Thomson Licensing

Beckman Coulter, Inc.

Interdigital Madison Patent Holdings

Ronald Douglas Johnson

Mark Alan Schultz

Mark Nierzwick

Matthew S Davis

Gregory William Cook

Robert J Zigon

Mark F Sauerburger

Craig A Hudson

Charles M Neese

John S Snider

Matthew Lamb

Charles Bryan Hunt

Mark Allen McCleary

Rachel Ellen Moschell

Yilin Liu-Leitke

Peter Robert Nei

Matthew Robert Lamb

Mark A Nierzwick

Kerry J Weaver

Embodiments of lab automation workstations are disclosed in which the pod that performs pipetting operations is integrated with pipette tip-loading functionality. To generate the necessary tip-loading force, a dual drive system is used that is symmetric about the Y-axis to allow for offset or partial tip box loads by dynamically centering the drive force (e.g., the tip-loading force) over the reaction load. This minimizes the need for oversized linear motion components while still allowing for the generation of high tip-loading forces needed to properly load a large number of pipette tips simultaneously.

Motion systems for loading tips

An apparatus, such as a set-top box, includes at least one capacitive touch button with a guard feature that provides, among other things, the ability to detect and reject false touches. According to an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a first conductive element that is capacitively isolated from ground, and a second conductive element that is capacitively isolated from ground and located adjacent to the first conductive element. A first sensor is coupled to the first conductive element and measures a change in capacitance between the first conductive element and ground due to a change in physical environment. A second sensor is coupled to the second conductive element and measures a change in capacitance between the second conductive element and ground due to the change in physical environment. A controller is coupled to the first sensor and the second sensor and determines a difference between the measured changes in capacitance of the first sensor and the second sensor.

Capacitive touch button with guard

A control device is used to select a portion on a first display, the control device having a second display, the first display displaying images frame by frame generated from first image data including at least one frame; determine a first portion in a frame in the first image data corresponding to the selected portion on the first display; generate second image data from the first image data corresponding to the first portion in a frame in the first image data; and provide the second image data to the control device for display as a second image on the second display, while leaving intact the image displayed on the first display. The generated second image data may be the first image data corresponding to the first portion in a frame in the first image data magnified by a magnification factor.

Handheld display zoom feature

A power conservation circuit for a hand-held motion-sensing device and a method for conserving power on such devices are provided. The present disclosure provides for sensing the movement of device by a sensor and outputting a sense signal in response to the movement, processing the sense signal output of the sensor by a processing circuit, selectively enabling and disabling power to the processing circuit () by a power management circuit and providing a signal by a motion detect circuit to the power management circuit for enabling power to the processing circuit based on the sense signal from the sensor. The motion detect circuit differentiates the sense signal from the sensor and provides a power enable signal to the power management circuit if the differentiated sense signal exceeds a signal threshold.

System and method for conserving power for devices

A method for control comprises a set top box receiving coordinates from a touch sensing screen. The coordinates are interpreted for controlling the set top box, and in accordance with the interpreted coordinates an action is performed. A further method for control comprises a set top box receiving a signal representative of displacement. A control function is determined from the displacement representative signal and the control function is activated. In accordance with the control function a signal is formed for communication.

Method for a touch screen that interfaces with a set top box

A network interface apparatus is capable of bypassing an inoperable or failed network device. According to an exemplary embodiment, the network interface apparatus includes first and second transformers. A network input and a network output are respectively coupled to a first side of the first transformer and a first side of the second transformer. A terminal input and a terminal output are respectively coupled to a second side of the first transformer and a second side of the second transformer. A switch assembly is coupled to the second sides of the first and second transformers. When the switch assembly is in a first state, the second side of the first transformer is coupled to the terminal output, and when the switch assembly is in a second state, the second side of the first transformer is coupled to the first side of the second transformer bypassing the terminal output.

Network interface apparatus for bypassing inoperable network device

A parameter detector sends at least one test signal to a display and receives at least one detected display parameter from a remote control device in proximity of the display. A content parameter analyzer retrieves at least one content parameter from content to be sent to the display. A parameter comparator then compares the detected display parameter to the content parameter and adjusts outgoing content signals based on the content parameter but in accordance with the detected display parameter. The parameter comparator provides at least one suggested display parameter adjustment when the content parameter is beyond the detected display parameter. The suggested display parameter can be transmitted using a video and/or an audio signal.

Optimizing content calibration for home theaters

A system and method for providing a global pause function in a broadcast multimedia system during a pause mode including an input module having an incoming timestamp counter for providing a time-based marker value to mark when each incoming packet arrives from a tuner and an outgoing timestamp counter for providing a time-based marker value for each outgoing packet to a receiver(s), the outgoing counter being configured for controlling when to release each outgoing packet to the receiver(s). At least one global memory device is provided for storing each received packet. The input module is configured to stop the outgoing counter from incrementing in response to activation of a global pause signal for the duration of the pause mode. Data flow to all of the receiver(s) is simultaneously and automatically stopped when a pause mode is enabled.

System, method and apparatus for pausing multi-channel broadcasts

A video formatter reformats progressive video using a film-based video film rate and a display refresh rate to determine a frame OFF period for a progressive video sequence. The video formatter inserts at least one black frame into the progressive video sequence to approximate the frame OFF period. Typically, the film rate is 24 frames per second (industry standard) and, thus, the display refresh rate can be a multiple of the frame rate (e.g., 96 Hz, 120 Hz, 240 Hz, etc.). Progressive video replicates a single frame of a film several times ('a progressive video sequence') depending on a display's refresh rate. The black frame(s) is/are substituted at the end of this sequence instead of displaying the same image throughout for a single film frame.

Progressive video reformatting for film-based content

A global program guide pause function in a broadcast multimedia system including a first main control configured to process multimedia content received from a packet processor, the first main control including an analyzer module for acquiring and analyzing program guide data to determine multiple time-delayed start content, a filtration module for filtering undesired content and enabling desired data streams to be saved in at least one global memory device, and a guide module for creating a program guide comprising only non-filtered programs being offered at time-delayed start times. The guide module is further configured to create multiple listings in the program guide showing a real-time versus a delayed-start time for each non-filtered program. A popular stream packet processor can be provided for saving data content corresponding to popular programs.

System and method for a schedule shift function in a multi-channel broadcast multimedia system

A settings controller for a multimedia content receiver is responsive to a control settings command. The settings controller saves a first set of control settings and loads a second set of control settings associated with the control settings command after saving the first set of control settings. It then reloads the first set of control settings when the control settings command is no longer valid. This allows for viewer settings to be automatically restored after an interruption.

Saving and restoring control settings for multimedia content receivers

A method and apparatus are capable of masking a signal loss condition. According to an exemplary embodiment, the method includes steps of receiving a signal, detecting a period of loss of the signal, and enabling a received portion of the signal to be reproduced continuously and causing a portion of the signal lost during the period to be skipped.

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Westfield, IN, United States of America

Ronald Douglas Johnson