US08738142B2
An electrical stimulation system and method for the treatment of neurological disorders is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the electrical stimulation system includes channels of electrodes positioned in electrical contact with tissue of a neuromuscular target body region of a patient to provide pattered neuromuscular stimulation to the patient's musculature. In addition, at least one electrode from a channel is positioned in electrical contact with a tissue of the motor control region of the brain. A series of patterned electrical pulses are then applied to the patient through the channels to provide peripheral neuromuscular stimulation, and a direct current is applied transcranially to the brain. Various exemplary embodiments of the invention are disclosed.
US08738137B2
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a substantially rigid base and a flexible substrate. The substantially rigid base has a first protrusion and a second protrusion, and is configured to be coupled to an electronic device. The flexible substrate has a first surface and a second surface, and includes an electrical circuit configured to electronically couple the electronic device to at least one of an electrode a battery, or an antenna. The flexible substrate is coupled to the base such that a first portion of the second surface is in contact with the first protrusion. A second portion of the second surface is non-parallel to the first portion.
US08738135B1
A method and a system to increase the reliability of the electrical connections between the electrodes and the battery/controlling electronics of an electrical stimulating device as DBS (Deep Brain Stimulator), heart pacemakers and the like. We disclose a redundant connector which in prior art is used to complete the connection between the wires leading to the electrodes and the wires leading to the battery/controlling electronics, which is subject to loss of continuity due to the adverse effect of body fluids, and a set of redundant wires from this redundant connector to the battery/controlling electronics, which often breaks, due to repeated motion by the human subject, particularly in the DBS case, where the wires run down the neck of the human subject.
US08738128B2
A modular external defibrillator system in embodiments of the teachings may include one or more of the following features: a base containing a defibrillator to deliver a defibrillation shock to a patient, (b) one or more pods each connectable to a patient via patient lead cables to collect at least one patient vital sign, the pods operable at a distance from the base, (c) a wireless communications link between the base and a selected one of the two or more pods to carry the at least one vital sign from the selected pod to the base, the selection being based on which pod is associated with the base.
US08738125B1
A device and related methodologies to deliver molecules to the cells that comprise any tissues. The invention includes a catheter-based electrode and methods for its use for the delivery of molecules to cardiac tissue, blood vessels, other tissues/organs that can be accessed through a luminal tissue, and luminal tissues. The invention is also a non-catheter based electrode for performing the same functions. In certain embodiments the electrode utilizes a segmented electrode array wherein each electrode is separately addressable by a source of electricity.
US08738121B2
A system and method for distinguishing an epileptic event from a syncope event that includes sensing a signal, generating sensed intervals in response to the sensed signal, generating an indication signal in response to an occurrence of an event, determining a marginality in response to the generated indication signal and the sensed intervals, and determining the event as being one of the epileptic event and the syncope event in response to the determined marginality.
US08738117B2
A method and tool for comparing mammals, such as horses, the tool including an electrode; an electronic heartbeat measurement instrument; an analyzer for determining an output indicative of adaptability, reactivity, or equanimity; and a plotting system for plotting the temperament parameter or temperament quotient on a grid. The tool is used to provide a value for the sympathetic nervous system index (SNSI), the parasympathetic nervous system index (PNSI), or the standard deviation of average mode normal to normal intervals (SDMNN). This value is correlated to a selected characteristic of the mammal.
US08738114B2
Described herein are systems and methods for quantitatively measuring manganese ion efflux in a subject. In general, the systems and methods compare imaging data from a subject taken over specific periods of time to pharmacokinetic models in order to measure manganese ion efflux rates from an organ in a subject. By understanding the specific location and rate of manganese ion efflux and influx from the organ, it is possible to more accurately correlate calcium ion activity. Calcium ion efflux is associated with a number of biological mechanisms in the subject, and the methods and systems described herein can be used as a diagnostic tool not only for monitoring calcium efflux in the subject but also aid in the treatment of diseases associated with changes in calcium ion efflux.
US08738107B2
Embodiments of the present invention relates to analyte sensors. In particular, the preferred embodiments of the present invention relate to non-consuming intravascular glucose sensors based on fluorescence chemistry.
US08738104B2
Methods and apparatus for creating an overall assembly formed from a transparent member and a metal member are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method includes positioning a transparent member in a mold configured for insertion molding, and providing a liquid metal into the mold. The method also includes hardening the liquid metal in the mold. Hardening the liquid metal includes binding the metal to the transparent member to create the integral assembly.
US08738103B2
A multifunction wireless device having at least one of multimedia functionality and smartphone functionality, the multifunction wireless device including an upper body and a lower body, the upper body and the lower body being adapted to move relative to each other in at least one of a clamshell, a slide, and a twist manner. The multifunction wireless device further includes an antenna system disposed within at least one of the upper body and the lower body and having a shape with a level of complexity of an antenna contour defined by complexity factors F21 having a value of at least 1.05 and not greater than 1.80 and F32 having a value of at least 1.10 and not greater than 1.90.
US08738099B2
Electronic devices and other apparatuses adapted to receive electromagnetic wave communications are disclosed. An outer housing encloses various device components, including at least an internal antenna located fully therewithin and adapted to receive/send communications from/to an outside source via RF or other electromagnetic waves. A ceramic coating can be a thermal spray coating that covers at least a portion of the outer surface proximate to the internal antenna, and can be “RF transparent”—adapted to allow communications to/from the internal antenna via electromagnetic waves. The outer housing can be plastic, metal or a combination thereof. For metal or other non-RF transparent housings, an RF-transparent insert can be fitted into a window in the housing to permit communications to the internal antenna. The ceramic coating covers some or all of the metal, plastic and/or insert that comprise the outer housing and surface for a final aesthetic finish to the device.
US08738098B2
A device comprising first and second housings arranged to swivel about a swivel axis, wherein the device is arranged such that relative turning of the first and second housings about the swivel axis in a first direction reveals a first device user operational area, and relative turning of the first and second housings in the second opposing direction reveals a second device user operational area.
US08738096B2
An input device for a mobile terminal includes a touch unit disposed on a surface of a housing of the mobile terminal, a conductive member disposed on an inner surface of the housing in a position corresponding to the touch unit, and a touch sensor to sense an operation of the touch unit through the conductive member and generate a corresponding signal. The touch sensor is provided within the housing in a position corresponding to the conductive member.
US08738095B2
A method for opearation of femto base station (BS) is provided. The method includes: transmitting the first low duty operation (LDO) pattern information, which includes length information of an available interval (AI) where the femto BS is activated and length information of an unavailable interval (UAI) where the femto BS is inactivated, to user equipment (UE) and operating based on the first LDO pattern where the first LDO cycle, a sequence of the AI and the UAI, is repeatedly arranged. The first LDO pattern information further including a superframe offset as information for leading a start point of the first LDO cycle.
US08738093B1
Methods and systems for selecting a number of requests for transmission information by a user device when a presence of an object is detected are described. A user device detects a presence of object that absorbs electromagnetic radiation, and in response, selects a number of requests for transmission of additional information. The user device transmits the additional information at the specified transmit power level using the selected number of scheduled requests when the presence of the object is detected.
US08738083B2
Disclosed herein is related to an operating method, and a memory module with wireless communication component. An exemplary example of the invention describes the memory module providing a control unit which coupled to both a wireless communication component such as an NFC chip, and anon-volatile memory unit. The memory module exemplarily uses an eMMC bus to interconnect a cellular phone system and the control unit. It is advantaged that when any data required to be transmitted between the NFC chip and the cellular phone system, a partition is specified to the chip according a partition table for further access task.
US08738078B2
A wireless network modem dock having a case that houses circuitry and a power connector, a data interface, and a user identification reader all connected to the circuitry. In addition, an antenna connector is attached to the case and connected to the circuitry. The circuitry is capable of sending and receiving M2M data through the antenna connector to a wireless network. Further, the case, the circuit, the power connector, the data interface, the user identification reader, and the antenna connector are certified with the wireless network prior to sending or receiving the M2M data.
US08738075B2
Improved systems and techniques for controlling access to network resources. A base station broadcasts extended access barring (EAB) and access class barring (ACB) information. Upon a determination by a user equipment that the user equipment requires service from the base station, the user equipment determines its EAB category and call type. The user equipment receives the EAB and ACB information broadcast by the base station and determines if it is subject to EAB based on its EAB category. If the user equipment is not subject to EAB, the user equipment determines if its call type is subject to ACB and, if the call type is subject to ACB, applies access class barring based on its call type.
US08738071B2
A mobile network sector is served via at least an antenna and a mobile network base station transceiver to provide communications with a mobile station. The mobile station includes a mobile station antenna and a location determination device for identifying a geographic location of the mobile station. A transceiver in the mobile station is configured to transmit and receive signals to and from the mobile network base stations, via the mobile station antenna. A microprocessor controls the transmission and reception of the mobile communication signals and communicates with the location determination device. A spatial database identifies geographic positions related to sectors of mobile network base stations. The microprocessor compares the geographical location of the mobile station with the geographic positions of the mobile sectors to determine a preferred mobile network sector and redirect the transceiver to tune to a particular channel supported by the preferred mobile network sector.
US08738063B1
A wireless device associated with a first profile is communicated with using a first multi-antenna mode. Communication is received from a plurality of wireless devices associated with a second profile. The plurality of wireless devices are determined to be located within a defined area of the wireless device. Based on the determination that the plurality of wireless devices are located within the defined area of the wireless device, at least one of the plurality of wireless devices is sent at least one control message that instructs the at least one of the plurality of wireless devices to transmit a future communication at a lower power level.
US08738059B2
The disclosure is directed to recording voice data transmissions between mobile communication devices. An embodiment of the disclosure receives, at a first mobile communication device, an indication that a subsequent voice transmission segment may or may not be recorded by at least one other mobile communication device, and transmits, from the first mobile communication device, an indication to said at least one other mobile communication device that the subsequent voice transmission segment may or may not be recorded. Another embodiment receives an indication from at least one other mobile communication device that a subsequent voice transmission segment may or may not be recorded by said mobile communication device, and if the received indication indicates that the subsequent voice transmission segment may be recorded, records at least a portion of the subsequent voice transmission segment, and stores the recorded portion in a memory associated with said mobile communication device.
US08738058B2
In an embodiment, a call originator sends, to an application server, a request to initiate a given communication session with at least one call target, the received request configured to indicate to the application server that the given communication session is associated with a high-priority. The application server configures a call announcement to force the at least one call target to accept the given communication session, and transmits the configured call announcement to the at least one call target. The at least one call target receives the call announcement, and determines that the call announcement is configured to force the given access terminal to accept the given communication session. Responsive to the determination, the at least one call target transmits an acknowledgment to the call announcement that indicates that the at least one call target has accepted the given communication session.
US08738055B2
An apparatus and a method manage a neighbor base station list (NBL) in a distributed wireless ad-hoc network. Information of neighbor BSs is collected at the BS using a surrounding environment detection function. Neighbor BSs that satisfy a certain condition are determined, among the neighbor BSs from which the information is collected. And the NBL is generated based on the determined neighbor BSs.
US08738052B2
An updated group alias, based on one or more of a location, function, and purpose of a group, is transmitted to a subscriber unit (SU) and displayed at the SU, in place of a previously provisioned group ID or group alias associated with the group, during communications with, or when the SU is tuned to, the group. An incident ID, associated with one or more groups and identifying an incident, is received and stored at a SU. The SU embeds the stored incident ID in all future communications with the one or more groups and, upon request, scans a set of groups and/or channels for communications having the incident ID embedded therein. An incident ID alias described one or more of a name, location, function, or purpose of the incident, may also be received and associated with the incident ID.
US08738047B2
A terminal including a wireless communication unit configured to execute a first conversation with at least one correspondent party using an instant messaging service, a memory configured to store contents of the first conversation, an input unit configured to input a selection signal to select a second conversation be executed using the stored contents of the first conversation, after the first conversation is terminated, and a controller configured to control the wireless communication unit to execute the second conversation with the at least one correspondent party using the stored contents of the first conversation according to the input selection signal.
US08738027B2
Techniques are provided which may be implemented in various methods, apparatus, and/or articles of manufacture to allow a mobile device to obtain certain location service(s) and/or the like from one or more computing devices that have been authorized for use. For example, in certain implementations, an authorizing location server may obtain a first message from a mobile device indicating a first set of location servers, determine a second set of location servers based, at least in part, on the first set of location servers, and transmit a second message to the mobile device indicating that the second set of location servers are authorized for location service related access by the mobile device.
US08738009B1
A mobile station receives forward link signals and transmits reverse link signals for a communication session conducted via a wireless network. A controller maintains a reverse-active set that defines which sectors of the wireless network are used to receive the reverse link signals. When the mobile station transmits a request signal requesting the communication session, the controller may create the reverse-active set to include the sector that received the request signal with the highest signal strength. During the communication session, the signal strengths of the reverse link signals may be monitored in each of a plurality of sectors to obtain reverse-link signal strengths. The controller may maintain the reverse-active set based on the reverse-link signal strengths, adding sectors that report reverse-link signal strengths greater than an add threshold and dropping sectors that report reverse-link signal strengths less than a drop threshold.
US08738004B2
Handover (HO) statistics and handover issue events which are due to non-mobility causes are not included in the statistics fed into mobility robustness optimization (MRO). The non-mobility causes may include, e.g., load balancing, retracting users to prepare for cell maintenance or restart/reconfiguration and cell outage including compensation means. Radio link failure (RLF), handover failure (HOF), and handover oscillations (HOosc) that are due to non-mobility cause are excluded from the statistics upon which mobility robustness optimization is based. Non-mobility causes are also differentiated from mobility causes when reporting key performance indicators to an operator.
US08738001B2
The invention relates to a method for performing a handover procedure in a wireless coordinated multipoint (CoMP) transmission network (200; 700) of a mobile station (100) from a first base station (1) to a second base station (2), wherein the first base station coordinates a first group (202) of base stations, the first base station being a member of the first group, and the second base station coordinates a second group (204) of base stations, the second base station being a member of the second group, and wherein a network component (102) is adapted to transmit data to the first base station and the first group of base stations and/or to the second base station and the second group of base stations.
US08737997B2
The present application discloses a method and an equipment for processing the local network type of a base station (BS). The method comprises: when a BS has determined its local network type, it indicates to a user equipment (UE) said local network type; and when the UE receives the indication carrying said local network type of the BS, it can determine, according to said indication, the local network type of the BS. The present application solves the problem of a user being unable to acquire the type of network connected to a BS and accordingly being unable to determine the corresponding connection means, and enriches user experience.
US08737991B2
A current location of a mobile system in a wireless network can be determined by using information provided by a base station in communication with the mobile system. The location information can be used to index a GEO Locate Table to determine a list of SIDs to populate an optimized scan list. The optimized scan list being used for system selection.
US08737988B2
The present invention provides methods, systems and apparatus for providing service provider information for a user communication device. A targeted communication link associated with a target service provider is determined using a user communication device associated with a user service provider. The determination of the indicator for the target service provider may be with a user service provider Central Office or server. An indicator of the target service provider is received and displayed on the user communication device. Communication services available to the communication device are determined and presented to the communication device by audible or visual signals. Representations of services available or restricted to the user communication device are provided to the user device. Restricted services may be enabled by override options.
US08737985B2
Methods and systems of updating a zone profile comprising obtaining a plurality of radio signal parameter measurements and, if the plurality of radio signal parameter measurements contains at least one measurement corresponding to a dominant element of the zone profile and if the plurality of radio signal parameter measurements contains at least one measurement corresponding to a candidate element (e.g., statistically unlikely element) of the zone profile, updating the profile by either adjusting an existing parameter value or by adding a new element to the zone profile corresponding to the candidate element.
US08737982B2
A method and an apparatus for storing a phone number through remote control between mobile communication terminals are provided. The method includes receiving a message including protocol IDentification (ID) information indicating a pre-arranged remote phone number storage protocol, determining whether a remote phone number storage function is active, comparing authentication information contained in the received message with authentication information of the mobile communication terminal, and storing at least one of a phone number and phone number related information contained in the received message.
US08737977B2
An integrated communication system and method includes a primary unit and a secondary unit comprising transceivers for communicating therebetween and a communication management unit operable to manage communication with a telephone network. The system and method may be used to provide detachable headset units for a user to communicate via a communication management unit of the primary unit or for presenting useful second party related information to a user when communicating with the second party over a telephonic network connection. The system and method may provide a convenient system whereby a user may select between various communication devices to manage telephonic communication with a common client account.
US08737971B2
A universal personal diagnostics platform that connects to a mobile communication device such as a cellular phone or a smartphone. A universal connector attaches the universal personal diagnostics platform to a smartphone and consists of an optical and/or electrochemical reader that detects an analyte concentration in a blood sample.
US08737967B2
A method and system for backing up and restoring personal data are provided. The method includes establishing a first communication connection between the first communication device and an entity in a remote computer network upon detecting changes of personal data stored in a first communication device; communicating between the first communication device and the remote computer network entity an identity of an archival function to be performed over the first communication connection, wherein the archival function to be performed includes backing up the personal data; performing a backup function by receiving the changed personal data from the first communication device; establishing a second communication connection between a second communication device and the remote computer network entity; and performing a restore function using the second communication connection by transmitting the changed personal data from the remote computer network entity to the second communication device.
US08737964B2
A computer, such as a Windows-based PC 23, has associated with it a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) 15, such as of the type used in a GSM or UMTS cellular or mobile telecommunications network. The SIM 15 can be authenticated with the network 3 in the same way as for authenticating SIMs of mobile telephone handsets used in the network, and can in this way authenticate the user of the PC 23 or the PC 23 itself. Such authentication can, for example, permit use of the PC 23 in relation to a particular application running on the PC 23. Challenge and response messages are transmitted between the network 3 and the SIM 15 via an authenticator module 30 implemented on the PC 23. These authentication messages have the predetermined format of an Over The Air (OTA) message, which is also used in GSM or UMTS telecommunications networks to transmit non-authentication messages—for example, SMS messages. The authentication data is encapsulated within OTA messages. The OTA messages are not necessarily transmitted wirelessly (that is, over the air). They may be transmitted via a fixed network; however, they have the predetermined format of OTA messages.
US08737963B2
A cellular communication device has one or more access modes which allow reading and writing of data, for example to change its settings, for example passwords and even the entire operating system and also permitting access to personal information such as the user's telephone book. To prevent cloning and like illegal access activity, the device is configured by restricting access to such data access modes using a device unique security setting. The setting may be a password, preferably a one-time password, or it may be a unique or dynamic or one time configuration of the codes for the read and write instructions of the data mode. There is also disclosed a server, which manages the security settings such that data mode operates during an active connection between the device and the server, and a secure communication protocol for communicating between the server and the cellular device.
US08737959B2
Equipments and methods are disclosed for facilitating service provisioning in a system that comprises a payment processor, a number of service providers and a mediator that mediates information exchange between the payment processor and service providers, and a mobile terminal operated by payment card holder. In some implementations, service provisioning can be facilitated in cases wherein the payment processor must reside in a strictly regulated Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliant environment and the service providers operate servers that are not PCI-compliant.
US08737950B2
A device stores a context aware application, and a calendar application that further stores data related to a scheduled meeting. The device receives local connectivity identification (LCID) information from one or more other devices that are proximate to the device. The device determines a likelihood that a user of the device is present at the scheduled meeting based on data related to the received LCID information from the one or more other devices that are proximate to the device. The device selectively executes a function associated with a context aware application based on the likelihood that the user is present at the scheduled meeting.
US08737946B2
A down-frequency conversion circuit and up-frequency conversion circuit, and a receiver and transmitter applying the same are provided. The down-frequency conversion circuit includes a harmonic mixer and general mixer, and thus becomes able to convert frequency using one LO (Local Oscillator) frequency, thereby reducing burden on generating LO frequency.
US08737943B2
Devices and methods for receiving, processing and formatting digital video. The devices may include a single semiconductor chip on which is imprinted a radio frequency signal tuner module and a display interface module. The display interface module may be configured to receive programming information from the radio frequency signal tuner module. The display interface module may be configured to communicate the programming information to a digital video recorder. The radio frequency tuner module may include a first radio frequency input channel and a second radio frequency input channel. The radio frequency signal tuner module may include a system oscillator and a phase-locked loop (“PLL”) circuit configured to generate a clock signal. The phase-locked loop circuit may be configured to transmit the signal to the display interface module and to any other suitable modules on the chip.
US08737934B2
A programmable controller and software that monitors periods an RF transmitter is active and a output power level during those periods of activity. These two values are multiplied together and accumulated over time to provide a value for the RF emissions for some period. A limit is set for the RF emissions for any period and if the RF emissions exceeds (or is expected to exceed given the current rate) the set limit, the system limits the subsequent emissions to not exceed the set limit. This reduction in emissions rate come at the cost of a small performance reduction.
US08737913B2
Systems and methods for providing a wireless automobile key service are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting whether the mobile device is connected to the automobile over a first network, launching a wireless automobile key service application on the mobile device when it is detected that the mobile device is connected to the automobile over the first network, and receiving, via the application from an operator of the automobile using the mobile device, a request to issue a command to the automobile. The method further includes determining whether the requested command is a first command or a second command. The method further includes when the requested command is a first command, sending, from the mobile device to a server over a second network, a request to issue the first command to the automobile. The method also includes when the requested command is a second command, sending, from the mobile device to the sever over the second network, a request to issue the second command to the automobile, and receiving, at the mobile device from the server over the second network, status information associated with the automobile.
US08737910B2
A radio receiver may comprise a receiver adaptable for receiving a plurality of broadcast streams over a plurality of broadcast channels, wherein the receiver will attempt to receive a selected broadcast stream on a selected broadcast channel, and if the selected broadcast stream is not receivable on the selected broadcast channel, the receiver will attempt to receive the selected broadcast stream on an alternative broadcast channel. A computer readable medium may allow a user of a receiver to create a composite stream comprising at least one portion selected from each of at least two of a plurality of broadcast streams. A method of open interface merge replication may involve comparing data between first and second databases, and if a conflict exists, updating one of the first and second databases with at least a portion of data from the other of the first and second databases to resolve the conflict.
US08737903B2
A method and apparatus for forming an image determine if printing paper is properly picked up, and printing data is transferred to an intermediate transfer belt (ITB). When it is sensed that the printing paper is not properly picked up, picking up the printing paper is retried considering a revolution cycle of the ITB. Thus, the frequency of errors can be decreased, and a user's convenience can be increased because picking up the printing paper is automatically retried whenever mis-pick up occurs instead of displaying an error. Further, wasting of toner is decreased.
US08737899B2
Disclosed is a fixing liquid containing a softening agent that softens resin-containing fine particles by dissolving or swelling at least a part of the resin; a C12-C18 fatty acid; and a C12-C18 fatty acid salt. The fixing liquid is mixed with water serving as a dilution solvent.
US08737897B2
A fixing device includes a pressing rotating body, a heating rotating belt, an induction coil, a magnetic core portion, and a belt guide member. The belt guide member is disposed on the inner side of the heating rotating belt and includes a coil side section that is disposed toward the induction coil relative to a rotational axis of the heating rotating belt and includes a temperature-rise corresponding portion and a non temperature-rise corresponding portion, and a nip side section that is disposed toward the pressing rotating body relative to the rotational axis and includes a paper-passing corresponding portion and a heat transfer portion disposed on the outer side of the paper-passing corresponding portion and having thermal conductivity higher than the thermal conductivity of the paper-passing corresponding portion.
US08737895B2
A fixing device for thermally fixing a developing agent image to a sheet fed in a sheet feeding direction includes: a tubular member; a heater; a nip member; and a backup member. The nip member made of a metal plate includes: a base portion; a connecting portion; and a flange portion. The base portion is plate-shaped. A nip region for nipping the tubular member between the backup member and the nip member is defined exclusively by the base portion and the backup member. The connecting portion extends from the base portion in a direction away from the backup member. The flange portion extends from the connecting portion in a direction opposite to the sheet feeding direction. The connecting portion and the flange portion define a retaining portion at a position confronting an inner peripheral surface of the tubular member for retaining a lubricant agent therein.
US08737894B2
A fixing device includes a tubular flexible metallic fusing member, a heater, a nip member, and a backup member. The fusing member has an inner peripheral surface defining an internal space. The heater is disposed in the internal space. The nip member is disposed in the internal space for receiving radiant heat from the heater and has a contact surface in sliding contact with the inner peripheral surface. At least the contact surface is provided with a protection layer having a hardness higher than that of the inner peripheral surface. The backup member nips the fusing member in cooperation with the nip member.
US08737892B2
The invention provides an image forming apparatus, having: an apparatus main body; a fixing unit fixing an image onto a recording material at a fixing nip portion, the fixing unit including a pressure-applying portion applying a pressure to the fixing nip portion and a pressure-releasing portion releasing the pressure; an opening/closing member disposed in the apparatus main body; an engaging portion engaging with the pressure-releasing portion of the fixing unit in a state of being mounted to the apparatus main body for moving the pressure-releasing portion, the engaging portion moving in conjunction with an opening/closing action of the opening/closing member; and a phase adjusting portion adjusting a phase of the pressure-releasing portion to a phase of the engaging portion when the opening/closing member is opened, in conjunction with a mounting action of the fixing unit to the apparatus main body.
US08737891B2
A belt driving apparatus includes an endless belt stretched around a driving roller that drives the belt, a receiving roller that receives an external force through the belt, driven rollers arranged upstream of the receiving roller and downstream of the driving roller in a rotational direction of the belt, at least one of the driven rollers being supported to be movable in radially inward and outward directions of the belt in accordance with a tension in the belt. A braking unit performs braking by pressing a frictional member against a rotational shaft of one of the driven rollers and generating a frictional force, and converts a displacement of the movably supported driven roller in the radially outward direction into a relative displacement between the rotational shaft and the frictional member, the displacement being caused when the external force is applied to the receiving roller so as to decelerate rotation thereof.
US08737884B2
This invention provides a charging member exhibiting high electrical charge injection efficiency.The charging member has an electro conductive base and an electro conductive fiber, one end of which is connected to the base, in which the fiber contains a plurality of carbon nanotubes which are entangled, and the carbon nanotubes are exposed at the tip portion of the fiber.
US08737881B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a first toner charging member, provided downstream of a transfer device and upstream of a charging device with respect to a rotational direction of the image bearing member, for electronically charging toner remaining on the image bearing member, and a second toner charging member, provided downstream of the first toner charging member and upstream of the charging device with respect to the rotational direction, for electrically charging the toner remaining on the image bearing member by being supplied with a voltage of a polarity identical to a normal charge polarity of the toner. In addition, a controller controls application of a predetermined voltage to the first toner charging member, and a first AC voltage is applied to a developer.
US08737879B2
An opening and closing mechanism includes a movable member removably mounted relative to a main body of an apparatus, an opening and closing member having a cover portion, protrusions, and pivot shafts, and shaft position adjusters to change positions of the pivot shafts while the cover portion pivots between a closed position and an open position. The opening and closing member is arranged so that, on an imaginary plane perpendicular to a central axis of each pivot shaft on which each pivot shaft and the movable member are projected, a projected portion of each pivot shaft is positioned to interfere with a projected portion of the movable member when the cover portion is placed at the closed position, and the cover portion is positioned so as not to interfere with a trajectory of movement of the movable member while the cover portion pivots toward the open position.
US08737877B2
A fixing device for thermally fixing a developer image to a sheet fed in a sheet feeding direction includes: a tubular flexible fusing member; a heater; a nip member; a resiliently deformable backup member; and an adjustment mechanism. The fusing member has an inner peripheral surface defining an internal space. The heater is disposed in the internal space and radiates radiant heat. The nip member is disposed in the internal space and receives the radiant heat from the heater. The inner peripheral surface is in sliding contact with the nip member. The resiliently deformable backup member provides a nip region in cooperation with the nip member upon nipping the fusing member between the backup member and the nip member. The adjustment mechanism moves the nip member between a first position and a second position different from the first position in the sheet feeding direction to adjust the sheet feeding direction.
US08737876B2
A developing device includes a developer cartridge and a developing unit. The developing unit includes a first guide and a second guide. The second is movable with respect to the developing frame between a first position where the second guide is in continuous with the first guide and a second position where a continuous state of the second guide with the first guide is interrupted. The developer cartridge includes a developer frame that accommodates a developer and a first guided member movable with respect to the developer frame. The first guide and the second guide at the first position guide the first guided member in the course of attaching the developer cartridge to the developing unit. When an attachment of the developer cartridge to the developing unit completes, the first guide receives the first guided member, and the second guide is at the second position.
US08737866B2
An image forming apparatus includes a developing device including a developing roller to bear a developing agent to develop a latent image formed on an image bearing member, a cooling device to reduce an internal temperature of the image forming apparatus, a controller to calculate a travel distance of the developing roller to control the cooling device, and a memory unit to store the total travel distance of the developing roller. The controller calculates the total travel distance of the developing roller every Y minutes in the last X minutes, and a difference between the latest total travel distance of the developing roller and the total travel distance stored Z minutes ago by the memory unit to obtain the total travel distance during Z minutes and operate the cooling device for W minutes after image forming operation where the difference is equal to or greater than a threshold value M.
US08737865B2
An image forming apparatus includes a contact member supplied with voltage by a voltage application device, to contact an object; a rotary member rotatable about a rotation fulcrum shaft fixed to an image forming apparatus, to support the contact member; an biasing member to urge the rotary member to press the contact member against the object; a rotary conductive member fixed to the rotary member and connected electrically to the contact member; a main body side conductive member fixed to the rotation fulcrum shaft at the main body side and connected electrically to the voltage application device; and a conductive connector provided along the rotation fulcrum shaft to contact the rotary conductive member in an axial direction to connect electrically the main body side conductive member and the rotary conductive member. A contact of the conductive connector and a contact of the rotary conductive member are unfixed.
US08737861B2
A fixing device includes a fixing rotation body heating and fixing an unfixed image onto a recording medium; a pressing rotation body pressing the recording medium to the fixing rotation body; and a temperature detection unit detecting a temperature of the pressing rotation body. Further, when a predetermined time period elapses since a warm-up operation has started before a temperature detected by the temperature detection unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined temperature or when the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit is equal to or greater than the predetermined temperature before the predetermined time period elapses since a warm-up operation has started, the fixing device determines that the warm-up operation is finished.
US08737859B2
An image forming device forms a toner image on a recording medium. The recording medium goes through a fixing nip N between a fixing member and a pressure member in a fixing unit where the toner image is fixed on the recording medium. A fixing temperature detector detects the temperature of the fixing member. A fixing temperature control unit controls a heater that heats the fixing member so that the detected temperature becomes a target temperature. A size control unit of white space sets a white space at a tip of the recording medium in a direction of the recording medium movement. When a paper counter counts more than a predetermined paper count, the size control unit increases the size of the white space. The fixing temperature control unit decreases the target fixing temperature when the white space goes through the fixing nip.
US08737853B2
A fixing device for thermally fixing a developing agent image to a sheet fed in a sheet feeding direction including: a tubular flexible fusing member; a heater; a nip member; a resiliently deformable backup member; and an adjustment mechanism. The fusing member has an inner peripheral surface defining an internal space. The heater, disposed in the internal space, is configured to radiate radiant heat. The nip member, disposed in the internal space, is configured to receive the radiant heat. The inner peripheral surface makes sliding contact with the nip member. The backup member provides a nip region in cooperation with the fusing member upon nipping the fusing member between the backup member and the nip member. The adjustment mechanism is configured to move the backup member between a first position and a second position different from the first position in the sheet feeding direction to adjust the sheet feeding direction.
US08737848B2
An optical receiver includes: an optical amplifier amplifying an optical signal fed thereinto according to an operating current fed thereinto, the optical signal being a wavelength-multiplexed optical signal, a demultiplexer demultiplexing an optical signal output from the optical amplifier; and an operating-current control circuit selecting a monitoring target from a plurality of wavelength signals output from the demultiplexer and controlling the operating current of the optical amplifier so that optical power of the monitoring target is controlled to be a predetermined value.
US08737844B2
A method for implementing Polarization Division Multiplexing Binary Phase Shift Keying (PDM-BPSK) modulation and Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) modulation in a compatible manner includes: dividing a direct current (DC) light into a first channel of light and a second channel of light with the same power; separately performing optoelectrical modulation on the first channel of light and the second channel of light and correspondingly outputting a first optical signal and a second optical signal in a Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK) format; performing polarization state control on the first optical signal; performing a phase shift on the first optical signal or the second optical signal; and performing optical signal combination with the polarization state preserved on the first optical signal and the second optical signal after the polarization state control and the phase shift, and outputting a PDM-BPSK modulation optical signal or a QPSK modulation optical signal.
US08737843B2
An optical homodyne communication system and method in which a side carrier is transmitted along with data bands in an optical data signal, and upon reception, the side carrier is boosted, shifted to the center of the data bands, and its polarization state is matched to the polarization state of the respective data bands to compensate for polarization mode dispersion during transmission. By shifting a boosted side carrier to the center of the data bands, and by simultaneously compensating for the effects of polarization mode dispersion, the provided system and method simulate the advantages of homodyne reception using a local oscillator. The deleterious effects of chromatic dispersion on the data signals within the data bands are also compensated for by applying a corrective function to the data signals which precisely counteracts the effects of chromatic dispersion.
US08737841B2
The sender and the receiver prepare two photons in the entangled state of polarization. The first photon of the two photons is sent to the sender and the second photon of the two photons is sent to the receiver. The sender measures the first photon after the first photon pass the polarizer in which the vertical polarized photon can pass, when the sender sends the signal “1”. The sender measures the first photon after the first photon pass the polarizer in which the 45 degrees polarized photon can pass, when the sender sends the signal “0”. The receiver measures the second photon by the balanced homodyne measurement. And, the receiver knows the signal from the absolute value of the result of the balanced homodyne measurement.
US08737840B2
In the optical transmitting system, the optical transmitter transmits a polarization combined signal light obtained by combining a pair of lights having different polarization orientation, and the optical receiver separates the combined signal light. In the optical transmitter, a polarization changer changes a state of polarization of the polarization combined signal light. In the optical receiver, a polarization reverse-changer changes the state of the polarization combined signal light in a reverse direction of the change that polarization changer applies.
US08737830B2
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to an optical module that includes interchangeable lenses to adjust a zoom level or focus of the optical module.
US08737821B2
The present disclosure involves a method of managing media playback. The method includes displaying a media program on a touch screen of an electronic device. The method includes detecting, via the touch screen, an input from a user indicating that the user wishes to fast forward or rewind the media program. The method includes triggering, in response to the detected input from the user, an appearance of a scroll bar including an indicator on the touch screen. The indicator is configured to be moved along the scroll bar. A length of the scroll bar represents a predefined amount of time that is a fraction of a total duration of the media program. A position of the indicator relative to the scroll bar corresponds to a time location of the media program.
US08737811B2
A playback device that secures coexistence of a built-in GUI for a built-in machine created uniquely by the manufacturer and a stereoscopic image created by the contents provider. A subtitle decoder displays a subtitle in a predetermined layout by decoding a subtitle stream. A GUI processing unit draws the built-in GUI. The layout of the subtitle to be displayed is one of: normal layout in which areas for subtitle display are provided both in upper and lower parts of a screen; top arrangement layout in which an area for displaying subtitle is provided only in the upper part of the screen; and bottom arrangement layout in which the area for displaying the subtitle is provided only in the lower part. When the top or bottom arrangement layout is selected as the layout of the subtitle, the GUI processing unit selects the layout of the subtitle as the layout of the built-in GUI.
US08737809B2
A content playing apparatus and method are provided, the content playing apparatus including: a receiver which receives content including a video and an audio; a storage unit which stores the received content; a processor which processes the content to play the stored content; an output unit which outputs a video and an audio of the played content; and a controller which generates an index of the video based on properties of the audio, and plays a part of the video corresponding to the properties of the audio at the part of the video by referring to the index.
US08737805B2
A method and apparatus for providing stream linking in audio/video disk media is disclosed. The present invention sets-up an audio/video stream on a disk drive, uses read and write commands for accessing contiguous data and, given an established stream, establishes a linked stream by sending a linked stream request with the number of a primary stream to the drive. The new stream inherits the beginning and ending addresses of the primary stream. Passed pointer detection is enabled for linked stream pointers passing primary stream pointers.
US08737792B2
A multicore fiber comprises a plurality of cores extending along the length of a fiber body. Each of the cores is surrounded by a cladding. The plurality of cores and surrounding cladding provide respective index variations, so as to form a respective plurality of waveguides for conducting parallel data transmissions from a first end of the fiber to a second end. The plurality of cores has a cross-sectional geometry in which the plurality of cores is configured in a polygonal array, in which at least some of the cores are positioned at the vertices of the array. The polygonal array is configured such that neighboring cores in the array are separated from each other by a distance that is sufficient to prevent crosstalk therebetween.
US08737786B1
A fiber optic cable assembly includes leg assemblies, a trunk assembly, a splice assembly, and a furcation assembly. Each leg assembly includes a jacket, an optical fiber, strength members, and a connector. The trunk assembly includes a jacket, optical fibers, strength members, and a multi-fiber connector. The splice assembly includes a tube supporting the optical fibers of the leg and trunk assemblies that are spliced together. The furcation assembly is attached to the splice assembly and includes a fan-out structure and first and second locks. The first lock binds the strength members of the leg assemblies to the furcation assembly, and the second lock binds the strength members of the trunk to the furcation assembly. As such, the furcation assembly provides a mechanical linkage between the trunk and leg assemblies to strain relieve the spliced optical fibers in the tube.
US08737775B2
A system and method of measuring displacement of energized components within a tap changer compartment. A fiber optic sensor assembly is provided within a transformer compartment. The sensor assembly monitors displacement of one or more energized components within the transformer compartment. The sensor assembly transmits information to a control box assembly that uses the information to output analog or digital signals, control signals, voltage and/or ampere measurements or other information.
US08737768B2
A device for processing an input image may include a degree-of-symmetry calculation unit, which may be configured to receive the input image and calculate a degree of symmetry of the input image. The device may also include a parting line detection unit, which may be configured to receive the input image and detect a parting line that separates two sides of the input image. Additionally, the device may include a classification unit, which may be configured to classify the input image based on the degree of symmetry and the parting line. The classification unit may also be configured to generate a classification signal to cause at least one of display or storage of the classification.
US08737765B2
A method includes identifying an area in an image that is associated with strong directional energy. The method further includes determining a first estimate of signal energy for the area and a second estimate of aliasing energy for the area. The method further includes estimating a severity of an aliasing error of the image based on the first estimate and the second estimate.
US08737764B2
A method of displaying a high dynamic range image, comprising receiving the high dynamic range image, calculating a first set of tone mapping parameters as a function of the high dynamic range image, sub-sampling the first set of tone mapping parameters at a first resolution to create a first sub-sampled parameter set, creating a first tone-mapped image by processing the high dynamic range image as a function of the first sub-sampled parameter set, and displaying the first tone-mapped image. A method of composting a plurality of versions of an image to create the high dynamic range image is also disclosed such that the compositing may be modified as a function of received user input.
US08737757B2
An image processing method includes the steps of generating a first image through restoration processing of an amplitude component and a phase component of an input image, generating a second image that has an equal state of the phase component to that of the first image and a different state of the amplitude component from that of the first image through restoration processing of the phase component without restoration processing of the amplitude component of the input image, obtaining difference information between the first image and the second image, setting a restoration level adjustment factor used to adjust a restoration degree in the restoration processing, and generating a restoration adjusted image by composing the difference information with the second image according to the restoration level adjustment factor.
US08737754B2
Quantization for oversampled signals with an error minimization searches based upon clusters of possible sampling vectors where the clusters have minimal correlation and thereby decrease reconstruction error as a function of oversampling (redundancy) ratio.
US08737751B2
The present technology relates to an image processing apparatus and method that are capable of enhancing encoding efficiency while suppressing a decrease in the efficiency of encoding processing. The image processing apparatus includes an encoding mode setter that sets, in units of coding units having a hierarchical structure, whether a non-compression mode is to be selected as an encoding mode for encoding image data, the non-compression mode being an encoding mode in which the image data is output as encoded data, and an encoder that encodes the image data in units of the coding units in accordance with a mode set by the encoding mode setter. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, an image processing apparatus.
US08737738B2
A method for toning mapping high dynamic range (HDR) video for display in low dynamic range display comprises accessing the HDR video; producing a luminance information for the individual frames; partitioning different consecutive groups of frames into segments responsive to the luminance information; classifying the segments into static luminance segments and transient luminance segments; producing a tone mapping parameter set for the static luminance segments; producing a tone mapping parameter set for at least one of the transient luminance segments responsive to the tone mapping parameter set of an adjacent static luminance segment; and tone mapping the static luminance segments and transient luminance segments according to the respective tone mapping parameter sets.
US08737734B2
A color processing apparatus includes the following elements. A point group generator generates a point group existing in a color gamut of an output apparatus. A design point group extracting unit extracts, from the point group, a design point group that satisfies predetermined design conditions. A corresponding point group setting unit sets, on the basis of the design point group, a corresponding point group indicating a boundary of a color gamut represented by the design point group, such that points of the corresponding point group are associated with individual points of a boundary point group existing on a boundary of the color gamut of the output apparatus. A design color gamut boundary generator generates a boundary of a design color gamut that satisfies the predetermined design conditions, by using a set of the boundary point group and the corresponding point group.
US08737732B2
An image processing device includes a first image enhancer and a second image enhancer. The first image enhancer receives first image data and generates first image enhancement information by analyzing the first image data. The second image enhancer receives second image data and generates second image enhancement information by analyzing the second image data. The first image enhancer converts the first image data into first enhanced image data based on the first image enhancement information and the second image enhancement information. The second image enhancer converts the second image data into second enhanced image data based on the first image enhancement information and the second image enhancement information.
US08737730B2
Color management using a vector-based color difference metric. A color difference map is comprised of color difference vectors for each of a plurality of pixels of an original image. The color difference vector for each pixel includes both a magnitude and a directionality representing a difference for color data in each pixel in the original image, relative to color data in a corresponding mapped pixel in a color mapped image. Pixels in the color difference map having large color differences in color movement relative to nearby pixels are identified in the color difference map, by applying an edge-detection algorithm to the color difference map. For each pixel that is identified in a smooth area in the original image and is identified as having a large color difference in the color difference map, a correction algorithm is applied, so as to provide a corrected color mapped image.
US08737727B2
Systems and methods of sorting electronic color images of objects are provided. One method includes receiving an input representation of an object, the representation including pixels defined in a first color space, converting the input image into a second color space, determining a query feature vector including multiple parameters associated with color of the input representation, the query feature vector parameters including at least a first parameter of the first color space and at least a first parameter of the second color space and comparing the query feature vector to multiple candidate feature vectors. Each candidate feature vector includes multiple parameters associated with color of multiple stored candidate images, the candidate feature vector parameters including at least the first parameter from the first color space and at least the first parameter from the second color space. The method further includes determining at least one of the candidate images to be a possible match to the desired object based on the comparison.
US08737725B2
Methods and Systems for training a learning based classifier and object detection in medical images is disclosed. In order to train a learning based classifier, positive training samples and negative training samples are generated based on annotated training images. Features for the positive training samples and the negative training samples are extracted. The features include an extended Haar feature set including tip features and corner features. A discriminative classifier is trained based on the extracted features.
US08737724B2
An invention is disclosed for classifying a graphic—e.g. as text or non-text. In embodiments, machine learning is used to generate a solution for classifying graphics of a graphic based on providing the machine learning system a plurality of graphics that are already classified. The way to determine a classification is then used by a remote presentation session server to classify tiles of frames to be transmitted to a client in a remote presentation session. The server encodes the tiles based on their classifications and transmits the encoded tiles to the client.
US08737721B2
A system and a method that facilitates generating a model from a 3-dimensional (3D) object assembled from 2-dimensional (2D) content are described. A content aggregator can construct a 3D object from a collection of two or more 2D images each depicting a real entity in a physical real world, wherein the 3D object is constructed by combining the two or more 2D images based upon a respective image perspective. A 3D virtual environment can allow exploration of the 3D object. A model component can extrapolate a true 3D geometric model from the 3D object, wherein the true 3D geometric model is generated to include scaling in proportion to a size within the physical real world.
US08737716B2
A mobile communication device and method for identifying a counterfeit bill are provided. In the method, an InfraRed (IR) image of a bill is received, feature values are extracted from the IR image to represent edges, a binary image having displayed pixels and non-displayed pixels is generated based on the feature values, and a corrected image is generated by overlaying the binary image on a pre-stored real bill database and adjusting the binary image to match a predetermined area of the binary image matches to the predetermined area of the real bill database. A number of displayed pixels in the corrected image is counted, and whether the bill is counterfeit is based on the number of displayed pixels in the corrected image.
US08737700B2
Methods of manufacturing a custom arthroplasty resection guide or jig are disclosed herein. For example, one method may include: generating MRI knee coil two dimensional images, wherein the knee coil images include a knee region of a patient; generating MRI body coil two dimensional images, wherein the body coil images include a hip region of the patient, the knee region of the patient and an ankle region of the patient; in the knee coil images, identifying first locations of knee landmarks; in the body coil images, identifying second locations of the knee landmarks; run a transformation with the first and second locations, causing the knee coil images and body coil images to generally correspond with each other with respect to location and orientation.
US08737699B2
A computer-implemented method for combinational computer aided diagnosis (C-CAD) includes providing volume data of tissue, providing a database of disease and pathologies, and providing action items for processing the volume data. The method further comprises selecting at least two diseases of interest for the volume data, selecting at least one action item to be performed for each selected disease, determining a set of decision rules based on an output of a selected action item, and producing a combinational report predicting of the tissue of the volume data.
US08737697B2
Facial feature point reliability generating means generates a reliability map of each facial feature point from a facial image. Initial facial feature point position calculating means calculates the position of each facial feature point in the facial image based on the reliability map. Off-position facial feature point judgment means judges whether or not each facial feature point is an off-position facial feature point not satisfying a prescribed condition. Facial feature point difference calculating means calculates the difference between the position of each facial feature point, excluding those judged as the off-position facial feature points, and the position of a corresponding point of the facial feature point. Facial feature point position correcting means corrects the determined positions of the facial feature points based on the results of the judgment by the off-position facial feature point judgment means and the calculation by the facial feature point difference calculating means.
US08737696B2
A human face recognition method and apparatus are provided. A processor of the human face recognition apparatus calculates red, green, and blue component statistic information for each of a plurality of human face images. The processor uses an independent component analysis algorithm to analyze component statistic information of two colors and derive a piece of first component information and a piece of second component information. The processor transforms the pieces of first component information and second component information into a frequency domain to derive a piece of first frequency-domain information and a piece of second frequency-domain information. The processor calculates an energy value of the first frequency-domain information within a frequency range. The energy value is used to decide whether the human face images are captured from a human being.
US08737684B2
A system for tracking objects using an Intelligent Video processing system in the context of airport surface monitoring. The system addresses airport surface monitoring operational issues such as all weather conditions, high robustness, and low false report rate. The output can be used to complement existing airport surface monitoring systems. By combining the use of multi-sensors and an adverse weather optimized system, the system is capable of producing an improved stream of information for the target object over traditional computer vision based airport surface monitoring systems.
US08737681B2
Systems and methods for replacing original media bookmarks of at least a portion of a digital media file with replacement bookmarks is described. A media fingerprint engine detects the location of the original fingerprints associated with the portion of the digital media file and a region analysis algorithm characterizes regions of media file spanning the location of the original bookmarks by data class types. The replacement bookmarks are associated with the data class types and are overwritten or otherwise are substituted for the original bookmarks. The replacement bookmarks then are subjected to a fingerprint matching algorithm that incorporates media timeline and media related metadata.
US08737679B2
A system and method to extract audio-video fingerprint and embed an audio-video watermark onto a content asset that is transmitted as part of network content. The specific content to be replaced and the point of local content insertion are identified uniquely by looking for the embedded audio-video watermark and match the audio-video fingerprint. The identified point of insertion enables seamless local content insertion.
US08737676B2
Acquired mask data of a defect portion is sent to a simulated repair circuit 300 to be simulated. The simulation of the acquired mask data 204 is returned to the mask inspection results 205 and thereafter sent to a wafer transfer simulator 400 along with a reference image at the corresponding portion. A wafer transfer image estimated by the wafer transfer simulator 400 is sent to a comparing circuit 301. When it is determined that there is a defect in the comparing circuit 301, the coordinates and the wafer transfer image which is a basis for the defect determination are stored as transfer image inspection results 206. The mask inspection results 205 and the transfer image inspection result 206 are then sent to the review device 500.
US08737675B2
A speaker unit that can prevent a lead from being broken is provided. The speaker unit includes: a diaphragm; a voice coil which is secured to the diaphragm; and a lead which is connected to the voice coil to energize the voice coil. The diaphragm includes an annular securing portion which has the voice coil secured thereto, and an outer projection which projects with respect to the securing portion at a side corresponding to a surface of the diaphragm having the voice coil secured thereto and extends along the securing portion. The outer projection has a top. The outer projection has the top partially recessed to have a recess. The lead extends across the recess to traverse the outer projection.
US08737667B2
An earphone device having a biological information measuring apparatus, structured to facilitate insertion into a user's ear or to absorb vibration generated by external movement before or after the insertion. To this end, the earphone device includes a speaker portion, a sensor housing rotatably coupled with the speaker portion, a shaft provided in the speaker portion and the sensor housing to couple the speaker portion with the sensor housing such that the speaker portion and the sensor housing rotate together, a support housing coupled with the shaft to pass the shaft therethrough, the support housing supporting rotation of the speaker portion and the sensor housing, and a stopper portion provided in the shaft and the support housing to rotate the speaker portion and the sensor housing and then stop them before or after insertion into a user's ear, thereby facilitating the insertion or urging the speaker portion to contact the user's ear.
US08737665B2
A negative pressure earphone includes a main body, a cover portion, a silicone gel earplug, a filtering net and a moving coil sound unit. The silicone gel earplug is fitted to the protruding end of the main body. The filtering net is provided on the opening of the protruding end and the moving coil sound unit is disposed inside the main body. The cover portion is fitted to the other end of the main body. A sealing framework portion is disposed inside the main body and the moving coil sound unit is fitted to the sealing framework portion. A negative pressure portion is disposed on the sealing framework portion. The negative pressure earphone of the present invention is structurally simple and water resistant and does not have to have an opening in its cover portion.
US08737659B2
The present invention allows for the further enhancement of a low pitch range with a simple structure without increasing the size.The present invention is provided with: a pipe (102) open one end side and the other end side; a speaker unit (104) that is coaxial with the pipe (102), arranged at the one end side of the pipe (102), and driven on the basis of an audio signal; and an edge-cum-diaphragm (102B) that is coaxial with the pipe (102), installed at the other end side of the pipe (102), and vibrates in response to a sound wave that passes through the pipe (102). While the pipe (102) functions as a resonance tube by being excited to vibration with the sound wave that is radiated from the speaker unit (104) and passes through the pipe (102), the edge-cum-diaphragm (102B) functions as a passive radiator by vibrating in response to the sound wave that passes through the pipe (102).
US08737658B2
A hearing assistance device for a user comprising a housing, a three dimensional electronic substrate disposed in the housing, the substrate adapted to conform to a battery of the hearing assistance device and hearing assistance electronics mounted to the substrate.
US08737657B2
A suspension for a hearing device having a receiver includes a first part, a second part, and a vibration isolator positioned between the first and the second parts, and mechanically coupled to the first and second parts, wherein the first part is configured to at least partly enclose the receiver, wherein the second part is configured to at least partly enclose a sound outlet of the hearing device, wherein the vibration isolator comprises an acoustic passage part and a damping part enclosing the acoustic passage, wherein the acoustic passage part provides an acoustic passage between the first and second parts, wherein the damping part of the vibration isolator is asymmetrical along a longitudinal, a transverse axis, or both the longitudinal axis and the transverse axis, of the vibration isolator, and wherein the vibration isolator is freely suspended between the first and second parts.
US08737653B2
Disclosed herein is a system for binaural noise reduction for hearing assistance devices using information generated at a first hearing assistance device and information received from a second hearing assistance device. In various embodiments, the present subject matter provides a gain measurement for noise reduction using information from a second hearing assistance device that is transferred at a lower bit rate or bandwidth by the use of coding for further quantization of the information to reduce the amount of information needed to make a gain calculation at the first hearing assistance device. The present subject matter can be used for hearing aids with wireless or wired connections.
US08737651B2
A system for providing hearing assistance to at least one user, having: at least one audio signal source; a first transmission unit with a digital transmitter for applying a digital modulation to the audio signals and to transmit the audio signals via a digital audio link; a second transmission unit with a digital receiver for receiving the audio signals transmitted via the digital audio link and an analog transmitter for applying an analog modulation to the received audio signals and to transmit the audio signals via an analog audio link; at least one first receiver unit having a digital receiver for receiving signals from the digital transmitter and at least one second receiver unit with an analog receiver for receiving signals from the analog transmitter; and a device for stimulating the hearing of a user according to audio signals supplied from the first and second receiver units.
US08737642B2
An audio signal processing apparatus and method for extracting components from an input signal, generating additional components, combining components, and level-controlling components. An audio signal processing apparatus may include a harmonic overtone adder and an equalizer. A harmonic overtone adder may include a high-pass filter, a low-pass filter, an harmonic overtone generator, and a combining unit. An equalizer may include a level detector and a gain controller.
US08737638B2
An audio signal processing device includes multiple input reception units to which analog audio signals, on which watermark information indicating identification information is superimposed, are input, an extraction unit that is adapted to extract the identification information from each of the analog audio signals input to the multiple input reception units, and a display unit for performing display depending on the identification information extracted by the extraction unit in correspondence with the input reception unit to which the analog audio signal, from which the identification information is extracted, is input, or signal processing unit for performing signal processing depending on the identification information extracted by the extraction unit for the analog audio signal, from which the relevant identification information is extracted, and outputting the processed analog audio signal.
US08737630B2
A device to measure or to estimate the acoustical output of the loudspeaker of a earphone, earplug, headphone or ear muff, and to measure the ambient environmental sounds where appropriate. The loudspeaker is connected to an electronic audio device. The acoustical output of the loudspeaker may be measured by means of a microphone placed in close proximity to the loudspeaker; or estimated by means of measuring the output of the audio amplifier (in the electronic audio device) and using the output/input transfer function that relates the acoustical output of the loudspeaker to the output of the audio amplifier; or estimated by means of the output the digital signal processor (in the electronic audio device) and using the output/input transfer function that relates the acoustical output of the loudspeaker to the output of the digital signal processor. The measurement or estimation of the acoustical output of the loudspeaker (and measurement of the ambient environmental noise, if appropriate) may be used to realize a noise dosimeter or as a means to determine the maximum allowable output limit of the electronic audio device.
US08737624B2
The present invention provides a method and system for securing a digital data stream. A first key of a first asymmetric key pair from a key store remote from a host node is received at the host node. A dynamically generated key is received at the host node, which is used to encipher the digital data stream. The dynamically generated key is enciphered with the first key of the first asymmetric key pair. The enciphered digital data stream and the enciphered dynamically generated key are stored remotely from the host node and the key store.
US08737620B2
The invention provides a system and a method for securely providing a secret data from a sender to one or more receivers. The receiver uses a sequence of functions originating from a hierarchy of functions to migrate the secret data from an input transform space to an output transform space using a mathematical transformation under control of one or more seeds. The seeds are provided to the receiver by the sender. The sender conditionally allows the receiver to obtain the secret data by controlling the seeds.
US08737614B1
A system is provided in which document imaging equipment is used to acquire a document image from a printed document. The document image may be processed using an optical character recognition application implemented on the document imaging equipment. A user may supply identifier information. The identifier information may be used in constructing an identity-based-encryption (IBE) public key. Identity-based-encryption public parameter information and the IBE public key may be used in encrypting the document image. The IBE-encrypted document image may be stored in storage or sent to a recipient in a message. A user receiving the IBE-encrypted document image may obtain an IBE private key from a key server that is used in decrypting the IBE-encrypted document.
US08737612B2
Provided is a broadcast receiving device including a determining unit configured to make a determination on a channel selected by a selecting unit as to whether the corresponding encryption key is available or unavailable, and a control unit configured to, when the determining unit determines that the encryption key is unavailable, allow the selecting unit to sequentially select channels displayed in a channel window, allow the determining unit to make the determination, and allow an output unit to generate and output the channel window so that the channel with the encryption key determined as unavailable is identified.
US08737611B2
A data delivery device divides data representing a single entity into a plurality of data items, encrypts the data items, and delivers the encrypted data items to a data receiving device. The encryption device in the data delivery device includes a first encryptor that encrypts a first set of the data items, leaving a second set of the data items unencrypted. A storage unit stores the encrypted first set of data items and the unencrypted second set of data items, pending delivery to the data receiving device. A second encryptor encrypts the second set of data items in real time when they are taken from the storage unit and delivered to the data receiving device. By combining pre-encryption and real-time encryption, the encryption device attains a high level of security with only a moderate real-time processing load.
US08737608B2
A data input is divided into two segments. The second segment is raised to a power of a function of the first segment, the power being relatively prime to a function of a predefined modulus. The modulus is then applied to the result. The transformed data is assembled from the first segment and the remainder modulo the modulus. This data transformation can be applied in combination with a key derivation algorithm, a key wrapping algorithm, or an encryption algorithm to enhance the security of these other applications.
US08737590B2
A method for handling multiple call redirections in a voice messaging platform is provided that includes receiving a call at the voice messaging platform, wherein multiple, sequential redirecting numbers are associated with the call. The method also includes selecting a mailbox associated with a last number associated with the call when it is determined that the last number does not belong to a closed user group, and depositing a message in the selected mailbox. When the last number belongs to the closed user group, and if the closed user group does not allow individual call forwarding control, the method selects the mailbox based on a closed user group preference. An apparatus and a computer readable medium are provided.
US08737584B2
The present invention enables the remote activation of a device by a packet-switched service, e.g., VoIP network service for the purposes of receiving calls identified as urgent from a pre-identified calling party when the device is disabled. The present invention enables registered users to select the calling parties they wish to receive emergency calls from.
US08737583B2
Techniques for transmitting information to a recipient under their control are described. In some situations, the techniques are used in conjunction with a fax delivery system to, as part of a connection established to perform a fax transmission, provide a variety of functionalities to a human recipient that is participating as part of the connection, such as when the human recipient is contacted in error. In addition, in some situations an interactive voice response system is used to receive and interpret input from a human recipient, such as in response to one or more control selections or options provided to the human recipient.
US08737582B1
A voice message system records voice message usage information by creating voice message records when a voice message is sent and when it is received. The voice message record includes: the voice message, a voice message sender identity, a voice message recipient identity, and voice message action records. A voice message action records includes a voice message action that specifies an action on the voice message, and a voice message action time that includes the time at which the action occurs. Voice message actions include sent, received, and listened. The system further includes a voice message analyzer for analyzing voice message records, and a voice message reporter for generating reports from an analysis by the analyzer. The voice message system provides tractable information for voice messages, allowing companies to enforce a voice message usage policy.
US08737568B2
An extracting step (step S1) extracts uninfluenced pixels with a relatively high degree of certainty, while avoiding influences of random quantum noise as much as possible. An approximate fluoroscopic image is obtained based on such uninfluenced pixels (step S2). Thus, accuracy of the approximate fluoroscopic image can be improved over that of the prior art. Therefore, a grid foil shadow image (step S3) and a foil shadow standard image (step S4) calculated successively based on the approximate fluoroscopic image have improved accuracy over the prior art. As a result, while inhibiting influences of random quantum noise, a foil shadow removed image can be obtained which is free from artifacts due to distortion of a synchronous grid.
US08737563B2
A radiation imaging system has a radiation generation device, an FPD cassette, and a console. The console judges whether or not the FPD cassette is in a good communication state repeatedly once every thirty seconds. Upon receiving a radiography order, the console changes repetition intervals from thirty seconds to three seconds, and keeps judging the communication state of the FPD cassette. The repeated judgment is continued until a shutter button is pressed. Upon the press of the shutter button, the radiation generation device emits radiation to carry out radiography.
US08737556B2
A method and apparatus is provided for providing a phase glitch error filter for a delay lock loop. The device comprises a delay lock loop to provide an output signal based upon a phase difference between a reference signal and a feedback signal. The delay lock loop comprises a filter unit to provide filtering of noise on a phase control signal to substantially reduce a false delay lock loop state.
US08737555B2
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed toward receiver devices and methods of using receiver devices. One such method can include converting, using an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and an analog input signal from power distribution lines that carry power using alternating current (AC) to a digital form. This input digital signal can be an oversampled digital signal, where the digital signal is oversampled relative to downstream processing (e.g., FFT-based processing). A processing circuit(s) can then be used to decimate the input digital signal according to a decimation rate. A reference signal can be generated by the processing circuit that is responsive to the decimation rate. The processing circuit can also be used to detect a change in a phase difference between the AC and reference signal and to modify, in response to detecting a change in the phase difference, the decimation rate to counteract the detected change in the phase difference.
US08737551B1
A method and system synchronizes transmission of receive data over an asynchronous digital radio frequency interface in a wireless communication device. A timing accurate strobe (TAS) re-sampler generates, using a first timing strobe synchronized to a baseband modem clock, a second timing strobe synchronized to a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) clock. The TAS re-sampler forwards the second timing strobe to the RFIC to trigger a collection of data samples and initiates a count of RFIC clock cycles. The RFIC sends the data samples to a baseband First In First Out (FIFO) buffer over the asynchronous interface. In response to the count reaching a pre-determined number of RFIC clock cycles corresponding to a fixed delay, the TAS re-sampler triggers a reading of data from the FIFO buffer. The baseband modem receives data corresponding to the collection of data samples after a fixed delay from generation of the first timing strobe.
US08737547B2
An adaptive digital baseband receiver is described in which operating parameters of the receiver, such as bit-widths and operating frequencies, are determined that achieve a target bit-error-ratio (BER) as a function of received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and interference levels in a wireless channel and enable the receiver to consume a minimum amount of power. Over consumption of power may be avoided due to a functional relationship between optimal resolution and input signal conditions. In exemplary embodiments, the adaptive digital receiver is provided that adjusts bit-widths and operating frequency at power efficient levels while meeting a target BER. Simulations can be used to determine a relation between bit-width, operating frequency, and input signal conditions, for example.
US08737543B2
A method and apparatus for recovering an estimated velocity of a mobile station in a communication system are provided. The apparatus includes a searcher for determining a Doppler shift value representing the estimated velocity of the mobile station by using a channel impulse response of a preamble signal received at a regular interval of time, a detector for determining a reference Doppler value for compensating the Doppler shift value by using correlation ratios between channel values of symbols to which data for the mobile station are allocated according to subcarriers in a data allocation field of a frame including the preamble signal, and a compensator for determining a compensated Doppler shift value by using the reference Doppler value to compensate the Doppler shift value for a folding value, wherein the folding value represents a difference between the estimated velocity and a true velocity of the mobile station.
US08737542B1
A method and apparatus for receiving data in high-speed applications wherein an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) samples a received signal and a data decoder implemented with a tree search algorithm detects the bits of the sampled data for timing recovery. In some embodiments, a Viterbi detector is implemented to provide accurate bit detection for data output while tree search detected data is used to determine the optimal sampling phase for the ADC. In some embodiments, after the phase acquisition stage of timing recovery has completed, the tree search decoder may decrease the rate of data detection to maintain phase tracking.
US08737540B1
This disclosure is directed to wireless or wired multiple-input multiple-output communication systems, in which a transmit symbol vector and a set of soft decision metrics are estimated using a reduced complexity maximum likelihood (ML) detection method based on a receive symbol vector and a QR decomposition of a set of permuted channel matrices. The QR decomposition can be performed by a series of CORDIC operations. Preferably, the modified receive vector and upper triangular matrix streams are scaled by a weighting vector to help compensate for transmit and receive side noise. Also preferably, the soft decision metric set related to the reliability of transmitted bits is normalized.
US08737539B2
A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system for demapping uses a single stream system of iterative passes in a preferred order using the latest soft-information for better interference cancellation and the minimum mean square error (MMSE) criterion.
US08737534B2
A receiver having Inphase-Quadrature (I-Q) imbalance compensation and an I-Q imbalance compensation method are provided. The receiver calculates a cross-ratio parameter according to a first ideal receiving value and a first ideal conjugate receiving mirror of a first receiving signal and a second ideal receiving value and a second ideal conjugate receiving mirror of a second receiving signal. The receiver calculates an I-Q imbalance compensation parameter according to the cross-ratio parameter, the first ideal receiving value, the first ideal conjugate receiving mirror, the second ideal receiving value, the second ideal conjugate receiving mirror, the first receiving signal and the second receiving signal. The receiver compensates a third receiving signal according to the I-Q imbalance compensation parameter.
US08737530B2
Allocation of multiple training sequences transmitted in a MIMO timeslot from multiple transmit antenna elements is provided. For example, a method of generating signals in a MIMO timeslot, the method comprising: selecting a first training sequence; preparing a first data payload; generating a first signal including the prepared first data payload and the first training sequence; transmitting the first signal in a MIMO timeslot from a first antenna of a network element; selecting a second training sequence, wherein the second training sequence is different from first training sequence; preparing a second data payload; generating a second signal including the prepared second data payload and the second training sequence; and transmitting the second signal in the MIMO timeslot from a second antenna of the network element.
US08737521B2
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates transmission of a serial data stream. The system may include, in a receiver of the serial data stream, a first mechanism for converting from single-ended signaling to differential signaling, wherein the first mechanism facilitates rejection of common mode noise in the serial data stream. For example, the first mechanism may be a balun and/or a common-mode choke.
US08737514B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe devices, methods, computer-readable media and systems configurations for communication of channel state information among network entities. In various embodiments, may calculate first-, second- and third-stage channel state information for nodes of a coordinated multipoint measurement set. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US08737510B2
A wireless communication system includes an inverse matrix calculating unit which uses an inverse matrix of a channel matrix of a first combination of L antennas (where L is an integer, 1≦L≦N) selected from the N antennas, so as to calculate an inverse matrix of a channel matrix of a second combination of L antennas selected from the N antennas through an arithmetic operation, and an antenna selecting unit which selects a combination of L antennas from the N antennas as L antennas to be used for communication, the selected combination determining a reference value for antenna selection related to the inverse matrix calculated by the inverse matrix calculating unit so that the reference value for antenna selection fits a successive interference cancellation process carried out for a signal transmitted from the L antennas of the selected combination.
US08737507B2
Determining transmitter antenna weights at a base station having more available transmit antennas than the available number of reference signals can be performed by transmitting reference signals and receiving channel feedback data derived by a mobile terminal from the reference signals. The reference signals are each assigned to one of two or more antenna groupings, wherein at least a first one of the antenna groupings includes two or more transmit antennas, and transmitted using at least one transmit antenna from the corresponding antenna grouping. A first beam-forming vector for the first one of the antenna grouping is determined, and mapping the one or more data streams to the transmit antennas according to a final precoding matrix that depends on the channel feedback data and the first beam-forming vector is performed, to obtain a weighted transmit signal for each of the antennas.
US08737506B1
What is disclosed is a method of operating a wireless access system. The method includes exchanging wireless communications with a plurality of user devices using a first transmit diversity configuration, receiving multipath information from the user devices for the wireless communications, and processing the multipath information to determine a second transmit diversity configuration. The method also includes transferring an indicator of the second transmit diversity configuration to the user devices, and exchanging further wireless communications with the user devices using the second transmit diversity configuration.
US08737500B2
Provided are a transmitter and a method for transmitting a data block in a wireless communication system. The method comprises the following steps: deciding the number of bits (s) and encoders (NES) to allocate to one axis of a signal constellation; encoding an information bit based on the s and the NES and generating a coded block; parsing the coded block based on the s and the NES and generating a plurality of frequency sub-blocks; and transmitting the plurality of frequency sub-blocks to a receiver.
US08737497B2
A method for estimating interference between a plurality of carrier signals in a multi-channel system including injecting pilot symbols into a first carrier signal and transmitting the first carrier signal, transmitting a second carrier signal, receiving at least the first carrier signal and the second carrier signal, and estimating interference between the received first carrier signal and the received second carrier signal based, at least in part, on measuring the received first carrier signal when a pilot symbol of the first carrier signal is received. A multi-channel communication system including a plurality of transmitters for a plurality of carrier signals, a pilot symbol injector for injecting silent pilot symbols into at least one of the carrier signals, a plurality of receivers for the plurality of carrier signals, and an interference estimator configured to estimate interference between at least two of the plurality of carrier signals based, at least in part, on receiving silent pilot symbols in at least one of the at least two of the plurality of carrier signals. Related apparatus and methods are also described.
US08737493B2
The presently disclosed subject matter relates to powerline communications (PLC) in an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) environment. A communications signal is applied to a power line by a PLC transmitting device. A receiver is provided that evaluates communications signals based on the power coupled to the power line by the transmitting device. In one present embodiment, PLC signal voltage and current levels are multiplied together to evaluate signal power to reproduce received PLC signals.
US08737489B2
The disclosure is directed to techniques for picture-in-picture (PIP) processing for video telephony (VT). According to the disclosed techniques, a local video communication device transmits PIP information to a remote video communication device. Using the PIP information, the remote video communication device applies preferential encoding to non-PIP regions of video transmitted to the local video communication device.
US08737486B2
An objective image quality assessment device of a video quality for estimating a subjective image quality from compressed bit stream is provided. The device includes a macro-block layer parameter analyzer for acquiring a quantizer scale size defined with respect to each macro-block and a coding type of a slice from a compressed bit stream, an orthogonal transformation coefficient in each macro-block, and a reference frame number in the macro-block applied with a motion compensating prediction, an average quantizer scale calculator for obtaining an average in a sequence of the quantizer scale size for every coding type of the slice, a spatial degradation feature calculator and a temporal degradation feature calculator for obtaining a spatial degradation feature and a temporal degradation feature, in each macro-block, and an image feature integrator for deriving the objective image quality based on the features obtained in the calculators.
US08737482B2
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes an inter-prediction unit which generates a prediction signal, a transformation unit which orthogonal transform a prediction residual signal between the prediction signal and a picture signal of the macro block, and an inter-prediction mode determining unit which determines a combination of an inter-prediction mode used by the inter-prediction unit and DCT used by the transformation unit for each macro block. The inter-prediction mode determining unit includes a first selection unit which selects a preset number of inter-prediction modes from plural types of inter-prediction mode with a specified type of DCT, and a second selection unit which selects a combination of one inter-prediction mode and one DCT from the preset number of inter-prediction modes selected by the first selection unit and the plural types of DCT.
US08737479B2
A method for encoding a first set of pixels in a first image in a sequence of images is described. From a set of encoding modes, the method selects a first mode for encoding the first set of pixels. The method then determines whether encoding the first set of pixels in the first mode satisfies a set of quality criteria. The method foregoes encoding the first set of pixels in a second mode from the set of encoding modes, when the first mode encoding satisfies the set of quality criteria. The method also provides a video encoding method that examines several different methods for encoding a set of pixels in a first image. From a list of possible encoding modes, the method eliminates a set of encoding modes that are not likely to provide a suitable encoding solution. The method then examines different encoding solutions based on the remaining encoding modes in the list.
US08737475B2
A method of encoding a video frame is disclosed in which video slices of the video frame are initially encoded in parallel using both interframe encoding and intraframe encoding. Then, after a first predetermined minimum amount of the video frame has been encoded, the method includes periodically determining whether the amount of intraframe encoded information for the frame achieves a first threshold, and when the first threshold is achieved, encoding the remainder of the video frame using only intraframe encoding. The method may include determining whether a lower second threshold is achieved based on relative complexity of the frame and quantization. The method may include performing similar comparisons on a slice by slice basis in which any one or more of the processing devices skips motion estimation and interframe encoding for corresponding video slices. A video encoder is disclosed which includes multiple processing devices and a shared memory.
US08737460B2
An equalizer configured to receive a data signal from a channel. The detector is coupled to the equalizer, and a calibration unit is coupled with the equalizer and the detector. The calibration unit is configured to jointly calibrate the equalizer and the detector using a metric subject to an entropy-preserving equalizer constraint.
US08737456B2
Methods and apparatus are disclosed, such as those involving mixed-mode signaling that includes transmitting a differential signal and a common mode signals over the same pair of interconnect traces. One such apparatus includes a first transmitter configured to transmit a differential signal through a pair of electrically conductive lines in a first direction. The differential signal has a first frequency and carries electronic data. The apparatus further includes a second transmitter configured to transmit a common mode signal through the pair of electrically conductive lines in the first direction. The common mode signal is superimposed onto each of the differential signal. The common mode signal has a second frequency that is lower than the first frequency and carries a control signal. This configuration reduces the number of lines and pins on electronic circuits, thereby saving space thereon.
US08737450B2
High speed serial link techniques are provided. A system applying the high speed serial link technique comprises a relay unit and an amplifier. The relay unit receives a first pair of differential signals provided by a high speed transmitter of a first device, and provides the amplifier with at least one signal that is generated based on the first pair of differential signals. The amplifier amplifies and converts the signal provided by the relay unit to a second pair of differential signals to be received by a high speed receiver of a second device.
US08737435B2
An encoder includes a precoder for encoding an input information object according to a preset encoding scheme and storing the encoded information object in a precoder buffer, a sample number/address generation unit for generating a sample number of each sample and an address, which corresponds to each bit of each sample and the address of the precoder buffer, a multiplexer for selecting a bit of the precoder buffer corresponding to the address generated by the sample number/address generation module, a sampling buffer for storing a bit of each sample output from the multiplexer, a control packet generation module for generating a control packet including information on the sample number generated by the sample number/address generation module, a packet assembling unit for assembling the sample stored in the sampling buffer with the control packet generated by the control data generation module, and a modulation module for modulating the packet output from the packet assembling unit into a sound signal according to a preset scheme.
US08737427B2
Random access operation is performed under a communication environment in which a plurality of communication modes having different transmission rate coexist with small overhead. A high-grade communication station spoofs information of a packet length and a rate in a decoding portion so that a value of (packet length)/(rate) corresponds to a duration where the communication is hoped to be stopped. The other station receiving the spoofed information receives the rest of the packet with the designated rate during the interval designated by the value of (packet length)/(rate). In this case, the packet length and the rate are not those of actually transmitted packet so that this packet is discarded.
US08737425B2
A method and apparatus are described for gaining access to a communication medium in a contention-based network, including determining a slot count based on a number of stations in the contention-based network, adjusting the slot count, initiating a frame transmission when the slot count reaches a predetermined value and wherein said number of stations and an address queue are adjusted to reflect one of a priority and traffic patterns. Further, a method and apparatus are described for gaining access to a communication medium in a contention-based network, including receiving a slot count based on a number of stations in the contention-based network, adjusting the slot count, initiating a frame transmission when the slot count reaches a predetermined value and wherein said number of stations and an address queue are adjusted to reflect a priority.
US08737419B2
Provided is a method of controlling a network concentrator 100 which controls a link status between, of a plurality of ports 102, 104, 106, 108, at least one port 102, 104, 106 that belongs to a first group 10 and at least one port 108 that belongs to a second group 12 corresponding to the first group 10. The method comprises the steps of: detecting that each of the ports that respectively belong to the first group 10 and the second group 12 is link-up or link-down; and as a result of the detection step, if at least one port in one group of the first group 10 and the second group 12 is link-up and all the ports in the other group are link-down, setting the link-up port in the one group to disablement.
US08737413B2
A first relay server stores a first routing target address and a second routing target address. The first relay server stores a first routing target address and a virtual address allocated to the first routing target address while being correlated with each other. The first relay server allocates the virtual address to the first routing target address. The first relay server sets whether communication is conducted using the virtual address or the first routing target address with respect to each second relay server. The first relay server transmits the virtual address allocated to the first routing target address to the second relay server, and receives the second routing target address from the second relay server, so as to establish a routing session with the second relay server. The first relay server performs routing control based on the exchanged routing target address.
US08737399B2
A network apparatus comprising a trunk end point associated with an Ethernet-tree (E-Tree) service in a network domain and configured to forward a frame that comprises a tag according to the tag in the frame, wherein the tag in the frame is a root tag that indicates a root source of the frame or a leaf tag that indicates a leaf source of the frame, and wherein the trunk end point is coupled to a second end point associated with the E-tree service outside the network domain.
US08737398B2
Aspects of the invention provide apparatuses, systems, and computer readable media for protecting a programmable logic controller (PLC) 201 and plant network 203 against unauthorized access and for providing robust intended communication. A communication module 211 provides only intended communication and blocks all unintended communication between the plant network and a control network/office network 205 without using external infrastructure network devices. The communication module includes an Ethernet switch 303 and ports that electrically couple the CPU module 209, a plant network, and control/office network and controls communication to the PLC and the plant network from the control/office network by forwarding packets based on configuration information 406 and 504, where the packets are received through the ports. The communication module passes packets only when the associated source address and destination address are in accordance with the configuration information. The communication module may further pass packets based on packet traffic limits.
US08737395B2
A method is described for accessing a virtual private network over a packet switched network. The method includes the steps of sending, by a provider edge router, network labeling information about data packet labels to a network access device using a layer 2 network protocol.
US08737394B2
A route computation method and system, and a path computation element (PCE) are provided. In particular, the method includes: receiving, by a bottom-level PCE which manages a routing domain including a destination node, a path computation command, performing a route computation on the routing domain managed by the bottom-level PCE, obtaining a path segment set with a destination node serving as an endpoint, and sending the obtained path segment set to an upper-level PCE of the bottom-level PCE, sending, by the upper-level PCE receiving the path segment set sent by a first lower-level PCE, the path computation command to a second lower-level PCE, receiving path segment sets sent by all lower-level PCEs, and combining and sending all the received path segment sets to an upper-level PCE of the upper-level PCE, until a top-level PCE receives path segment sets sent by all lower-level PCEs of the top-level PCE; and combining, by the top-level PCE, all the received path segment sets to generate a set of paths between the destination node and the source node.
US08737393B2
A communication apparatus for performing connection type communication includes a first memory configured to store pieces of communication endpoint information relating to communication endpoints of connection, and a moving device configured to move, among the pieces of communication endpoint information stored in the first memory, communication endpoint information of connection set in a disconnection wait state, from the first memory to a second memory.
US08737388B2
A system for processing packets in a distributed architecture system includes a main control board, at least one service board, and at least one interface board. The system determines a specified CPU corresponding to a received packet; and, by the service board corresponding to the CPU, processes the received packet. The received packets are processed in the service board corresponding to the specified CPU. Therefore, the packets are evenly distributed to all service boards for being processed, the workload of the main control board is relieved, the service throughput is increased significantly, and the packet processing efficiency of the whole architecture is improved.
US08737382B2
A system and method for selecting a path for a voice call over an access network from a plurality of access networks. The system includes a call negotiation agent configured to store price information associated with the voice call in which the price information is provided through at least one of the plurality of access networks. According to the present invention, a call negotiation server is configured to store the price information associated with a voice call and store the estimation information indicative of the quality of the access networks after the voice call through the plurality of access networks is completed. The system also performs a call negotiation with at least one network operator in real time using the price information and the estimation information and selects an access network for providing a path among the plurality of access networks.
US08737381B1
A method and apparatus for enabling users behind NAT devices to receive unsolicited VoIP calls by allowing the VoIP network to dynamically open a temporary tunnel between the users' VoIP endpoint and the VoIP network for the subscriber to receive call set up messages and media streams from other callers are disclosed. An unsolicited call is a call that can be originated from any calling party endpoint. Once the call is finished, the temporary tunnel will be closed.
US08737380B2
A transmitter includes an amplitude adjustment unit multiplying an amplitude adjustment sequence value for adjusting amplitude with a synchronization channel transmitted from a base station for establishing synchronization with a mobile station.
US08737378B2
Techniques for synchronization of clocks in nodes in a network are described. In one example, a node times or measures a synchronization timeout period. During the synchronization timeout period, the node may hear a beacon. In that event, the node may reset its clock using a time indicator found within the beacon. If the node does not hear a beacon before the end of the synchronization timeout period, the node may send a beacon request to one of its parents. In response, the parent node will broadcast a beacon, which may be heard by other nodes in the vicinity of the parent node. Upon receipt of the beacon and an included time indicator, the node will update its clock. Upon clock update, another synchronization timeout period is then started and the cycle is repeated, thereby maintaining synchronization of the clock with clocks of other nodes.
US08737369B2
A method and apparatus for transmitting control information by an enhanced Node B (eNB) in a wireless communication system supporting Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) technology is provided, in which at least one parameter required for initial transmission of User Equipment (UE) is transmitted through a Packet Data Control Channel (PDCCH), at least two codewords are received from the UE and then decoded, one of a plurality of indicators, related to an operation of the UE, is determined based on decoding results of at least two codewords, the determined indicator is transmitted through a Physical Hybrid ARQ indicator channel (PHICH), and at least one codeword is received that the UE generates and transmits based on the parameter required for initial transmission of the UE and the indicator related to the operation of the UE.
US08737367B2
In one aspect, a data network is provided. The data network includes a first user and a second user, a central device, data and a spontaneous communication connection. The first and second users are each ad hoc capable. The central device provides a distribution of data such that data is transmitted from the central device to the first user. The spontaneous communication connection is established between the first and second users and the data is transmitted directly from the first user to the second user via the spontaneous communication connection.
US08737365B2
A method of allocating uplink radio resources to a mobile device, in which uplink and downlink timeslots are allocated, and the sum of the allocated uplink timeslots and the allocated downlink timeslots within a predetermined period is less than the total number of assigned time slots and does not exceed a predetermined maximum. The resources are allocated in a reduced transmission time interval configuration, in which an indication of the uplink timeslot allocation is received from the network in a downlink timeslot, or downlink timeslot pair, directing the mobile device to transmit only in one uplink timeslot pair.
US08737364B2
The channels of A-EUTRA component carriers on which the mobile station devices of EUTRA do not stand by are configured without almost changing the conventional EUTRA channel configurations. A wireless transmitting apparatus, which performs radio transmission to a plurality of wireless receiving apparatuses by assigning one or more component carriers to a downlink, includes a control channel element processing section 17 for performing, for each component carrier, processing of changing a structure of downlink control channel used to transmit control data for each wireless receiving apparatus. The control channel element processing section 17 associates the modulated symbols output from a downlink control channel processing section 16, with control channel element indexes, rearranges resource element groups constituting control channel elements, and outputs them to a multiplexing section 19.
US08737363B2
A subscriber unit for use in a multiple access spread-spectrum communication system includes a spread spectrum radio interface, responsive to a rate function signal from a base station, and first and second despreaders. The base station assigns the rate function spread-spectrum message channels and the first despreader recovers and modifies an information signal one of the spread spectrum message channels. The information channel mode is then modified for processing by the second despreader, with the second despreader supporting a different information signal rate. The subscriber unit has a capability of communicating with a dynamically changing a transmission rate of an information signal which includes multiple spread spectrum message channels. The system includes a closed loop power control system for maintaining a minimum system transmit power level for a radio carrier station and the subscriber units, and system capacity management for maintaining a maximum number of active subscriber units for improved system performance.
US08737362B2
A method for interference-minimizing code assignment and system parameter selection for code division multiple access (CDMA) networks is disclosed. The method is performed at a base station or mobile station configured to operate in a CDMA radio network. The method includes receiving transmissions from user devices seeking to access the CDMA radio network. A spreading code is selected for a first user device seeking to access the network, using at least one cross-correlation parameter, to reduce multiple access interference between communications involving the first user device and other devices using the CDMA network. The method does not require knowledge of the active user codes or even the codebook from which these codes are assigned. Furthermore, it does not require knowledge of bit or chip epoch or the received powers of active users. However, the method can benefit from such knowledge in several ways, examples of which are disclosed. A method for explicitly estimating the bit or chip epoch is also disclosed.
US08737358B2
Example embodiments provide methods for handling the transition of a mobile device from a first network to a second network, the second network operating according to a different communications protocol from the first network. One example embodiment includes terminating forwarding of the data packets from the first network to the mobile device; rebuilding headers of unforwarded data packets at the first network; and sending the rebuilt data packets from the first network to the second network. Another example embodiment includes resetting a header compression state at the second network; receiving unforwarded data packets from the first network at the second network, the unforwarded data packets being data packets the first network had not yet forwarded to the mobile device; and sending the unforwarded data packets from the second network to the mobile device.
US08737351B2
In accordance with the present invention, computer implemented methods and systems are provided for reducing handoff latency in a wireless network. In response to detecting that a handoff is necessary, the present invention uses a selective scanning algorithm that includes the use of a channel mask and/or a caching algorithm for detecting one or more new access points.
US08737333B2
A method of power reporting for a mobile device configured with a plurality of uplink component carriers and/or parallel PUCCH and PUSCH transmission in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method comprises being configured a maximum output power for at least a uplink component carrier, determining to start or stop a maximum output power reporting for the at least a uplink component carrier according to a characteristic associated to the mobile device or a network of the wireless communication system, and reporting the maximum output power for the at least a uplink component carrier to the network when the maximum output power reporting is triggered and the maximum output power reporting is started.
US08737332B2
A method for transmitting and receiving an ACKnowledgment (ACK) in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method includes transmitting a bandwidth request indicator to a Base Station (BS); and receiving an ACK for the transmitted bandwidth request indicator from the BS, the ACK including an extended A-MAP Type field, wherein the extended A-MAP Type field indicates a format of the ACK.
US08737326B2
Various example embodiments are disclosed. According to one example, a method may include permuting, by a superordinate station in a wireless network, physical resource units to logical resource units, the physical resource units of sequential logical resource units being noncontiguous. The method may also include sending at least one allocation message allocating a block of sequential logical resource units to each of a plurality of mobile stations, each of the allocated blocks being contiguous with at least one other allocated block. The method may also include de-allocating at least a first block of sequential logical resource units from a first mobile station selected from the plurality of mobile stations and a second block of sequential logical resource units from a second mobile station selected from the plurality of mobile stations, the first block of sequential logical resource units being noncontiguous with the second block of logical resource units. The method may also include sending at least one re-allocation message allocating the first block of sequential logical resource units and at least a portion of the second block of logical resource units to a new mobile station.
US08737323B2
A method and apparatus for short range multi-device communications in personal area networks (PANs) using ultraviolet bands.
US08737322B2
The present invention relates to a method of exchanging data between a first station and a second station, said data being exchanged in packets. Said method comprises the steps of: receiving a packet from the second station; decoding said packet; —determining whether to transmit to the second station a resource allocation message on a signalling channel; if a said resource allocation message is transmitted, further transmitting to the second station a first indicator signal on an indicator channel; if both the decoding has not been successful and the said resource allocation message is not transmitted, transmitting to the second station a second indicator signal on the indicator channel.
US08737320B2
In the event of detecting first information used for first random access and second information used for second random access, the second information being received from the base station unit, a wireless terminal selects one between the first information and the second information. Thereby, either one of the random accesses can be selectively performed, efficiently using resources such as signatures used for random access.
US08737318B2
A method for providing cellular access to a mobile device when the device is out of a home network operated by a home wireless service provider. The method includes presenting an option to initiate a process to establish a temporary roaming agreement between the home wireless service provider and a foreign wireless service provider operating a foreign network in a location of the mobile device outside of the home network. The method also includes receiving a selection of the option, accessing a web application associated with a negotiation server in response to the selection, providing subscriber credentials to the negotiation server for use by the negotiation server to negotiate the temporary roaming agreement, and allowing the mobile device to access a foreign network operated by the foreign wireless service provider in accordance with the temporary roaming agreement.
US08737313B2
A scheduled transmission may be divided up into several segments so that a transmitting node may receive and transmit control messages between segments. In some implementations a monitoring period is defined after a scheduled transmission period to enable the transmitting node to acquire control information that may otherwise have been transmitted during the scheduled transmission period. In some implementations a wireless media access control supports asynchronous communication and overlapping transmissions. Here, a wireless node may determine whether to request or schedule a transmission based on control messages it receives from neighboring nodes. In some implementations data and control information are transmitted over different frequency division multiplexed channels to enable concurrent transmission of the data and control information.
US08737312B2
In accordance with an example embodiment, method of wireless communication includes sending a beacon frame (300), which includes at least one availability information element (AIE) (400, 404). The method also includes scheduling transmission and reception of traffic among a plurality of devices (101, 103), or systems (101, 103), or both based on the AIES from the receivers. A wireless network (100) is also disclosed.
US08737308B2
A method of wireless communication is provided which includes communicating with a base station on a first channel and tuning to a second channel concurrently with the base station tuning to a second or third channel. The method also includes measuring interference on the second channel and re-tuning to the first channel concurrently with the base station re-tuning to the first channel. The method further includes reporting channel quality, based on the interference, to the base station to enable channel selection.
US08737306B2
The present invention discloses a method and an apparatus for triggering a status report in a RLC acknowledged mode protocol. The technical scheme includes: A, constructing and transmitting a status report at a data receiving end of a RLC layer when a reordering timer is timeout or a packet for setting a polling bit is received from a transmitting end; B, determining whether the data receiving window is in smoothly moving status, and if in the smoothly moving status, enabling a status prohibit timer immediately after the status report has been transmitted, and considering the retransmission triggered by the status report at this time to be successful; and if the data receiving window is not in the smoothly moving status, performing step C; C, detecting whether the retransmission triggered by the status report at this time is successful, and if successful, enabling the status prohibit timer.
US08737304B2
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for hybrid session based Diameter routing are disclosed. According to one method, the method comprises receiving, at a first Diameter signaling router (DSR), a first Diameter message for processing by a Diameter server. The method also includes selecting, using a Diameter node selection algorithm that operates on at least one parameter in the first Diameter message without requiring use of stored Diameter binding information, a first Diameter server to which the first Diameter message is to be routed. The method further includes determining whether the first Diameter server is available. The method also includes, in response to determining that the first Diameter server is not available, selecting a second Diameter server to which the first Diameter message is to be routed and creating an exception binding record that associates the second Diameter server and information in the first Diameter message.
US08737300B2
The present disclosure is a novel utility of a software defined radio (SDR) based Distributed Antenna System (DAS) that is field reconfigurable and support multi-modulation schemes (modulation-independent), multi-carriers, multi-frequency bands and multi-channels. More specifically, the present invention relates to a DAS utilizing one or more Daisy-Chained Rings of Remote Units. The present invention enables a high degree of flexibility to manage, control, enhance, facilitate the usage and performance of a distributed wireless network such as Flexible Simulcast, automatic traffic load-balancing, network and radio resource optimization, network calibration, autonomous/assisted commissioning, carrier pooling, automatic frequency selection, frequency carrier placement, traffic monitoring, traffic tagging, pilot beacon, etc. As a result, a DAS in accordance with the present invention can increase the efficiency and traffic capacity of the operators' wireless network.
US08737295B2
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate identifying sectors using sector parameters signatures. The signatures can be generated as a known function of a previous sector parameters signature (or message parameters), system time, and an identifier. In this regard, mobile devices can determine an expected identifier from comparing the sector parameters signature to a sector parameters signature computed based at least in part on the system time known to the mobile device. In addition, the mobile device can utilize a known or an inferred previous parameters signature to determine the expected identifier. Multiple signatures can be evaluated to determine expected identifiers to increase the likelihood of correct identification since the signatures are generated using the known variables along with the identifier.
US08737293B2
An apparatus and method for supporting different frame structures in a broadband wireless communication system are provided. A communication method of a Base Station (BS) includes determining a frame structure to be provided. A MAP message including an indicator that indicates a new standard is generated, when the provided frame structure conforms to the new standard. The generated MAP message is transmitted by performing physical layer encoding thereon. Accordingly, signaling is defined to report a currently provided frame structure to an MS, and thus, a system can support different frame structures.
US08737277B2
Provided is a method for transmitting channel quality control information using two transport blocks in a wireless access system that supports hybrid automatic retransmit request (HARQ). The method may include the steps of receiving a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) signal including downlink control information (DCI); calculating the number of coded symbols, Q′, required to transmit the channel quality control information using the DCI; and transmitting the channel quality control information through a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) on the basis of the number of coded symbols.
US08737271B2
In one aspect, a user terminal is configured to access an IMS network, and to obtain from the network an indication of a current dial-tone condition of the terminal. The terminal displays a graphical user-interface, GUI, that includes a visual indication of the current dial-tone condition of the terminal. In another aspect Application Server function in an IMS network is configured to provide information to a user terminal regarding a current dial-tone condition such that the user terminal is able to display an indication of the current dial-tone also known as call progress tone. Examples given in the application are dial-tone aka ring-back tone, message waiting tone and tones indicating that the user has activated call forwarding unconditional or call diversion. In another aspect a method of enabling a user of a user terminal accessing an IMS network to be informed of a current dial-tone condition of the user terminal includes: providing the user terminal with information regarding the current dial-tone condition; and, based on the obtained information, displaying the current dial-tone condition on a graphical user-interface on the user terminal.
US08737269B1
A multi-stage network is provided, where the network includes a first stage comprising a first plurality of network switching devices, the first plurality of network devices being classified into switching groups. The network further includes a second stage comprising a second plurality of network switching devices. A linking configuration, comprising a plurality of links between the first plurality of network switching devices and the second plurality of network switching devices, couples the first stage to the second stage. Each first stage network switching device in a given switching group includes the same number of links to any given second stage network switching device as each other first stage network switching device in that group.
US08737260B2
One embodiment of the disclosed technology involves determining a preferred communication connection between two parties that are communication-network end-users, at least one of which parties has access to at least two networks. A database contains information on the current connectivity of the two parties and a preferred communication connection is determined based on information from the database. The preferred connection may be used to exchange multimedia content that can be transmitted in real time, or, based on the connectivity information, can be sent to a multimedia relay from which it will be obtained by the recipient when the recipient has appropriate connectivity.
US08737254B2
Systems and methods for reducing reservation request overhead in a communications network in which devices are connected via a coax network are provided. A method for managing transmission of data over a MoCA network according to the invention may include monitoring data transmission requirements at a node on the network; generating statistics of the data transmission requirements; predicting transmission requirements from the statistics; and reserving future transmission opportunities in view of the predicted transmission requirements.
US08737251B2
In one embodiment, the method of configuring a common search space (CSS) for at least one user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system with at least a first type of physical downlink control channel includes broadcasting at least one parameter of a common search space (CSS), none of the parameters being the number of orthogonal frequency-division multiplex (OFDM) symbols. In one embodiment, a method of configuring a default user equipment-specific search space (USS) for a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system with at least a first type of physical downlink control channel includes broadcasting at least one parameter of the default USS, none of the parameters being based on an identifier of the UE. The broadcasting may occur before UE-specific signaling. In one embodiment, a method of configuring or reconfiguring the USS may include transmitting at least one parameter of the USS with UE-specific signaling.
US08737248B2
The present invention discloses a method and system for tracking signaling in an automatically switched optical network (ASON), wherein the method comprises a step of setting a signaling tracking filtering condition for a corresponding signaling tracking task, and the following steps that: an ASON node collects and reports a received or sent signaling message when there exists a task tracking request; and when the reported signaling message is determined meeting the signaling tracking filtering condition of the current signaling tracking task, the reported signaling message is resolved to obtain the signaling message of the signaling tracking task. The invention realizes a signaling tracking scheme in an ASON and can establish multiple signaling tracking tasks at the same time, as each signaling tracking task can set its own signaling tracking filtering condition; a flexible signaling tracking is achieved. The invention provides a means for resolving a signaling process and locating a fault in a field debugging and a subsequent operation and maintenance, thus improving the efficiency of fault location.
US08737246B2
A wireless transmission apparatus able to reliably increase outage capacity according to the state of a propagation path. This apparatus is a wireless transmission apparatus (100) which transmits a plurality of streams to a wireless reception apparatus; wherein a time/space allocation determining unit (107) determines the spatial multiplex stream number based on the desired multipath number and the number of reception antenna ports of the wireless reception apparatus, said desired multipath number being calculated based on the detected multipath number, the number of reception antenna ports, and the desired error rate for the plurality of streams; a stream dividing unit (109) divides the transmission data into a plurality of streams of that spatial multiplex stream number; a transmission weight calculation unit (108) calculates a transmission weight based on the desired multipath number, spatial multiplex stream number, and a channel estimation value; and a time precoding unit (1103) and a spatial precoding unit (111) use the transmission weight to precode the plurality of streams.
US08737242B2
Systems and methods are described for providing a plurality of communication services over existing access lines such as twisted pair access lines. These services include voice, audio/video, and data communication services, the so-called “triple play” of services. The use of existing communication lines enables these services to be provided at a relatively low cost. Remote terminals are located close to subscriber premises to reduce the length of the existing communication lines connecting subscribers to the network. Data associated with a plurality of communication services may be statistically multiplexed onto the communication lines. Subscribers are provided with the capability to dynamically select services, including the capability to select audio/video signals from a set containing audio/video broadcast signals. The systems and methods enable data to be transported efficiently through the backbone network interconnecting central offices. Capabilities comparable the capabilities of coaxial cable systems are provided at a lower cost than alternative approaches, such as running fiber all the way to the subscriber premises.
US08737241B2
A user equipment (UE), a base station and methods for enabling providing fast access to a dedicated uplink (UL) resource between the base station and the UE for data transmissions, by using a UE identifier. The UE may receive configuration parameters of a set of common UL resources from the base station, transmit a random access request for a common UL resources of said set of common UL resources to said base station, obtain allocation of said common resource of said set from said base station, and transmit a UE identifier to said base station on said common resource wherein the UE identifier indicates a previously used set of configuration parameters for a dedicated resource.
US08737239B2
In an embodiment, an access terminal sends a multicast session registration request to an access network. The access network determines whether to assign a unicast traffic channel (e.g., media access control (MAC) identifier (ID)) to the access terminal, for the access terminal to provide feedback (e.g., channel quality indicators (CQIs) associated with the multicast session, based on a number of access terminals that have been assigned unicast traffic channels for the multicast session and/or for applications other than the multicast session. The access network configures a traffic channel assignment message to include an identifier for the multicast session, and to further include an assignment of the unicast traffic channel if the determining step determines to assign the unicast traffic channel to the access terminal. The access network sends the traffic channel assignment message to the access terminal including at least the multicast session identifier.
US08737231B2
Dynamic administration of event pools for relevant event and alert analysis during event storms including receiving, by an events analyzer from an events queue, a plurality of events from one or more components of the distributed processing system, each event including an occurred time and a logged time; creating, by the event analyzer, an events pool; determining whether an arrival rate of the events from the components of the distributed processing system is greater than a predetermined threshold; if the arrival rate is greater than the predetermined threshold, assigning, by the events analyzer, a plurality of events to the events pool in dependence upon their occurred time; and if the arrival rate is not greater than the predetermined threshold, assigning, by the events analyzer, a plurality of events to the events pool in dependence upon their logged time.
US08737228B2
Flow control in a data center Ethernet (DCE) network is managed between a source node and a destination node separated by an extended distance. An initiation sequence between the source node and the destination node is intercepted. The imitation sequence is for determining buffer credits available for receiving packets in the source node and the destination node. Replies are generated to the source node and the destination node indicating buffer credits available in at least one extended data interface interspersed between the source node and the destination node. The initiation sequence is completed based on the replies from the extended data interface.
US08737227B2
A packet transmission device includes a buffer stores packet data in any of queues, a queue manager outputs queue-status signals indicating whether or not transmittable packet data exists in the corresponding one of the queues, a bandwidth controller outputs token-status signals indicating whether or not an amount of the tokens accumulated at a certain period for the corresponding queue is larger than a token threshold provided for the corresponding queue, a queue selector preferentially selects any queue whose duration time of a transmittable state in which the corresponding queue status signal indicates that transmittable packet data exists in the corresponding queue and the corresponding token-status signal indicates that the amount of the accumulated tokens is larger than the token threshold provided for the corresponding queue is greater than a duration-time threshold provided for the corresponding queue, and a buffer reader controls reading of the packet data from the selected queue.
US08737226B2
A method for two-stage packet aggregation facing wireless sensor network with hybrid topology structure including: building various nodes in a wireless sensor network into a hybrid topology structure which combines the star topology and mesh topology; establishing a two-stage packet aggregation architecture for periodic sensor data based on the above described topology structure; determining the packet format, aggregating and disaggregating the two-stage packets based on the topology structure and aggregation architecture; according to the application, the aggregated nodes in the network configuring router nodes and aggregation attributes of the nodes; according to the aggregation attribute, the sensor nodes performing the first-stage aggregation and generates an first-stage aggregation packet; according to the aggregation attributes, the router node implementing second-stage aggregation and generating a second-stage aggregation packet; the aggregation nodes taking charge of disaggregating the aggregated packets. Embodiments of the invention adopt the above described hybrid topology structure, feature a two-stage packet aggregation method, decrease the overhead of packet-head, reduce the energy consumption of the nodes and inter-node interference, and save communication resources.
US08737225B2
Embodiments described herein generally relate to providing communication services to client devices in a transport system. In some examples, methods of providing communication services to client devices in a transport system are described. The methods can include exchanging, among a multiple number of routers provided in a transport system, status information of each of the multiple number of routers. The methods can also include receiving, at a given router included in the multiple number of routers, a communication addressed to a remote server accessible through a first network. The communication may be received from a client device connected to the given router through a second network different than the first network. The methods can also include, based on the status information, routing the communication to the remote server through at least the given router and the first network.
US08737222B2
A method of determining a bias parameter for a heterogeneous network including a small cell, a macro cell, and one or more user equipment (UEs), the small cell being underlaid with respect to the macro cell, includes determining, at a base station of the small cell, a loading state of the macro cell; and setting, at the base station, the bias parameter based on the determined loading state. A method of determining a cell border window (CBW) for the small cell, the small cell being underlaid with respect to the macro cell, the small cell having a plurality of attached UEs which are divided into inner cell UEs and border cell UEs, includes determining, at the base station, a difference value based on utilization values of the inner cell UEs and the border cell UEs; and adjusting the CBW based on the difference value and a threshold value.
US08737220B2
Systems for providing feedback to sending entities are provided. In some embodiments, systems for providing feedback to at least one sending entity that sends requests are provided, the systems comprising: a receiving entity comprising at least one processor that: determines a number of active sources associated with each of the at least one sending entity; determines a number of sessions that each of the at least one sending entity is able to accept based on the number of active sources determined; and provides an indication of the number of sessions to each corresponding one of the at least one sending entity.
US08737219B2
Methods and systems thereof for streaming media data are described. Media data comprising a plurality of data packets is accessed. Information that quantifies a characteristic of each data packet in the plurality of data packets is also accessed. That information is used to determine an order for sending the data packets over a network.
US08737218B2
An approach is provided for auto-bandwidth adjusting bandwidth allocations for traffic-engineered tunnels used to carry traffic along a network. Traffic over the tunnel is sampled at a first interval period and at a second interval period, where the second interval period is shorter than the first interval period. A determination is made as to whether the sampled traffic taken using the second interval period is greater than the bandwidth allocation, and the bandwidth allocation is adjusted upward based upon a determination that the sampled traffic taken using the second interval period is greater than the bandwidth allocation. Also, a determination can be made as to whether the sampled traffic taken using the first interval period is less than the bandwidth allocation, and the bandwidth allocation can be adjusted downward based upon a determination that the sampled traffic taken using the first interval period is less than the bandwidth allocation.
US08737217B2
Systems, methods, and apparatus for routing are provided in which a connection track comprising a plurality of network or transport layer packets, received by a router, is identified by examining header fields of one or more packets in the plurality of packets. One or more quality of service (QoS) parameters is associated with the connection track by determining whether the track encodes a data type by (i) an identification of a predetermined application protocol used within the one or more packets and/or (ii) a comparison of a payload of one or more packets in the plurality of packets to known data type formats. A first QoS parameter is set to a first value in a first value range when the connection track contains the first data type. The connection track is routed through the router in accordance with the one or more QoS parameters assigned to the connection track.
US08737215B2
A packet forwarding apparatus, a communication system, and a process rule update method that can accurately delete process rules used for packet forwarding and the like include a process rule storage unit that stores process rules defining a process content for each flow; a packet process unit that executes processing a received a packet by using a process rule matching the received packet among the process rules and; an end determination information extraction unit that extracts information for checking a flow end from the received packet; and a flow end check unit that deletes, when a flow end is checked based on the extracted information, a process rule corresponding to the flow.
US08737205B2
A network device may implement packet scheduling with administrator-configurable packet scheduling policies. In one implementation, the network device includes a filter component configured to assign priority levels to data units, the priority levels defining traffic classes for the data units. The network device may also include a scheduler component configured to schedule transmission of the traffic classes based on an assignment of weights to the traffic classes using at least one bandwidth allocation policy that exhibits a bandwidth allocation profile that varies based on one or more parameters of the bandwidth allocation policy that are configurable by an administrator.
US08737196B2
An example method involves generating a table to store current reroute statistics based on rerouting of data from one or more logical circuits, when they have failed, to one or more logical failover circuits. The current reroute statistics include trap data received for the one or more logical circuits. The trap data includes a committed information rate. Each of the logical circuits and logical failover circuits is identified by a logical circuit identifier that is renamed until the one or more logical circuits have been restored. The table is updated to store updated reroute statistics that include updated trap data received for the one or more logical circuits. Generating the updated reroute statistics comprises detecting a change in a status of the one or more logical circuits by determining if a frame has been dropped. The frame is dropped when the committed information rate has been exceeded.
US08737192B2
The degree of multiplexing of a code division multiplexed signal transmitted by subcarriers is selected on a subcarrier-by-subcarrier basis. As a result, inter-code interference on the propagation path and degradation on the propagation path are lower for a code division multiplexed signal allocated to subcarriers with a low degree of signal multiplexing (G1) than for transmit signals allocated to subcarriers with a high degree of multiplexing. By this technique, it is possible to prevent degradation of the error rate characteristics of important information without lowering spectral efficiency significantly as compared with the case in which the degree of signal multiplexing is decided uniformly for all subcarriers, and to achieve compatibility between spectral efficiency and error rate characteristics.
US08737187B2
A method to enhance coverage and/or throughput in a heterogeneous wireless network includes detecting interference between a neighboring cell and a serving cell. The method also includes cancelling the interference using an adaptive technique based on whether the interference has colliding Common Reference Signal (CRS) tones.
US08737185B2
An optical disc device is configured to reproduce an optical disc. The optical disc device includes an optical pickup and a driver. The optical pickup has a laser irradiation component that is configured to emit a laser beam to the optical disc for obtaining a return light. The driver is configured to generate a drive signal for driving the laser irradiation component based on a high-frequency signal. The driver is further configured to set an amplitude of the high-frequency signal used while reproducing a test region of the optical disc to be different from an amplitude of the high-frequency signal used while reproducing a data region of the optical disc. The test region of the optical disc is reproduced to acquire a setting signal for a setup of the optical pickup.
US08737181B2
Provided is an optical recording medium, including a recording target track that is a track on which small record carriers are arranged and on which information recording is performed by modulating the small record carriers through light irradiation; and a wobbling track on which the small record carriers are arranged in a wobbling manner, wherein a single wobbling track is formed to run parallel to a set of a plurality of recording target tracks.
US08737180B2
Provided is an optical pickup device that suppresses a fluctuation of a tracking error signal caused by stray light when recording/reproducing information on/from an optical disc including a plurality of recording layers and attains size reduction. It includes a laser diode emitting laser light of about 405 nm in wavelength, an objective lens irradiating the optical disc with an optical beam emitted from the laser diode and having a numerical aperture of about 0.85, and a detector including a detection part receiving the optical beam reflected from the optical disc. An optical magnification from the optical disc to the detector is set within a range from about 10× to 15×.
US08737176B2
The going train for a timepiece has a mechanical movement having a frame (0), a barrel (1) and an escapement pinion (5) which are connected by the going train. This going train has a stepping-up epicyclic train having a first planet gear (6) with a constant rotational speed during normal operation of the movement, a second planet gear (7) kinematically connected to the escapement pinion (5), at least one satellite gear (9) each meshing with the first planet gear (6) and the second planet gear (7), and a satellite carrier (8) kinematically connected to the barrel (1) and carrying the satellite gear(s) (9).
US08737174B2
Coupling device 3 between activation means 1 and mechanical display means 2 of a display mechanism, wherein the coupling device 3 is adapted to apply a motion to said mechanical display means 2, in response to activation of the activation means, wherein the motion applied to the mechanical display means 2 is inertial.
US08737171B2
A MEMS capacitive transducer with increased robustness and resilience to acoustic shock. The transducer structure includes a flexible membrane supported between a first volume and a second volume, and at least one variable vent structure in communication with at least one of the first and second volumes. The variable vent structure includes at least one moveable portion which is moveable in response to a pressure differential across the moveable portion so as to vary the size of a flow path through the vent structure. The variable vent may be formed through the membrane and the moveable portion may be a part of the membrane, defined by one or more channels, that is deflectable away from the surface of the membrane. The variable vent is preferably closed in the normal range of pressure differentials but opens at high pressure differentials to provide more rapid equalization of the air volumes above and below the membrane.
US08737164B2
A method for towing a streamer array includes moving a vessel along a body of water. Streamers are towed by vessel. A relative position is determined at selected points along each streamer with respect to the vessel. At least one of the streamers is deflected at least one longitudinal position along the streamer in response to the determined positions to maintain the streamers in a selected geometry. The selected geometry is related to one of survey vessel heading, energy source trajectory, previously plotted sensor trajectory and a lateral separation related to distance from the towing vessel.
US08737159B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of address input blocks configured to respectively receive a plurality of addresses that are related to burst ordering and a control circuit configured to selectively disable all or a part of the address input blocks in response to a burst length information during a write operation mode.
US08737141B2
Disclosed is an apparatus and method for determining a parameter for programming a non-volatile memory circuit. On receiving write or erase operation a parameter is determined as a function of a circuit characteristic associated with a memory block. An adjusted condition, for example, read or write time, or the standard deviation of voltage thresholds in a distribution of cells, is then determined as a function of the parameter, and a command provided to the memory circuit to use the parameter in the next write or erase operation performed on the memory block. The method can be triggered by an event such as P/E cycle times and the condition is dynamically adjusted to extend the life of the memory circuit.
US08737133B2
Cells of a solid-state, non-volatile memory are assigned to one of a plurality of groups. Each group is defined by expected symbols stored in the cells in view of actual symbols read from the cells. Based on cell counts within the groups, it can be determined that a shift in a reference voltage will reduce a collective bit error rate of the cells. The shift can be applied to data access operations affecting the cells.
US08737130B2
A method includes determining a programming step size for a word line of a memory in a data storage device. The programming step size is determined at least partially based on a count of memory elements of the word line to be programmed to a particular state.
US08737127B2
A memory controller has a digital signal processor. The digital signal processor is configured to output a digital data signal of M+N bits of program data intended for programming a memory cell of a memory device. The digital signal processor is configured to receive a digital data signal of M+L bits read from the memory cell of the memory device and to retrieve from the received digital data signal M bits of data that were stored in the memory cell.
US08737120B2
Described examples include sensing circuits and reference voltage generators for providing a reference voltage to a sensing circuit. The sensing circuits may sense a state of a memory cell, which may be a PCM memory cell. The sensing circuits may include a cascode transistor. Examples of reference voltage generators may include a global reference voltage generator coupled to multiple bank reference voltage generators which may reduce an output resistance of the voltage generator routing.
US08737118B2
Provided is a semiconductor memory device including: first and second SRAM cells; a first hit line pair provided with the first SRAM cell; a second bit line pair provided with the second SRAM cell; a first switch circuit provided between the first bit line pair and the second bit line pair; and a controller that controls the first switch circuit to render the first bit line pair and the second bit line pair conductive, in a case of testing the first SRAM cell.
US08737115B2
A method of a forming process for a variable resistive element, which is performed in short time comparable to the pulse forming and a writing current in a switching action is the same level as that of the DC forming, is provided. In the forming process, a variable resistive element is changed by voltage pulse application from an initial high resistance state just after produced to a variable resistance state where the switching action is performed. The forming process includes a first step of applying a first pulse having a voltage amplitude lower than a threshold voltage at which the resistance of the variable resistive element is lowered, to between both electrodes of the variable resistive element, and a second step of applying a second pulse having a voltage amplitude having the same polarity as the first pulse and not lower than the threshold voltage, thereto after the first step.
US08737110B2
A circuit is provided that includes a plurality of vertically oriented p-i-n diodes. Each p-i-n diode includes a bottom heavily doped p-type region. When a voltage between about 1.5 volts and about 3.0 volts is applied across each p-i-n diode, a current of at least 1.5 microamps flows through 99 percent of the p-i-n diodes. Numerous other aspects are also provided.
US08737106B2
A multi-die memory device includes a first die of a first type and configured to electrically interface with an external processor via a first synchronous interface operating at a first clock rate, and at least one second die of a second type and configured for data storage. Each second die transacts data with the first die via a second synchronous interface operating at a second clock rate, where the first clock rate is an integer multiple of the second clock rate, and where a timing reference associated with the second synchronous interface is transmitted by the first die to the second die.
US08737104B2
A switching power supply device includes: a chopper circuit that adjusts a DC voltage input through a reactor to a desired DC voltage by performing an on/off operation of a switching element; an inverter circuit that converts an output of the chopper circuit into a desired AC voltage; a first capacitor that is provided on a side of the inverter circuit relative to the switching element; a second capacitor that is provided on a side of the inverter circuit relative to the switching element; and a resistor that is in a resonant loop formed by three constituent elements that are the first capacitor, the second capacitor, and a wiring inductance between the chopper circuit and the inverter circuit, where the resistor is connected in series to the second capacitor and inserted between the DC bus-bars.
US08737103B2
A method is provided for predicting pulse width modulated switching sequences for a multi-phase multi-level converter. With a first predicted switching sequence, due to multi-phase redundancies, equivalent switching sequences are determined. From the equivalent switching sequences, one switching sequence optimal with respect to a predefined optimization goal is selected. The selected switching sequence is used to switch the converter.
US08737094B2
A flyback converter involves a bipolar transistor (BJT) and a parallel-connected diode as the rectifying element in the secondary side of the converter. The transformer of the converter has a primary winding, a first secondary winding, and a second secondary winding. A first end of the first secondary winding is coupled to the BJT base. A first end of the second secondary winding is coupled to the BJT collector and to the anode of the diode. The first and second secondary windings are wound such that when primary winding current stops, pulses of current flow out of the first ends of the first and second secondary windings. These currents are such that the BJT is maintained in saturation throughout at least most of the time current flows through the rectifying element, thereby achieving a low forward voltage across the rectifying element, reducing conduction loss, and increasing converter efficiency.
US08737082B2
An electronic component and housing interlocking system is provided. The system includes a device housing configured to hold a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board includes a projection from a side of the printed circuit board. The system also includes a locking member having a tab coupled at a first end of the tab to a side wall of the device housing and free at a second end of the tab such that the tab is configured to flex about the first end when the printed circuit board is slid into the device housing and the projection is pushed against the second end of the tab. The tab includes an opening configured to receive the projection after being slid past the second end such that the tab engages the printed circuit board within the device housing in a locked position.
US08737081B2
A method of manufacturing a cover structure is provided. A first insulating layer is provided. The first insulating layer has a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other. A second insulating layer is provided. The second insulating layer has a third surface and a fourth surface opposite to each other and an opening passing through the third surface and the fourth surface. A thickness of the second insulating layer is greater than a thickness of the first insulating layer. The first insulating layer and the second insulating layer are laminated to each other, so that the third surface of the second insulating layer connects to the second surface of the first insulating layer. A cavity is defined by the opening of the second insulating layer and the first insulating layer. A metal layer is formed on the cavity.
US08737062B2
A handheld electronic device including a lower housing, an upper housing, a touch panel, a display module, a partition, position posts, cushions, and an actuator is provided. The upper housing is above and separated from the lower housing. The touch panel is at an opening of the upper housing and connects with the upper housing. The display module is disposed in the upper housing and connected with the lower housing. The partition is between the display module and the lower housing and connected to the upper housing. The partition has position holes. The position posts are located in their corresponding position holes and connected with the display module. The cushions are located between the corresponding position post and the position hole. The actuator is disposed between the display module and the upper housing to force the upper housing to shift relative to the display module and the lower housing.
US08737053B2
An electronic apparatus includes a case, a movable portion that has a recording medium accommodating portion for accommodating a recording medium and a portable terminal accommodating portion for accommodating a portable terminal, and that is able to be moved to an outside of the case and to be moved to an inside of the case, the portable terminal accommodating portion having a connector to be connected to the portable terminal, and an accessing portion that accesses the recording medium accommodated in the recording medium accommodating portion, and that accesses the portable terminal which is connected to the connector through the connector in a state that the portable terminal is accommodated in the portable terminal accommodating portion. When the movable portion is moved to the inside of the case so as to be housed in the case, the connector is located in the case.
US08737048B2
Patient monitoring systems can include a display unit and a patient parameter module. The patient parameter module can be connected to a docking region so as to communicate with the display unit in two or more orientations.
US08737041B2
A capacitor includes a capacitor element, a collector plate joined to an electrode of the capacitor element, and a case accommodating the capacitor element and the collector plate. An inner surface of a bottom plate of the case has a contacting portion contacting the collector plate and a junction portion facing the collector plate. The junction portion of the inner surface of the bottom plate has a joining point joined to the collector plate and a separation part facing the collector plate around the joining point by a gap between the junction portion and the collector plate. The collector plate is located away from the contacting portion.
US08737037B2
There are provided a ceramic electronic component and a method of manufacturing the same. The ceramic electronic component includes: a ceramic element; and an internal electrode layer formed within the ceramic element, having a thickness of 0.5 μm or less, and including a non-electrode region formed therein, wherein an area ratio of the non-electrode region to an electrode region of the internal electrode layer, in a cross section of the internal electrode layer is between 0.1% and 10%, and the non-electrode region includes a ceramic component.
US08737036B2
This disclosure provides (a) methods of making an oxide layer (e.g., a dielectric layer) based on titanium oxide, to suppress the formation of anatase-phase titanium oxide and (b) related devices and structures. A metal-insulator-metal (“MIM”) stack is formed using an ozone pretreatment process of a bottom electrode (or other substrate) followed by an ALD process to form a TiO2 dielectric, rooted in the use of an amide-containing precursor. Following the ALD process, an oxidizing anneal process is applied in a manner is hot enough to heal defects in the TiO2 dielectric and reduce interface states between TiO2 and electrode; the anneal temperature is selected so as to not be so hot as to disrupt BEL surface roughness. Further process variants may include doping the titanium oxide, pedestal heating during the ALD process to 275-300 degrees Celsius, use of platinum or ruthenium for the BEL, and plural reagent pulses of ozone for each ALD process cycle. The process provides high deposition rates, and the resulting MIM structure has substantially no x-ray diffraction peaks associated with anatase-phase titanium oxide.
US08737030B2
A power distribution system includes a first circuit protection device and a second circuit protection device coupled to the first circuit protection device downstream of the first circuit protection device. The second circuit protection device includes a trip mechanism configured to interrupt a current flowing through the second circuit protection device, and a trip unit operatively coupled to the trip mechanism. The trip mechanism is configured to determine, for the second circuit protection device, a protective threshold and a blocking threshold that is lower than the protective threshold, transmit a forward blocking signal to the first circuit protection device upon a determination that the current exceeds the blocking threshold, and generate a reverse blocking signal upon a determination that the current exceeds the protective threshold.
US08737028B2
Methods for responding to an electrostatic discharge (ESD) event on a voltage rail, ESD protection circuits, and design structures for an ESD protection circuit. An RC network of the ESD protection circuit includes a capacitor coupled to a field effect transistor at a node. The node of the RC network is coupled with an input of the inverter. The field-effect transistor is coupled with an output of the inverter. In response to an ESD event, a trigger signal is supplied from the RC network to the input of the inverter, which drives a clamp device to discharge current from the ESD event from the voltage rail. An RC time constant of the RC network is increased in response to the ESD event to sustain the discharge of the current by the clamp device.
US08737024B2
A power supply employing a compensated threshold signal for overcurrent protection and a method for generating the compensated threshold signal are disclosed herein. Additionally, a self-adjusting overcurrent threshold circuit is provided. In one embodiment, the self-adjusting overcurrent threshold circuit includes: (1) a fixed threshold source configured to provide a constant threshold signal for the overcurrent protection circuit, (2) an analog signal processor, coupled to the fixed threshold source, configured to monitor designated parameters of the converter and generate a threshold adjustment signal based thereon and (3) a combiner configured to combine the constant threshold signal with the threshold adjustment signal to provide the compensated threshold signal.
US08737020B2
A suspension circuit board comprises a metal support board, a first insulation layer disposed on the metal support board a conductive layer disposed on the first insulation layer, the conductive layer forming a wire; and a second insulation layer disposed on the first insulation layer and the conductive layer. The suspension circuit board is configured that, upon applying a load in a thickness direction to the conductive layer at a position corresponding to the first insulation opening, F1
US08737016B1
There are provided a motor and a hard disk drive including the same. The motor includes: a sleeve supporting a shaft with a lubricating fluid; and a rotor fixed to the shaft, rotating together therewith, and having a surface facing the sleeve, wherein one surface of the surface of the rotor facing the sleeve and a surface of the sleeve facing the rotor is provided with a thrust dynamic pressure groove, and the other surface of the surface of the rotor facing the sleeve and the surface of the sleeve facing the rotor is provided with an extension groove extended to the outside of the thrust dynamic pressure groove so as to partially face the thrust dynamic pressure groove.
US08737015B2
A disk rotating motor is provided with: a stator including a stator core and a bracket for fixing the stator core; a rotor that can be rotated with respect to the stator and includes a shaft; and a bearing that rotatably supports the rotary shaft on the outer diameter side of the rotary shaft. The bracket includes a cylindrical portion extending along the shaft and a folded portion formed by folding the upper end of the cylindrical portion onto the outer diameter side. The bearing is fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion whereas the stator core is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the folded portion.
US08737011B1
A data storage medium has first and second data sectors of a track, a pre-servo gap being proximate the first data sector. The data storage medium also includes a servo wedge that stores servo data for the track. A start of the servo wedge is proximate to the pre-servo-gap and an end of the servo wedge is proximate to the second data sector. A repeatable runout field is included in the pre-servo gap.
US08737010B2
A disk drive comprising a head for accessing a disk, an actuator for moving the head in the radial direction of the disk and a controller. The controller for servo control of the actuator based on servo data read out from the disk by the head. The controller is configured for maintaining a width of the adaptive chasing notch filter below a specified value in servo system control and estimating an oscillation frequency of the actuator.
US08737007B2
Methods and apparatus are provided related to magnetic recording tape. Respective voltage sources are coupled to respective magnetic head components of a tape recording apparatus. Circuitry controls each voltage source independently in accordance with identity information for a magnetic tape, relative humidity within the tape recording apparatus, or other factors. Chemical migration from the tape, and/or plating or erosion of elements of the tape recording apparatus are substantially reduced or eliminated according to the present teachings.
US08737002B1
A magnetic recording disk has nondata regions that contain a group of first nondata islands with one area and a magnetization in one perpendicular direction, and a group of second nondata islands with a smaller area and a magnetization in the opposite direction. To magnetize the nondata islands with the proper magnetization directions, a DC magnetic field much greater than the coercive field of the magnetic recording layer is applied in one direction to the entire disk to magnetize all of the nondata islands in the same direction. Then the disk is heated to a predetermined temperature, and while the disk is at this temperature, a second DC magnetic field less than the first DC magnetic field is applied for a predetermined time in the opposite direction to the entire disk. This reverses the magnetization direction of the smaller islands without switching the magnetization of the larger islands.
US08737000B2
Approaches for determining the timing latency of a communication path are described. Some embodiments involve a method for testing timing latency. A signal is driven on a first data path and is returned through a second data path through a loop back element. The timing latency of at least a portion of the communication path that includes the first data path and the second data path is tested using the signal returned on the second data path. The gain of the second data path is adjusted to a test value during the testing of the timing latency.
US08736996B2
A method, apparatus, and system for implementing channel signal processing assist with an embedded contact sensor (ECS) in hard disk drives. An ECS signal is captured during write and idle operation of the hard disk drive. A read channel monitors changes in the ECS signal providing a clearance monitor function for insuring write integrity.
US08736994B2
According to one embodiment, a disk storage apparatus includes a first storage device, a second storage device, and a controller. The first storage device stores data for use in determining influence imposed on tracks peripheral to a designated track in which data should be written on a disk. The second storage device has a nonvolatile cache area for temporarily storing data. The controller performs a cache process of storing the data in the nonvolatile cache area if the influence is determined, from the data, to exceed a reference value, in preparation for writing the data in the designated track.
US08736993B2
Approaches are provided for a hard-disk drive (HDD) and techniques for using multiple LUNs per HDD where each LUN is mapped to a head/disk interface. In one example, a HDD generates multiple LUNs and assigns each to a single head, such that data written by a first head is only associated to a first LUN, and so forth.
US08736987B2
A lens barrel includes an oscillatory wave motor which drives a lens; a manual connection ring which is operated manually to cause the lens to move along an optical axis; a slip ring which is in contact with the manual connection ring; a roller which is in contact with the slip ring and with the oscillatory wave motor; and a roller support ring which supports the roller. The slip ring is structured such that frictional resistance on a contact surface between the manual connection ring and the slip ring is smaller than frictional resistance on a contact surface between the roller and the slip ring.
US08736982B2
Apparatus, methods, and systems provide emitting, field-adjusting, and focusing of electromagnetic energy. In some approaches the field-adjusting includes providing an extended depth of field greater than a nominal depth of field. In some approaches the field-adjusting includes field-adjusting with a transformation medium, where the transformation medium may include an artificially-structured material such as a metamaterial.
US08736976B2
An oscillation motor is adapted to press an oscillator toward a driven body in a stable state and increasing a drive efficiency. A lens driving mechanism is adapted to move a lens with excellent efficiency by using the oscillation motor. An oscillation motor generates motive power by pressure contact with a driven body to transmit vibration of the oscillator to the driven body. The oscillation motor includes the oscillator having a convex output portion on a side surface at one end side. The output portion of the oscillator is arranged to contact with the driven body. A press mechanism is also provided on a side surface at the other end side of the oscillator. The press mechanism includes a pressure correction device rotatably equipped at a position where the pressure correction device contacts with the oscillator, and the pressure correction device applies a pressure to the oscillator in a predetermined direction.
US08736975B2
Provided are a macro lens system and an image pickup device including the macro lens system. The macro lens system includes a first lens group having a positive refractive power, a second lens group having a positive refractive power, and a 3-1 lens group having a positive refractive power and moving perpendicular to an optical axis to correct an image blur.
US08736970B2
An optical system of a zoom lens is provided. The optical system of the zoom lens includes thirteen lenses which are divided into four lens groups, wherein: the zoom lens comprises in a following order from a subject: a first lens group which has a positive refractive index; a second lens group which has a negative refractive index, and moves along an optical axis; a third lens group which has a positive refractive index; and a fourth lens group which has a positive refractive index, wherein the first lens group comprises four lenses, and an external surface of a first lens is concave in a direction of a plane of an image; the third lens group comprises two meniscus lenses which are concave toward an image plane, and is made with capability of cross-section displacement relative to an optical axis; and the fourth lens group is convex-concave glued lens.
US08736957B2
A transmitted light selecting device includes a first light selecting unit having a polarizing filter for allowing an image light ray having one polarization direction to pass therethrough; a phase difference film for providing phase differences to the light ray passing through the polarizing filter to emit light, in which light rays having polarization directions coexist, toward a viewer; a second light selecting unit having a polarizing filter having a polarized light transmission axis perpendicular to that of the polarizing filter; and a phase difference film for providing phase differences to a light ray passing through the polarizing filter to emit light, in which light rays having polarization directions coexist, toward the viewer.
US08736954B2
High power parallel fiber arrays for the amplification of high peak power pulses are described. Fiber arrays based on individual fiber amplifiers as well as fiber arrays based on multi-core fibers can be implemented. The optical phase between the individual fiber amplifier elements of the fiber array is measured and controlled using a variety of phase detection and compensation techniques. High power fiber array amplifiers can be used for EUV and X-ray generation as well as pumping of parametric amplifiers.
US08736948B2
An electromechanical image display includes a box-structure of cups arranged in a row and column matrix. A non-rotatable axle for each column in the matrix passes through each of the cups in a column. The axle holds display elements which are rotatable on the axle. At least one electric-field-generating conducting plate in each cup is connected to an electrical source. A display element for each cup is a parallelepiped having six faces with a tunnel through the geometric centers of two of the six faces to permit its installation on the axle. The display element is an electret, or contains one or more electrets, that rotationally responds to the electric field of the electric-field-generating conducting plate.
US08736943B2
A variable transmission electrochromic window including: first and second substantially transparent substrates having electrically conductive materials associated therewith; an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates which includes at least one solvent, at least one anodic electroactive material, at least one cathodic electroactive material, and wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic; and wherein the electrochromic window exhibits an Ev of less than approximately 20, and more preferably less than approximately 5, while in a low transmission state during normal daylight conditions.
US08736942B2
An electrochromic device that is capable of changing the transmission of either visible or infrared radiations as a function of the polarity of a voltage applied to the device.
US08736941B2
An electrochromic display apparatus is disclosed that includes a stacked body which includes a display electrode and an electrochromic layer that are stacked on each other; a film which includes through holes, and is disposed on one of the display electrode and the electrochromic layer of the stacked body; and an opposed substrate on which an opposed electrode that faces toward the display electrode is formed.
US08736932B1
A system for path compensation of multiple incoherent optical beams incorporates an optical element combining a plurality of incoherent beams to an aperture by angle using carrier frequency tilt fringes. An illumination laser is employed for reflection of an illumination beam from a target. An interferometer receives a sample of the reflected illumination beam reflected from the target and provides interference fringes. A spatial light modulator receives the interference fringes and generates a real time hologram. Relay optics are employed for transmitting the combined plurality of incoherent beams to the SLM and receiving a diffraction corrected full aperture compensated combined beam for emission to the far field.
US08736930B2
Methods and systems receive a print job and determine whether the print job specifies one or more extended gamut color marking materials. The extended gamut color marking materials comprise marking materials having colorants other than standard colorants. The standard colorants consist of cyan, magenta, yellow, black (CMYK). When the print job does not specify one or more of the extended gamut color marking materials, the methods and systems determine whether the print job will perform better with one or more of the extended gamut colorants in addition to the standard colorants. The methods and systems print the print job use the extended gamut colorant(s) and the standard colorants when the print job specifies the extended gamut color marking material, and when the print job will perform better with one or more of the print system's extended gamut colorants in addition to the standard colorants.
US08736928B2
The present invention discloses a sheet feed scanner including an auto document feeder, a flatbed scanner and a power-switching mechanism. The power-switching mechanism includes a first shaft, a power source, a clutch, a first gear, a second gear, and an elastic limitation structure. The clutch includes a first incline and a second incline. The elastic limitation structure pushes the first incline or the second incline of the clutch. When the first shaft is rotated in a first direction, the first incline is pushed by the elastic limitation structure so that the clutch is coupled to the first gear for driving the automatic document feeder. When the first shaft is rotated in a second direction, the second incline is pushed by the elastic limitation structure so that the clutch is coupled to the second gear for driving the flatbed scanner.
US08736926B2
A sheet conveyance device includes a loading section, a sheet feeding unit, a separation section disposed downstream in a sheet conveyance direction from the sheet feeding unit, a conveyance member to transport a sheet separated by the separation section, a trailing-edge detector disposed at a first conveyance distance (L1) downstream from a separation position (Ab) and including a rotary follower and a rotation detector, a first leading-edge detector disposed downstream from the trailing-edge detector, and a controller. The trailing-edge detector A detects a sheet length in the sheet conveyance direction. The controller causes the sheet feeding unit to start sheet feeding in response to detection of the leading edge of the sheet by the first leading-edge detector when the detected sheet length equals a predetermined reference length and in other cases in response to detection of the trailing edge of the sheet by the trailing-edge detector.
US08736923B2
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus including a light scanning device to scan first and second light beams, a synchronization signal detector to receive a portion of the first light beam scanned by the light scanning device and to generate a first horizontal synchronization signal, and a video signal processor including a second horizontal synchronization signal generating unit to count a synchronization signal offset and generate a second horizontal synchronization signal regarding the second light beam when the first horizontal synchronization signal is transmitted from the synchronization signal detector, and a video controller to transfer video data to the light scanning device based on the first and second horizontal synchronization signals.
US08736922B2
An image reading apparatus includes a reading unit, a controlling unit and a changing unit. The reading unit receives a reflected light from a sheet onto which a light is irradiated from a light source, converts the received light into an image signal, and accumulates a charge corresponding to the image signal in accordance with a reading time of the sheet. The controlling unit controls the light source to be turned off in accordance with a reading mode of the sheet so that an amount of the accumulated charge does not reach a saturated amount. The changing unit changes an amplification factor of an amplifying unit in accordance with a turn-off time of the light source to amplify the image signal to a predetermined level when the controlling unit controls the light source to be turned off. The amplifying unit amplifies the image signal at a predetermined amplification factor.
US08736905B2
A method for position calibration of a spot of an optical sensor may include providing a position calibration patch on a sheet at a predetermined position, along a scan path of the spot across the sheet, the patch comprising at least two adjacent blocks of different colors. The method may also include obtaining a single sample of the position calibration patch using the optical sensor. The method may further include determining from the single sample the position of the spot of the sensor with respect to the position calibration patch.
US08736899B2
A color conversion method for wide-gamut color spaces, in which color conversion is performed without gamut clipping so that data corresponding to a predetermined wide-gamut color space can be directly output by a display device that supports a different wide-gamut color space from the predetermined wide-gamut color space, and which maintains characteristics of the predetermined wide-gamut color space. The color conversion method includes converting data of a predetermined wide-gamut color space into data of the RGB color space, determining whether the RGB data is outside the gamut of the RGB color space, extending the RGB data and clipping the extended RGB data if the RGB data is outside the gamut of the RGB color space, and dividing the clipped RGB data into a number of regions and performing a mapping operation in units of regions.
US08736897B2
Printing methods and systems that provide both a secure value label printing mode of operation and a non-secure mode of operation that allows generic printing of non-value items without compromising the security feature of the secure printing mode are described. If the printing system determines the image is a non-secure image such as an address label or other non-value graphic, the printing system utilizes the non-secure mode and disables the use certain printhead elements. In such a system, the enforced print disabled white bands are enforced in non-secure mode such as by actually disabling the print drive mechanism that allows a row to be printed or by populating certain regions of the print buffer with zero values.
US08736888B2
A printing apparatus which prints by scanning a printhead in two directions based on raster data containing multi-valued data, sequentially stores multi-valued data contained in each raster data in a print buffer in correspondence with a predetermined direction of the two directions, acquires for each raster data, identification information corresponding to the multi-valued data stored in the print buffer first and identification information corresponding to the multi-valued data stored in the print buffer lastly for each tone value based on initial values of identification information and the number of multi-valued data contained in each raster data, generates bitmap data from the multi-valued data using pattern data read out based on identification information selected based on a scanning direction of the printhead, and controls printing of the printhead based on the generated bitmap data.
US08736884B2
An image processor includes a display. The display displays a preset-setting-group selection screen containing a plurality of icons respectively corresponding to preset-setting groups such that one icon is displayed in a manner indicative of a selected state while at least one icon other than the one icon is displayed in a manner that is indicative of an unselected state. When any of set values of a preset-setting group corresponding to the one icon having been displayed in the manner indicative of the selected state, the display displays a preset-setting-group-updated screen containing the one icon displayed in the manner indicative of the selected state on the preset-setting-group selection screen and not containing the at least one icon in the manner indicative of the unselected state on the preset-setting-group selection screen.
US08736880B2
An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus, a transmission apparatus, a reception section that is provided in the image forming apparatus and receives a designation of the transmission apparatus, a first transmission section that is provided in the image forming apparatus and transmits apparatus information indicating the own apparatus to a transmission apparatus designated in the reception section, a first storage unit that is provided in the transmission apparatus and stores the apparatus information transmitted from the first transmission section, a second transmission section that is provided in the transmission apparatus and transmits image data to an image forming apparatus indicated by the apparatus information stored in the first storage section, and an image forming unit that is provided in the image forming apparatus and forms an image corresponding to the image data transmitted from the second transmission section.
US08736873B2
A client personal computer having a hierarchical structure and processing a variable data printing (VDP) document to which metadata can be added includes a UI unit for receiving an instruction to mutually associate a layer of a template corresponding to the VDP document, a print setting editing unit for setting a print setting to the layer of the template according to the instruction, a job ticket output unit for outputting a job ticket including a correspondence relation between the print setting and the VDP document and the print setting, and a VDP job output unit for adding, to the print data, metadata for mutually associating the print setting described in the output job ticket and the layer of the VDP document corresponding to the layer of the template to which the print setting has been set.
US08736859B2
An image forming system includes a first image forming apparatus, a second image forming apparatus disposed upstream in a sheet conveying direction and connected to the first image forming apparatus, and a post-processing apparatus that receives a sheet at a speed depending on a conveyance speed of a sheet discharged from the first image forming apparatus and that performs post-processing on the sheet. When a print job including a simplex image forming mode and a duplex image forming mode is to be executed, in the simplex image forming mode, a sheet is discharged in a reversed state to the post-processing apparatus. In the duplex image forming mode, the second image forming apparatus forms an image on a back side of a sheet, the first image forming apparatus forms an image on a front side of the sheet, and the sheet is discharged in a reversed state to the post-processing apparatus.
US08736855B2
A print control apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive a print job, an allocation unit configured to allocate, based on the print job received by the receiving unit, a printing process in which an image based on the received print job is printed on a printing medium by applying a printing agent thereto, and a drying process in which the printing agent applied to the printing medium is dried, and a change unit configured to change, based on a user's instruction, the drying process allocated by the allocation unit.
US08736854B2
One aspect of the invention provides an image reading apparatus including: a document placement portion on which a document is allowed to be placed; a display portion, at least a part of which is transmissive of light; an image reading unit movable along a first direction below the document placement portion and comprising an light emitting unit configured to emit light; and a control unit operable to control the image reading unit in a plurality of operation modes. The plurality of operation modes include a first operation mode that allows the image reading unit to be positioned at a first position corresponding to the display portion and cause the light emitting unit to emit the light, and the display portion is transmissive of the light emitted from the light emitting unit at the first position.
US08736850B2
A device and a method for measuring at least one surface section of an object that is mounted on a carrier includes at least one reference object that can be fixed relative to the carrier, and a holder that can be moved relative to the reference object in at least one first direction and on which a reference body and a distance measuring device are arranged. The reference body and the distance measuring device are mounted in a rotatable manner relative to each other. The distance measuring device is designed to determine a first distance to a first point of the surface section of the object and a second distance to a second point of the reference body wherein the second point corresponds to the first point.
US08736834B2
A modular optical sensor system for fluid media has a measuring module which includes an exchangeable fluid chamber and an exchangeable optic holder. The fluid chamber has an inlet and an outlet as well as a measurement space for the fluid medium. The optic holder has at least one optical transmitter and at least one optical receiver. The optic holder is inserted within the measuring module relative to the fluid chamber in such a way that the radiation emitted by the optical transmitter traverses the measurement space for the fluid medium in the fluid chamber and impinges on the optical receiver.
US08736827B2
A system for obtaining a propagation factor for determining the performance of a light beam (32) includes a light sensor (10), a lens element (30) operable to focus a beam from a light source to be tested towards the sensor element (10); wherein the lens element is a variable focus lens (30).
US08736822B2
An apparatus to detect a pressure signal in a fluid flowing in a conduit comprises a flexible band sized to fit at least partially around the conduit. An optical fiber is flexibly adhered to the flexible band. At least one fastener is attached to the flexible band to fasten the flexible band at least partially around the conduit. A method for detecting a pressure signal in a conduit comprises adhering an optical fiber to a flexible band. At least one fastener is attached to the band. The band is fastened around the conduit such that a strain induced in the conduit by the pressure signal is transmitted to the optical fiber.
US08736820B2
Disclosed is apparatus for distinguishing between ground and an obstacle for autonomous mobile vehicle, comprising an upper 2D laser radar 1, a lower 2D laser radar 2, and a processing unit 10, the processing unit 10 comprising a distance data receiving part 11, an inclination calculating part 12, a ground and obstacle determining part 13, and a transmitting part. Also disclosed is a method for distinguishing between ground and an obstacle for autonomous mobile vehicle by using the apparatus for distinguishing between ground and an obstacle for autonomous mobile vehicle of claim 1, in which the detected object is determined as an obstacle when the actual inclination (g) of the detected object is larger than the reference inclination, and as ground when the actual inclination (g) of the detected object is smaller than the reference inclination.
US08736818B2
Methods and systems for adaptively controlling the illumination of a scene are provided. In particular, a scene is illuminated, and light reflected from the scene is detected. Information regarding levels of light intensity received by different pixels of a multiple pixel detector, corresponding to different areas within a scene, and/or information regarding a range to an area within a scene, is received. That information is then used as a feedback signal to control levels of illumination within the scene. More particularly, different areas of the scene can be provided with different levels of illumination in response to the feedback signal.
US08736817B2
An interchangeable chromatic range sensor (CRS) probe for a coordinate measuring machine (CMM). The CRS probe is capable of being automatically connected to a CMM under program control. In one embodiment, in order to make the CRS probe compatible with a standard CMM auto exchange joint, all CRS measurement light transmitting and receiving elements (e.g., the light source, wavelength detector, optical pen, etc.) are included in the CRS probe assembly. The CRS probe assembly also includes an auto exchange joint element that is attachable through a standard auto exchange joint connection to a CMM. In one embodiment, in order to provide the required signals through the limited number of connections of the standard CMM auto exchange joint (e.g., 13 pins), a low voltage differential signaling (LVDS) serializer may be utilized for providing additional control and data signals on two signal lines.
US08736809B2
An exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system by which an image of a pattern is projected onto a substrate to expose the substrate. The apparatus also includes a liquid supply system having a supply port from which a liquid is supplied to a space under the projection optical system. A supply amount of the liquid per unit time from the supply port is changed without stopping the liquid supply from the supply port, and the supply amount of the liquid per unit time from the supply port in a first operation is different from the supply amount of the liquid per unit time from the supply port in a second operation that is different from the first operation.
US08736808B2
A lithographic projection apparatus includes a substrate table to hold a substrate, a projection system to project a patterned beam of radiation onto the substrate and a liquid confinement structure to confine a liquid in a space between the projection system and the substrate, the substrate, the substrate table, or both, to form a part of a boundary of the space. In addition, a closing plate forms a part of a boundary of the space in place of the substrate, the substrate table, or both, when moved without substantially disturbing the liquid, the liquid confinement structure, or both.
US08736806B2
A lithographic apparatus includes a radiation system for providing a beam of radiation from radiation emitted by a radiation source. The radiation system includes a contaminant trap for trapping material emanating from the radiation source. The rotation contaminant trap includes a multiple number of elements extending in a radial direction from a common rotation trap axis and being arranged for allowing contaminant material emanating from the radiation source to deposit during propagation of the radiation beam in the radiation system. The radiation system further includes a contaminant catch for receiving contaminant material particles from the rotation trap elements, the contaminant catch having a constitution, during operation of the radiation, for retaining said contaminant material particles.
US08736799B2
Optical compensation films and a method for reducing dark-state light leakage of vertical alignment liquid crystal displays are disclosed. The light path difference (LCΔND) is in a range of 324.3-342.8 nm, and the pretilt angle is in a range of 85 to 90 degrees when measured at a wavelength of 550 nm. Wherein an in-plain retardation value Ro of the biaxial compensation film is in the range of 48-84 nm, an out-of-plain retardation value Rth of the biaxial compensation film is in the range of 160-280 nm, and a retardation value Rth of the TAC compensation film is within a range between Y1 and Y2. The compensation structure with single layer of biaxial compensation film not only can reduce the dark-state light leakage, but also can increase the contrastness and the resolution in the wide viewing angle.
US08736793B2
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display panel and a liquid crystal display device presenting a reduced color addition and an improved bright room contrast. The liquid crystal display panel of the present invention includes wirings made of a metal having at least 90% reflection over a wavelength region within the visible light region, where the reflectance of the liquid crystal panel over a wavelength range of 600 to 700 nm at the display surface is no greater than 150% of the reflectance at the wavelength of 550 nm at the display surface.
US08736790B2
An OLED display according to an exemplary embodiment includes: a first substrate; a second substrate facing the first substrate; an organic light emitting element on the first substrate; a liquid crystal driving electrode facing the organic light emitting diode at a lower portion of the second substrate; and a plurality of liquid crystals between the organic light emitting element and the liquid crystal driving electrode. In this case, the plurality of liquid crystals has optical isotropy when an electric field is not applied and has optical anisotropy when the electric field is applied.
US08736789B2
An LCD module including an LCD panel and a backlight unit disposed under the LCD panel is provided. The backlight unit has a bottom chassis, a lamp, a socket, and a balance board. The bottom chassis receives the lamp, the socket, and the balance board therein. The balance board is fixed to the bottom chassis. The socket is coupled with the balance board and the lamp.
US08736781B2
A liquid crystal display device includes: a first gate line and a second gate line on a first substrate; a first data line and a second data line crossing the first and second gate lines to define a pixel region; a first thin film transistor connected to the first gate line and the first data line; a second thin film transistor connected to the first gate line and the second data line; a first pixel electrode in the pixel region and connected to the first thin film transistor; a second pixel electrode in the pixel region, connected to the second thin film transistor and including at least one opening therein; a common electrode on a second substrate; and a liquid crystal layer between the second pixel electrode and the common electrode.
US08736780B2
A thin film transistor array substrate for a liquid crystal display includes a substrate, and a gate line assembly formed on the substrate to receive gate signals. The gate line assembly has gate lines proceeding in the horizontal direction, and gate electrodes connected to the gate lines. A storage capacitor line assembly proceeds in the horizontal direction. A gate insulating layer is formed on the substrate while covering the gate lines and the storage capacitor line assembly. A semiconductor pattern is formed on the gate insulating layer over the gate electrodes. A data line assembly is formed on the gate insulating layer. The data line assembly has data lines crossing over the gate lines to define pixel regions, source electrodes connected to the data lines while being placed on the semiconductor pattern, and drain electrodes facing the source electrodes around the gate electrodes while being placed on the semiconductor pattern. A protective layer covers the data line assembly and the semiconductor pattern with contact holes. Pixel electrodes are formed on the protective layer at the respective pixel regions such that the pixel electrodes are connected to the drain electrodes through the contact holes. The gate lines or the pixel electrodes are provided with repair members, and the repair members are partially overlapped with the front gate lines or the pixel electrodes.
US08736778B2
An optically addressed light valve suitable for selectively limiting the transmission of radiation from high intensity light sources comprising an electro-optical modulator sandwiched by two photoconductive layers.
US08736773B1
A method of interacting with a television screen using a remote control having a viewing screen. The method includes the following: (1) displaying a boundary-identifier, on the viewing screen that is substantially transparent, to specify the boundary of an effective input-area; (2) detecting one or more positions being touched on the viewing screen after the boundary-identifier is displayed on the viewing screen; and (3) determining at least one mapped position on the television screen, wherein the at least one mapped position is mapped from a position among the one or more touching positions on the viewing screen of the remote control under a mapping operative to map one of an irregular quadrilateral and a trapezoid to a rectangular.
US08736770B2
A method for processing signals in a communication system may include performing by one or more processors and/or circuits integrated within a single digital television (DTV) receiver chip, demodulating a wirelessly received digital inband signal and a wirelessly received digital out-of-band signal. The demodulating may include equalizing the received digital inband signal and the received digital out-of-band signal. The demodulated digital inband signal and the demodulated digital out-of-band signal may be error corrected. One or more TV channels may be generated based on one or both of the error corrected demodulated digital inband signals and/or the error corrected demodulated out-of-band signals. The wirelessly received digital inband signal may include a VSB signal, a NTSC signal and/or a QAM signal. The one or more processors and/or circuits may perform decoding the wirelessly received digital inband signal.
US08736757B2
A scaler positioning module may receive a video signal selected from among a plurality of video signals. The scaler positioning module may include scaler slots for arranging the signal path of the selected video signal through at least one scaler in the scaler positioning module. The scaler slots may enable the scaler positioning module to operate in three modes. The three modes may enable the scaler positioning module to output scaled data without memory operations, scale prior to a memory write, and scale after a memory read. A blank time optimizer (BTO) may receive data from the scaler positioning module at a first clock rate and distributed memory accesses based on a bandwidth requirement determination. The BTO may access memory at a second clock rate. The second clock rate may be slower than the first which may reduce memory bandwidth and enable another video signal to access memory faster.
US08736755B2
A display apparatus, includes: a display unit; a signal receiving unit which receives a video signal; a signal processing unit which processes the video signal received by the signal receiving unit to be displayed; an input unit through which a frame rate demonstration function is selectable; and a control unit which controls the signal processing unit so that the video signal is processed into an inherent frame rate of the video signal and at least one corrected frame rate which is different from the inherent frame rate to be displayed in different areas of the display unit if the frame rate demonstration function is selected through the input unit.
US08736747B2
Autofocusing is performed in response to a weighted sum of previous blur difference depth estimates after being adaptively fitted at each focus adjustment iteration. Variance is also determined across both past and present estimations providing a confidence measure on the present focus position for the given picture. In one embodiment focus adjustment are repeated until the variance is sufficiently low as to indicate confidence that a proper focus has been attained. The method increases accuracy and speed of focusing by utilizing previous depth estimates while adapting the matching data to overcome distortion, such as due to saturation, cut-off and noise.
US08736744B2
A digital photographing apparatus and a method of controlling the digital photographing apparatus are provided. The digital photographing apparatus stores an image signal in a memory at the same time with the calculation of a horizontal AF evaluation value with respect to the image signal, and calculates a vertical AF evaluation value by using the stored image signal. Accordingly, exact AF detection may be performed with respect to images of all patterns.
US08736743B2
Interpolation precision of phase difference detection pixels is raised. An image pickup device includes: a color filter disposed with a repeating basic array pattern configured by 3×3 pixel square arrays of a first array pattern and a second array pattern disposed symmetrically about a point; a first phase difference detection pixel that is placed at a position of a pixel corresponding to 1 corner portion out of the 4 corner portions of at least one array pattern in 1 pair of the first array pattern and the second array pattern out of 2 pairs of the first array pattern and the second array pattern configuring the basic array pattern; and a second phase difference detection pixel that is placed at a position of a pixel corresponding to 1 corner portion out of the 4 corner portions in the array pattern, out of the first array pattern.
US08736741B2
According to the present invention, there is provided an imaging device, comprising: an imaging unit for receiving subject light flux, that has been made incident by the photographing lens, on an imaging surface, and photoelectrically converting a formed subject image to output image data; a display unit for carrying out a live view display operation using image data acquired by the imaging unit; a first contrast AF unit for obtaining contrast information of the subject information from image data acquired by the imaging unit and guiding the photographing lens into a first in-focus permissible range based on the contrast information, and a control unit for, when the live view display operation has started, executing a focus adjustment operation using the first contrast AF unit at a first time interval.
US08736734B2
A solid-state imaging apparatus comprises a pixel portion including a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel including a photoelectric conversion portion, an accumulation portion for accumulating the charge, a first transfer portion connecting the photoelectric conversion portion to the accumulation portion, a second transfer portion connecting the accumulation portion to a floating diffusion portion, and a third transfer portion connecting the photoelectric conversion portion to a power source, and wherein, from a state where no potential barrier is formed in the second transfer portion, a potential barrier is formed in the second transfer portion under a condition that a potential barrier is formed in the first transfer portion and no potential barrier is formed in the third transfer portion, and then a potential barrier is formed in the third transfer portion, thereby the operation of accumulating charges in the pixels is started.
US08736726B2
Methods, apparatus and systems may operate to copy pixel charge, compensating for image subject shift within in an imaging array during exposure time of an imaging device. Activities may include transferring charge from one or more source pixels to one or more buffer pixels within the same pixel array, and copying the charge to destination pixels within the same pixel array prior to an end of the image integration time. Charge transfer may include transfer of charge from more than one array on a single die. Additional activities may include transferring charge from one or more source pixels to one or more destination pixels multiple times prior to the end of the image integration time.
US08736725B2
A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel array unit having plural pixels arranged in a row direction and a column direction; a weighted addition unit performing weighted addition on pixel signals read out from the plural pixels as analog signals; an A/D converter performing A/D conversion of the pixel signals on which weighted addition is performed; and a computing unit computing the A/D converted pixel signals.
US08736720B2
An image processing device of the present application detects a color drift of an input image, and includes a saturation reducing section and a color drift detecting section. The saturation reducing section reduces a saturation of the input image and generates a saturation reduction image. The color drift detecting section detects a color drift of the saturation reduction image.
US08736719B2
In an image processing apparatus, information indicating a degree of correlation between a current frame and a previous frame is computed based on a pixel value in the current frame before being subjected to the recursive noise reduction and a pixel value in the previous frame after being subjected to the recursive noise reduction. Then, a recursive coefficient, which is a weight of the previous frame, is determined based on the degree of correlation and a frame rate of the moving image. The recursive noise reduction is applied to the current frame by combining the pixels in the previous frame and the current frame using the recursive coefficient. For the same degree of the correlation, the recursive coefficient is determined to be smaller as the frame rate is lower. Noise reduction in accordance with the image frame rate is achieved.
US08736706B1
Methods and systems for generating high resolution composite imagery are provided. The methods and systems can create a fully-in-focus high resolution composite image by combining a number of source images in which only a part of the source image is in-focus. The composite image can be analyzed to identify portions of the composite image that satisfy an image quality metric. The capture of additional source images can be controlled based at least in part on the image analysis of the composite image. In addition, a control routine for capturing the plurality of source images can be dynamically adjusted based on the image quality of the individual source images.
US08736701B2
Video analytics and a mass storage unit are contained in a camera housing of a video camera. The camera produces video data representing the field of view of a scene observed by the camera. The video analytics analyzes the video data and detects whether there is an occurrence of a defined feature of an object or a defined event of interest. The video analytics also generates metadata based upon the content of the video data. The video data and metadata are stored in the mass storage unit. Access to stored video data may be controlled based on content, and access to live video data may be controlled as metadata corresponding to the video data is created. The metadata can be used to search for corresponding video data representing the detected feature of an object or event of interest observed in the scene.
US08736698B2
The invention provides data for display on the display area for a child frame when the child frame is synthesized and displayed on the parent frame in picture-in-picture playback in order to give the displayed area of the child frame in conformity with the video content in the parent frame, as well as providing a video display apparatus etc. for displaying the child frame at an appropriate displayed position using the data for display. A video display apparatus 1 includes: decoders 101 and 103 for decoding two sets of video data; a synthesizer 105 for synthesizing the decoded videos to output; an input unit 108 for commanding display/non-display of the child frame; a processing controller 109 for controlling the operations of decoders 101 and 103 in accordance with the command; and a position designator 110 which receives the command and the data for display and time information and designates the displayed position of the child frame to the synthesizer 105. The position designator 110 determines the displayed position of the child-frame video in accordance with displayable time information of the child-frame video and information on the displayed area or displayable area depending on time, included in the data for display.
US08736696B2
An image processing apparatus includes: a computing unit which determines a first difference value between brightness of a first image data and brightness of a second image data in an overlap area of the first image data including a first brightness characteristic with the second image data having a peripheral area at the center of the first image data and including a second brightness characteristic; and a generating unit which generates a brightness correction parameter for the first image data corresponding to the first difference value.
US08736686B2
An optical analysis method is provided for judging whether a lens and a sensing element of an image pickup device are parallel with each other. The method utilizes a tested image pickup device and a standard image pickup device to shoot an object at the same fixed shooting position to acquire a standard image frame and a tested image frame. According to the difference between the position coordinate value or the area of at least one mark of the standard image frame and the tested image frame, the method can judge whether the tested lens and the tested sensing element of the tested image pickup device are parallel with each other.
US08736685B1
A method to measure a brightness response of a camera comprises obtaining a plurality of brightness measurements and determining for one or more of the plurality of brightness measurements a captured brightness of the captured image. Obtaining each of the plurality of brightness measurements includes presenting to the camera at least one test sample having known brightness, capturing via the camera an image of the at least one test sample, and presenting to the camera at least one compensation sample having compensating brightness selected based on the known brightness of the at least one test sample. The at least one test sample and the at least one compensation sample are selectable and presentable in combination such that an average exposure interpreted by the camera is substantially the same for each of the plurality of brightness measurements.
US08736680B1
A system includes a first camera operable to capture omnidirectional images and send omnidirectional-image data representing the omnidirectional images, a second camera operable to capture narrow-view images and send narrow-view-image data representing the narrow-view images, a video processor coupled to the first camera and the second camera and operable to form combined-image data using at least part of the omnidirectional-image data and the narrow-view-image data, and a display module interoperably coupled to the video processor and operable to display combined images from the combined-image data. The combined images each comprise a narrow-view-display portion and an omnidirectional-display portion.
US08736678B2
A set of cameras can operate in coordination for surveillance purposes to provide situation awareness at a system level. Any infrastructure of cameras, public or private, can incidentally view and record an individual's mobile property when in view of any of these cameras. A locating unit can determine the approximate location of a mobile property. A monitoring device that correlates to the mobile property's location can be selected. The transmission of surveillance information from the selected monitoring device can be provided to a user, such as via a transmission to the user's mobile device. Thus, the individual can have access to the monitoring device's viewing or recorded data to increase surveillance of mobile property.
US08736675B1
In one implementation, a system includes a multi-core processor and an optical display with a plurality of hogels. Each hogel is configured to radiate light in a plurality of directions, with controllable intensities in each of the plurality of directions. The multi-core processor is coupled to the optical display and configured to control the hogels. The multi-core processor includes at least two cores, an on-chip memory, and a master processor in a single integrated circuit package. The master processor may be a general-purpose on-chip processor, such as a core in the multi-core processor, that is used to coordinated operations of the other cores. Each of the cores is configured to receive hogel data and to generate signals for a corresponding subset of the plurality of hogels.
US08736674B2
Several embodiments of 3D display system and systems and methods for their calibration are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method and system for calibrating a 3D display using feedback indicative of measurements of light, emitted from the 3D display (typically during display of a test pattern), by a camera device. In one embodiment, the camera device is a handheld camera device including an inexpensive, uncalibrated camera. In another class of embodiments, a system including a 3D display (to be recalibrated), a video preprocessor coupled to the display, and a feedback subsystem including a camera device operable to measure light emitted by the display are also disclosed.
US08736662B2
A computer program product for managing communications during a videoconference includes computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable storage medium that when executed by one or more computers causes the computers to receive an input first set of communications control parameters that apply to all videoconferences to be conducted over one or more videoconference servers. The computer stores the input first set of control parameters in a memory, and receives an input second set of communications control parameters that includes a subset of the first set and that applies to only a portion of videoconferences to be conducted over the videoconference servers. The computer compares the second set of communications control parameters to the first set of control parameters and retains the second set of communications control parameters in a memory for use during the conference if they do not violate the first set of control parameters.
US08736661B2
A video conference invitation is sent from a computing device in a first conference room to a second conference room for a video conference. Further, an acceptance of the invitation is received at the computing device. In addition, a list of available devices for video conferencing is retrieved from a device information database. The list of available devices indicates a locally connected device and a remotely connected device. The computing device is connected to the video conference through a platform independent interface. Further, the computing device locally controls operation of the locally connected device through a platform independent interface during the video conference and remotely controls operation of the remotely connected device during the video conference.
US08736660B2
A system and method for manipulating images in a videoconferencing session provides users with a 3-D-like view of one or more presented sites, without the need for 3-D equipment. A plurality of cameras may record a room at a transmitting endpoint, and the receiving endpoint may select one of the received video streams based upon a point of view of a conferee at the receiving endpoint. The conferee at the receiving endpoint will thus experience a 3-D-like view of the presented site.
US08736659B2
A three-dimensional (3D) video communication method includes receiving video information of at least two session parties, wherein the video information of at least one session party is 3D video information. The video information received from the at least two session parties is processed according to state information of the at least two session parties and display capabilities of a terminal.
US08736657B2
A mobile terminal including a camera configured to capture video data, a wireless communication unit configured to receive a video communication call signal and to transmit and receive real-time data with at least one other mobile terminal, a controller configured to control communication with the at least one other mobile terminal to be performed with video data and the real-time data and to prevent audio data associated with the video data from being output on the mobile terminal, when the received video communication call signal is connected, a display configured to display the real-time data and the video data received from the at least one other terminal, and an input unit configured to input the real-time data to be transmitted to the at least one other mobile terminal.
US08736650B2
A print station system (1) having a drive-stepper motor (2), platen rollers (3, 4) in operative communication with the drive-stepper motor (2), a pinch roller (10) in operative communication with the drive-stepper motor (2), a top-of-form sensor (11) located between the platen roller (3, 4) and the pinch roller (10), a rocker arm (12) in operative communication with the platen roller (3, 4) and the pinch roller (10), and a printhead assembly (5), a media guide (12a, 12b). A radio-frequency identification antenna (16) or a receptacle (15) for holding same may be located between the platen roller (3, 4) and the pinch roller (10).
US08736643B2
A control system for a dual modulation display comprises an input configured to receive image data specifying a desired image at an initial resolution, a downsampler configured to downsample the image data into a plurality of downsample blocks and obtain one or more image values for each downsample block, a backlight processing pipeline which determines driving levels for light emitters based on the image values, a lightfield simulator which receives data about the driving levels and generates a backlight illumination pattern, a front modulator processing pipeline which receives the image data and the backlight illumination pattern and determines control levels for light transmission elements of the front modulator, and, an image value adjuster which receives the image values and reduces image values of downsample blocks which meet adjustment criteria before providing the image values to the backlight processing pipeline.
US08736626B2
A system and method for cryptographically securing a graphics system connectable via an external bus to a computing system, the graphics system including a graphics processor, a video memory and a memory controller for controlling the flow of data to and from the video memory. The graphics system further includes a copy engine for copying data between a system memory of the computing system and the video memory, where this copy engine acts independently of the graphics processor of the graphics system. The present invention enables the copy engine of the graphics system to decrypt encrypted data in the course of copying data from the system memory to the video memory and to encrypt unencrypted data in the course of copying data from the video memory to the system memory. Thus, cryptographic protection of secure content may be assured by the graphics system without the excessive usage of its primary resources for this non-graphical purpose.
US08736623B1
Programmable DMA engine for implementing memory transfers and video processing for a video processor
A method for using a programmable DMA engine to implement memory transfers and video processing for a video processor. A DMA control program is configured for controlling DMA memory transfers between a frame buffer memory and a video processor. The DMA control program is stored in the DMA engine. A DMA request can be received from the video processor. The DMA control program is executable to implement the DMA request for the video processor. The DMA engine is operable to execute low-level command for accessing the frame buffer memory to implement a high-level command.
US08736619B2
A method for managing work distribution in a processor including a plurality of instruction data modules, is provided. The method includes analyzing work units received by the processor and comparing the utilization level in each active module within the plurality with a first predetermined threshold. The work units are distributed across selected ones of the modules within the plurality based upon the analyzing and the comparing.
US08736618B2
Systems and methods include an electronic device having multiple GPUs and a GPU power control process that controls switching between a first GPU and a second GPU, such as a high performance GPU. The electronic device may be coupled to an external display by a passive adapter or an active adapter. The GPU power control process may determine if the second GPU is active and switch to the second GPU upon connection of the external display through either the passive adapter or the active adapter. Upon connection of an active adapter, the GPU power control process may use hot plug functionality to determine connection of the external display to the active adapter and provide appropriate switching in response thereto.
US08736611B1
A two-dimensional data input plane represents a set of objects along an x-axis and a set of values that can be assigned to the objects along a y-axis. Plotting a point on the graph causes a value corresponding to the horizontal component of the point to be assigned to an object corresponding to the vertical component of the point. In one example, a device includes a user interface to display a graph, identifiers for a set of objects along an x-axis of the graph, and a set of values along a y-axis of the graph, and a processor to receive a selection of an intersection of one of the identifiers of the objects along the x-axis and one of the values along the y-axis from the user interface, and to assign the one of the values to the one of the objects corresponding to the one of the identifiers.
US08736607B1
A method and apparatus for comprising primitive data generated by tessellation of patches in a three-dimensional computer graphics rendering system receives domain point indices for a first primitive in a list of primitives defining the tessellated patch, stores the domain point indices for the received primitive, compares domain point indices of a next primitive in the list with stored domain point indices and determines any matches, stores domain point indicates of the next primitive or, if a match was found, stores a reference to the position of the matched index, receives domain point indexes of the next primitive in the list and repeats the step until each primitive in the list has been compressed.
US08736605B2
The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to texture mapping a surface. In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in a computer-implemented method that includes defining a triangular mesh model of the surface; identifying at least one user-specified texture underfold constraint; computing a weighted energy functional for the triangular mesh, the weighted energy functional comprising a plurality of nodal texture values from which the triangular mesh is specified, the nodal texture values computed in accordance with the at least one user-specified texture underfold constraint; and iteratively recomputing the nodal texture values to converge the weighted energy functional toward a minimum value. The subject matter described in this specification can also be embodied in various corresponding computer program products, apparatus, and systems.
US08736600B2
Systems and methods for imaging a 3D volume of geometrically irregular grid data. The systems and methods utilize various types of probes and displays to render the geometrically irregular grid data, in real-time, and analyze the geometrically irregular grid data.
US08736599B2
The present invention relates to a computer-readable data storage medium comprising a graphic dataset in the form of a tiled mipmap 101, and to a method of extracting from said computer-readable data storage medium to a computer memory a subset of said mipmap 101 in the form of a clipmap 109. The present invention relates also to a computer memory containing such a clipmap 109, as well as to a method of rendering said clipmap 109 in a computer system. At each level of detail of the mipmap but the lowest, a tile block 105 formed by a discrete plurality of tiles 104 is coextensive with a whole single tile 104 at the next lower level of detail of the tiled mipmap 101.
US08736589B2
In a display device, the anode voltage of an organic light emitting element is periodically reset. The control terminal of a driving transistor is periodically reset, and an input data voltage is connected to the control terminal through an input terminal and an output terminal of the driving transistor. As a result, good control over the displayed luminance is achieved. Other features are also provided.
US08736588B2
In one embodiment, a liquid crystal display device includes first and second areas respectively having a gate line group in an active area, and a dummy gate line group arranged on an outside of the active area. A driving circuit selects the gate lines of the gate line group and the dummy gate lines of the dummy gate line group one by one in the first and second areas. The driving circuit is independently controlled for the first and second areas. The gate lines are scanned from a center portion of the active area to the dummy gate line side in the first and second areas, respectively. An image signal and a non-image signal are written within one-frame period in the first and second areas.
US08736581B2
A touch-screen device includes a radiation source, a waveguide configured to receive radiation emitted by the source and to cause some of the radiation to undergo total internal reflection within the waveguide, a pliable frustrating layer disposed relative to the waveguide to enable the frustrating layer to contact the waveguide when the frustrating layer is physically deformed, the frustrating layer being configured to cause frustration of the total internal reflection of the received radiation within the waveguide when the frustrating layer is physically deformed to contact the waveguide such that some of the received escapes from the waveguide at the contact point, an imaging sensor configured to detect some of the radiation that escapes from the waveguide, and a structure disposed relative to the frustrating layer, the structure configured to steer at least a portion of the radiation that escapes from the waveguide toward the imaging sensor.
US08736577B2
Pre-stored no-touch or no-hover (no-event) sensor output values can initially be used when a sensor panel subsystem is first booted up to establish an initial baseline of sensor output values unaffected by fingers or other objects touching or hovering over the sensor panel during boot-up. This initial baseline can then be normalized so that each sensor generates the same output value for a given amount of touch or hover, providing a uniform response across the sensor panel and enabling subsequent touch or hover events to be more easily detected. After the initial normalization process is complete, the pre-stored baseline can be discarded in favor of a newly captured no-event baseline that may be more accurate than the pre-stored baseline due to temperature or other variations.
US08736567B2
A touch screen panel including first sense electrodes including a plurality of first sense cells arranged on a substrate in a first direction and first connection patterns electrically connecting adjacent first sense cells of the plurality of first sense cells; second sense electrodes including a plurality of second sense cells arranged on the substrate in a second direction that crosses the first direction, relay patterns arranged within the first sense electrodes, and metal patterns connected between the relay patterns and second sense cells of the plurality of second sense cells adjacent to the relay patterns; and auxiliary patterns electrically connecting two regions of the first sense electrodes divided by the relay patterns and the metal patterns.
US08736561B2
A method is performed at a multifunction device with a touch-sensitive display. The method includes: playing a first piece of content in a full-size mode on the display at a predefined aspect ratio; while playing the first piece of content on the display in the full-size mode, detecting a first gesture on the display; in response to detecting the first gesture: shrinking the playing of the first piece of content to a first region of the display while keeping the predefined aspect ratio and displaying information related to the first piece of content in a second region of the display.
US08736553B2
A text input method is implemented in a device with a plurality of keys. If a first key is activated by a first touch operation, one character in a first character set associated with the first key is selected as a first character. If a second key is activated by a second touch operation one character in a second character set associated with the second key is selected as a last character. Each of the first and second touch operations includes a press, a touch track, or a combination of a press and a touch track on a key. An auto-completed word is generated based on a database of words in response to the second touch operation. The auto-completed word includes the first character as a leftmost character of the auto-completed word and the last character as a rightmost character of the auto-completed word.
US08736550B2
The present invention provides a portable electronic device which can achieve a further improvement in operability. When operations are detected by a plurality of different operation detecting units within a predetermined time interval, a controlling unit receives as input the letters assigned to each of the plurality of different operation detecting units that detect the operations, and performs predetermined processing on data related to the letters inputted. On the other hand, when operations are detected by a plurality of different operation detecting units outside a predetermined time interval, the controlling unit receives as input the letters assigned to each of the plurality of different operation detecting units that detect the operations, and does not perform predetermined processing on data related to the letters inputted.
US08736547B2
A method and system for interfacing a digital device with an interactive display surface (IDS) is presented. The IDS detects the digital device when it is brought into proximity, and attempts to identify the device. The IDS communicates with the device, and displays interactive representations of information stored on the device.
US08736544B2
At least one embodiment of a liquid crystal display device including a display unit having scan signal lines divided into a plurality of groups which are successively selected. While the scan signal lines belonging to the selected group are successively scanned horizontally, signal potentials of the same polarity are successively supplied to a data signal line. The polarity of the signal potential is reversed between a preceding group and a subsequent group which are selected continuously. A plurality of dummy scan periods are inserted between the horizontal scan period corresponding to the last horizontal scan in the preceding group and the horizontal scan period corresponding to the first horizontal scan in the subsequent group. In each of the dummy scan periods, one of the scan signal lines which belong to the group selected after the preceding group is subjected to a dummy scan so that the scan signal line is maintained in an active state for a predetermined period and then deactivated so as to align the load state of a scan signal line drive circuit. This can reduce irregularities of the horizontal stripes when the data signal line is subjected to the block reverse drive.
US08736542B2
A backlight using multiple light-emitting diodes as a light source and illuminating a liquid crystal display panel from its back, the light-emitting diodes being formed of units, the units each being a minimum unit of m×n (where m and n are natural numbers), includes a driving part configured to drive the light-emitting diodes on a unit-by-unit basis; a block setting part configured to group two or more of the units into a block; and a luminance controlling part configured to control the luminance of the light-emitting diodes of the block independently on a block-by-block basis.
US08736533B2
In first aspect of the invention, driving methods of gate interlaced scanning for color LCD are disclosed. This interlaced scanning involves powering odd gate lines sequentially first and then powering even gate lines sequentially, which can minimize the voltage polarity swing to reduce power consumption in source output block. In second aspect of the invention, driving methods of FSCLCD having an RGB LED backlight unit scanning with an increased LED lamp turn on time and reduced potential non-uniformity near modular light guid panel are disclosed. Novel driving methods of variabnt sub-color frame periods are also disclosed with various color sub-frames. In third aspect of the invention, a dual common electrode color LCD with a source driver IC block with lower driving voltage and lower power consumption in the display panel is disclosed, wherein each common electrode voltage has opposite voltage phase to reduce the source driving voltage.
US08736522B2
A display device, including: a pixel array portion having pixel circuits disposed in a matrix, each of the pixel circuits including a drive transistor for generating a drive current, and an electro-optic element connected to an output terminal of the drive transistor, and power source supply lines as scanning lines through which pulse-like power source voltages are supplied to power source supply terminals of the drive transistors, respectively, wired therein; wherein power source contact portions through which the corresponding one of the power source supply terminals and the corresponding one of the power source supply lines are connected to each other are provided at predetermined distances from one another in a plurality of portions every drive transistor.
US08736517B2
The system of the present invention is a highly integrated radio communication system with a multimedia co-processor which allows true two-way multimedia (video, audio, data) access as well as real-time biomedical monitoring in a pager-sized portable access unit. The system is integrated in a network structure including one or more general purpose nodes for providing a wireless-to-wired interface. The network architecture allows video, audio and data (including biomedical data) streams to be connected directly to external users and devices. The portable access units may also be mated to various non-personal devices such as cameras or environmental sensors for providing a method for setting up wireless sensor nets from which reported data may be accessed through the portable access unit. The reported data may alternatively be automatically logged at a remote computer for access and viewing through a portable access unit, including the user's own.
US08736512B2
The invention relates to apparatus and a method to allow the adjustment of a position of an item, such as an antenna of satellite broadcast receiving apparatus so as to allow the elevation and/or azimuth position to be fixed accurately. Adjustment means are provided which have an axis of rotation offset to the center axis of a body portion of the rotatable member to allow the body portion side walls to act as a cam.
US08736510B2
Disclosed are an impedance matching method, an impedance matching apparatus for the same, and a record medium. The impedance matching apparatus includes a storage part to store information about an impedance matching point according a state of an obstacle, an impedance matching part connected to an antenna and including at least one variable element, a detector to detect transmit power and reflected power reflected by the antenna, and a controller to search for an impedance matching point within a variation range of the variable element by using at least one of the transmit power and the reflected power, and to detect a state of a surrounding obstacle by comparing information about the searched impedance matching point with the stored information about the impedance matching point.
US08736504B1
The present disclosure is directed to a dual polarized antenna array including a first BAVA (a horizontal polarization input), a second BAVA (a vertical polarization input), and a cradle assembly. The substrates of the first and second BAVAs each include a notched portion. The cradle assembly includes a base plate having four channel modules connected thereto. Edge portions of the substrates of the first and second BAVAs are received by the cradle assembly via channels of the channel modules and apertures of the base plate. The substrates of the BAVAs are interleaved via their notched portions so that the substrate of the second BAVA is an orthogonal orientation relative to the substrate of the first BAVA.
US08736495B2
The present invention is disclosed to provide an NFC antenna using dual resonance, wherein a closed circuit is formed by a capacitor and a loop antenna, and a relay unit is attached to a portable wireless terminal that forms a resonance to a predetermined frequency signal mutually transmitted between a portable wireless terminal reader and an NFC chip, and in the course of communicating between the NFC chip and the reader, the relay unit relays a signal transmitted by the reader to an NFC antenna unit, and the NFC chip relays a signal transmitted through the NFC antenna unit to the reader to thereby increase a recognition distance capable of obtaining predetermined information.
US08736491B2
By effectively utilizing the beam pattern used at the time of the last communication, a directional link can be efficiently established, thereby reducing overhead.When establishing a link, a communication apparatus 100 transmits a preparation frame by using the last used transmit beam pattern, thereby efficiently establishing a directional link and reducing overhead. Also, when establishing a link, the communication apparatus 100 uses the last used receive beam pattern to receive a preparation frame whose transmission timing is known, thereby efficiently establishing a directional link and reducing overhead.
US08736490B2
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to receiving one or more SPS signals at two or more physically separated antennae. In an aspect, signals from the physically separated antennae may be downconverted into complex digital signals that may undergo further processing to improve one or more performance metrics related to position estimation operations, for example.
US08736488B2
A database provides base station almanac information pertaining to more than one network mode of communication. A wireless device accesses this database through a centralized server or network, or via the base station, base station controller or the like, with which it is currently communicating.
US08736487B2
The present invention is related to location positioning systems, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for making accuracy improvements to a GPS receiver's navigation calculations. According to a first aspect, the invention includes maintaining a table of height attributes for major cities and urban areas around the world (contour table) in the GNSS chipset. The information in the table preferably includes latitude, longitude of the city along with height attributes of those cities, such as the average, min, max height and region boundary etc. Additional information such as average gradient could also be saved in the table. According to further aspects, when GPS signals are degraded in environments such as urban canyons, the height information can be obtained from the table and used to improve the navigation solution.
US08736472B2
A volume adjusting circuit which converts a digital audio signal to an analog signal by a D/A converter and outputs the analog signal includes: a first gain variable circuit unit which controls a gain of the digital audio signal; a second gain variable circuit unit which controls a gain of the analog signal output from the D/A converter; a storage unit which stores gain setting value; and a control unit which controls the gain of the first gain variable circuit unit and the gain of the second gain variable circuit unit based on the gain setting value stored in the storage unit, wherein the storage unit and the control unit are shared in controlling the first gain variable circuit unit and in controlling the second gain variable circuit unit.
US08736468B2
A method and system include a converter such as an analog-to-digital converter (“ADC”) and a controller. The converter is configured to receive a sensor signal, indicative of a physical measured quantity, and generate an output signal based on the sensor signal and the voltage reference. The converter is further configured to alternately receive a calibration voltage in lieu of the sensor signal and generate the output signal based on the calibration voltage and the voltage reference. The controller is configured to compare the output signal based on the calibration voltage and the voltage reference with an expected value of the output signal based on the calibration voltage and an assumed value of the voltage reference to detect variation of the voltage reference, and to compensate the output signal based on the sensor signal and the voltage reference as a function of the detected variation of the voltage reference.
US08736451B2
In order to detect attempted theft, the time that a shopping cart remains in a self-scanning zone in a self-checkout line is monitored. If a certain duration is not met between the time at which the region of the self-scanning register is entered and the exit is passed, an alarm is triggered.
US08736450B2
An apparatus to deter theft of a movable product is provided. In one aspect, the apparatus comprises a housing, a plug connected to the housing to insert into an electrical socket to receive power, a bracket connected to the housing and having an opening to receive a locking cable while the opening of the bracket protrudes from the housing. A switch, within the housing, responsive to protrusion of the opening of the bracket from the housing to receive the locking cable. An electrical circuitry, within the housing, responsive to the switch being in a first state, and absence of power at the plug to sound an alarm, and responsive to the switch being in a second state or the presence of power at the plug to prevent sounding of the alarm.
US08736447B2
A system for monitoring residents of a health care facility including a plurality of tamper-resistant resident monitoring devices, each of the devices being uniquely associated with a resident of the facility, a multiplicity of device detectors operative to communicate with the monitoring devices and a computer subsystem operative to communicate with the plurality of tamper-resistant resident monitoring devices via the multiplicity of device detectors, and to thereby monitor the residents of the facility.
US08736444B2
A system for wireless heat detection is disclosed. The system includes one or more heat sensors that convert sensed heat energy into electrical power for transmitting an alarm signals. A remote system may trigger an alarm based on the received alarm signals. The heat sensors may be placed at discrete locations within an interior of a building to monitor a condition of the infrastructure of the building. The remote system can include a communications module for receiving the signal and transmitting an alarm signal to an associated fire panel. The fire panel may analyze the signal, as well as signals generated from adjacent sensors, to determine whether a fire condition exists within a building. Appropriate notification devices may then be activated based on the determination. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.
US08736443B1
A system and method are disclosed for delivering an alert from a mobile alerting system using distributed notification delivery. The method uses a mobile alerting system to receive an alert initiation request from an alert operator, where the alert initiation request includes metadata of an alert to be delivered. The method extracts the metadata from the alert initiation request and persistently stores the extracted metadata in a first storage place on the mobile alerting system. The method further makes an alert initiation request with one or more remote communication systems based on the extracted metadata of the alert. The method securely delivers the alert initiation request and extracted metadata to the remote communication system, which stores the metadata transiently in a second place, delivers the alert to multiple alert recipients tracks delivery progress and reports the collected alert responses back to the mobile alerting system.
US08736435B2
A tire information monitoring system includes a transmitting device, provided in a tire cavity region, for transmitting tire information, a receiving device, provided in a vehicle body, that receives the tire information from the transmitting device and determines a tire condition based on the tire information, and a setting device that transmits identification information and a criterion to the receiving device so as to set the identification information of the transmitting device and the criterion of the tire information used for determining the tire condition by the receiving device. The setting device can be a mobile telecommunication terminal device for setting the identification information and the criterion in the receiving device using a program downloaded via an external network.
US08736433B2
Disclosed is an apparatus and method to detect vehicle theft. In one embodiment, a processor may be configured to execute instructions to: receive a vehicle detection signal from a vehicle detector; determine whether a vehicle is present or absent based upon the vehicle detection signal; establish an authentication credential after the vehicle is determined to present; and validate the authentication credential to indicate validated parking. If the vehicle is determined to be absent and an authentication credential to un-park the vehicle has not been validated, a notification action may be transmitted to appropriate personnel to indicate that the vehicle has been moved or un-parked without proper authentication.
US08736430B2
A sensor pad (105) is adapted to be worn and operated by a user (100) to control a separate wireless communication terminal (103) carried by the user. The sensor pad includes a plurality of discrete sensors each operable to produce an indication signal indicating proximity of a user's finger to the sensor and a controller, responsive to receipt of indication signals from a plurality of the sensors, to produce a control signal for delivery to the wireless communication terminal to produce selection of a functional operation of the wireless communication terminal. Also described is a terminal for use with the sensor pad and also equipment and a method of operation.
US08736420B2
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for controlling a device. A signal is received and a power of the signal is determined. The power is associated to a command, and the command is executed.
US08736416B2
A self-hold type thermal protector according to the present invention includes a movable contact of a movable plate rises and separates from a fixed contact when a bimetal of the thermal protector inversely warps at a predetermined temperature, an electric current between the contacts, namely, an electric current between a movable contact side terminal and a fixed contact side terminal is disrupted, and the disrupted current flows into the polymer PTC element, which is then made to produce heat and is thermally expanded to increase a resistance value. A second terminal member on a side opposite to a first terminal member where the polymer PTC element is positioned and fixed forms a bowing part, and a gap h is formed between an upper inner wall of a housing and the upper surface of the second terminal member.
US08736415B2
The invention provides an amorphous alloy stereo wound-core, comprising three structurally identical amorphous alloy made square frames; the cross section of the sides of the frames is in an approximately semi-circular or semi-polygonal shape; the frames have semi-circular cross sections and uniform thicknesses; the vertical sides of every two adjacent frames fit together fixedly to form a core pillar, the horizontal sides of the frames form iron yokes; the cross section of each core pillar has a circular or regular-polygonal shape. With this structure, the magnetic conduction direction of the amorphous alloy is completely consistent with the magnetic circuit direction of the core, and its working vibration is small. This core structure guarantees balanced three-phase power supply and largely reduces the magnetic resistance and excited current. There is no seam in the amorphous alloy stereo wound-core, so there is no area with high energy consumption. In this way, the advantages of the amorphous alloy on high magnetic conduction can be fully realized; the loss caused by an air gap in a seam is minimized. On the basis of the very low no-load loss of the conventional amorphous alloy, the present invention can further reduce the loss by 20% or more.
US08736414B2
A magnetic power converter has a core that has at least a first leg and a second leg. In addition, the magnetic power converter has an output coil positioned around the second leg and a toroid integrated into the first leg, the toroid comprising a permanent magnet and an first input coil, the input coil positioned relative to the permanent magnet, such that when an alternating current (A/C) is applied to the first input coil, permanent magnet magnetic flux produced by the permanent magnet is displaced and travels through the second leg.
US08736408B2
A magnetic anchor that is attachable to a computing unit via a magnetic field. The magnetic anchor further includes a locking mechanism that enables its attachment/detachment to a surface area of the computing unit—and further connects to a cable that is fastened to a secured location.
US08736402B2
An elastic wave filter device having improved sharpness of filter characteristics includes a longitudinally-coupled resonator-type elastic wave filter section including first to third IDT electrodes each including a plurality of electrode fingers, and first and second reflectors. The first to third IDT electrodes include narrower-pitch portions provided in end portions thereof, which are each adjacent to another IDT electrode in a direction of propagation of elastic waves, each of the narrower-pitch portions having a smaller period of electrode fingers than a period of electrode fingers in the remaining portion of the relevant IDT electrode. The number of electrode fingers in the narrower-pitch portion of the second IDT electrode, which is disposed on the side closer to the first IDT electrode, and the number of electrode fingers in the narrower-pitch portion of the second IDT electrode, which is disposed on the side closer to the third IDT electrode, differ from each other.
US08736399B2
An apparatus comprising a first filter, a second filter, a third filter, and a fourth filter. The first filter may comprise a low pass filter having a first bandwidth and configured to present a first output signal in response to an input signal received at an input port of the apparatus. The second filter may comprise a high pass filter having a second bandwidth and configured to present a second output signal in response to the input signal received at the input port of the apparatus. The third filter may comprise a low pass filter having a third bandwidth and configured to present a third output signal in response to the second output signal. The fourth filter may comprise a high pass filter having a fourth bandwidth and configured to present a fourth output signal in response to the second output signal.
US08736397B2
A coaxial to microstrip transition is introduced in a multi layer mixed dielectric printed circuit board environment that provides a 50 Ohm impedance system between a coaxial antenna feed and a surface mount diplexer at Ku-band frequencies. The 50 Ohm transition from the coaxial antenna feed to the diplexer at microwave frequencies lossy FR-4 style laminate is provided by constructing a PCB internal coax using the center conductor of the antenna feed and a dual ring of plated through hole VIAs. The transition from the PCB internal coax to the microstrip section of the high frequency laminate PCB layer uses a “D”-style opening in the ground layer and a VIA ring arrangement between the layers to optimize or tune the performance of the transition. Additional features in the interface construction are implemented to guaranty that its microwave and mechanical performance does not degrade in extreme environmental conditions.
US08736368B2
Systems, methods and apparatus are disclosed for amplifiers for wireless power transfer. In one aspect a method is provided for controlling operation of an amplifier, such as a class E amplifier. The method may include monitoring an output of the amplifier. The method may further include adjusting a timing of an enabling switch of the amplifier based on the output of the amplifier.
US08736367B2
A power amplifier for amplifying an electric input signal in an operational frequency range and providing an output signal, comprising switching means (22), filter means (14, 15) for generating a power output signal by low pass filtering a block wave signal, input means for receiving the electric signal and feeding it to a first input of the switching means, the power amplifier further comprising a feedback circuit (24) connecting the output signal to the first input of the switching means. The power amplifier comprises a servo amplifier (32) connected to receive an error signal appearing at the first input of the switching means and to feed a correction output signal to a second input of the switching means (22) for neutralizing an impact of the error signal on the output signal. The invention relates to a method of amplifying an electric input signal in an operational frequency range. The method includes the steps of obtaining an error signal present at said first input of the switching means, amplifying the error signal in the operational frequency range, inverting the error signal and feeding the amplified and inverted error signal to a second input of the switching means.
US08736366B2
A digital pre-distortion system which can provide the flexibility to model the highly non-linear distortion associated with High Efficiency RF Power Amplifiers while through a novel implementation of a least squares estimation process allows an implementation well suited for an FPGA application where limited resources and in particular memory resources are available.
US08736362B2
A beat frequency cancellation circuit, for an amplifier, includes a coupling device connected between two signal processing paths of the amplifier for compensating for beat frequency effects of output signals between the signal processing paths.
US08736361B2
A filter provides high-pass coupling between circuits. The filter includes charge storage elements and switch elements coupling the charge storage elements. A controller is coupled to the switch elements for sequencing configurations of the switch elements in phases for each of a succession of sample periods to perform a time sampled continuous value signal processing of the input signal to form the processed signal. The sequenced configurations include a configuration in which a charge representing a value of the input signal is stored on a multiple of the charge storage elements, a configuration in which charge storage elements are coupled with the switch elements, and a set of one or more configurations that implement a scaling of a charge on one of the charge storage elements to be on one or more of the charge storage elements.
US08736355B2
A band gap reference circuit includes an error-amplifier-based current mirror coupled between a first supply node and a pair of intermediate voltage nodes, and a matched diode pair for providing a proportional-to-absolute temperature (PTAT) current. The matched diode pair includes a first diode connected between a first intermediate voltage node from the pair of intermediate voltage nodes and a second supply node, and a second diode connected in series with a resistor between a second intermediate voltage node from the pair of intermediate voltage nodes and the second supply node. Each diode has a P-N diode junction that is a homojunction.
US08736328B2
Low power, jitter and latency clocking with common reference clock signals for on-package input/output interfaces. A filter phase locked loop circuit in a master device on a first die provides a clock signal having a frequency of 2F. A local phase locked loop circuit in the master device on the first die is coupled with the filter phase locked loop to provide a clock signal to functional components of the master device through a local clock divider circuit to provide a clock signal of F to the functional components. A remote phase locked loop circuit in a slave device on a second die is coupled with the filter phase locked loop to provide a clock signal to one or more functional components of the slave device through a local clock divider circuit to provide a clock signal of F to the functional components.
US08736327B2
A TDC circuit include: a first delay circuit having first inverting delay devices connected to form a loop, the first inverting delay devices outputting a inverted signal according to an input signal after a first signal delay period; a second delay circuit having second inverting delay devices connected to form a loop, the second inverting delay according to an input signal after a second signal delay period different from the first signal delay period; first flip-flop circuits that latch the logical values of third pulse signals including the first pulse signal output from the first inverting delay devices based on fourth pulse signals including the second pulse signal or pulse signals; a first counter that counts the third pulse signal; a second counter that counts the fourth pulse signal; and a detection result output circuit that stores the count from the first counter and the count from the second counter.
US08736326B1
A frequency synthesizer and a frequency synthesis method thereof are provided. The frequency synthesizer includes a phase-locked loop unit, a voltage-controlled oscillating unit, and a frequency mixing unit. The phase-locked loop unit receives a reference signal and a feedback injection signal and generates a first oscillating signal according to the reference signal and the feedback injection signal. The voltage-controlled oscillating unit receives the feedback injection signal and generates a second oscillating signal according to the feedback injection signal. The frequency mixing unit is coupled to the phase-locked loop unit and the voltage-controlled oscillating unit, receives the first oscillating signal and the second oscillating signal, and mixes the first oscillating signal and the second oscillating signal to generate the feedback injection signal and an output signal.
US08736324B2
A spread spectrum clock generator which includes a pulse train generator circuit and a modulating circuit configured to produce a modulating signal relating to a time derivative of an output of the pulse train generator circuit. In one embodiment the modulating circuit includes a active differentiator circuit and in another embodiment the modulating circuit includes a passive differentiator circuit. A modulator is included which is configured to produce a spread spectrum clock output which is frequency modulated by the modulating signal.
US08736312B2
Systems and methods of actively compensating for the input offset voltage of a comparator are provided. A compensation circuit may include a compensation comparator for comparing the comparison signal generated using the output signal of a comparator, to a reference voltage. A first voltage accumulator is coupled to the compensation comparator and produces a first voltage that is related to a first amount of time that the comparison signal spends above the reference voltage. A second voltage accumulator is coupled to the compensation comparator, and produces a second voltage that is related to the second amount of time that the comparison signal spends below the reference voltage. The first voltage and/or the second voltage may be used to provide one or more compensation signals to one or more of the two input terminals of the comparator.
US08736304B2
A method and apparatus for translating signals between different components located in different power boundaries in a mixed voltage system. A level shifter system includes a first level shifter circuit connected to a first voltage source. A second level shifter circuit connects to a second voltage source. An intermediate level shifter circuit has an input that connects to the output of the first level shifter circuit. The output of the intermediate level shifter circuit connects to the input of the second level shifter circuit. The intermediate level shifter circuit uses an intermediate voltage source having an intermediate voltage about midway between the first voltage of the first voltage source and the second voltage of the second voltage source.
US08736301B2
A System on a Chip (SoC) has a first set of switches, each having first terminals for routing SoC signals and a second terminal, and a second set of switches. Each switch of the second set of switches has third terminals for routing signals with the first set of switches, and a fourth terminal. A SoC control module defines a switching configuration, and includes a first memory portion for storing a first switching protocol for the first set of switches. This defines, for a switch of the first set of switches, an electrical path between one of the first terminals and the second terminal. A second memory portion stores a second switching protocol for the second set of switches, and defines, for a switch of the second set of switches, an electrical path between one of the third terminals and the fourth terminal.
US08736292B2
An automatic switching mechanism is controlled by a probe card independent from a tester without limitation of the number of control signals from the tester. A probe card and an inspection apparatus include probes to be brought into contact with electrodes of inspection targets and a power supply channel electrically connecting the probes to a tester. The automatic switching mechanism divides each of the power supply channels into a plurality of power supply wiring portions, which are respectively connected to the probes; and shuts off the power supply wiring responsive to electrical fluctuation such as overcurrent. An electrical fluctuation detection mechanism detects an electrical fluctuation due to a defective product among the inspection targets. A control mechanism, responsive to detection of an electrical fluctuation, shuts off the power supply wiring portion if the electrical fluctuation is caused by the automatic switching mechanism.
US08736286B2
An electronic device has a chassis, and a printed wiring board (PWB) having a hole. A fastener is installed in the hole thereby securing the PWB to the chassis. A pair of conductive traces is formed in the PWB. A cap, being an amount of conductive glue, covers a part of the fastener and fills an electrically insulating gap between the two traces, to thereby form a conductive path that connects the two traces. A sensing circuit is coupled to the traces, to detect a change in impedance of the path and signal a tamper event alert. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08736278B2
System and method for testing the reliability of a fuse blow condition. The fuse blow detection circuit includes a fuse circuit comprising a fuse having a first end coupled to ground. A common node is coupled to the second end of the fuse. A pre-charge circuit is coupled to the common node for pre-charging the common node to a pre-charged HIGH level. An inverter includes an inverter output and an inverter input, wherein the inverter input is coupled to the common node. A feedback latch is coupled between a voltage source and ground, and includes a latch input that is coupled to the inverter output and a latch output coupled to the common node. A test circuit is included that is coupled to the common node, wherein in a normal mode the test circuit adds strength to the feedback latch for purposes of maintaining the common node at the pre-charged HIGH level, such that in a test mode the feedback latch is weaker than in the normal mode for purposes of maintaining the common node at the pre-charged HIGH level.
US08736264B2
Technologies including NMR logging apparatus and methods are disclosed. Example NMR logging apparatus may include surface instrumentation and one or more downhole probes configured to fit within an earth borehole. The surface instrumentation may comprise a power amplifier, which may be coupled to the downhole probes via one or more transmission lines, and a controller configured to cause the power amplifier to generate a NMR activating pulse or sequence of pulses. Impedance matching means may be configured to match an output impedance of the power amplifier through a transmission line to a load impedance of a downhole probe. Methods may include deploying the various elements of disclosed NMR logging apparatus and using the apparatus to perform NMR measurements.
US08736258B2
1. Method and device for contactless sensing rotation and angular position using orientation tracking. 2.1 To improve the accuracy and possible resolution of a magnetic positioning system, a method and a device using a special tracking technique is proposed. 2.2. The method and the device are using multiple magnetic field sensing elements at different positions below a magnetic target. The sensed signals are used to select or combine the sensing elements for a best approach to the actual orientation of the magnet. This allows putting out the related orientation of the approach as a coarse value and the remaining displacement as a fine value. 2.3. A device using this method allows highly accurate measurement of angular positions controlling or tolerating the placement of a magnet as the input source.
US08736257B2
A method for measuring an angular position of a rotating shaft, the method including providing a magnetic field which rotates with the shaft about an axis of rotation, positioning an integrated circuit having first and second magnetic sensing bridges within the magnetic field at a radially off-center position from the axis of rotation, the first and second magnetic sensing bridges respectively providing first and second signals representative of first and second magnetic field directions, the integrated circuit having a set of adjustment parameters for modifying attributes of the first and second signals, modifying values of the set of adjustment parameters until errors in the first and second signals are substantially minimized, and determining an angular position of the shaft based on the first and second signals.
US08736255B2
A sensor arrangement for determining the position and/or change in position of a measurement object relative to a sensor, wherein a magnet is assigned to the measurement object, is configured, with respect to the design of an operationally reliable sensor with low production costs, such that the sensor has a first conductor and a second conductor which is arranged alongside the first conductor and such that a magnetically soft film is arranged in the area of influence of the first and second conductors, the permeability of which film changes under the influence of a magnetic field and which film influences the electromagnetic coupling between the first and second conductors. A corresponding method is specified.
US08736254B2
A physical quantity sensor includes a first rocking body and a second rocking body. Each of the rocking bodies is supported on a substrate by a first supporting portion and a second supporting portion. The first rocking body is partitioned into a first region and a second region by a first axis (supporting axis) when viewed in plane, and the second rocking body is partitioned into a third region and a fourth region by a second axis (supporting axis) when viewed in plane. The mass of the second region is larger than the mass of the first region, and the mass of the third region is larger than the mass of the fourth region. An arranged direction of the first region and the second region is the same as an arranged direction of the third region and the fourth region.
US08736251B2
A digital sensing apparatus includes a sensing unit capable of providing a sensing response associated with an environmental parameter, and a digital readout module including a reading unit for generating a pulse signal having a pulse width associated with the sensing response, and a converting unit. The converting unit includes a clock signal generator for generating a variable-frequency clock signal, and a counter operable to count a width value of the pulse width of the pulse signal using the clock signal, so as to generate a digital sensing code. The frequency of the clock signal from the clock signal generator is adjustable to adjust resolution of the width value of the pulse width of the pulse signal.
US08736241B2
A controller for use with a power converter including a switch configured to conduct to provide a regulated output characteristic at an output of the power converter, and method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the controller includes a linear control circuit, coupled to the output, configured to provide a first control signal for the switch as a function of the output characteristic. The controller also includes a nonlinear control circuit, coupled to the output, configured to provide a second control signal for the switch as a function of the output characteristic. The controller is configured to select one of the first and second control signals for the switch in response to a change in an operating condition of the power converter.
US08736239B2
There is provided a DC-DC converter circuit with which conduction loss between switching elements is lower than in the conventional art, which affords an increase in power conversion efficiency. A DC-DC converter circuit includes a first switching element including a first semiconductor switch and a first diode, a second switching element including a second semiconductor switch and a second diode, an inductor connected between the cathodes of the first and second diodes, and a third switching element and a fourth switching element provided so as to face in mutually opposite directions on the anode sides of the first and second diodes, wherein a first voltage supply is connected between the cathode side of the first diode and the anode side of the second diode, and a second voltage supply is connected between the anode side of the first diode and the cathode side of the second diode.
US08736232B2
A full charge capacity correction circuit including: an integrating unit that calculates an integrated current value; a capacity storing unit that stores a full charge capacity value; a first estimating unit that estimates a storage ratio, which is a ratio of a quantity of stored electricity to an actual full charge capacity, as a first storage ratio; a second estimating unit that estimates a storage ratio; a full charge capacity correction unit that estimates a new full charge capacity value, and stores the estimated new full charge capacity value; an open circuit ratio estimating unit that uses a condition in which the rechargeable battery is in an open circuit state, and estimates the storage ratio based on a terminal voltage of the rechargeable battery; and a correction control unit that uses the open circuit ratio estimating unit as the first estimating unit or the second estimating unit.
US08736231B2
A system including a first cell, a second cell, a first switch, a second switch, an inductance, and a control module. The first cell and the second cell are connected in series to each other and respectively output a first voltage and a second voltage. The first switch and the second switch are connected in series to each other and are connected across the first cell and the second cell. The inductance is connected between the first switch and the second switch, and between the first cell and the second cell. The control module generates control signals to control the first switch and the second switch, and to transfer charge between the first cell and the second cell via the inductance until a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold is not equal to zero.
US08736229B2
A battery control circuit includes a voltage detection circuit for measuring voltages of electric cells, balancing circuits for balancing the voltages or SOCs of the electric cells, a signal input/output circuit for communicating with the outside, a power supply circuit having two modes: a normal mode and a low consumption mode, and a time management circuit. It receives a signal containing a period of time until the shift of the power supply circuit from the normal mode to the low consumption mode, and stores it in the time management circuit. If a command from the outside has not been sent for a predetermined period of time or when an operation stop command has been sent from the outside, the time management circuit causes the power supply circuit to continuously operate in the normal mode. Then, the battery control circuit monitors an operation continuation period in the normal mode, and causes the power supply circuit to shift to the low consumption mode when the operation continuation period matches the stored period of time.
US08736226B2
A charging cable for an electric vehicle includes a power plug adapted to be detachably connected to a power socket of a commercial power source; a temperature detecting unit for detecting a temperature of the power plug; a cable connector adapted to be detachably connected to an electric vehicle for supplying a charging current to a battery of the electric vehicle; and a switching unit for opening and closing a current path between the power plug and the cable connector. The charging cable further includes a leakage detecting unit for detecting an electric leakage based on a current flowing through the current path; and a power cutoff unit for opening the switching unit when the detected temperature of the temperature detection means exceeds a threshold value or when the leakage detection means detects the electric leakage.
US08736224B2
A method for charging an electric storage battery in a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle through a power supply circuit, includes coupling the charger to the circuit, determining whether another appliance in the circuit other than the charger is drawing current, determining a maximum charge rate at which the battery can be charged using the charger, charging the battery at the maximum charge rate if no other appliance in the circuit is drawing current, and charging the battery at less than the maximum charge rate if another appliance in the circuit is drawing current.
US08736215B2
A motor drive device (1) of the present invention includes a converter unit (10) and an inverter unit (30). The converter unit (10) includes: power supply voltage monitoring unit (3) for detecting a power failure; DC link voltage detecting means (4); capacitor total capacity calculating means (6) which calculates total capacity of DC link smoothing capacitors (17, 18) and calculates a DC link low-voltage alarm detection level for an instantaneous power failure; DC link low-voltage alarm detection level setting means (8) which varies the DC link low-voltage alarm detection level for an instantaneous power failure as necessary; and alarm generating means (7) which monitors the DC link voltage and generates an alarm to protect the converter unit. In the case where a power failure is detected, the DC link low-voltage alarm detection level is increased in accordance with the total capacity of the DC link smoothing capacitors (17, 18).
US08736209B2
A drive and control circuit for motor system and the method thereof are disclosed. The motor system could be applied in a cooling device, wherein the motor system comprises a rotor, a coil and a bridge circuit. The drive and control circuit comprises a control unit, a state detecting circuit, a load determining circuit, and a startup setting circuit. The startup setting circuit makes the motor run with the maximum torque, thus to make the motor system start up easily and quickly. The load determining circuit detects the load of the motor system, thus to generate a load determining signal to determine the speed of the motor system. The control unit could be realized with few components so as to save the costs.
US08736207B2
A method and system for a commutation control circuit are provided. The system includes an integrating voltage counter electrically coupled to an electrical power bus, wherein the integrating voltage counter is configured to integrate over time a voltage signal received from the power bus and to generate a trigger signal when the integrated voltage signal equals a predetermined count. The system also includes a plurality of transistor pairs configured to receive a trigger signal generated by the integrating voltage counter and electrically coupled to respective windings of a motor.
US08736205B2
A switching device and method are disclosed for terminating a braking process of a three-phase AC motor. The braking process of the AC motor is performed by way of a first and second thyristor. During the braking process of the AC motor, in a first step the first thyristor is actuated in such a way that a braking current is fed to the AC motor, and therefore a torque which brakes the AC motor is produced. In a second step the second thyristor is actuated in such a way that, when the first thyristor is quenched, the braking current is taken on by the second thyristor and the braking torque is maintained. The two steps are repeated during the braking process; wherein the second step is suppressed during the braking process after a last actuation of the first thyristor.
US08736197B2
A lighting apparatus (100) includes one or more first LEDs (202) for generating a first spectrum of radiation (503), and one or more second LEDs (204) for generating a second different spectrum radiation (505). The first and second LEDs are electrically connected in series between a first node (516A) and a second node (516B), between which a series current (550) flows with the application of an operating voltage (516) across the nodes. A controllable current path (518) is connected in parallel with one or both of the first and second LEDs so as to at least partially divert the series current, such that a first current (552) through the first LED(s) and a second current (554) through the second LED(s) are different. Such current diversion techniques may be employed to compensate for shifts in color or color temperature of generated light during thermal transients, due to different temperature-dependent current-to-flux relationships for different types of LEDs.
US08736195B2
A system includes a single-inductor-multiple-out (SIMO) converter having storage circuitry in communication with a plurality of output channels, and a controller that controls and measures current flow through the SIMO converter. A signal generator may output switching signals to store current in the storage circuitry and discharge the stored current into the plurality of output channels. The discharged current may be measured and compared to a desired current draw through the output channels over a sample period. A compensator may determine whether to change one or more timing parameters used to control the flow of current through the SIMO converter.
US08736190B2
A primary side PFC driver circuit is disclosed that includes a switch control circuit for commanding a switch to allow an inductor coupled to an output load (e.g., LEDs) to transfer energy provided by an input voltage source. The switch control circuit provides two signals for commanding the switch. A first signal having a first frequency, with a duty cycle in proportion to the input voltage amplitude, commands the switch to allow the average input current to be proportional to the input voltage amplitude. A second signal having a second frequency higher than the first frequency pulses the output load with substantially constant current pulses based on a value of the first signal (e.g., while the first signal is high). The current pulses produce a substantially constant current in the output load.
US08736187B2
System and method for adjusting brightness of one or more cold-cathode fluorescent lamps. The system includes a voltage selector configured to receive a dimming voltage and a first threshold voltage and generate an output voltage. The output voltage is selected from a group consisting of the dimming voltage and the first threshold voltage. Additionally, the system includes an oscillator coupled to a first capacitor and configured to generate a ramp signal with the first capacitor, and a signal generator configured to receive the ramp signal and the output voltage and generate a first signal. The first signal corresponds to a lamp brightness level. Moreover, the system includes a brightness detector configured to receive the first signal and output a second signal. The second signal indicates whether the lamp brightness level is higher than a threshold brightness level.
US08736183B2
An LED driver capable of controlling color/color temperature with a power carrier connects a power switch with a dimmer for linking an input end of an LED color/color temperature output controller. An LED array disposed on an output end of the controller allows a power cord to transmit a controlling signal. A synchronous and dimmer action detection differentiates an action of the dimmer or pressing times from an ON/OFF count, so that the LED array presents different color temperatures/colors accordingly. An LED condition memory saves the color temperature/color according to an output signal. In adjusting illumination, the dimmer changes an output current for altering the power of the LED array accordingly, which presents a stable light but avoids deviating the color temperature/color and flickering.
US08736182B1
A split bridge circuit for rectifying the alternating current house supply into direct current (D.C.), using bi-polar transistor as rectifying devices. Using specified terminals of the bi-polar transistors results in a high forward voltage drop across the transistors (particularly as compared to the voltage drop across diode rectifiers in the prior art circuits), which reduces ripple significantly and lessens, or even eliminates, the need for a series limiting resistor in the circuit.
US08736173B2
A lighting control apparatus for a vehicle is provided which works to diagnose a malfunction of a light source which includes a plurality of lighting devices such as LEDs and emits light outside the vehicle. The lighting control apparatus determines a state of the vehicle. When the light source is determined to be malfunctioning, the lighting control apparatus operates the light source in one of predetermined warning lighting modes which is selected based on the state of the vehicle. This attracts a vehicle user's attention to the malfunctioning light source.
US08736165B2
A mercury-free discharge lamp with an electrical power consumption of less than 35 Watts may include a translucent discharge vessel which has a discharge space into which electrodes protrude for generating a gas discharge, wherein metal halides and ignition gas are contained in the discharge space, wherein the metal halides are present in a quantity in the range from 5 milligrams to 15 milligrams per 1 milliliter of discharge space volume in the discharge space.
US08736164B2
An organic EL panel has a light-emitting part including one or a plurality of organic EL elements over a substrate and having a sealing structure sealing the light-emitting part. The organic EL element includes an organic layer formed on a first electrode, and a second electrode formed on the organic layer. The organic EL panel includes a coating film coating the light-emitting part. A contact object is arranged on an inner surface of the sealing structure. One or a plurality of convex parts is formed on the contact object. The coating film is formed to have a thickness larger than the length of the convex part.
US08736161B2
A light-emitting device including: an organic layer which is interposed between a first electrode and a second electrode and in which a first light-emitting layer and a second light-emitting layer emitting light of single colors or two or more different colors in a visible wavelength region are sequentially included at mutually separated positions in that order in a direction from the first electrode to the second electrode; a first reflective interface which is provided on the side of the first electrode so as to reflect light emitted from the first light-emitting layer and the second light-emitting layer to be emitted from the side of the second electrode; and a second reflective interface and a third reflective interface which are sequentially provided on the side of the second electrode at mutually separated positions in that order in a direction from the first electrode to the second electrode.
US08736151B2
Methods, compositions, and apparatus for generating electricity are provided. Electricity is generated through the mechanisms nuclear magnetic spin and remnant polarization electric generation. The apparatus may include a material with high nuclear magnetic spin or high remnant polarization coupled with a poled ferroelectric material. The apparatus may also include a pair of electrical contacts disposed on opposite sides of the poled ferroelectric material and the high nuclear magnetic spin or high remnant polarization material. Further, a magnetic field may be applied to the high nuclear magnetic spin material.
US08736147B1
One embodiment of a piezoelectric generator which uses fibrous piezoelectric sensors to harness energy from sound and vibrations. These sensors will be fitted into a multilayered base consisting of a sound reflecting layer and alternating layers of conductive and nonconductive materials. The sound reflecting layer will serve to increase energy generation efficiency when multiple sheets of the apparatus is used, and the alternating layers of conductive and nonconductive materials will collect electricity generated from the piezoelectric sensors. Once collected, this electricity will then be used to power appliances or be stored in a battery for future use. Other embodiments are described and shown.
US08736143B2
A vibration wave driving apparatus can match the vibration direction of a projecting portion of a vibrator to the displacement direction of a contacting portion of a driven body so that the projecting portion of the vibrator and the contacting portion of the driven body can be brought into contact and driven with stability. The vibration direction of the projecting portion is affected by selecting the position of the projecting portion relative to the nodes of vibration.
US08736142B2
A polarity switching circuit includes: a first current-limiting resistor and a second current-limiting resistor connected to a DC high voltage; a first transistor switch, a second transistor switch, a fourth transistor switch, and a fifth transistor switch respectively controlled by a first PWM signal and a second PWM signal; a third transistor and a sixth transistor switch whose control terminals are respectively connected to the first transistor switch and the fourth transistor switch; a first filter connected to the second transistor switch and the third transistor switch and a contact of a piezoelectric actuator; and a second filter connected to the fifth transistor switch and the sixth transistor switch and another contact of the piezoelectric actuator. When the first and the second PWM signal are switching between a high level and a low level, output AC voltages with smoothed AC waveforms are supplied to the contacts of the piezoelectric actuator.
US08736141B2
In a method for manufacturing a piezoelectric device, a silicon oxide film is deposited by sputtering on a surface of a single-crystal piezoelectric substrate closer to an ion-implanted region, and a silicon nitride film is deposited by sputtering on a surface of the dielectric film opposite to a side thereof closer to the single-crystal piezoelectric substrate. The silicon oxide film has a composition that is deficient in oxygen relative to the stoichiometric composition. Accordingly, little oxygen is supplied from the silicon oxide film to the piezoelectric thin film during heat treatment of a piezoelectric device. This prevents oxidation of the piezoelectric thin film and therefore formation of an oxide layer with high resistivity in the piezoelectric thin film. As a result, a pyroelectric charge generated in the piezoelectric thin film can flow to the silicon oxide film.
US08736135B2
Teeth are arranged annularly around a rotation axis. The yoke has through holes. The through holes open in a radial direction around the rotation axis and in an axial direction along the rotation axis. The teeth are inserted through the through holes. A metal plate is arranged to face the yoke in the axial direction. A reinforcing plate is fixed to the teeth.
US08736133B1
A first winding portion from a set of winding portions has a set of coils. Each coil of the first winding portion is associated with a different electrical phase from a set of electrical phases. Each coil of the first winding portion circumscribes a different area from a set of areas circumscribed by the set of coils of the first winding portion. A second winding portion has a set of coils associated with the set of electrical phases and a third winding portion has a set of coils associated with the set of electrical phases. The first winding portion at least partially overlaps the second winding portion and the third winding portion such that each area from the set of area is substantially circumscribed by a coil associated with each electrical phase from the set of electrical phases.
US08736131B2
The present invention provides a dynamoelectric machine that can reduce 12f vibrational force and suppress generation of irritating electromagnetic noise in a vicinity of 2,000 Hz in an idling state. In the present invention, an armature winding includes first and second three-phase windings, the first three-phase winding is configured by delta-connecting respective phase windings, and the second three-phase winding is configured so as to be Y-connected to the first three-phase winding by connecting respective phase windings in series to respective output ends of the first three-phase winding. The first and second three-phase windings are each installed in the stator core such that respective phase currents have a phase difference from each other. In addition, angles between center lines of adjacent slot opening portions of the stator core central angles of adjacent slot opening portions of the stator have a nonuniform pitch, and a turn ratio between the first three-phase winding and the second three-phase winding is within a range of 1.25 to 2.25.
US08736129B2
An example end cap of a stator segment is provided for use in locating wires in a segmented stator assembly in desired positions. The end cap generally includes a body and an inboard wall. An identifier is defined by the inboard wall of the end cap for use in determining wire sizes to be used with the end cap. Terminal pockets are provided in the body for receiving the wires and making desired electrical connections, and steps located in the terminal pockets help secure the connectors in the terminal pockets. Plateaus, and troughs defined in the plateaus, are located outside the terminal pockets for use in trimming wires received in the terminal pockets as desired. And, retaining structures are located around the end cap to help with locating the wires in the desired positions.
US08736121B2
Disclosed is a linear vibrator including a fixing part providing an inner space of a predetermined size, at least one magnet disposed in the inner space of the fixing part to generate a magnetic force, a vibration part including a coil disposed to face the magnet to generate electromagnetic force by interacting with the magnet and a vibrating mass body, an elastic member coupled to the fixing part and the vibration part to provide an elastic force, and a substrate coupled to the vibration part and including a through hole through which the magnet passes to prevent the substrate from contacting the magnet when the vibration part is vibrated.
US08736113B2
A method and system for limiting energy to a sensor and/or an environment in which the sensor is located. A high current sensor driver is powered through a resistance-capacitance (RC) circuit. In a failure mode, the RC circuit constrains output of a sensor driver to the sensor in order to limit average current applied to the sensor. In one embodiment, the capacitor is chosen so that it can provide adequate current to the sensor driver for a short period of time. The value of the resistor may be chosen to ensure that under short circuit conditions direct current (DC) is limited to a safe value. The combined values of the resistor and capacitor may be adjusted such that the capacitor can charge to a prescribed level during the interval between active pulses.
US08736109B2
A data center is electrically coupled to a power grid at two separate access points, which may be located within geographic proximity to each other. Each access point is located between two power generation systems. The access points have one or more power generation systems located between them, allowing the data center to be coupled to three or more power generation systems simultaneously and have access to power in the event of multiple power generation system failure. The data center may comprise two separate data center power inputs, which may each be connected to a separate power grid access point. The power grid may provide a high voltage level to the data center, and the data center may comprise transformers which step the voltage down to a lower voltage level. The data center may comprise one such transformer coupled to each of the two data center power inputs. The outputs of such transformers may be coupled together.
US08736102B1
The multifunctional power converter apparatus and method includes an input power stage configured to receive a DC input voltage from a DC power source and convert the DC input voltage to an AC or DC output voltage. At least one electrical power conversion electronic circuit is connected to an output of the input power stage, a DC output circuit; an AC output circuit; and a controller configured to control the input power stage, the DC output circuit and the AC output circuit. The controller is configured to automatically control the power converter output voltage based on a preselected user input.
US08736100B2
A ship that reduces the total amount of fossil fuels and other energy sources required, thereby saving energy. The ship (1) has a plurality of subsystems (10) constructed by dividing a network of power supply lines (3) and signal lines (4) into groups. The subsystems (10) consist of at least two subsystems among a bridge subsystem (10a) on the bridge; a propulsion subsystem (10b) in an engine room; a deck subsystem (10c) installed on a deck; a ballast cargo subsystem (10d) for ballasting and equipment installed in a hold; and an information processing subsystem (10e) corresponding to communication equipment. The subsystems (10) each have a storage battery (5) and a smart meter (6), each of which is linked to a microgrid monitoring and control system (2), which detects the amount of electric power consumed by the subsystems (10), and controls the transfer of electric power between the subsystems.
US08736096B2
A water flow electricity generating device includes: an annular stator in which a coil is provided; a permanent magnet that causes a magnetic force to act on the coil; a rotor main body that is disposed on an inner circumferential side of a stator core to support the permanent magnet; a blade support unit that is provided on a front side of the rotor main body; a rotor that includes a rotating blade projecting radially outward from the blade support unit; and water-lubricated bearings that are provided in the stator while being opposed to the rotor main body, the water-lubricated bearings supporting loads in a thrust direction and a radial direction. The blade support unit is disposed on a front side of the rotor main body, and the rotor includes a float unit that is provided on the front side of the rotor main body.
US08736092B2
A control system and a method for controlling operation of a wind turbine are disclosed. A first sensor and a second sensor are arranged for sampling or continuously measuring a first physical value and a second physical value being representative of a first physical impact and a second physical impact on components of the wind turbine in order to provide a first and a second control parameter for controlling operation of the wind turbine. The first and second control parameters are distinct. During active generation of energy the control system is adapted to selectively switch between controlling the operation of the wind turbine either on the basis of the first control parameter or on the basis of the second control parameter, i.e. to selectively switch between two different, distinct and independent control strategies. The two control strategies allow redundancy in control of the operation of the wind turbine. Both control strategies are based on measurements of actual physical impacts affecting the components of the wind turbine, thereby making it possible to control the wind turbine in a more optimal manner than when using prior art control systems and methods, regardless of which control strategy is selected.
US08736090B2
The inventive protection arrangement of an electric power system comprises a relay arrangement (12) for measuring current, voltage or both of an electric grid (15). The relay arrangement is adapted to detect over-current, under-voltage or both. The protection arrangement comprises also a speed/load controller (16) that is in connection with the relay arrangement (12). The speed/load controller is arranged to drive a prime mover (11) of a generator (10) set as a response for the said detection. The speed/load controller (16) is connectable with said prime mover (11). In more detail the controller (16) is arranged to drive power output of the prime mover (11) to a lower level when over-current, under-voltage or both is detected.
US08736085B2
A method and apparatus for direct energy conversion that combines the properties of Type II superconductor thin films, including the Meissner effect to create vortices to control and modulate static flux coupled in a magnetic circuit, where the laws of induction are used to produce an electrical signal without the use of moving armatures. The dynamics of magnetic flux modulation results from suppression of superconductivity and the Meissner effect by external photon irradiation. The apparatus employs a vortex channel based on the Meissner Effect, a laser, a permanent magnet, fiber optics for carrying the laser beam to the vortex channel, and a transformer composed of two separate windings. The transformer windings are arranged in a circuit having a first path through the permanent magnet and a first coil of the transformer windings; and a second path through the permanent magnet, the vortex channel, and the second coil of the transfer windings.
US08736081B2
Systems and methods for forming an encapsulated device include a hermetic seal which seals an insulating environment between two substrates, one of which supports the device. The hermetic seal is formed by an alloy of two metal layers, one deposited on a first substrate and the other deposited on the second substrate. At least one of the substrates may include a raised feature formed under at least one of the metal layers. The two metals may for an alloy of a predefined stoichiometry in at least two locations on either side of the midpoint of the raised feature. This alloy may have advantageous features in terms of density, mechanical, electrical or physical properties that may improve the hermeticity of the seal, for example.
US08736079B2
A pad structure is suitable for a circuit carrier or an integrated circuit chip. The pad structure includes an inner pad, a conductive via and an outer pad. The conductive via connects the inner pad. The outer pad connects the conductive via and further connects a conductive ball or a conductive bump. The outer diameter of the outer pad is greater than the outer diameter of the inner pad.
US08736078B2
A chip package includes a PCB, a connecting pad fixed on a surface of the PCB and a chip fixed on the connecting pad. The connecting pad includes a first metal film on its surface facing away from the PCB. The chip includes a second metal film formed on its surface opposite to the PCB. The first and the second metal are connected to each other via a eutectic manner.
US08736077B2
Disclosed herein is a semiconductor package substrate including a base substrate, a mounting member mounted on an upper portion of the base substrate, and an adhesive layer formed between the base substrate and the mounting member, wherein the adhesive layer includes a thermally conductive adhesive and a ductile adhesive formed at the outer circumference of the thermally conductive adhesive.
US08736074B2
According to an aspect of the invention, a semiconductor device includes a substrate having an opening area, a first semiconductor chip, and a second semiconductor chip. The first semiconductor chip has a first electrode for high-speed communication and that is disposed around the opening area on the substrate. The second semiconductor chip has a second electrode and third electrode for power and low-speed communication and that is disposed on the first semiconductor chip so that the first electrode is coupled with the second electrode by electrostatic coupling and dielectric coupling, the third electrode facing the opening area.
US08736073B2
A semiconductor device includes a first insulating layer; a wiring layer formed on a first surface of the first insulating layer and including a first electrode pad; a semiconductor chip; a second insulating layer including a semiconductor chip accommodating portion; a third insulating layer on the second insulating layer; and a passive element including an electrode and formed of an embedded portion and a protruding portion on a second surface of the first insulating layer, wherein an end surface of the embedded portion is coated by the insulating layer, the electrode of the passive element is electrically connected to the wiring layer through a via wiring formed in the insulating layers, the first electrode pad is electrically connected to another semiconductor device through a joining portion, and a protruding amount of the protruding portion is less than a gap between the second surface and the another semiconductor device.
US08736072B2
A semiconductor circuit pattern includes an angled conductive pattern having a line portion and a pad portion at an end of the line portion extending normal to the line portion on a first side of the line portion. The pad portion has a width greater than a width of the line portion. A spacing has a first portion adjacent the first side of the pad portion, and a second portion adjacent a second side of the pad portion opposite the first side. The first portion of the spacing has a width greater than the width of the second portion of the spacing.
US08736062B2
A method of making contact pad sidewall spacer and pad sidewall spacers are disclosed. An embodiment includes forming a plurality of contact pads on a substrate, each contact pad having sidewalls, forming a first photoresist over the substrate, and removing the first photoresist from the substrate thereby forming sidewall spacers along the sidewalls of the plurality of the contact pads.
US08736044B2
To minimize the warpage of an organic substrate that supports at least one electrical hardware component (e.g., a system-in-package module), a bottom surface of a lid is attached to a top surface of the electrical hardware component. The lid includes a leg that extends from the bottom surface of the lid towards a top surface of the substrate. A portion of the leg closest to the substrate may move relative to the substrate. As the lid warps, the lid does not also cause distortion of the substrate. The leg may be a flange that extends at least a portion of the width or at least a portion of the length of the lid, may be a post located at the perimeter of the lid, or may be any other portion extending from above the electrical component towards the substrate.
US08736043B2
A power semiconductor device is provided in which reliability can be improved when the parallel number of semiconductor devices increases. When a bonding face on collector electrode is on an upper side, and a bonding face on emitter electrode is on a lower side, a collector electrode joint region as a joint region between a collector trace and a collector electrode on a chip mounted substrate and an emitter electrode joint region as a joint region between an emitter trace and an emitter electrode are located at a same position in an up-and-down direction and are adjacent in a right-and-left direction at an interval of 2 mm or more and 4 mm or less.
US08736040B2
According to an exemplary embodiment, a bondwireless power module includes a common output pad coupling an emitter/anode node of a high side device to a collector/cathode node of a low side device. The bondwireless power module also includes a high side conductive clip connecting a collector of the high side device to a cathode of the high side device, and causing current to traverse through the high side conductive clip to another high side conductive clip in another power module. The bondwireless power module further includes a low side conductive clip connecting an emitter of the low side device to an anode of the low side device, and causing current to traverse through the low side conductive clip to another low side conductive clip in the another power module. The bondwireless power module can be a motor drive inverter module.
US08736030B2
A quad flat non-leaded (QFN) package structure with an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding function is proposed, including: a lead frame having a die pad, a plurality of supporting portions connecting to the die pad and a plurality of leads disposed around the periphery of the die pad without connecting to the die pad; a chip mounted on the die pad; bonding wires electrically connecting the chip and the leads; an encapsulant for encapsulating the chip, the bonding wires and the lead frame and exposing the side and bottom surfaces of the leads and the bottom surface of the die pad; and a shielding film disposed on the top and side surfaces of the encapsulant and electrically connecting to the supporting portions for shielding from EMI. A method of fabricating the package structure as described above is further proposed.
US08736029B2
A semiconductor apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate includes an active region in which a semiconductor device is formed, and a peripheral region which is located between the active region and an edge surface of the semiconductor substrate. A first insulating layer including conductive particles is formed above at least a part of the peripheral region. By constructing the semiconductor apparatus in this manner, generation of a high electric field in the peripheral region can be suppressed. Therefore, voltage endurance characteristics of the semiconductor apparatus can be improved.
US08736028B2
The present invention relates to methods for forming through-wafer interconnects in semiconductor substrates and the resulting structures. In one embodiment, a method for forming a through-wafer interconnect includes providing a substrate having a pad on a surface thereof, depositing a passivation layer over the pad and the surface of the substrate, and forming an aperture through the passivation layer and the pad using a substantially continuous process. An insulative layer is deposited in the aperture followed by a conductive layer and a conductive fill. In another embodiment of the invention, a semiconductor device is formed including a first interconnect structure that extends through a conductive pad and is electrically coupled with the conductive pad while a second interconnect structure is formed through another conductive pad while being electrically isolated therefrom. Semiconductor devices and assemblies produced with the methods are also disclosed.
US08736027B2
A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate that includes a semiconductor; an electrode layer formed on a first surface side inside the semiconductor substrate; a frame layer laminated on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate; a conductor layer formed in an aperture portion formed by processing the semiconductor substrate and the frame layer in such a manner as to expose the electrode layer on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate; a vertical hole formed through the semiconductor substrate from a second surface of the semiconductor substrate to the conductor layer; and a wiring layer that is electrically connected to the electrode layer via the conductor layer at an end portion of the vertical hole, and that extends to the second surface of the semiconductor substrate.
US08736023B2
A method for forming a field effect transistor (FET) device includes forming a dielectric layer on a substrate, forming a first metal layer on the dielectric layer, removing a portion of the first metal layer to expose a portion of the dielectric layer, forming a second metal layer on the dielectric layer and the first metal layer, and removing a portion of the first metal layer and the second metal layer to define a boundary region between a first FET device and a second FET device.
US08736012B2
A trenched semiconductor structure comprises a semiconductor substrate, an epitaxial layer, an ion implantation layer, a termination region dielectric layer, an active region dielectric layer, and a first polysilicon layer. The epitaxial layer doped with impurities of a first conductive type is formed on the semiconductor substrate. A plurality of active region trenches and a termination region trench are formed in the epitaxial layer. The ion implantation layer is formed in the active region trenches by doping impurities of a second conductive type. The termination region dielectric layer covers the termination region trench. The active region dielectric layer covers the ion implantation region. The first polysilicon layer covers the active region dielectric layer and fills the active region trenches. The depth of the termination region trench is greater than that of the active region trenches and close to that of the depletion region under reverse breakdown.
US08735995B2
A first gate level feature forms gate electrodes of a first transistor of a first transistor type and a first transistor of a second transistor type. A second gate level feature forms a gate electrode of a second transistor of the first transistor type. A third gate level feature forms a gate electrode of a second transistor of the second transistor type. The gate electrodes of the second transistors of the first and second transistor types are electrically connected to each other. The gate electrodes of the second transistors of the first and second transistor types are positioned on opposite sides of a gate electrode track along which the gate electrodes of the first transistors of the first and second transistor types are positioned.
US08735986B2
A substrate includes a first region having a first resistivity, for optimizing a field effect transistor, a second region having a second resistivity, for optimizing an npn subcollector of a bipolar transistor device and triple well, a third region having a third resistivity, with a high resistivity for a passive device, a fourth region, substantially without implantation, to provide low perimeter capacitance for devices.
US08735984B2
FinFET devices are formed with body contact structures enabling the fabrication of such devices having different gate threshold voltages (Vt). A body contact layer is formed to contact the gate electrode (contact) enabling a forward body bias and a reduction in Vt. Two example methods of fabrication (and resulting structures) are provided. In one method, the gate electrode (silicon-based) and body contact layer (silicon) are connected by growing epitaxy which merges the two structures forming electrical contact. In another method, a via is formed that intersects with the gate electrode (suitable conductive material) and body contact layer and is filled with conductive material to electrically connect the two structures. As a result, various FinFETs with different Vt can be fabricated for different applications.
US08735978B2
Embodiments of a semiconductor device include a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposed to the first surface, a trench formed in the semiconductor substrate and extending from the first surface partially through the semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode material deposited in the trench, and a void cavity in the semiconductor substrate between the gate electrode material and the second surface. A portion of the semiconductor substrate is located between the void cavity and the second surface.
US08735977B2
A semiconductor device includes active regions defined by a device isolation layer, gates disposed in the active regions of cell channel regions, word lines disposed on the gates and extending along a first direction, and gate contacts configured to connect the gates to the word lines. The gates have a box shape which extends over two active regions.
US08735975B2
A method and structures are provided for implementing metal via gate node high performance stacked vertical transistors in a back end of line (BEOL) on a semiconductor System on Chip (SoC). The high performance stacked vertical transistors include a pair of stacked vertical field effect transistors (FETs) formed by polycrystalline depositions in a stack between planes of a respective global signal routing wire. A channel length of each of the stacked vertical FETs is delineated by the polycrystalline depositions with sequential source deposition, channel deposition and drain deposition; and a wire via defines the gate node.
US08735970B2
A semiconductor device is provided which includes: semiconductor pillars which include impurity diffused layers, each semiconductor pillar having a width which allows full depletion of a semiconductor forming each semiconductor pillar, the impurity diffused layers being electrically connected to each other; and a common gate section which covers side faces of the pillars.
US08735952B2
A solid-state imaging device is provided. The solid-state imaging device includes an imaging region having a plurality of pixels arranged on a semiconductor substrate, in which each of the pixels includes a photoelectric converting portion and a charge converting portion for converting a charge generated by photoelectric conversion into a pixel signal and blooming is suppressed by controlling a substrate voltage of the semiconductor substrate.
US08735949B2
According to one embodiment, a junction type field effect transistor includes a first conductive type semiconductor substrate, a first conductive type drift layer, a second conductive type gate region, a first conductive type channel layer, a first conductive type source region, a source electrode, a drain electrode, a second conductive type gate contact layer, and a gate electrode. The drift layer is provided on a first main surface of the semiconductor substrate. The gate region is provided on a surface of the drift layer. The channel layer is provided on the drift layer and the gate region. The source region is provided on a surface of the channel layer to face the gate region, and has an impurity concentration higher than the channel layer. The source electrode is provided on the channel layer with Schottky contact and on the source region with ohmic contact.
US08735948B2
A semiconductor device according to the present invention includes: a semiconductor substrate; a source region formed in a top layer portion of the semiconductor substrate; a drain region formed in the top layer portion of the semiconductor substrate and spaced apart from the source region; a gate electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate and opposing to an interval between the source region and the drain region; a wiring formed on the semiconductor substrate and connected to the source region, the drain region, or the gate electrode; and a MEMS sensor disposed on the semiconductor substrate. The MEMS sensor includes: a thin film first electrode made of the same material as the gate electrode and formed in the same layer as the gate electrode; and a second electrode made of the same material as the wiring, formed in the same layer as the wiring, and spaced apart from the first electrode at a side opposite to the semiconductor substrate side of the first electrode.
US08735941B2
Disclosed herein is a nitride based semiconductor device including: a base substrate; an epitaxial growth layer disposed on the base substrate and generating a 2-dimensional electron gas in an inner portion thereof; and an electrode structure disposed on the epitaxial growth layer, wherein the electrode structure includes: a gate electrode; a source electrode disposed at one side of the gate electrode; and a drain electrode disposed at the other side of the gate electrode and having an extension part extended to the inner portion of the epitaxial growth layer to contact the 2-dimensional electron gas.
US08735937B2
A device includes a dielectric layer, and a heavily doped semiconductor layer over the dielectric layer. The heavily doped semiconductor layer is of a first conductivity type. A semiconductor region is over the heavily doped semiconductor layer, wherein the semiconductor region is of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type. A Lateral Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (LIGBT) is disposed at a surface of the semiconductor region.
US08735927B2
The invention provides a Group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device which has a light extraction face at the n-layer side and which provides high light emission efficiency. The light-emitting device is produced through the laser lift-off technique. The surface of the n-GaN layer of the light-emitting device is roughened. On the n-GaN layer, a transparent film is formed. The transparent film satisfies the following relationship: 0.28≦n×d1×2/λ≦0.42 or 0.63≦n×d1×2/λ≦0.77, wherein n represents the refractive index of the transparent film, d1 represents the thickness of the transparent film in the direction orthogonal to an inclined face thereof, and λ represents the wavelength of the light emitted from the MQW layer.
US08735923B2
There is provided a semiconductor light emitting device and method of making the same, having a first conductivity type semiconductor layer; an active layer formed on the first conductivity type semiconductor layer; a second conductivity type semiconductor layer formed on the active layer and including a plurality of holes; and a transparent electrode formed on the second conductivity type semiconductor layer.
US08735922B2
A LED mirror light assembly comprises a body having a through hole configured subject to a predetermined shape and located on a middle part thereof, a film-coated glass configured subject to shape of the through hole and supported on a first step, a LED holder holding a plurality of light-emitting diodes, and a reflector comprising a reflective surface located on a front side thereof and facing toward the light-emitting diodes and a light-shading coating coated on a rear side thereof The reflector being kept in a non-parallel manner relative to the film-coated glass and defining with the film-coated glass a predetermined contained angle so that the light spots of the light-emitting diodes are repeatedly reflected by the reflective back face of the film-coated glass and the reflective surface of the reflector, forming a curved tunnel of light spots.
US08735921B2
Provided are a light emitting device, a light emitting device package, and a lighting system. The light emitting device may include a reflective metal support including at least two pairs of first and second reflective metal layers, a light emitting structure layer including a first conductive type semiconductor layer, a second conductive type semiconductor layer, and an active layer between the first conductive type semiconductor and the second conductive type semiconductor layer on the reflective metal support, and an electrode on the light emitting structure layer. The reflective metal support includes at least one of Al, Ag, an APC(Ag—Pd—Cu) alloy, and an Au—Ni alloy.
US08735919B2
A group III-nitride based semiconductor LED includes a sapphire substrate, an n-type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a p-type semiconductor layer grown sequentially on the sapphire substrate. An n-type strain lattice structure is arranged between the n-type semiconductor layer and the active layer. A lattice constant of the n-type strain lattice structure exceeds that of the active layer, and is less than that of the n-type semiconductor layer.
US08735913B2
The invention provides a light emitting semiconductor structure, which includes a substrate; a first LED chip formed on the substrate; an adhesion layer formed on the first LED chip; and a second light emitting diode chip formed on the adhesion layer, wherein the second LED chip has a first conductive wire which is electrically connected to the substrate.
US08735911B2
A light-emitting device operating on a high drive voltage and a small drive current. LEDs (1) are two-dimensionally formed on an insulating substrate (10) of e.g., sapphire monolithically and connected in series to form an LED array. Two such LED arrays are connected to electrodes (32) in inverse parallel. Air-bridge wiring (28) is formed between the LEDs (1) and between the LEDs (1) and electrodes (32). The LED arrays are arranged zigzag to form a plurality of LEDs (1) to produce a high drive voltage and a small drive current. Two LED arrays are connected in inverse parallel, and therefore an AC power supply can be used as the power supply.
US08735899B2
Although an organic resin substrate is highly effective at reducing the weight and improving the shock resistance of a display device, it is required to improve the moisture resistance of the organic resin substrate for the sake of maintaining the reliability of an EL element. Hard carbon films are formed to cover a surface of the organic resin substrate and outer surfaces of a sealing member. Typically, DLC (Diamond like Carbon) films are used as the carbon films. The DLC films have a construction where carbon atoms are bonded into an SP3 bond in terms of a short-distance order, although the films have an amorphous construction from a macroscopic viewpoint. The DLC films contain 95 to 70 atomic % carbon and 5 to 30 atomic % hydrogen, so that the DLC films are very hard and minute and have a superior gas barrier property and insulation performance.
US08735894B2
The invention provides a light emitting diode package structure, including: a light emitting diode chip formed on a substrate; a composite coating layer formed on the light emitting diode chip, wherein the composite coating layer comprises a first coating layer and a second coating layer, and the composite coating layer has a reflectivity greater than 95% at the wavelength of 500-800 nm; a cup body formed on the substrate, wherein the cup body surrounds the light emitting diode chip; and an encapsulation housing covering the light emitting diode chip, wherein the encapsulation housing comprises a wavelength transformation material.
US08735889B2
There are provided a structure of a semiconductor device in which low power consumption is realized even in a case where a size of a display region is increased to be a large size screen and a manufacturing method thereof. A gate electrode in a pixel portion is formed as a three layered structure of a material film containing mainly W, a material film containing mainly Al, and a material film containing mainly Ti to reduce a wiring resistance. A wiring is etched using an IPC etching apparatus. The gate electrode has a taper shape and the width of a region which becomes the taper shape is set to be 1 μm or more.
US08735888B2
An embodiment of the invention relates to a TFT-LCD array substrate comprising a substrate, a gate line and a data line formed on the substrate, a pixel electrode and a thin film transistor formed in a pixel region defined by the gate line and the data line, wherein the thin film transistor comprises a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a transparent drain electrode, and the transparent drain electrode is electrically connected with the pixel electrode.
US08735886B2
An image detector comprises: an active matrix-type TFT array substrate having a pixel area, in which photoelectric conversion elements and thin film transistors are arranged in a matrix shape, a data line, and a bias line; a conversion layer, which is arranged on the TFT array substrate and converts radiation into light; and a conductive cover, which covers the conversion layer, wherein the conductive cover is adhered in an adhesion area in an upper layer than an area, in which at least one of the data line and the bias line extend from the pixel area to each of terminals, and wherein inorganic insulation films configured by at least two layers are formed between the at least one of the data line and the bias line and the adhesion area.
US08735883B2
A method for fabricating an oxide thin film transistor includes sequentially forming a gate insulating film, an oxide semiconductor layer, and a first insulating layer; selectively patterning the oxide semiconductor layer and the first insulating layer to form an active layer and an insulating layer pattern on the gate electrode; forming a second insulating layer on the substrate having the active layer and the insulating layer pattern formed thereon; and selectively patterning the insulating layer pattern and the second insulating layer to form first and second etch stoppers on the active layer. The oxide semiconductor layer may be a ternary system or quaternary system oxide semiconductor comprising a combination of AxByCzO (A, B, C=Zn, Cd, Ga, In, Sn, Hf, Zr; x, y, z≧0).
US08735879B2
The invention provides an organic light-emitting diode which includes at least two electroluminescent layers (ELR, ELB), both of which are fluorescent or phosphorescent and emit at different wavelengths, as well as a hole- and electron-conducting buffer layer (T) arranged between the electroluminescent layers. The buffer layer is a bi-layer having an electron-transport layer (T2) and a hole-transport layer (T1), each one of the hole- and electron-transport layers being made of one or more materials in which the HOMO level(s) are comprised between or equal to the HOMO levels of the electroluminescent layers, and in which the LUMO levels are between or equal to the LUMO levels of said electroluminescent layers, with a tolerance of 0.3 eV.
US08735875B2
Provided is a light-emitting element having light emitting sections (17) that are distributed on a transparent substrate (11). Specifically, an electroluminescence element (10) includes the substrate having a bored part (16b) which is formed by recessing, below the light emitting sections, the surface of the substrate on a light emitting section side. By this configuration, the light-emitting element has a high light-emitting efficiency and exhibits required light distribution characteristics by controlling a direction of emitted light.
US08735873B2
An organic light emitting diode includes: a first electrode; a first hole transporting layer on the first electrode; a first emitting material layer on the first hole transporting layer, the first emitting material layer including a first host with a first dopant, wherein an energy level of a lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of the first dopant is higher than an energy level of a lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of the first host; a first electron transporting layer on the first emitting material layer; and a second electrode on the first electron transporting layer, wherein an energy level of each of the first hole transporting layer and the first electron transporting layer is higher than an energy level of a triplet state exciton of the first emitting material layer.
US08735871B2
An organic thin film transistor comprising: a substrate; a source electrode and a drain electrode disposed over the substrate with a channel region therebetween; a layer of organic semiconductor disposed in the channel region; a gate electrode; and a gate dielectric disposed between the layer of organic semiconductor and the gate electrode, wherein the gate dielectric comprises a cross-linked polymer and a fluorine containing polymer.
US08735858B2
An ionic device includes a layer of an ionic conductor containing first and second species of impurities. The first species of impurity in the layer is mobile in the ionic conductor, and a concentration profile of the first species determines a functional characteristic of the device. The second species of impurity in the layer interacts with the first species within the layer to create a structure that limits mobility of the first species in the layer.
US08735848B2
There is provided a charged particle beam treatment planning device that creates a treatment plan and is connected to a charged particle beam irradiation apparatus that includes a scanning electromagnet, which scans a charged particle beam, and a degrader, which adjusts a range of the charged particle beam by reducing the energy of the charged particle beam, and irradiates an irradiation object with the charged particle beam. The charged particle beam treatment planning device includes a control unit that adjusts the dose of the charged particle beam, which is irradiated to a predetermined position of the irradiation object, on the basis of a passing distance of the charged particle beam within the degrader calculated using a deflection angle of the charged particle beam.
US08735847B2
A method of operating a focused ion beam device having a gas field ion source is described. According to some embodiments, the method includes emitting an ion beam from a gas field ion source, providing an ion beam column ion beam energy in the ion beam column which is higher than the final beam energy, decelerating the ion beam for providing a final beam energy on impingement of the ion beam on the specimen of 1 keV to 4 keV, and imaging the specimen.
US08735831B2
Disclosed herein are a system, method, and computer-readable storage medium for determining a time pickoff for both digital and analog photomultiplier circuits. Rather than basing time pickoff on the leading edge of a photomultiplier signal crossing a threshold or the first signal from a digital photomultiplier, a method for more accurate time calculations is disclosed. The system searches for peak values associated with the signal using differentiation, peak hold searching, and Gaussian distributions. Based on these calculations and comparisons, a more accurate time pickoff is determined.
US08735825B2
In an optical position detection device, when light source sections emit detection light, a light detecting section detects detection light reflected from a object to detect the coordinates of the object. When seen from the detection space, the light detecting section is located inward from a plurality of light source sections, and each of the plurality of light source sections includes first and second light emitting elements. Therefore, the position of the object can be detected on the basis of a comparison result of the received light intensity in the light detecting section when the first light emitting element is turned on and the received light intensity in the light detecting section when the second light emitting element is turned on in both the case where the object is located outside a region between the light source sections and the case where the object is located inside the region.
US08735822B2
A spectroscopic method is disclosed for detecting and measuring contaminants in fluids such as water or oil, where the hydrophilicity of the contaminant is substantially different from that of the contaminated fluid. Good calibrations can be obtained at very low concentrations using infrared spectroscopy with ATR crystals that have not been additionally coated or otherwise modified.
US08735816B2
A standard member for automatically, stably, and highly accurately performing magnification calibration used in an electron microscope, the standard member including, on the same plane, a multilayer film cross section formed by alternately laminating materials different from each other, a plurality of first mark patterns arranged across a first silicon layer and in parallel to the multilayer film cross section, at least a pair of second mark patterns arranged across a second silicon layer thicker than the first silicon layer on the opposite side of the first mark patterns with respect to the multilayer film cross section and in parallel to the multilayer film cross section, and a silicon layer arranged on the outer side of the first mark patterns and the second mark patterns with respect to the multilayer film cross section.
US08735813B2
A laser ablation chamber, which is suitable for use in a conventional laser-assisted micro dissection unit (LMD), in combination with the LMD allows for both quantitative spatially resolved nanolocal analysis and distribution analysis of element concentrations of a sample, and a microscopic detection of the surface topography of the same sample, in the nanometer range. Optionally, further examinations may follow, without having to remove the sample from a microscope slide bearing the sample. For the examination, a region of the sample to be analyzed is selected with the aid of a microscope of a LMD. For this purpose, the sample is located on the lower face of a cover slip (microscope slide), which also forms part of a laser ablation chamber mounted beneath the microscope slide and inside the LMD. A portion of the sample is ablated and analyzed. Optionally, the existing LMD instrumentation may be used to deliberately cut out certain regions of the tissue in which metals were detected for further analytics and to collect these regions in sample containers, which are mounted beneath the microscope slide after the laser ablation.
US08735812B2
An electrostatic Kingdon ion trap in which ions can oscillate harmonically in the longitudinal direction, decoupled from their motions in the transverse direction is formed from at least three inner electrodes located inside a hollow outer housing electrode. The inner surface of the housing electrode and the outer surfaces of the inner electrodes are formed so that when a potential is applied between the housing and the inner electrodes, the potential distribution inside the housing contains not only a term for a harmonic potential well in the axial direction, but also a term for the potential distribution in the radial direction, that contains, independent of the axial coordinate, the equations for a family of Cassini curves of at least the third order.
US08735807B2
A quadrupole mass spectrometer alternates between increasing mass and decreasing mass scans for the purpose of decreasing inter-scan delays. By alternating increasing and decreasing mass scans, the next scan starts where the last scan ended reducing the settling time required. Backsteps may be eliminated by scanning the RF and DC non-linearly.
US08735806B2
Based on the mass spectrum obtained by mass-analyzing a sample, the composition of the unknown substance is deduced, and after that, an MS/MS analysis is performed in which the unknown substance is set to be a precursor ion. Then, based on the peaks appearing on the MS/MS spectrum, the actually measured mass of each product ion is obtained (S1 through S4). On the other hand, the compositions of the product ion generated by the dissociation of the unknown substance are obtained by the combination, i.e. the condition, of the kind of the constituent element and the number of each element of the unknown substance's deduced component. Then, it is checked whether or not the theoretical mass in consistency with the actually measured mass of the product ion exists (S5). In the case where one which is consistent with a theoretical mass is not existent, it is possible to determine that the original deduction of the known substance's composition has been incorrect. Therefore, this result is given to the composition deduction as feedback to refine the candidates for the unknown substance's composition (S6).
US08735793B2
A high dynamic range sensitive sensor element or array is provided which uses phase domain integration techniques to accurately capture high and low intensity images. The sensor element of the present invention is not limited by dynamic range characteristics exhibited by prior art solid-state pixel structures and is thus capable of capturing a full spectrum of electromagnetic radiation to provide a high quality output image.
US08735781B2
A method and apparatus for controlling heating and cooling of a transfer unit in a precision hot press device configured to suppress overheating and supercooling, and of performing quick heating and cooling, wherein the method and apparatus compares an amount of energy given to the transfer unit or taken from the transfer unit by a heating unit or a cooling unit with an amount of energy observed to enter into or exit from the transfer unit before the temperature of the transfer unit reaches a target temperature, calculates an amount of surplus or supercooled energy from a difference between the two energy amounts, and heats or cools the transfer unit based on the amount of surplus or supercooled energy.
US08735773B2
Disclosed are systems, devices and methods for optimizing the manufacture and/or production of patient-specific orthopedic implants. The methods include obtaining image data of a patient, selecting a blank implant to be optimized for the patient, and modifying the blank implant utilizing techniques disclosed herein to alter specific features of the implant to conform to the patient's anatomy.
