record when any module has completed an operation, and a pipe control table lists which modules provide data to which other modules.
US07869437B2
Control over the movement of packets is exercised by edge nodes of a network mapping the addresses of incoming packets in accordance with a prespecified functional mapping P. Remote sources of packets are provided address information that is mapped with a prespecified functional mapping Q, where mappings P and Q are such that P(Q(j)=j. The mapping change at regular intervals, or upon the occurrence of specified events, and with each change, the communicating the remote source is provided with a different mapped address to be used.
US07869434B2
An apparatus, method and system are provided for routing a broadcast data frame in a mesh network with multiple mesh portals. In the mesh network, every mesh point selects and registers its default mesh portal. A mesh portal enters its address in a destination address field of a broadcast data frame received from outside of the mesh network and broadcasts the data frame to inside of the mesh network. The mesh point processes a received broadcast data frame relating to its registered mesh portal, thereby preventing the broadcast data frame from being redundantly transmitted in the mesh network.
US07869431B2
DisplayPort micropackets of uncompressed visual information are adapted to conventional network infrastructure with a switch having DisplayPort ports, network ports and a packet converter. The packet converter encapsulates DisplayPort packets for communication through network ports and extracts DisplayPort packets from network packets for communication through DisplayPort ports. An address resolution table associates the switch ports with each other and with a packet converter operation by using a control field that defines the packet converter operation for information received at each port, such as encapsulation, extraction or native switching.
US07869430B2
For transmitting transmission data generated by a transmission data generator of a communication terminal device, a packet unit determining unit determines a packet unit for a lowest data communication rate for the transmission of the transmission data, among packet units (packet sizes) that can be recognized by a destination communication terminal device and that can be transmitted from the communication terminal device. A packet generator packetizes the transmission data according to the packet unit determined by the packet unit determining unit, and transmits the packetized transmission data to the destination communication terminal device.
US07869414B2
The area of the invention belongs to the transport technologies in UTRAN. This invention concerns a method for multiplexing a data stream onto a transport bearer between an originating network node and a receiving network node in a telecommunications network. This is done in order to ensure the effective usage of transport resources over the two interfaces, i.e. Iub/Iur. To accomplish this the RNC and/or Node B/RNC should check if the there already exists a transport bearer, which can be utilized for HS-DSCH transport over Iub/Iur interface. Because of this a transport bearer identification code or transport bearer id is needed to identify this bearer between RNC and Node B/RNC.
US07869403B2
A method for assigning physical resource blocks (PRBs) is described. A first PRB is assigned to a first device from a plurality of devices. The first device maximizes a proportional fair algorithm on the first PRB. A second PRB is assigned to a second device from the plurality of devices. The second device maximizes a proportional fair algorithm on the second PRB. A determination is made whether a higher throughput would occur if the first PRB is assigned to the second device and the second PRB is assigned to the first device. The assignment of the first PRB is exchanged with the assignment of the second PRB if a higher throughput would occur.
US07869401B2
The present invention discloses a method, a system and apparatus of realizing indicating resource of MBS. The method comprises: a Down Link-MAP (DL-MAP) message sent by a Base Station (BS) carries resource information associated Multicast and Broadcast Service (MBS); receiving the DL-MAP message sent by BS, Mobile station (MS) judges whether the service information associated with MBS comprised in this message is identical to that reserved by the MS itself, if yes, the MS determines the physical channel resource occupied by MBS according to the resource information which is associated with MBS and carried in this message. The present invention also discloses another method of realizing indicating resource of MBS. The present invention solves the problem that the prior art cannot directly perform resource indication upon multicast service. Through the scheme of the present invention, position of the physical channel resource occupied by the MBS-MAP message corresponding to multicast service can be determined, and various specific positioning measures are provided thereof.
US07869388B2
A method and apparatus for a Gigabit Ethernet transceiver that has a Class-B amplifier in a main transmitter for higher efficiency and power handling capabilities. The output current of the main transmitter is produced by a reference voltage applied across a resistor, where the reference voltage generator, resistor and amplifier are fabricated on the same substrate, such that the output current is constant across process voltage and temperature. The transceiver also has a replica transmitter whose signal is used to cancel the main transmitter signal at the input of the receiver section of the transceiver. The replica transmitter is fabricated on the same substrate as the main transmitter, such that its output signal reflects non-linearities in the main transmitter across process voltage and temperature.
US07869386B2
A method for conveying media source location information includes receiving a first communication from a first endpoint and receiving location information indicating a first location of the first endpoint. The method also includes presenting the first communication to a user of a second endpoint in a manner to reflect the first location relative to a second location of the second endpoint.
US07869384B2
A network address assignment method and a routing method for a long thin ZigBee network are provided. The routing method includes the following steps. A network address is assigned to each node of the ZigBee network, wherein each network address includes a cluster ID and a node ID. The cluster ID is used for identifying a plurality of clusters of the ZigBee network. The Node ID is used for identifying a plurality of nodes of each cluster. When a packet is transmitted, check whether the current node holding the packet and the destination node are in the same cluster. If they are in the same cluster, the packet is routed within the cluster according to the node ID of the destination node and a predetermined algorithm. If they are not in the same cluster, the packet is routed among the clusters according to the cluster ID of the destination node.
US07869380B2
A method of channel assessment and channel searching in a wireless network is disclosed. The wireless network separately performs a channel assessment procedure and a channel searching procedure for channel change or another object. The channel assessment procedure is to measure a status or quality of a channel which is currently used in the wireless network. A coordinator of the wireless network designates a time interval for the channel assessment to notify other device of it. The channel assessment procedure may be performed periodically, and is preferably scheduled to allow other devices not to use the channel for the time interval which at least one device performs channel assessment.
US07869369B2
Systems and methods are disclosed according to the implementations of the present disclosure for determining whether a cable modem has been placed in an unauthorized location. One system, among others, comprises a first cable modem and a second cable modem. The first cable modem is configured to transfer data between a first subscriber device and a headend facility and is intended to be used in a first residence. The second cable modem is configured to transfer data between a second subscriber device and the headend facility and is also intended to be used in the first residence. The first cable modem sends first information, corresponding to at least one parameter of the first cable modem, to the second cable modem. The second cable modem compares the first information with second information corresponding to at least one parameter associated with the second cable modem.
US07869362B2
A method and system of routing variable-length packet data across a wave division multiplex (WDM) communications network having a plurality of data communications channels comprises inverse-multiplexing each data packet into a respective frame. Each frame includes a label block containing label information of the frame, and two or more respective payload blocks having a predetermined length. The label block contains encoded routing information, a start time, and, possibly an end time, and is transmitted over a label channel of the communications network. The start time preferably indicates a delay between launching a first bit of the label clock and the first bit of the payload blocks. The end time may be a bit count indicative of the location of the last bit of the data packet within the frame. The data packet is divided into a plurality of data segments, each of which is transported across the network within a respective payload block. Each payload block is transmitted over a respective separate data channel of the communications network. Routing control of the frame may be handled using the multi-protocol label switch (MPLS) protocol.
US07869361B2
Apparatus are provided for managing hierarchically organized subscriber profiles. According to one embodiment, a router includes a subscriber manager, a database and a virtual interface. The subscriber manager is operable to receive a connection request from a subscriber of a service provider. The database has stored therein hierarchically organized profile identifiers, including multiple lower-level profile identifiers, which explicitly define subscriber services, and multiple first-level profile identifiers, which define service contexts representing combinations of services available to subscribers when connected to the service provider by (i) explicitly defining the subscriber services or (ii) referring to one or more of the plurality of lower-level profile identifiers. The virtual interface defines a subscriber connection between the router and the subscriber and is created and configured responsive to the connection request based on a first-level profile identifier that is associated with the subscriber.
US07869359B2
A method and a system for optimizing the routing of data to be communicated in a network. In one embodiment, the system achieves an improved control for routing of data traffic in a network by minimizing link costs between nodes of the network.
US07869353B2
A system, method and computer program for ensuring a safe and efficient transmission of a datagram between two isolated points, the datagram being transmitted by a chain of couriers. Limited range communication means are used to pass the datagram from a courier to another, said limited range communication means being based on either a wired or wireless communication equipment. To take the best advantage of the plurality of routes available between two points, a plurality of instances of a same datagram are created. A given credit for the creation of instances is assigned to each datagram, once created. A datagram instance split operation is performed each time two couriers are within range. When a datagram instance is divided into several datagram instances, each datagram instance receives a portion of the credit of the original datagram instance and the total number of credits remains unchanged.
US07869351B2
In one embodiment, software code in a respective computer system such as one or more data communication devices establishes multiple layer 2 network links between a first data communication device and a second data communication device. The first data communication device and the second data communication device include corresponding layer 3 interfaces enabling layer 3 network communications over each of the multiple layer 2 network links. The first and second data communication devices route traffic over one (e.g., a primary layer 2 link) of the multiple layer 2 network links using the layer 3 network communications. The private links are media independent. Upon detection of a failure associated with the primary layer 2 link, the data communication devices can automatically switch to sending traffic over a backup link of the multiple layer 2 network links without disrupting publicly advertised routing topology information.
US07869349B2
A method and system for detecting and correcting invalid network paths in a network having a plurality of routers and a set of global invariant rules imbedded in the network including querying a subset of a routing table data structure defining network paths wherein said subset includes a plurality of routing table entries and comparing a network routing table entry with an earlier network routing table entry for the same node. The method and system also includes detecting inconsistencies between the newer network routing table entry and the earlier network routing table entry, and invalidating the network entries of the older network routing table that are inconsistent with the newer entries. The method and system also includes reconstructing the routing structure by replacing the invalidated network routing table entries with new routing table entries that minimize violation of the invariant protocols.
US07869346B2
Wireless switch licenses are assigned on a cluster basis rather than being limited to individual switches. A switch cluster is made up of two or more wireless switches that each having an assigned number of licenses. Each of the wireless switches is configured to establish the switch cluster with the other wireless switches, and to verify the identity of each other wireless switch in the switch cluster during operation. License restrictions are enforced based upon a total number of licenses for the switch cluster so that the sum of the numbers of licenses assigned to the wireless switches in the cluster are available for use even if one or more of the other wireless switches in the cluster become unavailable.
US07869344B1
A method and system for providing protection of multiple communication sessions using the bandwidth resources on the order of those required to protect a single communication session. This is facilitated through the use of network coding on a protection cycle. Transmissions from all connections are coded together using network coding and transmitted in two different directions on a cycle, so that the signal can be recovered by the receiver in two ways: on the working path, and on the protection (cycle) path.
US07869342B2
In a transmission device 101, a modulation portion 102 carries out modulation of encoded data based on an adaptive modulation command based on feedback information sent from the receiving side, a frequency symbol diffusion block 105 multiplies the plurality of signals outputted by a serial-parallel conversion portion 104 by an orthogonal diffusion code and combines them, a pseudo random-number multiplication portion 106 multiplies each of them by a pseudo random number, an inverse Fourier transform portion 107 conducts inverse Fourier transform, a parallel-serial conversion portion 108 conducts parallel-serial conversion, a guard interval addition portion 109 adds a guard interval and a transmission portion 110 transmits a signal so that only one feedback information and modulation level information is required for each frequency symbol diffusion block 105 and transmission rate can be improved.
US07869334B2
Embodiments of a process comprising forming one or more micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) probe on a conductive metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) wafer, wherein each MEMS probe comprises a cantilever beam with a fixed end and a free end and wherein the CMOS wafer has circuitry thereon; forming an unsharpened tip at or near the free end of each cantilever beam; depositing a silicide-forming material over the tip; annealing the wafer to sharpen the tip; and exposing the sharpened tip. Embodiments of an apparatus comprising a conductive metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) wafer including circuitry therein; one or more micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) probes integrally formed on the CMOS wafer, wherein each MEMS probe comprises a cantilever beam with a fixed end and a free end and a sharpened tip at or near the free end, the sharpened tip formed by a process comprising forming an unsharpened tip at or near the free end of each cantilever beam, depositing a silicide-forming material over the unsharpened tip, annealing the wafer to sharpen the unsharpened tip, and exposing the sharpened tip.
US07869333B2
The object of this invention is to provide an optical disc apparatus and an optical disc reproducing method that can realize an excellent reproducing operation by suppressing noise in the optical disc apparatus using an optical attenuator. In order to solve this object, a control voltage of the optical attenuator is changed according to reproduction power when reproducing the optical disc and an ambient temperature of the optical attenuator. In addition, the amplitude of a high frequency current for driving a laser diode is changed according to an attenuation factor of the optical attenuator.
US07869328B2
To provide an optical disk and an optical disk reproducing device capable of preventing sub information from being illegally copied and altered. An optical disk includes an optical disk substrate preliminarily provided with concave/convex recording marks in order to record the main information; and a reflection film which covers the optical disk substrate and of which the reflection coefficient is changed by irradiating laser light at or above a certain intensity. The reflection film is preliminarily provided with additional marks for recording the sub information by changing the reflection coefficient of the reflection film on a region where the concave/convex recording marks are formed and the sub information is recorded for every predetermined recording unit for recording the main information. The laser light at or above the certain intensity is irradiated onto the region where the sub information is recorded to reproduce the main information and delete the sub information.
US07869315B2
A write-once disc, an apparatus for recording information thereon, and a method of reducing access time thereto the write-once disc including at least one record layer. The write-once disc also includes at least one update area in which updated predetermined information is recorded; and an access information area in which location information regarding the updated predetermined information, is recorded for a predetermined period. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce an access time for reading information updated in the write-once disc on which predetermined information is updated and recorded on a new position.
US07869314B2
A defect detection unit (5), a disc position detection unit (9), and a disc rotation speed detection unit (1) are in a disc control device which includes a repetition control device to control storing to and reading from a memory unit (3) functioning as a learning memory and for varying the number of memory divisions of the memory unit (3) on the basis of detection by the detection units. Components having periodicity apparently due to partial surface runout or partial eccentricity are stored in memory unit (3) by increasing the resolution and microscopic noise components, and noise components having no periodicity are not stored in memory unit (3). This system carries out stable focus tracking control even when disturbances such as device vibration or scratches on a disc are mixed.
US07869313B2
An optical pickup including a moving unit including a lens holder on which an objective lens is positioned, a set of suspension wires to movably support the lens holder on a base of the optical pickup actuator, each suspension wire having one end fixed to a side of the lens holder, and the other end fixed to connection portions positioned at opposite sides of a tilt spring, the tilt spring including a middle portion, between the connection portions, to be connected to a holder positioned on the base, and bridge portions to connect the middle portion to each of the connection portions, the bridge portions flexibly deforming when the moving unit is driven, and a magnetic circuit installed at the lens holder and the base to drive the moving unit.
US07869311B2
An optical disc apparatus includes a first electric power source portion to convert a first power source voltage into a predetermined voltage, to be supplied to a part of the optical disc apparatus. A second electric power source, to convert a second power source voltage into another predetermined voltage, is supplied to other parts of the optical disc apparatus. An electric power source observation portion observes voltages of the first electric power source portion and the second electric power source portion so as to release resetting of a system constituting the optical disc apparatus, when the voltages of the first electric power source portion and the second electric power source portion reach respective predetermined voltages.
US07869310B2
Administrating content of a digital video disc (DVD) having, on-disc, a database involves storing, externally to the DVD, information of the database. Based on the stored information, a check is made as to whether the DVD is operable to accommodate a proposed change to the content. The change on the DVD is made and the on-disc database is correspondingly updated, if the check determines that the DVD is so operable, e.g., if remaining resources of the DVD suffice to make the change. Preferably, the making of the change and the updating on-disc are interactively subject to the user's acceptance by means of a user interface.
US07869304B2
A method and apparatus for pre-inversion noise attenuation of seismic data. The method can generally comprise: (a) acquiring seismic data including receiver data corresponding to vibratory signals simultaneously generated by the multiple sources and detected by at least one of the receivers at a location remote from the sources and source data corresponding to the vibratory signals detected at a location in proximity to the sources; (b) attenuating noise present within at least a portion of the receiver data to generate corrected receiver data; and (c) inverting the corrected receiver data with the source data to separate the vibratory signals.
US07869293B2
A scannable IO circuit featuring reduced latch count for pipelined memory architectures and test methodology. For a pipelined memory system performing at speed tests, the timing sequence for processing a test command includes a precharge-read-precharge-write sequence for each clock cycle starting with the rising clock edge. The memory circuit utilizing this test command timing sequence comprises a sense amplifier and a single latch. The sense amplifier itself is used as a latch to implement scan functionality for the memory circuit. The memory device is incorporated into an integrated test wrapper circuit that executes back-to-back commands through serial compare operations using integrated scan flip-flop circuits. The test wrapper includes a fanout block and padded address scheme for testing multiple and disparate size memory devices in parallel.
US07869290B2
A NAND-type flash memory has a memory cell array having NAND cells, each having memory cells capable of being rewritten electrically, a drain of one memory cell and a source of the other memory cell neighboring in a first direction being connected to each other, each of the NAND cells being arranged in a second direction, a plurality of bit lines, each being provided for each of the NAND cells, a plurality of sense amplifiers, each being provided for each of the bit lines, a plurality of data latch circuits, each being provided for each of the sense amplifiers, each of the data latch circuits temporarily holding data sent to and received from the corresponding sense amplifier, at least one test latch circuit which temporarily holds test data supplied from outside, and a data switching circuit which performs control for supplying at least two among the data latch circuits with data held in the test latch circuit.
US07869286B2
The semiconductor memory device includes a data input/output unit configured to input data synchronously with a data clock and to output the data to a memory cell in response to an output strobe signal; and an output strobe signal generation unit configured to output the output strobe signal, wherein the output strobe signal is synchronized with a system clock in response to a write command regardless of whether the semiconductor memory device is in a write training mode.
US07869285B2
Devices and systems for generating a bias current with a low minimum voltage, for example, are disclosed. One such device includes a first transistor having a source coupled to a voltage supply, a drain coupled to a first node, and a gate coupled to a second node, a second transistor having a source coupled to a reference, and a drain and a gate coupled to the first node, a third transistor having a source coupled to the reference, a drain coupled to a third node, and a gate coupled to the first node, a first resistive element coupled between the voltage supply and the third node, a second resistive element coupled between the voltage supply and the second node, and a fourth transistor having a source coupled to the reference, a drain coupled to the second node, and a gate coupled to the third node.
US07869281B2
Providing distinction between overlapping state distributions of one or more multi cell memory devices is described herein. By way of example, a system can include a calculation component that can perform a mathematical operation on an identified, non-overlapped bit distribution and an overlapped bit distribution associated with the memory cell. Such mathematical operation can produce a resulting distribution that can facilitate identification by an analysis component of at least one overlapped bit distribution associated with cells of the one or more multi cell memory devices. Consequently, read errors associated with overlapped bits of a memory cell device can be mitigated.
US07869276B2
A memory includes many memory regions. The memory regions have multiple multi-level cells. Each memory region includes a first bit line, a second bit line, a data buffer and a protecting unit. The first bit line is coupled to a first column of the multi-level cells. The second bit line is coupled to a second column of the multi-level cells. The data buffer is coupled to the first bit line and the second bit line and for storing data to be programmed into the multi-level cells. The protecting unit is coupled to the first bit line, the second bit line and the data buffer and is for preventing a programming error from occurring.
US07869275B2
An integrated circuit includes a plurality of tiles. One tile is a master tile. Other tiles contain writable registers of memory structures. Information for configuring circuitry of the tile is stored in the register in the tile. An individual one of the registers can be written via the master tile. Each memory structure of a register includes a non-volatile floating gate cell (that stores the configuration information) as well as a volatile cell. All transistors have the same gate insulator thickness. Although a programming pulse signal is applied to all memory structures, the state of the non-volatile cell of a memory structure is only changed if the state stored by the associated non-volatile cell differs from the state stored by the volatile cell. Floating gates are automatically refreshed by the programming pulse signal. By storing configuration information in each tile, inefficiencies associated with using blocks of non-volatile memory are avoided.
US07869270B2
Memory devices and methods for operating such devices are described herein. A method is described herein for operating a memory cell comprising phase change material and programmable to a plurality of resistance states including a high resistance state and a lower resistance state. The method comprises applying a first bias arrangement to the memory cell to establish the lower resistance state, the first bias arrangement comprising a first voltage pulse. The method further comprises determining whether the memory cell is in the lower resistance state, and if the memory cell is not in the lower resistance state then applying a second bias arrangement to the memory cell. The second bias arrangement comprises a second voltage pulse having a pulse height greater than that of the first voltage pulse.
US07869261B2
A semiconductor memory maintains securely the stored contents in the memory cells, and it is written with data reliably even in a case where a relatively low supply voltage is applied. A memory cell M00 comprises a pair of inverters cross-coupled with each other, a first switching unit provided between bit line BL and the output terminal of one of the inverters, and a second switching unit provided between bit line XBL and the output terminal of the other inverter. The first switching unit and the second switching unit are controlled to be conductive such that the conductance of the switches be larger for the writing operation than for the reading operation.
US07869252B2
A ferroelectric memory device includes: a memory cell having a ferroelectric capacitor connected between a plate line and a bit line; a first node connected to the bit line through a charge transfer MISFET; a potential generation circuit that has a first capacitor having a first terminal connected to the first node and a first switching MISFET connected to a second terminal of the first capacitor, and is capable of setting the first node to a negative potential; and a sense amplifier connected to the second terminal of the first capacitor. When reading a charge stored in the ferroelectric capacitor, the potential generation circuit sets the first node at a negative potential and then sets the first switching MISFET to an off state, thereby setting the second terminal of the first capacitor to a floating state, and the sense amplifier amplifies a potential on the second terminal of the first capacitor in the floating state.
US07869251B2
Disclosed is a method and device for providing fast-response One-Time-Programmable (OTP) memory based on SRAM memory technology and the inherent breakdown characteristics of a MOS transistor. Each memory cell of an SRAM memory cell circuit is connected to a programming circuit. The programming circuit is comprised of two groups of MOS transistors connected to the storage nodes (SN and SNB, where SNB is the complementary value of SN) of the two cross-coupled inverters of the SRAM memory circuit. A desired data set is loaded into the circuit and then is burned-in by applying and repeatedly cycling a “burn-in” voltage across the source and drain of the MOS transistors of the programming circuit that approaches the ON STATE trigger voltage of the characteristic bipolar junction transistor contained within the MOS transistors. Upon repeated cycling of the source-to-drain voltage, the targeted MOS transistor within the programming circuit breaks down and shorts across the gate, drain, and/or source of the transistor. When the system is returned to normal operation, the programming circuits will be connected to ground, Vdd or Vss and one of the two nodes of the SRAM cell circuit will be shorted through the programming circuit to ground, Vdd or Vss, thus, forcing a retention of the programmed data state.
US07869244B2
Methods and apparatus for controlling an input/output (I/O) driver of an I/O terminal based at least in part on the values being provided to the I/O terminal is disclosed. In various embodiments, a detector is employed. The detector shuts off power to the I/O driver if the digital value being presented is the same as a previously presented digital value.
US07869241B2
A memory core capable of decreasing the area of core conjunction region is disclosed. The memory core includes a first sub word-line driving circuit and a first sub word-line control signal generating circuit. The first sub word-line driving circuit is disposed in a first region, and generates a first word-line driving signal to provide the first word-line driving signal to an array unit. The first sub word-line control signal generating circuit is disposed in the first region, and generates the first sub word-line control signal based on a sub word-line driving signal. Therefore, the memory core has a small size and, consequently so can the semiconductor device.
US07869240B2
A semiconductor device, a semiconductor memory tester, and a multi-chip package are provided. The semiconductor device includes a plurality of nonvolatile semiconductor memories; a boosting circuit which generates a boosted voltage for operating the plurality of nonvolatile semiconductor memories; and a boosting circuit controller which controls the operation of the boosting circuit to generate the boosted voltage on the basis of an operation sequence of the plurality of nonvolatile semiconductor memories.
US07869226B2
A zero voltage switch half bridge converter comprises a first and second diode series diodes, parallel with a voltage source. A first terminal of an inductor is joined to the diode junction. A first semiconductor auxiliary switch connected in series between the voltage source and a third diode, which is in series with a fourth diode connected to a second semiconductor auxiliary switch. First and second semiconductor main switches are connected in series and in parallel with the voltage supply. A capacitive voltage divider connected across the voltage source, wherein a second terminal of the inductor is connected to junction of the main switches and a midpoint of the capacitive voltage divider. A control circuit is configured to provide respective control signals to at least the first semiconductor auxiliary switch and the second semiconductor auxiliary switch.
US07869223B2
A multilayered module board with mounted high-frequency electronic components such as a CPU and a graphic circuit is mounted on one face of a base board with mounted low-frequency electronic components. The multilayered module board is a squared multilayered board smaller than the base board. The electronic components are wired with an inner layer-wiring pattern. Connector terminals are solder-jointed to four sides of the multilayered module board. The multilayered module board is mounted to the base board via the connector terminal.
US07869220B2
A packaging assembly includes a printed circuit assembly coupled to a stiffening device, which may take the form of a custom-shaped stiffening member or take the form of a support member having spokes attached to a rim. The printed circuit assembly includes a printed circuit board with a number of electrical components extending from a surface of the board. The stiffening member or the support member includes openings that receive the electrical components while providing additional stiffness to the board.
US07869219B2
A pen-type computer peripheral device includes an elongated housing containing a PCBA having a plug connector. The PCBA is secured to a positioning member that is actuated by way of a press-push button that is exposed through a slot defined in a wall of the housing. A spring-loaded mechanism includes a spring and a locking mechanism that locks the connector in a retracted position and a deployed position, and the spring biases the connector from the retracted position to the deployed position, or vice versa.
US07869216B2
An avionics chassis for protecting against damage, dust, dirt and incidental moisture over an extended temperature range, EMI shielding to prevent radiation of internal circuit energy and preventing the entrance of external EMI. The chassis provides lower weight, lower levels of radiated emissions and improved resistance to incident external radiation. Electric and magnetic shielding is also provided.
US07869212B2
A heat dissipation device includes a heat sink, a fan mounted on a top side of the heat sink, and a wire clip pivotally engaging with the heat sink and pressing the fan toward the heat sink. The heat sink includes a base, and a plurality of fins extending from the base. The fan includes a bracket. The clip includes a pivoting portion pivotally engaging with a fin of the heat sink, an engaging portion connecting with an end of the pivoting portion and an operating portion extending from another end of the pivoting portion. The operating portion is pressed downwardly to engage with the heat sink and to cause the engaging portion to rotate towards the fan and press the bracket of the fan toward the heat sink thereby securing the fan to the heat sink.
US07869206B2
A minimum Z height handheld electronic device and methods of assembly is described. The electronic device includes a single seamless housing having a front opening and a cover disposed within the front opening and attached to the seamless housing without a bezel.
US07869202B2
A detachable base, for supporting an object as a flat-panel display comprises a base-plate, a supporting pillar, and a connecting assembly. The base-plate has a positioning block disposed on an upper surface thereof. The positioning block has a fillister. The supporting pillar has an upper end and a lower end, the lower end of the supporting pillar is received in the fillister of the positioning block. The connecting assembly is connected with the object and has an accommodating space for receiving the supporting pillar and the positioning block when the connecting assembly is connected with the base-plate.
US07869200B2
An electronic device adapted to stow a keyboard therein in a way screen is exposed even after the keyboard has been stowed in the electronic device. A keyboard module is pivoted for turning on a supporting member supported on a lower section of a pair of frames each of which is made up of two-coupled frames. The keyboard is allowed to turn through a space defined with the pair of frames and also a lower edge of the display module that has been shifted upwards. Thus, the keyboard is allowed to rotate between a using state in which the keyboard is kept with keys lying upward and a stowed state in which the keyboard, after turned in a way a front edge thereof is raised, is kept standing upright and concealed behind the display module which is moved downward.
US07869197B2
A display apparatus includes a front casing which includes a front casing body which is formed with a display opening; and a display panel module combined with the front casing, and including a panel body, a frame which is formed on a peripheral area of the panel body and supports the panel body, and a panel supporting member which is formed on the frame and supported to the front casing.
US07869185B2
Example embodiments provide a method of de-chucking a wafer by alternating between using a direct voltage and an alternating voltage, and an apparatus for fabricating a semiconductor device using the same. The method of de-chucking a wafer comprises interrupting a chucking voltage applied to an electrostatic chuck, applying a first de-chucking voltage to the electrostatic chuck, and applying a second de-chucking voltage to the electrostatic chuck.
US07869179B2
An access control system dissipates voltage transients while allowing access control equipment to operate normally. The access control system utilizes an isolation patch panel which is provided with circuitry to prevent voltage transients from damaging access control equipment, while also enabling the access control equipment to be wired with standard Ethernet cabling.
US07869178B2
An electrical overload protection system may be based on a solid state control system. A solid state switch may open responsively to commands for a solid-state controller. The controller may perform calculations to determine accumulated energy in a protected conductor. The calculations may be based, in part, on samplings of current in the protected conductor and ambient temperature to which the conductor may be exposed.
US07869168B2
An electrical appliance includes a power cord having a GFCI device and an associated remote test/reset unit. The power cord includes a first end portion provided with a plug adapted to be inserted into an electrical outlet. The first end portion extends to a second end portion that is electrically coupled to a plurality of electrical components in the appliance. The test/reset unit is spaced from the GFCI device along the power cord. Preferably, the test/rest unit is connected to the power cord through an extension lead. With this arrangement the test/reset unit is actually remote from the GFCI device, allowing easy access to service personnel.
US07869162B2
An apparatus includes a magnetic layer, a heat sink layer, and a thermal resistor layer between the magnetic layer and the heat sink layer. The apparatus may be configured as a thin film structure arranged for data storage. The apparatus may also include an interlayer positioned between the magnetic layer and the thermal resistor layer.
US07869159B2
A sickle-shaped disk drive spoiler for reducing turbulence of airflow in a hard disk drive is provided. The sickle-shaped spoiler includes a body portion for directing airflow generated by a rotating disk, the rotating disk comprising an inner diameter and an outer diameter and wherein the body portion of the spoiler directs airflow away from the outer diameter of the disk and wherein the body portion is curved to substantially mirror the outer diameter of the disk. The sickle-shaped spoiler also includes a first end portion for gradually directing airflow away from the body portion and towards the inner diameter and a second end portion for gradually directing airflow towards the body portion and towards the inner diameter.
US07869154B2
A magnetic tape driving apparatus includes a magnetic head (2), a temperature/humidity sensor (4), a Peltier element (11), and a controller (15). The temperature/humidity sensor (4) that detects the temperature and humidity of the magnetic head (2) or in the vicinity thereof. The Peltier element (11) that cools the magnetic head (2) and in the vicinity thereof based on detection results of the temperature/humidity sensor (4). The controller (15) that controls the Peltier element (11)based on the temperature and humidity information obtained by the temperature/humidity sensor (4). The controller ( 15) controls the Peltier element (11) so as to decrease the temperature of the magnetic head (2) and in the vicinity thereof when the humidity of the magnetic head (2) or in the vicinity thereof that the temperature/humidity sensor (4) detects is less than a predetermined value. By adopting this sort of configuration, it is possible to suppress an increase in error rate even in a low humidity environment.
US07869152B2
Techniques are provided for identifying the servo sectors in a track on a data storage device. A data storage device identifies the servo sectors in a track by reading distributed index bits from multiple servo sectors in a track. The data storage device analyzes only one index bit from each servo sector to identify the index of a track. In some embodiments, the index of a track can be identified after examining the index bits stored in a particular number of consecutive servo sectors, even in the presence of errors. The index bits in each track can have an error tolerance with a minimum Hamming distance greater than one. In other embodiments, a data storage device compares a sliding window of the index bits read from the servo sectors to all possible N-bit vectors that exist within a pattern of the index bits stored on a track.
US07869148B2
An imaging apparatus includes of a lens holder arranged concentrically with an imaging element; a lens barrel having an imaging lens removably inserted from the leading end section side of the lens holder; a cover removably fitted at the leading end section of the lens holder; and a cam mechanism section arranged on the barrel, the lens holder and the cover so that the barrel turns around the optical axis to the imaging element and that the barrel moves in the optical axis direction. The cam mechanism section includes a first cam surface formed on the inner circumference surface of the lens holder; a cam protruding section formed on the outer circumference surface of the lens barrel; and a second cam surface formed on the inner surface of the cover. The cam mechanism section smoothly turns the barrel around the optical axis and moves the barrel in the optical axis direction.
US07869128B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a head mounted display capable of an accurate display of a surrounding situation always without affecting the display section even if a frame is deflected, and giving a comfortable mounting feeling as well as easy mounting. For this purpose, the head mounted display comprises: a support member including a pair of lateral frames contacting both of a user's head and a front frame in front of a user's face to contact a user's nose; an image display device for displaying an image; an eyepiece optical system provided in front of an eye of the user to lead the image displayed on the image display device to the user's eye; and a connection section which connects the eyepiece optical system with the front frame at a position corresponding to a center position in a lateral direction of the user's face.
US07869126B2
A screen includes a screen sheet including a lens array having a plurality of element lenses arranged in a two-dimensional plane on the front side of the screen, a plurality of reflection surfaces disposed on the backside of the lens array, the plurality of reflection surfaces inclined to the two-dimensional plane, and a plurality of scattering portions that scatter the light directed from the plurality of reflection surfaces toward the front side of the screen. At least one of the plurality of element lenses is a combined lens comprised of a set of two lens portions offset from each other obtained by relatively shifting optical axes of the lens portions, and the reflection surfaces correspond to the respective combined lenses.
US07869114B2
Electrochromic device having at least one carrier substrate (S1) provided with a functional multilayer defining a deposition zone and comprising, in succession: a first electroconductive layer (1), (the one closest to the substrate); a first electrochemically active layer (2); an electrolyte layer (3); a second electrochemically active layer (4); and a second electroconductive layer (5), characterized in that the functional multilayer is deactivated, with the exception of the first electrochemically active layer (2), in at least a first, partial margination zone (A) located along at least one edge of said deposition zone.
US07869111B2
A technique capable of achieving reduction in space of allocating an optical system and improvement of an optical characteristic of a scan light in an optical scanner that scans a light flux from a light source on each of a photosensitive surface of a plurality of photoconductors in a main-scanning direction is provided.An optical scanner comprising: a polygon mirror 80; a pre-deflection optical system 7; and a post-deflection optical system A, wherein the post-deflection optical system A includes a common optical element having a smooth surface acting on all the light fluxes reflected and deflected by each of the plurality of reflecting surfaces in the polygon mirror 80, the common optical element that applies power to the light flux reflected and deflected by the polygon mirror 80 and introduced to each of the plurality of photoconductors, so as to make the light flux introduced to the photosensitive surface by the post-deflection optical system A to have a predetermined optical characteristic on the photosensitive surface depending on an incident position of the light flux.
US07869105B2
A transmission including: a sun gear forwardly and reversely rotatable by a driving force; a rotary member being forwardly and reversely rotatable, and having a projecting portion; a clutch causing the rotary member to be forwardly rotated and reversely rotated, and not causing the rotary member to be reversely rotated when a predetermined torque is applied; a planetary gear rotatably supported by the rotary member, meshed with and revolved around the sun gear, and rotated by a rotation of the sun gear; a transmission gear meshed with the planetary gear and rotated when the planetary gear is positioned at a predetermined revolution position; a stopper inhibiting the rotary member from being reversely rotated at a rotation position; a switch including a switch lever which the projecting portion contacts when the rotary member is rotated, and detecting a rotational position of the rotary member, the switch permitting the swinging of the switch lever caused by the projecting portion when the rotary member is forwardly rotated and restricting the swinging of the switch lever caused by the projecting portion when the rotary member is reversely rotated; and a saving mechanism saving the switch lever from being forcedly swung when the rotary member is reversely rotated.
US07869102B2
Provided is an image reader including: a transparent original mounting plate on which an original is mounted; a support which has an appearance larger than that of the original mounting plate and supports the original mounting plate; a reading unit which optically reads the original placed on the original mounting plate; a movement unit which moves the reading unit in a predetermined direction within a readable area; and a reference location specifying plate having a positioning hole and a reference mark hole, wherein the support has a positioning protrusion within the readable area, the reference location specifying plate is positioned and fixed with respect to the support by inserting the positioning protrusion into the positioning hole, and the reading unit optically detects the location of the reference mark hole and specifies a reference location of an original reading area from the detected location of the reference mark hole.
US07869101B2
An optical scanning unit of an image forming apparatus may include: an optical housing configured to include at least one optical part and to have a light-beam emitting aperture through which a light beam can emanate from the optical housing; a shutter configured to cover the light-beam emitting aperture; and a driving unit configured to drive the shutter to and fro, thus opening and closing the light-beam emitting aperture. Such a driving unit further can operate to coordinate at least one of the opening and the closing to occur after activation and before deactivation of a writing operation conducted by the optical scanning unit, respectively.
US07869095B2
A method for halftoning an image using an error diffusion process generates an upper threshold level and a lower threshold level and selects a region number parameter. A pixel from the input image is selected and compared to the upper and lower threshold levels. A first pixel value is output when the input pixel value is below the lower threshold level. The first pixel value is output when the input pixel value is below the upper threshold level and above the lower threshold level and a value of the input pixel divided by the region number parameter, modulo 2, equals zero. A second pixel value, the first pixel value being different from the second pixel value, is output when the input pixel value is below the upper threshold level and above the lower threshold level and a value of the input pixel divided by the region number parameter, modulo 2, is greater than zero. The second pixel value is output when the input pixel value is above the upper threshold level. The error between the output pixel value and the modified input pixel value is diffused to neighboring pixels.
US07869092B2
In an image processing for printing a monochrome image, color deviation can be suppressed to print a favorable monochrome image. Specifically, the printing of a monochrome image is performed by using black ink in all of a color reproduction region (color gamut) including a gray axis and regions other than the gray axis. This avoids the use of C, M, and Y for the expression of the monochrome image to suppress the color deviation due to slight imbalance among amounts of three colors of inks.
US07869079B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for submitting an electronic document to a printing system that includes a print controller having an input port and a print queue. Methods in accordance with this invention include coupling a portable media device to the input port, the portable media device including an electronic document and automatically copying the electronic document to the print queue. Apparatus in accordance with this invention include a portable media device that includes an electronic document. The portable media device is adapted to be coupled to the input port of the print controller, and the print controller is adapted to automatically copy the electronic document to the print queue.
US07869078B2
A manual tracking apparatus including a manually moveable wand for reading and writing media is provided comprising a wand body partially enclosing at least one wheel, an axle, and a printing member. The printing member is supported by the wand body for printing on a media surface, the printing member having a maximum print area for a predetermined position of the wand body relative to a target object substantially less than the entire area of an image to be printed. A reference ruler is provided for aligning and indexing the position of the wand body relative to the target object. A wand tracking system can be provided including the at least one wheel rigidly coupled to the axle for guiding the wand in a straight line direction.
US07869072B2
In a printer device, the page analysis controller causes the page analyzer to execute the page analysis processing preferentially on the print type print job data to the storage type print job data out of the print job data waiting for the page analysis processing stored in the page analysis queue, to interrupt, when the print type print job data is received during the page analysis processing on the storage type print job data, the page analysis processing and execute the page analysis processing on the received print type print job data to output the page analyzed print job data to the expansion circuit, and to resume the interrupted page analysis processing on the storage type print job data after the page analysis processing on the received print type print job data.
US07869062B2
In a substrate supporting apparatus of a surface potential measuring apparatus, a first fluid is ejected around a target region on an upper surface of a substrate from a circular-shaped first porous member of a first fluid ejection part and a second fluid is ejected onto a lower surface of the substrate from a circular-shaped second porous member of a second fluid ejection part which is opposite to the first fluid ejection part. The substrate can be supported and flattened between the first fluid ejection part and the second fluid ejection part. Also, it is possible to keep the distance between the substrate and the first porous member, with a simple construction. As a result, a probe can be positioned above a flatted target region with leaving a predetermined spacing, to perform measurement of a surface potential of the target region on the substrate with high accuracy.
US07869051B2
The present invention includes a system and method for coherent imaging. The system of the present invention includes a light source adapted to provide coherent light to illuminate a sample resulting in optically mixed coherent signals and a detector adapted to receive the optically mixed coherent signals and produce an output signal in response thereto. The optically mixed coherent signals will be a set of sum and difference frequency combinations of the frequencies in the coherent light. A processor is connected to the detector and adapted to ratio a selected two of the optically mixed coherent signals in response to the output signal received by the detector and to generate an image in response to the ratioed optically mixed coherent signals, which can be displayed for a user.
US07869049B2
An optical sample is mounted on a spatial-acquisition apparatus that is placed in or on an enclosure. An incident beam is irradiated on a surface of the sample and the specular reflection is allowed to escape from the enclosure through an opening. The spatial-acquisition apparatus is provided with a light-occluding slider that moves in front of the sample to block portions of diffuse scattering from the sample. As the light-occluding slider moves across the front of the sample, diffuse light scattered into the area of the backside of the light-occluding slider is absorbed by back side surface of the light-occluding slider. By measuring a baseline diffuse reflectance without a light-occluding slider and subtracting measured diffuse reflectance with a light-occluding slider therefrom, diffuse reflectance for the area blocked by the light-occluding slider can be calculated.
US07869048B2
This invention provides a coaxial regressive reflection type photoelectronic sensor capable of enhancing detection accuracy. A sensor head includes a light emitting diode for emitting a detection light; a lens for converting the detection light to a parallel light and projecting the parallel light to an exterior as an external detection light; a half mirror for separating an optical path of the detection light and an optical path of a return light from the regressive reflection plate; and a photodiode for receiving the return light from the half mirror. The lens includes a convex surface formed to convert a signal light to a parallel light, and a plane tilted from a perpendicular direction with respect to the parallel light or an axis connecting a light emitting diode chip and a center portion of the convex surface. The reflected light of an external signal light at the plane passes a path different from that of the return light so as to be avoided from entering the photodiode chip.
US07869045B1
In a localized surface plasmon detection system using a metal thin film pattern, by radiating light for detection on a detecting element using an effective light source which has a peak out of an axis, the present invention strikes a balance between narrowing a peak width of a spectrum and highly efficient illumination even if it is a case of using converging or diffused light.
US07869041B2
The color measurement instrument includes an illumination system and a sensing system. The illumination system is composed of a light emitting element and a light pipe. The light pipe has an incident surface at an illuminating end of the light emitting element and an ejected surface adjacent to a sensing platform of a sensing system. The sensing system includes a light collection device and a sensing platform for disposing a testing object. The light collection device includes an aperture stop for adjusting the shape of a light spot on a color sensor, a light collection lens set for detecting and projecting an image of a testing object on the sensing platform, a field stop for separating a light from an area, an uniform lens set for spreading the image on the field stop, and a color sensor for capturing and analyzing the color to adjust the brightness.
US07869038B2
In one general aspect, a particle characterization instrument is disclosed that includes a first spatially coherent light source with a beam output aligned with an optical axis. A focusing optic is positioned along the optical axis after the coherent light source, and a sample cell is positioned along the optical axis after the focusing optic. The instrument also includes a diverging optic positioned along the optical axis after the sample cell, and a detector positioned outside of the optical axis to receive scattered light within a first range of scattering angles from the diverging optic. In another general aspect, an instrument can direct at least a portion of a first beam and at least a portion of a second beam along a same optical axis and a can receive scattered light from the sample cell resulting from interaction between the sample and either the first beam or the second beam.
US07869025B2
An optical semiconductor wafer inspection system and a method thereof are provided for classifying and inspecting defects such as scratches, voids and particles produced in a flattening process by a polishing or grinding technique used for semiconductor manufacturing. The present invention is an optical semiconductor wafer inspection system and a method thereof characterized by obliquely illuminating a scratch, void or particle produced on the surface of a polished or ground insulating film at substantially the same velocity of light, detecting scattered light at the time of oblique illumination from the surface of an inspection target at different angles and thereby classifying the scratch, void or particle.
US07869020B1
Fourier filters, inspection systems, and systems for fabricating Fourier filters are provided. One Fourier filter configured for use in an inspection system includes a substrate that is substantially transparent to light from a specimen illuminated by the inspection system. The Fourier filter also includes an array of patterned features formed on the substrate. The patterned features are formed of one or more pigments on the substrate. The patterned features are configured to block light reflected and diffracted from structures on the specimen and to allow light scattered from defects on the specimen to pass through the substrate.
US07869018B2
A method and apparatus for comparing reference planes during a vehicle wheel alignment procedure using a machine vision vehicle wheel alignment system. The machine vision vehicle wheel alignment system is configured to acquire position and orientation data associated with at least one optical target disposed in a field of view, to establish a first reference plane associated with a surface on which a vehicle undergoing an alignment procedure is disposed. Positional information associated with each wheel of the vehicle is then acquired by the machine vision vehicle wheel alignment system, and utilized to establish a second reference plane associated with each wheel of the vehicle. Differences between an orientation of the first reference plane and an orientation of the second reference plane are determined and identified to an operator or utilized to characterize components of the vehicle or vehicle support surface.
US07869013B2
A sensor chip assembly for use in a sensor capable of Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) and gravimetric sensing. The assembly comprising a transparent piezoelectric substrate (1) having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The assembly also comprising first and second thin film metal electrodes (2,3) respectively provided on the first and second surfaces of the substrate (1). The second thin film metal electrode (3) being position on the second surface of the substrate (1) such that a light beam is capable of being transmitted through the second surface of the substrate and reflected from the first thin film metal electrode. The assembly also comprising an attenuated total reflection (ATR) coupler (11) disposed adjacent to the second thin film metal electrode (3).
US07869012B2
A position detector is for detecting a position of liquid held in a vessel. The position detector includes a sound wave generator disposed in contact with the vessel and having a plurality of sound generating elements for generating a sound wave by electrical energy; and a measuring unit that measures electrical characteristics of each of the sound generating elements based on the electrical energy reflected from each of the sound generating elements. The position detector also includes a determining unit that determines the presence or absence of the liquid at a position of each of the sound generating elements based on difference in the electrical characteristics measured at the measuring unit.
US07869011B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus for analysing beads and particles, such as polymer beads used e.g. for solid phase synthesis. The apparatus comprises a) a vacuum container comprising at least one planar capture body capable of rotating around a central axis, wherein said capture body comprises a plurality of through-going inlets, and wherein the diameter of each inlet is smaller than the average diameter of the beads to be measured and/or analysed and/or sorted, b) a pressure controlling device capable of controlling the pressure in the vacuum container, c) a device for rotating the vacuum container around the axis of the capture body, and d) a device for measuring at least one property of at least one bead, the apparatus further comprising a capture body support, supporting the capture body, and a vacuum container housing.
US07869009B2
A total transmission spectroscopy system for use in determining the analyte concentration in a fluid sample comprises a sample cell receiving area, a light source, a collimating lens, a first lens, a second lens, and a detector. The sample cell receiving area is adapted to receive a sample to be analyzed. The sample cell receiving area is constructed of a substantially optically clear material. The collimating lens is adapted to receive light from the light source and adapted to illuminate the sample cell receiving area with a substantially collimated beam of light. The first lens is adapted to receive regular and scattered light transmitted through the sample at a first angle of divergence. The first lens receives light having a first angle of acceptance. The first lens outputs light having a second angle of divergence. The second angle of divergence is less than the first angle of divergence. The second lens is adapted to receive light from the first lens and adapted to output a substantially collimated beam of light. The detector is adapted to measure the light output by the second lens.
US07869008B2
A device of detecting light reflecting speed and directions includes a light source, a light-guided pulley, a reflector, photo detectors, barriers, a processor and a display unit. The light source generates incident light, the light-guided pulley is located at one side of the light source, and includes a support moving along the pulley track. The reflector is installed on the support to reflect the incident light. The photo detectors detect the incident light reflected by the reflector. The barriers are located at two sides of the light source and make the incident light to be a light beam and travel in straight line direction. The barriers are respectively installed between said photo detectors to isolate the incident light. The processor receives the light signals transmitted from photo detectors and processes the light reflecting speed and directions according to the light signals. The processed result is displayed on the display unit.
US07869000B2
A stage assembly (220) that moves a work piece (200) along a first axis, along a second axis and along a third axis includes a first stage (238), a first mover assembly (242) that moves the first stage (238) along the first axis, a second stage (240) that retains the work piece (200), a second mover assembly (244), and a non-contact bearing (257). The second mover assembly (244) moves the second stage (240) relative to the first stage (238) along the first axis, along the second axis, and along the third axis. The non-contact bearing (257) supports the mass of the second stage (240). Further, the non-contact bearing (257) allows the second stage (240) to move relative to the first stage (238) along the first axis and along the second axis. The second mover assembly (244) can move the second stage (240) with at least four degrees of movement.
US07868998B2
Liquid is supplied to a space between the projection system and the substrate by an inlet. In an embodiment, an overflow region removes liquid above a given level. The overflow region may be arranged above the inlet and thus the liquid may be constantly refreshed and the pressure in the liquid may remain substantially constant.
US07868993B2
A method for repairing a defective cell of a liquid crystal panel includes: providing a liquid crystal panel including an upper array substrate with a black matrix and a pigment layer formed thereon, a lower array substrate with a thin film transistor and attached with the upper array substrate, and a liquid crystal layer formed between the upper and lower substrates and including a plurality of cells; forming a certain gap between the black matrix and the upper array substrate by irradiating laser to a defective cell region among the plurality of cells in the liquid crystal panel; forming a comb-like structure with a certain gap between its teeth between the pigment layer and the upper array substrate by irradiating laser to the defective cell region; processing the black matrix by irradiating laser to the defective cell region to generate black matrix particles; and dispersing the black matrix particles between the pigment layer and the upper array substrate, by irradiating laser to the defective cell region, such that the black matrix particles fills the gap between the pigment layer and the comb-like structure.
US07868992B2
A liquid crystal display device includes first and second substrates, a black matrix on the second substrate, the black matrix including a plurality of open portions corresponding to pixel regions and a plurality of holes disposed adjacent to the plurality of open portions, color filter layers on the black matrix, and a plurality of patterned spacers corresponding to each of the plurality of holes between the first and the second substrates.
US07868987B2
To utilize effectively the panel space of the liquid crystal panel, this invention has provided a wiring structure, in which the seal material and BM are coated in a superposition and the UV light is irradiated from one side of the TFT substrate; this invention has also provided a wiring structure, in which the seal material can still be irradiated by the UV light with high efficiency, meanwhile, the drop of the resistance value of the metal wiring on the TFT substrate can be restricted to a specific range. The solution is: the liquid crystal dropped is sandwiched between the TFT substrate and the CF substrate, meanwhile the liquid crystal panel is formed by adhering the light cured seal material disposed at the peripheral area of two substrates. In the adhering-formed liquid crystal panel, for the wiring portion, which is the portion of wiring disposed on the TFT substrate superposing the light cured seal material, the wiring structure is formed as follows, that is, the region of the seal material is divided into three regions, an adjacent region, a middle region and an outer region. The function of the respective regions must be held, and the resistance of the metal wiring is minimized under the precondition that the respective function is satisfied sufficiently.
US07868986B2
A display panel including first to third conductive films is provided, which includes: a first signal line including a first portion that includes the first conductive film, an intermediate portion that includes at least two of the first to the third conductive films (“intermediate portion films”), and a contact portion that contacts an output terminal of a driving circuit and includes the intermediate portion films except for at least one of the intermediate portion films; a second signal line intersecting the first signal line and including the second conductive film; a switching element connected to the first and the second signal lines; and a pixel electrode connected to the switching element and including the third conductive film.
US07868969B2
Disclosed herein is an area light source apparatus for illuminating a liquid crystal display apparatus of the transmission type, which has a display area formed from a plurality of pixels arrayed in a two-dimensional matrix, from the back, including: a plurality of light emitting element assemblies each provided as a light source and each including a light emitting element and a lens through which light emitted from the light emitting element passes; and a plurality of dummy lenses disposed in the proximity of each of the light emitting element assemblies and configured same as the lenses of the light emitting element assemblies.
US07868965B2
An exemplary LCD device (2) includes a liquid crystal display panel (21) and a housing assembly (23). The LCD panel includes a first substrate (211), a second substrate (213) parallel to the first substrate, and a polarizer (215) attached on the first substrate. The housing assembly is arranged for holding the liquid crystal display. The housing assembly includes a bezel (231). The bezel includes at least one bead portion (25) adjacent to an inner free edge thereof. The at least one bead portion elastically contacts a peripheral edge area of the first substrate, and the inner free edge of the bezel covers a peripheral edge portion of the polarizer.
US07868961B2
In a liquid crystal substrate in which a matrix of reflecting electrodes is formed on a substrate, a transistor is formed corresponding to each reflective electrode and a voltage is applied to the reflective electrode through the transistor. A silicon oxide film having a thickness of 500 to 2,000 angstroms is used as the passivation film and the thickness is set to a value in response to the wavelength of the incident light to maintain a substantially constant reflectance.
US07868959B2
In a liquid crystal display panel of a type having common electrodes, one solidly formed for each pixel, over the main face of an insulating substrate and a comb-shaped pixel electrode over the common electrodes via an insulating film, the patterning of the common electrodes is accurately accomplished without using sputtered film formation or a photolithographic step. A bank 50 for common electrodes is formed simultaneously with a gate wiring/electrode 3 and common electrode wiring 10 to be formed over the main face of an insulating substrate 1 and, by applying electroconductive ink to the inside surrounded by this bank 50, the common electrodes 2 are formed without using photolithography.
US07868957B2
As a wiring becomes thicker, discontinuity of an insulating film covering the wiring has become a problem. It is difficult to form a wiring with width thin enough for a thin film transistor used for a current high definition display device. As a wiring is made thinner, signal delay due to wiring resistance has become a problem. In view of the above problems, the invention provides a structure in which a conductive film is formed in a hole of an insulating film, and the surfaces of the conductive film and the insulating film are flat. As a result, discontinuity of thin films covering a conductive film and an insulating film can be prevented. A wiring can be made thinner by controlling the width of the hole. Further, a wiring can be made thicker by controlling the depth of the hole.
US07868955B2
A liquid crystal display includes a substrate, a plurality of gate lines formed on the substrate, a plurality of data lines intersecting the gate lines, a plurality of common voltage lines formed in the same layer as the data line and parallel to the data lines and transmitting a common voltage, a plurality of thin film transistors connected to the gate lines and the data lines, and a plurality of pixel electrodes respectively connected to the thin film transistors, arranged in a matrix shape, each of the plurality of pixels including a first edge parallel to the gate lines and a second edge having a shorter length than the first edge and neighboring the first edge.
US07868952B2
A parallax barrier device includes a pair of transparent-electrode substrates each provided with a transparent electrode. A barrier light-shielding part and a light-transmitting part are formed in a gap between the pair of transparent-electrode substrates. A liquid crystal layer is formed in the barrier light-shielding part. A resin layer having the property of transmitting light is formed in the light-transmitting part. The barrier light-shielding part separates light for a first image viewed from a first direction and light for a second image viewed from a second direction different from the first direction. The light-transmitting part transmits the light for the first image and the light for the second image.
US07868947B2
In the moving image display device of the invention, a synthesis circuit inputs signals representing specified values of pixel rate factors R2 and R3 from a pixel rate factor specification circuit, while inputting overscanned frame image data D1 in the units of pixels from a 1st latch circuit. The synthesis circuit extracts a preset number of pixels corresponding to the specified value of the pixel rate factor R2 from a prior frame image, while extracting a preset number of pixels corresponding to the specified value of the pixel rate factor R3 from a latter frame image. The positions of pixels to be extracted from the latter frame image are complementary to the positions of pixels to be extracted from the prior frame image. The synthesis circuit combines the extracted pixels of the prior frame image with the extracted pixels of the latter frame image by a logical OR operation to generate intermediate frame image data D2. This technique of the invention is significantly simpler than the prior art technique but still effectively prevents flicker in a moving image to ensure smooth display of the moving image.
US07868944B2
There is provided a control unit of an optical apparatus and an image pickup apparatus, which can prevent a shift of an already controlled position of a member when an impact, etc. apply to the optical apparatus. A control unit for an optical apparatus that includes a first member that is movable, an actuator, and a drive mechanism that transmits a driving force of the actuator to the first member, includes a determination part for determining whether the optical apparatus or a second member provided to an apparatus attached to the optical apparatus is to move, and a controller for controlling, prior to a movement of the second member, the actuator from a first state at which the drive mechanism can transmit the driving force to a second state at which the drive mechanism cannot transmit the driving force, when the determination part determines that the second member is to move.
US07868937B2
An imaging device having five color filters. The five color filters include three color filters of a R (red) filter, a G (green) filter, and a B (blue) filter of a primary color system and two color filters of a Y (yellow) filter and a C (cyan) filter of a complementary system. The G filter has a checker shape G filter so that the space information of green is obtained four times larger than that of each of the other colors.
US07868932B2
An imaging method and system enables the use of available images to form a pictorial type border around a specific image that a user has selected to be printed. With the method and system of the invention, images from an order or from an electronic storage mechanism can be analyzed to determine which of the images are to be border images for a selected image. These images are then resized to form border images for the selected image.
US07868930B2
A method of automatic white balance for an image capture system is disclosed. The automatic white balance mechanism ascertains the illuminant source of an image by analyzing the number of white pixels within a predefined white area in a color space diagram. The automatic white balance mechanism also determines gain adjustments based on the evaluating the average RGB values to achieve white balance.
US07868919B2
A control system (1) includes a work piece, such as a camera (2), having an adjustable functionality (3). A configuration device is associated with the work piece and is responsive to one or more control signals (7), the configuration device affects one or more selective adjustments to the adjustable functionality (3). Further included is an input device, such as a mouse (11), for generating one or more input signals (13) in response to one or more predetermined manual inputs (15) from an operator (9). Also a controller (21) is included for providing the control signals (7), the controller (21) being implemented in a graphical user environment and being responsive to the impute signals (13) such that the selective adjustments made to the adjustable functionality (3) are substantially proportional.
US07868917B2
The present invention provides an imaging device comprising: an image pickup device which picks up an object, an image acquisition device which continuously acquires image signals indicating the object via the image pickup device, a face recognition device which continuously recognizes the face of the object at predetermined time intervals from the continuously acquired image signals, a tracking indication device which indicates to keep track of the face of the object, a prediction device which predicts the position of the face of the object after a predetermined time elapsed since the tracking indication device indicated tracking based on a plurality of pieces of information about the position of the continuously recognized face of the object and the time intervals of recognizing the face, and a notification device which notifies a user of the predicted position of the face of the object.
US07868916B2
An image processing device decides whether the image size of the input image obtained by shooting the image or the edited image is larger than an image size required for printing by the printer. When it is decided that the image size is larger than the image size required at the time of printing, the image processing device automatically resizes the input image or the edited image so that the image size thereof is changed to an image size required for printing, generates a new print image, and transmits the new print image to the printer. Therefore, it is possible to edit an input image, generate a print image from information required for printing, transmit the print image to a printer, and print a desired image in a short time.
US07868913B2
An aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus for converting images of vehicle surroundings that includes, at least one camera configured to start, upon receiving a synchronizing signal, photographing the surroundings of a vehicle and outputting image data representative of the photographs, an output memory configured to store image data to be displayed on a display installed in the vehicle, a pattern memory configured to store destination addresses of the output memory, and an image converter configured to generate the synchronizing signal, obtain the image data from the camera, and transfer part or the whole of the image data to the output memory according to the destination addresses stored in the pattern memory.
US07868910B1
A method and system for (i) detecting each performance of any function of a plurality of functions associated with an incentive program, (ii) changing a stored value in response to detecting each performance of the function(s) associated with the incentive program, and (iii) transmitting to a network, an update value that corresponds to the stored value, for transmission in turn of the update value to a system coupled to the network. An incentive program may be arranged to provide incentive for users to perform the functions associated with the incentive program, so as to facilitate an entity in achieving a given objective or set of objectives. The incentive provided to the users may take the form of an award and is based on the update value(s) transmitted to the network.
US07868909B2
A multi-beam exposure apparatus of the present invention includes a two-dimensional light modulator which is configured to project plural exposure beam spots onto an exposure surface, the plural exposure beam spots being arranged in parallel with the scanning direction while two-dimensionally arrayed; and a pixel block shifting member which divides the plural beam spots into plural blocks in the scanning direction and projects the plural exposure beam spots onto the exposure surface by shifting a relative position between the blocks in a direction orthogonal to a scanning direction, and thereby the scan-exposing of a space between the exposure beam spots in the direction orthogonal to the scanning direction is performed with the exposure beam spot of another block. According to the multi-beam exposure apparatus, the number of dots which can simultaneously be exposed in the direction orthogonal to the scanning direction can be increased.
US07868907B2
A thermal head driving IC for supplying voltage to a plurality of heating resistors each controlled by a driving MOS transistor includes a switch for making and breaking electrically between a substrate and a source of the plurality of driving MOS transistors. In a case where the plurality of heating resistors are activated, the plurality of driving MOS transistors are turned on and the switch is turned off, whereby the substrate potential is floated. As a result, the substrate potential is forward-biased against the source by a substrate current generated in a high-electric-field depletion region near the drain, and a parasitic bipolar transistor turns on, whereby both the plurality of driving MOS transistors and the parasitic bipolar transistor turn on. In a case where the plurality of heating resistors are not activated, a signal for turning off the plurality of driving NMOS transistors is given, and the switch is turned on.
US07868906B2
Thermal printers and methods for operating thermal printers are provided. In one method, a sequence of thermal print head control signals is generated that is adapted to cause an array of thermal elements to cause the donor material to transfer from a donor ribbon in a manner that is modulated in accordance with image data and attenuated in accordance with an attenuation pattern. A receiver medium is urged through the printing nip while the thermal print head control signals are transmitted to the thermal print head to cause the donor material to transfer from the donor web in an image modulated pattern having a longitudinal length that is larger than a longitudinal length of the receiver medium. The attenuation pattern provides a relatively high level of attenuation at a portion of the printing wherein there is greater risk that the receiver medium will not be within the printing nip.
US07868904B2
On a captured image corresponding to acquisition time t of acquisition of the captured image, a virtual-space image based on the position and/or orientation at time that depends on the time t and a lag d is superimposed. An image on which the virtual-space image is superimposed is displayed. (S602-S606).
US07868903B2
Discrete flexible pixel elements are hermetically sealed from the environment and comprise unitary, self-contained replaceable modules which enable efficient, economical production of large scale, free-form electronic displays, signs and lighting effects for outdoor use. The method and means for producing hermetically sealed discrete flexible pixel elements include encapsulation means, exterior casement means, and cable connector means.
US07868898B2
The invention is directed, in one embodiment, to a method for generating memory addresses for accessing an image in which each pixel in a group of pixels has a luma component, but shares chroma components with other pixels of the group. A preferred method includes providing a memory, having a plurality of first portions and a plurality of second portions. First memory addresses may be generated, each of which corresponds to one of the first portions. Each first address defines a storage location for the luma components of one of the pixel groups. Second memory addresses may be generated, each of which corresponds to one of the second portions. Each second address defines a storage location for the chroma components of at least one of the pixel groups.
US07868893B2
This application describes a system that captures 3D geometry commands from a first 3D graphics process and stores them in a shared memory. A second 3D environment process creates a 3D display environment using a display and display hardware. A third process obtains the 3D commands and supplies them to the hardware to place 3D objects in the 3D environment. The result is a fused display environment where 3D objects are displayed along with other display elements. Input events in the environment are analyzed and mapped to the 3D graphics process or the environment where they affect corresponding processing.
US07868872B2
A latch-free button structure and its design method that can be applied to most electronic devices. The button includes a body, a wing plate, a positioning plate and a contact rod. The top end of the wing plate joins with the side edges of the button body and the positioning plate joins with the lower end of the wing plate. The contact rod is attached to the bottom section of the button body. If the height from the bottom of the contact rod to the contact point on the circuit board is B; the height from the bottom section of the button body to the surface of the housing is C; the height of the wing plate is A; the height of the sidewall of the button cover close to the button body is D and the height from the uppermost section of the button body to the top end of the wing plate is E, the value of A, B, C, D and E must follow the inequality relationships E−B>D, E−D>A, and D>A≧C≧B.
US07868871B2
A hand-held electronic device comprising a body housing electronic circuitry and one or more push buttons disposed on an outer surface of said body, wherein the one or more push buttons are moveable in the plane of the surface, whereby the position of the one or more push buttons on the body of the device can be changed.
US07868870B2
An operation unit is used for a user to perform a tilt operation. The operation unit includes a disc-shaped detection subject member with a detection subject plane, which intersects with a basic axis Q of the operation unit and is movable integrally with the operation unit. Three detecting units are fixed in three different disposed positions surrounding a neutral axis N to detect displacement parallel with the neutral axis, which is generated by movement of the detection subject plane. A computing unit determines three-dimensional detected positions M1, M2, M3 of the detection subject plane by using (i) the disposed positions (X, Y) of the three detecting units and (ii) displacement detection outputs Z detected by the three detecting units. A tilt direction, in which the operation unit is tilted, is determined using a displacement plane DP defined by the three-dimensional detected positions M1, M2, M3.
US07868869B2
An electrophoresis display for decreasing a drive voltage, and a driving method thereof are disclosed.In the electrophoresis display, an electrophoresis display panel has a plurality of data lines and a plurality of gate lines which are crossed each other, and a plurality of cells which are driven in accordance with a voltage applied to a pixel electrode and a common electrode. A data driving circuit converts a digital data into a data voltage to supply it to the data lines. A gate driving circuit supplies a scan pulse to the gate lines. A common voltage generation circuit supplies an AC common voltage that a polarity is inversed by one frame period for at least several frame periods, to the common electrode. And a timing controller controls of the data driving circuit, the gate driving circuit and the common voltage generation circuit, and supplies the digital data to the data driving circuit.
US07868866B2
Disclosed is a liquid crystal display (LCD) wherein driving stability is secured. The LCD includes Optically Compensated Birefringence (OCB) mode liquid crystal cells formed where a data line and a scan line cross over within a display region of an LCD panel, a panel driver for driving the data and the scan lines, and OCB mode dummy liquid crystal cells formed within a non-display region of the LCD panel to surround the liquid crystal cells. Liquid crystal in each of the dummy liquid crystal cells sustains a bend state when the liquid crystal cells in the display region are driven corresponding to a data signal applied from the data line.
US07868863B2
An exemplary liquid crystal display (200) includes a data circuit (230), a timing control and video output unit (210). The timing control and video output unit includes an image edge enhancement circuit (211) configured for sharpening at least one edge of an image shown by the liquid crystal display, and a converter (212). The image edge enhancement circuit includes a color adjusting unit (214) and a brightness comparison unit (213). The color adjusting unit configured for receiving and adjusting Cb, Cr color factors of the YCbCr image signals according to a result of comparison of brightness factors Y of the YCbCr image signals received from the brightness comparison unit. The adjusted YCbCr image signal is converted to a corresponding RGB signals by the converter circuit and the RGB signals are sent to the data driving circuit.
US07868861B2
A liquid crystal display device is disclosed which includes first, second and third data lines arranged in one direction, a data driver for alternately supplying a data signal of a first polarity and a data signal of a second polarity to each of the first, second and third data lines during an interval of two horizontal periods, first and second gate lines arranged to cross the first to third data lines, a gate driver for sequentially driving the first and second gate lines, and first red, first green, first blue, second red, second green and second blue pixels located between the first gate line and the second gate line and arranged in order along the first and second gate lines. The first red pixel cell is connected to one side of the first data line and the second gate line. The first green pixel cell is connected to the other side of the first data line and the first gate line. The first blue pixel cell is connected to one side of the second data line and the first gate line. The second red pixel cell is connected to the other side of the second data line and the second gate line. The second green pixel cell is connected to one side of the third data line and the first gate line. The second blue pixel cell is connected to the other side of the third data line and the second gate line.
US07868857B2
A method and system for compensation of non-uniformities in light emitting device displays is provided. The system includes a module for estimating degradation of an entire pixel circuit based on measurement of a part of the pixel circuit. Based on the estimation, a correction factor is produced to correct non-uniformity of the display.
US07868855B2
A driving circuit is capable of displaying various gray level values. The driving circuit generates a data voltage, includes a first decoder adapted to output first decoding signals using upper bits of a digital data signal, a switch unit adapted to select a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage corresponding to first decoding signals, the second reference voltage being lower than the first reference voltage, where two first decoding signals select identical first and second reference voltages, a second decoder adapted to output second decoding signals using lower bits of the digital data signal, and voltage distribution units are adapted to receive and distribute the selected first and second reference voltages, where one voltage distribution unit includes a data voltage generation unit adapted to receive two second decoding signals to generate a data voltage.
US07868853B2
A driving device for a plasma display panel. The driving device generates rising and falling ramp signals having a respective constant slope regardless of a change in operating temperature. An optimal discharge voltage is maintained at high and low temperatures by the rising and falling ramp signals having a respective constant slope to secure an operation margin, thereby preventing a discharge degradation such as an incorrect discharge from occurring. Accordingly, this can cause the reliability of a plasma display device including the driving device to be enhanced.
US07868850B2
Field emitter arrays with split gates and methods for operating the same. A field emitter array may include one or more pairs of split gates, each connected to a corresponding voltage source, the split gates forming at least one gate hole for at least one emitter tip. Voltages, for example, AC voltages V1 and V2 may be applied to the split gates to perform one- or two-dimensional scanning or tilting depending on a ratio of V1 and V2.
US07868849B2
In the method of driving a plasma display panel according to the present invention, the address electrodes are divided into a plurality of electrode groups, and the an application time point of data pulses applied to one or more of the address electrode groups in the address period is different from that of a scan pulse applied to the scan electrode in all the sub-fields of the frame. In addition, the width of the scan pulse applied during an address period of a predetermined number of the sub-fields is greater than the width of scan pulses applied during the address period of the remaining sub-fields.
US07868848B2
A method for displaying images on multiple monitors with different refresh rates is disclosed. To prevent screen tearing, the surface containing image data is not released when the access by the master monitor is completed until the slave monitor or monitors finish access. To synchronize images with a predefined playback speed, the surface containing a new image received from the application is not flipped onto the screens until receiving a predefined synchronization indicator.
US07868846B2
A frequency reconfiguration array antenna includes a first metal plate, and a first antenna element formed on the first metal plate and reconfiguring a frequency. An array antenna includes a second metal plate and a second antenna element formed on the second metal plate and reconfiguring a frequency. Further, the array antenna includes a connection plate being bent to connect the first metal plate and the second metal plate, and being bent to change the distance between the first metal plate and the second metal plate according to the frequency of the first and second antenna elements.
US07868839B2
A planar scanning antenna is configured for scanning and tracking. In one embodiment, the planar scanning antenna may include a transducer module configured to provide an electromagnetic beam. According to another aspect of the invention, the apparatus may include a first planar dielectric element having an axis of rotation and configured to direct an electromagnetic beam. In one embodiment, a second planar dielectric element oriented adjacent to the first planar dielectric element and having the axis of rotation may be configured to direct electromagnetic energy. The apparatus may further include a mounting structure arranging the transducer module and the first and second planar dielectric elements. In yet another embodiment, the apparatus may include a drive means for positioning the first planar dielectric element independently from the second planar dielectric element.
US07868835B2
An improved beam shaping means for an external and/or roof antenna has a parasitic beam shaping means configured at a distance below the upper or outer surface of the electrically non-conductive region of the vehicle structure. The parasitic beam shaping means is configured, provided or attached in the material of the electrically non-conductive region of the vehicle structure or at the underside or inside of the electrically non-conductive region of the vehicle structure. The parasitic beam shaping means is arranged and/or configured in such a way that it, viewed from above, protrudes laterally beyond, at least in certain portions. The antenna mounting region or portion and/or an optionally provided counterweight surface and/or is arranged laterally thereto.
US07868834B2
The present invention relates to a miniature antenna for a motor vehicle. The antenna may, for example, be a printed board miniature radio antenna for AM/FM signal reception. The antenna may, for example, be placed in an internal mirror of a motor vehicle or on an exterior surface of the motor vehicle, such as the vehicle's roof. The antenna is shaped as a curve of conductive material in which the geometry of at least a part of said curve comprises a space-filling curve or a grid dimension curve.
US07868832B2
A method for manufacturing antennas including providing a substrate having at least one surface lying in three dimensions and applying a conductive coating to the at least one surface lying in three dimensions, thereby defining an antenna on the at least one surface and an antenna including a conductive coating applied to a three-dimensional surface of a substrate.
US07868831B2
A complex antenna includes a first antenna and a second antenna having a grounding element and an installing element sharing with the first antenna. The first antenna working in a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) comprises a first connecting element, a first radiating element and a second radiating element extending from the first connecting element in opposite direction. The second antenna working in a WWAN (Wireless Wide Area Network) comprises a second connecting element and at least three radiating elements extending from the second connecting element in different directions.
US07868829B1
A reflectarray is disclosed. The reflectarray includes a first array of conductive patches supported by a substrate, wherein each conductive patch in the first array has a first center line along a Y-direction and a second centerline along an X-direction, a plurality of first variable capacitors, wherein each first variable capacitor is electrically coupled to one of the conductive patches in the first array along the first centerline, and a plurality of second variable capacitors, wherein each second variable capacitor is electrically coupled to one of the conductive patches in the first array along the second centerline.
US07868815B2
A wireless distance measurement system and a wireless distance measurement method that measure the distance between a base station and a terminal without clock synchronization between a plurality of base stations, and without requiring input of the position relationships between a plurality of base stations. Clock phase shift section (210) shifts a clock that is used to generate transmission pulses is phase-shifted by a specific amount every 100 nanoseconds, and A/D conversion section (211) converts a signal re-radiated from terminal (103) to a digital signal using the shifted clock. Correlation calculation section (212) performs correlation calculation between the digital signal and the transmission pulse and creates a delay profile by adding digital signals in the shifted phases between same phases, and incoming wave detection section (213) detects peaks of the pulses in the delay profile. Distance calculation section (214) calculates the distance to terminal (103) based on the timings to transmit the pulses and the timings to detect peaks of the pulses.
US07868813B2
A method (400), a system and a computer program product are disclosed for graphically displaying air traffic control information in an air traffic control system. Information about objects in an air traffic control environment is compiled and calculated (410). Tokens (e.g., text, icons, images, or other symbols) corresponding to the objects in the air traffic control environment are displayed (420). At least two objects are selectively designated (430) in combination as a source object and a target object connected by a bearing and range line token (210, 220, 230, 240). Air traffic control information (212, 222, 232, 242) about the combination of objects associated with the bearing and range line token dependent upon the combination of objects designated in the combination is displayed (440). The displayed air traffic control information is required decision making information to enable an air traffic controller to manage air traffic. Display of the air traffic management information is dynamically updated (450) upon any change of the designated objects.
US07868809B2
A resistor-based digital to analog converter (DAC) having mux fastpaths, which selectively connect a subset (or an entirety) of voltage divider nodes in a DAC to either a higher level of multiplexor hierarchy, or a DAC output node, effectively bypassing one or more levels of multiplexor devices. In addition, the fastpaths may selectively connect lower levels of multiplexor hierarchy to higher levels of multiplexor hierarchy and/or a DAC output node.
US07868803B2
A semiconductor device comprises an overflow detection circuit (5) which compares an output of at least one integrator in a ΔΣ modulator (13) with a predetermined value to output an overflow detection signal; an overflow frequency calculation circuit (6) which calculates an overflow frequency value that is the frequency of the output from the integrator being outside a normal range, based on the overflow detection signal, and outputs the overflow frequency value; an oscillation judgment circuit (7) which judges whether the ΔΣ modulator (13) is in the oscillation state or not based on the overflow frequency value; and an oscillation halt circuit which suppresses oscillation of the ΔΣ modulator (13) when the oscillation judgment circuit (7) judges that the ΔΣ modulator is in the oscillation state; wherein it is determined whether the output of the integrator is temporarily outside the normal range due to noise or the like or the output of the integrator is outside the normal range due to oscillation, by obtaining the frequency with which the output of the integrator is outside the normal range, and the oscillation of the ΔΣ modulator (13) is suppressed only when it is oscillated.
US07868800B2
A mixed-signal control apparatus of a modulation system is provided. The mixed-signal control apparatus includes a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) unit, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) unit, and a processing unit. When a quantization step of the ADC unit is qADC, a quantization step of the DAC unit is qDAC, and a transfer function of the modulation system is G0, qADC≦G0qDAC. A controlled variable is finely converted by using the ADC unit having a very high resolution. In such a way, it can be ensured that data in an analog domain can be transmitted to a discrete domain with the least distortion, thus achieving a robust and simple control.
US07868796B2
A data converter for converting analog signals to digital signals, or for converting digital signals to analog signals is provided. In one embodiment, a production self-test is provided. In one embodiment, a high-speed lower-resolution method or mode for a data converter is provided. In one embodiment, a differential data converter with a more stable comparator common mode voltage is provided. In one embodiment, the input range of a digitally calibrated data converter is provided and maintained so that there is no loss in input range due to the calibration. In one embodiment, digital post-processing of an uncalibrated result using a previously stored calibration value is provided.
US07868791B2
Emulation methods are provided for two PACK instructions, one for Unicode data and the other for ASCII coded data in which processing is carried out in a block-by-block fashion as opposed to a byte-by-byte fashion as a way to provide superior performance in the face of the usual challenges facing the execution of emulated data processing machine instructions as opposed to native instructions.
US07868790B2
A single ended pseudo differential signaling method may add a 1-bit signal to n-bit data if transmitting the n-bit data. Neighboring two signals among the 1-bit signal and data signals are compared to each other to generate detection signals.
US07868787B2
A character-input method is provided. The character-input method includes providing a plurality of objects having a predetermined arrangement, mapping characters included in a character group represented by a representative character mapped to an object identified as a first signal among objects to which representative characters are mapped, to one or more objects among the plurality of objects when the first signal is received from a user input device, and inputting characters mapped to an object identified as the second signal among objects to which the characters are mapped.
US07868784B2
A system configured for parking management in a parking facility, the system comprising a plurality of parking spaces, and a plurality of sensor units corresponding to the plurality of parking spaces, each of the plurality of sensor units being configured to detect a parking status of a corresponding one of the plurality of parking spaces and transmit a first message including the parking status of the corresponding one parking space in a wireless communication network.
US07868782B2
An electronic electric meter for use in a networked automatic meter reading environment. The meter includes a meter microcontroller, a measurement microcontroller, a communication microcontroller and spread spectrum processor, and a plurality of other communication interface modules for communicating commodity utilization and power quality data to a utility. The meter measures electricity usage and monitors power quality parameters for transmission to the utility over a spread spectrum local area network (LAN) to a remotely located gateway node. The gateway node transmits this data to the utility over a commercially available fixed wide area network (WAN). The meter also provides direct communication to the utility over a commercially available network interface that plugs into the meter's backplane or bus system, bypassing the local area network communication link and gateway node.
US07868777B2
The invention provides a system and battery including a state-of-charge indicator (SOCI) to monitor and display the amount of charge within the battery. The SOCI is capable of operating in a hibernate mode, an active mode, and/or a sleep mode. The battery may be manufactured, shipped and/or stored with the SOCI operating in a power-saving hibernate mode. The SOCI may exit the hibernate mode and begin operating in active mode if a physical key connected to the battery is removed. In addition, the SOCI may operate in a sleep mode while the battery is not being used to conserve power. Furthermore, the invention provides a method of making a battery including a SOCI to monitor and display the state of charge of the battery.
US07868773B2
An over temperature detector circuit for use in a switching converter including one or more power switches in accordance with an embodiment of the present application includes a silent sense generator connected to at least one power switch and operable to detect a noise level of the switch and to provide a generator output signal indicative of absence of switching noise and a comparator operable to compare a temperature sensor signal from a temperature sensor with a reference voltage to provide an alarm signal indicating an over temperature condition when the temperature sensor signal exceeds the reference voltage, wherein the alarm signal does not indicate an over temperature condition when the generator output signal does not indicate absence of switching noise.
US07868771B2
The present invention provides a doze-off warning apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: a sensor measuring a driver's eye-open time (to) and an eye-closure time (tc); a doze-off driving determination part determining degree of danger based on the measured eye-open time (to) and the eye-closure time (tc) and comparing the determined degree of danger with a predetermined threshold (Kt); and an alarm part providing a warning signal with the driver when the degree of danger exceeds the predetermined threshold (Kt).
US07868767B2
The present invention provides IC tags which can not easily be broken nor give any hazard to human health, which enables minimization of aborted tags, shortening of time required for deletion of recorded data, minimization of sanitary and environmental problems, and reuse of tags to substantially reduce the cost for a management system. A metal antenna and an IC chip are coupled to and integrated with each other to form an IC chip-mounted body. Then, the IC chip-mounted body is covered with ceramic cladding members to form an IC tag. The metal antenna is formed by winding a metal wire into a coil form. A ceramic filler is used for coupling the ceramic cladding members to each other and also tightly securing the IC chip-mounted body to the ceramic cladding members.
US07868765B2
A display label, having a display section on a surface thereof and an adhesive surface on a back surface thereof, and an IC tag, provided with an antenna coil and an IC chip so as to transmit information through non-contact communication, are prepared. After writing information on the IC chip, reading test is applied, so as to separate non-defective ID tags and defective ID tags. After printing addition display on the surface of the display label, a non-defective ID tag is adhered on an adhesive surface thereof, so as to form an RFID label. Then the RFID label is affixed to an object-to-affix such as a container. An affixing method of an RFID label and its affixing method are provided, wherein an ID tag is less likely to be damaged, since the ID tag is not adhered on a display label while printing additional display.
US07868754B2
A tracking device and system for tracking medical supplies, in particular, medical trays and their components is disclosed. The tracking device utilizes GPRS/GSM technology to enable an individual to locate and monitor the movement of a medical tray at any given time and for any desired period of time. The tracking system utilizes geo-fences established within buildings to assist in determining the specific location of the medical trays within these buildings. The tracking devices can also be activated by motion sensors to alert the tracking system of a possible theft of the tray. The tracking system incorporates software which enables an individual to determine the location of medical trays, determine the contents of the trays and schedule the use of the medical trays by specific doctors and at specific locations. The tracking system also retains information regarding the doctors, the medical device manufacture representatives, the hospitals and sales of the medical devices.
US07868746B2
The invention relates to an electric circuit arrangement for generating or receiving an output signal or switched condition definitive for the effective locking condition of a door system, especially a motor vehicle door system. The object of the invention is to provide a circuit arrangement with which an output signal definitive for the locking condition of a door system can be furnished, the generation of which signal takes the intentions of a user or the instantaneous situation into account in improved manner. This object is inventively achieved according to a first aspect of the present invention by an electrical circuit arrangement for generating an output signal or switched condition definitive for the sequence for determination of the locking condition of a door system, whereinthis circuit arrangement comprises door-mounted system components that as such include door-mounted means for sensing electrical interactions in conjunction with an action, especially movement of a user in the zone around the door system, especially in the zone of approach to a door handle, and the circuit arrangement is designed such that it analyzes such changes of those interactions with regard to certain time-dependent signal-change patterns, and the circumstance of whether certain time-dependent signal patterns exist in the further electronic signal processing is taken into consideration for determining the locking condition.
US07868738B2
The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates simulating one or more devices respective to disparate vendors, wherein the devices can be associated with an RFID infrastructure. A physical device can wirelessly receive data from a tag. A device simulator can employ a virtual replication of the physical device to simulate the physical device within an RFID network allowing the device to be virtually represented as if physically within the RFID network.
US07868733B2
The system comprises a terminal (10, 12), an independent portable device (20) including a data processing means, and a wireless coupling means (RF COMMUNICATION) for exchanging individual-identification data between said terminal and said portable device. A body-medium communication means (OSC COMMUNICATION) including a transmitter in the terminal and a receiver in the portable device is provided to transmit from the terminal to the portable device a connection code (CONNECTION CODE) at the onset of a transaction upon physical contact established by the individual between the terminal and the portable device. A control means in the portable device checks said connection code received and conditionally issues to the terminal through said wireless coupling means (RF COMMUNICATION) a signal for enabling further execution of said transaction in response to said connection code complying with predetermined criteria.
US07868732B2
The disclosure relates to an overvoltage protection means containing ZnO microvaristor particles for protecting electrical elements and a method to produce the means. Single microvaristor particles are placed in an arrangement having a monolayer thickness and are electrically coupled to the electrical element to protect it against overvoltages. Embodiments, among other things, relate to: 1-dimensional or 2-dimensional arrangements of microvaristor particles; placement of single microvaristors on a carrier; the carrier being planar or string-like, being structured, being a sticky tape, having fixation means for fixing the microvaristors, or having electrical coupling means. The monolayered overvoltage protection means allows very tight integration and high flexibility in shaping and adapting it to the electric or electronic element. Furthermore, reduced capacitance and hence reaction times of overvoltage protection are achieved.
US07868730B2
The invention relates to a filtering device which includes a common-mode inductor (LF) comprising a winding (L1, L2) on each line of an AC power supply and a magnetic core made up of a first torus (T1) and a second torus (T2). The first torus (T1) has a first magnetic permeability (μ1) and the second torus (T2) has a second magnetic permeability (μ2, μ′2), the first permeability being equal to or greater than three times the second permeability, in order to prevent the common-mode inductor from saturating in the resonant frequency range of the filtering device. Application to the EMC filter of a speed variator.
US07868726B2
A rectangular coil unit is manufactured in such a manner that two wires are simultaneously regularly wound on four outer surfaces of a bobbin having a rectangular section so that the wires advance obliquely together for a lane change corresponding to 0.5 wire on one (a lower surface side) of a pair of parallel surfaces of the four outer surfaces of the bobbin and for a lane change corresponding to 1.5 wires on the other one (an upper surface side) of the parallel surfaces.
US07868718B2
A balanced filter suitable for a reduction of the filter size. The balanced filter comprises strip-line resonators (SL1a, SL1b) constituting resonance electrodes coupled to an unbalanced terminal, strip-line resonators (SL3a, SL3b) coupled directly to balanced side terminals and strip-line resonators (SL2a, SL2b) coupled to the balanced side terminals through impedance elements (Z).
US07868714B1
A compact integrated waveguide load has a load section disposed within an interior region of the waveguide proximate to a closed end of the waveguide. The load section has a tubiform shape, with an exterior surface congruent with an interior surface of the waveguide and an interior surface defining a circumferential step within the waveguide. A method of making a compact integrated waveguide load includes providing a waveguide and placing electromagnetic wave absorbing materially circumferentially around the interior surface to create an inward step.
US07868712B2
A circuit arrangement for frequency modulation is provided, which includes a voltage-controlled oscillator having at least one varactor diode that is driven by a drive signal, wherein a capacitance of the varactor diode depends on the drive signal, includes a modulating unit that creates a modulation signal for frequency modulation of the voltage-controlled oscillator, and includes a drive unit that generates the drive signal for the at least one varactor diode from the modulation signal, wherein the drive unit generates the drive signal from the modulation signal in such a manner that a linear relationship results between the modulation signal and the capacitance of the varactor diode.
US07868706B2
An oscillator device includes a plurality of stages. Each stage is a monostable stage having a delay path, whereby a signal transition of a designated type (rising or falling) at the input of the delay path results in a signal transition at the output of the stage of the same transition type. Each stage of the oscillator device also includes a reset module that causes the output signal to be reset to a nominal state a predetermined period of time after the signal transition of the output signal. Each stage thus provides an output signal pulse in response to the signal transition of the designated type at the input. The output of the final stage of the oscillator device is connected to the input, so that the oscillator output provides an oscillating signal having a period based upon the delay path of each the oscillator device stages.
US07868703B2
A multi-stage RF power amplifier including passive circuitry for frequency spectrum control. In one example, a multi-stage RF power amplifier includes a first RF power transistor, a second RF power transistor, and a passive combination bandpass filter and impedance matching network coupled between the first RF power transistor and the second RF power transistor.
US07868702B2
The subject invention provides a photoreceiver/amplifier circuit comprising a differential circuit including a differential transistor pair and a bias circuit; an active load; a feedback resistor for converting a photocurrent generated from a photodiode into a voltage; a reference resistor; and a compensation circuit. The resistance of the feedback resistor is greater than the resistance of the reference resistor. The compensation circuit supplies a compensation current from a junction between the feedback resistor and a non-inverting input terminal of the differential amplifier circuit, so as to cancel the difference between a voltage between terminals of the feedback resistor and a voltage between terminals of the reference resistor. This reduces noise and improves offset voltage characteristics. The present invention provides a photoreceiver/amplifier circuit ensuring noise reduction and desirable offset voltage characteristics.
US07868670B2
A phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit includes a reference clock divider with a reference clock input, a phase-frequency detector, a charge pump, a loop filter, a voltage controlled oscillator and a feedback divider. A method of operating the PLL circuit comprises the steps of detecting a failure of a reference clock applied to the reference clock input, disabling the charge pump upon detection of a reference clock failure, monitoring the reference clock to detect restoration of a regular reference clock, upon detection of a regular reference clock, detecting occurrence of the next pulse from the feedback divider, and enabling the charge pump upon detection of the next pulse from the feedback divider.
US07868664B2
A trigger circuit generates a trigger signal when a differential input signal crosses a differential threshold voltage level. A first side of the differential input signal is applied to a first terminal of a first load termination resistor. A second side of the differential signal is applied to a first terminal of a second load termination resistor. A first side of the differential threshold voltage level is applied to a second terminal of the first load termination resistor. A second side of the differential threshold voltage level is applied to a second terminal of the second load termination resistor. A comparator generates the trigger signal when a voltage level at the first terminal of the first resistor exceeds a voltage level at the first terminal of the second resistor.
US07868653B2
According to one embodiment, a clock supply apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention includes a first transmission line connected to a clock generator that generates clock signals, a second transmission line connected to a clock supply destination having input impedance different from output impedance of the clock generator, a capacitor that capacitively couples the first and second transmission lines, a pull-up resistor that is provided on the first transmission line to suppress reflection of the clock signal, and a pair of voltage divider resistors that apply potential obtained by voltage division to the second transmission line as a reference potential of the clock signal. The impedance of the pair of voltage divider resistors on the second transmission line is set to match the input impedance of the clock supply destination.
US07868651B1
Off-die termination of memory module signal lines in a computer memory subsystem. The computer memory subsystem includes a memory controller and a DIMM socket installed on a PCB. The memory controller is electrically coupled to the DIMM socket via a memory module signal line. Off-die termination includes detecting, by a termination controller installed on the PCB, no presence of a DIMM in the DIMM socket and, responsive to the detection, activating, by the termination controller, an off-die termination component on the PCB to terminate the memory module signal line.
US07868637B2
A system automatically detects singular faults in diode or'd power bus circuit comprised of a plurality of diodes. The system includes a diode test circuit that selectively applies a voltage pulse to one of the plurality of diodes and detects the presence of singular faults based on the monitored response to the voltage pulse.
US07868631B2
A solar cell testing apparatus including a stage, a movable chuck, a light source and a plurality of probes is provided. The movable chuck is disposed on the stage and capable of carrying a sample sheet to move. The sample sheet has a light incident side, a rear side opposite to the light incident side, and a plurality of electrodes disposed on the rear side. The light source is disposed above the stage and capable of providing testing light to the light incident side of the sample sheet. The probes are located on the rear side of the sample sheet and capable of contacting the electrodes of the sample sheet. The present invention not only can be used to test a substrate type solar cell, but also can be used to test a superstrate type solar cell.
US07868625B2
The slot interposer probe consists of a board with a male edge connector and a female edge connector connected to its opposed edges and circuitry electrically connecting the male edge connector to the female edge connector. The female edge connector may be a straddle-mount connector. The board may have an inner layer sandwiched between two outer layers. There may be a probe having a high-speed buffer connected to a plurality of capacitors, isolation resistors, and vias that intercepts signals carried by transmission lines on the inner layer. The vias may have a length equal to the inner layer's width. The high-speed buffer receives intercepted signals from the vias, copies and amplifies the signals, and drives them through coaxial cables to an acquisition module. The invention also includes a method of intercepting signals between a first electrical device and a second electrical device.
US07868619B2
A method and an arrangement are disclosed for monitoring connections of a switch intended for activating a safety function, the switch having at least two poles. The arrangement can supply voltages to first sides of two poles of the switch through first connections, and monitor the voltages supplied through the switch and further from second sides of the two poles of the switch to a device through second connections. The arrangement can form a voltage difference between the voltages to be supplied to the first sides of the two poles of the switch, and detect a connection failure when the difference between the voltages supplied to the device does not correspond with the formed voltage difference or when the difference between the voltages supplied to the device is substantially zero.
US07868608B2
A device may include a current source for connecting to a printed circuit board. The device may also include a first FET switch pack and a second FET switch pack for connecting to the surface mount connector of the printed circuit board. Additionally, the device may include a FET controller connected to the first FET switch pack and the second FET switch pack. The FET controller may be utilized for connecting a first FET and a second FET to the first region of the surface mount connector. The FET controller may be configured for supplying the current to the first region of the surface mount connector to produce at least one continuous heat signature characteristic of an improperly connected ground pin. A thermal monitoring module may be used to identify the improper physical connection.
US07868598B2
A switching regulator according to the invention includes a resistor (R3) and a capacitor (C3) for generating a ramp signal from the AC component in the output of a hysteresis comparator (1). The switching regulator is characterized in that the hysteresis comparator (1) compares with a reference voltage outputted from a reference voltage source (2) a voltage obtained by superimposing the ramp signal on the divided voltage of the output voltage (VO) as obtained between resistors (R1 and R2).
US07868593B2
A charging circuit of a portable device includes a switch circuit having an input connected to a storage battery of the portable device for triggering the storage battery to supply power to an electronic device, a reference voltage circuit, a regulating circuit, a filter circuit filtering voltage signals from the storage battery, a collecting circuit, a comparator circuit, a rectangular generator, an integral circuit, and a driving circuit. The reference voltage circuit and the collecting circuit respectively output a reference voltage signal and a collecting voltage signal to the comparator circuit. The rectangular wave generator outputs a rectangular wave to the integral circuit. The integral circuit outputs a triangle wave signal to the driving circuit. The driving circuit outputs a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to drive the regulating circuit to charge the electronic device.
US07868582B2
Portable devices having multiple power interfaces are described herein. According to one embodiment of the invention, a portable electronic device includes, but is not limited to, a processor, a memory coupled to the processor for storing instructions, when executed from the memory, cause the processor to perform one or more functions, a battery coupled to provide power to the processor and the memory, and a battery charging manager coupled to charge the battery using power derived from a plurality of power sources including a solar power source. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.
US07868580B2
A method for turning a three-phase alternating current motor on again, after it has been separated from a supply voltage, if a residual field voltage induced by a rotor residual field is present, and to an electrical circuit for implementing the method. The time progressions of the residual field voltage and the supply voltage are recorded, and the phase difference between the voltages is calculated in advance from the time progressions. A time point ts is determined, at which the phase difference goes below a predetermined maximum value Δφmax. A switching command for applying voltage is triggered at a time interval that corresponds to a predetermined switching time delay τs, before the time point ts is reached, so that the motor is connected to the supply voltage approximately at the time point ts. The electrical circuit has a measurement value detection device, a microcontroller and a direct current setting device.
US07868573B2
A drive circuit includes an ac network and first and second network rectifier/inverters (which can be active or passive) that are connected to the ac network in parallel. A first PWM rectifier/inverter is connected to the first network rectifier/inverter through a first dc link. A second PWM rectifier/inverter is connected to the second network rectifier/inverter through a second dc link. A first two-layer stator winding having a plurality of individual stator coils is connected to the first PWM rectifier/inverter and a second two-layer stator winding having a plurality of individual stator coils is connected to the second PWM rectifier/inverter. The stator coils of the first stator winding and the stator coils of the second stator winding are interconnected such that, in use, the vector sum of voltages across the stator coils in the first stator winding is substantially equal to the vector sum of voltages across the stator coils in the second stator winding. This has the advantageous effect of reducing the PWM frequency current harmonics flowing in the first and second stator windings.
US07868567B2
An object of the invention is to limit a current flowing in a booster converter circuit for a vehicle within a predetermined range. In the booster converter circuit for a vehicle including a battery that outputs a DC voltage; a switching unit having a switching element to be controlled to ON or OFF; an inductive element unit being connected between the battery and the switching unit and including an inductive element; a switching control unit that controls the switching element, an output voltage measuring unit that measures an output voltage of the booster converter circuit for a vehicle is provided, and the duty ratio determining device obtains a control duty ratio with respect to the switching element on the basis of a measured output voltage value so that a value of a converter current flowing through a path from the battery to the switching unit falls within a predetermined range.
US07868562B2
The present invention provides a system and method for controlling one or more light-emitting elements which are driven by forward currents to generate mixed light for use, for example, through a luminaire. The system has one or more light sensors for acquiring feedback optical sensor data and a user interface for providing reference data representative of a desired mixed light. The system also has a controller for transforming either the sensor data or the reference data into the coordinate space of the other and to determine a difference between the sensor and the reference data in that coordinate space. The controller is configured to adjust the forward currents during operating conditions so that the sensor data matches the setpoint data. The present invention also provides a system and method that can at least partially compensate certain temperature induced effects when transforming the optical sensor or the reference data.
US07868558B2
A power converter circuit converts an AC line signal to a DC signal for powering an organic light emitting diode. The circuit uses only capacitive elements to limit current to the LED. Inductive and resistive elements are not included in the circuit to limit current. The absence of inductive components eliminates electromagnetic interference generated by the circuit and avoids circuit components magnetically coupling to one another. The circuit includes complementary MOSFET switches that alternately conduct to convert the AC line voltage into a DC current for powering the LED.
US07868554B2
A light weight, bobbinless high voltage transformer and igniter module is provided that meets low-cost and high-reliability requirements for automotive HID products. A printed circuit board (112) serves as a carrier for low voltage electronic components. A high voltage bar core transformer (114) is held in a cradle (130, 130′) that accommodates potting material and has a channel (160) that receives a high voltage wire extending from the transformer for connection with a lead (104) of an HID lamp (100). Thin walls (210, 212) allow the cradle to serve as the cavity for the potting of the transformer. In addition, multi-layer dielectric material is disposed between the primary and secondary windings. Preferably, the primary winding (196) is a strap that covers a large surface area of the secondary winding (192).
US07868553B2
A lamp includes a discharge vessel. Tungsten electrodes extend into the discharge vessel. An ionizable fill is sealed within the vessel. The fill includes a buffer gas, optionally free mercury, a halide component which includes a rare earth halide selected from the group consisting of lanthanum halides, praseodymium halides, neodymium halides, samarium halides, cerium halides, and combinations thereof. A source of available oxygen is present in the discharge vessel. The rare earth halide is present in an amount such that, during lamp operation, in combination with the source of available oxygen, it maintains a difference in vapor phase solubility for tungsten species between a wall of the discharge vessel and at least a portion of at least one of the electrodes.
US07868549B2
A plasma display panel is disclosed. The plasma display panel includes a front substrate on which a scan electrode and a sustain electrode are positioned parallel to each other, a rear substrate on which an address electrode is positioned to intersect the scan and sustain electrodes, a barrier rib positioned between the front and rear substrates to partition a discharge cell, and a phosphor layer that is positioned in the discharge cell and includes a phosphor material and MgO material. At least two scan electrodes are adjacently positioned. The barrier rib includes a first barrier rib positioned parallel to the scan and sustain electrodes, and a second barrier rib intersecting the first barrier rib. A height of the first barrier rib is different from a height of the second barrier rib.
US07868538B2
An organic light emitting display device (OLED), which does not include a separate cathode, and a method of fabricating the same, are provided. The OLED includes: a substrate; a reflective layer disposed on the substrate; a charge generation layer disposed on the reflective layer; an organic layer disposed on the charge generation layer and including an emission layer; and an anode disposed on the organic layer.
US07868534B2
A mother glass including a plurality of organic electro luminescence arrays having a scan pad and a data pad, wherein the plurality of organic electro luminescence arrays are arranged in a matrix type, comprising a non-array area, arranged between the organic electro luminescence arrays arranged in the matrix type, and an edge area located at an exterior of the arrangement of the matrix; at least more than one positive shorting bar formed at the edge area to supply with a positive voltage; at least more than one negative shorting bar formed at the edge area to supply with a negative voltage; a first line formed at the non-array area to electrically connect the data pad, formed in each of organic electro luminescence arrays, to the positive shorting bar; and a second line formed at the non-array area to electrically connect the scan pad, formed in each of organic electro luminescence arrays, to the negative shorting bar.
US07868533B2
An electron emission display includes a first substrate, an electron emission unit formed at the first substrate to emit electrons, a second substrate facing the first substrate, and a light emission unit formed at the second substrate to emit visible light using electrons emitted from the electron emission unit. The light emission unit includes a phosphor layer formed on the second substrate and an anode electrode formed on the phosphor layer. The anode electrode includes a first metal layer and a second metal layer formed on the first metal layer and having a single- or multi-layered structure.
US07868527B2
A polarizer adapted to improve contrast and visibility of a display device, a method of manufacturing the polarizer, and a flat panel display device including the polarizer. In one embodiment, the polarizer includes a base and a plurality of grids disposed in a stripe pattern on the base. Here, the grids are separated from each other and formed of metal-containing graphite.
US07868526B2
The present invention relates to a light source apparatus with a structure that enables the brightness of a gas discharge tube to be stabilized and facilitates gas discharge tube maintenance work. The light source apparatus has a gas discharge tube, a lamp container housing the gas discharge tube, and a base on which the lamp container is fixed. The gas discharge tube is fixed via a heat insulating member to a portion of an outer shell of the lamp container, and the heat insulating member functions to reduce heat transfer between the lamp container and the gas discharge tube to reduce the influence of temperature change, outside the lamp container, on the gas discharge tube. The lamp container also has an attachment/detachment structure for enabling attachment and detachment of the portion of the outer shell on which the gas discharge tube is fixed via the insulating member, with respect to the remaining portion of the outer shell, and whereby the attachment/detachment structure facilitates gas discharge tube maintenance work.
US07868520B2
A driving apparatus includes a piezoelectric element which expands and contracts when a voltage is applied thereto, a driving shaft fixed to one end of the piezoelectric element in an expanding-and-contracting direction, a friction part frictionally engaged with the driving shaft, a lens holder moved along a direction of an optical axis of a lens, and a direction-changing unit which reciprocates the lens holder in the front-rear direction along the optical axis. The direction-changing unit includes a translation cam mechanism including a moving member and a moved member, and converts a linear movement along the expanding-and-contracting direction into a linear movement along the direction of the optical axis.
US07868508B2
Disclosed are single- and poly-phase transverse and/or commutated flux machines and components thereof, and methods of making and using the same. Exemplary devices, including polyphase devices, may variously be configured with an interior rotor and/or an interior stator. Other exemplary devices, including polyphase devices, may be configured in a slim, stacked, and/or nested configuration. Via use of such polyphase configurations, transverse and/or commutated flux machines can achieve improved performance, efficiency, and/or be sized or otherwise configured for various applications.
US07868505B2
In a ring body of a stator, permanent magnets are arranged in alternate inter-pole magnetic path portions located between an even number of stator poles so that magnetic fields pointing in the circumferential direction of the ring body are generated. Coils are wound around alternate inter-pole magnetic path portions where permanent magnets are not provided so that magnetic fields that oppose the magnetic fields generated by the permanent magnets are generated. When electric power is not supplied to the coils, a ring-shaped magnetic circuit is formed by the permanent magnets, and therefore, magnetic flux does not leak to a rotor. When electric power is supplied to the coils, the magnetic flux of the magnetic fields of the permanent magnets and that of the coils combine with each other and flow from the stator poles to rotor poles of the rotor, whereby strong attraction force is obtained.
US07868504B2
A resolver rotor for a variable reluctance resolver includes a plurality of axially stacked rotor pieces. The rotor pieces are jointly fitted into one body. In the fitting of the rotor pieces, deformed portions are provided between a center of the radial thickness of the resolver rotor and a side surface thereof which is opposite to a stator-side surface thereof. The number of deformed portions is the same as that of projecting poles of the resolver rotor. The deformed portions are arranged at circumferential positions of peaks of the respective projecting poles. At those positions, concave portions are provided on the side surface to receive deformations caused by fitting the rotor pieces together. Thus, the stator-side surface of the resolver rotor is less affected by fitting of the rotor pieces together, preventing a reduction in the detection accuracy of the resolver.
US07868498B2
A motor case assembly 20 a permanent magnet D.C. electric motor includes a motor case 24 having a generally cylindrical wall 25, a closed end 21, and an open end 23 opposite the closed end, defining an interior 27. Permanent magnet structure 26 is mounted to the wall 25 in the interior 27. A surface defines at least one hole 22 through the wall 25. The hole 22 is constructed and arranged to be employed in mounting the case 20 to a shroud to obtain a mass balance distribution of a motor shroud assembly.
US07868497B2
An airtight-type electric motor capable of reducing vibration is provided. Inside ribs of a pair of end brackets and are respectively fitted into core end portions of a stator core. Outside ribs of the pair of end brackets and are respectively brought into contact against end surfaces of the core end portions of a yoke of the stator core. With this arrangement, the pair of end brackets and are fixed to the stator core, and a housing and the stator core are arranged, without being coupled together.
US07868487B2
An apparatus and method for restricting operation of a power delivery system are disclosed. In at least some embodiments, the apparatus includes a first input terminal at which is received a first command signal, and a second input terminal at which is received an additional signal. The apparatus further includes an output terminal at which is provided a control signal, and a circuit that generates the control signal based at least indirectly upon the first command and additional signals. The control signal generated by the circuit is configured to cause the power delivery system to not deliver at least one type of power when the first command signal indicates a command to do so, if the additional signal indicates an acceptability status. In some embodiments, the power delivery system is an isolation system (e.g., safety isolation system) as are employed in industrial environments, and the apparatus is a permissive module.
US07868483B2
A power management system includes a power management unit (PMU) and a current sensor. The PMU is operable for controlling a first power source and a second power source. The second power source is operable for being charged by the first power source via a charging path. The current sensor has a first terminal coupled to the first power source and the second power source and has a second terminal coupled to the second power source via the charging path. The current sensor is operable for sensing a first current flowing from the first power source through the current sensor and for sensing a second current flowing from the second power source through the current sensor.
US07868478B2
An electronic control system having a boost converter circuit with an input for receiving a first DC voltage from a source of power and an output for delivering a second DC voltage to a load. The boost converter includes a main power transistor and a primary control circuit for providing a first control signal to control the main power transistor. The first control signal from the primary control circuit effects the maximum allowable current flowing in the main power transistor. The system includes a secondary control circuit having a temperature detector that provides a second control signal for overriding the first control signal of the primary control circuit. The temperature detector is mounted in thermal relation to the main power transistor, and the secondary control circuit is capable of reducing the maximum current flowing in the main power transistor based on a third signal received from the temperature detector.
US07868477B2
A device for supplying electricity to electrical equipment on a first element drivable for rotating operation with a predetermined rotation rate. A source of electricity includes a stator and a rotor that are rotatable in relation to each other. One of the rotor and stator is attached to the first element and another of the rotor and stator is attached to a second element including at least one braking member. In accordance with a predetermined drag coefficient, when interacting with a surrounding fluid medium in rotating operation a braking torque is induced, which results in a difference in rotation rate between the first element and the second element. An output to the source of electricity is based on a product of the braking torque and the rotation rate difference.
US07868471B2
An integrated circuit package-in-package system includes: forming an integrated circuit package system including: connecting a first integrated circuit die and a lead, and forming an inner encapsulation covering the first integrated circuit die and a portion of the lead; mounting a second integrated circuit die to the integrated circuit package system; connecting the second integrated circuit die and the lead; and forming a package encapsulation covering the integrated circuit package system and the second integrated circuit die with the lead exposed.
US07868465B2
A semiconductor device is disclosed. One embodiment provides a device including a carrier, an electrically insulating layer applied onto the carrier, an adhesive layer applied to the electrically insulating layer. A first semiconductor chip applied to the adhesive layer.
US07868462B2
A semiconductor package comprises a package board and a plurality of semiconductor chips sequentially stacked on the package board. Each of the semiconductor chips comprises a semiconductor substrate and an open loop-shaped chip line formed on the semiconductor substrate. The open loop-shaped chip line has first and second end portions. The first and second end portions of the open loop-shaped chip lines are electrically connected to each other by connectors, and the connectors and the open loop-shaped chip lines constitute a spiral antenna.
US07868461B2
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device comprising first and second active device regions that are located in a semiconductor substrate and are isolated from each other by an isolation region therebetween, while the semiconductor device comprises a first conductive interconnect structure that is embedded in the isolation region and connects the first active device region with the second active device region. The semiconductor device preferably contains at least one static random access memory (SRAM) cell located in the semiconductor substrate, and the first conductive interconnect structure cross-connects a pull-down transistor of the SRAM cell with a pull-up transistor thereof. The conductive interconnect preferably comprises doped polysilicon and can be formed by processing steps including photolithographic patterning, etching, and polysilicon deposition.
US07868459B2
A semiconductor package is disclosed including a first capture pad isolated from an adjacent second capture pad by an insulator; a first plurality of electrically active vias connecting the first capture pad to the second capture pad; a third capture pad isolated from the second capture pad by an insulator; and a second plurality of electrically active vias connecting the second capture pad to the third capture pad. Each via of the first plurality of active vias is non-aligned with each via of the second plurality of active vias. The structure provides reduction of strain on the vias when a shear force is applied to a ball grid array used therewith while minimizing the degradation of the electrical signals.
US07868456B2
A semiconductor device in which the resistance of a copper wiring to electromigration is increased. The copper wiring is formed so that copper grains will be comparatively large in a central portion of the copper wiring and so that copper grains will be comparatively small in an upper portion and a lower portion of the metal wiring. The copper wiring having this structure is formed by a damascene method. This structure can be formed by controlling electric current density at electroplating time. With the copper wiring having this structure, it is easier for an electric current to run through the central portion than to run through the upper portion. As a result, the diffusion of copper atoms in the upper portion is suppressed and therefore the diffusion of copper atoms from an interface between the copper wiring and a cap film is suppressed.
US07868446B2
This application relates to a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor chip, a molded body covering the semiconductor chip wherein the molded body comprises an array of recesses in a first surface of the molded body, first contact elements, and elastic elements in the recesses that connect the first contact elements with the molded body.
US07868440B2
Microdevices and methods for packaging microdevices. One embodiment of a packaged microdevice includes a substrate having a mounting area, contacts in the mounting area, and external connectors electrically coupled to corresponding contacts. The microdevice also includes a die located across from the mounting area and spaced apart from the substrate by a gap. The die has an integrated circuit and pads electrically coupled to the integrated circuit. The microdevice further includes first and second conductive elements in the gap that form interconnects between the contacts of the substrate and corresponding pads of the die. The first conductive elements are electrically connected to contacts on the substrate, and the second conductive elements are electrically coupled to corresponding pads of the die. The first conductive elements are attached to the second conductive elements at corresponding interfaces such that the interconnects connect the contacts of the substrate directly to corresponding pads on the die within the gap.
US07868439B2
A chip package coupled to a circuit board includes a substrate and at least one chip. The substrate includes a plurality of first pads, a plurality of second pads and at least one first interconnecting structure. The first pads and the chip are located on a first surface of the substrate and the second pads are located on a second surface of the substrate. The first interconnecting structure is coupled with the chip, one of the first pads and one of the second pads for flexible design of various applications. A substrate of the chip package is also disclosed.
US07868434B2
An integrated circuit package-on-package stacking system includes a leadframe interposer including: a leadframe having a lead; a molded base on a portion of the lead for only supporting the lead; and the leadframe interposer singulated from the leadframe, wherein the lead is bent to support a stack-up height.
US07868432B2
A multi-chip module suitable for use in a battery protection circuit. The multi-chip module includes an integrated circuit chip, a first power transistor, a second power transistor, a first connection structure electrically coupling the integrated circuit chip to the first power transistor, a second connection structure electrically coupling the integrated circuit chip to the second power transistor, and a leadframe structure comprising a first lead, a second lead, a third lead and a fourth lead, wherein the integrated circuit chip, the first power transistor, and the second power transistor are mounted on the leadframe structure. A molding material covers at least part of the integrated circuit chip, the first power transistor, the second power transistor, the first connection structure, and the second connection structure.
US07868431B2
A power semiconductor package is disclosed with high inductance rating while exhibiting a reduced foot print. It has a bonded stack of power IC die at bottom, a power inductor at top and a circuit substrate, made of leadframe or printed circuit board, in the middle. The power inductor has a inductor core of closed magnetic loop. The circuit substrate has a first number of bottom half-coil forming conductive elements beneath the inductor core. A second number of top half-coil forming conductive elements, made of bond wires, three dimensionally formed interconnection plates or upper leadframe leads, are located atop the inductor core with both ends of each element connected to respective bottom half-coil forming conductive elements to jointly form an inductive coil enclosing the inductor core. A top encapsulant protectively encases the inductor core, the top half-coil forming conductive elements, the bottom half-coil forming conductive elements and the circuit substrate.
US07868428B2
A PIN diode comprising an N-type substrate comprising a cathode of the PIN diode and having an intrinsic layer disposed upon the N-type substrate and having a top surface a P-type material disposed upon the top surface of the intrinsic layer comprising an anode of the PIN diode and a N-type material disposed over the sidewall of the cathode and over the sidewall and a portion of the top surface of the intrinsic material that is not occupied by the anode, wherein a horizontal gap is defined between the anode and the cathode through the intrinsic material, the gap being variable in width and/or the horizontal gap is less than the thickness of the intrinsic layer.
US07868427B2
A material layer on a substrate being processed, e.g. to form chips, includes one or more functional structures. In order to control pattern density during fabrication of the chip, dummy fill structures of different sizes and shapes are added to the chip at different distances from the functional structures of the material layer. In particular, the placement, size and shape of the dummy structures are determined as a function of a distance to, and density of, the functional structures of the material layer.
US07868404B2
A ferromagnetic thin-film based device that transitioned between alternative magnetic states thereof through having electrical currents established therethrough and has both a reference magnetization and a free layer magnetization provided therein by vortex magnetizations.
US07868402B2
A package of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) microphone is suitable for being mounted on a printed circuit board. The package has a cover and at least one MEMS microphone. The cover has an inner surface and a conductive trace disposed thereon. The MEMS microphone is mounted on the inner surface of the cover and electrically connected to the conductive trace, and has an acoustic pressure receiving surface. When the cover is mounted on the printed circuit board, the cover and the printed circuit board construct an acoustic housing which has at least one acoustic hole passing through the cover or the printed circuit board, and the conductive trace on the inner surface of the cover is electrically connected to the printed circuit board.
US07868397B2
In a vertical semiconductor device including a first base layer of a first conductivity type, second base layers of a second conductivity type, emitter layer of the first conductive type and gate electrodes which are formed at one main surface of the first base layer and including a buffer layer of the first conductivity type, a collector layer of the second conductivity type and a collector electrode which are formed at the other main surface of the first base layer, an electric field relaxing structure selectively formed outside from the second base layers and the collector layer is formed expect the region below the electric field relaxing structure.
US07868394B2
The trench MOS transistor according to the present invention includes a drain region in a form of a trench filled with a semiconductor material. The trench has a bottom surface and side surfaces and extends vertically downward from the top surface of the covering layer into the buried layer, the bottom surface of the trench lies in the buried layer, an insulating layer lines the side surfaces of the trenches, and the semiconductor material within the trench overlies the insulating layer and contacts the buried layer at the bottom surface of the trench.
US07868393B2
A multimodal integrated circuit (IC) is provided, comprising, first (74) and second (76) semiconductor (SC) devices, and first (78) and second (80) integrated passive devices (IPDs) coupled, respectively, to the first (74) and second (76) SC devices, wherein the first IPD (78) overlies the second SC device (76) and the second IPD (80) overlies the first SC device (74) chosen such that the underlying SC device (74, 76) is not active at the same time as its overlying IPD (80, 78). By placing the IPDs (78, 80) over the SC devices (76, 74) a compact IC layout is obtained. Since the overlying IPD (78, 80) and underlying SC (76, 74) are not active at the same time, undesirable cross-talk (68, 69) between the IPDs (78, 80) and the SC devices (76, 74) is avoided. This arrangement applies to any IC having multiple signal paths (RF1, RF2) where the IPDs (78, 80) of a first path (RF1, RF2) may be placed over the SC devices (76, 74) of a second path (RF2, RF1) not active at the same time. This is especially useful with high frequencies ICs.
US07868390B2
First, a semiconductor substrate having a first active region and a second active region is provided. The first active region includes a first transistor and the second active region includes a second transistor. A first etching stop layer, a stress layer, and a second etching stop layer are disposed on the first transistor, the second transistor and the isolation structure. A first etching process is performed by using a patterned photoresist disposed on the first active region as a mask to remove the second etching stop layer and a portion of the stress layer from the second active region. The patterned photoresist is removed, and a second etching process is performed by using the second etching stop layer of the first active region as a mask to remove the remaining stress layer and a portion of the first etching stop layer from the second active region.
US07868386B2
A semiconductor device with improved source/drain junctions and methods for fabricating the device are disclosed. A preferred embodiment comprises a MOS transistor with a gate structure overlying a substrate, lightly doped source/drain regions formed in the substrate aligned to the gate structure, sidewall spacers formed on the sidewalls of the gate structure and overlying the lightly doped source/drain regions, deeper source/drain diffusions formed into the substrate aligned to the sidewall spacers and additional pocket implants of source/drain dopants formed at the boundary of the deeper source/drain diffusions and the substrate. In a preferred method, the additional pocket implants are formed using an angled ion implant with the angle being between 4 and 45 degrees from vertical. Additional embodiments include recesses formed in the source/drain regions and methods for forming the recesses.
US07868385B2
A semiconductor device is disclosed that is capable of improving the drain breakdown voltage during operation. The semiconductor device includes a first drain region that is arranged to extend from the vicinity of an end portion of the gate electrode at the drain electrode side in a direction toward the drain electrode, a drain contact region that is formed within the first drain region and comes into contact with the drain electrode, and a second drain region that is formed around and underneath the drain contact region. The second drain contact region has an impurity concentration that is higher than the impurity concentration of the first drain contact region and lower than the impurity concentration of the drain contact region. An end portion of the second drain region at the gate electrode side is positioned away from the end portion of the gate electrode by a predetermined distance.
US07868379B2
An electronic device can include a transistor. In an embodiment, the transistor can include a semiconductor layer having a primary surface and a conductive structure. The conductive structure can include a horizontally-oriented doped region lying adjacent to the primary surface, an underlying doped region spaced apart from the primary surface and the horizontally-oriented doped region, and a vertically-oriented conductive region extending through a majority of the thickness of the semiconductor layer and electrically connecting the doped horizontal region and the underlying doped region. In another embodiment, the transistor can include a gate dielectric layer, wherein the field-effect transistor is designed to have a maximum gate voltage of approximately 20 V, a maximum drain voltage of approximately 30 V, and a figure of merit no greater than approximately 30 mΩ*nC.
US07868374B2
An epitaxial semiconductor layer or a stack of a silicon germanium alloy layer and an epitaxial strained silicon layer is formed on outer sidewalls of a porous silicon portion on a substrate. The porous silicon portion and any silicon germanium alloy material are removed and a semitubular epitaxial semiconductor structure in a three-walled configuration is formed. A semitubular field effect transistor comprising inner and outer gate dielectric layers, an inner gate electrode, an outer gate electrode, and source and drain regions is formed on the semitubular epitaxial semiconductor structure. The semitubular field effect transistor may operate as an SOI transistor with a tighter channel control through the inner and outer gate electrodes, or as a memory device storing electrical charges in the body region within the semitubular epitaxial semiconductor structure.
US07868368B2
A CMOS image sensor and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The CMOS image sensor enlarges an area of a real image and prevents interference between adjacent pixels by forming a plurality of microlenses on a convex surface and forming a light blocking layer in the space between each of color filters. The CMOS image sensor can include photodiodes, a first planarization layer, R, G, B color filter layers, a second planarization layer having holes filled with a light blocking layer, and a plurality of microlenses.
US07868362B2
A hypersensitive semiconductor die structure is disclosed, in which flip-chip packaging is used in conjunction with a modified SOI die in which a thick silicon support substrate has been removed to increase sensitivity of the sensing device. Rather than being located beneath layers of interconnects and dielectric, the disclosed structure places the sensing devices close to the surface, more closely exposed to the environment in which sensing is to occur. The structure also allows for the placement of sensing films on nearer to the sensing devices and/or an oxide layer overlying the sensing devices.
US07868361B2
A semiconductor device having a core device with a high-k gate dielectric and an I/O device with a silicon dioxide or other non-high-k gate dielectric, and a method of fabricating such a device. A core well and an I/O well are created in a semiconductor substrate and separated by an isolation structure. An I/O device is formed over the I/O well and has a silicon dioxide or a low-k gate dielectric. A resistor may be formed on an isolation structure adjacent to the core well. A core-well device such as a transistor is formed over the core well, and has a high-k gate dielectric. In some embodiments, a p-type I/O well and an n-type I/O well are created. In a preferred embodiment, the I/O device or devices are formed prior to forming the core device and protected with a sacrificial layer until the core device is fabricated.
US07868360B2
There are disclosed TFTs that have excellent characteristics and can be fabricated with a high yield. The TFTs are fabricated, using an active layer crystallized by making use of nickel. Gate electrodes are comprising tantalum. Phosphorus is introduced into source/drain regions. Then, a heat treatment is performed to getter nickel element in the active layer and to drive it into the source/drain regions. At the same time, the source/drain regions can be annealed out. The gate electrodes of tantalum can withstand this heat treatment.
US07868349B2
A light source apparatus and a fabrication method thereof can prevent light interference between light emitting devices adjacent to each other and increase the luminous efficiency by collecting light emitted from the side of the light emitting device toward the front of a metal stem by forming grooves at a sub-mounts, bonding the light emitting device to the inside of the groove by a flip chip bonding method and forming a reflective layer inside the groove.
US07868348B2
A light emitting device having a vertical structure, which includes a semiconductor layer having a first surface and a second surface, a first electrode arranged on the first surface of the semiconductor layer, a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer arranged on the second surface of the semiconductor layer and a second electrode arranged on the TCO layer.
US07868341B2
A method for increasing the luminous efficacy of a white light emitting diode (WLED), comprising introducing optically functional interfaces between an LED die and a phosphor, and between the phosphor and an outer medium, wherein at least one of the interfaces between the phosphor and the LED die provides a reflectance for light emitted by the phosphor away from the outer medium and a transmittance for light emitted by the LED die. Thus, a WLED may comprise a first material which surrounds an LED die, a phosphor layer, and at least one additional layer or material which is transparent for direct LED emission and reflective for the phosphor emission, placed between the phosphor layer and the first material which surrounds the LED die.
US07868336B2
According to the present invention, protrusions 4 are formed on electrodes 3 of semiconductor elements 6, and an optical member 7 is secured on the semiconductor element 6 with an adhesive 8 so as to be pressed onto the protrusions 4.
US07868335B1
A bipolar junction transistor having an emitter, a base, and a collector includes a stack of one or more layer sets adjacent the collector. Each layer set includes a first material having a first band gap, wherein the first material is highly doped, and a second material having a second band gap narrower than the first band gap, wherein the second material is at most lightly doped.
US07868329B2
A semiconductor device, comprising a substrate, a semiconductive layer and a gate electrode is provided. The semiconductive layer having a crystallization promoting material is formed over the substrate. The semiconductive layer has a channel region, a first doped region and a second doped region. The first doped region has a donor and an acceptor, and the second doped region has a dopant which is selected from one of the donor and the acceptor. The second doped region is disposed between the first doped region and the channel region. The gate electrode is insulated from the channel region.
US07868327B2
A thin film transistor (TFT) and a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly, a TFT for reducing leakage current and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The TFT includes a flexible substrate, a diffusion preventing layer formed on the flexible substrate, a buffer layer formed of at least two insulated materials on the diffusion preventing layer, a semiconductor layer formed on a region of the buffer layer to include a channel layer and a source and drain region, a gate insulating layer formed on the buffer layer including the semiconductor layer, a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating layer in a region corresponding to the channel layer, an interlayer insulating layer formed on the gate insulating layer including the gate electrode, and source and drain electrodes formed in the interlayer insulating layer to include a predetermined contact hole that exposes at least a region of the source and drain region and to be connected to the source and drain region.
US07868320B2
An object of the invention is to reduce an area occupied by a capacitor in a circuit in a semiconductor device, and to downsize a semiconductor device on which the capacitor and an organic memory are mounted. The organic memory and the capacitor, included in a peripheral circuit, in which the same material as the layer containing the organic compound used for the organic memory is used as a dielectric, are used. The peripheral circuit here means a circuit having at least a capacitor such as a resonance circuit, a power supply circuit, a boosting circuit, a DA converter, or a protective circuit. Further, a capacitor in which a semiconductor is used as a dielectric may be provided over the same substrate as well as the capacitor in which the same material as the layer containing the organic compound is used as a dielectric. In this case, it is desirable that the capacitor in which the same material as the layer containing the organic compound is used as a dielectric and the capacitor in which the semiconductor is used as a dielectric are connected to each other in parallel. (189)
US07868319B2
An organic semiconductor device in which recombination of holes and electrons and photoelectric conversion in an organic semiconductor layer are efficiently allowed to occur. The device comprises a bipolar organic semiconductor layer where electrons and holes move, a hole giving/receiving electrode which gives/receives holes to/from the organic semiconductor layer, an electron giving/receiving electrode which is spaced a predetermined distance from the hole giving/receiving electrode and gives/receives electrons to/from the organic semiconductor layer, a hole-side gate electrode which is opposed to a region of the organic semiconductor layer near the hole giving/receiving electrode with an insulating layer between the hole-side gate electrode and the region and serves to control the hole distribution in the organic semiconductor layer, and an electron-side gate electrode which is opposed to the region of the organic semiconductor layer with the insulating layer therebetween and serves to control the electron distribution in the organic semiconductor layer.
US07868318B2
A quantum well (QW) layer is provided in a semiconductive device. The QW layer is covered with a composite spacer above QW layer. The composite spacer includes an InP spacer first layer and an InAlAs spacer second layer above and on the InP spacer first layer. The semiconductive device includes InGaAs bottom and top barrier layers respectively below and above the QW layer. The semiconductive device also includes a high-k gate dielectric layer that sits on the InP spacer first layer in a gate recess. A process of forming the QW layer includes using an off-cut semiconductive substrate.
US07868316B2
There is provided a nitride semiconductor device. A nitride semiconductor device according to an aspect of the invention may include: an n-type nitride semiconductor layer; a p-type nitride semiconductor layer; an active layer provided between the n-type and p-type nitride semiconductor layers and having quantum well layers and quantum barrier layers alternately stacked on each other; and an electron blocking layer provided between the active layer and the p-type nitride semiconductor layer, and having a plurality of first nitride layers formed of a material having a higher band gap energy than the quantum barrier layers and a plurality of second nitride layers formed of a material having a lower band gap energy than the first nitride layers, the first and second nitride layers alternately stacked on each other to form a stacked structure, wherein the plurality of first nitride layers have energy levels bent at predetermined inclinations, and with greater proximity to the p-type nitride semiconductor layer, the first nitride layers have a smaller inclination of the energy level.
US07868312B2
A semiconductor memory device is provided in which a phase-change layer can be formed stably and electric current required to cause the phase change of the phase-change layer can be reduced. An edge portion of the phase-change layer is formed above a lower electrode. The edge portion is formed to assume a tapered shape in cross section such that the thickness of the phase-change layer varies above the contact area between the lower electrode and the phase-change layer. The tapered portion is filled with an oxide film. According to this configuration, the region in which the phase-change occurs can be restricted, and hence the phase-change layer can be heated efficiently, resulting in reduction of electric current required for heating.
US07868306B2
A method for ion implantation is disclosed which includes modulating the temperature of the substrate during the implant process. This modulation affects the properties of the substrate, and can be used to minimize EOR defects, selectively segregate and diffuse out secondary dopants, maximize or minimize the amorphous region, and vary other semiconductor parameters. In one particular embodiment, a combination of temperature modulated ion implants are used. Ion implantation at higher temperatures is used in sequence with regular baseline processing and with ion implantation at cold temperatures. The temperature modulation could be at the beginning or at the end of the process to alleviate the detrimental secondary dopant effects.
US07868298B2
A radiation sensor element and a method for producing it, as well as a sensor field having a plurality of such radiation sensor elements, the radiation sensor element having a substrate and a planar sensor structure disposed above the substrate in a first plane, and a lead structure being disposed in a second plane between the substrate and the sensor structure.
US07868297B2
The present invention discloses a scintillation detector 10 comprising a scintillation crystal 12 covered by an inner coating layer 14, said inner coating layer 14 being reflective to light spectrum, and said inner coating layer 14 being stuck directly to said crystal by a chemical and/or a physical binding. According to further aspect of the invention, a method is disclosed to measure radiation from an wellbore environment with the aforementioned scintillation detector 10. According to a still further aspect of the invention, a method is disclosed to manufacture a scintillation detector 10, comprising the steps of: defining two surface parts in a scintillation crystal 12: first and second part, covering said first part of said scintillation crystal 12 with an inner coating layer 14, said inner coating layer 14 being reflective to light spectrum and said inner coating layer 14 being stuck directly to said crystal 12 by a chemical and/or a physical binding, leaving said second part without coating, positioning said scintillation crystal 12 and said inner coating layer 14 in a shock absorbing member 18, positioning said second part in front of an optical window 24 transmissive to scintillation light given by said scintillation crystal 12, positioning said shock absorbing member 18 and said optical window 24 in a protective housing 20.
US07868294B2
A system having an infrared receiver is shown, where the system includes an infrared receiver circuit configured to receive an infrared data signal using a receive photodiode and compensate for an ambient light level incident on the receive photodiode by generating a DC ambient current signal, where the DC ambient current signal is accessible external to the infrared receiver circuit. The system also includes a control circuit configured to receive the DC ambient current signal and, responsive thereto, determine the ambient light level and generate a display illumination control signal accordingly.
US07868287B2
The invention relates an apparatus and method for forming a diffuse reflector. In one embodiment of the invention, a diffuse reflector is formed by exposing transmissive particles of a pre-determined purity to pressure and forming a material having desired diffuse reflective properties. The transmissive particles may further be thermally treated, such as by sintering, to form material having desired diffuse reflective properties. The treated transmissive particles may then be disposed in a vessel and define a cavity therein to form an integrated cavity diffuse reflector.
US07868254B2
A manufacturing method of a flat shield cable has a step of arranging a plurality of flat conductors including a ground line parallel with each other in one plane at a pitch P, a step of forming a flat cable by laminating a first insulating film on the flat conductors from both sides of an arrangement plane of the flat conductors, a step of laminating a shield layer on outside surfaces of the flat cable, and a step of electrically connecting the ground line to the shield layer. The manufacturing method further has a step of cutting the ground line at a portion other than in the conductor exposure portions and folding cutting portions of the ground line to outside the first insulating film before laminating the shield layer, and a step of electrically connecting only the folded ground line among the flat conductors to the shield layer.
US07868253B2
A wire covering material composition which is systematically different from a polyolefin resin composition and which possesses favorable flame retardancy, tensile elongation and wear resistance, having 100 parts by weight of a polymer blend containing 40-95 wt % of polybutylene terephthalate, and 1 to 30 parts by weight of a phosphoric ester compound with respect to 100 parts by weight of the polymer blend, wherein 5 to 100 wt % of the total content of the polybutylene terephthalate in the polymer blend is made up of polybutylene terephthalate, whose molecular weight distribution Mw/Mn (where Mw: weight-average molecular weight; Mn: number-average molecular weight) is greater than or equal to 2.5.
US07868245B2
A method is provided for producing a solar panel, which is made by building up a solar cell layer on a glass base as a covering glass, having a good performance in sealing the solar panel. A solar panel produce by the method is also provided. The production method of the present invention comprises a step of building up a solar cell layer which consists of a plurality of films on a glass substrate which is used as a covering glass, a step of removing a part of the solar cell layer which is built up on the glass substrate, a step of sealing the solar cell layer by using a face, which is exposed by the removing of the part of the solar cell layer, for adhering a sealing material.
US07868230B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated D5523145. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety D5523145. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety D5523145 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety D5523145 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US07868229B2
The present invention provides polynucleotides encoding CCAAT-binding transcription factor polypeptides that modulate the onset of reproductive development in plants. Polynucleotides encoding functional CCAAT-binding transcription factors were incorporated into expression vectors, introduced into plants, and ectopically expressed. The encoded polypeptides of the invention significantly shortened the time to flower development in the transgenic plants, as compared to the flowering time of control plants.
US07868205B2
The invention relates to the inhibition of histone deacetylase. The invention provides compounds and methods for inhibiting histone deacetylase enzymatic activity. The invention also provides compositions and methods for treating cell proliferative diseases and conditions.
US07868196B2
Disclosed is a process for the regioselective preparation of glycerol derivative in a high efficiency and yield. The process for the regioselective preparation of 1-R1-2-R2-3-acetyl-glycerol derivative comprises the steps of: obtaining 1-R1-3-protecting group-glycerol by introducing a protecting group to 3-position of 1-R1-glycerol; obtaining 1-R1-2-R2-3-protecting group-glycerol by introducing R2 group into 2-position of 1-R1-3-protecting group-glycerol; and carrying out the deprotection reaction and the acetylation reaction of 1-R1-2-R2-3-protecting group-glycerol at the same time. Wherein, R1 and R2 are fatty acid groups having 16 to 22 carbon atoms, and are different from each other; and the protecting group is trityl group or trialkylsilyl group.
US07868195B2
Exemplary methods include centrifuging a wet algal biomass to increase a solid content of the wet algal biomass to between approximately 10% and 40% to result in a centrifuged algal biomass, mixing the centrifuged algal biomass with an amphiphilic solvent to result in a mixture, heating the mixture to result in a dehydrated, defatted algal biomass, separating the amphiphilic solvent from the dehydrated, defatted algal biomass to result in amphiphilic solvent, water and lipids, evaporating the amphiphilic solvent from the water and the lipids, and separating the water from the lipids. The amphiphilic solvent may be selected from a group consisting of acetone, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, butanone, dimethyl ether, and propionaldehyde. Other exemplary methods include filtering a wet algal biomass through a membrane to increase a solid content of the wet algal biomass to between approximately 10% and 40% to result in a filtered algal biomass.
US07868193B2
The invention discloses a steroid compound having the formula (1), wherein dotted bonds represent optional double bonds; R6 is H, ═CH2, or —CH3, or —CH2—CH3; R7 is H, C1-4-alkyl, C2-5 alkenyl or C2-5-alkynyl, wherein the alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group may be substituted with 1 to 3 halogen atoms independently chosen from the group of fluorine or chlorine atoms; R11 is H, C1-4-alkyl, C2-4-alkenyl, C2-4-alkynyl or C1-4-alkylidene, wherein the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl or alkylidene group may be substituted with 1-3 halogen atoms independently chosen from the group of fluorine or chlorine atoms; E represents together with carbon atoms 16 and 17 of the steroid skeleton a four to seven-membered ring, said ring being α and in cis-configuration with respect to the steroid skeleton, optionally comprising one or two endocyclic bonds; or a prodrug thereof. Such compounds can be used in therapy and for methods for selective modification of the activity of estrogen receptors.
US07868190B2
A method for producing a phenolphthalein compound comprises: reacting a phenolic compound of the formula: wherein R1 is a hydrogen or a C1-C12 hydrocarbyl group, with a phthalic anhydride compound of the formula: wherein R2 is a hydrogen, a C1-C12 hydrocarbyl group, or a halogen, in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst and a promoter to form a reaction mixture comprising a phenolphthalein compound of the formula: wherein each R1 is independently a hydrogen or a C1-C12 hydrocarbyl group; and R2 is a hydrogen, a C1-C12 hydrocarbyl group, or a halogen; wherein the heterogeneous catalyst comprises, on a porous support, a calcination product of a heteropolyacid composition.
US07868184B2
There is provided a method to convert O-functionalized indazolinone-derivatives to the corresponding N2-functionalized indazolinone derivatives, by use of microwave energy or a transition metal catalyst. A preferred catalyst is palladium tetrakis. The method described allows the creation of a library of chemical compounds which can be screened for biological activity.
US07868183B2
The industrial production of 4-(2-methyl-1-imidazolyl)-2,2-diphenylbutanamide, a urinary incontinence remedy, necessitates elimination of problems concerning the use of a synthetic adsorbent, e.g., HP-20, the efficiency of operation with the same, purification efficiency, etc. An acid salt, e.g., hydrochloride or phosphate, of 4-(2-methyl-1-imidazolyl)-2,2-diphenylbutanamide or a hydrate of any of these salts is used as an intermediate. This intermediate is neutralized and then purified. Thus, high-purity 4-(2-methyl-1-imidazolyl)-2,2-diphenylbutanamide is easily obtained in satisfactory yield. The industrial-scale production process has been thus established.
US07868182B2
A novel solventless process is described for the preparation of imidazole-2-thiones. The new solventless process tolerates a variety of bases as co-reactants which introduces feedstock flexibility into the process while the solventless feature renders the process more environmentally friendly by eliminating volatile organic solvents from the process, reducing energy consumption (associated with solvent recovery and/or recycling), and allows shorter reaction time and workup. Furthermore, the elimination of solvents enhances workplace safety by obviating the need for flammable and/or toxic solvents.
US07868178B2
The present invention is directed to novel cyclic amine compounds represented by the formula [I]: wherein R1 represents, but is not limited to, a hydroxyl, a halogen atom, a cyano group, a nitro group, a formyl group, a C1-6 alkyl group, a C2-6 alkenyl group, a C2-6 alkynyl group, a C1-6 haloalkyl group, a C1-6 haloalkenyl group, a C1-6 alkylcarbonyl group, among other substituents; R2 represents a halogen atom, a nitro group, a C1-6 alkyl group, a C1-6 alkoxy group, a C1-6 haloalkyl group, a five or six membered heterocyclic group having at least one hetero atom selected from an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom, and a sulfur atom, k represents 0 or an integer of 1 to 4; R3, R31, R4, R41, R5, R51, and R7 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, a C1-6 alkyl group, a C1-6 alkoxycarbonyl group, or a C1-6 alkoxy group, and, both R3 and R4, may be bound together to form a saturated ring, X represents an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, a sulfinyl group, or a sulfonyl group, a salt or an N-oxide of the chemical compound represented by formula (I) and pest control agents containing the chemical compound.
US07868177B2
The present invention relates to chemical compounds having a general formula I wherein A, B, C1, C2, D, L1, L2 and R3-4 are defined herein, and synthetic intermediates, which are capable of modulating various protein kinase receptor enzymes and, thereby, influencing various disease states and conditions related to the activities of such kinases. For example, the compounds are capable of modulating Tie-2 and Aurora kinase enzymes thereby influencing angiogenesis and the process of cell cycle and cell proliferation, respectively, to treat cancer and cancer-related diseases. The invention also includes pharmaceutical compositions, including the compounds, and methods of treating disease states related to the activity of various protein kinases.
US07868166B2
A process is described for the continuous preparation and/or workup of polysaccharide derivatives by reaction and/or conditioning in a suspension with liquid reaction partners, in which, in accordance with FIG. 1, a) a preferably pumpable suspension stream of solids SE and liquid phase LE, if appropriate preheated to 185° C., is continuously introduced into the top region of a column, if appropriate under a pressure buffer of up to 6×106 Pa, which is virtually filled with the same liquid phase L, or another process-specific liquid phase L of preferably the same temperature, then b) the solids SE sediments freely due to the action of gravity through the liquid phase L to the column bottom, the solids SE converting to the solids SA by reaction and/or conditioning with the liquid phase L and c) possibly ascending gases G are discharged from the column via the column top and d) the solids SA is again continuously discharged as a suspension stream at the column bottom continuously by adding liquid phase LR taken off at the column top at a constant column filling level and transported in a separate connection, or liquid phase LN newly added from the outside to the column bottom.
US07868164B2
A cellulose ether which has from 4,000 to 10,000 anhydroglucose repeat units and is substituted with (a) on the average from 0.0003 to 0.08 moles, per mole of anhydroglucose unit, of a substituent comprising an alkyl or arylalkyl group having from 8 to 24 carbon atoms and (b) a substituent having the formula II wherein R5, R6 and R7 each independently are —CH3 or —C2H5, R8 is —CH2—CHOH—CH2— or —CH2CH2, Az− is an anion, and z is 1, 2 or 3 is useful in hair and skin care compositions.
US07868144B2
The present invention relates to a method for unspecific enrichment of bacterial cells by means of cationic or anionic polymers and magnetic carriers.
US07868137B2
The present invention relates to a method of concentrating low molecular weight peptides in the supernatant of serum-free cultured cells, said method comprising allowing the peptides to bind to a strong cation exchanger under an acid condition, and eluting them under an alkali condition to concentrate the peptide. Furthermore, peptides having the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2, and a method of screening cancer markers using antibody to these peptides, are disclosed.
US07868129B2
A sloped tubular reactor operable to facilitate a chemical reaction in a reaction medium flowing therethrough. The reactor can include a plurality of spaced apart internal trays disposed at different elevations in a downwardly sloping elongated tubular member.
US07868128B2
Described are skylights comprising polyester compositions comprising polyesters which comprise (a) a dicarboxylic acid component having terephthalic acid residues; optionally, aromatic dicarboxylic acid residues or aliphatic dicarboxylic acid residues or ester residues thereof; 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol residues; and 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol residues.
US07868127B2
A semi-crystalline, absorbable copolyester composition comprising the reaction product of a polycondensation polyester and at least one lactone, wherein the polycondensation polyester comprises the reaction product of diglycolic acid and/or a derivative thereof and diethylene glycol; and the copolyester comprises about 30 to 60% by weight of the polycondensation polyester based on the total weight of the copolyester. Also medical devices such as absorbable sutures comprising such copolyesters and absorbable microspheres comprising such copolyesters and methods of making of such absorbable microspheres.
US07868122B2
Compositions and methods of making urethane based nonionic associative thickeners are described herein. Uses of the nonionic associative thickeners are also described.
US07868113B2
The invention is based on the discovery that a certain polyester compounds are useful as b-stageable adhesives for the microelectonic packaging industry. The polyester compounds described herein contain ring-opening or ring-forming polymerizable moieties and therefore exhibit little to no shrinkage upon cure. In addition, there are provided well-defined b-stageable adhesives useful in stacked die assemblies. In particular, there are provided assemblies wherein the b-stageable adhesive encapsulates a portion of the wiring members contained within the bondline gap between the stacked die.
US07868110B2
An initiator compound comprising an aryl or heteroaryl thioacetal including a substituent defined by the formula where x is an integer from 1 to about 5, y is an integer from 1 to about 5, the sum of x and y is from about 3 to about 6, α is carbon, sulfur, oxygen, silicon, or an amino group, and each R1 is individually hydrogen or a monovalent organic group or where two or more R1 groups may join to form one or more rings.
US07868106B2
This invention discloses caps and closures for carbonated drinks produced by injection moulding or by compression moulding with a bimodal high density polyethylene (HDPE) resin.
US07868102B2
A compound having an oxadiazole structure which is obtained by dehydration-cyclization of a compound having a carbohydrazide structure using a chemical agent selected from acids and bases. The dehydration-cyclization of the compound having a carbohydrazide structure can be conducted under mild conditions at low cost.
US07868101B2
The invention is directed to a method for preparing an environmentally degradable polymeric compound as well as to such a compound per se and to its use. A compound of the present invention includes a polycondensated lactic acid containing polymer, having a molecular weight (Mw) of from 500 to 50,000 g/mol, to which a flexibilizing aliphatic polyester having a molecular weight of from 500 to 50,000 g/mol is coupled. The amount of lactic acid including groups in the polymeric compound ranges from 50 to 99% and the amount of flexibilizing polyester groups ranges from 1 to 50%.
US07868100B2
A halogenated butyl polymer having improved properties, the butyl polymer derived from a monomer mixture comprising a C4 to C8 monoolefin monomer, a C4 to C14 multiolefin monomer and a styrenic monomer with a catalyst system to produce the butyl polymer. The improved properties include faster cure, higher maximum torque, higher delta torque, relatively stable modulus over time, improved hot air aging properties and improved aged flexure properties. These improved properties are believed to result from direct interaction between the styrenic moieties in the polymer backbone with a crosslinking agent added to vulcanize the halogenated butyl rubber.
US07868093B2
Process for removal of residual styrene monomers from polystyrene and from blends comprising water-insoluble, crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone, via treatment with water, which comprises carrying out the treatment on a particulate solid blend.
US07868088B2
Methods for modulated degenerative transfer living polymerization and isotactic-atactic stereoblock and stereogradient poly(olefins) thereby Abstract A method of producing a multiblock, stereoblock polyolefin having substantially uniform microstructure is disclosed. The method includes contacting a Ziegler-Natta pre-catalyst with a co-catalyst and an olefin to polymerize the olefin and form a first stereoblock, adding a methyl donator that changes the stereoregularity of the polymerization, and polymerizing the olefin to form a second stereoblock. The methods of the present invention allow for the production of poly(olefin)s having predictable degrees of incorporation of stereoerrors of a known type. The methods allows for the production of a variety of poly(olefin) microstructures, ranging from stereoblock to stereogradient poly(olefin)s and poly(olefin)s having fully isotactic to fully atactic microstructures.
US07868080B2
Provided are a nanocomposite composition having barrier properties and an article manufactured therefrom. The composition is prepared by dry-blending a polyolefin resin, a melt blend of a resin having barrier properties and a nanocomposite having barrier properties, and a compatibilizer. The composition has superior barrier properties and moldability, and thus is useful for manufacturing a sheet or film having barrier properties.
US07868078B2
Novel compositions, as well as related methods, coatings, and articles, are disclosed.
US07868075B2
The object of the present invention is to provide a water-absorbing resin compound, wherein the water-absorbing resin compound can retain antibacterial properties of an antibacterial metal to suppress the emission of unpleasant odors even when an organic material exists in a system in the case of using an eluting-type antibacterial agent. Thus, the present invention relates to a water-absorbing resin compound, which comprises a water-absorbing resin, an antibacterial agent having a porous material incorporating an antibacterial metal, and a metal chelating agent. Further, the present invention also relates to an absorbing material, which comprises a water-absorbing resin compound of the present invention, and a hydrophilic fiber as well as an absorbing product, which comprises a liquid-permeable sheet and a liquid-non-permeable sheet, and an absorbing material comprising a water-absorbing resin compound of the present invention, and a hydrophilic fiber between the liquid-permeable sheet and the liquid-non-permeable sheet.
US07868074B2
The present invention provides a dispersant for aqueous and non-aqueous systems which can disperse insoluble fine powders in aqueous and non-aqueous liquids in a short period of time and give long-term dispersion stability to the resulting dispersions. The dispersant is a compound of the formula wherein CY is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic monocyclic compounds having one double bond and aliphatic polycyclic compounds with or without one double bond, or with or without bridge carbons; (n+x+y+z)>1; and R=—H, —SO3M, —CO2M, —PO3M, —OCR′ wherein M=H, or Na, K, Li, Ca, Mg, NH4, NH(R1)2, NH2R1, N(R1)3 where R1 is selected from the group consisting of C1-C6 alkyl and C1-C6 hydroxyalkyl; and R′=C2-C22 alkyl or alkenyl.
US07868062B2
Disclosed is a polymeric article having a frosted and/or surface textured finish made from a polymeric resin comprised of a polymeric matrix and polymeric particles which are substantially spherical, highly crosslinked, have a mean particle size of between 15 and 70 micrometers and have a particle size distribution between 10-110 micrometers.
US07868058B2
An aqueous dispersion of polymer particles of a water-insoluble vinyl polymer containing a hydrophobic dye, wherein the water-insoluble vinyl polymer is prepared by polymerizing a monomer composition comprising an alicyclic (meth)acrylate, a salt-forming group-containing monomer, and a monomer copolymerizable with the alicyclic (meth)acrylate and the salt-forming group-containing monomer; and an ink comprising the aqueous dispersion. The aqueous dispersion is excellent in, for instance, storage stability, and the ink is excellent in, for instance, printing reliability, solvent resistance, water resistance and character quality.
US07868054B2
The present invention concerns photopolymerisable systems comprising reactive oligomers and/or monomers having ethylenically unsaturated groups and at least one phenylglyoxalic ester that, by photochemical decomposition, generates fragments having low migratability and low odor.
