US08943046B2
An invention is disclosed for providing a digital resource gathering and dissemination system, method, or process that can accommodate digital resources of interest for heterogeneous groups and communities of online users for the same topic, demographic, or some other categories as provided by a particular classification scheme. Such a system, method, or process also provides a more reliable or otherwise representative selection of digital resources of interest to the population as a whole.
US08943044B1
In one implementation, a plurality of identifiers is obtained, where each identifier corresponds to an invitee to an event. Then a user profile for each of the plurality of identifiers is obtained, where each user profile comprises a value for each of a plurality of characteristics. Next, aggregate data representing the values from the user profiles for one or more selected characteristics is generated. Finally, a representation of the aggregate data is outputted.
US08943029B2
A computer is programmed to compress data of a database in response to database modification language (DML) statements generated by on-line transaction processing (OLTP) systems. In several embodiments, data that is initially added to a database block is left uncompressed until a predetermined condition is satisfied, which happens infrequently (relative to OLTP transactions on the block). When satisfied, the computer automatically compresses all uncompressed data in the block, which increases the amount of unused space in the block. New data is thereafter added uncompressed to the partially compressed block, until satisfaction of a predetermined condition whereby the partially compressed block is again compressed, i.e. re-compressed. Adding of new data to a partially compressed block and its compression are repeated unless another predetermined condition is met, in response to which the block is not further re-compressed, thereby to recognize a limit on the benefit from compression.
US08943028B2
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive requests to execute a plurality of compression and/or decompression mechanisms on one or more database objects; to execute each of the compression and/or decompression mechanisms, on a sampled basis, on the database objects; to determine comparative performance characteristics associated with each of the compression and/or decompression mechanisms; and to record at least some of the performance characteristics and/or derivative characteristics derived from the performance characteristics in a performance summary table. The table may be published to a storage medium or a display screen. Other apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US08943027B1
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for content item purging are provided. A contact item purger, such as may be incorporated within a local client application of a content management system running on a user device, may leverage knowledge as to which items have been uploaded to the content management system, and how long such content items have been stored on the user device, to propose items for deletion from the user device so as to reclaim storage space. A contact item purger may run on one or more user devices, and may activate upon various triggering events, based on various conditions and parameters, with or without user interaction, thus maintaining available memory capacity at all times.
US08943025B2
A first storage system stores information relating to the updating of data stored in that system as a journal. More specifically, the journal is composed of a copy of data that was used for updating and update information such as a write command used during updating. Furthermore, the second storage system acquires the journal via a communication line between the first storage system and the second storage system. The second storage system holds a duplicate of the data held by the first storage system and updates the data corresponding to the data of the first storage system in the data update order of the first storage system by using the journal.
US08943024B1
A method and system can be used to read and obtain data from a variety of media, regardless of the application used to generate the backup media. The component parts of a file may be read from a medium, including content and metadata pertaining to a file. These pieces of content and metadata may then be stored and associated. To avoid duplication of data, pieces of content and metadata may be compared to previously stored content and metadata. Furthermore, using these same methods and systems the content and metadata of a file may be associated with a location where the file resided. A database which stores these components and allows linking between the various stored components may be particularly useful in implementing embodiments of these methods and systems.
US08943009B2
A method of adapting an event processing component. The method comprises designating an event processing component having a plurality of event processing agents which carry out a plurality of rules to process a plurality of events, selecting at least one rules correctness requirement, and automatically adjusting, using a processor, the plurality of event processing rules to comply with the at least one correctness requirement.
US08942999B1
Methods, systems and computer program products for generating and presenting an estimate of when a taxpayer can expect to receive a tax refund.
US08942989B2
Disclosed is an audio encoding device which removes unnecessary inter-channel parameters from the subject to be encoded, improving the encoding efficiency thereby. In this audio encoding device, a principal component analysis unit (301) converts an inputted left signal {Lsb(f)} and an inputted right signal {Rsb(f)} into a principal component signal {PCsb(f)} and an ambient signal {Asb(f)} and calculates for each sub-band, a rotation angle which indicates the degree of conversion; a monophonic encoding unit (303) encodes the principal component signal {Pcsb(f)}; a rotation angle encoding unit (302) encodes the angle of rotation {θb}; a local monophonic decoding unit (603) creates a decoded principal component signal; and a redundant parameter elimination unit (604) identifies the redundant parameters by analyzing the encoding quality of the decoded principal component signal and eliminates the redundant parameters from the signal to be encoded.
US08942988B2
This invention provides a more efficient way to quantize temporal envelope shaping of high band signal by benefiting from energy relationship between low band signal and high band signal; if low band signal is well coded or it is coded with time domain codec such as CELP, temporal envelope shaping information of low band signal can be used to predict temporal envelope shaping of high band signal; the temporal envelope shaping prediction can bring significant saving of bits to precisely quantize temporal envelope shaping of high band signal. This prediction approach can be combined with other specific approach to further increase the efficiency and save mores bits.
US08942987B1
A clear picture of who is speaking in a setting where there are multiple input sources (e.g., a conference room with multiple microphones) can be obtained by comparing input channels against each other. The data from each channel can not only be compared, but can also be organized into portions which logically correspond to statements by a user. These statements, along with information regarding who is speaking, can be presented in a user friendly format via an interactive timeline which can be updated in real time as new audio input data is received.
US08942973B2
The present technology may translate a content of a web page such as content locator (e.g., a uniform resource locator (URL)) from a source language to a target language. The content locator may be associated with a content page. The translation may involve dividing the content locator into segment tokens in a first language, followed by translating, transliterating or not changing a segment token. The processed tokens are then reassembled in a second language. The translation may be provided by a translation module through a content page provided by a network browser.
US08942961B2
A re-matching method of slab-order for improving slab utilization in iron and steel plants, comprising the steps of Step 1: formulating a mathematical model according to information of slabs and orders, so as to quantitatively describe the optimization problem of slab-order matching; Step 2: dividing the slabs and orders into groups; Step 3: generating a new slab-order matching relationship for each group of slabs and orders by using a multiple neighborhoods based tabu search algorithm on the basis of the formulated mathematical model, tries to re-optimize the matching relationship with consideration of the original slab-order matching relationship and the load balance of all equipment units, so as to improve the slab-order matching relationship, decrease the slab cutting loss, reduce the redundant slab weight of each order, and improve the integrity of an order, thus improving slab utilization, ensuring to deliver an urgent order on time, and improving the customer satisfaction.
US08942960B2
A system can include a framework for scenario-based assessment of a physical environment; and an integrator that includes an analyzer component for identifying an analyzer as one of a plurality of identifiable analyzers, a scenario component for framework and analyzer interactions for a scenario, and a results component for framework and analyzer interactions with respect to analyzer results for the scenario. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
US08942958B2
A method of calculating at least one sensor modelling coefficient for multiple sensor regions of operation includes defining a first sensor region of operation and a further sensor region of operation, and calculating the sensor modelling coefficient for the first sensor region of operation. A derivative equation then is derived for the further sensor region of operation based at least partly on at least one defined inter-region boundary constraint. The sensor modelling coefficient is calculated for the further sensor region of operation based at least partly on the derivative equation.
US08942956B1
A method and apparatus is provided for presenting a design of a fiber-optic network. In one aspect, a server receives from a client device a request for a diagram of the design. The server accesses a data-structure representing the design, generates a representation of a cable run, and transmits the representation to the client device for display. In another aspect, the server transmits to the client device an indication that the cable run is illegal and receives from the client device an indication of a user-specified cable run. Subsequently, the server modifies the data structure to replace the illegal cable run with the user-specified cable run.
US08942943B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods of controlling an ion detector to minimize false peaks when utilizing extended dynamic range techniques. In one exemplary example, methods of controlling an ion detector are provided, comprising the steps of: determining an electronic baseline signal of the ion detector; receiving one or more ion input signals at the ion detector; comparing the ion input signal to the electronic baseline signal; and multiplying the ion input signal by a selected compensation factor when the ion input signal exceeds the electronic baseline signal.
US08942939B2
The invention discloses a real-time detection system for detecting the real-time machining by a rotating machine or rotating quality thereof. The real-time detection system comprises a signal capture module, a preprocessor, a processor and a comparison module. The signal capture module is used to capture a time-sequence signal of the rotating machine. The preprocessor is coupled to the signal capture module for receiving the time-sequence signal and generating a stationary time-sequence signal. The processor is coupled to the preprocessor for receiving the stationary time-sequence signal and calculating a plurality of entropies of the stationary time-sequence signal. The comparison module with an entropy table or a feature judgment mechanism of the entropy variation is coupled to the processor for receiving the plurality of entropy and comparing the plurality of entropy according to the entropy table or the feature judgment of the entropy variation and generating a quality signal.
US08942938B2
Disclosed is an aerial surveying system for collecting electromagnetic spectrum data. Spectrally tuned antennas are used on an airplane to prefilter the data in accordance with spectral frequency bands. The data is sequentially sampled using an antenna switching device, band pass filtered and downconverted to an intermediate frequency. High speed vector signal analyzers and digitizers create frequency spectral data and I and Q temporal data. The collected data is recorded and compressed using any desirable compression technique, including video compression. Data analyzers analyze the data and display the data on a GIS map.
US08942934B2
A processing machine processes a work and repeats processes on the work, thereby consuming energy. Within the consumed energy, room for improvement is computed by an energy monitoring device and is referred to as an amount of energy that can be improved. An energy monitoring device includes a power data acquirer that acquires a time-series power data measured by a power meter, a cycle detector that detects a single-cycle power data from the power data acquired by the acquirer, a divider that divides the single-cycle power data detected by the detector into an added-value creating portion and an unproductive portion, and a computing unit that computes an amount of energy consumed in the unproductive portion divided by the divider and defines it as the amount of energy to be improved.
US08942931B2
A system and method for determining electrical properties using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are provided. One method includes determining a magnitude of an MRI B1+ field applied to an object, determining a phase of the MRI B1+ field applied to the object and combining the determined magnitude and phase to determine a complex B1+ field estimate. The method further includes estimating one or more electrical properties of the object using the complex B1+ field estimate by directly solving at least one difference equation.
US08942917B2
A technology can be provided for change invariant scene recognition of an environment by an agent that uses image sensors to capture images. An example method can include grouping the images into situation image sets to form an image database. A navigation image can be captured by the agent at the agent's current location. Another operation can be searching through images by separately loaded situation image set to identify images that are a probable match for the navigation image. Error values can be computed between the navigation image and situation image sets. A probability can be calculated that situation image sets are to be used as a relevant situation image set based on the error values. Then the relevant situation image set can be searched for matching purposes with the navigation image while the error value is below a defined threshold.
US08942916B2
An avionic system including: a memory that stores a selectable hash table assigned to a flight plan of an aircraft fleet, the hash table including table elements with operational parameters of an airport, wherein airports covered by the table elements are airports flown to according the fight plan of the aircraft fleet; and a plurality of ground stations situated at the flown to airports of the fight plan, wherein the ground stations are linked via a communication network to a central processing unit; a receiver of the central processing unit that receives, via a communication network interface, a transmission from a detection device, the transmission including at least parameters regarding a time interval parameter of an airport closing and an airport identification.
US08942909B2
An intake air quantity information determining arrangement senses or computes one of an intake air quantity and a torque of an internal combustion engine as intake air quantity information. A misfire-avoidance control arrangement executes a misfire-avoidance control operation, which avoids misfire by controlling a throttle opening degree of a throttle valve such that a value of the intake air quantity information does not decrease below a normal combustion threshold value.
US08942907B2
A method for avoiding reducing scoring of the brake disc or the brake drum of a vehicle driven under rainy conditions calculates a product of three parameters, and activates an automatic braking operation for the vehicle, regularly, whenever the product exceeds the pre-determined threshold level. The first parameter is a rain intensity based parameter, a measure of the current raining intensity. The second parameter is a brake-activation-free driving time parameter, representing the time elapsed since the braking system of the vehicle was activated last. The third parameter is a speed parameter, which represents a current speed of the vehicle. As the automatic braking operation is carried out, the particles of dust, water, snow and de-icing substances, adhered to the brake disc of the vehicle, and causing scoring of the brake disc, are quickly removed, thus, reducing disc scoring.
US08942886B2
A method and a system for detecting an impact on an impeller wheel of an aircraft engine. A device acquires a revolutions per minute of the engine and a series of deflection signals representative of the deflections on the blades of the impeller wheel at the revolutions per minute. A device constructs signals for detecting impact on the impeller wheel by correlating each of the deflection signals with a predetermined signature of a shock on a blade at the revolutions per minute.
US08942876B2
A hybrid vehicle has an engine, an electric machine connected to the engine by an upstream clutch, a transmission gearbox connected to the electric machine by a downstream clutch, and a controller. The controller is configured to, in response to a user commanded shift of the transmission, control the electric machine speed to a designated speed based on gearbox output speed and the transmission gear ratio after the shift, thereby synchronizing speeds across the gearbox for the shift. A method for controlling a hybrid vehicle provides, in response to a user commanded shift of an automatic transmission gearbox, controlling an electric machine speed to a target speed based on the transmission gear ratio after the shift where the target speed is synchronized with the transmission gearbox output speed.
US08942875B2
A method and a system for changing the segments of an SOC indicator of a vehicle at non-linear rates or for changing the number of the segments in an on state more slowly when the SOC is high or low as opposed to when the SOC is in the middle range. The system can be implemented with a vehicle including a battery, a sensor, a processor, a controller and a display. The method may include determining a display SOC based on the SOC of the vehicle, providing, by a display, three sets of lights including a low-SOC set, a middle-SOC set, and a high-SOC set, each light is illuminated or de-illuminated based on whether the display SOC has changed by an amount greater than the light's assigned power increment or decrement, where the middle-SOC power increments and decrements are less than the low-SOC or high-SOC power increments and decrements.
US08942874B2
A self initiated prone progressive crawler facilitates crawling in infants by sensing the infant's intent and assisting movement. The device is designed as a mobility aid to assist an infant in prone locomotion. The infant can be placed in a prone position on a platform and secured with hook and loop straps. The arms and legs are unconstrained and are able to reach the floor comfortably. The self initiated prone progressive crawler is a motorized wheeled platform which has three points of contact with the ground. One point is an industrial trackball, mounted upside down to provide positional and positional derivative data to a controller. It is located roughly under the chest of the infant and is highly sensitive to movement. The other points of contact are two DC torque motors which are controlled by the controller. In addition to the positional and positional derivative data provided to the controller, the controller also receives data from four equally spaced load cells on a force plate and tn-axial accelerometer gyros attached to the upper and lower extremities of the child. The load cells provide force information between the infant and the device to allow weight shifts to be assessed and used as a control parameter. The accelerometer gyros generate data that provides patterns that can be correlated with crawling movements.
US08942872B2
A hybrid construction machine includes a distribution ratio setting unit that reduces an output distribution ratio of a motor generator by controlling an output control mechanism for controlling the output distribution ratio of the motor generator relative to an engine and increases an output distribution ratio of the engine by an amount corresponding to a reduction in the output distribution ratio of the motor generator when a temperature of a battery is lower than a threshold value in a low-temperature region or higher than a threshold value in a high-temperature region, and a regeneration amount control unit that reduces a hydraulic regeneration amount for the hydraulic motor by controlling an input control mechanism for controlling the hydraulic regeneration amount for the hydraulic motor when the temperature of the battery is lower than the threshold value in the low-temperature region or higher than the threshold value in the high-temperature region.
US08942866B2
A system includes a plurality of actuators and a control system operably associated with the plurality of actuators. The control system having a control logic architecture having a dynamic command input shaping model associated with an input command, a robust inner loop associated with the dynamic command input shaping model, and a time delay cancellation model. The method includes selecting a control law based upon a flight performance of an aircraft, decoupling the control law into a first individual component and a second individual component of the aircraft flight motion, analyzing each individual component separately, regrouping the component of flight motion, analyzing the control law with a time delay cancellation model and providing the necessary dynamic flight quickness with a different command input condition.
US08942847B2
Provided is a system and the like capable of appropriately searching a desired trajectory for a controlled subject in a time-space coordinate system in view of a state of the controlled subject. An initial positional relationship (k=1) between a first reference point q1(k) and a second reference point q2(k) in the time-space coordinate system is set to satisfy a first condition defined according to a motion performance of an actuator 2. When a previous trajectory candidate tr(k−1) is determined to have a contact with an object trajectory tro, a current positional relationship (k>1) between the first reference point q1(k) and the second reference point q2(k) in the time-space coordinate system is set to satisfy a second condition that a current time interval between the first reference point q1(k) and the second reference point q2(k) is longer than a previous time interval or the like.
US08942846B2
A method for controlling a tele-operated robot agile lift system is disclosed. The method comprises manipulating a human-machine interface of a master robot located on a mobile platform. The human machine interface is kinematically equivalent to a user's arm with a plurality of support members. A position value and a torque value is measured for each support member. The position value and torque value are communicated to support members of a kinematically equivalent slave arm to position the support members to correspond with a position of the human-machine interface.
US08942844B2
An article storage facility includes a transport device for transporting the transporting containers to the plurality of storage units, a controller, and a supply state detecting device for detecting a supply state of the inactive gas to the plurality of storage units. The controller makes a determination based on detected information from the supply state detecting device as to whether the inactive gas is properly supplied, and manages the plurality of storage units by distinguishing the disallowed storage units for which it is determined that the inactive gas is not properly supplied from the allowed storage units that are the storage units that are not the disallowed storage units. The controller performs a retreating transport operation in which a transporting container, that is stored in the storage unit that is changed from the allowed storage unit to the disallowed storage unit, is transported to an allowed storage unit.
US08942843B2
The present invention provides a tool path forming method in a milling processing system, the method including: (A) a shape offset step; (B) a virtual wall forming step; (C) an interference region forming and shape revising step; (D) a closed shape forming step; (E) a cutting surface forming step; (F) tool path forming steps; (G) an unprocessed region detecting step; and (H) an uncut region tool path forming step.
US08942837B2
A method is provided for inspecting a plurality of parts with an electronic measurement device and a processing system. The method includes a step of creating surface geometry maps of the parts utilizing the electronic measurement device, where each part was manufactured utilizing the manufacturing device. Geometric part models of the parts are generated from the surface geometry maps. The part models can subsequently be analyzed to determine whether a manufacturing device that manufactured the plurality of parts manufactures parts that comply with a part design specification.
US08942835B2
A household appliance configured to communicate with a second household appliance, a network of household appliances that can communication with each other, and method of controlling an operation of a primary function unit of a first household appliance based on one of a priority scheme and synchronized duty cycles of the first household appliance and the second household appliance, wherein the first household appliance is configured to communicate with the second household appliance. The household appliance includes a primary function unit, a controller that controls an operation of the primary function unit, a two-way communication module that transmits and receives signals between the controller and the second household appliance.
US08942833B2
Control devices, methods, and programs set a final control value by smoothly shifting from the control value to a final control value. The devices, methods, and programs specify an operation amount of a user operation with respect to a prescribed control value, and access a pre-change control value that is a value of the control value before a completed change. Based on the accessed pre-change control value and the specified operation amount of the user operation, devices, methods, and programs set a final control value by changing the control value in a stepwise manner from the pre-change control value to the final control value within a prescribed control value range.
US08942832B2
Method, article of manufacture, and system for configuring controller in sliding-mode control scheme
Method, article of manufacture and system using minimum data to determine whether a sliding-mode control should be applied in a plant. First measure the plant in an open-loop control fashion, and using the measured data, describe a state equation of the plant by system identification and order determination methods. Then design a switching hyperplane for sliding-mode control. Next, calculate higher order statistics on the difference between an output of a linear model on the hyperplane and an output of the sliding-mode control model in the measured data; When any of the higher order moments is larger than a predetermined threshold, configure a controller as a sum of the linear control input term and the nonlinear control input term. If both higher-order moments are smaller than the threshold, then configure the controller using only a linear control input term.
US08942831B2
Apparatus and methods for controlling a system that operates responsive to a plurality of input control signals are disclosed. During operation the system generates a plurality of output status/control signals. A master controller has at least first and second controllers. The first controller outputs and inputs signals over a first communication path, and the second controller outputs and inputs signals over a second communication path. The first and second controllers output signals based on input signals received over the first and second communication paths, respectively, and also based on stored control data. A plurality of input/output modules are provided. Each of the input/output modules has first and second slave controllers. The first slave controller of each of the input/output modules inputs and outputs signals over the first communication path to the first controller, and the second slave controller outputs and inputs signals over the second communication path. Each of the first slave controllers outputs and inputs signals to and from a first input/output circuit, and each of the second slave controllers outputs and inputs signals to and from a second input/output circuit. Each of the input/output modules also includes a combiner circuit. At least some of the input control signals for controlling the system are generated by the combiner circuit of each input/output module based on signals output from both the first and second input/output circuits. The output control signals for controlling the system are generated based on output status/control signals from the system that are coupled to each of the first and second input/output circuits of the input/output modules.
US08942826B2
Implantable medical device with at least one long extended electrical conductor that is insulated from the surrounding material by a dielectric. The implantable medical device includes an electrode pole that emits therapy signals or detects diagnostic signals, at least one first longitudinal section of a first characteristic impedance between a proximal end and the electrode pole; and at least one second longitudinal section adjacent to the at least one first longitudinal section. The at least one second longitudinal section includes a second characteristic impedance and is shorter than the first longitudinal section. The second characteristic impedance is either larger or smaller than a load characteristic impedance.
US08942823B2
The present invention is directed to a medical electrical lead including an insulative lead body formed, at least in part, from a polyisobutylene urethane, urea or urethane/urea copolymer. In some applications, the lead body can include at least one outer tubular insulator and/or an inner elongated member formed from a polyisobutylene urethane, urea or urethane/urea copolymer. Portions of the lead body formed form the polyisobutylene urethane, urea or urethane/urea copolymer can be either extruded or molded.
US08942821B2
An implantable electrode paddle for use in a neurostimulation system may include a dorsally-projecting lead that allows all of the edges of the electrode paddle to be situated near a vertebral body for stimulation of neural structures. Embodiments may include one or more flanges for cooperating with a vertebral body and thereby stabilizing the electrode paddle. Embodiments of the present invention may also include features to allow an electrode paddle to be divided during surgery. Embodiments of the present invention may also include an electrode paddle having a plurality of paddle sections, wherein at least one of the paddle sections comprises a plurality of asymmetrically configured contacts. Embodiments of the invention include a method of assembling a neurostimulation system and a method of implanting an implantable system in a body, wherein the implantable system includes an electrode paddle that may be divided into a plurality of paddle sections.
US08942816B2
An Implantable ElectroAcupuncture Device (IEAD) treats dyslipidemia conditions of a patient through application of stimulation pulses applied at acupoint ST40, or its underlying nerves saphenous and peroneal. The IEAD comprises an implantable, coin-sized, self-contained, leadless electroacupuncture device having at least two electrodes attached to an outside surface of its housing. The device generates stimulation pulses in accordance with a specified stimulation regimen. Power management circuitry within the device allows a primary battery, having a high internal impedance, to be used to power the device. The stimulation regimen generates stimulation pulses during a stimulation session of duration T3 minutes applied every T4 minutes. The duty cycle, or ratio T3/T4, is very low, no greater than 0.05. The low duty cycle and careful power management allow the IEAD to perform its intended function for several years.
US08942815B2
A system and method that enhance the performance of cochlear implant signal processing in an amplification device. The system utilizes a signal input device that picks up the sounds from the environment or other hearing or audio devices and feeds the incoming signal into a front-end signal processor. The front-end processor pre-processes the signals and feeds them into a cochlear implant signal processor. The system may also insert a front-end processor into multiple signal processing stages of a cochlear implant signal processor with the front-end processor “sandwiched” between the multiple signal processing stages of the cochlear implant signal processors. The system may also insert a front-end processor into multiple signal processing stages of a cochlear implant signal processor with the front-end processor being either an integrated part of the cochlear implant signal processor or a functionally distinctive part for bilateral cochlear implants.
US08942799B2
A system embodiment for stimulating a neural target comprises a neural stimulator, a pace detector, and a controller. The neural stimulator is electrically connected to at least one electrode, and is configured to deliver a neural stimulation signal through the at least one electrode to stimulate the neural target. The pace detector is configured to use at least one electrode to sense cardiac activity and distinguish paced cardiac activity in the sensed cardiac activity from non-paced cardiac activity in the sensed cardiac activity. The controller is configured to control a programmed neural stimulation therapy using the neural stimulator and using detected paced cardiac activity as an input for the neural stimulation therapy.
US08942788B2
A bone marker device for use in surgery. The device has attachment means which is/are attachable to bone that will ultimately be resected during the surgery. A guiding device that is removably securable to the bone of a patient adjacent to the joint and on which the bone marker device may be mounted. A guide member of the guiding device has a slot for receiving a bone resector and enabling accurate resection of bone around the joint.
US08942775B2
An applicator head is provided for a reflectance modifying agent (RMA) applicator is moved across the skin by means of a floating ring having dispersed raised contact points to maintain a proper distance from the surface to be treated, reduce the influence of outside light during scanning, and limit smudging during deposition. During an application session, software on the computer uses a camera to sense aspects of color and texture on human features, calculates cosmetic enhancements, and uses the printer head to apply RMA precisely to the features to create those enhancements. Skin landmarks are used for registration. The head uses differential lighting by providing a sequence of directional lighting, with some exposures left dark to adjust for ambient light leakage. The exposures are co-synchronized in stacks, where each stack is a grouping of data about a particular instant of time during the scanning.
US08942763B2
A system includes a first access network arranged to operate according to a first Radio Access Technology, a second access network arranged to operate according to a second Radio Access Technology, and a user device which is connectable to the first access network and to the second access network. The system also includes an authentication node arranged to identify the user device, when seeking access to the second access network, through a user device identifier for the user device, wherein the user device identifier is associated with the first access network. A query node provides information about a context of the user device in the first access network based on the user device identifier. An access selection node generates an access selection decision for the access sought by the user device to the second access network based on the provided context, and the access selection decision is then executed.
US08942756B2
An uplink power control technique may include a simplified maximum sector throughput (SMST) and a generalized maximum sector throughput (GMST). The SMST and GMST techniques may be used to determine a maximum sector throughput and cell-edge throughput to enhance the overall efficiency of the communication system. The uplink power control technique may determine the optimal uplink power value without collecting interference over thermal noise and without computing the individual channel losses in each neighboring sector.
US08942754B2
A User Equipment (UE) for allocating power for uplink transmission to an evolved Node B (eNB) is described. The UE includes a processor and memory that is in electronic communication with the processor. Executable instructions are stored in the memory. The UE obtains a power headroom. The UE also obtains a threshold. Also, the UE reduces power consumption if the power headroom is less than the threshold. The power headroom is based on the difference between a maximum uplink transmit power and an estimated uplink transmit power.
US08942750B2
A method and apparatus for controlling transmit power in a mobile wireless device connected simultaneously to two or more cells in a wireless network are described. The mobile wireless device is connected simultaneously to a first cell in the wireless network through a high speed data connection and to a second cell in the wireless network through a low speed voice connection. The mobile wireless device executes received transmit power up and transmit power down control commands received from the first cell. The mobile wireless device executes transmit power up control commands and ignores transmit power down control commands received from the second cell.
US08942745B2
Apparatus and methods are disclosed for mitigating interference to radio base stations. A first base station provides a served cell that at least partially overlaps a served cell of a second base station. The first and second base stations are part of a telecommunications system. The method includes identifying at least one carrier that is preferable for the second base station to utilize for communications with at least one UE to avoid interference. The method further includes communicating an instruction message from the first base station to the second base station that instructs the second base station to use the at least one carrier for communications.
US08942744B2
Provided is a white space use system using a connection recognition signal, which is associated with technology that enables white space devices to search for and to use an available frequency band in a digital broadcasting system. In particular, provided is a white space use system using a connection recognition signal that enables even devices incapable of autonomously searching for an available channel to safely use a white space in interaction with white space devices.
US08942743B2
iAlert_Enhanced_Alert_Manager enables a user to register an interest in their current location, as well as persons, places and/or things in which the user holds some regard. The iAlert_Enhanced_Alert_Manager provides notification and clarifying information to user's devices concerning events/happenstance that have occurred or are likely to occur within a proximity of registered persons, places, and/or things. The iAlert_Enhanced_Alert_Manager comprises data structures (e.g. an Affinity Table, a SPIN table, a SPIN-List Table, an Affinity-List Table, and a Keyword-List Table) to manage affinities, Spheres of Influence (SPINs), and relationships therebetween that may positively or negatively induce a person. Timely notification of events/happenstance to a user comprises the computation of iEvent-vectors and iAlert-vectors. An iEvent-vector contains fields pertaining to events/happenstance whereas an iAlert-vector comprises information pertaining to notifications. Transmission of a notification is determined as a function of the magnitude of an event/happenstance and the proximity of an event/happenstance to registered objects of interest.
US08942732B2
Provided is a distributed system and method for enabling new and useful location dependent features and functionality to mobile data processing systems. Mobile data processing systems (MSs) interact with each other as peers in communications and interoperability. Data is shared between mobile data processing systems to carry out novel Location Based eXchanges (LBX) of data for new mobile applications. Information which is transmitted inbound to, transmitted outbound from, or is in process at, a mobile data processing system, is used to trigger processing of actions in accordance with user configured permissions, charters, and other configurations. In a preferred embodiment, a user configurable platform is provided for quickly building well behaving LBX applications at MSs and across a plurality of interoperating MSs.
US08942725B2
Methods, program products, and systems for using a location fingerprint database to determine a location of a mobile device are described. A mobile device can use location fingerprint data and readings of a sensor to obtain a location observation. The mobile device can use the location observation in a particle filter for determining a location of the mobile device at a venue. Using state of movement of the mobile device and a map of the venue, the mobile device can determine one or more candidate locations of the device. The mobile device can then update the candidate locations using a next observation, and determine a probability density function based on the candidate locations. The mobile device can then present to a user a most probable location as a current location of the device in the venue.
US08942724B2
A number-of-terminals estimation device has a unit to acquire location data; a unit to acquire location acquisition time information of second location data immediately preceding the first location data and third location data immediately following the first location data, from location data including the same identification information; a unit to calculate a feature amount of the first location data, based on at least two of the location acquisition time information of the first to third location data; a unit to acquire observation target location data including location acquisition time information after an observation start time and before an observation end time and including location information corresponding to observation area information; and a unit to estimate the number of terminals located in the observation area during the observation period, based on feature amounts of the observation target location data and the length of the observation period.
US08942721B1
A non-transitory processor-readable medium storing code representing instructions to be executed by a processor includes code to cause the processor to receive from a wireless access point (WAP) device frequency-domain data associated with signals received at the WAP device from a wireless device during a time period. The code includes code to determine multiple frequency-domain magnitudes associated with the frequency-domain data for the time period to define a spectral magnitude signature associated with the frequency-domain data. Each frequency-domain magnitude from the multiple frequency-domain magnitudes is uniquely associated with a frequency bin from multiple mutually-exclusive frequency bins associated with the frequency domain data. The code also includes code to identify a spectral response deviation associated with the spectral magnitude signature and send a location identifier associated with a location of the wireless device based on the spectral response deviation.
US08942717B2
Techniques are described that provide load balancing in wireless networks. For instance, a device (e.g., a first access point) may receive one or more current operational characteristics for each of one or more neighbor APs. Also, the first AP may determine a received signal strength for each of these neighbor AP(s). In turn, the first AP selects one or more reportable neighbor APs from these neighbor APs. Further, the first AP transmits a beacon. This beacon includes, for each reportable neighbor AP, the corresponding one or more current operational characteristics and the corresponding received signal strength.
US08942711B2
Systems and techniques for providing a telecommunications service by receiving a request for a telecommunications service from a wireless client, providing a local exchange point of presence to the wireless client in response to the request, and providing the telecommunications service to the wireless client through the local exchange point of presence. The local exchange point of presence may be based on the geographic location of the wireless client.
US08942710B2
A potential traffic load imbalance condition associated with sector carriers is detected. The traffic loading for the sector carriers is balanced based, at least, on causing one or more idle mobile devices to select a new sector carrier by adjusting one or more idle mode parameters. Detecting the potential traffic load imbalance condition includes: identifying an overloaded sector carrier; identifying an set of overlaid sector carriers, wherein the set of overlaid sector carriers includes one or more sector carriers in an area surrounding the overloaded sector carrier; and determining a number of idle mobile devices and corresponding signal strengths of mobile devices camping on sector carriers of the set of overlaid sector carriers. Balancing the traffic loading includes: determining the number of mobile devices to shift from the overloaded sector carrier, and initiating the shift by adjusting idle mode parameters.
US08942706B2
A radio network controller is operable in both a unicast signaling mode and a bi-cast signaling mode. In unicast signaling mode, the radio network controller is operable to send radio resource control signals to a mobile station through a serving cell. The radio network controller is operable to go into bi-cast signaling mode during a hard handover. In the bi-cast signaling mode, the radio network controller is operable to send radio resource control messages to the mobile station through both the current serving cell and a target cell. The mobile station is configured to listen to both the current serving cell and the target cell for radio resource control messages. User data, however, is transmitted only from the current serving cell to the mobile station.
US08942702B2
A user equipment (UE) acquires a time of a first cell of a first RAT and receives instructions to handover from a source RAT to the first cell of a first target RAT. The handover is delayed based on the acquired timing and the UE communicates on the source RAT during the delay.
US08942701B2
Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed for managing coexistence of secondary users in RF spectrum. An example embodiment includes selecting by an apparatus, a candidate network controller to which to transfer from a serving network controller, responsibility for resource allocation for a wireless network served by the serving network controller, based on one or more criteria for selection including characteristics of one or more wireless networks served by the candidate network controller; transmitting by the apparatus, to a selected candidate network controller, a request to transfer the responsibility for resource allocation for the wireless network, based on the one or more criteria for selection; and causing by the apparatus, the serving network controller to relinquish the responsibility for resource allocation for the wireless network, if the selected candidate network controller indicates that it will assume the responsibility.
US08942699B2
A base station communicates with a mobile station that receives downlink data from the base station and that transmits uplink data to a second base station. The base station includes a data transmitter configured to transmit the downlink data to the mobile station; and a control information receiver configured to receive from the mobile station through a path passing through the second base station, feedback information concerning the downlink data transmitted by the data transmitter.
US08942698B2
Access terminals are adapted to communicate with registration servers to enable a registration server to perform timer-based registrations on behalf of an access terminal. The access terminal can cease performing such timer-based registrations as long as the registration server performs the registrations, and may power down until event data is available for transmission or reception. When a registration server performs timer-based registrations on behalf of an access terminal, the registration server can periodically communicate with a network entity to conduct the timer-based registrations for the access terminal. The network entity can receive a timer-based registration message from a registrations server for registering an access terminal. In response to such a message, the network entity can register the access terminal. Sensors and controllers may be used with some embodiments to collect and analyze data and for potentially taking action. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.
US08942692B2
Remote mobile device management is provided. a master user account is established based on a request from a master user and a request to associate a remote mobile device with the master user account is received. The remote mobile device is associated with the master user account and management information is received from the master user account that is associated with the remote mobile device including restriction activation information. An indication of movement is received when the remote mobile device is moving at a speed above a restriction threshold and the restriction or monitoring of at least one device capability of the remote mobile device is provided based on the restriction activation information and the indication of movement. An indication of deceleration is received when the remote mobile device has decelerated and the restoration of the at least one device capability is provided based on the indication of deceleration.
US08942691B2
An aftermarket telematics unit is disclosed herein. The aftermarket telematics unit includes, but is not limited to a housing that is configured to be mounted to an internal surface of a vehicle. The aftermarket telematics unit further includes an angle detection unit that is associated with the housing and that is configured to detect a mounting angle of the housing. The aftermarket telematics unit still further includes a processor that is associated with the housing. The processor is configured to perform an initial configuration procedure and is further configured to discontinue the initial configuration procedure when the mounting angle is out of a target range.
US08942681B2
A multiparty call processing method and mobile terminal implemented with the multiparty call processing method is provided. A multiparty call processing method for a mobile terminal detects a call request to a first network, determines whether the mobile terminal is in a full state of the first network, and sends a call request message to a second network when the mobile terminal is in the full state of the first network.
US08942680B2
A system and method for retrieving the dynamic state of mobile communication devices is disclosed. The key state indicators from mobile communication devices are retrieved to target user requested contents or advertising contents for users of the communication devices. The method for delivering the contents to mobile communication devices includes determining key state indicators (KSI) of mobile communication devices sending the determined values to a server, and orienting the values to send the content to users of said mobile communication devices, on request. The key state indicators of mobile communication devices comprises of device state, link state, network state, behavior state and dynamic state of the device. The values of key state indicators are calculated and stored in said mobile communication device in a Mobile Advertising Record (MAR) format.
US08942677B2
Embodiments of systems, methods, and machine-readable media are disclosed for enabling the management of a transit user account of a transit system with a mobile device. Embodiments of a transit system utilizing such transit user accounts are also disclosed. Embodiments for enabling a mobile device to manage a transit user account can include receiving an identification code of a fare media and receiving contact information of the mobile device. The transit user account, which can be used in transactions of the transit system associated with the fare media, can be created using user information and a passcode. Additionally, the mobile device can be authenticated by sending at least one message to the mobile device and receiving at least one message from the mobile device.
US08942670B1
Real-time customer feedback of call information is determined by a carrier network. Databases are used to map individual phone numbers to the carrier currently servicing that number and to lookup the carrier information for the other party during each call. This information may be displayed on the customer's handset device. Furthermore, this called party network carrier information could be used in conjunction with information about the calling party's rate plan to display the actual cost status of the call on the customer's handset.
US08942658B2
A directional notch filter for simultaneous transmit and receive of wideband signals comprises an antenna, an antenna match, a receiver, a power combiner, a first directional coupler, a second directional coupler and a shaping filter accepting a signal and producing a compensation signal as a replica of an antenna reflection transfer function, wherein the first and second directional couplers produce signals and portions of signals received by the antenna and sent to the receiver via the power combiner. The receiver can produce a receiver signal and the first directional coupler can produce a first signal as a portion of an overall signal received by the antenna, the first signal comprising at least reflection of a signal from the power amplifier and the second directional coupler samples a small portion of the receiver signal, said second directional coupler producing a second signal.
US08942657B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure can include, for example, an apparatus having a matching network adapted to reduce a magnitude of a signal reflection at a port of the matching network. The matching network can have one or more controllable variable reactive elements. A controller can be adapted to determine reflection coefficient information from incident and reflected waves sampled at the port of the matching network, and follow at least one cycle of a coarse tune process for generating one or more control signals to tune one or more reactances of the one or more controllable variable reactive elements. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US08942655B2
An integrated circuit comprising processing logic for operably coupling to radio frequency (RF) receiver circuitry arranged to receive a wireless network signal. The receiver circuitry generates in-phase and quadrature digital baseband representations of the wireless network signal. The processing logic determines quadrature (I/Q) imbalance of the RF receiver circuitry based on the in-phase and quadrature digital baseband representations of the wireless network signal.
US08942654B2
An information handling system includes a capacitor, an antenna, a wireless wide area network card, an embedded display port interface, and a digital-to-analog converter. The capacitor has a variable capacitance that varies based on a voltage applied to the capacitor. The antenna is coupled to the capacitor, and has a variable resonance frequency that is based on the variable capacitance. The wireless wide area network card is in communication with the antenna, and is configured to set the variable resonance frequency to a specific frequency based on a control signal. The embedded display port interface is configured to transmit the control signal from the wireless wide area network card to a display control circuit via an auxiliary channel of the embedded display port interface. The digital-to-analog converter is in communication with the display control circuit, and is configured to provide the voltage to the capacitor in response to a signal from the display control circuit.
US08942652B2
An envelope tracking power supply and transmitter control circuitry are disclosed. The transmitter control circuitry receives a first envelope power supply control signal and a second envelope power supply control signal. The envelope tracking power supply operates in one of a group of operating modes, which includes a first operating mode and a second operating mode. During both the first operating mode and the second operating mode, a first envelope power supply signal is provided to a driver stage based on the first envelope power supply control signal. During the first operating mode, a second envelope power supply signal is provided to a final stage based on the first envelope power supply control signal. However, during the second operating mode, the second envelope power supply signal is provided to the final stage based on the second envelope power supply control signal.
US08942642B2
A cellular phone including a transceiver and a processing module. The transceiver receives, from a device separate from the cellular phone, a radio or intermediate frequency signal. The radio frequency signal has been tuned by the device to a selected frequency. The intermediate frequency signal is a downconverted version of the radio frequency signal. Each of the radio and intermediate frequency signals includes the content. The content has been frequency modulated and broadcast at the selected frequency prior to the transceiver receiving the radio or intermediate frequency signal. A processing module downconverts the radio or intermediate frequency signal to a baseband signal and converts the baseband signal to a digital signal. The processing module either forwards the digital signal for audio play out of the content at the cellular phone or forwards the digital signal to the transceiver for transmission of the digital signal back to the device.
US08942634B2
Aspects of a method and system for interference suppression using information from non-listened base stations are provided. A wireless communication device may be operable to receive a raw signal comprising one or more desired signals from one or more serving base transceiver stations (BTSs) and comprising one or more undesired signals from one or more non-listened BTSs. The wireless communication device may be operable to generate first estimate signals that estimate the one or more undesired signals as transmitted by the one or more non-listened BTSs, generate an interference suppressed version of the raw signal based on the first estimate signals, and recover the one or more desired signals from the interference suppressed version of the raw signal. The non-listened BTSs may comprise one or more BTSs that are not serving the wireless communication device and are not involved in a hand off of the wireless communication device.
US08942633B2
A wireless communication device is provided with a first radio module and a second radio module inside. The first radio module performs wireless transceiving according to a plurality of first traffic patterns which each indicates allocations of a plurality of first slots for a plurality of forthcoming transmitting or receiving operations, respectively. The second radio module determines an indicator indicating at least one of a plurality of second traffic patterns which each indicates allocations of a plurality of second slots for a plurality of forthcoming transmitting or receiving operations, respectively. Particularly, one or more allocations of the second slots are selectively determined according to the first traffic patterns. Also, the second radio module transmits the indicator to a peer communication device, so that the peer communication device performs transmitting or receiving operations according to the indicator.
US08942621B2
There is provided a circuit for adjusting phases of IQ local signals. As to a local signal A and a local signal B generated by a local signal generating unit for the purpose of generating IQ quadrature local signals, the local signal B in which the gain is adjusted is added to the output of the local signal A to obtain the local signal A2, and the local signal A in which the gain is adjusted is subtracted from the output of the local signal B to obtain the local signal B2. Even if the phase relationship between the local signal A and the local signal B deviates from 90 degrees, the phase difference between the local signal A2 and the local signal B2 can be adjusted with ease by changing the adjustment amounts of variable amplifiers AMP1 and AMP2.
US08942613B2
A sliding member for a fixing device includes at least a fluororesin layer that has a sliding surface, the sliding surface having a plurality of recesses that are dotted over the sliding surface, the sliding member satisfying conditions (1) and (2) below: (1) the dotted recesses exhibit an array pattern including a grid array, the grid array having a plurality of basic arrays that are contiguous, the basic arrays each including a basic grid and a central point of the basic grid, the basic grid being defined by four grid points and having one side parallel to a sliding direction, at least one of the central points of the basic arrays in the grid array being displaced from the grid array; and (2) at least one of the recesses is placed over an entire width of the sliding surface, when the sliding surface is viewed along the sliding direction.
US08942607B2
A guide device for guiding a recording medium discharged from a fixing device includes a first conveyance wall plate and at least one rib assembly mounted on the first conveyance wall plate. The at least one rib assembly includes a plurality of primary ribs contacting the first conveyance wall plate, each having a first thickness in a recording medium conveyance direction; and a plurality of secondary ribs mounted on selected ones of the plurality of primary ribs. Each secondary rib includes a bottom contacting the primary rib and having a second thickness in the recording medium conveyance direction that is smaller than the first thickness of the primary rib; and a top contacting the recording medium and having a third thickness in the recording medium conveyance direction that is smaller than the second thickness of the bottom of the secondary rib.
US08942606B2
An image forming apparatus that transfers a developer image onto a sheet and forms the developer image on the sheet includes a developer image carrier, a first pressing member, a transfer member, a first voltage supply, and an adherence part. The developer image carrier holds the developer image and moves in a predetermined direction in which the sheet is being carried. The first pressing member presses against the developer image carrier from a side opposite to a side on which a developer image is held. The transfer member is arranged against the first pressing member through the developer image carrier, the first pressing member and the transfer member being responsive to a first voltage applied therebetween to transfer the developer image from the developer image carrier toward the transfer member. The adherence part adheres the sheet to the developer image carrier upstream the first pressing member in the predetermined direction.
US08942604B2
An image forming apparatus includes a primary transfer device to transfer a toner image formed on a photosensitive member onto an intermediate transfer member formed into a loop, a secondary transfer device disposed outside the looped belt to contact the intermediate transfer member to form a secondary transfer nip therebetween and transfer the toner image from the intermediate transfer member onto a recording medium, a first power supply to apply a constant-current controlled direct current bias to an inner circumferential side of the intermediate transfer member, and a second power supply to form an alternating electric field between the intermediate transfer member and the recording medium. The direct current bias has the same polarity as that of the toner image. The first power supply and the second power supply apply predetermined biases simultaneously when the recording medium is in the secondary transfer nip to transfer the toner image thereon.
US08942603B2
A developing device includes a static latent image supporting member having a photosensitive layer and being arranged to be rotatable; a developer supporting member arranged to be rotatable for developing a static latent image formed on the static latent image supporting member using developer to form an image; a developer supplying member arranged to contact with the developer supporting member and be rotatable for supplying developer; and a drive transmission unit disposed on a side of same end portions of the developer supporting member and the developer supplying member for rotating the developer supporting member and the developer supplying member in a same rotational direction. The developer supplying member is formed so that an outer diameter thereof on a side of the drive transmission unit becomes smaller than an outer diameter thereof on an opposite side.
US08942598B2
In an image forming apparatus, a rotating body has a follower member that is arranged to confront a drive member in an axial direction of the drive member. A drive transmitting member transmits drive force from the drive member to the follower member by coupling the drive member and the follower member with each other, while allowing relative positional deviation between the drive member and the follower member on a plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the drive member within a prescribed range. The drive member and the follower member have a drive-member side contact part and a follower-member side contact part, respectively. A making-contact member brings the drive-member side contact part and the follower-member side contact part into contact with each other.
US08942595B2
A developing device and image forming apparatus are provided. The developing device includes a chassis; a developer carrying member; a thickness regulating member; a supply member; and a conveying member. In a state in which the developing device is attached to a main body an opening of the chassis faces upward; the thickness regulating member pressure-contacts the developer carrying member from below the developer carrying member; the conveying member is disposed below the developer carrying member; the supply member overlaps a portion of the conveying member in a horizontal direction; and a portion of the conveying member is disposed within a vertical projection plane between a pressure-contact position of the thickness regulating member to the developer carrying member, and a contact position of the supply member to the developer carrying member. The image forming apparatus includes a main body; a plurality of photosensitive members; and a plurality of developing devices.
US08942594B2
A developing cartridge is provided for use with an image forming apparatus and may include a housing, a developing roller rotatably provided in the housing, and a developing roller gear configured to rotate integrally with the developing roller. Further, the developing cartridge can include a driving input gear configured to receive an external driving force and apply the received driving force to the developing roller gear. The driving input gear can be meshed with the developing roller gear or an intermediate gear can be provided to mesh with the developing roller gear and the driving input gear. Such an intermediate gear can be configured to apply the received driving force to the developing roller gear. Also, the developing cartridge can include a receiving member which is disposed between the housing and the developing roller gear and between the housing and the driving input gear.
US08942593B2
A method of removing the imaging drum (2) of a desktop laser printer and the like wherein pressure is applied to either one or both of the stub bearings (5) of the imaging drum mounted in support bearings (7) attached to the body of the printer cartridge to dislodge the stub bearings and thereafter the application of pressure is continued to force the stub bearings out of their support bearings to allow the drum to be released. This avoids the disadvantages of present known methods one of which involves sawing through the imaging drum and then sliding the two cut halves out of their respective bearings in the printer cartridge.
US08942588B2
An image forming apparatus including a feeding unit configured to feed a paper sheet, a fixing unit configured to fix a toner image onto the paper sheet fed by the feeding unit based on an image to be printed, and a determination unit configured to determine, for each page, whether to execute, by the fixing unit, fingerprint trace removal processing for removing a fingerprint trace adhering to the paper sheet fed by the feeding unit, wherein if it is determined to execute the fingerprint trace removal processing, the fixing unit is configured to perform the fixing of the toner image after performing the fingerprint trace removal processing.
US08942587B2
An electrostatic image developer includes a toner containing an external additive having a volume-average particle size of about 80 to 400 nm and an average circularity of about 0.7 to 0.85. The developer is used in an image forming apparatus including an image-carrying member having a top surface layer containing fluorocarbon resin particles, and a developer-carrying member that faces the image-carrying member and carries an electrostatic image developer, in which a value obtained by dividing the amount of developer on the developer-carrying member [g/m2] by a shortest distance between the image-carrying member and the developer-carrying member [μm] is about 0.8 to 1.8, and a peripheral velocity ratio of the developer-carrying member to the image-carrying member is about 1.5 to 5.0 or the developer-carrying member moves in a direction opposite to the image-carrying member in a facing portion.
US08942581B2
An image forming apparatus is configured to perform a collecting operation for moving the attached matter held on a holding roller onto the photosensitive drum and collecting the attached matter by a collecting unit. A bias control unit for controlling a bias applied to the holding roller is configured to: during an image forming operation, apply a first bias for moving the matter onto the holding roller; and during the collecting operation, apply a second bias for moving the attached matter onto the photosensitive drum. A speed control unit is configured to: control the holding roller to rotate at a first rotating speed during the image forming operation; and in a progress of the collecting operation, control the holding roller to rotate at a second rotating speed for a first period after the bias control unit applies the second bias to the holding roller.
US08942576B2
An image forming apparatus for forming an image based on an electrophotographic process applied to image data that represents the image includes a device configured to perform a periodic movement for image formation, a storage unit configured to store a table for correcting density variation caused by the device, the table initially generated when a physical property of the device is in a reference state, a prediction unit configured to predict an amplitude of the variation caused when the physical property is in a state different from the reference state, and an adjustment unit configured to adjust the table based on the amplitude predicted by the prediction unit.
US08942574B2
A light receiving device includes: a converter digitalizing an analog signal with a given sampling clock frequency, the analog signal being obtained through a photoelectric conversion of a received optical signal; a plurality of fixed distortion compensators compensating an output signal of the converter for waveform distortion with a fixed compensation amount that is different from each other; a plurality of phase shift detector circuits detecting a sampling phase shift from an output signal of the plurality of the fixed distortion compensators; a phase-adjusting-amount determiner determining a sampling phase adjusting amount with use of an output signal of the plurality of the phase shift detector circuits; and a phase adjusting circuit reducing a phase difference between the sampling clock frequency and the received optical signal based on a determination result of the phase-adjusting-amount determiner.
US08942572B2
A lighting system includes light fixtures not in communications with and not synchronized with one another, and one or more light sensors. Each light fixture separately emits data encoded visible light including light fixture information encoded therein in a manner that avoids visually perceptible flicker and enables light fixture information emitted by one light fixture to be distinguished from light fixture information emitted by other light fixtures. The light fixture information is encoded into data encoded visible light such that a difference between different levels of the data encoded visible light is indicative of an illumination capability of the light fixture and such that visually perceptible flicker is avoided. Each light sensor separately receives portions of data encoded light visible light emitted by multiple light fixtures and separately determines the identity of and the maximum and present illumination contributions for each light fixture.
US08942565B2
The path selection and wavelength assignment to a selected path are performed by mapping the wavelength reach to the demand distribution (agile reach) resulting in a 50-60% increase in the network reach. The network reach is further increased (about 2.2 times) when on-line measured performance data are used for path selection and wavelength assignment. The connections may be engineered/upgraded individually, by optimizing the parameters of the entire path or of a regenerator section of the respective path. The upgrades include changing the wavelength, adjusting the parameters of the regenerator section, controlling the launch powers, mapping a certain transmitter and/or receiver to the respective wavelength, selecting the wavelengths on a certain link so as to reduce cross-talk, increasing wavelength spacing, etc.
US08942559B2
As described herein, a network device includes an optical circuit switch to perform circuit switching. The network device also has a plurality of removable line cards, each of which includes a packet switch. A switching manager automatically reconfigures the optical circuit switch based on a configuration of the removable line cards to maintain a guaranteed packet switching bandwidth between active line cards.
US08942545B2
Even if times of accumulation of a plurality of contents overlap, each of the contents can be accumulated, and accumulation of the contents can be completed in time for the time and date when the contents are made public. A non-volatile storage portion (23) stores information regarding times of publication of a plurality of contents. When candidate times for the times of accumulation of the plurality of contents overlap, an accumulation time setting portion (24b) determines the order of the times of publication among the plurality of contents on the basis of the information regarding the times of publication stored in the non-volatile storage portion (23), and sets the time of accumulation for each content on the basis of the assessment result. A content accumulation portion (24c) accumulates the contents on the basis of the times of accumulation set by the accumulation time setting portion (24b).
US08942541B2
A recording medium enables special playback processing although part of the AV stream recorded therein is transformed. An AV stream, a first EP map, and a second EP map are recorded on the recording medium. In the AV stream, a part of the multiplexed stream including a first video stream and a second video stream is transformed. The first EP map indicates one or more entry points of the first video stream and the second EP map indicates one or more entry points of the second video stream. TS packets constituting I-pictures of the first video stream are indicated by every 4N-th entry point in the first EP map, and TS packets constituting I-pictures of the second video stream are indicated by the entry points whose presentation time is closest to the presentation time of any one of the every 4N-th entry point in the first EP map.
US08942538B2
Enhanced history buffer systems and methods are operable to temporarily store program content for program events. An exemplary embodiment receives program content corresponding to each of the plurality of program events, generates a unique discrete program content file in the enhanced history buffer for each of the plurality of program events, and stores the received program content for each of the plurality of program events in the associated one of the discrete program content files. Each discrete program content file begins at a known starting location in the enhanced history buffer and ends at a known ending location in the enhanced history buffer.
US08942529B2
An optical fiber tape assembly for attaching an optical fiber to the surface of a pipe comprising; at least one optical fiber; and a tape having an attachment means to enable attachment of the tape to the pipe; wherein the optical fiber runs longitudinal along the tape and is integral with the tape.
US08942527B2
A fiber optic cable for use in a downhole environment is disclosed. The fiber optic cable includes a tube having an interior region; an optical fiber disposed in the interior region of the tube; a gas in the interior region; and a gel in the interior region, wherein the gel is configured to reduce stress on the optical fiber in the presence of the gas at a temperature substantially near the flashpoint of the gel. One or more seals can be used to seal the gel and the inert gas in the interior region. In various aspects, the fiber optic cable can be used in a downhole environment.
US08942524B2
An optical coupling lens includes a body portion, two locating posts, and two converging portions. The body portion includes a first surface, a second surface perpendicular to the first surface, and a reflecting surface obliquely interconnected between the first surface and the second surface. The first surface defines two light-passing recesses. The locating posts perpendicularly extend from the first surface. The converging portions are formed on the second surface and correspond to the light-passing recesses. The reflecting surface is configured for reflecting parallel light beams from one light-passing recess toward a corresponding converging portion, and for reflecting parallel light beams from one converging portion toward a corresponding light-passing recess.
US08942518B2
An apparatus comprising a cascaded set of deinterleavers. A first optical deinterleaver is configured to receive a first optical signal and a second optical signal. A second optical deinterleaver is configured to receive the second optical signal and a first optical output of the first optical deinterleaver. A third optical deinterleaver is configured to receive a second optical output of the first optical deinterleaver. The apparatus comprises an optical power splitter configured to provide the second optical signal received by the first optical deinterleaver and by the second optical deinterleaver.
US08942517B2
A multi-mode interference includes a core portion suitable, at any point, for propagating an optical signal having multiple spatial modes. The core portion includes a shifting section for shifting phases of the spatial modes of the optical signal.
US08942514B2
Various embodiments are generally directed to creating and using an index based on eye movements of the human eye to store and retrieve images in an image database. An apparatus comprises a processor circuit and a storage communicatively coupled to the processor circuit and storing instructions operative on the processor circuit to receive a first eye movement data associated with a first image provided by the apparatus from an image database stored in the storage; determine a first identity of a first object at a first focus region in the first image indicated by the first eye movement data; search the image database for an image depicting the first object; and provide a second image depicting the first object from the image database. Other embodiments are described and claimed herein.
US08942506B2
An image processing device that sets weighting factors for captured image data and interpolation image data region by region based on in-focus state information indicating in-focus states of the respective regions, and synthesizes the captured image data and the interpolation image data based on the weighting factors. A weighting factor for interpolation image data in an in-focus region is smaller than a weighting factor for interpolation image data in at least a part of a region other than the in-focus region.
US08942503B1
A method of performing motion compensation includes dividing at least one frame of image data into blocks, performing phase plane correlation to determine a correlation surface for each block between a first frame and a second frame, using the correlation surfaces for each block in the first frame to produce a global correlation surface for a first frame, using the global correlation surface to produce a refined correlation surface, selecting peaks in the refined correlation surface, and perform sub-pixel motion vector calculations to produce global motion vectors using the peaks.
US08942497B2
Medium having decoding program effecting: extracting motion vector information, quantized DCT coefficients, and rounding method information from input information to be decoded; dequantizing quantized DCT coefficients to obtain DCT coefficients; performing inverse DCT conversion on the DCT coefficients to obtain an error image; synthesizing a prediction image of a currently decoded image by performing motion compensation using motion vector information, rounding method information, and a previously decoded reference image; and adding the prediction image to the error image; wherein the motion compensation is performed with half-pixel accuracy and uses bilinear interpolation to calculate intensity values of chrominance or luminance at points where no pixels actually exist in the reference image, the bilinear interpolation being performable using a positive or negative rounding method; wherein bilinear interpolation is performed using a rounding method specified by rounding method information; and wherein the rounding method information is included, in the currently decoded image.
US08942491B2
A binary image downsampling method, including the steps of generating a gray-scale image from a binary image having a background and one or more foreground portions, locating skeleton pixels in the one or more foreground portions, manipulating values of certain foreground pixels in the gray-scale image such that the differences between the values of the skeleton pixels and the background pixels become more significant, downsampling the gray-scale image with the manipulated values of the certain foreground pixels, and generating a downsampled binary image from the downsampled gray-scale image.
US08942487B1
An image similar to a target image is selected from among a set of candidate images. A set of image classifiers is first generated and used to create a fingerprint for each candidate image. A hash table is generated for each fingerprint segment, and an identifier for each candidate image is stored in each hash table based on the candidate image fingerprint value for the fingerprint segment associated with the hash table. A fingerprint is created for the target image using the set of classifiers. Segments of the target image fingerprints are compared to segments of the candidate image fingerprints using the hash table, and a candidate image similar to the target image is selected based on this comparison.
US08942473B2
A method and an apparatus for processing an image are provided. A buffer is provided and separated into a series of storage units. Each storage unit has a fixed size. The image is divided into pixel groups, and each pixel group corresponds to one storage unit. Each pixel group is compressed by one of candidate compression methods to obtain compressed data so that the compressed data of each pixel group fits the corresponding storage unit.
US08942467B2
Blocking artifacts are reduced by projecting each patch obtained from an input image onto a set of bases vectors to determine multiple representations for each patch. The set of bases vectors are learned from a training image, and the bases vectors include a full basis vector, and one or two subspace bases vectors. An optimal basis vector is determined in the set of bases vectors for each patch according to the projection. A threshold is applied to coefficients of the optimal basis vector to determine a filtered representation for each patch, and a reconstructed patch is generated using the filtered representation. Then, the aggregating the reconstructed patches are aggregated to produce an output image.
US08942466B2
Sensory input processing apparatus and methods useful for adaptive encoding and decoding of features. In one embodiment, the apparatus receives an input frame having a representation of the object feature, generates a sequence of sub-frames that are displaced from one another (and correspond to different areas within the frame), and encodes the sub-frame sequence into groups of pulses. The patterns of pulses are directed via transmission channels to detection apparatus configured to generate an output pulse upon detecting a predetermined pattern within received groups of pulses that is associated with the feature. Upon detecting a particular pattern, the detection apparatus provides feedback to the displacement module in order to optimize sub-frame displacement for detecting the feature of interest. In another embodiment, the detections apparatus elevates its sensitivity (and/or channel characteristics) to that particular pulse pattern when processing subsequent pulse group inputs, thereby increasing the likelihood of feature detection.
US08942465B2
Methods and systems for processing images are provided. One method includes obtaining a plurality of images corresponding to at least one area of an object and performing a rectification of at least some of the plurality of images using a reference structure. The method also includes performing a gradient vector field analysis on the rectified plurality of images of the object to identify anomaly regions within the object.
US08942463B2
A method for determining an image of a mask pattern in a resist coated on a substrate, the method including determining an aerial image of the mask pattern at substrate level; and convolving the aerial image with at least two orthogonal convolution kernels to determine a resist image that is representative of the mask pattern in the resist.
US08942462B2
A method to automatically quantify dendrite arm spacing in dendritic microstructures. Once a location of interest in a cast material specimen has been identified, the information contained in it is automatically analyzed to quantify dendrite cell size information that is subsequently converted into a quantified dendrite arm spacing through an empirical relationship or a theoretical relationship. In one form, the relationship between DCS and DAS is such that the DAS in dendritic structure of cast aluminum alloys may be automatically determined from the measurement of one or more of dendrite cell size and the actual volume fraction of the eutectic phases in the local casting microstructure. Non-equilibrium conditions may be accounted for in situations where a theoretical volume fraction of a eutectic phase of the alloy in equilibrium condition is appropriately modified. Thus, in situations where equilibrium conditions—such as those where the casting is cooled very slowly during solidification—does not apply (such as during rapid cooling and consequent solidification), the eutectic measured in the non-equilibrium condition, which can be smaller than the theoretical value in equilibrium, can be accounted for.
US08942455B2
A method (100) that registers a 3D heart volume (112, 114) obtained from either a pre-operative MR image or CT image (102) to an intra-operative fluoroscopic image using a mesh of the heart structure (106) as the basis for the registration.
US08942453B2
An ultrasonograph of the present invention comprises a probe (1), a controller (3) connected to the probe (1), and a display (4) connected to the controller (3). The controller (4) causes the display (4) to display a detected image of a target object detected by the probe (1) and an angular position relationship image showing a relative angular position of the probe to the detected image of the target object. This enables even a non-expert to take accurate measurements.
US08942445B2
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to correcting lung density variations in positron emission tomography (PET) images of a subject using a magnetic resonance (MR) image. A pulmonary vasculature and an outer extent of a lung cavity can be identified in a MR image corresponding to a thoracic region of the subject in response to an intensity associated with pixels in the MR image. The pixels within the outer extent of the lung cavity are classified as corresponding to the pulmonary vasculature or the lung tissue. Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can apply attenuation coefficients to a reconstruction of the PET image based on the classification of the pixels within the outer extent of the lung cavity.
US08942443B2
An art therapy computer system and a computer-readable storage medium having recorded a program for art therapy are disclosed. An aspect of the present invention provides a computer system that includes a drawing module, which presents a plurality of patterns and in which the drawing module selects a certain pattern, composes and colors a picture according to the working of a person tested for art therapy, an analysis module, which analyzes one or more factors from the colored picture, and a parsing module, which parses the psychological state, symptoms or disorders of the person tested for art therapy from the analyzed factors.
US08942442B2
A method and a device for use in conjunction with an imaging modality (202), for controlling the angular orientation of a needle-shaped object (212) while moving it along a path (214) from a given entry point to a given target point in a body during a percutaneous intervention. The device comprises a support unit (502, 602, 702, 802) for supporting a guiding unit (506, 706), which support unit provides a pair of parallel control planes (604, 606) which are at least partially detectable by the imaging modality. The guiding unit establishes a guiding axis (612, 818) substantially perpendicular to the pair of parallel control planes along which guiding axis the needle-shaped object is translatable. The angular orientation of an imaging plane (204) applied by the imaging modality determines a reference for the angular orientation of the pair of parallel control planes. By aligning the pair of parallel control planes with the imaging plane, the guiding axis is in correlation with the path from the entry point to the target point.
US08942440B2
A method for image acquisition is disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes acquiring, by a first imaging method, first image data of an object to be examined; acquiring, by a second imaging method, second image data of the object to be examined; generating an image file, the file format of which allows different logical layers of image data to be stored, in such a manner that the image file generated contains the acquired first image data in a first logical layer in the intended layer format and the acquired second image data in a second logical layer.
US08942437B2
A method and device for using a small area-array sensor to produce a larger image of a biological object is disclosed. In a method according to the invention, the presence of a biological object is detected, and images of the biological object are collected using the area-array sensor. Pixels from at least some of the collected area-images are discarded to produce a set having modified area-images, and the area-images of the set are combined to form an extended image using an image merging algorithm.
US08942428B2
A system may receive image data and capture motion with respect to a target in a physical space and recognize a gesture from the captured motion. It may be desirable to isolate aspects of captured motion to differentiate random and extraneous motions. For example, a gesture may comprise motion of a user's right arm, and it may be desirable to isolate the motion of the user's right arm and exclude an interpretation of any other motion. Thus, the isolated aspect may be the focus of the received data for gesture recognition. Alternately, the isolated aspects may be an aspect of the captured motion that is removed from consideration when identifying a gesture from the captured motion. For example, gesture filters may be modified to correspond to the user's natural lean to eliminate the effect the lean has on the registry of a motion with a gesture filter.
US08942426B2
An automatic inspection system is provided for monitoring rail track for detecting and generating alerts for certain hazards to the operation of trains that may cause various safety concerns and even derailment. The monitoring is during normal railway service runs without interrupting the normal railway services. In one implementation, an imaging module is used on a passenger or freight train to capture video images of the rail track under the train in motion. In one implementation, the captured video images are automatically processed in a computer using a software module which is based on digital image processing techniques and algorithms to determine whether an irregularity is present on the rail track. In one implementation, video images containing detected irregularities on the rail track are transmitted to a control center for further analysis and possible alert.
US08942422B2
A nonlinear self-calibration technique that may, for example, be used to convert a projective reconstruction to metric (Euclidian) reconstruction. The self-calibration technique may use a nonlinear least squares optimization technique to infer the parameters. N input images and a projective reconstruction for each image may be obtained. At least two sets of initial values may be determined for an equation to be optimized according to the nonlinear optimization technique to generate a metric reconstruction for the set of N images. The equation may then be optimized using each set of initial values according to the nonlinear optimization technique. The result with a smaller cost may be selected. The metric reconstruction is output. The output may include, but is not limited to, focal length, rotation, and translation values for the N images.
US08942412B2
A method or apparatus for controlling a media device using gestures may include, for example, modifying media content to generate first updated media content according to a comparison of first information descriptive of a first environment of the source device to second information descriptive of a second environment of the recipient device, capturing images of a gesture, identifying a command from the gesture, and modifying the first updated media content to generate second updated media content according to the command. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08942406B2
An object of this invention is to provide a canal-type receiver capable of reproducing sound fields spanning front-to-rear and/or top-to-bottom. Thus, an ear piece of the canal-type receiver has a substantially cylindrical shape and includes a cylindrical portion including a sound guiding tube emitting a sound wave, radiated from a sound-emission unit in a receiver, to the inside of the external auditory canal, the sound guiding tube is configured so that a directional sound wave radiation axis of the sound wave faces a predetermined position of a wall of the external auditory canal in such a state that a cylindrical portion of the ear piece is mounted at a predetermined position in the external auditory canal, whereby the sound wave radiated from the sound guiding tube is reflected by a portion of the external auditory canal wall to arrive at the eardrum.
US08942405B2
An earphone device comprises an inner casing enclosing one or more miniature drive units, and a movable cap or outer casing that moves relative to the inner casing. The inner casing has an extension member, such as a hollow post, terminating in an acoustic output port. A compressible foam bulb at least partially surrounds the extension member, and is decompressed and compressed by actuation of an adjustable member. The adjustable member may take the form, for example, of a pivoting lever, a helical cam, or a push-rod mechanism, among other things. A flange may be disposed around the periphery of the movable cap, in order to provide a seal surrounding the ear canal region. The compressible material may be gripped by the hollow extension member, and abut the movable cap or flange. Through actuation of the adjustable member, the compressible material may be decompressed and thus elongated for insertion into the wearer's ear, and may be compressed and thus widened or expanded to form an adequate seal with the wearer's ear canal region.
US08942404B1
The adjustable headset is an all in one device that includes an adjustable support band, a display system, a first and second ear cover, a computer system, a communications system, and a power source. The adjustable support band connects to each ear cover, with the ear covers being adjacent to a user's ears. The display system uses image projecting devices that use optics to refract images from through image refocusing devices and focus the projected image on a retina. The display system is attached to the ear covers by adjustable screen bars, which allow a user to change the general orientation of the display system. The computer system is capable of storing and running software programs and interfacing with connected devices by means of a set of connection ports or the communications system. The virtual goggles can adjust to meet individual comfort needs and interface with a variety of technologies.
US08942399B2
Disclosed herein, among other things, are systems and methods for wideband receiver modules for hearing assistance devices. One aspect of the present subject matter includes an apparatus for use with a hearing assistance device. The apparatus includes two low frequency spout-less receivers configured to act as a woofer, and a dual receiver attached to the front of the woofer, the receiver configured to act as a tweeter. According to various embodiments, the acoustical load for each of the two low frequency receivers form a channel on each side of the tweeter. The apparatus is adapted to extend bandwidth of the hearing assistance device and to maintain low vibration of the dual receiver, in various embodiments. Various embodiments include sharing back volumes for receivers and improved perforated wax protections guides to further improve device performance.
US08942395B2
A pointing element enhanced speaker system addresses the need for consistent sound. Despite wide variations in the design and architecture of different venues, the system helps performers ensure that they deliver the desired sound for their audiences. Performers and their technicians, though faced with grueling schedules that impose severe time constraints on equipment setup and tuning as the performers move between venues, may turn to the system to provide the sound desired at each new venue.
US08942394B2
A MEMS acoustic transducer provided with a substrate having cavity, and a membrane suspended above the cavity and fixed peripherally to the substrate, with the possibility of oscillation, through at least one membrane anchorage. The membrane comprises at least one spring arranged in the proximity of the anchorage and facing it, and is designed to act in tension or compression in a direction lying in the same plane as said membrane.
US08942393B2
A piezoelectric sound component that includes a resin sheet, a piezoelectric diaphragm, and a casing. The piezoelectric diaphragm vibrates by bending, and is attached to at least part of a central portion of the resin sheet excluding a peripheral portion of the resin sheet. The casing holds the peripheral portion of the resin sheet. The casing supports at least one corner portion of the piezoelectric diaphragm.
US08942392B2
A flat panel speaker system is provided. The system includes, a modified panel having a front surface and a rear surface, wherein the modified panel acts as a diaphragm for the flat panel speaker system; a supporting member coupled to the rear surface of the modified panel; and a detachable driver operationally coupled to the supporting member.
US08942389B2
Systems and methods for adjusting a bias voltage and gain of the microphone to account for variations in a thickness of a gap between a movable membrane and a stationary backplate in a MEMS microphone due to the manufacturing process. The microphone is exposed to acoustic pressures of a first magnitude and a sensitivity of the microphone is evaluated according to a predetermined sensitivity protocol. The bias voltage of the microphone is adjusted when the microphone does not meet the sensitivity protocol. The microphone is then exposed to acoustic waves of a second magnitude that is greater than the first magnitude and a stability of the microphone is evaluated according to a predetermined stability protocol. The bias voltage and the gain of the microphone are adjusted when the microphone does not meet the stability protocol.
US08942373B2
This present application relates to data encryption and decryption technology, and especially relates to a data encryption and decryption method and apparatus. The described encryption method comprises: packeting plaintext data to be encrypted, randomly assigning an encryption function to each group of the plaintext data, encrypting each group of the plaintext data with the encryption function respectively, and arranging the encrypted data according to its corresponding position in the plaintext data to form a ciphertext. The encryption apparatus includes: packet module, encryption function random assignment module and encryption processing module. This application also provides a data decryption method and apparatus. This invention randomly assigns an encryption function to the plaintext to be encrypted, and uses the assigned encryption function to encrypt the plaintext data to arrange and form a ciphertext, greatly strengthening the security of data storage, and achieving the perfect secrecy of data.
US08942372B2
The invention relates to a method for identifying an object comprising at least one object identifier with an object code that is used to verify the authenticity of the object. The method comprises the following steps: creation of a unique random system code consisting of a first and a second system code, the first part of the system code being generated from a first character set by a first random method and the second part of the system code being generated from a second character set by a second random method and saving of the system code together with at least one first object-specific information in a first data memory, the first part of the system code being encrypted by a first encryption method and the second part of the system code by a second encryption method prior to being saved; creation of a random encryption key from a third character set by a third random method, creation of a unique assignment identifier by an assignment method and saving of the encryption key, assignment identifier and at least one second object-specific piece of information in a second data memory; creation of the object code, consisting of the first part of the system code and the assignment key, encryption of the object identifier by a fourth encryption method and saving of the encrypted system code together with the encrypted object identifier in a third data memory; and attachment of the object code to the object.
US08942356B2
A system for detecting three-way calls in a monitored telephone conversation includes as speech recognition processor that transcribes the monitored telephone conversation and associates Characteristics of the monitored telephone conversation with a transcript thereof, a database to store the transcript and the characteristics associated therewith, and a three-way Call detection processor to analyze the characteristics of the conversation and to detect therefrom the addition of one or more parties to the conversation. The system preferably includes at least one domain-specific language model that the speech recognition processor utilizes to transcribe the conversation. The system may operate in real-time or on previously recorded conversations. A query and retrieval system may be used to retrieve and review call records from the database.
US08942347B2
The X-ray imaging apparatus includes an X-ray generator to generate X-rays having at least two different energy levels and irradiate the X-rays onto a subject, a detector to detect the X-rays irradiated by the X-ray generator and transmitted through the subject, and a device to obtain images from the X-rays detected by the detector, to obtain bone image information and soft tissue image information of the subject, based on the obtained X-ray images, and to produce one image including the bone image information and the soft tissue image information.
US08942332B2
A system and method is disclosed for reducing inter symbol interference in a high speed data transfer system. One or more decision logic circuits and one or more pull circuits are used to enable the signal level of a bit in a serial bit stream to achieve its nominal value.
US08942330B2
A method for reducing interference in a received downhole telemetry signal includes: segmenting a received signal; windowing each signal segment; transforming each windowed signal segment into a complex variable domain to generate a plurality of complex variable domain segments with an in-phase component vector I and a quadrature component vector Q; calculating a real amplitude vector A from the I and the Q vectors; filtering interferers in the amplitude vector A for each complex variable domain segment to generate a filtered amplitude vector Ã; recalculating an amplitude of the amplitude vector A using the filtered amplitude vector à to generate an output amplitude vector Â; scaling the I and the Q vectors by a factor Â/A to generate an output in-phase component vector I′ and an output quadrature component vector Q′; and transforming I′ and Q′ into the time domain to provide an interference-reduced output signal in the time domain.
US08942329B2
A method for frequency selection in a wireless communication system, includes performing in a wireless device, receiving at least one signal at a current frequency; processing at least one data packet received via the received at least one signal to determine the presence of bit errors; characterizing the received at least one signal received at the current frequency based on the processing of the at least one data packet; classifying the current frequency based on at least the characterization of the received at least one signal; and selecting the current frequency based on the classification. At least one signal strength measurement may be performed on the received at least one signal, and the processing of the at least one data packet may be performed within a current channel classification update interval.
US08942309B1
An intermediate voltage is maintained between a first voltage and a second voltage by conditionally or selectively performing data bus inversion (DBI) and/or data swap operations on a first and second transmit channel. The operations are performed to, in some instances, create a current imbalance between the first and second channel where the intermediate voltage drifts toward a target range or target value between the first voltage and second voltage in response to the created imbalance.
US08942306B2
A method selects a codebook for transmit beamforming. The method constructs an estimated channel matrix based on a codebook, selects a channel submatrix from the estimated channel matrix, calculates a selection matrix from the channel submatrix; and assigns a steering matrix based on the selection matrix. The method may construct an estimated channel matrix, select a channel submatrix, and calculate a selection matrix for each of multiple codebooks, then select an optimal codebook. The steering matrix is assigned based on the optimal codebook. The steering matrix may be used in steering a transmitted packet. The method may also calculate a post-MIMO equalizer signal-to-noise ratio for a data stream, based on the estimated channel matrix and the selected codebook. A related system is also disclosed. Other embodiments are provided, and each of the embodiments described herein can be used alone or in combination with one another.
US08942305B2
The present invention relates to a method for operating a communication system in a network, the system comprising a primary station and at least one secondary station, the primary station comprising a plurality of transmit antennas and the secondary station comprising a plurality of receive antennas, the method comprising the steps of the primary station selecting a first communication scheme among a plurality of communication schemes, the primary station computing a transmission vector on the basis of the first communication scheme, the secondary station computing a reception vector on the basis of a second communication scheme, the second communication scheme being selected among the plurality of communication schemes by the secondary station on the assumption that a predetermined communication scheme is being used by the primary station.
US08942304B2
A transmission method for transmitting a first modulated signal and a second modulated signal in the same frequency at the same time. Each signal has been modulated according to a different modulation scheme. The transmission method applies precoding on both signals using a fixed precoding matrix, applies different power change to each signal, and regularly changes the phase of at least one of the signals, thereby improving received data signal quality for a reception device.
US08942293B2
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.
US08942292B2
Techniques for efficient significant coefficients coding in scalable video codecs are described. In one configuration, a device including a processing circuit having a set of instruction operative to generate initialization tables for a current frame or slice is provided. The initialization tables have statistics of a significant coefficient pass for a previous encoded frame or slice using scalable video coding. The device also includes a transmitter to transmit the initialization tables with the current frame or slice to a decoder. The decoder can decode a frame or slice with the transmitted initialization tables. The decoder may also use resident default initialization tables.
US08942291B2
A remote resource access interface apparatus is provided. A key input unit has keys for generating input key values. A communication unit transmits a connection establishment request message including screen resolution information to, and receives a connection establishment response message including supportable key information from, a portable device. The communication unit transmits input key information to and receives video information from the portable device after establishing the connection. A pixel information processing unit converts the video information to pixel signals for a video output unit to display as a visual image. A key advisor unit extracts supportable key information from the response message and outputs the supportable key information to the video output unit. The video information is video data adjusted in resolution based on the screen resolution information, and the input key value is mapped to one of key values indicated by the key information of the portable device.
US08942288B2
Obtaining one or more motion vector predictor candidates includes: (a1) generating a motion vector predictor candidate, based on motion vectors of first adjacent blocks adjacent to a block to be processed in a first direction; and (a2) generating a motion vector predictor candidate, based on motion vectors of second adjacent blocks adjacent to the block to be processed in a second direction, and step (a2) (S500) includes: (S520) determining whether the first adjacent blocks include an inter-predicted block; and (S530) searching for a motion vector on which scaling processing can be performed from among the motion vectors of the second adjacent blocks when it is determined that the first adjacent blocks do not include an inter-predicted block, and executing, when the motion vector on which scaling processing can be performed is obtained in the search, scaling processing on the motion vector obtained in the search.
US08942279B2
An apparatus and a method for transmitting/receiving data in a dual mode terminal having a host modem and a slave modem are provided. In the method, when an external apparatus generates data, the host modem receives the generated data. The host modem determines a destination of the received data. The host modem forwards the received data to the determined destination.
US08942275B2
The disclosure relates to controlling uplink transmissions according to closed loop techniques such as closed loop uplink transmit diversity and uplink multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO). An exemplary method for use in a user equipment (61) configured for multi-antenna transmissions comprises a step of receiving (62), in a downlink channel, pre-coding vector information indicating a pre-coding vector for uplink transmission. The method further comprises a step of determining (63) whether the pre-coding vector indicated by the received pre-coding vector information is reliable or unreliable and steps of applying (64) the pre-coding vector indicated by the received pre-coding vector information for uplink transmission only if the pre-coding vector is determined to be reliable and applying (66) a pre-determined pre-coding vector when the pre-coding vector indicated by the received pre-coding vector information is determined to be unreliable.
US08942274B2
A radio apparatus comprising: a first transceiver means arranged to receive and transmit packets according to a first protocol; a second transceiver means arranged to receive or transmit packets according to a second, different protocol, the second transceiver means being located such that interference is possible between packets of the first and second protocols; analyzing means for determining a probability that a packet to be transmitted or received by the first transceiver means does not contain only redundant information; and decision means for making a decision based on the determined probability as to whether or not the packet should be respectively transmitted or received. The first transceiver means is arranged to respectively transmit or receive the packet or not according to the decision.
US08942272B2
Systems and methodologies are described that enable serving cell selection in a wireless network with a multiple antenna repeater operable to support MIMO communications. In one example, a repeater using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing on the downlink can be equipped to receive, by one or more receive antennas, one or more signals using one or more radio frequency (RF) isolation schemes. The repeater can further be equipped to amplify and delay the one or more signals using one or more combination schemes. Moreover, the repeater can be equipped to transmit, by one or more transmit antennas, the amplified and delayed one or more signals, wherein at least one of the one or more receive antennas or the one or more transmit antennas includes two or more antennas.
US08942270B2
A gas includes a housing having a symmetrical arrangement of upper and lower cooling members for removing heat generated in a gas-discharge excited by an electrode assembly. The electrode assembly is clamped between the cooling members and is itself essentially symmetrically arranged. The cooling members and the electrode assembly are mechanically isolated in the housing by a surrounding diaphragm-like arrangement that connects the cooling members to side-walls of the housing. An RF power-supply for supplying the electrode assembly is mounted on one of the sidewalls to avoid disturbing the symmetry of the cooling and electrode arrangements.
US08942261B2
A burst signal generator generates a burst signal that is a variable length portion whose length changes in accordance with fluctuations in data input at a predetermined period. An OFDM modulator generates an OFDM signal (including a guard interval portion and an effective symbol portion) that is a fixed length portion containing data corresponding to n (n is a positive integer) times or 1/n of the predetermined period. A frame includes the variable length portion and the fixed length portion. This makes a transmission signal actually have a frame period almost equal to the period of a signal synchronized with the clock of a player, including the fluctuations.
US08942259B2
One embodiment of the present invention uses an abbreviated blanking period, in comparison to the standard VESA and CEA-EIA blanking periods, in order to send data, including low bandwidth, non-timing information, over one or more channels of the digital video link. By shortening the blanking period, the amount of time available for sending data in each scan line is increased, enabling the system to send more data over each channel. The inactive video portion of a scan line sent during vertical sync may also be used to send additional digital data. Shortening the blanking periods and/or using the inactive video sections of the horizontal scan lines adds to the overall data capacity of the link and may be used to send other digital data, such as multichannel audio, video, control, timing, closed captioning or other digital data.
US08942256B1
In general, techniques are described for extending routing protocol advertisements to include respective attributes of constituent links of an aggregation group. In one example, a network device includes a management interface that receives configuration information that specifies first and second constituent links for a layer two (L2) aggregated interface. The first and second constituent links are physical links connected to respective physical interfaces of forwarding units of the network device. A routing protocol daemon of the control unit generates a link state message that specifies layer three (L3) routing information associated with the aggregated interface and further specifies an attribute of the first constituent link and an attribute of the second constituent link. The routing protocol daemon sends the link state message from the network device to another network device of the network in accordance with a routing protocol.
US08942255B2
An apparatus, method, and system are provided for binding application data associated with an application with content asset data associated with a content asset. In some embodiments, capacity or bandwidth for each of the application data and the content asset data may be allocated in accordance with one or more profiles. The one or more profiles may include horizontal aspects, vertical aspects, linear and non-linear aspects, and the like. In some embodiments, the binding may take place at a content provider location in accordance with early binding practices, at a central location in accordance with late binding practices, and/or at a user equipment device in accordance with user binding practices.
US08942252B2
A method and system for synchronizing the rendering of content at various rendering devices. Each rendering device has a device time and a rendering time. The synchronization system designates one of the rendering devices as a master rendering device and designates all other rendering devices as slave rendering devices. Each slave rendering device adjusts the rendering of its content to keep it in synchronization with the rendering of the content at the master rendering device. The master rendering device sends a message with its rendering time and corresponding device time to the slave rendering devices. Each slave rendering device, upon receiving the message from the master rendering device, determines whether it is synchronized with the master rendering time. If not, the slave rendering device adjusts the rendering of its content to compensate for the difference between the master rendering time and the slave rendering time.
US08942237B2
In one embodiment, a first physical overlay switch located at an edge of an IP network includes logic adapted for: receiving a packet having a virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier (ID) from a virtual switch, encapsulating the packet with an overlay header, tunneling the encapsulated packet via the IP network to a second physical overlay switch, receiving a second encapsulated packet having a second overlay header from the second physical overlay switch, de-encapsulating the second encapsulated packet to create a second packet having a second VLAN ID, and sending the second packet to the virtual switch.
US08942234B2
A first network element that receives an appropriation message from a second network element that indicates a target address which the second network element intends to appropriate for its use. In response to the appropriation message, the first network element broadcasts a discovery message to a plurality of network elements on the network to request a link-layer address in association with the first target address. The first network element receives a discovery response from the second network element with the first target address and the link-layer address of the second network element. Then the first network element updates a neighbor cache to include a pre-cached neighbor cache entry associating the link-layer address to the first target address. This prevents one or more future neighbor cache misses associated with the first target address.
US08942232B1
A multi-stage switching fabric provides a first tier and a second tier. The first tier may include a first plurality of switches, and the second tier may include a second plurality of switches, wherein each of the switches in the first tier are coupled to the switches in the second tier. Each of the switches in the first and second tiers may include a plurality of switching chips, wherein a given switching chip in a given switch is coupled to each other switching chip in the given switch. The fabric may further include a third tier comprising one or more core switches, wherein each switch in the second tier is coupled to at least one of the core switches.
US08942229B2
A method and apparatus for releasing radio resources from a mobile device for a call in a gateway to core network, the method monitoring an inactive period for call; and if the inactive period exceeds a predetermined threshold initiating a disconnection from the gateway to core network.
US08942211B2
A communication system includes: a service terminal configured to have a wireless LAN access point capability and a proximity communication capability, the wireless LAN access point capability enabling the service terminal to act as a wireless LAN access point to be connected via a network to a service provider providing a network connection service on a chargeable basis, the service terminal thereby offering the chargeable network connection service; and a user terminal configured to have a wireless LAN terminal capability and a proximity communication capability, the wireless LAN terminal capability enabling the user terminal to connect with the wireless LAN access point, the user terminal further connecting to the network using the chargeable network connection service.
US08942209B2
A system and method enable handover from a DC-HSUPA-capable node in a cellular wireless network to a non-DC-HSUPA-capable node. According to various aspects of the present disclosure, a handover may implement a legacy serving cell change procedure or an enhanced serving cell change procedure. In either case, signaling from the network to user equipment includes information to enable the user equipment to change or remove an Active Set when undergoing a handover from a cell with two uplink carriers and accordingly two Active Sets, to a cell with one uplink carrier and accordingly one Active Set.
US08942206B2
The invention relates to a method and system for performing packet switched handover in a mobile communication network. The system comprises a mobile node, a first and a second packet switching node. The method enables the parallel sending of logical link layer frames from the first and the second packet switching node. This is achieved so that the mobile node does not reject incoming frames received from two logical link layer entities having different states. The benefits of the invention are related to improved quality of service and the avoiding of gaps in received data during handover.
US08942199B2
This invention relates to a terminal apparatus that can possibly reduce situations in which upstream channel data are punctured by a plurality of response signals. When having received at least one piece of downstream allocation control information corresponding to a second downstream unit band, which is other than a first downstream unit band, of a plurality of unit bands, a control unit (208) maps a plurality of response signals, which are corresponding to the respective ones of the plurality of downstream unit bands established, to a first resource corresponding to the plurality of downstream unit bands established. When having received only the downstream allocation control information corresponding to the first downstream unit band of the plurality of unit bands established, the control unit (208) maps the response signal, which is corresponding to the first downstream unit band, to a second resource corresponding to the first downstream unit band.
US08942193B2
An IP flow is received by an Internet Protocol (IP) mobility anchor point, where the IP mobility anchor point is to anchor traffic of a mobile node. The IP mobility anchor point routes different subsets of the packets of the IP flow to corresponding different points of attachment of the mobile node.
US08942192B2
Methods and apparatus for providing wireless communications using subframe partitioning are disclosed. Two or more base stations may be allocated subframes in a radio frame. All or part of the subframe allocation may be provided to the associated user equipment (UEs), which may use it to determine signal metrics during assigned subframes for an associated base station.
US08942187B2
A method and apparatus to improve the quality of control signaling based on signaling messages controlling speech or data transmission over an air interface between at least two Multi-User-Reusing-One-Slot/Voice Services Over Adaptive Multiuser Channels On One Slot (MUROS/VAMOS) capable wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs). The WTRUs communicate with each other at the physical layer via signaling messages transmitted in control channels such as Slow Associated Control Channel (SACCH) and Fast Associated Control Channel (FACCH). Speech services are provided simultaneously over the same physical channel, and the Timing Advance (TA) and Power Command (PC) parameters of a WTRU are multiplexed in several occurrences of the SACCH or FACCH to increase the number of channel bits available for channel coding.
US08942186B2
A data communication network. The network includes a transmitter unit for transmitting data and a receiver unit for receiving data from the transmitter unit. The network has two or more data channels via which data may be transmitted by the transmitter unit to the receiver unit. The receiver unit includes a receiver channel selection unit for selecting a reception channel from the at least two data channels. The receiver channel selection unit operates independent from a selection of a transmission channel by a transmission channel selection unit in the transmitter unit. The transmission channel selection unit is arranged to select a transmission channel from the at least two data channels to transmit data to the receiver unit.
US08942181B2
An embodiment of the invention describes a wireless device comprising a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) further comprising a memory for storing program code for performing a plurality of operations, and a processor for processing the program code to execute the plurality of operations, the operations including receiving over-the-air instructions via a wireless network from a control center to create a rules set in the SIM, wherein the rules set defines an acceptable behavior of the wireless device, monitoring requests from a wireless modem of the wireless device for access files stored in the SIM, detecting an aggressive behavior of the wireless device based on the rules set, and blocking the wireless modem from generating traffic in the wireless network.
US08942176B2
The transmission of a reference signal, such as a CSI-RS, is enabled while maintaining a power saving effect when performing inter-cell cooperative transmission/reception or the like in a plurality of cells. In order to realize inter-cell cooperative transmission/reception, a CSI-RS which is used for estimating the state of a spatial propagation path of a communication line is generated by a CSI-RS generation unit, and the CSI-RS is disposed in a predetermined subframe by a disposition unit and transmitted. At this time, when a frame has ten subframes #0 to 49, the CSI-RS is disposed in the subframes #4 and #9, which are subframes excluding the subframes #0 and #5 incapable of transmitting a CSI-RS and are subframes other than subframes capable of acting as MBSFN subframes when discontinuous communication (Extended Cell DTX) is performed so as to achieve power saving, and transmitted.
US08942172B2
A method for positioning a mobile device in a wireless wide area network (WWAN) is provided. The method includes determining three measurement circles according to coordinates of three base stations and respectively calculating radiuses of the three measurement circles and distances between the three base stations. The method uses genetic algorithm to derive the best solution of a plurality of variables of an object function and estimates the position of the mobile device according to the best solution. Accordingly, non-line-of-sight (NLOS) errors are reduced, and more accurate positioning can be provided.
US08942167B2
A method, apparatus and computer program product for providing seamless Internet Protocol multicast connectivity in unified networks is presented. The systems disclosed herein are able to transfer, from a designated (i.e., first) VLAN to a roaming (i.e., second) VLAN, a multicast stream from a multicast server in a mobility VLAN that is not available at the roaming VLAN. In operation, example embodiments of the present invention receive a report identifying a roaming mobile unit as a member of a first VLAN and forward the report to a first mobility switch in the first VLAN. The multicast stream is then received and forwarded toward the roaming mobile unit in the second VLAN so that transfer of the multicast stream from the first VLAN to the second VLAN is seamless.
US08942165B2
Systems and methodologies are described herein that facilitate distributed multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) or cooperative multipoint (CoMP) communication in a wireless communication system. As described herein, multiple cells, such as a serving cell and an auxiliary cell, can cooperate to conduct communication with one or more associated terminals. In one example described herein, an associated core network can exchange data and/or control signaling with a single cell communicating with a given terminal, which can then tunnel respective data and/or control signaling to other cell(s). By doing so, CoMP communication can be made transparent to the core network and can be achieved without requiring changes to the network. As further described herein, a terminal can exchange Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) assignments and/or other information exclusively with the serving cell in addition to or in place of other information exchanged with a serving cell and/or an auxiliary cell.
US08942162B2
In order to improve continuous packet connectivity (CPC), the present invention provides a method of improving CPC for a UE working in a HS-SCCH less operation in a wireless communications system. The method includes treating a received data as a specific data to be decoded when the received data is the data of the third transmission for a base station and the data in a soft buffer pointed by the third transmission is not the second transmission for the base station in the wireless communications system.
US08942155B2
Provided is a data transmitting method for providing a machine type communication (MTC) service in a mobile communication system. The method includes subscribing, by the MTC device, to a multicast service, and recognizing, by the MTC device, at least one wirelessly announced multicast service and performing joining for a desired multicast service. In cases other than a case in which the MTC device performs the joining to transmit collected data information, the method further includes starting, by a broadcast multicast-service center, a session for the multicast service, performing group paging for at least one MTC device that will receive the multicast service, and transmitting multicast service-related data to the at least one MTC device that will receive the multicast service.
US08942154B2
A method for multiplexing multiple MBMS services in an MBSFN is provided according to the present invention, comprising: at the beginning of a session, determining, by a BNA-SC, MBMS services to be multiplexed together; estimating, by the BM-SC, bandwidth requirement needed for multiplexing the MBMS services together and informing an MCE of the bandwidth requirement so as to assign radio resources by the MCE; receiving, by the BM-SC, packet data for the MBMS services to be multiplexed together, from a server; prioritizing, by the BM-SC, the MBMS services to be multiplexed together if the actual bandwidth that is occupied by the packet data for the MBMS services to be multiplexed together exceeds the bandwidth requirement; reordering, by the BM-SC, the packet data for the MBMS services to be multiplexed together according to the result of prioritization, and informing respective base stations in the MBSFN area of the result of reordering; and multiplexing, by respective base stations, the packet data for the MBMS services to be multiplexed together on radio resources assigned by the MCE and transmitting the multiplexed packet data according to the result of reordering informed by the BM-SC.
US08942152B2
A network device may be provided with a PHY layer process unit, a determination unit configured to determine that a link state is a link up state or a link down state, and a first control unit configured to control an electrical power supply for the PHY layer process unit. The first control unit may be configured to stop a continuous electrical power supply for the PHY layer process unit if the determination unit determines that the link state is the link down state during a first period in which the continuous electrical power supply is being performed, perform a temporary electrical power supply for the PHY layer process unit during a second period, and commence the continuous electrical power supply if the temporary electrical power supply is performed during the second period and the determination unit determines that the link state is the link up state.
US08942143B2
A time division duplex orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (TDD-OFDM) distributed antenna system (DAS), a base station and a remote access unit for the same are provided. The base station performs an inverse fast Fourier transform on a user downlink signal, a transmitting/receiving enable signal and an input control signal to generate a first OFDM signal. The user downlink signal is carried on a used subcarrier set of the first OFDM signal, while the transmitting/receiving enable signal and the input control signal are carried on a guard band subcarrier set of the first OFDM signal. The remote access unit receives the first OFDM signal via a fiber transmission line, switches between a transmitting mode and a receiving mode periodically, performs a clock synchronization with the base station according to the transmitting/receiving enable signal, and performs a system configuration according to the input control signal.
US08942138B2
Methods and apparatus to determine a capacity for a network topology are disclosed herein. An example method includes accessing a topology comprising a plurality of links; applying weights to the links; selecting a traffic element, the selected traffic element comprising a source node, a destination node, and a traffic demand; for each of the links: (a) determining for a selected link from the plurality of the links, whether the selected traffic element may be routed on the selected link without adding capacity to the selected link; and (b) applying penalties to the weights associated with the links that cannot support the selected traffic element without adding capacity; determining, based on the weights and penalties of the links, a routing path comprising at least one of the links between the source node and the destination node; and determining capacities of at least some of the links based on the routing path.
US08942136B2
A system is used in a wireless communication system made up of cells, at least one of which includes at least one sector. The system includes first access points in a first area of a sector of a cell. The first access points are prohibited from communicating over a first frequency. The system also includes second access points in a second area of the sector of the cell. The second access points are prohibited from communicating over a second frequency that is different from the first frequency.
US08942126B2
The present invention reduces the increase of the amount of feedback information, and, regardless of whether the correlation between antennas is high or low, increases the data rate upon MIMO transmission. A feedback information transmission method to assume a Hermitian transpose of a precoding matrix corresponding to a PMI that is selected in accordance with the amount of channel variation as a channel matrix (effective channel: hk,effH) and transmit feedback information to use in MIMO transmission to a base station apparatus, includes selecting a PMI and an RI in accordance with the amount of channel variation and measuring a CQI for single-user MIMO transmission, calculating complementary information (for example, CQI difference information ΔCQI) to complement the difference between the CQI for single-user MIMO transmission and a CQI for multi-user MIMO transmission, and transmitting the PMI, RI, CQI for single-user MIMO transmission and complementary information to the base station apparatus as feedback information.
US08942125B2
A method and an apparatus for transmitting and receiving a feedback signal in a cellular mobile communication system is provided. The method of transmitting feedback in a Cooperative Multi-Point (CoMP) system, includes receiving feedback set information including allocation information of a Channel Status Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) transmitted for estimating a channel of a User Equipment (UE), receiving IDentification (ID) information for identifying a CoMP set including CSI-RS allocation information from a cell operating in a CoMP mode, extracting the CoMP set using the ID information and a feedback set, detecting a first feedback mode and first feedback timing with a first CSI-RS not included in the CoMP set among CSI-RSs included in the feedback set, and generating and transmitting feedback with respect to the first CSI-RS according to the detected first feedback mode and the first feedback timing.
US08942124B2
A method, performed by a user equipment (UE), for transmitting Buffer Status Reporting (BSR) information from the UE to a base station (BS) in a wireless telecommunication network, includes storing data to be transmitted, via a logical channel, in a transmission buffer, the logical channel being provided with a priority level and a specific Prioritized Bit Rate (PBR) parameter indicating a resource level to allocate to the UE for transmitting the stored data, wherein the BSR information represents an amount of data present in the transmission buffer of the UE, receiving new uplink data belonging to a logical channel for which no data already existed in the UE transmission buffer, and transmitting Buffer Status Reporting information upon receipt of the new uplink data.
US08942120B2
Nodes in an ad hoc mobile network are monitored to provide secure routing of packets. Malicious or selfish behaviors by nodes are used to maintain and distribute node reputations. Based on the reputation, the most secure route, which can have multiple paths, is selected for packet communications. In conjunction with secure routing, a forward error correction code is adaptively optimized according to the reputation through every adjacent nodes along the route to avoid eavesdropping and falsification by malicious nodes.
US08942115B2
A system and method are described for dynamically routing push notifications to users over the most efficient network path. For example, in one embodiment, presence information associated with a device of a user is monitored. The presence information indicates whether the first device is currently connected to a wireless network and a current network location of the device. The channel quality for packets transmitted between the first device and a first gateway and between the first device and a second gateway is also monitored and is used to select between the first and second gateways when transmitting push notifications.
US08942113B2
An approach is provided for optimizing power consumption and costs associated with routing information over a transport environment. A first collection interval corresponding to retrieval of a first data set specifying power consumption information and associated cost information for a plurality of routing nodes is determined. The first data set is compared with a second data set specifying power consumption information and associated cost information for a second collection interval. Routing metrics of the plurality of routing nodes are determined based on the comparison, wherein the routing metrics specify relative desirability of the plurality of routing nodes for establishing one or more communication paths formed by one or more of the plurality of routing nodes based on the routing metrics.
US08942111B2
Disclosed is a method for setting configuration parameters for a communication network. Performance data is periodically obtained, the performance data including information concerning performance at least in some part of said communication network. On the basis of said performance data, an appropriate set of configuration parameters is automatically chosen for at least one network element of the communication network amongst at least two predefined sets of configuration parameters. The chosen appropriate set of configuration parameters is automatically provided for use in said at least one network element, if said appropriate set is not already in use in said at least one network element.
US08942109B2
An automated method for testing audio signal quality of cell phone transmissions provides a Mean Opinion Score (MOS) output using inexpensive test components. The test system uses a server computer to eliminate the need for expensive faders used in a bench test system. The server computer manipulates data packets from the reference media file to simulate impairments, including losses, errors, noise and jitter, at a much lower cost than using actual faders. Transmission through two separate radio access networks RANs is provided to simulate two parties communicating using separate mobile devices (an end-to-end test solution) with a single cell phone.
US08942107B2
A piece of Ethernet terminal equipment having an Ethernet connector including first and second pairs of contacts used to carry Ethernet communication signals. At least one path for the purpose of drawing DC current. The at least one path coupled across at least one of the contacts of the first pair of contacts and at least one of the contacts of the second pair of contacts. The piece of Ethernet terminal equipment to draw different magnitudes of DC current flow via the at least one path. The different magnitudes of DC current flow to result from at least one condition applied to at least one of the contacts of the first and second pairs of contacts, wherein at least one of the magnitudes of the DC current flow to convey information about the piece of Ethernet terminal equipment.
US08942102B2
A large volume of location related information, e.g., assistance data or location information, is transferred in separate messages between a server and a target by segmenting the location related information into a plurality of messages. If the connection between the server and target is released prior to completion of the transfer of the location related information, the transfer is resumed by sending the remaining messages after connection is reestablished. Each message is sent after receiving an acknowledgement of receipt. Thus, both the server and target can control the flow of the transfer by delaying the sending of one or more messages or delaying the sending of the acknowledgements of receipt.
US08942098B2
A hybrid wired and wireless architecture for a process control system is disclosed that includes hierarchical adaptability and optimization capabilities. The system is arranged in three tiers, the first including a number of wireless end devices exchanging packets of data and/or instructions with the distributed control system, where each wireless end device is associated with one or more meters, remote terminal units, diagnostic devices, pumps, valves, sensors, or tank level measuring devices. The second tier includes a plurality of wireless routers, each including a memory that stores a routing table and a processor that routes packets. The third tier includes a master wireless gateway device operably connected to receive packets from and transmit packets to the distributed control system. The processor of each of the wireless routers routes packets across the tiers between the end devices and the wireless gateway devices based on the stored routing table.
US08942091B2
A method and an apparatus for notifying activations of extended access barring (EAB) and updates of EAB information in the field of Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless communication systems have been proposed. In accordance with the present disclosure, the eNB notifies MTC devices of EAB changes from a paging message through the paging channel (PCH). The network could use either a single bit EAB status indicator to notify whether the EAB has been enabled or disabled or use multiple bits EAB indicator to represent different EAB parameter changes in addition to whether the EAB has been enabled or disabled. Based on the present disclosure, the network could reduce the paging overhead by require the MTC device to acquire the EAB-SIB only when it needs the EAB information.
US08942087B2
One illustrative method of for use in controlling network resources in a wireless network involves assigning, from a pool of IP addresses, a temporary IP address for a mobile station in the wireless network; calculating a ratio or percentage of the number of IP addresses and the total number of IP addresses in the pool; setting a timer value for the mobile station to an initial value that depends on the ratio or percentage of IP addresses such that, as the ratio or percentage increases, the initial value decreases; causing the temporary IP address and the timer value to be sent to the mobile station, which is adapted to register the temporary IP address with a home agent for IP mobility service; and communicating a termination request which terminates the IP mobility service if no request for re-registration is received from the mobile station upon expiration of the timer value.
US08942077B2
A machine readable information storage medium, a reproducing method and apparatus which reproduces data from the storage medium, and a recording method and apparatus for recording data on the storage medium. The information storage medium includes a control area which stores within a data structure information usable by the recording or reproducing apparatus to record or reproduce the data on or from the storage medium. The information stored within the data structure includes a version corresponding to a specification, a revision number of recording speed, and an extended part version field.
US08942073B1
Maintaining tape emulation consistency includes writing additional tape data to a first local storage device at a local site, writing tape emulation data to a second local storage device at the local site, where the second local storage device is different from the first local storage device, and maintaining consistency of the first and second local storage devices in connection with transferring data to a remote site. Maintaining consistency of the first and second local storage devices may include initiating a cycle switch that causes a concurrent cycle change from a first cycle to a second cycle for the first and second local storage devices. Additional tape data and tape emulation data written before a first time is associated with a first cycle. Additional tape data and tape emulation data written after the first time and before a second time is associated with a second cycle.
US08942064B2
A system, method and computer-readable medium for acquiring seismic data, which includes activating a seismic source at a surface location; defining a seismic trace of a seismic wave received at a downhole location on a bottomhole assembly in a borehole in response to the activation of the seismic source; compressing the seismic trace; and recording the compressed seismic trace to a storage medium.
US08942063B2
A system and a method includes generating a first signal at a first frequency; and a second signal at a second frequency. Respective sources are positioned within the borehole and controllable such that the signals intersect in an intersection volume outside the borehole. A receiver detects a difference signal returning to the borehole generated by a non-linear mixing process within the intersection volume, and records the detected signal and stores the detected signal in a storage device and records measurement parameters including a position of the first acoustic source, a position of the second acoustic source, a position of the receiver, elevation angle and azimuth angle of the first acoustic signal and elevation angle and azimuth angle of the second acoustic signal.
US08942062B2
A method and system that can be used for scanning underwater structures. The method and system allow a user to gain a better understanding of an underwater structure. For example, the method and system detect change(s) to an underwater structure. An acoustic sonar wave is directed toward an underwater structure, and a reflected acoustic sonar wave is received and processed to produce a three dimensional image. Data points of this three-dimensional image of the underwater structure are aligned to a pre-existing three dimensional model of the underwater structure. A change detection model is generated based on the aligned 3D images, and the change detection model is compared to the pre-existing three dimensional model of the underwater structure. Based on the comparison, occurrences of structural changes in the underwater structure are detected.
US08942060B2
This is a method of acquiring marine wide azimuth towed streamer seismic data. Preferably, a recording boat which tows a plurality of seismic streamers and at least one source may be accompanied by a plurality of source boats that each tow at least one source. The source boats may preferably activate their respective sources such that the subsurface reflections generated by each source interfere. The time separation between successive shots may preferably be a random variable related to the lowest frequency of interest in the data. Additionally, the source boats may preferably be alternatively fired from the head and tail of the recording streamers.
US08942054B2
Memories, systems, and methods for refreshing are provided, such as a memory with an array of memory cells divided into sections. Memories include replacement elements having a digit line, and detecting circuitry coupled to a digit line of at least one section of the memory cell array and coupled to the digit line of the replacement element. Memories include control logic configured to selectively refresh the replacement element at an occurrence when a non-neighboring section of the memory cell array relative to the replacement element is refreshed. Other memories, systems, and methods are provided.
US08942050B2
A method of inspecting a variable resistance nonvolatile memory device detecting a faulty memory cell of a memory cell array employing a current steering element, and a variable resistance nonvolatile memory device are provided. The method of inspecting a variable resistance nonvolatile memory device having a memory cell array, a memory cell selection circuit, and a read circuit includes: determining that a current steering element has a short-circuit fault when a variable resistance element is in a low resistance state and a current higher than or equal to a predetermined current passes through the current steering element, when the resistance state of the memory cell is read using a second voltage; and determining whether the variable resistance element is in the low or high resistance state, when the resistance state of the memory cell is read using a first voltage.
US08942049B2
An embodiment of the invention discloses an electronic device for reducing degradation in NMOS circuits in a tracking circuit. A first multiplexer selects, based on N bits from a row address in a memory array, which tracking circuit from a group of 2N tracking circuits will be used to provide a signal develop time for a memory cell in the memory array using a dummy word line signal. A second multiplexer selects, based on the N bits from the row address for a memory array, which output from the tracking circuits is used to enable the sense amp enable signal.
US08942041B1
A memory device includes a memory cell array and a column decoder. The memory cell array includes a plurality of even local bit lines and a plurality of odd local bit lines. The column decoder includes a plurality of even pass transistors, a plurality of even clamp transistors, a plurality of odd pass transistors, and a plurality of odd clamp transistors. Each of the even clamp transistors has a control terminal coupled to an even clamp line, a first terminal coupled to a respective one of the even local bit lines, and a second terminal coupled to a ground voltage. Each of the odd clamp transistors has a control terminal coupled to an odd clamp line, a first terminal coupled to a respective one of the odd local bit lines, and a second terminal coupled to the ground voltage.
US08942040B2
According to one embodiment, a non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array and a row decoder. The memory cell array has NAND strings as a physical block, and word lines respectively connected to memory cells included in the NAND strings. The row decoder includes latch circuits and a drive circuit. When a failure exists within a corresponding first logical block, the latch circuits store a flag indicating the failure. The drive circuit inhibits driving of the word lines belonging to the first logical block when the flag is stored in the latch circuit corresponding to the first logical block to which the selected word lines belong, and allows the driving of the word lines belonging to the physical block including the first logical block when the flag is not stored in the latch circuit corresponding to the first logical block to which the selected word lines belong.
US08942029B2
A memory device including first to fourth memory cell arrays and a driver circuit including a pair of bit line driver circuits and a pair of word line driver circuits is provided. The first to fourth memory cell arrays are overlap with the driver circuit. Each of the pair of bit line driver circuits and a plurality of bit lines are connected through connection points on an edge along the boundary between the first and second memory cell arrays or on an edge along the boundary between the third and fourth memory cell arrays. Each of the pair of word line driver circuits and a plurality of word lines are connected through second connection points on an edge along the boundary between the first and fourth memory cell arrays or on an edge along the boundary between the second and third memory cell arrays.
US08942025B2
A variable resistance nonvolatile memory element writing method according to the present disclosure includes: (a) changing a variable resistance layer to a low resistance state by applying, to a second electrode, a first voltage which is negative with respect to a first electrode; and (b) changing the variable resistance layer to a high resistance state. Step (b) includes: (i) applying, to the second electrode, a second voltage which is positive with respect to the first electrode; and (ii) changing the variable resistance layer to the high resistance state by applying, to the second electrode, a third voltage, which is negative with respect to the first electrode and is smaller than the absolute value of a threshold voltage for changing the variable resistance layer from the high resistance state to the low resistance state, after the positive second voltage is applied in step (i).
US08942018B2
A full-bridge rectifier is configured to provide synchronous rectification with either a current-source or a voltage-source. The rectifier has an upper branch and a lower branch and two current loops, with each of the branches including voltage- or current-controlled active switches, diodes or combinations thereof that are selected such that each loop includes one active switch or diode from the upper branch and one active switch or diode from the lower branch, and each current loop comprises at least one diode or current-controlled active switch, and at least one voltage- or current-controlled active switch is included in one of the upper or lower branches.
US08942013B2
A system and method for protecting an electrical power generation system from an over-voltage. The output voltage of a multi-phase rectifier, operatively connected between the output terminals of an electric machine and a load, is monitored. The input of the multi-phase rectifier is short-circuited upon detection that the output voltage has reached a threshold voltage. Removal of the short-circuiting of the input of the multi-phase rectifier is synchronized with a substantially zero-crossing of phase current flowing through switching devices in the rectifier once the output voltage is no longer above the threshold voltage.
US08942005B2
An electronics module is provided for utilization onboard an airborne object. In one embodiment, the electronics module includes a housing having a cavity therein, a first printed circuit board (PCB) disposed in the cavity, a second PCB disposed in the cavity above the first PCB, and a supportive interconnect structure. The supportive interconnect structure includes a substantially annular insulative body and a plurality of vias. The substantially annular insulative body extends around an inner circumferential portion of the housing between the first PCB and the second PCB to support the second PCB and to axially space the second PCB from the first PCB. The plurality of vias is formed through the substantially annular insulative body and electrically couples the first PCB to the second PCB.
US08942000B2
A lead line structure and a display panel having the same are provided. The display panel includes a pixel array, at least one driving device, first and second lead lines, and first and second insulating layers. The first lead lines are electrically connected to the pixel array and the driving device. The first insulating layer covers the first lead lines and has trenches. The second lead lines are electrically connected to the pixel array and the driving device, and located in the trenches of the first insulating layer. The first and second lead lines are alternately arranged. The second insulating layer covers the first insulating layer and the second lead lines. The height of the second insulating layer above the second lead lines is smaller than the height of the second insulating layer above the first lead lines.
US08941999B2
A microelectronic assembly includes a dielectric element that has oppositely-facing first and second surfaces and first and second apertures extending between the surfaces. The dielectric element further includes conductive elements. First and second microelectronic elements are stacked one on top of the another. The second microelectronic element has a plurality of contacts at a surface, which is spaced from the first surface of the dielectric element. Leads extend from contacts of the first and second microelectronic elements through respective apertures to at least some of the conductive elements. A heat spreader is thermally coupled to at least one of the first microelectronic element or the second microelectronic element.
US08941994B2
A vapor condenser is provided which includes a three-dimensional folded structure which defines, at least in part, a set of coolant-carrying channels and a set of vapor condensing channels, with the coolant-carrying channels being interleaved with and extending parallel to the vapor condensing channels. The folded structure includes a thermally conductive sheet with multiple folds in the sheet. One side of the sheet is a vapor condensing surface, and the opposite side of the sheet is a coolant-cooled surface, with at least a portion of the coolant-cooled surface defining the coolant-carrying channels, and being in contact with coolant within the coolant-carrying channels. The vapor condenser further includes, in one embodiment, a top plate, and first and second end manifolds which are coupled to opposite ends of the folded structure and in fluid communication with the coolant-carrying channels to facilitate flow of coolant through the coolant-carrying channels.
US08941992B2
A system for controlling the temperature of a rack includes a connecting plenum configured to receive incoming cooling air from outside a rack for cooling the rack; a front plenum connected to the connecting plenum and configured to receive cooling air from the connecting plenum and deliver the cooling air to the rack, the cooling air being warmed by powered electrical components as it passes through the rack; at least one ventilator for recycling warmed cooling air from the rack back to the connecting plenum to be mixed with incoming cooling air; a sensor for sensing temperature of air in the rack; and a controller for controlling the at least one ventilator based at least on the sensed temperature.
US08941987B2
A memory cooling duct can include: a front end and a back end; a top that includes a fan mount disposed between the front end and the back end; a front end vent; a front edge, a back edge and opposing side edges that define a rectangular bottom opening; and a flexible lever at the front end that includes a locking surface for locking the memory cooling duct over a rectangular array of memory sockets. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
US08941983B2
A device mounting system is provided. The system includes a housing having a first surface having a first member disposed thereupon. The system also includes a mounting bracket adapted to receive the housing; the mounting bracket including a first rigid surface having a first feature adapted to engage the first member. A latch can be disposed at least partially within the first feature. The latch can be adapted to permit the insertion and attachment of the first member to the first feature when disposed in a first position and to permit the detachment and removal of the first member from the first feature when disposed in a second position.
US08941980B2
An electronic device assembly includes an electronic device, a rotatable member rotatably attached to the electronic device about a first shaft, and a peripheral device rotatably attached to the rotatable member about a second shaft. The rotatable member and the peripheral device are located on a front side of the electronic device. The peripheral device is rotatable about the second shaft relative to the rotatable member, for allowing the rotatable member and the peripheral device to be located on a same plane. The rotatable member is rotatable about the first shaft relative to the electronic device, for allowing the rotatable member and the peripheral device to be cooperatively attached to a back side of the electronic device.
US08941977B2
The present invention is directed to an enclosure for electrical equipment. The enclosure includes a power plate assembly and a vented cover installed over the power plate assembly. Electrical components operating at 50 volts or more are mounted to a rail in the power plate assembly. The vented cover separates the electrical components mounted to the rail from the electrical components mounted in the enclosure.
US08941976B1
The embodiments provide a powerline network adapter that allows network communications over power lines while also being configurable to provide other features. In the embodiments, the network adapter can provide a first power outlet, a powerline network adapter, and a wireless access point. The first power outlet serves as a replacement for the outlet consumed by the powerline network adapter and is filtered to reduce or prevent interference with network communications being carried over the powerline. The network adapter is also configurable to provide, among other things, a powerline wired Ethernet interface and a wireless access point that is coupled to the powerline. Furthermore, the network adapter may be configured to provide a second power outlet for a device, such as an external drive. For example, the second power outlet may be an AC/DC 12-Volt power adapter. In some embodiments, this second power outlet is also filtered from the first power outlet.
US08941974B2
An interdigitated capacitor having digits of varying width is disclosed. One embodiment of a capacitor includes a first plurality of conductive digits and a second plurality of conductive digits positioned in an interlocking manner with the first plurality of conductive digits, such that an interdigitated structure is formed. The first plurality of conductive digits and the second plurality of conductive digits collectively form a set of digits, where the width of a first digit in the set of digits is non-uniform with respect to a second digit in the set of digits.
US08941963B2
A first overcurrent detection unit detects whether a drain-source voltage of an output transistor is greater than or equal to a first reference value and outputs a first detection signal. A second overcurrent detection unit detects whether an output current passing through the output transistor is greater than or equal to a second reference value and outputs a second detection signal. When receiving the first detection signal indicating that the drain-source voltage is greater than or equal to the first reference value, a latch circuit latches the second detection signal; when receiving the first detection signal indicating that the drain-source voltage is smaller than the first reference value, the latch circuit outputs the second detection signal without latching it. Based on the output of the latch circuit, the drive circuit controls the output transistor to either turn it off or turn it on and off alternately.
US08941957B2
A battery charger for charging an electrically-driven vehicle by connecting the electrically-driven vehicle with an external power source, the battery charger includes an earth leakage detector operable to detect earth leakage of the battery charger; an earth leakage circuit breaker operable to switch energization from the external power source; an earth leakage confirmation relay capable of forcibly causing earth leakage in a downstream circuit of the earth leakage detector; a resistor unit connected in series with the earth leakage confirmation relay and capable of being set to any one of a plurality of leakage current values; and a controller operable to switch the earth leakage circuit breaker based on a detection result of the earth leakage detector while forcibly causing earth leakage in the downstream circuit.
US08941956B2
A ground tether circuit is provided for a power circuit that includes a power source, at least one load and at least one rectifier. The ground tether circuit includes an adjustable voltage converter connected to the rectifier. The adjustable voltage converter includes a positive power switch, a negative power switch, an inductor, a current sensing device and a controller.
US08941945B1
A data storage device is disclosed comprising a first disk surface comprising servo tracks defined by servo sectors and recorded at a first radial density, and a first head actuated over the first disk surface. A servo sector on the first disk surface is read to generate a first physical position measurement that is converted into a first virtual position measurement corresponding to a nominal radial density of servo tracks different from the first radial density. The first head is servoed over the first disk surface based on the first virtual position measurement.
US08941939B1
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a voice coil motor (VCM) configured to actuate a head over a disk. The VCM is controlled to seek the head over the disk during a first seek, and a back electromotive force (BEMF) voltage generated by the VCM during the first seek is measured. Feed-forward compensation is generated based on the measured BEMF voltage, and the VCM is controlled to seek the head over the disk during a second seek using the feed-forward compensation while writing servo data to the disk.
US08941934B2
A lens connection module is disclosed, which can be magnetically installed on an image capture device having a light entry opening and a first magnetic unit, and comprises a lens connection body and a second magnetic unit installed on the lens connection body for magnetically connecting to the first magnetic unit. The lens connection body includes a light collecting pathway corresponding to the light entry opening and extending along a light axis, the first magnetic unit has at least one ferromagnetic component arranged on the front face in a radially asymmetric manner, and the second magnetic unit has a magnetic component corresponding to the ferromagnetic component and installed on a joint face. As such, the lens connection module allows quick installation onto and detachment from the image capture device, thereby increasing application flexibility and operation convenience of the image capture device.
US08941932B2
A Fresnel lens includes an incident surface that is flat, and a prism-forming surface that has a plurality of prisms, the prism-forming surface being provided on the side of the Fresnel lens opposite to the incident surface. Each of the prisms has a converging surface that is located on the side away from the optical axis of the Fresnel lens.
US08941913B2
Provided is an infrared optical lens system including: a first lens having negative refractive power; and a second lens having positive refractive power, wherein the first lens and the second lens are disposed in this order from an object side to an image side.
US08941911B2
Doped fiber amplifiers (DFA) using rare-earth doping materials with linear and non-linear interactions between the optical signal to be amplified and the pump laser have become a standard element of optical telecommunications systems for multiple applications including for example extending the reach of optical links before opto-electronic conversion is required or support increased fanout. However, in many applications wherein multiple DFAs are employed the electrical power budget wherein the pump laser diode (LD) represents approximately 25% of the module power consumption directly, and closer to approximately 40-50% once the control and drive electronics for the thermoelectric cooler and LD are included. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to reduce the overall power consumption of a DFA by exploiting unused optical pump power such that multiple gain stages, within the same or different DFAs, may be driven from a single pump LD.
US08941905B2
An optical deflector is provided which can effectively suppress occurrence of a ringing phenomenon when a piezoelectric actuator is driven with a voltage signal of a sawtooth waveform. An optical deflector A1 includes a control circuit 20 that detects a mechanical natural frequency relevant to swinging about a second axis X2 of a movable part 9. The control circuit 20 applies a voltage signal of a sawtooth waveform from which the natural frequency and a harmonic component thereof are removed to outside piezoelectric actuators 10a and 10b. The control circuit 20 removes a frequency component, which is equal to or greater than a second threshold value G2 within a predetermined frequency range out of frequency components of a voltage signal output from a detecting piezoelectric body 62, from a drive voltage.
US08941902B2
A method of computing a hologram for reconstructing an object using a display device. The display device enables a holographic reconstruction of the object. The display device includes a light source and an optical system to illuminate a hologram-bearing medium being encodable with the hologram. The method includes the steps of: (a) computing the hologram by determining the wavefronts at an approximate observer eye position that would be generated by a real version of the object to be reconstructed; and (b) encoding the computed hologram in the hologram-bearing medium.
US08941899B2
A method for simulating a textured appearance on a uniform substrate includes using variable halftone dot orientations. A texture description is provided for generating electronic data representing a three-dimensional texture. Texture regions of the texture description are identified using pixel cells in the electronic data. Halftone dot orientations are assigned for each pixel cell based on a value of the pixel cell. The halftone dot orientation represents a recessed or a raised surface portion.
US08941893B2
There is provided an image reading apparatus including: a reading device configured to read a manuscript supplied by a first or a second supply mode, a switching device configured to switch the first and second supply modes, a display, and a controller. The controller is configured to cause the display to display a first screen in a case that the switching device switches the supply mode to the first supply mode, as well as to cause the display to display a second screen in a case that the switching device switches the supply mode to the second supply mode.
US08941892B2
An image reader is provided that includes a housing, a sheet support surface disposed at the housing and configured to support a sheet placed thereon, a conveyor that includes a roller and conveys the sheet in a first direction, a drive unit generating a driving force for driving the conveyor, an image sensor unit reading an image on the sheet being conveyed by the conveyor, a cover configured to rotate between an open position to expose the roller and a closed position to cover the roller around a rotational axis extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a detector configured to output a first signal when the cover is in the closed position and output a second signal when the cover is in the open position, the detector disposed on a same side as the drive unit in the second direction with respect to the sheet support surface.
US08941890B2
A scanning device includes a first scanning unit having a first scanning element array to scan a first surface of a scan-target medium to acquire a first image, a second scanning unit having a second scanning element array to scan a second surface of the scan-target medium to acquire a second image, and an output unit that outputs a first image signal of the first image and a second image signal of the second image. The first scanning unit and the second scanning unit face each other to scan the first surface and the second surface concurrently. When the scanning directions of the first scanning element array and the second scanning element array are the same, a mirrored image acquired from one of the first image signal and the second image signal is inverted so that the output unit outputs normal images of the first surface and the second surface.
US08941886B2
A method for providing digital watermarking for text or images that uses spectral edge marking materials (320) printed on a print media (200) to embed hidden data (220). The spectral edge markers (320) have an absorption spectrum at the edge of the human visible spectrum, either at the UV edge or IR edge, which provides an optical density that is generally imperceptible to humans, but which can be detected by an image capture device (250). The crosstalk of visible optical absorption provided by these materials is largely masked by the presence of visible colorant(s) (340), with only small color differences between areas with and without the spectral edge markers (320). The image capture device (250) has a visible spectral response that extends into a spectral region just outside the visible spectrum where the spectral edge marker absorption occurs, and can be operated to detect the hidden data.
US08941885B2
An image processing apparatus includes a conversion unit configured to convert image data corresponding to a pixel of interest in an image into color material data corresponding to a color material amount of a chromatic color material, and a generation unit configured to generate color material data corresponding to a color material amount of an achromatic color material at the pixel of interest in such a manner that the color material data corresponding to the color material amount of the achromatic color material at the pixel of interest is different from color material data corresponding to a color material amount of the achromatic color material at a pixel adjacent to the pixel of interest.
US08941880B2
Data of each plane capable of obtaining a high-quality output image is generated. An image processing apparatus for quantizing input image data having gradation of an m value (m is a natural number) into output image data having gradation of an n value (n is a natural number smaller than m) includes a quantization unit configured to quantize input image data having gradation of an m value in a target pixel into output image data having gradation of an n value, and a plane separation unit configured to determine that the quantization value quantized by the quantization unit is to be assigned to the target pixel of which plane out of planes of two types or more, wherein the plane separation unit determines that the quantization value is to be assigned to the target pixel of which plane, based on distance information of the target pixel indicating distances, to the target pixel, from pixels on which a recording material is recorded in the each plane.
US08941879B2
An input display apparatus can communicate with a printing apparatus, and includes a display unit, a touch detection unit, and an orientation detection unit. The input display apparatus determines which screen components is touched by the operator touches, determines a type of an operation from the touch by the operator, and determines based on the orientation of the input display apparatus whether or not the input display apparatus has been rotated on a plane including a display screen. When the operation is a long press operation, and the input display apparatus has been rotated, the touched screen component determined to be touched is rotated and displayed in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of the input display apparatus.
US08941876B2
When image is formed by a liquid ejection head, input image data is subjected to conversion processing including tone conversion using a first look-up table (LUT) and density correction or non-uniformity correction in nozzle units using second LUTs. Ink use amount in image formation is predicted from reduced image data which is generated from the input image data. In this, the calculation is made more efficient by applying a third LUT which is compiled according to requirements from the second LUTs, to the reduced image data, rather than using the second LUTs directly. Since the image conversion processing is carried out which combines the first LUT for tone conversion and the third LUT corresponding to the non-uniformity correction, and the ink amount distribution data is calculated from the reduced image data after the conversion, then it is possible to ascertain an accurate ink amount which reflects the image adjustment conditions.
US08941856B2
An image processing apparatus includes a target determining portion to determine process target data, an image processing control portion that stores processed data obtained by image-processing the process target data when the process target data can be stored upon acceptance of an execution operation, a history storing portion that stores history information including processing identification information of the image processing when the process target data cannot be stored, and a page generating portion that generates a page including a command linked to the process target data. The target determining portion determines designated data as the process target data upon acceptance of a data designating operation, and determines processed data as the process target data after the process target data is image-processed. When history information is stored, the page generating portion generates the page further including an image processing command to perform the image processing on the process target data.
US08941854B2
A method of performing an image forming operation through a user authentication of an image forming apparatus that supports a peer to peer (P2P) connection includes: receiving and storing user identification information and an image forming operation by the image forming apparatus; receiving a P2P connection request from an external wireless device by the image forming apparatus for a user authentication; receiving device information from the wireless device by the image forming apparatus that is P2P connected to the wireless device, and performing the user authentication by using the received device information and the stored user identification information; and when the user authentication is succeeded, performing the image forming operation by the image forming apparatus.
US08941845B2
An image forming apparatus which allows a user to freely select a desired image quality is provided. The control unit 60 sets a of registration set value A1 for determining a color registration error suppression level and a dropout set value A2 for determining a dropout occurrence suppression level. Also, the control unit 60 sets a differential circumferential speed which is the difference between the circumferential speed of photoreceptor drums 1Y to 1K and the circumferential speed of an intermediate transfer belt 6 on the basis of the color registration set value A1 and the dropout set value A2. Then, the control unit 60 controls the belt drive motor 61 and the drum drive motor 62 on the basis of the differential circumferential speed which is set.
US08941836B2
In the field of Fourier transform interferometry and in particular a device and a method for improving the precision of such a device for remotely analyzing a gaseous compound, a Fourier transform interferometer includes: at least one movable retroreflector; a metrology subsystem using at least three laser beams; and a metrology unit generating, for each sounding point represented by a pixel on the capture matrix imaging a gaseous compound, a metrology signal incorporating the displacements in space of the movable element(s).
US08941835B2
A foreign substance detection system includes an optical device having an input surface through which is part of light emitted from a light source enters the optical device and a transparent face, provided in close contact with an inner surface of a glass, to transmit a light reflected from an area where a substance is not present on an outer surface of the glass toward a first light-receiving member; a light-guiding member to guide another part of the light that does not pass through the input surface, the guided light being to be reflected from an area where a substance is present on an inner surface of the glass toward a second light-receiving member; and an foreign substance detection processor to detect an outer substance based on the first light-receiving member and detect the inner substance based on the second light-receiving member.
US08941820B2
An imaging device can take an image of a flow field including tracer particles includes a compound-eye lens formed from a large number of monocular lenses, which take images of images taken by an imaging lens. Each of the multiple monocular lenses functions as one imaging device. This can enable measurement precision to be enhanced by suppressing the influence of ghost particles, while reducing the equipment cost by minimizing the number of imaging devices. A space for installing the imaging device can easily ensured. If a large number of imaging devices are used, not only do they require time and manpower for setting up, but there is also a possibility that the measurement precision will be degraded due to displacement of an axis of the imaging devices caused by vibration, etc. When the imaging device having the compound-eye lens is used, setup is simplified, and measurement precision can be ensured.
US08941819B2
A laser speed gun comprises a laser ray transmitter provided on an optical axis with a laser ray emitting device and with a short distance lens and located at an intermediate location therebetween on said optical axis, a beam splitter allowing laser rays to pass through and reflect visible light toward a CCD camera; a laser ray receiver provided on an optical axis with a laser ray receiving device and with a long distance lens located at an intermediate location between them on said optical axis, a beam splitter allowing laser rays to pass through and reflect visible light from a target toward a CCD camera; and two CCD cameras, one of which is associated with the laser ray transmitter optics and receives reflected light from its beam splitter, and the other which is associated with the laser ray receiver optics and receives reflected light from its beam splitter.
US08941818B2
An optical rangefinder having a photosensor adapted to transform the image projected thereon into an electronic image, an imaging system for projecting an image of an object on the photosensor, an optical arrangement to modulate the incoming light forming the image on the photosensor, means for providing the spatial spectrum of the image and means for deriving the distance from the object to the rangefinder on the degree of defocus of the image, wherein the optical arrangement is adapted to modulate the incoming light such that the degree of defocus of the image on the photosensor relative to the in-focus image plane results in displacement of the spatial spectrum of the image relative to a reference pattern and wherein the rangefinder has means for deriving the degree of defocus from the degree of displacement.
US08941817B2
Embodiments of the disclosure include methods in which locations within an aircraft fuselage are automatically pointed to and marked so that a part may be fastened at each marked location. A mobile assembly includes a video camera that may capture images of the aircraft fuselage. A plurality of predetermined locations may be visualized and verified by a successive implementation of a first image recognition process and a second image recognition process. The mobile assembly may then automatically point to the predetermined locations after each has been identified and mark each predetermined location.
US08941812B2
An exposure apparatus comprises a movable member that moves under a projection optical system while holding a substrate; and an immersion nozzle that has a supply port and forms a immersion region under the projection optical system by supplying a liquid to an image plane side of the projection optical system via the supply port. The supply port is provided to a lower surface of the immersion nozzle and the liquid is supplied downwardly from the supply port. A contact area of the immersion region with a surface of the substrate has a rhomboid shape.
US08941810B2
A lithographic apparatus with a cover plate formed separately from a substrate table and means for stabilizing a temperature of the substrate table by controlling the temperature of the cover plate is disclosed. A lithographic apparatus with thermal insulation provided between a cover plate and a substrate table so that the cover plate acts as a thermal shield for the substrate table is disclosed. A lithographic apparatus comprising means to determine a substrate table distortion and improve position control of a substrate by reference to the substrate table distortion is disclosed.
US08941806B2
A liquid crystal display includes a gate line, data lines transmitting a first voltage; a transmitting line transmitting a second voltage; and pixels including first and second pixel electrodes. One pixel electrode receives the first voltage through a data line, and the other receives the second voltage through the transmitting line. Branch electrodes of the pixel electrodes alternate, and a stem of the first pixel electrode of a first pixel, faces a stem of the first pixel electrode of a second pixel and a stem of the second pixel electrode of the second pixel, with respect to the data line. Areas of the stem of the first pixel electrode of the second pixel facing the stem of the first pixel electrode of the first pixel, and of the stem of the second pixel electrode of the second pixel facing the stem of the first pixel, are the same.
US08941805B2
Provided is a liquid crystal display device including: first and second substrates with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween; a first electrode formed on the liquid crystal layer side of the first substrate and having linear portions; a second electrode having linear portions formed along the linear portions of the first electrode and adjacent to the linear portions of the first electrode at a gap in plan view; and a third electrode formed on the liquid crystal layer side of the second substrate and having linear portions overlapping with the linear portions of the second electrode in plan view, wherein electric fields having different directions are generated between the first electrode and the second electrode and between the first electrode and the third electrode.
US08941803B2
A liquid crystal display device of IPS mode includes an array of pixels arranged in a matrix pattern by crossing a plurality of video signal lines and a plurality of scanning signal lines each other. Each of the pixels is provided with at least a switching element. A transparent insulating film is provided on both signal lines, and a plurality of pixel electrodes, common electrodes and common lines are provided on the transparent insulating film. The common lines are formed in a grid-shaped pattern such that a first group of the common lines is made of a first conductor having lower reflectivity against optical light than that of metal while a second group of the common lines is made of a second conductor including a metal layer such that said first group and said second group are crossing each other along said video signal lines and said scanning signal lines.
US08941801B2
Polarization modulation with in-plane switching of liquid crystals (LCs) may be used in active retarder stereoscopic display systems where viewers wear passive eyewear to see isolated left and right eye images. Embodiments of the present disclosure may include nematic LC or fast switching ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC), depending on the desired performance.
US08941791B2
A liquid crystal display device includes a gate line and a gate electrode connected to the gate line, on a substrate; a gate insulating layer on the gate electrode and the gate line; an active layer on the gate insulating layer over the gate electrode; an ohmic contact layer on the active layer; first source and drain electrodes on the ohmic contact layer; second source and drain electrodes connected to the first source and drain electrodes, respectively; a data line extending from the source electrode and crossing the gate line to define a pixel region; and a pixel electrode in the pixel region and extending from the second drain electrode.
US08941787B2
A 3D image display device includes: a backlight unit including a first color light source and a second color light source, which are alternately turned on; a display panel on a front side of the backlight unit and including a pixel, where the pixel includes a first subpixel including a first color filter and a second subpixel including a second color filter; a patterned circular polarizer on a front side of the display panel, extending substantially in a first direction, and including a first circular polarization part and a second circular polarization part having widths substantially the same as widths of the first subpixel and the second subpixel, respectively; and glasses including a left lens and a right lens, where each of the left lens and the right lens includes a plurality of circular polarization patterns and a shutter glass panel which turns on and off each circular polarization pattern.
US08941780B2
A mechanism for facilitating dynamic phase detection with high jitter tolerance for images of media streams is described. In one embodiment, a method includes calculating stability optimization of an image of a media stream based on a plurality of pixels of two or more consecutive frames relating to a plurality of phases of the image, calculating sharpness optimization of the image, and selecting a best phase of the plurality of phases based on the stability and sharpness optimization of the image. The best phase may represent the image such that the image is displayed in a manner in accordance with human vision perceptions.
US08941763B2
The image control unit (51) controls the image capture unit (17) so as to acquire data of captured images successively. The shading correction unit (61) performs the shading correction on the data of captured images captured successively. The moving object detection accuracy control unit (101) controls a detection accuracy of a moving object on each data set of captured images on which the shading correction is performed. The combination unit (66) sets a combination ratio corresponding to a detection result of a moving object with an accuracy controlled by the moving object detection accuracy control unit (101), and generates data of a composite image by combining each data set of captured images captured successively by the image capture control unit (51) with this combination ratio.
US08941756B2
The present invention generates first developed image data by correcting image data with use of a first white balance correction value corresponding to a first light source, generates second developed image data by correcting the image data with use of a second white balance correction value corresponding to a second light source, calculates a color evaluation value of each of blocks by adding and averaging color evaluation values of pixels in the image data for each of the divided blocks, calculates a combining ratio based on a difference between the calculated color evaluation value of each of the blocks and a color evaluation value of white under the second light source, and combines the first developed image data and the second developed image data according to the calculated combining ratio.
US08941749B2
A plurality of first image data having a first resolution, which are obtained by capturing images from a plurality of viewpoints, and capturing information in the capturing operation are input. Based on the capturing information, a plurality of candidate values are set as a synthesis parameter required to synthesize second image data having a second resolution higher than the first resolution from the first image data. Using a candidate value selected from the plurality of candidate values as a synthesis parameter, the second image data is synthesized from the plurality of first image data.
US08941740B2
An apparatus includes an image recorder configured to record video images. The apparatus also includes a display screen configured to present the video images to a user and to create notations overlying one or more of the video images based on user input. The apparatus further includes a transceiver configured to stream the video images over a wireless mesh network and to transmit data associated with the notations over the wireless mesh network. The apparatus could also include components for providing cryptographic keys to wireless nodes joining the wireless mesh network, a sensor for detecting or measuring one or more characteristics, and/or an asset tracker for transmitting or receive signals for identifying a location of the apparatus. The apparatus could further include at least one voice unit supporting bidirectional voice communications and/or a site survey unit for identifying signal strengths associated with detected wireless nodes.
US08941738B2
A vehicle exterior monitoring device obtains position information of a three-dimensional object present in a detected region, divides the detected region with respect to an horizontal direction into plural first divided regions, derives a first representative distance corresponding to a peak in distance distribution of each first divided region based on the position information, groups the first divided regions based on the first representative distance to generate one or more first divided region groups, divides the first divided region group with respect to a vertical direction into plural second divided regions, groups second divided regions having relative distances close to the first representative distance to generate a second divided region group, and limits a target range for which the first representative distance is derived within the first divided region group in which the second divided region group is generated to a vertical range corresponding to the second divided region group.
US08941736B1
Doorbells can be used to detect visitors. A picture taken by the doorbell can be sent to a computing device. A user of the computing device can select areas within the picture. The doorbell can then detect visitors within the selected areas. Subsequent pictures from the doorbell can be analyzed according to the selected areas.
US08941731B2
An inspection system which verifies the complete connection of two connectors at an inspection station. An indicator is placed on one of the first and second connectors which becomes hidden from view only when the first and second connectors are in a fully connected position. A camera is positioned at the inspection station which generates an output signal representative of the field of vision of the camera. That camera output signal is coupled to an optical recognition circuit which generates an alarm signal if the indicator is present in the camera image.
US08941723B2
Portable wireless mobile device motion capture and analysis system and method configured to display motion capture/analysis data on a mobile device. System obtains data from motion capture elements and analyzes the data. Enables unique displays associated with the user, such as 3D overlays onto images of the user to visually depict the captured motion data. Ratings associated with the captured motion can also be displayed. Predicted ball flight path data can be calculated and displayed. Data shown on a time line can also be displayed to show the relative peaks of velocity for various parts of the user's body. Based on the display of data, the user can determine the equipment that fits the best and immediately purchase the equipment, via the mobile device. Custom equipment may be ordered through an interface on the mobile device from a vendor that can assemble-to-order customer built equipment and ship the equipment. Includes active and passive golf shot count capabilities.
US08941721B2
A mobile terminal and a method for controlling the operation of the same are provided. The mobile terminal includes a first camera including a first lens, a second camera including a second lens having a wider angle than the first lens, and a controller configured to generate a stereoscopic 3D image using disparity between images captured through the first and second cameras. It is possible to generate a stereoscopic 3D image having the same resolution as that of a 2D image that can be captured.
US08941720B2
A method of enhancing 3D image information density, comprising providing a confocal fluorescent microscope and a rotational stage. 3D image samples at different angles are collected. A deconvolution process of the 3D image samples by a processing unit is performed. A registration process of the deconvoluted 3D image samples by the processing unit is performed. An interpolation process of the registered 3D image samples by the processing unit is performed to output a 3D image in high resolution.
US08941717B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a “disparity cursor” for easily measuring disparity within a selected region of a 3D image under test. In operation, a user places a window that defines the disparity cursor over a selected region of the 3D image under test using a mouse, keyboard, or other user-interface device. An average disparity value for the image segments contained within the window is then automatically calculated and reported to the user.
US08941715B1
A telepresence communication system for group meeting rooms and personal home and office systems provides improved human factor experience through substantially life size images with eye level camera placement. The system provides switched presence interfaces so that conferees can select when to transmit their images during a conference and optionally provides individual microphones for each of conferee. Switched presence between presets of conferees are viewed on multipoint windows overlaying life-size images upon eye contact camera regions and eliminate seeing camera image movement during pan, tilt and zoom operations. An ambient light rejecting filter system enables an eye level camera to be hidden behind a projection screen and provides bright, high contrast images under normal meeting room and office environments. A telepresence organizational enablement system brings all the features of a corporate office complex and its social and organizational benefits, into a virtual community eliminating the need to centralize employees.
US08941714B2
A transmitting device includes a partial-image-generator that identifies a certain region from image data, the partial-image-generator generating a certain partial image including the certain region identified from the image data, associating region information indicating the certain region with the certain partial image, and causing the region information and the certain partial image to be stored in a data-storage-unit, an image-processing-unit that executes, on the certain partial image associated with the region information and stored in the data-storage-unit, predetermined image processing associated with the region information, a difference-determining-unit that determines whether or not there is a difference between the certain partial image after the image processing and another partial image generated before a generation of the certain partial image and subjected to the image processing, and a transmitter that transmits the certain partial image subjected to the image processing by the image-processing-unit if the difference-determining-unit determines that there is the difference.
US08941702B2
In accordance with one embodiment, an erasing apparatus includes a paper feed tray configured to feed a sheet, a reading unit configured to read an image on the sheet, an erasing unit configured to erase the image on the sheet, a cutting apparatus configured to cut the sheet allowed to be cut, a reject box configured to accumulate the sheet which is judged to be not-reusable and a control unit configured to judge the category of the sheet based on the output of the reading unit and change the conveyance destination of the sheet according to the category of the sheet.
US08941693B2
A method detects by a display driver logic, inactivity between the display driver logic and a display logic, and deactivates an auxiliary channel by the display driver logic, wherein the auxiliary channel is between the display driver logic and the display logic. The method also detects, by the display driver logic via the auxiliary channel, a required operating mode capability of a display; and determines a minimum number of connection lines needed between the display driver logic and the display logic, to operate the display in the required operating mode capability. A display driver logic includes a connection port suitable for operative connection to a display logic, wherein the display drive logic is operative to detect inactivity between the display driver logic and the display logic, and deactivate an auxiliary channel between the display driver logic and the display logic.
US08941690B2
A method for augmenting a graphic displayed on a surface inside of a vehicle using a rear seat entertainment projection (RSEP) system includes generating the graphic for display on the surface inside the vehicle. When the graphic is displayed on the surface, an input that causes a reaction to the graphic displayed upon the surface is obtained, and the graphic displayed on the surface is augmented based on the reaction to the graphic.
US08941674B2
A method according to an embodiment of a system for efficient resource management of a signal flow programmed digital signal processor code is provided and includes determining a connection sequence of a plurality of algorithm elements in a schematic of a signal flow for an electronic circuit, the connection sequence indicating connections between the algorithm elements and a sequence of processing the algorithm elements according to the connections, determining a buffer sequence indicating an order of using the plurality of memory buffers to process the plurality of algorithm elements according to the connection sequence, and reusing at least some of the plurality of memory buffers according to the buffer sequence.
US08941672B1
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide techniques for identifying a display when a graphics processing unit (GPU) connected to the display via a display control bus is in a low power state. By providing a separate microcontroller with a parallel connection to the display control bus, the microcontroller may detect the presence of a display device even when the GPU is in the low power state. In response to detecting the display device, the microcontroller may notify a motherboard chipset (e.g., via an interrupt) prompting the motherboard chipset to initiate a sequence to bring the GPU out of the low power state.
US08941671B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for providing domain, hull, and geometry shaders in a para-virtualized environment. As such, a guest application executing in a child partition is enabled use a programmable GPU pipeline of a physical GPU. A vGPU (executing in the child partition) is presented to the guest application. The vGPU exposes DDIs of a rendering framework. The DDIs enable the guest application to send graphics commands to the vGPU, including commands for utilizing a domain shader, a hull shader, and/or a geometric shader at a physical GPU. A render component (executing within the root partition) receives physical GPU-specific commands from the vGPU, including commands for using the domain shader, the hull shader, and/or the geometric shader. The render component schedules the physical GPU-specific command(s) for execution at the physical GPU.
US08941670B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for para-virtualized GPGPU computation and GDI acceleration. Some embodiments provide a compute shader to a guest application within a para-virtualized environment. A vGPU in a child partition presents compute shader DDIs for performing GPGPU computations to a guest application. A render component in a root partition receives compute shader commands from the vGPU and schedules the commands for execution at the physical GPU. Other embodiments provide GPU-accelerated GDI rendering capabilities to a guest application within a para-virtualized environment. A vGPU in a child partition provides an API for receiving GDI commands, and sends GDI commands and data to a render component in a root partition. The render component schedules the GDI commands on a 3D rendering device. The 3D rendering device executes the GDI commands at the physical GPU using a sharable GDI surface.
US08941669B1
Frames are rendered by multiple graphics processors (GPUs), which may be heterogeneous. Graphics processors split the execution of the command in a push buffer of a frame. One GPU begins rendering a frame, and a second GPU takes over rendering that frame after the second GPU is done rendering a previous frame. The second GPU may then begin rendering a subsequent frame.
US08941649B2
An augmented reality device provides a virtual mask that surrounds the viewer and includes a variation that provides information about the direction to a target item. The variation, which may be a variation in transparency, color, geometric shape, texture, material, lighting, or shading, is associated with the position of the target item so that orientation of the variation in the virtual mask does not change with respect to the direction of the target item. A portion of the virtual mask that is in the direction that the viewer is facing is displayed over the real-world image with the variation in the virtual mask providing information to the viewer about the direction of the target item. When the viewer rotates with respect to the target item, a different portion of the virtual mask that is in the current field of view is displayed.
US08941640B2
Devices and methods for reducing a variation in voltage perturbation between common voltage layers (VCOMs) of a display in response to voltage interference are provided. In one example, a resistive element may be coupled to one of several VCOMs to increase the resistance value of the VCOM. The resistive element may cause a variation in voltage perturbations between the several VCOMs to become generally more uniform, thereby reducing or eliminating certain image artifacts.
US08941638B2
A display device according to the present disclosure includes: a variable-voltage source supplying power source voltage; an organic EL display unit including power lines on high-potential side and low-potential side that are connected to pixels; a potential difference detecting circuit detecting a potential on the high-potential side of a monitor pixel; a voltage drop amount calculating circuit calculating an amount of voltage drop generated in the power line on the low-potential side from video data and estimating a potential at, at least one point of the power line on the low-potential side; and a signal processing circuit regulating power source voltage to be supplied from the variable voltage source such that a potential difference between the potential on the high-potential side detected by the potential difference detecting circuit and the potential on the low-potential side estimated by the voltage drop amount calculating circuit reaches a predetermined potential difference.
US08941624B2
A touch sensor comprises a substrate capable of propagating acoustic waves and includes a first surface having a touch sensitive region. A first sidewall intersects the first surface along a first edge. The first edge is configured to propagate a first acoustic wave along the first edge. The first acoustic wave may be a one-dimensional edge wave. A wave converter converts the first acoustic wave to a second acoustic wave, and the first surface is configured to propagate the second acoustic wave across the touch sensitive region.
US08941622B2
A coordinate input apparatus includes a first housing and a second housing each of which incorporate at least two sensor units each including one of the light projecting unit and one of the light receiving unit. A pointed position to an effective coordinate input region is calculated based on variations of a light amount distribution obtained from the light receiving units of each of the first and second housings. In each of the first and second housings, the field range of a light receiving unit is almost parallel to the effective coordinate input region, the optical axis direction of the light receiving unit is a direction perpendicular to a line segment connecting the barycenters of at least two sensor units in a single housing, and the field range is set to be asymmetric to the optical axis direction.
US08941613B2
There are provided a touch sensing apparatus and method. The touch sensing apparatus includes a sensing circuit unit detecting a plurality of signals from a plurality of changes in capacitance generated in a plurality of electrodes provided in a panel unit; and a signal processing unit comparing, with predetermined reference levels, levels of at least two signals generated from changes in capacitance in at least two electrodes spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance or greater, from among the plurality of electrodes, wherein, when the levels of the at least two signals are greater than the predetermined reference levels, the plurality of changes in capacitance are determined to be generated due to noise.
US08941612B2
Disclosed is an input display apparatus including: a handwriting input unit to receive a handwriting input; a particle migration type of display unit to enable display contents to be partially rewritten; and a control unit to control a display operation of the display unit, for displaying each stroke which is input via the handwriting input unit; wherein the control unit controls the display unit so as to display a currently input stroke which is currently input via the handwriting input unit, in a simple display in which a delay required to display the currently input stroke is short as compared with a normal display.
US08941608B2
A liquid crystal display according to the present disclosure is provided. The liquid crystal display includes a frame, a backlight module, a plurality of hooking members, an LCD panel, and a touch sensor. According to the liquid crystal display of the present disclosure, wherein the hooking members on the frame may secure the touch sensor or the LCD panel on the backlight module without need of using double-sided tapes or optical adhesive.
US08941600B2
An apparatus is provided that includes a graphic overlay or display for a touch-sensitive surface with which an object comes into contact. The touch-sensitive surface is divided into a plurality of regions each of a number of which is associated with a distinct set of one or more of the plurality of gestures, where the plurality of gestures are associated with a respective plurality of functions of a software application operable by a processor. According to this aspect, the graphic overlay or display visibly depicts the regions and a layout of the regions into which the touch-sensitive surface is divided. The apparatus may further include a touch-feedback interface configured to provide touch feedback indicative of the gesture associated with the respective region within which the touch-feedback interface is disposed.
US08941592B2
Techniques are described to transmit commands to a display device during vertical or horizontal blanking intervals. The commands can be transmitted using fields that would otherwise be used to transmit color information. A Low Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) compliant interface can be used to transmit the commands.
US08941590B2
An adaptive tracking system for spatial input devices provides real-time tracking of spatial input devices for human-computer interaction in a Spatial Operating Environment (SOE). The components of an SOE include gestural input/output; network-based data representation, transit, and interchange; and spatially conformed display mesh. The SOE comprises a workspace occupied by one or more users, a set of screens which provide the users with visual feedback, and a gestural control system which translates user motions into command inputs. Users perform gestures with body parts and/or physical pointing devices, and the system translates those gestures into actions such as pointing, dragging, selecting, or other direct manipulations. The tracking system provides the requisite data for creating an immersive environment by maintaining a model of the spatial relationships between users, screens, pointing devices, and other physical objects within the workspace.
US08941588B2
Systems and methods for initializing real-time, vision-based hand tracking systems are described. The systems and methods for initializing the vision-based hand tracking systems image a body and receive gesture data that is absolute three-space data of an instantaneous state of the body at a point in time and space, and at least one of determine an orientation of the body using an appendage of the body and track the body using at least one of the orientation and the gesture data.
US08941587B2
Systems, circuits, and devices for recognizing gestures are discussed. A mobile device includes a housing, an orientation sensor, a camera implemented on the housing, a memory for storing a lookup table comprising multiple gestures and corresponding commands, and a controller coupled to the orientation sensor, the camera, and the memory. The controller is configured to generate trace data corresponding to a gesture captured by the camera, wherein x, y, and z coordinates of the trace data are applied according to an orientation of the housing during the gesture. The controller is also configured to determine an orientation angle of the housing detected by the orientation sensor. The controller is further configured to recognize the gesture through accessing the lookup table based on the trace data and the orientation angle of the housing.
US08941585B2
An input device with touch input function has an input member which is operable to input at least one of shifting operation and pushing operation. The input member has a touch input device which is responsive to touch of a user. The input device has an operation sensor which detects the operation on the input member. The input member and the operation sensor provides an input unit which is supported by a support member in a manner that the input unit is movable among a lock position and an unlock position with respect to a base member on which the input unit is supported. The input device has a lock mechanism which locks the input member in inoperable condition at the lock position and which releases the input member in operable condition at the unlock position.
US08941584B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for simulating physical movement of a digital image. The apparatus includes an input receiving module, a calculation module, and a output module. The input receiving module is configured to receive a position input identifying a physical unit of measure. The calculation module is configured to correlate the physical unit of measurement to a position of a image positioning coordinate. The output module is configured to output the position of the image positioning coordinate.
US08941582B2
An electrophoretic display device includes: first and second substrates; an electrophoretic layer which is interposed between the first and second substrates; and a third substrate which is disposed opposite the first substrate with the second substrate interposed therebetween, which is joined to the first substrate with a sealing member interposed therebetween, and which seals the electrophoretic layer with the second substrate interposed therebetween. The first and third substrates have extension sections extending with respect to the second substrate in a plan view. The sealing member fills a part of a gap between the extension section of the first substrate and the extension section of the third substrate, and the sealing member does not come into contact with an outer edge of the third substrate.
US08941579B2
The present invention discloses a gate driver circuit. The gate driver circuit includes a plurality of driving units electrically connected in series, wherein the gate driver circuit receives a plurality of frequency signals and the driving units transmit a plurality of output signals sequentially. Furthermore, each driving unit includes a primary circuit, a first voltage regulator circuit and a second voltage regulator circuit.
US08941576B2
A display panel includes a gate driver connected to a gate line, where the gate driver includes a plurality of stages, where each of the stages includes at least one dual gate thin film transistor having a first control terminal and a second control terminal, and where each of the stages receives a clock signal, a first low voltage, a second low voltage, at least one transmission signal of previous stages, at least two transmission signals of subsequent stages and an output control signal from one of the stages to output a gate voltage including a gate-on voltage and a gate-off voltage.
US08941573B2
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display panel and liquid crystal display device, which includes data lines, scan lines disposed in a crisscross manner with data lines, pixel electrode disposed within area formed by two adjacent scan lines and two adjacent data lines, and thin film transistor disposed at intersection points of data line and scan line; wherein drain terminal of thin film transistor having extension part acting as repair line for scan line, extension part extending along direction parallel to scan line and an end of extension part away from thin film transistor partially overlapping scan line.
US08941572B2
A liquid crystal panel with an improved picture-quality and an LCD device having the same are disclosed. The liquid crystal panel and the LCD device allows a distance between a pixel electrode and a data line not connected to a thin film transistor and another distance between the pixel electrode and another data line to be asymmetrically formed within a single pixel region. Accordingly, the vertical cross-talk can be minimized, and furthermore picture-quality can be improved.
US08941571B2
A liquid-crystal-driving circuit includes: resistors connected in series between first and second potentials lower than the first potential; one or more voltage follower circuits to impedance-convert one or more intermediate potentials between the first and second potentials, to be outputted, respectively, the intermediate potentials generated at one or more connection points between the resistors, respectively; a common-signal-output circuit to supply common signals to common electrodes of a liquid crystal panel, respectively, the common signals being at the first, second, or one or more intermediate potentials in a predetermined order; and a segment-signal output circuit supplies segment signals to segment electrodes of the liquid crystal panel, respectively, the segment signals being at the first and second potentials, or the intermediate potentials according to the common signals, wherein the segment-signal output circuit increases impedances of the segment signals only for a first period when the of segment signals potentials are switched.
US08941570B2
An electro-optical device of the invention includes a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other with an electro-optical medium sandwiched therebetween, a pixel region having a plurality of pixels, and an ion trap section having an electrode formed in a region outside of the pixel region. A trapping voltage applied to the electrode of the ion trap section varies in accordance with a calculated voltage value that is calculated from a driving voltage applied to the electro-optical medium in one or a plurality of the pixels serving as a reference. The trapping voltage is set relatively high when the calculated voltage value belongs to a relatively high voltage range, and the trapping voltage is set relatively low when the calculated voltage value belongs to a relatively low voltage range.
US08941569B2
Provided is a liquid crystal display device including: pixels that are provided in a row direction and a column direction in which data signal lines extend, the pixels each including a plurality of pixel electrodes, in a pixel, in an nth frame, a pixel electrode being electrically connected to a data signal line, and in the frame, the plurality of pixel electrodes being electrically connected to each other and being electrically disconnected from the data signal line. This allows an improvement in viewing angle characteristic of a liquid crystal display device.
US08941567B2
An organic light emitting display device is capable of securing sufficient compensation period such that a threshold voltage of a driving transistor may be compensated. A pixel includes: an organic light emitting diode; a second transistor for controlling an amount of current supplied from a first power source to the organic light emitting diode; a first capacitor having a first terminal coupled to a gate electrode of the second transistor; a first transistor coupled between a second terminal of the first capacitor and a data line, and being configured to turn on when a scan signal is supplied to a scan line; and a third transistor coupled between a gate electrode and a second electrode of the second transistor and having a turning-on period that is not overlapped with that of the first transistor. The third transistor is configured to turn on for a longer time than the first transistor.
US08941559B2
An optical see-through head-mounted display device includes a see-through lens which combines an augmented reality image with light from a real-world scene, while an opacity filter is used to selectively block portions of the real-world scene so that the augmented reality image appears more distinctly. The opacity filter can be a see-through LCD panel, for instance, where each pixel of the LCD panel can be selectively controlled to be transmissive or opaque, based on a size, shape and position of the augmented reality image. Eye tracking can be used to adjust the position of the augmented reality image and the opaque pixels. Peripheral regions of the opacity filter, which are not behind the augmented reality image, can be activated to provide a peripheral cue or a representation of the augmented reality image. In another aspect, opaque pixels are provided at a time when an augmented reality image is not present.
US08941558B2
The present invention is about a stereoscopic image display device and a driving method for the same, the stereoscopic image display device comprising: a display panel configured to display an image; a switchable panel located on the display panel and having a plurality of switchable regions, the switchable panel being configured to convert the image into a 3D image; a voltage applying unit configured to apply voltage to the switchable panel in such a way as to divide each switchable region into a barrier region and a transmitting region; and a controller configured to control the voltage applying unit in such a way as to adjust a position of the barrier region and a width of the barrier region within the switchable region.
US08941556B1
An electronic workspace may be created from multiple viewer devices. The viewer devices are coordinated so that each exhibits a different visual identification characteristic such as a distinct or unique color. Content can be assigned by way of a user interface in which individual viewer devices are represented by visual icons that exhibit the same visual identification characteristics as the respective viewer devices, so that a user may easily distinguish between the available viewer devices.
US08941553B1
In some embodiments, an apparatus comprises of a ground plane control module included in an antenna system having a set of antenna segments that includes a first antenna segment, a second antenna segment, and a third antenna segment, with each antenna segment associated with a separate ground plane. The ground plane control module is configured to selectively activate the ground plane of the first antenna segment and the second antenna segment such that receive signals and transmit signals are communicated with a first and second user, respectively, when the ground planes of the first and second antenna segments, respectively, are in an activate mode. The ground plane control module is configured to selectively activate the ground plane of the third antenna segment such that the third antenna segment cannot communicate receive signals and transmit signals when the ground plane of the third antenna segment is in a deactivate mode.
US08941550B2
A mobile wireless communications device may include a portable housing and a printed circuit board (PCB) carried by the portable housing. The mobile wireless communications device may also include at least one electronic component carried by the PCB and an electrically conductive enclosure coupled to the PCB and having a top spaced above the PCB over the at least one electronic component. The top of the electrically conductive enclosure may have a slot therein defining a slot antenna.
US08941548B2
According to one embodiment; an antenna device according to this embodiment includes the first antenna element formed from a folded monopole element and a capacitor element. The first antenna element has a first end connected to a feeding terminal, a second end connected to the first ground terminal, and a middle portion folded, with a stub being provided between the forward portion and backward portion formed by this folding. The capacitor element is inserted between the stub and the above feeding terminal of the forward portion of the first antenna element.
US08941546B2
The present disclosure is directed to a rooftop-mounted off-air television antenna system, device and method including an integrated signal meter. The antenna portion of the device is mounted to the roof of a vehicle. An antenna adjustment mechanism is located inside of the vehicle cabin. The adjustment mechanism enables the user to adjust a position of the antenna on the roof, such as by rotating a dial that is coupled to the antenna. A signal meter is disposed in the adjustment mechanism and electrically connected to the antenna. A display of the signal meter readout is disposed in the adjustment mechanism in a location that can be easily viewed by a user during an aiming operation. The display allows the user to determine when the antenna has been positioned in order to obtain the approximate maximum signal strength possible given the vehicle's current location.
US08941544B2
The vehicle roof mount antenna to be detachably mounted on a vehicle roof is mainly constituted by an antenna cover 1, an antenna base 2, a boss 3, a pad 4, an annular rib 5, and an annular groove portion 6. The pad 4 has a boss hole 7 through which the boss 3 penetrates and is disposed between the antenna base 2 and the vehicle roof R. The annular rib 5, which is made of an elastic material, is provided on the vehicle roof R side surface of the pad 4. When the vehicle roof mount antenna is fixed to the vehicle roof R, the annular rib 5 is inclined from the boss hole 7 toward a periphery of the pad 4. The annular groove portion 6 is provided at a position where the pressing force of the annular rib 5 against the vehicle roof R can be reduced.
US08941536B2
A homodyne radar system includes an oscillator, an antenna, a low noise amplifier, a mixing subsystem and a directional coupler. The oscillator is configured to generate a transmit signal and a local oscillator signal. The antenna is configured to transmit the transmit signal and to receive a receive signal. The low noise amplifier is configured to amplify the receive signal. The mixing subsystem is configured to receive and mix the transmit signal and the receive signal to produce an output signal. The directional coupler is coupled to the antenna, the oscillator, the low noise amplifier and the mixing subsystem. The directional coupler is connected and configured to provide a low-loss transmission path from the antenna to the low noise amplifier and a high loss transmission path from the oscillator to the antenna.
US08941535B2
This disclosure provides an echo image display device, which includes an antenna for discharging electromagnetic waves and receiving echo signals reflected on one or more target objects, an echo signal input unit for inputting the echo signals from the antenna, an echo signal level detector for detecting a level of each of the echo signals with reference to a distance and an azimuth from the antenna, an image data generating module for generating image data based on the levels of the echo signals, a display unit for displaying the image data, and a data amount changing module for changing a data amount rate of a predetermined area that is set as a part of a display area of the display unit, into a different rate in another part of the display area.
US08941534B2
An integrated circuit for phase shifting a radio frequency signal, wherein the integrated circuit comprises at least one phase shifter comprising: at least one input for receiving a radio frequency signal, a voltage variable element; and a plurality of active devices operably coupled to the voltage variable element and arranged to receive a variable control voltage. The plurality of active devices comprise at least two active devices coupled in a common base arrangement and arranged to receive the radio frequency signal with the voltage variable element coupling the emitter contacts or source contacts of the at least two active devices, such that a variable control voltage applied to the voltage variable element adjusts a phase of the radio frequency signal.
US08941533B2
A device for detecting an azimuth has a transmission array antenna having plural transmission antenna elements arrayed along an array axis and a receiving array antenna having plural receiving antenna elements arrayed along the array axis. A reception signal is acquired for each of channels by transmitting and receiving a search wave through each of the channels. The channels are arbitrary combinations of each of the transmission antenna elements and each of the receiving antenna elements. A first spatial frequency analysis is performed along the array axis of either ones of the transmission antenna elements and the receiving antenna elements using the reception signal. A second spatial frequency analysis is then performed along the array axis of the other ones of the antenna elements using results of the first spatial frequency analysis. An azimuth of a target is determined based on analysis results from the second spatial frequency analysis.
US08941529B2
A circuit including an amplifier. The circuit includes N capacitances that include first ends and second ends. The first ends communicate with an input of the amplifier. A first switch is configured to selectively connect the input of the amplifier to a reference potential during a first phase. N switches are configured to connect each of the second ends of the N capacitances to a voltage input, the reference potential and a voltage reference and selectively connect each of the second ends of the N capacitances to one of a voltage input, the reference potential and a voltage reference during a second phase. The first and second phases are non-overlapping.
US08941520B2
An inverter-driven resistor-ladder digital-to-analog (DAC) converter includes a resistor-ladder network that comprises a resistor for each bit signal of a multi-bit input signal. Each resistor of the resistor-ladder network comprises an input end and an output end. The input end of each resistor is coupled to a corresponding bit signal of the multi-bit input signal, and the output end of each resistor is coupled to an output node of the resistor-ladder network. An output voltage is generated at the output node that is based on the multi-bit input signal. In one exemplary embodiment, the multi-bit input signal is a sigma-delta (ΣΔ) modulated multi-bit input signal. In another exemplary embodiment, resistance values of the resistors of the resistor-ladder network are related by a binary weighting. In still another exemplary embodiment, resistance values of the resistors of the resistor-ladder network are substantially equal.
US08941519B2
A light intensity subtractor according to one aspect of the present invention includes a light subtraction unit, a feedback circuit, a light input port, a first light output port, and a second light output port. The light subtraction unit receives input light through the light input port, outputs first output light to the first light output port, and outputs second output light to the second light output port. The light subtraction unit generates the first output light by reducing the light intensity of the second output light from the light intensity of the input light in accordance with a control voltage. The feedback circuit is connected to the light subtraction unit through the second light output port, and outputs the control voltage in accordance with the light intensity of the received second output light.
US08941517B2
Traditionally, pipelined continuous-time (CT) sigma-delta modulators (SDM) have been difficult to build due at least in part to the difficulties in calibrating the pipeline. Here, however, a pipelined CT SDM is provided that has an architecture that is conducing to being calibrated. Namely, the system includes a digital filter and other features that can be adjusted to account for input imbalance errors and well as quantization leakage noise.
US08941510B2
A system adapted to provide a warning to a vehicle operator of nearby hazards, e.g., that a nearby vehicle has been in a collision or is otherwise inoperable. Embodiments include a detector operable to detect a hazard, a transmitter to transmit a warning signal, a receiver to receive a transmitted warning signal, and a display to warn the operator of an approaching vehicle of the hazard. Some embodiments incorporate feedback from a vehicle's airbag deployment circuitry to provide a trigger effective to broadcast the warning signal. The operator of an approaching vehicle may be provided with a visual and/or an audible warning signal, e.g., via a cellular telephone. Certain embodiments provide such warning to approaching vehicles via the transmitted warning signal and a display and/or speaker carried in the approaching vehicle. Audible and visual warnings may be transmitted directly from the crashed vehicle.
US08941504B2
The present invention provides a method of determining if a fluid level in a transmission is satisfactory. The transmission includes a controller and is coupled to a powered vehicle. The method includes measuring a grade of the surface upon which the vehicle is positioned with an inclinometer and measuring the fluid level in the transmission with a fluid sensor. The method also includes communicating the measured grade and measured fluid level to the controller and determining a fluid level threshold based on the measured grade. The measured fluid level and fluid level threshold are compared and a determination is made if the measured fluid level is satisfactory based on the comparison.
US08941503B1
The water saving alarm for use with a toilet tank is an accessory that works in conjunction with an existing toilet to provide an audible alarm upon detection of a drop in water level inside of the toilet tank for a predetermined amount of time. The water saving alarm is solely capable of alerting an end user to a continuously running toilet in order for said end user to take corrective action with said toilet. The water saving alarm includes a housing that rests atop of the top, edge of the toilet tank, and from which an air pressure tube descends downwardly inside of the toilet tank in order to detect water level therein. The audible alarm is produced from a speaker located elsewhere on said housing.
US08941489B2
Disclosed are a system, method or device for maintaining a geofence to provide alerts in response to an object entering or exiting an area bounded by the geofence. In one example implementation, a geofence may be temporarily altered. In particular examples, such an alteration of a geofence may comprise changing a size or shape of the geofence.
US08941488B2
A method and system for the calibration and operation of a processor controlled ophthalmic lens is described. More specifically, the system comprising an interactive wireless device used to personalize the control and activation of one or more functions and/or components of the processor controlled ophthalmic lens. In some embodiments, the personalization may include calibrating the functions and/or components using feedback from the user using the interactive wireless device in response to measured conditions by one or more sensors included in the processor controlled ophthalmic lens.
US08941485B1
A precise navigation system utilizing a fleet of deployed RF beacons and an associated application. The RF beacons are installed in known locations about a predefined facility area. The RF beacons emit either a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi beacon signal. An RF beacon identifier is encoded into the beacon signal. The location of the beacon is determined by using the beacon identifier in conjunction with a beacon location index. The location can be used to determine a location of the receiving mobile device, initiating conveyance of information associated with merchants in the proximate area, assistance for parking, etc. The system can be employed to assist in emergency conditions, obtaining road sign information, and other applications where RF beacons can transmit specific location based services and information.
US08941476B2
A system is disclosed for communicating tactile messages to a user, such as a racecar driver, yacht crewmember, or other athlete. The system can include a tactile vest having tactile activators for conveying tactile messages to the user, including real time messages for helping the user assess and improve physical performance. The messages may be generated based on various types of sensor data, including, for example, data collected by vehicle sensors of a racecar or yacht.
US08941472B2
RFID data signals from RFID tags may be recovered by determining the probabilities of transitions between data states between a series of a pairs of signal samples using a set of predetermined probabilities related to data, timing, baud rate and/or phase variables affecting the received signal and processing those determined probabilities to determine the sequence of such transitions that has the highest probability of occurrence. A second set of predetermined probabilities related to transitions in the opposite direction may be used to sequence in a reverse direction. The determination of the sequence representing the RFID tag data may be iterated in both directions until further iterations do not change the determined probabilities.
US08941466B2
For user authentication, finger touch information from a user is accepted via a touch sensitive element, the finger touch information including at least a time series of finger touch samples that define a trace of the user's signature, and each of the finger touch samples including centroid coordinates and non-centroid information, the non-centroid information including at least one of (A) a shape of the finger touch sample, (B) a size of the finger touch sample, (C) an orientation of the finger touch sample, and (D) characteristics of a multi-touch finger touch sample. A similarity of such finger touch samples with previously entered and stored finger touch samples is determined and compared with a threshold for purposes of user authentication.
US08941462B2
An over-current protection device has a PTC device, first and second electrodes and an insulation layer. The PTC device comprises first and second electrically conductive members and a PTC layer laminated between the first and second electrically conductive members. The first and second electrodes are electrically connected to the first and second electrically conductive members, respectively. The insulation layer is disposed on a surface of the first electrically conductive member. The device is a stack structure extending along a first direction, and comprises at least one hole extending along a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The value of the covered area of the hole divided by the area of the form factor of the over-current protection device is not less than 2%, and the value of the thickness of the device divided by the number of the PTC devices is less than 0.7 mm.
US08941459B2
An inductor includes a core formed of a magnetic material and a foil winding wound at least partially around or through at least a portion of the core. A first end of the winding extends away from the core to form an extended output tongue configured and arranged to supplement or serve as a substitute for a printed circuit board foil trace. A second end of the winding forms a solder tab. At least a portion of the extended output tongue and the solder tab are formed at a same height relative to a bottom surface of the core. Another inductor includes a core formed of a magnetic material, a winding wound at least partially around or through at least a portion of the core, and a ground return conductor attached to the core. The core does not form a magnetic path loop around the ground return conductor.
US08941457B2
Magnetic components such as power inductors for circuit board applications include pressure laminate constructions involving flexible dielectric sheets that may integrally include magnetic powder materials. The dielectric sheets may be pressure laminated around a coil winding in an economical and reliable manner, with performance advantages over known magnetic component constructions.
US08941455B2
A method of and attachment system for securing and manipulating attractive objects upon an interior vehicular surface, utilizing at least one coded magnet to selectively attach/retain the objects, and provide various other functions, including aiding in alignment, orientation, and retrieval of the objects, and activating an associated sub-system.
US08941453B2
An object of the invention is to provide a contact switching device that produces minimal hitting sound at the time of return. In the contact switching device, a movable iron core (42) provided at one end portion of a movable shaft (45) is attracted to a fixed iron core (38), based on excitation and degauss of an electromagnet portion (50), by which the movable shaft (45) reciprocates in a shaft center direction, and a movable contact (48a) of a movable contact piece (48) arranged at another end portion of the movable shaft (45) contacts and departs from a fixed contact (33a). Particularly, at the time of return, an annular flange portion (45a) provided at an intermediate portion of the movable shaft (45) abuts on an annular receiving portion (35c) of the magnet holder (35) to thereby restrict a position of the movable iron core (42).
US08941448B2
An M-way coupler having a first port, M second ports, M transmission line sections, M isolation resistors and a phase shifting network is disclosed, where M is an integer number greater than 1. The M transmission line sections couple the first port to the M second ports, respectively. Each of the M isolation resistors has a first terminal and a second terminal. The first terminals of the M isolation resistors are coupled to the M second ports, respectively. The phase shifting network has M I/O terminals coupled to the second terminals of the M isolation resistors, respectively. The phase shifting network is arranged to provide a phase shift within a predetermined tolerance margin between arbitrary two I/O terminals of the M I/O terminals of the phase shifting network.
US08941447B2
A microwave pulse power switching system includes a waveguide switching section having stacked reduced height waveguides, wherein microwave pulse power introduced into a first port of the waveguide switching section is divided between and propagates through the stacked reduced height waveguides. At least one and preferably both of the stacked reduced height waveguides of said waveguide switching section are loaded with a non-reciprocal ferrite material. A magnetic field switching circuit, which can include electromagnets and a bifurcating web plate of the waveguide switching section, produces a switchable static magnetic field in the ferrite loaded reduced height waveguides. Actuation of the magnetic field switching circuit will cause pulse power that emerges from the second port of the waveguide switching section to be changed or “switched” relative to the pulse power introduced into the first port of the waveguide switching section.
US08941442B2
A method of fabricating one or more vapor cells comprises forming one or more vapor cell dies in a first wafer having a first diameter, and anodically bonding a second wafer to a first side of the first wafer over the vapor cell dies, the second wafer having a second diameter. A third wafer is positioned over the vapor cell dies on a second side of the first wafer opposite from the second wafer, with the third wafer having a third diameter. A sacrificial wafer is placed over the third wafer, with the sacrificial wafer having a diameter that is larger than the first, second and third diameters. A metallized bond plate is located over the sacrificial wafer. The third wafer is anodically bonded to the second side of the first wafer when a voltage is applied to the metallized bond plate while the sacrificial wafer is in place.
US08941424B2
A digital phase locked loop has a digital controlled oscillator, a phase comparator comparing the output signal of the digital controlled oscillator, or a signal derived therefrom, with a reference signal to produce a phase error signal. A loop filter produces a control signal for the digital controlled oscillator from an output of the phase comparator the loop filter. The loop filter has a proportional part producing a proportional component of the control signal, an integral part producing an integral component of the control signal, and an adder receiving the respective proportional and integral components at first and second inputs thereof to produce the control signal. The integral part includes a delayed feedback loop normally configured to accept the integral component at an input thereof. A first switch replaces the integral component at the input of the delayed feedback loop by the control signal in response to an activation signal. A control module produces the activation signal to activate the switch for brief periods when the phase error is non-zero and the rate of change of phase is less than a threshold value.
US08941421B2
To provide a semiconductor device provided with a power-on reset circuit that can reliably detect decrease in power-supply voltage. The power-on reset circuit provided on the semiconductor device includes: a first comparison circuit that compares a primary voltage with a reference value; and a second comparison circuit that compares a secondary voltage with the reference value. The power-on reset circuit issues a reset signal based on comparison results of the first and second comparison circuits.
US08941409B2
An integrated circuit (“IC”) having configurable logic circuits for configurably performing multiple different logic operations based on configuration data is provided. The IC includes a configurable routing fabric for configurably routing signals among configurable logic circuits. The configurable routing fabric includes a particular wiring path that connects an output of a source circuit to inputs of a destination circuit. The particular wiring path includes a first path and a second path that is parallel to the first path. The first and second paths are for configurably storing output signals of the source circuit. The first path connects to a first input of the destination circuit and the second path connects to a second input of the destination path.
US08941406B2
Provided is a method for reducing output data noise of a semiconductor apparatus which includes a plurality of output buffers to output data. The method includes the steps of: driving low data to a specific output buffer among the plurality of output buffers, and driving data transiting from a high level to a low level to the other output buffers; and measuring the magnitude of data noise occurring in output data of the specific output buffer, and deciding slew rates of the plurality of output buffers based on the measurement result.
US08941404B2
In accordance with an embodiment, a method of testing a power supply controller includes detecting whether an external switch is coupled between a first supply pin and the second supply pin. If the external switch is detected, the method determines whether there is a short circuit between the second supply pin and the switching output pin. If the short circuit between the second supply pin and the switching output pin is not detected, however, the method determines whether there is a short circuit between a switch control pin and the second supply pin. If the short circuit between the switch control pin and the second supply pin is not detected, the method determines whether there is a conductive path between the first supply pin and the second supply pin when the switch control pin activates the external switch.
US08941403B2
A semiconductor device includes a unit region including a circuit test region and a probe test region. The circuit test region includes a test circuit and a plurality of circuit test pads operatively coupled to the test circuit. The probe test region includes first and second probe test pads insulated from the circuit test pads, and a first resistance pattern operatively coupled to the first and second probe test pads.
US08941385B2
A spark plug, including an insulator embedding a first metallic electrode axially extending therethrough from a high voltage outer end terminal to the center of the inner end of the insulator from which it protrudes; a metallic ground electrode isolated from the first electrode and having an extended inner termination facing toward the first electrode extending from the insulator tip for defining therebetween a spark gap, a resistive element connected to the ground electrode such that upon mounting the spark plug in an internal combustion engine, the ground electrode electrically connects to the engine body through the resistive element; and a second outer termination of the ground electrode, adapted to constitute an accessible sensing terminal.
US08941380B2
In a method and apparatus to enable increased RF duty cycle in high field MR scans, a specific energy absorption rate (SAR) calculation processor calculates the local and global SAR or even a spatial SAR map. By incorporating additional information as, e.g. patient position, the SAR calculation accuracy can be increased as well as by using more patient specific pre-calculated information (e.g. based on different bio meshes), the so called Q-matrices. A sequence controller maybe provided to create a global SAR optimal RF pulse. After the optimal RF pulse is applied, the SAR and its spatial distribution are determined. SAR hotspots are also determined. Q-matrices within an appropriate radius around the hotspots are averaged and added to a global Q-matrix in a weighted fashion. After the global Q-matrix is updated, a new optimal RF pulse is created.
US08941372B2
Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for predicting power system instability. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for predicting voltage collapse or instability in a power system. The method can include sampling measurement values associated with one or more busses, wherein the measurement values include current on respective lines associated with a bus; and voltage associated with the bus. The method can further include determining a change in reactive power loss (ΔQloss) on input lines feeding the bus; determining a change in real power flow (ΔPflow) on input or output lines associated with the bus; and determining a voltage stability index (VSI) at the bus based at least in part on the determined ΔQloss and the ΔPflow.
US08941368B2
A method and system to inhibit the switching of a current mode switching converter having high and low side switching elements coupled to an output inductor, the other end of which is coupled to an output node, and operated with respective modulated switching signals to regulate an output voltage Vout produced at the node. A current IC that varies with the difference between a reference voltage and a voltage proportional to Vout is compared with and a current IDETECT—PEAK which varies with the current conducted by the high side switching element; the result of the comparison of IC and IDETECT—PEAK is used to control the regulation of Vout during normal operation. Current IC is also compared with a current IDETECT—VALLEY which varies with the current conducted by the low side switching element. When IDETECT—VALLEY>IC, a ‘skip mode’ is triggered during which the switching signals are inhibited.
US08941360B2
Provided are a battery state monitoring circuit and a battery device, in which, even when one secondary battery becomes an overcharged state or an overdischarged state and then a voltage detection circuit operates, power is not consumed in only the one secondary battery. The battery state monitoring circuit includes: a plurality of voltage detection circuits which are provided for a plurality of secondary batteries, respectively, for detecting voltages of the plurality of secondary batteries; and a current bypass circuit provided in each of the plurality of voltage detection circuits, for allowing an operation current of the each of the plurality of voltage detection circuits to flow into a ground terminal. Therefore, when only one secondary battery becomes an overcharged state or an overdischarged state, the battery device operates so that the power of all the secondary batteries is consumed to prevent voltages between the secondary batteries from being unbalanced.
US08941357B2
A circuit for heating a battery includes a switch unit, switching control module, damping component, energy storage circuit, and freewheeling circuit. The energy storage circuit is connected with the battery, and includes a current storage component and charge storage component. The damping component, switch unit, current storage component, and charge storage component are connected in series. The switching control module is connected with the switch unit, and is configured to control switching on and off of the switch unit so that current can flow back-and-forth between the battery and energy storage circuit when the switch unit switches on, and amplitude of the current flowing from the energy storage circuit to the battery can be controlled. The freewheeling circuit is configured to sustain the current flowing to the battery when there is current flowing from the energy storage circuit to the battery and after the switch unit switches off.
US08941356B2
Circuit and method for heating a battery. The circuit includes the battery including a first damping component and a first current storage component, a switch unit, a switching control component, a first charge storage component, and an energy transfer unit. The switching control component is configured to turn on the switch unit so as to allow a current to flow between the battery and the first charge storage component and to turn off the switch unit so as to stop the current. The energy transfer unit is configured to, after the switch unit is turned on and then turned off, start removing first energy from the first charge storage component and complete transferring the removed first energy to an energy storage component. The circuit for heating the battery is configured to heat the battery by at least discharging the battery.
US08941354B2
A battery system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes i) a plurality of battery modules each of which is configured to store power, wherein each battery module is electrically connected to at least one other battery module and ii) a plurality of management units configured to monitor states of the battery modules. Each management unit is electrically connected to at least one other management unit and one or more of the battery modules. Each management unit may include: at least one measuring unit configured to perform the monitoring and a receiving unit configured to i) receive measurement data including the monitoring results from the measuring unit via a first communication protocol and ii) receive measurement data from another receiving unit included in another management unit via a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol.
US08941350B2
A power conversion method including: receiving an input voltage which is a single-phase AC voltage; designating a first target voltage and a second target voltage respectively representing consecutive target values of a first-phase output voltage and a second-phase output voltage which form a two-phase AC voltage; cyclically connecting and disconnecting a pair of input terminals and a pair of first output terminals at a duty cycle corresponding to a ratio |ref1/in| during a time period in which an instantaneous absolute value of the input voltage is greater than an instantaneous absolute value of the first target voltage; and cyclically connecting and disconnecting the pair of the input terminals and a pair of second output terminals at a duty cycle corresponding to a ratio |ref2/in| during time periods in which the instantaneous absolute value of the input voltage is greater than an instantaneous absolute value of the second target voltage.
US08941347B2
A converter control device comprises: a voltage-zero-cross detection unit detecting zero cross of the alternate-current voltage and outputting a voltage zero-cross signal; a power-source-current detection unit detecting a power source current of the alternate-current power source; a bus-line-voltage detection unit detecting a bus-line voltage between terminals of the smoothing capacitor; a PWM-signal generation unit generating a PWM-signal for on/off-controlling the switching unit, based on the power-source current, the bus-line voltage and a bus-line-voltage command value as a target voltage of the bus-line voltage; a power-source voltage-state detection unit detecting a signal state of the alternate-current voltage based on the voltage zero-cross signal; and a fundamental-switching-frequency selection unit selecting a fundamental switching frequency of the PWM-signal based on the signal state of the alternate-current voltage. The PWM-signal generation unit generates the PWM-signal based on a fundamental switching signal having a fundamental switching frequency selected by the fundamental-switching-frequency selection unit.
US08941346B2
A control system (128) for controlling a switched reluctance (SR) machine (110) having a rotor (116) and a stator (118) is provided. The control system (128) may include a converter circuit (122) operatively coupled to the stator (118) and including a plurality of switches (132) in selective communication with each phase of the stator (118) and a controller (130) in communication with each of the stator (118) and the converter circuit (122). The controller (130) may be configured to determine a position of the rotor (116) relative to the stator (118), and generate a modulated switching frequency (152) based on the rotor position.
US08941344B2
In at least one implementation, a vehicle wiper control system includes an actuator and a controller. The actuator is coupled to the wiper and operable to selectively move the wiper from a normal operating position engaged with a vehicle surface to be wiped and to a deployed position not engaged with said vehicle surface. The controller is communicated with the actuator and with a source of weather information regarding one or more weather factors, the controller being operable to cause the actuator to move the wiper from its normal position to its deployed position when one or more of the weather factors are at or beyond a threshold for said one or more weather factors. This may cause, for example, a wiper blade to be moved off of a vehicle surface if the current or predicted weather is indicative of possible snow fall or ice formation.
US08941341B2
A brushless wound field synchronous generator configured to generate an output power to drive an electrical load includes a rotating rectifier assembly. The rotating rectifier assembly includes a rotating diode assembly and a field effect transistor (FET) to control voltage across the rotating diode assembly.
US08941336B1
A compact synchrotron radiation source includes an electron beam generator, an electron storage ring, one or more wiggler insertion devices disposed along one or more straight sections of the electron storage ring, the one or more wiggler insertion devices including a set of magnetic poles configured to generate a periodic alternating magnetic field suitable for producing synchrotron radiation emitted along the direction of travel of the electrons of the storage ring, wherein the one or more wiggler insertion devices are arranged to provide light to a set of illumination optics of a wafer optical characterization system or a mask optical characterization system, wherein the etendue of a light beam emitted by the one or more wiggler insertion devices is matched to the illumination optics of the at least one of a wafer optical characterization system and the mask optical characterization system.
US08941335B2
There is provided a light-emitting element which includes a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer having an electrical conductivity that is different from that of the first semiconductor layer and an active layer disposed between the first and second layers, and a first and second electrodes respectively disposed on surfaces of the first and second semiconductor layers. The first electrode comprises a plurality of electrode pieces separated from each other; and each of the electrode pieces comprises a power feed pad, and an extended portion connected to the pad and that extends in a direction away from the pad, and a terminal end portion of the extended portion of an electrode piece is opposed to a terminal end portion of the extended portion of the other electrode piece across a gap.
US08941332B2
Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided that include alterable characteristics and such alterable characteristics may be coordinated. Such systems, apparatuses, and methods may include wearable apparatuses and such alterable characteristics may relate to illumination conditions or coating colors. In one example, a wearable apparatus includes an output device such as an illumination device or coating that may be manually manipulated between two different conditions. In another example, two wearable apparatuses may each include an output device such as an illumination device or a coating, and operation of the two illumination devices or coatings may be coordinated. In a further example, operation of an apparatus may be controlled by a third party or venue. Still another exemplary system may include a capturing device for capturing a characteristic of an object and controlling an output device of an apparatus to operate with the same characteristic as the captured characteristic.
US08941323B1
A ceiling lamp adopting a non-separating driver circuit includes a conversion module and a control module. The conversion module converts an input voltage into an operating voltage to drive the LEDs and forming a driving current, and the control module monitors the operating voltage and the driving current to adjust the operating cycle of the conversion module, change the output voltage value of the operating voltage, and linearly change the driving current at a constant current state. The conversion module just executes the power conversion for one time to provide the driving power of the LEDs instead of using the conventional driving method that executes a two-stage power conversion by a separating power converter and a negative booster of the conventional ceiling lamp. Therefore, the ceiling lamp adopting a non-separating driver circuit is capable of lowering the circuit cost and improving the operating efficiency.
US08941299B2
A light emitting device includes an electroluminescent material and semiconductor nanocrystals. The semiconductor nanocrystals accept energy from the electroluminescent material and emit light.
US08941292B2
Disclosed herein are low pressure discharge lamps having enhanced chroma and color preference. improved color quality scale, especially at elevated color temperatures, is provided. The light generated by the light-emitting elements of the lamp, when the lamp is energized, has Color Preference Scale values, as well as delta chroma values for fifteen color samples of the Color Quality Scale, within select parameters.
US08941282B2
A stator core (105) including tabbed laminations (100) stacked face-to-face to form a plurality of tabbed lamination modules (107), with each tabbed lamination including a first tab (102) and a second tab (104) extending from a circumferential edge of the lamination. Non-tabbed laminations are also stacked face-to-face to form a plurality of non-tabbed lamination modules (109), each non-tabbed lamination lacking a tab. The tabbed lamination modules are stacked face-to-face in an alternating configuration with non-tabbed lamination modules. The tabs are used to attach the stator core to an inside surface of an electrical generator frame (2), such as by attaching the tabs to frame support rings (4) of the generator frame.
US08941279B2
There is provided an axial gap type generator. The axial gap type generator includes: a stator core fixed to a crank case of an engine; a rotor yoke fixed to a crankshaft of the engine and opposing the stator core across spacing in an axial direction of the crankshaft; a first planar section provided in the crankshaft and formed to have a planar shape that is perpendicular to a rotation center axis; a second planar section provided at a base, at which the rotor yoke is mounted on the crankshaft, and disposed opposing the first planar section; and a shim clamped between the first planar section and the second planar section.
US08941275B2
A rotational axis of a first motor 102A and a rotational axis of a second motor 102B are disposed on the same straight line. A connector 72 of the first motor 102A and a connector 72B of the second motor 102B are disposed substantially in mirror symmetric positions, and a lead conductor 92u, 92v, 92w of the first motor 102A and a lead conductor 92u, 92v, 92w of the second motor 102B are disposed in non-mirror symmetric positions, and a size of a relay conductor 93u, 93v, 93w of the first motor 102A and a size of a relay conductor 93u, 93v, 93w of the second motor 102B differ from each other.
US08941274B2
A stator for an electric motor that includes a plurality of stacked laminations and a polymeric shell coupled to the plurality of laminations. Each lamination includes an annular plate having a plurality of notches defined therein. Each notch has an end positioned between the side walls of the annular plate. A plurality of teeth extend from one side wall of the annular plate. Each lamination includes a first slot defined at the first end of each notch and a second slot spaced apart from the first slot, the first slots of the laminations are aligned to define a first plurality of passageways, the second slots of the laminations are aligned to define a second plurality of passageways, and the polymeric shell includes a plurality of support beams that extend through the first plurality of passageways and the second plurality of passageways.
US08941270B2
A method of building structures using diamagnetically levitated manipulators includes depositing, with a first end effector attached to a first manipulator, a first adhesive at a first location on a first surface, picking up, with a second end effector, an article, moving the article to the surface, and placing the article on the adhesive on the surface.
US08941268B2
A non-contact power transmission apparatus that includes a power supply circuit that generates electrical power; a switch connected to an output of the power supply circuit; a first power transmission antenna connected to a first output of the switch; a second power transmission antenna connected to a second output of the switch; a communication interface that communicates with a device; and a control unit that controls the switch based on a state of the device obtained via the communication interface.
US08941266B2
An IPT pick-up circuit includes a resonant circuit including a pick-up inductor and a tuning capacitance in parallel with the pick-up inductor, a control system to control power transfer to the pick-up circuit and a power conditioning impedance provided in series between the resonant circuit and the control system, selected to provide a required power factor in the resonant circuit.
US08941265B2
A DC power distribution system and method includes a solid state remote power controller that connects a switching power source to a DC bus when the DC bus is switching power sources thereby providing a nearly uninterrupted power supply to the DC bus.
US08941252B1
A solar wind chime includes a chime and a striker suspended from a body. A solar energy system is carried by the body and includes a solar energy collection system configured to recharge a rechargeable electrical power source. An electrical subsystem conductively couples to the rechargeable electrical power source.
US08941251B2
An electricity generating shock absorber includes a coil assembly having a length of electrically conducting material wrapped around an outside perimeter, and along a length, of a hollow tube formed of electrically resistant material; a magnet unit formed of at least one annular axial magnet; a central shaft having a magnetic reluctance on which a plurality of the magnet units are mounted, the central shaft dimensioned for insertion through a central opening of the at least one annular axial magnet, the central shaft combined with the plurality of magnet units forming a magnet assembly dimensioned to slideably insert into a central cavity of the hollow tube; and a cylindrical shell having a first end attached to a terminal end of the magnet assembly, the cylindrical shell extending a length of the magnet assembly, the cylindrical shell having an inner diameter sized to slideably accommodate an outside diameter of the coil assembly.
US08941250B1
A redistribution pattern is formed on active surfaces of electronic components while still in wafer form. The redistribution pattern routes bond pads of the electronic components to redistribution pattern terminals on the active surfaces of the electronic components. The bond pads are routed to the redistribution pattern terminals while still in wafer form, which is a low cost and high throughput process, i.e., very efficient process.
US08941249B2
A multi-die package includes a first semiconductor die and a second semiconductor die each having an upper surface with a plurality of bond pads positioned thereon. The multi-die package also includes a plurality of bonding wires each coupling one of the bond pads on the upper surface of the first semiconductor die to a corresponding one of the bond pads on the upper surface of the second semiconductor die. A bonding wire of the plurality of bonding wires includes a first portion extending upward from one of the second plurality of bond pads substantially along a z-axis and curving outward substantially along x and y axes in a direction towards the first semiconductor die. The bonding wire also includes a second portion coupled to the first portion and extending from the first portion downward to one of the first plurality of bond pads on the upper surface of the first semiconductor die.
US08941240B2
A contact rhodium structure is fabricated by a process that comprises obtaining a substrate having a dielectric layer thereon, wherein the dielectric layer has cavities therein into which the contact rhodium is to be deposited; depositing a seed layer in the cavities and on the dielectric layer; and depositing the rhodium by electroplating from a bath comprising a rhodium salt; an acid and a stress reducer; and then optionally annealing the structure.
US08941237B2
A device includes a substrate, a semiconductor chip, first and second pads, and a first wiring layer. The substrate includes first and second surfaces. The semiconductor chip includes third and fourth surfaces. The third surface faces toward the first surface. The first and second pads are provided on the third surface. The first and second pads are connected to each other. The first wiring layer is provided on the second surface of the substrate. The first wiring layer is connected to the first pad.
US08941231B2
Provided are an electronic chip and a method of fabricating the same. The semiconductor chip may include a substrate, an active device integrated on the substrate, a lower interlayered insulating layer covering the resulting structure provided with the active device, a passive device provided on the lower interlayered insulating layer, an upper interlayered insulating layer covering the resulting structure provided with the passive device, and a ground electrode provided on the upper interlayered insulating layer. The upper interlayered insulating layer may be formed of a material, whose dielectric constant may be higher than that of the lower interlayered insulating layer.
US08941228B2
A semiconductor module is manufactured by bonding a resin case having a first opening through which surfaces of main circuit terminals and control terminals are exposed, onto a metal heat-dissipating substrate onto which is bonded, a conductive-patterned insulating substrate onto which are bonded, semiconductor chips, the main circuit terminals, and the control terminals; inserting into and attaching to a second opening formed on a side wall constituting a resin case, a resin body having a nut embedded therein to fix the main circuit terminals and the control terminals; and filling the resin case with a resin material. A side wall of the first opening is tapered toward the surface thereof; a tapered contact portion contacting the tapered side wall is disposed on the control terminal; and the resin body having the embedded nut fixes the control terminal having a one-footing structure that is an independent terminal.
US08941221B2
A semiconductor package includes a die pad, at least one semiconductor die mounted on the die pad, a plurality of leads disposed along peripheral edges of the die pad, at least one connecting bar for supporting the die pad, a first power bar disposed on one side of the connecting bar, a second power bar disposed on the other side of the connecting bar, and a connection member traversing the connecting bar and electrically connecting the first power bar with the second power bar.
US08941220B2
Disclosed herein is a power module package, including: a first substrate having first semiconductor chips mounted thereon; and a second substrate having second semiconductor chips mounted thereon, the second substrate being coupled with the first substrate such that a side surface in a thickness direction thereof is disposed on an upper surface of the first substrate.
US08941218B1
A semiconductor device that includes a Group III-V semiconductor substrate, circuit elements in and on the substrate, a first metal layer over the substrate, and an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer. The ILD layer defines a via that extends through it to the first metal layer. Over the ILD layer is thick second metal layer and a passivation layer. The second metal layer includes an interconnect that extends through the via into contact with the first metal layer. The second metal layer is patterned to define at least one conductor. The passivation layer covers the second metal layer and the interlayer dielectric layer, and includes stacked regions of dielectric material. Ones of the regions under tensile stress alternate with ones of the regions under compressive stress, such that the passivation layer is subject to net compressive stress.
US08941207B2
A method or an auxiliary method to implement Optimum Variation Lateral Electric Displacement uses an insulator film(s) containing conductive particles covering on the semiconductor surface. This film(s) is capable of transmitting electric displacement into or extracting it from the semiconductor surface, or even capable of extracting some electric displacement from a part of the semiconductor surface and then transmitting it to another part of the surface. Optimum Variation Lateral Electric Displacement can be used to fabricate lateral high voltage devices, or as the edge termination for vertical high voltage devices, or to make capacitance. It can be further used to prevent strong field at the boundaries of semiconductor regions of different types of conductivity types.
US08941199B2
An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of photo detecting elements and a backside protection pattern. The plurality of photo detecting elements may be formed in an upper portion of the semiconductor substrate. The plurality of photo detecting elements may be separate from each other. The backside protection pattern may be formed in a lower portion of the semiconductor substrate between the plurality of photo detecting elements.
US08941198B2
A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions each provided in a semiconductor substrate and receives incident light through a light sensing surface, and a pixel separation portion provided to electrically separate a plurality of pixels. At least a pinning layer and a light shielding layer are provided in an inner portion of a trench provided on a side portion of each of the photoelectric conversion portions in an incident surface side, the trench includes a first trench and a second trench formed to be wider than the first trench in a portion shallower than the first trench, the pinning layer is formed in an inner portion of the first trench to cover an inside surface of the second trench, and the light shielding layer is formed to bury an inner portion of the second trench at least via the pinning layer.
US08941194B1
A pressure sensor device is assembled by forming cavities on a surface of a metal sheet and then forming an electrically conductive pattern having traces and bumps over the cavities. An insulating layer is formed on top of the pattern and then processed to form exposed areas and die attach areas on the surface of the metal sheet. The exposed areas are plated with a conductive metal and then electrically connected to respective ones of the bumps. A gel is dispensed on the die attach areas and sensor dies are attached to respective die attach areas. One or more additional semiconductor dies are attached to the insulating layer and bond pads of these dies are electrically connected to the exposed plated areas. A molding compound is dispensed such that it covers the sensor die and the additional dies. The metal sheet is removed to expose outer surfaces of the bumps.
US08941189B2
Various embodiments include fin-shaped field effect transistor (finFET) structures that enhance work function and threshold voltage (Vt) control, along with methods of forming such structures. The finFET structures can include a p-type field effect transistor (PFET) and an n-type field effect transistor (NFET). In some embodiments, the PFET has fins separated by a first distance and the NFET has fins separated by a second distance, where the first distance and the second distance are distinct from one another. In some embodiments, the PFET or the NFET include fins that are separated from one another by non-uniform distances. In some embodiments, the PFET or the NFET include adjacent fins that are separated by distinct distances at their source and drain regions.
US08941188B2
A semiconductor arrangement includes a semiconductor body and a power transistor arranged in a first device region of the semiconductor body. The power transistor includes at least one source region, a drain region, and at least one body region, at least one drift region of a first doping type and at least one compensation region of a second doping complementary to the first doping type, and a gate electrode arranged adjacent to the at least one body region and dielectrically insulated from the body region by a gate dielectric. The semiconductor arrangement also includes a further semiconductor device arranged in a second device region of the semiconductor body. The second device region includes a well-like structure of the second doping type surrounding a first semiconductor region of the first doping type. The further semiconductor device includes device regions arranged in the first semiconductor region.
US08941186B2
A semiconductor device includes: a first vertical type transistor having a first lower diffusion layer, a first upper diffusion layer, and a gate electrode; a second vertical type transistor having a second lower diffusion layer, a second upper diffusion layer, and a second gate electrode; a gate wiring connected to the first and second gate electrodes; a first wiring connected to the first lower diffusion layer and second upper diffusion layer; and a second wiring connected to the first upper diffusion layer and second lower diffusion layer.
US08941180B2
Disclosed is an integrated circuit having an asymmetric FET as a power gate for an electronic circuit, which has at least two stacked symmetric field effect transistors. The asymmetric FET has an asymmetric halo configuration (i.e., a single source-side halo or a source-side halo with a higher dopant concentration than a drain-side halo) and an asymmetric source/drain extension configuration (i.e., the source extension can be overlapped to a greater extent by the gate structure than the drain extension and/or the source extension can have a higher dopant concentration than the drain extension). As a result, the asymmetric FET has a low off current. In operation, the asymmetric FET is turned off when the electronic circuit is placed in a standby state and, due to the low off current (Ioff), effectively reduces standby leakage current from the electronic circuit. Additionally, avoiding the use of stacked asymmetric field effect transistors within the electronic circuit itself prevents performance degradation due to reduced linear drain current (Idlin).
US08941162B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first groove, a word line in the first groove, and a buried insulating film in the first groove. The buried insulating film covers the word line. The buried insulating film comprises a silicon nitride film.
US08941152B1
A method of forming a semiconductor device comprises forming a base wafer comprising a first chip package portion, a second chip package portion, and a third chip package portion. The method also comprises forming a capping wafer comprising a plurality of isolation trenches, each of the plurality of isolation trenches being configured to substantially align with one of the first chip package portion, the second chip package portion or the third chip package portion. The method further comprises eutectic bonding the capping wafer and the base wafer to form a wafer package. The method additionally comprises dicing the wafer package into a first chip package, a second chip package, and a third chip package. The method also comprises placing the first chip package, the second chip package, and the third chip package onto a substrate.
US08941151B2
In the condition where a nozzle for applying a coating liquid is disposed on the lower side of a substrate and a substrate surface controlled in wettability is faced down, the nozzle and the substrate are moved relative to each other, whereby the coating liquid is applied to a desired region of the substrate, and then the coating liquid is dried, to obtain a pattern included a dried coating layer.
US08941150B2
An integrated circuit created from a cell library of compact cells. The cell library includes cells having a metal trace routed along the boundary of the cells for carrying a power supply voltage. The cells also include another metal trace routed along the interior of the cells for carrying another power supply voltage. A cell pin carrying an input signal or output signal of the cell is located outside of the region between the two power rails. By routing the power supply voltages and cell pins of the cell in this manner, the integrated circuit created from the cell is extremely compact while still complying with various design rules.
US08941148B2
A semiconductor device is disclosed. One embodiment includes a lateral HEMT (High Electron Mobility Transistor) structure with a heterojunction between two differing group III-nitride semiconductor compounds and a layer arranged on the heterojunction. The layer includes a group III-nitride semiconductor compound and at least one barrier to hinder current flow in the layer.
US08941143B2
An OLED lighting element comprises a substrate bearing an OLED structure extending laterally over said substrate and sandwiched between first and second electrode layers. The first electrode layer defines a plurality of electrically conductive tracks and said second electrode layer comprises a substantially continuous electrically conducting layer. The OLED lighting element has an electrical bus-bar connected to said electrically conductive tracks extending substantially completely along the or each lateral edge of said lighting element. The electrically conductive tracks run in a radial direction from a laterally central location within said lighting element towards said bus-bar along said lateral edges of said lighting element. A said track subdivides into a plurality of tracks with increasing distance from said central location. This arrangement makes more efficient use of the conductive tracks.
US08941142B2
An organic light emitting display device including a sub-pixel including a pixel electrode, a counter electrode, and a light emitting layer between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, a planarization layer covering the counter electrode, and an auxiliary electrode in the planarization layer and coupled to the counter electrode.
US08941140B2
A light-emitting device includes a nitride-based semiconductor reflector. The light-emitting device includes a nitride-based reflector and a light-emitting unit that is disposed on the nitride-based reflector. The nitride-based reflector includes undoped nitride semiconductor layers and heavily-doped nitride semiconductor layers that are alternately stacked. The heavily doped nitride semiconductor layers are etched at their edges to form air layers between adjacent undoped nitride semiconductor layers.
US08941135B2
A light emitting device includes: at least one light emitting component (LEC) comprising a light-emitting face having a longest linear dimension D1; at least one wavelength-converting consolidated monolithic component (WCC) having a light-receiving face, a light-emitting face, and a peripheral edge. The WCC is radiationally linked to and spaced apart from the LEC at a distance D2, D2 being less than D1, wherein a projection edge of the light-emitting face of the LEC and the peripheral edge of the WCC define a shortest distance D3 therebetween, wherein a surface area of the light-receiving face of the WCC is at least 120% of that of the light-emitting face of the LEC, and the LEC and WCC are positioned relative to each other to satisfy D3/D2≧1.
US08941132B2
A method for manufacture of application specific solar cells includes providing and processing custom design information to determine at least a cell size and a cell shape. The method includes providing a transparent substrate having a back surface region, a front surface region, and one or more grid-line regions overlying the front side surface region. The one or more grid regions provide one or more unit cells having the cell size and the cell shape. The method further includes forming a layered structure including photovoltaic materials overlying the front surface region. Additionally, the method includes aligning a laser beam from the back surface region to illuminate a first region within the one or more grid-line regions, subjecting a first portion of the layered structure overlying the first region to the laser beam to separate the first portion of the layered structure from the first region, and scanning the laser beam along the one or more grid-line regions to cause formation of one or more unit cells having the cell size and cell shape. The method further includes transferring the one or more unit cells.
US08941108B2
A method performs electrical testing and assembly of an electronic device on a wafer and comprising a pad made in an oxide layer covered by a passivation layer. The method includes connecting the electronic device to a testing apparatus; providing said electronic device with a metallization layer extending on the passivation layer from the pad to a non-active area of said wafer. The method comprises-performing the electrical testing on wafer of the electronic device by placing a probe of on a portion of the extended metallization layer; performing the cut of said wafer, reducing the extension of the metallization layer to the edge of the electronic device; embedding the device inside a package, forming on the metallization layer an electrical connection configured to connect the metallization layer to a circuit in said package.
US08941106B2
A thin film transistor is provided. In this thin film transistor, the thickness of the gate is increased. Therefore, the source and drain of this thin film transistor can be disposed on the side wall of the gate to decrease the occupied area of the thin film transistor. An array substrate and a display device using the thin film transistor are also provided.
US08941101B2
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display is disclosed. In one aspect, the display includes a substrate, an organic light emitting element positioned on the substrate, and a first thin film transistor (TFT) connected to the organic light emitting element and having a driving channel region including at least one groove.
US08941100B2
An organic light emitting display apparatus includes a first electrode, a hole injection layer disposed on the first electrode, a light emitting layer disposed on the hole injection layer, an electron injection layer disposed on the light emitting layer, a chlorine-doped layer disposed on the electrode injection layer and including chlorine and a same material as the electron injection layer, and a second electrode disposed on the chlorine-doped layer.
US08941099B2
The present invention provides an OLED in which an organic thin film layer comprising a single layer or plural layers between a cathode and an anode, wherein the organic thin film layer comprises at least one organic light emitting layer, wherein at least one light emitting layer comprises at least one host material and at least one phosphorescent emitter material, wherein the host material comprises a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon compound having the chemical structure represented by the formula (A-I): formula (A-1) wherein R1 and R2 each represent independently a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having from 1 to about 5 carbon atoms; Ar1 represents a divalent residue of a benzene ring, a naphthalene ring, a chrysene ring, a phenanthrene ring, a benzophenanthrene ring, a dibenzophenanthrene ring, a benzo[a]triphenylene ring, a benzochrysene ring, a fluoranthene ring, a benzo[b]fluoranthene ring or picene ring; and Ar2 represents a monovalent residue of a naphthalene ring, a chrysene ring, a phenanthrene ring, a benzophenanthrene ring, a dibenzophenanthrene ring, a benzo[a]triphenylene ring, a benzochrysene ring, a fluoranthene ring, a benzo[b]fluoranthene ring or a picene ring; and Ar1 and Ar2 each may have independently one or plural substituent(s) selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group having 1 to about 3 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having about 5 to about 7 ring-forming carbon atoms, a silyl group having about 3 to about 12 carbon atoms, a cyano group, a halogen atom and an aryl group having about 6 to about 16 ring-forming carbon atoms; and the phosphorescent emitter material comprises a phosphorescent organometallic complex having a substituted chemical structure represented by one of the following partial chemical structures represented by the formulae: formulae (I), (II), (III) wherein R is independently hydrogen or an alkyl substituent having 1-3 carbon atoms, and wherein at least one ring of the formula has one or more of said alkyl substituent.
US08941098B2
A light detecting array structure and a light detecting module are provided. The light detecting array structure includes a plurality of first electrodes, a plurality of second electrodes, a first carrier selective layer, a second carrier selective layer, and a light-absorbing active layer. The second electrodes are disposed on one side of the first electrodes. Between the first electrodes and the second electrodes, a first carrier selective layer, a light-absorbing active layer and a second carrier selective layer are disposed. The light detecting module includes the light detecting array structure and a control unit. The control unit is coupled to the first electrodes and second electrodes, selectively provides at least two cross voltages between each of the first electrodes and each of the second electrodes, and reads photocurrents flowing through the first electrodes and second electrodes.
US08941097B2
An organic luminance device includes a base substrate, a organic luminance multi-layered structure and a cover substrate. Furthermore, a protective film is used to wrap the light emitting surface and at least one lateral surface of the base substrate to prevent the substrate from crack. The protective film may be doped with one or more dopants having a refractive index different from original material of the protective film.
US08941088B2
A nonvolatile memory device includes: a first conductive layer; a second conductive layer; a first resistance change layer provided between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer and having an electrical resistance changing with at least one of an applied electric field and a passed current; and a first lateral layer provided on a lateral surface of the first resistance change layer and having an oxygen concentration higher than an oxygen concentration in the first resistance change layer.
US08941087B2
The present invention provides a plural third harmonic generation (THG) microscopic system and method. The system includes a laser device, a microscopic device, a beam splitter device and a photodetective device. By utilizing lasers with different central wavelengths or a broad band light source to simultaneously analyze THG response with respect to different wavelengths, a plurality of THG images and THG spectrum of the material or bio-tissue under stimulation of different wavelengths are obtained, thereby retrieving distributed microscopic images and resonant characteristics of the observational material or bio-molecules.
US08941083B2
An apparatus includes a yoke having a first end and a second end. The yoke is configured to hold a device that includes an aperture and a range compensation structure. A catch arm is pivotally secured to the first end of the yoke. The catch arm includes a locking feature. The locking feature and the second end of the yoke interface, respectively, to a first retention feature and a second retention feature defined by the aperture and the range compensation structure. The locking feature is configured to interface to the first retention feature and the second end of the yoke is configured to interface to the second retention feature.
US08941082B2
A processing apparatus includes a process chamber defining an enclosed volume, and a dual sided workpiece assembly disposed in the enclosed volume. The dual sided workpiece assembly includes a base portion and a flip portion coupled to the base portion. The flip portion has a support surface configured to support at least one dual sided workpiece and is configured to rotate about a flipping axis. The processing apparatus also includes a controller configured to control the dual sided workpiece assembly to expose a first side of the at least one dual sided workpiece to accelerating ions in the process chamber during a first time interval and to expose a second side of the at least one dual sided workpiece to accelerating ions during a second time interval different than the first time interval by rotating the flip portion about the flipping axis.
US08941078B2
A cognitive stimulating sterilizing device for providing visual, tactile and, or audible stimulation for infants that also selectively sterilizes select items and the surrounding ambient. This including a housing adapted for removable connection to cribs, changing tables and similar furniture, an ultraviolet light source in the housing for sanitizing items in the housing when closed and the ambient when opened, audio source and compartments for holding and storing select items. The housing may include reflective and/or transparent surfaces for directing and/or passing ultraviolet light. A sensor, such as an infrared sensor, detects the presence of a human in the surrounding area in a motion-independent manner, such as by detecting fluctuations in infrared energy emitted by the human. A microcontroller receives data from the sensor and directs the activation and/or deactivation of the ultraviolet light source according to whether a human is detected.
US08941073B2
A radiological image detection apparatus includes a scintillator, a pixel array, a first support and a case. The scintillator is formed of phosphor which emits fluorescence when exposed to radiation. The pixel array is provided in close contact with the scintillator and detects the fluorescence emitted from the scintillator. The first support supports at least one of the scintillator and the pixel array. The case includes a plurality of members having a first member provided with a ceiling plate part through which light penetrates. The case houses the scintillator, the pixel array and the support in a lightproof inner space formed by combining the plurality of members. The scintillator and the pixel array are disposed between the first support and the ceiling plate part. The first support absorbs light of a wavelength region corresponding to a part of a wavelength region which is sensed by the pixel array.
US08941072B2
A detector with a Silicon Diode and an amplifier, and a feedback element in the form of, for example, a resistor or a diode, switchably connected to the output of the amplifier. When the feedback element is selected via a switch, the detector operates in a Current Measurement Mode for determining electron current, and when the element is not selected the detector operates in its well-known Pulse Height Measurement Mode for determining the energy of X-ray quanta.
US08941069B2
A SAL beacon emulates the signature (e.g. spectral band, size and shape, power level and designation code) of a SAL designator beam reflected off a target. The SAL beacon is field-portable, capable of extended continuous operation and eye-safe. The SAL beacon enables “captive” flight tests of munitions and SAL receivers without the logistical complications of using an operational SAL designator.
US08941060B2
The quantitative accuracy of analysis is improved without reducing the dynamic range for measurement of concentrations by performing stable ionization through electrospray or the like which repeats sampling and ionization using a movable probe electrode.A voltage is applied from a high-voltage power source 4 to a sample transport electrode 7 having a plurality of probe electrodes 1 and a driving section 3 drives the sample transport electrode 7 to rotate. The plurality of probe electrodes 1, to which a sample solution 5 is adhered, are sequentially transported to an inlet 21 of a mass spectrometer 20, thus electrospray ionization is continuously performed.
US08941053B1
An inertial sensing system includes a magneto-optical trap (MOT) that traps atoms within a specified trapping region. The system also includes a cooling laser that cools the trapped atoms so that the atoms remain within the specified region for a specified amount of time. The system further includes a light-pulse atom interferometer (LPAI) that performs an interferometric interrogation of the atoms to determine phase changes in the atoms. The system includes a controller that controls the timing of MOT and cooling laser operations, and controls the timing of interferometric operations to substantially recapture the atoms in the specified trapping region. The system includes a processor that determines the amount inertial movement of the inertial sensing system based on the determined phase changes in the atoms. Also, a method of inertial sensing using this inertial sensing system includes recapture of atoms within the MOT following interferometric interrogation by the LPAI.
US08941046B2
Optical computing devices are disclosed. One exemplary optical computing device includes an electromagnetic radiation source configured to optically interact with a sample and first and second integrated computational elements arranged in primary and reference channels, respectively. The first and second integrated computational elements produce first and second modified electromagnetic radiations, and a detector is arranged to receive the first and second modified electromagnetic radiations and generate an output signal corresponding to the characteristic of the sample.
US08941045B2
There is a need to provide a solid-state imaging apparatus capable of highly accurately analog-to-digital converting an analog voltage output from a pixel circuit. The solid-state imaging apparatus supplies a counter code to an integral A/D converter. The counter code CD includes 3-phase clock signals and gray signals. The clock signals each have a cycle equal to specified cycle multiplied by 8 and allow phases to shift from each other by specified cycle. The gray signals linearly increase count values at a cycle equal to specified cycle multiplied by 4. The counter code reverses only the logical level of a signal when a count value changes. A count value error can be limited to a minimum.
US08941042B2
A multi-beam laser beam control and imaging system includes a laser transmitter configured to emit light in a plurality of beamlets towards a target. At least one of the beamlets illuminates the whole target or a substantial portion of the target when imaging the target. A sensor is configured to receive light from the beamlets. A processor is communicably coupled to the sensor and configured to compute a relative phase of a wavefront of at least one beamlet based on output from the sensor. The processor also reconstructs a wavefront which is used to formulate two or three dimensional images of the target. A controller is communicably coupled to the processor and to the laser transmitter. The controller is configured to adjust a phase of at least one of the beamlets.
US08941039B2
A cooking appliance such as a microwave oven is provided with a sacrificial region for repairing damage caused by arcing and related failure modes. The sacrificial region incorporates a component that, when damaged, is removable from the cooking appliance for replacement by another component of similar construction. In one implementation, a sacrificial component is utilized in a microwave oven with a heated cavity subject to microwave radiation from a magnetron. The sacrificial component in this example includes an aperture that communicates with an opening in the cavity, and through which the radiation impinges into the heated cavity.
US08941035B2
A soldering method is provided. According to the method at least two sets of components are heated and soldered by heating. Each set includes a first soldering partner, a second soldering partner, and a solder. During the soldering process, the individual temperatures of each one of the sets are transmitted by a radio frequency transmitter to a receiving and control unit. The control unit controls the heating of the sets depending on the transmitted individual temperatures.
US08941034B2
An electric heater (10, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 100), such as for heating surfaces of components, onto which the electric heater (10, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 100) is pushed or placed, has at least one tubular heating element (1, 11, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71, 82, 101), which has a metal jacket, and with at least one contact area. The tubular heating element (1, 11, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71, 82, 101) is at least partly embedded in at least one powder or granular material (2, 32, 42, 52, 62, 72, 102). The powder or granular material (2, 32, 42, 52, 62, 72, 102) abuts against at least parts of the at least one contact area. A process is also provided for manufacturing the electric heater having at least the steps of providing at least one contact area and at least one tubular heating element (1, 11, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71, 82, 101) arranged in relation to the contact area, at least partial embedding the tubular heating element in the powder or granular material (2, 32, 42, 52, 62, 72, 102), which abuts at least partly against the at least one contact area, and compressing at least the powder or granular material (2, 32, 42, 52, 62, 72, 102).
US08941032B2
A method of producing a carbide-containing ferroalloy welding consumable material and a method of producing a hardfacing on a suitable substrate using the consumable material are disclosed. The method of producing the consumable material comprises the steps of forming a homogeneous melt that has a required concentration of key elements, such as carbon, chromium and manganese, for the consumable material and forming a consumable material from the melt.
US08941030B2
A pulsed laser beam is applied to a workpiece held on a chuck table by a laser beam applying unit. The laser beam applying unit includes a pulsed laser beam oscillator, a focusing lens, and a piezoelectric motor for displacing the focusing unit in a direction inclined at a predetermined angle (α) with respect to the Z direction. A controller controls the frequency and voltage of an RF current to be applied to the piezoelectric motor in relation to the repetition frequency of the pulsed laser beam to move the focusing unit in the X direction by Δx and in the Z direction by Δz in feeding the chuck table in the X direction, thereby displacing the focal point of the pulsed laser beam to be focused by the focusing lens in the thickness direction of the workpiece held on the chuck table.
US08941017B2
An electronic apparatus includes: a substrate which has a step portion in an edge portion; an electronic component which is bonded to a surface of the substrate inward of the step portion of the substrate; and a cap member which is bonded to the step portion so as to seal the electronic component, wherein a wall surface of the step portion is formed to be inclined from the step portion toward an electronic component bonding region or to be perpendicular to the step portion.
US08941014B2
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a cover panel. The apparatus also includes a first optically clear adhesive (OCA) layer coupled to the cover panel. The apparatus also includes a substrate coupled to the first OCA layer. The substrate has drive or sense electrodes of a touch sensor disposed on a first side. The substrate also has a first connection pad region. The first connection pad region includes a first outer zone, a second outer zone, and a first connection pad zone. The first OCA layer extends to portions of at least one of the first outer zone of the first connection pad region, the second outer zone of the first connection pad region, and the first connection pad zone of the first connection pad region.
US08941007B2
A polymer, and an organic solar cell including the polymer, include a repeating unit A represented by Chemical Formula 1, and a repeating unit B represented by Chemical Formula 2.
US08941005B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a photoelectric conversion device having a passivation layer suitable for a structure provided with a heat dissipation mechanism. A photoelectric conversion device 1 of the present invention has a first electrode layer 20, a single power generation laminate 22 having a nip structure formed of a-Si (amorphous silicon), and a second electrode layer 26 of Al formed on the power generation laminate 22 through a nickel layer 24. On the second electrode layer 26, a passivation layer 28 constructed of a material containing SiCN is formed. On the passivation layer 28, a heat sink 30 (for example, formed of Al) is mounted through an adhesive layer 29.
US08941002B2
Provided are an oxide tablet for vapor deposition (oxide evaporation material), and a vapor-deposited thin film and a solar cell formed using the same. The tablet comprises a sintered body which contains indium oxide as a main component and cerium and which is subjected to no surface grinding after sintering, in which CompS/CompA=0.9 to 1.1, where the content of cerium in a surface layer to a depth of 5 μm from a surface of the sintered body is represented by a Ce/In atomic ratio (CompS), and an average value of the content of cerium in the entire sintered body is represented by a Ce/In atomic ratio (CompA).
US08940981B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH286440. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH286440, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH286440 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH286440.
US08940974B2
The invention provides seed and plants of the tomato variety designated EX01419137. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of tomato variety EX01419137 and to methods for producing a tomato plant produced by crossing a plant of tomato variety EX01419137 with itself or with another tomato plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of tomato variety EX01419137 including the fruit and gametes of such plants. The invention also relates to tomato variety CHI 14-2079. The present invention is also directed to tomato variety CHD 14-2080.
US08940971B1
A novel soybean variety, designated XBP22004 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XBP22004, cells from soybean variety XBP22004, plants of soybean XBP22004, and plant parts of soybean variety XBP22004. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XBP22004 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XBP22004, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XBP22004, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XBP22004. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XBP22004 are further provided.
US08940958B2
Method for the stabilization of contaminants within a material selected from soils, mining tailings and by-products, sludge wastes and industrial wastes, by mixing the material with an alum sludge composition. The composition includes one or more aluminum compound(s) and/or complex(es) together with a reactive carbon material.
US08940955B2
One exemplary embodiment can be a fluid catalytic cracking system. The system can include a reaction zone, in turn including a reactor receiving, a fluidizing stream, a fuel gas stream, a fluidizable catalyst, a stream having an effective amount of oxygen for combusting the fuel gas stream, and a feed.
US08940949B2
A process for the conversion of biomass to hydrocarbon products such as transportation fuels, kerosene, diesel oil, fuel oil, chemical and refinery plant feeds. The instant process uses a hydrocarbon or synthesis gas co-feed and hot pressurized water to convert the biomass in a manner commonly referred to as hydrothermal liquefaction.
US08940946B2
The present invention has an object to provide a method for efficiently producing high-purity 1,5-pentanediol by reacting tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol with hydrogen. This manufacturing method for producing high-purity 1,5-pentanediol comprises: step (I): a step of obtaining a crude reaction product by a hydrogenolysis reaction of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol with hydrogen carried out in the presence of a copper-containing catalyst with reaction temperature of 200 to 350° C. and reaction pressure of 1 to 40 MPa until conversion rate of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol reaches 80% or less; step (II): a step of separating tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol and crude 1,5-pentanediol (A) from the crude reaction product obtained in the step (I), and then, supplying recovered tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol as a raw material for the step (I); and step (III): a step of obtaining the high-purity 1,5-pentanediol by distillation of the crude 1,5-pentanediol (A) obtained in the step (II).
US08940944B2
VDF-based curable fluoroelastomers having glass transition temperature lower than −35° C. and an amount of —COF end groups in the polymer lower than the sensitivity limit of the method using the FT-IR spectroscopy described in the present application.
US08940940B2
The present invention relates to a process for preparing cyclic compounds having at least eight carbon atoms and at least one keto group, to the cyclic compounds obtained by this process and to the use thereof, in particular as fragrance or for providing a fragrance.
US08940938B2
Disclosed is a process of carrying out a Michael reaction with recovery of the catalyst, where a compound of formula (1): is reacted with a compound of formula (2): in the presence of a catalyst of formula (4): where the compounds of formulae (1) and (2) undergo a Michael reaction.
US08940921B2
[Problem] There are provided a method for production of a fatty acid alkyl ester and a system therefor, in which a high yield of the fatty acid alkyl ester is achieved even without using any special equipment and separation of a fatty acid alkyl ester phase from a glycerin phase can be carried out within an extremely short period of time.[Means to solve] The method for producing a fatty acid alkyl ester of the present invention comprises subjecting a starting oil to an ester exchange reaction with a lower alkyl alcohol in the presence of a catalyst to generate the fatty acid alkyl ester, wherein the ester exchange reaction step is carried out in a homogeneous phase system by adding an organic solvent selected from acetone, isopropanol and a mixture thereof to a reaction system.
US08940913B2
Compounds of formula (I), wherein the substituents are as defined in claim 1, are suitable for use as herbicides.
US08940906B2
The present invention relates to a nonlinear fluorescent molecule that generates a nonlinear fluorescence reaction by incidence of excitation light. This nonlinear fluorescence molecule includes donors and, and an acceptor that is coupled to the donors and. As the donor is excited by the incidence of the excitation light, electric charge moves from the donor to the acceptor. Then, the donor and the acceptor form a charge separated state. In a state in which the charge separated state is maintained, the donor fluoresces when transiting from an excited state to a ground state.
US08940903B2
The invention relates to niacin conjugated fatty acid mixtures; compositions comprising an effective amount of a niacin conjugated fatty acid mixture; and methods for treating or preventing an metabolic disorder comprising the administration of an effective amount of a niacin conjugated fatty acid mixture.
US08940902B2
A method for treating a patient suffering from disorders and deficits of the central nervous system associated with diabetes, associated with aging and neurodegeneration, comprising attention deficit disorder in general, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), mild cognitive impairment, senile dementia, AIDS dementia, neurodegeneration, depression, and schizophrenia, comprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment an effective amount of a selective inhibitor of the 11-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase Type 1 enzyme activity.
US08940892B2
The invention provides compounds of formula (I), in which R1 and R2 are independently selected from H, alkyl, aryl and heteroaryl, or R1 and R2 together form a C5-C7 ring, R3-R7 are independently selected from H, halogen, alkyl and alkoxy, X is (CH2)n in which n is 0-5, Y is selected from CH2, NR8, O or S in which R8 is H or alkyl, salts thereof and stereoisomers thereof, for the prophylaxis or treatment of malaria.
US08940887B2
RNA interference is provided for inhibition of HIF1A mRNA expression for treating patients with ocular angiogenesis, particularly for treating retinal edema, diabetic retinopathy, sequela associated with retinal ischemia, posterior segment neovascularization (PSNV), and neovascular glaucoma, and for treating patients at risk of developing such conditions.
US08940874B2
The disclosure provides novel antibodies against growth and differentiation factor-8 (GDF-8), in particular human antibodies, and antibody fragments, including those that inhibit GDF-8 activity in vitro and/or in vivo. The disclosure also provides methods for diagnosing, preventing, or treating degenerative disorders of muscle or bone, or disorders of insulin metabolism.
US08940871B2
The invention provides novel humanized antibody fragments that specifically bind prostate cell-surface antigen (PSCA), a protein which is overexpressed in variety of cancers, including prostate, bladder, and pancreatic cancer. Methods are provided for the use of the compositions of the invention for the treatment of cancer, diagnosis of cancer, to provide a prognosis of cancer progression, and for cancer imaging.
US08940865B2
Disclosed are two myocardial peptides, whose amino acid sequences are Trp-Ser-Asn-Val-Leu-Arg-Gly-Met-Gly-Gly-Ala-Phe and Lys-Gly-Ala-Trp-Ser-Asn-Val-Leu-Arg-Gly-Met-Gly-Gly-Ala-Phe respectively, wherein the latter can be obtained by extracting from myocardial peptides solution. The myocardial peptides can be used in the produce of a medicament for preventing and/or treating myocardial ischemia.
US08940860B2
Single chain insulin analogs are provided having high potency and specificity for the insulin receptor. As disclosed herein optimally sized linking moieties can be used to link human insulin A and B chains, or analogs or derivatives thereof, wherein the carboxy terminus of the B25 amino acid of the B chain is linked to the amino terminus of the A1 amino acid of the A chain via the intervening linking moiety. In on embodiment the linking moiety comprises a polyethylene glycol of 6-16 monomer units and in an alternative embodiment the linking moiety comprises a non-native amino acid sequence derived form the IGF-1 C-peptide and comprising at least 8 amino acids and no more than 12 amino acid in length. Also disclosed are prodrug and conjugate derivatives of the single chain insulin analogs.
US08940857B2
A delivery-enhancing peptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:11 or salt thereof. This invention is directed towards methods and compositions to administer a double-stranded ribonucleic acid to a mammal so as to effectuate transfection of the double-stranded RNA into a desired tissue of the mammal.
US08940851B2
Silicone fibers suitable for use as optical fibers are prepared by crosslinking an extruded mixture of a silicone resin and an organopolysiloxane, both containing aliphatically unsaturated groups, an organopolysiloxane bearing Si—H groups, and a light activatable trimethyl(methylcyclopentadienyl) platinum catalyst.
US08940849B2
It has been found that certain cells in culture can convert more than about 0.002 percent of the carbon available in the cell culture medium into isoprene. These cells have a heterologous nucleic acid that (i) encodes an isoprene synthase polypeptide and (ii) is operably linked to a promoter. The isoprene produced in such a cultured medium can then be recovered and polymerized into synthetic rubbers and other useful polymeric materials. The synthetic isoprene containing polymers of this invention offer the benefit of being verifiable as to being derived from non-petrochemical based resources. They can also be analytically distinguished from rubbers that come from natural sources. The present invention more specifically discloses a polyisoprene polymer which is comprised of repeat units that are derived from isoprene monomer, wherein the polyisoprene polymer has δ13C value of greater than −22‰.
US08940846B2
A process for reducing the amount of soluble polymeric fractions in a sulfonyl fluoride polymer. The process comprises contacting the sulfonyl fluoride polymer with a fluorinated fluid followed by separation of the polymer from the fluid. The fluorinated fluid is selected from hydrofluoroethers and hydrofluoropolyethers. The invention further relates to sulfonyl fluoride polymers obtainable by the process and having a heat of fusion not exceeding 4 J/g and containing less than 15% by weight of polymeric fractions having an average content of monomeric units comprising a sulfonyl functional group exceeding 24 mole %.The sulfonyl fluoride polymers so obtained are particularly suitable for the preparation of ionomeric membranes for use in electrochemical devices.
US08940841B2
A crosslinked product of a polyarylene is disclosed, having high-temperature elastomeric properties and excellent chemical resistance. The crosslinked materials are useful in oil and gas downhole applications in the form of either solids or foams. Methods for the manufacture of the crosslinked product and articles comprising the product are also disclosed.
US08940840B2
The invention relates to a method for bonding, onto a carrier, active molecules having an activity either against undesirable organisms or phenomena, or promoting a desired phenomenon. The method comprises: preparing a chemical composition containing at least cationic micelles each including at least one active molecule; impregnating the carrier with the cationic micelle chemical composition; bonding the active molecules onto the carrier by creating at least one electrostatic bond between the cationic micelles and the carrier. The invention also relates to an active element including a carrier and active molecules bonded onto said carrier and having an activity either against undesired organisms or phenomena, or promoting a desired phenomenon. The active element includes cationic micelles bonded onto said carrier by at least one electrostatic bond and each including at least one active molecule.
US08940838B2
The method for preparation of polyisoprene includes conducting polymerization reaction of isoprene in a first organic solvent under the presence of rare earth catalyst I and rare earth catalyst II, to obtain polyisoprene with bimodal molecular weight distribution, wherein the polymerization reaction conditions are controlled to ensure the peak molecular weight of the high molecular weight component fraction in the polyisoprene is 1×106-2×106 and the peak molecular weight of the low molecular weight component fraction is 2×105-4×105, and the weight ratio of content of the high molecular weight component fraction to the low molecular weight component fraction is 1-25:1. The molecular weight distribution of the polyisoprene obtained with the method provided is bimodal distribution; therefore, the polyisoprene not only has the mechanical properties of polyisoprene with high molecular weight, but also has the processability of polyisoprene with low molecular weight.
US08940832B2
The invention relates to polymers that can be obtained by polymerizing the monomers (A), (B), and (D), and optionally (C), where (A) is a monomer of formula (I), wherein A stands for C2 to C4 alkylene, B stands for a C2 to C4 alkylene different from A, R stands for hydrogen or methyl, m stands for a number from 1 to 500, n stands for a number from 1 to 500, (B) is an ethylenically unsaturated monomer that contains at least one carboxylic acid function, (C) is optionally a further ethylenically unsaturated monomer different from (A) and (B), (D) is a monomer of formula (II), wherein D stands for C2 to C4 alkylene, E stands for a C2 to C4 alkylene group different from D, F stands for a C2 to C4 alkylene group different from E, R stands for hydrogen or methyl, o stands for a number from 1 to 500, p stands for a number from 1 to 500, q stands for a number from 1 to 500, and wherein the weight fraction of the monomers is 35 to 99% for the macromonomer (A), 0.5 to 45% for the monomer (B), 0 to 20% for the monomer (C), and 1 to 20% for the monomer (D), and to the use of said polymers as defoamers for inorganic solid suspensions.
US08940822B2
A method of improving the transfer efficiency of applying a topcoat layer to a primed component includes applying an organic solventborne, carboxyl functional olefin based polymer composition to a substrate to provide a primed component before electrostatically applying a coating composition comprising principal resin and crosslinker to the primed component to form a topcoat layer, wherein the carboxyl functional olefin based polymer is neutralized with at least one amine-containing compound to form a salted carboxyl functional polymer.
US08940819B2
A thermoplastic additive composition comprises an acetal compound and at least one co-additive. The acetal compound can be the product of the reaction between an alditol or a C1-substituted alditol and a benzaldehyde. The co-additive can be a fatty acid amide compound, a fatty acid ester compound, and/or a fluoropolymer. A thermoplastic composition comprises a thermoplastic (e.g., one or more polyolefins) and an additive composition as described above.
US08940803B2
The present invention relates to a rigid polyurethane foam which can be obtained by mixing (a) isocyanates, (b) compounds having groups which are reactive toward isocyanates, (c) blowing agents comprising water, (d) catalysts and optionally (e) further additives to form a reaction mixture, applying the reaction mixture to a reinforcing material and curing the reaction mixture, where the isocyanates (a) have a viscosity of not more than 500 mPas at 25° C. and the compounds (b) having groups which are reactive toward isocyanates comprise a polyetherol (b1) having a functionality of 4 or more and a viscosity at 25° C. of 10 000 mPas or less, a polyetherol (b2) having a functionality of 3.5 or less and a viscosity at 25° C. of 600 mPas or less, a polyesterol (b3) having a viscosity at 25° C. of 2000 mPas or less, chain extenders (b4) comprising at least 30% secondary OH groups and optionally a crosslinker (b5). The present invention further relates to a process for producing such rigid polyurethane foams and the use of the rigid polyurethane foams for the insulation of liquefied natural gas tanks.
US08940802B2
A method is described for optimizing the operation of a reaction section for the synthesis of hydrocarbons from a feed comprising synthesis gas, operated in the presence of a catalyst comprising cobalt, said method comprising the following steps: a) determining the theoretical partial pressure of CO in the reaction section; b) optionally, adjusting the partial pressure of CO determined in step a) to a value of 4 bar or higher; c) determining a new value for the theoretical partial pressure of CO in the reaction section.
US08940796B2
An oral, aqueous-based, liquid pharmaceutical composition is provided. The composition comprises up to about 45% w/v glycerin and up to about 10% w/v sorbitol wherein the glycerin to sorbitol ratio is about 2:1 to 10:1.
US08940785B2
Association between 4-{3-[cis-hexahydrocyclopenta[c]pyrrol-2(1H)-yl]propoxy}benzamide of formula (I): or an addition salt thereof with a pharmaceutically acceptable acid or base, and an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. Medicinal products containing the same which are useful in the treatment of cognitive disturbances associated with cerebral ageing and with neurodegenerative diseases.
US08940777B2
A pest controlling composition comprising tolclofos-methyl and a neonicotinoid compound represented by the formula (1) as active ingredients.
US08940770B2
The present invention discloses a nitropyridinyl ethyleneimine compound as shown in the formula I and a preparation method of the same, as well as use of the compound in manufacture of a prodrug and in manufacture of a drug for treating a tumor.
US08940757B2
The present invention relates to Prasugrel or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, compositions containing said active ingredient as well as pharmaceutical compositions containing said active ingredient or a composition containing said active ingredient. The present invention further relates to methods for the preparation of the novel compositions.
US08940755B2
The present invention provides therapeutic combinations that include an immune response modifier (IRM) component and an anti-inflammatory component. The inventions further provide methods of treating a condition by administering to one having the condition a therapeutic combination that includes an IRM component and an anti-inflammatory component.
US08940754B2
A 10′-fluoro-vinca alkaloid compound or its pharmaceutically acceptable salt is disclosed, as are methods of its preparation and use. A disclosed 10′-fluoro-vinca alkaloid compound has better cytotoxic potency against leukemia and cancer cell lines, and is about 8-times more cytotoxic to a multiple drug resistant cancer cell line than is a parental 10′-unsubstituted vinca alkaloid.
US08940751B2
The present disclosure relates to purine compounds of formula (I) or formula (II) or its tautomers, polymorphs, stereoisomers, solvates or a pharmaceutically acceptable salts, or pharmaceutical compositions containing them and methods of treating conditions and diseases that are mediated by thereof as A2B adenosine receptor antagonists. The compounds of the present disclosure are useful in the treatment, prevention or suppression of diseases and disorders that may be susceptible to improvement by the mediation of adenosine A2B receptor. The present disclosure also relates to methods for the preparation of such compounds, and to pharmaceutical compositions containing them.
US08940749B2
An improved process for the synthesis of 3-[2-[4-((6-fluoro-1,2-benzisoxazol-3-yl)-1-piperidinyl]-6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-9-hydroxy-2-methyl-4H-pyrido[1,2-a]-pyrimidin-4-one (Paliperidone) and Paliperidone Palmitate through a novel intermediate (2-Chloroethyl)-6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-2-methyl-9-hydroxy-4H-pyrido [1,2-a]pyrimidine-4-one Palmitate ester.
US08940746B2
Liquid formulations of lactic acid addition salts of 1-[2-(2,4-dimethylphenylsulfanyl)-phenyl]piper-azine are provided.
US08940745B2
4-(2,2-Difluoro-benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-ylmethyl)-piperazine-1-carboxylic acid (4-chloro-pyridin-3-yl)-amide is described, which is useful as a FAAH modulator. 4-(2,2-Difluoro-benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-ylmethyl)-piperazine-1-carboxylic acid (4-chloro-pyridin-3-yl)-amide may be used in pharmaceutical compositions and methods for the treatment of disease states, disorders, and conditions mediated by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) activity, such as anxiety, pain, inflammation, sleep disorders, eating disorders, energy metabolism disorders, and movement disorders (e.g., multiple sclerosis). A method of synthesizing 4-(2,2-difluoro-benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-ylmethyl)-piperazine-1-carboxylic acid (4-chloro-pyridin-3-yl)-amide is also disclosed.
US08940742B2
Compounds and pharmaceutical compositions that modulate kinase activity, including PI3 kinase activity, and compounds, pharmaceutical compositions, and methods of treatment of diseases and conditions associated with kinase activity, including PI3 kinase activity, are described herein.
US08940729B1
A pharmaceutical composition comprising a drug substance consisting essentially of a pharmaceutically acceptable organic acid addition salt of an amine containing pharmaceutically active compound wherein the amine containing pharmaceutical active compound is selected from the group consisting of racemic or single isomer ritalinic acid or phenethylamine derivatives and the drug substance has a physical form selected from amorphous and polymorphic.
US08940708B2
The present invention relates to antisense oligonucleotides that modulate the expression of and/or function of Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF), in particular, by targeting natural antisense polynucleotides of Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF). The invention also relates to the identification of these antisense oligonucleotides and their use in treating diseases and disorders associated with the expression of HGF.
US08940703B2
TIR-domain decoy peptides and TIR domain peptides are disclosed, as well as methods of using the peptides in the regulation of toll-like receptor (TLR) activation and signaling.
US08940700B2
The invention relates to compositions and methods for treating or preventing vascular dementia in a mammal comprising mucosal administration of an amount of E-selectin polypeptide sufficient to induce bystander immune tolerance in the mammal. Another aspect of the invention relates to compositions useful for treating or preventing vascular dementia.
US08940692B2
Cartilage materials such as cartilage fluff and a cartilage composition comprising a particulate material are disclosed. These are suitable for stimulating chondrogenesis and/or producing cartilage regeneration. Also disclosed are processes for their preparation. Methods for regenerating articular cartilage are also disclosed, which involve, for example, placing the cartilage fluff or cartilage composition into a cartilage defect.
US08940690B2
The present disclosure provides a cross-linked material comprising conjugates which include two or more separate affinity ligands bound to a non-polymeric framework, wherein the molecular weight of the non-polymeric framework is less than 10,000 Da; and multivalent cross-linking agents that non-covalently bind the affinity ligands of the conjugates and thereby cross-link the conjugates to form a cross-linked material, wherein the non-covalent bonds between the multivalent cross-linking agents and the affinity ligands are competitively dissociated in the presence of excess amounts of a target molecule. The present disclosure also provides methods of making and methods of using these materials. In other aspects, the present disclosure provides exemplary conjugates including conjugates for use in glucose responsive cross-linked materials.
US08940687B2
Antimicrobial compositions based upon stabilized angiogenin compositions also contain osteopontin and antimicrobial proteins such as lactoperoxidase (LPO), myeloperoxidase (MPO), salivary peroxidase (SPO) and lysozyme.
US08940686B2
A novel cytokine, U83A, is described, as are variant forms of the cytokine, having a wide range of agonistic and antagonistic activity against chemokine receptors. Uses of the chemokine in treatment of a range of diseases, including cancers and HIV/AIDS, are described.
US08940685B2
The present invention discloses a method for producing antihypertensive active peptides with corn germ protein as the material. The method comprises an alkali-heat treatment and continuous enzymolysis of the corn germ protein. The components with molecular weight less than 1000 Da in the active peptides obtained according to the present method account for more than 92%, and alanine-tyrosine (Ala-Tyr, AY) as the characteristic peptide fragments in the antihypertensive peptides accounts for more than 0.6%, so that the active peptides have a good ACE inhibitory activity in vitro as well as stability against temperature, pH and major gastrointestinal digestive enzymes, and have a significant effect of lowering blood pressure on spontaneous hypertension rats in vivo. The active peptides can be applied as a new functional nutrient to development and production of food, health food and pharmaceutical.
US08940676B2
A water-soluble pouch suitable for use in machine dishwashing and which comprises a plurality of compartments in generally superposed or superposable relationship, each containing one or more detergent active or auxiliary components, and wherein the pouch has a volume of from about 5 to about 70 ml and a longitudinal/transverse aspect ratio in the range from about 2:1 to about 1:8, preferably from about 1:1 to about 1:4. The water-soluble pouch allows for optimum delivery of dishwashing detergent. A process for the manufacture of multi-compartment pouches and a pack to contain the pouches are also disclosed.
US08940670B2
Methods and compositions that comprise sub-micron alumina for accelerating setting of a cement composition. An embodiment includes a method of cementing in a subterranean formation. The method may comprise introducing a cement composition into the subterranean formation, wherein the cement composition comprises hydraulic cement, sub-micron alumina, and water. The method further may comprise allowing the cement composition to set in the subterranean formation. Another embodiment includes a cement composition that may comprise hydraulic cement, sub-micron alumina, and water.
US08940667B2
Fluid treatment systems and compositions are provided including (a) at least one material including (1) at least one carboxylic acid functional group and (2) at least one sulfur-containing group selected from the group consisting of sulfonyl functional groups, sulfonate functional groups and mixtures thereof; (b) at least one friction reducing agent selected from the group consisting of guar gums, polyacrylamides, hydratable cellulosic materials, viscoelastic surfactants, and mixtures thereof; and (c) at least one scale control agent. The fluid treatment systems and compositions can be used to treat aqueous systems, for example as fracturing fluids for treating aqueous compositions found in subterranean formations. Methods for inhibiting formation and/or precipitation of metal oxides in an aqueous composition using the fluid treatment systems or compositions also are provided.
US08940656B2
Disclosed are a photocatalyst of CoP2 loaded red phosphorus, a preparation method thereof, and a method for photocatalytic hydrogen production from water under visible light irradiation over the photocatalyst of CoP2 loaded red phosphorus.
US08940628B2
A method of manufacturing an interconnection of an embodiment includes: forming a via which penetrates an interlayer insulation film on a substrate; forming an underlying film in the via; removing the underlying film on a bottom part of the via; forming a catalyst metal inactivation film on the underlying film; removing the inactivation film on the bottom part of the via; forming a catalyst metal film on the bottom part of the via on which the inactivation film is removed; performing a first plasma treatment and a second plasma treatment using a gas not containing carbon on a member in which the catalyst metal film is formed; forming a graphite layer on the catalyst film after the first and second plasma treatment processes; and causing a growth of a carbon nanotube from the catalyst film on which the graphite layer is formed.
US08940624B2
A method of manufacturing a p type nitride semiconductor layer doped with carbon in a highly reproducible manner with an increased productivity is provided. The method includes supplying an III-group material gas for a predetermined time period T1, supplying a V-group material gas containing a carbon source for a predetermined time period T2 when a predetermined time period t1 (t1+T2>T1) elapses after the supply of the III-group material gas begins, repeating the step of supplying the III-group material gas and the step of supplying the V-group material gas when a predetermined time period t2 (t1+T2−t2>T1) elapses after the supply of the V-group material gas begins, and thus forming an AlxGa1-xN semiconductor layer (0
US08940622B2
A method for manufacturing a compound semiconductor device, the method includes: forming a compound semiconductor laminated structure; removing a part of the compound semiconductor laminated structure, so as to form a concave portion; and cleaning the inside of the concave portion by using a detergent, wherein the detergent contains a base resin compatible with residues present in the concave portion and a solvent.
US08940618B2
A method for cutting a semiconductor wafer into semiconductor chips that reduces defects at the semiconductor chip corners. The method includes a pre-cutting processing step of trimming the semiconductor chip corners so that mechanical stress is reduced at the corners. The method includes dicing channels on a semiconductor wafer thereby defining the geometrical shape of one of the semiconductor chips, modifying the corners of the one of the semiconductor chips, and cutting the semiconductor wafer to separate the one of the semiconductor chips from other semiconductor chips.
US08940603B2
A semiconductor device and method of making a semiconductor device are disclosed. A semiconductor body, a floating gate poly and a source/drain region are provided. A metal interconnect region with a control gate node is provided that capacitively couples to the floating gate poly.
US08940601B2
A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device includes the following steps. Firstly, a lower electrode is formed over a substrate (semiconductor substrate). Successively, the lower electrode is primarily crystallized. Successively, a capacitance dielectric layer is formed over the lower electrode after primarily crystallized. Successively, the capacitance dielectric layer is secondarily crystallized. Then, an upper electrode is formed over the capacitance dielectric layer.
