Abstract: The presently described subject matter is directed to water-soluble conjugated polyene compounds that exhibit aggregation induced emission, as well as to water dispersible, fluorescent, polymeric microparticles and/or nanoparticles comprising the water-soluble conjugated polyene compounds. Also provided are methods of making and using the compounds and particles. The described conjugated polyene compounds are useful as bioprobes for the detection biomacromolecules, as well as in the manufacture of sensors.

Abstract: The present invention provides an integrated electronic microphone formed as part of a semiconductor device, and a manufacturing method therefor. The microphone is formed with a sensing electrode as part of a sensing membrane, and the sensing electrode is connected to the gate of a sensing transistor to provide an output. The microphone may be operated in constant bias or constant charge mode.

Abstract: A method and system map high dynamic range images to low dynamic range images. An input set of luminance values can be divided into separate regions corresponding to particular luminance value ranges. A region value can be determined for each region. Based at least in part on the region value, a quantity of range assigned to each region for tone mapping can be dynamically adjusted until each region meets a decision criterion or stopping condition, referred to herein as “concentration.” A region can be said to be concentrated if all luminance values therein are within a concentration interval or range. After a region is concentrated, it can be tone-mapped by quantization.

Abstract: Systems and methodologies for employing bidirectionally decodable Wyner-Ziv video coding (BDWZVC) are described herein. BDWZVC can be used to generate M-frames, which have multiple reference frames at an encoder and can be forward and backward decodable. For example, optimal Lagrangian multipliers for forward and backward motion estimation can be derived and/or utilized. The optimal Lagrangian multiplier for backward motion estimation can be approximately twice as large as the optimal Lagrangian multiplier for forward motion estimation. Further, an optimal P-frame/M-frame selection scheme can be employed to enhance rate-distortion performance when video is transmitted over an error prone channel. Accordingly, a first frame in a group of pictures (GOP) can be encoded as an I-frame, a next m?1 frames can be encoded as P-frames, and a remaining n-m frames can be encoded as M-frames, where n can be a length of the GOP and m can be optimally identified.

Abstract: Described herein is an efficient encryption method and system having improved security features based on randomness. The method and system utilize a random dictionary insertion and a random dictionary permutation, and a key stream generated by a stream cipher. Security analysis results show that the method and system provides a higher level of security without incurring any coding efficiency loss, compared with a existing encoding methods.

Abstract: A switched-capacitor regulator is provided for regulating the output voltage of a voltage supply. The switched-capacitor regulator includes a supply input terminal capable of receiving a supply voltage, two or more flying capacitors, a regulation switch located between each flying capacitor and the supply input terminal, and a voltage control circuit. The activity of the regulation switches is controlled by the voltage control circuit. In one embodiment of the invention, the voltage control circuit includes a feedback resistance area having one or more feedback resistors located between the output of the flying capacitors and a ground terminal, a first gain stage connected to the feedback resistance area, and two or more second switchable gain stages, which are each connected to a regulation switch and the first gain stage. The switched-capacitor regulator operates in pseudo-continuous regulator mode using three-stage switchable operational amplifiers with time-multiplexed pole-splitting compensation.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can facilitate more efficient free view generation in Ray-Space by way of a Radon transform. The architecture can render virtual views based upon original image data by employing Ray-Space interpolation techniques. In particular, the architecture can apply the Radon transform to a feature epipolar plane image (FEPI) to extract more suitable slope or direction candidates. In addition, the architecture can facilitate improved block-based matching techniques in order to determine an optimal linear interpretation direction.

Abstract: Demosaicking optimizations are provided for still and/or moving image (e.g., video) processes that efficiently generate viewable images. A demosaicking process selects a direction before performing interpolation in order to avoid interpolation across edges and also to minimize color artifacts. The direction to be selected is based on a direction similarity measurement. A digital capture device can includes a system that processes the image data by performing interpolation based on the direction similarity measurement(s) for color difference spaces. The images created based on the directional similarities demonstrate performance gains in peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR).

Abstract: An electroconductive bonding material is formed as a Modified Electrically Conductive Adhesive (MECA), and consists of a resin matrix and a modified conductive filler. The resin matrix if formed by providing a thermosetting or thermoplastic resin-based polymer resin. The conductive filler is a metal filler material suitable for use as conductive filler for the resin matrix. The metal filler is modified by applying a material selected from one of halogens, pseudohalogens or their precursors.

Abstract: Systems and methodologies for analyzing error recovery performance of variable length codes utilized for encoding and decoding data are provided herein. Synchronization recovery of a set of variable length codes can be evaluated assuming that an encoded bit stream is transmitted over a binary symmetric channel. Further, mean symbol error rates corresponding to each of the variable length codes in the set can be determined based upon the evaluation of the synchronization recovery. Moreover, a subset of the variable length codes with optimal error recovery can be selected as a function of the mean symbol error rates.

Abstract: Wetting and print transfer from a printing patterned transfer surface is enhanced by applying an ultraviolet radiation responsive material to the patterned transfer surface. Ultraviolet activation of the ultraviolet responsive coating is performed during a transfer of printing material to a substrate. The technique increases precision of the printing process and is useful for transfer of printing material to a substrate in order to establish printed circuit components such as circuit traces and printed circuit elements on the substrate. In a particular configuration the ultraviolet radiation responsive material can be made of azobenzene material or free radical initiators.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for making modified jacobsite, Al-doped maghemite or modified maghemite nanoparticles that can be used to adsorb heavy metals, such as Cr(VI), found in wastewater. The magnetic nanoparticles can be separated using a magnetic field after adsorbing heavy metals from wastewater, and processed for reused.

Abstract: An End-Point Prediction scheme is described for voltage-mode buck regulators to generate adaptive output voltage to integrated-circuit systems. Internal nodal voltages of the regulator controller are predicted and set automatically by the proposed algorithms and circuits. The settling time of the regulator can therefore be significantly reduced for faster dynamic responses, even with dominant-pole compensation.

Abstract: We disclose a new method of preparing liquid crystal alignment layers that can produce controllable pretilt angles from near 0 to near 90°. It is based on the stacking of two alignment materials sequentially, with the first one being continuous and the second one being discontinuous leaving part of the first layer exposed.

Abstract: Systems and methodologies for concealing frame loss in a video transmission environment are provided herein. Multiple Description Coding (MDC) can be used as an Error Resilience technique for video coding. In case of transmission errors, Error Concealment can be combined with MDC to reconstruct a lost frame, such that the propagated error to following frames can be reduced. Further, multi-hypothesis decoding can be employed to enhance reconstructed video quality of MDC over packet loss networks. For instance, one or more frames after the lost frame in the same stream can be reconstructed using multi-hypothesis decoding, which combines directly decoding and temporally interpolating these frames. Moreover, output obtained from directly decoding and temporally interpolating each frame can be combined by generating a weighted sum of these hypotheses. Constant weights and/or adaptive weights (e.g., determined based on the minimum mean square error criterion) can be used for yielding the weighted sum.

Abstract: Efficient encoding and/or decoding of digital video is provided using multiple candidate reference frames, making playback of the digital video optionally reversible. For example, a source can be encoded as duplex coded frames having multiple candidate reference frames. The reference frames can be previous or future frames, and the duplex coded frames can be encoded at a bit-rate that ensures lossless decoding using any of the candidate reference frames. Therefore, the duplex coded frames can encoded in normal and/or reverse temporal order. In this regard, the ability to decode digital video frames using either a single previous or future frame enables reversible digital video, bit-stream switching and video splicing arbitrary time points, and provides for increased error resilience.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an RFID Tag and Antenna for use with an RFID tag and a method of radio frequency identification (RFID). The RFID Tag comprises a RFID chip 5 for storing data, an antenna 6 and an electromagnetic band gap substrate 12. The RFID chip 5 and the antenna 6 are mounted above the electromagnetic band gap substrate 12. The electromagnetic band gap substrate has a reflection phase which is different from 180° at the operation frequency of the antenna. The electromagnetic band gap substrate enables the RFID to operate even if it is mounted on a conductive object, as the reflection phase is not 180° so it does not destructively interfere with the radiation from the antenna at the operating frequency. Preferably the reflection phase is between 340° and 115° or ?95° and 145°. The preferred embodiment uses a band gap substrate having two mushroom-like conductive layers 3, 7 with a dielectric in between.

Abstract: Block parallel fast motion estimation for blocks of a video frame is provided where encoding of video blocks can be ordered to allow concurrent encoding thereof. Furthermore, motion vector prediction can be performed concurrently for independent video blocks where requisite blocks for calculating the prediction of a given block can be previously encoded, but not all blocks depend from each other; thus, parallel motion vector estimation is possible. Additionally, a fast motion estimation algorithm can be concurrently performed on a number of video blocks to search surrounding blocks to compute motion vectors as well. The concurrent processes can leverage the parallel architecture of one or more graphical processing units (GPU).

Abstract: An exponential charge pump uses a number of identical or similar charging stages, each having a first and second capacitor. During a first clock phase, the first capacitor of each stage is charged by the second capacitor of the preceding stage, and, during a complementary second clock phase, the positive plate of the first capacitor of each stage is pushed to an increased voltage by the first capacitor of the preceding stage and charges the second capacitor of the next stage to the increased voltage at the same time. A similar mechanism occurs to the second capacitors in each stage, but with complementary timing. The increased voltage of the first capacitor of the last stage is pumped to an output capacitor during the second clock phase, and the increased voltage of the second capacitor of the last stage is pumped to an output capacitor during the first clock phase.

Abstract: This invention provides an integrated circuit (IC) optical detector. The IC optical detector comprises a substrate and an IC. The substrate comprises a plurality of test sites defined thereon. The test sites comprise a surface suitably treated for coating of at least one test sample. The at least one test sample is capable of being changed by a reaction. The IC comprises at least one optical sensor array for simultaneously receiving and sensing optical signals from the test sites during operations Presence of at least one changed test sample at a test site changes the quantity of light directed through the test site. The change in quantity of light is detectable by the sensor array. The optical sensor array further converts the sensed optical signals to electrical signals. The IC automatically processes and outputs the electrical signals during operation. This invention further provides a method for detecting a specific sample within at least one test sample.