| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08266718B2 |
Modulated microwave microscopy and probes used therewith
A microwave microscope including a probe tip electrode vertically positionable over a sample and projecting downwardly from the end of a cantilever. A transmission line connecting the tip electrode to the electronic control system extends along the cantilever and is separated from a ground plane at the bottom of the cantilever by a dielectric layer. The probe tip may be vertically tapped near or at the sample surface at a low frequency and the microwave signal reflected from the tip/sample interaction is demodulated at the low frequency. Alternatively, a low-frequency electrical signal is also a non-linear electrical element associated with the probe tip to non-linearly interact with the applied microwave signal and the reflected non-linear microwave signal is detected at the low frequency. The non-linear element may be semiconductor junction formed near the apex of the probe tip or be an FET formed at the base of a semiconducting tip. |
| US08266713B2 |
Method, system and controller for transmitting and dispatching data stream
A method for transmitting and dispatching data stream, which is used for transmitting data stream to a storage device having a non-volatile memory and a smart card chip from a host, is provided. The method includes: setting a key between the host and the storage device; creating a temporary file in the non-volatile memory; verifying the temporary file based on the key; recording a logical block address of the temporary file when verification of the temporary file is successful; and judging whether the data stream from the host is written at the logical block address, wherein the data stream is identified to be a command-application protocol data unit (C-APDU) and is dispatched to the smart card chip when the data stream from the host is written at the logical block address. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently distinguish a general data from a command of the smart card chip. |
| US08266712B2 |
Privacy through artificial contextual data generation
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and system for protecting privacy by generating artificial contextual data. The system collects real contextual data related to a user. The system then generates artificial contextual data, based on the collected real contextual data. The system also groups the generated contextual data into one or more groups. Each group of contextual data corresponds to a persona that can be presented as the user's persona. Subsequently, the system transmits the generated contextual data to an entity, thereby allowing the user to obscure the real contextual data related to the user. |
| US08266711B2 |
Method for controlling information supplied from memory device
A memory storing public and confidential information is removably connected to a host device. General information on data stored in memory devices is accessible to the host device without authentication. Only a portion of confidential information stored in the memory device is accessible through the host device to an authenticated entity, where the entity has access rights to such portion. The entity is not able to access other portions of confidential information to which it has no rights. The public and confidential information is stored in a non-volatile storage medium, and a controller controls the supply of information. Preferably, the non-volatile storage medium and the controller are enclosed in a housing. |
| US08266710B2 |
Methods for preventing software piracy
A method for preventing unauthorized installation of application software is disclosed wherein application software is distributed with a user-readable permanent password, one or more user-readable one-time disposable password, and a hidden password (hidden from users but accessible by the setup program). When the setup program is run, the user must enter the permanent password and disposable password(s). The setup program sends these passwords and the target computer serial number to a remote server which verifies their validity, stores the serial number, and returns a complex password and a new disposable password from a remote passwords folder stored on the remote server. The setup program displays the new disposable password to the user who records it for use in future installations. The complex password is used to enable installation of the software, and it is deleted after installation is complete. Subsequent installation or re-installations, if authorized by the terms of the software license agreement, are performed using the same procedure, except that for each such installation, a new disposable password must be used. |
| US08266705B2 |
Information transmission apparatus, data transmission apparatus, information transmission destination designating method, data transmitting designating method, data transmitting method, program and storage medium
In order to enable utilization of a personal address book by another person while maintaining security, in case display of information on an information destination registered in the address book is requested from an unauthenticated user, a display is executed in a state where address information (fax number, e-mail address etc.) is concealed (for example by a mosaic pattern), and information on the information destination, displayed with the address information in such concealed state, can be designated as the information designation. |
| US08266703B1 |
System, method and computer program product for improving computer network intrusion detection by risk prioritization
A system, method and computer program product are provided for prioritized network security. Initially, a risk assessment scan is conducted for identifying vulnerabilities on a network device. Next, network communications are identified that exploit the vulnerabilities identified by the risk assessment scan before identifying network communications that exploit other vulnerabilities. In other words, network communications are monitored for identifying any exploitation of the vulnerabilities identified by the risk assessment scan before identifying any exploitation of other vulnerabilities. |
| US08266702B2 |
Analyzing access control configurations
A facility is described for analyzing access control configurations. In various embodiments, the facility comprises an operating system having resources and identifications of principals, the principals having access control privileges relating to the resources, the access control privileges described by access control metadata; an access control scanner component that receives the access control metadata, determines relationships between the principals and the resources, and emits access control relations information; and an access control inference engine that receives the emitted access control relations information and an access control policy model, analyzes the received information and model, and emits a vulnerability report. In various embodiments, the facility generates an information flow based on access control relations, an access control mechanism model, and an access control policy model; determines, based on the generated information flow, whether privilege escalation is possible; and when privilege escalation is possible, indicates in a vulnerability report that the privilege escalation is possible. |
| US08266701B2 |
Systems and methods for measuring cyber based risks in an enterprise organization
A method and system are disclosed for assessing cyber-based risks in an enterprise organization. A database comprising vulnerability data associated with computers in an enterprise is combined with a second database comprising data of users of computers in an enterprise, along with a third database base indicating the relationship of the users in an organization structure in the enterprise. From the synthesis of data in these separate databases, text based reports detailing aggregate computer vulnerabilities can be produced on a computer, as well as organizational charts depicting the relationship between selected individuals and their computer vulnerabilities. Using such reports, individuals charged with cyber-security can assess organizational cyber risks and allocate resources as appropriate. |
| US08266700B2 |
Secure web application development environment
Various embodiments of systems, methods, software tools, etc. for providing secure web application development are provided. One embodiment comprises a method for developing a secure web application. One such method comprises: analyzing code associated with a web application to identify at least one vulnerable input; and validating the at least one vulnerable input. |
| US08266698B1 |
Using machine infection characteristics for behavior-based detection of malware
One or more behavior-based features describing an execution of an application on a client are generated. One or more client-specific features are generated, wherein the client-specific features describe aspects of the client. A malware score is generated based on the behavior-based features and the client-specific features. Whether the application is a malware threat is determined based on the malware score and a result of the determination is stored. |
| US08266695B1 |
Gadget container verification
A system, method, and computer program product verifies web page containers of software gadgets. A request for a software gadget is received by a gadget server from a web browser at a client. The request includes a container web page parameter that identifies a web page. The gadget server determines whether the identified web page is an acceptable web page for containing the requested software gadget. If it is determined to be acceptable, the requested software gadget is prepared by inserting container verification code into the gadget. When the prepared software gadget is provided to the client, the container verification code executes and ensures that the requested software gadget is contained within the identified web page. The container verification code may include code for setting a container web page of the prepared software gadget to be the identified web page and for preventing unnecessary page reloads. |
| US08266694B1 |
Security gateway, and a related method and computer-readable medium, for neutralizing a security threat to a component of a communications network
Various systems and methods for providing a policy realization framework for a communications network are disclosed. The policy realization framework can be an application and service layer policy framework that is separate and distinct from the network layer policy framework. As such, policy decisions can be made remote from the network layer, and common policies across multiple networks are possible. Methods and systems for providing these and other features are disclosed. An intelligent security gateway and a method for implementing an intelligent security gateway with the policy realization framework are also disclosed. |
| US08266686B1 |
System and method for VoIP firewall security
Configuration data within a session border controller (SBC) is updated to support a new external node in an automatic fashion by a computer system. A user is prompted for an identity of a node external to the communication network that transfers the signaling, and a call processor internal to the communication network that receives and processes the signaling. The identities are then processed to select at least one session border controller (SBC), and configuration data is retrieved from the selected SBC. This configuration data from the selected is automatically updated to allow signaling from the external node to the call processor. Signaling received from the external node into the SBC, is then transferred the signaling to the call processor based on the updated configuration data. |
| US08266685B2 |
Firewall installer
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a firewall installer that receives a set of configuration instructions for configuring a firewall in a declarative format that describes one or more rules to be implemented by the firewall, and that automatically configures the firewall. Providing a firewall installer that is capable of configuring a firewall based upon declarative input rather than procedural process-oriented input facilitates administration of a firewall by allowing an administrator to specify desired firewall configuration at a higher, declarative level and frees the administrator from the need to specify procedures for implementing configuration changes in the firewall. In one embodiment of the invention, the firewall installer can receive and store input for configuring a firewall even when the firewall is not running, such that the firewall executes on those configuration changes when it next comes online. |
| US08266684B2 |
Tokenized resource access
A method and system for unlocking diagnostic functions in a hardware device for a user. The method obtains a signed permission object for the hardware device, and validates the signed permission object. A memory of the hardware device stores a device identifier and a last recorded sequence number. The signed permission object includes a sequence number and is associated with an expiration counter having an initial value that indicates a lifetime for the signed permission object. When the signed permission object is valid, the method updates the expiration counter to decrease the lifetime of the signed permission object, stores the sequence number associated with the signed permission object as the last recorded sequence number in the hardware device, and unlocks the diagnostic functions for the user based on the signed permission object. |
| US08266681B2 |
System and method for automatic network logon over a wireless network
A method for providing access to one or more resources in a computer network, establishing a connection between a user and the computer network via at least one wireless access point, generating an authentication level for the user associated with accessing the one or more resources, sending a program to the client device, receiving authentication data from the user, and changing the authorization level of the user based upon the authentication data received from the user. |
| US08266679B2 |
Information processing apparatus and information processing system
An information processing system is supplied capable of holding a security; and transferring an output authority which is had by a transfer source portability terminal to a transfer destination portability terminal. In the information processing system, a transfer source sending section for sending authority information to the transfer destination portability terminal for transferring output authority is furnished in a transfer source portability terminal; a transfer destination receiving section for receiving the authority information from the transfer source portability terminal, a transfer destination storing section for storing the received authority information, and a transfer destination sending section for sending authority information to the information processing apparatus are furnished in a transfer destination portability terminal; and an apparatus receiving section for receiving the authority information from the transfer destination portability terminal, a releasing section for releasing an output limitation according to the received authority information and an outputting section for performing an output based on the data are furnished in an information processing apparatus. |
| US08266678B2 |
Deriving a username based on a digital certificate
One embodiment of a method for determining a username comprises obtaining a digital certificate from a first computer application requesting a service; authenticating the digital certificate of the first computer application; and retrieving the username from the digital certificate that is recognized by a second computer application performing the service as a user of the second computer application. Other methods and systems are also provided. |
| US08266677B2 |
UDP communication with a programmer interface over wireless networks
Systems and methods provide for secure communications between local and remote devices or networks in virtual private networks. Data can be communicated between the local and remote devices using the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) to reduce network overhead for the data communications. The UDP-based data communications are made secure and reliable by various techniques, for example: confirming that a packet sent by a source component is received by the receiving component, and guaranteeing packet sequencing by buffering packets as they are received and only delivering them to the target in the original sequence that they were sent from the source. Because TCP based communications are common, a TCP-style API can be used to enable programmers to more easily implement the UDP-based communications. Other embodiments of the invention relate to transport protocol enhancements for use within virtual private networks, including protocol mapping, protocol buffering, and protocol filtering. |
| US08266676B2 |
Method to verify the integrity of components on a trusted platform using integrity database services
A client platform can be verified prior to being granted access to a resource or service on a network by validating individual hardware and software components of the client platform. Digests are generated for the components of the client platform. The digests can be collected into an integrity report. An authenticator entity receives the integrity report and compares the digests with digests stored in either a local signature database, a global signature database in an integrity authority, or both. Alternatively, the digests can be collected and stored on a portable digest-collector dongle. Once digests are either validated or invalidated, an overall integrity/trust score can be generated. She overall integrity/trust score can be used to determine whether the client platform should be granted access to the resource on the network using a policy. |
| US08266674B2 |
Method and system for implementing changes to security policies in a distributed security system
Improved approaches for effectuating changes to security policies in a distributed security system are disclosed. The changes to security policies are distributed to those users (e.g., user and/or computers) in the security system that are affected. The distribution of such changes to security policies can be deferred for those affected users that are not activated (e.g., logged-in or on-line) with the security system. |
| US08266672B2 |
Method and system for network identification via DNS
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for accessing a DNS server, where the DNS server may be a DNS server within the control of a administrator. A pair of name and IP address may be stored on the DNS server. A client may then transmit the name to a DNS server to request the DNS server to lookup the IP address related to the client transmitted name. This client to DNS server communication may be performed as part of a network request from the client. The IP address may then be returned to the client in response to the connection request, which may allow the client to interpret the return of the security IP address as an indication of a known DNS server and therefore a known network. As a result, the client may then be able to set its security rules according to known network rules. Further, the identifying of a known network may be associated with location information associated with the DNS server, and thus the client, where the location information may be associated with multiple DNS IP address entries. |
| US08266670B1 |
System and method for dynamic security provisioning of data resources
The present invention facilitates the dynamic provisioning of data assets in a shared storage environment. The invention provides a system and method for dynamically provisioning and de-provisioning shared storage resources based on multi-dimensional decision criteria. By employing specialized computing components configured to assess a data asset and requestor of a data asset, a provisioning engine is able to transform the input from the computing components into a specific configuration of shared storage resource provisioning and security controls. According to the rules and policies applying to a security domain, the provisioning engine may dynamically allocate shared storage resources in a manner that is both safe and efficient for the data asset. |
| US08266669B2 |
Method and apparatus for storing an interactive television program
A method and device for storing an interactive television program for playback at a later point in time, wherein said interactive television program comprises at least one interactive television application. The applications are transmitted inside modules (11, 12) through a data carousel (2) within a transport stream (20). The method comprises receiving the transport stream, parsing the stream for application modules and storing them as a storage stream on a storage medium (31). The storage stream is stored separate from said transport stream (20). The data or object carousel is recorded outside the Transport Stream and recorded like a stream, preferably as a single file. This file is a sequence of modules with some header information preceding the modules making playback faster as the information needed to obtain the objects from a module is located directly in the header of that module. Furthermore, the solution according to the invention solution is platform independent. |
| US08266663B2 |
Interactive content system and method
The present disclosure is directed to a system and method of providing interactive content. The method can include receiving a video signal from a first source of a television system, where the video signal includes video content but does not include data relating to an interactive application. The method can also include retrieving an interactive application from a second source of the television system. |
| US08266662B2 |
Client-server based interactive television program guide system with remote server recording
An interactive television program guide system is provided. An interactive television program guide provides users with an opportunity to select programs for recording on a remote media server. Programs may also be recorded on a local media server. The program guide provides users with VCR-like control over programs that are played back from the media servers and over real-time cached copies of the programs. The program guide also provides users with an opportunity to designate gift recipients for whom programs may be recorded. |
| US08266660B2 |
Portal for future episode information
A device receives, from a set-top box (STB) and/or a user device, usage information associated with video content, and determines a content portal for a particular video content based on the received usage information. The device also provides, to the STB and/or the user device, the content portal for display, and receives, from the STB and/or the user device, selection of an option associated with the content portal. The device further provides information associated with the selected option to the STB and/or the user device for display and/or storage. |
| US08266655B2 |
Multi-source switching in a television system
The present invention provides a tuning scheme for coordinating schedule information and programs received from multiple sources (26, 28, 30 and 34). In the preferred embodiment, an identifier associated with the program's channel (52) is used to identify a source device (26, 28, 30 or 34). When a user selects a program (60 or 62) listed in displayed schedule information (50), the system (10) reads the source identifier attached to the program's channel (52). The system (10) then carries out an automatic switching/tuning such that the required source device (26, 28, 30 or 34) is input to the destination device (22), and a tuner is then tuned to the selected program's channel (52). |
| US08266654B2 |
Information processing system, information processing apparatus and method, recording medium and program
An information processing system and method are adapted to swiftly record a program matched to preference information. A user apparatus registers generated preference information, together with information representative of destinations for its preference information, to a server through a network. The server, when registered with the preference information, notifies another user apparatus as a destination of the preference information. The video recording/reproducing unit of the another user apparatus accesses the server through the network and designates preference information desired for scheduling of recording. The server sends the designated preference information to the video recording/reproducing unit through the network. The video recording/reproducing unit receives the preference information and carries out scheduling for recording on the basis of the preference information. The invention is applicable to a hard-disk video recorder. |
| US08266653B2 |
Data adapting device, data adapting method, storage medium, and program
The present invention makes it possible to achieve data adaptation in accordance with a user's preferences, by holding a user's preference information for each content as user preferences, selecting a data segment according to user preferences, and performing resolution conversion on the basis of segment priority level and terminal capability, thereby enabling data adaptation to be performed for each content in a form the user wishes to see. |
| US08266652B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting media content
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a computing device having a controller to transmit a client program having a graphical user interface (GUI) to a media device operating in an interactive television (iTV) network, wherein the client program presents an overlay that superimposes onto media content received by the media device and enables the media device to associate a user-generated comment with the media content received at the media device, receive at least one of a plurality of user-generated comments and media content in a temporal vicinity of the plurality of user-generated comments via the client program, receive a request to transmit to a recipient device a portion of the plurality of user-generated comments or the media content in the temporal vicinity of the plurality of user-generated comments, and transmit to the recipient device one of the portion or one or more links to the portion. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08266649B2 |
Electronic program guide for indicating availability of past programs in the future
A system and method for providing an electronic program guide for television or radio programs includes presenting listings of present or future programs on-screen, presenting listings of past programs on-screen an indicating whether the past program is available again at a future time. Also, a system and method for handling information controllable from an electronic program guide for television or radio programs comprises receiving information in a user's system, storing the received information in the user's system, displaying access to the stored information by means of a user interface and enabling the user to select one of a plurality of management options for controlling the operation of the stored information through the user interface. |
| US08266648B2 |
Systems and methods for determining subscription data
A media guidance application is provided by which users can view program listings associated with programming that the user may access using other user equipment devices. The media guidance application, implemented on, for example, a remote system, may determine through communications with television equipment whether or not the television equipment is authorized to provide a particular package of television programming to be viewed by the user. For example, an online program guide application may determine whether or not television equipment allows a user to view particular channels and, based on that determination, proceed to determine what packages of programming the user subscribes to. A customized program guide may then be displayed based on what programming the user subscribes to on various systems. |
| US08266643B2 |
Method and system for premium channel and pay per view video resell
The disclosed embodiments relate to a system and method for providing data in a multiple dwelling facility. The system may comprise a headend unit that receives a data stream that comprises a plurality of programs, and a multiple dwelling unit network that is adapted to receive at least a portion of the data stream from the headend unit and provide at least a subset of the plurality of programs to individual users in the multiple dwelling facility. The method may comprise the acts of receiving a data stream that comprises a plurality of programs, distributing at least a portion of the data stream to a multiple dwelling unit network, and providing access to a specific one of the plurality of programs to each of a plurality of individual users within the multiple dwelling facility via the multiple dwelling unit network depending on whether each of the plurality of individual users has met at least one predetermined condition. |
| US08266642B2 |
Optical disk mechanism with shaped roller and double beam mount
An optical disk mechanism has a housing with at least one disk entry/exit aperture. A disk guide, such as a plate, is aligned with and guides an optical disk through the disk entry/exit aperture. Two beams rotatably support at least one roller and a drive mechanism. Flexing and biasing the roller towards the disk, the two beams maintain a rotational axis of the roller parallel to the disk and accommodate varying separation between the roller and the disk guide. The two beams are closely spaced and non-coplanar, and may be part of a double-beam mount. The double-beam mount attaches the two beams to the housing and to a frame, which positions the roller near the disk guide and the disk entry/exit aperture. Sliding the disk along the plate or other disk guide, the roller is reversible to drive the disk in or out through the disk entry/exit aperture. |
| US08266639B2 |
Remote procedure call (RPC) bind service with physical interface query and selection
A service module that provides for discovery of one or more network interfaces connecting a prospective remote procedure call (RPC) client, facilitates the provision of RPC programs in a network including multi-horned systems. When a request for a network address to an RPC application providing an RPC program is received from the RPC client, the RPC bind daemon discovers from the module, using the client response address, over which interface(s) the client is accessible. The daemon then selects an address of a network path to the RPC application that the prospective client can access and returns the corresponding network address. The service module monitors the network stack for RPC get address requests and builds tables of client address entries with corresponding network interface identifiers. The entries are retired according to an aging policy. When multiple network paths to the RPC application are available, the service can be selected using a heuristic such as preferred interface, non-firewalled interface, least number of return path links or other criteria. |
| US08266638B2 |
Composite service control system using explicit and implicit conflict resolution scheme
Disclosed is a composite service control system resolving a conflict. A triggering condition of a new application that requests a registration is determined. When the determined triggering condition overlaps with a triggering condition of an existing registered application, determinations are made whether an intersection between an explicit conflict set of the new application and an explicit conflict set of the existing application exists and whether an intersection between an implicit conflict set of an API of the new application and an implicit conflict set of an API of the existing application exists; andThe triggering condition and execution information of the existing application is reported. When either of the intersections exists, a defining of a conflict resolution policy or a changed application triggering condition for the new application is requested; otherwise the triggering condition and the execution information of the new application is stored in an information database. |
| US08266635B2 |
Browser-based user interface and control architecture with priority attributes
A browser-enabled device includes a browser-based user interface and control architecture, which has a browser core, a browser framework, and a user interface. The user interface is written using a markup language. In processing event registrations, the browser framework receives an event registration. The received event registration having a response unique resource identifier (URI) content and a priority field. The priority field of the received event registration is examined to determine priority of the received event registration. If the browser core is loading the response URI content of a prior event registration and if the priority of the received event registration is higher than the priority of the prior event registration, then the loading of the response URI content of the prior event registration is halted, and loading of the response URI content of the received event registration is begun. |
| US08266633B1 |
Method and message handling hardware structure for virtualization and isolation of partitions
A computer-based method configures a hardware circuit to transfer a message to a message queue in an operating system. The hardware circuit is used to transfer a message to the message queue in the operating system without requiring use of either the operating system or a hypervisor associated with the operating system. The configuring includes tieing (i) a value in a head pointer register with a head pointer for the message queue stored in the hardware circuit and (ii) a value in a tail pointer register for the message queue with a tail pointer for the message queue stored in the hardware circuit so that the value in the head pointer register equals the stored head pointer and the value in the tail pointer register equals the stored tail pointer. The using the hardware circuit uses a logical identifier associated with the message to select an entry in a mapping table of the hardware circuit. A value in the entry in the mapping table is used to select an entry in an action table. The entry in the action table is used to determine a tail pointer for the message queue. The hardware circuit appends the message to a location indicted by the tail pointer without requiring cycles of a hypervisor associated with the strand. |
| US08266631B1 |
Calling a second functionality by a first functionality
A method, system, and computer readable medium for calling a second functionality by a first functionality comprises calling a third functionality by the first functionality, wherein the calling includes passing arguments to the third functionality, calling a fourth functionality by the third functionality, wherein the calling includes passing the arguments to the fourth functionality, calling a fifth functionality via the fourth functionality, wherein the calling includes marshalling a request related to the arguments and passing the marshaled request to the fifth functionality, calling a sixth functionality via the fifth functionality, wherein the calling includes unmarshalling the marshaled request, calling the second functionality by the sixth functionality, wherein the calling includes passing the arguments related to the unmarshalled request to the second functionality, returning a response related to the arguments by the second functionality to the fifth functionality via the sixth functionality, calling the fourth functionality by the fifth functionality, wherein the calling includes marshalling the response and passing the marshaled response to the fourth functionality, returning a reply to the third functionality by the fourth functionality, wherein the reply includes unmarshalling the marshaled response, and returning the unmarshalled response to the first functionality by the third functionality. |
| US08266627B2 |
Reduced data transfer during processor context switching
Data transfer during processor context switching is reduced, particularly in relation to a time-sharing microtasking programming model. Prior to switching context of a processor having local memory from a first to a second process, a portion of the local memory that does not require transfer to system memory for proper saving of data associated with the first process is determined. The context of the processor is then switched from the first to the second process, including transferring all of the local memory as the data associated with the first process, to system memory—except for the portion of the local memory that has been determined as not requiring saving to the system memory for proper saving of the data associated with the first process. Therefore, switching the context from the first to the second process results in a reduction of data transferred from the local memory to the system memory. |
| US08266619B2 |
Embedded operating system architecture for smart card
An embedded operating system of smart card and the method for processsing task are disclosed. The method includes: A, initializing the system; B, creating at least one task according to the function set by the system; C, scheduling the pre-execution task according to the priority of the system; D, executing the task and returning the executing result through a data transmission channel. The invention enchances the support of the data channel of the hardware platform, and not only supports the single data channel, ISO7816, of conventional smart cards, but also supports the status of two or more data channels coexisting, in order to make the smart card transmit the information more flexible with higher speed with device terminals. The invention enchances the support of application of smart card, and not only supports the single application on the conventional smart card, but also supports several applications running simultaneity on one card, in order to utilize the smart card with higher efficiency. |
| US08266613B2 |
Image forming apparatus, program updating system, and program updating program
A multi-functional peripheral (MFP) can communicate with a server storing plural kinds of update programs together with update information including updated states of plural kinds of functions, and includes a flash memory to store an execution program, a function execution portion to execute the 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 regarding execution of the function in the flash memory, a determination portion to determine, based on the performance information and the update information stored in the server, an update target portion to be updated within the execution program and a target program for use in updating the execution program from among the update programs stored in the server, and an updating portion to update the update target portion of the execution program with the determined target program. |
| US08266612B2 |
Dynamic, customizable and configurable notification mechanism
Provided are arrangements for delivering customized application or update notifications corresponding to a software application so that a user may be informed of the value of the application or update. In addition, the notifications may be rendered by a configurable notification mechanism so that the behavior of the notification, i.e., when and how often it is displayed, to what users and in what conditions, and the like, is also configurable. In this way, users become more invested in the application or update, are more likely to install the same, and become more aware of what changes to expect following installation. |
| US08266609B2 |
Efficient placement of software transactional memory operations around procedure calls
A software transactional memory system is described which utilizes decomposed software transactional memory instructions as well as runtime optimizations to achieve efficient performance. The decomposed instructions allow a compiler with knowledge of the instruction semantics to perform optimizations unavailable on traditional software transactional memory systems. Additionally, high-level software transactional memory optimizations are performed such as code movement around procedure calls, addition of operations to provide strong atomicity, removal of unnecessary read-to-update upgrades, and removal of operations for newly-allocated objects. During execution, multi-use header words for objects are extended to provide for per-object housekeeping, as well as fast snapshots which illustrate changes to objects. Additionally, entries to software transactional memory logs are filtered using an associative table during execution, preventing needless writes to the logs. Finally a garbage collector with knowledge of the software transactional memory system compacts software transactional memory logs during garbage collection. |
| US08266607B2 |
Lock reservation using cooperative multithreading and lightweight single reader reserved locks
A method for lock reservation using cooperative multithreading is provided. The method includes analyzing code containing async points to support cooperative multithreading. The method also includes identifying a class of code as a candidate for reservation via determining locking properties within the code as a function of locations of async points within the code, and generating reserving code that reserves the shared object when code performing the reservation is considered hot code. The method further includes performing runtime monitoring of reservation performance to detect a contention level for the shared object, and removing the reservation when the runtime monitoring determines that a low level of contention exists. A method for lightweight single reader reserved locks is also provided, including identifying a candidate for reservation containing a read-only locking sequence, conditionally marling the sequence, and generating code using an artificial dependency to control execution order of out-of-line code. |
| US08266605B2 |
Method and system for optimizing performance based on cache analysis
Described is a method and system for optimizing a code layout for execution on a processor including internal and/or external cache memory. The method and system includes executing a program having a first layout, generating at least one memory access parameter for the program, the memory access parameter being based on a cache memory of a computing system on which the program is designed to run and constructing a second layout for the program as a function of the at least one memory access parameter. |
| US08266602B2 |
Apparatus and method for converting between device description languages in a process control system
A device description language (DDL) converter is provided for converting a first DDL file into one or more second DDL files. The DDL files may be associated with wireless field devices that are or could be used in a process control system, such as wireless sensors or wireless actuators. The DDL files may contain information associated with parameters of the field devices, such as tunings, performance statistics, statuses, measurements, and other data of interest. The first DDL file could be associated with a non-standard DDL. The one or more second DDL files could be associated with standard DDLS, such as HART, Foundation Fieldbus, and Profibus DDLs. |
| US08266598B2 |
Bounding resource consumption using abstract interpretation
Bounding resource consumption of code using abstract interpretation includes a static analysis to estimate a code's resource consumption in terms of units of resources utilized at any point during execution, expressed as a function of its scalar inputs. An instrumentation mechanism and an abstract interpretation mechanism are employed to compute bounds on the code resource consumption. The instrumentation mechanism includes incorporating one or more counter variables in the source code to count the number of loop iterations and recursive procedure call invocations. The abstract interpretation mechanism includes computing invariants on the instrumented counter variables and scalar program variables to obtain bounds on the number of loop iterations and recursive procedure call invocations, which are then composed together to obtain resource bounds for the entire program. |
| US08266597B2 |
Dynamically patching computer code using breakpoints
A first section of executable computer code of a computer program is dynamically patched by performing the following. A breakpoint is inserted at the first section of executable computer code. During execution of the computer program, an instruction counter is incremented on an instruction-by-instruction basis through the computer program. The instruction counter indicates a current instruction of the computer program being executed. The breakpoint where the instruction counter points to the first section of executable computer code is encountered, which results in a breakpoint handler being called. The breakpoint handler changes the instruction pointer to instead point to a second section of executable computer code. The second section of executable computer code is a patched version of the first section of executable computer code. Upon the breakpoint handler returning, the second section of executable computer code is executed in lieu of the first section of executable computer code. |
| US08266586B2 |
Application development with unified programming models
A unified programming environment allows application developers to work with declarative, procedural and service model based logic. In one aspect, instructions on a computer readable medium include at least one of a declarative logic module adapted to define an object and a procedural logic module adapted to define an object. A service model based logic module is adapted to define actions to be performed on the object with a reference to said at least one of the declarative and procedural logic module. |
| US08266583B1 |
Flexible packet data storage for diverse packet processing applications
A computer-implemented method of developing a packet processing application can include receiving a user input specifying a first function and a second function and automatically generating a high level programming language description of the packet processing application including a packet data storage unit (605, 610, 615). Packet units can be stored within the packet data storage unit at locations determined according to the first function and the second function. The high level programming language description also can be stored (630). |
| US08266580B2 |
Editing, creating, and verifying reorganization of flowchart, and transforming between flowchart and tree diagram
Provides methods for transforming a flowchart to an equivalent tree diagram, methods for transforming an equivalent tree diagram to a flowchart, methods for verifying reorganization of a flowchart, methods for editing a flowchart, methods for creating a flowchart and a flowchart editor. A flowchart includes one or more logic structures and one or more processing activities in said one or more logic structures. The method for transforming a flowchart to an equivalent tree diagram comprises: traversing said flowchart; transforming said one or more logic structures in said flowchart to one or more branching nodes in said tree diagram; and transforming one or more processing activities in said logic structures of said flowchart to one or more leaf nodes below corresponding branching nodes in said tree diagram. Further, edition of a flowchart and verification of reorganization of a flowchart are performed by utilizing an equivalent tree diagram. |
| US08266576B2 |
Sharing live appliances
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program apparatus, implementing techniques for publishing, subscribing to, or playing live appliances. A live appliance includes a current virtual machine image. In publishing, a proxy file of a live appliance file type is provided to the publisher. The type is mapped to a live appliance player; so that when a proxy file is opened, the current virtual machine image is run. The player automatically binds a writeable file system external to the virtual machine image to the image to provide file storage that is accessible from within the virtual machine image and from a host operating system. The player also creates a subscription to the live appliance on the host computer if one does not exist when the proxy file is run. With the subscription, the player runs the then-current virtual machine image whenever the live appliance is run. |
| US08266571B2 |
Methods and devices for independent evaluation of cell integrity, changes and origin in chip design for production workflow
The technology disclosed relates to granular analysis of design data used to prepare chip designs for manufacturing and to identification of similarities and differences among parts of design data files. In particular, it relates to parsing data and organizing into canonical forms, digesting the canonical forms, and comparing digests of design data from different sources, such as designs and libraries of design templates. Organizing the design data into canonical forms generally reduces the sensitivity of data analysis to variations in data that have no functional impact on the design. The details of the granular analysis vary among design languages used to represent aspects of a design. For various design languages, granular analysis includes partitioning design files by header/cell portions, by separate handling of comments, by functionally significant/non-significant data, by whitespace/non-whitespace, and by layer within a unit of design data. The similarities and differences of interest depend on the purpose of the granular analysis. The comparisons are useful in many ways. |
| US08266570B2 |
Density-based area recovery in electronic design automation
Some embodiments provide techniques and systems for improving the efficiency of area recovery in an electronic design automation (EDA) flow. During operation, the system determines a utilization of a region from a set of regions in a design floorplan. Next, the system performs area recovery (e.g., by using a processor) on the region based at least on the utilization. Specifically, the system can overlay the design floorplan with a grid, wherein the grid comprises a set of grid cells and uses the grid cells as the set of regions. The grid can be associated with a predetermined number of rows and a predetermined number of columns. The system can determine the utilization of the region by calculating the utilization as a cell area of the region divided by a placement area of the region. The utilization can be incrementally calculated during the creation and optimization of the design. |
| US08266565B2 |
Ordering of statistical correlated quantities
Solutions for ordering of statistical correlated quantities are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes timing a plurality of paths in an integrated circuit to determine a set of timing quantities associated with each of the plurality of paths; determining a most critical timing quantity in the set of timing quantities; forming a tiered timing quantity arrangement for ordering a plurality of timing quantities in the set of timing quantities; removing the most critical timing quantity from the set of timing quantities and placing the most critical timing quantity in an uppermost available tier of the tiered timing quantity arrangement; and repeating the determining, forming and removing for the set of timing quantities excluding the removed most critical timing quantity. |
| US08266562B2 |
Method and system for configurable contacts for implementing different bias designs of an integrated circuit device
In a computer implemented synthesis system, a fabrication method for an integrated circuit device. The method includes receiving a circuit netlist representing a first form of an integrated circuit design to be realized in physical form. A plurality of contacts of the netlist are accessed. The plurality of contacts are configured to implement a second form of the integrated circuit design. |
| US08266555B2 |
Method for manufacturing an exposure mask
A weak point detecting method of the present invention designs a target layout, and compensates an optical proximity effect for the target layout, thereafter, verifies the target layout in which the optical proximity effect is compensated by using an NILS of the target layout, thereby, enabling to reduce the time and cost in detecting a weak point for a full chip regardless of the size and form of a pattern. |
| US08266552B2 |
Pattern generating method, method of manufacturing semiconductor device, and recording medium
Pattern formation simulations are performed based on design layout data subjected to OPC processing with a plurality of process parameters set in process conditions. A worst condition of the process conditions is calculated based on risk points extracted from simulation results. The design layout data or the OPC processing is changed such that when a pattern is formed under the worst condition based on the changed design layout data or the changed OPC processing a number of the risk points or a risk degree of the risk points of the pattern is smaller than the simulation result. |
| US08266549B2 |
Apparatus and method for displaying hierarchical menu in mobile communication terminal
An apparatus and method for displaying menu items of a hierarchical menu on a screen in such a manner that a function desired by a user can be traced and performed with a minimum number of key inputs. The top-level menu and bottom-level menu of the hierarchical menu can be simultaneously displayed in one screen picture, thereby enabling a user to reach from an upper-level menu to the bottom-level menu or from the bottom-level menu to the top-level menu with a minimum number of key inputs without passing through intermediate-level menus. Further, a certain menu can be displayed in one screen picture along with the one-level upper menu and one-level lower menu thereof or the one-level lower menu thereof so that the user can readily recognize the position of a current menu. Furthermore, the user can access all menus using only direction keys. |
| US08266548B2 |
Hierarchy tree movement using multi-tree animation
In some example embodiments, a machine-readable medium provides instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause said machine to perform operations. The operations include displaying nodes in N number of levels of a first hierarchy tree on a display. The operations also include receiving input of a selected node of the nodes to open a level below the N number of levels of the first hierarchy tree. The operations include fading out a number of nodes at a highest level of the N number of levels from the first hierarchy tree. The operations include fading in at least one node of the number of nodes at the highest level of the N number of levels into the second hierarchy tree. Also, the operations include fading in at least one node at a level below the selected node into the first hierarchy tree on the display. |
| US08266547B2 |
Graphical user interface for travel planning system
A graphical user interface for a travel planning system is described. The graphical user interface is implemented as a web page and includes a tabular region of the graphical user interface that displays summarized travel options and comprises a plurality of cells that act as controls. The interface also includes a second region that displays selected travel options resulting from filtering a set of travel options in accordance with a control actuated in the tabular region. |
| US08266546B2 |
Custom ordering of an article
A manufacturer or other retailer provides a consumer with a graphical user interface for customizing an article. The graphical user interface includes an analog-style selection control that allows a user to select at least one characteristic of a feature of the article. With this type of selection control, a consumer need not select a particular control value or designate a combination of control values to choose a characteristic for a feature of an article to be custom-manufactured. Instead, the consumer need only select a position or value relative to a range of positions or values provided by the analog-style selection control. |
| US08266540B2 |
Configuration based engineering data collection (EDC) for manufacturing lines
Methods and systems for integrating manufacturing equipment with factory automation software. In one embodiment, an equipment integrator (EI) has a user interface to facilitate user input of configuration information to provide an adaptable interface between a manufacturing tool and a manufacturing execution system (MES) that is operable over a plurality of manufacturing tools. The user configurable interface of the EI is adaptable so that tool-independent MES data collection requests may be satisfied by tool-specific data publication through the EI. In a further embodiment, data collected by the EI from a particular manufacturing tool is mapped to the MES without tool-specific interface coding. During processing, the configurable EI may fill a request from the MES for manufacturing data by collecting a data from the manufacturing tool, identifying data based on the configuration information and returning data satisfying a data keying criterion defined in the MES. |
| US08266534B2 |
Collaborative generation of meeting minutes and agenda confirmation
Members working on the same project can access similar resources at substantially the same time to facilitate active participation in the project. A meeting associated with the project can be given a unique identifier that can allow the project members to access a meeting or other content and view similar documents or other content as it is discussed in the meeting. As information is edited, modified, created, etc. the members can selectively be presented with the information. A common repository can provide the members with an area or platform in which the project material can be accessed, discussed or other functions performed by the project members, allowing for collaboration of the project details. |
| US08266531B2 |
System and method for reusing control tree
A portal containing a plurality of controls that are represented by a meta control hierarchy representing, wherein each node in the meta control hierarchy holds information of one of the plurality of controls. Upon receiving a request from a user for rendering of the portal, a control hierarchy can be created based on the meta control hierarchy. A portal managing component is operable to retrieve a portion of the meta control hierarchy from a cache and create the remaining portion of the meta control hierarchy that does not exist in cache from an XML markup file of the portal. |
| US08266530B2 |
Multiple displays of large dynamic alarm windows
A GUI for a Network Management System client is provided. The GUI presents network alarms in more than one alarm window. Each alarm window includes a drop-down menu for selecting an alarm filter and a pause button for halting display of new alarms. Alarm filters may be retrieved from a database accessible from a number of NMS clients, thereby allowing public filters to be created by a supervisor. A method of automatically populating the “additional text” field of alarms in a way specified manually after installation of the NMS, which provides additional means of filtering alarms. The invention provides an improved interface by which network administrators can manage network alarms, the interface being particularly advantageous during floods of large numbers of network alarms. |
| US08266526B2 |
Distributed and decentralized document management system and method
A document management system includes a memory portion that stores an original document identifier and a first derived document identifier in association with a second apparatus identifier, the original document identifier being provided to an original document, the first derived document identifier being provided to a first derived document created when the original document is copied, printed, edited, or sent by a first apparatus, the second apparatus identifier being provided to a second apparatus that further copies, prints, edits, or sends the first derived document; and a search portion that searches for a distribution path of the original document with the use of the association of the original document identifier, the first derived document identifier, and the second apparatus identifier. |
| US08266521B2 |
Apparatus and method of composing web document and apparatus of setting web document arrangement
An apparatus and method of composing a web document and an apparatus to set a web document arrangement are provided. The apparatus to compose a web document includes a generation module which generates a plurality of frames by analyzing a source of a web document, a composition module which arranges the generated frames using a predetermined frame arrangement mode, and an output module which displays the arranged frames on a screen. |
| US08266520B2 |
System and computer program product for efficiently processing comments to records in a database, while avoiding replication/save conflicts
A system for displaying comment documents within a parent document that avoids replication/save conflicts regardless of the number of users having local document replicas. The graphical user interface to a parent document provides the user with the ability to enter a comment with regard to the parent document. In response to indication that a comment is to be entered, the user interface to the parent document allows the user to enter content to be included in the comment. In response to indication that the entered comment should be saved, the system operates to capture the comment contents and store it into a newly created comment document associated with the parent document. After a comment document has been created, its contents are presented through a predetermined display region within the user interface to the parent document. In response to detection of a transition of a parent document from a state in which comments can be added to a state in which comments cannot be added, the system locates all comment documents associated with the parent document, copies the contents of those comment documents into the parent document such that they are displayed as part of the parent document, and deletes all associated comment documents for that parent document. |
| US08266519B2 |
Document analysis, commenting, and reporting system
A document analysis, commenting, and reporting system provides tools that automate quality assurance analysis tailored to specific document types. As one example, the specific document type may be a requirements specification and the system may tag different parts of requirements, including actors, entities, modes, and a remainder. However, the flexibility of the system permits analysis of any other document type, such as instruction manuals and best practices guides. The system helps avoid confusion over the document when it is delivered because of non-standard terms, ambiguous language, conflicts between document sections, incomplete or inaccurate descriptions, size and complexity of the document, and other issues. |
| US08266516B2 |
Controller
A controller for controlling display on an edit screen for performing edit using components each having nodes and wires connecting the nodes is configured to add, when there is a direction to add a wire for connecting the nodes, a wire according to the direction and set a display style of the added wire to the display style corresponding to the display style set for the kind of the nodes on both sides; when there is a direction to change the display style for one of the kinds of the node, the controller changes the display style of the directed kind according to the direction, while not changing the display style of the wire; and when there is a direction to change the display style of the wire, the controller changes the display style of the directed wire according to the direction. |
| US08266515B2 |
Categorization of summarized information
A system for categorizing transactions includes a collection function gathering information concerning transactions, including at least date, description and amount of the transactions, for a particular person or enterprise, and a processing function categorizing individual ones of the collected transactions according to at least part of the transaction description. |
| US08266513B2 |
Method for determining transport block size and signal transmission method using the same
A method for determining a transport block size and a signal transmission method using the same are disclosed. When the signal transmission method constructs a transport block size combination by predetermining the transport block size, it prevents the insertion of any dummy bits in consideration of the limitation of an input bit length of an encoder during an encoding step. If a CRC is attached to the transport block and the transport block is segmented into a plurality of code blocks, the signal transmission method can establish a length of the transport block in consideration of a length of the CRC attached to each code block. |
| US08266512B2 |
Method and apparatus for signal transmission/reception in a communication system using an HARQ scheme
An apparatus and method for transmitting a signal in a communication system using a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) scheme are provided. The method includes generating a codeword vector by encoding an information vector by using a first parity check matrix of Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) codes, generating a transmission vector by processing the codeword vector, and transmitting the transmission vector. When the first parity check matrix includes a plurality of square matrix columns, each square matrix includes a size of L×L, the first parity check matrix is one of p parity check matrixes stored in the signal transmission apparatus, the p parity check matrixes support different numbers of information vector square matrix columns, and each of the numbers of information vector square matrix columns indicates the number of square matrix columns corresponding to the information vector from among the plurality of square matrix columns. The first parity check matrix is a parity check matrix supporting the number of information vector square matrix columns determined by using the length of the information vector and the value L from the p parity check matrixes, and the value L is determined by using p and the length of the information vector. |
| US08266507B2 |
Data processing apparatus for operating lens correction and method for compressing and restoring lookup table values
A data processing apparatus having a small hardware size and performing lens correction includes a seed memory, a gain memory, and a decoder. The seed memory stores a plurality of encoded gain values forming an A*B seed matrix; the gain memory stores a plurality of decoded gain values forming an M*N grid matrix. The decoder is connected between the seed memory and the gain memory and performs vertical recursive rear polynomial (RNP) decoding before performing horizontal RNP decoding after a second time. Accordingly, the decoder may decode the M*N grid matrix from the A*B seed matrix by performing the row directional RNP decoding and the column directional RNP decoding by turns. |
| US08266505B2 |
Systems and methods for retimed virtual data processing
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for data processing system. As one example, a data processing circuit is described that includes an analog to digital converter, an online timing loop, and an offline timing loop. The analog to digital converter receives an analog input and provides a first series of data samples Each bit of the first series of data samples corresponds to the analog input at a time controlled by an updated sampling clock. The online timing loop modifies the updated sampling clock based at least in part upon a processed version of the first series of data samples. The offline timing loop interpolates a derivative of the first series of data samples to yield a second series of data samples that mimics a series of data samples corresponding to the analog input that were sampled using a free running clock. The second series of data samples is interpolated to adjust each bit in accordance with an average frequency offset exhibited across the second series of data samples. |
| US08266502B2 |
Recording/reproducing apparatus and recording/reproducing method
A recording/reproducing apparatus includes an encoding section, a decoding section, and a first judging section. The encoding section is configured to encode data that is to be recorded onto a recording medium into an LDPC (Low Density Parity Check) code. The decoding section is configured to decode the LDPC code read out from the recording medium. The judging section is configured to judge a block with a recording error based on one of a block error flag and an iterative decoding count output from the decoding section. |
| US08266501B2 |
Stripe based memory operation
The present disclosure includes methods and devices for stripe-based memory operation. One method embodiment includes writing data in a first stripe across a storage volume of a plurality of memory devices. A portion of the first stripe is updated by writing updated data in a portion of a second stripe across the storage volume of the plurality of memory devices. The portion of the first stripe is invalidated. The invalid portion of the first stripe and a remainder of the first stripe are maintained until the first stripe is reclaimed. Other methods and devices are also disclosed. |
| US08266487B2 |
Coding a signal
An apparatus, a base station and user equipment are provided. The apparatus is configured to code a first given number of symbols from the beginning of a transmission period and/or a second given number of symbols from the end of the transmission period with a stronger error correcting code than the rest of the symbols in the transmission period. |
| US08266482B2 |
Operating parameter control for integrated circuit signal paths
An integrated circuit includes a signal source and a signal destination linked by a signal path. Error correction codes (e.g. Hamming codes) are applied to the signals to be transmitted. Errors detected in the signal transmission are used to control an operating parameter of the signal path, such as signal voltage level, body bias voltage, clock frequency and/or temperature. The control applied is closed-loop feedback control seeking to maintain a finite non-zero predetermined error rate. The technique can also be used between a memory accessing integrated circuit and a separate memory integrated circuit. Furthermore, the technique can be used to provide fixed, but differing operating parameters for signal lines within a signal path. Control signals which may be timing critical are passed with appropriate operating parameters, such as a high signal voltage level, where as other signals, such as address and data signals, are passed with a different appropriate operating parameter, such as a low signal voltage level. |
| US08266479B2 |
Process activeness check
Described herein are techniques for dynamically monitoring process activeness of processes running on a computing node. Problems affecting processes to serve their designated functions on the computing node can be relatively quickly detected and dealt with, thereby making restoring process activeness on the computing node much more quickly than otherwise. |
| US08266478B2 |
System and method to manage problems with network-based services
A problem management system can include a system architecture having a first horizontal layer including a plurality of access interfaces, each access interface adapted to receive a problem report from a customer. The problem report indicates that the customer is having a problem with a network-based service of a plurality of network-based services. The architecture also includes a task management domain at the first horizontal layer adapted to obtain a workflow, a problem resolution rule, or any combination thereof, from a second horizontal layer of the problem management system, and provide a diagnostic tool, troubleshooting information, or any combination thereof, via the access interface. The architecture also includes an agent support platform to provide the diagnostic tool, troubleshooting information, a trouble report associated with the customer, a problem history associated with the customer, or any combination thereof, to an agent via another access interface after the customer contacts the agent. |
| US08266477B2 |
System and method for modifying execution of scripts for a job scheduler using deontic logic
A system and method for modifying execution scripts associated with a job scheduler may include monitoring for the execution of a task to determine when the task has failed. Details of the failed task may be identified and used to attempt recovery from the task failure. After initiating any recovery tasks, execution of the recovery tasks may be monitored, and one or more supplementary recovery tasks may be identified and executed, or the original task may be rerun at an appropriate execution point based on the initial point of failure. Thus, when a task has failed, an iterative process may begin where various effects of the failed task are attempted to be rolled back, and depending on the success of the rollback, the initial task can be rerun at the point of failure, or further recovery tasks may be executed. |
| US08266475B2 |
Storage management device, storage management method, and storage system
A storage system includes data storage devices, spare storage devices used when a failure occurs in a data storage devices, a group management unit that divides the data storage devices into groups and implements a redundancy, a data storage device restoration unit that assigns the spare storage device as a replacement when a failure occurs, and a configuration change unit changing configuration of the group to which the data storage devices belong. The configuration change unit includes, a spare storage device securing unit that secures the spare storage device, a change processor that writes data concerning the group into the spare storage device, and a change restoration unit that performs continuation of the configuration change, or restoration of the group to a state in a start, using the data written into the spare storage device when the configuration change of the group is interrupted. |
| US08266474B2 |
Fast cluster failure detection
A method and system for fast failure detection in a distributed computer system. The method includes executing a distributed computer system having a plurality of clusters comprising at least a first cluster, a second cluster and the third cluster, and initializing failure detection by creating a connected cluster list in each of the plurality of clusters, wherein for each one of the plurality of clusters, a respective connected cluster list describes others of the plurality of clusters said each one is communicatively connected with. A status update message is sent upon changes in connectivity between the plurality of clusters, and generating an updated connected cluster list in each of the plurality of clusters in accordance with the status update message. The method then determines whether the change in connectivity results from a cluster failure by examining the updated connected cluster list in each of the plurality of clusters. |
| US08266470B2 |
Clock generating device, method thereof and computer system using the same
A clock generating device, method thereof and a computer system using the same are provided. The clock generating device includes a PLL module and a tuning module. The PLL module receives a reference clock signal, and generates an output clock signal as a basic clock of a computer system according to a phase difference between a reference clock signal and a feedback signal. The PLL module includes a frequency divider adjusting an intrinsic frequency dividing ratio according to a control signal and performs a frequency dividing processing on the output clock signal to generate a feedback signal. The tuning module coupled with the PLL module generates the control signal according to a VID of a CPU and one of the feedback signal and the reference clock. Therefore, the operation frequency of the components serving the output clock signal as the basic frequency in the computer system can be synchronously tuned. |
| US08266460B2 |
Layer 2 power classification support for power-over-ethernet personal computing devices
A Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) communication system dynamically provides power and data communications over a communications link. In an enterprise environment made up of one or more personal computing devices (e.g., personal or laptop computers), a switch determines a power classification for each device via a PoE control module that can be part of, for example, a Power Source Equipment/Powered Device (PSE/PD) system or a LAN-On-Motherboard/Powered Device (LOM/PD) system. A method of classifying power for each device includes detecting a device, polling it for power requirement information using a Layer 2 data link layer, receiving power requirement information from the device, and determining a power classification for the device. Power requirement information can include battery charge status, power load, power mode, etc., of the device. Various types of data packets can be used. The method can be repeated on a periodic basis, allowing power classification to be dynamic. |
| US08266457B2 |
Data processing device and method for switching states thereof
The present invention provides a data processing device and a method for switching states thereof. The data processing device comprises an operating system and a communication interface for communicating with another data processing device, wherein the communication interface is enabled when the operating system stays in the operating state of the operating system, and the communication interface is disabled when the operating system stays in a low-power-consumption state. The method for switching states comprises the following steps of: detecting whether the communication interface stays in the operating state of the communication interface and generating detection information; determining whether the operating system stays in the operating state of the operating system when the detection information indicates that the communication interface stays in the operating state of the communication interface, and generating determination information; generating a system state holding command when the determination information indicates that the operating system stays in the operating state of the operating system; and controlling the operating system to stay in the operating state of the operating system based on the system state holding command. The present invention can not only secure communication via the data communication interface, but also allow the operating system to handle normally and stably an interrupt, so as to reduce the system power consumption. |
| US08266456B2 |
Supplying remaining available current to port in excess of bus standard limit
Methods and apparatus for dynamically adjusting the amount of power (or current) distributed to one or more connected devices via electrical interfaces. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a first module adapted to detect current drawn by a first set of ports, and a second module adapted to adjust the current provided to a second set of ports based on the detected current. The second module is also optionally adapted to distribute unreserved current among the devices according to an allocation protocol. In the exemplary context of a plurality of interconnected serial bus devices, the invention enables a device to draw more current than that required to be reserved for that device (such as to comply with a specification such as USB), yet without increasing the total amount of power which must be dedicated to the serial ports as a whole. Power supply efficiency may also be advantageously optimized. |
| US08266453B2 |
Obtaining backups using a portable storage device
A backup site and a client are coupled to a network and the backup site obtains backup data for the client using a portable storage device by providing a direct coupling between the portable storage device and the backup site. The portable storage device contains full backup data for the client. The direct coupling is separate from the network. Full backup data is uploaded from the portable storage device to the backup site via the direct coupling. At least one incremental backup, based on the prior full backup, is performed to transfer data from the client to the backup site through the network. The network may be the Internet. The direct coupling may be USB, Firewire, or eSATA. Only a subset of data corresponding to a backup dataset may be provided on the portable storage device. Data on the portable storage device may be encrypted. |
| US08266449B2 |
Security for storage devices
The invention broadly contemplates a security solution for storage devices that is inexpensive and robust. The invention allows a store of system specific data to be used to release the hard disk key of full-disk encryption (FDE) drives. This system specific data is passed to the FDE drives and used to calculate the actual encryption key. This allows for safe disposal of an FDE drive containing confidential data, as the lack of available system specific decryption data makes decryption virtually impossible. |
| US08266445B2 |
Encrypted communication system, encrypted communication method, encrypting device, and decrypting device
To allow viewers to view a plain document depending on levels of the authorized powers of the viewers without inserting identifiers into the plain document. An encrypting device includes devices for: storing encrypting role information which includes encrypting keys and key IDs of the encrypting keys; grasping the encrypting range of the plain document, and creating an encrypted part by encrypting the encrypting range using the encrypting key in the encrypting role information; creating the encrypting information configured with one, two, or more record(s) containing the front position and rear position of the encrypted part, the key ID corresponding to the encrypting key that is applied for the encrypted part, and the processing order of the encrypted part; creating the encrypted document by combining an encrypted document main body configured with a document containing the encrypted part with the encrypting information; and storing the encrypted document to a prescribed medium. |
| US08266439B2 |
Integrity verification of pseudonymized documents
One or more methods of generating a pseudonymizable document are described. A method comprises receiving a set of subdocuments and generating a first set of random values wherein each subdocument in the document corresponds to a first set random value. A second set of values is generated based on a subdocument and a corresponding value of the first set random value. A set of pseudonyms is generated wherein each subdocument in the document corresponds to at least one pseudonym of the pseudonym set. A third set of values is generated based on the second set of values and the pseudonym set and a summary value is generated based on the third set of values. |
| US08266438B2 |
Secure data parser method and system
A secure data parser is provided that may be integrated into any suitable system for securely storing and communicating data. The secure data parser parses data and then splits the data into multiple portions that are stored or communicated distinctly. Encryption of the original data, the portions of data, or both may be employed for additional security. The secure data parser may be used to protect data in motion by splitting original data into portions of data, that may be communicated using multiple communications paths. |
| US08266436B2 |
Service providing system, service providing server and information terminal device
A service providing system is provided, which includes a client device capable of accessing a tamper-resistant secure memory, an area management server managing memory area of the secure memory and a service providing server providing service that uses the secure memory to the client device, and which improves the security at the time of sending an access control list provided by the area management server and an instruction set provided by the service providing server to the client device by using a digital signature and a certificate. |
| US08266435B2 |
Method for generating an asymmetric cryptographic key pair and its application
The invention pertains to a method, computer readable medium, and data processing system for generation of an asymmetric cryptographic key pair including reception of an arbitrarily selectable login name, calculation of a first data object key, whereby a random value and the login name are included in the calculation, and calculation of a second data object key from the first data object key, whereby the first and second data object keys form the asymmetric cryptographic key pair. |
| US08266434B2 |
System and method for providing an user's security when setting-up a connection over insecure networks
A method for setting up a secure communication line between a user and a service provider using non-secure communication channels within an insecure network, comprising the steps of transmitting an identity token from a user station to a service provider station both coupled to the insecure network; upon reception of the identity token, triggering the creation of a secret URL by the service provider station; transmitting the secret URL within a secure side channel to the user station; obtaining, within the user station, the secret URL, and setting-up a new communication path in the insecure network linking the user and the service provider station based on said secret URL. Beside discarding a man-in-the-middle by denying him access to the data flow it is also possible to stop him through denying him access to the content of the data flow. Such access can be denied through use of a one-time codebook with semantics only known to the User and the authentication service provider. |
| US08266426B2 |
Hardware certification based on certifying development processes
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for certifying components based on certification of the development and testing processes of the components. As noted above, traditional certification relies on the certification service or agent to specify the exact details of the development and testing processes performed on a component. In contrast, embodiments of the present invention rely on determining a standard required that should be satisfied by the processes performed on the component and certifying those processes that meet this standard. Hence, detailed specification of the individual actions performed in certified processes is unnecessary. This allows the various entities that develop or test (i.e., produce) a component to flexibly determine their own processes. |
| US08266421B2 |
Private electronic information exchange
Methods and apparatuses for private electronic information exchange are described herein. In one embodiment, when electronic information is received to be delivered to a recipient, the electronic information is transmitted over an electronic network with a private routing address. The private routing address is routable within a private domain, which is a subset of the electronic network. Other methods and apparatuses are also described. |
| US08266419B2 |
Fast restart on a virtual machine
Media, methods, and computer systems are provided for performing a quick restart of applications in a virtual machine of the computer system. The virtual machine is configured with a critical object array that identifies the critical applications. In response to a quick restart request, the garbage collector operates in a quick restart mode to remove all objects for each application that is not in critical object array. |
| US08266417B2 |
Device having shared memory and method for transferring code data
The present invention relates to a device having a shared memory and a code data transmitting method. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the digital processing device can include n processors, n being a natural number of 2 or greater; and a shared memory, coupled to each of the processors through independent buses and having a boot section allotted, the boot section being for writing a boot program code to be used for booting of at least one processor. |
| US08266416B2 |
Dynamic reconfiguration supporting method, dynamic reconfiguration supporting apparatus, and dynamic reconfiguration system
A dynamic reconfiguration supporting method that generates a driver function to cause a dynamic reconfiguration circuit to execute a program of an application described in a predetermined language, includes acquiring a configuration defining file representing a configuration of a cluster of the dynamic reconfiguration circuit in execution of the process of the application, generating an address map representing an address of a processing element (to be referred to as “PE” hereinafter) in the cluster on the basis of the configuration defining file acquired by the acquiring operation, generating a driver function that associates the function and an address of the PE which executes the function with reference to the address map, when a PE which executes a function described in the application is allocated from the PE, and creating a driver function file that stores the driver function. |
| US08266409B2 |
Configurable cache and method to configure same
In a particular embodiment, a cache is disclosed that includes a tag state array that includes a tag area addressable by a set index. The tag state array also includes a state area addressable by a state address, where the set index and the state address include at least one common bit. |
| US08266406B2 |
System and method for allocation of organizational resources
System and methods for storing electronic data is provided, where the system comprises a storage manager component and a management module associated with the storage manager component. The management module is configured to receive information related to storage activities associated with one or more storage operation components within the storage operation system under the direction of the storage manager component. The management module is adapted to predict storage operation resource allocations based on the received information related to the storage activities. |
| US08266399B2 |
Storage system, data protection method and management computer, including arrangement for data replication between storage devices
The configuration of a copy pair is prevented in which data replication is conducted from a secondary system to a primary system and data is protected. A first storage device manages first information including a first measurement result related to a command received from a first host, and a second storage device manages second information including a second measurement result related to a command received from a second host. When a management computer makes an instruction to configure data replication from a first volume to a second volume, a storage system determines whether data replication from the first volume to the second volume or data replication from the second volume to the first volume is replication from the primary system to the secondary system based on the managed first information and second information, and the determined result is displayed on the management computer. |
| US08266397B2 |
Interface systems and methods for accessing stored data
A modular data and storage management system. The system includes a time variance interface that provides for storage into a storage media of data that is received over time. The time variance interface of the modular data and storage management system provides for retrieval, from the storage media, of an indication of the data corresponding to a user specified date. The retrieved indication of the data provides a user with an option to access specific information relative to the data, such as content of files that are included in the data. |
| US08266394B2 |
Methods for single-owner multi-consumer work queues for repeatable tasks
There are provided methods for single-owner multi-consumer work queues for repeatable tasks. A method includes permitting a single owner thread of a single owner, multi-consumer, work queue to access the work queue using atomic instructions limited to only a single access and using non-atomic operations. The method further includes restricting the single owner thread from accessing the work queue using atomic instructions involving more than one access. The method also includes synchronizing amongst other threads with respect to their respective accesses to the work queue. |
| US08266391B2 |
Method for writing data of an atomic transaction to a memory device
A method for writing data to a memory device is disclosed. In one embodiment, data of an atomic transaction is written to a first memory in a memory device. A determination is made regarding whether all of the data of the atomic transaction was written to the first memory. The data of the atomic transaction is read from the first memory and written to a second memory in the memory device only if it is determined that all of the data of the atomic transaction was written to the first memory. |
| US08266387B2 |
Leveraging transactional memory hardware to accelerate virtualization emulation
Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for using transactional memory hardware to accelerate virtualization or emulation. One or more central processing units are provided with transactional memory hardware that is operable to accelerate virtualization. The transactional memory hardware has a facility to maintain private state, a facility to render memory accesses from other central processing units visible to software, and support for atomic commit of the private state. The transactional memory hardware can be used, for example, to facilitate emulation of precise exception semantics. The private state is operable to enable an emulated state to remain inconsistent with an architectural state and only synchronized on certain boundaries. An optimized sequence of instructions is executed using chunk-accurate simulation to try and achieve a same end effect. |
| US08266384B1 |
System and method for managing an object cache
In order to optimize efficiency of deserialization, a serialization cache is maintained at an object server. The serialization cache is maintained in conjunction with an object cache and stores serialized forms of objects cached within the object cache. When an inbound request is received, a serialized object received in the request is compared to the serialization cache. If the serialized byte stream is present in the serialization cache, then the equivalent object is retrieved from the object cache, thereby avoiding deserialization of the received serialized object. If the serialized byte stream is not present in the serialization cache, then the serialized byte stream is deserialized, the deserialized object is cached in the object cache, and the serialized object is cached in the serialization cache. |
| US08266380B2 |
Cache memory control method and cache memory apparatus
The present invention is contrived to divide an address for accessing cache memory into a first through a fourth fields from the uppermost bit side, use the first and third fields for respectively storing tag addresses, divide the second and fourth fields into one or more subfields, respectively, use one or more subfields for storing index addresses, and use the remaining subfields for respectively storing line addresses. The second field is handled as one subfield, for example, for storing an index address, and the fourth field is divided into two subfields for storing an index address in one and a line address in the other. Such a configuration manages a form of a block of which data is stored in one entry. |
| US08266379B2 |
Multithreaded processor with multiple caches
A multithreaded processor includes multiple level-1 program caches and multiple level-1 data caches to decrease the likelihood of cache misses after thread switches. By using multiple level-1 caches, execution of a first thread does not cause instructions or data cached for a second thread to be replaced. Thus, when the second thread is being executed the occurrence of cache misses is reduced. |
| US08266378B1 |
Storage device with accessible partitions
A detachable storage device can comprise a memory, circuitry, and a user interface. The memory may comprise a storage partition. The circuitry may be configured to authorize access to the storage partition to a digital device when the detachable storage device is coupled to the digital device based, at least in part, on a user code. The user interface may be configured to receive the user code while the detachable storage device is within a detached state and provide the user code to the circuitry to allow access to the storage partition. |
| US08266370B2 |
Method for processing data of flash memory by separating levels and flash memory device thereof
The present invention discloses a method for processing data of a flash memory by differentiating levels, which includes steps of separating the communication between a host and a flash memory by a high-level translation layer (HTL) and a low-level abstraction layer (LAL). The HTL receives commands and logical addresses from the host and translates the received logical addresses to the physical addresses of the flash memory. The LAL executes data processing to the corresponding memory cells according to the commands and the physical addresses from the HTL. Since the LAL is disposed between the HTL and the flash memory, the HTL is irrelevant to the structure of the flash memory, and does not have to re-designed with the flash memory which is replaced with another new flash memory. |
| US08266368B2 |
Memory controller, memory system, and control method for memory system
A memory controller for performing processing for writing data in an interleaved manner and in units of pages in a semiconductor memory section made up of chip 0 and chip 1, each of the chips composed of a large number of memory cells capable of storing two-bit data in one memory cell in units of two types of pages, the memory controller including a NAND I/F with the semiconductor memory section, and a CPU configured to execute writing programs repeatedly for two types of pages in a memory cell which belongs to the chip 0 and thereafter execute writing programs into a memory cell which belongs to the chip 1. |
| US08266366B2 |
Memory device operable in read-only and write-once, read-many (WORM) modes of operation
One-time programmable (OTP) and write-once read-many (WORM) memory devices and methods for use therewith are provided. These embodiments can be used to provide compatibility between a memory device that uses an OTP (or few-time programmable (FTP)) memory array and host devices that use a file system, such as the DOS FAT file system, that expects to be able to rewrite to a memory address in the memory device. These embodiments can also be used to prevent accidental or deliberate overwrites, changes, or deletions to existing data in a WORM memory device. |
| US08266364B2 |
Portable electronic device and control method for processing passports
A portable electronic device is provided with a storage section which stores various pieces of information and a transmitter/receiver section which transmits and receives data to and from external equipment. It is determined whether or not data paired with write data contained in a write command is stored by the storage section when the write command is received by the transmitter/receiver section, the write data is written to the storage section if it is concluded that the data paired with the write data contained in the write command is stored by the storage section, and the transmitter/receiver section is caused to transmit a result of determination on abnormality to the external equipment if it is concluded that the data paired with the write data contained in the write command is not stored by the storage section. |
| US08266363B2 |
KVM switch having universal input and programmable USB hub and switching control method thereof
A KVM switch of universal input and programmable USB hub includes a main control unit (MCU) chip and a switching control method are disclosed. The KVM switch has a MCU circuit for controlling functions of the KVM switch, complete reports of console I/O devices, reading and corresponding transmissions of descriptors; a console device interface chip connected to the MCU; a console port, connected to the console device interface chip; a computer interface chip, connected to the MCU; a re-assignment USB hub chip, connected to the computer interface chip; and a computer port, connected to the re-assignment USB hub chip. Console USB I/O interfaces become dynamic and universal, such that the console I/O devices connected to the control port correspond to the computer port to provide full compatibility, and the console ports can be connected to various console I/O devices without any limitation of device types. |
| US08266362B2 |
Device connection routing for controllers
Device connection routing for controllers is provided. A computing device is configured with multiple controllers that provide connections for peripheral devices. The controllers enable the peripheral devices to interact with the computing device through a bus. Each device connection is routed to one of the multiple controllers based on one or more pre-determined factors. These factors may include load-balancing, power saving, quality of service, data flow requirements, and the like. Device connection routing may be dynamically managed to respond to changing states of the peripheral devices and the controllers. The device connection routing may be performed for controllers associated with any type of wired or wireless buses, such as Universal Serial Bus (USB), IEEE 1394, Secure Digital Input/Output (SDIO), and the like. |
| US08266359B2 |
Method of connecting mass storage device
Method for connecting mass storage device(s) with data connection device(s) connecting to data port(s) with the same data interface type(s) as that of the mass storage device(s) for data transmission and with power connection device(s) connecting to power port(s), for power supply, on a bus of technologies with power management capabilities and facilities in computer-related or computer-controlled or operating-system-controlled machines or devices for using and swapping the mass storage device(s). |
| US08266358B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method, and recording medium
An image processing device including a first control unit to control a normal operating mode during which image processing is performed, a second control unit to control an energy-saving mode during which power consumption is lower than during the normal operating mode, an interrupt request receiver connected to an external device to receive an interrupt request from the external device, interrupt factor distributors to distribute the interrupt request received by the interrupt request receiver based on whether or not the interrupt request includes a predetermined interrupt factor, interrupt request notification units to notify the second control unit as well as the first control unit of the interrupt request in accordance with distribution results from the interrupt factor distributors, and job adjustors to control transfer of a job between the first control unit and the second control unit based on notification from the interrupt request notification units. |
| US08266355B2 |
Electronic apparatus transmitting and receiving signal through single wire
There is provided an electronic apparatus transmitting and receiving a signal through a single wire that that has a main electronic apparatus and a sub-electronic apparatus connected through a single wire, transmits status information and performs control and communication through the single wire. The electronic apparatus transmitting and receiving a signal through a single wire may include: a sub-electronic apparatus transmitting a detection signal containing status information through a single wire, and performing a predetermined operation upon receiving a response signal to the detection signal; and a main electronic apparatus receiving the detection signal through the single wire and transmitting the response signal having a different signal format from the detection signal to the sub-electronic apparatus. |
| US08266353B2 |
Serial advanced technology attachment (SATA ) switch
An embodiment of the present invention is disclosed to include a SATA Switch allowing for access by two hosts to a single port SATA device Further disclosed are embodiments for reducing the delay and complexity of the SATA Switch. |
| US08266347B2 |
Data transmission method and transmission circuit thereof
A data transmission method and the transmission circuit thereof for transmitting data between a host and a peripheral apparatus are disclosed. The data transmission method includes the following steps. First, a clock signal is transmitted by a first pin. Then, a data signal is transmitted by a second pin according to the timing of the clock signal. |
| US08266346B2 |
Data processing apparatus that processes incoming bits
A data processing apparatus receives a communication signal that contains temporally successive bits. A programmable processor circuit executes a plurality of series of programmed instructions for operations such as parity checking, each at a time of reception of a respective one of the bits. The processor circuit suspends operation each time after executing a respective one of the series of instructions. A synchronization circuit triggers execution of respective ones of the series, each time at the time of reception of the respective one of the bits, and, except for a last one of the series, prior to reception of one or more later bits that contribute to the data word. |
| US08266343B2 |
Systems and methods for automated sensor polling
A device may include polling logic configured to store a table of received addresses, sequentially receive sensor data from each address in the table via a serial data bus, store the sensor data in a memory, receive an address from a processor via a high speed data bus, and provide stored sensor data from the memory to the processor via a parallel data bus. |
| US08266340B2 |
DMA controller
The DMA controller includes a peripheral device read unit to read states of peripheral devices, a state comparator, a transfer unit, a register, and a peripheral device write unit to write data in the peripheral devices according to the contents in the register when the DMA transfer is executed, an interrupt select unit selects one of plural interrupt signals to determine whether the peripheral device read unit, the state comparator and the transfer unit are at a timing to execute operations. Based on these operations the state comparator determines whether to start the DMA transfer, and the transfer unit executes data transfer between the peripheral devices. |
| US08266338B2 |
Data flow control within and between DMA channels
In one embodiment, a direct memory access (DMA) controller comprises a transmit circuit and a data flow control circuit coupled to the transmit circuit. The transmit circuit is configured to perform DMA transfers, each DMA transfer described by a DMA descriptor stored in a data structure in memory. There is a data structure for each DMA channel that is in use. The data flow control circuit is configured to control the transmit circuit's processing of DMA descriptors for each DMA channel responsive to data flow control data in the DMA descriptors in the corresponding data structure. |
| US08266334B2 |
Data writing method for non-volatile memory, and controller and storage system using the same
A data writing method for writing data from a host system into a plurality of memory dies of a rewritable non-volatile memory storage apparatus is provided. The data writing method includes determining whether the data transmission interface of the host system complies with a first interface standard or a second interface standard. The data writing method also includes using a general mode to write the data into the memory dies when the data transmission interface of the host system complies with the first interface standard and using a power saving mode to write the data into the memory dies when the data transmission interface of the host system complies with the second interface standard. Accordingly, the data writing method can effectively prevent the stability of the rewritable non-volatile memory storage apparatus from reducing due to insufficient power supplied by the data transmission interface. |
| US08266333B1 |
System and method for parallel image processing and routing
The present invention is directed toward a system and method for simultaneously switching multiple input image streams to multiple output devices while providing optional image processing functions on the image streams. The incoming image streams may come from computers, cameras, radar, or other image stream generating devices. The incoming streams may vary in resolution, frame rate, format, and protocol according to the characteristics and purpose of their respective source devices. The incoming image streams can be iteratively routed through a reconfigurable array of image processing circuit cards to operate on one or more streams using preprogrammed algorithms. A processed stream can be routed through another processing function, or to an output circuit card that sends the completed image to the external display, recording device, across a network, or to another logical destination. |
| US08266330B2 |
Method and controller for processing commands in a storage device
A controller for processing a command in a data storage device includes at least one bitmap and a firmware command que. The at least one bitmap is formed in hardware to indicate that the command is received. The firmware command que is generated by firmware for storing the command when the at least one bitmap indicates receipt of the command. The firmware generates the firmware command que that is of variable size for processing a high number of commands. In addition, the bitmaps are generated in the hardware for quickly receiving the high number of commands. |
| US08266323B2 |
System connections and user interfaces
This description relates to methods and systems for providing a connection from a first system to another system using a server. In one embodiment, a method includes establishing at a first data processing system (DPS) a connection with a server providing a service to both the first DPS and a second DPS, the server being operatively coupled to the first DPS and the second DPS, and the server having received from the second DPS an address information; receiving from the server the address information of the second DPS; and establishing at the first DPS a connection, using the address information from the server, with the second DPS to receive a sharing service from the second DPS. |
| US08266322B2 |
Verification of configuration information in BGP VPNs
Described are mechanisms for verifying configuration information in 2547 BGP VPNs. An originating PE generates a first knowledge digest encoding first configuration information associated with a current set of information advertised for a VRF. The originating PE also generates a second knowledge digest encoding second configuration information associated with cumulative information advertised for the VRF. The originating PE is capable of receiving a message from a user PE, the message including a third knowledge digest encoding third configuration information related to the user VRF. The originating PE is capable of comparing the first knowledge digest to the third knowledge digest and producing a first indication if the third configuration information encoded in the third knowledge digest is not a subset of the first configuration information encoded in the first knowledge digest. |
| US08266321B2 |
Self-managed distributed mediation networks
A distributed mediation network and method of employing such is provided, having a plurality of different types of network module. Each module has a non-reciprocal path therethrough for network traffic and the distribution of network traffic across the network is managed by an autonomic control plane. |
| US08266320B1 |
Computer network defense
Training defense of a computer network. The system includes an enterprise asset subsystem to be defended. The enterprise asset subsystem runs operating system, support services, and application programs. The system also includes a neutral subsystem that is in communication with the enterprise asset subsystem and is used to set up and run at least one exercise scenario, and score performance of enterprise asset defenders in defending the system against exploits. Exploits are launched by an exploitation subsystem communication with the enterprise asset subsystem. |
| US08266317B2 |
Reducing idle time due to acknowledgement packet delay
Mechanisms for reducing the idle time of a computing device due to delays in transmitting/receiving acknowledgement packets are provided. A first data amount corresponding to a window size for a communication connection is determined. A second data amount, in excess of the first data amount, which may be transmitted with the first data amount, is calculated. The first and second data amounts are then transmitted from the sender to the receiver. The first data amount is provided to the receiver in a receive buffer of the receiver. The second data amount is maintained in a switch port buffer of a switch port without being provided to the receive buffer. The second data amount is transmitted from the switch port buffer to the receive buffer in response to the switch port detecting an acknowledgement packet from the receiver. |
| US08266316B2 |
Client apparatus and method of streaming content, and computer readable recording medium storing program for performing the method
An apparatus and method of streaming content by adaptively selecting a peer-to-peer (P2P) method or a server-client method according to a network environment, and a computer readable medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the method are provided. The apparatus includes middleware which supports the P2P method, middleware which supports the server-client method, an adaptation manager which provides a list of content, determines one of at least one node and at least one server sharing content which is selected as a source device according to a content sharing method and their available bandwidths, and determines a content sharing method used by the source device as a streaming method, and an application unit which controls the selected content to be received from the source device by using middleware and a transfer layer corresponding to the determined streaming method, and the received content to be reproduced. |
| US08266314B2 |
Automated audio or video subset network load reduction
A multimedia data stream including an audio data stream and a video data stream is received from a server at a computing device. An audio output signal for the audio data stream and a video output signal for the video data stream are generated. A user interface action that blocks output of one of the audio data stream and the video data stream is detected via the computing device. A multimedia traffic reduction request is sent to the server instructing the server to stop transmission of a portion of the multimedia data stream associated with the blocked output of one of the audio data stream and the video data stream. |
| US08266313B2 |
Live media subscription framework for mobile devices
A subscription-based system provides transcribed audio information to one or more mobile devices. Some techniques feature a system for providing subscription services for currently-generated (e.g., not stored) information (e.g., caption information, transcribed audio) for one or more mobile devices for a live/current audio event. There can be a communication network for communicating to the one or more mobile devices, a transcriber configured for transcribing the event to generate information (e.g., caption information, transcribed audio). Caption data includes transcribed data and control code data. The system includes a subscription gateway configured for live/current transfer of the transcribed data to the one or more mobile devices. The subscription gateway is configured to provide access for the transcribed data to the one or more mobile devices. User preferences for subscribers can be set and/or updated by mobile device users and/or GPS-capable mobile devices to receive feeds for the live/current audio event. |
| US08266309B2 |
Method and system for querying parameter information, and apparatus for returning parameter information
The present invention provides a method and system for querying parameter information, and an apparatus for returning parameter information. The protocol layer that receives a query request establishes a correspondence between an acquired parameter value and a parameter name and returns the parameter value and the corresponding parameter name to the protocol layer that sends the query result. This can decrease the complexity of implementing the query mechanism. In addition, with the present invention, the MIH layer can also notify the upper layer/MIH users/NMS entity of the query result when returning the queried state information to the upper layer/MIH users/NMS entity. |
| US08266307B2 |
Method, system, and apparatus for access of network services using subscriber identities
Associating user identities with a network service involves detecting, at a first device, a subscriber identity previously associated with a second device. The second device was used to register a user identity with a network service, and the user identity includes a phone number of the second device and an account identifier generated by the network service for use with the second device. The network service is accessed from the first device and the first device receives a new identifier from the service. The first device registers with the service via a communication channel that utilizes a phone number of the first device to establish communication. In response to the phone number of the first device matching the phone number of the second device, the first device accesses the service using the user identity associated with the second device. |
| US08266305B2 |
Method and system for purging content from a content delivery network
A content file purge mechanism for a content delivery network (CDN) is described. A Web-enabled portal is used by CDN customers to enter purge requests securely. A purge request identifies one or more content files to be purged. The purge request is pushed over a secure link from the portal to a purge server, which validates purge requests from multiple CDN customers and batches the requests into an aggregate purge request. The aggregate purge request is pushed from the purge server to a set of staging servers. Periodically, CDN content servers poll the staging servers to determine whether an aggregate purge request exists. If so, the CDN content servers obtain the aggregate purge request and process the request to remove the identified content files from their local storage. |
| US08266304B2 |
Managed services platform
A managed services platform. An applications management server is provided for managing relationships with application service providers and other entities over a wide area network such as the Internet. The applications management server interfaces with a master database server and the servers of one or more application service providers, or other entities, to facilitate selection and deselection of applications, services, and capabilities that may be available for use by the information technology network of a company. |
| US08266302B2 |
Evaluating initial filter criteria
A method of evaluating Initial Filter Criteria (IFC) at a terminating Serving Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF) in an IP Multimedia Subsystem network. Upon receiving a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message containing a destination Uniform Resource Identifier (URI), the S-CSCF applies an Initial Filter Criterion to the message, sends the message to an Application Server (AS), and suspends further IFC evaluation. When a return message is received from the AS, the S-CSCF determines whether the AS changed the URI. If so, the S-CSCF makes a determination of whether to resume IFC evaluation. If the AS did not change the URI, the S-CSCF resumes IFC evaluation. |
| US08266298B2 |
Storage medium, uniqueness assurance realizing method, session management method and uniqueness assurance information setting management device
One system distributes a request for providing a service using a first communication protocol, from a terminal device to a server selected from among a plurality of servers by a server load balancer in response to the request. A corresponding relation between identification information for identifying a session generated in a distributed server and the server that has generated the session corresponding to the identification information is set in the server load balancer by the service of a second communication protocol as uniqueness assurance information for uniqueness assurance. Thus, when the provision of a service is requested using a second communication protocol by the terminal device, the server load balancer refers to the set uniqueness assurance information and selects the server for providing the service from among the plurality of servers. |
| US08266296B2 |
Application-layer evaluation of communications received by a mobile device
Apparatus and associated methods are provided which allow a remote user to maintain a virtual session with a server. A virtual session allows a remote and possibly mobile user to maintain a virtual presence in an office environment without actually being present. Using the present invention, a remote user can access a central application program such as an Internet service provider, a database system, an inventory system or billing system. Likewise, the remote user can receive calls and other forms of communications as though he or she were present in an office environment. A virtual session does not require a physical connection to be continuously present in order to provide a virtual connectivity. This is especially important for mobile applications where the remote user may incur long distance and/or wireless toll charges. Also, methods are presented to allow a remote unit to rapidly reconnect in a transparent and seamless way without burdening the user with the need to connect and reconnect or to upload and download information. Related methods are provided to allow the virtual session to be established, operated and maintained. |
| US08266294B2 |
Routing hints
A first exemplary media implementation includes processor-executable instructions that direct a device to perform actions including: creating a session identifier using a host identifier; and formulating a host session initiation message with the created session identifier. A first exemplary device implementation includes: at least one processor; and one or more media including processor-executable instructions that direct the device to perform actions including: formulating a host session message with a session identifier that is created responsive to a host identifier; and sending the formulated host session message that includes the session identifier from the device. A second exemplary media implementation includes a data structure that has a message including a session identifier field, at least part of the session identifier field including a host identifier. A second exemplary device implementation includes: a host identifier; and a session identifier creator that is adapted to create a session identifier using the host identifier. |
| US08266293B2 |
Method of load balancing edge-enabled applications in a content delivery network (CDN)
A method and system of load balancing application server resources operating in a distributed set of servers is described. In a representative embodiment, the set of servers comprise a region of a content delivery network. Each server in the set typically includes a server manager process, and an application server on which edge-enabled applications or application components are executed. As service requests are directed to servers in the region, the application servers manage the requests in a load-balanced manner, and without any requirement that a particular application server spawned on-demand. |
| US08266291B2 |
Dynamic property volatility assignment and assessment for distributed manageable resources
A method, system, and computer program product for dynamic property volatility assessment for distributed manageable resources are provided. The method includes determining whether a property value of a remote resource has an associated volatility measurement. In response to determining that the property value of the remote resource has the associated volatility measurement, a network transaction is invoked to retrieve the property value at an interval that is less than or equal to the associated volatility measurement. In response to determining that the property value of the remote resource does not include the associated volatility measurement, a frequency-based assessment is performed comparing a frequency of change and a frequency of access for the property value. Caching the property value is performed in response to comparing the frequency-based assessment to a threshold value. |
| US08266285B2 |
Method and program for supporting setting of access management information
In order to limit host computers permitted to control a storage area from host computers, provided is a storage management computer coupled to one or more host computers for providing services and one or more storage systems, in which the storage management computer judges whether the host computer is permitted to control the storage area based on data indicating the configuration information of the storage system and service management information for managing the services provided by the host computers, and in case of which it is judged that the host computer is permitted to control the storage area, the storage management computer sets access control data to permit the host computer to control the storage area. |
| US08266284B2 |
System from reputation shaping a peer-to-peer network
A method of managing access to resources in a network. A reputation for each network participant is evaluated by querying a data source for the reputation associated with the network participant. Based on the evaluated reputation, an appropriate level of access to network resources is determined from a plurality of levels of access to network resources for the corresponding network participant. An access control action is then performed to correspond to the determined level of access for the participant. |
| US08266281B1 |
Collecting client-side performance metrics and latencies
Technologies are described herein for collecting client-side performance metrics and latencies. A web page received by a web browser application executing on a user computing device includes markup or scripting code that instructs the browser to collect performance measures during the rendering of the content of the web page. The performance measures may include operation timings that measure the time it takes for a particular operation to complete during the rendering of the content and/or event counters that count the number of times that a specific event occurs during the rendering of the content. The web browser application sends an event report containing the collected performance measures to a reporting module executing on a server computer. The reporting module receives the event report, validates the content of the event report, and adds the event report to a database or other data storage system. |
| US08266279B2 |
System and method for generating and using fingerprints for integrity management
A system and method is provided for capturing and using problem fingerprints in an Information Technology (IT) infrastructure for integrity management. A fingerprint of the transaction topology in an IT infrastructure is automatically captured at various time intervals prior to the occurrence of an event leading to a problem, such as a failure, hard threshold violation, defined transaction violation or user-provided occurrence. The fingerprint provides an indication of the activity and operation of the IT infrastructure immediately preceding the problem event. The captured fingerprint is then used to monitor real-time data in the IT infrastructure operation and activity to look for activity that matches a captured fingerprint to provide an indication of a pending problems before the problems occur. When it is determined that there is sufficient probability a problem event will occur based upon real-time data matching a previously generated problem fingerprint, an alert is generated to provide sufficient notification prior to the occurrence of problem event. |
| US08266278B2 |
Apparatus and method for visualizing network state by using geographic information
Disclosed is an apparatus for displaying the state of a network to enable a user to intuitively recognize a network security situation. The disclosed apparatus for displaying the state of a network includes: a security event collecting unit that collects security events from the outside; an IP address converting unit that converts a source IP address and a destination IP address in characteristic data of the collected security events into geographic information on the basis of information stored in a geographic information database; and a network state display unit that displays the flow of security events for each protocol between a source and a destination as an image including a globe shape, on the basis of the characteristic data and the geographic information transmitted from the IP address converting unit. |
| US08266271B2 |
Propagation of signals between devices for triggering capture of network data
Protocol analyzers systems and methods coordinate the capture of network data of interest across multiple chassis. Each chassis has individual blades with accompanying ports and is serially connected to other chassis in the system. Selected ports from each chassis are configured in domains that can be spread across the serially connected chassis and used in coordination to capture network data of interest. A serial protocol containing control signals is used to transmit run, stop, and trigger data between the serially connected chassis and thereby coordinate the activity of ports within each domain. Through the use of the serial protocol the number of wires connecting adjacent chassis is minimized and each of the blades in the multi-chassis systems can be synchronously started, stopped, and triggered at the same time to synchronously capture the network data of interest. |
| US08266270B1 |
Delivery performance analysis for internet services
One preferred embodiment of the present invention provides systems and methods for analyzing the delivery performance of newsgroup services. Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment, among others, includes a newsgroup evaluation system configured to determine a delivery rate for a newsgroup server. In other embodiments, methods and systems are provided for analyzing completion and retention for newsgroup services. |
| US08266267B1 |
Detection and prevention of encapsulated network attacks using an intermediate device
A network device is capable of recognizing and blocking network attacks associated with packet flows regardless of whether the packet flows are encapsulated within network tunnels. For example, the network device includes a filter module that receives packets associated with a network tunnel from an ingress device to an egress device. The filter module applies heuristics to determine whether the packets encapsulate encrypted data units. If the data units are not encrypted, the filter module extracts the data units and generates temporary packets for use within the network device. An attack detection engine within the device analyzes the temporary packets to detect any network attacks carried by the encapsulated data units. A forwarding component selectively forwards the packets to the egress device based on whether any network attacks are detected. |
| US08266260B2 |
Method and system for updating the software of multiple network nodes
A method and system for updating a group of network nodes, such as a group of MFPs, with replacement software in a manner that improves network performance and the predictability of a completion time for installation of the replacement software involves throttling distribution of a software update package to avoid resource oversubscription while time-bounding distribution so that installation of the software update on all of the network nodes can be completed by a certain time and, in some embodiments, further involves determining a start time for distribution of the software update package based at least in part on a scheduled installation time selected by a network administrator, which provides a high degree of confidence that installation of the software update across the entire group of network nodes will be completed around a scheduled time (e.g. during “off hours”) notwithstanding the staggered distribution of the software update package. |
| US08266258B1 |
Enhanced throttle management system
Techniques for enhancing a throttle management system are disclosed. A throttle management system can be configured to scale down a number of permits available for connections to a data source. The throttle configuration parameters can be viewed by an administrator and modified during the runtime operation of the computer system effecting the throttle. |
| US08266255B2 |
Method and system for configuring settings for a communications client utilizing host device drivers
A system and method for configuring a client on a host device using a configuration application on a configuring device, the system comprising: a link between the configuring device and the host device; host drivers for communicating between the host device and the configuring device over the link; and an interface between the host drivers and the configuration application, wherein said interface allows said configuration application to be independent of the host drivers while allowing the configuration application to configure the client. |
| US08266251B2 |
Communication terminal, distribution system, method for conversion and program
A communication terminal that receives contents information distributed from a source of distribution, comprises: means for converting a leading frame of said contents information to a non-predicted frame in response to an input request. |
| US08266250B2 |
Communication detection device, method, and program for peer-to-peer communication
A communication detection method in which, based on a sender and a destination of communication data recorded in a communication log that records information concerning communication data exchanged between devices linked to a network, the communication log is divided into parts corresponding to individual object devices. The communication logs divided corresponding to the individual devices are analyzed so that the communication data in which a connection request to each device has been issued is extracted, and then a response success/failure table is generated based on whether a response from the device to the connection request has been detected; and based on the response success/failure table, when a time period that no response is obtained from the device satisfies a criterion condition determined in advance, it is determined that peer-to-peer communication has been performed. |
| US08266248B2 |
Use of network composition descriptors for determining product compatibility
Using peer-to-peer device descriptors for determining product compatibility involves obtaining, via a home network, descriptors that describe a composition of the home network. The home network composition descriptors are compared to descriptors of products available from an e-commerce service provider that is external to the home network. The comparison determines compatibility of the products with the devices of the home network. Identity of compatible products selected from the products based on the comparison is communicated to a user. |
| US08266242B2 |
Method, system, and computer program product for propagating remotely configurable posters of host site content
A method, system, and computer readable medium for propagating a poster of host site content to remote clients over the World Wide Web includes hosting a configuration session at a host site, in real time, including receiving input from a remote client to configure at the host site a propagative poster of host site content based on at least one configuration selection input by the remote client; generating a propagative poster identifier that references the propagative poster; generating a Web code segment that includes the propagative poster identifier and a link to the host site; and forwarding the Web code segment to the remote client, wherein the Web code segment is configured to be inserted into a Web page of the remote client, to create a propagative poster on the Web page of the remote client. |
| US08266240B2 |
Dynamic allocation of a radio resource
The present invention relates to a method and network device for allocating a radio resource, e.g. a radio bearer, to a data connection. First, a radio resource is allocated-to the data connection and data transmitted via the data connection is compressed and transmitted using the allocated radio resource. During the transmission, a transmission parameter of the compressed data is monitored and the allocated radio resource is reconfigured based on the monitoring result. Thereby, the radio resource can be dynamically adapted to different data rates during the connection. Header compression benefits are available to all kinds of traffic without the disadvantage of having too low or too high data rates. |
| US08266239B2 |
Remote services system relocatable mid level manager
A remote services architecture which includes a remote services proxy, an intermediate mid level manager, an applications mid level manager, and an application server coupled to the remote services proxy. The remote services proxy provides communications flow management. The intermediate mid level manager provides data queue management, transaction integrity and redundancy. The intermediate mid level manager is scalable to a customer location or a service provider location based upon the needs of the customer. The applications mid level manager provides data normalization and integration with a mail server data flow. The application server provides persistent storage of remote services infrastructure information. |
| US08266238B2 |
Memory mapped network access
The present disclosure relates to memory access, and specifically to memory access utilizing internet protocol (IP) addressing semantics. Various embodiments, methods, apparatus and systems are provided that allow a system to detect that a memory access has been attempted involving a region of memory that is mapped to a network device; and to perform the memory access utilizing, at least in part, the networked device and a network interface. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US08266235B2 |
Virtual application delivery chassis system
A method for electing a master blade in a virtual application distribution chassis (VADC), includes: sending by each blade a VADC message to each of the other blades; determining by each blade that the VADC message was not received from the master blade within a predetermined period of time; in response, sending a master claim message including a blade priority by each blade to the other blades; determining by each blade whether any of the blade priorities obtained from the received master claim messages is higher than the blade priority of the receiving blade; in response to determining that none of the blade priorities obtained is higher, setting a status of a given receiving blade to a new master blade; and sending by the given receiving blade a second VADC message to the other blades indicating the status of the new master blade of the given receiving blade. |
| US08266234B1 |
System and method for enhancing system reliability using multiple channels and multicast
A database system for processing a query includes at least one master node that is operable to communicate a multicast signal over a plurality of communication channels. The multicast signal includes a request to perform an action associated with a pre-compiled query. In one particular embodiment, the at least one master node communicates the multicast signal over a first communication channel. The system also includes a plurality of slave nodes that are coupled to the at least one master node. Each of the plurality of slave nodes is operable to receive the multicast signal from the first communication channel. In this particular embodiment, at least one of the plurality of slave nodes provides access to at least one key part that is also accessible through another one of the plurality of slave nodes. |
| US08266221B2 |
Technique for data management in a distributed environment
Disclosed is a method and system for receiving a first message and creating a before image of the first message by comparing the first message with a second message stored in a message database. An actual message to be updated in a target device is identified by combining a transaction data and the before image of the first message. |
| US08266220B2 |
Email management and rendering
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for email management and rendering, including receiving aggregated email in native form, synthesizing the aggregated native form email into synthesized email, and presenting the synthesized email. Synthesizing the aggregated native form email into a synthesized email may also include translating aspects of the native form email into text and markup. Synthesizing the aggregated native form email into a synthesized email may also include identifying attachments to the aggregated native form email and translating aspects of the attachments into text and markup. Presenting the synthesized email also includes identifying a presentation action in dependence upon presentation rules and executing the presentation action. |
| US08266217B2 |
Unsolicited electronic message source verification and tracking system and method
An unsolicited electronic message source verification and tracking method and system for providing an efficient and convenient mechanism for tracking identification of unsolicited electronic message (e.g., e-mails) sources is presented. In one embodiment, a request for authorization to forward an electronic message is received. The request for authorization includes a request source address. A response is sent including an authorization indicator (e.g., a unique bit string) is sent to the request source address. An electronic message is received and a determination is made if the electronic message includes a valid authorization indictor. If the electronic message does include a valid authorization indicator the electronic message is associated with the request source address and the association is tracked. In one exemplary implementation, a source address included in the electronic message is compared to the request source address and discrepancies are noted. |
| US08266215B2 |
Using distinguishing properties to classify messages
A system and method are disclosed for classifying a message. The method includes receiving the message, identifying in the message a distinguishing property; generating a signature using the distinguishing property; and comparing the signature to a database of signatures generated by previously classified messages. |
| US08266213B2 |
Apparatus, method, and system to provide a multiple processor architecture for server-based gaming
An architecture for an electronic gaming machine (EGM) includes multiple processors that separate game logic from game presentation. The multi-processor architecture includes a dedicated game logic engine and a dedicated presentation engine. A first processor having the game logic engine is adapted to handle the input/output (I/O), peripherals, communications, accounting, critical gaming and other game logic, power hit tolerances, protocols to other systems, and other tasks related to operation of the EGM. A second processor is adapted to running a presentation engine. The second processor receives commands from the first processor to present game-oriented outcome and results. |
| US08266212B2 |
Game talk service bus
A service-oriented bus for distributed gaming systems allowing gaming machines, servers, workstations, mobile PCs, handheld devices and automatic telling machines to talk together over a network. The game service bus provides a publish-and-subscribe message bus over a private network within a gaming property and/or over the public Internet across several properties. The service bus framework allows participating communicating end points to publish services or subscribe to services in a simple and standardized high level fashion, thereby enabling the devices to understand one-another, thus “talk” together. The “talking together” paradigm is rather appropriate, as it emphasizes the value that the service bus brings to a complex distributed casino gaming system that may include thousands of devices manufactured by dozens of vendors. Gaming machines may talk together in a peer-fashion over the service bus, which is well suited for multiplayer gaming. The service-oriented bus allows third party ultra-specialized vendors to offer dazzling plug-in services directly on the casino floor, such as automated geo-localized logistic support and other geo-localized services. |
| US08266208B2 |
Method and system for sharing documents among members of an online community
Sharing documents among members of an online community. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods comprising, associating an electronic document with a machine-readable symbol, the machine-readable symbol comprising data regarding the electronic document, uploading the electronic document to an online community, the uploading by a first member of the online community; and performing, by a second member of the online community, an operation regarding the electronic document. |
| US08266207B2 |
Systems and methods for online information exchange using server-mediated communication routing
The invention, in one embodiment, relates to facilitating communications between a user and one or more members of one or more groups by routing the communications from the user to particular group members based, at least in part, for example, on information known about: the communication; the one or more groups; and/or the one or more group members. |
| US08266204B2 |
Direct addressability and direct server return
Cloud computing platforms having computer-readable media that perform methods for direct addressability and direct server return are provided. The cloud computing platform includes a load balancer and several servers. The servers are configured with public addresses, private addresses, and an address of the load balancer. The loopback interface of the servers is configured with the address of the load balancer. This allows a server to bypass the load balancer when replying to communication messages. Additionally, the public and private addresses of the servers enable direct addressability in the cloud computing platform. Accordingly, an application executing in the cloud computing platform may connect two or more clients on the same server. |
| US08266202B1 |
System and method for auto-generating JavaScript proxies and meta-proxies
A method, system, Web-environment and computer program product for automatically generating proxies and meta-proxies for script code in an HTML document. The invention preferably operates with a system that allows for JavaScript to be utilized on the server-side. |
| US08266190B2 |
Memory management for garbage collection of critical real time threads
Mechanisms of memory management in a real time runtime environment having a garbage collected memory heap are provided. The runtime environment includes a critical real time thread that is precluded from accessing the garbage collected memory heap. The runtime environment further includes a scoped memory area for the allocation of objects therein for access by the critical real time thread. The mechanisms determine whether the critical real time thread is in a defined state in which a delay associated with garbage collection can be accommodated by the critical thread. The mechanisms further initiate, in response to a determination that the critical real time thread is in the defined state, a process of garbage collection of the scoped memory area. |
| US08266186B2 |
Semantic model association between data abstraction layer in business intelligence tools
Techniques are disclosed for determining Business Intelligence (BI) tools and/or abstract queries that use similar semantic concepts. A semantics table standardizes semantic concepts across both BI tools and a data abstraction model. A BI concept repository maps BI tools to semantic concepts used by the BI tools. A BI tool and/or an abstract query is recommended to the user, on the basis of the semantic concepts. |
| US08266183B2 |
Information processing device for selectively locating and reading description information of multi-media content divided into a time series at a first level that is further divided and correlated to a second level using a keyword/ID information and reference information representative of the keyword/ID
There are provided a storage device and a computer-readable medium capable of efficiently storing keywords contained in description information and efficiently retrieving the keyword. A list producing portion (6) extracts the keywords from the description information and produces a keyword list correlating the keywords with the scene information containing the keywords. A description information converter (8) converts the keywords contained in the keyword list received from the list producing portion (6) among the keywords contained in the externally received description information into reference information for specifying the keywords in the keyword list received from the list producing portion (6). A storage (10) stores the converted description information provided from the description information converter (8) and the keyword list provided from the list producing portion (6). |
| US08266173B1 |
Search results generation and sorting
Searching electronic items stored in memory may include receiving search query terms, compiling a list of electronic items containing at least one instance of each query term, and sorting the list of electronic items based on one or more criteria. From the sorted list, search results may be determined and displayed. |
| US08266170B2 |
Peer to peer (P2P) missing fields and field valuation feedback
Methods, systems, and apparatus for processing data, and more specifically to retrieving results for a query from one or more devices coupled to a network. A first device may receive an abstract query including logical fields defined by a first data abstraction model and retrieve query results stored in the first device. The query may be sent to one or more other devices via the network. The one or more other devices may be configured to convert the abstract query to local abstract queries including logical fields defined in local data abstraction models. The local queries may be issued against local databases to retrieve additional results for the query. The local queries may not include all the fields of the abstract query. |
| US08266166B2 |
Mechanism for converting after image data to a delta level change
A mechanism is provided for converting after image data into a delta level change. An after image business graph is first transformed into a generic after image business graph. Another transformation is performed transforming the generic after image business graph into a second after image business graph, using delta information from another enterprise information system is used to create a delta business graph. A final transformation is performed to convert the delta business graph into a generic delta business graph. |
| US08266164B2 |
Information extraction across multiple expertise-specific subject areas
Techniques are disclosed for bridging terminology differences between at least two subject areas. By way of example, a computer-implemented method includes executing the following steps on a computer. A first affinity measure is computed between a first term in a first corpus, corresponding to a first subject area, and a bridge term. A second affinity measure is computed between a second term in a second corpus, corresponding to a second subject area, and the bridge term. A third affinity measure is computed between the first term and the second term based on the first affinity measure and the second affinity measure. The bridge term is a term that appears in both the first corpus and the second corpus. |
| US08266162B2 |
Automatic identification of related search keywords
Keyword expansion is used to expand a particular keyword into multiple related keyword candidates using a collection of data that relates to search queries performed using one or more search engines. The data identifies search terms from associated search queries. A particular keyword is identified and one or more candidate keywords related to the particular keyword are identified based on the data. |
| US08266155B2 |
Systems and methods of displaying and re-using document chunks in a document development application
A method for searching and displaying documents at a computer includes: receiving one or more search keywords from a user of the computer, identifying a set of documents stored at a plurality of data sources, each document including one or more chunks that match at least one search keyword; and displaying in a search results window a set of search results in a text-based display format, each search result including at least one chunk retrieved from a respective document and the chunk includes at least one instance of a highlighted search keyword. In response to a user selection of a first search result in the search results window, the computer launches a first document preview window adjacent to the first search result and displays within the first document preview window a portion of a first document in a display format consistent with a document type of the first document. |
| US08266151B2 |
Efficient XML tree indexing structure over XML content
A method and apparatus are provided for building and using a persistent XML tree index for navigating an XML document. The XML tree index is stored separately from the XML document content, and thus is able to optimize performance through the use of fixed-sized index entries. The XML document hierarchy need not be constructed in volatile memory, so creating and using the XML tree index scales even for large documents. To evaluate a path expression including descendent or ancestral syntax, navigation links can be read from persistent storage and used directly to find the nodes specified in the path expression. The use of an abstract navigational interface allows applications to be written that are independent of the storage implementation of the index and the content. Thus, the XML tree index can index documents stored at least in a database, a persistent file system, or as a sequence of in memory. |
| US08266146B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method and medium storing program thereof
Metadata to be appended to an object in a document is generated. When the user edits the generated metadata, another document including the same object as the object to which the metadata is appended is searched for, and the contents edited by the user are reflected to metadata appended to the object in another searched document. |
| US08266142B2 |
Audio/Video fingerprint search accuracy using multiple search combining
A method for use in identifying a segment of audio and/or video information comprises obtaining a query fingerprint at each of a plurality of spaced-apart time locations in said segment, searching fingerprints in a database for a potential match for each such query fingerprint, obtaining a confidence level of a potential match to a found fingerprint in the database for each such query fingerprint, and combining the results of searching for potential matches, wherein each potential match result is weighted by respective confidence level. A confidence level may be a function of at least one or both of (1) a measure of difference between a query fingerprint and a found fingerprint and (2) the relative timing relationship between the time location of a query fingerprint and the time location of a found fingerprint. |
| US08266140B2 |
Tagging system using internet search engine
A method of acquiring tags using web search includes receiving a search query in a search engine, processing the search query and returning a list of candidate resources corresponding to the search query, determining a candidate resource out of the list of candidate resources, extracting tags from the search query, and tagging the candidate resource with the extracted tags. |
| US08266131B2 |
Method and a system for searching information using information device
A method and system for searching information using information device is provided. The method for searching information comprises generating one or more questions corresponding to a search query. The questions are generated based on a predetermined ordering criterion when a predefined condition is true. One or more responses to the questions are received from a user. Information is rendered on the information device based on one or more of a response and the search query. |
| US08266127B2 |
Systems and methods for directed forums
An embodiment relates generally to a method of providing a directed discussion. The method includes providing for an on-line forum and providing a list of available personnel within the on-line forum. The method also includes receiving a query in the on-line forum and directing the query to the best available personnel on the list of available personnel. |
| US08266124B2 |
Integrated asset management
The method and system of the present invention provides an improved technique for integrated asset management. Information is aggregated from a variety of sources into a centralized computerized database. Thereafter, asset transition events are scheduled. Information from the centralized computerized database is used in the performance of the asset transition events and information relating to the asset transition events is added to the centralized computerized database. Subsequent changes to the asset are also recorded into the centralized computerized database. As a result, a plethora of information is available within said database for the purpose of managing future asset transition events. |
| US08266121B2 |
Identifying related objects using quantum clustering
Techniques for grouping related objects such as documents and files using quantum clustering are disclosed. A method may include constructing a feature-object database of multiple objects. The feature-object database may have quantized selected features as keys. A connected objects database maybe built. Clusters of connected objects may be identified in the connected objects database. The clusters of identified objects may be evaluated to determine groups of related objects. The method may be implemented on a computing device. |
| US08266120B2 |
Method and apparatus for using selective attribute acquisition and clause evaluation for policy based storage management
The invention provides a method and apparatus for managing stored data objects. The method includes detecting involved attributes of stored data objects based on object management rules, determining expected data storage management costs for each possible order of attribute acquisition for the detected attributes, detecting an order of attribute acquisition that has a data storage management cost which is minimal or below a predetermined threshold, acquiring the attributes of the stored data objects based on the detected order of attribute acquisition, and executing an object management policy based on the acquired attributes to manage the stored objects at the low cost for object storage, attribute acquisition and policy evaluation. |
| US08266118B2 |
Automated access policy translation
The use of one resource access policy to populate a second resource access policy. One of more fields of the first resource access policy are each to be used to populate corresponding one or more fields of the second resource access policy. After identifying the field(s) of the first resource access policy, and identifying their corresponding field of the second resource access policy, the information from the source fields of the first resource access policy are then used to populate the destination fields of the second resource access policy. This may be done in an automated fashion thereby allowing for at least the possibility of the transition from one type of resource access security to another. |
| US08266114B2 |
Log structured content addressable deduplicating storage
A log structured content addressable deduplicated data storage system may be used to store deduplicated data. Data to be stored is partitioned into data segments. Each unique data segment is associated with a label. The storage system maintains a transaction log. Mutating storage operations are initiated by storing transaction records in the transaction log. Additional transaction records are stored in the log when storage operations are completed. Upon restarting an embodiment of the data storage system, the transaction records from the transaction logs are replayed to recreate the state of the data storage system. The data storage system updates file system metadata with transaction information while a storage operation associated with the file is being processed. This transaction information serves as atomically updated transaction commit points, allowing fully internally consistent snapshots of deduplicated volumes to be taken at any time. |
| US08266112B1 |
Techniques for recovery of application level objects
Techniques for recovery of application level objects are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for restoration of one or more application level objects. The method may comprise obtaining application metadata of an application containing objects to be restored, storing one or more data files containing application data, utilizing the application metadata to provide a user interface for the restoration of one or more application objects, accepting input from a user via the user interface specifying one or more application objects to restore, and restoring the one or more specified application objects. |
| US08266108B2 |
Medium drive apparatus, operation method for medium drive apparatus, information processing apparatus, recording and reproduction accessing method for information processing apparatus, program, and program recording medium
Disclosed herein is a medium drive apparatus connected to an information processing apparatus for performing recording and reproduction on and from a recording medium in accordance with a request from the information processing apparatus, which may include an inputting and outputting section configured to record and reproduce data on and from a recording medium, and a control section configured to execute a first operation process as a reproduction only mode, a second operation process as a recording and reproduction mode, an authentication process with the information processing apparatus, and a mode changing process of changing the operation mode from the reproduction only mode to the recording and reproduction mode in response to success in the authentication by the authentication process thereby to control the recording operation and the reproduction operation of the inputting and outputting section. |
| US08266102B2 |
Synchronization of sequential access storage components with backup catalog
Subsequent to a storage operation performed on the source instance by a source component, a synchronization message is sent to a replicated component for the replicated instance. The synchronization message is stored locally in a persistent storage location associated with the source component along with an indicator representative of a time the storage operation was performed. Pursuant to receipt of the synchronization message by the replicated component, the replicated component is updated to a dirty state to indicate a lack of full synchronization between the source and replicated instances. Receipt of the synchronization message is acknowledged by the replicated component by sending a dirty state acknowledgement. If, during a subsequent recovery process, the dirty state is not yet cleared, the replicated component is deemed ineligible for participation in a full restoration operation. |
| US08266097B2 |
System analysis program, system analysis method, and system analysis apparatus
A computer-readable, non-transitory medium stores the system analysis program which can accurately analyze the operational status of a system without modifying functions of the system for providing services. A message analysis unit analyzes the contents of collected messages, and determines the times of occurrence of the messages, the process types requested by the messages, and whether or not each of the messages is a request message or a response message. In response to an instruction for model generation, a model generation unit generates a transaction model satisfying at least one limiting condition related to caller-called relationships between processes, based on a set of messages selected in accordance with a selection criterion based on the certainty of existence of caller-called relationships. Then, in response to an instruction for analysis, an analysis unit analyzes the processing status of a transaction based on a protocol log conforming to the transaction model. |
| US08266094B2 |
Apparatus and method for parsing of extensible media
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for parsing of extensible media. In the present invention, neo-data including additional media are extracted from meta data of the extensible media by analyzing the extensible media, and a neo-data track is extracted from the extensible media and transmitted to a means for controlling the extensible media. According to the present invention, it is advantageous to maximize an extensible media service effect by providing a method for more effectively parsing extensible media having a new structure that can add device control for a realistic service and synchronization information to general media. |
| US08266093B2 |
Data processing apparatus and method for constructing interactive contents and recording media
Disclosed are an apparatus and method of constructing interactive contents. The data processing apparatus may transit a branching graph into a planning domain, wherein information on nodes and arcs of the branching graph may be classified to generate property and class information, and the classified properties may be used as pre-conditions of a plan operator on the planning domain. |
| US08266090B2 |
Color-coded visual comparison of decision logic
A request to compare strategies is received. The first strategy can be graphically represented by a first set of linked nodes arranged in a first form of decision logic. The second strategy can be graphically represented by a second set of linked nodes arranged in a second form of decision logic. The first set of linked nodes can be converted to a first modified set of linked nodes arranged in a third form of decision logic. The second set of linked nodes can be converted to a second modified set of linked nodes arranged in the third form of decision logic. A color-coded visual representation of the first modified set of linked nodes and the second modified set of linked nodes can be provided to a user. Related apparatus, techniques, and articles are also described. |
| US08266089B2 |
Method for solving optimization problems in structured combinatorial objects
The present invention is a method of solving the decision, for example, testing if, given a finite number of transformations which can be applied to a finite number of elements, the corresponding n-generated discrete object has a hamiltonian cycle and/or path, searching, for example, obtaining the explicit construction of one several or all the hamiltonian cycles and or paths of the given input, counting, for example, obtaining an upper bound of the number of Hamiltonian cycles and/or paths of the given input and optimization, for example, selecting one of several hamiltonian cycles and/or paths solutions according to an specified criterion, versions of the hamiltonian traversal (cycle and/or path) problem in class of combinatorial discrete objects. |
| US08266087B2 |
Creating forms with business logic
An eForm with integrated business logic is created from an existing eForm using a parser to parse a source eForm to extract attributes of items on the source eForm. An item recognition unit recognizes interactive items in the source eForm according to the attributes of the items extracted by the parser. A business logic recognition unit recognizes business logic integrated into the source eForm according to the attributes of the items. An object eForm generator generates an object eForm containing the recognized interactive items and business logic. |
| US08266084B2 |
Smart containers
Smart containers are disclosed. A definition is received of a logical structure configured to manage associated content. A policy or operation specified by the definition is applied to an item of content associated with an instance of the logical structure. |
| US08266081B2 |
Parameter controlling apparatus and multistage collation apparatus
A parameter controlling apparatus calculates similarity variation distribution of different data and that of identical data. The parameter controlling apparatus creates a collation break-off rate function and an error probability function based on the similarity variation distribution of the different data and that of the identical data, respectively, and creates a total collation time function and a total error probability function based on the collation break-off rate function and the error probability function. The parameter controlling apparatus creates a constraint equation based on the total collation time function, the total error probability function, total collation time constraint parameters, and total error probability constraint parameters. The parameter controlling apparatus calculates a parameter group that optimizes an objective function constituted by the collation break-off rate function, the error probability function, the total collation time function, and the total error probability function among combinations of parameters that satisfy the constraint equation. |
| US08266079B2 |
Multi-scale segmentation and partial matching 3D models
A scale-Space feature extraction technique is based on recursive decomposition of polyhedral surfaces into surface patches. The experimental results show that this technique can be used to perform matching based on local model structure. Scale-space techniques can be parameterized to generate decompositions that correspond to manufacturing, assembly or surface features relevant to mechanical design. One application of these techniques is to support matching and content-based retrieval of solid models. Scale-space technique can extract features that are invariant with respect to the global structure of the model as well as small perturbations that 3D laser scanning may introduce. A new distance function defined on triangles instead of points is introduced. This technique offers a new way to control the feature decomposition process, which results in extraction of features that are more meaningful from an engineering viewpoint. The technique is computationally practical for use in indexing large models. |
| US08266078B2 |
Platform for learning based recognition research
A method for researching and developing a recognition model in a computing environment, including gathering one or more data samples from one or more users in the computing environment into a training data set used for creating the recognition model, receiving one or more training parameters defining a feature extraction algorithm configured to analyze one or more features of the training data set, a classifier algorithm configured to associate the features to a template set, a selection of a subset of the training data set, a type of the data samples, or combinations thereof, creating the recognition model based on the training parameters, and evaluating the recognition model. |
| US08266077B2 |
Method of analyzing documents
A method for analyzing documents is disclosed. The method compares concepts consisting of groups of terms for similarity within a corpus of document, clusters documents that contain certain concept term sets together. It may also rank the documents within each cluster according to the frequency of term co-occurrence within the concepts. |
| US08266075B2 |
Electric vehicle charging transaction interface for managing electric vehicle charging transactions
Illustrative embodiments manage an electric vehicle charging transaction. A set of principals associated with the electric vehicle charging transaction is identified. Electric vehicle charging information is retrieved from a set of sources. An energy transaction plan is generated using the electric vehicle charging information. A charging phase of the electric vehicle charging transaction is initiated for an electric vehicle connected to a charging station in accordance with the energy transaction plan. The charging phase comprises at least one of charging the electric vehicle with electricity, storing electricity in an electric storage mechanism associated with the electric vehicle, and removing electricity from the electric storage mechanism to de-charge the electric vehicle. In response to completion of the charging phase, the process then settles the financial obligations of a subset of principals in accordance with the energy transaction plan. |
| US08266074B1 |
Method and system for dynamic pricing of web services utilization
A method and system for dynamic pricing of web services utilization. According to one embodiment, a method may include dynamically predicting utilization of a web services computing resource that is expected to occur during a given interval of time, and dependent upon the dynamically predicted utilization, setting a price associated with utilization of the web services computing resource occurring during the given interval of time. The method may further include providing the price to a customer. |
| US08266071B2 |
Manifest generation and download systems and methods
The present invention is directed to systems and methods to generate a manifest of work that is to be performed by a driver. Specifically, systems and methods are described in the context of a package delivery system to generate a manifest of deliveries and pickups to be performed by a driver and to download the generated manifest to a portable computing device used by the driver to service the route. |
| US08266070B2 |
Transport scheduling for low microbial bulk products
Transport scheduling and transport processes for low microbial (“LM”) bulk products are described. The transport scheduling and processes facilitate low microbial activity in a LM bulk product during the transport of the LM bulk product. |
| US08266066B1 |
Maintenance, repair and overhaul management
A framework for maintenance, repair and overhaul business management includes a first layer identifying business areas in an MRO business, a second layer identifying one or more processes within each business area and a third layer identifying one or more sub-processes within each process wherein the business area include flight operations management, maintenance execution, maintenance management, engineering and maintenance support, material management, product development, enterprise management, strategic management, and demand generation. |
| US08266061B2 |
Apparatus and method for digital content editing
A digital content editing apparatus that edits a content having license information defining a grant for a reusing operation or a multiple content including a plurality of the contents includes: a reuse license processor that obtains a constraint indicative of a condition on reuse between a content or the multiple content and a content other than the content or the multiple content from the license information of the content or the multiple content; an instruction generator that generates an operation execution instruction of reusing the content or the multiple content according to the constraint obtained by the reuse license processor; a reusing unit that reuses the content or the multiple content based on the operation execution instruction generated by the instruction generator; and an editor that edits the content or the multiple content reused by the reusing unit. |
| US08266058B1 |
Virtual accounts linked to financial accounts
Virtual accounts having alphanumeric identifiers different from an alphanumeric identifier of a financial account are linked to the financial account. Financial transactions performed in relation to the virtual accounts result in changing the current value of the financial account. The virtual accounts themselves do not have a current value apart from a current value of the financial account to which the virtual accounts are linked. Performance of the financial transactions in relation to the virtual accounts does not expose the alphanumeric identifier of the financial account that would otherwise be exposed if the financial transactions were performed in relation to the financial account. A given financial account is also linked to another financial account. Performance of a financial transaction in relation to this given virtual account thus results in changing the current value of one of the financial accounts to which it is linked. |
| US08266054B2 |
System and method for implementing a consolidated application process
A system and method for dynamically creating and presenting a network based application for any number of a plurality of products. The method and system upon receiving a request to apply for one or more of a plurality of products, dynamically creates an application pages that includes fields to input the specific information required to apply for the selected products. The application page is provided to the applicant through the network and the application data is received by the system. The method and system causes the application data to be processed and provides the results to the applicant. The applicant is provided the results of multiple specific applications in with minimal data input and in real time. |
| US08266052B1 |
Method, software program, and system for structuring risk in a financial transaction
A computer-implemented method and system along with a processor readable medium for structuring a financial transaction. The invention includes the steps of associating, by a computer system, a first senior holder and a first subordinate holder with a first credit having a first obligation to make at least one payment, including holding in a first sub-pool a first subordinate obligation of the first obligation to pay the first subordinate holder from the first credit; associating, by the computer system, a second senior holder and a second subordinate holder with a second credit having a second obligation to make at least one payment, including holding in a second sub-pool a second subordinate obligation of the second obligation to pay the second subordinate holder from the second credit; and structuring in at least one computer memory, payments from the second subordinate holder financial instrument to perform the obligation of the first credit for the benefit of the first senior holder to the extent that the first credit enters a default state and payments due the first senior holder from all obligations in the first sub-pool to make the payments are not available. |
| US08266045B2 |
Methods and systems for directing and executing certified trading interests
One or more aspects comprise: (a) receiving confidential information that comprises data regarding first and second market participants; (b) receiving order and targeting parameters from said first participant; (c) receiving confidential trading interest information from said second participant; (d) identifying said second participant as a participant likely to take a contra side of said order; (e) routing said order to said second participant without revealing said first participant's identity or other confidential information regarding said first market participant, and wherein no information regarding said second participant or said confidential trading interest information received from said second participant is transferred to said first participant; and (f) producing a targeted dissemination list of market participants based on said confidential information and said order and targeting parameters, and wherein identifying a second participant that is most likely to take a contra side of said order is based on said dissemination list. |
| US08266044B2 |
Automated trading exchange system having integrated quote risk monitoring and integrated quote modification services
An automated trading exchange having integrated quote risk monitoring and quote modification services. An apparatus is implemented using at least one computer, having memory, and a processor. The computer is configured to receive orders and quotes, wherein specified ones of the quotes are contained in a quote group, and have associated trading parameters such as a risk threshold. Not all received quotes are required to have trading parameters as described herein. Preferably, the quote group contains all the quotes, or a subset of quotes, belonging to an individual market-maker for a given class of options contracts, or possibly the quotes of two or more market-makers that have identified themselves as belonging to a group for the purposes of risk monitoring and quote modification. The computer typically generates a trade by matching the received orders and quotes to previously received orders and quotes, and otherwise stores each of the received orders and quotes if a trade is not generated. The computer then determines whether a quote within the quote group has been filled as a result of the generated trade, and if so, determines a risk level and an aggregate risk level associated with said trade. The computer then compares the aggregate risk level with the market-maker's risk threshold, and if the threshold is exceeded, automatically modifies at least one of the remaining quotes in the quote group. The computer may also automatically regenerate quotes that have been filled. |
| US08266041B2 |
Stock trading limit order coupled link (LOCK)
This invention has the potential to generate very good return on investments from stocks that are conservative in movement. This invention will greatly benefit investors that do not have the time to constantly trade stock yet want to take advantage of normal price fluctuations. The Limit Order Coupled LinK (LOCK) invention, for example, will take a buy order, complete the transaction at the specified price, then automatically resubmits a new order to sell at a specified higher price. If specified, the process can automatically cycle through the buy-sell process a set number of time allowing the investor to take advantage of intra-day market moves and normal stock price fluctuations with no personal investor evolvement. The LOCK order, with set profit margins, allows on-line traders and brokers to place one order, which will automatically generate logical, sequenced additional orders returning a profit on each transaction. LOCK will benefit both the investor and the stock trading company. |
| US08266039B2 |
System and method for processing data relating to allocation of assets
A distributed asset allocation processing system performs a computerized method for allocating subscriber assets. The system configures predetermined investment allocation paths that relate asset allocation models to trigger events. The system then selects a predetermined path based on a subscriber's risk tolerance. At each trigger event along the predetermined path, the system automatically rebalances the subscriber's assets according to an asset allocation model corresponding to the trigger event. |
| US08266038B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing low risk portable alpha investment instruments
Provided are methods of providing a portable alpha investment instrument. Some embodiments of such methods include allocating a first portion of a financial asset to a first asset class, allocating a second portion of the financial asset to a second asset class, establishing a swap transaction corresponding to the first portion of the financial asset, the swap transaction configured to define a minimum term corresponding to an asset status change, and transferring the first portion and the second portion of the financial asset responsive to the allocating. |
| US08266033B2 |
Negotiable instrument electronic clearance systems and methods
Methods, devices, and systems for analyzing negotiated negotiable instruments for unlawful activity are described. A computer system, including a computer readable storage device and a processor may be provided. A plurality of electronic files may be received. Each of these electronic files of the plurality of electronic files may include an electronic image of at least a portion of a negotiable instrument and include a plurality of data fields. The plurality of electronic files may be divided into subsets based on whether data is available in particular data fields of the electronic files. Based upon the subset an electronic file is made a member of, various selection criteria may be applied to determine if the electronic file is a candidate for suspicious and/or illegal activity. Also, a listing of candidates for suspicious and/or illegal activity may be presented to a user. |
| US08266030B2 |
Transformation of a multi-leg security definition for calculation of implied orders in an electronic trading system
An electronic trading system utilizes a Match Engine that receives orders, stores them internally, calculates tradable combinations and advertises the availability of real and implied orders in the form of market data. New tradable items defined as combinations of other tradable items may be included in the calculation of tradable combinations. A technique is disclosed for transforming a combination or strategy contract with an arbitrary number of buy and sell legs with an arbitrary volume ratio for each leg into a form that can be used for rapid implied order calculations. |
| US08266024B2 |
Transaction accounting auditing approach and system therefor
Accounting data is classified to facilitate transaction processing and management. According to an example embodiment, data based rules are implemented for classifying transaction-related data into accounting categories. Accounting information is processed as a function of the data based rules and accordingly automatically classified. This processing involves, for example, the identification of particular data based rules to apply to the accounting information, applying the rules and processing the information accordingly. |
| US08266021B2 |
System and method for providing reference cost of fraud data related to financial presentation devices that are presentable to providers of goods or services
A system for providing industry-wide reference cost of fraud data related to financial presentation devices that are presentable to providers of goods and services is provided. A fraud assessment module executable by a processor of the system receives, from multiple business entities, sales data and operating cost data both related to financial presentation devices. The fraud assessment module determines, based on the received data, the reference cost of fraud data including a direct fraud loss, fraud operating cost and opportunity cost for use by individual entities as benchmark cost of fraud data. |
| US08266019B2 |
Optimizing retrieval of object-associated information
A method of optimizing the retrieval of object-associated information may include identifying data associated with an object identification. At least one optimization parameter for the retrieval of data associated with an object identification is also identified. An amount of the associated data for transmission is determined using the at least one optimization parameter. |
| US08266013B2 |
Methods and systems for vendor assurance
Methods and systems for managing financial transactions. Specifically, the invention includes methods and systems for creating order profiles used to select vendors for carrying out third-party sub-transactions needed to complete financial transactions. A product related to the completion of the financial transaction is selected, a vendor ordering profile is selected, a product vendor that most closely matches the characteristics designated in the ordering profile is selected, and the selected product is ordered from the selected product vendor. |
| US08266011B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for matching sellers to a buyer over a network and for managing related information
A method and system for facilitating a transaction between a buyer and one of a number of sellers is provided. The transaction is related to a project specified by the buyer. A set of sellers is identified. A flow control process operates over a number of successive processing cycles. In each processing cycle, sellers are selected from the set for classification as sellers of a particular type (“Invited Sellers”). The Invited Sellers increase incrementally over the number of successive processing cycles. The system automatically enables at least one action carried out by the Invited Sellers in each processing cycle. The duration of the processing cycles can vary. The number of Invited Sellers selected in each processing cycle can vary. In one embodiment, the number of Invited Sellers selected in each processing cycle depends upon a number of offers that are submitted by Invited Sellers and received by the buyer. |
| US08266009B1 |
Auction optimization system
Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to an auction optimization system that assists users in determining one or more parameters associated with a planned auction. In one embodiment, the auction optimization system computes a predicted final auction price for a given item based on historical auction data associated with the same or similar items. In other embodiments, the auction optimization system is operative to compute suggestions for various auction parameters, such as starting price, start time, duration, and reserve price. In certain embodiments, the auction optimization system uses novel data gathering techniques that minimize the load on on-line auction facilities and gather data in a manner consistent with the use policies associated with on-line auction facilities. |
| US08266008B1 |
Facilitating a supply of used items
Techniques are described for facilitating a supply of used items on behalf of an entity that desires to acquire such used items, such as a merchant that sells used items to customers. The used items are obtained based on interactions with recipients who receive items that are sold or otherwise provided by one or more merchants (or other suppliers of items), such as by supplying appropriate information and materials to the recipients along with the items. In some situations, when an item is delivered or otherwise supplied to a recipient by a merchant, the merchant also supplies information to the recipient that indicates an offer from a used item acquirer entity to re-acquire the item from the recipient (such as after the recipient has used the item) and shipping materials for use in returning the item to an indicated destination if the recipient accepts the offer. |
| US08266006B2 |
Method, medium, and system for keyword bidding in a market cooperative
A computer-implemented method and system for keyword bidding in a market cooperative are disclosed. A particular embodiment includes receiving a keyword bid from a first party; determining a value to a host associated with the keyword bid; augmenting the keyword bid by an amount corresponding to the value to the host; and sending the augmented keyword bid to a second party. |
| US08266005B2 |
Automated pricing system
The present invention comprises a method and system for a rapid and automated creation of a price schedule comprising steps and an implementation for providing a set of construction (or other) plans created with an architectural, civil, industrial or other software design tool, such as CAD, and optionally a palette of 2-dimensional and/or 3-dimensional architectural parametric symbols that correspond to respective construction plan elements, such as windows, doors, acrylic glass blocks and/or sky lights. At least one parametric symbol corresponding to a construction plan element is preferably inserted into the construction plans. A cost value for each of the inserted parametric symbols is preferably calculated corresponding to respective plan elements. A price schedule is then optionally created which includes the total cost for all of the inserted parametric symbols corresponding to respective plan elements. |
| US08266003B1 |
Data feed item classification
This document relates to classification of items included in a data feed. For example, a feed of items is generated for provision to a referral network site. The feed includes some of the items sold through an electronic commerce network site. Item classification information corresponding to an item sold through the electronic commerce network site is identified based upon the taxonomy information of the referral network site and included in the generated feed of items. |
| US08266001B2 |
On-line payment transactions
A computer-implemented method includes generating on a user terminal a merchant web site associated with a merchant with code for a merchant web page, transmitting a product selection request for the user to a remote open payment system that is separate from the merchant, and displaying purchase information responsive to the product selection request using the code for the merchant web page. |
| US08265998B2 |
Systems and methods for per-transaction financial card enabled personal financial management
Systems and methods for personal financial management using a financial card having a primary account with a plurality of subaccounts within the primary account, the systems and methods includes the financial management, transaction processing systems such as point of sales system, financial account management system and support systems are configured for processing transactions from user selected subaccounts within the primary account in real time at the time of processing each payment transaction and including processing each transaction from user selected subaccounts by indicating at the time of each transaction a particular transaction identifier indicating the particular subaccount within the primary account. |
| US08265992B1 |
Churn prediction using relationship strength quantification
An embodiment of the current invention is directed to determining that a wireless-service subscriber using a given mobile computing device is likely to transition to another provider (“to churn”). A list of mobile computing devices that have communicated with the given mobile computing device is determined. A relationship-strength value for each mobile computing device in the list is determined. A risk value of the given mobile computing device is determined based on the relationship-strength values of each of the mobile computing devices in the list that have churned. If the risk value is not greater than a risk value threshold, the given mobile computing device is not likely to churn. If the risk value is greater than the risk value threshold, the given mobile computing device is likely to churn. |
| US08265991B1 |
Automated determination of applicability and value of discounts for a purchase order
A method for automatically determining applicability and value of any discounts for a purchase order from a client computer, the determinations being made by the client computer itself. In some embodiments, the client computer receives (from a server to which the order is being placed) coupon programming, determines applicability and value of discounts using the coupon programming, and sends discount information for an order to the server. The coupon programming may comprise a rule engine, implemented by rule programming, having one or more sets of rules and a processing relationship between the sets of rules and the rules in each set of rules. The rule engine may comprise a recursive rule program. In some embodiments, the applicability and value of any discounts for an order is determined by a server that receives the order, the determinations being made by using a rule engine implemented by rule programming. |
| US08265984B2 |
Method and apparatus for unified optimization model for retail network configuration
A method and system for integrating multiple factors into a unified optimization model for retail network configuration, in one aspect, obtains input data for modeling store configuration. The input data may include demand of each merchandise category from each customer segment in each facility, geographic distribution of stores in an area, current revenue of stores, and physical cost of reconfiguring stores. A trade area is generated as a function of store location, store format, and store capacity. The method and system also generates trade area demand summation representing predicted total demand of all stores for all merchandise categories for all customer segments in the trade area, as a function of store location, store format, store capacity, merchandise category, and customer segment associated with the trade area. An objective function is constructed as a function of said trade area demand summation, current revenue of stores, and physical cost of reconfiguring stores. |
| US08265983B2 |
System for collecting information for use in conducting an interview
One embodiment relates to a method or process for structuring and operating an integrated interviewing and capture process including providing a produced recording of the interview. In one embodiment, the process includes collecting data from the subject, customizing the interview questions, managing employee availability and selecting an interviewer, conducting the interview, capturing the interview in a recorded format, editing the captured interview, producing a recording of the edited interview, soliciting and collecting feedback and revising the interview questions. In one embodiment, the process includes an integrated interviewing, capture and delivery process for operating an entire interviewing business in a highly efficient and cost effective manner. |
| US08265982B2 |
Systems, methods and computer program products for modeling costs and profitability of a good
Systems, methods and computer program products for determining a learning curve value and modeling an associated profitability of a good are provided. According to one method of determining a learning curve value, recurring costs of producing each unit of the good are modeled as a function of potential learning curve values. Nonrecurring costs of producing each unit of the good are then modeled as a function of potential learning curve values. Next, the learning curve value is determined based upon the recurring costs model and the nonrecurring costs value such that the sum of the recurring costs and nonrecurring costs at the determined learning curve value is minimized over the potential learning curve values. |
| US08265980B2 |
Workflow model for coordinating the recovery of IT outages based on integrated recovery plans
One aspect of the present invention provides a workflow model to effectively respond to outage events within an IT infrastructure. This workflow model enables a combination of manual and automated processing to effectively deploy a flexible, plannable, and testable recovery to outages and problems encountered within IT infrastructure settings. In one embodiment, a shared processing context is created to accompany the operations of the workflow, thereby collecting useful data in one location related to events and status information during the outage and the outage response. Within the workflow, analysis of the outage event is performed, an appropriate recovery plan is selected, the selected recovery plan is implemented, and recovery to the outage event is completed. Data collected within the processing context can be analyzed to obtain post mortem analysis and continuous service improvements. Accordingly, the improvements can be implemented within the IT infrastructure directly or within the appropriate recovery plan. |
| US08265978B2 |
Computerized scheduling system and method for apparatus-implemented medical procedures
In a computerized system and method for scheduling medical procedures implemented by a number of medical apparatuses in a clinic or hospital, an exam or therapy is scheduled using a particular medical apparatus with a set time duration, and the exam or therapy is conducted and the actual time duration occupied by the medical apparatus to conduct the exam or therapy is recorded. The time durations for each medical procedure conducted by each medical apparatus are entered into and stored in a statistical data base. A scheduling computer has access to this statistical data base, and the next exam or therapy for the same apparatus is then scheduled using a time duration that is statistically updated based on the statistical compilation in the data base. |
| US08265977B2 |
Electronic employee selection systems and methods
An automated employee selection system can use a variety of techniques to provide information for assisting in selection of employees. For example, pre-hire and post-hire information can be collected electronically and used to build an artificial-intelligence based model. The model can then be used to predict a desired job performance criterion (e.g., tenure, number of accidents, sales level, or the like) for new applicants. A wide variety of features can be supported, such as electronic reporting. Pre-hire information identified as ineffective can be removed from a collected pre-hire information. For example, ineffective questions can be identified and removed from a job application. New items can be added and their effectiveness tested. As a result, a system can exhibit adaptive learning and maintain or increase effectiveness even under changing conditions. |
| US08265975B2 |
Adaptive project based practice selection schemes in a computing environment
A practice selection method is provided. The method comprises recording first information describing one or more characteristics of a first project in at least one storage medium; determining whether a first practice is likely to have a successful impact on the first project based on the first information; and suggesting the first practice, in response to determining that the first practice is likely to have a successful impact on the first project. The first information may comprise subjective and objective information and may also be used to select a second practice for a second project. |
| US08265974B2 |
Technological infrastructure consumption index
Embodiments of the invention relate to systems, methods, and computer program products that provide for a technological infrastructure consumption index. The index is instrumental in measuring and managing technological infrastructure consumption. The consumption index is generated on a predetermined schedule as indicator of a business entity's volume of infrastructure consumption. The consumption index tracks key consumption elements, which are within the control of application teams, thereby insuring that the consumption of the key elements are being managed on an ongoing basis. Additionally, the consumption index provides for drill-down capabilities for the purpose of readily accessing data associated with specific key consumption elements of interest and specific teams/organizations within the business entity. |
| US08265973B2 |
Analytic-based scaling of information technology resources
Embodiments of the present invention provide a solution for service-supporting resources (e.g., IT resources such as processor, storage, network, etc.). Specifically, the present invention will first create a resource configuration data repository that includes resource scaling capabilities of a set of IT resources. A unit of work data repository that includes details of jobs handled by the IT resources will also be included. Then, a profile will be created for the set of IT resources, the profile typically including information related to a service demand, a capacity, a utilization, and a performance of the set of IT resources. Resource utilization and performance data (e.g., historical and/or real-time data) will then be collected. Using the resource configuration data repository, the unit of work data repository, the profile, and the resource utilization and performance data, a scaling strategy will be generated/developed and implemented for the IT resources. |
| US08265969B2 |
Policy-based management of data elements in a document schema for data transactions
A framework and method for managing business data transactions resides outside individual business systems and allows creation of a policy for classification of each data element for all data schema in transit between processes. The framework allows identification of data sets by document type and endpoint, so that individual data elements of a schema can be validated, and edited or deleted if necessary, during their transit between endpoints, such as between trading partners. Because the policy is built and enforced outside the individual endpoint business systems, expensive customizations within each transactional system are avoided. |
| US08265968B2 |
Method and system for academic curriculum planning and academic curriculum mapping
A system of hardware and software provides a systematic and systemic method for performing assessment of the effectiveness of different levels within an institution. The system includes template driven definitions that span multiple tiers of hierarchically arranged operating units within the institution thereby providing flexibility and customization to handle a user-definable model of the institution's organization. In particular, courses and other educational experiences may include material that is aligned with various goals and objectives of different units of the institution. A curriculum mapping feature is provided that identifies a bi-directional alignment between goals and courses such that curriculum gaps may be determined as well. |
| US08265967B2 |
Incremental searching in multi-passenger multi-route travel planning
A multiple routes for multiple passengers are produced by ordering passenger groups and for each passenger group, constructing an individual query and sending the individual query to a travel planning system. Solutions based on the individual query are received from the travel planning system and a single individual solution is selected from the response. Constraints are added to subsequent individual queries based on previously selected individual solutions and joint travel requirements or preferences. |
| US08265966B2 |
Multi-passenger multi-route travel planning through common locations
Determining multiple routes for multiple passenger groups, includes sending to a scheduler, multiple individual queries with a bias to produce individual solutions that meet joint travel requirements, merging results from the multiple individual queries to produce joint solutions for the passenger groups and returning the joint solutions. |
| US08265963B1 |
Communication of insurance claim data
Aspects of the invention are directed to methods and systems for efficiently communicating data between an insurer and a non-referral repair shop, e.g., vehicle repair shops that are normally not preapproved by the insurer to perform the estimating and repair work. The methods and systems described herein are particularly useful for insurers utilizing non-referral repair shops for servicing vehicles involved in insurance claims. According to aspects of this invention, the insured may be able to select a non-referral repair shop, not delegated or preapproved by the insurer, thereby generally allowing the insured to select any available vehicle repair shop. |
| US08265961B2 |
System and method for intelligent management of medical care
A computerized medical care system provides validation of a diagnosis of a medical condition and requested medical services for treating the medical condition. The medial care system invokes multiple filters to determine the appropriateness of the diagnosis and medical service. Real time feedback is provided based on the determination. If the medical care cannot be validated, the feedback includes the reasons for the failure to validate, and any supporting materials for the lack of validation. The feedback may also prompt the requesting entity to provide additional information to help support the medical provider's position as to why the requested medical care is appropriate. |
| US08265957B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for disease management
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media provide for disease management. According to embodiments, a method for providing social interaction between a first handheld medical testing and monitoring device and a second handheld medical testing and monitoring device is provided. According to the method, at least one of a social networking profile and a diagnostic profile is received from the first handheld medical testing and monitoring device. A second user associated with the second handheld medical testing and monitoring device is selected based on the at least one of the social networking profile and the diagnostic profile. A user list at the first handheld medical testing and monitoring device is populated with a unique identifier enabling communication between a first user associated with the first handheld medical testing and monitoring device and the second user associated with the second handheld medical testing and monitoring device. |
| US08265955B2 |
Methods and systems for assessing clinical outcomes
Described herein are methods and systems useful for characterizing clinical outcomes of a subject. Provided herein includes computer-assessed methods, medical information systems, and computer-readable instructions that can aid an end-user in diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of a clinical outcome. |
| US08265946B2 |
Template modification based on deviation from compliant execution of the template
A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: determining whether a plurality of end users deviated from compliantly executing a template designed to facilitate the plurality of end users in achieving one or more target outcomes when one or more emulatable aspects included in the template are emulated by the plurality of end users, the one or more emulatable aspects being based on one or more relevant reported aspects of one or more source users that were deemed to have been relevant to achieving the one or more target outcomes; and modifying the template based, at least in part, on determining that the plurality of end users deviated from compliantly executing the template In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure. |
| US08265945B2 |
Template modification based on deviation from compliant execution of the template
A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: determining whether a plurality of end users deviated from compliantly executing a template designed to facilitate the plurality of end users in achieving one or more target outcomes when one or more emulatable aspects included in the template are emulated by the plurality of end users, the one or more emulatable aspects being based on one or more relevant reported aspects of one or more source users that were deemed to have been relevant to achieving the one or more target outcomes; and modifying the template based, at least in part, on determining that the plurality of end users deviated from compliantly executing the template In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure. |
| US08265938B1 |
Voice alert methods, systems and processor-readable media
Methods, systems and processor-readable media for providing instant/real-time voice alerts automatically to remote electronic devices. An activity can be detected utilizing one or more sensors. A text message indicative of the activity can be generated and converted into a digitized voice alert. The activity can also be a live utterance (e.g., a live announcement), which can then be instantly converted into a digitized voice alert for automatic delivery in a selected series of languages following the base language (e.g., English). The combined digitized voice alert can then be instantly transmitted through a network for broadcast of consecutive alerts (e.g., English followed by Spanish followed by Vietnamese, etc.) to one or more remote electronic devices that communicate with the network for an automatic audio announcement of the digitized voice alert through the one or more remote electronic devices. |
| US08265934B2 |
Automated detection of spoken numbers in voice messages
An apparatus and program product utilize voice recognition to process voice messages in an automated manner to detect spoken numbers contained therein. Detected spoken numbers can then be utilized to set a start position at which to begin playback of a voice message, e.g., to permit a user to locate and transcribe a telephone number spoken by a message sender. Automated number detection may also be utilized to automatically dial telephone numbers mentioned in a voice message, as well as in the display of textual representations of such numbers to a user. |
| US08265933B2 |
Speech recognition system for providing voice recognition services using a conversational language model
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and article of manufacture for adjusting a language model within a voice recognition system, based on text received from an external application. The external application may supply text representing the words of one participant to a text-based conversation. In such a case, changes may be made to a language model by analyzing the external text received from the external application. |
| US08265932B2 |
System and method for identifying audio command prompts for use in a voice response environment
A system and method for identifying audio command prompts for use in a voice response environment is provided. A signature is generated for audio samples each having preceding audio, reference phrase audio, and trailing audio segments. The trailing segment is removed and each of the preceding and reference phrase segments are divided into buffers. The buffers are transformed into discrete fourier transform buffers. One of the discrete fourier transform buffers from the reference phrase segment that is dissimilar to each of the discrete fourier transform buffers from the preceding segment is selected as the signature. Audio command prompts are processed to generate a discrete fourier transform. Each discrete fourier transform for the audio command prompts is compared with each of the signatures and a correlation value is determined. One such audio command prompt matches one such signature when the correlation value for that audio command prompt satisfies a threshold. |
| US08265931B2 |
Method and device for providing speech-to-text encoding and telephony service
A machine-readable medium and a network device are provided for speech-to-text translation. Speech packets are received at a broadband telephony interface and stored in a buffer. The speech packets are processed and textual representations thereof are displayed as words on a display device. Speech processing is activated and deactivated in response to a command from a subscriber. |
| US08265929B2 |
Embedded code-excited linear prediction speech coding and decoding apparatus and method
Provides is an embedded code-excited linear prediction speech coding/decoding apparatus and method that can deal with the capacity change of speech transmission channel by modeling an error signal not coded at a core speech coder based on a transmission rate in a multiple pulse search mode or gain compensation mode and then transmitting it in an optimum mode. The apparatus includes a core speech coding unit for coding an input speech signal with spectral envelop and an excitation signal, a transmission rate determination unit for allocating the number of bits additionally allowed depending on a capacity of a transmission channel, and an embedded excitation signal coding unit for coding a residual excitation signal that is not coded in the core speech coding unit based on the number of additionally allowed bits using one of a multiple pulse excitation coding mode and a gain compensation mode. |
| US08265925B2 |
Method and apparatus for textual exploration discovery
The present invention relates to a method and system for textual exploration and discovery. More specifically, the method and system provide a text-driven and grammar based tool for textual exploration and textual navigation. The facilities for textual exploration and textual navigation are based on a system of index entries that are connected to the underlying text segments from which the index entries are derived. Text units with particular grammatical, semantic, and/or pragmatic features constitute bundles of sentences or text zones. |
| US08265920B1 |
Determining large-scale finite state machines using constraint relaxation
A computer-implemented method of finite state machine using constraint relaxation. A first expression having a plurality of variables is accessed. A second expression is accessed that describes a constraint with respect to a first variable of the plurality of variables. At least one of the variables from the second expression is eliminated to create a third expression with the constraint relaxed. The third expression is applied to the first expression to determine a finite state machine for the first expression. |
| US08265911B1 |
System and method for modeling and simulating water distribution and collection systems including variable speed pumps
In one embodiment, a technique is disclosed for calculating a relative pump speed factor for attaining a prescribed hydraulic head or for pumping a prescribed amount of flow. A hydraulic model of a water distribution or collection system is defined to include link elements and node elements. At least one of the node elements represents a fixed-flow variable speed pump (VSP) that delivers a desired amount of flow, a variable speed pump battery (VSPB) that represents multiple VSPs operating in parallel with each other, a VSP with a tank located on the VSP's discharge side, or a VSP with a tank located on the VSP's suction side. |
| US08265909B2 |
Method for reconstructing a distance field of a swept volume at a sample point
A method performed on a processor reconstructs a distance field of an object at a sample point, where the object is a swept volume generated by moving a shape along a path. The shape is represented by a shape distance field. The path is represented by a parametric function. Distance data at the sample points is determined, where the distance data characterizes the distance field of the object at the sample point. An optimal set of parameters defining an optimal placement of the shape along the path is determined in a continuous manner. The shape distance field is transformed to the optimal placement to produce a transformed shape distance field. The distance data is determined at the sample point from the transformed shape distance field to reconstruct the distance field at the sample point. |
| US08265908B2 |
System level testing for substation automation systems
Protection, measurement and control IEDs in a substation compute if switches they control may be operated safely, according to interlocking rules or physical principles as well as the dynamic topology of the substation. The IEDs have access to the substation electrical topology, to real-time information generated by other IEDs, and to the rules for interlocking. A standardized Substation Configuration Description (SCD) of the substation for which a Substation Automation system is intended, and a standardized description of the implemented device functions or capabilities of an individual IED are utilized. The substation topology is available from SCD file, real time information about the position of switches and line voltage/current can be obtained via an appropriate protocol, and the interlocking rules are available in script form. These features apply both to simulated and real devices, and increase system testing possibilities by supporting an efficient configuration of a simulation. |
| US08265902B1 |
Circuit for measuring a time interval using a high-speed serial receiver
A circuit measures a time interval between a first event and a second event. One or more activity inputs receive a respective signal indicating the first and second events. For each activity input, a respective high-speed serial receiver includes a sampling circuit and a deserializer. The sampling circuit generates sample bits from sampling the respective signal at active edges of a clock signal. The deserializer converts the sample bits into a sequence of parallel data words. The sample bits undergo a first change in response to the first event and a second change in response to the second event. An arithmetic circuit receives the sequence of parallel data words from the respective high-speed serial receiver. The arithmetic circuit determines a number of the sample bits between the first and second changes in the sequence of parallel data words. The number measures the time interval between the first and second events. |
| US08265901B2 |
Device for detecting and displaying one or more of body weight, body fat percentage, blood pressure, pulse and environmental temperature
A device for measuring and displaying body parameters includes a sensor that generates a signal representing a detected body parameter, such as body fat, body water and weight, of an individual; a transmitter to wirelessly transmit the signal; a receiver to receiver and display the sensed measurements as well as a user's name, time, date and temperature. The invention also pertains a method for determining fitness comprising the steps of: inputting, data pertaining to one of date, time, an individual's name, and fitness statistics, sensing parameters of one or more of an a body fat, a body a water and a weight; recording sensed parameters and said data; and transmitting the sensed parameters and said data; receiving said sensed parameters and said data and a signal proportional to a temperature and displaying one or more of said sensed parameters, data and temperature on a portable display unit. |
| US08265897B2 |
Rotation angle detector and process for detecting rotation angle
A rotation angle detection device for detecting the absolute rotation angle of a rotation body rotating multiple times and whose rotation is to be detected. The rotation angles of a first rotation body rotating at a rotation angle frequency in correspondence with rotation of the rotation object whose rotation is to be detected and the rotation angle of a second rotation body rotating at a rotation frequency that is different from the rotation angle frequency of the first rotation body are individually detected. Based on a phase difference between continuous angle signals detected, the rotation speed of a main rotation body, which is either the first or the second rotation body, and the absolute rotation angle of the rotation body rotating multiple times and whose rotation is to be detected is calculated based on the detected continuous angle signal and rotation speed of the main rotation body. |
| US08265895B2 |
Interactive sensor systems and methods for dimensioning
The present disclosure relates to interactive systems and methods for dimensioning with a mobile device. The mobile device can include an accelerometer, imager, and a corresponding algorithm configured to compute dimensions based on a plurality of inputs from the accelerometer, imager, etc. Specifically, the accelerometer allows the mobile device to measure acceleration and time, and the algorithm is configured to convert these measurements into distances. Additionally, with a three-axis accelerometer, the user can move the device off an axis being measured and still receive an accurate measurement, i.e. the algorithm can compensate for off-axis movement. Further, the present invention can incorporate an imager on the mobile device to provide additional compensation supplementing the algorithm and allowing the user additional freedom to be positioned away from the starting and end-point of a measurement. |
| US08265894B2 |
Method for estimating the temperature in an internal combustion engine
A method is provided for estimating the temperature in an internal combustion engine. The method includes, but is not limited to the steps of providing a sensor resistor (RTD) in the internal combustion engine, the sensor resistor (RTD) having a predetermined resistance-temperature characteristic, measuring a sensor voltage (VRTD) across the sensor resistor (RTD), calculating a resistance value of the sensor resistor (RTD) based on the sensor voltage (VRTD) and estimating the temperature using the resistance value and the resistance-temperature characteristic. The method further comprises the steps of connecting, in series to the sensor resistor (RTD), a first branch of a current mirror arrangement, connecting a reference resistor (R0) in series to a second branch of the current mirror arrangement, measuring a reference voltage (V0) across the reference resistor (R0) and calculating the resistance value of the sensor resistor (RTD) based on the sensor voltage (VRTD) and the reference voltage (V0). |
| US08265891B2 |
Method for determining the actual amount of energy available in an energy storage module
The amount of energy actually available in an energy storage module having a plurality of individual storage elements connected in series is determined. An upper and/or a lower limit voltage for the energy storage module is determined dynamically. During a charging operation of the energy storage module, in the event that a maximally permissible upper cell voltage is reached on at least one storage cell, the upper limit voltage of the energy storage module is determined by summing all cell voltages of all storage elements existing at that point-in-time. During a discharging operation, if a minimally permissible lower cell voltage is reached on at least one storage element, the lower limit voltage is determined by summing all cell voltages existing at that point-in-time. The actually available amount of energy is computed as a function of the determined limit voltage or voltages and of the determined actual storage capacity. |
| US08265887B2 |
Flow measurement apparatus and program thereof, flow measurement method and fluid supply system
A fluid measurement apparatus capable of accurately determining an activated appliance is provided. A flow measurement apparatus 100 has a flow measurement unit 12 that measures an amount of fluid flowing through a passageway, a determination zone storage unit 16 that allocates and stores a flow measured by the flow measurement unit 12 into determination zones classified by combination of a plurality of conditions; a grouping unit 18 that groups determination zones according to appliances to be used on the basis of determination-zone-specific storage values stored in the determination zone storage unit 16 and that registers the grouped determination zones; and an integration unit 20 that integrates a flow value for each of the determination zones registered by the grouping unit 18. Thus, a flow is integrated for each determination zone grouped according to an appliance. An appliance is determined by reference to a database including the integrated data. |
| US08265886B2 |
Non-destructive testing, in particular for pipes during manufacture or in the finished state
A non-destructive testing device for pipes is provided. The device extracts information on defects from signals captured by ultrasound receivers following the selective excitation of ultrasound transmitters according to a selected time rule. The receivers form an arrangement with a selected geometry, coupled in an ultrasound fashion, with relative rotation/translation movement, with the pipe. The device includes a converter that selectively isolates a digital representation of echoes in designated time windows, as a function of the movement, and by extracting an image of defects, a filter which determines presumed defect zones and properties of these, a combiner to prepare working digital inputs from an extract of images of a defect zone, a neural circuit receiving the working inputs, a digital decision and alarm stage working on the basis of the output of the neural circuit, and a sorting and marking robot. |
| US08265877B2 |
Apparatus and method for analyzing a metabolite profile
An apparatus and method analyzes a metabolic profile in a biological sample. The apparatus includes an input unit for inputting the drugs and/or metabolites to be screened; a controlling unit for determining a parameter set for metabolites preparation and for mass spectrometry analysis depending on the input of the kind of metabolites to be screened; a treatment unit for preparing the metabolites to be screened depending on the determined parameter set; a mass spectrometer for performing mass spectrometry analysis on prepared metabolites depending on the parameter set; a database for storing results of analyzing and parameter sets for metabolite preparation and for mass spectrometry analyses; and an evaluation unit for evaluating the results of mass spectrometry by use of reference results stored in the database to output an analysis of the metabolites profile. |
| US08265874B2 |
Expert system for selecting fit-for-purpose technologies and wells for reservoir saturation monitoring
Embodiments of the present invention provide a machine, program product, and computer-implemented method to select a fit-for-purpose tool for reservoir saturation monitoring. A computer stores a plurality of characteristics for a plurality of well-logging tools, including open hole and closed hole resistivity, pulse-neutron spectral carbon-oxygen, and pulse-neutron capture technologies, as well as a predetermined ranking of tools within a technology. The computer obtains user inputs associated with conditions of a candidate well, e.g., a minimum tubing restriction, whether the wellbore is open or cased, and whether the well is a wet producer. Inputs can also include an objective of the reservoir saturation monitoring, such as, evaluating sweep efficiency or identifying remaining pay for sidetrack or perforation. The computer compares the characteristics for the well-logging tools to the user inputs and determines a well-logging tool selection responsive to the comparison to thereby recommend a course of action for the candidate well. |
| US08265870B1 |
Real-time method for establishing a detection map for a network of sensors
A method for establishing a detection map of a dynamically configurable sensor network. This method determines an appropriate set of locations for a plurality of sensor units of a sensor network and establishes a detection map for the network of sensors while the network is being set up; the detection map includes the effects of the local terrain and individual sensor performance. Sensor performance is characterized during the placement of the sensor units, which enables dynamic adjustment or reconfiguration of the placement of individual elements of the sensor network during network set-up to accommodate variations in local terrain and individual sensor performance. The reconfiguration of the network during initial set-up to accommodate deviations from idealized individual sensor detection zones improves the effectiveness of the sensor network in detecting activities at a detection perimeter and can provide the desired sensor coverage of an area while minimizing unintentional gaps in coverage. |
| US08265869B2 |
Vehicle navigation apparatus and vehicle navigation program
A vehicle navigation apparatus includes: a vehicle position information obtaining unit detecting a vehicle position; a special section detecting unit detecting a special section from a guidance route ahead of the vehicle position; a leading lane shift detecting unit detecting a shift of the vehicle from a main line to the leading lane in the special section; and a branch guiding unit conducting branch guidance for a branch point with a leading lane and conducting, in response to the detection of the shift of the vehicle into the leading lane detected by the leading lane shift detecting unit, travel guidance for a branch path. |
| US08265867B2 |
Route search system
A route search system includes a map data storing means 2 storing a roadmap data containing, as the attribute of a road, whether the road is a road located within a flat-rate pay area where a fixed fare is charged on a mobile unit regardless of the number of times the mobile unit enters the area if the entries are made within a fixed time period; a flat-rate pay area transit recording means 4b, when the current position detected by a position detecting means 1 comes to a road in the flat-rate pay area represented by the attribute of the roadmap data stored in the map data storing means, storing that the mobile unit has transited the flat-rate pay area; an input means 3 inputting whether to permit transit across the flat-rate pay area; and a route calculating means 4a, when it is inputted by the input means that the transit thereof is not permitted, if the flat-rate pay area transit recording means stores that the mobile unit has transited the flat-rate pay area, calculating the optimum route to the destination within routes also containing roads located within the flat-rate pay area on the basis of the roadmap data stored in the map data storing means. |
| US08265866B2 |
Methods and systems for augmented navigation
A navigation device is described that includes a processing device, a memory communicatively coupled to the processing device, the memory including a database of cartographic navigation map data, a first sensor operable to provide location data to the processing device, a display operatively coupled to the processing device, and an image acquisition device operatively coupled to the processing device. The processing device is programmed to, when in a first mode of operation, to cause the display to display a portion of the cartographic navigation map data, the displayed portion based on the location data received by the processing device. The processing device is further configured, when in a second mode of operation, to cause the display to display an image acquired by the image acquisition device, the image overlaid by one or more symbols indicative of one or more points of interest within the database of cartographic navigation map data, the one or more symbols correlated to the acquired image based on the location data received by the processing device. |
| US08265857B2 |
Apparatus for and method of controlling engine
The present invention is related to an apparatus for and a method of controlling an engine provided with: a variable operation angle mechanism that is provided for varying a valve operation angle of an engine valve driven by a camshaft, and is capable of varying a center phase of the valve operation angle in response to a variation in the valve operation angle; and a variable valve timing mechanism provided for varying a rotating phase of the camshaft relative to a crankshaft of the engine, in which a target valve operation angle and a target rotating phase is calculated based on the engine operating state, and a correction value for correcting the target rotating phase based on the target valve operation angle is set. Then, the target rotating phase is corrected by the correction value, thereby controlling the variable valve timing mechanism based on the corrected target rotating phase. |
| US08265856B2 |
Pre-delivery strategy for diesel-engine vehicles
A method to supply fuel to an engine of a vehicle is provided. The method includes adjusting a direct injection of fuel into a cylinder of the engine based on whether the vehicle is in a pre-delivery state. In one example, the method includes reducing an amount of fuel in a post injection to reduce cylinder bore wetting effects and lubricant dilution during the engine cold start. After pre-delivery, a normal post injection schedule may be used to reduce emissions. |
| US08265854B2 |
Configurable automotive controller
An engine control unit having a one-time integration of a model predictive control template via a potentially long software process. Changes to the control structure may subsequently be made via a calibration dataset connected to the engine control unit without incurring the potentially long and laborious software process of implementing the template of other approaches in the related art. |
| US08265847B2 |
Speed control device for vehicle
A speed control device includes: a reference point setting unit that sets, based on shape and position of a curve in advance of a vehicle, first and second reference points within the curve, the second reference point being nearer the curve exit than the first reference point; a distance calculating unit that calculates, based on the vehicle location and the reference points, first and second distances, between the vehicle and the first and second reference points, respectively; a target speed determination unit that determines, based on the curve shape and the first and second distances, the first and second target vehicle speeds to be maintained, respectively, before and after passing the first reference point; and a speed control unit that controls the speed of the vehicle based on the target speeds and the detected speed of the vehicle. |
| US08265844B2 |
Flow control valve for clutch control device
A clutch control device for vehicle is equipped with a clutch actuator driven by a working fluid, and works to correctly control the rate of connection of the clutch by a simple means compensating secular change of a flow rate control valve that controls the working fluid. The clutch control device has a single flow rate control valve 1 for controlling the feed and discharge of the working fluid to change the stroke of the clutch actuator 110. The flow rate control valve 1 has a neutral position at where feed and discharge of the working fluid is stopped. A flow rate control valve control device 9 is provided with a learning device 91 for learning the neutral position. To control the stroke, the flow rate control valve control device 9 corrects the amount of electric current to a coil 8 of an electromagnetic solenoid based on a value learned by the learning device 91 and compensates a change in the flow rate characteristics caused by secular change. The neutral position is learned when the rate of change in the stroke is substantially zero. |
| US08265843B2 |
Control for an electromagnetic brake for a multiple-ratio power transmission that has a brake actuation counter
A control system and method for an electromagnetic clutch brake, including an electromagnetic clutch brake actuator coil surrounding a power input shaft for a multiple-ratio transmission in a vehicle powertrain. A protective circuit of the control system normally monitors data inputs from a databus that may indicate conditions that are not favorable for clutch brake actuation. The protective circuit prevents actuation of the clutch brake under such conditions. In the event the data inputs are not available from the databus, the protective circuit permits operation in a fall-back mode in which a brake ON timer is checked prior to clutch brake actuation. A primary counter is incremented with each normal clutch brake actuation and a secondary counter is incremented with each fall-back clutch brake actuation. |
| US08265842B2 |
Electronic locking differential
A method for controlling a clutch of an electronic locking differential for a vehicle includes determining either that a speed of the vehicle is less than a reference speed or that a desired state of the clutch is a disengaged state, determining that an angular displacement of a steering wheel from a centered position is less than a first reference angle, and disengaging the clutch. |
| US08265841B2 |
Shift control device
In a shift control device operative to determine shift positions based on an absolute positional information related to a mechanical displacement of a shift mechanism, it is intended that the shift positions are accurately determined regardless of disturbance and deterioration with time. It is determined as to whether a varying width of a position voltage PV representing absolute positional information relative to a varying width of a pulse count number CP representing relative positional information is larger than an varying allowable range. When a state, under which difference between the both variations is larger than the varying allowable range, continues beyond a determining time T, a determination is made that persistent disturbance is existed in the position voltage PV, and a correlation between the position voltage PV and the shift positions “P”, “R”, “N” and “D” is learnt and corrected. This allows the correlation to be corrected even if a variation occurs in the position voltage PV due to for instance variations in a disturbance magnetic field or an environmental temperature, a change with time of an output characteristic of a hall element 78, so that the shift position can be determined based on the position voltage PV with increased precision at all times. |
| US08265839B2 |
Method for controlling an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle in the braking phase
A method for controlling an automatic gearbox pertaining to a motor vehicle in a braking phase. According to the method, a gear ratio or speed value of the gearbox, requested on the basis of pre-established laws, is determined; and, on the basis of the value and parameters representative of the situation of the vehicle, a corrected gear ratio or speed value of the gearbox, able to trigger an anticipated downshifting of the automatic gearbox, is determined. The corrected gear ratio value of the gearbox is determined on the basis of an estimation of the desired primary speed for the automatic gearbox. |
| US08265835B2 |
Method and system for preventing herbicide application to non-tolerant crops
A method controlling an agricultural sprayer includes identifying an herbicide to be sprayed using the agricultural sprayer, determining a geoposition associated with the agricultural sprayer within a field, determining if crop planted at the geoposition is tolerant to the herbicide using as-planted data, and if the crop is not tolerant of the herbicide, preventing herbicide spraying operations while the agricultural sprayer is at the geoposition. An agricultural sprayer adapted for performing the method is also provided. |
| US08265833B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting jack contact with ground
A system for determining when one or more jacks on a vehicle have contacted the ground may include a pitch sensor that senses a pitch angle of the vehicle and a roll sensor that senses a roll angle of the vehicle. A jack extension system operatively associated with the vehicle jacks extends and retracts the one or more jacks on the vehicle. A control system operatively associated with the pitch sensor, the roll sensor, and the jack extension system monitors the pitch and roll sensors to determine the pitch and roll angles of the vehicle. The control system operates the jack extension system to lower the jacks to the ground and determines that the jacks have contacted the ground based on detected changes in the pitch and roll angles of the vehicle. |
| US08265828B2 |
Control apparatus for electric power steering system
The control apparatus for an electric power steering system is designed to satisfy the first spec that a first relation characteristic between speed of the electric motor to generate steering assist force and the steering wheel torque is the same as a basic relation characteristic in which the electric motor is driven in accordance with a basic assist amount calculated on the basis of the measured steering torque not corrected by an assist compensation amount calculated depending on the operating state of the electric power steering system, and to satisfy the second spec that a second relation characteristic between speed of the electric motor and a road surface reaction force is such that speed of the electric motor is suppressed compared to a case where the electric motor is driven in accordance with the basic relation characteristic. |
| US08265826B2 |
Combined GNSS gyroscope control system and method
A global navigation satellite sensor system (GNSS) and gyroscope control system for vehicle steering control comprising a GNSS receiver and antennas at a fixed spacing to determine a vehicle position, velocity and at least one of a heading angle, a pitch angle and a roll angle based on carrier phase position differences. The roll angle facilitates correction of the lateral motion induced position errors resultant from motion of the antennae as the vehicle moves based on an offset to ground and the roll angle. The system also includes a control system configured to receive the vehicle position, heading, and at least one of roll and pitch, and configured to generate a steering command to a vehicle steering system. The system includes gyroscopes for determining system attitude change with respect to multiple axes for integrating with GNSS-derived positioning information to determine vehicle position, velocity, rate-of-turn, attitude and other operating characteristics. A vehicle control method includes the steps of computing a position and a heading for the vehicle using GNSS positioning and a rate gyro for determining vehicle attitude, which is used for generating a steering command. |
| US08265823B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit device, communication device, information reproducing device, image display device, electronic device, electronic control device, and mobile body
In order to suppress an instantaneous carrying current (surge current) and power supply noise caused by the instantaneous carrying current (the surge current), the power supply cutoff structure of a semiconductor integrated circuit device comprises a switching circuit for controlling a power supply to a controlled circuit. The switching circuit includes a plurality of transistors each having a different current capability. The transistors are sequentially provided with a certain regularity, including from a low current capability transistor up to a high current capability transistor. |
| US08265820B2 |
Saddle riding type vehicle
A saddle riding type vehicle includes a support mechanism arranged to support a pair of wheels to be movable up and down relative to a vehicle body, a lock mechanism connectable to the support mechanism and arranged to limit up-and-down motion of the pair of wheels, various sensors arranged to detect vehicle states, and a controller arranged to control the lock mechanism based on results of detection by the various sensors. The controller controls the lean limitation to the up-and-down motion of the pair of wheels and its cancellation automatically. The rider need not carry out a special control for operating the lock mechanism. In addition, the lock mechanism is controlled according to the vehicle states, which allows the rider to travel lightly and comfortably. |
| US08265816B1 |
Apparatus and methods to disable an electric vehicle
A security device for use with an electric vehicle is provided. The security device includes a processor that is programmed to receive at least one signal representative of a disconnection between a charging station and a battery within the electric vehicle. The processor is further programmed to generate a command signal based on the signal. Moreover, the security device includes a control module that is coupled to the processor, wherein the security device is configured to receive the command signal. The control module is also configured to transmit a control signal to lock the battery to render the electric vehicle inoperable when the disconnection between the charging station and the battery is performed by an unauthorized user. |
| US08265814B2 |
Control method and unit of an electric traction motorcycle according to the position of an accelerator grip
A control method and unit of an electric traction motorcycle; there are provided: an accelerator grip pivotally mounted to rotate in a first rotation direction and about a rotation axis from a neutral position towards a maximum acceleration position; an elastic member which tends to keep the accelerator grip in the neutral position; at least one position sensor for detecting the angular position of the accelerator grip about the rotation axis; and a control device which drives an electric machine of the motorcycle according to the angular position of the accelerator grip; the accelerator grip is mounted to rotate in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction and about the rotation axis from the neutral position towards a deceleration position which is arranged in the direction opposite to the maximum acceleration position with respect to the neutral position. |
| US08265811B2 |
Method and apparatus for active heave compensation
Methods and apparatuses for active heave compensation, the method, in certain aspects, including the steps of: (a) measuring with a measurement device (44) the heave of a vessel (10) and outputting a heave signal representative thereof; (b) using said heave signal to compensate for said heave by moving a connection device (20) relative to said vessel (10) as a function of said heave signal, whereby movement due to said heave of a load attached to said vessel via the connection device is reduced; said heave signal comprising errors induced by said measurement device (44) whereby accuracy of said compensation is reduced; (c) processing said heave signal so as to reduce said errors and outputting an adjusted heave signal; and (d) using said adjusted heave signal to move said connection device (20) to compensate for said heave. |
| US08265808B2 |
Autonomous and automatic landing system for drones
The invention relates to an automatic aircraft landing guidance system having an electromagnetic detecting and locating device, positioned on the ground and a first multifunction transmitting/receiving radiofrequency beacon, on board each guided aircraft and transmitting in particular a continuous wave. The detecting and locating device uses the continuous wave transmitted by the beacon to perform a passive locating intended to improve the accuracy of the measurement of the angular position of the aircraft. It also comprises means for generating and periodically transmitting to the aircraft, via the beacon, information enabling said aircraft to rejoin an optimum landing path from its position. The invention applies more particularly to the guidance of autonomous and automatic aircraft such as drones in the approach and landing phase. |
| US08265807B2 |
Automatic takeoff and landing apparatus for aircraft, and methods for performing an automatic takeoff and an automatic landing of an aircraft
An automatic takeoff and landing apparatus for an aircraft for realizing a takeoff run and performing an ascending flight of the aircraft up to a target altitude at takeoff; and for realizing an approaching flight and performing a landing run of the aircraft at landing. |
| US08265805B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting icing conditions for an aircraft
A method for detecting icing conditions for an airborne aircraft operating within a zone defined using one or more aircraft-related parameter and one or more environment parameter includes: (a) In no particular order: (1) measuring the aircraft-related parameter(s) to obtain aircraft-related parametric value(s); and (2) measuring the environment-related parameter(s) to obtain environment-related parametric value(s). (b) Employing the aircraft-related parametric value(s) and the environment-related parametric value(s) to determine whether the aircraft is operating within the zone. (c) If the aircraft is operating within the zone, observing elapsed time during which the aircraft is operating within the zone. (d) If the aircraft has operated within the zone for a predetermined elapsed time-in-zone, displaying an alert message for a user to indicate a likelihood of presence of icing conditions. |
| US08265804B1 |
Method and system for controlling a vehicle
A method for controlling a vehicle may include sensing a position of each of a plurality of stars relative to the vehicle. The method may also include determining an attitude of the vehicle using the sensed positions of the plurality of stars, and the attitude may be determined either with or without using information from a gyro or sensor for measuring angular velocity. The method may additionally include implementing a set of strategies to optimize determination of the attitude of the vehicle when using only the sensed positions of the plurality of stars, without information from the sensor for measuring angular velocity. The method may further include controlling the vehicle based on the determined attitude of the vehicle. |
| US08265803B2 |
System and method for enhancing computer-generated images of terrain on aircraft displays
A system and method are disclosed for enhancing the visibility and ensuring the correctness of terrain and navigation information on aircraft displays, such as, for example, continuous, three-dimensional perspective view aircraft displays conformal to the visual environment. More specifically, an aircraft display system is disclosed that includes a processing unit, a navigation system, a database for storing high resolution terrain data, a graphics display generator, and a visual display. One or more independent, higher precision databases with localized position data, such as navigation data or position data is onboard. Also, one or more onboard vision sensor systems associated with the navigation system provides real-time spatial position data for display, and one or more data links is available to receive precision spatial position data from ground-based stations. Essentially, before terrain and navigational objects (e.g., runways) are displayed, a real-time correction and augmentation of the terrain data is performed for those regions that are relevant and/or critical to flight operations, in order to ensure that the correct terrain data is displayed with the highest possible integrity. These corrections and augmentations performed are based upon higher precision, but localized onboard data, such as navigational object data, sensor data, or up-linked data from ground stations. Whenever discrepancies exist, terrain data having a lower integrity can be corrected in real-time using data from a source having higher integrity data. A predictive data loading approach is used, which substantially reduces computational workload and thus enables the processing unit to perform such augmentation and correction operations in real-time. |
| US08265802B2 |
Method and device for determining the dynamic stability margin of an aircraft
A method of determining a dynamic stability margin MSD of an aircraft includes calculating the longitudinal position XMP of a maneuver point MP to find the distance between the maneuver point and the position XCG of the aircraft center of gravity CG, as a function of the angular velocity ωO of an incidence oscillation of the aircraft. A device for determining the dynamic stability margin MSD or a position XMP of the maneuver point MP includes means or acquisition of data and or calculating a dynamic stability margin. The means receive data for generating, the aircraft mass m and pitch inertia Iyy; the flight speed V; the angular velocity ωO of the incidence oscillation at a flight point; a coefficient C*α representing Czα of a “quasi-static” model of the aircraft. The aircraft flight control laws may be adapted according to the stability margin and to XMP. |
| US08265797B2 |
Modular and expandable irrigation controller
Described herein are several embodiments relating to modular irrigation controllers. In many implementations, the irrigation controllers are modular in that various functional components of the irrigation controller are implemented in removable modules that when inserted into position within the controller, expand the capabilities of the controller. Also described are various different types of expansion modules that may be coupled to the modular controller, having as variety of functions and features, as well as related methods of use and configuration of these modules in the controller. In some embodiments, authentication procedures are provided for one or both of a modular irrigation controller and an expansion module to determine if they are authorized to operate together. |
| US08265793B2 |
Mobile robot for telecommunication
A mobile robot provides telecommunication service between a remote user at a remote terminal and a local user in proximity to the mobile robot. The remote user can connect to the mobile robot via the Internet using a peer-to-peer VoIP protocol, and control the mobile robot to navigate about the mobile robot's environment. The mobile robot includes a microphone, a video camera and a speaker for providing telecommunication functionality between the remote user and the local user. Also, a hand-held RC unit permits the local user to navigate the mobile robot locally or to engage privacy mode for the mobile robot. When NAT or a firewall obstructs connection from the remote terminal to the mobile robot, an Internet server facilitates connection using methods such as STUN, TURN, or relaying. |
| US08265792B2 |
Method and apparatus for calibrating multi-axis load cells in a dexterous robot
A robotic system includes a dexterous robot having robotic joints, angle sensors adapted for measuring joint angles at a corresponding one of the joints, load cells for measuring a set of strain values imparted to a corresponding one of the load cells during a predetermined pose of the robot, and a host machine. The host machine is electrically connected to the load cells and angle sensors, and receives the joint angle values and strain values during the predetermined pose. The robot presses together mating pairs of load cells to form the poses. The host machine executes an algorithm to process the joint angles and strain values, and from the set of all calibration matrices that minimize error in force balance equations, selects the set of calibration matrices that is closest in a value to a pre-specified value. A method for calibrating the load cells via the algorithm is also provided. |
| US08265788B2 |
Sorting mail in carrier walk sequence
An automated mail sorting system including a display for displaying the image of an item of mail belonging to a carrier route, and input device for associating the image with any of a plurality of stations in a walking sequence of the carrier route, and a sorter having a reader for identifying the item of mail, to sorter for placing the item of mail in a location corresponding to the station in the walking sequence. |
| US08265786B2 |
Depth spreading placement of data storage cartridges in multi-cartridge deep slot cells of an automated data storage library
In an automated data storage library having a plurality of multi-cartridge deep slot cells, each configured to store a plurality of data storage cartridges arranged in sequential order of tiers from front to rear, and having accessor(s) configured to selectively extract, place and transport cartridges with respect to the cells; operating the accessor(s) to selectively extract, place and transport cartridges with respect to the cells and with respect to other elements of the library. If all tiers of the selected cells except the rearmost tier are full, added cartridges are placed to fill the rearmost tier of an evenly spread selection of the cells. |
| US08265784B1 |
Storage library having virtual cartridge access port
A library has a physical cartridge access port (PCAP) for receiving cartridges which are to be entered/ejected into/out of the library. The library is partitioned into partitions each having a set of the library cells such that the library appears to a host as multiple libraries with each partition appearing to the host as a respective one of the multiple libraries. Some cells are reserved for use by the partitions as virtual cartridge access ports (VCAPs) which appear to the host as being the PCAP such that cartridges, which are to be ejected out of the partitions, are exported from the cells of the partitions to the VCAPs for subsequent transfer from the VCAPs to the PCAP, and such that cartridges, which are to be entered into the partitions, are imported from the VCAPs to the cells of the partitions after having been moved from the PCAP to the VCAPs. |
| US08265782B2 |
Mobile device having multi-audio output function
A mobile device playing and outputting audio data having various formats. The mobile device includes a memory storing audio data having different formats; a plurality of audio-playing units, each having a codec that corresponds a respective format and restoring respective analog sound signals from the corresponding audio data; a processor receiving a hardware interrupt from some or all of the audio-playing units to provide corresponding data of the stored audio data to a corresponding audio playing unit; and an output unit mixing the restored analog sound signals in order to be output. |
| US08265780B2 |
Determination of performance of apparatus and network setting
An apparatus control system. apparatus and computer-readable recording medium for enabling different operators to perform apparatus and network settings independently and to easily confirm a setting status. An apparatus setter at least one of a setting on a connection between a water heater and a remote controller, and a test run of the water heater using the remote controller. A network setter performs setting on a connection between the remote controller and a server. A setting status monitoring section monitors an apparatus setting status representing whether or not the setting by the apparatus setter is ended and a network setting status representing whether or not the setting by the network setter is ended. A setting status display controlling section displays the apparatus setting status and the network setting status. |
| US08265776B2 |
Energy monitoring system and method
A portable energy monitoring point includes at least one power plug receptacle, each power plug receptacle operably coupled to a separate integral power sensor circuit. Each integral power sensor circuit is configured to determine an electrical current drawn by an electrical load connected to the corresponding at least one power plug receptacle. An integral digital communications circuit is configured to wirelessly transmit to a remote device a power consumption for each of the at least one power plug receptacles. The power consumption is derived from the electrical current drawn by the electrical load connected to the corresponding at least one power plug receptacle. |
| US08265775B2 |
Modular object publication and discovery
An object can be used in an industrial control configuration in relation to performing a function or task. Matching can occur such that an object with operational requirements can bind with a host that has capabilities that meet those operational requirements—matching can occur automatically as well as through user operation. Once matched, different functionality can be presented to a user pertaining to the object. To assist the user, the object can include external references, logic, local or private data, as well as others in addition to resources. To facilitate operation, capabilities and resources can be published in a directory that can be accessed by different entities—sometimes with security constraints in order to protect configuration integrity. Likewise, a subscription system can be employed such that when a change to a related entity is made, a notice can transfer to related entities and operation can alter based upon the change. |
| US08265774B2 |
Inverted pendulum type moving body and method of controlling the same
An inverted pendulum type moving body according to the present invention includes: first actuators that rotationally drive wheels each disposed on an axle; and a turning motion control portion that controls the first actuators when the inverted pendulum type moving body comes into contact with an obstacle so as to allow the inverted pendulum type moving body to perform a turning motion. |
| US08265771B2 |
Interference mitigation for implantable device recharging
A therapy or monitoring system may implement one or more techniques to mitigate interference between operation of a charging device that charges a first implantable medical device (IMD) implanted in a patient and a second IMD implanted in the patient. In some examples, the techniques may include modifying an operating parameter of the charging device in response to receiving an indication that a second IMD is implanted in the patient. The techniques also may include modifying an operating parameter of the second IMD in response to detecting the presence or operation of the charging device. |
| US08265768B2 |
Telemetry protocol for ultra low error rates useable in implantable medical devices
An improved telemetry protocol for an implantable medical device is disclosed. The sending device forms a block of information to be telemetered to the receiving device in a typical fashion, including a header, a message, and an error detection data, such as a Cyclic Redundancy Code (CRC) for that data. This CRC, called CRC1, is preferably computed using a first CRC polynomial. Then, the entirety of the block is divided into smaller packets of a predetermined byte size. Each packet, regardless of its contents, has a CRC computed for it (CRC2) preferably computed using a second CRC polynomial. Each packet with its appended CRC2 is sent to the receiving device, which deduces a CRC2 and compares it with the appended CRC2. If not valid, that packet is again requested to be resent. If valid, the next packet is requested to be sent, its CRC2 checked, etc., until all packets are received and verified. The receiving device then discards the CRC2s to reconstitute the original block. The receiving device then deduces CRC1 and compares it with the CRC1 appended to the block. If valid, the block is accepted, and if not, the procedure is repeated for the block. |
| US08265767B2 |
Stochastic stimulation in a hearing prosthesis
A hearing prosthesis configured for delivery of stochastic stimulation to a recipient. The hearing prosthesis comprises a sound pickup component configured to receive a sound signal having at least one pitch; a stochastic stimulation generator configured to generate a stochastic sequence of stimulation pulses having first and second inter-pulse intervals distributed stochastically throughout the sequence within controlled limits, the first inter-pulse interval based on the at least one pitch; and at least one stimulation channel to deliver the sequence of electrical stimulation pulses to the recipient. |
| US08265765B2 |
Multimodal auditory fitting
The present invention provides for fitting a multimodal hearing system to a recipient. Such fitting may include determining a desired perception for an input signal, receiving a measurement of a perception evoked by applying to the recipient one or more stimulation signals that correspond to the input signal, wherein the one or more stimulation signals applied using two or more stimulation modes, and each stimulation signal is determined using stimulus mode weighting, and adjusting one or more of the stimulus mode weightings based on the difference between the measured evoked perception and the desired perception. A multimodal hearing system is able to stimulate using an acoustic, electrical, mechanical mode and/or photo effect mode. |
| US08265764B2 |
Artificial vision system
An object is to provide an artificial vision system ensuring a wide field of view without damaging a retina. In the artificial vision system, a plurality of electrodes (23) are to be implanted so as to stick in an optic papilla of an eye of a patient. A signal for stimulation pulse is generated based on an image captured by an image pick up device (11) to be disposed outside a body of the patient. The electrical stimulation signals outputted from the electrodes (23) based on the signals for stimulation pulse stimulate an optic nerve of the eye, thereby enabling the patient to visually recognize the image from the image pickup device (11). |
| US08265763B2 |
Device, system, and method to improve powered muscle stimulation performance in the presence of tissue edema
The invention provides systems and methods for neuromuscular electrical stimulation to muscle tissue. Stimulation electrodes may be provided on a stimulation pad, configured to provide electrical stimulation to a target tissue. A system for neuromuscular electrical stimulation may also include pressure generating mechanisms that may provide a compressive force to a region with the target tissue, thereby removing some excess third space fluid from the region. |
| US08265759B2 |
Device and method for treating disorders of the cardiovascular system or heart
A device and method are provided to treat heart failure by stimulating to cause diaphragm contraction. |
| US08265754B2 |
Cardiac rhythm pacing rate selection for automatic capture threshold testing
Cardiac devices and methods that select pacing rates for automatic threshold tests based on a patient's hemodynamic need. A sensor-indicated pacing rate corresponding to a patient's hemodynamic need is determined. A test pacing rate is selected from either the sensor-indicated rate or another rate. Capture threshold testing is performed using the selected pacing rate. |
| US08265752B2 |
System and method for assessing atrial electrical stability
A method for identifying a susceptibility of a subject to atrial-rhythm disturbances includes a) placing a plurality of sensors on the subject to measure a physiologic signal of the subject, and b) recording the physiologic signal from the sensor. The physiologic signal includes an atrial electrical activity of the subject. The method includes c) determining a beat-to-beat variability in the atrial electrical activity of the subject. The beat-to-beat variability includes alternans of electrocardiographic waveforms of a predetermined number of a sequence of heart beats. The method includes d) determining a susceptibility to atrial-rhythm disturbances of the subject using the beat-to-beat variability in the atrial electrical activity determined in step c), and e) generating a report of the susceptibility to atrial-rhythm disturbances of the subject. |
| US08265750B2 |
System and method for conditional biventricular pacing
An implantable pacing system with single, double and triple chamber pacing capabilities, provided individually or in concert on a conditional or continuous basis depending upon ongoing analyses of atrial rhythm status, atrioventricular conduction status and ventricular rate. A mode is selected to reduce the occurrence of any ventricular pacing in favor of intrinsic atrioventricular and ventricular conduction. If excessively long PR intervals are occurring too frequently or atrioventricular conduction is unreliable or absent, the implantable pulse generator is operated in a conditional triple chamber pacing mode that provides atrial-synchronous biventricular pacing in every cardiac cycle for a period of time as necessary to restore and maintain AV synchrony, while minimizing ventricular asynchrony otherwise associated with monochamber RV pacing as in conventional dual chamber pacing systems. Similarly, biventricular pacing is provided in every cardiac cycle when ventricular rates are undesirably slow during atrial fibrillation, where AV synchronization is excluded. |
| US08265749B2 |
Methods and devices for accurately classifying cardiac activity
Methods, systems, and devices for signal analysis in an implanted cardiac monitoring and treatment device such as an implantable cardioverter defibrillator. In illustrative examples, captured data including detected events is analyzed to identify likely overdetection of cardiac events. In some illustrative examples, when overdetection is identified, data may be modified to correct for overdetection, to reduce the impact of overdetection, or to ignore overdetected data. New methods for organizing the use of morphology and rate analysis in an overall architecture for rhythm classification and cardiac signal analysis are also discussed. |
| US08265748B2 |
Defibrillator with a normalized electrode interface and defibrillating electrode
A defibrillator includes a defibrillator mainframe and a defibrillating electrode. The defibrillator mainframe includes a main control unit and a master device electrically connected to the main control unit. The defibrillating electrode comprises a slave device supporting a bus protocol, the master device and slave device being interconnected through a bus. |
| US08265747B2 |
Method and apparatus for diagnosing and treating neural dysfunction
A method and apparatus for diagnosing and treating neural dysfunction is disclosed. This device has the capability of delivering the therapeutic electrical energy to more than one treatment electrode simultaneously. In another exemplary embodiment, this device can perform EMG testing both before and after the therapeutic energy has been delivered, to assess whether the target nerve was successfully treated. In another embodiment, the device has the capability to record and store sensory stimulation thresholds both before and after treatment is described, which allows the clinician to accurately determine whether the target nerve has been desensitized. Energy control may achieved by simultaneously comparing the tip temperature of each treatment electrode to a set temperature selected by the operator, and regulating the therapeutic energy output to maintain the set temperature. In another embodiment, EMG, stimulation thresholds, and graphs of temperature versus time can be conveniently displayed on a two-dimensional graphics display. |
| US08265745B2 |
Contact sensor and sheath exit sensor
A system and method is provided that allows for determining the local impedance of one or more electrodes of an electrode catheter. Such local impedance may be utilized to identify the relative position of an electrode catheter to a sheath of a guiding introducer. In another arrangement, local impedance of a catheter electrode can be utilized to calibrate a catheter electrode to provide improved contact sensing. |
| US08265734B2 |
Imaging and displaying system with imaging unit and display unit which are supported by movable arm
An imaging and displaying system comprises an imaging unit for acquiring images of a treatment site of a subject, a display unit for displaying the images acquired by the imaging unit, and a unit-to-unit connecting device for detachably connecting the imaging unit and the display unit. The imaging unit and the display unit are spatially and movably supported. At least one of the imaging unit and the display unit is detachably attached to an arm with a unit-to-arm detachable device therebetween. |
| US08265726B2 |
Analyte monitoring device and methods of use
An analyte monitor includes a sensor, a sensor control unit, and a display unit. The sensor has, for example, a substrate, a recessed channel formed in the substrate, and conductive material disposed in the recessed channel to form a working electrode. The sensor control unit typically has a housing adapted for placement on skin and is adapted to receive a portion of an electrochemical sensor. The sensor control unit also includes two or more conductive contacts disposed on the housing and configured for coupling to two or more contact pads on the sensor. A transmitter is disposed in the housing and coupled to the plurality of conductive contacts for transmitting data obtained using the sensor. The display unit has a receiver for receiving data transmitted by the transmitter of the sensor control unit and a display coupled to the receiver for displaying an indication of a level of an analyte. The analyte monitor may also be part of a drug delivery system to alter the level of the analyte based on the data obtained using the sensor. |
| US08265724B2 |
Cancellation of light shunting
There is provided a system and method for canceling shunted light. The method includes transmitting electromagnetic radiation at tissue of interest and generating a signal representative of detected electromagnetic radiation. A portion of the generated signal representing shunted light is canceled from the generated signal and the remaining portion of the generated signal is used to compute physiological parameters. |
| US08265718B2 |
Mobile wireless device
Disclosed is a mobile wireless device, which has an antenna structure for feeding a hinge core with an electric power and which can be adapted to wireless communications of low-frequency bands without enlarging a casing itself. In this wireless device, an upper casing (101) equipped with a first circuit substrate (111) and a lower casing (102) equipped with a second circuit substrate (112) having a wireless unit (118) mounted thereon are connected to open and close through a hinge unit having a conductive hinge (130). A feeding unit (113) mounted in the upper casing (101) feeds the conductive hinge (130) with an electric power from the first circuit substrate (111). A cellular antenna (150) mounted in the lower casing (102) is connected with the ground pattern of the second circuit substrate (112) at the position, where an extension (154) is separated along the axial direction of the conductive hinge (130) from a capacity coupling unit (152) arranged to confront a portion of the conductive hinge (130) and coupled capacitively to a portion of the conductive hinge (130), thereby to short-circuit the capacity coupling unit (152) and the ground pattern. |
| US08265714B2 |
Method and apparatus for supporting energy saving function in communication system
A method and system for supporting an energy saving function in a communication system are provided. An evolved Node B (eNB) Element Management System (EMS) receives usage statistical data from an eNB and compares the usage statistical data with a threshold value. The eNB EMS determines whether to turn on or off power sources of Power Amplifier (PA) units connected to antennas corresponding to sectors included in a serving cell of the eNB according to the compared result, and transmits, to the eNB, a command message directing the eNB to turn on or off power sources of corresponding PA units according to the determined result. |
| US08265703B2 |
Method of running application and mobile communication terminal using the same
A method of running an application in a mobile communication terminal is disclosed. The method includes, if a predetermined key-value is input on a standby screen, analyzing the key-value to determine which application (or applications) to run; setting a parameter for running the application determined according to the key-value analysis result as the key-value; and running the application using the set parameter. A mobile communication terminal for running an application includes: a key input unit for receiving a predetermined key-value on a standby screen; a controller for if the key-value is input through the key input unit, analyzing the key-value to determine which application to run and setting a parameter for running the application determined according to the key-value analysis result as the key-value; and an application driver for running the application using the parameter set by the controller. |
| US08265700B2 |
Transmitting and receiving method, and radio apparatus utilizing the same
A processing unit transmits, from at least one of a plurality of antennas, data corresponding respectively to the plurality of antennas. A control unit generates request signals with which to let a second radio apparatus supply information on rates at the second radio apparatus. When transmitting the request signal, the processing unit also transmits, from a plurality of antennas which includes antennas other than the antennas that transmit the data, known signals corresponding respectively to the plurality of antennas. |
| US08265697B2 |
Restricted multi-rank precoding in multiple antenna 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. |
| US08265693B1 |
Mobile device as a personal computer assistant
A mobile device for personal computer assistance is provided. The mobile device is configured for wireless communication over a mobile device network. The mobile device includes an interface configured to establish a communication link between the mobile device and a personal computer. The mobile device also includes a storage device configured to store session information from a personal computer and to retrieve the session information for another personal computer. |
| US08265689B2 |
Multi-tapping numpad
A mobile phone including a number keypad for entering the symbols 0-9, # and *, the keypad including at most five keys at least one of which corresponds to a list of at least two symbols, wherein the nth symbol in the list corresponding to a key is accessed by tapping on the key n times, with cycling from the end of the list back to the beginning of the list. A portable media player with dual use as a cell phone is also described and claimed. |
| US08265688B2 |
Wireless communication device and split touch sensitive user input surface
The present invention provides a hand-held device including a split touch sensitive input surface, the touch sensitive input surface including a first touch sensitive array, which has a position sensor adapted for detecting a relative position of a first pointer device, and a second touch sensitive array which has a position sensor adapted for detecting a relative position of a second pointer device. The second touch sensitive array is separate from the first touch sensitive array and is located on a common side with the first touch sensitive array. The hand-held device further includes a display visible from an exterior surface of the device, which is different from the exterior side interface surface where the first touch sensitive array and the second touch sensitive array are located, where the current relative position of an end of a respective pointer interacting with each of the first touch sensitive array and the second touch sensitive array are illustrated on respective display areas of the display by a display controller coupled to the first touch sensitive array, the second touch sensitive array, and the display. |
| US08265684B2 |
Transmission power control method, communication device and program
There is provided a method for controlling a transmission power in a second communication service making secondary usage of a spectrum assigned to a first communication service, with use of any node of one or more secondary usage node that transmits a radio signal of the second communication service, comprising the steps of: acquiring an acceptable interference power allocated to the second communication service; calculating a total sum of interference power levels on the first communication service based on transmission powers respectively required for the one or more secondary usage node; and excluding any secondary usage node of the one or more secondary usage node from allocation of the transmission power when the calculated total sum of interference power levels is larger than the acceptable interference power. |
| US08265683B2 |
Two-tier random backoff and combined random backoff and transmit power control in wireless networks
Systems and methods for two-tier backoff interval randomization are presented. An initial message transmission can have both a chip level and an access cycle duration level backoff applied to avoid potential collisions. Additionally, improved transmit power calculations and the random backoff can be combined to further improve the probability of a successful message reception and decoding. |
| US08265682B2 |
Scheduling request usage in DRX mode in wireless networks
A cell within cellular network includes user equipment (UE) that transmits data to a base station (eNB). When a UE does not have data to transmit, it may enter a low power mode (DRX) having silent intervals during which the eNB does not expect to receive a transmission from the UE and the UE is not required to monitor DL control channels from the eNB. While in DRX mode, the UE may detect an event, such as data ready for transmission or a need to request a timing adjustment (TA) update. The UE transmits a scheduling request indicator (SRI) to the eNB in response to detection of the event, wherein the SRI carries information identifying the triggering event. |
| US08265677B2 |
Method for the optimization of channel scanning function in a telecommunication network for mobile terminals
A telecommunications network for mobile terminals, in particular a wireless LAN network, includes a plurality of network access points defining a network coverage area and each one associated with a respective transmission channel; at least one mobile terminal adapted to move inside the coverage area and configured for performing a transmission channels scanning; a terminal locating server, configured for determining a position in which the terminal must perform the scanning, for determining a set of channels adapted to be received in the position with predetermined transmission characteristics, and for communicating such set of channels to the mobile terminal, so that the scanning, for example, for tracking or handover purposes, can be performed on a limited number of channels, thereby increasing the useful time for providing telecommunication services. |
| US08265676B2 |
Hybrid network resource and policy management with mobility support
A method may include receiving a quality of service request initiated by a mobile node and requesting from a home agent a service level agreement profile for the mobile node. The method may further include allocating resources between a gateway foreign agent and the mobile node. The method may also include initiating resource allocation between the home agent and the gateway foreign agent and initiating resource allocation between a correspondent node and the home agent. The method may further include establishing resource allocation between the mobile node and the correspondent node. |
| US08265672B1 |
Text message sessions
The subject matter of this document can be embodied in, among other things, a computer-method that includes receiving a text message associated with a first telephone number, and establishing a communication session associated with the received text message. The communication session is established by modifying the received text message so that the received text message is associated with a second telephone number that is different from the first telephone number, and subsequent text messages associated with the second telephone number are included as part of the communication session. The method also includes transmitting the text message to a text messaging system, such that the text message appears to have originated from the second telephone number. Upon receiving a text message reply from a user in response to the transmitted text message, the text message reply is associated with the established communication session. |
| US08265671B2 |
Methods and systems for providing near real time messaging to hearing impaired user during telephone calls
A data connection between a server and an application running on a mobile telephone handset is used to provide caption text of a telephonic conversation between call participants to the mobile phone handset during an active telephone call. Prior to providing the captions, a communication session between the server and the application running on the handset, the means of transporting the caption text is determined. Transport may be by way of data socket connection or by way of SMS messages. |
| US08265670B2 |
Communication apparatus and method of displaying received e-mail in communication apparatus
A communication apparatus includes: an e-mail creating unit configured to create the e-mail with specifying an e-mail address of a destination; an e-mail transmitting/receiving unit configured to transmit/receive the e-mail; a display unit provided with a received mail display area for displaying received e-mail set if necessary and a created mail display area for displaying an e-mail being created; and a control unit configured to set the received mail display area and display the received e-mail if the e-mail is received during creating the e-mail and the e-mail address of a sender of the received e-mail matches with the e-mail address of the destination of the e-mail being created. |
| US08265666B2 |
Method for coding and transmitting transport format combination indicator
A method and matrixes for transmitting an transport format combination indicator is disclosed. The matrixes according to the invention comprising five column vectors of 32 elements of binary code derived from OVSF codes which are to be multiplied to the lower bits of a TFCI and one column vector of 32 elements of 1 when (32,6) codes are used. |
| US08265665B2 |
Color differentiating a portion of a text message shown in a listing on a handheld communication device
A handheld wireless communication device includes features to send and receive text messages. The handheld wireless communication device is further equipped with a microprocessor configured to run software programs on the device such as text message management program. The text message management program displays a listing of a plurality of received text messages on a display screen and color differentiates at least a portion of the display-listed plurality of received text messages based upon a characteristic common to each received text message. The characteristic common to each display-listed received text message may be a host name that is included in an identification code for the respective text message's sender. |
| US08265664B1 |
Apparatus and methods for communicating text messages using multiple communication modes
An apparatus and methods for communicating text messages to the recipients' communication devices utilizes multiple communication modes, including, but not limited to, network-based and non-network based communication modes or methods. Generally, the network-based communication mode utilizes a messaging communication network to communicate text messages over relatively large distances, and the non-network-based communication mode utilizes a proximity communication transport mechanism to communicate text messages over relatively small distances. The non-network communication transport mechanism includes, for example, the Bluetooth proximity communication transport mechanism and/or the unlicensed free radio spectrum. The apparatus is operable in either of the communication modes or in an auto-select communication mode in which the apparatus initially attempts to communicate text messages via a proximity communication transport mechanism and if unsuccessful, subsequently communicates text messages via a messaging communication network. The apparatus is configurable to operate in any of the communication modes. |
| US08265658B2 |
System and method for automated location-based widgets
Systems and methods relating to location-based applications, such as widgets, are disclosed. In general, in one embodiment, a mobile device obtains a list of applications associated with a current or anticipated location of the mobile device from a centralized or distributed application service. One or more desired applications to be activated are either manually or automatically selected from the list of applications associated with the current location or the anticipated location of the mobile device. The mobile device then activates the one or more desired applications. Optionally, for each desired application that has been activated, the desired application may be deactivated once one or more deactivation criteria are satisfied. |
| US08265653B2 |
Automatic remote communication using network telephony
The present invention is a method and apparatus to provide remote communication using network telephony. In a transmitter, an activation message is decoded to generate an activation command. The activation message is sent from an activator via a communication medium in response to a telephony call. An information message is transmitted, responsive to the activation command, to a receiver using a communication protocol. In a receiver, an activation message is decoded to generate an activation command. The activation message is sent in response to a telephone call. An information message is received, responsive to the activation command. The information message is sent from a transmitter according to a communication protocol via a communication medium. |
| US08265644B2 |
Service providing apparatus, service consuming apparatus, and service transmitting method thereof
A service providing apparatus, a service consuming apparatus, and a service transmitting method thereof are provided. The service providing apparatus is able to pre-allocate a plurality of service consuming apparatus into different groups, to pre-schedule the groups in a control channel, and to pre-schedule the groups in at least one channel. Accordingly, the channel resource can be consumed more efficiently by the service consuming apparatus. |
| US08265643B2 |
Method and apparatus for avoiding collision of preamble in base station
Provided is a method and apparatus for avoiding a collision of a preamble in a base station. When a new base station is installed in a mobile communication system and in this instance, an exclusive preamble using a contention-free scheme is employed to avoid a preamble collision, at least one of a code parameter, a time parameter, and a frequency parameter used in a preamble of the new base station may be set to be different from a code parameter, a time parameter, and a frequency parameter used in a preamble of a neighboring cell, whereby it is possible to manage a random access preamble without causing a collision between cells. |
| US08265642B2 |
Systems, apparatus and methods for physical random access channel processing
Systems and methods for processing a physical random access channel are provided. In some embodiments, a method can include: receiving a signal indicative of a strong user and a desired user on a physical random access channel; performing at least one of a single segment frequency domain detection or a multi-segment frequency domain detection on the signal indicative of a strong user and a desired user; generating a residual signal by cancelling out the signal indicative of a strong user; and obtaining a message transmitted by a user equipment by performing at least one of the single segment frequency domain detection or multi-segment frequency domain detection on the residual signal. |
| US08265640B2 |
BSR prohibit timer
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate communicating a Buffer Status Report (BSR) from user equipment (UE) while reducing the employment of a RACH procedure. A BSR Prohibit time interval can be triggered by a receipt of uplink data to the UE. The BSR can be conveyed utilizing an uplink-shared channel (UL-SCH) if a Scheduling Request (SR) or a Semi-Persistent Scheduling (SPS) occurs within the duration of the BSR Prohibit time interval. The BSR can be communicated utilizing a RACH procedure if a SR or SPS occurs upon the expiration of the BSR Prohibit time interval. |
| US08265635B2 |
Method for determining positioning accuracy based on origination and receiving terminals and positioning device and program therefor
In a method of designing the positioning system for positioning a reference point from a required positioning accuracy and a required positioning area by using a radio appliance, a maximum value and a minimum value of a plurality of fluctuation factors, which cause the positioning system to fluctuate, are set, a communication characteristic of the fixed radio appliance is calculated from the minimum value of the fluctuation factor and the required positioning accuracy, and a characteristic of the fixed radio appliance and an installation position of the fixed radio appliance are calculated from the calculated characteristic of the installed appliance, the maximum value of the fluctuation factor, and the required positioning area. |
| US08265633B2 |
Mobile communication terminal and method therefore
Control of setup of international calls in a mobile communication terminal is performed. The terminal is connected to a first mobile communication network that is operated by a first operator, and the method includes detecting a request to setup an international call, the request including a first symbol sequence including a country code and a subscriber identifier, selecting, in response to the detection, an operator prefix number, the operator prefix number specifying a second operator of a communication network that provides an international call setup service, creating a second symbol sequence including the operator prefix number, the country code and the subscriber identifier, and requesting a call setup with the subscriber via the second operator, the request including transmitting the second symbol sequence to the first mobile communication network. |
| US08265629B2 |
Method for performing a handoff by a comp set
Disclosed is a method for performing a handoff in a CoMP cluster. A user equipment measures a signal to interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) value of each of the CoMP sets constituted by the combination of a plurality of base stations in one CoMP cluster. Then, the user equipment transmits the SINR value of each of the CoMP sets to a serving base station through a pilot strength measurement message (PSMM). Subsequently, the user equipment receives, from the serving base station, a message which instructs a handoff determined through the transmitted signal to interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) values. |
| US08265625B2 |
Systems and methods for network entry management
Systems and methods for network entry management are provided. The system includes a base station and a mobile station. The base station broadcasts synchronization channels (SCH) on multiple carriers, where the SCH may be hierarchical synchronization channel composed of primary synchronization channel (P-SCH) and secondary synchronization channel (S-SCH) which are used for timing, frequency synchronization, cell identification, etc. The carriers include at least a first carrier including at least one P-SCH and do not include a S-SCH. The mobile station scans the first carrier, and checks whether a P-SCH is broadcasted on the first carrier. If a P-SCH is broadcasted on the first carrier, the mobile station checks whether an S-SCH is broadcasted on the first carrier. If no S-SCH is broadcasted on the first carrier, the mobile station scans for a second carrier broadcasted by the base station. |
| US08265620B2 |
Apparatus and method for measuring uplink thermal noise power and uplink interference power in wireless communication system
An apparatus for use in a base station capable of checking whether a frequency is illegally used in a wireless communication system are provided. Operations of the base station for checking whether the frequency is illegally used includes setting a silence interval in which a resource is not allocated to a terminal, using silence interval setting information provided from a system manager; when the silence interval arrives, measuring RSSI; and transmitting the RSSI to the system manager to examine at least one of a frequency illegal use and a reception path error using the RSSI. |
| US08265619B1 |
Test call automation based on monitoring device state
A communication system for automating test calls in a wireless communication network comprises a test call automation system and at least one wireless communication device. The test call automation system is configured to receive a set of test conditions and test instructions associated with a test call scenario, and transfer the test conditions and the test instructions to the wireless communication device. The wireless communication device is configured to monitor a device state of the wireless communication device based on the test conditions, and if the device state complies with the set of test conditions, then process the test instructions to execute the test call scenario, receive test results associated with the test call scenario, and transfer the test results to the test call automation system. |
| US08265611B2 |
Traffic-synchronized location measurement
Location-based services are provided in a communication system comprising at least a portion of at least one wireless network. In one aspect of the invention, mobile user devices that are candidates for a location-based service are identified and the identified mobile user devices are monitored to determine when one or more of said mobile user devices becomes currently active on a traffic channel of the wireless network. Location information is automatically obtained for the one or more mobile user devices that are currently active on the traffic channel, and delivery of at least one message to a given one of those mobile user devices is controlled based on the location information. Generation of location queries involving respective ones of the mobile user devices is thereby synchronized with the traffic channel activity of those devices. |
| US08265608B2 |
Data processing method for portable communication terminal and portable communication terminal
A terminal data storage section (18) of a portable communication terminal (10) stores the importance level of each piece of stored data. A connection state prediction judging section (12) predicts a change in the communication state of the connection to a server (20). A terminal processing level determining section (13) determines the terminal processing level of data based on the prediction result. When a data access becomes necessary, a data access managing section (15) determines whether a data access destination is the portable communication terminal (10) itself or the server (20) based on the importance level of the data and the then terminal processing level. When the terminal processing level is changed, a data hold managing section (14) deletes the data whose importance level is changed to an importance level which inhibits the data from being held at the changed terminal processing level from the terminal data storage section (18). |
| US08265607B2 |
System and method for providing an interactive content portal on a mobile device
A portal application is provided that can be used on a mobile device to display relevant advertising content to the user at convenient times. The portal application can utilize a portal browser that is launched when appropriate, which displays the advertising content in an interactive way and enables the user to follow up with tasks requiring a data connection that is currently unavailable, by keeping track of a user queue. The advertising content may be filtered from a base of advertising content provided by the advertising content providers in advanced and is pre-fetched and stored in an advertising content cache for convenient access when appropriate. The portal application can be used with a location estimator to narrow and categorize the advertising content at least in part based on location, either physical location or preferred location or both based on a hierarchy of relevant data. |
| US08265606B2 |
Targeted advertisements to social contacts
Targeted advertisements to social contacts is described. In embodiment(s), social contacts can be correlated based on messaging interactions between mobile communication devices that are associated with the social contacts. Feedback about an advertisement can be received from mobile communication devices that are associated with the social contacts, and the advertisement can then be targeted to one or more of the social contacts based on the feedback about the advertisement. |
| US08265604B2 |
Mobile phone and call processing method of mobile phone
The present invention provides a mobile phone including a memory unit for storing at least one phone number, search information representing specific search conditions corresponding to the phone number, and a plurality of recorded data; and a control unit for extracting search information corresponding to the phone number of a communication counterpart, searching for recorded data satisfying a search condition included in the search information from among the plurality of recorded data using the extracted search information, and outputting the searched recorded data when a call terminating or originating service operation for telephone communication is requested. According to the present invention, a user can refer to recorded data related to a communication counterpart while using call terminating or originating call services for telephone communication so that the user can more efficiently communicate with the counterpart. |
| US08265603B2 |
Creation and management of voicemail greetings for mobile communication devices
Methods, graphical user interfaces and devices for creation and management of voicemail greetings are disclosed. A user of a mobile communication device can create and manage multiple voicemail greetings. In one aspect, a user of a mobile communication device can create customized voicemails. The customized voicemails can be assigned to specific contacts (or groups of contacts) known to the mobile communication device. The customized voicemail greetings can also have controlled expiration dates. In another aspect, customized voicemails can be assigned to incoming calls in real-time. |
| US08265599B2 |
Enabling and charging devices for broadband services through nearby SIM devices
Embodiments relate to a method of access to wireless networks and/or network services, such as WiMAX, from a first wireless-enabled device, by sharing the credential of a second wireless-enabled device. |
| US08265598B2 |
Method of sharing information in mobile terminal using local wireless communication
A method of sharing information between mobile terminals using a local wireless communication network is disclosed. The method includes setting information stored in a first mobile terminal with one of at least two security levels; if registration is requested by a second mobile terminal, registering an identifier of the second mobile terminal and an access rights level of the second mobile terminal to the information set with a security level; if a local wireless communication link is formed with the second mobile terminal, displaying a list of information set with a set security level corresponding to the access rights level of the second mobile terminal; and sharing the displayed information according to a request from the second mobile terminal. According to the present invention, information stored in a mobile terminal may safely be shared with another mobile terminal in a local wireless communication area. |
| US08265590B2 |
Providing information pertaining to usage of a mobile wireless communications device
When a device, such as a cellular phone, enters into a region, usage information pertaining to usage of devices in the region is provided to the device. For example, restrictions pertaining to usage of cellular phones while driving can be provided. Usage information also can be provided upon request or in accordance with various factors, such as subscriber preferences, elapsed time since the last time usage information was sent to the device, elapsed time since usage regulations have been enacted or updated, and/or the frequency of which the device is in the region. A region can include a geographic region, a political boundary, a country, a state, a municipality, a county, a parish, a township, a building (e.g., school, library, movie theatre, court house, local, state, or federal government building), a public place (e.g., restaurant, bus, train, taxi), a zip code, a telephone area code, or the like. |
| US08265587B2 |
System and method for amending instructions for emergency auxiliary services following an emergency services request
A system for amending implementation instructions for any number or combination of Emergency Auxiliary Services, the Emergency Auxiliary Services being effected according to the implementation instructions regarding at least one predetermined receiver after a triggering communication is placed from a subscribing communication instrument includes: (a) A change ordering means for effecting the amending. The change ordering means is exercised by a service requesting entity using the subscribing communication entity. (b) An instruction amending means coupled with the subscribing communication entity. The instruction amending means responds to the change ordering means to effect the amending. |
| US08265581B2 |
Transceiver using millimeter-wave
Provided is a transceiver using a millimeter-wave (MM-wave). The transceiver determines output power of a transmitting signal according to a receiving signal of a receiving end in the same device so that a possible loss value occurring in the air may be predicted. By doing so, performance of a whole link budget may be enhanced, and the transmitting signal may be rapidly controlled. |
| US08265579B2 |
Satellite signal reception device and control method for a satellite signal reception device
A satellite signal reception device has a reception unit that receives a satellite signal transmitted from a positioning information satellite, a reception state display device for displaying the satellite signal reception state, a reception state evaluation unit that determines the reception condition of the satellite signal received by the reception unit, and a display controller that controls the reception state display device to display the reception condition determined by the reception state evaluation unit. The reception state evaluation unit determining the level of the reception condition based on the number of positioning information satellites from which satellite signals are received and the signal level of each received signal, and the display controller displaying the reception level output by the reception state evaluation unit on the reception state display device. |
| US08265576B2 |
Systems and methods for providing product information over a carrier wave
A customer relationship management (CRM) method using IBOC-radio signals is provided. A message in the radio signal is parsed to obtain a key. The key is compared to a plurality of stored keys. When the received key matches a stored key, a data structure associated with the message is outputted. A device comprising a lookup table with a plurality of stored keys, a tuner unit that receives a CRM in an IBOC signal, and a controller in electrical communication with the lookup table and tuner is provided. The controller comprises (i) instructions for comparing a key in the CRM to one or more stored keys in the plurality of stored keys and (ii) instructions for permitting the display of a display text associated with the received key when there is a match between the received key and a key in the plurality of stored keys. |
| US08265574B2 |
Voltage regulator with control loop for avoiding hard saturation
Embodiments of circuits, apparatuses, and systems for a voltage regulator with a control loop for avoiding hard saturation are disclosed. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US08265568B2 |
Frequency divider with synchronized outputs
A synchronized frequency divider that can divide a clock signal in frequency and provide differential output signals having good signal characteristics is described. In one exemplary design, the synchronized frequency divider includes a single-ended frequency divider and a synchronization circuit. The single-ended frequency divider divides the clock signal in frequency and provides first and second single-ended signals, which may be complementary signals having timing skew. The synchronization circuit resamples the first and second single-ended signals based on the clock signal and provides differential output signals having reduced timing skew. In one exemplary design, the synchronization circuit includes first and second switches and first and second inverters. The first switch and the first inverter form a first sample-and-hold circuit or a first latch that resamples the first single-ended signal. The second switch and the second inverter form a second sample-and-hold circuit or a second latch that resamples the second single-ended signal. |
| US08265564B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting data in wireless communication system
Disclosed is an apparatus and method for transmitting data in a wireless communication system. The apparatus for transmitting a packet data in a wireless communication system includes a Media Access Control (MAC) layer for determining the number of preambles to be inserted based on a feed-back reply signal from a receiver, and generating a multi-preamble aggregation packet by inserting the determined number of preambles into packets received from an upper layer and a physical layer for forming the multi-preamble aggregation packet generated in a data processing unit, by using a physical layer packet, and transmitting the formed multi-preamble aggregation packet. |
| US08265562B2 |
Method and system to indicate a desired transmit power and soft power control in a wireless network
In a wireless communication system, short-term interference mitigation may be used to mitigate (e.g., to avoid or reduce) interference on a given link in order to improve performance of data transmission. The interference mitigation reduces transmit power of interfering transmissions so that a higher signal-to-noise-and-interference ratio (SINR) can be achieved for a desired data transmission. A node may observe high interference from an interfering node that degrades performance of data transmission sent on that link. By taking advantage of an communication path with the interfering node (e.g., wireless data/control channel, backhaul network connection, or analog broadcast signal), the transmitting node can successfully complete time critical communications while allowing the interfering node to also simultaneously communicate without reducing overall resources nor burdening any managing nodes. |
| US08265557B2 |
Mobile terminal capable of being connected to audio output device using short-range communication and method of controlling the operation of the mobile terminal
A mobile terminal and a method of controlling the operation of the mobile terminal are provided. The method includes receiving a first key signal for controlling a first profile and an audio playback operation from an audio output device, the first profile being a profile for playing audio data; connecting the mobile terminal to the audio output device using the first profile; and suspending the processing of a command corresponding to the first key signal for a predetermined amount of time. Therefore, it is possible to suspend the processing of a command for a predetermined amount of time during the connection of the mobile terminal to the audio output device and thus to prevent an unwanted operation from being performed. |
| US08265556B2 |
Integrated mobile phone and medical implant monitoring system and method for using the same
Integrated mobile phone and medical implant system. The disclosed system integrates the available electronic resources that already exist in compact and portable devices, such as any generic mobile phone, with a body implantable medical device such that the sensory data obtained from the implant device is transmitted through an electronic umbilical cord directly to the mobile device where the data is analyzed and presented in a user-friendly manner to the user/patient and/or transmitted wirelessly to a remote location for further action, if necessary, without the need for additional equipment. With the switch of software application from a drop-down menu, the mobile device of the system functions both as a normal mobile phone, as a medical monitoring device, or both simultaneously without any interference between the two modes of operations. Method for using the integrated system is also disclosed. |
| US08265554B2 |
Communication device and method using human body
A communication device and method using the human body are provided. The communication device determines an arrangement direction of signal electrodes and ground electrodes according to a signal transmission direction and whether the ground electrodes come into contact with the human body according to a transmission/receiving distance and then performs data communication with the other communication device connected to the human body for the purpose of efficient human body communication. |
| US08265553B2 |
External device for mobile communication terminal and NFC method using the same
Disclosed herein are an external device for a mobile communication terminal, which enables non-contact NFC with the outside through a Near Field Communication (NFC) unit, and an NFC method using the external device. The external device for a mobile communication terminal includes a serial communication unit, an NFC unit, a smart card unit and an antenna. The serial communication unit is connected to a mobile communication terminal body through a connector. The NFC unit communicates with the mobile communication terminal body through the serial communication unit and communicates with the outside via non-contact NFC. The smart card unit communicates with the NFC unit. The antenna is configured such that the NFC unit transmits/receives signals via non-contact NFC through the antenna. |
| US08265552B2 |
Beam selection in a multiple beam antenna in a fixed wireless CPE
A method includes scanning beams of a multiple beam antenna to collect metrics associated with the beams; selecting a best beam based on the collected metrics or based on a manual selection received from an operator; retrieving thresholds associated with the metrics; comparing the collected metrics, associated with the selected best beam, to the retrieved thresholds; and determining whether the antenna unit is in an acceptable location based on the comparison. Another method includes scanning beams of the multiple beam antenna to collect metrics associated with the beams; selecting a best beam based on the collected metrics; determining a serving beam; comparing a set of metrics associated with the selected best beam with a corresponding set of metrics associated with the serving beam; and determining whether to switch from the serving beam to the selected best beam based on the comparison. |
| US08265549B2 |
Satellite communications systems and methods using radiotelephone
A processor for use in a satellite communications system includes a selector that is configured to select a subset of a plurality of spatially diverse satellite signals based upon a location of a radioterminal. The processor further includes a signal processor that is configured to detect a return-link transmission from the radioterminal responsive to the selected subset of the spatially diverse satellite signals. The respective spatially diverse satellite signals may include respective signals corresponding to respective antenna elements of a satellite. The selector and the signal processor may be ground based. |
| US08265548B2 |
Relay frame structure for supporting transparent and bidirectional relays
A method for transmitting data includes receiving at a first relay station first data from a parent station during a downlink period comprising a plurality of downlink zones. A network coding zone is one of the plurality of downlink zones and is located at an end of the downlink period, and the first data is received in at least one of the plurality of downlink zones other than the network coding zone. The method further includes receiving at the first relay station from a child station, second data during an uplink zone, and transmitting third data by the first relay station to the child station, during the network coding zone using a resource. The method further includes transmitting the third data to the parent station, during the network coding zone, using the resource. The third data results from the first data being effectively logically XOR-ed to the second data. |
| US08265541B2 |
Sheet processing apparatus and image forming system which corrects a curl
A sheet processing apparatus including: a humidifier that humidifies a sheet; a curl correcting section that corrects a curl by applying mechanical bending force on a sheet; and a control section that causes humidification by the humidifier and curl correction by the curl correcting section to be possible for a prescribed sheet, and causes either one of humidification by the humidifier and curl correction by the curl correcting section to be possible for sheets other than the prescribed sheet. |
| US08265540B2 |
Document pressing apparatus, image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus with document pressing apparatus
A document pressing apparatus is provided with a document pressing cover including a first lateral part and a second lateral part facing the first lateral part and openable and closable with respect to a housing fitted with a contact glass, a supporting member for supporting the document pressing cover rotatably with respect to the housing at the side of the first lateral part, a plate member connected with the document pressing cover for pressing a document against the contact glass, a first resilient member arranged at the side of the first lateral part between the plate member and the document pressing cover for exerting a pressing force to the document, and a second resilient member provided at the side of the second lateral part between the plate member and the document pressing cover for exerting a pressing force smaller than that of the first resilient member to the document. |
| US08265536B2 |
Fixing systems including contact pre-heater and methods for fixing marking material to substrates
Fixing systems and methods for fixing marking material to a substrate are provided. An exemplary embodiment of the fixing systems includes a pre-heating device including: a first fixing member including a first surface; a second fixing member including a second surface forming a first nip with the first surface; and a first thermal energy source for heating at least one of the first surface and the second surface; wherein the first surface and the second surface contact and pre-heat a substrate and marking material comprising toner disposed on a surface of the substrate when the substrate is received at the first nip to produce the temperature condition: Tamb |
| US08265533B2 |
Fuser release fluid rate transient control via variable speed oil metering system
An apparatus for applying release agent to a fuser roll used in printing a print job is provided. The apparatus has a release agent metering roll supported for contact with a supply of release agent material; a variable speed drive arranged to effect movement of the release agent metering roll in an endless path at different surface velocities; a donor roll supported in contact with the release agent metering roll and the fuser roll, the donor roll arranged to convey release agent material from the release agent metering roll to the fuser roll at various rates depending on a surface velocity of the release agent metering roll; and a controller that controls a velocity of the variable speed drive such that the surface velocity of the release agent metering roll varies relative to a surface velocity of the fuser roll and the engagement and disengagement times at the start and end of the print job. The variable speed drive is operative independently of the fuser roll. |
| US08265532B2 |
Image forming apparatus and driving speed control method thereof
An image forming apparatus that includes an intermediate transfer belt (ITB) that has a mark, a sensor that detects the mark, a driving unit that drives the ITB, and a control unit that controls the driving speed of the driving unit, during a certain period of time after completing a printing operation, according to the detection of the mark by the sensor. |
| US08265530B2 |
Developer carrying device and image forming device
A developer carrying device is provided with a group of carrying electrodes configured to form a traveling wave field as voltages are sequentially applied thereto, charged developer being carried by an effect of the traveling wave field, a developer carrying member having a surface on which the group of carrying electrodes are arranged, and a plurality of leveling electrodes provided above the surface and configured to form electric fields in a direction substantially along the surface, the plurality of leveling electrodes being needle like electrodes extending in a direction intersecting with the surface, the plurality of leveling electrodes being spaced from each other in a direction along the surface and intersecting with a direction in which the developer is carried. |
| US08265529B2 |
Configuration of a developing device blade and image forming apparatus
A developing device include: a case; a developing roller supported by the case to be rotatable in a rotational direction; and a blade including a base end supported by the case and a tip end provided upstream of the base end in the rotational direction and contacting the surface of the developing roller at a contact portion to regulate a thickness of the toner on the developing roller. The blade further includes a bent portion that is bent from the contact portion at a radius of curvature from 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm to be separated from the developing roller as extending toward the tip end. An angle defined between a segment connecting the contact portion with a center of curvature of the bent portion and a segment connecting the tip end with the center of curvature of the bent portion is in the range from 45° to 90°. |
| US08265525B2 |
Electroconductive roll, charging device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus
The invention provides an electroconductive roll having at least a surface layer forming an outer peripheral surface of the electroconductive roll. The surface layer contains projections and recesses. The projections contain a plurality of particles. A ratio of an area occupied by particles existing in a cross-section of a projection to an entire area of the cross-section of the projection is larger than a ratio of an area occupied by particles existing in a cross-section of a recess to an entire area of the cross-section of the recess. The invention further provides a process cartridge having a charging roll which is the electroconductive roll and/or a transfer roll which is the electroconductive roll. The invention further provides an image forming apparatus having a charging unit containing the electroconductive roll and/or a transfer unit containing the electroconductive roll. |
| US08265524B2 |
Transfer device, image forming apparatus, and waste toner container
A transfer device includes a cleaning device, a waste toner bottle, a connecting unit, and a regulating unit. The cleaning device removes waste toner remaining on an intermediate transfer belt. The waste toner bottle has an intake opening for collecting the waste toner therein. The connecting unit conveys the waste toner from the cleaning device to the waste toner bottle, and has a discharge opening that is configured to engage the intake opening to discharge the waste toner into the waste toner bottle through the intake opening. The regulating unit regulates the position of the waste toner bottle in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the waste toner bottle before the discharge opening comes in contact with the intake opening. |
| US08265520B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a housing, an imaging device, a top cover, a moving device, and a state holding device. The housing has a top opening formed on a top face of the housing and a side opening formed on a side face of the housing. The imaging device is housed in the housing and includes a photosensitive body, an exposure device which exposes the photosensitive body to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive body, and a developing device which develops the electrostatic latent image with a developer on the photosensitive body. The top cover is movable between an open state opening the top opening and a close state closing the top opening, the exposure device being attached to an inner face of the top cover. |
| US08265518B2 |
Image forming apparatus with framing structure
An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit; a sheet feeding unit; an upper frame; a sheet feeding frame; and a lower frame. The upper frame includes: a pair of sheet-metal components, each of which is punched out in a right-left direction; and a first contact part facing a first direction. The sheet feeding frame is made of a resin component and is arranged between a space defined by the pair of sheet-metal components and includes a second contact part at a face facing the first direction. The lower frame supports the upper frame and the sheet feeding frame from below and includes a contacted part facing a second direction opposite to the first direction. A relative position in a front-rear direction between the upper frame and the lower frame is defined by contacting the contacted part with both of the first contact part and the second contact part. |
| US08265516B2 |
Belt unit, transfer unit and image forming apparatus
A belt unit includes an endless belt that transports a recording medium thereon. The endless belt has a Young's modulus in the range of 3.5≦Y≦7.0. The endless belt is disposed about a plurality of rollers, and runs about the rollers. The endless belt has a thickness such that 0.0025≦Y×T3≦0.007 where Y is the Young's modulus and T is the thickness. A cleaning member removes deposits from the surface of the endless belt. The belt unit may also operate as a transfer unit and include a cleaning member disposed about a plurality of rollers. The cleaning member removes deposits from the surface of the endless belt. An image forming apparatus may include the belt unit or transfer unit. |
| US08265511B2 |
Power source device and image forming apparatus
A power source device includes an oscillator generating a clock, a frequency division unit dividing the clock to output a pulse, a sequence generation unit generating sequences “N” with respect to each switching of the pulse, a frequency division ratio setting unit setting frequency division ratio, a switching element driven by the pulse, and a piezoelectric transformer outputting alternating high voltage from a secondary-side when a primary-side is applied with voltage. The generated sequence and the set frequency division ratio are compared to output the pulses of fractional-M, -M+1 frequencies. An average frequency division ratio of the pulses of fractional-M, -M+1 frequencies determined by (M×α)+(M+1)×β/(α+β), where α and β respectively represent the number of pulses of “M” and “M+1” per unit time. The average frequency division ratio and frequency division ratio become equal at a sequence generation cycle and approximated in a period shorter than the sequence generation cycle. |
| US08265509B2 |
Control apparatus and method for interacting with and controlling via a network authentication information required for image processing by an imaging device and computer-readable storage medium storing program for causing computer to function as the control apparatus
A multifunctional apparatus control system includes a multifunctional apparatus an authentication information input device, an I/F converter, and a control server. The control server includes: a UI control section which transmits, to the multifunctional apparatus over a network, data of authentication screen which prompts the user to make preparations for causing the authentication information input device to acquire authentication information; an authentication information input device driver which controls the operation of the authentication information input device over the network and receives, over the network, the authentication information that the authentication information input device has acquired; an authenticating section which performs authentication based on the authentication information that the authentication information input device driver has received; and a device control section which permits the multifunctional apparatus to execute the job, in accordance with the authentication result of the authenticating section. This arrangement makes it possible to construct a flexible authentication system. |
| US08265507B2 |
Heat fixing apparatus
The heat fixing apparatus includes a fixing heater and a pressure roller. The fixing heater has a plurality of resistance-type heat generation layers which are different in heat distribution in the longitudinal direction perpendicular to the direction of conveying a recording material. The recording material P is heated when passed through a fixing nip portion formed between the fixing heater and the pressure roller. The pressurization conditions between the fixing heater and the pressure roller can be changed. The heat fixing apparatus includes a fixing member which adjusts the lengthwise heat distribution of the fixing heater by changing the applied current proportion of the plurality of resistance-type heat generation layers according to the pressurization conditions between the fixing heater and the pressure roller. |
| US08265505B2 |
Selective cooling of a fuser heater roller
A controlled fuser assembly for a reproduction apparatus. The fuser assembly includes a fuser member for fusing a marking particle image to a receiver member and a cooling system for controlling the temperature of the fuser system. Optional external heater rollers have a heat transfer surface adapted to be selectively engaged with the fuser member, and a device for heating said heat transfer surfaces. A mechanism is provided for controlling the heat transfer with the fuser member to selectively change the amount of heat transferred from the fuser. |
| US08265504B2 |
Imaging system with pressure fixing and separate thermal fixing of marking materials on media
A system for fixing an image on a piece of media is provided. The system has a first enclosure having an image forming section for forming the image on the piece of media and a pressure fixing section that does not include a thermal energy source for fixing the image to the piece of media. The pressure fixing section has a first rotating member, a second rotating member located proximate the first member such that a gap exists between the first member and the second member, the gap being for receiving the piece of media, and a force applying device that applies force to at least one of the first member and the second member to apply pressure to the piece of media such that the image is fixed to the piece of media by the pressure. The apparatus also has a second enclosure having a fixing section that includes a thermal energy source for further fixing the image to the piece of media after the image has been fixed to the media by the pressure fixing section. |
| US08265502B2 |
Image forming apparatus including an alternative printing unit
An image forming apparatus includes an alternative printing unit. The alternative printing unit performs alternative printing of a black image by mixing images of color materials of three colors of cyan, yellow, and magenta. The alternative printing unit includes a color material amount control unit that controls amounts of the respective color materials, which form the images of the color materials of the three colors, so as to be smaller than those at a time of normal printing. |
| US08265501B2 |
Image forming apparatus for determining the positional relationship between an exposing means and the surface of a photosensitive body
An image forming apparatus, having an exposing unit for exposing a photosensitive body to form a_latent image, a developing unit for forming a developer image corresponding to the latent image, a carrier body moved through a portion opposite to the photosensitive body onto which the developer image formed on the photosensitive body is transferred, a mark forming unit for controlling the exposing unit to form a mark on a surface of the carrier body, a light sensor for sensing light reflected by the carrier body, an edge detector for sensing an edge of the mark on the carrier body based on an_output of the light sensor and a deciding unit for deciding a positional relation between a focal point of the exposing unit and the surface of the photosensitive body based on the edge detected by the edge detector. |
| US08265500B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus which includes a photosensitive member and an image forming station. The image forming station includes a charging device for charging the member, an exposure device for exposing the member to light, a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image on the member, and a bias applying device for applying a developing bias. The image forming apparatus also includes, a transfer device for transferring a toner image to a sheet, a setting device for setting an AC voltage, an executing device for executing a test mode, a density detecting device for detecting the density of the test image, and an adjusting device for adjusting an image forming condition for the station. When the executing device executes the test mode, test images can formed at various AC voltages. |
| US08265493B2 |
Optical sensor arrangement for an imaging apparatus
An imaging apparatus includes a toner cartridge within a housing having a rotatable shaft, a cam rotatably mounted on the shaft, an optical sensor mounted on the housing having an emitter and a receiver forming an optical path therebetween, and a flag mounted on the housing having a first arm and a second arm. The optical sensor has an output that changes when the optical path changes from blocked to unblocked and from unblocked to blocked. The flag has a home position where the first arm is disposed in the rotational path of the cam and the second arm either blocks the optical path or unblocks the optical path. Rotation of the rotatable shaft causes the cam to engage and disengage the first arm causing the second arm to change from blocking the optical path to unblocking the optical path or vice versa. |
| US08265492B2 |
Image forming system and service person support method therefor
An image forming system which enables a service person to accurately and promptly replace or adjust a faulty component part of an image forming apparatus at the occurrence of a malfunction or during a periodic inspection. An external storage device stores to-do items and reference data. A service person performs a malfunction-correcting operation according to each to-do-item sent from the central control unit in response to his request via the image forming apparatus. Upon receipt of data input by the service person according to the to-do-item, the central control unit generates a synthetic data of the input data and the reference data. Based on the synthetic data, the service person determines whether or not a malfunction is corrected or the present to-do-item is cleared, and performs part replacement/adjustment, if necessary, to input new check/measurement data, which is sent to the central control unit again. This process is continued until the malfunction is corrected. |
| US08265491B2 |
Method for improving the performance of digital coherent optical receiver using single ended photo-detection
A method and system for mitigating distortion in coherent single-ended photo-detection is disclosed. The methodology comprises: receiving an optical signal carried on an optical transmission medium and coherently detecting the received optical signal to produce a digitized signal; estimating a time-dependent random variable introducing distortion to the coherently detected signal; and subtracting the distortion from digitized signal to produce a distortion mitigated output signal. |
| US08265487B2 |
Half-duplex, single-fiber (S-F) optical transceiver module and method
A half-duplex, single-fiber (S-F) optical transceiver module is provided in which a light source, such as a laser diode or a light-emitting diode (LED), is mounted on an edge region of a photodiode to increase the amount of surface area of the photodiode that is available for absorbing light received in the optical transceiver module. The S-F optical transceiver module has a relatively simple optical coupling system for coupling light between an end face of an optical fiber and the photodiode and laser diode or LED with high optical coupling efficiency and reduced optical crosstalk. |
| US08265485B2 |
Optical transmission system and method for chromatic dispersion compensation
An optical transmission system including an optical transmission path for transmitting WDM signals multiplexed different wavelength optical signals, the WDM signals including different bit rate optical signals or different modulation format optical signals; a repeater arranged in the optical transmission path, the repeater including a chromatic dispersion compensation unit for compensating chromatic dispersion compensation for the WDM signals; and a network management system including processes of determining a dispersion compensation ratio indicating the ratio with respect to the dispersion compensation amount at which the residual dispersion of the WDM signals are zero after transmission via the optical transmission path, on the bases of the mixture ratio of different optical signals included in the WDM signals, and variably setting the dispersion compensation amount for the in-line repeater according to the dispersion compensation ratio. |
| US08265480B2 |
Light mark, method and device for light mark modulation and demodulation
A light mark, a method and a device for light mark modulation and demodulation are disclosed. The modulation method includes: generating a mark with periodically alternating frequency and interval; and modulating the mark signal onto an optical signal. In the present disclosure, the mark with periodically alternating frequency and interval is adapted to distinguish different wavelengths by using different frequencies, and distinguish the same wavelength from different nodes by using the same frequency but different intervals. Therefore, numerous available marks are obtained with a small number of frequencies, and unique marks for all wavelengths in a network only require a number of frequencies equal to the number of the wavelengths in the network. Moreover, even if a wavelength conflict occurs, the wavelength conflict can be determined according to detected marks. |
| US08265476B2 |
Imaging apparatus
An imaging apparatus includes a present date and time information obtaining device to obtain present date-time information at a time performing a present photographing operation, a last date-time information recording device to record last date-time information at a time performing a last photographing operation, an image number counting device to compare the present and last date-time information when performing the present photographing operation and to newly count a number of photographed subject images when the present date-time information is not within the predetermined period from the last date-time information and to continuously count the number of photographed subject images when the present date and time information is within the predetermined period from the last date-time information, and a displaying unit having an exit screen displayed when the imaging apparatus is turned off and to display the number of the photographed subject images on the exit screen. |
| US08265473B2 |
Camera and photographic lens
A camera is provided which is adapted to receive a photographic lens having a diaphragm. The camera includes a detection unit configured to execute electric charge accumulation for detecting a defocus amount when the diaphragm is in a state having a first aperture value, and a controller configured to, when causing the diaphragm to perform an aperture reducing operation from the first aperture value to a second aperture value, cause the diaphragm to start the aperture reducing operation without waiting for completion of the electric charge accumulation for detecting the defocus amount by the detection unit. |
| US08265470B2 |
Camera-steady focus requirements for preventing inconspicuous use of cameras on handheld mobile communication devices
Methods and devices for implementing a camera restriction on a wireless handheld communication device. As more handheld devices incorporate camera functionalities, organizations and individuals with privacy concerns are more vulnerable to unauthorized disclosure. The camera restriction prevents a user from taking a picture of a subject if the device has not been steadily focused on the subject in question for a predetermined period of time. In short, this process extends the normal camera-taking procedure and thus requires the camera user to take pictures in a conspicuous manner—the rationale being that a camera user would be less likely to take unauthorized pictures if such actions could be easily recognized. The camera restriction can be communicated to the device via a wireless communication network. Additionally, the restrictions and boundaries can be communicated to the device as part of an IT security policy. |
| US08265468B2 |
Inline downhole heater and methods of use
A well bore fluid is heated to prevent paraffin build-up or lower the viscosity of asphaltenic crude in the production line by an electrical heating element lowered into a pre-determined subterranean location. The heating element is controlled by a control unit that is connected to a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor, which detects temperature and pressure in the vicinity of the heating element and modifies an electric power source to deliver sufficient electric power to the electric heating element to keep the paraffin or other alkanes in a liquefied state. By modifications, the same heater can be used to generate steam in a well bore for the same purposes or to heat oil in a tank battery to prevent solidification of high molecular weight constituents in the crude. |
| US08265467B2 |
Light support assembly
A light support assembly includes a circular body having a slot at one end for receiving a light string therein which is secured by a cap at the one end. A magnet is mounted in a cavity at an opposite end of the body. An applicator holds the body during mounting of the light support assembly to a building or other structure. |
| US08265448B2 |
Electronic apparatus, content reproducing system, content reproducing method, and program
An electronic apparatus may include means for storing priority information on priorities of contents, means for receiving a list of the contents stored in another electronic apparatus with attribute information on contents in the list from anther electronic apparatus, means for determining whether a content in the list is a first content with a first priority or a second content with a second priority lower than the first priority, means for causing whole data of the first content to be received if the content is the first content and causing beginning portion data of the second content to be received if the content is the second content, means for storing at least one of the whole data and the beginning portion data, and means for causing the stored whole data to be reproduced and causing subsequent portion data to be received from the other electronic apparatus while the beginning portion data is being reproduced and to be reproduced following the reproduction of the beginning portion data. |
| US08265443B2 |
Optical waveguide device
To provide an optical waveguide device which can allow a light-receiving element to be precisely aligned with a diffused waveguide formed in a dielectric substrate to implement an evanescent coupling light-receiving element. An optical waveguide device includes a dielectric substrate 1, a diffused waveguide 2 formed by thermally diffusing a high-refractive material into the dielectric substrate, and a light-receiving element 4 which is disposed above the diffused waveguide and which receives a part of an optical wave propagating in the diffused waveguide. Here, at least a part 3 of a pedestal 3 and 5 supporting the light-receiving element above the dielectric substrate is formed by disposing the high-refractive material in a predetermined pattern in the vicinity of the diffused waveguide and thermally diffusing the high-refractive material at the same time as forming the diffused waveguide. |
| US08265442B2 |
Microbend-resistant optical fiber
A bend-insensitive glass fiber with a novel coating system yields exceptionally low losses. The coating system features (i) a softer primary coating with excellent low-temperature characteristics to protect against micro-bending in any environment and in the toughest physical situations and, optionally, (ii) a colored secondary coating possessing enhanced color strength and vividness. The secondary coating provides improved ribbon characteristics for structures that are robust, yet easily entered (i.e., separated and stripped). The optional dual coating is specifically balanced for superior heat stripping in fiber ribbons, with virtually no residue left behind on the glass. This facilitates fast splicing and terminations. The improved coating system provides optical fibers that offer significant advantages for deployment in most, if not all, fiber-to-the-premises (FTTx) systems. |
| US08265438B2 |
Optical cable with stranded micromodules
An optical cable comprises a plurality of elongate members wherein at least one of the elongate members include at least one optical fiber surrounded by buffer tube. The buffer tube is made of a soft material having a tension at break of less than 7.5 MPa. The elongate members are disposed around a central element. A binder is wrapped around the plurality of elongate members. An outer jacket surrounds the plurality of elongate members. |
| US08265435B2 |
Optical fiber coupling systems and methods for fabricating the same
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to optical fiber coupling systems and to methods for fabricating optical fiber coupling systems. In one aspect, an optical fiber coupling system includes a first resonant cavity abutting the end of an optical fiber. The optical fiber coupling system includes a second resonant cavity located adjacent to the first cavity. The first and second resonant cavities are separated by a sub-wavelength grating layer configured with a non-periodic sub-wavelength grating. The optical fiber coupling system selectively couples light into and/or out of the optical fiber core. |
| US08265411B2 |
Image recording apparatus, image recording method, image processing apparatus, image processing method and image processing system
An image recording apparatus includes an imaging section which images a subject to obtain imaging data. An image quality information acquiring section acquires a plurality of sets of information concerning image quality. An image quality information converting section converts the plurality of sets of information concerning the image quality acquired in the image quality information acquiring section into image processing parameters used in image processing of the imaging data. An image processing section performs image processing with respect to the imaging data based on the image processing parameters converted by the image quality information converting section. A recording section records in a recording medium the imaging data subjected to image processing in the image processing section, or records in the recording medium the imaging data which is not yet subjected to image processing in the image processing section and the plurality of sets of information concerning the image quality. |
| US08265410B1 |
Automatic correction and enhancement of facial images
A system, method and computer program product for correction and enhancement of digital images containing portraits or images of human faces by automatically detecting imperfections in an original facial image and correcting them in order to enhance the original image quality. The imperfections can be various skin blemishes, birth marks, pimples, freckles, wrinkles, etc. The facial images are detected and the imperfections are recognized. Then, the imperfections are automatically corrected by selecting a most suitable skin color using a histogram of distribution of color values on a face. A white balance and appropriate colors are set for an image. The corrected image is combined with the original image for preservations of details. |
| US08265407B2 |
Method for coding and decoding 3D data implemented as a mesh model
A method for coding three-dimensional (3D) data, and more particularly for coding geometry data included in the 3D data. The method includes: generating a bounding box including a vertex of the 3D data based on information included in the geometry data; dividing the bounding box into a plurality of partitions having an equal size; identifying a number of vertices included in each divided partition; appointing a divided partition as a leaf cell based on the identified number of vertices; and coding the geometry data using information on the dividing of the bounding box, information on vertices included in each divided partition, and information indicating the position of a vertex included in the leaf cell, when a divided partition is subdivided. |
| US08265404B2 |
Method and apparatus for high resolution decoding of encoded symbols
A method for scanning and decoding encoded symbols comprises processing low resolution image data from a full field of view and/or high resolution image data from one or more windowed segments of the field of view to provide imaging that is easily adaptable to different types of symbols and varying environmental conditions. The scanning method can be switched between the low resolution mode and the high resolution mode automatically based on whether the low resolution data is sufficiently accurate to decode the symbol. |
| US08265400B2 |
Identifying establishments in images
Establishments are identified in geo-tagged images. According to one aspect, text regions are located in a geo-tagged image and text strings in the text regions are recognized using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) techniques. Text phrases are extracted from information associated with establishments known to be near the geographic location specified in the geo-tag of the image. The text strings recognized in the image are compared with the phrases for the establishments for approximate matches, and an establishment is selected as the establishment in the image based on the approximate matches. According to another aspect, text strings recognized in a collection of geo-tagged images are compared with phrases for establishments in the geographic area identified by the geo-tags to generate scores for image-establishment pairs. Establishments in each of the large collection of images as well as representative images showing each establishment are identified using the scores. |
| US08265393B2 |
Photo-document segmentation method and system
The present application provides an improved segmentation method and system for processing digital images that include an imaged document and surrounding image. A plurality of edge detection techniques are used to determine the edges of the imaged document and then segment the imaged document from the surrounding image. |
| US08265392B2 |
Inter-mode region-of-interest video object segmentation
The disclosure is directed to techniques for automatic segmentation of a region-of-interest (ROI) video object from a video sequence. ROI object segmentation enables selected ROI or “foreground” objects of a video sequence that may be of interest to a viewer to be extracted from non-ROI or “background” areas of the video sequence. Examples of a ROI object are a human face or a head and shoulder area of a human body. The disclosed techniques include a hybrid technique that combines ROI feature detection, region segmentation, and background subtraction. In this way, the disclosed techniques may provide accurate foreground object generation and low-complexity extraction of the foreground object from the video sequence. A ROI object segmentation system may implement the techniques described herein. In addition, ROI object segmentation may be useful in a wide range of multimedia applications that utilize video sequences, such as video telephony applications and video surveillance applications. |
| US08265391B1 |
Localized, adaptive video contrast enhancement using controlled histogram equalization
An adaptive histogram equalization-based approach improves contrast in a video signal. For each video frame, the histogram of the pixel luminance values is calculated. The calculated histogram is divided into three programmably-sized regions that are equalized independently of each other. The equalization is performed in a controlled fashion by clamping the peaks of the histogram thereby ensuring limited stretching of sharp peaks. The equalized values are averaged with the original pixel values with a weighting factor that is different for the three regions chosen such that the darker regions are enhanced more than the brighter ones. To ensure smooth enhancement, programmable guard band regions can be defined between the three divisions of the histogram. The statistics calculated from one frame may be used to enhance the next frame to eliminate the need for frame buffers. Many of the calculations may be performed in the inactive time between two frames. |
| US08265388B2 |
Analyzing partial face regions for red-eye detection in acquired digital images
A method for red-eye detection in an acquired digital image includes acquiring a first image, and analyzing one or more partial face regions within the first image. One or more characteristics of the first image are determined. One or more corrective processes are identified including red eye correction that can be beneficially applied to the first image according to the one or more characteristics. The one or more corrective processes are applied to the first image. |
| US08265384B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method and recording medium
The present invention is to provide an image processing device and an image processing method which can perform correction so as to suppress variation in color in consideration of color rendering properties of a light source when preparing data for image formation. In an image processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention, an output density correction value selection unit determines an output density correction value of CMY inks with hue of Gy ink, being an achromatic color material of high light source dependence as a reference. Based on the determined output density correction value, the balance of the CMY inks is corrected. |
| US08265378B2 |
Methods and systems for converting images from low dynamic to high dynamic range
Aspects of the invention provide systems and methods for converting a digital image represented in a lower bit depth representation to a higher bit depth representation. A saturation region is identified, where a color model value of the pixels in the saturation region is above an upper saturation threshold or below a lower saturation threshold. The color model value for each pixel in the saturation region is then adjusted by a corresponding adjustment. The magnitude of the adjustment for each pixel is based on characteristics of the image data. |
| US08265377B2 |
Cursive handwriting recognition with hierarchical prototype search
Various technologies and techniques are disclosed that improve cursive handwriting recognition. Cursive handwriting input is received from a user. The system performs a hierarchical prototype search as part of a recognition operation. A same space search is performed against a mixed database that has both print and cursive samples. A same space search is also performed against a cursive database that has only cursive samples. The results of these two same space searches are merged into a combined alternate list. The combined alternate list is then used as a constraint for the dynamic time warp searches that are performed against the mixed and cursive databases, respectively. The results of the dynamic time warp searches are also merged into a final combined alternate list, and the combined alternate list is used to make a recognition decision regarding the user's handwritten input. |
| US08265370B2 |
Automated selection of image regions
A method for automated selection of image regions (“tiles”) in an overall image includes computing a gray-level co-occurrence matrix and entropy of a green plane of the overall image, applying morphological closing to the matrix and thresholding the matrix and entropy image to provide binary masks. The matrix and entropy masks are combined with a vignette mask, the combination indicating areas of acceptable tissue from which tiles are selected randomly. For cancer grading; image data is transformed to Hue, Saturation and Value; for steroid/protein expression analysis it is transformed to cyan and a Sobel of cyan is computed. A feature measure is computed for each tile based on color and texture, and is carried out randomly but influenced by feature measure. Finally, from the further selection, tiles are chosen which combine high feature measure with low overlap. |
| US08265369B2 |
Apparatus and method for virtual flaw removal from X-ray sensitive plates
A system, a method, and computer readable media for generating a corrected image from image information extracted from an X-ray sensitive plate. First, flaw map image information is extracted from an X-ray sensitive plate in order to determine any flaws (e.g., scratches) on the plate. Then the plate is exposed to capture physical image information (e.g., anatomical information) and the physical image information is extracted from the plate. The flaw map information is used to identify corresponding flaws in the extracted physical image information. Image processing is performed to correct the flaws (e.g., due to scratches on the X-ray sensitive plate) in the physical image information to form a corrected physical image. |
| US08265366B2 |
Generation of standard protocols for review of 3D ultrasound image data
An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system is described which records expert review of a 3D image data set, including image plane and view manipulation, annotation, and measurements, for the purpose of generating automated review protocols for 3D ultrasound image acquisitions. The ability to provide a standardized 3D review protocol has benefits such as guiding reviewers of all experience levels through the required steps to extract key images and measurements from 3D image data, enabling automation to improve 3D review workflow and reduce review time, monitoring growth or therapy, and standardizing review presentations for easy comparison with prior examination results. |
| US08265365B2 |
Time of flight scatter distribution estimation in positron emission tomography
Estimating time-of-flight (TOF) scatter distribution in a positron emission tomography (PET) system. Obtaining PET TOF projection data: PET random coincidence data and PET TOF prompt coincidence events data. Reducing measured TOF projection data to non-TOF projection data. Reconstructing, unbiased, the non-TOF projection date. Forward projecting unbiased reconstructed non-TOF projection data to estimate TOF trues distribution. Subtracting: The estimated TOF trues distribution and the measured random coincidence, from measured TOF prompt coincidence events. |
| US08265362B2 |
Pathological tissue image capturing system, method, and program
A pathological tissue image capturing system includes a pathological image acquirer 100 for capturing a pathological tissue image and an output device 120 for outputting the pathological tissue image. The pathological tissue image capturing system also includes a weighting device 111 for detecting a ROI from the pathological tissue image and adding a weight to pixels positioned in the ROI, and a range selector 112 for selecting an enlarged image capturing range in which to capture the pathological tissue image at an enlarged scale based on the weight added by the weighting device 111. The pathological image acquirer 100 captures an enlarged pathological tissue image in the enlarged image capturing range selected by the range selector 112. The output device 120 outputs the captured enlarged pathological tissue image in the enlarged image capturing range. |
| US08265360B2 |
Methods and systems for analyzing ratiometric data
Systems and methods for analyzing ratiometric data, e.g., ratiometric image data such as fluorescent image data, may generate a correlation matrix for the ratiometric data, generate a plurality of eigenvalues and a plurality of eigenvectors based on the correlation matrix, select a set of eigenvectors from the plurality of eigenvectors, and reconstruct a set of enhanced ratiometric data for use in analysis. |
| US08265357B2 |
Determination of a change in a cell population
The present invention relates to a method and a system for determination of a change in a cell population, as well as a method for using said method and system for estimating a quality measure of embryos and for selecting embryos for in vitro fertilization, said method comprising the steps of sequentially acquiring at least two images of the cell population, comparing at least a part of the at least two images obtaining at least one difference image, computing a parameter from the at least one difference image, based on said computed parameter determining whether a change has occurred. |
| US08265351B2 |
Method, system and computer program product for automatic and semi-automatic modification of digital images of faces
The present invention is directed at modifying digital images of faces automatically or semi-automatically. In one aspect, a method of detecting faces in digital images and matching and replacing features within the digital images is provided. Techniques for blending, recoloring, shifting and resizing of portions of digital images are disclosed. In other aspects, methods of virtual “face lifts” and methods of detecting faces within digital image are provided. Advantageously, the detection and localization of faces and facial features, such as the eyes, nose, lips and hair, can be achieved on an automated or semi-automated basis. User feedback and adjustment enables fine tuning of modified images. A variety of systems for matching and replacing features within digital images and detection of faces in digital images is also provided, including implementation as a website, through mobile phones, handheld computers, or a kiosk. Related computer program products are also disclosed. |
| US08265347B2 |
Method and system for personal identification using 3D palmprint imaging
A biometric identification system (30) for identifying a person, the system (30) comprising: an image acquisition module (31) to capture a three-dimensional (3D) image of a palm of the person; a region of interest (ROI) extraction module (34) to extract a 3D subimage from the captured image; and a 3D features extraction module (36) to extract 3D palmprint features from the 3D subimage; wherein the extracted 3D palmprint features are compared to reference 3D palmprint features to verify the identity of the person. |
| US08265342B2 |
Real-time annotation of images in a human assistive environment
A method, information processing system, and computer program storage product annotate video images associated with an environmental situation based on detected actions of a human interacting with the environmental situation. A set of real-time video images are received that are captured by at least one video camera associated with an environment presenting one or more environmental situations to a human. One or more user actions made by the human that is associated with the set of real-time video images with respect to the environmental situation are monitored. A determination is made, based on the monitoring, that the human driver has one of performed and failed to perform at least one action associated with one or more images of the set of real-time video images. The one or more images of the set of real-time video images are annotated with a set of annotations. |
| US08265340B2 |
System and method for displaying a product catalog
A system and method for displaying a product catalog obtains images of a user captured by an image obtaining device, locates a face from each of the images. The system and method further determines a movement direction, a movement speed, and a movement angle of the user's face, and rotates a product catalog with the movement direction, the movement speed, and the movement angle of the user's face. |
| US08265339B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method, and integrated circuit for processing images
This image processing apparatus, for photographed images taken at a predetermined time interval and input sequentially, specifies an image area as the target of predetermined processing. The apparatus (i) has processing capability to generate, in accordance with a particular input photographed image, reduced images at K (K≧1) ratios within the predetermined time interval, (ii) selects, for each photographed image that is input, M (M≦K) or fewer ratios from among L (L>K) different ratios in accordance with ratios indicated for a photographed image input prior to the photographed image, (iii) compares each of the reduced images generated at the selected M or fewer ratios with template images, and (iv) in accordance with the comparison results, specifies the image area. |
| US08265337B2 |
Apparatus and method for real-time camera tracking
A camera tracking apparatus for calculating in real time feature information and camera motion information based on an input image includes a global camera tracking unit for computing a global feature map having feature information on entire feature points; a local camera tracking unit for computing in real time a local feature map having feature information on a part of the entire feature points; a global feature map update unit for receiving the computed feature information from the global and local camera tracking units to update the global feature map; and a local feature selection unit for receiving the updated feature information from the global feature map update unit to select in real time the feature points contained in the local feature map. The local camera tracking unit computes the local feature map for each frame, while the global camera tracking unit computes the global feature map over frames. |
| US08265336B2 |
Paper identifying apparatus and paper identifying method
A bill identification apparatus which accurately identifies an authenticity of a watermarked area formed on a bill is provided. The bill identification apparatus has light receiving parts (81c, 82c) which respectively receive reflected lights from a front surface and a rear surface of a watermarked image formed on the bill conveyed, a converter (232) which converts a watermark image from the reflected lights respectively received by the light receiving parts (81c, 82c) to data including color information having brightness for each pixel as a unit of a predetermined size, and an identification processing part (235) which identifies the authenticity of the watermark image based on the density value for each pixel of the light receiving parts (81c, 82c) converted by the converter (232) and a density value for each pixel of a watermarked image by a transmitted light of the bill as the reference. |
| US08265335B2 |
Image processing apparatus and scanner apparatus
In a multi-functional peripheral as an embodiment of the present invention, reading operation of an original is performed and form recognition processing is performed. Here, original image data is compared with form data held in advance and it is determined whether there is some that correspond to each other. In a case of not success in the form recognition, normal processing, that is, OCR processing is performed for entire region of original image data, and OCR result is embedded in the original image data as transparent character data. In a case of success in the form recognition, and further when there is a field in which protected attribute is set in the form data, embedding transparent character data for the protected attribute field is prohibited, and for only other region, embedding transparent character data is performed. |
| US08265334B2 |
Method for reversible image watermarking based on integer-to-integer wavelet transform
Enhanced method for embedding watermarks based on integer-to-integer wavelet transform is provided. The method according to the present invention includes the steps of: (A) dividing an original image (X×Y) to a plurality of image blocks (M×N); (B) selecting image blocks for embedding an location information that indicates image blocks to be watermarked; (C) embedding the location information into the image blocks selected in the step (B); and (D) embedding watermarks into remaining image blocks which are not selected in the step (B). |
| US08265327B2 |
Ear piece and earphone
An ear piece to be detachably attached to a sound tube protruding from a housing of an earphone has a base portion with a through hole. The through hole has an inner wall with a first, a second, and a third portion continuously provided in order when viewed from the housing. The first portion protrudes inwardly and has a first distance from a protruding inner surface of the first portion to an axis line passing through the cross section of the base portion and the through hole. The second portion has a circumferential inner surface having a second distance longer than the first distance to the axis line. The third portion is formed continuously with the second portion, having a circumferential inner surface with a third distance longer than the second distance to the axis line. |
| US08265324B2 |
Stereo headset with integrated earpiece mount
An improved monaural and stereophonic headset is provided that allows subscribers to safely stow away an unused earpiece. The headset includes a connector that is constructed in a manner such that it is capable of directly interfacing with and retaining an ear plug. In another aspect of the invention, an ear plug is provided that is adapted to be received by the connector in the monaural and stereophonic headset. |
| US08265323B2 |
Earphone with removable component
An earphone or a removable component for use with an earphone are disclosed. As an example, the removable component can be a cap, filter or cover. According to one aspect, a headphone can provide improved approaches to substantially prevent foreign matter from hindering performance. However, when foreign matter has nevertheless accumulated, a user of the headphone can themselves clean the accumulated foreign matter without any tools or professional assistance. In one embodiment, a cover or filter is position and removably secured proximate to an entry to an acoustic channel of the headphone so that the foreign matter can be substantially blocked from ever entering the acoustic channel. In one embodiment, the cover or filter can be provided as part of a removable structure, e.g., cap, so that the cover or filter can be cleaned, replaced or otherwise serviced. |
| US08265321B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting a position of a pair of ear phones at a user
A method for detecting a position of a pair of headphones at a user and a detection apparatus for detecting a position of a pair of ear phones at a user are described. |
| US08265316B2 |
Hearing aid with enhanced vent
A hearing aid with a microphone for receiving acoustic signals and converting them to electrical signals, electronic circuitry for processing the electrical signals, and a speaker for converting the processed electrical signals into acoustic signals, has a shell that encases at least portions of the microphone, the electronic circuitry, and the speaker, the shell further encasing an inside volume. The hearing aid further has a vent that provides an opening between the inside volume and a region external to the hearing aid. A flexible membrane is provided that covers an opening of the vent and an acoustic resistor that contacts the flexible membrane. The membrane helps prevent wax fumes from entering the inside volume, and the acoustic resistor helps to reduce distortion in the frequency response of the hearing aid. |
| US08265314B2 |
Preprogrammed hearing assistance device with program selection based on patient usage
A programmable hearing aid apparatus includes a processor, digital-to-analog converter, audio output section, memory and a counter. The processor executes one or more available programs, which are stored in the memory, for processing digital audio signals. The digital-to -analog converter generates output analog audio signals based on the digital audio signals. The audio output section receives and amplifies the output analog audio signals, generates audible sound based thereon and provides the audible sound to a person using the hearing aid. The counter generates a counter value based on a count of events that are indicative of the application of power to or the removal of power from the apparatus. After a predetermined elapsed time, the processor determines which of the available programs has been used most in processing the digital audio signals, where the determination of elapsed time is based at least in part on the counter value. The counter may count occurrences of events indicative of the removal and replacement of the battery, such as a number of times a contact switch on a battery compartment door is electrically opened or closed. The counter may also count a number of times the voltage across the battery increases by a substantial amount indicating that a weak battery has been replaced with a fresh battery. The counter may also count a number of times an on/off switch is operated by a user. |
| US08265311B2 |
Method and apparatus for using text messages to distribute ring tones to adjust hearing aids
The present subject matter relates generally to methods and apparatus for using text messages to distribute ring tones to adjust and fit hearing assistance devices. In an embodiment, a text message is programmed including information regarding a hearing assistance device adjustment for a wearer. The text message identifies a ring tone playback sequence associated with the adjustment, and is sent to a cellular telephone via a text messaging network. When the ring tone playback sequence is played on the cellular telephone, the hearing assistance device senses the sequence and makes the programmed adjustment. |
| US08265310B2 |
Multi-element directional acoustic arrays
An audio system that may be implemented in a television, that includes a plurality of directional arrays. The arrays may include a common acoustic driver and may be spaces non-uniformly. |
| US08265305B2 |
Audio system
In an audio system, a control device includes a setting part that sets automatic compensation of each of a plurality of input ports of the input device into either ON state or OFF state and an adjusting part that adjusts an analog gain of each of the plurality of input ports. The input device includes the plurality of input ports, each input port including an amplifier that controls a level of an analog signal input to the input port based on the analog gain adjusted by the adjusting part, an AD converter that converts the analog signal from the amplifier into a digital signal, a compensator that controls a level of the digital signal from the AD converter based on a digital gain of the input port, and a selector that selects one of the digital signal from the AD converter and the digital signal from the compensator. when the automatic compensation of an input port of the input device is set into the ON state from the OFF state by the setting part of the control device, the digital gain of the input port varies in accordance with the analog gain of the input port so that a value change in the analog gain of the input port by the adjusting part is compensated by a value change in the digital gain of the input channel. |
| US08265304B2 |
Microphone suitable for professional live performance
A personal microphone that includes a structure having a live-performance form factor, a capsule that converts acoustic energy into an input signal, a signal processor that converts the input signal into a processed output signal, and a microphone output connector. The signal processor has input terminals that receive the input signal and input/output terminals that receive a phantom DC voltage from the microphone output connector while sending the microphone output connector a processed output signal. The signal processor has a dynamic range compressor that compresses the processed output signal, and a programming or adjustment device that sets the signal processor operating parameters. The personal microphone can have a security device for avoiding unwanted changes to the operating parameters of the adjustable signal processor. The personal microphone can be powered by a phantom power supply coupled to the microphone output connector via a mixing console and/or other devices. |
| US08265302B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing volume control with DC supervision
A method and apparatus for providing a volume control with DC supervision in a voice evacuation system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus is a volume control comprising a first input interface for receiving an audio signal, a first output interface for forwarding said audio signal to at least one audio device, and a second input interface for receiving an alarm signal. The apparatus also comprises a switch having a plurality of nodes, wherein at least one of the plurality of nodes is an unlabeled node, wherein the switch is in communication with the first input interface and the first output interface for controlling a volume of the audio signal that is sent to the at least one audio device. The apparatus also comprises a filter that is coupled to the unlabeled node of the switch. |
| US08265301B2 |
Audio signal processing apparatus, audio signal processing method, program, and input apparatus
Audio signal processing apparatus is disclosed. The audio signal processing apparatus includes a first audio signal extracting section, a second audio signal extracting section, a sense-of-depth controlling section, a sense-of-sound-expansion controlling section, a control signal generating section, and a mixing section. The first audio signal extracting section extracts a main audio signal. The second audio signal extracting section extracts a sub audio signal. The sense-of-depth controlling section processes the extracted main audio signal to control a sense of depth. The sense-of-sound-expansion controlling section processes the extracted sub audio signal to vary a sense of sound expansion. The control signal generating section generates a first control signal with which the sense-of-depth controlling section is controlled and a second control signal with which the sense-of-sound-expansion controlling section is controlled. The mixing section mixes an output audio signal of the sense-of-depth controlling section and an output audio signal of the sense-of-sound-expansion controlling section. |
| US08265290B2 |
Dereverberation system and dereverberation method
Provided is a dereverberation system or the like which copes with an arbitrary condition flexibly and is capable of recognizing a sound or a sound source signal. According to the dereverberation system, an inverse filter (h) is set by using a pseudo-inverse matrix (R+) of a non-square matrix (R) as a correlation matrix of input signals (x). On the basis of the inverse filter (h) and an estimated correlation matrix (R^) generated according to a window function (w), an error cost (J(h) between a correlation value of the input signals (x) and output signals (y) and a desired correlation value (d) is calculated. On the basis of the error cost (J(h)), the inverse filter (h) is adaptively updated according to a gradient method. |
| US08265286B2 |
Processing signals representative of sound based on the identity of an input element
Systems and techniques for processing signals representative of sound for conveyance to the auditory system of a subject based on the identity of an input device. In one implementation, a method includes identifying an input element to an audiological system that conveys sound information directly to a subject's auditory system, automatically setting parameters for processing the signal based on the identity of the input element, and processing the signal in accordance with the processing parameters. The input element is configured to generate a signal representative of sound. |
| US08265284B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating a binaural audio signal
An apparatus for generating a binaural audio signal includes a de-multiplexer and decoder which receives audio data comprising an audio M-channel audio signal which is a downmix of an N-channel audio signal and spatial parameter data for upmixing the M-channel audio signal to the N-channel audio signal. A conversion processor converts spatial parameters of the spatial parameter data into first binaural parameters in response to at least one binaural perceptual transfer function. A matrix processor converts the M-channel audio signal into a first stereo signal in response to the first binaural parameters. A stereo filter generates the binaural audio signal by filtering the first stereo signal. The filter coefficients for the stereo filter are determined in response to the at least one binaural perceptual transfer function by a coefficient processor. The combination of parameter conversion/processing and filtering allows a high quality binaural signal to be generated with low complexity. |
| US08265278B2 |
System and methods for permitting open access to data objects and for securing data within the data objects
A system and methods for permitting open access to data objects and for securing data within the data objects is disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for securing a data object is disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for securing a data object is disclosed. The method includes the steps of (1) providing a data object comprising digital data and file format information; (2) embedding independent data into a data object; and (3) scrambling the data object to degrade the data object to a predetermined signal quality level. The steps of embedding and scrambling may be performed until a predetermined condition is met. The method may also include the steps of descrambling the data object to upgrade the data object to a predetermined signal quality level, and decoding the embedded independent data. The additional steps of descrambling and decoding may be performed until a predetermined condition is met. The predetermined condition may include, for example, reaching a desired signal quality of the data object. |
| US08265273B2 |
Encryption device using mask value to convert plain text into encrypted text
An encryption circuit is provided which generates encrypted text from plain text using a key. The encryption circuit includes a randomized 8-bit inverse element calculation circuit which receives randomized input data that is obtained by adding, to input data on which predetermined processing is performed with the key, a predetermined input mask value determined depending on a random number, and which generates randomized output data that is obtained by adding, to an inverse element of the input data, an output mask value that is an inverse element of the input mask value, wherein the encryption circuit generates the encrypted text from the generated randomized output data. |
| US08265271B2 |
Method and device for managing a transmission of keys
The present invention concerns a method and a device for encrypting an encoded scalable enhancement frame sent by an emitter to a receiver, the enhancement frame comprising a plurality of complementary streams ordered in term of quality level, each complementary stream corresponding to a combination of more than one scalability type, where a complementary stream of a lower quality level corresponds to a lower quality on each scalability type, comprising at the level of the emitter the steps of generating a key per complementary stream for encrypting said complementary stream in such a way that all scalability types can be either simultaneously or individually used, said keys being generated in such a way that only the keys of the complementary streams of quality levels lower than the quality level of a complementary stream can be obtained from the key of said complementary stream, and sending the key of a complementary stream corresponding to a required quality level to the receiver, the key permitting a receiver to generate the keys of the complementary streams of the lower quality levels only. The present invention also concerns a method and a device for decrypting a received encoded scalable enhancement frame. |
| US08265269B2 |
Receiving apparatus and method for controlling the same
The present invention provides a receiving apparatus including a device key generating unit which generates a device key, a work key generating unit which generates a work key, a device key storing unit which sequentially stores the generated device key, every time the device key is updated, and a recording unit which stores a digital broadcast signal in a transport stream format, wherein in a case where the device key generating unit cannot generate, from the stored transport stream, a device key necessary for descrambling the stored transport stream when the stored transport stream is to be reproduced, the work key generating unit decrypts an encrypted work key that is obtained from the stored transport stream, using the device key stored in the device key storing unit, and generates a work key. |
| US08265267B2 |
Information security device
To aim to provide an information security device capable of reducing a period necessary for performing a power operation used for secret communication or authentication. The information security device performs secret communication or authentication by calculating an exponentiation X^d based on target data X and a secret value d using the window method. In the process of calculating the exponentiation X^d, immediately after square of a random value R acquired for multiplication is repeatedly performed a predetermined number of times, for example 256 times, a result of square of the random value R is cancelled using a cancellation value S (=R^(−2^256)). This makes it unnecessary to perform cancellation processing that has been conventionally performed. |
| US08265266B2 |
Cryptographic method comprising secure modular exponentiation against hidden-channel attacks, cryptoprocessor for implementing the method and associated chip card
A cryptographic method carries out a modular exponentiation of the type C=A |
| US08265264B2 |
Waterproof electronic appliance
A waterproof electronic appliance has a casing including a bottom panel, a top panel, and a side wall which is divided into an upright wall adjacent to the bottom panel and a vertical wall adjacent to the top panel. A first double-sided adhesive tape is adhered on a top end surface of the upright wall. A second double-sided adhesive tape is adhered on a bottom end surface of the vertical wall. A cable including signal lines and a tube covering the signal lines, extends from inside to outside of the casing through the upright wall and the vertical wall. The first and second double-sided adhesive tapes adhere to an outer surface of the tube sandwiched between the upright wall and the vertical wall, and the adhesive tapes adhere to each other in an area adjacent to the sandwiched tube. |
| US08265262B2 |
Method and apparatus for optimizing layered service routing of a call center
A method and apparatus for optimizing layered service routing of a call center is provided. The method includes setting a level parameter threshold for each level group in a call queue, determining a compared call from the tail of the call queue when a new call arrives; inserting the new call after the compared call if a current level parameter of the compared call is larger than or equal to a level parameter threshold of a level group where the compared call belongs when the level of the new call is higher than the level of the compared call, and routing calls from the head of the call queue. |
| US08265257B2 |
System and method for determining telephone number blocks available for pooling donation
A system and method for determining telephone number blocks available for pooling donations by a telecommunications carrier. The system may include at least one database configured to store data indicative of customers assigned to telephone numbers. A computing device may be in communication with the database(s) and execute software configured to query the database(s) (i) to determine a number of customers assigned to thousands blocks of telephone numbers and (ii) to project growth rate of a rate center associated with the thousands blocks over a predetermined future time period. The software may be further configured to determine the number of thousands blocks to donate based on the number of customers assigned to the telecommunications carrier and the projected growth rate of the rate center associated with the thousands blocks. |
| US08265254B2 |
Auto-matching of a phone extension to a tracked individual within a domain
A system and methods for telephoning individuals associated with a domain. A current location of a given individual within a domain is automatically determined and the given individual is automatically associated with a telephone extension number based on the current location of the given individual. As the given individual moves around within the domain, the associated telephone extension number associated with the given individual is updated. A receptionist or other individual within the domain may select to telephone the given individual thereby automatically accessing and dialing the telephone extension number currently associated with the given individual in response to selecting to telephone the given individual. If the given individual is not currently located within the domain, an external telephone number associated with the given individual may be automatically accessed and dialed in response to selecting to telephone the given individual. |
| US08265253B2 |
Displaying images of conference call participants
The present invention provides a method, system, and computer program product for displaying images of conference call participants. A method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes receiving a call from a user to join a conference call, obtaining a phone number of the user, matching the phone number to a stored graphical representation, and distributing and displaying the matching graphical representation to a predetermined set of users. A voice identification/recognition process can also be used to match the user to a stored graphical representation. |
| US08265246B2 |
Device and method for implementing a coloring ring back tone service and device for acquiring a coloring ring back tone file
Embodiments of the invention provide a device and method for implementing a Coloring Ring Back Tone (CRBT) service and a device for acquiring a CRBT file. The device for implementing a CRBT service includes a first receiving module adapted to receive CRBT access information, a channel management module adapted to acquire a real-time CRBT file according to the CRBT access information, and a playing module adapted to play the real-time CRBT file. The method for implementing a CRBT service includes acquiring a real-time CRBT file customized by a subscriber according to CRBT access information and playing the real-time CRBT file to a calling subscriber. The device for acquiring a CRBT file includes a determination module adapted to determine whether to use a real-time CRBT service according to a subscribed CRBT identifier of a subscriber, a real-time CRBT information module adapted to determine real-time CRBT information according to a real-time CRBT identifier of the subscriber, and a real-time CRBT file module adapted to determine a real-time CRBT file according to the real-time CRBT information. Thus, a real-time update of a CRBT heard by the calling subscriber is realized through the embodiments of the invention. |
| US08265243B2 |
Unrestricted calling circle for telephone service
Subscribers of a telephone service can define a calling circle, which includes a group of other telephone subscribers with whom the subscriber receives preferential billing rates. The members of the calling circle may include customers of a telephone service provider other than the subscriber's telephone service provider. |
| US08265242B2 |
Communication assistance system and method
A communication assistance system provides access to information corresponding to a plurality of subscriber listings. The system includes a telephone switch for receiving calls from a plurality of callers desiring to access the information corresponding to the subscriber listings and a database directory listing for storing information corresponding to each one of the subscriber listings. The information in the subscriber listings include a Rate Plan field associated with billing rates corresponding to each one of the subscribers such that when the system connects the caller to the subscriber, the system employs the Rate Plan Field to determine the billing amount charged to the caller so that the subscriber is not billed for the call. |
| US08265239B2 |
Callee centric location and presence enabled voicemail using session initiated protocol enabled signaling for IP multimedia subsystem networks
An architecture and method of voicemail based on session initiated protocol presence and location information of a callee is disclosed. A method of providing voicemail includes determining a location and a presence of a callee, and playing a customized voicemail greeting to a caller based on preferences defined by the callee and also based on at least one of the location and the presence. |
| US08265231B2 |
Method for identifying a device transmitting an echo signal, echo source identifying method for identifying echo source, measuring apparatus for identifying a source of an echo, and echo source identifying apparatus
A method for identifying among a plurality of devices, through which a voice communication path is connected, a device transmitting an echo signal onto the voice communication path, includes transmitting a predetermined signal to each of the devices from a predetermined portion on the voice communication path, receiving a response signal for the predetermined signal from each of the devices, measuring a period of time for the predetermined signal to travel from the predetermined portion to each of the devices and for the response signal to travel back to the predetermined portion, monitoring a upstream signal and a downstream signal traveling on the voice communication path, extracting an echo component from the downstream signal to determine an echo delay time, and comparing the period of time and the echo delay time to determine a device which causes the echo signal. |
| US08265229B2 |
Digital subscriber line testing tool
A broadband service, such as Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) service, may be tested by a technician installing or performing maintenance on the broadband service. The technician may use the subscriber's computer as a test set, in which the technician may login to a testing service that may test the line using test equipment located externally to the subscriber premise. A test application may receive, from a computing device located at the subscriber premise, a request to test the broadband service at the subscriber premise as part of installation of the broadband service. The test application may initiate a test of the broadband service using test equipment located externally to the subscriber premise. The test may include tests relating at least to the physical layer of the broadband network connection. Results of the test may be transmitted to the subscriber premise. |
| US08265225B2 |
Radiation imaging system, power supplying apparatus, charging apparatus, and radiation imaging method
The present invention provides a radiation imaging system, a power supplying apparatus, a charging apparatus, and a radiation imaging method that can prevent misidentification of an imaging subject to be imaged without requiring a large-scale configuration. Namely, a power supplying apparatus which is detachably mounted to an electronic cassette is provided with a display section that displays imaging subject information associated with an imaging subject. |
| US08265223B2 |
Data acquisition
An imaging system includes at least one radiation generating component (210) that alternately emits different radiation that traverse an examination region and a common detector (214) that detects radiation that traverses the examination region and generates a signal indicative thereof. Pulse generating circuitry (304) generates a pulse train, including a plurality of pulses, with a frequency indicative of the signal for the at least one radiation generating component (210) for a sampling interval. Processing electronics (220) determine an approximation of the signal for one of the at least one radiation generating components (210) for the sampling interval based on a number of pulses in the pulse train for the sampling interval and charge of the pulses in the pulse train. |
| US08265217B2 |
Phase tracking in communications systems
The present invention includes a method of determining a phase estimate for an input signal having pilot symbols. The method includes receiving a plurality of pilot symbols, and then multiplying two or more pilot symbol slots by corresponding correlator coefficients to correct a phase estimate of the input signal. |
| US08265213B2 |
Method and apparatus for cancellation of partially known interference using transmit diversity based interference cancellation
In wireless communication networks, potentially significant interference arises at a given targeted receiver because of unrelated transmissions from a neighboring, interfering transmitter. According to apparatuses and methods described and claimed herein, a first transmitter provides for cancellation of partially known interference at a targeted receiver by employing a transmit diversity based interference cancellation method, wherein it transmits diversity combinations of desired and interfering symbols. Correspondingly, the targeted receiver employs diversity combining of the received signals to cancel interference attributable to the interfering symbols. |
| US08265207B1 |
Methods and apparatus for providing a ML decoding pipeline for QPSK MIMO OFDM receivers
Methods and apparatus are provided for computing reliability values in a pipeline. A reliability value portion is computed, with control circuitry in a first pipeline stage, based on a difference between a received input signal value and an expected value. The reliability value portion is combined, in a second pipeline stage that follows the first pipeline stage, with a first value derived from the received input signal to generate a first reliability value. A determination is made as to whether to update the first reliability value in a third pipeline stage based on a combination of the first reliability value with a second reliability value that corresponds to a second value derived from the received input signal. |
| US08265206B2 |
Radio communication device and radio communication method
A radio receiver which performs iterative decoding of a received signal is provided. The radio receiver comprises: a receiving unit receiving a signal on a symbol-by-symbol basis; a demodulation unit (303) demodulating the received signal; a last symbol timing generation unit (308) generating a last symbol timing signal on the basis of the signal demodulated by the demodulation unit (303); a modulation unit (304) modulating the signal demodulated by the demodulation unit (303); and a cancellation unit (306) cancelling an interference component of the received signal using a replica signal generated on the basis of the signal modulated by the modulation unit (304). The modulation unit (304) controls the timing of rearrangement of a data sequence on the basis of the timing of the last symbol. Thus, a radio receiver in which the receiving processing time is reduced can be provided. |
| US08265204B2 |
Decoding device and method for MIMO system
The present invention relates to a decoding device and method for a MIMO system. A linear process is applied to a received signal vector by using a channel matrix estimated from the received signal vector and a poly-diagonalized matrix, and a soft decision value is acquired through a trellis decode by using the linear process result. Since the linear preprocess is performed by using the poly-diagonalized matrix, it is possible to receive a MIMO signal having good packet error rate performance and less complexity. Also, since the tail-biting trellis decoding method is used based on the poly-diagonalized matrix that is generated by poly-diagonalizing the effective channel matrix during the process for eliminating the signal interference, the soft decision value for the symbol can be generated with a simple hardwired device and less operation complexity. |