| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08458809B2 |
Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating secure operations of a wireless device
An apparatus, and an associated method, facilitates security relating to installation of, such as downloading of, and application at a wireless device. When selection is made to install the application, a security decision is required of a trusted, third-party to install the application. A request is made of a trusted, third-party entity for the security decision. Responsive to the security decision, the application is either allowed to be downloaded to the wireless device or prohibited from being downloaded to the wireless device. |
| US08458806B2 |
System and method for secure pin exchange
Systems and methods for wirelessly exchanging an encryption key between a first device and a second device are disclosed herein. |
| US08458802B2 |
Method and device for managing digital usage rights of documents
A method, device, and system for managing digital usage rights of documents includes a mobile computing device having a digital rights management (DRM) enforcement engine included therein. The mobile computing device may communicate with a server, such as an enterprise digital rights management (EDRM) server, to retrieve a secured document and an associated document usage rights policy. The document and usage rights policy are stored in a secured storage of the mobile computing device. The DRM enforcement engine of the mobile computing device provides access to the requested document while locally enforcing the associated document usage rights policy. In some embodiments, the mobile computing device may act as a proxy for other computing devices communicatively coupled to the mobile computing device and/or act as a local EDRM to such computing devices. |
| US08458792B2 |
Secure method and system for computer protection
Attacks by computer viruses, worm programs, and other hostile software (‘malware’), have become very serious problems for computer systems connected to large communication networks such as the Internet. One potential defense against such attacks is to employ diversity—that is, making each copy of the attacked software different. However, existing diversity techniques do not offer sufficient levels of protection. The invention provides an effective diversity solution by applying tamper resistant software (TRS) encoding techniques, to the communications that take place between software components, with corresponding changes to the code handling those communications. These communications may include, for example, data passed between software routines via parameters or mutually accessible variables, light-weight messages, signals and semaphores passed between threads, and messages passed between software processes. Effective TRS encoding techniques include data-flow encoding and mass-data encoding techniques. |
| US08458785B2 |
Information security protection host
An information security protection host is provided. The information security protection host comprises a network interface and a virtual machine monitor (VMM) device. The network interface is connected to a computer network and is configured to receive a first packet. The VMM device is configured to run a first operating system, wherein the first operating system provides a first network service. The VMM device is further configured to provide a first operating system information of the first operating system and a first network service information of the first network service instantaneously so as to determine the security of the first packet. |
| US08458781B2 |
Method and apparatus for token-based attribute aggregation
According to one embodiment, an apparatus may store a plurality of tokens. The apparatus may receive a subject token indicating an attempt to authenticate a user. The apparatus may determine at least one token-based rule based at least in part upon a token in the plurality of tokens and the subject token. The at least one token-based rule may indicate a plurality of attributes required to access a resource. The apparatus may determine a second plurality of attributes represented by the plurality of tokens and the subject token. The apparatus may determine at least one missing attribute, which may be in the plurality of attributes but not in the second plurality of attributes. The apparatus may then request the at least one missing attribute, and in response, receive at least one token representing the at least one missing attribute. |
| US08458779B2 |
System and method for handling personal identification information
A system, method, and client registration and verification device for handling personal identification information. The client device collects from an individual, a sufficient amount of biometric information to uniquely identify the individual, as well as historical mobility information providing a history of locations where the individual has lived. A caching manager stores the collected biometric information at a selected cache node in a hierarchical database having a plurality of cache nodes at multiple levels of the database. The caching manager selects the cache node based on the historical mobility information collected from the individual. The client device sends subsequent requests to verify the identity of the individual to a local cache node where newly input biometric information is compared with the cached information. When the individual's biometric information is not stored in the local cache node, the request is forwarded upward in the database until the cached information is found and compared. |
| US08458778B2 |
System, method, and apparatus for on-demand limited security credentials in wireless and other communication networks
A method includes storing a security credential associated with a communication network on a portable storage device. The method also includes detecting removal of the portable storage device from a specified location. The method further includes allowing at least one communication device to communicate over the communication network using the security credential. In addition, the method includes revoking the security credential after a specified time period has elapsed. The portable storage device could represent a card, and the specified location could represent a card reader/writer. Also, the communication network could represent a wireless network, and the security credential could represent a cryptographic key. |
| US08458773B2 |
Method, device, and system for authentication
A method for authentication includes: a Gateway Mobile Station (G-MS) receives an authentication trigger message from a host, and sends the authentication trigger message to an authentication server through an Ethernet Convergence Sublayer (Eth-CS) to trigger authentication. A network system includes a G-MS, which is connected to a host and an authentication server in communicable mode. The G-MS is configured to: receive an authentication trigger message from the host and send the authentication trigger message to the authentication server through the Eth-CS. The authentication server is configured to: receive the authentication trigger message that the G-MS sends through the Eth-CS, and authenticate the host. A G-MS includes: a receiving unit, configured to receive an authentication trigger message from the host; and a sending unit, configured to send the authentication trigger message received by the receiving unit to the authentication server through the Eth-CS. |
| US08458766B2 |
Method and system for management of security rule set
There are provided a method of automated managing an ordered set of security rules implemented at one or more security gateways and a system thereof. The method comprises a) obtaining data characterizing a connectivity request which may become allowable only upon changes of an initial rule-set, thus giving rise to an unfitting connectivity request; b) automated searching for a rule within said ordered set of security rules, said rule best matching to be amended in order to facilitate allowance of the unfitting connectivity request, wherein best matching is defined in accordance with one or more predefined criteria; c) automated generating amendment of the best matching rule, said amendment capable to facilitate allowance of the unfitting connectivity request; and d) automated implementing the generated amendment at one or more relevant security gateways among said one or more security gateways. At least one predefined criterion may be related to extra allowed traffic resulting from the amendment and/or to requested traffic restricted after amendment because of shadowing by one or more rules above the amended rule. |
| US08458761B2 |
Receiver
A receiver for receiving a data stream comprises a filtering arrangement for filtering said received data stream and a processor. The filtering arrangement is arranged to load at least a part of said data stream, to filter at least part of said data stream and to read at least part of said data stream. The filtering arrangement has a first mode in which said steps are carried out and a second mode in which said processor is arranged to interrupt the steps carried out by said filtering arrangement. |
| US08458758B1 |
Method and system for controlling closed captioning at a content distribution system
A system and method for controlling closed-captioning at a client device includes a client device and a server device that communicates content to the client device. The server device determines a content type corresponding to the content communicated from the server device to the client device, generates a closed-captioning disable signal and communicates the content type disable signal to the client device. The client device disables the closed-captioning in response to the closed-captioning disable signal. |
| US08458754B2 |
Method and system for providing instant start multimedia content
A system and method for providing multimedia content through a cable, satellite television or other content server system. A server facility which provides multimedia content divides formatted multimedia content into data chunks (e.g., collections of data corresponding to one minute lengths) prior to transmission to a user/subscriber receptor unit, and sends the divided data chunks according to a schedule which permits instantaneous starting and viewing of the multimedia content, such as movies, upon user/subscriber request. The user/subscriber receptor unit includes a cable box, video game device, or the like having a digital video recording capability and at least a memory capacity or disk space sufficient to store a complete unit of media content, such as full-length feature film. The invention does not require intensive interaction between the server facility and the receptor unit, but rather, only requires sending of content signals in the form of an interleaved media stream from the server facility to the receptor unit. Further, the invention requires the use of no more than six times the bandwidth of the original signal for operation. |
| US08458752B2 |
Method for receiving broadcasting signal and broadcasting receiver
A method for receiving a broadcasting signal and a broadcasting signal receiver are disclosed. Even when a cell is changed while an emergency alert is output, the emergency alert can be continuously output using emergency alert table information included in the broadcasting signal and channel information of the cell. The emergency alert table information may include a cell identifier and the channel information of the cell may include virtual channel information of the cell. |
| US08458751B2 |
Systems and methods for accessing selected packetized programming streams
Programming stream communication systems and methods are operable to communicate programming streams to a media transmit facility. An exemplary embodiment receives at the media transmit facility a first packetized programming stream (PPS), the first PPS including a first programming stream (PS) generated by a first local programming provider (LPP); receives at the media transmit facility a second PPS, the second PPS including a second PS generated by a second LPP; multiplexes the first PS and the second PS into a transport channel; and communicates the transport channel from the media transmit facility. |
| US08458739B2 |
Method for processing conditional access contents by a user unit
A method allows a broadcasted conditional access content accessible at the time of transmission to be also accessible at a later time thanks to intermediate storage on a hard disk of a user unit. The processing method includes the steps of receiving at the user unit a data stream encrypted by at least one control word, at least one control message stream containing the control words, forming an index file, each index comprising an identifier of a control message formed by the extraction of data associated to the control messages and an identifier of the part of the content to which the control message is applied; and, at the time of the deferred processing of the content, extracting at least one part of the control messages and resynchronizing the content with the control messages by the use of the index file, the identifier of the control message allowing the selection of the current control message from a set of control messages at the time of the exploitation of the content identified by the identifier of the part of the content related to this control message. |
| US08458730B2 |
Multi-level driver configuration
A method, medium and implementing processing system are provided in which the Operating System (OS) driver is divided into two parts, viz. an upper level OS driver and a lower level OS driver. The lower level OS driver sets up the adapter hardware and any adapter hardware work-around. The upper level OS driver is interfaced to the OS communication stack and each can be compiled separately. The upper OS driver is compiled and shipped with the OS to make sure it is compatible with the OS communication stack. The lower OS driver, in an exemplary embodiment, is compiled and stored in an adapter flash memory. The OS dynamically combines the upper and lower OS drivers together during the load time. |
| US08458729B2 |
Managing and optimizing workflows among computer applications
A middleware system, method and program product for managing workflows among computer applications. The middleware system includes: a common construct unit and a workflow export unit. The common construct unit (i) retrieves a mapping between a component of a macro workflow of the middleware system and a micro workflow component of a first computer application and (ii) executes the macro workflow which orchestrates micro workflows of the first computer application and a second computer application. The workflow export unit generates an output that enables the second computer application to execute a workflow that corresponds to the workflow of the first computer application. |
| US08458725B2 |
Computer implemented method for removing an event registration within an event notification infrastructure
A computer implemented method and system for automatically removing an event registration within an event notification infrastructure of a database system is disclosed. The method includes removing an event registration from an event queue automatically if a specified active period of time has elapsed. Further, the method includes removing an event registration from an event queue automatically if the event occurred N times where N can be specified at event registration. Also, the method includes removing an event registration from an event queue automatically if either the event occurred N times where N can be specified at event registration or a specified active period of time has elapsed. Moreover, the method includes removing an event registration from an event queue if a client explicitly requests removal of said event registration. |
| US08458724B2 |
Automatic mutual exclusion
An automatic mutual exclusion computer programming system is disclosed which allows a programmer to produce concurrent programming code that is synchronized by default without the need to write any synchronization code. The programmer creates asynchronous methods which are not permitted make changes to shared memory that they cannot reverse, and can execute concurrently with other asynchronous methods. Changes to shared memory are committed if no other thread has accessed shared memory while the asynchronous method executed. Changes are reversed and the asynchronous method is re-executed if another thread has made changes to shared memory. The resulting program executes in a serialized order. A blocking system method is disclosed which causes the asynchronous method to re-execute until the blocking method's predicate results in an appropriate value. A yield system call is disclosed which divides asynchronous methods into atomic fragments. When a yield method call is made, shared memory changes are committed if possible or reversed and the atomic fragment is re-executed. |
| US08458720B2 |
Methods and systems for assigning non-continual jobs to candidate processing nodes in a stream-oriented computer system
A system and method for choosing non-continual jobs to run in a stream-based distributed computer system includes determining a total amount of resources to be consumed by non-continual jobs. A priority threshold is determined above which jobs will be accepted, below which jobs will be rejected. Overall penalties are minimized relative to the priority threshold based on estimated completion times of the jobs. System constraints are applied to ensure that jobs meet set criteria such that a plurality of non-continual jobs are scheduled which consider the system constraints and minimize overall penalties using available resources. |
| US08458713B2 |
Method, system, and apparatus for allocating resources to a software configurable computing environment
A unit for defining resources for a software configurable computing environment. The unit can include an entity configured to be software associated with at least one asset. Each asset can be a physical asset that provides at least one resource. The software configurable computing environment can include the entity. The inclusion of the entity in the software configurable computing environment can cause at least one resource to be allocated to said software configurable computing environment. |
| US08458712B2 |
System and method for multi-level preemption scheduling in high performance processing
A computing system configured to handle preemption events in an environment having jobs with high and low priorities. The system includes a job queue configured to receive job requests from users, the job queue storing the jobs in an order based on the priority of the jobs, and indicating whether a job is a high priority job or a low priority job. The system also includes a plurality of node clusters, each node cluster including a plurality of nodes and a scheduler coupled to the job queue and to the plurality of node clusters and configured to assign jobs from the job queue to the plurality of node clusters. The scheduler is configured to preempt a first low priority job running in a first node cluster with a high priority job that appears in the job queue after the low priority job has started and, in the event that a second low priority job from the job queue may run on a portion of the plurality of nodes in the first node cluster during a remaining processing time for the high priority job, backfill the second low priority job into the portion of the plurality of nodes and, in the event a second high priority job is received in the job queue and may run on the portion of the plurality of nodes, return the second low priority job to the job queue. |
| US08458708B2 |
Alleviating denial-of-service conditions on a server
Processing data in a multithreaded application to alleviate impaired or substandard performance conditions is provided. Work items that are pending processing by the multithreaded application are placed into a data structure. The work items are processed by a plurality of threads within the multithreaded application in accordance with a first algorithm, e.g., first-in first-out (FIFO). A thread within the multithreaded application is configured apart from the plurality of threads such that it processes work items in accordance with a second algorithm that differs from the first algorithm, thereby avoiding the impairing condition. For example, the thread may process a pending work item only if it has a particular characteristic. The thread restricts its own processing of work items by intermittently evaluating workflow conditions for the plurality of threads; if the workflow conditions improve or are unimpaired, then the thread does not process any work items. |
| US08458707B2 |
Task switching based on a shared memory condition associated with a data request and detecting lock line reservation lost events
An approach that uses a handler to detect asynchronous lock line reservation lost events, and switching tasks based upon whether a condition is true or a mutex lock is acquired is presented. A synergistic processing unit (SPU) invokes a first thread and, during execution, the first thread requests external data that is shared with other threads or processors in the system. This shared data may be protected with a mutex lock or other shared memory synchronization constructs. When requested data is not available, the SPU switches to a second thread and monitors lock line reservation lost events in order to check when the data is available. When the data is available, the SPU switches back to the first thread and processes the first thread's request. |
| US08458706B2 |
Methods and apparatus for parallel pipelining and width processing and configured to process a multiple task processes apportioned a different section of memory
A computer apparatus is provided for use with a database management system. The computer apparatus is instructed to carry out a first task and a second task in series on a section of data, by: (a) instructing the first task process to begin the first task on a first part of the section of data in the database, and (b) after the first task process on the first part of the section of the data is complete, instructing the first task process to carry out the second task on the first part of the section of data on which the first task has already been carried out, or carry out the first task on the second part of the data, or pipeline the second task to a third task process, or carry out the first task on a second part of the section of data. |
| US08458705B2 |
Method and apparatus for preventing the omission and repeated execution of schedule information due to a time change
Provided is a method and apparatus for managing a schedule of a terminal based on a local time. It is possible to prevent schedule information from a schedule of a terminal from being repeatedly processed or from being missed, when the local time changes due to the movement of the terminal into another time zone or due to daylight saving time. It is also possible to manage a schedule by determining if the schedule has changed during a period between a time before the change and the changed time. |
| US08458702B1 |
Method for implementing user space up-calls on java virtual machine before/after garbage collection
Disclosed are apparatus and methods for reporting garbage collection operations. A virtual machine that is executable on a computing device can receive a request to be informed prior to execution of garbage collection software on the computing device via a prior up-call. The virtual machine can receive a request to be informed upon completion of execution of the garbage collection software on the computing device via a post up-call. Prior to the execution of the garbage collection software, the virtual machine can initiate execution of the prior up-call to indicate the garbage collection software is to be executed. After the garbage collection software has completed execution, the virtual machine can initiate execution of the post up-call to indicate the garbage collection software has completed execution. |
| US08458690B2 |
Automated software deployment triggered by state differences in distributed systems
An automated arrangement for deploying software updates to a distributed system based on state differences is provided in which a manifest defines a target snapshot of the desired state of the system after it is updated. A snapshot of the current distributed system state is taken and a state difference between the current state and the target state is calculated. A rule-based engine applies pre-defined rules to generate a sequence of actions that when performed will bring the distributed system to the target state. Accordingly, rather than have to focus on how to change the distributed system, software developers and system administrators may instead specify the target distributed system state in the manifest and the present automated deployment arrangement will perform the required actions to deploy the updates and achieve the desired state. |
| US08458687B1 |
Assisting a basic input/output system
In one or more embodiments, system(s), method(s), integrated circuit(s), physical layer(s), apparatus(es), System-on-Chip (SoC), various other hardware, computer-readable and/or executable instructions, and/or technique(s) are described that assist a host BIOS, such as by offloading operations from the host BIOS to a remote entity. By so doing, a BIOS's resources may be conserved or more complex or resource-intensive tasks may be performed than may otherwise be possible for some traditional BIOS. |
| US08458685B2 |
Vector atomic memory operation vector update system and method
A system and method of compiling program code, wherein the program code includes an operation on an array of data elements stored in memory of a computer system. The program code is scanned for an equation which may have recurring data points. The equation is then replaced with vectorized machine executable code, wherein the machine executable code comprises a nested loop and wherein the nested loop comprises an exterior loop and a virtual interior loop. The exterior loop decomposes the equation into a plurality of loops of length N, wherein N is an integer greater than one. The virtual interior loop executes vector operations corresponding to the N length loop to form a result vector resident in memory, wherein the virtual interior loop includes a vector atomic memory operation (AMO) instruction. |
| US08458679B2 |
May-constant propagation
May-constant propagation is a technique used to propagate a constant through the call graph and control flow graph by ignoring possible kills and re-definitions with low probability. Variables associated with constants in program code are determined. Execution flow probabilities are executed for code segments of the program code that comprise the variables. The execution flow probabilities are calculated based on flow data for the program code. At least a first of the code segments is determined to have a high execution flow probability. The first of the constants associated with the first variable are propagated through the flow data to generate modified flow data. |
| US08458678B2 |
Compiler supporting programs as data objects
A compiler supporting a language in which selected semantic objects are represented as data objects. The data objects may be used in multiple ways to expand the capabilities of the programming language. Data objects may be passed to applications and used to create executable instructions for that application. In this way, instructions written in the native language of the compiler may be used to control applications that accept programs in a language inconsistent with the native language of the compiler. The syntax checking and variable binding capabilities of the compiler may be used for those instructions that will be executed by an application separate from the object code generated by the compiler. The semantic objects represented as data objects may be selected based on express operations included in the source code or may be based on implicit type conversion. |
| US08458670B2 |
Automatically adding bytecode to a software application to determine network communication information
A system and method for automatically analyzing virtual machine bytecode of a software application and adding additional bytecode operable to determine information regarding network communication performed by the software application are described. According to one embodiment of the method, program code of a software application may be received, wherein the program code includes bytecode for a virtual machine. The bytecode may be automatically analyzed to detect network communication functionality. The method may operate to automatically add additional bytecode to the bytecode of the software application, where the added bytecode is operable to determine information regarding the network communication. |
| US08458668B1 |
Ignoring output arguments of functions in programming environments
Methods, systems and computer program products are provided for ignoring one or more output arguments of a function in a programming environment. Users or programmers may designate one or more output arguments that are not desired by the users. The called function determines which output arguments are designated by the users. The one or more output arguments designated by the users are ignored by the function. The called function may reclaim memory space for the output arguments designated by the users. The called function may also avoid operations for generating values for the output arguments designated by the users. The called function does not need to return values for the output arguments designated by the users. |
| US08458665B2 |
Debugger with audiation
A method and computer program product are provided for audiating the occurrence of debugger events within a software debugger. The method begins by assigning a sound characteristic to a debugger event occurring within a software program under debug. Next, the audiation of the sound characteristic associated with the event is optimized to maximize performance of the debugger. Finally, the optimized sound characteristic associated with the event is played upon the occurrence of the event. |
| US08458661B2 |
Distributed parallel build system
This document describes, among other things, systems and methods for managing distributed parallel builds. A computer-implemented method to manage parallel builds, comprises identifying one or more software components in a software project, wherein each software component includes an executable binary file; determining a build configuration for each software component, wherein the build configuration includes a mapping from each software component to one or more build servers; and building each software component using the mapped one or more build servers in the corresponding build configuration, wherein the building includes compiling one or more source files associated with each software component to one or more object files, by distributing the one or more source files to one or more compilation machines. |
| US08458660B1 |
Semantic-based, service-oriented system and method of developing, programming and managing software modules and software solutions
Methods, systems, frameworks, and software products are disclosed for building well-defined software modules through the optionally nested, aggregation of other similar modules at any depth. The invention provides visual methods of aggregation and nesting of software interfaces within composite software services with an automated runtime platform. Other aspects of the invention include, but are not limited to, innovative methods for routing the flow of invocation, inter-service communication, and exception handling. Industry standards are leveraged to integrate the methods discussed in this invention to any computer system, programming language or software platform. The semantic-based and visual nature of the inventions discussed can significantly reduce the complexity of building, maintaining and deploying computer systems and software products. |
| US08458644B2 |
RF circuit, circuit evaluation method, algorithm and recording medium
An RF circuit on a circuit simulator to be used in a microwave or millimeter wave range or a high-frequency range includes a function for being inserted by a first port and a second port thereof in a circuit to be observed, at an arbitrary cross-sectional point of the circuit, and evaluating a reflection coefficient (or a characteristic impedance) in the cross-section. The insertion loss between the first port and the second port is zero or approximately zero and is ignorable also for any finite system impedance other than zero. |
| US08458641B2 |
Method, system, and design structure for making voltage environment consistent for reused sub modules in chip design
The present invention discloses a method, system, and design structure for making voltage environment consistent for reused sub modules in chip design, wherein each reused sub module is connected to a power grid of the chip through power connection points on a power ring of the sub module, the method including: adjusting numbers and locations of power connection points of a plurality of reused sub modules, such that the numbers of the power connection points and locations of the corresponding power connection points are identical for the plurality of reused sub modules; adjusting power wires of the plurality of reused sub modules on the power grid which are connected the power connection points, such that voltages at the corresponding power connection points are consistent for the plurality of reused sub modules. The present invention may reduce timing variation of reused sub modules in chip design and finally achieve an objective of reducing design complexity and work load and shortening the design period. |
| US08458636B1 |
Filling vacant areas of an integrated circuit design
Vacant areas of a layer of an integrated circuit design are filled with shapes connected to the appropriate nets. |
| US08458635B2 |
Convolution computation for many-core processor architectures
A convolution of the kernel over a layout in a multi-core processor system includes identifying a sector, called a dynamic band, of the layout including a plurality of evaluation points. Layout data specifying the sector of the layout is loaded in shared memory, which is shared by a plurality of processor cores. A convolution operation of the kernel and the evaluation points in the sector is executed. The convolution operation includes iteratively loading parts of the basis data set, called a stride, into space available in shared memory given the size of the layout data specifying the sector. A plurality of threads is executed concurrently using the layout data for the sector and the currently loaded part of the basis data set. The iteration for the loading basis data set proceeds through the entire data set until the convolution operation is completed. |
| US08458632B2 |
Efficient slack projection for truncated distributions
Aspects of the present invention provide solutions for projecting slack in an integrated circuit. A statistical static timing analysis (SSTA) is computed to get a set of Gaussian distributions over a plurality of variation sources in the integrated circuit. Based on the Gaussian distributions, a truncated subset and a remainder subset of the Gaussian distributions are identified. Then data factors that represent a ratio between the remainder subset and the truncated subset are obtained. These data factors are applied to the SSTA to root sum square (RSS) project the slack for the integrated circuit that takes into account the absence of the truncated subset. |
| US08458625B2 |
Yield enhancement by multiplicate-layer-handling optical correction
Potential lithographic hot spots associated with a lithographic level are marked by a marker layer identifying a marked region. Multiplicate layers are generated for each design shape in that lithographic level in each marked region. Each multiplicate layer includes a different type of variant for each design shape in the lithographic level. The different types of variants correspond to different design environments. Lithographic simulation is performed with each type of variants under the constraint of long range effects, such as pattern density, provided by adjacent shapes in the lithographic level. In each marked region, the results of lithographic simulations are evaluated to determine an optimal type among the variants. The optimal type is retained for the lithographic level in each marked region, thereby providing a chip design layout in which various marked regions can include different types of variant shapes to provide local lithographic optimization. |
| US08458615B2 |
Device, method, and graphical user interface for managing folders
A multifunction device displays a plurality of selectable user interface objects on the display. In response to detecting the first input, the device moves a first object in the plurality of selectable user interface objects across the display to a location on the display that is proximate to a second object in the plurality of selectable user interface objects. In response to detecting that the first input meets predefined folder-creation criteria while the first object is proximate to the second object, the device creates a folder that contains the first object and the second object. |
| US08458614B1 |
Rendition-based graphical layout management
Systems and methods which implement rendition-based graphical layout management techniques are shown. According to an embodiment, desired resizing of items within a program's user interface is managed through a developer graphically describing a plurality of different sized renditions of a desired user interface and other different sized renditions of the user interface being dynamically interpolated and/or extrapolated through operation of the program. According to embodiments, linear interpolation and/or extrapolation is provided with respect to windows sized differently than constraint images provided by a developer. In embodiments where more than 2 constraint images are provided, piece-wise liner interpolation and/or extrapolation may be provided. Non-linear interpolation and/or extrapolation may be implemented. |
| US08458608B2 |
Focus state themeing
Focus state themeing is accomplished by separating the processing of the focus state from the processing of an operative state of a control element. The operative states of the control element are entered or exited based upon the detection of input from a user or the detection of control availability by the operating system or by an application running on the operating system. Once an operative state is determined for a control element, the focus state of the control element is detected and merged with the operative state to generate a theme state for the control element. The theme state is a combination of the operative state and the focus state. There is one combined theme state for each operative-focus combination. Various display configurations may be used to represent a control element with a combined operative-focus state. The control element is then rendered on a display based on the operative state theme and the focus state theme. |
| US08458606B2 |
Displaying relatedness of media items
In a method in a computer system for displaying on a display device a plurality of media items as selectable media tiles, a focus media item and a plurality of related media items are received. The plurality of related media items are related to the focus media item. Relatedness information pertaining to the plurality of related media items is received. The relatedness information identifies a relationship strength between at least one of the plurality of related media items and the focus media item. A spatially oriented relatedness arrangement of selectable media tiles physically positioned to indicate said relationship strength between the focus media item and the at least one of the plurality of related media items is displayed on the display device. The selectable media tiles represent the focus media item and at least one of the plurality of related media items. |
| US08458601B2 |
System and method for item inquiry and information presentation via standard communication paths
A method and system is provided for item inquiry and information presentation via standard communication paths. More particularly, the method and system detects an item associated with an avatar of a virtual universe (VU) user in a VU and determine information associated with the item. Additionally, the method and system are operable to display the information in the VU in a high-resolution component of the VU. |
| US08458599B2 |
Multi-user interactive web-based searches
A method for multiple users to jointly interact with web-based search results is provided. Selections of the search results by a user are immediately communicated to other users. Viewing options may be customized on a per-user basis for greater individual control over viewing the results. Results may be further acted upon to complete transactions. Individual results are easily referenced in chat windows. Status of query and transactions are communicated to all users. |
| US08458595B1 |
Video editing including simultaneously displaying timelines and storyboards
Video editing including simultaneously displaying timelines and storyboards is described, including displaying a timeline of a video presentation, displaying a storyboard of the video presentation including scenes of the video presentation simultaneously to the displaying the timeline, and navigating the timeline in response to receiving an input to select a individual scene of the video presentation. |
| US08458590B2 |
Computer readable medium for creating data, data creating apparatus, printing apparatus and printing system
A computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process for creating a data, the process includes: receiving first data described in a print language format for printing; converting a part of the first data, which corresponds to an electronic document format for display, received in the receiving into second data described in the electronic document format; and adding third data, which does not correspond to the electronic document format, of the first data received in the receiving to the second data. |
| US08458586B2 |
X/HTML support for silverlight applications
A method for creating a web application adapted to run in a Silverlight® run time environment from an X/HTML source file. The visual elements of the X/HTML source are converted to a corresponding Silverlight® custom control with a comparable visual presentation. The X/HTML source file is first converted to XAML which is then combined with the Silverlight custom controls into a web application. |
| US08458584B1 |
Extraction and analysis of user-generated content
A page splitter may be configured to split a first page of a site into first boilerplate and first posts, and a second page of the site into second boilerplate and second posts. An aggregator may be configured to associate the first page with the second page, based on a similarity of the first boilerplate and the second boilerplate, and configured to associate at least one of the first posts and at least one of the second posts with a first post-type, and at least one of the second posts with a second post-type. A merger may be configured to merge the first boilerplate and the second boilerplate into a boilerplate template, posts of the first post-type from the first page and from the second page into a first post-type template, and posts of the second post-type from the second page into a second post-type template, and further configured to merge the boilerplate template, the first post-type template, and the second post-type template into a site template associated with the site. |
| US08458583B2 |
Document image generating apparatus, document image generating method and computer program
It is expected to provide a document image generating apparatus, a document image generating method and a computer program that can keep a layout of original text present in the original text image and then can improve the readability of original text and the readability annotation corresponding to the original text (e.g., translation).A translation 421 of original text 411 is aligned at the interline space between the original text 411 at the first line and the original text 412 at the second line. When the interline space is narrow as shown in FIG. 4B, the original text 411 overlays the translation 421. At that time, the color regarding the original text 411 is changed to be a low visibility color, and the color regarding the translation 421 is changed to be a high visibility color. |
| US08458580B2 |
Magnetic disc controller and method
A magnetic disk controller includes an error check code generating unit that generates error check codes associated with the encoded pieces of writing data; a first buffer that stores a first encoded piece of writing data and a first error check code associated with the first encoded piece; a second buffer that stores a second encoded piece of writing data and a second error check code associated with the second encoded piece; and a buffer control unit that, in a first period, substantially concurrently with a writing of the first encoded piece and the first error check code from the first buffer into a first sector of the magnetic disk, stores the second encoded piece and the second error check code into the second buffer. |
| US08458575B2 |
High speed syndrome-based FEC encoder and system using same
A decoder, encoder and corresponding system are disclosed for providing fast Forward Error Correcting (FEC) decoding and encoding of syndrome-based error correcting codes. Three-parallel processing is performed by elements of the system. More particularly, in an illustrative embodiment, a decoder performs three-parallel syndrome generation and error determination and calculations, and an encoder performs three-parallel encoding. Low power and complexity techniques are used to save cost and power yet provide relatively high speed encoding and decoding. |
| US08458569B2 |
Apparatus and method for improving error correction capability using stuffing byte
A decoding circuit and method for improving error correction capability using a stuffing byte, in which in the decoding method, an input data packet is decoded. When it is determined that error correction is impossible based on a decoding result, a stuffing byte section is detected in the input data packet. A level value of data in the stuffing byte section is converted into a stuffing byte level value. A data packet having the converted level value is decoded and output. The decoding circuit includes a decoder decoding an input data packet and a control block detecting a stuffing byte section in the input data packet, converting the input data packet, and decoding a converted data packet when the decoder fails in error correction of the input data packet. |
| US08458562B1 |
Secondary memory element for non-volatile memory
Embodiments for providing improved reliability or extended life for a non-volatile memory component may comprise a secondary non-volatile memory component to store error correction information, for example. |
| US08458561B2 |
Pruning methods for the generation of S-random interleavers, and interleaver performing the methods
The method allows to obtain, starting from an initial S-random interleaver permutation stored in memory devices and having a size N, a final S-random permutation having a smaller size K |
| US08458558B2 |
Multi-antenna configuration signaling in wireless communication system
A wireless communication infrastructure entity (200) having a communication configuration is configured to generate parity bits based on an information word and to encode the parity bits based on the communication configuration of the wireless communication infrastructure entity, wherein the encoded parity bits are combined with the information word. A wireless communication user terminal is configured to identify a set of configuration indicator bits used to encode parity bits combined with an information word and to determine a communication configuration of the wireless communication entity from which the combination of the information word and the encoded parity bits were received based on the set of configuration indicator bits used to encode the parity bits. |
| US08458557B1 |
Interleaved error correction coding for channels with non-uniform signal-to-noise ratios
Generation of code words for error correction coding (ECC) of a channel with a non-uniform signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is provided. A channel SNR profile is accessed, which can also include determining the channel profile. The channel profile characterizes sections of the channel having like SNR values. Each section of the channel is partitioned into a number of partitions. The number of partitions of each section equals a number of code words for the channel. The code words are generated by interleaving the partitions from each section such that an average SNR of each code word is made substantially the same as an average SNR of the channel. |
| US08458548B2 |
Adaptive H-ARQ using outage capacity optimization
Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a data packet comprising a first number of bits encoded over a first number of symbols is transmitted to a receiver. If the receiver did not successfully decode the data packet, a negative acknowledgment message is received along with metric information for the transmission. The data packet encoded with a varying number of symbols and transmitted to the receiver, wherein the varying number of symbols is a function of the metric information for the first transmission. |
| US08458546B2 |
Oversampled clock and data recovery with extended rate acquisition
In described embodiments, a transceiver supports two or more rates using an oversampling clock and data recovery (CDR) circuit sampling high rate data with a predetermined CDR sampling clock. A timing recovery circuit detects and accounts for extra or missing samples when oversampling lower rate data. An edge detector detects each actual data symbol edge and provides for an edge decision offset in a current instant's block of samples. An edge error is generated from the previous instant's actual and calculated edges; and an edge distance between actual edges of the current and previous instants is generated. Filtered edge distance and error are combined to generate a calculated edge position for the data symbol edge for the current instant. The edge decision offset is applied to the current calculated edge position to identify a sample value to generate a decision for the data symbol to detect the current data value. |
| US08458544B2 |
Multiple-capture DFT system to reduce peak capture power during self-test or scan test
A method for providing ordered capture clocks to detect or locate faults within N clock domains and faults crossing any two clock domains in an integrated circuit or circuit assembly in scan-test or self-test mode, where N>1, includes the steps of: (a) generating and shifting-in N test stimuli to all scan cells within the N clock domains during a shift-in operation; (b) applying an ordered sequence of capture clocks to all scan cells within the N clock domains, the ordered sequence of capture clocks including a plurality of capture clock pulses from two or more selected capture clocks placed in a sequential order such that all clock domains are never triggered simultaneously during a capture operation; and (c) analyzing output responses of all scan cells to locate any faults therein. |
| US08458541B2 |
System and method for debugging scan chains
Scan chains are used to detect faults in integrated circuits but with the size of today's circuits, it is difficult to detect and locate scan chain faults, especially when the scan data in and scan data out have been compressed. A method for debugging scan chains includes selecting a scan chain for debugging using a scan chain selection block and then providing scan test vectors to the selected scan chain. The scan test vectors undergo various scan test stages to generate scan response vectors. The scan response vectors are compared with ideal response vectors to identify a failing scan chain. |
| US08458540B2 |
Integrated circuit and diagnosis circuit
A integrated circuit include: a first selection circuit selecting first data from input-data or scan-data, scan-data being for performing a diagnosis of a combinational circuit, input-data being received from a combinational circuit; a first latch circuit holding first data as first output-data in accordance with a first signal; a second latch circuit holding first output-data as second output-data in accordance with which of the first signal and a second signal, the second signal being used to force the second latch circuit to hold first output-data; a third latch circuit holding first output-data as third output-data in accordance with which of the first signal and a third signal, the third signal being used to force the third latch circuit to hold first output-data; and a second selection circuit selecting second data from among the data which include second output-data and third output-data. |
| US08458539B2 |
G-ODLAT on-die logic analyzer trigger with parallel vector finite state machine
An apparatus for debugging internal signals of integrated circuits is presented. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a number of vector registers associated with states of a state machine. A group of registers, associated with a state of the state machine, comprises a mask register an arm register. A comparator compares debug data with contents of the mask register and the arm register to determine a comparison result to be stored in one or more bit positions of the vector register. The apparatus further comprises a triggering logic unit to determine whether or not to trigger a fire event based on the vector registers. |
| US08458537B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprises a memory cell array, a write control circuit, a latch circuit, an address control circuit, a scan control circuit, and an address latch circuit. The write control circuit executes write and verify for each page of the memory cell array. The latch circuit holds data of the verify result. The address control circuit divides the page into zones and sequentially selects the address of each of the zones. The scan control circuit executes scan so as to count the number of fail bits in zone selected by the address control circuit and determine whether the number of fail bits is not more than the number of allowable bits. The address latch circuit holds the address of a no fail zone, out of the plurality of zones, in which the number of fail bits is 0. |
| US08458535B2 |
Packet interleaving method
The packet interleaving method includes selecting successive input sets of consecutive input packets (X1 . . . XNin) received from a forward correction module (14), each input packet (Xj) being a vector of constellation points of a predetermined constellation diagram. For each input set, it further includes generating an output set of output packets (O1 . . . ONout), each output packet (Om) being a vector of constellation points, by distributing the constellation points of each input packet (Xj) of the input set, and sending the output packets (O1 . . . ONout) of the output set to a modulator (18). The input set including Nin input packets (X1 . . . XNin) and each of the Nin input packets (X1 . . . XNin) including a same number Lin of constellation points, the number Nout of output packets in the output set is related to Lin by the relation Lin=A×Nout, where A is a fixed whole number. |
| US08458533B2 |
Watch dog timer and counter with multiple timeout periods
A time-out period is established for a watchdog timer. The time-out period is restarted each time a designated key value is received when each key value is received in a proper sequence. An error is indicated if set of key values is received in an incorrect sequence. A time-out is indicated if a correct sequence of key values is not received within the time-out period. |
| US08458524B2 |
Firmware recovery system and method
A firmware recovery system includes a baseboard management controller (BMC) module, a south bridge, a basic input and output system (BIOS) module, a multiplexer and a storage module. The BIOS module is connected to the BMC module by the south bridge and determines whether a firmware file of the BMC module is corrupt. The multiplexer selectively connects the BIOS module or the BMC module to the south bridge. The storage module stores a new firmware file. When the firmware file of the BMC module is corrupt, the BIOS module controls the multiplexer to select the BMC module to connect to the south bridge. The BIOS module reads the new firmware file from the storage module to recover the corrupt firmware file from the BMC module. |
| US08458523B2 |
Meta attributes in functional coverage models
A meta attribute useful for functional coverage is computed based on values comprised by two or more matching fields in a trace. The two or more matching fields may be comprised by a single entry of the trace or by a plurality of entries of the trace. A definition of the meta attribute may define which fields of the entries comprise values useful for computation of the meta attributes. The matching entries may be identified based on identifying values within the entries. |
| US08458518B2 |
Method and a device for improved retransmissions
The invention discloses a method (200) for use in a cellular system (100) with an RBS (120) which controls traffic to and from a cell (110), with one User Equipment, UE (130, 140), in the cell. The RBS and the UE receive and transmit information between each other, one of them being a sending party and the other one is a receiving party, and errors in messages (BSN 1, BSN 4) which are received can be detected by the receiving party by a first error detection method and if errors are detected in received messages, the receiving party can request a retransmission from the transmitting party. The receiving party stores the order in which retransmissions are requested, so that erroneous retransmissions may be detected by the receiving party without the first error detection method. |
| US08458517B1 |
System and method for checkpointing state in a distributed system
A system and method is disclosed for recording checkpoints in a distributed system. A distributed system comprises one or more computers implementing a plurality of nodes coordinating with one another to maintain a shared state of the distributed system. The system chooses a given one of the plurality of nodes to record a checkpoint of the shared state. In response, the given node records the checkpoint by isolating itself from communication with the other nodes, storing the checkpoint, restarting, and attempting to reinitialize its state from the stored checkpoint. Restarting may include deliberately causing a runtime error in the node. If the reinitialization is successful, the node restores communication with the other nodes and indicates to them that the newly stored checkpoint is valid. |
| US08458514B2 |
Memory management to accommodate non-maskable failures
Methods of memory management are described which can accommodate non-maskable failures in pages of physical memory. In an embodiment, when an impending non-maskable failure in a page of memory is identified, a pristine page of physical memory is used to replace the page containing the impending failure and memory mappings are updated to remap virtual pages from the failed page to the pristine page. When a new page of virtual memory is then allocated by a process, the failed page may be reused if the process identifies that it can accommodate failures and the process is provided with location information for impending failures. In another embodiment, a process may expose information on failure-tolerant regions of virtual address space such that a physical page of memory containing failures only in failure-tolerant regions may be used to store the data instead of using a pristine page. |
| US08458511B2 |
Fault isolation using code paths
Techniques are provided for isolating faults in a software program by providing at least two code paths that are capable of performing the same operation. When a fault occurs while the one of the code paths is being used to perform an operation, data that indicates the circumstances under which the fault occurred is stored. For example, a fault-recording mechanism may store data that indicates the entities that were involved in the failed operation. Because they were involved in an operation that experienced a fault, one or more of those entities may be “quarantined”. When subsequent requests arrive to perform the operation, a check may be performed to determine whether the requested operation involves any of the quarantined entities. If the requested operation involves a quarantined entity, a different code path is used to perform the operation, rather than the code path from which the entity is quarantined. |
| US08458504B2 |
Peer-to-peer group owner enhanced power management
A device includes a peer-to-peer group owner processor. The device also includes a memory coupled to the peer-to-peer group owner processor. At least one client associated with the device is a legacy client, and the peer-to-peer group owner processor enters a listening state after a dozing state. The device consumes less power in the listening state than in an awake state. |
| US08458499B2 |
Method for reducing power state in a computer system out-of-band when a request for reducing the power state is not immediately serviceable in band according to a priority of the request
One embodiment provides a method of managing power in a computer system. A device of the computer system is operated at a selected power-state. The power consumption of the computer system is monitored. If the power consumption of the computer system is approaching or has exceeded a power cap selected for the computer system, then a request to reduce the power-state for the device is generated in response. The operating system is used to service the request to reduce the power-state according to the priority of the request. The reduced power state is forced out-of-band following the request to reduce the power-state if the request is not immediately serviceable by the operating system. Different approaches can be taken to force the reduced power state, using, for example, system management mode or a platform environment control interface. |
| US08458494B1 |
Systems and methods for secure third-party data storage
A computer-implemented method for secure third-party data storage may include 1) identifying, at a server-side computing device, a request from a client system to access an encrypted file stored under a user account, 2) identifying, in response to the request, an asymmetric key pair designated for the user account that includes an encryption key and a decryption key that has been encrypted with a client-side key, 3) receiving, from the client system, the client-side key, 4) decrypting the decryption key with the client-side key, and 5) using the decryption key to access an unencrypted version of the encrypted file. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US08458492B2 |
Crypto-engine for cryptographic processing of data
A crypto-engine for cryptographic processing has an arithmetic unit and an interface controller for managing communications between the arithmetic unit and a host processor. The arithmetic unit has a memory unit for storing and loading data and arithmetic units for performing arithmetic operations on the data. The memory and arithmetic units are controlled by an arithmetic controller. |
| US08458489B2 |
Differential uncloneable variability-based cryptography
Differential uncloneable variability-based cryptography techniques are provided. The differential cryptography includes a hardware based public physically uncloneable function (PPUF) to perform the cryptography. The PPUF includes a first physically uncloneable function (PUF) and a second physically uncloneable function. An arbiter determines the output of the circuit using the outputs of the first and second PUFs. Cryptography can be performed by simulating the PPUF with selected input. The output of the simulation, along with timing information about a set of inputs from where the corresponding input is randomly selected for simulation, is used by the communicating party that has the integrated circuit with the PPUF to search for an input that produces the output. The input can be configured to be the secret key or a part of the secret key. |
| US08458483B1 |
Techniques for message-passing using shared memory of an RF tag
A technique of message-passing using shared memory of an RF tag involves storing a message in the shared memory while a security processor of the RF tag is in a sleep mode, the security processor being constructed and arranged to access the shared memory when the security processor is in a wakened mode. The technique further involves transitioning the security processor from the sleep mode to the wakened mode, and processing the message from the shared memory using the security processor after the security processor has transitioned from the sleep mode to the wakened mode. If the security processor is awakened only as needed (rather than remain in the wakened mode), lifetime of a battery which powers the security processor can be maximized. |
| US08458480B2 |
Method and apparatus for binding TPM keys to execution entities
A method and apparatus for binding trusted platform module (TPM) keys to execution entities are described. In one embodiment, the method includes the receipt of an authorization request issued by an execution entity for authorization data. According to the authorization request, the execution entity may be measured to generate an entity digest value. Once the entity digest value is generated, a platform reference module may grant the authorization request if the entity digest value verifies that the execution entity is an owner of the key held by the TPM. Accordingly, in one embodiment, a platform reference module, rather than an execution entity, holds the authorization data required by a TPM to use a key owned by the execution entity and held within sealed storage by the TPM. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08458476B2 |
Watermarking computer program code
A method of embedding information in a computer program code, including a plurality of program statements. The method comprises: inserting a conditional program statement in the computer program code, the conditional program statement including a condition and a plurality of alternative program statements, the conditional program statement being adapted to cause a data processing system to evaluate said condition and, responsive to a result of said evaluating step, to selectively execute one of said plurality of alternative program statements; wherein said condition is indicative of at least a part of said information; and wherein the plurality of alternative program statements are adapted to cause the computer program code to produce the same program output irrespective of which of said alternative program statements is executed. |
| US08458472B2 |
Authentication method and communications system used for authentication
An authentication method authenticates between subscribers of a communications system using an asymmetric elliptic curve encryption algorithm. The method involves providing a first and at least one second subscriber having a first or second secret key known only to the respective subscriber and a public key; authenticating an inquiry transmitted by the first subscriber with respect to the validity of the first certificate contained therein and associated with the first subscriber; calculating the response of the second subscriber associated with the inquiry; randomized encryption of the calculated response and a second certificate associated with the second subscriber using the public key; decryption and authentication of the response transmitted by the second subscriber with respect to the validity of the second certificate contained therein. |
| US08458468B2 |
Method and system for protecting information exchanged during communication between users
A system includes a sending terminal and at least one receiving terminal, the terminals capable of being connected to a communication network for transmitting an information item from the sending terminal to the at least one receiving terminal. The sending terminal is linked via a secure channel to a unit adapted to encrypt sensitive data using a first encryption/decryption mechanism, the sensitive data being used to protect the information item, and the at least one receiving terminal capable of interacting with a SIM module storing a second encryption/decryption mechanism identical to the first encryption/decryption mechanism, for decrypting the sensitive data. |
| US08458464B2 |
Mechanism to handle events in a machine with isolated execution
A platform and method for secure handling of events in an isolated environment. A processor executing in isolated execution “IsoX” mode may leak data when an event occurs as a result of the event being handled in a traditional manner based on the exception vector. By defining a class of events to be handled in IsoX mode, and switching between a normal memory map and an IsoX memory map dynamically in response to receipt of an event of the class, data security may be maintained in the face of such events. |
| US08458463B2 |
Method for safe operation and a system thereof
The present invention relating to computer security field provides a method for safe operation and a system thereof. The method includes: loading the compressed kernel of a safe operating system to a memory of a computer, decompressing the driver of a security device to the memory of the computer; a security master process inquiring the security device and determining whether the security device is legitimate, and if so, the safe operating system creates a security sub-process with which the safe operating system performing information interaction with the security device; verifying whether a user is legitimate, if so, permitting the safe operating system to run properly; otherwise, performing exception handling. The system includes an operating system storage device, a security device and a computer. The presented invention provides a solution that a kernel program of a safe operating system is cooperated with a security device by starting the safe operating system. In the whole process of the computer operation, the kernel of the safe operating system works with the security device, and the security device completes the verification of the user ID and the processing of file data encryption/decryption, which assures the security of the computer operation. |
| US08458460B2 |
Digest generation from instruction op-codes
In general, in one aspect, a computer-implemented method includes determining a digest value based on hash operations on values of, at least, a set op-codes of multiple instructions of a program during execution of the program by a processor. |
| US08458455B2 |
Techniques for handling SSL certificate expiration and renewal
A method for replacing a current security certificate includes producing a security certificate request at a first device that includes a request for a replacement security certificate. The method additionally includes sending the security certificate request to a security certificate vendor and receiving a replacement security certificate from the security certificate vendor. The method further includes installing the replacement security certificate within a verification layer of the client device and transmitting the replacement security certificate to the server. The method additionally includes verifying that the server has installed the replacement security certificate, wherein the verification further verifies that the replacement security certificate enables encrypted communication between the client device and the server. The method additionally includes archiving the current security certificate upon completion of the verification, and activating the replacement security certificate for use in encrypting communications between the client device and the server. |
| US08458450B2 |
Configuring a computing machine to use a component driver to directly control at least one of initialized hardware components of another computing machine
A method including initializing at least one component of another computing machine in response to the other computing machine coupling to a computing machine, loading a component driver onto the computing machine for at least one of the initialized components, and configuring the computing machine to use the component driver to control at least one of the initialized components of the other computing machine. |
| US08458438B2 |
System, method and computer program product for providing quiesce filtering for shared memory
A system, method and computer program product for providing quiesce filtering for shared memory. The method includes receiving a shared-memory quiesce request at a processor. The request includes a donor zone. The processor includes translation look aside buffer one (TLB1). It is determined that the shared-memory request can be filtered by the processor if there not any shared memory entries in the TLB1 and the donor zone is not equal to a current zone of the processor and the processor is not running in host mode. The shared-memory quiesce request is filtered in response to the determining. |
| US08458433B2 |
Management of persistent memory in a multi-node computer system
A method and apparatus creates and manages persistent memory (PM) in a multi-node computing system. A PM Manager in the service node creates and manages pools of nodes with various sizes of PM. A node manager uses the pools of nodes to load applications to the nodes according to the size of the available PM. The PM Manager can dynamically adjust the size of the PM according to the needs of the applications based on historical use or as determined by a system administrator. The PM Manager works with an operating system kernel on the nodes to provide persistent memory for application data and system metadata. The PM Manager uses the persistent memory to load applications to preserve data from one application to the next. Also, the data preserved in persistent memory may be system metadata such as file system data that will be available to subsequent applications. |
| US08458431B2 |
Expanding memory size
A system, and computer usable program product for expanding memory size are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A desired size of an expanded memory and a first information about a workload in the data processing system are received. A size of a compressed memory pool to use with the memory to make the desired size of the expanded memory available is computed. A representation of the memory is configured, the representation of the memory appearing to be of a size larger than the size of the memory, the representation of the memory being the expanded memory, and the size of the representation being the size of the expanded memory. The expanded memory is made available such that the memory in the data processing system is usable by addressing the expanded memory. |
| US08458430B2 |
Configurable and scalable storage system
The system utilizes a plurality of layers to provide a robust storage solution. One layer is the RAID engine that provides parity RAID protection, disk management and striping for the RAID sets. The second layer is called the virtualization layer and it separates the physical disks and storage capacity into virtual disks that mirror the drives that a target system requires. A third layer is a LUN (logical unit number) layer that is disposed between the virtual disks and the host. By using this approach, the system can be used to represent any number, size, or capacity of disks that a host system requires while using any configuration of physical RAID storage. |
| US08458426B2 |
Transceiver with latency alignment circuitry
In a transceiver system a first interface receives data from a first channel using a first clock signal and transmits data to the first channel using a second clock signal. A second interface receives data from a second channel using a third clock signal and transmits data to the second channel using a fourth clock signal. A re-timer re-times data received from the first channel using the first clock signal and retransmits the data to the second channel using the fourth clock signal. |
| US08458424B2 |
Storage system for reallocating data in virtual volumes and methods of the same
A storage system comprises a virtual volume configured of multiple virtual areas and a pool configured of multiple actual area groups of different performances. The controller of the storage system manages which actual areas are assigned to which virtual areas and the access load on the actual areas assigned to the virtual areas. The controller, if the access load of a first actual area assigned to a first virtual area is inappropriate for a first actual area group comprising the first actual area, migrates data to a second actual area in a second actual area group which is appropriate for the access load of the first actual area from the first actual area. The controller performs data migration between actual areas for achieving data allocation at a certain point of time based on history information which is the information related to a virtual area at a point of time in the past and an actual area assigned to the virtual area. Data allocation is the allocation of data in a virtual area to an actual area in an actual area group. |
| US08458420B2 |
Executing host data transfer operations during setup of copy services operations
Host input/output (I/O) operations are performed via a file stored in a non-volatile storage coupled to a storage controller while data structures are being generated in the storage controller to copy data from source logical volumes to target logical volumes. The source logical volumes and the target logical volumes are logical representations of physical storage maintained in a plurality of direct access storage devices. The contents of the file are transferred from the non-volatile storage to one or more of the plurality of direct access storage devices, after the data structures have been generated, wherein the host I/O operations are performed via the file while the contents of the file are being transferred to the one or more of the plurality of direct access storage devices. The host I/O operations to the plurality of direct access storage devices are resumed, in response to transferring entire contents of the file to the one or more of the plurality of direct access storage devices. |
| US08458418B1 |
Replication of deduplicated data between multi-controller systems
A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for processing information are disclosed. In some embodiments, this includes mapping a target multi-controller system, determining a target controller to send a data chunk to based on the mapping, determining if the target controller is missing any portion of the data chunk, and sending the missing portions of the data chunk to the target controller. In some embodiments, sending the missing portions of the data chunk to the target controller includes sending the missing portions of the data chunk from a source multi-controller system to the target. The source multi-controller system may have a first number of controllers and the target multi-controller system may have a second number of controllers. |
| US08458417B2 |
Garbage collection in a storage device
In general, this disclosure relates to garbage collection in a storage device. Aspects of this disclosure describe techniques to identify one or more candidate memory storage blocks that should be recycled during garbage collection. The one or more candidate memory storage blocks may be identified based at least on monitored soft metrics of the candidate memory storage blocks. During garbage collection, the identified one or more candidate memory storage blocks may be recycled to free up storage space. |
| US08458414B2 |
Accessing memory with identical instruction types and central processing unit thereof
A memory accessing method including the following steps is provided. Firstly, two instructions are fetched. Next, the two instructions are respectively decoded to obtain two operation fields and two address fields. The two operation fields indicate the type of operation in accessing the memory. One of the address fields includes a first upper address corresponding to the first memory block and a first lower address corresponding to a first memory unit of the first memory block. The other one of the two address fields includes a second upper address corresponding to the second memory block and a second lower address corresponding to a second memory unit of the second memory block. Then, whether two instructions are performing the same type of operation on the same memory block is determined. If yes, the type of operation indicated by the two operation fields is performed on the corresponding memory block parallelly. |
| US08458413B2 |
Supporting virtual input/output (I/O) server (VIOS) active memory sharing in a cluster environment
A method, system, and computer program product provide a shared virtual memory space via a cluster-aware virtual input/output (I/O) server (VIOS). The VIOS receives a paging file request from a first LPAR and thin-provisions a logical unit (LU) within the virtual memory space as a shared paging file of the same storage amount as the minimum required capacity. The VIOS also autonomously maintains a logical redundancy LU (redundant LU) as a real-time copy of the provisioned/allocated LU, where the redundant LU is a dynamic copy of the allocated LU that is autonomously updated responsive to any changes within the allocated LU. Responsive to a second VIOS attempting to read a LU currently utilized by a first VIOS, the read request is autonomously redirected to the logical redundancy LU. The redundant LU can be utilized to facilitate migration of a client LPAR to a different computing electronic complex (CEC). |
| US08458406B2 |
Multiple critical word bypassing in a memory controller
In one embodiment, a memory controller may be configured to transmit two or more critical words (or beats) corresponding to two or more different read requests prior to returning the remaining beats of the read requests. Such an embodiment may reduce latency to the sources of the memory requests, which may be stalled awaiting the critical words. The remaining words may fill a cache block or other buffer, but may not be required by the sources as quickly as the critical words in order to support higher performance. In some embodiments, once a remaining beat of a block is transmitted, all of the remaining beats may be transmitted contiguously. In other embodiments, additional critical words may be forwarded between remaining beats of a block. |
| US08458404B1 |
Programmable cache access protocol to optimize power consumption and performance
A programmable cache and cache access protocol that can be dynamically optimized with respect to either power consumption or performance based on a monitored performance of the cache. A monitoring unit monitors cache misses, load use penalty, and/or other performance parameter, and compares the monitored values against a set of one or more predetermined thresholds. Based on the comparison results, a cache controller configures the programmable cache to operate in a parallel mode, to increase cache performance at the cost of greater power consumption, or in a serial mode, to conserve power at the cost of unnecessary performance. A banked cache memory that supports aligned and unaligned instruction fetches using a banked access strategy, and a cache access controller that includes a prefetch capability are also described. |
| US08458403B2 |
Architecture and method for cache-based checkpointing and rollback
A cache system to compare memory transactions while facilitating checkpointing and rollback is provided. The system includes at least one processor core including at least one cache operating in write-through mode, at least two checkpoint caches operating in write-back mode, a comparison/checkpoint logic, and a main memory. The at least two checkpoint caches are communicatively coupled to the at least one cache operating in write-through mode. The comparison/checkpoint logic is communicatively coupled to the at least two checkpoint caches. The comparison/checkpoint logic compares memory transactions stored in the at least two checkpoint caches responsive to an initiation of a checkpointing. The main memory is communicatively coupled to at least one of the at least two checkpoint caches. |
| US08458401B2 |
Demand based partitioning of microprocessor caches
Associativity of a multi-core processor cache memory to a logical partition is managed and controlled by receiving a plurality of unique logical processing partition identifiers into registration of a multi-core processor, each identifier being associated with a logical processing partition on one or more cores of the multi-core processor; responsive to a shared cache memory miss, identifying a position in a cache directory for data associated with the address, the shared cache memory being multi-way set associative; associating a new cache line entry with the data and one of the registered unique logical processing partition identifiers; modifying the cache directory to reflect the association; and caching the data at the new cache line entry, wherein the shared cache memory is effectively shared on a line-by-line basis among the plurality of logical processing partitions of the multi-core processor. |
| US08458398B2 |
Computer-readable medium storing data management program, computer-readable medium storing storage diagnosis program, and multinode storage system
A computer-readable medium storing a data management program makes a computer manage data redundantly stored in storage devices having storage areas split into slices for data management. The data management program realizes the following functions in the computer. A first function receives irregularity information indicating that each of one or more of the storage devices may be possibly faulty, and stores the irregularity information in a storage; and a second function determines, by reference to the irregularity information, whether or not a first storage device containing a slice to be accessed is possibly faulty, on receipt of access information indicating occurrence of a request to access the slice. When yes is determined, the second function instructs an external device to recover data stored in the slice, where the external device controls a second storage device storing redundant data identical to the data stored in the slice. |
| US08458396B2 |
Sharing resources within a robotic media library amongst a plurality of connected servers
The present invention provides an apparatus, method, and computer program product for sharing resources within a robotic media library having multiple media types and multiple device types amongst a plurality of connected servers. |
| US08458393B2 |
Flash memory and operating system kernel
A memory system is provided. The system includes an operating system kernel that regulates read and write access to one or more FLASH memory devices that are employed for random access memory applications. A buffer component operates in conjunction with the kernel to regulate read and write access to the one or more FLASH devices. |
| US08458391B2 |
Library apparatus and method for controlling the same
A library apparatus includes a medium name storage unit that stores medium name conversion information in which a virtual medium name specifying a storage medium in a read/write request from a host is related to a real medium name specifying the storage medium in the library apparatus, a conveying mechanism unit that conveys the storage medium, a drive that reads/writes data from/to the storage medium conveyed by the conveying mechanism unit in response to the received read/write request, a conversion unit that converts the virtual medium name included in the received read/write request to the real medium name on the basis of the medium name conversion information stored in the medium name storage unit, and a conveying mechanism control unit that controls the conveying mechanism unit to convey the storage medium having the real medium name converted by the conversion unit to the drive. |
| US08458390B2 |
Methods and systems for handling inter-process and inter-module communications in servers and server clusters
Pluggable modules communicate via a switch fabric dataplane accessible via a backplane. Various embodiments are comprised of varying numbers and arrangements of the pluggable modules in accordance with a system architecture that provides for provisioning virtual servers and clusters of servers from underlying hardware and software resources. The system architecture is a unifying solution for applications requiring a combination of computation and networking performance. Resources may be pooled, scaled, and reclaimed dynamically for new purposes as requirements change, using dynamic reconfiguration of virtual computing and communication hardware and software. |
| US08458389B2 |
Apparatus and method for converting protocol interface
An apparatus and method for converting a protocol interface are provided. A protocol converter may analyze a protocol of protocol data, and may sequentially output a plurality of sub-data of the input protocol data according to types of the plurality of sub-data and a plurality of phase information representing the types of the plurality of sub-data. A phase channel line may transmit phase information received from the protocol converter among the plurality of phase information. A data channel line may simultaneously transmit the received phase information and a sub-data corresponding to the received phase information. |
| US08458388B2 |
Method for data communication between a programmable controller and a data processing device and interface driver program and interface hereto
A method for data communication between a programmable controller (2) and a data processing device (12) via a universal data interface (11b) of the data processing device (12) is described. In the method, at least one communication interface implemented by means of software drivers and selected in dependence on the availability is allocated to a programmable controller (2) connected to a hardware connection in a wire-connected manner or wirelessly. The method has the following steps: reading at least one identification of the programmable controller (2) out of at least one data memory of the programmable controller (2); selecting at least one further communication interface in dependence on the at least one identification read out; and allocating the at least one selected communication interface to the hardware connection in such a manner that the data communication takes place both via the at least one communication interface selected in dependence on the availability and via the at least one communication interface selected in dependence on the identification. |
| US08458384B2 |
Automatically launching a measurement application in response to measurement device connection
Automatically launching a measurement program in response to measurement device connection. The measurement device may be connected to a host device. The measurement device may store a measurement program. The host device may automatically detect the measurement device. However, a measurement device specific driver may not be required for communication between the host device and the measurement device. The host device may automatically execute the measurement program stored on the measurement device in response to the connecting. During execution, the measurement device may acquire data and provide the acquired data to the host device. |
| US08458382B2 |
Smart card set protocol optimization
A method of facilitating communications between a computer device and a smart card reader having an associated smart card, the computer device including a smart card resource manager and a smart card reader service, the smart card reader service acting as a relay for commands between the smart card resource manager and the smart card reader, the method comprising: receiving from the smart card resource manager a first command for setting a protocol for communications with the smart card; and responding, prior to receiving a reply from the smart card to the first command, to the smart card resource manager with a message indicating that the smart card has successfully received the first command. |
| US08458381B2 |
Processing host transfer requests for direct block access storage devices
Described embodiments provide a host subsystem that generates a host context corresponding to a received host data transfer request. A programmable sequencer generates one or more sequencer contexts based on the host context. Each of the sequencer contexts corresponds to at least part of the host data transfer request. The sequencer contexts are provided to a buffer subsystem of the media controller. For host read requests, the buffer subsystem retrieves the data associated with the sequencer contexts of the read request from a corresponding buffer or a storage media and transmits the data associated with the sequencer contexts to the host device. For host write requests, the buffer subsystem receives the data associated with the host context from the host device and stores the data associated with the sequencer contexts of the write request to a corresponding buffer or the storage media. |
| US08458379B2 |
Information processing program, method, and transfer processing device
An information processing method includes calculating a reception estimated time when the data are received based on a last reception time of the data and a reception time interval of the data for transfer source devices; calculating a shift completion estimated time based on a shift time period necessary to shift an assignment of a data transfer process of a transfer source device of the plurality of the transfer source devices from the transfer processing device to another transfer processing device; and transferring the assignment of the data transfer process from the transfer processing device to the another transfer processing device, the assignment of the data transfer process being relevant to a transfer source device having the calculated reception estimated time later than the shift completion estimated time and closer to the shift completion estimated time than any other transfer source devices. |
| US08458378B2 |
Cable
According to one embodiment, a cable includes a first plug and a second plug, a voltage application line which is formed by a metal wire connected between the first plug and the second plug, and to which a voltage is applied from one of the first plug and the second plug, a plurality of optical fibers which are connected between the first plug and the second plug, and transmit a video signal, and a controller connected to the voltage application line, and configured to detect a transmission direction of the video signal between the first plug and the second plug by sensing a change in voltage of the voltage application line and perform processing in accordance with the detected transmission direction. |
| US08458374B1 |
Method and arrangement for position-dependent configuration of a mobile appliance
A method and an arrangement for configuration of a mobile appliance in a communication arrangement, with a communication address that is linked to its location in each case being assigned to the mobile appliance are provided. For this purpose, the location of the mobile appliance is determined in a first step, a configuration which is linked to the determined location is checked in a second step from a database, and this determined configuration is assigned to the mobile appliance in a third step. |
| US08458373B2 |
Power supply unit, processing system, and ID assignment method
A power supply unit includes a communication unit and a control unit. The communication unit is capable of performing communication with a first processing unit group constituted of a plurality of processing units connected thereto. The control unit controls powers to the plurality of processing units through the communication so that the powers are turned on in an order corresponding to an order of connection and assigns, to the plurality of processing units, respectively, IDs of numbers corresponding to the order of turning-on of the powers each time the power is turned on. |
| US08458372B2 |
Master-slave device communication system based on current
A master-slave communication system includes a master device, a plurality of slave devices, and a bus providing communication channels therebetween. The master device includes a first micro control unit (MCU), a first power supply module, and an address setting module. Each slave device includes a second MCU and a second power supply module connected to the first power supply module through the address setting module. The address setting module detects a current output from the first power supply module, and outputs an ID address setting signal which is directly proportional with the current to the first MCU and the second MCU of a new slave device, the second MCU of the new slave device sets an ID address according to the ID address setting signal, the first MCU records the ID address as the ID address of the new slave device according to the ID address setting signal. |
| US08458368B2 |
System and method for discovering and protecting shared allocated resources in a shared virtualized I/O device
A system includes a virtualized I/O device coupled to one or more processing units. The virtualized I/O device includes programmed I/O (PIO) configuration registers corresponding to hardware resources, and a storage for storing a resource table that includes a plurality of entries. Each entry corresponds to a respective hardware resource. A system processor may allocate the hardware resources to functions that may include physical and virtual functions, and may program each entry of the resource discovery table for each function with an encoded value that indicates whether a requested hardware resource has been allocated to a requesting process, and whether the requested hardware resource is shared with another function. Processing units may execute a device driver instance associated with a given process to discover allocated resources by requesting access to the resource discovery table. The virtualized I/O device protects the resources by checking access requests against the resource discovery table. |
| US08458365B2 |
Synchronization of side information caches
In order to improve interactive compression using compression state information, the side information caches of communicating parties must be updated, or synchronized. The present invention is directed to a method of synchronizing side information databases within an interactive compression system comprising two communicating parties comprising the steps of transmitting, from the a first communicating party to the second communicating party, a device hierarchical node index; comparing the device hierarchical node index with a server hierarchical node index and then determining a shared hierarchical node index based on common entries in the two hierarchical node indexes. |
| US08458364B2 |
Method for receiving and processing frames and a device having frame receiving and processing capabilities
A device having frame receiving and processing capabilities and a method for receiving and processing frames. The method includes: receiving a frame; associating a frame timestamp with the frame; storing the frame and the associated timestamp at a certain buffer out of a group of buffers; generating a valid timing information frame indicator if the received frame is a valid timing information frame; and storing the valid timing information frame indicator at a certain buffer descriptor associated with the certain buffer. |
| US08458360B2 |
Request routing utilizing client location information
A system, method, and computer-readable medium for request routing based on client location information are provided. A content delivery network service provider receives a DNS query from a client computing device. The DNS query corresponds to a resource identifier for requested content from the client computing device. The content delivery network service provider transmits an alternative resource identifier in response to the client computing device DNS query. The alternative resource identifier is selected as a function of client location information. The client location information is obtained from information corresponding to a mapping of at least partial IP addresses to known locations. The client computing device then issues a second DNS query to the same content delivery network service provider. The content delivery network service provider can then either resolve the second DNS query or transmit another alternative resource identifier. |
| US08458359B2 |
System for the internet connections, and server for routing connection to a client machine
The purpose of the present invention is to provide an Internet connection system which is capable of benefiting from the IPv6 by relatively easy manner and in which manufacturers of client-side devices can create added values for users. IPv6 packets are transmitted by a tunneling connection between a home network and a server on the Internet. Also terminal devices present in the home network can be uniquely recognized and controlled from outside via the server. Since all communications are performed via the server on the Internet regardless of the carrier and the ISP, the terminal device and all connections to the terminal device can be freely configured and controlled by the owner or the manufacturer of the server on the Internet. |
| US08458356B2 |
System and method for sharing playlists
A system for sharing playlists utilizes a network, such as the Internet. A player device other than a general purpose computer, such as a dedicated media player or a remote control for a dedicated media player, is in communication with the server over the network. The player device is configured to receive a playlist, queue the playlist, display the playlist, and play a selection from the playlist. A user profile may be used to identify playlists that are likely to contain selections of interest to the user. |
| US08458355B1 |
Dynamic media bit rates based on enterprise data transfer policies
In general, this disclosure describes techniques of dynamically selecting versions of media content based on data transfer policies of a media content provider that provides the media content. As described herein, a media content provider may establish a variety of data transfer policies for a variety of purposes. When requests are received, versions of media assets indicated by the requests are selected such that an overall bandwidth utilization of the media content provider is likely to be substantially equal to a desired bandwidth utilization established by one or more of the enterprise data transfer policies. |
| US08458352B2 |
Creating a virtual universe data feed and distributing the data feed beyond the virtual universe
Business transactions are becoming more prevalent in virtual universes. Functionality can be implemented within a VU to allow syndication of data feeds to subscribers outside the VU. Feeds collect and serve data from one or more VU objects and locations based on changes made to the VU either by the VU itself, or by avatars in the VU. A location in a virtual universe can be an area defined by at least three coordinates, as an example. Data feeds from a VU can be used to create a VU application with and/or using the data feeds, to derive data from the data feeds, to monitor use of objects or space and billing for such use based on the data feeds, etc. |
| US08458348B2 |
Multiprocessing of data sets
Various arrangements for processing data sets using multiple processors are presented. A plurality of constraints may be received by a computer system. Each constraint may identify a data relationship that requires a subset of records of one or more data sets to be processed by a same processing device. A plurality of final constraints may be calculated. Each final constraint of the plurality of final constraints may be linked with a record. Each final constraint of the plurality of final constraints may be at least partially based on the plurality of constraints. Final constraints of the plurality of final constraints having a same value may be linked with records that are to be processed by the same processing device. At least partially based on the final constraint, the set of records may be distributed to a plurality of processing devices for processing. |
| US08458344B2 |
Establishing tunnels between selective endpoint devices along communication paths
In one embodiment, an intermediary device situated along a communication path between two endpoint devices may receive communication packets sent along the communication path. If the intermediary device receives a connection-initiating packet having a customization indicator and a connection-acknowledgement packet having a customization indicator, then the intermediary device may install a bypass rule. |
| US08458340B2 |
Distributed cache for state transfer operations
A network arrangement that employs a cache having copies distributed among a plurality of different locations. The cache stores state information for a session with any of the server devices so that it is accessible to at least one other server device. Using this arrangement, when a client device switches from a connection with a first server device to a connection with a second server device, the second server device can retrieve state information from the cache corresponding to the session between the client device and the first server device. The second server device can then use the retrieved state information to accept a session with the client device. |
| US08458336B2 |
State machine event restoration
An interactive system, such as a webserver, is described of the type wherein responses to a user are associated with states of a state machine, the responses being generated as a result of a transition into a state associated with the response, the system comprising a state machine controller arranged to change states of the state machine according to the processing of user-initiated events. To provide for handling of concurrent events, the state machine controller is arranged, during processing of a current event, to determine whether the current event was initiated at an earlier time than another event and, if so, (i) restore the state machine to a condition consistent with that immediately prior to processing of the current event, and then (ii) carry out a state transition according the other event. |
| US08458335B2 |
Method and apparatus for relationship management
A method and apparatus for relationship management of devices utilizing a network are described. A service aggregator receives information from a device and sends information to the device directing the device to communicate with a service provider. |
| US08458334B2 |
Optimized capacity planning
A computer implemented method, system and/or program product determine capacity planning of resources by utilizing a stochastic analysis of application workloads. Average workloads, which describe past resource utilization, of each of multiple applications are computed. A random sequence of the multiple applications is encoded into a first generation chromosome. The first generation chromosome is executed using a set of computing resources in a resource cloud. In response to execution of the first generation chromosome on the set of computing resources meeting a predetermined service level agreement (SLA) for the first generation chromosome, the first generation chromosome is scored in accordance with how many computing resources within the set of computing resources are utilized in order to meet the predetermined SLA. Next generation chromosomes, derived from the first generation chromosome, are executed and scored until an optimal chromosome, which utilizes the fewest computing resources, is identified and deployed. |
| US08458332B2 |
Multiplexing several individual application sessions over a pre-allocated reservation protocol session
Apparatus and methods are provided for multiplexing application flows. According to one embodiment, a predetermined portion of available bandwidth is reserved over a path through a network communicatively coupling a first network device associated with a first set of terminals and a second network device associated with a second set of terminals for real-time communication sessions among multiple applications running on the first set of terminals and the second set of terminals as a real-time bandwidth pool. The real-time bandwidth pool is thereafter shared among multiple real-time communication sessions involving one or more terminals in the first set of terminals and one or more terminals in the second set of terminals by selectively admitting application sessions involving the one or more terminals in the first set of terminals and the one or more terminals in the second set of terminals based upon currently available resources in the real-time bandwidth pool. |
| US08458331B2 |
Systems and methods for connection management for asynchronous messaging over HTTP
Described are methods and systems for managing the connections between a client, an intermediary appliance and a server, so that asynchronous messages can be transmitted over HTTP from the server to a client. When a connection is established between a client and an intermediary, and the intermediary and a server to establish a logical client-server connection, that logical client-server connection is labeled and not maintained, while the connection between the client and the intermediary is maintained. Messages generated by the server and destined for the client are transmitted to the intermediary along with the connection label. The intermediary can then use the connection label to determine which client should receive the message. |
| US08458326B2 |
Sampling from distributed streams of data
The present disclosure is directed to systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for sampling from distributed data streams. Data elements are received at site servers configured to collect and report data to a coordinator device. The site servers assign a binary string to each of the data elements. Each bit of the binary strings can be independently set to a 0 or a 1 with a probability of one half. The binary string is used to sample from the received data elements, and the data elements and/or the sampled data elements can be transmitted to a coordinator device. The coordinator device can examine one or more bits of the binary string to draw samples of the received data elements in accordance with desired probabilities. |
| US08458324B2 |
Dynamically balancing resources in a server farm
Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for dynamically balancing resources in a server farm, the server farm comprising a plurality of servers organized in functional server groups with the servers in each functional server group assigned a same type of data processing task, the servers operatively coupled to data storage through a packet switching fabric, the servers operatively coupled to a system management server, the methods, apparatus, and products including: monitoring, by a resource balancing module of the system management server, CPU utilization in at least one of the functional server groups; identifying, by the resource balancing module in dependence upon the monitored CPU utilization, an overburdened functional server group, the overburdened functional server group's CPU utilization exceeding a CPU overburden threshold; and increasing, by the resource balancing module, CPU resources of the overburdened functional server group, including moving a transfer server from a source functional server group into the overburdened functional server group. |
| US08458323B1 |
Associating problem tickets based on an integrated network and customer database
A system associates problem tickets based on an integrated network and customer database. A data retriever retrieves router configurations from data stores for routers in a service provider network. A data analysis tool parses the router configurations to create port data for each port on each router in the service provider network and integrates the port data with customer data to create an integrated database. The data analysis tool assigns ports to groups in the integrated database based on applying user defined rules. The data analysis tool accesses a problem management system to identify problem tickets that lack an association in the problem management system, and identifies ports associated with the problem tickets. The data analysis tool creates an association between the problem tickets if one of the groups includes the ports associated with the problem tickets. A user interface displays the created association between the problem tickets to troubleshoot associated tickets. |
| US08458320B2 |
Alerting a user to an occurrence of a specified event
A user inputs event information into a data processing system which is stored in an application memory of an application. Message information contained in each incoming message received by a messaging service is compared to the event information. In the event that the message information corresponds to the event information a notification of the event is sent to a short-range wireless transmitter. The wireless transmitter transmits notification of the event to a remote receiver. Upon receipt of the wireless signal, the remote receiver triggers an alert notification notifying the user that data processing system has received the specified event. |
| US08458317B2 |
Separating attachments received from a mobile device
A computer-implemented method includes receiving a message from a mobile device over a wireless network, the message including several attachments, wherein the several attachments include one or more mobile device attachments corresponding to content captured using the mobile device, identifying the one or more mobile device attachments; and separating the one or more mobile device attachments from the plurality of attachments. |
| US08458310B1 |
Low bandwidth streaming of application upgrades
A system and method for reducing the amount of data transferred during streaming of an application upgrade. The system includes a server that streams application upgrades to a client. The client determines that an application upgrade is available and receives a first map from the server that corresponds to an upgraded version of the application. The client generates a second map of the currently installed application. The client compares the first map to a second map that corresponds to the application currently installed on the client to determine that one or more data blocks corresponding to the upgraded version of the application are not present in the application currently installed on the client. The client requests the one or more data blocks from the server. Both maps include entries that include data describing a size, a location, and a hash value of a corresponding data block. |
| US08458305B2 |
Method and system for matching and repairing network configuration
Aspects of a method and system for matching and repairing network configuration are provided. In this regard, one or more circuits and/or processors may be operable to determine a configuration of one or more parameters in a plurality of devices along a network path, and detect whether any of the one or more parameters are configured such that communication between the plurality of devices is disabled and/or suboptimal. The devices may comprise at least one server and one or more of a network switch, a network bridge, and a router. In instances that one or more parameters are incompatibly or sub-optimally configured, a notification of the incompatibility may be communicated to a network management entity and/or one or more messages may be generated to reconfigure the one or more parameters in one or more of the plurality of devices. The determining and/or detecting may be performed automatically in response to various events. |
| US08458302B2 |
Auto-configuration of network parameters for multimedia traffic using session description protocol
In an example embodiment, a wireless distribution system obtains data for advertised data flows, such as multimedia traffic flows, by snooping attribute details of session description protocol (SDP) announcements. The wireless distribution system can use the data for functions such as admissions control, load balancing, and/or multicast to unicast conversion decisions. |
| US08458300B2 |
Method and system to manage services for multiple managed computer systems
A method to facilitate provision of services to a managed system (e.g., a PC, PDA, cell phone) includes causing installation of an agent application on the managed system, the agent application including an install component to install at least one of a plurality of service applications on the managed system. Each of the plurality of service applications is to facilitate provision of a service provided by a respective service provider of a number of service providers to the managed system. A service input (e.g., from an IT administrator) is received at the management system. The service input identifies a subset of a number of service applications to be installed on the managed system. The subset of service applications is distributed to the managed system for installation by the agent application on the managed system. |
| US08458296B2 |
Computer system with simplified server access and corresponding process
A computer system includes a host environment for the server, equipped with a port for communicating over an extended network and a network server to which is assigned a first network address or URL pathway. The computer system includes server applications and an access manager capable of receiving a call expression from the port. A call expression is a request from a user that includes the first network address or URL pathway. The access manager includes a discriminator that can be activated to check whether a call expression comprises a second URL-type segment that is different from the first network address or URL pathway; and a shunting device which activates the discriminator when the call expression is received from a registered user and if the discriminator determines that a call expression contains a second URL-type segment different from the first network address or URL pathway the shunting device activates a predefined application that isolates or rewrites the second URL-type segment. |
| US08458292B2 |
Aggregation system
A computerized aggregation system, the system including: a master server system programmed to receive data from a user computer, to store the received data, and to process the received data to produce information including credentials, and to provide the information to a client-side application piece at the user computer system, the user computer system adapted to receive said provided information and to communicate said credentials received from the master server system respectively to each of a plurality of third party server systems to facilitate obtaining information from the third party server systems, whereby the user computer system is enabled to aggregate at least some information from the third party server systems on an aggregation template. |
| US08458290B2 |
Multicast mapped look-up on content delivery networks
A method and system for flexibly processing content objects is disclosed. A content object is stored on one of a plurality of storage devices. A request is received for the content object. Information corresponding to the requested object (e.g., a unique identifier) is transmitted to one or more content directories. A response is received from a first content directory indicating a location of the content object. The content object is requested from the first location, and at least part of the content object is received. |
| US08458282B2 |
Extended write combining using a write continuation hint flag
A computing apparatus for reducing the amount of processing in a network computing system which includes a network system device of a receiving node for receiving electronic messages comprising data. The electronic messages are transmitted from a sending node. The network system device determines when more data of a specific electronic message is being transmitted. A memory device stores the electronic message data and communicating with the network system device. A memory subsystem communicates with the memory device. The memory subsystem stores a portion of the electronic message when more data of the specific message will be received, and the buffer combines the portion with later received data and moves the data to the memory device for accessible storage. |
| US08458278B2 |
Method and apparatus for displaying information during an instant messaging session
A method and an apparatus are provided for controlling a graphical user interface to display information related to a communication session. Information relating to data produced by a first participant to the communication session is displayed on a first display unit, wherein the information produced by the first participant is displayed at a first position on the first display unit. Data is received from a second participant to the communication session, and information relating to the data received from the second participant is displayed on the first display unit, wherein the information received from the second participant is displayed at a second position on the first display unit. The first and second positions are horizontally spaced apart. |
| US08458276B2 |
Social network site recommender system and method
Particular embodiments evaluate a plurality of messages. Each message may be associated with an author. Information may be logged for each message, such as information associated with the author, information associated with one or more designated recipients of the message, and time information. Correlation values may be determined for one or more sets of designated recipients based on at least a portion of the logged information. Particular embodiments may determine an association amongst a plurality of users over time. The determination may be based on the correlation values. At least one of the plurality of users may comprise at least one of the designated recipients. |
| US08458269B2 |
Selection of email attachment storage location
When an email server has a message from a sender to multiple recipients with an attachment file, an attachment application is activated. The attachment application stores preferences of email users for online storage locations. The method carried out extracts details of an email sender and recipients for the email message to be sent with an attachment file and compares the email sender and recipients with the stored preferences for online storage locations to select a common online storage location for the sender and recipients. A directory is created at the common online storage location for uploading the attachment file to the selected online storage location and the address of the attachment file at the selected online storage location is added to the email message. If a common online storage location is not available, a new account can be generated for the recipients at an online storage location. |
| US08458265B1 |
Method and computer-readable medium for social network audio exchange with push-to-talk
A method and computer-readable medium for posting push-to-talk voice messages on a social networking web page of a user are provided. According to the method, a messaging platform receives a push-to-talk voice message that is addressed to a social networking message service from a mobile station of the user. The messaging platform determines whether an association exists between the mobile station and the social networking web page. When the association exists, the push-to-talk voice message is posted on the social networking web page of the user. The user can listen to the PTT voice messages on his or her social networking web page via the internet. |
| US08458262B2 |
Filtering spam messages across a communication network
Methods and systems of filtering spam messages for cellular network subscribers are provided that may include receiving a message from a decoy subscriber number. The method and systems may further be adapted to determine whether the message at the decoy subscriber number may be spam. If the message at the decoy number tends to be spam, the message may be output to a filtering service for further analysis. In the final analysis if a message is determined to be spam, then new rules may be created and distributed to front end spam and/or virus engines to restrict such traffic from reaching subscribers. |
| US08458261B1 |
Determination of valid email addresses in a private computer network
In one embodiment, a method of generating a listing of valid email addresses in a private computer network includes monitoring of inbound emails and outbound delivery failure notification emails. Recipient email addresses of inbound emails may be indicated in the listing as valid email addresses. The delivery failure notification emails may be indicative of receipt in the private computer network of an undeliverable email. The recipient email address of the undeliverable email may be identified in the listing as an invalid email address. Comparing the recipient email addresses of undeliverable emails and inbound emails advantageously allows generation of the listing of valid email addresses in the private computer network without having to ask an email server for such a listing. |
| US08458256B2 |
Television Aggregator
An aggregation system, process, article, and necessary intermediates, illustratively the system includes: a device capable of both networking and executing software programs, the device programmed from memory so that the aggregation apparatus: connects to a plurality of servers via the Internet, and authenticates itself with each of the plurality of servers, and retrieves information from each of the plurality of servers, and parses the information from each of the plurality of servers so as to produce an aggregation of parsed information, and renders the aggregation as output. |
| US08458253B1 |
Enterprise conferencing with dual mixing
A system, method, and computer readable medium comprising instructions for establishing a conference call comprising sending a first SIP INVITE message from a Media Gateway to an Application Server, sending a second SIP INVITE message to a first Media Server, establishing a session between the Media Gateway and the first Media Server, sending a third SIP INVITE message from the Application Server to a Conference Controller, allocating resources related to the conference call by the Conference Controller on a second Media Server, requesting by the Conference Controller for the Application Server to move data related to establishing the conference call from the first Media Server to the second Media Server, sending a fourth SIP INVITE message by the Application Server to the second Media Server and sending a SIP RE-INVITE message by the Application Server to the Media Gateway, and establishing an RTP session between the Media Gateway and the second Media Server thereby establishing the conference call. |
| US08458249B2 |
Method and system for the protected storage of downloaded media content via a virtualized platform
A method and system for the protected storage of downloaded media content via a virtualized platform. A method comprises downloading content to a special purpose virtual machine and then storing the downloaded content at a location, where the location is only accessible via the special purpose virtual machine. The stored content is then streamed over a virtual network to a general purpose virtual machine, where the special purpose virtual machine and the general purpose virtual machine exist on the same personal computer (PC). |
| US08458248B2 |
System and method for enabling VPN tunnel status checking
A method and apparatus for virtual private network (‘VPN’) liveness checking, the method, upon expiration of a timer, sending, over a VPN tunnel, a request to a server located behind a terminator of the VPN; checking whether a response to the request is received within a time interval; if a response to the request is received, resetting the timer; and if a response to the request is not received within the time interval, resending the request if a request count is less than a set number of requests; or providing an inactive tunnel indication to a VPN client manager if the request count equals the set number of requests. |
| US08458246B2 |
Web application framework method enabling the creation of applications that provide an interface with clients that is independent of scripting capability
An improved web application framework methodology enables the creation of web applications which can respond to client requests in a fashion that results in rendering which appears on the client to be independent of scripting capability. |
| US08458241B2 |
Memory address generating method and twiddle factor generator using the same
The present invention relates to a memory address generating method and a twiddle factor generator using the memory address generating method in a fast Fourier transform (FFT) system. In the memory address generating method for generating a memory address of a twiddle factor in a fast Fourier transform (FFT) system according to an embodiment of the present invention: a) a temporary address value of a second twiddle factor is induced and generated based on a first twiddle factor; b) a control signal for controlling the system is generated based on the generated temporary address value; and c) a memory address value of the second twiddle factor is generated from the temporary address value. |
| US08458239B2 |
Directory traversal in a scalable multi-node file system cache for a remote cluster file system
Directory traversal in a scalable multi-node file system cache for a remote cluster file system, is provided. One implementation involves maintaining a scalable multi-node file system cache in a local cluster file system, and caching local file data in the cache by fetching file data on demand from a remote cluster file system into the cache over the network. The local file data corresponds to file data in the remote cluster file system. The local namespace emulates the remote namespace and is created on demand. Access to data further involves performing directory traversal for the cache for the remote cluster file system by creating a directory structure on demand. |
| US08458238B2 |
Method and system for efficient write journal entry management for a distributed file system
The present invention is directed to a method and system for efficient write journal entry management maintaining minimum write journal information stored in a nonvolatile memory through utilizing an additional structure in a fast volatile memory. The method and system may manage write journaling of a file volume including multiple fixed sized regions and assign a persistent 1-bit synchronization status (the write journal information) to each data region. In addition, a non-persistent I/O counter (the additional structure) for each region to manage the persistent 1-bit synchronization status during run-time. The present invention may provide a mechanism to determine when write I/O operations have not successfully completed to a specific region of the file volume. |
| US08458232B1 |
Systems and methods for identifying data files based on community data
Computer-implemented methods, systems, and computer-readable media for using community data to automatically generate rules for distinguishing data files from other file types are disclosed. In one example, an exemplary method for performing such a task may comprise: 1) receiving file metadata from a plurality of computing systems within a community, 2) establishing, based on the file metadata received from the plurality of computing systems within the community, criteria for distinguishing data files from other file types, and then 3) automatically generating a rule that comprises at least one of the criteria for distinguishing data files from other file types. Corresponding methods for identifying data files by applying such rules are also disclosed. |
| US08458230B2 |
System and method for flexible security access management in an enterprise
Some embodiments provide a method and system for flexibly managing access to enterprise resources. To flexibly manage security, some embodiments secure the enterprise resources and provide a security access manager (SAM) to control access to the secured resources. The SAM controls access to the enterprise and the secure resources through one or more configurable management modules of the SAM. Each management module of the SAM is configurable to facilitate control over different security services of an enterprise security hierarchy (e.g., authentication, authorization, role mapping, etc.). Specifically, each management module is configurable to leverage security services that are provided by different security systems. In some embodiments, the management module is configured to interface with one or more adapters in order to establish the interfaces, logic, and protocols necessary to leverage the security functionality of such security systems. |
| US08458228B2 |
Occurrence management in product data management systems
Methods for product data management and corresponding systems and computer-readable mediums. A method includes maintaining a data structure for a complex item. The data structure includes a root node representing the complex item, at least one assembly node associated with the root node, and a plurality of part nodes each associated with the assembly node. The method includes defining at least two absolute occurrences associated with the root node and corresponding to at least the root node and the assembly node. The method includes defining at least one managed occurrence that includes a plurality of the absolute occurrences. The method includes using the managed occurrence as a central control authority for the plurality of absolute occurrences. |
| US08458227B1 |
URL rescue by identifying information related to an item referenced in an invalid URL
A server system is disclosed that is capable of providing responsive content to a user when a request for an invalid URL is received. In a preferred embodiment, the server system implements multiple rescue strategies for attempting to rescue the invalid URL. One such rescue strategy involves repairing the URL by correcting for encoding errors, such as errors introduced by some web clients. Another rescue strategy involves determining that the URL contains an obsolete or outdated item identifier (e.g., product identifier) that renders the URL invalid, and returning information regarding one or more related items to the user. Another rescue strategy involves mining the invalid URL for one or more text strings reflective of the type of content desired, and then using the one or more text strings to execute a keyword search to identify content to provide to the user. The various rescue strategies may be attempted in sequence according to a hierarchy. |
| US08458218B2 |
Incremental data transfer in a database management system
System, method, computer program product embodiments and combinations and sub-combinations thereof for incremental data transfer in a database management system (DBMS) are provided. In an embodiment, a database table enabled for partial export from a database management system is identified. Data within the database table to be exported is also identified, and the identified data is transferred in a chosen format from the database table to an export location. |
| US08458213B2 |
Method and system for classifying queries to improve relevance of search results
Described herein are methods and systems for promoting item listings that satisfy a query based on the item listings being assigned to certain categories. A query to identify a set of item listings is processed where each item listing associated with an item or service being offered for sale and assigned to a leaf-level category. The scope of the query is determined based on a dictionary of queries or a length of the query when the query is not found in the dictionary. One or more categories are identified based on the scope of the query. A search results page is presented with the item listings from the identified one or more categories. |
| US08458212B2 |
Media plan managing
Apparatus, system and methods for a media plan managing interface are disclosed. A data hierarchy for a media plan is defined. The multilevel data hierarchy includes different levels for orders and placements. An input form is provided to receive modifications to the values in the different levels of the hierarchy. Any modifications of data are compared against the permitted inputs provided through a conditional input field. If the modifications are permitted inputs, then they are accepted and conditional input fields are set up for any subsequent data input. The data hierarchy is stored as a media plan. |
| US08458204B2 |
System and method for customized file comparison
A method and related data processing system and computer readable medium. A method includes receiving, in a data processing system, a first file and a second file, and receiving comparison rules. This method includes comparing the first file and the second file, by the data processing system, according to the comparison rules, and producing an output report corresponding to the comparison. |
| US08458202B2 |
Methods and systems for consolidating medical information
Methods and systems for enabling data communication from an image archiving system and a data storage/index/retrieving system. |
| US08458197B1 |
System and method for determining similar topics
A method and system for determining similar topics may include receiving user information for one or more users, the information including at least one topic and a user value for each topic, where the user value represents how strongly the user is associated with that topic. Topic information for a source topic may be generated based on the user information, the topic information including at least one user and a topic value for each user, where the topic value represents how strongly the topic is associated with that user. Similarity scores may be generated based on a topic value for each user for the source topic and a topic value for the same user for each topic in a set of topics, where each topic in the set of topics is associated with a topic value for each user. Similar topics may be selected and output. |
| US08458192B1 |
System and method for determining topic interest
A method and system for determining topical interest may include receiving signal information for a user of a document, the information including at least one signal value representing the user's activity with or relationship to the document. A document interest value based on the signal information for the user may be computed. Topic information for the document may be received, the information including at least one topic and a weight for each topic, where the topic relates to content of the document, and the weight represents how strongly the topic is associated with the document. An interest signature value of a first topic for the user may be updated by adding the product of the computed document interest value for the user for the document and the weight of the first topic for the document. |
| US08458191B2 |
Method and system to store RDF data in a relational store
A method (and structure) of storing schema-less data of a dataset in a relational database, includes constructing a hash table for the schema-less data, using a processor on a computer. Data in the dataset is stored in a tuple format including a subject along with at least one other entity associated to the subject. Each row of the hashtable will be dedicated to a subject of the dataset, and at least one of the at least one other entity associated with the subject in the row is to be stored in a pair-wise manner in that row of the hashtable. In an exemplary embodiment, RDF data that uses triples (subject, predicate, object) is stored with the predicate/object stored in the pair-wise manner in its associated subject row. |
| US08458190B2 |
Systems, methods and software for researching statutory information
With conventional print and electronic tools, researching statutory material is difficult and time-consuming. So, to facilitate this type of research, the present inventors devised systems, methods, and software that promise to improve the ability of researchers to find, verify, read, and/or interpret statutory information. One exemplary system provides options for users to access statutory information by citation, by table of contents, by index, and/or by popular name; presents specific statutory information in combination with visual indicators, such as red or yellow flags, that indicate the validity or status of the information; and provides requested statutory information in context of links to related information, such as tables of contents, other versions of a statute, case law, scholarly materials, legislative history, cross-referenced statutes, and administrative-law materials. |
| US08458188B2 |
Voxel approach to terrain repositories for modeling and simulation
A set of sensors can capture raw data that geospatially corresponds to a real world volumetric space. The raw data can include point cloud data encoded in a light detecting and ranging (LiDAR) information format, imagery and video data, and elevation data encoded in a digital elevation model (DEM) or digital surface model (DSM) format. The real-world volumetric space can be segmented into a set of volumetric units, wherein datum of the raw data is indexed against the volumetric units. Each of the volumetric units of the real-world volumetric space can be mapped to a voxel in a storage volumetric space of a voxel database. The raw data can then be stored and fused in the voxel database such that each voxel in the voxel database represents a combination of volumetrically stored data for all source products that includes providing point cloud data, imagery data, and elevation data. |
| US08458187B2 |
Methods and systems for visualizing topic location in a document redundancy graph
Methods, systems, and computer program products can visualize topic location in a document redundancy graph. Document subcomponents such as, for example, document paragraphs of a document or document set can be searched for user interface specified search data and a determination can be made as to which document subcomponents contain information relating to the search data. Based on the redundancy graph data, a determination can then be made as to which particular user selectable node(s) of the graph contain the particular document subcomponent(s). Data for identifying the determined particular user selectable node(s) on a user interface can be generated and rendered to allow a user to quickly locate the particular user selectable node(s) on the redundancy graph. The particular user selectable nodes themselves can for example be visually highlighted on the graph. Keyword indexing can be used to assure chosen keywords are keywords relating to particular topics contained in the document set. |
| US08458184B2 |
Tagging media assets, locations, and advertisements
An accessory communicates with a PMD to store tags associated with broadcasts in a file maintained in a storage medium of the accessory. In one embodiment, the accessory sends a command to the PMD to create or open a tag file that resides on the PMD. Once opened, the tag file is held open by the PMD until the accessory closes it (or disconnects), allowing multiple tags to be written to one file. Each time the user requests a new tag, the accessory generates a tag containing information descriptive of the broadcast material (e.g., song title, artist, radio station identifier, time of tagging, etc.) and writes the tag to the tag file using a write command to the PMD. |
| US08458183B2 |
System and method for identifying unique and duplicate messages
A system and method for identifying unique and duplicate messages is provided. Messages are maintained, and a header and message body are extracted from each of the messages. A hash code is calculated for each message over at least part of the header and the body of that message. The messages with matching hash codes are grouped. One message in each group with two or more messages is randomly selected as a unique message. The remaining messages in the group are marked as exact duplicate messages. |
| US08458182B2 |
Method and system for clustering data arising from a database
A method for clustering data or objects in an array, each element of the array corresponding to a similarity between the objects implemented within a computer linked with a database containing the data or objects The method includes determining a number of classes of objects based on values of the relationships computed between an object and a previously established class, for each class found, determining the value of each of the relationships between a class and the other classes, and merging certain classes, and taking each object of each class one by one, determining the value of the relationship of each object with each of the classes other than the class into which the object was initially classed, if the value of the relationship is greater then transferring the object to the new class, this is continued until all the values of the relationships are negative. |
| US08458180B2 |
Information exploration
Information exploration is described. For example, a user provides gathering terms to an information exploration system which uses those terms to generate many composite items formed from content of different media types obtained from a web search engine. For example, the composite items are displayed simultaneously on a user interface and provide a user with a partial map of information “territory” accessible through the system. In some examples the user is able to select a composite item and use it to explore further in the same direction by generating more composite items using related gathering terms. In some examples the user is able to select a composite item and use it to explore further in a manner indirectly related to the selected composite item. In examples the composite items may be saved in scrap books, sent to other users or used to access content. |
| US08458178B2 |
Dimensional data explorer
A dimensional data explorer for an enterprise system is disclosed. Dimensional data exploration includes providing a list of dimensions by which aggregated data in a report can be disaggregated and reaggregated. Aggregated data comprises a set of measures that have been aggregated for each object of a set of objects. Dimensional data exploration further includes providing the aggregated data disaggregated and reaggregated using a dimension from the list of dimensions. |
| US08458176B2 |
Method and system for providing a directory overlay
According to one embodiment, a method for providing an enhanced directory service includes providing a supplemental layer between a user and a reference layer, the supplemental layer providing the user with any directory functionality provided by the reference layer as well as additional directory functionality. |
| US08458175B2 |
Multi-epoch method for saving and exporting file system events
As things happen on a volume, the file system forwards events to an event list manager. The event list manager stores the events and associates them with epochs that were active at the time the event occurred. Event consumers can independently declare epochs at any time. When event consumers end an epoch, they can request events that occurred during the epoch, which are reported to the event consumer using the event list manager. |
| US08458174B1 |
Semantic image label synthesis
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for adjusting confidence scores of image labels for images. In one aspect, a method includes accessing images stored in an image data store, the images being associated with respective sets of labels, the labels describing content depicted in the image and having a respective confidence score that is a measure of confidence that the label accurately describes the content depicted in the image; selecting a first image from the images and determining for each of the other images and independent of the labels, a proximity score that is a measure of a relatedness of the other image to the first image; and adjusting the set of labels associated with the first image based on the respective proximity scores of the other images and the confidence scores of the labels of the other images. |
| US08458171B2 |
Identifying query aspects
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for generating aspects associated with entities. In some implementations, a method includes receiving data identifying an entity; generating a group of candidate aspects for the entity; modifying the group of candidate aspects to generate a group of modified candidate aspects comprising combining similar candidate aspects and grouping candidate aspects using one or more aspect classes each associated with one or more candidate aspects; ranking one or more modified candidate aspects in the group of modified candidate aspects based on a diversity score and a popularity score; and storing an association between one or more highest ranked modified candidate aspects and the entity. The aspects can be used to organize and present search results in response to queries for the entity. |
| US08458170B2 |
Prefetching data for document ranking
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to prefetching data for use in ranking of electronic documents via a document ranking component. |
| US08458169B2 |
Mini-form view for data records
Methods, program products, and systems for mini-form view of data records are described. Each data records can be formatted according to a layout. The layout can define an arrangement of various data fields for display. To display multiple data records, an image can be created for each formatted data record. Each image can be a snapshot of the formatted data record. The image can have a size that is smaller than the size of the layout. The arrangement of the data fields can be preserved in the image. Multiple images of formatted data records can be displayed in a single window. By displaying formatted data records in images, the “look and feel” in the layout of each data record can be preserved, even when multiple records are displayed. The mini-form view can display data records from multiple shared databases. |
| US08458165B2 |
System and method for applying ranking SVM in query relaxation
An enterprise-wide query relaxative support vector machine ranking algorithm approach provides enhanced functionality for query execution in a heterogeneous enterprise environment. Improved query results are obtained by adjusting ranking functions using machine learning methods to automatically train ranking functions. The improved query results are obtained using a list of document-query pairs that are modeled as a binary classification training problem, combination function which requires ranking and learning functions to be implemented representing document attributes and metadata utilizing query relaxation techniques and adjusted ranking functions. Machine learning methods implement user feedback to automatically train ranking functions. |
| US08458159B2 |
Automatic role determination for search configuration
A mechanism for automatically laying out a search topology and assisting administration of the system in a shared services environment is provided. A search configuration wizard user interface may prompt an administrator to specify a number of items to be supported by the search system on initial search application topology configuration, as well as selections between high-availability or high throughput options. A topology manager managing the search configuration wizard may determine how many servers are needed upon receiving configuration options and create specific search components on available servers to optimize query and crawl performance for the system. |
| US08458156B1 |
Learning common spelling errors through content matching
This disclosure relates to learning common spelling errors of metadata terms associated with content through content matching, such as content matching using fingerprints. |
| US08458149B2 |
Small footprint medical information transfer protocol stack
A method of communicating information includes receiving a data stream from the host computer, the data stream including a plurality of bytes, one or more bytes of the plurality of bytes being associated with obtaining medical related information, and parsing one or more bytes in the data stream at the sensor device. As a result of parsing the one or more bytes, the method includes identifying a type of medical related information, obtaining the medical related information from the sensor device, and sending the medical related information to the host computer. The parsing of the one or more bytes in the data stream is performed using a single pass through the data stream, one or more data validity checks being performed during the single pass, the medical related information being obtained after the data stream is parsed in the single pass through the data stream. |
| US08458147B2 |
Techniques for the association, customization and automation of content from multiple sources on a single display
Techniques for the association, customization and automation of content from multiple sources on a single display device are described. A method includes storing an association rule as defined by a user, where the association rule defines a main content source and an associated content source. When the user accesses the main content source, automatically receiving content from the main content source and content from the associated content source as defined by the association rule. Then, causing the display of the associated content overlayed on the main content via a user interface on a display device. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08458145B2 |
System and method of storage optimization
A method and system are disclosed for storage optimization. Data parts and metadata within a source data unit are identified and the data parts are compared with data which is already stored in the physical storage space. In case identical data parts are found within the physical storage, the data parts from the source data unit are linked to the identified data, while the data parts can be discarded, thereby reducing the required storage capacity. The metadata parts can be separately stored in a designated storage area. |
| US08458144B2 |
Data deduplication method using file system constructs
A data deduplication method providing direct look up and storage in an instance repository (IR). The method includes receiving a data object and processing the data object to generate a fingerprint that includes a location component, which defines a file location within the IR such as by first using a hash function to create a hash for the data object and parsing the hash value into sub-strings defining sub-directories of the IR. The method includes determining whether the data object is a duplicate by verifying the presence of a file in the IR at the file location. Determining if the data is unique involves performing a system call on the IR providing the location component as the file path. The method includes, when a file is not in the IR, updating the IR to store the data object as a file at the file location defined by the location component. |
| US08458139B2 |
Image processing apparatus, control method thereof, program, and storage medium
An image processing apparatus is provided that reduces a data size of a composite file without affecting output when generating a composite file by merging multiple files containing objects. To accomplish this, in merging multiple files, the image processing apparatus determines whether or not objects (images or the like) contained in the multiple files are hidden behind another object. Further still, the image processing apparatus merges objects that are hidden behind another object as link information in the composite file, and image data corresponding to the objects is stored in a separate file. |
| US08458138B1 |
Dynamic discovery of storage resource topology
In one aspect, dynamic determination generates a storage resource graph corresponding to a storage topology. The generating may comprise iterating through storage resources in the storage topology and using a discovery handler to generate a node in the storage resource graph corresponding to each of the iterated storage resources. Dynamic determination generates an operation graph by iterating through nodes in the storage resource graph and using an operating handler to generate operation-specific metadata corresponding to each iterated node of the storage resource graph. Dynamic generating executes the operation graph in a way specific to the operation. |
| US08458132B2 |
Method and system for deduplicating data
For deduplicating data in a computing environment, a sequence of data is received. The sequence of data is formatted for back-up such that an order of the sequence of data is different than the order of an input sequence of the data. The sequence of data is stored in the same order as the input sequence of the data. |
| US08458130B2 |
Indexing for limited search server availability
Documents are replicated among servers comprising a search engine based on the value of each document by approximating its value as one of the top search results for one or more exemplary queries. Documents are allocated among servers comprising a search engine by calculating a relevance value for each document and then distributing the documents evenly to the servers. A subset of servers are selected from among a plurality of servers comprising a search engine using term-based, server-specific histograms reflecting the number of instances of the term in each document allocated to each server, and then selecting servers to service a query based on the documents on those servers. |
| US08458127B1 |
Application data synchronization
In a particular implementation, providing a virtual cached network drive, on a client, for PST-type (Personal STore) file operations, during a non-optimal connection. In one implementation, during the non-optimal connection, changes to objects, in a local PST file, are saved in a local cache (the virtual network drive) and logged. At certain intervals, the changes are compiled, compared with entries in a synchronization database and a list of changes, to be performed on the objects, is generated which is used to update a remote PST. If the connection remains non-optimal, a temporary PST file is created, based on the list of changes, and transferred to a remote agent that performs the changes on the remote PST. If the connection improves, the changes are instead performed directly on the remote PST. |
| US08458125B1 |
Dynamic creation of replicas of streaming data from a storage device without added load
A method, and corresponding system, is provided for generating replicas or copies of data objects that are used to serve data streams. The method includes determining one of the storage devices is operating at a load above a predetermined overload value. The method continues with identifying the data objects being served by data streams from the near overload storage device and then, selecting one of these served data objects for replication. To create a replica, the method includes writing data from the selected data object to another less busy one of the data storage devices, with the writing being done using data from one or more of the streams being served from the selected data object on the near-overload storage device. During replica creation, one or more streams from the selected data object provide data concurrently to a stream consumer or client device and to the replica. |
| US08458124B2 |
Automatic enforcement of relationships in a database schema
A technique for enforcing a database relationship is disclosed. The technique includes specifying within a database schema a reference type that associates two structures and specifies the relationship between the two structures, and automatically generating code that checks the relationship between the two structures based on the specified reference in the database schema. |
| US08458119B2 |
People matching in subscription-based communities
A people matching system and method matches people in computer-implemented communities in which users subscribe to information generated by other users. The computer-generated suggested matches may be based on inferences of mutual interests, as well as on factors such as proximity and environmental conditions. The inferences of mutual interest may be based on behaviors such as subscriptions and physiological responses. Explanations for the suggested matches may be delivered to users. |
| US08458117B2 |
System and method for dependency and root cause discovery
The embodiments described herein describe a computerized system and method for retrieving and processing data to provide dependency and root cause information for a process. The computerized system and method include receiving historic data of the process, detecting temporal dependency or precedence tasks in the process from the historic data, generating a historic dependency graph, aggregating the historic dependency graph into a probabilistic precedence network (PPN), pruning the PPN, and presenting results to a user. |
| US08458111B2 |
Runtime interpretation of declarative programs
Embodiments are directed to interpreting declarative program types at runtime without compiling and mapping between a declarative type and a dynamic runtime type. A computer system accesses a portion of a declarative program, where the declarative program includes fully modeled activity types. The computer system dynamically constructs a dynamic activity type based on one of the fully modeled activity types of the declarative program, where the dynamic activity type is configured for interpretive execution without compilation. The computer system also interpretively executes the dynamically constructed dynamic activity type such that the dynamic activity is executed without compilation. |
| US08458108B2 |
Modifying constraint-compliant populations in population-based optimization
An example system and process with operations that include determining, for constrained variables of an optimization problem, compliant values that comply with a constraint condition that mutually constrains the constrained variables. The operations further include generating a population of candidate solutions for the optimization problem. The candidate solutions use a subset of the compliant values such that each of the candidate solutions comply with the constraint condition. The operations further include, while running a computer-based simulation with the population of candidate solutions, determining that a mutated candidate solution, created from mutating one of the candidate solutions, fails to comply with the constraint condition. The operations further include modifying the mutated candidate solution to use at least one value randomly selected from the compliant values for a corresponding one of the constrained variables resulting in a constraint compliant mutated candidate solution that complies with the constraint condition. |
| US08458107B2 |
Generating constraint-compliant populations in population-based optimization
An example system and process where some operations include determining variables of an optimization problem, which include one or more constrained variables (“constrained variables”) constrained by one or more constraint conditions for the optimization problem and one or more non-constrained variables (“non-constrained variables”). The operations further include determining values for the constrained variables that comply with the one or more constraint conditions (“constraint compliant values”) and generating values for the non-constrained variables (“non-constrained values”). The operations further include, prior to running a computer based simulation that implements a population-based optimization algorithm, randomly combining ones of the constraint compliant values with ones of the non-constrained values into candidate solutions, where each of the candidate solutions includes at least one of the constraint compliant values to satisfy the one or more constraint conditions. The operations further include running the computer based simulation with the candidate solutions input as a population. |
| US08458103B2 |
System and method for concurrently conducting cause-and-effect experiments on content effectiveness and adjusting content distribution to optimize business objectives
The present invention is directed to systems, articles, and computer-implemented methods for assessing effectiveness of communication content and optimizing content distribution to enhance business objectives. Embodiments of the present invention are directed to computer-implemented methods for a computer-implemented method, comprising conducting an experiment using experimental content to determine effectiveness of communication content and executing, while conducting the experiment, a machine learning routine (MLR) using MLR content to enhance an effectiveness metric. |
| US08458098B1 |
Methods of tracking remote software installations and registrations and related systems and computer program products
Methods of tracking remote software installations at a central server may include receiving an installation message over a network from a user device wherein the installation message indicates an installation of the software at the user device. After receiving the installation message from the user device, an installation code may be created responsive to receiving the installation message, and the installation code may uniquely identify installation of the software at the user device. The installation code may be transmitted over the network to the user device, and the installation code may be stored at the central server. Related systems and computer program products are also discussed. |
| US08458097B2 |
System, method and software for healthcare selection based on pangenetic data
A system, method and software for healthcare selection are presented in which a user can authorize the comparison of their pangenetic (genetic and epigenetic) data with data profiles corresponding to health care products, services, and service providers to determine which are the most appropriate for a particular consumer. Data masks can be applied to limit the amount of pangenetic data transmitted for analysis. |
| US08458096B2 |
System and method of cashing a check
A system and method of cashing a check which reduces wait times and automates a very manual process. An example method includes capturing an image of the check, sending a request including an image file containing the image of the check to a check approval system, receiving an approval to cash the check from the check approval system, and submitting the image file and the approval during a check cashing transaction at a self-service terminal. |
| US08458094B2 |
Secured charge card
According to one or more aspects, financial transactions may be conducted using a financial card product, such as a charge card secured through a security interest in an asset. The asset may be the available balance in an interest-bearing checking account (e.g., a DDA account), a brokerage account, or other type of account that may hold funds/assets. The available balance may be monitored in real-time (or near real-time) such that the available spending limit on the secured charge card may be floating (e.g., dynamic). In one example, backend systems may be configured to monitor in real-time an available balance in security accounts in order to prevent spending over the amount of secured funds. In addition, in some examples, more than one account may be associated with a secured charge card such that the total spending limit on the card is greater. The total spending limit may be calculated through arithmetic (e.g., sum) of the available balance of each of the associated accounts. |
| US08458087B2 |
Methods, devices and bank computers for consumers using communicators to wire funds to sellers and vending machines
Methods for consumers to pay at the point of sale by using a personal communicator to wire transfer funds out of their bank account. The communicator is coupled to, and exchanges signals with a reciprocating communicator of the seller, which in turn is coupled to the seller's bank. This way the money is transferred as an EFT payment code directly from the buyer's bank to the seller's bank, where it may be considered direct deposited, without processing delays. Devices also include vending machines that can receive payment this way. Bank computers are provided with systems and software for enabling the above. The bank computers are accessible by telephone lines, and work with cooperating banks by exchanging signals, for transferring the funds. The seller's bank generates a payment confirmation code that is ultimately transmitted to the seller's satisfaction for releasing the goods at the point of sale. |
| US08458079B2 |
Computer-implemented systems and methods for determining liquidity cycle for tradable financial products and for determining flow-weighted average pricing for same
Computer-implemented systems and methods for determining a “liquidity cycle” for a tradable financial product. The liquidity cycle has a liquidity cycle time period that is made up of multiple discrete time intervals, and the liquidity cycle indicates an expected distribution of order flow at each discrete time interval over the liquidity cycle time period. The liquidity cycle is determined based on tick data for the financial product. The tick data can comprise time-stamped indicative price quotes for the financial product and/or time-stamped price data for completed transactions involving the financial product. The liquidity cycle can be used to compute a Flow-Weighted Average Price (FWAP) for the financial product over a specified FWAP trade time window. An investor may agree with the trader to buy or sell (depending on the side of the transaction) the financial product at the FWAP. |
| US08458078B1 |
Method and system for quantity entry
A trading screen may include a plurality of next trade quantity regions that comprise a plurality of locations, each location being associated a price on a price axis. The quantities can be entered into the various locations in the next trade quantity regions and the entered quantities can be used as a parameter of a future trade order at the associated price level. The trading screen may also include a plurality of quantity entry regions that are displayed with respect to the price axis. The quantity entry columns may each include plurality of sub-regions or locations corresponding to different price levels in the price axis. The quantity entry columns may be used to specify next traded quantities that may be used in placing orders for tradeable objects. |
| US08458077B2 |
Method and system for facilitating a context-based electronic communication regarding a financial transaction
Method and system providing context-based electronic communication regarding a financial transaction. One system includes a database configured to store data pertaining to a financial transaction involving an investment fund. The system further includes a display application configured to create a display for displaying the financial transaction and one or more transaction parameters. The transaction parameters are based on data pertaining to the financial transaction stored in the database. The system further includes a communication application configured to create a communication interface. The communication interface enables a first user to initiate a communication with a second user regarding the financial transaction. The communication interface further automatically embeds at least a portion of the transaction parameters in the communication displayed to the second user. |
| US08458076B1 |
System and method for calibrating a surface that requires smoothness
Computer-based systems and methods for calibrating a surface. The surface may be a 1-D or multi-D surface, such as a volatility grid used to price financial instruments whose price depends on volatility. The computer system may comprise: a database that stores calibration input data; a processor in communication with the database; and a memory in communication with the processor. The memory stores instructions which when executed by the processor causes the processor to calculate entries for a vector representing the surface based on the calibration input data. The entries for the vector representing the surface are calculated based on a product of a matrix of a set of basis functions and a vector of coefficients for the set of basis functions, where entries for the vector of coefficients are determined based on the calibration input data. In various implementations, the set of basis functions comprises a set of b-spline basis functions. |
| US08458074B2 |
Data analytics models for loan treatment
Data analytics are provided in loan treatment. Various sources of data may be used to optimize or predict value for a loan. Using machine-learning and/or statistical analysis, loans or treatment best suited for a particular borrower may be determined. Due to the large amounts of data available, borrower behavior may be learned from previous behavior of others and mapped to a predictive model. Machine-learning indicates the most relevant factors in loan treatment, providing a matrix for predicting loan value or treatment success. A given borrower may be classified into one of many classes of borrower based on credit information, property information, desired loan information, real estate market information, and/or other data. Tens, hundreds, or even thousands of variables may be used to predict the optimum treatment. |
| US08458072B1 |
System and method for providing a common data and analytic framework for valuating financial instruments and portfolios
A system for determining the capacity of a geographic area to support a specific product by identifying an index of variables associated with potential buyers in the geographic area. The system includes a data gathering component and a processing component. The data gathering component obtains a profile about the product and additional information about similar products from several of sources. The additional information includes identified characteristics of potential buyers. The processing component processes the data by identifying variables that characterize potential buyer, assigns a score to each variable, assigns the variables to the index, determines a formula for the index, executes the formula against information associated with the geographic area, divides the geographic area into sub-groups and analyzes each sub-group to determine the capacity of the geographic area to support the product. |
| US08458071B2 |
Instantaneous merchant information retrieval for financial transactions
A solution to disambiguate ambiguous merchant data in connection with processing a cashless transaction request in a real-time manner. Provided according to the present disclosure are a system and method including a binary-searchable non-transitory computer-readable medium is configure to store a first set of unambiguous merchant identification data having plural data entries therein, each entry corresponding to a merchant. A binary search of the first set of unambiguous merchant identification data is carried out using search keys based upon the ambiguous merchant identification data to determine whether one or more entries of the first set satisfies at least one of a hierarchical second set of partial match criteria for comparing the ambiguous merchant identification data with the first set of unambiguous merchant identification data. An entry of the first set of unambiguous merchant identification data is assigned to correspond with the ambiguous merchant identification data where at least a predetermined number of the second set of partial match criteria are met. |
| US08458066B2 |
Method and system to re-create lost cash letters
A method and system to re-create lost cash letters are disclosed. Embodiments of the invention can be used to re-create a paper-based cash letter or an electronic cash letter file that is inadvertently lost due a system failure, theft, natural disaster, or the like. The items represented in the cash letter are identified and a file corresponding to a data set describing the plurality of items is created. Images representing the plurality of items are stored within a recovery check image management system (CIMS). The file corresponding to the data set can then be reformatted using the images in order to re-create the cash letter. Finally, the cash letter can be presented with at least one of an image and an image replacement document (IRD) for each item of the plurality of items in the recovery CIMS. |
| US08458065B1 |
System and methods for content-based financial database indexing, searching, analysis, and processing
Robust content-based financial data processing is enabled by software with a customizable knowledge base. The software indexes a publicly or privately available financial database based on the content of the database records. Utilizing proprietary information contained within a knowledge base, the software enables users to search the indexed database by feature, example firm, or pattern. The information contained in the knowledge base enables results to be ranked by relevance. Moreover, users provide feedback about search results to enhance the knowledge base. Software analyzes data by using adaptive signal processing to remove market trends or noise and enable complicated market research. |
| US08458059B2 |
Apparatus and method for assessing market conditions
An apparatus and method for assessing market conditions, or for analyzing of other parameters that appear to fluctuate randomly, compare the changing conditions to the changes that would be predicted by Brownian Motion. When the changes exceed those predicted by Brownian Motion, a trend is considered to exist and can be expected to continue, and when the changes are less than those predicted by Brownian Motion, then a congestion condition exists. When enough measurements are taken, the length of the trend or congestion can be predicted. In one embodiment, the computation necessary to analyze the data on the condition being monitored is distributed among computers of subscribers to a monitoring service based on the method. |
| US08458056B1 |
Determining criteria for selecting a donor vehicle containing a non-indexed auto part
An apparatus, program product and method to determine criteria for selecting a donor vehicle containing a non-indexed auto part are provided. An index of interchangeable auto parts is utilized to determine the criteria by relying on the interchangeability of indexed auto parts. Once determined, donor vehicles matching the determined criteria may have a higher probability of containing a non-indexed auto part sought by a customer. |
| US08458055B2 |
Internet-based method of and system for managing and delivering consumer product information at points along the world wide web using consumer product information (CPI) requesting and graphical user interface (GUI) displaying subsystems driven by server-side objects and managed by consumer product manufacturers and/or authorized parties
Method of and system for delivering consumer product related information to consumers over the Internet. The system and method involves creating a Consumer Product Information (CPIR) enabling object for each consumer service registered within a service-provider managed database management system. The HTML tag associated with each CPIR-enabling object is encapsulated within an executable file and then stored in the database management system. Each CPIR-enabling object is searchable and its HTML tag downloadable and then embedded within an HTML-encoded document. Upon encountering the HTML document, the underlying CPIR-enabling object is automatically executed on an object-oriented server, causing a service-directed search to be performed against the database management system, and the results thereof, from one or more Web-based product information servers, displayed in an independent GUI, without disturbing the consumer's point of presence on the WWW. |
| US08458048B2 |
Points redemption program carried out via an on-line auction
An incentives points-based on-line auction method is presented that is based upon an on-line system including a catalog of potential auction items and a database of participants that are eligible to take part in the auction and the participants' associated eligible points. The method includes designating a set of auction items from the catalog of potential auction items. Thereafter, participants submit bids via on-line access for the set of auction items. The auction facilities initially prompt a participant to logon to gain access to the auction. Authorized, logged on participants are then provided access to a database describing the auction items and current bid information.A participant may bid upon an auction item. In response, to receiving a bid from a participant, the auction facilities determine whether the participant has sufficient points in a point bank to submit the bid. Proper new high bids are registered by the auction facilities. At the close of a period for an auction, the auction facilities notify the high bidders of their successful bids for particular auction items. |
| US08458044B2 |
Dynamic group offer process for direct sales system employing networked mobile computing devices
A method on a server for managing discount offers for a plurality of users over a communications network. The method includes receiving a discount offer, wherein a discount offer comprises at least a product or service description, an initial price, a discount price less than the initial price, a minimum number of acceptances and a time deadline, and transmitting the discount offer to the plurality of users. The method further includes receiving acceptances of the discount offer, and detecting attainment of a predefined time before the time deadline. The method further includes decreasing the minimum number of acceptances by a numerical decrement, if the number of acceptances is less than the minimum number of acceptances at the predefined time before the time deadline, and re-transmitting the discount offer with a decreased minimum number of acceptances to the mobile computers of the plurality of users. |
| US08458040B2 |
Systems and methods for managing rights to broadband content
Systems and methods for managing rights to broadband content are provided. A request for broadband content may be received by a server. The received request may include a client identifier associated with a customer device from which the request is received and a content identifier associated with the requested broadband content. Based at least in part upon the client identifier, a billing account associated with the customer device may be identified, and one or more users associated with the billing account may be identified. A set of access rights for the one or more users may be determined and, based upon an analysis of the set of access rights, a determination may be made as to whether access to the broadband content is authorized. |
| US08458039B1 |
Inclusion of items in a data feed
This document relates to the re-inclusion of items in a data feed. For example, a feed of items is sent to a referral network site. The feed includes some of the items sold through an electronic commerce network site. The referral network site refers a plurality of customers to the electronic commerce network site. One of the items excluded from the feed is identified and a forecast of sales through the electronic commerce network site is generated therefor. The forecast of sales specifies a number of the one of the items projected to be sold that are subject to a referral from the referral network site. A determination is made as to whether to include the one of the items in the feed based at least in part upon the forecast of sales. |
| US08458034B2 |
Selecting advertisements and presentations to present based on known audience profiles
In one embodiment, a method includes determining a group identity for an audience associated with an event, accessing a plurality of announcements, identifying at least one announcement of the plurality of announcements based on the group identity, and providing the identified announcement to the audience at the event. The group identity is indicative of at least one characteristic of the audience. The plurality of announcements are processed to identify at least one announcement that approximately matches the group identity. |
| US08458033B2 |
Determining the relevance of offers
Offers are targeted to consumers by comparing offer profiles and consumer profiles. Offer profiles are created by analyzing the cumulative content of communications associated with consumers who respond to the offers. Consumer profiles are created by analyzing the cumulative content of communications associated with a user of an electronic communications system. An offer may be selected to be sent to a user based on the relative similarity between the user's consumer profile and the offer profile. |
| US08458032B2 |
System for selectively communicating promotional information to a person
A system for selectively communicating promotional information to a person, includes a sensing system, a storage device, a controller, and a projection device. The sensing system measures a detectable feature associated with the person sensed by the sensing system and the storage device stores a plurality of promotional segments. The controller uses the measured detectable feature associated with the person for selecting one of the stored promotional segments and causing the projection device to project to the person at the predetermined location the selected promotional segment. |
| US08458028B2 |
System and method for integrating business-related content into an electronic game
A method of integrating business-related content into the execution of a game application is disclosed. A player of the game application is exposed to the business-related content within the context of the game. User actions within the game cause the game application to transparently re-direct the user to a customized corporate web site containing selected information from a business sponsor. Game-related user actions performed while the player is at the customized corporate web site cause the player to be exposed to additional business-related content from the business sponsor. The player may earn benefits while at the customized corporate web site. Some of the player benefits are real-life benefits external to the game application which may be utilized by the player after finishing the game. A record of external benefits is kept by the business sponsor. Other benefits may be immediately available to the player by pausing the game, thereby allowing the player to access the sponsor's reward program. Following the occurrence of a pre-determined event, the game application transparently re-directs the player back to the original game site. |
| US08458027B2 |
System and method for offering multiple products
A system and method for a supplier to offer multiple new products to a first person and multiple pre-owned products to a second person are disclosed. The invention includes a method wherein the supplier receives a request from the first person for a first new product. After accepting the first new product, the supplier stores data identifying the first person and data relating to the first new product in a memory of a computer. Thereafter, the second person queries the supplier about a pre-owned product. The supplier searches the memory of the computer to determine whether the data relating to the first new product satisfies the second person's inquiry for the pre-owned product. If so, the supplier transmits an offer for a second new product to the first person based on the data identifying the first person. If the offer is acceptable to the first person, the supplier provides the second new product to the first person and the pre-owned product to the second person. |
| US08458023B2 |
System and method for conducting sales
Disclosed are systems, computer-implemented methods, and tangible computer-readable storage media for conducting sales. The method embodiment receives a time agnostic inquiry with at least one parameter from a user associated with a sale of an item, identifies one or more discount items that satisfy the inquiry, identifies comparable items for each discount item at nondiscount rates dynamically using real-time data, presents one or more comparable groups, each comparable group including one discount item and the respective comparable items, and furthers the sales process based on user input responding to the presented one or more comparable groups. Also disclosed is a method further including receiving a request from the user for multiple sub-items associated with the item, and engaging in a dialog with the user to enable payment for each of the sub-items with one of multiple payment types. The user can indicate a set of personalized comparable items. |
| US08458022B2 |
System and method for conducting sales
Disclosed are systems, methods, and computer readable-media for conducting sales. The method embodiment comprises receiving an inquiry with at least one parameter from a user associated with a sale of an item, identifying one or more discount items that satisfy the inquiry, identifying comparable items for each discount item at nondiscount rates dynamically using real-time data, presenting one or more comparable groups to the user, each comparable group comprising one discount item and the respective comparable items, and furthering the sales process based on user input responding to the presented one or more comparable groups. Also disclosed is a method further comprising receiving a request from the user for multiple sub-items associated with the item, and engaging in a dialog with the user to enable payment for each of the multiple sub-items with one of a multiple payment types. |
| US08458021B1 |
System and method for conducting sales
Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for conducting sales. A system configured to practice the method receives an inquiry with at least one parameter from a user associated with a sale of an item. The system identifies one or more discount items that satisfy the inquiry and filters the one or more discount items based on a time-sensitive sales opacity scale. The system identifies comparable items for each discount item at nondiscount rates dynamically using real-time data and presents one or more comparable groups to the user, each comparable group including one filtered discount item and respective comparable items. Then the system advances the sale of the discount item based on user acceptance of one of the presented one or more comparable groups. |
| US08458019B2 |
Method and system for displaying discount information
A system and method for using a discount display system are provided in which a plurality of purchase option screens are displayed to a user. For each discount-eligible item identifier selected by the user, the price of the item is added to the user's total, the current discount available to the user is re-calculated and the updated discount is displayed to the user. |
| US08458016B1 |
Systems and methods for associating credit cards and pooling reward points
Disparate account holders may form a group or buying club within which points or rewards for credit or debit card use are allocated into a pool for the account holders. At the end of a billing cycle, transaction totals may be weighted based on the type or number of items purchased by members of the group to making point or reward allocations into the pool. Account holders may be added to the group by invitation as members of a group operate to solicit friends having similar interests and character to join the group. Merchants may market products to like-minded account holders in the group through one or a few members in a manner consistent with social networks or viral marketing approaches. |
| US08458010B1 |
Monitoring and enforcing price parity
Systems and methods are provided for monitoring and enforcing price parity. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method monitors price parity. The method includes generating, by a server, a task related to pricing of an item. The server receives, in response to the task, a first price and a second price of the item. The first price corresponds to an offering price of the item by a third-party seller via a sales channel of a retailer and the second price corresponds to an offering price of the item by the third-party seller via a sales channel of the third-party seller. The server evaluates whether the second price violates a price parity rule, based on at least a comparison of the first price and the second price. |
| US08458009B1 |
Method and system for estimating costs for a complex project
A method and system for estimating complex projects including one or more tasks. The estimating system includes a user interface, an analyzer, and an estimator. The system determines characteristics for a basic task, and receives an assigned cost for the basic task. Then task information for the complex project is analyzed based on the characteristics of the basic task. The system then determines costs for one or more additional tasks, complexity, input timing, and input quality, and estimates the total project cost based on these costs. |
| US08458004B2 |
Dynamically pooling unused capacities across an organization to execute atomic tasks
In the context of a work container which includes a set of atomic tasks to be executed in some order, along with a specification of the role/skill needed for each task, the estimated effort and due date, methods and arrangements for pooling unutilized capacities of multiple resources whenever possible, and making adjustments to the estimated effort to take transactional costs into account. More particularly, preferred embodiments of the invention operate on a principle that if resources do not individually have the available bandwidth needed to execute and complete an atomic task during a given period then, collectively, the time available on their calendars, when pooled together and aggregated in sequence, may well be more than sufficient for the task, even after making adjustments to account for transaction costs. |
| US08457999B2 |
One view integrated project management system
Projects of any type require sophisticated management software programs. In reality, these management software programs are provided by various vendors and for different professional fields. For example, scheduling programs for construction professionals, blue print programs for drafting professionals, accounting programs for cost-control professionals. In addition, there are numerous other unofficial and official documents generated by managers of different levels for reporting or track-record-keeping purposes using popular word processing programs and spread-sheet programs. Documents generated by different software programs can only be viewed under the programs they are generated under or compatible programs. This poses a problem in that there is a lack of organized control resulting in difficulty in locating and viewing documents in a timely manner. The present invention provides an one view software program that would be able to provide an organized control and viewing of all documents regardless which software programs they are generated under. |
| US08457998B2 |
Computer implemented method for analyzing service based systems using similarity estimates, inference and business models
The invention provides a method, system and computer program product for analyzing a service based system. Business model data including one or more activities is received. A plurality of service characteristics is determined from the business model data for each activity group. The plurality of service characteristics are used to determine inferences regarding candidate service identification, service portfolio evaluation, service impact analysis, and so forth corresponding to the service based system. |
| US08457990B1 |
Smart placement rules
A smart placement module determines components of received medial data, such as medical reports and image montages, to forward to one or more secondary location, such as an EMR system, based on smart placement rules that are established by a user that receives the medical data, such as a referring doctor. Thus, the smart placement module decreases or removes the need for the receiving user to manually select and transfer certain medical data for storage at the EMR system. Accordingly, the receiving user, and other authorized EMR system users, may have prompt access to the medical data via their respective connections to the EMR system. In one embodiment, the smart placement module transmits a patient identification file that is usable by the receiving EMR system to allow the EMR system to associate received medical data with other data regarding a respective patient. |
| US08457987B2 |
Satori integrated health and financial benefits system and method
A shared medical savings system and method are provided that allow a patient to participate in the savings generated by selecting to have a medical procedure performed overseas. The system has one or more computing devices, a link that is capable of connecting the one or more computing devices to a medical shared savings unit that is capable of interacting with the computing devices. An employer uses the computing device to elect to participate in a medical savings plan using a Health Reimbursement Account, a patient using the computing device to select an overseas medical procedure that is part of the medical savings plan so that the savings for the overseas medical procedure is divided between the employer and the patient utilizing a medical savings plan. |
| US08457986B2 |
Satori integrated health and financial benefits system and method
A shared medical savings system and method are provided that allow a patient to participate in the savings generated by selecting to have a medical procedure performed overseas. The system has one or more computing devices, a link that is capable of connecting the one or more computing devices to a medical shared savings unit that is capable of interacting with the computing devices. An employer uses the computing device to elect to participate in a medical savings plan using a Health Reimbursement Account, a patient using the computing device to select an overseas medical procedure that is part of the medical savings plan so that the savings for the overseas medical procedure is divided between the employer and the patient utilizing a medical savings plan. |
| US08457982B1 |
Method of limiting insurer exposure to renal dialysis claims liability
Systems and methods are provided to limit exposure of medical Plans to high liabilities for renal dialysis without exposing the insured patient to out-of-pocket liability while still allowing the patient to receive dialysis as they need it. In one embodiment, this goal is achieved by providing an ERISA medical insurance Plan structure that limits Plan responsibility to 125% of the Medicare approved amount for the services provided, and simultaneously supplements coverage of the patient under Medicare Part B. Because Medicare regulations prohibit providers from balance-billing patients subsequent to billing Medicare, the patient cannot be billed for amounts in excess of the Plan limits. |
| US08457979B2 |
Method and apparatus for expert verification
In exemplary embodiments, an apparatus and method for verifying experts on a consultation system is provided. Identity and credential information is received at a web server from a potential expert. A selection of a category that the potential expert wants to be admitted is also received. The identity information and at least a portion of the credential information may be verified. The potential expert is accepted as an expert based in part on a result of the verifying of the identity and credential information. Once accepted, an account associated with the potential expert is activated to allow the potential expert to become an expert and to allow the expert to provide answers on the consultation system when the potential expert is accepted. |
| US08457975B2 |
Audio decoder, audio encoder, methods for decoding and encoding an audio signal and computer program
An audio decoder for providing a decoded representation of an audio content on the basis of an encoded representation of the audio content comprises a linear-prediction-domain decoder core configured to provide a time-domain representation of an audio frame on the basis of a set of linear-prediction domain parameters associated with the audio frame and a frequency-domain decoder core configured to provide a time-domain representation of an audio frame on the basis of a set of frequency-domain parameters, taking into account a transform window out of a set comprising a plurality of different transform windows. The audio decoder comprises a signal combiner configured to overlap-and-add-time-domain representations of subsequent audio frames encoded in different domains, in order to smoothen a transition between the time-domain representations of the subsequent frames. The set of transform windows comprises one or more windows specifically adapted for a transition between a frequency-domain core mode and a linear-prediction-domain core mode. |
| US08457973B2 |
Menu hierarchy skipping dialog for directed dialog speech recognition
A method and a processing device for managing an interactive speech recognition system is provided. Whether a voice input relates to expected input, at least partially, of any one of a group of menus different from a current menu is determined. If the voice input relates to the expected input, at least partially, of any one of the group of menus different from the current menu, skipping to the one of the group of menus is performed. The group of menus different from the current menu include menus at multiple hierarchical levels. |
| US08457971B2 |
Method and apparatus for analyzing discussion regarding media programs
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a device including a controller to detect a plurality of users engaging in a voice conference related to a presentation of a media program, convert speech dialog detected in the voice conference to textual dialog, detect from the textual dialog a behavioral profile of at least one of the plurality of users, and identify at least one of advertisement content and marketable media content based on the behavioral profile of the at least one user. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08457969B2 |
Audio pitch changing device
An effect device may be configured such that when an input audio signal switches from a consonant to a vowel and an input level of the switched vowel is greater than a threshold value Lc (and a variable t is greater than time Ts), an audio effect signal A may be generated. Such an effect device may allow for increasing the occurrences when portamento is simulated, while still sounding natural. In general, a detecting module detects whether an audio signal is a vowel sound or a consonant sound and whether the audio signal changed from a consonant sound to a vowel sound; and a pitch change module changes a pitch of the audio signal and changes, based on a prescribed function, an amount the pitch is changed to produce a modified audio signal, when the audio signal changed from a consonant sound to a vowel sound. |
| US08457961B2 |
System for detecting speech with background voice estimates and noise estimates
A system detects a speech segment that may include unvoiced, fully voiced, or mixed voice content. The system includes a window function that passes signals within a programmed aural frequency range while substantially blocking signals above and below the programmed aural frequency range. A frequency converter converts the signals passing within the programmed aural frequency range into a plurality of frequency bins. A background voice detector estimates the strength of a background speech segment relative to the noise of selected portions of the aural spectrum. A noise estimator estimates a maximum distribution of noise to an average of an acoustic noise power of some of the plurality of frequency bins. A voice detector compares the strength of a desired speech segment to a maximum of an output of the background voice detector and an output of the noise estimator. |
| US08457957B2 |
Optimization of MP3 audio encoding by scale factors and global quantization step size
An iterative rate-distortion optimization algorithm for MPEG I/II Layer-3 (MP3) encoding based on the method of Lagrangian multipliers. Generally, an iterative method is performed such that a global quantization step size is determined while scale factors are fixed, and thereafter the scale factors are determined while the global quantization step size is fixed. This is repeated until a calculated rate-distortion cost is within a predetermined threshold. The methods are demonstrated to be computationally efficient and the resulting bit stream is fully standard compatible. |
| US08457953B2 |
Method and arrangement for smoothing of stationary background noise
In a method of smoothing background noise in a telecommunication speech session; receiving and decoding S1O a signal representative of a speech session, the signal comprising both a speech component and a background noise component. Subsequently, determining LPC parameters S20 and an excitation signal S30 for the received signal. Thereafter, synthesizing and outputting (S40) an output signal based on the determined LPC parameters and excitation signal. In addition, modifying S35 the determined excitation signal by reducing power and spectral fluctuations of the excitation signal to provide a smoothed output signal. |
| US08457948B2 |
Systems and methods for automated content generation
A content generation service is described that generates content for electronic documents in different languages based upon templates. The templates may include paragraph templates composed of sentence types including sentence templates. The sentence templates may further include variables having corresponding attributes. Each of the paragraph templates, sentence templates, and attributes may be hierarchically organized. The content generation service may obtain data describing an item of interest, such as a travel item. The obtained data may further specify a document language, section and paragraph for which content is to be generated. Content is generated for variables in hierarchical order, with higher ranked paragraphs considered first. Within the highest ranked paragraph, a sentence type is selected and the variables within the highest ranked sentence template of the sentence type are considered. Sentence templates which contain attributes matched by the data obtained for the item of interest are added to the generated document. |
| US08457945B1 |
Processor-in-the-loop co-simulation of a model
A model may be constructed and simulated using processor-in-the-loop co-simulation at a target device. In one implementation, a host environment may provide a graphical environment that facilitates construction of the model defined as a plurality of functional blocks. The host environment may receive, via graphical selection menus associated with the blocks of the model, an indication of which blocks of the model are to simulated at an external target device and which blocks of the model are to be simulated at the host environment. Further, the host environment may receive a command, that may be entered interactively by a user, to start simulation of the model and execute, in response to the command, co-simulation of the model at the host environment and the external target device. |
| US08457944B2 |
Method and device for determining requirement parameters of at least one physical hardware unit
In a method and a device for determining requirement parameters of at least one physical hardware unit, the operating parameters of simulated, virtual hardware units are varied during the execution of a program flow on the virtual hardware units, for example via an interface device of a simulation device, in such a manner that requirement parameters of the execution of a program flow of at least one physical hardware unit can be identified. A method and a device are used for determining requirement parameters of at least one physical hardware unit. The method and the device are used to determine requirement parameters of software products of hardware components to be used. Requirement parameters are allowed to be identified systematically, using an operating system and eliminates the need for expensive, physical hardware components and for modifications to a physical computer system. |
| US08457942B1 |
Exercise monitoring unit for executable architectures
Systems and methods for parallel, discrete, simulations include functional capabilities to incorporate one or more human operators or actors into the simulation process. Such individuals can be presented situations where one or more decisions are necessary with respect to ongoing events. Entered decisions are incorporated into simulated events and activities being simulated. These in turn influence the behavior of those entities and also initiate the occurrence of other time-based processes. An architecture artifact or product can be automatically created or updated by recording how a sequence of events took place. The creation of sections of the DoDAF OV-6C Operational Event Trace architectural diagram, for the executable architecture model, can be automatically performed to dynamically provide event traces in response to a live exercise. |
| US08457936B2 |
Apparatus and methods for simulating a system steady state devoid of performing full transient operating conditions
Apparatus and methods for simulating a steady state condition for an unknown variable in a system are provided. One apparatus includes a processor and memory configured to store a model of the system, and first and second predictions modules. The model is configured to receive a plurality of fixed inputs representing known variables for the model, the first prediction module is configured to generate an open loop prediction for the unknown variable based on the fixed inputs, and the second prediction module is configured to generate a closed loop prediction for the unknown variable based on the open loop prediction. A method includes the steps of receiving a plurality of fixed inputs in the system model, generating an open loop prediction for the unknown variable based on the plurality of fixed inputs, and generating a closed loop prediction for the unknown variable based on the open loop prediction. |
| US08457932B2 |
Method for assembling the finite element discretization of arbitrary weak equations involving local or non-local multiphysics couplings
Disclosed are techniques for representing and modeling systems in which each system corresponds to an application mode. This may be done for one or more geometries using local and/or non-local couplings. For each application mode, physical quantities are modeled and may be defined using a graphical user interface. Physical properties may be used to model the physical quantities of each system. The physical properties may be defined in terms of numerical values or constants, and mathematical expressions that may include numerical values, space coordinates, time coordinates, and actual physical quantities. Physical quantities and any associated variables may apply to some or all of a geometric domain, and may also be disabled in other parts of a geometrical domain. Partial differential equations describe the physical quantities. One or more application modes may be combined using an automated technique into a combined system of partial differential equations as a multiphysics model. |
| US08457929B2 |
Oilfield equipment identification method and apparatus
A system comprising a piece of oilfield equipment, an identifier assembly and a reader. The piece of oilfield equipment has an exterior surface. The identifier assembly comprises an identification tag storing a unique identifier. The identification tag is capable of outputting a signal indicative of the unique identifier. The identification tag is mounted to the exterior surface of the piece of oilfield equipment beyond an external surface perimeter of the piece of oilfield equipment such that the identification tag is isolated from the exterior surface of the piece of oilfield equipment. The reader has an antenna receiving the signal indicative of the unique identifier from the identification tag. |
| US08457925B1 |
Method and apparatus for automation of vehicle wheel alignment measurements
Methods and apparatus for automating various preliminary and non-vehicle specific steps during a vehicle wheel alignment service procedure by automatically imparting a rolling movement to a supported vehicle and automatically rotationally driving a pair of vehicle steered wheels through a range of steering movement. |
| US08457923B2 |
Velocity calculating apparatus, velocity calculating method, navigation apparatus, and mobile phone with navigation function
Provided is a velocity calculating apparatus including: a horizontal-angular-velocity-detecting portion disposed to a main-body portion attached to a movable object moving along a movement plane to detect a horizontal-axis angular velocity around a horizontal axis perpendicular to a moving direction generated according to an inclination angle of the movement plane; a vertical-acceleration-detecting portion disposed to the main-body portion to detect a vertical acceleration generated according to a shape of the movement plane; a time-difference-calculating portion configured to calculate a time difference between characteristic components occurring in the horizontal-axis angular velocity and the vertical acceleration due to a position of the movement plane; and a velocity-calculating portion configured to calculate a time-differential velocity based on a ratio between an installation distance from a position to which the horizontal angular velocity is exerted in the overall movable object to an installation position of the main body portion and the time difference. |
| US08457921B2 |
Electronic device tester and testing method
An electronic device tester is connected to an electronic device needed to be tested. A test program is stored in a data storage of the tester. The test program includes a number of test instructions. The tester encapsulates the test instructions of the test program to a number of script files, stores the script files to the data storage, and records a name of each script file to the test program. After the test instruction is encapsulated, the tester selects desired script files of the test program and calls the selected script files according to the names of the script files to implement the test program to test the electronic device. |
| US08457918B2 |
Method and device for estimating the temperature sensed upon contact with a surface
A method and apparatus for estimating the temperature sensed upon contact with a surface. The method includes contactless heating of the surface, contactless measurement of a time change in temperature of the surface, and estimation of the temperature sensed upon contact with the surface on the basis of this time change in temperature. |
| US08457917B2 |
Device and method for setting out contours, points or works and a guiding device for use therewith
A device, a method and a guiding device for setting out contours, points or works, including a computer-controlled measuring device provided with a movable measuring probe and a portable base unit provided with a rotatably supported elongate arm. The measuring probe is connected to the measuring device by means of a cord or a wire via the elongate arm, and the measuring device is provided with sensors for measuring a length or a change in the length of the cord or the wire and rotation of the arm in at least one degree of freedom for providing position data of the measuring probe. |
| US08457913B2 |
Computer system with integrated electromagnetic-interference detectors
Embodiments of a system that determines a condition associated with an integrated circuit disposed on a circuit board are described. During operation, the system receives electromagnetic-interference (EMI) signals from one or more antennas while the integrated circuit is operating, where the one or more antennas are disposed on the circuit board. Then, the system analyzes the received EMI signals to determine the condition. |
| US08457911B2 |
Systems, methods and apparatus for indexing and predicting wind power output from virtual wind farms
This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatus for predicting electrical power output from wind farms using statistical methods and measured wind speeds near boundaries of control volumes that encompass the wind turbines of interest. These systems, methods, and apparatus can provide electrical power output predictions of up to 6, 12, 24, or 48 hours in advance of actual power reaching the grid. |
| US08457910B2 |
Electrical power system event detection and anticipation
A method for analyzing an electrical power system includes analyzing data representing a signal of interest of the power system, the data containing at least one power system event; and based on the analysis, associating the power system event with a root cause. A computer program product is also provided for carrying out the method. |
| US08457908B2 |
Sensing events affecting liquid flow in a liquid distribution system
By monitoring pressure transients in a liquid within a liquid distribution system using only a single sensor, events such as the opening and closing of valves at specific fixtures are readily detected. The sensor, which can readily be coupled to a faucet bib, transmits an output signal to a computing device. Each such event can be identified by the device based by comparing characteristic features of the pressure transient waveform with previously observed characteristic features for events in the system. These characteristic features, which can include the varying pressure, derivative, and real Cepstrum of the pressure transient waveform, can be used to select a specific fixture where a valve open or close event has occurred. Flow to each fixture and leaks in the system can also be determined from the pressure transient signal. A second sensor disposed at a point disparate from the first sensor provides further event information. |
| US08457904B2 |
Seafood physical characteristic estimation system and method
Systems and methods for estimating a physical characteristic of a seafood product are provided. In one system, the estimate is based on a slope defined by a ratio of changes in peak resonant amplitude and frequency of an electromagnetic resonant circuit in loaded and unloaded states. In another system, a first probe of a plurality of probes is driven with a test signal when the plurality of probes is loaded by a seafood product and the estimate is based on received test signals at one or more of the other probes. In another system, the estimate is based on the loading effect of a seafood product on an electromagnetic resonant circuit, which is also used to read an ID from an RFID associated with the seafood product. The systems and methods may be used for individual specimens, or to determine an average estimate for multiple specimens at one time. |
| US08457899B2 |
Method of processing data obtained from seismic prospecting
A method of calculating a seismic noise image for a formation comprises the steps of: a) obtaining data representing a multicomponent seismic signal from at least one receiver, in response to transmitting seismic waves into the formation; b) obtaining a velocity model of the earth formation; c) determining a plurality of wave field components; d) obtaining a set of second components; e) obtaining, for each subsurface point, at least two products, each product comprising the product of a selected wave field component and a different second component; and f) and generating a noise image by calculating at least one difference between different products for at least one image point. |
| US08457897B2 |
Methods and systems to estimate wellbore events
A method and system for estimating the status of a production well using a probability calculator and for developing such a probability calculator. The method includes developing a probability calculator, which may be a Bayesian network, utilizing the Bayesian network in a production well event detection system, which may include real-time well measurements, historical measurements, engineering judgment, and facilities data. The system also includes a display to show possible events in descending priority and/or may trigger an alarm in certain cases. |
| US08457893B2 |
Methods and apparatus for generating an electronic record of a marking operation including service-related information and/or ticket information
Methods and apparatus for generating electronic records of marking operations for underground facilities/utilities. Electronic records of marking information may be logged/stored in local memory of a marking device, formatted in various manners, processed and/or analyzed at the marking device itself, and/or transmitted in whole or in part to another device (e.g., a remote computer/server) for storage, processing and/or analysis. In one example, service-related information and/or ticket information is collected and logged into an electronic record of a marking operation. Such information may in some cases be logged together with actuation data based on one or more actuations of a marking device (e.g., a trigger-pull to dispense marking material). |
| US08457886B2 |
Method for operating a navigation system
A device and a method for operating a navigation system having a data receiving device and a memory, map data of a map being stored in the memory, and when updated map data are received, these are entered, the map data being hierarchically organized and information being assigned to the map data regarding the update version of the map data. |
| US08457880B1 |
Telematics using personal mobile devices
An approach to telematics using mobile devices provides battery-efficient trajectory and mileage inference from inaccurate and intermittent location data. Accurate trajectories of how users or vehicles move in the physical world are formed by processing raw position estimates obtained from noisy, inaccurate, and error-prone position sensors on mobile devices, where the position data may also arrive intermittently with long time gaps. The trajectory is formed using the process of map matching, which determines the trajectory on a map that best explains the sequence of position observations. |
| US08457875B2 |
Circumference search method for setting path and navigation system
The present invention relates to a navigation system and vicinity search method for route setting to retrieve a facility around a route and set an intermediate point through a vicinity search. The vicinity search method for route setting, the vicinity search method including: retrieving a route between a start point and a destination; retrieving a facility with respect to at least one category based on the retrieved route according to a command of a user; and displaying the retrieved facility for each category on the retrieved route. |
| US08457874B2 |
Fuel and vehicle monitoring methods and systems
The invention, in one aspect, features a fuel and vehicle monitoring method. The method includes receiving, via a first processor, a first odometer value and a first fuel acquisition value for a vehicle at a first instance. The method also includes determining, with a second processor, whether the first odometer value satisfies a predetermined criterion. The method also includes forecasting a first future fuel economy value for the vehicle based on the first odometer value and the first fuel acquisition value and a plurality of previously received odometer values and fuel acquisition values if the predetermined criterion is satisfied, or the plurality of previously received odometer values and fuel acquisition values if the predetermined criterion is not satisfied. |
| US08457873B2 |
Promotional incentives based on hybrid vehicle qualification
Exemplary methods, systems and components enable selective control of an operational mode for a vehicle that may be subject to an administrative standard. In some instances a qualified person or entity may attain a possible consequential result related to a user-selected vehicle operation mode that may involve a vehicle operation paradigm and/or a vehicle travel route and/or a vehicle travel destination. In some embodiments, implementation of the selected vehicle operation mode may modify a conformity status of the vehicle relative to the administrative standard. Various accessible records may be maintained regarding certification of preferable consequential results available to qualified recipients based on a correlated vehicle operational mode. A further aspect may provide correlation between a selective operation mode of an electric/combustion hybrid vehicle during an applicable travel period and a preferred consequential result available to a qualified recipient associated with the hybrid vehicle. |
| US08457871B2 |
Real-time traffic condition measurement and presentation of sponsored content
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for identifying a plurality of locations for each of a plurality of automobiles using cell phone tower triangulation to locate a cell phone within the plurality of automobiles, calculating a vehicle speed for each of the plurality of automobiles using the first and second locations already identified, and creating a traffic condition measure for a route in proximity to the first and second locations. The computer program product may repeat this process in real-time to calculate a real-time traffic condition measure that may be a traffic density measure the computer program product may use to predict a travel time, and may display the real-time traffic condition measure on the user's cell phone along with product availability data from a store or stores in proximity to the route and can include where such stores are located with the roadway presentation. |
| US08457865B2 |
Method for operating an internal combustion engine
An internal combustion engine (1) has a control arrangement (18) which regulates at least one control parameter for operating the engine (1). The control arrangement (18) includes a non-volatile memory (20) and a main memory (21). During operation of the engine (1), an operating value (xOperating) for the control parameter is continually stored in the non-volatile memory (20). When starting the engine (1), an initial value for the control parameter is determined. According to at least one criterion, a determination is made as to whether the operating value (xOperating) stored in the non-volatile memory (20) or a standard value (xStandard) is used as the initial value for the control parameter. |
| US08457864B2 |
Variable valve timing control apparatus for internal combustion engine
A variable valve timing control apparatus for an engine includes a hydraulic variable valve timing unit and an oil pressure control device. The variable valve timing unit has a plurality of control ranges and an ambiguity range. The apparatus learns a hold control amount for each of the plurality of control ranges when a predetermined condition is satisfied, and the hold control amount is required to control the oil pressure control device to maintain the actual VCT phase. When the target VCT phase is positioned in the ambiguity range, if a difference between the actual and target VCT phases is stably greater than a predetermined value, the apparatus switches the presently-used hold control amount learning value of one control range into the learning value for the other control range in order to compute the VCT control amount. |
| US08457863B2 |
Method of adjusting injection, combustion and/or post-treatment parameters of an internal combustion engine with auto-ignition
The invention relates to a method for adjusting injection, combustion and/or post-treatment parameters of an internal combustion engine with auto-ignition, characterized in that it comprises a step of determining the content and the type of biofuel present in the fuel feeding the injection system. The invention also relates to a motorization system and equipment for implementing this method, implementing a sensor for determining the content and the type of biofuel present in the fuel feeding the injection system. |
| US08457862B2 |
Method for controlling and diagnosing a vane-type cam phaser having intermediate position pin locking
An improved control and diagnostic algorithm for coordinating the operation and checking reliability of oil control valves for a vane-type camshaft phaser in an internal combustion engine. A first oil control valve governs the rotational position of the phaser rotor within the stator, and a second oil control valve controls the locking and unlocking of a locking pin operable between the rotor and the stator. The algorithm determines when a change is needed in the position of the locking pin, commands the rotor to a predetermined angular position to permit the position change to be carried out, determines whether the commanded change was carried out successfully, and reports instances wherein the commanded locking pin position change was unsuccessful. |
| US08457854B2 |
Method and device for limiting the output signal of a sensor to reduce noise
An algorithm for limiting the output of a master cylinder pressure sensor in an electronic brake control system to a value that is a function of the master cylinder pressure and the travel of the brake pedal. |
| US08457843B2 |
Device and method for controlling an automatic steering system of a vehicle, and device and method for checking the ability to implement a predefined setpoint travel direction variable for a vehicle
A device for controlling an automatic steering system of a vehicle includes a signal input which receives a setpoint travel direction variable, a memory device on which a correction factor is stored, a control unit which ascertains a corrected setpoint travel direction variable on the basis of the correction factor and the predefined setpoint travel direction variable, and an evaluation device which compares an actual travel direction variable ascertained by a sensor of the vehicle to the predefined setpoint travel direction variable, and if the actual travel direction variable deviates from the predefined setpoint travel direction variable by at least a minimum difference, redefines the correction factor according to the comparison. |
| US08457841B2 |
Suspension system with optimized damping response
An analytical methodology for the specification of progressive optimal compression damping of a suspension system to negotiate severe events, yet provides very acceptable ride quality and handling during routine events. In a broad aspect, the method provides a progressive optimal unconstrained damping response of the wheel assembly with respect to the body. In a preferred aspect, the method provides a progressive optimal constrained damping response of the wheel assembly with respect to the body, wherein below a predetermined velocity a conventional damper force is retained. |
| US08457840B2 |
Motor vehicle
A motor vehicle has at least one drive unit for generating a drive torque, and has an accelerator pedal which is acted on with a restoring force and which can be adjusted by an actuating travel in order to predefine a setpoint torque. The motor vehicle also has a control device which actuates the drive unit on the basis of the setpoint torque. The control device additionally determines a presently available drive torque, and as a function of the presently available drive torque, varies the characteristic curve of the accelerator pedal, which expresses the restoring force versus the actuating travel of the accelerator pedal. |
| US08457839B2 |
Multi-display vehicle information system and method
Embodiments of the present invention include a vehicle human machine interface (HMI) for control by a vehicle occupant. The HMI may include a first graphical display, a second graphical display, a plurality of input controls, and a vehicle computer communicating with the first and second graphical displays. The vehicle computer may be configured to receive user input defining user instructions for controlling one or more functions of the vehicle. In response to the input, the computer may be configured to present on the first and second graphical displays a vehicle function identifier color associated with the vehicle function. |
| US08457838B1 |
System and method for safe operation of a vehicle based electronic device while the vehicle is in motion
Embodiments of the present invention include a computer-controlled method for safely operating a vehicle based electronic system. The method includes receiving a first signal from a first sensor, wherein the first sensor is for identifying the presence of a passenger located in a passenger seat of the vehicle. This may be the configuration of a seat belt associated with the passenger seat. The method further includes receiving a second signal from a second sensor, wherein the second sensor is for determining a weight of the passenger in the passenger seat. Provided the passenger is located in the passenger seat and the weight of the passenger in the passenger seat is above or equal to a threshold value, the method further includes allowing programming functionality of the electronic system while the vehicle is in motion. In one embodiment, the electronic system is a vehicle based navigation system. |
| US08457835B2 |
System and method for use in evaluating an operation of a combustion machine
A method for use in evaluating an operation of a combustion machine. A plurality of current average intensities is calculated by a computing device based on a series of intensity readings from a flame sensor. Each current average intensity corresponds to a current time interval. The computing device selects a plurality of past average intensities, each of which corresponds to a past time interval equal in duration to the current time interval corresponding to a current average intensity. The computing device calculates a plurality of decay rates indicating a change in intensity readings over a current time interval based on the current average intensities and the past average intensities. The computing device estimates a predicted flame sensor malfunction time based on the plurality of decay rates. |
| US08457829B2 |
System and method for determining characteristics of a physical environment with simple motion patterns
A system and method for determining characteristics of a physical environment with simple motion patterns are provided. A plurality of raw orientation readings are received from a simple motion pattern. A distribution of possible wall orientations upon each raw reading is determined. Wall direction is determined as the mean value of the distribution. |
| US08457828B2 |
Remote control machine with partial or total autonomous control
A system for controlling a tool carrier and work tool from either a first remote control or a second remote control. The first remote control and the second remote control both transmit respective first and second control signals to a controller system supported on the tool carrier. The controller system is programmed to select either the first control signal or the second control signal to control operation of the tool carrier. The system may include programming to allow autonomous movement of the tool carrier between a first work zone and a second work zone. Further, the controller system may be programmed to avoid obstacles within its path and to reroute its path between the first work zone and the second work zone to avoid such obstacles. |
| US08457827B1 |
Modifying behavior of autonomous vehicle based on predicted behavior of other vehicles
A vehicle configured to operate in an autonomous mode could determine a current state of the vehicle and the current state of the environment of the vehicle. The environment of the vehicle includes at least one other vehicle. A predicted behavior of the at least one other vehicle could be determined based on the current state of the vehicle and the current state of the environment of the vehicle. A confidence level could also be determined based on the predicted behavior, the current state of the vehicle, and the current state of the environment of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the confidence level may be related to the likelihood of the at least one other vehicle to perform the predicted behavior. The vehicle in the autonomous mode could be controlled based on the predicted behavior, the confidence level, and the current state of the vehicle and its environment. |
| US08457822B2 |
Method and system for controlling a power unit with power bypass
A method for controlling a hybrid power unit with power bypass for an automobile including at least two driving wheels, wherein the power unit includes a thermal engine, at least two electric machines, and an infinitely variable transmission mechanically connecting the thermal engine, the two electric machines, and the driving wheels. In the method, an initially stopped thermal engine is brought, in an independent manner and in plural operation phases, to a rotation speed that is sufficient for participating in propulsion of the vehicle, the vehicle moving under action of the electric machines. |
| US08457818B2 |
Train slide control device and train slide control method
A train slide control device and a train slide control method capable of further improving the precision of slide control are achieved. The train slide control device comprises: an electromagnetic valve unit; a relay valve that outputs a pressure of the brake cylinder; and a slide controller that includes: a velocity-difference detecting unit that detects a velocity difference of each wheel based on a velocity signal; a deceleration calculating unit that calculates a deceleration of a train based on the velocity signal; a sliding-amount determining unit that determines a sliding-amount of each wheel based on the velocity difference and deceleration; and a brake-cylinder-pressure calculating unit that calculates a pressure control signal for controlling a pressure of the brake cylinder based on:the sliding-amount; a brake command for obtaining a predetermined deceleration; and a signal that indicates the pressure of the compressed air and a pressure of the brake cylinder. |
| US08457817B2 |
Distributed train intelligence system and method
A system and method which may include on each locomotive a propulsion system and a braking system; a transceiver for communication between the locomotives; and sensors for sensing operational conditions on the locomotive. A processor receives the sensed operation conditions, communicates information including the sensed operational conditions to the other locomotive, determines a propulsion or braking value or command based on the sensed operational conditions, pre-selected criteria and the information received from the other locomotive, and outputs the propulsion or braking value or command. The present system may include on each locomotive a location determining device and a storage of track topology; and the processor determines and communicates to the other locomotive as information an initial propulsion or braking value using the topology of the present and projected location of the locomotive and pre-selected criteria, determines a final propulsion or braking value or command based on the initial value and the information received from the other locomotive, and outputs the final propulsion or braking value. |
| US08457813B2 |
Measuring of a landing platform of a ship
A system for predicting the movement of a surface for autonomous landing of unmanned aerial vehicles thereon. At least two beam emitters are each movable to measure along at least one line on the surface. The lines measured by the two beam emitters are crossed so that they have at least one point of intersection in common. A control module. A detector is configured to detect reflected beams. A processor is configured to process measurements including estimating continuously a plane to the surface by measurements during a time interval. A storage module is configured to store the processed measurements. |
| US08457812B2 |
Method and system for resolving traffic conflicts in take-off and landing
A method and system for resolving existing and potential traffic conflicts that may occur during take-off and landing in aviation that includes means of monitoring movements on the runway, its approaches and environs to determine whether a conflict or potential conflict exists, means to resolve a conflict and to generate an output pertaining to this resolution. |
| US08457811B2 |
Device for system diagnosis
The invention relates to a device for system diagnosis of an aircraft. The device includes: means for the monitoring of equipment of the system, the means for emitting messages of observations on the basis of effects produced by equipment; means for the determination of a set of observations on the basis of the messages of observations arising from the monitoring of a log of the messages of observations and of a model representing a current state of the system; means for the determination of indictments on the basis of observations of the set of observations and of a behavioral model of the system, the indictments being logical relations between operating modes of equipment having produced effects; and means for the determination of maintenance operations on the basis of the indictments. |
| US08457809B2 |
Electronic device and method for controlling unmanned aerial vehicle using the same
A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) using an electronic device determines a designated relay station of the UAV using the electronic device, and creates a new flight path for the UAV according to the designated relay station. The method further directs the UAV to fly to the designated relay station upon the condition that the UAV can arrive at the designated relay station, and directs the UAV to fly to a subsequent relay station along the new flight path upon the condition that the UAV has not arrived at an endpoint of the new flight path. |
| US08457808B2 |
Automated infrastructure delivery system
An automatic delivery system for an infrastructure comprising passenger transportation, freight delivery, electrical grid, oil, gas, water pipelines, communication, sewer removal, etc. The automation at the current state of technology is mostly achieved by enclosing the delivery system inside of an enclosure for achieving automatic weather independent transportation and eliminating costs related to protecting the aforementioned infrastructure components from outside elements. In addition, the system is simple enough to avoid traffic and collisions automatically by processing in real time just a single piece of information: a location of each vehicle; as the result, the system is inexpensive since no hardware is necessary for between-vehicles communications, for road condition detection, for GPS, etc. Plus every person will be able to use transportation on-demand with or without sharing a commute and at a desired comfort level including but not limited to entertainment, exercise, working on the go, etc. |
| US08457806B2 |
Managing an infrastructure having a 3D package and cooling resource actuators
An apparatus for managing an infrastructure having one or more three-dimensional (3D) packages and a plurality of cooling resource actuators, each of the 3D packages including a plurality of heat sources, includes a heat source manager configured to determine heat load profiles of the heat sources. The apparatus also includes a cooling resource manager configured to determine capabilities of the plurality of cooling resource actuators to meet heat load demands of the plurality of heat sources based on the heat load profiles of the plurality of heat sources and an integrated thermal manager configured to match the capabilities of the plurality of cooling resource actuators to the heat load profiles of the plurality of heat sources. |
| US08457804B2 |
System stabilizing device
A control unit of a system stabilizing device uses a fluctuation detecting block (70A) to determine fluctuation components included in the active component and reactive component currents of a system current. The fluctuation detecting block (70A) is composed of a low-pass filter (71) for noise removal having first order lag characteristics with a time constant of T1, a low-pass filter (72) for setting a fluctuation detection time having first order lag characteristics with a time constant of T2, a subtracter (73) which performs subtraction between the output signals of the filter (71) and the filter (72) and outputs the difference, an amplifier (74) for amplifying the output of the subtracter (73), a rating limiter (75) for limiting the output of the amplifier, and an overcompensation inhibiting unit (200) which changes T4 to a smaller value when the rating limiter (75) performs a limiter action. |
| US08457803B2 |
Apparatus and method for demand coordination network
An apparatus for controlling peak demand of a resource. The apparatus includes a plurality of devices and a plurality of control nodes. Each of the plurality of devices consumes a portion of the resource when turned on, and the each are capable of performing a corresponding function within an acceptable operational margin by cycling on and off. Each of the plurality of control nodes is coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of devices, where the plurality of control nodes is coupled together via a demand coordination network, and where the plurality of control nodes coordinates run times for the each of the plurality of devices to reduce the peak demand of the resource, and where one or more of the run times start prior to when otherwise required to maintain corresponding local environments, but which still operate within the acceptable operating margin for the corresponding local environments. |
| US08457800B2 |
System and method for conserving energy resources through storage and delivery of renewable energy
A system for encouraging the use of renewable energy sources and suitable for the conservation of energy resources through the efficient management of energy storage and delivery includes connections to a power source, an energy storage subsystem, and a power grid. The system includes a power routing subsystem coupled to the source and grid, and adapted to operate in a bypass mode, in which energy is transferred from the source to the grid. The system includes a conversion subsystem coupled to the routing and storage subsystems, and switchable in substantially real-time between a storage mode, in which energy is transferred from the routing to the storage subsystem, and a generation mode, in which energy is transferred from the storage to the routing subsystem for delivery to the grid. The system also includes a controller for directing the modes based at least in part on a market factor. |
| US08457799B2 |
Automatic gated pipe actuator
An automatic gated-pipe actuator for controlling flow of an irrigation material to an agricultural region through an irrigation gate in a gated-irrigation pipe. The automatic gated-pipe actuator includes a gate valve for coupling to the gated-irrigation pipe, a gate actuator removably coupled to the gate valve and for actuating the gate valve and an automatic gated pipe gate control unit for controlling actuation of the gate valve. The control unit has a processor unit communicatively coupled to the gate actuator. Upon instruction from the gate control unit, the gate actuator will actuate and alter the disposition of the gate valve thereby altering the flow of irrigation material through the irrigation gate and to a portion of the agricultural region adjacent the irrigation gate. |
| US08457798B2 |
Long-range radio frequency receiver-controller module and wireless control system comprising same
A long-range radio frequency (RF) transceiver-controller module configured to transmit and receive RF signals in one or more of the 433, 868, 915 MHz, and 2.4 and 5.8 GHz Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) frequency bands is provided that is capable of consistently transmitting such signals over a range of 100 meters or more without line of sight, including underground. A wireless control system that comprises a plurality of the long-range RF transceiver-controller modules arranged in a distributed, ad hoc networking topography is also provided. The wireless control system has utility in a wide range of medical, industrial, agricultural, military and commercial applications, including, for example, the management of irrigation systems, manufacturing processes, security systems, sewage treatment and handling systems, hospital management systems. |
| US08457796B2 |
Predictive conditioning in occupancy zones
A method and system for predictively controlling environmental conditions of multiple occupancy zones in an occupancy space are provided. Occupancy and environmental conditions of each of the occupancy zones are detected and identified. The detected occupancy is stored in an occupancy database. Patterns of occupancy of each of the occupancy zones are determined using the occupancy database. Future occupancy of the occupancy zones is predicted based on the occupancy patterns of the occupancy zones. The environmental conditions of the occupancy zones are controlled based on the detected occupancy and/or the predicted future occupancy. The environmental conditions of the occupancy zones in the occupancy space are thereby predictively controlled by simultaneously incorporating an occupant's desired settings, existing and historical temperature data within the occupancy space, and weather data. The predicted occupancy can be combined with demand response signal and energy tier rates to make optimal conditioning decisions. |
| US08457794B2 |
Multi-segment linearization of micro-actuator transfer functions
Embodiments of the present invention provide improved accuracy of displacement control by using a multi-segment transformation of an actuator's non-linear response. The present invention may set intermediate points to effectively divide the actuator response into multiple segments. Each segment may be assigned a transform function that represents the actuator's response in that particular segment. The present invention may operate in two modes, a calibration mode and a normal operations mode. During calibration mode, the intermediate points and the segment transforms may be set. During normal operations mode, a drive signal may be generated according to the calibrated set values. |
| US08457771B2 |
Automated detection and filtering of audio advertisements
A data stream is filtered to produce a filtered data stream. The data stream is analyzed based on an acoustic parameter to determine whether a predetermined condition is satisfied. At least one extraneous portion of the data stream, in which the predetermined condition is satisfied, is determined. Thereafter, the at least one extraneous portion is deleted from the data stream to produce the filtered data stream. |
| US08457770B1 |
Ratings-based digital media distribution and reproduction for a wireless network
A digital media distribution system has a wireless network serving a plurality of wireless subscribers wherein the wireless network supports digital media file transfer. A content server is coupled to the wireless network for distributing media items to wireless subscribers upon request. The media items each comprises a plurality of rated versions, wherein the rated versions of each particular media item depict the same media content customized to meet a respective rating from a plurality of ratings. The content server offers each media item for downloading as a single unit containing the plurality of rated versions. A subscriber terminal selects and downloads selected media items as respective single units to be stored in the subscriber terminal. The subscriber terminal includes a trigger stored in the subscriber terminal. The trigger has a value for identifying one of the plurality of ratings to be used by the subscriber terminal for accessing the downloaded media items. A media application on the subscriber terminal activates a downloaded media item according to the rated version specified by the trigger value for the subscriber terminal and ignoring the other rated versions. |
| US08457769B2 |
Interactive audio recording and manipulation system
A system for interactive audio recording and manipulation may include a controller having at least one two-axis analog control and plurality of control buttons. The controller may be coupled to a computing device including a processor, a memory, and an audio interface including at least one audio input port to accept an input audio signal and at least one audio output port to provide an output audio signal. The system may perform actions in response to inputs from the controller. The actions may include recording the audio input signal as a recorded track, playing the recorded track to provide an audio output signal, scrubbing the recorded track in response to activation of the two-axis analog control along a first axis, and pitch-shifting one of the input audio signal and the output audio signal in response to activation of the two axis analog control along a second axis. |
| US08457765B2 |
Ear clip with pole
An ear clip electrode used to conduct a minute amount of electricity from a stimulator to the ear lobes of a patient. The ear clip electrode is provided with an inner and outer plastic piece onto which separate metallic plates are placed. Both the metallic plate as well as the plastic pieces are provided with a circular end onto which a metallic pole is placed. Electrode pads are placed upon these metallic poles and electricity is conducted from each of the plates to the electrode pad and then to the patient's ear lobe. A plastic shroud is placed over a substantial length of each of the metallic plates. Plastic material also covers the end surface of each of the metallic poles. The ear clip electrode is connected to a source of minute electrical energy. |
| US08457762B2 |
Electrode bundle
An electrode bundle for implantation in soft tissue comprises two or more electrodes aligned in parallel. Each electrode comprises an electrode element, an anchoring element joined to the electrode element at a portion intermediate between the front end and the rear end thereof and a means bundling the electrodes disposed between the anchoring element and the rear end. The anchoring element forms an angle α from 0° to 6° with the electrode element and extends in the direction of the rear end thereof. Also disclosed is a stack of electrode bundles, methods for insertion of the bundle and the stack into soft tissue, and their uses. |
| US08457761B2 |
System and method for promoting diuresis and natriuresis by the application of electric fields to the kidney
A system and method of applying an electric field to the kidney of a subject can reduce renal salt and water retention through the process of electrophoresis. The system includes a first and a second electrode, at least of which is implantably associated with the kidney. The electric field can be controlled to affect the removal of a first constituent (e.g. sodium) from the kidney while the level of a second constituent (e.g. potassium) is maintained within normal physiological range. |
| US08457759B2 |
Systems and methods for adjusting electrical therapy based on impedance changes
System and methods for adjusting electrical therapy based on impedance changes are disclosed herein. A method in accordance with a particular embodiment includes applying a therapeutic electrical signal to a patient via an implanted portion of a patient stimulation system that includes a signal delivery device in electrical communication with a target neural population of the patient. The electrical signal is delivered in accordance with a signal delivery parameter having a first value. Using the implanted portion of the patient stimulation system, a change in an impedance of an electrical circuit that includes the signal delivery device is detected. Based at least in part on the detected impedance change, the method can further include automatically adjusting the value of the signal delivery parameter from the first value to a second value different from the first, without human intervention. |
| US08457758B2 |
Alignment indication for transcutaneous energy transfer
System for transcutaneous energy transfer. An implantable medical device, adapted to be implanted in a patient, has componentry for providing a therapeutic output. The implantable medical device has an internal power source and a secondary coil operatively coupled to the internal power source. An external power source, having a primary coil, provides energy to the implantable medical device when the primary coil of the external power source is placed in proximity of the secondary coil of the implantable medical device and thereby generates a current in the internal power source. An alignment indicator reports the alignment as a function of the current generated in the internal power source with a predetermined value associated with an expected alignment between the primary coil and secondary coil. |
| US08457757B2 |
Implantable transponder systems and methods
A method and system for providing electrical stimulation to tissue includes implanting one or more battery-free microtransponders having spiral antennas into tissue. Energy is provided wirelessly to the plurality of microtransponders. Tissue is stimulated using the energy. |
| US08457756B2 |
Using the case of an implantable medical device to broaden communication bandwidth
An improved implantable pulse generator (IPG) containing improved telemetry circuitry is disclosed. The IPG includes a telemetry coil within the conductive IPG case, not in the non-conductive header as is typical, which simplifies IPG design. The improved resonant circuit of which the coil is a part does not include a discrete tuning resistor with the coil, which tuning resistor was traditionally used to increase communication bandwidth of the coil to render it suitable for FSK telemetry. In lieu of the tuning resistor, the coil is intentionally inductively coupled to the case by positioning the coil a certain distance away from the case. Such coupling decreases the effective inductance and increases the effective series resistance in the improved resonant circuit, both of which increase the communication bandwidth. As such, suitable FSK telemetry can be achieved, even though the improved resonant circuit without the case would not on its own have suitable bandwidth. |
| US08457753B2 |
Neural stimulation for increased contrast
The present invention is a method of improving the contrast of electrical neural stimulation and expanding the dynamic range for brightness, and specifically a method of improving the contrast of an image supplied to the retina, or visual cortex, through a visual prosthesis. The background brightness for a blind subject is often not perfectly black, but a dark gray or brown. When stimulating visual neurons in the retina, low current stimulation tends to create a dark percept, the perception of a phosphene darker than the background brightness level perceived in the un-stimulated state. The human retina contains neurons that signal light increments (“on” cells) and neurons that signal light decrements (“off” cells). In a healthy retina, the on cells tend to fire in response to an increase in light above the background level, while the off cells tend to fire in response to a decrease in light below the background level. |
| US08457751B2 |
Device for treating skin ageing
A device for carrying out a cosmetic method or treating skin ageing and the method comprising the following steps: a) connecting an electronic device, able to generate high frequency electric current waves having a distorted sinusoidal wave form by the presence of harmonics, to one or more electrodes of essentially laminar shape; b) applying said one or more electrodes on the skin surface in the area to be treated; c) activating said electronic device in order to transfer said current waves to said one or more electrodes and to maintain said device activated for a predetermined time; d) deactivating said device and removing the electrodes from the contact with the treated area. |
| US08457746B2 |
Implantable systems and devices for providing cardiac defibrillation and apnea therapy
An aspect relates to a system for providing baroreflex stimulation. An embodiment of the system comprises a cardiac activity monitor to sense cardiac activity and provide a signal indicative of the cardiac activity, and a baroreflex stimulator. The stimulator includes a pulse generator and a modulator. The pulse generator provides a baroreflex stimulation signal adapted to provide a baroreflex therapy. The modulator receives the signal indicative of the cardiac activity and modulates the baroreflex stimulation signal based on the signal indicative of the cardiac activity to change the baroreflex therapy from a first baroreflex therapy to a second baroreflex therapy. |
| US08457745B1 |
Method, system and apparatus for control of pancreatic beta cell function to improve glucose homeostatis and insulin production
A therapeutic waveform for neurophysiologic treatment of conditions associated with function of ionic channels of beta cells of the pancreas includes a positive part having a pulse width of 40 to 60 milliseconds having a positively pointing segment, and includes a negative part dropping sharply negatively following the positive part. The negative drop is 75 to 90 percent of the peak-to-peak voltage of the waveform at about 10 to 100 volts AC. A negative spike-like first aspect of the negative part exhibits a pulse width of 40 to 60 milliseconds but afterwards gradually approaches a neutral voltage level of the waveform. The first aspect of the negative part of the waveform is followed by a second aspect which more slowly approaches the neutral level over a period of 100 to 200 milliseconds, before the next waveform. The current of the waveform is 300 to 1000 micro-amperes. |
| US08457744B2 |
Low-profile implantable medical device
Components of an implantable medical device are arranged to facilitate a low-profile housing. A circuit board within the housing carries integrated circuits and discrete components. In some embodiments, the integrated circuits and discrete components are located on first and second opposing surfaces of the circuit board, respectively. In some embodiments, the implantable medical device is implanted on a cranium of a patient and the housing is concave such that it substantially conforms to the cranium. In such embodiments, the integrated circuits and/or discrete components can be arranged on the circuit board according to height to better conform to the concavity of the housing. In some embodiments, the implantable medical device includes a telemetry coil that is positioned within the housing such that it occupies space that cannot be practically occupied by the circuit board. |
| US08457741B2 |
Estimation of dedicated bipolar pacing vector threshold
Methods and devices are described that allow estimation of an electrostimulation capture threshold, such as a dedicated bipolar pacing vector threshold. In an example, an equal-energy assumption between first and second pacing vectors can be used to estimate an electrostimulation capture threshold of a second pacing vector from a measured electrostimulation capture threshold of the first pacing vector and impedances of the first and second pacing vectors. In an example, a relationship between first and second pacing vectors can be determined from measured data, and a parameter of the relationship can be used with a measurement of an electrostimulation capture threshold of the first pacing vector to estimate an electrostimulation capture threshold of the second pacing vector. |
| US08457740B2 |
Device for determining an aftercare appointment for the supply of an implantable medical device
The invention relates to a service unit (30) having an interface (54) for receiving data from a personal medical device, an analysis unit (52) connected to the interface (54) for analyzing data received from the personal medical device (10), and an aftercare appointment determination unit (54) for determining a particular next aftercare appointment at least on the basis of data received from a particular personal medical device (10). |
| US08457739B2 |
Automatic enabling of post long pause overdrive pacing
A method and apparatus for controlling an atrial overdrive pacing therapy include detecting an atrial arrhythmia episode and determining if the atrial arrhythmia episode is an early recurring episode. Delivery of the atrial overdrive pacing therapy is enabled in response to the early recurring episode and commences upon detection of an atrial arrhythmia episode or a long pause. |
| US08457737B2 |
Apparatus and method for identifying atrial arrhythmia by far-field sensing
In a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter/defibrillator, cardiac arrhythmias are detected to determine necessary therapeutic action. Cardiac signal information is sensed from far field electrodes implanted in a patient. The sensed cardiac signal information is then amplified and filtered. Parameters such as rate, QRS pulse width, cardiac QRS slew rate, amplitude and stability measures of these parameters from the filtered cardiac signal information are measured, processed and integrated to determine if the cardioverter/defibrillator needs to initiate therapeutic action. |
| US08457736B2 |
Anti-tachyarrhythmia system with unified atrial tachyarrhythmia rate threshold
A cardiac rhythm management (CRM) system includes an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) and an external system. The ICD includes a plurality of functional modules performing tachyarrhythmia classification and therapy control functions using atrial tachyarrhythmia rate thresholds that are set to a unified value. In one embodiment, the CRM system allows a user to activate and deactivate each of the functional modules and program the unified value using the external system. |
| US08457734B2 |
System and method for neural stimulation
Various aspects provide an implantable device. In various embodiments, the device comprises at least one port, where each port is adapted to connect a lead with an electrode to the device. The device further includes a stimulation platform, including a sensing circuit connected to the at least one port to sense an intrinsic cardiac signal and a stimulation circuit connected to the at least one port via a stimulation channel to deliver a stimulation signal through the stimulation channel to the electrode. The stimulation circuit is adapted to deliver stimulation signals through the stimulation channel for both neural stimulation therapy and CRM therapy. The sensing and stimulation circuits are adapted to perform CRM functions. The device further includes a controller connected to the sensing circuit and the stimulation circuit to control the neural stimulation therapy and the CRM therapy. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein. |
| US08457733B2 |
Monitoring and controlling hydrocephalus
Systems and methods for monitoring cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) based on electrical impedance measurements are disclosed. The systems can include an excitation source of alternating current (202), at least two sensor electrodes (212,214) adapted for disposition within CSF in a ventricle of a subject's brain, and an impedance measuring device (204) electrically connected to the sensor electrodes (212,214) to measure impedance of CSF. Methods for controlling hydrocephalus are also disclosed and such methods can include the steps of disposing an impedance sensor (902) within CSF in a ventricle of a subject's brain, measuring impedance of the CSF with the sensor (902), and withdrawing CSF when the impedance measurement is less than a threshold value. |
| US08457732B2 |
Biometric apparatus
The invention provides a biometric apparatus having a display which allows a measured person to recognize biometric data easily and reliably irrespective of whether the measured person is on a platform or not. The biometric apparatus for measuring biometric data of the measured person includes the platform on which the measured person gets on, a sensor unit for acquiring the biometric data of the measured person; a display for displaying the biometric data acquired by the sensor unit; and a control unit for determining whether the measured person is on the platform or not on the basis of a signal from the sensor unit and changes the display mode to display the biometric data on the display according to the determination thereof. |
| US08457728B2 |
Automatic detection of premature ventricular complexes for heart rate turbulence measurements
A medical device system and method for monitoring a cardiac signal in a patient senses ventricular R-waves and computes a morphology metric of an R-wave and a corresponding preceding morphology metric of a preceding R-wave. One of a difference and a ratio of the R-wave morphology metric and the preceding R-wave morphology metric is compared to an established detection threshold for discriminating premature ventricular contractions from premature atrial contractions. A cardiac signal measurement is computed from the sensed R-waves in response to detecting a premature ventricular comparison based on the comparison. |
| US08457725B1 |
Alarm testing and backup for implanted medical devices with vibration alerts
An implanted device which includes a vibrator having a drive motor and a drive circuit. An accelerometer is connected to the vibrator and senses alarm test data related to the displacement of the vibrator. A power source provides electricity to the implanted device and a processor is configured for bi-directional wireless communication. The processor is configured for receiving a command from an external device for performance of an alarm test and the processor analyzes the alarm test data for generating test results. |
| US08457724B2 |
System for heart performance characterization and abnormality detection
A system for heart performance characterization and abnormality detection, includes an acquisition device for acquiring an electrophysiological signal representing a heart beat cycle of a patient heart. A detector detects multiple parameters of the electrophysiological signal comprising at least one of, (a) amplitude, (b) time duration, (c) frequency and (d) time-frequency, representative parameters. A signal analyzer calculates at least one ratio of the detected parameters from ratios including, (i) ratio of T wave amplitude to P wave amplitude, (ii) ratio of time duration of ST wave to time duration of PR wave, (iii) ratio of a frequency of a PR wave to a frequency of a RT wave and (iv) ratio of a time-frequency measure of a PR wave to a time-frequency measure of a RT wave. A comparator determines whether a calculated ratio exceeds a predetermined upper limit threshold or a predetermined lower limit threshold. An output processor generates data representing an alert message in response to the calculated ratio exceeding a predetermined threshold. |
| US08457721B2 |
Apparatus and method for cardiac ablation
Cardiac mapping and ablation include a multi-electrode catheter introduced percutaneously into a subject's heart and deployable adjacent to various endocardial sites. The electrodes are connectable to a mapping unit, an ablation power unit a pacing unit, all of which are under computer control. Intracardiac electrogram signals emanated from a tachycardia site of origin are detectable by the electrodes. Their arrival times are processed to generate various visual maps to provide real-time guidance for steering the catheter to the tachycardia site of origin. In another aspect, the system also includes a physical imaging system which is capable of providing different imaged physical views of the catheter and the heart. These physical views are incorporated into the various visual maps to provide a more physical representation. Once the electrodes are on top of the tachycardia site of origin, electrical energy is supplied by the ablation power unit to effect ablation. |
| US08457712B2 |
Multi-mode medical device system and methods of manufacturing and using same
A multi-mode medical device system and method of performing an interventional procedure. The multi-mode medical device system can be capable of MR internal imaging and of being tracked using an MRI system. The multi-mode medical device system can include a medical device, and an electrical circuit coupled to the medical device and electrically coupled to the MRI system. The electrical circuit can include a tracking device configured to transmit a signal to the MRI system indicative of the position of the tracking device relative to a roadmap image, and an imaging device electrically coupled to the tracking device and configured to internally image anatomical structures from the point of view of the medical device. The imaging device can be further configured to be visualized using MR imaging. Tracking the tracking device and internally imaging with the imaging device can be performed in a single pass of the multi-mode medical device system. |
| US08457708B2 |
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. |
| US08457707B2 |
Congenital heart disease monitor
A congenital heart disease monitor utilizes a sensor capable of emitting multiple wavelengths of optical radiation into a tissue site and detecting the optical radiation after attenuation by pulsatile blood flowing within the tissue site. A patient monitor is capable of receiving a sensor signal corresponding to the detected optical radiation and calculating at least one physiological parameter in response. The physiological parameter is measured at a baseline site and a comparison site and a difference in these measurements is calculated. A potential congenital heart disease condition in indicated according to the measured physiological parameter at each of the sites or the calculated difference in the measured physiological parameter between the sites or both. |
| US08457706B2 |
Estimation of a physiological parameter using a neural network
A neural network is used to combine one or more estimates of a physiologic parameter with one or more associated signal quality metrics, creating a more accurate estimate of said physiologic parameter, as well as a second estimate of the accuracy of said physiologic parameter estimate. |
| US08457699B2 |
Mobile wireless communications device having an antenna assembly with corner coupled rectangular base conductor portions and related methods
A mobile wireless communications device may include a portable housing, a substrate carried by the portable housing, and wireless communications circuitry carried by the substrate. The mobile wireless communications device may also include at least one an antenna assembly carried by the substrate and coupled to the wireless communications circuitry. The at least one antenna assembly may include an electrically conductive base conductor having a first rectangular base portion and a second rectangular base portion offset therefrom. The first and second base portions may be coupled at respective diagonally opposing corners thereof and having an antenna feed defined along an outer portion of one of the first and second rectangular base portions. The at least one antenna assembly may include at least one electrically conductive arm extending along at least one side of one of the first and second rectangular base portions and spaced apart therefrom. |
| US08457698B2 |
Antenna array for supporting multiple beam architectures
The present invention relates to an antenna array for supporting multiple beam architectures. For example, a transceiver may include an antenna array. The antenna array includes a plurality of antenna elements, where the plurality of antenna elements is configured to support at least two beam architectures in a cell site. Each beam architecture is associated with a different configuration of sectors and beamforming signals. According to one embodiment, each beam architecture is associated with a different wireless standard. According to another embodiment, each beam architecture is associated with a different carrier within one wireless standard. The antenna elements may be arranged as a circular array. |
| US08457694B2 |
Side key flexible circuit board for mobile telecommunication terminal
The present invention relates to an apparatus for supporting a function key of a mobile communication terminal. The apparatus includes a flexible printed circuit for electrically connecting a plurality of function keys to the mobile communication terminal, wherein the flexible printed circuit is conformable to a shape of a mounting space the plurality of function keys are mounted in, and a plurality of supporting members, wherein each supporting member corresponds to at least one of the plurality of function keys for supporting the at least one of the plurality of function keys within the mounting space, wherein the flexible printed circuit connects the plurality of supporting members to each other by attaching to a surface of the supporting members. |
| US08457692B2 |
Method and system for preventing device operation when driving
A method and system are presented for restricting the use of a portable electronic device by a driver who is operating a vehicle. A body area network (BAN) signal is sent from a vehicle device in the vehicle in close proximity to the driver. The BAN signal is transmitted using the driver's biological body as a signal transmission path. The portable electronic device includes a receiver configured to detect the BAN signal when the device is in close proximity to the driver. The portable electronic device is further configured to disable or restrict at least one function in response to detection of the BAN signal, thereby preventing or restricting use of the portable electronic device when the driver is seated in and operating the vehicle. |
| US08457691B2 |
Scrollable computing device display
The display of a scrollable list of items is described. In one disclosed embodiment, a list of items may be displayed on a scrollable computing device display in such a manner that, upon receiving an input requesting movement of a select indicator to a different list item, the select indicator is moved on the display toward the different list item and the list is scrolled on the display in an opposing direction. |
| US08457689B2 |
Handheld electronic device with dedicated standby key
A handheld electronic device comprises a dedicated standby key for initiating a standby mode in the handheld electronic device. The handheld electronic device further comprises means for disabling at least a portion of a keyboard and any navigation actuator of the handheld electronic device upon entry into the standby mode. The dedicated standby key is embedded along a first edge of the handheld electronic device. |
| US08457687B2 |
Radio communication device, radio communication system, method for radio communication and program thereof
A radio communication device according to an exemplary aspect of the present invention which communicates in a form of multi data streams can reduce antennas which become useless in communication with a radio communication device which communicates in a form of one data stream, and can improve transmission characteristic in communication with a radio communication device which communicates in the form of one data stream. Therefore, an antenna which is not used is used for selective diversity receiving. Moreover, an antenna which is not used is moved near an antenna which is used for communication, to keep a transmission state stable. |
| US08457684B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining the location of a femtocell
A system and method of determining the geographical location of a femtocell (640A) of an asynchronous cellular wireless communication system (600) are provided. Timing data is obtained from communication signals received by a first group of mobile communication units (450) from a femtocell (640A), and from at least two macro cells (410A, 420A, 670A). A difference (D12) in path distance from two macro cells to the femtocell (640A) is estimated using the timing data. A correction is made to remove timing offsets of the base stations of the macro cells. This provides an estimate of the geographical location of the femtocell (640A), when combined with either a similar estimate derived from signals received from a third macrocell, or an estimate derived from signal propagation data. |
| US08457680B1 |
High-accuracy transmit power control with high-efficiency operation amplifier operation
A method in a transmitter including a transmission chain and a Power Amplifier (PA), includes storing calibration data relating a plurality of specified output power levels of the transmitter to respective PA control voltages for application to the PA and respective gain levels for application to the transmission chain that cause the transmitter to output signals at the specified output power levels. A target output power level is specified, and an actual control voltage is applied to the PA. The actual control voltage is derived from a specified target control voltage depending on the target output power. A modified gain level which, when applied to the transmission chain while the PA is controlled with the actual control voltage, causes the transmitter to output the signals at the target output power level, is computed based on the calibration data. The modified gain level is applied to the transmission chain. |
| US08457678B2 |
Transmission power range setting during channel assignment for interference balancing in a cellular wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a method for balancing the distribution of interference between radio cells in a wireless communication system comprising cells in which subcarrier blocks are used for communication. A number of adjacent cells build a cell cluster. Moreover, the present invention relates to a corresponding method adapted for use in a system in which multi beam antennas or multiple antennas are used. Furthermore, the present invention relates to base stations performing the above method as well as a communication system comprising the base stations. To reduce the large average SIR variations without causing additional SIR estimation, measurement and calculation problem as introduced with power control the invention suggests to group subcarrier blocks into a plurality of subcarrier block sets in each cell of a cell cluster, to determine transmission power ranges for each of the cells of said cell cluster, and to assign transmission power ranges to the subcarrier block sets to perform TPC within the ranges. |
| US08457677B2 |
Transmission power control of mobile station
A transmission power control device is able to capture the serving sector measurement information of a mobile station with respect to a serving sector and the neighboring sector measurement information of the mobile station with respect to a neighboring sector. The transmission power control device selects a power control mode based on a decision as to whether or not the neighboring sector measurement information has been captured in an applied time in the past. The power level of a mobile station is determined based on the selected power control mode. Thus, it is possible to reduce inter-cell interference and inter-sector interference because the power level of a mobile station is determined in light of communication environments, even though the mobile station is connected with a base station in an LTE-based communication system which cannot always detect the neighboring sector measurement information. |
| US08457676B2 |
Power headroom reporting method
A method, user equipment, network device, and software product enable a user equipment to determine that at least one of several triggering criterion have been met, in which case the user equipment provides a power control headroom report on an uplink from the user equipment. The triggering criterion includes a threshold having been reached, and the threshold is adjustable via a signal to the user equipment from a base station (such as an eNodeB). |
| US08457674B2 |
Architecture, protocols and frame formats for wireless multi-hop relay networks
Methods, protocols and systems for communicating in a multi-hop wireless mesh network may include explicitly providing information relating to backhaul wireless link qualities in multi-hop wireless mesh network to next generation subscriber stations in a first mode. In a second mode, embodiments are configured to implicitly provide indicia of multi-hop wireless link qualities to legacy subscriber stations by adjusting a transmit power of frames sent to the legacy subscriber stations. Other embodiments and variations are described in the detailed description. |
| US08457673B2 |
Method and apparatus for radio frequency fingerprint distribution
A method and apparatus for radio frequency (RF) fingerprint distribution is provided herein. In particular, when a mobile node wishes to access a restricted-access base station, the mobile node will access a database containing RF fingerprint identification information for the RF environment surrounding the restricted-access base station. When the RF environment matches the RF fingerprint, the mobile node will know that it can access the restricted-access base station. |
| US08457665B2 |
Interactive short messaging service
In a system and method of session based short message service (SMS) communications, unallocated tokens that are freely assignable are stored. A first unallocated token is assigned to a first message dispatched from a first application. A reply to the first message is routed to the first application utilizing the first token assigned thereto. A second unallocated token is assigned to a second message dispatched from the first application. A reply to the second message is routed to the first application utilizing the second token assigned thereto. |
| US08457662B2 |
System and method for providing user names for network addresses
Methods and systems for providing user names for network addresses in messages such as SMS, MMS and EMS are disclosed. A data base is provided for storage in a mobile device that associates a user name with at least a portion of a network address. A system is provided for a mobile device that converts the network address transmitted with the message into a user name and displays the message with the user name. |
| US08457661B2 |
Methods and systems for transmitting video messages to mobile communication devices
Methods and systems for managing messaging are described. An illustrative messaging system includes a processor and a content database storing video content and/or other content, and a user database that stores an identifier corresponding to a telecommunications carrier associated with a user mobile phone, and an indicator indicating the messaging capability of the mobile phone of the user. Code is stored in memory that is configured to provide for display on a terminal a form via which a user can view a plurality of videos from the content database, select a video to be sent as a message, and specify a recipient for the video message. The system is optionally configured to initiate the transmission of an approval request message to a terminal, such as a mobile phone associated with the user, wherein the user can approve the sending of the video message to the recipient by taking an action in response to the approval request. |
| US08457658B2 |
Mobile terminal and method of transferring or receiving data using the same
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal which transfers or receives data, including location information, in various ways, and a method of transferring or receiving data using the same. |
| US08457655B2 |
Hybrid time of arrival based positioning system
A hybrid TOA positioning system can be implemented to improve location estimation of a wireless network device. An initial location of the wireless network device can be calculated based on locations of a plurality of reference network devices. A first intermediate location of the wireless network device and an intermediate distance calibration constant can be determined based, at least in part, on the initial location of the wireless network device and distance between the wireless network device and each of the reference network devices. A second intermediate location of the wireless network device and a target distance calibration constant can be calculated based on the locations of the reference network devices, the first intermediate location, and/or the intermediate distance calibration constant. The location of the wireless network device can be iteratively estimated based, at least in part, on the second intermediate location and the target distance calibration constant. |
| US08457654B1 |
Directional feedback
This disclosure is directed to providing directional feedback to a user. For example, this disclosure describes techniques for determining at least one characteristic of a device in space. For example, a device may be configured to determine, using one or more sensors, one or more characteristics of the device in space. For example, the device may be configured to determine one or more of a direction, and/or geographical position of the device as pointed by a user in space. The device may compare one or more of the determined one or more characteristics of the device in space to a desired destination or path specified by the user, and provide the user with directional feedback if the determined one or more characteristics of the device in space are consistent with the desired destination or path. |
| US08457652B2 |
Device, method, and system for receiving content on a mobile computing device
A mobile computing device, comprising processing components, memory components, a wireless receiver/transmitter, and an agent stored in the memory components. The agent is adapted to determine a pattern in data received and requested by the mobile computing device, determine a pattern in a location of the mobile computing device, and request to receive data based on (i) the pattern in the data received and requested by the mobile computing device, and (ii) the pattern in the location of the mobile computing device. |
| US08457651B2 |
Device movement user interface gestures for file sharing functionality
Methods and devices provide a gesture activated file sharing functionality enabling users to share files with other nearby computing devices. The file sharing functionality may include establishing wireless links with nearby devices and determine their relative locations. The computing device may detect a file sharing motion of the computing device from accelerometers and transmit files to or request files from a nearby device in response. Base on motion parameters, e.g., direction, speed and/or shape, the computing device may identify a targeted device to which a file may be transmitted or from which a file may be requested. The computing device may request user verification of the identified device and send a request to transmit files to the targeted device. The computing devices may transmit files using networks and addresses provided over the device-to-device communication links. |
| US08457650B2 |
Portable communication terminal
A portable telephone has a positional information system unit employed to use a positional information system function for acquiring positional information, and a communication unit for transmitting/receiving the positional information to/from another terminal. The portable telephone has an address book function capable of registering telephone numbers into a storage unit by an input operation; and a control unit which operates in a manner that when a telephone communication is received, in the case that a telephone number is not notified from a telephone of a caller, or a telephone number notified from a telephone of a caller does not correspond to a telephone number registered in the storage unit, even if a signal for requesting the positional information from the telephone of the caller is received during the telephone communication, the control unit does not send the positional information. |
| US08457648B2 |
Facilitating efficient multimedia broadcase/multicast service in a telecommunication system
A radio access network facilitates transmission of a Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) to user equipments in plural cells served by a radio base station. A radio network controller includes in a first message of a transport channel setup request either an indication that transport sharing is allowed or an identification of a common transport bearer. The radio base station configures a new transport channel mapped to the common transport bearer such that it is stable with respect to other common transport channels. During operation, the radio network controller provides the MBMS data over the common transport bearer and the radio base station retransmits the MBMS data over the common transport channels to the plural cells. If the MBMS data over the common transport bearer arrives outside of time-of-arrival windows of any common transport bearer, then the radio network controller adjusts the transmission accordingly. |
| US08457647B2 |
Selection of transmit mode during a random access procedure
The invention discloses a method (400) for use in a first node (110) in a wireless access communication system (100). According to the method, the first node controls (405) traffic to and from users, UEs (120), within a certain area in the system, a cell, and the first node is equipped (410) with a plurality of transmit antennas (111,113). The first node can employ (415) a variety of multi antenna transmit modes for down link transmissions, i.e. transmissions to the UEs, and the first node can carry (420) out a so called Random Access (RA) procedure with UEs which do not have a dedicated up link resource, i.e. a resource to the eNodeB. According to the method, one and the same down link multi antenna transmit mode is used by the first node during the RA procedure. |
| US08457646B2 |
Apparatus and method for dynamic resource exchange in cognitive radio (CR) based communication system
A base station includes an apparatus and a method for exchanging frequency channel resources between base stations in a Cognitive Radio (CR) based communication system. A requesting Base Station (BS), which requests channel exchange a neighboring BS, receives a channel advertisement message from a neighboring BS and sends a channel exchange request message to the neighboring BS. The channel exchange request message includes at least one of a neighbor BS Identifier (ID), a requesting BS ID, channel information for the channel exchange at the requesting BS, and channel information exchangeable at the neighboring BS. The requesting BS receives a channel exchange response message from the neighboring BS in response to the channel exchange request message, determines whether to execute a channel exchange process to the neighboring BS based on information in the received channel exchange response message, and sends a channel exchange reply message indicative of the determination result. |
| US08457642B2 |
Determining a coordinating set of cells for multipoint reception of uplink transmission from a mobile terminal
Methods and apparatus are provided for determining a set of cooperating cells for a mobile terminal in a mobile communication network for CoMP transmission or reception. A cell map is stored in memory of serving base station. The cell map associates one or more coordinating areas within the serving cell with corresponding sets of neighboring cells. To determine the set of cooperating cells for a given mobile terminal within a serving cell, the serving base station determines the current location of the mobile terminal. The current location of the mobile terminal is compared to the cell map stored in memory to determine the coordinating set for the mobile terminal. |
| US08457639B2 |
System and method for providing intelligent cell reselection for delay sensitive data applications
A mobile station for receiving delay-sensitive data from a wireless communications network is provided with a data buffer and cell reselection controller. The data buffer receives data from the network and stores the data for communication to a delay-sensitive data application. The cell reselection controller selectively inhibits cell reselection in order to meet requirements of the delay-sensitive data application. By intelligently controlling cell reselection, delay sensitive data may be received in a more reliable fashion, thereby increasing performance of the data application. |
| US08457625B2 |
Mobile communication system, base station, transmission power control method, and program
A mobile communication system including base stations, wherein each base station includes: a report unit which exchanges a current target value of communication quality for a mobile station with other base stations; a comparison unit which compares a current target value of a current station with target values of the other base stations; and a management unit which changes the current target value based on the comparison result of the comparison unit. |
| US08457624B2 |
Radio link timeout procedure for call re-establishment
A radio link timeout procedure for call re-establishment is provided. A mobile station receives signals over a wireless link, determines whether there is a potential call re-establishment as defined by at least one condition, and decides whether radio link failure has occurred on the basis of the signals received over the wireless link such that while there is a potential for call re-establishment as defined by the at least one condition, a decision that a radio link failure has occurred is made earlier than if there is no potential for call re-establishment. |
| US08457623B2 |
Apparatus, method and system for device management of mobile communication terminal
An apparatus, method and system for device management of a mobile communication terminal are provided. Various errors which may occur in the mobile communication terminal are monitored by the mobile communication terminal and are corrected remotely. In the method, the mobile communication terminal receives DiagMon policies from a DM server and stores the DiagMon policies in real-time in which the DiagMon policies are constructed in response to various errors. The mobile communication terminal monitors then the status of the mobile communication terminal according to periods set in the DiagMon policies. When a trouble is detected to occur, the mobile communication terminal collects detailed information related to the occurred trouble and transmits the detailed information to the DM server. The mobile communication terminal receives DiagMon correction information capable of correcting the occurred trouble from the DM server and corrects the trouble, and therefore normalizes the terminal. |
| US08457615B2 |
Method and apparatus of supporting wireless femtocell communications
A method and apparatus of routing a call in a femtocell network are disclosed. In one example call routing method, a call is originated from the mobile station via a femtocell access point and the call is transmitted to a femtocell gateway, a mobile switching center and a carrier gateway server and onto an enterprise gateway server to obtain policy information. A routing policy is determined based on the obtained policy information and the call is routed to its destination based on the routing policy. The call may be routed via local media from a femtocell access point directly to the enterprise gateway server. The call routing procedures may implement the Iuh protocol and/or the session initiation protocol (SIP) for call signaling in the femtocell network. Call routing may be performed in a wireless cellular communications network or an enterprise network environment. |
| US08457607B2 |
System for targeting advertising content to a plurality of mobile communication facilities
A system for targeting advertising content includes the steps of: (a) receiving respective requests for advertising content corresponding to a plurality of mobile communication facilities operated by a group of users, wherein the plurality includes first and second types of mobile communication facilities with different rendering capabilities; (b) receiving a datum corresponding to the group; (c) selecting from a first and second sponsor respective content based on a relevancy to the datum, wherein each content includes a first and second item requiring respective rendering capabilities; (d) receiving bids from the first and second sponsors; (e) attributing a priority to the content of the first sponsor based upon a determination that a yield associated with the first sponsor is greater than a yield associated with the second sponsor; and (f) transmitting the first and second items of the first sponsor to the first and second types of mobile communication facilities respectively. |
| US08457606B2 |
Method and system for multi-network telephone calling
Methods and systems are provided to connect telephone calls, such as international phone calls, using data and telephone networks of a mobile communication device such as a cellular phone. A routing engine determines from the available communications interfaces (e.g., a cellular voice interface, a cellular data interface, and non-cellular data interfaces such as WiFi and WiMax) and from a set of user preferences what type of routing should be used for an outbound call. For example, call routing can be performed using VoIP calls over non-cellular networks, VoIP calls over cellular data networks, voice calls using substitute number termination, voice calls using calling card routing, voice calls using bridge-based calling and conventional cellular voice calls. |
| US08457605B2 |
Method for gender identification of a cell-phone subscriber
The invention relates to a method for gender identification of a cell-phone subscriber. There are two main steps: constructing a general model of female and male calling behaviour from a set of variables obtained for each subscriber; and classifying an individual calling behaviour of a subscriber comparing it with the general model. The method includes the step of constructing the general model comprises obtaining a set of data, that may be obtained from calling detail records, that are saved at a database every time a subscriber makes or receives a phone call; computing a set of variables using a set of instances from subscribers who their gender is already known; and applying an algorithm which generates groups labelled as male or female behaviour. Finally, in the step of classifying, the gender of the subscriber is identified by assigning to the subscriber the label of the closest group. |
| US08457602B2 |
Hybrid communications mailbox
Hybrid communications voicemail systems and methods are disclosed. A wireline telephone number may be operatively associated with a wireless telephone voicemail box such that calls placed to the wireline telephone number and subsequently routed to voicemail may be routed to the wireless telephone voicemail box. Thus, the user of both wireline and wireless telephones may check voicemail messages at a single wireless voicemail box. Parents or supervisors may check voicemail messages or converted text messages deposited for children or employees at the single wireless voicemail box. A wireless telephone user may allow calls to be routed to his/her wireless telephone from his/her wireline telephone if he/she cannot be reached at the wireline telephone or as designated by the user. |
| US08457600B2 |
Electronic device and method for validating contact identification
An electronic device sets an identifier for each contact stored in a phone book, automatically creates a short message which contains the identifier according to a preset message template, and sends the short message to a phone number of the contact to inform the contact of the identifier. In response to receiving a call from a contact, the device prompts the contact to input an identifier, and detects if one or more push-button signals have been received from the contact by a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) decoder. If no push-button signal has been received, the device determines the contact fails validation. Otherwise, the DTMF decoder decodes the received one or more push-button signals to determine data information input by the contact, and then the device determines if the contact passes the validation by determining the data information matches an identifier of the contact that is stored in the phone book. |
| US08457599B2 |
Apparatus and method for establishing a data connection between a remote station and a wireless network
Disclosed is a method for establishing a data connection for a remote station. In the method, a wireless network capable of establishing a data connection is found. Based on determining that the remote station is a non-subscribing remote station that does not have an existing subscription relationship that supports establishment of a data connection using the wireless network, an initial connection identity (ICI) value is sent to the wireless network, wherein the ICI value includes a characteristic associated with a non-subscribing remote station. An authentication inquiry is received from the wireless network in response to the sent. ICI value. A response value, responsive to the authentication inquiry, is generated in accordance with pseudo-authentication information associated with the ICI value. The response value is sent to the wireless network for allowing establishment of a data connection between the remote station and the wireless network. |
| US08457593B2 |
Information processing device, communication system, and billing method for wireless terminal device
An information processing device includes: a detecting unit configure to detect, with regard to a plurality of wireless terminal devices sharing a usage right of subscription authentication information relating to a mobile network operator which provides wireless connection services, transfer of the usage right among the wireless terminal devices; and a calculating unit configured to, in the event that transfer of the usage right is detected, calculate fees relating to the subscription authentication information occurring after the transfer, based on billing information set for the wireless terminal device to which the usage right has been transferred. |
| US08457591B2 |
Method and apparatus for reserving resources for emergency services in a wireless communication system
A method and apparatus for determining a scope of priority service in a communication system in an emergency event is described. The method includes: at a network device in the communication system: receiving at least one emergency call; determining at least one parameter associated with the at least one emergency call; determining a scope of a priority service in the communication system based on the determined at least one parameter; and reserving resources in the communication system based on the determined scope of priority service. |
| US08457590B2 |
Emergency information prompt report system
A monitoring center notifies emergency broadcast request information specifying its broadcast area to a prescribed emergency broadcast processing apparatus when any sensor detects an abnormality and determines that an emergency broadcast is needed. When acquiring the emergency broadcast request information transmitted from a plurality of monitoring centers, the processing apparatus grasps contents specified in the request information to notify information necessary for the emergency broadcast to a broadcast station covering an objective area. When a request instruction for the emergency broadcast is issued, the broadcast station arranges contents of emergency information in free areas in a broadcast format, arranges control information to start receivers in the objective area and also automatically select a channel at a defined position in the broadcast format to create an emergency broadcast signal and multiplexes it with a normal broadcast signal to broadcast it. |
| US08457584B2 |
Systems and methods to attenuate intermodulation interference
The present invention is directed to systems and method for attenuating intermodulation interference. In particular, methods and systems to attenuate intermodulation interference contained within an aggregate signal having a transmitted signal that was transmitted over a communications channel having channel effects that produce the intermodulation interference are provided. The communications channel may be a cable television distribution network and the signal may be a cable television signal. A method is provided to predict when intermodulation interference will be large, so that actions within a receiver can be taken to reduce the impact of the interference and improve overall receiver performance. |
| US08457581B2 |
Method and system for receiving I and Q RF signals without a phase shifter utilizing a leaky wave antenna
Methods and systems for receiving in-phase and quadrature (I and Q) radio frequency (RF) signals without a phase shifter utilizing a leaky wave antenna are disclosed and may include generating in-phase and quadrature signals using a leaky wave antenna coupled to one or more low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) on a chip and without a phase shifter. The RF I and Q signals may be communicated from the single leaky wave antenna using coplanar feed points and/or feed points on a top surface and a bottom surface of the single leaky wave antenna. The leaky wave antennas may be integrated on the chip, on a package to which the chip is affixed, and/or on a printed circuit board to which the chip is affixed. The RF I and Q signals may be amplified by the one or more LNAs and may down-convert the RF I and Q signals to baseband signals. |
| US08457577B2 |
Cellular phone with integrated FM radio and remote low noise amplifier
A cellular phone comprises a first wireless transceiver that receives baseband (BB) signals, which are based on frequency modulated (FM) signals that have been tuned and down-converted from a radio frequency (RF) to the BB by a remote device. An FM processing module receives the BB signals and generates processed FM signals based on the BB signals. |
| US08457574B2 |
Front-end integrated circuit for television receivers
A tuner front-end circuit for processing a radio frequency (RF) signal includes a first filter block that terminates the RF signal for unwanted frequency bands; a second filter block that provides selectivity within the unterminated signal by separating the unterminated signal into a plurality of separate signals, each of a different desired frequency band; and an amplifier block that amplifies each of the separate signals. One or more of the amplified separate signals can be provided to a tuner. The circuit can also include a daisy chain output block that provides the amplified separate signals to one or more additional tuners. One or more tracking filter blocks can also be included to provide further selectivity to the amplified separate signals and to reject signals at specific harmonics to prevent degradation of a signal-to-noise ratio. A method of processing an RF signal is also presented. |
| US08457571B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling transmit power in human body communication system
An apparatus and method for controlling Transmit (Tx) power when a portable terminal performs human body communication with a counterpart portable device are provided. The apparatus includes a voltage manager for determining whether the Tx power needs to be changed based on an output voltage that is based on a current that varies according to a distance between an electrode of a portable terminal and an electrode of a counterpart portable terminal, and changes the Tx power according to a result of the determination. |
| US08457566B2 |
Preamble transmission method in a multiple antenna system
A method of transmitting a preamble for synchronization in a multiple-antenna system includes applying a masking sequence to a plurality of preambles, and transmitting each of the plurality of preambles, to which the masking sequence is applied, through each of a plurality of transmit antennas. In a multiple-antenna system, deterioration of reception performance for a preamble can be reduced. |
| US08457565B2 |
Power amplifier circuit, and transmitter and wireless communication device using the same
To provide a power amplifier circuit, which is capable of amplifying a signal having envelope variation with high power added efficiency, and exhibits low power consumption and high versatility, as well as to provide a transmitter and a wireless communication device using the power amplifier circuit, the power amplifier circuit includes: a constant envelope signal generation circuit (20) for converting an input signal (Si) having envelope variation into two constant envelope signals (Sd1, Sd2); a first and a second amplifiers (11, 12) for amplifying the two constant envelope signals to output two amplified signals (Sh1, Sh2); and an output adder (13) for performing vector addition of the two amplified signals. Further, the power amplifier circuit includes: a power distributor (23) for generating two fundamental signals (Sa1, Sa2) and a fundamental signal for conversion (Sb) from the input signal (Si); and a converted signal generation circuit (30) for generating two converted signals (Sc1, Sc2) from the fundamental signal for conversion, and performs vector addition of the two fundamental signals and the two converted signals to output the two constant envelope signals (Sd1, Sd2). |
| US08457563B2 |
Apparatus and method for calibration for relay station in multiple antenna communication system
A calibration apparatus and method for supporting a Relay Station (RS) in a multiple antenna communication system are provided. The calibration method in the multiple antenna communication system which supports the RS includes, when a modem stage sends a downlink calibration signal, receiving, at a calibrator, the downlink calibration signal and estimating a downlink path channel, when the calibrator sends an uplink calibration signal, receiving, at the modem stage, the uplink calibration signal and estimating an uplink path channel, determining, at the modem stage, calibration coefficients per path not to generate a phase and amplitude difference with respect to the estimated uplink path channel and the estimated downlink path channel, and applying the calibration coefficients per path to corresponding antennas respectively. |
| US08457555B2 |
Vehicular multimode cellular/PCS phone
A vehicular multimode cellular/PCS phone including a chipset located in the vehicle for communicating with at least one of a plurality of wireless service provider networks; an multimode antenna in communication with the chipset for communicating with a wireless base antenna of at least one of the plurality of wireless service provider networks; at least one medium port for receiving a removable medium, the removable medium containing at least one of access numbers, access codes, and access authentication numbers of at least one of the plurality of wireless service provider networks. |
| US08457553B2 |
Removal of ambiguities in forming new piconet controller (PNC) when the current PNC controller is suddenly unavailable
A piconet in which at least one master communication station and at least one slave communication station are self-designated implements a successor hierarchy. A wireless device (DEV) functioning as a piconet controller (PNC) poll a plurality of DEVs to obtain data concerning other DEVs in range of the respective polled DEVs. Data concerning stations in range of the respective polled stations is received and at least one successor DEV is selected as a successor PNC based on the received data concerning stations in range of the respective polled DEVs. The selection of the successor DEVs is communicated to the successor DEVs. This provides for continuity of communication. |
| US08457550B2 |
Wireless communication device and power receiving device
A wireless communication device is provided and includes: a first communication processing unit performing communication in an electromagnetic induction system by using a first antenna unit; a second communication processing unit performing communication at higher speed than the first communication processing unit by a system or a communication frequency different from the electromagnetic induction system by using a second antenna unit; and a power generation unit generating power at least for performing communication operations from a carrier signal received by the first antenna unit. The power is generated in the power generation unit by switching a frequency resonance characteristic of the first antenna unit. |
| US08457549B2 |
Multi-user MIMO relay protocol with self-interference cancellation
Systems and methodologies for employing a multi-user Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) relay protocol with self-interference cancellation in a wireless communication environment are provided herein. Data streams sent between user device(s) and base station(s) can traverse through a relay. Further, a decode and forward protocol can be employed by the relay rather than merely amplifying and forwarding the data streams. Moreover, each user device can listen to and decode data stream(s) sent by other user device(s) to the relay, and these decoded data stream(s) can be utilized for interference cancellation. Further, the user device(s) and the base station(s) can employ self-interference cancellation upon signals received from the relay. According to another example, an adaptive relay power allocation algorithm, which enhances power efficiency, can be leveraged by the relay for transmitting signals to the user device(s) and the base station(s). |
| US08457548B2 |
Relay device, communication system and communication method
The relay devices store data received from an ECU connected to each of the relay devices in the first reception buffers, respectively. During a synchronizing period, the relay devices perform transmission and reception by mainline frames including attribute value groups mutually received from the ECUs. Data read out from the databases are transmitted to the ECUs. The databases are synchronized with one another only when the relay device receives the final frame from the relay device which received all the mainline frames and issues COMMIT. |
| US08457544B2 |
System and method for recommending educational resources
A recommender system and method including receiving a request identifying at least one current student for which a recommendation is sought and accessing stored student data including attributes associated with respective students of the current students and a plurality of predecessor students. For the predecessor students the attributes include educational resources. The method includes clustering one of predecessor students and the current students into clusters based on sameness of first selected attributes of their respective associated attributes. The method includes generating a mapping between respective students of the other of the predecessor and current students and one of the clusters based on sameness of second selected attributes associated with the students being mapped. The method then includes recommending for each of the current students the educational resource associated with the predecessor student or cluster of predecessor students that the current student is mapped with. |
| US08457542B2 |
Image forming apparatus with waste toner bottle
An image forming apparatus includes an opening/closing mechanism for opening a lid member when a toner collecting portion including a waste toner bottle and the lid member for the waste toner bottle is mounted into an apparatus main body while closing the lid member when the toner collecting portion is removed from the apparatus main body. The opening/closing mechanism includes a first contact portion provided in a toner discharging portion for discharging toner for rotating the lid member in a first direction by coming into contact with the lid member when the toner collecting portion is mounted into the apparatus main body, and a second contact portion mounted in the apparatus main body for rotating the lid member in a second direction by coming into contact with the lid member when the toner collecting portion is removed from the apparatus main body. |
| US08457537B2 |
Image forming apparatus for transferring a toner image onto a recording material
An outer diameter of a transfer counter roller is made larger than that of a transfer roller to reduce an electrical discharge phenomenon and influence on a toner image. |
| US08457536B2 |
Transfer device and image forming apparatus including same
A transfer device includes a rotatable intermediate transfer belt wound around and stretched between a pair of rollers, facing a plurality of image bearing members bearing toner images, a plurality of transfer members facing the image bearing members through the intermediate transfer member, to transfer overlappingly the toner images onto the intermediate transfer member forming a composite toner image, a lubricant applicator disposed upstream from the image bearing members in a direction of rotation of the intermediate transfer belt and on the same plane as the image bearing members, to apply a lubricant on the intermediate transfer member, an opposing member disposed opposite the lubricant applicator, to contact the lubricant applicator through the intermediate transfer member, and a pressure member disposed upstream from the image bearing members and downstream from the lubricant applicator in the direction of rotation of the intermediate transfer belt, to press against the intermediate transfer member. |
| US08457534B2 |
Developing apparatus
A repulsive magnetic field is formed in a section immediately upstream of a regulating blade, so that generation of a developing-agent stationary layer is suppressed or eliminated. Accordingly, a developing apparatus capable of stably maintaining the layer thickness of developing agent conveyed to a developing area for a long time is provided. |
| US08457533B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus
A developing device includes a first chamber, a second chamber, a first inlet portion, a first carrying member and an auxiliary blade. The first chamber receives a developer supplied to a developer holder. The second chamber receives the developer carried from the first chamber after being circulated between the first chamber and the second chamber. The first inlet portion allows the developer to be introduced from the second chamber to the first chamber. The first carrying member is disposed in the first chamber to carry the developer in the first chamber in a first carrying direction. The first carrying member includes a rotating shaft, a spiral blade provided at an outer periphery of the rotating shaft, and the auxiliary blade formed toward an upstream side of the first carrying direction from the spiral blade. |
| US08457526B2 |
Image forming apparatus having a sheet conveyance path including a linear path to an image forming portion
An image forming apparatus includes a sheet storage portion, an image forming portion, a sheet ejector, a sheet-reversing unit, first to fourth conveying paths, and a two-sided conveyance unit. The fourth conveying path includes a linear path formed between two conveyance guides constituting the two-sided conveyance unit. The two-sided conveyance unit is supported in a slidable manner along a slider provided to an apparatus main body. One of the two conveyance guides is made of a flat guide plate and is supported in such a manner that it can be opened or closed with respect to the other conveyance guide. |
| US08457521B2 |
Method for preventing damage to a photoconductor
An in situ replacement of a cartridge (200) for an electrophotographic printer includes providing a rigid, cylindrical photoreceptive member (206) enclosed in a housing (233), wherein the housing comprises a removable shield (231a, 231b); inserting the housing and photo receptive member into the printer; and removing the shield. |
| US08457520B2 |
Image forming device having guide mechanism for guiding transferring unit
An image-forming device may include a main body, a developing unit, a transferring unit, and a tray. In some examples, the developing unit may include a developer-accommodating section that accommodates developer and a photosensitive member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed. The developing unit may further include a developer-carrying member to develop the electrostatic latent image. The tray may enable the developing unit to move between a contact position and a separate position. |
| US08457519B2 |
Developing apparatus having a spacer and a leakage preventer
A developing apparatus includes an organic photo conductor, an OPC frame part to support the organic photo conductor, a developing roller to develop a latent image formed on the organic photo conductor by supplying a developer, a developing roller frame part to support the developing roller, a developer storing part to store the developer and provided with a supplying opening through which the developer is supplied to the developing roller, a spacer removably interposed between the OPC frame part and the developing roller frame part and spacing the OPC frame part from the developing roller frame part such that the organic photo conductor and the developing roller do not contact each other, a leakage preventer removably attached to and sealing the supplying opening, and a connecting part to connect the spacer with the leakage preventer. Thus, the spacer and the leakage preventer are capable of being removed simultaneously. |
| US08457512B2 |
Fusing unit, control method thereof and image forming apparatus employing the same
Disclosed are a fusing unit capable of a variable fusing pressing force, a control method thereof and an image forming apparatus employing the same. The fusing pressing force may be selectively varied so as to apply a lesser force at the initial stage of the operation of the fusing unit, and may be increased to a desired level of force suitable for fusing operation so as to minimize excessive torque in a driving motor that rotationally drives the fusing device. |
| US08457507B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a unit, which is detachably attachable to a main body of the apparatus and has a portion to be detected, and a detecting device which detects the portion to be detected in the unit. It is determined that the unit is in an unused state since both of a first state in which the portion to be detected is detected by the detecting device and a second state in which the portion to be detected is not detected by the detecting device are confirmed, and thereafter, the first state or the second state is maintained. Furthermore, there is provided a restricting member which inhibits the first state or the second state from being maintained. |
| US08457506B2 |
Image-forming device
An image-forming device includes a main casing, a drum unit, an image-forming unit, and a transfer unit. The drum unit is detachable from the main casing and includes a photosensitive drum having a rotational axis extending in an axis direction. The drum unit is formed with a plurality of symbols juxtaposed along the axis direction. The image-forming unit forms an image on the photosensitive drum in an image-forming mode. The transfer unit transfers the first developer image onto the photosensitive drum onto a sheet. The image-forming unit forms a first developer image on the photosensitive drum in a maintenance mode. The first developer image transferred onto the sheet divides the sheet into a plurality of regions along the axis direction, the plurality of regions corresponding to the plurality of symbols, respectively. |
| US08457505B2 |
Image forming apparatus with heater control and error detection, and control method for the same
An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes: a fixing part having a heater; a control part controlling ON/OFF of power distribution to the heater; a power source part generating a voltage for driving the control part; a main switch for turning ON/OFF power supply from outside to the power source part; and an interrupt signal generation part generating a periodical interrupt signal. The control part, based on the interrupt signal, controls ON/OFF of the power distribution to the heater, turns OFF power supply to the heater upon passage of predetermined time since disappearance of the interrupt signal, and judges that an error has occurred, when the control part is still driving after passage of driving stop time from when the main switch is turned OFF to when the control part stops its driving since the disappearance of the interrupt signal. |
| US08457502B2 |
Method and system for modulating a beacon light source in a light based positioning system
In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for broadcasting a modulated digital pulse recognition signal from a light source. In some embodiments, the method includes selecting one or more digital pulse recognition tones to broadcast, determining a desired brightness level for the light source, generating a digital pulse recognition signal having a duty cycle based on the desired brightness level and a frequency based on the one or more digital pulse recognition tones, and driving the output of the light source with the digital pulse recognition signal. In some embodiments, selecting one or more digital pulse recognition tones to broadcast includes generating a single periodic tone for differentiating the light source from a nearby light source. In some embodiments, selecting one or more digital pulse recognition tones to broadcast includes generating a sequence of periodic tones. |
| US08457501B2 |
Reduction of polarization-dependent loss in double-pass grating configurations
Optical systems for routing light that reduce or eliminate polarization-dependent loss are provided. Such optical systems generally accommodate an optical element that has an intrinsic polarization-dependent loss and which is disposed to be encountered twice by the light being routed. In some instances, the optical element may be a dispersive element such as a diffraction grating or prism, but the invention has more general applicability. The optical system additionally includes both a reflective element and a wave plate assembly disposed to be encountered by the light between encounters with the dispersive element. |
| US08457500B2 |
All-optical methods and systems
An all-optical modulation format converter for converting optical data signals modulated in an on-off-keying (OOK) format to a phase-shift-keying (PSK) format. The OOK-to-PSK converter can be coupled to a delay-line interferometer to provide an all-optical wavelength converter for differential PSK (DPSK). The OOK-to-PSK converter can also be used in all-optical implementations of various functions, including, for example, exclusive-OR (XOR/NXOR) and OR logic, shift registers, and pseudo-random binary sequence (PRBS) generators. Several variants of all-optical devices are described. |
| US08457499B2 |
Semiconductor laser drive device, semiconductor laser drive method, light transmission device, optical wiring module, and electronic device
A semiconductor laser drive apparatus comprises a bias current setting section (232) which sets a bias current value on the basis of the drive temperature so that the temperature characteristic of the bias current value with respect to the drive temperature may be a linear function having a slope except zero and a drive current setting section (233) for setting the drive current value on the basis of the drive temperature so that the temperature characteristic of the drive current value with respect to the drive temperature may be a function having a slope except zero. The temperature characteristic of the bias current and that of the drive current are functions different from each other. With this, low cost, space-saving, and power-saving of a semiconductor laser are achieved, and a semiconductor laser drive apparatus enabling a good transmission characteristic on the reception side and a high optical output over the whole drive temperature range when driving the semiconductor laser can be provided. |
| US08457496B2 |
Optical signal switching device
An optical signal switching device comprises a plurality of broadcast couplers (125), a plurality of wavelength selective modules (126), and optical connection means linking outputs of broadcast couplers to inputs of wavelength selective modules in order to route incoming optical signals received by said broadcast couplers to said wavelength selective modules. The wavelength selective modules are arranged in a plurality of groups (117, 118, 119), the wavelength selective modules of one group being connected at the output to a common neighboring node. The optical connection means (127, 41, 40, 42) are configured in such a way as to enable, for each of said broadcast couplers, the broadcasting of the incoming optical signal received by said coupler to at least one wavelength selective module of each group simultaneously. |
| US08457494B2 |
PON multicast communication system, multicast management method, and corresponding devices
A Passive Optical Network (PON) multicast management method includes: an Optical Line Terminal (OLT) performs multicast control according to multicast control information, and generates a corresponding multicast downstream command; the OLT sends the multicast downstream command to an Optical Network Unit (ONU); and the ONU resolves the multicast downstream command, and performs multicast control according to the multicast downstream command. Accordingly, a PON multicast communication system, an OLT, and an ONU are disclosed. Through the multicast control mechanism introduced into the PON system, the PON multicast functions are enhanced, and the same data destined for multiple ONUs is prevented from being sent repeatedly in the network, and thus the network bandwidth resources are saved. |
| US08457489B2 |
Method for controlling the center wavelength of at least one narrow band optical channel WDM transmitting device in a WDM network and corresponding WDM transmitting device
The invention relates to a method for controlling the center wavelength of at least one narrow band WDM optical channel transmitting device in a WDM network. A reflected signal portion of a WDM channel signal is evaluated at the location of a WDM transmitting device. In order to generate the reflected signal portion, the optical multiplexing device or an additional reflective filter may be used, the additional filter revealing a low reflectivity at the desired channel center wavelength and a sharply increasing reflectivity adjacent thereto. The center wavelength of the WDM transmitting device is tuned to this target center wavelength by wavelength-modulating the center wavelength with a predetermined low modulation frequency and predetermined wavelength amplitude. The center wavelength of the WDM transmitting device is tuned such that the first order modulation frequency component of the reflected signal portion is minimized. |
| US08457479B2 |
Rapid thermal processing apparatus and method of manufacture of semiconductor device
A rapid thermal processing apparatus comprises a processing chamber which subjects a semiconductor substrate to rapid thermal processing. A substrate support part is arranged in the processing chamber and supports the substrate. A lamp part optically irradiates the substrate supported by the substrate support part and heats the substrate. A thermo sensor is provided to measure a temperature of the substrate. A temperature computing part computes the temperature of the substrate based on an output signal of the thermo sensor. A control part controls an irradiation intensity of the lamp part according to the temperature computed by the temperature computing part. In this apparatus, the control part is provided to correct a control parameter of the irradiation intensity of the lamp part based on a measured reflectivity of a surface of the substrate. |
| US08457478B2 |
Method and apparatus for receiving, storing, and presenting multimedia programming without indexing prior to storage
A method and apparatus for improved digital recording and presentation of broadcast information is disclosed. Received broadcast data, which may include video, audio, private, or other data, relating to one or more particular content programs, is presented from an input section to a buffer and recorded directly onto a storage device without any intelligent parsing, such as indexing, and without any manipulation by intermediate hardware or software functions. Upon normal presentation, statistics may be generated to determine the ideal number of frames to skip, the number of bytes to seek, and the size of data files to read from the storage device during time-shifted presentation. Algorithms and processes are provided to dynamically optimize time-shifted presentation. In this way, data may be captured to the storage device more efficiently and economically, and the time-shifted presentation operations may be performed in a smoother, more nuanced manner with the application of appropriate probabilistic algorithms. |
| US08457477B2 |
Numbering of video objects and cells
A method of recording an encoded bit stream, said encoded bit stream representing a plurality of video objects comprising a sequence of cells together constituting a part of an MPEG2 Program Stream, on a disc like record carrier, such as an optical disc. The method comprises recording video objects comprising a sequence of contiguously recorded cells, each cell comprising a unique cell identification number within a video object, recording of a playback sequence of cells that defines a playable program chain of cells, wherein said sequence comprises references to the cell identification numbers and recording navigation data within said cells comprising said cell identification numbers.The method further comprises dividing at least one previously recorded cell into new cells and/or overwriting at least one previously recorded cell at least partly with a new cell, assigning the at least one new cell with a cell identification number and recording a new playback sequence of cells employing the at least one new cell, the new playback sequence not necessarily employing an incremental numbering of cell identification numbers.Hereby a time consuming renumbering of all cells is being avoided. |
| US08457476B2 |
Multimedia signal processing system
A multimedia signal processing system utilizes an easily manipulated, low-cost storage and display system that allows the user to view a television program and instantly review previous scenes within the program. The invention also allows the user to store selected programs while simultaneously watching or reviewing another. A versatile system architecture enables providing the invention in multiple configurations, each adapted to receive input signals from a different source. At the highest level, the system includes an input section and an output section. Across all configurations, the output section remains substantially the same, while the input section varies according to the signal type and the source. Thus, several configurations are provided, each one requiring only minor system board modifications. The system architecture thus simplifies the design and manufacturing challenge presented by producing units to serve different markets, such as digital satellite, digital cable and analog cable. |
| US08457470B2 |
Systems and methods for a common image data array file
Image data file systems and methods are operable to generate image data files for a plurality of images having a common image data array, and are operable to generate images from the image data files. An exemplary embodiment stores a common image data array into a master image data file, wherein the stored common image data array corresponds to an image data array of a first image of the plurality of images; and generates a soft link image data file based upon a second image of the plurality of images, wherein an image data array of the second image is the same as the common image data array, and wherein a soft link in the soft link image data file identifies a location of the stored common image data array. |
| US08457467B2 |
Apparatus and associated methodology of recording and accessing metadata via unique identifying indicia
Apparatus uniquely identifies material recorded on an example of a recording medium. The medium has distinguishing data, a tape ID, distinguishing that example from other examples thereof recorded thereon. A generator generates data, e.g. IN and OUT time codes, identifying the or each piece of material recorded on the medium. A recorder (460) records the said distinguishing data on the medium. A reproducer (460) reproduces, from the recording medium, the distinguishing data. A processor, a PDA (469) associates the reproduced distinguishing data and the said identifying data with a unique identifier, a UMID, for the or each piece of material. A database (464) associates the unique identifier with metadata relating to the material. |
| US08457466B1 |
Videore: method and system for storing videos from multiple cameras for behavior re-mining
The present invention is a method and system for storing videos by track sequences and selection of video segments in a manner to support “re-mining” by indexing and playback of individual visitors' entire trip to an area covered by overlapping cameras, allowing analysis and recognition of detailed behavior. The present invention captures video streams of the people in the area by multiple cameras and tracks the people in each of the video streams, producing track sequences in each video stream. Using the track sequences, the present invention finds trip information of the people. The present invention determines a first set of video segments that contain the trip information of the people, and compacts each of the video streams by removing a second set of video segments that do not contain the trip information of the people from each of the video streams. The video segments in the first set of video segments are associated with the people by indexing the video segments per person based on the trip information. The final storage format of the videos is a trip-centered format which sequences videos from across multiple cameras in a manner to facilitate multiple applications dealing with behavior analysis, and it is an efficient compact format without losing any video segments that contain the track sequences of the people. |
| US08457462B2 |
Multi-core optical fiber
A multi-core optical fiber includes: a plurality of core portions; and a cladding portion positioned around the plurality of core portions and including, in a cross section of the cladding portion, a flat portion in at least a part of an outer periphery of the cladding portion and a remaining portion of the outer periphery that is circular, the cross section being perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the cladding portion. |
| US08457458B2 |
Imaging interface for optical components
The invention pertains to an optical interface employing optics (e.g., lenses) that image the beams rather than collimate the beams. More specifically, each connector at an interface includes optics, e.g., a lens, adapted to receive a diverging beam emanating from field point and image the beam to an image point at a predetermined distance from the imaging lens. A connector employing such optics may, for instance, be effectively mated to either a similar connector with the same optics or to a connector having no lens. Specifically, it may effectively be mated to a second connector having no lens via a second connector structure that places the receiving optical component at the image point of the focusing optics of the first connector. Alternately, such a connector may be effectively mated to a second connector having an identical lens to the first connector provided that the first and second connector structures are adapted to mate such that the image points of the two lenses are coincident. |
| US08457454B1 |
Optical substrate chip carrier
An optical multi-chip module (MCM) is provided. A printed circuit board (PCB) overlies a package bottom and has die contact regions, each having at least one electrical interface. A first die contact region is formed in a PCB top surface recess, and an optical component die has a bottom surface with an area about matching the PCB top surface recess. The optical component die has an optical port with microlens. An electrical component die has a bottom surface with at least one electrical interface connected to the second die electrical interface, which is connected to the first die electrical interface via a PCB trace. A wire bond is connected between the electrical component die and a package interconnection lead. A cover assembly connector has an optical port with a microlens, configured to communicate with the optical component die optical port, and a fiber port to accept an optical fiber. |
| US08457451B2 |
Semiconductor optical element
A semiconductor optical element having a mesa structure formed by wet etching, includes a mesa structure having a ridge-type mesa structure or a high-mesa-type mesa structure, the mesa structure being disposed on a semiconductor substrate, and an extended mesa on the semiconductor substrate, the extended mesa being connected to a corner of the mesa structure and being the same material as the mesa structure. |
| US08457449B2 |
Wireless mobile phone methods
A user gestures with a wireless mobile phone device to control some aspect of its operation, or the operation of a remote system with which the device communicates. (The gestures may be sensed by tracking movement of a feature across a field of view of a mobile phone device camera.) The resultant operation may additionally depend on other data obtained by the wireless device, e.g., obtained from an electronic or physical object, or sensed from the environment. A variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. |
| US08457448B2 |
Removing inserted text from an image using extrapolation for replacement pixels after optical character recognition
A method of removing inserted text from a digital image includes recognizing the inserted text in the digital image using optical character recognition; and replacing pixels of the digital image corresponding to the inserted text so as to remove the inserted text from the digital image. A computer program product for removing inserted text from a digital image includes an inserted text removal program stored on a computer-readable medium, the program including an optical character recognition module for recognizing inserted text in a digital image; and an extrapolation module for replacing pixels corresponding to the inserted text in the digital image with replacement image pixels so as to remove the inserted text from the digital image. A photo printing kiosk includes an interface for receiving a digital image; an optical character recognition module for recognizing inserted text in the digital image; and an extrapolation module for replacing pixels corresponding to the inserted text in the digital image with replacement image pixels so as to remove the inserted text from the digital image. |
| US08457446B2 |
Image retrieval apparatus, image retrieval method, and storage medium
An image retrieval apparatus includes a designation unit configured to designate a query area of an image based on a user's designation operation, a display unit configured to display an area where a local feature amount is difficult to be extracted in the query area designated by the designation unit as a feature non-extractable area, and a retrieval unit configured to retrieve, based on a local feature amount extracted from an area which is not displayed as the feature non-extractable area in the query area by the display unit, image feature data with which a local feature amount and the image are associated and which is stored in a storage device. |
| US08457444B2 |
Communication apparatus
A communication apparatus includes: a display state detecting unit that detects a display state of an image to be displayed on the basis of a received moving image data; and a control information transmitting unit that transmits, to a transmission source of the moving image data, control information regarding transmission of the image data, in accordance with the display state. |
| US08457442B1 |
Methods and apparatus for facial feature replacement
A set of feature points for defining features of a face is detected in a target image and a reference image. The target image is warped to accommodate a selected feature from the reference image using the set of feature points and a set of three-dimensional models. The reference image is warped to a pose of the target image using the set of feature points and the set of three-dimensional models. The selected feature is copied from the reference image to the target image. |
| US08457441B2 |
Fast approximate spatial representations for informal retrieval
A spatial region, such as a geographic region, may be represented by a series of vectors in a binary tree or other binary representation. The binary tree may be generated by successively dividing a region into smaller rectangles or vectors, until either a vector is completely within the region or reaches a size limit. The vectors may be ordered, allowing a linear comparison between two binary trees to determine if one space overlaps the other. Because the comparison between two ordered binary trees results in an ordered binary tree, subsequent comparisons may also be performed linearly. |
| US08457440B1 |
Method and system for background subtraction in medical optical coherence tomography system
A method for coherence noise filtering in an optical coherence tomography system comprises generating a background image containing coherence noise, generating a sample image, generating composite pixel values from pixel values in the background image based on the mean pixel values from lines in the background image, and subtracting the composite pixel values from complex pixel values in the sample image. |
| US08457437B2 |
System and method for enhancing registered images using edge overlays
The system relates to a method for enhancing an image by extracting edge points from a corresponding image and overlaying the edge points on the image to be enhanced. In one aspect of the method, the first image is of a lower resolution than the second image. The method also contemplates enhancing an image taken with a first modality with a second image taken with another modality. |
| US08457436B2 |
Method for processing a digital image, in particular for processing contour regions, and corresponding device
A method of processing a digital image which includes at least one contour zone, including a contour zone sharpness processing. The sharpness processing includes a conversion of the cues regarding level of pixels of the contour zone into initial main cues, lying between zero and a main value dependent on the amplitude of the contour, a sharpness sub-processing performed on these initial main cues so as to obtain final main cues, and a conversion of the final main cues into final cues regarding levels. |
| US08457433B2 |
Methods and systems for image noise filtering
Methods and systems for image noise filtering are provided. One method of image noise filtering includes generating a plurality of sub-images of a digital image, applying a noise filter with small support to each sub-image, and generating a filtered digital image by merging the filtered sub-images. Another method of image noise filtering includes receiving a digital image including a plurality of color channels in the Bayer domain, applying a strong noise filter to each color channel to generate filtered color channels, computing a luminance image from the digital image, applying a weak noise filter to the luminance image to generate a filtered luminance image, computing a luminance recovery factor map using the luminance image and the filtered luminance image, and computing output color channels of the digital image using the filtered color channels and the luminance recovery factor map. |
| US08457430B2 |
Region-based method for iterative regularization image enhancement, and associated region-based apparatus and associated processing circuit
A region-based method for iterative regularization image enhancement, includes: for each region of a plurality of regions of an image, performing at least one gradient calculation of an objective function of a latest representative function of the region and updating the latest representative function according to the gradient calculation; and for the region of the plurality of regions of the image, when at least one predetermined convergence criterion is not satisfied, iteratively updating the latest representative function according to at least one gradient calculation of the same objective function of the latest representative function. In particular, the region-based method further includes: for the region of the plurality of regions of the image, when the predetermined convergence criterion is satisfied, performing postprocessing on the latest representative function of the region to generate an iteratively regularized partial image corresponding to the region. An associated region-based apparatus and processing circuit are further provided. |
| US08457422B2 |
Image processing device and method for generating a prediction image
The present invention relates to an image processing device and method that enable generation of a highly precise prediction image using a small amount of control information.A motion compensation circuit 51 specifies a macroblock corresponding to a prediction image in part of reference frames using a motion vector supplied from a prediction mode determination circuit 41, reads an image thereof from a frame memory 19, and extracts it as a motion compensation image. A motion prediction circuit 52 reads, from a frame memory 122, at least one or more of the remaining reference frames, performs motion prediction of the motion compensation image MC0 supplied from the motion compensation circuit 51 in each frame, reads an image of a macroblock that matches or is similar to the motion compensation image MC0 from the frame memory 122, and extracts it as a motion compensation image. The present invention can be applied to, for example, an encoding device and a decoding device. |
| US08457418B2 |
Local area contrast enhancement
A method includes receiving image data, generating a low-pass image and a high-pass image from the image data, applying dynamic range compression to the low-pass image and not the high-pass image, and adding the high-pass image to the low-pass image after dynamic range compression to create an output image. |
| US08457416B2 |
Estimating word correlations from images
Word correlations are estimated using a content-based method, which uses visual features of image representations of the words. The image representations of the subject words may be generated by retrieving images from data sources (such as the Internet) using image search with the subject words as query words. One aspect of the techniques is based on calculating the visual distance or visual similarity between the sets of retrieved images corresponding to each query word. The other is based on calculating the visual consistence among the set of the retrieved images corresponding to a conjunctive query word. The combination of the content-based method and a text-based method may produce even better result. |
| US08457414B2 |
Detection of textural defects using a one class support vector machine
Method for detecting textural defects in an image. The image, which may have an irregular visual texture, may be received. The image may be decomposed into a plurality of subbands. The image may be portioned into a plurality of partitions. A plurality of grey-level co-occurrence matrices (GLCMs) may be determined for each partition. A plurality of second-order statistical attributes may be extracted for each GLCM. A feature vector may be constructed for each partition, where the feature vector includes the second order statistical attributes for each GLCM for the partition. Each partition may be classified based on the feature vector for the respective partition. Classification of the partitions may utilize a one-class support vector machine, and may determine if a defect is present in the image. |
| US08457413B2 |
Pattern recognition method, character recognition method, pattern recognition apparatus, and character recognition apparatus
According to one embodiment, a pattern recognition method includes calculating similarities of the input pattern with respect to respective categories, converting the calculated similarities of the input pattern with respect to the respective categories into first evaluation values based on a first table which indicates a relationship between similarities for respective categories and first evaluation values, calculating second evaluation values based on the calculated first evaluation values for the respective categories and prior probabilities for the respective categories stored in a second table indicating prior probabilities of the respective categories, and selecting a category corresponding to a maximum value of the calculated second evaluation values. |
| US08457406B2 |
Identifying descriptor for person and object in an image
A device and method for processing an image to create appearance and shape labeled images of a person or object captured within the image. The appearance and shape labeled images are unique properties of the person or object and can be used to re-identify the person or object in subsequent images. The appearance labeled image is an aggregate of pre-stored appearance labels that are assigned to image segments of the image based on calculated appearance attributes of each image segment. The shape labeled image is an aggregate of pre-stored shape labels that are assigned to image segments of the image based on calculated shape attributes of each image segment. An identifying descriptor of the person or object can be computed based on both the appearance labeled image and the shape labeled image. The descriptor can be compared with other descriptors of later captured images to re-identify a person or object. |
| US08457396B2 |
Digital image compression and decompression
A method of compressing a digital image defined by a plurality of pixel values in each of one or more channels includes adjusting each pixel value in each of the one or more channels by an average pixel value for that channel. The method further includes splitting each adjusted channel into one or more image blocks, and converting each image block into a frequency block that is a frequency-domain representation of that image block. |
| US08457393B2 |
Cross-color image processing systems and methods for sharpness enhancement
Systems and methods for processing a detected composite color image to form a processed composite color image includes the following, for each of a plurality of pixels in the image: (1) identifying a window of pixels in the image that surrounds the pixel, (2) calculating a weight factor coefficient for each detected color from detected color intensity values of the pixels that surround the pixel, (3) calculating raw color contributions corresponding to each nonselected color, (4) multiplying each of the detected color values of a selected color and the raw color contributions corresponding to the nonselected colors, with corresponding weight factor coefficients, to form weighted color contributions, and (5) summing the weighted color contributions to form a processed color intensity value for the pixel. |
| US08457392B2 |
Identifying an object in an image using color profiles
A representation of an object in an image of a live event is obtained by determining a color profile of the object. The color profile may be determined from the image in real time and compared to stored color profiles to determine a best match. For example, the color profile of the representation of the object can be obtained by classifying color data of the representation of the object into different bins of a color space, in a histogram of color data. The stored color profiles may be indexed to object identifiers, object viewpoints, or object orientations. Color data which is common to different objects or to a background color may be excluded. Further, a template can be used as an additional aid in identifying the representation of the object. The template can include, e.g., a model of the object or pixel data of the object from a prior image. |
| US08457390B1 |
Method and apparatus for training a probe model based machine vision system
A method for training a pattern recognition algorithm for a machine vision system that uses models of a pattern to be located, the method comprising the steps of training each of a plurality of models using a different training image wherein each of the training images is a version of a single image of the pattern at a unique coarse image resolution, using the models to identify at least one robust image resolution where the image resolution is suitable for locating the pattern within an accuracy limit of the actual location of the pattern in the image and storing the at least one robust image resolution for use in subsequent pattern recognition processes. |
| US08457389B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method and image processing program
An image processing device calculates, from a registration image representing a photographed object and three-dimensional shape data in which respective points of a three-dimensional shape of the object are correlated with pixels of the registration image, by assuming uniform albedo, a shadow base vector group having components from which an image under an arbitrary illumination condition can be generated through linear combination. A shadow in the registration image is estimated with using the vector group. A perfect diffuse component image including the shadow is generated, and based on the image a highlight removal image is generated in which a specular reflection component is removed from the registration image. Thus, an image recognition system generates illumination base vectors from the highlight removal image and thereby can obtain the illumination base vectors based on which an accurate image recognition process can be carried out without influence of a specular reflection. |
| US08457387B2 |
System and method for interactive environments presented by video playback devices
There is provided a video playback device for providing an interactive environment on a display in response to a user input. The video playback device comprises (1) a memory to store a plurality of images forming a plurality of viewpoints of the interactive environment; a plurality of transition sequences, wherein each of the plurality of transition sequences provides a video transition from one image to another image; and a linking structure linking the plurality of images with the plurality of transition sequences; (2) a processor to determine a direction of movement based on the user input; select a next one of the plurality of transition sequences and a next one of the plurality of images based on the direction of movement and the linking structure; and display the next one of the plurality of transition sequences and the next one of the plurality of images on the display. |
| US08457384B2 |
Universal counting and measurement system
A universal counting and measurement system and method. The system and method are not restricted to a specific application, aimed at counting a specific type of object, but are capable of counting objects of a large variety of sizes and shapes. According to certain embodiments, the system and method are also capable of measuring volumes of materials held within a container or piled on a surface. The shape of the containers or the shape of the pile of material are not limited to a certain prescribed architecture. According to certain embodiments, the system is easily adapted to the different applications and can be made ready to work in a short time. The system is also capable of counting accumulating objects or measuring accumulating volumes within one or more containers or piles. |
| US08457374B2 |
System for detecting catheterization devices
A medical image data processing system automatically identifies a catheterization device including marker objects for use in identifying the catheterization device in a medical image for Angiography or another medical procedure. The system includes an image data processor that automatically identifies non-marker objects in a medical image by comparing image data representing individual non-marker objects with image data representing a template non-marker object. The processor automatically identifies catheterization device marker objects by comparing image data representing individual candidate marker objects with image data representing a template marker object and by processing image representative data to provide processed image data excluding image data representing non-marker objects. A user interface generates data representing a display image indicating identified marker objects and an associated catheterization device using the processed image data for presentation to a user. |
| US08457372B2 |
Subtraction of a segmented anatomical feature from an acquired image
A system, method and apparatus for subtracting a synthetically-generated image, including a segmented anatomical feature, from an acquired image. |
| US08457371B2 |
Method and apparatus for mapping a structure
An area of a patient can be mapped with a system operable to identify a plurality of locations and save a plurality of locations of a mapping instrument. The mapping instrument can include one or more electrodes that can sense a voltage that can be correlated to a three dimensional location of the electrode at the time of the sensing or measurement. Therefore, a map of an area or volume can be determined based upon the sensing of the plurality of points without the use of an imaging device. An implantable medical device can then be navigated relative to the mapping data. |
| US08457370B2 |
Methods and systems for authenticating users with captured palm biometric data
A method of authenticating users is provided that includes capturing biometric authentication data of a user and processing the captured biometric data into an image. Moreover, the method includes determining a region of interest of the image and a gray scale image from the image, determining an optimum transformation parameter set within the region of interest, and aligning the gray scale image with an enrollment gray scale image generated during enrollment of the user using results of the optimum transformation parameter set determination. Furthermore, the method includes extracting biometric feature data from the gray scale image and verifying an identity of the user with extracted biometric feature data included in a region of agreement. |
| US08457369B2 |
Finger/palm-print image processing apparatus, finger/palm-print image processing method, and recording medium in which finger/palm-print image processing program has been recorded
A finger/palm-print image processing apparatus comprises: an image converting means that converts finger/palm-print images to conversion images consisting of first and second sets of elements; and an area detecting means that detects, from the conversion images as converted by the image converting means, an area where the number of the first set of elements is equal to or greater than a predetermined number. The first and second sets of elements herein are the elements of sets each of which consists of elements of the finger/palm-print images. The first set of elements have those degrees of change in color information which meet a predetermined criterion, while the second set of elements have those degrees of change in color information which do not meet the predetermined criterion. |
| US08457367B1 |
Facial recognition
An example method includes receiving first and second images of a face of a user, where one or both images have been granted a match by facial recognition. The method includes identifying at least one facial landmark in the first image and at least one corresponding facial landmark in the second image, and extracting a first sub-image from the first image, where the first sub-image includes a representation of the at least one facial landmark. The method includes extracting a second sub-image from the second image, where the second sub-image includes a representation of the at least one corresponding facial landmark, detecting a facial gesture by determining whether a sufficient difference exists between the second sub-image and first sub-image to indicate the facial gesture, and determining, based on detecting the facial gesture, whether to deny authentication to the user with respect to accessing functionalities controlled by the computing device. |
| US08457364B2 |
Camera for detecting driver's state
The present invention provides a camera for detecting a driver's drowsiness state, which can increase the number of pixels in an image of a driver's eye even when using an image sensor having the same number of pixels as a conventional camera instead of a high definition camera. The camera of the present invention is, thus, capable of determining whether the driver's eyes are open or closed. The camera for detecting the driver's state according to the present invention includes a cylindrical lens mounted in front of the camera configured so as to enlarge an image in the vertical direction, a convex lens located in the rear of the cylindrical lens, an image sensor for taking an image of a driver's face formed by the cylindrical lens and the convex lens, and an image processor for extracting an eye area from the image of the driver's face and determining whether the driver's eyes are open or closed. |
| US08457361B2 |
Optical semi-quantitative 100% filling check of pharmaceutical capsules on capsule-filling machines
The invention relates to a method for monitoring the filling of a capsule with a medicament, a corresponding filing method and the corresponding devices. According to the monitoring method, after at least part of the capsule is filled with a given filling mass of given closed shape of medicament, in a first step, at least the filling mass located in the part of the capsule after filling is recorded with a digital image, in a second step, the shape of the filling mass located in the part of the capsule is determined from the digital image and, in a third step, the shape analysed to give an analysis of the filling in comparison with given shapes. |
| US08457357B2 |
Relative pose estimation of non-overlapping cameras using the motion of subjects in the camera fields of view
A relative pose between two cameras is determined by using input data obtained from the motion of subjects, such as pedestrians, between the fields of view of two cameras, determining trajectory information for the subjects, and computing homographies relating lines obtained from trajectories in the first image data to lines obtained from the trajectories in the second image data. The two fields of view need not overlap. |
| US08457354B1 |
Movement timestamping and analytics
In selected embodiments, a computer-implemented method for analyzing customer movement in a retail environment includes capturing an image of an individual at multiple locations within a retail environment and tracking the elapsed time between the individual's appearance at the various locations. For areas of the store at increased risk for shoplifting, the elapsed times may be compared to predetermined upper and/or lower elapsed time thresholds or windows to determine whether an individual is likely to commit a crime in the retail environment. The thresholds or window may be empirically determined based on analysis of historical security video footage and security incident records. |
| US08457350B2 |
System and method for data assisted chrom-keying
The invention illustrates a system and method of displaying a base image and an overlay image comprising: capturing a base image of a real event; receiving an instrumentation data based on the real event; identifying a visual segment within the base image based on the instrumentation data; and rendering an overlay image within the visual segment. |
| US08457349B2 |
Selection of I-frames for client-side watermarking
A system and method are provided for selecting frames of a compressed video stream that may be used for client-side watermarking. In general, a content source evaluates a number of Intra-Frames (I-Frames) in the compressed video stream using a sample watermark that is similar to actual watermarks that may be used for client-side watermarking. More specifically, each of a number of I-Frames in the compressed video stream is evaluated by first watermarking the I-Frame with the sample watermark. Associated frames in the compressed video stream are then decoded using the watermarked I-Frame. An error value for the decoded video frames is then computed. If the error value is outside of a predetermined error threshold range, the I-Frame is selected as an I-Frame that may be used for client-side watermarking. |
| US08457348B2 |
Producing structure-based ASCII pictures
Provided are methods and devices for producing an ASCII picture from a vector outline image. The method comprises rasterizing the vector outline image into a plurality of grid cells, at least one of which has a reference image; matching each reference image with an ASCII character based on log-polar histograms thereof; and gathering all matched ASCII characters to form the ASCII picture. |
| US08457347B2 |
Monitoring usage of a computer by performing character recognition on screen capture images
Computer implemented methods for monitoring use of a computer and related systems and compositions of matter are disclosed herein. In various aspects, the methods may include the steps of associating an identified user with a computer, and capturing an image of a monitored region of a computer screen of the computer at a specified time. The methods include the steps of extracting image text from the image, determining image text content of the image text, and capturing a subsequent image of the monitored region of the computer screen of the computer at a subsequent time-subsequent to the specified time, in various aspects. A time difference between the specified time and the subsequent time is dependent upon image text content of the image text, in various aspects. The identified user does not control the associating step, the capturing step, the extracting step, the determining step, and the capturing a subsequent image step, in various aspects.This Abstract is presented to meet requirements of 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b) only. This Abstract is not intended to identify key elements of the methods, systems, and compositions of matter disclosed herein or to delineate the scope thereof. |
| US08457342B2 |
Differential microphone
A differential microphone includes a housing having a first space and a second space formed therein, and a first diaphragm arranged within the housing. A first opening connecting the first space to outside and a second opening connecting the second space to the outside are formed in the housing. A dimension of the first opening and the second opening in a first direction perpendicular to a straight line passing through centers of both openings is longer than a dimension of the first opening and the second opening in a second direction parallel to the straight line passing through the centers of both openings. |
| US08457341B2 |
Sound reproduction with improved low frequency characteristics
A sound reproduction system (10) is disclosed in which a sound barrier (14) defines a horn passageway having an upstream (22) and a downstream section (24). A driver (12) is mounted at the throat (16) of the upstream section (22) so that its rearward directed output communicates with the downstream section (24). Output from the upstream section and the rearward directed output of the driver are merged at a tap point located at the beginning of the downstream section. By altering the respective areas and lengths of the upstream and downstream sections a variety of different frequency dependent responses are obtained. In one example, low-frequency response systems of heretofore unobtainable compact size are realized. |
| US08457332B2 |
Microphone and orientation sensor assembly
A microphone and orientation sensor system includes a microphone and an orientation sensor. The microphone has a diaphragm. The orientation sensor includes an inertial load member having a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The sensor also includes at least one electrode positioned adjacent to the inertial load member. The sensor further includes a beam. The inertial load member pivots about the beam, and the pivoting of the load member causes a change in a distance between the first end and the electrode resulting in a change in capacitance between the first end and the electrode. The diaphragm and electrode are formed from a common layer of material. |
| US08457331B2 |
Thermoacoustic device
A thermoacoustic units includes at least one first electrode, at least one second electrode, a sound wave generator electrically connected with the at least one first electrode and the at least one second electrode, a housing, and at least one socket connector. The housing receives the at least one first electrode, the at least one second electrode, and the sound wave generator therein. The at least one socket connector is located on the housing. |
| US08457330B2 |
Method and apparatus for boosting an audible signal in a notification system
The present invention is an apparatus and a concomitant method for boosting the audio signal generated by at least one notification appliance in a supervised emergency voice evacuation system. |
| US08457329B2 |
Mixing control apparatus
A sub-console 1200 has a lower channel strip group 40 on a front panel 1202, and an upper channel strip group 42 on a rear panel 1206. Left and right displays 52 and 54 are provided between the upper and lower channel strip groups 42 and 40. Either one of the parameter of the upper and lower channel strip groups 42 and 40 is displayed on the left and right displays 52 and 54. With this structure, the width of the sub-console 1200 can be reduced, and the positional correspondence relationship between the respective channel strip groups and the left and right displays 52 and 54 can be maintained. Accordingly, a high operability can be realized. |
| US08457326B2 |
Output circuit for audio codec chip
An output circuit for audio codec chip includes a noise eliminating circuit electrically coupled to the audio codec chip for eliminating noise signals. The noise eliminating circuit includes a first switch and a second switch. When the audio codec chip output signals jump from low voltage level to high voltage level, the noise signals are grounded via the first and second switches respectively. |
| US08457323B2 |
Device for entertainment during driving of a car
A device designed to be plugged into an electric socket in a vehicle, which socket constitutes part of the electrical system of the vehicle, which device, without any other connection, is able to detect the engine speed of the vehicle and convert this information to sound signals. In at least one embodiment, the device includes at least one device for detecting electrical pulses resulting from the engine speed that are unintentionally emitted from the generator, electric motor or ignition system of the vehicle, in order to record the current engine speed. Further, in at least one embodiment, the device transmits, by way of radio waves, sampled/simulated or synthetically generated noise signals based on the electrical pulses to the radio receiver/sound system of the vehicle in order to play these in or around the vehicle. |
| US08457320B2 |
Wind noise classifier
A special purpose machine measures and modulates communication signals that are parsed into frames. Frames of signals modulated and measured to have certain qualities are deemed to be the result of wind noise. Frames of wind noise are cancelled from further use within a communication system. |
| US08457316B2 |
Architecture for reconfigurable quantum key distribution networks based on entangled photons by wavelength division multiplexing
A system and method for securing communications over a wave division multiplexing optical network between a plurality of users connected to the network. The system utilizes a primary optical source generator that is either tunable, or capable of generating a plurality of wavebands of different frequencies equal to the sum of wavebands serving individual users of the network to facilitate a key exchange between the individual users of the network using summed wavebands, each of which serving an individual user. |
| US08457310B2 |
Print system, control method therefor, information processing apparatus, control method therefor, program for implementing the control method, and storage medium storing the control program
A print system which are capable of inhibiting simultaneous use of the encrypted print and the box storage to thereby increase the security of print data. A host computer has an encryption function of encrypting print data, and issues a print job for the print data encrypted by the encryption function. A print server receives the issued print job, and has a decryption function of decrypting the encrypted print data of the received print job. A printer has a storage function of storing the print data decrypted by the decryption function, and outputs the stored print data. At least one of the host computer and the print server inhibits simultaneous use of the encryption function and the storage function. |
| US08457300B2 |
Instant message contact management in a contact center
The present invention is directed to a method for servicing a transaction in a contact center. When an instant message communication associated with a transaction is suspended prematurely, special treatment may be provided to the transaction initiator. The special treatment includes: (a) maintaining the assigned service priority for the transaction for assignment to a subsequent communication; (b) scheduling a subsequent outbound instant message to an external endpoint associated with the transaction initiator; (c) assigning to the transaction initiator a favored service priority when the subsequent inbound instant message is received by the contact center; and (d) maintaining previously selected item(s) in memory and providing the item(s) to the transaction initiator in a subsequent communication. |
| US08457299B2 |
Technique for providing a personalized electronic messaging service through an information assistance provider
To provide a personalized voice email service, data pertaining to one or more of a user's email accounts, e.g., email addresses and account access data, is maintained in a folder by an information assistance service, which is unaffiliated with the email service providers (e.g., AOL, Hotmail, etc.) maintaining the user's email accounts. When the user calls the information assistance service, the user's folder is retrieved. The user's email accounts may be accessed on behalf of the user based on the email addresses and account access data in the user's folder. An information assistance provider including, e.g., an operator and/or a voice server, may present information concerning the email messages received in the user's email accounts in different manners. For example, the information assistance provider may report to the user selected email messages that satisfy one or more predetermined criteria, e.g., only those email messages which have been received since the last time the user called the information assistance service. Header information (e.g., sender/address, subject, etc.) concerning the selected email messages may be announced to the user. At the user's request, the information assistance provider may open and read a email message to the user. The user may then send a reply email message, or forward the email message to other recipients. |
| US08457295B2 |
Call ordering system using a pre-filled transaction record in a call center transaction from a mobile phone
A call-ordering system and method enables convenient ordering in a call center transaction from a mobile phone. User profiles with identification data and a mobile phone number are matched to advertiser offers. Text messages are sent to the mobile phone numbers for matched users with a direct inward dialed (DID) number for response. Upon receiving an incoming call to the DID number from a responding user, an OfferRouter uses the caller and DID numbers to retrieve identification data for the user and offer data for the advertiser offer. The incoming call is then routed to a call center associated with the advertiser offer and the retrieved data are pushed to the call center's terminal system for pre-filling a transaction record for the offered item. The system may also be operated in tandem with a hotel guest registration system to register traveler profiles, the hotel's purchase management system to bill call center transactions to a guest's hotel bill, and the hotel's networked TV system to give guests an option to respond to an offer by using signals sent from the TV remote control unit to complete a transaction. |
| US08457293B1 |
Methods and systems for telephony call-back processing
The present invention provides flexible call processing. In one embodiment, a first call from a calling party intended for a called party is received at a call processing system. The call processing system places a second call to a telephonic device associated with the called party. The calling party and called party communicate via the first and second calls. A determination is made that the first call has been terminated. A call-back instruction is received from the called party while the second call is still in place. At least partly in response to receiving the call-back instruction, a third call is placed to a terminal associated with the calling party. The calling party and the called party can communicate via the second call and the third call. |
| US08457289B2 |
System and method for collaborative content creation on the Telecom Web
A system and method that enables the collaborative creation and editing of content on a VoiceSite over a telephone. The system and method enables the collaborative creation and editing of content on the VoiceSite by allowing one or multiple users (authors) to generate and edit the content of the VoiceSite at the same or different times. A Collaboration Manager is utilized to manage calls to/from one or more users. A VoiGen component utilizes voice-activated prompts to allow the one or more users to perform at least one of specify user preferences, load templates, store user preferences and service options, parse through obtained data, and generate/edit the VoiceSite based on the inputs provided by the one or multiple users. A Session Manager stores user specific information and ensures that the content provided by multiple users, including edits/changes, is integrated without conflicts. |
| US08457285B2 |
Communication device
There is provided a communication device including a first communication unit configured to communicate with a first device having a telephone function through a first network; a second communication unit configured to communicate with a second device having a function of reproducing sound, through a second network; a data storage unit configured to store an incoming message as sound data; a sound data transmission unit configured to transmit the sound data to the second device in response to a request from the second device; a reproduction recordation unit configured to register the sound data which has been transmitted to the second device, as reproduced sound data; a reproduction judgment unit configured to judge whether the sound data is registered as reproduced sound data; and a sound data information transmission unit configured to transmit sound data information concerning the sound data judged not to be registered as reproduced sound data. |
| US08457283B2 |
Method and device for initiating an automatic emergency call
A method and an apparatus for initiating an automatic emergency call wherein an emergency signal is sent when an initiation threshold is reached which is ascertained on the basis of a sensor signal. To prevent the incorrect transmissions of emergency calls and nevertheless to take account of a multiplicity of hazard situations, when the initiation threshold is reached an emergency call is initiated and additionally the reliability of the sensor signals prompting the initiation are assessed. When the sensor signals cannot be interpreted explicitly the emergency call is transmitted only after a delay time. During the delay time, the transmission of the emergency call can still be terminated. |
| US08457282B2 |
Method and system for controlling X-ray focal spot characteristics for tomosynthesis and mammography imaging
An x-ray tube is described that includes components for increasing x-ray image clarity in the presence of a moving x-ray source by modifying focal spot characteristics, including focal spot size and focal spot position. In a first arrangement a static focal spot is moved in a direction contrary to the movement of the x-ray source so that an effective focal spot position is essentially fixed in space relative to one of the imaged object and/or detector during a tomosynthesis exposure. In a second arrangement, the size of the static focal spot is increased, and the resulting increase in tube current reduces the exposure time and concomitant blur effect. The methods may be used alone or in combination; for example an x-ray tube with a larger, moveable static focal spot will result in a system that fully utilizes the x-ray tube generator, provides a high quality image with reduced blur and, due to the decrease in exposure time, may scan the patient more quickly. |
| US08457277B2 |
Orthovoltage radiosurgery
A radiosurgery system is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. The target tissues are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. The target tissues inside the global coordinate system lead to direction of an automated positioning system that is directed based on the target tissues within the coordinate system. A treatment plan is utilized in which beam energy and direction and duration of time for treatment is determined for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. A fiducial marker is used to identify the location of the target tissues. The device automatically turns off with excessive movement outside of alignment along an axis of the eye. Radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. |
| US08457270B2 |
Suppression method of radionuclide deposition on reactor component of nuclear power plant
A method of suppressing deposition of radionuclides on components of a nuclear power plant comprises forming a ferrite film by contacting a first chemical including iron (II) ions, a second chemical for oxidizing the iron (II) ions to iron (III) ions, and a third chemical for adjusting the pH of a processing solution containing a mixture of the first and second chemicals to be 5.5 to 9.0 with the metal member surface in a time period from a finishing stage in decontamination step of removing contaminants formed on the surface of metal member composing the nuclear power plant, and suppressing deposition of radionuclides on the metal member by the ferrite film. |
| US08457269B2 |
Clock and data recovery (CDR) architecture and phase detector thereof
A clock and data recovery (CDR) architecture which includes a frequency detector, a phase detector, a phase charge pump circuit, a frequency charge pump circuit and a voltage controlled oscillator is provided. The phase detector is configured to only include four AND gates to receive and evaluate the intermediate signals, generated by the frequency detector, and accordingly generate a phase control signal. The voltage controlled oscillator is configured to output a plurality of clock signals with different phases according to the current signals outputted from the phase and frequency charge pump circuits, and select at least one of the plurality of clock signals with different phases for sampling a data signal. |
| US08457267B2 |
System and method for multiplexing a time-reference signal and a frequency-reference signal
A system may include a bus carrying signals, a frame pulse generator generating a generally periodic frame pulse signal having timing boundaries delineating consecutive timing periods and a frame pulse enable signal active for a portion of each timing period proximate to the timing boundaries and inactive otherwise, a first controlled buffer driving the frame pulse signal on the bus during durations in which the frame pulse enable signal is active to generate a modified frame pulse, a reference clock controller receiving the modified frame pulse via the bus and generating a reference clock enable signal in response to presence of the modified frame pulse, a reference clock generator generating a generally periodic reference clock signal, and a second controlled buffer driving the reference clock signal on the bus during durations in which the reference clock enable signal is active to generate a modified reference clock. |
| US08457266B2 |
Method and device for multi-channel data alignment in transmission system
A method and a device for multi-channel data alignment in a transmission system are provided, wherein the method comprises receiving a first stream data and a second stream data, determining a deleting/inserting state of the first stream data and the second stream data to generate an information of mismatch data due to a speed difference situation, generating a reverse inserting control signal or a reverse deleting control signal to completely restore the original first stream data and/or the original second stream data at a transmission end, deleting/inserting the first stream data and the second stream data simultaneously after receiving the deleting/inserting state of the first stream data and the second stream data, and outputting the corrected first stream data and the corrected second stream data without mismatching. |
| US08457265B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating coefficients in a multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) system
SIC equalizer coefficients for multiple layers are concurrently generated in a manner that reduces computational overhead and complexity. If number of transmit antennas (MT) used exceeds two, matrix inverse(s) are generated by using a modified version of Riccatti Recursion. While producing an inverse matrix using this technique, for an N layer matrix (N being an integer>2), inverse matrixe(s) for layers less than N are also concurrently produced—thus, eliminating the requirement of producing inverse an matrix for each respective layer separately. |
| US08457260B2 |
System and method for acquisition in wireless communication systems
Techniques for supporting efficient operation by terminals in a wireless communication system are described. A base station transmits a preamble periodically in each superframe. The preamble includes at least one first OFDM symbol for control information followed by at least one second OFDM symbol for paging information. A terminal receives the first and second OFDM symbols and determines a receiver gain based on the received power of the first OFDM symbol(s), e.g., with an AGC loop having a shorter time constant than the duration of the first OFDM symbol(s). The terminal processes the second OFDM symbol(s) based on the receiver gain to obtain the paging information. The terminal may operate in an idle state, determine superframes assigned to the terminal, sleep between the assigned superframes, and process the first and second OFDM symbols in each assigned superframe to obtain the paging information. |
| US08457256B2 |
Channel-adaptive likelihood determination
Methods and systems to compute likelihood measures of demodulated, complex-coordinate data points, to and dynamically scale the likelihood measures as a function of a channel statistic, and to decode the data points from the scaled likelihood measures. Likelihood measures may be computed relative to all points, or a subset of points of a reference constellation, such as a subset of one or more nearest constellation points. Likelihood measures may be scaled as a function of a channel frequency response variance amongst a plurality of carriers, such as carriers of an OFDM signal, and/or as a function of a channel impulse response variance. |
| US08457253B2 |
Apparatus and method for estimating a channel in a broadband wireless communication system
Channel estimation in a broadband wireless communication system is provided. A receiver includes a frequency interpolator for interpolating in a frequency axis using at least one of channel estimation values estimated through pilot signals and channel estimation values generated using a time-axis interpolation, a determiner for determining a compensation coefficient to compensate for edge distortion using the channel estimation values estimated through the pilot signals, and a compensator for generating a completed channel estimation value by multiplying a channel estimation value generated by interpolating in the frequency axis, by the compensation coefficient. |
| US08457246B2 |
Apparatus and method for envelope tracking power amplifier in wireless communication system
An apparatus and method for amplifying a Transmit (Tx) signal according to an Envelope Tacking (ET) scheme in a wireless communication system are provided. A transmitting end apparatus includes an envelope gain controller for controlling a gain of a digital baseband Tx signal in accordance with power control, a detector for detecting an envelope signal from the digital baseband Tx signal whose gain is controlled, and for shaping on the envelope signal, a first Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) for converting the shaped envelope signal into an analog signal, and an envelope modulator for generating a drain bias of a power amplifier that amplifies a Radio Frequency (RF) Tx signal by using the analog envelope signal. Accordingly, a digital-based ET scheme is implemented, and by using a plurality of shaping tables, efficiency of the ET scheme can be maximized in a transmitting end that uses power control. |
| US08457244B2 |
Antenna and radio arrangement
The present invention relates to an antenna and radio arrangement comprising at least a first antenna and a second antenna, each having a first antenna port and a second antenna port, the arrangement further comprising at least four first transmitting means, where the first antenna's first antenna port is connected to a first transmitting means, the first antenna's second antenna port is connected to a second transmitting means, the second antenna's first antenna port is connected to a third transmitting means, and the second antenna's second antenna port is connected to a fourth transmitting means. At least two transmitting means transmit signals to the corresponding antenna ports, said signals being modulated by the same stream of digital signals and having the same radio carrier frequency, thus accomplishing a spatial combining of the output signals. The present invention also relates to a corresponding method. |