Patents Issued in February 8, 2011
  • Patent number: 7885129
    Abstract: A memory chip and method for operating the same are provided. The memory chip includes a number of pads. The method includes inputting a number of first test signals to the pads respectively, wherein the first test signals corresponding to two physically-adjacent pads are complementary; inputting a number of second test signals, respectively successive to the first test signals, to the pads, wherein the first test signal and the second test signal corresponding to each of the pads are complementary; and outputting expected data from the memory chip if the first test signals and the second test signals are successfully received by the memory chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Kuen-Long Chang, Chun-Hsiung Hung, Chuan-Ying Yu, Chun-Yi Lee
  • Patent number: 7885130
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of memory cells connected to one word line; a plurality of sense amplifier circuits that are connected to the memory cells and divided into an N number of groups; and N number of data inversion processing circuits that respectively receive data read out from the N number of groups of sense amplifier circuits, in which after a sense amplifier circuit of a first group terminates operation, a sense amplifier circuit of a second group different from the first group operates, and each of the data inversion processing circuits performs data inversion processing based on the data read out from each of the groups of sense amplifier circuits, and outputs the data to an output terminal of each of the data inversion processing circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Kenjyu Shimogawa, Hiroshi Furuta
  • Patent number: 7885131
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device of the present invention comprises a memory array and a read circuit that reads data of a selected cell. The memory array includes a plurality of memory cells and a reference cell each having a memory element that stores data based on change in resistance value. The read circuit includes: a voltage comparison unit that compares a value corresponding to a sense current from the selected cell with a value corresponding to a reference current from the reference cell; a first switch; and a second switch. Both of the first and second switches are provided at a subsequent stage of a decoder and at a preceding stage of the voltage comparison unit. The second switch circuit controls input of the value corresponding to the sense current to the voltage comparison unit, while the first switch circuit controls input of the value corresponding to the reference current to the voltage comparison unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Noboru Sakimura, Takeshi Honda, Tadahiko Sugibayashi
  • Patent number: 7885132
    Abstract: An internal voltage generating circuit generates and supplies a boosted voltage higher than an internal power supply voltage, as an operating power supply voltage, to a sense amplifier in a read circuit for reading data of a memory cell. A bit line precharge current supplied via an internal data line is produced from the internal power supply voltage. It is possible to provide a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, which can perform a precise sense operation and an accurate reading of data even under a low power supply voltage condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Kubo, Takashi Itoh, Yasuhiro Kashiwazaki, Taku Ogura, Kiyohiro Furutani
  • Patent number: 7885133
    Abstract: A clock enable (CKE) control circuit (112) is provided between a memory control circuit (111) and a SDRAM (120). When a system is in, e.g., a sleep state, the CKE control circuit (112) controls a CKE signal outputted to the SDRAM (120) such that it is fixed to a Low level. As a result, it is possible to halt a power supply provided to the memory control circuit (111), while maintaining the low-power-consumption mode of the SDRAM (120), so that power consumption resulting from a leakage current is suppressed. In addition, it becomes also possible to reset the memory control circuit (111), while maintaining the low-power-consumption mode of the SDRAM (120).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Murakami, Yuji Takai, Takahide Baba
  • Patent number: 7885134
    Abstract: The present invention provides a refresh controller for embedded DRAM, configured to receive an external access signal and generate refresh enabling signal REFN, refresh address signal CRA and confliction signal, said embedded DRAM comprising a plurality of memory groups, said controller comprising: a status controlling module that generates refresh enabling signal REFN and last refresh signal last_ccr according to the refresh interval and clock cycles; a refresh searching module that searches in said plurality of memory bank groups for at least one memory bank group that is to be refreshed in the refresh interval, and generates refresh address signal CRA according to the external access signal and the searched memory bank group; a scoreboard module that records the status of each of said plurality of memory bank groups according to said refresh address signal CRA and external access signal; and a confliction detecting module that generates confliction signal according to said external access signal, last ref
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yu Fei Li, Yong Lu, Yang Hao
  • Patent number: 7885135
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device that prevents a power noise generated at a data input/output pad in a read operation from affecting a data strobe signal pad. The semiconductor memory device includes first power supply voltage pads for a data output circuit, a first power mesh, and a second power supply voltage pad for a data strobe signal output circuit. The first power mesh connects first power supply voltage pads to one another. The second power supply voltage pad is electrically separated from the first power mesh.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Kang-Seol Lee, Seok-Cheol Yoon
  • Patent number: 7885136
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory cell device includes a first multiplexer selecting a sub-block including a memory cell storing data to be read out in a row, a drain selector selecting a first column line connected to one terminal of the memory cell to be read, a precharge selector selecting a second column line connected to the other terminal of the memory cells adjacent to the one terminal of the memory cell storing the data to be readout, a second multiplexer selecting the sub-block including the second column line, a source selector selecting a third column line connected to the other terminal of the memory cell storing the data to be read out. The second multiplexer and precharge selector, when selecting, apply a first voltage to the second column line, and the source selector, when selecting, applies a second voltage to the third column line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Oki Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuaki Matsui, Junichi Ogane
  • Patent number: 7885137
    Abstract: Provided is a method of operating a flash memory device having a first area and a second area, in which a programmed state and an erased state of the first area are opposite to that of the second area. The method includes receiving a program command, inverting the program data when the received program command is a command for programming the second area, and programming the inverted program data into the second area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Seok-Jin Joo
  • Patent number: 7885138
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a memory array of dual part cells and design structure thereof. The memory array has a pair of twisted write bit lines and a pair of twisted read bit lines for each column. The twist is made by alternating the vertical position of each bit line pair in each section of a column, with the result of generating common mode nose and of reducing differential mode noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hoki Kim, Toshiaki Kirihata
  • Patent number: 7885139
    Abstract: A multi-chip package includes a plurality of memory chips and a control chip, wherein the control chip stores information about whether the memory chips are operating normally and selects chips that are operating normally according to an address signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Je Il Ryu, You Sung Kim
  • Patent number: 7885140
    Abstract: A clock mode configuration circuit for a memory device is described. A memory system includes any number of memory devices serially connected to each other, where each memory device receives a clock signal. The clock signal can be provided either in parallel to all the memory devices or serially from memory device to memory device through a common clock input. The clock mode configuration circuit in each memory device is set to a parallel mode for receiving the parallel clock signal, and to a serial mode for receiving a source synchronous clock signal from a prior memory device. Depending on the set operating mode, the data input circuits will be configured for the corresponding data signal format, and the corresponding clock input circuits will be either enabled or disabled. The parallel mode and the serial mode is set by sensing a voltage level of a reference voltage provided to each memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Mosaid Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Peter B. Gillingham, Graham Allan
  • Patent number: 7885141
    Abstract: Provided are a nonvolatile memory device and a method for setting configuration information of the nonvolatile memory device. The nonvolatile memory device can include a nonvolatile memory cell array, a configuration register and a configuration controller. The configuration controller can be configured to set configuration information in the configuration register based on the state of a select flag stored in the nonvolatile memory cell array. The nonvolatile memory device can be configured to maintain the configuration information using the select flag and a lock flag to prevent the configuration information from changing when security is utilized and reduce the likelihood of the nonvolatile memory device operating erroneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Eun-suk Kang
  • Patent number: 7885142
    Abstract: An acoustic logging system that measures distribution of foam cement and other material in a casing-borehole annulus. The distribution is preferably displayed as map. A borehole tool utilizes at least one acoustic transducer with a known frequency response and mounted on a rotating scanning head that is pointed essentially perpendicular to the borehole wall. The response of the transducer is used to measure an original impedance map of material within the borehole-casing annulus. A fast Fourier transform is used to generate a FFT map from the data comprising the original impedance map. The original impedance map is then combined with the FFT map using logic rules to obtain a final impedance map that is indicative of material within the casing-borehole annulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Precision Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Lucio N. Tello, Sarah D. Molder
  • Patent number: 7885143
    Abstract: Various technologies for a seismic acquisition system, which may include an acquisition central system configured to determine a desired start time for a sweep cycle in one or more vibrators and a recorder source system controller in communication with the acquisition central system. The recorder source system controller may be configured to receive the desired start time from the acquisition central system. The seismic acquisition system may further include one or more vibrator units in communication with the recorder source system controller. Each vibrator unit may be configured to start a sweep cycle in a vibrator at the desired start time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: WesternGeco L.L.C.
    Inventor: Martin Laycock
  • Patent number: 7885144
    Abstract: An amplifier circuit to amplify a sequence of echoes and to generate a corresponding sequence of amplified signals. In an embodiment, the amplifier includes an operational amplifier, with variable input and feedback resistances such that the ratio of the two resistances can be controlled. A gain control block controls the ratio in a time dependent manner to obtain desired gain factors for each of the echoes. The gain factors can be pre-computed such that all the echoes are gained to the same level in case of an ultra-sound system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Sandeep Oswal, Jagannathan Venkataraman, Visvesvaraya Appala Pentakota, Shagun Dusad
  • Patent number: 7885145
    Abstract: A system and method for selecting an object from a plurality of objects in a physical environment is disclosed. The method may include analyzing acoustic data received by a plurality of acoustic sensors, detecting a snapping sound in the acoustic data, determining the direction of the snapping sound, estimating the distance to an object based on loudness measurements of the snapping sound detected in the acoustic data, and determining the location of the object relative to the system based at least in part on the determined direction, the estimated distance to the object and the location of the system. The method may further include identifying the selected object based on its geolocation, collecting and merging data about the identified object from a plurality of data sources, and displaying the collected and merged data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Stefan Marti
  • Patent number: 7885146
    Abstract: A timer device includes a timer housing. An electronic countdown circuit is disposed within the timer housing. The electronic countdown circuit is programmed to include at least one mode of operation. A display device is attached to the timer housing and in electronic communication with the electronic countdown circuit. The display device includes an LCD display and at least one flashable LED light. A power source is in electrical communication with the electronic circuit. At least one switch is in electrical communication with the electronic countdown circuit. The switch is adapted to select the mode of countdown operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Potty Time, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Parkinson, Pamela Parkinson, Katie Cochran
  • Patent number: 7885147
    Abstract: A method to provide data storage services using one or more holographic data storage media disposed in a holographic data storage system operated by a data storage services provider, wherein the holographic data storage system comprises a light source, a spatial light modulator, and a plurality of holographic data storage media, wherein the method receives information provided by the data storage services customer, allocates a first holographic data storage medium for exclusive storage of information provided by the data storage services customer, defines an outer storage portion of the first allocated holographic data storage medium, and stores the information as one or more holograms encoded in the outer storage portion of the first holographic data storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Allen Keith Bates, Nils Haustein, Craig Anthony Klein, Daniel James Winarski
  • Patent number: 7885148
    Abstract: In a disc processing apparatus capable of automatically carrying out processing work such as recording information on a plurality of optical discs and printing label surfaces on those optical discs, this disc processing apparatus is able to suppress by separating a conveyed optical disc from an optical disc located just under the conveyed optical disc the occurrence of a phenomenon in which a plurality of optical discs is simultaneously conveyed in the state in which they stuck together when a plurality of optical discs accommodated within a stacker in the stacked state stuck together. After a disc contact portion 17c of a disc holding mechanism C1 was brought in contact with an optical disc D, the disc holding mechanism C1 is lowered by a predetermined amount to urge the disc contact portion 17c to downwardly press the optical disc D to thereby apply force directed in the direction substantially perpendicular to the disc surface to the optical disc D.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: TEAC Corporation
    Inventor: Tomohiro Ikeda
  • Patent number: 7885149
    Abstract: A disk carrier device for carrying an optical disk having a plate in the center, which plate is capable of being attracted by a magnetic force, is disclosed. The disclosed disk carrier device includes an attracting unit including a permanent magnet that attracts and thereby holds the plate; and a holding mechanism configured to detachably hold the attracting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Chotaro Engineering Co.
    Inventor: Nobuaki Onagi
  • Patent number: 7885150
    Abstract: In a track jumping scan control device wherein an optical beam is irradiated on an optical disc provided with a header region capable of a mark-recording operation with respect to both of land and groove tracks adjacent in a radial direction of the disc and comprising prepits, and a signal based on a reflected light resulting therefrom is used to make the optical beam jumping-scan with respect to a predetermined track, a full track jumping scan for making the optical beam track-jump between the land tracks or the groove tracks or a half track jumping scan for making the optical beam track-jump from the land track to the groove track or from the groove track to the land track is executed as the track jumping scan. Which of the two track jumping scans is executed is selected in accordance with a cycle at which the header region is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Yamada, Kiyoshi Masaki, Kazuhiko Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 7885151
    Abstract: A servo accelerator for an optical drive includes input and output (I/O) terminals that receive an input signal from a processor of the optical drive. An error circuit generates an error signal based on a sensed characteristic of a laser beam. A compensation circuit generates a compensation signal based on the input signal and the error signal. A servo output adjusts the sensed characteristic of the laser beam based on the compensation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeff Mitchem, Chris Turner
  • Patent number: 7885152
    Abstract: A tracking error (TE) signal is formed from a single spot on a photodetector 25 to improve the robustness in optical disc applications having a reduced track-pitch. Reduced track pitches are employed in high data capacity optical disc formats. By using high frequency cross-correlation of a central aperture signal, the differences within the left 21 and right 23 detector halves yield a divergence from the zero crossing that produces a more pronounced tracking signal. The more pronounced tracking signal is insensitive to incoherent cross talk in multi-layer discs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Ruud Vlutters, Bin Yin
  • Patent number: 7885153
    Abstract: A recording medium includes first information selected from a plurality of information patterns and second information selected from another plurality of information patterns for the true-false judgement. A true-false judging device performs a statistic analysis when any coincidence is found between the readout combination of the first and second information and registered combination patterns, to identify an inspected recording medium as a forged product based on the result of the statistic analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuya Kondo
  • Patent number: 7885154
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling discrete data in a disk overwrite area or a power calibration area comprises a signal-processing unit, an address-processing unit, a control signal-processing unit, a clock recovery circuit, a signal-processing unit parameter control unit, and a clock recovery circuit parameter control unit, wherein the control signal-processing unit uses a message produced by a data on the disc to determine the control signals such as hold, load, or increasing bandwidth for holding, loading, and increasing the bandwidth of the parameters for processing the related circuits (such as the circuit of the signal-processing unit or the clock recovery circuit) of the discrete data produced between the two data clusters, so as to increase the convergent speed of the circuits for assuring the accuracy of reading data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Mediatek Incorporation
    Inventors: Jin-Bin Yang, Meng-Ta Yang
  • Patent number: 7885155
    Abstract: A data readout method is disclosed that is able to read data from an optical disk capable of super resolution readout with high accuracy. The data readout method allows reading data recorded in an optical disk by irradiating a laser beam onto the optical disk. The method includes the steps of varying a light emission power level of the laser beam while the laser beam is irradiated onto the optical disk, and acquiring a reflectivity of the optical disk corresponding to each light emission power level; calculating a second derivative of a curve representing correlation between the reflectivity and the light emission power with respect to the light emission power; calculating an extreme value of the second derivative; and calculating an optimum readout power level for super resolution readout based on the extreme value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenya Yokoi, Ryosuke Kasahara
  • Patent number: 7885156
    Abstract: A method for controlling the recording power of an optical disc apparatus. The method can search for an optimum recording power using a starting power stored in a recordable high density optical disc based on a manufacturer thereof, and perform recording operations with the optimum recording power while the start power is properly varied through an Optimum Power Control (OPC) procedure. The method comprises the operations of: obtaining an initial start power for performing the OPC procedure of a recordable optical disc; performing the OPC procedure, and judging whether the initial start power is within a range of allowable levels for determining the optimum recording power of the optical disc; re-performing the OPC procedure by varying the initial start power when the initial start power deviates from the range of allowable levels; and storing the new start power when within the range of allowable levels for improved subsequent OPC procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jin Woo Yu
  • Patent number: 7885157
    Abstract: An information recording medium is provided with: a recording layer (L0 layer, L1 layer) having one or a plurality of predetermined recording areas (CDZ, 101 and the like) in which record data including buffer data in a finalizing process can be recorded; and a management area (CDZ) in which the management information (50a) can be recorded, the management information including first identification information (51a) for identifying whether or not embossed pits are formed in the predetermined recording area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Kato, Eiji Muramatsu, Shoji Taniguchi, Eisaku Kawano
  • Patent number: 7885158
    Abstract: A system controller is provided so as to record the second disk type information having the same content as that of the first disk type information, which is recorded in a DVD-R in advance, in a DVD-R in which the first disk type information is recorded as well as to record the record information in the DVD-R and reproduce the record information only if the first disk type information and the second disk type information have the same contents each other upon reproducing the record information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Sawabe, Yukiyoshi Haraguchi, Takeo Tobe, Kazutaka Mitsuki, Hiroyuki Kirikawa, Masanori Nakahara
  • Patent number: 7885159
    Abstract: The method prevents an optical disk from being scraped by an optical apparatus of a pickup head of an optical disc drive is disclosed, it mainly includes: moving the optical apparatus of the pickup head to a detection position in which the laser-light emitted from the pickup head focuses on the optical disk; detecting the first-detection position and setting a movement boundary according to the first-detection position, wherein the movement boundary has a upper boundary and a bottom boundary; preventing the optical apparatus from moving out of the movement boundary. The present method can be implemented without installing any additional apparatus in the original video disc player, and can prevent the optical disk and the inner apparatus of the optical disc drive from being scraped or damaged by the pickup head during a read/write process to increase the service life of the optical disk and the optical disc drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Lite-On It Corporation
    Inventors: Song-Ruei Chen, Chih-Chang Cheu, Rong-Son Jeng, Chun-Cheng Chang, Chung-Ming Chen
  • Patent number: 7885160
    Abstract: There is provided an information recording and reproducing method and an apparatus for the same capable of optimizing the shift adjustment of a recording pulse recorded in an optical disk even at the time of recording information on the optical disk at a high speed. The shift adjustment value of the recording pulse optimized at a low speed recording on an optical disk is multiplied by a constant value to be taken as the optimum shift conditions of the recording pulse at the high speed recording.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc.
    Inventors: Takakiyo Yasukawa, Koichi Watanabe, Naohito Ikeda, Toshio Shoji, Yasuhiro Wada
  • Patent number: 7885161
    Abstract: An information recording apparatus includes an information obtaining unit, a sign arrangement generating unit, a sign arrangement recording unit. The information obtaining unit obtains information to be recorded on a recording medium. The sign arrangement generating unit, based on information to be obtained by the information obtaining unit, generates an arrangement having three or more kinds of signs for expressing the obtained information. The sign arrangement recording unit, while shifting recording positions of a recording area included in the recording medium, records physical features sequentially into the respective recording positions of the recording area included in the recording medium. And each physical feature corresponds to one kind of the signs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kimura, Kensuke Ito
  • Patent number: 7885162
    Abstract: In an information recording medium including at least a first recording layer (L0 layer) capable of recording information and a second recording layer (L1 layer) capable of recording information, an information recording device (300) records information in a predetermined area (12) of the second recording layer by a laser beam which has passed through a transmission area (11) of the first recording layer. The information recording medium (300) includes recording means (302, etc.) for recording the information in the first recording layer or the second recording layer, judgment means for judging whether an unrecorded amount indicating the size of the unrecorded area in the radial direction in the transmission area is smaller than a predetermined amount, and control means used when the unrecorded area is judged to be smaller than the predetermined amount, for controlling the recording means to record information in the predetermined area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Eisaku Kawano, Masahiro Kato, Akira Shirota, Masahiro Miura, Tohru Kanegae, Shoji Taniguchi, Eiji Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 7885163
    Abstract: A recording medium, a recording/reproducing apparatus, and a recording/reproducing method are disclosed. The apparatus uses the number of record layers contained in a recording medium and a multi-wavelength light source including a plurality of optical signals having different wavelengths, and irradiates an optical signal emitted from a light source on each recording medium according to wavelengths of the light beams. As a result, the apparatus can effectively gain access to the recording medium including a plurality of record layers, such that it can simultaneously record/reproduce data in/from the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Yun Sup Shin
  • Patent number: 7885164
    Abstract: Provided is an optical information recording method and an optical information recording medium, which can achieve easy duplication in holographic recording. The optical information recording method is for recording information to an optical information recording medium 4 which includes an information recording layer to which information is recorded using holography. In the method, virtual information light 6 composed of information light 2 to which information is added by spatially modulating at least a part of light ray flux emitted from a light source and of recording-specific reference light 3 is generated, and virtual information light 6 and virtual recording-specific reference light 8 are irradiated onto the information recording layer so that information is recorded thereto by interference pattern generated by interference between virtual information light 6 and virtual recording-specific reference light 8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Optware Corporation
    Inventor: Hideyoshi Horimai
  • Patent number: 7885165
    Abstract: An optical pickup device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a light source for projecting a beam of light to record and reproduce information with respect to an optical recording medium. A collimating lens is disposed on a path of the light to converge and convert the light into a parallel beam. An object lens condenses the parallel beam from the collimating lens and projects the parallel beam onto the optical recording medium. An optical element is disposed between the collimating lens and the object lens. A first actuator moves the collimating lens along the optical axis to thereby control a distance between the collimating lens and the optical element. A first controller drives the first actuator to find a position for the collimating lens, for reducing aberration generated in the light being projected to the optical recording medium. Accordingly, the aberration can be effectively prevented, thereby improving recording and reproducing performance of the optical pickup device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Soo-han Park, Jang-hoon Yoo, Hag-hyeon Jang, Yong-han Yoon, Soo-jin Jung
  • Patent number: 7885166
    Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus includes a semiconductor laser for emitting a laser light, an objective lens for irradiating the light flux emitted from the semiconductor laser onto an optical disc, and a light detector for receiving the light flux reflected from the optical disc. The light detector has a light receiving part that comprises a region 1, a region 2, a region 3, a region 4, a region 5, a region 6 and a region 7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Media Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimasa Kamisada, Yasuo Kitada, Kazuyoshi Yamazaki, Tomoto Kawamura, Yoshiro Konishi
  • Patent number: 7885167
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an objective lens, an objective lens unit and an optical pickup apparatus. The objective lens is provided for an optical pickup apparatus recording or reproducing information by converging a light flux with a wavelength ?1 emitted from a light source onto an information recording surface of an optical information recording medium. The objective lens is formed of: a single lens having at least one aspheric surface. In the objective lens, an effective aperture, a thickness on an optical axis, a focal length, a numerical aperture, and a refractive index satisfy the predetermined conditional expressions. The objective lens unit is provided for an optical pickup apparatus and includes an aberration correcting element and the objective lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Opto, Inc.
    Inventors: Kentarou Nakamura, Eiji Nomura
  • Patent number: 7885168
    Abstract: A data-storage device has a data-storage medium storing data as local deformations, and at least one read/write element including a supporting structure, which carries a local probe arranged facing the data-storage medium. The local probe is formed by a bipolar junction. The supporting structure is formed by a first and a second arms of semiconductor material, carried by a substrate and extending in cantilever fashion above a cavity made within the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Giulio Ricotti, Marcellino Gemelli
  • Patent number: 7885169
    Abstract: An electric field sensor includes a substrate having a low resistive semiconductor layer doped with a high-density dopant as the top layer of the substrate, a high resistive semiconductor layer doped with a low-density dopant, the high resistive semiconductor layer located at a partial area on the low resistive semiconductor layer, and a conductive layer located on the high resistive semiconductor layer, wherein a change of an electric field is detected by a change of a current flowing through the low resistive semiconductor layer, the high resistive semiconductor layer, and the conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Simon Buehlmann, Hyoung-soo Ko, Ju-hwan Jung, Seung-bum Hong
  • Patent number: 7885170
    Abstract: A data reading/writing head reading/writing data from/to a ferroelectric recording medium by using an electric field effect, includes a semiconductor body having a first plane on which an air bearing pattern is formed and a second plane crossing the first plane. A sensing unit is located on the second plane and reads data written to the ferroelectric recording medium, wherein the second plane is separated from the first plane, and a floating gate is disposed on the sensing unit, wherein an end of the floating gate extends to the first plane to guide an electric field from the ferroelectric recording medium to the sensing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chul-min Park, Ju-hwan Jung, Hyoung-soo Ko
  • Patent number: 7885171
    Abstract: An information storage medium according to the present invention has n information storage layers (where n is an integer and n?3), on which data can be written with a laser beam and which are stacked one upon the other. Each of the n storage layers has a test write zone for determining the recording power of the laser beam. When those n layers are counted from the one that is located most distant from the surface of the medium on which the laser beam is incident, there is a bigger radial location difference between the outer peripheral end of the inner one of the test write zones of ith and (i+1)th information storage layers (where i is an integer that satisfies 2?i?n?1) and the inner peripheral end of the other outer test write zone than between the outer peripheral end of the inner one of the test write zones of jth and (j+1)th information storage layers (where j is an integer that satisfies 1?j?i?1) and the inner peripheral end of the other outer test write zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Shoji, Kiyotaka Ito
  • Patent number: 7885172
    Abstract: Compatibility information embedded in an optical medium modifies actions allowed by predetermined non-compatible optical disc drives on the optical medium, such as optical disc drives that may suffer damage if certain actions are performed on the optical medium. For instance, a compatibility engine of the optical disc drive applies compatibility information read from an optical medium to determine restrictions to impose on the use of the optical medium, such as restricting the optical disc drive from writing to the optical medium, reading from the optical medium or performing any operations until an update to the optical disc drive firmware is performed either automatically or by display of a compatibility user interface at an information handling system associated with the optical disc drive. In one embodiment, the compatibility information identifies incompatible optical disc drives and firmware versions by unique identifiers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Dirk Erickson, Robert A. Brondijk, Jaconus Petrus Josephus Heemskerk, Jakob G. Nijboer, Christiaan Steenbergen, Charles R. Weirauch
  • Patent number: 7885173
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a write-once information recording medium includes a transparent resin substrate having concentric or spiral grooves and lands, and a recording film formed on the grooves and lands of the transparent resin substrate, wherein the recording film includes an organic dye layer containing a metal complex monomer and a metal complex polymer, a recording mark is formed in the organic dye layer by emission of a short-wavelength laser beam, and a light reflectance of the recording mark formed by emission of the short-wavelength laser beam is higher than that before emission of the short-wavelength laser beam, and the grooves wobble within a predetermined amplitude range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Seiji Morita, Koji Takazawa, Kazuyo Umezawa, Naoki Morishita, Naomasa Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7885174
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a wireless local device. In this method a local device receives a beacon for a current superframe in a common signal format. The beacon includes time slot assignment information. The local device then determines a device format for the transmission of data to a remote device based on format determination information. The device format can be one of a common signal format, and one or more wireless formats. The local device then determines one or more remote device time slots in the superframe assigned for transmission of the data to the remote device based on the time slot assignment information. Finally, the local device transmits the data in the one or more remote device time slots to the remote device using the device format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew L. Welborn, John W. McCorkle
  • Patent number: 7885175
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a transmitting device and a receiving device in a wireless orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) communication system with space time transmit diversity (STTD). Further, the present invention relates to a channel estimation method for performing a channel estimation in such a wireless communication system, in which the transmitting device comprises a first and a second antenna for transmitting signals with space time transmit diversity. The first and the second antenna means are arranged spaced apart from each other in a space diversity arrangement, whereby first and second pilot symbols are transmitted via said first and said second antenna means, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Zhaocheng Wang, Richard Stirling-Gallacher
  • Patent number: 7885176
    Abstract: A method for transmission, by dividing a transmission resource in a time domain subframe into a plurality of equal duration resource elements in a time and frequency domain, segregating the plurality of resource elements into a plurality of resource regions, modulating information to be transmitted to generate a sequence of modulation symbols at a transmitter, mapping the sequence of modulation symbols into the plurality of resource elements in the plurality of resource regions, and transmitting the modulation symbols via a plurality of antennas using the respective corresponding resource elements to a receiver. The mapping of the modulation symbols in at least one resource region is independent of a certain control channel information that is carried in said time domain subframe, and the mapping of the modulation symbols in at least another resource region is dependent upon said certain control channel information that is carried in said subframe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhouyue Pi, Farooq Khan
  • Patent number: 7885177
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for transmitting symbols in a multiple antenna communication system according to a frame structure, such that the symbols can be interpreted by a lower order receiver (i.e., a receiver having a fewer number of antennas than the transmitter). The disclosed frame structure comprises a legacy preamble having at least one long training symbol and N-1 additional long training symbols that are transmitted on each of N transmit antennas. The legacy preamble may be, for example, an 802.11 a/g preamble that includes at least one short training symbol, at least one long training symbol and at least one SIGNAL field. A sequence of each of the long training symbols on each of the N transmit antennas are time orthogonal. The long training symbols can be time orthogonal by introducing a phase shift to each of long training symbols relative to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Agere Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Robert John Kopmeiners, Tim Schenk, Allert Van Zelst
  • Patent number: 7885178
    Abstract: A quasi-parallel receiver may simultaneously receive signals within several subchannels that comprise a wideband channel. The receiver includes a subchannel filter selection switch that provides a baseband signal to a selected one of a plurality of subchannel low-pass filters. A heterodyne frequency generator provides one of a plurality of heterodyne frequencies to convert an RF signal received within a selected subchannel to the baseband signal. The subchannel low-pass filters accumulate signal information from an associated one of a plurality of subchannels during a filter-input sampling interval. In some embodiments, individual analog-to-digital converters receive the accumulated signal outputs from an associated subchannel filter and generate digital signals for a subsequent Fourier transformation. In some embodiments, a normalized signal output may be provided to the analog-to-digital converters, allowing the use of lower resolution analog-to-digital converters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander A. Maltsev, Ali S. Sadri, Sergey E. Sergeyev, Alexander N. Belonozhkin, Vadim S. Sergeyev