| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07882562B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for deploying iSCSI parameters to a diskless computing device
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for deploying sensitive communication parameters to a diskless computing device. A parameter structure module is included to store one or more Internet Small Computer System Interface (“iSCSI”) communication parameters in an extendable data structure configured to store a set of basic parameter settings and a set of extended parameter settings. A link module is included to establish a secure link to a diskless computing device over a physically secure connection. A deployment module is included to deploy the extendable data structure over the secure connection to a non-volatile memory in the diskless computing device. The non-volatile memory is configured to provide sensitive iSCSI communication parameters provided by the extendable data structure to a CPU of the diskless computing device during a boot sequence. |
| US07882561B2 |
System and method of caching decisions on when to scan for malware
In accordance with this invention, a system, method, and computer-readable medium that selectively scans files stored on a computing device for malware is provided. One aspect of the present invention includes identifying files that need to be scanned for malware when a software update that includes a malware signature is received. More specifically, attributes of the new malware are identified by searching metadata associated with the malware. Then, the method searches a scan cache and determines whether each file with an entry in the scan cache is the type that may be infected by the malware. If a file is the type that may be infected by the malware, the file is scanned for malware when a scanning event such as an I/O request occurs. Conversely, if the file is not the type that may be infected by the malware, the file may be accessed without a scan being performed. |
| US07882555B2 |
Application layer security method and system
The invention provides an application layer security method and system to secure trusted computer applications from executing out of their intended and authorized scope caused by illegal or harmful operation requests received from a distrusted environment. In an embodiment of the invention, a protective layer is implemented in between a trusted application and distrusted application operation requests. In operation, the protective layer identifies an application path of each operation request. Depending on the application path identified, one or more security pipes scrutinize the application contents of the operation request to determine if the operation request is illegal or harmful to the application or a surrounding environment. |
| US07882553B2 |
Authentication device and method
An apparatus for generating intermediate cryptogram data corresponding to a dynamic password for a first cryptographic scheme, the intermediate cryptogram data being suitable for display using a device designed for a second, different cryptographic scheme, the apparatus including: a communications interface for communicating with a said device; and a processor coupled to a memory, the memory storing processor control code to control the processor, when running, to: generate a dynamic password according to the first cryptographic scheme; and generate intermediate cryptogram data corresponding to said dynamic password, the intermediate cryptogram data being suitable for outputting to the said device so that, when the said device processes said intermediate cryptogram data according to the second cryptographic scheme, the said device generates data suitable for displaying said dynamic password. |
| US07882548B2 |
System and method for protecting identity information
A method is provided for using an identity service for protecting identity information during an electronic transaction. The method includes registering an identity client, wherein the identity client possesses an associated multi-component identity. The method further includes regulating access to the multi-component identity such that the identity service authorizes dissemination of fewer than all components of the multi-component identity to an identity requester. Additionally, a method for providing client identity repair protect a client from fraudulent distribution of electronically available client identity information. Upon detection of fraudulent distribution of identity information, a new identity reference is created and attempts to access an old identity reference are tracked. If the attempts to access the old identity reference are authorized, the attempts are re-directed to the new identity reference. However, if the attempts were unauthorized, access to the new identity reference is denied. |
| US07882540B2 |
System and method for on-demand dynamic control of security policies/rules by a client computing device
A system and method for an end user to change the operation of a data flow filter mechanism, such as a firewall, that operates to control data flows between a plurality of protected computing devices and one or more non-protected computing devices. With the system and method, an administrator of a sub-network of computing devices may set a client computing device's scope of rules/policies that may be changed by a user of the client computing device, with regard to a data flow filter mechanism. The user of the client computing device, or the client computing device itself, may then log onto the data flow filter mechanism and modify the operation of the data flow filter mechanism within the limits established by the administrator. |
| US07882538B1 |
Local caching of endpoint security information
In general, the principles of this invention are directed to techniques of locally caching endpoint security information. In particular, a local access module caches endpoint security information maintained by a remote server. When a user attempts to access a network resource through an endpoint device, the endpoint device sends authentication information and health information to the local access module. When the local access module receives the authentication information and the health information, the local access module controls access to the network resource based on the cached endpoint security information, the authentication information, and a security state of the endpoint device described by the health information. |
| US07882537B2 |
Method and apparatus for security policy management
A security policy management system for deriving a security policy from setting details of security devices as components of an information system includes a setting information storage unit for storing setting information representing settings with regard to security functions of devices included in a network system to be managed, and a general-purpose security policy generator for generating a security policy including a description expressed in a format independent of descriptions depending on particular devices, based on the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit. |
| US07882536B2 |
Virtual channel table for a broadcast protocol and method of braoadcasting and receiving broadcast signals using the same
A virtual channel table for broadcasting protocol and a method for broadcasting by using the virtual channel table includes identification information identifying and permitting discrimination of active and inactive channels contained in the virtual channel table. At a receiver, the virtual channel table transmitted from the transmitting side is parsed, thereby determining whether the current received channel is an active or inactive channel. |
| US07882534B2 |
Virtual channel table for a broadcast protocol and method of broadcasting and receiving broadcast signals using the same
A virtual channel table for broadcasting protocol and a method for broadcasting by using the virtual channel table includes identification information identifying and permitting discrimination of active and inactive channels contained in the virtual channel table. At a receiver, the virtual channel table transmitted from the transmitting side is parsed, thereby determining whether the current received channel is an active or inactive channel. |
| US07882531B2 |
Multicasting system and multicasting method
A multicasting system includes a delivery server for multicasting a content via at least one upper router and a plurality of lower routers, a plurality of client devices for playing the content multicast by the delivery server, an upper router controller for controlling the upper router and a lower router controller for controlling the plurality of lower routers. The client device includes a play history storage unit, an individual storage unit, a content retrieving unit, and a content playing unit. The delivery server includes a master storage unit, an optimizer optimizing the identifier and the session information of the content stored on the individual storage unit, and a content delivery unit. The upper router controller includes a session information retrieving unit, a book scheduling unit, and a schedule information notifier. |
| US07882530B2 |
Method, apparatus, and program products for socially synchronizing an experiential data stream
Apparatus, methods, and a computer-usable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to synchronize the presentation of an experiential data stream at a local device with the presentation of a similar experiential data stream using a playback position received over a control link. |
| US07882525B2 |
Data collection for a comprehensive program guide
Data collection for a comprehensive program guide is described. In embodiment(s), a content distributor communicates media content to client devices via an IP-based network. The client devices also receive off-air media content along with off-air program guide data that corresponds to the off-air media content. The content distributor can then receive the off-air program guide data from any one or more of the client devices to update a comprehensive program guide at the content distributor. |
| US07882519B2 |
Advertisements in an end-user controlled playback environment
This invention discloses a method for displaying advertisements transmitted to a user unit, the method includes receiving, at the user unit, at least one advertisement tagged with a delay tag indicating whether display of the at least one advertisement can be delayed and only if the delay tag allows delaying display of the at least one advertisement, storing the at least one advertisement at the user unit, retrieving the at least one advertisement and displaying the at least one advertisement. A billing system for reporting a commercial broadcast to a multiplicity of users is also disclosed. |
| US07882517B2 |
Content replacement by PID mapping
A method of content substitution involves receiving an ordered stream of packets containing content marked by a first packet identifier (PID) and one or more substitute content portions marked by one or more secondary PIDs, where the number and placement of packets marked by secondary PIDs ahead of packets marked by the first PID in the stream is retained during transmission of the ordered stream of packets; initiating processing for display or storage of content contained in packets having the first PID; initiating processing for display or storage of content contained in packets having a selected secondary PID that meets a substitution criterion; and either deleting or processing the content having the first PID depending upon a number of received intervening packets having secondary PIDs that reside between the packets having the first PID and the packets having the selected secondary PID that meets the substitution criterion. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract. |
| US07882515B2 |
Device and process for acquiring files by accumulation of points and associated products
The present invention relates to a device and a process for acquiring files by accumulation of points. The device is designed for a user of a receiver of data of a communication network, able to earn points by accomplishing at least one predefined operation, and to acquire at least one of the files by downloading via this communication network, when the aggregate number of points reaches a predetermined level associated with this file. The device comprises an automatic control module for ordering downloading via this network to a storage space accessible to this receiver, of portions of this file, designed to order the downloading of each of these portions when the number of points earned by this user reaches a fraction of this predetermined level which corresponds to this portion. |
| US07882511B2 |
Disk apparatus with a recess on a disk-accommodating portion
A disk apparatus is provided that includes an apparatus body including a driving section for rotating a disk, an information reading/writing section, and a control section for controlling the driving section and the information reading/writing section. The disk apparatus also includes a housing accommodating the apparatus body and including a housing body having an accommodating recess formed at a position thereof corresponding to the driving section and the information reading/writing section for accommodating the disk therein, and a lid member supported for pivotal motion on the apparatus body for closing up the accommodating recess. The accommodating recess has a convex portion formed in a projecting manner on a bottom face thereof such that the convex portion surrounds the disk mounted around a rotary shaft of the driving section A space which is formed by the convex portion surrounds the disk having a circular shape and a polygonal shape combined. |
| US07882509B2 |
Expander-based solution to the dynamic STP address problem
The persistent binding of STP SAS addresses to SATA devices is disclosed so that SATA devices can be moved to different insertion points (ports) within a SAS expander and still properly receive I/O requests. When a SATA device is inserted into the SAS expander, it is interrogated to obtain information about the attached device. This information may be combined using a hashing function to obtain a unique ID for the SATA device. A table can be used to assign a STP SAS address to the Phy connected to the device based in the unique ID. In this manner, the same STP SAS address will be assigned to the Phy connected to a particular SATA device, regardless of where the device is connected to the SAS expander. |
| US07882507B2 |
Application module for managing interactions of distributed modality components
A method for managing application modalities using dialogue states can include the step of asserting a set of activation conditions associated with a dialogue state of an application. Each of the activation conditions can be linked to at least one programmatic action, wherein different programmatic actions can be executed by different modality components. The application conditions can be monitored. An application event can be detected resulting in an associated application condition being run. At least one programmatic action linked to the application condition can be responsively initiated. |
| US07882506B2 |
Distribution of general inter-ORB protocol messages
An object request broker (ORB) for receiving an incoming message including a message header and a message body in General Inter-ORB Protocol (GIOP) type format, the ORB comprising: an external ORB element for converting the header of the incoming message to an implementation-specific format, and for providing the header in implementation-specific format with the body in GIOP type format to a distribution mechanism for identifying an appropriate target server for processing the body of the incoming message; and an internal ORB element associated with the identified target server for converting the body of the incoming message to an implementation-specific format for use by the target server to process the message. |
| US07882501B1 |
System and method for enabling dynamic modifed class reloading in an application server environment
System and method for enabling dynamic class reloading in an application server environment. A distinction is made between “versionable” and “non-versionable” classes. Versionable classes are classes that should be automatically reloaded when they are modified. The application server(s) may execute a background task that executes periodically to check for modified versionable classes. Users may specify class versionability by specifying a list of explicitly versionable classes, specifying a list of superclasses whose extending classes should be considered to be versionable, and specifying a list of interfaces whose implementing classes should be considered to be versionable. Once the background task discovers a modified versionable class, the background task may cause the class to be reloaded, e.g., by instantiating a new classloader and instructing the new classloader to reload the class. The background task may purge the reloaded class from any caches that the application server maintains. |
| US07882500B2 |
Method and a system for composing an optimally-grained set of service functions
Disclosed is a computer program product for managing granularity of a computing infrastructure, wherein the program, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to: identify at least one set of service functions suited to characterization by one or more sets of metrics; create a representation of at least one supplied functionality for the set of service functions for input to a formal process; characterize at least one rule and at least one constraint for input to the formal process; determine at least one set of metrics for evaluating the service functions; quantify benefits associated with at least one of the sets of service functions using the set of metrics; and provide one or more of the sets of service functions as output, wherein the output is based on the metrics determining the output by use of the formal process. Systems and infrastructure are also disclosed. |
| US07882499B2 |
Caching dynamically compiled code to storage
Dynamically compiled code is stored for future use by an emulator application. The emulator application may recall the previously compiled code rather than recompile the same code again. Recycling previously compiled code prevents unneeded code compilation, and saves valuable processing time and resources. Previously compiled code can be associated with code identification information. When compiled code is needed, one or more indexes of compiled code identification information is searched. If the appropriate identification information is found, the corresponding code is loaded and executed. |
| US07882490B2 |
Automatic generation of a data flow diagram from a diagram with states and transitions
A system and method for automatically generating a data flow diagram in response to a first diagram. The first diagram may specify one or more states and one or more state transitions, wherein each state transition specifies a transition from a first state to a second state. A data flow diagram may be automatically generated from the first diagram. |
| US07882488B2 |
Software tool for synthesizing a real-time operating system
A tool for developing software source code for embedded systems that allows the user to automatically generate a real-time operating system for scheduling of multi-tasking operations while preventing deadlocks between the real-time tasks. The tool takes parameters that let the user assign priorities and timing characteristics to different tasks and to experiment with different scheduling algorithms. |
| US07882487B2 |
Method of generating C code on the basis of UML specifications
The method in accordance with the invention is characterized in that a detailed implementation model is produced in the UML language, that the data of this model are structured to render them utilizable by the scripts generation tool “ModelInAction” (termed “MIA” and produced by the company Sodifrance), and that this tool is made to produce files in the C language, namely .C files, .H files, a generation report file, configuration management “batch” files and compilation project files. |
| US07882486B2 |
Adding interactivity to artwork
A prototyping tool is provided to an artistic team, which can use the tool to experiment with, demonstrate, and communicate aspects of the user interface interaction with various user interface elements. These user interface elements can be defined within a layered graphics representation of the user interface artwork, rather than individual flattened graphics files. By setting properties on individual user interface elements through the prototyping tool, the artistic team can review how the elements will appear and behave during typical interaction with a user. Furthermore, a description of the interaction properties and relationships of these user interface elements, as defined by the artistic team, is captured for communication to a programming team. The programming team can then load the layered graphical representation and the interaction description to implement the user interface interactivity developed and proposed by the artistic team. |
| US07882481B2 |
Wafer layout optimization method and system
For determining an optimized wafer layout, at least two wafer layouts are specified for a given wafer, each wafer layout defining the location of a plurality of die with regard to the wafer. An optimization parameter value of at least one optimization parameter is determined for each of the at least two wafer layouts. The at least one optimization parameter includes at least one of a number of exposure fields necessary for exposing the respective wafer layout and a number of die of the wafer layout. The optimized wafer layout is selected out of the at least two wafer layouts depending on the optimization parameter values. |
| US07882478B2 |
Spacers for reducing crosstalk and maintaining clearances
In one aspect of the invention is a method for reducing crosstalk and maintaining clearances between traces on a printed circuit board design. Crosstalk caused by placing traces a virtual printed circuit board are reduced by placing artificial obstructs, called spacers, between traces and/or between traces and nets to create a user-specified clearance between the traces and/or nets. As additional traces and/or nets are added to the virtual printed circuit board, the spacers are dynamic and adjust accordingly to maintain the specified clearances. |
| US07882477B2 |
Method and apparatus for creating layout model, computer product, and method of manufacturing device
A layout-model creating apparatus creates a layout-model for a mechanical computer-aided design from component information including heights and layout information of components created by an electrical computer-aided design. A height determining unit determines whether a height of a component is equal to or lower than a specified height. A three-dimensional-model creating unit creates a three-dimensional model by excluding a component of which the height is determined to be equal to or lower than the specified height. |
| US07882476B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit device formed by automatic layout wiring by use of standard cells and design method of fixing its well potential
Standard cells without a well potential fixing active region (4T-11 to 4T-14, 4T-21 to 4T-24, 4T-31 to 4T-34, 4T-41 to 4T-44) are read from a library and a circuit is temporarily designed by automatic layout wiring. Then, a change in the substrate potential is estimated from at least one of the number of transistors to be switched at the same timing in the temporarily designed circuit, the sizes of transistors, the transition probability, and the appearance probability. It is determined whether the estimated change in the substrate potential is within a reference value. If the estimated change in the substrate potential has exceeded the reference value, standard cells with a well potential fixing active region (2T-11, 2T-21, 2T-31 and 2T-41) are read from the library and placed in a region where the estimated change in the substrate potential exceeds the reference value. Thereafter, automatic layout wiring is done again, thereby forming a circuit. |
| US07882469B2 |
Automatic verification of adequate conductive return-current paths
After finding the shortest conductive signal return-current path for each signal, the invention assesses whether each conductive return-current path is adequate. The method analyzes each shortest conductive signal return-current path and determines if a significant portion of the signal return current flows as displacement current rather than following the conductive current path. A significant displacement current flows when the length of the conductive return-current path that diverges from a signal net is more than a previously defined limit based on the signal transition time. Further, a significant displacement current flows when the overall length of the signal differs from the overall length of the conductive return-current path by more than a previously defined limit based on the signal transition time. |
| US07882468B2 |
Integrated circuit device evaluation device, evaluation method, and evaluation program
Time-axis data that include the peak waveform and the clock frequency of the power supply current when the LSI is switched are inputted to the LSI information input unit, and the LSI equivalent circuit creation unit creates an equivalent circuit of the LSI on the basis of the time-axis data. The time-axis/frequency-axis conversion unit converts the time-axis data to frequency-axis data. The equivalent circuit synthesis unit synthesizes the equivalent circuits of the printed wiring substrate, the power supply regulator, and the LSI to create a single equivalent circuit; the frequency-axis circuit analysis unit performs frequency-axis analysis of the single equivalent circuit; and the frequency-axis/time-axis conversion unit converts the results to time-axis data. The amount of fluctuation of the power supply voltage of an integrated circuit device can thereby be evaluated in a short time. |
| US07882464B1 |
Method and system for power distribution analysis
Disclosed are systems and methods for electrical verification of integrated circuits. Methodologies are described for verification of the power and ground distribution systems (PDS) for system-on-a-chip (SoC) and the verification of the interaction of the PDS with the behavior of integrated circuits. |
| US07882463B2 |
Integrated circuit selective scaling
The invention includes a solution for selectively scaling an integrated circuit (IC) design by: layer, region or cell, or a combination of these. The selective scaling technique can be applied in a feedback loop with the manufacturing system with process and yield feedback, during the life of a design, to increase yield in early processes in such a way that hierarchy is preserved. The invention removes the need to involve designers in improving yield. |
| US07882457B1 |
DSP design system level power estimation
Power consumption estimation is performed at the system level in a design process, thus allowing early evaluation of feasibility and other considerations relating to logic/DSP design and hardware implementation of a proposed electronic design. Evaluation of the system level power consumption estimate(s) permits adjustment of a system level representation of the proposed electronic design, prior to investment of substantial resources in the electronic design. Other estimates, including other power consumption estimates, may be performed to adjust the proposed electronic design as well. Such estimates may be made in response to gate level power consumption estimates and/or hardware level power consumption estimates. |
| US07882453B2 |
Semiconductor device metal programmable pooling and dies
A pool of die designs includes die designs having metal programmable base layers. Die designs from the pool are selected for use in fabricating dies. Die designs are added to the pool by customization of die designs already in the pool or by preparing custom die designs that incorporate a metal programmable base layer. In some embodiments multi-tile dies are provided with I/O slots configurable for either inter tile communication or inter die communication. |
| US07882452B2 |
Modeling silicon-on-insulator stress effects
A method and system for modeling silicon-on-insulator shallow trench isolation stress effect is described. The method includes creating instance parameters that define dimensions of a body-tie enclosure of gate and gate-end. The instance parameters are added to a netlist. The netlist and a lookup table are used to generate a mobility multiplier. The mobility multiplier is added to the netlist and a circuit simulation program runs the netlist having the instance parameters and the mobility multiplier. |
| US07882450B2 |
Interactive document summarization
A real-time interactive document summarization system which allows the user to continuously control the amount of detail to be included in a document summary. |
| US07882448B2 |
Taskbar configuration tool for computer systems
A taskbar control permits system operators to group application instances according to their own preferences. The taskbar control system groups application instances according to a default grouping scheme but permit the default grouping to be managed by operator control. The operator may move application instances among groups or to new groups via drag and drop commands, commands entered through context menus and the like. |
| US07882447B2 |
Method and system to determine area on a user interface
A method and system to determine the size of a first area on a user interface that is utilized to display data items. The system receives a request for a user interface that includes a first area and a second area that are complementary in size. The system utilizes the first area utilized to display data items and the second area to display other information. The system determines a size of the first area by computing a number of data items that are to be displayed in the first area and generates the user interface to include the first area in the second area, the first area being of the determined size. |
| US07882443B2 |
Method for improving queue experience in a three-dimensional virtual environment
A method improving a customers experience in a queue located in a three-dimensional virtual environment is provided. The method includes the creation of computer controlled pseudo avatars that are added and removed from queues to create the perception that the queues are moving. A conversational avatar is further provided to engage the customer avatars in conversation. |
| US07882442B2 |
Multi-frame display system with perspective based image arrangement
Systems and methods are provided for presenting digital images using a plurality of digital media frames separated spatially along at least two axes. In one aspect the method comprises the steps of obtaining the digital images to be presented determining the multi-dimensional relationship between the digital media frames analyzing the digital images and any associated metadata to assign an image perspective determination to each of the digital images and determining an arrangement of the digital images for presentation on the plurality of the digital media frames according to the multi-dimensional relationship between the digital media frames and according to the determined image perspectives. |
| US07882439B2 |
Graphical user interface and method for customer centric network management
A graphical user interface and method for customer centric network management. The graphical user interface includes a first view showing text input by a user indicative of customer identification data corresponding to a customer in a network. This data is received by a server connected to the user. The server retrieves stored information corresponding to the customer identification data from a database and provides the stored information and actual circuit path information corresponding to a customer service based on the stored information to the graphical user interface. A second view of the graphical user interface shows the stored information, and a third view shows a graphical representation of a customer path corresponding to the actual circuit path information. |
| US07882435B2 |
Electronic equipment with shuffle operation
An electronic equipment is provided that includes access to a playlist, the content of which identifies a plurality of media objects, and a media player section configured to play the plurality of media objects identified in the playlist in an order. In addition, the electronic equipment includes a shuffler section for altering at least one of the order in which the plurality of media objects in the playlist are played by the media player, or the content of the playlist, in response to a shuffle command. The electronic equipment further includes a motion sensor that detects motion of the electronic equipment, the motion sensor producing an output based on detected motion from which the shuffle command is derived. |
| US07882430B2 |
Utility, method and device providing vector images that may be formatted for display in different locales
In one embodiment, in response to receiving an image request, a computer-implemented method: 1) retrieves a vector image from a device that is a target of the image request, the vector image illustrating at least a portion of the device; 2) determines a locale for display of the vector image; 3) selects a locale tag from among a number of locale tags stored within the vector image, in accord with the determined locale; and 4) formats the vector image in accord with display data associated with the selected locale tag. Other embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US07882424B2 |
Serial data communication—CAN memory error detection methods
A method is provided for formatting a message, with a first plurality of bits forming a data component, and a second plurality of bits forming a reserved component, for transmission in a vehicle. The method comprises the steps of calculating an initial checksum from the data component, calculating a revised checksum at least from the initial checksum, and storing the revised checksum in the reserved component. The number of bits in the reserved component is less than the number of bits in the data component. |
| US07882419B2 |
Communications line monitoring system, relay apparatus, and communications line monitoring method
A communications line monitoring system of the present invention comprises a plurality of relay apparatus and a communications line monitoring apparatus for monitoring a line quality of a communications line of relayed data, and each of the relay apparatus comprises error detecting unit for detecting errors in received data, previous error detection determination unit for determining whether or not error detection has already been performed in other apparatus based on previous error detection information of the received data, and initial error detection process unit for, only when an error is detected and the error was undetected in other apparatus, autonomously notifying error detection information to the communications line monitoring apparatus, and for adding previous error detection information to data for transmission. |
| US07882398B2 |
Ghost agents within a grid environment
A method for evaluating system behavior within a grid environment can include the step of identifying a host software object, wherein the host software object includes a user object, an application, and/or a process. The software object can be associated with the host software object. The host actions of the host software object can be replicated within the associated software object. Replicated actions can be recorded. The host software object can move from one grid within the grid environment to a different grid. In response to the moving of the host software object, the associated software object can move from the one grid to the different grid. |
| US07882394B2 |
Intelligent condition-monitoring and fault diagnostic system for predictive maintenance
A system for condition monitoring and fault diagnosis includes a data collection function that acquires time histories of selected variables for one or more of the components, a pre-processing function that calculates specified characteristics of the time histories, an analysis function for evaluating the characteristics to produce one or more hypotheses of a condition of the one or more components, and a reasoning function for determining the condition of the one or more components from the one or more hypotheses. |
| US07882388B2 |
Dual independent non volatile memory systems
Disclosed is a method, system, and computer readable medium for restoring a failed non-volatile memory (NVM) system in a wireless device having a primary NVM system and a secondary NVM system. The method does not require a reboot of the wireless device. A NVM manager application detects a failure in either of the NVM systems and determines which NVM system has failed. If the primary NVM system has failed then the NVM manger switches the wireless device to operate using the secondary NVM system, restores the primary NVM system using data from the secondary NVM system, then switches the wireless device back to the primary NVM system once it has been restored. If the secondary NVM system has failed then the NVM manager restores the secondary NVM system using data from the primary NVM system. |
| US07882387B2 |
Reconfigurable device and control method thereof
A reconfigurable device having a plurality of component elements each configured in accordance with configuration information, the device being adapted to determine whether an error in configuration information for the component elements affects an output of the reconfigurable device. |
| US07882386B1 |
System and method for recovering a logical volume during failover or reboot of a file server in a data storage environment
This invention is a system and a method for recovering and repairing a logical volume in a data storage environment using a new architecture. The method of recovering a logical volume enables mounting of a file system by instantiating only a single slice under the sparse volume and instantiating rest of the slices provisioned under the sparse volume in background by a asynchronous recovery process or on-demand by the clients of the file system issuing an I/O on the slice volume. The method of repairing a logical volume provides the ability to regenerate the metadata required to reconstruct the corrupted volume. |
| US07882385B2 |
Reducing inefficiencies of multi-clock-domain interfaces using a modified latch bank
A system and method for improving the performance and efficiency of multi-clock-domain data transmission interfaces. The data transmission interface may include a modified slave latch which includes one or more clock splitters and one or more transmission gates may be used. By having such a configuration, space requirements are reduced and a reduction of the number of devices necessary for a multi-domain interface may be realized. The configuration may further allow for independent cycle stealing of N:1 and N:2 logical paths, thus allowing for timing resolution solutions that use fewer devices versus implementations that require the tuning of each individual bit in the cross-clock-domain interface. By implementing such a data transmission interface, space and power requirements may be reduced and timing criticalities may be more easily managed. |
| US07882374B2 |
Method of powering up a portable terminal and avoiding undesirable powering up
A method of powering up a portable terminal, which automatically executes a software program when powered on, the terminal having a manually operated power-up key, wherein the method comprises the step of: a) at the beginning, moving (in 32) the key from an idle position in which the terminal is powered off to an active position in which the terminal is powered up, then b) before a first predetermined time interval (Δ1) has elapsed since the beginning of step a), starting (in 36) to run the software program on the terminal, the first time interval being long enough to check that the key has not been inadvertently moved, then c) when the first time interval elapsed, if the key is still in the active position, continuing (in 42) to run the software program, else powering down the terminal (in 40). |
| US07882373B1 |
System and method of reducing power consumption in a storage system through shortening of seek distances
Described is a storage system and method for reducing power consumption in a storage system by shortening seek distances associated with input/output (I/O) requests to a physical disk drive. A sweep direction is set. An offset of a new I/O request is evaluated to determine whether to send the new I/O request to the physical disk drive. The new I/O request is sent to the physical disk drive if the offset is consistent with the sweep direction. Otherwise, sending the new I/O request to the disk drive is deferred until the sweep direction is set to a reverse direction. |
| US07882368B2 |
System for publishing content on a portable digital storage medium
In a method of publishing creative content to at least one local digital display device, a first unit of the creative content is stored on a first portable digital storage medium in an encrypted format. The digital replication is encrypted with a selected one of a plurality of private encryption keys. The first portable digital storage medium is transferred to the local digital display device. A preselected public key is entered into the local digital display device. The preselected public key corresponds to the selected one of the plurality of private encryption keys. At least a portion of the first unit of the creative content is decrypted by employing the public encryption key using a public key/private key decryption algorithm. The portion of the creative content is displayed on the local digital display device. |
| US07882366B2 |
Storage media tracking and managment
Managing removable computer-readable media transporting across various locations. Data is stored on the computer-readable media at an on-site location. Each of the computer-readable media is associated with a tracking device. The tracking device has a storage medium. An intent expression is defined for each of the computer-readable media. The defined intent expression includes conditions for managing each of the computer-readable media. The defined intent expression for each of the computer-readable media is stored on the storage medium of the tracking device. The computer-readable media are transported from the on-site location to an offsite location. The stored intent expression is obtained for each of the computer-readable media on the tracking device at the offsite location to manage the computer-readable media based on the defined intent expression. |
| US07882365B2 |
Systems and methods for distinguishing between actual data and erased/blank memory with regard to encrypted data
Systems and methods that facilitate processing data, such as by encryption/decryption, and storing and retrieving data to/from memory such that actual data can be distinguished from information associated with, or representative of, erased/blank memory locations. A processor can include a comparing component that compares information input to the processor to determine whether such information is associated with actual data, or associated with, or representative of, erased/blank memory locations. Information associated with, or representative of, an erased/blank memory location can be processed so that it can be interpreted as such by other components. If actual data is processed such that the comparing component interprets the processed data to be equivalent to an erased/blank memory location, then the data can be re-processed, so it is not interpreted as such, before being forwarded to its next destination. |
| US07882364B2 |
Technology for authenticating person by data generated based on biological information
A biological information acquisition unit of a biological information processing apparatus acquires biological information. A cue data acquisition unit requests and acquires cue data from the personal authentication apparatus. A personal data generating unit converts the biological information into personal data, or image data. The personal data generating unit further encrypts the personal data based on the cue data. A personal data output unit displays this encrypted personal data on-screen. |
| US07882363B2 |
Biometric authentication system
There is described an authentication system in which during an enrolment process a distinctive characteristic of a subject being enrolled is measured to generate a reference number representative of the subject. Authentication data is then generated using the reference number, and the authentication data is stored for use in a subsequent verification process. During verification, the representative characteristic of the subject being verified is re-measured to generate a test number representative of the subject being verified and the authentication data during enrolment is retrieved. The authentication system then checks for equality between the test number and the reference number using the retrieved authentication data. If the test number and the reference number are equal, then the authenticity of the subject is verified, otherwise the authenticity is denied. |
| US07882361B2 |
Method and system for accepting a pass code
A method and apparatus for accepting a pass code such as a personal identification number (PIN) are disclosed. The method involves providing a user with a challenge, typically on some form of shielded display to prevent third party viewing. The user now enters a response which transforms the challenge into the pass code allocated to the user. The response allows the user to be validated against a stored record of the pass code allocated to the user. |
| US07882358B2 |
Reversible hashing for E-signature verification
Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods to authenticate software licenses. One embodiment of the present invention comprises a method where a vendor creates a reversible hash from a known, predetermined seed value, encrypts the hash to generate a digital signature, and sends the digital signature to the customer. The customer enters the digital signature. The customer's client computer reverses the reversible hash to obtain a determined seed value. The client has access to the known seed value used by the vendor. The known seed value is compared to the determined seed value. If the seed values compare, the software license and the associated software is authenticate. |
| US07882356B2 |
UPnP authentication and authorization
A secure handshake service is implemented among a plurality of UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) portable media devices and endpoints in an open network hosting one or more UPnP services. A first portable media device receives a first request for a hosted service from a second portable media device via the network. The first portable media device authenticates authorizes the second portable media device as a function of the certificate of the request. The second portable media device is allowed to access the requested service hosted on the first portable media device if the second portable media device has been authenticated and authorized by the first portable media device. |
| US07882354B2 |
Use of device driver to function as a proxy between an encryption capable tape drive and a key manager
A tape system is provided with an encryption capable tape drive and an encryption enabled tape drive device driver for the encryption capable tape drive. The encryption enabled tape drive device driver functions as a proxy which connects the encryption capable tape drive to a key manager which serves keys to the tape drive. When the encryption capable device driver causes a command to be sent to the drive, the tape drive is configured to respond with a message that is intended for a key manager such as an External Key Manager (EKM). The encryption capable device driver recognizes that this is a message intended for the EKM and forwards that message to the EKM (e.g., via an Internet Protocol (IP) connection). The EKM then responds to the key request by issuing a new key (for a new cartridge which is to be written from beginning of tape (BOT)) or an existing key (for a cartridge which needs to be read). The device driver connects all EKM responses to the encryption capable tape drive and the EKM from which the encryption capable tape drive obtains its keys. |
| US07882349B2 |
Insider attack defense for network client validation of network management frames
Method for detecting an attack on a broadcast key shared between an access point and its wireless clients. Upon detection of the attack, actions are implemented to react to the attack as defined in one or more security policies. Detection of the attack is achieved by examining both a link message integrity check and an infrastructure management frame protection (IMFP) message integrity check contained in a broadcast management frame. |
| US07882347B2 |
Image printing device, verifying device, and printed material
An image is split into a plurality of blocks, a feature quantity is extracted from each of the blocks, data is embedded into each of the blocks based on a difference between feature quantities of that block and at least one adjacent block, and data embedded blocks are printed. |
| US07882344B2 |
Memory system having a communication channel between a first processor and a second processor and memory management method that uses the communication channel
A multi-processor system includes a first processor, a second processor communicable with the first processor, a first non-volatile memory for storing first codes and second codes to respectively boot the first and second processors, the first memory communicable with the first processor, a second volatile memory designated for the first processor, a third volatile memory designated for the second processor, and a fourth volatile memory shared by the first and second processors. |
| US07882343B2 |
Optical data disc with multiple booting points
A booting procedure can take a long time and typically starts from a lead-in on a main data layer of an optical data disc. A Portable-Blue (PB) disc, a dual boot disc, includes a second data layer (304) from which application specific optical drives can boot directly. The dual boot disc still conforms to the prior art standard for PB for normal applications. The second boot (340) will cut in booting time for a specific application and will make application software small. is in particular relevant for gaming, for portable devices and relative specific applications. |
| US07882341B2 |
System and method to enable parallelization of early platform initialization
In some embodiments, the invention involves reducing the time required for a platform to boot to its target application/operating-system using parallelization of firmware image content decompression and loading. An embodiment dispatches alternate processing agents as a means to intelligently assist in off-loading some of the initialization tasks so that the main processor may share the burden of boot tasks. In at least one embodiment, it is intended to build firmware images that facilitate parallelization, utilizing co-processing agents that can split these transactions across various processing agents. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07882338B2 |
Method, system and computer program product for an implicit predicted return from a predicted subroutine
A method, system and computer program product for performing an implicit predicted return from a predicted subroutine are provided. The system includes a branch history table/branch target buffer (BHT/BTB) to hold branch information, including a target address of a predicted subroutine and a branch type. The system also includes instruction buffers, and instruction fetch controls to perform a method including fetching a branch instruction at a branch address and a return-point instruction. The method also includes receiving the target address and the branch type, and fetching a fixed number of instructions in response to the branch type. The method further includes referencing the return-point instruction within the instruction buffers such that the return-point instruction is available upon completing the fetching of the fixed number of instructions absent a re-fetch of the return-point instruction. |
| US07882336B2 |
Employing a buffer to facilitate instruction execution
Instruction execution is facilitated by employing a buffer to handle instructions having special circumstances. When such an instruction is to be executed, a pointer of the instruction is directed to the buffer. The instruction is executed from the buffer and then the pointer is recovered to point to a location other than the buffer. |
| US07882334B2 |
Processor pipeline architecture logic state retention systems and methods
A system, method and program product for retaining a logic state of a processor pipeline architecture are disclosed. A comparator is positioned between two stages of the processor pipeline architecture. A storage capacitor is coupled between a storage node of the comparator and a ground to store an output of the early one of the two stages. A reference logic is provided, which has the same value as the output of the early stage. A logic storing and dividing device is coupled between the reference logic and a reference node of the comparator to generate a logic at the reference node, which is a fraction of the reference logic, and to retain a logic state of the information stored on the storage capacitor. Further mechanisms are provided to determine validity of data stored in the logic storing and dividing device. |
| US07882331B2 |
Method and system for simultaneously supporting different block sizes on a single hard drive
A method and system where a hardware platform such as a disk drive is formatted to the largest block length it is desired to read from or write to. Using commands, data can be accessed from the drive in any block length that is equal to or less than the formatted block length. |
| US07882328B2 |
Cancellation of individual logical volumes in premigration chains
Provided are techniques for cancellation of premigration of a member in a chain. A set of premigration messages are received, wherein a separate premigration message is received for each logical volume in a chain of logical volumes. While processing the premigration messages in order of receipt of each of the premigration messages, a cancel message indicating that premigration of a logical volume in the chain is to be cancelled is received. In response to determining that the logical volume whose premigration is to be cancelled has not already been transferred to physical storage media, premigration of the logical volume is cancelled by removing a premigration message for that logical volume from the set of premigration messages and premigration of each other logical volume in the chain of logical volumes is continued in order of receipt. |
| US07882326B2 |
Live migration of a logical partition
A partition migration mechanism migrates a logical partition executing an operating system and resumes the logical partition before all resources in the logical partition have been migrated. When a partition is being migrated, a call checkpoint mechanism creates checkpoints of the state of the operating system when the partition manager is called. Before performing the call to the partition manager, a check is made to determine if all resources required by the call are available. If so, the partition manager call is executed. If all resources required by the call are not available, a resource fault is indicated, which causes the operating system state from the last checkpoint to be restored and a corresponding virtual CPU to be preempted until the resource that caused the fault becomes available. Exceptions that do not require the missing resource may be performed while the virtual CPU awaits the resource to become available. |
| US07882324B2 |
Method and apparatus for synchronizing memory enabled systems with master-slave architecture
Embodiments of the invention generally provide a system, method and memory device for accessing memory. One embodiment includes synchronization circuitry configured to determine timing skew between a first memory device and a second memory device, and introduce a delta delay to at least one of the first memory device and the second memory device to adjust the timing skew. |
| US07882315B2 |
Snapshot mechanism in a data processing system and method and apparatus thereof
A snapshot mechanism of a data processing system is provided herein. The snapshot mechanism includes providing a snapshot storage unit for storing the data created when snapshotting the target storage units and generating a plurality of snapshot images accordingly. Two different types of address tables in the snapshot image are used for corresponding to the storage units of the snapshot storage unit and the target storage units. The status of the target storage units can be recovered to the status at a predetermined time ago according to the snapshot images. The two types of address tables are respectively used for storing the data created by the data processing system and history data so as to prevent the data stored in the target storage units to be overwritten. |
| US07882311B2 |
Non-snoop read/write operations in a system supporting snooping
Techniques that may utilize generic tracker structures to provide data coherency in a multi-node system that supports non-snoop read and write operations. The trackers may be organized as a two-dimensional queue structure that may be utilized to resolve conflicting read and/or write operations. Multiple queues having differing associated priorities may be utilized. |
| US07882306B2 |
Method for substantially uninterrupted cache readout
A memory device capable of sequentially outputting multiple pages of cached data while mitigating any interruption typically caused by fetching and transferring operations. The memory device outputs cached data from a first page while data from a second page is fetched into sense amplifier circuitry. When the outputting of the first page reaches a predetermined transfer point, a portion of the fetched data from the second page is transferred into the cache at the same time the remainder of the cached first page is being output. The remainder of the second page is transferred into the cache after all of the data from the first page is output while the outputting of the first portion of the second page begins with little or no interruption. |
| US07882303B2 |
Computer system, management computer, and volume allocation change method of management computer
A computer system to prevent intervention and falsification by setting encrypted transfer between a host computer and a first storage device that provides a virtual volume and between the first storage device and second and third storage devices that provide a real volume corresponding to the virtual volume. A management computer specifies the second and third storage device that provide the real volume corresponding to the virtual volume by providing a volume corresponding to the virtual volume used by a host computer in which encrypted transfer becomes necessary, and setting the encrypted transfer to communication between the first storage device and the second and third storage devices, makes a reconnection thereof, and also sets the encrypted transfer to an I/O port used for the communication with the host computer in the first storage device. |
| US07882302B2 |
Method and system for implementing prioritized refresh of DRAM based cache
A method for implementing prioritized refresh of a multiple way, set associative DRAM based cache includes identifying, for each of a plurality of sets of the cache, the existence of a most recently used way that has not been accessed during a current assessment period; and for each set, refreshing only the identified most recently used way of the set not accessed during the current assessment period, while ignoring the remaining ways of the set; wherein a complete examination of each set for most recently used ways therein during the current assessment period constitutes a sweep of the cache. |
| US07882300B2 |
Apparatus and method for managing nonvolatile memory
A nonvolatile-memory-management includes a generation unit that generates a free block list by arranging an entry including representative information of a group, of which free blocks adjacent to each other are grouped according to predetermined criteria, according to key values where the representative information are combined, a determination unit that determines parameters according to characteristics of data to be recorded, and a block-allocating unit that allocates free blocks satisfying the parameters as an area to be recorded with the data by referring to the free block list. |
| US07882299B2 |
System and method for use of on-chip non-volatile memory write cache
A method of programming a non-volatile memory array using an on-chip write cache is disclosed. Individual data packets received by the memory system are stored in cache memory. More than one data packet may be stored in this way and then programmed to a single page of the non-volatile array. This results in more efficient use of storage space in the non-volatile array. |
| US07882298B2 |
Method for transmitting data from and to a control device
A method for transmitting data from and to a control device, in particular an engine control device for a motor vehicle that has a first communication interface and a second communication interface , the method having the following steps: connecting the first communication interface to a development tool, and connecting the second communication interface to one or more function units during the development phase of the control device, transmitting data from the control device to the development tool via the first communication interface using a first communication protocol, transmitting data from the development tool to the control device via the first communication interface using the first communication protocol, breaking the connection between the first communication interface and the development tool, connecting the first communication interface to one or more additional 20 function units, and transmitting data between the control device and the other function unit or function units via the first communication interface using a second communication protocol. |
| US07882297B2 |
Serial bus hub with low power devices
Serial bus hub with one or more low power devices. The serial bus hub may include at least one upstream port for coupling to a host system. The serial bus hub may include one or more downstream ports for coupling to peripheral devices. The serial bus hub may include the low power devices which may have no functionality external to the serial bus hub. The presence of the low power devices may allow the serial bus hub to draw additional power from the host system and a substantial portion of the additional power may be usable by other devices. The serial bus hub may be configured to allow the host system and one or more peripheral devices coupled to the one or more downstream ports to communicate. |
| US07882290B2 |
Method for preventing transaction collision on bus and computer system utilizing the same
A computer system is provided. The computer system includes a bus, a first master device, a second master device and a processor. The bus has a data line and a clock line. The first master device is coupled to the bus, detects a start phase of a first transaction on the data line, issues an interrupt message upon the detection of the start phase, and triggers a second transaction in response to a transaction indication message. The processor is coupled to the first master device, receives the interrupt message, and transmits the transaction indication message after a predetermined time interval upon reception of the interrupt message. The second master device is coupled to the bus and triggers the first transaction. The first transaction is finished within the predetermined time interval. |
| US07882289B2 |
Slave apparatus in a data transmission system, data transmission system and data transmission method in a data transmission system
In a data transmission system having a plurality of apparatuses connected to one another in a cascade, each slave apparatus has an identification number retention section retaining the same identification number as the other slave apparatuses, a receiver receiving data accompanied by an apparatus number, a judgment section judging that the data is destined for itself when the apparatus number coincides with the identification number, while judging that the data is destined for another slave apparatus when the apparatus number does not coincide with the identification number, and a transmitter changing the apparatus number by subtracting or adding when the data is judged to be destined for another slave apparatus, and transmitting the data to another lower-ranked slave apparatus. Thereby, data transmission can be accomplished without automatically setting an apparatus number to each of the plural apparatuses. |
| US07882288B2 |
Method and apparatus for transfering data between USB client devices by toggling a USB VBUS line
A method and apparatus for transferring data from a first electronic device to a second electronic device, both first and second electronic devices having Universal Serial Bus (USB) client interfaces, the method comprising the steps: connecting the two electronic devices with a USB cable; toggling the voltage on a VBUS line of the USB cable between logic high voltage and no voltage at the first electronic device; detecting toggles of the VBUS line at the second electronic device; and interpreting the toggles detected in the detecting step as data. |
| US07882287B2 |
Peripheral device
A multifunction device includes a plurality of slots capable of accepting the insertion of media. Initially, the multifunction device is set to a single drive mode (automatic switching mode) and subsequently is set to a multi-drive mode upon receiving a GET_MAX_LUN command from a personal computer. In the single drive mode, a drive is assigned only to one slot in which a medium has been first inserted. In the multi-drive mode, drives are assigned for all of the slots respectively. |
| US07882283B2 |
Virtualization support in a multiprocessor storage area network
Support for virtualization in a storage area networks may be provided using a variety of techniques. In one embodiment of the present invention, exchange level load balancing may be provided by determining if input/outputs (IOs) received by a device are new. If a particular IO is new, the IO may be assigned to a particular data path processor and an context may be created corresponding to the IO and to the processor. Then, when an event corresponding to the IO is received, the event may be forwarded to the processor assigned to the IO. |
| US07882280B2 |
Packet processing switch and methods of operation thereof
A packet switching integrated circuit chip is configured to receive packets, e.g., RapidIO™-compliant packets, from a plurality of external sources, and selectively passes data in the received packets to a plurality of external recipients. The chip is configured to pass first received packets without modification and to terminate second received packets and preprocess payloads thereof to produce new packets. The chip may be configured to perform signal sample processing operations on the second received packets, such as bit extension, bit truncation, bit reordering and/or bit arithmetic operations. The chip may be further configured to manage the first and second received packets based on destination addresses in the received packets. |
| US07882279B2 |
Bidirectional control circuit
A bidirectional bus control circuit to which first and second direction signals instructing bus directions are input and which inputs and outputs a clock signal and data signal includes a first bidirectional buffer that switches an input or output direction of the clock signal in accordance with the second direction signal, a second bidirectional buffer that switches an input or output direction of the data signal in accordance with the second direction signal, and a data confirmation unit that confirms a data signal input to the second bidirectional buffer and invalidates the confirmation of the data signal in accordance with switching of the signal direction instructed by the first direction signal from the input direction to the output direction, the switching of the signal direction instructed by the first direction signal occurring before the switching of the signal direction instructed by the second direction. |
| US07882278B2 |
Utilizing programmable channels for allocation of buffer space and transaction control in data communications
A control mechanism for data bus communications employs channels to which bus transactions are assigned, each channel having independent flow control. The control mechanism enforces an ordering algorithm among channels, whereby at least some transactions may pass other transactions. Channel attributes are programmable to vary the ordering conditions. Preferably, each channel is allocated its own programmable buffer area. The control mechanism independently determines, for each channel, whether buffer space is available and enforces flow control independently for each channel accordingly. Flow control is preferably credit-based, credits representing buffer space or some other capacity of a receiver to receive data. Preferably, the flow control mechanism comprises a central interconnect module controlling internal communications of an integrated circuit chip. |
| US07882275B2 |
Arrangement and method for system of locally deployed module units, and contact unit for connection of such a module unit
An arrangement for a system for controlling, monitoring, communication etc. comprises locally deployed module units which each perform one or more local function(s). The system also comprises one or more system-functioning-determining unit(s) at a higher level than said module units. Also included are one or more connection(s) connecting said units. Each module unit is connected to the connection concerned via a connection facility or connection point. The facility or point comprises one or more microprocessor(s) (microprocessor setup(s)) arranged with compatibility with signalling appearing on the connection according to the rules of systems engineering which apply, and with a higher-level function in relation to the module unit. The invention also relates to a method for said system and a contact arrangement for connection of a module unit to the connection. The invention makes possible outstanding separation of system functions and module unit functions, the result of which is that the various part functions can be produced individually with hardware and used by the system/module unit constructor. |
| US07882271B2 |
Processor partnering in a storage system
An apparatus and associated method are provided for performing a storage transaction associated with a network I/O command by employing an ASIC having an interconnect selectively coupling a plurality of dedicated purpose function controllers in the ASIC to a policy processor via a list manager in the ASIC communicating on a peripheral device bus to which the policy processor is connected. |
| US07882270B2 |
Shadow community producing system matched to a variable area of an internet base and method of the same
The present invention provides a shadow community producing system matched to a variable area of an internet base and a method of the same, which allows users connecting with unspecified web sites of an internet base to arbitrarily and automatically construct a community area in the web sites in real time, and allows a number of third parties connecting to the web sites to confirm creation information regarding the community and access to the community area, thereby enhancing convenience and consistency in information sharing. The present invention has advantages in that it allows users to create shadow communities matched with URLs on all areas accessible through the user's terminals regardless of web site producing companies, thereby sharing objective information with many and unspecified users; allows users to freely create and manage shadow communities for web sites not having communities, categories, and products. |
| US07882269B2 |
Modularization of broadcast receiver driver components
A modularized broadcast receiver driver architecture includes one or more control nodes, under control of a network module, that perform a series of one or more functions to receive a broadcast signal and extract content information from the signal. None of the multiple control nodes requires knowledge of the network type via which the signal is being received. Rather, a network module is aware of the network type and configures the control nodes to carry out their respective functions. |
| US07882265B2 |
Systems and methods for managing messages in an enterprise network
A protocol management system is capable of detecting certain message protocols and applying policy rules to the detected message protocols that prevent intrusion, or abuse, of a network's resources. In one aspect, a protocol message gateway is configured to apply policy rules to high level message protocols, such as those that reside at layer 7 of the ISO protocol stack. |
| US07882262B2 |
Method and system for inline top N query computation
A system and method of generating an overall top N query result from multiple sets of sessionized network events that correspond to different time periods include identifying a subset within each set of network events whose event attributes satisfy a predefined query, generating an aggregation result table for each identified subset of network events in accordance with an aggregation attribute, identifying matching first and second entries in first and second aggregation result tables that have a same aggregation attribute value, generating a new entry in a query result table by merging the matching first and second entries together, and selecting entries in the query result table that have highest session counts as the overall top N query result. |
| US07882252B2 |
Providing redundancy for a device within a network
A storage device has partitions that are separately addressed by distinct IP addresses. This allows direct access of the partitions, on a peer-to-peer basis, by any other device that can communicate using IP. Preferred storage devices support spanning between or among partitions of the same device, as well as between or among different storage devices. Both multicast and proxy spanning are contemplated. Combinations of the inventive storage devices with each other, and with prior art storage devices are contemplated, in all manner of mirroring and other arrangements. In still other aspects of the invention, a given storage device can include one or more types of media, including any combination of rotating and non-rotating media, magnetic and optical, and so forth. |
| US07882250B2 |
Device for provision of role-based access to data through a central interface
A device for provision of access to data in various data sources. In one embodiment the device permits a user uniform central access to all data sources and a uniform visualization of the data from the corresponding data sources. The various data sources are automation devices, ERP devices, MES devices and other production relevant data sources. |
| US07882249B2 |
Methods and systems for communicating with storage systems using slim IP stacks
Methods, and associated devices, media, and systems, for establishing a communication link between a host system and a storage device are provided. Such a method includes the steps of: providing a communication stack having only an application layer and a physical layer; and establishing a communication channel between a host system and the storage device using the communication stack. The step of establishing may be performed via a TCP/IP emulator in a host-system side and a storage-command interpreter in a storage-device side. The method may further include: establishing a communication channel between the host system and a device having a static-IP address; and establishing a communication channel between the host system and a device having a storage identifier that is embedded into one of command parameters sent by the application layer or the physical layer to the TCP/IP emulator. |
| US07882248B2 |
Content delivering system, server, and content delivering method
A receiver receives from a client, a participation request indicating that a delivery of a content is desired. An affiliated group-determining unit determines of which group corresponding to the attribute content the attribute of the user, included in the participation request is affiliated. When the other client corresponds to the same desired content and the same affiliated group as that of the participation request source client, and when the other client is already registered in a client database (DB), an access point-deciding unit decides the registered client as a access point of the participation request source client. When the other client is not registered in the client DB, the access point-deciding unit decides a delivering server as the access point of the participation request source client. |
| US07882244B2 |
Method and system for facilitating group organization using mobile devices
Method and system for facilitating group organization using mobile devices and near field communication (NFC). Such a method in one aspect comprises the steps of selecting a first member of a group to create resources for the group, creating the resources by the first member using a mobile device belonging to the first member, bringing the mobile device belonging to the first member and a mobile device belonging to a second member of the group into proximity whereby a NFC connection is established between the mobile devices, uploading from the mobile device belonging to the second member to the mobile device belonging to the first member via the NFC connection information about the second member and adding the information about the second member to the resources. |
| US07882242B2 |
Method for transmitting destination user part unavailable message
A method for transmitting Destination User Part Unavailable message includes: signaling-point-transmitting, by an Application Server Process, a received DUPU message, if the Application Server Process is a signaling transfer point. |
| US07882240B2 |
Disconnecting selected participant in multicast session
A slow client that participates in a reliable multicast session may reduce the speed of data transfer for other clients in the session. A multicast server can mitigate the effect of a slow client by identifying and disconnecting one or more clients that are slowing down the session, or by using other criteria to identify clients to be disconnected. The server may monitor the performance of clients in the session based on factors such as the rate at which each of the clients is able to receive data, the number or rate of packets lost by a client, the amount of time that a client has spent as the slowest client in the session, the identity of a particular client, etc. A client that has been identified for disconnection based on the server's detection efforts, or that has been identified by an administrator, may be disconnected. |
| US07882238B2 |
Using bluetooth to establish ad-hoc connections between non-bluetooth wireless communication modules
Using Bluetooth to provide the network management functions such as device discovery, service discovery, security negotiation, and connection establishment. Upon a Bluetooth connection being established between the Bluetooth-enabled devices an IP channel availability query is made. This is accomplished by using information request signals from the Bluetooth L2CAP protocol layer. If an IP channel is available on both the devices and the communication modules using that IP channel are compatible the devices will then establish a secondary Internet Protocol (IP) based data channel between them. |
| US07882237B2 |
TCP/IP proxy utilizing transparent acknowledgements
A method is described herein for transmitting data from a first point (203) to a second point (205) on a network (201) via a proxy server (207). In accordance with the method, a first data packet is received from the first point at the proxy server without sending an acknowledgement packet to the first point. The first data packet is forwarded from the proxy server to the second point, and a second data packet is received from the second point at the proxy server. The second data packet is then forwarded to the first point along with an acknowledgement packet for receipt of the first data packet from the first point at the proxy server. |
| US07882235B2 |
Session control apparatus, software applied to session control apparatus, communication control method, and network system
A network system includes a session control server and a presence server. The session control server includes a presence information update unit that is started when the status changes and notifies the presence server of the changed status. The presence server includes a presence information control unit that controls the consistency of the notified update information. |
| US07882232B2 |
Rapid resource provisioning with automated throttling
Resources are rapidly provisioned using a repeatable, error free deployment technique. The technique includes an automatic throttle of a build management node to conform to existing network limitations in order to maximize the number of build operations which can be performed concurrently, while queuing up remaining requests to be executed, in response to sufficient network bandwidth becoming available. |
| US07882230B2 |
Method and system for dynamically allocating servers to compute-resources using capacity thresholds
Servers are allocated for use in one of a plurality of compute-resources or for stand-by storage in a free-pool. Server load metrics are selected (e.g., ping-reply time or CP utilization) for measuring load in the servers. Metrics are measured for the servers allocated to the compute-resources. Several metrics can be measured simultaneously. The metrics for each compute-resource are normalized and averaged. Then, the metrics for each compute-resource are combined using weighting coefficients, producing a global load value, G, for each compute-resource. The G value is recalculated at timed intervals. Upper and lower thresholds are set for each compute-resource, and the G values are compared to the thresholds. If the G value exceeds the upper threshold, then a server in the free-pool is reallocated to the compute-resource; if the G value is less than the lower threshold, then a server is moved from the compute-resource to the free-pool. |
| US07882228B2 |
Integrated application access
An exemplary system includes an application portal providing access to items of a plurality of remote applications, wherein at least one of the items is related to more than one of the remote applications, and an authorization layer that is included in the portal and that includes a permission map indicating an association between a user and at least one of the items of the plurality of remote applications that the user is permitted to access. In certain embodiments, the items include an application program interface (API). In certain embodiments, the authorization layer is synchronized with the remote applications, whereby the permission map is updated concerning information about at least one of the items that the user is permitted to access. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed. |
| US07882223B2 |
System and method for saving dump data of a client in a network
A system and method for saving memory dump data from an operating system of a client in a network. The method includes configuring the client to allocate client system memory according to system memory classifications, configuring the client to transfer dump data to at least one dump server, saving said dump data periodically during client system run-time based on the system memory classifications, and saving dump data in the event of a client system crash to at least complement the dump data sent periodically during client system run-time. |
| US07882219B2 |
Deploying analytic functions
A method, system, and computer usable program product for deploying analytic functions are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A resource is identified in an analytic function specification. A set of input time series is identified for the analytic function specification. An analytic function instance corresponding to the analytic function specification is instantiated in relation to an object of the resource. Each input time series in the set of time series is located in relation to the object. The analytic function instance is associated with each input time series in the set of time series. An analysis is performed using the set of input time series and an analytic function described in the analytic function specification. The analytic function instance is instantiated if both the object and the set of data sources are present in an object graph where the analytic function instance is to be instantiated. |
| US07882216B2 |
Process and methodology for generic analysis of metrics related to resource utilization and performance
A generic algorithm for analysis of resource metrics. A threshold is calculated in a stack tier policy for the performance state of a metric in a virtualized process collection (VPC). Responsive to determining that the metric is a critical metric, a weighted average of all metrics in the VPC is determined. Responsive to determining that the weighted average exceeds the threshold in the stack tier policy, if the value of the metric is determined to be higher than values for all recorded metrics, the value of the metric is stored as a highest value. A weighted average performance state of all metrics is calculated as the weight property of the performance metric divided by the weight factor total. Responsive to determining that the highest value is higher than the weighted average performance state of all metrics, the highest value is used as the performance state of the VPC. |
| US07882213B2 |
Network management system to monitor managed elements
A network management system in which an administrator may specify attributes of interest, and the specified attributes are monitored. Graphs/reports corresponding to the specified reports may be generated in a single place (e.g., on a web page) such that the data points for the various attributes may be correlated easily. The specified attributes may contain attributes which are dynamically created (e.g., counters measuring various aspects related to instances of objects). The network management system provides the ability to discover such attributes using a suitable interface, and selection of such attributes as well. |
| US07882210B2 |
Dynamic agent formation for efficient data provisioning
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for monitoring one or more computers in a distributed computing system. In one aspect, there is provided a computer-implemented method. The method may include determining, at a node, a first quantity of first agents reporting to the node and limiting the quantity of first agents to not exceed a predetermined threshold. The first agents configured to directly report to the node a first information corresponding to systems being monitored by the first agents. A second quantity of second agents may also be determined. The second agents report to the node through the first agents. The second agents report a second information corresponding to systems being monitored by the second agents. The first agents may be notified to report to the node the first information corresponding to systems being monitored by the first agents. The second agents may be notified to report to at least one of the first agents the second information corresponding to systems being monitored by the second agents. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described. |
| US07882202B2 |
System to delegate virtual storage access method related file operations to a storage server using an in-band RPC mechanism
A method is disclosed that places data-intensive subprocesses in close physical and logical proximity to the facility responsible for storing the data, so that high efficiencies at reduced cost are achieved. In one specific example, new computer programs, termed adjuncts, are added and placed in a logical partition on a storage facility so that they can be invoked using appropriate commands issued on the I/O channel. Further, programs or changes are added to existing programs on the host machine, wherein such programs or changes discover the function extensions and invoke them to perform data processing. |
| US07882201B2 |
Location based content aggregation and distribution systems and methods
In an exemplary method, a content posting is received from an access device connected to a network. The content posting includes data representative of a content instance and a geographic location associated with the content instance. The content posting is stored. The content instance is selectively distributed to at least one other access device connected to the network based on the geographic location. In certain embodiments, the selective distribution includes determining that the other access device is located physically proximate to the geographic location and making the content instance accessible to the other access device in response to the determination. In certain embodiments, the method further comprises the access device creating the content instance, detecting the geographic location as a physical location of the access device, and associating the geographic location with the content instance. |
| US07882200B2 |
Method and apparatus for distribution of data among computing resources
A method and apparatus for distribution of data among computing resources are disclosed. A data provider system architecture for “grid” computing resources can include a plurality of data providers. At least some of the data providers each have an associated cache for storing data to provide the data to the engines. The grid computing network interconnects the plurality of data providers and the engines. A data provider director (DPD) determines the selected data provider with respect to providing the data from the cache to a particular engine. The DPD may also provide an alternate data provider. In some embodiments, a data provider may have both an internal and external cache. Such an external cache may serve more than one data provider, for example, multiple data providers in a locale interconnected by a local area network (LAN). |
| US07882198B2 |
Shared JAVA JAR files
Techniques are disclosed for sharing programmatic modules among isolated virtual machines. A master JVM process loads data from a programmatic module, storing certain elements of that data into its private memory region, and storing other elements of that data into a “read-only” area of a shareable memory region. The master JVM process copies loaded data from its private memory region into a “read/write” area of the shareable memory region. Instead of re-loading the data from the programmatic module, other JVM processes map to the read-only area and also copy the loaded data from the read/write area into their own private memory regions. The private memory areas of all of the JVM processes begin at the same virtual memory address, so references between read-only data and copied data are preserved correctly. As a result, multiple JVM processes start up faster, and memory is conserved by avoiding the redundant storage of shareable data. |
| US07882196B2 |
Communication apparatus, communication parameter configuration method and communication method
In a communication apparatus on a network where communication apparatuses perform direct communication with other apparatuses, a providing apparatus that provides communication parameters, and a reception apparatus that receives the communication parameters are determined based on information indicating the capabilities of communication apparatuses existing on the network, and a transfer direction of the communication parameters is notified to the providing apparatus and the reception apparatus thereby determined. |
| US07882192B2 |
Detecting spam email using multiple spam classifiers
A method for detecting undesirable emails combines input from two or more spam classifiers to provide improved classification effectiveness and robustness. The method includes obtaining a score from each of a plurality of constituent spam classifiers by applying them to a given input email. The method further includes obtaining a combined spam score from a combined spam classifier that takes as input the plurality of constituent spam classifier scores, the combined spam classifier being computed automatically in accordance with a specified false-positive vs. false-negative tradeoff. The method further includes identifying the given input email as an undesirable email if the combined spam score indicates that the input e-mail is undesirable. |
| US07882191B2 |
Method and system for mapping organizational social networks utilizing dynamically prioritized e-mail flow indicators
A method to use dynamically prioritized email communications to establish and analyze organization social network maps includes selecting a dynamically prioritized email dataset based on network boundaries and contextual framework, establishing a one-way trusted relationship score between an email recipient and sender, establishing a one-way trusted relationship score between an email sender and recipient, establishing a two-way trusted relationship score between two communicating entities, establishing an atomic unit of entities based on a decreasing order of at least one of the one-way trusted relationship score and the two-way trusted relationship score, and establishing a social network based on arranging atomic units and entities based on one or more of an email prioritization score, a trusted relationship score, and an email productivity and collaboration metric, wherein the entities are email senders and email recipients. |
| US07882188B2 |
Symbol-based message transmission method and system
The present invention discloses a method of message transmission performed in a server; a method of message transmission performed in a client; a symbol-based method for transmitting a message between a server and at least one client as well as a server; a client and a symbol-based message transmission system, wherein the symbol-based method of message transmission has: at least one client requesting the server to perform message transmission; the server transmitting symbols of the client's message to the client; and presenting the received message symbols on the client. The symbol-based method of message transmission saves a great deal of bandwidth of the communication channel by having the server only transmit symbols that represent the message after receiving a message transmission request from the client. This is done in order to efficiently transmit a message with a large body and/or attachment(s), thereby avoiding the risk of blocking the communication channel. |
| US07882180B2 |
Monitoring apparatus for image forming apparatus, control method executed by the monitoring apparatus, program for implementing the control method, and management apparatus, control method executed by the management apparatus, and program for implementing the control method
There is provided a monitoring apparatus which makes it possible to efficiently update modules on which the monitoring apparatus operates by remote control from a management apparatus. The monitoring apparatus carries out communication with the management apparatus by e-mail. When the monitoring apparatus receives other modules for updating the modules in the monitoring apparatus from the management apparatus by e-mail, the monitoring apparatus automatically updates the modules to the other modules. The monitoring apparatus collects version information on the modules when receiving a version information acquisition request from the management apparatus by e-mail. The monitoring apparatus sends the collected version information to the management apparatus by return mail. |
| US07882178B2 |
Method and system for using business rules to control invitations to join instant message collaborations
A method and system for using business rules to control invitations to participate in instant message (IM) collaborations. A primary invitee is invited to participate in an IM collaboration via a first IM. A business rule associated with the primary invitee is applied to determine that the primary invitee is unavailable to participate in the IM collaboration. A second IM is sent to automatically invite a backup invitee to participate in the IM collaboration. In another embodiment, a primary invitee with credentials specified by a business rule is to be invited to an IM collaboration at a specified time. An application of the business rule determines that the specified time is outside a valid invitation time period or the primary invitee's credentials are not included in a set of predefined credentials. Following the application of the business rule, a backup invitee is invited. |
| US07882172B2 |
Thin client system
In a thin client system which provides a high-quality picture reproduction method and which makes it possible to use a thin client terminal as a TeleVision (TV) phone terminal and a TV conference terminal, a video reproducing module is disposed in a thin client server device and a graphics module is disposed in a thin client terminal. The thin client server device sets a transmission color to a video display area of screen data and sends the screen data via a remote control communication path and simultaneously sends video data via a second route. The thin client terminal receives the screen data and the video data and displays the screen and video data as an overlay image in one same screen using the screen overlay scheme. |
| US07882169B1 |
Method and apparatus for configuring relay processes used for dynamically configuring hosts in network communications
Techniques for configuring relay processes for dynamically configuring hosts for network operations include receiving, at a relay process on a network device, a first message from a first server that dynamically configures hosts for network communications. The first message includes first data that indicates a particular set of one or more network addresses for servers that dynamically configure hosts for network communications. The particular set is stored for use in directing second data to a server that dynamically configures hosts for network communications. The second data is received in a second message from a client on a host connected to the network device. The second data indicates a host request for configuring the host for network communications. These techniques allow a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) relay agent on a router to be automatically configured with a set of addresses for DHCP servers. |
| US07882168B2 |
Contents distribution system, node apparatus and information processing method thereof, as well as recording medium on which program thereof is recorded
To provide a contents distribution system, method and the like, wherein even a node apparatus with a small storage capacity, such as in the case of a set-top box, can function as a root node apparatus in a P2P type of contents distribution system having a plurality of node apparatus disposed dispersed in a network by a DHT (Distributed Hash Table), or the like. A node apparatus includes a distribution source information storage section having a management information storage area storing first position information, which is position information of a management subject contents holding node apparatus holding contents data which are a subject of management, and an extension management information storage area storing second position information, which is position information of a node apparatus holding position information of the management subject contents holding node apparatus. Then, in the event that it is determined that a message received via a network is a request addressed to the node apparatus itself for a transmission of contents data distribution source information, the node apparatus selects the first position information or the second position information from the distribution source information storage section. |
| US07882165B2 |
Digital signal processing element having an arithmetic logic unit
A digital signal processing circuit including: a multiplier circuit; a plurality of multiplexers coupled to the multiplier circuit and controlled by a first opcode; and an arithmetic logic unit coupled to plurality of multiplexers and controlled by a second opcode. |
| US07882158B2 |
Declarative pinning
A system and method is provided for efficiently pinning references to the managed heap. The system and method allow for references to managed objects to be declared as pinned during a call to unmanaged code. The references are then reported as pinned to a garbage collector in response to invocation of a garbage collection service. The reference can be declared as pinned by a programmer within the source code or automatically invoked at run-time based on an unsafe condition. The garbage collection service will not move or relocate objects that are referenced by the active pinned local variables. If a garbage collection does not occur, the fact that the local variables are declared pinned is ignored. |
| US07882157B2 |
Content data recording device and recording control method
Electronic device capable of automatically securing a capacity for recording a second content data other than a first content data even in the case of automatically recording to a storage medium the first content data received by a push-type service. For example, a portable audio player receives as an input push-type data from a personal computer and stores the same in a HDD when there is a free storable region in its push-type-use storage capacity. |
| US07882156B2 |
System and method for storing item attributes in an electronic catalog
An electronic catalog is provided that stores items and attributes associated with the items. One or more of the attributes may have more than one value. Items are stored in an item table with different attributes for items stored in different rows in an attribute table. Additional items may be added to a catalog by adding additional rows to the item table, with attributes related to the additional items added as rows into the attribute table. Particular attributes may have multiple values, and attributes with multiple values are associated with sub-items that correspond to different attribute trees or attribute sets associated with the item. Searching can be performed for attribute values and search results returned indicating all items and sub-items that satisfy the search criteria. |
| US07882155B2 |
Hierarchical inherited XML DOM
A computer system including a processor and a memory unit containing instructions that when executed by the processor implement a method for providing processed data definition documents (DDDs) or processed document object models (DOMs) for object oriented programming. The use of these processed data definitions simplifies the data structures and streamlines programming to access the data. A standard DDD/DOM has a hierarchical branched structure having a number of levels each with elements/nodes and attributes. The DDD is written in a platform independent markup language. An element/node is selected and its attributes are identified. All ‘children’ of the selected element/node are identified. The attributes of the selected element/node (parent) are then copied to each child for all children in the DDD/DOM. This is repeated for all elements/nodes in the DDD/DOM, resulting in a processed DDD/processed DOM which is structured to allow program access to data in a more direct manner. |
| US07882154B2 |
Hierarchical inherited XML DOM
A computer program product comprising computer readable program configured to implement a method for providing processed data definition documents (DDDs) or processed document object models (DOMs) for object oriented programming. The use of these processed data definitions simplifies the data structures and streamlines programming to access the data. A standard DDD/DOM has a hierarchical branched structure having a number of levels each with elements/nodes and attributes. The DDD is written in a platform independent markup language. An element/node is selected and its attributes are identified. All ‘children’ of the selected element/node are identified. The attributes of the selected element/node (parent) are then copied to each child for all children in the DDD/DOM. This is repeated for all elements/nodes in the DDD/DOM to result in a processed DDD/processed DOM which is now structured to allow program access to data in a more direct manner. |
| US07882150B2 |
Health advisor
Systems and methods are disclosed for providing health and diet advice. A user may establish a user profile that may include information relating to the user's health and nutritional needs. The user may visit a restaurant or other food service location and may be presented with a menu that includes a variety of menu options. The user may access the user profile at the restaurant or food service location and may be provided advice and suggestions regarding the available menu options. The diet advisor may perform a comparison of the health and nutritional needs of the user with the available menu options. The diet advisor may assist a user in selecting a menu option at a restaurant or food service location that is healthy and will provide the user with the proper balance of nutrients. |
| US07882146B2 |
XML schema collection objects and corresponding systems and methods
The present invention provides “XML Schema Collections” and methods and systems for using the same. XML data is typically stored as an XML instance, each of which should conform to a “schema” according to a desired goal. An XML schema provides identification and organization for the data supplied by an XML instance. XML Schema Collections are collections of one or more XML schema namespaces. A storage location designated for storage of XML data, such as an XML column in a relational database, can be “typed” with an XML Schema Collection object, allowing that storage location to store XML instances that conform to more than one XML schema. XML Schema Collections provide increased data storage versatility, and facilitation of data searches. |
| US07882144B1 |
Computer systems and methods for the query and visualization of multidimensional databases
In response to a user request, a computer generates a graphical user interface on a computer display. A schema information region of the graphical user interface includes multiple operand names, each operand name associated with one or more fields of a multi-dimensional database. A data visualization region of the graphical user interface includes multiple shelves. Upon detecting a user selection of the operand names and a user request to associate each user-selected operand name with a respective shelf in the data visualization region, the computer generates a visual table in the data visualization region in accordance with the associations between the operand names and the corresponding shelves. The visual table includes a plurality of panes, each pane having at least one axis defined based on data for the fields associated with a respective operand name. |
| US07882142B2 |
Dynamic optimized datastore generation and modification for process models
A method for generating and modifying a datastore may include identifying all processes associated with an observation model and identifying any metrics associated with each process to be recorded. The method may also include automatically constructing a database schema to store the metric data and provide appropriate interrelations between the processes. |
| US07882141B2 |
Digital pictorial book sytstem, pictorial book searching method, and machine readable medium storing thereon pictorial book searching method
A digital pictorial book system includes an image capturing module for capturing an image; a main object selecting module for selecting a main object out of the image; an inclination measuring module for measuring inclination of the image capturing module in a vertical direction; and a name searching module for searching for a name of the main object in an image database, which stores a name of an object corresponded to a feature of the object, on the basis of the main object selected by the main object selecting module and the inclination measured by the inclination measuring module. |
| US07882138B1 |
Progressive evaluation of predicate expressions in streaming XPath processor
Progressive evaluation of predicate expressions in streaming XPath processor. A method for evaluating multiple XPath predicate expressions of multiple XPath queries includes identifying includes determining hit of a location path in a SAX event. All XPath predicate expressions of all XPath queries corresponding to the location path are then identified. All leaf nodes in the XPath predicate expressions corresponding to the location path are then determined. Thereafter, storage of nearest parent nodes of the leaf nodes is checked. Each nearest parent node is a first parent node which is encountered while moving from a leaf node towards a root node in an XPath predicate expression and which requires storage for storing intermediate Boolean result. Results of parent nodes of the leaf nodes are the determined based on the checking. Thereafter, the results of the parent nodes are stored if the results of the parent nodes are Boolean results. Further, results of root nodes of the XPath predicate expressions are determined by progressively evaluating subsequent parent nodes of the parent node. |
| US07882135B2 |
Method for predicting treatment classes using behavior informatics
A system and method used to assess animal behavior includes a module having sensors that collects a variety of physical and biological data from a test subject. Interpretation of the data is provided to assess the test subject's behavior, neurology, biochemistry and physiology. The module is useful in observing the effects of a drug on the test animal and providing information on the drug's signature. Another advantage is the module's portability that allows it to be used in standard laboratory cages. This portability allows the animal to be tested in its own habitat, that can reduce any erroneous data due to stressing the animal when removed to a test cage. Additionally, the module's design allows for parallel data collection and interpretation from several laboratory animals undergoing different experiments. Multi-dimensional modeling of the test subject based the system's interpretation of the data allows pattern recognition of the drug signature, and predictive drug analysis. |
| US07882130B2 |
Method and apparatus for requestor sensitive role membership lookup
A directory server system that includes a data repository storing a plurality of entries, wherein the plurality of entries comprises a plurality of user entries and a plurality of role entries, wherein each of the plurality of role entries define a role and comprises an InterestedApplication attribute, a directory server executing a first operation to obtain initial results and execute a second operation to obtain final results, wherein the second operation uses the initial results and the InterestedApplication attribute to obtain the final results, and an application requesting the directory server to execute the first operation and the second operation. |
| US07882126B2 |
Systems and methods for computation of optimal distance bounds on compressed time-series data
There are provided a method and a system for computation of optimal distance bounds on compressed time-series data. In a method for similarity search, the method includes the step of transforming sequence data into a compressed sequence represented by top-k coefficients of the sequence data and a sum of the energy of omitted coefficients of the sequence data. The method further includes the step of computing at least one of a lower bound and an upper bound on a distance range between a query sequence and the compressed sequence, given a first and a second constraint. The first constraint is that a sum of squares of the omitted coefficients is less than a sum of the energy of the omitted coefficients. The second constraint is that the energy of the omitted coefficients is less than the energy of a lowest energy one of the top-k coefficients. |
| US07882125B2 |
Document managing system, method and apparatus, printing apparatus and information processing apparatus for the system, program for implementing the method, and storing medium storing the program
A document managing system that is capable of realizing enhanced operability in inputting a search condition or the like when any of registered documents is searched for and printed. A document is registered in a document managing apparatus. A search condition to search through the registered documents for a specific document is registered in the document managing apparatus. A list of the registered search conditions is transmitted to a printing apparatus. The registered documents for a document that matches the selected search condition are searched through, by using a search condition selected from the transmitted list of the search conditions. The document that matches the selected search condition is transmitted to the printing apparatus. |
| US07882123B2 |
Method and system for intelligent storage management
A storage management system is provided. The storage management system may includes a data collector configured to receive storage management information for storage. The storage manager includes an agent configured to collect storage management information for a storage object and to communicate the storage management information to the data collector. The storage management system includes a user interface configured to display the storage management information for the storage objects. |
| US07882121B2 |
Generating queries using cardinality constraints
A query generation using cardinality constraints process including choosing a first set of parameters for a query, calculating an additional set of parameters based on the first set of parameters, executing the query using additional set of parameters, evaluating the cardinality error the additional set of parameters, and refining the additional set of parameters to meet the desired cardinality constraint. Creating a query and selecting parameters for the query to meet a desired cardinality constraint or set of cardinality constraints when the query is executed against a database may be difficult. A query generation using cardinality constraints process may create a set of parameters for a query which satisfies a desired cardinality constraint or set of cardinality constraints. An application of such a query generation using cardinality constraints process may be database component and code testing. |
| US07882117B1 |
First normal form (1NF) data normalizer
An embodiment of the invention provides for receiving a data-value-location indication from which a set of data values that are to be normalized can be determined, determining column-header and row-header information associated with the set of data values, and automatically creating a set of associations, wherein, for each data value in the set of data values, each association associates respective column-header and row-header information with a single data value such that no data is duplicated per row of a table that is composed of rows of data created from the associations. |
| US07882116B2 |
Method for localization of programming modeling resources
A computer method localizes programming models. Given a model having one or more elements, each element has an element name, and each element name is in a language of an author of the model. For each element name, the invention method stores corresponding character strings (or string values) for generating the element name in different languages. During display of the given model in a certain locale, the present invention obtains the stored respective character strings of each element name in the language of the certain locale and uses the obtained character strings to display each element name in the language of the certain locale. |
| US07882112B2 |
Image search device and image search method
An image search device is provided which relatively easily outputs images that a user wishes to use for interpolation from among a large volume of stored image content data.The image search device includes: a degree-of-association database (102) which stores degrees of association between images; an input unit (103) which receives a first image and a second image; an interpolation range computing unit (104) which computes interpolation range including first photographing location of the first image and second photographing location of the second image; an imaging content inferring unit (107) which infers imaging content of interpolation images based on the degree of association between the first image and an image belonging to the interpolation range and the degree of association between the second image and the image belonging to the interpolation range; an interpolation image obtaining unit (108) which obtains interpolation images from among candidate images using the inferred imaging content; and an output unit (109) which outputs the interpolation images. |
| US07882111B2 |
User interactive precision targeting principle
A method of determining content relevance for a user sets a user preference, which is related to a first area of content. The method calculates a set of scores, by using a combination, of the user preference, affinity data, and a parametric weight. The method organizes the content by using the set of scores, such that the organization of the content has a desirable relationship to the user, and recommends the selected content. Preferably, the method precomputes the affinity data and/or the parametric weight to generate and store the precompiled data for later retrieval. The affinity data describes a relationship between a first item of content and a second item of content, and the parametric weight describes an attribute of the second item. Additional embodiments include a system implementation and computer readable medium. |
| US07882106B2 |
Method of indexed storage and retrieval of multidimensional information
A tree-structured index to multidimensional data is created using naturally occurring patterns and clusters within the data which permit efficient search and retrieval strategies in a database of DNA profiles. A search engine utilizes hierarchical decomposition of the database by identifying clusters of similar DNA profiles and maps to parallel computer architecture, allowing scale up past previously feasible limits. Key benefits of the new method are logarithmic scale up and parallelization. These benefits are achieved by identification and utilization of naturally occurring patterns and clusters within stored data. The patterns and clusters enable the stored data to be partitioned into subsets of roughly equal size. The method can be applied recursively, resulting in a database tree that is balanced, meaning that all paths or branches through the tree have roughly the same length. The method achieves high performance by exploiting the natural structure of the data in a manner that maintains balanced trees. Implementation of the method maps naturally to parallel computer architectures, allowing scale up to very large databases. |
| US07882102B2 |
Nearest-neighbor geographic search
Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for use in searching a geographic database to retrieve geographic objects one cell from a neighborhood of cells at a time. A cell neighborhood can be defined using a grid of cells and an initial, or center, point. A first neighborhood is identified based on its proximity to the initial search point, and corresponds to a first geographic area defined using the initial point and a distance from the initial search point in a number of directions. In a case that more than one cell neighborhood is used, each subsequent cell neighborhood is defined so that it excludes cells belonging to a previously-searched cell neighborhood. A subsequent neighborhood corresponds to a geographic area that is a distance from the initial point greater than the distance associated with a previously-searched neighborhood. |
| US07882101B2 |
Optimizing search trees by increasing success size parameter
A SQL query that includes an IN-List is optimized by (1) performing an evaluation to determine whether access to a table can be performed as a join operation, (2) converting the IN-List to an IN-LIST relation, and (3) joining the IN-List relation with the table to access the data in the table. |
| US07882098B2 |
Method and system for searching stored data
A complete document management system is disclosed. Accordingly, systems and methods for managing data associated with a data storage component coupled to multiple computers over a network are disclosed. Systems and methods for managing data associated with a data storage component coupled to multiple computers over a network are further disclosed. Additionally, systems and methods for accessing documents available through a network, wherein the documents are stored on one or more data storage devices coupled to the network, are disclosed. |
| US07882097B1 |
Search tools and techniques
The invention provides tools and techniques for assisting searches of large information collections, such as the Internet or databases. An initial search from a given user A is used to help identify related productive searches by other users. Those searches (keywords and/or searched portions) are then used to focus the search effort of user A. Activities by other users in response to search results are tracked to help a search assistant automatically identify the results those other users deemed of greatest interest. |
| US07882091B2 |
Record tagging, storage and filtering system and method
A record tagging, storage and filtering system and method that permits paper records to be tagged, stored and filtered according to user criteria. The system includes a scanning module, a central server, one or more user workstations and an optical character recognition server. After scanning, the records may then be serialized and categorized by project, and then supplemented automatically by the system with a hypertext data file. The system provides for the manual input of additional hypertext data and merger of the hypertext data file with other records in the project. The end user may then search and/or filter records according to information contained in the hypertext data file. Because the pages may be sorted according to user criteria, the user may shuffle through pages from various different documents, thus allowing them to quickly retrieve the records they need and perform such actions as trend-spotting. |
| US07882089B1 |
Caching database information
Embodiments for caching database information are disclosed. A query may specify a set of information to be retrieved from a database file. The database file may be parsed according to the query to retrieve the set of information. The query and the corresponding set of information retrieved from the database file may be stored in a cache file. The cache file may be searched for the query, which may enable the set of information to be retrieved from the cache file. Searching the cache file and retrieving the set of information from the cache file may be faster than searching the database file to retrieve the set of information. The cache file may be associated with a currency token which may indicate whether the cache file is current. The currency token may indicate whether the database file has been updated since being parsed according to the query. |
| US07882086B1 |
Method and system for portset data management
A system and method are provided to method and system for portset data management. The system comprises a mass storage device to store a list of portset records; a network drivers layer to receive a request to add a new portset record to a list of portset records; and a portset update component to process the request. A portset may include a set of ports that provides access to logical unit numbers (LUNs). When the system receives a request to add a new portset, the portset update component may determine an available common index for the new portset record, associate the new portset record with the available common index, and update in memory representation of the list of records with the new portset record. The new portset record is then stored at a location on disk associated with the available common index for the new portset record. |
| US07882085B2 |
Database system and method with improved locks
A method for handling database locks includes detecting a new query from an administrator for a set of database records. Next, it is determined whether the administrator has any chance of being authorized to acquire a new lock. If so, an attempt is made to acquire the new lock and, on the failure to acquire, the administrator is informed that the lock has already been acquired by a prior administrator. Optionally, the new administrator is also provided with identifying information of the prior administrator and contact information for the prior administrator. The new administrator is therefore pre-screened to determine whether there is any chance to acquire a new lock to reduce the chance that an unauthorized new administrator could lock the set of database records. Also, should the new administrator be authorized but not able to access the set of database records due to a prior lock, the new administrator can be informed of the identity and contact information concerning the holder of the prior lock. |
| US07882080B2 |
Method for operating an automation system
There is described a method for operating an automation system, in which automation-specific data is filed in a database, an access to the data taking place using a database interface, all access to the data taking place via one and the same database interface and when an access to the database takes place, a datum to which the access relates is identified by a unique reference, in which on the datum identified via the reference a buffer is formed or used and a status of the datum is backed up in the buffer. |
| US07882077B2 |
Method and system for offline indexing of content and classifying stored data
A method and system for creating an index of content without interfering with the source of the content includes an offline content indexing system that creates an index of content from an offline copy of data. The system may associate additional properties or tags with data that are not part of traditional indexing of content, such as the time the content was last available or user attributes associated with the content. Users can search the created index to locate content that is no longer available or based on the associate attributes. |
| US07882074B2 |
Video contents recording apparatus and method of managing data storage medium included therein
A video contents recording apparatus and a method of managing a data storage medium include: a data storage medium in which a plurality of contents are recorded; and a controller displaying a list of contents to be deleted generated from the contents recorded in the data storage medium to a user via a display unit according to a predetermined delete priority and deleting contents selected by the user from the data storage medium with reference to the list. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a recording space of a data storage medium having limited data storage capacity may be efficiently managed by automatically deleting contents stored in the data storage medium according to a predetermined priority selected by a user or by providing a delete list for referring to when the user determines contents to be deleted. |
| US07882070B2 |
System and method for UDDI data migration using standard UDDI v3 API
A system and method are described for Universal Description Discovery and Integration (UDDI) data migration exporting existing UDDI V3 data from a UDDI V3 compliant repository (a source repository) and importing this data into another UDDI V3 compliant repository (a destination repository). The data from the source repository is migrated into the destination repository and remains in the custody of the destination repository. The method preserves the user name and entity key associated with the data during the process. If that is not possible, the method generates new user names and/or entity keys and creates a mapping between the original and the generated user names and/or keys in order to dispatch the requests properly during runtime. Source repository is required to support the mandatory UDDI v3 APIs and may need to support the optional Security API Set. Destination repository is required to support the mandatory UDDI v3 API and the optional Security API Set. Other optional APIs (as replication and subscription for example) are not required to be supported by any of the repositories. |
| US07882067B2 |
Snapshot management device and snapshot management method
A snapshot management device and snapshot management method whereby a snapshot is obtained on a regular basis, the amount of difference between two obtained snapshots is detected and, when the detected difference amount is smaller than a threshold value, of the two snapshots, the snapshot obtained earlier than the other is deleted, thereby contributing to the improved convenience. |
| US07882066B1 |
Probabilistic data locating in sparse data images
A set of probabilities may indicate the chance of finding the latest version of a data item in any particular data image layer of a data image. A client may use the set of probabilities to request the data item from one or more layers that have a higher probability of having that version of the data item. A client may query more recently created layers to determine whether they have a version of the data item. If any of the more recently created data image layers has a version of the data item, a client may request the data item from the most recent of the more recently created layers and may discard any data returned from the originally requested layer. A client may update the historical probabilities based on which layers contain versions of the data item. |
| US07882061B1 |
Multi-thread replication across a network
Data is replicated from a source to a target. For each of a plurality of replication processing threads (one thread at a time) a corresponding batch of one or more non-synchronization tasks is formed. Each batch of one or more non-synchronization tasks includes a next consecutive set of non-synchronization tasks drawn from a source of non-synchronization tasks that is common to the replication processing threads included in the plurality of replication processing threads. A replication processing thread that has associated with it an outstanding batch of one or more non-synchronization tasks that the thread has not finished communicates via an associated connection to the target as needed to perform such unfinished tasks included in the outstanding batch without regard to whether other threads included in the plurality of threads are communicating with the target via one or more other connections to the target. |
| US07882058B1 |
Method and apparatus for business resource automation
A method and system of computer-assisted business resource automation that is applicable to a variety of business enterprise requirements including, but not limited to customer relationship management and sales force automation. The system provides improved an apparatus and method for automating the production of business resources such as documents and presentations. The system further provides an apparatus and method for analyzing the associated processes of the enterprise and providing business intelligence such as sales analytics. In particular, aspects of the invention include, but are not limited to: a hierarchical architecture that simplifies customization and maintenance of enterprise software, the encapsulation of data within reusable intelligent advisor objects, and the flexible integration of a variety of expert systems functionality and other apparatus and means of artificial intelligence therein. |
| US07882056B2 |
Method and system to predict and recommend future goal-oriented activity
One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for recommending activities to a user. During operation, the system determines an activity-type distribution based on the user's personal profile and/or population prior information, thereby facilitating prediction of future activities for the user. The system further searches for and receives one or more activities based on the activity-type distribution. The system then scores each received activity and recommends a number of activities to be performed by the user in the future and a number of corresponding venues, based on the activity-type distribution and the weight distribution. |
| US07882054B2 |
System for estimating audience size in a digital broadcast environment using control packets and predictions
For digital media, audience evaluation is performed as a result of transmitter-receiver interaction similar to a lottery game. The transmitter provides receivers with a preliminary audience estimate and a “winning” number, both placed in control packets multiplexed with a media stream. Each receiver generates a random number within a range of numbers proportional to the audience estimate and if the winning number is generated, the receiver sends a “claim” back to the transmitter over a return path. The transmitter increases or decreases the audience estimate placed in control packets if the number of “winners” is statistically greater or lesser than theoretically predicted for correct estimates until the number of winners becomes as predicted. Reducing the volume of data transmitted over the return path and keeping the volume independent from audience size, the system prevents the return pass capacity overload and provides an accurate measurement of any audience no matter how large or small it is. |
| US07882052B2 |
Evolutionary neural network and method of generating an evolutionary neural network
An evolutionary neural network and a method of generating such a neural network is disclosed. The evolutionary neural network comprises an input set consisting of at least one input neuron, said input neurons being adapted for receiving an input signal form an external system, an output set consisting of at least one output neuron, said output neurons being adapted for producing an output signal for said external system, an internal network composed of a plurality of internal neurons, each internal neuron being adapted for processing a signal received from at least one of said input neurons or other internal neurons and producing a signal for at least one of said output neurons or other internal neurons, and a plurality of synapses constituting connections between said neurons, each of said synapses having a value of strength that can be adjusted by a learning process. Each of said neurons is assigned to a neuron class, the parameter values of which are defined by the genotype of the neural network, and each of said synapses are assigned to a respective synapse class, the parameter values of which are also defined by said genotype of the neural network. At reproduction, the genotype of any new neural network is subject to genetic operations. The evolutionary neural network is associated with a neural space, said neural space comprising a plurality of neural layers. Each neuron is associated with at least one neural layer and described by a set of topographical parameters with respect to said neural space. At least one of said topographical parameters of at least the internal neurons is encoded in the genotype of the evolutionary neural network in a statistical form. |
| US07882047B2 |
Partially observable markov decision process including combined bayesian networks into a synthesized bayesian network for information processing
Disclosed herein is an information-processing apparatus for constructing an information analysis processing configuration to be applied to information analysis processing in an observation domain including an uncertainty. The information-processing apparatus includes a data processing unit for: taking a Partially Observable Markov Decision Process as a basic configuration; taking each of elements included in every information space defined in the Partially Observable Markov Decision Process as a unit; analyzing relations between the elements; and constructing an Factored Partially Observable Markov Decision Process, which is a Partially Observable Markov Decision Process including the relations between the elements, on the basis of results of the analysis. |
| US07882046B1 |
Providing ad information using plural content providers
An ad system is described for providing ad selections in response to an ad presentation opportunity. The ad system can use multiple content providers to generate multiple sets of ad candidates. The content providers can apply different ad selection paradigms in generating their sets of ad candidates. The paradigms may act on different aspects of a context pertaining to the ad presentation opportunity. A chooser module and filtering module can cull the set of ad selections from among the plural sets of ad candidates. At least one content provider uses machine learning functionality in generating ad candidates, such as a Naïve Bayesian approach, an affiliate similarity approach, etc. Various content providers also find application in a stand-alone mode. |
| US07882042B2 |
Automated printing of return labels
Embodiments herein provide for the automated printing of a shipping label as part of the software/memory of the customer replaceable unit (CRU). Such printing is controlled by information carried in the module itself. Thus, the embodiments work with exhaustible modules that include their own memory and potentially include their own module processor (that are contained within the exhaustible module and are separate from the memory and processor of the printing device). |
| US07882037B2 |
Open, neutral electronic distribution system for digital content providing distribution channel support to publishers and retailers and abstract fulfillment for publishers
An online service and system are provided through which digital content publishers can package, protect, market and sell their content through on-line retailers, and through which on-line retailers can both build a unique inventory of digital content with all associated marketing metadata to sell through their on-line stores and seamlessly integrate the digital content into their on-line shopping cart. The system provides publishers with abstract fulfillment such that they only. |
| US07882035B2 |
Pre-performing operations for accessing protected content
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for pre-performing operations for accessing protected content. Cryptographic user key pairs can be pre-generated and distributed in response to a variety of different events prior to provisioning client machine for accessing protected content. Usage licenses can be pre-generated and allocated prior to requests for usage licenses. Usage licenses can be pre-obtained for client machines prior to client machines access protected content. Pre-performed operations can be performed in response to detected events, such as, for example, reduced resource consumption in a Digital Rights Management system. |
| US07882034B2 |
Digital rights management for content rendering on playback devices
In one embodiment, an elapsed playback time associated with a digital playback device is determined and compared to an allotted playback time for the device. In the event the elapsed and allotted playback times satisfy a predetermined relationship with respect to one another, further content playback on the device may be denied or otherwise regulated until content playback rights intrinsic to the device are renewed or “recharged”. |
| US07882033B2 |
Systems and methods for providing communication services to guests at a hospitality facility
Systems and methods consistent with the present invention allow guests at a hospitality facility to communicate via VoIP from a remote terminal. For example, guests at a client terminal can place and receive phone calls, experience content, and receive targeted messages while continuing to play games at the client terminal. Based on the stored guest preference information, hospitality facility operators can selectively target information to each guest. |
| US07882018B2 |
System and method for providing market updates in an electronic trading environment
A system and method are provided for modifying how market updates are provided in an electronic trading environment upon detecting one or more triggering events. One example method includes defining an event to be used to trigger modification of how market updates are provided to a client entity, receiving a market update from an electronic exchange, and, when the event is detected, modifying how the market update is provided to the client entity. As an example, the modification of how the market update is provided to the client entity may include providing less data in relation to market updates, and sending the market updates less frequently. |
| US07882017B2 |
Deal matching in an anonymous trading system
An anonymous trading system comprises an interconnected network of broking noted arranged in cliques which receive buy and sell orders from trader terminals via connected trading engines and which match persistent orders, executed deals and distribute price information to trader terminals. Where two orders are matched, a proposed deal message is sent by the matching broker. If another broker has processed an event which makes the matched quote unavailable the match fails and rematch may occur. Rematch may be attempted by an intermediate broker provided it owns one side of the match, or it received both sides of the match from brokers in different cliques. The intermediate broker attempts to match with the next available quote in the queue. |
| US07882016B2 |
Utilizing cash flow contracts and physical collateral for energy-related clearing and credit enhancement platforms
In accordance with the present invention, a financial instrument for the energy market is created. The financial instrument comprises a derivative instrument related to accounts receivable or accounts payable or both. In a preferred embodiment, the derivative instrument normally consists of two sets of linked swaps. In the first set, the seller exchanges two things with a third party: (i) the right for payment of accounts receivable within a month from the buyer is exchanged for the right to payment of such accounts receivable within a week from the third party; and (ii) the obligation to deliver energy to the buyer is exchanged for the obligation to deliver to the third party. The buyer exchanges the mirror image of those with a third party, to with: (i) the obligation to pay within a month to the seller is exchanged for the obligation to pay within a week to the third party, but the buyer receives financing to offset the cash flow ramifications; and (ii) the obligation to take delivery from the seller is exchanged with the obligation to take delivery from the third party. The swap can further be utilized to net payment obligations under multiple cash and forward commodity transactions between the buyer and the seller. Physical collateral is utilized as margin. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the process takes place on a ‘clearing platform’ for such energy transactions. |
| US07882015B2 |
Block trading system and method providing price improvement to aggressive orders
In a trading system for trading securities or the like, Contra Targeting is performed by enabling users to expose the liquidity within their order management system without divulging order management system information to a central trading server. Also, virtual orders can be placed and executed which give users price-time priority on an order without reserving the shares until the moment of execution. |
| US07882012B1 |
System and method for estimating order position
A system and method for providing order queue position information are disclosed. In this application, market updates are received for a tradable object from at least one exchange. To the extent that the market updates do not include enough details to compute the queue position of a trader's working orders, estimation may be used. As a result, an order queue is generated to approximate a trader's order position in an exchange price order queue. An interface may be used to display the generated order queue estimation to the trader which provides valuable trading information. |
| US07882011B2 |
Systems and methods of conducting financial transactions
Systems and methods of conducting financial transactions are disclosed. One method disclosed comprises receiving prices from a plurality of providers, updating a database of providers based at least in part on the received prices, and arranging the prices in the updated database of providers by arranging bid rates in a first order, arranging offer rates in a second order, and resolving a tie. |
| US07882010B2 |
Opening price process for trading system
A system for determining an opening price for products traded over a distributed, networked computer system, includes a plurality of workstations for entering orders for financial products into the distributed, networked computer system and a server computer coupled to the workstations for receiving the orders. The server computer determines when a time just prior to an official opening time for opening regular trading has been reached, and executes a server process that determines an opening price for the product. The server process identifies the oldest of interest at the most aggressive price on each side of the market and selects the older interest of the identified interest to designate as initial interest. The server process matches initial interest against all contra side interest. |
| US07882009B2 |
Method of on-line auctioning for leases
The present invention is a reverse auction/lease and review/evaluation method to be used on the Internet. The method permits quantitative analysis of competitive leasing offers according to financial fundamentals and lessee defined qualitative variables and their relative weighting. The invention includes multiple Internet displayable screens which depict and permit inclusion of quantitative and qualitative variables as defined by the lessee. The invention also includes a scoring system by which the lessee can objectively and quantitatively measure competitive bids of prospective lessors participating in a reverse auction conducted on the Internet. |
| US07882000B2 |
Automated payment system and method
An automated payment system for processing payment by a customer to a company. The payment system includes a document scanning system which has an input receptacle adapted to accept a document. After receiving an authorization agreement from the customer, the scanner acquires at least one image from the document. Also provided is a first computer adapted to receive images from the document scanning system. Adapted to communicate information represented by the image, a first communication link couples the document scanning system and the first computer. The payment system also includes a second computer adapted to receive images which is in communication with the first computer via a second communication link. The second communication link is adapted to communicate images and payment information. |
| US07881998B2 |
System and method for a performance incentive plan
The invention relates to a novel incentive and compensation plan for motivating and rewarding employees, and a computer system for implementing said plan. It is an object of the present invention to provide a stock-based incentive and compensation plan that rewards employees based on the performance of the company. The present invention provides methods and systems for providing an employee incentive and compensation plan, which include deferring a portion of an employee's compensation for a period of time. The financial performance of the employee's company is evaluated over the selected period of time, and the employee's total deferred compensation is converted into a number of units based on the amount deferred, the average share price of the company stock, and the financial performance of the company. The employee's units are valued based on the average share price of the company stock, and the total compensation is paid to participating employees as an incentive and compensation plan. |
| US07881997B2 |
System and method for quantitative peer travel and expense benchmarking analysis
A system, computer product and method are provided for providing business travel and expense benchmarking analysis. A first data storage receives and stores travel data for peer entities. A second data storage receives and stores expense transaction data for the plurality of peer entities. A data storage server aggregates the metrics of the travel data and the expense transaction data of the plurality of peer entities, generating aggregated travel and expense data. A processor compares a travel and/or expense transaction metric of an individual entity to a corresponding metric of the aggregated travel data and expense transaction data and a communications interface electronically communicates the result of the comparison to a client host computer. |
| US07881994B1 |
Method and system for assessing loan credit risk and performance
A method of determining a probability of an adverse event in connection with a loan (such as, delinquency, default, or prepayment) based on a predetermined set of loan parameters comprises determining whether loan variable data is available for each of the loan parameters. If loan variable data is available for each of the loan parameters, the probability of delinquency within a period of time is estimated as a function of the loan variable data. If loan variable data is not available, the probability of delinquency within a period of time is estimated by imputing the loan variable data that is not available. |
| US07881989B2 |
Information model for property records management
An information model for a party and property records management system includes a legal party role object for maintaining relationships between objects, such as legal party objects and revenue-object objects, within the information model. A legal party object could have several associated objects, such as an identification number object or a legal party communication object. |
| US07881982B1 |
Method, medium, and system for renter pre-qualification, rental facilitation, and regulatory compliance
Consumers who are interested in various rental properties can create a list of those properties, and notifications of that interest can be sent to the property managers associated with those properties. A system could be implemented to send multiple notifications (e.g., to each manager of a property on the list) with a single request by the consumer. Such notifications can be used to provide property managers with information used to screen applicants, and/or can allow property managers to seek to access additional information about the consumer. Whether any additional information has been accessed can be tracked to verify that access is only provided in compliance with relevant regulation. This type of functionality can be integrated with a system that allows regulatory investigations to be allocated to, and performed by, compliance representatives using mobile devices, and can also be integrated with functionality that allows consumers to present themselves as pre-qualified applicants. |
| US07881981B2 |
Methods and computer readable media for determining a macro-context based on a micro-context of a user search
A data extraction tool is provided for cataloging information in an information source for searching by a user. The tool mines information from the information source and organizes the information, or the locations of that information, within a database. A user may then query the tool for a desired type of information. The tool filters the database to provide a set of pinpoint site locations with information of the type requested in the query. These pinpoint site locations are presented to a user and indexed for future reference. The index of site locations may be updated automatically by the tool. A context system is provided for manually or automatically determining the proper context for a user's query. Thus, the data extraction tool provides information with a high probability of relevance to the user. The user obtains the information without expending much effort to refine the search. |
| US07881979B2 |
Interactive event planning and payment method and system
Method for an event organizer to arrange receipt of gifts and services rendered in conjunction with the event in which an on-line database of gifts and services is created, and each gift and service is associated with a first price representing its cost to the organizer. Gift givers access the database, view the gifts and services with a second price that is greater than the first price, and can select gifts and services for purchase on behalf of the organizer. Then, the organizer receives funds from each gift giver equal to the second price for the selected gifts and services and directs gift and service providers to provide the selected gift or perform the selected service at the event. A difference between the first and second prices is determined and the organizer can use at least part of this difference to purchase gifts and services prior to the event. |
| US07881973B2 |
Method, system and program product for selecting window coverings
A solution for improving generally the selecting of window coverings, and more specifically, a method, system, and program product for selecting window coverings is provided. A method may include receiving at least one window attribute of a structure; obtaining a plurality of information via an electronic medium; and presenting at least one window covering option via the electronic medium, wherein the option is based on the at least one window attribute and the plurality of information. |
| US07881970B2 |
Method and system for ordering and delivering a product
A method and system of buying a product for delivery to a specific individual or entity using a customized picture frame which includes selecting and placing an order for a specific item to be prepared and delivered. A photographic image of the provider is transmitted by the entity where the purchase was made to the intended recipient at the time of the order or when the order is ready for delivery. The provider and preparation and delivery entity both have a supply of the customized picture frames, and whoever is making the delivery of the product places the photographic image of the provider in one of these frames in one of several available ways to secure the framed picture along with an accompanying written message to the product for delivery. The framed picture is easily removed from the product and can be placed on a desk or mantle for viewing or used in any other way for the enjoyment of the recipient. |
| US07881964B2 |
Computer self-support management
A computer based technique for providing a list of selectable computer solutions in a self-support environment. The technique includes sending a computer solution to the client computer in response to a request from the client computer for the computer solution from the list. The computer solution includes at least an automated solution. |
| US07881958B2 |
Business data analysis
A technique for analyzing business data includes gathering current profit data that includes at least one of category size data, market share data, and profit margin data. Profit factor data is also gather that includes at least one of category size change data, market share change data, and profit margin change data. Future profit data is calculated based on the current profit data and the profit factor data. The future profit data is displayed to a user. |
| US07881954B2 |
System and method for managing seat reservations
This invention relates to an electronic means by which people can select the exact seat or seats they want for any type of event or reserve an appointment for any activity. More specifically, a customer or a ticket re-seller or a venue operator can go, for example, to the internet and select the event or activity for which he wants a ticket or tickets or reserve a time and reserve and order the exact seat or seats or the time of his choosing directly online. The seat or seats or reserved time he selects is then removed from the inventory for that activity or event and made not available for any other buyer and such is so indicated by a graphical representation or other such indicator on the online map or picture representing availability of seating or time for that event. |
| US07881953B2 |
System and method for selecting and reserving airline seats
This invention relates to an electronic means by which people can select the exact seat or seats they want for any type of event or reserve an appointment for any activity. More specifically, a customer or a ticket re-seller or a venue operator can go, for example, to the internet and select the event or activity for which he wants a ticket or tickets or reserve a time and reserve and order the exact seat or seats or the time of his choosing directly online. The seat or seats or reserved time he selects is then removed from the inventory for that activity or event and made not available for any other buyer and such is so indicated by a graphical representation or other such indicator on the online map or picture representing availability of seating or time for that event. |
| US07881952B2 |
Competitive availability tools
A competitive, availability prediction system for predicting relative, competitive availability of seating on an airline flight is described. The system includes an availability predictor that predicts seating availability on a competitive flight, an availability system that produces an actual availability response for a flight and decision logic that compares the predicted answer from the availability predictor and the potential answer from the availability system to establish a decision with respect to actual availability. |
| US07881947B2 |
Content information sales management method and distribution management method
Disclosed herein is a content information sales management method including the steps of: causing a distribution source apparatus to distribute trial content information, trial use rules stating trial use conditions, and distribution source identification information for identifying the distribution source apparatus to a distribution destination apparatus; causing the distribution destination apparatus to upload the distribution source identification information corresponding to the trial content information to a sales source apparatus for formal content information when the distribution destination apparatus downloads the formal content information corresponding to the trial content information; and causing the sales source apparatus to update an evaluation value corresponding to the distribution source identification information in accordance with the uploaded distribution source identification information. |
| US07881946B1 |
Methods and apparatus for guiding a user through a SAN management process
In response to a user selection of a management function to configure a storage area network, a resource manager application generates a graphical user interface that displays a list including at least initial process steps requiring selection of resources in the storage area network to execute the management function. Based on input from a user such as selection of resources for a given process step in the list, the resource manager application dynamically selects further process steps in addition to the list of initial process steps for display in the list. In this way, a user can i) view a changing list of process steps and ii) identify which additional process steps are required to perform a respective management function as a result of making a selection of storage area network resources for the given process step. |
| US07881936B2 |
Multimodal disambiguation of speech recognition
The present invention provides a speech recognition system combined with one or more alternate input modalities to ensure efficient and accurate text input. The speech recognition system achieves less than perfect accuracy due to limited processing power, environmental noise, and/or natural variations in speaking style. The alternate input modalities use disambiguation or recognition engines to compensate for reduced keyboards, sloppy input, and/or natural variations in writing style. The ambiguity remaining in the speech recognition process is mostly orthogonal to the ambiguity inherent in the alternate input modality, such that the combination of the two modalities resolves the recognition errors efficiently and accurately. The invention is especially well suited for mobile devices with limited space for keyboards or touch-screen input. |
| US07881934B2 |
Method and system for adjusting the voice prompt of an interactive system based upon the user's state
The voice prompt of an interactive system is adjusted based upon a state of a user. An utterance of the user is received, and the state of the user is determined based upon signal processing of the utterance of the user. Once the state of the user is determined, the voice prompt is adjusted by adjusting at least one of a tone of voice of the voice prompt, a content of the voice prompt, a prosody of the voice prompt, and a gender of the voice prompt based upon the determined state of the user. |
| US07881927B1 |
Adaptive sidetone and adaptive voice activity detect (VAD) threshold for speech processing
Systems and methods for adaptive sidetone and adaptive voice activity detect (VAD) threshold for speech processing are disclosed. The VAD system generally includes an adaptive VAD threshold generator configured to generate a VAD threshold based on an increase in voice level resulting from sidetone attenuation and a comparator for comparing received signals to the adaptive VAD threshold to determine the existence of voice activity. The sidetone attenuation is based on an average ambient noise energy level determined from a noise energy amplitude during periods of no voice activity and a comparator for comparing received signals to the adaptive VAD threshold to determine existence of voice activity. |
| US07881924B2 |
System and method for computer analysis of computer generated communications to produce indications and warning of dangerous behavior
The present invention is a system and method for computer analysis of computer generated communications to produce indications and warnings of dangerous behavior. A method of computer analysis of computer generated communications in accordance with the invention, includes collecting at least one computer generated communication produced by or received by an author; parsing the collected at least one computer generated communication to identify categories of information therein; processing the categories of information with at least one analysis to quantify at least one type of information in each category; and generating an output communication when a difference between the quantification of at least one type of information for at least one category and a reference for the at least one category is detected involving a psychological state of the author to which a responsive action should be taken with content of the output communication and the at least one category being programmable to define a psychological state in response to which an action should be taken and what the action is to be taken in response to the defined psychological state. |
| US07881920B2 |
Systemic enterprise management method and apparatus
An automated system and method provides a diagnosis and remedy to a business information system. From an initial model of a proposed system architecture, performance metrics are modeled and compared against a set of user-defined corporate and business requirements. The performance metrics include cost, quality of service and throughput. From these metrics and requirements, a business ephemeris or precalculated table is produced, to cross reference enterprise situation and remedy. From the ephemeris, cases can be generated to comprise characteristics, diagnosis and proposed solutions relating to states of the model or business information system. A matching engine matches a case to a state of the model or information system. The matching case can be employed to report a diagnosis and proposed remedial actions, as well as to implement remedial actions automatically. Off line a mathematical modeling member provides feedback to further update the business ephemeris and case base. |
| US07881915B2 |
System and method for collecting and modeling object simulation data
A system and method for collecting and modeling simulated movement data on a graphical display is provided. Simulated movement data from a simulation is accessed from a database. The simulated movement data comprises each location of a object on a graphical display for multiple points in time of the simulation. A three-dimensional representation is associated with the object and the three-dimensional representation is displayed at each location on the graphical display for each point in time of the simulation. |
| US07881910B2 |
Methods and systems for managing facility power and cooling
Systems and methods are provided for determining data center cooling and power requirements and for monitoring performance of cooling and power systems in data centers. At least one aspect provides a system and method that enables a data center operator to determine available power and cooling at specific areas and enclosures in a data center to assist in locating new equipment in the data center. |
| US07881908B2 |
Methods, program code segments, and devices for determining individual quantum absorption events in a radiation converter
A method is disclosed for determining individual quantum absorption events in a radiation converter which counts quanta. In at least one embodiment of the method, temporally continuous analog-to-digital conversion of electrical signals generated by a quantum absorption event to a digital signal is carried out first of all by the radiation converter. The digital signal is then processed to determine the number of quanta of the underlying quantum absorption event absorbed in the radiation converter. |
| US07881903B2 |
Intelligent vehicle load measuring system and method
An intelligent vehicle load measuring system includes a sensor installed in the shock-absorber of every wheel of a vehicle to detect the extension length data of the associating shock-absorber when the vehicle carries a load, a calculation unit coupled to the sensors to receive the extension length data of every shock-absorber of the vehicle and to calculate the weight of the load received by each shock-absorber and the total weight and loadage of the vehicle, and a display unit electrically coupled to the calculation unit to display the load data of the vehicle. The invention involves also an intelligent vehicle load measuring method. |
| US07881900B2 |
Acceleration measuring device
A reference point defined on a two dimensional or three dimensional orthogonal coordinate space and scale reference of respective axes are estimated based on a distribution on the three dimensional orthogonal coordinate space at the time when respective axial components of an acceleration data group comprised of plural acceleration data including multi-axial components and a importance group pertaining to the acceleration data group, and the respective acceleration data are corrected based on the estimated reference point and scale reference of the respective axes. |
| US07881899B2 |
Programmable measurement system with modular measurement modules that convey interface information
System and method for measurement, DAQ, and control operations which uses small form-factor measurement modules or cartridges with a re-configurable carrier unit, sensors, and a computer system to provide modular, efficient, cost-effective measurement solutions. The measurement module includes measurement circuitry, e.g., signal conditioner and/or signal conversion circuitry, and interface circuitry for communicating with the carrier unit. The module communicates interface information to the carrier unit, which informs the computer system how to program or configure a functional unit on the carrier unit to implement the communicated interface, or sends the information directly to the computer system. The computer system programs the carrier unit with the interface, and the programmed carrier unit and measurement module together function as a DAQ, measurement, and/or control device. The carrier unit may receive multiple cartridges, each having a respective interface protocol, where the carrier unit is configurable to support the respective protocols sequentially and/or in parallel. |
| US07881895B2 |
Methods of calibrating a clock using multiple clock periods with a single counter and related devices and methods
A method of calibrating a first clock signal using a second clock signal and a plurality of calibration periods may include generating incremented counter values at a counter responsive to edges of the second clock signal. For at least two of the plurality of calibration periods, an initial incremented counter value from the counter may be stored in memory at an initial edge of the first clock signal for the respective calibration period, a final incremented counter value may be stored in memory at a final edge of the clock signal for the respective calibration period, and the at least two of the plurality of calibration periods may be overlapping with different initial and final edges of the first clock signal. For each of the plurality of calibration periods, a number of edges of the second clock signal occurring during the respective calibration period may be determined using the initial and final incremented counter values stored in memory. A relationship between the first and second clock signals may be determined using a sum of a number of edges of the second clock signal occurring during each of the plurality of calibration periods and using a sum of a number of first clock signal cycles occurring during each of the plurality of calibration periods. |
| US07881894B2 |
Method and circuit for local clock generation and smartcard including it thereon
One delay circuit is inserted in open loop inside a clock recovery circuit for improving the accuracy of clock recovery. One oscillator signal φ(0) to φ(2i−1) is provided with a basic Step of Time. A rational number of Step of Time corresponding to a bit-duration is measured inside a received flow of bits. The oscillator signal φ(0) to j(2i−1) is transformed into a clock signal CK having active edges of said clock signal in phase with at least one oscillator signal φ(0) to φ(2i−1), two consecutive active edges being separated by a time duration proportional to the integer part of the number of Step of Time. A time delay is computed proportional to the fractional part of the number of Step of Time. The next active edge of the clock signal CK is delayed of said computed delay. |
| US07881890B2 |
Method of prioritizing anomalies in a buried linear conductor
A method of prioritizing anomalies in a linear conductor buried under a ground surface includes the steps of obtaining prioritization values for a plurality of anomalies along a linear conductor, and ranking the prioritization values according to magnitude. For each anomaly, a prioritization value is obtained by: locating an anomaly; for each anomaly, determining a current, a depth of cover, and a voltage gradient using spaced voltage probes; using the depth of cover and the voltage gradient, calculating an effective probe spacing of the first and second voltage probes relative to the anomaly on the conductor; and determining the prioritization value of the anomaly based on a linear relationship between the voltage gradient and the product of the current and the effective probe spacing. |
| US07881888B2 |
Logical scheme for severe fault detection
The present invention relates to a method for determining location of faults in a wind power plant comprising a first plurality of wind turbines arranged in n groups, each group comprising mn wind turbines electrically arranged in series, each of the wind turbines having a fault detector and a timing device for recording a time of fault occurrence, all groups electrically connected via a bus bar. The method may comprise the steps of detecting a fault, obtaining a status indicator from each of the fault detectors and timing devices, evaluating time of fault occurrence for two wind turbines in each of the n groups to determine if the fault have occurred inside a group, evaluating if a fault is registered in the wind turbine closest to the bus bar in each group. Further the present invention relates to a wind park. |
| US07881881B2 |
Structural health monitoring apparatus and methodology
Disclosed is an apparatus and methodology for structural health monitoring (SHM) in which smart devices interrogate structural components to predict failure, expedite needed repairs, and thus increase the useful life of those components. Piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) are applied to or integrated with structural components and various data collected there from provide the ability to detect and locate cracking, corrosion, and disbanding through use of pitch-catch, pulse-echo, electro/mechanical impedance, and phased array technology. Stand alone hardware and an associated software program are provided that allow selection of multiple types of SHM investigations as well as multiple types of data analysis to perform a wholesome investigation of a structure. |
| US07881877B2 |
Techniques for determining the effects on a system of a component that has four states
Techniques for determining effects on a biological system include determining rate constants for a particular time interval starting at an initial time. Each rate constant indicates a rate of transition from one of four states to a different one of the four states for a component of a biological system in presence of an external factor. A temporal change in a probability that the component is in a particular state after the initial time is determined without numerical iteration over multiple time steps. This includes determining three relaxation time constants that describe exponential changes based on the rate constants. The effect of the external factor on the biological system is determined based on the temporal change in the probability that the component is in the particular state. The probability at an arbitrary time is determined based on the rate constants and initial probabilities. |
| US07881871B2 |
Method for designing surfaces
A method of producing a binding surface for a target molecule having a functional binding site, which method comprises: (i) identifying within the target molecule an anchor site which is remote from the functional binding site; (ii) generating a pharmacophore model for the anchor site; (iii) using the pharmacophore model to identify an anchor site binding ligand; and (iv) providing the anchor site binding ligand on a surface of a substrate such that the ability of the anchor site binding ligand to bind to the anchor site is preserved. |
| US07881868B2 |
Dual assessment for early collision warning
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates warning of collision between a primary principal and one or more non-primary principals. The system includes a triggering mechanism and a preliminary assessment mechanism. During operation, the triggering mechanism determines whether a trigger condition is met based on the state of the primary principal. When the trigger condition is met, the preliminary assessment mechanism generates one or more collision scenarios associated with the trigger condition, assesses a preliminary probability of collision in a collision scenario, and, based on the preliminary probability of collision in the collision scenario, activates a specialized assessment mechanism to assess a refined probability of collision in the collision scenario. |
| US07881867B2 |
Onboard system for the prevention of collisions of an aircraft with the ground with end-of-conflict indication
The TAWS system, in addition to an FTLA function for detecting the risk of collision with the terrain, has an end-of-conflict announcement function COT which is activated after the cessation of a warning or alarm concerning the risk of collision with the ground originating from the FTLA function. This COT function, when activated, checks that the aircraft (A) is observing minimum vertical and lateral safe distances, and estimates the lower vertical speed margin with which a new ground collision risk warning will not be retriggered. After confirming the observance of the minimum safe distances, the COT function has an end-of-conflict message (“Clear of terrain”) sent with a lower vertical speed margin indication. |
| US07881866B2 |
Airborne system for preventing collisions of an aircraft with the terrain
This Terrain Awareness and Warning System produces a new “Too Low Terrain” predictive alert of “Caution” type when the crew of the aircraft has the possibility of resolving a detected risk of collision with the terrain without interrupting the current maneuver to stabilize at a safety altitude by a leveling-off maneuver, without performing a vertical avoidance maneuver. To do this, it measures the ability of the airplane to avoid the terrain with a sufficient margin without performing a vertical avoidance maneuver, taking into account the location or locations of the penetration or penetrations of the terrain along an alert prober C as well as the capacity of the aircraft to level off knowing the flight conditions. |
| US07881862B2 |
Incident command post
Provided are systems and methods for tracking resources at a site and initiating audio and video communication with tracked resources using multiple input and output modalities. The systems include a location tracking system, including a positioning engine and a presentation engine, an environmental tracking system, location and environmental sensors, either permanently installed or temporarily deployed, and portable devices such as mobile phones or personal digital assistants carried by the tracked resources and users. The methods include tracking such resources at a site, displaying their locations on a portable device using a visual map display, and providing the ability to initiate bi-directional audio and video communications with one of more of the tracked resources. |
| US07881860B2 |
Vehicle planning support system
The present invention is a vehicle planning support system (1) for displaying vehicle models (84, 92, etc.) on a screen to support vehicle planning, and comprises specification value input screen display means (36) for displaying specification value input screens for inputting specification values including dimensions and angles in the vehicle model; 3D morphing screen display means (58) for displaying vehicle models as deformable three-dimensionally shaped 3D vehicle models based on specification values input on the specification value screen using the 3D morphing screen; 2D morphing screen display means (56) for displaying vehicle models as deformable two-dimensionally shaped 2D vehicle models based on specification values input on the specification value screen using the 2D morphing screen. |
| US07881859B2 |
Torque converter clutch control system and post oxygen sensor performance diagnostic system
A system comprises a post oxygen performance diagnostic (POPD) module that performs a POPD of a post oxygen sensor, wherein the POPD includes a deceleration fuel cutoff (DFCO) portion. A torque converter control module adjusts operation of a torque converter clutch (TCC). The POPD module and the torque converter control module operate the TCC to control engine speed above a predetermined engine speed during the DFCO portion of the POPD. A method comprises performing a POPD of a post oxygen sensor, wherein the POPD includes a deceleration fuel cutoff (DFCO) portion and adjusting operation of a torque converter clutch (TCC) to control engine speed above a predetermined engine speed during the DFCO portion of the POPD. |
| US07881857B2 |
Method for operating an internal combustion engine
In a method for operating an internal combustion engine, the fuel is supplied to at least one combustion chamber via at least one injector, which method includes the following steps: a) a total injection is divided into a basic injection and at least one measured injection; b) the injection time of the measured injection is successively decreased and the injection time of the basic injection is successively increased so that a total injection quantity ascertained from a valve characteristic curve remains the same. |
| US07881856B2 |
Apparatus for and method of controlling fuel injection of engine
An apparatus for and a method of controlling a fuel injection in which, in fuel injection control of an engine including a variable valve mechanism that can change an inlet valve opening characteristic, when an intake air amount is changed by an operation of the variable valve mechanism after the fuel injection valve performs first injection, a fuel amount corresponding to the change in intake air amount is injected in second injection after the first injection, and the sum of the fuel amount injected in the first injection and the fuel amount injected in the second injection becomes a fuel amount corresponding to an intake air amount fixed at an inlet valve closing timing. |
| US07881855B2 |
Method for metering fuel into combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine
A method and control unit for metering fuel into at least one combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine comprising at least one pilot injection and one main injection per combustion cycle, combustion features being detected and an effect of a fuel quantity injected prior to the main injection being ascertained from the combustion features. An actual value of a combined effect of at least two pilot injections per combustion cycle is ascertained and the actual value is regulated to a setpoint value via an intervention on at least one of the pilot injections. |
| US07881854B2 |
Method of reducing hydrocarbon emissions from a cold engine and device and engine for carrying out this method
The invention relates to a method of control of an internal combustion engine comprising at least one electrically controlled inlet valve.To reduce hydrocarbon emissions by the cold engine, the opening of the valve is controlled in two successive phases (32, 34), the first phase (32) corresponding principally with the admission of fuel and the second phase (34) mainly corresponding with the air inlet. The opening of the valve is substantially lower during the first phase than during the second phase in order to pulverize the fuel into fine droplets during the first phase. |
| US07881849B2 |
Electric parking brake system and method for controlling the electric parking brake system
In an electric parking brake system, the moving force-based target tension is set based on the inclination angle of a vehicle and the shift position, and the slack compensation amount is determined based on the inclination angle of the vehicle and the shift position. The control target tension is set to a smaller value from among the slack-based target tension, which is the sum of the moving force-based target tension and the slack compensation amount, and the maximum value of the output power that can be produced by an electric motor. The electric motor is controlled such that the tension of the cable matches the control target tension (the slack-based target tension, in most cases). |
| US07881848B2 |
Lane departure prevention apparatus and method
A lane departure prevention apparatus includes a control section configured to carry out a lane departure prevention control to prevent a vehicle from departing from a lane, and to finish the lane departure prevention control by using a predetermined finish parameter; a vehicle-state detecting section configured to detect a state of vehicle at least when or after the lane departure prevention control is started; and a control finish-parameter correcting section configured to correct the predetermined finish parameter on the basis of the vehicle state detected by the vehicle-state detecting section. |
| US07881846B2 |
Driveline clunk detection and control
A driveline clunk control system for a vehicle having an engine that drives a driveline through a transmission includes a transmission output shaft speed (TOSS) sensor that generates a TOSS signal and a first module that receives the TOSS signal and that determines a secondary parameter (ΔTOSS) based on the TOSS signal. A second module detects onset of a clunk condition based on the ΔTOSS and a third module regulates operation of the vehicle to inhibit the clunk condition when the onset of the clunk condition is detected. |
| US07881845B2 |
Loader and loader control system
A loader and a control system for a loader provide for monitoring the position of a part of the implement carried by the loader. The loader has a body with left and right upright tower portions, and a loader drive system including ground engaging drive elements. Left and right interconnected lift arm assemblies each have an implement lift arm pivotally connected with a corresponding tower portion of the body at a lift arm pivot point. A lift actuator is connected between the body and the lift arm. The implement is pivotally connected with the lift arm assemblies about an implement pivot axis. The lift arm pivot point and the implement pivot axis in side elevation define a straight reference line. At least one implement tilt actuator is connected between at least one of the lift arm assemblies and the implement. A position sensor is mounted on the body at the level of, or above, the lift arm pivot points. An inclinometer is movable with the left and right interconnected lift arm assemblies to provide an indication of the inclination of the lift arm assemblies along the straight reference line. An angle sensor provides an indication of the orientation of said implement with respect to said left and right interconnected lift arm assemblies. The control is responsive to the position sensor, the inclinometer, and the angle sensor. The control determines the position of the position sensor and the position of a part of the implement with respect to the position sensor. |
| US07881841B2 |
Motion-control system
A motion-control system includes an operator interface with an operator-input member and a controllable force feedback device drivingly connected to the operator-input member. The motion-control system may also include controls that regulate the motion of one or more moveable components, including adjusting a first operating parameter in a manner that depends at least in part on a control error between a target value of a second operating parameter and an actual value of the second operating parameter. The target value of the second operating parameter may be based at least in part on the motion of the operator-input member. The controls may also operate the controllable force feedback device to provide feedback force on the operator-input member in a manner that depends at least in part on the control error and such that the derivative of the feedback force with respect to the control error varies dependent at least in part on the control error. |
| US07881834B2 |
Speed ratio shift method
The present invention essentially concerns a method for a motor vehicle speed ratio shift. Said method uses a power transmission device (1.1) comprising a traction chain consisting of a heat engine (2), a clutch (3), an electrical machine (4), a gearbox (5), and wheels (6). The invention is characterized in that, upon shifting, the heat engine (2) is started before, during or after the torque (CMEL) observable on the shaft (11) of the electrical machine (4) is canceled, by means of a starter system (7) mechanically independent of the electrical machine (4). |
| US07881830B2 |
Electronic control system for controlling plant temperature
Nonlinear functions (table and map) of a temperature estimation model are corrected based on outputs from a temperature sensor. An electronic control system calculates, for a plant model constructed to calculate an estimated temperature value of the plant, an estimated temperature value using a correlation model between a first parameter regarding the plant and a second parameter regarding the plant model. This control system controls the temperature of the plant based on the calculated estimated temperature value of the plant. The control system also defines a plurality of functions (Wi) in a range of a plurality of the first parameters for the correlation model, calculates correction coefficients (Kli, Kci) that adjust the height of the plurality of functions based on the output of the temperature sensor and the calculated estimated temperature value of the plant, and corrects the correlation model by the plurality of functions (Wi) and correction coefficients (Kli, Kci). |
| US07881829B2 |
Mass flow controller
This invention provides a mass flow controller that can prevent a flow rate change due to a pressure change without sacrificing the speed of response to a change of a flow rate setting value and can be used in a system that can generate a crosstalk.In order to provide the mass flow controller, the mass flow controller has: a control section 5 that calculates an opening control signal to be supplied to a flow rate control valve based on a predetermined calculation formula including at least a flow rate measurement value and a flow rate setting value as parameters and outputs the opening control signal; and a pressure sensor section 4 that measures pressure of a fluid on the upstream side or the downstream side of a flow rate sensor section 2 and outputs a pressure detection signal indicating the pressure value. The control section 5 uses different calculation formulas for a changing period, which is a predetermined period from a point in time when the flow rate setting value changes by a predetermined amount or more, and a stable period, which is the remaining period, and at least in the stable period, the calculation formula further includes the pressure value as a parameter. |
| US07881827B2 |
Air conditioner and method of operating the same
The present invention relates to an air conditioner and a method of operating the same. The air conditioner includes a human body detection unit configured to rotatably operate and to detect a person within an indoor area, a position determination unit configured to determine a position of the person using data detected by the human body detection unit and to set a reference area to which a current of air will be provided according to a frequency of detection on the person, and a control unit configured to control the human body detection unit so that the human body detection unit detects the person by a reference frequency or more and to control the current of air based on the determination results by the position determination unit so that the current of air is discharged toward the reference area. |
| US07881821B2 |
Media storage system
A media storage system includes a disc input element for receiving a media disc, a disc output element for ejecting a disc, and a media reader for reading information from a disc. If insufficient information is readable from a disc, it may be obtained through a computer network. The system includes a disc transporter for moving received discs to respective internal storage locations. The system includes a data input device for entering disc catalogue data and a data output device such as a display for displaying disc catalogue data. The data input and output devices may be input buttons and a display on a remote control. Each disc and related information is associated with an identifier such that access to disc data may be by restricted by user identifier or content ratings. |
| US07881815B2 |
Method and system for process control
A method and system for process control. The control system can be operably coupled to a processing system. The control system can include control devices operably coupled to the processing system; a modeling module to provide a linear model based at least in part on the processing system; a computational module to provide controller algorithms associated with the control devices; a user interface module to present at a user interface controller information based at least in part on the linear model and the controller algorithms; and a separate coordination module for establishing communication between the modeling module, the computational module and the user interface module. One or more control signals can be provided to at least one of the control devices for controlling the processing system. In one embodiment, the modeling module can generate the linear model from a non-linear process. |
| US07881814B2 |
Method and system for rapid modeling and verification of excitation systems for synchronous generators
A method for modeling an excitation system for a synchronous electrical power generator including: selecting a standard mathematical excitation system model from a plurality of standard excitation system models stored electronically; wherein the selected standard model is selected based on a similarity to the excitation system and can be an IEEE standard model; collecting data from the excitation system; determining parameter settings for the selected standard model using first pre-calculated and then collected (measured) data; verifying the selected standard model with tailored parameter settings by comparing an output of the model to a corresponding output of the excitation system; storing electronically the verified selected standard model with tailored settings; generating a report of the verified selected standard model with the tailored settings; performing rapidly and automatically model generation from a maintenance computer proximate to the excitation system; performing rapidly and automatically model generation without the need for system experts or extra equipment; and providing means to repeat test an operating excitation system at low cost and risk. |
| US07881813B2 |
System and method for sharing reset and background communication on a single MCU pin
Methods and data processing systems are provided to share a common pin between two circuits in microcontroller unit (MCU). Signals are received at a common pin included in the MCU. If the first circuit has been enabled, then the received signals are analyzed to determine whether the signals are valid command signals for the first circuit. If the signals are not a valid command signal, then a second circuit is performed. If the first circuit has not been enabled, then an alternate function is performed. One of the operations performed by the alternate function is to determine whether to enable the first function. In one embodiment, the first circuit is a background debug controller of the MCU and the second circuit is a reset circuit. |
| US07881812B2 |
Editing and configuring device
The claimed subject matter provides an editor system for employment in an industrial automation environment that enhances programmability of at least one of a controller and an industrial process. An interface component can facilitate the receipt of instructions relating to programming a programmable logic controller. A programming assist component communicatively coupled to the interface component can program the programmable logic controller in accordance with the received instructions; the programmable logic controller is programmed in accordance with a hierarchically structured data model that utilizes a naming convention. |
| US07881808B2 |
Conductive polymeric coating with optional biobeneficial topcoat for a medical lead
A cardiac lead comprising a lead body extending from a proximal end portion to a distal end portion; a cardiac electrode disposed along the lead body; and a coating associated with at least a portion of the electrode, the coating comprises a conductive polymer. |
| US07881805B2 |
Method for optimizing search for spinal cord stimulation parameter settings
A method for transitioning electrical energy in steps between electrodes implanted within a patient to stimulate tissue (e.g., spinal cord tissue) is provided. The method comprises determining a maximum comfortable step size, determining a minimum step size, selecting one or more step sizes between the maximum comfortable step size and the minimize step size, and transitioning the electrical energy between the electrodes using the selected one or more step sizes. |
| US07881798B2 |
Controlling therapy based on sleep quality
A medical device, such as an implantable medical device (IMD), determines values for one or more metrics that indicate the quality of a patient's sleep, and controls delivery of a therapy based on the sleep quality metric values. For example, the medical device may compare a sleep quality metric value with one or more threshold values, and adjust the therapy based on the comparison. In some embodiments, the medical device adjusts the intensity of therapy based on the comparison, e.g., increases the therapy intensity when the comparison indicates that the patient's sleep quality is poor. In some embodiments, the medical device automatically selects one of a plurality of therapy parameter set available for use in delivering therapy based on a comparison sleep quality metric values associated with respective therapy parameter sets within the plurality of available therapy parameter sets. |
| US07881796B2 |
Implantable medical device with a nonhermetic battery
An implantable medical device (IMD) including a nonhermetic battery is described. The IMD includes components and a power source module that includes the nonhermetic battery. The IMD also includes a barrier to substantially impede movement of substances from the nonhermetic battery to the components. The barrier may include a hermetic feedthrough, a gel, a polymer, or a solid electrolyte within the nonhermetic battery, and a seal member. The barrier may also be a material that encapsulates the nonhermetic battery and a getter within the IMD. In some embodiments, the IMD comprises a modular IMD including an interconnect member. In that case, the barrier may include a material that fills at least a portion of a void defined by the interconnect member. A length and a cross-sectional area of the interconnect member may also act as a barrier. |
| US07881794B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining the coronary sinus vein branch accessed by a coronary sinus lead
Systems and methods for determining the coronary sinus vein branch location of a left ventricle electrode are disclosed. The systems and methods involve detecting the occurrence of electrical events within the patient's heart including sensing one or more of the electrical events with the electrode and then analyzing the electrical events to determine the electrode's position. The determination of electrode position may be used to automatically adjust operating parameters of a VRT device. Furthermore, the determination of electrode position may be made in real-time during installation of the electrode and a visual indication of the electrode position may be provided on a display screen. |
| US07881793B2 |
System and method for ventricular pacing with progressive conduction check interval
A pacing protocol is provided that reduces or minimizes ventricular pacing in favor of intrinsic conduction. When operating in a mode that provides ventricular pacing, a series of conduction checks are performed to determine if intrinsic conduction has returned. These conduction checks occur according to a predetermined pattern that general includes longer intervals between subsequent attempts. A maximum interval is provided such that conduction checks are not repeated sequentially at the same time of day when at this maximum interval. |
| US07881791B2 |
Apparatus and methods of optimizing ventricle-to-ventricular pacing delay intervals
Provided herewith are methods and apparatus for optimizing ventricle-to-ventricle (V-V) pacing delay intervals based upon ECG-based optimization calculated as a linear function of P-wave duration sensed PR (intrinsic) interval sensed (or paced) QRS duration and heart rate. Since the relationship among these parameters is linear, once the coefficients are solved (which can be any value, including null) with reference to a known optimized V-V interval such as from an echocardiographic study, an operating V-V interval value can be dynamically adjusted in an ambulatory subject. The various combinations of values can be loaded into a look up table or calculated automatically. And, since some of the parameters do not typically change much over time they can be determined acutely and fed into the equation while the other values can be measured more frequently. The parameter values can be measured by an implantable medical device such as a dual- or triple-chamber pacemaker. |
| US07881789B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting oscillations in cardiac rhythm with electrogram signals
A cardiac rhythm management device is configured to detect oscillations in cardiac rhythm by comparing electrogram signals during successive heart beats. Upon detection of electrical alternans, the device may adjust its operating behavior to compensate for the deleterious effects of the condition. |
| US07881788B2 |
Heart treatment apparatus and heart treatment method
Precursor of fatal arrhythmia is detected and by setting the tolerance level for carrying out nerve stimulation depending on the severity degree of the precursor, significant variation of the heart rate is suppressed and induction of the fatal arrhythmia is repressed. For this purpose, precursor of tachyarrhythmia occurrence such as premature contraction, ST change, repolarization abnormality or the like is detected and the lower-limit of the atrium interval which becomes the tolerance level of the nerve stimulation is set according to the detected result. Then, it is constituted according to the precursor of aforesaid tachyarrhythmia such that time for making the nerve stimulation means in an operation state is to be adjusted or nerve stimulation is to be carried out as much as the heart rate of a predetermined number of times. |
| US07881773B2 |
Multi-mode internal imaging
The invention described herein provides systems and methods for multi-modal imaging with light and a second form of imaging. Light imaging involves the capture of low intensity light from a light-emitting object. A camera obtains a two-dimensional spatial distribution of the light emitted from the surface of the subject. Software operated by a computer in communication with the camera may then convert two-dimensional spatial distribution data from one or more images into a three-dimensional spatial representation. The second imaging mode may include any imaging technique that compliments light imaging. Examples include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computer topography (CT). An object handling system moves the object to be imaged between the light imaging system and the second imaging system, and is configured to interface with each system. |
| US07881772B2 |
Electronic portal imaging for radiotherapy
Some embodiments include transmission of a pulse to imaging elements in order to read an image frame from the imaging elements, prior to exposure of the imaging elements to radiation that is to be converted to and captured as image data, wherein the pulse is transmitted so that the image frame is read and the imaging elements become ready to capture image data associated with the radiation substantially immediately before the imaging elements are exposed to the radiation. Embodiments may also include transmission of a second pulse to the imaging elements in order to read a second image frame from the imaging elements, wherein the second pulse is transmitted at a predetermined time after the exposure of the imaging elements to the radiation is complete, wherein one of the imaging elements produces second radiation after the exposure of the imaging elements to the radiation is complete, and wherein the predetermined time is a time suitable to substantially capture image data associated with the second radiation. |
| US07881768B2 |
Assessing the condition of a joint and devising treatment
Methods are disclosed for assessing the condition of a cartilage in a joint, particularly in a human knee. The methods include converting an image such as an MRI to a three dimensional map of the cartilage. The cartilage map can be correlated to a movement pattern of the joint to assess the affect of movement on cartilage wear. Changes in the thickness of cartilage over time can be determined so that therapies can be provided. Information on thickness of cartilage and curvature of cartilage or subchondral bone can be used to plan therapy. Information on movement pattern can be used to plan therapy. |
| US07881765B2 |
Interference-fit shroud-based cardiac electrodes
Apparatus and method according to the disclosure relate to minimizing gaps between a substantially planar cardiac-sensing electrode and a shroud member utilizing a so-called interference-fit. For example, a relatively recessed area or aperture formed in an exemplary resin-based shroud member has slightly reduced dimensions relative to the electrode and requires compression forces during assembly (e.g., manually or in an automated process including a press, a tool or other means). The interference-fit promotes a very tight fit (or seal) between the metallic electrode and the resin-based shroud member and, importantly, minimizes gaps. Additionally, discrete interference structures promote fluid tight seals between the electrode and a recess or aperture adapted to receive the electrode. |
| US07881764B1 |
Physiological recording device
The present invention relates to a dry physiological recording electrode that can be used without skin preparation or the use of electrolytic gels. The dry physiological recording electrode comprising a substrate having an upper and a lower surface, and at least one penetrator(s) protruding from the upper surface of the substrate. The penetrator(s) is capable of piercing through the stratum corneum or outer layer of the skin, and transmitting an electric potential from the lower layers of the epidermis through the penetrator(s) which can be measured, or detecting agents from the lower layers of the epidmermis primarily the stratum germinativum layer. At least one epidermis stop may be provided resulting in the formation of detritus troughs interposed between adjacent penetrator(s) and epidermis stops. The present invention also includes a method of sensing biopotentials in the skin. |
| US07881763B2 |
Optimized sensor geometry for an implantable glucose sensor
An implantable sensor for use in measuring a concentration of an analyte such as glucose in a bodily fluid, including a body with a sensing region adapted for transport of analytes between the sensor and the bodily fluid, wherein the sensing region is located on a curved portion of the body such that when a foreign body capsule forms around the sensor, a contractile force is exerted by the foreign body capsule toward the sensing region. The body is partially or entirely curved, partially or entirely covered with an anchoring material for supporting tissue ingrowth, and designed for subcutaneous tissue implantation. The geometric design, including curvature, shape, and other factors minimize chronic inflammatory response at the sensing region and contribute to improved performance of the sensor in vivo. |
| US07881759B2 |
Shaped loudspeaker output in a communications handset
Loudspeaker sounds in a communications handset may be amplified in predetermined frequency ranges through positioning the loudspeaker between ported and unported spaces. In one embodiment, an empty volume of space disposed in front of the loudspeaker is included to shape the frequency response of the loudspeaker. A port connecting this volume of space to the environment may be located at a longitudinal end of the handset. In one embodiment, the port may pass through a space formed by an antenna loop. An additional empty volume of space may be disposed behind the loudspeaker to further shape the frequency response of the loudspeaker. |
| US07881757B2 |
Power management method of wireless nodes
The invention comprises a step of constructing a plurality of groups using a plurality of wireless nodes during construction of a network; a step of provisionally deciding, from among the wireless nodes in each group, a group master node serving as a group master that communicates with the other nodes in the group and that functions as a communication relay station for communicating with the other groups, with the other nodes in the group serving as slave nodes that are connected under the control of the group master node to perform their respective terminal station operation; a step in which the wireless nodes in each group exchange data with each other at a commencement session and calculate the minimum required transmission power for each other; a step in which the wireless nodes in each group use the calculated minimum required transmission powers to communicate with each other; and a step of, when determining that the time of changing the group master has come, causing one of the slave nodes to take over the group master. |
| US07881756B2 |
Level shifters and level shifting methods for suppressing current flow and generating fixed output values
A level shifter includes a level shifting circuit which receives input signal from a function block and changes the voltage level of the input signal, to output an output signal; a current blocking circuit, which suppresses current flowing to the level shifting circuit in an input suppression mode in which power supplied to the function block is cut and deactivates the level shifting circuit; and an output control circuit, which controls the output signal of the level shifting circuit to have a direct current (DC) voltage level in the input suppression mode. |
| US07881755B1 |
Wireless LAN power savings
A network device includes a base band processor (BBP) receiver to detect a frame in a signal. A media access controller (MAC) receiver identifies a destination address in the frame. A power management module transitions the BBP receiver to an active mode based on an estimated energy level of the signal before transitioning the MAC receiver, a processor, a MAC transmitter, and a BBP transmitter to the active mode; transitions the MAC receiver to the active mode when the frame is present after transitioning the BBP receiver to the active mode and before transitioning the processor, the MAC transmitter, and the BBP transmitter to the active mode; and transitions the processor to the active mode based on the destination address after transitioning the BBP receiver and the MAC receiver to the active mode and before transitioning the MAC transmitter and the BBP transmitter to the active mode. |
| US07881753B2 |
Method and system for sharing multiple antennas between TX and RX in a repeat field of polarization isolation
A repeater device may be utilized to enable forwarding extreme high frequency (EHF) communication between EHF-enabled wireless devices. The repeater device may utilize polarization isolation to prevent and/or reduce interference between received and transmitted EHF RF signals in the repeater device. The repeater device may utilize plurality of polarization antenna arrays for reception and transmission of EHF RF signals to facilitate polarization isolation between received and transmitted EHF RF signals. Alternatively, the repeater device may utilize a single polarization antenna array, with switching elements, to facilitate polarization isolation between received and transmitted EHF RF signals. The repeater device may utilize control connections to enable communicating with the EHF-enabled wireless devices to facilitate performing polarization isolation at the repeater device. Non-EHF interfaces, for example Bluetooth, may be utilized to establish the control connections. |
| US07881750B2 |
Method for transfer of personalised information
Personalized information is transferred from a first hand portable phone having a first memory means for storing said personalized information to a second hand portable phone having a second memory means for storing said personalized information. A connection between said first hand portable phone and a computer on which a data transfer application is running is established. The data transfer application on said computer is controlled to read said personalized information from said first memory means to store the personalized information in said first hand portable phone in memory means associated with said data transfer application in said computer. Then a connection between said second hand portable phone and said computer on which said data transfer application is running is established. The data transfer application on said computer is controlled to write said personalized information from said memory means associated with said data transfer application into said second memory means for storing said personalized information in said second hand portable phone. The user is allowed to individually select the type of personalized information to be written into said second memory means prior to the initializing of the data transfer. |
| US07881747B2 |
Method and system for a mobile architecture that supports a cellular or wireless network and broadcast utilizing an integrated single chip cellular and broadcast silicon solution
In an RF communication system, aspects for supporting cellular or wireless network and broadcast utilizing an integrated single chip cellular and broadcast silicon solution may include communicating data, within a mobile terminal, between a single baseband processor integrated circuit (BBPIC) and a plurality of receiver front ends via a channel interface, for example, a serial bus. The plurality of receiver front ends may comprise a cellular receiver front end and a VHF/UHF broadcast receiver front end. The BBPIC may communicate with one or more processors, for example, a CPU and/or DSP, via the processor interface, for example, an AMBA bus. The BBPIC may also communicate with a power management unit via a control interface, for example, an I2C bus, with memory devices via a memory interface, for example, a serial random access memory bus, and/or with peripheral devices via a peripheral interface, for example, a serial bus. The peripheral interface may comprise a wireless LAN interface, USIM interface, and/or a Bluetooth interface. |
| US07881743B2 |
Handheld mobile communication device
A digital communications device with a reduced size, enhanced keyboard and large screen is disclosed. The mobile device has an auxiliary input such as a keyboard with a plurality of keys that is arranged in a first position to minimize the size of the device, and in a second position to enable the use of the auxiliary input in conjunction with other auxiliary inputs and the display. When in the first position, the keyboard is used to make telephone inputs and when in the second position, the keyboard is used to make textual inputs. |
| US07881741B2 |
Mobile station apparatus and wireless communication method
A mobile station wherein the power consumption can be suppressed. In a frame 3, this mobile station (100) transmits, to both a base station (200) and a relay station (150), a multicarrier signal comprising a plurality of subcarriers that have been controlled in transmission power on the basis of reception quality information 1 (Processes (3) and (3)′: first transmission). In a frame 4, the mobile station (100) transmits, only to the base station (200), a multicarrier signal comprising a plurality of subcarriers that have been controlled in transmission power on the basis of reception quality information 2 (Process (5): second transmission). In this case, the mobile station (100) selects subcarriers in which reception qualities indicated by the reception quality information 2 are lower than a target quality, and the mobile station (100) then transmits, to the base station (200), a multicarrier signal comprising only those subcarriers in which the reception qualities are lower than the target quality. |
| US07881733B2 |
Method and system to monitor and control devices utilizing wireless media
A method and system of selectively communicating with one or more devices within pre-defined geographical zones is disclosed. A plurality of geographical zones is defined, each zone being defined by latitude and longitude attributes. A plurality of devices is associated with each geographical zone with which a portable device can communicate, the portable device having data representative of the plurality of geographical zones. The portable device also has a ground positioning unit receiver to obtain geographical coordinates of the portable device. If the portable device determines that its location is within one of the plurality of geographical zones, the portable device communicates with the devices in associated with the geographical zone. |
| US07881732B2 |
Information portal
A communication system for providing high-speed wireless access to mobile processing systems a stationary transceiver defining an information portal in its immediate vicinity. A local server in communication with this stationary transceiver is configured to respond to a mobile processing-system present within the information portal. |
| US07881728B2 |
Self-powered positioning and modem system for two-way radio
A self-powered positioning and modem system, which is adapted for linking to a radio frequency transmitter of a communication device to communicating with a communication system through radio frequency signals, includes a GPS controller for communicatively linking to the radio frequency transmitter. The GPS controller includes a position information receptor receiving a positioning data, a signal converter linked to the position information receptor to encode the positioning data into a RF positioning signal in form of audio signal, wherein the GPS controller is triggered for wirelessly transmitting the RF positioning signal through the radio frequency transmitter to the communication system. |
| US07881726B2 |
Method and apparatus for spectrum sharing between an incumbent communications system and a cognitive radio system
Efficient frequency spectrum sharing between at least one incumbent communication system(s) (102, 152) and at least one cognitive radio (CR) system (105) is provided. The incumbent system's system parameters and CR system's operational requirements are copied to a mirrored database (106B). The mirrored database (106B) is controlled by a either a central authority (108) or a database manager having delegated authority (508). The mirrored database (106B) is accessed by the CR system (105). The mirrored database (106B) can be modified and updated by the central authority (108) or delegated database manager (508) to correct for interference detected in the incumbent system caused (152) by the cognitive radio system (105). The cognitive radio system (105) utilizes the updated mirrored database (106B) to avoid interfering with the incumbent system (102, 152) to determine CR system operating parameters thus enhancing the ability to share spectrum. |
| US07881722B2 |
Selection of an uplink carrier frequency corresponding to one of co-sited cells having different coverage areas and supporting different uplink data rates
Random access coverage is assured while at the same supporting high uplink data rates in a same service area served by a base station. The service area includes first and second co-sited cells. The first co-sited cell is associated with a first uplink frequency, and the second co-sited cell is associated with a second uplink frequency. The first cell allows a lower uplink load and provides a greater coverage than the second cell. The second cell allows a higher rise over thermal (RoT) value than the first cell. Random access channel requests are initially directed to the first cell using the first uplink frequency. One of the co-sited cells is selected for supporting the connection depending on one or more factors. Example factors include a priority associated with the mobile terminal, a capability associated with the mobile terminal, a load situation in the second cell, or radio channel conditions associated with the mobile radio terminal. |
| US07881721B2 |
Channel sounding techniques for a wireless communication system
A technique of operating a wireless communication system includes determining respective geometries of multiple subscriber stations, which include a first subscriber station and a second subscriber station, with respect to a serving base station. Respective channel sounding bandwidths for sounding the channel between the multiple subscriber stations and the serving base station are then scheduled, based on the respective geometries. The respective channel sounding bandwidths include a first channel sounding bandwidth (associated with the first subscriber station) and a second channel sounding bandwidth (associated with the second subscriber station). The first channel sounding bandwidth is greater than or equal to the second channel sounding bandwidth and the first subscriber station has a lower geometry than the second subscriber station. |
| US07881718B2 |
Wireless communication system, handover suppression apparatus, station, communication control method and computer-readable medium storing communication control program
When a station is connected via a connector to an AC adapter, a controller may detect the event of connection between the station and the adapter and drive a suppression signal transmitter to send a suppression signal to suppress a handover by the station. The station may include a communication controller to fix, upon receipt of the suppression signal from the adapter, a wireless access point to which the station belongs. The station may enter a handover suppressed state in which the station does not conduct a handover to belong to another wireless access point so long as the station is connected to the adapter and is receiving the suppression signal. This may suppress the excessive handover and secure stable communication quality. |
| US07881713B2 |
System and method of wirelessly triggering portable devices
The present invention provides for a system and method of wirelessly triggering portable devices to provide a user with audio and/or visual information related to a show or attraction, for example, or for the purposes of captioning, language translation, assistive listening, and descriptive audio. As a person moves about a venue, a portable device receives signals from transmitters at venue locations. Transmissions may be via infrared or radio signals. The receiving device decodes each signal as a venue location, event time, or device trigger. The receiving device processes the signal and its memory to start a presentation on the device. The portable device memory contains audio, text, graphics, and/or visual content; device playback may contain one or many of these stored contents. The stored content may be synchronized with the user's location, time of travel, time of day, time of a show, or an event in a show. Stored content may be in one or many languages. Presentation of stored content on the portable device may also be altered by user preference, stored logic constraints, automatic learning of user behavior, or user interaction with other devices. |
| US07881711B2 |
Feedback system using dynamic decoding
Methods and apparatus are presented for dynamically decoding acknowledgment signals. A source receives an acknowledgment signal and starts monitoring an energy value associated with the acknowledgment signal. If the energy value exceeds a predetermined threshold amount before the end of the acknowledgment signal, then the source is confident that the portion of the acknowledgment signal received up to that point could be decoded successfully. Hence, the source decodes that portion of the acknowledgment signal and disregards the remainder of the acknowledgment signal. |
| US07881706B2 |
Communication terminal, server, playback control method and program
The communications terminal comprises: a playback device which playbacks content; a reading device which reads in access information recorded on a prescribed recording medium, the access information being necessary for downloading the content which can be played back by the playback device, via a network; a communications device which downloads via communications the content corresponding to the access information according to the access information read in; a storage device which stores the downloaded content, the storage device storing details of the access information in association with the content, the details of the access information being used in downloading the content; a judging device which judges whether or not the content corresponding to the read access information is present in the storage device, according to information which is stored in the storage device, when the access information is read in by the reading device; and a control device which controls the playback device, the reading device, the communications device, the storage device, and the judging device, wherein: if the judging device judges that the content is present in the storage device, the control device controls for acquiring the content corresponding to the access information read in from the storage device, and for playing back the content; and if the judging device judges that the content is not present in the storage device, the control device controls for downloading the content corresponding to the access information read in, and for playing back the content. |
| US07881702B2 |
Interactive entertainment, social networking, and advertising system
A system includes a personal wireless mobile communication device that is configured to transmit a short-range wireless signal. The short-range wireless signal is processed by a server, and the server executes an action based on the short-range wireless signal. In an embodiment, the action executed by the server is the creation of an Interactive session on a display unit as a function of the short-range wireless signal. |
| US07881697B2 |
System and methods for managing the utilization of a communications device
A system and method for the real-time management of a device, and more particularly to the allocation of electronic wallets that are associated with one or more devices and various controls that enable at least two entities to manage how the device is utilized for various activities and to pay for goods and services. Each device is associated with at least two electronic wallets, a user wallet and an administrator wallet. The administrator can establish rules that designate how and when the device can be used and which wallet will be used to pay for goods and services desired by the user, but in the event the user wallet is depleted or low on funds, the administrator wallet can serve as a backup funding source for specified types of goods and/or services. Additional wallets can also be associated with the device to authorize and pay for goods and services, under the control of the administrator wallet, such as a promotional wallet that could be designated for use with the device before a primary or administrative wallet was used, or a dynamic wallet that could be associated for use with multiple different devices as well as other wallets, but acts in conjunction with the user and administrator wallets. Additional rules can be established to perform many other functions, such as manage the movement of value between wallets and from other sources to the wallets. |
| US07881694B2 |
Cycled receiver for mobile wireless devices
A wireless device (110) is provided for supporting extended battery life. A transceiver (132) is configured to receive and transmit data over a wireless link. A frame detection sensor (140) is coupled to the transceiver and configured to sense an incoming frame and generate an incoming frame sensor signal. A controller (142) is coupled to the frame detection sensor and transceiver, and configured to selectively deactivate a portion of the transceiver device based at least in part on the frame sensor signal. Advantages of the invention include the ability to extend battery life in mobile wireless devices. |
| US07881684B2 |
Receiver, frequency deviation measuring unit and positioning and ranging system
In a system for measuring a time difference of arrival of signals for positioning, an accurate time difference is measured by a receiver which is reduced in power consumption, size, and cost. The system comprises a node (under measurement) for transmitting a positioning signal, a reference station for transmitting a reference signal, and a plurality of access points for receiving the positioning signal and reference signal, and a server connected to the plurality of access points through a network. Each of the plurality of access points measures a time difference between the reception of the positioning signal and the reception of the reference signal, and a frequency deviation from the reference station, using a clock signal and a signal for shifting the clock signal, and the server calculates the position of the node based on the measured time difference and frequency deviation. |
| US07881682B2 |
System and method for configuring a wireless module power limit
A system for configuring a wireless module power limit comprises a wireless module having a control module configured to automatically select a power limit setting from one of a plurality of power limit settings to set a maximum output power level for the wireless module to enable an antenna coupled to the wireless module to radiate at a predetermined power level. |
| US07881679B1 |
Method and apparatus for integrating power amplifiers with phase locked loop in a single chip transceiver
A phase locked loop and power amplifier are integrated on single chip. To eliminate cross-talk between the components, a frequency translation block is introduced to change the output frequency of the PLL. To isolate the components from unwanted feedback, a high isolation buffer is introduced between the components. To further isolate the components, the voltage supply domains for each component is physically separated. Each separate voltage supply domain can include a separate high isolation ring, separate voltage regulator, and separate bandgap reference. |
| US07881673B2 |
Method and system for weight determination in a spatial multiplexing MIMO system for WCDMA/HSDPA
Certain aspects of the method may comprise generating models for a received plurality of spatially multiplexed communication signals for multiple channels from a plurality of transmit antennas. A calculated signal to noise ratio (SNR) of each multiple channel may be maximized based on the generated models. A phase and an amplitude of at least a portion of the received plurality of spatially multiplexed communication signals may be adjusted based on a plurality of amplitude and phase correction weights determined from the maximized SNR. |
| US07881672B2 |
Tuner, digital demodulating apparatus, controlling method of the apparatus, computer program product for the apparatus, recording medium recording thereon the product, and digital receiver
A digital demodulating apparatus comprises a tuner constituted by circuit elements to perform channel select processing to a signal; a demodulator that performs demodulation processing to a signal output from the tuner; a power supply unit that supplies a normal power to each circuit element, and supplies to the circuit element a test power different from the normal power, over a first time period in place of the normal power; a test noise measuring unit that measures the intensity of test noise contained in a signal to be output from the tuner, when the power supply unit supplies the test power over the first time period; a comparing unit that compares the intensity of the test noise measured by the test noise measuring unit with a noise reference value as a reference for updating of the normal power; and a power updating unit that updates the intensity of the normal power on the basis of a result of the comparison by the comparing unit. |
| US07881671B2 |
Method and system for retrieving information from wireless sensor nodes
A system supporting data retrieval from a plurality of wireless sensor nodes is defined. The system includes the plurality of wireless sensor nodes and a data retrieval device. The plurality of wireless sensor nodes include a transceiver receiving a first signal and transmitting a second signal. The second signal includes a sensed datum or an encoded statistic based on the sensed datum identified at the plurality of wireless sensor nodes. The data retrieval device includes a plurality of antennas transmitting the first signal toward the plurality of wireless sensor nodes and receiving the second signal from the plurality of wireless sensor nodes, and a processor coupled to receive the received second signal from the plurality of antennas, the processor defining a virtual receive signal from the received second signal for the plurality of antennas and processing the defined virtual receive signal to determine the identified sensed datum. |
| US07881667B2 |
Methods and apparatus for secure, portable, wireless and multi-hop data networking
A mobile network solution provides secure and portable wireless networking service to mobile users with devices equipped with wireless network interfaces. The Secure Nomadic Wireless Network, or SNOWNET, follows a hierarchical approach. Special SNOWNET nodes are deployed in the area where networking service is needed and form a backbone network. At the same time, SNOWNET nodes provide local access service to regular mobile clients. SNOWNET provides security through authentication of the nodes and clients, as well as through encryption of the data. |
| US07881665B2 |
Near field communications, NFC, communicators and NFC communications enabled devices
A NFC communicator or NFC communications enabled device (100) has a data store (108) to store data, an inductive coupler (102) to couple inductively with the magnetic field of a radio frequency signal and a signal supplier (109) to supply a radio frequency signal to the inductive coupler. A modulator (110) is provided to modulate a radio frequency signal in accordance with data and a demodulator (114) is provided to extract data from a modulated radio frequency signal inductively coupled to the coupler. A controller (107) enables the NFC communicator or NFC communications enabled device both to initiate near field radio frequency communication with another near field RF communicator and to respond to near field radio frequency communication initiated by another near field RF communicator. The inductive coupler (102) has an antenna (120) and a variable impedance element (200) and the controller (107) is operable to control the variable impedance element (200) to control a magnetic field strength associated with a radio frequency signal supplied by the signal supplier. |
| US07881662B2 |
System for information contextual distribution simultaneously in a public and individual mode
The inventive information distributing system (1), in particular for railway stations or airports, comprises a control unit (5) delivering information items selected according to a first key value to a main distributor (3), a short-range communications relay (7) for establishing connections with mobile terminals (11, 13, 15). Said control unit comprises a relay interface and a control module carrying out a function of general distribution to the distributor, an inventory function for interacting with the terminals by storing state data received therefrom and by setting a second key value according to a state data sub-group and a particular distribution function for transmitting the information items selected according to the second key value to the terminals having the second sub-group state data. |
| US07881660B2 |
Mobile communication system, transmitting station, receiving station, relay station, communication path determining method, and communication path determining program
A mobile communication system determines a communication path to implement fast communication by multihop connection. A mobile communication system includes a mobile station, at least one relay station, and a base station and implements packet transmission from the mobile station to the base station through a communication path with an intermediary of at least one relay station or through a communication path without an intermediary of a relay station. The mobile communication system is provided with a communication path determiner for determining a communication path with a largest communication speed or a communication path satisfying a required line quality, based on interference levels of respective signals received at a relay station constituting a communication path between the transmitting station and the receiving station, and at the base station. |
| US07881657B2 |
Method for high-throughput identification of distributed broadcast content
A method and system of performing high-throughput identifications of broadcast content is provided. A device can send a content identification query, which includes a sample of content being broadcast, to a server to request an identity of the content. The server will perform a computational identification of the content, return the result to the device, and store the result. For all subsequently received content identification queries requesting an identity of content being broadcast from the same source and in a time during which the content is still being broadcast from the source, the server will send the stored content identification in response to the subsequent queries. If a subsequent content identification query does not request the identity of content being broadcast from the same source or is not received during the time that the content is still being broadcast, the server will perform a computational identification of a content sample. |
| US07881656B2 |
Audio visual player apparatus and system and method of content distribution using the same
A system is presented providing content to a plurality of handheld devices (including musical selections). The devices can access a server over the Internet via a WIFI or other similar wireless interconnection and can download songs requested by a user from the server or from other users using, e.g., a P2P protocol. All downloads are governed by applicable DRM rules. Content and playlists may also be pushed by a server from other sources and means including, e.g., podcasting, based on predetermined rules, favorite preferences of users, and other criteria. |
| US07881655B2 |
Mover, information center, and mobile communication system
A mover such as a vehicle acquires the information, which has been updated by broadcasting/communication during an engine stall or in an unreceivable state, after the engine start or the recovery of reception. The engine stall period and the unreceivable state continuation period of the mover are monitored and are notified after the engine start from a communication device to an information center and a mounted device. In response to this notification, the information center extracts the information, which has been updated during the engine stall period and the unreceivable state continuation period, and transmits the information to the communication device of the mover. As a result, the mover can always hold the latest information of a broadcast receiving device, the communication device and an information service device. |
| US07881654B2 |
Image processing apparatus
A document is made which consists of a large number of recording sheets whose originality can be certified with reliability. Different specific images are respectively formed on a plurality of recording sheets of recording sheets outputted in constant order. Confirmation holes are formed on recording sheets at higher levels than the recording sheets with the specific images formed thereon, in positions in conformity with the positions of the specific images. When a document made by stacking those recording sheets is seen from the top, and the specific images are visible through the confirmation holes, the originality of the document can be certified. When the specific image is invisible through the confirmation hole, it is found that the document has been changed due to missing of part of the recording sheets, a change in order of the recording sheets, or the like, and hence the originality of the document cannot be certified. |
| US07881651B2 |
Lubricant applying device and image forming apparatus
A lubricant applying device, includes: an image carrier; a lubricant; a lubricant applying member that contacts the image carrier and the lubricant, and maintains a portion of the lubricant on an outer periphery of the lubricant applying member due to rotating so as to apply the lubricant to the image carrier; and a solid material that is adjacently provided with the lubricant on an upstream side in a rotation direction of the lubricant applying member, wherein the solid material has a higher level of hardness than the lubricant and is worn out due to contact with the lubricant applying member. |
| US07881648B2 |
Positive charge control resin for electrophotographic functional component parts, developing roller, and electrophotographic apparatus
To provide a positive charge control resin with which an electrophotographic functional component part coming into contact with a toner can be made chargeable in a polarity reverse to the polarity of the toner, and which has superior dispersibility in, and compatibility with, a main binder. The present invention is a positive charge control resin having a copolymer obtained by polymerizing specific acrylate or methacrylate monomer, amino-group-containing monomer(s) and carboxyl-group-containing monomer(s) as copolymerization components. |
| US07881642B2 |
Simplified resetting thumper assembly
This is a thumper assembly that is positioned in a developer station of a xerographic marking system. A waste container connected to a drop tube collects waste developer from this station. A magnet prevents magnetic developer from moving through the tube when the container is removed. Once a new container is installed, the magnet is moved away from the tube thereby allowing magnetic developer lodged therein to again move through the tube. A thumper is moved striking the tube to further dislodge developer and allow this developer to move through the tube into the waste container. |
| US07881641B2 |
Developing cartridge, developing device, and image forming apparatus
A developing cartridge includes: a developer carrier which carries toner; a toner supply member which supplies the toner to the developer carrier; a regulation member which regulates an amount of toner on the developer carrier; a developing chamber which has the developer carrier and the toner supply member; a transport section which is connected to an upper portion and a lower portion of the developing chamber and transports the toner from the lower portion of the developing chamber to the upper portion of the developing chamber; and a transport member which is disposed inside the transport section and transports the toner while agitating the toner. A capacity of the transport section is larger than a capacity of the developing chamber. |
| US07881640B2 |
Member for agitating and conveying developer, developing device, and image forming apparatus having the same
A member for agitating and conveying a developer, includes: a rotation shaft that rotates in a given direction; a spiral-shaped conveying member that is disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the rotation shaft; and conveys a developer in a shaft direction of the rotation shaft; a protruded agitation section that protrudes, with a gap from the rotation shaft, from the spiral-shaped conveying member toward an upstream side in a developer conveying direction; and agitates the developer; and a diameter directional conveying section that is disposed between adjacent spires of the spiral-shaped conveying member; is disposed in a downstream side in the developer conveying direction with respect to the protruded agitation section; and gives a diameter directional conveying force to the developer. |
| US07881639B2 |
Developer units, electrophotographic apparatuses and methods of supplying developer material to photoconductive members
Developer units for supplying developer material to a photoconductive member is disclosed and may include a magnetic roll having an outer surface, a first auger adjacent the magnetic roll being rotatable to convey the developer material to the outer surface of the magnetic roll, a second auger disposed below the first auger, a first trim blade disposed at a first angular position about the outer surface of the magnetic roll for leveling the developer material on the outer surface during rotation of the magnetic roll, and a second trim blade disposed at a second angular position about the outer surface of the magnetic roll for leveling the developer material on the outer surface that has been leveled by the first trim blade during rotation of the magnetic roll, the magnetic roll being rotatable to supply the developer material leveled by the second trim blade to the photoconductive member. |
| US07881637B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling multiple color developers using a camming mechanism
Aspects of this disclosure describe a multi-pass printer having a photoreceptor device mounted on an axis, a developer that is arranged adjacent to the photoreceptor device and is movable between a first position and a second position, and a camming mechanism mounted on the axis that acts upon the developer to urge the developer between the first and second positions. The camming mechanism can further include a camming disc that is mounted to rotate about the axis. The camming disc can also have an outer periphery edge having a first portion defined by a first radius and a second portion defined by a second radius. The camming mechanism can also have a developer roll spacing cam having an effective radius that maintains a spacing between the developer and the photoreceptor device. |
| US07881636B2 |
Belt driving device and image forming apparatus
A plurality of supporting rollers over which the endless belt member is supported includes at least a driving roller that drives the endless belt member and a driven roller that is driven by a rotation of the endless belt member. A detecting unit detects a plurality of marks provided on the driven roller at a predetermined position. A control unit controls a speed at which a driving unit drives the endless belt member based on a result of detecting the marks. The driven roller functions as a tension roller that applies a tension to the endless belt member. The detecting unit is held by the tension roller. |
| US07881633B2 |
Developer cartridge, developing device and image forming apparatus
A developer cartridge includes an outside frame, an inside frame, a first sealing member and a second sealing member. The outside frame includes an outside supply opening and an outside return opening. The inside frame includes a developer chamber for accommodating a developer, an inside supply opening and an inside return opening. The first sealing member is provided around one of the inside return opening and the outside return opening between the inside frame and the outside frame and is contactable with the inside frame and the outside frame with a first contact pressure. The second sealing member is provided around one of the inside supply opening and the outside supply opening between the inside frame and the outside frame and is contactable with the inside frame and the outside frame with a second contact pressure that is greater than the first contact pressure. |
| US07881632B2 |
Image forming apparatus for controlling fixing operation with auxiliary power source
In an embodiment of the invention, it is detected whether an auxiliary power source device is mounted in an apparatus main body or not. When the auxiliary power source device is mounted in the image forming apparatus, after a specified time has passed in a printable state, power supply to a first heat roller to heat a heat roller is shifted to a sleep mode. When the auxiliary power source device is not mounted in the image forming apparatus, after a specified time has passed in the printable state, a shift is made to a preheat mode in which the heat roller is kept at a preheat temperature, and a specified time has further passed, a shift is made to a sleep mode. |
| US07881630B2 |
Temperature control device, temperature control method, fixing device, image forming apparatus, temperature control program, computer-readable recording medium, and computer data signal
The present invention carries out temperature detection and temperature control accurately in a temperature control device using a noncontact-type temperature detecting section. The temperature control device obtains the surface temperature of a fixing roller by using a temperature correspondence table in which correspondences between output voltage values of a main NTC thermistor which detects heat generated by infrared radiation from the fixing roller and the surface temperatures of the fixing roller are shown for respective output voltage values of a compensation NTC thermistor. Here, the output voltage values of the main NTC thermistor and the output voltage values of the compensation NTC thermistor are set in the temperature correspondence table so that an interval between adjacent values of the compensation temperatures corresponding to the output voltage values of the compensation NTC thermistor is smaller than an interval between adjacent values of the surface temperatures of the fixing roller which temperatures correspond to the output values of the main NTC thermistor. |
| US07881626B2 |
Image formation apparatus utilizing density of waste toner to detect amount thereof
An image formation apparatus has a waste toner accommodation unit including a toner transporting rotation member covered with a fixed pipe. As the member rotates, waste toner in the pipe is transported downstream A fin involved in detecting an amount of toner moves upward and downward with a predetermined amplitude as the member rotates. The pipe has a projection secured by an elastic member to a bottom of the waste toner accommodation unit, and when waste toner reaches the level of the pipe, the waste toner is compressed in the pipe downstream and thus increases in density, and together with the waste toner the pipe starts to rotate. As a result, the projection rotates to a position allowing it to interfere with the fin, and the fin decreases in amplitude. Such variation in amplitude is detected by a sensor and a state full of toner is thus detected. |
| US07881625B2 |
Fixing device with non-contact temperature sensor and contact temperature sensor
A fixing device of the invention detects a temperature of plural positions of a heat roller by a multiple non-contact temperature sensor at the same time and controls the temperature of plural heat source members. The non-contact temperature sensor and a contact temperature sensor detect the temperature of the same position. According to the detection result, maintenance is performed or a temperature conversion table is corrected, the non-contact temperature sensor is maintained with high precision, and the heat roller is controlled the temperature with high precision. |
| US07881619B2 |
System and method of using variable pulses for symbology
A method and system for storing and transmitting data using variable pulse characteristics to represent ASCII or UNICODE characters, of the value of a string of data using a number base higher than 2. Pulse characteristics are modified to correspond to different data values. Pulse characteristics can include pulse durations, pulse spacings, pulse amplitudes, pulse phases, pulse polarities, pulse shapes and/or other pulse characteristics. |
| US07881616B2 |
Transceiver based loop back initiation
An operational optical transceiver configured to initiate operation in loop back mode. The optical transceiver includes transmit and receive signal paths, a memory capable of having microcode written to it, and a configurable switch array that is used to connect and disconnect the two signal paths as appropriate for a desired loop back mode. The microcode is structured to cause the optical transceiver to control the configurable switch array. This allows for analysis and diagnostics of the signal data. |
| US07881615B2 |
Dynamic digital diagnostic alerts
Alerts, such as laser driver current alarms, are triggered in an optoelectronic device based on dynamic digital diagnostics, such as operating temperature. Optoelectronic devices may execute microcode structured to represent a formulaic relation between a first parameter (e.g., temperature) and an indicator value for a second parameter (e.g., laser driver current). The microcode may further be structured to cause the optoelectronic device to access the first parameter, calculate an indicator value for the second parameter based on the accessed first parameter using the formulaic relation, access the second parameter, and compare the indicator value with the second parameter to determine whether to trigger an alert. If the second parameter exceeds the indicator value, the alert may be triggered, and may be indicative of potentially imminent optoelectronic device failure. |
| US07881614B2 |
Optically connecting computer components
A central component of a processor based system, the central component including a processor and an optical interface to transmit data encoded as an optical signal to an optical interface of an external component of the processor based system, and to receive data encoded as an optical signal from the optical interface of the external component, the external component being one or more of an external peripheral device, a docking station, and a port replicator. |
| US07881612B2 |
Optical autodiscovery for automated logical and physical connectivity check between optical modules
Optical autodiscovery is provide between two optical modules to insure that when an optical signal is coupled between the two optical module, the optical signal from a first module does not interfere with operation of a second module. The autodiscovery is implemented by sending an optical identification signal from the first optical module via the coupling to the second optical module from which signal, the second optical module can verify and determined acceptance of the coupled first optical module. During this autodiscovery process, the optical identification signal from the first optical module may be attenuated or shifted in optical spectrum so as not to interfere with the operation of the second optical module. Autodiscovery may also be employed in cases where a first optical module is to receive an optical signal from a second module. |
| US07881610B2 |
Method of transmitting an optical signal in an optical transmission system and optical transmission system for implementing such a method
Described is a method of transmitting an optical signal in an optical transmission system. The method comprises: providing a length of an optical fiber having a zero chromatic dispersion wavelength, wherein the optical fiber belongs to an optical fiber group and wherein the optical fiber group comprises optical fibers having a zero chromatic dispersion wavelength comprised within a wavelength range; estimating a tolerated chromatic dispersion range; and transmitting the optical signal over the length of optical fiber at a first transmission wavelength. The method is characterized by estimating, within the wavelength range, at least one wavelength sub-range, the at least one wavelength sub-range being such that an optical signal is affected by a chromatic dispersion which is comprised within a tolerated chromatic dispersion range when the optical signal is transmitted a) at any wavelength of the at least one sub-range, and b) over any optical fiber of at least one optical fiber sub-group of the optical fiber group, wherein the first transmission wavelength is comprised within the at least one wavelength sub-range. |
| US07881607B2 |
Methods and apparatus for identifying a passive optical network failure
A method and corresponding apparatus is disclosed for determining a particular Optical Network Terminal (ONT) in a Passive Optical Network (PON) is malfunctioning by sending a continuous stream of light up a shared fiber, which results in adversely affecting communications between the ONT and an Optical Line Terminal (OLT). The example embodiment verifies the failure is due to a faulty optical transmitter in the ONT and not a different network fault, such as a fiber optic line cut or power outage. Through the use of the example embodiment, a service provider can determine in an automated manner which specific ONT of a PON is malfunctioning. |
| US07881603B2 |
Dichroic aperture for electronic imaging device
A dichroic filter that for use with an electronic imaging device, such as a camera. The dichroic filter is located in the main imaging lens, and may permit all light to pass through a first portion and be measured by a photosensor, while restricting at least some portions of visible light from passing through a second portion thereof. In this manner, only the non-restricted portions of visible light passing through the second portion may be measured by the associated pixels of the photosensor. The filter may be formed from a first aperture permitting a first set of wavelengths to pass therethrough and a second aperture adjacent the first aperture, the second aperture permitting only a subset of the first set of wavelengths to pass therethrough. The second aperture may be a dichroic mirror or it may be an optical filter of some other type. |
| US07881598B1 |
Anti-shake auto-focus modular structure
An anti-shake auto-focus modular structure includes an image sensor, an auto-focus module for driving a lens to focus captured image on the image sensor; a plurality of suspension wires for suspending the auto-focus module at a position perpendicular to a light entering direction (z-axis), so that the auto-focus module is movable in an x-axis or a y-axis direction; a deviation compensation magnet assembly including at least one x-axis magnet and at least one y-axis magnet; a deviation compensation assembly including at least one x-axis driving winding and at least one y-axis driving winding corresponding to the x-axis magnet and the y-axis magnet, respectively, for producing an electromagnetic field each to drive the x-axis or the y-axis magnet and accordingly the auto-focus module to move in the x-axis or the y-axis direction for compensating a positional deviation of the auto-focus module in the x-axis or the y-axis direction. |
| US07881595B2 |
Image stabilization device and method
An imaging device and processes to provide image stabilization by controlling analog gain and integration time. Analog gain and integration time for images are determined by comparing an image in various frames, whether full frames or hidden frames, where the image is provided with differently set analog gain and integration time settings to determine settings for stabilized image capture. |
| US07881583B2 |
Playback apparatus, playback method, and playback program
A playback apparatus is capable of playing back video data at a variable speed ranging from a forward normal speed to a reverse normal speed, the video data having been encoded for compression through inter-frame compression based on predictive coding and recorded on a recording medium that allows random access. The playback apparatus includes a frame buffer configured to temporarily store video data of a plurality of frames; a target-pattern generator configured to generate a target pattern of the frame buffer for a target playback frame to be played back next; a comparator configured to compare a current state of the frame buffer with the target pattern; and a frame-buffer controller configured to extract a frame to be newly decoded and a frame no longer used in the current state of the frame buffer, on the basis of a result of the comparison by the comparator. |
| US07881581B2 |
Optical termination unit
An optical termination unit is provided for allowing an optical cable to be easily projected straight in any of five directions, including upward, downward, rightward, leftward, and rearward directions, thereby enhancing the efficiency of cable laying or the like. An end securing box 150 of the optical termination unit 100 includes a two-stage multi-tiered box structure separable to two bodies, the first stage including a clamp tray 120 and the second stage including a fusion tray 130 which is provided with a lid (lid 140) thereupon. An inlet Im (m=1, 2, 3, 4, 5) for introducing the end of a second optical cable to be embedded in a wall or a pillar is provided at each face of the enclosure. Holes H1 and H2 formed on the rear face 115 are provided for securing the end securing box 150 with a nylatch n. The end securing box 150 having a rectangular solid shape has multiple holes formed therein. This allows the end securing box 150 to be secured to a rear face 115 so as to be arbitrarily oriented on a right angle basis. |
| US07881579B2 |
Optical transmission system and dispersion-compensating optical fiber
An optical transmission system employs an optical fiber as an optical transmission path that includes a holey fiber and a dispersion-compensating optical fiber. The holey fiber includes a core region that is formed at a center of the holey fiber and a cladding region having a plurality of holes around the core region at regular intervals. The dispersion-compensating optical fiber is connected close to the holey fiber and that collectively compensates wavelength dispersion of the holey fiber at an operation wavelength in at least two wavelength bands out of O band, E band, S band, C band, and L band within a predetermined range depending on a transmission rate. |
| US07881577B1 |
Nanotube structures and methods for making and using nanotube structures
Structures and method for making, using and implementing a drawn preform from a plurality of tubes are provided. The drawn preform includes a first end of the preform defining source side of the preform and a second end of the preform defining a delivery side of the preform. At least some tubes of the plurality of tubes of the second end of the preform are drawn to a dimension of at least less than one micron in size. The drawn preform is capable of including conductors integrated with the tubes, and the conductors enable manipulation of materials (e.g., fluids, chemicals, biological samples, solids, inks, etc.) as the go through the tubes from a source end to the delivery end, or when the material is already present on a target substrate or receiving cell or material. |
| US07881573B2 |
Optical imaging probe connector
This document discusses, among other things, a connector for an optical imaging probe that includes one or more optical fibers communicating light along the catheter. The device may use multiple sections for simpler manufacturing and ease of assembly during a medical procedure. Light energy to and from a distal minimally-invasive portion of the probe is coupled by the connector to external diagnostic or analytical instrumentation through an external instrumentation lead. Certain examples provide a self-aligning two-section optical catheter with beveled ends, which is formed by separating an optical cable assembly. Techniques for improving light coupling include using a lens between instrumentation lead and probe portions. Techniques for improving the mechanical alignment of a multi-optical fiber catheter include using a stop or a guide. |
| US07881567B2 |
Optical device for monitoring a rotatable shaft with an oriented axis
An optical device for monitoring a rotatable shaft is disclosed. The optical device has an optical waveguide arranged on the rotatable shaft and an optical sensor. The optical device further has a transmitting unit transmit the light signal, a transfer device to transmit the light signal between the transmitting unit and the optical waveguide and an evaluation unit for determining a physical variable from a light signal coming from the optical sensor and transferred by the transfer device, the evaluation unit being associated with the transmitting unit. The transfer device has an optical ‘multimode’ waveguide associated with a coupling device, the waveguide being associated with the transmitting unit and a further optical ‘multimode’ waveguide, with an associated coupling device associated with the optical waveguide and arranged on the rotatable shaft eccentrically to its axis. |
| US07881566B2 |
Optical pulse generator for distributed temperature sensing operating at a characteristic wavelength in a range between 1050 nm and 1090 nm
An improved laser source for use in a distributed temperature sensing (DTS) system (and DTS systems employing the same) includes a laser device and drive circuitry that cooperate to emit an optical pulse train at a characteristic wavelength between 1050 nm and 1090 nm. An optical amplifier, which is operably coupled to the laser device, is adapted to amplify the optical pulse train for output over the optical fiber sensor of the DTS system. In the preferred embodiment, the laser device operates at 1064 nm and outputs the optical pulse train via an optical fiber pigtail that is integral to its housing. The optical power of the optical pulse train generated by the laser source is greater than 100 mW, and preferably greater than 1 W, at a preferred pulse repetition frequency range between 1 and 50 kHz, and at a preferred pulse width range between 2 and 100 ns. |
| US07881565B2 |
Device and method using asymmetric optical resonances
An optical resonator includes a reflective element and an optical fiber. The optical fiber is positioned relative to the reflective element such that light emitted from the optical fiber is reflected by the reflective element. The optical resonator has an optical resonance with a resonance lineshape that is asymmetric as a function of wavelength. |
| US07881563B2 |
Distortion correction of images using hybrid interpolation technique
The specification and drawings present a new method system, apparatus and software product for correcting a geometrical distortion of an image using a hybrid interpolation technique by a digital image processor. After calculating corrected coordinates of the pixels in the image, the interpolation of color components of the pixels can be performed by using the corrected coordinates, wherein at least one color component is interpolated using a quality which is different from quality interpolators used for other color components. |
| US07881562B2 |
Real-time spherical correction of map data
A method of displaying a map on a wireless communications device includes steps of obtaining map data for rendering the map to be displayed on the wireless communications device, generating corrected map data by applying a spherical correction factor to the obtained map data, and rendering the corrected map data to display the map on a display of the wireless communications device. The spherical correction factor corrects for map distortions that occur at northerly (or southerly) latitudes. Since the spherical correction factor is a simple correction to a 3×3 transformation matrix, this spherical correction can be easily applied without taxing the CPU limitations of small handheld devices. |
| US07881557B2 |
Image correction method, apparatus, article and image
An image correction method able to avoid error image. According to opposite properties of black and white, only the last few bits of the scanned digital signal are extracted for black correction, while only the first few bits of the scanned digital signal are extracted for white correction. Further, the most significant bit of the digital signal is 1 for white correction. Therefore, the unwanted LBB effect on the scanned image caused by dust or spots on the correction document is avoided. In addition, as only a few bits of the scanned digital signal are extracted, the requirement in memory capacity is reduced. |
| US07881556B2 |
Method of image processing and device thereof
A method of image processing and a device thereof are provided in the present invention. First, an image having a plurality of regions is received, wherein each region comprises a plurality of pixels. A contrast process is performed on each region and a respective local curve of each region is analyzed, wherein the local curve is a corresponding relation between the gray-level values of the pixels in each region before and after the contrast process. Next, the gray-level value of one of the pixels in a boundary between one of the regions and the neighboring region is adjusted according to the respective local curves of the one of the regions and the neighboring region. The local contrast process towards to each region is performed for enhancing the image. Therefore, not only can the features be obvious, but the non-uniform area in the boundary between the regions also can be smoothed. |
| US07881553B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and computer program product
An image processing apparatus includes a threshold selecting unit that selects a threshold based on an input gray-scale value of the target pixel. When a degree of flexibility is defined as representing a degree of the number of pixels that can take different output values as a result of threshold processing on the pixels with the same input gray-scale value, the threshold selecting unit selects a threshold from at least two types of thresholds associated with pixel positions and having the same period and different degrees of flexibility. |
| US07881552B1 |
Anti-flicker filter
An anti-flicker filter is described, including determining a video sequence based on designated portion of a video, selecting a plurality of video elements from the video sequence, calculating an individualized filter for each video element of the plurality of video elements based on motion in each video element, and applying the individualized filter to each video element of the plurality of video elements. |
| US07881548B2 |
Image processing method, apparatus, and computer readable recording medium on which the program is recorded
Contents of manual retouching performed on a portion of an input image are reflected to the entire portion of the image. Weighting parameters, each representing pre- and post-retouching state of a manually retouched area of a predetermined structure in a retouching target image, and pre-retouching state of the entire portion of the structure, are obtained by applying the area in pre- and post-retouching state, and the entire portion of the structure in pre-retouching state to a model that represents at least the shape of the area or the entire portion of the structure. Then, a parameter representing the entire portion of the structure after the contents of the manual retouching are reflected to the entire portion of the structure is determined based on the obtained weighting parameters, and an image of entirely reconstructed structure is generated based on the determined parameter and the model. |
| US07881546B2 |
Slab-based processing engine for motion video
Systems and methods of encoding a video signal that includes a succession of images are disclosed. A system may include a plurality of independently programmable processing elements (PEs), an input interface device adapted to receive, buffer, and divide the input video signal in a manner appropriate to the plurality of PEs, and an output interface device adapted to receive encoded bitstreams generated by the plurality of PEs and provide an encoded video signal. Each PE is configurable to carry out the steps of a selected encoding algorithm and includes a digital processor and a memory in communication with the digital processor. The memories are independently accessible, and PEs communicate with each another during the encoding. |
| US07881545B2 |
Image data compression method and image data compression device
An image data compression method includes the steps of dividing image data into predetermined regions, generating modeled data by extracting a feature of the image data for each of the regions, performing trial calculation of data quantity of compressed data that is generated by a thinning-out process in which data is thinned out from the modeled data based on a threshold value concerning the thinning-out process, determining a thinning-out threshold value that is a threshold value such that the data quantity becomes equal to or less than a predetermined target data quantity, and performing the thinning-out process based on the thinning-out threshold value so that compressed data is generated. |
| US07881543B2 |
Image compression processing device, image compression processing method, and image compression processing program
A high-frequency integrating circuit 32 detects characteristics of horizontal high-frequency components and vertical high-frequency components of the image formed by a processing-target image signal. Based on the detection result, a CPU 61 obtains the number of bits of the after-compression-coding data of the image signal, and calculates the compression rate dependent upon the number of bits. The CPU 61 controls an image codec 36 so that the processing-target image signal is compression-coded through only one time of compression coding processing by use of the calculated compression rate. This configuration allows the image compression processing (compression coding) to be rapidly executed with high accuracy. |
| US07881542B2 |
Coding apparatus, decoding apparatus, coding method and decoding method
A coding apparatus that can have a plurality of macro blocks processed concurrently. The apparatus includes a plurality of macro block processing sections for coding moving picture data concurrently on a macro block by macro block basis, and a state management section for managing the state of processing of each macro block in a single picture. The state management section being adapted to manage each macro block in a single picture in terms of being in a process completed state. |
| US07881539B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method, program recording medium, and program
An image processing apparatus includes the following elements. A broad-range feature extraction unit extracts broad-range features from pixels located in a predetermined area in relation to a subject pixel of a first image. A broad-range degree-of-artificiality calculator calculates, in a multidimensional space represented by the broad-range features, the broad-range degree of artificiality from the positional relationship of the broad-range features to a statistical distribution range of an artificial image of the first image. A narrow-range feature extraction unit extracts narrow-range features from pixels located in the predetermined area in relation to the subject pixel of the first image. A narrow-range degree-of-artificiality calculator calculates, in a multidimensional space represented by the narrow-range features, the narrow-range degree of artificiality from the positional relationship of the narrow-range features to a statistical distribution range of the artificial image. A degree-of-artificiality calculator calculates the degree of artificiality of the subject pixel. |
| US07881538B2 |
Efficient detection of constant regions of an image
A technique that improves image analysis efficiency by reducing the number of computations needed to detect constant regions. Constant region detection according to the present techniques includes determining whether an image analysis window at a current position contains a constant region by analyzing a new line of pixels in the image analysis window if a pixel at a predetermined location in the image analysis window in the current position has a value equal to a pixel at the predetermined location from a previous position of the image analysis window. Analyzing only the new line of pixels saves the computational time that would otherwise go into analyzing all of the pixels in the image analysis window. |
| US07881535B1 |
System and method for managing statistical models
A plurality of users may access a processing unit operable for the development of a model, and model development instructions from the users may be received at the processing unit. The model may be developed in a plurality of steps using the model development instructions. Signoff instructions corresponding to the steps for developing the model may be received at the processing unit, each of the signoff instructions being received after each corresponding step is performed, with each of the plurality of signoff instructions indicating approval or denial. The respective step may be approved by the processing unit if the corresponding signoff instruction indicates approval, and rejected by the processing unit if the corresponding signoff instruction indicates denial. The processing unit is operable as a central location accessible by the users for developing, and signing off on the development of, the model according to the development instructions and the signoff instructions. |
| US07881531B2 |
Error propogation and variable-bandwidth mean shift for feature space analysis
The present invention comprises using error propagation for building feature spaces with variable uncertainty and using variable-bandwidth mean shift for the analysis of such spaces, to provide peak detection and space partitioning. The invention applies these techniques to construct and analyze Hough spaces for line and geometrical shape detection, as well as to detect objects that are represented by peaks in the Hough space. This invention can be further used for background modeling by taking into account the uncertainty of the transformed image color and uncertainty of the motion flow. Furthermore, the invention can be used to segment video data in invariant spaces, by propagating the uncertainty from the original space and using the variable-bandwidth mean shift to detect peaks. The invention can be used in a variety of applications such as medical, surveillance, monitoring, automotive, augmented reality, and inspection. |
| US07881525B2 |
Reference data optimization learning method and pattern recognition system
The present invention is directed to a pattern recognition system in which new reference data to be added is efficiently learned. In the pattern recognition system, there is performed the calculation of distances equivalent to similarities between input data of a pattern search target and a plurality of reference data, and based on input data of a fixed number of times corresponding to the reference data set as a recognized winner, a gravity center thereof is calculated to optimize the reference data. Furthermore, a threshold value is changed to enlarge/reduce recognition areas, whereby erroneous recognition is prevented and a recognition rate is improved. |
| US07881523B2 |
Mobile communication terminal and method for displaying an image
A mobile communication terminal including a memory unit configured to store images and control information indicating whether the images are to be displayed as two-dimensional images or three-dimensional images, a display unit configured to display the images, a barrier panel configured to generate a difference between a focus of first image incident on a user's right eye and a focus of a second image incident on the user's left eye, and a control unit configured to selectively activated or deactivated the barrier panel in accordance with the control information. |
| US07881520B2 |
Defect inspection system
The present invention relates to a defect inspection system which can perform inspection condition setting easily in a relatively short period of time, can examine the inspection condition setting even when there is no sample, and further can provide an inspection condition and a defect signal intensity to a person, who sets the inspection condition, to assist the inspection condition setting. In the defect inspection system, a defective image, which is an inspection image, and a reference image corresponding thereto and a mismatched portion of the defective image and the reference image are digitalized as a defect signal intensity and accumulated in association with the inspection condition, and the inspection conditions are changed to repeat evaluations while repeating accumulating works until the evaluation of all the inspection conditions in a set range is completed. After all the evaluations are completed, if there are a plurality of defects to be inspected, the work is repeated by times corresponding to the number of kinds of the defects and a recipe file including the accumulated conditions having the high defect signal intensity and an inspection condition item distribution as a inspection condition recipe is automatically outputted and is provided to the person who sets the inspection condition. And, appearance inspection for detecting a pattern defect or a foreign material defect on a substrate is performed. |
| US07881518B2 |
Methods for altering one or more parameters of a measurement system
Methods for altering one or more parameters of a measurement system are provided. One method includes analyzing a sample using the system to generate values from classification channels of the system for a population of particles in the sample. The method also includes identifying a region in a classification space in which the values for the populations are located. In addition, the method includes determining an optimized classification region for the population using one or more properties of the region. The optimized classification region contains a predetermined percentage of the values for the population. The optimized classification region is used for classification of particles in additional samples. |
| US07881515B2 |
Cephalogram image analysis method
An automated cephalogram image analysis method is disclosed. In this method, a step is first performed for building a reference database in which a set of tracing feature curve models respectively representing a set of reference cephalometric patterns are established based on a set of tracing records. Then, a step of pattern comparison and analysis is performed. In this step, at least one cephalogram is first input, and then a step is performed for comparing the image of the cephalogram with the tracing feature curve models, thereby selecting at least one cephalometric pattern and at least one feature curve model belonging to the cephalometric pattern from the reference cephalometric patterns and the tracing feature curve models. Thereafter, the feature curve model is fitted to the image of the cephalogram so as to obtain at least one tracing of the at least one cephalogram. |
| US07881514B2 |
System for image reconstruction
A method for imaging, including counting quanta of energy emitted into a range of angles from particles of an energy emitter distributed over a volume in a body, thereby generating a set of counts. The method further includes defining a probability distribution expression that specifies a local concentration of the particles of the energy emitter over the volume as a function of the set of counts, the function being defined in terms of respective coefficients of a plurality of different scales of the local concentration, including at least a first and a second scale. A dependence of the coefficients of the first scale on the coefficients of the second scale is specified, and the local concentration over the volume is computed by applying the probability distribution expression to the set of counts subject to the specified dependence. |
| US07881512B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining the spatial profile of a vessel axis in volume data records for medical imaging
At least one embodiment of the present invention relates to a method and/or an apparatus for determining the spatial profile of a vessel axis in volume data records for medical imaging, in particular for producing slice images of vessels which are obtained by curved planar reformation CPR and can be rotated freely. In at least one embodiment of the method, the vessel axis is marked interactively on the displayed MPR or MIP images by marking points using a two-dimensional coordinate system. Depth information is derived automatically for each marking point from the known position of the respective image in the stack or using the known calculation procedure for MIP images, and the marking points are extended in dimension on the basis of the depth information in order to obtain extended marking points using a three-dimensional coordinate system. The three-dimensional profile of the vessel axis, which is used for producing CPR images which can be rotated freely, is then obtained by linking the extended marking points. The method makes it possible, in at least one embodiment, to determine the profile of the vessel axis with less time and computation effort. |
| US07881511B2 |
Method for super-resolution reconstruction using focal underdetermined system solver algorithm
Disclosed is a high-resolution image reconstruction method using a focal underdetermined system solver (FOCUSS) algorithm. The method comprises the steps of: outputting data for an image of an object; downsampling the outputted data; transforming the downsampled data into low-resolution image frequency data; and reconstructing a high-resolution image from the transformed low-resolution image frequency data by applying focal underdetermined system solver (FOCUSS) algorithm. |
| US07881509B2 |
Method of, and apparatus and computer software for, imaging biological objects
A method of imaging one or more biological objects using imaging apparatus capable of capturing an image across an imaging area. The method includes: placing the one or more biological objects (236) in an environment; providing in the environment, outside of the one or more biological objects, a contrast enhancing agent which provides contrast in an image between the one or more biological objects and the environment; and recording an image (240) of the one or more biological objects and the environment using the imaging apparatus, whereby a spatial definition for said one or more biological objects is derivable using contrast in the image which is provided by the contrast enhancing agent. |
| US07881506B2 |
Finger identification method and apparatus
An image pickup scheme capable of always providing an optimum quality of a blood vessel pattern, in image pickup of a blood vessel pattern of a finger using transmitted light, without being affected by a difference, if any, in an external environment. A personal identification apparatus includes light sources for irradiating light to be transmitted by a finger, an image pickup unit for picking up an image using light transmitted by the finger, finger detection unit for detecting that the finger exists in a predetermined position, finger region extraction unit for extracting a region occupied by the finger from an image picked up by the image pickup unit, and gain changing unit for changing an amplification factor of image pickup elements in the image pickup unit on the basis of a picture quality of a specific region within the extracted region. |
| US07881503B2 |
Corneal biometry apparatus and method
An apparatus and method for validating the identity of a person using corneal imaging techniques. The method involves capturing an image of at least part of a person's cornea and deriving one or more geometric parameters. The geometric parameters are compared with corresponding reference geometric parameters for validation of the identity of the person. |
| US07881502B2 |
Method and system for three-dimensionally imaging an apical dome of a plant embryo
Methods and systems for three-dimensionally imaging an apical dome located at the cotyledon end of a plant embryo are provided. Three-dimensional information of an apical dome can be obtained by scanning the apical dome at varying focal planes along an axis of the embryo, or by using multiple cameras arranged in a confocal manner to image the apical dome. It can also be obtained by irradiating the apical dome with polychromatic light, wherein light beams of multiple wavelengths are focused at multiple focal planes along the axis of the embryo so that the dome's height information can be obtained based on the wavelength of the light precisely focused and reflected at each surface point of the dome. The three-dimensional information is used to ascertain various morphological features (e.g., size, shape, texture, etc.) of the apical dome, which are in turn used to assess the embryo's germinant vigor. |
| US07881501B2 |
Local dominant wave-vector analysis of seismic data
The present invention relates to a method and system for processing multi-dimensional signal data to determine frequency dependent features therefrom. The multi-dimensional signal data are transformed into space-frequency or time-space-frequency domain, providing second signal data. At predetermined locations of at least a portion of the one of space and time-space of the second signal data a dominant feature corresponding to a largest value of the second signal data is determined. This is followed by the determination of a wave-vector corresponding to the dominant feature at each of the predetermined locations. Finally, a dip map, a frequency map, and an amplitude map are generated using the wave-vectors. The method and system for processing multi-dimensional signal data to determine frequency dependent features therefrom according to the present invention provide a powerful tool for improved and more detailed evaluation of seismic data using dip, frequency, and amplitude maps, resulting in substantially more accurate geophysical surveys. |
| US07881499B2 |
Golf club and ball performance monitor with automatic pattern recognition
A method for automatically identifying an object is disclosed. Preferably, the method is used in conjunction with a performance monitor. A set of markers are selectively positioned on the surface of each of a plurality of golf clubs and golf balls. It is desired that each set of markers for a unique pattern on each of the golf clubs and golf balls. Each unique pattern is preferably acquired and stored. A player may choose any of a plurality of golf clubs and golf balls. When within the field of view of the performance monitor, the pattern on the club and ball is automatically matched with the stored patterns, thereby identifying the type of club and ball. |
| US07881498B2 |
Autonomous wide-angle license plate recognition
A system in a moving surveillance vehicle operates in background mode to capture images of license plates of neighboring moving vehicles, which may occupy lanes other than the lane in which the surveillance vehicle is moving. The images are used to determine the license plate numbers of the moving vehicles, which are then checked against a database to determine whether there are any potential law enforcement-related problems that require the attention of the operator. If so, the system alerts the operator using an audible tone, visual prompt, vibration, or in some other suitable manner. The entire process, including generation of the alert can occur autonomously of the operator. |
| US07881496B2 |
Vision system for vehicle
A vision system for a vehicle includes an imaging device having an imaging sensor, a camera microcontroller, a display device having a display element, a display microcontroller, and at least one user input selectively actuatable by a user. The imaging device communicates an image signal to the display device via a communication link. The display microcontroller affects the image signal in response to the at least one user input. The camera microcontroller monitors the image signal on the communication link and adjusts a function of the imaging device in response to a detection of the affected image signal. The vision system may adjust a display or sensor of the system in conjunction with a distance detecting system. |
| US07881494B2 |
Characteristic point detection of target object included in an image
A characteristic point detection method, including the steps of: detecting a candidate of each of a plurality of characteristic points of a predetermined object from a detection target image; obtaining an existence probability distribution for a target characteristic point with respect to each of the detected candidates of the other characteristic points, which is an existence probability distribution of the target characteristic point when the position of the detected candidate of another characteristic point is taken as a reference, using an existence probability distribution statistically obtained for each combination of two different characteristic points of the plurality of characteristic points; integrating the obtained existence probability distributions by weighting according to the positional relationship between the reference characteristic point and target characteristic point; and estimating the true point of the target characteristic point based on the magnitude of the existence probabilities in the integrated existence probability distribution thereof. |
| US07881491B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for operating a device using contextual scripting
A system and method for interacting with a digital device by acquiring an image of a display of the device, deriving the functional state and context of the device by analyzing the acquired image and commanding the device to perform an action. the procedure described above may be repeated by a script or test procedure. |
| US07881488B2 |
In-plane speaker
An electro-acoustic transducer is oriented such that its transducer axis is parallel to, and in, the plane of a baffle coupled to the electro-acoustic transducer for reduced baffle vibration. |
| US07881487B2 |
Hearing aid device with digital control elements
The invention is intended to simplify the operation of a hearing aid device. Toward that end, means are present in the hearing aid device for storing the value of a parameter which can be set by the hearing aid device wearer by actuation of a control element, which parameter value was valid before the hearing aid device was turned off, with the result that the value of the parameter that was valid before the hearing aid device was turned off will be set automatically as the current value of the parameter after the device is turned off and then turned back on again. |
| US07881485B2 |
Apparatus and method of determining an impulse response and apparatus and method of presenting an audio piece
The apparatus for determining an impulse response in an environment in which a speaker and a microphone are placed works using an audio signal. Means for spectrally coloring a test signal, which preferably is a pseudonoise signal, works using a psychoacoustic masking threshold of the audio signal to obtain a colored test signal, which is embedded in the audio signal to obtain a measuring signal, which can be fed to the speaker. Means for determining the impulse response preferably performs a cross-correlation of a reaction signal received via the microphone from the environment and the test signal or the colored test signal. With this, an impulse response of an environment may also be determined during the presentation of an audio piece to provide an optimal description of environment for a wave-field synthesis. |
| US07881480B2 |
System for detecting and reducing noise via a microphone array
A system for detecting noise in a signal received by a microphone array and a method for detecting noise in a signal received by a microphone array is disclosed. The system also provides for the reduction of noise in a signal received by a microphone array and a method for reducing noise in a signal received by a microphone array. The signal to noise ratio in handsfree systems may be improved, particularly in handsfree systems present in a vehicular environment. |
| US07881473B2 |
Quantum key distribution system and method
Method and system for transmitting optical clock signals and quantum key signals on a single optical channel. A multi-photon optical clock signal is received at an electro-optic switch at a first clock rate. The electro-optic switch may be configured for an interval defined by a second clock rate for generating a single photon quantum key signal. The multi-photon optical clock signal and the single photon quantum key signal are combined such that the single optical channel transmits the single photon quantum key signal at a first interval and the multi-photon optical clock signal at a second interval. The quantum key signal is transmitted from a transmitter at a first timing, and detected by a detector at a receiver. An output signal of the detector is sampled at a second timing that is delayed relative to the first timing for reducing quantum bit error rate. |
| US07881472B2 |
Quantum key distribution method and communication apparatus
In a quantum key distributing method of the present invention, a communication apparatus on a reception side performs error correction using parity check matrixes for an LDPC code that have an extremely high error correction ability. In the quantum key distributing method of the present invention, a cyclic code syndrome generated by a communication apparatus on a transmission side and an estimated cyclic code syndrome generated based on an estimated word after error correction are compared to perform error detection for the estimated word. |
| US07881470B2 |
Network mobility security management
A node that couples to the Internet establishes a secure connection with another node that couples to the Internet. The secure connection to be established via an IPsec security association. The node registers with an authority that couples to the Internet and provides public key infrastructure (PKI) services. Registration is to include obtaining both a private and a public and key. The PKI services to include providing the private key to only the registered node and providing the public key to another registered node that requests PKI services from the authority. The node requests the PKI services from the authority based on a change in a point of attachment for the node to the Internet. The node then authenticates the other node via the PKI services and exchanges a secret key with the other node based on the authentication of the other node. The node is to implement an encryption scheme that uses the exchanged secret key for symmetric encryption of data exchanged between the node and the other node. The symmetric encryption is to maintain a secure connection between the nodes. |
| US07881464B1 |
Microphone with reduced noise
The present invention provides a microphone apparatus. The microphone apparatus includes a housing with an outer surface and an interior chamber. A microphone element is disposed within the interior chamber. The outer surface includes a first substantially planar surface having at least one aperture leading to the interior chamber and a second substantially planar surface intersecting at an angle with the first planar surface. |
| US07881459B2 |
Acoustic echo canceller using multi-band nonlinear processing
An echo canceller (106) can include a first multi-band filter (152) which receives a first input signal (108) and generates a first plurality of sub-band signals (110, 111, 112), and a second multi-band filter (154) which receives a second input signal (122) and generates a second plurality of sub-band signals (156, 157, 158). The echo canceller also can include a plurality of double talk detectors (168, 169, 170) that each generate a double talk flag (182, 183, 184) based on at least a respective one of the first sub-band signals and a respective one of the second sub-band signals. |
| US07881455B2 |
Apparatus and method for finding a called party over a telecommunication network
The present disclosure provides a system and method for establishing telephone communication between a calling party and called party wherein the calling party may store a plurality of numbers or identifiers of a called party and initiating a number or identifier of the called party enables the system and method to call multiple numbers of the called party from the stored plurality of numbers. |
| US07881454B2 |
Integrated call management
In embodiments, the present invention is directed to methods of handling calls received from customers. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a call from a customer who called a promotional telephone number. The phone call is connected to an IVR system. The IVR system maintains a set of rules for handling calls. The method further includes creating a call detail record, which includes a unique identifier, a source telephone number, and the promotional telephone number. A customized greeting is then played to the customer based on the promotional telephone number the customer dialed. Based on the rules for handling calls, the call is redirected from the IVR system to an agent along with transmitting and displaying the call detail record to the agent. |
| US07881452B1 |
Method for testing a local number portability (LNP) ported telephone number
A method for testing a Local Number Portability (LNP) ported telephone number is provided according to the invention. The method includes in a first switch generating a LNP test telephone call to a second switch. The LNP test telephone call is targeted to the LNP-ported telephone number associated with the first switch. The method further includes indicating that the LNP-ported telephone number is being correctly routed in the second switch if the first switch receives the LNP test telephone call back from the second switch. The method further includes indicating that the LNP-ported telephone number is being incorrectly routed in the second switch if the first switch does not receive the LNP test telephone call back from the second switch. |
| US07881448B2 |
Method and system for notifying a telephone user of an audio problem
A method and apparatus is provided for notifying a telephone speaker engaged in a call or conference that the audio quality being received by one or more listeners is not acceptable. The notice is provided before the call or conference has ended, so that effective action can be taken to continue the conference. Embodiments of the invention can include both automatic and manual methods for informing a participant in a telephone call that audio distortion is occurring. An automated method uses audio sampling and comparative logic, while a manual method is accomplished using phone programming and a key entry sequence. A further embodiment provides means for any participant on a call to verify the audio quality of his or her own telephone. |
| US07881447B1 |
Conference call text messaging protocol using caller ID screen
A voice conference bridge provides respective voice connections to a call coordinator and a plurality of call participants. A message server is coupled to the voice conference bridge for receiving DTMF tone messages from the call coordinator and the call participants and for sending data messages in a caller ID format to the call coordinator and the call participants via the voice conference bridge. The message server interacts with the call participants using a participant-initiated request channel and a server-initiated broadcast channel. A particular call participant invokes the request channel by including a predetermined tone command in a respective DTMF tone message. The particular call participant forwards a message content to the message server by including predetermined tone data in the respective DTMF tone message. The message server forwards the message content to other call participants via the broadcast channel according to an approval granted to the particular call participant. |
| US07881442B2 |
Call announcement service
A method and operation for a call announcement service which answers incoming phone calls. The system retrieves identifying information about the calling party and provides that information to the called party. The called party can choose from several options for answering the call, such as completing the call with the calling party, sending the calling party to voice mail or terminating the call. In an alternative embodiment, the calling party can be notified that they have dialed a cellular phone customer, and can be provided the option of accepting the called party's cellular phone charges. |
| US07881441B2 |
Device independent text captioned telephone service
Text captioned telephony, in which a telephone conversation is accompanied by text captions to aid in hard-of-hearing users, is implemented without the use of specialized text captioned telephone terminals by using a combination of an Internet appliance such as a computer and a telephone or by generalized voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) telephones. |
| US07881438B2 |
Self-learning and self-adjusting DSL system
A self-learning and/or self-adjusting communication controller and/or optimizer uses operational data collected from a communication system to adjust operation of the communication system to changing operational, environmental, etc. conditions and, in some embodiments, to customize operation of the communication system's lines and components so that their performance can be controlled, improved and/or optimized. In various embodiments, operational parameters and/or rules are established and/or adjusted based on information obtained from the system concerning the system's operation; information regarding margins used by a DSL system and code violation counts reported by the DSL system are used to set margin levels for one or more line sets (each line set including an individual line, a group of lines, a binder, etc.) and/or other users and/or components of the DSL system; and, the controller and/or optimizer forces a small number of test lines into as yet un-experienced and/or unimplemented operational conditions so that new knowledge can be obtained. |
| US07881436B2 |
Method and apparatus of differential pumping in an x-ray tube
An x-ray tube includes an anode, a first chamber enclosing the anode and having a first pressure therein, a cathode, and a second chamber enclosing the cathode and having a second pressure therein. A separator is positioned between the first and second chambers and has a conductance limiter therein. |
| US07881432B2 |
X-ray focusing device
Disclosed is an X-ray reflecting device and an X-ray reflecting element constituting the X-ray reflecting device capable of facilitating a reduction in weight and being prepared in a relatively simple manner. The X-ray reflecting element of the present invention comprises a body made of a solid silicon, and a plurality of slits formed in the body in such a manner as to penetrate from a front surface to a back surface of the body. Each of the slits has a wall surface serving as an X-ray reflecting surface. To allow the slits in the respective X-ray reflecting elements to be located in a given positional relationship with each other, the X-ray reflecting device of the present invention comprises a plural number of the X-ray reflecting elements, which are formed into a multilayered structure in such a manner or arranged side-by-side in a horizontal direction in such a manner as to allow the slits in the respective X-ray reflecting elements to be located in a given positional relationship with each other, or stacked on each other in a vertical direction to form a stacked structure in such a manner as to allow the slits in the respective X-ray reflecting elements to be located in a given positional relationship with each other. Further, the X-ray reflecting device may comprise a plural number of the stacked structures arranged side-by-side in a horizontal direction. |
| US07881431B2 |
Radiotherapy apparatus and radiation irradiating method
A radiotherapy apparatus includes an acceleration unit configured to generate a charged particle beam. A target is configured to generate a radiation when the charged particle beam is irradiated to the target. A sensor is configured to measure an electric current flowing through the target. A dosimeter is configured to measure a dose of the radiation. A control unit is configured to control the acceleration unit based on the measured electric current and the measured dose. |
| US07881428B2 |
X-ray mammography/tomosynthesis of patient's breast
A breast x-ray system and method using tomosynthesis imaging in which the x-ray source generally moves away from the patient's head. The system may include an operation mode in which it additionally takes mammogram image data. |
| US07881426B2 |
Method and system for performing a scan of an object
A method for generating an image of an object using a scanning system includes performing a first portion of a scan in a first scanning mode to acquire a first dataset, receiving a halt command for a conveyor within the scanning system, decelerating the conveyor to a halt based on the halt command using a conveyor controller, and, when the object is present within an examination region after the conveyor has halted, performing a second portion of the scan in a second scanning mode to acquire a second dataset. The second scanning mode is different than the first scanning mode. The method also includes reconstructing the first dataset using a first reconstruction algorithm and reconstructing the second dataset using a second reconstruction algorithm. The second reconstruction algorithm is different than the first reconstruction algorithm. The image is generated using the first reconstructed dataset and the second reconstructed dataset. |
| US07881422B1 |
Circuits and methods for dividing frequency by an odd value
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a frequency divider circuit for dividing the frequency of an input signal by an odd value. In one embodiment, a frequency divider circuit includes a counter configured to receive a clock input signal and a divisor having an odd value. The counter counts clock cycles up to the divisor to generate a count. A control circuit is configured to receive the count, the divisor, and the clock input signal and generate one or more control signals to control a state of a clock output signal. A half cycle adjust circuit is configured to receive the clock input signal and the one or more control signals from the control circuit and provide an additional one-half cycle adjustment of the clock output signal. The frequency divider circuit may be a feed forward circuit with fast startup characteristics. |
| US07881420B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing vibration in component of a nuclear reactor
A vibration mitigation apparatus and method of reducing vibration in a reactor component are described, which may reduce the amplitude of vibration in the reactor component. The apparatus may be provided on the reactor component to reduce the amplitude of vibration of the component as the component and apparatus are subjected to a harmonic excitation that generally may occur during reactor operations. |
| US07881419B2 |
Semiconductor device, spread spectrum clock generator and method thereof
A semiconductor device, a spread spectrum clock generator and method thereof are provided. The example semiconductor device may include a frequency dividing unit receiving an output signal, generating a first feedback signal and a second feedback signal by dividing a frequency of the received output signal, and a phase offset unit outputting the output signal having a predetermined or desired phase difference with a reference signal in response to the second feedback signal, wherein the second feedback signal having a higher frequency than the first feedback signal. The example spread spectrum clock generator may include a plurality of frequency dividers which are connected in series and a selector selecting and outputting one of a plurality of output signals, each of the plurality of output signals having a different phase difference with respect to a reference signal, in response to at least one output from one or more of the plurality of frequency dividers. The example method may include receiving a reference signal with a first frequency, generating a feedback signal having a second frequency, the second frequency higher than the first frequency and outputting at least one of a sequentially selected set of output signals in response to the generated feedback signal. |
| US07881417B2 |
Demodulation method using phase detection and apparatus thereof
A demodulation method using phase detection and an apparatus thereof are provided. The demodulation method includes detecting phase information by sampling a received signal, synchronizing at least one clock signal by using the detected phase information, oversampling the received signal by the synchronized clock signal, and demodulating the received signal by using the oversampled result. With this, the demodulating apparatus can demodulate the modulated signal by using the phase detection, and use a digital filter as a filter for removing a jitter from the demodulated signal, thereby allowing a size thereof to be minimized. |
| US07881412B2 |
Quasi-linear interference cancellation for wireless communication
Techniques for performing interference cancellation in a wireless (e.g., CDMA) communication system are described. For a single-sector interference canceller, received samples are processed (e.g., despread) to isolate a signal from a transmitter (e.g., a base station) and obtain input samples. The input samples are transformed based on a first transform (e.g., a fast Hadamard transform) to obtain received symbols for multiple orthogonal channels (e.g., Walsh bins). The received symbols for the multiple orthogonal channels are scaled with multiple gains to obtain scaled symbols. The gains may be related to the inverses of the power estimates for the orthogonal channels. The scaled symbols are transformed based on a second transform (e.g., an inverse fast Hadamard transform) to obtain output samples, which are processed (e.g., spread) to obtain interference-canceled samples having the signal from the transmitter suppressed. |
| US07881407B2 |
Systems and methods for mitigating multipath signals
Systems and methods for mitigating multipath signals in a receiver are provided. In this regard, a representative system, among others, includes a receiver comprising an antenna being configured to receive signals from a plurality of satellites, and a computing device being configured to: generate pseudorange measurements based on the received satellites signals, process the generated pseudorange measurements to reduce its pseudorange residuals based on statistical modeling in order to mitigate multipath errors, and compute navigation solutions based on the processed pseudorange measurements. A representative method, among others, for mitigating multipath signals in a receiver, comprises: receiving the pseudorange measurements; processing the received pseudorange measurements to reduce its pseudorange residuals based on statistical modeling in order to mitigate multipath errors; and computing navigation solutions based on the processed pseudorange measurements. |
| US07881403B2 |
System for realizing emergency rate adjustment
A system for realizing emergency rate reduction (SOS). A receiver initiates a short rate-reduction request, and communicates that request to a transmitter. The transmitter initiates an operational switch to an adjusted transmission reference (i.e., a new bit/gain table), by sending a signal to synchronize the operational switch for both the transmitter and the receiver. The adjusted transmission reference may be calculated using a formula, from a current bit/gain table, or may be a predefined bit/gain table. The parameters of the formula may be predefined, calculated during initialization, or determined in real time during SOS. |
| US07881399B2 |
Transmission circuit and communication device
Provided is a transmission circuit which is small in size, operates with high efficiency, and outputs a transmission signal having high linearity. A signal generation section 11 generates an amplitude signal m(t) and a phase signal. An angle modulation section 17 angle-modulates the phase signal to output an angle-modulated signal. An amplitude calculation section 12 outputs a discrete value signal V(t) having a plurality of discrete values corresponding to a magnitude of the amplitude signal m(t). A dividing section 13 divides the amplitude signal m(t) by the discrete value signal V(t) to output an amplitude signal M(t). A delta-sigma modulation section 14 delta-sigma modulates the amplitude signal M(t) to output a delta-sigma modulated signal. A variable gain amplifier section 15 amplifies the delta-sigma modulated signal by a gain corresponding to the discrete value signal V(t). An amplitude amplifying section 16 supplies, to an amplitude modulation section 18, a voltage corresponding to a magnitude of the delta-sigma modulated signal. The amplitude modulation section 18 amplitude-modulates the angle-modulated signal by the voltage supplied from the amplitude amplifying section 16, to output a modulation signal. |
| US07881394B2 |
Method and apparatus for computing soft decision input metrics to a turbo decoder
A method and apparatus for computing soft decision input metrics to a turbo decoder includes circuits associated with eight-ary phase shift keyed (8PSK) modulation and sixteen-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (16QAM). In both implementations log-likelihood ratio (LLR) metrics on code symbols are estimated as products of various constant values and various combinations of the in-phase and quadrature components of a demodulated soft decision. In the implementation associated with the 16QAM modulation scheme, an estimate of the carrier-signal-to-interference (C/I) ratio is also used to estimate some of the LLR metrics. Estimates of the LLR metrics may also be obtained in association with generalized square QAM and M-ary PSK modulation schemes including, e.g., 64QAM, 256QAM, and 16PSK. |
| US07881389B2 |
Reception quality notifying method, wireless communication terminal apparatus, and base station apparatus
A reception quality notifying method improves upstream-line throughput by reducing the data amount of reception quality data of downstream multicarrier signals to be transmitted in the upstream line. A low-power consumption base station apparatus and a wireless communication terminal apparatus may employ the reception quality notifying method. When a wireless communication terminal apparatus receives a downstream multicarrier signal and then notifies a base station apparatus of a subcarrier having a desirable reception quality for the downstream multicarrier signal, the wireless communication terminal apparatus produces reception quality data of a plurality of formats, then selects, from among the produced reception quality data, one having the lowest data mount. The selected reception quality data is transmitted to the base station apparatus by use of an upstream multicarrier signal subcarrier designated by the base station apparatus. |
| US07881388B2 |
Water ring scanning apparatus
A water ring scanning apparatus configured to process an initial data set, such as a video frame, is disclosed. The water ring scanning apparatus is configured to write a portion of data from the initial data set into a data string. The initial data set is organized with at least one initial origin enveloped by a plurality of nested initial environs successively surrounding each other in the initial data set. The scanner is configured to write a portion of the data from the initial data set into the data string by starting at the RC grouping corresponding to the initial origin (initial water ring (0)) and by sequentially progressing outwardly from the family of RC groupings corresponding to the nearest nested initial environ (initial water ring (1)) towards the family of RC groupings corresponding to a furthest nested initial environ (initial water ring (n)). |
| US07881386B2 |
Methods and apparatus for performing fast mode decisions in video codecs
Methods and apparatus are presented for reducing the computational complexity of coding mode decisions by exploiting the correlations across spatially and/or temporally close coding mode decisions. A mode decision for a current macroblock is based on the mode decisions of spatially and/or temporarily close macroblocks. |
| US07881383B2 |
Video encoding/decoding method and apparatus for motion compensation prediction
A video encoding method includes selecting one combination, for each block of an input video signal, from a plurality of combinations. Each combination includes a predictive parameter and at least one reference picture number determined in advance for the reference picture. A prediction picture signal is generated in accordance with the reference picture number and predictive parameter of the selected combination. A predictive error signal is generated representing an error between the input video signal and the prediction picture signal. Encoding the predictive error signal, information of the motion vector, and index information indicating the selected combination is included. |
| US07881378B2 |
Video encoding/decoding method and apparatus for motion compensation prediction
A video encoding method includes selecting one combination, for each block of an input video signal, from a plurality of combinations. Each combination includes a predictive parameter and at least one reference picture number determined in advance for the reference picture. A prediction picture signal is generated in accordance with the reference picture number and predictive parameter of the selected combination. A predictive error signal is generated representing an error between the input video signal and the prediction picture signal. Encoding the predictive error signal, information of the motion vector, and index information indicating the selected combination is included. |
| US07881375B2 |
Field/frame adaptive coding and decoding method with field/frame index and apparatus for performing the same
A moving picture coding method for coding a picture when switching between frame coding and field coding adaptively on a block-by-block basis. The method including determining the maximum number of reference indices for field coding for specifying fields which are to be referred to at the time of field coding, using the maximum number of reference indices for frame coding for specifying frames which are to be referred to at the time of frame coding, and assigning to fields the reference indices for field coding for specifying fields which are to be referred to at the time of field coding, within a range of the determined maximum number thereof, using the reference indices for frame coding for specifying frames which are to be referred to at the time of frame coding. |
| US07881373B2 |
Video data compression apparatus and method of same
A video data compression apparatus with which compressed video data of suitable amounts of data can be produced and the time required for processing is short. The apparatus approximates a real difficulty data Dj indicating the difficulty of the pattern of each picture by the ME residual, flatness, and intra AC and further calculates the target amount of data Tj of the compressed video data from the approximated real difficulty data Dj. An encoder performs compression and coding so that the amount of data of the compressed video data becomes substantially the target amount of data Tj. |
| US07881372B2 |
Image processing device and image processing method
The present invention provides an image processing method and device which can both quickly and easily execute a pseudo halftone process with a large number of output gray levels and which can always execute the pseudo halftone process in the same manner regardless of the number of output gray scales. The present invention provides an image processing device that executes a pseudo halftone process on multivalued image data comprising a plurality of planes, the device including a component executing quantization and outputting for each of the plurality of density components, a component determining a correction value on the basis of a sign of a quantization error in each plane and a comparison of a sum of the quantization errors with a predetermined threshold, and a component correcting a value of the quantization output using the correction value and diffusing the quantization value. |
| US07881371B2 |
Block transform and quantization for image and video coding
An improved method and block transform for image or video encoding and decoding, wherein transformation and inverse transformation matrixes are defined such that computational complexity is significantly reduced when encoding and decoding. For example, in the two-dimensional inverse transformation of de-quantized transform coefficients into output pixel information during decoding, only four additions plus one shift operation are needed, per co-efficient transformation, all in sixteen-bit arithmetic. Transformations provide correct results because quantization during encoding and de-quantization (sixteen bit) during decoding, via the use of one of three tables selected based on each coefficient's position, have parameter values that already compensate for factors of other transformation multiplications, except for those of a power of two, (e.g., two or one-half), which are performed by a shift operation during the transformation and inverse transformation processes. Computational complexity is significantly reduced with respect to other known transforms without adversely impacting compression or quality. |
| US07881369B2 |
Image transmission apparatus, image transmission method and image transmission program
In an image transmission apparatus an image data generator generates image data that represents an image. An updated image data generator generates updated image data that represents an updated image of an updated region of the image. A compressor compresses the updated image data. A transmitter stores the updated image data that is compressed by the compressor. An updated image data storage stores the updated image data. A transmission result storage stores transmission result data that includes quality information and time information, the quality information relating to an image quality, the time information indicating when the updated image data is generated. A transmission data selector selects the updated image data stored in the updated image data storage, and sets the image quality of the updated image data selected, according to the transmission result data stored in the transmission result storage. |
| US07881367B2 |
Method of video coding for handheld apparatus
The present invention relates to method of coding blocks of video data for a handheld apparatus comprising a battery. Said method comprising a step of computing a residual error block from the use of a set of prediction functions having different power consumption levels. It also comprises a step of enabling or disabling a prediction function of the set depending on its associated power consumption level for a predetermined level of the battery. It finally comprises a step of selecting a prediction function among a set of enabled prediction functions to code the residual error block. |
| US07881366B2 |
Moving picture encoder
In encoding of moving pictures, I-frame is inserted when a scene change occurs. If scene changes frequently occur in the range of a predetermined amount-of-information allocation, the amount of information allocated to an encoding process on I-frame becomes enlarged. Therefore, the amount of information cannot be sufficiently reserved for another coding, thereby considerably degrading the quality of an image. Thus, a scene change detection threshold is obtained depending on the remainder in the VBV buffer, the scene change detection threshold is compared with a scene change detection value for determination of the occurrence of a scene change, and it is determined whether or not a scene change has occurred based on the comparison result. |
| US07881361B2 |
Spectrally shaped generalized multitone direct sequence spread spectrum modulation
A system (10) for communicating a direct sequence spread spectrum signal, a related transmitter (12), a related receiver (14), and methods associated therewith are provided in various embodiments. A data rate vector, a processing gain vector, a frequency separation vector, and a bit energy vector may be associated with transmitting and/or receiving a direct sequence spread spectrum signal. Each vector has a value associated with each of a plurality of channels associated with subcarriers in the direct sequence spread spectrum signal. A value for at least one of the data rate vector, processing gain vector, frequency separation vector, and bit energy vector for at least one channel is different from another value for the corresponding data rate vector, processing gain vector, frequency separation vector, or bit energy vector for another channel. Having one or more vectors with different values provides a spectrally-shaped generalized multitone (or multicarrier) direct sequence spread spectrum (SSG-MT-DS-SS) modulation scheme. |
| US07881360B2 |
Method and system for increased bandwidth efficiency in multiple input—multiple output channels
In one disclosed embodiment, an input bit stream is supplied to a trellis code block. For example, the trellis code block can perform convolutional coding using a rate 6/7 code. The output of the trellis code block is then modulated using, for example, trellis coded quadrature amplitude modulation with 128 signal points or modulation symbols. The sequence of modulation symbols thus generated can be diversity encoded. The diversity encoding can be either a space time encoding, for example, or a space frequency encoding. The sequence of modulation symbols, or the sequence of diversity encoded modulation symbols, is fed to two or more orthogonal Walsh covers. For example, replicas of the modulation symbol sequences can be provided to increase diversity, or demultiplexing the modulation symbol sequences can be used to increase data transmission rate or “throughput.” The outputs of the Walsh covers are fed as separate inputs into a communication channel. |
| US07881357B2 |
Vertical cavity surface-emitting semiconductor laser device, optical transmission module, optical transmission device, and optical switching method
In a vertical cavity surface-emitting semiconductor laser device, first and second resonance wavelengths which are different are provided while a first resonator and a second resonator are coupled optically, and a gain of an active layer at the first resonance wavelength on the side of short wavelength is higher than that at the second resonance wavelength on the side of long wavelength. An absorption coefficient of an optical absorption layer when no electric field is applied is small for the first and second resonance wavelengths, and when an electric field is applied, an absorption coefficient of the optical absorption layer for the first resonance wavelength on the side of short wavelength is larger than that for the second resonance wavelength on the side of long wavelength. |
| US07881356B2 |
Semiconductor laser apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
Second and third p-side pad electrodes are formed on an insulating film of a blue-violet semiconductor laser device on both sides of a first p-side pad electrode. The second p-side pad electrode and the third p-side pad electrode are formed separately from each other. Solder films are formed on the upper surfaces of the second and third p-side pad electrodes respectively. A fourth p-side pad electrode of a red semiconductor laser device is bonded onto the second p-side pad electrode with the corresponding solder film sandwiched therebetween. A fifth p-side pad electrode of an infrared semiconductor laser device is bonded onto the third p-side pad electrode with the corresponding solder film sandwiched therebetween. The second and third p-side pad electrodes are formed separately from each other, so that the fourth and fifth p-side pad electrodes are electrically isolated from each other. |
| US07881346B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting terrestrial digital signal
An apparatus for transmitting terrestrial digital data using a synchronous-optical-network system or a synchronous-digital-hierarchy system includes a synchronous-difference calculating unit that calculates a synchronous difference between a standard signal used in the synchronous-optical-network system or the synchronous-digital-hierarchy system and a first synchronous signal that synchronizes with a leading position included in image data of the terrestrial digital data; and a transmission processing unit that transmits the synchronous difference together with the terrestrial digital data to a destination. |
| US07881345B2 |
Method of symbol timing synchronization in communication systems
Symbol timing synchronization in OFDM communication systems where multiple wireless terminals communicate with a single base station is described. Base station transmitter and receiver symbol timing is fixed. Each wireless terminal operates to independently adjust its transmitter timing. Transmitter timing synchronization at the wireless terminal is slaved to the terminal's receiver timing synchronization. Each wireless terminal first corrects its receiver symbol timing based on a signal received from the base station. The wireless terminal then adjusts its transmitter symbol timing as a function of its receiver symbol timing. When the receiver symbol timing is to be advanced or delayed by some amount, the transmitter symbol timing is also advanced or delayed, respectively, by the same, or substantially the same, amount. Symbol timing adjustment can be made by adding or deleting digital samples from the first or last symbol in a dwell. |
| US07881343B2 |
Multi-network overlaid cell detection
A communications system includes a wireless telephony network and a wireless Local Area Network (LAN), both accessible by a mobile communications device (16). To facilitate transitioning of the mobile communications device to the wireless LAN from the wireless telephony network, the wireless LAN includes a beacon transmitter, which generates a synchronization channel having a pattern unique to the wireless LAN. The Wireless LAN synchronization channel is received at a first receiver in the mobile communications device together with a synchronization channel from the wireless telephony. The wireless LAN synchronization channel enables the mobile communication device to synchronize with, for transitioning to, the wireless LAN. |
| US07881336B2 |
HTB gateway for healthcare transaction base
Techniques for communicating with a Healthcare Transaction Base, such as an HTB, without requiring the development of custom adapters are provided. A gateway is utilized that acts a transformation engine between various systems and the healthcare transaction base. One or more filters are utilized to transform a message from one format to another. Adding support for new protocols is simplified as support for a new protocol is added (or plugged-in) by associating any filters that are used to transform messages in the new protocol to a desired protocol. |
| US07881332B2 |
Configurable ports for a host ethernet adapter
A system and method in accordance with the present invention allows for an adapter to be utilized in a server environment that can accommodate both a 10 G and a 1 G source utilizing the same pins. This is accomplished through the use of a high speed serializer/deserializer (high speed serdes) which can accommodate both data sources. The high speed serdes allows for the use of a relatively low reference clock speed on the NIC to provide the proper clocking of the data sources and also allows for different modes to be set to accommodate the different data sources. Finally the system allows for the adapter to use the same pins for multiple data sources. |
| US07881329B2 |
Method and system for maintaining high reliability logical connection
A method and system for maintaining a high reliability logical connection between hosts employs adaptive transparent pinging, clone blocking and bandwidth leveling to realize improvements in the areas of connection status verification, security and bandwidth management. In adaptive transparent pinging, a ping interval that defines a frequency at which ping messages are transmitted from an initiating host to a receiving host to check connection status is dynamically regulated based on data indicative of the reliability of a connection. In clone blocking, the receiving host verifies that a new connection that appears redundant is a re-established connection from the initiating host rather than a cloned connection. In bandwidth leveling, data bursts pending on initiating hosts that exceed a predetermined size are scheduled for transmission to receiving hosts. |
| US07881322B1 |
Power-saving mechanism for periodic traffic streams in wireless local-area networks
A novel method for coordinating the delivery of frames to and the receipt of frames from a power-saving station in a wireless local-area network (LAN) is disclosed. The illustrative embodiment establishes a wake-up schedule for a power-saving station based on a temporal period and temporal offset that reduces the frequency with which multiple stations in a network wake up simultaneously, thereby reducing traffic delays and power consumption. The illustrative embodiment is particularly well-suited to networks with traffic that has delay/jitter quality-of-service (QoS) requirements (i.e., voice calls, videophone calls, etc.). |
| US07881320B1 |
Parsing data from multiple digital bitstreams
Multiplexing data from bitstreams is described. Data status is determined for data of each of the bitstreams. Stream numbers are assigned respectively to the bitstreams, and the data of each of the bitstreams is controllably stored in respective memory. A memory buffer of the memory buffers is controllably selected. The data obtained from the memory buffer selected is parsed to provide an output. The controllably selecting and the parsing are repeated to obtain and parse the data stored in at least one other memory buffer of the memory buffers to provide the output. The output is multiplexed data from the bitstreams respectively associated with the memory buffer and the at least one other memory buffer. |
| US07881319B2 |
Data storage and processing systems
We describe techniques for storing and processing data captured in large volumes from digital mobile phone networks. One technique inputs a stream of messages, writes sequential sets of message parameters into a first FIFO at an entry point; reads the parameters from an exit point; and writes the read parameters into a second data structure. Importantly in this technique the entry point and the exit point are separated by predetermined minimum length defined in terms of a number of the sets of parameters and/or a time. Some preferred implementations also include a last value data store or bucket to store one or more most recent previous values of message parameters. |
| US07881318B2 |
Out-of-band keep-alive mechanism for clients associated with network address translation systems
Architecture for maintaining connection state of network address translation (NAT) devices by employing an out-of-band (OOB) technique externally to application connections without imposing additional requirements on the underlying native application(s). The OOB solution can be applied to arbitrary connections without requiring modification to an application protocol and works with TCP and UDP. A keep-alive (KA) application is employed as an OOB mechanism that injects KA packets that appear to the NAT device to be coming from the native connection. These injected packets fool the NAT device into resetting the inactivity timer for that connection, but do not fool or confuse the native application, which is oblivious to the spoofing. Accordingly, the connection will not terminate due to NAT timeouts, and therefore, a client/server protocol, for example, will not need to generate fake activity packets to keep the connection alive. |
| US07881314B2 |
Network device providing access to both layer 2 and layer 3 services on a single physical interface
A network node includes a first port and a second port, the second port being operable to carry a first type of data traffic over a main physical interface, the first type of data traffic including Layer 2 services. The second port is operable to simultaneously carry a second type of data traffic over a sub-interface of the main physical interface. The second type of data traffic consisting of Layer 3 services that include point-to-point (P2P), point-to-multipoint (P2MP), and multipoint services. |
| US07881312B2 |
DSL terminal-exchange device connecting system and method
A network device includes a media gateway to receive and process a voice over digital subscriber line (VoDSL) communication to generate voice data in a predetermined format; a terminating unit to receive another type of voice communication and output voice data in the predetermined format; and a control unit to receive the generated voice data from the media gateway and the outputted voice data from the terminating unit, where the network device exchanges at least one of the VoDSL communication to the other type of voice communication or the other type of voice communication to the VoDSL communication. |
| US07881310B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing quality of service to VoIP over 802.11 wireless LANs
The present invention provides a method and system for providing quality-of-service to VoIP over a wireless local access network by providing periodic, contention-free access to a wireless link for voice packets. This is achieved by coupling Session Initiation Protocol (“SIP”) signaling for call setup with the Point Coordination Function mode of operation of the 802.11 medium access control. The result is that VoIP call signaling via SIP is tied with availability of periodic time-slots on the wireless medium. The periodic time-slots are used to guarantee contention-free access to the wireless link for voice packets. Accordingly, the present invention, in effect, merges two networking technologies: SIP-based VoIP and 802.11-based wireless LANs. |
| US07881303B2 |
Command packet packing to mitigate CRC overhead
In an embodiment, a node comprises a packet scheduler configured to schedule packets to be transmitted on a link and an interface circuit coupled to the packet scheduler and configured to transmit the packets on the link. The interface circuit is configured to generate error detection data covering the packets, wherein the error detection data is transmitted between packets on the link. The interface circuit is configured to cover up to N packets with one transmission of error detection data, where N is an integer >=2. The number of packets covered with one transmission of error detection data is determined by the interface circuit dependent on an availability of packets to transmit. In another embodiment, the interface circuit is configured to dynamically vary a frequency of transmission of the error detection data on the link based on an amount of bandwidth being consumed on the link. |
| US07881301B2 |
Apparatus and method for processing packet in voice and data integration system
An apparatus and method for processing a packet in a voice and data integration system are provided. The voice and data integration apparatus includes: a digital signal processor (DSP) for decoding a packet into PCM (pulse code modulation) data; and a host driver for receiving one or more packets from an Internet protocol (IP) network for a predetermined time, storing the received packets in storage regions in the order of sequence numbers, and transmitting the packets to the DSP in the order of the sequence numbers when the predetermined time has elapsed. Accordingly, a quality of voice in voice communication using the voice and data integration apparatus is guaranteed to a maximal extent. |
| US07881300B2 |
Broadcasting between subnetworks connected via a router
The present invention allows the contents of network-wide broadcast in a first subnetwork to be passed to a second subnetwork even if a router is set to prevent the network-wide broadcast in the first subnetwork from going out of the first subnetwork. In response to the network-wide broadcast in the first subnetwork, a first broadcast relay generates a packet in which a destination address of the network-wide broadcast packet is changed to an address of a second broadcast relay belonging to a second subnetwork, and outputs the address changed packet to the first subnetwork. The second broadcast relay generates, in response to the packet addressed thereto, a second subnetwork-only broadcast as a local broadcast, and outputs it to the second subnetwork. A server of the second subnetwork performs a predetermined process on the broadcast outputted by the second broadcast relay. |
| US07881299B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing and transmitting fine granularity services
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and an apparatus for managing and transmitting fine granularity services. The method includes: increasing the bandwidth of an existing LSP which controls a fine granularity service with the same granularity as that of a new fine granularity service to be established, upon determining that the new fine granularity service shares the same source node and destination node with the existing LSP; and transmitting the new fine granularity service with the increased bandwidth of the existing LSP. The bandwidth utilization rate of optical networks can be obviously increased when transmitting fine granularity services in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention; furthermore, the storage space of each node through which the LSP passes is saved and the recovery performance of fine granularity services is guaranteed. |
| US07881298B2 |
Method for segmenting and reassembling packet based on tree structure, and method for transmitting/receiving packet using the same
Provided is a method of segmenting a packet using a tree structure in order to reduce headers in the packet when the packet is transmitted or received in a wireless communication system using an adaptive modulation and coding (AMC), and a method of transmitting/receiving a packet using the same. The method includes the steps of: determining whether a transmitting processing data unit (PDU) is a retransmitted PDU; determining whether a size of the retransmitted PDU is a transmittable size allowed by a corresponding adaptive modulation and coding (AMC) option if the transmitting PDU is the retransmitted PDU; and segmenting the retransmitting PDU, inserting a header and a sub header with identification information for reassembling into each of the segmented PDUs and transmitting the segmented PDUs. |
| US07881295B2 |
Establishing directed communication based upon physical interaction between two devices
A method and system for establishing communication with a device is provided. Aspects of an exemplary embodiment include detecting, at a first device, a physical interaction between the first device and a second device; determining a network address usable for establishing communication between the first and second devices based on information derived from the detected physical interaction; and providing for at least one of sending a message directed to the network address from the first device to the second device and assigning the network address to the first device for receiving a message directed to the network address. |
| US07881294B1 |
Method and apparatus for enabling network based media manipulation
The present invention enables the network to provide enhanced processing of the media stream before and/or during the call establishment. In one embodiment, the network can use the Session Description Header information to provide service support such as mid call Dual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) detection, transcoding, and media conversion within the network instead of between two intelligent endpoint devices. |
| US07881288B2 |
Routing media streams from packet switched network to circuit switched network
A method, apparatus and computer program in a telecommunication network (111, 112, 121) for routing a media stream from an IMS domain to an MSC (107, 107a) associated with a mobile station in a circuit switched domain of a PLMN (109), wherein a service control node (111, 112, 121) receives a first request for routing path data for routing said media stream to a logical address associated with said mobile station (110), and wherein said logical address is converted into a physical address of the mobile station (110) and subsequently converted into a physical address of the MSC (107, 107a). A service control node (111, 112, 121) in the IMS domain obtains the MSRN for the mobile station (110). The MSRN is used to route the call as an IMS call right up to the MSC (107, 107a). The service control node (111, 112, 121) may comprise a SIP-AS, an ENUM server or a Client Gateway. |
| US07881287B2 |
Method and device for session control in hybrid telecommunications network
Combinational networks may provide simultaneous connectivity over networks of different type between terminals. Communication sessions on different network types such as Circuit switched and Packet switched, belonging to the same user equipment can be correlated. In case a communication session on a circuit switched network is halted by a supplementary service e.g. at an event such as acceptance of Call Hold, a communication session on a correlated packet switched network should be halted as well. A user equipment that detects the event sends a halt message to the circuit switched network and a message to the packet switched network or a session state manager node. The session state manager node either forwards the halt-message to the packet switched network, or sends a halt-message to the packet switched network when the packet switched network does not notify that a halt has occurred. |
| US07881282B2 |
System and method for interfacing a broadband network and a circuit switched network
A method is provided managing a call using a digital communication device, where the device provides an interface between a public broadband network and a public circuit switched network. In one example, the method includes receiving a request at the device from either the broadband or circuit switched network to establish the call and identifying a destination for the call. A path from the requesting network to the destination is determined, where the determination identifies whether the path will use one or both of the broadband and circuit switched networks. The call is routed via the path, and the device identifies the destination, determines the path, and routes the call without using any resources associated with the circuit switched network if the path does not include the circuit switched network. |
| US07881278B2 |
Method for combining multiple frames of data into a single medium access
A method of combining multiple frames of data into a single access to a shared communications medium improves network efficiency transmitting in a fashion compatible with legacy network equipment. An increase in the efficiency of use of a shared communications medium is realized by amortizing the overhead of fixed elements of a communication protocol over multiple frames. The sharing of preamble signaling, elimination of multiple inter-frame gaps or spaces, and the use of a legacy signal field permits a representative embodiment of the present invention to more effectively use a shared communication medium, while in addition providing backward compatible support for legacy network stations. |
| US07881277B2 |
Communication method and apparatus for distributed network system where cognitive radio technology is applied
A communication method and apparatus for a distributed network system where a cognitive radio (CR) technology is used. A communication method of a distributed network system where the CR technology is used includes transmitting adjacent channel information, from at least one first neighbor node adjacent to a source node, first adjacent channel information of the at least one first neighbor node using a pulse signal according to a request of the source node; by transmitting, from at least one second neighbor node adjacent to a destination node, second adjacent channel information of the at least one second neighbor node to the destination node using a pulse signal according to a request of the destination node; and exchanging data between the source node and the destination node using a channel that is not currently used, according to the transmitted adjacent channel information. |
| US07881276B2 |
System and method for relaying data
A data communication system includes a mobile station capable of receiving data communications directed to the mobile station, at least one relay station capable of relaying data between a base station and the mobile station, and the base station capable of assigning a connection identifier to the mobile station and each of the at least one relay station and sending a protocol data unit through the at least one relay station to the mobile station, the protocol data unit being capable of identifying the connection identifier assigned to the mobile station without identifying the connection identifier assigned to the at least one relay station. |
| US07881272B2 |
Information communications system, information processing unit, and information communication method
This invention suppresses increase in power consumption and reduces the time it takes until a controller is usable when starting the operation of console main unit from the standby state by the controller through BT communication. When a console main unit 10 is started up from the standby state by a controller through BT communication, a main CPU 64 of the console main unit 10 reads in and runs a controller connection managing program after the BT driver is read-in and run. Upon reception of a logical layer connection request signal from the controller, the main CPU 64 stores that logical layer connection request signal in main memory 65, reads in and runs the controller connection managing program, reads in terminal identification information from the main memory 65, establishes a logical layer connection through BT communication, and makes a communication module 79 transmit a logical layer connection enable signal. |
| US07881271B2 |
Wireless LAN system and its broadcasting station
In a wireless LAN system according to the present invention, when a first communication station transmits packets to a second communication station, the first communication station can select a first method in which the second communication station returns first transmission-confirmation information to the first communication station for each packet that the second communication station receives, and a second method in which the second communication station returns, in response to the request of the first communication station, second transmission-confirmation information to the first communication station for plural received packets. The first communication station selects either one of the first method and the second method, based on a number k of packets to be acknowledged by the second transmission-confirmation information. With this arrangement, in the wireless LAN system capable of using plural kinds of transmission confirmation information, transmission confirmation information capable of improving transmission efficiency is selected. |
| US07881270B2 |
Method and apparatus for flexible network architecture
In a method and apparatus for providing a flexible network architecture, an apparatus operable in a communication system comprises one or more logical entities adapted to provide a set of functions related to a connection through the communication system, wherein said logical entities are connected in series, and a subset of said functions are provided by each occurrence of said logical entities. |
| US07881268B1 |
Group list update system and method
In a group list update method, a group data server signals to one or more registration servers (e.g., a SIP registration server and/or a Mobile-IP registration server), to notify the registration servers of a group list update. In turn, the next time the registration server sends a registration response to an affected wireless client station, the registration server will include in the registration response a flag indicating that an update is available (or, e.g., an indication of the current version of the group data). In response to being alerted of that updated group data is available, the recipient wireless user station will then send an update request to the group data server, and the group data server responds by conveying the group list revisions to the user station. |
| US07881266B2 |
Wireless communication system with selectively sized data transport blocks
A wireless transmit receive unit and methods for code division multiple access telecommunications are disclosed that process data in a physical layer and a medium access control (MAC) layer. The physical and MAC layers communicate data between each other via transport channels. The transport channels are associated with logical channels. Logical-channel data for the transport channels is provided in data units having a bit size evenly divisible by an integer N. The respective logical channels associated with a transport channel utilize MAC headers that have a selected modulo N bit size such that there is bit alignment of the MAC headers of all the logical channels associated with a particular transport channel. |
| US07881262B2 |
Method and apparatus for enabling mobility in mobile IP based wireless communication systems
A method is provided for providing secured mobile IP services to a mobile terminal which is currently associated with an access network different from its own home access network. The method is characterized by creating a virtual mobile node at an access network server of the current access network, which communicates with a Home Agent associated with the terminal's home mobile network and with one or more access points associated with the current access network, at which the mobile terminal is currently located. |
| US07881261B2 |
Method and apparatus for efficient dormant handoff of mobile stations having multiple packet data service instances
An exemplary method and apparatus provide improved dormant handoff of mobile stations having multiple packet data service instances. Each time a dormant IS-2000 mobile station undergoes a packet data mobility event it sends a dormant handoff request to the supporting network for each packet data service instance associated with it. If the mobile station does not have a traffic channel already assigned to it, each dormant handoff request are sent over common access channels. By recognizing that a given mobile station is re-registering multiple service instances for the same mobility event, the network can avoid excess common channel signaling by assigning a traffic channel to the mobile station responsive to receiving the dormant handoff request for its first service instance. Such an assignment causes the mobile station to send dormant handoff requests for any remaining service instances over the assigned traffic channel rather than over the common access channel. |
| US07881256B2 |
Mobile station supervision of the forward dedicated control channel when in the discontinuous transmission mode
A method and apparatus for supervising a dedicated control channel when in the discontinuous transmission mode. The mobile station monitors the frames it receives from a base station and maintains a counter of bad, good, and empty frames, referred to as CNT1, CNT2, CNT3, respectively. If a received frame is a good frame, CNT1 is reset to zero and CNT2 is incremented. If the received frame is a bad frame, CNT1 is incremented and CNT2 is reset to zero. If the received frame is an empty frame, CNT1 and CNT2 are unchanged but CNT3 is incremented. A transmitter coupled to the mobile station is enabled or disabled depending upon which, if any, of the CNTs reaches or exceeds a designated threshold value. In another embodiment, an average aggregated value reflecting the strength of the pilot signals in an active set, measured at the mobile station, is used for comparison to a threshold. |
| US07881255B1 |
Systems and methods for relating network traffic using traffic-based signatures
A system includes multiple logging units, an aggregating unit, and an evaluation unit. The logging unit logs traffic attributes associated with network traffic received at multiple network nodes and generates traffic signatures using the received attributes. The aggregating unit aggregates the traffic signatures generated at the multiple logging units. The evaluating unit determines relationships among the network traffic or between the plurality of network nodes using the aggregated traffic signatures. |
| US07881252B2 |
Wireless receiver with intermittent shut-off of RF circuits
A terminal for use in a wireless network includes a radio frequency (RF) receiver, which is configured to receive and downconvert a RF signal. The RF signal includes a sequence of downlink frames, each downlink frame including at least a map zone followed by a data zone. The map zone contains an indication of a time allocation in the data zone during which downlink data will be transmitted to the terminal. An analog/digital (A/D) converter converts the output signal from the RF receiver into a stream of digital samples. A digital processing circuit processes the digital samples so as to identify the time allocation and to recover the downlink data transmitted during the identified time allocation, while shutting down the RF receiver during at least one interval during the downlink frame that is outside the identified time allocation. |
| US07881250B2 |
Packet communication system
The present invention provides a packet communication system including a mobile host, a home agent, a correspondent host, and a mobility agent, where the mobility agent operates in such a way that when the mobile host is in an active mode and has no need for buffering packets, the mobility agent forwards packets received from the home agent or the correspondent host to the mobile host; and alternatively, in the case when the mobile host is in an active mode, but requires buffering of packets, the mobility agent buffers the packets, and further in the case when the mobile host is in an idle mode, the mobility agent buffers the packet and notifies the mobile host of arrival of the packet, in order to prevent the loss of a packet addressed to a mobile host thus decreasing the traffic and the transmission frequency of Binding Update packets. |
| US07881249B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining repeater use in wireless communications
A method and apparatus for determining whether a received signal is transmitted via a repeater is described. A source signal to be conveyed via a particular repeater may include, or be modified to include, a variety of signal characteristics having a predictable relationship that remains relatively constant, which may be taken together as a signature of the repeater. The signature may reflect a composite of distinct signals. A database of repeater signature references may be developed, and an adequate match between characteristics of an unknown received signal and such signature references indicates that at least part of the unknown signal is transmitted via a repeater. Useful signal characteristics for repeater signatures may include some representative of signal strength, and time of arrival information, among many other possibilities. |
| US07881248B2 |
Allocation of frequency bands to radio communication systems
To allocate frequency bands to respective radio communication systems, allocation of a frequency band to each radio communication system is modeled by at least one three-dimensional block as a function of a frequency bandwidth and a coverage area of the radio communication system so as to determine at least one block distribution of the modeled blocks. A score is assigned to each block distribution as a function of a minimum frequency band including all the frequency bands of the blocks of the block distribution. Frequency bands are allocated to the radio communication systems in accordance with an adopted block distribution having a score more than a predetermined threshold. The assigned score can be depend on a number of collisions between blocks of said each block distribution and protection bubbles around modeled blocks. The radio communication systems in the protection bubbles do not suffer mutual interference above respective tolerance thresholds. |
| US07881246B2 |
Cooperative orthogonal multi-satellite communication system
Satellite communication systems and methods are disclosed. The communication system may include a gateway in communication with two satellites. The satellites are configured to receive polarized signals from a first plurality of users and orthogonally polarized signals from a second plurality of users. Each satellite may transmit the polarized signals and the orthogonally polarized signals to the gateway. The first satellite may also receive first feeder signals from the gateway and transmit the first feeder signals to the first plurality of users and the second satellite may also receive second feeder signals from the gateway and transmit the second feeder signals to the second plurality of users. |
| US07881238B2 |
Efficient formation of ad hoc networks
An ad hoc network identifier may be received, for example, at an ad hoc network convergence module. One or more ad hoc network parameters may be generated as a function of the ad hoc network identifier. Each of a group of computers attempting to form an ad hoc network identified by the ad hoc network identifier may generate the one or more ad hoc network parameters. Two or more of the group of computers may perform an ad hoc network formation protocol parameterized with the generated one or more ad hoc network parameters. An instruction to join the network may be received, for example, at a networking service. If it is detected that the network is an ad hoc network, an ad hoc network address acquisition mode featuring accelerated ad hoc network address acquisition may be activated. Efficient formation of the ad hoc network may thus be facilitated. |
| US07881236B2 |
Data transmission method and user equipment for the same
A mobile communication technology, and, more particularly, a method for efficiently transmitting data stored in a message 3 (Msg3) buffer and a user equipment for the same is disclosed. The method of transmitting data by a user equipment in uplink includes receiving an uplink (UP) Grant signal from a base station on a specific message, determining whether there is data stored in a message 3 (Msg3) buffer when receiving the UL Grant signal on the specific message, determining whether the specific message is a random access response message, and transmitting the data stored in the Msg3 buffer to the base station using the UL Grant signal received on the specific message, if there is data stored in the Msg3 buffer when receiving the UL Grant signal on the specific message and the specific message is the random access response message. |
| US07881235B1 |
Mixed media conferencing
Multiple users participate in a conference while taking maximum advantage of hardware and bandwidth capabilities of each participant. Each user's system makes known to a directory service its hardware sending and receiving capabilities. The directory service makes this information available to other users who may then wish to join a conference with the user. An initiating user sends invitations via the directory service to the remote users. Each user that accepts an invitation transmits its network address to the initiating user, who then establishes a peer-to-peer connection with each of the remote users. Each participant system exchanges information about hardware capabilities and bandwidth, and a conference manager determines a best model for connecting each of the participants. Depending on the hardware and bandwidth capabilities of the participants, the manager chooses from a duplicate streams model, a multicast model, and a host-among-peers model for connecting the participants. |
| US07881233B2 |
Techniques for planning a conference using location data
Techniques for scheduling a conference among multiple persons include receiving quorum data and location data. Quorum data indicates a quorum for a particular conference. Location data indicates locations of a plurality of persons who satisfy the quorum. A proposed location for the particular conference is determined based on the location data and the quorum data. These techniques allow location data to include presence data that describes a current location of a person or a state of communication of that person; and therefore allow presence data to be used in determining where to conduct a conference and when. For example, an organizer of a meeting and meeting invitees are notified when the people constituting a quorum cross paths at the same location, or are situated at sites that support remote conferencing. |
| US07881232B2 |
Techniques for managing expenses for a conference scheduled using availability data
Techniques for scheduling a conference among multiple persons include receiving quorum data, availability data and cost data. Quorum data indicates a quorum for a particular conference. Availability data indicates availability of a plurality of persons who satisfy the quorum. Cost data indicates a cost to be incurred while conducting a conference. A proposed cost for the particular conference that satisfies the quorum is determined based on the quorum data, the availability data and the cost data. These techniques allow costs of products and services that support a scheduled conference to be estimated, and allow those products and services to be reserved and paid for without additional manual input. |
| US07881230B2 |
Facilitating self configuring link aggregation using link aggregation control protocol
A switch discovers active neighboring peer devices of a switch. Such discovery includes facilitating communication of Link Aggregation Control Protocol Data Units (LACPDUs) for identifying a unique peer identifier assigned to each one of the neighboring peer devices. In response to discovering the active neighboring peer devices, the switch automatically assigning a link aggregation key to each one of a plurality of physical links over which the switch and one of the active neighboring peer devices communicate respective ones of the LACPDUs. Thereafter, the switch facilitates logically aggregation all of the physical links dependent upon the link aggregation key. |
| US07881228B2 |
System and method for broadcast pruning in Ethernet based provider bridging network
A system and method for delivering multicast/broadcast data frames, originating in a service virtual local area network (S-VLAN), to a plurality of locations on a customer network is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for delivering multicast/broadcast data frames includes analyzing ingress data frames, including customer virtual local area network identifiers (C-VIDs) associated with one or more divisions within one of a plurality of locations assigned by a customer network, received via incoming ports of each Ethernet switch associated with one of the plurality of locations and learning the C-VIDs of the ingress data frames, storing the learnt C-VIDs in the Ethernet switch, and forwarding the multicast/broadcast data frames to the one or more of the plurality of locations, via one or more outgoing ports of one or more of multiple Ethernet switches associated with the plurality of locations, based on the learnt and stored C-VIDs by each Ethernet switch. |
| US07881227B2 |
Methods for spreading or preventing spreading of information in a network
A method for improved spreading of information in a network is described, together with corresponding methods with the opposite aim, namely to hinder the spreading of harmful information in a network. The harmful information may be (for example) a data virus. The first method includes as its characterizing feature to connect at least one node of high Eigenvector Centrality Index in a first region with at least one node of high Eigenvector Centrality Index in a second region. These connections may be made using direct links, or with the help of a new node lying between the nodes to be connected. One method for preventing spreading of information or physical traffic in a network may include as its characterizing feature to inoculate at least one center node by blocking any transmission of unwanted information on all links in/out of said center node. Another method for preventing spreading of information or physical traffic may be to inoculate all nodes in a ring of nodes surrounding a center node by blocking any transmission of unwanted information on all links in/out of said nodes. Still another method may be to inoculate at least one bridge link connecting two regions by blocking any transmission of unwanted information on said link. |
| US07881223B2 |
Method for on demand distributed hash table update
A method for managing communication in a peer-to-peer network in which overlay information is updated on-demand such that neighboring node information is updated at least periodically and other overlay information is updated on-demand (from standard communications). For example, in one aspect, the network includes a plurality of nodes, and the method includes looking up at least one neighboring node, sending a joining message from a joining node to the neighboring node, the joining message including information relating to the joining node, joining the joining node to the network by updating each neighboring node exclusive of any other nodes of the plurality of nodes, sending reply messages from each neighboring node to the joining node, and updating the joining node with information from each neighboring node, exclusive of any other nodes of the plurality of nodes. |
| US07881222B2 |
Method for allocating physical hybrid automatic repeat request indicator channel
A method for allocating a physical hybrid ARQ indicator channel (PHICH) includes allocating a CDM group according to a cyclic prefix type in consideration of a ratio of the numbers of necessary CDM groups according to spreading factors, and allocating a PHICH to the allocated CDM group. The PHICH includes an ACK/NACK signal multiplexed by code division multiplexing (CDM). Therefore, resources for PHICH transmission are efficiently allocated and a transmission structure can be maintained irrespective of a spreading factor. |
| US07881220B2 |
System and method for changing duration of talk burst control timer
A system and method for changing a value of a talk burst control timer, are provided. According to an embodiment, there is provided a method of controlling talk burst timer operations for a terminal that communicates with a network, the method performed by the network and comprising: receiving at least one talk burst request from the terminal; and sending, to the terminal, at least one time value for at least one talk burst control timer of the terminal, wherein the time value is decided with consideration of network environment information, and wherein the time value is sent by using a device management (DM) provisioning method. |
| US07881219B2 |
Arrangement and method of configuring digital subscriber lines
An arrangement, method, and node for configuring subscriber lines in a digital access network. A configuration tool downloads configuration parameters from the network into the access nodes, which configure the subscriber lines according to the configuration parameters. An automated monitoring tool monitors performance parameters for the subscriber lines. The monitoring tool compares a value of a first monitored performance parameter on each subscriber line with a predefined threshold value, and based on a result of the comparison, either changes a value of a first configuration parameter or repeats the monitoring of the first performance parameter. |
| US07881215B1 |
Stateful and stateless data processing
The present invention provides systems and methods enabling network nodes to process data in a more efficient manner. In one aspect, the present invention analyzes data processed in a network node and determines whether the data requires processing in a stateful mode. If the data does not require processing in a stateful mode, the present invention processes the data in a stateless mode thereby saving processing resources. Embodiments of the present invention permit selection of processing modes in both manual and dynamic manners. Further, the determination of whether to process data in a stateful or a stateless mode may be made in response to various stimuli. |
| US07881213B2 |
Methods and apparatus for fibre channel interconnection of private loop devices
Methods and apparatus for Fiber Channel interconnection is provided between a plurality of private loop devices through a Fiber Channel private loop device interconnect system. In the preferred embodiments, the Fiber Channel private loop device interconnect system is a fabric or an intelligent bridging hub. In one aspect of this invention, a Fiber Channel private loop device is connected to two or more Arbitrated Loops containing, or adapted to contain, one or more private loop devices. Preferably, the interconnect system includes a routing filter to filter incoming Arbitrated Loop physical addresses (ALPAs) to determine which Fiber Channel frames must attempt to be routed through the fabric. |
| US07881212B2 |
Method for determining a route distance value
A method determines a route in distance value for use in routing protocols. An optimum route is determined for time-critical transmissions such as videotelephony or VoIP. For this purpose, the route distance value is calculated as the product of the link metrics for the links of a route, said link metrics being the product of data packet arrival rates. This value is the optimum value for the route which requires the lowest number of repeated packet transmissions (retransmissions). Optionally, an additional factor can be inserted in the link metrics, which factor ensures that the length of a route is also taken into consideration. |
| US07881202B2 |
System and method for dropping lower priority packets that are slated for wireless transmission
A method for dropping lower priority packets for transmission over a wireless communication medium is provided. A central device receives one or more packets to be transferred to one or more data providers, each packet having a priority. Then, based on the priority, a media access controller stores each of the packets in one or more priority queues in a fixed shared memory space in such a way as to maintain the order in which the packets were received in each of the priority queues. The media access controller monitors the number of packets in each of the priority queues and signals an interrupt when a packet threshold is exceeded in one or more of the priority queues. The media access controller then drops lower priority packets in the fixed shared memory space based on the order received to guarantee that there is enough memory to store higher priority packets in the fixed shared memory space. |
| US07881201B2 |
Resending control circuit, sending device, resending control method and resending control program
A resending control circuit for controlling resending of data to be sent to a sending destination, includes: a writing unit for writing resending information generated corresponding to each of data to be resent and including the resending point-in-time of the data in memory; a reading unit for reading out the resending information from the memory; and a control unit for comparing resending point-in-time included in the oldest resending information of resending information stored in the memory with current point-in-time, and executing resending processing of data corresponding to the resending information according to the comparison result. |
| US07881194B1 |
Method for pacing multi-rate time sensitive traffic on ethernet and bridge connected networks
A system and method for delaying packet transmissions within source devices and network bridges for the purpose of reducing the worst-case delays associated with forwarding of time-sensitive packets through a bridged network. The minimal bridged network system include a first device node attached to a first network link, a second device node attached to a second network link, and a bridge connecting the first network link to the second network link. The method and system includes shaping the traffic within a source device or bridge (shaping involves spreading bunched packets over time). Within a bridge, shaping occurs at each output port of the bridge, applying a distinct shaper to the traffic coming from each of the input ports, as well as distinct shapers for the distinct traffic class coming each of the input ports. According to the system and method disclosed herein, the present invention ensures small latencies when passing through network bridges, regardless of the network topology or other concurrent data-packet transfers, subject to the restriction that the cumulative time-sensitive bandwidth flowing through any link is less than the prenegotiated rate below that of the link's cumulative bandwidth capacity. |
| US07881191B2 |
Method and apparatus for downlink multi-channel packet combined scheduling in mobile communication system
The present invention sets forth a method for performing packet combined scheduling of dedicated transport channels for packet services in UMTS downlinks, comprising the following steps: a) prior to each DCH scheduling period, performing pre-selection processing of a transport format combination of each DPCH according to the predetermined restriction conditions for the DCH combined packet scheduling, so as to determine a usable transport format combination set for each DPCH; b) restricting a total downlink transmit power of DCHs for NRT packet services to a schedulable power not exceeding a schedulable power value in the estimation of a total downlink power during said scheduling period; c) based on the fairness of DCH transportation and the QoS requirements of the DCH-borne services, determining weighted values which the respective DCHs correspond to in the optimization of the DCH combined packet scheduling; and d) based on the results of steps a), b), and c), calculating the maximum number of bits which each DCH is schedulable to output, using a 0-1 programming algorithm. The present invention guarantees the fairness, priority and QoS (Quality of Service) of different DCHs and can achieve maximum total data throughput. |
| US07881188B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing link redundancy in a media gateway
Methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing link redundancy in a media gateway are provided according to one method, a media gateway link protection group is provisioned to associate with a common VLAN a common virtual local area network (VLAN) primary and secondary links associated with at least one line card in a media gateway. The primary and secondary links are connected using a cross connection between ports associated with the at least one line card. At run time, traffic is automatically bridged between the primary and secondary links using the common VLAN and the cross connection. |
| US07881175B2 |
Signal generating apparatus and method, recording apparatus and method, reproducing apparatus and method, recording/reproducing apparatus and method, computer program, and recording medium
A recording/reproducing apparatus (100) is provided with comprising: recording devices (131a-131e) for recording record signals (WS1-WS5) in parallel and in synchronization with a record clock; a signal generating device (143) for generating record signals such that a reproduction clock synchronized with the record clock can be generated on the basis of the reproduced record signals, if the plurality of record signals are reproduced in parallel; reproducing devices (131a-131e) for reproducing the record signals in parallel; and a clock generating device (154) for generating a reproduction clock. |
| US07881174B2 |
Optical pickup apparatus
The present invention provides an optical pickup apparatus to for recording and/or reproducing information on an optical information recording medium including multilayered information recording surfaces. The optical pickup apparatus includes: a light source; an objective lens; a first optical element including a first optical area and a second optical area; a second optical element including a third optical area and a fourth optical area. The optical pickup apparatus further includes a light-converging element for receiving a main light flux from one information recording surface and a secondary light flux from another information recording surface and converging the main light flux at a position between the first optical element and the second optical element. The optical pickup apparatus further includes a polarization splitting optical member for splitting the main light flux and the secondary light flux; and a photodetector for receiving the main light flux. |
| US07881170B2 |
Recording power correction method and recording and reproduction apparatus for optical disk
Correction of recording power is appropriately performed to an optical disk. The recording power correction method includes a step of temporarily stopping data recording into an optical disk, reproducing a result of the relevant data recording, and specifying a detection pattern including a predetermined code in a reproduction signal; a step of detecting a signal state in the reproduction signal corresponding to the detection pattern; and a determination step of determining at least a correction direction of recording power in the data recording based on the detected signal state and a reference state specified from the detection pattern. Processing is performed on the basis of the detection pattern in this way, thereby the method can cope with even a recording and reproduction system for optical disk employing the PRML signal processing method. |
| US07881169B2 |
Information recording medium, recording/reproducing method, and recording/reproducing apparatus
An information recording medium, a method of recording and/or reproducing data to/from the medium, and a recording/reproducing apparatus using the medium, the medium having a data area including a user data area to record user data, and a spare area to record replacement blocks that replace defect blocks occurring in the user data area, wherein defect list entries include status information of the defect blocks and the replacement blocks, and the status information of the defect blocks in the user data area is changed, and the status information of the replacement blocks in the spare area is changed, in response to the spare area being newly allocated to re-initialize the medium. |
| US07881166B2 |
Optical pickup device
In an optical pickup device including light sources for emitting laser light, an objective lens for collecting the laser light emitted from the light sources on a disc surface of an optical disc, a light receiving unit for receiving the reflected light reflected by the disc surface, a collimator lens for correcting spherical aberration of the exit light from the objective lens, a lens driving unit for moving the collimator lens in an optical axis direction, and a control unit for controlling the operation of the lens driving unit based on the output of the light receiving unit, the astigmatism of the exit light from the objective lens is corrected by tilting the collimator lens by a predetermined angle by the lens driving unit. |
| US07881165B2 |
Optical scanning device with compact spherical aberration compensation
The invention relates to an optical scanning device for scanning at least one information layer (101, 102) in an information carrier (10), comprising means (1) for generating a radiation beam (11) intended to be focused on the information layer (101, 102). A spherical aberration (SA) compensation module (40) is arranged in the light path of the radiation beam (11) and comprises a SA compensation means (41) and a reflective means (42) for folding the light path of the radiation beam (11). |
| US07881156B2 |
Method to estimate towed array angles
A towed array is provided with hot-film sensors and anemometer circuitry to calculate the angle of inclination of the towed array in real time during deployment of the towed array in a sea water environment. The hot-film sensors are arranged in pairs along the length of the towed array to increase the sensitivity of the inclination angle determinations and are located flush with an exterior surface of the towed array to minimize interference with the operation of the towed array. The pairs of hot-film sensors determine the local shear stresses on the towed array, and these measurements are converted to inclination angles using an empirically derived look-up table. |
| US07881152B2 |
Active steering for marine sources
A seismic survey system includes a winch having a winch cable coupleable to a source array towable between two deflected lead-ins, a positioning system for determining a current position of the source array and a controller for adjusting the winch to modify the current position of the source array to a desired crossline position. The winches may be attached to the deflected lead-ins or mounted on a tow vessel. The winches exert lateral forces on the source array, derived from the deflected lead-ins, to control the inline position of the source array. A method includes positioning a seismic source array in tow behind a vessel comprises determining a current position of the source array and adjusting a lateral force applied to the source array to move the source array to a desired crossline position. Optionally, by adjusting the gun cable winch, the inline position may be controlled. |
| US07881150B2 |
Circuit providing load isolation and memory domain translation for memory module
A circuit is configured to be mounted on a memory module so as to be electrically coupled to a plurality of double-data-rate (DDR) memory devices arranged in one or more ranks on the memory module. The circuit includes a logic element, a register, and a phase-lock loop device. The circuit is configurable to respond to a set of input signals from a computer system to selectively isolate one or more loads of the plurality of DDR memory devices from the computer system and to translate between a system memory domain of the computer system and a physical memory domain of the plurality of DDR memory devices. |
| US07881144B1 |
Process and temperature invariant power on reset circuit using a bandgap reference and a long delay chain
A power-on-reset circuit determines when it is safe for a programmable device to access configuration data from an associated non-volatile memory following a reset operation. The power-on-reset circuit receives a bandgap reference voltage produced by the programmable device. A comparator circuit is used to trigger a self-clocking delay unit when the bandgap reference voltage reaches a threshold level. The self-clocking delay unit generates its own clock signal independent of the clock frequency of the programmable device. The self-clocking delay unit may use edge-dependent delay units in a feedback loop to generate the clock signal. Using its own clock signal, the self-clocking delay unit waits for a predetermined time period and the outputs a signal to be used to enable access to the associated non-volatile memory. |
| US07881142B2 |
Storage device and control method thereof
A storage device and its control method are described, according to which a bias voltage to be supplied to a memory cell array is selected from boosted voltages which are increased from an external voltage and non-boosted voltages which are not increased from the external voltage. In the period during which a DC-DC converter section supplies a boosted voltage increased from the external voltage to an internal bias line for supplying a bias voltage to the memory cell array, a non-boosted voltage supply section for supplying a non-boosted voltage equal to or less than the external voltage is in its inactive state. In the period during which the non-boosted voltage supply section supplies a non-boosted voltage to the internal bias line, the DC-DC converter section is in its inactive state. In the period during which a boosted voltage is supplied to the internal bias line, the DC-DC converter section is used for ensuring sufficient power supply ability, and in the period during which the non-boosted voltage is supplied to the internal bias line, the DC-DC converter section can be kept in its inactive state. Thus, the power consumed by the DC-DC converter section can be saved in the period during which the supply of a boosted voltage is unnecessary. |
| US07881134B2 |
Replacing defective columns of memory cells in response to external addresses
Electronic systems and methods of operating memory devices are provided. In one such embodiment, a memory device receives an external address that addresses a non-defective column of memory cells of a sequence of columns of memory cells of the memory device in place of a defective column of memory cells of the sequence of columns of memory cells such that the non-defective memory column replaces the defective memory column. The non-defective column of memory cells is proximate non-defective column of memory cells following the defective column of memory cells in the sequence of columns of memory cells that is available to replace the defective column of memory cells. |
| US07881133B2 |
Method of managing a flash memory and the flash memory
One embodiment of the method includes determining a type of cells in a block of the flash memory if an error is detected in at least a portion of the block, and selectively changing one of a cell type indicator and a bad block indicator associated with the block based on the determined type of cells in the block. The cell type indicator indicates a type of the cells in the associated block, and the bad block indicator indicates whether the associated block is a usable block. |
| US07881129B2 |
High voltage regulator for non-volatile memory device
A high voltage regulator may include a first regulating unit, a second regulating unit, and an output node. The first regulating unit regulates the program voltage in a voltage-level-up interval of a program voltage of a memory cell. The second regulating unit regulates the program voltage in a voltage-level-down interval of the program voltage. The output node outputs the regulated program voltage. |
| US07881128B2 |
Negative word line voltage generator for semiconductor memory device
A negative word line voltage generator for semiconductor memory device includes a comparison unit configured to compare a reference voltage and a feedback voltage and to output a comparison result as an output signal, a pull-down driving unit configured to pull down a negative word line voltage in response to an output signal of the comparison unit, a sub pull-down driving unit configured to pull down a voltage level of the negative word line voltage node additionally during an activation period of a precharge signal, and a feedback unit configured to provide the feedback voltage corresponding to a voltage level of the negative word line voltage. |
| US07881126B2 |
Memory structure with word line buffers
A memory comprises a plurality of memory cells. A row decoder module selectively drives word lines using a voltage level to access selected ones of the memory cells. A first regeneration module selectively pulls the voltage level on one of the word lines to one of first and second predetermined voltage levels. At least one of the memory cells of the one of the word lines is located between the first regeneration module and the row decoder module. |
| US07881125B2 |
Power reduction in a content addressable memory having programmable interconnect structure
A content addressable memory (CAM) device includes a CAM array, a programmable interconnect structure, and a priority encoder. The CAM array includes a plurality of CAM rows, each row including a number of CAM cells for storing a data word and coupled to a match line that indicates a match result for the CAM row. The programmable interconnect structure is coupled to each CAM row and a plurality of CAM rows, each row including a number of CAM cells for storing a data word and coupled to a match line that indicates match results for the row. The programmable interconnect structure coupled to each CAM row, and is configured to logically connect any number N of selected CAM rows together to form a data word chain spanning N rows, regardless of whether the selected CAM rows are contiguous. |
| US07881124B2 |
Method for block writing in a memory
A method is provided for block writing in an electrically programmable non-volatile memory, in which a block to be written in the memory includes at least one word. The method includes determining a word write time by dividing a fixed block write time by the number of words in the block to be written, and controlling the memory to successively write each word in the memory during the write time. |
| US07881123B2 |
Multi-operation mode nonvolatile memory
Disclosed are various embodiments that program a memory array with different carrier movement processes. In one application, memory cells are programmed with a particular carrier movement process depending on the pattern of data usage, such as code flash and data flash. In another application, memory cells are programmed with a particular carrier movement process depending on particular threshold voltage state to be programmed, in a multi-level cell scheme. |
| US07881122B2 |
Discharge circuit
Provided is a discharge circuit. The discharge circuit for discharging two positive and negative high voltages after an erase operation of a non-volatile memory includes: a negative high voltage side discharge unit flowing constant current from a supply voltage to a negative high voltage node of the non-volatile memory to discharge the negative high voltage node; and a positive high voltage side discharge unit flowing constant current from a positive high voltage node of the non-volatile memory to a ground voltage to discharge the positive high voltage node, the positive high voltage side discharge unit simultaneously operating with the negative high voltage side discharge unit, wherein values of the constant currents flowing from the positive and negative high voltage side discharge units are approximately equal. |
| US07881120B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device comprises a plurality of memory cells connected to a bit line; and a sense amplifier operative to sense the magnitude of cell current flowing via the bit line in a selected memory cell connected to the bit line to determine the value of data stored in the memory cell. The sense amplifier includes a first transistor for precharge operative to supply current in the bit line via a first and a second sense node, a second transistor for charge transfer interposed between the first and second sense nodes, and a third transistor for continuous current supply operative to supply current in the bit line not via the first and second sense nodes. |
| US07881112B2 |
Program and erase methods with substrate transient hot carrier injections in a non-volatile memory
The present invention describes a uniform program method and a uniform erase method of a charge trapping memory by employing a substrate transient hot electron technique for programming, and a substrate transient hot hole technique for erasing, which emulate an FN tunneling method for NAND memory operation. The methods of the present invention are applicable to a wide variety of charge trapping memories including n-channel or p-channel SONOS types of memories and floating gate (FG) type memories. the programming of the charge trapping memory is conducted using a substrate transient hot electron injection in which a body bias voltage Vb has a short pulse width and a gate bias voltage Vg has a pulse width that is sufficient to move electrons from a channel region to a charge trapping structure. |
| US07881108B2 |
Maintenance operations for multi-level data storage cells
Systems and methods, including computer software, for reading data from a flash memory cell involve detecting voltages from a group of memory cells. The group of memory cells have associated metadata for error detection, and each memory cell stores a voltage representing a data value selected from a plurality of possible data values. Each possible data value corresponds to one range of multiple non-overlapping ranges of analog voltages. Memory cells having uncertain data values are identified based on the detected voltages. Alternative data values for the memory cells having the uncertain data values are determined. A combination of alternative data values is selected, and an error detection test is performed using the metadata associated with the memory cells and the selected combination of alternative data values. |
| US07881098B2 |
Memory with separate read and write paths
A memory unit includes a giant magnetoresistance cell electrically coupled between a write bit line and a write source line and a magnetic tunnel junction data cell electrically coupled between a read bit line and a read source line. A write current passing through the giant magnetoresistance cell switches the giant magnetoresistance cell between a high resistance state and a low resistance state. The magnetic tunnel junction data cell is configured to switch between a high resistance state and a low resistance state by magnetostatic coupling with the giant magnetoresistance cell. The magnetic tunnel junction data cell is read by a read current passing though the magnetic tunnel junction data cell. |
| US07881094B2 |
Voltage reference generation for resistive sense memory cells
Various embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to an apparatus and associated method for generating a reference voltage for a resistive sense memory (RSM) cell, such as an STRAM cell. A dummy reference cell used to generate a reference voltage to sense a resistive state of an adjacent RSM cell. The dummy reference cell comprises a switching device, a resistive sense element (RSE) programmed to a selected resistive state, and a dummy resistor coupled to the RSE. A magnitude of the reference voltage is set in relation to the selected resistive state of the RSE and the resistance of the dummy resistor. |
| US07881093B2 |
Programmable precision resistor and method of programming the same
A link portion between a first electrode and a second electrode includes a semiconductor link portion and a metal semiconductor alloy link portion comprising a first metal semiconductor alloy. An electrical pulse converts the entirety of the link portion into a second metal semiconductor alloy having a lower concentration of metal than the first metal semiconductor alloy. Due to the stoichiometric differences between the first and second metal semiconductor alloys, the link portion has a higher resistance after programming than prior to programming. The shift in electrical resistance well controlled, which is advantageously employed to as a programmable precision resistor. |
| US07881088B2 |
Content addressable memory device
The range-specified IP addresses are effectively stored to reduce the number of necessary entries thereby the memory capacity of TCAM is improved. The representative means of the present invention is that: the storage information (entry) and the input information (comparison information or search key) are the common block code such that any bit must be the logical value ‘1’; Match-lines are hierarchically structured and memory cells are arranged at the intersecting points of a plurality of sub-match lines and a plurality of search lines; Further the sub-match lines are connected to main-match lines through the sub-match detectors, respectively and main-match detectors are arranged on the main-match lines. |
| US07881084B2 |
DC/AC cold cathode fluorescent lamp inverter
A DC/AC cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) inverter circuit includes a transformer with a primary winding and a secondary winding for providing increased voltage to a CCFL, a first and second MOSFET switches for selectively allowing direct current of a first polarity and a second polarity to flow through the transformer respectively. The primary and secondary windings of the transformer are electrically coupled to ground. A capacitor divider is electrically coupled to the CCFL for providing a first voltage signal representing a voltage across the CCFL. A first feedback signal line receives the first voltage signal. A timer circuit is coupled to the first feedback signal line for providing a time-out sequence of a predetermined duration when the first voltage signal exceeds a predetermined threshold. A protection circuit shuts down the first switch and the second switch when the first voltage signal exceeds the predetermined threshold after the predetermined duration. |
| US07881082B2 |
Power conversion apparatus and method of controlling the same
A power conversion apparatus includes a series circuit having a first switching element and a second switching element, the series circuit being connected to a DC power source in parallel, a resonant circuit including a capacitor and a primary winding of a transformer, the resonant circuit being connected to one of the first and second switching elements in parallel, an intermittent signal generator, a controller to control the start and stop of a switching operation of the first and second switching elements according to the intermittent signal, a current detector to detect a resonant current passing through the resonant circuit, and a timing generator to generate a timing signal when the detected resonant current satisfies a resonant condition. After the switching operation of the first and second switching elements is suspended according to the intermittent signal, the controller resumes the switching operation in response to the timing signal. |
| US07881079B2 |
UPS frequency converter and line conditioner
Systems and methods disclosed herein monitor and control input to a converter in one or more of a UPS, a frequency converter, or a line conditioner. Distortion due at least in part to ripple voltage can be removed from a control signal that controls input current to the converter. The systems and methods described herein afford a simple and effective way to reduce or eliminate one or more of subharmonic oscillation and total harmonic distortion from a converter input current during synchronous and asynchronous modes of operation. The converter may include one or more of a rectifier and an inverter. |
| US07881074B2 |
Blanking panel
A blanking panel includes a main body extending from a first end to a second end and adapted to cover a rack having at least two posts, a fastener portion at the end of each of the first and the second ends, and an alignment member at the end of each of the first end and the second end, the alignment feature including a first pin and a second, removable pin such that the main body can be alternatively attached to a square hole with the removable pin intact, or attached to a round hole with the removable pin removed and the first pin extending through the hole. |