Patents Assigned to Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research
  • Publication number: 20190266798
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing real object detection and control using a Virtual Reality Head Mounted Display System, and more particularly, when the real object detection and control are detecting hand presence and control in free space, in a virtual reality environment, the control being, for example, gestures or movement, in the free space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Applicant: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited
    Inventors: Yat Cheung NGAI, Fu Tuen LEUNG
  • Patent number: 10367594
    Abstract: Provided is a method of determining timing of arrival of a signal on a path to a receiver in a mobile wireless communications system. The method comprises obtaining a channel impulse response (CIR) of a signal received at the receiver and deriving a power characteristic of the CIR. The method includes producing a first derivative of the power characteristic with respect to time, selecting some or all extrema from the first derivative of the power characteristic as indicative of candidate signal paths, and selecting one or more of said candidate signal paths. The method preferably includes determining timing of arrival of a signal on a first path of arrival at the receiver by assessing an energy value of each of said candidate signal paths against a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ho Yin Chan, Chang Li, Man Wai Kwan, Yuxian Zhang, Kong Chau Tsang
  • Patent number: 10354122
    Abstract: In cancer-cell screening, a patient's cells are classified by a convolutional neural network (CNN) to identify abnormal cells. In one approach, a mask having a center more transparent than the mask's periphery is used to mask an input image containing a cell of interest to yield a masked image. Since the cell is usually located around an image center, and since the image often contains irrelevant objects, such as normal cells and micro-organisms, around an image periphery, interference due to the irrelevant objects in training the CNN and in classification is diminished by using the masked image rather than the original one. In another approach, masking is applied to feature maps before classification. In the CNN, this masking is accomplished by convolving each feature map with a convolutional kernel to produce an intermediate feature map followed by chopping off a peripheral region thereof to yield a downsized feature map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited
    Inventors: Xuejian He, Lu Wang
  • Patent number: 10348384
    Abstract: Provided is a method of determining Channel State Information (CSI) in a multiple input/multiple output (MIMO) wireless communication system. The CSI may comprise a Precoding Matrix Indicator (PMI) and/or a Rank Indicator (RI). The method comprises, for a matrix of channels comprising a link between a gNodeB (gNB) and a user equipment (UE), determining correlation values between all Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) vectors and the observations from the channel matrix. The DFT vectors may include the horizontal vector direction and the vertical vector direction. The method includes selecting those DFT vectors in one or more selected vector directions having a correlation value greater than a predefined threshold to thereby identify a subset of all DFT vectors and determining said CSI from the selected subset of DFT vectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company, Limited
    Inventors: Jia Ni, Yuxian Zhang, Mai Wai Kwan, Kong Chau Tsang
  • Patent number: 10334516
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods, devices, and systems for cell identification. For example, the systems, devices, and methods described herein may be used to detecting a secondary synchronization signal (SSS) index. In an aspect of the present disclosure, a method includes detecting, at an electronic device, a first SSS index based on a comparison between a first power value and a first threshold. The first power value is associated with a correlation power result between a received signal from a base station and a local SSS. The method also include determining, at the electronic device, a second threshold based on the first power value, and performing a comparison between a second power value and the second threshold. The second power value is determined based on the received signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhonghui Zhang, Xiangyu Liu, Yuxian Zhang, Man Wai Kwan, Kong Chau Tsang
  • Patent number: 10331008
    Abstract: A device for controllably deflecting a first circularly-polarized (CP) light beam from an incident direction with fast response comprises a polarization selector (PS) to adjust the incident light beam's sense of rotation to a desired one to form a second CP light beam, and a polarization grating (PG) to deflect the second CP light beam according to the desired sense of rotation. The PS comprises an optical modulator sandwiched between two quarter-wave plates. The optical modulator has at least one ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) half-wave plate (HWP) being reconfigurable in fast axis orientation. The device has a fast response in beam steering due to a short time of reconfiguring the FLC HWP. Based on serially cascading multiple units each being this device, a beam-steering apparatus having fast response and enhanced steering resolution is obtained. The apparatus is usable for enhancing a field of view in projecting an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited
    Inventors: Ming Wai Alwin Tam, Xiuling Zhu, Kin Lung Chan
  • Patent number: 10305425
    Abstract: An RC oscillator has a variable capacitor that sets the output frequency. The variable capacitor has m binary-weighted switched capacitor arrays, and each binary-weighted switched capacitor array has binary-weighted capacitors. p binary bits are decoded into an m-bit thermometer code that selects one of the m binary-weighted switched capacitor arrays to use n binary bits to switch its binary-weighted capacitors. Other binary-weighted switched capacitor arrays have all their capacitors switched on, or all their capacitors switched off by the thermometer code. The smallest or unit capacitance of each binary-weighted switched capacitor array is adjusted to compensate for the non-linear reciprocal relationship of frequency being proportional to 1/RC. The unit capacitance is increased for each successive binary-weighted switched capacitor array to reset to the ideal linear relationship of the (p,n)-bit code to frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company, Limited
    Inventors: Huimin Guo, Zhongliang Zhou, Yat Tung Lai
  • Patent number: 10250076
    Abstract: A wireless power transmitter that supplies power to a load. The wireless power transmitter includes an inverter, a voltage phase detector, a current phase detector, a phase difference counter, a controller and an impedance tuning circuit. The phase difference counter counts a phase difference between the voltage phase and the current phase at the output port of the inverter. The controller receives the phase difference from the phase difference counter and generates a control signal that changes an output impedance of the inverter in response to changes of a varying impedance of the load that is coupled with the output port of the inverter wirelessly. The impedance tuning circuit receives the control signal from the controller and tunes an imaginary part of the output impedance of the inverter to zero in order to maximize a power transfer efficiency from the wireless power transmitter to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Chen, Yan Liu
  • Patent number: 10244495
    Abstract: Methods and systems which provide for synchronization target selection by configuring a network device to reselect a synchronization signal transmission timeslot for synchronization target searching by the network device are described. Synchronization signal timeslot reselection may provide for downgrading a current stratum index to an artificial stratum index that does not accurately indicate a number of hops between the network device and a global synchronization source to allow for selection of available synchronization targets with stratum indices that are higher than or equal to the network device's stratum index without causing a synchronization loop. A synchronization signal pattern cycle structure having synchronization signal timeslots organized into multiple subcycles for accommodating synchronization signal timeslot reselection is utilized according to embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wilson Wang Kit Thong, Victor Man Wai Kwan, Elaine Jihui Zhang, Jie Chuai, Ching Hong Leung, Yan Lam Lee, Eric Kong Chau Tsang
  • Patent number: 10234419
    Abstract: The presently claimed invention provides an electrochemical analytical apparatus for electrochemical bath analysis. The apparatus comprise a static electrode and a rotatable unit. As steady liquid flow can be generated on the electrolytic surface of the static electrode by the rotatable unit through rotation, the static disk electrode does not involve any movement during the bath analysis such that the design of the electrical contact in the electrode can be substantially simplified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited
    Inventors: Yaofeng Sun, Sha Xu
  • Patent number: 10230311
    Abstract: A method prevents shoot-through currents and reduces body-diode conduction time in an inverter circuit by changing dead times for transistors in the inverter circuit. A sensing resistor senses temperatures of transistors in the inverter circuit. A delay generator changes delay times in response to receiving the temperatures of the transistors from the sensing resistor. A dead time generation unit changes the dead times for the transistors in response to changes in the delay times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Ziang Chen, Jun Chen, Hang Sang Lee
  • Patent number: 10219106
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for generation of a beacon identifier (ID) for increased security of a system for a location based service. The system includes a beacon device, such as a BLE device, a mobile device, and a server. The beacon device is configured to generate a beacon ID based on a beacon device identifier, such as a unique device identifier, of a beacon device and a time value. In some implementations, generation of the beacon ID includes a pseudorandom function and a shared key that is established between the beacon device and the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Andy Lam, Fred Wong, Aldar Chan
  • Patent number: 10211728
    Abstract: Two or more power converters are connected in parallel to supply power current to a joining node through connecting resistors. An output voltage before the connecting resistor in each power converter is sampled and divided by a sampling ratio to generate sampled voltages for each power converter. A current sharing circuit for each power converter receives the local sampled voltage and another sampled voltage from another power converter. The current sharing circuit generates an adjustment voltage that is injected into a feedback loop. The adjustment voltage modifies the output voltage of the power converter, adjusting and balancing the power current delivered by that power converter. Power currents from several power converters are reduced and balanced when the same sampling ratio is used for all power converters. Current hogging by one power converter is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company, Limited
    Inventors: Xiaoyong Hu, Ziyang Gao, Tak Lok Shum
  • Patent number: 10210616
    Abstract: Methods are described for detecting an edge of an object within an image with a fractional differential operator. Methods are also described for calculating 3D information using a strip pattern and the disclosed edge detection method. The fractional differential operator may be a modified Riesz space fractional differential operator. When calculating the fractional derivative of the image, a kernel approximation, in which a scaled Gaussian kernel function or a simplified scaled Gaussian kernel function, is applied to discretize the modified Riesz space fractional differential operator locally. The disclosed method improves the accuracy of edge detection, eliminates the need of applying additional fractional integration for noise suppression, and requires a smaller mask length to achieve desired accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: HONG KONG APPLIED SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ka Chun Cheung
  • Patent number: 10212677
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for selection of synchronization targets. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for selecting a synchronization target for a network device, within operational network constraints, when the network device loses its current synchronization target. When a network device loses its current synchronization target, the stratum index of the network device is downgraded to an artificial stratum index before a selection of a new synchronization target is made. The artificial stratum index is broadcast to children network devices. Downgrading the stratum index to an artificial stratum index allows for selection of available synchronization target network devices with stratum indices higher than or equal to the network device's stratum index. After selection of a new synchronization target, the network device's stratum index is updated, and the new updated stratum index of the network device is broadcast to the children network devices of the network device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wilson Wang Kit Thong, Elaine Jihui Zhang, Victor Man Wai Kwan, Vincent Zizhou Wang, Eric Kong Chau Tsang, Wei Han
  • Patent number: 10164684
    Abstract: A Power-Line Communication (PLC) receiver has a filter, a time domain processor, a frequency-domain processor, and a forward-error-correction decoder. A narrow-band frequency detector attached to the frequency-domain processor examines the frequency-domain signal for a highest-power sub-carrier frequency. This highest power is compared to an average power of all other sub-carriers and a narrow-band interferer is detected when the highest power is significantly above the average. When the interferer is detected N times in a time period, a control layer adds this sub-carrier frequency to a removed list and recalculates filter coefficients to add a notch filter at the frequencies of the removed list. Updated filter coefficients are loaded into the filter to implement notch filters. When the current power of a sub-carrier signal on the removed list falls significantly below the average power, the sub-carrier is deleted from the removed list and coefficients recalculated to remove the notch filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited
    Inventors: Zhixia Zhu, Kwok Kwan Tong, Wei Lun Alan Cheung
  • Patent number: 10161861
    Abstract: A compact device useful for measuring an absorption spectrum of a liquid, such as water with organic contaminants, is provided. The device comprises an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) each emitting light with a unique spectral peak. A reflector shaped as a half ellipsoid reflects the emitted light to form a reference beam. The reflector has an opening to allow part of the emitted light to form a measurement beam after passing through the liquid. Two photodetectors measure the reference beam and the measurement beam to give a reference intensity and a measured intensity, respectively. The LEDs sequentially emit showers of light one-by-one, giving plural pairs of reference and measured intensities for estimating the absorption spectrum. The device receives energy from a separate power-providing device through wireless power transfer. The power-providing device harvests motional energy of the flowing liquid to generate electrical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited
    Inventors: Chun Zhang, Ngok Man Sze, Luis Ng
  • Patent number: 10134722
    Abstract: An Electro-Static-Discharge (ESD) protection device has a Silicon-Controlled Rectifier (SCR) with a triggering PMOS transistor. The SCR is a PNPN structure with a P+ anode/source within a center N-well, a P-substrate, and an outer N-well that connects to a cathode using N+ well taps. The P+ anode/source is both the source of the triggering PMOS transistor and the anode of the SCR. A trigger circuit drives the gate of the triggering PMOS transistor low, turning it on to charge the P+ drain. Since the P+ drain straddles the well boundary, making physical contact with both the center N-well and the P-substrate, holes flow into the P-substrate. The P+ drain is located near guard rings that suppress latch-up. The holes from the P+ drain flood the region under the guard rings, temporarily weakening their effect and reducing the trigger voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited
    Inventors: Chun-Kit Yam, Xiao Huo
  • Patent number: 10135660
    Abstract: A Sampling Frequency Offset (SFO) tracking and estimation circuit performs SFO compensation on incoming data. A SFO acquisition module makes an initial coarse estimate using a Network Time Base (NTB) from the Media-Access-Controller (MAC) layer, or from the physical layer using adjacent synchronization symbols. A preamble channel estimator compares a frequency-domain preamble symbol to a reference symbol to generate a first channel estimate. As additional symbols are received, converted to the frequency domain, demodulated, and error corrected, the resulting data are re-error-encoded and compared to the same symbol stored before error correction and demodulation to generate a decision feedback channel estimate. The conjugate of the decision feedback channel estimate is multiplied by the last channel estimate to generate a new SFO estimate that is scaled by a filter constant and used to adjust SFO compensation. Each symbol generates a new estimate without using pilots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited
    Inventors: Zhixia Zhu, Kwok Kwan Tong, Wei Lun Alan Cheung
  • Publication number: 20180315198
    Abstract: Methods are described for detecting an edge of an object within an image with a fractional differential operator. Methods are also described for calculating 3D information using a strip pattern and the disclosed edge detection method. The fractional differential operator may be a modified Riesz space fractional differential operator. When calculating the fractional derivative of the image, a kernel approximation, in which a scaled Gaussian kernel function or a simplified scaled Gaussian kernel function, is applied to discretize the modified Riesz space fractional differential operator locally. The disclosed method improves the accuracy of edge detection, eliminates the need of applying additional fractional integration for noise suppression, and requires a smaller mask length to achieve desired accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Applicant: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ka Chun CHEUNG