US08862246B2
Temporarily or permanently implantable medical device, having at least one longitudinally extended first electrical conductor having a functional lead, which is connected to a functional electrode pole for dispensing therapeutic signals or for detecting diagnostic signals, and including at least one second electrical conductor, which is coupled to the functional lead and is guided with it in a shared insulating sheathing, such that a coupling between the functional lead and the second electrical conductor is designed to input electromagnetic radiofrequency waves guided in the functional lead at least partially into the second electrical conductor.
US08862240B2
In general, the disclosure is related to characterization of implanted electrical stimulation electrode arrays using post-implant imaging. The electrode arrays may be carried by implanted leads. Characterization of implanted electrode arrays may include identification of the type or types of leads implanted within a patient and/or determination of positions of the implanted leads or electrodes carried by the leads relative to one another or relative to anatomical structures within the patient. In addition, the disclosure relates to techniques for specifying or modifying patient therapy parameters based on the characterization of the implanted electrode arrays.
US08862228B2
A method of analyzing a physiological (e.g., an ECG) signal during application of chest compressions. The method includes acquiring a physiological signal during application of chest compressions; acquiring the output of a sensor from which information on the velocity of chest compressions can be determined; and using the information on the velocity to reduce at least one signal artifact in the physiological signal resulting from the chest compressions.
US08862224B2
The present invention describes an improved photodynamic treatment to treat subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV).
US08862219B2
A method of creating a user profile for use in a brain computer interface includes performing a training exercise, measuring a user's brain signals during the training exercise, mapping specific signals of the user's brain signals to predefined mental task descriptions, and creating a user profile including the user's brain signals mapped to the mental task descriptions. The user profile so created can be used in a method of creating a brain computer interface for a user for an application. This method includes accessing a user profile including the user's brain signals mapped to mental task descriptions, accessing an application profile including a plurality of properties of the application, matching one or more mental task descriptions from the user profile to a respective property from the application profile, and creating a brain computer interface accordingly.
US08862213B2
A computer-assisted method for quantitative characterization and treatment of ventricular fibrillation includes preprocessing a time series of an atrial fibrillation signal obtained from a patient, segmenting the time series of the AF signal into activation segments by the computer system, obtaining local activation waveforms (LAW) from the activation segments, determining degrees of similarity between the LAWs, and identifying one or more critical regions in the patient's atria if the LAWs have degrees of similarity exceeding a first threshold value.
US08862212B2
Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) performance data for a number of patients in which an implantable medical device (IMD) is implanted is aggregated and reports of the aggregated data are generated, e.g., for review by organizations or individual clinicians treating the patients. In one example, a method includes collecting CRT performance data correlated to cardiac rhythm event data for a first group of patients in which an IMD configured to deliver CRT is implanted, aggregating, with a computing device, the CRT performance data correlated to the cardiac rhythm event data for a second group of patients from among the first group of patients, and generating, with the computing device, a report comprising the aggregation of the CRT performance data correlated to the cardiac rhythm event data for the second group of patients.
US08862210B2
An analog signal processor (ASP) application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) is disclosed. The ACIS can be used for remotely monitoring ECG signals of a subject that has reduced power consumption. In one aspect, the ASIC performs the functions of: ECG signal extraction with high resolution using ECG readout channel, feature extraction using a band-power extraction channel, adaptive sampling the ECG signals using an adaptive sampling analog-to-digital converter, and impedance monitoring for signal integrity using an impedance monitoring channel. These functions enable the development of wireless ECG monitoring systems that have significantly lower power consumption but are more efficient that predecessor systems. In one embodiment, the ASP ASIC consumes 30 μW from a 2V supply with compression provided by adaptive sampling providing large reductions in power consumption of a wireless ECG monitoring system of which the ASP ASIC forms a part.
US08862208B2
A processing utility analyzes first measured data including at least two measured data pieces from at least two first spaced-apart measurement locations respectively within a first sub-region of the region of interest, and determines for each of the first locations a deviation parameter corresponding to deviation of the measured data piece from the reference response. The processing utility determines, for each of at least two of the measured data pieces of the first measured data, a relation between the deviation parameter and a predetermined threshold value corresponding to a condition of the predetermined abnormality, and generate a corresponding control signal and communicate it to the measurement unit. The control signal is indicative of a first scan direction towards at least one second location to be measured in the region of interest where a degree of the predetermined abnormality is higher than in the at least two first locations.
US08862202B2
Methods are disclosed for assessing the condition of a cartilage in a joint, particularly a human knee. The methods include converting an image such as an MRI to a three dimensional map of the cartilage. The cartilage map can be correlated to a movement pattern of the joint to assess the affect of movement on cartilage wear. Changes in the thickness of cartilage over time can be determined so that therapies can be provided. Information on thickness of cartilage and curvature of cartilage or subchondral bone can be used to plan therapy. Information on movement pattern can be used to plan therapy.
US08862200B2
A method for determining a position of a magnetic source includes measuring a magnetic field generated by the magnetic source and determining components of the three-dimensional magnetic flux density of the magnetic field at a plurality of points in space based on such measurement. The method also includes estimating a position of the magnetic source and determining components of a theoretical three-dimensional magnetic flux density at the plurality of points in space based on the estimated position. The position of the magnetic source may then be determined by minimizing the difference between the components of the measured and corresponding theoretical three-dimensional magnetic flux density components.
US08862195B2
Disclosed embodiments include a method for automatic detection of sleep apnea implemented in a medical apparatus, the method comprising (a) extracting a plurality of signal features by analyzing an oxygen saturation signal, (b) performing dimensionality reduction on the plurality of signal features to generate a plurality of signal features in a transformed space; and (c) displaying a sleep apnea diagnosis result based on a statistical classifier that operates on the plurality of signal features in a transformed space.
US08862194B2
The present disclosure relates, according to some embodiments, to devices, systems, and methods for estimating a physiological parameter in the presence of noise. For example, the disclosure relates, in some embodiments, to devices, systems, and methods for assessing (e.g., estimating, measuring, calculating) oxygen saturation (SpO2). Methods of assessing SpO2 may include assessing a noise metric associated with motion artifact. In some embodiments, a percentage (e.g., an empirically determined percentage) of a noise metric may be simply added to the SpO2 estimate to produce a corrected SpO2 estimate. An oximetry algorithm may include, according to some embodiments, combining multiple internal SpO2 estimates and associated noise and/or signal quality metrics (e.g., using a radial basis neural network) to produce a modified (e.g., corrected) SpO2 estimate (e.g., rather than merely selecting the estimate from a finite number of candidates). A modified SpO2 estimate may include little or no movement-based error.
US08862189B2
A mobile telephone device includes: a communication unit that communicates with external devices; a microphone that collects sound; a receiver that outputs sound; and a correcting unit that corrects quality of sound; in which the receiver outputs the sound collected by the microphone and corrected by the correcting unit. The mobile telephone device includes: a connector to which an earpiece can be connected; and a control unit that outputs the sound corrected by the correcting unit from the earpiece, when the earpiece is connected to the connector.
US08862188B2
One embodiment is directed to a method for applying a flexible discontinuous reception scheme. The method includes initializing, at a user equipment, a timing alignment timer. The method then includes determining a type of discontinuous reception cycle to apply based on a likelihood of scheduling of the user equipment, and applying the determined type of discontinuous reception cycle.
US08862181B1
A mobile phone comprising a processor, a non-transitory memory, and an application stored in the non-transitory memory. When executed by the processor, the application receives an indicia of a product provided by a peripheral device of the mobile phone, identifies a product based on the indicia, analyzes options for paying electronically for the product, and presents a proposal for paying electronically for the product.
US08862178B2
Systems and methods of managing concurrent access using different network identities using a shared baseband hardware implementation are described. A wireless apparatus comprises a computing device, a baseband device, the baseband device including at least a modem processor, and computer readable storage medium that stores one or more instructions. The instructions, when executed by the computing device, are configured to associate a first identity of the wireless apparatus with a first wireless network, associate a second identity of the wireless apparatus with a second wireless network, enable the first identity to communicate over the first wireless network using the baseband device, and enable the second identity to communicate over the second wireless network using the baseband device. Data obtained by concurrently utilizing the baseband device utilizing different network identities and different networks can be aggregated on the wireless apparatus.
US08862169B2
Transmissions of beacons by a set of access points (e.g., femtocells) are synchronized to facilitate discovery of the access points by an access terminal moving through the coverage areas of the access points. In some embodiments, periodic beacon transmissions are synchronized across all of the femtocells of a set of femtocells such that each femtocell transmits a beacon signal according to a similar pattern and at the same time. In some embodiments, an opportunistic beacon control scheme involves commencing beacon transmissions by at least one femtocell of a set of femtocells upon determining that an access terminal has communicated with one or more of the femtocells.
US08862168B2
A base station device, method, and communication system are disclosed. The base station includes a covariance matrix obtaining unit forming a covariance matrix of an interference vector and a noise vector from received signals from multiple user equipment; a ratio calculation and comparison unit that calculates a relative ratio between the interference and the noise in the received signals based on the covariance matrix and compares the ratio with a predetermined threshold; an adjusting unit that reduces values of non-diagonal elements in the covariance matrix when the ratio is less than the predetermined threshold; an equalizer unit that performs equalization based on the covariance matrix using an Interference Rejection Combining algorithm when the ratio is greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold, and equalizes the received signals based on the adjusted covariance matrix using a Minimum Mean Square Error algorithm when the ratio is less than the predetermined threshold.
US08862167B2
A radio communication system is provided in which, based on a measurement condition and neighbor information specified by a base station to which a mobile terminal is connected, the mobile terminal measures the reception quality of the neighboring base stations included in the neighbor information and, when a transmission request is received from the connected base station, transmits the measurement result to the connected base station. In this radio communication system, the base station transmits neighbor information, which specifies the base stations for which interference measurement is to be performed, and a measurement result transmission request to the mobile terminal at a predetermined time for measuring the interference of neighboring base stations and, in response to it, the mobile terminal transmits the measurement result of the base stations, specified by the base station for measuring the interference, to the base station.
US08862165B2
A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, by which a message can be sent in a manner that necessary information is contained in the message according to a configuration of the mobile terminal, a data volume of the message, a recipient of the message and/or the like.The present invention includes a wireless communication unit configured to send a message stipulated to limit a data space to which data can be inputted by a user, a display unit configured to display the message, a memory configured to store at least two user informations previously set, a user input unit configured to input the message, and a control unit controlling one of the at least two user informations to be selected according to a size of an empty space of the data space in sending the message after completion of writing the message, the control unit controlling the selected user information to be sent by being contained in the data space of the message.
US08862163B2
A service implementation method, apparatus, and system are disclosed. The service implementation method includes: receiving, by a serving gateway, a data packet of a terminal device sent by a packet data network gateway; if the data packet is a data packet with a serving priority and the serving gateway has sent a paging trigger message with a serving priority to a mobility management element, skipping, by the serving gateway, sending a paging trigger message to the mobility management element; or if the data packet is a data packet with a serving priority and the serving gateway has sent no paging trigger message with a serving priority to a mobility management element, sending, by the serving gateway, a paging trigger message to the mobility management element; wherein the paging trigger message is used to enable the mobility management element to page the terminal device.
US08862162B2
Disclosed is the method for informing, by a wireless communication system, to a terminal about information required for reception when the terminal is connected to the wireless communication system, in which a base station updates system information according to a preset period, and the terminal efficiently receives or checks any update of the system information based on the period.
US08862155B2
Apparatus and methods for enabling location identification and related services in a premises. In one embodiment, location identification services are provided via a gateway device using data extracted from a wireless signal. The data is used to estimate a location of a device (based on comparison to previously gathered and/or reference data). In another embodiment, infrared (IR) or other short range wireless signals are broadcast from the client devices to a set-top-box (STB), and the STB or gateway correlates the signals to a location within the premises. A profiling process is used to establish specific locations within a premises, and associate location-specific services therewith. The location-based services include for example (i) loading particular applications and/or content when the user enters a particular location, (ii) providing information and/or advertisement opportunities when the user is near a particular public or business location, and (iii) content delivery optimization among multiple user devices.
US08862151B2
Techniques and mechanisms are provided for sending targeted content and data to mobile devices. Location information associated with a device is determined. In some instances, the location information is manually entered. In other instances, the location information is determined automatically from characteristics associated with the device. Location information can be obtained from global positioning system (GPS) data, cell-site triangulation, Internet Protocol (IP) address detection, etc. Content and advertising can be provided in a location relevant manner to the mobile device.
US08862149B2
A radio communication system according to the present invention includes a radio base station device and a parameter determination device. The radio base station device includes: an antenna device which performs radio communication with a mobile station device; a positional information acquisition unit which acquires positional information representing a position of the antenna device; and a control unit which notifies the parameter determination device of the positional information acquired by the positional information acquisition unit, and controls the antenna device according to a parameter transmitted from the parameter determination device. The parameter determination device includes: a storage unit which stores information of a periphery where the radio base station device is installed; and a parameter determination unit which determines a parameter of the radio base station device based on the periphery information and the positional information of the radio base station device, and transmits the determined parameter to the radio base station device.
US08862130B2
The disclosure discloses a method for handover based on a radio resource allocation database. The method includes that the radio resource allocation database is constructed and dynamically maintained; after receiving a handover request from a User Equipment (UE), a Base Station (BS) determines in the database a Radio Access Technology (RAT) and the corresponding carrier frequency resources suitable for a current communication condition of the UE for the UE according to a handover reason in the handover request, and notifies the UE of information regarding the determined RAT and information regarding the corresponding carrier frequency resource; and the UE performs QoS verification on the RAT and the corresponding carrier frequency resources notified by the BS, and switches to the corresponding carrier frequency with the RAT notified by the BS when the QoS on the RAT and the corresponding carrier frequency resources is superior to that of current communication. Meanwhile, the disclosure further discloses a system for handover based on a radio resource allocation database. The disclosure improves a resource usage rate and the QoS of a current communication system. The disclosure enables the UE to complete the handover quickly, such that user experience is improved.
US08862129B2
A method of establishing a registration between a mobile device and a server includes receiving at the server an SMS or MMS from a mobile device. The server receives the phone number of the mobile device, verifies the phone number of the mobile device against a whitelist to authorize a registration between the mobile device and the server, and verifies a secure identification code that is input at the mobile device. The secure identification code is provided to a user of the mobile phone before the mobile device is registered with the server. The secure identification code can be provided to the user via an administrator of the server. An encryption key established between the mobile device and the server can be used to provide or enhance encryption of a voice communication, such as a VoIP communication, made using the mobile device.
US08862128B2
Provided is a method for efficiently performing a communication operation using supplementary information. A communication method in an integrated terminal which communicates through communication modems corresponding to base stations of various communication systems includes reading a communication network information file which is updated and is included in the integrated terminal and performing the communication operation based on the read communication network information file.
US08862125B2
Method for disseminating messages or information content in a hybrid network including a network scaffold comprising pilot entities, and a mobile network including mobile nodes communicating in an “ad hoc” manner with one another, the method including: at the level of each of the pilot entities of the scaffold of the network, scheduling the transfers of at least one message by: let SC(t) be the set of mobile nodes that have subscribed to the content of type C, let Mi be a message corresponding to the content of type C, for each message Mi, if a mobile user node Ui is present in the neighborhood of a pilot entity, then if Ui is subscribed to the content of type Mi, transfer the message Mi to the mobile user Ui, execute a control loop to disseminate the messages to all the mobile nodes that have subscribed to the receipt of a content Mi as a function of the progress of this dissemination so as to comply with timescales required for the distribution of said message.
US08862119B2
In order to provide an early and more accurate determination of network problems, current NPI OMs are compared with samples of recent historical NPI OMs so that changes in the NPI OM are detected based on current overall network conditions rather than on conditions that may have existed at statistically insignificant earlier operational periods. By constantly adjusting a performance threshold, against which the current NPI OM is compared, by using a smaller and very recent sampling of NPIs (in the case of sudden and abrupt performance-NPI degradation detection) or a larger and greater number of NPIs over a wider time period (in the case of slow and persistent NPI degradation detection) to establish the threshold, detection results are more accurate and meaningful.
US08862117B2
A cellphone controllable car intrusion system is provided. This system includes a vehicle OEM system, including an electronic control unit (ECU), a diagnostic port, a plurality of OEM cameras, a plurality of OEM sensors, an OEM satellite communication system, and an OEM local communication system. The diagnostic port, OEM cameras, OEM sensors, OEM satellite communication system, and the OEM local communication system being in electric communication with the ECU. A cellphone is provided having a local communication system disposed therein. The cellphone is in wireless communication with the ECU. The cellphone is adapted to configure the ECU to enable operation of the OEM cameras in response to receipt by the cellphone of an alert signal from the OEM sensors, indicating that an intrusion is in process. The alert signals are representative of detection of a monitor event by one or more of the OEM sensors.
US08862116B2
Disclosed are a method and apparatus for solving an interference between femto base stations in an idle mode operation and facilitating searching of a femto cell in an idle mode. A method for operating a femto cell in an idle mode, includes: receiving an idle mode conversion notification from a first femto base station; checking the presence of a second femto base station in an idle mode among neighboring femto base stations near or around the first femto base station which has notified about the conversion of the idle mode and then optimizing an idle mode operation of the first and second femto base stations; delivering an idle mode operation parameter according to the optimized idle mode operation to the first and second femto base stations; and receiving an idle mode operation acknowledgement message according to the idle mode operation parameter from the first and second femto base stations.
US08862114B2
Disclosed is a radio communication system which has: a radio base station (eNB#1), which forms a first cell, and which has a radio terminal connected to the radio base station (eNB#1), said radio terminal being in the first cell; and a radio base station (eNB#2), which forms a second cell, at least a part of which overlaps the first cell, and which has a radio terminal connected to the radio base station (eNB#2), said radio terminal being in the second cell. The radio base station (eNB#1) is so configured as to be switchable from being in the activated mode to being in the deactivated mode wherein power consumption is less than that in the activated mode. The radio base station (eNB#1) is controlled to be switched to be in the deactivated mode from being in the activated mode after the conditions, which indicate that the radio terminal (UE) connected to the radio base station (eNB#1) is connectable to the radio base station (eNB#2), are satisfied in the activated mode.
US08862109B2
Systems and methods for terminating telephony communications to a mobile telephony device that is roaming outside of its native service area make use of a mobile roaming termination service. The mobile roaming termination service causes the native mobile telephony service provider that provides service to the mobile telephony device to forward incoming telephony communications directed the native telephone number of the mobile telephony device to a forwarding access number. The mobile roaming termination service receives telephony communications directed to the forwarding access number, and then terminates the telephony communication to the mobile telephony device via any one of multiple different methods. The mobile telephony service provider can be instructed to implement and cancel call forwarding instructions by dialing a special character string on the mobile telephony device.
US08862105B2
In particular implementations, a mobile device management system allows network administrators to control the distribution and publication of applications to mobile device users in an enterprise network. A user profile is accessed to determine a user attribute. A catalog of applications is filtered based at least in part on the user attribute and an enterprise application availability policy to determine a set of applications to be returned and provided via an enterprise mobile device application management interface.
US08862104B2
A system includes a first mobile device configured to initiate communication with at least one other mobile device. The first mobile device includes a status indicator configured to provide a persistent visual indication to a user of the status of a mute function of the first user device during the active communication. The first mobile device further includes a user interface configured to receive predefined user input and allow the user to toggle between mute and un-mute states based on the user input regardless of whether a display of the device is shut off and/or the user interface is locked.
US08862097B2
A method and system for authenticating secure transactions between a transacting user and a secure transaction host is provided. The system includes a mobile phone software application installed on a transacting user's mobile phone which is configured to compose a digital fingerprint uniquely associated with the specific mobile phone on which it is installed. The system further includes an authentication service provider with which users of the system may be enrolled by registering at least the digital identifiers composed by the applications installed on their mobile communication devices in an authentication database. The authentication service provider is configured to authenticate secure transactions on request from secure transaction hosts by sending transaction confirmation requests to mobile phones of enrolled users requiring them to confirm or deny secure transactions before such transactions are allowed to be finalized.
US08862083B2
To adjust a tuning frequency without an output being muted while an oscillation frequency is adjusted. A tuning circuit includes a pair of an inductor and a tuning variable capacitor unit, adjusts a tuning frequency by changing a capacitance of the tuning variable capacitor unit, and obtains a tuning signal having a limited band from a received signal. The tuning circuit includes an oscillating inductor that passes a current corresponding to the tuning signal, an oscillating variable capacitor unit that adjusts the oscillation frequency of a system including the oscillating inductor, and a controller that changes a capacitance of the oscillating variable capacitor unit correspondingly to a desired tuning frequency while adjusting the capacitance such that the oscillation frequency corresponds to the desired tuning frequency, and adjusts a capacitance of the tuning variable capacitor unit in accordance with the adjusted capacitance of the oscillating variable capacitor unit.
US08862082B2
A receiver for nano communication includes a power source including a cathode and an anode; a cathode unit connected to the cathode of the power source, the cathode unit including a nano device configured to receive a wireless signal modulated according to a predetermined modulation scheme, have at least two different resonant frequencies, and resonate based on a frequency of the wireless signal and the at least two different resonant frequencies; and an anode unit connected to the anode of the power source, the anode unit being configured to detect electrons emitted from the nano device, and demodulate a the wireless signal based on a pattern of the detected electrons.
US08862079B2
A mobile device and a method for controlling the same are disclosed, in which different lock states are provided depending on a mode which is currently implemented in a dual mode of a child mode and an adult mode, and different unlock interfaces are provided depending on the lock state.
US08862077B2
An apparatus includes a dynamically configurable transformer configured to provide a gain to a target signal. The gain is dynamically configurable. The dynamically configurable transformer includes at least one parallel resistive element configured to be dynamically activated in parallel with a load.
US08862075B2
A method, program and apparatus for transmitting from a transmitter to a receiver over a channel using a transmit diversity scheme. The method comprises: receiving power-related information fed back from the receiver to the transmitter; and at the transmitter, using the power-related information to generate channel state information. The method further comprises using the generated channel state information to control for subsequent transmission to the receiver from the multiple transmit antennas of the transmitter.
US08862069B2
A method includes determining a signal strength value for a first received signal received from a first station in a first network. The first received signal is received in the first network through a shared communication medium that is shared with a second network. The method includes receiving an indicator of a signal strength value determined for a second received signal from a second station in the second network. Based on the signal strength value for the first received signal and based on the indicator of the signal strength value determined for the second received signal, a detection threshold is selected such that, in response to a third received signal having a signal strength in excess of the detection threshold, the third received signal is processed according to a protocol of the first network and is not processed according to a protocol of the second network.
US08862065B2
A method and apparatus estimate a frequency offset of a receiver in a mobile communication system. A pilot signal and a signal of a control channel are received from a transmitter. Frequency offsets of the pilot signal and frequency offsets of the control channel are estimated, respectively. And the frequency offset of the pilot signal is corrected based on the frequency offset estimation of the control channel.
US08862064B2
A self-testing transceiver comprises a receiver, and a transmitter including a power amplifier (PA) and a plurality of transmitter pre-PA stages. The plurality of transmitter pre-PA stages are configured to generate a communication signal at a receive frequency of the transceiver and the receiver is configured to process another communication signal at a transmit frequency of the transceiver, thereby enabling transceiver self-testing. A method for use by a transceiver for self-testing comprises generating a first communication signal at a transmit frequency of the transceiver by a transmitter of the transceiver, processing the first communication signal by a receiver of the transceiver, generating a second communication signal at a receive frequency of the transceiver by the transmitter, and processing the second communication signal by the receiver. The described generating and processing of the first and second communication signals resulting in self-testing by the transceiver.
US08862060B2
An electronic device may include sensitive circuitry such as radio-frequency receiver circuitry. A noise source may produce radio-frequency interference that can disrupt operation of the sensitive circuitry. The noise source may include a first transmitter such as a cellular telephone transmitter and as second transmitter such as a wireless local area network transmitter. Interference may be produced by simultaneous operation of the first and second transmitters. The radio-frequency receiver circuitry may be satellite navigation system receiver circuitry that includes one or more satellite navigation receivers. The impact of interference may be reduced by blanking the satellite navigation system receiver, by imposing a duty cycle limitation on the second transmitter, by switching between alternative receivers in the satellite navigation system receiver circuitry, by using an interference-dependent cross-correlation protection scheme, or by using a combination of these schemes.
US08862057B2
A communication device includes a control unit that establishes a wireless communication between a communication unit and an external device by using setting data received from the external device. The device also includes a data processing unit that stores the setting data in a storage unit before the wireless communication is released. Further, the device includes a power input unit that receives power from outside. A communication releasing unit releases the wireless communication between the communication unit and the external device. The control unit uses the setting data stored in the storage unit at a time of re-performing a wireless communication between the communication unit and the external device. The communication releasing unit does not release the wireless communication when the power is being supplied via the power input unit even when a predetermined time has passed.
US08862055B2
The present solution defines groups of users with mobile devices that will be used for the outdoor activity. A group of users may defined with mobile computing devices capable of sending and receiving certain data via radio waves. Each of these devices is equipped with at least one button which can be pressed to invoke the grouping process. One additional mobile computing device capable of sending and receiving information via radio waves and able to receive and store information from any of the mobile computing devices, store these, allow any of the same computing devices to retrieve this information and able to send such information to one or mobile computing devices in such a way that the information arrives at the mobile computing devices via radio waves.
US08862050B2
A novel terrestrial wireless communications technique for terrestrial portable terminals including hand-held mobile devices and fixed wireless instruments, utilizing a spoke-and-hub communications system, having a plurality of individual hubs and/or base-stations all in communications with the portable terminals. The portable terminals and the hubs are assigned to use incompatible polarity formats in terms of circularly polarity (CP) and linearly polarity (LP). In forward links, a signal processed by the LP ground telecommunications hubs is radiated through multiple antennas with various LP polarities to an individual CP user simultaneously. The multiple paths are organized via assignments of a plurality of polarities, frequency slots, and directions by wavefront multiplexing/demultiplexing techniques such that the same communications assets including frequency spectrum may be re-used by other users. The same polarity diversity methods can be extended to peer-to-peer communications.
US08862046B2
A sheet pressing device includes plurality of pressing members and a support member. The plurality of pressing members is provided on a downstream side in a discharging direction of fixing unit which carries out a fixing treatment over a sheet having an unfixed image transferred thereonto along the discharging direction. The plurality of pressing members presses both ends of the sheet in a direction along a surface of the sheet carried out the fixing treatment by the fixing unit and in a direction crossing the discharging direction. The support member supports the plurality of pressing members movably in such a direction as to approach or separate from the sheet when the sheet passes through the sheet pressing device.
US08862036B2
An image forming apparatus has a developer container removably connected thereto, a developer feeding mechanism, a drive mechanism, and a torque limiter. The developer container includes a cylindrical container body having a developer discharge port, and a shutter fitted to be rotatable to open and close the developer discharge port. When the drive mechanism rotates the developer container in the developer feeding direction, while the torque limiter keeps the shutter stationary, the container body rotates through a predetermined angle to open the developer discharge port, and as the developer container continues to be rotated, the developer is fed through the developer discharge port. When the developer container is rotated in the direction reverse to the developer feeding direction, while the torque limiter keeps the shutter stationary, the container body rotates through a predetermined angle in the reverse direction to close the developer discharge port.
US08862032B2
In a transport pipe having a first opening portion through which toner is fed in from a toner hopper and a second opening portion through which the toner is discharged to a development device, a transport screw in which a helical blade is formed on a rotational shaft is rotatably provided. The width of the first opening portion in the direction of the rotational shaft is greater than the pitch (L0) of the blade at the first opening portion, and, at the downstream end of the first opening portion in the transport direction, the pitch of the blade is switched from the pitch (L0) to a pitch (L1) which is narrower than the pitch (L0). In this way, the amount of transport of the toner from the toner hopper to the development device with the transport screw is stabilized.
US08862024B2
An attachable/detachable body includes a main body, a positioned portion, a transmitted member a contacting portion. The main body of the attachable/detachable body is supported to be attachable to and detachable from a main body of an image forming apparatus. The positioned portion is positioned at a positioning portion provided at the main body of the image forming apparatus. The transmitted member is connected to a transmission member provided at the main body of the image forming apparatus to transmit a drive thereto, the transmitted member transmitting the drive to a driven member provided at the main body of the attachable/detachable body. The contacting portion comes into contact with a contacted portion that is provided at the main body of the image forming apparatus to be connected electrically thereto.
US08862007B2
A fixing device includes a heating member, a pressurizing member, a coil wound in a loop shape in the width direction of the heating member to generate a magnetic flux that inductively heats the heating member, and a magnetic core adjacent to the coil. The magnetic core is configured to apply the magnetic flux to an inductive heat-generating layer of the heating member. The magnetic core includes first core parts and second core parts. The first core parts are positioned to enclose the coil in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which paper is conveyed. The second core parts are placed in hollow areas formed by the loops of the coil at both ends in the direction orthogonal to the paper conveyance direction. The second core parts have a higher Curie temperature and a lower thermal capacity than the first core parts.
US08862003B2
According to an embodiment, provided is an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a moving body using toner. The image forming apparatus includes a pattern creating device that creates a first pattern for toner density detection and a second pattern for positional deviation detection on the moving body, the first pattern and second pattern being disposed to be arrayed in a main-scanning direction; a reflecting optical sensor including an emitting system that includes at least three light-emitting elements of which positions at least in the second direction are different and a light-receiving system that includes at least three light-receiving elements that receive light beams that are emitted from the emitting system and reflected from the first pattern and second pattern; and a processing device that obtains toner density information and positional deviation information simultaneously based on an output signal of the light-receiving system.
US08861993B2
An image forming apparatus includes a control unit that controls each component, a first storage unit that is a non-volatile and rewritable storage unit mounted on the control unit, a toner containing unit that contains toner to be used for an image forming, a second storage unit that is a non-volatile and rewritable storage unit mounted on the toner containing unit, and a detecting unit that detects an amount of the toner remained in the toner containing unit. The control unit stores count information into the second storage unit, the count information is copied from the second storage unit to the first storage unit, when the detecting unit detects that the amount of the toner remained in the toner containing unit is not enough, and the count information is kept on being stored into the first storage unit, until the toner containing unit is replaced with a new one.
US08861990B2
An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member for bearing a developer image, a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image on the image bearing member into the developer image and a cleaning blade. In addition, a controller executes a stop operation of the image bearing member in which the image bearing member is, after being temporarily stopped at an end of an image forming operation, rotated in the same direction as that during the image forming operation and then is rotated in a direction opposite to that during the image forming operation, and a predicting portion predicts a remaining usable lifetime of the image bearing member. In the stop operation of the image bearing member after the remaining usable lifetime is below a threshold, the controller controls an amount of rotation in the direction opposite to that during the image forming operation so as to be smaller than the amount of rotation before the remaining usable lifetime is below the threshold.
US08861988B2
In methods for operating a printer a sheet is provided in a printing path leading to a printing area, a receiver is provided having a cross edge to which a printed image is to extend in the printing path for movement with the sheet. The receiver and the sheet are moved through the printing area so that the cross edge is moved through printing area during transfer of a toner to form the print image. The receiver and the sheet are further moved through the printing area with the cross edge of positioned on the sheet to separate a portion of the sheet that is masked from transfer of the print image from an unmasked portion of the sheet and the unmasked portion of the sheet is positioned to receive any portion of the print image that is transferred when the receiver is not in the printing area.
US08861987B2
An image forming apparatus of an embodiment includes a sensor, a reversing section, an image forming section, and a controller. The sensor reads a sheet side on which an image is to be formed before formation of the image. The reversing section reverses sides of the sheet being conveyed. The image forming section forms the image and a predetermined mark on the same side of the sheet. The controller acquires image data read by the sensor. If the image data contains the mark, the controller causes the reversing section to reverse the sides of the sheet and also causes the image forming section to form the image on a side that becomes a side targeted for printing after the reversion.
US08861986B2
An image forming device includes a main body, and a support unit. The main body is provided with a first force receiving portion. The support unit is configured to receive a developer cartridge and be pulled out from the main body in a horizontal direction. The developer cartridge is configured to accommodate therein developer. The developer cartridge has a first force applying portion. The support unit has a transmitting member. The transmitting member includes a second force receiving portion configured to receive a force from the first force-receiving portion and a second force applying portion configured to apply the force received by the second force receiving portion to the first force receiving portion.
US08861976B2
A Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) data transmit-receive protocol that can be used with an arbitrary light array, including one or more lights, that transmits light to a light receiver having an image sensor, including a large number of light sensing pixels. The protocol supports two primary protocol or coding modes in which the light array may transmit: spatial coding and space-time coding. The protocol is constructed upon the use of efficient start-frame-delimiters (SFDs) and data-delimiters (DDs). The lights may be implemented to transmit the SFDs, the data delimiters, and data bits as modulated light. The light may be modulated in accordance with a modulation technique referred to as frequency shift on-off keying (FSOOK).
US08861971B2
A phased antenna array includes an array of antenna elements, and an electro-optic (EO) readout circuit coupled to the array of antenna elements. The EO readout circuit includes an optical source having a first wavelength division multiplexer (WDM) configured to generate an optical carrier signal including beam carrier wavelengths, a first EO modulator configured to modulate a signal from an antenna element based upon the optical carrier signal, a second WDM coupled downstream from the first EO modulator, and optical-to-electrical converters coupled downstream from the second WDM. The second WDM is configured to multiplex each modulated beam carrier wavelength to a respective optical-to-electrical converter.
US08861964B2
Methods and arrangements for time distribution in an optical network system in the upstream direction. The information of a selected time reference frame and a calculated time stamp value of the frame based on a real-time clock of the optical line terminal (OLT) is sent from the OLT to the optical network unit (ONU) via the optical distribution network (ODN). When the time reference frame is sent to the ONU from the OLT via the ODN, the ONU records the arrival time of the frame based on a time reference made by the real-time clock of the ONU. The time difference between the arrival time and the time stamp value is calculated whereupon the OLT is informed of the calculated time difference. The OLT adjusts the real-time clock of the OLT in accordance with the time difference.
US08861960B2
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for the compensation of signal distortion in fiber optic communication systems and the like. More specifically, the present disclosure provides an orthogonal polarization detection and broadband pilot (OPDBP) technique for the compensation of nonlinear cross polarization (i.e. nonlinear cross polarization modulation) (XPolM) induced noise and nonlinear nonlinear cross phase modulation (XPM) induced noise in a high data rate polarization multiplexed (PM) multilevel-quadrature amplitude modulated (M-QAM) channel due to neighboring channels. This approach allows for the compensation of both XPolM and XPM simultaneously, providing several dBs of optical reach extension. The approach uses a pilot tone based orthogonal polarization detection scheme with broadband (i.e. a few GHz wide) filtering of the pilot tones.
US08861957B2
An optical access network comprises L wavelength division multiplexed access sub-networks. Each of the wavelength division multiplexed access sub-networks is arranged to use a set of wavelength channels. M optical line termination apparatus, each receive traffic from a respective operator network and output traffic on the wavelength channels. A wavelength routing apparatus comprises M sets of first ports and L second ports. Each set of first ports connects to a respective one of the optical line termination apparatus and each second port connects to an optical link of a respective one of the wavelength division multiplexed access sub-networks. The wavelength routing apparatus is arranged to route the set of wavelength channels between the sets of first ports and the second ports and to route different wavelength channels of the same wavelength to different ones of the second ports.
US08861955B2
An optical communications network node (10) comprising an optical transmitter module (16), an optical receiver module (12), an electrical cross-point switch (20) and control apparatus (24, 26). The optical transmitter module (16) comprises optical sources (18) each having a different operating wavelength and each being selectively assignable as an optical circuit switching channel source or an optical burst switching channel source. The optical receiver module (12) comprises a said plurality of optical detectors each operable at one of said operating wavelengths. The electrical cross-point switch (20) comprises switch paths (22) and is configurable to allocate a first set of switch paths for optical circuit switching and a second set of switch paths for optical burst switching. The control apparatus (24, 26) configures the switch paths (22), separates data traffic to be dropped from transit data traffic, and schedules data traffic for transmission on optical burst switching channels to the respective sources (18).
US08861951B2
Described herein is a two part camera module. A first part includes a lens assembly, a lens assembly holder, a printed circuit board (PCB) with an image capture device and a terminal block. The second part includes mounting elements, a connector shroud, an endcap, and an o-ring. The first part and the second part are configured to interconnect using a snap assembly. The first part is universal for all device applications and the second part is adaptable/interchangeable for each device application.
US08861949B2
An apparatus and method of adjusting an auto focus are provided. The apparatus includes: an imaging pickup device for generating an image signal by capturing light passing through an imaging lens; a shutter for controlling light exposure of the image pickup device; a focus detector that calculates a contrast value from the image signal and detecting a focus from the contrast value; and a release controller for controlling a release operation constituting a photographing operation of a still image, wherein the release controller includes, as driving modes, a first mode that directs a focus lens included in the imaging lens to be driven while driving the shutter, and a second mode that directs the focus lens not to be driven while driving the shutter. Accordingly, a photographing time is reduced.
US08861948B2
An image pickup apparatus comprising: a lens apparatus having: an image pickup optical system including a focus lens unit and a zoom lens unit; a zoom state detector; and a controller; a camera apparatus having: a light receiving unit; and an image display unit; an AF frame operation unit; and a distance measuring unit installed with a parallax with respect to an optical axis of the image pickup optical system, in which the controller is configured to: select, from among measured distances obtained by the distance measuring unit, a measured distance obtained in an angle of field of the AF frame, based on a position of the zoom lens unit detected by the zoom state detector and a position of the AF frame set in the display; and perform the focusing by driving the focus lens unit based on the selected measured distance.
US08861943B2
A liquid heater such as a direct electrical resistance liquid heater having multiple flow channels is provided with a temperature-sensing element in the form of a wire extending across numerous channels, preferably all of the channels, near the downstream ends of the channels. The resistance of the wire represents the average temperature of the liquid passing through all of the channels, and hence the temperature of the mixed liquid exiting from the heater. A bubble suppressing structure is provided in the vicinity of the wire.
US08861939B2
A method, apparatus, computer program product and computer accessible code configured to link or otherwise associate content filters with a multimedia presentation, e.g., a movie. The content filter data includes an identifier value with an aspect ratio identifier or as a function of an aspect ratio for a particular multimedia presentation associated with the filter information. In one implementation, association between a filter set and a multimedia presentation involves a filtering application that searches a particular multimedia presentation to locate aspect ratio information and further searches filter information for a matching aspect ratio identifier.
US08861936B2
In an information processor having a function to check out a content to a portable device such as a portable disc player, a content is recorded to a content data base under the control of a content management program, and it is set under the control of a display/operation instruction program whether the recorded content has to be checked out to the portable device. If a content is recorded in case it has been set that the content has to be checked out, the content having been recorded in the content data base is checked out to the portable device.
US08861930B2
A content playback apparatus includes: a display section that displays a plurality of indicators associated with a plurality of pieces of content, and a specifier to be used to specify one of the indicators; a playback section that plays back the piece of content associated with the indicator specified by the specifier; a switch section that switches, in accordance with a user's operation, what the specifier specifies to new the indicator; and a playback control section that controls the playback section such that if the user's operation switches, while the piece of content associated with the indicator specified by the specifier is played, what the specifier specifies to next the indicator and the user's subsequent operation switches, within a predetermined period of time from when the previous switch is completed, what the specifier specifies to subsequent the indicator, the playback section keeps playing back the piece of content.
US08861928B2
The present invention facilitates reading in advance information on addresses where data of each reproduction path to be reproduced is stored. Clip AV stream 1 to Clip AV stream 3 of angles forming a multiangle are managed by PlayList#1 to PlayList#3 for the different angles. Each of PlayList#1 to PlayList#3 is divided by angle change points. Each of the divided reproducing sections corresponds to a PlayItem. Correspondences between source packet numbers and presentation time stamps of the angle change points are recorded in an EP_map. The present invention is applicable to DVD recording and reproducing apparatus, for example.
US08861925B1
Audio-visual synchronization using retrieval of visual data through a network to enhance the content presented to the user and to provide the user with a more meaningful and engaging audio-visual experience. An audio player such as an electronic book reader or stereo plays an audio file. The audio file, whether in analog form as played through a speaker or in digital form, is provided to a controller, which scans the audio file to detect a trigger or cue identifying visual data stored in a data store or database that is local or accessible through a network. The controller accesses the data store or database, downloads the pre-determined visual data, and controls the audio player and display such that playing of audio data and display of the retrieved visual data are synchronized with each other.
US08861912B2
A random array of holes is created in an optical fiber by gas generated during fiber drawing. The gas forms bubbles which are drawn into long, microscopic holes. The gas is created by a gas generating material such as silicon nitride. Silicon nitride oxidizes to produce nitrogen oxides when heated. The gas generating material can alternatively be silicon carbide or other nitrides or carbides. The random holes can provide cladding for optical confinement when located around a fiber core. The random holes can also be present in the fiber core. The fibers can be made of silica. The present random hole fibers are particularly useful as pressure sensors since they experience a large wavelength dependant increase in optical loss when pressure or force is applied.
US08861902B2
A planar waveguide circuit comprises a first optical splitter to receive an input optical signal, a second optical splitter to receive a reference optical signal, a first optical signal combiner, and a second optical signal combiner. First and second optical waveguides are provided to couple first and second outputs of the first optical splitter to respective inputs of the first and second optical signal combiners. Third and fourth optical waveguides are provided to couple first and second outputs of the second optical splitter to respective inputs of the first and second optical signal combiners. A phase-shifter is provided located to affect the phase of an optical signal propagating in one of the third and fourth optical waveguides. The first and second optical splitters and the first and second optical signal combiners are arranged such that the first, second, third and fourth optical waveguides do not intersect one another.
US08861899B2
An optical fiber current transformer includes a broadband light source, a depolarizer, a beam splitter, a temperature acquisition unit, a current acquisition unit, a modulation waveform generating unit, a data processing unit and a calculating compensation unit. The broadband light source is connected with the beam splitter by the depolarizer. A first output of the beam splitter is connected with the calculating compensation unit by the temperature acquisition unit. A second output of the beam splitter is connected with the data processing unit by the current acquisition unit. The data processing unit is connected with the calculating compensation unit. The calculating compensation unit is connected with the current acquisition unit by the modulation waveform generating unit. The optical fiber current transformer uses the temperature-current compensation curve in the calculating compensation unit to synchronously process the temperature and current, thereby improving the accuracy of real-time current measurement.
US08861897B2
System and method for creating a collection of images are described, the method comprising: receiving images from at least one source of images; processing the images to produce an output collection of images, the processing comprising grouping the images to clusters of related images and selecting the preferred images in the clusters; and outputting the output collection of images, the output collection of images comprising the clusters of related images and indication of the preferred images in the clusters. The system for creating a collection of images comprising: a storage medium to receive images from at least one source of images; a processor to produce an output collection of images by grouping the images to clusters of related images and selecting the preferred images in the clusters; and a collection output medium for outputting the output collection of images.
US08861895B2
An image processing apparatus comprises a processing unit for computing displacement amounts between a basis image and each reference image, a processing unit for generating multiple deformed images based on the displacement amounts, the basis image and multiple reference images, a processing unit for setting a threshold of a parameter, a processing unit for selecting image information from the reference image by threshold, a processing unit for generating composed images and weighted images based on the basis image, the displacement amounts and the image information, a processing unit for generating high-resolution grid images by dividing the composed image by the weighted image, a processing unit for generating simplified interpolation images based on high-resolution grid images, a processing unit for generating an image characteristic amount, a display unit for displaying the image characteristic amount and a control unit that controls the necessary processing as necessary.
US08861889B2
An image processing device for determining extraction conditions for extracting still images from a moving image according to a template and arranging the still images. The image processing device includes an image data input unit, an operating unit, a display, a material selector for selecting a template applied to layout data and moving image data, an extraction condition determiner for determining extraction conditions for extracting still image data from the moving image data according to a selected template, a moving image analyzer for analyzing the moving image data, a still image data extractor for extracting the still image data meeting extraction conditions from the moving image data according to analysis results, and a layout synthesizer for producing the layout data by positioning the extracted still image data in corresponding synthesis areas of the template.
US08861887B2
According to one embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes a shading correction unit. The shading correction unit executes at least one of the use of shading correction parameters calculated in accordance with exposure information for capturing a subject image and the adjustment of a center position in a two-dimensional direction which is used as the basis of the shading correction in accordance with the exposure information.
US08861886B2
A method for enhancing a radiographic image. The method includes obtaining image data for the radiographic image, generating conditioned image data by increasing differences between neighboring portions of at least a relatively uniform area of the radiographic image, generating an enhanced image by applying contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization to the conditioned image data, applying interpolation to the enhanced image, and displaying, storing, or transmitting the enhanced image.
US08861879B2
An image encoding method and apparatus, and an image decoding method and apparatus respectively corresponding to the image encoding method and apparatus are provided. The image encoding method includes: if a current block is an initial block of a current slice, determining whether a virtual block in which pixel values are equal to a predetermined value is identical to the current block; and encoding the current block in a first mode based on the determining, wherein the first mode is a mode for encoding information representing that the current block is encoded in the first mode, instead of encoding pixel values of the current block, when the current block is identical to the virtual block.
US08861865B2
A method and apparatus for searching for an image are provided. The method includes: determining whether a unique identifier exists in metadata of an input image to be searched for; when the unique identifier exists in the metadata, searching for an original image of the input image in a target device by using the unique identifier; when the unique identifier does not exist in the metadata, extracting a characteristic value of the input image; and when the unique identifier does not exist in the metadata, searching for the original image by comparing the extracted characteristic value with one or more characteristic values of one or more images stored in the target device.
US08861862B2
The character recognition apparatus recognizes characters from a read document original to correct a character string as a character recognition result in a word unit with a space character as a separator. The character recognition apparatus includes a circumscribed rectangle formation portion which forms a circumscribed rectangle for each recognized alphabet character string, a fixed-pitch font determination portion which determines whether or not a font is a fixed-pitch font based on a distance between center lines in a width direction of adjacent circumscribed rectangles, a portion for determining an excess space character which determines, in the case of a fixed-pitch font, that the space character is an excess based on that a width of a space character in the character string is narrower than a predetermined width, and a portion for deleting the space character determined as an excess from the character string.
US08861855B2
A method, apparatus and program product are provided for simplifying electro-optical imaging data. Spectral/temporal data is received. The spectral/temporal data is formulated into a vector/matrix. Feature extraction analysis is performed. At least two largest principal components are determined from the feature extraction analysis. A cluster diagram is created from the at least two largest principal components. A distance metric is evaluated from the cluster diagram. And, a largest metric is selected based on the distance metric.
US08861853B2
A feature amount calculation apparatus calculates a feature amount of a target object from image data, and is provided with: a feature value calculator that calculates an edge direction and edge magnitude as input image data pixel-unit feature values; a feature amount calculator that has an edge direction group calculator that calculates a group of edge directions, and a correlation value calculator that takes all pixels or predetermined pixels among a plurality of pixels used in feature value calculation as pixels subject to correlation value calculation and calculates an edge magnitude correlation value between the pixels subject to correlation value calculation for each feature value; and a histogram creator that counts feature amounts in a histogram for each correlation value, and creates a histogram as a feature vector.
US08861845B2
Systems and methods of detecting and correcting redeye in an image are described. In one aspect, pixels of the input image are segmented based on projections of color values of the pixels onto two-dimensional thresholding planes. Candidate redeye pixel areas are identified in the input image based on the segmented pixels of the input image.
US08861843B2
The chroma of each block is calculated from color difference signals to calculate the number of blocks having chroma equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold from among the blocks that are not part of a detected face area, and to calculate a high-chroma block ratio of the high-chroma blocks (having their chroma equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold), to the number of blocks that are not in the face area. If the average chroma and the high-chroma block ratio match or exceed predetermined values, the scene is discriminated as a vivid color scene. The threshold of the criterion of the high-chroma block ratio is made to be small, if the scene has been discriminated as a vivid color scene in the past, while if the scene has not been discriminated as being such a scene, the threshold is made to be large.
US08861840B2
The capture and alignment of multiple 3D scenes is disclosed. Three dimensional capture device data from different locations is received thereby allowing for different perspectives of 3D scenes. An algorithm uses the data to determine potential alignments between different 3D scenes via coordinate transformations. Potential alignments are evaluated for quality and subsequently aligned subject to the existence of sufficiently high relative or absolute quality. A global alignment of all or most of the input 3D scenes into a single coordinate frame may be achieved. The presentation of areas around a particular hole or holes takes place thereby allowing the user to capture the requisite 3D scene containing areas within the hole or holes as well as part of the surrounding area using, for example, the 3D capture device. The new 3D captured scene is aligned with existing 3D scenes and/or 3D composite scenes.
US08861838B2
An apparatus for correcting a stereoscopic image using matching information, includes: a matching information visualizer receiving input of original stereoscopic images and intuitive matching information and visualizing a pair of stereoscopic images based on the intuitive matching information; a correction information processor obtaining a statistical camera parameter based on the intuitive matching information and correcting the received stereoscopic image using the statistical camera parameter; and an error allowable controller providing allowable error information to the correction information processor in consideration of an error allowable degree according to a selected time from the received intuitive matching information and preset human factor guide information, to extract a correlation between stereoscopic images using a stereoscopic image and provided information, thereby helping such that an erroneously photographed image is correctly photographed or correcting the image such that the erroneously photographed image is correctly interpreted, which leads to minimization of visual fatigue.
US08861837B2
To detect the presence of the left and right constituent images of a stereoscopic image packed within an image frame or within a sequence of image frames, images are unpacked according to each one of said known formats; a candidate measure is formed according to each unpacking and the candidate measures are compared to identify the presence of left and right images packed according to an identified format. The candidate measure may be a low pass filtered measure of the difference between the left and right images and may be a high pass filtered measure of the activity in either the left or the right image.
US08861825B2
A computer for assisting in determining the strength of fixing a craniofacial surgery patch comprises a storage device for storing a medical image and a central processing unit, the central processing unit carry out a method for assisting in determining the strength of fixing a craniofacial surgery patch. The method includes obtaining a medical image; establishing a skull model according to the medical image; receiving a patch setting command, and disposing a patch model on the skull model according to the patch setting command; generating an internal grid mesh data of the skull model disposed with the patch model; executing a biomechanical simulation of a patch structural strength according to the skull model disposed with the patch model, the internal grid mesh data and a boundary condition; and providing a stress distribution, a strain distribution or a displacement distribution of the patch model to assist in determining.
US08861821B2
An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of the present invention has: an image generator configured to execute transmission/reception of ultrasound waves to chronologically generate ultrasound image data of plural frames; a multiresolution decomposition part configured to hierarchically perform multiresolution decomposition on the ultrasound image data to acquire first-order to nth-order (n represents a natural number of 2 or more) low-band decomposition image data and first-order to nth-order high-band decomposition image data; a feature amount calculator configured to calculate a feature amount based on the acquired low-band decomposition image data; a filtering processor configured to perform a filtering operation on the calculated feature amount; and a multiresolution composition part configured to execute multiresolution composition using the low-band decomposition image data and high-band decomposition image data to generate a composite image. Thus, the apparatus can efficiently reduce change in speckle/noise in the temporal direction and perform a process without a time phase delay.
US08861817B2
The present invention an image processing apparatus, which processes an image of a tomogram obtained by capturing an image of an eye to be examined by a tomography apparatus, comprises, layer candidate detection means for detecting layer candidates of a retina of the eye to be examined from the tomogram, artifact region determination means for determining an artifact region in the tomogram based on image features obtained using the layer candidates, and image correction means for correcting intensities in the artifact region based on a determination result of the artifact region determination means and image features in the region.
US08861812B2
Provided is an ultrasonic imaging apparatus including: a time-gain controller (TGC) that compensates an amplitude fading occurring in the process of propagation inside a living body; a scan converter (SC) that constructs image data; a TIC measurement unit that measures a TIC of each pixel; an evaluation index input unit that inputs an index for evaluating hemodynamics on the basis of a TIC; a mapping parameter estimation unit that estimates a mapping parameter comparable to an evaluation index; a TIC image construction unit that constructs a two-dimensional image on the basis of the mapping parameter; and a pixel detection unit that extracts a region corresponding to a color map from a TIC image, and utilizing a TIC measured with each pixel so as to measure a difference in hemodynamics.
US08861802B2
Methods, machine-readable media, and devices for face image prioritization based on face quality analysis are described herein. For example, one or more embodiments include detecting a facial image in an image that has been acquired by a camera that monitors a scene, passing the facial image through a number of quality analysis filters that include a number of quality analysis factors, wherein processing complexity associated with the number of quality analysis factors increases consecutively, and submitting the facial image to a facial recognition program upon a determination that the facial image has passed the number of quality analysis filters.
US08861791B2
Disclosed are a road line detection method and a road line detection device. The road line detection method comprises a step of obtaining a first disparity map including one or more road regions and a corresponding V-disparity image; a step of sequentially detecting plural sloped line segments in the corresponding V-disparity image according to a big-to-small order of disparities and a big-to-small order of V-values, to serve as plural sequentially adjacent road surfaces; a step of obtaining a second disparity map of plural road line regions of interest corresponding to the plural sloped line segments; and a step of detecting one or more road lines in the second disparity map of the plural road line regions of interest.
US08861787B2
There are provided an environment, recognition device and an environment recognition method. The environment, recognition device obtains a luminance of a target portion in a detection area; obtains a height of the target portion; derives a white balance correction value, assuming that white balancing is performed to the obtained luminance; derives the corrected luminance by subtracting the white balance correction value and a color correction value based upon a color correction intensity indicating a degree of an influence of environment light from the obtained luminance; and provisionally determines a specific object corresponding to the target portion from the corrected luminance of the target portion based on an association of a luminance range and the specific object retained in a data retaining unit.
US08861784B2
An object recognition apparatus recognizes an object from video data for a predetermined time period generated by a camera, analyzes the recognition result, and determines a minimum size and moving speed of faces of the video image recognized from the received frame image. Then, the object recognition apparatus determines a lower limit value of a frame rate and resolution from the determined minimum size and moving speed of the faces.
US08861782B2
Systems and methods to generate data representative of a fragmented document are provided. A particular method includes using motion of a moving film to move multiple pieces of a document that has been fragmented. The method also includes capturing images of the pieces as the pieces are moving, wherein each of the images includes at least one side of at least one of the pieces. The method further includes processing the images to generate a data file including at least a portion of the document, where the portion is determined based on image data associated with two or more of the pieces.
US08861781B2
An apparatus includes: a generator which generates a first pattern including a plurality of pixels having a first value, with an area of the first pattern changing in a constant cycle, and, a phase of cyclical change of the area changing based on a value of a symbol included in an inputted digital watermark information; a generator which generates a second pattern including a plurality of pixels having a second value, with an area of the second pattern changing with a frequency characteristic that is different from the cycle of change of the area; and a unit which superimposes the first and the second pattern into each image area of images in time series constituting an inputted video image to correct a value of each pixel in an image area to which the first or the second pattern is superimposed according to the first and the second value.
US08861780B2
A rain detection apparatus includes a camera that views a surface and a processor that captures an image from the camera. The processor generates a signal indicative of rain on the surface from information contained in the captured image and optionally drives a surface cleaning apparatus in response thereto. The apparatus captures images focused at a plurality of distances. The processor includes an edge detector that detects edges visible in the captured image and a difference structure that calculates the difference between the number of edges visible between differing images. The edge detector disregards edges close to areas of light larger than the largest raindrop that is desired or expected to be detected. The apparatus optionally includes a backlight, and the difference in numbers of edges between frames with and without the backlight illuminated are used to distinguish between background features and rain on the surface.
US08861779B2
The invention relates to a method for electronically evaluating a dialog between at least two persons comprising receiving audio data, analyzing the audio data to determine the reparation of utterances of the at least two persons in the course of the dialog and comparing the results of the analysis with predetermined communication patterns.
US08861778B2
The disclosure relates to an electrodynamic-transducer magnetic motor device (10) having a moving coil comprising a magnetic circuit consisting of a tied angular magnet (11), characterized in that said tied annular magnet has a hollow annular structure, said hollow annular structure comprising an annular cavity (12) connected to an upper portion (13) of an external surface (14) of said hollow annular structure by a first annular channel (15) forming a first gap in which a first winding (17) of the moving coil can move.
US08861777B2
A vibrating element includes a diaphragm and a voice coil. The diaphragm has a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other, in which the first surface includes a first conductive region and a second conductive region separated from the first conductive region. The voice coil is disposed at the first surface of the diaphragm, in which two ends of the voice coil are respectively electrically connected to the first conductive region and the second conductive region, and the two ends of the voice coil are located within a region circled by the voice coil on the first surface.
US08861775B2
A speaker and stereo system for a watercraft are disclosed. The stereo system includes an amplifier sized and adapted to fit within an internal compartment of the watercraft, and having a power input that connects to a battery of the watercraft for power. The amplifier further includes a control input, a signal amplifier, at least two audio outputs connected to the signal amplifier, and an audio input for receiving a digital audio signal from a digital music player to be amplified by the signal amplifier. The speaker for use with the stereo system includes a speaker housing having a flattened bottom, an opening at a front face, and an enclosure that tapers and extends to a substantially pointed terminal end. The speaker further includes a waterproof loudspeaker pivotally connected within the opening of the front face of the speaker housing to face a direction substantially opposite the pointed terminal end, and a mounting mechanism for removably mounting the speaker housing to an outer surface of the watercraft.
US08861769B2
A headphone device includes a first audio output module, a second audio output module, and a head module connected between the first and second audio output modules that are located at both ends of the head module respectively. The head module stays bent when in use and stays straight when in compact storage. Thus the form factor of the headphone device in compact storage is relatively smaller.
US08861765B2
A system and method are described for reducing the current consumption of a microphone component without adversely affecting performance. The system includes a micromechanical microphone capacitor, an acoustically inactive compensation capacitor, an arrangement for applying a high-frequency sampling signal to the microphone capacitor and for applying the inverted sampling signal to the compensation capacitor, an integrating operational amplifier which integrates the sum of the current flow through the microphone capacitor and the current flow through the compensation capacitor as a charge amplifier, a demodulator, which is synchronized with the sampling signal, for the output signal of the integrating operational amplifier, and a low-pass filter which uses the output signal of the demodulator to obtain a microphone signal that corresponds to the changes in capacitance of the microphone capacitor. The sampling signal is composed of a periodic sequence of sampling pulses and pause times. In addition, at least one first switching element is provided which reduces the current flow through the integrating operational amplifier during the pause times. The low-pass filter has a “sample-and-hold” characteristic so that during the pause times the low-pass filter in each case stores the output signal of the integrating operational amplifier averaged over the preceding sampling operation.
US08861763B2
A speaker retaining mechanism for retaining a speaker at a predetermined position of a cabinet is disclosed. This speaker retaining mechanism includes: a retaining member that is fixed to the cabinet and that has a hollow space surrounded by an inner wall; and a vibration damping member attached to both ends of the speaker. The vibration damping member is disposed in the hollow space of the retaining member so that the vibration damping member contacts elastically with the inner wall of the retaining member.
US08861762B2
A behind-the-ear hearing aid (1) comprises a housing (4), an ear piece (3) and a custom earplug (2), the custom earplug being adapted to fit the ear canal of an individual hearing aid user, the ear piece having a connector for connecting with the custom earplug, the connector and the earpiece having means for snap fitting engagement and means for defining the mutual rotational orientation. The invention further provides a custom earpiece for a hearing aid.
US08861760B2
Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for a level-dependent compression system for hearing assistance devices, such as hearing aids. The present subject matter includes a hearing assistance device having a buffer for receiving time domain input signals and a frequency analysis module to convert time domain input signals into a plurality of subband signals. A power detector is adapted to receive the subband signals and to provide a subband version of the input signals. A nonlinear gain stage applies gain to the plurality of subband versions of the input signals, and a frequency synthesis module processes subband signals from the nonlinear gain stage and to create a processed output signal. The device also includes a filter for filtering the signals, and a level-dependent compression module. The level-dependent compression module is adapted to provide bandwidth control to the plurality of subband signals produced by the frequency analysis stage.
US08861759B2
A method is provided for adapting a feedback suppression device of a hearing device to a given situation in order to improve the quality of feedback suppression in hearing devices and in hearing aids in particular. In the method an adaptation procedure of the feedback suppression device is periodically activated and adaptation of the feedback suppression device is performed regularly even if a feedback detector does not detect a feedback situation. A feedback suppression device for a hearing device is also provided.
US08861751B2
In an audio processing apparatus of the present invention, one or two audio signals selected from a surround rear left audio signal, a left outer audio signal and a left upper audio signal is (are) amplified to be outputted from a speaker terminal(s) corresponding to this (these) channel(s) without necessity to provide amplifiers of all channels. When the surround rear left audio signal is included, a switch S13a is turned ON to supply the surround rear left audio signal amplified by an amplifier 12a to a SP terminal 14a. When the left outer audio signal is included, a switch 13b is turned ON to supply the left outer audio signal amplified by the amplifier 12a to a SP terminal 14b, or a switch 13c is turned ON to supply the left outer audio signal amplified by an amplifier 12b to the SP terminal 14b. When the left upper audio signal is included, a switch 13d is turned ON to supply the left upper audio signal amplified by the amplifier 12b to a SP terminal 14c.
US08861746B2
A sound processing apparatus includes a target sound emphasizing unit configured to acquire a sound frequency component by emphasizing target sound in input sound in which the target sound and noise are included, a target sound suppressing unit configured to acquire a noise frequency component by suppressing the target sound in the input sound, a gain computing unit configured to compute a gain value to be multiplied by the sound frequency component using a gain function that provides a gain value and has a slope that are less than predetermined values when an energy ratio of the sound frequency component to the noise frequency component is less than or equal to a predetermined value, and a gain multiplier unit configured to multiply the sound frequency component by the gain value computed by the gain computing unit.
US08861741B2
When the signal level of a signal AOD, to which a cancellation signal CND of ACD is added, is larger than the signal level of ACD, a rate of change calculation part 173 calculates the maximum value (=1) as a rate of change parameter for showing that the degree of noise cancellation should be made highest. When the signal level of AOD, to which CND of ACD is added, is smaller than the signal level of ACD, the rate of change calculation part 173 calculates a change parameter rate to show that the larger the difference between both the signal levels are, the lower the degree of the noise cancellation becomes. A cancellation signal generation part 175 then generates CND and transmits it to an addition part 171 while taking the values of the change parameter rate into consideration. As a result, proper noise control can be easily performed.
US08861740B2
An automatic arrangement for deactivating a computer's speaker or microphone immediately upon the unplugging of an external headphone, speaker or microphone from the computer. Similar principles can be employed in other contexts where there is a desire to afford different types or levels of audio output to different parties or in different settings.
US08861727B2
A method begins by a processing module applying a share encoding function on data to produce a plurality of encoded shares and generating a corresponding plurality of random numbers for the plurality of encoded shares. The method continues with the processing module generating an encryption key based on a common password and a corresponding one of the corresponding plurality of random numbers and encrypting the encoded share utilizing the encryption key to produce an encrypted share for each encoded share of the plurality of encoded shares. The method continues with the processing module facilitating storage of the corresponding plurality of random numbers and each of the encrypted shares.
US08861725B2
A random bit stream generator includes a plurality of feedback shift registers configured to store a plurality of bit values that represent an internal state of the random bit stream generator. Each feedback shift register includes a register input and a register output. The random bit stream generator further includes a Boolean output function configured to receive the plurality of register outputs from the plurality of feedback registers, to perform a first Boolean combination of the plurality of register outputs, and to provide a corresponding output bit, wherein a plurality of successive output bits forms a random bit stream. A feedback loop is configured to perform a second Boolean combination of the output bit with at least one register feedback bit of at least one of the feedback shift registers, so that the register input of the at least one feedback shift register is a function of the output bit.
US08861722B2
A device for generating a session key which is known to a first communication partner and a second communication partner, for the first communication partner, from secret information which may be determined by the first and second communication partners, includes a first module operable to calculate the session key using a concatenation of at least a part of a random number and a part of the secret information. The device also includes a second module operable to use the session key for communication with the second communication partner.
US08861718B2
Disclosed herein are a method of preventing fault-injection attacks on Chinese Remainder Theorem (CRT)-Rivest Shamir Adleman (RSA) cryptographic operations, and a recording medium for storing a program implementing the same. First, the method receives first and second primes, that is, different primes, and a randomly selected prime, that is, a random prime, which are used for CRT-RSA cryptographic operations. Thereafter, a cumulative value is calculated by performing an XOR (Exclusive OR) operation on the first prime, the second prime, and the random prime using a push function. Thereafter, the first prime, the second prime, and the random prime are loaded by performing an XOR operation on the cumulative value using a pop function corresponding to the push function. Finally, CRT-RSA operations are executed by computing modulo operations based on the first prime and the second prime.
US08861716B2
In one exemplary embodiment, a computer readable storage medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine for performing operations including: receiving information B to be encrypted as a ciphertext C in accordance with an encryption scheme having an encrypt function; and encrypting B in accordance with the encrypt function to obtain C, the scheme utilizes at least one public key A, where B, C, and A are matrices, the encrypt function receives as inputs A and B and outputs C as C→AS+pX+B (mod q), S is a random matrix, X is an error matrix, p is in integer, q is an odd prime number. In other exemplary embodiments, the encryption scheme includes a decrypt function that receives as inputs at least one private key T (a matrix) and C and outputs B as B=T−1·(TCTt mod q)·(Tt)−1 mod p.
US08861714B1
The holder for a hand-held electronic communication device is lightweight and comprises a perforated faceplate and a base of ergonomic form symmetrically constructed for ambidextrous, hand-held use, shoulder support, and surface support in both portrait and landscape orientations. The faceplate incorporates two clamping mechanisms, one being operative for fixing its gripping part in selected positions of extension from the faceplate and the other dynamically adjusting to position its gripping part for cooperatively clamping the communication device therebetween. A peripheral gasket on the front of the faceplate cushions and positionally stabilizes the mounted device, and is formed to promote the projection of sound waves from under the mounted device. The base may have holes and/or an internal acoustic baffle to further promote the projection of sound waves from its cavity, and holes in the faceplate and/or the base may enhance aesthetic attributes.
US08861712B2
A method, an apparatus, and a system for reducing line-to-line crosstalk during transmission of a digital subscriber line service are disclosed, where the method includes: before a service is provisioned, obtaining, by a service provider according to a service transmission rate and a topology scenario parameter that are provided by a service receiving side device, a power spectral density of a line in a process of receiving a service by the service receiving side device; and provisioning, by the service provider, a service for the service receiving side device according to the power spectral density.
US08861711B2
An echo cancellation apparatus is connectable to a speaker configured to output speaker signals and a microphone configured to receive a sound from the speaker and including a plurality of microphone elements. The echo cancellation apparatus includes: a generating unit configured to generate a plurality of sensitivity signals having different sensitivity patterns which represent directionality of the microphone, based on a plurality of microphone signals obtained from the respective microphone signals; a delay estimating unit configured to determine a shortest delay time as an estimated delay time, the shortest delay time being a shortest one of delay times between the speaker signals and the microphone signals, the delay times being obtained from the respective sensitivity signals; and an echo suppressing unit configured to suppress echoes of the plurality of microphone signals using the estimated delay time.
US08861702B2
A conference manager detects that a communication has been initiated between a communication device and conferencing system. A user of the conferencing system is identified. For example, the user can be identified by using the caller ID of the person who initiated the communication. In response to identifying the user of the conferencing system, the conference manager gets a list of conferences in which the user is scheduled to participate. The list can include one or more conferences. The list of conferences is sent to an application running on the communication device and displayed to the user. Once a conference from the list is selected by the user, the communication manager receives information that identifies the selected conference and the user is connected to the selected conference. As the user is connected to the conference, different progress messages can be sent and displayed to the user.
US08861701B2
Some embodiments provide an architecture for establishing a multi-participant conference. This architecture has one participant's computer in the conference act as a central content distributor for the conference. The central distributor receives data (e.g., video and/or audio streams) from the computer of each other participant, and distributes the received data to the computers of all participants. In some embodiments, the central distributor receives A/V data from the computers of the other participants. From such received data, the central distributor of some embodiments generates composite data (e.g., composite image data and/or composite audio data) that the central distributor distributes back to the participants.
US08861699B2
The present invention is directed to a display method and an electronic device. The method comprises acquiring a first display instruction; in response to the first display instruction, displaying the second ID identification on the display unit, and displaying M first content identifications simultaneously, wherein, the first content identification is used for characterizing the communication content of the call process of the first ID identification and the second ID identification, and M is a positive integer greater than or equal to one.
US08861697B2
The present disclosure describes a system, method, and computer-readable medium for providing audio announcement of communications to a called party in a communication network. The method includes receiving communication from a calling party and performing a lookup of information relating to the calling party in a database via an Internet Protocol connection based on an identifier of at least one of the calling party and the called party. The information comprises one or more audio files. The method then provides the audio announcement to a called party based on the audio files.
US08861694B1
The present invention is related to telecommunications, and in particular, to methods and systems for processing call signaling data. In an embodiment, a call processing system receives a first message from a switch while the switch is processing a call for a calling party, wherein the first message is initiated at least partly in response to a firing of a call event trigger configured within a switch. The first message includes call signaling information, including the calling party's phone number. The calling party's phone number is stored in the call processing system. A communication channel is established over a network between the call processing system and a computer associated with the called party. A message is transmitted to the networked computer, the message including the calling party's phone number, wherein the calling party's phone number is intended to be displayed on the networked computer associated with the called party.
US08861676B2
A transport bin for an X-ray inspection system, comprising a identifying device rigidly connected to the bin, the identifying device having a bin-specific identifier, wherein the identifying device has a memory, in which an identification code that is unique worldwide, in particular a universally unique identifier (UUID), is stored in such a way that the identification code can be read out.
US08861675B2
Disclosed herein is a metal sorting device including an X-ray tube, a dual energy detector array, a microprocessor, and an air ejector array. The device senses the presence of samples in the x-ray sensing region and initiates identifying and sorting the samples. After identifying and classifying the category of a sample, at a specific time, the device activates an array of air ejectors located at specific positions in order to place the sample in the proper collection bin.
US08861669B2
The present disclosure provides techniques for recovering source stream clock data at the sink in a high definition multimedia digital content transport system. The disclosure includes a fractional-N Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) based clock generator, a programmable Sigma-Delta Modulator (SDM), and a clock data calibrator to fully recover the original source stream clock data. The fractional-N PLL provides flexible source stream clock recovery. When there is a frequency deviation between the original clock and the regenerated clock, the clock data calibrator control circuit adjusts the clock data, preventing any stream data buffer overflow or underflow problems. The disclosed techniques are compatible with the sink devices based on the standards of DisplayPort and HDMI.
US08861668B2
Provided is a transmission device that transmits or receives synchronous data used to perform synchronization of a clock through a transmission path having a variable transmission band and includes a transmission band acquiring unit that acquires a current transmission band in the transmission path, a calculating unit that calculates a time necessary until the synchronous data is received after the synchronous data is transmitted through the transmission path based on the transmission band, and accumulates the calculated time and a staying time of the synchronous data in its own device as delay information recorded in the synchronous data, and a transmitting unit that writes a value of a result of accumulation by the calculating unit to the synchronous data as new delay information of the synchronous data, and transmits the synchronous data.
US08861667B1
A signal receiving circuit having an equalizer calibration function. The signal receiving circuit includes a sampling circuit, output driver and clock signal generator. The sampling circuit captures samples of a data signal in response to a sampling clock signal. The output driver outputs an equalizing signal to an input of the sampling circuit in response to a first clock signal. The clock signal generator adjusts a phase of the first clock signal to achieve phase alignment between transitions of the equalizing signal and transitions of the data signal.
US08861660B2
Techniques are provided herein for digital data-aided frequency offset estimation offering better performance and increased accuracy over existing solutions. These new techniques also allow a trade-off between complexity and accuracy to be performed. The embodiments of the techniques for frequency offset estimation can be used for correction in both feedback and feed-forward control.
US08861658B1
Signal power of a received signal, which has a plurality of preamble sequences associated with sub-carrier signals received from a plurality of sub-carriers, in a cellular Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing system may be estimated by estimating as power for at least one preamble sequence of a signal received at a selected receive antenna. The preamble sequence is associated with a base station and a set of sub-carriers. A differential received signal developed for one of the set of sub-carriers is correlated with a normalized differential transmit signal for the preamble sequence, and the estimate of the power for the at least one preamble sequence is extracted based on the correlation.
US08861653B2
Decoders and communications devices including such decoders can obtain a convolutional coded bit stream including a plurality of coded data bits. The convolutional coded bit stream may be coded according to one or more generator polynomials such that each information bit is related to two or more coded data bits in a manner to be determinable from a mathematical combination of the two or more coded data bits of the convolutional coded bit stream. A priori information associated with each information bit can be calculated based at least in part on the mathematical combination of the two or more coded data bits. Employing the a priori information, a binary value for each information bit can be calculated. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.
US08861647B2
The carrier phase of a carrier wave modulated with information symbols is recovered with a multi-stage, feed-forward carrier phase recovery method. A series of digital signals corresponding to the information signals is received. For each digital signal, a coarse phase recovery is performed to determine a first phase angle which provides a first best estimate of the information symbol corresponding to the digital signal. Using the first best estimate as input, a second stage of estimation is then performed to determine a second phase angle which provides an improved (second) best estimate of the information symbol. Additional stages of estimation can be performed. The multi-stage, feed-forward carrier phase recovery method retains the same linewidth tolerance as a single-stage full blind phase search method; however, the required computational power is substantially reduced. The multi-stage, feed-forward carrier phase recovery method is highly efficient for M-QAM optical signals.
US08861646B2
A wireless communication terminal according to the embodiment includes a communication module including a circuit board having a plurality of pins; a shield case antenna overlapping with one side of the circuit board, electrically connected to a part of the pins and including a signal receiving unit; and a signal processing unit for processing the received signals. An antenna matching unit for matching impedance between the signal processing unit and an antenna unit, a phase shifter for controlling a phase of the received signal and an amplitude regulator for adjusting amplitude of the received signal are provided between the signal processing unit and the antenna unit.
US08861644B2
The device with IQ mismatch compensation includes a transmitter oscillator, a transmitter module, and a loop-back module. The transmitter module is arranged to up-convert a transmitter signal with the oscillator signal to generate an RF signal. The loop-back module is arranged to down-convert the RF signal with the oscillator signal to determine a transmitter IQ mismatch parameter, and effects of IQ mismatch of the loop-back module are calibrated by inputting a test signal and the oscillator signal before the down-converting of the RF signal. The transmitter module is arranged to reduce effects of IQ mismatch of a transmitter path in the transmitter module according to the transmitter IQ mismatch parameter.
US08861641B2
A wireless communication device includes a mixer that multiplies quadrature-modulated transmission data by a local oscillation frequency signal and outputs a high-frequency signal; a distributor that distributes the high-frequency signal; a detector circuit that detects a direct current component included in the high-frequency signal, based on the high-frequency signal distributed by the distributor; a correction signal generating unit that generates a correction signal for removing the direct current component from the high-frequency signal, based on the direct current component detected by the detector circuit; a correction unit that corrects the high-frequency signal by the correction signal generated by the correction signal generating unit; and a transmission unit that transmits the high-frequency signal that has been corrected by the correction unit.
US08861637B2
The transmitter and a mobile terminal based on interference alignment use pre-coding and pre-decoding methods. An antenna mapping matrix is computed according to a downlink channel state information, wherein the antenna mapping matrix is used for antenna mapping for the current transmitter to perform interference alignment. A multi-cell pre-coding matrix according to the downlink channel state information and the antenna mapping matrix; a single cell multi-user pre-coding matrix and pre-coding user data using the single cell multi-user pre-coding matrix and the multi-cell pre-decoding matrix and performing an antenna mapping using the antenna mapping matrix are computed. A system which cannot use the interference alignment method directly may be transformed to use the interference alignment method directly. In addition, the interference suppression between cells and the interference management inside cells are two separate processes, in which different linear pre-coding and decoding methods may be used.
US08861636B2
A system is configured to receive a block of symbols, associated with a phase-modulated signal that includes data symbols that correspond to a payload associated with the signal, and control symbols; process the control symbols to identify an amount of phase noise associated with the control symbols; reset a phase, associated with each of the data symbols, based on the amount of phase noise and a reference phase; interleave the respective data samples, of each of the data symbols with other data samples, where the interleaved respective data samples cause errors, associated with the respective data samples, to be spread out among the other data samples and reduces an error rate relative to a prior data rate that existed before the interleaving; and perform forward error correction on the interleaved respective data samples.
US08861625B2
Common wave and sideband mitigation communication systems and methods are provided that can be used with both wireless and wired communication links. The systems and methods provided can enable faster data rates, greater immunity to noise, increased bandwidth/spectrum efficiency and/or other benefits. Applications include but are not limited to: cell phones, smartphones (e.g., iPhone, BlackBerry, etc.), wireless Internet, local area networks (e.g., WiFi type applications), wide area networks (e.g., WiMAX type applications), personal digital assistants, computers, Internet service providers and communications satellites.
US08861618B2
A deblocking filter includes a color resolution expansion unit, an edge filtering unit and a color resolution contraction unit. The color resolution expansion unit increases a color resolution of input video data to generate first video data. The edge filtering unit performs a blurring operation on a block edge of the first video data based on block size information to generate second video data. The color resolution contraction unit reduces a color resolution of the second video data to generate output video data, a color resolution of the output video data being the same as the color resolution of the input video data.
US08861612B2
A system or method for processing a variable bit rate representation of an image sequence can include segmenting a variable bit rate representation of an image sequence into a plurality of segments and creating a second representation of the image sequence where a block of information from a first segment of the plurality of segments is interlaced with blocks of information of a second segment of the plurality of segments. The second representation of the image sequence can include a fragment header indicating the block of information of the first segment of the plurality of segments interlaced with the blocks of information of the second segment of the plurality of segments.
US08861610B2
Provided are methods and apparatuses for encoding and decoding a motion vector. The method of encoding a motion vector includes: selecting a mode from among a first mode in which information indicating a motion vector predictor of at least one motion vector predictor is encoded and a second mode in which information indicating generation of a motion vector predictor based on pixels included in a previously encoded area adjacent to a current block is encoded; determining a motion vector predictor of the current block according to the selected mode and encoding information about the motion vector predictor of the current block; and encoding a difference vector between a motion vector of the current block and the motion vector predictor of the current block.
US08861607B2
A picture coding apparatus includes a motion vector estimation unit and a motion compensation unit. The motion vector estimation unit selects one method for deriving a motion vector of a block to be motion-compensated, depending on a motion vector of a block located in a corner of a decoded macroblock from among a group of blocks that compose the decoded macroblock corresponding to the current macroblock to be coded and determines the motion vector derived by the selected method for derivation to be a candidate of the motion vector of the current macroblock to be coded. The motion compensation unit generates a predictive image of the block to be motion-compensated based on the estimated motion vector.
US08861604B2
When a prediction is made between fields with different parity, the predicative efficiency of a chrominance vector is improved by adaptively switching the generation of a chrominance motion vector depending on a encoding/decoding field parity (top/bottom) and a reference field parity (top/bottom), and the coding efficiency is improved accordingly.
US08861587B2
A picture (1) with multiple slices (2-5) is encoded by generating a coded slice representation for each of the slices. A slice flag is set to a first value for the first slice (2) in the picture (1) and corresponding slice flags of the remaining slices (3-5) are set to a second defined value. A respective slice address is generated for each remaining slice (3-5) to enable identification of the slice start position within the picture (1) for the slice. A coded picture representation (50) of the picture (1) comprises the coded slice representations, the slice addresses and the slice flags. The slice flags enable differentiation between slices (3-5) for which slice addresses are required and the slice (2) per picture (1) for which no slice address is needed to identify its slice start position.
US08861586B2
A decoder can include a first stage operable for decoding (prior to deblocking) an encoded frame, and second stage coupled downstream of the first stage. The second stage includes a first deblocker and a second deblocker that can be used to deblock decoded frames in parallel. Each decoded frame can be classified as a type of frame and is sent to one of the deblockers depending on its classification.
US08861585B2
Methods and apparatuses to encode multimedia data enabling, among others, for example, improved decoded video quality, improved error recovery capabilities and/or improved decoding efficiency are described. A method according to the application includes one or more of the following: initializing a pixel-level reference counter for a current frame, performing a prediction of a next frame referring to the current frame, incrementing the pixel-level reference counter for each pixel of the current frame that is referenced during the prediction of the next frame, readjusting a macroblock bandwidth map of the current frame, repeating the steps of initializing, performing and readjusting for each next frame in a plurality of next frames referring to the current frame, and encoding the current frame based at least in part on the readjusted macroblock bandwidth map of the current frame.
US08861576B2
A method significantly reduces the average power for radio communication in a communication system, such as a system that has applications requiring low communication latency. The method may use a low power radio communication circuit (e.g., a non-heterodyne receiver) to wait for a communication request, taking advantage of the low power consumption of the radio communication circuit. Subsequent to receiving and validating the communication request, the communication system may switch to a more efficient—but higher power—communication circuit. Thus, effective communication is achieved without making undesirable tradeoffs, such as reduced sensitivity.
US08861575B2
A system and apparatus are disclosed for a method and apparatus for equalizing signals. An apparatus that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an equalizer (100) having a channel estimation calculator (102) for calculating a time domain channel estimation from a baseband signal, an FFT processor (104) for translating the time domain channel estimation to a frequency domain channel estimation, a tap weight calculator (106) for calculating a frequency domain tap weight according to the frequency domain channel estimation, an inverse FFT processor (108) for translating the frequency domain tap weight calculation to a time domain tap weight calculation, and a filter (110) for equalizing the baseband signal according to the time domain tap weight calculation.
US08861574B2
A system and method is presented where a low-IF architecture can be used to allow existing wireless standards to be used for joint wireless/power-line channel transmission in the provision of diversity communications channels. Diversity combining of wireless and power-line channels can be employed, wherein the input noise to the maximum-likelihood detector can be Class A-distributed. For uncoded BPSK, the BER can be a function of PLC impulsiveness and can improve wireless-only BER by orders of magnitude when PLC SNR >10 dB. The error performance can be equivalent to BER of the static PLC channel for low wireless SNR and can improve with a slope of −1 at high wireless SNRs. The inflection point between these two regions can occur at approximately 0 dB when PLC noise is Gaussian, and increases above 20 dB as the noise becomes more impulsive.
US08861573B2
A transceiver for dynamically adjusting a transmission clock includes: a transmitting unit, a receiving unit, and a transmission clock tracking unit. The transmitting unit is arranged for transmitting a transmission signal according to the transmission clock. The receiving unit is arranged for receiving a reception signal. The transmission clock tracking unit is coupled to the transmitting unit and the receiving unit, and arranged for dynamically controlling the transmission clock of the transmitting unit according to a reception clock corresponding to the reception signal.
US08861572B2
A method of delay spread compensation, suitable for use in a communication device a having plurality of receiver antennas, is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a plurality of signals, each via a respective antenna, wherein each signal comprises a signal component corresponding to a transmitted signal, and wherein each received signal experiences a respective channel impulse response having a corresponding delay spread; determining estimates of each of the channel impulse responses; calculating post-coding characteristics based on the estimates of the channel impulse responses; and post-coding the plurality of received signals using the post-coding characteristics to produce at least a first delay spread compensated signal. Corresponding computer program product, processing arrangement and communication device are also disclosed.
US08861568B2
A chirp receiver processes broadcast chirp signals in the frequency domain to distinguish direct path signals from multipath signals. The receiver processes received chirp signals consisting of respective pulsed frequency sweeps by combining the signals with a synchronized local chirp signal and phase adjusting and concatenating the results over multiple sweeps based on estimated clock phase errors and expected phase rotations of the direct path signals, and produces a sine wave. The phase adjustment and concatenation allows the use of longer Fast Fourier Transforms, which provide increased accuracy of frequency estimation and separate component signals that are very close in frequency. The frequency corresponding to the direct path signal is identified by the lowest frequency bin in which power is above a predetermined noise threshold. The receiver then determines a time delay based on the identified frequency and uses the time delay to calculate accurate clock phase error and position.
US08861567B2
An apparatus comprising a fiber optical loop for conducting a first and a second pulse having a corresponding first and second wavelength, a first splitter for separating the first and second light pulses in the optical loop into a first and second light path to introduce a predetermined time delay between the first and second light pulses, a coupler for tapping a replica of the pair of light pulses from the loop, an auto-correlation module, coupled to the coupler, for correlating the replica of the pair of light pulses with each other to produce a set of data points comprising a plurality of multiplied and correlated pair of pulses and a transform module, coupled to the auto-correlation module, for transforming the data points into a channelized frequency spectrum.
US08861562B2
Provided is a vertical light emitting device comprising an upper multilayer reflective film and a lower multilayer reflective film that are formed facing each other and oscillate light; an intermediate layer that is formed below the upper multilayer reflective film and includes a layer having a different composition than the upper multilayer reflective film; and an electrode portion that is formed to sandwich the intermediate layer in a cross-sectional plane parallel to an oscillation direction of the light and to have a top end that is higher than a top surface of the intermediate layer. After the electrode portion is formed to sandwich the intermediate layer, the upper multilayer reflective film is layered on the intermediate layer.
US08861561B2
Provided is a semiconductor laser chip improved more in heat dissipation performance. This semiconductor laser chip includes a substrate, which has a front surface and a rear surface, nitride semiconductor layers, which are formed on the front surface of the substrate, an optical waveguide (ridge portion), which is formed in the nitride semiconductor layers, an n-side electrode, which is formed on the rear surface of the substrate, and notched portions, which are formed in regions that include the substrate to run along the optical waveguide (ridge portion). The notched portions have notched surfaces on which a metal layer connected to the n-side electrode is formed.
US08861545B2
A system and method are disclosed for processing a packet. Processing the packet comprises receiving the packet; translating the packet from a first protocol-specific format to a canonical packet format; translating the packet from the canonical packet format to a second protocol-specific format; and forwarding the packet.
US08861532B2
Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method of identifying an access network. The apparatus including: a packet capturing unit configured to capture a plurality of packets transmitted or received by a server; a flow classifying unit configured to classify each of the captured packets into individual flows with reference to at least one of an origination address, a destination address, and a port number; a round trip time (RTT) calculating unit configured to calculate RTT values from the packets classified into a flow of the individual flows; an access network determining unit configured to determine that an origination address included in a packet classified into the flow is an address accessing the server through a first communication network when the RTT calculated values exceed a reference value; and a storage unit configured to store the address accessing the server through the first communication network.
US08861520B1
Packet cloning logic receives an original stream of packets communicated from a source device. The packet cloning logic generates a plurality of cloned packets for each packet contained in the original stream, wherein the plurality of cloned packets each comprise payload content of a corresponding (or counterpart) packet in the original stream. The packet cloning logic communicates to at least one packet assembly logic, the plurality of cloned packets. The packet assembly logic assembles at least one stream of packets corresponding to the original stream of packets for communication to at least one destination device.
US08861515B2
Generally, a method and apparatus are disclosed that store sequential data units of a data packet received at an input port in contiguous banks of a buffer in a shared memory, thereby obviating any need for storing linkage information between data units. Data packets can extend through multiple buffers (next-buffer linkage information is much more efficient than next-data-unit linkage information). According to another aspect of the invention, buffer memory utilization can be further enhanced by storing multiple packets in a single buffer. For each buffer, a buffer usage count is stored that indicates the sum (over all packets represented in the buffer) of the number of output ports toward which each of the packets is destined.
US08861511B2
System(s) and method(s) are provided for enabling routing and call completion among hybrid communication services. A client component receives a request to establish a call session, the request includes a service identifier tag that uniquely discloses a requested communication service. Client component validates the tag, and generates a query that is conveyed to a server, which supplies a set of Naming Authority Pointer (NAPTR) resource records (RRs) in response to query. The client component receives the set of NAPTR RRs; validates received Telephone Number Mapping (ENUM) embedded service and protocol identifiers associated with the NAPTR RRs; and associates the received tag with a matching NAPTR RR to route the call session and complete the call. Configurable logic that dictates association of the service identifier tag with a NAPTR RR also can enable routing and call completion when the tag is unavailable. A device that exploits service identifier tag is provided.
US08861505B1
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with timing synchronization using broadcast synchronization packets are described. According to one embodiment, an apparatus a synchronization signal generator configured to generate a synchronization signal based, at least in part, on a first timing signal associated with a first device. The apparatus includes a synchronization packet generator configured to generate a synchronization packet that includes the synchronization signal and an offset time. The offset time corresponds to a delay between i) a time of receipt of the synchronization signal, and ii) a broadcast time of the synchronization packet. An RF synchronization packet emitter is configured to broadcast the synchronization packet, at the broadcast time, for use in synchronizing a second timing signal associated with a second device with the first timing signal.
US08861499B1
Systems and techniques relating to wireless communication are described. A described technique includes transmitting a first signal wirelessly to a wireless communication device in accordance with a first transmit mode that is selected from a plurality of transmit modes; receiving a shortlist from the wireless communication device, the shortlist identifying a subset of the transmit modes, the subset of the transmit modes including two or more modes that are different from the first transmit mode; selecting a second transmit mode from the shortlist; transmitting a second signal wirelessly to the wireless communication device in accordance with the second transmit mode; and selectively cycling through any remaining modes of the shortlist based on a lack of reception of an acknowledgement to the second signal. The wireless communication device can be configured to generate the shortlist based on a channel quality analysis of a received version of the first signal.
US08861497B2
A method of routing calls from a mobile unit to a destination location can include registering the mobile unit with a wireless adjunct, wherein the wireless adjunct is in communication with a switching unit and a packet based network and is operable to receive data from the switching unit and place the data, in packetized form, on the packet based network. The method can further include responding to a call setup request from the mobile unit and querying a subscriber database to determine if the mobile unit is a resident or a guest. If the mobile unit is a resident, communications data can be routed from the mobile unit through the switching unit to a first destination location. If the mobile unit is a guest, communications data can be routed from the mobile unit through an RF source to a second destination location.
US08861493B2
In Wireless Local Area Network, WLAN, systems, an access point supports access using one or more frequency bands. A WLAN device transmits a query to a WLAN access point prior to association of the WLAN device with the WLAN access point, requesting an indication of one or more frequency bands used by the WLAN access point to support access. The WLAN access point receives the query from the wireless device using one of the one or more frequency bands and transmits to the wireless device an indication of the one or more frequency bands in response. A relative priority of frequency bands may be provided in order to guide the WLAN device in choosing a preferred frequency band.
US08861490B2
A transmission device transmits data to a certain communication device among multiple communication devices connected over a wireless network in wireless communication capable of using multiple transmission rates. The transmission device includes first transmitting means for transmitting a first packet to the certain communication device during a transmission inhibited period; receiving means for receiving a second packet including information indicating a communication environment at reception of the first packet at the certain communication device from the certain communication device; and second transmitting means for transmitting a third packet to the certain communication device at a transmission rate appropriate for the information that is included in the received second packet and that indicates the communication environment. The data length of the certain data included in the first packet is shorter than that of the data included in the third packet.
US08861488B2
A method of selecting access points of a wireless network as redundant aggregation devices is disclosed. The method includes monitoring parameters of the access points. A plurality of the access points are selected as redundant aggregation devices based upon the monitored access point parameters. Each of the redundant aggregation devices maintains client information parameters of clients associated with the wireless network.
US08861485B2
A radio communication network having at least two base stations. The base stations communicate with mobile stations using time slots. The time slots are divided into transmission slots, during which the base stations transmit messages, and receiving slots, during which the base stations receive messages. The base stations jointly determine an assignment of the time slots as transmission slots and receiving slots.
US08861480B2
Methods provided may generally include sending a BS of a first RAT a request message indicating a set of MIMO resources to reallocate; during a scan duration, communicating with the BS of the first RAT using non-reallocated MIMO resources and communicating with a BS of a second RAT using reallocated MIMO resources; and during a normal duration, communicating with the BS of the first RAT using the reallocated and non-reallocated MIMO resources. Apparatus provided may generally include logic for receiving a request message indicating a set of MIMO resources of the MS to reallocate; logic for, during a scan duration, communicating with the MS in a first transmission mode assuming the use of only non-reallocated MIMO resources by the MS; and logic for, during a normal duration, communicating with the MS in a second transmission mode assuming the use of the reallocated and non-reallocated MIMO resources by the MS.
US08861472B2
An allocation of downlink resources is received, which are monitored on l layers for data. A resource-specific bit (ACK/NACK) is generated for each of those resources. From a pattern of those resources is selected an algorithm from among a first algorithm that bundles them in a first mode and a second algorithm that bundles them in a second mode. The selected algorithm is used on the generated resource-specific bits that correspond to the downlink resources, bundled according to the selected mode, to generate l reply bits which are then transmitted. At the network side a NACK reply bit is received, based on a pattern of the allocated downlink resources, a first algorithm that bundles them in a first mode or a second algorithm that bundles them in a second mode is selected. A bundling window and layer combination are determined from the selected algorithm, which gives the resource for retransmitting the NACK'd data.
US08861471B2
The present invention provides a method, a radio base station and a mobile terminal for allocating resources in a telecommunications network, where communications between the radio base station and the mobile terminal take place over a plurality of carriers. The method comprises transmitting and receiving a resource allocation message comprising one or more bits. Each of the bits corresponds to a number of resource blocks, where the number is determined from the ratio of the aggregate bandwidth of the plurality of carriers divided by the bandwidth of the carrier over which the resource allocation message is sent.
US08861470B2
A resource allocation apparatus in a communication system includes an identification unit configured to identify a new frequency band for transmission and reception of data between a plurality of terminals and a first access point, and identify a first frequency band which is being used by a second access point in the new frequency band; a setting unit configured to divide the new frequency band into sub bands of a basic frequency band, and set priorities of the sub bands; and an allocation unit configured to allocate the sub bands in correspondence to the priorities, for transmission and reception of data between the plurality of terminals and the first access point.
US08861459B2
The MAC frame in a wireless communication system includes a terminal ID allocated to each of multiple terminals. At least one connection ID is allocated to each terminal having the terminal ID, and sub-carrier allocation information is allocated to each connection having the connection ID. The sub-carrier allocation information includes a sub-carrier allocation status for each sub-carrier, and the number of allocated information bits for each sub-carrier. The sub-carrier allocation status and the number of allocated information bits for each sub-carrier can be allocated, by sub-carriers, to the sub-carrier allocation information using a same number of bits; or the information on the sub-carrier allocation status is first allocated to the sub-carrier allocation information and the number of allocated information bits for each sub-carrier is allocated.
US08861458B2
A method and an apparatus for scheduling uplink radio resources in a wireless communication system, and the method comprises: an evolved NodeB (eNB) allocating radio resources to user equipment (UE) according to the uplink channel quality information and the current logical channel information of the UE, determining the control signaling information of the radio resources, and notifying the control signaling information of the radio resources to the UE; Alternatively, after receiving the control signaling information of the radio resources sent by the eNB, the UE selecting corresponding radio resources for the logical channel according to the requirements of quality of service (QoS) of the logical channel and the control signaling information of the radio resources.
US08861455B2
The disclosure provides a method and system for signaling configuration of a Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH), the system comprises a base station and a target User Equipment (UE). The method comprises: a base station sends Downlink Control Information (DCI) to the target user equipment through a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PUCCH); and the downlink control information includes orthogonal cover code information and/or cyclic shift information for scheduling the physical uplink shared channel in the multi-antenna port transmission and/or single antenna port transmission. It is very adaptable and flexible to use the combination of multiple kinds of information to indicate the orthogonal cover code information in the downlink control information. The UE can obtain the orthogonal cover code information accurately, and the reliability of services can be improved.
US08861451B2
Methods and apparatuses are provided for determining whether to deactivate one or more uplink carriers based at least in part on determining deactivation of a downlink carrier. A linking of the one or more uplink carriers to the downlink carrier can be obtained for determining whether to deactivate the one or more uplink carriers. The linking can be a system information block linking, a carrier indicator field linking, a pathloss linking, an uplink timing reference linking, and/or the like. The one or more uplink carriers can be deactivated based on the linking and/or another linking to one or more other downlink carriers.
US08861444B2
The disclosure provides a method for interactively selecting an auxiliary cell, which includes: a UE selects a master cell and performs data interaction with the master cell to obtain a neighbor cell list; the UE measures coordinated multiple point status information of a cell in the neighbor cell list, and perform evaluation according to a measurement result to generate a candidate list of coordinated multiple point auxiliary cells; when the UE initiates a coordinated multiple point operation service, the UE sends the candidate list to the master cell; the master cell performs an activation strategy on a cell in the candidate list to obtain an auxiliary cell for the coordinated multiple point operation of the UE, and sends an auxiliary cell activation list to the UE; and the UE maintains the auxiliary cell activation list until the coordinated multiple point operation service ends. The disclosure further provides a system for interactively selecting an auxiliary cell. By means of the method and apparatus above, a preferable neighbor cell can be selected as an auxiliary cell through interaction, and service quality and user experience in a coordinated multiple point operation is improved.
US08861440B2
The disclosure discloses a method for managing terminal states or terminal events in a Machine-to-Machine, Machine-to-Man or Man-to-Machine (M2M) service, including: a terminal or a terminal gateway transmits state or event information of itself to a state or event management unit through a gateway device; an M2M service platform determines a service interaction operation with the terminal or the terminal gateway according to the state or event information of the terminal or the terminal gateway in the state or event management unit. The disclosure also discloses a system for managing terminal states or terminal events in an M2M service. With the method and the system, a network side can know the state or event of a terminal in time, and process services according to the state or event of the terminal, thus the success rate of the service is improved.
US08861439B2
A method and apparatus for log reporting in a wireless communication system includes receiving a request message by a user equipment (UE), the request message requesting log reporting, wherein at least one logged measurement entry is stored in the UE and the at least one logged measurement entry corresponds to a current Registered Public Land Mobile Network (RPLMN); including all or parts of the at least one logged measurement entry in a response message; including an indication in the response message if less than all of the at least one logged measurement entry is included in the response message; and not including the indication in the response message if all of the at least one logged measurement entry is included in the response message.
US08861437B2
For an example embodiment, a method for a communication device operating in a synchronous communication system is described. The method includes performing a listen-before-talk (LBT) procedure prior to the start of a downlink subframe of a synchronous frame and determining if a transmission from another communication device of another communication system is detected during the LBT procedure. In the case that a transmission is detected during the LBT procedure, the communication device refrains from transmitting during the downlink subframe. In the case that a transmission is not detected during the LBT procedure, the communication device transmits during the downlink subframe.
US08861434B2
A system for providing multi-cell support within a single SMP partition in a telecommunications network is disclosed. The typically includes a modem board and a multi-core processor having a plurality of processor cores, wherein the multi-core processor is configured to disable non-essential interrupts arriving on a plurality of data plane cores and route the non-essential interrupts to a plurality of control plane cores. Optionally, the multi-core processor may be configured so that all non-real-time threads and processes are bound to processor cores that are dedicated for all control plane activities and processor cores that are dedicated for all data plane activities will not host or run any threads that are not directly needed for data path implementation or Layer 2 processing.
US08861429B2
A method in a wireless repeater selects one or more carriers out of all carriers for amplification and transmission. The non-selected carriers may be blocked to mitigate delay spread, uplink noise contribution or other effects on the repeater environment due to multiple repeaters. The carriers may be selected based on signal characteristics, signal usage, and/or other parameters.
US08861427B2
The present disclosure relates to a method and an access node 112 for reducing interference The access node 112 communicates with a user equipment 111 over a wireless access interface a i in a wireless communication network 100 The method comprises the actions of obtaining (S2) timing information indicative of one or more periods when a relay node 116 communicates with a donor node 112 over a wireless backhaul interface b h i, and identifying (S1) that the user equipment 111 is receiving a signal from the relay node 116 communicating with the donor node 112 over the backhaul interface b h I that is stronger than a predetermined threshold, and in response to identifying that the user equipment 111 is receiving a signal from the relay node 116 that is stronger than a predetermined threshold, prioritising (S3) communication between the access node 112 and the identified user equipment 111 via the access interface a i during the periods when the relay node 116 communicates with the donor node 112 over the backhaul interface b h i.
US08861426B2
A path switching system is provided, in which when UE has been offloaded from a first PDN-GW to a second PDN-GW, if there is an additional connection of the UE to the first PDN-GW, processing related to the additional connection can be performed on the UE side. The system includes: a control unit for sending a mobile terminal a message including information indicative of having switched relay devices, which relay a packet between the mobile terminal and a communication device, from a first relay device to a second relay device; and the mobile terminal for determining whether there is an added path other than part of a path from the mobile device before movement to the communication device and capable of being managed by the control unit, established between the mobile terminal and the first relay device, and when there is the added path, performing processing on the added path.
US08861421B2
A method for using a wireless receiver may include receiving subscribed messages for a user identified with a user account of a hub, being messages posted by other users of the hub to which the user has subscribed. The method may include automatically processing the messages to determine content for display on a display device, and displaying the content on the display device. The display device may be configured as two separate screens mounted at separate locations on the user's body. The messages may include user status messages, which are messages posted to the hub by the user, and the user status messages and subscription messages may be displayed on separate ones of the two screens. An apparatus for performing the method may include a processor coupled to a memory holding encoded instructions for performing operations of the method.
US08861420B2
Method and apparatus for avoiding or reducing interference between transmissions from a donor eNB to a relay node and down link transmissions from the relay node to at least one mobile terminal, where the transmissions take place in overlapping frequency bands. In the method, at least one interruption is created in a transmission from the relay node to the mobile terminal (s), and during the created interruption, a transmission from the donor eNB is received. This may result in an improved reception of the transmission from the eNB in the relay node.
US08861417B2
A method of receiving a service from a network in a mobile communication system in accordance with the present invention comprises receiving static scheduling information from a network, the static scheduling information including information on radio resources associated with combining reception, receiving dynamic scheduling information from the network, the dynamic scheduling information including control information for receiving the service, and receiving the service by combining downlink shared channels transmitted from a plurality of cells based on the static scheduling information and the dynamic scheduling information.
US08861415B2
A data transmission device has a data transmitter and a wake-up receiver. The data transmitter is activable to change from an idle state into an operating state and to execute a data transmission with a communication partner in the operating state. The wake-up receiver is implemented to be ready to receive an initiation signal during the idle state of the data transmitter and to activate the data transmitter in response to the initiation signal. The wake-up receiver is further implemented to extract data transmission information from the initiation signal to determine a time for activating the data transmitter depending on the data transmission information or to activate the data transmitter such that the data transmitter executes the data transmission depending on the data transmission information.
US08861408B2
Methods, systems, devices, and computer program products are described which facilitate the transmission and reception of acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment (ACK/NACK) feedback associated with downlink data transmissions in a multi-carrier wireless communication system. Scheduling request resources may be utilized to enable the transmission of ACK/NACK feedback for the multiple component carriers when a positive scheduling request is present and the techniques described may be utilized to improve the efficiency of control channel signaling in different system configurations.
US08861406B2
In a transmitter apparatus of a mobile device, a radio frequency unit has transmitting terminals for sending wireless signals of different frequency bands. Transmission filters are respectively connected to the transmitting terminals and perform a filtering process for the signal of each frequency band. A first switch has a single output terminal and input terminals respectively connected to the transmission filters, performing a switching operation to connect one of the input terminals and the output terminal in response to a control signal. A power amplifier amplifies the signal transmitted through the output terminal of the first switch. A second switch has a single input terminal connected to the power amplifier, and output terminals corresponding to the transmission filters. The second switch performs a switching operation to connect the input terminal and one of the output terminals in response to the control signal.
US08861404B2
IMS networks and methods are disclosed for storing information on the access network of a user in a subscriber profile for the user. When a communication device of a user attempts to register with an IMS network, a P-CSCF receives a register request message from the communication device, and identifies access network information for the user. The P-CSCF then transmits another register request message to an S-CSCF that includes the access network information, and the S-CSCF in turn forwards the access network information to an HSS. The HSS then stores the access network information in the subscriber profile for the user. Nodes in the IMS network that retrieve the subscriber profile may acquire the access network information to provide services based on the access network information.
US08861402B2
A switching node for an optical communication system has an electrical switch, coupled to switch electrical signals from an input converter to a selected one of the outputs, and has a framer for reading or writing optical transport overhead information from or to the electrical signals. A bypass path is provided so that at least some of the signals being switched can bypass the framer. This can enable each node to be more efficient or handle more signals, since the framer no longer has to process all the signals. A reduction in power consumption can result. A method of configuring the switching node can involve a management system receiving information about the network, determining a new wavelength routing configuration and sending control signals to the node to configure the switches and control which signals use the bypass path.
US08861398B2
Multiple routes from a data source node to multiple data destination nodes in a large scale multi-hop mesh network are discovered. Nodes discover multiple routes to two destinations in an initial discovery phase that includes only two network-wide flooding of packets. The method can also work with one destination. The method can be extended to include more destinations with a proportional increase in the communication overhead. After the completion of the discovery phase, nodes can communicate or forward their own or received data by using any of the available routes.
US08861394B2
A method for transmitting control information using PUCCH format 3 in a radio communication system includes detecting one or more Physical Downlink Control Channels (PDCCHs), receiving one or more Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) signals corresponding to the one or more PDCCHs, and determining a PUCCH resource value nPUCCH(3,p) corresponding to a value of a transmit power control (TPC) field of a PDCCH for a PDSCH signal on a secondary cell (SCell) among a plurality of PUCCH resource values configured by a higher layer for the PUCCH format 3. If a single antenna port transmission mode is configured, the PUCCH resource value nPUCCH(3,p) indicated by the TPC field is mapped to one PUCCH resource for a single antenna port, and, if a multi-antenna port transmission mode is configured, the PUCCH resource value nPUCCH(3,p) indicated by the TPC field is mapped to a plurality of PUCCH resources for multiple antenna ports.
US08861393B2
A link is a software abstraction that represents a direct connection between two CoCo nodes. The link layer detects the presence of neighboring devices and establishes links to them. A protocol abstraction layer converts data frames that arrive on network interfaces into packet objects used by the COCO Protocol Suite.
US08861382B2
There is disclosed a technology which improves scalability in an overlay network system and which efficiently supplies a service with respect to a user, and according to the technology, for example, in a case where a mobile node (110) transmits an update message including a specific flow filtering rule to an HA (120) in order to receive a service concerning functions of multiple interfaces, the HA (120) interprets the flow filtering rule, specifies an HA 160 to transfer a data packet from CNs (180, 190), an HA (150) to transfer a data packet from the CN (190) and an HA (140) to transfer a data packet from a CN (1100), and selectively transmits to each HA a message including information useful for the respective HA.
US08861380B2
The transferring unit transfers a message received from a PC or a network to a designated destination address. The judging unit judges whether an authentication message including the identification information of the user and a grant message indicating that the user is authenticated are transferred. The identification information acquiring unit acquires the identification information from the transferred authentication message. The SIP message processing unit creates a registration message that includes the address information of the user having the acquired identification information and transmits the created registration message to the SIP server when the grant message is transferred.
US08861371B2
A method may include receiving, by a first Ethernet interface, a message from a remote second Ethernet interface via an Ethernet operation, administration, or management (OAM) channel. The first Ethernet interface may determine whether the message includes a request for status information regarding an identified higher layer service. The first Ethernet interface may determine, in response to the message, a current status of the identified higher layer service. A response message may be generated to include the current status. The response message is transmitted from the first Ethernet interface to the remote second Ethernet interface via the Ethernet OAM channel.
US08861367B2
An apparatus and method of supporting peer-to-peer communication of a wireless mesh network is disclosed. The method includes a node within the wireless mesh network maintaining a routing table that indicates a first route to a client device. If the node receives a better route to the client device, the node deletes the first route, and sends a route delete to a next hop device of the first route of the client device.
US08861363B2
In a method for adjusting the modulation of information onto subcarriers transmitted on a network, a first modulation profile of a network node on the network is set a first density. A plurality of messages in support of a link maintenance operation (LMO) on the network are monitored. The first modulation profile of the network node is updated to a second modulation profile having a second density. The updating is based on the monitored messages. Interference is detected by determining that a link between the first network node and a second network node on the network is not conveying a predetermined class of messages correctly. The first network node is set to a third modulation profile more robust than the first and second modulation profiles in response to the detected interference. The third modulation profile is common to each network node on the network.
US08861362B2
One aspect provides a method of controlling an information flow in a data transmission system. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving a plurality of data packets and generating a modified information flow. Data packets in the modified information flow are spaced with a variable spacing whilst the order of the data packets is maintained. The variable spacing between the data packets is exponentially distributed.
US08861353B2
A method that collects data and subjects it to statistical analysis to detect localized events, which assists in network provisioning. Illustratively, the data employed is hourly network traffic count that is collected at cell sites. By taking the advantage of additive property of Poisson process, the method integrates spatial neighbor information by aggregating temporal data in various areas, and iteratively estimating the event location and the radius of event impact by examining the posterior probability base on the aggregated data.
US08861352B2
A computer-readable medium has tangibly embodied thereon and accessible therefrom a set of instructions interpretable by at least one data processing device. The set of instructions is configured for causing the at least one data processing device to carry out operations for estimating a delay for each one of a plurality of packets of a VOIP traffic flow and for allocating a delay budget for each one of the packets dependent upon the estimated delay thereof. Such estimating is performed at a fixed location between end locations of a path over which the packets traverse and is performed using packet timestamp information acquired from the packets only at the fixed location.
US08861344B2
A network processor for processing information elements is described. Each information element is associated with a flow and comprises at least one information element segment. A policy controller stores an information element into at least one information segment storage unit within a memory, and determines whether an information element segment conforms to a predetermined quality of service (“QoS”). A traffic processor selects the information element segment for forwarding based on at least one QoS parameter. A forwarding processor forwards the selected information element segment to an egress port.
US08861343B2
Method and system for scheduling of a base station for HSUPA is provided. The method for scheduling of base station includes a method for scheduling of serving base station and a method for scheduling of non-serving base station, in which the method for scheduling of the serving base station comprises the base station generating a scheduling grant based on scheduling information SI and a happy bit transmitted from a terminal and based on a currently measured interference value, a configured threshold and associated resource information. The method for scheduling of the non serving base station comprises the base station generating a scheduling grant based on a currently measured interference value, a configured threshold and associated resource information. The system for scheduling of a base station comprises a transmitting module is used by the terminal for transmitting information to the base station; a configuration module is used by the SRNC for configuring parameters of associated threshold to the base station; a measurement module is used by the base station for measuring current interference; a calculation module is used by the base station for performing scheduling based on the current-obtained information. The present invention has solved the problem in scheduling of the base station for resources among terminals, which achieves the object of enhancing performance of uplink in a system and improving experience for users and has an important effect on HSUPA normalization process.
US08861341B2
A communications system comprising: a public network service provider; and a satellite hub, wherein the public network service provider is connectable to a client system by a first link and connectable to a public network by a second link, and wherein the satellite hub is connectable to the client system via a satellite link, wherein the public network service provider and the satellite hub are connected by means of a dedicated point-to-point interconnect.
US08861336B2
The present technology is directed to systems and methods for integrating route and rank information into call detail records. The system receives information relating to a communication that is established between a first communication device and a second communication device. The information includes routing information for the established communication that includes at least a route identifier and a rank identifier. The system records the received route identifier and the rank identifier in a call detail record that is generated for the established communication. The route and rank information may be analyzed to for various purposes including troubleshooting and quality improvement.
US08861335B2
A system for interfacing a client system in a first network domain with a Provider Link State Bridging (PLSB) domain includes at least two Backbone Edge Bridges (BEBs) of the PLSB domain. Each BEB is an end-point of a connection in the first network domain to the client system and an end-point of at least a unicast path in the PLSB domain. An inter-node trunk is provided in the PLSB domain for interconnecting the BEBs. A phantom node is defined in the PLSB domain and is notionally located on the inter-node trunk. Each of the BEBs is configured such that: an ingress packet received from the client system via the connection in the first network domain is forwarded through a path notionally rooted at the phantom node; and an egress packet destined for the client system is forwarded to the client system through the connection in the first network domain.
US08861332B2
A method and apparatus for recovering a backhaul link failure between a base station and a relay node is provided. The relay node receives information on a plurality of relay subframes used for relaying signals between the base station and the relay node. When a backhaul link failure is detected, the relay node determines at least one reserved subframe except the plurality of relay subframes and receives information to recover the backhaul link failure on a control channel in the at least one reserved subframe.
US08861325B2
A method for configuring subchannels for an uplink data transmission at a base station in a wireless communication system is disclosed herein. More specifically, the method includes the steps of dividing an uplink transmission resource to PUSC (Partial Usage of SubChannel) tiles of 4 subcarriers×3 symbols, configuring subchannels to 6 PUSC tiles based on a predetermined rule; allocating a predetermined number of contiguous subchannels among the configured subchannels as subchannels for a legacy system, and allocating the remaining subchannels as subchannels for the wireless communication system, wherein a subchannel rotation per slot consisting of 3 symbols is applied to the subchannels for the legacy system, and wherein the subchannel rotation per slot is based on a number of subchannels for the legacy system.
US08861323B2
The present invention optimizes recording power based on correct β value. Whether an average of modulation values between the 2-4th AUNs is equal to or less than 65% of an average of modulation values between the 5-7th AUNs or not is judged. Otherwise, the gradual emission is performed, the β value is measured, and then the following requirement is judged: (average of β values between 5-7th AUNs)−(average of β values between 2-4th AUNs)≧0.18 If each requirement is satisfied, track shift is judged to occur. The recording area of high output is compared with the recording area of lower output to judge whether or not magnitude relation matches the correct magnitude relation. Also, whether the difference between the β value of high output and the β value of lower output is equal to or more than the predetermined value (0.18) or not is judged.
US08861322B2
An exemplary optical pickup comprises: a light source with first and second emission points; an optical branching element which branches light emitted from the first emission point into multiple light beams including a first main beam and first sub-beams and which also branches light emitted from the second emission point into multiple light beams including a second main beam and second sub-beams; an optical system which condenses the multiple light beams produced by the optical branching element onto an optical storage medium, thereby making the first and second main beams form a write light beam spot and a read light beam spot, respectively, on a target recording track on the storage medium and making the first and second sub-beams form reference light beam spots and other light beam spots somewhere on the storage medium other than the target recording track.
US08861321B2
Provided are an apparatus and method of generating a tracking error signal, and an optical information storage system including the apparatus. The apparatus includes a bias signal generator for generating a bias signal for canceling a direct current (DC) offset of a push-pull signal using a tracking control signal generated by the tracking controller. Accordingly, an offset generated in a tracking error signal may be canceled or otherwise reduced using the bias single instead of using an additional side beam.
US08861314B1
A system, apparatus, and method for displaying the time of day. Reference points, including fixed reference points and movable reference points, can be used to display time information in a way that makes it easier for a vision impaired individual to read the display.
US08861297B2
Apparatuses and methods for sensing fuse states are disclosed herein. An apparatus may include an array having a plurality of sense lines. A plurality of cells may be coupled to a sense line of the plurality of sense lines. A fuse sense circuit may coupled to the sense line of the plurality of sense lines and configured to receive a sense voltage from a cell of the plurality of cells. The sense voltage may be based, at least in part, on a state of a fuse corresponding to the cell of the plurality of cells. The fuse sense circuit may further be configured to compare the sense voltage to a reference voltage to provide a fuse state control signal indicative of the state of the fuse.
US08861296B2
Apparatuses, memory section control circuits, and methods of refreshing memory are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a plurality of memory sections and a plurality of memory section control circuits. Each memory section control circuit is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of memory sections and includes a plurality of access line drivers, each of which includes a plurality of transistors having common coupled gates. During an operation of the apparatus a first voltage is provided to the commonly coupled gates of the transistors of at least some of the access line drivers of the memory section control circuit coupled to an active memory section and a second voltage is provided to the commonly coupled gates of the transistors of the access line drivers of the memory section control circuit coupled to an inactive memory section control circuit, wherein the first voltage is greater than the second voltage.
US08861294B2
A semiconductor memory includes a circuit block that is configured to receive a test mode command, a first sense amplifier that is coupled to sense and amplify a state of a first memory cell when enabled, and a second sense amplifier that is coupled to sense and amplify a state of a second memory cell when enabled. In an active cycle, the circuit block generates one or more control signals in response to the test mode command that cause the second sense amplifier to be enabled a predetermined amount of time after the first sense amplifier is enabled.
US08861287B2
According to an embodiment, an interface circuit is provided with an output buffer which generates an output waveform on the basis of the ON/OFF operation of a transistor and a driver circuit which drives the transistor and is capable of independently changing a turn-ON speed and a turn-OFF speed of the transistor.
US08861282B2
Techniques are provided for programming and erasing of select gate transistors in connection with the programming or erasing of a set of memory cells. In response to a program command to program memory cells, the select gate transistors are read to determine whether their Vth is below an acceptable range, in which case the select gate transistors are programmed before the memory cells. Or, a decision can be made to program the select gate transistors based on a count of program-erase cycles, whether a specified time period has elapsed and/or a temperature history of the non-volatile storage device. When an erase command is made to erase memory cells, the select gate transistors are read to determine whether their Vth is above an acceptable range. If their Vth is above the acceptable range, the select gate transistors can be erased concurrently with the erasing of the memory cells.
US08861274B2
A memory cell is accessed by determining an off-current of a set of memory cells, accessing a memory cell of the set of memory cells during an access period, and compensating for the off-current of the set of memory cells.
US08861269B2
Techniques are disclosed herein for performing an Internal Data Load (IDL) to sense non-volatile storage elements. Read pass voltages that are applied to the two neighbor word lines to a selected word line may be adjusted to result in a more accurate IDL. The read pass voltage for one neighbor may be increased by some delta voltage, whereas the read pass voltage for the other neighbor may be decreased by the same delta voltage. In one aspect, programming of an upper page of data into a word line that neighbors a target word line is halted to allow lower page data in the target memory cells to be read using an IDL and preserved in data latches while programming the upper page in the neighbor word completes. Preservation of the lower page data provides for a cleaner lower page when later programming the upper page into the target memory cells.
US08861264B2
A pre-charge controlling method and device are provided. The pre-charge controlling method includes pre-charging a first global bit line with a first pre-charge voltage by using at least a first pre-charge circuit located between a plurality of sub arrays included in a memory cell array and pre-charging the first global bit line with a second pre-charge voltage by using a second pre-charge circuit located outside the memory cell array.
US08861261B2
A technology is a semiconductor cell and a semiconductor device capable of reducing the coupling capacitance between adjacent bit lines by forming a bit line junction region in a separated island shape when forming a buried bit line, thereby improving characteristics of the semiconductor devices. The semiconductor cell includes a transistor including a gate and a gate junction region, a plurality of buried bit lines disposed to intersect the gate, and a plurality of bit line junction regions, each bit line junction region having an island shape formed between the buried bit lines and connected to the buried bit line.
US08861260B2
A memory array is organized into rows and columns of resistive elements and is disclosed to include a resistive element to be read or to be written thereto. Further, a first access transistor is coupled to the resistive element and to a first source line and a second access transistor is coupled to the resistive element and to a second source line, the resistive element being coupled at one end to the first and second access transistors and at an opposite end to a bit line. The memory array further has other resistive elements that are each coupled to the bit line. The resistive element is written to while one or more of the other resistive elements are being read.
US08861258B2
A resistance-switching memory cell is programmed in a set or reset operation which tests the stability of the cell. A first programming phase using program voltages which increase in magnitude or duration until a program verify test is passed. A stability test phase is then performed to evaluate a stability of the memory cell. The stability test phase determines whether the memory cell is weak and likely to transition out of the set or reset state by applying one or more disturb pulses and performing one or more stability verify tests. The disturb pulses can have a reduced magnitude or duration compared to the program voltages. If the stability test phase indicates the memory cell is not stable, a second programming phase is performed. If the stability test phase indicates the memory cell is stable, the operation is concluded.
US08861257B2
A nonvolatile memory element includes a variable resistance layer located between a lower electrode and an upper electrode and having a resistance value that reversibly changes based on electrical signals applied between these electrodes. The variable resistance layer includes at least two layers: a first variable resistance layer including a first transition metal oxide; and a second variable resistance layer including a second transition metal oxide and a transition metal compound. The second transition metal oxide has an oxygen content atomic percentage lower than an oxygen content atomic percentage of the first transition metal oxide, the transition metal compound contains either oxygen and nitrogen or oxygen and fluorine, and the second transition metal oxide and the transition metal compound are in contact with the first variable resistance layer.
US08861255B2
Apparatus, devices, systems, and methods are described that include variable state material data storage. Example devices include current compliance circuits that are configured to dynamically adjust a current passing through a variable resistance material during a memory operation. Some configurations utilize components within an array of memory cells to form a current compliance circuit. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are described.
US08861253B2
A method of operating a semiconductor device that includes a variable resistance device, the method including applying a first voltage to the variable resistance device so as to change a resistance value of the variable resistance device from a first resistance value to a second resistance value that is different from the first resistance value; sensing first current flowing through the variable resistance device to which the first voltage is applied; determining whether the first current falls within a predetermined range of current; and if the first current does not fall within the first range of current, applying an additional first voltage that is equal to the first voltage to the variable resistance device.
US08861238B2
An alternating current-to-direct current (AC-DC) converter is provided. The converter may include a transformer having a primary side and a secondary side. A first bi-directional switch and a first inductor may be connected in series between a positive terminal of an AC source and a first terminal of the primary side of the transformer. A second bi-directional switch and a second inductor may be connected between the positive terminal of the AC source and a second terminal of the primary side of the transformer and connected in parallel with the first bi-directional switch.
US08861236B2
A switching power supply is provided that includes: input terminals for the uptake of an input power, output terminals for providing an output power, a circuit disposed between the input and output terminals for transforming the input power and having at least one controllable switch, a control unit for controlling the at least one controllable switch by means of at least one pulse-width modulation signal having variable frequency and variable duty cycle, and having measuring instruments connected to control unit, designed for at least measuring the input current intensity, the input voltage, the output current intensity, and the output voltage, wherein control unit is designed for the purpose of monitoring the efficiency of switching power supply by means of measurement values of the connected measuring instruments, and of optimizing the efficiency by controlling the at least one controllable switch by means of a first digital control loop. Also provided is a method for operating a switching power supply.
US08861235B2
A power converting apparatus includes a main inverter having a high-voltage DC power supply that operates at a low frequency employing SiC MOSFETs having a high withstand voltage exceeding 600 V and a sub-inverter having a low-voltage capacitor that operates through high-frequency PWM employing Si MOSFETs having a low withstand voltage. With AC sides of the main inverter and the sub-inverter connected in series, the power converting apparatus outputs AC power having a prescribed voltage waveform by adding voltages individually generated by the main inverter and the sub-inverter. Specifically, the SiC MOSFETs are used only in the main inverter of which devices are required to have a high withstand voltage and the Si MOSFETs are used in the sub-inverter of which devices may have a relatively low withstand voltage, whereby conduction loss is reduced with an inexpensive circuit configuration.
US08861225B2
A capacitor mounting construction includes housing, a bracket and an urging member. The housing has a capacitor accommodating space configured to accommodate a capacitor and a wire accommodating space configured to accommodate a wire extended from the capacitor. The bracket is engaged with the housing, is configured to fix and electrically connect the wire to a conductive member in the wire accommodating space, and covers the capacitor accommodating space to define a capacitor accommodating chamber. The urging member is provided on an inner wall of the capacitor accommodating chamber, and is configured to urge the capacitor to contact another inner wall of the capacitor accommodating chamber.
US08861216B2
A fixing mechanism for fixing an electronic component is disclosed in the present invention. The fixing mechanism includes a first casing, a boss disposed on the first casing. The electronic component is disposed on the boss. The fixing mechanism further includes a resilient component disposed on the boss and located between the first casing and the electronic component, a circuit board putting on the electronic component and fixed on the first casing, and a second casing pressing the circuit board and fixed on the first casing. The circuit board contacts against the electronic component tightly by an assembly of the first casing and the second casing.
US08861212B2
A portable computer device and a screw rod device are provided. The portable computer device includes a computer body, a display, a support member and a screw rod structure. The support member is rotatably connected to the computer body and the display respectively. The screw rod structure is disposed in the computer body, and includes a fixing base, a free gear, a screw rod, a transmission gear and a driving gear. The fixing base has an accommodating portion and a connecting portion, and is connected to the display through the connecting portion. The free gear is disposed in the accommodating portion and screwed to the screw rod. The driving gear drives the free gear through the transmission gear, so that the free gear moves along an axial direction of the screw rod, thereby pushing the fixing base to adjust an included angle between the display and the computer body.
US08861207B2
A FPC module includes a FPC board and a supporting member. The FPC board is fixed on a cover of an electronic device, one end of the FPC board has at least one electrical terminals fixed thereon. The supporting member fixed on the end of the FPC board, and the supporting member is latched on the cover.
US08861204B2
A electrical connector assembly includes a mother board (3) having a number of circuit traces (31), an electrical connector (2) and a number of filter modules mounted on the mother board and situated away from the electrical connector. The electrical connector includes an insulative housing (20) and a number of contact terminals (30) assembled to the insulative housing and being mounted to the mother board along a first direction. The contact terminals are connected to the filter modules via the number of circuit traces of the mother board.
US08861198B1
A frame for a mobile device includes a metal region and a plastic region. The metal region has a plurality of sides, wherein at least one side of the plurality of sides comprises a plurality of voids. The plastic region comprises glass impregnated plastic and has a mechanical bond to the at least one side of the metal region, wherein the mechanical bond is achieved via protrusions of the plastic region that fill the plurality of voids in the at least one side.
US08861195B2
A computer includes a backplane, an enclosure, a motherboard, a shielding cover, a guiding plate, and a fan. The enclosure covers on the backplane. The motherboard is located on the backplane. The motherboard includes a plurality of heat generating elements. A shielding cover covers the motherboard and located in the enclosure. The shielding space is defined in the shielding cover. The guiding plate is located on the backplane adjacent to the shielding cover. A heat dissipating space is defined between the shielding cover and the guiding plate. The heat dissipating space communicates with the shielding space. The fan is located in the heat dissipating space. The fan is adapted to generate airflow from the shielding space and is adapted to dissipate the airflow through the heat dissipating space.
US08861194B2
A system for protecting portable electronic devices within a disposable protective enclosure is disclosed. The system includes a housing, one or more processors, and a power source. A display is communicatively coupled to the one or more processors. One or more user interfaces are communicatively coupled to the one or more processors. A device encapsulator is communicatively coupled to the one or more processors. The device encapsulator includes a receiving area that is configured to receive at least one portable electronic device and a reactive disposable enclosure material. The device encapsulator further includes at least a first forming element disposed above the receiving area and at least a second forming element disposed below the first forming element. The first and second forming elements are configured to apply a stimulus to the reactive disposable enclosure material. At least one of the first and second forming elements transitions from a first position to a second position as the receiving portion transitions into and out of the housing.
US08861193B1
A hard drive carrier includes a substrate and an elastomer pad. The substrate includes a pin and an opening. The opening has a perimeter, and the pin is dimensioned to fit inside of a mounting hole of a hard drive. The elastomer pad is molded over or around the pin, or may be place anywhere convenient for dampening vibration in the direction of the pin axis. The elastomer pad spans the opening. The elastomer is attached to the perimeter of the opening, and the elastomer pad has a protruding feature within the perimeter of the opening.
US08861189B2
An electronic device comprises a main body, an operating mechanism secured to the main body; and a camera mechanism. The main body defines an opening. The camera mechanism is capable of being received in the opening. The operating mechanism is operable to drive the camera mechanism protruding out of the opening, and allows the camera mechanism to be retracted into and received in the opening.
US08861188B2
A display module support frame for electronic devices includes a first support section, a second support section and a bend section located between the first and second support sections. The bend section includes a coupling zone and a bend buffer zone. The display module support frame has an initial state in which the first and second support sections do not receive forces and the first and second coupling portions of the first and second support sections are positioned at two sides of the coupling zone, and a bend state in which either the first or second support section receives the forces to bend a bridge portion such that the first and second coupling portions are moved towards the coupling zone to couple with each other, and the compression buffer space is shrunk to form a holding space between the first and second support sections to hold a display module.
US08861184B2
The method comprises fabricating a layer stack on a substrate, the layer stack comprising at least two electrically conducting layers and at least one electrically insulating layer arranged between the two electrically conducting layers, and displacing a first portion of the layer stack away from its original position, the first portion comprising an edge portion of the layer stack, and bending the first portion back towards a second portion of the layer stack. The bending may comprise a rolling-up of the first portion of the layer stack.
US08861180B2
A multilayer ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic main body having internal electrodes laminated therein; and external electrodes formed on ends of the ceramic main body in a length direction, wherein each external electrode includes a first layer formed on the ceramic main body and including a conductive metal, and a second layer formed on the first layer and including a conductive resin, and when Tc is thickness of a cover layer, Te is thickness of the internal electrode, Td is distance between neighboring internal electrodes, L1 is length from either end of the ceramic main body in the length direction in a region in which the cover layer adjoins a margin part of the ceramic main body to an end of the first layer formed on an upper or lower surface of the ceramic main body, and Lm is length of the margin part, Tc≦70 μm and L1
US08861177B2
A metallized film capacitor includes a dielectric film and two metal vapor-deposition electrodes facing each other across the dielectric film. At least one of the metal vapor-deposition electrodes is made of substantially only aluminum and magnesium. This metallized film capacitor has superior leak current characteristics and moisture resistant performances, and can be used for forming a case mold type capacitor with a small size.
US08861172B2
A plurality of detonator assemblies in signal communication with a blasting machine, each detonator assembly consisting of a detonator, a storage compartment for storing programmed delay time and/or oscillation count and a countdown oscillator. A transmitter for transmitting a blast rehearsal stop start and stop signal, said signals being separated by said programmed delay time individually selected for each detonator signal. The oscillator counting the total oscillation count corresponding to said delay time. When a detonator assembly receives a FIRE command, the individual countdown oscillators countdowns the total oscillation count associated with its detonator assembly.
US08861169B2
The present invention provides an animal defense system with one or more deterrent elements and an apparatus and method for safely deterring an animal which threatens a user. In one embodiment, the device features an electrified deterrent structure comprising arms and linkages. Further, the apparatus may be configured to operate in a variety of user-selected modes that increase effectiveness and reliability in deterring an animal which threatens a user.
US08861162B2
High-power power distribution in an aircraft may use solid state power controller (SSPC) technology. A conventional electromechanical contactor may be used, in series, with a solid state switching device (SSSD) to achieve high-power power distribution. Since the electromechanical contactor does not need to be rated for arc handlings during normal SSPC operation, the electromechanical contactor may be simplified, resulting in cost, weight, volume, and failure rate reductions. The power distribution apparatus and methods of the present invention may be applicable for both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) applications and can be modified to form a three phase SSPC.
US08861161B2
A driver circuit and a diagnostic method are provided. The driver circuit includes a first voltage driver, a second voltage driver, and a microprocessor. The microprocessor generates a first pulse width modulated signal to induce the first voltage driver to output a second pulse width modulated signal to energize a contactor coil. The microprocessor sets a first diagnostic flag equal to a first value if a first filtered voltage value is greater than a first threshold value. The microprocessor sets a second diagnostic flag equal to a second value if a second filtered voltage value is greater than a second threshold value. The microprocessor stops generating the first pulse width modulated signal to de-energize the contactor coil if the first and second diagnostic flags are set equal to the first and second values, respectively.
US08861156B1
A method, system, and/or apparatus is described for controllably providing operating power to, and indicating proper operating status of, a load. Novel functionality can be provided via discrete electronic components or components can be integrated into a unified enclosure as a starter apparatus. Operation can be based, at least in part, on an operating mode selected via a user interface. An electronic overload relay or overload circuit interconnected with a control board assembly and a contactor relay can sense one or more aspects of the operating power supplied to the load and the control board assembly can operate one or more relays to indicate operating status of the load and control the load in response to various manual or remote automation system inputs.
US08861155B2
A high-impedance system that utilizes asynchronous, line-mounted single-phase current and voltage sensors with rolling data logs and a common clock or other event trigger to synchronize the signals to a common time scale whenever a fault event is detected. The use of asynchronous, single-phase current and voltage angle sensors with rolling data logs, along with a common clock to synchronize the signals to common time scale whenever a fault event is detected, avoids the need for simultaneous three-phase current measurement. Integration of information, triggered by the detection of a loss or sufficient change of current on three or four (with a neutral current) devices, is used to determine the presence and direction of high-impedance faults and then report it, typically to a central control center via SCADA or another communication system, which implements fault isolation.
US08861154B2
A device for interrupting the flow of electrical power in an electrical distribution system is provided. The device includes a sensor operably coupled to the electrical distribution system. A switching mechanism is coupled to the electrical distribution system, the switching mechanism movable between an open position and a closed position. A controller operably coupled to the sensor and the switching mechanism, the controller having a processor that is responsive to executable computer instructions when executed on the processor incrementing a first counter in a first mode of operation and a second counter in a second mode of operation. Wherein the processor is further responsive to executable computer instructions for switching from the first mode to the second mode in response to a signal from the sensor.
US08861146B2
The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device for use in an electrical distribution system. The device includes a plurality of line terminals configured to terminate the plurality of line conductors and a plurality of load terminals configured to terminate the plurality of load conductors. The protective circuit assembly includes at least one fault detector configured to generate a fault detection signal based on electrical perturbations propagating on at least one of the plurality of line terminals or at least one of the plurality of load terminals. A device integrity evaluation circuit includes a timing circuit coupled to the source of AC power by way of the plurality of load terminals and configured to generate a time measurement. The device integrity evaluation circuit is configured to reset the time measurement if the protective circuit assembly generates the fault detection signal during a predetermined test interval in the properly wired condition. The device integrity evaluation circuit is configured to generate a device integrity fault signal when the time measurement exceeds a predetermined threshold. A circuit interrupter assembly includes movable contacts configured to be latched into a reset state in response to a reset stimulus. The movable contacts are configured to be driven into a tripped state in response to the fault detection signal or the device integrity fault signal.
US08861142B2
A suspension board with circuit includes a metal supporting board, a first insulating layer laminated on a top surface of the metal supporting board, a second insulating layer laminated on a back surface of the metal supporting board, a first conductive pattern laminated on the surface of the first insulating layer and including a first terminal connected to the magnetic head, and a second conductive pattern laminated on the surface of the second insulating layer and including a second terminal. In a slider mounting region, the slider is mounted on the surface and an electronic element mounting space is formed. Respective end edges of the first and second insulating layers are spaced apart from and located at positions inwardly protruded in the electronic element mounting space from an end edge of the metal supporting board, and the second terminal is disposed to face the electronic element mounting space.
US08861137B1
Perpendicular magnetic recording write head with main pole formed on a metallic amorphous underlayer
A perpendicular magnetic recording write head has a main pole that is typically CoFe electroplated into a generally trapezoidal shaped alumina trench. A metallic side gap layer is deposited into the alumina trench to adjust the trench width to the desired main pole dimension. A nonmagnetic metallic amorphous underlayer, preferably an amorphous NiTa alloy or an amorphous NiNb alloy, is then deposited on the side gap layer. A pole seed layer, such as a NiCr/CoFe bilayer, is deposited into the trench onto the metallic amorphous underlayer prior to electroplating the CoFe main pole. The metallic amorphous underlayer serves to reset the growth between the side gap layer and the NiCr/CoFe pole seed layer. The metallic amorphous underlayer does not insulate the electroplating CoFe layer from the metallic side gap layer, which allows for better current conduction normal to the layers, resulting in a main pole with improved magnetic properties.
US08861122B1
A data processing system includes a cross-correlation calculator operable to calculate cross-correlations between an input signal and each of three different sync patterns associated with a target track and neighboring tracks, a detector operable to select a largest of the cross-correlations, a threshold comparator operable to compare the cross-correlations with a threshold to determine a direction of any position error of a read head, and a position error estimator operable to estimate a position error of the read head based at least in part on the cross-correlations.
US08861120B2
According to one embodiment, a magnetic medium includes at least one recording layer including a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer. The first magnetic layer is form of a first magnetic material having a first magnetic anisotropy. The second magnetic layer is made of a second magnetic material having a second magnetic anisotropy different from the first magnetic anisotropy. The non-magnetic layer is made of a non-magnetic material and between the first and second magnetic layers, the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer being coupled such that directions of magnetization of the first and second magnetic layers are opposed to each other.
US08861117B2
A data format that allows for format-efficient data storage, particularly on bit-patterned media. The data format uses an intersector gap that is dimensioned relative to a physical dimension of a transducer. Further described is a data storage medium comprising transducer overhead, such as an intersector gap, interleaved with fragment overhead. Also described is a storage medium comprising intersector gaps that each include a write splice and extra symbols.
US08861114B1
A method for reading a current track of data from a storage device includes using a first read head to read the current track of data and at least a first portion of at least one adjacent track of data, using at least a second read head to read at least a portion of the current track of data and at least a second portion of the at least one adjacent track of data, and decoding the data read from the current track, including processing signals from the first read head and the at least a second read head, to at least partly remove, from the signal from the first read head, contributions from the first portion of the at least one adjacent track of data. The decoding may include deriving expressions relating contributions from the current and adjacent tracks, and solving the expressions using least-mean-square analysis.
US08861100B2
A junction type compound lens using glass and resin is used. By properly controlling the difference between refractive indices and the difference between Abbe numbers of the resin and glass, interface reflection that occurs when a ray with a large incidence angle is incident is restricted, and generation of a flare or a ghost image is restricted. Further, by properly controlling the difference in refractive index and the difference in Abbe number, various aberrations, such as spherical aberration, field curvature, and chromatic aberration, which may deteriorate optical performance, can be corrected. Thus, a small and high-performance imaging lens can be provided.
US08861089B2
Systems and methods for implementing array cameras configured to perform super-resolution processing to generate higher resolution super-resolved images using a plurality of captured images and lens stack arrays that can be utilized in array cameras are disclosed. Lens stack arrays in accordance with many embodiments of the invention include lens elements formed on substrates separated by spacers, where the lens elements, substrates and spacers are configured to form a plurality of optical channels, at least one aperture located within each optical channel, at least one spectral filter located within each optical channel, where each spectral filter is configured to pass a specific spectral band of light, and light blocking materials located within the lens stack array to optically isolate the optical channels.
US08861087B2
A multi-layer photonic structure may include alternating layers of high index material and low index material having a form [H(LH)N] where, H is a layer of high index material, L is a layer of low index material and N is a number of pairs of layers of high index material and layers of low index material. N may be an integer ≧1. The low index dielectric material may have an index of refraction nL from about 1.3 to about 2.5. The high index dielectric material may have an index of refraction nH from about 1.8 to about 3.5, wherein nH>nL and the multi-layer photonic structure comprises a reflectivity band of greater than about 200 nm for light having angles of incidence from about 0 degrees to about 80 degrees relative to the multi-layer photonic structure. The multi-layer photonic structure may be incorporated into a paint or coating system thereby forming an omni-directional reflective paint or coating.
US08861086B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a device called a “G-Fresnel” device that performs the functions of both a linear grating and a Fresnel lens. We have fabricated the G-Fresnel device by using PDMS based soft lithography. Three-dimensional surface profilometry has been performed to examine the device quality. We have also conducted optical characterizations to confirm its dual focusing and dispersing properties. The G-Fresnel device can be useful for the development of miniature optical spectrometers as well as emerging optofluidic applications. Embodiments of compact spectrometers using diffractive optical elements are also provided. Theoretical simulation shows that a spectral resolution of approximately 1 nm can be potentially achieved with a millimeter-sized G-Fresnel. A proof-of-concept G-Fresnel-based spectrometer with subnanometer spectral resolution is experimentally demonstrated.
US08861085B2
A fixed focal length lens has a focal length of a whole system shorter than a back focus. The fixed focal length lens includes an aperture stop, and an image-stabilizing lens unit that moves in a direction including a component of a direction orthogonal to an optical axis to reduce an image blur. The conditions of 0.1
US08861069B2
Disclosed is an electrophoretic display (EPD) device and fabrication method thereof that has a simplified fabrication process and reduced fabrication costs. In the EPD device, a partition wall is formed directly on a first substrate having a pixel electrode and extended up a lateral surface of the partition wall to prevent dead areas in the pixel region, provide increased aperture ratio, and enhanced image quality.
US08861068B2
The invention relates to a display structure comprising an electrode layer (3) superposed on a sub-layer (5) wherein a surface of the sub-layer facing the electrode layer is roughened. In particular, the display structure may relate to a TFT stack comprising a layer of an electrode metal corresponding to a pixel electrode (3). The pixel pad together with the data line (1) is used for charging of the pixel pad. The gate electrode (4) used is separated from the source and drain electrode (1, 3) by a dielectric layer (6). The structural layers of the TFT may be deposited on a suitable flexible substrate (7). In order to prevent defects in the light modulating layer (9) from being visible, a surface of the sub-layer (5) underlying the electrode layer (3) is roughened. It is desirable to provide such improvement to, among others, electrophoretic-type displays and liquid crystal-type displays.
US08861066B2
The present invention relates to a reconfigurable micro-mechanical light modulator including a two-dimensional array of modulating elements with redundant rows of modulating elements. In particular, it relates to extending the life of the modulator by shifting the set of elements used, without physically replacing the micro-mechanical light modulator. The modulating elements are adapted to modulate light impinging on the micro-mechanical light modulator. The array of modulating elements comprises a first and a second set of modulating elements. The second set is a redundant set of modulating elements that can be selected to substitute for the first set of modulating elements in modulating light impinging on the micro-mechanical light modulator, without physically replacing the micro-mechanical light modulator. Devices and methods are described.
US08861054B2
Provided are an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, a computer-readable medium storing a computer program and an image processing system improving edge detection precision at the time of flare occurrence. The image processing apparatus includes an input unit for taking image data including a document region, a first candidate detector for detecting a first candidate of an edge point constituting a boundary line of the document region by scanning binarized image of the image data with a predetermined pattern along a line, a second candidate detector for detecting a second candidate of an edge point based on differential value of pixels adjoining each other, and an edge point determination unit for determining the second candidate as an edge point when the second candidate is positioned more inside of the document region than the first candidate, and otherwise determines the first candidate as an edge point.
US08861048B2
An image scanner includes a stationary original plate on which a stationary original is placed and a moving original plate, over which a moving original is conveyed, aligned with the stationary original plate in a sub-scanning direction and tilted relative to the stationary original plate by a given angle. A reader is movable in the sub-scanning direction between a stationary original reading span disposed opposite the stationary original via the stationary original plate to read an image on the stationary original and a moving original reading position disposed opposite the moving original via the moving original plate to read an image on the moving original. The reader pressingly contacts the stationary original plate and the moving original plate as the reader moves in the sub-scanning direction.
US08861044B2
A scanner module and an image scanning apparatus employing the same. The scanner module comprises an illuminator for illuminating light on an object to be scanned. The illuminator includes a light emitting diode, a light guide extending in a main scanning direction to change a direction of the light received from the light emitting diode, and at least one elastic member to elastically support at least one longitudinal end of the light guide. As the light guide is elastically supported by the elastic member, convex deformation or bowing of an emission face of the light guide due to thermal expansion can be reduced.
US08861043B2
An image reading apparatus includes a duplex path to guide a document, which is read by a first reading unit and a second reading unit. The document is subjected to a primary reading operation using the first and the second reading units, and the document is then guided via the duplex path and passes through the first reading unit and the second reading unit. At this time, the document is subjected to a secondary reading operation using the first and the second reading units, and a control unit compares image information obtained by the first reading unit and the second reading unit in the primary reading operation with image information obtained by the first reading unit and the second reading unit in the secondary reading operation. The control unit also determines whether the first reading unit and the second reading unit are normally operated.
US08861033B2
A host computer generates pseudo-pixels by grouping pixels together. RGB representative values are assigned to the pseudo-pixels, which are then transferred to a printer. Meanwhile, for pixels that configured pseudo-pixels having an edge strength selected so that the transfer data amount is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the host computer carries out a halftone process and then transfers the dot data generated as a result to the printer. The printer then prints based on the transferred dot data and the representative values.
US08861025B2
Disclosed is a color adjustment method including color converting to obtain output CMYK values corresponding to an object indicated by input image data from the input image data by using a color conversion table for converting the input image data to the output CMYK values which is created on the basis of an output device profile. The color adjustment method further includes color adjusting to obtain adjusted CMYK values from the output CMYK values by using a color adjustment table for converting the output CMYK values to the adjusted CMYK values, the color adjustment table is created on the basis of a third conversion table for converting the color value indicating the coordinate in the device-independent color space to the adjusted CMYK values and the first conversion table.
US08861022B2
On an operation panel, a preview image based on first preview image data generated by a first preview image generator is displayed (first stage), and then, a preview image based on second preview image data generated by a second preview image generator is displayed (second stage). An image reducing unit reduces input image data into an image size appropriate for the preview image to generate third preview image data. When image synthesis processing is set as user setting, an image processing unit changes, in accordance with the user setting, a display aspect of at least a portion of an area on the third preview image data corresponding to an area on the input image data in which another image data (a fixed pattern or the like) is to be synthesized.
US08861021B2
An installation method, an installation program and a computer-readable record medium are supplied. In that, in order to install driver of a printing apparatus which supports a plurality of language to a host computer, steps of obtaining corresponding language information of the driver from a language storing section; obtaining corresponding language information of operation panel of the printing apparatus from the language storing section; selecting a language for installing the driver on the basis of the corresponding language information of the driver and the corresponding language information of the operation panel; judging whether the selected language is contained in the corresponding language information of the operation panel; installing the driver on the basis of the selected language; and setting the selected language as a language of the operation panel if the selected language is judged to be contained in the corresponding language information of the operation panel in the judging step, are executed.
US08861018B2
An image processing apparatus includes a character identifying unit configured to identify character data of black from color image data; a character data generating unit configured to add character data of a color other than black to the character data of black as additional character data to generate combined character data; and a character data correcting unit configured to perform thinning process of making a line of a character of the additional character data thinner than a line of the character data of black.
US08861011B2
A print image processing system includes plural logical page interpretation units, a dual interpretation unit, a cache memory, an assignment unit, and a print image data generation unit. The logical page interpretation units interpret assigned logical pages in input print data in parallel. The dual interpretation unit interprets an assigned logical page in the print data or an element to be cached which is included in the logical page. The cache memory stores interpretation results of elements to be cached. The assignment unit assigns logical pages to the dual interpretation unit and the logical page interpretation units. The print image data generation unit generates print image data for the logical pages using the interpretation results output from the logical page interpretation units or the dual interpretation unit and the interpretation results stored in the cache memory. The print image data generation unit supplies the print image data to a printer.
US08861009B2
Various functions can be easily added using print data output from an existing application without modifying the existing application program. A function expansion method for executing a process that expands the functions of an application runs on a computer that operates according to an operating system on the operating system kernel layer, executes a specific process according to an application on an application layer, and has one or more communication ports, includes a step of acquiring print data output from the application on the operating system kernel layer, and a step of performing at the application layer a process expanding the function of the acquired print data, and outputs the print data after processing to a suitable communication port.
US08861008B2
A print processing system includes a bidirectional communication part that carries out bidirectional communication with an information processing apparatus and an image processing apparatus; a command generation part that generates, based on a request received by the bidirectional communication part from the information processing apparatus, a request command to be transmitted to the image processing apparatus, depending on a print protocol of the image processing apparatus; and a response conversion part that converts a response that corresponds to the request command and has been received by the bidirectional communication part from the image processing apparatus, into a response that is to be transmitted to the information processing apparatus, and has a form that does not depend on print protocols.
US08861003B2
An image forming apparatus includes: a dot image forming unit executes one of: (i) a default mode of forming a dot image of an entire rectangle by placing an internal dot group corresponding to a fill of an inside a rectangle and a contour dot group corresponding to a contour of the rectangle based on a first dot placement rule and a second dot placement rule, respectively; or (ii) a change mode of forming the dot image of the rectangle by unifying dot placement rules into either of the two dot placement rules and placing the internal dot group and the contour dot group; and an image formation control unit causes, in the change mode, the dot image forming unit to unify the dot placement rules into either of the two dot placement rules and to place the internal dot group and the contour dot group.
US08861001B2
An output control apparatus includes a state information storage unit configured to store therein state information in which apparatus identification information about an output apparatus and a use state of the output apparatus are associated; a use state management unit configured to store the state information for the use state received from the output apparatus in the state information storage unit; a designation of the output apparatus, and a request to output the target data to the designated output apparatus; an output control unit configured to determine whether to store the target data in a data storage unit or transmit the target data to the designated output apparatus based on the use state of the designated output apparatus; and a data transmitting unit configured to transmit the target data and the request to the designated output apparatus when the target data is to be transmitted to the designated output apparatus.
US08860997B2
A preview image of image data to be output is generated, in response to a request from an operation device, and can be displayed via the operation device. A first preview image of the image data is generated based on an output setting for outputting the image data. The first preview image is stored in a storage device. The output setting can be changed based on a changing request from the operation device. It is determined, in response to a second preview request from the operation device, after sending the first preview image, whether the first preview image is to be regenerated, based on the changed output setting. The first preview image stored in the storage device can be sent when the first preview image is not to be regenerated, for example, when a second preview image is not to be generated.
US08860996B2
There is provided a printing system including an information processing apparatus in which a model-specific printer driver is not installed. The information processing apparatus includes a display unit and a transmission unit. The display unit controls display of an extended print setting screen for specifying a model-specific printer function using information acquired from a print server based on configuration information from a printer. The transmission unit transmits print data to the print server. The print server includes an issuing unit configured to issue a print job to the printer using print data and a print ticket containing a setting specified through the extended print setting screen.
US08860992B2
A cellular telephone protocol adaptive printing system includes a mobile device protocol logic configured to transmit a print job from a cellular telephone to an image forming device, pursuant to a print data transmission protocol; and a content transforming logic configured to process a print item into the print job pursuant to the print data transmission protocol supported by the mobile device protocol logic.
US08860991B2
A common driver application device and method. A first communication unit provides a communication interface with a first printing apparatus, a common printer driver unit loads from the first printing apparatus print information including default values for print options and an emulation type that the first printing apparatus supports, and provides a print option setting menu enabling a user to adjust the default values for the print options, if the first communication unit is communicatively connected to the first printing apparatus, and a central processing unit controls the common printer driver unit to load the print information from the first printing apparatus, if the first communication unit is connected to the first printing apparatus. Thus, one common printer driver to drive plural printers connected to a computer can be provided.
US08860977B2
An information transmission system includes a first image processing device and a second image processing device. The first image processing device includes a memory for storing information associated with each user. In the information transmission system, an authentication unit authenticates a user. A receiving unit receives an instruction for identifying information to be transmitted to the second image processing device, from information associated with the user authenticated by the authentication unit. A transmission unit transmits the information identified by the instruction received by the receiving unit, from the first image processing device to the second image processing device. The authentication unit authenticates a second user with a first user having been authenticated. The receiving unit receives an instruction for identifying the information from information associated with the first user authenticated and information associated with the second user authenticated.
US08860958B2
A sheet conveyer device, including a roller to convey a sheet by rotating in a normal direction and a holder rotatably arranged on a roller shaft, is provided. The holder includes a roller gear system arranged on the roller shaft and having a roller driving gear to drive the roller, a shutter rotatably arranged on a shutter shaft to restrict access of the sheet to the roller, a shutter gear system to connect a path between the roller gear system and the shutter, a one-way clutch to disconnect the path between the roller gear system and the shutter when the roller rotates in the normal direction, and a torque limiter to allow the roller to rotate in a reverse direction. The holder rotates about the roller shaft in the same reverse direction as the roller when the roller rotates in the reverse direction.
US08860953B2
A method of measuring an overlay includes generating an original signal using first and second overlay measurement keys that are spaced apart from each other, generating a first spectrum signal by performing Fourier transform of the original signal, generating a second spectrum signal by filtering the first spectrum signal, and generating a corrected signal by performing inverse Fourier transform of the second spectrum signal.
US08860949B2
An interferometer measures a displacement of an object to be measured by observing a fluctuation in intensity of interfering light generated by dividing light emitted from a light source into two light beams and overlaying the two light beams. The interferometer includes: a light-receiving unit including a light-receiving area including a plurality of partial areas and configured to detect the interfering light in each of the plurality of partial areas; and a processing unit configured to calculate a value of an index indicating uniformity of a phase distribution of the interfering light in the light-receiving area by using a detection result in each of the partial areas.
US08860939B2
Two dimensional (2D) optical spectroscopy, wherein the spectrum has an excitation and an emission axis, reveals information formerly hidden in one-dimensional (1D) optical spectroscopy. However, current two dimensional optical spectroscopy systems are complex laboratory arrangements and accordingly limited in deployment. According to embodiments of the invention a monolithic platform providing significantly reduced complexity and increased robustness is provided allowing for “black-box” modules allowing commercial deployment of 2D optical spectroscopy instruments. Additionally, the invention supports high pulse repetition rates as well as one quantum and two quantum measurements under electronic control.
US08860926B2
A lithographic apparatus for immersion lithography is disclosed in which a seal between different parts of the substrate table may be arranged to reduce the transmission of forces between the different parts.
US08860924B2
An immersion lithographic apparatus is provided with a liquid confinement structure which defines at least in part a space configured to contain liquid between the projection system and the substrate. In order to reduce the crossing of the edge of the substrate which is being imaged (which can lead to inclusion of bubbles in the immersion liquid), the cross-sectional area of the space in a plane parallel to the substrate is made as small as possible. The smallest theoretical size is the size of the target portion which is imaged by the projection system. In an embodiment, the shape of a final element of the projection system is also changed to have a similar size and/or shape in a cross-section parallel to the substrate to that of the target portion.
US08860919B2
In order to improve durability, a display apparatus includes a substrate; an encapsulation substrate facing the substrate; a display unit disposed between the substrate and the encapsulation substrate; a sealing unit disposed between the substrate and the encapsulation substrate so as to bond the substrate and the encapsulation substrate and spaced from the display unit; and a protective member formed over at least one surface among surfaces of the substrate and the encapsulation substrate, except surfaces facing the display unit. The protective member includes a base, a plurality of capsules comprising monomers, and a catalyst inducing polymerization of the monomers.
US08860915B2
A display device includes a substrate, an insulation layer arranged on the substrate and spaced apart from the substrate and including a plurality of stepped portions recessed from a top surface, a first line arranged on the top surface of the insulation layer and a second line comprised of a same material as the first line and being arranged in the stepped portions and having a level difference from the first line.
US08860911B2
An image display device, includes a light and an array substrate having a plurality of sub-pixel areas and corresponding to a plurality of color filters. A liquid crystal layer includes a plurality of liquid crystal molecules, wherein the liquid crystal molecules corresponding to different color filters have different derangements, and a light transmittance per unit area in the peripheral region of the array substrate is equal to or less than a light transmittance per unit area in the display region of the array substrate.
US08860906B2
Directional light guide plates, directional surface light sources, and three-dimensional (3D) image display apparatuses employing the directional surface light sources are provided. Each of the directional light guide plates includes a plurality of viewing zone separation units having a refractive index different from that of a light guide unit, for separating light into left and right viewing zones.
US08860897B1
A waveguide and method for controllably altering an optical phase delay (OPD) of light traveling along a propagation direction through the waveguide. Many embodiments are disclosed, and in one example, the waveguide may include a core for guiding the light through the waveguide; at least one cladding adjacent the core, wherein the at least one cladding has liquid crystal molecules disposed therein; at least one alignment layer positioned between the at least one cladding and the core, the alignment layer initially aligning at least a portion of the liquid crystal molecules in an initial orientation; and a pair of electrodes for receiving a voltage. As the voltage is applied to the electrodes, an electric field is created between the electrodes and through a portion of the cladding, a portion of the electric field being oriented substantially parallel to a plane of the waveguide so that the alignment of at least a portion of the liquid crystal molecules changes from the initial orientation to a second orientation, thereby changing the OPD for the light traveling through the waveguide. TE polarized light and TM polarized light may travel through the waveguide, and as the voltage is applied to the electrodes, the OPD for the TE polarized light changes while the OPD for the TM polarized light remains substantially unaltered.
US08860895B2
A stereoscopic image display includes a display panel, a first polarizing plate positioned on an upper surface of the display panel, a patterned retarder positioned on the first polarizing plate, a first cellulose triacetate (TAC) film positioned on the patterned retarder, a second polarizing plate positioned on a lower surface of the display panel, and a second TAC film positioned under the second polarizing plate.
US08860893B2
A television device has a television receiver residing substantially within a television receiver enclosure. A high definition multimedia interface is (HDMI) coupled to the television receiver. A detachable HDMI switch is operatively coupled to the HDMI interface, the HDMI switch and has at least two user-side HDMI buses connected thereto. The detachable HDMI switch resides in an HDMI switch housing that exposes the at least two user-side HDMI connector ports. The detachable HDMI switch housing is detachably connected to the television receiver enclosure to permit the HDMI switch housing to be either attached to the television receiver enclosure for use at the television receiver enclosure, or to permit the HDMI switch housing to be separated from the television receiver enclosure to permit the HDMI switch housing to be situated remotely from the television receiver enclosure so that the HDMI connector ports are remotely accessible while being selectable by the television device. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
US08860889B2
A power supply for a television and a television including the same, the power supply including: a rectifier which rectifies input AC power; a converter which converts the rectified power into DC power through a switching control; a circuit board on which at least one of the rectifier and the converter is mounted; and an input connector which receives the AC power and is mounted on the circuit board such that a projecting height of the input connector projecting from the circuit board is substantially equal to or smaller than a projecting height of at least one of the rectifier and the converter.
US08860886B2
Provided is a display apparatus including a first signal receiving unit that receives a non-compressed video signal from an external device via a first transmission path through a plurality of channels by means of a differential signal, an image display unit that displays images by processing the video signal received by the first signal receiving unit, a second signal receiving unit that receives a compressed video signal of a same video source as the non-compressed video signal by using a bi-directional communication path configured by predetermined lines of the first transmission path, and a signal transmitting unit that transmits a compressed video signal corresponding to the compressed video signal received by the second signal receiving unit to another external device different from the external device.
US08860885B2
The display apparatus includes a video receiver which receives a video signal from an external source; a video processor which processes the video signal received in the video receiver to be displayable on a display unit; and a noise processor which determines frequency position information of an interference signal component from a frequency domain of sync sections extracted from the video signal with regard to the interference signal component mixed in a predetermined frequency band of the video signal and causing noise in a display image displayed on the display unit, and compensates the display image based on the determined frequency position information.
US08860884B2
[Object] To provide a transmission apparatus, a reception apparatus, a communication system, a transmission method, a reception method, and programs therefor that are capable of efficiently transmitting at least a plurality of pieces of video data included in data of a plurality of contents at the same time. [Solving Means] A switch unit (32a) of a transmission apparatus selects one of a plurality of pieces of video data supplied from a storage apparatus (42) in accordance with video data designated by a transmission data control unit (32i) and supplies it to an IF unit (32b). The IF unit (32b) transmits video data decoded by a decode unit (113) from a terminal (335). The compressed video data supplied from the switch unit (32a) is transmitted via a terminal (336). The terminal (335) is included in a first channel unit. In a case where the IF unit (32b) is an HDMI, for example, the terminal (335) is a terminal for a TMDS channel. The terminal (336) is a terminal that is included in a second channel unit and connected to a reserved line, an HPD line, and the like.
US08860883B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing a video signature representative of a content of a video signal. A method and apparatus are further disclosed for providing an audio signature representative of a content of an audio signal. A method and apparatus for detecting lip sync are further disclosed and take advantage of the method and apparatus disclosed for providing a video signature and an audio signature.
US08860874B2
For improving picture quality in auto-focus control, image processing device 10 adjusts output picture imaged by image pick-up element 4 and displayed by a display section, comprises storage section 13 for storing predetermined de-focus threshold value of variation amount of intensity value of output picture; first adder section 12 for calculating intensity value time difference variation amount between intensity value of output picture being input and intensity value of the predetermined-time previous output picture before the output picture is input; and variation amount comparison section 14 for comparing intensity value time difference variation amount and de-focus threshold value, wherein when variation amount comparison section determines that intensity value time difference variation amount is less than de-focus threshold value to be a comparison object, intensity value of output picture after being adjusted is calculated by subtracting intensity value time difference variation amount from intensity value of output picture being input.
US08860872B2
An automatic focusing apparatus includes a position detecting unit for a focus unit, a driving unit for the focus unit, a focus detecting unit using a phase difference method, a contrast acquiring unit for picking up an image of object, and a focusing determining unit based on a contrast, a cyclic pattern determining unit for an object based on focus information obtained by the focusing detecting unit, a target position setting unit for driving of the focus unit, and a focusing direction determining unit, and, when the object has a cyclic pattern, the apparatus determines a direction of an in-focus point, sets a target position in the determined direction of the in-focus point, drives the focus unit toward the target position, and determines whether or not in-focus state is achieved by using the focusing determining unit.
US08860862B2
Solid-state image pickup apparatus, and image pickup system using solid-state image pickup apparatus
A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a charge storage unit, and a floating diffusion unit, all disposed on a semiconductor substrate. The solid-state image pickup apparatus further includes a first gate electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate and extending between the photoelectric conversion unit and charge storage unit, and a second gate electrode disposed on the semiconductor substrate and extending between the charge storage unit and the floating diffusion unit. The solid-state image pickup apparatus further includes a light shielding member including a first part and a second part, wherein the first part is disposed over the charge storage unit and at least over the first gate electrode or the second gate electrode, and the second part is disposed between the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode such that the second part extends from the first part toward a surface of the semiconductor substrate.
US08860860B2
A photoelectric-conversion device that allows for both of widening the dynamic range and performing an operation to monitor the amount of received light is achieved. A sensor-cell unit that can operate in low-sensitivity mode and high-sensitivity mode, a transfer unit transferring a signal outputted from a unit pixel, and a monitoring unit monitoring a signal transmitted from the sensor-cell unit, the signal being output from the transfer unit, are provided.
US08860857B2
A method of implementing high-performance color filter mosaic arrays (CFA) using luminance pixels. The introduction of luminance pixels greatly improves the accuracy of the image acquisition process for a given pixel and image sensor size.
US08860854B2
A camera a has an image sensor; an exposure controller that conducts a main exposure and a dark exposure, in order, when a long-exposure shooting is carried out; an image signal processor that processes image-pixel signals that are generated by the main exposure and are read from the image sensor; and a noise reduction processor that reduces dark current components in the image-pixel signals on the basis of dark current components in the dark exposure. The exposure controller operates the image sensor for heating between the main exposure and the dark exposure.
US08860848B2
When a blurring process is performed for an image, noise is reduced according to the characteristics of a blurring process filter in a target region of the blurring process. Accordingly, a difference occurs in noise amount with a non-target region of the blurring process. In view of such situations, an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention adds noise to the blurring target region. Accordingly, the difference in noise amount can be reduced, and a blurring-emphasized image with a natural texture can be created. Furthermore, the image processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention determines the noise amount according to the blurring amount by the blurring process filter while considering that, the larger the blurring amount is, the more greatly the noise is reduced by the blurring process, and adds the noise.
US08860842B2
There is provided a television camera that can automatically adjust a detected video signal balance without using a grayscale chart in order to satisfactorily capture a subject. The television camera adjusts the detected video signal balance by using a white (achromatic) subject and without using the grayscale chart. The television camera firstly captures a white (achromatic) subject. The television camera detects a level of a G signal on a detection gate, and sequentially and automatically adjusts a lens iris in order that the level of the G signal becomes a predetermined signal level (level 71, level 72, level 73, level 74). For each signal level (level 71, level 72, level 73, level 74), the television camera aligns signal levels of R signal and B signal with respect to the G signal, thereby automatically adjusting the detected video signal balance.
US08860840B2
A light source estimation device includes: a light-source-estimation area setting section configured to detect a background in an image and to set a light-source-estimation area on the basis of a result of the background detection; and a light source estimation section configured to estimate a type of a light source when the image is captured on the basis of the light-source-estimation area.
US08860838B2
A system for estimating an illuminant of a scene that was captured by an input image includes a control system that generates an input gamut that includes the input colors for the input image. Further, the control system compares the input gamut to an illuminant database that includes separate information from a gamut of observable colors for a plurality of possible illuminants to estimate the possible illuminant. Each illuminant can be represented by a separate illuminant gamut. Moreover, each gamut can be organized as a matrix. Additionally, the control system can combine the input gamut with each of the illuminant gamuts to generate a separate union gamut for each of the possible illuminants. The control system can compare the union gamut and the corresponding illuminant gamut for each possible illuminant to estimate the illuminant. After estimating the possible illuminant, the control system performs color correction on the input image.
US08860836B2
A device for compressing an image for an image sensor, including a module for analog decorrelation of an image for providing low-frequency coefficients and high-frequency coefficients from the image, an analog-digital coefficient converter, and a module for a differentiated analog amplification of the low-frequency coefficients and of the high-frequency coefficients, provided by the analog decorrelation module to provide modified coefficients to the converter.
US08860826B2
An image capturing apparatus includes an image sensor configured to operate in a line-sequential manner and a shutter device operatively coupled to the image sensor. The shutter device includes regions configured to switch between substantially open states and substantially closed states such that after a first exposure for a first frame is finished, a second exposure for a second frame is started.
US08860820B2
In the present digital age, the storage of data and the administration of the stored data is a problem area which, despite rapidly dropping prices for storage media, is increasingly important as technology becomes more sophisticated. In the field of security technology, for instance, storing streams of video data or compressed streams of video data that are recorded by surveillance cameras plays an important role. Some of the streams of video data stored should be stored for a defined length of time, such as a few days, while some data should be stored permanently, and there is accordingly a need for a highly flexible solution to the problem. A video recording system for recording video data, a method for memory space distribution in the video recording system, and a computer program for this purpose are proposed.
US08860815B2
In automatic assessment or surveillance with camera-based surveillance systems, it is of particular interest to detect moving surveillance objects, such as persons or motor vehicles, and track them over time so that if there are unusual trajectories or unusual behavior, an alarm can be tripped. An apparatus for image-based tracking of surveillance objects in front of a scene background in a surveillance scene is proposed, having an object segmentation module that is embodied for ascertaining moving object areas in front of the scene background on the basis of a comparison of one or more camera images with a reference image of the scene; having an administration module which is embodied for assigning surveillance objects to the moving object areas detecting fusion of two or more surveillance objects and marking them jointly as an object group; and having a feature detection module which is embodied in terms of programming and/or circuitry for determining local features for tracking the surveillance objects of the object group in the image areas defined by the moving object areas.
US08860814B2
A solid-state image sensor according to the present invention includes a number of photosensitive cells 2b, 2c that are arranged in between the first surface 30a of a semiconductor layer 30 and its second surface 30b, which is opposite to the first surface 30a and which receives incoming light. As viewed from the photosensitive cells 2b, 2c, a reflecting portion 3a is arranged on the same side as the first surface 30a in order to reflect an infrared ray that has been transmitted through the photosensitive cell 2c and make it incident on one of the photosensitive cells 2b, 2c. As a result, the intensities of infrared rays to be converted photoelectrically by the photosensitive cells 2b, 2c will be different from each other. And by calculating the difference between the photoelectrically converted signals supplied from the photosensitive cells 2b, 2c, the infrared ray component received by each photosensitive cell can be obtained. In addition, by arranging a color filter 1b on the same side as the second surface 30b, an infrared ray component and a color component can be obtained at the same time.
US08860810B2
In order to extend a visibility area of a camera mounted on a vehicle, the method of the invention comprises a step of generating a basic virtual image (I2v) in which a set of pixels of the basic virtual image is correlated with a set of pixels of a real image (I1R) captured by the camera while taking into account that the set of pixels of the real image reproduces a planar surface of the real world, and a step of building a virtual cumulative image (I3v) in which at least a portion of the basic virtual image (I2v) is superimposed on at least a portion of the cumulative virtual image (I3v) while coinciding the points of interest of the basic virtual image (I2v) with the points of interest of the cumulative virtual image (I3v).
US08860808B2
Disclosed herein is an image monitoring system including: a camera connected to a network; display means for displaying an image captured by the camera; and display control means for controlling display such that, in displaying images by the display means, an image is displayed in a window having a predetermined layout; wherein the display control means presets an allocation database containing a correlation between the window having a predetermined layout and a camera identification code and, when the camera is connected to the network, automatically sets a correlation between the camera identification code in the allocation database and the camera, thereby controlling image display into the window on the basis of the allocation database.
US08860806B2
Disclosed are a device, a method, and a system for enhancing color. The device comprises a unit used to extract a foreground portion from a whiteboard color image to serve as whiteboard contents; a unit used to stretch R, G, and B channel values of each of a plurality of foreground pixels forming the whiteboard contents; a unit used to adjust color tone of each of the foreground pixels; a unit used to adjust a ratio of color saturation degree to color intensity of each of the foreground pixels so as to cause the ratio to approach a ratio expectation value; and a unit used to increase the color saturation degree and the color intensity of each of the foreground pixel so as to cause the two to approach a color saturation degree expectation value and a color intensity expectation value Id, respectively.
US08860805B2
An electronic device is provided comprising a camera that obtains an image, and a controller that provides a first control right to a first object included in the obtained image, sets a virtual region including the first object and following a location of the first object, and provides a second control right to a second object when the second object enters into the virtual region.
US08860804B2
Systems and methods for automatically capturing, uploading, and publishing content. The system may include one or more monitoring modules for providing captured content to a remote site.
US08860803B2
Stage props, such as consumer products, in legacy program content are replaced with dynamically replaceable assets. Such assets can be used for advertising purposes in that images of different products and services can be inserted therein and are changeable via a network. Such assets may be created by identifying props in the content for replacement, and determining location and visual effects information for each identified prop. The content may be played back by broadcasting the content and reference information designating parameters for inserting the assets into the content. Replacement images, such as images of products, may be obtained via a network. The visual appearance of each replacement image may be modified using visual effects information so the inserted objects appear natural as if they were part of the original scene.
US08860800B2
A boresight alignment system facilitates aligning a plurality of cameras and/or images of the cameras with respect to one another. The system may have a mount configured to facilitate attachment of a bezel containing a plurality of cameras to the mount. The system may have a plurality of targets and each target may be configured to provide light of at least two different wavelengths and/or ranges of wavelengths. One or more baffles may be disposed optically between the mount and the target assembly to inhibit stray light from being incident upon the cameras.
US08860799B2
An alignment system includes a stage configured to retain an object, an image-capturing device configured to capture the image of the field of view of the microscope, and a processing module configured to generate a virtual mask and superimpose the virtual mask with the image of the object. In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for operating a virtual mask system includes the steps of generating a virtual mask, placing a first object on a stage, capturing at least one image of the first object, and superimposing the virtual mask with the image of the first object by adjusting a position or an inclined angle of the stage or adjusting a capturing position of an image-capturing device by considering at least the virtual mask and the image of the first object.
US08860798B2
An image-capturing device includes an image-capturing unit that generates image data, a color information acquisition unit that obtains color information from the image data, a determination unit that determines whether the image data have been generated by underwater photography or onshore photography, an underwater color balance reference setting unit that sets an underwater color balance reference that serves as a color correction reference when color correction is performed on image data picked up underwater, an underwater color correction data calculation unit that calculates underwater color correction data on the basis of the color information and the underwater color balance reference in a case where the determination unit determines that the image data have been generated by underwater photography, and a color correction unit that performs color correction on the image data generated by underwater photography on the basis of the underwater color correction data.
US08860796B2
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging systems for imaging an eye are provided including a source having an associated source arm path and a reference arm having an associated reference arm path coupled to the source path, the reference arm path having an associated reference arm path length. A sample having an associated sample arm path coupled to the source arm and reference arm paths is provided. A reference arm path length adjustment module is coupled to the reference arm. The reference arm path length adjustment module is configured to automatically adjust the reference arm path length such that the reference arm path length is based on an eye length of the subject. Related methods and computer program products are also provided.
US08860786B2
A CC encoder outputs CC data for displaying a caption with a closed caption. A disparity information creation unit outputs disparity information related with each Window ID included in the CC data. The disparity information has added thereto instruction information instructing which of the left eye and the right eye is to be subjected to shifting on the basis of the disparity information. Also, the disparity information is either configured to be commonly used in individual frames during a display period of closed caption information or configured to be sequentially updated during the individual periods, and has added thereto identification information thereabout.
US08860778B2
A telepresence system enhances the perception of presence of a remote person involved in a video conference. The system preferably has a two-way mirror, which is between the observer and the display device, positioned at an angle to reflect a backdrop surface. The backdrop surface, which is further away from the two-way mirror than the image plane of the image display device, appears superimposed in a position behind the image of a person from the remote location. The system preferably minimizes image distortion via an optical path for the camera line of sight that is substantially longer than the physical distance between the user and the camera. The system may be asymmetrical, in that one camera is on axis with the user's line of sight while the other camera is off axis with the user's line of sight.
US08860772B2
One embodiment provides a digital broadcast receiver, including: a video telephone module connected to a communication network; a program table generator configured to generate a program table of broadcast programs; and a display control module configured to display the program table on a screen so as to be superimposed on a video transmitted to the video telephone module at a first predetermined time that comes after the video telephone module has been off-hooked and the video transmitted to the video telephone module has been displayed on the screen.
US08860771B2
A method comprise associating a first user system with a first user and associating a second user system with a second user. The first user system is in communication with the second user system via a communication network, and the second user system comprising an electronic sensor having a known sensing area. A request transmitted from the first user system via the communication network is received at the second user system. The request is for initiating a communication session between the first user and the second user. When the second user other than provides a response to the request within a predetermined period of time, data is sensed within the known sensing area using the electronic sensor of the second user system. The sensed data is analyzed. When a result of the analyzing is indicative of the second user being available, a notification signal is transmitted from the second user system to the first user system, via the communication network.
US08860769B2
Light sources of a backlight are configured to customize the shape of light emitted from the clusters. The clusters are activated as a unit and modulated as to brightness, but of the customized shape. All clusters can have a similar customized PSF, or the customization of each cluster may be varied in real time. Real time changes of a clusters PSF may be based, for example, an image or a region of the image to be displayed using the clusters.
US08860760B2
An AR system both identifies and visually tracks parts for a user by maintaining spatial awareness of the user's pose and provides instructions to the user for the use of those parts. Tracking the identified parts, both inside and outside the current Field of View (FOV), and any missing parts for use with the current instruction improves the effectiveness and efficiency of both novice and experienced user alike.
US08860751B2
A method of producing a color image using a display comprised of pixels comprising red, green and blue primary color subpixels. The method comprises reducing the color gamut and increasing the brightness of the image relative to a base level, decreasing power to the display to reduce the brightness of the image, restoring color to the image to approximately the base level by modifying image pixel data using a three-dimensional lookup table to produce output image pixel data, and communicating the output image pixel data to the display. The display may be an LCD display, an LED display, an OLED display, a plasma display, and a DMD projector. Reducing the color gamut and increasing the brightness of the image may be accomplished by adding white to the image. The white may be added adaptively according to an algorithm by which the amount of white added decreases with increasing color saturation.
US08860748B2
A method and apparatus to automatically generate a customized color palette receives data corresponding to several physical attributes of a living subject, such as hair, skin and eyes and conducts an analysis uniquely corresponding to each attribute, and may associate each attribute with at least one property such as a color family, a technical identifier, an intensifier, a temperature, a power color, and a saturation designation. Software may identify the color linked to each attribute by, for example, an LAB value, an RGB value, an HTML value, an XYZ value or a CMY value, while an intensifier may be a contrasting color, and saturation may indicate whether the color linked to the attribute is a tone, tint, shade or hue. A color palette uniquely compatible with the subject may be presented by print media, monitor, printer, cell phone, personal digital assistant, or the like.
US08860744B2
A computer-implemented method for enhancing an input image that includes modifying the relatively lower frequency aspects of the input image based upon a brightening process, where the brightening process is based upon a brightening selection which is based upon a combination of an under brightening term and a clipping term and a joint saturation boost and brightening. The method modifies the relatively higher frequency aspects of the input image based upon reducing lower amplitude noise and enhancing the noise reduced higher frequency aspects of the input image, and combines the modified relatively lower frequency aspects of the input image and the modified relatively higher frequency aspects of the input image.
US08860742B2
A technique for caching coverage information for edges that are shared between adjacent graphics primitives may reduce the number of times a shared edge is rasterized. Consequently, power consumed during rasterization may be reduced. During rasterization of a first graphics primitive coverage information is generated that (1) indicates cells within a sampling grid that are entirely outside an edge of the first graphics primitive and (2) indicates cells within the sampling grid that are intersected by the edge and are only partially covered by the first graphics primitive. The coverage information for the edge is stored in a cache. When a second graphics primitive is rasterized that shares the edge with the first graphics primitive, the coverage information is read from the cache instead of being recomputed.
US08860740B2
A computing machine includes a virtual machine monitor and a display adapter. The virtual machine monitor receives a graphics device interface (GDI) instruction including display content information and virtual machine identification information from a virtual machine, obtains video memory identification information by querying a correspondence between the virtual machine identification information and the video memory identification information, and sends a display driver message including the display content information and the video memory identification information to the display adapter. The display adapter receives the display driver message, stores the display content information in a video memory in the display adapter according to the video memory identification information, and sends the display driver message to a client terminal via a network interface card in the display adapter.
US08860737B2
A processing unit includes multiple execution pipelines, each of which is coupled to a first input section for receiving input data for pixel processing and a second input section for receiving input data for vertex processing and to a first output section for storing processed pixel data and a second output section for storing processed vertex data. The processed vertex data is rasterized and scan converted into pixel data that is used as the input data for pixel processing. The processed pixel data is output to a raster analyzer.
US08860726B2
A method, apparatus, system, article of manufacture, and computer readable storage device provides the ability to manipulate an object in a three-dimensional (3D) modeling system. A first object is displayed and then selected in the 3D modeling system. In response to the selecting, a transform manipulator is displayed displaying coincident with the first object. The transform manipulator includes a two-dimensional (2D) control plane object and grips located on the 2D control plane object. One of the grips is activated and used to manipulate the first object.
US08860715B2
A method and system for evaluating probabilistic boosting trees is disclosed. In an embodiment, input data is received at a graphics processing unit. A weighted empirical distribution associated with each node of the probabilistic boosting tree is determined using a stack implementation. The weighted empirical distribution associated with each node is added to a total posterior distribution value.
US08860713B2
A method of interfacing a person with a computer, the method comprising: providing the person with a device having: a shaft having an axis; a tsuba connected to the shaft and having a first side that extends away from the axis and faces the shaft; and a handgrip on a second side of the tsuba opposite the first side; acquiring an image of the device; determining an orientation of the device responsive to the image; and generating an action by the computer responsive to the orientation.
US08860699B2
A two-dimensional code display system has a display unit which can display a two-dimensional code representing predetermined information by plural cells arrange in a matrix, and a control unit which changes the display form of the two-dimensional code. For example, after 0.5 second has elapsed since the display unit starts displaying the image of a logo mark, the control unit controls the display unit to change the display from the image of the logo mark to a two-dimensional code. After 2.0 seconds has elapsed since the display unit starts displaying the two-dimensional code, the control unit controls the display unit to change the display from the two-dimensional code to the image of the logo mark. By repeating such control, the control unit can control the display unit to display alternately the image of the logo mark and the two-dimensional code.
US08860698B2
This invention provides an electro-optical module with reduced noise in driving voltage. The invention can include a power supply substrate that is arranged separately from the flexible substrate having a driver, so that the noise of the driving voltage supplied from the power supply substrate is reduced.
US08860697B2
A display driving device includes a plurality of data drivers; and a timing controller including a data transmission unit. The data transmission unit transmits data to the data drivers, The data transmission unit controls an electrical signal based on a distance difference between each of the data drivers and the data transmission unit, to reduce distortion of the electrical signal and/or power consumption due to the distance difference, and transmits the controlled electrical signal. The electrical signal corresponds to the data.
US08860695B2
An optical touch system includes a touch surface having a first touch region and a second touch region, a reflective member for generating a reflection of an object on the touch surface, an image sensor for providing an image of the object and an image of the reflection, and a processing unit. The image sensor is represented by either first reference coordinate data or second reference coordinate data. The processing unit is configured to compute the coordinate data of the object using the first reference coordinate data, the image of the object, and the image of the reflection when the object is in the first touch region, and configured to compute the coordinate data of the object using the second reference coordinate data, the image of the object, and the image of the reflection when the object is in the second touch region.
US08860694B2
A light sensing assembly includes a first light guide plate (“LGP”), a light-emitting diode (“LED”) part, an infrared LED part, a second LGP and a first sensor array. The LED part is at a side portion of the first LGP and emits white lights of a displayed image. The infrared LED part emits infrared lights of a detected touch. The second LGP is below the first LGP. The second LGP guides a path of the infrared lights of the detected touch inputted in accordance with a touch operation. The first sensor array is at a side portion of the second LGP and senses the reflected infrared lights which are guided by the second LGP.
US08860692B2
A touch pad for detecting multi-touch includes a lower pad layer and an upper pad layer being formed of ITO, the upper pad layer overlying the lower pad layer. The lower pad layer includes a plurality of lower pads arranged in a first matrix shape, each of lower pads sensing capacitances caused by the multi-touch. The upper pad layer includes a plurality of upper pads arranged in a second matrix shape. The upper pads are sequentially controlled to put into high-impedance (open circuit) state so that the capacitances can be obtained by the respective set of lower pads corresponding to the upper pad which has been put into the impedance state.
US08860687B2
A display with a touch panel allowed to achieve high response performance while reducing power consumption is obtained. The display includes a plurality of display elements performing display based on picture signals supplied to a plurality of picture signal lines, respectively, a plurality of sensor elements outputting touch signals indicating detection of an external proximity object to a plurality of sensor signal lines (SGL), respectively, a detection section (a comparator 331) detecting each of the touch signals, a transfer output section (a D-type flip-flop 332 and an output buffer circuit 36) transferring and outputting a detection result of the detection section to outside, and a control section (a transistor switch SCW, a transfer clock control circuit 37 and a timing generator 35) controlling operations of the detection section and the transfer output section, allowing the transfer output section to operate in a case where the touch signal is detected in the detection section, and suspending an operation of the transfer output section in a case where the touch signal is not detected.
US08860685B2
A touch sensor includes a touch drive electrode, a touch detection electrode provided opposed to or side by side with the touch drive electrode and forming an electrostatic capacitance between the touch detection electrode and the touch drive electrode, and a touch detection circuit detecting a contact or proximity position of an object on the basis of a detection signal obtained from the touch detection electrode by applying a touch sensor drive signal to the touch drive electrode. The touch drive electrode is split into plural stripe-like electrode patterns. Applying the touch sensor drive signal to part of the electrode patterns forms a drive line at that time. The touch detection circuit performs a detection on the basis of a first detection signal obtained from a first drive line formed in a first period, and a second detection signal obtained from a second drive line formed in a second period.
US08860677B2
An operating unit for a medical device is proposed. The operating unit has at least one display, at least one transparent, touch-sensitive first input field, and at least one transparent, touch-sensitive second input field. The at least one second input field is disposed between the at least one display and the at least one first input field. At least one device provides a haptically perceivable feedback after successful operation of the operating unit.
US08860664B2
A mouse device used on a surface includes a main body, a circuit assembly and a back cover. The main body includes a bottom and at least one slot formed at the bottom. The circuit assembly is disposed within the main body and executing a default function of the mouse device. The back cover comprises a first side, a second side, at least one hook at the first side, and a plurality of pads at the second side. The back cover contacts with the surface via the plurality of the pads, is disposed detachably at the bottom of the main body and is buckled to the slot by the hook.
US08860663B2
A method of tracking a subject includes receiving from a source a depth image of a scene including the subject. The depth image includes a depth for each of a plurality of pixels. The method further includes identifying pixels of the depth image that image the subject and deriving from the identified pixels of the depth image one or more machine readable data structures representing the subject as a model including a plurality of shapes.
US08860657B2
To improve contrast ratio of the image on a backlit display plane such as a liquid crystal display (“LCD”), each area of the image that has separately controllable backlight may be given full backlight until an average or composite brightness of the image in that area is less than a threshold value at which light leakage through the image from full-strength backlight begins to be noticeable by a viewer. For image areas with composite brightness less than that threshold, backlight brightness may be reduced in proportion to how much below the threshold the area's composite image brightness is. Backlight brightness may also be adjusted for other image aspects such as (1) the presence of bright pixels in an otherwise relatively dark area, (2) whether the area is adjacent to one or more other areas in which the image information is in motion, and/or (3) time-averaging of image information over several successive frames of such information.
US08860654B2
Provided is an electrophoretic display device including: an electrophoretic panel which is provided with an electrophoretic element which includes a first electrode, a second electrode which faces the first electrode, and a charged particle arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode; and a control circuit which controls the electrophoretic panel. The control circuit controls a data voltage with a value which corresponds to the specified gradation of the electrophoretic element to be applied between the first electrode and the second electrode in a writing period, and controls a correction voltage which is the opposite polarity to the data voltage and is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold value to be applied between the first electrode and the second electrode in a correction period which is different from the writing period.
US08860653B2
A method for controlling characteristics of an electronic device based on ambient light levels is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving light at an ambient light sensor of a device and measuring components, such as color components, of the visible light. The component levels may be weighted differently by factors that vary based on the intensity of the light received by the ambient light sensor. Also, the brightness level of a light source in the device or color output of the device may be controlled based on the weighted component levels. Additional methods, systems, and devices relating to control of an electronic device based on sensed ambient light are also disclosed.
US08860651B2
A gate driver includes cascade-connected driving stages. Each of the driving stages includes a first shift register circuit and a second shift register circuit. The first shift register circuit is configured for outputting a present stage driving signal and a next stage driving signal. The second shift register circuit is electrically coupled to the first shift register circuit and configured for outputting a present stage gate signal, a first next stage gate signal, and a second next stage gate signal. Furthermore, a display panel is also provided herein.
US08860638B2
A pixel including: an organic light emitting diode that is coupled between a first power supply and a second power supply; a first transistor that is coupled between the first power supply and the organic light emitting diode and whose gate is connected to a first node; a second transistor that is coupled between the first node and a data line and whose gate electrode is coupled to a scan line; and a storage capacitor whose first electrode is coupled to the first node and second electrode is coupled to the first power supply, wherein the storage capacitor includes: a semiconductor layer that is positioned on a different layer from that of the data line and that expands to a region where the semiconductor layer overlaps with the data line and constitutes the first electrode, a first dielectric layer that is formed on the semiconductor layer, a first conductive layer that is formed on the first dielectric layer and constitutes the second electrode, a second dielectric layer that is formed on the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer that is formed on the second dielectric layer and constitutes the first electrode together with the semiconductor layer, the first conductive layer being positioned between the data line and the semiconductor layer in order to cover the upper part of the region where it overlaps with the data line of the semiconductor layer.
US08860626B2
A radome for covering an open end of a reflector dish of a reflector antenna has a generally planar portion of twin-wall extruded polymer material dimensioned to cover the open end of the reflector dish. A periphery of the planar portion is provided with a plurality of slits, the slits defining a plurality of tabs. The tabs are dimensioned for folding around a rim of the reflector dish. The tabs may be retained in the folded position by, for example, a band clamp or directly coupling a portion of the tabs to the planar portion.
US08860625B2
Disclosed herein are exemplary embodiments of interlocking spacers that may be used for suspending transmission lines of a feed network between electrically-conducting ground planes of an antenna assembly. Also disclosed are exemplary embodiments of antenna assemblies including such interlocking spacers. An exemplary embodiment of an antenna assembly generally includes a feed network including one or more transmission lines, a first ground plane, and a second ground plane spaced apart from the first ground plane with a space therebetween. At least one pair of spacers is configured to be interlocked to one another when positioned on opposite sides of a substrate including the transmission lines of the feed network. The spacers are operable for suspending the transmission lines in the space between the ground planes.
US08860622B2
An antenna for enhancing characteristic of a beam with reducing PIMD is disclosed. The antenna includes a reflection plate, at least one first choke member disposed on one side of the reflection plate, an insulated member disposed between the reflection plate and the first choke member, thereby separating the first choke member from the reflection plate, wherein the insulated member is an insulator, and a connection member configured to connect electrically the first choke member to the reflection plate through the insulated member, wherein the connection member is a conductor.
US08860612B2
An antenna device for generating a reconfigurable high-order mode conical beam, includes a micro-strip radiator having multiple feeding points, wherein one of the feeding points is a fixed feeding point, and a feeding unit for providing two signals having a same amplitude and a preset phase difference, wherein one of the two signals is fed through the fixed feeding point and the other is fed through any one of remaining feeding points. A mode reconfigurable switching unit, connected to the feeding unit, performs a switching operation to select any one of the remaining feeding points so that the other signal is feed through the selected feeding point in accordance with mode control data.
US08860604B2
A radar system comprising a transmitter to transmit radar signals into a region, a receiver to receive return signals of said radar signals reflected from within the region wherein the transmitter and receiver are adapted for location on a structure at a wind farm, and a processor to process the return signals to extract wind farm associated data for said region.
US08860603B2
A method for the real-time management and sequencing of the information interchanges between a secondary radar and a plurality of aircraft includes the interchanges between the radar and a given aircraft being performed, depending on the aircraft concerned, either in a non-selective, SSR, IFF or “All Call” interrogation mode or in a selective “Roll Call” interrogation mode. According to this method, the information interchanges according to the non-selective interrogation modes are performed during successive periods specifically allocated to these modes, whereas each transaction forming an information interchange in selective mode between the radar and a given aircraft is temporally inserted into the time slots not used in periods by the interrogation-response tasks in non-selective mode. The method applies equally to the secondary radars exclusively dedicated to civilian air traffic control and to the secondary radars dedicated to combined civilian and military aircraft control tasks.
US08860601B2
A surveillance system for detecting targets comprises a radar antenna mounted on a blade of a windmill.
US08860600B1
Disclosed are a successive-approximation-register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for programmably amplifying an amplitude of an input signal and a method thereof. During a sampling phase, a bottom plate of at least one capacitor in a capacitor array is connected electrically to an input signal, so that the capacitor array samples and amplifies the input signal, so as to lower a required sampling capacitor or reduce noise generation.
US08860593B2
The present invention provides a data processing system which can increase resolution and which has excellent tracking with respect to the switching of a conversion range and is small in conversion error. The data processing system, which obtains an A/D conversion result after an n (where n: positive integer)-bit extension made to the resolution of an A/D converter, divides the input range of the A/D converter by m (2n≦m), determines to which divided range the A/D conversion result by the A/D converter belongs with respect to an analog signal to be measured, amplifies an amp offset which defines the range of the determined divided range as a voltage range for the input range of the A/D converter by applying the amp offset to a programmable gain amplifier, converts the amplified signal by the A/D converter, and adds a corresponding digital offset to a result of execution of a lower side bit extension to the conversion result and a division thereof by actually measured gain of the programmable gain amplifier, whereby an A/D conversion result with a bit precision being n-bit extended is obtained.
US08860581B2
An interactive electronic device shell and light source may enable personalization and increased functionality of an electronic device. The shell may at least partially cover a light source and attach to an electronic device. The shell includes at least some transparent or translucent portions (e.g., light stencils) that enable light from a matrix of the light source to emit through the shell, thus causing a display of light from the shell. In some aspects, the electronic device may be linked with the shell and/or the light source to control light emission through the shell. In various aspects, an illumined portion of the shell may have significance, such as revealing an artistic design or indicating a message based on activity of the electronic device.
US08860578B2
A radio-based heat detection pellet is provided. The pellet includes a thermal switch configured to provide a detection signal when exposed to a temperature greater than a predetermined threshold temperature. The pellet further includes a transmitter circuit connected to the thermal switch and configured to transmit an alarm signal to a remote location in response to receiving the detection signal.
US08860574B2
A cabinet lock for protecting merchandise within a merchandise display cabinet having an inner door and an outer door. The cabinet lock includes a strike plate affixed to the inner door and a lock housing affixed to the outer door such that the cabinet is in a locked configuration that prevents access to the merchandise when the lock housing is operably engaged to the strike plate. A programmable electronic key communicates a security code with the cabinet lock and transfers electrical power to the cabinet lock to operate a lock mechanism between the locked configuration and an unlocked configuration. An indicator is provided for indicating whether the cabinet lock is in the locked configuration or the unlocked configuration. The indicator includes a first segment and a second segment that can be energized to visually indicate the status of the cabinet lock.
US08860572B2
Disclosed is an automated item tracking method, comprising the steps of reading an RFID signal, obtaining a reported position of an RFID signal generator, measuring the strength of the read RFID signal, creating a read profile, obtaining a physical package profile, comparing the read profile to the physical package profile, and generating a weighted read profile to estimate an actual position of the RFID signal generator by comparing the weighted read profile with the physical package profile.
US08860571B2
A system includes a slave device associated with a unique identifier and a master device in communication with the slave device. In response to receiving from the slave device a status signal indicating an emergency event associated with the slave device, the master device is configured to determine a status of the slave device, receive, from a personnel database, personnel information associated with the personnel identifier, generate an alarm signal containing the personnel information, and transmit the alarm signal with the personnel information to a medical facility computing system. The alarm signal is based at least in part on the status of the slave device. The slave device includes a processor configured to access the personnel identifier from a memory device, generate a status signal that includes the personnel identifier, and transmit the status signal to the master device.
US08860567B2
An automated vehicle crash warning system may include a lighting system configured to be attached to the outside of the vehicle; a vehicle crash detector configured to detect a crash of the vehicle; and a light controller configured to cause the lighting system to illuminate when a crash of the vehicle is detected by the vehicle crash detector.
US08860564B2
Device, system and method, in a vehicle communication system, of transmitting a risk value in a message, wherein the risk value identifies quantitatively a risk of vehicle collision. Embodiments determine risk value by combining sub-risk values wherein sub-risks comprise: (i) vehicle behavior; (ii) weather and road conditions; (iii) current traffic; and (iv) location history. Embodiments include driver warnings responsive to the risk value in a received message. Embodiments include a collision type in a message. Embodiments include unique features of: risk is applicable to receiving vehicles; risk is applicable to a geographical region; computation and storage of location histories; messages free of IP and MAC addresses; haptic devices used for driver warning.
US08860551B2
Included are network devices, systems, methods, and computer readable medium. These may employ a microcontroller with access to computer readable memory and computer readable storage wherein the microcontroller operates at a first network component of a local area network. The microcontroller may be configured to spatially locate one or more fiducial network components of a local area network in which the microcontroller is a member. The spatial location may be determined by receiving a unique identifier for a first fiducial network component, receiving a wireless signal from the first fiducial network component, determining a physical distance between the first network component and the first fiducial network component, and updating a registry with the determined physical distance. In certain embodiments, the network component may be an RFID reader and the unique identifier may be an IP or MAC address.
US08860546B2
A magnetic device including a first magnetic core is disclosed. The first magnetic core includes a base having a first edge; a first contacting structure disposed on the base; and a second contacting structure disposed on the base, wherein a distance between an inner surface of the first contacting structure and the first edge is larger than a distance between an inner surface of the second contacting structure and the first edge.
US08860545B2
A structure for wireless communication having a plurality of conductor layers, an insulator layer separating each of the conductor layers, and at least one connector connecting two of the conductor layers wherein an electrical resistance is reduced when an electrical signal is induced in the resonator at a predetermined frequency.
US08860540B2
A stationary induction electric apparatus includes a porcelain tube, a connection conductor, a conductor, a casing, a lead, a terminal, a spacer, an electric connection member and a first and a second insulating medium. The connection conductor is disposed at one end of the porcelain tube. The conductor is disposed in the porcelain tube, and connected to the connection conductor. The casing covers a stationary induction electric apparatus main body, and has an opening part. The lead extends from the main body to the opening part. The terminal is disposed at an end part of the lead. The spacer seals the other end of the porcelain tube and the opening part. The member includes an electrode connected to the terminal and a joint part connected to the conductor, and penetrates the spacer. The first and second insulating media are respectively filled in the porcelain tube and the casing.
US08860532B2
An integrated cavity filter/antenna system includes a substrate, a cavity filter formed in or on the substrate. A first cavity resonator is in or on the substrate that is enclosed by metal walls. At least a second cavity resonator is formed in or on the substrate that is enclosed by metal walls. An inter-resonator coupling structure couples energy between the first cavity resonator and the second cavity resonator. An antenna is integrated with one of the cavity resonators so that the antenna acts as both a port of the cavity filter and as a radiating element for the filter/antenna system. A connector is coupled to one of the cavity resonators for coupling energy into the filter/antenna system.
US08860520B2
A pulse generator includes an oscillation circuit that generates a burst signal oscillated for ultrawideband band and a generation circuit that generates a trigger signal that causes oscillation by the oscillation circuit to be started.
US08860519B2
Methods and means related to an electronic circuit having an inductor and a memcapacitor are provided. Circuitry is formed upon a substrate such that an inductor and non-volatile memory capacitor are formed. Additional circuitry can be optionally formed on the substrate as well. The capacitive value of the memcapacitor is adjustable within a range by way of an applied programming voltage. The capacitive value of the memcapacitor is maintained until reprogrammed at some later time. Oscillators, phase-locked loops and other circuits can be configured using embodiments of the present teachings.
US08860516B2
A piezoelectric oscillator includes: a piezoelectric resonator element having a piezoelectric substrate and an excitation electrode formed on a surface of the piezoelectric substrate; a semiconductor circuit element provided with an oscillation circuit for oscillating the piezoelectric resonator element and having a first insulating film formed on a principal surface; a package for airtightly housing the semiconductor circuit element and the piezoelectric resonator element; and a protruding section having at least of a thin film circuit component formed on the first insulating film and connected to the oscillation circuit; and a second insulating film formed on the first insulating film and covering the thin film circuit component. In the oscillator, the piezoelectric resonator element is fixed to an upper surface of the protruding section.
US08860508B1
A variable gain amplifier having a stacked configuration of cascode connected groups of NPN transistors is arranged in a compact schematic design. A differential radio frequency input signal is received at input nodes which is directed to a fine gain control circuit which conducts at least a portion of the received RF signal to a coarse gain control circuit that is downstream of the fine gain control circuit. The coarse gain control circuit steers current to an output node. Gain control circuits include transistor pairs. The base electrodes of each transistor pair receive inverse control signals which cause only one of the transistors in the transistor pair to conduct current. Collector electrodes of each first transistor of the pair is coupled to a downstream node in the VGA circuit, while collector electrodes of each second transistor of the pair is shunted to the voltage rail.
US08860498B2
A charge pump circuit (11) comprises a first stage (31) and at least a second stage (32), each having a capacitor (130, 230) and a current source (100, 200). The charge pump circuit (11) is configured such that, in a first phase (A) of operation, the capacitor (130) of the first stage (31) is switched in series to the current source (100) of the first stage (31) and the capacitor (230) of the second stage (32) is switched in series to the current source (200) of the second stage (32) and that, in a second phase (B) of operation, the capacitor (130) of the first stage (31) and the capacitor (230) of the second stage (32) are switched in series for providing a supply voltage (VHF) at an output (15) of the charge pump circuit (11). A comparator signal (SCOM) is generated by comparing a voltage at an electrode of one of the capacitors (130, 230) of the first and the at least second stage (31, 32) with a reference voltage (VR). The first and the second phase (A, B) are set depending on the comparator signal (SCOM).
US08860481B1
A method includes providing an active circuit element in a feedback path between an output node and a bypass node of a charge pump of a Phase Locked Loop (PLL). The bypass node is a node to which a charge current or a discharge current is steered to by the charge pump when neither charging the output node nor discharging the output node is required. The method also includes servoing the bypass node to the output node through the active circuit element in the feedback path to maintain a same voltage at the output node and the bypass node when neither the charging of the output node nor the discharging of the output node is required.
US08860479B2
Integrated clock differential buffering. A first phase locked loop (PLL) circuit having a first clocking ratio is coupled to receive an input differential clock signal. The first PLL circuit generates a first reference clock signal. A second PLL circuit having a second clocking ratio is coupled to receive the input differential clock signal. The second PLL circuit to generate a second reference clock signal. A first set of clock signal output buffers are coupled to receive the first reference clock signal and to provide a first differential reference clock signal corresponding to the first reference clock signal. A second set of clock signal output buffers is coupled to receive the second reference clock signal and to provide a second differential reference clock signal corresponding to the second reference clock signal. The first PLL circuit, the second PLL circuit, the first set of output buffers and the second set of output buffers reside within an integrated circuit package also having a die to receive at least the first differential reference clock signal.
US08860475B1
A first phase alignment circuit generates an indication of a phase of a first clock signal. A second phase alignment circuit adjusts a phase of a second clock signal based on a data signal. The second phase alignment circuit adjusts the phase of the second clock signal based on the indication of the phase of the first clock signal. The second phase alignment circuit resets an indication of the phase of the second clock signal generated based on the data signal in response to the indication of the phase of the first clock signal. The second phase alignment circuit captures a value of the data signal in response to the second clock signal.
US08860468B1
A clock multiplexer includes first and second input stages for outputting first and second clock signals, respectively. The first and second input stages each include a flip-flop, a latch and a first logic gate. Reset terminals of the flip-flops receive a select signal based on which the first and second input stages output the first and second clock signals. A second logic gate is connected to the first and second input stages for selectively providing the first and second clock signals as an output clock signal.
US08860462B2
To provide a circuit used for a shift register or the like. The basic configuration includes first to fourth transistors and four wirings. The power supply potential VDD is supplied to the first wiring and the power supply potential VSS is supplied to the second wiring. A binary digital signal is supplied to each of the third wiring and the fourth wiring. An H level of the digital signal is equal to the power supply potential VDD, and an L level of the digital signal is equal to the power supply potential VSS. There are four combinations of the potentials of the third wiring and the fourth wiring. Each of the first transistor to the fourth transistor can be turned off by any combination of the potentials. That is, since there is no transistor that is constantly on, deterioration of the characteristics of the transistors can be suppressed.
US08860446B2
A probe apparatus may include a plurality of probe pins attached to a probe head portion. Each of the probe pins may be independently movable relative to the probe head portion.
US08860445B2
A testing method for testing a semiconductor device includes heating the semiconductor device until the temperature of the semiconductor device reaches a predetermined temperature; conducting other functional tests other than testing of the overheat protection function in a second step after the temperature of the semiconductor device has reached the predetermined temperature; allowing the semiconductor device to generate heat by itself such that the overheat protection function of the semiconductor device is activated, detecting a first diode forward voltage of a desired diode contained in the semiconductor device when the overheat protection function of the semiconductor device is activated and computing a first computational temperature of the semiconductor device based on the detected first diode forward voltage of the desired diode contained in the semiconductor device; and determining whether the computed first computational temperature of the semiconductor device resides in the overheat protection function activating temperature range.
US08860438B2
Provided according to some embodiments of the present invention are electrical double layer (EDL) capacitive devices that include an insulating substrate defining a nanopore therethrough; a nanopore electrode exposed in a portion of the nanopore; and an electrolyte in contact with the nanopore electrode. Also provided are methods of using EDL capacitive devices according to embodiments of the invention to sequence polynucleotides or other polymers and/or to detect analytes.
US08860437B2
A method and an electronic readout circuit for measuring a capacitance of a MEMS sensor are disclosed. In one aspect, the readout circuit includes: an input stage for receiving a first signal from the sensor and for presenting a second signal; a charge amplifier stage for amplifying and integrating the second signal; and a control logic for controlling the readout circuit according to a predefined timing relation synchronized to actuation voltages applied to the sensor for generating the first signal. The readout circuit may further includes a first switching unit for applying a first reference voltage to the sensor and a second switching unit for applying the second signal to the charge amplifier stage, wherein the first and the second switching units are controlled according to the predefined timing relation such that a plurality of the second signals are accumulated.
US08860435B2
A locating appliance configured to sense an article includes a push-pull measurement bridge and a comparator. The push-pull measurement bridge is configured to actuate a first electromagnetic device and a second electromagnetic device, in each case in a variable ratio. The first electromagnetic device takes the actuation as a basis for producing an electromagnetic alternating field in a region of the article. The comparator is configured to sense the article if the variable ratio differs from a predetermined ratio by more than a predetermined amount.
US08860433B1
Disclosed are systems, apparatus, and methods for a self-contained timing and jitter measurement. In various embodiments, a device may include a first clock signal generator operative to provide a first clock signal to a transmitter of a transceiver, where the first clock signal operates at a first frequency. The device may further include a second clock signal generator operative to provide a second clock signal to a receiver of the transceiver, where the second clock signal operates at a second frequency, and where the receiver samples an output of the transmitter at a sampling rate determined by the second frequency. In some embodiments, the device may further include a logic circuit operative to receive an output signal from the receiver and further operative to determine an indication of jitter based on the received output signal.
US08860428B2
An apparatus and a method for recognizing an error in a power bridge circuit containing a load, a high-side branch and a low-side branch. Accordingly, a first switched current source is connected to the load and to a diagnosis connection for a high-potential of a diagnosis voltage, a second switched current source is connected to the load and to a diagnosis connection for a low-potential of the diagnosis voltage, and a control device for controlling the first switched current source and the second switched current source. The control device switches on one of the switched current sources when the high-side power switch and the low-side power switch are open, while the other switched current source is switched off. A testing device tests a voltage at the load when one of the switched current sources is switched on and the other of the switched current sources is switched off.
US08860425B2
A test circuit for detecting a leakage defect in a circuit under test includes a test stimulus circuit operative to drive an otherwise defect-free, characteristically capacitive node in the circuit under test to a prescribed voltage level, and an observation circuit having at least one threshold and adapted for connection with at least one node in the circuit under test. The observation circuit is operative to detect a voltage level of the node in the circuit under test and to generate an output signal indicative of whether the voltage level of the node is less than the threshold. The voltage level of the node being less than the threshold is indicative of a first type of leakage defect, and the voltage level of the node being greater than the threshold is indicative of a second type of leakage defect.
US08860424B1
An apparatus is provided for highly accelerated life testing (HALT) of multi-junction solar cells according to a method that utilizes a high vacuum chamber, as well as lenses and windows transparent to broad spectrum solar radiation from typically a single source to house packaged solar chips and temperature monitoring and control means during testing, thereby allowing substantially greater control of environmental variables such as temperature, atmospheric composition, and light spectrum than is currently available.
US08860422B2
The invention relates to an evaluation circuit for detecting the voltage in battery cells of a battery system which are preferably connected in series. The evaluation circuit includes serially connected resistors, the number of which is equal to the number of battery cells for which the voltage is to be detected. One of the resistors is associated with each of the battery cells. The evaluation circuit further includes a power source for generating a current that is continuous in some sections and is applied to the serially connected resistors, a number of comparators equal to the number of resistors to compare a voltage released at a resistor associated with a battery cell to the voltage in the battery cell with which the resistor is associated, and output a respective output signal when the voltage released at a resistor associated with a battery cell is equal to, exceeds, or drops below the voltage in the battery cell, and an evaluation circuit for deriving the voltage in each battery cell on the basis of a point in time when the respective output signal is output and on the basis of the variation of the current that is continuous in some sections.
US08860420B2
In at least one embodiment, a power management module measures an electromagnetic radiation spectrum or a voltage response of a battery module. The measured electromagnetic radiation spectrum or voltage response of the battery is compared to a plurality of reference electromagnetic radiation spectrums or voltage responses, respectively, which may be determined for authentic batteries, for example. A relative condition of the battery, such as an age or state of health, may be estimated based on the measured electromagnetic radiation spectrum or voltage response of the battery module, and stored in a memory store. The rate of change of the relative condition of the battery over a period of time may be determined to identify potential defects in the battery.
US08860419B2
In order not to deteriorate the detection properties of an ion current that monitors a combustion state even when a smolder leak is present in an ignition plug of an internal combustion engine, an ion current detector includes an ignition plug of an internal combustion engine, an ignition coil which supplies a high voltage to the ignition plug, a controller which sends an ignition command, a bias capacitor which supplies a bias voltage to the ignition coil, an ignition capacitor which is connected to a primary side winding of the ignition coil, a DC power supply which charges the ignition capacitor and the bias capacitor, a current detecting unit which detects a current flowing through the ignition plug, an ion current detecting unit which detects an ion current from the current detected by the current detecting unit, and a Zener diode which restricts a charging voltage of the bias capacitor.
US08860417B2
A downhole activation system within a tubular. The system includes an axially movable mover. A first magnet attached to the mover. The first magnet axially movable with the mover. A second magnet separated from the first magnet. The second magnet magnetically repulsed by the first magnet. A biasing device urging the second magnet towards the first magnet; wherein movement of the first magnet via the mover towards the second magnet moves the second magnet in a direction against the biasing device. Also included is a method of activating an activatable member in a downhole tubular.
US08860395B2
The present invention relates to a circuit and method of generating a ramp compensation voltage as might be used in a switching regulator. The ramp compensation voltage comprises: a charging current generating circuit configured to receive a switching signal having a frequency of fs, a duty cycle of D and a period of Ts, the charging current generating circuit generating a charging current in direct proportion to f s ( 1 - D ) DTs ; and a voltage generating circuit for generating a quadratic ramp compensation voltage by means of the charging current. The resulting ramp compensation voltage enables the switching regulator to operate over a broad range of duty cycles. The generated ramp compensation voltage has an amplitude as low as possible, the generated compensation slope approximates to the target compensation slope as close as possible, and over compensation at low duty cycles is reduced as far as possible.
US08860394B2
A dynamic voltage response network for a switching regulator with droop control providing a droop control signal includes a voltage identification setting network, a pass and hold system, and a reset network. The voltage identification setting network initiates a hold condition and adjusts an output voltage reference in response to a change in a voltage identification input. The pass and hold system passes the droop control signal during a pass condition and holds the droop control signal during the hold condition. The reset network resets the pass and hold system to the pass condition in response to a reset signal. The reset signal may be provided in response to a variety of conditions, such as load transients, proximity between the developed droop control signal and the held droop control signal, timeout after the output voltage reference is adjusted, among other reset conditions.
US08860393B2
A current mode buck converter has a power stage and a feedback stage. The power stage converts a higher power supply voltage level to a lower output voltage level. The feedback stage is connected with the power stage for controlling the levels of repetitive switching of an output current by phase and frequency locking a switching frequency of the output current to an external clocking signal. The feedback stage controls two levels of output current bounds by transforming a current error to a phase error to prevent error amplification such that an average output current remains constant at any duty cycle.
US08860388B2
A driver circuit (1) for driving a capacitive load (2) with a drive pulse having a rise time, a predetermined voltage period and a fall time. The driver circuit (1) includes an inductance (6), switches (10, 11, 12), and a transformer (8) having a primary side (8) and secondary side (9). The switches (10, 11, 12) are controlled by a controller (13) to charge the inductance (6) from a power supply (4), and, when the capacitive load (2) is to be driven, to enable a charge path from the inductance (6) to the capacitive load (2) during the rise time, to disable the charge path during the constant peak voltage period and to enable a discharge path via the primary side (8) of the transformer (7) during the fall time. As the capacitive load (2) discharges through the primary side (8) of the transformer (7), charge is induced on the secondary side (9) of the transformer (7) and is used to charge the inductance (6), thereby saving power and enabling a lower voltage power supply to be used.
US08860385B2
A system and method for providing a voltage controlled current source for bus regulation is disclosed. A bus current delivered to an electrical bus from a current source is controlled using a synchronous switch according to a PWM duty cycle. Further, the PWM duty cycle is controlled to be proportional to an error signal based on a comparison of a voltage of the electrical bus to a reference voltage.
US08860384B2
A buck-boost power converter switches the switches thereof with a novel sequence and extends the switching periods of the switches to reduce the switching loss and conduction loss when the input voltage thereof approaches the output voltage thereof. The influence of the load current of the power converter on the duty thereof is taken into account to switch the power converter between modes at correct time points, so as to prevent the output voltage from being affected by the mode switching.
US08860380B2
A method in a controller for energizing a chain-link converter including one or more phase legs, each phase leg including a number of series-connected converter cells, each converter cell including four valves arranged in an H-bridge connection with a DC capacitor. Each valve in turn includes a semiconductor switch in parallel with a diode. The method includes the steps of: charging the DC capacitor of each converter cell to a voltage level at which the semiconductor switches are controllable but below their nominal voltage; diagnosing the converter cells so as to detect failed components thereof; bypassing faulty components in a controlled manner; charging the DC capacitors to their nominal voltage. The invention also relates to a controller, computer programs and computer program products.
US08860372B2
A multiple cell battery charger with a parallel topography is disclosed which requires fewer active components than known battery chargers and protects the battery cells from overcharge and discharge. The charger that includes a regulator for providing a regulated source of direct current (DC) voltage to the battery cells to be charged. Each battery cell is connected in series with a switching device, such as a field effect transistor (FET) and optionally a current sensing device. In a charging mode, the serially connected FET conducts, thus enabling the battery cell to be charged. Battery voltage is sensed by a microprocessor. When the microprocessor senses that the battery cell is fully charged, the FET is turned off, thus disconnecting the battery cell from the circuit. Since the battery cell is disconnected from the circuit, no additional active devices are required to protect the battery cell from discharge.
US08860362B2
A system for charging a battery within an at least partially electric vehicle. The system includes a charging device wherein the charging device configured to electrically connect to the at least partially electric vehicle and charge at least one battery by a predetermined amount. The system also includes a network configured to determine the location of the charging device.
US08860360B2
A first device including a battery, a first connector, a charging module, a sensing module, and a communication module. The first connector includes a power supply pin, a ground pin, two transmit pins, and two receive pins, and connects the first device to a second device. The charging module receives power from the second device via the power supply pin and the ground pin to charge the battery and supplies power from the battery to the second device via the power supply pin and the ground pin. The sensing module senses the power supply pin and the ground pin of the first connector and detects when the first device (i) connects to the second device via the first connector and (ii) disconnects from the second device. The communication module communicates with the second device via the two transmit pins and the two receive pins using a PCIe protocol.
US08860347B2
Apparatus and method for reducing current drain and current spike impact on a dispenser electric motor by employing a series of supercapacitors in a power supply current to provide at least a portion of the energy requirement of the dispenser electric motor upon initial energization.
US08860340B2
The present invention is provided to remove dust that adhered to a cooling fan. A plurality of comparators are disposed for each of a plurality of coils, respectively, and generates a back electromotive force sensing signal denoting a comparison result by comparing a back electromotive force appearing at one end of each corresponding coil with a neutral-point voltage of the coils. A driving signal synthesis circuit generates a driving control signal used to enable the fan motor to proceed the following actions: (i) enabling the fan motor to rotate toward the opposite direction as a normal operation within a specific reverse rotation period after a driving of the fan motor is started, (ii) applying a brake to the fan motor within a braking period, and (iii) enabling the fan motor to rotate toward a direction of normal operation in a normal driving period. A driving circuit drives the fan motor.
US08860334B2
The present invention relates to the antenna control field, and discloses a device for remotely controlling a multi-band antenna and a multi-band antenna system. The device for remotely controlling a multi-band antenna includes an antenna panel 100, where the antenna panel 100 is disposed with a control board 101 and at least two motor modules 102; each of the motor modules 102 includes a connector 1022, each of the motor modules 102 electrically connects, via its connector 1022, to the control board 101 to receive a control command sent by the control board 101. In the embodiments of the present invention, an adjustment to a downtilt of a multi-band antenna may be implemented, and an occupied space of the antenna panel and a cost for adjusting a downtilt may be reduced.
US08860327B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, for wirelessly controlling a power supply device that controls a load. A wireless adapter includes a wireless communication device that receives transmissions from a wireless controller, a serial interface for a serial data connection to a power supply processing device integrated in the power supply device, an adapter processing device that receives the control signals the wireless communication device outputs, generates the control commands from the control signals, and outputs the control commands to the serial interface to cause the power supply processing device to control power provided to the load in a manner specified by the control commands, and an adapter power circuit that receives regulated direct current (DC) power from the power supply device and is powered from the regulated DC power received, and provides power to the wireless communication device and the adapter processing device.
US08860326B2
An LED lighting system including a first group of LEDs, a second group of LEDs, and a controller. The first group of LEDs and the second group of LEDs are configured to be independently driven by a first LED drive signal and a second LED drive signal, respectively. The controller is configured receive a dimming signal from a dimmer having a preheat function. The controller is also configured to compensate the dimming signal for the preheat function of the dimmer to generate a compensated dimming signal, generate the first LED drive signal based on the compensated dimming, and generate the second LED drive signal based on the compensated dimming signal. The first LED drive signal is then transmitted the first group of LEDs and the second LED drive signal is transmitted to the second group of LEDs.
US08860323B2
An electrodeless plasma lamp is provided. The lamp includes a conductive enclosure including a dielectric material (e.g., air) and a bulb containing a fill to form a light emitting plasma. A radio frequency (RF) power source is coupled into to the enclosure. At least one conductive applicator applies power from the enclosure to the bulb and at least one limped inductive element is coupled between the RF feed and applicator. The lumped inductive element may be a helically wound coil. In an example embodiment, the lamp includes first and second lumped inductive elements. The first and second lumped inductive elements may extend from opposed end walls of the enclosure. The first lumped inductive element may be connected to a first conductive applicator located proximate a first end of the bulb and the second lumped inductive element may be connected to a second conductive applicator located proximate a second end of the bulb.
US08860320B2
A Light Emitting Diode (LED) driver apparatus is provided. The LED driver apparatus includes: a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal generator configured to generate a PWM signal, a DC-DC converter configured to provide a driving voltage of a plurality of LED arrays by using the generated PWM signal, and a sensor configured to determine whether at least one LED array among the plurality of LED arrays is in an open state in response to the driving voltage being higher than or equal to a preset first reference voltage, and the preset first reference voltage is higher than the driving voltage applied when the plurality of LED arrays are each in a working state.
US08860308B2
In various embodiments, a high-pressure discharge lamp including a starting aid and a longitudinal axis having a ceramic discharge vessel that is housed in an outer bulb, the discharge vessel having two ends having including capillaries with electrodes fastened therein, wherein a frame having a hanger wire holds the discharge vessel in the outer bulb and the hanger wire is configured so that it includes a plate-like starting aid toward the capillary of the opposite-pole electrode, with the plate-like starting aid being configured as a foil or metal sheet and the plate-like starting aid further including a means for purely mechanical fastening to at least the capillary.
US08860298B2
A display and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The display includes a frame, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel, a transparent element and a glue. The OLED panel is disposed in the frame. The transparent element is disposed on the OLED panel. The glue is filled between the OLED panel and the transparent element and between the OLED panel and the frame.
US08860297B2
A display device in which pixels each including an emission area are arranged in a form of a matrix, the display device including: a first electrode formed from the emission area of the pixels to a non-emission area on a periphery of the emission area; a second electrode formed so as to be common to the pixels; and a light emitting material layer formed between the first electrode and the second electrode; wherein film thickness in the non-emission area of at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is larger than film thickness in the emission area.
US08860287B2
The present disclosure relates to wind power generation systems having a segmented stator with a structural element and a plurality of coils. The wind power generation systems also include a rotor adapted to be rotated by wind to induce current in the plurality of coils and a lamination stack having a plurality of lamination plates disposed about the plurality of coils and a dovetail recess formed in the lamination stack. The wind power generation systems also include a dovetail bar adapted to be received by the dovetail recess and adjusted by a bolt to engage the lamination stack and the structural element of the segmented stator to form a torque transfer interface. Torque is adapted to be transferred from the lamination stack to the segmented stator via friction at the interface.
US08860284B1
A piezoelectric multiplexer includes an actuator and multiple bimorph beams. The actuator includes an actuator conducting head and an actuator stem, and each bimorph beam includes a conducting beam contact head and a beam stem manufactured out of bimorph material. A control voltage is selectively applied to electrical contacts coupled to the beam stems to create a piezoelectric effect that bends the selected bimorph beam and creates an electrical connection between its contact head and the conducting head of the actuator. A control circuit with a controller signals which bimorph beam to connect to the actuator. This multi-bimorph-beam piezoelectric multiplexer can be affixed to the electrical terminals of different electrical components (e.g., a transistor) to create an electrical cell that can be manufactured on a semiconductor chip or in a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device.
US08860276B2
Electromagnetic steel sheet formed body, rotor core, rotor, rotating electrical machine, and vehicle
An electromagnetic steel sheet formed body to be used in a rotor core in which a forward rotational direction and a reverse rotational direction are assigned to a clockwise direction along a circumferential direction around an axial center when viewed from a visual line including the axial center, wherein a first hollow portion, a second hollow portion, and a rib partitioning the first hollow portion and the second hollow portion is formed at the electromagnetic steel sheet formed body such that permanent magnets constituting a plurality of poles are arranged substantially at regular intervals at predetermined pole pitch angles along the circumferential direction, and that the permanent magnet disposed at one pole is arranged in a segmented manner as the first permanent magnet and the second permanent magnet, when viewed from the visual line, and wherein the first hollow portion when viewed from the visual line is located closer to a side of the forward rotational direction than a centerline passing through a center angle of the pole pitch angle, and is arranged such that a longitudinal axis of the first hollow portion obliquely intersects in the clockwise direction with respect to a line perpendicular to the centerline.
US08860268B2
Provided is an rotational vibration exciter, and more particularly to an rotational vibration exciter which can accurately generate angular vibration of a printed circuit board including a moving coil for rotational excitation and angular vibration of a rotational shaft integrated with the printed circuit board including the moving coil by replacing a conventional cable as an external current supply line with a vertical flexible PCB.
US08860260B2
A system contains a first actuator half containing a first pair of actuator coils and a second pair of actuator coils located above the first pair of actuator coils, wherein the first pair of actuator coils is connected to a first metallic backing. A second actuator half is also providing within the system, which contains a first pair of actuator coils and a second pair of actuator coils located above the first pair of actuator coils, wherein the first pair of actuator coils is connected to a second metallic backing. The system also contains a mechanical flexure suspension having at least one flexure supporting a permanent magnet that is capable of moving, wherein the mechanical flexure suspension is located between the first actuator half and the second actuator half.
US08860257B2
The invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for operating a power source (1) connected to a manually actuated implement (4) by a user, wherein parameters of the power source (1) are set by way of operating elements (3) of an operating and display unit (2) and a movement of the implement (4) in the space is captured by way of an evaluation unit (9) disposed in the power source (1). In order to enable fast and rapid operation of the power source (1), even without removing a potentially present protective clothing of the user, it is provided for an operating function to be activated at the power source (1), whereupon the movement of the implement (4) in the space (6) is captured and a position of the implement (4) resulting from the movement is associated with the operating and display unit (2).
US08860247B2
To provide an electric power system capable of adequately controlling the power flow in an AC switch (120) constituting an interruptible power supply, an electric power system according to the present invention includes: an uninterruptible power supply (100) including an AC switch (120) provided between a commercial power supply (200) and an output part (102), a secondary battery (130), and an inverter (135) provided between the AC switch (120) and secondary battery (130); an important load (150) connected to the output part (102); a photovoltaic power supply (140) connected to the output part (102); an electric power detection section (181) that detects the power consumption of all loads including the important load (150); an electric power detection section (131) that detects charge/discharge power of the secondary battery (130); and a controller (110) that inputs thereto detection values from the electric power detection section (181) and electric power detection section (131) and outputs a control command value for controlling the secondary battery (130), in which the controller (110) determines the upper and lower limit values of the control command value for operating the secondary battery (130) based on the detection values from the electric power detection section (181) and electric power detection section (131).
US08860243B2
A power supply device for a unit that is to be supplied with electrical energy and typically arranged on a commercial vehicle trailer, for example. The power supply device comprises an electro-hybrid drive system for a commercial vehicle and a supply unit which is designed to convert a direct voltage, from a high-voltage system of the electro-hybrid drive system, into a three-phase alternating voltage. The supply unit comprises an output which transmit the three-phase alternating voltage for supplying power to the unit. The output is designed to form a standardized interface together with the unit. In addition, the unit which can be connected to the power supply device is one of a refrigerator unit, a concrete mixer, a concrete pump or a shredder.
US08860242B1
In some embodiments, a system includes a power system coupled to a power bus, and a power line communication (PLC) gateway coupled in series with the power bus. In other embodiments, a system includes first and second power circuits coupled in series with a power bus, and first and second power-line communication circuits coupled in series with the power bus. In additional embodiments, a system includes a power converter coupled to a power bus and having one or more switching frequencies, and a power-line communication circuit coupled to the power bus and having one or more communication frequencies, where at least one of the switching frequencies is substantially greater than at least one of the communication frequencies.
US08860240B2
The Wind Wing Electric Generator is a apparatus for inexpensively converting oscillating rotating mechanical energy into electrical energy.
US08860238B2
A method for handling busbars on wind power plants in which a power connection between a generator device disposed in an upper region of the wind power plant and a substation located at a base area of the wind power plant consists of a plurality of busbar subregions each comprising a certain number of mutually interconnected busbars.
US08860228B2
An electronic device may include a bottom interconnect layer having a first electrically conductive via therein. The electronic device may also include an integrated circuit (IC) carried by said bottom interconnect layer, and an encapsulation material on the bottom interconnect layer and surrounding the IC. The encapsulation layer may have a second electrically conductive via therein aligned with the first electrically conductive via. The second electrically conductive via may have a cross-sectional area larger than a cross-sectional area of the first electrically conductive via.
US08860227B2
A semiconductor substrate having dot marks is provided. Particularly, a semiconductor substrate having dot marks having an improved reading rate is provided. In a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of dot marks formed of recess portions having an inverted frustum shape, the plurality of dot marks constitutes a two-dimensional code disposed in a rectangular region of 0.25 mm2 to 9 mm2, the diameter W of the recess portion on the surface of the semiconductor substrate is 20 μm to 200 μm, is larger than the diameter w of the bottom surface of the recess portion, and is smaller than the thickness of the semiconductor substrate, the side surface of the recess portion has four or more trapezoidal flat taper surfaces, and the taper angle of the taper surface is in a range of 44° to 65° with respect to the surface of the semiconductor substrate.
US08860212B1
A fluid cooled semiconductor die package includes a package support substrate with a die mounting surface and an opposite package mounting surface. The package support substrate has external connector solder deposits on respective external connector pads of the package mounting surface, and a package fluid inlet duct and a package fluid outlet duct each providing fluid communication between the die mounting surface and package mounting surface. A semiconductor die is mounted on the die mounting surface. The die has external terminals electrically connected to the external connector pads. An inlet solder deposit is soldered to an inlet pad of the package mounting surface. The inlet pad surrounds an entrance of the fluid inlet duct. An outlet solder deposit is soldered to an outlet pad of the package mounting surface. The outlet pad surrounds an exit of the package fluid inlet duct.
US08860208B2
An integrated circuit structure includes a first chip including a first edge; and a second chip having a second edge facing the first edge. A scribe line is between and adjoining the first edge and the second edge. A heat spreader includes a portion in the scribe line, wherein the heat spreader includes a plurality of vias and a plurality of metal lines. The portion of the heat spreader in the scribe line has a second length at least close to, or greater than, a first length of the first edge.
US08860206B2
A multi-chip electronic package and methods of manufacture are provided. The method includes adjusting a piston position of one or more pistons with respect to one or more chips on a chip carrier. The adjusting includes placing a chip shim on the chips and placing a seal shim between a lid and the chip carrier. The seal shim is thicker than the chip shim. The adjusting further includes lowering the lid until the pistons contact the chip shim. The method further includes separating the lid and the chip carrier and removing the chip shim and the seal shim. The method further includes dispensing thermal interface material on the chips and lowering the lid until a gap filled with the thermal interface material is about a particle size of the thermal interface material. The method further includes sealing the lid to the chip carrier with sealant.
US08860198B2
According to an exemplary embodiment, a dual compartment semiconductor package includes a conductive clip having first and second compartments. The first compartment is electrically and mechanically connected to a top surface of the first die. The second compartment electrically and mechanically connected to a top surface of a second die. The dual compartment semiconductor package also includes a groove formed between the first and second compartments, the groove preventing contact between the first and second dies. The dual compartment package electrically connects the top surface of the first die to the top surface of the second die. The first die can include an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) and the second die can include a diode. A temperature sensor can be situated adjacent to, over, or within the groove for measuring a temperature of the dual compartment semiconductor package.
US08860197B2
An integrated circuit device that is secure from invasion and related methods are disclosed herein. Other embodiments are also disclosed herein.
US08860187B2
A semiconductor device comprises a first external terminal having a first size, a plurality of second external terminals each having a second size smaller than the first size, an external terminal area in which the first external terminal and the second external terminals are arranged, and a plurality of wires connecting between the second external terminals and a plurality of circuits formed adjacent to the external terminal area and corresponding to the second external terminals. The second external terminals and the wires constitute a plurality of interfaces. Each of the interfaces includes at least one adjustment portion that adjusts a time constant of the wire so that the wires have the same time constant. At least part of the adjustment portions is located in a margin area produced in the external terminal area by a difference between the first size and the second size.
US08860185B2
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to structures formed on semiconductor chips that are used for at least partially addressing the thermally induced stresses and metallization system cracking problems in a semiconductor chip that may be caused by the presence of through-silicon vias (TSV's), and which may be due primarily to the significant differences in thermal expansion between the materials of the TSV's and the semiconductor-based materials that generally make up the remainder of the semiconductor chip. One device disclosed herein includes a substrate and a crack-arresting structure positioned above the substrate, the crack-arresting structure comprising a plurality of crack-arresting elements and having a perimeter when viewed from above. The device also includes a conductive structure positioned at least partially within the perimeter of the crack-arresting structure, and a conductive element extending through an opening in the crack-arresting structure, wherein the conductive element is conductively coupled to the conductive structure.
US08860182B1
A resistance random access memory device according to an embodiment includes a first electrode, a second electrode and a variable resistance film provided between the first electrode and the second electrode. The second electrode includes material selected from the group consisting of silver, copper, zinc, gold, titanium, nickel, cobalt, tantalum, aluminum, and bismuth, alloys thereof, and silicides thereof. The variable resistance film includes silicon oxynitride. The variable resistance film includes a first resistance change layer having a first nitrogen concentration and a second resistance change layer having a second nitrogen concentration lower than the first nitrogen concentration.
US08860179B2
The present invention discloses an inductive element formed by through silicon via interconnections. The inductive element formed by means of the special through silicon via interconnection by using through silicon via technology features advantages such as high inductance and density. Moreover, the through silicon via interconnection integrated process forming the inductive element is compatible with the ordinary through silicon interconnection integrated process without any other steps, thus making the process simple and steady. The inductive element using the present invention is applicable to the through silicon via package manufacturing of various chips, especially the package manufacturing of power control chips and radio-frequency chips.
US08860178B2
A semiconductor device is provided with a semiconductor chip. The semiconductor chip has a semiconductor substrate, an interconnect layer, an inductor and conductive pads (first pads). The interconnect layer is provided on the semiconductor substrate. The interconnect layer includes the inductor. The pads are provided on the interconnect layer. The pads are provided in a region within a circuit forming region of the semiconductor chip, which does not overlap the inductor.
US08860175B2
A fuse of a semiconductor device and a method for forming the same are disclosed. The fuse includes a first metal line formed over a semiconductor substrate, a second metal line spaced apart from the first metal line, and a contact fuses formed of a metal contact coupled to the first metal line and the second metal line. Upper parts of the contact fuses overlap with each other, and lower parts are spaced apart from each other. Since the fuse is formed of a metal contact, fuse oxidation and fuse movement can be prevented. A conventional metal-contact fabrication process can be used, so that mass production of semiconductor devices is possible. In addition, the fuse region is reduced in size, reducing production costs.
US08860174B2
Antifuses having two or more materials with differing work function values may be fabricated as recessed access devices and spherical recessed access devices for use with integrated circuit devices and semiconductor devices. The use of materials having different work function values in the fabrication of recessed access device antifuses allows the breakdown areas of the antifuse device to be customized or predicted.
US08860160B2
Structures include a tunneling device disposed over first and second lattice-mismatched semiconductor materials. Process embodiments include forming tunneling devices over lattice-mismatched materials.
US08860158B2
A STTMRAM element includes a magnetization layer made of a first free layer and a second free layer, separated by a non-magnetic separation layer (NMSL), with the first and second free layers each having in-plane magnetizations that act on each other through anti-parallel coupling. The direction of the magnetization of the first and second free layers each is in-plane prior to the application of electrical current to the STTMRAM element and thereafter, the direction of magnetization of the second free layer becomes substantially titled out-of-plane and the direction of magnetization of the first free layer switches. Upon electrical current being discontinued to the STTMRAM element, the direction of magnetization of the second free layer remains in a direction that is substantially opposite to that of the first free layer.
US08860146B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device including a field-effect transistor, and a resistance element connected between a gate electrode of the field effect transistor and a connection point connected between a back gate electrode of the field effect transistor and one of source-drain regions of the field effect transistor, a voltage being applied between the other of the source-drain regions and the gate electrode.
US08860136B2
A semiconductor device includes a transistor, formed in a semiconductor substrate having a first main surface. The transistor includes a source region, a drain region, a channel region, a drift zone, and a gate electrode being adjacent to the channel region, the gate electrode configured to control a conductivity of a channel formed in the channel region. The channel region and the drift zone are disposed along a first direction between the source region and the drain region, the first direction being parallel to the first main surface. The channel region has a shape of a ridge extending along the first direction and the drift zone including a superjunction layer stack.
US08860135B2
A method for filling a trench with a metal layer is disclosed. A deposition apparatus having a plurality of supporting pins is provided. A substrate and a dielectric layer disposed thereon are provided. The dielectric layer has a trench. A first deposition process is performed immediately after the substrate is placed on the supporting pins to form a metal layer in the trench, wherein during the first deposition process a temperature of the substrate is gradually increased to reach a predetermined temperature. When the temperature of the substrate reaches the predetermined temperature, a second deposition process is performed to completely fill the trench with the metal layer. The present invention further provides a semiconductor device having an aluminum layer with a reflectivity greater than 1, wherein the semiconductor device is formed by using the method.
US08860133B2
A semiconductor component is disclosed. One embodiment provides a semiconductor body having a cell region with at least one zone of a first conduction type and at least one zone of a second conduction type in a rear side. A drift zone of the first conduction type in the cell region is provided. The drift zone contains at least one region through which charge carriers flow in an operating mode of the semiconductor component in one polarity and charge carriers do not flow in an operating mode of the semiconductor component in an opposite polarity.
US08860130B2
This invention discloses a semiconductor power device disposed on a semiconductor substrate includes a plurality of deep trenches with an epitaxial layer filling said deep trenches and a simultaneously grown top epitaxial layer covering areas above top surface of said deep trenches over the semiconductor substrate. A plurality of trench MOSFET cells disposed in said top epitaxial layer with the top epitaxial layer functioning as the body region and the semiconductor substrate acting as the drain region whereby a super-junction effect is achieved through charge balance between the epitaxial layer in the deep trenches and regions in the semiconductor substrate laterally adjacent to the deep trenches. Each of the trench MOSFET cells further includes a trench gate and a gate-shielding dopant region disposed below and substantially aligned with each of the trench gates for each of the trench MOSFET cells for shielding the trench gate during a voltage breakdown.
US08860126B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a main horizontal surface, a back surface arranged opposite the main horizontal surface, a vertical transistor structure including a doped region and a control electrode arranged next to the main horizontal surface, an insulating region arranged at or close to the back surface, a deep vertical trench extending from the main horizontal surface through the semiconductor substrate and to the insulating region, an insulating layer arranged on a side wall of the deep vertical trench, and a low ohmic current path extending at least partially along the insulating layer and between the main horizontal surface and the back surface. A first metallization is in ohmic contact with the doped region and arranged on the main horizontal surface. A control metallization is arranged on the back surface and in ohmic contact with the control electrode via the low ohmic current path.
US08860120B2
Consistent with various example embodiments, a field-controlling electrode applies a negative bias, relative to a source/drain electrode, increase voltage breakdown. The field-controlling electrode is located over a channel region and between source and drain electrodes, and adjacent a gate electrode. The field electrode shapes a field in a portion of the channel region laterally between the gate electrode and one of the source/drain electrodes, in response to a negative bias applied thereto.
US08860118B2
It is made possible to provide a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device that has a high-quality insulating film in which defects are not easily formed, and experiences less leakage current. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, includes: forming an amorphous silicon layer on an insulating layer; introducing oxygen into the amorphous silicon layer; and forming a silicon oxynitride layer by nitriding the amorphous silicon layer having oxygen introduced thereinto.
US08860115B2
A capacitor includes a lower electrode having a curved surface, a first seed on a sidewall of the lower electrode, which the first seed includes a metal silicide and has a shape corresponding to the curved surface of the lower electrode, a dielectric layer on the lower electrode, the dielectric layer covering the first seed, and an upper electrode on the dielectric layer.
US08860110B2
Semiconductor devices including spacers on sidewalls of conductive lines are provided. The semiconductor device includes bit lines on a semiconductor substrate, a storage node contact plug penetrating an insulation layer between the bit lines, triple-layered bit line spacers between the bit lines and the storage node contact plugs, and storage node electrodes on the storage node contact plugs. Each of the triple-layered bit line spacers includes a first spacer adjacent to one of the bit lines, a third spacer adjacent to the storage node contact plugs and a second spacer between the first and third spacers. The second spacer includes a lower portion having a lower dielectric constant than the first and third spacers and an upper portion having the same material as the first and third spacers. Related methods are also provided.
US08860105B2
A spin-current switched magnetic memory element includes a plurality of magnetic layers, at least one of the plurality of magnetic layers having a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy component and including a current-switchable magnetic moment, and at least one barrier layer formed adjacent to the plurality of magnetic layers. The plurality of magnetic layers includes at least one composite layer.
US08860103B2
A semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment includes: a plurality of magnetic tunnel junction elements arranged on a semiconductor substrate; and a plurality of selection transistors electrically connected to first ends of the plurality of magnetic tunnel junction elements. A plurality of first bit lines are respectively connected to the first ends of the magnetic tunnel junction elements via one or more of the selection transistors. A plurality of upper electrodes are respectively connected to second ends of the plurality of magnetic tunnel junction elements. A plurality of second bit lines are respectively connected to the second ends of the magnetic tunnel junction elements via the upper electrodes. The upper electrodes extend along the second bit lines, and one of the upper electrodes is commonly connected to the second ends of the plurality of magnetic tunnel junction elements arranged in an extending direction of the second bit lines.
US08860097B2
Provided is a biosensor that makes it possible to detect the electrical properties of a bio-related material contained in an analyte fluid such as an aqueous solution placed on a sensitive membrane and to observe the bio-related material at a high magnification with an observation device such as a microscope. The biosensor comprises: a substrate 10, a transparent semiconductor film 20 laminated on the substrate 10, a source electrode 30a and a drain electrode 30b formed at both ends of the transparent semiconductor film 20, an insulating film 40 laminated so as to cover the transparent semiconductor film 20 and the source electrode 30a and the drain electrodes 30b, a sensitive membrane 50 laminated on the insulating film 40, and a partition 60 that is formed at both ends of the sensitive membrane 50 to retain an analyte fluid 100, such as an aqueous solution or liquid culture containing a sample, on the sensitive membrane 50 and to retain the analyte fluid 100 in a specific region so that the bio-related material 200 can be placed on the sensitive membrane 50.
US08860096B2
An SRAM cell of a semiconductor device includes a load transistor, a driver transistor and an access transistor. First source/drains of the load, driver and access transistors are connected to a node. A power line, a ground line and a bit line are electrically connected to second source/drains of the load transistor, the driver transistor and the access transistor. The power line, the ground line and the bit line are disposed at substantially the same level to extend in a first direction. A word line is electrically connected to a gate of the access transistor to extend in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The word line is disposed at a different level from the level of the power line, the ground line and the bit line.
US08860081B2
To improve the performance of a protection circuit including a diode formed using a semiconductor film. A protection circuit is inserted between two input/output terminals. The protection circuit includes a diode which is formed over an insulating surface and is formed using a semiconductor film. Contact holes for connecting an n-type impurity region and a p-type impurity region of the diode to a first conductive film in the protection circuit are distributed over the entire impurity regions. Further, contact holes for connecting the first conductive film and a second conductive film in the protection circuit are dispersively formed over the semiconductor film. By forming the contact holes in this manner, wiring resistance between the diode and a terminal can be reduced and the entire semiconductor film of the diode can be effectively serve as a rectifier element.
US08860080B2
Protection circuit architectures with integrated supply clamps and methods of forming the same are provided herein. In certain implementation, an integrated circuit interface protection device includes a first diode protection structure and a first thyristor protection structure electrically connected in parallel between a signal pin a power high supply. Additionally, the protection device includes a second diode protection structure and a second thyristor protection structure electrically connected in parallel between the signal pin and a power low supply. Furthermore, the protection device includes a third diode protection structure and a third thyristor protection structure electrically connected in parallel between the power high supply and the power low supply. The third thyristor protection structure and the third diode protection structure are synthesized as part of the integrated circuit interface and can share at least a portion of the wells and/or diffusion regions associated with the first and second thyristor protection structures.
US08860072B2
A light emitting device includes a body having a first recess; a barrier section having a second recess and a third recess, protruding upward over a bottom surface of the first recess, and dividing the bottom surface of the first recess into a first region and a second region; a first light emitting diode disposed in the first region; a second light emitting diode disposed in the second region; a first lead electrode disposed in the first region; a second lead electrode disposed in the second region; a first wire electrically connecting the first lead electrode to the second light emitting diode through the second recess; and a second wire electrically connecting the second lead electrode to the first light emitting diode through the third recess.
US08860066B2
An LED module A1 includes an LED chip 1, a lead group 4 including a lead 4A on which the LED chip 1 is mounted and a lead 4B spaced apart from the lead 4A, a resin package 2 covering part of the lead group 4, and mounting terminals 41 and 42 provided by part of the lead group 4 that is exposed from the resin package 2 and spaced apart from each other in direction x. The LED module further includes a mounting terminal 43 spaced apart from the mounting terminal 41 in direction y, and a mounting terminal 44 spaced apart from the mounting terminal 42 in direction y. This arrangement allows the LED module A1 to be mounted at a correct position on a circuit board.
US08860062B2
An optoelectronic semiconductor component includes a carrier with a carrier top, at least one optoelectronic semiconductor chip mounted on the carrier top and having a radiation-transmissive substrate and a semiconductor layer sequence which includes at least one active layer that generates electromagnetic radiation, and a reflective potting material, wherein, starting from the carrier top, the potting material surrounds the semiconductor chip in a lateral direction at least up to half the height of the substrate.
US08860056B2
The present disclosure provides a light emitting diode (LED) apparatus. The LED apparatus includes an LED emitter having a top surface; and a phosphor feature disposed on the LED emitter. The phosphor feature includes a first phosphor film disposed on the top surface of the LED emitter and having a first dimension defined in a direction parallel to the top surface of the LED emitter; a second phosphor film disposed on the first phosphor film and having a second dimension defined in the direction; and the second dimension is substantially less than the first dimension.
US08860041B2
Disclosed herein is a method for producing nanowires. The method comprises the steps of providing a porous template with a plurality of holes in the form of tubes, filling the tubes with nanoparticles or nanoparticle precursors, and forming the filled nanoparticles or nanoparticle precursors into nanowires. According to the method, highly rectilinear and well-ordered nanowires can be produced in a simple manner.
US08860033B2
The active-matrix substrate (100) of the present invention satisfies d2>d1 and d2+A1/2>d3+L1/2, where d1 is the length of the shortest line segment that connects together a channel region (134) and a gettering region (112) as measured by projecting the line segment onto a line that connects together the channel region (134) of a TFT (130) and a source contact portion, d2 is the distance from the channel region (134) to the source contact portion (132c), d3 is the distance from the channel region (134) to a first end portion (110a), L1 is the length of the first end portion (110a), and A1 is the length of the source contact portion (132c).
US08860031B2
A non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment includes a semiconductor substrate and a transistor provided on the semiconductor substrate. The transistor includes a conductive layer, a gate insulating layer, a semiconductor layer, and an oxidation layer. The conductive layer functions as a gate of the transistor. The gate insulating layer contacts with a side surface of the conductive layer. The semiconductor layer has a side surface sandwiching the gate insulating layer with the conductive layer, extends a direction perpendicular to the semiconductor substrate, and functions as a body of the transistor. The oxidation layer contacts with the other side surface of the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor layer is made of silicon germanium. The oxidation layer is made of a silicon oxide.
US08860029B2
A photoelectric conversion element including a first gate electrode, a first gate insulating layer, a crystalline semiconductor layer, an amorphous semiconductor layer, an impurity semiconductor layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode in contact with the impurity semiconductor layer, a second gate insulating layer covering a region between the source electrode and the drain electrode, and a second gate electrode over the second gate insulating layer. In the photoelectric conversion element, a light-receiving portion is provided in the region between the source electrode and the drain electrode, the first gate electrode includes a light-shielding material and overlaps with the entire surface of the crystalline semiconductor layer and the amorphous semiconductor layer, the second gate electrode includes a light-transmitting material and overlaps with the light-receiving portion, and the first gate electrode is electrically connected to the source electrode or the drain electrode is provided.
US08860021B2
A structure including an oxide semiconductor layer which is provided over an insulating surface and includes a channel formation region and a pair of low-resistance regions between which the channel formation region is positioned, a gate insulating film covering a top surface and a side surface of the oxide semiconductor layer, a gate electrode covering a top surface and a side surface of the channel formation region with the gate insulating film positioned therebetween, and electrodes electrically connected to the low-resistance regions is employed. The electrodes are electrically connected to at least side surfaces of the low-resistance regions, so that contact resistance with the source electrode and the drain electrode is reduced.
US08860014B2
An organic electroluminescent member comprising: a positive electrode and a negative electrode on a substrate: multiple organic layers which include at least a positive hole transport layer, a light-emitting layer and an electron transport layer, and which are arranged between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and an electron injection layer arranged between the electron transport layer and the negative electrode. The electron injection layer is formed from at least one selected from the group consisting of alkali metals and compounds containing alkali metals having a melting point of less than 90° C., and at least one selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, compounds containing alkali metals, and compounds containing.
US08860012B2
A textile-type organic light-emitting device and a method of manufacturing the textile-type organic light-emitting device are provided. The light-emitting device includes a textile-type first electrode; an organic light-emitting material layer formed on a surface of the textile-type first electrode; and a second electrode formed on the organic light-emitting material layer, the second electrode being transparent.
US08860006B2
A carrier-mediated magnetic phase change spin transistor is disclosed. In general, the spin transistor includes a Dilute Magnetic Semiconductor (DMS) channel and a gate stack formed on the DMS channel. The gate stack includes a multiferroic gate dielectric on the DMS channel, and a gate contact on a surface of the multiferroic gate dielectric opposite the DMS channel. The multiferroic gate dielectric is formed of a multiferroic material that exhibits a cross-coupling between magnetic and electric orders (i.e., magnetoelectric coupling), which in one embodiment is BiFeO3 (BFO). As a result, the multiferroic material layer enables an electrically modulated magnetic exchange bias that enhances paramagnetic to ferromagnetic switching of the DMS channel. The DMS channel is formed of a DMS material, which in one embodiment is Manganese Germanium (MnGe). In one embodiment, the DMS channel is a nanoscale DMS channel.
US08860003B2
A resistive memory device capable of implementing a multi-level cell (MLC) and a fabrication method thereof are provided. The resistive memory device includes a lower electrode connected to a switching device and including a first node and a second node formed on a top thereof to be spaced at a fixed interval, a phase-change material pattern formed on the first node and the second node, an upper electrode formed on the phase-change material pattern, a conductive material layer formed on a top and outer sidewall of the upper electrode, a first contact plug formed on one edge of the upper electrode to be connected to the upper electrode and the conductive material layer, and a second contact plug formed on the other edge of the upper electrode to be connected to the upper electrode and the conductive material layer.
US08859998B2
An improved method of preparing ultra-thin TEM samples that combines backside thinning with an additional cleaning step to remove surface defects on the FIB-facing substrate surface. This additional step results in the creation of a cleaned, uniform “hardmask” that controls the ultimate results of the sample thinning, and allows for reliable and robust preparation of samples having thicknesses down to the 10 nm range.
US08859995B2
Embodiments generally relate to detection of end of service life for respirator filter cartridges for organic vapor(s). Typically, detection of end of service life might use a competitive UV absorbance-fluorescence approach. Thus, a sensor that emits light upon application of UV may be placed within the cartridge, with a UV lamp and a light detector directed at the sensor. In some embodiments, a plurality of corresponding sensor and UV lamp and light detector might be used. Typically, the light level emitted by the sensor(s) might be used to estimate effective end of service life.
US08859994B2
An ultraviolet area sterilizer or disinfector is incorporated into a building structure where concern exists regarding the presence of pathogenic bacteria on environmental surfaces. Ultraviolet C (UV-C) generators generate UV-C that is directed to architectural partitions of an enclosed area. The architectural partitions reflect UV-C to kill pathogens in the enclosed area. The device transmits a calculated dose of UV-C from a fixture mounted to an architectural partition in the enclosed area. Once an effective cumulative dose of UV-C has been reflected to radiation sensors, as measured by the sensors, the device shuts down. The device may allocate power to specific UV-C emitters so as to direct UV-C radiation more uniformly throughout the area, as measured by the sensors.
US08859973B2
The subject of the invention is a strip device and method for determining the place and time of the gamma quanta interaction as well as the use of the device for determining the place and time of the gamma quanta interaction in positron emission tomography.
US08859969B2
A device and method for identifying solid and powdered materials use near-infrared reflection spectroscopy combined with multivariate calibration methods for analysis of the spectral data. Near-infrared reflection spectroscopy is employed within either the 700-1100 nm or the 900-1700 nm wavelength range to identify solid or powdered materials and determine whether they match specific known materials. Uses include identifying solid and powdered materials with a fast measurement cycle time of about 2 to 15 seconds and with a method that requires no sample preparation, as well as quantitative analysis to determine the concentration of one or more chemical components in a solid or powdered sample that consists of a mixture of components. A primary application involving identification analysis verification of the identify and purity of powdered materials used for fabricating drug tablets and capsules for quality control purposes.
US08859966B2
The invention provides multiple detectors that detect electrons that have passed through a sample. The detectors preferably detect electrons after the electrons have been passed through a prism that separates electrons according to their energies. Electrons in different energy ranges are then detected by different detectors, with preferably at least one of the detectors measuring the energy lost by the electrons as they pass through the sample. One embodiment of the invention provides EELS on core-loss electrons while simultaneously providing a bright-field STEM signal from low-loss electrons.
US08859954B1
Disclosed herein is a method for discriminating sitosterolemia by simultaneously measuring relative concentrations of phytosterol and cholesterol metabolism-related compounds in a blood spot on the paper. According to the present disclosure, sitosterolemia may be quickly discriminated with high accuracy by simple sample collecting using a trace amount of blood spot stained on a paper, and it may be used for newborn screening and preschool children, particularly patients with xanthoma.
US08859948B2
An apparatus for producing a component includes a material storage tank for receiving a liquid material (M), a molding tool in which a filling region to be filled with material (M) from the material storage tank is formed, and a material supply line which connects the material storage tank to the filling region of the molding tool. In the region of the material supply line and/or the filling region of the molding tool an optical fiber has been arranged, into which at least one Fibre Bragg Grating sensor for detecting a parameter that is characteristic of the flow of material through the material supply line and/or the filling region of the molding tool is integrated.
US08859947B2
The present invention provides a highly controllable device for exposure from the back side and an exposure method, and also provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the same. The present invention involves exposure with the use of the back side exposure device of which a reflecting means is disposed on the front side of a substrate, apart from a photosensitive thin film surface by a distance X (X=0.1 μm to 1000 μm), and formation of a photosensitive thin film pattern in a self alignment manner, with good controllability, at a position a distance Y away from the end of a pattern. The invention fabricates a TFT using that method.
US08859943B2
A method 100 maximizes the contrast between light and dark markings 13 that carry information. The markings are illuminated by a variable output light source 16, and a reflected image is received by a detector 18 and processed by a controller 20. The method calculates a histogram of the reflected image at step 102, and the method determines at step 104 if the histogram has one peak or two peaks. The method increases at step 110 or decreases at step 112 the output of the light source 16 by adding or subtracting a small step amount to or from the current light level of the light source 16. The method 100 is a continuously repeating loop, and the method increases or decreases the light level of the source of illumination with substantially every loop to oscillate about an equilibrium light level that provides maximum contrast.
US08859933B2
A solar cell is formed using a solar cell ablation system. The ablation system includes a single laser source and several laser scanners. The laser scanners include a master laser scanner, with the rest of the laser scanners being slaved to the master laser scanner. A laser beam from the laser source is split into several laser beams, with the laser beams being scanned onto corresponding wafers using the laser scanners in accordance with one or more patterns. The laser beams may be scanned on the wafers using the same or different power levels of the laser source.
US08859929B2
An apparatus is described for depositing a film on a substrate from a plasma. The apparatus comprises an enclosure, a plurality of plasma generator elements disposed within the enclosure, and means, also within the enclosure, for supporting the substrate. Each plasma generator element comprises a microwave antenna having an end from which microwaves are emitted, a magnet disposed in the region of the said antenna end and defining therewith an electron cyclotron resonance region in which a plasma can be generated, and a gas entry element having an outlet for a film precursor gas or a plasma gas. The outlet is arranged to direct gas towards a film deposition area situated beyond the magnet, as considered from the microwave antenna, the outlet being located in, or above, the hot electron confinement envelope.
