| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08479311B2 |
Device and method for an atomic force microscope for the study and modification of surface properties
The invention relates to a device for an atomic force microscope (AFM) for the study and/or modification of surface properties. The device comprises a cantilever (flexible bar) having an integrated, piezoresistive sensor, an integrated bimorphic actuator, and a measuring tip. The measuring tip carries at least two metal electrodes, which can be activated via electrical terminals. The measuring tip and/or the cantilever have at least one nanoscopic hole through which synchrotron radiation or laser light is directed onto the material surface to be studied. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for the study and modification of surface properties and surface-proximal properties, which can be executed using such a device. To this end, atomic force microscopy (AFM), surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), photo emission spectroscopy (XPS, XAS), and material modification by local exposure are executed in sequence or simultaneously using the same device. |
| US08479309B2 |
Ultra-low damping imaging mode related to scanning probe microscopy in liquid
Provided are methods and systems for high resolution imaging of a material immersed in liquid by scanning probe microscopy. The methods further relate to imaging a material submersed in liquid by tapping mode atomic force microscopy (AFM), wherein the AFM has a microfabricated AFM probe comprising a nanoneedle probe connected to a cantilever beam. The nanoneedle probe is immersed in the liquid, and the rest of the AFM probe, including the cantilever beam to which the nanoneedle probe is attached, remains outside the liquid. The cantilever is oscillated and the nanoneedle probe tip taps the material to image the material immersed in liquid. In an aspect, the material is supported on a shaped substrate to provide a spatially-varying immersion depth with specially defined regions for imaging by any of the methods and systems of the present invention. |
| US08479308B2 |
Scanning probe microscope and method for detecting proximity of probes thereof
A scanning probe microscope includes: a first and second probes for scanning a sample while maintaining the distance to the sample surface; crystal oscillators holding each of the first and second probes; and a modulation oscillator for providing the first probe with a vibration of a specific frequency which is different from the resonant frequency of each crystal oscillator. A control unit monitors the vibration of the specific frequency of the first and second probes, detects proximity of the first probe and the second probe to each other based on the change of the specific frequencies, and controls the drive of the first and second probes. |
| US08479304B1 |
Selectively protecting against chosen plaintext attacks in untrusted storage environments that support data deduplication
Various methods and systems for selectively protecting against chosen plaintext attacks when encrypting data for storage on an untrusted storage system are disclosed. One method involves generating an encryption key for use in encrypting data and generating an identifier for the data. Generation of the encryption key is based upon a hash of the data to be encrypted, and generation of the identifier is based upon the data to be encrypted and/or the encryption key. The method also involves detecting whether an encrypted copy of the data is already stored by a storage system, based upon the identifier. The method also detects whether a higher level of security has been specified for the data and, if so, modifies the data to be encrypted or the encryption key, based upon a client-specific value, prior to generating the identifier. |
| US08479302B1 |
Access control via organization charts
Improved techniques involve controlling access to data based on who has previously accessed the data. For example, when a user submits a request to access a resource, a list of those users who have accessed the resource is generated. Identifiers associated with the requesting user and the accessing users from the list of users are located within an organization chart which contains information about the hierarchal level and department to which users within the organization belong. As an example, if the requesting user is an executive-level employee and the accessing users are also executive-level users, then access to the resource is granted. If, on the other hand, the requesting user is on the level of an individual contributor, or a contractor, then access to the resource is denied. Further, access requests can be recorded in the access log for tracking. |
| US08479300B2 |
Method for transmitting data and preventing unauthorized data duplication for human-machine interface device using mass storage class operating on universal serial bus
A method for transmitting data and preventing unauthorized data duplication for human-machine interface device (HID) using Mass Storage Class (MSC) operating on Universal Serial Bus (USB) simulating the HID as an external USB storage device to make data connection to an external computer thus driver installation is not required when the operating system used by the external computer is not compatible with the operating used by the HID. The method encrypted the transmitted data via a dynamic password and does not write the data to the File Allocation Table (FAT) therefore the transmitted data is not under threat of unauthorized data duplication by a third party. |
| US08479297B1 |
Prioritizing network assets
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for generating composite priority factors. The system automates prioritization of assets based on metrics across many dimensions, allowing security and risk managers to uses a logical framework that is scalable for thousands of assets. |
| US08479296B2 |
System and method for detecting unknown malware
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of computer security and, in particular, to systems for detecting unknown malware. A method comprises generating genes for known malicious and clean objects; analyzing object genes using different malware analysis methods; computing a level of successful detection of malicious objects by one or a combination of malware analysis methods based on analysis of genes of the known malicious objects; computing a level of false positive detections of malicious objects by one or a combination of malware analysis methods based on analysis of genes of known clean objects; measuring effectiveness of each one or the combination of malware analysis methods as a function of the level of successful detections and the level of false positive detections; and selecting one or a combination of the most effective malware analysis methods for analyzing unknown object for malware. |
| US08479291B1 |
Systems and methods for identifying polymorphic malware
A computer-implemented method for identifying polymorphic malware may include identifying a sample of a variant within a polymorphic malware strain. The computer-implemented method may also include identifying a set of filters for identifying the polymorphic malware strain. The computer-implemented method may further include determining that the set of filters incorrectly excludes the sample from being identified as within the polymorphic malware strain. The computer-implemented method may additionally include modifying the set of filters to not exclude the sample from being identified as within the polymorphic malware strain. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US08479288B2 |
Method and system for providing a honeypot mode for an electronic device
A method and system are described of providing an electronic device with a software environment having a honeypot mode of operation to which the device is capable of switching upon recognition of a message from an external device or of a pre-determined internal state. Switching to the honeypot mode of operation may include instituting an automatic sending of reports based on usage of the electronic device to an external device, modifying the non-user-observable behavior of certain user-invokable operations, and manipulating data stored on the electronic device. |
| US08479284B1 |
Referrer context identification for remote object links
A computer, computer program product, and method identify referrer context information associated with a remote object link. A network inspection module monitors network traffic and a remote object link identification module identifies remote links and their associated referrer context information. A link storage module stores the referrer context information along with the associated link. A look up module looks up the referrer context information in response to a request for a source of a link. The referrer context information is an important security resource in identifying the true source of a threat, and in avoiding future attacks. In addition, it allows for a more complete picture of how a link moves from one client to another by tracking how the link was sent and received. |
| US08479283B2 |
Generating security validation code automatically
A security program code generator is configured to automatically generate program code used to perform one or more validation checks of components operating in user mode. In one implementation, for example, the program code generator receives one or more files that include declarative values and parameters regarding one or more function calls made by any user mode component. The program code generator then takes the file of declarative call descriptions and automatically generates a user mode stub and a kernel mode stub for each function call of interest to be handled by a kernel mode component. The file(s) that include the user mode stub and the kernel mode stub can then be compiled and linked into the operating system components. |
| US08479281B2 |
Authentication management methods and media
A method for managing authentication includes receiving a request at a directory service for authentication from a first of a plurality of users operating a first of a plurality of products, wherein the directory service associates each of the plurality of users with a plurality of roles for each of the plurality of products. The method also includes authenticating the first user utilizing the directory service, wherein the directory service provides a first role associated with the first user and the first product in response to the request. |
| US08479278B2 |
Virtualized secure networking
The invention provides a data processing system for the support of secure networking on a single, virtualized hardware platform. The data processing system comprises a Network Interface Controller NIC to control access to a physical network; a first operating system comprising an NIC driver to manage the NIC, and a first Virtual Network Interface Controller VNIC driver. The system further comprises at least one second operating system comprising at least one second VNIC driver associated with a networking stack; and a Virtual Machine Monitor VMM to enable concurrent operation of the first and second operating systems, and to emulate a virtual network, the VMM comprising first and second VNICs to provide access to the virtual network by the first and second operating systems through the first and second VNIC drivers, respectively. The first operating system further comprises a bridge driver in between the NIC driver and the first VNIC driver to manage the connection between the physical network and the virtual network. |
| US08479276B1 |
Malware detection using risk analysis based on file system and network activity
A virtual machine computing platform uses a security virtual machine (SVM) in operational communications with a risk engine which has access to a database including stored patterns corresponding to patterns of filtered operational data that are expected to be generated during operation of the monitored virtual machine when malware is executing. The stored patterns may have been generated during preceding design and training phases. The SVM is operated to (1) receive raw operational data from a virtual machine monitor, the raw operational data obtained from file system operations and network operations of the monitored virtual machine; (2) apply rule-based filtering to the raw operational data to generate filtered operational data; and (3) in conjunction with the risk engine, perform a mathematical (e.g., Bayesian) analysis based on the filtered operational data and the stored patterns in the database to calculate a likelihood that the malware is executing in the monitored virtual machine. A control action is taken if the likelihood is sufficiently high. |
| US08479275B1 |
Secure high-throughput data-center network employing routed firewalls
A reliable and secure data-center. The data center includes a first data-center tier that is adapted to connect to an external network and an internal portion of the data center. A first firewall instance interfaces the first tier and the external network. A second firewall instance interfaces the first tier and the internal portion of the data center. In a more specific embodiment, the first firewall instance and the second firewall instance accommodate Internet Protocol SECurity (IPSEC) terminations using one or more VPNSMs. In this embodiment, the first data-center tier implements a core tier that includes one or more core switches that facilitate implementing the first firewall instance and the second firewall instance. The interior portion of the network represents a DeMilitarized Zone (DMZ) that includes a second tier that is connected between the first data-center tier and a third tier. The second tier implements an aggregation tier that includes one or more aggregation switches that facilitate implementing reverse-proxy caching. Overall Layer-3 design methodology is used within each tier and across tiers for optimized packet switching. The aggregation tier includes one or more aggregation-tier service modules for implementing load balancing, Secure Socket Layer (SSL) offloading, and/or the reverse-proxy caching. |
| US08479266B1 |
Network assignment appeal architecture and process
A system is provided that comprises a computer system, a database, and an application that, when executed on the computer system, receives a message containing notification that an unauthorized communication from a client device has been attempted, searches the database for policies associated with a network resource invoked by the unauthorized communication, and determines authorization for association with policies permitting the client device access to the network resource. The system terminates the client device association with a first virtual local area network and sends a reply to a virtual local area network access device and a gateway device containing information to one of modify and replace a virtual local area network interface associated with the first virtual local area network on each component to provision a second virtual local area network. The system also activates association with the second virtual local area network providing access to the network resource. |
| US08479264B2 |
Architecture for virtual security module
A device supports the processing of multiple active applications in a processor through a mapping system that securely identifies and differentiates commands issued by clients. An entity selection signal is generated by the mapping system to signal the processor to process an algorithm and provide services for a specific client using the commands identified for that client and data permitted by a client tracking system for that client. Other data accesses and commands identified for other clients are restricted when processing the algorithm. |
| US08479261B2 |
Implementing electronic chip identification (ECID) exchange for network security
A method and circuit for implementing electronic chip identification (ECID) exchange for network security in an interconnect system, and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides are provided. Each interconnect chip includes an ECID for the interconnect chip, each ECID is unique and is permanently stored on each interconnect chip. Each interconnect chip sends predefined exchange identification (EXID) messages including the ECID across links to other interconnect chips in the interconnect system. Each interconnect chip compares a received EXID with a system list for the interconnect system to verify validity of the sending interconnect chip. |
| US08479246B2 |
System and method for interactive video content programming
The present invention is directed to a system and method for interacting with video by displaying one or more interface links associated with video content being displayed, pausing the video content when an interface link is interacted with, allowing the user to view ancillary content the interface link is linked to over a network, and un-pausing the video content after the user elects to continue viewing the video content. In one or more embodiments, the ancillary content may permit e-commerce, display additional video or other images, and/or include links to additional ancillary content. The present invention also includes a method for creating an interactive video. |
| US08479239B2 |
Technique for delivering through a communications network content of entertainment programs, and video recordings provided by users
A user may utilize a “home video on demand (HVOD)” service to distribute a video recorded using, e.g., a conventional camcorder, to desired viewers who have access to a broadband communications network, e.g., a cable TV network. The inventive system providing the HVOD service may receive from the user the video recording via email, postal mail, the Internet, computer transfer, etc. The inventive system converts the received video recording from its original video format to a uniform format, e.g., an MPEG-2 format. The converted video recording is stored in storage and made available to authorized viewers through the cable TV network. |
| US08479236B2 |
Communication system, transmitter, receiver, communication method, program, and communication cable
The present, invention relates to a communication system, a transmitter, a receiver, a communication method, a program, and a communication cable for providing high-speed bidirectional communication while maintaining compatibility. When an HDMI (R) source 71 performs bidirectional IP communication with an HDMI (R) sink 72 using a CEC line 84 and a signal line 141, a switching control unit 121 controls a switch 133 so that, when data is transmitted, the switch 133 selects a constituent signal forming a differential signal output from a converting unit 131 and, when data is transmitted, the switch 133 selects a constituent signal forming a differential signal output from a receiver 82. When bidirectional communication is performed using only the CEC line 84, the switching control unit 121 controls the switch 133 so that the CEC signal output from the HDMI (R) source 71 or the receiver 82 is selected. The present invention is applicable to, for example, HDMI (R). |
| US08479227B2 |
System and method for ensuring secure communication between TV and set back box
A random number or HDCP key is sent from a TV to a set back box (SBB) over a HDMI channel, and unless the SBB returns the same random number/key to the TV over a USB link, the TV will not communicate further with the SBB. |
| US08479222B2 |
Simplifying interaction with multiple applications when using forms via a common interface
Simplifying interaction with multiple applications when using forms via a common interface. In one embodiment, a mapping data indicating the forms used for corresponding combinations of an action and a class of data is maintained. On receiving an action identifier and a class identifier from a user using a common interface, the specific form is determined from the mapping data based on the action and class identifiers. The specific form is then displayed to the user on a display. As a result, a user can quickly/directly access a desired form. |
| US08479219B2 |
Allocating space in message queue for heterogeneous messages
Allocating space for storing heterogeneous messages in a message queue according to message classification. The classification may comprise message type, application type, network type, and so forth. Messages of multiple classification values may be queued in a single queue, referred to as a primary queue. When the allocated portion of the primary queue is reached for a particular message classification, then subsequent messages having that classification are sent to a secondary queue for queueing. The secondary queue also allocates space according to message classification. When space for a particular message classification becomes available in the primary queue, one or more messages having that classification may be moved from the secondary queue to the primary queue. |
| US08479218B2 |
Automatically arranging objects in a graphical program block diagram
Various embodiments of a system and method for automatically arranging or positioning objects in a block diagram of a graphical program are described. A graphical programming development environment or other software application may be operable to automatically analyze a block diagram of a graphical program, e.g., in order to determine objects present in the block diagram, as well as their initial positions within the block diagram. The graphical programming development environment may then automatically re-position various ones of the objects in the block diagram. In various embodiments, the objects may be re-positioned so as to better organize the block diagram or enable a user to more easily view or understand the block diagram. |
| US08479216B2 |
Method for decentralized load distribution in an event-driven system using localized migration between physically connected nodes and load exchange protocol preventing simultaneous migration of plurality of tasks to or from a same node
A computer-implemented method, computer program product and computer readable storage medium directed to decentralized load distribution in an event-driven system. Included are receiving a data flow to be processed by a plurality of tasks at a plurality of nodes in the event-driven system having stateful and stateless event processing components, wherein the plurality of tasks are selected from the group consisting of hierarchical tasks (a task that is dependent on the output of another task), nonhierarchical tasks (a task that is not dependent on the output of another task) and mixtures thereof. Tasks are considered for migration to distribute the system load of processing tasks. The target node, to which the at least one target task is migrated, is chosen wherein the target node meets predetermined criteria in terms of load distribution quality. The computer-implemented method, computer program product and computer readable storage medium of the present invention may also include migrating tasks to target nodes to reduce cooling costs and selecting at least one node to go into quiescent mode. |
| US08479212B2 |
System and method for dynamic rescheduling of multiple varying resources with user social mapping
A system and method for scheduling resources includes a memory storage device having a resource data structure stored therein which is configured to store a collection of available resources, time slots for employing the resources, dependencies between the available resources and social map information. A processing system is configured to set up a communication channel between users, between a resource owner and a user or between resource owners to schedule users in the time slots for the available resources. The processing system employs social mapping information of the users or owners to assist in filtering the users and owners and initiating negotiations for the available resources. |
| US08479203B2 |
Reducing processing overhead and storage cost by batching task records and converting to audit records
Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for processing documents for electronic discovery. A request may be received to perform a task on documents, each document having a distinct document identifier. A task record may be generated to represent the requested task. The task record may include information specific to the request task. However, the task record need not include any document identifiers. At least one batch record may be generated that includes the document identifier for each of the documents. The task record may be associated with the at least one batch record. The requested task may be performed according to the task record and the at least one batch record. An audit record may be generated for the performed task. The audit record may be associated with the at least one batch record. |
| US08479200B2 |
Virtualizing the execution of homogeneous parallel systems on heterogeneous multiprocessor platforms
An embodiment of the invention is a virtual machine monitor that is executable by computer processor. The virtual machine monitor runs a virtual processor. When the virtual processor encounters a faulting instruction the virtual processor is unmapped from the physical processor, and generates a list of other physical processors that could execute the instruction. The virtual machine monitor determines if one of the other of the physical processors in the list is currently idle, and when one of the other of the physical processors in the list is determined to be currently idle, the virtual processor is mapped to a second physical processor, which is the one of the other of the physical processors in the list that was determined to be currently idle. |
| US08479197B2 |
Host controller using reduced network resources to monitor hosts
A host controller sends a request for first status information to a host. The host controller receives first status information from the host along with a unique identifier that is associated with the first status information. After a time period, the host controller sends a new request for second status information to the host, the new request including the unique identifier. When second status information and the first status information are associated with the same unique identifier, the host controller receives a response from the host indicating that the second status information is the same as the first status information. When the second status information and first status information are not associated with the same unique identifier, the host controller receives the second status information and a new unique identifier from the host. |
| US08479195B2 |
Dynamic selection and application of multiple virtualization techniques
Autonomous selection between multiple virtualization techniques implemented in a virtualization layer of a virtualized computer system. The virtual machine monitor implements multiple virtualization support subsystems that each provide for the comprehensive handling of potential virtualization exceptions. A virtual machine monitor resident performance monitor computes relative virtualization overhead costs that are and would be incurred in using different virtualization support subsystems for virtualization exceptions that occur in executing a guest operating system within a defined interval. Dependent on the relative virtualization overhead costs determined, the virtual machine monitor resident virtualization selection control switches the virtual machine monitor to use the optimal virtualization support subsystem for handling virtualization exceptions that occur over a second defined interval. |
| US08479190B2 |
Management system, management method, terminal device, management server and program
There is provided a management system having a terminal device and a management server for managing terminal firmware of the terminal device. The terminal device includes: storing means storing the firmware to be capable of being updated by a user of the terminal device, and storing firmware version information to be incapable of being updated by the user; firmware updating means updating, on the basis of the version information, the firmware stored in the storing means with newer version firmware; and version information updating means updating the version information stored in the storing means with that of the updated firmware updated, and the management server includes: judging means judging, on the basis of the terminal firmware version information, a need or not to update the firmware; and transmitting means transmitting the newer version firmware to the terminal device if the firmware needs to be updated. |
| US08479187B2 |
Adaptive switch installer
The subject matter disclosed herein provides methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for upgrading software. In one aspect there is provided a method. The method may include copying a source application server to form a shadow application server, the copying including copying a repository table and a customizing table to form a shadow repository table and a shadow customizing table. Moreover, the upgrade may be implemented at the shadow application server. The upgrade may be applied to a first synonym of the shadow repository table and a second synonym of the shadow customizing table. The first synonym may enable the shadow application server to connect to the shadow repository table, when the upgrade is being implemented. The second synonym may enable the shadow application server to connect to the shadow customizing table, when the upgrade is being implemented. The method may also include switching to the upgrade by renaming the shadow repository table and the shadow customizing table to identifiers corresponding to the repository table and customizing table of the source application server. Related systems, apparatus, methods, and/or articles are also described. |
| US08479185B2 |
Method and system for utilizing parallelism across loops
A method for compiling application source code that includes selecting multiple loops for parallelization. The multiple loops include a first loop and a second loop. The method further includes partitioning the first loop into a first set of chunks, partitioning the second loop into a second set of chunks, and calculating data dependencies between the first set of chunks and the second set of chunks. A first chunk of the second set of chunks is dependent on a first chunk of the first set of chunks. The method further includes inserting, into the first loop and prior to completing compilation, a precedent synchronization instruction for execution when execution of the first chunk of the first set of chunks completes, and completing the compilation of the application source code to create an application compiled code. |
| US08479183B2 |
Caching run-time variables in optimized code
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for emitting a live range statement into a program for a memory variable to be cached during run-time that has at least one simulation state variable if the memory variable is dynamically mapped, and defining the simulation state variable at a first execution path of the program. In such manner, the program may be optimized using the live range statement and the simulation state variable. Also, a debugger may use the simulation state variables in obtaining and displaying the memory variable from a cache. |
| US08479178B2 |
Compiler in a managed application context
A batch compiler is employed to enable compilation of code provided at runtime. A managed application receives code during execution and invokes the compiler to transform the code to enable it to execute within the context of the receiving application. Among other things, employment of a batch compiler preserves investments made to such compilers while also opening up new scenarios in application scripting and/or hosting that are otherwise unavailable. |
| US08479177B2 |
Attribute based method redirection
A programming environment may have an abstract interface definition that may contain a redirection definition that may cause a call to be bound to a redirected method or function. The redirected method or function may be a conditional redirection, and some embodiments may perform various checks including signature checks, static and runtime access checks, and other verifications for the redirected method. The redirection may enable a programmer to modify a portion of an interface without having to re-implement all of the functions of the interface. |
| US08479176B2 |
Register mapping techniques for efficient dynamic binary translation
Generally, the present disclosure provides a system and method for mapping registers from a system with more registers to a system with fewer registers. Regions may be formed that include one or more blocks of code with relatively frequent register accesses. The most frequently accessed source registers may be mapped to target registers. Each block in the region may be bounded by a prologue and at least one epilogue. The prologue may be configured to implement register mapping and the epilogue(s) may be configured to manage program flow from a block in the region to another block in the region or to a block not in the region. |
| US08479175B1 |
Mainframe-based web service development accelerator
An interactive computer architecture is provided that can be employed as a bridge between a mainframe-based computing environment and a distributed server-based computing environment. A request/reply contract can be expressed within the mainframe-based environment and employed as the basis for generating a web service in the distributed computing environment. |
| US08479174B2 |
Method, computer program and computer for analyzing an executable computer file
In one aspect, an executable computer file is partitioned into basic blocks of code. At least some basic blocks are translated into translated basic blocks. At least some translated basic blocks are linked in memory of a computer. At least some translated basic blocks on the computer are executed so as to enable the file to be unpacked or decrypted. In this way, the file can be analyzed to determine whether the file is or should be classed as malware. In another aspect, at least a read page of cache memory is created for at least some basic blocks and at least a write page of cache memory is created for at least some basic blocks. During the execution of a basic block, at least one of the read page and the write page is checked for a cached real address corresponding to the virtual address that is being accessed for said basic block. |
| US08479173B2 |
Efficient and self-balancing verification of multi-threaded microprocessors
Creating one or more irritator threads on one or more processor cores in a multi-threaded multiprocessor data processing system is provided. A test generator generates non-irritator thread code for execution by a non-irritator thread and irritator thread code for execution by one or more irritator threads of the multi-threaded multiprocessor data processing system. A simulation controller instantiates the non-irritator thread to execute the non-irritator thread code and the one or more irritator threads to execute the irritator thread code. The simulation controller determines if the non-irritator thread has finished execution of the entire instruction stream of the non-irritator thread code. Responsive to the non-irritator thread finishing execution of the entire instruction stream of the non-irritator thread code, the non-irritator thread performs an operation to terminate the execution of the irritator thread code by the one or more irritator threads. |
| US08479172B2 |
Virtual machine testing
A system for testing a base machine includes the base machine that has a base feature set (BFS) and a testing module. The system also includes a test case generator, configured to: select a prior level of the base machine, the prior level having a legacy architecture; determine a feature set of the legacy architecture based on the BFS; generate a set of test instructions based on the feature set; and provide the set of test instructions to the testing module. |
| US08479171B2 |
Generating test sets using intelligent variable selection and test set compaction
In one embodiment, constructing one or more sets of variables corresponding to one or more input variables of a software module respectively; for each one of the sets of variables, computing an average branching depth that is affected by the set of variables; selecting a first one of the sets of variables that has the smallest average branching depth; assigning a first symbolic value to the input variable of the first set of variables; symbolically executing the software module to generate a first set of test cases for the first set of variables; optionally compacting the first set of test cases by removing the redundant tests that do not increase test coverage and selecting a minimal subset of the first set of test cases that cover all the covered conditional branch points; and validating the software module using the first set of test cases. |
| US08479168B2 |
Computer-readable recording medium storing verification support program, information processor, and verification support method
An information processing and method include acquiring a trace group indicating instants of time of execution of processing operations and vestiges of contents of the execution, behavior information indicating behaviors of a processor of the arbitrary system, and state information indicating state transitions of an arbitrary hardware device other than the processor. A behavior trace searching unit searches when an arbitrary behavior is specified from behaviors indicated by the behavior information, a state trace searching unit searches when an arbitrary state transition is specified from the state transition indicated by the state information, an associating unit associates, the traces found by the behavior trace searching unit and the traces found by the state trace searching unit according to an instruction and an outputting unit outputs the traces associated by the associating unit as traces for a simulation of the behaviors. |
| US08479167B1 |
Detecting indexing errors in declarative languages
A method for detecting program code errors including searching for lines of command codes in the program code. A line of command code includes command codes and indices. The lines of command codes are organized as paragraphs. At least one of the lines of commands codes in each paragraph is different from the other lines of commands codes in the paragraph. The method further including separating the command codes from the indices for the lines of command codes, wherein the indices are a matrix of indices, and each row of indices in the matrix of indices includes the sets of indices for each of the lines of command codes from one of the paragraphs; determining each set of vertical indices in the matrix of indices that does not match a known series; and reporting to a user computer each set of vertical indices that does not match the known series. |
| US08479164B2 |
Automated test execution plan generation
A set of user-configured testing parameters for a software application under test can be received by a test execution plan generation tool. At least one testing objective for the software application can be defined by user-configurable testing parameters. A test execution plan can be automatically generated utilizing the user-configured testing parameters and a predefined test execution plan data model. The predefined test execution plan data model can include testing metadata representing software testing domain data for a software testing system being used to evaluate the software application under test. The testing metadata can specify details of finite shared resources of a test center shared by all projects under test. The generated test execution plan can detail specific allocation of the finite shared resources dedicated towards at least one phase of testing the software application to satisfy the at least one testing objective for the software application. |
| US08479161B2 |
System and method for performing software due diligence using a binary scan engine and parallel pattern matching
A system and method is provided for performing software due diligence review, which may include reviewing software for compliance and compatibility with software licenses, export regulations, or other compliance issues. In one implementation, the system may include a binary scan engine configured to analyze binary objects and extract dependency information identifying source code that may be associated with the binary objects. Upon identifying relevant source code, the system may use parallel pattern matching techniques to identify certain keywords in the source code and/or to match the keywords to text patterns that contain excerpts of language relevant to software due diligence. The system may then check for permissions and obligations associated with any matching relevant language to draw inferences regarding potential compliance problems. |
| US08479160B2 |
Debugging client-side code
A method for debugging client-side code includes a client receiving an application file set from a server in response to the client requesting an application. A singleton is generated on the client by executing a script in the application file set. The singleton monitors a data event generated by an application programming interface. The singleton writes a client data record to a cache memory in response to the application programming interface generating the data event. The client data record records an application event. The singleton flushes the contents of the cached memory in response to a flush event, and transfers the contents to the server for persistent storage. |
| US08479156B2 |
Providing target specific information for textual code at edit time
Providing target specific information for textual code at edit time. Input specifying textual code or the textual code itself may be received. The textual code may be specified for a target device. The textual code may be analyzed to determine information regarding execution of the textual code on the target device. The information may regard at least one statement of the textual code. The information may be provided for display. The analysis and provision of information may be performed at edit time. |
| US08479152B2 |
Representing non-functional requirements (NFRS) in unified modeling language (UML)
Modeling non-functional requirements (NFRs) in a computer programming environment. In one aspect, this further comprises: identifying use case (UC) artifacts having one or more NFRs; retrieving the one or more NFRs and any data associated therewith; analysing the associated data to define a test case therefor; retrieving a UC realization from a model to determine one or more possible program flows; and testing each possible program flow to select the test case which verifies the use case required, thereby modeling the NFR. |
| US08479150B2 |
Compositional modeling of integrated systems using event-based legacy applications
The compositional event based modeling of integrated applications (CINEMA) tool provides a way to extend a modeling environment using legacy event based applications, such as Graphical User Interface (GUI) APplications (GAPs). CINEMA allows modelers to extend the toolbox of the modeling environment by creating modeling elements that represent GUI objects of GAPs. CINEMA generates source code that allows an integrated system to control and manipulate the GUI objects of GAPs represented by the modeling elements used to create a model of the integrated system. |
| US08479144B2 |
SDK use-restriction imposing device, use-restriction-imposed SDK developing system, and SDK use-restriction imposing method
An SDK use-restriction imposing device includes a user interface unit, a source file of a use-restriction plug-in, a use-restriction plug-in edit unit, a build unit, and a use-restriction plug-in generation unit. The use-restriction plug-in edit unit sets use restrictions to the source file on the basis of use-restriction information received via the user interface unit. The build unit compiles the source file so as to generate an executable file of the use-restriction plug-in in response to a build instruction received via the user interface unit. The use-restriction plug-in generation unit generates a use-restriction-imposed SDK including an original SDK and the executable file of the use-restriction plug-in in response to an output instruction received via the user interface unit. |
| US08479142B2 |
Method and apparatus for the design and analysis of digital circuits with time division multiplexing
Methods and apparatuses to design and analyze digital circuits with time division multiplexing. At least one embodiment of the present invention efficiently models subsystems connected by a TDM channel by introducing equivalent delays in the connections for the subsystems, where the delays are determined according to the upper bounds of the delays caused by the TDM channel. The TDM channel is modeled with its equivalent delays. Thus, a transformation tool is allowed to take into account the original constraints and time budgeting of the sending subsystem and the receiving subsystem. The problem of asynchronous clock domains is eliminated; and, simulation time of the multiplexed circuit is also improved. In some embodiments of the present invention, multiple TDM slots are assigned to a particular signal to reduce the equivalent connection delay caused by the TDM channel for the particular signal. |
| US08479141B1 |
Automation using spine routing
A method and technique of routing interconnects of an integrated circuit providing improved routing quality. In an embodiment of the invention, the technique provides linear spine interconnect routing. In memory array blocks, such as in DRAM and SRAM memory designs, connected pins are generally separated by large distances in a first direction and small distances in a second direction, or a spine or channel region. A route area is defined within the spine region. In one embodiment, obstacles in the route area are identified and corresponding forbidden areas are demarcated. The linear spine interconnect is routed in the first direction within the route area while avoiding the forbidden areas. Pins are connected to the spine interconnect by stitching interconnects. Stitching interconnects are generally routed in the second direction. |
| US08479139B1 |
Automatic routing system with variable width interconnect
A system automatically routes interconnect of an integrated circuit design using variable width interconnect lines. For example, a first automatically routed interconnect may have a different width from a second automatically routed interconnect. The system will vary the width of the interconnect lines based on certain factors or criteria. These factors include current or power handling, reliability, electromigration, voltage drops, self-heating, optical proximity effects, or other factors, or combinations of these factors. The system may use a gridded or a gridless (or shape-based) approach. |
| US08479136B2 |
Decoupling capacitor insertion using hypergraph connectivity analysis
Decoupling capacitors (dcaps) are placed in an IC design by assigning different dcap utilization rates to logic cones, applying the rates to corresponding dcap regions surrounding cells in the cones, identifying any overlap of regions from different logic cones, and inserting a dcap at the overlapping region having the highest dcap utilization rate. The best location for the dcap is computed using a hypergraph wherein the cells are edges and the regions are nodes. Any node that is dominated by another node is removed and its edge is extended to the dominating node. The dcap is inserted in the region having the most edges (the edges can be weighted). The process is repeated iteratively, updating the hypergraph by removing nodes connected to dcap location, and inserting the next dcap at a region corresponding to the node which then has the greatest number of connected edges. |
| US08479134B2 |
Method and system for specifying system level constraints in a cross-fabric design environment
A method of specifying system level constraints for connecting an interface of an electronic device between first and second fabrics includes specifying one or more first condition relating to a placement of the interface, specifying one or more second condition relating to a connection of a net in the interface between the first and second fabrics, generating one or more first equation expressing the first condition as a function of the location of the connectors, generating one or more second equation expressing the second condition as a function of the location of connectors, generating one or more third equation expressing an optimality criterion for the interface, and outputting the one or more first equation, the one or more second equation and the one or more third equation to a data file in a computer readable format. |
| US08479129B1 |
Dynamic time domain randomization techniques for SOC and IP verification
The present disclosure describes a memory block manager. In some aspects a request is transmitted to a model of an IP block at a randomized time and a response is received from the model of the IP block useful to characterize behavior of the IP block when fabricated. In other aspects a response to a request is transmitted to a model of an IP block at a randomized time and a communication is received from the model of the IP block useful to characterize behavior of the fabricated IP block when fabricated. |
| US08479127B1 |
Network accessible system for synthesis of an electronic circuit model
A network accessible system for synthesizing (constructing) an electronic circuit model in response to electromagnetic analysis data. The invention provides rapid automation of the synthesis of an electronic circuit model by incorporating one or more synthesized electronic model components that are selected from a larger plurality of synthesized (candidate) electronic components whose structure and electromagnetic characteristics are rapidly and automatically synthesized in response to the electromagnetic analysis data. |
| US08479126B1 |
Parametric yield improvement flow incorporating sigma to target distance
Techniques are presented for improving parametric yield. As part of an automatic sizing process for a circuit, one set of techniques receives a target value for a performance goal and then optimizes, with respect to the number of standard deviations, the distance by which the mean value of a distribution of the performance goal differs from the target value. In a second set of techniques, as part of an automatic sizing process during a circuit design process, the operation of the circuit is simulated to determine the distribution of a performance goal for a first design point. It is then determined whether a second design point is sufficiently close to the first design point and, if so, the simulation for the first design point is used for evaluating the second design point in an optimization process. |
| US08479124B1 |
Graphical user interface (GUI) including input files with information that determines representation of subsequent content displayed by the GUI
A graphical user interface (GUI) used to program complex hardware elements is provided that allows a variety of files to be used to control subsequent content displayed by the GUI. The control includes dynamic updating of actual GUI elements, as well as rule checking based upon data entered into the GUI. Configuration, rule, and GUI files can be used to control the eventual programming of the complex hardware elements. Graphical metaphors are established to enable the viewing of performance information and using that information to control the programming of the complex hardware elements. |
| US08479119B2 |
Method for presenting menu buttons
Optical storage media often contain data structures for a menu suitable for selection of a title, a chapter, a parameter or others. Such menus usually comprise a number of buttons to be displayed, with each button having a state. Possible states of buttons are e.g. “unselected”, “selected” or “activated”. According to the invention, the menu may contain buttons that can be selected through the keys on the remote control, but that don't have any images or text associated. This allows creating “invisible buttons” that automatically execute commands upon selection. Further, a sound or sound sequence, e.g. melody or click, may be associated to a buttons state, and may be played back when the button enters this state. Such menu data may be stored e.g. on a Blu-ray disc. |
| US08479118B2 |
Switching search providers within a browser search box
A Web browser includes a quick pick search provider menu that provides a user interface which provides a user with the ability to quickly select a new search provider which appears when the user places focus in the Web browser's search box. In one or more embodiments, the Web browser's search box comprises a native part of the Web browser and is not a search box associated with an installed tool bar. In other embodiments, search box functionality is provided as an extension to the Web browser. Further, various embodiments enable the user to switch between search providers in an easy and intuitive way. Yet other embodiments provide an opportunity for users to switch between search providers using keywords in the search box. Further embodiments enable users to define collections of search providers to which individual searches can be sent. |
| US08479113B2 |
Apparatus, system and method for an icon driven tile bar in a graphical user interface
A tile bar for use in association with a graphical user interface associated with at least one operating system is disclosed. The tile bar includes a plurality of tiles indicative of one or more of an application, a file, a window, a data, and an outcome, an identifying tile among the plurality of tiles, wherein the identifying tile is uniquely indicative of at least one of a user preference and user information of a user logged in to the graphical user interface, and wherein the identifying tile is adjacent to at least one tile of the plurality of tiles, and a scroll for presenting ones of the plurality of tiles not immediately viewable to the user. The tile bar further includes each of said plurality of tiles comprises at least one of rotating about an axis, focused by a magnifying cursor, increased vividness, and blurring upon placement of a cursor provided by the graphical user interface at a predetermined proximation to each tile. |
| US08479112B2 |
Multiple input language selection
Multiple language inputs may be provided to various applications programs and/or threads in a computer system. Such inputs may be directed to various software systems on the computer for further processing, wherein the software systems provide language-specific processing. Each application program and/or thread within an application program active on or accessible by the computer may have a different selected input language. More specifically, systems, methods, and computer-readable media for this process may include: (a) determining an input language for a first application program accepting input through a computer; and (b) selecting at least one software system capable of accepting or operating on at least some of the input based, at least in part, on the input language determined for the first application program. The software system(s) may include at least one member selected from the group of: a soft keyboard generator, a handwriting recognizer, and a speech recognizer. In some examples, the input language of various software systems on the computer may be tied to the input language of another software system, such as the soft keyboard. For example, in some instances, a specific handwriting recognizer and/or a specific speech recognizer may be selected for receiving input based, at least in part, on the input language determined for the soft keyboard used in the application program. |
| US08479109B2 |
Programmatically generating a graphical program in response to user input
A system and method for programmatically generating a graphical program or a portion of a graphical program in response to receiving user input. The user input may specify functionality of the graphical program or graphical program portion to be generated. In response to the user input, a graphical program (or graphical program portion) that implements the specified functionality may be programmatically generated. Thus, different graphical programs may be generated, depending on the user input received. |
| US08479098B2 |
Reservation of resources and deployment of applications using an integrated development environment
Systems and methods to deploy an application are provided. In exemplary embodiments, an indication to deploy the application is received from a user. The deployment process is initiated in response to the receiving of the indication. The deployment process deploys the application on resources previously reserved for the application. The deployment process is monitored. A graphical user interface illustrating the deployment process is dynamically generated and communicated to the user. |
| US08479095B2 |
Workflow executing device, preview creating method
A workflow executing device includes a workflow executing unit; a first extracting unit that extracts a first preview property including a first element constituting a first data item and first position information; a second extracting unit that extracts a second preview property including a second element constituting a second data item and a second position information item, the second data item being obtained as a result of processing the first data item; a preview property managing unit that saves preview properties; a preview property generating unit that inserts the second element that is the processing result into the first preview property in place of the first element that is the processing target, and generates a new second preview property by associating the first position information with the second element; and a preview creating unit that creates preview images based on preview properties. |
| US08479094B2 |
Interactive writing aid to assist a user in finding information and incorporating information correctly into a written work
A machine and computer-implemented process that assists a user in authoring any written work in that it automatically searches multiple sources simultaneously on the world wide web or other designated database in order to provide automatic citation and/or information suggestions to an author's written work. The invention parses and sorts both user entered information and returned search results to create databases which assist in suggesting the most relevant information and citation suggestions to the user. The machine and computer-implemented process also provide automatic formatting, in a user pre-selected style, of both the written work and the citations which are automatically generated and suggested to the author based upon user defined presets and relevancy criteria. The invention described assists a user in finding information and the next step in a variety of processes. |
| US08479092B1 |
Content layout for an electronic document
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on one or more computer storage media, for modifying content layout for an electronic document are described. In one aspect, a method includes receiving an identification of a subset of content items identified in a first electronic document. Each content item in the subset of content items includes displayable data. A prioritization of the subset of content items is identified, and a first content item is selected based on the prioritization. A new value of a first layout property for the selected content item is calculated based at least in part on one or more initial values. A new electronic document is generated. The new electronic document includes an identification of the new value and data for generating a second graphical representation of the subset of content items based at least in part on the new value. |
| US08479091B2 |
Automated assembly of a complex document based on production constraints
A method for assembling a document generates a set of candidate content items for inclusion in the document. The content items may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. A set of production criteria for printing the candidate content items as a document may be selected. An inclusion constraint is automatically applied to the set of production criteria. If the set of production criteria does not satisfy the inclusion constraint, a conflict may be resolved. One or more production criteria in the set may be identified that may be modified. A user selection of at least one production criteria that may be modified may be received. The identified production criteria may be modified according to the user selection. A document may be created that includes the modified production criteria and the candidate content items. The document may be published. |
| US08479090B2 |
Rich content in a browser-based work processor
A tangible computer-readable storage medium having encoded on it data that represents a model of a document, the document model including a one-dimensional character string that includes characters of the document in an order in which they appear in the document; a map of styles that includes markers that correspond to changes in styles in the document, and pointers to the character string, wherein the pointers define locations along the character string at which the changes in styles are to occur and define style runs between matched markers; and one or more external references to objects outside the document model, the external references including identifiers for the objects and pointers to the character string indicating where in the character string the object will appear. |
| US08479086B2 |
Systems and methods for efficient parameter modification
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for data processing. |
| US08479084B2 |
Cyclically interleaved dual BCH, with simultaneous decode and per-codeword maximum likelihood reconciliation
A method and system are provided for forward error correction. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a strong FEC algorithm that performs similarly to RS(255,239) when a simple decoder is used, and scales up linearly to a full-scale decoder that outperforms all 7% algorithms currently in G.975.1. The Forward Error Correction code is suitable for use in optical transport networks (OTN) and other applications requiring high decode performance and high code rate. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an FEC code that is a cyclically interleaved dual BCH, with simultaneous decode and per-codeword maximum likelihood reconciliation. |
| US08479081B2 |
Method for visually confirming a relationship between an edited packet and serial data
A user may easily confirm a relationship between an edited packet and the output serial data derived from the edited packet. The user may edit a packet with known method (step 104) to display a packet structure of the edited packet (step 106). A signal generator converts the packet to serial data through striping, scramble and 8b/10b conversion to display a serial data bar corresponding to the serial data derived from the packet (step 116). The user may designate a range on the serial data bar to distinctively display portions of the packet structure corresponding to the designated range (step 120). |
| US08479079B2 |
Integrated data and header protection for tape drives
A method for integrating data and header protection in tape drives includes receiving an array of data organized into rows and columns. The array is extended to include one or more headers for each row of data in the array. The method provides two dimensions of error correction code (ECC) protection for the data in the array and a single dimension of ECC protection for the headers in the array. A corresponding apparatus is also disclosed herein. |
| US08479076B2 |
Header encoding for single carrier (SC) and/or orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) using shortening, puncturing, and/or repetition
Header encoding for SC and/or OFDM signaling using shortening, puncturing, and/or repetition in accordance with encoding header information within a frame to be transmitted via a communication channel employs different respective puncturing patterns as applied to different portions thereof. For example, a first puncturing pattern is applied to a first portion of the frame, and a second puncturing pattern is applied to a second portion of the frame (the second portion may be a repeated version of the first portion). Shortening (e.g., by padding 0-valued bits thereto) may be made to header information bits before they undergo encoding (e.g., in an LDPC encoder). One or both of the information bits and parity/redundancy bits output from the encoder undergo selective puncturing. Moreover, one or both of the information bits and parity/redundancy bits output from the encoder may be repeated/spread before undergoing selective puncturing to generate a header. |
| US08479071B2 |
Information processing apparatus, history management method
An information processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a controller for dividing data into a plurality of divided-data; a plurality of storage units for storing the plurality of divided-data, respectively; a plurality of storage controllers for writing the divided-data into the corresponding storage unit or reading out the divided-data from the respective storage units; a plurality of history storage units for storing histories of the operation of the corresponding storage controllers, respectively; an error detector for detecting an error in the divided-data; an error correction controller for controlling correction of the error; and a plurality of history controller for controlling update of the histories in the corresponding history storage units, respectively upon correction of the error. |
| US08479069B2 |
Integrated circuit (IC) with primary and secondary networks and device containing such an IC
Some embodiments provide an integrated circuit (“IC”) with a primary circuit structure. The primary circuit structure is for performing multiple operations that implement a user design. The primary circuit structure includes multiple circuits. The IC also includes a secondary monitoring structure for monitoring multiple operations. The secondary monitoring structure includes a network communicatively coupled to multiple circuits of the primary circuit structure. The secondary monitoring circuit structure is for analyzing the monitored operations and reporting on the analysis to a circuit outside of the IC. |
| US08479067B2 |
Test architecture including cyclical cache chains, selective bypass scan chain segments, and blocking circuitry
A test architecture adds minimal area overhead and increases encoding bandwidth by using one or more cyclical cache chains for a set of the test patterns provided to the scan chains of the design. A multiplexer associated with a scan chain can be used to bypass a segment of the scan chain that includes unknown values. Blocking circuitry can be programmed to completely block one or more scan chains including unknown values. The test architecture can include control logic for selecting between a linear mode and a cyclical mode. In the linear mode, only top level scan inputs are mapped to the scan chains. In the cyclical mode, outputs of the plurality of cyclical cache chains and top level scan inputs are mapped to the scan chains. |
| US08479062B2 |
Program disturb error logging and correction for flash memory
Program disturb error logging and correction for a flash memory including a computer implemented method for storing data. The method includes receiving a write request that includes data and a write address of a target page in a memory. A previously programmed page at a specified offset from the target page is read from the memory. Contents of the previously programmed page are compared to an expected value of the previously programmed page. Error data is stored in an error log in response to contents of the previously programmed page being different than the expected value of the previously programmed page, the error data describing an error in the previously programmed page and the error data used by a next read operation to the previously programmed page to correct the error in the previously programmed page. The received data is written to the target page in the memory. |
| US08479061B2 |
Solid state memory cartridge with wear indication
A memory cartridge is described that includes a non-volatile memory. The cartridge also includes logic to concentrate memory operations on particular areas of the non-volatile memory to cause the areas of concentration to wear out at an accelerated rate relative to non areas of concentration, and logic to track wear on the non-volatile memory resulting from one or both of erases and writes. |
| US08479060B2 |
Memory with self-test function and method for testing the same
The present invention relates to a memory with a self-test function and a method for testing the same. The memory comprises a testing unit, a memory unit, and a comparison module. The method for testing the memory comprises steps of the testing unit producing a pattern signal; a first storage block of the memory unit storing storage data, and outputting the storage data according to the pattern signal; a second storage block of the memory storing a compare signature corresponding to the storage data; and the compare module producing a test signature according to the storage data output by the memory unit, and comparing the test signature to the compare signature and outputting a testing result for judging validity of the memory unit. Thereby, the memory unit according to the present invention is partitioned into two storage blocks for storing the storage data and the compare signature, respectively, and thus achieving the purposes of saving the testing time, costs, and hardware resources. |
| US08479059B2 |
Radio communication device, radio communication system, program and radio communication method
Provided is a radio communication device for performing radio communication with another radio communication device includes a control unit that controls to prepare for data loss during radio communication of transmission data and a transmission unit that transmits the transmission data by radio according to the control of the control unit. One of the radio communication device and the other radio communication device estimates a distance from the other based on a field intensity of a radio signal which is judged to satisfy a certain requirement regarding noise component among received radio signals received from the other of the radio communication device and the other radio communication device. The control unit performs a control of a content according to the distance estimation result. |
| US08479056B2 |
Intelligent rolling upgrade for data storage systems
Various method, system, and computer program product embodiments for facilitating upgrades in a computing storage environment are provided. In one such embodiment, one of an available plurality of rolling upgrade policies registering at least one selectable upgrade parameter for an upgrade window is selected. A node down tolerance factor is set for at least one node in the computing storage environment. The node down tolerance factor specifies a percentage of elements of the at least one node taken offline to apply the selected one of the available plurality of rolling upgrade policies during the upgrade window. |
| US08479055B2 |
Detecting and optimizing false sharing
Systems and methods for cache optimization are provided. The method comprises tracing objects instantiated during execution of a program code under test according to type of access by one or more threads running in parallel, wherein said tracing provides information about order in which different instances of one or more objects are accessed by said one or more threads and whether the type of access is a read operation or a write operation; and utilizing tracing information to build a temporal relationship graph (TRG) for the accessed objects, wherein the objects are represented by nodes in the TRG and at least two types of edges for connecting the nodes are defined. |
| US08479046B1 |
Systems, methods, and computer readable media for tracking pool storage space reservations
Systems, methods, and computer readable media for tracking storage pool reservations are disclosed. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a system for tracking storage pool reservations. The system includes a storage entity having data storage space for storing data, the data storage space being divided into a plurality of slices. The system also includes one or more portions of non-volatile memory, different from the data storage space, for storing slice reservation statistics and information about requests that affect slice reservation statistics, wherein storing information in the portion of non-volatile memory is an atomic operation. The system further includes a control module for receiving a request that affect slice reservation statistics, storing information about the request in the portion of non-volatile memory, performing the request, and updating the slice reservation statistics and clearing the information about the request in the portion of non-volatile memory. |
| US08479045B2 |
Controller for disk array device, data transfer device, and method of power recovery process
In a controller of a disk array device, when recovery from a power failure is detected, the controller instructs a reading section to transfer data in a burst mode using a large prefetch amount. When an error is detected, the controller causes the data to be transferred again for an area where the error is detected. Further, the controller designates different access ports for the reading section and an erasing section, and causes these sections to operate in parallel. The reading section reads cache data from a flash memory and stores the cache data in a cache memory. The erasing section uses the access port different from the access port of the reading section, to erase data that is stored in the flash memory and has been transferred by the reading section. |
| US08479044B2 |
Method for determining a state associated with a transaction
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for determining a state associated with a transaction for use with a transactional processing system comprising a transaction coordinator and a plurality of grouped and inter-connected resource managers, the method comprising the steps of: in response to a communications failure between the transaction coordinator and a first resource manager causing a transaction to have an in doubt state, connecting to a second resource manager; in response to the connecting step, sending by the transaction coordinator to the second resource manager, a query requesting data associated with the in doubt transaction; obtaining at the first resource manager, by the second resource manager, a shared lock to data associated with the in doubt transaction; and in response to the obtaining step, collating, by the second resource manager, data associated with the in doubt transaction associated with the first resource manager. |
| US08479043B2 |
Power over ethernet powered device with power fallback states
A power over Ethernet (PoE) powered device with power fallback states. A powered device can be powered using a primary local power source and a secondary PoE power source. To enable consistent behavior by the powered device, a controlled power fallback state can be defined that would ensure limited functionality in the powered device upon a failure of the primary local power source. For example, the limited functionality could include a communication channel to the switch, diagnostic circuitry, etc. |
| US08479042B1 |
Transaction-level lockstep
An embodiment of a method for a high-assurance operation is disclosed. For this embodiment of the method, a first processor and a second processor are clocked for lockstep operation. A first physical address and a first transaction request are provided to a shared bus from the first processor. A second physical address and a second transaction request are provided to the shared bus from the second processor. The first physical address, the first transaction request, the second physical address, and the second transaction request are passed to a proxy device coupled to the shared bus. The first processor and the second processor are proxy served by the proxy device including generation of a third transaction request and a third physical address by the proxy device. |
| US08479040B2 |
Storage system and control method
Provided are a storage system and its control method having superb functionality of being able to notify an administrator of the extent of impact of a pool fault in an easy and prompt manner. The foregoing storage system and its control method manage a storage area provided by a storage medium by dividing it into multiple pools, provide a virtual logical device to a host system, dynamically allocate a storage area to the logical device according to a data write request from the host system for writing data into the logical device, move data that was written into the logical device to another pool according to the access status from host system to such data, identify, when a fault occurs in any one of the pools, an extent of impact of the fault based on the correspondence relationship of the logical device and the pool, and notify the identified extent of impact of the fault to an administrator. |
| US08479037B1 |
Distributed hot-spare storage in a storage cluster
A method, system, apparatus, and computer-readable medium are described for providing distributed hot-spare storage in a redundant storage cluster. According to one method, a portion of the unutilized space on the storage cluster is utilized as a distributed hot-spare storage node. Through this mechanism, a redundant storage cluster with N storage nodes may be contracted to a redundant array with N−1 nodes. Thin provisioning and intelligent data placement may also be utilized to implement the distributed hot-spare storage node. Through repeated application of such methods and systems, the failure of any storage node or the sequential failure of multiple storage nodes within a redundant storage cluster results in the recreation of the cluster as a redundant storage array with one fewer node, but with the same redundancy. |
| US08479035B1 |
Smart limited functionality mode manager
Methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage media, for entering a limited functionality mode on a mobile device. In one aspect, a method includes receiving, at a portable electronic device, a first signal instructing the portable electronic device to enter a limited functionality mode, in which one or more transmission functionalities associated with the portable electronic device are disabled, determining whether the portable electronic device has received a second signal instructing the device to immediately enter the limited functionality mode, in response to receiving the first signal, waiting until one or more tasks that use the transmission functionalities are completed or until the second signal is determined to have been received, and entering the limited functionality mode after waiting until the one or more tasks that use the transmission functionalities are completed or until the second signal is determined to have been received. |
| US08479033B2 |
Power supply detection circuitry and method
When switching a power supply rail for a processing circuit from a first voltage level to a second voltage level, power level detection circuitry detects when the supply voltage level reaches a predetermined voltage level. The power level detection circuitry comprises a first transistor and a second transistor which compete with one another such that the first transistor pulls a signal node voltage level at a signal node towards the supply voltage level while the second transistor pulls the signal node voltage level towards an external power supply voltage level. When the supply voltage level on the power supply rail reaches the predetermined voltage level, the first transistor overcomes the second transistor to trigger a ready signal indicating that the supply voltage level has reached the predetermined voltage level. |
| US08479032B2 |
Systems, methods and devices for regulation or isolation of backup power in memory devices
Power-backup capabilities are provided by implementing a variety of different methods, systems and devices. According to one such implementation, a data-storage device is implemented having a memory control circuit controlling nonvolatile and volatile memory. An operating power circuit carries primary-operating power from the host-system to the memories and control circuitry. A backup power circuit includes energy-storage circuitry with one or more energy storage devices. An isolation-regulation circuit provides voltage regulation of power from the host-system and also isolates the host-system provided power from the energy storage devices. A regulation power circuit carries the regulated power from the isolation-regulation circuit to the energy storage devices. |
| US08479030B2 |
Power management of components having clock processing circuits
A method and system for managing power consumption of a component that employs a clock processing circuit to produce a processed clock signal used by the component from a clock signal supplied to the clock processing circuit. A frequency of a clock signal supplied to the clock processing circuit is changed based on operating characteristics of a voltage regulator module (VRM) or power supply unit so as to maintain acceptable operating parameters of the power supply unit during a change in frequency of a clock signal. |
| US08479029B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for reducing step loads of processors
Methods and apparatuses for reducing step loads of processors are disclosed. Method embodiments comprise examining a number of instructions to be processed by a processor to determine the types of instructions that it has, calculating power consumption by in an execution period based on the types of instructions, and limiting the execution to a subset of instructions of the number to control the quantity of power for the execution period. Some embodiments may also create artificial activity to provide a minimum power floor for the processor. Apparatus embodiments comprise instruction type determination logic to determine types of instructions in an incoming instruction stream, a power calculator to calculate power consumption associated with processing a number of instructions in an execution period, and instruction throttling logic to control the power consumption by limiting the number of instructions to be processed in the execution period. |
| US08479026B2 |
Processor power management
A method comprises operating a processor at a first power control strategy. Such a method further comprises determining whether a workload of a task running on a processor has fallen below a lower threshold, and changing to a second power control strategy to operate the processor based on determining that the workload of the task has fallen below the lower threshold. |
| US08479019B1 |
Cryptography for secure shell in emulated environments
Calls from an application in an emulated environment to a module in the operating system hosting the emulated environment may be combined to reduce the overhead of accessing the module. An application handling secure shell (SSH) communications may execute multiple calls to a cryptographic module in the host operating system. Because many calls to the cryptographic module during SSH communications follow patterns, two or more related calls may be combined into a single combined call to the cryptographic module. For example, a call to generate a server-to-client key and a call to generate a client-to-server key may be combined into a single call. |
| US08479015B2 |
Virtual image management
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to create a virtual image, define usage privileges associated with the virtual image in a description file, and associate a coded summary of an encrypted version of the description file with the virtual image. Other activities may include receiving a request to access the virtual image, authenticating a transmitted version of the coded summary to determine validity of the encrypted version, and processing the encrypted version to determine whether the request to access will be granted. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US08479005B2 |
Applet, archive file generation method, archive file generation program, and archive file generation device
There is disclosed a Java applet that causes a computer to execute plural predetermined Java applet programs. The Java applet is attached with an electronic signature for certifying an origin. The Java applet causes the computer to execute: an alteration detection step that detects alteration to deployment information, based on the identification information for detecting alteration to the deployment information defining respective locations of the plural predetermined Java applet programs; a load program startup step that starts a load program for loading the plural predetermined Java applet programs; and a load step that makes the started load program load the plural predetermined Java applet programs on the basis of the deployment information unless alteration is detected by the alteration detection step. |
| US08479004B2 |
Paper-based document logging
A method and apparatus are disclosed herein for paper-based document logging. In one embodiment, the method comprises scanning bits of a document, generating a cryptographic hash, converting the cryptographic hash into a machine readable code, and rewriting the document with the code contained thereon. |
| US08479003B2 |
Electronic signature validation systems and methods for asynchronous environments
A system and method for non-real-time validation of an electronically signed message transmitted via an asynchronous communications link is provided. The method includes creating an electronic message comprising an electronically signed data entry created by executing a secure data application first portion (SDA1) module hosted by a mobile system. The method additionally includes passing the message to a communications management function first portion (CMF1) module via a synchronous interface. The CMF1 module is hosted by the mobile system. The method further includes transmitting the message from the CMF1 module to a communications management function second portion (CMF2) module in a temporally delayed manner using an asynchronous communications link. The CMF2 module is hosted by a central computer system (CCS) located remotely from the mobile system. The method further yet includes validating the electronically signed entry in a temporally delayed manner utilizing a user database. The user database is hosted by the CCS and has stored thereon user account information for all users authorized to electronically sign entries transmitted from the mobile system to the CCS. The user account information includes user information and/or user personal identification numbers (PINs) for each authorized user. |
| US08479001B2 |
Self-authentication communication device and device authentication system
In a system where a communication device performs secure communication by using a digital certificate, to enable a device of a communication party to verify that a self certificate is certainly generated by a device indicated on the self certificate even if the self certificate is not delivered offline in advance. Based on a master key and a public parameter, a communication device generates an ID-based encryption private key for which a device unique ID is used as a public key. Then, the communication device generates the digital signature of an RSA public key as a ID-based encryption signature by using the ID-based encryption private key. Then, the communication device generates an RSA self signature for the RSA public key, an expiration date, a host name, the device unique ID, and the ID-based encryption signature as the target. Then, the communication device generates a self-signed certificate to include the ID-based encryption signature and the RSA self signature. |
| US08478997B2 |
Multi-level security software architecture
A multi-level security software architecture includes various components configured to provide full data separation across multiple processors while limiting the number and size of high assurance components. The architecture includes a domain separator for ensuring that messages exchanged between domains that are distributed on different microprocessors are securely routed between domain members. The domain separator verifies a message label including a domain identifier provided by a domain gateway and cryptographically binds the message label to each message via cryptographic keys. This prevents misrouting messages caused by accidental or malicious corruption of message labels. Additionally, the domain separator can encrypt messages as necessary to enforce data separation on shared network buses. The domain separator is also responsible for managing the cryptographic keys used to label or encrypt messages. |
| US08478996B2 |
Secure Kerberized access of encrypted file system
A file server receives a request from a client to mount an encrypted file system. The file server informs the client that the requested file system is encrypted and, in turn, receives a session ticket from the client that includes a security protocol mounting selection. The file server decrypts the client's user's encrypted private key, and then decrypts the requested encrypted file system using the private key. In turn, the file server sends the decrypted file system to the client over a secure channel, which is based upon the security protocol mounting selection. In one embodiment, a key distribution center server receives a request from the client for the client's user to access the encrypted file system at the file server. The key distribution center server retrieves an intermediate key; includes the intermediate key in a session ticket; and sends the session ticket to the client. |
| US08478994B2 |
Method for analyzing coded data streams simultaneously transmitted in IP networks
One network protocol (RTP) each, having data packets (dp) comprising an expandable header (KE) is provided for a data stream (ds1 . . . n) encoded in a manner individual to said data stream, and the key information (si1 . . . n) formed in a data stream manner individual to said data stream is inserted into an expandable header (RTPH) of a data packet (dp) of the respective data stream (ds1 . . . n) and transmitted. The key information (sp1 . . . n) is selected in a manner individual to said data stream from the expanded headers (KE) of received data packets (dp) of the respective data stream (ds1 . . . n), and the associated encoded data stream (ds1 . . . n) is decoded by means of at least one piece of selected data stream individual key information (si1 . . . n). The forming and inserting of key information (si1 . . . n) into standard expanded headers (KE) can be performed with little additional expense, thus significantly reducing the expenditure for the analysis or diagnosis of the simultaneously transmitted encoded data streams (ds1 . . . n). Advantageously, the insertion of key information (si1 . . . n) can be activated or initiated only if the diagnosis or analysis and/or the recording of the data streams is currently being performed. |
| US08478992B2 |
Methods for secure restoration of personal identity credentials into electronic devices
A method and system for securely enrolling personal identity credentials into personal identification devices. The system of the invention comprises the manufacturer of the device and an enrollment authority. The manufacturer is responsible for recording serial numbers or another unique identifier for each device that it produces, along with a self-generated public key for each device. The enrollment authority is recognized by the manufacturer or another suitable institution as capable of validating an individual before enrolling him into the device. The enrollment authority maintains and operates the appropriate equipment for enrollment, and provides its approval of the enrollment. The methods described herein discuss post-manufacturing, enrollment, backup, and recovery processes for the device. |
| US08478988B2 |
System and method for authentication of a communication device
A system and method for authentication of a communication device is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a communication device having a controller element to compute a shared secret key based at least in part on a communication device (CD) private key and a cryptography algorithm, wherein the CD private key is stored in an identity module of the communication device and is unknown to an authentication center, and wherein the communication device is authenticated by the authentication center based at least in part on the shared secret key. Additional embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08478987B2 |
Wireless activation of IP devices
A method of activating a wireless IP device by providing access to an installer to a customer's personal router or modem/router combination and providing access to the installer to a wireless Access Point which is supplied by the installer where the Access Point has a first slot for a default SSID2 password for a first wireless IP device and a second slot for an SSID1 password for a second wireless IP device. Connecting a first wireless IP device while in its initial or default state to the first slot where the first device and the wireless Access Point have a common default SSID2 code and factory preprogrammed public key and where, as soon as the device is powered up, the IP device immediately begins communicating through the wireless access point and the customer's router or modem/router to the internet, checking into a control server. |
| US08478982B2 |
Media access control security management in physical layer
A media access control (MAC) security (MACsec) function block may implement MACsec protocols on a network. A physical layer device (PHY) may connect to the MACsec function block and an interface register configured to store command information for the MACsec function block. A central processing unit (CPU) may provide the command information for the MACsec function block to the PHY via a management data input/output (MDIO) bus. The PHY may execute either a read command or a write command against the MACsec function block based on the command information, receive, from the MACsec function block, a response corresponding to the execution of the read command or write command against the MACsec function block, and provide the response to the CPU via the MDIO bus. |
| US08478981B2 |
Method of adding a postscript message to an email
A system and method providing for appending of a note or instruction to the contents of an email such that the note or instructions is only appended to emails of selected recipients of a group of recipients, with only the email going to the other recipients of the group of recipients is provided. |
| US08478975B2 |
Electronic device and method for detecting operative states of components in the electronic device
An electronic device and method for detecting operative states of components in the electronic device includes determining a selected component of the electronic device, and setting a threshold time of the selected component. In response to the electronic device detecting a first interrupt instruction from the selected component, a timer of the electronic device is enabled to time the threshold time. Upon the condition that the threshold time elapses, the selected component is determined to be in an abnormal state. Then the selected component is restarted and initialized. |
| US08478971B1 |
Multithread handling
A system, apparatus and method for multithread handling on a multithread processing device are described herein. Embodiments of the present invention provide a multithread processing device for multithread handling including a plurality of registers operatively coupled to an instruction dispatch block, including thread-control registers for selectively disabling threads. In various embodiments, the multithread processing device may include a thread-operation register for selectively providing a lock to a first thread to prevent a second thread from disabling the first thread while the first thread has the lock. In still further embodiments, the multithread processing device may be configured to atomically disable and release a lock held by a thread. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US08478966B2 |
Query sampling information instruction
A measurement sampling facility takes snapshots of the central processing unit (CPU) on which it is executing at specified sampling intervals to collect data relating to tasks executing on the CPU. The collected data is stored in a buffer, and at selected times, an interrupt is provided to remove data from the buffer to enable reuse thereof. The interrupt is not taken after each sample, but in sufficient time to remove the data and minimize data loss. |
| US08478964B2 |
Stall propagation in a processing system with interspersed processors and communicaton elements
A processing system includes processors and dynamically configurable communication elements (DCCs) coupled together in an interspersed arrangement. A source device may transfer a data item through an intermediate subset of the DCCs to a destination device. The source and destination devices may each correspond to different processors, DCCs, or input/output devices, or mixed combinations of these. In response to detecting a stall after the source device begins transfer of the data item to the destination device and prior to receipt of all of the data item at the destination device, a stalling device is operable to propagate stalling information through one or more of the intermediate subset towards the source device. In response to receiving the stalling information, at least one of the intermediate subset is operable to buffer all or part of the data item. |
| US08478963B2 |
Method of dynamically switching partitions, memory card controller and memory card storage system
A method of dynamically switching partitions for a memory card having a plurality of physical blocks is provided. The method includes configuring logical blocks for mapping to at least a portion of the physical blocks and dividing the logical blocks into first and second partitions; coupling the memory card to a host system and setting CSD corresponding to the memory card as a first default value corresponding to the first partition, wherein the host system requests the CSD to obtain the first default value and accesses the first partition according to the first default value; and setting the CSD corresponding to the memory card as a second default value corresponding to the second partition in response to a switch command from the host system, wherein the host system re-requests the CSD to obtain the second default value and accesses the second partition according to the second default value. |
| US08478959B1 |
Method and system for protecting content in graphics memory
A method and system for protecting content in graphics memory are disclosed. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method, which includes the steps of storing a first privilege level in a privilege map with restricted access, wherein the first privilege level is associated with a memory page used to store the content; and determining whether to permit a request to access the memory page based on the first privilege level. |
| US08478957B2 |
Computer system and process for transferring multiple high bandwidth streams of data between multiple storage units and multiple applications in a scalable and reliable manner
Multiple applications request data from multiple storage units over a computer network. The data is divided into segments and each segment is distributed randomly on one of several storage units, independent of the storage units on which other segments of the media data are stored. At least one additional copy of each segment also is distributed randomly over the storage units, such that each segment is stored on at least two storage units. When an application requests a selected segment of data, the request is processed by the storage unit with the shortest queue of requests. Random fluctuations in the load applied by multiple applications on multiple storage units are balanced nearly equally over all storage units. These techniques result in a system which can transfer multiple, independent high-bandwidth streams of data in a scalable and reliable manner in both directions between multiple applications and multiple storage units. |
| US08478951B1 |
Method and apparatus for block level data de-duplication
Techniques for performing de-duplication for data blocks in a computer storage environment. At least one chunking/hashing unit receives input data from a source and processes it to output data blocks and content addresses for them. In one aspect, the chunking/hashing unit outputs all blocks without checking to see whether any is a duplicate of a block previously stored on the storage environment. In another aspect, each data block is processed by one of a plurality of distributed object addressable storage (OAS) devices that each is selected to process data blocks having content addresses with a particular range. The OAS devices determine whether each received to data block is a duplicate of another previously stored on the computer storage environment, and when it is not, stores the data block. |
| US08478949B2 |
Data accessing method for flash memory storage device having data perturbation module, and storage system and controller using the same
A data accessing method, and a storage system and a controller using the same are provided. The data accessing method is suitable for a flash memory storage system having a data perturbation module. The data accessing method includes receiving a read command from a host and obtaining a logical block to be read and a page to be read from the read command. The data accessing method also includes determining whether a physical block in a data area corresponding to the logical block to be read is a new block and transmitting a predetermined data to the host when the physical block corresponding to the logical block to be read is a new block. Thereby, the host is prevented from reading garbled code from the flash memory storage system having the data perturbation module. |
| US08478946B2 |
Method and system for local data sharing
Embodiments for a local data share (LDS) unit are described herein. Embodiments include a co-operative set of threads to load data into shared memory so that the threads can have repeated memory access allowing higher memory bandwidth. In this way, data can be shared between related threads in a cooperative manner by providing a re-use of a locality of data from shared registers. Furthermore, embodiments of the invention allow a cooperative set of threads to fetch data in a partitioned manner so that it is only fetched once into a shared memory that can be repeatedly accessed via a separate low latency path. |
| US08478941B2 |
Gather and scatter operations in multi-level memory hierarchy
Methods and apparatus relating to gather or scatter operations in a multi-level cache are described. In some embodiments, a logic may determine whether to perform gather or scatter operations at a first memory or a second memory, based in part on a relative performance of performing the gather or scatter operations at the first memory and the second memory. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. |
| US08478934B2 |
Managing extended RAID caches using counting bloom filters
Contentual metadata of an extended cache is stored within the extended cache. The contentual metadata of the extended cache is approximated utilizing a counting Bloom filter. The counting Bloom filter is stored within a primary cache. Contentual metadata of the primary cache is stored within the primary cache. One of a data read or a data write is executed without accessing the contentual metadata of the extended cache stored within the extended cache. |
| US08478932B2 |
Power efficient memory management for embedded systems
Embodiments of the invention provide a memory allocation module that adopts memory-pool based allocation and is aware of the physical configuration of the memory blocks in order to manage the memory allocation intelligently while exploiting statistical characters of packet traffic. The memory-pool based allocation makes it easy to find empty memory blocks. Packet traffic characteristics are used to maximize the number of empty memory blocks. |
| US08478927B2 |
USB hub supporting unequal numbers of high-speed and super-speed ports
A super-speed USB3.0 hub is described to which, after configuration, there are more high-speed devices than super-speed devices connected. The difference in the numbers is recognized and logic is provided that responds to an upstream host that there is an equal or balanced number of super-speed and high-speed ports active. This is accomplished by providing a number of “dummy” ports that make up any actual difference. The “dummy” ports are never active and are never connected to any device. |
| US08478924B2 |
Interrupt coalescing for outstanding input/output completions
In a computer system, a method of controlling coalescence of interrupts includes dynamically basing a current level of interrupt coalescing upon a determination of outstanding input/output (I/O) commands for which corresponding I/O completions have not been received. Deliveries of interrupts are executed on the basis of the current level and in an absence of enabling timing-triggered delivery of an interrupt. |
| US08478923B2 |
Interrupt suppression by processing just first interrupt of a same type
A processor receives interrupts of a same type from hardware. The processor determines a rate at which the interrupts are being received. The processor compares the rate at which the interrupts are being received to a threshold rate. In response to determining that the rate at which the interrupts are being received is greater than the threshold rate, the processor sends just the first received interrupt to firmware for processing. All other of the interrupts are not sent from the processor to the firmware but instead are suppressed by the processor. By comparison, in response to determining that the rate at which the interrupts are being received is less than the threshold rate, the processor can send all the interrupts from the processor to firmware for processing. |
| US08478918B2 |
Communication interface circuit, electronic device, and communication method
According to one embodiment, an interface comprises establishing a connection to a communicatee device, transmitting a connection maintenance signal to the communicatee device, and decreasing a maximum amplitude of the connection maintenance signal from a first amplitude, establishing a connection to the communicatee device again when communication is disabled, and transmitting the connection maintenance signal to the communicatee device, and setting the maximum amplitude of the connection maintenance signal to a second amplitude which is larger than the maximum value of the connection maintenance signal obtained when the communication is disabled by a predetermined value. |
| US08478917B2 |
Automatic addressing protocol for a shared bus
An automatic addressing protocol for a shared bus is described. In an embodiment, devices connected in a chain by a shared bus are also connected by an independent electrical connection between each pair of neighboring devices. A protocol is used over the independent electrical connections which is independent of that used on the shared bus. Devices in the chain receive at least one device ID from an upstream neighbor via the independent electrical connection and either use this received ID as their ID or use the received ID to compute their ID. Where the device has a downstream neighbor, a device then transmits at least one device ID to the downstream neighbor via the independent electrical connection and this transmitted ID may be their ID or an ID generated based on their ID, for example, by incrementing the ID by one. The process is repeated by devices along the chain. |
| US08478916B2 |
SATA mass storage device emulation on a PCIe interface
A mass storage device, system, and method for operating a mass storage device are disclosed. In one such mass storage device, a host bus adaptor emulates a SATA mass storage device over a PCIe interface with a host system. The host system generates commands with the PCIe mass storage device in the same format as if communicating with a SATA mass storage device. The PCIe mass storage device responds in the same SATA format. |
| US08478912B2 |
Magnetic connector for data and power transfer
A mobile computing device is disclosed. The mobile computing device comprises a connector with a plurality of contacts and a processing resource. The connector is structured mate with different types of connectors. The mobile computing device also includes a data switching component that is configured to detect a type of connector that is mated to the connector. Based on the detected mated connector, the data switching component selects a signal path from the connector to the processing resource along either a first data path or a second data path. |
| US08478908B2 |
Fieldbus gateway using virtual serial filedbus port and data transmission method thereof
A fieldbus gateway using a virtual serial fieldbus port and a data transmission method thereof are provided. By receiving a fieldbus frame containing target data through a virtual serial fieldbus port connected to a source device or a target device via a fieldbus gateway and sending another fieldbus frame containing the target data via other fieldbus port to target devices or source devices, the system and the method can provide two or more remote devices to control one controlled device at the same time. The invention also achieves the effect of using one virtual serial fieldbus port to transmit data between multiple source devices and target devices concurrently. |
| US08478905B2 |
System for synchronizing to a mobile device server
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium operating in a mobile device server having computer instructions to execute a web server application at the mobile device server. The web server application can be operable to detect a media resource center while roaming in a communication zone of the media resource center, and to transmit a pairing key to the media resource center. The web server application can be further operable to receive authorization from the media resource center to synchronize differences between content stored in the media resource center and content stored in the mobile device server responsive to the media resource center validating the pairing key. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08478904B2 |
Differentiating unique systems sharing a common address
A system for differentiating unique systems and/or users sharing a common address may include an interface, a device identifier, a communication interceptor and a communication processor. The interface may be operative to receive a designation of a plurality of devices and/or users and a specification of corresponding services to be provisioned. The device identifier may be operative to cause the devices to provide a unique identifier with each communication originated by the device and store the unique identifier and the associated specification in a memory. The communication interceptor may be operative to intercept a communication originated by one of the devices and determine the unique identifier associated with the communication. The communication processor may be operative to determine the associated device and/or user specific service to be provisioned based on the unique identifier and process the communication in accordance with the associated device and/or user specific service to be provisioned. |
| US08478902B1 |
Virtual gateway router
A facility for configuring a virtual data center is described. A user such as an administrator uses a management interface to input information specifying a configuration for a virtual data center including virtual network nodes and virtual routers. In response, the facility instantiates each virtual network router needed for the configuration, such as by, for each, instantiating on commodity hardware a virtual machine running a general-purpose operating system used to provide routing services to the virtual network nodes. |
| US08478895B2 |
Content adaptation realizing method and content adaptation server
The present invention discloses a method for realizing content adaptation and a content adaptation server, the method includes: receiving a multimedia message from a calling terminal, wherein contents of the multimedia message and a model of a called terminal are included in the multimedia message; determining the multimedia formats supported by the called terminal according to the model of the called terminal, and selecting an optimum multimedia format from them; and compressing the multimedia message according to the selected optimum multimedia format, and sending the compressed multimedia message according to the maximum size of the multimedia message supported by the called terminal. Based on the present invention, the presentation effect of the contents of the multimedia message can be enhanced and the user experience can be improved by selecting the optimum multimedia format to compress the multimedia message according to the model of the called terminal. |
| US08478893B2 |
Data transmission to offline recipient nodes in a distributed network
The present invention provides a method of transmitting data in a network of interconnectable end-user nodes comprising a source node, a recipient node and a plurality of further nodes, wherein each of the end-user nodes is executing an instance of a communication client application. The invention also provides corresponding method of receiving data, and corresponding computer programs and user terminals. The method of transmitting data comprises: comprising: the communication client of the source node receiving a command to transmit the data to the recipient node; the source node selecting from the plurality of further nodes at least one storage node to store the data from the source node before being retrieved by the recipient node; transmitting the data from the source node to the at least one storage node; and the source node providing a network identity for each of the at least one storage nodes to the recipient node. |
| US08478890B2 |
System and method for reliable virtual bi-directional data stream communications with single socket point-to-multipoint capability
An improved system and method are disclosed for reliable virtual bi-directional data stream (RVBDDS) connections. In one example, two communication devices create and exchange streaming data packets that are encapsulated in connection-less transport layer packets. The streaming data packets contain information used in managing the RVBDDS connection between the two devices. |
| US08478888B2 |
System and method for stateless, fault tolerance and load balanced data collection using overlay namespaces
Systems, methods and computer readable media that provide stateless fault tolerance and load balanced data collection using overlay namespaces are described. A cluster is used. Each node of the cluster may be a monitoring system. A data provider process may run on each node in the cluster. Each node has an overlay namespace which comprises one or more links to namespaces on other nodes, and local viewpoints of those linked namespaces. When a node detects a resource waiting to be monitored, it queries other nodes to determine whether object creation for that resource is allowed. It creates an object only if no other node is creating or has created an object for that resource. |
| US08478882B2 |
Information processing apparatus, data acquisition method, and program
Provided is a data acquisition method including the steps of selecting one or more of at least one link destination, acquiring, before the link destination is selected, display control data including at least a structural unit in which information relating to a layout of a display screen is written, the display control data existing at the link destination selected in the previous step, extracting structural units included in the display control data before the prefetched link destination is selected, generating, before the prefetched link destination is selected, first structured data for display control by linking the extracted structural units in which information involving script processing is not written, generating, in a case the prefetched link destination is selected, second structured data for display control by linking the structural units, displaying a display screen using the first structured data, and redisplaying the display screen using the second structured data. |
| US08478881B2 |
System and method for transferring large amount of data in web service transaction
A system and associated method for web service data for a web service transaction are disclosed. A client program that employs the web service transaction invokes a pair of web service calls to transfer the web service data to and from a web service program that executes the web service transaction. The web service program establishes a user session between the web service program and a web interface program. During the user session, the web service transaction is performed as a user of the client program directly interacts with the web service program through the web interface program. When the user session is completed, the client program retrieves the web service data resulting from the web service transaction from the web service program. |
| US08478877B2 |
Architecture-aware allocation of network buffers
A computer readable medium comprising software instructions for: obtaining an allocation policy by a MAC layer executing on a host; receiving, a request for a transmit kernel buffer (TxKB) by a sending application executing on at least one processor of the host; obtaining a location of a plurality of available TxKBs on the host; obtaining a location of at least one available network interface on the host; obtaining a location of the sending application; allocating one of the plurality of available TxKBs to obtain an allocated TxKB, wherein the one of the plurality of available TxKBs is selected according to the allocation policy using the location of the plurality of available TxKB, the location of the at least one available network interface, and the location of the sending application, to obtain an allocated TxKB; and providing, to the sending application, the location of the allocated TxKB. |
| US08478874B2 |
System and method for composition of stream processing service environments
A system and method for composing a stream servicing environment which considers all stakeholders includes identifying service component requirements needed for processing a data stream, and determining available service elements for processing the stream. Feasible service environments are constructed based upon the available service elements and the service component requirements. Efficiency measures are computed for each feasible service environment considering all stakeholders. A best service environment is determined based upon the efficiency measures. |
| US08478872B2 |
Delegated network management system and method of using the same
A method for providing a management function requested by a user that uses a managed device includes establishing a session on a managed device in response to a user logging into an account on the managed device, establishing a delegated management session on a management device, the delegated management session corresponding to the session on the managed device, receiving a management message on the management device, the management message being related to a management function requested by the user, and in response to the received management message, performing the management function using the management device. |
| US08478870B2 |
Terminal apparatus, relay apparatus, processing method, recording medium, and data signal
A terminal apparatus that comprises a request obtaining unit that obtains a processing request made to a processing execution apparatus, a generating unit that generates a relay-use processing request containing the processing request obtained by the request obtaining unit and address information of the processing execution apparatus, an address obtaining unit that obtains address information indicating a relay apparatus connected to each of a first communication path and a second communication path, the processing execution apparatus being connected to the first communication path, the terminal apparatus being connected to the second communication path, the first communication path being not access directly to the terminal apparatus, and a transmitting unit that transmits the relay-use processing request generated by the generating unit to the relay apparatus indicated by the address information obtained by the address obtaining unit. |
| US08478869B2 |
Information processing device and program
An information processing device communicable with a server device and a name resolution server includes a sending and receiving system that sends a device name of the server device to the name resolution server, and receives an IP address corresponding to the device name from the name resolution server, an IP address storing system that stores at least one IP address, an access system that accesses application programs stored in the server device, an access control system that controls the access system to access the application programs according to the at least one IP address, a communication protocol storing system that stores the communication protocol corresponding to the IP address used for a previous access, and an access control instructing system that instructs the access control system to control the access system to access the application programs according to the at least one IP address. |
| US08478863B2 |
Method for providing parallel augmented functionality for a virtual environment
A method for providing virtual world functionality to a user of a base virtual world having a base virtual world functionality, includes providing first, second and third virtual world layers having respective first, second and third virtual world layer functionalities beyond the base virtual world functionality and providing user access to the base virtual world functionality and to the first and second virtual world functionalities by the second virtual world layer. |
| US08478860B2 |
Device detection system for monitoring use of removable media in networked computers
A device detection system for detecting use of removable media such as flash drives, portable storage, disks, and digital cameras in computers. From each monitored client, messages are sent by a client device detection application to a server application running on a central or administrator computer or node. The messages include relevant information for the client computer such as IP address, computer name, and user name along with the device. Generally, a message will be sent when the device is first detected such as when it is attached to the client computer or connected to a port and when the device is later changed such as when the device is removed, and detection is achieved by a function intercepting event messages in the operating system environment combined with a drive detector. The messages are stored in system memory so as to log the attachment or use of removable media. |
| US08478859B2 |
Providing an aggregate reachability status
A customizable mechanism is provided for determining and reporting the overall reachability of a user based on the current statuses of a variety of network elements associated with the user, such as devices or applications that a user may use to communicate with others. The system can evaluate customizable reachability rules to determine an overall reachability status for the user. The system provides for distribution of reachability status and presence statuses of network elements to authorized subscribers. |
| US08478858B2 |
Policy management for content storage in content delivery networks
A method for processing content objects with a content delivery network (CDN) having a plurality of geographically distributed points of presence is disclosed. Selection of a policy is received from a plurality of policies, where the plurality of policies define processes to perform on content objects stored at the CDN. Each policy includes an applicability criteria and a storage disposition. Metadata is received at the CDN, the metadata characterizing a content object, a requester of the content object and/or a provider of the content object. The content object is received for storage at the CDN. A policy and other policies are determined to be applicable to the content object through analysis of the metadata and/or the applicability criteria. Overlap is resolved between the policy and the other policies found applicable to the content object. The processing of the policy is performed on the content object. |
| US08478854B2 |
Tolerant device licensing in a distributed environment
Methods, apparatus and a computer program product provide for a Tolerant License Manager that defines a cluster of a plurality of network controllers, wherein each respective network controller contributes at least one license to a current total amount of licenses in a license pool. The Tolerant License Manager identifies at least one threatened access point upon detecting a first network controller has become unavailable. Each threatened access point comprises any access point connected to the first network controller when the first network controller becomes unavailable. The Tolerant License Manager establishes (and/or) approves a connection between a back-up controller and the threatened access point(s). While the first network controller is unavailable, the Tolerant License Manager allocates a license to each threatened access point via the back-up network controller. |
| US08478853B2 |
Handling of multiple MAC unicast addresses with virtual machines
A method for managing a guest OS executing on a host. The method includes receiving, from the guest OS associated with a first MAC address, a second MAC address, wherein the first MAC address is associated with a first guest VNIC, wherein the second MAC address is associated with a second guest VNIC; configuring an intermediate VNIC executing on the host OS to forward packets associated with the second MAC address to the guest OS, wherein packets associated with the first MAC address and received by the intermediate VNIC are forwarded to the guest OS; and forwarding the second MAC address from the intermediate VNIC to a device driver associated with a physical NIC, wherein the device driver configures a classifier on the physical NIC to forward packets associated with the second MAC address to a first HRR located on the physical NIC associated with the intermediate VNIC. |
| US08478851B2 |
Apparatus for use with a group communication network
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for use with a group communication network having an addressing database, the apparatus being addressable by a user terminal connected to the network, the apparatus comprising: a receiver module for receiving an invitation from a user terminal connected to the network, the receiving means being arranged to accept the invitation to cause the user terminal and the apparatus to establish a communication, a data retrieval module for obtaining details of one or more users to be added to the communication, the details of being obtained from other than the addressing database, and a communication module for adding at least one user to the communication using the obtained details. |
| US08478849B2 |
Network administration tool
A tool for managing a network of interconnected devices. The tool may provide a user with an interface that allows the user to view the type and status of each network device (that is, each device connected to the network), and even the status of the network itself. The tool may alternately or additionally provide a user with services related to the network, such as allowing a user to perform one or more tasks associated with devices in the network. |
| US08478841B2 |
Systems and methods for managing electronically delivered information channels
Systems and methods for managing electronically delivered information channels are provided. A selection of non-textual category data and a plurality of subscriber interest category data are received from a subscriber. Content associated with the non-textual category data and content associated with the subscriber interest category data are identified. The systems and methods can create a subscriber channel associated with the subscriber. The subscriber channel is configured to provide the content associated with both the non-textual category data and the subscriber interest category data to the subscriber. Through the subscriber channel, the content associated with the non-textual category data can be provided to the subscriber in a first format configured for display on a first device. At substantially the same time, through the subscriber channel, the content associated with the subscriber interest category data to the subscriber in a second format configured for display on a second device can be provided. |
| US08478840B2 |
Data processing system
Computer-implemented methods, computer systems and computer program products are provided for generating user specific web pages. Data related to items that are supposed to be in the possession of an employee may be retrieved from distributed data sources. A web page is generated using these data values for the employee's information and review. These data values can be stored on a chip card that is used for access control and/or control of the circulation of items within the premises of a company. |
| US08478833B2 |
UDP broadcast for user interface in a download and configuration gaming system
A modified form of the UDP multicast protocol is disclosed to implement a one-way download progress notification system between a server and one or more clients. The UDP multicast download progress notification system enables UDP messages to be sent only to registered clients, not broadcasted to all clients. This architecture minimizes network traffic and enhances system security, since only registered clients receive the UDP message. The configuration of the UDP multicast download progress notification system does not require the configuration of network devices in order to support a UDP multicast. Furthermore, any number of the clients may be on a different network domain than the DCM engine. |
| US08478824B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling unauthorized dissemination of electronic mail
A method for classification and enforcement of security requirements in an information dissemination system, said information dissemination system not being designed for said security requirements and enforcement. The method comprising the steps of: accepting a user specification of said security requirements for dissemination of respective information, said specifying is done using a user interface; Associating with said dissemination system an enforcement module, said module being operable to receive said security requirements and apply them to control dissemination via said dissemination system, and then enforcing said dissemination via said module. |
| US08478819B1 |
Automatically initiating a process by the outcome of a voting conference
A voting application is integrated into a conference application to create a voting conference, and the conference outcome automatically initiates a process that is a function of the outcome. |
| US08478818B2 |
Synchronous interface to asynchronous processes
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for selectively accessing one or more web services from a client machine, the one or more web services and the client machine being accessible over a network. A request for information is received from a client machine with a conversion engine. The request is received over a synchronous interface. The request is processed in the conversion engine. The processed request is transmitted over an asynchronous interface from the conversion engine to at least one web service. Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for converting a web service description language file for a synchronous web service into a web service description language file for an asynchronous client machine are also described. |
| US08478817B2 |
Providing a local device with computing services from a remote host
Systems and methods for providing a local device with computing services are disclosed. One embodiment includes, identifying one or more file types of files stored on the local device which is not associated with a local application that is installed on the local device and detecting a request to access a file stored on the local device having one of the one or more file types. The remote host can generate an offer to provide access to a remote application which is able to open the file for a fee such that the file is accessible via the local device. A selected service model can determine the fee and whether the remote application is provided for use by the local device when offline. |
| US08478815B2 |
System and method for improved SAP communications
Improved SAP communications are provided by a terminator node that acts as termination on one end of the communication channel and links to the SAP server on the other end. A server device is also provided that optionally implements this terminator node and monitors communications between the SAP server and a client. The server device optionally condenses SAP application screens. The server device also simulates certain required responses to the SAP server to allow for a persistent session between a client and the SAP server when the actual connection may be intermittent. The server device also records required records for a transaction and provides them to a client for offline processing and then synchronizes stored offline transaction data from the client with the SAP server. The system may include a client device that optionally implements the terminator node to communicate with the server device or the SAP server. |
| US08478812B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing device compatibility information
An approach is provided for determining device compatibility using alerts and information spaces. A link redirector receives a request from a device for a required type of service. The link redirector alerts the device compatibility service and the export control interface about the potential request or stores the request information in an information space while searching for a suitable service for the device. Therefore, the device compatibility service and the export control interface can start preparing information about device compatibility and export control before the information is requested by the service determined. |
| US08478809B2 |
Method and apparatus for multiplying polynomials with a prime number of terms
An efficient method and apparatus to compute a product of polynomials of degree n−1 where n is an arbitrary prime is provided. The total number of multiply operations and Arithmetic Logical Unit (ALU) operations to compute the product is minimized through the judicious use of polynomial evaluations at few points to decrease the number of multiplications while using only simple ALU operations. |
| US08478805B1 |
Frequency synthesis with low resolution rational division decomposition
A method is provided for synthesizing signal frequencies using low resolution rational division decomposition in a frequency synthesis device. An integer numerator (n) and an integer denominator (d) ratio is reduced; n/d=IO(NO/DO)=IO+NO/DO=(IO+1)−(DO−NO)/DO, and where NO/DO<1 and NO and DO are integers. NO is reduced; NO=In(Nn/Dn)=In+Nn/Dn=(In+1)−(Dn−Nn)/Dn, where In, Nn, and Dn are integers, and Nn/Dn<1. In, Nn, and Dn are used to create a final numerator divisor. DO is reduced; DO=Id(Nd/Dd)=Id+Nd/Dd=(Id+1)−(Dd−Nd)/Dd, where Id, Nd, and Dd are integers, and Nd/Dd<1. Id, Nd, and Dd are used to create a final denominator divisor. Finally, IO, the final numerator divisor, and the final denominator divisor are used to create a final divisor. |
| US08478803B2 |
Management of logical statements in a distributed database environment
A method for managing a logical statement within a distributed database includes checking, responsive to receipt of a first logical statement for by first database management system node, whether the first logical statement is stored within a segment of the distributed database; and storing, responsive to a determination that the first logical statement is not stored within a segment of the distributed database, storing the first logical statement in at least one of non-unique fact table and unique fact table. |
| US08478801B2 |
Efficient reconstruction of virtual disk hierarchies across storage domains
A method and software is described for recreating on a target datastore a set of hierarchical files that are present on a source datastore. A content identifier (ID) is maintained for each component of the set of hierarchical files. The content ID of a component is updated when its contents are modified. The child component is copied from the source datastore to the target datastore. The content ID corresponding to the parent component on the source datastore is compared with content IDs corresponding to files present on the target datastore. When a matching content ID is discovered, it infers a copy of the parent component. The matching file on the target datastore is associated with the copied child component so that the matching file becomes a new parent component to the copied child component, thereby recreating the set of hierarchical files on the target. |
| US08478798B2 |
Filesystem access for web applications and native code modules
One embodiment provides a system that facilitates the execution of a web application. During operation, the system allocates a storage space on one or more storage devices for use by the web application. Next, the system creates, for the web application, a private filesystem comprising a private root directory within the storage space. Finally, the system enables access to the private filesystem for the web application through the private root directory in a manner that does not allow access to a host filesystem associated with the one or more storage devices from the web application. |
| US08478797B2 |
Atomic deletion of database data categories
A device maintains, in a database, a plurality of data items, each data item of the plurality of data items being associated with a respective category. The device associates, in the database, a first counter value with each data item, the first counter value indicating a number of times the respective category has been deleted from the database at a time when the data item was stored in the database. The device associates, in the database or another database, a second counter value with the respective category, the second counter value indicating a current value for a number of times the respective category has been deleted from the database. The device selectively deletes, from the database, one or more data items of the plurality of data items from the database based on the first counter values and the second counter value. |
| US08478796B2 |
Uncorrectable error handling schemes for non-volatile memories
Systems and methods are provided for handling uncorrectable errors in a non-volatile memory (“NVM”), such as flash memory, during a garbage collection operation. |
| US08478794B2 |
Methods and systems for segmenting relative user preferences into fine-grain and coarse-grain collections
A method of segmenting relative user preferences into fine-grain and coarse-grain collections is provided. The method includes providing a set of content items having associated descriptive terms. The method also includes receiving user search input and, in response thereto, presenting a subset of content items. The method includes receiving user selection actions and analyzing the selections to learn the user's preferred descriptive terms. The method includes expressing the learned preferred descriptive terms as a segmented probability distribution function having at least one fine grain segment and at least one coarse grain segment. In response to subsequent search input, the method calls for selecting and ordering a collection of content items by promoting the ranking of content items associated with the learned preferred descriptive terms of the user according to the differentiation provided by the segmented probability distribution function. |
| US08478793B2 |
Virtual pair algorithm for outer join resolution
A system and method for executing semijoin reductions on outer join operations are presented. Tuple lists are created based on a query. A sequence of semijoin reduction steps are performed, where each semijoin reduction step either switches one tuple list, or reduces all tuple lists at one relation. Virtual connector pairs are inserted into the tuple lists, and then all tuple lists are centralized at a common host. The join results are assembled at the common host, and negative row IDs are substituted. From the join result, the query result is retrieved by projecting to the requested attributes. |
| US08478786B2 |
Automatic layout derivation and implementation
Embodiments are directed to determining a data insertion point in a data layout based on relative cardinalities between data objects and to determining a data insertion point in a data layout based on defined hierarchies between data objects. In an embodiment, a computer system receives a user input indicating that an additional portion of information is to be added to an existing data layout which includes multiple different data objects. The computer system accesses the data objects to determine relative cardinalities between the data objects in the data layout. The computer system determines an optimal data insertion point for inserting the additional portion of information based on the determined relative cardinalities between the data objects. The computer system also inserts the additional portion of information in the existing data layout at the determined optimal data insertion point. |
| US08478785B2 |
Measuring node proximity on graphs with side information
In a computerized data mining context, user input relating to positive and negative information is incorporated into node proximity measurements on a weighted, directed graph. Starting from a source node, links are added to nodes for which positive feedback is received. Where negative information is received, a sink node is substituted for nodes receiving negative information. Nodes neighboring that sink node have links added to the sink. These changes yield an altered graph. Afterwards, proximity information is determined from the altered graph. |
| US08478784B2 |
Building a geographic database
A system receives output geographic information en masse from a server. The output geographic information corresponds to input geographic information provided to the server en masse. The system builds a database that indexes at least some of the output geographic information to at least some of the input geographic information, attempts to locate specific output geographic information in the database, and determines the specific output geographic information by calculation if the specific output geographic information cannot be located in the database. |
| US08478783B2 |
Ordering content in social networking applications
Ordering content in social networking applications is described. A plurality of shared content pieces are received, that are viewable and accessible by at least one viewer, wherein the shared content pieces are configured for display in an initial order, wherein the shared content pieces are accessed in a viewer order determined by an individual viewer. The viewer order and the identity of the individual viewer are received and stored in a data store, and the initial order is changed based at least in part upon at least one of the viewer order and the identity of the individual viewer, thereby providing an adjusted order. The changing of the initial order is performed after a predetermined period of time and is based at least in part upon at least one of viewer orders and identities of individual viewers for a plurality of viewers in the data store. |
| US08478781B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method and program
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method and an information processing program that are capable of assigning an optimum keyword to a content. The information processing apparatus includes a content characteristic quantity extraction unit 52, a label information extraction unit 54, a associating information computation unit 56, a content characteristic quantity—latent space associating information storage unit 57 and a label information—latent space associating information storage unit 58. The content characteristic quantity extraction unit 52 extracts characteristic quantities related to a content whereas the label information extraction unit 54 extracts label information showing attributes of a content. The associating information computation unit 56 computes parameters representing the property of a probability distribution for a latent variable Zk common to the characteristic quantities and the label information, the property of a probability distribution for the characteristic quantities and the property of a probability distribution for label information. By storing computed values for the latent variable zk in the content characteristic quantity—latent space associating information storage unit 57 and the label information—latent space associating information storage unit 58, the information processing apparatus is capable of assigning an optimum keyword to a content. The present invention can be applied to the information processing apparatus. |
| US08478775B2 |
Efficient large-scale filtering and/or sorting for querying of column based data encoded structures
The subject disclosure relates to querying of column based data encoded structures enabling efficient query processing over large scale data storage, and more specifically with respect to complex queries implicating filter and/or sort operations for data over a defined window. In this regard, in various embodiments, a method is provided that avoids scenarios involving expensive sorting of a high percentage of, or all, rows, either by not sorting any rows at all, or by sorting only a very small number of rows consistent with or smaller than a number of rows associated with the size of the requested window over the data. In one embodiment, this is achieved by splitting an external query request into two different internal sub-requests, a first one that computes statistics about distribution of rows for any specified WHERE clauses and ORDER BY columns, and a second one that selects only the rows that match the window based on the statistics. |
| US08478774B2 |
Information processing apparatus
An information processing apparatus which includes a first reception module configured to acquire first information of a character string selected through an input module from character strings displayed on a display module, a candidate creation module configured to create a plurality of character strings relevant to the selected character string as candidates based on the first information and to display the candidates on the display module, a second reception module configured to acquire second information of a character string determined through the input module from the candidates, and a retrieval module. The retrieval module is configured to receive the second information from the second reception module, perform information retrieval based on the second information, and display a result of the information retrieval on the display module. |
| US08478772B2 |
On-device database service for mobile device
A database system of a mobile device that includes an on-device database service is provided. The on-device database service accepts a connection request from an application, and receives a database command from the application. The on-device database service translates the database command into a structured query language command, and transmits the structured query language command to an embedded database. After a database operation is performed by the embedded database, the on-device database service receives a result of the structured query language command that is transmitted from the embedded database, and the on-device database service transmits the result to the application. |
| US08478770B2 |
Electronic device and method for searching related terms
A method for searching related terms first calculates a direct relationship between every two of a plurality of query terms to obtain a direct related matrix, and calculates a related score between every two of the query terms to obtain a related score matrix. The method further calculates an indirect relationship between every two of the query terms according to the direct relationship and the related score, and determines indirect terms of each query term according to the indirect relationship between every two of the query terms. |
| US08478768B1 |
Privacy-preserving collaborative filtering
A recommender system can generate a predicted item rating for one user by performing collaborative filtering on item ratings from other users. The recommender system can include a client device that interfaces with a server to obtain a predicted item rating for a local user. The client device can generate a standardized ratings vector for the user, and computes a group identifier for the user based on the standardized ratings vector. The system also generates a noisy ratings vector for the local user, and sends a user-ratings snapshot to a recommendation server that includes the group identifier and the noisy ratings vector. The recommender system can also include the recommendation server that generates a predicted item rating for the user by performing collaborative filtering on ratings vectors from a plurality of other users that belong to the same ratings group. |
| US08478764B2 |
Method and apparatus for concurrent filtering of multiple components of streaming data
Content filtering of data containers of multiple content types is performed using multiple filtering modules operating concurrently. An apparatus for content filtering has a set of content-specific filtering modules and a network interface for parsing a received data container into components and directing each component to a respective filtering module. A filtering module edits a component of a specific content type according to respective rules. A multiplexer combines edited components produced by the set of filtering modules to form an edited data container. A root module applies a set of basic rules to a data container and any attachments. In an alternative configuration, the apparatus employs multiple filtering modules each applying rules for all content types. Received data containers are distributed among the filtering modules and an output module arranges edited data containers of a data stream in proper sequential order. |
| US08478763B2 |
Unified searching and running of files
A unified user interface is described that allows a user to search, browse, and launch items from the same user interface. For example, a single text input box may be provided that allows the user to perform all these functions by typing in a portion of an item name or an entire item name. The various functions may be selectively performed depending upon the text inputted by the user into the text input box. For example, where the text appears to be the beginning of an item name, then those items matching the input text will dynamically appear as the user types. Or, where the text appears to be the beginning of a file path, then items in that file path may be presented. In addition, advanced items such as system files may be suppressed so that inexperienced users do not accidentally stumble across these items. |
| US08478761B2 |
Retrieving electronic documents by converting them to synthetic text
The present invention relies on the two-dimensional information in documents and encodes two-dimensional structures into a one-dimensional synthetic language such that two-dimensional documents can be searched at text search speed. The system comprises: an indexing module, a retrieval module, an encoder, a quantization module, a retrieval engine and a control module coupled by a bus. Electronic documents are first indexed by the indexing module and stored as a synthetic text library. The retrieval module then converts an input image to synthetic text and searches for matches to the synthetic text in the synthetic text library. The matches can be in turn used to retrieve the corresponding electronic documents. In one or more embodiments, the present invention includes a method for comparing the synthetic text to documents that have been converted to synthetic text for a match. |
| US08478760B2 |
Techniques of efficient query over text, image, audio, video and other domain specific data in XML using XML table index with integration of text index and other domain specific indexes
Commonly searched nodes of complex data types contained in a collection of XML documents can be projected to, and their values can be stored in, corresponding columns in XML Table Index tables in a database system. In one embodiment, those columns stores logical pointers, rather than raw values, of the complex data types. Domain indexes are further provided to index at least one of the columns of complex data types in XML Table Indexes. The inclusion of complex data types and domain indexes provide a more efficient mechanism for searching domain specific data, such as audio, video, text stored in the collection of XML documents. Query optimizer logic of the database system can prepare one or more query execution plans for a submitted query including a plan that leverages XML Table Indexes and domain indexes and select a query execution plan based on cost information. |
| US08478755B2 |
Sorting large data sets
A computer-implemented sorting method for efficiently sorting large data sets in computing environments that include virtual memory and processor caching, the method including determining available physical memory, identifying portions of the data set that each fit in the available physical memory, determining available cache, identifying sub-portions within the portions that each fit in the available cache, sorting each sub-portion, repeating the identifying portions, identifying sub-portions, and sorting for each portion of the data set, and merging the sorted sub-portions and portions such that the data set is sorted. The sorting method avoids the use of virtual memory and seeks to identify sub-portions that fit in available cache. |
| US08478751B1 |
Demotion of repetitive search results
Apparatus, systems and methods for demoting repetitive search results are disclosed. Search results that are identified in both first set of search results and a second set of search results are determined to be repetitive search results. One or more of the repetitive search results can be demoted in the second set of search results. The demotion can be based on a relevancy threshold for the second set of search results. |
| US08478750B2 |
Media content search results ranked by popularity
Media content search results ranked by popularity is described. In embodiment(s), a search request for television media content can be initiated by a viewer, and television media content that is relevant to the search request can be identified. The relevant television media content can then be ranked based on a popularity rating and the relevant television media content can be displayed in an ordered list that is ordered by popularity rankings. |
| US08478749B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining relevant search results using a matrix framework
A method and apparatus are provided for ranking documents according to relevancy scoring. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided for receiving search results identifying a plurality of documents resulting from a search, the plurality of documents containing one or more words. The method generates a first matrix containing a term column and a document column, wherein at least one row of the first matrix correlates one of the plurality of documents with one of the terms. The method selects a sort preference, and sorts the two-column matrix according to the sort preference. The method further generates a second matrix containing values representing a measure of overlap between the plurality of documents and the terms. The method further calculates cumulative confidence scores according to the values of the second matrix and ranks the search results according to the cumulative confidence scores. |
| US08478748B2 |
Directly optimizing evaluation measures in learning to rank
The present invention provides methods for improving a ranking model. In one embodiment, a method includes the step of obtaining queries, documents, and document labels. The process then initializes active sets using the document labels, wherein two active sets are established for each query, a perfect active set and an imperfect active set. Then, the process optimizes an empirical loss function by the use of the first and second active set, whereby parameters of the ranking model are modified in accordance to the empirical loss function. The method then updates the active sets with additional ranking data, wherein the updates are configured to work in conjunction with the optimized loss function and modified ranking model. The recalculated active sets provide an indication for ranking the documents in a way that is more consistent with the document metadata. |
| US08478745B1 |
Session-based dynamic search snippets
A first set of search results responsive to a first query during a search session is identified. A snippet is identified for each search result related to the first query. The snippet can be selected based on the location the search tokens from the query in the search result. A second set of search results responsive to a second query during a search session is identified. Repetitive search results can be identified. A second snippet for the repetitive search result is identified. The second snippet can be selected based on the location of the second search tokens in the repetitive search result and the content of the first snippet. |
| US08478742B2 |
Using estimated cost to refresh a set of materialized views (MVS)
In an embodiment, estimated costs are used to pick the best refresh technique (e.g., method) for a given MV. In another embodiment, estimated costs are used to schedule the refresh of a set MVs in an order such that overall time to refresh is reduced, or in an order that uses the smallest overall time, for refreshing when compared to other alternative refresh schedules. In another embodiment, the estimated cost of refreshing each of a set of MVs is used to select the set of CPU resources to allocate to refreshing each MV. Based on the estimated costs, the allocation of CPU resources is chosen to be more optimal (e.g., use less CPU time) than other available sets of CPU resources. In an embodiment, when refreshing an MV, delayed index maintenance is chosen if a significant portion of the base table and/or the partitions of the table has changed. |
| US08478740B2 |
Deriving document similarity indices
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for deriving document similarity indices. Embodiments of the invention include scalable and efficient mechanisms for deriving and updating a document similarity index for a plurality of documents. The number of maintained similarities can be controlled to conserve CPU and storage resources. |
| US08478736B2 |
Pattern matching accelerator
A pattern matching accelerator (PMA) for assisting software threads to find the presence and location of strings in an input data stream that match a given pattern. The patterns are defined using regular expressions that are compiled into a data structure comprised of rules subsequently processed by the PMA. The patterns to be searched in the input stream are defined by the user as a set of regular expressions. The patterns to be searched are grouped in pattern context sets. The sets of regular expressions which define the pattern context sets are compiled to generate a rules structure used by the PMA hardware. The rules are compiled before search run time and stored in main memory, in rule cache memory within the PMA or a combination thereof. For each input character, the PMA executes the search and returns the search results. |
| US08478734B2 |
Systems and methods to provide access control via mobile phones
Systems and methods are provided to allow parental control via mobile communications. In one aspect, a system includes a data storage facility to store data associating a phone number with information indicative of an age of a user of the phone number; and an interchange coupled with the data storage facility. The interchange includes a common format processor and a plurality of converters to interface with a plurality of controllers. The converters are configured to communicate with the controllers in different formats and to communicate with the common format processor in a common format. The common format processor is to use one converter of the converters to communicate with a telephonic apparatus at the phone number to obtain parental consent, in response to a request from a third party website, such as a social networking website. |
| US08478733B2 |
Substitute function in projection list
Techniques are disclosed for retrieving database data records using a request having a substitute clause. The substitute clause replaces a value stored in a predefined column with a new value while selecting the values of the plurality of columns in a projection list. In one embodiment, the database request may utilize a pre-defined syntax for a SELECT statement that supports a substitute clause having a form of: substitute( |
| US08478731B1 |
Managing compression in data storage systems
A method is used in managing compression in data storage systems. A data temperature is determined for a set of data in a block-based data storage system. Based on the data temperature, data compression is applied to the set of data. |
| US08478727B2 |
Storage system and control method for the same
When updating the data in each generation's logical units, the snapshot processing unit writes the update data in accordance with the update as forward differential data 221 to the base volume, and saves the old data that existed in the base volume before that update data was written as backward differential data in the backward differential data pool, and, when each generation's logical unit backward differential data is updated, deletes the forward differential data belonging the production LUs and the snapshots that together with those production LUs form the forward differential group. As a result of this, the amount of metadata necessary for executing a host command is able to be reduced in production LUs utilizing snapshots using the forward differential method. |
| US08478723B2 |
Method for reading a nonvolatile memory by means of metadata and of a look-up table
An example method for writing and reading data in electrically erasable and programmable nonvolatile memory (EEPROM) cells may include writing, in erased blocks of a first memory zone, data each having a logical address defined in relation to a virtual memory; writing, in a second memory zone, metadata structures associated with the data present in the first memory zone, configuring, in a volatile memory zone, for each logical address of a data stored in the first memory zone, addresses of metadata structures comprising the logical address, reading the look-up table and then reading metadata structures that the look-up table designates, to find, from the logical address of a data, an address in the first memory zone of a block containing a valid data having the logical address. |
| US08478720B2 |
File repair method for a content distribution system
The present invention concerns a file repair method for recovering a file, in a system for distributing content to more than one receiver, comprising, at a first receiver, the steps of receiving a set of files in a push multicast from a transmitter, receiving an identifier of a second receiver that owns a missing file that is not comprised in the received set of file; and recovering the missing file from the second receiver in a pull mode using a peer-to-peer mechanism. Another object of the invention is a method for file recovery in a server and in a peer device. |
| US08478718B1 |
Systems and methods for replicating data in cluster environments
A method for replicating data in cluster environments may include (1) identifying a cluster of nodes configured to replicate common storage of the cluster, (2) identifying a first write operation issued by a first node to the common storage, (3) identifying a second write operation issued by a second node to the common storage after the first write operation, (4) identifying a completion time of the first write operation, (5) identifying a start time of the second write operation, (6) identifying a maximum potential skew between the first system clock and the second system clock, (7) determining that the first and second write operations are mutually independent by determining that the start time of the second write operation precedes the completion time of the first write operation by a span greater than the maximum potential skew, and then (8) replicating the first and second write operations in parallel. |
| US08478717B2 |
Enterprise collaboration with reusable content
Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for a collaboration environment in which a number of different workspaces can use the same, reusable content. According to one embodiment, a method of providing collaboration using reusable content can comprise identifying a content item to be included in a first workspace of a plurality of workspaces of a collaboration environment. A first proxy representing the identified content item can be created. The first proxy can have a unique identifier within the first workspace. A mapping table record can be created for the first proxy that links the first proxy to the content item. Additionally, a cross-reference table record can be created for the first proxy. The cross-reference record can identify a relationship of the first proxy to another content item in the first workspace. |
| US08478715B2 |
Extending OLAP navigation employing analytic workflows
Analytic workflows for performing data analysis and other related operations are stored in an analytic workflow library and provided to a user upon selection of data from a data store. A workflow manager may rank the workflows based on a number of ranking algorithms prior to presentation. User selected workflows are executed in conjunction with relevant external applications and the analysis result provided to the user through the user's client application used to select the data. Workflows and associated interfaces may be received from a variety of sources and integrated into the workflow framework for enhancing data analysis. |
| US08478711B2 |
System and method for data fusion with adaptive learning
There are disclosed techniques for performing data fusion. In one embodiment, the technique comprises: (a) receiving an input; (b) processing the input in accordance with parameters of a stochastic model to derive a state of a stochastic process of the stochastic model, the parameters of the stochastic model previously established during a training period; (c) obtaining a predicted next state of the stochastic process; (d) receiving a next input and processing the next input in accordance with the parameters of the stochastic model to derive a next state of the stochastic process; (e) comparing either (i) the next state and the predicted next state, or (ii) the next input and a predicted next input corresponding to the predicted next state; and (f) if there is a discrepancy between that compared in (e), then using the next input to modify the parameters of the stochastic model. |
| US08478710B2 |
On-line autoregressive prediction in time series with delayed disclosure and monitor systems using same
An apparatus operating on a time sequence of events includes an event handling module configured to generate a predicted label for a current observed event of the time sequence of events and a true label handling module configured to process a true label revealed for an observed event of the time sequence of events. The event handling module and the true label handling module cooperatively model stochastic dependence of a true label for the current observed event based on the time sequence of events and revealed true labels for the past observed events of the time sequence of events. The event handling module and the true label handing module operate asynchronously. The event handling module and the true response handling module suitably operate as one or more digital processors. |
| US08478708B1 |
System and method for determining risk posed by a web user
A system and method for determining the risk posed by a web user. The web user can be an individual, a department, a location, or an organization. The method includes the steps of capturing user generated web actions, and classifying the web actions under zero or more risk criteria. The risk criteria include one or more risk calculating and weighting factors. The method further includes the steps of calculating risk scores for the classified risk criteria, combining the calculated risk scores to obtain a total risk score, assigning a qualitative value to the total risk score, and reporting the total risk score. The reported total risk score can be used to enforce security policies based on the value of the risk scores. |
| US08478706B2 |
Processing data using vector fields
Disclosed is a method including receiving a rule having at least one rule case for producing an output value based on one or more input values, generating a transform for receiving data from an input dataset and transforming the data based on the rule including producing a first series of values for at least one output variable in an output dataset, at least one value in the first series of values including a second series of values, and providing an output field corresponding to the at least one output variable in the output dataset for storing the second series of values. |
| US08478702B1 |
Tools and methods for determining semantic relationship indexes
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for determining an individual's sentimental baseline, based on a plurality of data items and characteristics. The data items may include objective and quantitative data, as well as subjective and qualitative data. The system, apparatus, or method may obtain a number of relationships between information atoms, identify sentiments associated with the relationships, and calculate sentimental baselines for those relationships. Differences from any baseline may also be calculated, to determine true changes in sentiment. Relationships between those differences and other data or relationships may also be calculated, to determine how a change in sentiment is related to other changes in behavior. For example, relationships between a particular difference and changes in any metric, sub-metric, group of characteristics, data item, data source, characteristic, sentiment, or groups thereof may be determined. These relationships may also be used to predict future behavior or sentiment. |
| US08478696B2 |
Service plan product and associated system and method
A service plan product providing a tangible representation of a service plan includes a support backer and a tag removably coupled with the backer. The tag includes service plan account identification means corresponding to a service plan account stored in a database and plan administrator contact indicia. The tag is configured to be removed from the backer and applied to a primary product for which the service plan is provided, and wherein only the service plan account identification means is required for the service plan administrator to access the database to identify details regarding the service plan account. Related systems and methods are also disclosed and provide additional advantages. |
| US08478694B2 |
Digital rights management license archiving
An arrangement is provided where a media server temporarily stores a DRM license that is associated with downloaded media content prior to copying the DRM license to a physical archival medium such as an optical disc. When the media server confirms that the DRM license is successfully copied to the physical archival medium, it destroys the temporarily stored DRM license. |
| US08478691B2 |
Method and system for impulse savings
A method of saving money using a mobile phone to reach a savings goal. The method includes creating an electronic account; computing a periodic sum of money to be saved by the user according to the savings goal; receiving a first electronic message from the mobile device, the first electronic message includes a description of a service or product not purchased by the user and an amount of money not spent; storing the description and the amount in the account; computing a running total of the amount of money not spent. The method may also include transmitting a second electronic message, the second electronic message acknowledging the first electronic message, the amount not spent by the user, the amount remaining to be saved to reach the savings goal and/or the total amount not spent. |
| US08478687B2 |
Automated trading system in an electronic trading exchange
An electronic exchange system network includes a trader site having an automated trading system capable of submitting orders to an exchange site. The automated trading system determines whether an order should be submitted based on, for example, the current market price of an option and theoretical buy and sell prices. The theoretical buy and sell prices are derived from, among other things, the current market price of the security underlying the option. A look-up table stores a range of theoretical buy and sell prices for a given range of current market price of the underlying security. Accordingly, as the price of the underlying security changes, a new theoretical price may be indexed in the look-up table, thereby avoiding calculations that would otherwise slow automated trading decisions. Other techniques may be used in addition or in the alternative to speed automatic decision-making. In addition, a system of checks may be conducted to ensure accurate and safe automated trading. The automated trading system may be capable of automatically submitting orders in connection with the underlying security in order to hedge part of the delta risk associated with the automated option trades. |
| US08478686B1 |
Method of determining credit worthiness and profitability
A method for determining credit worthiness and profitability. A computer program is stored on a computer storage device, which is operatively connected to a display and an input device. The computer program generates a customer screen and includes a database of customer entries. The method includes logging into the computer program, viewing the customer screen on the display, inputting a customer data set and a financing data set for a new customer into the customer screen, and generating a credit score based on the data sets. The data sets and the credit score are stored as a new customer entry in the database. The computer program also generates a disposition screen for inputting and storing a disposition data set with a selected customer data entry. The computer program also generates an analysis screen for generating and viewing a profitability report showing a profitability data set of selected customer entries. |
| US08478685B2 |
Fuel offering and purchase management system
The present disclosure is directed to facilitating pricing, sales and delivery of a commodity. In one embodiment, a Fuel Offer Generator facilitates the purchase and management of fuel offerings. The Fuel Offer Generator allows Customers interested in securing fuel to obtain an offer for fuel at lock-in prices for various tenors. Fuel Customers may later exercise the fuel offers so their fuel costs are locked-in at desired levels The Fuel Offer Generator may generate hedges to counteract fuel related risks stemming from fuel offer purchases. A customer that purchases a fuel offering can exercise their fuel offering order at a specified price and redeem any difference between the market price for their purchased fuel and the price specified in their fuel offering order. The Fuel Offer Generator employs a geographical fuel pump location metric as well as consumer redemption to establish the pricing of fuel offerings. |
| US08478682B2 |
System for trading illiquid assets by liquidity provisioning and bid value swap (financial conductivity)
Systems and methods that use provisions or infusions of liquid assets to facilitate multiparty trades wherein the provisioned liquid assets are sometimes infused into the host illiquid assets to create new semi-liquid or infused assets. |
| US08478681B2 |
System and method for auction based sales and procurement of geographically dispersed aviation fuel and services
A computer-based network auction system and method where geographically dispersed aircraft operators solicit competitive quotes for fuel and services from geographically dispersed FBOs, and FBOs submit quotes and communicate and market directly to aircraft operators planning trips to the FBOs airport or nearby airports. |
| US08478676B1 |
Systems and methods for determining a quantitative retail sentiment index from client behavior
Systems, methods, and instructions stored on computer-readable mediums for calculating a volatility score for each of a plurality of securities and calculating a reference volatility score for a benchmark. A relative volatility score is derived for each of the plurality of securities based upon the volatility score for each of the plurality of securities and the reference volatility score. An aggregated volatility score is derived for each of a plurality of accounts based in part on securities held within an account and the relative volatility scores for the securities. A sentiment index is determined based upon the aggregated volatility score for each of the plurality of accounts. |
| US08478674B1 |
Application clusters
One or more application providers supply primary data and user interface rendering information to a computing system. The computing system comprises modules that mange the received data and generate a user interface using the received rendering information. Data may be managed by resolving conflicts in the primary data as between the one or more application providers. Data may also be managed through the creation of derived data based at least in part on the received primary data. A user interface may be generated that has several applications displayed in an application cluster. The applications may be generated based on the rendering information. A user may interact with the user interface and may be able to edit the primary data. If the primary data is modified, the computing system communicates the modifications to the one or more application providers that supplied the original, primary data. |
| US08478672B2 |
Systems and methods for facilitating the reporting of an injury claim to an insurance company
In accordance with one or more embodiments, a method of operating an insurance claim management system provides for receiving, in a claim reporting system, information related to a report of a injury claim, the information being provided by an insurance medical liaison located at a location at which the injured worker's injury has been evaluated. The information may also be indicative of an evaluation, by the insurance medical liaison, of at least one of a work-related injury and an injured worker. The method further provides for establishing a record in the claim reporting system for the claim based at least in part on the information received from the insurance medical liaison. |
| US08478665B1 |
Vehicle ordering system
A vehicle ordering system that recommends to a vehicle dealership a vehicle to order from a vehicle manufacturer based on past sales (at various sales time periods and taking into account sales at the dealership level versus sales at the district and/or region level), current inventory (including in stock and in route), anticipated but not yet finalized orders, dealership size and calculated metrics derived from and using those elements. |
| US08478662B1 |
Customized electronic books with supplemental content
Architectures and techniques are described to provide customized versions of electronic books with various supplemental content items. The electronic books include a framework having core content that is provided with each electronic book and supplemental content portions that are populated with supplemental content items based on the preferences of particular readers of the electronic books. In some cases, the electronic books may include supplemental content options that are selectable to provide access to supplemental content items by readers of the electronic books. The supplemental content items accessible via the supplement content options may also depend on the preferences of the readers. |
| US08478659B2 |
Method and system for vendor management
A method and system for managing business transactions, such as mortgages or other financial transactions. A business transaction between an end user and a financial institution includes sub-transactions between the end user and a vendor. A software system performs functions to complete the business transaction. Automated ordering allows an end user to quickly and easily order a sub-transaction without input from the financial institution or the vendor, and also automatically orders sub-transactions upon satisfaction of a trigger event. Vendor management functionality allows a financial institution to manage the transactions of a vendor. Qualitative performance analysis functionality allows an end user to monitor and evaluate a vendor's price, turn-around time, quality score, and overall score. Vendor distribution functionality distributes sub-transactions among vendors. Vendor management company functionality allows a vendor management company—a vendor that outsources some or all of its sub-transactions to independent service providers—to effectively use the system. |
| US08478658B2 |
Auction-based selection and presentation of polls to users
A system and method for auction based polling is provided. Parameters related to a poll are received from a first user. Parameters related to a poll are received from a first user. A query is associated with the poll. A priority of the poll is determined based on the parameters. The poll is distributed to one or more second users according to the priority. Results to the poll are gathered. The results are reported to the first user. |
| US08478657B2 |
Auction method and server
Provided are an auction method and server that enable a seller and bidders to determine the price of a product at their own discretion by enabling the bidders to participate in a bid between the lowest price offered by the seller and the highest price of the product, and give benefit to both the seller and successful bidders by applying the successful bid price of a lowest successful bidder to all the successful bidders as a sale price. The auction method includes maintaining, at an auction server, a database of the highest price of a specific product, the lowest price offered by a seller, and the limited number of successful bidders, receiving, at the auction server, bidding information including bid prices for the specific product between the lowest price and the highest price from bidders, selecting, at the auction server, a lowest successful bidder from among the bidders in consideration of the limited number of successful bidders and the bidding information when a predetermined bidding time elapses, and requesting, at the auction server, payment from all successful bidders using a successful bid price of the lowest successful bidder as a sale price on the basis of bidding information about the lowest successful bidder. |
| US08478655B2 |
Method and system for allocating a payment based on a free trial period
Disclosure includes selecting a merchant from a plurality of merchants, enabling a trial mode for the merchant, during the trial mode, receiving an indication of a first order for the merchant, forwarding the indication of the first order to the merchant, allocating a first payment for the first order to the merchant, requesting an acceptance of a membership status from the merchant, and receiving an indication of the payment for the first order. |
| US08478652B2 |
Platform for providing life-cycle product support services
A service center receives a request for posting a message from a mobile device over a network, the request identifying a first discussion forum and a second discussion forum, the message pertaining to a product previously registered with the service center by a user. The message is transmitted to a first server hosting the first discussion forum over the network, together with first credentials retrieved from a database associated with the service center. The first credentials are to allow the first discussion forum to authenticate the user in order to post the message on the first discussion forum. The message is also transmitted to a second server hosting the second discussion forum over the network, together with second credentials retrieved from the database. The second credentials are to allow the second discussion forum to authenticate the user in order to post the message on the second discussion forum. |
| US08478650B2 |
Method and apparatus for displaying search results while preparing a media plan
A method and apparatus for displaying search results while generating a media campaign from information about available units stored in a central database, including a set of media formats for the available units and associated ancillary information. Selective criteria is entered at a remote computer coupled to the central computer database via a network and web server for a search of the information stored in the database, and a search is generated based upon the selective criteria. Results of the search are displayed at the remote computer, the results constituting matching media format information and associated ancillary information the results displayed according to the associated ancillary information, which preferably constitutes time periods for which the corresponding formats are available. The search results are preferably displayed in a timeline, preferably organized in daily or weekly views. |
| US08478648B2 |
Apparatus and method for automated inventory tracking and authentication
Method and apparatus for automated inventory tracking and authentication using device identity-containing information associated with at least one device that is part of an inventory. The method includes accepting initial device identity-containing information from an inventory origination point to a first sales distribution point and accepting additional device identity-containing inventory from each instance of a new and successive sales distribution point as inventory moves through a supply chain. This information is stored and then later compared to a device ID of the at least one device. An authentication action is performed upon the at least one device based upon said accepted initial and additional information. The device identity-containing information includes MAC address information, device serial number information. |
| US08478647B2 |
Transaction product with lens
A transaction product includes a substantially planar panel defining an aperture, a lens extending across the aperture, one or more auxiliary items, a foldable sheet, and an account identifier. The foldable sheet supports each of the one or more auxiliary items and is folded and positioned relative to the substantially planar panel such that at least one of the one or more auxiliary items is readily viewable through the lens. The account identifier is coupled with the substantially planar panel and links the transaction product to an account or record configured to track a financial value available for use toward a purchase price of one or more of goods and services. Other products, combinations, and associated methods are also disclosed. |
| US08478645B2 |
Method, system and software for digital media narrative personalization
Disclosed are a system, method and software to allow individuals or groups of individuals to view personalized digital media narrative. A personal attribute profile is created and stored for each individual and the profile is retrieved each time the individual enters the network or site. The digital media narrative contains digital media assets having attributes selected based upon the individual's or group's profile. The digital media narrative provides an enhanced, more impacting, and more personal narrative experience to the individual. |
| US08478630B2 |
System and method for online marketing, scheduling and booking of services
Disclosed are systems, methods and computer program products for online marketing, scheduling and booking of service appointments. In one example, the system for scheduling and booking of service appointments includes an inventory database containing schedules of booked and available service appointments associated with a plurality of service providers. The system further includes a calendar-based service provider interface for creating a schedule of services provided by the service provider and storing the schedule in the inventory database. The system further includes a calendar-based service user interface for displaying schedules of available service appointments and booking one or more service appointments. |
| US08478629B2 |
System and method for collaborative management of enterprise risk
A method and system for collaboratively managing risk is presented. In one embodiment the method comprises analyzing a node in a risk network when an output of said node violates a control limit, identifying a cause of said violation of said control limit, creating a mitigation action in response to said node violating said control limit, performing said mitigation action, said mitigation action having an influence on said output of said node, and measuring said output of said node to determine effectiveness of said mitigation action on said node, wherein a program using a processor unit executes one or more of said analyzing, identifying, creating, performing and measuring steps. |
| US08478628B1 |
Component based risk system
System and method for risk assessment of compliance are disclosed. A database is provided, which contains mapped compliance data components related to regulations, requirements, policies and standards, controls, and assets. Users can specify the weighting of the data components based on the user's business requirements. Manual and automated assessments are used to measure and determine the state of compliance of assets, such as people, processes, and technology. In particular, assessments may be performed on the standards and controls related to people, processes, and technology. Various compliance and risk indices are computed based on the compliance status of the standards and controls. Reports and analysis using the compliance data components and the compliance and risk indices are provided to quantify compliance risks and to assess overall compliance. |
| US08478624B1 |
Quality of records containing service data
An embodiment of the invention, directed to assessing quality of recorded service data, comprises the step of receiving a record containing service data at a service record evaluator. The method further comprises selecting at least one information field of a plurality of information fields contained in the received record, and determining a numerical quality score for each selected information field. Each of the quality scores is used to compute a cumulative quality score for the record, and it is determined whether the cumulative quality score is no less than a minimum quality threshold. |
| US08478623B2 |
Automated derivation, design and execution of industry-specific information environment
A computer-implemented method, system, and/or computer program product creates a physical information environment for a specific industry type. A candidate industry type, which has specific information environment requirements, is selected to describe a customer's operations. A set of information environment components that is specific to the candidate industry type is selected. Inherent constraints, for the set of information environment components, are identified. A processor recursively optimizes the set of information environment components to create a set of optimized information environment components that meet the inherent constraints and key performance indicators (KPIs) of the candidate industry type. A hierarchy of KPIs for the candidate industry type is defined. The processor predicts access patterns to the optimized information environment components based on the hierarchy of KPIs. A physical information environment that comprises the set of optimized information environment components is then constructed and deployed. |
| US08478620B2 |
Profit comparison of extended warranties
Systems, methods, and machine-readable and executable instructions are provided for profit comparison. Profit comparison can include determining a first profitability function of a flexible duration extended warranty offering with respect to a first plurality of warranty parameters and determining a second profitability function of a fixed duration extended warranty offering with respect to a second plurality of warranty parameters. Profit comparison can also include comparing the first function and the second function for at least one level of at least one of profit lift and flexible duration warranty offering coverage duration. Presenting results of the comparison for a range of values of the first and second plurality of warranty parameters can also be included in profit comparison. |
| US08478619B2 |
Transport vehicle capacity maximization logistics system and method of same
Disclosed is a system for substantially optimizing logistics for loading vehicles and transporting goods and a method of accomplishing the same. |
| US08478615B2 |
Meta data model for managing work products and deliverables
A method and program product for managing work products by utilizing a data model that provides traceability between business requirements and implemented services. The data model includes functional requirement, process element, business service, service design and service component asset types, and the relationships between the asset types. The asset types and the relationships provide a tracing between the functional requirement and the implemented service. In one embodiment, the tracing includes generating a series of displays in response to hyperlink selections. The series of displays include details of related instances of the functional requirement, process element, business service, service design, and service component asset types. |
| US08478609B2 |
System and method for preemptive determination of the potential for an atypical clinical event related to the administering of medication
Systems and methods provide for the preemptive determination of the potential of atypical clinical event occurrence related to administering of medications to a person. One method involves receiving a list of possible medications that may be administered to the person during a medical procedure. Subsequently, the medication list is compared to information in the person's medical record. Based on this comparison, a determination is made as to whether one or more matches exist between any of the medications included in the list and the medical record information, the match relating to the potential of an atypical clinical event occurring if the associated medication were to be administered to the person. If a match in fact exists, a response is outputted relating to each match. |
| US08478608B2 |
System and method to measure and manage urgent care requests
An innovative tracking software system provides independent proof of primary-care physician (PCP) efforts to improve urgent access to care and coordination of care. PCPs are provided with tools and financial incentives to better manage urgent care requests and thereby provide better service while reducing avoidable hospital utilization (ER and re-admissions) and costs. In particular, independent and accurate measurements of provider performance enable the payment of financial incentives to PCPs. |
| US08478607B2 |
Hospital service line management tool
A method for managing, organizing, integrating, and evaluating a service line of a hospital. Primary goals of the present method include, for example, improving patient care, increasing financial margins, and building volume. |
| US08478606B2 |
Electronic agenda with weight management function
A weight management system (10) comprising logging means (11) for logging past food intake events and past energy expenditure events, means for receiving (11) agenda entries and storage means (12) for storing the past food intake events, the past energy expenditure events and the agenda entries. The system further comprises a processor (13) for, based on the past food intake events, the past energy expenditure events and the agenda entries, scheduling at least one future food intake event or at least one future energy expenditure event and adding the future food intake event or the at least one future energy expenditure event to the storage means (12) as one of the agenda entries. An output (14) is provided for presenting the agenda entries to the user. The system (10) enables integrating a weight management system with a user's personal agenda. |
| US08478604B2 |
Closed loop medication use system and method
A closed loop medication use system and method includes selecting a medication to prescribe to a patient based on patient information, such as laboratory results, radiology results, and patient allergies, healthcare industry practices, patient-care site specific guidelines, and medication information. The selected medication is prescribed on an unverified prescription order that is then transcribed. Transcribing includes performing multiple crosschecks of the prescription order to real-time patient information, healthcare industry practices, and medication information to generate a verified prescription order. After transcribing, the appropriate dispensing method is determined for the prescription order and dispensed. The dispensed medication is administered after confirmation by the administering clinician of the right patient, right medication, right dosage, right route, and right time. The whole process of medication use described above is monitored continuously in real-time. The monitored information is communicated to the prescribing, transcribing, dispensing and administering parts of the system. |
| US08478602B2 |
Executing business processes using persistent variables
Executing a business process includes initiating an instance of a business process comprising activities, where the instance has an instance variable. A first activity of the business process is executed, and a value corresponding to the instance variable is received. The instance variable and the value is recorded in an object, and the object is stored in a data repository. A second activity of the business process is executed, and the object is retrieved from the data repository for use with the second activity. |
| US08478600B2 |
Input/output apparatus based on voice recognition, and method thereof
Provided is an input/output apparatus based on voice recognition, and a method thereof. An object of the apparatus is to improve a user interface by making pointing input and command execution such as application program control possible according to a voice command of a user possible based on a voice recognition technology without individual pointing input device such as a mouse and a touch pad, and a method thereof. The apparatus includes: a voice recognizer for recognizing a voice command inputted from outside; a pointing controller for calculating a pointing location on a screen which corresponds to a voice recognition result transmitted from the voice recognizer; a displayer for displaying a screen; and a command controller for processing diverse commands related to a current pointing location. |
| US08478591B2 |
Phonetic variation model building apparatus and method and phonetic recognition system and method thereof
A phonetic variation model building apparatus, having a phoneme database for recording at least a standard phonetic model of a language and a plurality of non-standardized phonemes of the language is provided. A phonetic variation identifier identifies a plurality of phonetic variations between the non-standardized phonemes and the standard phonetic model. A phonetic transformation calculator calculates a plurality of coefficients of a phonetic transformation function based on the phonetic variations and the phonetic transformation function. A phonetic variation model generator generates at least a phonetic variation model based on the standard phonetic model, the phonetic transformation function and the coefficients thereof. |
| US08478586B2 |
Signal processing apparatus and method, and program
A coded code string from an input terminal 110 is demultiplexed by a demultiplexer circuit 101, normalization coefficient information in the code string is sent to a normalization coefficient information increasing/decreasing circuit 102, addition or subtraction of a positive value is performed, and level adjustment of a signal is performed. A normalization coefficient information cutoff amount calculating circuit 103 calculates the cutoff amount for a case where the subtraction amount of normalization coefficient information is larger than normalization coefficient information and normalization coefficient information after subtraction is cut off at the minimum possible value. A gain control function generation information modifying circuit 104 modifies gain control function generation information according to the cutoff amount. |
| US08478582B2 |
Server for automatically scoring opinion conveyed by text message containing pictorial-symbols
A server is disclosed for computing a score of an opinion that a message in a text file is expected to convey regarding a subject to be evaluated, wherein the message is written using literal strings and pictorial symbols. In this server, by the use of a pictorial-symbol dictionary memory storing a correspondence between designated pictorial-symbols to be rated and scores of opinions expressed by the respective pictorial-symbols, at least one of the used pictorial-symbols in the message which is coincident with at least one of the designated pictorial-symbols stored in the pictorial-symbol dictionary memory, is extracted from the message, at least one of the opinion scores which corresponds to the at least one extracted pictorial-symbol is retrieved within the pictorial-symbol dictionary memory, and an aggregate net opinion score for the message is calculated, based on an aggregate opinion score for the at least one extracted pictorial-symbol. |
| US08478578B2 |
Mobile speech-to-speech interpretation system
Interpretation from a first language to a second language via one or more communication devices is performed through a communication network (e.g. phone network or the internet) using a server for performing recognition and interpretation tasks, comprising the steps of: receiving an input speech utterance in a first language on a first mobile communication device; conditioning said input speech utterance; first transmitting said conditioned input speech utterance to a server; recognizing said first transmitted speech utterance to generate one or more recognition results; interpreting said recognition results to generate one or more interpretation results in an interlingua; mapping the interlingua to a second language in a first selected format; second transmitting said interpretation results in the first selected format to a second mobile communication device; and presenting said interpretation results in a second selected format on said second communication device. |
| US08478577B2 |
Modeling of a multiprocessor system
Methods and systems are provided for modeling a multiprocessor system in a graphical modeling environment. The multiprocessor system may include multiple processing units that carry out one or more processes, such as programs and sets of instructions. Each of the processing units may be represented as a node at the top level of the model for the multiprocessor system. The nodes representing the processing units of the multiprocessor system may be interconnected to each other via a communication channel. The nodes may include at least one read element for reading data from the communication channel into the nodes. The node may also include at least one write element for writing data from the nodes into the communication channel. Each of the processing unit can communicate with other processing unit via the communication channel using the read and write elements. Code may be generated to simulate each node and communication channel in the modeled multiprocessor system. The generated code may then be executed to simulate the model. Based on the results of the simulation, one or more processes may be automatically reassigned to nodes within the model to optimize the performance of the model. |
| US08478573B2 |
Modeling circuit cells for waveform propagation
A model for a circuit cell used in timing and signal integrity analysis in an integrated circuit design is automatically generated. A behavioral model, such as a gate current model is used in which the current in the circuit cell is determined as a function of the input voltage and the output voltage of the circuit cell as well as the history of at least one of the current, voltage, and charge values of the circuit cell. For example, the current in the circuit cell may be a function of the history of the current, which may be calculated incrementally using recursive convolution at each time step when using the model. |
| US08478570B2 |
Method and apparatus for establishing network performance model
A method and apparatus for establishing a network performance model. The method includes: determining, according to performance data provided by network nodes and the probability of the performance data, a parameter α showing the correlation of the performance data of different network nodes in a whole network and a parameter β showing the distribution pattern of the performance data in the network; and establishing a Latent Dirichlet Allocation, LDA, network performance model by using the determined parameter α and the parameter β. |
| US08478559B2 |
Semiconductor component and method of making the same
One embodiment provides a semiconductor chip including a semiconductor body and a power semiconductor component integrated therein. The power semiconductor component includes a load electrode zone arranged on a first surface of the semiconductor body, a control electrode zone arranged on the first surface, the control electrode zone being electrically insulated from the load electrode zone, and a resistance track arranged on the load electrode zone and the control electrode zone. The resistance track ensures an electrical connection between the load electrode zone and the control electrode zone. |
| US08478557B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing analyte monitoring system calibration accuracy
Methods, system and devices for providing improved calibration accuracy of continuous glucose monitoring system based on insulin delivery information are provided. |
| US08478556B2 |
Calibration method for SAW sensors
A calibration process for an SAW sensor of the differential resonator type incorporated in an assembly, the sensor having two resonance frequencies (f1, f2) which vary differently as a function of the value of a physical magnitude (G) of the assembly. The process comprises the steps of: establishing an averaged calibration function (FCmoy(G)), which relates the difference between the two resonance frequencies (Δf=f2−f1) and the physical magnitude (G), said average calibration function being obtained by averaging over a plurality of sensors of the same type (Δf=FCmoy(G)); determining the difference (Δf0Cap) between the two resonance frequencies of the sensor when the physical magnitude (G) corresponds to a predetermined value (G0); determining the deviation of the sensor relative to the averaged calibration function, in frequency or in terms of the difference between the value (GCap) furnished by the sensor and the predetermined value (G0); and determining a corrected value (Gcorr) to be furnished by the sensor, taking account of said deviation. |
| US08478552B2 |
Monitor of assembled battery
A monitor (5) monitors an assembled battery (1) having a plurality of cells (11) and a power supply line (2) for connecting the plurality of the cells (11). The monitor (5) includes: a detecting portion (6) for detecting a voltage of each of the cells (11) of the plurality of the cells (11); and a controlling portion (7) for receiving a voltage detection result detected by the detecting portion (6). The detecting portion (6) converts the voltage detection result into an alternating current communication signal and transmits the alternating current communication signal via the power supply line (2) to the controlling portion (7). |
| US08478551B2 |
Systems and methods of profiling power cycles in a battery for indicating detrimental battery operation
Systems and methods for profiling power cycle characteristics in a device powered at least by a battery are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of: detecting a series of power cycle events, examining the series of power cycle events for at least one indication of reduced life of the battery; storing the indication; and notifying a user of the device about the indication. Each power cycle event indicates a transition between line power and battery power. |
| US08478547B2 |
Blade monitoring system
A blade monitoring system for calculating average threshold crossings from interpolated threshold crossings of digital waveform samples is disclosed. Each digital waveform sample is converted by an analog-to-digital converter from one of two split analog signals. Each split analog signal is received from a signal splitter that receives each analog signal from an analog signal transmitter. Each analog signal is from a sensed blade passing signal from at least one row of a plurality of blades on a compressor of a turbine. |
| US08478546B2 |
Method for measuring physical property values of a cell
The present invention relates to a method for measuring physical property values of a cell based on dielectric spectroscopy and based on modeling electrical characteristics such as electric conductivity, electric permittivity, dielectric constant change, and dielectric relaxation expressions in order to obtain membrane capacitance and cytoplasmic conductivity values of the cell. |
| US08478541B2 |
Extracting gene-gene interactions from gene expression data
Disclosed are methods and custom computing apparatuses for identifying gene-gene interactions from gene expression data, based on which a gene regulatory sub-network can be built. In particular, relationships in which multiple genes co-regulate one target gene can also be identified. |
| US08478525B2 |
Methods, apparatus, and systems for analyzing use of a marking device by a technician to perform an underground facility marking operation
Methods, apparatus, and systems for monitoring a technician's performance of a marking operation to indicate the presence or absence of an underground facility, wherein the technician uses a marking device. Operating information representative of motion of the marking device during performance of the marking operation by the technician is analyzed to determine a pattern of motion. In one example, the pattern of motion is compared to at least one previously-identified pattern of motion associated with at least one technician. In various aspects, the operating information may representative of an acceleration, a velocity, a distance traveled by, and/or an angle of inclination of the marking device. In another aspect, the previously-identified pattern of motion may be a technician signature representing a pattern of motion unique to a technician. |
| US08478523B2 |
Marking apparatus and methods for creating an electronic record of marking apparatus operations
A marking system may hold a container from which markers are dispensed to mark the presence or absence of an underground facility in a dig area. The container may identify a marker characteristic regarding the markers in the container. The marking system may receive activation of a trigger, dispense a marker from the container when the trigger is activated, and store the marker characteristic and time data when the trigger is activated. In other embodiments, the marking system may dispense a marker, determine location data and/or time data, and substantially simultaneously trigger the dispensing of the marker and logging of the location data and/or the time data. The location data identifies a geographic location where the marker is dispensed and the time data identifies the time when the marker is dispensed. |
| US08478517B2 |
Method and apparatus to provide location information
A method of providing location information through a navigation device, the method including: obtaining location information from the Internet; and converting the obtained location information into data that can be used in the navigation device. |
| US08478514B2 |
Onboard vehicle data mining, social networking, advertisement
An improvement of methods and systems using mobile and distributed data stream mining algorithms for mining continuously generated data from different components of a vehicle. The system is designed for both on-board and remote mining and management of the data in order to (1) detect the effect of various engine parameters on fuel consumption behavior, (2) predictive classification of driving patterns and associative indexing of driver performance matrix, (3) resource-constrained anomaly detection for onboard health monitoring, (4) vehicle-to-vehicle social networking and distributed data mining, (5) adaptive placement of advertisements based on vehicle performance profile and (6) onboard emissions analytics computation for wireless emissions monitoring and smog test. |
| US08478513B1 |
System and method for displaying degraded traffic data on an in-trail procedure (ITP) display
A system and method for displaying degraded traffic data from an intruder aircraft on an ITP display is provided. The method includes determining if the degraded traffic data exhibits navigational accuracy sufficient for display on the ITP display, and analyzing the degraded traffic data to determine the ITP parameters for similar track traffic and to determine if the navigational accuracy of the degraded traffic data is within predefined bounds if the navigational accuracy of the degraded traffic is not sufficient for display on the ITP display. |
| US08478510B2 |
Fuel sulfur content-based operation control of a diesel engine
Over a diesel engine's lifetime, engine efficiency may be reduced and some of this may be attributable to sulfur deposit accumulation in the engine. A method for controlling operation of a diesel engine operating on a fuel is provided. The method may include adjusting an injection of fuel to the engine in response to a sulfur content of the fuel. |
| US08478503B2 |
Vehicle controlling apparatus
A vehicle controlling apparatus that performs vehicle body vibration-damping control to suppress vibration occurring in a vehicle body by changing wheel torque of driving wheels by controlling output torque of an engine, wherein an electronic control unit is provided with a vehicle body vibration-damping control inhibiting unit that inhibits the vehicle body vibration-damping control such that a drive system of a vehicle, which transmits power of the engine, does not resonate with execution of the vehicle body vibration-damping control, or/and a vehicle body vibration-damping control adjusting unit that adjusts a control amount of the vehicle body vibration-damping control in a direction to suppress a vibration-damping suppression effect of the vehicle body vibration-damping control. |
| US08478502B2 |
System and method for controlling a motor of a hybrid vehicle
The invention provides a method for controlling the motor of a hybrid vehicle comprising the steps of detecting states of a plurality of motors and planetary gear sets; deciding total demand torque of the motors in a case that the plurality of motors operates under a predetermined condition; determining whether the total demand torque of the motors is smaller than a sum of continuous rated torque of each motor; deciding torque of each motor by using a torque distribution map according to rotation speed of each motor and the total demand torque in a case that the total demand torque of the motors is smaller than the sum of continuous rated torque of each motor; and controlling each motor based on the decided torque of each motor. |
| US08478501B1 |
Methods for determining exhaust emissions and efficiency of a vehicle and a display
Methods, software codes, and devices for determining an emission flow rate of one or more CO2 equivalent gases from an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle and a method of determining a vehicle efficiency factor of the vehicle are provided. The vehicle efficiency factor is compared in real time to the corresponding point on a vehicle efficiency map based on at least one of current vehicle conditions, driving conditions, environmental conditions, and energy flow visualization data to derive a driver efficiency factor. |
| US08478500B1 |
System and method for utilizing traffic signal information for improving fuel economy and reducing trip time
A system and method for utilizing traffic signal information to reduce wait time at traffic signals and to reduce fuel use is disclosed. Traffic signal timing data can be received from traffic signals or from a central server to determine a reference velocity for a vehicle to travel through a plurality of traffic signals. The reference velocity can then be provided to the driver so that the driver can manually control the vehicle at a velocity close to the reference velocity. The techniques of the present disclosure also can be used in connection with a cruise control system to control the velocity of a vehicle to be close to the reference velocity. |
| US08478498B2 |
Engine power management for a selectable one-way clutch or mechanical diode in automatic transmissions
A method for controlling a powertrain includes monitoring engagement status of said selectable one-way clutch, monitoring an upshift command, monitoring a speed of an engine to torque converter shaft, monitoring a speed of a torque converter to transmission shaft, when the monitoring detects engagement of the selectable one-way clutch and the upshift command, then determining a relative rotational speed of the torque converter based upon the speed of said engine to torque converter shaft and the speed of said torque converter to transmission shaft. A locked selectable one-way clutch condition is diagnosed based upon the relative rotational speed. A torque increase is commanded from the engine based upon the locked selectable one-way clutch condition. And disengagement of the selectable one-way clutch is commanded. |
| US08478491B2 |
Seat control device, method, and program
Devices, methods, and programs control a seat drive mechanism that drives side support parts of a seat. The devices, methods, and programs detect a first curve ahead of a vehicle and a second curve located ahead of the first curve with respect to a travel direction. The devices, methods, and programs predict a between-curves time required to travel between the first curve and the second curve and determine whether the between-curves time is less than a predetermined time, the predetermined time being no less than a time necessary for the side support parts to operate. The devices, methods, and programs control the seat drive mechanism to arrange the side support parts at an action position to support a body of an occupant for the first curve. If the between-curves time is less than the predetermined time, the devices, methods, and programs maintain the side support parts at the action position while traveling the second curve. |
| US08478485B2 |
Electric power steering apparatus
An electric power steering apparatus is configured in such a way as to include a first filtering unit that applies filtering processing to the detected steering torque signal and outputs the processed torque signal; a control unit that generates and outputs a motor drive signal, based on a steering torque signal outputted from a first filtering unit; a second filtering unit that applies filtering processing to the detected steering torque signal and outputs the processed torque signal; and an interlock unit that generates and outputs a motor drive inhibition signal, based on the steering torque signal outputted from the second filtering unit. The second filtering unit performs filtering processing in such a way as to output a steering torque signal the same as or similar to the steering torque signal that is outputted from the first filtering unit at least when a vehicle is in a predetermined driving condition. |
| US08478483B2 |
Skid detection apparatus for vehicle
In an apparatus for detecting a skid occurred on a four-wheel drive vehicle having a prime mover and a transmission, an actual rear right/left wheel speed ratio between the rear right/left wheel speeds is calculated based on detected front and rear wheel rotational speeds, a front/rear wheel slip ratio during grip-driving is calculated by retrieving characteristics of a front/rear wheel slip ratio set with respect to a rear right/left wheel speed ratio using the calculated actual rear right/left wheel speed ratio, an actual front/rear wheel slip ratio is calculated based on the detected front wheel rotational speed and the rear wheel rotational speed, and occurrence of skid is then determined based on a difference between the calculated front/rear wheel slip ratio during grip-driving and the calculated actual front/rear wheel slip ratio. |
| US08478481B2 |
Fuel-saving management system
A fuel-saving management system allowing fuel-saving management and associated driver assistance. The system includes, mounted on a vehicle, information detectors detecting various information on the driving state of the vehicle, an information processor, in addition to processing the information detected by the information detectors, generating a warning when processed information satisfies required warning conditions, and an information storage device storing the processed information. In this system, when either a time during which the processed information is maintained to satisfy the required warning conditions, or an elapsed time of the processed information exceeds a previously set time, the information processor stores the occurrence of this overtime event into the information storage device. A setter allowing modification of the required warning conditions, and a printer outputting the information relating to the processed information are also mounted. |
| US08478470B1 |
Drivetrain system having rate-limited feedforward fueling
A drivetrain system for a mobile machine is disclosed. The drivetrain system may have an engine, a generator driven by the engine to generate electric power, and a traction motor driven by the electric power from the generator. The drivetrain system may also have a controller in communication with the engine, the generator, and the traction motor. The controller may be configured to determine a change in loading on the traction motor, and determine a change in fueling of the engine that will be required to accommodate the change in loading on the traction motor. The controller may also be configured to selectively rate-limit the change in fueling, and implement the rate-limited change in fueling prior to transmission of the change in loading on the traction motor to the engine. |
| US08478466B2 |
Hybrid vehicle having multi-mode controller
A control system for a hybrid vehicle controls the various operating modes of the hybrid vehicle. Operating modes of the hybrid vehicle include an electric-only power mode, a series hybrid mode, a series hybrid dual-power mode, and a parallel hybrid tri-power mode. The control system selects one of the operating modes for the hybrid vehicle based on one or more inputs and comparisons. Examples of inputs for the control system include a gear-mode, a present battery storage capacity, a present velocity of the hybrid vehicle, and the previous operating mode of the hybrid power system. The control system may also take into account whether a user has selected the electric-only power mode. The control system may also control the operations of one or more components of the hybrid vehicle while operating in one of the operating modes. |
| US08478460B2 |
System and method to assist in the braking of an aircraft on a landing runway
A system includes a means of acquiring the position of the aircraft on the runway and its speed in the taxiing phase, a means of storing data concerning the runway and a predefined deceleration law, a function for calculating the distance that the aircraft will have traveled on the runway when it has reached a certain speed and/or the speed that it will have reached when it has traveled a certain distance: the calculated distance makes it possible to adapt the braking by comparison with the distance remaining to reach the end of the runway; the calculated distance makes it possible to adapt the braking by comparison with the distance remaining to reach the end of the runway; the calculated speed makes it possible to adapt the braking by comparison with the maximum speed to take the exit. |
| US08478457B2 |
Fatigue management system
A fatigue management system for determining the individual life of an aircraft, particularly the individual life of components of a helicopter, by means of an on board virtual load sensor and a method of operating a fatigue management system. |
| US08478456B2 |
Variable bandwidth control actuation methods and apparatus
Some embodiments relate to a method of controlling a flight of a flight vehicle according to a first mode of operation and changing the mode of operation to a second mode of operation having a different bandwidth than the first mode of operation. Other embodiments relate to a flight-control system for a flight vehicle configured to control a flight of a flight vehicle according to a first mode of operation and to control the flight of the flight vehicle according to a second mode of operation to use less energy than the first mode of operation. Other embodiments relate to a control actuation system configured to control positions of aerodynamic elements in a flight vehicle in response to commands from a guidance system according to a first mode of operation and to change the mode of operation to a second mode of operation having a different bandwidth than the first mode of operation. |
| US08478450B2 |
Power control system and method
A power control system/method implementing Internet based access to hybrid home automation networks is disclosed. The system utilizes a smart gateway power controller (SGPC) to selectively switch an AC power source to a load device under control of local or remote network commands that may be routed through a variety of network interfaces and protocols present within a home or other structure-local communications network. SGPC configurations may be nested within a home automation network to permit separation of control for load devices within a common home automation environment. Present invention methods may include routing protocols between disparate home automation networks as well as remote access protocols that permit control of disparate home automation networks via the Internet using a wide variety of remote access interfaces including mobile devices, tablet computers, laptops, desktop computers, and the like. |
| US08478447B2 |
Computational load distribution in a climate control system having plural sensing microsystems
Systems, methods, and related computer program products for controlling one or more HVAC systems using a distributed arrangement of wirelessly connected sensing microsystems are described. A plurality of wirelessly communicating sensing microsystems is provided, each sensing microsystem including a temperature sensor and a processor, at least one of the sensing microsystems being coupled to an HVAC unit for control thereof. The plurality of sensing microsystems is configured to jointly carry out at least one shared computational task associated with control of the HVAC unit. Each sensing microsystem includes a power management circuit configured to determine an amount of electrical power available for dedication to the at least one shared computational task. The at least one shared computational task is apportioned among respective ones of the plurality of sensing microsystems according to the amount of electrical power determined to be available for dedication thereto at each respective sensing microsystem. |
| US08478442B2 |
Obstacle following sensor scheme for a mobile robot
A robot obstacle detection system including a robot housing which navigates with respect to a surface and a sensor subsystem aimed at the surface for detecting the surface. The sensor subsystem includes an emitter which emits a signal having a field of emission and a photon detector having a field of view which intersects the field of emission at a region. The subsystem detects the presence of an object proximate the mobile robot and determines a value of a signal corresponding to the object. It compares the value to a predetermined value, moves the mobile robot in response to the comparison, and updates the predetermined value upon the occurrence of an event. |
| US08478440B2 |
Production of mail pieces and preparations therefor
For producing mail pieces in a mail production apparatus, starting from physical postal items, a required operating condition of the mail production apparatus is determined. At least one physical property to be realized manually of the required operating condition is determined and at least one current physical property of a current condition of the mail production apparatus is registered. A difference between the at least one current physical property and the at least one physical property to be realized manually of said required operating condition is determined and an associated indication is represented in humanly perceptible form. In response, the at least one current physical property is changed, such that the difference is removed. Next, with the mail production apparatus in the required operating condition, at least one mail piece is assembled from physical postal items. Also described are computer software and an apparatus for use with this method. |
| US08478438B2 |
Numerical control device
A main control process is made common to all machine tools by describing in a NC program a tool trajectory including a change in posture in a coordinate system (30) fixed to a machining object (W), fixedly arranging a preparatory reference coordinate system (20) on a machine table (2), representing an installation position of the machining object (W) and a position of a spindle (91) on which a tool (11) is mounted in the preparatory reference coordinate system (20), and containing portions relating to a configuration of axes in a conversion function group of correlation between the position (q) of the spindle (91) and an axis coordinate (r). Thus, the processes of reading the NC program, correction of the tool trajectory and conversion into the trajectory of a spindle position based on the installation position of the machining object, the tool shape, and tool dimensions are made completely common. |
| US08478437B2 |
Methods and systems for making a blood vessel sleeve
Methods, apparatuses, computer program products, devices and systems are described that include accepting one or more blood vessel sleeve dimensions based on blood vessel data from an individual; and making a rapid-prototyped blood vessel sleeve at least partly based on the one or more blood vessel sleeve dimensions. |
| US08478436B2 |
Apparatus, method and computer program product for providing automated truss assembly
A truss assembly station may include a truss assembler. The truss assembler may be configured to enable assembly of a truss from truss members by providing an automatic sequential placement of the truss members based at least in part upon a planned location of pre-plated truss members within an assembled truss. The pre-plated truss members may be truss members including at least one connector plate installed thereon prior to placement at the truss assembly station. |
| US08478435B2 |
System and method for improved dental geometry representation
A digital data set representing a pre-scanned tooth geometry, including generic crown data, is merged with data representing a scanned patient tooth crown image, which lacks sufficient data to completely represent a complete tooth crown. |
| US08478431B2 |
Slidable fixation device for securing a medical implant
A fixation device for retaining a leadless medical implant to tissue includes an array of elongate tines having self-expanding distal portions. The fixation tines may be advanced between an implant body and an outer jacket to deploy the tines from a delivery configuration in which the tines are constrained by the outer jacket to an expanded configuration in which the distal end portions of the tines are released from the outer jacket. The implant and fixation device are contained within a sheath for delivery to the treatment site and a pusher within the sheath advances the fixation device relative to the implant body and deploys the tines. A distal end of the implant having an electrode may form a distal tip of the delivery system, and a potential implantation site may be tested prior to deployment of the fixation device to allow for easy repositioning of the implant. |
| US08478426B2 |
Systems and methods for making and using electrical stimulation systems having multi-lead-element lead bodies
A lead for providing electrical stimulation of patient tissue includes a distal lead element, at least two proximal lead elements, and a junction coupling the distal lead element to each of the at least two proximal lead elements. The distal lead element includes a plurality of electrodes and a plurality of conductive wires coupled to the plurality of electrodes and extending along a longitudinal axis of the distal lead element. Each of the at least two proximal lead elements includes a plurality of terminals and a plurality of conductive wires coupled to the plurality of terminals and extending along a longitudinal axis of the proximal lead element. The junction includes a circuit arrangement electrically coupling each of the conductive wires of the distal lead element to at least one of the conductive wires of at least one of the at least two proximal lead elements. |
| US08478423B2 |
Insulator layers for leads of implantable electric stimulation systems and methods of making and using
An implantable lead includes a plurality of conductors disposed in an elongated member. At least one of the conductors includes at least one unit that includes a first conductor segment extending along the elongated member from a beginning point to a first position, a second conductor segment extending along the elongated member from the first position to a second position, and a third conductor segment extending from the second position to an endpoint. An inner insulator layer is disposed along at least a portion of the elongated member and is formed of a material that is flowable to fill in at least some open spaces between portions of at least one of the units. An outer insulator layer is disposed over at least a portion of the inner insulator layer. The outer insulator layer has at least one physical characteristic different from the inner insulator layer. |
| US08478421B2 |
Medical device electrical lead design for preventing transmittance of unsafe currents to a patient
An electrical lead including a conductor assembly, an electrode, and a thermally sensitive material. The conductor assembly has one or more conductors. The electrode is in electrical communication with one of the conductors and has an outer contact adapted for contacting adjacent body tissue of a patient. The thermally sensitive material is electrically connected between the one conductor and the electrode outer contact, and is configured to exhibit high impedance in the presence of currents considered unsafe to the patient, thereby preventing the unsafe currents from flowing through the thermally sensitive material and through the electrode outer contact potentially causing the adjacent body tissue to increase in temperature to an unsafe level. The unsafe currents cause the thermally sensitive material to increase in temperature, thereby causing the material to transition to a high impedance state. |
| US08478418B2 |
Remote health monitoring system
A data collection system collects and stores physiological data from an ambulatory patient at a high resolution and/or a high data rate (“more detailed data”) and sends a low-resolution and/or downsampled version of the data (“less detailed data”) to a remote server via a wireless network. The server automatically analyzes the less detailed data to detect an anomaly. A two-tiered analysis is used, where the first tier is less specific than the second tier. If the less specific analysis detects or suspects the anomaly, the server signals the data collector to send more detailed data that corresponds to a time period associated with the anomaly. The more specific second tier analysis the more detailed data to verify the anomaly. The server may also store the received data and make it available to a user. |
| US08478417B2 |
Techniques for data reporting in an implantable medical device
Methods and apparatus for storing data records associated with a medical monitoring event in a data structure. An implanted device obtains data and stores the data in the data record in a first data structure that is age-based. Before an oldest data record is lost, the oldest data record may be stored in a second data structure that is priority index-based. The priority index may be determined by a severity level and may be further determined by associated factors. The implanted device may organize, off-load, report, and/or display a plurality of data records based on an associated priority index. Additionally, the implanted device may select a subset or composite of physiologic channels from the available physiologic channels based on a selection criterion. |
| US08478416B2 |
Implant power control
A system and method of operating an implant system having an external portion and an implanted portion. The external portion includes a first magnet and a power signal transmission module for transmitting an electrical power signal across the skin of a user. The implanted portion including a second magnet, a receiver module for receiving the power signal across the skin of a user, a Hall Sensor, a switch, and a battery. The method includes externally orientating and/or positioning the first magnet in a first arrangement, such that the external portion is held in place on the user based substantially on a magnetic force between the first magnet and the second magnet, and such that the power signal transmission module is aligned with the receiver module and the receiver module receives the power signal. The first magnet is orientated and/or positioned in a second arrangement, such that the first magnet applies a magnetic field that is sensed by the Hall Sensor. The switch in the implanted portion is controlled based, at least in part, on output from the Hall Sensor, the switch for providing power from the battery. |
| US08478410B2 |
Electronic neural resonator
A procedure electrically stimulates a nerve or group of nerves. Unlike conventional systems this procedure is tuned to target a large or small group of neurons using noninvasive electromagnetic induction. This system is capable of doing this by using the principles of the alternating current in a capacitance inductance series resonance circuit. In this system the nerve resonator treats the neuron like a thin conductor placed between the plates of a capacitor in series with an inductor and then tuned to resonate with the appropriate frequency of alternating current. The system could also be inductance tuned for a given frequency. Once the system is tuned, the current amplitude in the entire circuit including the thin conductor or nerve fiber can be externally controlled. |
| US08478408B2 |
Leadless cardiac stimulation systems
Various configurations of systems that employ leadless electrodes to provide pacing therapy are provided. In one example, a system that provides multiple sites for pacing of myocardium of a heart includes wireless pacing electrodes that are implantable at sites proximate the myocardium using a percutaneous, transluminal, catheter delivery system. Each of the electrodes contains a source of electrical energy for pacing the myocardium and is adapted to receive electromagnetic energy from a source outside the myocardium. The system also includes a source adapted for placement outside the myocardium and that uses locally measured electrocardiograms to synchronize pacing of the heart by sending electromagnetic commands to the electrodes to pace the myocardium surrounding the electrodes. Also disclosed is various configurations of such systems, wireless electrode assemblies, and delivery catheters for delivering and implanting the electrode assemblies. |
| US08478406B2 |
Apparatus and methods of delivering an enhanced refractory period stimulation therapy
Refractory period stimulation (RPS) disclosed herein includes apparatus and methods to enhance cardiac performance by delivering monophasic stimulation pulses during the refractory period. The disclosure describes several system level improvements to RPS that include one or more of the following: (i) Delivery of RPS therapy pulses at multiple sites in an automatically alternating way to avoid increasing demand at any one location for prolonged periods of time. (ii) Delivery of RPS therapy pulses at multiple sites to determine one or more optimal electrode configurations for chronic RPS therapy delivery. (iii) Use of separate electrode(s) for sensing ventricular activity to properly time and adjust the application of RPS thereby avoiding limitations associated with electrode polarization that occurs due to the amount of energy delivered during the RPS. (iv) Use of a relatively long active recharge pulse at the RPS stimulation electrodes to remove the undesirable effects of polarization. |
| US08478400B2 |
Pressure and impedance based discrimination of hemodynamic stability
An implantable cardioverter defibrillator evaluates the hemodynamic stability of an arrhythmia to determine whether or not to defibrillate. The device obtains cardiac pressure and cardiac impedance data and evaluates a phase relationship between these parameters. Hemodynamically stable rhythms will result in an out of phase relationship. |
| US08478397B2 |
System to provide myocardial and 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. |
| US08478396B2 |
Phototherapy patch
A phototherapy patch is disclosed, which includes: an adhesive layer, having a first surface and an opposite second surface; a pharmaceutical drug layer, disposed on the first surface of the adhesive layer; and a spontaneous emission layer, disposed over the pharmaceutical drug layer and capable of emitting therapeutic light by light illumination or a chemical reaction. Accordingly, the phototherapy patch according to the present invention has no power supply disposed therein, and thereby is suitable to be manufactured as a particularly thin and thus inconspicuous device. |
| US08478395B2 |
Method of measuring electrical resistance value of corneal trans-epithelium
The invention provides a method for evaluating a corneal disorder quantitatively and is applicable to living eyes. In particular, the invention provides a method for measuring a corneal transepithelial electric resistance, which method comprises: (1) a step of placing a first electrode on the cornea and a second electrode on the conjunctiva; and (2) a step of flowing an electric current between the first electrode and the second electrode to measure the electric resistance. The invention also provides a device for measuring a corneal transepithelial electric resistance value. |
| US08478394B2 |
Field deployable concussion assessment device
A device and method for assessment of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is described. The device is configured to acquire brain electrical signals from a patient's forehead using one or more neurological electrodes. The acquired brain electrical activity data is subjected to artifact rejection and feature extraction, and a subset of features are then combined in at least one classifier function. The classifier functions statistically place a patient in one of four categories related to the extent of brain dysfunction: 1) normal brain electrical activity; 2) abnormal brain electrical activity consistent with non-structural injury with less severe manifestations of functional brain injury; 3) abnormal brain electrical activity consistent with non-structural injury with more severe manifestations of functional brain injury; and 4) abnormal brain electrical activity consistent with structural brain injury. |
| US08478393B2 |
Visualization of electrophysiology data
A method for visualization of electrophysiology information can include storing electroanatomic data (14) in memory, the electroanatomic data representing electrical activity on a surface of an organ over a time period. An interval within the time period is selected in response to a user selection (28). Responsive to the user selection of the interval, a visual representation (26) of physiological information for the user selected interval is generated by applying at least one method to the electroanatomic data (14). The visual representation (26) is spatially represented on a graphical representation of a predetermined region of the surface of the organ. |
| US08478392B2 |
Rhythm discrimination using information indicative of lead motion
Systems and methods for rhythm discrimination using the motion of an implantable lead are described. In an example, an implantable medical device can include a receiver circuit configured to be electrically coupled to an implantable lead and be configured to obtain information indicative of a movement of the implantable lead due at least in part to a motion of a heart. The device can include an arrhythmia detection circuit configured to determine an arrhythmia status using the information indicative of the movement of the implantable lead and an arrhythmia classification circuit configured to determine one or more of a location or a type of an arrhythmia, using the information indicative of the movement of the implantable lead, when the arrhythmia status indicates that an arrhythmia is occurring or has occurred. |
| US08478391B2 |
Apparatus and method for outputting heart sounds
An apparatus for outputting heart sounds includes an implantable system and an external system. The implantable system includes a sensor for generating sensed signals representing detected heart sounds, an interface circuit and a control circuit for receiving the sensed signals, generating data representing the heart sounds therefrom, and transmitting the data to the external system via the interface circuit. The external system includes an interface circuit for communicating with the implantable system, and a control circuit for receiving the data representing the heart sounds and for generating control signals that cause an output device to generate outputs representing the sounds. The implantable system may also include a sensor(s) for detecting cardiac electrical signals. In this case, outputs representing the cardiac electrical signals are also output. |
| US08478389B1 |
System for processing physiological data
A parameter value is computed for a segment of a cardiac-related signal. In accordance with various example embodiments, a system includes a computer circuit configured to identify cardiac cycles within a segment of a cardiac-related signal, such as an ECG. At least one feature point is identified within the cardiac cycles. For each identified feature point, a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) representative of the ratio of signal energy to noise energy is computed for a cardiac cycle subsegment containing the identified feature point. A validity characteristic of the feature point is determined based upon the signal-to-noise ratio, and a parameter value is computed by combining feature points contained within the segment, based upon the determined validity characteristics of the feature points. |
| US08478388B2 |
Cardiac coordinate system for motion analysis
An exemplary method includes accessing cardiac information acquired via a catheter located at various positions in a venous network of a heart of a patient wherein the cardiac information comprises position information with respect to time for one or more electrodes of the catheter; performing a principal component analysis on at least some of the position information; and selecting at least one component of the principal component analysis to represent an axis of a cardiac coordinate system. Various other methods, devices, systems, etc., are also disclosed. |
| US08478382B2 |
Systems and methods for positioning a catheter
A method for displaying a position of a medical device, such as a catheter, during insertion of the medical device into a patient is disclosed. In one example embodiment, the method includes obtaining a first set of detected position data relating to a location marker, then determining a possible first position of the location marker. A first confidence level relating to a match between the first set of detected position data and a first set of predicted position data is assigned. A determination is made whether the first confidence level meets or exceeds a first threshold. If the first confidence level meets or exceeds the first threshold, a determination is then made whether the first position of the location marker is within a first detection zone. If the first position of the location marker is within the first detection zone, the first position of the location marker is displayed. |
| US08478380B2 |
Magnetic resonance thermometry in the presence of water and fat
The in vivo measurement of tissue temperature is performed during a medical procedure using an MRI system. Fat and Water images are acquired at each temperature measurement time and corresponding phase images are produced. A temperature map is produced by subtracting the phase at each Fat image pixel from the corresponding pixel in the Water phase image to improve measurement accuracy in tissues with fat/water mixtures. |
| US08478377B2 |
Analyte sensor
Systems and methods of use for continuous analyte measurement of a host's vascular system are provided. In some embodiments, a continuous glucose measurement system includes a vascular access device, a sensor and sensor electronics, the system being configured for insertion into communication with a host's circulatory system. |
| US08478376B2 |
Systems and methods for determining physiological information using selective transform data
According to embodiments, a pulse band region is identified in a wavelet scalogram of a physiological signal (e.g., a plethysmograph or photoplethysmograph signal). Components of the scalogram at scales larger than the identified pulse band region are then used to determine a baseline signal in wavelet space. The baseline signal may then be used to normalize the physiological signal. Physiological information may be determined from the normalized signal. For example, oxygen saturation may be determined using a ratio of ratios or any other suitable technique. |
| US08478375B2 |
Sensor for detection of carbohydrate
A sensor for sensing analyte concentration comprises at least two different variants of an appropriate competitive binding assay, the sensor being capable of sensing accurately a required range of analyte concentrations by means of the variants of the assay each being capable of sensing accurately a part only of the required range of analyte concentrations and the variants of the assay being chosen to sense overlapping or adjoining ranges of concentration covering the whole of the required range. |
| US08478373B2 |
Optical element and apparatus comprising transparent superconducting material
An optical element is disclosed which includes transparent superconductor material. |
| US08478370B2 |
Slide device and slide assembly
A slide device with two housing parts that can be slid relatively to one another comprises a slide assembly. The slide assembly comprises a sheet or plate material slider and a sheet or plate material base. The slider has displaced portions and the base is provided with slots. The slider is received through the slots with the displaced portions. This construction provides for a substantially reduced building height of the slide assembly and thereby for a substantially reduced building height of a device in which the slide assembly is used. |
| US08478364B1 |
Enhanced host sleep for WLAN devices
A host assembly is communicatively coupled to a wireless device assembly via a first interface and via a second interface. A first signal is received at the wireless device assembly from the host assembly. The first signal indicates a request for the wireless device assembly to enter a host sleep mode of operation. In response to receiving the first signal, the wireless device assembly transmits a third signal to the host assembly, wherein the third signal indicates entry into the host sleep mode of operation. Subsequent to transmitting the third signal to the host assembly via the first interface, the wireless device assembly enters into the host sleep mode of operation. While in the host sleep mode of operation, the wireless device assembly transmits, via the second interface, the second signal, and, after transmitting the second signal to the host assembly, exits the host sleep mode of operation. |
| US08478363B2 |
Transfer then sleep
A second communication device is detected in proximity to a first communication device engaged in a call. A substantially uninterrupted transfer of the call is provided from the first communication device to the second communication device. At least a part of the first communication device is placed into a sleep mode in response to transfer of the call to the second communication device. |
| US08478362B2 |
Method and apparatus for supporting a sleep mode action of a mobile station in a wireless mobile communication system
A method of performing actions related to handover by a mobile station (MS) in a wireless mobile communication system is disclosed. More specifically, the MS receives information from a base station (BS), wherein the information includes at least one action for performing handover and at least one condition corresponding to the at least one action. Furthermore, the MS transmits a request message to perform the at least one action based on the received information from the BS and receives a response message in response to the request message. Lastly, the MS performs the at least one action according to the received response message. |
| US08478361B2 |
Human stimulus activation and deactivation of a screensaver
Devices and methods are disclosed which relate to an electronic device having a human stimulus receptor which, when activated, suspends activation of a screensaver. The screensaver is activated to conserve the power and life of the electronic device. When latently viewing the electronic device, however, the human stimulus receptor is activated. A countdown starts counting down a pre-determined amount of time once the human stimulus receptor is inactive. At the expiration of the countdown, the screensaver is activated. The human stimulus receptor responds to skin conductivity, natural muscular twitch, pulse, skin temperature, and/or eye movement. Only when the electronic device no longer detects any of these human stimuli will the countdown begin. A user may set the predetermined amount of time. |
| US08478344B2 |
Power recovery circuit based on partial standing waves
A power recovery system includes a transmission line that is coupled to transfer an RF signal received via an antenna. The RF signal generates a partial standing wave in the transmission line and the transmission line has at least one standing wave anti-node. A power recovery circuit converts an anti-node signal from the at least one standing wave anti-node to a power signal. |
| US08478340B1 |
Device for and method of detecting SIM card removal and reinsertion
A device for and method of determining if a SIM card was removed and reinserted into a device by initially inserting the SIM card into the device, checking for the presence of the SIM card, if the SIM card is present then returning to the second step, if the SIM card is not present then reporting that the SIM card has been removed from the user-definable electronic device, checking for the presence of the SIM card, if the SIM card is not present then returning to the fifth step, and if the SIM card is present then reporting that the SIM card has been reinserted into the device, and returning to the second step. |
| US08478337B2 |
Navigation device and adaptively-controlled communication system
A navigation device (a vehicle-mounted navigation device 1) is connected, via a mobile communication network 3, to a server 5 by way of a telephone 2 connected thereto via cable 1a or radio 1b, and includes a communication control unit 12 for communicating with the server 5 by using the telephone 2 to measure parameter information about a command support status of the telephone 2 or a communication connection environment, and a main control unit 10 for transmitting the parameter information measured by the communication control unit 12 to an external storage medium 21 or the server 5, and for controlling subsequent communications according to the parameter information transmitted to the external storage medium 21 or the server 5. |
| US08478335B2 |
System and method for radio communication
A system and method for radio communication is provided. The system includes a plurality of radios configured to communicate over a plurality of antennas. A switch assembly provides selective coupling of a radio to an antenna. The switch assembly includes a programmable logic device configured to execute an algorithm to select an antenna configuration. |
| US08478331B1 |
Method and system for transmitting streaming media content to wireless subscriber stations
A radio access system receives packets from a local source of streaming media content via a local connection and from remote packet sources via a remote network. The radio access system communicates with a subscriber station via an air interface that includes an uplink and a downlink. A packet classifier in the radio access system maps packets having the subscriber station's IP address as destination address to the subscriber station's downlink. The subscriber station communicates with a content controller via the remote network to request selected streaming media content. The content controller instructs the radio access system to convey the selected streaming media content from the local source to the subscriber station. In response, the packet classifier maps the packets containing the selected streaming media content to a downlink (either the original downlink or a new one) for transmission to the subscriber station. |
| US08478329B2 |
Communication control method, communication control system and its control program
In a communication control method, a target SIR setting part controls downlink transmission power from a base station so that the T-SIR will be equal to the SIR measured in a known inner loop, by increasing a target signal interference ratio (T-SIR) by a first predetermined value when a reception field level of a common pilot channel before the establishment of synchronization of a dedicated control channel, which is provided by the quality measurement part, falls below a first threshold selected by a target quality setting part depending on the reception quality of a DPDCH, and decreasing the target signal interference ratio (T-SIR) by a second predetermined value when the reception field level of the common pilot channel exceeds a second threshold selected by the target quality setting part depending on the reception quality of the DPDCH. |
| US08478326B2 |
Communication system, communication device and communication rate modification method
A communication system includes: an RF/IF/BB unit (21) for receiving, in a mobile station device (20), a transmission signal from a base station device; a received power calculation unit (221) for obtaining received power thereof; a communication rate modification unit (23) for changing a communication rate by changing a modulation scheme used by the base station device to modulate the transmission signal in a predetermined case; and a communication rate increase limit unit (27) for limiting the communication rate to be increased by the communication rate modification unit (23), according to received power required for the mobile station device (20) to demodulate the transmission signal and according to the received power obtained when receiving the transmission signal after the communication rate is changed by the communication rate modification unit (23) and predicted based on the received power obtained by the received power calculation unit (221) and based on a decrease amount of a transmission power of a transmission signal decreased by the base station device according to increase of the communication rate by the communication rate modification unit (23). |
| US08478325B2 |
Low sample rate peak power reduction
Peak power reduction in transmit chains of radiocommunication devices is performed using a low sample rate. Filtering and, optionally, interpolation of a signal being processed for peak power reduction can be performed only in an error signal path or in both an error signal path and a primary signal path. |
| US08478324B2 |
Enhanced interface for mobile phone
A docking station may provide an enhanced user interface for mobile communication devices. In one particular implementation, a device may include a base unit configured to provide connections to one or more user interface devices and an interface for connecting to a mobile phone, where the base unit connects the mobile phone to the one or more user interface devices to provide an enhanced interface for the mobile phone. |
| US08478323B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamically enabling a direct mode operation gateway
A method and apparatus is disclosed for dynamically activating gateway functions on a communication device which is operating in trunked mode. The communication device calculates an estimated probability that at least one associated communication device is out of a network coverage area. The communication device determines that the associated communication device is inaccessible or is operating in an operating mode consisting of a trunked mode or a direct mode when the estimated probability is calculated to be at or below a predefined threshold. The communication device automatically activates its gateway functions and is configured to function as a direct mode gateway for at least one associated communication device when it determines that the associated communication device is operating in the direct mode. |
| US08478317B2 |
System for SMS based ticket number service over femtocell access point
A Femtocell Access Point (FAP) is used to provision a ticket number service. Customers approach the FAP and are given a ticket number indicating their place in the queue through an SMS message. Follow up SMS messages are sent updating the customer of their current position in line, as well as when it is their turn. Statistics may be generated from information gathered at the FAP and sent to an external client module. |
| US08478316B2 |
Methods and systems for providing near real time messaging to hearing impaired user during telephone calls
A data connection between a server and an application running on a mobile telephone handset is used to provide caption text of a telephonic conversation between call participants to the mobile phone handset during an active telephone call. Prior to providing the captions, a communication session between the server and the application running on the handset, the means of transporting the caption text is determined. Transport may be by way of data socket connection or by way of SMS messages. |
| US08478312B2 |
Method and system for message modification and content selection
Embodiments of the invention are concerned with modification of messages en route to a destination.In one aspect embodiments of the invention provide a method of modifying a message transmitted from a sending party to a receiving party through a communications network, the method comprising: intercepting the message in the communications network; selecting a plurality of channels of data on the basis of the sending party or the receiving party, each channel comprising a plurality of data items and being accessible by parties in addition to the sending party or the receiving party; applying one or more predetermined rules to at least some of the selected data items so as to identify a data item therefrom; and appending data derived from the identified data item to said intercepted message. |
| US08478310B2 |
Short message service (SMS) data transfer
Exemplary methods and systems for facilitating SMS data transfer services in mobile devices are described. An exemplary method includes sending a first SMS message to a device with a payload of the first SMS message including machine-readable information. Next, a second SMS message may be received from the device with a payload of the second SMS message including machine-readable information. The first or second SMS message payloads may include, for example, a synchronization message, a call message, call data, or a scheduling message. |
| US08478309B1 |
Personalized electronic address book
Communication with a member of a class is established based on the location of a mobile device initiating the communication and the physical address of the member. A class can include members that share common attributes, characteristics, and/or traits. Example classes can include business types (e.g., restaurants), brand names (BEST BUY®, COMPUSA®), services, etc. To establish the communication, the mobile device provides a message to set up a call. Upon receipt of the call setup message, a particular member of the class is selected from members of the class based on the location of the mobile device sending the call setup message and the physical addresses of members of the class. Upon determination of the particular member, communication is established between the mobile device and the particular member. |
| US08478304B1 |
Methods and systems for associating location information with a wireless local area network
A mobile device operating in a cellular communication network determines its current location via the cellular communication network, for example, by triangulation of the base stations of the cellular communication network. At its current location, the mobile device also detects a wireless local area network (WLAN) such as a Wi-Fi network. The mobile device then sends the location information and an ID of the WLAN to a network based database server, which creates an entry to store data associating the location information with the WLAN. The mobile device can also store data associating the location with the WLAN in a local storage. |
| US08478303B1 |
Determining a current location of a data storage system
A method and system for use in determining a current location of a data storage system is disclosed. A current location of a mobile portable device is determined in response to the device being positioned local to the data storage system. The mobile portable device comprises a position determining module for determining the current location of the device. The determined current location of the device is associated with the data storage system local thereto. The determined current location is stored in connection with the data storage system. |
| US08478300B2 |
Proximity service discovery in wireless networks
Discovery of services between devices is provided prior to establishing a connection between devices, including wireless-enabled devices or devices that are communicatively coupled to wireless access points or other wireless communication devices. Discovering services prior to establishing a connection may facilitate finding a desired service. The services that may be discovered may be, for example, print services, camera services, PDA services or any other suitable services. Services may be discovered using 802.11, UWB or any other suitable wireless technology. As one example, particular services may be requested. As another example, services that are provided by a device may be advertised. |
| US08478299B2 |
System and methods for obtaining coarse location for a mobile device
Various embodiments are described for obtaining coarse location for a mobile device. In one embodiment, a mobile device may comprise one or more interfaces for detecting location reference nodes in view of the mobile device and a client module to send a location query to a location database. The location query may comprise node data identifying the reference nodes in view of the mobile device. The location database may be configured to respond to the location query with positioning information for providing an estimated position of the mobile device. The positioning information may be based on correlated position data and node data received from one or more client devices having Global Positioning System (GPS) position determination capability and configured to report position data and node data for location reference nodes in view. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08478297B2 |
Continuous data optimization of moved access points in positioning systems
Methods and systems of continuously optimizing data in WiFi positioning systems. A location-based services system uses WiFi-enabled devices to monitor WiFi access points in a target area to indicate whether a WiFi access point has moved relative to its previously recorded location. A WiFi-enabled device communicates with WiFi access points within range of the WiFi-enabled device so that observed WiFi access points identify themselves. A reference database is accessed to obtain information specifying a recorded location for each observed WiFi access point in the target area. The recorded location information is used for each of the observed WiFi access points in conjunction with predefined rules to infer whether an observed WiFi access point has moved relative to its recorded location. The reference database is informed of the identity of any observed WiFi access point that is inferred to have moved. |
| US08478295B1 |
Systems and methods for associating communication information with a geographic location-aware contact entry
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for associating communication information with a geographic location-aware contact entry. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may include identifying a geographic location. The method may also include receiving a communication including identification information and originating from the geographic location. Further, the method may include associating the identification information with a contact entry. |
| US08478290B2 |
Method to reduce database load in real time location systems
A location system and method operable to locate mobile units has a mobile unit operable to transmit wireless signals. A wireless network is used to receive the wireless signals and to report data used to estimate the location of the mobile unit. A location server is used to process the data reported by the wireless network. The location server generates a plurality of location reports for the mobile unit. A preprocessing component is operable to communicate with the location server. The location reports generated by the location server are transferred to the preprocessing component. A location application is operable to communicate with the preprocessing component, and interfaced to a database operable to store data records related to the mobile unit. The preprocessing component processes the location report and stores the data records only if the data in the data records meets a specified criteria. |
| US08478288B2 |
Systems and methods for automatically searching a database to tune a frequency modulator in a mobile device
A method for automatically tuning a frequency modulator in a mobile device is described. The geographical location of the mobile device is obtained. A database of one or more frequencies associated with the geographical location of the mobile device is searched. Quality associated with channels of the one or more frequencies is analyzed to identify at least one available channel at a first frequency. The first frequency is assigned to an FM modulator. The FM modulator is integrated as a part of the mobile device. A determination is made as to whether a command to search for a second frequency is received. If the command to search for the second frequency is not received, a signal is transmitted on the first frequency by the FM modulator. |
| US08478283B2 |
Method and system for capacity and coverage enhancement in wireless networks with relays
A method and system for capacity and coverage enhancement in wireless networks is provided. Each cell has a base station and in-cell relay stations. The base station includes interference avoidance/averaging mechanism, dynamic resource partitioning mechanism or a combination thereof. The interference avoidance/averaging mechanism dynamically creating a FH pattern based on interference information obtained from its serving cell. The base station may include a scheduler for dynamic resource partitioning mechanism for managing scheduling in the cell. |
| US08478277B2 |
Network-based system for rerouting phone calls from phone networks to VoIP clients for roamers and subscribers who do not answer
A system, method, computer product and service are provided which, when a subscriber's VoIP client is online and the subscriber's non-VoIP wireless or fixed line number is called, will automatically route the call over IP to the subscriber's VoIP client. This routing may be performed by the subscriber's wireless or fixed line home operator and can be conditioned to depend on whether the non-VoIP number is roaming or not answering. |
| US08478276B1 |
Methods for transferring a communication session between companion devices
A method for transferring a communication session between companion devices includes connecting to a communication session over a communication system using a current set of session parameters and an identifier for a portable wireless communication device. The portable wireless communication device is in an active mode for the communication session. The method also includes: detecting that the portable wireless communication device is within a range of a companion wireline communication device that is configured with the identifier for the portable wireless communication device; and synchronizing with the companion wireline communication device, wherein the synchronizing includes transferring the current set of session parameters to the companion wireline communication device. Additionally, the method includes receiving an indication that the companion wireline communication device is in the active mode for the communication session and, responsive to the indication, transitioning the portable wireless communication device to an inactive mode for the communication session. |
| US08478275B1 |
Conditional assignment of connection identifiers to help avoid communication errors
A method and system for helping to avoid communication errors, by ensuring that when a connection identifier (such as a Walsh code or MAC Index) is being assigned to a wireless access terminal for use in a wireless coverage area having a particular coverage-area identifier (such as a particular PN offset), the same connection identifier is not currently assigned to another access terminal in another nearby coverage area that has the same coverage-area identifier. |
| US08478273B2 |
Method and apparatus for intelligently reporting neighbor information to facilitate automatic neighbor relations
A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for supplying information regarding a neighbor cell following cell reselection in a manner that reduces the signaling load on the network and conserves battery consumption by a mobile terminal. In this regard, the method, apparatus and computer program product do not blindly provide information regarding a neighbor cell that the current cell has already collected, but, instead, first determines if the neighbor information regarding a prior cell is different than and therefore will add to the information regarding neighbor cells that is already maintained by the current cell. Only after making such a determination may a mobile terminal signal the current cell as to the availability of neighbor information regarding a prior cell. |
| US08478270B2 |
Mobile communication method and mobile station for automatically registering the mobile station in a femtocell
A femtocell base station transmits broadcast information to a mobile station, the broadcast information including a permitted state mode and identification information corresponding to the femtocell. The mobile station shifts a state mode to a permitted state mode when the state mode of the mobile station and the permitted state mode included in the broadcast information differ. The mobile station then transmits a registration request for the femtocell when the identification information corresponding to the femtocell included in the broadcast information is not included in an access permission list managed by the mobile station. The mobile station then camps on the femtocell when the registration succeeds. |
| US08478268B2 |
Method of communicating data in a wireless mobile communication system
A method of communicating data in a wireless communication system is disclosed. More specifically, a method discloses transmitting a request by a mobile subscriber station (MSS) to a network entity via a de-registration request message requesting the network entity to retain a preferred session information, and receiving a selected session information via a de-registration command response from the network entity. |
| US08478267B2 |
Mobile software services for telecom operators
A method for performing a telecommunication service includes: obtaining, in a first message from a mobile device and by a processor, a first phone number to whitelist, where the mobile device is registered with a call screening service, and where the first message is a text message; storing the first phone number in a whitelist, where the whitelist comprises a plurality of phone numbers allowed to contact the mobile device; determining that the mobile device is roaming; activating, by the processor and in response to determining that the mobile device is roaming, the whitelist; receiving, after activating the whitelist, a second message for the mobile device from a second phone number; searching, by the processor, the whitelist for the second phone number to generate a failed search; and discarding, by the processor, the second message based on the failed search. |
| US08478264B2 |
Wireless communication system
In a master device, an address for a transmission origin and an address of an ultimate transmission destination, included in a message from an end device, are stored, as a pair, as proxy information, and the address of the transmission origin included in the message is overwritten with the local communication address, to form a proxy message to the destination device. Moreover, the master device performs a search for a round-trip route to the destination device and sends the proxy message to the destination device following the outbound route that has been searched. The destination device, upon receipt of a proxy message, sends back a message to the master device following the inbound route that has been searched by the master device. The master device uses the proxy information to send back, to the end device, the message from the destination device. |
| US08478259B2 |
Wireless communication system and wireless connection control method
A wireless communication system includes a plurality of mobile stations and a base station configured to connect the mobile stations wirelessly, wherein the base station includes a response request signal transmission module configured to transmit a response request signal to the mobile stations, and a first wireless connection control module configured to disconnect the wireless connection between the mobile stations when a response signal is not received from at least one of the mobile stations to which the response request signal has been transmitted. |
| US08478258B2 |
Techniques to reduce false detection of control channel messages in a wireless network
A method and system of reducing false detection of control channel messages in a wireless communication system. This facilitates blind detection of control channel messages in the wireless communication network. In one embodiment of the invention, the control messages in the wireless communication system are randomized or scrambled to minimize or lower the probability of false detection of the control channel messages. The control channel message includes, but is not limited to, an Assignment Advanced Media Access Protocol (A-A-MAP) Information Element (IE) and the like. In one embodiment of the invention, the contents of the A-A-MAP IE are randomized or scrambled before encoding into A-A-MAP symbols. |
| US08478248B2 |
Bidirectional information sharing system and method using wireless data network
Disclosed are a bidirectional information sharing system and a method using a wireless data network that can improve convenience of use by setting notification information regarding specific days which is set to replace sharing information of an unspecified third party that places a call and output the sharing information to output the notification information regarding specified days on the screen when receiving a call of the unspecified third party and input the feelings or inquiries of a user using the mobile phone sharing information of the user to allow the called party to previously know the corresponding contents before a telephone conversation at the time of call connection, and change and set sharing information so as to officially inform only close acquaintances of a relationship status of lovers or the like rather than informing unspecified individuals, in particular, inform or introduce acquaintances of the called party of relationship status. |
| US08478246B2 |
Method and system for providing real time ringback tone, and terminal thereof
The invention discloses a method for providing a real time ringback tone in a communication network and the method includes: establishing a call connection between a calling party and a called party according to a received calling request; receiving a ringback tone indication value from the called party; obtaining a corresponding ringback tone according to the ringback tone indication value; and playing the corresponding ringback tone to the calling party. The invention further provides a system for providing a real time ringback tone in a communication network and a terminal therefor. By using the technology of the invention, a different ringback tone can be played to the calling user in real time according to the current situation. Therefore, individualized requirements of the user may be met and the quality of communication service may be further improved. |
| US08478240B2 |
Systems, methods, network elements and applications for modifying messages
Methodologies and mechanisms are provided that enable the monitoring of communication dialogs or sessions between a plurality of users or a user and a content service and a determination of content to be added to current and/or future messages sent in the communication dialog(s) or session(s) based on content of one or more previously sent messages.In embodiments of the invention the message and previous message comprising the dialogue(s) or session(s) are transmitted between a first party and a second party and the messages are intercepted en route for a respective party. |
| US08478239B2 |
Video greetings for voicemail systems
A method for operating a voicemail system can include receiving a call at the voicemail system, wherein the call originates from a calling party device, determining if the calling party device is compatible with a video greeting feature, sending a video greeting to the called party device if it is determined that the calling party device is compatible with the video greeting feature, and recording a voicemail message received in response to the video greeting being played on the called party device. Another method can include sending a video greeting identifier to the called party device, the video greeting identifier being used to identify a video greeting stored on the calling party device. Methods for operating a mobile device and a voicemail system are also disclosed. |
| US08478232B2 |
Prepaid text messaging service
A method, system, and computer readable medium for sending notification messages to a notification device and associating a fee for sending the notification message. The notification message is associated with a portable consumer device issued by an issuer and associated with an account of a consumer operated by the issuer. The fee is obtained by the issuer or a payment brand organization associated with the portable consumer device. |
| US08478230B2 |
Identifying the location of mobile stations
A user of a first mobile station, which is lost either in silent mode or switch-off mode may send a ‘Find-Me’ message to the first mobile station from a second mobile station. The first mobile station, after receiving the ‘Find-Me’ message, may power-on the first mobile station enabling the first mobile station to receive voice call and messages. Also, if the first mobile station is in silent mode, the first mobile station may change the profile of the first mobile station from a silent to a regular-noisy mode. The user of first mobile station may call-up the first mobile station and identifies the location of the first mobile station by tracking the ringing sound. The first mobile station may send a location message to the second mobile station in response to receiving the ‘Find-Me’ message that may be used to identify the location of the first mobile station. |
| US08478229B2 |
Method and apparatus for notifying registered devices of an emergency call
An approach is provided for alerting registered devices of an emergency call, detecting an emergency call from a calling device; determining an identifier of the calling device; retrieving a list of one or more registered devices based on the identifier; determining location information of the calling device; and generating a notification message for transmission to the one or more registered devices, wherein the notification message specifies notification of the emergency call and the location information of the calling device. |
| US08478228B2 |
Mobile receiver with location services capability
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a receiver that is capable of processing signals which are transmitted according to one or more wireless communication protocols. Such a receiver may have sufficient resources to obtain acquisition information from a signal transmitted according to at least one of the wireless communication protocols during an acquisition period and for the purpose of obtaining an estimate of a location of the receiver. |
| US08478227B2 |
System and method for lawful interception of user information
The present invention relates to method and arrangements to provide information related to user devices in a telecommunication system (TS). The system comprises at least one network domain (HPLMN, WCDMA) that is associated with a central database (DCR). The method comprises identification in the central database (DCR) of a first request (REQ1, REQI1) to provide to at least one data analysis function, user identity information related to all user devices that notifies attachment to the at least one network domain (HPLMN, WCDMA). Attachment notification from a requested user device (A, B) to the network domain is then detected in the central database. |
| US08478224B2 |
Mobile communication terminal device
A mobile communication terminal device whose authentication and settlement functions by noncontact proximity communication can be continuously used even after operating voltage from battery power drops is provided. Only when the supply of required power from a battery is lost, a security controller is controlled into a mode in which it operates with low power consumption and noncontact authentication and settlement functions are ensured by external electromagnetic field power. Thus the noncontact authentication and settlement functions can be used even after the battery remaining capacity is lost by use of a communication function for the principal purpose. Specifically, the following is implemented: when there is the supply of required power from the battery, it is made possible to carry out high-performance, multifunctional authentication and settlement processing making good use of high-speed processing, mass storage, and the like which are the advantages of the security controller essentially driven by battery; and in an anomalous instance in which the battery remaining capacity is lost, it is made possible to carry out minimal authentication and settlement processing. |
| US08478216B2 |
Method and apparatus for searching for or tuning to one or more radio stations with minimum interaction with host processor
A host system for searching for or tuning to one or more radio stations includes a host processor and a data processor. The data processor is configured to receive a command from the host processor. The data processor is further configured, based on the command, to perform multiple search operations for radio stations without interrupting the host processor, to search for a radio station based on radio data system (RDS) data without interrupting the host processor, or to tune to a radio station based on RDS data without interrupting the host processor. A method is also provided for searching for or tuning to one or more radio stations. |
| US08478205B2 |
System and method for filtering time division multiple access telephone communications
A system and method are presented for transceiving Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) telephone communications through a common filter. The system includes a tunable ferro-electric bandpass filter (FE BPF), a controller, a low noise amplifier (LNA), and a power amplifier (PA). The FE BPF has a control input to accept tuning voltage signals from the controller and two signal ports. In response to the tuning voltage signals, the FE BPF selects a transmit or receive frequency passband between the signal ports. The FE BPF first signal port is connected to the LNA and the PA and the FE BPF second signal port is connected to an antenna in a wireless device. The LNA and PA are activated and deactivated in response to control signals from the controller. |
| US08478202B2 |
Power control for a wireless communication system utilizing orthogonal multiplexing
Techniques for adjusting transmit power to mitigate both intra-sector interference to a serving base station and inter-sector interference to neighbor base stations are described. The amount of inter-sector interference that a terminal may cause may be roughly estimated based on the total interference observed by each neighbor base station, channel gains for the serving and neighbor base stations, and the current transmit power level. The transmit power may be decreased if high interference is observed by a neighbor base station and increased otherwise. The transmit power may be adjusted by a larger amount and/or more frequently if the terminal is located closer to the neighbor base station observing high interference and/or if the current transmit power level is higher, and vice versa. The intra-sector interference is maintained within an acceptable level by limiting a received SNR for the terminal to be within a range of allowable SNRs. |
| US08478201B2 |
Trained data transmission for communication systems
Various embodiments are described for a trained data transmission for communication systems. |
| US08478187B2 |
Computer generated environment for user assessment
One example embodiment includes a method for providing an assessment instrument, where the assessment instrument occurs within a computer generated environment. The method includes determining the assessment to be made and determining the types of responses to be elicited. The method also includes providing a computer generated environment designed to elicit the responses. |
| US08478185B2 |
Systems and methods for improving media file access over an educational testing network
Systems and methods are disclosed for serving fresh media content while minimizing Internet traffic by periodically checking content freshness between a local server and a remote server; if a stale content exists on the local server, replacing the stale content with a fresh content from the remote server; and serving the fresh content from the local server. |
| US08478184B2 |
Image forming apparatus which prevents toner images from sticking to each other
An image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit configured to transfer a toner image based on image data onto a recording medium, a fixing device configured to thermally fix the toner image transferred onto the recording medium, a stack tray configured to stack a recording medium conveyed from the fixing device, and a controller configured to calculate based on the image data an amount of a toner on a top surface of the recording media stacked on the stack tray and an amount of a toner on a bottom surface of the recording media to be subsequently conveyed and discharged onto the stack tray and to control a recording medium discharge interval based on a result of calculating the amounts of the toners. |
| US08478180B2 |
Image heating apparatus
An image heating apparatus includes a belt including a heat generating layer for generating heat by energization and including a power receiving portion which has electroconductivity and is electrically connected to the heat generating layer; a stationary back-up member, provided inside the belt, for sliding on an inner peripheral surface of the belt; a pressing member for pressing the belt against the back-up member to form a nip in which a recording material is to be nip-conveyed between the belt and itself; and an electroconductive portion, provided on the back-up member, for supplying electric power to the power receiving portion by being electrically connected to the power receiving portion. |
| US08478177B2 |
Recording medium peeling device, image forming device and adjustment method
A recording medium peeling device includes: a circularly moving section that has a moving surface circulating along a circulation course; and a pressing section that presses a recording medium passing through a pressing position in the circulation course, against the moving surface at the pressing position. The recording medium peeling device further includes: a peeling member that is disposed downstream from the pressing position in the circularly moving, is apart from the moving surface, is provided along the moving surface, extends in a direction crossing a direction of the circularly moving, and peels the recording medium after passing through the pressing position from the moving surface; and a protruding member that is disposed downstream from the peeling member in a direction in which the recording medium after being peeled by the peeling member proceeds, protrudes from the peeling member side to the recording medium side, and slopes downstream. |
| US08478173B2 |
Limited ozone generator transfer device
A limited ozone generator transfer device includes a ceramic substrate having conducting lines, a dielectric layer, and a top conducting layer with slots therein that align with the underlying conducting lines. Corona is generated in the slots by applying an AC voltage of about 2.5 kVp-p across the electrodes. This device is “green” in that it generates significantly less ozone than conventional transfer devices, thus reducing requirements on an ozone collection system. |
| US08478172B2 |
Transport member for powder transport, developing powder accommodation container, and image forming apparatus
A transport member for a powder transport includes a revolving shaft, a transport part that extends in a helical shape relative to an axial direction of the revolving shaft, includes one end part with a free end and the other end part at an opposite side of the one end part, and transports a powder at the time of revolution of the revolving shaft, and one support part that supports the other end part of the transport part by being arranged with the revolving shaft, wherein the transport part is not supported by another support part that is arranged at an phase angle between the one support part and the another support part of 90 degrees or more, in a direction of the revolving shaft. |
| US08478171B2 |
Toner bottle and image formation apparatus provided with the same
A toner bottle includes a toner accommodating container, an inner lid including an inner discharge port, a measurement shutter member movable between an accumulation position where toner is accumulated in space formed between the measurement shutter member and the inner discharge port, and a discharge position where the toner accumulated in the space is discharged, an inner discharge port sealing member, and an outer lid for rotatably supporting the toner accommodating container in a state that the outer lid surrounds the inner discharge port. The outer lid has a shutter opening and closing inner peripheral surface where a restraint portion for restraining the measurement shutter member at the accumulation position, and a non-restraint portion capable of moving the measurement shutter member to the discharge position so that an outer surface of the measurement shutter member is abutted with the non-restraint portion are arranged in the circumferential direction. |
| US08478170B2 |
Methods for operating development station auger
Methods are provided for operating a development station. A method comprises the steps of applying a first force at a first end of an auger and applying a second force at a second end of the auger with the first force and the second force being sufficient to rotate the auger against a drag exerted by a developer and a replenishment toner being moved by rotation of the auger; and, tensioning the auger along a length of the auger by urging the first end of the auger away from the second end and by urging the second end of the auger away from the first end. |
| US08478169B2 |
Development station with dual drive
Development stations are provided. A development station has a housing having a recirculation path an auger being rotatable to move the developer along at least part of the recirculation path. A drive transmission has a first output mechanically linked for movement with a first end of the auger and a second output mechanically linked for movement with a second end of the auger and distributes a force at an input end between a first force provided at the first output and at a second force provided at the second output to rotate the auger against a drag. The first force and the second force are less than a third force to drive an alternative auger from a driven end. The auger has a first end yield strength and a second end yield strength that are each less than a driven end yield strength of the alternative auger. |
| US08478165B2 |
Image forming apparatus having an openable member
An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming apparatus body; an openable member that is supported movably between an opening position and a closing position; a positioning portion that is provided in the image forming apparatus body; a positioned portion that is supported on the openable member and that is brought into contact with the positioning portion to be positioned when the openable member is in the closing position; a rotary member that is supported on the image forming apparatus body; and an opposed member that is supported on the openable member. When the openable member moves to the closing position, the opposed member moves in a direction crossing an opening/closing direction of the openable member and then moves in a reverse direction to the moving direction. And the opposed member is opposed to the rotary member rotatably when the openable member is in the closing position. |
| US08478164B2 |
Developing device
A developing device includes a first developer carrying member for forming a toner image on an image bearing member; a second developer carrying member for forming the toner image on the image bearing member; a supporting member for rotatably supporting the first developer carrying member; a swingable member for swinging the second developer carrying member about the first developer carrying member; an urging portion for urging the second developer carrying member toward the image bearing member; and a buffering portion, provided so as to press-contact the swingable member, for damping vibration of the swingable member. |
| US08478151B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes: a first image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet using a first colorant to be heat-fixed on the sheet; a second image forming unit configured to form an image on the sheet using a second colorant that is erasable by heating; and a fixing device arranged further on a downstream side in a sheet conveying direction than the first image forming unit and further on an upstream side in the sheet conveying direction than the second image forming unit and capable of executing fixing processing for heat-fixing the image, which is formed on the sheet by the first image forming unit, on the sheet and executing erasing processing for heating the sheet, on which the image is formed with the second colorant, to erasing temperature to thereby erase the second colorant on the sheet. |
| US08478150B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method for controlling same
An image forming apparatus has: a photoconductive drum that rotates; a developing roller that carries toner to be charged and to which a first voltage application portion outputting an AC voltage is connected; a contact member that makes contact with the photoconductive drum to remove residual toner; a detection portion for detecting occurrence of electric discharge between the developing roller and the photoconductive drum; and a developing unit that feeds toner to the developing roller, that supports the developing roller opposite the photoconductive drum with a gap secured in between, and that feeds toner to the developing roller with prescribed timing and for a prescribed time during electric discharge detection. |
| US08478149B2 |
Belt device, transferring unit and image forming device
A belt device includes an endless belt including at least a base layer and a coat layer, the coat layer formed on the base layer and configuring an upper most surface of the belt; a driving member that rotates the belt and that is provided at one end of the belt to bias an inner circumferential surface of the belt; and a driven member that rotates the belt and that is provided at other end of the belt to bias the inner circumferential surface of the belt. Wherein the base layer has a mirror specularity of 20-60. |
| US08478141B2 |
Image formation apparatus
An image formation apparatus including: a toner cartridge storing toner; a developer; a hopper temporarily storing toner supplied from the toner cartridge and supplying the developer with the toner; a magnetic sensor including a magnet and a reed switch that determines whether the magnet is within a detection area thereof, one of which is fixed to a predetermined position, and the other of which is configured to move downwards as a surface level of toner stored in a toner storage of the hopper decreases and thus serves as a surface level detector for detecting the surface level; a lifter configured to periodically lift the surface level detector above the surface level such that the magnet goes out of the detection area; and an ON-edge detector configured to detect ON-edges each indicating a point in time when the magnet has entered the detection area. |
| US08478140B2 |
Image forming apparatus featuring a developer replenishing device
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member and a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image. The developing device includes a developer container, a rotatable developer carrying member, including a first electrode member; and a developer supplying member, including a second electrode member. The apparatus further includes a measuring device capable of measuring a remaining developer amount; and a replenishing device for performing a replenishing operation by rotating the developer supplying member while applying a DC bias between the first and second electrode members so that a value obtained by subtracting an electric potential of the second electrode member from an electric potential of the first electrode member has a polarity identical to a normal charge polarity of the developer. When the remaining developer amount measured is not more than a threshold, the replenishing operation is performed and the remaining developer amount is measured again. |
| US08478139B2 |
Control method of host device reporting error information to a user, image forming system, image forming apparatus and host device employing the same
A control method of a host device that avoids an error part through a user interface unit to use an image forming apparatus, an image forming system, an image forming apparatus and a host device employing the same, the control method including: requesting error information from the image forming apparatus in the host device; and displaying the error information of the image forming apparatus received from the image forming apparatus on a user interface unit of the host device. |
| US08478138B2 |
Optical receiving device, optical receiving circuit, and method for receiving optical signals
There is provided an optical receiving device for deriving a signal using for data identification. The optical receiving device includes a demodulator for demodulating a modulated optical signal to an demodulated optical signal, a convertor for converting the demodulated optical signal to a first and a second electric signals, a generator for generating a complement signal by summing the first electric signal of a normal in phase component and the second electric signal of a reverse in phase component, and a suppressor for suppressing, by the use of the complement signal, a variation of potential which appears in a data signal at a time of phase changing of the modulated optical signal, the data signal being a difference of the normal in phase component and the reverse in phase component. |
| US08478137B2 |
Optical receiver
An optical receiver includes: a waveform distortion compensator to perform an operation on digital signal representing an optical signal generated by an A/D converter to compensate for waveform distortion of the optical signal; a phase detector to generate phase information representing sampling phase of the A/D converter; a phase adjuster to generate digital signal representing an optical signal in which the sampling phase of the A/D converter is adjusted from an output signal of the waveform distortion compensator using the phase information; a demodulator to generate a demodulated signal from the output signal of the phase adjuster; a phase controller to control the sampling phase of the A/D converter; a peak detector to detect a peak value of the phase information while the sampling phase of the A/D converter is controlled by the phase controller; and a compensation controller to control the waveform distortion compensator using the peak value. |
| US08478136B2 |
Electronic compensation of nonlinearity in optical communication
In various embodiments, electronic apparatus, systems, and methods include electronic compensation of nonlinearity in optical communication. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US08478134B2 |
Compression of generated optical continuum utilizing higher-order-mode fiber
An arrangement for providing pulse compression at the output of an optical continuum source (advantageously used in spectral slicing applications) includes a section of higher-order mode (HOM) fiber configured to exhibit a predetermined dispersion in at least a portion of the predetermined wavelength range and an effective area greater than 40 μm2, the dispersion of the HOM fiber selected to compensate for the dispersion introduced by the optical continuum source. The HOM fiber generates a compressed pulse output therefrom. An input mode converter is used to convert the created continuum from the fundamental mode associated with the conventional continuum sources to the higher-order mode(s) supported by the HOM fiber used to perform pulse compression. A bandpass filter is used to limit the bandwidth of the continuum signal to that associated with both the efficient conversion range of the mode converter and desired dispersion characteristic of the HOM fiber. |
| US08478132B1 |
Systems and methods for reducing mechanical sensitivity of phase sensitive optical signals
The present invention is an optical system configured for enabling co-transmission (ex.—co-propagation) of a reference signal and a carrier signal (ex.—or a phase encoded signal and a reference signal) in a same fiber. Since it is configured for enabling said co-transmission, the optical system of the present invention promotes reduced transmission microphonic sensitivity in the optical system. |
| US08478122B2 |
Image taking system
An image taking system includes an optical path splitting element that splits beams coming from an object into transmitted beams and reflected beams and first and second lens apparatuses into which the two bundles of beams split by the optical path splitting element enter. Each of the first and second lens apparatuses has an image blur reduction unit that shifts an object image in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, a vibration detector that detects vibration of the lens apparatus, a command signal generator that generates a command signal for driving the image blur reduction unit, a driving unit that drives the image blur reduction unit, and a communication unit that sends/receives image stabilization information to/from the other lens apparatus. The command signal generator of the second lens apparatus generates a command signal based on the image stabilization information obtained from the first lens apparatus through the communication unit. |
| US08478121B2 |
Camera with infrared shutter module
A camera includes an image sensor, a storing module, an infrared shutter module, and a controlling module. The image sensor converts light rays projected thereon to digital image signals. The storing module is for storing the digital image signals. The infrared shutter module includes an infrared emitter and an infrared receiver adjacent to the infrared emitter, and when infrared rays emitted from the infrared emitter are transmitted into the infrared receiver, the infrared shutter module outputs a triggering signal. The controlling module electrically connects to the image sensor, the storing module, the infrared shutter module and stores the digital image signals in the storing module when receiving the triggering signal. |
| US08478120B2 |
Camera lens and image capturing device using the same
A camera lens and an image capturing device using the same. The camera lens comprises a lens-barrel fixing-base, a driving barrel, a focusing lens-barrel and an elastic member. The lens-barrel fixing-base has a hollow part, which has a first supporting part. The first supporting part has a connecting part. The driving barrel has a groove formed at an inner wall of the driving barrel. The focusing lens-barrel has a guiding part, which is inserted into the groove for allowing the focusing lens-barrel to be axially moved in the driving barrel. The focusing lens-barrel has a second supporting part. The elastic member is a hollow-ring structure setting between the lens-barrel fixing-base and the focusing lens-barrel. One end of the elastic member is positioned against the first supporting part and the another end of the elastic member is positioned against the second supporting part. |
| US08478119B2 |
Lens movement control method and lens movement control apparatus of camera module
A lens movement control method and a lens movement control apparatus of a camera module for preventing allophone of a Voice Coil Actuator (VCA) are provided. The lens movement control method of a camera module includes switching the camera module from a camera operation mode to a camera stop mode, generating a control signal for removing the occurrence of VCA allophone in the camera stop mode, moving a lens to a VCA allophone removal location based on the generated control signal, and powering-off the camera module to move the lens moved to the VCA allophone removal location to a bottom surface of the lens. |
| US08478116B2 |
Immersion heater with exhaust path for overpressure
Disclosed is a heating unit which can comprise a tube, or pipe, having an aperture therein which can be configured to receive a heating element. In various embodiments, the heating element can comprise a resistive element which can be configured to generate heat when a voltage differential is applied thereto. In certain embodiments, the heating unit can further comprise a collar which is threadably engaged with the tube, wherein a flame path, or exhaust path, can be defined between threads on the pipe and threads on the collar, for example. In certain embodiments, the flame path can comprise a passageway defined between the circumference, or perimeter, of the tube and the collar. Such a flame path can be configured to allow pressurized gasses to safely escape from the tube along a predetermined path. |
| US08478115B2 |
Rotating device for electrically connecting electric household appliances and electric tools
A device for electrically connecting electric household appliances or electric tools, including a female receptacle provided with two seats, and a male connector which can be inserted inside the female receptacle. The male connector is provided with first and second means for electrically contacting that are concentric with each other, so as to allow rotation of the male connector with respect to the female receptacle. |
| US08478114B1 |
Distributed database management system
A distributed database management system provides a central database resident on a server that contains database objects. Objects, e.g., program guide data, to be replicated are gathered together into distribution packages called “slices,” that are transmitted to client devices. A slice is a subset of the central database which is relevant to clients within a specific domain, such as a geographic region, or under the footprint of a satellite transmitter. The viewer selects television programs and Web content from displayed sections of the program guide data which are recorded to a storage device. The program guide data are used to determine when to start and end recordings. Client devices periodically connect to the server using a phone line and upload information of interest which is combined with information uploaded from other client devices for statistical, operational, or viewing models. |
| US08478111B2 |
Systems and methods for optimizing a scene
Systems and methods for optimizing properties of objects within a scene or achieve a visual goal. |
| US08478109B2 |
Recording apparatus and method, program, and storage medium
Disclosed herein is a recording apparatus for recording a file stream which may be composed of a header, a body, and a footer onto a storage medium. The apparatus may includes header area securing means for, before recording of the body, securing in a recording area of the storage medium a header area in which the header is to be recorded; recording means for recording the body and the footer in the recording area of the storage medium, re-securing the header area secured by the header area securing means based on areas in which the body and the footer have been recorded, and recording the header in the re-secured header area; and reflecting means for allowing information concerning the header area secured when a recording process performed by the recording means is terminated normally or abnormally to be reflected in a file system of the storage medium. |
| US08478108B2 |
Apparatus, method, and computer program product for recording content
An apparatus determines whether a combination of a certificate type of a content certificate recorded on a source recording medium and a medium type of the source recording medium is a proper combination. If the combination is a proper combination, the apparatus requests a license server, which is connected to the apparatus via a network, to give approval to record content on a target recording medium. If the apparatus is a legitimate DVD recorder, the license server sends to the content recording apparatus a content certificate including on the source recording medium as the certificate type. The apparatus records the content together with the received content certificate on the target recording medium. |
| US08478106B2 |
Recording/reproducing device
The present invention provides a recording/reproducing device which shortens time required for dubbing, when a user performs the dubbing of program data. The recording/reproducing device of the present invention is a recording/reproducing device which records and reproduces information, including: a tuner control unit 4 which obtains first information; a recording/reproduction control unit 13 which records, in an HDD 15, the first information obtained by the tuner control unit 4, and records, in an optical disc held in the optical disc drive 14, second information which is information having the same content as the first information; a CPU 5 which invalidates the second information; and a user input control unit 9 which receives an instruction requesting the first information recorded in the HDD 15 to be recorded in the optical disc. In the case where the user input control unit 9 receives the instruction, the CPU 5 validates the invalidated second information. |
| US08478104B2 |
Copy secure multimedia RFID with analog transmitter
A portable RFID device includes an analog modulation radio frequency transmitter and a data storage holding audio data files. In response to user entered commands the device retrieves the audio data files, applies digital to analog conversion to generate analog audio signals, and transmits the analog audio signals through the analog modulation RF amplifier. Optionally, the analog modulation RF amplifier is a frequency modulation (FM) modulator and transmitter, optionally using a UHF broadcast FM band. The transmitted analog modulated RF signal is received and played by a receiver and playback device proximal to the transmitter. Optionally, a locking operation is applied after storing the multimedia files, preventing subsequent altering of the files. |
| US08478102B2 |
Information recording/play-backing apparatus
Portable information recording/play-back arrangements, wherein a controller judges whether a mode, controlling a first recording/play-back module and second recording/play-back module, is an imaging mode or a dubbing mode, and wherein when the controller judges that the mode is the imaging mode, the controller controls so that the imaging module and the first or second recording/play-back module operate on battery or a power supply from an external power source; and when the controller judges that the mode is the dubbing mode and the first and second recording/play-back module operate on the power supply from the external power source, the controller controls so that the dubbing operation is permitted. |
| US08478101B2 |
Recording apparatus
A recording apparatus includes a recording unit which records image data to a recording medium or reproduces image data from the recording medium, and a control unit which enables a first control mode for controlling the recording unit in response to a request from an external device if the apparatus can communicate with the external device, and disables the first control mode and enables a second control mode for controlling the recording unit in response to a request from a user. If the first control mode is disabled and the second control mode is enabled, the control unit determines whether a state of the recording medium is changed. If the state of the recording medium is changed, the control unit controls the recording unit so as to read the recording medium. |
| US08478099B2 |
Optical backplane rack assembly with external optical connectors
There is described a line card rack assembly for line cards, and an optical backplane and optical fiber guide for installation to a frame adapted to receive line cards of which at least one has an optical connector at a front portion thereof. The rack assembly comprises a frame having a front opening, for receiving the line cards and providing access to a front end of the line cards, and a back opening opposite the front opening; an optical backplane at least partially covering the back opening, the optical backplane comprising connections for connecting the line cards upon insertion in the frame; and optical fiber cable having two ends, a first one of the two ends being for coupling to the optical backplane, and a second one of the two ends for coupling to the optical connector of the at least one of the line cards. |
| US08478098B2 |
Optical fiber cable
The present invention relates to an optical fiber cable incorporating a multi-core fiber provided with a plurality of cores and a cladding region. The optical fiber cable has a jacket covering the multi-core fiber. The multi-core fiber is arranged so that a hold wrap holds the cores in a state in which they are provided with a bend of not more than a fixed radius of curvature, in order to reduce crosstalk between the cores. |
| US08478097B2 |
Wide bandwidth, low loss photonic bandgap fibers
Various embodiments include photonic bandgap fibers (PBGF). Some PBGF embodiments have a hollow core (HC) and may have a square lattice (SQL). In various embodiments, SQL PBGF can have a cladding region including 2-10 layers of air-holes. In various embodiments, an HC SQL PBGF can be configured to provide a relative wavelength transmission window Δλ/λc larger than about 0.35 and a minimum transmission loss in a range from about 70 dB/km to about 0.1 dB/km. In some embodiments, the HC SQL PBGF can be a polarization maintaining fiber. Methods of fabricating PBGF are also disclosed along with some examples of fabricated fibers. Various applications of PBGF are also described. |
| US08478096B2 |
Methods and systems for efficient installation of cables in watercraft
The present application is directed towards systems and methods for efficient installation of optical and electrical cable in watercraft. A manufacturer may terminate one end of a cable in a location removed from the watercraft, allowing use of automated cable termination machines for efficiency and consistency of terminations. The single-terminated cable may then be brought to the watercraft and installed by pulling or routing the unterminated end through ductwork and pipes, watertight bulkhead throughways, and cable trays and ladders as necessary, prior to termination. Accordingly, more difficult and expensive on-site labor is reduced, and reliability is greatly increased. Furthermore, many cable tests that require termination but cannot be executed post-installation can be performed prior to installation, to ensure that at least the first termination, performed off-site, is error-free, reducing later troubleshooting and further increasing installation efficiency. |
| US08478094B2 |
Optoelectronic transmission device having solar cell unit
An optoelectronic transmission device includes an optical signal source, a light detector, a solar cell unit, and a power storage unit. The reflector covers the light detector and the optical signal source. The reflector is configured to internally totally reflect first light emitted from the optical signal source to a first optical fiber and reflect a first part of the second light from a second optical fiber to the light detector and reflect a second part of the second light to the solar cell unit. The light detector receives and converts the first part of the second light into electrical signals. The solar cell unit receives and coverts the second part of the second light into electrical energy. The power storage unit is electrically connected to the solar cell unit for storing the electric energy. The power storage unit powers the light detector and the optical signal source. |
| US08478092B2 |
In-line single fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer
A single fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer comprises an optical fiber having a core region and a cladding surrounding the core region, and a micro-cavity having part of the cladding and the core region removed, wherein the micro-cavity is adapted to receive a light beam and separate the light beam into a first light beam that propagates through the micro-cavity in an unguided mode, and a second light beam that propagates through the core region in a guided mode. |
| US08478087B2 |
Optical limiter
An optical power limiter comprises an input optical transmission element, an output optical transmission element, and a power-limiting element disposed between the input and output elements for transmitting optical signals from the input element to the output element. The power-limiting element comprises an optical-limiting solid mixture containing particles of at least one material that produces reversible thermal changes in response to light above a predetermined optical power level, thereby changing the optical transmission properties of the power-limiting element. |
| US08478075B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus and an image processing method processing a graphic image are provided. An image processing apparatus including: a display unit; a first image output unit which outputs a first image signal; a second image output unit which outputs a second image signal and a transparency information with respect to the second image signal; an image mixing unit which outputs a third image signal mixing the first image signal and the second image signal by using the transparency information; an image processing unit which processes the third image signal to output to the display unit; and a control unit which extracts the transparency information from the second image output unit, and outputs a position information about which the second image signal is displayed in the display unit based on the extracted transparency information to the image processing unit. |
| US08478073B2 |
Microscope system and method
A method for determining a position of an area of an object within the complete object, wherein the image of the area of the object is contained within a field of view of a microscope. The method comprises acquiring high magnification image data representing an image of the field of view of the microscope, typically from a digital camera attached to the microscope; processing the high magnification image data to reduce the resolution thereof; comparing the processed high magnification image data with portions of the low magnification image data, and determining said position based on the results of said comparison. |
| US08478067B2 |
Processing of remotely acquired imaging data including moving objects
A system for processing remotely acquired imagery includes a storage element (316) for receiving first and second sets of imagery data associated metadata defining a first image of a panchromatic image type and a second image of a multi-spectral image type (404). The system also includes a processing element (302) communicatively coupled to the storage element and configured for obtaining a mapping between pixels in the first image and the second image based on the associated metadata (406). The processing element is further configured for generating a third set of imagery data defining a third image of a panchromatic type based on the second set of imagery data (408). The processing element is also configured for generating an alternate mapping for the first and second images based on comparing areas of pixels in the first and third images that are non-corresponding according to the mapping function (426). |
| US08478063B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus sets the pixels of an input image as process target pixels by using low pass filters (LPF #1—1 to LPF #1—n) each having different level value ranges, computes the average values of the pixels included in the level value ranges from the pixels of the input image including process target pixels included within the filter sizes of the low pass filters, generates level-value-limited smoothed images #1 limited by the level values, generates level-value-limited smoothed images #2 by using low pass filters (LPF #2—1 to LPF #2—n) each having level value ranges or filter sizes different from those of LPF #1—1 to LPF #1—n, selects either of the level-value-limited smoothed images #1 or the level-value-limited smoothed images #2 on the basis of the process target pixels and level values different from the level values utilized by LPFs, synthesizes the selected level-value-limited smoothed images, and generates a smoothed image. |
| US08478061B2 |
System and method for reducing dimensionality of hyperspectral images
A method for reducing dimensionality of hyperspectral images may include receiving a hyperspectral image having a plurality of pixels. A basis vector set including a number of members may then be established, wherein each of the members comprises a basis vector. For each of the plurality of pixels, a spectral vector for the pixel may be read and decomposed with the members of the basis vector set to derive a residual vector for the pixel. A basis vector for the pixel may then be added to the members of the basis vector set if the residual vector for the pixel has a magnitude exceeding a predetermined threshold, and the basis vector set may then be optimized to eliminate one of the members of the basis vector set, whereby the optimized basis vector set includes the number of members. A system configured to perform the method may also be provided. |
| US08478058B2 |
Apparatus and method for reducing noise from an image
An apparatus and method for reducing noise in a high definition image are provided. When performing wavelet shrinkage for reducing noise, a signal level of an image may be estimated by adjusting a kernel size, and a noise level of the image may be estimated using a noise level function. After the signal level and the noise level are estimated, the noise may be removed or reduced, based on the signal level and the noise level, and the detail of the image may be maintained. |
| US08478057B1 |
Image compression and decompression using block prediction
Compression of an image is performed based on prediction of target blocks of an image from candidate source blocks of the image. Heuristics are used for identifying the candidate source blocks, for example, source blocks are selected from within a cluster of similar blocks obtained by K-means clustering. For each target block, a region adjacent to the target block is identified and a set of candidate source blocks along with candidate source regions adjacent to the candidate source blocks are identified. The candidate source regions are ranked based on the differences between the candidate source regions and the target source region. Each candidate source block is described using its rank and residual information describing differences between the candidate source block and the target block. The candidate source block that can be described using a minimum amount of information is selected for predicting the target block. |
| US08478049B2 |
Method for fixed-rotation and rotation-independent image correlation
A circlet is defined as a compact angle representation expressing, at a given pixel comprised in the first image, the direction of change of pixel intensity. A method of locating a feature of interest includes the steps of: acquiring a first image of a feature of interest to a user; generating a learned circlet image from the first image; saving one or more sets of learned circlets corresponding to one or more selected probes; acquiring a second image of the feature of interest; generating a target circlet image from the second image; and correlating the learned circlet image and the target circlet image. |
| US08478042B2 |
Method and apparatus for enhancing image or video quality using an exposure aware scene adaptive global brightness contrast
A method and apparatus for enhancing at least one of video and image quality using an exposure aware scene adaptive global brightness contrast. The method includes determining if gain control is needed utilizing Gamma corrected histogram and ancillary data, if gain control is not required, computing a set of scene adaptive tone points and blending with information from histogram equalization if needed, if gain control is required, estimating gain value and utilizing the gain value in computing the gain table, and accordingly, generating a look-up table for enhancing global brightness contrast utilizing the gain table, the tone table and the information from histogram equalization. |
| US08478041B2 |
Method for analyzing and/or testing at least one user interface, data processing device and computer program product
In summary, the present invention relates to a method for analyzing and/or testing at least one user interface, comprising the steps of: transmitting an address of at least one user interface, in particular a web-based user interface, and/or a source code together with the associated graphical elements of at least one user interface, in particular a web-based user interface, to an evaluation apparatus (10); transmitting the address of the at least one user interface and/or the source code together with the associated graphical elements of the at least one user interface to at least two differently configured presentation apparatuses (12, 14); generating at least one pixel image of the user interface on each presentation apparatus (12, 14); transmitting each generated pixel image to the evaluation apparatus (10); automatically determining and/or representing at least one difference between the generated pixel images of the at least one user interface. |
| US08478039B2 |
Information processing device and method and program
An information processing device includes: a control unit to determine whether to perform, according to the relation between a gamut of an image subjected to gamut conversion beforehand and a target gamut, a first conversion processing to perform gamut conversion processing to convert the gamut of the image into the target gamut after performing restoring processing to return at least a portion of the image gamut into the state before the gamut conversion, and a second conversion processing to perform the gamut conversion processing without performing the restoring processing; a restoring unit to execute the restoring processing according to control by the control unit; and a gamut conversion unit to execute the gamut conversion processing according to control by the control unit. |
| US08478034B2 |
Method and system for foreground detection using multi-modality fusion graph cut
A method for foreground detection using multi-modality fusion graph cut includes the following steps. A video frame of a video sequence is inputted. A foreground region in the video frame is designated using adaptive background Gaussian Mixture Model and a threshold value. The foreground region is segmented using a multi-modality fusion graph cut procedure. A computer program product using the method and a system for foreground detection using multi-modality fusion graph cut are also disclosed herein. |
| US08478033B2 |
Image inspection apparatus and method
An image inspection apparatus determines whether a test image is a copy of an original image. The image inspection apparatus includes an image group generation unit that determines one or more types of image transform, and transforms the original image according to the determined types of image transform to generate an original image group; a spatial color difference computing unit that transforms a color space of the generated original image group, and calculates first spatial color differences between the original image and images in the original image group to provide color difference data; an image inspection unit that receives the test image and the original image group to calculate second spatial color differences between the test image and the images in the original image group, and compares the second spatial color differences to the color difference data; and an inspection result output unit that outputs the comparison result. |
| US08478030B2 |
Image processing apparatus and computer readable medium
According to an aspect of the invention, an image processing apparatus includes a generating unit, a calculating unit, a receiving unit, and a changing unit. The generating unit generates a plurality of histograms of images with respect to each color based on an input image. The calculating unit calculates a plurality of first image densities of the images from the histograms. The receiving unit receives a content of image quality adjustment performed on the input image. The changing unit changes one of the histograms based on the content of the image quality adjustment. The one of the histogram corresponds to one of the images on which the image quality adjustment is performed. The calculating unit calculates a second image density corresponding to the one the images based on the one of the histogram changed by the changing unit. |
| US08478029B2 |
Multi-resolution analysis in image segregation
In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for processing an image. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of providing an image file depicting an image, in a computer memory, forming a set of selectively varied representations of the image file and performing an image segregation operation on at least one preselected representation of the image of the image file, to generate intrinsic images corresponding to the image. According to a feature of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the selectively varied representations comprise multi-resolution representations such as a scale-spaced pyramid of representations. In a further feature of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the intrinsic images comprise a material image and an illumination image. |
| US08478021B2 |
Charged beam device
In order to provide a charged beam device capable of obtaining a precise image of a sample surface pattern while improving the accuracy of automatic focus/astigmatism correction, there are provided an electron gun (1), a deflection control portion (8) which allows an electron beam to scan, a focus control portion (10) and an astigmatism correction portion (3) for the electron beam, an image processing portion (11), and a switching portion (9) which switches scan conditions when obtaining pattern information of the sample (1001) surface and scan conditions when performing the automatic focus/astigmatism correction, and a scan speed and scan procedures are switched between when obtaining the pattern information and when performing the automatic focus/astigmatism correction. |
| US08478020B1 |
Apparatus and system for imaging currency bills and financial documents and method for using the same
A customer account number is received via an interface of a document processing device. A plurality of documents associated with the deposit transaction is received in an input receptacle of the document processing device. The plurality of documents is transported, one at a time, along a transport path from the input receptacle past an image scanner to one or more output receptacles. Each document is imaged with the image scanner to produce image data associated with the deposit transaction. The image data is reproducible as a visually readable image of at least a portion of each document. Deposit information is generated from the image data associated with the deposit transaction. The customer account number is associated with the generated deposit information. The deposit information is transmitted from the document processing device to a teller system. |
| US08478012B2 |
Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to process cardiac images to detect heart motion abnormalities
Example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to process cardiac images to detect heart motion abnormalities are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes adapting a state of a state-space model based on a plurality of cardiac images to characterize motion of a heart, computing an information-theoretic metric from the state of the state-space model, and comparing the information-theoretic metric to a threshold to determine whether the motion of the heart is abnormal. |
| US08478006B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An extraction unit extracts a centerline of a tubular structure from a volume data set. A generation unit generates a plurality of image data sets concerning a plurality of curved planes based on the volume data set. Each of the curved planes contains the centerline. The plurality of image data sets have a plurality of image lengths respectively and contain a plurality of centerlines respectively. A first specification unit specifies a first image data set or a second image data set from the plurality of image data sets. The first image data set is specified based on the plurality of image lengths of the plurality of image data sets. The second image data set is specified based on gradients of the plurality of centerlines of the plurality of image data sets. A display unit displays the first image or the second image. |
| US08478004B2 |
Method of controlling digital image processing apparatus for performing moving picture photographing mode, and digital image processing apparatus using the method
A method of controlling a digital image processing apparatus that performs a moving picture photographing mode and a reproduction mode. The method includes the operations of detecting face frames where faces of different persons exist in an operations of storing images of a series of frames in a moving picture file in the moving picture photographing mode, storing representative image frames including face frames selected from the detected face frames in the moving picture photographing mode, and displaying images of the stored representative image frames to indicate the moving picture file in the reproduction mode. The method can be performed by a controller of the digital image processing apparatus. |
| US08478003B2 |
Vegetation growth condition analysis method, recording medium on which program is recorded, and vegetation growth condition analyzer
Vegetation growth condition analyzer, method and record medium using plural radar imaees of a ground surface of a same target area, which have been laken at multiple times during the year obtained from a flying body, e.g. an artificial satellite are disclosed. These images are stored in a map database and aligned wjth a criterion image. Extracting a backscatter coefficient of a specified target area in the criterion image from the map database and calibrating the backscatter coefficients of other radar images are entailed. Finally, calculating growth values of vegetation shown in the radar images by use of the calibrated backscatter coefficients are obtained. |
| US08478001B2 |
Image processing apparatus
An image processing program causes a computer to execute processing of obtaining an image, photographed with a camera, of markers disposed in a real space, creating vectors from the camera and to the markers, selecting a reference marker from the markers, calculating a inner product of the vectors, canceling use of a negative sign included in an equation that obtains a distance between the camera and a remaining marker, creating sign patterns based on to the cancelled remaining markers, setting a first distance between the reference marker and the camera, calculating candidates of a distance between the camera and the remaining markers, calculating error between an inter-marker distance in a real space and the sign patterns, calculating other error when a second distance is set, determining the distance according to the error and the other error, and calculating a position and pose of the camera according to the determined distance. |
| US08478000B2 |
Mobile imaging device as navigator
Embodiments of the invention are directed to obtaining information based on directional orientation of a mobile imaging device, such as a camera phone. Visual information is gathered by the camera and used to determine a directional orientation of the camera, to search for content based on the direction, to manipulate 3D virtual images of a surrounding area, and to otherwise use the directional information. Direction and motion can be determined by analyzing a sequence of images. Distance from a current location, inputted search parameters, and other criteria can be used to expand or filter content that is tagged with such criteria. Search results with distance indicators can be overlaid on a map or a camera feed. Various content can be displayed for a current direction, or desired content, such as a business location, can be displayed only when the camera is oriented toward the desired content. |
| US08477999B2 |
Road division line detector
The present invention relates to a lane-dividing line detection device and has an object of detecting a lane-dividing line with high accuracy by accurately extracting characteristic points of the lane-dividing line while responding flexibly to road surface conditions. According to the present invention, pixel parts where a brightness variation is larger than a predetermined threshold are extracted from an image picked up by a camera that picks up an area ahead of a vehicle as edge points representing the lane-dividing line on a road surface (step 106). Next, candidates for the lane-dividing line drawn on a road are generated based on the extracted edge points (step 108). Then, the predetermined threshold for the brightness variation used to extract the edge points is changed based on the number of the generated candidates for the lane-dividing line (steps 122 through 130). Specifically, if the number of the candidate lines exceeds a predetermined number, the threshold is changed to a high value so as to increase difficulty in extracting the edge points. On the other hand, if the number of the candidate lines does not reach the predetermined number, the threshold is changed to a low value so as to facilitate the extraction of the edge points. |
| US08477997B2 |
White road line recognition device for vehicle
In right and left white road line detection regions on a image, a stereo image recognition device of a white road line recognition device for a vehicle detects a pair of a white road line starting point and a white road line ending point for each of retrieval lines set in the horizontal direction based on the change in the luminance on the retrieval lines, calculates a midpoint Pm between each pair of the white road line starting point and white road line ending point, selects a point group with a smaller dispersion between the point group consisting of the white road line starting points and the point group consisting of midpoints based on a predetermined condition, and calculates a white road line based on the selected point group. |
| US08477994B1 |
Creating a narrative description of media content and applications thereof
This invention relates to creating a narrative description of media content. In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method describes content of a group of images. The group of images includes a first image and a second image. A first object in the first image is recognized to determine a first content data. A second object in the second image is recognized to determine a second content data. Finally, a narrative description of the group of images is determined according to a parameterized template and the first and second content data. |
| US08477993B2 |
Image taking apparatus and image taking method
In an automatic shooting mode, a CPU of a digital camera displays on an LCD a number setting display for setting the number of people to be taken. After the number of people to be taken is set, a through image taken by the CCD is stored in a frame memory and displayed on the LCD. A face detecting section detects and counts faces contained in the through image, and outputs the number of faces as the number of detected people to a number matching section. The number matching section judges whether the set number stored in the frame memory matches the detected number input from the face detecting section. When the number matching section judges that the numbers match each other, the CPU performs an image-taking processing after AF control and AE control. |
| US08477984B2 |
Electronic circuit for headset
An electronic circuit (100) is disclosed for processing signals (20L, 20R) originating from respective signal recorders (20) integrated in respective earpieces of a headset. The electronic circuit comprises a first input for receiving a signal (20L) from the signal recorder of the ear piece intended for a left ear of a wearer of the headset, said signal relating to a blood pressure pulse (200) of said wearer; a second input for receiving a further signal (20R) relating to said blood pressure pulse from the signal recorder of the ear piece intended for a right ear of the wearer; a detection unit (110, 120) for detecting the order in the signal and the further signal are recorded by said respective signal recorders and for comparing the detected order with a correct order; and a signal adaptation unit (130) for adapting an output signal (30L, 30R) in response to the detection unit signaling a detection of an incorrect order of the signal and the further signal. A method for detecting the placement of an earpiece of a headset in the intended ear (10) of the wearer of the headset is also disclosed. |
| US08477981B2 |
Watch including a built-in microphone in the watchcase
A watch (1) has a microphone (16) placed in a watchcase (2), a bracelet (3) with two end parts respectively attached to two opposite sides of the case and at least one through aperture (7) made in a lateral wall (12) of the case. The through aperture defines a first sound wave guide channel, and opens into the case in the direction of said microphone. The microphone is connected in the case to a sound wave processing unit circuit (19) for voice recognition. The watch further includes an audio guide member (6) fitted with a second open sound wave guide channel that comes into direct contact with the external surface of the lateral wall of the case across an area (13) that extends on either side of the aperture so as to guide the sound waves towards said first channel. This guide member may be made in an end part of the bracelet. In this manner, any interference from reflecting cavities, edges or surfaces in said area close to the aperture can be removed or attenuated. |
| US08477980B2 |
Vehicle microphone assembly in trim panel
A vehicle trim and microphone assembly includes a headliner having a substrate, a foam layer, and a surface cover covering the substrate and foam layer. The substrate has a hole that is covered by the surface cover. A bracket is secured to the substrate and a microphone installed in the bracket so that acoustic sound waves pass through the surface cover within the hole to be detected by the microphone. |
| US08477979B2 |
Compression driver and horn structure
A loudspeaker driver 100 with new horn throat configuration 120 has a phase plug summation plane radius that is also the effective throat of the driver. The selected plane “D” where the elements of the horn that provide directional information to the wave front are implemented is made part of the geometry of the magnetic return circuit back plate 108. The portion of the back plate that is coincident with the selected plane “D” has a lumen or opening that is made equal to the radius of the circle defined by the phase plug summation plane. The geometry of the back plate's lumen controls projected sound's radiation pattern. |
| US08477978B2 |
Open fit canal hearing device
An improved hearing aid device adapted for use within the ear canal of the CIC (Completely In the ear) and of the partially exposed ITC (In The Canal) type. This aid consists of a system of integrated parts allowing an air gap to substantially surround the hearing aid shell and air passages which communicate with the inner ear minimizing occlusion sensations and providing the user with an enhanced natural hearing experience. A key aspect of this device is the provision of air passages in the mounting insert which securely positions the hearing aid shell in the wearer's canal. These passages are designed to stay open after insertion of the aid in the ear canal. In use, unamplified sound from the outside passes around the hearing aid shell, through the air passages in the mounting insert blending with the amplified sound emanating from the receiver. The area of air passages in the mounting insert can be tailored by the technician adapting to the hearing loss characteristics of the user. Surprisingly, acoustic feedback is mitigated in spite of the openness of this novel design. |
| US08477974B2 |
Hearing device and method for producing an omnidirectional directional characteristic
A hearing device is provided with a microphone array having a plurality of microphones. The signals from the microphones can then be processed by an appropriate apparatus of the hearing device such that this results in a directivity of the microphone array. The apparatus must also be able to allow an omnidirectional directivity of the microphone array, i.e. a non-directional detection of sound. This is not always ensured in the case where one of the microphones in the microphone array is covered or aligned other than what is intended. An omnidirectional directivity of the microphone array is ensured in a hearing device of the invention. Here, the microphones are, for this purpose, connected to inputs of the apparatus via a coupling device, by way of which each of the microphones can be coupled to a plurality of inputs of the apparatus at the same time. |
| US08477970B2 |
Systems, methods, and apparatus for controlling sounds in a three-dimensional listening environment
Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems, methods, and apparatus for controlling sounds in a three dimensional listening environment. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for controlling the apparent localization of sounds in a 3-dimensional listening environment. The method can include receiving one or more audio channels, receiving decode data associated with the one or more audio channels, routing the one or more audio channels to a plurality of processing channels, selectively processing audio associated with the plurality of processing channels based at least in part on the received decode data, and outputting processed audio to a plurality of speakers. |
| US08477968B2 |
Thermal acoustic speaker
A thermal acoustic speaker comprises a body and a thermoelectric converter. The body comprises a shell with at least one hole and a side with a sound hole. The shell defines a sound cavity in the body. The thermoelectric converter, disposed around at least a part of the shell, comprises a circuit and a conductive membrane and covers at least a part of the at least one hole. The circuit receives at least one electrical audio signal. The conductive membrane contacts a part of the circuit so that the thermoelectric converter heats air in the sound cavity to emit sound. |
| US08477957B2 |
Apparatus, method and computer program
An apparatus, method and computer program, the apparatus including includes a housing configured to be positioned in a user's external ear, a loudspeaker located at a first position within the housing and configured to provide an acoustic signal, a microphone configured to detect an acoustic signal located at a second position within the housing, a filter configured to filter an input signal provided to the loudspeaker; and a controller configured to enable the acoustic signal detected by the microphone to be used to provide a control signal to the filter. |
| US08477954B2 |
Controlling audio signals
Method, user terminal and computer program product for controlling audio signals at the user device during a communication session between the user device and a remote node, in which a primary audio signal is received at audio input means of the user device for transmission to the remote node in the communication session. It is determined whether the user device is operating in (i) a first mode in which secondary audio signals output from the user device are likely to disturb the primary audio signal received at the audio input means, or (ii) a second mode in which secondary audio signals output from the user device are not likely to disturb the primary audio signal received at the audio input means. In dependence upon determining that the user device is operating in the first mode, the secondary audio signals are selectively suppressed from being output from the user device during the communication session, such that when the user device is operating in the first mode said secondary audio signals do not disturb the primary audio signal received at the audio input means for transmission to the remote node in the communication session. |
| US08477949B2 |
2.1 crossover equalization in PC audio applications
Challenges to the implementation of equalization in the 2.1 environment arise from the constraints imposed by HD audio requirements and Windows® Vista™. A hybrid software hardware solution overcomes many of the challenges by exploiting the software capability for equalization and using a hardware codec to perform the separation into high frequency and low frequency audio streams needed to drive stereo speakers and a subwoofer. |
| US08477944B2 |
Communication system, base station apparatus and terminal apparatus
An identifier generator generates a second identifier containing information on contents. The second identifier is different from a first identifier used to grant a connection request sent from a terminal apparatus. A beacon transmitter transmits the second identifier, generated by the identifier generator, as a beacon. A connection processing unit permits the connection request by the first identifier stored beforehand in the terminal apparatus, and rejects the connection request by the second identifier. A base station apparatus generates the first identifier containing address information used to access a server apparatus, as an identifier used to permit a connection request sent from the terminal apparatus. The base station apparatus transmits, as beacons, a first identifier and a second identifier used to identify the base station itself. The terminal apparatus acquires the address information contained in the received first identifier, conveys the second identifier to the server apparatus identified by the address information, and acquires information on the contents distributed by the base station apparatus. |
| US08477933B2 |
Cryptographic algorithm fault protections
The invention relates to a method for securing the execution of a cryptographic algorithm A against fault attacks. Given a cryptographic key KO and a message M, the cryptographic algorithm A is set to compute a value A(KO,M). Given a relationship R between A(KO,M) and A(f(K0),g(M)), where f and g are two bijections, and where f is different from the identity function, the method comprises: a. computing the expected result A(KO,M) of the cryptographic algorithm b. computing a modified result A(f(K0),g(M)), by applying the cryptographic algorithm A on a modified key f(K0) and on a message g(M), c. checking whether the relationship R between the values A(KO,M) and A(f(K0),g(M)) computed in the two preceding steps is verified d. detecting an attack if the relationship R is not verified. The invention also relates to a cryptographic device embodying the above method. |
| US08477928B2 |
Crosstalk reducing conductor and contact configuration in a communication system
There is disclosed conductor and connector configurations for use in communications systems which take advantage of the orientation and positioning of adjacent balanced pairs of conductors to reduce cross talk. These conductor and connector configurations may be used to reduce cross talk between adjacent balanced pairs of a single transmission path, or to reduce alien cross talk between adjacent balanced pairs located in different transmission paths. |
| US08477924B2 |
Method and system for optimizing two-stage dialing
A method (200) for establishing a communication session between a caller device (104) and a called device (106) in a two-stage dialing protocol is provided. The method includes transmitting (204) at least one list of contacts and at least one list of index values to a communication server. Each index value of the at least one list of index values is associated with a corresponding contact from the at least one list of contacts. Further, the method includes initiating (206) a first-stage communication between a communication between the caller device and the communication server based communication server based on an input received at the caller device the caller device. Furthermore, the method includes transmitting (208) at least one set of characters of communication server based on a set of inputs received at the caller device and establishing (210) the communication session between the caller device and the called device based on the at least one set of characters. |
| US08477922B1 |
Call redirect via centralized bridges
A system, method, and computer readable medium for redirecting a call via centralized bridges comprises a first conferencing platform based in the United States, a second conferencing platform based in a second country, and a third conferencing platform based in a third country, wherein the first conferencing platform dials the second conferencing platform and the third conferencing platform to provide a conference call between the second conferencing platform and the third conferencing platform. |
| US08477921B2 |
Managing participation in a teleconference by monitoring for use of an unrelated term used by a participant
A computer implemented method manages participation in a teleconference. Teleconference inputs from participants of a teleconference are monitored for use of an unrelated term, which is a term that has been deemed unrelated to a topic of the teleconference. Upon determining that an errant participant is using the unrelated term in at least one of the teleconference inputs, an alert is generated to prompt the errant participant to limit future teleconference inputs to the topic of the teleconference. |
| US08477913B2 |
Voicemail with data content
Techniques for attaching content to a voicemail are described. Content may be attached to a voicemail by storing the content and the voicemail in a common container or envelope, embedding the content at a location within the voicemail, tagging the content with an identifier identifying the voicemail, tagging the voicemail with a tag identifying the content and a location of the content on a network, or otherwise associating the content with the voicemail. A representation of the content to be attached to the voicemail may be visually displayed on a user interface of an originating telecommunications device before attaching the content to the voicemail. |
| US08477909B2 |
Testing call routing
A device may automatically place a call to a call routing device based on one of a list of numbers or addresses. The call may be forwarded by the call routing device to a call agent device. The device may also establish a session with the call agent device to which the call is forwarded by the call routing device and automatically receive, from the call agent device, a message that includes an identifier for a virtual call agent. The device may extract the identifier from the received message, compare the extracted identifier to an identifier that is associated with the call, and determine whether the call routing device correctly forwarded the call based on the comparison. |
| US08477906B2 |
High definition scintillation detector for medicine, homeland security and non-destructive evaluation
A bundle of drawn fibers that have X-ray scintillating unagglommerated nanocrystallite particles in plastic or glass cores of down to 0.1 micron spacing and claddings of X-ray absorbing compounds in the cladding composition. Optional is a cover to the bundle that blocks light from leaving the bundle at the X-ray side while allowing X-rays to pass into the cores. To image the light exiting the fiber bundle at the sub-micron level, light expansion is preferable using either a lens system or a fiber bundle expander. |
| US08477905B2 |
Non-destructive testing systems and methods
A system and method for non-destructively determining the grain orientation of a crystalline material using x-ray diffraction techniques to non-destructively analyze material and, more particularly, to a system and method for determining the grain orientation of an underlying crystalline material covered by an overlying polycrystalline material. Further, the system and method relate to the use of x-ray diffraction to non-destructively characterize parts and components to determine whether to accept or reject those components or parts for use in application. |
| US08477900B2 |
Hold-down spring unit for top nozzle of nuclear fuel assembly having improved hold-down performance and top nozzle for nuclear fuel assembly having the same
A hold-down spring unit for a top nozzle of a nuclear fuel assembly. The hold-down spring unit is coupled to the upper end of the top nozzle of the nuclear fuel assembly. The hold-down spring unit includes a first spring which provides a hold-down force upon the nuclear fuel assembly under start-up conditions and hot full power conditions of a nuclear reactor, and a second spring which provides an additional hold-down force upon the nuclear fuel assembly under start-up conditions of the nuclear reactor. The hold-down margin under start-up conditions and hot full power conditions is reduced, thus enhancing the mechanical and structural stability of the nuclear fuel assembly. |
| US08477895B1 |
Adaptive timing using clock recovery
Circuits and methods are described for adaptive timing and communications. Described circuitry includes circuitry to receive an incoming data signal based on a receive clock signal, which is based on a local clock signal (LCS); an offset adjustment circuit to receive timing information relating the LCS to the incoming data signal and calculate a phase offset and a frequency offset indicative of adjustment(s) to be made to the LCS; a first phase interpolator to produce the receive clock signal by adjusting the LCS in response to the phase offset and the frequency offset; a clock recovery circuit to generate the timing information responsive to whether the receive clock signal leads or lags the incoming data signal; a second phase interpolator to produce a transmit clock signal by adjusting the LCS in response to the frequency offset; and circuitry to transmit an outgoing data signal based on the transmit clock signal. |
| US08477888B2 |
Phase-noise resilient generation of a channel quality indicator
System(s) and method(s) are provided for generating phase-noise resilient channel quality indicator(s). A pilot signal utilized to determine a channel quality indicator is rotated to be aligned to a phase reference signal. Separate noise evaluations in quadrature and in-phase directions are utilized, at least in part, to generate a net noise estimate that is phase-noise compensated or resilient. For example, various combination schemes of quadrature and in-phase noise evaluations can be exploited to generate a net noise estimate, the schemes include weighted average of in-phase and quadrature noise estimates and running averages thereof. Simulation of net noise estimates as a function of geometry conditions reveal that the combination schemes provide substantive mitigation of phase-noise, thus making CQI generation phase-noise resilient. |
| US08477886B2 |
Radio-receiver circuit
A radio-receiver circuit having an analog-to-digital conversion unit. The analog-to-digital conversion unit comprises an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and a filter operatively connected to an input terminal of the ADC in a receive path of the radio-receiver circuit. The radio-receiver circuit further comprises a control unit adapted to receive control data and determine, based on the control data, a frequency band in which data is to be transmitted to the radio-receiver circuit during a subsequent time interval. Furthermore, the control unit is operative to adapt at least one frequency characteristic of the analog-to-digital conversion unit to the determined frequency band for receiving said data transmitted in said subsequent time interval. |
| US08477883B2 |
Maximum likelihood decoding method, equipment, and receiver
Provided is a maximum likelihood decoding method of separating and estimating multiple transmitted signals transmitted by multiple transmitter antennas from multiple received signals received by multiple receiver antennas, comprising: a first step of generating a channel matrix based on channel impulse responses corresponding to the received signals; a second step of dividing the generated channel matrix into multiple sub-matrices, of identifying parts of the received signals corresponding to the sub-matrices obtained through the division, and of transforming the sub-matrices obtained through the division, by using inverse matrices of the sub-matrices obtained through the division; a third step of applying QR decomposition to the transformed sub-matrices to obtain triangular matrices, and of transforming the received signals of the parts by using the obtained triangular matrices; and a fourth step of determining one combination candidate for the parts of the transmitted signals corresponding to the transformed received signals. |
| US08477882B2 |
Radio apparatus
An RF unit receives multicarrier signals via a plurality of antennas. A division unit divides the multicarrier signals received into a plurality of groups in the frequency domain. The division unit acquires the channel quality for each subcarrier, contained in the multicarrier signal, in the frequency domain, and defines the plurality of groups according to the channel quality. The processing unit performs adaptive array signal processing for each of the divided groups. |
| US08477879B2 |
System and method for bi-phase modulation decoding
One embodiment of the present invention includes a decoder system that decodes a bi-phase modulated signal to generate an output code. The system includes a first filter associated with a first logic state configured to generate a first dot product of a plurality of consecutive digital samples of the bi-phase modulated signal and a respective plurality of tap weights of the first filter. The system also includes a second filter associated with a second logic state configured to generate a second dot product of the plurality of consecutive digital samples of the bi-phase modulated signal with a respective plurality of tap weights of the second filter. The system further includes a comparator configured to compare the first and second dot products and to provide the output code as a bit having one of the first logic state and the second logic state based on the comparison. |
| US08477878B2 |
Method and apparatus for precise open loop tuning of reference frequency within a wireless device
A communications subsystem for a wireless device for correcting errors in a reference frequency signal. The communications subsystem comprises a frequency generator for generating the reference frequency signal and a closed loop reference frequency correction module that generates a reference frequency adjustment signal for correcting the reference frequency signal when the communications subsystem operates in closed loop mode. The subsystem further includes an open loop frequency correction means that that samples values of the reference frequency adjustment signal during the closed loop mode and generates a frequency correction signal for correcting the reference frequency signal when the communications subsystem operates in a mode other than closed loop mode. |
| US08477875B2 |
Method and receiver for demodulation
A method of demodulation includes determining samples of a modulated analogue audio signal; determining at least one distorted sample of the samples depending on the signal quality of the modulated analogue audio signal; and replacing the distorted sample. |
| US08477874B2 |
Method, device and system of wireless communication
Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of wireless communication. Some embodiments include a receiver to process a wireless transmission received via a plurality of receive antennas, the receiver including a joint beamforming-synchronization module to jointly determine both a synchronization-error value and a beamforming weight vector. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08477873B2 |
Apparatus for generating frequency signal
A frequency signal generator includes a controller for generating a frequency generation signal, a reference frequency signal generator for generating a first frequency signal and generate a second frequency signal by dividing a first frequency signal from the controller, an assistance frequency signal generator adapted to generate a third, fourth, and fifth frequency signals and to output a sixth frequency signal in response to an assistance frequency select signal, a mixer for selecting a sign of the sixth frequency signal in response to a sign select signal and generating a seventh frequency signal and a eighth frequency signal by mixing the sixth frequency signal of the selected sign and the first frequency signal, a switch adapted to output the seventh or eighth frequency signal in response to a dividing select signal, and a first divider outputting a ninth frequency signal by dividing the eighth frequency signal from the switch. |
| US08477867B2 |
Method and apparatus for cooperative MIMO transmission operation in multicell wireless network
A method and apparatus of configuring a multi-cell precoding matrix for a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) operation in a wireless communication system in which a plurality of base stations participate in cooperative communication is provided. A multi-cell precoding matrix is configured using one or more single-cell precoding matrices, and wherein coefficients to be multiplied by the single-cell precoding matrices satisfy a condition in which the product between the multi-cell precoding matrix and a Hermitian matrix of the multi-cell precoding matrix is a unitary matrix. According to the embodiment of the present invention, it is not necessary for all base stations to perfectly know channel information. In addition, a feedback overhead is not high, and complexity is low. |
| US08477860B2 |
OFDM signal reception in the presence of interference
Decoding a received Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) signal that occupies a first set of subcarriers in a radio frequency spectrum includes ascertaining an interference model that represents interference occurring in the first set of subcarriers caused by a transmitted OFDM signal that occupies a second set of subcarriers in the radio frequency spectrum. A set of scaled soft values is produced that represents information conveyed by the received OFDM signal over the first set of subcarriers, wherein each scaled soft value in the set of scaled soft values corresponds to a respective one of the subcarriers in the first set of subcarriers, and wherein a scaling amount applied to each of the scaled soft values is based on a corresponding level of interference in said respective one of the subcarriers as indicated by the interference model. A decoding process is performed that generates detected data from the scaled soft values. |
| US08477859B2 |
System and method for wireless communications with codebook quantization
A system and method for wireless communications with codebook quantization are provided. A method for communications device operations includes estimating a channel between a controller and a mobile device, generating channel state information from the channel estimate, quantizing the channel state information by selecting a codeword from a rank n codebook based on a codeword selection mechanism, where n is a non-negative integer value, transmitting an index corresponding to the selected codeword and receiving a transmission from the controller. The transmission is precoded based on the index. The rank n codebook includes 2K codewords with each codeword comprising n columns of a transformed base matrix of dimension Nt×Nt, where K is a positive integer number representing a number of bits in the rank n codebook, and Nt is a number of transmit antennas at the controller. |
| US08477856B2 |
Multi-bit digital signal isolator
The invention is directed to a multi-bit digital signal isolation system including a plurality of micro-transformers, each having a primary winding and a secondary winding, a transmitter circuit receiving a multi-bit signal and transmitting an encoded logic signal across the plurality of micro-transformers corresponding to the multi-bit signal, the primary winding of each micro-transformer receiving a signal corresponding to one of at least three possible states, and a receiver circuit receiving the encoded logic signal from the secondary windings of the plurality of transformers, decoding the encoded logic signal and reconstructing the received multi-bit signal based upon the decoded signal. |
| US08477851B2 |
Video image compression using unequal weights
Techniques for video image compression in a video system involve providing a sequence of frames including picture regions, and determining first unequal weights, in which the first unequal weights are used to determine pixel luminance values of a picture region of at least one of the frames. The techniques involve determining second unequal weights, where the second unequal weights are used to determine pixel chroma values of the picture region of at least the one frame. The first unequal weights can include AC weights, and the second unequal weights can include DC weights. A representation of pixel luminance values can differ from a representation of pixel chroma values. The techniques for determining the first unequal weights can involve accessing representative transformations for the pixel luminance values, and the techniques for determining the second unequal weights can involve accessing representative transformations for the pixel chroma values. |
| US08477849B2 |
Wavelet based multiresolution video representation with spatially scalable motion vectors
Wavelet based multiresolution video representations generated by multi-scale motion compensated temporal filtering (MCTF) and spatial wavelet transform are disclosed. Since temporal filtering and spatial filtering are separated in generating such representations, there are many different ways to intertwine single-level MCTF and single-level spatial filtering, resulting in many different video representation schemes with spatially scalable motion vectors for the support of different combination of spatial scalability and temporal scalability. The problem of design of such a video representation scheme to full the spatial/temporal scalability requirements is studied. Signaling of the scheme to the decoder is also investigated. Since MCTF is performed subband by subband, motion vectors are available for reconstructing video sequences of any possible reduced spatial resolution, restricted by the dyadic decomposition pattern and the maximal spatial decomposition level. It is thus clear that the family of decomposition schemes provides efficient and versatile multiresolution video representations for fully scalable video coding. |
| US08477846B2 |
System and method for adaptive intra refresh rate setting in a video encoder
A system and method for adaptive intra refresh rate setting for each video frame in a video encoder is disclosed. In one embodiment, a video encoding method includes computing channel induced distortion values at multiple intra refresh rates for a coded video frame as a function of channel loss and spatiotemporal content, computing source coding distortion values at the multiple intra refresh rates for the coded video frame as a function of the spatiotemporal content and an operating bit-rate, selecting an intra refresh rate value for one or more video frames subsequent to the encoded video frame as a function of the sum of the corresponding computed channel induced distortion values and the source coding distortion values, and encoding the one or more video frames using the selected intra refresh rate value. |
| US08477843B2 |
Method of implementing improved rate control for a multimedia compression and encoding system
The rate controller in a digital video encoding system is responsible for allocating a bit budget for video frames to be encoded. The rate controller considers many different factors when determining the frame bit budget. One of the factors considered is the complexity of the frames being compressed. Occasionally there will be a very complex frame that is not representative of the overall video frame sequence. Such a rare complex frame may cause a disproportionate affect on the bit budget allocation. The system of the present invention limits the amount that a very complex frame can change the bit budget allocation. The rate controller of the present invention also includes a relaxation factor. The relaxation factor allows a user to determine if the rate controller should strictly allocate its bit budget or relax its standards such that the rate controller may not be so conservative when allocating bits to frames. |
| US08477841B2 |
Video processing method, encoding device, decoding device, and data structure for facilitating layout of a restored image frame
A video processing method is implemented by encoding and decoding devices. The video processing method includes: configuring the encoding device to decrease a resolution of a received at least one source image frame based on a received reference signal to obtain reduced image frame content with a reduced resolution, and to generate a relay image frame containing the reduced image frame content; configuring the encoding device to generate a header including at least one element containing information of the reduced image frame content, pack the relay image frame and the header into a video signal, and transmit the video signal to the decoding device; and configuring the decoding device to obtain a restored image frame from the reduced image frame content based on the element in the header. A data structure, and encoding and decoding devices are also disclosed. |
| US08477840B2 |
Method and apparatus for constrained variable bit rate (VBR) video encoding
A method and apparatus are provided for encoding video signal data for transmission in a network. The method includes the step of encoding the video signal data at a variable bit rate using at least one of a prioritized structure or a scalable coding structure to obtain a bitstream having a base layer and an enhancement layer. The encoding step encodes the video signal data such that a base layer bitrate is constrained to be less than or equal to a first value over a first time interval, and all of the bitstream, including the base layer and the enhancement layer, is constrained to a bitrate less than or equal to a second value over a second time interval. |
| US08477835B2 |
Methods and circuits for asymmetric distribution of channel equalization between devices
A transceiver architecture supports high-speed communication over a signal lane that extends between a high-performance integrated circuit (IC) and one or more relatively low-performance ICs employing less sophisticated transmitters and receivers. The architecture compensates for performance asymmetry between ICs communicating over a bidirectional lane by instantiating relatively complex transmit and receive equalization circuitry on the higher-performance side of the lane. Both the transmit and receive equalization filter coefficients in the higher-performance IC may be adaptively updated based upon the signal response at the receiver of the higher-performance IC. |
| US08477828B2 |
Adaptive correlation for detection of a high-frequency signal
Embodiments related to acquisition, detection, and processing of a high-frequency signal are described and depicted. |
| US08477823B2 |
Semiconductor laser apparatus and optical apparatus
This semiconductor laser apparatus includes a base, a plurality of electrodes arranged along a first direction on an upper surface of the base, a plurality of semiconductor laser devices bonded to respective upper surfaces of the plurality of electrodes, emitting laser beams in a second direction, and a photodetector having a photosensitive surface arranged in a region of the base in a third direction relative to the plurality of semiconductor laser devices. An electrode arranged in a position other than end portions in the first direction and a fourth direction, of the plurality of electrodes has an extraction wiring portion arranged on the photosensitive surface of the photodetector. |
| US08477819B2 |
Semiconductor laser diode device and method of fabrication thereof
Disclosed is a distributed feedback semiconductor laser diode device capable of operating at a high output ratio of forward/backward optical power while ensuring satisfactory stability of single-mode oscillation. The distributed feedback semiconductor laser diode device is configured to include a diffraction grating formed in an optical waveguide thereof. In a partial region of the optical waveguide, there is formed an alternately repetitive pattern of a grating part possessing a distributive refractivity characteristic and a no-grating space part possessing a uniform refractivity characteristic. The no-grating space part possessing a uniform refractivity characteristic has an optical path length that is half an integral multiple of a wavelength of laser oscillation, and the grating part possessing a distributive refractivity characteristic includes at least five grating periods. |
| US08477816B2 |
System and method to regulate high current radiation sources
Disclosed is a high current radiation system. The system includes a high current radiation source to generate radiation and an analog circuit to generate, based, at least in part, on an input signal representative of the present current level delivered to the high current radiation source and a user-controlled input representative of a desired current level, an output signal to control a current level to be delivered to the high current radiation source. The system further includes a current driver to control the current delivered to the high current radiation source based, at least in part, on the output signal of the analog circuit. |
| US08477815B2 |
Laser driver
An apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a lasing element, a laser driver and logic. The laser driver is configured to drive the lasing element at multiple current levels, and the laser driver includes a switching network, multiple direct current (DC) loops, and an output circuit. The switching network receives a differential input signal, and each DC loop is coupled to the switching network. The output circuit is also coupled to the lasing element, and the logic is coupled to each of the DC current loops, where the logic selects one or more of the DC loops in each (of several) modes. Each mode generates one or more output lasing currents for the lasing element that corresponds to a one or more of the current levels in response to the differential input signal. |
| US08477812B2 |
Digital multimedia network with latency control
The present invention relates to a digital multimedia network 1 with latency control comprising apparatuses for processing of data streams, wherein a borderline input apparatus providing a data stream generates a latency time stamp (LTS) which contains an absolute time indicating a creation time of said data stream and an accumulated delay time which is updated by each apparatus processing said data stream, wherein said latency time stamp (LTS) of said data stream is evaluated by a borderline output apparatus of said network which synchronizes said data stream. |
| US08477810B2 |
Synchronization using multicasting
A process to synchronize information transmitted from an information provider to a plurality of network elements is provided. The process determines a temporal difference between related network elements and compensates for this difference by dilating an information signal provided to at least one of the network elements to resynchronize the data presented to the network elements. The process is repeated periodically in order to maintain a desired synchronization level. |
| US08477809B2 |
Systems and methods for generalized slot-to-interlace mapping
A transmitter or receiver device includes a processing system configured to have one or more pilot interlace vectors and one or more distance vectors. The processing system is further configured to generate a first slot interlace for a first slot based on the one or more pilot interlace vectors, and is further configured to generate a second slot interlace for a second slot based on the first slot interlace and the one or more distance vectors. Additional slot interlaces for all other slots may also be generated based on the first slot interlace and the one or more distance vectors. |
| US08477808B2 |
Method and apparatus of assigning in wireless communication systems
A method and apparatus of assigning selected interlace mode, the method comprising generating SelectedInterlaceAssignment message comprising SelectedInterlaceAssignment message comprising an 8 bit Message ID field, a 12 bit PilotPN field, a 1 bit SelectedInterlacesEnabled field, a 4 bit NumAssignedInterlaces field, and a 3 bit InterlaceID field, wherein, the PilotPN field is set to a PilotPN of the sector that sends SelectedInterlace Assignment message, the NumAssignedInterlaces field is set to the number of assigned interlaces, the InterlaceID field is set to an interlace assigned to the access terminal for SelectedInterlace operation and transmitting the generated SelectedInterlaceAssignment message over an OFDM communication link. |
| US08477807B1 |
Upstream ranging in communications devices
Systems, methods, and apparatuses can provide improved ranging for communications devices. This improved ranging can include prioritizing an upstream ambiguity list and/or prioritizing visible upstream channel identifiers, and generating a hierarchical candidate list for use in initial ranging for a communications device. |
| US08477805B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus and wireless communication method
According to one embodiment, a wireless communication apparatus includes a reception unit, a storage unit, a transfer amount decision unit, and a first transfer control unit. The reception unit receives a first frame with a frame length of a first length using a first wireless method. The storage unit stores the first frame. The transfer amount decision unit sets, when a second length decided based on the first wireless method is smaller than the first length, a third length to be the second length, and sets, when the second length is not less than the first length, the third length to be a value not more than the first length. The first transfer control unit transfers transfer information including first information of the third length in the first frame to a first memory, and transfers the first frame by the first length to a second memory. |
| US08477804B2 |
ICMP translator
When an IPv4/v6 dual stack terminal communicating via TCP on IPv6 fails to promptly switch over to IPv4 after the ICMPv6 fails due to a soft error, the problem should be resolved at the prior stage server rather than on the complicated terminal. The server at a stage prior to the terminal receives TCP packets from the terminal to find the TCP connection status on the terminal. When the terminal connection status is SYN-SENT or SYN-RECEIVED, and the server receives an unaddressed soft error such as ICMPv6 “Destination Unreachable: no route to destination (ICMP type=1: code 0)” for that terminal, the server rewrites the ICMPv6 contents as a hard error such as “Destination Unreachable: communication with destination administratively prohibited (ICMP type=1: code 1)” and sends it the terminal. |
| US08477802B2 |
Slotted aloha congestion control
A slotted Aloha communication system is provided according to one embodiment of the invention. The system may include a hub and a plurality of RCSTs. According to one embodiment, congestion control may occur at the RCST based in part on the number of segments received at the hub, the number of retransmission segments received at the hub and the number of successful collision retransmission segments received at the hub. The hub may communicate information regarding received segments. Congestion control may include calculating a transmission probably, performing a skewed probability measure with a probability equal to the transmission probability. If the results of the probability measure is positive the RCST may transmit or retransmit a segment within a first time prior, if the probability measure is negative then the RCST waits a set time period and reperforms the skewed probability measure. |
| US08477801B2 |
Backoff procedure for post downlink SDMA operation
Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to a technique for decreasing a probability of post-backoff collisions that occur during uplink transmissions from multiple user stations (STAs) following completion of downlink transmission from an access point to the STAs. |
| US08477797B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing media stream queues based on control
A control-based method for processing media stream queues includes: a multimedia control entity processes the talk burst request queues corresponding to different media types when the conditions of triggering processing of different talk bursts are satisfied; and the multimedia control entity sends the assigned talk burst to the corresponding multimedia session terminal. The present invention also provides a corresponding apparatus. By processing the media stream queues, the present invention ensures talk bursts of multiple correlated media types to be assigned in a session. |