Abstract: A compact camera modules has first, second, and third lens groups that move along an optical axis. A stepping motor is centered on the optical axis rather than offset from the optical axis. The motor has two coils that are fixed in place and a shared rotating magnet. The magnet is attached to a rotating guide that has slots to move the first and second lens groups as it rotates. The two coils are alternately energized to rotate the magnet, the rotating guide, and to move the first and second lens groups for zoom. The magnet has alternating thicker and thinner segments of opposite polarity. The thicker segments exert a greater force on an autofocus coil that is energized to move the third lens for the autofocus function. The same shared rotating magnet is used for both zoom and autofocus functions. A more compact design is possible using a shared magnet.

Abstract: A multi-stage Successive-Approximation Register (SAR) pipeline Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) has an amplifier between two switched capacitor networks, each controlled by a SAR. The load capacitance of the amplifier is magnified due to the amplifier's gain. This magnified load capacitance can disproportionately increase power consumption. The back plates of the second-stage switched capacitors are connected to the amplifier input using a feedback switch during an amplification phase, so that the second-stage switched capacitors are connected between the input and output of the amplifier as a feedback capacitor, rather than a load capacitor. Reset switches are added to drive both plates of the second-stage switched capacitors to ground during a reset phase before the amplification phase. Thus the second-stage switched capacitors function as both the feedback capacitor and as the switched capacitors controlled by the second SAR.

Abstract: The present invention is a blood pressure measuring device comprising an optical sensing unit adapted for detecting optical pulses at a plurality of locations on an external surface of a user. The device also comprises a processing unit coupled to the optical sensing unit for determining an optimal location from the plurality of locations based on the detected optical pulses and a pressure sensing unit adapted for detecting a pressure pulse of the user at a location of measurement. The present invention also discloses a method of measuring a blood pressure of a user using a blood pressure measurement device. The advantage of the present invention is that by using an optical sensing unit to locate the artery of the user, or to compensate the misalignment from the artery, the blood pressure is more accurately determined. With the calibration method, the deficient cuff calibration can be waived in certain circumstances.

Abstract: A system for bonding a die to a high power dielectric carrier such as a ceramic dielectric core with double-sided conductive layers is described. In the system, the upper conductive layer has a first area whose surface has a first wettability. A second area that at least partially surrounds the first area has a surface with a second wettability that is greater than the first wettability. During bonding, an adhesive material bonding a chip to the substrate spreads among the first area by a downward force placed on the chip. Due to the difference in wettability, the adhesive material then spreads among the second area by a wetting force generated by the greater second wettability of the second area surface causing the chip to be drawn down until reaching a predetermined position. The predetermined position can be determined by substrate protrusions or substrate cavities.

Abstract: A Programmable-Gain Amplifier (PGA) has a digital value that programmably adjusts the gain of the analog amplifier. A variable capacitor has several switched sub-capacitors that are enabled by the digital value. Enabled sub-capacitors are switched between a sampled input and a virtual ground on one terminal, and connect to a summing node on the other terminal. The summing node connects to the inverting input of an op amp either through a switch or through a double-sampling capacitor that stores an offset. A feedback capacitor is in parallel with a sampling capacitor during a second clock phase when direct-charge transfer occurs, reducing power consumption of the amplifier. The feedback capacitor samples the sampled input during the first clock phase. The PGA gain is proportional to the sum of capacitances of enabled sub-capacitors. The gain can be adjusted for sensor inputs to an Analog Front-End (AFE), such as for an electro-cardiogram (ECG).

Abstract: A Programmable-Gain Amplifier (PGA) has a digital value that programmably adjusts the gain of the analog amplifier. A variable capacitor has several switched sub-capacitors that are enabled by the digital value. Enabled sub-capacitors are switched between a sampled input and a virtual ground on one terminal, and connect to a summing node on the other terminal. The summing node connects to the inverting input of an op amp either through a switch or through a double-sampling capacitor that stores an offset. A feedback capacitor is in parallel with a sampling capacitor during a second clock phase when direct-charge transfer occurs, reducing power consumption of the amplifier. The feedback capacitor samples the sampled input during the first clock phase. The PGA gain is proportional to the sum of capacitances of enabled sub-capacitors. The gain can be adjusted for sensor inputs to an Analog Front-End (AFE), such as for an electro-cardiogram (ECG).

Abstract: A computer implemented method for tracking a marker on a deformable surface in augmented reality (AR) applications, comprising: detecting image-key-points in a currently processed video frame of a video-captured scene; performing key-point-correspondence searching and matching the image-key-points with model-key-points are identified from an original image of the marker, comprising: calculating an key-point matching score for each image-key-point; applying a key-point matching score filter on the key-point matching scores; restricting the searching of the image-key-points in the currently processed video frame to within same mesh block determined in a previously processed video frame of the captured video frames; and applying adaptive thresholds on the key-point matching scores in determining successful matches of the image-key-points; performing motion detection of the marker in the video-captured scene and halting the application of the key-point matching score filter and suspending the restriction on the i

Abstract: A frame-rate converter reduces halo artifacts along edges of moving objects. Halo artifacts occur on interpolated frames where a moving object covers and uncovers pixels along its edges. Motion estimation among three original frames produces hybrid direction motion vectors that are bi-directional for background and objects, but are unidirectional for covered and uncovered regions, since motion vectors with large matching errors are deleted. Covered regions in the interpolated frame are detected as intersecting only a forward but no backward hybrid motion vector. Bi-directional motion estimation from the hybrid motion vectors of two original frames produces refined motion vectors for the interpolated frame. Refined motion vectors in the covered regions are deleted and replaced with hybrid motion vectors from the original frames. Hybrid motion vectors from the original frames are assigned to the critical covered regions rather than using interpolated vectors in the covered regions, reducing halo artifacts.

Abstract: Multi view images are generated with reduced flickering. A first depth map is generated from stereo images by stereo-matching. When stereo-matching is poor or varies too much from frame to frame, disparity fallback selects a second depth map that is generated from a single view without stereo-matching, preventing stereo-matching errors from producing visible artifacts or flickering. Flat or textureless regions can use the second depth map, while regions with good stereo-matching use the first depth map. Depth maps are generated with a one-frame delay and buffered. Low-cost temporal coherence reduces costs used for stereo-matching when the pixel location selected as the lowest-cost disparity is within a distance threshold of the same pixel in a last frame. Hybrid view synthesis uses forward mapping for smaller numbers of views, and backward mapping from the forward-mapping results for larger numbers of views. Rotated masks are generated on-the-fly for backward mapping.

Abstract: This invention discloses a lighting device for omnidirectional light emission with efficient heat dissipation. In one embodiment, a lighting device comprises lighting modules circumferentially arranged such that generation of the omnidirectional light is allowable, and a supporting unit attached to each lighting module's heat-dissipating side for providing mechanical support. A space formed by minimally enclosing all the lighting modules includes a first polar opening, a second polar opening opposite thereto, and a ventilation channel between the two polar openings for enabling air flowing through the ventilation channel to carry away at least part of heat obtained from the heat-dissipating sides of the lighting modules to outside said space. A line-of-sight path between the two polar openings is identifiable, allowing a direct flow of air that advances through the ventilation channel between the two polar openings to be realizable, thereby promoting the carrying away of heat to outside said space.

Abstract: This invention discloses an apparatus for achieving predictive focusing in an image scanning system. The apparatus comprises an optical path-length changing plate and an image sensor. In one embodiment, the plate comprises a plurality of path-length changing members. The plate further includes a central region configured to provide a substantially constant change in optical path length across the central region, allowing an image passing therethrough to be in-focus captured. Having a light receiving surface, each path-length changing member is configured to provide a substantially non-uniform change in optical path length across the light receiving surface, allowing a focus plane of the image to be tilted such that the image projected onto the imaging sensor can be used for predicting an amount of optical adjustment required to achieve focusing. By using more than one path-length changing member, predictive focusing is achievable with more than one direction of focus-plane tilting.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor device packaged at the wafer level such that an entire packaged device is formed prior to separation of individual devices. The semiconductor device package includes a semiconductor chip having one or more bonding pads associated with the chip and a protective layer bonded over the semiconductor chip. An insulation layer is positioned on at least side edges and a lower surface of the semiconductor chip. Interconnection/bump metallization is positioned adjacent one or more side edges of the semiconductor chip and is electrically connected to at least one bonding pad. A compact image sensor package can be formed that is vertically integrated with a digital signal processor and memory chip along with lenses and a protective cover.

Abstract: This invention, which relates to retrieving an object from a video or a photo where the object matches a hand-drawn sketch, discloses a method for automatically estimating a perceptual bias level with respect to a feature of the sketch. The method allows estimation based on the sketch alone without involving an extra database. In one embodiment, the method comprises using an expectation-maximization tensor voting (EMTV) method to analyze a statistical distribution of the feature. The statistical distribution is analyzed by forming an objective function having the statistical distribution's information parameterized by the perceptual bias level, and then maximizing the objective function according to a set of iterative update rules. In another embodiment, the method for automatically estimating a perceptual bias level is incorporated into a method for retrieving one or more objects from an image or video database where the one or more objects match a hand-drawn sketch.

Abstract: A computer processor implementable method of decoding low-density parity-check (LDPC) code, comprising: receiving a log-likelihood-ratio (LLR) input bitstream; performing a combined bit-deinterleaving and reordering process on the LLR input bitstream and storing in a physical memory space, comprising: determining a logical memory address for each LLR bit in the LLR input bitstream, determining a physical memory address for each LLR bit in the LLR input bitstream from logical memory address of the LLR bit; decoding the LLR input bitstream stored in the physical memory space; and performing a combined de-reordering and de-mapping process on the decoded LLR input bitstream.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method for data transfer between a host memory and a flash memory module through direct memory access (DMA), and a related data-transfer subsystem. In one embodiment, the subsystem comprises a DMA controller, a flash-memory controller, a data buffer for buffering data transferred between the DMA controller and the flash-memory controller, and a status-register group for storing a current status of the data buffer. The DMA controller and the flash-memory controller are configured such that both of them are allowed to update the current status and to detect a change of the current status during the data transfer, so that a substantial part of the data transfer's process is executed through direct interaction between the DMA controller and the flash-memory controller without involving a central processing unit. The subsystem may further comprise a command storing unit for storing command packages for execution by the flash-memory controller.

Abstract: A circuit and method for a bandgap voltage reference operating at 1 volt or below is disclosed, wherein the operational amplifier (A1) drives resistors (R2, R3) only so that both the flicker noise contribution and the process sensitivity due to the conventional metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) devices used as a current mirror within the proportional-to-absolute-temperature (PTAT) loop are eliminated. Two symmetric resistive divider pairs formed by (R1A/R1B, R2A/R2B) are inserted to scale down both the base-emitter voltages (VEB1, VEB2) of bipolar transistors (Q1, Q2) and the PTAT current (IPTAT) so that an output reference voltage (VREF) becomes scalable. Proper bias currents through transistors (M3, M4), which are used to bias (Q1, Q2) and (R1A/R1B, R2A/R2B) respectively, are produced by an additional V-I converter (319) using VREF itself, resulting in a final process, voltage and temperature (PVT) insensitive output reference voltage.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method for object tracking, including determination of an area scaling ratio of the object in a video image sequence. In one embodiment, a centroid of the object is determined. One or more directed straight lines are selected, each passing through the centroid, extending from an end of the object's boundary to an opposite end thereof, and having a direction that is upward. A length scaling ratio for each directed straight line is determined by: determining a motion vector for each selected pixel on the line; computing a scalar component of the motion vector projected onto the line; estimating a change of the line's length according to the scalar components obtained for all pixels; and determining the length scaling ratio according to the change of the line's length. The area scaling ratio is computed based on the length scaling ratios for all directed straight lines.

Abstract: An antenna system includes an antenna element having two antenna feeds and a shared connection to a ground plane. A first antenna portion has a first resonant frequency length of at least one first wavelength formed from a first feed together with the shared ground connection. A second antenna portion has a second resonant frequency length formed from a second feed together with the shared ground connection. First and second slots are respectively positioned between the shared ground connection and the respective first and second feeds such that the slots create inductances. At least a portion of the ground plane is located directly beneath at least a portion of the first and second slots. The first and second slot inductances together with the ground plane capacitances form one or more filter components to isolate the first and second resonant frequencies in the antenna element.

Abstract: An all-solid, single-body unit for calibrating a pulse oximeter that uses probe light beams is provided. A bulk of the unit is substantially composed of a mixture of materials comprising one or more polymer materials that form a flexible solid medium for the bulk of the unit, one or more scattering materials for scattering the probe light beams, and one or more dye materials for attenuating the probe light beams. The flexible solid medium enables a pulsatile rhythmic train of action force received by the unit to be transmitted in the unit during calibrating the pulse oximeter for substantially emulating change of absorbance characteristics of the probe light beams due to pulsing arterial blood. The scattering materials and the dye materials are localized in the flexible solid medium, enabling the unit to be used in calibrating the pulse oximeter without a need for an additional device for further emulation.

Abstract: The presently claimed invention provides a method for optimizing an electrodeposition process of a plurality of vias in a wafer. Instead of simulating a large number of via on the wafer for via filling, a representative via is selected with the maximum value of critical factor, which is a function of process parameters. The filling of the representative via is simulated with different sampling points to find out the filling goodness in order to find out the optimized process windows of process parameters. An optimizer is also disclosed, which either provides sampling points or reduces sampling points under artificial neural network method. Calculation of filling goodness is used for evaluating via filling quality and further comparing among via fillings simulated at different sampling points. Consequently, the method of present invention is able to shorten the simulation time for via filling as well as provide a process window with high accuracy.