Abstract: New designs of optical devices, particularly for adding or dropping a selected wavelength or a group of wavelengths as well as multiplexing a plurality of signals into a multiplexed signal or demultiplexing a multiplexed signal into several signals are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, an isolator core is built into the optical devices to stop a reflected signal from an optical file in the optical devices. As a result, the optical devices are amenable to small footprint, broad operating wavelength range, enhanced impact performance, lower cost, and easier manufacturing process.

Abstract: A hybrid architecture of a television (TV) receiving system is disclosed. The architecture includes two portions, a hardware portion and a software portion. The hardware portion includes a minimum amount of hardware to achieve operations of receiving a RF signal, producing an IF signal and outputting data representing the IP signal. The software portion, taking advantage of available computing power (e.g., high-speed microprocessor and a lot of memory) in a computing device and executed therein, includes one or more demodulators, all implemented in software. Each of the demodulators is implemented in accordance with one type of TV standard. Thus depending on the received data, a corresponding demodulator is activated to demodulate the received data and subsequently produces audio and video data.

Abstract: Techniques for providing LED-based backlighting in liquid crystal flat panel displays are disclosed. In one embodiment, the backlighting includes at least three color groups of light emitting diodes (LEDs) that are turned on successively for one frame of image. Liquid crystals (pixels) in an LCD are controlled in accordance with a display signal to transmit none, all or a determined amount of one or more of the colored lights from the three color groups of light emitting diodes in a cycle, resulting in an LCD with vivid colors and minimized tailing effects.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a multifunctional driver controller capable to drive one or more voltage-controlled devices or current-controlled devices. According to one embodiment, the multifunctional driver controller comprises a selection unit receiving a control signal, one of a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage, the selection unit selecting either one of the first reference voltage and the second reference voltage per the control signal, and a control circuit receiving a reference voltage from the selection unit and a feedback signal from a load being driven by a controlled analog signal from the control circuit, wherein the controlled analog signal is either a controlled voltage signal or a controlled current signal, the control circuit compares the reference voltage with the feedback signal and adjusts the controlled analog signal in reference to a difference between the reference voltage and the feedback signal until the feedback signal converges to the reference voltage.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer processing and analysis apparatus (20) includes a processing micro chamber (22) for closely receiving a semiconductor wafer (27) therein. The chamber may be opened for loading and removing the semiconductor wafers and then closed for processing of the wafer wherein chemical reagents and other fluids are introduced into the chamber. Small clearances are provided between the upper surface, the lower surfaces, and the perimeter edge of the wafer and the corresponding portions of the processing chamber. A high-speed collection system is provided for collecting and removing the spent reagents and fluids from the chamber for either on-line or off-line analysis or for waste treatment.

Abstract: An improved compensation circuit with loop compensation is disclosed. The compensation circuit can get an equivalent large capacitance by amplifying a small capacitor. Hence, the compensation circuit can get a good compensation effect with a minimum chip area, hence lower cost.

Abstract: Techniques for providing a coefficient scaling operational unit to perform the coefficient scaling computation for various image compression schemes are disclosed. To minimize multiple units, each for one image encoding/decoding scheme (e.g., MPEG4 and WMV9), a single coefficient scaling operational unit is designed to accommodate various standards. In one embodiment, the coefficient scaling operational unit comprises an arithmetic logic unit. The arithmetic logic unit operates in accordance with a formula involving multiplication and division. Parameters such as coefficients and quantization parameters are provided to perform the coefficient scaling operation.

Abstract: Techniques for compressing video stream in a video conference are disclosed. According to one aspect of the techniques, the method comprises obtaining a frame image sequence and selecting a reference frame image; determining whether an N-th frame image has acute movements relative to the reference frame image according to a predetermined threshold; and if yes, compressing and transmitting the N-th frame image; otherwise, not compressing and transmitting the N-th frame image; increasing N by 1 and repeating the above operations till the frame image sequence is over.

Abstract: Efficient search window storage schemes for motion estimation in video signal processing are disclosed. According to one embodiment, motion estimation is carried out as follows: allocating a ring buffer to store at least critical number of macro-blocks of luminance data from a reference frame on the motion estimator, establishing a rule to relate each storage unit of the ring buffer with each of the macro-blocks of the reference frame, initializing the ring buffer by reading in one less than the critical number of macro-blocks from the reference frame, when the macro-block is located next to a border of the reference frame, generating one or more added border macro-blocks and storing into the corresponding position of the ring buffer in accordance with the rule, constructing the search window from the macro-blocks stored in the ring buffer, and conducting motion estimation of the current macro-block of the current frame with the search window.

Abstract: Techniques to control computing systems without the physical touches by operators are disclosed. According to one aspect of the techniques, a non-touch operation system comprises a display unit for displaying operating objects, a capture unit for capturing images of an operator, an image processing unit, a line of sight analysis unit, a notification unit, an action analysis unit and an operation execution unit. The image processing unit is provided for calculating head's position parameters and eye's position parameters according to the captured images. The line of sight analysis unit is provided for determining a watching point of the operator on the display unit according to the calculated head's and eye's parameters and further determining one operating object according to the watching point. The notification unit is provided for informing the operator of the determined operating object in an apperceive way.

Abstract: Techniques for minimizing signal loss in transit are described. Data signals lose their strengths while traveling across conductive passages such as cooper wire, cooper strip, Printed Circuit Board (PCB), etc. There are two major factors that affect the signal loss: the distance and the speed. To minimize signal loss while maintaining higher rate data signals for I/O, substantially lower rate data signals are used in transit between two interfaces over a signal path.

Abstract: Techniques for synchronizing clocks are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a pair of dividing coefficients a1 and a2 is obtained from a ratio of a theoretical frequency fs1 of the first source signal to a theoretical frequency fs_local of a desired local clock signal. A least common multiple expressed as T_c is obtained from the theoretical periods T1 and T2 of the first source signal and the second source signal. A relative error expressed as k is calculated from the first and second source clock signals in a period of T_c. The first source clock signal is then divided into a first local clock signal with a period equal to T1*a1 and a second local clock signal with a period equals to T1*a2 according to the dividing coefficients a1 and a2, respectively. The clock number m of the first local clock signal and the clock number n of the second local clock signal in the period of T_c are calculated according to the relative error k and the dividing coefficients a1 and a2.

Abstract: Techniques pertaining to powering multiple platforms with a minimum impact on air passage in a predefined environment are disclosed. Instead of connecting each of the platforms in a chassis to a power supply therein, the present invention uses what is referred to as cascading powering to power all platforms within minimum cable delivery. According to one embodiment of the present invention, each platform is provided with a pair of power connectors. At least one of the platforms has a power connector located towards or near a power supply so that only a short cable is needed to power the platform. The power is serially provided to an adjacent platform via a pair of corresponding connectors, each located on one of the two adjacent platforms. Such configuration is extended to the remaining platforms. As a result, all platforms are powered by the same power supply without using individual cables directly to the power supply.

Abstract: Techniques for distinguishing a pulldown field sequence from a normal field sequence are disclosed. According to one aspect of the techniques, the method for detecting pulldown field sequence comprises receiving a field sequence, combining two adjacent fields into one frame, detecting whether the combined frame has a combing phenomenon, if there is such a combing phenomenon, and determining a number of how many times the combing phenomenon occurs continuously in the combined frame. Based on the number, it can be determined whether the field sequence is a normal field sequence or a pulldown field sequence.

Abstract: A circuit for controlling LEDs is described. The circuit includes a negative feedback closed-loop circuit provided to sense only the voltage on an LED. Any change in the voltage is caused to be corrected by the negative feedback closed-loop circuit in conjunction with a current source.

Abstract: Improved structures of optical medium are disclosed. According to one embodiment, multiple reflective layers are used. These reflective layers are in different materials. At least one of the reflective layers allowing a significant amount of a laser beam to transmit is used to protect another reflective layer with superior reflectivity from moisture on one side. An additional reflective layer may also be used to protect the high reflective layer from moisture on the other side.

Abstract: Techniques for dispensing a type of liquid in a specific amount or at a constant flow rate are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a height difference between an inlet and an outlet is maintained by an adjustable tubing assembly. An overflow assembly is provided to divert any overflow of the liquid from entering a reservoir and keep a specific level of the liquid. A valve is provided to the inlet and can be turned off when a sensor detects that there is an overflow of the liquid in the overflow assembly.

Abstract: Techniques pertaining to designs of a compensation voltage controlled current source (VCCS) used in low dropout voltage regulators are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a compensation voltage controlled current source (VCCS) is so designed to meet the low input/output voltage requirements. Various features of the VCCS are demonstrated through several embodiments.

Abstract: To minimize the space requirement inside a cassette and make cable retention force consistent and easy for fiber routing/rework, a cassette includes a cassette base molded to include a plurality of holders, a cassette cover to close the cassette base, and a plurality of blocks, respectively disposed into the holders, each of the blocks including one or more holes to accommodate one or more fiber cables. The fiber cables are fixed in the holes using a type of adhesive. In addition, bare fibers are placed inside the cassette to communicate respectively with the fiber cables.

Abstract: Techniques for bonding two disks with a minimized eccentricity (ECC) are disclosed. A positioning header includes an ECC controlling structure that further includes a positioning header. In one embodiment, the position header includes three members that form a round stand with a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the disks. The round stand expands to the inner diameter of the disks to close the gap as a result of the difference between the two diameters when the three members are caused to expand. In one embodiment, the movement of the three members is controlled by magnetic means. Depending on the positions of the ECC controlling structure, the three members are expanded from or restored to their default positions.