| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08024812B2 |
Apparatus and method for processing digital document and computer program
A digital document processing apparatus stores a digital document, an application program used for editing the digital document, where the application program runs on an application platform, and a filter program used for restricting a function executed by the application program. The digital document processing apparatus includes a function determination unit configured to determine whether a function executed by the application program is restricted by the filter program, and a function restricting unit configured to restrict the function executed by the application program using the filter program if the function determination unit determines that the function executed by the application program is restricted by the filter program. |
| US08024807B2 |
Probabilistic mechanism to determine level of security for a software package
A mechanism for determining a probabilistic security score for a software package is provided. The mechanism calculates a raw numerical score that is probabilistically linked to how many security vulnerabilities are present in the source code. The score may then be used to assign a security rating that can be used in either absolute form or comparative form. The mechanism uses a source code analysis tool to determine a number of critical vulnerabilities, a number of serious vulnerabilities, and a number of inconsequential vulnerabilities. The mechanism may then determine a score based on the numbers of vulnerabilities and the number of lines of code. |
| US08024806B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for enabling a secure location-aware platform
A method, apparatus and system enable a secure location-aware platform. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention may utilize a secure processing partition on the platform to determine a location of the platform and dynamically apply and/or change security controls accordingly. |
| US08024801B2 |
Networked computer system with reduced vulnerability to directed attacks
An attacker is prevented from obtaining information about the configuration of a computer system. Each of one or more revealing content elements that may be found in outgoing data transmitted by the computer system and that are capable of being used by the attacker to obtain the information about the configuration of the computer system is associated with one or more respective replacement content elements. Outgoing data to be transmitted by the computer system are then scanned for these one or more revealing content elements. A revealing content element found in the outgoing data is replaced by a replacement content element from the one or more replacement content elements associated with that revealing content element. This is done before the outgoing data is transmitted. |
| US08024800B2 |
File attachment processing method and system
A file attachment processing method and system. The method comprises generating by a first computing system, a configurable list comprising valid computer file types for computer files. The valid computer file types for the computer files comprising a low risk for comprising computer viruses. The first computing system comprises a memory device. The first computing system stores the configurable list in the memory device. The first computing system receives a computer file comprising a first file type. The first computing system compares the first file type to the list to determine if the first file type comprises a valid file type from the first list. |
| US08024797B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for performing access control and intrusion detection on encrypted data
A method, apparatus and system enable access control and intrusion detection on encrypted data. Specifically, application data on a node may be routed to a partition on the computing platform. The partition may utilize Direct Memory Access (“DMA”) to access session key stored in system memory of a host operating system on the platform. The partition may thereafter utilize the session key to perform intrusion detection on encrypted data from the application running under the host operating system. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US08024796B2 |
System and method for storing events to enhance intrusion detection
Storing events to enhance intrusion detection in networks is described. In one exemplary implementation, an event is received. The event includes a data section containing a set of strings each having an event field. A definition table is referenced to determine locations of event fields in the data section of the event. The event fields are stored in a database record corresponding to event field locations referenced from the definition table. |
| US08024792B2 |
Methods and systems for imaging device credential submission
Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems, methods and devices for imaging device credential submission wherein credentials are extracted by scanning graphical indicia on user documents using a primary document scanner. |
| US08024788B2 |
Method and apparatus for reliable, high speed data transfers in a high assurance multiple level secure environment
A method and apparatus for passing data from a first application at a first security level to a second application in a second security level higher than the first security level is disclosed. A backchannel communications link is established between the first application and the second application, and the backchannel link is used to transmit information such as an acknowledgement message from the second application to the first application. |
| US08024781B2 |
Signing-in to software applications having secured features
The present invention automatically signs or logs a user in to access secured features within a software application without prompting manual intervention when a user starts the software application having secured features. When the software application is started and an automatic sign-in condition is enabled, the software application transitions to a signed-in or logged-in state as long as security criteria are met. As a result, unnecessary and repetitive steps are avoided when signing-in. The automatic sign-in condition may be enabled through initial system setup, from a prompt to enter a credential, or through a service options menu. The present invention improves network efficiency by limiting network transmissions to an as needed basis. The automatic sign-in condition is capable of roaming to other computers within a network, thereby following mobile users. Further, the automatic sign-in condition is controllable by network administrative policy, giving network administrators the ability to disable its functionality when desired. |
| US08024780B2 |
System and method for authenticating components in wireless home entertainment system
Configuration information is exchanged between a home entertainment system server and various wireless components by pushing a button on the server and a random button on a remote control device as it is pointed at the devices sought to be authenticated. |
| US08024777B2 |
Domain based authentication scheme
In one example, a system for authenticating domains operates by authenticating a first domain and the extensions that make up the URI of an initial or primary Internet network call. Thereafter, the system can enable the owner of the first domain to make assertions or statements about additional domains and URIs that make up the rest of the web page, session or application. |
| US08024776B2 |
Relay device, authentication server, and authentication method
A relay device includes a security information reception unit, a security information processing unit, and a security information transmission unit. The security information reception unit receives, from a terminal device, first security information containing a user ID and user authentication information of a user of the terminal device. The security information processing unit adds a relay device ID and relay device authentication information to the first security information to generate second security information. The security information transmission unit transmits the second security information to an authentication server. |
| US08024772B1 |
Application service policy compliance server
In a large network, it can be difficult to pinpoint and track down the causes of breaches of established policies. A compliance policy server allows traversal of notifications according to breaches, organizes the breaches (vulnerabilities and violations) according to severity and recurrence, and identifies related rules and application services and network entities which may be related to the breach. An integrated graphical user interface (GUI) provides efficient, timely traversal and analysis of rule breaches across the network to allow quick, efficient identification of the underlying cause or condition of the rule breach, as well as identify impact on application services and network entities. A discoverer gathers configuration data including notifications of changes, alerts, and conditions in the network that are pertinent to the rule breaches. A compliance engine evaluates the configuration and topological data against the rules to identify breaches. Collective breaches pertaining to a common application or service or dependency indicate a common underlying condition causing the breach, therefore providing efficient correction of the underlying condition. |
| US08024771B2 |
Policy-based method for configuring an access control service
A system and method for processing a request by a first control service using a first control specification language, and a second control service using a second control specification language includes steps of: receiving the request from a requestor; providing the request to the first and second control services; receiving a decision on the request from each of the first and second control services; and comparing the decisions. The first control specification language is an access control policy. |
| US08024766B2 |
System and method for distributing network-based personal video
A personal video service manager can store one or more personal video assets on a server. A personal video asset can include a recording of a broadcast stream of a broadcast asset or an asset that has been pre-authored in a personal video asset format. Upon receiving a request from a subscriber to receive the personal video asset, the personal video service manager can facilitate a connection between the server and the subscriber for distributing the personal video asset from the server to the subscriber. |
| US08024765B2 |
Method and system for communicating media program information
A method for communicating media program information is provided. The method includes receiving a content-augmented broadcast signal at a conventional broadcast receiver, the content-augmented broadcast signal having a program content and a program cookie relating to the program content, demodulating the content-augmented broadcast signal, rendering the program content, recovering the program cookie from the demodulated content-augmented broadcast signal at substantially the same time the program content is rendered, determining whether the program cookie comprises information relating to a current media program a user is currently watching or listening to, or to an advertisement of a future media program, and sending the program cookie to an electronic device. |
| US08024756B2 |
TV user interface for viewing selected sub-groups of channels
Intuitive user interfaces are disclosed for a TV showing a favorites channel pane that can transition to a channel history pane, etc. in response to remote control commands. |
| US08024755B2 |
Interactive program guide with preferred items list apparatus and method
While reviewing potential programs when using an interactive programming guide, a viewer can select to place information regarding specific programs in a list (in one embodiment, such entries are made on an automated basis). The viewer can then recall that list to make a final selection of a present program to view (or record). In some embodiments, this list can be automatically cleared in response to a predetermined trigger event. |
| US08024754B2 |
Content processing device, content processing method, control program, and storage medium
To add new additional content to the reproduction schedule on the basis of reference content scheduled in a time slot in the reproduction schedule, a digital television in accordance with the present invention includes: an additional content extracting section for identifying, as the additional content, content associated with content information which meets conditions determined on the basis of content information of the reference content; and a placement position determining section for determining, based on time slot determining procedure information based on which a time slot is determined for the additional content related to the reference content, a time slot for the additional content identified by the additional content identifying means. The digital television therefore produces an optimal reproduction schedule to the user. |
| US08024751B2 |
Turntable having claws
A turntable of a recording medium drive can include a coupler having an inner circumference to which a rotating shaft is fixed, and an outer circumference onto which a disk is inserted; a table extending outwardly from the outer circumference of the coupler and for mounting the disk thereon; and first and second claws elastically supporting the disk by making contact with a clamping region of the disk. In an embodiment, the distance from the center of the rotating shaft to an outer surface of the first claws making contact with the clamping region of the disk is longer than the distance from the center of the rotating shaft to an outer surface of the second claw making contact with the clamping region of the disk. |
| US08024747B2 |
Optical disc apparatus
An optical disc apparatus including first to fourth disc guides. At the end of disc loading, the first one, in a fixed position, contacts a peripheral side face of the optical disc at a first point thereon to support the disc; the second one has a plane opposite to the peripheral side face which contacts the peripheral side face of the optical disc at a second point to support the disc while restrained from moving away from the side face; the third one contacts the peripheral side face of the optical disc at a third point to support the disc while biased by a spring; and the fourth one contacts the side face at a fourth point while biased by a spring to support the disc, and is restrained from moving against the resilience of the spring. The disc, supported by those disc guides, is chucked by a clamper. |
| US08024744B2 |
Method and system for off-loading user queries to a task manager
A system and computer program product that off-loads the processing associated with responding to user status requests for software task execution queues or for queued software tasks that are managed by a software task manager. A software task manager is periodically queried for status and the results of that periodic query are stored in a file. User queries for the status of the software task manager are handled by a separate process on a separate computing node. Queries submitted by users for the status of queues or queued software tasks managed by the software task manager are satisfied by retrieving the status data that are stored in the file. Alternative embodiments distribute copies of the file to several computing nodes to further alleviate the processing bottleneck caused by responding to frequent task manager status queries from many users. |
| US08024741B2 |
Dynamic latch request scaling back function to conditionally place task in suspended state
A computer system dynamically scales back latch requests for system resources. Tasks seeking access to system resources each dynamically determine the probability that the task will gain access to the latch relating to a given system resource. Where the task estimates that its probability is below a defined threshold, the task will suspend itself for a defined sleep time. The task dynamically adjusts the length of the sleep time based on the number of times the task enters the suspended state and on the relative changes in the estimated probability that the task will gain access to the resource. |
| US08024740B2 |
Acquisition system for distributed computing resources
In a resource acquisition system, computing resources are located in different domains, and a resource manager is located in each domain. A scheduler receives a resource acquisition request from a client via a network, and determines at least one administrative domain and transmits to the network a verification request specifying a computing resource and an operation. The resource manager is responsive to the verification request for performing reconfiguration of the specified resource according to the specified operation and verifying that the resource is legitimately reconfigurable, and transmitting back to the scheduler a verification report containing the identifier of the reconfigurable resource. The scheduler is responsive to the verification report for transmitting a reconfiguration request to the resource manager to perform reconfiguration on the verified resource. The scheduler and the resource manager may repeatedly exchange verification requests and verification reports for successively reconfiguring each successive resource according to dependent relationships between computing resources. |
| US08024738B2 |
Method and system for distributing unused processor cycles within a dispatch window
A system for managing processor cycles. A set of uncapped partitions are identified that are ready-to-run in response to unused processor cycles being present in a dispatch window. A number of candidate partitions are identified from the identified set of uncapped partitions based on a history of usage where each identified partition used at least 100 percent of its entitlement in a predefined number of previous dispatch windows. Then, a partition is selected from the number of candidate partitions based on a lottery process of the candidate partitions. |
| US08024737B2 |
Method and a system that enables the calculation of resource requirements for a composite application
Embodiments of the present invention that pertain to methods and systems for the calculation of resource requirements for a composite application are described. In one embodiment, information describing what component applications are associated with the composite application is received. Information describing metrics that are to be measured for the component applications is received. Information describing interrelationships between the component applications associated with the composite application is received. Information describing rules for calculating the resource requirements for the component applications is received. The rules are based on the interrelationships between the component applications and the metrics that are to be measured. |
| US08024736B1 |
System for controlling a distribution of unutilized computer resources
Computer resources from a pool of resources are allocated for executing an application. An amount of unutilized resources in the pool of resources is determined. One or more sets of resources previously allocated to execute the application are selected, and the unutilized resources are distributed among the sets of resources. |
| US08024735B2 |
Method and apparatus for ensuring fairness and forward progress when executing multiple threads of execution
A system and method for determine which threads to execute at a given time in a multi-threaded computer system. A thread prioritizer determines execution fairness between pairs of potentially executing threads. A switch enabler determines forward progress of each executing thread. The resulting indicators from the thread prioritizer and switch enabler may aid in the determination of whether or not to switch a particular potentially executing thread into execution resources. |
| US08024734B2 |
Enabling a designer to specify workflows to process various results of execution of transactions
Enabling a designer to specify workflows to process various results of execution of transactions. A user specifies the specific workflow to be executed on the corresponding result of a transaction. A transaction mapping filter then detects the occurrence of each result and initiates execution of the corresponding workflow. As the transaction mapping filter can be implemented decoupled from the application software/code, a user can flexibly change the links of workflows to results of transactions, as desired in the specific situation. |
| US08024731B1 |
Assigning priorities to threads of execution
Systems and processes may be implemented to receive threads of execution and assign priorities to the threads of execution. Threads of execution may include nonvolatile memory input/output threads, other input/output threads, and/or other non-input/output threads. A lower priority may be assigned to nonvolatile memory input/output threads than other input/output threads. An algorithm may determine an order of execution of the threads of execution. An order of execution may be at least partially based on assigned priorities. |
| US08024730B2 |
Switching between protected mode environments utilizing virtual machine functionality
Disclosed is a processor having a normal execution mode and a host execution mode. A virtual machine monitor (VMM) operable in conjunction with the host execution mode creates at least one protected mode environment to operate guest software in a protected memory area. Responsive to a command to switch between protected modes, the VMM causes the processor to atomically switch between an original protected mode environment and a target protected mode environment. A virtual machine execution (VMX) mode may be utilized to enable virtual machine functionality for use in switching between protected modes. |
| US08024729B2 |
Drawing resources
This disclosure relates to drawing within a computer environment using a drawing resource. The computer environment includes a managed code portion and a native code portion. The computer environment compares a draw parameter call value being passed from the managed code portion to the native code portion with a stored drawing resource value stored in the native code portion. If the draw parameter call value is the same as the stored drawing resource value, then the computer environment is configured to draw onto a native drawing surface using the stored drawing resource. If the draw parameter call value is not the same as the drawing resource value, then a new drawing resource is created in the managed code portion. In another aspect, a portion of the drawing resource feature portion that contains data that describes at least one or more parameter of the drawing resource is transmitted between the managed code portion and the native code portion. |
| US08024728B2 |
Virtual machine dispatching to maintain memory affinity
A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer usable program code are provided for dispatching virtual processors. A determination is made as to whether a physical processor in a set of physical processors is idle, and, if so, a determination is made as to whether an affinity map for the idle physical processor exists. Responsive to an existence of the affinity map, a determination is made as to whether a virtual processor last mapped to the idle physical processor is ready to run using the affinity map and a dispatch algorithm. Responsive to identifying a ready-to-run virtual processor whose affinity map indicates that the idle physical processor is mapped to this virtual processor in its preceding dispatch, the ready-to-run virtual processor is dispatched to the idle physical processor. Thus, memory affinity is maintained between physical and virtual processors when the memory affinity is not expired. |
| US08024726B2 |
System for correct distribution of hypervisor work
An apparatus, program product and method distributes work within a logically partitioned computer system by binding a virtual processor or other resource of a hypervisor partition to a partition or physical resource. The partition or physical resource to which the virtual resource is bound is the same partition or physical resource upon whose behalf the hypervisor resource does work. The partition requesting work of the hypervisor partition is thus penalized by virtue the virtual resource using a physical resource owned by the requesting partition. |
| US08024725B2 |
Method of upgrading software through download in T-DMB terminal
A method of upgrading software through a software download in a Terrestrial Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (T-DMB) terminal includes the steps of announcing when the software is downloaded by receiving a T-DMB signal and analyzing a plurality of fast information groups (FIGs), determining whether the software is downloaded, storing ensemble information and download start time information; matching a current ensemble with the stored ensemble when time according to the download start time information elapses, and confirming a signaling message for informing that the software is downloaded and downloading the software. |
| US08024724B2 |
Firmware download
Disclosed are apparatus and methodology subject matters for upgrading firmware associated with one or more metrology devices and adjunct devices. Methods are disclosed for broadcast transmission of portions of a firmware image file from an originating device over a network connecting multiple devices to be upgraded. The entire image file may be transmitted as segments to be assembled by the end devices. Broadcast segments not properly received from the originating device may be retried directly from the originating device or from neighbors correctly receiving the segment. A viral propagation methodology is disclosed as an alternative to portions of the broadcast methodology. |
| US08024723B2 |
System and method for peer-to-peer datacasting in a broadcasting network
A system and method for peer-to-peer datacasting in a broadcasting network is disclosed. The method may include providing first and second peers and a source, wherein the first and second peers are configured to communicate data with the source via the broadcasting network, wherein each of the first and second peers stores an updatable software object, wherein the source stores the most recent version of the software object, and wherein the second peer is configured to communicate data with the source via the first peer. The method may also include receiving, at the first peer, an update request for a software object from the second peer and obtaining, at the first peer, the most recent version of the software object associated with the update request. The method may further include transmitting, at the first peer, the requested most recent version of the software object to the second peer and updating the software object of the second peer with the received software object. |
| US08024722B2 |
Method and system for automatic installation of a functional unit driver on a host
A method for automatic loading to a host of a functional unit driver stored as part of an executable program on a memory of a first functional unit, the method comprising physically connecting the first functional unit to the host and the first functional unit reporting itself to the host as being a generic storage device to make use of a generic mass storage class driver in the host. An operating system of the host reads an autorun file forming part of the executable program to load and execute on the host a driver set up program forming a part of the executable program. The host uses the driver set up program as executed on the host to install and execute the functional unit driver on the host. |
| US08024721B2 |
System and method for implementing a safe framework
This disclosure provides various embodiments of software for implementing a safe framework for application development. In one aspect, the software initializes an application using a runtime framework, identifies a customized class residing in a library associated with and decoupled from the runtime framework, identifies a path to the customized class residing in the library, and automatically loads the class to run the application. In some implementations, the customized class may comprise a distinct version of a standard class from the standard library. In still other implementations, the software may selectively identify a customized class or a standard class, identify a path to the selectively identified class, and automatically load the selectively identified class. |
| US08024720B2 |
Speculative inlining of overridden methods without using profiling information
A computer implemented method, computer usable program code, and a data processing system for selecting a candidate implementation of a virtual overridden method for inlining into a calling method. A determination as to which implementation of a virtual overridden method to inline is made based on its relative “hotness” compared to the other implementations of the same method. The relative hotness can be inferred from the invocation count and sampling count that the virtual machine and the just-in-time compiler already collect for other purposes, that is, without collecting and storing of call-edge profiling information. When a method is being compiled and it is identified that the method contains a call to an overridden method, a candidate for inlining from among the implementations of the overridden method is selected based on relative hotness values. The candidate implementation of the overridden method is then inlined, with a guard, into the calling method. |
| US08024719B2 |
Bounded hash table sorting in a dynamic program profiling system
A system and method for efficient bounded hash table sorting during dynamic whole program profiling of software applications. A computing system comprises a dynamic binary instrumentation (DBI) tool coupled to a virtual machine configured to translate and execute binary code of a software application. The binary code is augmented with instrumentation and analysis code during translation and execution. A dynamic binary analysis (DBA) tool identifies hierarchical layers of cycles within the application that describe the dynamic behavior of the application. Corresponding characterization information is stored in a hash table. Periodic sorting of entries of the hash table occur for highly accessed entries in deep buckets within the hash table. Repositioning the entries within the hash table may reduce pointer chasing problems and identify program phase changes within the dynamic behavior of the application. |
| US08024717B2 |
Method and apparatus for efficiently processing array operation in computer system
An apparatus and a method for processing an array in a loop in a computer system, including: applying loop unrolling to a multi-dimensional array included in a loop based on a predetermined unrolling factor to generate a plurality of unrolled multi-dimensional arrays; and transforming each of the plurality of unrolled multi-dimensional arrays into a one-dimensional array having an array subscript expression in a form of an affine function with respect to a loop counter variable. |
| US08024715B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting transient faults via dynamic binary translation
A method for detecting transient fault includes translating binary code to an intermediate language code. An instruction of interest in the intermediate language code is identified. Reliability instructions are inserted in the intermediate language code to validate values from the instruction of interest. The intermediate language code is translated to binary code. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08024714B2 |
Parallelizing sequential frameworks using transactions
Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for transforming a sequential loop into a parallel loop for use with a transactional memory system. Open ended and/or closed ended sequential loops can be transformed to parallel loops. For example, a section of code containing an original sequential loop is analyzed to determine a fixed number of iterations for the original sequential loop. The original sequential loop is transformed into a parallel loop that can generate transactions in an amount up to the fixed number of iterations. As another example, an open ended sequential loop can be transformed into a parallel loop that generates a separate transaction containing a respective work item for each iteration of a speculation pipeline. The parallel loop is then executed using the transactional memory system, with at least some of the separate transactions being executed on different threads. |
| US08024710B2 |
Unwinding unwindable code
Unwinding may take place in an annotated unwinding environment with non-annotated code by placing a context frame between a first annotated function and non-annotated function and an unwind thunk between the non-annotated function and a second annotated function. The unwind thunk may redirect an unwind function to the context frame so that an unwind process may continue across a non-annotated function. |
| US08024707B2 |
Facilitating self-remediation for software applications
Facilitating self-remediation for software applications. In an embodiment, a self-remediation tool (incorporated in the software application) receives a set of tasks that are to be performed for fixing an error in the software application. The self-remediation tool determines a subset of tasks requiring termination of execution of the software application. A new process is then initialized, which is designed to terminate the software application, perform the subset of tasks and restart the software application. |
| US08024698B2 |
ASICs having more features than generally usable at one time and methods of use
More ASIC functionality is crammed into a chip (or chip set) than can probably or definitely be operative at one time when the chip is packaged and inserted into a broader circuit. The excessive ASIC functionality is chosen to cope with different market development probabilities in a host of different market spaces and a subset of the excessive ASIC functionality is programmably activated in each market space after manufacture. In one embodiment, a mega-ASIC with excessive ASIC functionality crammed into it, has a universal core as well as plurality of programmably selectable ASIC function blocks. The ASIC function blocks are programmably activatable and de-activatable so that a mass produced can quickly respond to shifting market demands. |
| US08024695B2 |
Optimization of integrated circuit design and library
A method co-optimizes a design and a library in such a way to choose the best set of cells to implement the design. The method takes into account the idea of limiting the number of new cells while reducing target costs and respecting design constraints. The method chooses a minimum nearly optimum set of cells to optimize a design. This involves the simultaneous optimization of a cell-based design and a cell library used to implement it. The invention can produce only an optimized library for a specific application, when the circuit is disregarded. The method takes into account a set of new cells described as finalized cells or as virtual cells, possibly having different transistor topologies, different sizes, different logic functions, and/or different cell template than the original library. |
| US08024692B2 |
Modeling the skin effect using efficient conduction mode techniques
Described herein are embodiments of methods for extracting various high frequency parameters for a circuit design. In one exemplary embodiment, circuit design information indicating at least a geometric layout of conductors in the circuit design and a desired frequency of operation for the circuit design is received. Conduction modes representing distribution functions for currents in the conductors at the desired frequency of operation are defined. A conduction mode matrix including matrix elements based on the defined conduction modes is generated. Values for one or more matrix elements are computed by decomposing integrands for calculating the matrix elements into simplified terms that are less computationally intensive than the integrands and computing the values of the simplified terms. The values for the one or more matrix elements can be stored (e.g., on one or more computer-readable media). |
| US08024679B2 |
Structure for apparatus for reduced loading of signal transmission elements
A design structure for a signal-handing apparatus or communication apparatus is provided which includes a common signal node operable to conduct a first signal, a first circuit coupled to the common signal node to utilize the first signal and a signal-handling element coupled to the common signal node. A signal-handling apparatus may include an isolating circuit coupled to a first conductor, a second conductor to conduct an output of the isolating circuit, and a signal-handling circuit coupled to the second conductor. A signal-handling circuit can perform a signal-handling function in response to the output of the isolating circuit. The signal-handling circuit and the first circuit may be isolated from the second conductor and the signal-handling circuit such that a communication signal may be conducted with less capacitance and be subject to less return loss. |
| US08024678B1 |
Interfacing with a dynamically configurable arithmetic unit
An interface to a dynamically configurable arithmetic unit can include data alignment modules, where each data alignment module receives input variables being associated with one or more arithmetic expressions. The interface can include multiplexers coupled to the data alignment modules, wherein a data alignment module has outputs coupled to a first multiplexer. The first multiplexer can have a selection line and an output coupled to an input port of the dynamically configurable arithmetic unit. The interface can include a second multiplexer having input instructions and the selection line, where each instruction is associated with one of the arithmetic expressions and has an operation to be performed by the dynamically configurable arithmetic unit. The second multiplexer is configurable to provide selected ones of the input instructions to the dynamically configurable arithmetic unit through an output of the second multiplexer responsive to the selection line. |
| US08024665B2 |
Method and apparatus for modifying a scheduling database
A mobile electronic communications device and a method for modifying a scheduling database are provided. The scheduling database is modified via the mobile electronic communications device in communication with a proximate electronic device comprising a display device, the mobile electronic communications device is engaging an oral communications session with a second communications device. Time slot data associated with an available time slot is retrieved from the scheduling database, via the mobile electronic communications device. The time slot data is transmitted to the proximate electronic device causing it to display the time slot data at the display device. Input data representative of a command to update the scheduling database is received at the mobile electronic communications device. An entry of the scheduling database is updated, via the mobile electronic device, based on the time slot data associated with the available time slot displayed at the display device. |
| US08024662B2 |
Apparatus for navigation and interaction in a virtual meeting place
An apparatus for providing for virtual communication and collaboration comprises a collaborative virtual environment (CVE) application executing within a distributed data processing system, and a shadow module implemented within the CVE application. The CVE application provides a virtual world represented as a grid of an interconnected set of locations each divided into a set of zones and each having an assigned context through a user interface provided to a plurality of users through one or more client systems. The CVE provides each user with a respective avatar representation for navigating and interacting within the locations of the virtual world. The shadow module provides a first user interface element through which a first user can create and leave a shadow object representation for the first user within a zone of a subset of the set of locations when the avatar representation for the user is currently located in that zone. The shadow object representation persists in the zone after the avatar representation for the first user has navigated away from the zone. The shadow module provides a second user interface element providing a second user with one or more selectable options for corresponding with the first user when the avatar representation for the second user is located in the zone with the shadow object representation. |
| US08024659B2 |
Dividing a large input page into a plurality of smaller input pages to provide easier use of a terminal with a small screen
In a terminal with a display screen that is too small to accept a required input in its entirety, a user is enabled to perform the input without intricate operation. The terminal displays input pages downloaded from a server via a network, and transmits input information entered into the pages by the user. The terminal comprises a page display section, which displays a plurality of input pages using a browser executed on the terminal, an input information storage section, which stores a plurality of input parameters entered into more than one of the input pages, and an input information transmission section, which combines the input parameters and transmits the combination to the server in response to an instruction. |
| US08024657B2 |
Visually encoding nodes representing stages in a multi-stage video compositing operation
Some embodiments of the invention provide a user interface of editing video through a multi-stage editing process. The user interface selects a particular stage in the editing process. A particular editing operation is performed on a set of video images during the particular stage. After the selection of the particular stage, the user interface uses a background rendering process to render the result of the particular editing operation on the particular set of video images. The background rendering process is a process that the user interface performs separately from the multi-stage video editing process, so that a user may continue editing the video sequence while the rendering occurs. Some embodiments provide a preview of the rendering process in a preview window. Some of these embodiments update the preview in real time. In some embodiments, the rendering occurs to a temporary location and then stores to a persistent storage. In some of these embodiments, an entry for the stored render's location is logged in a list of entries that allows the stored render to be catalogued and retrieved from the persistent storage. The temporary location and the persistent storage can be part of a non-volatile memory such as a hard drive. |
| US08024652B2 |
Techniques to associate information between application programs
Techniques to cross-reference information for application programs are described. An apparatus may comprise a first application program to create notes for an operator, a second application program to display a target document, and a context reference module to generate a context reference for the target document indicating a source for the target document, display the context reference, and associate the context reference with a note. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08024651B1 |
Data visualization using tables integrated with hierarchical pie charts
Tools and techniques are provided to visualize and manage data. A hierarchical pie chart is placed in operational correspondence with a hierarchical table. Slices of a pie chart level correspond to nodes of a table level. When a user causes a change in a node/slice, the software automatically performs a matching change in the corresponding slice/node. This occurs for operational changes such as selection, creation, deletion, expanding (zoom in, drill down), contracting, updating data, and changing a label. The path taken through the table to reach the present data breakdown may also be displayed. |
| US08024647B2 |
Method and system for checking rotate, shift and sign extension functions using a modulo function
A method of discovering a fault in a circuit is disclosed. The method comprises generating a first result of a selected function by performing the selected function on an operand, wherein the selected function employs a mask. Once the function is performed, an antimask of the mask is created, and the modulo of the antimask is calculated. A modulo function of the first result of the selected function is calculated to obtain a third result. A modulo of the operand is then calculated to obtain a fourth result, and a second function is then performed on the second result and the third result to obtain a fifth result. In response to comparing the fifth result to the fourth result, a signal is propagated to indicate a fault in the circuit. |
| US08024646B2 |
Apparatus and method for receiving signal in a communication system
A signal reception apparatus for a communication system is disclosed in which the signal reception apparatus receives a signal and decodes the received signal using a second decoding scheme approximated from a first decoding scheme. The second decoding scheme is a scheme of applying a correction value to a third decoding scheme approximated from the first decoding scheme, and the correction value is a value for correcting a difference between a first signal obtained by decoding the received signal using the first decoding scheme and a second signal obtained by decoding the received signal using the third decoding scheme. |
| US08024645B2 |
Method for error detection in a decoded digital signal stream
The present invention relates to a method for analyzing a decoded digital signal stream. The method comprises decoding an encoded digital signal stream to obtain a decoded digital stream and terminating the decoding operation in an N dimension, wherein N is an integer greater than one. The method further comprises calculating one or more syndromes in a dimension not comprising the N dimension of the decoded digital signal stream. At least one invalid syndrome is then detected from the one or more calculated syndromes. In one embodiment, an error is reported in the decoded digital stream based upon detecting at least one invalid syndrome. |
| US08024640B2 |
Read/write channel coding and methods for use therewith
A write channel includes a pre-encoding module that encodes write data to produce pre-encoded data. An error correcting code (ECC) module generates ECC data based on the pre-encoded data. A post-encoding module encodes the ECC data to produce post-encoded data. A combining module combines the pre-encoded data and the post-encoded data for writing to the storage medium. |
| US08024639B2 |
Software and methods to detect and correct data structure
Methods to detect and correct bit errors in data include the steps of specifying to a compiler a storage area with a variable wherein the variable includes a data value corresponding to its data size and an error checking code, calculating an error checking code value indicative of the corresponding data structure value, storing the variable with the error checking code value, retrieving the variable upon demand, detecting an error on the data value using the error checking code value, and correcting the error upon detection of an error on the data value. Further steps may include storing and retrieving the data structure directly onto the storage area without additional encoding and decoding circuitry, encoding and decoding the data structure without altering the data structure format during storing and retrieving from the storage area, or detecting and correcting double bit errors. Software for the methods is provided on or in a computer readable medium. |
| US08024636B2 |
Serially concatenated convolutional code decoder with a constrained permutation table
A Serially Concatenated Convolutional Code (SCCC) decoding system includes an outer decoder module (208), permutation module (104), and data store (114). The outer decoder module is configured to generate a first sequence of soft-decision bits x[n] for n=0, 1, 2, . . . , N−1. The permutation module is configured to permute the first sequence of soft-decision bits x[n] to generate a second sequence of soft-decision bits y[n]. The first sequence of soft-decision bits x[n] is generated by the outer decoder module in accordance with a mapping v[n]. The second sequence of soft-decision bits y[n] is generated for communication to an inner decoder module (204). The data store contains a mapping v[n]. The mapping v[n] satisfies a mathematical equation v[k+m·(N/M)] modulo (N/M)=v[k] modulo (N/M) for m=0, . . . , M−1 and k=0, . . . , (N/M−1). (NM) is an integer. |
| US08024634B2 |
System and method for implementing a subrate recovery for lost packets in a communications environment
A method for communicating data is provided that includes receiving a plurality of bits associated with a communications flow and recovering data lost from a packet by retransmitting selected subrate data for a lost sample over a specified time period. The method may further include transmitting one additional subrate for each sample. All data is generally retransmitted in a configured time interval and the additional subrate for each sample is transmitted every twenty milliseconds. In still other embodiments, the method includes skipping over any subrates that have already been transmitted within a recovery interval. In one implementation of the present invention, if any subrates had changed and had already been transmitted within the time period, there is no retransmit operation performed. If a lost packet is detected for a sample already in recovery, the time period is reset and a recovery process is initiated again. |
| US08024632B1 |
Method and mechanism for implementation-independent, on-line, end-to-end detection of faults in self-checking queues in digital hardware systems
A method and apparatus are provided for detecting faults in a queue (also known as FIFO) in a digital system. The method augments the FIFO with an external monitoring mechanism which, on demand, checks the FIFO's operation and alerts the system to malfunctioning of the FIFO's control mechanism or corruption of data contained therein. The detection apparatus does not depend on the implementation of the FIFO; the checking is based solely on observing the data entering and exiting the FIFO. Furthermore, the apparatus works in a non-intrusive manner during a normal operation of the FIFO as part of the system. The method and apparatus allow for many variants, all derived from the same general scheme, and which allow different levels of protection against faults. |
| US08024630B2 |
Debugging module for electronic device and method thereof
A debugging module for connecting an IC to a JTAG debugger device includes a JTAG interface, an earphone circuit, a USB interface, a switching unit, and a reset circuit. The earphone circuit is electrically connected to the JTAG interface via the switching unit. The USB interface and the reset circuit are electrically connected to the JTAG interface. When a JTAG debugger device is connected to the earphone circuit and the USB interface, the earphone circuit and the USB interface, respectively, can establish a connection between the JTAG debugger device and the JTAG interface. |
| US08024629B2 |
Input/output compression and pin reduction in an integrated circuit
An I/O compression apparatus, for testing a memory array and/or a logic circuit, is comprised of a selectable compression circuit that outputs compressed test data from the memory array/logic circuit. An I/O scan register is coupled to each I/O pad for converting serial data to parallel and parallel data to serial in response to a test mode select signal, a test data input, and a test clock. |
| US08024628B2 |
Apparatus and method for testing semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device for performing a reliability test includes a write driving block for generating a predetermined test voltage in a test mode and delivering a data inputted from an external circuit into the local I/O line pair during a data access operation in a normal mode, a local I/O line pair coupled to the write driving block for receiving the predetermined test voltage in the test mode, and a cell array having a plurality of unit cells and a plurality of bit line pairs respectively having first and second bit lines and coupled to at least one unit cell for receiving the predetermined test voltage from each local I/O line pair to thereby check a result of the reliability test in the test mode. |
| US08024625B2 |
Network system for diagnosing operational abnormality of nodes
A network system for judging abnormality of a self node with high precision on the basis of information from other nodes connected to a network is provided. In each node, a frequency at which data frames to be transmitted/received among nodes cannot be received is counted every communication partner node by a reception time-out error count unit. After some node is reset and restored, a start-up signal is transmitted with an initial data frame by a start-up signal transmitting unit of the node concerned. In the other nodes receiving the start-up signal, a count result of the transmission destination node of the start-up signal by a reception time-out error count unit is returned by the monitoring result returning unit, and upon reception of the count result, the node which transmits the start-up signal makes a self-diagnosis by a self-diagnosing unit. |
| US08024621B2 |
Method and device for writing a multi-layer optical disc
A method is described for writing an optical disc (2) having a multi-layered storage space (30) comprising at least a first storage layer (31) and a second storage layer (32) below the first layer (31). The method comprises the step of preventing a write operation to a portion of the second storage layer (32) located below a maiden portion of said first storage layer (31).In one embodiment, all blocks (40) which are physically located in the second storage layer (32) are incorporated in a defect list (DL) until a sufficiently large portion of the first storage layer (31) has been written at least once.In another embodiment, all blocks (40) which are physically located in the second storage layer (32) are covered by a system file with a predetermined name (“DUMMY”) until a sufficiently large portion of the first storage layer (31) has been written at least once. |
| US08024620B2 |
Dynamic address-type selection control in a data processing system
A translated address and an untranslated address associated with a same processor operation are received. An address-type indicator is provided whose value is indicative of whether the translated or untranslated address is to be used for creating a debug message. The value of the address-type indicator is selectively modified in response to occurrence of one or more selected debug events. Based at least in part on the value of the address-type indicator, the translated or untranslated address is selected. The address-type indicator may be selectively overridden to select the translated or untranslated address as the selected address based on whether a process identifier is at least one of a set of process identifiers or whether at least one of the translated or untranslated address falls within one or more predetermined address ranges. A debug message is created using at least a portion of the selected address. |
| US08024618B1 |
Multi-client and fabric diagnostics and repair
Systems, methods, and computer program products for network diagnostics and repair are provided. In some implementations, a method is provided. The method includes scanning a network for one or more network problems, identifying one or more problem, the identifying including comparing configuration data of a plurality of electronic devices for inconsistencies, and correcting the one or more identified problems. |
| US08024615B2 |
Steady state computer testing
A steady state value of each parameter in a set of one or more parameters of a computer system under test is defined, and acts related to the parameter are performed while the system under test is processing one or more test workloads. The acts can include comparing a working value of the parameter with the steady state value of the parameter, as well as operating on one or more workloads to bring the working value closer to a steady state value. This can include increasing or decreasing the working value of the parameter, such as by admitting one or more workloads to the system under test or cancelling one or more workloads from the system under test. |
| US08024614B2 |
Debugger and debugging method for debugging a system-on-chip device including a microprocessor core
A debugger includes: a break detecting circuit which, when the state of a microprocessor core corresponds to a previously set condition, generates a break request signal for requesting a transition of the microprocessor core to a debug state; a trigger detecting circuit which, when a predetermined signal of additional hardware corresponds to a previously set condition, generates a trigger request signal for requesting observation of the predetermined signal; and, an execution control circuit which, when the trigger request signal has been transmitted, outputs a trigger signal for observing the predetermined signal by means of a logic analyzer and outputs a break signal for causing the microprocessor core to transition to the debug state. |
| US08024610B2 |
Diagnosing intermittent faults
A method and system for diagnosing any combination of persistent and intermittent faults. The behavior of a system under test is obtained by measuring or probing the system at a particular location(s). The predicted behavior of a modeled system corresponding to the system under test is investigated by drawing inferences based on at least conditional probabilities, prior observations and component models. The predictions are compared to their corresponding points in the system under test. A determination is made if a conflict exists between the measured behavior and the predicted behavior, and the conditional probabilities are adjusted to more and more accurately reflect the action fault(s) in the system under test. The conflicts or deviations between the obtained predicted behavior and the actual behavior are used to isolate the components of the system causing the faults. |
| US08024608B2 |
Solution for checking a health of a computer system
Under the present invention, a configurable dictionary is provided. The configurable dictionary includes a set of objects that identify: (1) attribute conditions of the computer system to be checked; (2) associated locations within the computer system for checking the attribute conditions; and (3) actions to be taken based on results of the checks for the computer system. The health of the computer system is checked by processing the set of objects in the configurable dictionary. Specifically, the attribute conditions identified in the configurable dictionary are checked at their associated locations, and any necessary action are implemented. |
| US08024605B2 |
To server processes
A method for maintaining the ability of a parent server process to communicate with one or more client processes is disclosed. In the method, a first child server process is configured to monitor for failure of the parent server process and to respond to failure of the parent server process by: i) continuing any communication with the client processes that would have been performed by the parent server process had it not failed; and ii) initiating a second child server process which is configured to monitor for failure of the first child server process and to respond to such a failure in the same manner as the first child server process responds to failure of the parent server process. |
| US08024603B2 |
Data migration satisfying migration-destination requirements
The invention is directed to a storage system including a storage subsystem providing a data storage service to a host computer, and a management device managing the storage subsystem. The management device issues a command to a controller in the storage subsystem for migrating data on a migration-source volume to a migration-destination volume in accordance with a predetermined task. When the migration-destination volume is not available for use for some reason, and when the data migration is not completed normally, the management device searches an alternative volume in accordance with migration-destination requirements including essential and arbitrary requirements, and then issues a command for data migration to thus found alternative volume. With such a configuration, even if a migration-destination volume is not available for use for some reason during data migration, any other volume can be used as a migration destination in accordance with the migration-destination requirement(s). |
| US08024594B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing power consumption in multi-channel memory controller systems
Disclosed is a method, apparatus and computer program product for reducing memory power consumption in a server system. The server system includes a memory controller and a plurality of Dual Inline Memory Modules (DIMMs). The method for reducing the memory power consumption includes determining a status of a channel of a plurality of channels of the memory controller. The plurality of channels is associated with the plurality of DIMMs of the server system. The status of the channel represents a presence of at least one scheduled transaction in the channel. The method further includes monitoring the status of the channel by checking whether the status of the channel is in an idle mode for a period of at least equal to a first threshold time. Thereafter, the method includes driving the channel into a power down state based on the monitoring of the status of the channel. |
| US08024589B2 |
Information storage device, information recording/reproducing device, and power consumption management method
An information recording/reproducing device, wherein a power management mechanism for a serial ATA interface connecting between an optical disk drive and a host computer has a steady-state power mode (PHYRDY) and a power-saving mode (Partial state, Slumber state) to keep power consumption lower than the steady-state power mode, while a power management mechanism built into the optical disk drive has a steady-state power mode (active state) and a power-saving mode (inactive mode) to keep power consumption lower than the steady-state power mode. The optical disk drive controls transition of the power consumption modes of the power management mechanism for a serial ATA interface in accordance with current power consumption mode of its internal power management mechanism. |
| US08024588B2 |
Electronic apparatus having signal processing circuit selectively entering power saving mode according to operation status of receiver logic and related method thereof
An electronic apparatus with power saving functionality is disclosed. The electronic apparatus has a first signal processing circuit and a second signal processing circuit. The first signal processing circuit includes a receiver logic for processing at least a satellite signal generated from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) to obtain resultant data; and a power saving determination logic for monitoring an operation status of the receiver logic and generating a first control signal according to the operation status. The second signal processing circuit includes a processing logic for receiving the resultant data from the receiver logic for further signal processing; and a power saving trigger logic for controlling the processing logic to enter a power saving mode from a normal mode when receiving the first control signal from the power saving control logic. |
| US08024585B2 |
Method for managing storage, program and system for the same
A system including plural storage devices provides a technique for controlling storage devices in which files are located by a file system, and turning on or off the storage devices based on prediction of the start or end of access to the files. A program that manages power to the storage devices and data access to the storage devices via the files includes means or functions for allocating a storage device as an area in which a file is located, for selecting a storage device in which a file is located, for predicting that access to a file is started for commanding turning on power to a storage device based on the prediction that access to a file is started, for predicting that access to a file terminates, and for commanding turning off power to a storage device based on the prediction that access to a file terminates. |
| US08024575B2 |
System and method for creation and use of strong passwords
The system and method uses user generated questions and answers of multiple levels for added protection from adversaries. There are a first set of question(s) and answer(s) corresponding to the first set of questions as well as a second set of plurality of questions and answers corresponding to the second set of plurality of questions. The second set of plurality of answers is concatenated to form a single pass phrase. To enter the pass phrase at a client workstation, a user is presented with a plurality of entries for entering the second set of plurality of answers and an option to request a second set of plurality of questions. If the correct first set of answer(s) is entered immediately or entered after the first set of question(s) is displayed, the second set of plurality of questions is displayed. |
| US08024573B2 |
Method for authentication of elements of a group
A method for authentication of elements of a group, especially for authentication of sensor nodes in a preferably wireless sensor network is disclosed. The group has one specific element—leading element—with which each of the group elements can exchange information and wherein the authentication of the group elements takes place with regard to the leading element. The leading element sends an authentication request to the group elements wherein the authentication request is the same for all the group elements. The group elements each send authentication responses—based on the authentication request—to the leading element, with the authentication responses being different for each group element. |
| US08024571B2 |
Method of and system for watermarking application modules
A method of creating and using a software application module includes coding, by a developer, a software application module for extending a functionality of a main software application. The software application module is adapted to interface with the main software application using an application programming interface (API). The method further includes compiling the software application module to produce an executable software application module, determining if the developer is authorized to use the API, and embedding a watermark in the executable software application module if it is determined that the developer is authorized to use the API. The method still further includes executing the main software application, reading the watermark from a executable software application module, verifying if the watermark is correct, and executing the software application module if the watermark is verified as correct. |
| US08024567B2 |
Instant log-in method for authentificating a user and settling bills by using two different communication channels and a system thereof
A method for authenticating a user of certain service provided by a system through a first communication channel, in one aspect including receiving an access request from a first terminal of the user through the first communication channel; receiving an address or number of a second terminal of the user through the first communication channel; transferring data including an identification code, to the second terminal of the user through a second communication channel; receiving a user confirmation response, including the user identification code, from the second terminal of the user through the second communication channel; determining whether the identification code transferred to the second terminal is identical to the user identification code received from the second terminal; generating an authentication code if it is determined that both the user identification codes are identical to each other; transferring the user authentication code to the first terminal of the user through the first communication channel. |
| US08024561B1 |
Using digital certificates to facilitate enforcement of product licenses
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that uses digital certificates to facilitate enforcing licensing terms for applications that manipulate documents. During operation, the system obtains a credential, wherein the credential includes a private key and a digital certificate containing a corresponding public key. This digital certificate also contains a profile specifying allowed operations which can be performed on documents signed with the credential. Next, the system digitally signs a document using the credential, so that the resulting signed document is signed with the private key and includes a copy of the digital certificate with the profile specifying the allowed operations. The certificate issuer can subsequently revoke the digital certificate (which effectively revokes the license) if teens of a license agreement associated with the digital certificate are violated. |
| US08024560B1 |
Systems and methods for securing multimedia transmissions over the internet
In one embodiment, the systems and methods utilizes an enciphered permit identification number, called a session certificate, to reference the policy attribute values and session key that are stored in a secured, online reference monitor (SRM). The session key is used to encipher confidential communications, such as voice and audio communications over the Internet (VoIP), between computers. Each computer uses a unique key with a cryptographic transaction protocol for authentication and key agreement (PAKE) to securely communicate with the SRM. A sender computer uses PAKE to get a session certificate and a session key from the SRM. It sends the session certificate to a receiver computer. The receiver computer sends the session certificate to the SRM and gets back the session key. The sender computer encrypts its VoIP message with the session key and transmits it to the receiver computer. The receiver computer decrypts the VoIP message. |
| US08024558B2 |
Method and system for providing synchronous running encoding and encryption
Aspects of the invention provide a method and system for coding information in a communication channel. More particularly, aspects of the invention provide an method and system for synchronous running encryption and/or encoding and corresponding decryption and decoding in a communication channel or link. Aspects of the method may include encoding and/or encrypting a first data using a first or second encoding table and/or a first or second encryption table. The method may indicate which one of the first or second encoding tables or which one of the first or second encryption tables were utilized for encoding and/or encrypting the said first data. The encoded and/or encrypted first data may subsequently be transferred downstream and decoded by synchronous decoder/decryptor using a corresponding decoding and/or decryption table. The corresponding decoding and/or decryption table may be determined based on the indicated first and/or second encoding and/or encrypting tables |
| US08024557B2 |
Booting an integrated circuit
An integrated circuit comprising: a processor; a plurality of external pins operatively coupled to the processor; and a permanently written memory operatively coupled to the processor, the memory having a plurality of regions each storing one or more respective boot properties for booting the processor. The processor is programmed to select one of the regions in dependence on an indication received via one or more of the external pins, to retrieve the one or more respective boot properties from the selected region, and to boot using the one or more retrieved boot properties. |
| US08024556B1 |
Layered execution pre-boot configuration systems, apparatus, and methods
The disclosure is directed to systems, apparatus, and methods for layered execution pre-boot configuration. In one example, a system includes a local computer, a base operating system, a layered execution environment, and a layered environment manager. The system may further include an environment update service and one or more layered environment data store(s). The system may, before booting the base operating system and layered execution environment, perform such modification operations as applying an operating system patch, applying a program patch, changing a layer activation property, disabling a program, replacing a program, changing a configuration file, and installing a driver. |
| US08024555B2 |
Condition code flag emulation for program code conversion
An emulator allows subject code written for a subject processor having subject processor registers and condition code flags to run in a non-compatible computing environment. The emulator identifies and records parameters of instructions in the subject code that affect status of the subject condition code flags. Then, when an instruction in the subject code is encountered, such as a branch or jump, that uses the flag status to make a decision, the flag status is resolved from the recorded instruction parameters. Advantageously, emulation overhead is substantially reduced. |
| US08024554B2 |
Modifying an instruction stream using one or more bits to replace an instruction or to replace an instruction and to subsequently execute the replaced instruction
A processor comprising fetch logic adapted to fetch instructions from memory and decode logic coupled to the fetch logic and adapted to decode the fetched instructions. If a bit in the decode logic is in a first state, a particular fetched instruction is skipped and a group of one or more instructions is executed in lieu of the particular fetched instruction. If the bit is in a second state, both the group and the particular fetched instruction are executed. |
| US08024548B2 |
Integrated circuit microprocessor that constructs, at run time, integrated reconfigurable logic into persistent finite state machines from pre-compiled machine code instruction sequences
A processor, integrated with re-configurable logic and memory elements, is disclosed which is to be used as part of a shared memory, multiprocessor computer system. The invention utilizes the re-configurable elements to construct persistent finite state machines based on information decoded by the invention from sequences of CISC or RISC type processor machine instructions residing in memory. The invention implements the same algorithm represented by the sequence of encoded instructions, but executes the algorithm consuming significantly fewer clock cycles than would be consumed by the processor originally targeted to execute the sequence of encoded instructions. |
| US08024547B2 |
Virtual memory translation with pre-fetch prediction
A system to facilitate virtual page translation. An embodiment of the system includes a processing device, a front end unit, and address translation logic. The processing device is configured to process data of a current block of data. The front end unit is coupled to the processing device. The front end unit is configured to access the current block of data in an electronic memory device and to send the current block of data to the processor for processing. The address translation logic is coupled to the front end unit and the electronic memory device. The address translation logic is configured to pre-fetch a virtual address translation for a predicted virtual address based on a virtual address of the current block of data. Embodiments of the system increase address translation performance of computer systems including graphic rendering operations. |
| US08024543B2 |
System and method for managing a memory system of a mobile device
A memory management system and method for a memory system of a mobile device includes initializing memory blocks of the memory system, obtaining a peak utilization rate and an average fragmentation rate of each memory block, adjusting configuration of each memory block P1 having a maximum peak utilization rate and each memory block P2 having a minimum peak utilization rate if a preset statistical count has been reached. The method further includes adjusting a size of each memory block P3 whose peak utilization rate is greater than a preset peak utilization rate and the average fragmentation rate is a maximum, or adjusting a size of each memory block P4 whose size is less than the size of a memory block P3, and merging residual parts generated by the adjustment to form one or more memory blocks P1. |
| US08024538B2 |
High efficiency virtualized portable archive
According to one embodiment, a method is disclosed for storing and archiving point-in-time sets of a raw data set in an environment including at least one server storing the raw data set. The method includes providing a virtualization layer on a computing resources pool. A virtualized storage application is operated on the virtualization layer. The virtualization layer shields the virtualized storage application from actual hardware in the computing resources pool. Storage efficient versions of the raw data set stored on one or more servers are generated. The storage efficient versions of the raw data set include point-in-time versions of the raw data set that are smaller in size than the raw data set. |
| US08024533B2 |
Host memory interface for a parallel processor
A memory interface for a parallel processor which has an array of processing elements and can receive a memory address and supply the memory address to a memory connected to the processing elements. The processing elements transfer data to and from the memory at the memory address. The memory interface can connect to a host configured to access data in a conventional SDRAM memory device so that the host can access data in the memory. |
| US08024532B2 |
Data management method for erasing data in computer system
There is provided a computer system comprising a first storage system and a second storage system coupled to the first storage system. The first storage system provides a first storage area. The second storage system provides a second storage area. The second storage system reads and writes the requested data from and to the first storage area associated with the second storage area; specifies the first storage area associated with the second storage area from which the data is to be erased upon reception of a request for erasing the data stored in the second storage area; and transmits the request for erasing the data to the first storage system providing the specified first storage area. The first storage system erases the data stored in the specified first storage area, based on a data erasure condition included in the request for erasing the data. |
| US08024529B2 |
Providing shared memory in a distributed computing system
A distributed computing system includes a plurality of processors and shared memory service entities executable on the processors. Each of the shared memory service entities is associated with a local shared memory buffer. A producer is associated with a particular shared memory service entity, and the producer provides data that is stored in the local shared memory buffer associated with the particular shared memory service entity. The shared memory service entities propagate content of the local shared memory buffers into a global shared memory, wherein propagation of content of the local shared memory buffers to the global shared memory is performed using a procedure that relaxes guarantees of consistency between the global shared memory and the local shared memory buffers. |
| US08024526B2 |
Multi-node system with global access states
A system may include several nodes coupled by an inter-node network configured to convey coherency messages between the nodes. Each node may include several active devices coupled by an address network and a data network. The nodes implement a coherency protocol such that if an active device in one of the nodes has an ownership responsibility for a coherency unit, no active device in any of the other nodes has a valid access right to the coherency unit. For example, if a node receives a coherency message requesting read access to a coherency unit from another node, the node may respond by conveying a proxy address packet, receipt of which removes ownership, on the node's address network to an owning active device. In contrast, the active device's ownership responsibility may not be removed in response to a device within the same node requesting read access to the coherency unit. |
| US08024520B2 |
Maintaining data stored in a memory module when transferring the memory module from a first controller to a second controller
To transfer a memory module between controllers, an external power source is connected to a memory module mounted to a first controller. The memory module is removed from the first controller with the external power source connected to the memory module to maintain data stored in volatile memory of the memory module. The memory module is mounted to a second controller. |
| US08024517B2 |
Proactive technique for reducing occurrence of long write service time for a storage device with a write cache
Provided are techniques for introducing a delay in responding to host write requests. A percentage of fullness of a write cache is determined. Based on the determined percentage of fullness of the write cache (f), a low cache threshold (L), alpha (α), and k, an amount of delay to introduce into responding to a host write request is determined. Techniques wait the amount of the delay before responding to the host write request although the host write request processing has completed. |
| US08024515B2 |
Non-volatile cache in disk drive emulation
A method and apparatus for deferring media writes for emulation drives are provided. By deferring media writes using non-volatile storage, the performance penalty associated with RMW operations may be minimized. Deferring writes may allow the RMW operations to be done while the disk drive is idle. Further, deferring writes may also allow data blocks to be accumulated over time, allowing a full (4K) disk drive block size to be written with a simple write operation, thus making a RMW unnecessary. |
| US08024514B2 |
Access control management
In one embodiment, a cartridge library, comprises a management component comprising a first processor module and a memory medium communicatively connected to the first processor module, an interface controller comprising a second processor module and a memory medium communicatively connected to the second processor module, wherein the interface controller comprises logic instructions stored on a computer readable medium which, when executed, cause the second processor module to, record, in a memory medium coupled to the cartridge library, at least one access control parameter, wherein the access control parameter identifies at least one of a user, a server, a command, or a time, receive, in an interface controller coupled to the cartridge library, a request for at least one resource of the cartridge library, and implement an access control routine in the interface controller to use the access control parameter to determine whether to limit a user's ability to perform at least one command on at least one resource of the cartridge library during at least one time period. |
| US08024511B2 |
Systems, devices, and/or methods to access synchronous RAM in an asynchronous manner
Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a method, which can comprise, via a state machine implemented as an application specific integrated circuit, responsive to an automatically detected asynchronous RAM interface signal, automatically transmitting a corresponding synchronous RAM interface signal. The state machine can be communicatively coupled to a programmable logic controller. |
| US08024510B2 |
Cyclic buffer mechanism for receiving wireless data under varying data traffic conditions
A method of ensuring that data sent to a handheld wireless communications device is written to non-volatile memory is disclosed. In a device, where data is initially written to a first volatile memory and then written to a second volatile memory before being written from the second volatile memory to a non-volatile memory, software code is implemented that causes the writing of the data to non-volatile memory concurrently with the writing of the data to the second volatile memory. The software code may incorporate operating system commands (such as Windows OS). |
| US08024506B1 |
Maintaining address translations during the software-based processing of instructions
The invention is used in a virtual machine monitor for a multiprocessing system that includes a virtual memory system. During a software-based processing of a guest instruction, including translating or interpreting a guest instruction, mappings between virtual addresses and physical addresses are retained in memory until processing of the guest instruction is completed. The retained mappings may be cleared after each guest instruction has been processed, or after multiple guest instructions have been processed. Information may also be stored to indicate that an attempt to map a virtual address to a physical address was not successful. The invention may be extended beyond virtual machine monitors to other systems involving the software-based processing of instructions, and beyond multiprocessing systems to other systems involving concurrent access to virtual memory management data. |
| US08024505B2 |
System and method for optimistic creation of thread local objects in a virtual machine environment
A system for thread local garbage collection in a virtual machine environment, comprising: a virtual machine for executing a software application; a memory space for use by the virtual machine in storing software objects and pointers as part of the software application, divided into a global heap and several thread local heaps; a heap maintaining logic that keeps the global heap and the thread local heaps in a state suitable for efficient garbage collecting; and a garbage collector that can collect the thread local heaps in parallel with only the stop-the-world pauses for the global heap. |
| US08024504B2 |
Processor interrupt determination
Processor interrupt determination procedures are described. In an implementation, one or more computer-readable media comprise instructions that are executable by a computer to determine, based on a performance goal, which of a plurality of processors is to be targeted by a device that is to perform an input/output operation when an interrupt message is discovered that is from the device and that targets the determined processor. The interrupt message is communicated to the device to indicate availability of the determined processor for use by the device. When an interrupt message is discovered that is from the device and that targets an alternative processor near the determined processor when compared with other processors in the plurality of processors, the interrupt message that targets the alternative processor is communicated to the device to indicate availability of the alternative processor for use by the device. |
| US08024502B2 |
KVM extender system and local, remote modules thereof
Disclosed is a KVM extender system, which includes a first module, comprising a first processor, a first interface, a first Ethernet transceiver and includes a second module, comprising a second processor, a second interface, a second Ethernet transceiver. The KVM extender system transceives first data packet and second data packet transformed from first mass data of a first mass storage, second mass data of a second mass storage, keyboard/mouse data, audio/sound data with a cable therebetween. The first data packet and the second data packet transceived between the first and second Ethernet transceivers are controlled by a half duplex communication executed by two wires of the cable. Moreover, the first module further comprises a third interface to transceive third mass data from the computer coupled therewith. The third mass data is also transformed into third data packet to be transceived with the first and second data packets. |
| US08024498B2 |
Transitions between ordered and ad hoc I/O request queueing
Disclosed is a computer implemented method and apparatus for queuing I/O requests to a pending queue. The I/O device driver sets a maximum ordered queue length for an I/O device driver coupled to a storage device then receives an I/O request from an application. The I/O device driver determines whether the pending queue is sorted and responds to a determination that the pending queue is sorted, determining if queued I/O requests exceed the maximum ordered queue length. Responding to a determination that the pending queue exceeds the maximum ordered queue length, the I/O device driver adds the I/O request based on a high pointer, and points the high pointer to the I/O request. |
| US08024494B2 |
Method of monitoring device forming information processing system, information apparatus and information processing system
A monitoring apparatus communicatively coupled to one or more devices forming an information processing system manages each of the devices by setting the device to be in any one of monitoring states including a monitoring target to be always monitored, a semi-monitoring target to be determined if there is a change in resources and a non-monitoring target being neither the monitoring target nor the semi-monitoring target. The monitoring apparatus newly acquires resource information on a device whose monitoring state is currently set to be the monitoring target or the semi-monitoring target, and determines if any of the resources of the device is changed on the basis of the newly acquired resource information, the resource information acquired last time, and a determination condition. When determining that any of the resources has been changed, the monitoring apparatus outputs a screen prompting a change of the monitoring state of the device. |
| US08024492B2 |
System for managing a power monitoring system containing a multiplicity of intelligent electronic devices
A method of managing a power monitoring and control informational system that encompasses multiple intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) of varying types comprises creating different device types, including tags associated with each of the device types; creating at least one profile for each of the device types; and generating a user interface display that enables a user to create a new profile, the display including options to create a new profile or to create a profile by modifying a copy of data representing an existing profile. |
| US08024489B2 |
System for communicating command parameters between a processor and a memory flow controller
A system for communicating command parameters between a processor and a memory flow controller is provided. The system makes use of a channel interface as the primary mechanism for communicating between the processor and a memory flow controller. The channel interface provides channels for communicating with processor facilities, memory flow control facilities, machine state registers, and external processor interrupt facilities, for example. These channels may be designated as blocking or non-blocking. With blocking channels, when no data is available to be read from the corresponding registers, or there is no space available to write to the corresponding registers, the processor is placed in a low power “stall” state. The processor is automatically awakened, via communication across the blocking channel, when data becomes available or space is freed. Thus, the channels of the present invention permit the processor to stay in a low power state. |
| US08024488B2 |
Methods and apparatus to validate configuration of computerized devices
A system verifies configuration of a device within a network via an exchange of verification credentials, which are requested, received and authenticated. The verification credentials indicate that a configuration of the device was acceptable at the time of creation of the verification credentials for that device. The verification credentials of the device are obtained through a certifying process. During the certifying process, the credential certifier receives a current device configuration of the device in the network, and evaluates the current device configuration of a device with respect to its role within a network. The verification credentials are issued to the requesting device and stored within a database. The device submits its verification credentials if being requested by the other peer it's communicating with when it enters the network. It also monitors the current device configuration and if there are changes, it invalidates the existing certification credentials and requests new one. |
| US08024486B2 |
Converting data from a first network format to non-network format and from the non-network format to a second network format
A system including a first node configured to receive first data in a first format that specifies a network destination for the first data and convert the first data to second data in a second format that does not specify a network destination for the second data and a second node configured to receive the second data from the first node over a first connection and convert the second data to third data in a third format that specifies a network destination for the third data is provided. |
| US08024481B2 |
System and method for reducing traffic and congestion on distributed interactive simulation networks
A system and method are provided for communicating Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) traffic over a network in an accelerated manner. In one embodiment, DIS traffic is accelerated through use of accelerated DIS packets having a reduced size. In this manner, network traffic is reduced. Accelerated DIS packets may be created and communicated through one or more DIS accelerators. A first DIS accelerator may accept a DIS packet and create an accelerated DIS packet therefrom by comparing the DIS packet to a cache and forming an accelerated DIS packet comprising the differences between the DIS packet and the cache. Data in the original DIS packet may be subsequently restored by a second DIS accelerator which combines the information in the accelerated DIS packet and the cache to restore the original DIS packet. Accelerated DIS packets may be communicated over an encoded communication channel in one or more embodiments. |
| US08024475B2 |
Communication method
A client terminal CT transmits an acquisition request for musical composition information. An associated information provision server KS continuously receives the acquisition request at a given time interval. The associated information provision server KS transmits timing specification information along with the musical composition information corresponding to the acquisition request to the client terminal CT. The timing specification information specifies timing for the client terminal CT to transmit the acquisition request next. The associated information provision server KS controls a polling interval for acquisition requests. In this manner, acquisition requests can be distributed to those transmitted at a given time interval and those received in accordance with the timing specification information. A simple method can be used to prevent acquisition requests from being concentrated on the associated information provision server KS. |
| US08024474B2 |
Multi-case enabled address resolution protocol
A Multicast-Enabled Address Resolution Protocol (ME-ARP) is disclosed. This ME-ARP allows the building of independent IP based Virtual Private LAN segments (VPLS) over a multicast enabled IP backbone using stateless tunnels and optimal VPLS traffic forwarding. Each VPLS has an associated IP subnet which is completely independent from other VPLS or the underlying IP backbone itself. Each Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) device needs only to be configured with a VPLS identifier and its serving IP subnet per VPLS designated interface. |
| US08024473B1 |
System, method, and computer program product to automate the flagging of obscure network flows as at least potentially unwanted
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for flagging a network flow as at least potentially unwanted. In use, a network flow is identified as utilizing an unknown protocol. Further, the network flow is flagged as at least potentially unwanted. |
| US08024471B2 |
System, method and apparatus for use in monitoring or controlling internet access
A system method and apparatus are provided for use in monitoring or controlling internet access at a client device 12. A request message 500 is generated to request categorization of a specified URL, and a reply message 600 is returned denoting a category of the specified URL amongst a predetermined set of categories. The request message 500 comprises a UDP package including a sequence number, a time stamp, and a data section carrying the specified URL. The reply message 600 comprises a UDP packet and includes the sequence number and the time stamp from the request message 500, and a data section identifying the category. The request message 500 and the reply message 600 are economical and provide efficient communication across a local area network or the Internet 20. |
| US08024467B2 |
Distributed session listing and content discovery
The present invention enables a game server to provide hosting services by connecting the game server device to a peer group, notifying at least one member of the peer group of the availability of the server device, and enabling the server device to accept and respond directly to searches for the hosting services, which are directed at the peer group by one or more gaming client devices. Discovery of peer group gaming content as well as updating such content are also provided by the present invention. The present invention further enables both peer group protocol supported and non-supported devices to interact with and provide the services provided by a peer group. |
| US08024458B1 |
Tracking the frequency distribution of streaming values
Disclosed are various embodiments for tracking a frequency distribution of streamed values. A stream of monitoring values is generally received in a host from a plurality of external hosts. A frequency distribution is stored in the host, the frequency distribution comprising a plurality of ranges that vary exponentially, and a plurality of frequency values, each of the frequency values being associated with a corresponding one of the ranges. A frequency at which the monitoring values fall within respective ones of the ranges is tracked in the frequency distribution. |
| US08024457B2 |
Label switched path OAM wrapper
Methods and devices for logically segmenting an LSP so that OAM DTUs may be used to determine the performance and/or the status of LSP segments. To segment a previously determined LSP, a dedicated subpath (a logical LSP) within that predetermined LSP is defined between two LSRs that are capable of processing OAM DTUs. The source node (source LSR) establishes a logical LSP between itself and the destination node (destination LSR) using an LDP. In doing this, the logical LSP traverses a specific path and transits through specific nodes in that path. The source node then transmits an OAM DTU or any other specialized DTU to the destination node using a label specifically associated with the logical LSP that was established. The characteristic of the specific path traversed by the logical LSP can thus be determined by when, how, and if the specialized DTU is received by the destination node. |
| US08024455B2 |
System, method, and computer-readable medium for implementing intelligent network service functionality in a network
A system, method and computer-readable medium for simulating intelligent network triggers in a network system are provided. A mobile terminal is configured with an intelligent network Simulator adapted to detect call events and originate simulated intelligent network triggers in response to the call events. Call progressions implemented according to the simulated intelligent network triggers may be managed or coordinated by at least one of a carrier-gateway server and an Enterprise-gateway server. Call progressions implemented by simulated intelligent network triggers may be specified according to Enterprise member policies or general Enterprise behaviors. Advantageously, if a carrier network does not support a trigger infrastructure that has capabilities of originating triggers and terminating triggers, or if a roaming agreement is not in place that allows transfer of triggers between carriers, the use of an intelligent network Simulator provides an alternative mechanism for providing IN service functionality without network support for intelligent network triggers. |
| US08024452B2 |
Dynamic syndicated content delivery system and method
A dynamic syndicated content delivery system and method, the system having: a push proxy, the push proxy having: a deferred retrieval message store, the deferred retrieval message store adapted to storing deferred content for future delivery; a push agent, the push agent adapted to push content; and a push scheduler, the push schedule adapted to communicate with the push agent to schedule the pushing of content and further adapted to monitor a wireless network for network conditions; a push client, the push client having: a client push agent, the client push agent adapted to communicate with the push agent of the push proxy; a content pull broker, the content pull broker adapted to communicate with the deferred retrieval message store of the push proxy; a deferred retrieval manager, the deferred retrieval manager adapted to communicate with the content pull broker and the client push agent to pull content, the deferred retrieval manager further adapted to monitor a network and instruct the content pull broker to pull the content if the network conditions are favorable for receiving the deferred content; and a network status monitor adapted to monitor the status of the network; and the wireless network. |
| US08024451B2 |
Method and system for monitoring computer networks and equipment
The application discloses an apparatus including at least one sensor configured to monitor environmental conditions ambient to rack mounted computer equipment and a housing configured for mounting to an equipment rack. The housing includes a processor responsive to the sensor, at least one network interface responsive to the processor and configured for communication with a distributed computing network, a web server configured to provide a web page associated with information derived from the sensor, an email module configured to send notification of events associated with the sensor, and a simple network management protocol module configured to communicate with computer equipment external to the housing. |
| US08024450B1 |
System and method for remote administration of computer network
Disclosed are systems, methods and computer program products for remote administration of a computer network. The system comprises an administration server for remotely managing a computer network. The server deploys administration agents on the computers in the network for performing various administrative tasks. In addition, the server selects a computer with the highest performance rating as a local administration proxy for the network. The server then transmits to the local administration proxy a control signal for performing one or more administrative tasks by administration agents deployed on the computers in the network. The server then establishes, through the local administration proxy, a connection with the administration agents for performing administrative tasks of the computers. |
| US08024448B2 |
Network real estate analysis
A method can be used to analyze the “real-estate” performance of content items within a network site. The method can comprise determining the click distance to reach each content item and determining the performance of each content item. The method can also comprise calculating a predicted value for performance based on statistical relationship between location and performance observed in a population of content items. The method can comprise comparing the predicted and actual performance. If a content item has an actual performance greater than its predicted performance, then it may be promoted to a better location in the site and the converse for poorer performing content. Such an analysis may be performed using a graph or tabular data. |
| US08024438B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing bandwidth management services
Methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing bandwidth management services are provided. The method includes associating a service session of a connection with at least one of a device and a user of the device for an account. The method also includes evaluating the service session for an event. The evaluation factors in capabilities associated with the device and/or service session. The method further includes notifying the account upon an occurrence of the event. |
| US08024435B2 |
Router and method for configuring IP addresses of the router
A method for configuring IP addresses of a router broadcasts a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) discover packet over a network for receiving a DHCP offer packet sent from the modem. The DHCP offer packet comprises the private IP address of the modem. The method further obtains the private IP address of the modem from the DHCP offer packet, and configures IP addresses of a WAN port and a LAN port of the router according to the private IP address of the modem, so as to allow the private IP address of the modem to be in the same network segment with the IP address of the WAN port but in different network segments with the IP address of the LAN port. |
| US08024434B2 |
Method and system for improving the efficiency of state information transfer over a wireless communications network
The present invention is directed to a system and method for managing state information related to an interactive application to accommodate one or more users participating in an interactive application session, wherein the state information comprises local state information specific to each of the one or more user's unique view of the interactive application and global state information. The system of the present invention may comprise a telecommunications network; an application server in communication with the telecommunications network for managing the global state information relative to all of the users participating in the interactive application session; and at least one mobile client device in communication with the application server over the telecommunications network for managing the local state information for each of the one or more users. The method of the present invention may comprise the steps of structuring the state information for optimized delivery over the telecommunications network. |
| US08024433B2 |
Managing application resources
Methods of managing application resources in a computer system. The methods may comprise the steps of determining a configuration of the computer system and receiving a request to access an application resource. The methods may also comprise the step of directing the request to a data file. The data file may include a plurality of streams, and each of the plurality of streams may comprise a configuration-specific version of the application resource. In various embodiments, the methods may also comprise the step of directing the request to a first stream of the plurality of streams. The first stream may comprise version of the application resource specific to the configuration. Various system embodiments are also provided. |
| US08024430B2 |
System and method for installing software
A method for installing software includes receiving configuration information at a server and installing a server software module on the server. The method further includes transmitting a client software module associated with the server software module to a plurality of clients and initiating, from the server, installation of the client software module on the plurality of clients. Additionally, the method includes configuring the client based, at least in part, on the configuration information received by the server. |
| US08024429B2 |
Method and apparatus for remote access to a home network
A method and apparatus for establishing a Quality of Service QoS in an access network for a multimedia session between a home network and a remote device located outside the home network. At least one of the remote device and the home network is connected to the access network. When a session invite message is received from the remote device for device discovery in the home network, a default QoS is enforced in the access network. When a session re-invite message is received from the remote device for media communication with a selected home device in the home network, the QoS requirements are determined for the media communication based on session parameters exchanged during the setup of the media communication. An updated QoS is then enforced for the session in the access network based on the determined QoS requirements. |
| US08024425B2 |
Web services deployment
A system and method for Web service archive deployment is describe. An exemplary method includes searching the Web services archive for a metadata descriptor, processing descriptors from the metadata descriptor, and generating a set of objects to serialize and deserialize input parameters. |
| US08024424B2 |
In-kernal content-aware service differentiation
The increasing number of Internet users and innovative new services such as e-commerce are placing new demands on Web servers. It is becoming essential for Web servers to provide performance isolation, have fast recovery times, and provide continuous service during overload at least to preferred customers. The invention describes a kernel-based architecture for content-aware service differentiation that protects Web servers against overload by controlling the amount and rate of work entering the system. We have invented a mechanism that provides admission control and service differentiation based on connection and application level information. The application header-based connection control uses application-level information (such as URIs and cookies for HTTP) to define different service differentiation actions. The present invention provides the kernel mechanisms that are more efficient and scalable than application level controls implemented in current Web servers. |
| US08024422B2 |
Web-based speech recognition with scripting and semantic objects
The present invention is a system and method for creating and implementing transactional speech applications (SAs) using Web technologies, without reliance on server-side standard or custom services. A transactional speech application may be any application that requires interpretation of speech in conjunction with a speech recognition (SR) system, such as, for example, consumer survey systems. A speech application in accordance with the present invention is represented within a Web page, as an application script that interprets semantic objects according to a context. Any commonly known scripting language can be used to write the application script, such as JavaScript (or ECMAScript), PerlScript, and VBscript. The present invention is “Web-based” to the extent that it implements Web technologies, but it need not include or access the World Wide Web. |
| US08024416B2 |
System and method for bundling information
A system and method of pushing user-selected data items from a host system to a user's mobile data communication device upon detecting the occurrence of one or more user-defined event triggers is provided. The user may then move (or file) the data items to a particular folder within a folder hierarchy stored in the mobile data communication device, or may execute some other system operation on the data item. Software operating at the mobile device and the host system then synchronizes the folder hierarchy of the mobile device with a folder hierarchy of the host system, and any actions executed on the data items at the mobile device are then automatically replicated on the same data items stored at the host system, thus eliminating the need for the user to manually replicate actions at the host system that have been executed at the mobile data communication device. |
| US08024414B2 |
Method and system for generating template replies to electronic mail messages
A method for responding to an electronic mail (“email”) message presented to a user on a display screen of a data processing system, comprising: receiving a command from the user to generate a reply to the email message using content from one or more template replies, the reply having a subject line and a body; presenting a choice of the one or more template replies to the user; receiving a command to select a template reply from the choice, the template reply having a subject line and a body; and generating the reply by inserting content from the body of the template reply into the body of the reply. |
| US08024412B2 |
User interface reading email conversations
Emails modeled as conversations are displayed in a user interface that enables users to read and interact with the emails within a conversation intuitively. Conversation breaks, such as those in an in-reply-to relationship between messages, are presented utilizing extra spaces between displayed message parts, excerpts of parent messages displayed above the message following the break, and/or graphical elements like broken connectors. Relationships between a user selected message and its parent within the conversation defined relationship are illustrated using graphical elements or schemes that focus on the selected message to avoid confusion due to information overload. |
| US08024411B2 |
Security classification of E-mail and portions of E-mail in a web E-mail access client using X-header properties
Web based e-mail classification is disclosed. A toolbar adds the ability to classify message such as web e-mail, calendar items and meeting appointments based on specific properties such as security classification, information type, document type, document retention, document caveats, and the like associated with the message. The toolbar through dropdown selections allows users to select the appropriate classification and properties based upon the content of the message. Administrators can predefine all the classification selections that are available to the user. E-mail classification properties are generated that are associated with the message by metadata insertion and by inserting visual markings that allow users to quickly identify the security, sensitivity, intended distribution or retention of the e-mail or calendar item. By utilizing the classification toolbar a user can classify an e-mail by one or more classification levels and be ensured that the message is delivered and processed in the appropriate manner. |
| US08024409B2 |
Method and system for automatically resending messages based on server status
A computer-implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for resending a message based on server status. The message is sent to a recipient. The message is stored to be resent in response to receiving a notification that the message could not be delivered to the recipient. Status of an email server associated with the recipient of the message is requested. The message is resent in response to the status indicating that messages may be received by the recipient. |
| US08024406B1 |
System and method for dispensing e-Care
An e-Care dispenser is disclosed herein which configures a set of devices to cooperatively process care requests by utilizing functional aspects distributed throughout those devices. The devices can be end user devices with varying capabilities, some of which might not possess resources to process the care request independently. The functional aspects can be distributed throughout the devices in such a manner as to efficiently utilize the devices in providing care. |
| US08024405B2 |
Declarative model for concurrency-control across lightweight threads
Implementing synchronization among threads in a workflow. A memory area stores a plurality of work items in a scheduler queue. The work items are associated with an activity in the workflow, and each work item is associated with a thread. A processor is configured to assign a synchronization handle to each of the work items. The synchronization handle indicates a particular shared resource to be accessed by the work items. A token value is computed for each work item based on the assigned synchronization handle and the work items in a hierarchy in the activity. The work items are sorted in a synchronization queue based on the token value associated with each work item. The processor sequentially executes each of the sorted work items in the synchronization queue to serialize the access to the particular shared resource and effects a synchronous execution of the threads associated with the work items. |
| US08024404B2 |
Method and apparatus for designating endpoints in a collaborative computer system to facilitate maintaining data consistency
In a peer-to-peer collaborative system in which collaborators communicate via a shared telespace and exchange data change requests, a unique number is assigned to each endpoint (a unique pairing of a device and a person) of each of the telespace members. Each endpoint number indicates the order in which the member joined the telespace, and, for each member invited to join (or otherwise sponsored) by another telespace member (the “inviting member”), it also indicates the inviting member. As more and more members are invited to join by those new members, the designations add additional orders of digits to indicate the family tree or chain of inviting members. The designations are used to resolve collisions between two data change requests that are both dependent on the same data change request. |
| US08024401B1 |
Customer relationship management system with network contact center server configured to control automated web and voice dialogues
A customer relationship management system is disclosed for matching a given work item with an agent. The system includes a database to hold customer information, agent information, and system information, and a network contact center server operative to receive the given work item from the customer and route it to the agent based at least in part on the information in the database. The network contact center server is configured to control the conduction of an automated web dialogue with the customer via a separate web server and is further configured to control the conduction of an automated voice dialogue with the customer via an interactive voice response system. The automated web dialogue and the automated voice dialogue are thereby both conductable under the control of the network contact center server. |
| US08024397B1 |
System for generating a services repository using a target services roadmap
A repository of services, a system for building a repository of services, a method of building a repository of services and various other embodiments associated with the repository are disclosed. The method relates to a method of building a repository of services using a target services roadmap. The method comprises receiving from a user an identification of an implemented service and zero or more target services and mapping the implemented service to the zero or more target services. The target services and/or mapped implemented services are added to the repository. |
| US08024392B2 |
Computational method, system, and apparatus
A method, system, and apparatus for performing computations.In a method, arguments X and K are loaded into session memory, and X mod P and X mod Q are computed to give, respectively, XP and XQ. XP and XQ are exponentiated to compute, respectively, CP and CQ. CP and CQ are merged to compute C, which is then retrieved from the session memory.A system includes a computing device and at least one computational apparatus, wherein the computing device is configured to use the computational apparatus to perform accelerated computations.An apparatus includes a chaining controller and a plurality of computational devices. A first chaining subset of the plurality of computational devices includes at least two of the plurality of computational devices, and the chaining controller is configured to instruct the first chaining subset to operate as a first computational chain. |
| US08024384B2 |
Techniques for crawling dynamic web content
An automated form filler and script executor is integrated with a web browser engine, which is communicatively coupled to a web crawler, thereby enabling the crawler to identify dynamic web content based on submission of forms completed by the form filler. The crawler is capable of identifying web pages containing forms that require submission, and JavaScript code that requires execution, respectively, for requesting dynamic web content from a server. The form filler systematically completes the form based on various combinations of search parameter values provided by the web page for requesting dynamic content. Duplicate forms are detected, so that the crawler does not unnecessarily re-process forms that are similar to forms that have already been processed. The crawler may also determine which JavaScript links in a page are relevant for execution, so as to avoid unnecessary execution of irrelevant JavaScript links. |
| US08024380B2 |
Improving data access speed while processing transaction requests from web based applications
Storing static data in a secondary storage and varying data in a database server. The static data can be stored in the database server also. In an embodiment, all the read/write requests related to the static data are sent to the secondary storage. Any updates to the static data are then propagated from the secondary storage to the database server at periodic intervals. |
| US08024378B2 |
System and method to reduce the promotion rate in a generational garbage collector in a virtual machine environment
A system for generational garbage collection in a virtual machine environment, comprising a virtual machine for executing a software application; a memory space for use by the virtual machine in storing software objects and pointers as part of the software application, divided into a three space nursery and an old space heap; a nursery garbage collector that can collect two out of the three spaces to reduce the promotion rate; and an old space garbage collector. |
| US08024376B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and information processing program
An information processing apparatus is provided, the apparatus being capable of automating an editing work or the like of captured moving image without providing a specific arrangement, for example, to a moving-image capturing apparatus. An information processing apparatus, comprises: a recording unit 102 for storing in advance attribute information indicative of specific attribute set in advance as attribute which image information inputted from the outside and having a change of specific mode set in advance should include, an image analysis unit 106 for analyzing a change of the image information inputted, and an evaluation unit 107 for, based on the analyzed change and the stored attribute information, in a case where the analyzed change is a change of the specific mode, linking the attribute information indicative of the specific attribute corresponding to a change of the specific mode, to the image information having a change of the specific mode. |
| US08024371B2 |
Managing inverse references between objects in object-oriented software
Managing inverse references across binary relationships. This functionality may be accomplished by using a base class with functionality for linking objects from both sides of a binary relationship. In particular, some embodiments implement a generalized inverse management capability. In some embodiments, by using a common base class for objects involved in one-to-one, one-to-many and many-to-many relationships, and by defining a field of one generic type when referring to at most one object, and by defining a field of another generic type when referring to many objects, automatic inverse management is obtained. Further, a specialization of the generic type of field used to refer to at most one object is used in cases of dependent relationships such that deletion of the reference without replacing it results in automatic disconnection of an object across all relationships. |
| US08024367B2 |
Alert engine
Methods and systems for managing alerts in a database are provided, whereby the alerts originate from at least one business application due to exceptional situations, and whereby the alerts are represented as objects, each object corresponding to one of a number of configurable alert types. Each of the alert type may be configured, so that alerts of that alert type comprise at least one of: an ID for uniquely identifying the alert, information representative of the type of alert, message text being descriptive of the alert, a set of parameters representative of business or control objects associated with the alert, an alert scope being representative of the relevance for partners or users, feedback information being representative of time and identity of acknowledging the alert by a partner or user, status information for controlling follow-up actions, validity time information, and priority information. |
| US08024363B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, program and program recording medium
An information processing apparatus adapted to be connected for use to a media drive apparatus for recording data on or reproduced data from a recording medium having a file system includes a real file system acquiring section that acquires the file system of the recording medium from the media drive apparatus and a virtual file system providing section that converts the file system acquired by the file system acquiring section into a virtual file system having a directory/file structure different from the directory/file structure on the recording medium and provides it to an application program. |
| US08024360B2 |
Method and apparatus for maintaining multiple sets of identity data
A method of assigning the UNIX computers in a network to one of a plurality of groups called zones, of creating independent sets of UNIX identity information for each network entity (user or group) for separate zones, and of associating an entity's sets of UNIX entity information with a single global entity record for the entity in the network's identity resolver. A further method of allowing a UNIX computer to request entity information from the identity resolver, and of the identity resolver returning resolved entity information appropriate for the requesting computer's zone. A further method of managing sets of zone-specific UNIX identity information in the identity resolver to ensure that entity names and entity identification numbers are not duplicated within a zone and to all the same names and numbers to be duplicated across zones. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US08024357B2 |
Medium and system for managing external routines in a database management system
A medium and system for managing an external routine in a computer implemented database management system includes creating a first table for storing external routines in a data store coupled to the database management system. An external routine is stored in the first table so that the database management system is allowed to automatically manage any modification related to the external routine and to control access to the external routine such that administrative support is minimized. |
| US08024355B2 |
Dynamic capacity demand profile construction with a persisted capacity demand profile and a collision buffer
A method is described that involves locking a capacity demand profile of a resource for the use of a transaction. The method also involves obtaining a portion of the locked capacity demand profile. The portion describes the capacity demand profile over a time interval in which a locked out transaction desired to implement a change to the capacity demand profile prior to the locking. The method involves implementing the change to the portion to form a changed portion. The method also involves, after the implementing, implementing a second change to the changed portion. The second change is desired by the transaction. |
| US08024353B2 |
Method and system for sequentially accessing compiled schema
A method for accessing data in a data structure includes determining a node type of a first entry in a node array that defines a hierarchical relationship of a plurality of nodes in a markup language schema and determining based on the node type of the first entry whether the first entry includes an explicit size value. The method further includes identifying, in response to determining that the first entry does not include an explicit size value, a predetermined size value associated with the node type of the first entry. Additionally, the method includes calculating an index for a second entry in the node array based on one of the explicit size value and the predetermined size value. |
| US08024352B2 |
One-stop shopping system and method
A system and method are disclosed for one-stop shopping for health-care services and related needs. The one-stop shopping system and method provide objective information for the system enrollee to assess and decide on health-care insurance and services. The system and method provide this objective information in a way that is easily accessible by system enrollees in an economical and rapid manner. |
| US08024349B1 |
String-based systems and methods for searching for real estate properties
A computer-implemented method for generating, responsive to user input from a user, a set of property results, said set of property results including data pertaining to one or more properties, the computer-implemented method comprising: (a) receiving the user input, the user input including one or more text strings; (b) checking the one or more text strings against one or more references to find one or more changeable text strings, the one or more references including a real estate dictionary; (c) forming one or more search criteria using one or more transformed terms, the one or more transformed terms pertaining to the one or more changeable text strings; and (d) searching in one or more databases using the one or more search criteria to produce the set of property results, the one or more databases include one or more property databases. |
| US08024348B2 |
Expanding attribute profiles
A method and system for expanding attribute profiles are presented in which primary attributes from one or more attribute profiles are used to derive secondary attributes which are added to the respective attribute profiles to generate expanded attribute profiles. The expanded attribute profiles are generated to increase the strength of association of a query attribute with one or more attribute profiles associated with query-attribute-positive individuals. |
| US08024347B2 |
Method and apparatus for automatically differentiating between types of names stored in a data collection
A method and system for differentiating types of data stored in a data collection. In one implementation, the method includes receiving a search request on a first type of data stored in the data collection; automatically differentiating data of the first type stored in the data collection from data of other types stored in the data collection; and completing the search request using data determined to be of the first type. Automatically differentiating data of the first type includes determining a type of each data entry in the data collection based only on tokens associated with the data entry. |
| US08024346B2 |
Method and apparatus for ranked join indices
A method and apparatus for ranked join indices includes a solution providing performance guarantees for top-k join queries over two relations, when preprocessing to construct a ranked join index for a specific join condition is permitted. The concepts of ranking join indices presented herein are also applicable in the case of a single relation. In this case, the concepts herein provide a solution to the top-k selection problem with monotone linear functions, having guaranteed worst case search performance for the case of two ranked attributes and arbitrary preference vectors. |
| US08024340B2 |
Metadata collection system, content management server, metadata collection apparatus, metadata collection method and program
In a metadata collection system comprising a plurality of content management servers each capable of managing content and content metadata as local content and managing content metadata stored in another content management server as reference content and a metadata collection apparatus connected with the plurality of content management servers to collect metadata from the plurality of content management servers, the metadata collection apparatus collects metadata from the individual content management servers based upon server information held at the content management servers and category identifiers appended to tree structures generated at the content management servers by individually referencing the plurality of content management servers. |
| US08024338B2 |
Systems, methods, and interfaces for reducing executions of overly broad user queries
The present inventor devised, among other things, an exemplary information retrieval system that promises to reduce the execution of overly broad queries. One exemplary system detects overly broad queries and presents users one or more potentially relevant portions of a hierarchical subject matter classification system, instead of executing the query against the targeted database. The system also presents users the option of accessing one or more relevant documents to the query via an interface for the classification system. |
| US08024325B2 |
Estimating the cost of XML operators for binary XML storage
Techniques for estimating the cost of processing a database statement that includes one or more path expressions are provided. One aspect of cost is I/O cost, or the cost of reading data from persistent storage into memory according to a particular streaming operator. Binary-encoded XML data is stored in association with a synopsis that summarizes the binary-encoded XML data. The synopsis includes skip length information for one or more elements and indicates, for each such element, how large (e.g., in bytes) the element is in storage. The skip length information of a particular element thus indicates how much data may be skipped during I/O if the particular element does not match the path expression that is input to the streaming operator. The skip length information of one or more elements is used to estimate the cost of processing the database statement. |
| US08024324B2 |
Information retrieval with unified search using multiple facets
A method for information retrieval with unified search between heterogeneous objects includes indexing a first object as a document in a search index; referencing a second object related to the first object in a facet of the document; and storing a relationship strength between the first and second objects in the facet of the document in the search index. Multiple heterogeneous objects can be related to the first object and referenced in multiple facets of the document, each with its relationship strength to the first object. Scoring an indirect object by indirect relation to a query object can be carried out by aggregating the relationship strengths between the indirect object and the retrieved objects multiplied by the retrieved objects' direct scores of relationship strength to the query object. |
| US08024323B1 |
Natural language search for audience
A facility for defining a group of people is described. The facility provides a visual user interface containing a control for receiving a query string. The facility receives a query string via the control, and uses an index on a body of documents to identify documents of the body that satisfy the received query string. The facility accesses a record indicating which documents of the body were accessed by each of a population of people during a foregoing time period to identify people among the population that accessed at least a threshold number of the identified documents during the foregoing time period. The facility displays within the visual user interface, in conjunction with the control, information characterizing the people identified. |
| US08024322B2 |
Ordered index
Systems and methods for processing an index are described. A postings list of items containing a particular term are ordered in a desired retrieval order, e.g., most recent first. The ordered items are inserted into an inverted index in the desired retrieval order, resulting in an ordered inverted index from which items may be efficiently retrieved in the desired retrieval order. During retrieval, items may first be retrieved from a live index, and the retrieved items from the live and ordered indexes may be merged. The retrieved items may also be filtered in accordance with the items' file grouping parameters. |
| US08024318B2 |
System and method for automated discovery, binding, and integration of non-registered geospatial web services
A method and computer system for identifying internet web pages containing documents that comply with a predetermined XML schema. The method includes searching the internet with a search engine for web pages using initial search terms and identifying a first set of HTTP URLs, web crawling at least the first set of HTTP URLs to identify additional HTTP URLs, appending a query to the identified URLs, and evaluating the responses to the query to determine which responses comply with the predetermined XML schema. The XML schema can be a Web Mapping Services schema. The system can store responses that comply with the XML schema in a database of servers, periodically check the database for validity, and convert the map requests for map servers in the database to a GIDB Portal Interface API. |
| US08024317B2 |
System and method for deriving income from URL based context queries
A system and method for deriving income from URL based context queries. A URL based user context query is received over a network from a user, wherein the user context comprises at least one user context criteria. A query is formulated based on the context criteria so as to search for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data, topical data and context query bid data that is available via the network and relates to the context so as to identify entries in a context query bid database that relate to user context criteria. A dynamic webpage is generated having content relating to the query and advertisements associated with the selected bid are inserted into the webpage. The dynamic webpage is transmitted to the user. The advertiser associated with the selected bid is charged a fee when a user interface event relating to the dynamic webpage occurs. |
| US08024314B2 |
Hybrid location and keyword index
A method and system for generating a hybrid index for indexing objects based on location and keyword attributes and performing location-based searching is provided. A search system performs a location-based search using a hybrid index that indexes both location and keyword attributes of objects. The search system generates the hybrid index either using the location attribute as the primary index or the keyword attribute as the primary index. When the location attribute is the primary index, the keyword attribute is the secondary index, and vice versa. To generate the hybrid index, the search system identifies the values for the keyword and location attributes of each object. The search system generates the primary index to map each value of a first attribute to a secondary index. The search system thus generates, for each value of the first attribute, a secondary index to map values of a second attribute to objects that have the associated values of the first and second attributes. The search system then uses the hybrid index to perform location-based searching. |
| US08024308B2 |
Electronic previous search results log
A method for providing a viewable search results log to allow determination of the effectiveness of search strategies and sharing results of searches with others. The search results log reveals search strategies utilized by a human searcher with which the search results log is associated. The search results produced by at least one human searcher are stored in the search results log and presented according to a view format selected by a viewer. The search results log can be interrelated to other systems such as a blog or a search engine. |
| US08024305B2 |
Updating a data warehouse schema based on changes in an observation model
A method, information processing system, and computer readable medium for modifying at least one data warehouse schema based on detected changes in an associated observation model are disclosed. The method includes determining if at least one new observation model has been created. The method also includes determining if at least one existing observation model is associated with the new observation model. In response to the existing observation model being associated with the new observation model, at least one changed attribute is identified by comparing the new observation model and the existing observation model. A set of files associated with the existing observation model is updated to reflect the changed attribute between the new observation model and the existing observation model. |
| US08024300B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image forming method, and storage medium
In an image forming apparatus, a first document manager stores image data in an image storage device, associates the image data with a first identifier, outputs the image data via an image output device when the first identifier is specified via an operation device, and deletes the image data from the image storage device when a first condition is satisfied. A second document manager associates the image data with a second identifier, outputs the second identifier via the image output device, and outputs the image data via the image output device when the second identifier is input via an image input device. The first document manager does not delete the image data from the image storage device and prohibits the operation device from specifying the first identifier when the image data is associated with both the first and second identifiers. |
| US08024297B2 |
Data logging system and method thereof for heterogeneous data
The present invention provides a data logging system and a data logging method for heterogeneous data. The record file and the index file according to the present invention are constructed in such a way that the data from the log record corresponding to a given target visual data line are accessible within essentially constant time independent of the position of the visual data line within the data view, the size of the data view, the size of the log record, and the size of the record file. In the present invention, the interpreted data for each log record, occupying zero or at least one of the visual data lines, are represented within the data view continuously side by side. The computer readable medium having recorded thereon a program allowing a computer to execute the data logging method according to the present invention and the computer program product for the same are also provided. |
| US08024295B2 |
Method and apparatus for archiving and unarchiving objects
The invention is directed towards methods and apparatuses for archiving and unarchiving objects. Some embodiments of the invention archive and unarchive objects that have global and user settings in multi-user environments. To archive objects, these embodiments identify which object settings are global settings and which settings are user settings. They store the global settings in an archive, and then store the user settings in another archive. To unarchive each object, some embodiments identify the object's settings in one or both archives. These embodiments instantiate the object, and retrieve its settings from the data archives and use the retrieved settings to define the values of the settings of the instantiated object. Some embodiments use key-value coding techniques to retrieve values and load values in an object. Key-value coding allows an archiving or unarchiving process to retrieve and load setting values for an object by using the setting names. |
| US08024291B2 |
Message generator
A message generator for use in a publish/subscribe system, the publish/subscribe system having a broker for receiving a plurality of messages from one or more publishers and a subscriber: the message generator comprising: a storage component for retaining the plurality of messages; and an aggregator for aggregating the plurality of messages into an aggregated message. |
| US08024282B2 |
Method for reliable classification of samples in clinical diagnostics using an improved method of classification
A system for classification of a test object using a training set comprising a plurality of objects, each of which is assigned as a member of a class. Collectively, the objects in the training set are members of at least two classes. A computer system is configured as a probabilistic classifier. The classifier estimates the probability of the test object being a member of each of the classes in the training set. The probabilistic classifier estimates the probability with reference to the class assignments of the objects in the training set which are neighbors to the test object within a defined region within the training set. The probabilistic classifier takes into account the situation in which there is an imbalance in the number of objects in the different classes in the training set. Additionally, the probabilistic classifier does not require any knowledge of the probability distribution function of the classes in the training set. |
| US08024276B2 |
Method for interactive learning and training
Provided is a method comprising delivering a video of an event to a learner that includes a still menu that effectuates and simulates a pause; recording a video of an action by the learner in response to the event; presenting to the learner the video of the action by the learner; presenting to the learner a video showing a preferred action by a master in response to the event; and recording at least one additional action by the learner. Also provided is a method for teaching a learner how to respond to an event comprising allowing the learner to choose among recording an action in response to a video of an event, viewing one or more recorded actions of a master, and comparing the two videos; wherein recording may be chosen before and after either or both viewing and reviewing, and the recordings are viewable as videos on a monitor. |
| US08024273B2 |
Establishing patient consent on behalf of a third party
A database system, which stores electronic medical records, may assign a child-application-identification-code to a healthcare provider via a clinical system intermediary acting on behalf of the healthcare provider. The database system may associate the child-application-identification-code assigned to the healthcare provider with a privacy statement and terms of use associated with the clinical system. The privacy statement and terms of use may be presented to the patient when the patient is prompted by the database system to approve or deny a request by the healthcare provider to access the electronic medical record of the patient stored at the database system. |
| US08024272B2 |
Methods and systems for exchanging/transferring gift cards
Methods and systems for exchanging various forms of value, including coins, currency, credit, debit, and/or bank account funds, for prepaid cash cards, credit cards, phone cards, and the like. In one embodiment, a value exchange machine includes a coin input region, a coin sorting/counting apparatus, a card reader, and a communications facility configured to communicate with a remote computer network. In another embodiment, a value exchange system includes one or more of the value exchange machines connected to one or more remote computers via a communications link. A user wishing to purchase, for example, a prepaid cash card can visit one of the value exchange machines, select the desired transaction, and pay for the card with coins, currency, a credit card, a debit card, and/or bank account funds. After confirming payment, the value exchange machine dispenses the card to the user. |
| US08024270B2 |
Operating a communications infrastructure on a pre-payment basis
Subscribers to a communications infrastructure, such as a GPRS network, can pre-pay for use of metered resources of the infrastructure. When a pre-payment subscriber joins the network, the current credit amount for the subscriber is distributed as credit values between user-specific virtual purses each associated with a respective metered resource. Upon use of a metered resource by the subscriber, the credit value held in the associated purse is correspondingly reduced, with use of the resource being dependent on the purse being in credit. The virtual purses are preferably electronically distributed to be close by the metered resources to which they relate whereby to reduce network billing traffic. When the subscriber leaves the network, the remaining credit values are consolidated from the purses. |
| US08024264B2 |
Systems and methods for determining thin-file records and determining thin-file risk levels
In some embodiments, systems and methods are disclosed for generating filters to determine whether a consumer is likely to have a scoreable credit record based on non-credit data, and to determine a potential risk level associated with an unscoreable credit record based on non-credit data. Existing scoreable and unscoreable records are compared to determine factors correlated with having an unscoreable record, and a multi-level filter is developed. Unscoreable records having at least one entry are compared to determine whether they are “good” or “bad” risks, factors correlated with either condition are determined, and a filter is developed. The filters can be applied to records comprising demographic data to determine consumers that are likely to have unscoreable records but represent good risks. |
| US08024257B2 |
System and method for continuously offered guaranteed fund with full and permanent allocation to risky market investments
Software implemented system has a guarantee valuation engine and methodology that configures a processor with code which enables a fund that is continuously offered and always fully invested in traditional assets that correlate to a benchmark and which is subject to a guarantee with respect to net asset value on a specified future date to be re-priced on a daily basis and to have the effect of such re-pricing in the reported NAV of the fund. |
| US08024254B2 |
Opening price process for trading system
A system for determining an opening price for products traded over a distributed, networked computer system is described. The system includes a plurality of workstations for entering orders for financial products into the distributed, networked computer system, said orders specifying a quantity of the financial product. A plurality of workstations for entering orders and a server computer coupled to the workstations, said server computer executing a server process that determines an opening price for the product. The opening price process posting an allocation message to market maker participants to communicate an expected allocation of the imbalance for execution at an initial opening of the market in the event that the imbalance exists at the opening. |
| US08024245B2 |
Using commercial share of wallet in private equity investments
Commercial size of spending wallet (“CSoSW”) is the total business spend of a business including cash but excluding bartered items. Commercial share of wallet (“CSoW”) is the portion of the spending wallet that is captured by a particular financial company. A modeling approach utilizes various data sources to provide outputs that describe a company's spend capacity. Private equity firms and other investors of small businesses can use the CSoW/CSoSW modeling approach to more accurately evaluate small and privately held companies, both during investment and for evaluating prospective investments. Over-the-counter securities trading systems can also use this modeling approach to provide more accurate information and/or rankings of listed companies to their customers. |
| US08024243B2 |
Methods and systems for processing and communicating financial transaction data
Methods and systems are provided for processing the financial information of a client of a financial institution. One method embodiment includes receiving data from an overdraft data source including at least one overdraft occurrence associated with a transaction performed in association with the client; analyzing the overdraft occurrence in an overdraft application to determine a cause and disposition of the overdraft occurrence in connection with the cause of the overdraft occurrence; and, communicating an overdraft report associated with the analyzing step to a manager associated with the client. Additional system and computer-readable medium embodiments of the present methods are also provided. In another aspect of the present methods and systems, historical overdraft issues are analyzed and reported to the management of a financial institution. System and computer-readable medium embodiments of these analysis and reporting methods are also provided. |
| US08024241B2 |
Computer-implemented systems and methods for cost flow analysis
Computer-implemented systems and methods for analyzing costs associated with a cost flow model having components of relationships and entities. A system and method can be configured to receive data associated with the cost flow model that identifies the costs associated with the relationships among the entities. One or more matrices are created that are representative of the costs and the entity relationships. One or more sparse matrix operations are performed upon the created one or more matrices in order to determine cost contribution amounts from an entity to another entity. |
| US08024233B2 |
System and method for processing personalized stationery designs and selecting fulfillment order sites
A system and method are described for digitally processing a stationery order and for selecting an optimum fulfillment site for fulfilling the stationery order. For example, a method according to one embodiment of the invention comprises: providing an end user with a set of selectable stationery templates, the stationery personalization engine receiving an indication that an end user has selected a particular one of the stationery templates; collecting personalization data from the user, the personalization data including personalized messages, one or more stationery formatting options selected by the user, and names and addresses of stationery recipients; applying the personalization data to the stationery templates to generate a personalized stationery design; identifying a set of eligible fulfillment sites for printing the stationery design based on a first set of variables; and identifying an optimal fulfillment site from the set of eligible fulfillment sites based on a second set of variables. |
| US08024230B2 |
System and method for a virtual inventory program for wireless sales and services
An embodiment of a method, system, and apparatus for providing a virtual inventory program for wireless sales and services includes receiving an indication of a selected wireless device, and receiving an indication of a selected wireless rate plan associated with the selected wireless device. The method further includes storing a customer order including the selected wireless device and the selected wireless rate plan, and sending the customer order to a wireless service provider associated with at least one of the selected wireless devices and the selected wireless rate plan. The wireless service provider activates the selected wireless device for use with one or more wireless networks provided by the wireless service provider in response to receiving the customer order. The activated selected wireless device is then shipped to a shipping address. |
| US08024229B2 |
Wide area network person-to-person payment
According to the invention, transferring money using a computer network is disclosed. In one step, information is saved on credit received for a first user (110) in a stored value account on a server computer system (170). At the server computer system (170), a request from the first user (110) to send money to a second user (130) based on the stored value account is received. An electronic notification is sent from the server computer (170) to the second user (130) to notify the second user (130) of the request. A debit in the stored value account of the first user (110) is created. The requested money is sent to the second user (130) upon a receipt of a request at the server computer (170) from the second user (130). |
| US08024228B1 |
Concealed performance bid
System(s) and method(s) for offering one or more items, for sale or for purchase, for a specified period of time during which participants bid to purchase or sell the items. The system provides each participant an indication of how their bid compares to bids placed by others. The system does not disclose the bid details of other participants. By providing this bid range of information, each bidder has a sense of their general bid position (not knowing others specific bids), compared to all bidders and by this means, the overall price offered for the item may be driven up or, in the case of offer to buy bid, driven down. |
| US08024217B2 |
Method of tradeable financial instrument from value-added manufactured product by pareto market analysis
A method and system for design and development of financial instruments which enables businesses to benefit from the economic value of risk management. First the system develops a methodology, for specific sector, to extract root products. A database is designed to continually update the technical specifications of root products to ensure the uniformity of defined generic specification. Next the system database continually monitors, stores and analyzes the market intelligence required for determining the products relative market strength. Finally, a flexible contract product is designed transforming these products to financial instruments. Such financial instruments are continuously updated, added and deleted as the technical and market conditions change. |
| US08024214B2 |
System and method of visualization for aggregation of change tracking information
A system for identifying one or more social patterns in a status history of one or more change requests includes: a processor for executing instructions and memory comprising logic for: receiving as input change request data history; detecting social patterns in the change request data history; storing information about the social patterns, including status history data; and providing information on social patterns within the status history of the given change request. The logic includes the following elements: a hypertext transfer protocol server handler; a social pattern server database; a change log handler; a social pattern alert handler; a social pattern query handler; and a social pattern detection handler for: receiving new patterns wherein the patterns are user-defined operational descriptors, detecting social patterns in raw change request data from the change log handler, and storing the patterns in the database, and analyzing the patterns. The system further includes a graphical user interface. |
| US08024213B1 |
System and method and article of manufacture for making financial decisions by balancing goals in a financial manager
A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for balancing attainment of goals. First, a plurality of goals are presented to a user. The goals may be previously selected by the user or may include a default set of goals, for example. The user is permitted to adjust preferences related to a selected one or more of the goals. An impact on attaining some or all of the goals is determined based on the adjusted preferences. The impact on attaining the goals is then displayed to the user. |
| US08024210B2 |
Method for managing ground assistance teams of locomotive vehicles and data transmission system therefor
The invention concerns a method for managing ground assistance teams of a transport vehicle in a parking zone (19), wherein a management center (3) determines the tasks for the respective assistance teams and provides each team with data specifying its task, comprising the following steps: the management center (3) transmits task data over a radiotelephone network (10); the teams receive the respective data over terminals (15, 16) of the network, which presents the data to them; and after executing the tasks, the teams transmit back to the center (3), from the terminals (15, 16) task performance reports. |
| US08024202B2 |
Ergonomics-based health facilitator for computer users
A method, system and computer program product for facilitating ergonomics-based health in a user of a computer workstation is presented. The method includes the steps of detecting an ergonomics problem for a user of a computer workstation, wherein the ergonomics problem is directly related to a current real-time body position of the user, and wherein the ergonomics problem would likely cause an injury to the user if left uncorrected. A user health protection algorithm is then executed to generate an ergonomic recommendation. The user health protection algorithm utilizes user work parameters as inputs. The ergonomic recommendation, which will correct the ergonomics problem, is then presented to the user. |
| US08024195B2 |
Systems and methods of performing speech recognition using historical information
Embodiments of the present invention improve speech recognition using historical information. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method of performing speech recognition comprising receiving an identifier specifying a user of a kiosk, retrieving history information about the user using the identifier, receiving speech input, recognizing said speech input in the context of a first recognition set, resulting in first recognition results, and modifying the first recognition results using the history information. |
| US08024192B2 |
Time-warping of decoded audio signal after packet loss
A technique is described for use in a decoder configured to decode a series of frames representing an encoded audio signal. The technique is for transitioning between a lost frame and one or more received frames following the lost frame in the series of frames. In accordance with the technique, an output audio signal associated with the lost frame is synthesized. An extrapolated signal is generated based on the synthesized output audio signal. A time lag is calculated between the extrapolated signal and a decoded audio signal associated with the received frame(s), wherein the time lag represents a phase difference between the extrapolated signal and the decoded audio signal. The decoded audio signal is time-warped based on the time lag, wherein time-warping the decoded audio signal comprises stretching or shrinking the decoded audio signal in the time domain. |
| US08024191B2 |
System and method of word lattice augmentation using a pre/post vocalic consonant distinction
Systems and methods are provided for recognizing speech in a spoken dialogue system. The method includes receiving input speech having a pre-vocalic consonant or a post-vocalic consonant, generating at least one output lattice that calculates a first score by comparing the input speech to a training model to provide a result and distinguishing between the pre-vocalic consonant and the post-vocalic consonant in the input speech. A second score is calculated by measuring a similarity between the pre-vocalic consonant or the post vocalic consonant in the input speech and the first score. At least one category is determined for the pre-vocalic match or mismatch or the post-vocalic match or mismatch by using the second score and the results of the an automated speech recognition (ASR) system are refined by using the at least one category for the pre-vocalic match or mismatch or the post-vocalic match or mismatch. |
| US08024188B2 |
Method and system of optimal selection strategy for statistical classifications
An optimal selection or decision strategy is described through an example that includes use in dialog systems. The selection strategy or method includes receiving multiple predictions and multiple probabilities. The received predictions predict the content of a received input and each of the probabilities corresponds to one of the predictions. In an example dialog system, the received input includes an utterance. The selection method includes dynamically selecting a set of predictions from the received predictions by generating ranked predictions. The ranked predictions are generated by ordering the plurality of predictions according to descending probability. |
| US08024183B2 |
System and method for addressing channel mismatch through class specific transforms
A method and system for speaker recognition and identification includes transforming features of a speaker utterance in a first condition state to match a second condition state and provide a transformed utterance. A discriminative criterion is used to generate a transform that maps an utterance to obtain a computed result. The discriminative criterion is maximized over a plurality of speakers to obtain a best transform for recognizing speech and/or identifying a speaker under the second condition state. Speech recognition and speaker identity may be determined by employing the best transform for decoding speech to reduce channel mismatch. |
| US08024181B2 |
Scalable encoding device and scalable encoding method
There is provided a scalable encoding device capable of realizing a bandwidth scalable LSP encoding with high performance by improving the conversion performance from narrow band LSPs to wide band LSPs. The device includes: an autocorrelation coefficient conversion unit (301) for converting the narrow band LSPs of Mn order to an autocorrelation coefficients of Mn order; an inverse lag window unit (302) for applying a window which has an inverse characteristic of a lag window supposed to be applied to the autocorrelation coefficients; an extrapolation unit (303) for extending the order of the autocorrelation coefficients to (Mn+Mi) order by extrapolating the inverse lag windowed autocorrelation coefficients; an up-sample unit (304) for performing an up-sample process in the autocorrelation domain which is equivalent to an up-sample process in a time domain for the autocorrelation coefficients of the (Mn+Mi) order so as to obtain autocorrelation coefficients of Mw order; a lag window unit (305) for applying a lag window to the autocorrelation coefficients of Mw order; and an LSP conversion unit (306) for converting the lag windowed autocorrelation coefficients into LSPs. |
| US08024172B2 |
Method and system for emulating tape libraries
A method and system for emulating tape library commands is disclosed. Tape library commands implemented in response to commands received from a data protection application are emulated in a disk based storage medium so that existing data protection applications may be used to copy data to and from the disk based storage medium. |
| US08024164B1 |
Adaptive lookup table: a graphical simulation component for recursively updating numeric data storage in table form
A system may include a memory to store a graphical block diagram model including a graphical block, the graphical block being associated with a lookup table and one or more inputs for receiving input data. The system may further include one or more processors to update data stored in the lookup table based on the received input data, where data stored in the lookup table includes data for simulating an embedded control system. |
| US08024163B2 |
Method and apparatus for executing multiple simulations on a supercomputer
A supercomputer processing system is provided that is configured to execute a plurality of simulations through transaction processing. The supercomputer processing system includes a supercomputer configured to execute a first simulation of the plurality of simulations and generate an output based upon execution of the first simulation, and a transaction hub. The transaction hub includes a relational database configured to store the output of the first simulation, and an application server having a service-oriented architecture (SOA) that supports an event triggering service. The event triggering service is configured to detect the output of the first simulation and automatically trigger the supercomputer to execute a second simulation of the plurality of simulations using the output of the first simulation stored in the relational database. |
| US08024162B2 |
Particle behavior analysis method, particle behavior analysis apparatus, and computer readable storage medium
A particle behavior analysis method uses plural computers connected via a network to analyze particle behavior considering an interaction force with a different substance acting on a particle. The method includes analyzing the particle behavior by using a force decomposition paralleling algorithm using a force matrix considering at least two or more types of interaction forces. |
| US08024158B2 |
Management system and management method of CAD data used for a structural analysis
A management system of CAD data is provided, which stores sets of the CAD data, and a set of mesh conditions under which a CAE model is created from each of the sets of the CAD data and a set of analysis conditions under which CAE analysis on the created CAE model is performed associated with each set of the CAD data. Moreover, the management system of CAD data, to perform the CAE analysis on one of the sets of the CAD data, reads from the storage unit the set of the CAD data, and the set of the mesh conditions and the set of the analysis conditions associated with the set of the CAD data, creates the CAE model from the set of the CAD data under the read set of the mesh conditions, and perform the CAE analysis on the created CAE model under the read set of the analysis conditions. |
| US08024152B2 |
Tensor linear laplacian discrimination for feature extraction
Tensor linear Laplacian discrimination for feature extraction is disclosed. One embodiment comprises generating a contextual distance based sample weight and class weight, calculating a within-class scatter using the at least one sample weight and a between-class scatter for multiple classes of data samples in a sample set using the class weight, performing a mode-k matrix unfolding on scatters and generating at least one orthogonal projection matrix. |
| US08024151B2 |
Mobile instrument, viewing device, and methods of processing and storing information
A method of transferring information stored in a mobile instrument, the information including a first information file (140) containing metadata and a pointer indicative of a first auxiliary file address; and a first auxiliary file (141) containing image information, the first auxiliary file being located at the first auxiliary file address. The method includes the steps of: storing the metadata in a second information file (140′); storing the image information in a second auxiliary file (142′) at a second auxiliary file address; generating a second pointer indicative of the second auxiliary file address; and storing the second pointer in the second information file. The instrument includes a camera (70); one or more spatial sensors; and an external sensor port (56). Power to the sensors can be controlled asynchronously. Various parsing methods are also described. The instrument includes a marker module configured to superimpose a marker on the image. |
| US08024149B2 |
Overheat detection system
According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for preventing the failure of a system, which includes one or more pipes, or one or more cooling jackets, or one or more fluid cooled system components carrying a fluid, involves detecting one or more pressure levels of the fluid in the one or more pipes at one or more points, then comparing the detected pressure levels to a corresponding one or more predetermined limitation values. If the detected pressure levels exceed the corresponding limitation values, a shut-down signal is generated. The shut-down signal triggers the adjusting of one or more systems responsible for causing thermal variations of the fluid, preventing the system from failing while allowing the system to continue operation shortly thereafter. |
| US08024142B1 |
Method and system for analyzing signal waveforms
A method and system for analyzing a signal waveform that comprises digitally sampling a signal at a periodic sampling interval, and accumulating a count of samples of the signal at a given logic level relative to a threshold value over a given period. The threshold value is stepped through a series of values while the accumulating of samples is repeated at a series of different clock offsets. The accumulated counts permit a statistical distribution of the signal waveform to be determined. A signal density can also be calculated by determining the difference between the count of adjacent samples at successive threshold values. |
| US08024139B2 |
Method and computer code for statistical process control for censored production data
A method for monitoring device characteristics of semiconductor integrated circuits. The device characteristics includes censored data and uncensored data. The method includes determining a plurality of minimum breakdown voltages numbered from 1 through N, respectively, for a plurality of lots (e.g., wafer fabrication lots) numbered from 1 through N. Each of the plurality of minimum breakdown voltages is respectively indicative of the plurality of samples through order statistics. One or more of the plurality of samples includes one or more uncensored data points and one or more censored data points. The method includes processing the minimum breakdown voltages, respectively, for the plurality of lots. Each of the minimum breakdown voltages is processed for the respective plurality of lots and is indicative of a population characteristic breakdown voltage numbered from 1 through N for the respective lot numbered from 1 through N. The method includes determining one or more anomalies based upon the processing of the minimum breakdown voltages. The one or more anomalies is associated with one or more processes associated with at least one of the lots. |
| US08024138B2 |
Power supply circuitry, collection and reporting of power supply parameter information
In an example configuration, a power supply manager receives an output current value representing an amount of output current supplied by one or more power converter phases to a load. The power supply manager also receives a duty cycle value representing a duty cycle for controlling operation of the at least one power converter phase. The power supply manager produces an estimate of input current supplied to the power supply circuit based at least in part on multiplying the output current value by the duty cycle value. Contrary to conventional methods such as physically measuring an input current using complex measuring circuitry, embodiments herein include utilizing parameter information such as output current information and duty cycle information to deduce an amount of input current. |
| US08024133B2 |
System for detecting and estimating concentrations of gas or liquid analytes
A sensor system for detecting and estimating concentrations of various gas or liquid analytes. In an embodiment, the resistances of a set of sensors are measured to provide a set of responses over time where the resistances are indicative of gas or liquid sorption, depending upon the sensors. A concentration vector for the analytes is estimated by satisfying a criterion of goodness using the set of responses. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08024129B2 |
Method and apparatus for searching gene sequence
A method and apparatus for searching a gene sequence. The gene sequence search method includes receiving the gene sequence from a user, generating extended sequences including the received gene sequence, partial sequences included in the gene sequence and an inverse sequence complementary to the gene sequence, storing the gene sequence, the extended sequences, the partial sequences, the inverse sequence and input-related record information in a database, integrated-searching the gene sequence using a gene sequence search server, estimating a gene sequence search ranking for a predetermined period using the database and outputting an integrated and searched result of the gene sequence and a gene sequence search ranking result to the user. |
| US08024127B2 |
Local-global alignment for finding 3D similarities in protein structures
A method of finding 3D similarities in protein structures of a first molecule and a second molecule. The method comprises providing preselected information regarding the first molecule and the second molecule. Comparing the first molecule and the second molecule using Longest Continuous Segments (LCS) analysis. Comparing the first molecule and the second molecule using Global Distance Test (GDT) analysis. Comparing the first molecule and the second molecule using Local Global Alignment Scoring function (LGA_S) analysis. Verifying constructed alignment and repeating the steps to find the regions of 3D similarities in protein structures. |
| US08024125B2 |
Methods and apparatus to monitor contamination levels in a formation fluid
Apparatus and methods to monitor contamination levels in a formation fluid are disclosed. An example method involves obtaining first property data indicative of a first fluid property of a formation fluid and second property data indicative of a second fluid property of the formation fluid. A correlation between the first and second property data is generated and third data is fitted to the correlation. A fitting parameter is determined based on the third data indicative of an amount of change of the first property data relative to an amount of change of the second property data. |
| US08024124B2 |
Determining maximum horizontal stress in an earth formation
The invention relates to a method for determining maximum horizontal stress in an earth formation. The method includes obtaining fast shear wave velocities (Vs1) and slow shear wave velocities (Vs2) for various depths in the earth formation, calculating shear wave anisotropy (Adata) using Vs1 and Vs2, obtaining vertical stress (Sv) and minimum horizontal stress (Sh) for the formation, representing maximum horizontal stress (SH) using a parameterized function having at least one parameter and using Sh and Sv as input, determining a value of the at least one parameter by minimizing a cost function that represents a measure of difference between Adata and Apred for the various depths and Apred is predicted shear wave anisotropy determined using Sv, Sh, and SH, calculating SH using the parameterized function and the value of the at least one parameter, and storing SH in relation to the earth formation. |
| US08024115B2 |
Navigation apparatus, method and program for vehicle
An onboard navigation apparatus provides travel guidance on a road including a plurality of roadways heading in the same direction. The road specifically includes a special roadway such as a carpool lane having no exits to other roads, an ordinary roadway having exits to the other roads and a predetermined traveling-path changing area provided as a sole area allowing a vehicle to change a traveling path thereof between the special roadway and the ordinary roadway. The apparatus determines a present position of a vehicle, determines whether the detected position is in the special roadway or in an ordinary roadway. The apparatus provides, in addition to normal travel guidance, information on the traveling-path changing area existing ahead of the vehicle on a display, when the detected position is in the special roadway. |
| US08024114B2 |
Navigation data quality feedback
A computer assisted navigation system determines a recommended route for a vehicle to travel between a source and destination location, and provides exception notifications in some events where the vehicle travels a route different that the recommended route. The vehicle includes a navigation system that has a location monitoring component. It is determined if the location of the vehicle is different than a location along the recommended route. An exception notification is generated when the vehicle is not along the recommended route it is likely that the reason the recommended route was not used is because the recommended route is not the optimal route between the source and destination locations. |
| US08024112B2 |
Methods for predicting destinations from partial trajectories employing open-and closed-world modeling methods
The claimed subject matter provides systems and/or methods that facilitate inferring probability distributions over the destinations and/or routes of a user, from observations about context and partial trajectories of a trip. Destinations of a trip are based on at least one of a prior and a likelihood based at least in part on the received input data. The destination estimator component can use one or more of a personal destinations prior, time of day and day of week, a ground cover prior, driving efficiency associated with candidate locations, and a trip time likelihood to probabilistically predict the destination. In addition, data gathered from a population about the likelihood of visiting previously unvisited locations and the spatial configuration of such locations may be used to enhance the predictions of destinations and routes. |
| US08024103B2 |
Method and device for monitoring an exhaust gas turbocharger of an internal combustion engine
A method and a device are described for monitoring an exhaust gas turbocharger of an internal combustion engine, which allow a diagnosis of the oil supply to an exhaust gas turbocharger. In at least one operating state of the internal combustion engine, a variable that is characteristic for the rotational speed of the exhaust gas turbocharger is ascertained. A variable that is characteristic for the rotational speed of the exhaust gas turbocharger is ascertained in the at least one operating state of the internal combustion engine. An operating state which is characterized by a change in the exhaust gas mass flow, which is linked to a change in the variable that is characteristic for the rotational speed of the exhaust gas turbocharger within a predefined tolerance range, is selected as the at least one operating state. A fault is recognized if one or more values outside the predefined tolerance range are established for the change in the variable that is characteristic for the rotational speed of the exhaust gas turbocharger in the selected operating state. |
| US08024102B2 |
Method and device for notifying the driver of a motor vehicle
A device and a method for notifying the driver of a motor vehicle, equipped with an adaptive distance and speed controller, by activating a takeover prompt, informing the driver that the vehicle is coming critically close to a target object. The takeover prompt is activated and deactivated as a function of a fixed minimum distance between the distance- and speed-controlled vehicle and the target object and/or a relative speed-dependent minimum distance between the distance- and speed-controlled vehicle and a target object and/or a maximum vehicle deceleration producible by the distance and speed controller. |
| US08024098B2 |
System and method for determining the engagement point of a clutch
A method of determining an engagement position of a clutch of a vehicle is provided. The clutch is operable by a clutch pedal adapted to move over a travel range. The method comprises determining a rate of change of position of the clutch pedal, locating a dwelling range of the clutch pedal, the dwelling range comprising a plurality of positions of the clutch pedal along the travel range during which the rate of change of position of the clutch pedal is less than a predetermined rate of change for a predetermined length of time, and recording the travel positions of the clutch pedal in the dwelling range. |
| US08024097B2 |
Automobile operation apparatus and method designed for failure of drive gear of automatic transmission
Provided is an automobile operation apparatus and method designed for detecting failure of a drive gear selector of an automatic transmission having a normal mode constituted by P, R, N and D gears, and a sport mode. The automobile operation apparatus includes up/down switches for shifting a gear of the automatic transmission up or down when a gearshift lever is shifted from the normal mode to the sport mode, a detection means for detecting whether the gearshift lever is shifted to the sport mode, and a control means for controlling a D gear operation at the up/down switches when the D gear is abnormal and the detection means detects a mode change. Therefore, an automobile can be driven, even when a D gear for forward driving malfunctions, by a virtual drive mode switch that is equivalent to the D gear in an emergency. |
| US08024096B2 |
Control device and control method for vehicle
When an automatic transmission is shifted from neutral to a forward gear, an ECU calculates the appropriate target gear. If the target gear speed is the second forward gear or higher, a target command pressure of a first engagement element is immediately increased to a maximum pressure regardless of an input torque, and a target command pressure of a second engagement element is gradually increased in accordance with the input torque. |
| US08024092B2 |
Vehicle governance system
Disclosed are a method and system for preventing the unauthorized use of a vehicle. A set of vehicle operating parameters is entered onto a person's driver's license, and that person registers as an authorized user of a specified vehicle. When that person enters the vehicle, the person inserts the driver's license into a card reader, and the card reader reads the operating parameters and enters those parameters onto a computing platform. The computing platform receives these operating parameters and checks to determine if the person is an authorized user of the vehicle. If the computing platform determines that the person is an authorized user, the computing platform sends the operating parameters to a control module within the vehicle. If the person then operates the vehicle, the control module controls the vehicle to maintain that operation within the operating parameters. |
| US08024088B2 |
Rear steering sensor diagnostic algorithm for four-wheel steering systems
A method for controlling the rear steering angle of a vehicle includes receiving a plurality of signals indicative of rear steering angle; checking at least one of the plurality of signals to determine if it falls within a valid range; correlating at least a first signal of the plurality of signals with at least a second signal of the plurality of signals to determine if either the first signal or the second signal is invalid; and rejecting any signals found to be invalid. |
| US08024084B2 |
Vehicle diagnostic techniques
Vehicle with diagnostic capability includes different vehicle-resident sensors, each providing a measurement related to a state of the sensor or a measurement related to a state of the mounting location of the sensor, a vehicle-resident diagnostic processor coupled to the sensors and arranged to receive data from the sensors and process the data to generate an output indicative or representative of a state of the vehicle or a state of a component of the vehicle, and a communications device coupled to the diagnostic system and arranged to automatically establish a communications channel between the vehicle and a remote facility without manual intervention and wirelessly transmit the output of the diagnostic system to the remote facility. The processor may embody a pattern recognition algorithm trained to generate the output from the data received from the sensors. |
| US08024078B2 |
System for aiding the taxiing of an aircraft
A system on an aircraft used during taxiing or air/ground and ground/air transitions. The system groups together a set of devices for mapping the airport zone presenting the crew with a set of elements catalogued in a database and/or updated as a function of information received dynamically. The system group has control or monitoring of compliance with regulations and other mobile craft, consolidating the airport topological information, the ground control instructions and the applicable operational rules. The system groups have routing, that is preparation of the taxiing phase during an arrival or preparation for takeoff, by depicting the interactions with the ground control for receiving the taxiing instructions, and from the aircraft to the ground control to inform the same of the aircraft capabilities. The system groups have guidance in the form of instructions presented to the crew, and of automatic speed management capabilities, for managing emergency situations. |
| US08024077B2 |
Smart transformer
The present invention provides a system and computer program product for implementing a smart transformer, comprising a processor, and a balancing algorithm residing on the processor, wherein the balancing algorithm is stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable program code embodied thereon, the computer executable program code configured to cause the system to monitor and control an electric customer load and generation in order to optimize the performance of a distribution transform wherein the processor receives a plurality of system inputs and uses the balancing algorithm to determine a rating of the transformer and an amount of customer load. |
| US08024076B2 |
Voltage collapse diagnostic and ATC system
A plurality of buses of an electrical power system are grouped into agents, family lines of agents and families of agents based on the reactive reserves depleted when the buses are loaded. Contingencies are applied and the reactive reserves are monitored to determine an exhaustion factor for one or more family lines in one or more families. A boundary case solution exists for each outage that has no solution when the outage is removed in small steps and an additional step has no solution and is used to assess where, why, and how the contingency causes voltage instability, voltage collapse and local blackout. Based on this information, the voltage rescheduling, active rescheduling, unit commitment and load shedding is determined that can be used as preventive, corrective or emergency controls in system design and planning, operation planning, reactive and voltage management, real time control, and Special Protection System Control. |
| US08024074B2 |
System and method of managing substances in a plant root zone
A method for managing substances in a plant root zone, including the steps of providing a fluid distribution system, controlling the fluid distribution system, modeling the plant root zone, and distributing the substances thereto. The fluid distribution system is associated with an agricultural area. The fluid distribution system is controlled by way of a controller. The plant root zone is modeled for a plurality of locations in the agricultural area. The modeling step incorporates a desired three-dimensional distribution of the substances for each of the plurality of locations for a future time period. Substances are distributed to the plurality of locations by way of the fluid distribution system under control of the controller. The controller is dependent upon the desired three-dimensional distribution and the future time. |
| US08024072B2 |
Method for self-localization of robot based on object recognition and environment information around recognized object
A method for self-localization of a robot, the robot including a camera unit, a database storing a map around a robot traveling path, and a position arithmetic unit estimating the position of the robot, includes: acquiring an image around the robot, in the camera unit. Further, the method includes recognizing, in the position arithmetic unit, an individual object in the image acquired by the camera unit, to generate position values on a camera coordinate system of local feature points of the individual objects and local feature points of a surrounding environment including the individual objects; and estimating, in the position arithmetic unit, the position of the robot on the basis of the map and the position values on the camera coordinate system of local feature points of the individual objects and local feature points of a surrounding environment including the individual objects. |
| US08024069B2 |
System and method for path planning
A method for mapping a motion of a first object within a first motion path defined by a path planner based on a second motion path of a second object. The method includes creating the first motion path for the first object using the path planner, initializing a start position of the first object within the first motion path, determining a value for an initial condition for each segment of a plurality of segments in the first motion path created by the path planner, and calculating an elapsed time between a current sample call time to the path planner and a last sample call time to the path planner. If the calculated elapsed time is one of greater than and less than a sample period, a current location of the second object in the second motion path is determined utilizing the calculated elapsed time, an expired time within a first segment of the plurality if segments between a start time of the first segment and the current sample call time is calculated, and an output command is generated from the path planner. Execution of the generated output command alters the first motion path. |
| US08024067B2 |
Working station
Immediately before a robot 20 starts to move at a high speed, a monitoring area 53 is expanded in a returning direction Y, and absence of an obstacle in the monitoring area 53 is confirmed. During the high speed movement of the robot 20, the monitoring area 53 is expanded forward, so that a safety of an operator is secured, an effective use of a working station area can be made, and an improvement of productivity can be achieved. |
| US08024062B2 |
Method and apparatus to inventory portable data storage cartridges disposed in a storage library
A portable data storage cartridge, comprising a housing and a data storage medium disposed within the housing. The portable data storage cartridge further comprises a first label reciting an identifier disposed on a front portion of the housing, and a second label displaying said identifier at one or more places disposed on a side portion of said housing. A plurality of portable data storage cartridges can be disposed in a storage slot dimensioned to accommodate (N) portable data storage cartridges in a row. The storage slot is formed to include (N−1) visualization apertures extending through a side. In addition, the storage slot further comprises (N−1) reflective members, where each reflective member comprises a first end attached to the side with a second end extending outwardly from that side. |
| US08024060B2 |
Method for defining safe zones in laser machining systems
A method for defining machine cutting path safety zones for use in laser machining devices. The method includes indentifying safety zone positional coordinates in a computer aided design model, using a machine vision system to image the modeled physical machining device, determining the positional difference between the design model safety zone points and the imaged points and converting the design model safety zone coordinates into machine specific coordinates for input into a machining cutting path program. |
| US08024059B2 |
Method and system for determining a demand on a product variant using bill of material
Disclosed is a method and system for receiving a product parts list containing parts for creating a product variant of a product and updating a bill of material with the parts and a selection condition to identify a part of the product variant. The method includes determining a characteristic and a characteristic value of the parts of the product variant and generating a variant demand object for the product variant. |
| US08024055B1 |
Method and system for controlling amplifiers
Techniques for controlling one or more audio amplifiers in or associated with a device coupled on a local area network are disclosed. The device receives at least one selected source from other devices also coupled on the network According to one aspect of the techniques, an automatic shutdown control module is provided in the device to power down the audio amplifiers when there is no audio data flow coming to the device or power up the audio amplifiers when there is audio data flow coming to the device. In one embodiment, the procedure to power down or power up the amplifiers is in accordance with a hysteresis, wherein the hysteresis, being lagging of an effect behind its cause, protects the amplifiers and makes the powering-down or powering-up procedure unnoticeable to a user. |
| US08024054B2 |
Building automation system facilitating user customization
Systems and methods for interacting with and customizing a dynamically extensible and automatically configurable building automation system (BAS). In one embodiment, a graphical user interface (GUI) of the BAS comprises a building summary pages. The invention is also directed to a space summary page and an equipment summary page. |
| US08024048B2 |
Method and device for treating cancer with electrical therapy in conjunction with chemotherapeutic agents and radiation therapy
A method for the electrical treatment of malignant tumors and neoplasms by applying a voltage to affected tissue. Devices and various adaptations therein are described for use in electrical therapy. Additionally, various chemotherapeutic agent and radiation therapies are described which may be advantageously used in conjunction with electrical therapy to ameliorate cancer. |
| US08024045B2 |
Multi-functional burr hole assembly
A burr hole assembly for use in neurosurgery. In one aspect, the burr hole assembly comprises a burr hole portion and one or more sensors, such as EEG sensors, temperature sensors, intracranial pressure sensors, or motion sensors. In certain embodiments, an input/output unit, which may include a multiplexer, provides a coupling between the sensors and a brain stimulation system which operates in cooperation with the burr hole assembly. In another aspect, the burr hole assembly comprises a burr hole portion and a rotation mechanism which operates in cooperation with an electrode lead. In certain embodiments, the burr hole assembly includes a control system for controlling the rotation mechanism. Also disclosed are systems comprising a burr hole assembly and various components of a brain stimulation system, such as pulse generators, electrode leads, lead extension, or external control systems. |
| US08024042B2 |
Minimum ventricular pacing to break the repetitive AR-VS pattern
An implantable cardiac pacing device delivering minimum ventricular pacing and an associated method control intervals timed by the device during sensing and pacing. An atrial-only pacing mode is set in response to sensing intrinsic ventricular events in the ventricular chamber. A first post-ventricular atrial refractory period is set following each of a plurality of ventricular events sensed in the ventricular chamber, and atrial events each being sensed during first post-ventricular atrial refractory periods are detected. A second post-ventricular atrial refractory period is set in response to detecting the atrial events each being sensed during the first post-ventricular atrial refractory period. |
| US08024038B2 |
Implantable device with voltage delay test
An implantable medical device (IMD), such as a defibrillator, performs a capacitor reform or other temporary high current mode, such as to maintain efficacy of a battery or a high voltage defibrillation energy storage capacitor in spite of non-use. Before performing the capacitor reform or other high current mode, a voltage delay test can be performed. A voltage delay can be declared when an initial battery voltage measurement is less than a later battery voltage measurement during a loaded condition such as the charging of the capacitor. If a voltage delay is present, the capacitor reform or other temporary high current mode is enabled, otherwise, the capacitor reform or other temporary high current mode is inhibited. This saves energy, increasing the life of the IMD before explant. |
| US08024037B2 |
External defibrillator
An external defibrillator having a battery; a capacitor electrically communicable with the battery; at least two electrodes electrically communicable with the capacitor and with the skin of a patient; a controller configured to charge the capacitor from the battery and to discharge the capacitor through the electrodes; and a support supporting the battery, capacitor, electrodes and controller in a deployment configuration, the defibrillator having a maximum weight per unit area in the deployment configuration of 0.1 lb/in2 and/or a maximum thickness of 1 inch. The support may be a waterproof housing. |
| US08024035B2 |
Electric modulation of sympathetic nervous system
A method is described for the treatment of obesity or other disorders, by electrical activation or inhibition of the sympathetic nervous system. This activation or inhibition can be accomplished by electrically stimulating the greater splanchnic nerve or other portion of the sympathetic nervous system using an implantable pulse generator. This nerve activation can result in reduced food intake and increased energy expenditure. Reduced food intake may occur through a variety of mechanisms that reduce appetite and cause satiety. Increased adrenal gland hormone levels will result in increased energy expenditure. Fat and carbohydrate metabolism, which are also increased by sympathetic nerve activation, will accompany the increased energy expenditure. |
| US08024034B2 |
Programmable neural therapies
An implantable medical device (IMD) comprising a controller adapted to execute instructions included in firmware, a programmable neural therapy source adapted to provide programmable electrical neural stimulation therapy to at least one neural stimulation electrode, and a state machine included in hardware circuitry coupled to the programmable neural therapy source. When neural therapy is initiated by a firmware instruction, the state machine is configured to automatically apply power to the neural therapy source when neural therapy is initiated by a firmware instruction and automatically remove power from the neural therapy source when neural therapy is terminated by a firmware instruction. |
| US08024031B2 |
Device, method and computer-readable storage medium for classifying atrial tachyarrhythmia
Device for classifying tachyarrhythmia that obtains pre-defined values, monitors atrial intervals and compares lengths of each interval with pre-defined value IL, stores length of atrial interval if length is shorter than IL, in case X of most recent Y number of atrial intervals have length shorter than IL, evaluates most recent <=N atrial intervals with length |
| US08024026B2 |
Dynamic reference method and system for use with surgical procedures
A substrate configured for placement on an internal organ or tissue is provided. In certain embodiments, the substrate conforms to and moves with the internal organ or tissue. Three or more sensor elements are integrated on the substrate. In one implementation, the substrate and associated sensor elements provide dynamic referencing of the internal organ or tissue after registration of the sensor data with images and/or volumetric representations of the internal organ or tissue. |
| US08024020B2 |
System and method for stimulation of biologic signals in a bio-electro-physiologic matrix
An implantable device for monitoring physiological changes in an organism is disclosed. The device includes a matrix positioned proximate a biological material of the organism, an irradiation device associated with the matrix for exposing the biological material to radiation, and a sensor device associated with the matrix for detecting a response of the biological material to the irradiation. The response can be used to remotely detect a characteristic of the biological material. |
| US08024017B2 |
Slidable mobile terminal having a slide module
A slidable mobile terminal including a first body having a first surface and a second surface, a second body having a first surface and a second surface, the first body being movable with respect to the second body between a closed position where the first body substantially overlaps the second body and an open position where the first body partially overlaps the second body, is provided. The slidable mobile terminal also includes a slide module connecting the second surface of the first body to the first surface of the second body, thereby allowing the first body to move between the closed position and the open position in a sliding direction. A manipulation unit is located in the first surface of the second body and is exposed when the first body is in the open position. The manipulation unit does not overlap the slide module in the closed position. |
| US08024016B2 |
Portable electronic device
A portable electronic device having a front cover, a rear cover, and wherein one of the front cover and the rear cover is metallic and has a pattern portion with a predetermined pattern. In addition, a portable electronic device having a front cover, a rear cover, and a metallic pattern layer provided on at least one of the covers, the metallic pattern layer having a predetermined pattern. |
| US08024015B2 |
Mobile device
A mobile device having a housing and operating on power supplied from the battery loaded in the battery chamber including: a pair of walls of the housing having hook receiving portions formed a groove; a battery lid covering the battery chamber so as to be freely detached; a pair of positioning hooks serving to position the battery lid by entering the grooves of the corresponding hook receiving portions; overhanging edges serving to regulate position of the cover lid; and a waterproof gasket fixed to the battery chamber side of the cover lid so as to be in contact with all sides of the battery chamber. |
| US08024014B2 |
Wireless terminal, wireless module and method of manufacturing such a terminal
A wireless terminal is described, which is formed from a module (20) comprising a substrate, RF components (32, 33), an antenna (25), notably of the PIFA type, and a linkage part (30) for linking the antenna to the substrate. The RF components are placed in the vicinity of the linkage part or even on the linkage part without degrading the operation of the antenna. By placing the RF components on this link, an area is made available for circuitry on the substrate. |
| US08024013B2 |
Regulating power duty cycle of an RF transmitter/receiver responsive to distance moved
Various methods and associated wireless communication mobile terminals are provided that repetitively switch power on and off to a RF transmitter and/or to a RF transceiver, and that regulate the power duty cycle in response to movement of the associated communication terminal. Movement of the communication terminal may be sensed in response to an acceleration signal from an accelerometer, a position signal from a GPS receiver, a light level signal from an ambient light sensor, and/or a pressure level signal from a pressure sensor. |
| US08024010B2 |
Radio transmission apparatus and control apparatus for events rooms as well as corresponding method
Radio systems for supplying hearing apparatus in events rooms are of a more convenient design. To this end a radio transmission apparatus is provided for transmission of speech signals in an events room. It possesses a receive device for receiving at least one control signal and a switching device for switching the radio transmission apparatus on and/or off depending on the received control signal. In addition a control apparatus is provided for controlling the radio transmission device, with which speech signals are transmitted in an events room. This control apparatus possesses a detection device to detect a presence or a movement of the radio transmission device in the events room and a transmit device for transmitting a control signal to the radio transmission device depending on the detection result of the detection device. This allows a transmit device of a teacher to be switched off when they leave the classroom. |
| US08024008B2 |
Broadcasting receiver and information recording medium
When an instruction to change the display size of the content of a 1-segment broadcast received by a television broadcast communication unit is given while the content is being displayed on a display screen, and if it is possible to receive the content of a 12-segment broadcast continuously to the content of the 1-segment broadcast, a CPU switches to receiving the 12-segment broadcast and displays the broadcast content in the standard display size (second display size) of the 12-segment broadcast. If it is not possible to receive the 12-segment broadcast continuously to the 1-segment broadcast, the CPU displays the content of the 1-segment broadcast by changing it to the second display size. |
| US08024005B2 |
Mobile communication terminal which displays screen location information and method of controlling the mobile communication terminal
A mobile communication terminal which displays screen location information and a method of controlling the mobile communication terminal are provided. When a portion of a display object is displayed on a display screen of a display module, the mobile communication terminal displays screen location information regarding the relative location of the display object portion to the entire display object. Thus, a user can easily determine which part of the display object is currently being displayed. In addition, it is possible to prevent unnecessary power consumption caused by performing screen loading while continuously moving the display object portion. |
| US08023991B2 |
Program for adjusting channel interference between access points in a wireless network
The performance and ease of management of wireless communications environments is improved by a mechanism that enables access points (APs) to perform automatic channel selection. A wireless network can therefore include multiple APs, each of which will automatically choose a channel such that channel usage is optimized. Furthermore, APs can perform automatic power adjustment so that multiple APs can operate on the same channel while minimizing interference with each other. Wireless stations are load balanced across APs so that user bandwidth is optimized. A movement detection scheme provides seamless roaming of stations between APs. |
| US08023989B2 |
Coordinated power boost and power back-off
A system and method are provided for boosting power for a communications link between a base station and a user device, or user equipment, over a communications link channel in a cellular communications network. In one embodiment, the base station determines whether a communications link for a user device located within a sector of a cell served by the base station needs a power boost. If a power boost is needed, the base station provides a power boost for the communications link for the user device and, for each of one or more neighboring sectors that neighbor the sector in which the user device is located, coordinates the power boost in both frequency and time with a power backoff for a downlink to another user device located in a cell center area of the neighboring sector. |
| US08023988B2 |
Power control for a channel with multiple formats in a communication system
Techniques to more efficiently control the transmit power for a data transmission that uses a number of formats (e.g., rates, transport formats). Different formats for a given data channel (e.g., transport channel) may require different target SNIRs to achieved a particular BLER. In one aspect, individual target BLER may be specified for each format of each data channel. In another aspect, various power control schemes are provided to achieve different target SNIRs for different formats. In a first power control scheme, multiple individual outer loops are maintained for multiple formats. For each format, its associated outer loop attempts to set the target SNIR such that the target BLER specified for that format is achieved. In a second power control scheme, multiple individual outer loops are maintained and the base station further applies different adjustments to the transmit power levels for different formats. |
| US08023987B2 |
Signaling method for decentralized allocation of online transmission power in a wireless network
The invention relates to distributed wireless ad hoc networks having interfering transmission channels, in which direct links between adjacent transmit nodes and receive nodes in a connection pair are established and optimized. The inventive signaling method alternately uses a primary network and an adjoint network, the respective transmit nodes and receive nodes constantly changing their roles in an agreed time pattern. The transmission signals in the adjoint network are predistorted in such a way that the influence of the proper mobile radio channel is canceled on each transmission channel. The occurring interference is implicitly transmitted as well by the receive nodes and can be directly determined and taken into account by the transmit nodes. |
| US08023985B1 |
Transitioning a state of a connection in response to an indication that a wireless link to a wireless device has been lost
A method and apparatus of establishing a connection between a wireless device and a second device includes maintaining a state of the connection between the wireless device and the second device, and receiving an indication that a wireless link to the wireless device has been lost or may be lost. In response to the receiving the indication that the wireless link to the wireless device has been lost or may be lost, the state of the connection is transitioned from a first state to a second state. |
| US08023982B2 |
Wireless communication device having dynamically escalated media transmission handling
A wireless communication device that dynamically escalates media transmission handling on the resident computer platform operating system through passing priority data bundles that include media directly from an application programming interface to the wireless communication interface. The application programming interface generates an outgoing priority data bundle including media, and a media handler directs the outgoing priority data bundle directly to the wireless communication interface for transmission without handling of the outgoing priority data bundle by other software layers of the operating system. The same priority handling can be done with incoming data bundles received at the wireless communication interface and being sent to an application programming interface. |
| US08023978B2 |
Method for providing enhanced floor control for group calls between a dispatch communications network and a cellular telephone communications network
A method for providing enhanced floor control (500) between a dispatch communications network and a cellular telephone communications network includes transmitting a transmit delay message (517) by a network control entity (505) to a communications device (501) in the cellular telephone network when a talk reservation request (515) has first been granted to a communications device (507) in the dispatch network. A transmit grant message (521) is then transmitted from the network control entity (505) to the communications device (501) in the cellular telephone network when the communications device in the dispatch network switches from a transmit mode to receive mode (507). The transmit grant message signals the communications device (501) in the cellular telephone network enabling it to access the dispatch communications network without sending a second talk reservation request. |
| US08023976B2 |
Method and system for accurate clock synchronization for communication networks
A high accuracy clock synchronization mechanism between a sender and a receiver in a communication network achieves time synchronization using broadcast beacons, directly at the PHY/MAC layer of the sender and the receiver, to minimize synchronization delay jitter. This provides a more efficient synchronization method than either NTP or SNTP, because multiple handshaking information exchange is avoided. Further, using beacons avoids the overhead of introducing additional synchronization packets in higher layer synchronization. |
| US08023973B2 |
Expandable text messaging service protocol for use with a two-way radio transceiver
An expandable text messaging service protocol for use with a two-way radio transceiver includes an extension bit field for creating an expandable header for controlling the overall size of data packets used for communicating message traffic. The protocol further includes a control bit field for designing the message as a control message or user message and a protocol data unit (PDU) type field for identifying the message type. A payload field may further be used for carrying message content. |
| US08023972B2 |
Message and address book interchange via short message service
Users can send short message service (SMS) communication with the purpose of the communication being implied therein. An SMS broker described herein can derive the implied purpose by parsing the communication at least in part according to defined set of rules of syntax and in light of a current context within which the communication was received. In one aspect, the communication is brokered via the SMS broker and it may be intended as a message to be sent to another user identified by a moniker, such as their e-mail alias, which has the advantage of avoiding the need to store phone numbers on memory-constrained devices. In another aspect, the communication is a request for user data of other users also identified in the request by a simple moniker such as their e-mail alias. Additionally, a user can also send a communication intended to update their own user information such as their current location, availability and so on. |
| US08023970B2 |
Apparatus, and associated method, for paging an access terminal in a radio communication system
An apparatus, and an associated methodology for a communication system in which an access terminal is paged by a page sent on a paging channel. Hashes are generated by a hash generator at an access network to identify where in the paging message that page indications are to be positioned. And, hashes are generated at the access terminal to identify where in a received page that page indications are located. |
| US08023969B2 |
Apparatus, and associated method, for configuring a page message including a set structure of partial identifiers used to page an access terminal in a radio communication system pursuant to a partial identity comparison scheme
Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating paging of an access terminal operable in a radio communication system. A paging message is formed, selectably including partial identities of access terminals that are to be paged by the paging message. Determination is made as to whether portions of any of the partial identities have portions of common values. If portions of the partial identities have common values, such portions can be shared, and extra parts, resulting from sharing can be reallocated to increase the length of another partial identity. |
| US08023964B2 |
Predictive mobile phone service disruption service
Illustrative embodiments provide a computer implemented method, a data processing system and a computer program product for a predictive mobile phone service disruption service. In one illustrative embodiment, the computer implemented method comprises monitoring a cellular call of a caller, calculating a location and vector of the caller, and determining whether the caller is approaching a drop zone. The computer implemented method responsive to determining the caller is approaching a drop zone, estimates a duration of a loss of service, and responsive to determining the caller is approaching a drop zone, selectively notifying the caller. |
| US08023959B2 |
Method and system for personal area networks
A system (160) and method (400) is provided for validating a location of a tracking device. The method can include monitoring (902) a set of signal strengths (600) to one or more personal area networks (104) and one or more cellular towers (110), generating (906) a Radio Frequency Time Profile RFTP (700) from the set of signal strengths, comparing (908) the RFTP o coverage variation limits (720) of one or more pre-calibrated paths, and signaling (910) an alert if the set of signal strengths are not within the coverage variation limit of the one or more pre-calibrated paths. The RFTP is a time series of the signal strengths between the tracking device and the one or more PANs resulting from a change in location of the tracking device. |
| US08023951B2 |
Dynamic coverage and capacity solution for cellular radio network
A cellular communication system is provided. According to one embodiment, the communication system includes at least one cell. The at least one cell is defined by a coverage layer defining a coverage of the at least one cell and a capacity layer at least partly defining a capacity of the at least one cell. |
| US08023949B2 |
System and method for managing communications with mobile platforms operating within a predefined geographic area
A system and method for providing communications within an airfield between an aircraft component located upon an aircraft and an airport data network. A control computer is used to select an optimal antenna substation from a plurality of antenna substations disposed about the airfield for the aircraft component to communicate with. The selection is based in part upon position information including the directional heading of the aircraft, determined using a suitable position detecting system, such as a Global Positioning System or a multi-lateration system, and in part upon the loading (i.e., RF traffic) being experienced by each antenna array. Determining the optimal antenna array for the aircraft to communicate with based on the directional heading of the aircraft and the real time usage of each of the antenna substations is advantageous as it decreases the number of times that the aircraft must initiate a new connection with a new antenna substation, and therefore decreases the transmission interruptions experienced due to the creation of new connections. |
| US08023948B2 |
Vertical handover method for overlay communication system
A vertical handover method in a heterogeneous overlay network communication system is provided. A vertical handover method for an overlay communication system including a plurality of base stations each serving at least one communication network technology to a mobile terminal includes determining whether a mobile terminal is located in a measurement region with reference to a vertical handover map in relation to a serving base station; detecting reachable base stations by activating all network interfaces when the mobile terminal locates in a measurement region; selecting one of the reachable base stations as a handover target base station; determining if the mobile terminal is located in a handover region with reference to the vertical handover map; and performing a handover if the mobile terminal is located in a handover region. |
| US08023947B2 |
Network or access point handoff based upon historical pathway
A device for handing off a wireless connection can include a receiver configured to receive a communication signal from a wireless device within a first wireless cell, a first processor configured to determine communication information regarding the first wireless cell, and a storage unit configured to store directional information regarding the first wireless cell. In addition, the device can have a transmitter configured to transmit the directional information to a wireless device located within the first wireless cell, and a second processor configured to provide wireless connection to the wireless device through the receiver and the transmitter. The second processor can Handoff the wireless connection to a second wireless cell. |
| US08023944B2 |
Apparatus and method for performing attach procedure in mobile communication system
A service network for handling abnormal interrupts, including tracking area updates, lower layer failures, and guard timer expiries, during an attach procedure with a user equipment is provided. The service network includes a radio access network and a control node. When the radio access network detecting an abnormal interrupt, the control node aborts the attach procedure by sending a detach request message, via the radio access network, to the user equipment. |
| US08023939B2 |
Reusing frequencies of a fixed and/or mobile communications system
A communications system includes a first wireless communications system configured to provide wireless communications over a first frequency band, and a second wireless communications system configured to provide wireless communications using at least a portion of the first frequency band. The system includes an inter-system communications link between the first wireless communications system and the second wireless communications system. The inter-system communications link is used to coordinate the use of the first frequency band. The system further includes an interference reducer configured to reduce interference between the first wireless communications system and the second wireless communications system. Related methods are also disclosed. |
| US08023937B2 |
Apparatus and methods for determining voice and/or data processing performance of a wireless device
Apparatus, methods, processors and computer readable media for determining the voice and/or data processing performance or capability of a wireless device. Embodiments include a wireless device having a computer platform with a processing engine operable to generate a plurality of performance data during voice and/or data processing activities on the wireless device. The wireless device further includes a voice/data performance module operable to collect selected ones of the plurality of performance data associated with a predetermined voice and/or data processing capability of the wireless device. The embodiments may also include an apparatus operable to receive the collected performance data and to generate a performance report characterizing a voice and/or data processing performance or capability of the wireless device. |
| US08023936B2 |
Method and system for monitoring ad-hoc network nodes
A method and system for monitoring a mobile ad-hoc network node (e.g. a network enabled aircraft) is provided. The method includes, receiving a message notifying when the ad-hoc node is preparing to join the ad-hoc network; and determining based on a threshold value, when the ad-hoc node should be joining a monitoring system that tracks the status and availability of ad-hoc nodes. The method generates a status message if the ad-hoc node fails to join the monitoring system. The message is received by the monitoring system via and external source to the ad-hoc network. The system includes a data center that receives the message notifying when the node is preparing to join the ad-hoc network; and determines based on a threshold value, when the ad-hoc node should be joining the ad-hoc network and monitoring system. |
| US08023934B2 |
Synchronizing communications and data between mobile devices and servers
A system, method, and computer program product for synchronizing communications, data, application workflow events, and business processes between a mobile device and a server are described herein. In an embodiment, the method operates by determining whether there is a data object to be synchronized between a source and a target, wherein the source and target are one of either a mobile device or a server. An indication is sent to the target when there is a data object to be synchronized from the source. The data object to be synchronized is saved in a cache on the source and it is determined whether the mobile device is connected to the server. The synchronization operation is queued for the target until it is determined that the mobile device is connected to the server, and results are returned to the source after the data object is synchronized on the target. |
| US08023929B2 |
System and method for wireless communication between previously known and unknown users
Embodiments of the present invention include improved communication system and methods. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a wireless communication method comprising, on a first wireless device, receiving one or more wireless device identifications associated with one or more other wireless devices, and transmitting at least one of the one or more wireless device identifications from the first wireless device to a remote computer system, and on the remote computer system, receiving the at least one wireless device identification, and accessing information associated with the at least one wireless device identification. Embodiments of the present invention may be used for electronic dating, social networking and other communication applications. |
| US08023926B2 |
Offline charging for sessions over a 3GPP network and a WLAN access network
Communication networks and methods are disclosed for providing offline charging in a 3GPP network for sessions over a wireless local area network (WLAN) access network. A AAA server in the 3GPP network provides offline charging messages for a session to an offline charging system. If a data flow is established during the session, such as streaming video, then a packet data network gateway provides offline charging messages for the data flow to the offline charging system. The AAA server and the packet data network gateway share charging identifiers so that one or both are able to include the charging identifier for the session and the charging identifier for the data flow in an offline charging message. This allows the offline charging system to effectively correlate CDRs for the session with CDRs for the data flow occurring during the session. |
| US08023923B2 |
Mixer circuit
The invention relates to a mixer circuit 31 comprising a down-conversion mixing component 33 arranged for down-converting an input radio frequency signal Irf+, Irf−. In order to improve such a mixer circuit, it is proposed that it comprises in addition an active mixer load circuit 34 connected to output terminals of the mixing component. The active mixer load circuit includes an active mixer load 51, T1, T2 and modulating means S1-S4 arranged for modulating a flicker noise produced by the active mixer load away from the signal band of a signal Ibb+, Ibb− output by the down-conversion mixing component. The invention relates equally to a receiver, a chip and a device comprising such a mixer circuit and to a method for use with such a mixer circuit. |
| US08023920B1 |
Image cancellation in receivers
Systems and techniques relating to image cancellation in received communications signals are described. A described technique includes receiving a communications signal including a desired signal and an image signal; generating a leakage tracing signal at a frequency band of the image signal, the leakage tracing signal including a noise signal, a frequency of the leakage tracing signal being within the frequency band of the image signal; and removing the image signal from a signal that is based on the communications signal and the leakage tracing signal to resolve the desired signal, where the removing is based on an addition of the leakage tracing signal to the communications signal. Removing the image signal can include using one or more weights to control one or more filters to resolve the desired signal. The one or more weights can be determined based on the noise signal. |
| US08023917B2 |
FM tone rejection
An interference rejection unit for at least partially rejecting a narrowband interferer from an input signal, the unit comprising: an interferer detector for detecting the phase of an interferer in the input signal; a signal generator for generating a cancellation signal in dependence on the phase detected by the interferer detector; and a signal combiner for combining the input signal with the tone cancellation signal to generate an output signal in which the interferer is at least partially cancelled from the input signal. |
| US08023915B2 |
Beamforming in wireless vehicular networks
Beams are used to communicate in a wireless network including mobile and stationary receivers. The network operates according to the IEEE 802.11p in wireless access to vehicular environments (WAVE). A direction from the mobile transceiver to the stationary receiver is predicted using geographic information available to the mobile transceiver. A set of signals are received in the mobile transceiver from the stationary transceiver, wherein the signals are received by an array of antennas, and wherein the signals are received using a set of beams, and wherein each beam is approximately directed at the stationary receiver. A signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is measured for each beam, and the beam with an optimal SNR is selected as an optimal beam for communicating data between the mobile transceiver and the stationary transceiver. |
| US08023913B2 |
Master-slave local oscillator porting between radio integrated circuits
A technique to share a local oscillator signal between two radio frequency integrated circuits (RFICs). The local oscillator signal generated internally by one RFIC is ported to the other RFIC for use in transmit or receive operation. The local oscillator signal that is ported may be an RF local oscillator signal. Each RFIC may include a bi-directional port circuit that can be operated to make the RFIC a master, slave or may be totally disabled to disable the porting feature. This is particularly useful in RFICs that are used to communicate using MIMO radio algorithms which rely for optimum performance on phase and frequency coherency among a plurality of transmitters and a plurality of receivers. |
| US08023911B2 |
Amplifying device and radio
An amplifying device has an amplifier which amplifies an input signal supplied from an input terminal and outputs the amplified input signal, a feedback loop which has at least one of a resistive element and a capacitance connected between an output terminal of the amplifier and the input terminal, a variable current unit which adjusts a current value in accordance with a controlling signal and supplies an operating current to the amplifier, a signal analyzing unit which generates a time difference signal having a value corresponding to a slew rate of the input signal and outputs the time difference signal, and a controlling unit which generates the controlling signal in accordance with the time difference signal and outputs the controlling signal. |
| US08023901B2 |
Method and apparatus for deciding channel quality indicator in wireless communication system
Provided are a method and an apparatus for deciding a channel quality indicator (CQI) in a wireless communication system. The method includes randomly generating CQI values encoded into genotypes to form an initial genetic group; evaluating fitnesses using the CQI values and a measured block error rate (BLER), and if the CQI value indicating the highest fitness is not within a range of the BLER, selecting a specific gene of genes of the initial genetic group to perform crossover and mutation operations; and repeating the crossover and mutation operations to allow a new genetic group generated by the crossover and mutation operations to be within the range of the BLER. |
| US08023894B2 |
Mobile communication station, base station apparatus, and dedicated-short-range-communications system
A mobile communication station is provided with a type information registration unit (11) for registering type information indicating a type of data, which an application installed in an external device can use, therein. The mobile communication station transmits the type information registered in the type information registration unit (11) to a base station apparatus, receives data, which the application installed in the external device can use, from the base station apparatus, and then transfers the received data to the external device. |
| US08023891B2 |
Interconnection network between semiconductor structures, integrated circuit and method for transmitting signals
The invention relates to an interconnection network and an integrated circuit and a method for manufacturing the same. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for signal transfer between semiconductor structures. The invention is characterized in that a signal of a first semiconductor structure is supplied to a transmitter, which generates from the signal a plasmon wave, and couples the latter into a waveguide. The plasmons fed through the waveguide are received by a receiver, converted to an electric signal and forwarded to a second semiconductor structure. |
| US08023887B2 |
Telecommunication network
The present invention concerns a telecommunication network for establishing radiofrequency links between at least one gateway and ground terminals via a multispot telecommunication satellite. The network includes a service zone composed of a plurality of cells each including a plurality of ground terminals, the said service zone being split into N sub-zones, N being an integer strictly greater than 1, each sub-zone having a capacity profile evolving in time over a given period and presenting a maximum value, the said maximum values of each of the capacities being shifted with regard to time and a multispot satellite including a transponder including amplification of the signals emitted by the gateway on the forward link and the signals emitted by the cells on the return link and a continuous power supply system of the amplifier. The said supply system includes means for supplying the amplifier providing the whole of the sub-zones with their respective capacity profile evolving over the said given period, the maximum continuous power delivered by the supply system being less than the continuous power which the amplifier would consume to provide simultaneously the whole of the sub-zones with their maximum capacity value. |
| US08023885B2 |
Non-frequency translating repeater with downlink detection for uplink and downlink synchronization
A non-frequency translating repeater (110, 210, 300) for use in a time division duplex (TDD) radio protocol communications system includes detection retransmission and automatic gain control. Detection is performed by detectors (309, 310) and a processor (313). Detection can be overridden by processor (313) using logic elements (314). Antennae (220, 230) having various form factors can be used to couple a base station (222) to a subscriber terminal (232) which can be located in a sub-optimal location such as deep inside a building or the like. |
| US08023880B2 |
Sheet post-processing apparatus with back feed prevention
The disclosure concerns a standby tray for making a sheet at the position above a processing tray. The sheet on the standby tray is dropped and supplied onto the processing tray. The upper end of the center area of a shutter supporting the rear end of the sheet on a sheet discharge tray which is slidable to the sheet discharge section of the standby tray or processing tray is made lower than the upper end of the peripheral area of the shutter. Movable portions of the shutter are extended when the sheet discharge tray is slid to close the sheet discharge sections of the processing tray and/or standby tray. |
| US08023879B2 |
Auto document feeder and image forming apparatus including the same
An image forming apparatus includes a roller shaft, a paper-transporting which is coupled to the roller shaft and transports a document, a driving part to supply a rotational driving force to the paper-transporting roller, a driving wheel which is coupled to the roller shaft and rotates along with the roller shaft, and a clutch unit which includes a clutch shaft having an axial line deviated from an axial line of the roller shaft, a transmission wheel connected with the clutch shaft and which transmits the driving force to the driving wheel, and a rotation connecting part to selectively transmit the rotational driving force to the transmission wheel. |
| US08023878B2 |
Cleaning device and image forming apparatus using the same
A cleaning device includes a cleaning blade that contacts a surface of a member to be cleaned to remove a residue remaining on the surface of the member to be cleaned, and that includes multiple layers, wherein a leading end portion of the cleaning blade shifts in a separating direction from the surface of the member to be cleaned due to a difference in thermal expansion property among the multiple layers when temperature rises. |
| US08023877B2 |
Image forming apparatus capable of forming glossy color image
An image forming apparatus capable of using a recording medium having a transparent portion includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit, and an applicator. The image forming unit forms an image on a face of the recording medium. The fixing unit fixes the image, formed by the image forming unit, on the face of the recording medium. The applicator applies a non-transparent liquid to at least the fixed image on the face of the recording medium. |
| US08023875B2 |
System and drive arrangement for using fuser temperature cycling to change rotational position of a fuser roller wiper
A system and drive arrangement for using fuser temperature cycling to change rotational position of a fuser roller wiper includes a frame, a hot roll, a fuser roller, and a drive arrangement. The frame of the fuser unit has side panels spaced apart from one another and positioned alongside a media path through the fuser unit. The hot roll on the fuser unit is rotatably mounted to the side panels of the frame and extends between the side panels across the media path. The fuser roller wiper is rotatably mounted between the side panels of the frame and performs a wiping action on the hot roll to remove foreign matter therefrom and supply of lubricant thereto. The drive arrangement is coupled to the fuser roller wiper and is operable in response to decrease in temperature of the fuser unit to rotate the fuser roller wiper. |
| US08023873B2 |
Image forming apparatus
A scanning start timing for an optical scanning unit is adjusted according to detection values of belt position detecting units arranged upstream and downstream from a primary transfer position in a movement direction of an endless type belt to thereby transfer an image onto a proper position without being affected by one-sided or meandering travel of an intermediate transfer belt or the endless type belt that serves as a transfer material conveying unit. |
| US08023872B2 |
Belt device and image forming apparatus
In a belt device, a first detecting unit detects a widthwise displacement of a belt, and a correcting unit corrects displacement of the belt in the width direction during a period starting from turning power on and ending with completion of drive preparation of the belt based on the widthwise displacement. Moreover, a second detecting unit detects whether the belt has displaced in the width direction by an amount that is greater than a threshold, and a belt stopping unit stops running of the belt when the second detecting unit detects that the belt has displaced by an amount that is greater than the threshold. |
| US08023869B2 |
Conductive roller which is mounted on an image-forming mechanism of an electrophotographic apparatus
The present invention provides a conductive roller whose outermost layer is made of a vulcanized rubber composition. The vulcanized rubber composition contains epichlorohydrin rubber and chloroprene rubber as a rubber component thereof and 0.2 to 5 parts by mass of each of a thiourea-based vulcanizing agent and a vulcanization retarder consisting of N-(cyclohexylthio)phthalimide for 100 parts by mass of the rubber component. |
| US08023868B2 |
Development roller, development device, and image forming apparatus
A development roller includes a base unit having a base recess and a base projection that are formed in a predetermined area of a circumference surface of the base unit by pressing a regular pattern in pressure machining, and a surface layer formed on the circumference surface of the base unit and having a recess and a projection formed respectively in accordance with the base recess and the base projection of the base unit. A thickness of the surface layer is larger than a maximum height of a base swollen portion close to the side edge of the base projection from a regular surface of the base projection. |
| US08023867B2 |
Magnet roller and method for the same, magnetic particle-support member, development device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus
A magnet roller includes a cylindrical roller body including a side surface in which a groove is formed, a magnet body which is disposed in the groove, and a magnetic metal member which is attached to a surface of the magnet body, which is remote from an opening of the groove. |
| US08023866B2 |
Powdered toner direct marking apparatus
A marking apparatus including a traveling wave grid toner transport circuit structure for transporting powdered toner along a transport surface, and electromechanical elements for selectively enabling toner patches to be projected to an output medium by a projecting electric field. |
| US08023859B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus comprising: a recording unit; a reading unit rotatably supported to the upper portion of the recording unit so as to be openable and closable about one end as a fulcrum and reads an original; an L-shaped guide groove which is provided for the recording unit and in which a long groove portion and a short groove portion are connected by a bending portion; and a stay at one end is fitted into the guide groove and coupled therewith, the other end is swingably coupled with the reading unit. The guide groove has a restricting mechanism configured to alternately guide the projecting portion to the long groove portion and the short groove portion when the projecting portion moves from the bending portion. |
| US08023856B2 |
Image-forming device with a cleaning mechanism
A belt is disposed in a main body and moves circularly to transport a recording medium placed thereon. A cleaning roller contacts an outer surface of the belt for removing extraneous matter deposited on the outer surface of the belt. A pair of backup rollers is disposed in opposition to the cleaning roller with the belt interposed between the backup rollers and the cleaning roller. The pair of backup rollers contacting the belt at first and second positions and the cleaning roller contacting the belt at a third position where the third position is interposed between the first and second positions. A holder rotatably holds the pair of backup rollers. Rotational axes of the backup rollers are kept parallel to each other. An urging unit urges the backup rollers toward the cleaning roller. A driving unit is supported on the main body and moves the holder to change a distance between the pair of backup rollers and the cleaning roller. |
| US08023848B2 |
Density measuring device, liquid developer storing apparatus, and image forming apparatus
A density measuring device includes a moving member that can be moved in a liquid, a light emitting member and a light receiving member that receives light emitted by the light emitting member. A gap part in which the moving member is disposed in a path of light emitted from the light emitting member can be moved. A density measuring unit measures the density of the liquid based on the result of output of the light receiving member for a case where the moving member is located in the path of light emitted from the light emitting member and a case where the moving member is not located in the path of light emitted from the light emitting member. |
| US08023847B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier that is electrically charged and exposed to light to form a latent image that is developed by liquid developer. A first squeezing roller that is held in contact with the image carrier carrying a developed image bears bias voltage Vs1. A second squeezing roller that is held in contact with the image carrier squeezed by the first squeezing roller bears bias voltage Vs2. The image is transferred to a transfer member that is held in contact with the image carrier squeezed by the second squeezing roller. The absolute values of the bias voltages Vs1 and Vs2 have a relationship of |Vs1|>|Vs2|. |
| US08023844B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method for stably detecting an image
An image forming apparatus, includes: an exposure head that includes an imaging optical system which is arranged in a first direction and a light emitting element which emits light to be focused by the imaging optical system; a latent image carrier that moves in a second direction orthogonal to or substantially orthogonal to the first direction and carries a latent image which is formed by the exposure head; a developing unit that develops the latent image formed on the latent image carrier by the exposure head; and a detector that detects an image which is developed by the developing unit and is formed using one imaging optical system. |
| US08023840B2 |
Image forming apparatus for detecting the distribution of electrical resistance of a transferring member
An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member and a toner image former for forming a toner image on the image bearing member, wherein the toner image former is capable of forming a toner image having a predetermined width measured in a direction of a rotational axis of the image bearing member at each of different positions, a transfer member, pressed against the image bearing member, for forming a transfer portion for transferring the toner image onto the transfer material from the image bearing member, a current detector for detecting a current flowing through the transfer member, a calculating portion for calculating a resistance difference in the transfer member with respect to the axial direction, on the basis of outputs of the current detector, for the toner images at the different positions when the toner images pass through the transfer portion, and an output portion for outputting an abnormality on the basis of an output of the calculating portion. |
| US08023839B2 |
Developing apparatus and image forming machine
The developing apparatus, having stirring members for conveying and stirring developer-tank-contained developer and a developer holder, comprises a developer replenishing tank; a toner concentration detecting sensor; a trickle-type discharging mechanism; a developer amount estimating sensor; and a controller for controlling replenishment operation for replenishing the toner and the carrier for replenishment to the developer tank when the toner concentration is lower than a predetermined reference toner concentration, wherein the controller determines the amounts of the toner and the carrier to be replenished on the basis of the calculated toner concentration and the estimated amount of the developer. |
| US08023836B2 |
Supply item for laser printer including keying structure
Supply items, such as toner bottles for laser printers, include substantially identical housings amongst the many different colors of toners. To distinguish the items and prevent improper installation, a keying structure attaches per each bottle and is indexed relative to adjacent items. In one aspect, indexing includes rotating a knob of the keying structure about a central axis to provide different keying orientations to an imaging unit in the printer. During installation, users mate the knob with variously arranged channels in a wall defining a slot for receiving the bottles. A lengthy flange on the bottle mates with a lengthy slit of the wall to provide installation stability. Other embodiments contemplate delaying engagement of a shutter on the bottle that prevents the toner from communicating with the imaging unit until the mating of the keying structure is assuredly made relatively proper. This prevents inadvertent mixing of toner colors. |
| US08023835B2 |
Optical receiver, optical audio apparatus, optical communication apparatus and optical reception method
An optical receiver with a threshold voltage convergence and audio apparatus and communication apparatus using the optical receiver are provided. The optical receiver of the present invention includes an optical detector for converting a received optical signal to a current signal; a transimpedance amplifier for converting the current signal to a voltage signal; a level shifter for converging the voltage signal to a threshold voltage by removing an offset of the voltage signal, the level shifter comprising a plurality of linear subtractors connected in series; a reference voltage generator for generating a reference voltage in proportion to a variation of the offset of the voltage signal; and a comparator for comparing the threshold voltage and the reference voltage and generating a digital signal of a logic level according to a comparison result. The optical receiver of the present invention can compensate the shortcomings of the automatic voltage gain control and automatic threshold control techniques and reduce system complexity, thereby minimizing pulse-width distortion with a compact and low power consumption design and reducing the manufacturing costs of high performance digital interfaces. |
| US08023833B2 |
Optical receivers with controllable transfer function bandwidth and gain imbalance
Techniques, devices and systems based on optical receivers with controllable transfer function bandwidth and gain imbalance. |
| US08023832B2 |
Light receiving circuit and digital system
A light receiving circuit (114) includes a light inputting circuit (113) which converts one-system optical signal to be outputted from an optical transmission path (101) to an electrical signal and inverts a potential of the electrical signal each time the optical signal is detected, and a buffer circuit (110) which amplifies the electrical signal converted by the light inputting circuit and outputs the same. According to such configuration, since one-system optical signal may be inputted to the light receiving circuit, a system circuit configuration can be avoided to be complicated. |
| US08023831B1 |
Coherent RF-photonic link linearized via a negative feedback phase-tracking loop
In one of many possible implementations and embodiments, a method is provided for providing linearized phase modulation and demodulation in an RF-photonic link. This includes phase modulating a photonic carrier signal in a signal arm using the RF input and using the RF output in a negative feedback phase tracking loop to modulate either the RF input modulated carrier signal in the signal arm, or a signal in a local oscillator arm. Optical signals from the signal arm and the local oscillator arm are optically coupled. The optically coupled signals are photodetected and differentally combined. The differentially combined signals are amplified to provide the RF output signal. In some implementations, the photonic carrier signal is suppressed prior to photodetection. Further, in some implementations a small portion of the local oscillator signal may be coupled with the carrier suppressed optical signal. |
| US08023827B2 |
Bi-directional parallel optical link
A system is disclosed. The system includes a first optical transceiver having a first set of transmitters and a first set of receivers and a second optical transceiver having a second set of transmitters coupled anti-symmetrically to the first set of receivers of the first optical transceiver and a second set of receivers coupled anti-symmetrically to the first set of transmitters of the first optical transceiver. |
| US08023824B2 |
Wavelength division multiplexed passive optical network
Data is transmitted between a central office and customer premises by a wavelength division multiplex passive optical network. Two laser beams with separate wavelengths are transmitted from the central office to an optical network unit in the customer premises. Both laser beams carry downstream data. One laser beam is intensity modulated by on/off keying. The other laser beam is phase modulated by differential phase shift keying, which maintains a constant optical intensity. The first laser beam is received by a first optical receiver, which demodulates the first downstream data. The second laser beam is split in two. One laser beam is sent to a second optical receiver, which demodulates the second downstream data. The other laser beam is sent to a reflective semiconductor amplifier, which modulates the beam with upstream data and transmits the beam back to a receiver in the central optical system. |
| US08023817B2 |
Image capturing system, image capturing device, and image capturing method
To enable satisfactory simultaneous and widely varied pictures to be obtained, for example, by allowing a common user to obtain an overall picture while the common user performing desired image capturing, or the like. A first image capturing device image-captures a subject to record this image, and also transmits a trigger signal to a second image capturing device. The second image capturing device image-captures an image to record this image in accordance with the trigger signal. Thus, the first and second image capturing devices enable both of an overall image and a zoomed image to be obtained with simultaneous timing. |
| US08023816B2 |
Camera and control method thereof
A camera can display, record and play image data after converting a captured image into the digital data. The camera comprises a guidance display setting means for causing a hierarchical guidance display to be made in order to set at least a control of a shooting operation, an item selection means for selecting an item displayed in the set guidance display, a shooting control setting means for setting a control which corresponds to the selected item, and a display control means for displaying information about a setting when the setting of the control is made. |
| US08023812B2 |
Position controller for optical element
A position controller includes a movable member which holds the optical element and supported by a support member to be linearly movable from an anti-shake driving range in which the optical element is positioned on an optical axis to a removed position outside of the anti-shake driving range, an electromagnetic actuator including first and second coils supported by the support member and first and second magnets supported by the movable member, and an insertion/removal operational member. When the movable member is in the anti-shake driving range, the first and second magnets face the first and second coils, respectively. The first and second magnets are arranged on opposite sides of a removing-direction center line passing through a center of the optical element in a moving direction of the movable member so that a distance between magnetic-pole boundary lines of the first and second magnets increases toward the anti-shake driving position. |
| US08023811B2 |
Image capturing apparatus, control method thereof, image processing apparatus, image processing method, image capturing system, and program
An image capturing apparatus includes an image capturing element which photoelectrically converts an object image formed by an image capturing optical system, a camera shake correction lens which moves the object image relative to the image capturing element, a camera shake detection sensor which detects a camera shake, a driving unit which drives the camera shake correction lens on the basis of the output from the camera shake detection sensor and a predetermined offset amount that changes in every image capturing, and a control unit which acquires a plurality of object images. |
| US08023806B2 |
Heat processing furnace and vertical-type heat processing apparatus
There is provided a heat processing furnace capable of quickly increasing and decreasing a temperature, while achieving improvement in durability. A heat processing furnace 2 comprises: a processing vessel 3 for accommodating an object to be processed w and performing thereto a heat process; and a cylindrical heater 5 disposed to surround an outer circumference of the processing vessel 3, for heating the object to be processed w. The heater 5 includes a cylindrical heat insulating member 16, and heating resistors 18 arranged along an inner circumferential surface of the heat insulating member 16. Each of the heating resistors 18 is formed of a strip-shaped member that is bent into a waveform having peak portions and trough portions. Pin members 20 are arranged in the heat insulating member 16 at suitable intervals therebetween, the pin members 20 holding the heating resistor 18 such that the heating resistor 18 is movable in a radial direction of the heater. |
| US08023805B2 |
Splicing system
A method for switching from playing a first compressed data segment to playing a second compressed recorded data segment, the method including playing an uncompressed copy of a start of the second compressed recorded data segment upon switching from playing the first compressed data segment, decoding the second compressed recorded data segment from a preceding random access point, the preceding random access point preceding, in the second compressed recorded data segment, a point at which playing is to be switched to the second compressed recorded data segment, stopping the decoding of the second compressed recorded data segment when reaching a point beyond a point currently being played in the uncompressed copy, and switching to playing the second compressed recorded data segment when playing the uncompressed copy of a start of the second compressed recorded data segment reaches the point at which the decoding of the second compressed recorded data segment was stopped. Related apparatus and methods are also provided. |
| US08023802B2 |
Image processing apparatus
A signal processing apparatus, the operation of which is controlled by a remote controller, designates procedure for reproducing an image signal stored on a recording medium; allocates a reproduction function corresponding to the designated reproduction procedure to the operating key of the remote controller; generates reproduction management data that includes operating key information indicating the operating key to which the reproduction function is allocated, and reproduction procedure information indicating the designated reproduction procedure; and writes the reproduction procedure management information to the recording medium. |
| US08023800B2 |
Media playback system
Described is a system and method for assigning, controlling and triggering playback of multiple media streams in a manner so that the media streams perform in sync, as defined by parameters specified by the user. The system allows users to generate and acquire new content for playback with an original program. Further, the system allows users to upload the new content to an internet accessible database for download and use by other users. |
| US08023793B2 |
Grounding device for armored cable
An external grounding arrangement for a fiber access terminal includes a lug extending through a housing of the terminal. The lug is connected to strength members of a fiber optic cable extending to the terminal by a clamp about the cable within the terminal and a rod extending from the clamp to the lug. |
| US08023789B2 |
Plastic optical fiber cable and method of signal transmission using the same
A plastic optical fiber cable includes: a bare optical fiber including a core made of a poly(methyl methacrylate) or a copolymer including methyl methacrylate as a major component and a cladding layer including, at least in the outermost layer, a layer made of a certain fluorine-containing olefin-based resin; and a coating layer provided on the outer surface thereof. The coating layer includes a protective coating layer, a light blocking coating layer, and a functional coating layer, the layers being provided in the order mentioned from inner side. The protective coating layer is made of a certain resin material. The light blocking coating layer is made of a nylon-based resin including, as a major component, nylon 11 or nylon 12, the nylon-based resin containing monomer and oligomer compounds derived from the nylon-based resin in an amount of a certain range. The functional coating layer is made of a nylon-based resin composition having a crystalline melting point within a certain range, the nylon-based resin composition containing a certain amount of melamine cyanurate or bromine atoms and further containing a certain amount of inorganic chromatic pigments, or the layer is made of a nylon-based resin composition having a crystalline melting point of within a certain range and an oxygen transmission rate within a certain range. |
| US08023787B2 |
Cicada-resistant optical drop cable
An optical drop cable includes optical fiber cores, tension-resistant members, and a single-material outer sheath covering the cores and the tension-resistant members. The bark of a young tree has elasticity, so that if cicadas lay eggs in the bark, the holes in which eggs are laid close and the eggs will not hatch. Cicadas cannot stick their ovipositors into bark having abrasion resistance. Thus, the outer sheath is made of polyurethane resin having rebound resilience equivalent to that of the bark of a young tree, and having high abrasion resistance. By making the outer sheath from such resin having elasticity and abrasion resistance, holes in which eggs are laid close, thus making hatching of the eggs impossible, or cicadas cannot stick their ovipositors into the outer sheaths. Black cicadas will therefore not lay eggs in the outer sheath, preventing damage to or breakage of the optical fiber. |
| US08023778B2 |
Optical touch panel
An optical touch panel 10 has means 20 for generating a signal to provide an operator with input operational feeling. The center of a light-emitting sided-core 17 is positioned lower than the center of a light-emitting sided-optical waveguide 14 and the center of a light-receiving sided-core 19 is positioned lower than the center of a light-receiving sided-optical waveguide 15, thereby light beams 22 are situated close to a transparent panel 21, and this enables to obtain natural input operational feeling having a minimal time lag between input operation and a signal generation to provide input operational feeling. |
| US08023777B2 |
Optical interconnect device and method for manufacturing the same
An optical interconnect device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, an optical waveguide, an electrical wiring and a switching device. The first substrate has an electrical wiring circuit, an electrical-optical converter for converting an electrical signal to an optical signal, and a light emitting device for emitting a light. The second substrate has an electrical wiring circuit, an optical-electrical converter for converting the optical signal to the electrical signal, and a light receiving device for receiving the light from the light emitted device. The optical waveguide optically connects the light emitting and light receiving devices. The electrical wiring electrically connects the electrical wiring circuits of the first and second substrates. The switching device determines a fast signal of data to be transmitted via the optical substrate and a slow signal of data to be transmitted via the electrical wiring. |
| US08023773B2 |
Methods, apparatus and programs for generating and utilizing content signatures
The present invention generally relates to deriving and/or utilizing content signatures (e.g., so-called “fingerprints”). One claim recites a method including: obtaining data from a remote device, the data comprising a reduce-bit representation of an audio or video signal; utilizing at least a processor or electronic processing circuitry, deriving a fingerprint of the data, the fingerprint of the data serves as an identifier of the audio or video signal, and comprises an even more reduce-bit representation of the audio or video signal relative to the data; using at least the fingerprint, obtaining information or content associated with the audio or video signal; and providing the information or content to the remote device or to a device associated with the remote device. Of course, additional claims and combinations are provided as well. |
| US08023762B2 |
Apparatus for removing noise of video signal
An apparatus for removing a noise of a video signal is discussed, by which a noise level can be effectively estimated to enhance an image quality of the video signal, by which the noise can be removed in a manner of effectively estimating a noise level though motion adaptive filtering, and by which blurring is prevented in the process of removing the noises. |
| US08023761B2 |
Apparatus for removing noise of video signal
An apparatus for removing a noise of a video signal is disclosed, by which a noise level can be effectively estimated to enhance an image quality of the video signal, by which the noise can be removed in a manner of effectively estimating a noise level though motion adaptive filtering, and by which blurring is prevented in the process of removing the noises. The present invention includes a temporal noise level estimation unit estimating a level of a temporal noise included in the video signal using a difference between two temporally consecutive videos, a noise correction unit correcting a noise estimated by the temporal noise level estimation unit, and a noise removal unit removing the noise included in the video signal using a level of the corrected noise. |
| US08023759B2 |
Focus monitoring method
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of monitoring a focus position on a surface of a wafer for an exposure apparatus which transfers by exposure a pattern formed on a mask onto the wafer, including tilting at least one of the mask and an exposure area on the wafer and performing exposure while the mask and the exposure area have a relative angle, to form two spurious resolution images of the pattern of the mask in the exposure area; measuring positions of the two spurious resolution images formed in the exposure area and detecting an optimal focus position of the exposure apparatus on the basis of a middle point between the measured positions of the two spurious resolution images. |
| US08023755B2 |
Generating subimages of an image to use to represent the image
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for generating subimages of an image to use to represent the image. A determination is made of a pixel location on one axis of an image comprising a plurality of pixels. The image is divided into multiple subimages at the determined pixel location on the axis. A determination is made as to whether each subimage can be cropped to remove regions of white pixels from the subimage. Each subimage is cropped to remove a region of white pixels in response to determining that the subimage can be cropped. An image file is generated defining the image including the subimages. |
| US08023754B2 |
Image encoding and decoding apparatus, program and method
An image decoding apparatus has a video data decoder for receiving and decoding encoded video data to acquire a plurality of reconstructed images; a subsidiary data decoder for receiving and decoding subsidiary data to acquire subsidiary motion information; and a resolution enhancer for generating motion vectors representing time-space correspondences between the plurality of reconstructed images, based on the subsidiary motion information acquired by the subsidiary data decoder, and for generating a high-resolution image with a spatial resolution higher than that of the plurality of reconstructed images, using the generated motion vectors and the plurality of reconstructed images acquired by the video data decoder. |
| US08023753B2 |
Moving picture coding method and moving picture decoding method
According to a picture coding method of the present invention, a coded picture identified by a picture number is stored, as a reference picture, into a storage unit; commands indicating correspondence between picture numbers and reference indices for designating reference pictures and coefficients used for generation of predictive images are generated; a reference picture being used when motion compensation is performed on a current block in a current picture to be coded is designated by a reference index; a predictive image is generated by performing linear prediction on a block being obtained by motion estimation within the designated reference picture, by use of a coefficient corresponding to the reference index; a coded image signal including a coded signal obtained by coding a prediction error being a difference between the current block in the current picture to be coded and the predictive image, the commands, the reference index and the coefficient is outputted. At that time, information indicating the maximum reference index value is coded and included into the coded image signal, and the commands indicating correspondence between at least one picture number and a plurality of reference indices are generated. |
| US08023749B2 |
Image compressing apparatus and image reading apparatus including the same, image processing apparatus including image compressing apparatus and image forming apparatus including the same, image compression processing method, computer program thereof, and recording medium
An image compressing apparatus and method are provided that execute an appropriate JPEG compression process in accordance with a document type of image data to realize maintenance of good image quality and improvement of a compression rate at the same time. Document image data input from an image input apparatus are converted into digital signals by an image compressing apparatus and delivered to a JPEG compression section and a document discrimination section. The document discrimination section discriminates a document type for each page and the parameter setting section calculates optimum compression parameters (a quantization table and a subsampling) in accordance with a document discrimination signal from the document discrimination section. The JPEG compression section executes the JPEG compression process with the use of the parameters from the parameter setting section to output a JPEG code along with encoded data. |
| US08023748B2 |
Image capturing apparatus, imaging circuit, and image capturing method
An image capturing apparatus for capturing an image with solid state imaging devices may include a compressing section, a memory, a decompressing section, and a signal processing section. The compressing section may compress digitalized data of an image captured with the solid state imaging devices. The memory may temporarily store the compressed image data that is compressed by the compressing section. The decompressing section may decompress the compressed image data that is read out from the memory. The signal processing section may perform an image quality correction operation on the image data decompressed by the decompressing section. The compressed image data may contain a maximum value and a minimum value of pixel data in a block, information regarding positions of the maximum value and the minimum value in the block, and quantized data. |
| US08023745B2 |
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for fast neighborhood determinations in dynamic environments
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for ascertaining neighborhood information in a dynamically changing environment, such as an electronic ink environment may include: (a) receiving data representing plural electronic ink strokes; (b) defining a first vertex associated with a first ink stroke; and (c) determining neighboring vertices to the first vertex, wherein the neighboring vertices are associated with ink stroke(s) other than the first ink stroke. Additional systems, methods, and computer-readable media may include: (a) receiving data representing plural electronic ink strokes; (b) defining plural vertices associated with the ink strokes; (c) receiving input indicating a selection of an ink component; and (d) determining at least one neighboring component by determining which ink component(s) located outside of the selection include one or more ink strokes having vertices that neighbor vertices included in the selection. |
| US08023744B2 |
Pattern matching system and targeted object pursuit system using light quantities in designated areas of images to be compared
A pattern matching system that outputs an likeness values, comprising a designation block, a comparison block, a calculation block and an output block, is provided. The likeness value shows how much a first and second image compares to each other. The designation block designates a first and second image data as data to be compared. The first and second image data comprises 2^x of area data. The comparison block compares the data level of the area data corresponding to pattern areas at the relatively same location in the first and second images. The calculation block calculates the likeness value. The likeness value varies according to the number of the pattern areas where the absolute value of the difference between the compared data levels of the area data is less than a predetermined standard value. |
| US08023743B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
When a user instructs photographing by operating an operating unit, an image captured by an image sensor is stored as a photographed image in a memory. When a mode for performing color fading correction is set, the CPU instructs an image processing device to extract, from the photographed image, areas in which there are photographic print images which are supposed to bring about color fading. The image processing device generates a binary image by detecting edges of the photographed image, erases edges contacting an outermost edge of the photographed image, and extracts the areas based on the binary image from which some of the edges are erased. |
| US08023742B2 |
Local image descriptors using linear discriminant embedding
To render the comparison of image patches more efficient, the data of an image patch can be projected into a smaller-dimensioned subspace, resulting in a descriptor of the image patch. The projection into the descriptor subspace is known as a linear discriminant embedding, and can be performed with reference to a linear discriminant embedding matrix. The linear discriminant embedding matrix can be constructed from projection vectors that maximize those elements that are shared by matching image patches or that are used to distinguish non-matching image patches, while also minimizing those elements that are common to non-matching image patches or that distinguish matching image patches. The determination of such projection vectors can be limited such that only orthogonal vectors comprise the linear discriminant embedding matrix. The determination of the linear discriminant embedding matrix can likewise be constrained to avoid overfitting to training data. |
| US08023740B2 |
Systems and methods for notes detection
To perform notes detection, candidate reference marks are identified in a document. A starting note zone is identified in the document. A pair of similar reference marks is identified from the candidate reference marks including a first reference mark in the note zone and a second reference mark outside the note zone. The document is marked up to indicate a note associated with the first and second reference marks. |
| US08023738B1 |
Generating reflow files from digital images for rendering on various sized displays
Processing content in a digital image into reflow content is presented. In operation, a computer system is configured to obtain a digital image from a source. The digital image comprises content including both reflow content and non-reflow content. The computer system identifies non-reflow blocks of content within the digital image and processes the digital image into reflow content, excluding the identified non-reflow blocks of content. The reflow content is copied to a digital content file or stream. The identified non-reflow blocks of content are also copied to the digital content file/stream. Information regarding the non-reflow blocks of content, such as its location in the digital image and a confidence rating, are included with the non-reflow block copied to the digital content file/stream. |
| US08023736B2 |
Color correction method and color correction apparatus
A color correction method in which an input image is corrected to generate an output image with an illumination condition different from that in the input image includes: detecting a region of a particular subject from the input image to extract color information on the region; restoring a spectral distribution of illumination in the input image by using the extracted color information and a surface reflectance of the particular subject designated in advance, calculating a spectral distribution of illumination in the output image by using the restored spectral distribution of illumination in the input image and the spectral distribution of designated target illumination, and calculating color information on each pixel of the output image on the basis of color information on each pixel of the input image, the restored spectral distribution of illumination in the input image and the calculated spectral distribution of illumination in the output image. |
| US08023731B2 |
Apparatus and method for histogram analysis of image and luminance compensation apparatus using the same
Disclosed is an apparatus and method for analyzing a histogram of an image, the apparatus comprising an image input module for buffering an input image, a block calculator for performing a blocking operation for dividing the image into pixel blocks of a predetermined size, and extracting and outputting a representative pixel of each block obtained in a corresponding blocking, a probability density function (PDF) operator for calculating a first histogram using all pixels of the image, and calculating a second histogram using the representative pixels input from the block calculator, and an image characteristic comparator for receiving the first and second histograms determining whether the received histograms satisfy an identity criterion and calculating a third histogram of a following image when the identity criterion is satisfied. |
| US08023727B2 |
Environment map generating apparatus, environment map generating method, and environment map generating program
An environment map generating apparatus is provided. The environment map generating apparatus includes: a storage unit, a cross-sectional image generating unit, a model processing unit, an obtaining unit and an environment map generating unit. The storage unit stores a model of an obstacle. The cross-sectional image generating unit generates a cross-sectional image of a model of an obstacle at a predetermined height from a reference plane in an environment. The model processing unit generates a cross-sectional image-appended model by superimposing the cross-sectional image onto the model of the obstacle. The obtaining unit obtains an obstacle map at the predetermined height from the reference plane in the environment. The environment map generating unit generates an environment map where the cross-sectional image-appended model is superimposed in a semitransparent state onto the corresponding obstacle in the obstacle map. |
| US08023726B2 |
Method and system for markerless motion capture using multiple cameras
Completely automated end-to-end method and system for markerless motion capture performs segmentation of articulating objects in Laplacian Eigenspace and is applicable to handling of the poses of some complexity. 3D voxel representation of acquired images are mapped to a higher dimensional space (k), where k depends on the number of articulated chains of the subject body, so as to extract the 1-D representations of the articulating chains. A bottom-up approach is suggested in order to build a parametric (spline-based) representation of a general articulated body in the high dimensional space followed by a top-down probabilistic approach that registers the segments to an average human body model. The parameters of the model are further optimized using the segmented and registered voxels. |
| US08023723B2 |
Mask pattern dimensional inspection apparatus and method
A sidewall shape correction function is determined in advance which represents the relationship of the difference between contour positions of two or more items of pattern contour position data of different thresholds obtained from an SEM image and optical pattern contour positions determined through an optical method. Two or more items of pattern contour position data of different thresholds are obtained from SEM image data on which a lithographic simulation is to be conducted. Pseudo-optical pattern contour position data are determined from the contour position difference and the sidewall shape correction function. A lithographic simulation is conducted using the pseudo-optical pattern contour position data. |
| US08023720B2 |
Method and apparatus for identifying repeated patterns
In an exemplary method, repeated patterns are identified in a strip-like product. In the method the strip-like product is observed by at least one camera, and at least one digital image signal comprised of pixels is created for inspection. The image signal is searched for anomalies comprised of one or more pixels. A search image is created of any detected anomaly and its neighbourhood, and the search image is used to convolute the image signal being examined, creating a response image signal. The response image signal is used to determine image areas in the image signal being examined that are substantially similar to the search image. |
| US08023717B1 |
Method and system for processing backwards documents in a document reader/imager
A method for processing backwards documents in a document processing system involves a reverse recognition algorithm. The document processing system includes a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) reader. A waveform is determined for a magnetic ink character string on a document. A forward recognition algorithm is applied to compare the determined waveform to a set of known character profiles. In a case where the magnetic ink character string remains unrecognized after application of the forward recognition algorithm, a reverse recognition algorithm is applied to compare the determined waveform to the set of known character profiles. The reverse recognition algorithm considers the determined waveform as resulting from the document being oriented backwards when passing though the magnetic ink character recognition reader when comparing the waveform to the set of known character profiles. |
| US08023715B2 |
Automatic currency processing system having ticket redemption module
An apparatus for currency discrimination comprises first and second stationary scanheads, disposed on opposite sides of a bill transport path, for scanning respective first and second opposing surfaces of a bill traveling along the bill transport path and for producing respective output signals. The bill travels along the transport path in the direction of a predetermined dimension of the bill. A memory stores master characteristic patterns corresponding to associated predetermined surfaces of a plurality of denominations of genuine bills. Sampling circuitry samples the output signals associated with the respective first and second opposing surfaces of the scanned bill. A signal processor is programmed to determine which one of the first and second opposing surfaces corresponds to the associated predetermined surfaces of the plurality of denominations of genuine bills. The processor then correlates the output signal associated with the one of the first and second opposing surfaces corresponding to the associated predetermined surfaces with the master characteristic patterns to identify the denomination of the scanned bill. |
| US08023712B2 |
Medical system and method for generating medical guide image
A medical system includes: an image signal acquiring portion for acquiring a signal to generate an image corresponding to a picture of a subject; an image generating portion for generating a real-time image of an inside of the test subject based on the acquired signal; a detecting portion for outputting a position and an orientation of an image position and orientation detecting element as a detection value; a reference image data storage portion for storing reference image data made up of anatomical images of the test subject; a guide image generating portion for generating a guide image to provide guide information about at least one of an anatomical position and orientation within the test subject of the real-time image, based on the detection value and the reference image data; and a detection state notification information generating portion for generating information to notify a detection state of the detection value. |
| US08023709B2 |
Vasculature partitioning methods and apparatus
A method includes performing an automatic partitioning of Neuro-vessels into a plurality of anatomically relevant circulatory systems using a CT system. |
| US08023703B2 |
Hybrid segmentation of anatomical structure
An image of an anatomical structure can be analyzed to determine an enclosing three-dimensional boundary when the anatomical structure is filled with two substances, such as air and a fluid. Various techniques can be used to determine the enclosing boundary including: analyzing the virtual structure to segment the structure into air and fluid pockets, determining if there are multiple fluid pockets whose surface touches a single air-fluid boundary, determining a separate threshold for respective fluid pockets, resegmenting the virtual anatomical structure using the separate threshold for different fluid pockets, forming a hierarchical pocket tree which represents the relationship between the fluid and air pockets, pruning the pocket tree based on various criteria which corresponds to deleting those pruned portions from the virtual anatomical structure, and resegmenting the remaining virtual anatomical structure using one or more of fuzzy connectedness, two-dimensional gap filling, and level set segmentation. |
| US08023699B2 |
Iris recognition system, a method thereof, and an encryption system using the same
The present invention generally relates to an iris recognition system, a method thereof, and more specifically, to an iris recognition system comprising the image selector scanning each iris image in pixel unit by using a mask defined into a second area which is in square shape and a first area configured as the peripheral girth of the second area, calculating the number of pixels C1 that luminance values of pixels located in the first area are smaller than a first threshold value and the number of pixels C2 that luminance values of pixels located in the second area are bigger than a second threshold value, and selecting an image of which the calculated pixel C2 values are minimum. |
| US08023694B2 |
Systems and methods using identifying data derived or extracted from video, audio or images
The presently claimed invention relates to deriving or extracting information from audio, images and video. One claim recites a method of operating a network filter. The network includes a plurality of network nodes, the network filter is for filtering video or audio. The method includes: monitoring video or audio traffic to a particular network node; identifying a first video or audio at the particular network node through deriving identifying data from data representing the first video or audio, the deriving utilizes at least one programmed multi-purpose computer processor; determining additional information associated with the first video or audio based at least in part on the identifying information; and notifying the network node of the presence of the additional information. |
| US08023693B2 |
System and method for solving the “birthday problem” with watermarking
A system and method are provided for facilitating the playing of a watermarked video having the “birthday problem”. Consumers send the problem disc to an authorization center where the disc is analyzed to determine if it is a legitimate disc. The authorization center generates a digital certificate uniquely associated with the disc and with the video and embeds the digital certificate into the disc. The digital certificate will cause a video player to play the video without checking for the watermark. |
| US08023692B2 |
Apparatus and methods to process video or audio
The presently claimed invention relates generally to video or audio data. One claim recites an apparatus. The apparatus includes an input to receive data associated with video or audio; a decoder to analyze the data associated with video or audio for a steganographic signal hidden therein, the steganographic signal hidden in data representing video picture elements or in data representing audio elements; an extractor to extract an identifier from the data associated with video or audio; a generator to provide a signal based at least in part on a result produced by said decoder and said extractor; and an output to output the signal. Of course, other combinations are provided and claimed as well. |
| US08023691B2 |
Methods involving maps, imagery, video and steganography
The present invention relates generally to steganography, data hiding and digital watermarking as they may apply to maps, images and video. One claim recites a method of identifying locations on a map. The map is to be displayed via a computer display. The method includes: receiving data representing a first image; analyzing the data to obtain information steganographically encoded therein, the information comprises or links to first location information associated with the first image; providing a map including an area associated with the first location information, wherein the map is to be displayed via a computer display; and visually or graphically identifying a first location on the map that is associated with the first location information. Of course, other combinations are provided and claimed as well. |
| US08023690B2 |
Apparatus and method for imaging fluids downhole
The disclosure, in one aspect, provides a method for providing an image of a fluid that includes passing light through the fluid, detecting light passing through the fluid at at least one wavelength and producing signals corresponding to the detected light, and processing the signals to provide the image of the fluid. |
| US08023685B2 |
Electroacoustic transducer and electronic device using the same
An electroacoustic transducer has a magnetic circuit, a frame combined with the magnetic circuit, a diaphragm combined with a periphery of the frame, a voice coil, a terminal, and a holder covering the frame. The voice coil is combined with the diaphragm and a part of the voice coil is arranged in a magnetic gap of the magnetic circuit. The terminal, made of a metal plate having spring property and electric conductivity, electrically connects an outside circuit and the voice coil utilizing spring pressure generated when the metal plate is bent. The holder forms a stopper for restricting a bend of the metal plate forming the terminal to within a reversible limit of a metallic material. |
| US08023673B2 |
Pitch perception in an auditory prosthesis
A sound processing process, device and software are disclosed which seek to improve pitch perception, with particular application to auditory prostheses. After input sound signals are processed into channels, an algorithm is applied to selectively increase the modulation depth of the envelope signals. In certain embodiments, the channelized signals are adjusted in timing so as to align the phase of modulated envelope signals in different channels. This results in provision of synchronous (phase aligned) modulation periodicity across channels and hence less pitch ambiguity for listeners to the processed signal, or for application of the signal to hearing prostheses such as cochlear implants. In some embodiments, a broadband envelope signal is used to modulate the level of the narrow band channel signals, so that voicing frequency modulation information in the broadband envelope signal is provided in all narrow band channel signals and the phase of modulated signals in the channels are aligned. A preferred form uses an envelope signal which is modified to increase its modulation depth, and is normalized so as to allow for modulation of the channel signals. |
| US08023671B2 |
Piezoelectric buzzer driving circuit
A piezoelectric buzzer driving circuit (200) for driving a piezoelectric buzzer (211) with two terminals includes a reverser (216). The reverser includes an output terminal and an input terminal (24) configured for receiving a controlling signal to control an output of the reverser. The two terminals of the piezoelectric buzzer respectively connected to the input terminal and the output terminal such that a D-value of the voltage across the piezoelectric buzzer is twice as large as the voltage of the controlling signal. |
| US08023670B2 |
Stray capacitance reduced condenser microphone
A condenser microphone includes a conductive layer which is partially disposed on an insulation ring of a second base to reduce stray capacitance. The condenser microphone includes: a conductive case with an opened surface, wherein an end portion of the case is bent to attach to a printed circuit board (PCB); a diaphragm mounted inside the case a backplate facing the diaphragm with a predetermined distance set by a spacer; a first base made of an insulating ring to electrically insulate the backplate from the case; a second base electrically connected to the backplate by disposing a conductive layer on a portion of a ring formed of an insulating material. The PCB has a circuit component and a conductive pattern for connecting the second base, and on another surface has a conductive pattern for connecting the bent end portion of the case and a connection terminal to an external circuit. |
| US08023668B2 |
System for predicting the behavior of a transducer
A system for compensating and driving a loudspeaker includes an open loop loudspeaker controller that receives and processes an audio input signal and provides an audio output signal. A dynamic model of the loudspeaker receives the audio output signal, and models the behavior of the loudspeaker and provides predictive loudspeaker behavior data indicative thereof. The open loop loudspeaker controller receives the predictive loudspeaker behavior data and the audio input signal, and provides the audio output signal as a function of the audio input signal and the predictive loudspeaker behavior data. |
| US08023666B2 |
Voice input support program, voice input support device, and voice input support method
There is provided a voice input support program, voice input support device, and voice input support method for assisting users to input voice properly. A voice input support program executable from a computer, for assisting voice input under a noisy environment by executing: a noise measurement step that obtains a measured noise level value by measuring a noise level; and a notification step that outputs an instruction about at least one of a voice level at which voice should be spoken and speak timing, based on at least one registered voice level reference value and the measured noise level value measured by the noise measurement step. |
| US08023663B2 |
Music headphones for manual control of ambient sound
A headphone and method for allowing manually controlled reception of ambient sound by a user. More particularly, the invention relates to a headphone for listening to an audio signal while allowing varying amounts of ambient sound to the user. In one aspect, the headphone comprises a manually-controllable physical characteristic that controls the amount of ambient sound accessible to the user. The physical characteristic can be sound ports that can be opened or closed. In another aspect, the headphone can comprise a microphone receptive of ambient sound, wherein the user can control the proportion of sound that comes from the ambient sound or the audio signal. The microphone can be part of a noise cancellation system. |
| US08023661B2 |
Self-adjusting and self-modifying addressable speaker
A self-adjusting speaker integrated with an alarm system is provided. The self-adjusting speaker may be used to aurally monitor an area (such as monitoring the ambient noise in the vicinity of the speaker) and adjust the speaker accordingly. The circumstances under which to aurally monitor a premises (such as how to monitor, when to monitor, what type of monitoring, etc.) may be varied. For example, there are several ways how to perform the aural monitoring (such as how to sense the ambient noise), including using a separate microphone or the speaker itself. A self-monitoring speaker integrated with an alarm system is also provided. The self-monitoring speaker may monitor the aural output of the speaker using a microphone or similar type of transducer. The aural output monitored by the microphone may be analyzed, and, based on the analysis, the data and/or operation of the speaker may be modified. |
| US08023660B2 |
Apparatus, method and computer program for providing a set of spatial cues on the basis of a microphone signal and apparatus for providing a two-channel audio signal and a set of spatial cues
An apparatus for providing a set of spatial cues associated with an upmix audio signal having more than two channels on the basis of a two-channel microphone signal has a signal analyzer and a spatial side information generator. The signal analyzer is configured to obtain a component energy information and a direction information on the basis of the two-channel microphone signal, such that the component energy information describes estimates of energies of a direct sound component of the two-channel microphone signal and of a diffuse sound component of the two-channel microphone signal, and such that the directional information describes an estimate of a direction from which the direct sound component of the two-channel microphone signal originates. The spatial side information generator is configured to map the component energy information and the direction information onto a spatial cue information describing the set of spatial cues associated with an upmix audio signal having more than two channels. |
| US08023657B2 |
Cryptography and certificate authorities in gaming machines
The casino gaming system includes gaming machines and a gaming server having keys. A network bus interconnects the gaming machines and the gaming server. The network bus provides a communication link to transmit information between the gaming machine and the gaming server. The gaming server transmits keys over the network bus to the gaming machines. The gaming machines use the keys to encrypt information, and the gaming machines transmit the encrypted information over the network bus and/or an outside network connected to the gaming server. |
| US08023652B2 |
Apparatus and method for implementing digital rights management systems in low-efficiency storage device
A host device and a method of implementing Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems in a low-efficiency storage device are provided. The host device includes a plurality of DRM systems and a DRM system-shared interface module. The DRM systems provide pieces of DRM-related data and data identifiers (IDs) which identify the pieces of data. The DRM system-shared interface module adds DRM system IDs, which are used to identify the DRM systems, to the pieces of data and the data IDs, and provides results, which are obtained by adding the DRM system IDs, to a low-efficiency storage device. |
| US08023650B2 |
Information processing apparatus, setup method and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium on which setup program is recorded
An information processing apparatus includes a detection section for detecting that the information processing apparatus is started for the first time, a selection section for selecting at least one kind of the setting information from among a plurality of kinds of the setting information where it is detected by the detection section that the information processing apparatus is started for the first time, and a processing section for performing an initial setting process for the information processing apparatus using the setting information selected by the selection section. Consequently, the necessity for a user to perform inputting of the setting information is eliminated thereby to enhance the convenience, and also the fabrication source can reduce the management cost for the setting information. |
| US08023649B2 |
Method and apparatus for cellular automata based generation of pseudorandom sequences with controllable period
A compact apparatus for generation of desired pseudorandom sequences with controllable period. The apparatus includes two-dimensional cellular automata for generating a first sequence, 2-by-L cellular automata for generating a second sequence, adders for performing bit-to-bit mod2 sum of the first sequences and the second sequences, and a buffer for buffering the resultant sequences from the adders. |
| US08023642B2 |
Method for extending ethernet over twisted pair conductors and to the telephone network and plug-in apparatus for same employing standard mechanics
An Ethernet extension device is provided for metro or last mile Ethernet service via twisted pairs as opposed to fiber optics. The Ethernet extension device is implemented as a plug-in extension for existing infrastructure (e.g., in a standard electrical wall box or Type-200™ Mechanics card) that employs lighting and power cross protection required by the telephone companies for Ethernet connectivity to the telephone network (e.g., for connection between a user's building and a telephone company building over existing outdoor telephone cables). |
| US08023640B2 |
Communication apparatus capable of adjusting volume of voice to be reproduced
A communication apparatus through which voice communication can be performed, including: a line interface portion which receives and transmits data form and to a line and which includes a data access arrangement device in which is incorporated a detection circuit that detects at least one of a line voltage and a line current; a voice reproducing device which reproduces a voice that is based on voice communication data transmitted from the line to the line interface portion; and a volume adjuster which adjusts reproduction volume with which the voice is to be reproduced by the voice reproducing device, on the basis of a detected value of the detection circuit. |
| US08023638B2 |
System and method for balancing agent console load during automated call processing
A system and method for balancing agent console load during automated call processing is provided. A plurality of agent consoles are operated in a call center. Progress of a call session of a caller that is calling into the call center at each agent console is monitored. An absolute upper limit on a number of the call sessions allowed at each agent console at any given time is assigned. A load of call session assignments on each agent console is balanced. Objective and subjective conditions pertinent to each assigned call session are continually collected from each agent console. The objective and subjective conditions that affect call session availability are updated for each agent console. The objective and subjective conditions are evaluated against the absolute upper limit to determine a load factor. Each call session is assigned to one such agent console within bounds applicable to the load factor. |
| US08023634B2 |
Autodialer flow control
A method for regulating a call placement rate (CPR) of an autodialer (AD) (100) includes: measuring a time delay between a first event and a second event; and, adjusting the CPR of the AD (100) in response to the measured time delay. |
| US08023633B2 |
Communication assistance system and method
A communication assistance system for providing access to information corresponding to a plurality of subscribers includes a telephone switch for receiving calls from a plurality of requesters desiring to access the subscriber information. A listing database is configured to store the subscriber information including a field containing wireless phone numbers of a desired portion of the subscribers and a connect field that stores information instructing the system as to whether to mask the subscriber's wireless phone number to the requester, such that during a process that the requester is being connected to a desired subscriber, the connect field is examined to determine whether to disclose the subscriber's wireless phone number to the requester. A call center routes each of the received calls from the requester to an operator terminal that has access to the database listing table, where the connect field further comprises information instructing the communication assistance system as to whether or not to mask the subscriber's wireless phone number to a customer representative who is handling a request from a requester. |
| US08023632B2 |
Method, system and article for providing a family telecommunication service using an originating dual-tone multi-frequency trigger
A menu is provided in a telephone call. The menu provides a plurality of destination options including a first destination option for a residence of a family, a second destination option for a first member of the family at a first location other than the residence, and a third destination option for a second member of the family at a second location other than the residence. A first selection of one of the destination options is received in the telephone call, and the telephone call is routed to a first telephone number corresponding to the first selection. Thereafter, an originating dual-tone multi-frequency trigger is detected. The telephone call to the first telephone number is interrupted, a second selection of the destination options is received, and the telephone call is routed to a second telephone number corresponding to the second selection. |
| US08023627B1 |
Method and apparatus for retrieving information from appliances
A method and apparatus for retrieving information from household appliances are disclosed. For example, the method receives a request from a user of an appliance. The method then receives stored information from the appliance as one or more Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) signals. |
| US08023626B2 |
System and method for providing language interpretation
A method and system of providing a language interpretation service is disclosed. A language access number, such as an 811 number, can be provided. The language access number can be used to place a telephone call to a language interpretation service for language assistance. A language access telephone call is received at the language interpretation service provider from a caller speaking a first language. The caller places the language access telephone call by dialing the language access number. The caller has at least one business need. The first language is identified so as to provide the customer with an interpreter that can translate between a first language and a second language. The interpreter can be associated with the language interpretation service provider. The interpreter can telephonically engage an agent representing a merchant that can serve the at least one business need of the caller. The first agent speaks the second language and the interpreter translates a conversation between the caller and the agent. |
| US08023620B2 |
X-ray arrangement with a converter and associated X-ray method
The present invention is an x-ray arrangement for examining patients, having an x-ray source and a digital flat panel detector characterized by a processing unit with a converter with an input possibility for a whole data record of system parameters as input parameters which can be easily adjusted and input by the user for conversion into a whole data record of image chain parameters as output parameters. |
| US08023617B2 |
Method and device for quality management in mammography apparatus
The present invention relates to a device and method for quality management (5) in a mammography apparatus (10), said apparatus comprising an X-ray source capable of directing a X-ray beam, a breast immobilization means (16, 18), and an X-ray image sensor system (20), said X-ray image sensor system (20) comprising a central area for sensing an image of said breast, and a peripheral area not used for imaging said immobilized breast. According to the invention, the device comprises a sensor for quality management (30), said sensor comprising a radiation dose detector in the path of said X-ray beam, for producing a dose measurement, and radiation absorbing elements (130, 350, 360, 380, 390, 400) for producing a detectable image of said X-ray beam on said X-ray image sensor system (20), acquisition means (20, 50, 60) for acquiring a digital image of said breast, and of said sensor for quality management (30), computing means (70) for computing quality management data (80) from said digital image of said sensor for quality management (30), and from said dose measurement. |
| US08023614B2 |
Counting circuit and address counter using the same
A counting circuit includes first to fifth flip-flops (FFs) and a logic operation unit. Each of the first to fourth FFs has an initial value based on a preset control signal input through a 4-bit set terminal and outputs a signal according to a clock signal. The fifth FF is coupled to the output terminal of the fourth FF and is configured to output the output signal of the fourth FF synchronously with the clock signal. The logic operation unit logically combines the output signals of the second to fourth FFs and outputs first and second counting signals. |
| US08023609B2 |
Dielectric coating for surfaces exposed to high temperature water
Disclosed is a method for reducing electrostatic deposition of charged particles on wetted surfaces that are exposed, periodically or substantially continuously to high velocity fluid flow within a coolant flow path in a nuclear reactor. The method includes depositing a first or base dielectric layer and a second or outer dielectric layer on a conductive surface that forms a portion of a high velocity flow path. The first dielectric layer material is selected to provide improved adhesion and insulation to the conductive surface and the second dielectric layer material is selected to provide suitable adhesion to the first dielectric layer and improved corrosion and/or mechanical resistance in the anticipated operating environment. |
| US08023608B2 |
Communication system using multi-phase clock signals
A communication system using multi-phase clock signals. The communication system includes a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter outputs first data and a clock signal based on first multi-phase clock signals, and performs a coarse lock operation on the clock signal in response to a bit lock detection signal indicating whether or not the first data are bit-locked. The receiver receives the first data and the clock signal from the transmitter, generates second multi-phase clock signals based on the clock signal, generates second data by sampling the first data based on the second multi-phase clock signals, and performs a fine lock operation on the second multi-phase clock signals in response to the bit lock detection signal. Therefore, a jitter noise may be reduced and a size of a multi-phase clock generator included in the receiver may be reduced. |
| US08023606B2 |
Clock data restoration device
With the clock data restoration device 1, as a result of the processing of a loop which comprises the sampler section 10, detection section 20, timing determination section 30, and clock output section 40, the respective phases of the clock signal CKXA, clock signal CKXB, and clock signal CK are adjusted to match the phase of the input digital signal, the digital signal sampling time indicated by the clock signal CKXA is adjusted to match the peak time of the distribution of data transition times in a case where the value D (n−2) and value D(n−1) of the preceding two bits differ from one another, and the digital signal sampling time indicated by the clock signal CKXB is adjusted to match the peak time of the distribution of data transition times in a case where the value D (n−2) and value D(n−1) of the preceding two bits are equal to one another. |
| US08023600B2 |
Method and apparatus for interference rejection combining and detection
A multi-branch OFDM receiver combines diversity signals received over different receiver branches using interference rejection combining. The receiver generates first channel estimates associated with a serving base station, second channel estimates associated with at least one non-serving base station, and a time offset between the serving base station and non-serving base station. The receiver computes a noise covariance matrix based on the second channel estimates and the time offset, and then combines the diversity signals received over different branches using the first channel estimates and the noise covariance matrix. |
| US08023599B2 |
Interfering signal characterizing quantity storing method and device, interfering signal characterizing quantity acquiring method and device, and interfering signal suppressing method and device
Interfering signals coming at random timings from different radio stations are identified. In order to attain this, a method for storing the characterizing quantity of an interfering signal included in a received signal includes calculating the characterizing quantity of the received signal, determining a probability that a desired signal is included in the received signal, determining that the received signal is an interfering signal when determining that there is no probability that the desired signal is included in the received signal, and storing the characterizing quantity of the received signal as an interfering signal characterizing quantity when it is determined at the received signal determination step that there is no probability that the desired signal is included in the received signal. |
| US08023598B2 |
Automatic gain control method and apparatus for wireless communication systems
A system and method are provided for automatic gain control (AGC) using an adaptive reference and a threshold. An adaptive reference allows for adjusting the target power based on variations in operating parameters and conditions, such as a change to a modulation schemes which requires a different signal to noise ratio (SNR) to maintain performance. A gain adjustment threshold allows for rapid AGC response while reducing the potential effects of hysteresis. AGC levels may be changed during symbol prefixes or suffixes, and avoided during a data portion of a signal. Embodiments allow for symbol-by symbol AGC changes in OFDM, OFDMA, and TDD systems. |
| US08023593B2 |
Methods and apparatus for channel estimation for wideband OFDM communication systems
Systems and methods according to the present invention provide channel estimation methods, systems and devices which determine a coarse channel estimate (40) and a fine channel estimate (66). The coarse channel (40) estimate can be determined based on the channel estimation sequence transmitted to the receiver and then used to detect header symbols. The header symbols can be used to calculate additional channel estimates which can then be combined with the coarse channel estimate (40) to determine a fine channel estimate (66). |
| US08023592B2 |
Method and apparatus for finding center amplitude of particle size-representative pulses produced by aperture based sizing system
Pipelined digital processing circuitry for use with a particle size measurement system, such as that employed in automated hematology systems, measures the ‘center’ amplitude of a pulse produced by a particle or cell passing through a flow cell measurement aperture, such as the detection aperture of a Coulter Principle-based electronic particle analysis system. The circuitry of the invention processes successive pulse samples by means of a half-peak/half-width methodology that analyzes each pulse as its continuously sampled and temporarily stored in memory. Concurrent analysis of the data in memory during storage locates the pulse width at a prescribed percentage (e.g., 50%) of the peak amplitude of the pulse. This pulse width data is then processed to determine the pulse amplitude at the midpoint of the width of the pulse between its mid-peak values on rising edge and fall edge portions of the pulse. |
| US08023591B2 |
Method and system for a shared GM-stage between in-phase and quadrature channels
Aspects of a method and system for a shared GM-stage between in-phase and quadrature channels may include processing an in-phase (I) component signal for the I channel and a quadrature (Q) component signal for the Q channel via one or more shared transconductance stages in a frequency demodulator. The I channel may be isolated from the Q channel and the Q channel may be isolated from the I channel using isolation resistors. The values of the isolation resistors may be selected so as to balance the isolation and signal attenuation. A folding circuit, comprising active devices, may isolate the I channel from the Q channel. A generated voltage may be utilized to bias the folding circuit. An oscillator for the I channel may be isolated from a mixer for the Q channel and an oscillator for the Q channel may be isolated from a mixer for the I channel. |
| US08023588B1 |
Adaptive predistortion of non-linear amplifiers with burst data
Apparatus and methods control predistortion of an RF transmitter. A base station or a mobile station can utilize predistortion to improve linearity characteristics of the RF power amplifier. When used effectively, predistortion limits spectral growth such that the amplified signal complies with regulatory requirements. With respect to bursty signals, specific improvement techniques are disclosed. A first technique is related to adaptation using only a smaller subset of samples of a burst. A second technique is related to selective application of digital predistortion, such as, only under high power conditions for a power amplifier. A third technique is directed to adaptation of less than all of the coefficients. These improvements permit the use of a smaller and less expensive amplifier for a given power class and can lengthen battery life for a mobile unit. |
| US08023582B2 |
Signal transmission method of closed-loop MIMO system
A closed-loop MIMO system includes a receiver for forming a new predefined set by using elements of a previous predefined set, selecting a certain matrix of the new predefined set, and feeding back an index of the matrix, if the number of transmit antennas increases, and a transmitter for performing signal transmission by multiplying the matrix of the feedback index to a transmission signal. Although the number of transmit antennas increases, candidate matrices can be simply obtained by using candidate matrices of a previous set. Moreover, to by proposing a reference for selecting an optimal solution with a small amount of calculation, burden on a system can be considerably reduced. |
| US08023581B2 |
Max-log receiver for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems
A method includes the steps of i) listing out all possibilities for a first symbol of a two stream signal; ii) determining a second symbol of the two stream signal for each of the first symbol listed out, iii) evaluating a metric for each of the first symbol and second symbol pair, iv) listing out all possibilities for second symbol, v) determining a first symbol for each choice of the second symbol listed out, vi) evaluating a metric for each of the second symbol and first symbol pair, vii) determining an exact maximum log likelihood ratio for all bits using the metrics, and viii) decoding codeword(s) in the two stream signal using the determined exact maximum log likelihood ratio for all bits. |
| US08023580B2 |
System and method of communication using at least two modulation methods
A device may be capable of communicating using at least two type types of modulation methods. The device may include a transceiver capable of acting as a master according to a master/slave relationship in which communication from a slave to a master occurs in response to communication from the master to the slave. The master transceiver may send transmissions discrete transmissions structured with a first portion and a payload portion. Information in the first portion may be modulated according to a first modulation method and indicate an impending change to a second modulation method, which is used for transmitting the payload portion. The discrete transmissions may be addressed for an intended destination of the payload portion. |
| US08023579B2 |
Quadrature demodulation device, quadrature demodulation method, and quadrature demodulation program
A quadrature demodulation device effectively utilizes the result of quadrature detection in order to improve demodulation efficiency. The quadrature modulation device includes a quadrature detector DT which performs quadrature detection on a reception signal obtained by receiving a radio wave from a radio frequency identification tag, to generate an in-phase signal and a quadrature-phase signal, and a demodulation circuit DM which detects a preamble of a particular transition pattern in at least one of the in-phase signal and the quadrature-phase signal and which decodes the at least one of the in-phase signal and the quadrature-phase signal to obtain data succeeding the preamble, the demodulation circuit DM further performing error detection on a decoding result to check for errors. |
| US08023577B2 |
Systems and methods for efficient channel classification
Embodiments provide a system and method for efficiently classifying different channel types in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system. Embodiments quantify the frequency selectivity in a channel by measuring the variation in a particular channel statistic across sub-carriers in an OFDM system, involve minimal complexity in implementation, and can be used in a variety of scenarios. One embodiment is a method for classifying channels in an OFDM system, comprising measuring variation of at least one channel statistic across sub-carriers, quantifying the variation to determine a measurement value, and applying the measurement value to at least one threshold to classify the channel. |
| US08023576B2 |
Apparatus and method to estimate sampling offset
A sampling offset estimation apparatus including a pilot sub-carrier refiner, an information sub-carrier refiner, a data sub-carrier refiner, and a sampling offset estimator. The pilot sub-carrier refiner to refine a pilot sub-carrier extracted from a differential demodulated signal, and to generate a reference pilot sub-carrier. The information sub-carrier refiner to refine an information sub-carrier extracted from the differential demodulated signal, and to generate a reference information sub-carrier. The data sub-carrier refiner to refine a data sub-carrier extracted from the differential demodulated signal, and to generate a reference data sub-carrier. The sampling offset estimator to estimate a sampling offset included in the differential demodulated signal, on a basis of the reference pilot sub-carrier, the reference information sub-carrier, and the reference data sub-carrier. |
| US08023573B2 |
Wireless communication system, wireless communication device, and valid path detection method therefor
A wireless communication system according to an exemplary aspect of the present invention is a wireless communication system which performs wireless communications between a first wireless communication device and a second wireless communication device, wherein the first wireless communication device includes: a delay profile calculation unit for calculating a delay profile by calculating a correlation value for a received signal; a valid path detection unit for detecting a valid path using the delay profile and forcibly detecting a valid path when there is no path satisfying a condition of the valid path; and a forcible valid path notification unit for notifying that the valid path is forcibly detected. |
| US08023572B2 |
Communication interface employing a differential circuit and method of use
A communication interface employing a differential circuit and method of use is disclosed. In one form, a circuit operable to communicate signals via a communication bus can include a differential signaling circuit operable to be coupled to a communication bus. The differential signaling circuit can include a first current carrying element and a second current carrying element. The circuit can also include a shunt circuit including a first transformer. The first transformer can include a primary transformer element and a secondary transformer element. The first transformer can be operably associated with the communication bus. |
| US08023570B2 |
System and apparatus for error control codes based on layering and linear transformations
A powerful new class of methods for encoding digital data for reliable transmission over unreliable communication channels is described. With this method, the message bits are divided into multiple submessages and the bits in each layer are encoded using a standard error correction code to provide a plurality of subcodewords. A first linear transformation is applied to each of the subcodewords. The so-transformed subcodewords from the different submessages are then combined to form a first redundancy block to be transmitted. Additional redundancy blocks are generated by repeating this process on the same message but with jointly related nonidentical sets of linear transformations. The result is a set of codewords for each message which are then used to generate a transmitted waveform in one of several different ways, depending upon the application. For example, the codewords can be used in sequence (temporally) to form a rateless code for transmission over channels of unknown quality, in which case a receiver accumulates as many of the codewords as are necessary to successfully decode. As another example, the codewords can be spatially distributed if the channel has multiple-inputs, as would be the case in a multi-antenna system. As still another example, the codewords can be distributed over subchannels in a frequency-division multiplexing system. |
| US08023568B2 |
Capture, editing and encoding of motion pictures encoded with repeating fields or frames
An image sequence captured at a first image rate is encoded as an encoded image sequence at a second image rate with information in the encoded image sequence indicative of images that are repeated when decoded. To assist in editing a video program using the encoded image sequence, the information in the encoded image sequence indicative of images that are repeated when decoded may be cleared. Further, image index information for the encoded image sequence may be generated. This image index information is used to map a temporal position of an image in a decoded image sequence to a position of corresponding data in the encoded image sequence. Temporal positions used with the image index information correspond to the first image rate. |
| US08023566B2 |
Performing and implementing a test task
The present invention relates to a protocol tester and method for performing a test task relating to a specific protocol layer (E2) of a protocol stack in an apparatus to be tested where the specific protocol layer (E2) is superordinated to a higher-level protocol layer (E3) as a next higher protocol layer and is subordinated to a lower-level layer (E1) as a next lower layer. In the protocol tester there is inserted between the higher-level protocol layer (E3) and the lower-level layer (E1) a test layer into the protocol stack, the test layer in the protocol tester having the specific protocol layer (E2) and a complementary layer (ES). |
| US08023563B2 |
Method and system for processing signals via perceptive vectorial quantization, computer program product therefor
The system carries out conversion of digital video signals organized in blocks of pixels from a first format to a second format. The second format is a format compressed via vector quantization. The vector quantization is performed by means of repeated application of a scalar quantizer to the pixels of said blocks with a quantization step (Q) determined in an adaptive way according to the characteristics of sharpness and/or brightness of the pixels and representing said vector quantization in a n-dimensional space indicative of the characteristics on n of said pixels in the block partitioned into cells of size proportional to said quantization step, each cell being assigned to an appropriate binary code, wherein said process further includes identifying at least one symmetry element in said n-dimensional space suitable for separating at least two symmetrical set of cells, and selecting one of said at least two symmetrical set of cells for the assignment of said binary codes. A symmetrical permutation on the n pixels of the block is performed according the selection and a part of said binary code indicating the status of said symmetrical permutation is conveniently set. |
| US08023562B2 |
Real-time video coding/decoding
A video codec having a modular structure for encoding/decoding a digitized sequence of video frames in a multi-core system is described. The video codec comprises a memory unit; a multithreading engine. and a plurality of control and task modules organized in a tree structure, each module corresponding to a coding operation. The modules communicate with each other by control messages and shared memory. The control modules control all coding logic and workflow, and lower level task modules perform tasks and provide calculations upon receiving messages from the control task modules. The multithreading engine maintains context of each task and assigns at least one core to each task for execution. The method of coding/decoding comprises denoising, core motion estimation, distributed motion estimation, weighted texture prediction and error resilient decoding. |
| US08023559B2 |
Minimizing blocking artifacts in videos
Techniques for minimizing blocking artifacts in video images or frames are disclosed. In general, these blocking artifacts are the result of block-based compression standards, such as MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.261, H.263, and H.264. According to one aspect of the present invention, a blurring process is configured to replace pixels on the blocking boundaries with randomly selected pixels within respective regions, each of the regions is predefined with respect to a pixel being replaced. In a certain perspective, a blocking boundary is diffused without introducing blurring to other than the blocking artifacts. According to another aspect to the present invention, pixels in an image or frame are sequentially processed by a moving average process that is configured to smooth only those pixels that may cause subjective perception of the blocking artifacts. |
| US08023555B2 |
Repeater circuit
A repeater circuit configured to duplicate or otherwise coordinate signal transitions between state conductors, such as for use in asynchronous communication systems. The repeater circuit may include a state node or other feature to facilitate enforcing or otherwise ordering transitioning of the state conductors. |
| US08023552B2 |
Methods of discovering neighbors in opportunistic open access ad hoc wireless networks
In an ad hoc wireless network, for purposes of neighbor discovery, a transmitting node transmits a beacon within a timeslot and at a frequency that varies from timeslot-to-timeslot according to one or more associated and known pseudo-random or cyclical frequency hopping sequences. When, during a timeslot, the frequency hopping sequence would select a beacon frequency that if transmitted would violate spectrum policy that is in place during that timeslot, then, during that timeslot, a beacon is not transmitted during that timeslot. During each timeslot, a neighbor receiving node attempts to detect and decode a transmitted beacon at a frequency specified by the frequency hopping sequence that it expects a transmitting node to be using. When a receiving node successfully detects and decodes a beacon transmitted by a transmitting node, neighbor discovery between the transmitting and receiving nodes is achieved. |
| US08023551B2 |
Hybrid orthogonal frequency division multiple access WTRU and method
A hybrid orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) and method. A WTRU includes a transmitter and a receiver. The receiver processes received data to recover data mapped to the subcarriers using OFDMA. The receiver recovers first input data by separating user data from multi-user spread data and recovers second input data from non-spread data. |
| US08023550B2 |
Reactance ballast device
A reactance ballast device (V), in particular for an arc furnace, has an induction coil (1) and a free-standing load stepping switch (2), with the load stepping switch (2) being designed to adjust the reactance of the induction coil (1) while on load. A transformer (T), in particular for an arc furnace (O), has an associated reactance ballast device (V) of the type mentioned initially. An arc furnace (O), in particular for steel smelting, is preceded by a transformer (T) such as this. |
| US08023549B2 |
Tuning method of external cavity laser diode, variable wavelength laser module, and program of external cavity laser diode tuning
A tuning methods of an External Cavity Laser Diode (ECLD), comprises steps of: (1) providing a laser light to a grating so as to tilt the grating to an optical axis of a collimated laser light, (2) adjusting the orientation of the grating relative to the collimated laser light, (3) monitoring singleness of longitudinal mode and optical power of a light emitted from the grating, (4) calculating an orientation of the grating to exhibit intended optical power at which the singleness of longitudinal mode shows at least predetermined value, (5) adjusting the grating orientation or the optical axis of the collimated laser light to the calculated grating orientation. |
| US08023547B2 |
Vertical extended cavity surface emission laser and method for manufacturing a light emitting component of the same
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing the light emitting component of a VECSEL and the corresponding VECSEL. In the method a layer stack (2) is epitaxially grown on a semiconductor substrate (1). The layer stack comprises an active region (4), an upper distributed Bragg reflector (5) and a n- or p-doped current injection layer (13) arranged between the active region (4) and the semiconductor substrate (1). A mechanical support (6) or submount is bonded to an upper side of the layer stack (2) and the semiconductor substrate (1) is subsequently removed. A metallization layer (7) is optionally deposited on the lower side of the layer stack (2) and an optically transparent substrate (8) is bonded to this lower side. The proposed method allows the manufacturing of such a component in a standard manner and results in a VECSEL with a homogenous current injection and high efficiency of heat dissipation. |
| US08023544B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting devices with non-epitaxial upper cladding
The AlGaN upper cladding layer of a nitride laser diode is replaced by a non-epitaxial layer, such as metallic silver. If chosen to have a relatively low refractive index value, the mode loss from absorption in the non-epitaxial cladding layer is acceptably small. If also chosen to have a relatively high work-function, the non-epitaxial layer forms an electrical contact to the nitride semiconductors. An indium-tin-oxide layer may also be employed with the non-epitaxial cladding layer. |
| US08023543B2 |
Surface emitting semiconductor laser, surface emitting semiconductor laser device, optical transmission device, and optical information processing device
A surface emitting semiconductor laser includes: a semiconductor substrate; a lower reflector that is formed on the semiconductor substrate and includes a semiconductor multilayer of a first conduction type; an upper reflector that is formed above the semiconductor substrate and includes a semiconductor multilayer of a second conduction type; an active region interposed between the lower reflector and the upper reflector; a current confining layer that is interposed between the lower reflector and the upper reflector and has a conductive region having an anisotropic shape in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis; and an electrode that is formed on the upper reflector and has an opening via which a laser beam is emitted, the opening having different edge shapes in directions of the anisotropic shape. |
| US08023540B2 |
Pair of optically locked semiconductor narrow linewidth external cavity lasers with frequency offset tuning
An optical phase lock loop (OPLL) system is disclosed that includes a master external cavity laser (ECL), and a substantially identical slave ECL. The master and slave ECLs are fabricated using a planar semiconductor device with waveguide-integrated planar Bragg gratings (PBG). Both the master and slave ECLs have a narrow linewidth and a low frequency-noise. Each of the ECLs has their own controller-modulator circuits for thermal tuning or electrical tuning via direct modulation. A laser-select-logic (LSL) module receives and processes a filtered phase error signal from a loop filter coupled to an electronic PLL device, and directs the processed phase error signal to one or both of the master and slave controller-modulators according to a logical determination of a required mode of operation of the OPLL system in order to achieve a stable and identical phase performance of the master and the slave ECLs. The required mode of operation is chosen from a locking mode, a prediction mode, a tracking mode, and a searching mode. |
| US08023531B2 |
Spread code allocating method, despreading method, transmitting device, receiving device, communicating device, wireless base station device, and mobile terminal device
When a two-dimensional spread code, with which spreading is made in time and frequency directions, is allocated to each channel, spread codes at least one of time and frequency directions of which are mutually orthogonal, and with which despreading can be made with spreading factors that are smaller than the original spreading factors in the respective directions are recognized as selection targets, and a spread code to be allocated to each channel is determined from among the spread codes recognized as the selection targets. |
| US08023530B1 |
Physical layer quality of service for wireless communications
Physical layer quality of service is provided for a wireless communication system by operationally adapting the physical layer format to the quality of service requirements of transmitted data. The physical layer formats for the data packets are selected based on the quality of service requirements of the data packets. Control information defining the formats is transmitted across the wireless communication link and the data packets are transmitted using the selected physical layer formats. |
| US08023529B2 |
System and method for using resources in a communication system
In a method for using resources in a communication system, a communication region is divided into inter-sector boundary regions, sector central regions, and a sector common region, and predetermined resources are allocated to the divided regions. |
| US08023522B2 |
Enabling long-term communication idleness for energy efficiency
A network adapter comprises a controller to change to a first mode from a second mode based on a number of transmit packets, sizes of received packets, and intervals between arrivals of the received packets. In one embodiment, the network controller further comprises a memory to buffer received packets, where the received packets are buffered for a longer period in the first mode than in the second mode. |
| US08023521B2 |
Methods and apparatus for differentiated services over a packet-based network
Methods and apparatus for the provision of differentiated services in a packet-based network may be provided in a communications device such as a switch or router having input ports and output ports. Each output port is associated with a set of configurable queues that store incoming data packets from one or more input ports. A scheduling mechanism retrieves data packets from individual queues in accord with a specified configuration, providing both pure priority and proportionate de-queuing to achieve a guaranteed QoS over a connectionless network. |
| US08023515B2 |
Distributed connection-oriented services for switched communication networks
Connection-oriented services for packet switched data communications networks are provided, including distributed MAC and protocol alias addresses discovery. Link state topology exchanges provide each switch with network topology graphs to determine paths from source to destination end systems. Broadcast frames are resolved to unicast frames to reduce broadcast traffic. Policy restrictions may be applied prior to connection setup. Connection management includes source-routed mapping of connections on the desired path. Distributed call rerouting is provided so switches receive topology change notifications and unmap failed link connections. Broadcast/unknown services provide non-resolvable packet restricted flooding. Connection-oriented switching is provided based on source and destination MAC addresses. Resolution of networks outside the switch domain is enabled by listening for network and server route advertisements and maintaining best routes to the networks and servers. Route and path metrics may be combined to determine paths from access switches to egress switches connected to the external network. |
| US08023514B2 |
Communication resource management device
A communication resource management device changes the transfer rate of a first control channel related to a first mobile terminal according to a communication condition. The device determines whether there is a frequency band for which it is not determined whether the frequency band is to be used in a predetermined time period based on a current transfer rate of a second control channel related to a second mobile terminal and an amount of data to be transmitted in the second control channel; and allocates, to the first mobile terminal, at least a part of the frequency band for the second control channel with respect to the second mobile terminal in a predetermined period of time. The device changes the transfer rate in the first control channel while maintaining the total frequency band for plural control channels related to plural mobile terminals at a constant value. |
| US08023511B2 |
Communication system, optical line terminal, and congestion control method
Congestion caused by a large number of IGMP requests sent from set top boxes at channel switching is prevented in an optical line terminal (OLT). An IGMP processing section in the OLT has a delayed data generation threshold and a delayed data transmission threshold. When the number of ONTS participating in a multicast group is increased, the OLT generates a delayed multicast group for video data. The delayed multicast group having a few second delay accommodates a new user. With this, the end time of a highly popular program and a commercial start time are shifted among users to prevent, in the OLT, congestion caused by IGMP requests sent for channel switching at an identical time point. |
| US08023507B2 |
Card to card communications in voice and data communications systems
A data and voice communication system includes communication between a line card and an accelerator card. Voice, data, and control traffic is received from the line card and is transmitted to the accelerator card via a physical link having separate voice, data, and control logical channels. The separate voice, data, and control logical channels are represented by labeled data packets. |
| US08023505B2 |
Circuit emulation service method and telecommunication system for implementing the method
It is disclosed a method for implementing a circuit emulation service through a packet-switched network, wherein the packet-switched network cooperates with a first interface and a second interface suitable to connect a first user and a second user, respectively, to the packet-switched network. The method comprises: a) at the first interface, receiving a TDM flow from the first user; b) converting the TDM flow in packets formatted according to the circuit emulation service, wherein at least one of the packets comprises a header in turn comprising a redundant field; c) compressing the header into a compressed header by processing the redundant field, and forming a compressed packet comprising the compressed header; d) transmitting the compressed packet through the packet-switched network to the second interface. |
| US08023504B2 |
Integrating security server policies with optimized routing control
In one embodiment, a first set of one or more control policies at a control server of a network domain may be transmitted to a routing master controller of the network domain, which uses a second set of one or more traffic policies to determine optimal paths for directing traffic through the domain. The routing master controller may then generate a third set of one or more integrated policies based on the first and second sets of policies, e.g., based on the knowledge and policies of both the control server and the routing master controller. |
| US08023500B2 |
Methods for process control with change updates
A system for process control comprises a server digital data processor and a client digital data processor that are coupled by a network, such as the Internet or an Intranet. The server digital data processor, which is additionally coupled to a control/sensing device and any associated interface equipment (collectively, referred to as “process control apparatus”), includes a command processor that transfers information between the network and the process control apparatus. The client digital data processor includes an information client (e.g., a so-called Internet web browser) capable of requesting and receiving an applet from the server digital data processor. The information client, further, defines a hardware-independent and operating system-independent virtual machine environment within the client digital data processor. The client digital data processor executes, within that virtual machine environment, an applet for configuring the client digital data processor as a “process controller” that establishes communications over the network with the command processor and that monitors and/or controls the process control apparatus via those communications. |
| US08023497B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamic anchoring of CS calls for CS-to-VoIP handoffs
A mobile device that is capable of accessing different types of networks such as a circuit-switched network and a packet-switched network is disclosed. A dynamic anchoring mechanism is invoked when the mobile device determines that a circuit-switched call is to be handed over to a packet-switched network. |
| US08023495B1 |
Method and system for WLAN synchronization
Method and system for synchronizing Access Points in a WLAN, such as a CSMA/CA Access Point. A method of synchronizing a first Access Point and a second Access Point includes the steps of deploying the first and the second Access Point within a wireless network and utilizing the first Access Point to detect a presence of the second Access Point. A first periodic Beacon Frame of the first Access Point is synchronized with a first periodic Beacon Frame of the second Access Point. |
| US08023490B2 |
Method for the transmission of data packets in a radio communication system based on high and low priority
Disclosed is a method for the transmission of data packets in a radio communication system, wherein the transmission of data packets of a data flow having a first priority (Prio) with respect to the transmission of data packets is interrupted by that of a second priority (Prio) if the second priority (Prio) is higher than the first priority (Prio). |
| US08023487B2 |
Transmission rate selection
A method for transmitting data over a network in which multiple transmission conditions can be used for transmitting data, each transmission condition being associated with a rating indicative of how successful previous data transmissions using that transmission condition have been, the method comprising using a selected transmission condition when transmitting data over the network and updating the rating associated with the selected transmission condition in dependence on the success of that transmission, updating the ratings associated with the transmission conditions other than the selected transmission condition by adjusting each of those ratings by a predetermined amount and selecting a transmission condition in dependence on the updated ratings. |
| US08023485B2 |
Method, system and device for realizing user identity association
The present invention discloses a method for realizing user identity association, the method comprising: setting an equivalent behavior user identifier in a Home Subscription Server (HSS); associating IMS Public User Identities (IMPUs) with the equivalent behavior through the set equivalent behavior user identifier. The present invention also discloses a system and a device realizing user identity association. According to the embodiments of the present invention, the association of the IMPUs with the set equivalent behavior is realized, which improves the user experiences. |
| US08023480B2 |
Method and apparatus preventing plurality of stations in WLAN from colliding with each other when attempting to access medium
A method and apparatus for preventing a plurality of stations in a wireless local area network (WLAN) from colliding with each other when accessing a medium are provided. In the method, an access point (AP) determines the transmission capabilities of a plurality of stations in a basic service set (BSS) of the AP, determines the format of control frames or data frames which have a high throughput (HT) format to be used in the BSS of the AP, and notifies the stations of the result of the determination. Therefore, it is possible to adaptively choose and use an optimum method of preventing a plurality of stations in a WLAN from colliding with each other when accessing a medium according to the circumstances in a WLAN by referencing the transmission capabilities of a plurality of stations in the WLAN. |
| US08023479B2 |
Mobile application gateway for connecting devices on a cellular network with individual enterprise and data networks
A mobile application gateway for connecting devices on a cellular network with individual networks, such as enterprise voice and data networks and/or residential networks. The effects of the present invention are far reaching in terms of transferring effective call control from the cellular network into the control of the individual network such as the enterprise, and enabling new business models for the purchase of cellular service from a public cellular carrier by an enterprise. The invention may consist of a primarily of core network and services components based on the IMS network architecture, and is backward compatible to support legacy systems in place in current telecom and data networks. |
| US08023474B2 |
Systems and methods for communicating control data using multiple slot formats
Systems and methods for communicating control information in slots that use at least two different slot formats. In one embodiment, a method implemented in a wireless communication system includes providing at least two different slot formats, formatting control data in the slots of a control frame according to the at least two different slot formats, transmitting the control frame from a mobile station to a base station via a control channel, receiving the control frame, extracting data rate information from the control frame according to the at least two different slot formats, decoding the extracted control data, parsing the extracted data into separate data rate information and decoding data received via one or more data channels using the decoded control data. In one embodiment, the method is used to enable additional TFCI data corresponding to two different data channels to be transmitted on a single control channel. |
| US08023473B2 |
Multiple wireless networks management
A multiple wireless networks structure comprising a plurality of beacon groups each comprising one or more devices communicating via an associated wireless network utilizing a superframe structure; wherein each device of each beacon group allocates a local control period and one or more neighbor control periods in each superframe; wherein the neighbor control periods in each beacon group cover all one or more control periods of other beacon groups detected by one or more of the devices in said each beacon group to an extent as said control periods do not overlap with the local control period in said each beacon group. |
| US08023472B2 |
Method for identifying home cell and apparatus thereof
A method for identifying a cell that provides a differentiated service in a mobile communication system. The method comprises searching for a plurality of pilots having strength greater than a minimum pilot strength; comparing strengths of the pilots, and designating a pilot having the greatest strength as an active pilot; determining whether a corresponding cell of the active pilot transmits a cell classifier for the differentiated service along with an overhead message; if the corresponding cell transmits a cell classifier, determining whether the cell classifier matches a cell classifiers stored in an access terminal; and if the cell classifier matches with a cell classifier stored in the access terminal, performing an operation under the control of the corresponding cell. |
| US08023460B2 |
Radio base station and user common data transmission method
A radio base station transmits user common data provided from a user common data control apparatus connected to a communication network to a plurality of mobile stations by radio. The radio base station includes a frame loss detection unit configured to detect loss of user common data that occurs on a transmission route between the radio base station and the user common data control apparatus, and a timing adjustment unit configured to change transmission timing of the user common data for the mobile station according to the loss of the user common data. |
| US08023459B2 |
Method and apparatus for staggered zone resource allocation in orthogonal frequency division multiple access system
A method for staggered zone resource allocation in an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) system having a cluster includes: dividing a frequency resource of the OFDMA system into a plurality of time zones along a time axis; determining at least two resource allocation start zones among the plurality of time zones in at least two cells of the cluster, respectively; arranging users in each of the at least two cell according to a path loss in a descending order; and sequentially allocating the frequency resource to the arranged users from the at least two resource allocation start zones in the at least two cells, respectively. |
| US08023456B2 |
Connection reservation in a communication interface
A method distributes transport bearer capacity in a communication system. The method comprises defining a total need for transport capacity for a set of transport bearers sharing a physical channel. The method also comprises reserving transport bearer capacity from the physical channel based on total need. The method also comprises distributing transport bearer capacity to at least one individual transport bearer of the set of transport bearers from the transport bearer capacity reserved from the physical channel Furthermore, a network entity for a communication system and a communication system are configured to execute the method. |
| US08023453B2 |
Methods and systems for providing reliable multicast service in a WLAN system
A method for acknowledged multicast operation in a wireless network having a base station and at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) includes the base station transmitting a first multicast signal during a first scheduled interval, the at least one WTRU receiving the first multicast signal during the first scheduled interval, and the at least one WTRU transmitting an acknowledgement signal to the base station during a second scheduled interval. |
| US08023449B2 |
Method of data preservation and minimizing reduction in data throughput in the event of a cell change
A method ensures that a reduction in data throughput is minimized in the event of a cell change in a GPRS network. When it is determined that cell change is appropriate for a mobile station, the BSS ensures that no further data for the mobile station is transmitted form the SGSN, and then continues to transmit all buffered data to the mobile station. The throughput may be deliberately reduced for a part of this time, so that the system timers become adapted to the reduction in throughput which will occur at the cell change. When the buffer has been emptied, the cell change is effected and, thereafter, that mobile station is prioritised in the BSS, in order to allow any buffered data on the uplink or downlink to be cleared. |
| US08023448B2 |
Packet relay apparatus
In a first-hop router, a reachability monitor monitors RP (Rendezvous-Point) reachability, and the number of times when a response time is not shorter than a predetermined time is stored in a RP management table. An RP selection process controls not to select RP whose reachability from the first-hop router is not stable, so that PIM Register transmission to an unstable RP is suppressed. |
| US08023447B2 |
Method for determining optimal transmission mode and frame structure for mode determination in relay system
A method of determining an optimal transmission mode and a data frame structure for determining an optimal transmission mode in a data transmission system using a relay, are provided. Any one of a base station, a relay, and a mobile station determines an optimal transmission mode from among a plurality of transmission modes, and the base station transmits the determined optimal transmission mode by enabling the determined optimal transmission mode to be included in the system information duration of the data frame, so that the overall relay system can transmit data according to the optimal transmission mode. |
| US08023446B2 |
Systems and methods for facilitating intra-cell-peer-to-peer communication
Methods and systems for providing efficient communications between two mobile stations served by the same base station or relay station are provided. A base station maintains information identifying which mobile stations it is serving. When a connection is set up between two mobile stations, if they are both being served by the same base station, the base station forwards traffic directly between the two mobile stations without forwarding it on to higher level network entities. |
| US08023444B2 |
Multiple density configurations and algorithms for intelligent power savings infrastructure in wireless LANs
Described in example embodiments herein are techniques for implementing power savings in a wireless local area network (WLAN). In accordance with an example embodiment, a centralized controller can be employed to gather data about network activity and select access points to switch to power save mode. Optionally, the controller may designate certain access points to remain active so as to monitor for clients attempting to access the WLAN. An aspect of an example embodiment is that it allows the controller to configure and manage power consumption based on demands on the overall system. In an example embodiment, techniques for implementing power savings within individual hardware components, such as access points, are disclosed. An aspect of a technique described in an example embodiment is that it provides flexibility to balance power savings and performance. |
| US08023443B2 |
Wireless sensor system
Providing wireless communication between an access point and a wireless device includes the wireless device operating in a first reduced power mode for a first period of time, where the wireless device does not receive communications while operating in the first reduced power mode and includes the wireless device operating in a full power mode for a second period of time, where the wireless device transitions back into the first reduced power mode in response to there being no communication from the access point to the wireless device during the second period of time. The wireless device may be a wireless sensor. In response to the access point directing the wireless sensor to collect data at a particular collection time, the wireless sensor may enter the first reduced power mode for a time prior to the collection time. |
| US08023432B2 |
Cost reduction of NAT connection state keep-alive
Keep-alive processing for NAT devices and reducing power consumption in wireless clients. A server driven keep-alive mechanism facilitates keep-alive messages to a NAT device currently providing a connection to a mobile client to refresh the NAT state, thereby reducing or eliminating power consumption in a wireless device to respond to the connection with keep-alive packets. In one instance, keep-alive packets are sent to the NAT device to reset the NAT timeout timer, and then to the mobile client. The client responds only when expected keep-alive packets are not received at the client. In another instance, keep-alive packets reset the NAT timer to maintain the connection but are dropped or self-destruct before reaching the mobile client thereby providing the optimum power conservation in the mobile device. Thus, the client is not forced into extra client activity to send or receive wireless data, thereby draining the battery. |
| US08023431B2 |
Digital subscriber line (DSL) tracking system
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) concentrating systems and other equipment from various manufacturers may be tracked and monitored with a single DSL tracking tool. The DSL tracking tool functions as part of a system of computing devices and databases with various user interfaces. The DSL tracking tool can perform analyses and generate reports about DSL devices, DSL sites, DSL concentrating systems, and routers to aid service providers in provisioning and maintaining DSL equipment. |
| US08023425B2 |
Verifiable service billing for intermediate networking devices
Various embodiments are disclosed for a services policy communication system and method. In some embodiments, an intermediate networking device provides a service intermediary or intermediate connection between a network and one or more communications devices; implements a service policy set for assisting control of the intermediate networking device use of a service on the network, in which the service policy set includes one or more service policies, each policy being associated with either the intermediate networking device or a communications device; and monitors use of the service based on the service policy set; and in which the implementation of the service policy set is verified. |
| US08023420B2 |
Automatic retransmission and error recovery for packet oriented point-to-multipoint communication
Point to multipoint wireless communication, including automatic retransmission and error recovery for packet oriented point to multipoint communication, which integrates adaptive and dynamic responsiveness for parameters for automatic retransmission using wireless communication. A wireless communication link is divided into a downstream portion and an upstream portion. Parameters are selected for automatic retransmission independently for the downstream portion and the upstream portion of the wireless communication link. A BSC controls the selection of parameters for automatic retransmission for all CPE within a cell. As part of a TDD frame, in which the BSC and the CPE share communication bandwidth using a TDMA technique, the BSC includes its selection of parameters for automatic retransmission to be used by CPE within a control section of the TDD frame. The BSC dynamically and adaptively determines new selected parameters for automatic retransmission, in response to conditions of a wireless communication link with each independent CPE. The BSC dynamically and adaptively allocates acknowledgement time slots within the upstream portion of the TDD frame, for use by each selected CPE. The BSC allocates some portion of the upstream bandwidth as a shared resource and some portion of the upstream bandwidth as unshared when there are messages received but not yet acknowledged. The BSC dynamically and adaptively response to acknowledgement and non-acknowledgement messages from each selected CPE, to integrate the automatic retransmission protocol with the TDD frame and the TDMA technique used within that frame. |
| US08023412B2 |
Systems and methods for modeling a mobile ad hoc wireless network
Systems and methods for modeling a mobile ad hoc wireless network are disclosed herein. In some embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, methods for modeling a mobile ad hoc wireless network for a predetermined geographical area. An exemplary method includes dividing the geographic area into a network grid including a plurality of network grid elements, locating obstacles, if any, to communication between transmission nodes located in at least two different grid elements from the plurality of network grid elements, locating bottlenecks within the plurality of network grid elements, locating network grid elements from the plurality of network grid elements where wireless transmission is unconstricted, determining a transmission flow rate across the bottlenecks, and comparing the transmission flow rate across the bottlenecks to determine if any of the bottlenecks are not real bottlenecks. |
| US08023410B2 |
Messages and control methods for controlling resource allocation and flow admission control in a mobile communications system
Methods and apparatus for aggregating IP packets over an access link between a wireless access router and a core node and for managing resource allocation to access link packet aggregates, e.g., as a function of the status of wireless communications links used to couple mobile nodes to the access router are described. Improved aggregate resource control messages and use of such messages are described. Some of the new messages allow aggregate resources for both upstream and downstream aggregates to be controlled in a single message. A single message may include information corresponding to multiple aggregates and/or multiple constituent flows included in an aggregate with aggregate direction information being included. Use of tunnels to communicate management messages, e.g., messages used to control resource allocation to aggregates is also described. Propagation of access link aggregate information is communicated to tunnel end nodes which generate packets that are communicated over the access link. |
| US08023409B2 |
Method and system for reconfigurable pattern filtering engine
Methods and systems for a reconfigurable pattern filtering engine may include assembling a hardware filter from a plurality of minimum length hardware filters. A length of the assembled hardware filter may vary in multiples of a length of one of the minimum length hardware filters. The assembled hardware filter and the minimum length hardware filters may be integrated within a single chip. Specific messages in the data stream may be filtered using the assembled hardware filter. The assembled hardware filter may use at least one filter coefficient, an inclusion mask, and an exclusion mask to filter messages. At least a portion of the filtered messages may be stored in memory via direct memory access transfers. |
| US08023405B2 |
Method for activation of preplanned circuits in telecommunications networks
A method for activation of circuits in telecommunications networks comprises a first step in which circuits are preplanned in the network and local definition data are distributed to network members (NE) for connection of sections of the preplanned circuits. In a second step, when it is desired to activate a preplanned circuit, activation messages for the connection of sections making up the preplanned circuit to be activated and which are defined by the data previously distributed to the network members are propagated in the network in cascade among the network members affected by the preplanned circuit by means of overhead bytes of the frames circulating in the network. The data are made up of indexed tables defining pairs formed from “next point (TP) to be connected” and “index” to be propagated for the following cross-connection. A network functioning in accordance with the method is also proposed. |
| US08023404B1 |
No split virtual chassis based on pass through mode
A method includes operating in a normal mode to receive and transmit packets, where the network device is one of multiple network devices that operate as a virtual chassis, where the virtual chassis corresponds to a single logical network device, and detecting when the network device crashes. The method further includes initiating a resetting process and operating in a pass through mode, during the resetting process, where the pass through mode permits packets to be received and transmitted to the network devices of the virtual chassis. |
| US08023402B2 |
Low conversion rate digital dispersion compensation
A method of suppressing effects of aliasing in a system for digitally processing a high speed signal having a symbol rate of 1/T. The high speed signal is sampled at a fractional multiple (N) of the symbol rate, wherein 1 |
| US08023401B2 |
Apparatus and method for fast fourier transform/inverse fast fourier transform
An FFT/IFFT apparatus and method are provided. The FFT/IFFT apparatus includes a storage unit, a first FFT/IFFT unit, a second FFT/IFFT unit, and a third FFT/IFFT unit. The storage unit has as many addresses as the number of bits of input data. The first FFT/IFFT unit sequentially stores half of the input data in the storage unit, performs a first-point FFT/IFFT operation while sequentially receiving the other half of the input data, and stores the first-point FFT/IFFT operation result in the storage unit. The second FFT/IFFT unit performs a second-point FFT/IFFT operation on the first-point FFT/IFFTed data, and stores the second-point FFT/IFFT operation result in the storage unit. The third FFT/IFFT unit performs a third-point FFT/IFFT operation on the second-point FFT/IFFTed data, and stores the third-point FFT/IFFT operation result in the storage unit. |
| US08023399B2 |
Channel estimation in a wireless communication system
A plurality of communication bursts are transmitted substantially simultaneously in a time slot of a time division duplex/code division multiple access communication system. The communication system has a maximum number of K midamble shifts. Each burst has an assigned midamble. Each midamble is a shifted version of a basic midamble code having a period of P. A combined signal is received. The combined signal includes a received version of each of the communication burst's midambles. A P by P square circulant matrix is constructed including the K midamble shifts. A channel response is determined for each of the K midamble shifts using a prime factor algorithm (PFA) discrete Fourier transform (DFT) algorithm, the received combined signal and the P by P square circulant matrix. The PFA DFT algorithm has a plurality of stages. Each stage has P inputs. |
| US08023392B2 |
Compensating the effects of non-synchronous writing of erasable servo marks
A method is provided, which includes reading data from a data storage medium. Reading data from the medium causes the data to be erased. The method further includes determining a desired position to rewrite the data by computing a position error signal based on the data signal and compensating the position error signal for non-zero bias. The data is then rewritten non-synchronously. An apparatus is also provided, including a data storage medium with a data communication transducer configured to receive data from the medium. Data is erased after it is read. The data communication transducer is configured to rewrite the read data back onto the data storage medium in a non-synchronously. A non-zero bias compensator is provided to compensate data received by the data communication transducer to determine a desired position to rewrite the previously read data back onto the medium. |
| US08023391B2 |
Photodetection device and optical disk device
A photodetection device is provided with a photoelectric converter portion that converts light to electric current, an electrical current/voltage converter portion, including a feedback circuit that returns at least part of the output to the input side, that converts the electrical current received from the photoelectric converter portion to a voltage corresponding to the resistance value of the feedback circuit and outputs the voltage, where the feedback circuit includes a first MOS transistor that allows the resistance value to be varied in accordance with the gate voltage. |
| US08023389B2 |
Objective lens, optical pickup apparatus, and optical information recording reproducing apparatus
An objective lens relating to the present invention includes a first optical path difference providing structure in which a first basic structure and a second basic structure are overlapped with each other. The first basic structure is a blaze-type structure which emits a Xth-order diffracted light flux, when the first light flux passes through the first basic structure, where the value of X is an odd integer. At least a part of the first basic structure arranged around an optical axis includes a step facing an opposite direction to the optical axis. The second basic structure is a blaze-type structure which emits a Lth-order diffracted light flux, when the first light flux passes through the second basic structure, where the value of L is an even integer. At least a part of the second basic structure arranged around the optical axis includes a step facing the optical axis. |
| US08023387B2 |
Optical pickup device
An optical pickup device radiates laser light to a disc having a plurality of recording layers in a direction of lamination. The optical pickup device includes an astigmatic element and a spectral element. The astigmatic element allows reflected light from the disc to converge in a first direction and form a first focal line at a first position, and allows reflected light to converge in a second direction and form a second focal line at a second position closer to the disc than the first position. The spectral element splits a reflected light flux in two along a straight line parallel to the first direction and turns traveling directions of the split two light fluxes into directions separated from each other. Here, the spectral element is interposed between the second focal line of the reflected light from a target recording layer and the second focal line of the reflected light from a deeper recording layer than the target recording layer. The photodetector is interposed between the first and second focal lines of the reflected light from the target recording layer. |
| US08023386B2 |
Optical pickup apparatus and optical disk drive apparatus
An optical pickup apparatus for reproducing information from an optical disk, includes: a semiconductor laser applying a beam to an optical disk having two recording layers through an objective lens; and a light receiving device to which light reflected from the optical disk is directed through the objective lens and a beam splitting device, wherein: the beam splitting device has two first light receiving areas for detecting a push-pull signal and a second light receiving area for detecting a focus error signal, and a configuration is provided such that the center of the optical axis of the reflected light in the beam splitting device is made to lie within the second light receiving area for detecting the focus error signal. |
| US08023385B2 |
Method of recording holographic information and apparatus for recording/reproducing holographic information
A method of recording holographic information and an apparatus for recording/reproducing holographic information. The method includes: forming an information layer by recording a hologram on a holographic recording layer of a holographic information storage medium; and fixing the information layer on which the hologram is recorded, by radiating light on the information layer. |
| US08023380B2 |
Optical data recording method
The optical data recording method comprising the steps of: modulating data to be recorded, to generate a plurality of recording modulation codes; and emitting a pulse-like light beam to an optical disc, so that a plurality of recording marks and spaces which have lengths corresponding to the plurality of recording modulation codes are formed on the optical disc. In the optical data recording method, at least two of the plurality of recording marks comprises: a first pulse which is disposed at a front and forms a leading edge of the recording mark, a last pulse which is disposed at a backend and forms a trailing edge of the recording mark, and a multi-pulse train which is disposed between the first pulse and the last pulse and forms a center of the recording mark. The multi-pulse train has a pulse period longer than T which represents a reference period of the recording modulation code. |
| US08023379B2 |
Defect inspection method and disk drive using same
Provided are a disk defect inspection method and apparatus. The defect inspection method includes; determining an independent recording density value for disk defect detection in relation to disk drive component factors excepting a disk of the disk drive, and performing a disk defect inspection using the independent recording density value for disk defect detection. |
| US08023378B2 |
Method of recording and reproducing data
A method of recording data, as embodied, includes creating and temporarily storing first management information for the data recorded before a recording failure occurs, when the recording failure occurs during recording of the data on a recording medium; continuously recording the data starting from a subsequent available recording location; and creating second management information for the data recorded after the occurrence of the recording failure, and recording the second management information on the recording medium in connection with the temporarily stored first management information when recording is completed. |
| US08023375B2 |
Recording/reproducing device and laser driving pulse adjusting method
A recording/reproducing device includes an optical head unit which performs writing and reading of information expressed by marks and spaces on an optical recording medium by irradiating laser light onto the optical recording medium, a laser driving pulse generating unit that generates a laser driving pulse according to the recorded information to supply a laser driving signal to the optical head unit, and executes the irradiation of the laser light onto the optical head unit for recording, an evaluation value calculating unit that calculates a quality evaluation value, which is an index of recording signal quality based on a signal read from the optical recording medium by the optical head unit, and an adjustment controlling unit that performs an adjustment setting of the laser driving pulse generated in the laser driving pulse generating unit. |
| US08023372B2 |
Address detection circuit and address detection method
An address detection circuit includes a correction signal generator that generates a plurality of timing correction signals based on an ADIP (Address In Pre-groove) signal that is read out from a wobble of an optical disk, the timing correction signals having different cycles with each other, a correction signal selector that selects one of the timing correction signals generated by the correction signal generator and outputs the selected signal, and a timing corrector that outputs a data address detected based on a data signal that is read out from a data track of the optical disk at a timing in accordance with the timing correction signal transmitted from the correction signal selector. |
| US08023369B2 |
Storage system and optical pick-up unit
Disclosed herein are aspects of optical tape technology, tape manufacturing, and tape usage. Methods and systems of tape technology disclose optical tape media including: configurations, formulations, markings, and structure; optical tape manufacturing methods, systems, and apparatus methods and systems including: curing processes, coating methods, embossing, drums, testing, tracking alignment stamper strip; optical tape methods and systems including: pick up head adapted for the disclosed optical tape; and optical tape uses including optical storage media devices for multimedia applications. |
| US08023365B2 |
Optical near-field generating device, optical near-field generating method and information recording and reproducing apparatus
An optical near-field generating device is provided. The optical near-field generating device includes: a light source; a light transmissive substrate; and a conductive scatterer irradiated with light from the light source to generate an optical near-field. The scatterer is formed across planes with different heights on the light transmissive substrate and includes a first area formed on a surface closest to an object to which the optical near-field is applied and a second area formed on a surface distant from the object as compared with the first area. The optical near-field is generated from the first area of the scatterer toward the object. |
| US08023360B2 |
Seismic activity detector
A system for detecting precursor seismic electromagnetic waveforms includes a transducer connected to the emitter of a transistor and arranged to conduct in response to an electromagnetic seismic precursor. Conduction by the transducer initiates a current in the transistor's base-emitter junction, reversing the bias of the function and enabling a resonating current in the junction. |
| US08023358B2 |
System and method for providing a non-power-of-two burst length in a memory system
A memory system, memory interface device and method for a non-power-of-two burst length are provided. The memory system includes a plurality of memory devices with non-power-of-two burst length logic and a memory interface device including non-power-of-two burst length generation logic. The non-power-of-two burst length generation logic extends a burst length from a power-of-two value to insert an error-detecting code in a burst on data lines between the memory interface device and the plurality of memory devices. |
| US08023355B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device
A nonvolatile memory device includes a nonvolatile memory and a controller unit for the nonvolatile memory. The nonvolatile memory and the controller unit include a first logic section and a second logic section, respectively. The nonvolatile memory includes a voltage detector configured to detect a power supply voltage externally supplied to the nonvolatile memory and the controller unit, and an output of the detection is supplied to the first logic section of the nonvolatile memory provided with the voltage detector, and also to the second logic section of the controller unit and/or a logic section of at least one added nonvolatile memory via a buffer amplifier, simultaneously. |
| US08023354B2 |
Semiconductor memory device including a fuse set and a current controlling unit
A semiconductor memory device includes a fuse set configured to form a current path including at least one of a plurality of fuses in response to address information corresponding to a plurality of memory cells and to output a redundancy address corresponding to a programming state of the plurality of fuses where the plurality of fuses are programmed with address information corresponding to a target memory cell to be repaired among the plurality of memory cells, and at least one current controlling unit configured to control a driving current flowing through the current path according to at least one detection signal. |
| US08023350B2 |
Memory malfunction prediction system and method
A memory malfunction prediction system and method, such as those that sequentially stress each row of memory cells in an array by decreasing the refresh rate of the row. Prior to doing so, the data stored in the row can be copied to a holding row, and a CRC value for the data can be generated and stored. After the test, the data stored in the row being tested can be read, and a CRC value for the data can then be generated. This after test CRC value can be compared to the stored pre-test CRC value. In the event of a match, the row can be considered to be functioning properly, and the next row can then be tested. If the CRC values do not match, a predicted malfunction of the row can be considered to exist, and corrective action can be taken, such as by repairing the row by substituting a redundant row of memory cells. |
| US08023349B2 |
Memory system, memory test system and method of testing memory system and memory test system
A memory test system is disclosed. The memory system includes a memory device, a tester generating a clock signal and a test signal for testing the memory device, and an optical splitting module. The optical splitting module comprises an electrical-optical signal converting unit which converts each of the clock signal and the test signal into an optical signal to output the clock signal and the test signal as an optical clock signal and an optical test signal. The optical splitting unit further comprises an optical signal splitting unit which splits each of the optical clock signal and the optical test signal into n signals (n being at least two), and an optical-electrical signal converting unit which receives the split optical clock signal and the split optical test signal to convert the split optical clock signal and the split optical test signal into electrical signals used in the memory device. |
| US08023348B2 |
Method and apparatus for testing a memory device
Techniques for testing a semiconductor memory device are provided. The memory device includes a plurality of memory cells and a plurality of row lines and column lines connected to the memory cells for selectively accessing one or more of the memory cells. The method includes the steps of: applying a first voltage to at least a given one of the row lines corresponding to at least a given one of the memory cells to be tested, the first voltage being selected to stress at least one performance characteristic of the memory device, the first voltage being different than a second voltage applied to the given one of the row lines for accessing at least one of the memory cells during normal operation of the memory device; exercising the memory device in accordance with prescribed testing parameters; and identifying whether the memory device is operable within prescribed margins of the testing parameters. |
| US08023347B2 |
Anti-fuse repair control circuit and semiconductor device including DRAM having the same
In an anti-fuse repair control circuit, a semiconductor memory device is integrated into a multi-chip package to perform an anti-fuse repair. An anti-fuse repair control circuit includes a data mask signal input circuit, a cell address enable unit a repair enable unit, and a repair unit. The data mask signal input circuit receives and outputs a data mask signal upon receiving a test control signal for an anti-fuse repair. The cell address enable unit receives an anti-fuse repair address to enable a cell address of an anti-fuse cell to be repaired upon receiving the data mask signal outputted from the data mask signal input circuit. The repair enable unit codes the cell address and output a repair enable signal and a drive signal according to whether or not an anti-fuse cell corresponding to the cell address is enabled. The repair unit supplies a repair voltage to the anti-fuse cell when the repair enable signal, the address, and the drive signal are enabled. |
| US08023346B2 |
Semiconductor memory device including signal controller connected between memory blocks
A semiconductor memory device includes a first memory block, a second memory block, and a signal controller. The first memory block is configured to generate a first blocking signal, a second blocking signal, and a first enable signal in response to a row address, and to block and enable wordlines of the memory block in response to the first blocking signal and the first enable signal, respectively. The second memory block is configured to generate a third blocking signal, a fourth blocking signal, and a second enable signal in response to the row address, and to block and enable wordlines of the second memory block in response to the third blocking signal and the second enable signal, respectively. The signal controller is connected between the first memory block and the second memory block and is configured to enable the third blocking signal when the second blocking signal is enabled, and to enable the first blocking signal when the fourth blocking signal is enabled. |
| US08023342B2 |
Preamble detection and postamble closure for a memory interface controller
A memory controller, such as a memory controller for reading data received from a DDR SDRAM memory, may detect the beginning and end of a read cycle. The memory controller may include a preamble detection circuit to receive a strobe signal and output a first control signal indicating detection of a preamble window in the strobe signal that indicates a beginning of the read cycle, where the first control signal is delayed based on a selectable delay period applied to the first control signal. The memory controller may further include a first gate to, based on the first control signal, either output the strobe signal for reading of the data lines or block the strobe signal, and the control logic to set an amount of the selectable delay period for the preamble detection circuit. |
| US08023338B2 |
Dual function data register
A dual function serial and parallel data register with integrated program verify functionality. The master and slave latching circuits of the dual function data register can concurrently store two different words of data. In a program verify operation, the master latch stores program data and the slave latch will receive and store read data. Comparison logic in each register stage will compare the data of both latches, and integrate the comparison result to that of the previous register stage. The final single bit result will indicate the presence of at least one bit that has not been programmed. Automatic program inhibit logic in each stage will prevent successfully programmed bits from being re-programmed in each subsequent reprogram cycle. Either data word can be serially clocked out by selectively starting the shift operations on either the low or high active logic level of a clock signal. |
| US08023334B2 |
Program window adjust for memory cell signal line delay
A memory device and programming and/or reading process is described that compensates for memory cell signal line propagation delays, such as to increase the overall threshold voltage range and non-volatile memory cell states available. Memory cell signal line propagation delay compensation can be accomplished by characterizing the memory cell signal line propagation delay, such as determining an amount of error due to the delay, and pre-compensating the programmed threshold voltage of the memory cells based on the amount of error induced by the memory cell signal line propagation delay and cell location on the selected memory cell signal line. Alternatively, memory cell signal line propagation delay can be post-compensated for, or the pre-compensation fine tuned, after sensing the threshold voltages of the selected memory cells based on the amount of error induced by the memory cell signal line propagation delay and cell location on the selected memory cell signal line. Other methods, devices, etc., are also disclosed. |
| US08023332B2 |
Cell deterioration warning apparatus and method
Memory devices and methods adapted to process and generate analog data signals representative of data values of two or more bits of information facilitate increases in data transfer rates relative to devices processing and generating only binary data signals indicative of individual bits. Programming of such memory devices includes programming to a target threshold voltage range representative of the desired bit pattern. Reading such memory devices includes generating an analog data signal indicative of a threshold voltage of a target memory cell. Warning of cell deterioration can be performed using reference cells programmed in accordance with a known pattern such as to approximate deterioration of non-volatile memory cells of the device. |
| US08023328B2 |
Memory device with charge trapping layer
A memory device is disclosed. The memory device includes a charge trapping layer, and a substrate underlying the charge trapping layer. The carriers are introduced into the charge trapping layer to make a first memory state, for example, when a positive voltage is applied to the gate. At least one of the carriers is released from the charge trapping layer to make a second memory state, for example, when a negative voltage is applied to the gate. |
| US08023324B2 |
Memory controller self-calibration for removing systemic influence
Self-calibration for a memory controller is performed by writing a voltage to a selected cell. Adjacent cells around the selected cell are programmed. After each of the adjacent programming operations, the voltage on the selected cell is read to determine any change in voltage caused by systemic offsets such as, for example, floating gate-to-floating gate coupling. These changes are averaged and stored in a table as an offset for use in adjusting a programming voltage or a read voltage in a particular area of memory represented by the offset. Self calibration method for temperature is determined by writing cells at different temperatures and reading at different temperatures to generate temperature offset tables for the write path and read path. These offset tables are used to adjust for systematic temperature related offsets during programming and during read. |