Abstract: A method for interpolating pixel data of an omitted line by use of pixel data from an interlaced scan, for de-interlacing an interlaced video image. Image edge direction is detected at the center position of every two neighboring scan lines in an interlaced scan. All the directions detected in a given field constitute an edge orientation map. Edge directions are filtered to remove false and unreliable edge directions from the edge orientation map. If an edge direction is removed, the vertical edge direction is used to replace that direction in the edge orientation map. For interpolating a new pixel at the center of two neighboring scan lines, the corresponding direction for that position is used as the interpolation direction to calculate the value of the new pixel. If the direction is vertical, a filter is used along the vertical direction to calculate the interpolation value.
Abstract: When the studied motion is periodic, such as for a beating heart, it is possible to acquire successive sets of two dimensional plus time data slice-sequences at increasing depths over at least one time period which are later rearranged to recover a three dimensional time sequence. Since gating signals are either unavailable or cumbersome to acquire in microscopic organisms, the invention is a method for reconstructing volumes based solely on the information contained in the image sequences. The central part of the algorithm is a least-squares minimization of an objective criterion that depends on the similarity between the data from neighboring depths. Owing to a wavelet-based multiresolution approach, the method is robust to common confocal microscopy artifacts. The method is validated on both simulated data and in-vivo measurements.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 5, 2005
Date of Patent:
May 13, 2008
Assignee:
California Institute of Technology
Inventors:
Mary Dickinson, Arian Farouhar, Scott E. Fraser, Morteza Gharib, Michael Liebling
Abstract: A system residing preferably in a television set-top box monitors the television watching habits of one or more viewers and creates one or more profiles for each viewers descriptive of various characteristics of each viewers, including television watching preferences and demographics. The set-top box is able to select among various available video programming segments to create customized and/or targeted video programs for delivery to the viewer or viewers as a linear program. The customized linear video programs may include targeted content, advertising, and other video programming.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 22, 2006
Date of Patent:
May 6, 2008
Assignee:
Metabyte Networks, Inc.
Inventors:
Labeeb K. Ismail, Amar N. Gogoi, Manu Mehta
Abstract: A system for linearizing RF amplifiers employing baseband predistortion techniques provides additive or multiplicative predistortion of the quadrature (I/Q) input signal. The predistorter uses a discrete-time polynomial kernel to model the inverse transfer characteristic of the amplifier, providing separate and simultaneous compensation for nonlinear static distortion, linear dynamic distortion and nonlinear dynamic effects including reactive electrical memory effects. A predistortion controller monitors and compares the amplifier output with the quadrature input signal to compute estimates of the residual output distortion of the amplifier. Output distortion estimates are used to adaptively compute the predistorter parameter values in response to changes in the amplifier's operating conditions. The computed values are used in the predistorter.
Abstract: A retaining device to secure a socket to an anvil including an O-ring, an integral projection extending inwardly from the O-ring, and an insert secured at or near a far end of the integral projection. The insert may be made from a non-metallic high modulus material that can compress up to 50% of its original diameter without breaking. The insert may also include a socket wear indicator that consists, for example, of a raised ridge located within a recess on the side of the insert. The raised ridge, if crushed at the juxtaposition between the socket and the anvil, provide an early indication that the socket's drive aperture is worn and that the socket should be replaced.
Abstract: An MRI RF coil that is optimized for SENSE imaging is used in a method where the surface current density distribution on a coil former was calculated to maximize the SNRsense within a volume of interest. An analytic relationship was formulated between the SNRsense and surface current density on the coil former. The SNR at pixel ? in a SENSE-MR image, SNRsense,?, is inversely proportional to the g-factor. The g-factor was formulated in terms of the B1 distribution of the coils. By specifying the geometry of the desired coil former and using a finite element mesh, the surface current distribution was calculated to maximize the SNRsense, by minimizing (1/SNRsense) in the volume of interest using a least squares procedure. A simple two-coil array was tested and phantom images were collected. The results show that the new coil design method yielded better uniformity and SNR compared to standard coils.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 25, 2006
Date of Patent:
April 22, 2008
Assignee:
The Regents of the University of California
Inventors:
Lutfi Muftuler, Gang Chen, Orhan Nalcioglu
Abstract: The oxidation behavior of the bond coat is improved using a HVOF nanostructured NiCrAlY coating. NiCrAlY powder is mechanically cryomilled and HVOF sprayed onto Ni-based alloy to form a nanocrystalline bond coat. Oxidation is performed on the coating to form the thermally grown oxide layer (thermally grown oxide). After heat treatment at 1000° C. for 24 and 95 hour, a homogeneous ?-Al2O3 layer is formed on top of the bond coat. The nanostructured characteristic of the coating and the presence of Al2O3 within the cryomilled powders (oxidation occurred during cryomilling process) affects the nucleation of the alumina layer on the top of the coating. The formation of a continuous thermally grown oxide layer protects the coating from further oxidation and avoids the formation of mixed oxide protrusions, such as those presented in the coating sprayed using the as-received powder.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 22, 2003
Date of Patent:
April 22, 2008
Assignees:
The Regents of the University of California, Perpetual Technologies
Inventors:
George E. Kim, Julie M. Schoenung, Virgil Provenzano, Enrique J. Lavernia, Leonardo Ajdelsztajn
Abstract: A system for tomographic imaging includes a source of at least partially coherent radiation, a frequency-swept laser source and an interferometer. The radiation in the interferometer is phase modulated at a modulation frequency for elimination of DC and autocorrelation noises as well as the mirror image. The interference fringes of the radiation backscattered from the sample into the interferometer are detected to obtain a spectral signal. The spectral signal of the detected backscattered interference fringes is transformed to obtain a location dependent signal at each pixel location in a data window. A tomographic image of the fluid flow in the data window is generated for display and of the structure of the scanned fluid flow sample in the data window from the location dependent signal is generated.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 9, 2004
Date of Patent:
April 15, 2008
Assignee:
The Regents of the University of California
Inventors:
Zhongping Chen, Jun Zhang, J. Stuart Nelson
Abstract: A method and system for sensing disappearance of the previously detected logos in noisy digital video signals. When a video program starts, a short period of time is allowed to initially detect the existence and the location of the logo within the incoming video frames. Once the logo is detected and a logo map is generated, logo tracking senses whether the logo remains in, or disappears from, the video frames. If the logo moves or (partially) changes its intensity, color, pattern, etc., it will be sensed as having disappeared altogether.
Abstract: A method for providing user interfaces in a first network to a remote access device, the first network including interconnected first devices and at least one interface device for connecting the first network to a second network. The remote access device establishes communication with the second network and sends a request to the interface device for accessing the first network; at least one of the first devices obtains information from one or more of the first devices, and generates a user interface description including at least one reference associated with the device information, the reference including an external address such that the device is accessible from the remote access device; the interface device sends the user interface description to the remote access device; and the remote access device displays a user interface based on the user interface description.
Abstract: A digital predistortion system and method employing parallel signal paths is disclosed. A first primary signal path receives a rectangular (I,Q) input signal and provides it to an additive predistortion correction circuit. A second parallel signal path includes coordinate rotation circuitry and a predistortion coefficient look up table. Any effects of calculational errors on the primary input signal are minimized by avoiding manipulations of the input signal in the primary signal path. A third parallel signal path may be used to receive the input signal for calculating adaptive updates to the look up table entries.
Abstract: An environmental control system controls monitoring and operation of a multiplicity of disparate environmental control devices by determining an appropriate configuration for each control device and communicates corresponding monitoring and control commands to each device in accordance with its corresponding communication protocol over a selected I/O port. An operational instruction set includes a structural definition of an enterprise facility in which devices are defined by personality modules and communicate with a system host in accordance with a protocol defined in a protocol module. Facility implementation is defined by a node tree structure which collects suitable protocol nodes under a corresponding I/O interface port node. Device (personality) nodes are collected under corresponding protocol nodes, and data point nodes depend from their corresponding device nodes.
Abstract: An RF amplifier assembly employing a finned heat sink and a heat pipe enhanced aluminum pallet is disclosed. The hybrid heat pipe enhanced aluminum pallet reduces the spreading thermal conduction resistance associated with the conduction of localized energy from RF amplifier devices when compared to a copper pallet. The localized energy concentration of RF amplifier devices is spread along the length of the heat pipe increasing the overall efficiency of the heat sink coupled to the pallet and accommodating non-uniform heat loading. This reduces the junction temperature of the devices, which leads to higher mean time before failure and higher output levels. The pipes are formed and embedded into the pallet so as to pass under different areas of interest and extend to the under-utilized regions.