| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08245392B2 |
Method of making high density interposer and electronic package utilizing same
A method of making an electronic package designed for interconnecting high density patterns of conductors of an electronic device (e.g., semiconductor chip) and less dense patterns of conductors of hosting circuitized substrates (e.g., chip carriers, PCBs). In one embodiment, the method includes bonding a chip to a single dielectric layer, forming a high density pattern of conductors on one surface of the layer, forming openings in the layer and then depositing metallurgy to form a desired circuit pattern which is then adapted for engaging and being electrically coupled to a corresponding pattern on yet another hosting substrate. According to another embodiment of the invention, an electronic package using a dual layered interposer is provided. Also provided are methods of making circuitized substrate assemblies using the electronic packages made using the invention's teachings. |
| US08245391B2 |
Method of manufacturing a hysteretic MEMS two-dimensional thermal device
A MEMS hysteretic thermal device may be formed having two passive beam segments driven by a current-carrying loop coupled to the surface of a substrate. The first beam segment is configured to move in a direction having a component perpendicular to the substrate surface, whereas the second beam segment is configured to move in a direction having a component parallel to the substrate surface. By providing this two-dimensional motion, a single MEMS hysteretic thermal device may by used to close a switch having at least one stationary contact affixed to the substrate surface. |
| US08245382B2 |
Method of mounting on a motor vehicle an underbody structural element and a technical front end the method including pivoting the technical front end using a connecting mechanism that connects the technical front end to the under body element
A method for mounting on a motor vehicle at least one transverse understructure member and a technical front panel to be mounted at a longitudinal end of a frame structural member including two transversely opposite rails and two transversely opposite portions of the frame structural member, in particular hinging members for holding the vehicle headlights. The method includes placing the technical front panel in a vertical position on the transversely opposite portions of the frame structural member, and transversely positioning the technical front panel on the portions. |
| US08245381B2 |
Method of providing flexible duct having different insulative values
Methods of providing flexible duct are provided. The methods include the steps of providing an inner core, the inner core having a cylindrical shape and an outer surface, providing a layer of insulation having a constant uncompressed thickness, fiber diameter and density, wrapping the layer of insulation around the outer surface of the inner core thereby forming a layered assembly, selecting an outer jacket from a set of outer jackets of different diameters, the selected outer jacket configured to compress the layer of insulation to a desired thickness and inserting the layered assembly into the selected outer jacket thereby forming flexible duct. The thickness of the compressed layer of insulation provides a desired insulative value. The outer jackets included in the set of outer jackets are configured to compress the layer of insulation into a plurality of flexible duct having different insulative values from each other. |
| US08245380B2 |
Method for undermounting a sink
A method for undermounting a sink to a countertop includes preparing a countertop and a sink. Thereafter a primary channel is routed within the backside of the countertop, the primary channel including a base and being shaped and dimensioned for receipt of the sink flange, and a secondary channel is routed within the base of the primary channel along an interior circumference of the primary channel. Substrate material is then removed from the secondary channel to expose an underside of the decorative laminate and adhesive is applied within the secondary channel so that the underside of the decorative laminate is fully covered. A bead of adhesive is applied to the base of the primary channel and the sink flange is placed within the primary channel. A support plate is secured around the sink flange to provide support and a central portion of the countertop defined by the primary channel is cut out to expose the bowl of the sink. |
| US08245375B2 |
Apparatus for repairing turbine rotor
A method for repairing a rotor of a turbine includes providing a rotor having a groove portion defined by a circumferential portion of the rotor. The circumferential portion of the rotor is removed to create an opening to provide access to the groove such that the opening, immediately adjacent the groove, is narrower than the groove. A guide block may be extended into a receiving slot separating a first protruding surface from a second protruding surface of the rotor such that a weld area slot of the guide block extends over at least a portion of the opening. The opening may be welded adjacent the guide block to close at least a portion of the opening. |
| US08245374B2 |
Roller burnishing machine for crankshafts
A deep rolling machine has a power unit (13) attached in a gate (31) such that the power unit (13) can be moved in the direction of force exertion (30). The power unit (13) is connected, with articulation, at one end (32), via a joint (33), to the end (11) of a shearing arm (3) of the deep rolling unit (15). The free end (34) of the gate (31) is fit with a back up roller (35) that is routed along a curved web (36), defined in a gap in the second end (11) of the shearing arm (3). In the closed position of the power unit (13), three joints (28, 29, 33) form a triangle (37). One of the joints (28) points to the rotating joint (5). The two shearing arms (3 and 4) of the deep rolling unit (15) are articulately connected to one another at the rotating joint (5). Also in the closed position, a crank lever (27) reaches a limit stop (39) at the end (12) of the shearing arm (4). |
| US08245372B2 |
Needle for a textile machine
A needle (15) for a textile machine, in particular, to a felting needle or a fork needle. A working section (17) extends along a longitudinal axis (16) and has a needle point (18). Adjoining the working section (17) are a lower shank section (20) and an upper shank section (25), both being arranged so as to extend coaxially relative to each other along the longitudinal axis (16). Adjoining the upper shank section (25), a needle foot (30) is provided, said needle foot comprising a holding means (32). The holding means (32) extends in a transverse direction (31) and comprises two legs (38, 39), said legs extending from the longitudinal axis (16) and away from each other. |
| US08245368B2 |
Mat for vehicles
A fastener includes first and second fastener units that releasably attach to one another. The first fastener unit includes a ring defining an inclined inner surface that narrows downward. The second fastener unit includes an upper plate defining a notched cylinder configured to abut the inclined inner surface of the ring; a lower plate having a seesaw-type push rod; and a push plate, which is operable by a user to press the push rod such that the push rod presses the ring upward. The push plate has a protrusion configured to press the notched cylinder against the inner surface of the ring when the fastener units are attached to one another, and to release the notched cylinder when the push plate is operated by the user. The first fastener unit may be in a vehicle floor mat, and the second fastener unit may be attached to a vehicle floor carpet. |
| US08245366B2 |
Crib bumper attachment clip
A clip assembly is provided for securing a crib bumper to a crib. The clip assembly may include a clip adapted to be secured to the crib bumper. The clip may include a body member having a first arm and a second arm coupled to the first arm. The clip may also include a clasping member carried by the body member and adapted to clasp the first arm and the second arm. The clip assembly may also include a belt adapted to secure the clip to a portion of the crib. The belt may include a strap member having a fastener, adapted to secure the strap member to the crib portion. The belt may also include a protruding member carried by the strap member and adapted to be received by the linking member. |
| US08245361B2 |
Clamping device
A clamping device comprising: a collar (10) comprising: a belt (12) suitable for being disposed around one or more articles to be clamped, and at least two lugs (14, 16) that are upstanding relative to said belt towards the outside thereof; and a tightening system (18, 19) suitable for co-operating with the two lugs so as to move them closer together; in which device at least one of the two lugs has a connection portion via which it is connected to the belt (26), which connection portion is upstanding relative to said belt, and a tightening wall (30) folded back towards the belt, the tightening system coming into engagement with said tightening wall during tightening of the collar; wherein, on its outside face, the belt (12) has at least one projecting portion (40) situated between the connection portion and the tightening wall, the tightening wall (30) coming into abutment against said projecting portion (40) while the collar is being tightened. |
| US08245360B2 |
Rope grip slip-knot device
The present invention is a slip-knot grip device which attaches to a rope. The invention consists of a male end cap into which an insert is placed and a female end cap into which an insert is placed with the two end caps being connected by a retaining collar. The inserts have a semi-circle channel on their interior side placed so when the left and right inserts are connected together they form a circle opening through which a rope is placed. The female end cap and the male end cap are turned in opposite directions. This makes the end edges of the combined inserts clasp the rope holding the device in place. |
| US08245359B2 |
Clip
A spring part without increasing the total surface of the clip body. A part of the clip body is cut out as cutout part which is bent to form the spring part. The cutout part which is a part of the clip body is utilized as the spring part. |
| US08245357B2 |
Assist grip
An assist grip of the present invention includes a grip body provided at both side base portions thereof with hinge recess portions and a hinge portion rotatably and pivotally supported in each of the hinge recess portions of both sides, and is fixed via the hinge portion to a to-be-fixed portion in an automobile. In a pivot support portion of the hinge portion, an outer support piece and an inner support piece are provided at a distance from each other, and between the inner support piece and the outer support piece, a torsion coil spring stored in a spring case is inserted. One end portion of the torsion coil spring is locked to an inside of the spring case, and the other end portion of the torsion coil spring projects from the spring case and is locked to a part of the grip body. |
| US08245353B2 |
Hinge with tension-adjustable spiral torsion spring
A hinge has a pivoting leaf (2) and a fixed leaf (3), a hollow axle (7) fixedly connected to the pivoting leaf and rotatably connected to first and second journal bearings (5-1, 5-2) of the fixed hinge leaf, a spiral torsion spring (8) arranged in the hollow axle. One end of the spring is fixed to the hollow axle and the other end of the spring is fixed to a worm wheel (9) that is arranged in the first journal bearing. An endless screw (6) resides in the first journal bearing and engages with the worm wheel. Rotation of the endless screw drives the worm wheel and the spiral torsion spring to rotate, thereby adjusting the tension of the spring. |
| US08245352B2 |
Hinge assembly and refrigerator with hinge assembly
Provided are a hinge assembly that is pivotably supported to a hinge plate for pivotably supporting a door, and which is provided with an integrally coupled retaining lever that selectively fixes the hinge plate, and a refrigerator provided with the hinge assembly. The hinge assembly includes a fixing member, the hinge plate, and the retaining lever. The fixing member projects to an upper surface of a refrigerator main body. The hinge plate is pre-fixed to the refrigerator main body, with a portion of the fixing member inserted in one portion of the hinge plate and a refrigerator door pivotably mounted to another portion of the hinge plate. The retaining lever is pivotably coupled to the hinge plate, to selectively retain the hinge plate through rotating horizontally about the hinge plate. |
| US08245351B2 |
Fabric pad for a steam mop
A steam pad for use with a steam mop is provided. The fabric steam pad comprises at least one cleaning fabric layer, and a corresponding layer of fabric where the fabric layers are joined around the perimeter. The fabric steam pad has at least one fastener band secured to the mesh fabric in a position to correspond to at least one fastener anchored on the steam mop frame and increased structural stability of the pad to avoid buckling of the fabric at the edges. A warp knit mesh layer may be disposed on the fabric surface opposed to the cleaning surface. |
| US08245350B2 |
Wiper blade
The invention relates to a wiper blade (10) with a wiper strip (14) made of elastic material and having a wiper strip head (20) and a wiper lip (26) which can be placed on a window (22) to be wiped, wherein the wiper lip (26) is designed as a wedge-shaped extension (24) of the wiper strip head (20) and has a point angle (42) of between 60 degrees and 150 degrees, said point angle leading into a contact surface (44) having a radius (46) of smaller than 100 micrometers, and also to a method for the production of said wiper blade. |
| US08245349B2 |
Cleaning element and cleaning tool
It is an object of the present invention to provide effective technique for a higher cleaning effect and higher operability of a cleaning element. According to the representative cleaning element, a distance d1 between adjacent ones of the fusion bonded parts is longer than a length d2 or d3 formed on both of the pair adjacent fusion bonded parts and in the respective longitudinal end regions of the cleaning element. |
| US08245348B2 |
Manual toothbrush
A manual toothbrush with a handle and a toothbrush head mounted on the handle. A pivot bearing for pivoting the toothbrush head relative to the handle is arranged between the toothbrush head and the handle. |
| US08245345B2 |
Floor treatment apparatus
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for cleaning or otherwise treating a floored surface that includes a platform adapted to support the weight of an operator. In addition, one embodiment of the present invention is capable of generally performing 360° turns to facilitate the treatment of difficult to access portions of the floored surface. |
| US08245344B2 |
Cleaning apparatus
Cleaning apparatus has a matrix of brush assemblies (10) mounted on a support member (11) such that they are movable both in rotation (x) and in an axial direction (y). The brush assemblies comprise a cleaning brush (15) axially moveable within a gear wheel (22) and rotatable therewith during normal use. Each gear wheel meshes with an adjacent gear wheel to ensure that rotation of one brush causes rotation of the rest of the brushes in the matrix. When any given brush is retracted fully in an axial direction it is disconnected from its respective gear wheel such that it does not rotate therewith and is effectively removed from the drive chain. |
| US08245343B2 |
Method for controlling a washing machine
A method for controlling a washing machine is provided. The method for controlling a washing machine includes at least one rinsing course, wherein the rinsing course includes a foam removal rinsing step for removing foam from laundry by supplying washing water relevant to a quantity of the laundry held in a drum, or the method for controlling a washing machine includes at least one rinsing course, wherein the rinsing course includes a water supply/drain rinsing step for rinsing laundry while simultaneous washing water supply and drain is performed, whereby permitting to enhance a washing effect, significantly. |
| US08245342B2 |
Method for determining load size in a washing machine
A method for determining the laundry load size according to one embodiment of the invention in an automatic clothes washer comprising supplying water to a reference water level to define a first amount of water, supplying water from the reference water level to a second water level above the reference water level and sufficient to submerge the laundry load to define a second amount of water, and determining a load size for the laundry load based on the second amount of water such that errors associated with the first amount of water are not considered in the load size determination based on the second amount of water. |
| US08245338B1 |
Portable diaper changing pad device
The portable diaper changing pad device provides a fully pliable pad that may be used on virtually any surface. The pliability of the pad is also advantageous for compact portability. Straps extended from each pad end are used to wrap around a given surface, such as an existing changing table for example, to removably secure the pad thereto. The pillow is made into the pad. Two restraint loops are provided proximal to the pillow for looping around an infant' shoulders. The connecting strap with adjustable buckle removably secures the loops together so that a baby is restrained. The carry bag is especially useful for compact carry of the pad, and importantly features attachment means for removable attachment to the pad, when the pad is in use, so that the pad and carry bag are not inadvertently separated, with neither being easily accidentally forgotten. |
| US08245335B2 |
Support component for use in imaging by magnetic resonance and x-ray
A structural support component such as a head clamp for use in imaging of a part of a patient using Magnetic Resonance and X-ray imaging is formed of different materials each of which has an Aluminum equivalence factor of less than 10 mm and generally less than 6 mm and is arranged such that the presence of the structural support component in an imaging zone of a magnetic resonance imaging system when generating the image does not generate any visually determinable distortion in the image. The materials can be epoxy resin combined with a glass fiber substrate for easily machined parts, polyphenylene sulphide with random fiber reinforcement using glass fibers for high wear parts and polyurethane foam or Polymethacrylimide foam shaped to form a required member and covered on its outer surface with a layer formed from aramid fibers for elongate parts. |
| US08245327B2 |
Athletic undergarment and protective cup assembly
An athletic undergarment and a protective cup assembly is provided. The undergarment includes a cup pocket for holding the protective cup over the groin of the wearer. The cup includes an attachment location in a lower portion to secure a first end of a strap. The cup pocket defines a slit in a bottom portion of the cup pocket sized to allow the strap to pass therethrough. The coupling mechanism is provided having a first portion on the strap and a second portion disposed in a rear portion of the undergarment proximate to the waistband. In use, the strap extends between the legs portions so that the first portion and the second portion of the coupling mechanism can couple in a secure manner to inhibit displacement of the cup when exposed to upward forces. |
| US08245324B2 |
Bottom garment
Filler clothes 3, which intersect with each other at a section corresponding to the middle point between the interspinal point and patellar midpoint of a human body, are formed on a front section of a bottom garment 1. The filler clothes 3 which are formed in this manner stimulates the rectus femoris muscle 14 which is a part of the quadriceps of a wearer. When the quadriceps is stimulated while walking, the legs can be kicked backward significantly in a natural fashion, whereby the gluteus maximus muscles can be used efficiently. |
| US08245323B2 |
Head-worn liquid shield
A head-worn liquid shield has a substantially half-circled brim, a tautening edge portion, and a sealing tube that provides an effective sealing means for protecting a user's face, nose, ears and eyes from water, soap, shampoo and other hairdressing materials. The sealing tube is compressible to result in a diameter size automatically adjusted according to the pressure exerted on the sealing tube by the user's head. |
| US08245322B1 |
Weighted exercise garment with detachable sections
An exercise garment is formed of a pair of shorts and an accompanying vest which are worn by an exerciser to enhance strength, conditioning, power, endurance and agility. The shorts include a pelvic portion with a pair of leg sections depending therefrom. Each leg section terminates at a leg opening having a circumferential zipper strand adjacent thereto. Immediately above the zipper strand are a plurality of juxtaposed, segregated pockets for receiving a weighted bar. A leg extension having multiple weight pockets includes a peripheral zipper strand at an upper end for mating engagement with the zipper strand of either leg section allowing the effective length thereof to be increased. The accompanying vest is formed of a torso portion with a pair of separable sleeves extending therefrom. A plurality of weight pockets are positioned on the front and rear of the torso portion and each sleeve. A torso extension having multiple weight pockets is removably attachable to the lower edge of the torso portion. Comfort flaps are securable over all of the pockets to form a comfort-enhancing, weight-restraining barrier. |
| US08245319B2 |
Lightweight fabric based body armor
Stab resistant garment having layers of multi-ply stab resistant fabric connected together such that a layer is stitched together, but individual layers are attached by bar tacking. This provides a mixture of stiff resistance and free play in the structure of the garment that prevents penetration by sharp implements including bladed weapons. |
| US08250667B2 |
Iterative feedback tuning in a scanning probe microscope
A method, system, device, and software for automatically determining PI feedback parameters in a scanning probe microscopy application setup using an iterative feedback tuning process. |
| US08250664B2 |
Copyright protection data processing system and reproduction device
A content protection data processing system and a playback device determine whether to permit playback of a content recorded in a recording medium, based on a type of the recording medium and a signature type of a signature attached to a program. Additionally, the content protection data processing system and the playback device switch a procedure relating to a digital signature for each signature type of the digital signature, which enables both the protection of the copyright of the content and the efficient manufacturing of commercial ROM media. |
| US08250656B2 |
Processor with excludable instructions and registers and changeable instruction coding for antivirus protection
Digital processor architecture is characterized by processor's instruction set and registers. If architecture is fixed and known to software developers the viruses may be created to harm computers. Invented processor architecture protects against viruses by modifying of association between instruction set coding and processor's functions. Additionally, invented architecture allows to exclude processor's parts associated with unused by program instructions and exclude registers. Exclusion of processor's parts unused by program makes processor smaller and faster in comparison with processor containing all blocks. Developed architecture also allows to exclude unused portions of instructions from instruction's format resulting in smaller memory size required for the same program. |
| US08250653B2 |
Secure multi-principal web browser
A web browser operating system using a browser kernel places principals having different origins in separate principal instances, where each separate principal instance executes in a separate protection domain. Principal origin may be determined using the combination of protocol, domain name, and port. The browser kernel mediates communications between principal instances, and between the principal instances and the operating system. Within each principal instance, a browser runtime executes as a restricted operating system process (ROSP), while any plugins are executed as a separate ROSP. Renderings from each browser runtime are combined by the browser kernel for presentation to a user. |
| US08250651B2 |
Identifying attributes of aggregated data
A method for identifying a portion of aggregated software security data is described. The method includes accessing aggregated data associated with software vulnerabilities retrieved from a plurality of on-line sources. The method further includes searching a portion of the aggregated data for an exact match to a particular attribute of the data and searching the portion of the aggregated data for one or more partial matches associated with the particular attribute. The method also includes associating the portion of the data with the particular attribute based on the exact match of one or more of the partial matches. |
| US08250649B2 |
Securing system and method using a security device
System (1) for securing a data processing application, the said system comprising: first means (2) for interfacing with a security device (3); second means (4) for interfacing with the user; third means (6) for interfacing with the application and adapted for intercepting any request to use the said security device originating from the said application destined for the said security device; authentication means (8) connected to the first and second interfacing means, adapted for authenticating the user as legitimate user of the security device by requesting at least one secret; means (10) for storing the result of the authentication; validation means connected to the storage means and to the first and third interfacing means, adapted for authorizing any request originating from the application, destined for the said security device if and only if, the user is authenticated. |
| US08250648B2 |
Security system and method for computer operating systems
A security system for a computer operating system comprising a processor (37) that is independent of the host CPU (13) for controlling access between the host CPU (13) and a security partition formed in the storage device (21) for storing the operating system. A program memory (41) that is independent of the computer memory and the storage device (21) unalterably stores and provides computer programs for operating the processor (37) in a manner so as to control access to the security partition in the storage device (21). All data access by the host CPU (13) to the data storage device (21) is blocked before initialization of the security system and is intercepted immediately after the initialization under the control of the processor (37). The processor (37) effects independent control of the host CPU (13) and configuration of the computer (11) to prevent unauthorised access to the security partition on the storage device (21) during the interception phase. All users of the computer (11) are authenticated with a prescribed profile of access to the operating system files in the security partition on the storage device (21) and data access to the storage device remains blocked until a user of the computer (11) is correctly authenticated. |
| US08250642B2 |
System, method and program for managing firewalls
Computer system, method and program for managing a firewall. First program instructions identify a first rule of the firewall. The first rule specifies a permitted message flow through the firewall to or from an IP address of a computer. The computer resides on a network. Second program instructions identify a second rule of the firewall. The second rule specifies a permitted message flow through the firewall to or from an IP address corresponding to the network. Message flows through the firewall to all computers on the network are permitted pursuant to the second rule. Third program instructions delete the first rule from the firewall based on the identification of the second rule and the computer residing on the network. Other program instructions identify and delete stale rules which are not needed. Other program instructions automatically identify rules for a new server added to a cluster. |
| US08250639B2 |
Micro and macro trust in a decentralized environment
A method and system are disclosed. In one embodiment the method includes calculating a trust level of a first entity. The first entity has a plurality of components. Each component in the first entity has at least the trust level of the first entity. |
| US08250638B2 |
Maintaining the domain access of a virtual machine
A method for maintaining domain access of a virtual machine is described. According to one embodiment, a generation of a new computer account password by an operating system is identified. The new computer account password is copied to an auxiliary storage location. An existing computer account password is replaced with the new computer account password when it is determined that a file system of the computer has been restored to a previous state. The copying of the new computer account password may be performed in response to the generation of the new computer account password. The replacing of the existing computer account password may be performed in response to the restoring of file system to the previous state. |
| US08250636B2 |
Instrument access control system
A system for centrally managing a set of network-connected laboratory instruments is disclosed. For example, the system includes a centralized database that includes information about the instruments in the system and about the authorized users of the system. In particular, the centralized database indicates which users are authorized to use each of the instruments in the system. The database may also include information about the operations that each user is authorized to perform using the instruments and information indicating whether tests performed by each instrument must be signed using one or more electronic signatures. The system may recognize a number of “roles,” each of which is associated with a particular set of rights, and may assign one or more roles to each user. Instruments and other elements of the system may access the centralized database over a network to enforce the user rights represented by the information in the database. |
| US08250635B2 |
Enabling authentication of openID user when requested identity provider is unavailable
A method, system and computer program product for enabling authentication of an OpenID user when a requested identity provider is unavailable. A relying party receives a login request from the OpenID user, where the login request includes a username. The relying party reads a list of trusted identity providers that are associated with the received username and selects one of those identity providers. The relying party generating an OpenID identifier using an identification (e.g., Uniform Resource Locator) of the selected identity provider and the username. The relying party transmits an authentication request (request to authenticate the OpenID user) to the selected identity provider using the formed OpenID identifier. If the selected identity provider is unavailable, then the relying party selects another identity provider from the list of identity providers that are associated with the received username and repeats the above process. |
| US08250631B2 |
Protecting against denial of service attacks using trust, quality of service, personalization, and hide port messages
According to an embodiment of the invention, a system for processing a plurality of service requests in a client-server system includes a challenge server for: presenting a cryptographic challenge to the client; initializing a trust cookie that encodes a client's initial priority level after the client correctly solves the cryptographic challenge; computing a trust level score for the client based on a service request wherein said trust level score is associated with an amount of resources expended by the server in handling the service request such that a higher trust level score is computed for service requests consuming less system resources; assigning the trust level score to the client based on the computation; and embedding the assigned trust level score in the trust cookie included in all responses sent from the server to the client. The system further includes an application server coupled with a firewall. |
| US08250622B2 |
Method and apparatus for broadcasting to a portable terminal
Time slice transmission methods transmit data in bursts, thus creating a delay until playback of a service can begin when changing the service and therefore preventing smooth zapping. To solve this problem, a first stream used for burst transmission of packet sets and a second stream for continuously transmitting packets at a speed determined according to the transmission rate required for a particular service are multiplexed and transmitted. The content is reproduced using the continuously transmitted second stream during zapping, and the first stream transmitted in bursts is reproduced after zapping ends. |
| US08250620B1 |
System and method for sharing information between a concierge and guest
A novel mechanism is disclosed by which a sender can direct information such as an audiovisual signal to a particular recipient's audiovisual display device, such as a cable television set and, thereby, share information between the sender and the recipient. In one embodiment of the invention, a calling party originates a telephone call and associates that telephone call with audio-visual information that exists on the caller's personal computer or on an Internet server. The called party answers the call, and can tune an associated cable television to the appropriate channel in order to view the audio-visual information. In another embodiment, the caller is a hotel guest and the called party is a hotel concierge and vice versa. The concierge provides information to the hotel guest such that the hotel guest can tune in to a channel on their hotel television set and access the information. |
| US08250616B2 |
Distributed live multimedia capture, feedback mechanism, and network
Methods and systems for processing multimedia content captured from a plurality of locations via one or more capturing devices include obtaining multimedia content from one or more capturing devices. The capturing devices identify a type of content being captured and/or location of capture. An interest type for multimedia content is obtained from a consuming user. The multimedia content from the capturing devices are searched based on the interest type of the consuming user. A subset of the multimedia content conforming to the interest type is presented in substantial real-time at the receiving devices of the consuming users. Feedback regarding the presented multimedia content is obtained from consuming users and communicated to the capturing devices in substantial real-time so as to influence future capture of multimedia content. |
| US08250614B1 |
Systems and methods for providing an on-demand media portal and grid guide
A media-on-demand (MOD) portal application allows users to view and access from a single display interface MOD content provided by multiple media providers, such as vendors and service providers. The MOD portal application may provide grid display screens showing program listings of available media content. The grids may include rows and columns, where each row and each column includes program listings associated with a particular category. In one illustrative grid, each row includes programming from a single media vendor and each column includes programming of a particular genre. A media guidance application is also provided which automatically determines if a user does not watch an MOD program the user has ordered. The media guidance application may automatically make the unwatched program available to the user at a later time, for example by automatically recording the program or by allowing the user to access the program at the later time. |
| US08250608B2 |
System and method for adaptively controlling the recording of program material using a program guide
In response to the establishment of a communication connection between an appliance capable of effecting a recording of a program and a portable device capable of displaying to a user in a display of the portable device a program guide including a listing for the program the appliance capable of effecting the recording of the program receives data indicative of a request to record the program that is stored in a memory of the portable device via user interaction with the program guide prior to establishment of the communication connection and the appliance capable of effecting the recording of the program then functions to record the program in accordance with the received data indicative of the request to record the program. |
| US08250606B2 |
Digital television and channel editing method thereof
A method and display device for displaying images are discussed. According to an embodiment, there is a method for displaying images using a display device, the display device including a memory, a display screen, and a controller for controlling the memory and the display screen, the method comprising: storing, in the memory, channel information pertaining to a predetermined number of broadcast channels; and displaying, on the display screen, a multi-window including a plurality of sub-windows, each of the plurality of sub-windows configured to display images from a different one of the broadcast channels, wherein a number of the sub-windows displayed on the display screen is variable according to the channel information. |
| US08250605B2 |
Systems and methods for presentation of preferred program selections
Preferred systems and methods are disclosed for navigating among a group or lists of programs, such as in a network terminal (such as a set top box) in a video program distribution system which presents a viewer with an electronic program guide comprising a plurality of program titles wherein the order is determined by a program score used to predict a level of interest for the viewer based in part on extrinsic data provided to the network terminal regarding the viewer's characteristics and attributes. The extrinsic data could be obtained based on the individual viewer's specific attributes, or the demographic attributes of similarly situated viewers. The extrinsic data, as well as intrinsic data is processed to provide an ordered list of program which are more reflective of that viewer's interests that a linear listing of programs. The system and method can apply for other applications involving prioritizing selection information. |
| US08250604B2 |
Near real-time multiple thumbnail guide with single tuner
A method of presenting a video electronic program guide (EPG), consistent with certain embodiments involves establishing a sorting of television channels, with a selected channel having a highest sorting priority, and other channels being arranged in pairs in a hierarchy below the selected channel; displaying a plurality of windows representing a plurality of the channels in a cross media bar menu arrangement, with the principal focus channel being represented at a window appearing at an intersection of horizontal and vertical bars in the cross media bar menu arrangement and the pairs of channels arranged on either side of the selected channel in the cross media bar menu arrangement; and retrieving sample clips of the channels in focus section of the sort order, and presenting the clips as repeating clips in their respective windows. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract. |
| US08250590B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for seamless multiple format metadata abstraction
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for providing seamless multiple format metadata abstraction. A metadata application programming interface (API) is provided to abstract metadata from an incoming business object and provide it to an adapter for processing. The metadata API is configured to operate on multiple metadata formats such as SDO and JavaBean such that the adapter receives the metadata from the metadata API in a common format that is compatible with the adapter. In this manner, the multiple metadata formats may be plugably used with the adapter. |
| US08250588B2 |
Persisting application state
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for persisting application state. Through decoupling an application host from an instance store, the application host can be used with many different persistence stores and persistence administration tools. Further, a given persistence store can be used with many different application hosts and application host extensions. Accordingly, applications can benefit from periodically persisting work to any of a variety of instance stores even if the applications are changed or are not natively configured for use with a particular instance store. Using persistence providers an application host can also more easily coordinate the persisted state with runtime state to ensure that a consistent checkpoint is created. Persistence providers can also be used to compensate for application host extensions and persistence administration tools that add coordination requirements that cannot be predicted at the time that the application is originally developed. |
| US08250574B2 |
Virtual machine management via use of table in which virtual machine information is registered on a time basis
An object of the present invention is to suppress a variation in virtual machine startup times when multiple virtual machines are started in a computer system having multiple virtual machine providing servers. Execution server distribution unit 13 references a virtual machine status management table 32, which stores the status of virtual machine providing servers 90 in which virtual machines 91 are operating and the status of the virtual machines 91, and determines the positions of virtual machines in such a way that virtual machines, which execute specific processing (virtual machine startup, and so on) registered in a distributed processing specification table 31, are distributed. Operation server consolidation unit 16 references the virtual machine status management table 32 and determines the arrangement of the virtual machines 91 in such a way that virtual machines, which have executed the specific processing and are performing usual operations, are consolidated (FIG. 1). |
| US08250571B2 |
Installing a computer program
An electronic mobile communication device is configured to install a computer program onto a computing device that is different than the mobile communication device. The installation process includes the electronic mobile computing device communicating with the computing device to obtain information for use in installing the computer program, and the electronic mobile computing device executing an installer for the computer program. The installer uses the information to install the computer program on the computing device. |
| US08250569B1 |
Systems and methods for selectively blocking application installation
Methods and system for preventing or allowing an installer application from installing applications based on a comparison of the installer application actions to profiles and rules. The profiles and rules are established (and periodically updated) to identify a particular software installation process as undesirable and stop it from occurring. An install blocker processes the profiles and rules and compares them against what the installer is trying to do as part of its installation process. If the installer is attempting to install an application deemed undesirable, the user could then be notified, provided all of the information about what the installer was trying to do, and provided choice to allow the installation to continue. |
| US08250567B2 |
Robust firmware upgrade in a network terminal
The present invention concerns a network terminal, and method in a broadband terminal for upgrading a firmware, said terminal comprising an interface to a network and a non volatile memory adapted to store only one version of the firmware, the firmware comprising a first firmware and a second firmware, the method comprising, at the terminal, the step of erasing the first firmware from the non volatile memory, downloading a rescue firmware to the non volatile memory from a server located on the network, the rescue firmware being adapted to allow the terminal to download the firmware from the server, rebooting the terminal with the second firmware and the rescue firmware, downloading a new version of the first and second firmware from the server to the non volatile memory, erasing the rescue firmware from the non volatile memory, and rebooting the terminal with the new version of the first and second firmware. |
| US08250566B2 |
Automated software upgrade and distribution
A method for an automated upgrade of hardware devices of a specialized network, such as wireless communication devices or automated teller machines, with new software programs is described. The upgrade is performed over the network and is controlled by a control center of the network. The control center has an access to a software program repository for storing new programs. The automated upgrade is performed by selecting suitable new software programs from the repository, each of the programs being associated with a validity time window and a threshold hardware profile, performing corresponding checks of upgrade time windows and hardware profiles of the hardware devices being upgraded, and downloading the new software programs to the memory medium of the hardware devices being upgraded. |
| US08250565B2 |
System and method for downloading update packages into a mobile handset in a carrier network
Aspects of the present invention may be seen in a system and method for downloading update packages into an electronic device communicatively coupled to a carrier network. The system may facilitate the update of firmware/software in the electronic device. Different protocols may be utilized for discovery and download of update packages. Also, different protocols may be utilized for provisioning and for subsequent downloading of update packages. |
| US08250564B2 |
Image forming apparatus, program updating system, program updating program
In order to shorten the unusable time, the multi-function peripheral (MFP) can communicate with a server storing a plurality of kinds of update programs together with update information for each of a plurality of kinds of functions, and includes a flash memory to store an execution program, a function execution portion to execute the stored execution program and execute at least one of the functions, a performance storage portion, when any of the functions is executed, to store performance information indicating execution of the function for each executed function in the flash memory, a determination portion to determine a target program from among the update programs stored in the server based on the performance information and the update information stored in the server, and an updating portion to acquire the determined target program and update the execution program stored in the flash memory with the acquired target program. |
| US08250560B2 |
Information processing apparatus
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes memory in which first firmware is stored; a controller to execute the firmware; a storage device in which update data corresponding to second firmware that can be used to update the first firmware stored in memory; and a processing unit configured to (a) transfer the update data, and (b) indicate which regions of the memory require updating; and an updating unit configured to rewrite a region in the memory using the update data in response to the indication of which regions of the memory require updating. |
| US08250554B2 |
Systems and methods for generating and distributing executable procedures for technical desk-side support
Systems and methods for dynamically generating computer executable technical support procedures, as well as updating/augmenting such executable procedures, by tracking and processing sequences of actions (execution traces) that are taken by experts (or users) when performing a procedure or when executing an executable procedure. |
| US08250546B2 |
Code assist for multiple statement patterns including automated translation of code examples to a user context
A process and system for assisting a user to write new lines of code of a computer program based on code examples. A first line in each code sample matching a specified anchor line. A loop having a custom line branch and a code assist branch is executed. The custom line branch generates a new line for the computer program via a custom line provided by the user. The code assist branch generates a new line for the computer program via code assist. The code assist determines a set of assist lines from the code samples, translates the assist lines to a user context in each code example, selects from the assist lines set of preferred lines sequenced in an order of preference, presents the set of preferred lines to the user, receives a preferred line selected by the user, and stores the preferred line as a new line. |
| US08250544B2 |
Annotating exception information in a computer program
Annotation of exception information in a computer program. This annotation is not present in the source code itself, but is annotated during the compilation process or perhaps for purpose of analyzing the code. To perform the annotation, environmental rules are accessed regarding the environment in which the program is to be executed. The program is then evaluated in the context of these environmental rules to detect portions that, in the context of the environmental rules, may cause exceptions to be thrown. Those portions may then be annotated with exception information that describes any exceptions that could be thrown at that detected portion. |
| US08250540B2 |
System and method for administration of mobile application
An administration system and methods for mobile security and other software applications operating on mobile devices in a corporate network. The administration system comprises an administration server, administration database and administration console. To facilitate integration of mobile applications into the administration system, each mobile application is provided with an associated administration console plug-in component. The administration plug-in component provides a set of user interfaces for configuring via the administration console application configuration settings specific to the one or more associated mobile applications. In addition, the plug-in component provides web interfaces, such as SOAP interfaces, for communicating application-specific configuration settings to the associated mobile applications. Accordingly, the administration system enables rapid and highly concurrent installation, configuration, updating, and patching of various mobile applications without modifying infrastructure of the administration system. |
| US08250539B2 |
Method of detecting memory leak causing portion and execution program thereof
With regard to a plurality of data stored in a memory, relationship of data is grasped twice after a time interval therebetween. Next, increased data C1, E2, E3 which are not present in data of a first time are extracted from data of a second time, and weights “1”, “2”, “2” in accordance with data sizes are attached to the increased data. Next, the weights are successively propagated from a lower order data of a destination of reference to a higher order data of a source of reference successively. When there are a plurality of lower order data E2, E3 for a higher order D0, a weight constituted by adding the weights “2”, “2” of the plurality of lower data E2, E3 is made to be a weight “4” of the higher order data D0, and the weights of the respective data represent leak scores which causes memory leak. |
| US08250538B2 |
Optimization of system performance through scenario evaluation
A system, method and computer program product for optimizing a software system through scenario evaluation. In accordance with the disclosed technique, a request is received for evaluation of an operational scenario that operates over an environment that is a superset of existing system capabilities encompassing system features or parameters that are not available in the currently running system. A knowledge base is consulted to derive recommendations with respect to operating parameters that may be collected to evaluate the scenario, mechanisms for gathering data relating to the parameters, and data evaluator operations for deriving a data evaluation result based on the data gathering. The knowledge base is further consulted to determine a reconfiguration recommendation based on the result. Scenario evaluation is performed based on simulation of the reconfiguration recommendation using the data evaluation result to determine efficacy of the scenario. |
| US08250536B2 |
Analysis of a legacy source code application
A method of analyzing a legacy source code application is described. The method comprises traversing a generated set of entries of a module hash array, a summary count catalog, and an occurrence location catalog to determine duplicate lines of code of the legacy source code application. The method also comprises determining a duplicate sequence of one or more lines of code with respect to at least one other sequence of one or more lines of code of the legacy source code application based on traversal of the generated set of entries of the module hash array, the summary count catalog, and the occurrence location catalog. The method also comprises storing a match result identifying the determined duplicate sequence and the at least one other sequence. |
| US08250535B2 |
Maintaining vitality of data in safety-critical systems
A mechanism for maintaining configuration or other vital data outside of source code is disclosed. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a data manager software component serves as an interface between an external configuration data store and one or more applications, processes, and threads. In contrast with techniques of the prior art, the illustrative embodiment does not suffer from the risk of undetected corruption of vital data, and therefore is especially advantageous in safety-critical systems. |
| US08250534B2 |
Method and system for constructing a software application from a complete and consistent specification in a software development process
A method and computer program product reads one or more specifications that define, at least in part, a software application. A data storage structure is generated for storing data of the software application. At least one unit of code is generated based, at least in part, upon one or more design elements within the one or more specifications. A first application is generated from the at least one unit of code and data storage structure. |
| US08250528B2 |
Static inheritance systems and methods
The subject invention pertains to a system and method of extending programming languages to enable static inheritance. In particular, static subclasses can be defined which extend class functionality and/or behaviors without extending base class state. The subclasses can be specified to include static fields as well as static or instance methods and/or properties that provide a more specific interpretation of an object without extending the state thereof. Furthermore, a static subclass can be specified to provide for type aliasing. Casting is also enabled in both directions between base class type and derived class type in a convenient manner without run-time performance penalties. According to one aspect of the invention, the disclosed systems and methods can be employed to create specific programmatic context, for instance for accessing, manipulating, and type checking external data (e.g., XML). |
| US08250525B2 |
Proactive performance management for multi-user enterprise software systems
The invention provides, in some aspects, systems for proactive management of development and performance of a software application based on monitoring it (and/or one or more of its components) during the course of development or execution. Those systems signal alerts upon determining that actual or expected usage of the application (or its components) by users of like classes (or roles) is anticipated to, or does, exceed quotas, when the application is placed in production mode. |
| US08250523B2 |
Source code wrapper generation
It may be advantageous to facilitate communication between two types of source code. For example, a wrapper may be generated to translate between managed source code and native source code. Current techniques may translate a single type of native source code into a managed binary wrapper. However, as provided herein, a managed source code wrapper may be generated based upon a variety of native source code formats. A native binary descriptor describing a set of native code may be received. A provider may be selected based upon the format of the set of native code. The provider may be executed upon the native binary descriptor to produce a common native binary description. A managed source code wrapper may be generated based upon the common native binary description. Because the managed source code wrapper may be in a textual source code format, a developer may easily maintain and/or customize the wrapper. |
| US08250520B2 |
Implementing custom activities in a workflow
A front-end computing system initializes an instance of a workflow. The workflow contains a plurality of activities. The plurality of activities includes a shim activity. When the front-end computing system executes the workflow instance, the front-end computing system performs the shim activity. When the front-end computing system performs the shim activity, the front-end computing system sends a custom activity assembly to a sandbox computing system. The custom activity assembly is not fully trusted. The sandbox computing system executes the custom activity assembly. The sandbox computing system is isolated from the front-end computing system such that unexpected behavior of the sandbox computing system does not cause the front-end computing system to perform unexpected behavior. |
| US08250519B2 |
Forcing registered code into an execution context of guest software
A method is provided for executing guest computations in a virtual machine of a virtualization system and forcing execution of registered code into an execution context of the guest. The forcing is performed from the virtualization system based on an execution trigger monitored without reliance on functionality of the guest software. |
| US08250518B2 |
Per user file associations
Systems and methods are provided for defining a default handler software application in response to an event at a computer. An event, for example, a user opening a file with a specific extension or accessing a uniform resource locator (URL) with a specific protocol, may trigger the operating system to instantiate a user-level default handler program associated with the event type and the specific user. Users may define user-level default handlers through a centralized user interface maintained by the operating system. During the application installation process, an application may register lists of supported events that the application is capable of handling. |
| US08250515B2 |
Clock alias for timing analysis of an integrated circuit design
A timing analysis mechanism allows defining a clock alias that correlates a clock that is not present in an integrated circuit design to a real clock in the integrated circuit design. In a first implementation, when an existing user assertion references a clock alias, the timing analysis mechanism generates a new user assertion that references the real clock specified in the clock alias. The new user assertion is then used in the timing analysis and the existing user assertion is not. In a second implementation, when an existing user assertion references a clock alias, the timing analysis mechanism generates a duplicate clock in the timing database, preserving all its attributes, and then passes the assertion using the alias name as well as any assertions using the corresponding real clock name to the timing engine to be used in the timing analysis. |
| US08250513B1 |
Parallel process optimized signal routing
In one embodiment, a method for routing of a circuit design netlist is provided. A processing cost is determined for each net in the netlist. A plurality of regions are defined for the target device such that the total processing costs of nets are balanced between the plurality of regions. Concurrent with routing one or more nets of a first one of the plurality of regions, one or more nets are routed in at least one other of the plurality of regions. Synchronization and subsequent routing are performed for unrouted nets of the netlist. |
| US08250511B2 |
Designing apparatus, designing method, and designing program for semiconductor integrated circuit
A designing apparatus includes an initial estimating portion, a general power supply noise analyzing portion, a layout designing portion, a detail estimating portion, a detail power supply noise analyzing portion, and a layout adjusting portion. The initial estimating portion estimates general values of an entire consumed current and an entire on-chip capacitance. Based on the estimated general values, the general power supply noise analyzing portion creates a lumped constant circuit model so as to conduct a power supply noise analysis, for computing a current-capacitance ratio. Based on the current-capacitance ratio, the layout designing portion performs placement of cells for each of predetermined regions obtained by dividing a placement region. The detail estimating portion creates a lumped constant circuit model for each of the predetermined regions so as to estimate detail values of the consumed current and the on-chip capacitance for each of the predetermined regions. Based on the detail values, the detail power supply noise analyzing portion conducts a detail power supply noise analysis. Based on a result of the detail power supply noise analysis, the layout adjusting portion performs adjustment of the placement of the cells. |
| US08250506B2 |
Bondwire design
A system and method of designing the physical shape of and determining the electromagnetic characteristics of a bondwire in an electrical circuit, comprising the steps of enabling a user to define the position of the bondwire in the electrical circuit layout, defining the position and loop shape of the bondwire in a 3D representation of the electrical circuit, segmenting the bondwire into discrete segments, determining the electromagnetic characteristics of each of the bondwire segments thereby to determine the overall electromagnetic characteristics of the bondwire. |
| US08250504B2 |
Designing method of semiconductor integrated circuit
A designing method of a semiconductor integrated circuit is provided, the method including a preparation step of preparing first design data having a power gating circuit for supplying a power supply voltage to a logic circuit according to a power gating control signal and a first clamp circuit for clamping an output signal from the logic circuit according to a clamp control signal; and a generation step of generating, in order to verify the first design data, second design data in which a first mask circuit for masking the output signal from the logic circuit according to the power gating control signal is added in place of the power gating circuit to the first design data. |
| US08250503B2 |
Hardware definition method including determining whether to implement a function as hardware or software
A hardware definition system and method includes a computer processor analyzing software function modules of a software program, and generating, for each of at least a subset of the software function modules, and on the basis of the analyzing step, a respective setting indicating whether the respective function module is to be implemented as a respective hardware module or as a software module executed on a hardware module defined in a hardware module library. |
| US08250500B1 |
Method and apparatus for deriving signal activities for power analysis and optimization
A method for managing simulation includes modifying a design for a system to allow for a path pulse filter to filter a pathpulse delay, on a signal transmitted to a component, that is greater than an IOpath delay. |
| US08250485B2 |
Web accessibility assistant
A method and article of manufacture in computer readable form for web page navigation without use of a computer mouse. A computer program is executed on a central processing unit (CPU) of a computer system that includes a keyboard and a display screen. A first web page, which includes at least one Universal Resource Locator (URL), is fetched. The fetched first web page is parsed. As each URL of the at least one URL on the first web page is encountered during the parsing of the first web page, computer code that associates a two-key code with each URL on the first web page is generated and executed. The first web page is displayed on the display screen, which includes depicting on the displayed first web page: each two-key code and an indication of which URL on the first web page each two-key code is associated with. |
| US08250481B2 |
Visualizing geographic-area change detected from high-resolution, remotely sensed imagery
A method, system, and medium are provided for presenting aspects of change associated with a geographic area that has been captured by high-resolution, remotely sensed imagery. One embodiment of the method includes receiving a query directed at the geographic area that includes one or more inputs, the query seeking an identification of regions associated with the geographic area that are characterized by aspects of change based on the one or more inputs; applying the query to a dataset of geospatial information that stores imagery associated with the geographic area, wherein the dataset includes information that is sufficient to identify the regions, and wherein the imagery is derived from the high-resolution, remotely sensed imagery, which is characterized by having a resolution of three meters or less per pixel; receiving a first results set that includes a first plurality of keys and corresponding change scores, wherein, (1) each key is useable to identify a certain region, and (2) each change score indicates an amount of change in the certain region from a first state to a second state; and presenting at least a portion of the results set in a viewing application. |
| US08250480B2 |
Interactive navigation of a dataflow process image
An interactive graphical environment that facilitates interactive navigation of a reconstructed dataflow process image is disclosed. The environment can create segmented image sections for at least one dataflow process image, which can be used to form the reconstructed dataflow process image. The environment can respond to inputs from a user to navigate the reconstructed dataflow process. |
| US08250475B2 |
Managing icon integrity
Icon integrity is managed. A notification for a selected icon is received and a determination is made whether a set of properties exists for the selected icon. Responsive to determining the existence and verification of the authenticity of the set of properties, the computer implemented method analyzes the set of properties to determine permission and authentication and responsive to determining the permission and authentication, allows execution of an executable function associated with the icon. |
| US08250468B2 |
System and method for managing dynamic document references
Document fragments are managed by the use of fragment objects. Fragment objects contain a reference to a portion of a source document. Referencing documents contain a reference to a fragment object which delivers the content of the fragment of the source document to the referencing document. The source document can be directly updated through updating the fragment of the source document contained in the referencing document via the use of the fragment object. Source document deletion is controlled by storing the references to the source document by fragment objects so that no fragment object has a reference to a nonexistent source document. A process for organizing document fragments within a document management system wherein source documents comprise duplicates of the document fragments includes replacing a duplicate fragment with a reference to a single fragment object the fragment object including a reference to a fragment of a source document and an object class method for deletion of the fragment object including instructions to remove the reference to the fragment object from the metadata of the source document to which the fragment object refers. |
| US08250467B2 |
Deriving menu-based voice markup from visual markup
A visual markup to voice markup transcoding system, method and machine readable storage. The basic method can include identifying at least one heading in visual markup; creating a corresponding menu item in voice markup; further creating a text block in the voice markup for text associated with the identified heading; and, linking the text block with the menu item in the voice markup. Additional headings can be identified in the visual markup; and, each of the creating, further creating and linking steps can be repeated for each identified additional heading. Notably, the visual markup can be formatted according to the hypertext markup language (HTML), and the voice markup is formatted according to the voice extensible markup language (VXML). |
| US08250466B2 |
Computer and method for converting a web page
A method for converting a web page sets local URLs to correspond to effective URLs of web pages, saves the local URLs and the effective URL of the web pages in the storage. The method further searches the storage for an effective URL corresponding to a local URL inputted by a user, accesses the web page in a web server according to the effective URL. The method also obtains byte streams of content in the web page, converts the image byte streams into images, converts the character byte streams into characters, and generates a local web page comprising the images and the characters. |
| US08250464B2 |
Parsing a markup language document
A method and system for parsing a markup language document are disclosed in the invention. The method comprises: pre-splitting a body of the markup language document into plurality parts; scanning each of the plurality parts, wherein while each of the parts is scanned, the scanning of the part is stopped only when a specific mark is found, and then a stop point at which the scanning is stopped is recorded; splitting the body of the markup language document into a plurality of fragments using the respective stop points; parsing the plurality of fragments in parallel and producing parsing results for the respective fragments; and combining the parsing results for the respective fragments to form a parsing result for the markup language document. A parsing method that supports namespace is also provided. |
| US08250463B2 |
Recognizing, anchoring and reflowing digital ink annotations
A digital ink annotation process and system for processing digital documents and digital ink annotations therein. An annotation's position is maintained within a document such that the original intent and meaning of the annotation is preserved. This is true even if the document is edited, resized, displayed on a different device or otherwise modified. The process includes automatic and manual grouping of digital ink strokes within a document to define digital ink annotations, classifying the annotations according to annotation type, and anchoring the annotations to appropriate regions or positions in a document. The process further includes reflowing the annotations in a new document layout such that the annotations conform and adapt to the new layout while preserving the original intents and meanings of the annotations. The system includes a classification module, an anchoring module, a reflow module and a clean-up module to implement the digital ink annotation process. |
| US08250456B2 |
Structured web advertising
A system for selecting a candidate information unit for linking to a given information unit based on the content of the given information unit. The content of the given information unit may be automatically determined and then compared to content of the candidate information unit to determine which unit of candidate information to select. When the unit of candidate information is selected, it bears a chosen given information unit and it is linked with the given information unit. The system can be used to implement a structured advertising system for the World Wide Web. Web pages (given information) are searched and indexed, producing indexed content data. This indexed content data is then ranked according to relevancy. The ranked content data are compared to content data of advertisements (candidate information) and an advertisement is selected. The advertisement is then copied onto (linked to) the Web page. |
| US08250455B2 |
Assisting document creation
Assistance for document creation in a computer system which allows at least one agent to be registered therein is provided. The computer system causes the at least one agent to monitor input by a user during the document creation, acquire information on the input obtained by the monitoring, retrieve at least one content from multiple contents accumulated in a storage unit based on the acquired information, and transmit the retrieved at least one content to a display unit to display the retrieved content on a screen. |
| US08250452B2 |
Method and apparatus for embedded memory security
A method and apparatus for embedded memory security is disclosed. One embodiment protects data in a memory block from unauthorized reading. When writing or reading data to or from the memory block an error correction code is used to calculate an ECC value, wherein the calculation of the ECC value is based on a combination of the data and a access identifier provided to the memory block prior to reading. The access identifier identifies the requesting program. A read error is signalled in case the calculated ECC value does not match a stored value thus indicating an access violation. |
| US08250447B2 |
Convolution encoder, encoding device, and convolution encoding method
A bit register is restored to the initial state thereof irrespective of the state of the bit register even when a convolution encoder includes a circular section.The convolution encoder comprises an input data acquiring section (F11) for acquiring input data; an encoding object data generating section (F10) for generating encoding object data on the basis of the input data; a storage section (M10) for storing data corresponding to the encoding object data; a mod2 adder (S10) for performing convolution processing of the encoding object data on the basis of the data stored in the storage section (M10); and a switching section (F12) for switching at a prescribed timing the encoding object data generated by the encoding object data generating section (F10) from data based on the input data to data based on the data stored in the storage section (M10); wherein the data stored in the storage section (M10) are data obtained as a result of the convolution processing. |
| US08250443B2 |
Method for effectively transmitting control signal in wireless communication system
A method of performing HARQ performed by a user equipment (UE) is provided. The method includes receiving a bundling indicator which indicates the number of bundled downlink subframes, determining whether at least one bundled downlink subframe is missed by comparing the bundling indicator with the number of detected bundled downlink subframes, generating a representative ACK/NACK signal when no bundled downlink subframe is missed, and transmitting the representative ACK/NACK signal on an uplink channel. Recovery capability is maximized and the packet loss is reduced in such a situation that less number of ACK/NACK signals are fed back than that of downlink packets. |
| US08250442B2 |
Recording method and reproduction method suitable for recording/reproduction of AV data, and recording drive and reproduction drive, information recording system and information reproduction system, and information recording medium for such methods
In an information recording medium for recording and reproducing data thereon on a sector-by-sector basis, the recorded data being managed as at least one file by using a file structure, the file structure includes unused space management information for identifying a used region and an unused region. At least one defective region is registered as an unused region in the unused space management information, the at least one defective region being a region on the information recording medium which is incapable of proper reproduction of the recorded data. |
| US08250441B2 |
Outer coding framework for application packet error rate minimization
The subject matter disclosed herein provides an outer coding framework for minimizing the error rate of packets, such as application data packets used to transmit digital video broadcast data as well as other forms of data. In one aspect, there is provided a method. The method may include inserting a received packet into one or more rows of a frame. The one or more rows including the received packets may be encoded using an outer code. A block of data from a column of the frame may be read. The frame may include the one or more rows encoded using the outer code. The block that is read may be provided to enable an inner code to encode the block before transmission through a wireless network. Related systems, apparatus, methods, and/or articles are also described. |
| US08250440B2 |
Address generation checking
A method for address generation checking including receiving a starting memory address for a data, an ending memory address for the data, a length value of the data, and an address wrap indicator value that indicates if the data wraps from an end of a memory block to a start of the memory block, determining whether the ending memory address is equal to a sum of the starting memory address added to a difference of the length value to the address wrap indicator value, and transmitting an error signal that indicates an error occurred in a generation of the starting memory address or the ending memory address if the ending memory address is not equal to the sum. |
| US08250438B2 |
Method and apparatus for iterative error-erasure decoding
Methods and apparatus are provided for improved iterative error-erasure decoding. A signal is decoded by obtaining a plurality of symbols associated with the signal and one or more corresponding reliability values; generating at least one erasure list comprised of L symbols and at least one shortened erasure list comprised of L′ symbols, where L′ is less than L; and constructing an erasure set by taking erasures from at least one of the erasure list and the shortened erasure list. A signal is also processed by generating one or more reliability values using a soft-output detector; generating an erasure list of symbols by comparing the reliability values to at least one reliability threshold value (or by sorting); and performing error erasure decoding using the erasure list. The size of the erasure list can optionally be adjusted using feedback information. |
| US08250437B2 |
Memory system and control method for the same
A memory system in an embodiment having a host and a memory card, including: a plurality of semiconductor memory cells, each cell being configured to store N-bit coded data based on threshold voltage distributions; an LLR table storage section configured to store a first LLR table that consists of normal LLR data corresponding to predetermined threshold voltages and a second LLR table that consists of LLR data such that two LLRs at each location corresponding to each location in the first LLR table at which a sign is inverted between two adjacent LLRs are “0”; and a decoder configured to perform decoding processing through probability-based repeated calculations using an LLR. |
| US08250431B2 |
Systems and methods for phase dependent data detection in iterative decoding
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for data processing. For example, a data processing circuit is disclosed that includes a first data detection circuit that applies a phase dependent data detection algorithm to a data set such that a first output of the first data detection circuit varies depending upon a phase of the data set presented to the first data detection circuit. A first phase of the data set is presented to the first data detection circuit. The circuits further include a decoder circuit that applies a decoding algorithm to the first output to yield a decoded output, and a phase shift circuit that phase shifts the decoded output such that a second phase of the data set is provided as a phase shifted output. A second detection circuit applies a phase dependent data detection algorithm to the phase shifted output such that a second output of the second data detection circuit varies from the first output at least in part due to a different phase of the data set presented to the second data detection circuit. |
| US08250425B2 |
Management of ARQ detection threshold in communication networks
Embodiments of a system and methodology are disclosed for enabling a network to manage threshold values provided to UEs for use in decoding ACK-NAK signals. In various embodiments described herein, a base station signals an actual fixed threshold value in a semi-static manner for use by UEs to decode ACK/NAK signals. In these embodiments, the threshold value is part of a semi-static but UE-specific threshold value. This allows the base station to accommodate varying UE geometries, and optimize power savings for ACK-NAK transmissions. Embodiments of the invention also allow the base station to enforce a desired quality of service (QoS) without excessive power variations across ACK/NAK which are limited by the transmit power dynamic range. |
| US08250422B2 |
Receiving device, receiving method, program and wireless communication system
A receiving device is provided that includes a radio receiving unit to receive radio signals transmitted from multiple transmitting antennas by multiple receiving antennas and output received signals being digital signals, a frequency control unit to detect and correct a frequency error contained in the received signals, a channel estimation unit to estimate a channel matrix of which each element corresponds to respective pair of each transmitting antenna and each receiving antenna, an equalization unit to equalize the received signals by using the estimated channel matrix, a demodulation and decoding unit to demodulate and decode the equalized received signals, and an error estimation unit to estimate a channel variation component indicating temporal variation of characteristics of each channel and a phase error component remaining in the received signals based on the channel matrix, the received signals, and a decoding result or an equalization result. |
| US08250420B2 |
Testable integrated circuit and test data generation method
An integrated circuit (IC) is disclosed that comprises a circuit portion (100) having a plurality of inputs (102) and a plurality of outputs (106), the plurality of inputs being arranged to receive a test pattern in a test mode of the integrated circuit, the test pattern comprising a plurality of test vectors for feeding to the plurality of inputs in successive clock cycles. The IC also comprises a test arrangement for testing the circuit portion (100), comprising a test pattern generator (110) for generating the test pattern, masking logic (150) for masking selected outputs of the plurality of outputs (106) and a signal generator (130) coupled to the masking logic (150) for generating a masking signal triggering the masking of all of said circuit portion outputs during selected cycles of the successive clock cycles, the signal generator (130) being responsive to clock cycle selection data (s1-st). This way, selected clock cycles or individual flip-flops can be masked out without requiring external control signals. The IC may also comprise a mask storage arrangement (115) for storing masks to mask a plurality of scan chains for all cycles within a pattern. |
| US08250418B2 |
Test mode for parallel load of address dependent data to enable loading of desired data backgrounds
One or more embodiments of the invention enable a memory device to load its memory array with desired background data, such as to reduce total test time and costs associated with testing. A background data loading circuit according to one embodiment of the invention includes a buffer, a data loading circuit, and a pattern generating logic. The buffer is coupled to the array of memory cells. The data loading circuit is coupled to load data into the buffer to be transferred to a respective row of the memory cells. The pattern generating logic is coupled to the data loading circuit. The pattern generating logic applies a pattern generating algorithm corresponding to a test mode when the memory devices is in the test mode and generates patterns of data each for a respective row of the memory cells according to the pattern generating algorithm. The pattern generating logic further causes the data loading circuit to load each of the generated patterns of data into the buffer for transferring to a respective row of the memory cells. |
| US08250417B2 |
Method for detecting flash program failures
One or more techniques are provided for programming a flash memory device. In one embodiment, the memory device is programmed such that a data pattern written to a page in the memory device has encoded therein an expected count value corresponding to the number of times a first binary value occurs in the data pattern. The data pattern includes the program data and the expected count value, and is written to the page in a single operation. The expected count value may be stored in a count field in the management area of the page. During a page read operation, the expected count value is compared to the actual count of the number of bits having the first binary value in the data area of the page. If the expected count is equal to the actual count, then the program data is determined to be valid. |
| US08250414B2 |
Method for determining an asymmetrical signal lag of a signal path inside an integrated circuit
A device has at least one integrated signal path having a measurable asymmetrical signal lag and/or jitter, an output signal of the integrated signal path being able to be decoupled in a first measuring operating mode using a controllable integrated multiplexer to measure an asymmetrical signal lag of a measuring path, which includes the integrated signal path and the integrated multiplexer, and a measuring signal being able to be decoupled in a second measuring operating mode using the controllable integrated multiplexer to measure the asymmetrical signal lag of the integrated multiplexer. |
| US08250411B2 |
Diagnostic context construction and comparison
A data processing system 1 has a processor core 2 which is programmable to act as one of a plurality of virtual machines each identified by a virtual machine identifier, each virtual machine acting in one of a plurality of contexts each identified by a context identifier, each context executing a sequence of program instructions, each program instruction having one or more associated memory addresses. The data processing system has diagnostic circuitry 10 for performing diagnostic operations on the processor core. Diagnostic control circuitry 12 is provided which is responsive to current values of the virtual machine identifier, the context identifier and at least one of the one or more associated memory addresses to trigger the diagnostic circuitry 10 to perform diagnostic operations. |
| US08250410B2 |
Video recording and reproducing apparatus and method thereof
Achieving improvement in protection of recorded data and reproduction performance and editing performance of video data and audio data, in addition to minimizing the number of disk devices, an inexpensive and high-performance video recording and reproducing apparatus (100) and a method thereof include: a first disk device and a second disk device; a mirroring unit which mirrors video data and audio data to an identical logical address employed by the first disk device and the second disk device; a reading unit which reads (i) the video data out of one of the first disk device and the second disk device, and (ii) the audio data out of another one of the first disk device and the second disk device; and a reproducing unit which reproduces, via synchronization, the video data and the audio data read by the reading unit. |
| US08250408B1 |
System diagnosis
A method of automated diagnosis of a distributed system having a plurality of computing systems hosting replicated applications thereon is provided. The method includes deriving at least one diagnosis model correlating first metrics relating to a first application instance on a first one of the plurality of computing systems to a state of a system health indicator of the first application instance; determining whether the at least one diagnosis model is sufficiently accurate based on a probability of a predicted system health state of the first application instance given the first metrics and an actual system health state of the first application instance; and upon the determining that the at least one diagnosis model is sufficiently accurate, transferring the at least one diagnosis model to a second one of the plurality of computing systems for diagnosis of a second application instance on the second computing system that is a replicate of the first application instance. |
| US08250402B2 |
Method to precondition a storage controller for automated data collection based on host input
An FTDC interface with the host or user. The interface can include a command application programming interface (API) or a data storage Command-Line Interface (DS CLI)/Graphical User Interface (GUI). In certain embodiments, the FTDC interface allows a host or user to customize a desired FTDC on a two-tiered system. The first tier is one in which a host/user selects, from a list of conditions, which ones, upon occurrence of those conditions, they would like the controller to perform FTDC. In the second tier a second selection is made such that for each first tier item, the host/user will select the level of FTDC (collection and offloading of logs and/or the forcing and offloading of a statesave). |
| US08250392B2 |
Fast turn-on/off for energy efficient ethernet
In described embodiments, turn-on time for active portions of an Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) device is improved by storing energy in a corresponding capacitor bank through a bidirectional device from a certain node in the device during an active state, continuing to store the energy when the device enters a Low Power Idle (LPI) state, and then allowing the energy to return to the node through the bidirectional device when the device returns to an active state. During active mode, the bidirectional device controls the capacitor bank so as to charge relatively slowly to store energy, and when the device transitions to LPI, the charge is maintained in the capacitor bank. When the device returns to the active state, the bidirectional device allows the capacitor bank to discharge relatively rapidly to the node, thereby improving the turn-on time of the circuit elements coupled to the node. |
| US08250390B2 |
Power estimating method and computer system
In order to calculate the power of logically-partitioned areas without using a power meter in a storage system logically partitioning a storage area, there is provided a power estimating method in a computer system including a management computer and a storage system connected to the management computer and a host computer. The storage system prepares logical storage-volumes in a real area of plural disk drives. The power estimating method includes the steps of: allowing a third processor to calculate operation rates of the disk drives for access to the logical storage-volumes from operating times of the disk drives for access to the logical storage-volumes; and allowing the third processor to calculate power consumption increments of the disk drives for access to the logical storage-volumes by access types from incremental power consumption information and the calculated operation rates of the disk drives. |
| US08250389B2 |
Profiling an application for power consumption during execution on a plurality of compute nodes
Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for profiling an application for power consumption during execution on a compute node that include: receiving an application for execution on a compute node; identifying a hardware power consumption profile for the compute node, the hardware power consumption profile specifying power consumption for compute node hardware during performance of various processing operations; determining a power consumption profile for the application in dependence upon the application and the hardware power consumption profile for the compute node; and reporting the power consumption profile for the application. |
| US08250388B2 |
Power supply circuit for CPU
A power supply circuit is configured for supplying power to a central processing unit (CPU). The power supply circuit includes a pulse-width modulation (PWM) controller, a driving integrated circuit (IC), a first transistor, a second transistor, and a voltage regulator. The PWM controller is capable of outputting a PWM signal to regulate a voltage supplied to the CPU. The driving IC is connected to the PWM controller and capable of outputting a first driving signal and a second driving signal according to the PWM signal. The first transistor is connected to the driving IC and controlled by the first driving signal. The second transistor is connected to the driving IC and controlled by the second driving signal. The voltage regulator is capable of regulating a voltage of a power source to an optimized voltage and supplies the driving IC with the optimized voltage. |
| US08250386B2 |
Turning off buffer when a digital back end operates at a same data rate as the analog front end
A processor circuit having reduced power consumption includes an analog front end operative to receive an analog signal supplied to the processor circuit and to generate a digital signal indicative of the analog signal. The processor further includes a digital back end operative to generate a digital output signal as a function of the digital signal generated by the analog front end. A buffer is coupled between the analog front end and the digital back end. In a first mode of operation, the digital back end operates at a substantially same data rate as the analog front end and the buffer is bypassed. In a second mode of operation, the digital back end operates at a higher data rate than the analog front end and the buffer is used to store outputs of the analog front end. |
| US08250378B1 |
System and method for enabling encryption
Embodiments provide systems and methods for the encryption of data to be stored on media in a library. A method of data encryption may comprise intercepting or monitoring commands sent to a library comprising one or more media stored at secure slots. If in response to a command or commands, media is moved from a secure slot to a drive, data stored on the media by the drive is encrypted, either by an encryption device, the drive or other encryption system, thus allowing encryption based on individual slots or media in a library. |
| US08250375B2 |
Generating unique data from electronic devices
Providing for analysis of artifacts of electronic devices to generate data that is substantially unique to a particular device or to a class of devices is described herein. In some aspects, analyzed artifacts are chosen based on reliable reproducibility of such data over many analyses. The substantially unique data can be associated with a particular electronic device(s) to distinguish such devices from other devices. In some aspects, the generated data is first transformed into an identifier, such as a number, word, string of data, etc., to distinguish the electronic device in remote communication, to provide a key in an encryption/decryption algorithm, and so on. The data can be reproduced by reanalyzing the artifacts, and thus need not be stored for future consumption, mitigating risks involved in storing sensitive data. |
| US08250369B2 |
Method and apparatus for secure measurement certification
The invention relates to methods and apparatuses for acquiring a physical measurement, and for creating a cryptographic certification of that measurement, such that its value and time can be verified by a party that was not necessarily present at the measurement.The certified measurement may also include corroborative information for associating the actual physical measurement process with the certified measurement. Such corroborative information may reflect the internal or external state of the measurement certification device, as well as witness identifiers of any persons that may have been present at the measurement acquisition and certification.The certification may include a signal receiver to receive timing signals from a satellite or other external source. The external timing signals may be used to generate the time included in the certified measurement, or could be used to determine the location of the measurement certification device for inclusion in the certified measurement. |
| US08250367B2 |
Cryptographic applications of efficiently evaluating large degree isogenies
Techniques are disclosed for representing and evaluating large prime degree isogenies for use in cryptographic signature and encryption schemes. An isogeny of prime degree 1 may be represented as an ideal in the form (1, A*alpha+B), where 1 comprises the degree of a prime number, the prime number is split into integers a and b, and alpha is a known endomorphism. For a given degree 1, integers a and b define a unique isogeny, allowing the isogeny to be stored with 3 log(1) bits of information. Techniques are also disclosed to evaluate the isogeny at a given point by decomposing the isogeny into an integer and a plurality of smaller degree isogenies, evaluating the smaller degree isogenies at the point with traditional means, and multiplying the results of the evaluations together and with the integer. |
| US08250363B2 |
Method of provisioning devices with one-time pad data, device for use in such method, and service usage tracking based on one-time pad data
Secret random data is distributed to a plurality of devices to provision them with new one-time pad data for use in interacting with apparatus holding the same one-time pad data. This distribution is effected by provisioning a first device with a block of secret random data that is, or will become, available to the apparatus. Part of the secret random data is then distributed from the first device to one or more other devices in a hierarchical distribution pattern headed by the first device. Each device, other than those at the bottom of the distribution hierarchy, retains part of the secret random data it receives and passes on the remainder. Each device uses that part of the secret random data it has retained to provide the device with new one-time pad data. A method is also provided for tracking service usage based on the distributed one-time pad data. |
| US08250357B2 |
Tunnel interface for securing traffic over a network
A flexible, scalable hardware and software platform that allows a service provider to easily provide internet services, virtual private network services, firewall services, etc., to a plurality of customers. One aspect provides a method and system for delivering security services. This includes connecting a plurality of processors in a ring configuration within a first processing system, establishing a secure connection between the processors in the ring configuration across an internet protocol (IP) connection to a second processing system to form a tunnel, and providing both router services and host services for a customer using the plurality of processors in the ring configuration and using the second processing system. A secure communications tunnel is formed by routing all packets for the tunnel through an encrypting router at the sending end to obtain encrypted packets, and routing the encrypted packets through a decrypting router at the receiving end of an IP connection. |
| US08250356B2 |
Method to construct a high-assurance IPSec gateway using an unmodified commercial implementation
A system and method of providing secure communications is provided. Messages are encrypted or decrypted in protected memory of a processor. Outbound messages from a secure network are prepared for encryption by adding a header outside of the protected memory and then encrypted in the protected memory. The encryption is performed by retrieving a key from a key cache as designated by rules in the header. The encrypted message is sent to the unsecure network. An inbound message from an unsecure network that is received in unprotected memory is sent to a decryption module in protected memory. The inbound message is decrypted using a key designated in its header and retrieved from the key cache. The decrypted message is returned to the unprotected memory, where it is stripped of the encryption header and then sent to its destination within the secure network. |
| US08250352B2 |
Isolating workload partition space
A method, system, and computer usable program product for isolating a workload partition space are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A boot process of a workload partition in a data processing system is started using a scratch file system, the scratch file system being in a global space. A portion of a storage device containing a file system for the workload partition is exported to the workload partition, the portion forming an exported disk. The partially booted up workload partition may discover the exported disk. The exporting causes an association between the global space and the exported disk to either not form, or sever. The exporting places the exported disk in a workload partition space associated with the workload partition. The boot process is transitioned to stop using the scratch file system and start using the data in the exported disk for continuing the boot process. |
| US08250351B2 |
Synchronization of two independent reset signals
Reset control circuitry is disclosed, for controlling a first reset signal for resetting at least a first portion of a circuit and a further reset signal for resetting at least a second portion of said circuit, said reset control circuitry comprising: an input for receiving an input first reset signal; an input for receiving an input further reset signal; an output for outputting an output first reset signal; and an output for outputting an output further reset signal; said reset control circuitry being responsive to detecting deassertion of said input first reset signal when said input further reset signal is asserted to delay deassertion of said output first reset signal so that said output first reset signal is deasserted at a same time or later than said input further reset signal. |
| US08250348B2 |
Methods and apparatus for dynamically switching processor mode
In a first aspect, a first processing method is provided. The first processing method includes the steps of (1) operating a processor in a first mode based on an operand size associated with a first instruction received by the processor; and (2) dynamically switching the processor operation mode from the first mode to a second mode based on a different operand size associated with a second instruction received by the processor. Numerous other aspects are provided. |
| US08250347B2 |
Digital data processing apparatus having hardware multithreading support including cache line limiting mechanism for special class threads
Asymmetric hardware support for a special class of threads is provided. Preferably, the special class threads are high-priority, I/O bound threads. Preferably, a multithreaded processor contains N sets of registers for supporting concurrent execution of N threads. At least one of the register sets is dedicated for use by a special class of threads, and can not be used by other threads even if idle. The special class of threads can fill only the a limited portion of the cache memory, in order to reduce flushing of the cache which might otherwise occur. |
| US08250344B2 |
Methods and apparatus for dynamic prediction by software
A method, storage medium, processor instruction and processor to for specifying a value in a first portion of a conditional pre-fetch instruction associated with a branch instruction used for effectuating a branch operation, specifying a target instruction address in a second portion of the instruction, evaluating the value to determine whether a condition is met, and pre-fetching one or more instructions starting at the target instruction address into an instruction buffer of the processor when the condition is met, is provided. |
| US08250339B2 |
Apparatus, method, system and executable module for configuration and operation of adaptive integrated circuitry having fixed, application specific computational elements
The present invention concerns configuration of a new category of integrated circuitry for adaptive computing. The various embodiments provide an executable information module for an adaptive computing engine (ACE) integrated circuit and may include configuration information, operand data, and may also include routing and power control information. The ACE IC comprises a plurality of heterogeneous computational elements coupled to an interconnection network. The plurality of heterogeneous computational elements include corresponding computational elements having fixed and differing architectures, such as fixed architectures for different functions such as memory, addition, multiplication, complex multiplication, subtraction, configuration, reconfiguration, control, input, output, and field programmability. In response to configuration information, the interconnection network is operative to configure the plurality of heterogeneous computational elements for a plurality of different functional modes. |
| US08250338B2 |
Broadcasting instructions/data to a plurality of processors in a multiprocessor device via aliasing
A mechanism for broadcasting instructions/data to a plurality of processors in a multiprocessor device via aliasing is provided. In order to broadcast data to a plurality of processors, a control processor writes to the registers that store the identifiers of the processors and sets two or more of these registers to a same value. The control processor may write the desired data/instructions to be broadcast to a portion of memory corresponding to the starting address associated with the processor identifier of the two or more processors. When the two or more processors look for a starting address of their local store from which to read, the two or more processors will identify the same starting address, essentially aliasing the memory region. The two or more processors will read the instructions/data from the same aliased memory region starting at the identified starting address and process the same instructions/data. |
| US08250329B2 |
Preemptive write-inhibition for thin provisioning storage subsystem
Write requests from host computers are processed in relation to a thin provisioning storage subsystem. A write request is received from a host computer. The write request identifies a first virtual disk that has been previously assigned to the host computer. It is determined whether the first virtual disk has to be allocated additional physical storage locations of the thin provisioning storage subsystem for storing data associated with the write request. In response to determining that the virtual disk has to be allocated additional physical storage locations, the following is performed. First, a quantity of free space remaining unallocated within physical storage locations of the thin provisioning storage subsystem is determined. Second, where the quantity of free space remaining unallocated within the physical storage locations satisfies a policy threshold associated with a second virtual disk, the second virtual disk is write-inhibited. The first and second virtual disks can be different. |
| US08250328B2 |
Apparatus and method for buffered write commands in a memory
Memories, buffered write command circuits, and methods for executing memory commands in a memory. In some embodiments, read commands that are received after write commands are executed internally prior to executing the earlier received write commands. Write commands are buffered so that the commands can be executed upon completion of the later received read command. One example of a buffered write command circuit includes a write command buffer to buffer write commands and propagate buffered write commands therethrough in response to a clock signal and further includes write command buffer logic. The write command buffer logic generates an active clock signal to propagate the buffered write commands through the write command buffer for execution, suspends the active clock signal in response to receiving a read command after the write command is received, and restarts the active clock upon completion of the later received read command. |
| US08250326B2 |
Data swapping in a storage system
Systems and methods for data swapping in a storage network are provided. The method comprises associating a flag with a first track on a first volume (TA1) and a first track on a second volume (TB1) to indicate that I/O access to TA1 is to be redirected to TB1, and that I/O access to TB1 is to be redirected to TA1; locking TA1 and TB1 to prohibit I/O access to TA1 and TB1; copying data stored on TA1 and TB1 to cache; swapping data between TA1 and TB1; unlocking TA1 and TB1 to allow I/O access to TA1 and TB1; redirecting I/O access to TB1, in response to receiving an I/O request to access TA1, when TA1 is flagged, and redirecting I/O access to TA1, in response to receiving an I/O request to access TB1, when TB1 is flagged. |
| US08250323B2 |
Determining whether to use a repository to store data updated during a resynchronization
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for determining whether to use a repository to store data updated during a resynchronization. Writes to a primary storage are transferred to a secondary storage. A logical copy of the secondary storage as of a point-in-time is established. Writes to the secondary storage in the logical copy received from the primary storage during a logical copy duration after the point-in-time are stored in a repository that comprises less storage space than the secondary storage in the logical copy. The transferring of writes to the secondary storage is suspended. During the suspension writes to the primary storage are indicated in an out-of-synch data structure. A determination is made as to as to whether available storage space in the repository is sufficient to store writes transferred from the secondary storage while transferring the writes from the out-of-synch data structure in response to ending the suspension of the transferring of writes from the primary to the secondary storages. The repository is used to store data in the secondary storage as of the point-in-time that is to be updated by writes transferred from the primary storage following the ending of the suspension in response to determining that the available storage space in the repository is sufficient to store writes transferred from the secondary storage while transferring the writes indicated in the out-of-synch data structure. |
| US08250314B2 |
Method and device for checking sector protection information of a non-volatile memory
A non-volatile memory device includes addressable sectors and an ancillary volatile memory array. The ancillary volatile memory array stores protection information in the addressable sectors that is not accessible to users of the memory. The protection information is downloaded in the memory array at every power-on of the memory device. The memory array includes at least two additional columns containing preset logic information physically adjacent to the columns containing the downloaded information. A logic circuit is input with the logic information read from the additional check columns for checking the integrity of the preset logic information content of the check columns. An integrity check signal is output by the logic circuit. |
| US08250313B1 |
Conflict avoidance in data store replication
A conflict avoidance system is provided. The conflict avoidance system comprises a first data store provided at a first geographic location and a second data store at a second geographic location, where the first and second data stores are replications of one another. The conflict avoidance system also comprises a conflict avoidance module operable to receive a data store request from applications, wherein the conflict avoidance module communicates update data store requests to the first data store and communicates create data store requests and delete data store requests to the second data store. |
| US08250312B2 |
Configurable multi-port memory devices and methods
Embodiments of a multi-port memory device may include a plurality of ports and a plurality of memory banks some of which are native to each port and some of which are non-native to each port. The memory device may include a configuration register that stores configuration data indicative of the mapping of the memory banks to the ports. In response to the configuration data, for example, a steering logic may couple each of the ports either to one or all of the native memory banks or to one or all of the non-native memory banks. |
| US08250310B2 |
Assigning data to NVRAM of shared access hybrid hard drives
A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture are provided for managing a hybrid storage device based upon the properties associated therewith. The storage device includes flash memory and physical storage. Select data is written to the flash memory and is not subject to flushing to the physical storage, and select data is either written directly to the physical storage or written to the flash memory and is subject to flushing to the physical storage. |
| US08250309B2 |
Control of data accesses to a cache in data processing
A data processor comprising: a control register operable to store a cache control value; and data accessing logic responsive to a data access instruction and to said cache control value to look for data to be accessed in a cache if said cache control value has a predetermined value and not to look for said data to be accessed in said cache if said cache control value does not have said predetermined value. |
| US08250306B2 |
Method for improving frequency-based caching algorithms by maintaining a stable history of evicted items
The invention provides a method for improving frequency-based caching algorithms by maintaining a stable history of evicted items. One embodiment involves a process for caching data in a cache memory including logical pages including, upon detecting that a first page is being evicted from the cache memory, performing an addition process by adding metadata of the first page to a stable history list. Upon detecting a cache miss for a second page, if the stable history list contains metadata for the second page, then removing the second page metadata from the stable history list and applying a promotion determination for the second page to determine a priority value for the second page metadata and placing the second page in the cache memory based on the priority data. Upon detecting that metadata of a third page is to be evicted from the stable history list, applying an eviction determination to evict metadata of the third page from the stable history list based on a predetermined caching rule. |
| US08250304B2 |
Cache memory device and system with set and group limited priority and casting management of I/O type data injection
A memory device comprising a cache memory with a predetermined amount of cache sets, each cache set comprising a predetermined amount of cache lines. Each cache line is operable to indicate a cache data injection into the particular cache line triggered by a bus-actor. |
| US08250302B2 |
Cache management using sampled values assigned to a request
A system and method for data cache management are provided in which a request for access to data is, and a sample value is assigned to the request, the sample value being randomly selected according to a probability distribution. The sample value is compared to another value such as a previously stored sample value, and the data is selectively stored in the cache based on results of the comparison. If the requested data is not in the cache, the sample value may be compared with an extreme one of a plurality of sampled values such as the lowest sampled value. Each of the sampled values may be stored in a database, and the sampled values or the probability distribution may be changed over time to account for frequency of requests. |
| US08250300B2 |
Cache memory system and method with improved mapping flexibility
A cache memory system comprises a cache memory and a cache controller that receives a first address to access the cache memory. The cache controller includes a first address transformer receives the first address and to transform it into one first cache address; the first cache address is used for accessing the cache memory to retrieve a first part of a tag address portion. The cache controller includes a hit detector establishes an partial hit condition based on a comparison of the retrieved a first part of the tag address portion and a first predetermined part of the first address, and a second address transformer receives the first address and to transform it into one second cache address. The cache controller uses the one second cache address for accessing the cache memory to retrieve a data word in case the partial hit condition is established. |
| US08250298B2 |
Mechanisms for reducing DRAM power consumption
Mechanisms are provided for inhibiting precharging of memory cells of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) structure. The mechanisms receive a command for accessing memory cells of the DRAM structure. The mechanisms further determine, based on the command, if precharging the memory cells following accessing the memory cells is to be inhibited. Moreover, the mechanisms send, in response to the determination indicating that precharging the memory cells is to be inhibited, a command to blocking logic of the DRAM structure to block precharging of the memory cells following accessing the memory cells. |
| US08250296B2 |
System and method for information handling system memory page mapping optimization
Plural consecutive virtual memory pages associated with an application running on an information handling system are mapped to a physical memory page of the information handling system's physical memory, such as dual channel interleaved memory. Each physical memory page that stores plural consecutive virtual memory pages becomes an effective cache of those virtual memory pages with a RAS operation on the memory, thus providing more efficient memory access in streaming applications. A memory mapping engine associated with the operating system of the information handling system maps plural virtual memory pages to single physical memory pages according to a ratio of physical memory size to virtual memory size provided by a memory manager of the information handling system BIOS, such as with an ACPI message. |
| US08250292B2 |
Data writing method for a flash memory, and controller and storage system using the same
A data writing method for writing data from a host system into a flash memory chip is provided. The method includes configuring a plurality of logical page addresses, grouping the logical page addresses into a plurality of logical blocks, and recording the data dispersion degree of each of the logical blocks. The method also includes receiving write-in data from the host system, identifying a logical block that a logical page address to be written by the host system belongs to, and writing the write-in data into the flash memory chip according to the data dispersion degree of the logical block, wherein the data dispersion degree of each of the logical blocks is not larger than a logical block data dispersion degree threshold value. Accordingly, the method can effectively reduce the time for executing a host write command. |
| US08250291B2 |
Image processing apparatus, access control method, recording medium
An image processing apparatus includes a nonvolatile memory device including a first storage area configured to store one or more predetermined information items; a secondary storage device including a second storage area configured to store the predetermined information items; and an access control unit configured to control access to the first storage area and the second storage area in response to an access request to access the predetermined information items. |
| US08250289B2 |
Phase-change random access memory and method of setting boot block therein
A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array and the memory cell array includes: a plurality of memory blocks and at least one setting unit. The at least one setting unit stores a location and a size of a boot data storage region within the plurality of memory blocks that stores boot data. The at least one setting units may include a register for setting usage of each memory block as a boot block. The semiconductor device may be a phase-change memory. |
| US08250283B1 |
Write-distribute command for RAID mirroring
According to one general aspect, a method may include receiving, from a processor at an I/O controller, a write-distribute command that includes an indication of data to be written to a group of storage mediums and instructions that the data should be written to multiple storage locations within the group of storage mediums. In various embodiments, the method may also include, based on the command's instructions, writing the data to at least a first storage location of the storage mediums. In one embodiment, the method may include returning a write completion message, from the I/O controller to the processor, after the data is written to a first storage location. |
| US08250281B2 |
Data communications through a host fibre channel adapter
Data communications through a host Fiber Channel adapter (‘HFCA’) implemented with a computer that includes two or more logical partitions, each logical partition including a separate instance of an operating system, each instance of an operating system including an instance of a low-level, switched fabric input/output (‘I/O’) library, including establishing, in the HFCA by instances of the I/O library in two or more logical partitions and by the hypervisor, separate logical Fiber Channel adapters (‘LFCAs’) for at least two of the logical partitions, each LFCA including an association of an LFCA identifier with at least one range of I/O memory addresses in the address space of a logical partition and transferring, at the behest of application programs in the two or more logical partitions, data between the RAM of the logical partitions and the data storage devices through the LFCAs, the HFCA, and the Fiber Channel fabric. |
| US08250280B1 |
Bus transaction maintenance protocol
A system-on-a-chip (SOC) bridge is described that applies an adapted delay, or latency, to data transfers across the bridge to avoid data corruption without reducing data transfer performance. The adapted delay assures that a source SOC service device transferring data to a destination SOC service device via the bridge and an SOC crossbar bus does not prematurely assume that the data transfer is complete upon transferring the data to the bridge. The bridge causes wait states to be inserted into the transfer between the source SOC service device and the SOC bridge until the SOC bridge receives confirmation that the data has arrived at the destination SOC service device. The adapted delay assures that subsequent operations are not prematurely initiated by the source SOC service device and/or the SOC CPU that may interfere with the data transfer from the SOC bridge to the destination SOC service device, resulting in corrupted data. |
| US08250271B2 |
Command and interrupt grouping for a data storage device
A data storage device may include multiple memory chips and a controller that is operably coupled to the memory chips and that is arranged and configured to receive a group of commands from a host, where each of the commands in the group includes a same group number to identify the commands as part of the group, process the group of the commands using the memory chips and generate and send a single interrupt to the host when the group of the commands completes processing. |
| US08250267B2 |
Control I/O offload in a split-path storage virtualization system
Various embodiments of systems, methods, computer systems and computer software are disclosed for implementing a control I/O offload feature in a split-path storage virtualization system. One embodiment is a method for providing split-path storage services to a plurality of hosts via a storage area network. |
| US08250260B2 |
Method, arrangement, data processing program and computer program product for exchanging message data in a distributed computer system
A method for exchanging message data in a distributed computer system between a sending and a receiving hardware system. The sending hardware system includes a first memory system and a receiving hardware system which includes a second memory system with a second data buffer and a second memory region. The sending hardware system and the receiving hardware system are coupled via a non-transparent bridge unit. The method includes allocating empty memory, writing information about the empty memory, copying payload data directly from the sending hardware system to the empty memory locations, and writing information about the copied payload data to the second data buffer of the second memory system inside the receiving hardware system. A system and computer program product for carrying out the method are also provided. |
| US08250257B1 |
Techniques for balancing system I/O load
Described are techniques for performing I/O operations. A graph is received including a plurality of nodes and edges. The graph includes a first level with a root node and one or more other levels of nodes. Each edge has a value indicating an I/O load metric. A thread associated with a first node determines whether to perform a background I/O operation directed to a first device and having a first priority. The first priority is compared to a first value of an I/O load metric. The first value is determined in accordance with criteria including a maximum usage of an I/O buffer of the first device and priorities of other I/O operations directed to the first device. If it is determined that the background I/O operation is to be performed, the background I/O operation is forwarded for processing on an I/O path having a corresponding path in the graph. |
| US08250256B2 |
Methods, systems and computer products for user-managed multi-path performance in balanced or unbalanced fabric configurations
Methods, system and computer products for user-managed multi-path performance in balanced or unbalanced fabric configurations. Exemplary embodiments include a path priority selection method, including selecting a first I/O data path to be a highest priority path in a storage area network system, selecting a second I/O data path to be a low priority path, selecting an I/O threshold value, the I/O threshold value indicating that I/O data load is excessive, directing the load balance of I/O traffic to the first I/O data path, thereby placing the second I/O data path in a standby state, monitoring the first I/O data path, determining if the first I/O data path has reached the threshold value and performing a controlled failover of the first I/O data path to the second I/O data path when an I/O data load on the first data path has reached the threshold value. |
| US08250255B2 |
Two-way connectivity USB control device and operation method thereof
A two-way connectivity USB control device and its operation method are disclosed. The present invention solves a problem of the prior art that requires users to manually switch a USB controller between an active mode and a passive mode and set a predetermined time interval as in prior art. The two-way connectivity USB control device detects whether or not there is a voltage input. If the detection result is yes, then the two-way connectivity USB control device is switched to a transmit mode, or else the two-way connectivity USB control device is switched to a transparent mode for accessing data stored in an external device by issuing a control command directly. |
| US08250244B2 |
Wireless modem device usable on computer device without driver installation wherein computer has a proxy server application and pre-installed generic drivers
Method for connecting a host computer device to a wireless communication network, the host computer device being provided with an operating system with at least one pre-installed generic driver providing a generic communication protocol (7) for communication between the host computer device and a standard class of computer peripheral devices other than wireless modem devices, the method comprising the steps of: (a) connecting a wireless modem device to the host computer device; (b) setting up, by means of a pre-installed generic driver of the operating system on the computer device, a modem/host communication interface (6) for communication between the wireless modem device and the computer device; (c) connecting the host computer device to a wireless communication network via the wireless modem device; (d) routing data traffic (8-9) between the host computer device and the wireless communication network over the modem/host communication interface (6). The generic communication protocol (7) is used in the modem/host communication interface (6) for transferring the data traffic (8-9) between the host computer device and the wireless modem device. |
| US08250243B2 |
Diagnostic data collection and storage put-away station in a multiprocessor system
A computer-implemented method for collecting diagnostic data within a multiprocessor system that includes capturing diagnostic data via a plurality of collection points disposed at a source location within the multiprocessor system, routing the captured diagnostic data to a data collection station at the source location, providing a plurality of buffers within the data collection station, and temporarily storing the captured diagnostic data on at least one of the plurality of buffers, and transferring the captured diagnostic data to a target storage location on a same chip as the source location or another storage location on a same node. |
| US08250241B1 |
Intelligent caching of media files
A method of receiving and forwarding a multimedia message is provided. The multimedia message is adapted with a first adaptation profile into a first adapted message to be received in a first device. The multimedia message and the first adapted message are stored in a media cache. The message may then be forwarded from the first device to a second device that has a second adaptation profile by retrieving the first adapted message from the media cache and sending it to the second device if the first and second adaptation profiles match, otherwise the multimedia message is retrieved from the media cache and adapted with the second adaptation profile into a second adapted message that is then sent to the second device. In addition, the second adapted message is stored in the media cache. A corresponding system for processing and forwarding the multimedia message is also provided. |
| US08250237B2 |
Communication with database client users
Embodiments may include a database messaging system having a database server in communication with one or more database clients. The database server may include a database messaging module, which may include a database administrator (DBA) interface module to receive a message request, where the message request includes message content and an indication of one or more database clients to which a message will be sent. The database messaging module may also include an address module to determine an IP address associated with each of the one or more database clients and a database messaging transmitter to transmit a message to each determined IP address, where the message may include the message content. The database clients may include a client listener for receiving the message from the database server and displaying it to a database client user's monitor. |
| US08250236B2 |
Method and apparatus for translating a web services address
A method for translating a web services address, includes receiving a first web services address, determining a format for the first web services address, transforming the first web services address to a second web services address based on the determined format and outputting the second web services address. |
| US08250234B2 |
Hierarchically disassembling messages
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for hierarchically disassembling messages. The functionality of disassemblers and framers is decoupled such that framers for different types of messages can be utilized at the same level in a hierarchy without having to also change disassemblers. Virtually any level of disassembly is possible to address any corresponding level of message nesting. Disassembly can be performed on a per message or per session basis. |
| US08250230B2 |
Optimizing communication using scalable peer groups
Implementations of the present invention relate in part to optimizations to peer-to-peer communication systems. For example, one implementation relates to use of a smart transceiver that creates, caches, and manages communication channels dynamically between peers. Another implementation relates to use of a central tracking object that can be used to efficiently register and distribute peer messages among the various peers. In one implementation, the central tracking object is shared amongst peers in the group. Still another implementation relates to associating peer groups with namespaces, and for including peer groups of one namespace within still other peer groups of different namespaces. These and other aspects of the invention can also be used to ensure delivery intent of a given peer message is preserved, and to ensure that optimal numbers of messages are communicated to any given peer at any given time. |
| US08250228B1 |
Pausing or terminating video portion while continuing to run audio portion of plug-in on browser
Various example embodiments are disclosed. According to an example embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable medium may include computer-executable instructions stored thereon. When executed by at least one processor, the instructions may be configured to cause a computing system to receive, by a web browser, a file from a web server, the file including an instruction to launch a plug-in of the browser, launch the plug-in in an active state based on the instruction, provide a message to the plug-in indicating that the plug-in is hidden and is not displayed as visible by the web browser, and modify running of the plug-in from the active state based on the message. |
| US08250225B1 |
Generation of suffixes for pseudo e-mail addresses
An electronic system provides a plurality of address components arranged in a plurality of mutually exclusive groups, and maintains for each of a plurality of electronic network users a respective group assignment specifying one of the groups that is determined by assignment criteria. Each such group assignment can change over time as a function of the assignment criteria, and the assignment criteria is configured so that every user is initially assigned to a predetermined one of the groups. The electronic system allocates to each user over time a sequence of address components from the group specified by the current group assignment of that user. |
| US08250223B2 |
Portable electronic device and method for downloading a firmware loader from a host computer
A method for downloading a firmware loader from a host computer to a portable electronic device establishes a communication connection between the host computer and the portable electronic device. Transmission parameters between the portable electronic device and the portable electronic device are configured. The firmware loader is transmitted from the host computer to the portable electronic device according to the transmission parameters. The firmware loader is verified, where the portable electronic device obtains a start address of the firmware loader. |
| US08250221B2 |
Aircraft data communications services for users
A method and system provide efficient, flexible, and convenient data communication services for users over public wireless systems. The system includes a data communication server, having a plurality of interface units, for facilitating data communication between a moving object and one or more ground terminals via a radio communication path. The data communication server establishes the radio communication path over one of a plurality of wireless data networks including packet data networks and satellite data networks and preferably includes a pre-determined software architecture. |
| US08250220B2 |
Generalized proximity service
A system and method for identifying network endpoints that provide a service of interest orders endpoints according to their network proximity to a requesting client. The requesting client may then contact the closest available providing endpoint, thus increasing the efficiency of usage of network resources while decreasing latency and enhancing reliability. In an embodiment of the invention, when a connection to the nearest providing endpoint cannot be established, a mechanism for locating a next-closest alternative endpoint is provided. |
| US08250215B2 |
Method and system for intelligently leveraging cloud computing resources
In one embodiment the present invention includes a multi-cloud management module having a plurality of cloud adapters. The multi-cloud management module provides a unified administrative interface for provisioning cloud-based resources on any one of several clouds for which a cloud adapter is configured for use with the multi-cloud management module. Each cloud adapter converts non-cloud-specific commands to cloud-specific provisioning commands for the cloud to which the cloud adapter is associated. |
| US08250214B2 |
System, method and computer program product for communicating with a private network
A system, method and computer program product for communicating with a private network are described. An application of a client is monitored for communications intended for a node coupled to a private network. A communication from the monitored application of the client that is intended for the node may then be intercepted before the communication can be received by the transport layer of the client, the intercepted communication may then be sent with a connection identifier to an interface unit coupled to the private network via an established network connection over a public network. The connection identifier also associated with a communication link that is established over the private network between the interface unit and the node. The interface unit uses the connection identifier that is received with the communication to identify the associated communication link over the private network. The interface unit may then send the communication (without the connection identifier) to the node via the identified associated communication link. |
| US08250213B2 |
Methods and apparatus to allocate resources associated with a distributive computing network
Methods and apparatus to allocate resources associated with a distributive computing network are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes receiving resource allocation information associated with a service that is to be hosted by a distributive computing network, determining a first configuration type and a second configuration type specified within the received resource allocation information, determining at least one configuration group associated with the first configuration type and at least one configuration group associated with the second configuration type, determining physical resources included within the distributive computing network to host the service, electronically allocating the physical resources for the at least one configuration group associated with the first configuration type, electronically allocating the physical resources for the at least one configuration group associated with the second configuration type, and hosting the service within the physical resources in accordance with the allocations. |
| US08250212B2 |
Requester-side autonomic governor
A requester-side autonomic governor is provided for a requester configured to send service requests to a service provider. For example, the requester and service provider may be disposed in a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) architected system. A feedback loop, preferably a monitor portion of a Monitor, Analyze, Plan, and Execute (MAPE) loop, is configured to monitor responses to service requests. An autonomic governor mechanism limits the type and/or number of concurrent service requests according to a resource pool scheme, and dynamically adjusts a resource threshold of the resource pool scheme based on information provided by the feedback loop. In one embodiment, the resource threshold is reduced if more than a predetermined number of service requests generated time-outs, and is increased if more than a predetermined number of service requests are being held awaiting available pool resources and less than a predetermined number of service requests generated time-outs. |
| US08250208B2 |
Network device, method for specifying installation position of network device, and notification device
A network device, method for specifying installation position of network device, and notification device are provided. The network device includes: a loop detecting unit configured to detect a loop caused by the network device; and a location notifying unit configured to allow the network device itself to indicate a location of the network device in response to a detection of the loop. |
| US08250207B2 |
Network based ambient services
Various embodiments are disclosed for a services policy communication system and method. In some embodiments, a network device implements a service profile for assisting control of a communications device use of a service on a network, in which the service profile includes service policy settings, and the service profile is associated with an ambient service plan for the communications device that provides for initial access to the service with limited service capabilities prior to activation of a new service plan for the communications device; and monitors use of the service by the communications device based on the service profile. |
| US08250202B2 |
Distributed notification and action mechanism for mirroring-related events
A method, system, and computer code for administrating a data mirroring relationship between a first node and a second node. The invention includes an event coordinator configured to receive a notification from the first node when an event that may potentially affect the mirroring relationship has occurred, and to perform a predetermined task in response to the notification. The predetermined task may include logging the event that occurred at the first node, notifying the second node that the event occurred at the first node, and notifying a system administrator that the event occurred at the first node. |
| US08250199B2 |
Method and system for handling a dynamic host configuration protocol internet protocol version 4 address release
A method and system for releasing an Internet Protocol (IP) version 4 address using a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) release in a Proxy Mobile IP version 6 (PMIPv6) of a third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Evolved Packet Core (EPC). The method includes transmitting a DHCP release request from a Serving GateWay (SGW) to a Packet Data Network (PDN) GW, transmitting a binding revocation from the PDN GW to the SGW, acknowledging the binding revocation from the SGW to the PDN GW, and deleting the IP version 4 connection for an active PDN connection. |
| US08250198B2 |
Capacity planning for data center services
Techniques and systems for providing capacity planning for data center services are disclosed herein. In some aspects, a multi-tier service is analyzed to determine a query response time (QRT) that can be used for resource planning or other service management reasons. The QRT may include a front end (FE) response time of FE servers and a back end (BE) response time of BE servers, where the BE servers are partitioned servers, and where the response times are based on various request rates from users. In various aspects, the QRT may include a network transmission time of data transmitted between an end user and each tier. In further aspects, the FE response time may be modeled using a single server queuing model while the BE response time may be modeled using a simulation or regression analysis. |
| US08250197B2 |
Quality of service management
A method for providing quality of service to a plurality of hosts accessing a common resource is described. The common resource may be a middle-tier or back-end server. A client IO request is received at one host of the plurality of hosts from one of a plurality clients executing as software entities on respective hosts. The host determines whether an issue queue is full. The IO request is issued to the common resource when the issue queue is not full. A current average latency observed at the host and an adjusted window size is calculated, based at least in part on the current average latency. The issue queue is resized to correspond with the adjusted window size. |
| US08250194B2 |
Powertag: manufacturing and support system method and apparatus for multi-computer solutions
A solutions-based computer system manufacturing process includes assembling computer and storage system components for creation of a given solution-based product as a function of a customer order or plan. The process further includes assigning a solution identifier to the solution-based product. The solution identifier includes a solution type and a unique identifier within the solution type. |
| US08250193B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing remote device with service of universal plug and play network
A universal plug and play remote access architecture is provided. A remote access server device can perform a service level access control with respect to a service request of a remote access client device by extending a device level filter used for a remote access discover agent Config service that is provided by the remote access server device to a service level. |
| US08250190B2 |
Systems and methods for retrieving customer premise equipment data
Methods, systems, and computer readable medium storing a computer executable program for retrieving customer premise equipment (CPE) data are disclosed. A first communication channel is established with a first CPE device via a first node element. The first node element is operable to route data to and from the first CPE device in an Internet network. A request for CPE data is issued to the first CPE device via the first communication channel. The requested CPE data is received from the first CPE device via the first communication channel. |
| US08250188B2 |
Method and device for restoring at least one setting
A method and devices for restoring at least one setting are provided, the client device receives a code generated by a management device based on a time value and a parameter value that uniquely identifies the client device; the client device determines whether the code is valid; and if the code is valid the client device restores the at least one setting of the client device. It provides a convenient way to restore at least one setting of a client device. |
| US08250186B2 |
Method and system of smart detection and recovery
A smart detection and recovery method is implemented in a terminal for detecting statuses of a host. The method comprises steps of: receiving a datagram; determining if the datagram complies with a predetermined format? If “YES” then proceed; determining if a MAC address contained in the datagram is the same with a currently used MAC address pre-stored in the terminal? If “YES” then proceed; determining if an IP address contained in the datagram is the same with a currently used IP address pre-stored in the terminal? If “NO” then re-connect or guide the terminal to the IP address contained in the datagram, if “YES” then handle the datagram by normal operations. Therefore, changes of the IP address of the host can be detected as early as possible, such that the terminal can be re-connected or guided to the host and services of the host can recovered as soon as possible. |
| US08250180B2 |
Content delivery apparatus and content delivery method using the same
A content delivery system includes a delivery server, a storage apparatus having a logical unit for storing data regarding content items, and a management apparatus having a content management unit for managing a delivery server. The delivery server includes a conversion unit and a delivery unit. The conversion units acquires original data regarding a content item from an external origin server in response to a content addition request from the content management unit, converts the original data to data for delivery, and stores the content data for delivery in the first logical unit. The delivery unit reads, in response to a content delivery request from the client, the data for delivery from the logical unit and transmits it to the client. |
| US08250179B2 |
Systems, methods, and computer products for providing podcasts via IPTV
Systems, methods, and computer products for providing podcasts via Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) are disclosed herein. Exemplary embodiments include a network-based method for providing digital media podcasts. The method includes receiving a request to render at least one podcast on a communications device authenticated on an IPTV network, retrieving the at least one podcast from the IPTV network, and providing the at least one podcast to the communications device. |
| US08250176B2 |
File sharing method and file sharing system
System and method to perform rapid I/O processing for a large file reducing load on a server computer and a network. The client computer accesses a disk device directly to perform input/output processing relating to a file operation through a channel switch based on real file information obtained by the client computer from a parent server computer upon a file-open operation. Further, a child server computer manages the disk device, which enables different real files in a same virtual file to be processed an I/O at the same time by a plurality of client computers. |
| US08250175B2 |
Techniques for remapping content requests
Techniques for routing content requests are provided. In one embodiment, a first device at a network device sends a request from a first device at a first site for content to a second device at a second site. The second device determines if the request should be redirected to a third device in a third site. For example, a content server in the second site may decide that a request is better serviced by a third site. This may be because the third site may be closer to the first site, the second site may be overloaded or down, etc. If the request should be redirected, the second device determines a rule for sending further requests for the content to the third site. Signaling is then sent to the network device such that the rule may be installed where further requests for the content are sent to the third site. The further requests are sent to the third site without going through the second site. Accordingly, the requests are more efficiently routed to the third site instead of having to go through the second site and being redirected to the third site. |
| US08250161B2 |
Automatic electronic publishing
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for publishing an electronic document. Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment of the system, among others, can be implemented as follows. A distribution module retrieves a distribution list identifying at least one user that is to be notified about the publication of the electronic document. As such, when a transfer module sends the electronic document to a network location, a messaging module automatically notifies the at least user from the distribution list of the publication of the electronic document and provides instructions to the at least one user for retrieving the electronic document from the network location. Other systems and methods are also provided. |
| US08250153B2 |
Email system including email aggregation server providing staggering of overlapped polling
An electronic mail (email) system may include at least one email server having mailboxes for storing email messages, and a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices. The system may further include at least one email aggregation server for repetitively polling the mailboxes for email messages, and forwarding the email messages to respective mobile wireless communications devices. The at least one email aggregation server may determine time overlapped polling of corresponding mailboxes and time stagger a next polling thereof. |
| US08250151B2 |
System and method for providing secure data transmission
A system and method are provided, embodiments of which comprise encrypting input data based on authorization from an application program launched on a local computer device by a user. The encrypted input data that is generated by the user is sent to a network communication interface associated with the local computer device for transmission to a remote computer device. At the remote computer the received input data is decrypted, whereby based on the decrypted input data the remote computer generates encrypted response data that is associated with the decrypted first data. The encrypted response data is sent from the remote computer to the local computer, where the encrypted response data is received via the network communication interface associated with the local computer and decrypted. The local computer displays the decrypted response data on a display. |
| US08250150B2 |
Methods and apparatus for identifying and facilitating a social interaction structure over a data packet network
A software suite for managing the publishing and consumption of information and payload data across one or more transport protocols supported by a data-packet-network includes a posting application for publishing the information and payload data, and a consuming application for accessing and consuming the information and payload data. In a preferred embodiment the posting application enables posting of information that is consumable separately from the payload data wherein the information richly describes the payload data including provision of instructions for sampling the payload data before consuming the payload data. |
| US08250148B2 |
Reducing memory accesses in processing TCP/IP packets
A method, computer program product and system for processing TCP/IP packets. A TCP protocol stack may store a payload of a received TCP/IP packet in a data fragment list. The TCP protocol stack may further read the header of the received packet to extract a value used to index into a table storing a list of transport control blocks (TCBs). The TCP protocol stack may further perform a lock and a read operation on the TCB indexed in the table. The TCP protocol stack may further transmit the payload to the TCP application without requiring the application to perform a lock, read, write or unlock operation on the indexed TCB since the TCP protocol stack and the TCP application are operating on the same thread. By the TCP application foregoing the lock, read, write and unlock operations on the TCB, there is a reduction in the number of memory accesses. |
| US08250147B2 |
Remote call control and conferencing using paired devices
In one embodiment, a user paired controller communication device may pair with a user paired server communication device. The user paired controller communication device may direct the user paired server communication device to execute a first mode communication session of a multimodal conversation, such as a voice session. The user paired controller communication may execute a second mode communication session of the multimodal conversation, such as an instant messaging session. |
| US08250145B2 |
Personalizing a web page outside of a social networking system with content from the social networking system
A user device requests a web page from a web server of a third-party website, which is separate from a social networking system. The web server from the third-party website sends a markup language document for the requested web page to the user device which includes an instruction for a browser application running on the user device to incorporate information obtained from the social networking system within the web page. Based on the instruction in the received markup language document, the user device requests personalized content from the social networking system, which generates the requested personalized content based on social information about the user. The user device then renders the web page with the personalized content contained in a frame and displays the rendered web page and the frame to the user. |
| US08250134B2 |
Processing multiple requests by a statically identified user server prior to user server termination
The simultaneous processing of requests under multiple user identifiers is facilitated. The requests are processed by user servers, in which a user server has an association with a particular user. A user server has a static identity associated therewith and is capable of processing a plurality of requests prior to terminating. The requests are dispatched to the appropriate user servers via a dispatcher server coupled to the user servers. |
| US08250132B2 |
Managing messages related to workflows
A message and a tag are sent to a set of recipients, wherein the tag contains state information for the message. In response to receiving an event from a recipient within the set of recipients, the reply message tag is processed with a policy to identify an action. The action identified by processing the event with the policy is performed. |
| US08250127B2 |
Harvesting entropy from trusted cryptographic sources
Extending entropy in a random number generation utility. Where a device has access to trusted sources of encrypted data, such as encrypted network traffic, such encrypted network traffic may be sampled and the bits fed into the entropy seeding routines of the random number generation utility. |
| US08250126B2 |
Efficient leading zero anticipator
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system that estimates the location of the leading zero or the leading one in the result of an addition of floating-point numbers A and B. The system includes a half-adder circuit associated with each separate bit position i in A and B. The half-adder circuits compute a sum (S) for the associated bit position of A and B and a carry (K) for a next bit position of A and B. The system also includes a set of estimation circuits coupled to the set of half-adder circuits. The set of estimation circuits computes an estimate for the location of the leading zero or the leading one in the result from the K and S computed by each half-adder circuit. |
| US08250115B2 |
Method, apparatus and software for processing data encoded as one or more data elements in a data format
A method, system and a program product for processing data is disclosed. The method, system and program product disclosed herein comprises processing data encoded as one or more data elements in a data format. The data format is further processed by a parser to extract the encoded data elements. The data is encoded as multiple data elements in accordance with the first data format and saved to a file in the memory. An unique index is created to each data element indicating the locations of data elements in the file. The index is associated with the file and index is arranged to enable the extraction of data elements directly from the file in memory. The index is embedded in a art of the file and is not used by the parser for extracting the data elements from the file. |
| US08250113B2 |
Web service discovery via data abstraction model
A method includes querying a discovery registry associated with a data abstraction model of a database to discover one or more web services that are resolvable based on a particular logical field selected via a database query interface. The data abstraction model includes a plurality of logical fields that each correspond to a particular data structure of the database. A web service input of a discovered web service is associated with a first logical field of the data abstraction model via the discovery registry, and a web service output of the discovered web service is associated with a second logical field of the data abstraction model via the discovery registry. A modified database query interface includes a text entry element to receive a text search term and a first selectable input associated with the first discovered web service. |
| US08250112B2 |
Constructing declarative componentized applications
Techniques for constructing a software application are provided. A data model of the application is represented as a relational model. Control logic of the application is defined to specify each of a plurality of operations of the application as a mapping from a current state of the application data model and one or more current application inputs to a new state of the application data model and one or more application outputs, described by one or more relational algebra operations selected from the group consisting of a relation-complement operation, a disjunction operation and a conjunction operation. |
| US08250110B2 |
Data transfer method and proxy server, and storage subsystem
A proxy server 10 transfers, when a protocol header and content specified in a distribution request from a client 18 are not stored in a storage device 28, the distribution request to an origin server 12; stores the protocol header and content, which have been transmitted from the origin server 12, in the storage device 28; transmits the protocol header and content to the client 18; creates another protocol header based on the protocol header transmitted from the origin server 12; and stores the created protocol header in the storage device 28. When the protocol header and content specified in the distribution request from the client 18 have been stored in the storage device 28, the proxy server 10 extracts the protocol header and content from the storage device 28 and distributes them to the client 18. |
| US08250109B2 |
Processing video files using metadata and time stamp
A method for processing video data involves receiving data from a series of images and analyzing the data to identify geometric forms. The forms are stored as metadata of a first data level and are linked by time stamps to the images in which the forms were identified. The metadata from an image and the previous image are compared, and delta metadata is generated from the difference. Delta metadata is also marked with time stamps. Metadata and delta metadata are analyzed, and objects are extracted from the geometric forms. The objects are stored as time-stamped metadata and delta metadata of a second data level. The process is repeated for higher data levels. A user inputs a database query to identify from among the stored input images that particular image sequence in which the extracted object is recorded. Queries started at higher data levels are quicker but less accurate. |
| US08250105B2 |
Input data structure for data mining
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for compressing data included in several transactions. Each transaction has at least one item. A unique identifier is assigned to each different item and, if taxonomy is defined, to each different taxonomy parent. Sets of transactions are formed from the several transactions. The sets of transactions are stored using a computer data structure including: a list of identifiers of different items in the set of transactions, information indicating number of identifiers in the list, and bit field information indicating presence of the different items in the set of transactions, said bit field information being organized in accordance with the list for facilitating evaluation of patterns with respect to the set of transactions. A data structure for compressing data included in a set of transactions is also provided. |
| US08250104B2 |
Life cycle based data coordination
A system may include a data store storing global data mapped from local data maintained by a plurality of heterogeneous data subsystems. The system may further include a life cycle coordinator including a global data life cycle model defining at least one life cycle for the global data, said life cycle coordinator being configured to receive a data update message defined in accordance with the global data life cycle model and representative of an update of the local data of one of the heterogeneous data subsystems, the data update message including a life cycle status identifier of a data record associated with the update, translate the data update message to at least one global data operation, the translation being based at least in part on the life cycle status identifier, and apply the update to the global data by performing the at least one global data operation. |
| US08250100B2 |
General purpose data container method and apparatus for implementing AV/C descriptors
Disclosed herein is a data management system for AV/C descriptor data. The system includes a data container hierarchical structure. The system also includes a methodology for compiling data from the containers into a read buffer upon receipt of a request from a requestor. The data presented to the requestor will preferably be in a format that may be understood by other device requestors that mayor may not be utilizing this same container system. |
| US08250094B2 |
Relational lockdown for an item store
Various mechanisms are provided for the lockdown of an item store. For example, a method is provided that comprises of disabling access to a relational engine for a set of users associated with a filing system utilizing the relational engine to manipulate data in an item store. Following such disabling of access, an exception is created by allowing access to the relational engine for users of the filing system based on a set of privileges the users have been assigned. The disabling of access can be accomplished by removing system users from ownership roles, and the allowing of access can be accomplished by providing certificates to users that have associated set of privileges granted to the users. |
| US08250086B2 |
Web services access with shared SQL
A method of providing enterprise applications with shared access to a data warehouse. A web service request is issued over a data network from a first client enterprise application to a second server enterprise application. A database query is then constructed at the second server enterprise application. It is then determined whether a response to the web service request will include the results of posing the database query against the data warehouse, or the SQL syntax necessary to pose the query. If the response is to include the results of posing then the second server enterprise application poses the query against the data warehouse and issues the results to the first client enterprise application. If the response to the request is to include the SQL syntax necessary to pose the query, then the second server enterprise application provides the database query syntax to the first client enterprise application. |
| US08250075B2 |
System and method for generation of computer index files
Methods and systems for the generation of computer readable indexes or other ordered lists are provided. A corpus of electronic documents or other electronic information is parsed into postings that include key and reference pairs. An inversion buffer in memory is explicitly or implicitly formatted to receive the postings in a predetermined order by key. Each key is assigned a space in the inversion buffer that is subsequently filled with references associated with the key during an inversion method. In an embodiment, an index file is generated directly from the inversion buffer, or in the case of large inversions, from a plurality of inversion buffer segments. |
| US08250072B2 |
Detecting real word typos
Systems and methods for detecting real word typos are provided. Received text is designated for evaluation. A plurality of words in the received text is parsed into word pairs. A word pair is two consecutive words found in the designated text. A database is identified for comparison to the text. The database includes word pairs previously identified in one or more source texts. The word pairs in the received text are analyzed based on a comparison to the word pairs in the identified database. Based on the analysis, an indication may be generated that a word pair from the designated text may include an error. |
| US08250066B2 |
Search results ranking method and system
A ranking method and system. The method includes receiving by a computing system, from a user, a keyword associated with a search for information. The computing system generates a results list comprising links to files comprising data associated with the keyword. The computing system generates and displays a first ranked results list comprising the links in a first ranked order. The computing system receives from the first user, a selection for a first link of the links. The computing system determines that the first link comprises relevant information associated with the keyword. The computing system generates a second ranked results list. The second ranked results list comprises the links in a second ranked order differing from the first ranked order. The first link is listed as a first selection on the second ranked results list. The computing system stores the second ranked results list. |
| US08250063B2 |
Restricting a fan-out search in a peer-to-peer network based on accessibility of nodes
A method, apparatus, and computer implemented instructions for restricting a fan-out type search of a distributed database. A search request is received indicating that a requesting node originating the search request desires to avoid receiving search results including inaccessible nodes. Responsive to receiving the search results from other nodes, the search results are filtered to remove search results from inaccessible nodes to form filtered search results. The filtered search results are passed to the requesting node. |
| US08250061B2 |
Learning retrieval functions incorporating query differentiation for information retrieval
The system and method of the present invention allows for the determination of the relevance of a content item to a query through the use of a machine learned relevance function that incorporate query differentiation. A method for selecting a relevance function to determine a relevance of a query-content item pair comprises generating a training set comprising one or more content item-query pairs. Content item-query pairs in the training set are collectively used to determine the relevance function by minimizing a loss function according to a relevance score adjustment function that accounts for query differentiation. The monotocity of relevance score adjustment function allows the trained relevance function to be directly applied to new queries. |
| US08250060B2 |
File uploading method with function of abstracting index information in real time and web storage system using the same
A file uploading method with a function of abstracting index information in real time and a web storage system using the same are provided. The file uploading method includes: performing a data filtering on an upload target file transmitted from a user through an online network; abstracting text information as index information of the filtered upload target file; if the upload target file is not a text file, abstracting index information by abstracting text information from the filtered upload target file or converting the file into a text format by using specific information convertible into a text format; creating an inverted file by using the abstracted text information; establishing an index database by using the abstracted text information; and storing and managing the upload target file, when the transmission of the upload target file in which the index information is stored through the index database establishing operation is completed. |
| US08250052B2 |
Geospatial data interaction
A method, system and medium for accepting geospatial data queries through an interface allowing dynamic predicates are disclosed. The geospatial data queries are translated into one or more intermediate formats, and then the intermediate format is provided to one or more geospatial data servers. Each of the one or more geospatial data servers will receive the appropriate language and syntax for which it was designed. Each of the one or more geospatial data servers will simultaneously process the request and, when processing is complete, render an appropriate result from that geospatial data server and application to an end user. |
| US08250051B2 |
System, program product, and methods to enhance media content management
Embodiments of systems, program products, and methods to enhance and more effectively manage media content are provided. An embodiment of a method, for example, can include analyzing a user assigned role to allow access to specific data in a database in response to the user assigned role, capturing and storing metadata from multiple sources accessible by a plurality of different types of users, and tracking access to and changes in data in a database in response to user database access to thereby form transaction activity trails describing access and changed data to enhance digital file management and allow a plurality of media content management services to be performed. |
| US08250049B2 |
System for handling meta data for describing one or more resources and a method of handling meta data for describing one or more resources
A system for handling meta data for describing one or more resources, wherein the one or more resources are deliverable to a common group of users at one or more user terminals, the system including: a resource server for storing the one or more resources for delivery to at least one of the common group of users at one or more user terminals, an administration server arranged to serve the common group of users at the one or more user terminals, for storing a set of meta data for describing the learning resources, the meta data having a format including a non-semantic tag which is customizable in accordance with the common group of users' requirements. |
| US08250048B2 |
Access control for graph data
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with access control for graph data at the instance-level are described. One example method includes accepting data access constraints that are expressed as match and apply pattern pairs to enforce security policies. A user query on graph data with a security policy restricts the returned data to data that the user is authorized to access. For this purpose, a user query that includes query selection criteria corresponding to one or more match pattern criteria based on the resource referenced in the query is rewritten to include security conditions specified in the associated apply pattern to restrict access to the graph data. |
| US08250047B2 |
Hybrid multi-threaded access to data structures using hazard pointers for reads and locks for updates
Hybrid multi-threaded access to data structures is provided in which hazard pointers are used for reads and locks are used for updates. Where a reader is attempting to read a data structure, the reader maintains a hazard pointer to the data structure before reading it, without globally acquiring a lock on the data structure. Upon the reader being finished reading the data structure, it removes the hazard pointer from the data structure. Where an updater is attempting to update the data structure, the updater globally acquires a lock on the data structure before updating it. Upon the updater being finished updating the data structure, it releases the lock from the data structure. To delete the data structure, first it is determined whether any hazard pointers point to the data structure, and where no hazard pointers do, the data structure is deleted. |
| US08250038B2 |
System and method for data backup in communication devices
A system and method automatically backup unsaved data in a communication device if a back cover of the communication device is removed. An identifier of an application of the communication device is received. Based on the received identifier, an application corresponding to the received identifier is registered. If the back cover of the communication device is removed, a save signal is sent to the registered application and the unsaved data of the registered application is saved to a storage unit of the communication device. |
| US08250036B2 |
Methods of consistent data protection for multi-server applications
A system according to one embodiment includes at least one processor configured to: receive a request to perform a snapshot of data associated with an application running on multiple servers; instruct I/O Freezers on different servers to freeze data requests from instances of the application running on the servers; and instruct the I/O Freezers to initiate snapshot processing on the data associated with the application so that the I/O Freezers perform the snapshot processing within the same window of synchronization. |
| US08250032B2 |
Optimizing publish/subscribe matching for non-wildcarded topics
A method, a system and a computer program product for matching a publication to at least one subscriber are disclosed. After receiving a publication request, a matching engine accesses a hash table to determine whether there is a non-wildcarded match corresponding to the publication request. If the matching engine finds the non-wildcarded match in the hash table, the matching engine omits validating a topic of the publication and provides the non-wildcarded match to the broker device without waiting for a result of searching a wildcarded match. Otherwise, the matching engine validates the topic of the publication. The matching engine also starts to search a wildcarded match in a wildcarded subscription data store. Upon finding the wildcarded match, the matching engine provides the wildcarded match to the broker device. The matching engine provides each result of the findings asynchronously to the broker device. |
| US08250026B2 |
Combining medical information captured in structured and unstructured data formats for use or display in a user application, interface, or view
In one embodiment, a method receives a plurality of documents. The documents may be received from different medical providers. Also, the documents may be medical record documents generated or captured in a first format and a second format. The first format may be an unstructured data format and the second format may be a structured data format. The first and second documents are then converted to a common format. For example, a common format may emerge as the most restrictive or constrained denominator of the first format and the second format. A schema is determined that provides an organizational structure with categories that can be used to index the content of the first and second documents while they are being converted to the common format. The schema and indexing enable the different formats of documents to be combined and organized simultaneously into a single view for a comprehensive review. |
| US08250018B2 |
Engineering expert system
An expert system aids engineering personnel working in a manufacturing or other industrial environment by answering questions relating to machines, processes, systems or other elements of the environment. Users can interact with the system using kiosks in the relevant areas of the plant to enter queries and receive answers. A user can enter a query in a natural language format, which the system parses for keywords or keyterms. The system can use a backward chaining method to reach a solution, based upon the user's answer to further questions that the system asks the user. |
| US08250017B2 |
System and method for prediction of gas turbine trips due to gas control valve failures
Systems and methods for prediction of gas turbine trips due to component failures such as electro-hydraulic valve (gas control valve) system failures. Exemplary embodiments include prediction of gas turbine trips due to component failures, the method including collecting raw gas turbine operational data and using the raw gas turbine operational data to generate a prognostic indicator for the prediction of a turbine trip due to the failed gas control valves. |
| US08250013B2 |
System and method for privacy preserving predictive models for lung cancer survival analysis
A computer-implemented method for privacy-preserving data mining to determine cancer survival rates includes providing a random matrix B agreed to by a plurality of entities, wherein each entity i possesses a data matrix Ai of cancer survival data that is not publicly available, providing a class matrix Di for each of the data matrices Ai, providing a kernel K(Ai, B) by each of said plurality of entities to allow public computation of a full kernel, and computing a binary classifier that incorporates said public full kernel, wherein said classifier is adapted to classify a new data vector according to a sign of said classifier. |
| US08250010B2 |
Electronic learning synapse with spike-timing dependent plasticity using unipolar memory-switching elements
According to embodiments of the invention, a system, method and computer program product producing spike-dependent plasticity in an artificial synapse. In an embodiment, a method includes: receiving a pre-synaptic spike in an electronic component; receiving a post-synaptic spike in the electronic component; in response to the pre-synaptic spike, generating a pre-synaptic pulse that occurs a predetermined period of time after the received pre-synaptic spike; in response to the post-synaptic spike, generating a post-synaptic pulse that starts at a baseline value and reaches a first voltage value a first period of time after the post-synaptic spike, followed by a second voltage value a second period of time after the post synaptic spike, followed by a return to the baseline voltage a third period of time after the post-synaptic spike; applying the generated pre-synaptic pulse to a pre-synaptic node of a synaptic device that includes a uni-polar, two-terminal bi-stable device in series with a rectifying element; and applying the generated post-synaptic pulse to a post-synaptic node of the synaptic device, wherein the synaptic device changes from a first conductive state to a second conductive state based on the value of input voltage applied to its pre and post-synaptic nodes, wherein the resultant state of the conductance of the synaptic device after the pre- and post-synaptic pulses are applied thereto depends on the relative timing of the received pre-synaptic spike with respect to the post synaptic spike. |
| US08250009B1 |
Updateable predictive analytical modeling
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on one or more computer storage devices, for training and retraining predictive models. A series of training data sets for predictive modeling can be received, e.g., over a network from a client computing system. The training data included in the training data sets is different from initial training data that was used with multiple training functions to train multiple trained predictive models stored in a predictive model repository. The series of training data sets are used with multiple trained updateable predictive models obtained from the predictive model repository and multiple training functions to generate multiple retrained predictive models. An effectiveness score is generated for each of the retrained predictive models. A first trained predictive model is selected from among the trained predictive models included in the predictive model repository and the retrained predictive models based on their respective effectiveness scores. |
| US08250005B2 |
Change-point detecting method and apparatus
To detect a statistical change-point that appears in time-series data with a high accuracy. A first model learning section 102 learns the occurrence probability distribution of time-series data 111 as a first statistical model (for example, a latent Markov model) defined by a finite number of variables including a latent variable. In the subsequent processing, the degree of a temporal change in the probability distribution is computed for each of the probability distribution of the entire first statistical model, its partial probability distribution (the probability distribution of the latent variable and conditional probability distribution contingent on the value of the latent variable), and the probability distribution in which the above plural probability distributions are linearly-combined with a weight. The change-point of the time-series data 111 is detected on the basis of the computed degree of the change. |
| US08250003B2 |
Computationally efficient probabilistic linear regression
A computationally efficient method of performing probabilistic linear regression is described. In an embodiment, the method involves adding a white noise term to a weighted linear sum of basis functions and then normalizing the combination. This generates a linear model comprising a set of sparse, normalized basis functions and a modulated noise term. When using the linear model to perform linear regression, the modulated noise term increases the variance associated with output values which are distant from any data points. |
| US08250002B2 |
Method and system for positioning
A positioning method includes: first, receiving wireless signals respectively at the positions of a number of training positions so as to extract a number of signal characteristics; next, establishing a positioning database according to the relationship between the training positions and the corresponding positioning module; then, classifying the training positions and the corresponding signal characteristics into a plurality of clusters, wherein when conducting positioning on a positioning node, a characteristic matching is conducted to find out a major cluster most similar to the positioning node; after that, conducting the characteristic matching between the positioning node and the training positions in the major cluster to decide a most-likely position of the positioning node. In addition, the present invention also provides a positioning system using the above-mentioned method. |
| US08249999B2 |
Systems and method for costing of service proposals
Systems are provided for costing service proposals, each comprising a set of proposal elements (OEs) selected from a predetermined group of proposal elements. A proposal costing system has a proposal formulator for selecting a set of proposal elements (OEs) for a new service proposal from the predetermined group of proposal elements in response to user input. The system includes a cost controller for maintaining, for each OE, service data indicative of service tasks associated with that proposal element. The system is adapted for determining a total cost for a new service proposal in dependence on the service data for the selected proposal elements and cost data indicating a cost of service tasks indicated by the service data. In addition, the cost controller is adapted for automatically updating the service data for OEs in the group in dependence on maintenance data indicative of service tasks performed in operation of real services. |
| US08249995B2 |
Method using market-based social networking to create jobs and referral fees
This method uses a jobs-based social networking website and the monetary incentive of a “job reward” to get friends, relatives and other visitors to the website to offer a personal introduction to a company insider in exchange for the exclusive contractual right to receive a contingent referral fee if the introduced person starts a job with the named company within the time period set forth in the contract. Ideally, hundreds if not thousands of people will review a person's profile on the social networking website. If the job candidate is qualified, many offers of introduction will be made. The jobseeker can accept many offers but only one offer of introduction per company or non-profit entity in a given time period. Since the job candidate will only start one job within that relatively short period of time, only one referral fee will need to be paid. |
| US08249994B2 |
System for management of oil and gas mineral interests
A system for managing mineral interests includes at least one database for storing data records relating to oil and gas mineral interest. A server enables generation of a graphical user interface at a plurality of locations over an open network. The graphical user interface enables creation and editing of data records stored in the at least one database from the plurality of locations and the editing may occur over the open network. The graphical user interface further enables viewing of data records from the plurality of locations over the open network. |
| US08249992B2 |
Digital rights management and audience measurement systems and methods
Digital rights management and audience measurement systems and methods are disclosed. An example method includes receiving a request to upload media content to a content distributor, attempting to obtain a code associated with the media content, querying a program information database for program information associated with the media content using the code, and applying a business rule to the media content based on the program information. |
| US08249989B2 |
Check cashing at automated teller machine
A system and method of check cashing at an ATM are provided. In some examples, the system and method may include receiving a check at an ATM that does not include denominations of bills and/or coins to cash the check. The amount of the check may be rounded up to an amount for which appropriate denominations are available and the difference between the amount of the check and the rounded up amount may be charged to an account of a user, such as checking account, savings account, credit card, and the like. |
| US08249987B2 |
Methods and apparatus for funding transactions using debit cards issued by one institution and funds from accounts at other institutions
Methods and apparatus for funding transactions are presented herein. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes an account information unit to store information about an account, the account being associated with a first financial institution. The apparatus can also include a transaction processor to receive a request for a debit amount, to determine that the account is associated with one or more funding sources, and to determine if the one or more funding sources authorize the request for the debit amount. The one or more funding sources are associated with one or more financial institutions other than the first financial institution. |
| US08249984B2 |
System and method for fair-sharing in bandwidth sharing ad-hoc networks
Systems and methods for fair-sharing in bandwidth sharing ad-hoc networks. A method includes maintaining a borrower account and lender account of a borrower and a lender of an ad hoc network. The method also includes adjusting at least one of the borrower account and the lender account based upon data transfer by the lender for the borrower. |
| US08249983B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing transactions
A system receives account access information from a user. The account is then accessed using the received access information. Data is harvested from a web page associated with the account or received from another financial data source. The user's ability to access the account is authenticated based on the obtained information. |
| US08249971B2 |
System and method for managing investments in infrastructure assets
A system comprises a memory operable to store financial data associated with a business entity having a plurality of shares. The business entity may receive, directly or indirectly, income associated with rent or lease of infrastructure assets, the rent or lease paid by a first company to a second company. The system further comprises a processor that is communicatively coupled to the memory and that is operable to determine a value of each share. The processor is further operable to calculate an increase in the value of each share in response to an increase of capital expenditures associated with the infrastructure assets. |
| US08249970B1 |
Sensitivity/elasticity-based asset evaluation and screening
Provided is a technique for evaluating an asset, such as a share of stock in a corporation, by processing historical data for value of an asset and historical data values for various exogenous variables to obtain a formula for calculating a measure of a tendency of the value of the asset to change as a result of changes in the data values for the exogenous variables, the formula being a function of the exogenous variables. Projected data values are then obtained for the exogenous variables, and a measure of the tendency of the value of the asset to change based on a change in at least one of the exogenous variables is estimated using the formula and the input projected data values. |
| US08249969B2 |
Time market grid interface
A system and method are provided for trading a tradeable object. One example apparatus includes a microprocessor, a graphical user comprising a first screen region having a plurality of locations in the first screen region, each location corresponding to a price level along a first axis and a time along a second axis. The apparatus also comprises a user input device for sending a command to initiate placement of a timed trade order, and an indicator being dynamically displayed in one of the plurality locations of the first screen region and corresponding to the timed order. In one example embodiment, the indicator dynamically moves over time relative to the second axis indicating a time until the order will be automatically sent to a computerized matching process. |
| US08249967B2 |
Image-based payment medium
Disclosed is a method and system for use of an image-based payment medium through images stored on the consumer's mobile phone in place of traditional plastic gift, credit or debit cards. Upon authentication, an image is sent to the consumer's mobile phone. The consumer displays the image at the retailer's point of sale when completing a transaction. The image is scanned with a barcode reader, a webcam or other scanning device and the consumer's account in a database is debited or credited based on the amount and type of transaction. An image-base payment medium provides for the ability to target specific ads to the consumer, directed to the registered mobile phone number and also to attach loyalty and coupon programs to the account, which the recipient may redeem upon scanning of the encoded image on the mobile phone at the point of sale. The system and method is suitable for “virtual” gift cards, credit and debit cards, loyalty payment programs and other methods of value exchange. |
| US08249966B2 |
System and method for spectrum management
Transferring spectrum use rights may include ascertaining information regarding available spectrum for use in wireless communications. A request for spectrum use from a spectrum user system may be matched with available spectrum. A spectrum certificate may be issued to the spectrum user system, where the spectrum certificate contains at least one spectrum-related variable under which the spectrum user system is to engage in wireless communications. |
| US08249964B2 |
Methods for facilitating charitable donations through links to independent financial transactions
A method for facilitating donations to a charitable organization in which a first financial transaction involving property is linked to a second financial transaction involving a charitable donation. A fundraising program facilitates the transactions which directly contribute to affiliated charitable organizations. A property seller aligns with the fundraising program to list their property and selects a charitable organization to receive the donation. The fundraising program affiliates agent/brokers to sell the listed property. All fees and transactions are regulated through a title company at closing. The title company funds a commission to the agent/broker, a referral fee to the fundraising program, a nominal administrative fee to the fundraising program, and a percentage of the property's sale price to the charitable organization. |
| US08249960B2 |
System and method to provide real time transaction validation and billing via a communications network
A system and method for providing real-time validation to a content provider of a customer's request transmitted via a communications system for delivery of content by the content provider to the customer via a communications system. A request for validation of the customer from the content provider, the request including data identifying the customer, is dealt with by determining from the identifying data whether the customer is a subscriber and then immediately requesting acknowledgement by the customer of the customer's request for the delivery of the content. Upon receipt of an acknowledgement from the customer a validation of the customer's request is sent to the content provider. |
| US08249959B2 |
Communications techniques for an intelligent digital audiovisual reproduction system
Method for communication between a central server and a computerized juke-box which operates in a conference mode, including: sending a header before any transaction, which includes the identity of the destination together, the identity of the emitter, and the size of the packets; responding from the server in the form of a data packet, each packet sent by the server being encoded using the identification code of the juke-box software; and receiving a data packet by the juke-box, which decodes the packet, simultaneously performs a check on the data received by the CRC method and sends an acknowledgement of receipt to the server indicating the accuracy of the information received, to allow it to prepare and send another packet to the juke-box. |
| US08249954B2 |
Third-party certification using enhanced claim validation
Third party certification using enhanced claim validation, in which identification information uniquely identifying an item that has moved through a node in a supply chain is received and event data associated with the uniquely identified item is received from the node based on receiving the identification information. The process also includes performing a third party validation of an associated characteristic of the uniquely identified item based on the received event data, and providing a third party certification of the associated characteristic based on performing the third party validation. |
| US08249952B2 |
Incorporating a repair vendor into repair planning for a supply chain
One embodiment includes a computer-implemented system for incorporating a repair vendor into repair planning for a supply chain. The system accesses a logical representation of the supply chain and identify one or more controlling locations and one or more staging locations in the supply chain. The system accesses information indicating a replenishment requirement at a particular identified controlling location resulting from safety stock at the particular identified controlling location dropping below a predetermined threshold. In response to the information indicating the replenishment requirement at the particular identified controlling location, the system identifies every primary network in the supply chain connecting the particular identified controlling location to one or more identified staging locations. The system selects one or more of the particular identified controlling location and one or more identified staging locations each connected to the particular identified controlling location by a primary network and generates one or more repair orders. |
| US08249949B2 |
System to generate an aggregate interest indication with respect to an information item
A system is provided to establish a ranking for published data. The system may include ranking and monitoring components. A number of registrations of user interest in an instance of published data may be determined. A ranking for the instance of published data may be generated based on the number of registrations of user interest in the instance of published data. A user of the system may be enabled to activate a monitoring process to monitor activity pertaining to the instance of published data. |
| US08249946B2 |
Customized food selection, ordering and distribution system and method
A system and method for selecting, ordering and distributing customized food products is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method is a computer-implemented method comprising viewing a list of additives for creating a customized food product, selecting one or more additives from the list of additives to create the customized food product, and transmitting a request to purchase the customized food product, which is then distributed to the consumer. By communicating with the manufacturer as to personal needs and desires pertaining to health, activity level, organoleptic preferences and so forth, the consumer can now develop and order a customized food product to suit his or her particular tastes, using a real-time interactive communication link. |
| US08249945B2 |
Method and system of enabling electronic communication without knowledge of receiving party's electronic contact information
By providing identification information for a second party, a first party may access address profiles to send an electronic communication to the second party without knowing the electronic contact information for the second party. The address profiles are created by collecting electronic contact information from a plurality of public and private sources. A code may then be assigned to the information from each source for each party identified. Codes from respective sources may then be analyzed for similarities in order to identify codes that may correspond to the same party above a similarity threshold. When codes correspond above the similarity threshold for the same party, an address profile may be associated with the codes and may be associated with the same party. An internal identifier may then be assigned to the address profile to, for example, identify the address profile and/or the matched codes associated with the address profile so that the address profile may be accessed without knowledge of whose address profile is be accessed. |
| US08249942B2 |
Methods for discounting goods and services
The subject invention relates to electronic buying and selling systems and methods. In particular, the invention concerns relations among distinct price curves, price curve attributes (i.e., factors of the offer that can affect the price curves) and buyers or potential buyers. For instance, a price offered to a system user can vary based on total volume of all people aggregating in private environments, cumulative total order by user, ship date, optimal time, as well as terms and conditions associated with the offer (e.g., no cancellation of order, cancellation possible, payment method . . . ). |
| US08249941B2 |
Fashion matching algorithm solution
In one example embodiment, a system and method is illustrated that includes receiving an item choice including a fashion item. The system and method also includes matching the fashion item with an additional fashion item selected from a style matrix, the matching based upon an attribute. Further, the system and method includes transmitting the additional fashion item as part of an outfit match set. Moreover, the system and method includes selecting the fashion item from a digital closet. The system and method includes processing the fashion item to build an attribute association matrix. In addition, the system and method includes comparing the attribute association matrix and the style matrix to determine a match of the fashion item and the additional item. |
| US08249940B2 |
Capability based distributed processing
Various embodiments enable a server system to identify a workload capability factor for a distributed device and use the workload capability factor to determine an incentive for the distributed device. In one embodiment, a distributed processing system includes a server configured to be coupled to one or more distributed devices. The server may include a workload database configured to store at least one workload project, a capability database configured to store one or more workload capability factors associated with one or more distributed devices, and a control system configured to use the one or more workload capability factors from the capability database to perform at least one workload project from the workload database. The least one workload capability factor may also be used to determine an incentive for the one or more distributed devices. |
| US08249935B1 |
Method and system for blocking confidential information at a point-of-sale reader from eavesdropping
A method for point-of-sale transactions is disclosed. The method comprises a point-of-sale terminal receiving a confidential information from a portable electronic device over a contactless communication link, the confidential information being used by the point-of-sale terminal to complete the transaction. The method also includes substantially blocking access to the contactless communication link beyond the area adjacent to the point-of-sale terminal to reduce eavesdropping on the confidential information. |
| US08249929B2 |
Method and system for generating and distributing electronic communications for maximum revenue
Systems and methods are disclosed for providing content in accordance with informational campaigns or advertisements administered by one or more distribution partners. the distribution partners typically revenue share with the system administrator (system owner), who coordinates the informational campaigns and sends electronic mails (e-mails) associated therewith. By applying a distribution optimization formula to various informational or advertising campaigns of the distribution partners, e-mails with links to these distribution partners will be sent to users, and each user who opens the e-mail and clicks on a portion of the e-mail over an underlying link, will be directed to the requisite distribution partner, typically the server associated therewith. |
| US08249924B1 |
Method and system for compiling a consumer-based electronic database, searchable according to individual internet user-defined micro-demographics
A system and method for providing an individual with advertisement information. At least one database including electronic trait information, electronic preference information and electronic advertiser information is stored on at least one database. One or more communication devices receive a first electronic request for first information from a first computing device, and determine first electronic responsive information that comprises information that is at least responsive to the first electronic request. Further, a user relevance factor is determined that represents a relevance of the advertiser information to the first user. First advertisement information is determined for at least one of branded products and services. The first advertisement information and the first electronic responsive information are transmitted to the first user computing device. |
| US08249921B2 |
Method for facilitating a transaction between buyers and sellers
This invention is a method and apparatus for facilitating dual, bilateral buyer-driven and bilateral seller-driven commerce through the communication of binding conditional early payment incentive offers, acceptances, and payments. In a preferred embodiment, this invention allows buyers and sellers to communicate conditional early payment incentive offers to each other, and upon acceptance, to bind the other party to a contract. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes a controller which transmits and receives conditional early payment incentive offers. Potential parties have the option to accept a conditional early payment incentive offer and thus bind the other party to a contract. The controller then facilitates payments between a buyer and a seller. The method and apparatus of the present invention have applications on the Internet as well as conventional communication systems such as voice telephony and has applications for suppliers, providers, landlords, contractors, retailers, bankers, insurance plans, governments, et al. |
| US08249920B2 |
Interactive marketing system using short text messages
An interactive direct response system combines the use of short text message systems (SMS) via cell phones (100) with a database (102) and website to enable advertisers to view in real time customer responses to a direct response campaign. Customers are invited to respond to a defined advertisement on for example a billboard by responding to a single telephone number associated with the website by sending a text message linked to that particular advertisement, i.e. a single word (104,106). A computer receives and analyses the responses and sends an acknowledgement message to the customer. |
| US08249918B1 |
Context based content adjacency filtering
A method of delivering advertisements with media content using context based filtering is provided. The method comprises copying a unit of media content and then accessing a first advertisement wherein the first advertisement comprises a first advertisement content and a context based filtering criteria. The method also comprises examining the copied unit of media content using the context based filtering criteria and when the copied unit of media content conflicts with the context based filtering criteria, the copied unit of media content is delivered without the first advertisement content. When the copied unit of media content does not conflict with the context based filtering criteria, the copied unit of media content is delivered with the first advertisement content. |
| US08249917B1 |
Load balancing for a fulfillment network
A load balancing system for a merchandise fulfillment network is described. The load balancing system employs PID (Proportional, Integral, Derivative) load balancing functionality or other kind of closed loop control functionality to select, on an order-by-order basis, which fulfillment resources (such as fulfillment centers) are to handle customer orders. |
| US08249916B2 |
Computer method and apparatus for outcome-based pricing of goods and services
The present invention provides a system and method that allow sellers to offer goods and services at prices that vary depending on what transpires during the event or service. The final price is determined after the event or service based on the occurrence of certain pre-selected attributes. Candidate attributes are potentially associated with the event or service but the outcome or occurrence of the attribute is not knowable by the buyer and seller with certainty at the time of the original purchase. Using the outcome-based pricing (OBP) and settlement system the seller is able to set prices so as to minimize significant deviation from a pre-determined revenue plan, or alternatively build-in an increase or even decrease in gross revenues. The present invention allows for the order, payment and final settlement of the purchase transaction, automatically. The preferred embodiment for the OBP pricing and settlement system is via a computer network that includes the Internet. |
| US08249915B2 |
Computer-implemented method and system for collaborative product evaluation
Computer-implemented methods and systems provide for user collaboration in evaluating complex products over a public network. Product capabilities are preferably represented as a hierarchical taxonomy of features. Users can assign ratings and comments to the features of a product. User-submitted ratings can be qualified (or moderated) by other users. Such moderation is accomplished on a per-rating basis by user selection of one label from a set of labels that represent different levels of perceived credibility of the user that submitted the rating. A moderation score for a rating/comment is derived from the user-selected moderation labels pertaining to the rating/comment. Registered users preferably can assign weights to features, the weights representing the importance of that feature to the particular user. The user-supplied ratings as well as the moderation scores and/or weights corresponding thereto are used to compute composite ratings for user-selected product features that are communicated to the users for evaluation of the user-selected product features. Preferably, a distributed moderation process is executed that automatically grants a select subset of the user community the opportunity to moderate the ratings of other users. |
| US08249914B2 |
Service supporting system, service supporting server and service supporting method
A service supporting server that supports a service operation for a customer, and a terminal which can communicate with the service supporting server comprising a display part displaying a questionnaire; an inputting part for causing a customer to input for filling in the questionnaire; and a questionnaire transmission part transmitting the thus filled-in questionnaire to the service supporting server. The service supporting server comprises a filled-in questionnaire analysis part analyzing the received filled-in questionnaire. |
| US08249913B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting suspect meter reads in a print environment
A system for detecting suspect meter reads in a print environment may include a computing device and a computer-readable storage medium in communication with the computing device. The computer-readable storage medium may include one or more programming instructions for receiving historical meter read values associated with a print-related service, selecting a model set including one or more of the historical meter read values, using a predictive model to determine an anticipated meter read value and a corresponding forecast error value from the model set, determining an updated forecast error value, determining a threshold value, identifying an actual meter read value, determining an average rate associated with the actual meter read value, and flagging the actual meter read value as suspect based on a comparison of the average rate and the threshold value. |
| US08249912B2 |
Method for determining, correlating and examining the causal relationships between media program and commercial content with response rates to advertising and product placement
A method of determining correlations and causality between media program content and consumer responsiveness involves identifying and storing media and commercial program time occurrence and content information and consumer media reviewing actions which occur in connection with the media and commercial program time occurrence and content information. The information is correlated to obtain and assign responsiveness probability values corresponding to type and intensity of consumer response for each of the media and commercial program time occurrence and content information. These responsiveness probability values are then applied to a second media program to place product advertising at a specific time within specific content therein as determined by the responsiveness probability values thus facilitating creation of new ads and modification of existing ones and further, directing placement of those advertisements within any and all broadcast and Internet media programming. |
| US08249907B2 |
System and method for the automated dispatch of fueling operations
An intelligent solution for monitoring, assigning, and accounting fueling operations. An automated dispatch fueling system comprises a fuel management server populated with airport profile and dispatcher configurations. Utilizing information stored in the database and received from external systems, the automated dispatch fueling system can automatically assign and monitor fueling operations. |
| US08249905B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for providing future job information
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media provide for providing future job information. According to embodiments, a method for providing future job information is provided. According to the method, a number of non-dispatched jobs within a future time frame for a plurality of buckets and a plurality of turfs is determined. A numeric indicator indicating the number of non-dispatched jobs associated with at least one turf and at least one bucket is displayed. |
| US08249903B2 |
Method and system of determining and evaluating a business relationship network for forming business relationships
A collective knowledge set of business relationship information from a plurality of sources is generated. The collective knowledge set is mapped as a plurality of navigable paths forming a business relationship network between a source and a target. One or more of the paths are identified as candidate paths most likely to lead to a business relationship between the source and the target based on evaluation criteria. |
| US08249892B2 |
Method of data mining in medical applications
The present invention relates to a method of creating databases for data mining in medical applications. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to providing a data-driven objective reimbursement model incorporating performance and quality measures, tied to patient, exam, context, and provider-specific variables. In another embodiment, the present invention creates standardized databases where context, patient, provider, and technology specific variables are used to create an objective quantitative measure of exam complexity, which can be correlated with performance times and outcomes measures for iterative refinement. In another embodiment, through the combined analysis of examination complexity, interpretation accuracy, and interpretation times, specific to each individual radiologist, external pacers are created which can be customized to a radiologist's individual needs and preferences. The derived data is used to identify best practice patterns and end-user performance, which can be used by radiologists for individualized education and training. |
| US08249891B2 |
Management of information flow and workflow in medical procedures
Managing information flow and workflow in medical imaging services includes mapping activities in medical imaging services to a set of discrete steps in a model medical imaging process. Data concerning the medical imaging services is collected and tracked using an electronic data store and a communications network. Collected data is correlated to at least one of the discrete steps in the model medical imaging process, and process metrics for performance are calculated based upon the correlated data. |
| US08249890B1 |
Method and system for delivering to a customer a plurality of prescriptions having aligned refill dates
The method, system and user-interface allows alignment of refill dates associated with a plurality of prescriptions, such that the plurality of prescriptions all require refills on the same date, thus limiting the number of occasions on which a customer must visit the pharmacy to retrieve refills of the aligned prescriptions, and increasing the likelihood that the customer will comply with the recommended medication regimen. Further, the method, system and user interface provides various methods of delivery to the customer of the plurality of aligned prescriptions on the refill dates. |
| US08249886B2 |
Global asset risk management systems and methods
Systems and methods for risk assessment are disclosed. In various embodiments, the systems and methods may include at least one risk information source receiving risk information, and generating a risk assessment report based on the risk information. In various embodiments, the systems and methods may include a risk information source, an asset information source, and an analysis system that correlates one or more risks with one or more assets. In various embodiments, the systems and methods may generate a risk assessment report from the correlated risk information and asset information. In various embodiments, the systems and methods may be applied globally assessing risks that occur in any region or country throughout the world, for any type of risk(s) or any type of asset(s). In various embodiments, the systems and methods may be beneficial to business organizations for identifying, quantifying and/or managing potential and/or actual operating risks. |
| US08249884B2 |
Methods and systems for implementing a loyalty program utilizing customizable rules
A method and system for making a donation to a third party includes storing, via a storage device, a user preference in a user account; receiving, via a receiver, information regarding a purchase transaction at a merchant; accessing, via a processor, the user preference from the user account; dynamically selecting, via the processor, a percentage discount to be allocated to the purchase transaction; donating, via the processor, a monetary value of the percentage discount to the third-party according to the user preference, where the user account is associated with a user, and includes rules for allocating the percentage discount to the third-party. |
| US08249883B2 |
Channel extension coding for multi-channel source
A multi-channel audio decoder reconstructs multi-channel audio of more than two physical channels from a reduced set of coded channels based on correlation parameters that specify a full power cross-correlation matrix of the physical channels, or merely preserve a partial correlation matrix (such as power of the physical channels, and some subset of cross-correlations between the physical channels, or cross-correlations of the physical channels with coded or virtual channels). |
| US08249881B2 |
Multi-phoneme streamer and knowledge representation speech recognition system and method
A new approach to speech recognition that reacts to concepts conveyed through speech, which shifts the balance of power in speech recognition from straight sound recognition and statistical models to a more powerful and complete approach determining and addressing conveyed concepts. A probabilistically unbiased multi-phoneme recognition process is employed, followed by a phoneme stream analysis process that builds the list of candidate words derived from recognized phonemes, followed by a permutation analysis process that produces sequences of candidate words with high potential of being syntactically valid, and finally, by processing targeted syntactic sequences in a conceptual analysis process to generate the utterance's conceptual representation that can be used to produce an adequate response. Applications include improving accuracy or automatically generating punctuation for transcription and dictation, word or concept spotting in audio streams, concept spotting in electronic text, customer support, call routing and other command/response scenarios. |
| US08249880B2 |
Real-time display of system instructions
A system and method for reviewing inputted voice instructions in a vehicle-based telematics control unit. The system includes a microphone, a speech recognition processor, and an output device. The microphone receives voice instructions from a user. Coupled to the microphone is the speech recognition processor that generates a voice signal by performing speech recognition processing of the received voice instructions. The output device outputs the generated voice signal to the user. The system also includes a user interface for allowing the user to approve the outputted voice signal, and a communication component for wirelessly sending the generated voice signal to a server over a wireless network upon approval by the user. |
| US08249877B2 |
Hybrid speech recognition
A hybrid speech recognition system uses a client-side speech recognition engine and a server-side speech recognition engine to produce speech recognition results for the same speech. An arbitration engine produces speech recognition output based on one or both of the client-side and server-side speech recognition results. |
| US08249874B2 |
Synthesizing speech from text
Speech is synthesized for a given text by determining a sequence of phonetic components based on the text, determining a sequence of target phonetic elements associated phonetic components, determining a sequence of target event types associated with the phonetic components and determining a sequence of speech units from a plurality of stored speech unit candidates by use of a cost function. The cost function comprises a unit cost, a concatenation cost, and an event type cost for each speech unit in the sequence of speech units. The unit cost of a speech unit is determined with respect to the corresponding target phonetic element, while the concatenation cost of a speech unit is determined with respect to adjacent speech units and the event type cost of each speech unit is determined with respect to the corresponding target event type. |
| US08249871B2 |
Word clustering for input data
A clustering tool to generate word clusters. In embodiments described, the clustering tool includes a clustering component that generates word clusters for words or word combinations in input data. In illustrated embodiments, the word clusters are used to modify or update a grammar for a closed vocabulary speech recognition application. |
| US08249863B2 |
Method and apparatus for estimating spectral information of audio signal
An apparatus and method for estimating audio signal spectrum information. The method including the steps of performing a morphological operation on a received audio signal, extracting peaks by using various peak extraction methods and extracting a remainder signal region from the extracted peaks, selecting a high-order peaks spectrum from the extracted remainder signal region. In addition, spectral envelopes are detected by performing an interpolation operation on the high-order peaks spectrum. |
| US08249855B2 |
Identifying parallel bilingual data over a network
A set of candidate documents, each of which may be part of a bilingual, parallel set of documents, are identified. The set of documents illustratively includes textual material in a source language. It is then determined whether parallel text can be identified. For each document in the set of documents, it is first determined whether the parallel text resides within the document itself. If not, the document is examined for links to other documents, and those linked documents are examined for bilingual parallelism with the selected documents. If not, named entities are extracted from the document and translated into the target language. The translations are used to query search engines to retrieve the parallel correspondent for the selected documents. |
| US08249851B2 |
Monitoring system using real-time simulator
A monitoring system using a real-time simulator, providing a simulation environment of a real electric power system that enables testing of a new electric power system control facility. The operation of the new electric power system control facility and effects thereof on a real electric power system can be evaluated before actual installation. The monitoring system includes a test piece installed in an electric power system; a simulator connected to the test piece, and deriving electric power system simulation data by simulating the electric power system with respect to the test piece; a multimedia interface (MMI) platform interworking with the simulator, providing the simulator with electric power system status data for simulating the electric power system, and receiving the electric power system simulation data from the simulator; and an MMI client interworking with the MMI platform to display the electric power system simulation data from the MMI platform. |
| US08249850B2 |
Method and an apparatus for executing simulation for system performance evaluation
The present invention relates to a technique for executing performance evaluation simulation of a system to be implemented by software or hardware. A simulation apparatus includes a first acquisition section for executing existing tentative software to acquire a first execution log, a division section for dividing the first execution log into a plurality of basic processing units, a basic processing execution log production section for modifying some of the plural basic processing units to produce a basic processing execution log to be used for simulation, and a simulation execution section for inputting the basic processing execution log to a hardware model to execute the simulation to acquire information required for the performance evaluation. |
| US08249842B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for numerical black oil delumping
A method for black oil delumping is disclosed which comprises: converting a black oil wellstream into a compositional wellstream thereby enabling the composition and component molar rates of a production well in a black oil reservoir simulation to be reconstituted. |
| US08249834B2 |
Device, system, and method of computer aided design (CAD)
Device, system, and method of Computer-Aided-Design (CAD). A system of CAD may include a server to provide data of a CAD model to at least one client, wherein the server is capable of providing to the client section information defining a plurality of geometric sections of the CAD model, wherein the section information includes boundary information representing a plurality of boundaries defining the plurality of geometric sections, respectively, and a plurality of identifiers to identify the plurality of geometric sections, respectively; receiving from the client a request for one or more files corresponding to at least one requested section of the geometric sections, wherein the one or more files include information of one or more geometric elements of the CAD model, which are included within the boundary of the requested section; and providing to the client the one or more requested files. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08249829B2 |
Online condition-based monitoring for tank farms
A method for online condition-based monitoring (CBM) of a tank farm including a plurality of storage tanks includes providing a tank model including a diagnostic and/or predictive tank model based on calculated tank metrics that is derived from historical data including tank operation data. The calculated tank metrics include tank operational metrics based on the tank operational data for the storage tanks and tank condition metrics based on tank inspection or maintenance data for the storage tanks. The tank model provides relationships between the tank condition metrics and the tank operational metrics. Results are generated using the tank model including at least one failure indicia for at least a first of the storage tanks using the calculated tank metrics and current measured data for the first tank as inputs to the tank model. The failure indicia is processed for scheduling at least one maintenance task for the first tank. |
| US08249824B2 |
Analytical bandwidth enhancement for monitoring telemetric signals
Some embodiments provide a system that analyzes telemetry data from a monitored system. During operation, the system obtains the telemetry data as a set of telemetric signals from the monitored system and groups the telemetry data into one or more clusters of correlated telemetric signals from the telemetric signals. Next, the system increases a bandwidth associated with monitoring the telemetric signals. To increase the bandwidth, the system omits one or more of the correlated telemetric signals from each of the clusters during sampling of the telemetric signals and estimates the omitted correlated telemetric signals by applying a nonlinear, nonparametric regression technique to the sampled telemetric signals. |
| US08249823B2 |
Six axis motion control apparatus
A motion control apparatus for measuring and scanning an object. The motion control apparatus includes a base. The motion control apparatus also includes an object support assembly that is coupled to the base. The object support assembly receives the object to be scanned and measured. The motion control apparatus includes a scanner track that extends above from the base. The scanner and object are moveable about multiple axes to position to the scanner with respect to the object for viewing the object by the scanner for obtaining measurements of the object. |
| US08249819B1 |
Virtual binning
An electronic device is assigned to a virtual bin by setting an operating voltage of the electronic device to a first voltage, determining an operating frequency and an operating power consumption level for the electronic device, determining an operating frequency differential equal to the absolute value of difference between the operating frequency and a minimum operating frequency of the physical bin, determining a power consumption level differential equal to the absolute value of difference between the operating power consumption level and a maximum operating power consumption level of the physical bin, and assigning a virtual bin identifier to the electronic device to identify the operating voltage of the electronic device if the operating frequency is greater than or equal to the minimum operating frequency of the physical bin and the operating power consumption level is less than or equal to the maximum power consumption level of the physical bin. |
| US08249818B2 |
Method for qualifying the variability of an effluent composition
The invention relates to a method of qualifying the variability of the composition of an effluent, in which method a series of measurements is effected over time of at least one first and one second parameter of the effluent. The invention is characterized in that, in each time step, first and second derivatives of the parameters are determined, first and second logical domains are defined, probabilities of the first derivatives belonging to the first logical domains are assigned, probabilities of the second derivatives belonging to the second logical domains are assigned, global logical domains are defined, global probabilities of belonging to the global logical domains are assigned, and the variability of the composition of the effluent is qualified on the basis of these global probabilities of belonging to the global logical domains. |
| US08249816B2 |
High throughput screening methods for fuel compositions
Methods for determining deposit formation tendencies for a plurality of fluid samples of different compositions is provided. Each sample includes fuel additive compositions containing one or more fuel additives or fuel compositions containing one or more fuels and one or more fuel additives. The methods can advantageously be optimized using combinatorial chemistry, in which a database of combinations of fuel compositions are generated. As market conditions vary and/or product requirements or customer specifications change, conditions suitable for forming desired products can be identified with little or no downtime. |
| US08249812B2 |
Characterizing an earth subterranean structure by iteratively performing inversion based on a function
To characterize an earth subterranean structure using a measurement assembly including electromagnetic (EM) receivers and one or more EM sources, measured voltage data collected by EM receivers in response to transmission by one or more EM sources is received. Based on a model, predicted EM data is computed. Inversion is iteratively performed according to a function that computes a difference between the measured voltage data and a product of a term containing the predicted EM data and a term containing distortion data that accounts at least for distortion effect by an environment of the measurement assembly. The inversion is iteratively performed to solve for parameters of the model and the distortion data. |
| US08249811B2 |
Multi-sensor detectors
A multi-sensor fire detector incorporates at least one acoustic resonator and other type or types of fire sensor. Other types include smoke sensors, gas sensors or optically based fire sensors. Outputs from the acoustic resonator can be processed with or without outputs from the other type or types of fire sensors to establish the presence of an alarm condition. Multiple acoustic resonators can be incorporated into the same detector. |
| US08249810B2 |
Method of and apparatus for generating routes
A method is provided of generating a plurality of diverse routes from a source to a destination in a weighted directed graph. Such a method may be used for route planning or navigation with the weighted directed graph representing a road network, but may also be used in other applications. A source routing tree is generated from the source to a first set of points of the graph, which may comprise some or all of the points. A destination routing tree is generated from some or all of the points of the graph to the destination. The trees are then combined to form the routes. For example, the sub-routes common to and transverses in the same direction by the source and destination trees may be selected. The sub routes may then be formed into the routes by extending each sub-route as necessary to the source and destination along the source and destination trees. |
| US08249807B1 |
Method for determining critical points in location data generated by location-based applications
Provided is a critical point method used to determine the points of a real-time stream of location data, such as Global Positioning System (GPS) data, that should be retained based on their importance in reconstructing the travel path of a mobile device. The method may run on a mobile device or on a server. When run on a mobile device, the method reduces the amount of data transferred between mediums by only transferring points that are critical to reconstructing the path of travel of the mobile device. This reduction saves power used in the wireless transmission and reception of the non-critical data and the bandwidth used while transmitting non-critical data. The method may be run every time a new position is calculated. When a new position is determined to be a critical point, the point is transmitted. If the new position is not a critical point, then the point is discarded. |
| US08249806B1 |
System, module, and method for varying the intensity of a visual aid depicted on an aircraft display unit
A present novel and non-trivial system, module, and method for varying the intensity of a visual aid depicted on an aircraft display unit. Visual aids could represent visible features such as markings on a runway surface. Data representative of visual aids may be provided by a navigation reference data source with errors inherent in the data which may be measured by one or more quality parameters. Also, errors associated with quality parameters are inherent in navigation data which provided positional information. Because of these errors, the depiction of visual aids on an egocentric display unit may appear misaligned with the corresponding visible feature. To compensate for the misalignment, an image generating processor generates visual aid data representative of at least one variable-intensity visual aid, wherein the intensity of each visual aid varies and such variation is based upon at least one quality parameter of the data. |
| US08249805B2 |
Automatic updating of favorite places for navigation system upon change of home address
A method and apparatus for automatically updating information on favorite places upon change of home address. The method includes the steps of: checking data received by the navigation system to detect whether the old home address of a user has been changed to the new home address; searching for favorite places around the new home address equivalent to that around the old home address; determining whether the updating of the favorite places should be conducted automatically or upon instruction by the user; updating the favorite places by replacing the favorite places for the old home address with the equivalent favorite places for the new home address; and repeating the above steps every time when there is a change in the home address. |
| US08249803B2 |
Mobile electronic device providing display background rotation and method thereof
An electronic device allowing changing of a display background thereof obtains a current location from a navigation device. An image associated with the current location is sought in a memory system, in response to a determination that the current location does not match a location associated with the current display background displayed on a display device. The current display background is replaced with the located image. |
| US08249801B2 |
Navigation device and map data updating method thereof
When updating means 24 for performing a differential update on map data M using update data U performs an update on the map data M using update data U stored on a recording medium R, update data U having section identification information that matches the section identification information of the map data M and a later update version than the update version of the map data M are extracted from the plurality of update data U stored on the recording medium R, and a differential update is performed on the map data M using the extracted update data U. |
| US08249800B2 |
Method and apparatus to detect platform stationary status using three-axis accelerometer outputs
A system with a capability of detecting the platform stationary status is disclosed. The first aspect is to measure three raw acceleration outputs from an apparatus of the three-axis accelerometer unit. The second aspect is to compute the mean of the latest said acceleration outputs obtained from the three-axis accelerometer unit. The third aspect is to subtract the said mean acceleration outputs from the said raw acceleration outputs obtained from the three axis accelerometer unit to find the differential acceleration components between raw and mean values. The fourth aspect is to compute the amplitude of the differential acceleration, i.e., squared total sum of the three differential acceleration components. The fifth aspect is to count the number of measurements in which the amplitude of the differential acceleration is below a certain threshold, e.g., 0.05 (m/s2) to detect the stationary status if the small amplitude lasts for a certain time length, e.g., 1 second. |
| US08249794B2 |
Inter-cylinder air-fuel ratio imbalance judgment device for multi-cylinder internal combustion engine
When the intake air amount is smaller than the specific intake air amount, the unit air-fuel ratio change amount calculated during the engine operation is corrected such that the unit air-fuel ratio change amount increases in the condition that the base unit air-fuel ratio change amount is an upper limit and when the intake air amount is greater than the specific intake air amount, the unit air-fuel ratio change amount calculated during the engine operation is corrected such that the unit air-fuel ratio change amount decreases in the condition that the base unit air-fuel ratio change amount is a lower limit. When the corrected unit air-fuel ratio change amount is greater than the judgment value, it is judged that the inter-cylinder air-fuel ratio imbalance condition occurs. |
| US08249792B2 |
Method and device for the energy protection of an aircraft
Disclosed is a method and device for protecting an aircraft comprising at least one wing-mounted engine arranged on each of its wings against at least one of a low-energy situation and a high-energy situation during flight in which at least one engine is a failed engine. A control unit is triggered to activate a protection function, as a function of the number and position of failed engines. The control unit controls at least one non-failed engine, and the protection function is activated when activation conditions are met. The activation conditions indicate that the aircraft is either in the low-energy situation such that the total current power of the aircraft is less than a predetermined minimum power or that the aircraft is in the high-energy situation such that the total current power of the aircraft is greater than a predetermined maximum total power. |
| US08249790B2 |
Vehicle behavior control device
It is predicted whether a spin amount is tending to diverge and a vehicle is tending to become unstable, or the spin amount is tending to converge and the vehicle is tending to become stable. When the convergent tendency is predicted, a correction to reduce the spin amount is performed. As a result, the performance of a braking force control can be made difficult when the spin amount is tending to converge. Thus, it is possible to prevent an anti-spin control from being performed when there is actually no need to perform the anti-spin control, such as when the vehicle posture is correcting. |
| US08249789B2 |
Spring brake valve
Methods and valve arrangements for controlling the flow of pressurized air from a tractor to a trailer reservoir and to a trailer spring brake chamber. In one exemplary embodiment, pressurized air from a tractor is supplied from a tractor to the trailer reservoir and to the trailer spring brake in different filling modes based on a user input. In another exemplary embodiment, pressurized service air is used to charge or partially charge the trailer reservoir. |
| US08249787B2 |
Process for monitoring the direction of frictional drive from a vehicle transmission at near-zero vehicle speed
A process of monitoring a drive direction of an automatic or automated vehicle transmission at near-zero vehicle speed via an engaged gear. A desired direction of drive of the transmission is determined from an engaged gear at the time the vehicle begins motion. An actual direction of drive is determined from the transmission and, if different from the desired direction of drive, an error signal is produced. The process includes determining the actual drive either from a sensed rotational direction of a transmission input shaft and a sensed rotational direction of a transmission output shaft or a sensed valve setting, a sensed pressure in an transmission electro-hydraulic control system or on a transmission shifting element or from a sensed direction of rotation of a transmission gearset element or from axial movement or force of a transmission constructional element. |
| US08249785B2 |
Control apparatus for vehicular automatic transmission
A control apparatus for a vehicular automatic transmission which has a plurality of coupling elements selectively released and engaged to perform shifting actions, the control apparatus including a shift control portion configured to control at least one specially controlled coupling element which is included in the coupling elements provided to perform the shifting actions of the automatic transmission and which is placed in a fully released state prior and subsequent to the shifting action performed according to a presently generated shifting command, the shift control portion controlling each specially controlled coupling element so as to enable the specially controlled coupling element to have a torque capacity during the shifting action performed according to the presently generated shifting command. |
| US08249776B2 |
Method for controlling an active running gear of a rail vehicle
A method for controlling an active running gear of a rail vehicle including at least one first wheel unit with two wheels, wherein by means of at least one first actuator, which acts between the first wheel unit and a vehicle structure supported thereon by means of a first primary spring mechanism, the turning angle of the first wheel unit about a vertical running gear axis relative to the vehicle structure is adjusted, in a first frequency range, as a function of the actual curvature of the track and/or the turning angle of the first wheel unit about a vertical running gear axis relative to the vehicle structure is adjusted, in a second frequency range, such that transversal movements at least of the first wheel unit, caused by track outlay disturbances or by a sinusoidal course, are counteracted. |
| US08249775B2 |
Self-balancing vehicle
A vehicle includes: at least three wheels, of which at least two wheels are situated on either side of the center of gravity of the vehicle's longitudinal axis and wherein at least one of the wheels has a steering effect on the direction of the vehicle, a frame having a tilting frame section, rotatable in the longitudinal axis relative to the road surface, a steering element mounted so as to rotate relative to the tilting frame section, one or more tilting elements connected to the tilting frame section and the wheels for exerting a tilting movement between the tilting frame section and the road surface, a speed sensor, a steering sensor for determining the force/torque or size of the steering wheel movement for achieving a change in the direction of the steerable wheel or wheels. |
| US08249774B2 |
Alignment changing control device and fuel consumption management device
A toe angle changing control ECU for controlling a toe angle of wheels of a vehicle. The toe angle changing control ECU includes: a straight traveling state judging section for judging whether or not the vehicle is in a; a memory for storing the toe angle of the wheels while the vehicle is in the straight traveling state; and a toe angle setting section for setting the wheels to the toe angle stored in the memory when the straight traveling state judging section judges that the vehicle is in the straight traveling state. While in the straight traveling state, the wheels are set to a toe angle at which the wheels are substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, reducing the rolling resistance of the wheels, and improving fuel consumption. |
| US08249770B2 |
Hybrid controller employing system remedial action function
A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) employing a hybrid system using both an internal combustion engine and a second motor/generator as a propelling power source for vehicle propulsion, and also employing a first generator driven by the engine for power generation, an integrated HEV control system is provided to control the engine, and the first and second motor/generators. The integrated HEV control system is also operable for detecting the presence of system failures and thereafter selecting at least one remedial action responsive to the system failures such that the system failures are corrected or minimized. The selected remedial action is also verified as being appropriate, monitored and thereafter executed. |
| US08249768B2 |
Method for controlling the hybrid drive of a motor vehicle and control system
A method and an apparatus for controlling the hybrid drive of a motor vehicle having the following components: internal combustion engine (VKM), manual transmission (SG), at least one electrical machine (Emi), at least one clutch (Kj) and an energy storage device (ES), and at least one driven axle (HA; VA) are intended to provide maximum efficiency and service life of the components. To this end, a decision is made about which operating modes (AMK) are possible on the basis of a driver input (FW) and operating state, a division is made about which gears (Gj) are available for the possible operating modes (AMK), so that a larger number of modes (AMGK) are available for selection, operating points which correspond to the driver input are determined for all these modes (AMGK), taking into account the operating state and system state (SZA), the modes (AMGK) are assessed and the mode (AMGK*) which is assessed as being most expedient is selected. |
| US08249766B2 |
Method of determining output torque limits of a hybrid transmission operating in a fixed gear operating range state
A hybrid transmission is operative to transfer power between an input member and first and second torque machines and an output member in a fixed gear operating range state. The first and second torque machines are connected to an energy storage device. A method for controlling the hybrid transmission includes determining an output torque command at the output member, determining motor torque constraints for the first and second torque machines and determining power constraints for the energy storage device, iteratively selecting candidate input torques transferable to the input member and associated output torques, determining a second torque constraint associated with the candidate input torque, determining a third torque constraint associated with the candidate input torque, and determining a preferred input torque comprising the candidate input torque that achieves the commanded output torque at the output member and satisfies the motor torque constraints for the first and second torque machines, satisfies the power constraints for the energy storage device, and satisfies the second and third torque constraints associated with the candidate input torque when operating in the fixed gear operating range state. |
| US08249765B2 |
Drive system for electrically driven dump truck
Engine driving characteristics are achieved for driving a hydraulic system during non-traveling and traveling in an electrically driven dump truck.When a shift lever 16 is located at a neutral position, the target revolution speed Nr1 corresponding to the operation amount (p) of an accelerator pedal 1 is calculated on the basis of first target revolution speed characteristics (Nr1(p)) which are suitable for driving of a hydraulic pump for working so that an electronic governor 4a is controlled on the basis of this target revolution speed. When the shift lever 16 is located at a forward position, the target revolution speed Nr2 corresponding to the operation amount of the accelerator pedal 1 is calculated on the basis of second target revolution speed characteristics (Nr2(p)) which are suitable for driving of electric motors 12R, 12L so that the electronic governor 4a is controlled on the basis of this target revolution speed. |
| US08249759B2 |
T-harness connection for vehicle remote starters
In one embodiment there is a remote starter system for a vehicle having an ignition connected to vehicle controllers by a serial data interface. The remote starter system includes a T-Harness connector having at least a first, second, and third serial data connectors and a remote starter module. The remote starter module having at least a remote starter connector, wherein the first serial data connector of the T-Harness connector is coupled to the remote starter connector, and the second and third serial data connectors are separately coupled between the pair of interconnected vehicle serial data connectors. Data from the remote starter module is thereby communicated to the vehicle controller modules and the ignition module. |
| US08249758B2 |
Centralized power conditioning
A power plant for providing electric power to a power grid includes energy sources; power conditioning units and a controller configured to cause power provided to the grid to have selected electrical characteristics. The controller is in high speed real-time communication with the power conditioning units and programmed to provide instructions to the power conditioning units. |
| US08249750B2 |
Air conditioner
An indoor unit includes an indoor side switch device which is brought into a closed state at a startup time when operation starts from a standby state. An outdoor unit includes a startup power supply switch device which is brought into a closed state when the indoor side switch device of the indoor unit is brought into the closed state, an operating power supply switch device which is brought into a closed state in operation and is brought into an open state in the standby state, and an outdoor control device. The outdoor control device of the outdoor unit brings the startup power supply switch device into the open state when the operation starts from the standby state and thereafter brings the operating power supply switch device into the closed state after a lapse of a prescribed time. |
| US08249748B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing volatile organic content in polyolefin
The present invention relates generally to polyolefin production and to reducing volatile organic content (VOC) associated with the polyolefin. Techniques include the construction and implementation of a purge column model to calculate or estimate the VOC content in the polyolefin exiting the purge column. The techniques facilitate the design and operation of the polyolefin manufacturing process. |
| US08249745B2 |
Work robot excellent in work resumption
A work robot includes a holding unit for holding a work device, holding unit moving means, an information processing unit, a storage unit, and a variable storage unit. The work robot performs work by relatively moving the holding unit and a workpiece in accordance with a program instruction. When execution of the work is in progress, the program successively stores working state information in the variable storage unit. When the program is forced to end in the middle of the work and then the work is to be resumed, the program resumes the work in accordance with the working state information stored in the variable storage unit. Thus, even when the program is forced to end, the work can be resumed from the working state immediately before the forced end. |
| US08249742B2 |
Machining control method and machining information generating method for machine tool
To provide a method to carry out complicated surface machining such as graining or the like without decreasing machining accuracy and machining efficiency. In a machine tool including a main spindle head capable of relatively moving in three perpendicular directions with respect to a workpiece and an additional spindle being provided at the main spindle head and capable of moving in a Z spindle direction, while the main spindle head relatively moves with respect to a working surface S of the workpiece along a smoothly curved surface R which is smoothed so as to be restricted within the movement distance in the moving direction of the additional spindle, the additional spindle moves by a difference between the working surface S and the smoothly curved surface R, and makes a tool T to machine the working surface S. |
| US08249741B2 |
Control of machine tools comprising a tool magazine and an intermediate storage station
A method for controlling the loading and unloading of machine tools where the tools from a magazine are first taken over into an intermediate storage station or provision area and from there are supplied to the machine tool. The tools are inserted into the machine tool using a changing apparatus for transfer to the machine tool. The magazine and the machine tool are each provided with a CNC controller and a PLC controller, and these components are adjusted by a separate controller. The magazine and the machine tool can each be provided with a separate CNC controller and PLC controller or a common CNC controller and PLC controller. Multichannel controllers, preferably dual-channel controllers, can also be used. |
| US08249733B2 |
System and method for analyzing performance of an industrial robot
A computing system is communicated with a metal fabrication device for analyzing performance of an industrial robot. The metal fabrication device includes the industrial robot, and a plate bender. The computing system is operable to generate an analysis report of the performance of the industrial robot by providing section model creating function, bending point obtainting function, bending operation monitoring function, workpiece modeling function for the metal fabrication device. The quality of a finished workpiece bent by the industrial robot from a metal plate may be analyzed from the analysis report generated by the computing system. |
| US08249730B2 |
Systems and methods for shadowing an HDA codec
Systems and methods for “shadowing” a target codec to provide additional features that are not available in the target codec. In one embodiment, an audio amplification system includes a High Definition Audio (HDA) bus, and an HDA controller, a conventional HDA codec and a shadow HDA codec coupled to the HDA bus. The conventional codec receives audio data and commands from the HDA controller via the bus and processes them to generate an output audio signal. The shadow codec snoops the audio data and commands on the HDA bus that are targeted to the conventional codec. The shadow codec processes the snooped audio data and commands to generate a second audio output. The shadow codec does not communicate with the HDA controller and is transparent to the controller. The shadow codec does not request enumeration from the HDA controller and does not receive an address from the HDA controller. |
| US08249728B2 |
Method for operating a management system of function modules
Methods for operating a management system that manages a large number of first function modules and second function modules. An inhibitor module I sets first control statuses to designating blocking when associated events are detected by an event detecting device, and then the management system no longer makes associated first function modules available for execution. The inhibitor module I sets second control statuses to designating executable when associated events are detected by an event detecting device, and then the management system makes associated second function modules available for execution. |
| US08249721B2 |
Method for fabricating a neurostimulation lead contact array
A lead includes a lead body defining a lumen extending through the lead body; a conductor disposed in the lumen; a slit extending from an exterior of the lead body through at least a portion of the lead body to the lumen; and a contact strip. A portion of the contact strip is optionally disposed in the slit and is in contact with a portion of the conductor. A second portion of the contact strip is optionally wrapped around the lead body. A method of making a lead includes disposing one or more conductors in a lumen of a lead body; forming a slit from an exterior of the lead body to the lumen to access a portion of at least one conductor disposed in the lumen; coupling a flat contact strip to the portion of the conductor, and wrapping the contact strip around the lead body. |
| US08249720B2 |
Compression member suture sleeve
An implantable medical system includes a medical lead including an insulating sheath and a conductor and an anchoring device. The anchoring device defines an inner lumen adapted to coaxially receive the medical lead, where the inner lumen has an effective diameter. The anchoring device includes a sleeve including a substantially elongate body defining an outer surface and an inner bore. The anchoring device also has a compression member including a first end, a second end, and an intermediate portion between the first and second ends. The compression member is at least partially embedded in the sleeve such that compression of the first and second ends of the compression member toward one another causes the effective diameter of at least a portion of the inner lumen of the anchoring device to reversibly increase. |
| US08249718B2 |
Programming posture state-responsive therapy with nominal therapy parameters
The disclosure describes techniques for programming posture state-responsive therapy with nominal therapy parameters. The techniques may include presenting therapy adjustment information to a user via a user interface, wherein the therapy adjustment information includes one or more therapy adjustments made by a patient to at least one stimulation parameter of one or more stimulation therapy programs for one or more patient posture states, receiving input from the user that selects one or more nominal therapy parameters for each of the therapy programs and for each of the posture states based on the therapy adjustment information, and setting the selected nominal therapy parameters for each of the therapy programs and posture states for use in delivering stimulation therapy to the patient. |
| US08249717B2 |
Systems and methods for providing neural stimulation transitions
A method embodiment comprises generating a neural stimulation signal for a neural stimulation therapy. The signal is generated during a duty cycle of a stimulation period to provide the neural stimulation therapy with an intensity at a therapy level for a portion of the duty cycle. In various embodiments, a ramp up protocol is implemented to begin the duty cycle, a ramp down protocol is implemented to end the duty cycle, or both the ramp up protocol and the ramp down protocol are implemented. The ramp up protocol includes ramping up the intensity from a non-zero first subthreshold level for the neural stimulation therapy at the beginning of the duty cycle to the therapy level. The ramp down protocol includes ramping down the intensity from the therapy intensity level to a non-zero second subthreshold level for the neural stimulation therapy at the end of the duty cycle. |
| US08249713B2 |
Treatment of shoulder dysfunction using a percutaneous intramuscular stimulation system
A method of treating shoulder dysfunction involves the use of a percutaneous, intramuscular stimulation system. A plurality of intramuscular stimulation electrodes are implanted directly into select shoulder muscles of a patient who has suffered a disruption of the central nervous system such as a stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury or cerebral palsy. An external microprocessor based multi-channel stimulation pulse train generator is used for generating select electrical stimulation pulse train signals. A plurality of insulated electrode leads percutaneously, electrically interconnect the plurality of intramuscular stimulation electrodes to the external stimulation pulse train generator, respectively. Stimulation pulse train parameters for each of the stimulation pulse train output channels are selected independently of the other channels. The shoulder is evaluated for subluxation in more than one dimension. More than one muscle or muscle group is simultaneously subjected to a pulse train dosage. Preferably, the at least two dosages are delivered asynchronously to two muscle groups comprising the supraspinatus in combination with the middle deltoid, and the trapezious in combination with the posterior deltoid. |
| US08249707B2 |
Methods and systems for improved arrhythmia discrimination
A non-implanted system receives, from an implantable cardiac device implanted within a patient, data corresponding to detected potential episodes of tachycardia. A representation of the data corresponding to the detected potential episodes of tachycardia is displayed to a user, and the user that observes the displayed representation of the data is allowed to enter a user diagnosis for each of the detected potential episodes of tachycardia. The non-implanted system simulates how the implantable cardiac device can use its discriminators to produce device diagnoses, based on the data for the detected potential episodes of tachycardia, including how adjustments to the discriminators affect how the device diagnoses match the user diagnoses. Thereafter, the non-implanted system can reprogram the implantable cardiac device to increase a likelihood that future device diagnoses produced by the implantable cardiac device would more closely match future user diagnoses produced by the user. |
| US08249703B2 |
Apparatus and method for ventricular rate regularization
A cardiac rhythm management device which employs pacing therapy to regularize the ventricular rhythm. Such ventricular rate regularization may be employed within bradycardia pacemakers, ventricular resynchronization devices, or implantable cardioverter/defibrillators. |
| US08249700B2 |
System and method for the simultaneous bilateral integrated tympanic drug delivery and guided treatment of target tissues within the ears
Systems and methods for treating a patient having a head with a first ear and a second ear function by mounting a support system to the head of the patient so that the support system is aligned with a target tissue of the first ear; applying a therapeutic agent to the first ear by energizing an iontophoresis electrode supported by the support system; and actuating a device while the device is supported by the support system so that the device therapeutically remodels the target tissue of the first ear. |
| US08249699B2 |
Method of affecting balanced brain function with relational ambient sound
A method for affecting balanced brain functioning with relational ambient sound is disclosed. During the process of balancing the brain's activity, an ambient sound is played for the subject to hear. The subject's brain develops a relationship between the process of bringing the brain to a balanced state and the ambient sound. As a result of this relationship, balanced brain functioning may then be affected by exposing the subject to that same ambient sound. |
| US08249687B2 |
Systems and methods for virtual identification of polyps
A method of operating on volumetric imaging data representing organ anatomy includes determining whether a polyp location within a specified range from a viewing point is visible, or hidden by an anatomical feature, and marking the polyp as visible or hidden with a viewable indicator. |
| US08249681B2 |
Device, system and method for in vivo analysis
Devices, systems and method for in vivo analysis. For example, an in vivo device includes: a reaction chamber to store a detecting reagent able to react with a sample collected in vivo; and optionally a labeled-substance chamber to store a labeled substance able to bind to at least a portion of a compound resulting from a reaction of the detecting reagent and the sample. |
| US08249679B2 |
Cover latching structure for portable electronic device
A cover structure for portable electronic device includes a rotating member, a cover, a retaining member and a main housing. The rotating member includes a head portion, a column and two wings projecting from the column. The cover defines a through hole allowing the column and the wings to extend through. The retaining member clasps the column to preventing the rotating member from getting away from the cover. The main housing defines a receiving hole. Two blocks and two slopes are formed in the receiving hole. The wings of the rotating member respectively rotate along the slopes to be locked by the blocks when the cover is attached to the main housing. |
| US08249678B2 |
Wireless communication device with configurable antenna
A wireless communication device having a configurable antenna, includes: a first antenna having a first resonant frequency; a first frequency modification unit for modifying the first resonant frequency of the antenna; a function operation unit activating a plurality of functions; and a control unit controlling the first frequency modification unit to modify the first resonant frequency in accordance with a function activated by the function operation unit. |
| US08249677B2 |
Handheld electronic device
A handheld electronic device including a first body, a second body and a sliding mechanism is provided. The first body includes a first frame and a first cover connected to each other. The second body includes a second frame and a second cover connected to each other. The second frame is stacked over the first frame and partially located between the first frame and the first cover. The first frame is partially located between the second frame and the second cover. The sliding mechanism is disposed between the first body and the second body and is covered by the first cover and the second cover. The first frame and the second frame are slidable relative to each other through the sliding mechanism so that the first frame and the second frame are exposed by the second cover and the first cover, respectively. |
| US08249676B2 |
Handheld mobile communication device with moveable display/cover member
Handheld mobile communication devices according to the disclosure have a closed position, in which the display member of the device covers at least a portion of the keys of on the keypad member of the device, and an open position, in which the keys are accessible and the device is operated. When the display member is in the open position, it forms an ergonomically desirable angle (e.g., on the order of about 155°) relative to the keypad member. However, unlike clamshell-type cellular phones, the display member does not simply flip open about a conventional pivot joint. Rather, it moves from the closed position, where it is parallel and adjacent to the keypad member, to the open, angled position through a sliding/sweeping motion; through an eccentric, “up-and-over” rotational motion; or through a combination sliding/“up-and-over” motion. |
| US08249674B2 |
Portable electronic device
An exemplary portable electronic device includes a main body, a cover member movably connected with the main body, a sensing unit, a signal processing unit, an audio output unit. The audio output unit is configured for outputting audio signals and disposed in either one of the main body and the cover member. The audio output unit includes a magnetic member. The sensing unit is disposed in the other one of the main body and the cover member and configured for detecting relative displacement of the magnetic member and capable of generating a corresponding command signal. The signal processing unit is disposed in the main body and electrically connected to the sensing unit. The signal processing unit is capable of actuating different operation modes according to the command signal. |
| US08249671B2 |
Mobile wireless communications device having improved RF immunity of audio transducers to electromagnetic interference (EMI)
A mobile wireless communications device includes a housing and circuit board carried by the housing and having radio frequency (RF) circuitry and a processor operative with each other. Audio circuitry is carried by the circuit board and an audio transducer assembly, such as a speaker, has electrical contacts that electrically engage the audio circuitry for carrying audio signals between the audio circuitry and audio transducer assembly. A filter is mounted at the audio transducer assembly and reduces radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic interference to the audio transducer assembly during device operation. |
| US08249667B2 |
Wireless communication terminal and battery capacitance measuring method thereof
A wireless communication terminal includes a battery module, a monitor module, a battery-capacitance update module, and a display module. The monitor module detects a working state of the wireless communication terminal including idle and communication states, periodically detects and records a voltage of the battery module, calculates dynamic average voltages of the battery module in the idle and communication states, and subtracts the dynamic average voltages in the idle and communication states to calculate a dynamic voltage compensation of the battery module in the communication state. The battery-capacitance update module includes a timer, and detects a voltage of the battery module after the timer has timed out, compensates the detected voltage with the dynamic voltage compensation when in the communication state, and reads battery capacitance of the battery module according to the compensated voltage. The display module displays the battery capacitance. |
| US08249662B2 |
Mobile terminal and transparent display control method thereof
A mobile terminal including a transparent display configured to display information on both surfaces of the transparent display, a sensing unit configured to detect a movement of the terminal, and a controller configured to control the information displayed on said both surfaces of the transparent display based on the detected movement of the terminal. |
| US08249659B2 |
Feedback generation in recursive multi-rank beamforming
A quantized multi-rank beamforming scheme for multiple-antenna systems such as a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) wireless downlink. User equipment (UE) estimates downlink channel and transmit power and determines rank and power allocations. A quantized beamforming matrix is then determined by the UE using successive beamforming. The UE also determines channel quality indices (CQI) which it feeds-back to the wireless downlink base station along with the index of the quantized beamforming matrix. The base station uses the CQI information to select a UE for scheduling of downlink transmission and the quantized beamforming matrix index received from the selected UE to beamform the downlink transmission to the UE. Base station overhead and is minimized while providing near-optimal performance given the constraints of a limited feed-back channel and computational complexity of the UE. |
| US08249658B2 |
Beamforming in MIMO systems
A quantized multi-rank beamforming scheme for multiple-antenna systems such as a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) wireless downlink User equipment (UE) estimates downlink channel and transmit power and determines rank and power allocations. A quantized beamforming matrix is then determined by the UE using successive beamforming. The UE also determines channel quality indices (CQI) which it feeds-back to the wireless downlink base station along with the index of the quantized beamforming matrix. The base station uses the CQI information to select a UE for scheduling of downlink transmission and the quantized beamforming matrix index received from the selected UE to beamform the downlink transmission to the UE. Base station overhead and is minimized while providing near-optimal performance given the constraints of a limited feed-back channel and computational complexity of the UE. |
| US08249656B2 |
Wireless communicator jacket with multiple operational stages
A method of communication between a modular wireless communicator and a jacket device that is connected to the modular wireless communicator via a connector a connector that connects a plurality of signal transmission lines, the jacket device including a keypad for operating the modular wireless communicator, including receiving a multi-bit signal over multiple signal transmission lines, one bit of which indicating whether the jacket device includes a serial NOR flash memory, if the jacket device includes a serial NOR flash memory, then reading a jacket ID from the serial NOR flash memory, if the jacket device does not include a serial NOR flash memory, then reading the jacket ID from other bits of the multi-bit signal, receiving jacket keypad signals over multiple signal transmission lines, and decoding the jacket keypad signals based on the jacket ID. |
| US08249652B2 |
Mobile phone having personal defense unit
A mobile phone includes a power source, a power managing unit, a central controlling unit, a switching unit, and a personal defense unit. The power source is configured to provide the electrical energy to the mobile phone. The personal defense unit is configured to be heated by the current of the power source. The switching unit is connected between the power source and the personal defense unit. The central controlling unit is configured to receive a command triggered by a user operation on the mobile phone and to generate corresponding control signals to control connection and disconnection of the switching unit. |
| US08249651B2 |
Baseband / RFIC interface for high throughput MIMO communications
Analog signal paths are utilized between a baseband processor and a radio front end to support high throughput communications for a multiple in multiple out radio transceiver that support communications over two or more antennas. Specifically, analog differential I and Q path communication signals are exchanged between a radio front end core and a baseband processor to maximize throughput capacity for high data rate signals. Along the same lines, the impedances of traces and the interface are matched to reduce I/Q imbalance. |
| US08249649B2 |
Mobile device configured to operate on multiple different networks
An apparatus includes a code division multiple access (CDMA) antenna that is configured to transmit and receive communication signals. The apparatus includes a memory that is configured to store multiple mobile equipment identifiers (MEIDs), multiple activation protocols and instructions, where each MEID includes an identifier that is uniquely recognizable on one of multiple networks and where the activation protocols include protocols for uniquely activating the apparatus on one of multiple different networks each of which have different communication protocols. The apparatus includes a processor that is coupled to the CDMA antenna and to the memory and that is configured to execute the instructions to enable a user to select a network from the multiple different networks on which to activate and operate the apparatus and activate and operate the apparatus on a selected network using an MEID recognizable by the selected network and the activation protocol for the selected network. |
| US08249648B2 |
Mobile telecommunication terminal, communication system, and computer readable storage medium
Convenience is improved when a mobile telecommunication terminal uses a fixed telephone line. The mobile telecommunication terminal to perform communication via a mobile telecommunication network by cellular communication is a dual-mode terminal able to be wirelessly communicated (by non-cellular communication) with a communication device such as a fixed telephone or a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) access point. The mobile telecommunication terminal when carrying out signal transmission by accessing the communication device via a fixed telephone line connected to the communication device, obtains a telephone number of the mobile telecommunication using usable cellular communication as notifying information and transmits the information to the communication device. The communication device carries out signal transmission via the fixed telephone line so that the telephone number notified from the mobile telecommunication terminal is transmitted to a signal receiver. |
| US08249646B2 |
Automated communication using image capture
A server includes a communications adapter; a controller and a datastore. The controller receives a first user input via a user interface to associate at least one image attribute with a contact. Thereby, responsive to receiving an image from an electronic apparatus, the controller automatically processes the image to identify at least one feature of the image that corresponds to the image attribute, and associates the image with the contact based on the image attribute; and communicates the image to the contact via the communications adapter. The datastore is suitable for storing digital information, and is communicatively coupled to the controller. |
| US08249644B2 |
Wireless terminal, base station, wireless communication system, and wireless communication method
In a wireless terminal having a wireless transceiver and a wireless receiver which operates with lower power than the wireless transceiver, when the wireless receiver receives, from a base station, a notification message notifying that data addressed to the terminal is existent, the wireless transceiver is turned on to acquire the data. |
| US08249639B2 |
Method and system for charging of push to talk over cellular service and communication system
A method for charging of the Push to Talk over Cellular, PoC, service includes: a charging system, initializing charging of a PoC session and sends a response message of PoC Box charging; monitoring a trigger condition of PoC charging according to the response message; and judge, when a PoC user joins the PoC session, whether the user participates in the session as a PoC Box, and if so, setting a PoC Box identification for the user and send charging information to the charging system so as to charge the PoC session of the user, wherein the information includes the identification. The present invention also discloses a communication system, a charging system and a PoC server. With the present invention, the accuracy of PoC charging can be significantly improved. |
| US08249635B2 |
Communication method, wireless communication system, transmitter, and receiver
In a wireless communication system where data transmission is performed between a base station and terminals, the base station individually generates, for each terminal, a bit map indicative of scheduling resource numbers to be allocated to terminals to which Localized transmission is applied, based on a resource-number mapping rule defined by providing individual resource block numbers to all resource blocks, taking resource block numbers of resource blocks for Distributed transmission as fixed values, and providing individual scheduling resource numbers to remaining resource blocks for Localized transmission except the resource blocks for Distributed transmission for each of scheduling resources corresponding to the number of aggregation. |
| US08249632B2 |
Method for generating downlink frame, and method for searching cell
The present invention relates to a method of generating a downlink frame. The method of generating the downlink frame includes generating a first sequence and a second sequence for identifying cell groups; generating a first scrambling sequence and a second scrambling sequence that are one-to-two mapped to the sequence number of the primary synchronization signal; scrambling the first sequence with the first scrambling sequence and scrambling the second sequence with the second scrambling sequence; and generating a secondary synchronization signal including the scrambled first sequence and second sequence and mapping the secondary synchronization signal to a frequency domain. |
| US08249628B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for alternate data service provisioning
A method, system and apparatus for providing an alternate data service to a mobile communication device. The apparatus includes a logic module operable to identify a wireless network accessible by the mobile communication device, a logic module operable to determine whether a packet data service is available to the mobile communication device via the wireless network and a logic module operable to effectuate an alternate data service when the packet data service is unavailable to the mobile communication device via the wireless network. |
| US08249624B2 |
Positioning method and system in two or more cellular networks
A positioning method in two or more cellular networks calculates a gradient (grad (J)) of an optimization function for estimating position of UE: J = ∑ j = 1 N s w j ∑ i = 1 N j w i j [ ( X - X 0 j - X - X i j ) - c Δ t i j ] 2 , wherein X0j is the position of a reference cell of the jth network, Xij is the position of the ith cell of the jth network, Wij is the weight directly proportional to the downlink signal receiving intensity of the ith cell of the jth network, wj is the weight inversely proportional to the signal code continuing time of the jth network, ∥x−x0∥=√{square root over ((x−x0)2+(y−y0)2+(z−z0)2)}{square root over ((x−x0)2+(y−y0)2+(z−z0)2)}{square root over ((x−x0)2+(y−y0)2+(z−z0)2)} is the Euclidian distance, Nj is the number of non-reference cell of the jth network, Ns is the number of networks, c is the speed of light. |
| US08249623B2 |
Method and base station for transmitting location measurement reference signal, and method and user equipment for receiving location measurement reference signal
A method and a base station (BS) for transmitting a location measurement reference signal, and a method and a user equipment (UE) for receiving a location measurement reference signal are disclosed. The UE and the BS determine a transmission time of D-LBS zone configuration information configured to transmit an LBS location beacon on the basis of an S-SFH change cycle. In addition, the UE and the BS determine a transmission start point of the D-LBS zone transmitted according to the configuration information, using the transmission time of the configuration information. |
| US08249621B2 |
Frequency of geographic location updates for an electronic device based on user communication
A method, computer program product, and system are provided to update geographic location information for an electronic device. The method can include transmitting the geographic location information for the electronic device to a server device at a first time interval. A determination can be made regarding whether the electronic device is in communication with a third-party device. If the electronic device is in communication with the third-party device, then updated geographic location information for the electronic device is transmitted to the server device at a second time interval, where the second time interval is shorter than the first time interval. |
| US08249619B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for use in mobile device positioning systems
Methods and apparatuses are provided which may be adapted for use in and/or with mobile device positioning systems and/or the like. In an example, a method may include accessing a plurality of measurements associated with a plurality of location signals as received by the mobile device from at least a first portion of a plurality of transmitters. The method may include dynamically establishing at least one location signal transmission parameter based, at least in part, on the plurality of measurements. The location signal transmission parameter(s) may be adapted for use by at least a second portion of the plurality of transmitters to operatively initiate subsequent transmission of an additional plurality of location signals adapted to be received by the mobile device. |
| US08249617B2 |
Wireless terminal and user interface method
Communications is executed between users through wireless terminals thereof without fear of being located by each other. On terminal 1x, area 4 in which wireless communication is enabled with terminal 1x is divided into proximity area 6 and external area 7 and the radius (distance between boundary 5 and terminal 1x) is temporally varied by random number. A control block of terminal 1x detects terminals located in side the communicable area 4 and in the communication enabled state and processes the other terminals located inside proximity area 6 as out-of-service-area among the detected other terminals, not displaying the users of these other terminals located inside proximity area 6 onto display screen 2x. The control block processes only other terminals located inside external area 7 as in-service area and displays the users of these other terminals onto display screen 2x. |
| US08249612B2 |
Method, system, server, and client for transmitting media burst data
A method for transmitting media burst data includes grouping all clients in a session into a first session group and a second session group. The media burst data is forwarded to the clients in the first session group and sent to the clients in the second session group through the clients in the first session group. |
| US08249610B2 |
Signaling connection admission control in a wireless network
A method for admission control of control plane signaling requests includes receiving a signaling request. Upon receipt of the signaling connection request, a first determination is performed to determine whether to provide admission to common resources. When the first determination is negative, a second determination is performed to determine whether to provide admission to dedicated resources. When the second determination is negative, the signaling request is rejected. When the second determination is positive, the request is admitted to dedicated resources. When the first determination is positive, a third determination is performed to determine whether the quality of the signaling request is high or low. If the quality of the request is high, the signaling request is admitted to common resources. When the quality is low, a fourth determination is performed to determine whether to provide admission to dedicated resources. If the fourth determination is positive, the request is admitted to dedicated resources. If the fourth determination is negative, the request is admitted to common resources. |
| US08249609B2 |
Radio resource allocation method and radio station
Provided is a radio resource allocation method of allocating common radio resources shared among a plurality of radio stations or a plurality of sectors to each of the plurality of radio stations or each of the plurality of sectors. The method includes defining, as a frame set, a given number of radio frames for repeatedly providing the common radio resources along a time axis, defining, as radio resource units, minimum units obtained by dividing the common radio resources provided by the frame set in units of the radio frames and in units of sub-channel groups, and allocating at least one of the radio resource units to each of the plurality of radio stations or the each of the plurality of sectors. |
| US08249600B2 |
Mobile station capable of switching connection destination radio base station and method of switching connection destination
A quality memory unit remembers a quality table in which qualities of communication with radio base stations are arranged according to identification information of the radio base stations. A processing unit determines, based on the quality table in the quality memory unit, a selecting radio base station to select a switching radio base station to be a connection destination after switching. The processing unit sends the quality table to the selecting radio base station when switching the connection destination radio base stations. A mobile station communication unit receives identification information specifying the switching radio base station selected based on the quality table sent from the processing unit and sends a connection request to the switching radio base station specified by the identification information. |
| US08249596B2 |
Location based handoff
A method includes determining a coverage area for each of a plurality of base stations. The method also includes receiving a first location parameter indicative of a mobile unit's location. The method further includes transitioning a first connection between the mobile unit and a first base station of the plurality of base stations to a second connection between the mobile unit and a second base station of the plurality of base stations. The transition is based on the coverage areas of the first base station and the second base station and the first location parameter. |
| US08249594B2 |
Method and system to assign mobile stations to an unlicensed mobile access network controller in an unlicensed radio access network
The present invention provides a method and architecture on how mobile stations (MS) are provisioned about information of an unlicensed mobile access (UMA) network controller (UNC). The UNC in accordance with the present invention provides three different logical roles (i.e., provisioning, default and serving). More specifically, the present invention provides a method for assigning a mobile station (MS) to an unlicensed mobile access (UMA) network controller (UNC) in an unlicensed mobile access network (UMAN). The MS is connected to a provisioning UNC and discovers a default UNC. A serving UNC is then determined to assign the MS to and the MS is assigned to the serving UNC. The serving UNC can be the default UNC, the provisioning UNC or another UNC. |
| US08249589B2 |
Mobile based area event handling when currently visited network does not cover area
An area event handler informs when a target mobile enters or leaves a network covering a pre-defined target area, and re-aims an original area event request. When the event occurs, the mobile sends a location report to an initiator of the request. A PLMN list with estimated geographic coverage areas is stored in a Home GMLC, and sent to each relevant mobile. When a mobile enters new network coverage, it uses this list for network access selection. When the Home GMLC discovers that the currently visited PLMN does not serve the original target area, it modifies the area event to the that mobile, so that the Home GMLC will be notified when the target mobile once again enters a PLMN that serves the original target area. Then, after being so notified, the Home GMLC re-sends the original area event location service request to the target mobile. |
| US08249588B2 |
Method, network device, and network system for implementing voice call continuity service
A method, network device, and network system for implementing the Voice Call Continuity (VCC) service are provided. The method includes: receiving an Initial Detection Point (IDP) message from a Mobile Switching Center (MSC); querying whether an address of a Service Control Point (SCP) of a user is null; if the address of the SCP is not null, sending the IDP message to the SCP and interacting with the SCP; and detecting whether a subsequent message from the SCP is a Connect or Continue message; if the subsequent message from the SCP is the Connect or Continue message, copying the Connect or Continue message to a new Connect message and sending the new Connect message to the MSC for implementing the VCC service. According to the present invention, a new SCPvcc is used to support the VCC service, thus implementing the VCC service for all mobile users. |
| US08249586B2 |
Airborne emergency cell phone router
Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture enable routing a communication from a cell phone associated with a service provider in which the cell phone is located in a predetermined area in which the service provider does not have an operational base station or in which routing assistance is required. A cell base station having one or more antennas is provided in an aircraft. Each of the antennas is configured to monitor a respective sector of the predetermined area for a cell phone communication when the aircraft is flown in proximity to the predetermined area. A registration request from a first cell phone in the predetermined is detected via the cell base station and an ID and location associated with the first cell phone is routed to a ground based telephone switching office, such as the mobile telephone switching office associated with the service provider of the detected cell phone. |
| US08249585B2 |
Systems, methods and computer program products for mobility management in hybrid satellite/terrestrial wireless communications systems
Apparatus, methods and computer program products that support inter-PLMN coordination in registration and handover operations are provided. Hysteresis is introduced in registration of radioterminals in a hybrid terrestrial/satellite mobile communications environment. Inter-PLMN handover techniques are provided, including techniques for coordination of communication of timing information and traffic channel controls. |
| US08249583B2 |
Method and system for identifying and characterising the impact of network incidents on the telecommunication services offered to users
The present Invention relates to a method and to a system for identifying and characterizing the impact of network incidents on the telecommunication services offered to users. According to the invention, the system for identifying and characterizing an incident in a service offered to a user of a telecommunications network comprises an unavailability selection module (1), a consolidation module (4), an aggregation module (10), a stabilization module (12) and a notification module (14). |
| US08249576B2 |
Mobile phone having a camera function and timing reset unit
The present invention is a mobile phone having a non-telephone function (e.g. a radio function) that is different from a telephone function, and comprising: a timer operable to count time; a camera unit operable to execute the camera function; a camera function stop unit operable, during execution of the camera function to automatically stop the execution of the camera function when the timer indicates an elapse of a predetermined time period; a telephone unit operable to execute the telephone function; and a reset unit operable, if the timer is being operated in response to the execution of the camera function, to reset the timer to an initial state when a predetermined operation relating to the telephone function is executed, wherein when the timer is reset to the initial state, the timer starts to measure the predetermined time period, and the camera function stop unit stops the execution of the camera function at the elapse of the predetermined time period from the execution of the predetermined operation relating to the telephone function. The present invention successfully reduces occurrences of unwanted auto power off during the time when the non-telephone function is in execution—for example, the auto power off of the radio function during the time when the user is listening to the radio. |
| US08249575B2 |
Direct memory download in a voice data and RF integrated circuit and method for use therewith
A voice data and RF integrated circuit (IC) includes an RF transceiver module that produces received data based on a received RF signal and that produces a transmitted RF signal based on transmit data. A memory module includes a first read only memory (ROM) segment for storing a first plurality of operational instructions, and a first random access memory (RAM) segment for storing a second plurality of operational instructions. A first processing module executes the plurality of operational instructions that include baseband processing to generate input data from the received data, and to produce the transmit data from input data. A first memory interface provides direct downloading of the second plurality of operational instructions from the external memory to the first RAM segment. |
| US08249572B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for programming user-defined information into electronic devices
A device for programming user-defined information into an electronic device is provided. The programmer allows a user to program customized information, such as user-selected audio, video, or Internet access information into his or her programmable device. Such electronic devices include wireless telephones, pagers, and personal digital assistants. The programmer allows a user to, among other things, customize the device to suit his or her particular taste. |
| US08249568B2 |
System and method for processing a voice mail
Described is a system and method for processing a voice mail. The method comprises receiving a voice mail, converting the voice mail into a text message using a predefined speech-to-text conversion algorithm and transmitting the text message to a wireless computing device. |
| US08249567B2 |
Multicast communication method in a CDMA mobile communication system
A multicast communication method in a CDMA mobile communication system which is capable of reducing a transmission power in a base station system, and is capable of performing an efficient multicast operation for a large number of mobile subscribers is provided. The starting of information distribution by a multicast operation and identification information indicating a content of the information thereof are notified through a broadcast channel to a mobile subscriber. Further, through the broadcast channel, information such as a spread code or the like to be used at this time, which is necessary for actual reception of communication data, is notified. Then, in the mobile subscriber, a surround environment of the mobile subscriber is checked to determine the possibility of simultaneous receiving from a plurality of other base station systems. If possible, similar notified information is also received from other base station systems. Thus, all kinds of information regarding the spread code or the like to be used for receiving distributed information are obtained. |
| US08249565B2 |
System and method for providing short message targeted advertisements over a wireless communications network
A method and system for providing targeted advertisement information to consumers over a wireless communications network. In one embodiment, local advertisers register to advertise on certain wireless communications devices that are in close proximity to the advertiser. As a consumer enters a cell site that is near the location of the advertiser, the wireless network delivers a message to the wireless device that is specified by the local advertiser. An acknowledgement signal is then received by the network, and the local advertiser's account is charged for transmission of the advertisement. In a further embodiment, each of the messages stored in the database is also associated with one or more demographic codes, and users of wireless communications device select from one more demographic codes to describer their advertisement preferences. Messages to be transmitted to particular wireless communications devices are selected based upon both the location information and the demographics codes that are associated with the messages. |
| US08249562B2 |
Methods, apparatuses and software for providing the service control node with filter criteria
A method and apparatus in a telecommunication network for triggering services provided to a user. A service control node in the user's home network domain utilizes filter criteria, which may be derived from the user's user profile, to trigger the services. The service control node selects at least one filter criterion depending on the criterion's relevance to the user. Alternatively, the service control node is provided with at least one filter criterion not stored in the user profile. |
| US08249557B2 |
Mobile phone
A mobile phone includes a fingerprint input unit, a storage unit, a switch unit, and a control unit. The fingerprint input unit is used to read and record fingerprint information of a user, and output the fingerprint information. The storage unit stores a fingerprint mode. The switch unit is connected to a power on/off terminal of the mobile phone. The control unit is used to receive the fingerprint information and compare the received fingerprint information with the stored fingerprint mode. If the received fingerprint information is not consistent with the stored fingerprint mode and the mobile phone is at a power-off state, the control unit outputs a first control signal to control switch unit to keep the mobile phone being at the power-off state. |
| US08249553B2 |
System and method for securing a base station using SIM cards
Methods and systems are provided for securing integrated base stations, such as base station routers (BSRs), in which a SIM card is operatively coupled with a secured portion of a base station and a secure association is established therebetween to facilitate encryption key exchange between the secured portion of the base station and a core network. |
| US08249552B1 |
Pre and post-paid service plan manager
A service plan manager is provided, including a manager engine and a storage device to store data for a service account that comprises a pre-paid service plan associated with a first communication device and a post-paid service plan associated with a second communication device. The manager engine determines whether a balance associated with the pre-paid service plan is below a threshold, and communicates a request for increasing the balance to a device associated with the service account if the balance associated with the pre-paid service plan is below the threshold. The manager engine discontinues service for the first communication device until an approval of the request for increasing the balance is received, increases the balance in response to a receipt of the approval of the request for increasing the balance, and adds an amount associated with increasing the balance to an invoice associated with the service account. |
| US08249551B2 |
Long-term evolution (LTE) policy control and charging rules function (PCRF) selection
The PCRF Selection Function selects the PCRF for an IP-CAN session. In embodiments, the PCRF Selection Function is located in the HSS and/or the 3GPP AAA server. The PCRF Selection Function is only required to be located in the HSS if a Bearer Binding and Event Reporting Function (BBERF) is deployed in the serving gateway. In this case, the PCRF selection takes place at the time that the PDN Gateway is selected and returned by the HSS to the serving gateway over the HSS to MME interface (S6a). |
| US08249549B1 |
Automating emergency calls globally
Automating emergency calls globally involves receiving, from a user and at a mobile device, a number associated with an outgoing call; identifying, at the mobile device, the received number is a first emergency number; and identifying, at the mobile device, a country associated with the first emergency number. The mobile device also identifies a country of operation of the mobile device at a time of receiving the first emergency number. The device then determines whether the country of operation corresponds to the country associated with the first emergency number. Upon determining that the country of operation does not correspond to the country associated with the first emergency number, a second emergency number associated with the country of operation is determined. The mobile device transmits the second emergency number to a wireless network servicing the mobile device, instead of the first emergency number, to initiate the emergency call. |
| US08249548B2 |
Method and device for generating user mobility model of cellular network
A method for generating a user mobility model includes: firstly deriving user movement tracks of all the users in a cellular network and then generating from the user movement tracks a user mobility model involving a user traffic between home cells of any two of path points in the cellular network. Thus, a cell can be re-divided into respective location areas according to the generated user mobility model to thereby deploy reasonably various network resources in the GSM network according to the re-divided positional zones. The invention further discloses a method and device for generating a user movement track and a device for generating a user mobility model. |
| US08249546B1 |
Method and system for improving access to emergency services over a shared wireless communications medium
Disclosed is a method and system for improving access to emergency services via a communication system including a shared wireless communications medium. A requesting wireless communications device receives dialed digits matching a predetermined dialed destination associated with an emergency contact and attempts to place a call to the dialed destination. Responsive to a failure of the attempt to place the call and to the matching, the requesting wireless communications device broadcasts a signal to cause at least one nearby wireless communications device to release at least a portion of communication system resources currently in use so as to thereby allow the released communication system resources to be subsequently used by the requesting wireless communications device. The requesting wireless communications device may then re-attempt the call with improved chances of connecting in light of the released resources. |
| US08249544B2 |
Directional coupler and RF circuit module
A directional coupler with a high coupling per unit area and small variations in characteristic at manufacturing capable of achieving a high directivity easily and an RF circuit module provided with the directional coupler are achieved. A main-line is provided on a front surface of a multi-layer substrate, a ground plane is provided on a back surface of the multi-layer substrate. On an inner layer immediately under the main-line, two lines in parallel with the main-line are provided, and one line is provided on a layer closer to the ground plane than the two lines. By connecting the two lines and the one line with vias, a sub-line with a shape of a winding of a loop is formed. In the sub-line, a main component of a vector vertically penetrating the loop is horizontal with respect to the ground plane. |
| US08249543B2 |
Low-IF integrated data receiver and associated methods
Integrated low-IF (low intermediate frequency) data receivers and associated methods are disclosed that provide advantageous and cost-efficient solutions. |
| US08249542B2 |
Receiver and integrated AM-FM/IQ demodulators for gigabit-rate data detection
This disclosure addresses providing gigabit-rate data transmission over wireless radio links, using carrier frequencies in the millimeter-wave range (>30 GHz). More specifically, a circuit for detection of amplitude-shift keyed (ASK) or other amplitude modulations (AM) which can be easily incorporated into an integrated circuit receiver system is described, making the receiver capable of supporting both complex IQ modulation schemes and simpler, non-coherent on-off or multiple-level keying signals. Several novel radio architectures are also described which, with the addition of a frequency discriminator network, have the capability of handling frequency shift keyed (FSK) or other frequency modulations (FM), as well as AM and complex IQ modulation schemes. These radio architectures support this wide variety of modulations by efficiently sharing detector hardware components. The architecture for supporting both quadrature down-conversion and ASK/AM is described first, followed by the ASK/AM detector circuit details, then the AM-FM detector architecture, and finally the most general AM-FM/IQ demodulator system concept and the FSK/FM detector circuit details. |
| US08249534B2 |
Method for interference rejection
The present invention relates to a method for identifying components in a telecommunication system, which method comprises representing a uniform linear array, ULA, antenna, having at least two antenna elements, by an array factor polynomial comprising at least two terms, each term having a certain weight (Wk); setting said weights (WK) to desired values such that a desired antenna radiation pattern is acquired. Furthermore, the method comprises the steps: changing the desired weights such that a number of sets of desired weights (Wk) is acquired, such that the ULA antenna scans a spatial portion, a certain scan corresponding to a certain set of desired weights, analyzing a received signal (h0) being represented by a received array factor polynomial having terms with certain received weights, which is parameterized by at least one pole; and using each corresponding set of desired weights (Wk) and received weights to determine the pole parameterization. |
| US08249528B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for providing transmit diversity feedback during soft handoff
Embodiments of the present invention describe methods for increasing the amount of information available to a mobile transmit diversity transmitter during soft handoff. According to embodiments of the invention, a transmit diversity transmitter may determine substantially when it is within the range of at least two receivers. In such situations, the transmitter may use the power control signals from more than one receiver, for example, from the two most dominant receivers in order to focus the beamforming accordingly. |
| US08249521B2 |
Method, device, and system of resource configuration
A method and a communications system are provided. The system includes a Node B and a RNC. The Node B report the RNC whether the base station an E-DPCCH power boost capability. The RNC is also informed whether a UE supports and E-DPCCH power boost capability. If the Node B and the UE both support the E-DPCCH power boost capability, the RNC configures the resource for the Node B to perform channel estimation by using the E-DPCCH power boost feature for the UE. Through the solution of the system, the accuracy of channel estimation can be improved and thus a bit error rate in high-speed data transmission can be reduced. |
| US08249520B2 |
Link adaptation in wireless networks for throughput maximization under retransmissions
The present invention implements a method and system for dynamically adapting the modulation and coding scheme for radio links in a wireless communications network based on a retransmission environment model in order to maximize throughput and most efficiently allocate bandwidth resources. The present invention encompasses a refined calculus and methodology for deriving the link adaptation thresholds in a retransmission environment using a complex model and analysis of the retransmission environment. The present invention holds particular application for wireless data communications as opposed to real time data services because it is based on a retransmission model applicable primarily for data services. A critical component of this new link adaptation system is a “no transmission” cutoff mode that is selected for SIR below a base threshold value. This new mode prevents system instability and misallocation of bandwidth in a wireless communication system. |
| US08249519B2 |
Method of determining the instant of consideration of a modification of at least one reception condition for signals in a communication system
The invention relates to a method of determining the instant of consideration of a modification of at least one reception condition for signals in a communication system comprising at least two communication devices. The method comprises the steps, executed by a communication device, of detecting (E702) at least one modification of the reception conditions for signals in the communication system, determining (E703) the instant at which at least one other communication device will have detected the modification of the reception conditions for the signals, and establishing (E704) an operating mode of the first communication device as a function of the instant determined. The invention also relates to an associated determining device. |
| US08249517B1 |
Visualizing radio frequency environment around an observation site
A system for visualizing a Radio Frequency (“RF”) environment around an observation site includes a receiver, a scanner, a detector, and a display. The receiver includes an antenna and a shield shielding the antenna to create a directional signal reception path to enable reception of RF signals at known orientations. The scanner is coupled to the receiver and is configured to rotate the shield to modify the directional signal reception path of the receiver. The detector is coupled to the receiver and the scanner, and the detector is configured to receive the RF signals from the receiver along with their associative orientation information and to detect an intensity of the received RF signals. The display is coupled to the detector and is configured to generate a display responsive to the received RF signals from the receiver, including their associative orientation information and intensity. |
| US08249511B2 |
Downlink wireless transmission schemes with inter-cell interference mitigation
A system and method for inter-cell interference avoidance. A device capable of performing channel estimation is configured to divide a codebook into two sets. A first set of said two sets corresponds to codebook information that will cause an interference in a received signal to be less than a threshold. The device further is configured to send feedback information corresponding to the first or second set, or both. A base station is configured to select a preceding vector or matrix based, in part, on a portion of the feedback information. |
| US08249507B2 |
Techniques for wireless network communications with high-directional steerable antennas combining quasi omni-directional transmissions with beamforming training
An embodiment of the present invention provides a method, comprising communicating in a wireless network using a low-rate quasi omni-directional communications mode implemented as TX-RX space scanning using directional antennas, and a high-rate directional communications mode with beamformed directional antennas, and wherein the quasi low-rate omni-directional communications mode using TX-RX space scanning uses a same frame to simultaneously carry control information and perform beamforming training of the directional antennas. |
| US08249506B2 |
Master-slave mobile communication system and network domain login method
A master-slave mobile communication system includes a host device and an extension device. The host device includes a call module, a first BLUETOOTH® module and a first communication module. The extension device includes a second BLUETOOTH® module and a second communication module. The first and second communication modules log in to a first and a second network domain respectively. The first and second BLUETOOTH® modules provide an information channel between the host device and the extension device to transmit a data. The extension device informs the host device a login data of the second network domain. The host device communicates with a remote device through the first network domain or the information channel and the second network domain that the extension device logs into. Therefore, in a specific range, the host device uses functions of the extension device and a BLUETOOTH® technology to log in to two network domains. |
| US08249505B1 |
Method and apparatus for selecting a mode in a multi-mode communications client
A wireless terminal includes a wireless interface that is configured to selectively connect the wireless terminal to a network using one of at least two different access modes including a cellular access mode and at least one non-cellular access mode. A mode control that selects the one of the at least two different access modes based at least in part on an access priority signal received from the network. |
| US08249503B2 |
Communication partner appliance with automatic send mode activation
A communication partner appliance is implemented within a near field communication system. The communication partner appliance includes a receiver, a detector, and a processor. The receiver receives a NFC command signal from another communication partner appliance. The detector detects whether a carrier signal from the other communication partner appliance is present at the receiver and generates a corresponding status signal. The processor receives the command signal from the receiver, recognizes an end of the command signal, receives the status signal from the detector after the end of the command signal, and controls a power supply element based on the status signal after the end of the command signal. The power supply element is configured to establish a connection to either a first power supply or a second power supply. The first power supply is dependent on the carrier signal, and the second power supply is independent of the carrier signal. |
| US08249499B2 |
Method, system and device for initiating wireless communication
The present invention provides a wireless device configured relay wireless communication between a computing device and one or more broadband wireless networks. In this manner the wireless device can act as an access point, hotspot or the like, for the computing device. The wireless device comprises a network interface system configured for communication with a wireless network and one or more broadband wireless networks. The wireless device further includes a control system operatively coupled to the network interface system, wherein the control system is configured to control communication between the network interface system and the wireless network. The control system is further configured to activate communication with one or more of the broadband wireless networks upon receipt of a predetermined communication from the computing device via the wireless network. |
| US08249498B1 |
Selective service-toggling in a wireless communication system
A method to selectively restrict certain wireless communication devices (WCDs) from attempting to access a radio access network is disclosed. In example operation, a wireless carrier will provision a proper subset of its subscriber WCDs with a special access-toggle flag or associated logic, while other subscriber WCDs of the wireless carrier will not be so provisioned. When and where the wireless carrier wishes to prevent the subset of WCDs from attempting to access the wireless carrier's system, the wireless carrier will then broadcast an access-off command that will be interpreted by the devices with the access-toggle flag/logic as meaning that they should not seek to access the wireless carrier's system, but that will be disregarded (or at least not so interpreted) by the subscriber WCDs without the access-toggle flag/logic. |
| US08249496B2 |
Broadcast frequency detection device
By detecting the broadcast frequency of a musical composition in radio broadcasting based on on-air information and now-on-air information being broadcast contents information, the broadcast frequency of each musical composition can be displayed on a display 26 without receiving and outputting radio broadcasting. Thereby, the user can recognize that which musical composition is frequently broadcasted. Thus, even if the user does not listen to the musical composition broadcasted in the radio broadcasting, the broadcast frequency of the musical composition can be shown to the above user. |
| US08249495B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a sheet supply unit for supplying a printing medium; and a sheet discharge unit for discharging the printing medium after an image is transferred to the printing medium. Further, the image forming apparatus includes a transport path medium number storage unit for storing a transport path medium number; a discharge number storage unit for storing a discharge number; an upper limit print number storage unit for storing an upper limit print number; an addition unit for calculating an addition sum of the discharge number and the transport path medium number; a number comparison unit for comparing the addition sum with the upper limit print number; and a sheet supply stop unit for stopping the sheet supply unit when the addition sum exceeds the upper limit print number. |
| US08249494B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus capable of properly discharging a medium has a first medium stacking unit, a second medium stacking unit, and a guiding member for guiding the medium to the second medium stacking unit in a case that the second medium stacking unit is set in an opened state and guiding the medium to the first medium stacking unit in a case that the second medium stacking unit is set in a closed state. Since the guiding member guides the medium to the second medium stacking unit in a case that the second medium stacking unit is set in the opened state and guides medium to the first medium stacking unit in a case that the second medium stacking unit is set in the closed state, the medium can be discharged to the second medium stacking unit in a case that large normal curling occurs. |
| US08249490B2 |
Image transfer device and image forming apparatus
An image transfer device according to the present invention applies a transfer bias voltage to a toner image developed on a surface of an image carrying member, the transfer bias voltage having an opposite polarity from the polarity of an electric charge of the toner image, by a transfer roller from a power supply device, and electrostatically transfers the toner image to a transfer medium. A resistance element is connected between the power supply device and the transfer roller in series. The resistance element has a value of resistance which varies little with environmental variation, and a ratio between the value of resistance and a synthetic value of resistance of a transfer device including the conductive roller is set to a value which restrains variations in transfer efficiency of the electrostatic transfer with respect to variations in the synthetic value of resistance with the environmental variations. |
| US08249488B2 |
Bias charge roller comprising overcoat layer
Disclosed are bias charge rollers having an overcoat layer. The overcoat layer comprises an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) terpolymer and metal oxide particles optionally doped with a doping agent. The resulting bias charge rollers have reduced streaking and increased service lifetimes. |
| US08249484B2 |
Image forming apparatus having mechanisms for holding and moving a rear portion for easy maintenance
An image forming apparatus includes an operating portion provided at a front part of a main assembly of the apparatus; a rear cover covering at least a part of a rear part of the main assembly; a holding mechanism for holding the rear cover relative to the main assembly; an opening and closing mechanism for upwardly moving the rear cover from a close position for covering the part of the rear part of the main assembly to an open position for exposing the part of the rear part and for downwardly moving the rear cover from the open position to the close position; a stabilizer for keeping the rear cover at the open position; an electrical component provided inside the rear cover at a position accessible from a front side of the main assembly when the rear cover takes the open position. |
| US08249483B2 |
Method and devices for remanufacturing printer cartridges
Methods and devices for remanufacturing printer cartridges are provided where the printer cartridges comprise a photoconductive drum, the photoconductive drum comprises a drum gear end, and the drum gear end of the photoconductive drum is configured to be attached to a laser printer via a rotational force transmitting assembly. In an embodiment, the method comprises removing the rotational force transmitting assembly from the photoconductive drum, providing a replacement photoconductive drum, and attaching the rotational force transmitting assembly to the replacement photoconductive drum. |
| US08249482B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image forming cartridge supporter, and image forming unit
An image forming apparatus has a body frame and a slide frame. The slide frame is configured to be pulled out from the body frame along a sliding direction. A plurality of image forming cartridges is detachably mounted on the slide frame. A plurality of electrode members is mounted on the slide frame and aligned along the sliding direction so as to correspond to the image forming cartridges. A body-side contact portion of each of the electrode members is electrically connected to the body frame. A cartridge-side contact portion of the electrode member is electrically connected to the image forming cartridge. The image forming cartridge is connected to the body via the corresponding electrode member when the slide frame mounting the image forming cartridges is inserted to the body frame. |
| US08249475B2 |
Charging device with variation range detector and response speed controller and image forming apparatus using the same
A charging device includes: a charging member that faces an image carrier and charges a surface of the image carrier; a charging voltage controller that controls a charging voltage to be applied to the charging member when the surface of the image carrier is to be charged, and applies the charging voltage obtained by superposing an AC voltage which is subjected to constant-current control on a DC voltage; a variation range detector that detects a variation range of the AC voltage which changes according to the characteristic change of the charging member; and a response speed controller that reduces a response speed for the variation of the AC voltage in correspondence with the characteristic change when the variation range is larger than a predetermined set value. |
| US08249474B2 |
Image forming apparatus which controls image forming conditions based on residual toner of a detection pattern
An image forming apparatus including a latent image carrier; a developing device to develop a latent image formed on a surface of the latent image carrier with toner to form a toner image; a transfer device to either directly transfer the toner image onto a recording medium, or to primarily transfer the toner image from the latent image carrier onto an intermediate transfer body and then secondarily transfer the toner image from the intermediate transfer body onto a recording medium; a post-transfer imaging unit to photograph the surface of the latent image carrier or the intermediate transfer body after transfer of the toner image; and a control unit to control one or more image forming conditions based on a quantified value for residual toner of a detection pattern formed on the surface of the latent image carrier or the intermediate transfer body. |
| US08249472B2 |
Methods and apparatus for adjusting device power consumption based on usage data
Methods and apparatus for adjusting printing device power consumption based on previously acquired usage data. The printing device has multiple energy consumption states including at least a ready state in which the printing device is ready to commence processing of a print job immediately upon receipt and including at least a low power state where the printing device is not ready to commence processing of a newly received print job. Acquired usage data includes parameters of print jobs submitted during a data collection period of time. The parameters may include time and date of submitted print jobs. Based on the usage data a usage profile is determined. The usage profile identifies one or more high usage periods of time and one or more low usage periods of time. Methods and apparatus then switch the printing device among the multiple energy consumption states based on the usage profile. |
| US08249469B2 |
Supply control apparatus, image-forming apparatus, and supply control method
A supply control apparatus includes: a specifying unit that specifies a total amount of toner held in a holding chamber of a toner holding unit; and a supply control unit that controls supply of toner held in the holding chamber to a development unit that develops a latent image using the toner, in a case that the specified total amount is a first amount, such that an amount of the toner supplied per unit of time is smaller than the amount supplied in a case that the total amount is a second amount, which is smaller than the first amount. |
| US08249464B2 |
Optical receiver and method for optical reception
In-phase signal light and quadrature-phase signal light obtained by mixing input light and local light with each other are converted into digital signals. The quality of a signal to be received is monitored with reference to information obtained through digital signal processing, and the power ratio between the input signal light and the local light that are to be mixed with each other are controlled on the basis of the result of the monitoring. |
| US08249463B2 |
Skew compensation across polarized optical channels
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, devices and methods for managing skew within a polarized multi-channel optical transport system. In a DP-QPSK system, skew between polarized channels is compensated within the transport system by adding latency to at least one of the polarized channels. The amount of added latency may depend on various factors including the skew tolerance of the transport system and the amount of skew across the channels without compensation. This latency may be added optically or electrically, and at various locations on a channel signal path within a transport node, such as a terminal transmitter or receiver. Additionally, various embodiments of the invention provide for novel methods of inserting frame alignment bit sequences within the transport frame overhead so that alignment and skew compensation may be more efficiently and accurately performed at the transport receiver. |
| US08249462B2 |
Lighting system with lighting units using optical communication
A lighting system and a method of operating the lighting system are described. A plurality of lighting units (10, 10′) each comprise, a lighting element (12) with a lighting control unit (14) for controlling its light output, and a communication unit (16, 16′) for communicating over a communication medium, e.g. RF or power line communication. The units (10, 10′) further have an optical receiver (18) for receiving light from other lighting units (10, 10′). A controller unit (20) is connected to the optical receiver (18), the communication unit (16, 16′) and the lighting control unit (14). In order to allow easy, automated set-up, at least in a configuration phase, the lighting units (10, 10′) send information by operating the lighting elements (12) in a modulated manner, and this information is received by a further lighting unit (10, 10′) observing the generated light. According to a first aspect, the lighting units (10, 10′) are grouped in clusters by turning on the lighting element (12) in a first lighting unit and generating cluster information depending on whether or not the emitted light is observed by further lighting units. According to a second aspect, lighting units (10, 10′) form a communications network and communicate with a joining lighting unit (66) by transmitting code data (78a, 78b) by operating the lighting element (12) according to a modulation sequence, and then transmitting configuration data (80) over the communication medium encrypted with the code data (78a, 78b). |
| US08249461B2 |
Method of and system for positioning first and second devices relative to each other
The invention relates to a method of locating a first device for wirelessly communicating with a second device relative to each other. The invention further relates to a system comprising a first device and a second device adapted for wirelessly communicating with each other. The object of the present invention is notify a user of an appropriate position of a first device relative to a second device with a view to ensuring proper wireless communication between them. The problem is solved in that one or more light sources are used to notify the user of appropriate locations of the two devices relative to each other according to a predefined correspondence scheme between appropriate beam patterns and distances between the devices The invention has the advantage of assisting a user in attaining a correct or appropriate distance between a first device (e.g. a programming device) and a second device (e.g. a device to be programmed). The invention may e.g. be used for programming or uploading data from a programming or server device to a portable audio device (e.g. a hearing aid) or to an entertainment device (e.g. a music player or a head set). |
| US08249457B2 |
Method and device for bidirectional IR data transfer between a medical treatment table and an operator control device
The invention presents a method and a device for bidirectional IR data transfer between a medical treatment table, particularly an operating table (10a to 10d), and an operator control device (12a to 12d) which are subscribers in the IR data transfer and which each comprise an IR transmitter and an IR receiver, where the data to be transferred by a subscriber (10a to 10d, 12a to 12d) are split into data blocks which are transmitted in succession, with a respective break being observed between the transmission of the individual data blocks, and where data from another subscriber are transmitted within the breaks. |
| US08249453B2 |
Optical communication system
An optical communicating apparatus that is connected to another optical communicating apparatus by a two-core optical transmission path includes: a one-core optical transmission path that passes an optical signal transmitted from an optical transmitter/receiver performing one-core bilateral communication and an optical signal transmitted to the optical transmitter/receiver in an opposite direction; a transmitting unit that transmits the optical signal transmitted from the optical transmitter/receiver through the one-core optical transmission path, to the other optical communicating apparatus through a first core of the two-core optical transmission path; and a receiving unit that receives the optical signal transmitted from the other communicating apparatus through a second core of the two-core optical transmission path, and passes the received optical signal to the one-core optical transmission path. |
| US08249452B2 |
ONT-based micronode management
This disclosure describes ONT-based management of micronodes in an RFOG network. A micronode is configured to permit remote management via an ONT in an optical network. An optical networking protocol, such as a PON protocol, may be used to exchange information with an ONT for management of the micronode. Management may include configuration and monitoring of the micronode. The micronode may have a management interface that supports remote configuration and monitoring via an ONT coupled to the management interface. An operator may use the ONT as a management terminal for the micronode. The ONT may permit an operator to effectively manage micronodes, and also may offer a ready upgrade path to provide optical networking services such as PON services to a subscriber when the operator is ready to upgrade its CO equipment and CPE. |
| US08249450B2 |
Methods of port mapping in fiber optic network devices
A method for port mapping a fiber optic network device is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of providing a first fiber optic network device and configuring the first fiber optic network device by disposing therein a first plurality of ports and a plurality of optical fibers optically coupled to a distribution cable. The method also comprises routing predetermined ones of the plurality of optical fibers to respective predetermined ones of the plurality of ports. The first plurality of ports may comprise a first drop port and a first pass-through port. At least one of the predetermined ones of the plurality of optical fibers routes to the first drop port and at least one of the predetermined ones of the plurality of optical fibers routes to the first pass-through port. The method may also comprise providing and configuring a second fiber optic network device optically coupled to the first fiber optic network device through the first pass-through port. The configuring may also comprise disposing one or more splitters in the first and second fiber optic network devices. |
| US08249449B2 |
Network node, buffer device, and scheduling method
A buffer device includes at least one internal switching unit and at least one basic buffer unit. The internal switching unit includes at least two inputs and at least two outputs. The internal switching unit and the basic buffer unit form a closed connection by alternating with each other via one input of the two inputs and one output of the two outputs. Another one of the at least two inputs of the internal switching unit receives a light wave. The internal switching unit outputs the light wave according to a first control signal. The basic buffer unit buffers the lightwave from the internal switching unit. At the same time, a network node and a scheduling method are also provided. A network node with the buffer device has a small scale and is easy to realize, while the data packet loss rate is decreased and the head of line blocking is avoided. |
| US08249447B2 |
Systems and methods for optical receiver decision threshold optimization
The present invention provides systems and methods for a receiver threshold optimization loop to provide self-contained automatic adjustment in a compact module, such as a pluggable optical transceiver. The receiver threshold optimization loop utilizes a performance metric associated with the receiver, such as FEC, to optimize performance of the receiver. The receiver is optimized through a change in the receiver threshold responsive to the performance metric. Advantageously, the present invention provides improved receiver performance through a continuous adjustment that is self-contained within the receiver, such as within a pluggable optical transceiver compliant to a multi-source agreement (MSA). The receiver threshold optimization loop can include a fine and a coarse sweep of adjustment from an initial setting. |
| US08249446B2 |
Method and apparatus for regulating rogue behavior in optical network transmission devices
A method and apparatus for regulating rogue behavior in optical transmission devices. The apparatus, for example, may be implemented in one or more of the ONTs in a PON. The ONT includes an optical transmitter that may be disabled by a command generated by the ONT itself if rogue behavior is detected or suspected. To detect rogue behavior, at least one output indictor, such as LBC or MPC, is monitored during one or more monitoring windows. If monitoring indicates that the optical transmitter is transmitting more than a pre-determined threshold, a suspect rogue flag is set, for example in an I2C register. The register is read, preferably a number of successive times, and a determination is made whether to disable the optical transmitter. In some embodiments, the OLT is queried as part of this determination. The disability may be permanent, until a manual service operation, for example, or temporary. |
| US08249441B2 |
Zinc oxide nano-wire based actuator, lens module using same and camera module using same
An exemplary zinc oxide nano-wire based actuator includes a first electrode, a second electrode opposite to the first electrode, and a zinc oxide nano-wire layer sandwiched between the first electrode and the second electrode. The zinc oxide nano-wire layer includes two opposite surfaces in contact with the first and the second electrodes respectively, and a plurality of zinc oxide nano-wires substantially parallel to each other. The first electrode and the second electrode are configured for cooperatively creating therebetween an electric field with an electric field direction substantially parallel to the zinc oxide nano-wires so as to adjust a thickness of the zinc oxide nano-wire layer, thereby moving the second electrode relative to the first electrode. |
| US08249439B2 |
High-pressure gas heating device
A high-pressure gas-heating device has a pressurized container (1) carrying a gas, a heating element (3) arranged in the pressurized container (1), and an insulation (2). The insulation (2) is arranged on the interior wall of the pressurized container (1). The pressurized container (1) is designed for pressures of to 100 bar, and at least one flow distributor element (5) is arranged in an inflow area of the pressurized container (1) to distribute the inflowing gas over the entire width of the heating element (3). |
| US08249438B2 |
Multi-setting circuits for the portable dryer
A dryer circuit includes a main circuit and a connection controller. The dryer circuit includes a power unit, a first and second heating units, a first and a second switches, a motor having a fan installed, a resistor, a first diode, and a second diode. The first and the second heating units are coupled to ground respectively through the first and the second switches. The resistor is coupled between the first heating unit and the motor. The first diode is coupled between the second heating unit and the motor. The second diode is coupled between the first heating unit and the motor and in series with the resistor. The connection controller controls the first and the second switches on or off for adjusting the power supplied to the motor, and the first and the second heating units at the same time. |
| US08249437B2 |
Hybrid heater
A hybrid heater that includes a structural mass into which passages are provided to create a labyrinth for chemical flow through the structural mass, the passages being sized and disposed to receive a plurality of heater rods such that the chemical is traversed through the passages in direct contact with the heater rods. A coiled spring may be disposed or other spiral arrangement provided in the space between and against the walls of the passages and the heater rod to facilitate flow uniformity around the rods. A temperature sensor may be provided in direct contact with the heating element and may be fitted with a mass sleeve to draw off any excess heat on the sensor during transitions. |
| US08249435B2 |
Portable heating assembly
A device may include a housing defining a generally nonlinear path between an intake port for taking in fluid and an outlet port for outputting heated fluid. The device may also include a fan assembly disposed of the intake port for supplying the intake port with the fluid. Additionally, the device may also include a heat source disposed along the generally nonlinear path for heating the fluid supplied by the fan assembly. Further, the device may also include a compression assembly for at least partially defining the generally nonlinear path. The compression assembly may be configured for creating a first pressure region proximal to the intake port and a second pressure region distal to the intake port. The first pressure region may be a higher fluid pressure than the second pressure region. |
| US08249431B2 |
Recording device, recording method, and recording program
The recording apparatus acquires now-on-air information at a certain interval of time. The now-on-air information shows the contents of broadcast signals being received. The recording apparatus records broadcast signals when detecting a keyword in the now-on-air information. Therefore, if the recording apparatus receives the broadcast signals which represent user's desired program's picture/sound, it can record them. In this manner, the recording apparatus can record user's desired part of program's picture/sound. |
| US08249426B2 |
Method of automatically editing media recordings
A method (100) of automatically editing audio and visual recordings to produce an audio-visual production using computer processing means. The method (100) involves a first step (101) of setting production criteria in which the desired production duration, target device, maximum execution time and location of media files are specified. In a second step (102) a style is selected for applying to the media files. A third step (103) of selecting ones of the media files involves selecting those media files in folders which have been accessed most recently by a user, based on awarding a score to folders. In a fourth step (104), the selected style is applied. This is followed in a fifth step (105) by rendering the production to the target device. |
| US08249424B2 |
Information recording medium in which groove tracks are wobbled by frequency 2n times wobble frequency of standard
An optical disc (100) is provided with a recording region where prescribed clock information (WBL) is preformatted for recording. The clock information is (i) included in a first frequency band that is definable by a first reference frequency (Fstd) (that is impossible for a conventional reproducing device to detect by a detecting method based on a self-correlation) and is (ii) defined by a frequency that is integer times the first frequency. |
| US08249406B2 |
Laser system
A laser system including an optical cable jumper with input and output terminals, and a laser gun, wherein the optical jumper transmits a laser beam from a bundle-type optical cable connected to an input terminal thereof to a single-type optical cable connected to an output terminal thereof. The laser gun is connected to the single-type optical cable at a rear of the optical cable jumper to illuminate the laser beam to a target object. |
| US08249405B2 |
Variable wavelength light source, optical module and manufacturing method of variable wavelength light source
The variable wavelength light source includes a multiple ring resonator including a plurality of resonators, photodetectors which detect light powers outputted from at least two out of the plurality of resonators via throughports, a plurality of variable light units for changing the transmittance of the multiple ring resonator by individually working on at least two out of the plurality of resonators, a light input/output unit which supplies the light to the multiple resonator and emits the light returned from the multiple resonator towards the outside, and a control unit which controls the plurality of variable light units in accordance with the light power detected by the photodetectors, wherein light attenuators are arranged between the throughports and the photodetectors for attenuating the light emitted from the throughports before making incident on the photodetectors. |
| US08249404B2 |
Polymer optical waveguide and method of producing the same
A polymer optical waveguide includes: a core; and a cladding enclosing the core and extending along a direction of light propagation, the polymer optical waveguide having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the polymer optical waveguide having, at least at a position near one end thereof in a longitudinal direction, a groove that has a surface inclined at an angle of 45° with respect to the light propagation direction which reflects light propagating through the core so as to change the light propagation direction by 90°. |
| US08249402B2 |
Multilayer printed circuit board
A multilayer printed circuit board according to the present invention is a multilayer printed circuit board where a plurality of insulating layers, a conductor circuit and an optical circuit are formed and layered and an optical element is mounted, wherein the above described optical circuit is formed between the above described insulating layers. |
| US08249399B2 |
Optical character recognition verification
A method for optical character recognition (OCR) verification, the method includes: receiving a first character image that was obtained from applying an OCR process on a document; wherein the first character image is classified, by the OCR, as being associated with a first character; receiving a first character code of a text; replacing the first character code by the first character image; and evaluating a correctness of the OCR based upon a response of a user to a display of the text first character image. |
| US08249392B2 |
Method for aligning point clouds
A method for aligning point clouds is disclosed. The method includes inputting point cloud data of a reference object and a to-be-measured object, and confirming an original position of point cloud of the to-be-measured object. The method further includes determining a virtual position of point cloud of the to-be-measured object at each iteration, determining a minimum distance between point cloud of the reference object and point cloud of the to-be-measured object, and determining coordinates of each point in point cloud of the to-be-measured object corresponding to the minimum distance. The method further includes moving each point in point cloud of the to-be-measured object. |
| US08249391B2 |
User interface method for skew correction
Methods and systems for correcting skew in digital images are disclosed according to embodiments of the invention. Embodiments may include receiving the endpoints of the skew-line, calculating the sine and cosine of the skew-angle from the endpoints and rotating the image using the sine and cosine of the skew-angle. Embodiments of the invention may also include various ways for a user to provide a skew-line and/or endpoints. |
| US08249390B2 |
Method for taking panorama mosaic photograph with a portable terminal
A method for taking a panorama mosaic photograph includes displaying a partial image of a previously taken image as a guide image on a viewer of an image to be currently taken and taking a number of images constituting the panorama mosaic photograph according to a photography operation; projecting the taken images onto a common cylindrically curved surface; and joining the projected images into a single image. |
| US08249388B2 |
Identifying portions of an image for cropping
Cropping images while retaining the relevant portions of the images. The images are cropped based on an orientation of the images. For the images having a portrait orientation, the images are cropped outside a region defined by a parallelogram centered along a golden section line. For the images having a landscape orientation, the images are cropped outside a region defined by a parallelogram centered along a midpoint line. In some embodiments, the images are cropped into squares for display on a mobile computing device having a 16:9 aspect ratio. |
| US08249387B2 |
Image processing method and apparatus for detecting lines of images and start and end points of lines
Disclosed herein is an image processing method and apparatus for detecting the lines of images and the start and end points of the lines. The image processing apparatus includes an edge creation unit, a Hough transform unit, and an effective parameter detection unit. The edge creation unit creates an edge image using external image data input from the outside. The Hough transform unit performs a Hough transform on information about the pixel coordinates of the edge image created by the edge creation unit. The effective parameter detection unit detects the lines of the edge image by checking effective line parameters using the results of the Hough transform. The image processing apparatus may further include an edge list for storing coordinates of effective pixels constituting the edge image and a line parameter list for storing the effective line parameters. |
| US08249386B2 |
Video bandwidth resolution in DFT-based spectrum analysis
A method and apparatus for improved video bandwidth resolution in DFT-based spectrum analysis is disclosed. A first embodiment comprises an emulation of a continuous range of video bandwidths in DFT-based spectrum analysis using overlapping resolution bandwidth frames. A second embodiment utilizes frame weighting to reduce the standard deviation in the spectrum of noise signal to emulate a corresponding standard deviation of a specified video bandwidth. |
| US08249380B2 |
Image processor and program
An object is to provide an image processor for improving the preservability in an edge portion while effectively removing isolated points. Included are an edge judgment section that judges whether an edge exists in a predetermined region specified by a pixel of interest and surrounding pixels of the pixel of interest; a difference calculation section that calculates differences in pixel value between the pixel of interest and the surrounding pixels in the predetermined region; a weight coefficient calculation section that calculates weight coefficients for the respective surrounding pixels from the differences calculated by the difference calculation section, according to a judgment result of the edge judgment section; a weighted averaging section that calculates a weighted average value of the surrounding pixels by using the weight coefficients calculated by the weight coefficient calculation section; and a correction section that corrects the pixel value of the pixel of interest at least one time based on the weighted average value of the surrounding pixels calculated by the weighted averaging section, the pixel value of the pixel of interest, and the judgment result of the edge judgment section. |
| US08249376B2 |
Apparatus and method of restoring an image
A method and apparatus for restoring an image. The method includes extracting predetermined channels from image data including a plurality of channels; and restoring the extracted channels using a first filter. |
| US08249369B2 |
Method and apparatus of tile-based belief propagation
A method and apparatus of tile-based belief propagation are disclosed. An image is split into a number of tiles. Messages are iteratively generated within each of the tiles based on the messages from neighboring pixels to the tile at a previous iteration, wherein each message represents information of a state of the pixel. The generated messages for sending out of the tiles are stored. Labels are then determined based on the stored messages, wherein each label represents the state of the pixel. |
| US08249368B2 |
Image processing device
In this image processing device, an image processing portion 102 performs a predetermined pre-processing on first image data and outputs it as second image data. A judging portion 104 that judges the degree of importance of the first image data on the basis of the characteristics of a subject that is included in the first image data. A reducing portion 105 reduces the data amount of the second image data in accordance with that degree of importance and outputs it as third image data. According to this image processing device, by reducing the data amount of the second image data in accordance with the degree of importance of the first image data, it is possible to achieve greater reductions in the data amount as the degree of importance decreases. As a result, it is possible to more efficiently reduce the power consumption and time required when transferring image data after data reduction. |
| US08249367B2 |
Apparatus and method for encoding an image for a mobile telecommunication handset
There are provided an apparatus and a method for encoding an image for a mobile telecommunication handset. The image is divided into the stripe blocks and the number of the phase of wavelet transform is determined depending on the size of the image. The divided image stripe block is wavelet-transformed depending to the determined number of the phase. The wavelet-transformed high-frequency components is granular-quantized and the wavelet-transformed low-frequency components is DPCM-encoded. Thus, computing load and memory capacity can be lessened, maintaining the image of good quality in the mobile telecommunication handset. |
| US08249361B1 |
Interdependent learning of template map and similarity metric for object identification
An object identification system iteratively learns both a template map used to transform a template describing an object in an image, and a related similarity metric used in comparing one transformed object template to another. This automatic learning eliminates the need to manually devise a transformation and metric that are effective for a given image corpus. The template map and the similarity metric are learned together, such that the incremental component to be added to the template map at a given iteration of the learning process is based at least in part on the components of the similarity metric, and vice-versa. |
| US08249360B2 |
Method and device for the automated comparison of two sets of measurement values
A method and a device are for an automated comparison of at least two sets of measuring values. The measuring values of the two sets are assigned respectively to one class from a finite number of classes defined by indices so that a frequency distribution is defined respectively for each of the two sets, which frequency distribution indicates for each class a frequency of the measuring values assigned to this class. A distance measure reflecting a similarity or dissimilarity between the two sets of measuring values between these frequency distributions is calculated as a function of a final value of a first auxiliary value termed here match by way of example. The first auxiliary value match is calculated by an algorithm using two sets of variables in that, with a given maximum distance dmax≧1 for all integral distances d with 0≦d≦dmax, beginning with d=0 and continuing to larger distances d, respectively for all indices i and j at a distance from each other by the distance d. A current value of a further auxiliary value is defined as m=min (qi′, vj′), m stands for the further auxiliary value, qi′ for the variables of a first of the two sets of variables and vj′ for the variables of the second set of variables, the variables of the two sets of variables being defined at the beginning of the algorithm as qi′=qi, vj′=vj, wherein qi stands for the frequencies from a first of the two frequency distributions and vj for the frequencies of the second frequency distribution. Respectively the variables qi′ and vj′ are defined again by subtracting the current value of the further auxiliary value m and the current value of the further auxiliary value m, multiplied by a matrix element ai, j, is added to a current value of the first auxiliary value match defined originally as match=0, the matrix elements ai, j forming a similarity matrix with ai, i=1 for all indices i and 0≦ai, j≦1 for all indices i and j at a distance of at most dmax with i≠j. |
| US08249357B2 |
Blind restoration of images degraded by isotropic blur
A system and a method for automatic restoration of isotropic degradations of a digital image, based on receiving a blurred image by an image capture assembly, automatically finding proper step edge, calculating the PSF from the step edge, and restoring the blurred image by means of a processor, and with the option to display the resorted image by means of an output assembly. |
| US08249355B2 |
Method and device for noise suppression in medical images
The invention relates to a method for noise suppression in medical images comprising steps of measuring the gradient field strength of an image pixel and selecting a suitable filter mask for noise suppression as a function of the gradient field strength, with the value of the gradient field strength being compared with a predetermined threshold value. The method is repeated when an additional image pixel is selected. A decision is made per read-in image pixel as to which type of filter mask is used for filtering. A selection can be made between filter masks of different sizes or isotropic or anisotropic or directional filter masks. The decision is based on the measured gradient field strength of the respective pixel. The use of different filter masks allows the signal-to-noise ratio to be improved, without distorting structures like edges for instance and without generating artificial structures in homogenous noise regions. |
| US08249354B2 |
System and method for finding edge points of an object
A method for finding edge points of an object is disclosed. The method includes receiving an electronic image of an object, selecting one or more edge points in the image of the object, creating an image template for each edge point in the object image. The method further includes receiving a command to measure a second object of the same kind as the object and obtaining a measured object image, reading the image templates for the same kind of object from the storage device, and finding a matched sub-image to each image template from the measured object image according to an image matching algorithm, obtaining a central point of each matched sub-image and displaying coordinates of the central point of the matched sub-image. |
| US08249353B2 |
Method for finding representative vectors in a class of vector spaces
The present invention provides a technique for retrieving pictures from a large database that is less complex and uses significantly less memory and computational resources than current techniques. This is accomplished by determining representative data vectors based on a tolerance distance that represents data vectors in a given vector space that defines the picture to extract features of the picture that facilitates in retrieving pictures. |
| US08249350B2 |
Brand protection and product autentication using portable devices
The present invention is a method and apparatus for protection of products and packaging against counterfeiting using dedicated authentication protocol coupled with portable devices. It is based on the product identification information, i.e., PIN, generated by the product manufacturer, stored in the product database and added to product or packaging in an open and/or a hidden form. The open part is directly available to the consumer before buying, opening or consuming the product or package or damaging its integrity while the hidden part is only revealed after these operations. The hidden information can also be disappearing after a predefined interval of time or number of trials or usages. Both parts are communicated to the authentication server in a predefined order to verify the product or package authenticity. The presence, absence, or multiple requests for the same product PIN, confirm or reject product authenticity or detect attempt at attacking the system or at using counterfeited products. |
| US08249348B2 |
Label reuse method and system for connected component labeling
Embodiments disclosed include methods and systems for reusing labels for connected component labeling including assigning one or more labels to one or more groups of raw data representing one or more regions by designating one or more data structures as containing information about the one or more regions; connecting the one or more labels determined to be related; choosing a root label for the connected one or more labels, the root label determined by locating an earliest data element from the one or more groups of raw data; altering a label list of the one or more labels, the label list altered by flagging the root label to include a region label index; and overwriting one or more region label indexes according to the root label. |
| US08249341B2 |
Image processing method for removing noise contained in an image
An image processing method for removing a noise component contained in an original image includes: extracting a noise component contained in an original image in a work color space; creating a noise-free image in the work color space based upon the extracted noise component and a difference between gradation characteristics in the work color space and gradation characteristics in an output color space; converting the noise-free image in the work color space to an image in the output color space. |
| US08249334B2 |
Modeling of humanoid forms from depth maps
A computer-implemented method includes receiving a depth map (30) of a scene containing a body of a humanoid subject (28). The depth map includes a matrix of pixels (32), each corresponding to a respective location in the scene and having a respective pixel value indicative of a distance from a reference location to the respective location. The depth map is segmented so as to find a contour (64) of the body. The contour is processed in order to identify a torso (70) and one or more limbs (76, 78, 80, 82) of the subject. An input is generated to control an application program running on a computer by analyzing a disposition of at least one of the identified limbs in the depth map. |
| US08249332B2 |
Stereoscopic measurement system and method
A stereoscopic measurement system captures stereo images and determines measurement information for user-designated points within stereo images. The system comprises an image capture device for capturing stereo images of an object. A processing system communicates with the capture device to receive stereo images. The processing system displays the stereo images and allows a user to select one or more points within the stereo image. The processing system processes the designated points within the stereo images to determine measurement information for the designated points. |
| US08249328B2 |
Optical imaging and analysis of a graphic symbol
Method, computer program product, and apparatus are provided for identifying a graphic symbol within an image obtained by optical scanning. An image intensity is measured for each of a plurality of columns of the image, wherein each column has a length that extends across the graphic symbol in a first direction, and wherein the plurality of columns collectively extend across the graphic symbol in a second direction. The graphic symbol is then identified by matching a profile of the image intensity to a predetermined image intensity profile associated with a given graphic symbol. Optionally, the image is a digital image and the image intensity for each column is the sum of the image intensity for each pixel in that individual column. An image intensity differential between adjacent columns may be calculated for matching with a predetermined differential profile or comparison with an electronic profile generated by a magnetic scan. |
| US08249325B2 |
X-ray image processing apparatus, X-ray image processing method, program, and storage medium for calculating a noise amount
An X-ray image processing apparatus includes a calculating unit adapted to calculate the noise amount of a sensor on the basis of a difference value of a plurality of dark images acquired at different timings by the sensor when no X-rays are irradiated, a changing unit adapted to change a predetermined parameter for processing an X-ray image acquired by the sensor when X-rays are irradiated, in order to prevent the noise amount from being superposed on the X-ray image, and an image processing unit adapted to perform image processing on the X-ray image on the basis of the changed parameter. |
| US08249322B2 |
Signal line correction method and apparatus
A method for use with a radiation image detector, including the steps of detecting a faulty signal line having a signal amount less than a predetermined threshold value based on radiation image signals read out from the detector, setting a signal line adjacent to the faulty signal line as an abnormal signal line and a signal line adjacent to the abnormal signal line and having a normal amount of signal as a reference signal line, calculating the difference between a signal read out by the abnormal signal line and a signal read out by the reference signal line as a correction amount, calculating a low frequency component correction amount by removing a high frequency component from the calculated correction amount, and performing a correction on the signal read out by the abnormal signal line by adding the calculated low frequency component correction amount to the signal. |
| US08249318B2 |
Method for identifying implanted reconstructive prosthetic devices
A method for identifying implanted reconstructive prosthetic devices comprising obtaining a digital radiographic image of a prosthetic implant that has been implanted in a person or animal for which the manufacturer and/or model is unknown; allowing a user to enter into a computer metadata relating to the implant for use as metadata feature values; cleaning up the unknown implant image; rotating, flipping and/or scaling the unknown implant image; extracting features from the unknown implant image according to one or more feature extraction algorithms; and comparing the metadata and extracted feature values for the unknown implant image to feature values for other implant images according to a comparison algorithm to create an overall likelihood score for each of the other implant images. |
| US08249315B2 |
System and method for improved viewing and navigation of digital images
A system and method for improved viewing and navigation of large digital images, such as whole slide images used in microscopy. The system and method displays the digital image along with movable navigation and field of view boxes that enable a viewer to pan the digital image in an accurate manner, and also performs automatic absolute reorientation of the digital image and automatic relative reorientation of subsequent digital images in relation to the first digital image. |
| US08249314B2 |
Anonymous and revocable fingerprint recognition
A biometric representation of a fingerprint from which the original biometric cannot be recovered (privacy) and which can be canceled and reissued. For example, based on an individual's token, the representation can be scrambled uniquely to the individual. From the scrambled biometric representation it is not feasible to reconstruct the biometric and if the representation is compromised, a new one is easily issued. In another aspect, if a biometric can be represented by some other one-dimensional structure, a distance or similarity measure is defined to compare biometrics. Verification decisions can be made based on the distance between or similarity of biometrics. |
| US08249313B2 |
Image recognition device for performing image recognition including object identification on each of input images
A digital camera picks up an image of an object for face authentication prior to each of, for example, continuous photographing operations, and operates as follows if performing an actual photographing process only when a face of a designated person can be recognized in the acquired image. If the face of the designated person can be recognized at an arbitrary timing and the actual photographing process is performed, the digital camera changes a plurality of recognition conditions at the arbitrary timing, thereby reducing face recognition accuracy used if the face of the designated person is recognized at a time of second and following face recognitions. By reducing the face recognition accuracy, the second and following face recognitions can be performed at high speed. Besides, since the designated person can be recognized once during the previous face recognition, similar recognition accuracy to the unchanged and unreduced recognition accuracy (without changing the face recognition conditions) can be substantially ensured. |
| US08249312B2 |
Image processing device and image processing method
An image processing device includes a size setting unit and a deformation processing unit. The size setting unit sets the size of a specific subject in the width direction and in the depth direction in a target image generated through imaging. The deformation processing unit deforms an image within an area, which includes an image of the specific subject in the target image, to a deformation degree corresponding to the set size. |
| US08249311B2 |
Alcohol test system, alcohol test device, alcohol test method, and program
In order to provide an alcohol test device which can keep evidence that an identical person has been surely tested in an alcohol test, the alcohol test device includes an alcohol test unit which measures alcohol concentration from breath exhaled by a subject; a drinking determination unit which determines whether or not the subject is in a drunken state on the basis of a measurement result of the alcohol test unit; a camera unit which photographs a face image of the subject when the breath is exhaled into the alcohol test unit; a face authentication identical person determination unit which compares a face image photographed by the camera unit with a face image of the subject himself (herself) preliminarily photographed, and performs identical person authentication which determines whether or not the subject is the identical person; a result control unit which edits combining a result of identical person authentication by the face authentication identical person determination unit and a result of drinking determination by the drinking determination unit; and a result display unit which displays a result edited by the result control unit. |
| US08249310B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method and program
An image processing apparatus includes a face-image detector configured to detect a region of a face image from an image supplied thereto. A face-direction detector is configured to detect a direction that a face in the detected face image is facing and a feature-position detector is configured to detect feature positions corresponding to features of the face from the detected face image and the detected face direction. A feature-value calculator is configured to calculate feature values at the detected feature positions and a mapper is configured to map the calculated feature values using predetermined mapping functions. A a recognizer is configured to recognize whether the detected face is a registered face, using the mapped feature values and feature values registered in advance. |
| US08249305B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, program, and recording medium
An information processing apparatus includes a feature value detecting section, an image processing section, and an audio processing section. The feature value detecting section determines, when a first image and a second image that are captured at different positions include a specific subject, a feature value of the subject included in the supplied first and second images. The image processing section detects motion of the subject on the basis of the feature value determined by the feature value detecting section. The audio processing section localizes a sound image of the subject in accordance with the motion of the subject detected by the image processing section. |
| US08249304B2 |
System and method for measuring gaps between object parts
A detecting method for measuring gaps between two parts of an object is provided. The detecting method selects a reference image and a measured image, merges the reference image and the measured image to form an image of the object, grids the reference image and the measured image to obtain triangle mesh surfaces, obtains boundary points and outline points of the measured image, and obtains triangles on a joint portion of the reference image and measured points on a corresponding joint portion of the measured image. The method further compares each measured point with an obtained triangle to obtain gap values of the joint portion between the reference image and the measured image, and outputs an analysis report of the gap values on a display device. |
| US08249302B2 |
Method for determining a location from images acquired of an environment with an omni-directional camera
A location and orientation in an environment is determined by first acquiring a real omni-directional image of an unknown skyline in the environment. A set of virtual omni-directional images of known skylines are synthesized from a 3D model of the environment, wherein each virtual omni-directional image is associated with a known location and orientation. The real omni-directional image with each virtual omni-directional images to determine a best matching virtual omni-directional image with the associated known location and orientation. |
| US08249299B1 |
Systems and methods of tracking objects in video
Systems and methods for identifying, tracking, and using objects in a video or similar electronic content, including methods for tracking one or more moving objects in a video. This can involve tracking one or more feature points within a video scene and separating those feature points into multiple layers based on motion paths. Each such motion layer can be further divided into different clusters, for example, based on distances between points. These clusters can then be used as an estimate to define the boundaries of the objects in video. Objects can also be compared with one another in cases in which identified objects should be combined and considered a single object. For example, if two objects in the first two frames have significantly overlapping areas, they may be considered the same object. Objects in each frame can further be compared to determine the life of the objects across the frames. |
| US08249297B2 |
Method and apparatus for automatic visual event detection
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for automatic visual detection of events, for recording images of those events and retrieving them for display and human or automated analysis, and for sending synchronized signals to external equipment when events are detected. An event corresponds to a specific condition, among some time-varying conditions within the field of view of an imaging device, that can be detected by visual means based on capturing and analyzing digital images of a two-dimensional field of view in which the event may occur. Events may correspond to rare, short duration mechanical failures for which obtaining images for analysis is desirable. Events are detected by considering evidence obtained from an analysis of multiple images of the field of view, during which time moving mechanical components can be seen from multiple viewing perspectives. |
| US08249295B2 |
System for monitoring hand cleaning compliance
A system to allow employers to monitor employee handwashing or hand sanitization compliance in a facility with a plurality of touchless dispensers for metering a cleanser, disinfectant or lotion on the hands of a user. A detector associated with each dispenser triggers operation of the dispensing mechanism and sends a signal to a local controller which date and time stamps the dispensing act. The controller sends a report to a central computer which identifies the dispenser and the date and time of each dispensing act. The reports from the several dispensers is stored in a database for management review. On receipt of a signal from the detector, the controller may also trigger operation of a preferably touchless input device to identify the user. Data collected by the input device is relayed to the central computer through the controller. The central computer is programmed with an algorithm for matching the data collected by the input device with data previously collected and identified with the user. During the dispensing processes, the controller may signal an output device that indicates to the user that the system is working. |
| US08249293B2 |
Method, apparatus and computer-readable recording medium for obtaining information
A method of obtaining information included in an image, the method includes dividing the image into a plurality of pairs of blocks. The image includes a plurality of codes. Each of the codes includes a plurality of digits. The method further includes determining a digit value of each of the block pairs on the basis of difference of a degree of characteristic value between adjacent blocks in each of the pairs. The method further includes weighing each digit value of each of the block pairs. The method further includes deciding a new digit value of associated pairs of blocks on the basis of the majority of the weighed digit values of the associated pairs of the blocks and repeating the deciding in other associated pairs of the blocks to determine the code. |
| US08249289B2 |
Electronic apparatus of splittable type
The present invention discloses an electronic apparatus of splittable type comprising at least two speaker portions, the two speaker portions are connected by electro-wires, wherein in one speaker portion is provided a winding mechanism for pulling-out and retracting-in the electro-wires; each of the speaker portions has a voice chamber, and the voice chambers in the two speaker portions have the different shapes from but substantially the same volumes as each other. |
| US08249284B2 |
Hearing system and method for deriving information on an acoustic scene
The invention relates to a method for operating a hearing system comprising an input unit, an output unit and a transmission unit operationally interconnecting said input output units. Said transmission unit implements a transfer function describing, how audio signals generated by said input unit are processed in order to derive audio signals fed to said output unit, and can be adjusted by one or more transfer function parameters. Said method comprises obtaining, by means of said input unit and with a first directional characteristic, first audio signals from incoming acoustic sound; deriving from said first audio signals a first set of sound-characterizing data; and deriving, in dependence of first directional information, which is data comprising information on said first directional characteristic, and of said first set of sound-characterizing data, a value for each of said one or more transfer function parameters. This allows to gain insight into the acoustic environment and allows for better automatic adjustments of said transfer function. |
| US08249273B2 |
Sound input device
A sound input device includes a differential microphone, configured to receive sound including noise, and generate a first signal in accordance with the sound; a detector, configured to detect the noise, and generate a second signal in accordance with the detected noise; and a controller, configured to control at least one of suppression of high-frequency components of the first signal and changing of a frequency band to be suppressed of the first signal based on the second signal. |
| US08249269B2 |
Sound collecting device, sound collecting method, and collecting program, and integrated circuit
The present invention provides a sound collecting device capable of, even when using a freely-movable microphone, generating multichannel signals realizing sound image localization without processing using information about the current position of the microphone. The sound collecting device includes: reference microphones fixedly placed so as to correspond to the respective channels, the reference microphones collecting an arriving sound from the speaker, and outputting reference signals representing signals of the respective channels; at least one actual recording microphone placed so as to be movable, the at least one actual recording microphone collecting the arriving sound from the speaker, and outputting the collected sound as an actual recording signal; and signal generation means for generating signals of the respective channels by performing, based on the reference signals outputted by the reference microphones, predetermined calculation processing for the actual recording signal outputted by the at least one actual recording microphone. |
| US08249264B2 |
Method and system for automatically generating world environment reverberation from a game geometry
Reverberation parameters for one or more positions of interest are derived from graphics data used for displaying a computer-generated environment. For each position of interest for which reverberation parameters are desired, environmental parameters including distances and the hardness of features in a range of interest and at points on cubemap faces are automatically determined from the graphics data. The environmental parameters are stored with the graphics data and associated with each position of interest. Upon rendering of the computer-generated environment, reverberation property set values usable by a reverberation engine are calculated or interpolated between predetermined values according to the environmental parameters. Thus, values such as reverb, reverb delay, reflections, decay time, reflection delay, and other reverb parameters are automatically calculated, subject to selective operator tuning, and provide realistic reverberation effects in the sounds heard by a user who is experiencing the rendered environment. |
| US08249259B2 |
Voice intelligibility enhancement system and voice intelligibility enhancement method
In a voice intelligibility enhancement system that controls a gain of a voice signal based on noise power and voice power of the voice signal generated by a voice signal generation unit, it is detected whether the voice power is equal to or greater than a predetermined level, noise power output when the voice power is less than the predetermined level is measured and stored, noise power to be output when the voice power exceeds the predetermined level is estimated to be the stored noise power, and gain of a voice signal is controlled on the basis of the voice power and the estimated noise power. |
| US08249256B2 |
Method for providing fast secure handoff in a wireless mesh network
Disclosed is a method for providing fast secure handoff in a wireless mesh network. The method comprises configuring multiple first level key holders (R0KHs) within a radio access network to which supplicants within the multi-hop wireless mesh network are capable of establishing a security association, configuring a common mobility domain identifier within the first level key holders of a mobility domain, and propagating identity of a first level key holder and the mobility domain identifier through the wireless mesh network to enable the supplicants within the mobility domain to perform fast secure handoff. |
| US08249255B2 |
System and method for securing communications between devices
A system and method for providing an improved way to secure messages being transmitted between communicating devices. Security mechanisms, operating below the session establishment level, provide fast encryption that is unconditionally secure or becomes stronger over time as devices continue to communicate. After random or arbitrary characters are used to encrypt an initial message, each new message communicated between two devices is encrypted with the most recent message communicated there-between as well as the changing key. Moreover, an exclusive dyadic relationship between the devices is obtained which prevents the cloning or piracy of the devices or the data communicated between them. The disclosed system and method also provide a multi-threading capability, thereby reducing the likelihood of a denial of service of attack. |
| US08249254B1 |
Apparatus, system and method for reporting a player's game plays during a game
The present invention is directed to an apparatus, system and method for reporting a player's game plays during a game with input from fans on the player's performance, and more specifically allowing each player to dynamically transmit information regarding the player's game plays to a portable remote terminal or central processor from which real-time statistical information may be obtained and wherein the player, coach(es) and/or other teammates may review the statistical information to formulate and implement appropriate game strategies to be effected on the field or court. |
| US08249252B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program
An information processing apparatus for outputting a predetermined video signal from a component output terminal includes signal detection means for detecting a copy protection signal embedded in the video signal to protect copyright, setting detection means for detecting a currently set output format of the video signal output from the component output terminal when the copy protection signal is detected by the signal detection means, and changing means for changing the output format detected by the setting detection means to an alternative output format when the output format is a predetermined format. |
| US08249250B2 |
Secure similarity verification between homomorphically encrypted signals
A method for verifying a similarity between a first signal and a second signal is described. The first and the second signals are encrypted homomorphically using a key. First, we acquire a set of error patterns determined by a similarity constraint. Then, each error pattern is homomorphically encrypted using the key and presented to a verifier in the setup phase. The verifier declares the first signal similar to the second signal, if any error pattern in the set of error patterns satisfies a homomorphic relationship between the first encrypted signal and the second encrypted signal. |
| US08249248B2 |
Telephone with an information panel
A telephone includes a phone body and an information panel to hold business cards. The information panel is rotatably mounted to the phone body. The phone body defines a receiving hole. The information panel includes a main body, a trigger, and a resilient element. The main body defines a through hole including a first positioning portion located in an inner surface of the through hole. The trigger includes a first end extending through the through hole, a second end received in the receiving hole, and a second positioning portion located between the first end and the second end and matches with the first positioning portion to limit the main body from rotating with respect to the phone body. The resilient element is received in the receiving hole with a first end resisted the receiving hole and a second end resisted on the second end of the trigger. |
| US08249245B2 |
System and method for automated call distribution
Aspects of systems and methods for maintaining and operating agent nodes are provided. In some embodiments, calls, contacts, and other work units may be routed to individual customer service agents via a centralized queue based on a variety of factors. Some embodiments may provide market-based call pricing and customer service agent compensation. |
| US08249244B2 |
System and method for recording and distributing customer interactions
A system and method for recording and distributing calls are provided. A call may be associated with an information record. Parameters in the information record may be used to determine if the call is to be recorded. Parameters in the information record may be used to determine a method of providing a recording of the call. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08249242B2 |
Secure call DTMF signaling
A method and system for secure call Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) signaling includes entering (202) dial string of a telephone number of a destination device, assigning (210, 212) the dial string to a predefined string having a total length that is greater than the dial string such that there will be at least one leading hexadecimal bit in the predefined string length that is not used when the entered dial string is converted to a hexadecimal, converting (214) the dial string to hexadecimal, reversing the order of the hexadecimal, and placing the reversed hexadecimal at the beginning of the predefined string, appending (216) “one” bits to the predefined string length indicating how many nibbles of the predefined string length are unused, if any, and appending the remaining intervening unused bits in the predefined string length to “zero” bits, and sending (226) the encoded string length. |
| US08249241B1 |
Call routing through an access node shared by multiple networks by using a double-network identifier
In a communication network, a call processing system receives signaling for a call indicating a called number. The system processes the called number to determine a single-network identifier associated with the called number. The system processes the single-network identifier to determine if the single-network identifier identifies an affiliated network that is affiliated with the communication network. If the single-network identifier identifies the affiliated network, then the system selects a double-network identifier indicating both the communication network and the affiliated network. The system transfers response signaling that includes the double-network identifier. |
| US08249239B2 |
Customized ringback and communications
Request information received by a call handler system specifies multiple acceptable call connection encoding options or formats for communicating with a caller. The call handler system forwards the multiple acceptable call connection encoding options to a called destination. The called destination responds with a selection of a first call connection option from the multiple call connection options. The call handler system selects a second call connection option for providing a ring-back tone to the caller while waiting for the called destination to answer his phone. During the wait, the call handler system provides a ring-back tone to the caller via the second call connection encoding option. Upon detection of the called destination answering his phone, the call handler system discontinues playback of the ring-back tone and notifies the caller to communicate with the called destination via the first call connection encoding option as selected by the called destination. |
| US08249225B2 |
Identifying caller preferences based on voice print analysis
A call directing system receives an incoming call from a caller. The caller is prompted to speak, thus enabling a prosody analyzer to generate an analysis of a prosody of the caller's voice. This analysis provides a basis for generating a caller profile that describes caller preferences of the caller. Based on the analysis of the prosody of the caller's voice and the generated caller profile, the call is directed to a particular call recipient. |