| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08291510B2 |
Tandem piezoelectric actuator and single drive circuit for atomic force microscopy
An apparatus for atomic force microscopy (AFM) comprises a first actuator configured to move a cantilever along an axis; a second actuator configured to move the cantilever along the axis; an amplifier; and a crossover network connected between the amplifier, and the first actuator and the second actuator. The crossover network is adapted to provide a first drive signal to the first actuator over a first frequency range and to provide a second drive signal to the second actuator over a second frequency range. |
| US08291508B2 |
Method and system for processing content
A method and system for processing content are provided. The method of processing content includes: receiving source data from a first system; interoperable-processing the source data and generating a target data; and transmitting the target data to a second system, the first system or the second system include at least one of access control system, copy protection system and use control system. Accordingly, it is possible to easily process non-compliant content in the DRM interoperable system. |
| US08291499B2 |
Policy based capture with replay to virtual machine
A suspicious activity capture system can comprise a tap configured to copy network data from a communication network, and a controller. The controller is coupled to the tap and is configured to receive the copy of the network data from the tap, analyze the copy of the network data to flag the network data as suspicious, and simulate transmission of the network data to a destination device. |
| US08291497B1 |
Systems and methods for byte-level context diversity-based automatic malware signature generation
A computer-implemented method for facilitating automatic malware signature generation may comprise providing a byte sequence marked for possible inclusion within one or more malware signatures, determining a context diversity of the byte sequence within malware files each containing the byte sequence in accordance with a diversity-based heuristic, and preventing the byte sequence from being included within the one or more malware signatures in accordance with the determined context diversity. Corresponding systems and computer-readable storage media are also disclosed. |
| US08291496B2 |
Server based malware screening
An Internet infrastructure is provided to transfer a packet of data between a client device and source device. The infrastructure consists of a support server that screens the packet for malware codes on behalf of a registered client. In order to scan for malware, the support server contains hardware and/or software modules to perform malware detection and quarantine functions. The modules identify malware bit sequence in the packet(s), malware bit sequences or entire contaminated code is quarantined or repaired as appropriate. After identification of malware code (if any), the support server sends warning messages to affected parties, providing information regarding the malware codes that were detected. |
| US08291494B1 |
System, method, and computer program product for detecting unwanted activity associated with an object, based on an attribute associated with the object
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for detecting unwanted activity associated with an object, based on an attribute associated with the object. In use, an object is labeled with an attribute of a predetermined behavior based on detection of the predetermined behavior in association with the object. Additionally, unwanted activity associated with the object is detected, utilizing the attribute. |
| US08291492B2 |
Authentication of a contributor of online content
Methods, computer program products and systems are described for online-content management. Online content from multiple contributors is received at one or more first computers for public online display. An authentication score is determined for a contributor of the multiple contributors. The contributor's name and a representation of the contributor's authentication score is published online for display on one or more second computers in association with the online content received from the contributor. |
| US08291481B2 |
Sessionless redirection in terminal services
Embodiments described herein are directed to establishing a terminal services (TS) session between a TS server and the client without creating a temporary session. In one embodiment, a computer system receives a user request indicating that a TS session with a first TS server is to be initiated. The request includes an indication that the user is authenticated and authorized to use the first TS server. The computer system searches for any prior TS sessions previously initiated by the user with other TS servers and determines, based on the search, that at least one prior TS session was initiated with a second TS server. The computer system also sends redirection data to the user indicating that the user request is to be redirected to the second TS server to reestablish the prior TS session with the second TS server. |
| US08291473B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for modeling a secure production network
Methods, systems, and computer program products for modeling a secure production network are provided. A method includes generating a test network for emulating production operations, capturing and analyzing data traffic occurring over the secure production network and a non-secure production network, and determining data flow requirements for isolating the secure production network and the non-secure production network from the test network. The data flow requirements are determined from results of data traffic capture and analysis. The method also includes generating business log from the data flow requirements and applying the business logic to a firewall associated with the test network. The business logic permits transmission of a subset of secure production data to the test network and prevents receipt of incoming transmission at the secure production network. |
| US08291469B1 |
Communication access provider that allows a service provider to control an access interface at a customer premise
A communication access provider receives an access request from a separate service provider who provides a communication service to a customer. The communication access provider generates an authentication code that corresponds to an authorized action. The communication access provider receives an action request from the service provider indicating the authentication code and a requested action. The communication access provider determines if the action request is authentic based on the authentication code and if the requested action is authorized based on the corresponding authorized action. The communication access provider performs the requested action if the action request is authentic and if the requested action is authorized. |
| US08291467B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information management method, and storage medium therefor
An image forming apparatus capable of flexibly setting a security policy for a modified file. A client terminal generates a print job added with a new security policy for a second file generated from a first file, and delivers the print job added with the new security policy to the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus generates intermediate data based on the print job delivered from the client terminal, and causes a second policy server to register the security policy. The second policy server registers the security policy, while items of the security policy being appropriately assigned to the first and second policy servers. The second policy server generates an encryption key. The image forming apparatus encrypts the intermediate data using the encryption key, and stores the encrypted intermediate data. |
| US08291464B2 |
Digital broadcast receiving apparatus
A digital broadcast receiving apparatus receives a digital broadcast signal, which consists of layers each obtained by dividing a transmission bandwidth into a plurality of segments and combining some of the segments, and outputs images and/or sound from one of the layers constituting the received digital signal. This apparatus is characterized by comprising broadcasting format retention means (channel to broadcasting format correspondence table database) for retaining the broadcasting format, for each layer, of each broadcast station and switching means (layer switching means) for switching the output layer based on the broadcasting format, for each layer, of each broadcast station retained in the broadcasting retention means. Thus, this apparatus can output images and sound without interruption. |
| US08291456B2 |
Video information distribution and display system
ProblemIn the case of displaying text information, a static image and a dynamic image on an image display device carried on a train or car in accordance with designated schedule, a blank period that can be visually recognized by human eyes occurs when displaying a compressed static image by switching from a previous video image. Thus, there is a problem of discomfort such as lack of real-time property and difficulty in viewing by a viewer.Means for SolutionIn a video information distribution and display system carried on a train or car, compressed static image video information scheduled to be displayed next is expanded and prepared by extracting and storing into a display storage part in advance, or the like, in accordance with an image control signal (display command) sent thereto together with video information, and the static image is displayed by seamlessly switching from a currently displayed video image at content switching timing of the display command. |
| US08291451B2 |
Providing dynamic information regarding a video program
A device, connected to a video display device, may receive a media stream that includes a video signal associated with a video program and program meta-data associated with the video program. The device may parse the media stream to extract the program meta-data, identify a keyword based on the program meta-data, obtain information from a search performed using the keyword, create a snippet of information from the obtained information, and present the snippet and the video program to the video display device, where the snippet and the video program are concurrently presented on the video display device. |
| US08291449B2 |
Digital broadcast reception apparatus with an improved function to switch content output and method of switching content output
A digital tuner equipped with a recording media reproduction device outputs digital content to an externally connected monitor device. The digital content includes digital content obtained by receiving a digital broadcast signal via a tuner and digital content previously recorded in a HD device and read therefrom. Whenever a user operates a remote controller to performs a common operation via a key to select and switch digital content to be output to the monitor device, digital content provided by a digital broadcast signal or that recorded in the HD device is sequentially selected. The selected digital content is obtained by the tuner or the HD device and provided to a decoder. The decoder receives and decodes the digital content and outputs it to the monitor device. |
| US08291448B2 |
Providing zapping streams to broadcast receivers
Methods and systems for providing zapping data for one or more programs transmitted using timeslicing are disclosed herein. Zapping data may be provided by a zapping data provider or server, or may be created at the mobile terminal based on received program information. Zapping data may be provided to mobile terminals via a wireless multicast network, such as a DVB-H network, using a variety of timeslicing techniques, including providing a separate zapping data stream, providing zapping data as part of the source stream, or allowing mobile terminals to derive zapping data from the source content's broadcast stream. Zapping images may be selected from I-frames of video transmissions. An IP encapsulator may synchronize broadcast streams such that I-frames are transmitted concurrently, and at the beginning of timeslice bursts. |
| US08291446B2 |
Systems and methods for providing content based upon consumer preferences
Systems and methods allow for the distribution of a requested program to a consumer device via a high-bandwidth connection. Consumers cast votes for requested programs via communications channels other than the high-bandwidth connection. A portion of the high-bandwidth connection is allocated to a number of programs, including the requested program. An instruction is subsequently transmitted to the consumer device to thereby allow the consumer device to receive the requested program from the allocated portion of the high-bandwidth connection. |
| US08291444B1 |
System for controlling use of broadcast content
A system for controlling use of broadcast content is described. In accordance with a particular implementation, the system includes a receiver in communication with a source of broadcast content. The receiver also includes, or is coupled to, a playback device. The receiver is configured to control the use of received broadcast content through the playback device in accordance with control information embedded in the broadcast content. |
| US08291441B2 |
Storage device and electronic equipment
A storage device includes a first loading tray to comprise a loading surface on which to abut a non-recording surface of said portable recording medium, a second loading tray to comprise a loading surface, parallel with the loading surface of said first loading tray, on which to abut a recording surface of said portable recording medium loaded in the way of being turned in the same direction as that of the recording surface of said portable recording medium loaded into said first loading tray, and an access unit disposed on the side of the recording surface to access the recording surface of said portable recording medium even in such a case that said portable recording medium is loaded into any one of said first loading tray and said second loading tray. |
| US08291440B2 |
Providing a proxy view for an application in a window manager
A window manager process hosts proxy window objects created by an application in a window manager display structure. A process in a device creates a local proxy view object within a window manager display structure for the window manager process. The process registers an identifier for a remote proxy window object which corresponds to an application display structure. The application controls processing of data used by the application. The process assigns the identifier for the remote proxy window object to the local proxy view object in the window manager display structure to create a composite display structure and renders the composite display structure to display an image on a display device. The image corresponds to the objects of the application display structure represented by the remote proxy window object. The window manager process controls rendering of the composite display structure. |
| US08291433B2 |
Unified, configurable services stack for integration of enterprise applications
A system and method for generating application code and an external interface for a service class, in an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is provided. The system receives a definition of a service class from a user via a user interface tool. The definition of the service class specifies a query for the service class and operations that are to be enabled for the service class. The system automatically generates application code for the service class, which enables the service class to be used by an internal endpoint of the ERP system. The application code is customizable by the user; the user may add additional operations to the service class. In addition, the system automatically generates an external interface for the service class, which enables the service class to be used by an external endpoint of the ERP system without needing knowledge of the application code. |
| US08291431B2 |
Dependent instruction thread scheduling
A thread scheduler includes context units for managing the execution of threads where each context unit includes a load reference counter for maintaining a counter value indicative of a difference between a number of data requests and a number of data returns associated with the particular context unit. A context controller of the thread context unit is configured to refrain from forwarding an instruction of a thread when the counter value is nonzero and the instruction includes a data dependency indicator indicating the instruction requires data returned by a previous instruction. |
| US08291425B2 |
Computer, control method for virtual device, and program thereof
A computer in which functions of its resources are divided to realize a plurality of virtual computers 12 and which includes a plurality of physical devices. A managing unit of the computer, when usage of a virtual device has changed, selects a physical device compatible with the virtual device from physical devices usable for a control scheme and makes the physical device be associated with the virtual device and changes the control scheme of the virtual device, thereby achieving the control of devices in the virtual computers, where a plurality of control schemes including a shared scheme and a dedicated scheme are switched. |
| US08291420B2 |
System and method of task assignment distributed processing system
A method of task assignment in a distributed processing system including a plurality of processors is proposed. The method of task assignment includes calculating utilities of tasks to be processed in execution units included in each processor and arranging the calculated results in descending order; calculating utility difference values between the execution units included in each processor and outputting a highest difference value; comparing a utility of the task with the output highest difference value; designating the task to be assigned to the execution unit having the lowest utility in a processor in which the highest difference value is generated when the utility of the task is less than or equal to the output highest difference value; repeating the calculating, comparing, and designating in the order of the arranged tasks; and assigning the tasks to the designated targets. |
| US08291419B2 |
Fault tolerant system for execution of parallel jobs
The present invention provides a fault tolerant system and method for parallel job execution. In the proposed solution the job state and the state transition control are decoupled. The job execution infrastructure maintains the state information for all the executing jobs, and the job control units, one per-job, control the state transitions of their jobs. Due to the stateless nature of the control units, the system and method allow jobs to continue uninterrupted execution even when the corresponding control units fail. |
| US08291417B2 |
Trace buffer with a processor
A method includes storing a first transaction entry to a first software configurable storage location, storing a second transaction entry to a second software configurable storage location, determining that a first transaction indicated by the first transaction entry has occurred, determining that a second transaction indicated by the second transaction entry has occurred subsequent to the first transaction, and, in response to determining that the first transaction occurred and the second transaction occurred, storing at least one transaction attribute captured during at least one clock cycle subsequent to the second transaction. The first and second software configurable storage locations may be located in a trace buffer, where the at least one transaction attribute is stored to the trace buffer and overwrites the first and second transaction attributes. Each transaction entry may include a dead cycle field, a consecutive transaction requirement field, and a last entry field. |
| US08291416B2 |
Methods and systems for using a plurality of historical metrics to select a physical host for virtual machine execution
A host recommendation service identifies a virtual machine. An analysis engine retrieves a plurality of metrics for each of a plurality of physical hosts available for executing the virtual machine. The plurality of metrics includes a current level of load on each of the plurality of physical hosts and a level of load on each of the plurality of physical hosts during a prior time period. The analysis engine also identifies a level of load placed on a physical host by the virtual machine during a prior time period. The analysis engine determines a level of priority associated with the metrics and assigns a score to each of the plurality of physical hosts. The host recommendation service transmits an identification of one of the plurality of physical hosts on which to execute the virtual machine. |
| US08291411B2 |
Dynamic placement of virtual machines for managing violations of service level agreements (SLAs)
Historical data is measured for a computer server system. Future demand for service in the computer server system is forecast based on the historical data, and the mapping of virtual machines to physical machines is updated based on the forecast of the future demand. Measurement, forecasting, and placement modules can be employed. |
| US08291407B2 |
Systems and methods for patching computer programs
The disclosure is directed to systems and methods for patching computer programs. In one example, a patch is virtually installed to a computing device having a base file system and configuration, a computer program, and a patch layering subsystem. The virtual installation may include storing content of the patch to a patch layer, and generating and storing mapping data defining at least one relationship between the content in the patch layer and content in the base file system and configuration. The virtually installed patch may be enabled, including applying the mapping data to the patch layering subsystem such that the patch layering subsystem is configured for selectively redirecting access requests from the base file system and configuration to the patch layer. In certain embodiments, the enabled patch may be disabled by reversing the application of the mapping data to the patch layering subsystem. |
| US08291406B2 |
Data imaging system and methods
A method performed by a network device may include receiving index information from a second network device identifying an updated application, querying a third network device for the identified updated application, receiving the identified updated application from the third network device, storing the identified updated application received from the third network device and applying stored application user settings from memory to the stored updated application. |
| US08291405B2 |
Automatic dependency resolution by identifying similar machine profiles
Techniques for automatic dependency resolution are provided. A source machine and a previously successful modification for a given resource, which was modified on the source machine, are identified. Dependencies associated with the modification are identified on the source machine. One or more target machines are selected in response to having a similar profile to that of the source machine. A profile is deemed to be similar based on geographic location, category or role of a machine, and based on operating system of a machine. A profile is also deemed to be similar based on a fuzzy match between profile information. The dependencies are automatically resolved on the target machines and the modification is automatically processed on the target machines to modify the given resource. |
| US08291401B2 |
Processing symbols associated with shared assemblies
In some embodiments, an apparatus can comprise a memory unit including, two or more assemblies, wherein the two or more assemblies include a first assembly and a second assembly, wherein the second assembly is a later version of the first assembly, and wherein the first and second assemblies include, a stub module configured to detect an assembly initialization request indicating one of the first or second assemblies. The stub module can also be configured to retrieve a reference to a symbol table associated with the one of the first and second assemblies indicated in the assembly initialization request, to store data in the symbol table, and to provide the reference to a caller. The memory unit can also comprise an implementation module configured to perform operations associated with symbols in the symbol table and a processor configured to receive and execute one or more of the stub and implementation modules. |
| US08291399B2 |
Off-line program analysis and run-time instrumentation
A technique is disclosed for determining off-line the number and location of instrumentation probes to be inserted into a program under testing, and subsequently instrumenting the program at run-time based on the off-line analysis. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, an off-line analyzer first determines instrumentation locations for a program under test in accordance with a method called the Super Nested Block Method. After the instrumentation locations have been determined, a testing/monitoring tool executes the program and a run-time instrumenter in parallel. The run-time instrumenter accordingly inserts probes into the program, removes probes after they have been executed once, and generates and reports information about code coverage based on the probes. |
| US08291394B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting transient faults via dynamic binary translation
A method for detecting transient fault includes translating binary code to an intermediate language code. An instruction of interest in the intermediate language code is identified. Reliability instructions are inserted in the intermediate language code to validate values from the instruction of interest. The intermediate language code is translated to binary code. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08291393B2 |
Just-in-time compiler support for interruptible code
A computer implemented method for performing inlining in a just-in-time compiler. Compilation of a first code of a program is begun. The first code is one of an interruptible code and a non-interruptible code. A try region is established around a second code of the program to form a wrapped second code. The try region is a boundary between interruptible and non-interruptible code such that a third code that modifies an observable state of the program cannot be moved across the boundary. The second code is, relative to the first code, the other of the interruptible code and the non-interruptible code. The wrapped second code is inlined with the first code during compilation. Compilation of the first code is completed to form a resultant code. The resultant code is stored. |
| US08291389B2 |
Automatically detecting non-modifying transforms when profiling source code
A code profiler can be digitally encoded in a storage medium that is configured to automatically detect an existence of non-modifying transforms within monitored programmatic code using hash codes of arguments of the monitored programmatic code. |
| US08291378B2 |
Simplified deployment modeling
A deployment modeling platform enables a user to model application characteristics of target software and to associate application modeling parameters to the modeled application characteristics. A user may also model environment characteristics of a target deployment environment and to associate environment modeling parameters to the modeled deployment environment characteristics. Still further, a user may create a deployment model that associates and maps selected parameters of the modeled application characteristics of the target software to associated parameters of the modeled environment characteristics of the deployment environment, and to verify that each parameter that relates to a requirement is mapped to and is fulfilled by an associated parameter that relates to a corresponding capability to determine whether validation problems exist in order to deploy the target software in the associated deployment environment. |
| US08291377B2 |
External configuration of processing content for script
Script is accessed and interpreted to identify an executable component. Processing context configuration files may then be used to identify an appropriate processing context for the identified executable component. Examples of processing context include, but are not limited to, a process in which the identified executable component is to run, one or more adaptations to perform on the component prior to running, and/or a security context in which to run the component. Processing context thus need not be specified in the actual script itself. The identified components may then be executed in the identified processing context. |
| US08291375B2 |
Attribute-based component programming system and methodology for object-oriented languages
An attribute-based component programming system and methodology for object-oriented languages is described. In one embodiment, for example, a method is described for dynamically generating program code adding behavior to a program based on attributes, the method comprises steps of: adding a component object to a program class of the program to create a component; defining at least one attribute specifying declaratively behavior to be added to the program; associating the at least one attribute with the component; and in response to instantiation of the component at runtime, generating a subclass based on the program class and the at least one attribute, the subclass including dynamically generated program code based on the at least one attribute. |
| US08291372B2 |
Creating graphical models representing control flow of a program manipulating data resources
A class diagram can be created for an application. The application can use a modeling language. The application can be configured for creation of the class diagram. The class diagram can comprise classes and relationships. The application can also be configured for creating flow diagrams comprising actions, relationships, and definitions of model element types. The application can also be configured to create new model elements in the class diagram and flow diagrams. A program new model element type can be applied to relevant class operations in the class diagram and a resource new model element type to relevant data classes of the class diagram. A flow diagram can be created per program of the application. The flow diagrams can be applied as many new model element types as different types of actions exist in the flow diagrams. These actions can represent the operations on resources. |
| US08291371B2 |
Self-service creation and deployment of a pattern solution
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to pattern design and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for self-service creation and deployment of a pattern. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for creating a self-service reusable pattern can be provided. The method can include implementing an arrangement of re-usable assets into a set of self-service application components, extending at least one of self-service application components, and packaging the components for deployment in a target environment. The method further can include determining a target deployment environment and modeling the target environment to receive the deployment of the components. Thereafter, the packaged components can be deployed to a portal server or to a portal test environment. |
| US08291363B2 |
Method of measuring setup time with consideration of characteristic of absorbing clock skew in a pulse-based flip-flop
A method of measuring setup time measures a first delay time from an input signal to a clock signal and a second delay time from the clock signal to an output signal, and determines a setup time using the first delay time and the second delay time. The method of measuring setup time is used in designing a semiconductor IC including a pulse-based flip-flop circuit. The semiconductor IC designed by using the method of measuring setup time absorbs a clock jitter and allows a time borrowing between adjacent pipelines. |
| US08291362B2 |
Design support program, design support device, and design support method
A design support program stored in a computer readable recording medium and executed by the computer includes computer readable program code stored thereon for causing a computer to execute operations of: selecting a first hierarchy which has different first characteristic information included in wiring layer structure information in a storage device; generating second characteristic information including the first characteristic information; copying wiring layer structure information; and converting the first characteristic information included in the copied wiring layer structure information into the second characteristic information to obtain a converted wiring layer structure information. |
| US08291355B2 |
Application-specific integrated circuit equivalents of programmable logic and associated methods
Providing ASIC equivalents of FPGAs is facilitated and made more efficient and economical by using an ASIC architecture including a plurality of so-called hybrid logic elements (“HLEs”), each of which can provide a portion of the full functionality of an FPGA logic element (“LE”). The functionality of each FPGA LE implementing a user's logic design can be mapped to one or more HLEs without re-synthesis of the user's logic. Only as many HLEs as are necessary are used to perform the functions of each LE. The one-for-one equivalence between each LE and either (1) one HLE or (2) a group of HLEs facilitates mapping (without re-synthesis) in either direction between FPGA and ASIC designs. |
| US08291352B2 |
Multivariable solver for optical proximity correction
The method of the invention tracks how the collective movement of edge segments in a mask layout alters the resist image values at control points in the layout and simultaneously determines a correction amount for each edge segment in the layout. A multisolver matrix that represents the collective effect of movements of each edge segment in the mask layout is used to simultaneously determine the correction amount for each edge segment in the mask layout. |
| US08291351B2 |
Intelligent pattern signature based on lithography effects
The present invention is directed to an improved method, system, and computer program product for accessing and analyzing patterns in the integrated circuit design. The method, system or computer program product includes generating an intelligent signature for a pattern. The derived pattern signature is an intelligent pattern identifier because it retains only essential information about a pattern that corresponds to lithography printable portions of the pattern. Accordingly, one pattern signature can represent a group of design patterns that are equivalents from a lithography perspective. |
| US08291348B2 |
Computing device and method for selecting display regions responsive to non-discrete directional input actions and intelligent content analysis
A computing device includes a display surface, a human interface feature, and processing resources. The human interface features enables a user of the computing device to enter a non-discrete directional input action. The processing resources execute to: (i) provide content on the display surface; (ii) detect the user performing the input action; (ii) determine a vector from the input action; and (iv) select a region of the display surface based on the vector. |
| US08291347B2 |
Method and system for managing unread electronic messages
The presence of new unread electronic messages received, that is, messages received since unread messages were last reviewed, is provided by indicia presented to the user. These indicia can take various forms, such as by bolding, flashing, changing the size or color of a count of unread messages, and/or the unread message icon. Alternatively, a separate indication, such as a second count representing the number of new unread electronic messages received, or some other symbol, such as an explanation point, can be displayed. |
| US08291345B2 |
Sun-shadow simulation in a geospatial system
A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture provide the ability to display a sun and shadow simulation in a 3D system. A 3D view of a real world scene is displayed, using a 3D graphics application, on a display device. A plug-in is installed into the application. A calendar period (e.g., a month, day, and year) is defined by the user. A timeline arc is displayed with the calendar period defining a radius of the arc, and starting stopping endpoints of the timeline arc defining an interval of time during the calendar period. A timeline slider is displayed on the arc that indicates a time of day within the calendar period. A visualization is displayed, in the 3D view, of shadows cast by a sun on objects in the 3D view. A position of the sun is based on the calendar period and the time of day. |
| US08291340B1 |
Method and apparatus for providing content to users
Embodiments of the instant invention are directed to a method and apparatus for presenting unsolicited data to users without interrupting the user's activities, wherein the presentation of the unsolicited data is monitored and is available for review by the user at the user's convenience. Embodiments of the invention comprise a content and display manager, wherein the content and display manager include a display monitor, a content delivery system and a content controller. The display monitor selects the display of content to the users, in part, by reviewing a marker which defines the last time that content was displayed to the user and the type of content displayed. The content delivery system transmits a content window to a user computer via the controller. The controller controls the downloading of the content and initially displays the content window in front of a first browser window position and then displays the content window behind the first browser window. |
| US08291339B2 |
Computer-readable recording medium storing display control program, and display control device
An electronic equipment has a display that can display a plurality of screens and a display controller that can switch displays of the screens. The display and the controller enable an operator to change a set value of at least one item. A setting change receiver can receive from the operator an instruction of changing a set value of each item in a currently displayed screen when the display controller allows the display portion to display one of the screens. The display controller allows a display part of the item whose set value is changed most recently in the screen whose set value is changed to be displayed transmissively on a subsequently displayed screen when the currently displayed screen is switched to the subsequently displayed screen. |
| US08291332B2 |
Layer for accessing user interface elements
A user-activatable dashboard (also referred to as a unified interest layer) contains any number of user interface elements, referred to herein as “widgets,” for quick access by a user. In response to a command from a user, the dashboard is invoked and the widgets are shown on the screen. The user can activate the dashboard at any time, causing the dashboard to temporarily replace the existing user interface display on the user's screen. Once the dashboard has been activated, the user can interact with any or all of the widgets, and can configure the dashboard by adding, deleting, moving, or configuring individual widgets as desired. When the user wishes to return to the normal user interface he or she was working with, the user issues a command causing the dashboard to be dismissed. Once the dashboard has been dismissed, the previous user interface state is restored, allowing the user to resume normal interactions with the operating system. |
| US08291331B2 |
Partial updating of diagram display
A creation, editing, and display tool for complex diagrams may enable portions of the diagram to be updated without having to update the entire diagram. The tool may use a set of rules that define the positioning and layout of various elements and relationships between elements in the diagram. The update mechanism may enable the rules to be applied to a subset of the diagram and may not update some portions of the diagram, such as those elements outside the viewing area. In some embodiments, a background or low priority process may apply the rules to those portions not updated. The tool may be used for various diagrams, including sequence diagrams and other complex, highly restrained diagram types. |
| US08291324B2 |
Network management system using virtual reality techniques to display and simulate navigation to network components
A network management system allows a network administrator to intuitively manage all components of a heterogeneous networked computer system using views of any component or any set of components. These views are generated in a multi-dimensional, virtual reality environment. Navigation tools are provided that allow an operator to travel through the network hierarchy's representation in the virtual environment using an automatic flight mode. Automatic flight mode determines a reasonable trajectory to a network component that avoids collisions with intervening objects in the virtual environment. Since the system is capable of managing a world-wide network, city, building, subnet, segment, and computer, a view may also display internal hardware, firmware, and software of any network component. Views of network components may be filtered so only components pertaining to a specific business or other interest are displayed. |
| US08291321B2 |
Apparatus and method for sorting video inputs in input select menu of display device
A display device has a plurality of video inputs and a video selection switch for switching between video inputs based on user inputted commands. An input select menu containing a list of the available video inputs can be displayed on the device. A remote control or input key is used to retrieve the input select menu and enter commands. The list of video inputs can be sorted in the input select menu using an automatic sorting function or a manual sorting function. A storage device keeps track of the number of times each video input is selected. The automatic sorting function uses the information in the storage device and a sorting algorithm to sort the list of video inputs in order of most frequently used to least frequently used. The manual sort function can be used to manually move the video inputs up or down in the input select menu. |
| US08291318B2 |
Visualizing a mixture of automated and manual steps in a procedure
Visualizing a mixture of automated and manual steps in a procedure. An application engages a teaching mode in a web-based graphical user interface (GUI), wherein a collection of selectable portions of the web-based GUI is accentuated. The application records a sequence of selections made among the collection of selectable portions of the web-based GUI as well as data entered within the GUI, where the sequence of selections represent a repeatable user-defined procedure for interacting with the web-based GUI. The application replays the sequence of selections within the web-based GUI while displaying a status of the replaying of said sequence of selections that enables a user to differentiate between manual steps that require user intervention and automatic steps that do not require user intervention. |
| US08291310B2 |
Delta-saving in XML-based documents
Techniques for incrementally saving documents are provided. A document processor reads a document that is represented by a tree of nodes. The document processor, in response to an instruction to make a change to the tree, determines a set of nodes from the tree that are affected by the change. The document processor sends an instruction to transfer and store only the set of nodes without causing nodes outside of the set to be stored. |
| US08291307B2 |
Parity generator, priority encoder, and information processor
In order to generate a parity of output data from a priority encoder without increasing processing time or making the circuitry complex, the present invention a first level generator having a plurality of first component circuits arranged in parallel, into each of which one of a plurality of sets of a specific number of bits of the binary data in sequence from the most significant bit is input and each of which generates and outputs a first signal for parity generation of bit data of the specific number of bits and a second signal representing whether or not the entire bit data of the specific number of bits is “0s” or “1s”; and a second level generator generating the parity of the binary data based on the first signal and the second signal from each of said first component circuits of said first level generator. |
| US08291305B2 |
Error detection schemes for a cache in a data processing system
A method includes providing a cache; and providing a plurality of cache lines within the cache, wherein a first one of the plurality of cache lines has a tag entry and a data entry, wherein the tag entry has a parity field for storing one or more parity bits associated with a first portion of the tag entry, wherein the tag entry has an EDC field for storing one or more EDC check bits associated with a second portion of the tag entry and wherein the EDC check bits are used for detecting multiple bit errors, and wherein both the first parity field and the EDC field are stored in the tag entry of said first one of the plurality of cache lines. |
| US08291296B2 |
Information recording medium, recording/reproducing apparatus and recording/reproducing method
An information recording medium, a recording and/or reproducing apparatus, and a recording and/or reproducing method in which an access time and a frequency of seek operations can be reduced in the information recording medium implementing logical overwrite, thereby allowing noise and power consumption to be reduced. The information recording medium includes: a first area in which user data is recorded and replacement data for replacing defect data among the user data by logical overwrite is recorded; and a second area in which the user data recorded in the first area is copied and recorded, wherein when the user data recorded in the first area is copied and recorded in the second area, the replacement data for replacing the defect data is copied and recorded in a location where the detect data would have been recorded. |
| US08291294B2 |
Intersymbol interference encoding in a solid state drive
Methods and devices are provided for intersymbol interference encoding in a solid state drive. In an illustrative embodiment, an nth data signal is received as input to a processing component. An intersymbol interference signal applicable to the nth data signal is provided, based on a set of prior-written data in a data storage array and a set of intersymbol interference behavior of the set of prior-written data in the data storage array, the data storage array being communicatively connected to the processing component. The nth data signal and the intersymbol interference signal applicable to the nth data signal are combined into an intersymbol-interference-corrected encoding of the nth data signal. The intersymbol-interference-corrected encoding of the nth data signal is provided as output from the processing component. |
| US08291293B2 |
Method and system for routing in low density parity check (LDPC) decoders
An approach is provided for decoding a low density parity check (LDPC) coded signal. Edge values associated with a structured parity check matrix used to generate the LDPC coded signal are retrieved from memory. The edge values specify the relationship of bit nodes and check nodes, and are stored within memory according to a predetermined scheme that permits concurrent retrieval of a set of the edge values. A decoded signal corresponding to the LDPC coded signal is output based on the retrieved edge values. |
| US08291287B2 |
Encoding and modulating method, and decoding method for wireless communication apparatus
Provided is a bit interleaved coded modulation-iterative decoding (BICM-ID) technique suffering a small loss in a transfer rate. A BICM-ID technique allowing a decoder to treat a small processing quantity is also provided. Encoding is carried out according to a code based on an iterative code. Encoded bits are reordered during interleaving processing, subjected to multi-valued modulation through extended mapping, and then transmitted. The extended mapping includes number-of-bits thinning processing of thinning l bits into m bits (m |
| US08291286B2 |
Decoding system and method for high-density recording medium
In a decoding system and method for a high-density recording medium, a high protective codeword decoder decodes a burst indicator subcode (BIS) while a low protective codeword decoder decodes a long distance code, so as to eliminate the waiting time required for completely decoding all burst indicator subcodes (BISs) and starting the long-distance code (LDC) decoding. In addition, a first memory having a high access speed is implemented to store the BISs and corresponding BIS erasure indicators, and the access to a second memory have a lower access speed relative to the first memory is relatively reduced such that the bandwidth can be effectively used to thereby increase the decoding efficiency on the high-density recording medium. |
| US08291284B2 |
Method and device for decoding LDPC codes and communication apparatus including such device
A device and method for the iterative decoding of a received word represented by signal values according to a parity control matrix code of the type for passing messages between variable nodes and control nodes of a two-part graph related to the matrix. The method includes at least the following steps: setting up at least one message of a variable node, according to the values, by an information representative of the ratio between the probability of having the most likely symbol at a position corresponding to the variable node and the probability of having the current symbol at the position; determining at least one message, relating to a determined symbol, of a control node to a determined variable node, as the selected minimal value, among the symbol sequences corresponding to the control node equation using the determined symbol at the determined variable node, by the maximal value of the messages received at the control node from variable nodes different from the determined variable node and each relating to the symbol associated with the different variable node in the sequence corresponding to the equation; and determining the messages of a variable node to a control node that relate to the whole set of symbols so that the minimal value of said messages is equal to zero. |
| US08291278B2 |
Method and apparatus for combining hybrid automatic repeat request data in wireless communication system
A receiving method and apparatus for combining Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) data in a wireless communication system are provided. More particularly, a method and apparatus for increasing HARQ combining capability while effectively using a limited-sized memory are provided. The receiving method for combining the HARQ data includes predicting a maximum size of currently receivable data, converting HARQ data received from a transmitting end into Log Likelihood Ratio (LLR) information, determining whether the received HARQ data is retransmitted data, if the determination result shows that the HARQ data is not the retransmitted data, determining whether the converted LLR information is compressed according to the predicted maximum data size, and storing the converted LLR information in a memory according to the determination result on whether compression is necessary. |
| US08291275B2 |
Transmission apparatus, access point and symbol transmission method
In a transmission apparatus in a MIMO-OFDM communication system employing cyclic diversity, a cyclic delay controller sets plural delay magnitudes, different for respective antennas, in cyclic delayers for each predetermined timing. The cyclic delayers receive symbols subjected to orthogonal frequency division multiplexing, for the respective ones of plural allotted antennas. Additionally, the cyclic delayers bestow cyclic delays on the individual symbols of the respective antennas in accordance with plural set delay magnitudes. The symbols cyclically delayed are outputted from the antennas. As the delay magnitudes, a first delay magnitude at a first transmission timing and a second delay magnitude at a second transmission timing are different for one antenna, and the delay magnitudes differ in the respective antennas for one transmission timing. Thus, in a MIMO-OFDM transmission scheme, frequency diversity and time diversity are enhanced to heighten a retransmission efficiency in a data retransmission mode. |
| US08291271B2 |
Programming error correction code into a solid state memory device with varying bits per cell
Memory devices that, in a particular embodiment, receive and transmit analog data signals representative of bit patterns of two or more bits such as to facilitate increases in data transfer rates relative to devices communicating data signals indicative of individual bits. Programming error correction code (ECC) and metadata into such memory devices includes storing the ECC and metadata at different bit levels per cell based on an actual error rate of the cells. The ECC and metadata can be stored with the data block at a different bit level than the data block. If the area of memory in which the block of data is stored does not support the desired reliability for the ECC and metadata at a particular bit level, the ECC and metadata can be stored in other areas of the memory array at different bit levels. |
| US08291269B1 |
Multi-writer in-memory non-copying database (MIND) system and method
Embodiments of the invention relate to memory management methods and systems for object-oriented databases (OODB). In an embodiment, a database includes a plurality of memory-mapped file segments stored on at least one nonvolatile memory medium and not in main memory. An application program connects to the database with a plurality of writing processes to simultaneously write to an in-memory database, each writing process updating its own disk-based logfile, such that the effective disk writing speed is substantially increased and lock conflicts reduced. |
| US08291263B2 |
Methods and apparatus for cross-host diagnosis of complex multi-host systems in a time series with probabilistic inference
A method and apparatus are provided for performing cross-host root cause diagnosis within a complex multi-host environment. In a multi-host environment, sometimes system failures on one host may cause problems at another host within the same environment. A probabilistic model is used to represent failures that can occur within each host in the environment. The cause and effect relationships among these failures together with measurement values are used to generate a probability that each potential failure occurred in each host. When a problem is observed on one host without detecting a corresponding root cause within the same host, a cross-host failure diagnosis is performed. The probabilistic models for other hosts in the environment are used to determine the most likely cause of the failure. |
| US08291260B2 |
Estimating data availability on managed storage devices
This disclosure describes methods, systems and software that can be used to calculate the estimated mean time to data loss for a particular configuration of a disk group. For example, a system can be used to evaluate a plurality of configurations, and/or to select (and/or allow a user to select) an optimal configuration of the disk group, based, in some cases, on the relative estimated mean times to data loss of the various configurations. This can allow, if desired, the configuration of the disk group to minimize the likelihood of data loss in the disk group. |
| US08291257B2 |
Apparatus and method to compensate for injection locking
A circuit and method has a processing unit, a master clock generator for providing a master clock and a plurality of phase-locked loops, each providing a respective clock signal. A plurality of dynamically variable delay circuits each has a plurality of predetermined delay amounts. Clocked circuits are coupled to respective clock signals provided by respective phase-locked loops. A performance detector is coupled to receive the clock signals for determining a center of a quiet zone for at least one of the plurality of phase-locked loops. The phase-locked loops are turned off and on and a respective one of the plurality of dynamically variable delay circuits is set to have a new predetermined value of delay which adjusts an edge of the master clock to a location that permits the data processing system to operate near substantially the center of the quiet zone. |
| US08291256B2 |
Clock stop and restart control to pipelined arithmetic processing units processing plurality of macroblock data in image frame per frame processing period
A digital VLSI circuit is provided with functions in which the number of switching operations to supply electric power to each arithmetic operation unit is reduced in a restricted period of time while electric power supply is controlled for each arithmetic operation unit, so that low power consumption can be achieved in real pipe-line arithmetic operation. The VLSI circuit that performs each stage of the pipe-line arithmetic operation is comprised of a plurality of arithmetic operation units for carrying out arithmetic operations in synchronization with a clock signal, a detecting means for detecting completion of the stage in the arithmetic operation assigned to the arithmetic operation unit, and a clock signal supply control means for controlling supply/stop operation of the clock signal to each arithmetic operation unit, wherein the clock signal supply control means stops supplying the clock signal to a certain arithmetic operation unit when the detecting means detects the completion of the arithmetic operation assigned to the same, and restarts supplying the clock signal to all the arithmetic operation units for a next pipe-line arithmetic operation when the detecting means detects the completion of the arithmetic operations assigned to them. |
| US08291254B2 |
High speed digital bit stream automatic rate sense detection
As part of the protocol for Common Public Radio Interface/Open Base Station Architecture Initiative (CPRI/OBSAI) systems, multiple data rates are supported, which are each supported by one or more reference clock frequencies. Traditionally, timing circuits presently used for the physical layer (PHY) paths to determine the data rates for the serial data have been plagued with numerous problems. Here, however, a circuit that performs an automatic rate sense (ARS) of high speed serial signals in a low speed digital domain is provided, which is also relatively easy to implement and robust. |
| US08291252B2 |
Power management in a multi-station gaming machine
Gaming machines and related methods for controlling and managing electrical current to peripheral devices in a gaming machine are described. A gaming machine having multiple high-current peripheral devices drawing power from a single power supply within the gaming machine is able to regulate the timing at which the peripherals may receive power. The gaming machine may be a multi-station gaming machine, such as a gaming table, where each station has various standard peripheral devices. The gaming machine determines whether the power required by the peripherals at any given time will exceed a threshold current supply and, if so, delays the operation of one of the peripherals to regulate the amount of current the power supply has to supply at any given time. Current usage and time overlaps of two or more peripheral devices are determined using current profiles of the devices. A current profile contains time-related data and current usage data that are utilized in determining total current usage during operational overlaps between two or more peripheral devices in the gaming machine. A peripheral device is provided with current when it is determined that the total current supplied does not exceed a maximum efficient current output of the power supply. |
| US08291251B2 |
Systems and methods for modular power management
Various systems and methods for power management are disclosed herein. For example, a modular, adaptive power management system for use in a hard disk drive system is disclosed. This modular, adaptive power management system includes a hard disk drive controller, a read channel module, a host interface controller and a power manager system. The hard disk controller includes a processor executing firmware, and the host interface controller provides for host access via a host interface. The host interface may be, for example, an ATA interface, a SATA interface, and/or other emerging serial interfaces such as MMC, CE-ATA or SDIO. The power manager system includes a power island register and an oscillation control register. Both the power island register and the oscillation control register are each at least indirectly writable via the firmware and via the host interface. The hard disk controller, the interface controller, the read channel module and the power manager system are implemented across two or more distinct power islands and use two or more distinct clocks. Power to the two or more distinct power islands is at least in part controlled by the power manager system via the power island register, and the two or more distinct clocks are each controlled by the power manager system via the oscillation control register. |
| US08291247B1 |
Method and system for predicting use of an external device and removing the external device from a low power mode
A system and method for removing a portion of a system such as an external device from lower power mode includes a host device and an external device in communication with the host device. The external device is in a low power mode. The host device includes a controller generating a prediction signal in response to an input to an external device and commands the external device from low power mode in response to the prediction signal. |
| US08291246B2 |
High speed network interface with automatic power management with auto-negotiation
A power management circuit for managing power of a network interface is provided. The network interface includes a medium interface unit coupled to a network media supporting at least a high speed protocol and a lower speed protocol. The power management logic includes logic to determine that an event signalling entry of the medium interface unit into the lower speed protocol has occurred; and logic to force the medium interface unit into the lower speed protocol in response to a determination that the event has occurred. |
| US08291245B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for reducing power consumption based on storage device data migration
The invention provides a method, apparatus and system for reducing power consumption involving data storage devices. One embodiment involves storing data in a first memory; in response to the first memory exceeding a first threshold, migrating the data from the first memory to a second memory; in response to the second memory exceeding a second threshold, then activating a third memory if the third memory is in active; and in response to the second memory exceeding a third threshold greater than the second threshold, migrating the data from the second memory to a third memory; wherein the second memory is sized and configured to store data targeted for the third memory to intelligently maintain a portion of the third memory in an inactive state. |
| US08291241B2 |
Low power peer detection circuit
Systems and methods are disclosed for detecting the connection of a FireWire peer to a FireWire device. In one embodiment, a device may determine whether a peer connection is present based on peer detection circuit configured in each FireWire port of a FireWire device. When no peer is connected to a device, a peer connection in the circuit may be open, and a current path through the circuit may provide a low detect signal, indicating that no peer is connected. When a peer is connected to a detecting device, the current may pass through a resistance in the detected peer to provide a high detect signal, indicating that a peer is connected. In some embodiments, once a peer is detected, the FireWire system of the detecting device may be powered on, and the peer detection circuit may be powered off. |
| US08291240B2 |
Securely storing data
A method of securely storing data comprising the steps of: dividing the data into a plurality of secure components; encrypting the secure components; moving each secure component to a different location which is substantially inaccessible to an unauthorized request; storing the secure components at the different locations for a period of time; repeating the moving and storing steps; moving all of the secure components to a single location in response to an authorized request; decrypting each of the secure components; and assembling the plurality of secure components to reconstruct the original data. |
| US08291236B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for secondary conditional access server
Conditional access to media content of primary security systems on a secondary networked environment. In one embodiment, a conditional access server is used to provide services to secondary CA clients (e.g., a bridge, a renderer, a storage, or their different combinations) through network connections. Containing data representing the subscriber, a conditional access server recovers entitlement data and/or decryption keys of a primary security system for the conditional access protected content, such as service keys and control words, and/or enforces conditional access to the content by secondary CA clients according to the authorization of the primary security system for the secondary CA clients. In one embodiment, a conditional access system provides delayed authorization for use so that the content can be recorded for later use when authorized and broadcasts rights for use on multiple secondary CA clients. |
| US08291231B2 |
Common key setting method, relay apparatus, and program
A secret key of a second apparatus is stored in a relay apparatus. A first apparatus specifies secret information used to identify a common key, generates encrypted secret information by encrypting the secret information by using a public key of the second apparatus, and transmits the encrypted secret information to the relay apparatus. Then, the relay apparatus decrypts the encrypted secret information by using the secret key of the second apparatus to extract the secret information. The relay apparatus transmits the encrypted secret information to the second apparatus. The second apparatus decrypts the encrypted secret information by using the secret key of the second apparatus to extract the secret information. Finished messages corresponding to communication log information and the secret information are exchanged between the first apparatus and the relay apparatus and between the second apparatus and the relay apparatus. |
| US08291230B2 |
Method and system for signing JavaScript object notation (JSON) messages
A machine-implemented method for signing a JSON message begins by constructing a reference element for each data object in the JSON message. The data object is identified by a reference identifier that includes a pointer to a digest method, and a digest generated by applying the digest method to the data object. Then, a signature information element is constructed for reference elements corresponding to data objects in the message. The signature information element includes a pointer to a signature method, as well as one or more reference elements, or a canonical form of the one or more reference elements. Then, a signature element is constructed that includes the signature information element, and a signature value generated by applying the signature method to the signature information element. The signature enables a sending entity to generate a digest on a JSON message and to secure the digests using a signing key. |
| US08291227B2 |
Method and apparatus for secure communication
In a device, method and/or computer-readable medium for secure communication between a client device and a server, the client device includes a browser for accessing a website provided by the server, the client device generates a key according to a key generating cryptographic routine; tags the key with a marker associating the key with the website; and stores the tagged key in a memory associated with the browser. |
| US08291223B2 |
Arithmetic circuit for montgomery multiplication and encryption circuit
An arithmetic circuit capable of Montgomery multiplication using only a one-port RAM is disclosed. In a first read process, b[i] is read from a memory M2 of a sync one-port RAM for storing a[s−1: 0] and b[s−1: 0] and stored in a register R1. In a second read process, a[j] is read from the memory M2, t[j] from a memory M1 of a sync one-port RAM for storing t[s−1: 0], b[i] from the register R1, and a value RC from a register R2, and input to a sum-of-products calculation circuit for calculating t[j]+a[j]*b[i]+RC. In a write process, the calculation result data FH is written in the register R2, and the calculation result data FL in the memory M1 as t[j]. A first subloop process for repeating the second read process, the sum-of-products calculation process and the write process is executed after the first read process. |
| US08291219B2 |
System and method for enabling device dependent rights protection
A system and method for enhancing the protection of digital properties while also increasing the flexibility of distribution of the digital properties. In one embodiment, the digital property is protected through the binding of at least one unique client device identifier with the digital property prior to distribution. Decryption at a client device would therefore be dependent on a comparison of the unique client device identifier that is extracted from the encrypted digital property with a unique client device identifier of the device that is seeking to access the digital property. |
| US08291217B2 |
Management device, medium for the same, and management system
A management device configured to communicate with at least one second management device and at least one terminal device via a network includes an acquiring system configured to acquire first management information managed by the management device, a receiving system configured to receive second management information managed by each of the at least one second management device from each of the at least one second management device, a management information request receiving system configured to receive a management information request for the first management information and the second management information from the at least one terminal device, and a sending system configured to send, to the at least one terminal device, the first management information acquired by the acquiring system and the second management information received by the receiving system in response to the management information request being received by the management information request receiving system. |
| US08291216B2 |
Updating certificate status in a system and method for processing certificates located in a certificate search
A system and method for processing certificates located in a certificate search. Certificates located in a certificate search are processed at a data server (e.g. a mobile data server) coupled to a computing device (e.g. a mobile device) to determine status data that can be used to indicate the status of those certificates to a user of the computing device. Selected certificates may be downloaded to the computing device for storage, and the downloaded certificates are tracked by the data server. This facilitates the automatic updating of the status of one or more certificates stored on the computing device by the data server, in which updated status data is pushed from the data server to the computing device. |
| US08291215B2 |
System and method for processing certificates located in a certificate search
A system and method for processing certificates located in a certificate search. Certificates located in a certificate search are processed at a data server (e.g. a mobile data server) coupled to a computing device (e.g. a mobile device) to determine status data that can be used to indicate the status of those certificates to a user of the computing device, without having to download those certificates to the computing device in their entirety. The data server is further adapted to transmit the status data to the computing device. In one embodiment, at least one status property of the certificates is verified at the data server in determining the status data. In another embodiment, additional certificate data is determined and transmitted to the computing device, which can be used by the computing device to verify, at the computing device, at least one other status property of the certificates. |
| US08291212B2 |
System and method for compressing secure E-mail for exchange with a mobile data communication device
A system and method are provided for pre-processing encrypted and/or signed messages at a host system before the message is transmitted to a wireless mobile communication device. The message is received at the host system from a message sender. There is a determination as to whether any of the message receivers has a corresponding wireless mobile communication device. For each message receiver that has a corresponding wireless mobile communication device: the message is processed so as to modify the message with respect to encryption and/or authentication aspect. The processed message is transmitted to a wireless mobile communication device that corresponds to the first message receiver. The system and method may include post-processing messages sent from a wireless mobile communications device to a remote system. Authentication and/or encryption message processing is performed upon the message. The processed message may then be sent through the remote system to one or more receivers. |
| US08291210B2 |
Methods of booting application processors from external devices
An electronic information system comprises an external storage device and an application processor. The external storage device stores boot code and the application processor is adapted to receive the boot code from the external storage device and to perform a system booting operation during a power-up operation by executing the boot code. |
| US08291208B2 |
BIOS bootable RAID support
A computing apparatus comprises a persistent storage comprising a system code that implements Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) protection on a boot volume. |
| US08291206B2 |
Method for booting computer system
A method for booting a computer system is provided. In the method for booting the computer system, a memory space is created using a BIOS to simulate a virtual disk. The virtual disk is used to execute operations which have to be executed via a floppy disk drive. The operations are executed in the virtual disk via the BIOS. In addition, a second virtual disk is created for storing program files needed in installing the operating system. |
| US08291205B2 |
Method for managing the reset of a data processor
A method for managing the reset of a data processor comprises receiving a first software reset instruction to reset software for operating the data processor. A checksum or value in a data storage register is modified according to a first preestablished logical or mathematical operation in response to the first software reset instruction. A software watchdog reset flag is set in response to the first software reset instruction. A reset is identified as a software reset if the software watchdog reset flag is set and if the checksum in the data storage register is modified in accordance with the first preestablished mathematical or logical operation. |
| US08291204B2 |
Apparatus, system and method for allowing prescribed components in the system to be started with minimal delay
A method, apparatus and system are disclosed for allowing prescribed components in the system to be started with minimal delay, wherein a multimedia system for a motor vehicle, which comprises a control unit and a plurality of prescribed components that can be selected and started by a user. The operating programs that are associated with at least one first component are provided with a greater proportion of the total available computational resources required for their execution. As a result, it becomes possible to use the at least one first component quite soon after the start-up phase of the system has begun. |
| US08291203B2 |
Using a live operating system to set up and configure an active management technology device
An active management technology device may be provisioned using a live operating system stored on a disk, in one embodiment. After disk insertion, no further operator involvement may be needed in some cases. |
| US08291202B2 |
Apparatus and methods for speculative interrupt vector prefetching
Techniques for interrupt processing are described. An exceptional condition is detected in one or more stages of an instruction pipeline in a processor. In response to the detected exceptional condition and prior to the processor accepting an interrupt in response to the detected exceptional condition, an instruction cache is checked for the presence of an instruction at a starting address of an interrupt handler. The instruction at the starting address of the interrupt vector table is prefetched from storage above the instruction cache when the instruction is not present in the instruction cache to load the instruction in the instruction cache, whereby the instruction is made available in the instruction cache by the time the processor accepts the interrupt in response to the detected exceptional condition. |
| US08291201B2 |
Dynamic merging of pipeline stages in an execution pipeline to reduce power consumption
A pipelined execution unit incorporates one or more low power modes that reduce power consumption by dynamically merging pipeline stages in an execution pipeline together with one another. In particular, the execution logic in successive pipeline stages in an execution pipeline may be dynamically merged together by setting one or more latches that are intermediate to such pipeline stages to a transparent state such that the output of the pipeline stage preceding such latches is passed to the subsequent pipeline stage during the same clock cycle so that both such pipeline stages effectively perform steps for the same instruction during each clock cycle. Then, with the selected pipeline stages merged, the power consumption of the execution pipeline can be reduced (e.g., by reducing the clock frequency and/or operating voltage of the execution pipeline), often with minimal adverse impact on performance. |
| US08291200B2 |
Reduced power load/store queue searching by comparing subsets of address bits and enabling second subset comparison based on first subset comparison result
A comparison circuit can reduce the amount of power consumed when searching a load queue or a store queue of a microprocessor. Some embodiments of the comparison circuit use a comparison unit that performs an initial comparison of addresses using a subset of the address bits. If the initial comparison results in a match, a second comparison unit can be enabled to compare another subset of the address bits. |
| US08291197B2 |
Aggressive loop parallelization using speculative execution mechanisms
A system and method for aggressive loop parallelization using speculative execution is disclosed. The method may include transforming code of a target application for concurrent execution, which may include adding an instruction to create a global address table entry for each store operation on which a load operation of a different loop iteration is dependent. The method may include replacing a standard load instruction with a special instruction configured to determine if an operand address of the load matches an operand address in one of the global address table entries. Another special instruction may remove a table entry following execution of the corresponding store operation. If an operand address of a load of a currently executing thread matches an operand address in the global address table, the method may include setting a checkpoint, completing execution of the thread in a pre-fetch mode, and re-executing the thread from the checkpoint. |
| US08291196B2 |
Forward-pass dead instruction identification and removal at run-time
Apparatuses and methods for dead instruction identification are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an instruction buffer and a dead instruction identifier. The instruction buffer is to store an instruction stream having a single entry point and a single exit point. The dead instruction identifier is to identify dead instructions based on a forward pass through the instruction stream. |
| US08291195B2 |
Processing device
A processing device which can execute a plurality of threads includes: an execution unit which executes a command; a supply unit which supplies a command to the execution unit; a buffer unit which holds the command supplied from the supply unit; and a control unit which manages the buffer unit. The buffer unit has a set of buffer elements. Each of the buffer elements has a data unit for storing a command and a pointer unit for defining a connection relationship between the buffer elements. The control unit has a thread allocation unit which allocates a sequence of buffer elements whose connection relationship has been defined by the pointer unit for respective threads executed by the processing device. |
| US08291193B2 |
Address translation apparatus which is capable of easily performing address translation and processor system
An address translation apparatus includes first to third retention units, a comparison unit, and a translation unit. The first retention unit retains a multi-bit first address. The second retention unit retains a multi-bit second address different from the first address. The third retention unit retains first information indicating which bit is a translation target in the multi bits of the first address. The comparison unit compares a multi-bit third address input from outside and the first address. The translation unit translates the bit indicated by the first information in the multi bits of the third address to obtain a fourth address such that the bit indicated by the first information coincides with the second address, when the third address coincides with the first address based on comparison result of the comparison unit. |
| US08291192B2 |
Memory management system
This memory management system has: (a) a logical partition management unit that manages allocation and release of a virtual memory used by an application in a logical address space; (b) a physical partition management unit that manages allocation and release of small size parts into which a physical memory is divided in a physical address space; and (c) a converter unit that converts an address between the logical address space and the physical address space. |
| US08291190B2 |
Disk drive including a host interface supporting different sizes of data sectors and method for writing data thereto
A method for writing data to a disk drive. The method includes: receiving a write command; and, determining whether a beginning and an end of a rewrite area specified by the write command agree with boundaries of large-sized data sectors on a disk. The method also includes: reading head and tail data sectors and making a backup of the head and tail data sectors in first and second non-volatile memory areas, respectively, if the beginning of the rewrite area does not agree with the boundaries. The method includes starting a rewrite of the rewrite area after completing backups into first and second non-volatile memory areas. Moreover, the method includes: determining a state stage by using data in first, second, third and fourth non-volatile memory areas if a power shut-down occurs during execution of the write command; and, executing a recovery process in accordance with the determined state stage. |
| US08291189B2 |
Storage system and storage control method that compress and store data elements
A pool is formed based on a plurality of storage devices. This pool is constituted by a plurality of real pages. Real pages of different lengths are included in this plurality of real pages. Among a plurality of virtual pages which make up a virtual volume, a controller compresses a write data element for a write destination virtual page, selects a real page of a real page length based on the data length of a data unit including the compressed write data element, and allocates the selected real page to the write destination virtual page. |
| US08291187B2 |
Memory management using garbage collection of scoped memory
Mechanisms for memory management in a scoped memory system are provided. The scoped memory system includes a scoped memory area for the allocation of objects therein for access by one or more software threads in execution. The scoped memory area has an associated thread count for indicating that the scoped memory area is discardable. The mechanisms identify a set of root references for objects allocated in the scoped memory area and recursively traverses and marks objects that are referenced from the set of root references and that are allocated in the scoped memory area. The mechanisms further identify objects in the scoped memory area that are not so marked and discards the identified objects. |
| US08291185B2 |
Data storing location managing method and data storage system
A data storing location managing method including generating an access frequency of a storing area accessed in a first storage apparatus according to a command received, copying data stored in the storing area of the first storage apparatus to a storing area of a second storage apparatus when the access frequency of the storing area of the first storage apparatus is greater than a reference value, and replacing location information of the storing area of the first storage apparatus with location information of the storing area of the second storage apparatus. |
| US08291181B2 |
Temporary mirroring, logical segregation, and redundant programming or addressing for solid state drive operation
The present disclosure includes methods and devices for operating a solid state drive. One method embodiment includes mirroring programming operations such that data associated with a programming operation is programmed to two or more locations in memory of the solid state drive. The method also includes ceasing to mirror programming operations upon an occurrence of a particular event. |
| US08291179B2 |
Methods for implementation of worm enforcement in a storage system
Embodiments of archival storage system are disclosed. The archival storage system includes one or more removable disk drives that provide random access and are readily expandable. In embodiments, some or all of the data within the removable disk drive(s) is immutable. The archiving system creates a designation for the data representing the data as having Write Once Read Many (WORM) protection. Actions associated with the data may be received and determined to be read accesses. If the actions are something other than a read access, the archiving system, in embodiments, prevents the action on the data. |
| US08291178B2 |
Machine-implemented method for categorizing storage media, and machine-implemented method for storing target codes
A machine-implemented method, which is for categorizing a plurality of to-be-categorized storage units of a storage medium, includes: a) using a processor to write categorizing data for filling each of the to-be-categorized storage units of the storage medium; b) using a processor to determine a data access time of each of at least some of the to-be-categorized storage units by reading the categorizing data therein and to record the data access times of said at least some of the to-be-categorized storage units; and c) using a processor to categorize the to-be-categorized storage units into a plurality of groups that respectively correspond to a plurality of data access speed categories with reference to the recorded data access times. |
| US08291172B2 |
Multi-modal data prefetcher
A microprocessor includes first and second cache memories occupying distinct hierarchy levels, the second backing the first. A prefetcher monitors load operations and maintains a recent history of the load operations from a cache line and determines whether the recent history indicates a clear direction. The prefetcher prefetches one or more cache lines into the first cache memory when the recent history indicates a clear direction and otherwise prefetches the one or more cache lines into the second cache memory. The prefetcher also determines whether the recent history indicates the load operations are large and, other things being equal, prefetches a greater number of cache lines when large than small. The prefetcher also determines whether the recent history indicates the load operations are received on consecutive clock cycles and, other things being equal, prefetches a greater number of cache lines when on consecutive clock cycles than not. |
| US08291171B2 |
Altering prefetch depth based on ready data
A system comprises a controller and a buffer accessible to the controller. The controller is configured to prefetch data from a storage medium in advance of such prefetch data being requested by a host device, some of such prefetch data being retrieved from the storage medium and stored in the buffer ready for access by the host device (“ready data”) and a remainder of such prefetch data in process of being retrieved from the storage medium but not yet stored in the buffer (“not ready data”). The controller alters a depth of the prefetch data based on a ratio of the ready data to a combined total of the ready data and not ready data. |
| US08291170B1 |
System and method for event driven backup data storage
A system and method for writing data segments to a backup storage medium. Data segments are sent from multiple clients to a shared backup server. The backup server writes the data segments for each client into separate container files and then flushes the data from the container files into the backup storage medium. After backing up all of the data segments from a single client, the server commits the transaction which includes flushing newly written data from any open files, closing the open files, and updating metadata for the newly written data. To reduce the amount of time needed to commit the transaction, the backup server flushes and closes container files prior to transaction commit time. |
| US08291167B2 |
System and method for writing cache data and system and method for reading cache data
A system and a method for writing cache data and a system and a method for reading cache data are disclosed. The system for writing the cache data includes: an on-chip memory device, configured to cache received write requests and write data associated with the write requests and sort the write requests; a request judging device, configured to extract the sorted write requests and the write data associated with the write requests according to write time sequence restriction information of an off-chip memory device; and an off-chip memory device controller, configured to write the write data extracted by the request judging device in the off-chip memory device. |
| US08291166B2 |
Caching performance optimization
A method for managing data storage is described. The method includes receiving data from an external host at a peripheral storage device, detecting a file system type of the external host, and adapting a caching policy for transmitting the data to a memory accessible by the storage device, wherein the caching policy is based on the detected file system type. The detection of the file system type can be based on the received data. The detection bases can include a size of the received data. In some implementations, the detection of the file system type can be based on accessing the memory for file system type indicators that are associated with a unique file system type. Adapting the caching policy can reduce a number of data transmissions to the memory. The detected file system type can be a file allocation table (FAT) system type. |
| US08291165B2 |
Electronic devices using removable and programmable active processing modules
System and methods for assembling electronic devices (110) using removable programmable active processing modules (120) are provided. An active processing module includes a first input/output (I/O) interface (202) and a second I/O interface (204). The active processing module also includes a controller (206) communicatively coupled to the first and the second I/O interfaces, where the controller is configured for selectively operating the active processing module in a programming mode or at least one component mode. In the programming mode, the active processing module is enabled to receive a plurality of operating parameters from a first electronic device via the first I/O interface to configure the active processing module to provide a functionality of a component for a second electronic device via at least one of the first and the second I/O interfaces. In the component mode, the active processing module is configured to operate according to the plurality of operating parameters. |
| US08291164B2 |
Adapter apparatus coupled to a memory card and data transmission system including the adapter apparatus
An adapter apparatus has a function of determining the type of a memory card, by communicating with the memory card at plural communication speeds and determining whether or not there is a response therefrom. A communication speed setting unit has a function of setting plural communication speeds for communication with the memory card, and a response determining unit determines whether or not there is a response to a type determination signal. A type determining unit determines the type of the memory card based on the communication speed set by the communication speed setting unit and whether or not there is a response to the type determination signal sent at the communication speed. |
| US08291161B2 |
Parity rotation in storage-device array
In one embodiment, a method for writing data to a storage-device array (i) including three or more storage devices and (ii) having a plurality of stripes, each stripe having two or more sector levels, each sector level containing one sector on each storage device in the array at corresponding addresses across the storage devices. The method includes: (a) calculating a parity index based on (i) an index value for a current stripe and (ii) the number of storage devices in the array, the parity index identifying a first storage device for parity data for the current stripe; and (b) at each sector level of the current stripe: (b1) writing parity data to the first storage device identified by the parity index; and (b2) writing information to the remaining storage devices. |
| US08291158B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for enforcing policy controls for non-system managed tape media
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for enforcing policy controls for non-system managed tape media. The apparatus includes an operating system configured to communicate with a tape media drive, and an identification module configured to identify a tape media type of a tape media cartridge. The apparatus may also include a policy module configured to maintain control policies for tape media types, and a media control module configured to enforce the control policies. The system includes a computing system having a processor, a cache, an operating system, and a plurality of input/output interfaces, a tape media drive coupled to the computing system, and the apparatus. The method includes communicating with a tape media drive, identifying a tape media type of a tape media cartridge, maintaining a plurality of control policies for tape media types, and enforcing the plurality of control policies. |
| US08291155B2 |
Data access method, memory controller and memory storage system
A data access method for accessing a non-volatile memory module is provided. The data access method includes configuring a plurality of logical addresses and grouping the logical addresses into logical blocks to map to the physical blocks of the non-volatile memory module, and a host system formats the logical addresses into one partition by using a file system and the partition stores at least one file and a file description block corresponding to the file. The data access method further includes searching an end mark corresponding to entry values of the file description block, setting logical addresses storing the end mark as default pattern addresses, and setting values stored in the logical addresses as default values corresponding to the default pattern addresses. Accordingly, the data access method can divide one partition into a write protect area and a writable area by updating data stored in the default pattern addresses. |
| US08291149B2 |
Storage device and storage system having a hard disk drive and flash memory
A storage device includes a drive selection section (1), a hard disk drive (HDD) (2), and a non-volatile memory drive (3). When an instruction such as a data I/O instruction is issued from a host such as a CPU (5) and an ATA controller (6) to the hard disk drive (HDD) (2), the drive selection section (1) receives the address value. If the address value is included in the address space predefined, the non-volatile memory drive (3) is made to execute the instruction. Otherwise, the hard disk drive (HDD) (2) is made to execute the instruction. |
| US08291148B1 |
Resource virtualization switch
Methods and apparatus are provided for virtualizing resources including peripheral components and peripheral interfaces. Peripheral component such as hardware accelerators and peripheral interfaces such as port adapters are offloaded from individual servers onto a resource virtualization switch. Multiple servers are connected to the resource virtualization switch over an I/O bus fabric such as PCI Express or PCI-AS. The resource virtualization switch allows efficient access, sharing, management, and allocation of resources. |
| US08291147B2 |
Computer motherboard with adjustable connection between central processing unit and peripheral interfaces
A computer motherboard includes first and second peripheral interfaces, a switching interface, a switching card inserted into the switching card, and first and second central processing unit (CPU) sockets. The switching interface is placed between the first and second peripheral interfaces. The switching card includes first and second interface. Pins of the first interface of the switching card are interconnected, and pins of the second interface of the switching card are interconnected. Connection between the first and second peripheral sockets and the first and second CPU sockets is adjustable by selectively connecting one of the first and second interfaces of the switching card to the switching interface. |
| US08291146B2 |
System and method for accessing resources of a PCI express compliant device
A system and method using messages to access registers and memory in a PCI Express communications link environment. Vendor defined PCI Express messages can be used to read and write to the memory-mapped or register space of a device. Four types of accesses are defined using this messaging approach, namely memory read, memory write, configuration read and configuration write. The type of register access desired is defined by the appropriate value in a vendor-specific type field in the header of the vendor defined message. If a PCI Express compliant device at the other end of the PCI Express link does not support these types of messages, the messages are silently discarded by the receiver and no error is reported. |
| US08291145B2 |
Method and apparatus for setting a primary port on a PCI bridge
An apparatus and a method for setting a primary port on a PCI multi-port bridge. More specifically, there is provided a method that comprises detecting a configuration signal at the PCI multi-port bridge and automatically setting the primary port on the PCI multi-port bridge based on the configuration signal. A system for implementing the method is also provided. |
| US08291142B2 |
Method, bus components, and control system for ethernet-based control of an automation system
A method is disclosed in which data is exchanged via a bus coupler (500) between a network (410) designed for transmitting Ethernet telegrams and a lower-level bus system (420), wherein the bus coupler (500) is connected via a first interface (520) to the network (410) and via a second interface (530) to the lower-level bus system (420), and wherein process data is read in and/or output through at least one bus node (610, 620, 630) of the lower-level bus system (420).Furthermore, a bus coupler (500), a bus node (610, 620, 630), and a control system (10) that are designed for execution of the method are disclosed. |
| US08291140B2 |
Computing module with serial data connectivity
A computing module includes an interface to asynchronously, serially exchange parallel system bus data with one or more other modules of a computer system that includes the computing module. The computing module can asynchronously, serially transfer first parallel bus data to another module of the computer system, and can asynchronously, serially receive second parallel bus data from another module of the computer system. |
| US08291139B2 |
Asymmetric chip-to-chip interconnect
The use of asymmetric signalling over channels is disclosed. Pursuant to one or more embodiments of the invention, the channels in the parallel bus operate as standard non-differential interconnects for data travelling in one direction through the bus, and operate as differential interconnects for data travelling in the other direction through the bus. So that data capacity of the bus remains the same in both directions, the data rate during differential transmission can be twice that of the data rate during standard transmissions. Asymmetric signalling can also occur over two unidirectional busses of channels to the same effect. |
| US08291138B2 |
Skip based control logic for first in first out buffer
Skip based control logic for first in first out buffer is disclosed. In one embodiment, a host controller interface (HCI) device includes an isochronous receive first in first out (IRFIFO) buffer. The IRFIFO buffer includes a storage for storing an isochronous data packet received from a guest device. Further, the IRFIFO buffer includes a write pointer for pointing to a write address of the storage for a write operation. Furthermore, the IRFIFO buffer includes a read pointer for pointing to a read address of the storage for a read operation. In addition, the IRFIFO includes a control logic for incrementing the read pointer by a value of a skip parameter of a skip register if the isochronous data packet is not valid for the read operation. |
| US08291137B2 |
Method and system for a universal serial bus image capturing with two isochronous transfers
A system for universal serial bus (USB) image capturing with two isochronous transfers includes a USB image capturing device and a host. The USB image capturing device has two endpoints for transferring a video stream through a USB. The host has a driver for receiving the video stream through the USB. The driver receives the video stream, and creates a read extension data structure for the endpoints. The driver manages and dispatches the packets of the endpoints, and copies data of the packets into a first buffer and a second buffer, respectively. When a first end frame flag in a packet of the first endpoint is set and a second end frame flag in a packet of the second endpoint is set, the driver combines data of the first and the second buffers into a frame and sends the frame to the host. |
| US08291136B2 |
Ring buffer
A computer implemented method for writing to a software bound ring buffer. A network adapter may determine that data is available to write to the software bound ring buffer. The network adapter determines that a read index is not equal to a write index, responsive to a determination that data is available to write to the software bound ring buffer. The network adapter writes the data to memory referenced by the hardware write index, wherein memory referenced by the write index is offset according to an offset, and the memory contents comprise a data portion and a valid bit. The network adapter writes an epoch value of the write index to the valid bit. The network adapter increments the write index, responsive to writing the data to memory referenced by the write index. Further disclosed is method to access a hardware bound ring buffer. |
| US08291130B2 |
Aligning protocol data units
An apparatus for receiving one or more protocol data units (PDUs) from a word aligned queue including a media access control (MAC) physical-layer (PHY) coprocessor (MPC) logically residing between a physical-layer controller and a media access controller (MAC) processor. The MPC is configured to access a reception physical-layer queue storing a burst, such that the reception physical-layer queue includes a plurality of word lines. The burst includes one or more PDUs that each occupy one or more word lines of the reception physical-layer queue, such that a particular word line stores a portion of a first PDU and a portion of second PDU. The MPC is also configured to receive from the reception physical-layer queue the first PDU including the portion of the first PDU stored in the selected word line. |
| US08291121B2 |
System and method for interfacing with a controller
A control system includes an Internet web interface to a network of at least one programmable logic control system running an application program for controlling output devices in response to status of input devices. The Web interface runs Web pages from an Ethernet board coupled directly to the PLC back plane and includes an HTTP protocol interpreter, a PLC back plane driver, a TCP/IP stack, and an Ethernet board kernel. The Web interface provides access to the PLC back plane by a user at a remote location through the Internet. The interface translates the industry standard Ethernet, TCP/IP and HTTP protocols used on the Internet into data recognizable to the PLC. Using this interface, the user can retrieve all pertinent data regarding the operation of the programmable logic controller system. |
| US08291120B2 |
Systems, methods, and computer program product for automatically verifying a standby site
Systems, methods, and computer program product are disclosed for providing a mechanism for re-routing queries in a telecommunications network. A service control point (SCP) executes an application which causes queries to be launched over a LAN or WAN to a remotely located data center. Primary and secondary data centers are defined, in which the secondary data center operates on a ‘hot-standby’ basis. Based on an automatically verifying system, the detection (or lack thereof) of a response from a primary data center and comparison of the response against an answer or response from another site indicates whether or not the SCP or SCP application should route queries to the secondary data center. Similarly, the same mechanism can be used to indicate that queries should be re-routed back to the primary data center. |
| US08291118B2 |
Globally unique identification in communications protocols and databases
A globally unique identification system for a communications protocol and database is disclosed. A method for generating the globally unique identification code and for generating a compressed globally unique identification code is also described. The communications protocol permits multiple communications sessions to be sent through a single open port of a firewall. |
| US08291115B2 |
Method for distribution of software and configuration data and corresponding data network
In one aspect, software or configuration data that is to be distributed is subdivided into data blocks and a list created based on the data blocks created. Users receive the list and a portion of the data blocks. The users form ad hoc networks or P2P connections among themselves. The connections allow the data blocks to be exchanged randomly. |
| US08291114B2 |
Routing a packet by a device
Methods and apparatus for transferring packets in a packet switched communication system. A system is provided that includes an L2 device including a controller determining for each packet received whether the received packet is to be inspected, an inspection device operable to inspect and filter packets identified by the controller including using a zone specific policy and an L2 controller for transferring inspected packets in accordance with L2 header information using L2 protocols. |
| US08291111B1 |
Responding to a DHCPLEASEQUERY message
A technique is performed in a first device of a set of devices. The technique involves receiving a query message from a network node, the query message requesting data regarding a network resource. The technique further involves accessing an identifier which indicates whether the first device is in charge of the network resource, and providing a response message to the network node in response to the query message. The response message is provided after waiting a predefined amount of time when the identifier indicates that the first device is not in charge of the network resource and there is reason to believe another device of the set is operating. The response message is provided without waiting the predefined amount of time when the identifier indicates that the first device is in charge of the network resource. Moreover in some situations, the first device may choose to not respond. |
| US08291108B2 |
Systems and methods for load balancing based on user selected metrics
The present invention provides improvements to load balancing by providing a load balancing solution that allows a user to select metrics, weights and thresholds from metrics collected or determined by a load balancing appliance as well as metrics obtained from another device, such as a server running the service. The systems and methods described providing a load balancing technique in which load balancing decisions can be made based on metrics known by another device monitoring such metrics. The load balancing appliance uses a network management protocol and communication model, such as a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), to identify and collect metrics from a server, service or other device. These metrics are available on the load balancing appliance with appliance determined metrics. Via a configuration interface of the appliance, a user can select one or more appliance determined metrics and/or the metrics obtained via the network management protocol to determine the load of a service. |
| US08291105B2 |
Method for synchronization in a local area network including a store-and-forward device
The present invention relates to a method for identifying inaccurate time measurements in a local area network. The local area network comprises a sending device (2), such as a time client, a destination device (3), such as a timeserver, and a switching device and/or a store-and-forward device (6). A time request packet (4) is rejected if it arrives at the time client or timeserver within a given or calculated minimum distance from the preceding network packet. The time request packet (4) is also rejected if it falls outside a set of calculated error limits based on a set of estimates. Those estimates are kept in the time client memory and updated according to a given set of rules. |
| US08291104B2 |
Scalable video coding (SVC) file format
The currently existing ISO/AVC file format is modified by providing extensions to store and access video content currently being defined by the SVC standard. Specifically, extensions to the AVC file format are made to provide a new SVC file format that enables the storage and access of scalable video data. The scalable video data is stored as a single track within a media data section of the SVC file format. New extensions are defined for description entries and boxes within a metadata section of the SVC file format. These extensions provide means for extracting sub-streams or layers from the single track of scalable video data stored in the media data section. |
| US08291096B2 |
Central adminstration of one or more resources
A central administration tool or manager supports entry or selection of attribute data or datum (e.g., an attribute value) associated with at least one of a resource and a user. The entered or selected attribute data is arranged into a data structure (e.g., a file) for transmission over a communications network. The data structure is transmitted over the communications network to a directory interface. The transmitted data structure is processed to be compatible with interpretation by a directory services system. The directory services system is invoked consistent with the contents of the data structure (e.g., the file) and the previous processing of the data structure. Resources (e.g., applications) that are under the control of the directory services are managed consistent with the contents of the data structure. |
| US08291090B2 |
Computer system and method for sharing a job with other computers on a computer network using IP multicast
A computer system on a network uses IP multicast to recruit other computer systems to share in the processing of a job. When a computer system has a job to share, it recruits other computer systems to help process the job by sending a message that corresponds to a request to share the job to an IP multicast router. The candidate computer systems that receive the recruiter's broadcast determine if they can share the job according to one or more job sharing parameters. These parameters may relate to the job itself, network performance, security, or other criteria for sharing. If a computer system meets the parameters for taking on the particular job, it responds to the recruiter. The computer system then performs the job (or task) and returns the results to the recruiter. |
| US08291089B2 |
Image processing device, control method therefor, and program
An image processing device communicable with an information processing device, includes: a first management unit for managing at least one service provided by the image processing device based on a first protocol; a second management unit for managing the at least one service provided by the image processing device based on a second protocol; a reception unit for receiving a search request for searching for a service managed by the second management unit, the search request being transmitted from the information processing device based on the first protocol; and a transmission unit for transmitting, in response to the search request received by the reception unit, an address of a service satisfying the search request and managed by the second management unit to the information processing device. |
| US08291088B2 |
Method and system for providing single sign-on user names for web cookies in a multiple user information directory environment
A system for providing single sign-on (SSO) user names for Web cookies. SSO access to multiple applications is supported in situations where multiple user information directories are deployed, and users may be known by multiple identifiers. Convenient specification is enabled for which of a user's multiple names is to be used in an SSO Web cookie that is passed from application to application to enable SSO operation. The user's SSO Web cookie user name is fully separated conceptually from the user's effective name for any given application within the SSO environment. The SSO Web cookie user name provided by the disclosed system is specified independently from the effective name by which the user is known when operating in the Web application that writes the SSO Web cookie back to the user's computer system. Use of an administratively supplied user name in the SSO Web cookie is facilitated. |
| US08291083B2 |
Distributed landing pad and brick topology for content storage in content delivery networks
A method for ingest of content for a content delivery network (CDN) having a plurality of geographically distinct points of presence (POPs). A first landing-pad application program interface (API) is hosted and accessible from a first POP. A second landing-pad API is hosted and accessible from a second POP. First and second content objects are received at the first and second land-pad APIs, respectively. A first tag is analyzed to find it applicable to the first content object. A second tag is analyzed to be applicable to the second content object. First and second storage media are selected based upon the respective analyses of the tags. The content object objects are stored with the respective storage media. The first and second content objects are stored in a consistent file structure. |
| US08291082B2 |
Architecture for a system of portable information agents
A method and system for providing enhanced intelligent agents that are moveable by a user from a browser application to a desktop. In specific embodiments, agents provide advanced interactive graphics and communications back to a server. |
| US08291080B2 |
Session control system, session control method and session control program
Provided is session control which enables profits of a web site to be optimized when accesses avalanche to the web site.A session control device connected to a web site and a client terminal which accesses the web site through a network, which includes a calculation unit for calculating, with a state of a session in each access to a reference page which is a page whose effect is large on arrival at processing whose importance in the web site is high as a stage, a tendency of a session toward the processing whose importance is high on a stage basis, a storage unit for storing a calculated tendency toward the processing whose importance is high, a setting unit for setting a reference for limiting the session, and a collation unit for obtaining, from the storage unit, a tendency toward the processing whose importance is high with respect to a stage of the session received from the client terminal and comparing the tendency with the reference to determine whether to limit the session from the client terminal. |
| US08291077B2 |
Provision of services over a common delivery platform such as a mobile telephony network
One embodiment of a system for providing services to subscribers of a network supports the provision of a plurality of different services to multiple subscribers. A processor arrangement is provided for hosting the different services. A data structure is provided for storing data associated with subscribers of the system, wherein data associated with subscribers of the system comprises a plurality of sets of data, each set of data relating to a respective level of authentication. A trust model comprises a set of relationships between the sets of data, and the trust model determines the access rights of subscribers to different services in dependence on the data set which has been used to authenticate the subscriber in a given subscriber session. The use of this trust model enables services and other access rights to be provided to a subscribed which match the level of authentication which has been applied to the subscriber during any particular session. |
| US08291072B2 |
Method and apparatus providing device-initiated network management
A method is disclosed for managing a network entity that is initiated by the network entity, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps performed at the network entity of monitoring the network entity; periodically evaluating one or more specified conditions at the managed network entity; when one or more of the specified conditions are satisfied, then gathering specified information from the managed network entity, preparing a message that includes the specified information and the specified conditions that were satisfied, and sending the message to a management point. |
| US08291066B2 |
Method and system for transaction monitoring in a communication network
The invention provides a method for learning and identification of message types in a network in which the learning and identification is based solely upon information contained in messages in the network. In one embodiment, the method includes comparing a current message with one or more previously defined message structures and applying a comparison method in order to infer whether the structure of the current message conforms to any one of the previously defined message structures. The invention also provides a method for classifying a collection of messages input or output from a computational node in which the set of messages is portioned into subsets of similar messages, and a structure of the messages of each subset is characterized. The invention further provides a method for inferring causal relations between a message type input to a computational node in a network and message type output from the computational node in the network using one or more statistical tests. The invention further provides a system for monitoring transactions within a distributed information network. The system includes collection servers that execute a classification module and a correlation module. A management server analyzes data from the collection servers in order to determine a performance of the transactions in the system. |
| US08291065B2 |
Phishing detection, prevention, and notification
Phishing detection, prevention, and notification is described. In an embodiment, a messaging application facilitates communication via a messaging user interface, and receives a communication, such as an email message, from a domain. A phishing detection module detects a phishing attack in the communication by determining that the domain is similar to a known phishing domain, or by detecting suspicious network properties of the domain. In another embodiment, a Web browsing application receives content, such as data for a Web page, from a network-based resource, such as a Web site or domain. The Web browsing application initiates a display of the content, and a phishing detection module detects a phishing attack in the content by determining that a domain of the network-based resource is similar to a known phishing domain, or that an address of the network-based resource from which the content is received has suspicious network properties. |
| US08291061B2 |
Method and system for business-oriented web services management
A method and system are disclosed for monitoring the performance of web-based services. The method comprises receiving a transaction from a client and routing the transaction to an appropriate web service for execution of the transaction. During execution of the transaction, performance data relating to the execution of the transaction is monitored and logged. The collected performance data is then queried based on pre-defined performance metrics and web service performance reports are generated. A system for the foregoing method is also disclosed. |
| US08291059B2 |
Method for determining a business calendar across a shared computing infrastructure
A method of scheduling availability for a computing infrastructure in a shared computing environment is disclosed. The method comprises assigning a new schedule of service to a software application in the computing environment, propagating the new schedule of service assigned to the software application to a plurality of computing components that support the software application, where the computing infrastructure is comprised of the plurality of computing components having a hierarchical relationship with each other, and determining a schedule of service for a given computing component in the computing infrastructure by aggregating schedules of service propagated to the given computing component. |
| US08291055B1 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring message activity
A method and apparatus for monitoring message activity comprising processing message activity from a message generator, recording the message activity and coupling the message activity with message information stored within a message distributor and store is described. |
| US08291054B2 |
Information processing system, method and program for classifying network nodes
An information processor and method for classifying user attributes of a plurality of nodes connected to a network. The information processor includes: an action history obtaining unit for generating a spammer-reporting action history set; a related node obtaining unit for generating a node set and a link set related to the spammer-reporting actions; an undirected graph generation unit for generating an undirected graph from the node set and the link set; and a max-cut computation unit classifying the nodes constituting the undirected graph into two exclusive sets that do not commonly include any element so as to maximize an indicator value defined by links bridging the two sets. |
| US08291051B2 |
Collaborative configuration of a media environment
A system and method for collaboratively providing configurations for a media environment are provided. In general, configuration events from a number of media environments are collected and provided to a Collaborative Configuration System (CCS) server. Based on the configuration events, the CCS server generates and provides recommended configurations to a media environment. The recommended configurations may be generated prior to or after receiving a request for recommended configurations from the media environment. In one embodiment, the recommended configurations are provided as a recommended configuration profile providing a set of configurations to be applied at the media environment. In another embodiment, the recommended configurations are provided as a CCS track associated with a particular media presentation. The CCS track includes configuration changes to be applied to the media environment for a number of time slices of the media presentation during playback of the media presentation. |
| US08291050B2 |
Method, apparatus and article of manufacture for configuring multiple partitions to use a shared network adapter
A graphical user interface, method, and apparatus for configuring a logical partition (LPAR), comprises one or more screens for configuring an LPAR having allocated resources residing on a server computer, the LPAR being uniquely identified by a partition ID; the one or more screens comprising an SNA selection element configured for user-selection of a shared network adapter (SNA) ID from one or more available SNA IDs, wherein each selectable SNA ID uniquely identifies a respective SNA installed on the server computer; a physical port selection element configured for user-selection of a physical port ID from one or more physical port IDs each corresponding to a respective physical port, wherein the one or more physical port IDs uniquely identify all physical ports residing on the respective SNA for the selected SNA ID; and an active configure button which, when selected by a user, causes the display of one or more screens for configuring a logical shared adapter (LSA) associated with the respective SNA. |
| US08291049B2 |
Audio-visual navigation and communication dynamic memory architectures
Buffering data associated with a spatial publishing object data store at a buffer distance proximate a user presence in a spatial publishing object space. The buffer distance comprises a measure based at least in part on: capacity of a communications path between the data store and the user platform; availability of memory at the user platform; movement of a user presence through the space; traffic in the communications path; processing resources available; amount of objects within a distance of the user presence; amount of objects in the space; type of objects; proximity of objects to the user presence; and rate of the user presence movement in the space. Movement of the user presence in the space buffers data such that data for a proximate object is available in the buffer for presenting to the user when the user's presence is a predetermined distance from the proximate object. |
| US08291043B2 |
System and method for service bulletin data exchange
In accordance with one or more embodiments, systems and methods for exchanging data over a network include communicating with a user via a portable communication device over the network, interacting with the user via an interactive software application, receiving a request for service bulletin data related to at least one aircraft from the user via the portable communication device, accessing service bulletin data related to the at least one aircraft from a database component based on a registry number associated with the at least one aircraft passed with the request from the user, and transferring service bulletin data related to the at least one aircraft from the database component to the portable communication device via the network for viewing by the user on the portable communication device. |
| US08291042B2 |
On-demand groupware computing
The collaborative sharing of resources on demand based on proximity, within a group or network of computers. Broadly contemplated herein the “tiling” of a collection of logically adjacent individual graphical desktops in a virtual desktop. In such a setting, the action of dragging a window or icon off of one desktop and onto another would effectively transfer user interactability, and/or perceived ownership of the object, to the desktop where the window or icon graphically “lands”. |
| US08291040B2 |
System and method of associating events with requests
Management software that can associate events, including non page events, such as the generation of dynamic content, with HTTP requests. The management software can receive a set of HTTP request data including a request time stamp for each HTTP request in a set of HTTP requests, receive a set of event data including an event time stamp for each event in a set of events and associate each event from the set of events with a previous HTTP request from the set of HTTP requests based on the event time stamps and request time stamps. Each event can be associated with previous HTTP request closest in time. |
| US08291038B2 |
Remote automation of manual tasks
Implementations of the present disclosure provide for automation of manual tasks executed on an application server. Implementations include generating a manual action request at the application server, the manual action request including at least one parameter, transmitting the manual action request to an administrator computer, determining that an automation module corresponding to the manual action request exists within a database based on the at least one parameter, providing the automation module to the application server, and executing the automation module on the application server to resolve a task corresponding to the manual action request. |
| US08291032B2 |
Email system
A system and method are disclosed for providing interaction with mail data on a server. Providing interaction with mail data on a server comprises receiving mail information from the server; updating data structures in a client using the mail information received; operating on the mail information at the client and displaying operation results on the client; sending operation information to the server so that the same operation may be executed on the server. |
| US08291022B2 |
Method and device for messaging
A method and system of transmitting a message from a transmitting client to a primary receiving client via a proxy server, which is also connected to a secondary receiving client. A message is sent from the transmitting client to the proxy server. The message includes a first header indicative of an address of the primary receiving client and a second header indicative of an address of the secondary receiving client and the primary header being indicative of only a single one of the addresses. The message is then transmitted from the proxy server to the primary receiving client and from the proxy server to the secondary receiving client. |
| US08291021B2 |
Graphical spam detection and filtering
Some embodiments of graphical spam detection and filtering have been presented. In one embodiment, an electronic mail addressed to an electronic mail account is screened. If a graphic image is embedded in a body of the electronic mail and a sender of the electronic mail is unidentified, then the electronic mail is classified as unsolicited bulk electronic mail. |
| US08291019B1 |
Collaborative workflow through messaging conversations
A networked application and email application were described herein that provide for an intuitive system by which users can participate in collaborative workflow relating to a network document. In one implementation, a system includes a messaging server component to provide messaging services and an application server component to provide a networked application. The application server component interacts with the messaging server component in response to a user command to initiate collaboration on the network document. The interaction with the messaging server component includes providing a link that refers to a version of the network document as created or edited by the user. |
| US08291018B2 |
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for providing activity coordination services
A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided, which may provide activity coordination services. An apparatus may include a processor configured to receive a request for a context-sensitive calendar. The request may comprise an indication of an associated context. The processor may also be configured to determine the context associated with the received request. The processor may further be configured to aggregate one or more information atoms based at least in part upon the determined context. The processor may additionally be configured to generate a context-sensitive calendar comprising the aggregated information atoms. The processor may also be configured to provide the generated context-sensitive calendar to a user. Corresponding methods and computer program products are also provided. |
| US08291014B2 |
User interface for web comments
One or more server devices receive a request associated with a link, where the link is further associated with a comment and where the comment provides an opinion of, or remarks upon, a content of a document. The one or more server devices retrieve a content of the comment associated with the link from a database and retrieve the document. The one or more server devices generate another document that displays the content of the comment and includes a frame that further displays the document, and send the generated another document to the client device. |
| US08291012B2 |
Address updating scheme for wireless communication
In an address updating scheme, a server accesses clients with intermittent connectivity by using addresses specified in a local client address list. The clients are responsible for updating the list whenever the address of the client changes as a result of intermittent client connectivity or other conditions. |
| US08291008B2 |
Information image use system using information image
This invention relates to information operation carried out between information processing apparatuses such as computer, etc. mutually connected through network such as internet, etc. More particularly, this invention relates to an information picture utilization system where there is used “information picture” in which picture information and related information for causing an operator to carry out a predetermined operation on the basis of the picture information are caused to be one handling unit, and a system for allowing notification to server carried out when processing operation based on related information included in information picture is carried out to have lifetime to thereby realize lowering of communications traffic taking place when information pictures are distributed and duplications are increased with time. In more practical sense, this invention relates to a system in which lifetime information is included in information picture itself, a system in which lifetime control is carried out on the basis of history at client, and a system in which lifetime control is carried out at the server side. |
| US08291007B2 |
System and method to accelerate client/server interactions using predictive requests
As part of the system and method of the present invention, either a Client Agent and/or a Predictive Server intercept a request from a client to a server, and a response from the server to the client. Based on information derived from the client/server communication, either the Client Agent or the Predictive Server generates a predictive request for data. The server's response to the predictive request is stored at either the Client Agent or the Predictive Server, and is forward to the client when the client generates a request for the data contained in the response. |
| US08291005B2 |
Providing consistency in processing data streams
Providing consistency guarantees in a data stream processing engine is provided. Consistency tracking information is attached to data streams coming into the data stream processing engine. The consistency tracking information is propagated through a plurality of streaming operators that process the data streams within the data stream processing engine. Then, the propagated consistency tracking information is used to detect a consistent state in an output stream. |
| US08291000B2 |
Method and system for managing data transaction requests
In various embodiments, a system, method, and related computer-related medium to process data transactions are provided. In one example, a system is arranged to process data transactions in a data store including a plurality of databases. The system includes a computer interface module to receive a data transaction request from at least one requesting computer and a data access layer having one or more processors to identify at least one database in the plurality of databases. The data access layer is to define an abstraction layer between a computer interface module and the plurality of databases. |
| US08290999B2 |
Automatic update of online social networking sites
Systems and methods maintain at least one point of interest data file within a computer-readable storage medium and automatically identify a current user location of a user based on a geographic positioning feature of a portable electronic device that is maintained within a first predetermined distance from the user. The systems and methods automatically compare the current user location with the point of interest data file to identify whether the user is located within a second predetermined distance of a point of interest maintained within the point of interest data file. If the user is within the second predetermined distance of a point of interest, the systems and methods automatically create a user status data file. The user status data comprises data identifying that the user is currently at the point of interest. The user status data file is comprised of, but is not limited to, video, still pictures, and audio captured at the current user location as well as textual description of the user's participation at the point of interest. The systems and methods automatically upload the user status data file to a social networking web site associated with the user as an activity post associated with the user. |
| US08290997B2 |
File handling for naming conflicts
A file operations engine is provided that manages many user interactions with their files via a computer system. The operation engine may provide a user with the option to keep both files that have a file name conflict. It may further permit the user to rename a file involved with a file name conflict. The operations engine may also automatically rename one of the files of a file name conflict by appending a character to a root of the filename. The character may include the lowest integer available for the root in a destination for the files. The operations engine may provide the option to keep both files as part of a pre-calculation of potential errors for a requested operation. The operations engine may place file name conflicts in an error queue and permit the user to select an option to keep both files after the conflict is encountered. |
| US08290995B1 |
Model and method of an N-tier quality-of-service (QOS)
A method for increasing the QoS in a data center. The method can be employed in first and second components of the data center. In one embodiment, the method includes a first component of the data center receiving first and second requests. The first component generates first and second priority values corresponding to the first and second requests, respectively. The first component processes the first and second requests to generate third and fourth requests, respectively, wherein the first request is processed before the second request if the first priority value is numerically greater than the second priority value, or the first request is processed after the second request if the first priority value is numerically less than the second priority value. A second component of the data center receives the third and fourth requests. The second component generates third and fourth priority values corresponding to the third and fourth requests, respectively. The second component processes the third and fourth requests wherein the third request is processed before the fourth request if the third priority value is numerically greater than the fourth priority value, or the third request is processed after the fourth request if the third priority value is numerically less than the fourth priority value. In one preferred embodiment, if the first priority value is numerically greater than the second priority value, then the third priority value generated by the second component should not be numerically less than the fourth priority value generated by the second component. |
| US08290991B2 |
Atomic deletion of database data categories
A device may maintain, in a database, a plurality of data items, each data item of the plurality of data items being associated with a respective category and supplemental information relating to deletion of the data item. The device may associate a group of counters with at least one of the categories and receive a deletion request corresponding to one of the group of categories, the deletion request including the supplemental information. The device may identify a counter associated with the category corresponding to the deletion request based on the supplemental information. The device may then increment the identified counters and selectively delete the data items based on values of the counters. |
| US08290986B2 |
Determining quality measures for web objects based on searcher behavior
Techniques are provided for generating quality measures for items, including web pages, based on a “random searcher” behavior model. The random searcher behavior model takes into account “implicit” links between items, instead of or in addition to the explicit links. After identifying the implicit links between items, the implicit links may be used as the basis for generating quality measures for the items to which the implicit links point. A variety of types of implicit links are described. To facilitate the generation of quality measures for items based on implicit links, a graph of the implicit links may be constructed in a manner similar to a webgraph. |
| US08290980B2 |
Generating event data display code
Techniques for republishing event data are provided. An event data repository contains event records defining real world events. Users request instructions for republishing event data. The request includes data identifying a set of event data and display characteristics for republication. In response to the request, event data display code is provided back to the client. The user may use the event data display code to display event data on the user's own web pages or applications. When the event data display code is processed by a web browser application, a request is sent to the events repository, which provides the identified set of event data in response. The event data is displayed to users at the web browser using the display characteristics specified by the client. |
| US08290978B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, program, and storage medium
This invention has as its object to attain strong security and to implement network solutions with high convenience and simplicity with low cost upon providing Web services. To this end, an information processing apparatus according to this invention has the following arrangement. That is, an information processing apparatus (1400) which includes a plurality of Web services (110 and the like) and a plurality of authentication/authorization services (107 and the like), is characterized by having an XML script unit (104) which holds an XML script (106) that describes association between information pertaining to respective Web services and information pertaining to the authentication/authorization services that execute authentication processing upon providing the respective Web services, and an arbitration service (103) which determines information pertaining to the authentication/authorization service described in association with the Web service requested by the user, and in that when the user is authenticated using the determined authentication/authorization service, the Web service requested by the user is provided. |
| US08290972B1 |
System and method for storing and accessing data using a plurality of probabilistic data structures
A system and method are described for storing and accessing data using a plurality of probabilistic data structures. In one embodiment, a plurality of probabilistic data structures are identified, each probabilistic data structure being associated with at least one other probabilistic data structure. The plurality of probabilistic data structures each correspond to a portion of a storage device storing a dataset. The dataset may include a plurality of values, such as a plurality of data blocks. A plurality of keys may be generated from the plurality of values, such as a plurality of fingerprints. Each key may be inserted into the probabilistic data structures which correspond to the portion of the storage device storing the value the key was generated from. The plurality of probabilistic data structures are stored in a memory and may be queried with an item to determine if the item exists in the plurality of probabilistic data structures. |
| US08290970B2 |
System and method for offering one or more drivers to run on the computer
In accordance with at least some embodiments of the invention, a computer-implemented method, and associated apparatus, comprises determining a configuration of a computer, comparing the computer's configuration to configuration information in a database, and based on the comparison, offering a user at least one driver from which to select for running on the computer. In accordance with other embodiments, a computer-implemented method, and associated apparatus, comprises, in response to a user selecting a software control, determining if extended memory exists above a maximum amount of memory permitted by an operating system, and if extended memory exists, automatically making accessible the extended memory. |
| US08290967B2 |
Indexing and search query processing
A method for processing a search query according to one embodiment includes receiving a search query containing terms; looking up at least some of the terms in a search index for identifying sections of documents containing the at least some of the terms; generating a content score for each of the documents based at least in part on a number of keywords found in the sections of each document; looking up at least some of the terms in the search index for attempting to match one or more of the terms to context information in the search index, the context information being associated with at least one of the documents; generating a context score based at least in part on the matching of terms to the context information; generating a document score for each of the documents based at least in part on the content score and the context score; and outputting an indicator of at least one of the documents, or portion thereof, for the at least one of the documents having a higher document score relative to other of the documents. |
| US08290963B1 |
Methods and systems for identifying paraphrases from an index of information items and associated sentence fragments
Methods and systems for identification of paraphrases from an index of information items and associated sentence fragments are described. One method described comprises identifying a pair of sentence fragments each having a same associated information item from an index, wherein the index comprises a plurality of information items and associated sentence fragments, and identifying a paraphrase pair from the pair of sentence fragments. |
| US08290952B2 |
Method and apparatus for retrieving nearby data
An approach is provided for retrieving nearby data from two-dimensional datasets. A two-dimensional data retrieving platform receives data objects of a two-dimensional dataset, and recursively divides the two-dimensional dataset into S×S number of subdivisions until reaching a data object level and an initial data object. S is a positive integer that is equal to or greater than 2. The two-dimensional data retrieving platform then selects and stores the initial data object into a memory, and sequentially fetches data objects which are near-by the initial data object on a two-dimensional plane in a spiral order in an initial subdivision, and stores the fetched data objects in a linear order into the memory. |
| US08290951B1 |
Unstructured data integration with a data warehouse
Techniques for bridging data from business support units, e.g., call centers and marketing operations, with a data warehouse to augment and enrich pre-existing customer information. Unstructured data is received with incomplete integration information. A data key is created from the unstructured data, and the unstructured data is integrated with the structured data in a data warehouse based on the data key. Unstructured data can assume different forms of data, including recorded audio data, facial image data, and iris image data. At least one customer identifier is extracted from the unstructured data by data mining. A data key is subsequently created from the at least one customer identifier. Incomplete integration may include partial integration information or may not include any integration information. |
| US08290946B2 |
Consistent phrase relevance measures
Two methods for measuring keyword-document relevance are described. The methods receive a keyword and a document as input and output a probability value for the keyword. The first method is a similarity-based approach which uses techniques for measuring similarity between two short-text segments to measure relevance between the keyword and the document. The second method is a regression-based approach based on an assumption that if an out-of-document phrase (the keyword) is semantically similar to an in-document phrase, then relevance scores of the in and out-of document phrases should be close to each other. |
| US08290945B2 |
Web searching
A human or hand-labeled ranking of URL results for a search query is compared against actual click data for the respective query/URL pairs (e.g., which URLs were actually clicked on by users when the URLs were presented to users when the search query was run in the real world). The human ranking or ordering of the URL results (e.g., pre-existing relevance ranking) for the query can then be adjusted, if necessary, based upon the real world click data (e.g., click relevance ranking). The modified pre-existing relevance ranking can be used in providing future search results. |
| US08290943B2 |
Geographical information display system and method
In one embodiment, a geographical information system has an information database and a client computing system that is coupled to a web server. A web based application is operable to display a map that includes a particular geographical location, retrieve at least one of a plurality of data records from the metadata database, and display the at least one data record at the particular geographical location of the map for a user. The web based application is executable on the client computing system or on the web server using a web browser. |
| US08290935B1 |
Method and system for optimizing database system queries
A method, computer program, and database system are disclosed for optimizing a query of a table based on one or more values in one or more columns of the table. The method includes repeating the following steps for a series of rows in the table and optimizing an execution plan for the query based at least in part on a calculated number of rows per unique value. One or more values for the one or more columns are read. The read values are determined to be different from all previously read values in some cases. When the read values are different, the one or more values are recorded in a data structure corresponding to the result of applying a hash function to the one or more values. |
| US08290933B2 |
Group-by size result estimation
A method and system for accurately estimating a result size of a Group-By operation in a relational database. The estimate utilizes the probability of union of the columns involved in the operation, as well as the relative cardinality of each column with respect to the other columns in the operation. In addition, the estimate incorporates the use of table filters when indicated such that table filters are applied prior to determining the size of the tables in the operation, as well as including equivalent columns into the list of columns that are a part of the Group-By operation. Accordingly, the estimate of the result size of the operation includes influencing factors that provide an accurate estimation of system memory requirements. |
| US08290929B2 |
Media enhancement mechanism using embed code
A method to provide additional media objects for data objects containing one or more existing media objects is described. The existing media object is analyzed to determine additional related media available on the network, and the data object description is augmented with metadata to identify the additional media in an enhanced data object description. When the enhanced data object is rendered, the metadata facilitates incorporation of additional media objects in the displayed page. |
| US08290927B2 |
Method and apparatus for rating user generated content in search results
Generally, a method and apparatus provides for rating user generated content (UGC) with respect to search engine results. The method and apparatus includes recognizing a UGC data field collected from a web document located at a web location. The method and apparatus calculates: a document goodness factor for the web document; an author rank for an author of the UGC data field; and a location rank for web location. The method and apparatus thereby generates a rating factor for the UGC field based on the document goodness factor, the author rank and the location rank. The method and apparatus also outputs a search result that includes the UGC data field positioned in the search results based on the rating factor. |
| US08290917B2 |
Reordering of data elements in a data parallel system
A query that identifies an input data source is received. The input data source is partitioned into a plurality of partitions. Each of the partitions includes a set of data elements with an associated set of indices for indicating an ordering of the data elements. A query type for a query operator in the received query is identified. It is determined whether a reordering of data elements will be performed based on the identified query type. The data elements in at least one of the partitions are reordered when it is determined based on the identified query type that reordering will be performed. |
| US08290915B2 |
Retrieval and recovery of data chunks from alternate data stores in a deduplicating system
One aspect of the present invention includes retrieving and recovering data chunks from alternate data stores in a storage management system which utilizes deduplication. In one embodiment, deduplication information for data chunks of data objects is stored at a system-wide level to enable the transfer and access of data chunks stored among multiple storage pools. When a data object is accessed on a first storage pool that contains damaged or inaccessible data chunks, the undamaged and accessible chunks may be retrieved from the first storage pool, in addition to retrieving an undamaged copy of the damaged or inaccessible data chunks from alternate data storage pools. Thus, a complete data object can be retrieved or recovered with a combination of chunks from the first storage pool and other storage pools within the storage management system, without requiring the entire data object to be retrieved from a backup source. |
| US08290914B2 |
System of and method for proximal record recapture without the need for human interaction
Disclosed is a system for, and method of, determining whether records and entity representations should be delinked. The system and method need no human interaction in order to calculate internal match scores by considering data associated with an entity representation and external match scores by considering data external to the entity representation. The system and method uses the internal match scores and external match scores to make the delinking decisions. |
| US08290912B1 |
Endpoint virtualization aware backup
A system and method for efficiently utilizing endpoint virtualization information during backup operations. A computer system includes a backup server that permits the identification, browsing and selecting of files within virtual layers. Examples of virtual layers comprise at least a user data layer, an applications layer, and an operating system layer. Backup messages are sent to a corresponding client computer to backup the selected files or layers. The client computer includes a virtualization agent configured to manage one or more virtual layers in the client. In response to determining the selected data corresponds to a virtual layer of the one or more virtual layers, a backup agent in the client is configured to communicate with the virtualization agent in order to identify one or more files that correspond to the virtual layer, retrieve the one or more files, and send the one or more files to the backup server. The backup server is further able to create a different backup schedule for each virtual layer. Also, during an incremental backup of data in a virtual layer, the client computer is configured to ignore files outside of the virtual layer. |
| US08290907B2 |
Method and system for efficiently reducing graphical display data for transmission over a low bandwidth transport protocol mechanism
The present invention improves the performance of distributed systems by reducing the amount of graphical data transmitted between an application server and a thin client. The encoding technique used for graphical data is adapted in response to the repetitiveness of the graphical data during a particular client-server session. Indexes are maintained that are indicative of this repetitiveness and which identify a particular location in the client's cache memory storing the graphical data. Where the index is not found, but a fuzzy key indicates a strong likelihood that the graphical object is located at the client, the client's persistent storage memory is searched for a file name corresponding to the fuzzy key and which stores the graphical object therein. |
| US08290903B2 |
Updating a portable communication device with media files
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a system for updating a portable communication device from a media file server. The device automatically orders updating of the media files in a file storage based on detecting the processing of a number of media files and types of possible wireless connections between device and server. In doing this the device removes processed media files, determines an updating volume based on the available storage space in the file storage, requests a transfer of new media files from the server to the device, receives new media files replacing removed media files and stores them in the file storage. The server has a media file archive comprising a number of media files and an archive control unit, which receives the request for transfer, selects new media files that fit into the updating volume and sends them to the device. |
| US08290897B1 |
System integrator and method for mapping dynamic COBOL constructs to object instances for the automatic integration to object-oriented computing systems
A system integrator for modeling an object instance of a COBOL data set, the object instance including representations of OCCURS DEPENDING ON clauses or REDEFINE clauses. The system comprises a client interface module, an import module, an object model module and modeler module. The client interface module generates an interface and receives a copybook selection and a set of REDEFINE criteria. The import module receives the copybook selection and imports a copybook from a database. The object model module receives the copybook and the set of REDEFINE criteria, and creates a customized object model for the copybook. The modeler module receives the customized object model and a set of COBOL data, and forms an object instance equivalent to the set of COBOL data, the object instance including representations of a OCCURS DEPENDING ON clause or REDEFINE clause. |
| US08290890B2 |
System and method for automating proactive communication
A system and method for automating proactive communication. The information for the desired contacts may be accepted from a user. A selection of contact communication frequency preferences may be received from a user. An automatic communication to one of the desired contacts may be initiated. The user may be allowed to cancel the automatic communication, in response to receiving a notification that the communication is about to begin. A response indicative of the communication status may be received. Rules and preferences may be optimized based upon the received response. |
| US08290888B1 |
System and method for facilitating and evaluating user thinking about an arbitrary problem using archetype process
The present invention provides systems and methods for guiding user development and documentation of thinking about an arbitrary problem according to exemplary approaches used by expert problem solvers. |
| US08290881B2 |
Computer-implemented method and apparatus to allocate revenue from a derived digital component
A computer-implemented hierarchical revenue model to manage revenue allocations among derived product developers in a networked system. The model includes providing a first revenue value associated with a first digital component, providing a second revenue value associated with a second digital component, and combining the first revenue value with a second revenue value to produce a third revenue value associated with the second digital component, the second digital component including at least a portion, of the first digital component. |
| US08290879B2 |
System and method for enabling a fundraising and contributions program using fundraising cards redeemable for branded stored-value cards
Disclosed is a system and method for enabling a fundraising program using fundraising cards redeemable by not-for-profit organization (“NPO”) supporters for branded stored-value cards. The system includes a scrip company host system having a server, where the server includes a microcontroller. A remote user device, having a display, is operatively coupled to the scrip company host system and configured to enable access to the scrip company web site. The microcontroller is adapted to detect access to the scrip company web site by a NPO, and cause the plurality of fundraising cards to be distributed to the NPO in response to detecting an order for the plurality of fundraising cards by the NPO. The fundraising cards are distributed to the NPO prior to receiving payment from the NPO for the fundraising cards, thereby making it unnecessary for the NPO to carry a paid-for inventory of fundraising cards. |
| US08290873B2 |
Synchronizing multiple playback device timing utilizing DRM encoding
A system and method are provided for synchronizing playback of media content on multiple playback devices utilizing Digital Rights Management (DRM) encoding. In general, multiple playback devices or users of those playback devices are associated to form a virtual group. A virtual group (VG) control function operates to synchronize advertisement (ad) slots within media content provided to the playback devices in the virtual group utilizing DRM encoding. |
| US08290872B2 |
Apparatus and method for protecting transmission of communication content
An apparatus and method are disclosed for protecting the transmission of communication content transmitted between client and server, where a server comprises an application program which delivers a key distribution command if a request for content is received from a client, and transmits the content to the client if key distribution is completed. An encryption key management module creates and provides an encryption key. A near field communication (NFC) module performs key distribution by transmitting the encryption key created in the encryption key management module to a near field communication (NFC) module of the client. An encryption/decryption module encrypts the contents by using the encryption key. A Bluetooth module transmits the encrypted contents to a Bluetooth module of the client. |
| US08290871B1 |
Systems and methods for a secure recording environment
Systems and methods are disclosed for providing secure, captured data in a customer center. In one embodiment, the method comprises: capturing data with a recording system; receiving a request to retrieve electronic keys for encrypting the data; responsive to receiving the request, transmitting the electronic keys to the recording system; encrypting the data using the electronic keys; associating the electronic keys with the encrypted data; and storing the encrypted data in the recording system. |
| US08290870B2 |
Method and device for exchanging values between personal portable electronic entities
A method and a portable electronic device enables a debitor to transfer a monetary or other amount to a creditor, in particular via a near-field wireless communication module. After receiving information for authenticating the debitor via the communication module and after receiving data linked to the monetary or other amount, a transaction request including the data is created and sent. The transaction request is advantageously sent via a mobile telephone network or via a data communication network. |
| US08290869B2 |
Automated teller machine system and method and relay center
Automated teller machine systems and methods for reducing system development efforts by financial institutions and for providing a financial transaction system that is adapted for using one or more common ATMs. In addition, systems and methods to simplify settlement processing of transactions based on ATMs of each financial institution. ATMs and center systems of financial institutions are dissociated from each other, and a relay center intervenes between them. |
| US08290866B1 |
Family purchase card for developing financial management skills
Strategies, tools and techniques for establishing family purchase cards for customers of a financial institution are disclosed. The family purchase card may be established for a principal owner of a family in association with a household account held at the financial institution. The family purchase card may include a total purchase limit that can be allocated among one or more secondary purchase cards associated with various cardholders within the family. Different parameters may be configured for the secondary purchase cards, such as purchase limits, billing arrangements, activation or deactivation rules, and financial development milestone rules. The family purchase card may promote development of financial management skills and fiscal responsibility for various members of the family. |
| US08290855B2 |
Controlling an order slicer for trading a financial instrument
In one aspect, the present invention provides an order slicer that receives an order that to trade a financial instrument. The order associates a trading strategy with said order. The trading strategy is replaceable. In another aspect, an interface accepts a trading strategy of an order to trade a financial instrument. A transmitter transmits the trading strategy to an order slicer. |
| US08290853B2 |
System, method, and program product for foreign currency travel account
Systems, program product, and methods for securing or procuring destination currency funds for a traveler to be used for travel in a destination country commencing at a scheduled future travel date, are provided. A system can include a domestic financial institution server including foreign destination currency transaction account program product. The system provides for establishing an interest-bearing foreign destination currency transaction account having a user-selected maturity date coinciding with a preselected travel date, and near, but prior to the preselected travel date, providing to the traveler a travel debit card having access to the balance of foreign destination currency funds including both principal and accrued interest. |
| US08290852B2 |
Model-based selection of trade execution strategies
Effective selection of trade execution strategies using a multi-dimensional model is disclosed. A relationship exists between order difficulty and execution strategy. Execution strategy depends on order difficulty, and order difficulty has many dimensions. The multi-dimensional model classifies trade orders according to the dimensions, and then maps these classified trade orders into suitable execution strategies. For each trade order, one or more appropriate strategies are automatically selected and presented to the trader to assist the trader in making an informed and timely decision. |
| US08290850B1 |
System and method for optimizing the frequency of market information updates in an electronic trading environment
A system and method for optimizing the frequency of market information updates in an electronic trading environment are described herein. According to one example embodiment, by optimizing the frequency of market information updates, the burden on the client device to update the graphical user interface may be reduced, while still providing an accurate portrayal of the market to the user. An example method includes associating different precedence levels with messages comprising market information. Messages containing market information related to the inside market may be associated to a higher precedence level. Whereas messages containing market information relating to the quantities at prices outside the inside market may be associated with a lower precedence level. Based on the precedence level associated with a message, a client device may update the graphical user interface or the message may be stored in a data structure until a pre-defined condition is satisfied. |
| US08290848B2 |
System and method for establishing an index for spectrum used to support wireless communications
Disclosed are a system, a computer readable medium and a method for determining a spectrum index value as a function of financial data for a plurality of selected publically traded companies and spectrum-related data for the selected companies. |
| US08290845B2 |
System and method for presenting quasi-periodic activity
Systems and methods for presenting fraud detection information are presented. In one example, a computer system analyzes empirical data to detect potentially fraudulent activity and alerts users of the potentially fraudulent activity via a fraud detection user interface. The fraud detection user interface determines a set of user interface components to suitable to present the potentially fraudulent activity and presents facts associated with the potentially fraudulent activity to a user for further analysis and investigation. |
| US08290844B2 |
Life insurance cooperative
A method and computing system that receives a payment for each participant in a group of participants, and associates the payments with a time period to create a fund for the time period. The method identifies deceased participants in the group of participants who died during the time period, calculates a portion of the fund to disburse to each deceased participant; and disburses the portion of the fund to each deceased participant. When the participant is one of the deceased participants, the portion of the fund to disburse to the participant is a death benefit for the participant. |
| US08290843B2 |
Managing an investment vehicle
A method for managing an investment vehicle. The investment vehicle issues multiple debt instruments to a plurality of investors. The debt instruments have different liability characteristics. The proceeds of the debt instruments are invested in assets. From time to time, liabilities on the debt instruments and the credit quality of the assets is reevaluated, to ensure that the cash flows generated by the portfolio, disregarding fair market value of the assets, will be sufficient to pay timely principal and interest on the liabilities based on the evaluation criteria of two different rating agencies. In response to the reevaluating, the capital structure of the investment vehicle is adjusted to maintain a desired agency rating for the debt instruments. |
| US08290842B2 |
Managing and validating a benefits plan
Systems and methods provide a tabular interface for validating and analyzing a benefits plan. The tabular interface illustrates how various parts of a benefits plan may be configured or must be configured, and shows the relationships between those elements. One embodiment allows benefits plan administrators to easily and quickly understand the different elements that need to be created, which elements are mandatory, and where these elements should be linked together. Thus, a starting point is provided to users to analyze what elements should be created to meet plan requirements, and how these elements should be configured. |
| US08290841B2 |
System and method for automatically generating suggested entries for policy sets with incomplete coverage
A system and method for determining policy coverage and generating a suggested policy for gaps in the policy coverage includes determining policy coverage for one or more policies in a policy coverage space and determining regions uncovered by the policy coverage in the policy coverage space. Suggested policies are generated to cover the regions uncovered by the policy coverage. The policy coverage is supplemented with the suggested polices to complete coverage of a policy set. |
| US08290840B2 |
Method for determining insurance benefits and premiums from dynamic credit information
Methods for obtaining credit life insurance for an individual via a service organization are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of: 1) registering the individual with the service organization via a computer system in a computer network; 2) accessing credit information on the individual via the computer system in the computer network and determining the total debt of the individual; 3) determining the amount of debt to be covered by credit life insurance benefits; 4) creating a data base including insurance companies that provide credit life insurance benefits, the data base further including the premiums that the insurance companies charge for issuing their credit life insurance; 5) selecting specific coverage with required specific premiums; 6) obtaining the individual's approval of the required specific premiums via the computer system in the computer network; and 7) obtaining credit life insurance benefits for the individual. |
| US08290829B1 |
Methods and apparatus for intelligent selection of goods and services in telephonic and electronic commerce
Providing offers of an item constituting a good or a service to users of a system, utilizing an electronic communications device, comprises at least the following: establishing a communication via the electronic communications device between a given user and the system for purpose of a primary transaction for a first good or service, obtaining primary transaction data with respect to the primary transaction, including the purpose of the primary transaction, obtaining the identity of the given user, utilizing at least in part the primary transaction data including the purpose of the primary transaction and the identity of the user, and determining at least one item for offer to the given user, and offering the item to the given user. |
| US08290827B2 |
Method, medium, and system of presenting assets related to media content
In a particular embodiment, a method of presenting assets related to media content includes receiving data indicating a selection of a selectable trigger from a destination device and identifying video content associated with the selectable trigger. The method further includes providing an electronic storefront to the destination device in response to the data indicating the selection of the selectable trigger. A plurality of assets related to the video content can be purchased via the electronic storefront. The plurality of assets includes at least a first asset type and a second asset type. |
| US08290826B2 |
Method, medium, and system for operating a gender neutral gift registry
The illustrative embodiments described herein provide a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for delivering a selected gender specific baby registry gift. A baby registry profile is created in response to receiving registration information from a registrant. The baby registry profile is populated with a set of baby registry gifts selected by the registrant. The set of baby registry gifts includes one or more pairs of gender specific baby registry gifts. In response to receiving a gender notification from a gender notification entity, a selected gender specific baby registry gift is identified from the one or more pairs of gender specific baby registry gifts. The selected gender specific registry gift is delivered for the registrant. |
| US08290821B2 |
Service method and apparatus for providing online integrated shopping mall
An online integrated shopping mall service system registers manufacturing/enterprises, SOHO distribution enterprises, and SOHO trade enterprises as enterprise members, provides the shopping mall with commodities, sells the commodities, and manages the sales record of the commodities. If a member is a shopping-mall founder, a sideline-person, a SOHO distribution enterprise, or a SOHO trade enterprise, the system assigns a free retail-client shopping mall to the member, such that the member sells commodities at retail in the client shopping mall, performs the shopping mall management, registers commodities as regular commodities to be sold in the client shopping mall, and assigns lower client shopping malls to others. The system assigns a specific administrator who satisfies a predetermined condition to a wholesale-qualified member capable of managing the wholesale shopping mall, assigns the wholesale shopping mall to the qualified member, and sells the commodities at wholesale. |
| US08290820B2 |
Methods of maintaining a journal of media encounters between co-existing portable devices
Creating a journal of media encounters listing media content that was previously provided to a user. Metadata describing the media encounters is used to create journal entries. The journal is presented to the user for interaction. A purchase opportunity for the media content is provided to the user based on the metadata. |
| US08290815B2 |
Image archiving and communications system
A system for facilitating the communication of images includes a central computer and at least one remote computer in communication with the central computer via a communication link. Computer executable instructions executing on the at least one remote computer automatically and without user input determine whether an image is available for download from the central computer, and if an image is available for download from the central computer, automatically and without user input download the image in the background. Additional computer executable instructions executing on the at least one remote computer, after the download of the image is completed, generate and cause to be displayed a notification that the image is ready for display. Further computer executable instructions executing on the at least one remote computer, in response to a request to display the downloaded image, cause the image to be displayed. |
| US08290808B2 |
System and method for automating customer-validated statement of work for a data storage environment
Computer systems and methods are disclosed for improving professional services delivery, such as services in a data management environment. In certain examples, computer systems comprise portals for transmitting and receiving information from parties involved in the performance and receipt of professional services. For instance, a first portal can receive data (e.g., from sales personnel) descriptive of a customer's product environment. A manager module populates a record with the data, and a second portal provides the customer with access to the record for review, correction and/or validation prior to the generation of a Statement of Work or other like project description. The second portal can also request additional information from the customer regarding the product environment. The manager module compares the data received through the first portal with the customer-entered information to identify and/or address discrepancies between the sets of data and customize the generation of the Statement of Work. |
| US08290803B2 |
Migration system and method
A migration system and method. The migration method comprises receiving a request to generate a migration plan for an entity and generating a strategic plan comprising a first procedure for transferring knowledge required for performing job functions comprised by a first set of individuals to a second set of individuals and a second procedure for defining a set of temporary individuals to perform a transition management process through the transferring. Additionally, an allocation plan and a ramping down plan are generated. The allocation plan is for allocating the set of temporary resources to the entity for the transition management process and second allocating said second set of individuals for the transferring. The ramping down plan is for ramping down to close out the set of temporary individuals based on external data. The resource migration plan is for supporting the entity and includes a procedure for allocating the second set of individuals for supporting the entity. |
| US08290802B2 |
System and method for product deployment and in-service product risk simulation
Methods and systems are provided for predicting the reliability of a plurality of products that will be deployed during a product deployment period comprising a plurality of time intervals. The method comprises retrieving historical product removal data from a product removal data source, retrieving historical product shipment data from a product shipment data source, identifying a plurality of Weibull parameters based on at least a portion of retrieved product removal data and product shipment data, and performing a plurality of product deployment simulations, wherein each product deployment simulation includes predicting a lifespan for each of the plurality of products and determining reliability metrics for uniform time intervals during the product deployment period. |
| US08290800B2 |
Probabilistic inference of site demographics from aggregate user internet usage and source demographic information
A demographic attribute value of a sink online document (such as Websites or Web pages) may be determined given a set of users who have visited at least one of the source documents and the sink document, by (a) accepting a value(s) of the demographic attribute, each of which values is associated with a source online document (where each of the source online documents has a value for the demographic attribute and has been visited by at least one user of the given set), (b) determining an estimate of the demographic attribute value of each of the users of the given set using the accepted demographic attribute value of each of the source online documents visited by the user, and (c) determining the demographic attribute value of the sink online document using the determined estimate of the demographic attribute value of each of the users of the given set. |
| US08290797B2 |
Interactive credential system and method
The interactive credential system and method has a database containing employee-employer-applicant surveyed information, industry specific criteria, such as insurance loss history and account performance, an authorization code for authorizing access to the database and a control device, operatively associated with the database, for presenting weighted scores. The system further includes a surveyed party processor operatively associated with the control device, and wherein the surveyed party processor is capable of transmitting the authorization code to view the surveyed information. The system also has a participant processor that is capable of requesting authorization to download the employee-employer-applicant information, including weighted scores computed from the system's algorithms processed from industry specific parameters. |
| US08290795B2 |
Method for using environmental classification to assist in financial management and services
Managing risks of crop production can be performed by understanding the relative performance of different agricultural inputs under the same or similar environmental conditions. In addition, managing of crop production risks can be performed by understanding variations in the performance of the same agricultural inputs over a range of environmental conditions. By being able to describe and understand these variations in performance, decisions can be made which are consistent with overall business and/or production objectives and limit risk associated with variations in environmental conditions. In addition to producers there are other stakeholders in the crop production process, such as financial institutions, insurance providers, users of crops produced, and input suppliers. These and other stakeholders can provide financial incentives to producers for managing crop production risks through use of environmental classification and/or genotype-by-environment information. |
| US08290793B2 |
Method and system for determining a risk of losses
A method and a system for determining a risk of losses, which can be implemented as a computer-implemented method and a computer system for determining for an institution the risk of losses associated with a line of business. |
| US08290792B2 |
Prescription compliance monitoring system
A method for monitoring patient compliance to medical therapy that includes repeatedly measuring therapy compliance of a patient, uploading the therapy compliance measurements to a personal computer, connecting a central server using the personal computer, sending the uploaded therapy compliance measurements from the personal computer to the central server, providing a number of predetermined compliance threshold amounts, comparing the sent therapy compliance measurements with the number of predetermined compliance thresholds corresponding to the patient, determining a need and level of intervention based on the result of the comparing and reporting the determined need for intervention to a health professional corresponding to the patient and determined level. |
| US08290787B2 |
Method for generating and transmitting prescription renewal request information
A method for providing prescription renewal request information via an electronic network. Upon receiving a request from a client for renewal request information for a particular prescriber, a report is generated containing the requested renewal request information and transmitted to the client. The transmitted report allows the client to easily review renewal request information and helps the client to manage appointments with patients whom the prescriber wishes to see. Depending on the client request, the transmitted report may be an “active renewals” page containing renewal request information regarding renewal requests that the prescriber has not reviewed, an “archived renewals” page containing renewed request information regarding renewal requests that the prescriber has reviewed, an “appointment” page containing renewal request information regarding patients with whom the prescriber wishes to make an appointment, or a “prescription detail” page containing detailed renewal request information regarding a particular renewal request. |
| US08290785B2 |
Ticket distribution system
A system is provided for facilitating the distribution of premium tickets to spectator events. The system includes a central distribution processor to which patrons are provided access for determining the availability of premium tickets and purchasing available premium tickets at a premium price. The system also includes a plurality of remote show box offices of distinct spectator events linked to the central distribution processor, the remote show box offices including interface software compatible with the central distribution processor for facilitating the uploading of relevant ticket information to the central distribution processor. The interface software further provides a user interface through which the plurality of remote show box offices selectively enter available premium ticket information which is subsequently uploaded to the central distribution processor for access and purchase by patrons. |
| US08290784B2 |
Signal processing method and program
The present invention provides a signal processing apparatus, a signal processing method and a program for outputting a high-quality coded string. A signal processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a normalization coefficient information increasing/decreasing circuit 12 for modifying normalization coefficient information of a signal component of a frame and normalization coefficient information of a primary additional signal component according to a normalization coefficient information primary increase/decrease amount, and an additional signal component normalization coefficient information increasing/decreasing circuit 14 for modifying normalization coefficient information of a secondary additional signal component, which is a copy of the primary additional signal component, according to a normalization coefficient information secondary increase/decrease amount. |
| US08290781B2 |
Computerized information presentation apparatus
A computerized information system useful for providing directions and other information to a user. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a processor and network interface and computer readable medium having at least one computer program disposed thereon, the at least one program being configured to receive inputs from the user regarding locations or entities, and provide directions and/or advertising related content. At least a portion of the information is obtained via the network interface from a remote server. |
| US08290779B2 |
System and method for providing a managed language translation service
An approach is disclosed for providing a managed language translation service. A request, from a source station, is received, at a switch, to establish a voice call with a destination station. A determination is made whether the request includes an indicator specifying invocation of a translation service managed by a service provider. If the request includes the indicator, the voice call is directed to a gateway that transmits the voice call over a data network to a translation application. The translation application translates, in real-time, speech associated with the voice call from a first language to a second language. The translated speech is transmitted to the destination station. |
| US08290778B2 |
Computerized information presentation apparatus
A computerized information apparatus useful for providing directions and other information to a user. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a processor and network interface and computer readable medium having at least one computer program disposed thereon, the at least one program being configured to receive a speech input from the user regarding an organization or entities, and provide a graphic or visual representation of the organization or entity to aid them in finding the organization or entity. At least a portion of the information is obtained via the network interface from a remote server. |
| US08290775B2 |
Pronunciation correction of text-to-speech systems between different spoken languages
Pronunciation correction for text-to-speech (TTS) systems and speech recognition (SR) systems between different languages is provided. If a word requiring pronunciation by a target language TTS or SR is from a same language as the target language, but is not found in a lexicon of words from the target language, a letter-to-speech (LTS) rules set of the target language is used to generate a letter-to-speech output for the word for use by the TTS or SR configured according to the target language. If the word is from a different language as the target language, phonemes comprising the word according to its native language are mapped to phonemes of the target language. The phoneme mapping is used by the TTS or SR configured according to the target language for generating or recognizing an audible form of the word according to the target language. |
| US08290769B2 |
Vocal and instrumental audio effects
Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for producing audio and/or visual effects according to a correlation between reference data and estimated note data derived from an input acoustic audio waveform. Some embodiments calculate a pitch score as a function of a pitch estimate derived from the input waveform, a reference pitch, and a real-time-adjustable pitch gating window. Other embodiments calculate the pitch score as a function of pitch and timing estimates derived from the input waveform, reference pitch and note timing data, an adjustable rhythm gating window, and an adjustable pitch gating window. The audio and/or visual effects are produced according to the pitch score, and may be used to generate outputs (e.g., in real time) for affecting a live performance, an audio mix, a video gaming environment, an educational feedback environment, etc. |
| US08290768B1 |
System and method for determining a set of attributes based on content of communications
A system and method for determining a set of attributes to a communication includes a decision engine, a monitoring module, and application software. The decision engine receives communications and assigns a set of attributes to each received communication. Each communication and associated set of attributes is sent to the communication's corresponding application which processes the set of attributes for performing an action, such as display. The monitoring module monitors an item selected by the system user. The monitoring module may feed the selected item and associated communication back to the decision module. The decision engine may process the feedback on-line or in real-time. The decision module is a learning system that updates classification criteria using feedback. Classification scores associated with each set of attributes may represent an estimate of the statistical likelihood that each attribute is the proper response to the communication. |
| US08290761B1 |
Method and apparatus for rapidly modeling and simulating intra-die statistical variations in integrated circuits using compressed parameter models
A method and system for rapidly modeling and simulating intra-die variations in an integrated circuit are disclosed. In one embodiment, each logic gate in an integrated circuit has a characteristic to be simulated, where the characteristic of the gate is a function of one or more parameters having intra-die variations. For each parameter, a model of intra-die variation of the parameter is generated such that a number of random variables in the model is compressed to a reduced number (r) of random variables based on a spatial correlation of the intra-die variation of the parameter. Then, using a Quasi Monte Carlo (QMC) technique, the integrated circuit is simulated based on the model of the intra-die variation of each of the one or more parameters. |
| US08290760B2 |
Charge-based circuit analysis
A solution for analyzing a circuit using initial charge information is provided. In particular, one or more nodes in a design for the circuit is initialized with an initial charge. The charge can comprise a non-equilibrium charge, thereby simulating the history effect, the impact of a charged particle, electro-static discharge (ESD), and/or the like. Operation of the circuit is then simulated over a set of input cycles based on the initial charge(s). To this extent, the non-equilibrium initial condition solution enables the state of the circuit to be controlled and solves the initial system based on these values. This capability is very useful to condition the circuit at a worst-case, best-case, and/or the like, status. Further, in one embodiment of the invention, a set of equations are provided to implement the non-equilibrium initial charge analysis, which provide a more efficient initialization of the circuit than current solutions. |
| US08290759B1 |
Negative bias temperature instability in dynamic operation of an integrated circuit
A method of determining a Negative Bias Temperature Instability (NBTI) effect that combines degradation and recovery for dynamic operation of an integrated circuit (IC) includes: specifying one or more parameters for a degradation model for the IC during a stressed portion of a voltage cycle; specifying one or more parameters for a recovery model for the IC during an unstressed portion of the voltage cycle; determining a degradation value for the voltage cycle from the degradation model; determining a recovery value for the voltage cycle from the recovery model; determining an NBTI value that combines the degradation value and the recovery value for the voltage cycle; and saving at least one value for the NBTI value. |
| US08290758B2 |
Dynamically predicting simulation fidelity in a self-optimized simulation of a complex system
Mechanisms are provided for controlling a fidelity of a simulation of a system. A model of the system is received, where the model has a plurality of individual components of the system. Fidelity values are assigned to models of the individual components of the system and a simulation of the system is executed using the model of the system and the models of the individual components of the system. The simulation comprises a plurality of transactions targeting a receiver component. A history of mismatches between a fidelity value associated with the receiver component and required fidelity values of the plurality of transactions targeting the receiver component is maintained. A prediction of a fidelity value to be assigned to the receiver component based on the history of mismatches is performed. A fidelity value of the receiver component is adjusted based on results of predicting the fidelity value to be assigned to the receiver component. |
| US08290757B2 |
Method, system and computer readable media for deforming simulation meshes used in posing animated characters
Systems and methods for simulating ballistic motion on an animated object by continuously defining rest poses of the animation object in a motion simulator. Tetrahedral finite element simulation may be used with control mechanisms that target the simulation pose towards the animation. A simulation mesh is generated for two or more animated poses based on a first simulation mesh corresponding to a first pose of the animated object. The simulation meshes of the two or more animated poses are provided to a simulator for use by the simulator such that in the absence of external force and acceleration the simulator output approximates the animated poses. Embodiments of the present invention are particularly useful for fleshy, blobby animation objects such as human characters, although the techniques can be used for other objects having different characteristics. |
| US08290753B2 |
Materials-based failure analysis in design of electronic devices, and prediction of operating life
The technology includes methods, a system, and a computer readable medium for predicting the time to failure of an electronic component, by generating a finite element model of the component, developing a microstructure-based failure model for each representative volume element associated with each node in the finite element model, and calculating a time to failure of the component from the shortest predicted time to failure of any node when a value of a stress variable is applied to the microstructure-based failure model of each node. The technology further includes methods, system, and a medium programmed to predict failure of a system that includes an electronic component, based on predicting time to failure of the component. |
| US08290750B1 |
Signal detect for high-speed serial interface
Signal detection circuitry for a serial interface oversamples the input—i.e., samples the input multiple times per clock cycle—so that the likelihood of missing a signal is reduced. Sampling may be done with a regenerative latch which has a large bandwidth and can latch a signal at high speed. The amplitude threshold for detection may be programmable, particularly in a programmable device. Thus, between the use of a regenerative latch which is likely to catch any signal that might be present, and the use of oversampling to avoid the problem of sampling at the wrong time, the likelihood of failing to detect a signal is greatly diminished. Logic, such as a state machine, may be used to determine whether the samples captured s do or do not represent a signal. That logic may be programmable, allowing a user to set various parameters for signal detection. |
| US08290749B2 |
Signal-processing method for use in a force-measuring device and force-measuring device
A method, an arrangement and a program process a measurement signal generated in a measurement transducer of an electronic force-measuring device, particularly a balance. The generated measurement signal corresponds to the force acting on the transducer. The measurement signal is entered directly or by way of a pre-processing stage into a display function which assigns corresponding output values to the values of the measurement signal. The output values are subsequently presented in a display or passed on for further processing. The input range of the display function contains a capture range, so that the values of the measurement signal that lie within the capture range are assigned a common output value by the display function, and the position of the capture range within the input range is controlled dependent on the generated measurement signal. |
| US08290747B2 |
Structural damage detection and analysis system
A system for electronically recording an event that provides mechanical energy to a structure includes the structure and an event sensing and recording node. The event sensing and recording node is mounted on the structure and includes a sensor and a first electronic memory. The sensor includes a device for converting the mechanical energy into an electrical signal. The first electronic memory uses energy derived from the electrical signal for electronically recording the event. All energy for sensing the event and recording the event in the first electronic memory is derived from the mechanical energy. |
| US08290741B2 |
Fusing multi-sensor data sets according to relative geometrical relationships
In particular embodiments, fusing multi-sensor data sets includes receiving a first sensor data set and a second sensor data set generated in response to sensing a structure. The sensor data sets describe structural features of the structure. First delta vector sets are generated for the first sensor data set, and second delta vector sets are generated for the second sensor data set. Each delta vector set comprises delta vectors indicating relative geometrical relationships between a structural feature and other structural features. Association scores are determined for delta pairs comprising a first delta vector set and a second delta vector set. Same feature delta pairs are identified according to the association scores. A same feature delta vector set comprises a delta pair corresponding to the same structural feature. |
| US08290738B2 |
Low power scan testing techniques and apparatus
Disclosed below are representative embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems used to reduce power consumption during integrated circuit testing. Embodiments of the disclosed technology can be used to provide a low power test scheme and can be integrated with a variety of compression hardware architectures (e.g., an embedded deterministic test (“EDT”) architecture). Among the disclosed embodiments are integrated circuits having programmable test stimuli selectors, programmable scan enable circuits, programmable clock enable circuits, programmable shift enable circuits, and/or programmable reset enable circuits. Exemplary test pattern generation methods that can be used to generate test patterns for use with any of the disclosed embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US08290737B2 |
Testing of an electronics module
A method of testing an electronics module (11) for an underwater well installation, comprises the steps of: providing a test equipment (7) comprising a processor (8) and a Local Area Network (LAN) switch (9), such that the processor (8) may communicate with the switch (9); providing an electronics module (11) comprising a data acquisition means (12) and a second LAN switch (10), such that the data acquisition means (12) may communicate with the second switch (10); passing test data from the processor (8) to the data acquisition means (12) via the first and second LAN switches (9, 10); and monitoring the response of the electronics module (11) in response to the test data. |
| US08290735B2 |
Test apparatus and test method for universal serial bus interface
A test apparatus for testing USB interfaces of an electronic device. The test apparatus includes a number of USB interfaces connected to the USB interfaces of the electronic device via cables respectively, to communicate with the electronic device. A memory stores a special file, to note phrases generated during test. A single-chip is connected to the number of USB interfaces, a power switch, and the memory, and stores a preset phrase. When the power switch is turned on, the single-chip writes a ready phrase in the special file, when one of the USB interfaces of the electronic device passes test, the single-chip reads a test phrase from the special file and writes a test finish phrase in the special file and controls the test apparatus to test a next USB interface of the USB interfaces of the electronic device. |
| US08290733B2 |
Modular calibration
A modular calibration method for a CMM, comprising preliminary calibration steps of several components prior to its mounting. The preliminary calibration steps yield specific mapping information for each calibrated component, which are then stored into map files generated and associated to the calibrated components. A final alignment takes place after once the CMM is mounted, which processes mapping information gathered during the preliminary calibration steps. |
| US08290732B2 |
Absolute type linear encoder and method for adjusting position thereof
An absolute type linear encoder includes: a scale including a plurality of tracks including a high-order and low-order tracks; and a detection head configured to detect a relative position to the scale; and a processing circuit configured to obtain the number of cycles of the low-order track by using a correction value obtained per correction pitch, the width of which is wider than the detection pitch, based on an error between tracks produced by a difference between the position of the high-order track to the detection head and the position of the low-order track thereto, output values of the high-order track and the low-order track, and a cyclic ratio of the low-order track to the high-order track, and obtain the position of the detection head to the scale based on the number of the cycles and the output value of the low-order track. |
| US08290730B2 |
Systems and methods for assessing measurements in physiological monitoring devices
Methods and systems are provided for deriving and analyzing shape metrics, including skewness metrics, from physiological signals and their derivatives to determine measurement quality, patient status and operating conditions of a physiological measurement device. Such determinations may be used for any number of functions, including indicating to a patient or care provider that the measurement quality is low or unacceptable, alerting a patient or care provider to a change in patient status, triggering or delaying a recalibration of a monitoring device, and adjusting the operating parameters of a monitoring system. |
| US08290729B2 |
Low voltage differential signaling timing test system and method
In a low voltage differential signal (LVDS) timing test system and method, a clock signal waveform and a data signal waveform are obtained. Clock cycles are selected from the clock signal waveform. Data bits transmitted within the selected clock cycles are identified from the data signal waveform. Accordingly, bit positions of the data bits are determined. |
| US08290725B2 |
Synchronized reconfiguration of measurement modules
Configuring at least one radio frequency (RF) instrument according to a plurality of RF measurement configurations for performing a plurality of tests on a device under test (DUT). A list of RF measurement configurations may be stored in a computer memory. The list of RF measurement configurations comprises a plurality of parameters for configuring operation of the at least one instrument. Information regarding the list of RF measurement configurations (e.g., a data stream) may be provided to the at least one RF instrument. The at least one RF instrument may perform the plurality of tests on the DUT, including the at least one RF instrument configuring itself according to the RF measurement configurations based on processing of the information. Configuring enables the at least one RF instrument to perform the plurality of tests on the DUT in a deterministic manner. |
| US08290721B2 |
Flow measurement diagnostics
A flow meter for measuring flow of a process fluid includes a sensor configured to provide a sensor output signal. The sensor output signal is related to flow of the process fluid. Circuitry in the flow meter is configured to determine a statistical parameter related to sensor output signal. Diagnostic circuitry provides a diagnostic output based upon the determined statistical parameter and the sensor output signal. |
| US08290718B2 |
Bridge monitoring and safety evaluation method using a vibration technique
The invention relates bridge structure safety evaluation technology by means of combining vibration measuring and structural model analysis techniques for bridge erosion evaluation and pre-warning monitoring applications. This technology can also be applied for long-term bridge structure monitoring and safety evaluation as well as judgment and evaluation of rail structure abnormality. |
| US08290711B2 |
Method of estimating the fracture density in a rock medium
The invention is a method of constructing a three-dimensional fracture density log of a porous formation traversed by fractures and a borehole. A number N of intersections between the fractures and the borehole is measured over a section of the borehole of length L located at a depth d, from observations of the wall of this section. A conditional probability law of the three-dimensional fracture density is then estimated, knowing the number N of intersections. The value of the three-dimensional fracture density at depth d is determined by calculating the mean of this conditional probability law. Finally, the three-dimensional fracture density log is constructed by repeating the previous stages for different depths. A three-dimensional fracture density uncertainty log can also be associated by calculating quantiles of the conditional probability law. |
| US08290709B2 |
System and method for identifying individual loads of chopped forage in storage
A system and methods for identifying individual loads of chopped forage in storage. Thus the field factors of crop, soil and harvest conditions that affect feeding quality or a quality analysis of the load can be associated with the forage as it is removed from storage and fed to livestock. |
| US08290696B1 |
Air traffic management evaluation tool
Methods for evaluating and implementing air traffic management tools and approaches for managing and avoiding an air traffic incident before the incident occurs. A first system receives parameters for flight plan configurations (e.g., initial fuel carried, flight route, flight route segments followed, flight altitude for a given flight route segment, aircraft velocity for each flight route segment, flight route ascent rate, flight route descent route, flight departure site, flight departure time, flight arrival time, flight destination site and/or alternate flight destination site), flight plan schedule, expected weather along each flight route segment, aircraft specifics, airspace (altitude) bounds for each flight route segment, navigational aids available. The invention provides flight plan routing and direct routing or wind optimal routing, using great circle navigation and spherical Earth geometry. The invention provides for aircraft dynamics effects, such as wind effects at each altitude, altitude changes, airspeed changes and aircraft turns to provide predictions of aircraft trajectory (and, optionally, aircraft fuel use). A second system provides several aviation applications using the first system. Several classes of potential incidents are analyzed and averted, by appropriate change en route of one or more parameters in the flight plan configuration, as provided by a conflict detection and resolution module and/or traffic flow management modules. These applications include conflict detection and resolution, miles-in trail or minutes-in-trail aircraft separation, flight arrival management, flight re-routing, weather prediction and analysis and interpolation of weather variables based upon sparse measurements. The invention combines these features to provide an aircraft monitoring system and an aircraft user system that interact and negotiate changes with each other. |
| US08290689B2 |
Variable exhaust brake control via turbine vane positioning
A control system comprising a brake torque determination module that determines a desired brake torque and a vane position determination module that determines a vane position based on an engine speed and the desired brake torque, and that adjusts the vane position to a position between an open position and a closed position. A method comprising determining a desired brake torque, determining a vane position based on an engine speed and the desired brake torque, and adjusting the vane position to a position between an open position and a closed position. |
| US08290688B2 |
Exhaust gas oxygen sensor diagnostic method and apparatus
An internal combustion engine includes an exhaust system, an oxygen sensor in the exhaust system and a sensor malfunction monitor. In order to maintain operation during a fuel cut-off situation, the sensor malfunction monitor is arranged to control the fuel cut-off sequencing. |
| US08290687B2 |
Procedure for determining the injected fuel mass of a single injection and device for implementing the procedure
A method for determining a fuel mass of a single injection that has been injected into at least one combustion chamber of a combustion engine with at least one injection under high pressure. The method includes determining a correction variable for the single injection with the aid of a comparison of a measure for the actual amount of the injected fuel of at least one test injection, which takes place due to a measure for a default nominal amount of a desired single injection, and a measure for the nominal amount of the test injection. The method additionally includes executing a plurality of timely directly successive test injections. |
| US08290683B2 |
Apparatus and method for reducing aircraft fuel consumption
A method and apparatus for improving fuel efficiency in an aircraft having a digital avionics system and at least first and second engines. The avionics system includes first and second full-authority digital engine control (FADEC) systems and corresponding first and second engines. At least one processor is provided that is programmed with a differential specific fuel consumption (DSFC) algorithm and first and second engine optimization algorithms. The DSFC algorithm adjusts the throttle of the first and second engines to substantially equalize the differential specific fuel consumption of the engines and thereby improve the fuel efficiency of the aircraft. The first and second engine optimization algorithms adjust at least one operating parameter of the first and second engines respectively to improve the fuel efficiency of the first and second engines. |
| US08290679B2 |
Electrically controlled brake system
An electrically controlled brake system for a tractor is provided that is equipped with an anti-jackknifing brake that can be actuated by means of a manual operating element and that acts only on the brakes of a trailer coupled to the tractor. The operating element is an electrical element which generates an electrical signal to control a valve device by means of which the braking force of the anti-jackknifing brake can be increased. |
| US08290676B2 |
Method of controlling a vehicle brake with torque correction
The invention relates to a method of controlling a vehicle brake that is adapted to exert a braking force in response to an actuation setpoint, the method comprising the following steps: from a braking setpoint, determining a nominal actuation setpoint for the brake actuator, taking account of all of the components of the braking setpoint; from the same braking setpoint, and from a measurement of the torque developed by the brake, determining a correction for the nominal actuation setpoint, this correction taking account only of low-frequency variations in the braking setpoint; and adding the correction to the nominal setpoint. |
| US08290668B2 |
Control apparatus and method for automatic transmission
A control apparatus includes a shift-pressure learning correction controlling section configured to perform a shift-pressure learning correction in which a physical quantity representing a progress of shift is measured at a time of a current downshift, and in which an engagement command pressure for a friction element is corrected at a time of a next downshift on the basis of a divergence between the measured physical quantity and a target physical quantity; a shift-torque increase controlling section configured to perform a torque increase control in which a command for temporarily increasing torque of a drive source starts to be outputted when a start estimation timing of torque phase has just come during a transition period given between start and end of the downshift; and a learning convergence judging section configured to judge whether the shift-pressure learning correction has converged. |
| US08290666B2 |
Method and system for controlling a vehicle engine during performance driving events
A system and method for controlling a vehicle engine during one or more performance driving events, such as a performance takeoff, shifting or cornering event. The engine control system may be used to maintain stability when the vehicle is being driven in a competitive or aggressive fashion by temporarily controlling the vehicle engine through the manipulation of engine torque, engine speed or some other means. If the engine control system receives competing command signals from different vehicle subsystems, then the system may arbitrate or otherwise manage the competing command signals so that different subsystems can function together properly. In one embodiment, the engine control system blends the commands signals from two or more subsystems. |
| US08290664B2 |
Method and device for measuring the angular position, between two steering lock stops on a vehicle steering wheel
A method and a device for measuring the angular position, between two steering locks, of a steering wheel of a vehicle, includes equipping the vehicle with a main gearing (4, 5) designed, once the vehicle has started, to make it possible to calculate the absolute angular position of the steering wheel from data provided by a first angular sensor (15) associated with this main gearing. According to the invention, the vehicle is additionally equipped with an auxiliary gearing composed of one of the gearwheels (5) of the main gearing, of a third gearwheel (8), and of intermediate elements (6, 7, 9) for sequentially driving the third gearwheel (8) that are able to make it possible, upon starting of the vehicle, to measure the angular position of the third gearwheel (8) via a second angular sensor (16) associated with this gearwheel. |
| US08290659B2 |
Information updating method of vehicle-mounted control apparatus, update information communication system, vehicle-mounted control apparatus, and information management base station apparatus
When an updating event occurs, an information management base station unit inquires all the vehicles under its management about the presence or absence of vehicle-mounted control units to be updated. Based on replies from the individual vehicles, the information management base station unit selects the vehicles to be updated, and then it automatically updates them via wireless communication. |
| US08290654B2 |
Method for interrupting the force flux in the drive train of a vehicle in the event of a crash
A method is provided for interrupting the force flux in the drive train of a vehicle in the event of a crash. The method includes disconnecting an electric machine, which is provided in the drive train, from a driven axle. In the event of a crash an automatic transmission (G) that is arranged in the drive train between the electric machine (EM) and a driven axle (A) is shifted into a neutral position. |
| US08290653B2 |
Powertrain with multiple, selectable power sources
A hybrid engine control system for use with a vehicle or other load which employs a motor/generator unit connected through controllable couplers to a kinetic energy storage device and to one or more internal combustion engine modules in a programmed manner. Several embodiments provide varying configurations to satisfy various power and packaging design requirements. |
| US08290650B2 |
Hybrid vehicle, control method for hybrid vehicle and computer-readable recording medium to record program for making computer execute control method
A temperature sensor detects a temperature of a fuel pipe for supplying fuel from a fuel tank to an engine. A HV-ECU controls switching of a traveling mode including an EV mode for traveling while stopping engine and a HV mode for traveling while operating engine. HV-ECU receives a detected value of temperature from an engine ECU and switches the traveling mode from the EV mode to the HV mode when temperature of fuel pipe is increased to not less than a prescribed threshold value at the time of traveling in the EV mode. |
| US08290645B2 |
Method and computer software code for determining a mission plan for a powered system when a desired mission parameter appears unobtainable
A method for determining a mission plan for a powered system having at least one primary power generating unit when a desired parameter of the mission plan unobtainable and/or exceeds a predefined limit, the method includes identifying a desired parameter prior to creating a mission plan which may be unobtainable and/or in violation of a predefined limit, and notifying an operator of the powered system and/or a remote monitoring facility of the desired parameter. |
| US08290641B2 |
Aircraft attitude systems and related methods
Aircraft attitude systems are provided. A representative aircraft attitude system includes: a detection system operative to determine an attitude of an aircraft in which the detection system is mounted; a warning system operative to alert a pilot when the attitude of the aircraft corresponds to at least one predefined attitude parameter from a set of predefined attitude parameters, the predefined attitude parameters including pitch, bank and yaw; and a recovery system operative to provide progressive flight control positioning directives to the pilot for returning the aircraft to a flight attitude within the predefined attitude parameters. |
| US08290640B2 |
Device for servoing graphic representations of the air environment
Device for servoing graphical representations of the aerial environment for aircraft, an avionics the device including a display, a computer and memory in communication with the computer, the memory storing means for generating images of environmental data, said data being servoed by the first calculation resource and periodically refreshed in a first time interval. The device comprises a calculation resource providing an angle of heading of the aircraft relative to North and its geo-referenced current position, these data being servoed, periodically, in real time in a second time interval. The representation of a part of the environmental data on the viewing screen of the device is servoed and refreshed during the second time interval and positioned and oriented graphically, by the display, according to the last current angle of the position of the aircraft calculated and of the last geo-referenced current position. |
| US08290637B2 |
Vehicle control using stochastic information
A method for operating a vehicle includes estimating expected states and probable ranges for influence factors associated with stochastic parameters over a time horizon. A preferred control state and a candidate control state for an objective function are determined. The objective function is controlled using the preferred control state for the objective function over the time horizon. |
| US08290634B2 |
Optimizing system loss for a system of multiple windfarms
A voltage control arrangement for a system of multiple windfarms with transmission lines. Voltage is regulated at a point of regulation on the system, such as a high voltage substation or other system bus. Regulation is achieved at the point of regulation by sensing the voltage, comparing to a reference voltage, and adjusting the reactive power output of the wind turbines and other equipment in the system. The regulation point may be shifted to another point if needed to respect voltage limits at that points of the system after attempting to shift reactive load to restore voltage within limits at the other points in the system. The reference voltage may be adjusted to minimize losses for the system of multiple windfarms and transmission lines. A loss optimizing algorithm is applied to the combined multiple windfarm and transmission line to shift reactive load among local windfarms to minimize losses and to shift reactive load among individual wind turbines within an individual windfarm. |
| US08290630B2 |
Condition monitoring parameter normalization system and method
In one embodiment, the disclosed method includes controlling operation of a machine system via actuators and a first set of signals received from sensors, receiving a second signal from a vibration sensor, calculating vibration parameters based on the second signal. The method further includes the steps of normalizing each of the vibration parameters and presenting the normalized vibration parameters in an operator interface. In another embodiment, the system includes a controller configured to receive sensor signals from a machine system and to control operation of the machine system via actuators. The system also includes a condition monitoring user interface configured to display normalized vibration parameters for the machine system. |
| US08290628B2 |
Air conditioner and method for controlling the same
An air conditioner and an associated control method are provided in which performance of one or more indoor units may be adapted so as to minimize power consumption while maintaining cooling/heating effectiveness. The method may include receiving electric power related information, determining whether a current power rate included in the received information is higher than a preset reference value, determining a temperature distribution of at least one space to be air conditioned if the current power rate is higher than the preset reference value, and individually controlling a plurality of indoor units provided to the at least one spaced based on the determined temperature distribution. |
| US08290627B2 |
Dynamically extensible and automatically configurable building automation system and architecture
A building automation system (BAS) architecture is disclosed. The BAS comprises, in one embodiment, an architecture comprising a communication network and having a dynamic extensibility capability and an automatic configuration capability; an engine communicatively coupled to the communication network; and at least one control device communicatively coupled to the communication network, the control device being known or unknown to the engine. The engine can be adapted to selectively implement the dynamic extensibility capability to establish communications with and to control both known and unknown control devices. The engine can be further adapted to selectively implement the automatic configuration capability to determine at least one characteristic of both known and unknown control devices. A method of adding a control device to a building automation system (BAS) by dynamically extending and automatically configuring an architecture of the BAS is also disclosed. |
| US08290626B2 |
Chemical process optimization method that considers chemical process plant safety
A method for assuring safety of a particular chemical process plant includes measuring, for each of a plurality of sets of proposed process conditions for a particular chemical process within the particular chemical process plant, a pressure rise rate following a deliberate contained ignition of at least one material used within the particular chemical process. From the resulting plurality of pressure rise rates that corresponds with the plurality of sets of proposed process conditions a particular pressure rise rate that allows for a safe operation of the particular chemical reaction within the particular chemical process plant may be selected. The particular chemical process may be implemented within the particular chemical process plant while using a particular set of process conditions from the plurality of sets of process conditions that corresponds with the selected pressure rise rate. As an adjunct, the particular chemical reaction may also be subsequently and additionally optimized with respect to an ancillary parameter, such as product yield or feedstock utilization. |
| US08290623B2 |
Incline sensing module for an automatic cleaner
A sensing escape device of an automatic cleaner includes a control module, a motion module and an inclination limitation sensing module. The control module controls the motion module to drive the movement of the automatic cleaner in mode between a forward mode with head portion as a head and a backward mode with tail portion as a head. The inclination limitation sensing module coupled to the control module includes a critical inclination angle sensing unit outward disposed on a rear bottom of the main body. When the critical inclination angle sensing unit is externally contacted, the inclination limitation sensing module generates a signal and transfers the signal to the control module, to make the control module drive the motion module to switch into the backward mode. The automatic cleaner moves backward immediately when climbing a ramp, to avoid misjudging actions such as a suspension of the motor-driven wheel unit. |
| US08290616B2 |
Appliance having a user interface panel and a beverage dispenser
An appliance including a housing, a dispenser, and a water supply mechanism. The appliance includes a drink supply mechanism configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply containers, a user interface panel, and a computer. The computer is configured to: cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of the plurality of different displayed images, and after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of the plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage corresponding to the selected image. |
| US08290613B2 |
System and method for controlling and managing an automated vehicle parking garage
An automated parking system and method for controlling a parking garage employ a distributed control system to control the transport of a vehicle between an entry/exit station and a parking space. The distributed control system employs an independent controller (PLC) for each mechanical element, such as elevators and shuttle cars. The PLCs are interconnected by a network and coordinate with each other to control the operation of the automated parking system. An operator panel including a touchscreen display may be used by an operator to control directly the operation of a particular PLC and its associated mechanical element. A central management computer is used to coordinate the overall operation and management of the distributed control system and to provide enhanced features including redundant safety checks. |
| US08290610B2 |
Method and apparatus for manufacturing an article and generating a report
The present disclosure discloses a method of manufacturing an article. According to at least one embodiment, a set of manufacturing instructions is stored for a machine, and at least one of the manufacturing instructions is imputed into the machine. In addition, an article is manufactured with the machine in accordance with the input manufacturing instructions, and a realisation log which is indicative of the operations that the machine has actually performed in manufacturing the article is generated. Further, a report by comparing the realisation log with the stored set of manufacturing instructions is generated. |
| US08290609B2 |
Production management system and production management method applied to optical display device production system
The invention provides a production management system and a production management method which are applied to an optical display device production system which can more precisely carry out a production management. A memory stores a panel information allocated per an optical display unit, and a roll information including a positional information of optical films in a material roll before the optical films bonded to the optical display unit are cut so as to coordinate. A position in the material roll before the optical films bonded to the optical display unit are cut is specified based on the panel information corresponding to the optical display unit of the optical display device determined by an inspecting apparatus that a defect exists, and the roll information coordinated to the panel information. If it is possible to recognize what position in what material roll the defect exists, as mentioned above, it is possible to carry out a production management more precisely. |
| US08290604B2 |
Audience-condition based media selection
Methods and systems for audience-based media selection are provided. A media player may play a first media file, which may be viewed by one or more audience members. The audience around the media player may be monitored, and audience members having a line-of-sight to the media player are identified. Information concerning various conditions of such audience members determined. Media file play may be adjusted based on the detected audience condition. |
| US08290603B1 |
User interfaces for controlling and manipulating groupings in a multi-zone media system
In general, user interfaces for controlling a plurality of multimedia players in groups are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a user interface is provided to allow a user to group some of the players according to a theme or scene, where each of the players is located in a zone. When the scene is activated, the players in the scene react in a synchronized manner. For example, the players in the scene are all caused to play a multimedia source or music in a playlist, wherein the multimedia source may be located anywhere on a network. The user interface is further configured to illustrate graphically a size of a group, the larger the group appears relatively, the more plays there are in the group. |
| US08290601B2 |
Plant control system
A plant control system includes at least one control apparatus, and an engineering apparatus for changing a security state of the control apparatus. The control apparatus includes: a security management part for accepting a security level change request downloaded from the engineering apparatus and changing a security level of the control apparatus by referring to a password held by the control apparatus; and a change permission part for permitting a change in the security level by the security management part. |
| US08290594B2 |
Impotence treatment apparatus with energy transforming means
A male sexual impotence treatment apparatus includes or use an operable restriction device implantable in a male patient for engaging a tissue portion of the penile tissue to form a restrictable passageway for the penile exit blood flow. An energy transmission device is provided for wireless transmission of energy from outside the patient's body to inside the patient's body for use in connection with the operation of the restriction device, including temporarily contracting said tissue portion to restrict the penile exit blood flow in the blood flow passageway to achieve erection. |
| US08290586B2 |
Methods, devices and systems for single-chamber pacing using a dual-chamber pacing device
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems, methods and devices for cardiac applications including those relating to pacing devices. One such device is directed to a cardiac rhythm therapy (CRT) device designed for dual chamber pacing using two pacing signals each having a positive and negative component that has been modified for single chamber pacing. The device comprises a first output that connects to a pacing lead; a second output that connects to the pacing lead; a third output that connects to a reference point; and electrical circuitry connecting the second electrical connection to the first output, the third electrical connection to the second output, and the first and fourth electrical connections to the third output. |
| US08290585B2 |
Augmentation of electrical conduction and contractility by biphasic cardiac pacing administered via the cardiac blood pool
Augmentation of electrical conduction and contractility by biphasic cardiac pacing. A first stimulation phase is administered to the cardiac blood pool. This first stimulation phase has a predefined polarity, amplitude and duration. A second stimulation phase is then administered to the cardiac blood pool. This second phase also has a predefined polarity, amplitude and duration. The two phases are applied sequentially. Contrary to current thought, anodal stimulation is first applied and followed by cathodal stimulation. In this fashion, pulse conduction through the cardiac muscle is improved together with the increase in contractility. |
| US08290584B2 |
Method and apparatus for optimizing vagal nerve stimulation using laryngeal activity
A neural stimulation system delivers neural stimulation to the vagus nerve and senses a signal indicative of laryngeal activity resulting from the neural stimulation. The signal indicative of laryngeal activity is used, for example, to guide electrode placement, determine stimulation threshold, detect lead/electrode problems, detect neural injury, and monitor healing processing following the electrode placement inside the body of a patient. |
| US08290583B2 |
Apparatus for tissue stimulation
Delivering electrical stimulation to a body tissue by a circuit. The circuit includes a first and second terminal electrically coupled to body tissue. A sole capacitor has a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode is coupled to the first terminal. The second electrode is coupled to a power source through a switch. |
| US08290582B2 |
Device and method to treat tissue with electric current
A method of modifying properties of intrinsic tissue of an organ is provided. The method includes providing an organ, where a first electrode is disposed proximal to the organ first end. The first electrode has a surface area and insulator. A second electrode is disposed opposite the first electrode, where the organ is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The second electrode has surface area and surface insulator. An organ-shaping device is provided that is disposed on the organ between the electrodes, where the organ-shaping device deforms the organ middle section along at least one lateral direction between the electrodes. An electric current is provided between the first second electrodes, where a current density gradient is provided by the electrode surface areas and the deformed organ middle section, and the properties of the intrinsic muscle tissue are modified according to the current density gradient. |
| US08290576B2 |
Modeling the electrical activity of the heart by a single dipole, concurrently estimating subject and measurement related conditions
A method is provided which relates to the identification of the electrical activity in the heart in terms of a single dipole, which may be considered moving or non-moving, based on measurements from a body surface electrocardiogram (ECG), concurrently estimating subject and measurement related conditions. The invention further relates to computer program for performing said method, a data carrier containing said program as well a computer device for performing said program. A device for performing said method is also disclosed. |
| US08290567B2 |
Cardiac diagnostics using wall motion and perfusion cardiac MRI imaging and systems for cardiac diagnostics
Cardiac information of a patient is displayed by obtaining a plurality of MRI cine loops of the heart of the patient at a plurality of heart rates, the plurality of cine loops including both wall motion cine loops and at least one perfusion cine loops and simultaneously displaying both the wall motion cine loops and the at least one perfusion cine loop. |
| US08290563B2 |
Active dry sensor module for measurement of bioelectricity
An active dry sensor module for measurement of bioelectricity is disclosed. The active dry sensor module of the present invention excludes the use of a conductive gel, thereby not supplying unpleasantness and discomfort to a reagent and preventing the interference of the signal due to a noise component. Further, the active dry sensor module of the present invention amplifies the biomedical signal to a desired level, thereby precisely and easily measuring the biomedical signal. |
| US08290560B2 |
Transcutaneous analyte sensor
The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for measuring an analyte in a host. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for transcutaneous measurement of glucose in a host. |
| US08290557B2 |
Implantable optical sensor and method for use
An implantable medical device includes a hermetically sealed housing and a first light emitting diode (LED) enclosed within the housing configured to detect light corresponding to a selected light wavelength. A conductive element extends from the LED for carrying a current signal corresponding to the light detected by the LED, the intensity of the detected light being correlated to a change in a physiological condition in a body fluid volume or a tissue volume proximate the LED. |
| US08290555B2 |
Superconducting wire, superconducting conductor, and superconducting cable
A superconducting wire having at least a superconducting thin film and a stabilizing film formed one on top of another in order on a substrate having a predetermined width and a predetermined length, the superconducting wire having at least one cut made along a direction of the length of the superconducting wire, the superconducting wire being bendable at the cut in a width direction. |
| US08290553B2 |
Device and method for fabricating thin films by reactive evaporation
A device for fabricating thin films on a substrate includes a vacuum chamber, a rotatable platen configured to hold one or more substrates within the vacuum chamber, and a housing disposed within the vacuum chamber. The housing contains a heating element and is configured to enclose an upper surface of the platen and a lower portion configured to partially enclose an underside surface of the platen which forms a reaction zone. A heated evaporation cell is operatively coupled to the lower portion of the housing and configured to deliver a pressurized metallic reactant to the reaction zone. The device includes a deposition zone disposed in the vacuum chamber and isolated from the reaction zone and is configured to deposit a deposition species to the exposed underside of the substrates when the substrates are not contained in the reaction zone. |
| US08290552B2 |
Devices, systems and methods for identification through a mobile device
Devices, systems and methods are disclosed which relate to a smart cover for a mobile communications device. The smart cover includes a housing plate, a secure element coupled to the housing plate, a transceiver in communication with the secure element, and an antenna coupled to the transceiver. The transceiver and the antenna are coupled to the housing plate as well. The housing plate couples to the mobile communications device to provide protection for electronics in the mobile communications device, to make the mobile communications device more aesthetically pleasing, etc. A user having a mobile communications device with a smart cover may enter secure areas, pay funds from an account, or anything else requiring positive identification. The user holds the mobile communications device up to a smart cover reader. The smart cover reader communicates with the smart cover to identify the user. The user may allow others to use the smart cover by decoupling the smart cover from the user's mobile communications device and coupling it to the other's mobile communications device. |
| US08290551B2 |
Systems and methods for efficiently positioning a directional antenna module to receive and transmit the most effective band width of wireless transmissions
Wireless systems and methods establish an optimal wireless communication link by efficiently positioning an antenna module to receive/transmit the most effective signal. An antenna module scans and rotates and receives data such as available networks and the qualities of received signals. Received networks are analyzed, recorded and mapped to antenna variables such as azimuth, elevation and polarity. Automatic or manual selection of a wireless network is based upon antenna variables, qualities of received network signals and predefined conditions. If desired, a more refined antenna position is obtained by the addition of spiral antenna rotations and additional recordings of received data are mapped to antenna elevation, azimuth and polarity. In the event the measured effective signal reception diminishes, the center destination of the spiral path shifts and the process repeats until the highest effective signal reception is found. The disclosed technique acknowledges the realities of complicated modern day signal topography. |
| US08290548B2 |
Mobile electronic device
A system and method for a mobile electronic device operable to receive signals having a plurality of frequencies using an antenna comprising a plurality of conductors is disclosed. A first conductor operable to resonant with a first frequency band is coupled to a second conductor operable to resonant with a second frequency band. The second conductor is coupled to a ground, if the first conductor is coupled to a power supply. The second conductor is coupled to the power supply, if the first conductor is coupled to the ground. |
| US08290545B2 |
Systems and methods for accelerometer usage in a wireless headset
This includes systems and methods for accelerometer usage in a wireless headset. An accelerometer can be used to determine the location of a wireless headset. The determined location can be used to control and improve a noise cancellation system. In some embodiments, the determined location can be used in controlling the functions of buttons of the wireless headset. In some embodiments, the accelerometer can further be used to determine when the system is in use. If the system has not been in use for a predetermined amount of time, at least a portion of the wireless headset can be turned off to save power. |
| US08290543B2 |
System and methods for adaptively switching a mobile device's mode of operation
A system and methods are provided whereby a user of a mobile device can adaptively switch the mobile device from speakerphone mode to handset mode without needing to look at the mobile device or without the need to activate a button or key sequence. In a preferred embodiment, modules are provided in the mobile device which allow for the detection of a voice conversation, the sampling of the user's voice and the switching between the two modes of operation. If the user's voice volume is above a certain threshold the mobile device operates in handset mode. If the user's voice volume is below a certain threshold the mobile device operates in handset mode. Through the inclusion of the embodiments described herein, a mobile device can allow a user to safely and quickly switch from one mode of operation to the other without a requirement for additional hardware in the mobile device. |
| US08290541B2 |
Integrated instant messaging and web browsing client and related methods
An integrated web browser, instant messaging system is presented. The system operates on mobile devices and other types of embedded devices. The system is an integrated instant messaging and web browsing application controlled by an embedded application on a mobile device. Today most web browsers, instant messaging, and other programs are separate or discrete applications that are executed on an either/or type of situation. The present system provides an integrated application environment that is a single application that shares data between instant messaging and web browser sub-modules, which allows users to simultaneously message and browse. The system may also be deployed as part of an overall method for enhancing safety and producing revenue for communications networks. |
| US08290534B2 |
Method and system for subscribing to digital broadcasting service through mobile communication network
A method and apparatus for subscribing to a digital broadcasting service using mobile network subscription information in a system where a 3G (third generation) mobile communication network interacts with a DBS (digital broadcasting system) are provided. When a user requests subscription to the digital broadcasting service through a digital broadcasting-enabled mobile equipment, a DBS-CSCF (call session control function) in the 3G network transmits to an SAS (subscription agent server) of the DBS a service subscription request including the mobile subscription information or additional user personal information. The SAS processes the subscription and transmits information required for reception of the digital broadcasting to the mobile equipment. The mobile equipment changes its digital broadcasting reception setting. |
| US08290533B2 |
Wireless communication network system and method
A wireless communication network system including: a command station for allocating a frequency band, broadcasting a backup station and periodic measurement periods in which a terminal should measure a reception quality, and stopping the allocation of the frequency band to the terminal during the measurement period; one or a plurality of backup stations for synchronizing with the command station and transmitting a measurement signal by using the same frequency channel as that of the command station; and one or a plurality of terminals for measuring a reception quality for each backup station by using the measurement signal. |
| US08290532B1 |
Selectively conducting reverse-link power control and call admission control
Methods and systems are provided for selectively conducting reverse-link power control and call admission control. In an embodiment, a base station identifies a set of mobile stations more likely than others to experience a dropped call. For each mobile station in the set, the base station relaxes at least one reverse-link power-control setting, to foster an increased actual and/or allowed reverse-link transmission-power level. The base station thereafter detects the dropped-call rate exceeding a first threshold, and responsively decreases the degree to which at least one setting was relaxed. The base station thereafter detects the dropped-call rate exceeding a higher threshold, and responsively drops at least one active call and/or blocks at least one new call. |
| US08290527B2 |
Power control in a local network node (LNN)
The invention relates to a method and system of setting transmitter power levels, particularly in a Local Network Node transmitter, providing a pico cell for private use. A User Equipment (UE) is used to make measurements of the transmission link properties, such as downlink power and round trip time. Based on the measurements made at one or a plurality of locations, the power of the Local Network Node can be determined such that interference is minimized with any overlying cells of a macro-network. Call handovers between the UE and the cell of a macro network can also be arranged based on properties measure by the UE. |
| US08290521B1 |
Methods for user-interface over SMS messages based on a reusable stream model
Configurations providing a reusable stream model for a user interface over SMS for interacting with one or more interactive systems in a parallel manner are described. An SMS server can implement the reusable stream model in which an available number from a sequence of numbers (e.g., a block of numbers) is assigned to a user session upon receiving an SMS message to initiate the user session from a communication device. The user session corresponds with a message stream for the interactive system. In one aspect, the SMS server places each number from the sequence of numbers in a respective status to indicate whether the number is currently assigned to a user session. When a subsequent SMS message is received that requests to initiate an additional user session for another interactive system, the SMS can assign the next available number from the sequence to the additional user session. |
| US08290520B2 |
Mobile phone with function to acquire targeted message and method thereof
The disclosure provides a mobile phone with function to acquire targeted message and method thereof. The method includes steps: recording sub-actions of the mobile phone in response to input signals from a user in a predetermined time period in a coverage area of the base station, acquiring a defined key phrase of each sub-action and grouping all sub-actions associated with a same key phrase into a same action, counting the number of times of the action is performed in the predetermined time period in the coverage area of the base station, judging whether the number of times of the action reaches a preset value, if yes, sending a wireless signal including the key phrase of the action to the base station, and receiving a message including the key phrase within the text body of the message from the base station and displaying the message. |
| US08290519B2 |
Mobile network presence service with load-based notification throttling
Methods and systems are described for providing a presence service that is useful for mobile telecommunications devices. A plurality of outgoing presence updates are sent to a presence client. The system monitors the level of network traffic and determines whether the client is in a region of high network load, and if so, the system throttles the outgoing presence updates during the condition of high network load. The level of throttling may depend at least in part on the amount of time that has elapsed since the presence client began a presence session, and/or the amount of time that has elapsed since an incoming presence update was received from the presence client. In determining the latter amount of elapsed time, the system may consider only the amount of time elapsed since an incoming non-automatic presence update was received from the presence client. |
| US08290518B2 |
Paging mechanisms for mobile stations with multiple subscriptions
Apparatuses, techniques, and systems for operating a mobile station with multiple subscriptions includes transmitting a paging message for a subscriber identity of two or more subscriber identities that are associated with a single mobile station over a wireless communication channel based on a paging cycle structure including multiple paging slots. The two or more subscriber identities can include a first subscriber identity and a second, different subscriber identity. Transmitting the paging message can include using, during a paging cycle based on the paging cycle structure, a single paging slot to transmit the paging message, where the single paging slot is associated with the two or more subscriber identities. |
| US08290513B2 |
Location-based services
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for location-based services. An event or device condition is detected at a device. A current geographic location of a device is determined. Location-based information based on the determined current geographic location is received. The location-based information includes information relevant to the event or device condition. The information is presented. |
| US08290512B2 |
Mobile phone for printing and interacting with webpages
A mobile telecommunications device for printing a webpage and retrieving content via a printed webpage. The device includes a media feed for receiving an encoded print medium; a printer positioned in the media feed path; an optical encoder for reading a linear pattern on the print medium during printing; a processor configured for determining a print media identifier by decoding the read linear pattern; a transceiver for communicating the print media identifier to a computer system; and a sensor module for sensing a two-dimensional pattern on the print medium. |
| US08290506B1 |
Wireless communication system and method for sending a notification of proximity of a first wireless communications device to a second wireless communication device
Disclosed is a wireless communication system that is used with a wireless communication device and a position location system, the wireless communication device being capable of communicating with the position location system. The wireless communication system includes a memory device for storing position locations of the wireless communication device and for storing transactions made relating to the wireless communication device, a processor for determining trends by recalling stored information from the memory device and processing the recalled information, and a transmitter for transmitting targeted broadcasts to the wireless communication device based on the current location of the communication device. |
| US08290505B2 |
Consequential location derived information
The number of messages required in networks where location services are deployed may be reduced, by providing updated location information regarding particular subscribers, or even all subscribers, to subscribed or otherwise logged applications or services upon obtaining and providing location information for a different application or service. Consequential watch services in accordance with the principles of the present invention provide location information to one or more services OTHER than or in ADDITION to the service currently requesting location information, based on subscription to a suitable service. |
| US08290504B2 |
Method for realizing broadcast communication and data communication in a cellular network
A cellular network system and a method for realizing broadcast communication and data communication utilize a cellular network to carry out video data broadcast and data communication with terminals. The cellular network system includes a central control node and base stations. The central control node generates control information to control the base stations to broadcast video broadcast data to the terminals during the time slot for video data broadcast, and said control information includes frequency allocation information and time slot allocation information. With the cellular network system and method thereof for realizing video broadcast and data communication in the cellular network, video broadcast and data communication are incorporated in the sectorized cellular network while avoiding a lowered efficiency of frequency spectrum use during video broadcasting due to sectorization. |
| US08290502B2 |
Integrated circuit for controlling sequence assigning method and reference signal generating method
Provided is a sequence allocation method capable of reducing inter-cell interference of a reference signal when a ZC sequence is used as the reference signal in a mobile communication system. In the sequence allocation method divides R×M sequences specified by a ZC sequence number r (r=1 to R) and a cyclic shift sequence number m (m=1 to M) into a plurality of sequence groups X (X=1 to R) in accordance with the transmission band width of the reference signal, so that the ZC sequence is allocated to each cell in each sequence group unit. When it is assumed that R=9 and M=6, the number of sequence is 54. Each of the sequence groups is formed by two sequences. Accordingly, the number of sequence groups is 27. The 27 types of sequence groups are allocated to each cell. |
| US08290496B2 |
Cooperating receiver selection for UMTS wireless location
For Wireless Communications Networks (WCNs) that support soft handover, cooperator receiver selection for a TDOA, AOA, TDOA/AOA, or hybrid network-based or network-overlay Wireless Location System (WLS) must contend with one or more network base stations as a serving cell. When the active set contains more than one member, two techniques for determining a set of cooperating and demodulating receivers to use in the signal collection for location estimation is disclosed. In one embodiment, the active set members are constructively reduced to a single member that is used as a proxy serving cell. In another embodiment, the information contained in the active set membership is retained and a new set of demodulating and cooperator receivers are generated based on the entire membership of the active set. |
| US08290494B2 |
Mobile communication system, mobile station device, base station device, and handover method
A communication path between base stations connected via a network is switched so that data received by a mobile station that is during handover is not interrupted. A mobile station (14-1) which has started a radio communication with a handover destination base station (12-2) switches a acquisition destination of data transmitted from a mobile station (14-2) with which the mobile station (14-1) communicates from a handover source base station (12-1) to the handover destination base station (12-2). After this, the mobile station (14-1) transmits a communication path switching request to a base station (12-3) which performs a radio communication with the mobile station (14-2). In response to the communication path switching request transmitted from the mobile station (14-1), the base station (12-3) releases an RTP session established with respect to the handover source base station (12-1). |
| US08290491B2 |
Apparatus and method for making measurements in mobile telecommunications system user equipment
A method and apparatus for selecting cells in a mobile telecommunications system, the system comprising a network of a plurality of cells of a Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems (UMTS) and a network of a plurality of cells of a second Radio Access Technology (RAT), the method comprising, at a user equipment device: when in UMTS mode, flagging in a neighboring cell list stored on the user equipment device information for a cell of a second RAT which is known to be unsuitable for selection. Information from the neighboring cell list information for the flagged cell may be removed, in particular for a limited period of time. |
| US08290488B2 |
Scanning methods and systems for wireless networks
Scanning methods and systems for wireless networks are provided. In response to an operation, at least a waiting time corresponding to a wireless network scanning procedure is changed from a default time length to a predefined time length, and the wireless network scanning procedure is accordingly performed. When the wireless network scanning procedure is terminated, the waiting time is changed from the predefined time length back to the default time length. If a specific wireless access point detected in a second scanning operation is not detected in a first scanning operation, which is performed subsequent to the second scanning operation, an alive count corresponding to the specific wireless access point is subtracted by a predefined value. If the alive count does not equal to a specific value, the specific wireless access point and at least one wireless access point detected in the first scanning operation are displayed. |
| US08290487B2 |
Network adapted to manage different mobile telephony services
A mobile network is adapted to provide a first mobile telephony service to a first group of subscribers and a second mobile telephony service to a second group of subscribers. The mobile network includes a home location register; at least one switching equipment cooperating with the home location register for providing the first mobile telephony service to the first group of subscribers; at least one adapter node cooperating with the home location register and with the switching equipment for providing the second mobile telephony service to the second group of subscribers. |
| US08290485B1 |
Selection of roaming partners based on load value
A method, system, and media are provided for selecting a preferred roaming partner based on load conditions on an access networks associated with the selected preferred roaming partner. A wireless device storing one or more lists of preferred roaming partners is configured to receive configurations messages from the access networks associated with each of the preferred roaming partners. The wireless device parses the configurations messages and extracts load information from fields included the configuration messages. A load value of each preferred roaming partner is calculated based on the extracted load information. The wireless device selects the preferred roaming partner having the lowest load value to initiate wireless communication over the access network corresponding to the selected preferred roaming partner. |
| US08290484B2 |
Method of recovering a signal from a set of signals collected by satellite
A method of recovering a useful signal received by a satellite includes a step of reception by the satellite of a composite signal comprising said useful signal and collision signals, all of these signals being received simultaneously by the satellite, interfering with each other, and respectively being transmitted by transmitters. The method includes the steps of: direct reception, by at least one station of a terrestrial network, of signals corresponding to at least a non-zero portion of said collision signals and referred to as collected collision signals; for each collected collision signal, estimation, by a processing unit connected to the terrestrial network and to the satellite, of the collision signal received by the satellite as a function of (i) the collected collision signal received directly by the terrestrial station, (ii) the position of the transmitter at the time of transmission of this collision signal, and (iii) the position of the satellite during the reception of the composite signal; and extraction of the collected and estimated collision signals, from the composite signal, in order to allow recovery of the useful signal. |
| US08290482B1 |
Communication device
The wireless communication device with dual cameras which implements the digital mirror mode and the non-digital mirror mode, wherein an inverted first video output is displayed when the processor is in the digital mirror mode and a non-inverted second video output is displayed when the processor is in the non-digital mirror mode. |
| US08290477B2 |
Method for management a multimedia data of mobile communication terminal and mobile communication terminal therefor
A method is provided for managing multimedia data in a mobile communication terminal. The method includes sending a multimedia message upon a request for sending a multimedia message; deleting multimedia data attached to the multimedia message, and reconfiguring a multimedia message that includes information about a path where the attached multimedia data is stored; and storing the reconfigured multimedia message in a Sent box. |
| US08290473B2 |
Remotely modifying data in memory in a mobile device
Methods and corresponding systems in a mobile device for remotely modifying data stored in the mobile device include receiving a message in the mobile device. The message can be a short message service (SMS) message. The message is compared to a secret message, wherein the secret message is a hash value output by a hash function, wherein inputs to the hash function include a text string and a secret text string. The text string can be an e-mail address, and the secret text string can be a password of the mobile device. In response to the message matching the secret message, data stored in memory in the mobile device is modified to prevent unauthorized access. A secret message cancellation can be received in the mobile device to cancel a scheduled memory modification. Memory modification can include erasing data, replacing data, or encrypting data. |
| US08290471B1 |
Method and system for mobile data usage accounting
Disclosed herein are methods and systems for initiating record-keeping processes for usage of communication services by subscribers. An exemplary method may be implemented in an access network wherein two or more types of subscription plans are available to the subscribers, including an unlimited-use subscription plan. An exemplary method involves (a) receiving a connection request from a subscriber to engage in a communication session via an access network; (b) before providing the requested connection, making a determination as to whether or not the subscriber is enrolled in an unlimited-use subscription plan; (c) if the determination is that the subscriber is not enrolled in the unlimited-use subscription plan, then initiating a process to generate enhanced usage records for the communication session; and (d) if the determination is that the subscriber is enrolled in the unlimited-use subscription plan, then refraining from initiating a process to generate enhanced usage records for the communication session. |
| US08290467B2 |
Network connection method and apparatus of a mobile station
A network connection method and apparatus for improving network connection performance of a mobile station in a Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) system is provided. A network connection method of the present invention includes checking whether a cell change from a first cell to a second cell is detected while waiting for a network connection request message, after an acquisition of a synchronization with a first base station associated with the first cell, determining, if the cell change is detected, whether a synchronization is acquired with a second base station associated with the second cell and whether the network connection request message is detected, initiating, if the network connection request message is detected after the synchronization is acquired with the second base station, a network entry procedure, saving, if the network connection request message is detected before the synchronization is acquired with the second base station, the network connection request message in a buffer, and initiating, if the synchronization is acquired with the second base station after saving the network connection request message, a network entry procedure using the network connection request message saved in the buffer. |
| US08290466B2 |
Communication system, communication device, communication terminal, and communication setting method
A communication device that can easily be added to a network is provided. Processing performed by the communication device for which manipulation for joining a communication network was performed includes the steps of the communication device sensing manipulation of a manipulation panel, performing network detection processing when there is a network that has already been registered, performing pairing processing when there is no registered network, and starting a master operation when there is no registered network. |
| US08290465B2 |
Method of transmitting and receiving a message associated with power saving mode in a wireless communication system
Disclosed is a sleep mode in a broadband wireless access system, more particularly a method of transmitting and receiving a message associated with a sleep mode in a broadband wireless access system. The method of transmitting a message associated with a sleep mode in a broadband wireless access system includes transmitting a first message which includes a flag if a receiving side receives the first message associated with the sleep mode, the flag indicating that the receiving side transmits an acknowledgement signal to a transmitting side, and receiving the acknowledgement signal from the receiving side which has received the first message. |
| US08290460B2 |
Methods for measuring received signal strength indication, measurement devices, and radio communication device
In various embodiments, a method for measuring Received Signal Strength Indication is provided. The method may include carrying out a first partial Received Signal Strength Indication measurement for a plurality of mobile radio base stations, selecting at least one mobile radio base station out of the plurality of mobile radio base stations based on the result of the first partial Received Signal Strength Indication measurement for a second partial Received Signal Strength Indication measurement, and carrying out the second partial Received Signal Strength Indication measurement for the selected at least one mobile radio base station. |
| US08290454B2 |
Power amplification device, and transmission device and communication device both using thereof
To provide a power amplification device having a function of preventing deviation of the amplitude and phase of an output signal having amplified envelope variation from a predetermined value, and a transmission device and a communication device both using the same. A power amplification device comprises a variable phase shifter circuit (10) for shifting a phase of an input signal; first and second adder circuits (11a), (11b) for generating first and second constant envelope signals, respectively; first and second amplifier circuits (12a), (12b); first and second amplitude detection circuits (13a), (13b) for detecting amplitudes; a first amplitude control circuit (20) for changing the amplitudes of the first and second constant envelope vector generating signals; an output adder circuit (14) for vector-adding the first and second amplified signals to generate an output signal; a shift amount control circuit (30) for controlling a shift amount of the variable phase shifter circuit; a gain control circuit (40) for controlling the gains of the first and second adder circuits; and a second amplitude control circuit (50) for changing the amplitudes of the first and second constant envelope vector generating signals. |
| US08290452B2 |
Radio frequency transmitter and signal amplification method therefor
A Radio Frequency (RF) transmitter and a signal amplification method therefor are provided, in which a signal source generates a signal of a predetermined Intermediate Frequency (IF) band, a local oscillator generates a signal of a predetermined high frequency band as a carrier signal, a power amplifier amplifies the signal received from the local oscillator to a predetermined transmission level, and a parametric mixer module receives the signals from the signal source and the power amplifier and outputs the received signals as a radio signal for transmission. The signal output from the parametric mixer module is transmitted as the radio signal without additional amplification. |
| US08290451B2 |
Noise reduction circuit for canceling leakage signal
In a noise reduction circuit, a transistor circuit amplifies an input signal and outputs an output signal with supply of power from the DC voltage source via a power supply line circuit. The canceling signal adding circuit acquires and attenuates a part of the output signal, to generate a canceling signal having a phase substantially opposite to a phase of a leakage signal leaking to the power supply line circuit, and having an amplitude substantially the same as an amplitude of the leakage signal. |
| US08290449B2 |
Equalization of third-order intermodulation products in wideband direct conversion receiver
A feedforward error-compensated receiver for minimizing undesired odd-order nonlinear distortion products. The receiver includes a first receiver path configured to receive an input signal. The first receiver path outputs a signal including at least one baseband (BB) frequency. At least one second receiver path is configured to receive the input signal and to provide a second receiver path output signal. The second receiver path includes at least one odd-order nonlinear distortion reference generator. The at least one odd-order nonlinear distortion reference generator and the mixer are configured to generate a synthetic odd-order nonlinear distortion signal. A combining element is configured to receive the output signal from the first path and the output signal from the second receiver path output and to combine the signals such that the odd-order nonlinear distortion signals are substantially attenuated at an output of the combining element. |
| US08290447B2 |
Wireless transceiver with reduced transmit emissions
Methods and apparatus for reducing transmit emissions are described herein. The transmit out of band emissions in an adjacent band can be reduced while complying with existing wireless communication standards through utilization of one or more of reduced transmit bandwidth, transmit operating band offset, and channel index remapping. The transceiver can support a receive operating band that is substantially adjacent to a band edge. The transmit operating band can be offset from an adjacent frequency band, and can use a narrower operating band than is supported by the receiver. The transmit baseband signal can have a reduced bandwidth to reduce the amount of noise. The frequency offset can introduce a larger transition band between the transmit operating band edges and the adjacent frequency band of interest. The transceiver can remap channel assignments to compensate for the frequency offset such that the frequency offset introduced in the transmitter is transparent to channel allocation. |
| US08290440B2 |
High performance mobility network with autoconfiguration
A high performance wireless mesh architecture which has been optimized for mobile end points is described. The mesh architecture is intended for Navy applications, where the wireless mesh network extends between mobile ships and includes ship-to-shore links, but it is equally applicable to other mobile elements on, in, or under land, air, sea, or space. |
| US08290439B2 |
Systems and methods for cross-platform radio frequency interference mitigation
Embodiments include systems and methods for RFI mitigation in a wireless computing environment. In one embodiment, a platform determines RFI information of the platform by listening with a receiver of a transceiver of the platform when the transmitter of the transceiver is quiescent. The platform derives Frequency Domain Weights from the RFI information and transmits the Frequency Domain Weights to a Wireless Access Point (WAP). In the transmitter and receiver of the WAP, the Frequency Domain Weights are applied to signals received and to be transmitted. |
| US08290435B1 |
Short-range communication system
A short-range communication system includes an antenna, a transmitter, and a receiver. The antenna is an electrical conductor formed as a planar coil with rings thereof being uniformly spaced. The transmitter is spaced apart from the plane of the coil by a gap. An amplitude-modulated and asynchronous signal indicative of a data stream of known peak amplitude is transmitted into the gap. The receiver detects the coil's resonance and decodes same to recover the data stream. |
| US08290432B2 |
Method for synchronzing user signal transmissions within a hybrid communication network
A method is devoted to synchronizing the transmission of user signals within a single-frequency hybrid network comprising at least one transmission satellite (SAT) and regenerative emitters (E1-E6) tasked with retransmitting received user signals to user terminals (T1, T2), using the same frequency and the same waveform. This method consists of temporally shifting, with respect to a time marker (TM) corresponding to the moment when a chosen element of the user signals arrives at a terrestrial reference arc (RA) from said satellite (SAT), the moment when the user signals received by each emitter (E1-E6) are retransmitted, by a local duration which is a function of the respective positions of the emitter and the satellite (SAT) with respect to a chosen reference position (RP) on said arc (RA), so that the same user signals retransmitted by the satellite (SAT) and the emitter (Ei) reach a user terminal (T1, T2) at roughly the same time. |
| US08290429B2 |
Communication apparatus and relayed communication system and control method thereof
A relayed communication system including a supervising station and a plurality of communication stations, transmits data from the supervising station to the communication stations by relay transmission. Each of the plurality of communication stations determines the quality of communication with the supervising station, and notifies the determined communication quality to the supervising station. If the communication quality is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the supervising station allocates one or more communication stations as relay stations to respective time slots in descending order of the communication quality, and transmits the allocation result to the plurality of communication stations. As a result, each communication station can perform relayed communication using the time slot that is allocated thereto. |
| US08290422B2 |
Image forming device
A main body control part of an image forming device switches select signals to a unicast mode by a communication mode switching part at least when stopping a recording paper that is being transported on a paper feeding path or when transporting a recording paper stopped on the paper feeding path, and switches the select signals to the broadcast mode after transmitting control data. Each of the paper feeding control parts executes a paper feeding control based on the control data received with the unicast mode, upon detecting the broadcast mode. |
| US08290421B2 |
Powder recovery container and image forming apparatus
A powder recovery container includes a reservoir chamber that stores a recovered powder; a recovery port that faces the reservoir chamber, a powder conveying unit that conveys and recovers the powder through the recovery port being removably inserted into the recovery port; a pair of door panels having rotating shafts arranged at two positions with the recovery port arranged therebetween, the door panels being rotated toward the reservoir chamber around the rotating shafts to open and close the recovery port; sealing members attached to the door panels, the sealing members overlapping one another between distal ends of the door panels to seal a gap between the distal ends of the door panels when the door panels are located at positions, at which the recovery port is closed; and urging members that urge the door panels in a direction, in which the recovery port is closed. |
| US08290412B2 |
Endless belt, transfer unit, and image forming apparatus
An aspect of the invention provides an endless belt in which a ten-point mean roughness of a surface of the endless belt is measured with scanning probe and is in a range from not less than 2.1 nm to not more than 11.0 nm. Thereby, poor transfer does not occur, and a highly fine image of high quality can be obtained. |
| US08290411B2 |
Image forming apparatus having a pre-transfer neutralizing device to reduce an electric potential to facilitate separation
An image forming apparatus including a latent image bearing member, a charger to evenly charge a surface of the latent image bearing member, an electrostatic latent image forming device to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the latent image bearing member, a developing device to develop the electrostatic latent image into a toner image using toner, a transfer bias application device to apply a transfer bias to an image transfer area where the latent image bearing member faces a recording medium, a pre-transfer neutralizing device to reduce an electric potential at a portion on the surface of the latent image bearing member, a surface electric potential detector to detect an electric potential at the surface of the latent image bearing member, and a radiation amount control device to control an amount of radiation from the pre-transfer neutralizing device based on a detection result obtained by the surface electric potential detector. |
| US08290408B2 |
Method and system for non-contact powder image development
An improved method and system for non-contact powder image development are provided. The present technique implements a 5-stage jumping development cycle where the initial stage is a momentary over-voltage condition to release the majority of the toner on a donor substrate and the final stage includes the implementation of a decelerating potential to minimize return impact on the donor and therefore toner abuse. It also uses a routine to directly determine improved (e.g. up to optimal) waveform amplitudes and pulse widths based on toner size and q/m, guided by physical insight. |
| US08290407B2 |
Toner supply apparatus with a drive member for driving an agitator and with a film covering the periphery of the drive member
A toner supply apparatus is installed detachably in an image forming apparatus. The toner supply apparatus includes a container body which accommodates toner, and an agitating member which is disposed inside the container body and is driven to rotate so as to agitate toner. The agitating member includes a drive member which is driven to rotate and a film member which is fixed on the drive member, and the film member covers the periphery of the drive member in a tubular fashion. |
| US08290406B2 |
Powder conveying device and image forming apparatus
An aspect of the invention is a powder conveying device including a conveying passage where powder is conveyed from a first powder accommodating chamber toward a second powder accommodating chamber, in the conveying passage, a conveying member including a rotating shaft rotatable, and a blade member spirally provided around the rotating shaft and enable to convey the powder by rotation of the rotating shaft, an intake region including an intake port through which the powder is taken in from the first powder accommodating chamber, a first conveying region arranged on a downstream side of the intake region in a conveying direction of the powder, and a second conveying region arranged on a downstream side of the first conveying region in the conveying direction, a conveyable volume of the powder per one revolution of the conveying member at the second conveying region being lower than that at the first conveying region. |
| US08290404B2 |
Electrophotographic printing and cleaning of the developer ink bearing surface
An electrophotographic printing apparatus may include an image-forming member having a surface on which a latent electrostatic image can be formed and developed for transfer of the developed image to a substrate and a developer for depositing ink including charged particles onto the surface to develop the latent image. The developer may include an ink bearing surface from which ink is transferred and a cleaner for removing ink from the ink bearing surface. The developer may further include an adjustable power system generating an electric potential between the ink bearing surface and the cleaner such that charged ink particles remaining on the ink bearing surface after the transfer of ink to the image-forming member are removed from the ink bearing surface through attraction to the cleaner. A controller may adjust the power system such that a desired electric potential between the ink bearing surface and the cleaner is achieved. |
| US08290401B2 |
Image forming apparatus having charge eliminator
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying body having a surface on which a toner image is formed. A charger charges the surface body and a charge eliminator removes charge from the surface. The charge eliminator includes light sources to generate charge elimination light and a light guide to guide the charge elimination light onto the surface. The light guide includes a first portion to guide the charge elimination light onto an axial central portion of the image carrying body and a second portion to guide the charge elimination light onto axial end portions of the image carrying body. The second light guide portion allows charge elimination light that is incident on the first light guide portion to travel into the second light guide portion, but restricts charge elimination light that is incident on the second light guide portion from traveling into the first light guide portion. |
| US08290399B2 |
Belt device and image-forming apparatus
A belt device for an image forming apparatus includes an endless belt member supported at roller members, side frames disposed along sides of the belt member being respectively slidably supported at slide rails disposed at a body of the image forming apparatus, a rear frame constructed across the side frames, rotatably supporting shafts of the roller members at the rear side, a front frame rotatably supporting shafts of the roller members at the front side, and having a projecting surface smaller than an inner periphery of the belt member, and a support frame cantilever-supporting the front frame with respect to the rear frame. The rear frame includes a freely detachable holding member supporting rear side bearings supporting the rear side shafts of support rollers supporting the belt and a sub-bearing which is more to the center side in an axial direction of the support rollers than the rear side bearing. |
| US08290398B2 |
Agitating member and developing cartridge
In order to provide an agitator having a wiper made of a resiliency deformable material, an agitator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a main body and a resiliently deformable plate-like member. The main body has a placing surface, a first protrusion, and a second protrusion protruding from the placing surface. The resiliently deformable plate-like member has a free end portion including a free end and a supported portion supported to the main body, the supported portion being placed on the placing surface and having a first engaging section engaging the first protrusion and a second engaging section engaging the second protrusion, the supported portion being curved upon resilient deformation thereof as a result of engagement of the first engaging section and the second engaging section with the first protrusion and the second protrusion respectively, a length between the first engaging section and the second engaging section being greater than a linear distance between the first protrusion and the second protrusion. |
| US08290388B2 |
Image forming apparatus having an optical sensor
An image forming apparatus includes a sensor having a light emitting section for irradiating a detection area and a light receiving section for outputting a light sensitive signal indicative of the amount of the light received from the detection area. A sensor adjustment section adjusts the sensitivity of the sensor by varying the set value of an adjustable characteristic value associated with the sensitivity, based on explorative measurement of the adjustable characteristic value corresponding to a predetermined reference level of the light sensitive signal. If an estimation section estimates that the amount of a leakage current generated on the light receiving section is larger than a reference amount, a mitigation section mitigates the influence of the leakage current on the explorative measurement, by at least one of adjustment of the light receiving section for reduction of the leakage current and modification of the predetermined reference level. |
| US08290383B2 |
Image forming apparatus which controls a transfer voltage applied to a transfer member
A tandem electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes plural toner image forming units and a fixing unit. The plural toner image forming units are disposed in a conveyance direction of a printing medium. Each of the toner image forming units includes a photoreceptor on which a toner image is formed and a transfer member to which a transfer voltage is applied to cause the toner image to be transferred from the photoreceptor onto the printing medium. The fixing unit is disposed on a downstream side of the toner image forming units in the conveyance direction of the printing medium and heats and fixes, to the printing medium, the toner images that have been transferred onto the printing medium. The transfer voltages applied to the transfer members are made smaller the closer to the fixing unit. |
| US08290382B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a transfer member provided at a position at which the transfer member can be pressed against the image carrier, a detection device for detecting a toner attachment amount of the toner image formed on the image carrier, an avoidance judging section for judging whether or not avoidance of a pressed region should be performed when a toner image for image formation is formed on the image carrier, the pressed region serving as a region located on the image carrier and being pressed against the transfer member from the end of a previous image forming operation to the start of a present image forming operation, and an avoidance continuation judging section for judging the necessity for continuation of the avoidance by being operated when it is judged as avoidance by the avoidance judging section. |
| US08290380B2 |
Electronic apparatus, image forming apparatus, and connection confirmation method for connectors
An electronic apparatus includes a main body and an optional device detachably connected thereto via two connectors each having multiple signal terminals corresponding to various signals. The main body includes a connection confirmation unit that confirms that a specific signal terminal in the multiple signal terminals of each connector is connected; a request-signal generating unit that sends a request signal from the main body to the optional device via a signal terminal other than the specific signal terminal when connection of the specific signal terminal is confirmed by the connection confirmation unit, and requests a reply signal from the optional device; and a communication confirmation unit that determines that the two connectors of the main body and the optional device are connected when confirming that the reply signal is received via the signal terminal other than the specific signal terminal. |
| US08290379B2 |
Image forming device and detachable process unit
An image forming device includes a main casing, a cartridge accommodating portion, a detection unit and a determination unit. The cartridge accommodating portion is configured to detachably accommodate a first cartridge and a second cartridge that is able to be detachably combined with the first cartridge, the first cartridge being provided with a pressing member movable between a first position and a second position, the pressing member being in the first position when the second cartridge is removed from the first cartridge, the pressing member being in the second position when the second cartridge is combined with the first cartridge. The detection unit is provided on the main casing and is configured to perform non-contact position detection of the pressing member. The determination unit is configured not to start image forming operations until the detection unit detects that the pressing member is in the second position. |
| US08290369B2 |
Optical access system
An optical access system capable of avoiding cutoffs or interruption in the periodically transmitted signals that occur during the ranging time is provided. A first method to avoid signal cutoffs is to stop periodic transmit signals at the transmitter during the ranging period, and transmit all the periodic transmit signals together when the ranging ends, and buffer the signals at the receiver to prepare for ranging. A second method is to fix definite periods ahead of time for performing ranging, then cluster the multiple periodic transmit signals together in sets at the transmitter and send them, and then disassemble those sets back into signals at the receiver. The transmitting and receiving is then controlled so that the transmit periods do not overlap with the ranging periods. In this way an optical access system is provided that can send and receive signals requiring periodic transmissions without interruption even during ranging operation. |
| US08290368B2 |
Detecting collisions on multipoint shared optical media
A system, and methods for detecting collisions on multipoint shared optical media, comprising an optical receiver, clock phase detector, clock recovery circuit, and a Passive Optical Network (PON) that transmits optical signals wherein the PON, the clock recovery circuit, and the clock phase detector are communicably coupled to the optical receiver, detecting of the collision is determined by a distortion of transition times of the optical signals at the optical receiver. |
| US08290362B2 |
Predictive end-to-end management for SONET networks
A system and method is disclosed that allows for the monitoring, analyzing and reporting on performance, availability and quality of optical network paths. The correlation of PM parameter metrics to client connections, coupled with threshold-based alarm generation provides a proactive and predictive management, reporting and analyzing of the health and effectiveness of individual path connections to alert Operational Support (OS) staff and/or customers to signal degradation and impending Network Element (NE) failures. The system and method performs in real-time processing intervals required for alarm surveillance in a telecommunications network. |
| US08290360B2 |
Focal distance calibration apparatus for camera lens fine tuning
A camera can include a camera body and a lens mounted to the camera body. Light passing through the lens can be incident on a recording surface that is adapted to capture the incident light. The camera can include a focus calibration control, wherein manipulation of the focus calibration control causes the focus calibration control to adjust a distance between the lens and the recording surface. The camera can include a locking control that is separate from the focus calibration control. The locking control can be configured for selective engagement to prevent the focus calibration control from adjusting the distance between the lens and the recording surface. |
| US08290359B2 |
Optical finder unit and imaging apparatus
An optical finder unit includes: light guide means for guiding an optical image of a subject to a finder window through an internal space formed in the optical finder unit; and a display unit capable of displaying information on the finder window through the internal space when the display unit is in a set state in which the display unit is set in a predetermined position, wherein the display unit in the set state blocks an opening communicating with the internal space, and the display unit can transit from the set state to a non-set state in which the display unit is not set in the predetermined position but unblocks the internal space. |
| US08290357B2 |
Auto-exposure technique in a camera
An image processor, which determines appropriate exposure parameters for a shutter assembly in a camera. The image processor may computationally determine a region of interest in a scene sought to be captured, and set the parameters to ensure that the exposure parameters are set to capture an image of the scene with the region of interest having a desired brightness level. In an embodiment, pixel values of multiple frames (each frame with a corresponding set of configuration parameters of the shutter assembly) may be examined to determine the frame having pixel values with the region having the desired brightness level. The shutter assembly may be configured with the parameters corresponding to such a frame to provide an auto-exposure feature. |
| US08290356B2 |
Imaging device with image blurring reduction function
In an imaging device including a mechanical image blurring correction and a sensitivity image blurring reduction, a subject-shake amount is calculated based on a motion vector size acquired during a through image process display. Usage percentages of the mechanical image blurring correction and a sensitivity image blurring reduction are sequentially set based on the calculated subject-shake amount. When shooting a still-image, still-image data is recorded after blurring reduction is performed on the still-image data by the mechanical image blurring correction and a sensitivity image blurring reduction, based on the most recently set usage percentages. |
| US08290355B2 |
Lens apparatus
A lens apparatus supported by a support member, includes a correction lens for correcting an image blur, a correction lens driving portion for driving the correction lens, a vibration detection portion for detecting vibration of the lens apparatus, and a driving signal calculation unit for calculating a driving signal used for driving the correction lens. The driving signal calculation unit includes a detected vibration calculation portion for calculating a vibration signal based on an output from the vibration detection portion, a panning/tilting component calculation portion for calculating a pan/tilt operation signal based on pan/tilt operation information input from the support member, and a subtraction portion for subtracting the pan/tilt operation signal from the vibration signal. The correction lens driving portion drives the correction lens based on an output from the subtraction portion. |
| US08290354B2 |
System for securing a deicer to a guard
A deicing system includes a heating element configured to impart heat to water within a water-retaining structure, a guard configured to prevent the heating element from abutting surfaces of the water-retaining structure, and a securing spring that securely fastens the heating element to the guard. |
| US08290352B2 |
Method for recovering data in disk
A method for recovering video data in a disk when a reading error occurs is provided. First, the disk is scanned to obtain a next writable address (NWA) of a last video chapter previously recorded into the disk. An end address of a successfully recorded video chapter is then read from a specific area of the disk and stored into a memory. Next, when a disk player/recorder is requested to read content of data according to the NWA, the disk player/recorder determines whether the content of the data is a file system. If the content of the data is not a file system, the NWA obtained by scanning the disk is replaced with the end address read from the specific area to read the file system, so as to recover the video data in the disk. Thereby, the video data in the disk can be protected. |
| US08290349B2 |
Playback apparatus, method, and program
The present invention relates to a playback apparatus, a method, and a program which can appropriately perform jump playback when content transmitted through a network is played back in real time. A terminal 3 receives stream data transmitted from a server 1, buffers the stream data, and plays back the buffered data. The terminal 3 has multiple buffers to allow content data of the positions of jump destinations that can be specified as a jump destination during jump playback to be pre-buffered in the multiple buffers. As a result, upon receiving a request for jump playback, the terminal 3 can start playback from a jump destination without delay, since the data of the jump destination has already been buffered. The present invention is applied to, for example, television receivers. |
| US08290348B2 |
AV data recording apparatus and method, disk recorded with the AV data recording apparatus or method, and AV data reproducing apparatus and method
The present invention provides an AV data recording apparatus and method that facilitate various processes concerning a recorded video, including continuous reproduction, digital transmission, file operation, partial deletion, and post-recording. The AV data recording apparatus divides an audio signal and a video signal into transport packets having a predetermined unit length, assembles a plurality of transport packets as one transport stream and executes recording. Accordingly, this invention enables managing whether a logical block is used or not, detecting a continuous data area comprising plural logical blocks that ensure realtime continuous reproduction, and determining logical block numbers of continuous data areas to be recorded. As a result, the transport stream is recorded continuously on a plurality of detected continuous data areas. |
| US08290346B2 |
Large format video archival, storage, and retrieval system and method
A method for storing a video on a storage device includes formatting each image in a plurality of images into a plurality of tiles, the plurality of images being captured as a temporal sequence of images at successive points in time; and generating a plurality of video segments from the temporal sequence of images by: selecting a tile from each image in the sequence of images to obtain a sequence of tiles to generate a video segment; selecting another tile from each image in the sequence of images to obtain another sequence of tiles to generate another video segment; and repeating the selecting a tile from each image in the sequence of images to obtain a plurality of sequences of tiles to generate the plurality of video segments. The method further includes storing the obtained plurality of video segments in a file on the storage device. |
| US08290345B2 |
Digest generation for television broadcast program
In a device for generating a digest of a television broadcast program containing subtitle information, a character number calculation section calculates, based on the subtitle information, a character number of a subtitle displayed in each of segments provided at regular intervals. A digest scene specifying section compares the calculated character number with a threshold and specifies, as one or more digest scenes of the television broadcast program, one or more segments in which the calculated character number is larger than the threshold. |
| US08290343B2 |
Electronic apparatus, reproducing method and program
[Object] To download, even when a recording medium having content recorded thereon is not inserted in an electronic apparatus, subcontent related to the content.[Solving Means] With a BD-ROM inserted in a recording/reproducing apparatus 100, a resident application in the recording/reproducing apparatus 100 reads metadata stored in the BD-ROM and stores the metadata in a disc library DB 34. When a BD-ROM is not inserted in the recording/reproducing apparatus 100, the resident application downloads the latest trailer from a content server 22 based on a URL of the content server 22 included in the metadata stored in the disc library DB 34, and then stores the latest trailer in a local storage 8. Accordingly, even when a BD-ROM is not inserted, the resident application can reproduce, via a disc library 30, the latest trailer stored in the local storage 8. |
| US08290342B2 |
Managing digital video recorder storage for a plurality of users
A computer implemented method and apparatus for managing digital video recorder storage for one or more users. Each user in the multi-user environment is assigned an amount of program storage in the digital video recorder. Responsive to receiving a request to record a new program from a user in the multi-user environment, an associated amount of program storage assigned to the use is determined. Responsive to a determination that addition of the new program will not exceed the associated amount of program storage assigned to the user, the new program is recorded to the program storage. |
| US08290341B2 |
Video playing device, video playing method, and video playing program having automatic video selections based upon user concentration
A video playing device includes a classification unit classifying a video or a video section to be played according to a degree of user's necessary concentration on a video. A user's concentration derivation unit calculates a degree of user's concentration on the video. A video selection unit selects the video or the video section to be played based on a classification result and the degree of user's concentration on the video. A video playing unit plays the video or the video section selected by the video selection unit, and operates so as to preferentially play videos or video sections which the degree of user's concentration necessary to watch each video or video section is lower than the current degree of user's concentration. |
| US08290338B2 |
Recording medium, playback device, encoding device, integrated circuit, and playback output device
A main-view and sub-view video stream pair, a graphics stream, and playlist information are recorded on a BD-ROM disc. In the sub-view video stream, metadata is provided in each GOP. The metadata includes a correspondence table associating offset identifiers and offset information. The offset information defines offset control for each picture in a GOP. Offset control is processing to provide a left offset and right offset for the horizontal coordinates in a graphics plane to generate a pair of graphics planes that are respectively combined with main-view and sub-view video planes. The playlist information includes a stream selection table for each playback section. When the stream selection table associates a stream number with a packet identifier of a graphics stream, one of the offset identifiers is allocated to the stream number. |
| US08290324B2 |
Single-mode optical fiber having an enlarged effective area
A single-mode optical fiber includes a central core, a first inner cladding, a second inner cladding, and an outer cladding. The optical fiber, at a wavelength of 1550 nanometers, has an effective area greater than or equal to 100 μm2. The optical fiber also has a cable cut-off wavelength less than 1260 nanometers. Additionally, the optical fiber possesses a zero chromatic dispersion wavelength of between about 1300 nanometers and 1324 nanometers and, at the zero chromatic dispersion wavelength, a dispersion slope of less than 0.092 ps/(nm2·km). |
| US08290321B2 |
Cable with features for distinguishing between fiber groups
Micromodule subunit cables are constructed to allow for ease of identification between optical fibers in differing groups of optical fibers. In one cable, a first group of fibers is located within a buffer tube core while a second group of fibers is located within the cable jacket, but outside of the core. The fibers in the first and second groups can accordingly use the same color coding sequence without requiring additional indicia such as stripes or binding. |
| US08290319B2 |
Optical communication in a ramp-stack chip package
A ramp-stack chip package is described. This chip package includes a vertical stack of semiconductor dies or chips that are offset from each other in a horizontal direction, thereby defining a stepped terrace. A high-bandwidth ramp component, which is positioned approximately parallel to the stepped terrace, is mechanically coupled to the semiconductor dies. Furthermore, the ramp component includes an optical waveguide that conveys the optical signal, and an optical coupling component that optically couples the optical signal to one of the semiconductor dies, thereby facilitating high-bandwidth communication of the optical signal between the semiconductor die and the ramp component. |
| US08290318B2 |
Light trapping optical cover
A light trapping optical cover employing an optically transparent layer with a plurality of light deflecting elements. The transparent layer is configured for an unimpeded light passage through its body and has a broad light input surface and an opposing broad light output surface. The light deflecting elements deflect light incident into the transparent layer at a sufficiently high bend angle with respect to a surface normal and direct the deflected light toward a light harvesting device adjacent to the light output surface. The deflected light is retained by means of at least TIR in the system formed by the optical cover and the light harvesting device which allows for longer light propagation paths through the photoabsorptive layer of the device and for an improved light absorption. The optical cover may further employ a focusing array of light collectors being pairwise associated with the respective light deflecting elements. |
| US08290316B2 |
Self-referenced optical fiber sensor and related sensor network
The general field of the invention is that of fiber-optic sensors comprising at least one measurement optical fiber having an optically pumped doped amplifying medium, the optical characteristics of which are sensitive to a physical quantity, the fiber having at least one Bragg grating. The fiber is designed so as to generate, in the amplifying medium, two optical waves having different optical frequencies that propagate in the same direction after reflection on the Bragg grating and are emitted by the amplifying medium, the two optical frequencies depending on the physical quantity. The two waves may be generated using either a birefringent polarization-maintaining fiber or a DBR (Distributed Bragg Reflector) laser cavity. Notably, this sensor may be used as a hydrophone. |
| US08290309B2 |
Super-resolution method for image display
The present invention discloses a super-resolution method for image display. The method comprises: receiving a low resolution image; dividing the low resolution image into a plurality of regions; finding high resolution patches in a pre-trained database; pasting the high resolution patches back to the plurality of regions by puzzle-form process or oblique-form process and computing the compatibility utilizing a two-dimensional hidden Markov model process; and generating a super-resolution image. |
| US08290306B2 |
Image processing method and image processing apparatus
An image processing method has the steps of: scanning respective pages in a document; generating respective pieces of image data corresponding to the pages; identifying respective orientations of isolated images contained by each of the pages according to a result of character recognition for the image data; determining whether or not the isolated images contained by the page have different orientations; assigning respective ones of the isolated images to new pages; and setting respective orientations of the isolated images in the new pages as respective upright orientations of the isolated images. |
| US08290301B2 |
Optimized imaging system for collection of high resolution imagery
Radiation is received from a scene impinging on at least one focal plane. A first spectral band is sampled to obtain a first band mean signal level, and either a first band image frame is collected when the first band mean signal level is at or below a first threshold, or a first image frame is collected in a first sub-band when the first band mean signal level is above the first threshold. A second sub-band is sampled to obtain a second sub-band mean signal level and a second image frame is collected in the second sub-band when the second sub-band mean signal level is at or below a second threshold. An image to be displayed is generated by combining at least two collected frames. |
| US08290297B2 |
Method for editing images and videos
A method edits editing an input image to produce an output image by first partitioning pixels of the input image into sets of adjacent pixels. Then, for each set, a trellis of nodes connected by directed links is defined. Each node corresponds to one of the pixels in the set of pixels, and an action and location of the pixel in the output image. Costs are assigned to the nodes and the links. A least cost path through the trellis is determined, and pixels corresponding to the nodes on the least cost path are edited according to the action and location to form the output image. |
| US08290295B2 |
Multi-modal tone-mapping of images
A system for multi-modal mapping of images is described. Embodiments are described where the image mapping system is used for visualizing high dynamic range images such as medical images, satellite images, high dynamic range photographs and the like and also for compressing such images. In examples, high bit-depth images are tone-mapped for display on equipment of lower bit-depth without loss of detail. In embodiments, the image mapping system computes statistics describing an input image and fits a multi-modal model to those statistics efficiently. In embodiments, the multi-modal model is a Gaussian mixture model and a plurality of sigmoid functions corresponding to the multi-modal model are obtained. In an embodiment the sigmoid functions are added to form a tone-mapping function which is used to transform a high bit-depth image such as 16 or 12 bits per pixel to a low bit-depth image such as 8 bits per pixel. |
| US08290294B2 |
Dehazing an image using a three-dimensional reference model
An image may be dehazed using a three-dimensional reference model. In an example embodiment, a device-implemented method for dehazing includes acts of registering, estimating, and producing. An image that includes haze is registered to a reference model. A haze curve is estimated for the image based on a relationship between colors in the image and colors and depths of the reference model. A dehazed image is produced by using the estimated haze curve to reduce the haze of the image. |
| US08290270B2 |
Method and system for converting image text documents in bit-mapped formats to searchable text and for searching the searchable text
A system 10 and method for searching image text documents includes a content repository 12 storing image documents having text images therein. An image text transformer 14 performs optical character recognition on the image documents to form optical character recognition results and creates a reflection repository 22 having reflection files therein corresponding to the image documents from the optical character recognition results. A search engine 38 searches the reflection files and a user device 30 displays a first reflection file from the reflection files or a first image document from the image documents in response to searching. The files are displayed on a display 32 associated with a user device 30. |
| US08290268B2 |
Segmenting printed media pages into articles
Methods and systems for segmenting printed media pages into individual articles quickly and efficiently. A printed media based image that may include a variety of columns, headlines, images, and text is input into the system which comprises a block segmenter and a article segmenter system. The block segmenter identifies and produces blocks of textual content from a printed media image while the article segmenter system determines which blocks of textual content belong to one or more articles in the printed media image based on a classifier algorithm. A method for segmenting printed media pages into individual articles is also presented. |
| US08290266B2 |
Model-based method and system for image segmentation and modelling
A method is proposed for segmenting a 2- or 3-D space, spanned by a set of medical data comprising intensity values at locations within the space, to estimate the position of an object of medical significance. The method using a level set function having a level set which provides a model of boundary of the object. The level set function is iteratively updated by a force defined based on the medical data. For computational efficiency, only the force in the narrowband of the model boundary needs to be calculated. Minimization of an energy function, related to the force, provides a termination condition for the iteration. High level knowledge can be incorporated in several ways, such as by an explicit force term which takes over from the force based on the medical data when prior knowledge of the object is about to be violated by the model. |
| US08290261B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
When the range of luminance values expressed by an image is divided into a plurality of levels, a histogram measurement unit generates histogram data indicating the numbers of pixels for respective levels by calculating, for respective levels, the total of the number of pixels in the image, which have luminance values belonging to an identical level. A microcomputer calculates, for respective levels, the difference between the number of pixels belonging to an identical level using the histogram data of a first frame image and that of a second frame image input immediately before the first frame image. The microcomputer determines based on the differences for the respective levels whether or not to update a tone correction table held by a tone correction unit, and then converts the tone characteristic of the first frame image using the tone correction table, and outputs the converted image. |
| US08290256B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
A mesh generation unit divides an object area into respective meshes and obtains position information, gradient information, and color information of each vertex, which forms the meshes. An encoding unit obtains the color of each of the meshes using the color information and gradient information of each vertex. The encoding unit obtains the difference between each obtained color, and a color in a region in the object area that corresponds to each of the meshes. The encoding unit determines whether the sum of obtained differences is not smaller than a threshold. When the sum is smaller than the threshold, the encoding unit encodes the position information, gradient information, and color information of each vertex. When the sum is not smaller than the threshold, the encoding unit subdivides each mesh into submeshes, and encodes color information at a position in the object area that corresponds to each vertex of the submesh. |
| US08290251B2 |
Image stylization using sparse representation
A computer-implemented method that includes segmenting a training image into training image patches, where each training image patch is represented by a linear combination of dictionary image patches from an image dictionary, and each dictionary image patch has a sparse representation coefficient. The method includes segmenting a stylized training image into stylized training image patches, where each stylized training image patch is represented by a linear combination of stylized dictionary image patches from a stylized image dictionary, and each stylized dictionary image patch has a sparse representation coefficient. The method also includes training the image dictionary with the training image patches and the stylized image dictionary with the stylized training image patches in a substantially simultaneous manner. The sparse representation coefficient for each training image patch is substantially similar to the sparse representation coefficient for the corresponding stylized training image patch. |
| US08290249B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting a tilt angle from a depth image
A depth image of a scene may be received, observed, or captured by a device. A human target in the depth image may then be scanned for one or more body parts such as shoulders, hips, knees, or the like. A tilt angle may then be calculated based on the body parts. For example, a first portion of pixels associated with an upper body part such as the shoulders and a second portion of pixels associated with a lower body part such as a midpoint between the hips and knees may be selected. The tilt angle may then be calculated using the first and second portions of pixels. |
| US08290247B2 |
Method and system for segmentation of tubular structures in 3D images
A method and system for segmenting tubular structures in 3D images is disclosed. User inputs identifying a first region on the image inside of a tubular structure and a second region of the image outside of the tubular structure are received. Based on this information, an ordered series of pearls are generated along the tubular structure. Pearls are spheres, each having a center location and a radius determined based on the center locations and radii of previous pearls and on local voxel intensities in the image. A continuous model of the tubular structure can be generated by interpolating the center locations and radii of the ordered series of pearls. The ordered series of pearls can be displayed and easily edited in response to user input, thus providing an efficient and flexible method for interactive segmentation of a potion of interest in a tubular structure. |
| US08290242B2 |
Defect inspection apparatus and defect inspection method
A defect inspection method includes: acquiring an image of an inspection pattern obtained by an imaging device, detecting an edge of the inspection pattern in the image, dividing the image into an inspection region and a non-inspection region, using the detected edge as a boundary thereof, performing image processing only on the inspection region to determine the intensity value distribution in the image, and detecting a defect in the inspection pattern based on the obtained intensity value distribution. |
| US08290241B2 |
Analyzing apparatus, program, defect inspection apparatus, defect review apparatus, analysis system, and analysis method
In order to allow to easily specify inspection recipe with which defects desired to be detected can be detected efficiently, a defect inspection apparatus performs defect inspection of a substrate in accordance with a plurality of inspection recipes and produces defect information associated with position of defect in the substrate and attribute data of the defect for each of the inspection recipes and a defect review apparatus produces review result information specifying a kind of defect selected from defects contained in the defect information. An analyzing apparatus obtains defect information and review result information and totalizes the number of defects having attribute data similar to attribute data possessed in defects corresponding to kind of defects to be analyzed for each inspection recipe. |
| US08290239B2 |
Automatic repair of electric circuits
An apparatus and method for automatically inspecting and repairing printed circuit boards includes an inspection functionality automatically inspecting printed circuit boards and providing a machine readable indication of regions thereon requiring repair. An automatic repair functionality employs the machine readable indication to repair the printed circuit boards at some of the regions thereon requiring repair. An automatic repair reformulation functionality automatically reinspects the printed circuit boards following an initial automatic repair operation, and provides to the automatic repair functionality a reformulated machine readable indication of regions thereon requiring repair. |
| US08290233B2 |
X-ray computed tomography apparatus and image processing method
According to one embodiment, an X-ray computed tomography apparatus includes an X-ray generating unit and an area detector. The reconstruction processing unit reconstructs first and second volume data including an overlap region. The extraction unit extracts first and second slice images from the first and the second volume data respectively. The calculation unit calculates the difference value between a sum of pixel values in the first slice images and the sum of pixel values in the second slice images. The determination unit determines whether the difference value falls within a predetermined range. The combining unit combines the first and second volume data and sets a pixel value in the overlap region to a pixel value of the first volume data, a pixel value of the second volume data, or a value derived from pixel values of the first and second volume data. |
| US08290230B2 |
Method and apparatus for substance identification
A method for substance identification and an apparatus thereof are disclosed. The method comprises comprising steps of: transmitting an object under inspection using high-energy rays and low-energy rays, so as to obtain a high-energy transmission image and a low-energy transmission image for the object, wherein a value of each pixel in the high-energy image indicates a high-energy transparency of the high-energy rays with respect to corresponding parts of the object, and a value of each pixel in the low-energy image indicates a low-energy transparency of the low-energy rays with respect to corresponding parts of the object; calculating a value of a first function for the high-energy transparency and a value of a second function for the high-energy transparency and the low-energy transparency, for each pixel; and classifying locations determined by the value of the first function and the value of the second function using a pre-created classification curve, so as to identify the type of the substance of a part of the object corresponding to each pixel. With the present invention, it is possible to not only obtain a transmission image of the object, but also obtain material information in the object. |
| US08290229B2 |
System and method for counting follicular units
A system and method for counting follicular units using an automated system comprises acquiring an image of a body surface having skin and follicular units, filtering the image to remove skin components in the image, processing the resulted image to segment it, and filtering noise to eliminate all elements other than hair follicles of interest so that hair follicles in an area of interest can be counted. The system may comprise an image acquisition device and an image processor for performing the method. In another aspect, the system and method also classifies the follicular units based on the number of hairs in the follicular unit. |
| US08290228B2 |
Location-sensitive cursor control and its use for vessel analysis
Apparatus and methods are provided, including displaying an image of one or more lumens of a subject. A processor includes lumen-identification functionality configured to automatically identify one or more lumens in the image. Envelope-designation functionality of the processor designates as lumen envelopes, portions of the image in vicinities of respective lumens. In response to the user designating a location inside a lumen envelope of a given lumen, via an input device, the location corresponding to a given longitudinal location within the given lumen, feature-generation functionality of the processor generates a feature on the image that corresponds to the given longitudinal location. An output is displayed in response to the generated feature. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US08290224B2 |
Method and device for imaging cyclically moving objects
A method and a device are disclosed for imaging cyclically moving objects using a first and a second imaging method which differ at least with regard to the spatial resolution or the sensitivity. In at least one embodiment of the process, images of the object are continuously recorded by the first imaging method. Temporally different phases of a movement cycle of the object are extracted from the images recorded by the first imaging method. Images of the object are recorded by the second imaging method. The image data recorded in each case in a same, repeating phase of the of the movement cycle by the second imaging method are summed and temporally assigned to the different phases of the movement cycle. |
| US08290221B2 |
Apparatus and method for polynomial reconstruction in fuzzy vault system
Provided is a method for polynomial reconstruction in a fuzzy vault system, which includes receiving a set of matching minutiae to select a minutiae combination to be used for the polynomial reconstruction; generating simultaneous equations using the selected minutiae combination; determining whether a root of the simultaneous equations exists; and reconstructing the polynomial using the selected minutiae combination when the root of the simultaneous equations exists. The high-speed processing polynomial reconstruction method may perform polynomial reconstruction in real time, without using a separate key of a user, and thus may be applicable to various types of fuzzy vault systems. |
| US08290219B2 |
Registration-free transforms for cancelable iris biometrics
A system and method for generating a cancelable biometric includes shifting at least one pixel region in a biometric image comprised of pixel regions. The at least one pixel region is combined with at least one other pixel region to form a replacement region for the at least one pixel region to form a transformed image. The biometric image is reused to generate another transformed image if the transformed image is to be canceled. |
| US08290211B2 |
Apparatus, method and computer product for generating vehicle image
A recognition device includes a component identifying unit, an identification-region defining unit, a vehicle-image generating unit, and a data reduction-level setting unit. The component identifying unit identifies a component of a vehicle in an original image. The identification-region defining unit defines an identification region including an identification component for identifying the vehicle based on the component. The vehicle-image generating unit extracts the identification region and generates a vehicle image. The data reduction-level setting unit sets a data reduction level based on which a vehicle image is to be generated from an original image satisfying a predetermined condition. |
| US08290209B2 |
Mobile object recognizing device, mobile object recognizing method, and computer program thereof
A mobile object recognizing device comprises a camera (2) for taking time-series images, a feature point extracting unit (23) for extracting the feature points of the individual time-series images taken by the camera (2), an optical flow creating unit (24) for comparing the feature points of the time-series images between different images, to create an optical flow joining the feature points having the same pattern, and a grouping operation unit (25) for selecting that optical flow as one belonging to one mobile object, the prolonged line of which intersects with one vanishing point within a predetermined error range and in which the external ratio of a segment joining the other end point and the vanishing point with one end point of the optical flow being the externally dividing point in the extension of the optical flow. The mobile object recognizing device may further comprise an image correcting unit (22) for correcting the image taken by the camera (2), into a transparent diagram in accordance with the characteristics of the lens of the camera (2). |
| US08290207B2 |
Solar power device
A solar power device includes a solar panel, a rotating assembly, an image sensor, a image recognition system, and a control system. The rotating assembly is connected to the solar panel. The image sensor is positioned on the solar panel to generate an image signal. The image recognition system is connected to the image sensors to transfer the image signal to a recognition signal. The control system is connected to the image recognition system and the rotating assembly. The control system receives the recognition signal and directs the rotating assembly to re-position the solar panel according to the recognition signal. A method for controlling the solar power device is also provided. |
| US08290206B1 |
Crowd source content editing
Crowd source editing of digital images to reduce errors in a digital images includes receiving a proposed modification to a content portion of a digital image. A determination is made as the whether the occurrence of the proposed modification to the content portions meets a modification threshold. Accordingly, the proposed modification to the content portion of the digital image is adopted when the occurrence of the specific modification meets the modification threshold. |
| US08290203B1 |
Apparatus and method for detecting images within spam
A method is described that includes comparing a characteristic of an image to stored characteristics of spam images. The method also includes generating a signature of the present image. The method further includes comparing the signature of the present image to stored signatures of spam images. The method also includes determining the spam features corresponding to the stored signatures of spam images that match the signature of the present image. |
| US08290200B2 |
Diaphragm and micro-electroacoustic device incorporating the same
A diaphragm includes a central portion in a center of the diaphragm and an external portion surrounding the central portion. The central portion includes a central section in a center of the central portion, a peripheral section at an outer periphery of the central portion and a connecting section between the central section and the peripheral section. The peripheral section forms at least one protrusion. |
| US08290198B2 |
Speaker device
A speaker device includes a pair of diaphragms disposed opposite each other, a frame configured to vibratably support an outer periphery of the diaphragms in a vibration direction, and a plurality of driving parts configured to support a rear surface of each of the diaphragms and vibrate the diaphragms in response to an audio signal. The plurality of the driving parts include a pair of magnetic circuits in which a magnetic gap is formed in a direction different from the vibration direction of the diaphragms, a pair of voice coils vibratably arranged in the magnetic gap in one axis direction, vibrating so as to move toward or away from each other in response to the audio signal, and a rigid vibration direction converter part direction-converting the vibration of the voice coils and transmitting the vibration to the diaphragms. |
| US08290182B2 |
Method of using an apparatus to automatically control sudden changes in volume
A method includes comparing a magnitude value of an audio signal in a fixed unit section with a target volume level, measuring audio gain in each fixed unit section using specific functions which are each determined to be different according to a ratio of the target volume level to the audio signal magnitude, and providing the measured audio gain to the audio signal in the fixed unit section. |
| US08290181B2 |
Automatic audio gain control for concurrent capture applications
A system level automatic gain control (“System AGC”) automatically initializes and controls analog microphone gain in an environment where multiple independent applications simultaneously receive an input from a single analog microphone or microphone array. In one embodiment, the System AGC also prevents those applications from acting to separately control the gain by intercepting external gain control commands and responding to the corresponding application with a corresponding digital gain applied to the input signal from the microphone. Consequently, the System AGC avoids problems relating to oscillations and instability in the microphone gain resulting from multiple applications trying to simultaneously control the gain while preventing each application from adversely affecting the quality of another application's audio capture signal. Further, in one embodiment, the System AGC also acts to maximize the signal to noise (SNR) ratio of the microphone without introducing clipping as a function of a sampled background environment. |
| US08290179B2 |
Multiple-use acoustic port
Two or more acoustic transducers share the same acoustic port in a device. The acoustic properties—such as acoustic impedance and frequency response—of the shared acoustic port are matched to each of the two or more acoustic transducers. To accomplish acoustic impedance matching, a separate back volume is provided for each of the acoustic transducers, matched to that transducer. Frequency response matching can be accomplished by the design of the transducer itself, but also by providing an adjacent element in the acoustic system of the transducer. One transducer may serve as an element in the acoustic system of another transducer. Frequency response adjustment of an individual element may also affect acoustic impedance of the entire port-transducer system. |
| US08290178B2 |
Sound source characteristic determining device
There is provided a sound source characteristic determining device (10) capable of being applied in an environmental where the type of a sound source is unknown. The device includes a plurality of beamformers (21-1 to 21-M) used when a sound source signal generated from a sound source at an arbitrary position in a space is inputted to a plurality of microphones (14-1 to 14-N), for weighting the acoustic signal detected by each of the microphones by using a function for correcting the difference of the sound source signals generated between the microphones and outputting a totaled signal. Each of the beamformers (21-1 to 21-M) contains a function having a unit directivity characteristic corresponding to one arbitrary direction in the space and is arranged for each of the directions corresponding to an arbitrary position in the space and the unit directivity characteristic. The sound source characteristic determining device (10) further includes means (23) for estimating the position and the direction in the space corresponding to the beamformer outputting a maximum value as the position and the direction of the sound source when the microphone (14) detects a sound source signal. |
| US08290177B2 |
Sound zoom method, medium, and apparatus
A sound zoom method, medium, and apparatus generating a signal in which a target sound is removed from sound signals input to a microphone-array by adjusting a null width that restricts a directivity sensitivity of the microphone array, and extracting a signal corresponding to the target sound from the sound signals by using the generated signal. Thus, a sound located at a predetermined position away from the microphone array can be selectively obtained so that a target sound is efficiently obtained. |
| US08290173B2 |
Wireless speakers
A wireless audio distribution system may include a wireless transmitter, responsive to a plurality of audio input channels, for transmitting an encoded digital bitstream serially combining each of the audio input channels with control data a receiver responsive to the transmitted encoded digital bitstream for decoding a preselected one of the plurality of the audio input channels from the digital bitstream for reproduction and at least one speaker for reproducing the preselected audio input channel in accordance with the control data. A wireless speaker system may include a receiver, responsive to a wirelessly transmitted, encoded digital bitstream serially combining each of a plurality of the audio input channels with control data disbursed therein, for decoding a preselected one of said audio input channels and a speaker system responsive to the receiver for reproducing the decoded, preselected audio input channel. |
| US08290171B1 |
Headset with microphone and wired remote control
In an example embodiment a headset includes a phone jack, a speaker connected to the phone jack, a microphone coupled to the phone jack and a resistive switch string coupled to the phone jack to the same ring of the phone jack as the microphone. In another example an integrated circuit device includes a charge pump, a multi-voltage LDO having an input which is capable of being coupled to an output of the charge pump, an ADC; and a pull-up resistor coupled between an output of the LDO and an input of the ADC. In another example embodiment, a method for headset signal multiplexing includes providing a headset with a plurality of signal sources and voltage division multiplexing the plurality of signal sources on a common wire. |
| US08290169B1 |
Time shifted harmonics generator
An electrical signal derived from an audio source is passed through an amplifier and is then divided into two discrete signal paths. The signal traveling along the first path travels through a high pass filter and is then split so that a portion is delayed and a portion passes through a harmonics generator so that the harmonics are advanced ahead of the delayed portion from the high pass filter. The split circuit is then combined in a summing amplifier. The second portion of the signal is also delayed before it also travels to the mixer. The combined signal is passed through an amplifier and then fed into an output transducer. The use of a delay both on the input signal and the portion of the signal which passed through the high pass filter output just before the summing amplifier enables the harmonics to not be masked by the lower frequencies, making the effect more apparent. |
| US08290167B2 |
Method and apparatus for conversion between multi-channel audio formats
An input multi-channel representation is converted into a different output multi-channel representation of a spatial audio signal, in that an intermediate representation of the spatial audio signal is derived, the intermediate representation having direction parameters indicating a direction of origin of a portion of the spatial audio signal; and in that the output multi-channel representation of the spatial audio signal is generated using the intermediate representation of the spatial audio signal. |
| US08290165B2 |
Method and apparatus for cryptographic key storage wherein key servers are authenticated by possession and secure distribution of stored keys
A key management system includes secured data stored on a first system secured by a control key stored securely on a key server. The secured data is secured against attacks such as unauthorized use, modification or access, where authorization to access the secured data is determined by knowledge of an access private key of an access key pair. When an authorized user is to access the secured data, the first system generates a request to the key server, signed with the access private key, wherein the request is for a decryption control key and the request includes a one-time public key of a key pair generated by the first system for the request. The first system can decrypt the decryption control key from the response, using a one-time private key. The first system can then decrypt the secured data with the decryption control key remaining secured in transport. |
| US08290162B2 |
Combinational combiner cryptographic method and apparatus
Another feature provides an efficient encryption method that safeguards the security of encrypted symbols. Each plaintext symbol is encrypted by using a separate pseudorandomly selected translation table. Rather than pre-storing every possible permutation of symbols as translation tables, the translation tables may be efficiently generated on-the-fly based on a pseudorandom number and a symbol shuffling algorithm. A receiving device may similarly generate reverse translation tables on-the-fly to decrypt received encrypted symbols. |
| US08290160B1 |
Method and apparatus for secured facsimile transmission
A novel and unique method, program and apparatus for secured facsimile transmission. It converts the image pixels into 8 bit ASCII characters, encrypting the data and reconverting the encrypted data back into a scrambled image, which is then compressed and transmitted according to international standard of facsimile transmission regulation (CCITT) over an insecure public telephone line to the recipient. The scrambled image is saved in a special memory area of the receiving machine and may be de-scrambled upon an input of a password by the intended recipient. |
| US08290159B2 |
Data recovery method, image processing apparatus, controller board, and data recovery program
A disclosed data recovery method, image processing apparatus, controller board, and data recovery program enable data stored encrypted in a storage unit within an information processing apparatus to be recovered when an internal encryption key of the apparatus becomes unavailable. A first encryption key is stored in a secure memory, a second encryption key is stored in a first storage unit, and data is stored in a second storage unit. The second encryption key is decrypted with the first encryption key. The second encryption key is backed up outside the information processing apparatus as a backup key, such as by printing it on a sheet with a plotter. When the first encryption key becomes unavailable, the backup key is restored back in the information processing apparatus. The data stored in the second storage unit is then decrypted with the restored backup key. |
| US08290158B2 |
AV data transmission apparatus, AV data reception apparatus, and AV data transmission and reception system
An AV data transmission apparatus includes an encryption unit which encrypts AV data, an AV data transmission unit which transmits the encrypted AV data, a cipher-type-information switching unit which switches cipher type information indicating a cipher scheme used for the AV data, to other cipher type information, and a cipher-type-information transmission unit which transmits cipher type information. When transmitting AV data which is prohibited from being used in a reception apparatus that does not support new usage control information, the AV data transmission apparatus assigns different cipher type information, which is used to notify the reception apparatus, so that even the reception apparatus which cannot recognize the new usage control information can recognize its inability to perform decryption is due to new encryption performed by the AV data transmission apparatus. |
| US08290154B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for key generation, encryption and decryption in broadcast encryption
Methods and apparatuses for key generation, encryption and decryption in broadcast encryption. A public parameter and a primary key based on a first random number are generated. For each of leaf nodes in a binary tree, a right key set of the leaf node is calculated, the right key set including a right key of the leaf node and right keys of right brother nodes for all the nodes on a path from a root node to the leaf node. A left key set of the leaf node is calculated, the left key set including a left key of the leaf node and left keys of left brother nodes for all the nodes on the path. The sum of the second and third random numbers equals to the first random number. The second random number is different for different subscribers. |
| US08290148B2 |
Encryption processing apparatus, encryption processing method, and computer program
An encryption processing apparatus for performing common-key blockcipher processing, the encryption processing apparatus includes an encryption processing part that performs data transformation in which a round function is iterated for a plurality of rounds; and a key scheduling part that generates round keys used to execute the round function. The key scheduling part is configured to repeatedly apply an xs times multiplication over an extension field GF(2m), generated by an m-th order irreducible polynomial f(x) defined over GF(2), to an m-bit intermediate key generated by transformation of a secret key to generate a plurality of different round intermediate keys serving as data for generating a plurality of different round keys. |
| US08290146B2 |
Ciphertext generating apparatus, cryptographic communication system, and group parameter generating apparatus
The random number generating unit 222 randomly generates an integer s. The first ciphertext generating unit 241 generates a first ciphertext C1 by encrypting the plaintext M, based on the integer s. The second ciphertext generating unit 242 generates a second ciphertext C2, based on the integer s and a recipient ID. The third ciphertext generating unit 243 generates a third ciphertext C3, based on the integer s. The hash value calculation unit 244 calculates a hash value H0 by combining the first ciphertext C1, the second ciphertext C2, and the third ciphertext C3. The fourth ciphertext generating unit 245 generates a fourth ciphertext C4, based on the hash value H0. The ciphertext combining unit 246 generates a ciphertext C by combining the first ciphertext C1, the second ciphertext C2, the third ciphertext C3, and the fourth ciphertext C4. Thus, it is possible to provide an ID-based public key cryptographic communication system being secure even when transmitting ciphertexts generated by encrypting the same plaintext to a plurality of recipients. |
| US08290145B2 |
Transition between masked representations of a value during cryptographic calculations
In a method for the transition from a first masked representation of a value to be kept secret to a second masked representation of the value, according to a first aspect of the invention at least one previously calculated table with a plurality of entries is used, and the calculation is carried out depending on at least one veiling parameter, in order to prevent the value to be kept secret from being spied out. According to a second aspect of the invention, at least one comparison table is used, which, for each table index, provides the result of a comparison between a value dependent on the table index and a value dependent on at least one masking value. A computer program product and a device have corresponding features. The invention provides a technique for protecting the transition between masked representations of a value from being spied out, wherein the masked representations are based on different masking rules. |
| US08290137B2 |
System and method for using exception routing tables in an internet based telephone call routing system
In a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system for completing telephone calls over the Internet, the system uses a general routing table and client exception routing tables to instruct originating gateways about how to complete calls. When a call request for a particular client is received, the system first looks to that client's exception routing table to see if routing information for the call is available. If so, the system will use the routing information in the client's exception routing table to complete the call. The routing information in the client's exception routing table could include information about preferred destination gateways and/or preferred Internet Service Providers. If the client's exception routing table does not contain information that could be used to route the call, then the system simply uses the routing information in the general routing table. In some situations, the system could utilize multiple general routing tables. Likewise, a single client could have multiple exception routing tables. |
| US08290136B2 |
Conference material bot method and apparatus
A method comprising establishing, with a telecommunications management system, a first conference call comprising a first caller at a first telecommunications terminal, a second caller at a second telecommunications terminal, and a third caller at a third telecommunications terminal. Once the first conference call is established, the telecommunications management system appraises the first caller's contribution, the second caller's contribution, and the third caller's contribution to the first conference call. The telecommunications management system receives a request to set-up a second conference call and establishes the second conference call, wherein the telecommunications management system decides whether to include the first caller, the second caller, and the third caller in the second conference call based, at least in part, on the telecommunications management system's appraisal of the first caller's contribution, the second caller's contribution, and the third caller's contribution to the first conference call. |
| US08290132B2 |
Communications history log system
A method is provided in which information about one or more telecommunications session characteristics is stored in a communications history log. A prediction is then made for the occurrence of telecommunications session characteristic in the future on the basis of the information stored in the communications history log. |
| US08290125B2 |
Voice response unit shortcutting
A system, method and program product for providing voice response unit (VRU) shortcuts. A system is provided that includes: a user interface for allowing a user to input a targeted VRU, a goal, and call-specific information; a data mapping system for mapping the call specific information and user information pre-stored in a database to a VRU map associated with VRU; a VRU interface system for initiating a call with the targeted VRU and navigating the targeted VRU to an option associated with the goal; and a system for telephonically connecting the user with the targeted VRU when the option associated with the goal is reached. |
| US08290124B2 |
Conference call replay
Call replay systems and methods are disclosed. A call replay system can record a telephonic communication and replay the recorded communication upon request. The entire communication may be recorded, or only a portion, such as the most recent few minutes. The entire recording can be transmitted to a requester, or only a portion. The recording may be altered before it is transmitted to a requestor. Alterations may include actions taken to reduce playback time, such as removing spaces in the recording where no conversation is taking place, or speeding up the recording. Other alterations may include adjusting the sonic characteristics of the recording, translating the recording, or transcribing the recording to create a text version. |
| US08290121B2 |
Method for producing a comb-like collimator element for a collimator arrangement and collimator element
A method is disclosed for producing a comb-like collimator element for a collimator arrangement. In at least one embodiment of the method, a collimator sheet extending in a first direction and made of an X-ray absorbing material is used as a support, onto which webs made of an X-ray absorbing material are formed in layers by way of a rapid prototyping technique and protrude transversely in respect of the support in a second direction. |
| US08290118B2 |
X-ray imaging apparatus, method of controlling the same, and computer program
An X-ray imaging apparatus includes an X-ray source including a plurality of X-ray focuses, an X-ray detector which detects X-rays emitted from the X-ray focuses and transmitted through an object, and a control unit which controls the X-ray source and the X-ray detector. The X-ray imaging apparatus selects a pair of X-ray focuses, of X-ray focuses of the plurality of X-ray focuses which project images on the X-ray detector through a region of interest which is an imaging region of the object, from which emitted X-rays define an intersecting angle coinciding with a predetermined angle in the region of interest, and decides an X-ray focus to be used for imaging from X-ray focuses between the selected pair of X-ray focuses. An X-ray image is captured by emitting X-rays from the decided X-ray focus and causing the X-ray detector to detect the X-rays. |
| US08290113B2 |
Frequency synthesizer prescaler scrambling
Various apparatuses, methods and systems for frequency dividing a clock signal are disclosed herein. For example, some embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus including a plurality of multiplexers connected in series with the clock signal, each having a plurality of inputs of different phase delays. The apparatus also includes a delta sigma modulator connected to control inputs on the plurality of multiplexers. The delta sigma modulator is adapted to repeatedly select different ones of the pluralities of inputs of different phase delays in the plurality of multiplexers to change a divide ratio between the clock signal and an output of the plurality of multiplexers. The apparatus also includes a multiplexer usage accumulator connected to the delta sigma modulator to track usage of the plurality of multiplexers. The apparatus also includes a scrambler circuit connected between the delta sigma modulator and the control inputs on the plurality of multiplexers, adapted to control settings in the plurality of multiplexers based at least in part on the multiplexer usage accumulator. |
| US08290112B2 |
Multi-stage jet pump mixer assembly
A boiling water nuclear reactor (BWR) multi-stage jet pump mixer assembly according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention may include at least one nozzle disposed above a first throat structure which is arranged within a second throat structure. The multi-stage jet pump mixer assembly is configured such that when a drive flow is discharged from the nozzle into the first throat structure, a first suction stage occurs in that a first entrained flow is drawn into the first entrainment entrance and forms a mixed flow. The mixed flow exiting the first throat structure then induces a second entrained flow into the second entrainment entrance during a second suction stage. By employing a multi-stage approach, jet pump efficiency may be improved. |
| US08290110B2 |
Targets and methods for target preparation for radionuclide production
The invention relates to nuclear technology, and to irradiation targets and their preparation. One embodiment of the present invention includes a method for preparation of a target containing intermetallic composition of antimony Ti—Sb, Al—Sb, Cu—Sb, or Ni—Sb in order to produce radionuclides (e.g., tin-117 m) with a beam of accelerated particles. The intermetallic compounds of antimony can be welded by means of diffusion welding to a copper backing cooled during irradiation on the beam of accelerated particles. Another target can be encapsulated into a shell made of metallic niobium, stainless steel, nickel or titanium cooled outside by water during irradiation. Titanium shell can be plated outside by nickel to avoid interaction with the cooling water. |
| US08290107B2 |
Clock data recovery circuit
A clock data recovery circuit that supplies stable reference clocks to the object respectively by shortening the time of bit synchronization with each received burst data signal regardless of jittering components included in the received burst data signal, includes an interpolator that generates a reference clock having the same frequency as that of a received burst data signal and two types of determination clocks having a phase that is different from that of the reference clock respectively; and a phase adjustment control circuit that can change the phase of the reference clock in units of M/2π. After beginning receiving of a burst data signal, the clock data recovery circuit sets a large phase change value at the first phase adjustment timing and reduces the change value in the second and subsequent phase adjustment timings, thereby realizing quick bit synchronization with the received burst data signal to generate a reference clock. |
| US08290106B2 |
System and method for generating linear time code data
The present invention relates to a linear time code (LTC) generator that is adapted to generate LTC data. The LTC generator comprises a rising edge detector that is adapted to detect a frame sync input corresponding to a beginning of a frame time of video data and to generate a first synchronization signal corresponding to the frame sync input and a frame length measurement block that is adapted to count a number of clock cycles in the frame time. The LTC generator further comprises a bit rate calculator that is adapted to determine a bit rate of the frame time based on the number of clock cycles in the frame time and a bit rate counter block that is adapted to generate a second synchronization signal corresponding to the bit rate. Finally, the LTC generator comprises an output device that is adapted to insert a first data bit of the LTC data into a digital bit stream according to the first synchronization signal and to insert subsequent data bits of the LTC data into the digital bit stream according to the second synchronization signal. |
| US08290103B2 |
Method for transmitting parallelization signals of uninterruptible power supplies
The present invention discloses a method for transmitting parallelization signals of uninterruptible power supplies, which firstly performs a serialization process on parallelization signals by a logic processing unit and then performs synchronous transmission of the parallelization signals of respective node units over a bus. The method for serial transmission of parallelization signals of uninterruptible power supplies according to the invention can be implemented with easy wiring and can achieve a strong anti-interference ability, ensure real time signal transmission over a guaranteed transmission distance and identify conveniently the failure of a parallelization line while satisfying fundamental transmission demands. |
| US08290102B2 |
Adaptive data dependent noise prediction (ADDNP)
A method is provided. The method comprises calibrating noise prediction parameters by adapting one or more biases, adapting one or more filter coefficients using the adapted one or more biases, and adapting one or more prediction error variances using the adapted one or more biases and the adapted one or more filter coefficients. |
| US08290092B2 |
Digital demodulating apparatus for timing error detection
The invention discloses a digital demodulating apparatus for timing error detection, including a numerically controlled oscillator, an equalizer unit, a decoder and a timing error detector. The numerically controlled oscillator generates a first sequence signal according to an input sequence signal and a timing error sequence signal. The equalizer unit equalizes the first sequence signal to generate an equalized sequence signal. The decoder decodes the equalized sequence signal to generate to generate an output sequence signal. The timing error detector generates the timing error sequence signal according to the first sequence signal and one of the equalized sequence signal and the output sequence signal. |
| US08290091B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting a plurality of symbol blocks using a decoder
Teachings presented herein offer a technique for using a demodulator to improve a demodulation process. For example, a demodulation unit according to an embodiment of the present invention may be a multi-stage demodulator and may include: a demodulator configured to receive a baseband signal and configured to produce modem bit likelihood values based on the received baseband signal; a decoder configured to receive and process the modem bit likelihood values to produce improved modem bit likelihood values; a candidate value generator configured to produce, based on the improved modem bit likelihood values, candidate symbol values for a group of one or more symbols; and a detector configured to receive the baseband signal and the candidate symbol values and configured to produce one of (a) final modem bit estimates and (b) candidate symbol values for a group of symbols. |
| US08290090B2 |
Blind amplitude estimation for received symbols
A receiver apparatus and method are provided blind amplitude estimation for a received complex signal, wherein the complex signal is analyzed to determine first and second order statistics of real part and imaginary part of the complex signal. Based on a predetermined non-linear function, amplitude scaling information is pre-calculated and used to derive a desired amplitude scaling information for said determined first and second order statistics. Thereby, a low complexity method for blind amplitude estimation for unknown data symbols distorted by an unknown amount of noise can be provided. |
| US08290088B2 |
Detecting the number of transmit antennas in a base station
Data is scrambled at a transmitter according to one of a number of predetermined scrambling sequences which are associated with a particular one of a number of predetermined transmit antenna diversity schemes (i.e., a specific number of transmit antenna ports). Received data is decoded using one or more of the known transmit antenna diversity schemes and the scrambled data is descrambled according to a corresponding descrambling sequence (related to the scrambling sequence). Based on the descrambled data, the receiver determines which transmit antenna, diversity scheme (i.e., the number of antenna ports) is used by the transmitter. In one specific embodiment, CRC parity data is scrambled in the transmitter and the receiver descrambles the recovered CRC parity data according to a descrambling sequence, computes CRC parity data from the received data, and compares the descrambled CRC parity data to the newly computed CRC parity data. |
| US08290087B2 |
Sample rate conversion in delta-sigma modulators
Transmitter comprising a delta-sigma modulator (DSM), a sample rate converter (SRC) situated downstream of the delta-sigma modulator with respect to a direction of transmission signal flow, and a switching amplifier (SA) situated downstream of the sample rate converter (SRC) with respect to the direction of transmission signal flow. The invention as defined above allows for a decoupling of the clock frequency of the delta-sigma modulator (DSM) and the carrier frequency, for example in radio frequency (RF) signal generation applications using delta-sigma modulators. With the invention described herein it is possible to design the delta-sigma modulator independently of the carrier frequency. |
| US08290085B2 |
Method and apparatus for improving power amplifier efficiency in wireless communication systems having high peak to average power ratios
A power management system and method for a wireless communication device generates an average desired transmit power signal based on at least one of a received signal strength indicator signal and a power control instruction signal from a base station. A power supply level adjustment signal is generated based on the data parameters of an outgoing data stream and at least one environmental information signal. A combination of the power supply level adjustment signal and the average desired transmit power or a gain control signal and an altered version of the power supply level adjustment signal is used to generate a variable power supply signal that is provided to an output amplifier block for sufficiently generating outgoing wireless device radio signals while reducing power loss in the output amplifier block. |
| US08290080B2 |
Techniques for transmitting data in a wireless communication system using quasi-orthogonal space-time code
A technique for communicating in a wireless communication system includes creating, using two distinct Alamouti codes, a power-scaled quasi-orthogonal space-time block code. The technique further includes transmitting, using a transmitter, the power-scaled quasi-orthogonal space-time block code over multiple antennas (e.g., three or four transmit antennas). |
| US08290079B2 |
Method and apparatus for precoding validation in wireless communications
A method and apparatus for precoding validation in wireless communications with reduced error probability is disclosed. Error probability is reduced by applying phase rotations to precoding matrices, dedicated pilot symbols, or both to maximize a minimum pairwise distance. |
| US08290071B2 |
Modulating device and method, demodulating device and method, program, and recording medium
A modulating device configured to perform modulation with the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing method, includes: a modulating unit configured to modulate main information with the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing method; and a determining unit configured to determine a subcarrier pattern employed when modulating the main information by the modulating unit based on additional information relating to the main information. |
| US08290069B2 |
System and method to implement concurrent orthogonal channels in an ultra-wide band wireless communications network
A system and method for media access control are disclosed. The method comprises providing concurrent orthogonal channels to access media using pulse division multiple access to define pulse positions, wherein the pulse division multiple access includes a time hopping sequence and an offset to distinguish the concurrent orthogonal channels. In addition, the method comprises processing signals associated with at least one of the orthogonal channels. |
| US08290068B2 |
Maximum likelihood detection apparatus and method in a wireless communication system
A Maximum Likelihood (ML) detection apparatus and method in a wireless communication system are provided, in which a Euclidean distance are calculated using at least one of channel matrix information, noise power information and modulation order information of each stream, Pairwise Error Rate (PER) are calculated using the Euclidean distance, an error probability of the each stream is calculated using the PER, the error probability of the each stream is ordered and sorted, and ML detection is performed using a result of the ordering and sorting. |
| US08290065B2 |
Image processing system
The invention discloses an image processing system comprising a video source system, a transmission medium, and a television system. The image processing systems of the video source system and the television system are equipped with an additional digital-to-analog converter and an additional analog-to-digital converter. |
| US08290060B2 |
Staggercasting of DTV signals that employ concatenated convolutional coding
8VSB digital television signals employing serially concatenated convolutional coding (SCCC) are transmitted twice in an SCCC staggercasting procedure. In the receiver for such signal “soft” decisions concerning the initial and final transmissions are compared as a basis for synthesizing a set of “soft” decisions for implementing turbo decoding procedures.In a “punctured” variant of the SCCC staggercasting procedure, SCCC using one type of outer convolutional coding is transmitted at a relatively early time and after a prescribed interval SCCC using another type of outer convolutional coding of the same data is transmitted at a relatively late time. In the receiver for such signal “soft” decisions concerning data bits the initial and final transmissions are compared as a basis for synthesizing a set of “soft” decisions for implementing turbo decoding procedures. |
| US08290058B2 |
Method and device for coding and decoding
In video coding image sequences, images are coded in a scaled manner to obtain video data which represents the image in multiple steps from a defined image resolution or image quality (e.g., according to the data rate), and the resolution is defined by the number of image pixels of each represented image. Coding is block-based, i.e., for a description of an approximate movement of parts of one of the images in the image sequence, at least one block structure is produced describing the movement. The block structure produced includes a block divided into partial blocks which are in turn divided into sub-blocks. A first block structure is produced temporally for at least one first resolution level and a second block structure is produced for a second resolution level. The first resolution level has a lower image pixel number and/or image quality than the second resolution level. The second block structure is compared to the first block structure such that differences in the block structure are determined, such that on the base of the properties of the structure differences, a modified second block structure is produced. The structure thereof represents one part of the second block structure. Subsequently, the modified block structure and the second block structure are compared based on at least one value which is proportional to the quality of the image and the block structure and the value thereof is directly proportional to an improved quality based on the coding of the bit sequence. |
| US08290052B2 |
Adaptive weighting of reference pictures in video encoding
A video decoder, encoder, and corresponding methods for processing video data for an image block and a particular reference picture index to predict the image block are disclosed that utilize adaptive weighting of reference pictures to enhance video compression, where a decoder includes a reference picture weighting factor unit for determining a weighting factor corresponding to the particular reference picture index; an encoder includes a reference picture weighting factor assignor for assigning a weighting factor corresponding to the particular reference picture index; and a method for decoding includes receiving a reference picture index with the data that corresponds to the image block, determining a weighting factor for each received reference picture index, retrieving a reference picture for each index, motion compensating the retrieved reference picture, and multiplying the motion compensated reference picture by the corresponding weighting factor to form a weighted motion compensated reference picture. |
| US08290050B2 |
Adaptive weighting of reference pictures in video encoding
A video decoder, encoder, and corresponding methods for processing video signal data for an image block and a particular reference picture index to predict the image block are disclosed that utilize adaptive weighting of reference pictures to enhance video compression, where a decoder includes a reference picture weighting factor unit for determining a weighting factor corresponding to the particular reference picture index; an encoder includes a reference picture weighting factor assignor for assigning a weighting factor corresponding to the particular reference picture index; and a method for decoding includes receiving a reference picture index with the data that corresponds to the image block, determining a weighting factor for each received reference picture index, retrieving a reference picture for each index, motion compensating the retrieved reference picture, and multiplying the motion compensated reference picture by the corresponding weighting factor to form a weighted motion compensated reference picture. |
| US08290048B2 |
Motion vector coding method and motion vector decoding method
A motion vector coding unit 117 executes processing including a neighboring block specification step (S100) of specifying a neighboring block which is located in the neighborhood of a current block; a judgment step (Steps S102, S104) of judging whether or not the neighboring block has been coded using a motion vector of another block; a prediction step (S106, S108) of deriving a predictive motion vector of the current block using a motion vector calculated from the motion vector of the other block as a motion vector of the neighboring block; and a coding step (S110) of coding the motion vector of the current block using the predictive motion vector. |
| US08290046B2 |
Motion vector coding method and motion vector decoding method
A motion vector coding unit executes processing including a neighboring block specification step of specifying a neighboring block which is located in the neighborhood of a current block; a judgment step of judging whether or not the neighboring block has been coded using a motion vector of another block; a prediction step of deriving a predictive motion vector of the current block using a motion vector calculated from the motion vector of the other block as a motion vector of the neighboring block; and a coding step of coding the motion vector of the current block using the predictive motion vector. |
| US08290041B2 |
Communication terminal
A communication terminal performs a discrete cosine transform and a quantization process in accordance with a selected coding mode so as to reduce loads caused by these processings and suppress degradation of picture quality. When performing coding of a moving picture inputted through a picture input part, a control part determines which coding mode among 4×4 intra prediction coding on a luminance signal, 16×16 intra prediction coding, intra prediction coding on a color-differential signal, and inter prediction coding is performed. In accordance with the selected coding mode, and in view of a predictive error, the processing content in the discrete cosine transform and the quantization process is switched. |
| US08290040B2 |
Method and system for estimating global motion in video sequences
The invention relates to estimating the global motion between frames of a motion-compensated inter-frame encoded video sequence, directly from the motion vectors encoded within the frames. For any particular frame, a motion estimation is determined from motion vectors direct from the frame's anchor frame to the frame in question. This motion estimation is then checked against pre-determined criteria, and where the criteria are not met, re-estimation along a different route is performed, using the bi-directional motion vectors contained within B-frames. A panoramic image generating method and system which makes uses of the global motion estimations thus obtained is also described. |
| US08290038B1 |
Video coding complexity estimation
A system and method estimates video coding complexity of a source video for adaptively transcoding the source video. A video coding complexity engine of the system is configured to receive the source video in its native format and to encode the source video into an intermediate video format. The video coding complexity engine computes a video coding complexity score for the source video. The coding complexity score can be used by an adaptive bitrate transcoding sub-system and/or an adaptive resolution transcoding sub-system for transcoding the source video. |
| US08290033B2 |
Systems and methods for performing combined equalization in communication systems
A system is described for performing combined equalization. The system comprises a time domain equalizer (TEQ) configured to receive a signal and shorten a CIR (channel impulse response) of the received signal, a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) module for demodulating the received signal, and an equalization block for reducing inter-carrier interference (ICI) and inter-symbol interference (ISI). The equalization block comprises at least one of: a feed forward equalizer and a feed back equalizer. The system further comprises a slicer circuit configured to generate a hard-limited decision for a symbol corresponding to the received signal. |
| US08290032B2 |
Distortion identification apparatus, test system, recording medium and distortion identification method
Provided is a signal output control section that inputs to a digitizer a reference signal whose frequency changes at each prescribed measurement cycle; a data extracting section that extracts a number of pieces of data corresponding to an integer multiple of a period of the reference signal in each measurement cycle, from pieces of data of a reference digital signal output by the digitizer according to the reference signal that come after a prescribed wait interval has passed since an initiation timing of each measurement cycle; a distortion identifying section that calculates the non-linear distortion caused by the digitizer for each frequency of the reference signal, based on the data in each measurement cycle extracted by the data extracting section; and a distortion calculating section that calculates the non-linear distortion caused by the digitizer when the analog signal input to the digitizer has a frequency that differs from any of the plurality of frequencies at which the reference signal transitions, based on the non-linear distortion detected by the distortion identifying section for each frequency. |
| US08290029B2 |
Radio unit reconfiguration
A super-regenerative transceiver that has an antenna interface for an antenna is self-tuned with a self-tuning unit configured. The self-tuning unit makes the transceiver to repeatedly perform a self-tuning cycle until the amplitude meets a predetermined detection condition or a predetermined criterion is met. The self-tuning cycle involves the following: transmitting to the antenna a probe signal with one or more pulses; receiving from the antenna a ringing detection signal; determining if the ringing detection signal reflects tails of the probe signal with amplitude meeting a predetermined detection condition; and adjusting of the tuning of the super-regenerative transceiver if the amplitude does not meet the predetermined detection condition. |
| US08290026B2 |
Digital repeater module and method for relaying digital data
There is provided a digital repeater module and method for relaying digital data. The digital repeater module comprises a data reception unit configured to receive digital data from several broadcast devices concurrently, a data transmission unit configured to transmit digital data using a multiple transmission protocols concurrently, and a routing application. The routing application can receive digital data through the data reception unit, identify available data paths for relaying the digital data to desired destinations, and determine transmission metrics for each of the available data paths for relaying the digital data to the desired destinations. The routing application can also select data paths for transmission based on the determined transmission metrics, and transmit the digital data using the selected data paths through the data transmission unit. There is also provided a method for resolving assignment of limited broadcast frequencies using the digital repeater module. |
| US08290024B2 |
Methods and apparatus to facilitate improved code division multiple access receivers
Methods and apparatus to facilitate improve code division multiple access (CDMA) receivers are disclosed. An example method disclosed herein comprises: receiving a signal containing first portions that are based on known data and second portions that are based on unknown data; generating a training signal, from the received signal, that substantially represents one or more of the first portions; adapting filter coefficients using the training signal; and equalizing the received signal using the adapted filter coefficients. |
| US08290023B2 |
User data broadcast mechanism
This disclosure relates to method, device and system for detecting errors in a communication system. A signal is received from a transmitter at a receiver wherein the signal includes a data portion and a result of a hash function. The hash function is computed in part from a transmitter identification code. The receiver determines if the result of the hash function matches both the data portion and the transmitter identification code. The receiver discards the signal if the result of the hash function does not match both the data portion and the transmitter identification code of the transmitter. |
| US08290021B2 |
Method for generating a reference signal sequence using grouping
A method for a base station to receive a reference signal sequence from one or more devices within a cell of the base station in a multiple cell environment includes providing the one or more devices with information about the reference signal sequence, wherein the reference signal sequence is defined by a cyclic shift of a sequence within a sequence group identified by a group index (u), wherein the group index (u) is defined according to the cell in the multiple cell environment, wherein the sequence is given by a cyclic extension of a Zadoff Chu (ZC) sequence having an index (q) and a length (NZCRS), and wherein the index (q) is given by using the group index (u) and the length (NZCRS), and receiving the reference signal sequence from one or more of the one or more devices. |
| US08290020B2 |
Frequency selection method to mitigate in-band interference from inter-modulation spur of the collocated radio transmitter
A radio transmitter select its operating frequency based on the frequency characteristics of a collocated receiver and clock harmonics. The radio transmitter can dynamically change its operating frequency in a wide enough range so as to avoid frequencies where its spurs fall on the receive frequency of the collocated receiver. The frequency characteristics of the clock harmonic of the radio transmitter and the collocated receiver are obtained, then a range of operating frequencies is calculated to enable the collocated devices to operate without undue interference. |
| US08290017B2 |
Hermetically-sealed RF feed-through with integrated capacitor
A carbon-dioxide (CO2) gas-discharge slab laser includes elongated discharge-electrodes in a sealed enclosure. Radio Frequency (RF) power is supplied to the electrodes via an impedance matching network and a co-axial electrical low inductance transmission line feed-through sealed to the enclosure. The feed-trough includes two spring contacts which are configured to be spring compression push-fit in grooves in edges of the discharge-electrodes. A central conductor of the feed-through is fluid cooled. A capacitor of the impedance matching network is assembled on the central conductor as an integral part of the feed-trough. |
| US08290015B2 |
Two-beam semiconductor laser apparatus
A two-beam semiconductor laser device 10 includes: a two-beam semiconductor element LDC having a first and a second semiconductor laser elements LD1 and LD2 that can be driven independently and that are formed integrally on a substrate; and a submount 63 having, mounted on a front part thereof, the two-beam semiconductor laser element LDC with the light-emitting face thereof directed forward and having a first and a second electrode pads 64 and 65 connected to electrodes 61 and 62 of the first and second semiconductor laser element LD1 and LD2 by being kept in contact therewith. The first and second electrode pads 64 and 65 are formed to extend farther behind the two-beam semiconductor laser element LDC, and wires 14 and 16 are wire-bonded behind the two-beam semiconductor laser element LDC. |
| US08290011B2 |
Interband cascade lasers
A gain medium and an interband cascade laser, having the gain medium are presented. The gain medium can have one or both of the following features: (1) the thicknesses of the one or more hole quantum wells in the hole injector region are reduced commensurate with the thickness of the active hole quantum well in the active quantum well region, so as to place the valence band maximum in the hole injector region at least about 100 meV lower than the valence band maximum in the active hole quantum well; and (2) the thickness of the last well of the electron injector region is between 85 and 110% of the thickness of the first active electron quantum well in the active gain region of the next stage of the medium. A laser incorporating a gain medium in accordance with the present invention can emit in the mid-IR range from about 2.5 to 8 μm at high temperatures with room-temperature continuous wave operation to wavelengths of at least 4.6 μm, threshold current density of about 400 A/cm2 and threshold power density of about 900 W/cm2. |
| US08290003B2 |
Pulse light source
The present invention relates to a pulse light source which has a MOPA structure using a directly-modulated semiconductor laser as a seed light source, and is easily capable of outputting pulse light with a pulse width of a sub-nanosecond. The pulse light source comprises a seed light source, a first YbDF (Yb-Doped Fiber), a band-pass filter, a second YbDF, and a third YbDF, and has the MOPA structure. The band-pass filter inputs pulse light which is outputted from the seed light source and amplified by the first stage YbDF, and outputs, while separating a wavelength band of the inputted pulse light into a shorter wavelength side and a longer wavelength side with reference to a peak wavelength of the inputted pulse light, the attenuated pulse light after attenuating the optical power on one more than that on the other of the shorter wavelength side and the longer wavelength side. The second YbDF and the third YbDF amplify the pulse light outputted from the band-pass filter and output the amplified pulse light. |
| US08290002B2 |
Coarse timing synchronization acquisition method in a mobile communication system
A coarse timing synchronization acquisition method in a mobile communication system is applied to the timing synchronization acquisition of a mobile communication system that transmits the same signal blocks repeatedly, which comprises: starting from the beginning time instant of timing synchronization acquisition, iteratively calculating the delay correlation accumulation (DCA) values at K samples, when K is the number of DCA values at each time slot; M time slots are searched in each frame, the position corresponding to the maximum DCA value is taken as the estimate of timing synchronization position; M timing synchronization position estimates are obtained, and among these, one timing synchronization position estimate is selected as the candidate for the current frame timing synchronization position, and it is decided whether the candidate is reliable; after L frames are searched, a predicted timing synchronization position of the next frame is obtained by using the L timing synchronization positions. |
| US08289999B1 |
Permutation mapping for ARQ-processed transmissions
A method of communicating individual packets i of K bits includes permutation mapping of the packets, with each permuted packet being denoted by Πn(i), wherein Πn is a permutation on K letters that is unique for each packet transmission. Each permuted packet Πn(i) is modulated to provide a complex vector x(Πn(i)) for each packet. The packets are transmitted over a AWGN channel so each individual packet i is received as a variable of the vector x(Πn(i)) in a complex vector yn=x(Πn(i))+vn, wherein n represents the sequential number of the transmission attempt for a particular packet and vn represents noise. This method enables the packets to be transmitted while using an improved ARQ routine that includes soft-combining decisions and a constant constellation with a constellation complexity greater than two bits/symbol to thereby significantly improve ARQ-routine performance over the current state of the art. |
| US08289995B2 |
Method for transmitting mobile multimedia broadcast electronic service guide
A method for transmitting mobile multimedia broadcast electronic service guide, and the method comprises: a multiplexer receives the electronic service guide message; the multiplexer multiplexes the electronic service guide message into a multiplexing frame, the multiplexing payload of the multiplexing frame includes one or more multiplexing sub-frames; the multiplexer sends the multiplexing frame to a broadcast station; the broadcast station modulates and sends said multiplexing frame to the mobile user equipments. The method of the present invention could transmits the ESG data alone in the individual service multiplexing sub-frames, thus transmits a large number of ESG messages rapidly; alternatively, the relative ESG messages can be transmitted along with the audio/video data, thus the user equipments can receive the service data and this ESG messages simultaneously when the user equipments open only one time slot. |
| US08289994B2 |
System and method for wireless signal communication in an oil field environment
A method is disclosed for transmitting data in a wireless oil field environment, the method comprising sensing a signal change rate for an input signal from an oil field apparatus; selecting a real time transmission mode when the signal change rate is less than a predetermined value; selecting a buffered data transmission mode when the signal change rate is greater than or equal to the predetermined value; and transmitting the data in the selected transmission mode from a wireless oil field environment. A system is disclosed for performing the method. |
| US08289993B2 |
Logical node identification in an information transmission network
A system for generating and sending a Logical Node identification signal as part of a data stream is disclosed. The system also includes subscriber stations capable of receiving and extracting Logical Node identification information from a data stream. The subscriber stations create new messages including the Logical Node identification signal and send the message to the transmission network system control, such that switching of data streams to an appropriate channel over the information transmission network is done consistent with the network topology. |
| US08289992B2 |
Wireless sensor-network system, sensing terminal node, and base station
To correct a sensor data acquisition time with a simple hardware configuration, provided is a wireless sensor-network system including: a base station; and a plurality of sensing terminal nodes, the base station transmitting a beacon at predetermined intervals to the plurality of sensing terminal nodes, the plurality of sensing terminal nodes measuring data and transmitting, based on a reception of the beacon transmitted from the base station, the sensor data thus obtained to the base station, in which the plurality of sensing terminal nodes obtain, based on an internal clock, a time at which the beacon is received and transmit the time to the base station, and the base station corrects, based on the reception time transmitted from each of the plurality of sensing terminal nodes, the sensor data acquisition time. |
| US08289987B2 |
Wireless communication system and wireless terminal
A wireless communication system includes first and second wireless terminals capable of performing transmission by at least one of a first transmission scheme and a second transmission scheme. The first wireless terminal performs transmission of a first frame to the second wireless terminal by using the second transmission scheme. The second wireless terminal communicates with the first wireless terminal to notify the first wireless terminal of information associated with a status of the reception of the first frame transmitted from the first wireless terminal by using the first transmission scheme. |